Page 19 of A Kingpin’s Weakness
“Damn. Sorry, I didn’t know he was on the phone.”
“You’re good,” I said. But I felt anything but. “Apparently we share locations.”
“Maybe he can help,” Ari offered. “You saw what he did to that dude in the club.”
RJ nodded. “That’s what I’m trying to tell her. Let him help. He knows Ronnie. He’ll check him.”
“Maybe,” I whispered. My voice felt like it didn’t belong to me. “I guess we’ll see.”
“You want something to eat?”Ari asked as we all headed in the house
I shook my head. “No thanks. I just wanna get this over with. See what he says. Then I’m booking my flight.”
“You think your family knows what Ronnie’s doing?”
“I don’t know,” I said, truthfully. “Wouldn’t put shit past Jo. But if she had to pick, she’d choose Seth over Ronnie. She sees him as a damn money machine.”
Ari sat on the couch beside me, arms crossed. “We need a vacation,” she added after a beat.
“That we do.” I closed my eyes and leaned against the sofa, breathing in the stillness before everything cracked open again. Summer break couldn’t come fast enough.
Seth: Outside.
“He’s outside,” I said flatly, staring out the window at the shadow parked under the streetlight like it had been waiting on me since forever.
“You going out there?” RJ asked.
“Do I have a choice?”
“Nope. Probably halfway to the door already.”
I rolled my eyes. “Crazy-ass man tracking people’s locations. Let’s see how this goes.”
The air outside slapped me with a chill I wasn’t ready for. Seth was posted against a murdered-out Denali, arms crossed, jaw set, looking like he owned the block and the night with it. And God help me, he looked too good for me to stay mad.
Dammit. The second our eyes locked, he didn’t say a word just grabbed me. One hand slid around my waist, the other tipped my chin, and then his mouth was on mine. Heavy. Possessive. My whole body folded into his before my brain could catch up. I melted, and hated myself for it.
He pulled back, eyes locked on mine. “What’s up, Stormi?”
“Nothing,” I said, breath shaky. “What’s up, Seth?”
His stare didn’t move. “Why you like to play with me?”
“I’m not playing. I told you I was going to RJ’s.” I crossed my arms, trying to find the distance we used to have. “Let’s talk about you hacking my location.”
“We never agreed to share it?” he asked, fully knowing the answer.
I rolled my eyes again, tired of this chess match. My soul was already heavy, dragging under the weight of the night.
He pulled out his phone and hit FaceTime like he’d been ready.
“What it do?” said a voice on the other end.
“No party,” the guy said flatly. Seth flipped the camera around, showing me Jo’s empty-ass living room. Not a single solo cup, not even bad music.
“Damn,” I said, barely masking the panic rising in my throat. “Guess the cops came.”
The guy laughed. “Call me when you know the play. I’m out.”
Seth ended the call and looked at me hard. “You think I’m a fool?”
I exhaled. “Can we talk in the truck? I don’t want to be out here.”
He didn’t argue. Just nodded once and opened the door like this wasn’t a standoff. Like I wasn’t already coming undone. He helped me up gently, like the same hands that kissed me could also keep me safe.
We sat in silence. The second the door shut, the pressure in my chest came back like a wave. “So, um.” I fumbled with the strap of my bag. “Maybe you can help. If not, I understand. It’s just Ronnie.”
Seth’s whole body changed. His jaw flexed, eyes narrowed, breath slowed. “Ronnie what?”
I looked down, forcing the words out. “He said he’ll clear Noah’s debt if I—” My throat closed. “If I marry him. And have his baby.”
Seth stared at me for a second. Then let out a slow, dangerous smirk. It wasn’t funny. It was deadly.
“That’s what that nigga told you?”
“Yeah.”
“And what you tell him?”
“I told him no. This was a few days ago. At the hospital. When you saw us talking.”
“What else.”
I swallowed. My hands were shaking. “He came to my room tonight. Choked me in my sleep. Threatened me. That’s why I left.”
Seth didn’t speak. Didn’t blink. Just pure stillness. Rage humming beneath his skin.
“Where’s your stuff?” he finally said.
“Inside RJ’s house.”
“Tell him bring it out.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re coming home with me.”
“No,” I said quickly. My voice sounded thin.
“You think RJ can protect you from Ronnie and his crew? Ronnie knows where he lives.”
“And you think you can?”
He didn’t flinch. “Tell him to bring your stuff. Or we leaving without it.”
I texted RJ. Two minutes later, he came out with my bags.
“You didn’t even ask why I needed them,” I said, turning toward RJ.
“He don’t play 21 questions like you,” Seth replied, eyes never leaving his screen.
RJ walked up, handed him the bags. “What’s good, Seth.”
“You don’t know how to call me when there’s a problem?” Seth asked.
“Didn’t know it was this outta control.”
“I’m taking her to my house. Ronnie comes here, it’s gonna be a war because you know how Josh is when it comes to his baby brother.”
“Yeah.” RJ nodded.
“She good with me. I’ll dead this.”
RJ pulled me into a hug, holding a little longer than usual. “Call me when you settle. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
We pulled off in silence. The streetlights blurred past the windows like time was skipping. I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to ask.
“How are we gonna handle this?”
“We not,” Seth said, eyes still on the road.
“What?”
“I got this.”
“But it’s my problem.”
“And now your problems are mine.”
“Why?”
He glanced at me like it was obvious. “That’s what happens when you got a man.”
I froze. “I didn’t know I had a man.”
“The streets don’t either. That’s why these niggas keep coming at you sideways.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, you out here hiding a nigga and shit.”
I burst out laughing. Loud. Ugly. But it was real. Because after tonight? Laughter was the only thing keeping me from falling apart.