Days In (Book 3)

Keeping you safe

James POV

I pull up to the driveway as I noticed someone walking towards the back of the house. I grabbed my gun from under the seat as I run up on the person. My gun Aimed at the person's head as I pull their hoodie back catching a long curly black haired girl. "Indy!" I say looking puzzled. "Dad!" She says before taking a deep breath. "Father." She says fixing her surprised faced into a more bitchy face. "What are you doing out the house?" I asked her as she rolls her eyes at me as I put the gun in my waistline. "What are you doing out of the house Mr. one million." She says putting her hands on her hips.

"Indy this is fucking serious." I tell her as I grab her by her arm going into the front door. "You have a price on your head that someone wants to get." I look up to see Cali as she had my phone in her hand. I left it on the counter because I wasn't expecting to be out for so long. Cali has this look of different emotions on her face as me and Indy look at her. "Indy is next." I voice says on the phone as she drops its before staring at me. Tears falling down her face as Indy goes to hug her as she cries hard on her shoulder. What could be having her so emotional... NINA?

I go to grab my phone as I see a video had been ended as I start it over. James Jr had been tied up and was getting beat to death by a man with a crowbar. The video plays on for a long time before the camera flips over and the man reveals his face to be Marlo's Dad. Anger fueling inside my chest as i look at my daughters. "He was just here." Cali says as she looks at me now noticing how I was about to lose my mind. "We were playing the game... then he left... Now he's gone." She says between sobs as I close my eyes the video playing in my head now. I take a deep breath trying to remain calm as I ended up throwing my phone at the door, Shattering it into pieces.

"Go pack your things. Get everything you need. I'm taking you to my grandparents." I tell the kids as Cali goes upstairs as Indy remains on the couch. She sits there just staring at the turned off tv. "That was suppose to be me." She tells me as I close my eyes rubbing my hand in my face. I was tired of crying I knew the only way to fight this pain was to take something he loved too. This is what I wanted to avoided... beef.

Indy stands up and hugs me, her grip getting tighter around me as I hug her back. "I'm scared Dad." She says as I hold her in my arms as she lets go. "I swear on my life i won't let anything happen to you two." I tell her looking her in her eyes as she nods her head.
She goes upstairs to go pack her bags as I finally sit down. Taking in everything that's happened. What am I going to do.

A Day Later

"They live in Texas?" Indy says as she's in the passenger seat as we finally arrived to the state. "I haven't seen grandma and grandpa since 9th grade." Cali says as Indy looks down at her hands. "I haven't seen them at all." She says as I look at the mirror studying Cali's Face. "Yes you have. You just don't remember it." I tell her as we pull up to their house. I grab the bags as the kids step out walking towards the front door. It didn't even take that long before the door opened and my grandmother had the biggest smile on her face. I place the bags by the stairs as my grandfather walks up to me. I was expecting a hug but got a slap in the back of the head instead.

"We seen the news. Both of you are all over the damn world. You were suppose to keep her safe." He tells me as I sigh to myself. "Go easy on em Pops. After all he's my son. So he's my responsibility." I look behind my grandfather as my dad emerges from down the stairs. My daughters look at me as my eyes widen as I must've been breathing heavy. "Dad... are you okay?" Cali asked as my father approaches me looking me in my eyes. He pulls me in for a hug as I hug him back. I haven't seen him since he got locked up 20 years ago.

Now I knew the girls would be safe here.
My father knew how to handle situations like these.

"Where's Nina?" My grandmother asked me as I realize I didn't have my phone no more. "We... aren't on the best terms right now." I say as they look at me with judgement in their eyes. "I have to get back to the city, just in case she's not okay." I tell them as my dad puts his hand on my shoulder. "Look at you son. You've grown strong. We know what's happening... we seen the video. If you need anything I'm here for you. I know I wasn't here for you when I was arrested but the streets respect you son. I respect you." He tells me as I stare into his eyes not giving a damn about his respect.

"Just keep my daughters safe. You owe me that much." I tell him as I walk out the house heading back into my car. I start it up as Indy and Cali walk out looking at me with tears in their eyes. I step out the car walking towards my daughters as I pull them both into my arms for a hug. "I love you too so much." I tell them as tears falls down my face. "If anything were to happen to you I wouldn't be able to live. So I have to leave you here to keep you safe." I speak from my heart to their ears as I they take my words in. "Promise me. You'll come back for us." Indy says as I don't say anything as I close my eyes before looking at the sky. Only God knows how this is going to end.

"Stay here." Cali says as I look at her seeing the hurt in her eyes. Here they are teenagers but I'm looking at them as if they were babies again. All I see is them as babies as they look at me with fear in their faces. They were just little girls still who wanted their daddy. Indy who never got to have me in her life, and Cali who never got me to be their for most her life. I was in the army so I never really was there to see her grow. I would get one month off to spend with her and Nina, but that wasn't enough.

"I can't. They'll just keep coming for us." I tell Cali as they finally let me go. "I love you dad." Indy says as I take a deep breath not ready to leave this all behind again. "I love you too dad." Cali says as I close my eyes tightly fighting emotions. "I love you, both of you so much. My babies." I say taking one last deep breath making up my mind as I step inside the car. Starting the car up and fading in the distance as I was gone now.

Nina POV

I was at the hospital as I've been here for days waiting for Cat to wake up. Her mother was angry as she kept pacing around and fidgeting like she had ADHD. "Why haven't you reacted to me?" I asked her as she finally turns her attention to me. "I have a $150,000 bounty on my head and you haven't looked at me once." I told her as she shrugs her shoulder looking at her daughter. "You saved my daughter by bringing her here. I could care less about some money." She says as she continues to stare at Catherine. I hear footsteps by the door as a nurse opens it pointing her finger at me. "My payment?" She asked Matthew Davis as he ignores her. "I want my payment." She says as he grabs a band of money out of his jacket smacking her in the face with it.

Catherines mother looks at me as I reach for my gun on my waist. He didn't hesitate to keep walking as he made his way into the room eyeing me down.

"You must be James's wife." He says grinning at me as a bunch of men started to flood inside the room.

Shit.