Page 17 of A Kingpin’s Weakness

Stormi

Noah was finally coming home today, and Jo insisted on coming with me to pick him up.

“I’m so glad this boy finally bringing his ass home,” Jo said. “I had to take the trash out twice this week.”

“Jo, really?” I shot back, already tired of this conversation before it even started.

“Yes, really. Your hot ass hasn’t been home.”

“Yes, I have.” But the truth was, I’d been running from everything; from Noah, from Seth, from the mess of my own feelings.

“Where were you over the weekend?”

“None of your business.” I kept my voice steady, but inside, a knot tightened.

Jo pressed on. “You let Seth hit that yet?”

Heat rose in my chest. I didn’t want to talk about Seth, about us; not here, not now. “I’m not having this conversation with you.”

“Why not? I’m your mom. We’re supposed to talk about this stuff.”

“No, we’re not.”

Jo smirked like she knew some secret I wasn’t ready to share. “Seth’s a good man though. Fine and rich. I know he’s packing.”

I cranked the music louder, drowning out her words. The last thing I wanted was to talk about Seth’s package. After spending Saturday night and all day Sunday with him, I couldn’t get him off my mind. Part of me wanted to believe we could make something work, but another part was terrified.

Seth was a wild card, reckless and unpredictable. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, but the way he didn’t give a damn about anyone else scared the hell out of me. Was I ready for that kind of chaos? Could I handle it?

“Damn, Stormi, you can’t drive any faster? You’re driving like a damn grandma.”

“Jo, we’re here,” I said, pulling the car into the hospital parking lot, killing the engine.

My heart hammered against my ribs as we stepped out. Noah was inside, waiting. And I wasn’t sure if I was ready to face him or what it meant for him to finally be home.

“Jolene.”

The dark-skinned man called Jo by her full name the moment we walked inside the hospital. He was dressed down in faded blue jeans and a Miami Dolphins T-shirt. His head was bald, and he rocked a salt-and-pepper beard more salt than pepper.

Jo stood frozen, not saying a word. I never knew Jo knew how to shut the fuck up.

“Is this Stormi?” he asked, stepping closer and staring me dead in the eyes.

My heart skipped a beat. Who the hell was this guy? Why did he know my mom’s full name? And why did he look like he wanted trouble?

“Stay the fuck away from her!” Jo finally screamed, grabbing everyone’s attention.

“Jo, what the fuck? Who is this?”

The man opened his mouth to speak, but Jo cut him off.

“No fucking body.”

There was pure fire in her eyes, the look of a woman scorned, and I knew she was mad. Madder by the second.

“Hey honey, there you are.”

An older woman appeared beside the strange man, slipping her hand into his arm.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You’re okay, honey. Just saying hi to an old friend,” the man said, eyeing Jo and me before grabbing his wife’s hand and heading for the exit.

“Who was that, Jo?”

“No fucking body, Stormi. Let’s get Noah and get the hell out of here.”

She said, already walking toward the elevator, leaving me standing there with a thousand questions I didn’t want to ask.

Why did my stomach twist like that? Was it fear? Anger? Or something buried deeper? Jo never looked scared, but I felt it. I felt a cold knot tightening in my gut.

I didn’t know what this man meant to Jo, but whatever it was, it was serious. Too serious for me to ignore. And suddenly, all the noise and chaos around me faded. I only had one thing on my mind: Noah.

Because no matter what ghosts Jo had, no matter what secrets were hanging in the air, Noah was coming home. And I needed to be ready.

When we got to Noah’s room, of course he had company. You’d think getting shot would teach a guy to chill, but nah. The moment I walked in, the whole room went quiet like I’d dropped a bomb.

I stepped up, crossing my arms. “Don’t stop on my account. What y’all talking about?”

Noah gave me that innocent look like a kid caught sneaking cookies. “Come on, Stormi, don’t start.”

I glared at Ronnie. “What you doing here anyway?”

He shrugged like it was nothing. “Heard Noah was coming home. Just wanted to check if he’s good.”

“I’m here to make sure he stays that way,” I said, not missing the smirk on his face.

Then Ronnie drops it like it’s some headline. “Congrats on the new relationship.”

I blinked at Noah. His face said it all. New relationship?

“Yeah, Seth told me Saturday night Stormi was his,” Ronnie added like he was handing out awards.

Jo laughed, all smug. “I knew you were out here being grown.”

I shook my head, low enough for just Jo to hear. “No, Jo. I’m not.”

Noah raised an eyebrow. “You dating him?”

