Dwayne's eyes darkened. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"
"Do you really think I'd come all the way here to spew false allegations against your sister when Kitten's in danger?" Yellows' voice rose with every word.
He inhaled deeply and with a more controlled tone continued. "Your sister escalated the situation. My men are searching for Kitten and Jazzy as we speak. Do you have any idea where she might be?"
"None." Dwayne pinched the bridge of his nose for a few seconds before returning his gaze to Yellows. "Zee doesn't have any friends that I know of besides Richard and I in this area. I guess your bunker isn't as safe as you had Zee believe," Dwayne scoffed.
Yellows laughed darkly, "My bunker is safer than any government building in this country. No one gets in unless we want them to. My men found out where Jazzy was being kept. When we went to retrieve her my team was taken out."
Dwayne had seen the explosion on the news. The feds who hadn't been killed in the explosion were found riddled with bullet holes.
Yellows winced slightly as he continued, "Kitten left the bunker a few hours ago. My men said it had to do with Jazzy, and if she told anyone where she was going Jazzy would be in danger." Yellows gritted his teeth. "Those idiots let her leave and didn't think to follow her. She hasn't returned."
Dwayne's mind raced to the missed call. "Fuck! That means it was probably Zee trying to call me earlier, but I was asleep, and missed the call."
"If anything happens to her," Yellows leaned forward and snarled.
"I left her in your care, and now you want to blame me because your goons were too stupid to follow her?" Dwayne shot back.
Yellows' eyes flashed with fury, his fists clenched on his thighs. "I don't need a lecture from you. I've been keeping her safe for years, and your sudden concern doesn't change that."
Dwayne's gaze bore into Yellows'. "Keeping her safe? Like the time she had to run for her life after Alejandro came to the hospital and shot and killed security officers? Or the time I left her in your bunker and now she's nowhere to be found?!"
Yellows sprang to his feet, his face twisted with anger. Dwayne rose to his feet just as fast. The two men stood toe to toe, their faces inches apart. Gallows stayed in position.
Yellows' voice was deathly calm. "No, like the time Alejandro wanted to throw her over the balcony and I saved her. Or how about the time he let all his boys fuck her in every hole which left her bloody, bruised and almost lifeless and I had to care for her. Or the time Alejandro killed her mother and she cried in my arms the entire night."
With widened eyes, Dwayne staggered backwards, as Yellows continued to recount the horrifying experiences McKenzie had endured at the hands of Alejandro.
By the time Yellows was finished, Dwayne's stomach had twisted into knots. He understood why McKenzie had been so secretive and was desperate to raise money. She wanted to get away from Alejandro. She had literally crawled out of hell and Alejandro was the demon wanting to retrieve her and drag her back by any means necessary.
"She doesn't fit into your world anymore, Dwayne. A woman like Kitten deserves a man who lives in her world and will go to any lengths, including murder to protect her."
Dwayne, grappling with the gravity of McKenzie's past, managed to ask, "What do you mean she doesn't fit into my world?"
Yellows' gaze deepened. "I killed two men today because they let Kitten leave and not one of them had the sense to follow her. Are you willing to kill for her and Jazzy, my lawyer friend?"
Dwayne pondered for a moment as he thought about the ethical dilemma before him. If McKenzie's life hung in the balance, he acknowledged that he might be forced to take drastic measures, even if it meant confronting the moral boundaries he had set for himself.
"We are on different ends of the law. It doesn't matter how you try to think about it; the law will always be after Kitten because of her connection to Alejandro. And Jazzy will always be a pawn they'll try to use against her," Yellows stated grimly.
Dwayne's fists clenched and unclenched at his sides as he tried to maintain his composure. "When it comes to protecting her, I'll do whatever it takes. But make no mistake, Yellows, I won't be a pawn in your game. Zee's and Jazzy's safety is my priority, and I won't compromise on that."
"This isn't a game, Dwayne; this is Kitten's life. It's not something I'm willing to play with. That's why I asked her to marry me. She needed more than someone to love her, she needed protection. As soon as I have them with me, I'll fly them to another country. I'll bring down Alejandro and his empire, but I can't make a move unless I know they're safe."
Dwayne felt as though someone had stabbed him in the heart. Did Yellows really propose to McKenzie, or was he just saying that to get under his skin? Either way, the harsh reality remained that nobody knew where McKenzie or Jasmine were.
Just then my phone rang and I pulled it out of my pocket.
"Is it her?" Yellows asked.
Dwayne shook his head. "It's Richard."
"Answer, put it on speaker but don't let him know that we're here. Your cop friend may have the information we need."
Dwayne nodded.
"Richie, what's up?" he asked, trying to sound casual.
"I have news about Jasmine," Richard uttered.
Dwayne held his breath, his pulse quickening. "Is she dead?"
Yellows inhaled sharply.
"We aren't sure," Richard responded.
Dwayne's tension mounted. "What do you mean you aren't sure? Richard, speak, man!" Dwayne shouted into the phone.
"I'm sure you've already seen the news. The federal safe house where she was kept came under fire. She was injured during the crossfire, and they lost her. We have no idea where she is."
"What?! What do you mean they lost her and she's injured?"
"I've been ordered to stay away from the case. They're bringing in an international team," Richard explained, his words landing like a heavy blow.
"Richard, listen, my tech guy said McKenzie got a message." There was no way he could tell Richard he got any information from Yellows. "Someone called her about Jazzy and she left the bunker. Richie, she's in the wind."
"Fuck! Do you think Alejandro found them?"
Dwayne looked at Yellows who shook his head.
"Not likely. If he did that asshole would've sent us a video already."
Richard inhaled deeply. "So then we can hope that McKenzie has Jasmine and is hunkered down somewhere." Richard paused, "Who else does McKenzie trust with Jasmine's life besides you and that Yellows guy?"
Eddie!
But Dwayne didn't say anything. He needed to get to her before Yellows did.
And if she received a message, it meant she got it through her laptop. He'd just have Eddie tap into it and retrieve the message. Why hadn't Yellows thought of that?
"That is the million-dollar question," Dwayne stated.
Richard sighed. "I'll still do what I can to help, but it'll be more difficult. Information won't be coming directly to me. If I hear anything, I'll let you know."
"And if I hear anything about Zee and Jazzy I'll let you know."
"Later, D, I've gotta go."
Richard hung up.
Dwayne tossed his phone on the sofa and sank into it.
Yellows snapped his head towards Gallows and roared, "Tell the guys Jazzy's hurt. And let them know there's a million dollar reward for anyone who brings me real intel on this new gang that took out our men and raided the safe house. Two million if they find Kitten and Jazzy alive!"
Dwayne bided his time. As soon as Yellows walked out his front door, he'd shoot Eddie a message about McKenzie. But, for now, he had to play along.
Dwayne said solemnly, eyeing Yellows. "I'll work with you to find Zee and Jazzy. I don't care how many men you have or how much money you have. If you do anything to jeopardize Olivia's life or mine. I will make you pay."
At this point, he had no choice but to work with Yellows, at least, until McKenzie and Jasmine were safe. She held all the answers to the questions he had, including that of his daughter.