Page 29 of A Kingpin’s Weakness

Stormi

I woke up in Seth’s bed… alone.

Sheets still warm, but empty. He hadn’t come back, or if he did, he left before I opened my eyes. I laid there for a second, staring at the ceiling, trying to slow the spinning in my chest. Then I grabbed my phone and sent a text.

Good morning. Wya?

No typing bubble. No read receipt. I sighed and dragged myself to the bathroom.

Showering felt like the only thing I could control right now.

Seth’s shower was a damn experience big enough to fit four people, with water hitting from every direction.

I stood there like one of those rotisserie chickens at the grocery store, letting the water beat into my shoulders, trying to wash off everything from yesterday.

Lia’s body. Ronnie’s face. Rich’s heartbreak It was all still on me. Still in me.

I was glad I grabbed my things from Rj’s house when I did. Being able to wash my hair and exfoliate my skin, it gave me some small sense of normalcy. But even under the hot water, I still felt cold. Just as I stepped out, my phone rang. I ran to it, heart doing too much.

Was it Seth?

Nope. R.J.

“Hey,” I answered, still catching my breath.

“Good morning to you too.”

“Sorry, R.J. I thought you were Seth.”

“You not with him?”

“I’m at his house.”

“So where he at?”

“Long story.”

“I’m off today…”

“I can’t really talk about it over the phone,” I said quietly, towel clutched around me.

“Stormi, the feds not listening to your calls.”

“Seth found out Ronnie killed his dad. Then he killed Lia. Rich’s girl. All that happened yesterday.”

Silence.

“…What?”

“Yeah. Rich walked in with her body like… like he didn’t even know where else to go. Then him and Seth left last night, and I haven’t seen them since.”

“You okay?”

“I’m safe. Seth got me here under lockdown. Security outside. Cameras everywhere. He even had Jo and Noah put up, too.”

“Damn… fuck me then, huh?”

“Shut up,” I laughed a little, even though it barely came out. “Ronnie not coming for you.”

We sat in silence. I picked up my phone again, checked for a reply.

Still nothing from Seth. I started drying off, worked some mousse through my curls so they could hang soft and wild today.

“What are you doing now?” R.J. asked.

“Getting dressed. About to head downstairs.”

“So… you and Seth a thing now?”

His question hit me harder than I expected. I paused, eyes going distant. I thought back to last night… the way Seth had me melting, shaking, falling apart under his hands, under his mouth. The way he looked at me like I was something he needed to survive.

“I don’t know,” I finally said. “I think so. Maybe. But I hate this lifestyle. Is this what it’s gonna be? Me waking up alone, hoping he ain’t laying in the street somewhere?”

“Stormi… get out your head. Shit like this don’t happen every day.”

“How you know?”

“I just do. And even if it did… you still gotta decide if he’s worth it.”

“I like him,” I admitted, “I’m just confused.”

“Then take your time. Get to know the man, not just the chaos.”

“How’s Ari?” I asked, needing to shift the energy.

“She’s on her way now. We got errands to run.”

“I’m glad you got her, bestie.”

“Hopefully, I’ll be sayin’ the same thing to you soon.”

“Maybe.”

“You sure you okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright. Call me if you need anything. I mean that.”

“Okay. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

We hung up.

The second I put my phone down, I picked it right back up and called Seth. It rang… then went to voicemail. I called again twice before I caught myself.

“No, Stormi. Don’t be that girlfriend.”

I dropped the phone on the bed like it burned. I was not about to call this man 3,100 times. I took a deep breath, got dressed, cleaned up behind myself, and made my way downstairs heart heavy, head spinning.

I needed answers. I needed him. But more than anything, I needed to know if what we had was real or if I was just another soft spot in a hard man’s world.

“Hey, I thought you’d never come downstairs,” Ms. Serena said the moment I walked into the kitchen.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, tucking a loose curl behind my ear. “Wasn’t sure if y’all were up.”

“Breakfast?” she asked with that warm smile, already setting a plate in front of me before I could answer.

“Thank you.” I sat down at the island, my stomach flipping with more nerves than hunger. “Have you heard from Seth?”

“Not yet, but he’s okay.”

“You’re not worried?”

Ms. Serena paused, her hands still for a moment. Then she turned and leaned on the counter.

“No, baby. I know my God will bring my son home to me.”

She took a breath before continuing. “When Seth’s father got shot, I knew something had happened before anyone told me.”

I looked up from my plate. “How?”

“My heart… it just got sad. Outta nowhere. I was in the kitchen makin’ dinner, his favorite.

Roast, mashed potatoes, carrots, and cornbread.

