"You can and you will." I kept my gun trained on Jamie's unconscious body. "Get yo’ son's shit too. Whatever y'all need. You got two minutes."
She stared at me for a second like she couldn't believe this was happening, then something in her clicked. She moved fast, running to the back rooms. I could hear her opening drawers, stuffing things into bags, while talking softly to JJ to keep him calm.
Jamie groaned on the floor, starting to come to. I stepped closer and kicked him hard in the ribs, He curled up, gasping.
"You ever put your hands on her again," I said, my voice was low, "and I won't just stop at knocking you out. I’ll end yo’ fucking life, and that's a promise."
A minute later, Zurie came back out with JJ and two duffel bags in her other hand. she looked at me with something between fear and gratitude in her eyes.
"Let's go," I said.
I backed out of the house, with my gun still on Jamie until we were outside. Then I holstered it and took the bags from Zurie's hand. We moved quick down the stairs towards my truck.
I opened the back door for her to put JJ in the car once he was strapped in, she got in the passenger seat and I pulled off, checking my rearview to make sure we weren't being followed.
Neither one of us said anything for a long time. Just the sound of the engine and JJ's soft breathing from the back seat as he fell asleep, exhausted from crying.
* * *
I pulled up to a Marriott about twenty minutes later and told Zurie to wait in the truck. I went inside, paid cash for a suite, and came back out with the key cards.
"Come on."
I grabbed the bags and led them inside. The suite was nice, it was two bedrooms, a living area, clean and quiet. Zurie carried JJ to one of the beds and laid him down, pulling the covers over him. He didn't even wake up.
When she came back out to the living area, I was standing by the window. She just stood there for a moment, looking at me, her arms wrapped around herself.
"Does Sosa know?" I asked in a low tone. "Does he know that nigga hits you?"
She shook her head, fresh tears spilling over. "No. I never told him."
"Why not?"
"Because Sosa would kill him. And I didn't want my brother going to jail over me. I thought I could handle it. I thought—" Her voice broke and she covered her face with her hands.
I walked over to her, my jaw tight. "Tomorrow we telling him. Fuck all of that. He needs to know."
"Yatta—"
"Nah. This shit ends tonight, Z. You ain't going back ova there. And you ain't making excuses for that nigga no more. And your brother deserves to know what you been going through." I said it firm, but not harsh.
That's when she completely broke down. The sobs came hard and heavy, like she'd been holding them in for months, hell, probably years. Her whole body shook with it.
I didn't hesitate. I pulled her into my chest and wrapped my arms around her, holding her tight while she cried into myhoodie. She gripped onto me like I was the only solid thing in her world right now.
"You good," I said quietly, one hand on the back of her head. “I gotchu’" She cried for a long time. I just held her, letting her get it all out. When her breathing finally started to even out, I tilted her face up and kissed her forehead.
"Get some rest," I said, looking down at her. "I'll be back in the morning to check on you."
"You don't have to leave," she whispered, her eyes red and swollen.
"Yeah, I do. You need space to breathe. And I got some shit I need to handle." I wiped a tear from her cheek with my thumb. "But call me if anything, and I mean anything happens. You got my number now. Use it." She nodded, I made sure the door was locked behind me when I left, I stood in the hallway for a second to make sure I heard her put the chain on.
Then I headed back to my truck.
Tomorrow was gonna be a long day. Sosa needed to know. Jamie needed to be dealt with properly. And Zurie needed to start rebuilding her life away from that bullshit.
But tonight she was safe. And that's all that mattered.