—Unknown Tonica pushed through the thick oak door and right to Olivia’s finely crafted desk. Olivia shot out of her seat and paused but a brief moment before she slipped around its curved corners, across the square, tile floor and to the equally exquisite and deeply decorated door. She closed it gently before turning back to Tonica, who sat in one of the visitor’s chairs. “Hey, Tonks. Your cell phone goes straight to voicemail. Nearly gave me a heart attack. I tried to call you all night.” Olivia sounded winded as she returned to her desk and sat down. Olivia’s sunglasses had been pushed into her hair—a curly crown of chestnut picked out to an afro. Tonica closed her eyes and sighed. She remembered the claustrophobic feeling that threatened to overwhelm her yesterday as she fled Wasabi’s Sushi. Outside on the street, she recalled snatching in damp, cool gulps of air. Call her a coward, but she had to get out of there. Thankfully, Seay hadn’t chased after her. Sure, most women in the Triad would sell their mothers for a date with Carte Seay.
