A man stepped out of my mom’s room. “You’re free to go back in, sir. Everything’s set to go. She’ll be taken back within the hour.” He stepped past us without noticing the building tension.
My dad muttered something then pushed past me into my mom’s room. I inhaled a deep breath, closed my eyes, and mentally counted to ten.
I released a few breaths before opening my eyes and facing Kairus. “Can you please not upset my dad today? I get he owes you money, but that’s why you have me right? My mom doesn’t need any stress before going into surgery,” I pleaded.
Kairus wasn’t the man to take orders from anyone, I knew that. By the look on his face I could see he was unmoved by my words.
Sighing, I shook my head and turned to go into the room. I didn’t have time to go back and forth with him.
“There’s my sweet girl!” Mom beamed at me when I stepped in the room.
“Hi, Mommy!” I rushed to her side.
“I was just asking your father about you. I thought you wouldn’t make it.”
I shook my head and hugged her, being mindful of the cords connected to her.
“Nothingwas gonna keep me from being here today.” I kissed her cheek and lifted.
My stomach was in knots thinking about her being put under. It should be a simple procedure, but with the cancer still lingering and the tumors, it made me uneasy.
“Now, now. Don’t look like that. I’ma be fine,” she stated as if she could read my thoughts.
My attention went to my dad. He looked even more tense than he had in the hallway.
The door opened and I thought it might be the nurses to take my mom back, but I was shocked seeing Kairus.
He scanned the room before his gaze landed on me. “I need to step out for a second. Don’t disappear,” he warned.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw my dad’s nostrils flare as he glared at the man turning our lives upside down.
Kairus looked toward my mom. His stare lingered and something I couldn’t make out passed through his eyes before they hardened. He stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
“Who was that?” Mom asked, wasting no time.
I chewed the inside of my cheek and looked at my dad. He was still glaring at the door.
“Uh, my boss.” I cleared my throat and faced her again.
Her brows knitted. “That’syour boss?” Her mouth turned upside down. “He looks familiar and scary. Does he treat you okay? Is he safe?”
“He treats me just fine, Mommy. Don’t worry.” I tapped her arm. My dad gave me a look I couldn’t make out, but I ignored it. Right now wasn’t the time for anything but my mom.
My nostrils flared as I stared at the guy in the middle of the floor with disgust and an impatient expression on my face. He was a bloody mess, barely hanging on, head sagging and breathing ragged.
“Put him in the meat locker for a few hours and see if he talks then,” I demanded, referring to the room we kept freezing for when we needed to prove a point. Rock and Crusher nodded and moved toward the man.
Nolan stared at his now bloody, swollen knuckles and rolled his neck between his shoulders.
“He’s loyal, I can give him that,” he said. I cut my eyes at him but said nothing.
The man, Curtis, was the right-hand man to a gang leader here in town. The leader had borrowed money and disappeared, which didn’t happen to me often. Curtis refused to talk and give his partner up though, even after a rigorous beating.
Going into my pocket, I checked the time on my phone. I had been here for over two hours. I unlocked it and went to the appthat showed me Azeira’s whereabouts, seeing she was still in the hospital. I didn’t doubt it, but I couldn’t be too sure.
“Leave him in there for a couple hours and see if he’ll talk then. Put your guys to the streets too. I have a feeling he’s with his child’s mother somewhere.” Bryant, the man in question, sold pills and did a lot of shady shit to make money. That was of no concern to me. My only concern was the money he owed me. Rock and Crusher checked both his and the mother of his child’s houses; both were empty. It was very rare someone ran off on me like this, but I had no doubt he would be found. And when he was, it wouldn’t be pretty.
“Will do, boss.” He smirked and saluted.
