𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 ⅫⅠ

𝚖𝚒𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚎𝚕'𝚜 𝚙𝚘𝚟

five months had passed, and things were finally falling into place. Prince was no longer a daily problem—I made sure of that. With the right connections and a little strategic pressure, I kept him tied up in the Bay Area, far away from L.A. He still had power, but not enough to touch me or Giselle. At least, not yet.

Now, I could focus on what really mattered.

Giselle.

She had become my peace, my anchor in a life that had always been chaotic. I never thought I'd be the type to settle down, but with her, I wanted to. I needed to.

And tonight, I was going to make it official.

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Earlier that day, I sat in a private lounge at a high-end boutique with Janet and Latoya, pretending I wasn't nervous as hell. I needed advice—real advice—from the only two women who could give it to me straight.

Janet eyed me suspiciously, sipping on her mimosa. "Okay, spill. What's going on?"

Latoya smirked. "Yeah, why are we here? You never ask for our help unless it's serious."

I leaned forward, running a hand over my jaw. "I'm gonna ask Giselle to marry me."

For a second, they just stared. Then, simultaneously, they screamed.

"Oh my God, Michael!" Janet practically tackled me, squeezing my shoulders.

Latoya clapped her hands together. "Finally! I knew you were whipped."

I rolled my eyes. "I ain't whipped. I just know what I want."

Janet laughed. "And what you want is a wife."

"Damn right," I muttered, shaking my head.

Latoya leaned in. "Okay, do you have a plan? A ring? Anything?"

I pulled a small velvet box from my pocket and placed it on the table. When they opened it, their reactions told me I had made the right choice.

Janet gasped. "Michael, this is stunning."

Latoya nodded in approval. "She's gonna love this."

I exhaled, relieved. "Good. 'Cause I'm asking her tonight."

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Later that evening, I took Giselle to one of the most exclusive restaurants in Beverly Hills. She looked breathtaking, wearing a deep red dress that hugged her in all the right places. As we sat at our private table, the dim lighting casting a soft glow over her skin, I couldn't stop staring.

"You're quiet tonight," she noted, tilting her head. "Something on your mind?"

I smirked, swirling my wine. "Just thinking."

"About what?"

I reached across the table, taking her hand. "The future."

Her eyes softened. "Our future?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I see a lot of things, Gigi. A house. A family. A life where I don't have to keep looking over my shoulder."

She smiled, squeezing my hand. "That sounds nice."

I took a deep breath, preparing myself. "You know I love you, right?"

Her smile widened. "Of course."

"Good." I reached into my pocket, fingers grazing the box.

But just as I was about to pull it out, my phone buzzed.

I ignored it. This moment was too important.

Then it buzzed again. And again.

Giselle frowned. "You should check that."

I didn't want to, but something told me I needed to.

Reluctantly, I pulled out my phone and glanced at the screen. It was Eddie. And he had sent one message.

"We have a problem. It's Prince."

Just like that, the moment was gone.

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The second I read Eddie's message, my whole body tensed. Prince. Again. I clenched my jaw, shoving the phone back into my pocket.

Giselle noticed. "Michael? What's wrong?"

I exhaled, trying to keep my cool. "It's business."

Her eyes searched mine, concern creeping into her expression. "Bad business?"

I didn't want to lie to her, not tonight. But I also didn't want her worrying about things she had no control over. "Nothing I can't handle." I forced a smile. "Let's just enjoy dinner."

But the moment had passed. The air between us had shifted, and I hated that.

As we finished our meal, I kept replaying Eddie's text in my head, my mind racing through possibilities. What the hell had Prince done now? I had made sure he was locked in the Bay Area. Was he making a move? Had he found a way back into L.A.?

Whatever it was, I needed to handle it. Fast.

Back at Havenhurst

The drive back home was quiet. Giselle must've sensed I wasn't in the mood for small talk, because she just held my hand, rubbing slow circles on my palm. It calmed me down a little, but the second we pulled up to Havenhurst, my phone buzzed again.

Another message from Eddie.

"Call me. It's urgent."

Giselle stepped out of the car first, stretching a little. "I'm gonna take a shower, okay?"

I nodded, already dialing Eddie's number as she walked inside.

He picked up on the first ring. "Mike, we got a situation."

I exhaled sharply. "Tell me."

"It's Prince. Word on the street is, he's back in L.A. And he ain't alone."

