“I’ll keep it between us,” Nuri agreed, not knowing the first thing to say to a man who knew about her almost all her life, but she knew nothing about him.
Nova let out a shaky breath, her relief obvious. “Thank you, baby. I love you so much.”
Life was complicated. It wasn’t always pretty, and it sure as hell wasn’t always easy. However, even in the mess of it all, Nuri knew one thing; she wasn’t walking this path alone anymore. She was stepping into the light, even if it burned.
Nuri had been moving on autopilot for days. She was tired—tired in a way that sleep couldn’t fix. Her mind felt like a battlefield, every thought a landmine she couldn’t avoid. The last few days had been hell. The truth about Boyd. The weight of Ali’s name now etched question marks in her soul. The love that Silas had poured into her, reminding her of her worth even when the world tried to strip it away.
She’d missed classes, her attendance slipping like sand through her fingers. But quitting was never an option. She was determined to step back into her routine, to prove to herself that she could handle the weight pressing down on her. She’d come too far, and fought too hard. With Silas in her corner, the fight didn’t seem so impossible. The sky was a dull gray as she walked out of her Communications class with Bre at her side, their steps slow like they were both carrying too much. Bre kept glancing at her, her eyes soft, giving Nuri a chance to open up when she was ready.
“You sure you good, sis?” Bre asked, worry lacing her words.
Nuri forced a small smile. “Yeah. I’m straight.”
Before taking another step she was confronted byBlake County Police.Officer Nichols stepped out, his expression cold enough to freeze the sun.
“Are you Nuri Sinclair?” Officer Nichols asked, his voice steady but laced with a cold detachment that made Nuri’s skin crawl.
She blinked, confusion clouding her features. “Um… Yes, I’m Nuri Sinclair,” she replied, her voice trembling as she braced herself for whatever this was.
Without hesitation, Officer Nichols reached for his cuffs. “You’re under arrest,” he said, his tone flat as he pulled her wrists together.
“What? Under arrest for what?” Her voice cracked, panic rising like bile in her throat.
“Money laundering and fraud,” he stated, his voice devoid of emotion as the cold metal bit into her skin.
“Oh my God, sis. What is going on? This is a mistake!” Bre cried, her voice shrill as she reached for Nuri’s arm.
Nuri’s heart pounded in her chest, but she forced herself to breathe, to remember Silas’ voice in her ear telling her to stay strong. She turned to Bre, her eyes filled with a quiet fire. “Everything will be fine, sis. We’ll talk later.”
As Officer Nichols led her toward the front of the school, the weight of every pair of eyes followed her.
Judgment.
Pity.
Fear.
It all washed over her like acid rain, and then she saw him. As she neared the front of the school, Superintendent Boyd showed no remorse for Nuri, only satisfaction as he and Tree stood in front of the school. His eyes held no hint of concern.It was like he’d been waiting for this moment… Like he’d been planning it all along.
Nuri’s pulse roared in her ears, but she refused to let them see her breakdown. In the parking lot, arms folded, eyes sharp, stood Silas and Ali. Silas’ face was calm, but his eyes burned with a promise that made Nuri’s chest tighten. Ali stood beside him, jaw locked, his stare fixed on Boyd like he was already planning the funeral.
Silas nodded at her, slow and deliberate, a silent message that wrapped around her like a shield.I got you.Nuri’s spine straightened, her chin lifted, and even as Officer Nichols ushered her into the waiting patrol car, she refused to let her tears fall. The patrol car door slammed shut, the sound echoing like a gunshot in her ears. The air felt like ice, her wrists aching beneath the cuffs.
Silas’ eyes never left Boyd. “That muthafucka gotta die,” he muttered, his tone lethal.
Ali’s voice was low, steady. “It’s already a done fickin’ deal. I gave that pussy a pass years ago because of Nova. Now it’s about my daughter. She need me and I ain’t lettin’ her down again. I’m done playing games.”
Silas nodded, and his jaw ticked. “I got a lawyer already working the paperwork. You already know what time it is when dealin’ wit’ this dirty ass muthafucka.”
Ali’s laugh was dark, hollow. “Then we’ll show him how the dirt tastes.”
Silas smirked, but his eyes stayed locked on the patrol car. “We gon’ get her out. Then we bury him.”
“Say less,” Ali replied, knowing the game Boyd was playing had never been about Nova or Nuri… It had always been about trying to destroy him, and his legacy.
Inside the cruiser, Nuri leaned her head against the window, watching the city blur by. Every lie, every betrayal, every timeBoyd made her feel like she wasn’t enough—she reflected on everything, then let it go, and she became stronger because of it. Nuri had her mother’s good looks and strength, her father’s fight and heart, and Silas’ love and protection all around her. She was a fuckin’ warrior.
Nuri’s four-hour stay in that jail cell was hell on earth—worse than any nightmare she’d ever had. Every minute ticked by like a slow-dripping faucet. The walls felt too close, the air too thin, and the faces around her too empty. She’d always known that the system wasn’t built for girls like her, but sitting in that cell, she felt inhuman. She sat there, arms folded across her chest, staring at the cracked wall, trying to make sense of how the hell she’d ended up here. She analyzed everything silently. The women around her moved like ghosts, their voices rough and worn like they’d been living in this darkness for too long. The smell of cheap soap, musk, and desperation filled the stale air; and Nuri’s heart ached for every soul trapped in this hell hole.
