Chapter 64

The sound of another bullet hitting his front door finally had Jadon jumping to action. He needed to protect Tapiwa and he couldn't do that with her out in the open.

"You need to hide," he told her as he grabbed her arm and tugged her along behind him as he ran for his bedroom.

A million scenarios played out in his head, each one more gruesome than the previous. Whoever was shooting at his front door had to be the blackmailer or the man he had paid to stalk them. Somehow, Jadon didn't think his father would go this far. That left him with more questions about who could be behind this and he wouldn't go out looking for the answers until he knew Tapiwa was safe and hidden.

Jadon wasn't bulletproof, but he would rather be alone when he faced the shooter because there was just no way in hell he was letting Tapiwa anywhere near the shooter.

"In here." Jadon opened the wardrobe and gestured for her to get in, but she didn't.

Tapiwa stood in front of the door, eyes wide with panic. She shook her head. "We can't both fit in there," she whispered before she flinched at the sound of someone slamming hard into the front door.

They didn't have time to waste. Jadon grabbed her arm again and firmly led her into the space under the hangers. "We both don't need to fit. I need you to hide in here and call the police."

"But-"

"No buts, Tapiwa. Just do as I say and no matter what you hear, don't come out," he said firmly just as they both heard the front door crash open. Not giving Tapiwa a chance to argue or do something foolish, he quickly shut the doors and left the bedroom. Whoever it was, he didn't want to give them a clue of where Tapiwa was hiding.

His heart pounded like crazy in his chest, sending his entire body into tremors. Jadon took a deep breath and made a short detour to pick up the bat he had almost forgotten he kept in his kitchen pantry. Then he was in the hallway and facing the intruder.

It was too late for fear, and when he realized who was in his house, fear was the last thing Jadon felt. Red-hot fury coursed through his veins in a heartbeat. "What the hell, Asher?" he demanded angrily, ignoring the gun his brother held, and the glare of pure hatred directed at him.

"Where is she?"

Jadon didn't need to ask who he meant, and a wave of possession washed over him. "You are not coming anywhere near her," he gritted out through clenched teeth.

Something close to madness entered Asher's eyes and for a second, Jadon was concerned about his safety and he hoped like hell Tapiwa had called the police. Luckily, the gun was still pointed down toward the floor as Asher's hand hung by his side.

He could see the damage to the front door behind his brother. Several holes now decorated the solid wood and the doorknob was broken. Clearly, Asher had been determined to get into the house and nothing was going to stand in his way. Except Jadon.

"She's my woman!" Asher bellowed like a petulant child, staking a claim on a toy.

Jadon scoffed. "She was never yours and you know it. Asher, put down the gun and leave before you do something stupid."

"Oh, yeah?" Asher snarled and raised the gun, pointing the barrel at Jadon. "Like what? Shoot you? That wouldn't be stupid. That would be the wisest thing I could do for our family. You have brought us nothing but shame."

"And you shooting your own brother in cold blood over a woman who isn't even yours would make you a hero?" Jadon challenged, his fingers tightening around the bat.

Asher bared his teeth, the determination in his gaze telling Jadon that there would be no reasoning with his brother on the matter. So he wasn't surprised when Asher spoke and the words were those of a man beyond the point of madness.

"No one will stop me from taking back what's mine."

"I'm not yours!" Tapiwa's sharp voice suddenly cut through the air and Jadon cursed under his breath. Damn it! He'd told the woman to hide and not come out for anything.

Jadon turned, intending to block her from coming closer and putting herself right in the forefront of the danger. But before he could, she'd moved around him and stood between Jadon and Asher, her glare fixed on the latter.

Without giving it a moment's thought, Jadon jerked forward and grabbed Tapiwa's waist, which snapped something in Asher and the man's gun swung in the air, pointing at Jadon and then Tapiwa. Jadon reacted on instinct. He let go of Tapiwa and threw himself at Asher, his hands gripping the hand that held the gun and forcing it up toward the ceiling.

Grunts and shouts filled the air as more chaos ensued. Jadon was vaguely aware of Tapiwa's frantic voice behind him, but he kept his focus on Asher, refusing to let go of the hand that held the gun.

Asher cursed. He lifted his knee and tried to get Jadon in the abdomen, but unlike Asher who was too much of a party boy to hit the gym, Jadon never missed a session, so he easily dodged the hit and then swept his leg under Asher, sending them both down to the floor hard.

Asher found himself at the bottom with Jadon on top, still gripping his wrist in a death grip. But just then, the gun went off and Tapiwa screamed. For a second, Jadon feared she had gotten shot, but he couldn't let go of Asher and find out.

In all the time he had known Asher, Jadon had never thought his brother was capable of killing someone. He hadn't thought he was capable of blackmail and threats, either. But clearly he had been wrong. Obviously, a scorned woman wasn't the only creature one had to be wary of. A man with a bruised ego was far more dangerous.

"Get the fuck off me!" Asher bellowed as he bucked under Jadon like a rodeo bull, trying to throw him off.

Jadon went airborne for one frozen second before he landed back on Asher, making both men grunt in pain. Unfortunately, the move was enough for Jadon to lose his grip on Asher's hand and the gun.

Asher didn't waste a second. He used the gun to strike Jadon in the face, and Jadon fell back and off his brother's body. Before Jadon could reorient himself, Asher heaved himself into a sitting position and raised the gun as though to strike Jadon again.

But just then, Asher got hit from behind. He let out a cry and fell forward, the gun finally falling out of his hand. Jadon looked up just in time to realize Tapiwa stood behind Asher, holding his bat. Damn, something like pride swelled in his chest and he wanted to just grab her and wrap her up in his arms. It had to wait, though. They had to deal with Asher first.

Feeling as though half his face was on fire and already swollen from where the gun had hit him, Jadon flipped over and dragged himself toward the dropped gun before Asher could make a move.

But just as Jadon, fingers brushed against the black metal, more chaos penetrated the fog of pain and anger he was in. Several footsteps hurried toward his front door. Then he finally heard the words he had been praying for.

"Police! Everyone, just stay where you are!"

Jadon was fine with that instruction. He immediately lifted his hand away from the gun and let his body lay flat on the floor. Fuck! He couldn't believe that had happened.