Love & War Read online

  The Prada Plan 4:

  Love & War

  Ashley Antoinette

  www.urbanbooks.net

  All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  The Prada Plan 4: Love & War

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Ashley Antoinette Novels

  Copyright Page

  The Prada Plan 4:

  Love & War

  From the beautiful mind of . . . Ashley Antoinette

  “I dedicate this book to love because I know that it has the power to triumph over all things that stand in its way . . .”

  —Ashley Antoinette Coleman

  Acknowledgments

  Always first and foremost, I have to thank God for the consistency of His grace, of His mercy, and of His blessings. I would be nothing without Him and I am eternally grateful for the beautiful way in which he designed my destiny. I am humbled by the fact that I always come out victorious, but I know that it is only because of His guidance and unconditional love for me.

  To my husband. I love you. I love you forever and a day. I am so proud of our bond. It has proved strong and unbreakable. The fact that our souls are so perfectly aligned gives me chills. You are the wind beneath my wings and you encourage me to soar to new heights, while keeping your arms wide open just in case I fall. I am fearless because I know I have your protection. My heart beats for you. I am your ‘Diz’. You are my ‘babe’. Our friendship is the greatest foundation for our infinite love. I don’t think that it is possible to have a deeper connection than the one we share. We are twelve years into this thing with forever to go and I’m so excited to grow old with you. We have been through it all and we’re still here. That’s the thing about destiny . . . nothing can alter this path we’re walking together. God built us as a pair. I love you. I am you. You are me. We are forever one. My nigga. Last name Coleman.

  To my son, MY EVERYTHING. You bring me so much joy. It is because of you and you alone that I am so strong. Your spirit has been the fuel that keeps me going. You are so pure, so untainted by the world. Seeing you experience life is such a blessing. Its like you give me a chance to see things for the first time again. Everything is more beautiful because of you. You make me slow down and appreciate each moment. Life is so exciting for you and I am so blessed to be able to guide you as you grow and learn. You are my heart. There is no measuring my love for you. It just is and it will forever be. The best parts of your father and I is in your DNA. I see greatness in you and I can’t wait until you make your mark on the world. You are a future king. I am so grateful for you, Quaye “Tip” Coleman. My miracle.

  To my mommy, the older I get the more I appreciate everything that you have done for me. I love you. Our bond is sacred and unconditional. I know if nobody has my back, you do . . . right or wrong. There is nothing like a mother’s love and if I don’t tell you enough, you are amazing.

  To my fans! I could just scream!!!! Fans? I have them? Like, seriously! You all have been on this ride with me for so long. You are my day 1’s! My supporters! My motivators! Hell, even my critics sometimes! Each and every one of you make me a better writer. I appreciate you for the e-mails, the Twitter and Facebook messages, the encouraging words and your undying support. You guys go hard for me and I have to acknowledge you. Without you there would be no me. I do this for you and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

  To the girls I can’t possibly live without. Sydney, Ashley M., Shonda, and Char. I love you. You all are my sisters whether by blood or by love. I simply cannot ever see life without you all in it. You each fill my life with love, support, and laughter. We will share a bond forever. Thank you for being my true blues.

  Chapter 1

  Indie stood outside of the church feeling defeated as he realized that YaYa had stood him up. At this moment they were supposed to be newlyweds and indulging in happiness as they embarked on a new life together, but instead they were as distant as strangers. Lately they had been like oil and water. No matter how much they tried to see eye to eye, they didn’t mix. Her issue with drugs, her history with Leah, and her new addiction to money and power were all wearing on Indie. He loved YaYa with every inch of him. She was his rib. Her smile warmed him like rays from the sun. He loved the shit out of her in all honesty, but it was always so hard for her to give him her all. Did he feel her love? Yes, he believed that she loved him in her own way, but she came with so much baggage and too many skeletons. He had been willing to put up with a lot but he was beginning to grow impatient. He couldn’t wait for this one woman forever. Either they got it right or it was time for them to say their good-byes and search for normalcy apart. Indie’s heart ached as the thought of moving on from the love of his life entered his mind. He wanted to be with this one woman forever but she was elusive, her ability to hold him down uncertain and their future dismal.

  Chase emerged from the small white chapel and descended the steps. The tailored suit he wore bossed up his appearance as he approached Indie, his hands tucked in his pockets. Sympathy was written all over his face.

  “I’ve tried calling her, bro, it’s going straight to voicemail,” Chase stated.

  “We fought last night,” Indie explained. His voice was calm and indifferent, but his pain was evident. He was a man burdened by love. That one emotion had brought many men to their knees and Indie was beginning to feel the burden of it as his resilience to disappointment began to dwindle. His shoulders slumped as if he carried the weight of the world on top of them and the burning sting of loss shone in his eyes. The lump in his throat changed the inflection in his tone. Anyone who knew him well could see and hear that he was hurt. “I called the wedding off after I found out you were telling the truth about her and the drugs. I ran out on her.”