“We’re getting to know each other,” I said, careful not to sound like a kid.

Ronnie sneered. “But when I wanted to get to know you? You acted like I was invisible.”

“Ronnie, please,” I said, annoyed.

“Guess my money ain’t as long as that nigga’s,” he shot back.

I looked him dead in the eye. “Even if it was, you wouldn’t have a chance with me.”

He took a step like he was about to argue but stopped.

Noah stood up. “Man, chill out, Ronnie. Get out your feelings.”

The nurse handed Noah his discharge papers. “Here’s your stuff, Mr. Sparks. Prescriptions are sent to the pharmacy. Should be ready soon.”

“My nigga coming home!” Some kid shouted from the back.

“And home’s where he needs to stay,” I added.

Noah nudged me, “Come on, Stormi.”

“You want your dude to be the only one eating out here?” Noah friend asked.

“Seth ain’t the only one eating.” Ronnie was quick to fire back.

I shook my head, tired. “I’ll be in the car.”

Noah caught up. “Actually, Stormi, Dre’s taking me home. Trying to see my lady anyway. You know you don’t wanna deal with all that.”

“I thought we could spend some time before I leave,” I said, my voice soft, like I was testing the air between us, trying not to make it too heavy.

Noah leaned back, running a hand over the back of his neck. “We will. I promise,” he said.

Jo gave me a little push toward the door. “Girl, go spend time with Seth and secure that bag.”

I rolled my eyes.

Ring! Ring!

My phone started going off the second I made it to the car and got in. I sighed, slouched against the seat, and answered.

“Hello?”

“What you doing, baby?” Seth’s voice came smooth and soft through the phone, like velvet over trouble.

“Leaving the hospital,” I said, dragging the words.

“Noah coming home?”

“Yeah, but he’d rather hang out with his friends.”

“You sound jealous.”

“I’m not jealous,” I said, staring out the windshield. “Just wanted to spend some time with him. Maybe talk him into moving in with me.”

There was a pause on the other end. A long one.

The kind that doesn’t need words to say everything.

I already knew what he was thinking. Seth always got a little quiet when I brought up going back home.

Like maybe if we didn’t talk about it, it wouldn’t happen.

But that silence said more than he ever did.

This right here, this is why I knew a long-distance relationship with him wouldn’t work. Not because I didn’t care. But because I cared too much.

I knew me. If he didn’t answer the phone, if he went ghost for too long, I’d start spinning, thinking the worst. And honestly, I had a feeling he’d do the same with me.

“I enjoyed you yesterday,” he finally said, voice low.

“Same,” I whispered. And I meant it.

Seth was talking, but I wasn’t really hearing him at first. My mind kept drifting back to this past weekend.

Seth and I had stayed up talking until nearly sunrise Sunday morning, just laying in bed, laughing, and sharing things I didn’t even know I’d been holding in.

His mama had breakfast waiting on us; pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, the whole nine.

We sat around that table like we’d done it a hundred times.

Like I belonged there, and that scared me.

After that, we went shopping. He blew money like it was water; designer bags, shoes, perfumes.

I didn’t ask for anything, but he handed it all to me like it was nothing.

Like I was nothing but pleasure and prize.

It felt good. But I knew what came with all that.

The control. The expectations. The strings he hadn’t pulled yet.

Then came the movies some new Marvel joint he had been hyped about and after that, lunch, dinner, and a walk on the beach that lasted way longer than either of us expected. Just talking. About everything and nothing.

That’s what I liked most about Seth. He could actually talk. And not that surface-level small talk either. We laughed, debated, shared favorite movies, hated the same TV shows, and agreed that pineapple had no business on pizza. It was easy. Too easy. And that’s what made it dangerous.

“Stormi,” Seth’s voice snapped me back, smooth but laced with that edge he always carried.

“Huh?” I said, blinking like he could see me through the line.

“I said, you still with me?” he chuckled, low and knowing.

I smiled into the phone even though he couldn’t see it. “Yeah… I’m here.”

But inside, I was still tangled in my own thoughts—half in the moment, half wondering just how long easy with Seth could last before the storm hit.

“When can I see you again, Stormi?”

His voice was low, almost pleading.

“This weekend wasn’t enough.”

“Not even close,” he murmured.

I rested my head against the car window. “What you gonna do when I leave?”

“When is that again?”

“Sunday.”

“You killing me, Stormi.”

“I’m not trying to.”

Then silence. Not the awkward kind. The kind where you know both people are thinking the same thing but too scared to say it out loud.