She's My Queen

Chapter Twenty-One

CLARISSA

I pushed the key card into the familiar hotel room door and opened it. The door closed behind me and the set up of cameras came into view.

I look to my right to find Cartron exactly where I left him.

"Did you find him?" He sits up carefully.

He sore from the events that took place almost two months ago. Cartron was getting old and this made him weak. He still had plans to catch his grandchild. He wanted the baby and he was going to get. Anyway possible. I'm here to simply return a deal.

Cartron helped me through a tough time and that was all thanks to Ace. I loved my job but ever since he ended things between us and he wanted us to be cordial friends, things have been tough on me. I lost my job, my condo, my car, and my dignity. I was here to mess up his life like he did mine. Starting with getting rid of Camille.

A blind man can tell he has strong feelings for her no matter how he tries to suppress it. It was there and he was warning me off.

"Yes, and he's not coming back anytime soon." At all.

Cartron smirked suddenly. I frowned but kept quiet as I watched him reach over and grabbed his phone. He pressed a couple of digits and held the phone to his ear.

"Do it." Was all he said before hanging up.

"What was that?"

"Let's say my children won't be stable to come here."

"What does that mean?"

"Hopefully they won't survive and it leaves me time to take out that w***e and grab my successor."

"Troy?"

Cartron shrugged. "He's caught up in the hospital it seems. He won't be much of a problem but cut down a threat before it grows. He should expect a visit not to long from now. It was fun using him like a puppet but fun time is over."

Already gathering he was going to do something drastic, I asked about the one person we left out. "Ace?"

Cartron's dark evil eyes caught mine. "He's all yours if you want him. Make sure he's out of the way or he'll die with the rest of them."

I nod. He waved a few of his men toward me and I walked out with them on my tail. I swallowed hard at the thought of what was going down.

I was set.

CARTER

"It's impossible for him to be there. He could be at any of the old galas." Camille announced her opinion.

I sighed, annoyed with just about everything. I was unsure about Rick's warning at first but now I'm starting to think he was right. The background checks have been over and every man was cleared from my team.

I have yet to go over Tiana's or Troy's. I had no doubt that Tiana was clear from just about anything. Troy was a different case. So much has happened over the months since we last seen him.

I have yet to know what his purpose was of showing up to Italy other than killing King which left me with one less problem. But I could have possibly gained a problem. And that could be Troy himself.

"Camille—"

"Just think about it." She cuts Rick off. "My father was a party man. He tried to w***e me out a few times to make a lot of money."

I remain in my corner, looking over Ace's background. I thought about telling Camille but I felt she might get defense. As time went on, I saw my sister has deeper feelings for Ace.

Footsteps approached and a chair was pulled beside me but my focus remained on Ace's background.

"Still working on backgrounds, Boss?" Mina's curious voice hits my ear.

I nod in response, placing a paper about his family history and grabbing all the numbers he's been in contact with over the years. Past and present.

"So, how can I help?"

I exhaled air through my nose, placing the thin sheet down and turning to look at her. "Watch the cameras like I asked you to do. Your eyes shouldn't be off the city cams."

"I know but—"

The sudden sound of gunshots hit my ears and stopping whatever sentence she was going to speak. I cursed and gathered all the papers while Rick gathered up the guns. Everyone rushed around to pack up and I motioned for Camille to stay close.

I grabbed the files that had everyone and slipped them in the case. I heard a click and I looked briefly to see my sister ready to shoot at anything that moves.

"Boss, what are your orders?"

"Continue with the plan. We take the back stairs." And head back to Italy.

Everything was al over the place and I honestly didn't know where was safe. I shouldn't be in this mind space. The only thing on my mind was making sure my family was safe. Where was safe?

Men shouted and we all rushed out to the stairs. As soon as we hit the bottom, cars swerved to the curb and more men got out. I look to Rick and shoved the case into his hands. He became alerted with the sudden action.

"Take this and head back to Italy. Make sure Cariana and Tiana are safe."

He looked puzzled and confused because the plan was for me to go but if there was any possibility Cartron was here, I was going to be ready to shoot him down this time. Rick is the only one I trust to take my daughter and my woman somewhere safe.

"Go," I ordered before he could speak. "And take my sister."

Camille turned to look at me with a frown. "What?"

"Go, now."

Rick grabbed Camille's upper arm and pulled her with him. I watched them and Mina followed till they got to a car and drove off.

I gave out orders to the rest of my men. More gunshots were nearing. I pulled out my gun and pulled the hammer back, ready at any moment. I aimed, men after men went down. I found myself behind the wall, a shield protecting me from the bullets 100%.

"Drop your gu—" the man was not able to finish his sentence. A close by shot hit my ears and the man who was talking dropped to the ground behind me.

I turned and I frowned when I saw who it was in my line of vision. "Camille, what the fvck are you doing here?!" Anger vibrating off of me when I saw her continue to shoot.

"I'm saving you apparently." She aimed at another one and pulled the trigger a few times, bullets flying into his chest and sending him to the ground. She took cover on the opposite wall.

"Where the fvck is Rick?"

