MARRYING MR. RIGHT (The Brides of Hilton Head Island Book 3) (31 page)

                            Antonio slammed the door, and the entire cave went pitch black. Seconds later, Taylor heard the engine of the car gurgling over the latch. It sounded like Antonio had parked the car over the entrance of the cave so no one would notice the hidden entrance.              

                            Lying in darkness, Taylor prayed hard. Lashes blinking at the darkness, a small, circular light appeared at the top of the cave. Inside the circle, she saw Jesus’ face. “I’m not ready to die, Dear Lord. Please let me get to know my sons Zavier and Jaheem before You bring me home.”               

Chapter Thirty-Five

                           
Z
eke’s heart clenched with fear. Gripping the steering wheel of his Porsche SUV, he circled to the back of the gas station, spied the green dumpster. Having no clue as to where Taylor was, he threw the gear in park, hopped out of his SUV, and flung open the lid on the dumpster.

                            Rotten, spoiled food assaulted his nostrils. His eyes roamed over the trash in search of Taylor. Frustrated, he slammed the lid and jogged back over to his white SUV. 

                            Driving down the long, dark road beside the ocean, Zeke choked on his cry. “I’m going to find you, Taylor, and when I get ahold of the bastard that took you, I’m going to break his fucking neck. Rip his heart from his fucking chest.”

                            His mind traveled back to what Don had written on the paper:
ant
. “Ant. What were you trying to tell me, Don?”

                            Losing his freaking mind, Zeke made a sharp left and drove down another long street. A tear rolled from his eye, and he swiped at it. Coming upon Spaulding Drive, he thought about how he’d planned to take Taylor, Zavier, and Jaheem to ride Lord Balfour at the Equestrian one day real soon. 
Bangbangbang.
He repeatedly banged his fist on the steering wheel.

                            Needing to get himself under control, Zeke pulled over to the side of the isolated, dark road. Leaving the engine running, he put the SUV in park. He brought his hands up to his face and put them in a prayer position. “God. You’re the only person who can help me find my wife. I can’t do this by myself. I need Your help. In life, a man is supposed to be obedient to You, Lord. Supposed to serve God. Find a wife. Protect his wife. If I don’t find Taylor, it’ll kill me. Please help me.”

                            Putting his balled fist to his nose, Zeke squeezed his eyes shut. He inhaled a deep breath, then slowly blew the pent-up breath from the circle of his mouth. Damn, his chest ached. Stomach cramped.

                            “Thank You for helping me. In Jesus’ name I pray…amen.” Having enormous faith in God, Zeke slowly opened his eyes and read the green street sign in front of his SUV.
Spaulding Drive
.

                            Memories of how Richmond’s father, Russell, had killed Richmond’s wife, Salina, stormed inside Zeke’s head. “Some people can’t trust their own family.” As soon as the words left his lips, a terrifying thought struck up inside Zeke’s head.

                            Hands on the steering wheel, Zeke shuddered at the awful possible realization.
Ant?
“Antonio? Was Don trying to write Antonio? Antonio…no. Dear God, my brother? No, he wouldn’t.”

                           
If you took my wife, you will pay, Antonio. I will kill you with my own bare hands.
Zeke’s mouth twisted wryly. He yanked the gear to drive, sped out onto the road, and headed for Antonio’s house.

                            Eighteen minutes later, Zeke pulled off the main road onto a dirt road leading to Antonio’s house. The SUV shook violently as it traveled along the unpaved earth. Full moon perched high in the sky, thick trees lined either side of the road.

                            Nerves on edge, Zeke steered the SUV up to Antonio’s house and parked it beside his brother’s BMW.
Antonio’s home
. This house had once belonged to Katherine’s parents before they died. Zeke studied his eerie surroundings. Worn rooftop, raggedy porch, a dim lamp glowed on the other side of the living room window.               

                            Zeke shrugged open the door with his shoulder, clambered out. His heart thudded hard in his chest as he walked along the dirt ground. Bats flew overhead. Crickets chirped. Bullfrogs burped. Humid air clung to the bare flesh of his arms as he mounted the steps to the porch. Ready to eat Antonio alive and spit his ass out like rotten tobacco, Zeke banged his fist on the door.