  Chase pulled out a Benz key from his pocket and deactivated the alarm on his S-Class. “Hop in, I’ll take you back to grab your phone from Mom dukes. After that we’ll head over to the house to see if she’s there,” Chase said, taking the lead because he could tell that his big homie wasn’t in the right state of mind to do it himself.

  “I’m taking orders from you now?” Indie said with a smirk, but with pride in his voice. He had groomed Chase. Everything that Chase was, Indie had made him. He had schooled him on the game, on manhood, on life and Chase had been a quick study. He was a boss in his own right. The young boy he witnessed being chased off the block in Houston was now a grown man who was fully capable of running an empire.

  “Hop in, big homie,” Chase said with a half smile as he shook his head shyly.

  Indie turned to his mother who was emerging from the small chapel with the rest of the guests. She held his daughter in her arms while looking at him with worried eyes. “What are you going to do?” Elaine asked. Concern shone in her eyes and her brows dipped low as she stared at her only living son. Indie could see her worry but he couldn’t make her any guarantees. He lived for YaYa and would undoubtedly die for her as well. Their love was a tragic one, never perfect, but unending. It was their imperfections that made them who they were, but they were symbiotic. One
needed the other to survive. Her destruction would ultimately lead to his own and if she walked out his life today it would ruin him forever. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that his woman would be his demise. He would either kill over her, for her, or die because of her. Either way it was all worth the short time that he got to experience her love. She was nothing short of amazing and he just wanted to let her know. Now was not the time to walk away. They weren’t at the end game. True, times had been rough, but their love story was just beginning. Indie kissed his mother on the forehead gently and vaguely replied, “Whatever I have to do.” He couldn’t give her a definitive answer because he had no idea where YaYa was. Was she in trouble? Was she scared? Did she runaway from him? Was she angry? High? Indie didn’t know but he knew that anything was possible when it came to her. He placed his car key into Elaine’s palm and kissed Skylar’s cheek. “Take care of her for me. I’ll swing by to get her as soon as I find out what’s going on.”

  Indie slid into Chase’s luxury whip and glanced at his daughter through the side mirror as they drove away. He came up off his hip with the burner and without even asking Chase punched in a code on his dash to pop out the hidden console. Indie placed the weapon inside as he melted into the butter leather seat. He rubbed his temple as stress pulsed through his body. Indie appreciated the silence as Chase chauffeured him through the streets. They had been rocking long enough for Chase to know when his input was needed and now was not the time. Indie’s mental was drained. Trying to maintain sanity with a love affair as insane as the one he and Disaya shared was impossible. Whenever anything similar to normalcy appeared in their lives, chaos soon interrupted. Cotton ball-sized snowflakes fell outside of his window, blanketing the world in soft whiteness, making it seem less cruel. The winter wonderland would have been the perfect backdrop for them to confirm their union before God. Instead, it felt like a cold joke as YaYa’s absence froze his bleeding heart. He was ready to pull back. Shorty had him open and too emotional for his liking. Indie had always been levelheaded and calculating, but he couldn’t focus when his emotions were off kilter. When YaYa plagued his heart he felt lovesick and nothing but her affection could heal that.

  Chase pulled up to Elaine’s home and Indie braved the winter storm as he hopped out. The snow was so deep that the Prada dress shoes he wore sank into it as he made his way to the door. He entered, retrieved his phone in haste then bolted back out to the car.

  “Did she call?” Chase asked before pulling away.

  Indie powered on his phone and it illuminated instantly with a voice message. The words My World was accompanied by a picture of YaYa and Skylar on the screen. He had saved her number under the endearing term so that each time she called he was reminded of what he had to lose if he ever slipped up in the streets. He checked the time, noticing that she had called the night before. In the heat of their fight he had turned off his phone. He hadn’t wanted to be reached but now he wished that he had kept the line of communication open. He placed the phone to his ear as he played back her message: “You bitch. We get burnt by the same fucking fire and you come out just fine, while I’m left looking like this!”

  Indie frowned when he heard Leah’s voice screaming in anger on his voicemail and his heart dropped instantly as he pressed the phone against his ear.

  “You ruined my life.” It was YaYa’s voice he heard in response now. “If I die tonight, you’re dying with me. You pull that trigger and I lose control of the car. You came here to kill me, but are you ready to die?”

  Indie gripped his phone as he hit the dashboard in frustration while terror seized his heart. The realization of what had happened hit him like a ton of bricks. YaYa hadn’t left him at the altar because she didn’t want to be there. She couldn’t be there. She had been trapped in Leah’s clutches and this time he wasn’t so sure that she had survived.

  Chapter 2

  Indie always knew what to do. He always planned the moves he made to ensure that he made no mistakes, but in this moment he was lost. He didn’t know what move came next. Panic seared through him as a fear like none he had ever felt before invaded his psyche.