Everything smelled perfect. The house was clean.

Seth Sr. had just helped little Seth with homework before heading out.

Told me he’d only be gone two hours, tops.

Promised he was comin’ right back.” She stared off like she was back in that moment.

“But as I stood there, somethin’ in me dropped. I had to sit down. Catch my breath. Like my soul knew and not long after, there was a knock at the door.”

“The police?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

She nodded, her eyes glossing over but her smile was soft. “They came to tell me he was gone.”

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, heart squeezing tight for her and for Seth.

“Don’t be. He’s in a better place. Yes, I wanted more time with him, but God needed him more.”

I gave her a small smile, trying to hold back the tears stinging my own eyes. I pushed at my eggs, trying to clear my head, but it felt heavy.

“After you eat, come out to the garden with S3 and me,” Ms. Serena said, gently. “It’ll help keep your mind from going in circles.” Then she slipped out the back door. I stared at my phone again.

Are you okay?

I hit send. Again. Still no answer. I wanted to call. God, I wanted to call. But I didn’t. Instead, I forced myself to finish my food, rinsed my plate, and followed the sound of S3’s giggles into the yard.

“ Stormi!” he shouted, running toward me with little legs and big arms. He hugged me tight, his smile too sweet for all this darkness around us.

“You stayed the night?” he asked, looking up at me with wide eyes.

I glanced at Ms. Serena. She just smiled and went back to tending her plants.

“…Yes.”

“Where?” S3 blinked, like he was really tryna figure it out.

“Where did I stay?”

“Yeah. Where did you sleep?”

I laughed, caught off guard. “Uhh… let’s go see what Grandma’s doing.”

As I kneeled next to her, she leaned in with a whisper.

“He’s got a tiny crush on you.” I smiled, cheeks warming.

“So, you and Seth?” she asked, the question hanging soft but curious.

“Umm… yeah. We’re taking it slow.”

“Nothing wrong with that.” She nodded. “Seth loves hard. Falls even harder. The morning after Sunday dinner, he came to me and said, ‘Ma, I want to pursue her.’”

My heart fluttered, even through the nerves. “Yeah?”

“Mmhmm. So, I know he’s serious.”

“Then why isn’t he texting me back?” My voice broke a little. I hated how needy I sounded, but the silence was getting loud.

“He will,” she said, without missing a beat. “Or he’ll come walkin’ through that door before you know it.”

“I hope so.” I glanced down at my phone again, like maybe this time there’d be something.

Nothing.

“Stormi! Come see what I made!” S3 yelled from across the yard.

“Make sure you tell him about you and Seth,” Ms. Serena said, smirking. “Let my grandson down easy.”

“Shouldn’t I wait for Seth to have that conversation?”

“You got this.”

I shook my head, laughing a little as I made my way to S3.

“Hey, what you doing over here?”Before I could even brace myself, I got soaked. S3 had a water gun and no mercy.

“You wanna have a water gun fight?” he asked, grinning.

“Do I have a choice?”

He pointed to the second gun on the patio table.

I grabbed it and went straight at him. Water sprayed everywhere as we raced around the yard.

For a moment, just a moment, I forgot everything else.

After we were drenched and breathless, we changed clothes, watched some movies, and I got S3 ready for bed.

“I miss Daddy,” he said as I pulled the covers over him.

“Me too,” I said before I could stop myself.

“You like my daddy? He likes you?” he asked, all innocent curiosity.

“Oh yeah?” I smiled, tickling him gently.

“He told me,” S3 giggled. “He wanted to make sure I liked you too.”

“And?” I teased.

“You’re the best.”

“The best? Your daddy might get jealous.”

“We can be a family and go to Disney when he gets back.”

“Disney sounds fun,” I said, my voice soft. I meant it.

Seth, please come back home. I sent that prayer straight to the stars.

S3 kept talking about all the rides, and the snacks, and what kind of Mickey ears he’d wear. He had me laughing, but my eyes still kept flicking down to my phone.

Still no text. Still no call.

“He doesn’t call when he’s gone for work,” S3 said outta nowhere, like he read my mind. “He just comes back home.”

I blinked. This boy was only six and had more peace than me. Seth was doing something right with him.

“Let’s find a bedtime story,” I said, needing a shift.

I walked over to his little bookshelf, scanning for something new.

I always loved reading to him. It reminded me of how I used to read to Noah at night, usually history or whatever I was studying, tryin’ to juggle homework and bedtime in the same breath.

Back then, I was just trying to survive.

Now, I didn’t know what I was doing. But whatever it was, I hoped Seth would be home soon to do it with me.