                            Several minutes passed. Zeke banged on the door again. “Open up! I know you’re in there!” Tired of waiting, Zeke grasped the door handle and swung the hell out of the screen door. Loosening the hinges, the screen door dropped sideways.

                            Ready to kill, Zeke barged inside Antonio’s house to find him sitting on the sofa, talking on his cell. “Where is she?!”

                            Antonio bolted to his feet. Shoving the cell in his front jean pocket, he rushed up to Zeke and got in his face. “Fuck you coming in here like this?”

                            Zeke eyes darted around the room. “Where’s Taylor? I know you have her.”

                            Hands on hips, Antonio rolled his eyes. “Man, you stupid. What would I want with your wife?” He shrugged, then fanned the air. “I ain’t got time for this shit, bro. I’m going sit my ass back down. Feel free to take a look around, if you want.” Antonio flopped back on the couch, threw his legs up on the coffee table.

                            “Taylor! Taylor!” Zeke headed down the dark hallway. Not believing one word Antonio had said, he went inside his evil brother’s bedroom and checked under the bed for Taylor. He then headed inside the tiny bathroom. Standing beside the tub, he snatched back the curtain to find it empty. After he checked the pantry, he checked Antonio’s closet and every single room inside the stale, gloomy house.

                            Call him desperate, but Zeke felt Taylor’s presence nearby. He pulled open the back door of the kitchen, walked outdoors, and dismounted the creaking steps. “Taylor! Taylor!”

                            Walking past the retention pond, Zeke glanced back over his shoulder just as Antonio came and stood in the back door of the kitchen. “She’s not here, idiot! First you take my damn job! Then you fire me! Now you’re accusing me of taking your wife? Kiss my hairy white ass, bro!” Antonio slammed the back door.

                            Marching along the grounds, Zeke headed over to the garage. He hooked his hand on the garage handle, lifted it, and entered. Fisting his hips, Zeke’s eyes raked over the open area. A lot of tools, a lawn mower, and a raggedy car were inside. Nothing abnormal caught his attention.

                           
Why do I feel her soul here?
“Taylor! Taylor! Taylor!”

                            Turning on his heels, Zeke ran and jumped in the pond. Water splashed upward, drenching his face. Not caring if a water moccasin bit him, Zeke’s hand floundered around inside the pond. A fish swam by the jean area of his knees.
I know Antonio has something to do with Taylor’s disappearance.

“TAYLOR!” 
Back against the wall of the dark cave, Taylor sat on the muddy ground, thinking she’d heard Zeke call her name. Going delirious, Taylor pulled her legs up to her chest, wrapped her arms around her knees.

                           
“Taylor! Taylor! Taylor!” She heard Zeke call her name loud and clear.

                           
Sharp, prickly pains shot through Taylor’s chest as
she struggled to stand. Back to the cave’s wall, she cupped her hands to the sides of her mouth and tried to scream. “Zeke…I’m down here. I’m down here.” It hurt to breathe. Waiting for Zeke to respond, silence filled her ears. “Zeke…come back. I’m here in the cave.”

                            Maybe she didn’t hear him. Maybe she was losing her mind, Taylor thought, sliding her hands in her back pockets to find them filled with items Sandella had given her earlier. Taylor plucked the whistles, candles, and matches from both of her pockets.
Whistles? Blow the whistle.

                            Finger fumbling with the matches, Taylor struck it. The cave vaguely lightened. Spotting a piece of paper on the ground at her feet, she picked it up, lit the end, then placed it in the corner to give her temporary light.

                            Putting the plastic bag filled with whistles to her teeth, Taylor ripped the bag open. Sweating profusely, Taylor put the whistle to her mouth and blew as hard as she could. The loud shrills filled her ears, bounced off the walls of the cave. “Zeke!” Shaking vigorously, her cheeks contracted and expanded as she blew the whistle again. And again. And again. Over and over, and over.

SOAKING WET
, Zeke left the pond and stalked toward his car, smelling like a big wet fish. When he reached the garage, he heard a loud whistle noise. Shaking his head, his shoulder length hair slapped at his face.
I’m hearing shit.
Knowing he was mentally going nuts, he ignored the whistle ringing in his ear and rounded the corner of Antonio’s house.