  “Leah’s got her,” Indie said in a low tone as regret seized the moment and his chest clenched painfully. It felt like he was choking as he grabbed at the bowtie around his neck. He squeezed his phone in his hand tightly. “She called me for help last night and I shut her out,” he said. His mind spun as he replayed the message in his head. It had cut off suddenly. He didn’t know if YaYa was dead or alive, but his gut told him that he should fear the worst. Excruciation filled him as he tried to focus his thoughts. He immediately dialed Agent Norris. Who he had once viewed as a scumbag Fed was now his only hope in finding Disaya. Indie’s problem was too difficult for him to solve alone. He didn’t know where to even begin looking. Hours had passed since receiving that call. The unknown haunted him, adding to his misery as his stomach knotted from worry. As soon as Norris came on the line Indie’s voice began barking off instructions.

  “I need you to track a phone number for me. YaYa is missing and I think Leah is responsible,” Indie said.

  Norris’s response came out as a whisper. “I can’t just track the phone. It isn’t that easy. I need approval for that type of thing,” he replied, cautiously.

  “Fuck your approvals, Norris. I’m not asking. She’s in trouble. I need to know where she is now,” Indie replied with authority. There was something about Indie that made grown men comply with little resistance. His mentality and reputation that he had acquired over the years allowed him to demand authority.

  “YaYa is supposed to be dead already. You wanted it that way. I can’t put a trace on woman who no longer exists,” Norris whispered harshly, clearly stressed by the web that he was stuck in. He had gotten in bed with a gangster and Indie was calling in a favor.

  “It may take me some time,” Norris replied.

  “There is no time!” Indie barked.

  “Okay, okay,” Norris replied. Indie could practically see him pacing back and forth. He didn’t care if this was the thing that would end Norris’s notable career. If Norris didn’t comply Indie would end Norris’s life. “I’ll call you back in five minutes.”

  Indie couldn’t get the protest out of his mouth before he heard the ring tone in his ear. “Fucking pig!” he demeaned as he hit the dashboard in frustration.

  “We’ll find her, bro,” Chase said, speaking up for the first time. Indie appreciated Chase’s silence. He had taught him that if he couldn’t contribute to the solving a problem that silence and observance were the best things to provide. Although Chase had no answers, Indie knew that once he came up with one, Chase would be ready to put in work. Until then they both sat in deep contemplation, as Chase drove aimlessly through the city streets. Waiting for Norris was torture. The minutes that past felt like hours until finally Indie got the call, informing him of the location of the phone. His heart raced as he put the coordinates into his GPS and Chase drove to the destination in haste. Indie had never been overly religious but in that moment the terror that pulsed through him was enough to humble him into prayer. He had no one else to turn to. YaYa had already survived so much and he knew that no one was given this many chances to survive. She was terrified of Leah and if they had squared off again, he wasn’t sure that YaYa would be the one to come out victorious.

  The flashing red and blue lights broke through the darkness of the coal black sky. They could be seen from a mile away. Time froze as soon as Chase neared the scene. There were federal agents and police officers everywhere. Indie jumped out of the car before the wheels could stop spinning and he raced to the broken barrier on the side of the bridge. “YaYa!” he screamed. His voice broke through the air, frantic, gut-wrenching. The desperation echoed through the sky and he was quickly held back by officers on the scene. He pushed through the men violently. “YaYa!” His eyes scanned the area. Tire marks that had imprinted in the soft snow had been covered by the night full of falling flakes. B
loodstains marred the snow, going from the most crimson shades of red only to dilute into pink as divers went in and out of the river. The sight of the covered body lying on the stretcher caused his stomach to hollow instantly. Norris broke through the sea of Fed jackets, walking over to him in a hurry. The solemn look he held made Indie think the worst.

  “Is that her?” he asked. “Is that her?” His bark was vicious but at that moment if Norris said yes, Indie had no bite to follow it. YaYa’s death would end him.

  Norris shook his head. “That’s neither of them. Turns out some poor schmuck has been waiting to be found under these icy waters all winter. YaYa and Leah are both at Brooklyn Presbyterian. They’re both hurt, really badly. You need to get there. By the time we found them they were both near death. Looks like they had one hell of a drag-out fight. I don’t know if there is a winner. Sometimes everybody loses,” Norris said. “I had to pull some strings to explain YaYa’s reemergence. Anyone asks . . . you say she was being held in protective custody. The death stunt was for her protection. You understand?”

  Indie nodded his head. He couldn’t even process what he had just heard. He had too many butterflies fluttering in his chest. “Indie!” Norris said through gritted teeth. “I need your head in the game here. This is my ass on the line.”

  “Understood,” Indie said. He extended his hand and shook with Norris before racing to the hospital. If YaYa died because he had failed to protect her, he would never forgive himself.

  YaYa opened her eyes and was instantly blinded by the fluorescent hospital lights that shined above her. Her entire body was numb and she seemed to hurt all over, but she didn’t care . . . she was alive. She didn’t know why she was being given yet another chance, but she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, just to feel the air hit her lungs. Death had knocked at her door more than once but she had never feared it more than when she had found herself in front of Leah’s gun. Only God himself could have caused the gun to jam. It certainly wasn’t Leah’s sympathy that had given her another chance at life. YaYa sat up in her bed and winced as a sharp pain shot through her. She lifted the hospital gown to see that her ribs were wrapped in layer of gauze. Suddenly the door opened and a nurse entered the room.