A cold chill ran down my spine. "What do you mean?"

"He's got people with him. New faces. We don't know who they are yet, but they're dangerous. And get this—" Eddie hesitated. "He's been asking about Giselle."

My grip tightened around the phone. "What?"

"He's been asking where she is. Who she's with."

That was all I needed to hear.

I hung up and rushed inside, taking the stairs two at a time. I found Giselle in the bedroom, fresh out of the shower, her damp curls cascading over her shoulders. She looked up, smiling, but the second she saw my face, her smile faded.

"Michael, what happened?"

I walked over, placing my hands on her arms. "Pack a bag."

She blinked. "What?"

"We're leaving. Tonight."

Her brows furrowed. "Michael, what's going on?"

I sighed, cupping her face. "Prince is back. And he's looking for you."

Her entire body stiffened. "What? But... why?"

"I don't know yet. But I'm not taking any chances." I stepped back. "Pack your things, baby. We're going back to Neverland."

She hesitated, searching my eyes. "Michael... are we ever gonna have a normal life?"

I softened. "I'm working on it." I kissed her forehead. "I promise."

Thirty minutes later, we were in the car, heading back to Neverland. Janet had questions, Latoya was confused, but I didn't have time to explain.

All I knew was this—Prince had crossed a line.

And this time, I wasn't gonna let him get away with it.

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The car was silent for the first few minutes. Too silent. I could feel the tension thickening like smoke, and I knew it was only a matter of time before someone broke.

And, of course, it had to be Latoya.

"You gotta be f***ing kidding me, Michael."

I sighed, gripping the wheel tighter.

She crossed her arms, glaring at me. "I swear, if we have to pack up and leave one more damn time without you telling us what the hell is going on, I'm gonna lose my mind."

I kept my eyes on the road. "It's complicated."

Janet scoffed. "That's what you always say." She leaned forward from the back seat. "Michael, we're your family. You can't keep dragging us back and forth like this without an explanation. What are we running from?"

Giselle shifted beside me, clearly uncomfortable. She hadn't said a word since we left.

I exhaled through my nose. "We're not running. We're just being careful."

Latoya threw her hands up. "Being careful from what? You're obviously hiding some serious sh*t, Mike. And if it's dangerous, don't you think we have a right to know?"

I clenched my jaw, gripping the wheel so hard my knuckles turned white.

"You wouldn't understand," I muttered.

Janet let out a bitter laugh. "Try us."

I glanced at Giselle. She was staring at her hands, fidgeting.

I didn't want to bring her into this. But at the same time, keeping everyone in the dark was making things worse.

Latoya shook her head. "You know what? I don't even care anymore. Just drop me off at a hotel, 'cause I'm not playing these games with you."

I pressed my lips together. "You're not going to a damn hotel."

"Then tell us the truth!" she snapped.

Janet added, "Michael, you've got us moving like fugitives. What the hell is going on with you? Is it... is it money problems? Are you in debt or something?"

I almost laughed. If only it were that simple.

"No," I finally said. "It's not about money."

Janet frowned. "Then what?"

I stayed silent.

The car was filled with the sound of the engine and the tires against the road.

Giselle finally spoke, her voice soft. "It's Prince."

Latoya and Janet both turned to her.

"What?" Latoya asked.

Giselle sighed, looking at me before speaking again. "Michael's been dealing with some... issues with a man named Prince. He's dangerous."

Janet's eyes widened. "Wait—Prince?"

Latoya narrowed her eyes. "And why is he after you?"

I hesitated, debating how much to tell them. But at this point, there was no turning back.

"He's been trying to push into my business for a while. And now, he's looking for Giselle."

Janet's mouth parted slightly. "Wait... what?"

Giselle swallowed hard. "I don't know why, but he's been asking about me."

Latoya's eyes darted between us. "Michael, what the hell have you gotten yourself into?"

I sighed. "I got it under control."

Latoya scoffed. "Yeah, sure. That's why we're running away in the middle of the night."

I shot her a glare. "We're not running. We're being smart."

Janet shook her head. "Michael... if you're in trouble, you need to tell us everything."

I exhaled slowly. "I will. Just... not now."

Latoya rolled her eyes. "Unbelievable."

The rest of the car ride was tense, filled with unspoken thoughts and heavy silence.

I knew this wasn't the end of the conversation.

Not even close.