"I told him to keep going to Italy and he did. There was no time for arguing and I may have put some pep in his actions by threatening to shoot him if he didn't go."

My fingers balled into a fist and I aimed my gun at another one. "You shouldn't be here." I growled, frustrated.

Camille turned a bit to get a better aim at the targets. "Well, I not only made a promise to Tiana to keep you safe. You can't control everything that I do, brother."

She pulled the trigger and it hit a man dead shot in the head. She pulled back and turned to look at me. "You're not going to face the man that put us through hēll alone. He's done real damage in not just your life but mine too. We're taking him on together." Her look stern. "Even if it kills me."

"Cam..."

"You really thought I was going to leave my brother to rid of our father by himself? No, we're doing this together. No more doing things by yourself."

I stare at her for a long moment, taking in her words before finally giving in with a rough exhausted sigh. "Alright."

Men shouting and bullets flying. I reloaded my gun before continuing. It was like every time I blinked, I see the enemy growing larger. Something wasn't right.

"There's too many, Boss." One called out from the other side of the wall. "What do we do?!"

I bit my lip, hating what I was about to say. I was never one to retreat from a fight but I already witnessed a handful of my men dead on the ground. It was enough.

"Pull back!" I ordered to them and aimed my gun, firing at all of the enemy while backing up.

I nod quickly to Camille and she ran with the rest of them and I was right behind them.

"They're pulling back! Stop them! No one can leave here alive!" One shouts.

That's when I saw one of them throw a black looking ball in my direction. I miscalculated. Three more were thrown in my sister's direction. Dropping the empty gun, I started up in a sprint.

"Camille!"

Booms went all over, the building rumbling and tumbling pieces to the ground. More was thrown and everything came crashing down.

Then black.

TIANA

"Twenty." I leaned forward, placing a kiss upon my daughter's face. Her light giggles warmed my heart as I got finished doing the final push up.

She was safely laid upon a thick covering facing up at me. I had just finished a workout and I was a sweaty mess. I decided to checkout the gym for a good hour. Eva went out to get lunch and I was here watching my little one with one of Carter's guardsmen.

I leaned forward again, kissing her chubby cheeks then blowing causing her to burst into another fit of giggles.

The sound of the gym door opening caught mine and the guard attention. The guard took a protective step in front of us.

I looked closely and I smiled politely when I saw it was Dr. Piscino. He had his headphones in and when he saw me, he smiled.

"Miss King," he greeted. "How are you?" He only got a good foot in my direction before my guard stopped him with a grunt.

"I'm doing great, Dr. Piscino." I replied, not saying anything about my guard but of course he had to question it.

"Marco, please." His wary eyes looked to my guard. "This must be a good friend of yours." He held out his hand. "Marco."

My guard grunts causing him to put his hand by his side's awkwardly. He then looked to me then at my babygirl. "How is Cariana?"

I looked down to find her staring up at me in wonder. I smile. "She's doing better. She misses her daddy." I say honestly.

She's been so easy to handle when Carter was around and now that he's not, she loves to be difficult with me. That's my babygirl.

"Not to pry but where is he?"

A warning went off in my head and I listened. I look up at him to find him watching me and not in the friendly way either. More of an affection kind of way. I cleared my throat, my signal to my guard that it was about time to go.

"He's at work. Should be getting off in a hour." I lied while wrapping my precious bundle of joy in her clothes.

A small frown was visible on his lips. "Your leaving?"

I settled Cariana in her car seat and my guard helped me pack up my yoga mat and grabbed my baby bag.

"Yeah, I have to get the little one fed. It was great seeing you, Doctor."

He smiled and tsked me. "Call me, Marco, Tiana."

The next thing I knew, my guard pushed Dr. Piscino catching him off guard. "Don't call her by her name. You shall refer to Miss King."

"I meant no disrespect—"

I had everything and my baby car seat in one hand. I reached out for the guard. "It's okay. Let's go." I looked to Dr. Piscino. "I'm sorry. See you around."

I could feel his eyes on me on the way out. I look to my guard and he looked angry. No doubt because he caught on to Dr. Piscino and if Carter was here, he would use his fist before talk.

It was now clear the doctor had some sort of liking towards me and I was to stay clear.

My phone went off and I assumed it was Carter. I was happy to hear from him. I opened up the door to the back of the car and placed Cari in before answering.

"Hey, baby." I held the phone with my shoulder while strapping Cariana in.

"Hm, hello to you too." A familiar rough voice spoke up through the line.

My fingers paused and I grabbed my phone to look at the screen. It was a blocked number and that voice I knew of was the person causing havoc in my family's life.

"Cartron?"

"Ding, ding, ding, ding." He chuckles evilly. "Don't be too disappointed when you don't hear from my mistakes. They we're useful while they lasted."

"W-What are you talking about?" I hoped what he said was not what I was thinking. God, please let it not.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. My son and daughter have been nothing but a waste of time. Now, their gone and all will be handled within time." I could feel his smile. "I'll be visiting my granddaughter very, very soon."

The call dropped and so did my heart.

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