Page 33 of A Kingpin’s Weakness

Stormi

Back to reality. Or at least some version of it. The kind where your heart still feels like it’s in Greece, but your mind’s stuck in the pain that waits back home.

Seth and I had escaped for a little while, just the two of us. No drama, no bullets flying, no phones buzzing with bad news. Just us.

The first two days, we explored the island. The last three, we explored each other.

I’m talkin’ about that can’t keep our hands to ourselves type love. The kind that makes you forget who you are and where you been. The kind that reminds you what it feels like to want somebody in every way; mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically.

And in those moments, I saw him. Not Seth the street legend.

Not Seth the son of a man with enemies. But Seth the man.

The one who kissed my shoulder when I was half-asleep.

The one who rubbed my feet without me asking.

The one who ran his fingers through my hair like he was afraid I’d disappear if he let go.

Gentle. Loyal. Protective in ways that made me feel safe, not controlled.

Soft with me, but still holding the weight of the world on his back.

But now… We were back, and grief was waiting at the door. Today was Lia’s funeral. And no matter how much peace Greece gave me, this shit was heavy.

I stared at myself in the mirror before we left. All black. Long-sleeved, v-cut, knee-high dress. Hair pinned back, but not too tight. Makeup soft but my eyes looked tired. Not just from the flight. From the reality.

It hit me like a punch to the chest. That could’ve been me. Hell, it still could be . Lia didn’t sign up to die. She signed up to love a man with street loyalty. And it cost her everything.

“You okay?” I whispered low into S3’s ear, close enough that no one else could hear but soft enough that he didn’t feel like I was babying him.

He looked up, smiled that little boy smile the one that didn’t match all the pain around us and gave a small nod. Then, just like that, his attention floated back to whatever game was glowing on his iPad.

My heart cracked a little. He was too young to be sitting in a funeral line. Too young to know this kind of loss. But grief had a way of coming for the innocent.

We were all packed into the third car in the funeral procession Seth on my right, S3 between us, Ms. Serena across from me. Southside and his girl Kiera rode in the very back, both dressed sharp and too quiet for their usual selves.

Up ahead in the first car was Rich, Lia’s mom, her sister, and her best friend.

Even though I never got the chance to meet Lia, I could feel her presence through the weight of her family’s pain.

Through the silence. Through the pink rose each of us wore on our right side her favorite color, Rich had said.

It was soft, feminine, full of life. How I expected she was or had been.

And it hit me again; a sharp and cold this could’ve been my funeral feeling. Ronnie was in my room not even a full day before her murder. He had that look in his eye.

That wild, broken kind of hate. The kind that doesn’t bluff when it says, “I’ll kill you.” I shivered, even though the AC wasn’t that high.

People talk about being with a man like Seth like it’s champagne and Chanel bags. But what they don’t see Is funerals like this. The truth is, the deeper a man like him loves you, the bigger the target you wear. The more you shine in his world, the more dangerous it becomes to stay lit.

Lia didn’t ask for any of this. She was at a damn library. Trying to get her life right. Trying to elevate. And Ronnie stole all that from her. Just like he almost did from me.

Seth never gave me the full breakdown on what happened. His words were simple, sharp, final:

“It’s handled. You’ll never have to worry about that nigga again.”

And I believed him. Because his eyes said everything his mouth didn’t. But being here, riding to a church with a dead girl’s name on a program, I couldn’t help but wonder. How much longer can I survive this life?

The cars slowed, rolling up in front of a big stone church. White pillars. Wide steps. Heavy doors. Funeral workers moved like clockwork, stepping out, opening doors one by one like we were arriving at some grim red carpet.

Ms. Serena slid out first, then Kiera, then Southside, his hand gently resting on her lower back.

Then came us. Seth stepped out and reached back for S3, steadying him like always.

Then he held out his other hand for me. I took it without hesitation, curling my fingers into his.

We moved in sync, a quiet line of two. He didn’t speak.

Neither did I, but I looped my arm into his, let my body press just a little closer, because the silence between us carried more than any words could.

I needed to feel his warmth to remind myself I was still alive.

Because this church was full of ghosts And I was scared I was falling in love with another one.

