He smirked. “Will you?”
“Probably not. See you soon.”
I walked away feeling a pound of pressure weighing on me. This shit was fucked up, but I knew my options were few. It was either this or put him down, and that’s something I knew I couldn’t do and live with it.
I stepped out of the bar into the chill of the night and headed to my truck. As soon as I approached it, I saw Dame sitting on my hood while his flunkies surrounded my truck.
“Well, well… I’ve been waiting to run into ya ass for weeks, my brother,” he said, pulling from his blunt.
“You knew where to find me.”
“Not until ya bitch ass finally came back home.”
“Cut the shit. What the fuck do you want?” I asked him, ready for him and his minions to get the fuck on.
“Nigga, I want my bitch back! I want my fucking seed. I’ve been real lenient on you because you my bro, but enough is enough. If you don’t tell me where she is, my niggas are going to beat it out of you.”
“Fuck you and these pussy-ass niggas. I ain’t telling you shit.” Right then, I pulled my hoodie from over my head and dropped it to the ground.
“Suit yourself.” He shrugged.
His goons advanced on me, and I could feel heat searing through my veins. The nigga I hit in the eye a few weeks ago tried to sneak me, but caught my elbow to his face instead. I saw the next one come toward me and throw a punch that I dodged, then followed with two punches to his face.
I felt a hit to the side of my face as the other two surrounded me. Thinking quickly, I grabbed the one closest to my right and smashed his head into the one I’d just punched. They both fell to the ground, and the other two began throwing punches. Some I was able to dodge, but a few caught me on the face and in the body. I laughed those shits off and kicked one of them, sending him flying into a car.
“Is that all you pussy niggas got?” I asked, grabbing another one and flinging his ass across the parking lot like an annoying roach. I felt another punch hit my ribcage but hurriedly shook off the pain and grabbed him by his neck. I lifted him off his feet and tossed him into one of the other niggas, making them fall.
Before I could really get active, gunshots filled the air, and everyone ducked. I looked up to find Gibson hurrying toward us, flashing his badge.
“Hey! Get the fuck out of here before I lock you niggas up for domestic disturbance!”
Damien hopped off my truck and smiled at me. The rage building inside of me didn’t stop my fist from flying into his fucking face. He stumbled, fell into a car, and laughed. Spitting blood onto the pavement, he looked up with the evilest smile on his face.
“Hey!” Gibson yelled, standing between us. “Everybody, go home. Right now!”
“I’ma see you, brother. Let’s go,” he said, and they all limped away.
I could feel Gibson’s presence still lurking, but my eyes stayed stapled to my brother, who hopped in a van and sped out of the parking lot.
“You bring me that evidence, and that problem goes away.”
I looked at him but didn’t say shit as I grabbed my hoodie from the ground and hopped in my truck.
I winced at the pain shooting through my side, then looked in the rearview mirror to check the damage. My jaw was a little swollen, my ribcage hurt, and my lip was busted, but other than that, those pussy ass niggas didn’t do shit. I started my truck up and zoomed out of the parking lot.
I didn’t bother pulling my truck into the parking lot. Instead, I parked it in front of another apartment building nearby, then walked down a block to the subsidized housing complex. My phone buzzed, and I stopped to check who it was.
Law:
I love you, bro. Always know that.
I knew what the underlying message displayed, but I couldn’t bring myself to be okay with it. No matter what Damien had done or was trying to do to me, I was still holding out hope that we could settle this. He wasn’t getting Jela or Chunks back, and that was a known fact. If he had treated her better, done right by her, and shown me that he cherished their relationship, things would have never gone this far between us.
I would have never stepped in between her and my brother, no matter how beautiful I thought she was. I would have minded my fucking business and helped him with his wedding plans. I wasn’t no shady-ass nigga. A woman like Jela didn’t come around too often. I saw the potential in her the moment I looked into her eyes. The fact that he didn’t wasn’t my problem.
Everything leading up to this moment was for her—to make sure she lived and thrived to her highest potential. She had a daughter to raise, so there was nothing I wouldn’t do to make sure she was secure and able to watch her daughter grow—even if we didn’t end up together.
Ignoring his text, I crept through the parking lot of the complex with my Pooh Shiesty pulled down and trekked to apartment 2A. I had to do this quickly because I knew Jela would be calling soon if I didn’t call her at our designated time.