                           
Antonio stood on his front porch with a smirk on his face. Folding his arms across his chest, Antonio leaned against the porch column. His right brow hitched. “Found her?”

                            Dripping wet, Zeke headed for the porch. On his way there, he spotted Taylor’s sneaker lying in the grass. Pretending as if he didn’t see her shoe, Zeke kept his eyes hooked on Antonio’s face.
This crazy sonofabitch has my wife.

                            Standing at the bottom of the porch, Zeke grinded his back teeth. He balled his fist and took a hard swallow. Glaring upward at his evil brother, Don’s words from a while back rang loud in Zeke’s ears.
‘Kelvin was part of a gang called Southern Mafia. As part of the gang initiation, the boys had to get branded with the initials SM,’
Don had once said.

                            Remembering what Don had said about the branding of the chest for the
Southern Mafia
gang members, Zeke demanded, “Take off your shirt.”

                            The smirk on Antonio’s face turned to stone. Leaning on the column, Antonio stood erect. “Man, I ain’t taking off my shirt for you.”

                            Palms up, Zeke shrugged. “Why not? I tell you what, if you take off your shirt, I’ll give you your job back at Balfour Enterprises.” He held up a finger. “I’ll even go one step further. I’ll resign as CEO and make you the CEO. All you have to do to become CEO of Balfour Enterprises is take off your shirt.”

                            Antonio frowned. “Go fuck yourself. I don’t want to work at Balfour anymore.”

                            Zeke’s heart sliced with hatred. “Have a good night, Antonio.” Anger flaring, Zeke coolly walked to his SUV, pulled open the door, and climbed inside. “He must think I’m a damn fool. A weak ass pussy,” he grumbled to himself, keeping his eyes stuck on Antonio. “You’re going to pay for taking my wife. No one takes the best thing that’s ever happened to me away.”

                            Knowing for sure it was Taylor’s sneaker he saw lying on the ground, fury coursed through Zeke’s veins. Just as Zeke cranked the engine, his cell chirped. He pulled the cell from his clip. “Hello?” 

                            “Zeke, thank God you answered. Chief Shelton Wallace here. I’m leaving the hospital. Don just woke up and told me Antonio is part of the
Southern Mafia
gang. Don stated Antonio had had Taylor kidnapped all those years ago. According to Don, your mother-in-law Katherine is the person that shot him. Police are on their way to Antonio and Katherine’s homes to arrest them as we speak.”

                            Zeke and Antonio glared each other down, kept their haunting gazes connected. “I’m already here at Antonio’s. He has my wife, Shelton.”
I’m going to handle Antonio myself. I don’t need the police.

                            “Don’t do nothing stupid, Zeke. Let the police handle Antonio.”

                            Still standing on the porch, Antonio’s furious gaze narrowed at Zeke. Pure hatred carved Zeke’s heart in half. Disgust ran through his bones. Muscles flicked in Zeke’s jaws.

                            Sliding his hand towards his back, Antonio’s eyes shot daggers at Zeke.

                            Zeke yanked the gear in drive, clenched the steering wheel. Remembering the sounds of the whistles, he bet Taylor was locked in the trunk of the car, or worse.
You’re about to pay, dear brother. No one takes my fucking wife and gets away with it.

                            Antonio whipped a gun from his pocket, aimed it straight at the driver’s side of Zeke’s windshield. 

                            “Do or die, motherfucker!” Zeke clicked on his bright lights, blinding Antonio. Gritting his teeth, Zeke flooded the gas. The SUV sped forward. 

                            Brows dipped, face scrunched, Antonio’s finger squeezed the trigger. Orange fire blasted from the metal hole of the black weapon. Rounds of gunfire exploded in the night air, cracking the windshield.

                            A hot sensation coursed through Zeke’s body. He’d been shot! Eyes on his prized enemy, Zeke raced the SUV up the steps like a freaking mad man. The SUV rocked, almost flipped over.

                            Infuriated, Zeke crashed the big driving machine into Antonio.
Bam!
Antonio’s body flew backwards into the inside of the house, slammed into the wall inside the living room, then plummeted to the floor.