Seth kissed my forehead as we stepped into the church, walking just behind Rich and Lia’s family.

The scent of white lilies hit me first. It was clean, soft, but heavy.

Like even the flowers knew this wasn’t the place for joy.

My heels echoed against the floor, and I took a deep breath, steadying myself as we moved closer to the casket. I hadn’t been to a funeral since Sweetie.

And this this felt too close. Too real.

My stomach twisted the closer we got, but Seth held me tighter his hand firm on my waist. He didn’t say a word, but his body wrapped around mine like a shield, like he could protect me from the grief rising in my throat.

He stepped in front of me when we reached the casket, pulling me with him like he already knew I was holding back tears.

Lia looked like she was just sleeping. Still.

Peaceful. Beautiful. Like this wasn’t supposed to be the end of her story.

Her hair was laid. Her lips painted soft pink.

Her dress looked like something she would’ve worn out on a date night, not her last day on earth. My eyes burned, but I kept them open.

“Get your rest, Lia,” Seth said, voice thick. “I got Rich.” He kissed his fingers, touched her hand, and my heart damn near cracked in two.

That moment right there? That’s the kind of loyalty you can’t buy. We slowly stepped away, and just like that, Seth moved in on Rich pulled him into a tight, wordless hug. They didn’t speak. Didn’t need to. Two men carrying the same kind of hurt, just trying to breathe through it.

Watching them… Seeing Seth hold it together for his brother, even though I could feel his own pain pressing against me like thunder, I fell in love with him a little more. And that scared the hell out of me.

Because loving a man like Seth? That came with loss, with funerals like this.

With whispered threats and silenced tears and pretending you’re strong when all you want to do is break.

I glanced over at Lia’s mom and sister, and my breath caught. They looked just like her. Three versions of the same light, dimmed too soon.

I reached for Seth’s hand again, needing to feel something real and warm. We took our seats behind Rich. The church slowly filled with people some crying, some whispering, some just holding onto each other like they were afraid to let go.

S3 sat between us, too quiet for a boy his age. He didn’t understand the full weight of today, but I could tell he felt it. We all did. This wasn’t just Lia’s funeral. This was a reminder of how fragile peace really is. And how fast love can turn into loss.

“Mommy,”

S3 whispered, his voice soft like he wasn’t sure he should’ve said it out loud.

I followed his little hand, the way he waved so innocently, so full of light in a room built on grief.

She was tall ,slim, bright-skinned with that slick kind of beauty that turned heads whether she meant to or not. Draped in all black, pants hugging her hips, and a see-through top that clung to her chest like a second skin.

Her wig was long, straight, blonde, and damn near touched the middle of her ass. Edges laid. Face beat. Body talking.

She turned when she saw S3 and gave him a soft smile just for him.

But the second her eyes landed on us, on me and Seth, our fingers laced together in quiet defiance, that smile vanished. Gone like it had never existed.

She didn’t say shit. Didn’t make a scene, but the way she looked at me… Yeah.

I felt that stare. But this wasn’t the time This wasn’t the place. And I damn sure wasn’t about to feed into some petty-ass energy while we were laying Lia to rest.

I turned my head, ignoring her. Stayed focused This ain’t high school.

I wasn’t about to be out here fighting nobody’s baby mama in front of a casket. I grew up watching Jo fight her man’s baby mama on the sidewalk like it was a sport heels in one hand, wig in the other and I swore I’d never live like that.

Seth hadn’t said much about her. He would when he was ready And until then? I wasn’t about to break my peace for a stare.

The music started up again. The choir filled the church with voices that made your chest ache. Family and friends stood, one by one, sharing memories, grief, regrets they didn’t even realize they were holding.

And then Rich stood up My whole body froze Seth and Southside rose with him one on each side like pillars, like protection. Like brothers.

The pain in Rich’s face? You could feel it… Not just see it, but feel it. Deep in your chest, under your ribs, where the soft parts live His eyes locked on the closed casket. And for a second, I swear he looked like a man begging God for a do-over.

And Seth stood right beside him… Not saying a word. Just being there. Loyal. Still. Steady. We all waited with baited breaths as Rich began to read aloud…