Page 11 of Breaking the Rules

Noble separated from Yannes and prepped himself to see his sister. Due to his celebrity status and the lawyer’s request, they gave him a private room to speak to Kymber. The moment she came into view, he jumped up, wanting to hug her.

The correctional officer shook her head and closed the door. When the door closed, he embraced her. Kymber allowed herself to sob for the first time in hours. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

Noble groaned and let her purge her system before they took a seat. “You got to tell me something. You know you’re getting a drug lord charge? How did this shit happen? Areli’s dad?”

Kymber shook her head and stared at her hands. “Ours.”

Noble’s brows met. “Pop ain’t never-”

“How do you think he paid for everything? Hm? How do you think we went untouched by gang shit? Everything went through him. Everything. He dies of a heart attack, and someone had to keep it going. So Zay helped me, and I kept it going.”

Noble slammed his hand down on the metal table and erupted. “What the fuck was all the money I sent home for? How fuckin’ long were y’all doing this shit?”

“This is why he didn’t want you home,” Kymber cried. “This is why. He didn’t want this shit to touch you.”

“I’m home now, Kymber. The contract is signed. Did you think about Areli at all? For some gang shit, you gon’ spend the rest of your life in prison. Do you understand that? You get that? That she’s going to grow up like we did.”

“She won’t,” Kymber sniffled. “Because she has you. I don’t want a trial. I don’t want you wasting your money to bring me home. I knew what I was doing. I knew the cost.”

“Why not?” he bellowed.

“Because you won’t lose your reputation behind our decisions.

Daddy did a lot of shit to get you in that position.

You can’t lose because of it. Areli is safe with you.

She’s going to grow into an amazing human being because of you.

I need you to promise me that. I need you to love her like she’s yours. Please,” Kymber pleaded tearfully.

Noble released a few tears of his own. Some of disappointment, some further proof that his pride was dying in layers. He sniffled, rid his face of the evidence, and nodded.

“Areli will be fine. I promise you that. What do you want me to tell her?”

“Tell her I had to go away. Tell her I love her. Tell her if she looks up at the stars at night, I’m looking up too. When she’s old enough to know what I did, tell her I’m sorry. I can give her that since we never got it.”

“I can get you out, Kym.”

She swayed her head. “No. I told you no. Go live your life and make sure Areli has the best life ever. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“They’re going to offer a plea deal; I’m going to take it. It’s not going to make much of a difference. Just keeps all of this out of the public view. I’ll call you when I get to the desert. Send me pictures, please?”

“I’ll send you everything. I’ll keep your books stacked. Whatever you need.”

“I know. I love you, Deucey. I’m sorry,” Kymber whimpered, swiping the tears from her face.

He stood to receive her one last time. He kissed the top of her head and promised to do right by Areli and then knocked on the metal door.

He could do a lot. He couldn’t watch his baby sister walk away from him into a life sentence.

The ride back to Ms. Patty’s was long and quiet.

When he arrived, Sincere and his sister, Remi, were in the living room playing with Areli.

Sincere stood and motioned Noble to the backyard. “You want to smoke?”

Noble shook his head. “Practice starts next week, I got to lay off that shit. Tell me something, you knew my daddy was in the game?”

“Not actively. I thought that nigga was like us. Affiliated but timed out.”

“Well, he was the plug. Pretty much supplying this radius with product. He dies from a heart attack, and Kymber picks up the torch. Fuck being a chef. Fuck being a mother. Fuck asking me for help to dead all of this. She deep dives into this shit. No life raft, no protection. No fuckin’ backup plan. Who the fuck is Zay?”

“Hustler, regulator. He kept CK shit moving. He got shot last night, I heard. I’m thinking it had something to do with this.”

Noble stared into the distance and grunted. “Hm. Is he good people or is he going to let her fry?”

“He’s stand up, and if she’s been moving like this for this long, he’s been looking out. That’s just how he is. The fact that there was that much product makes me think it was a setup.”

“Yeah, but I can’t dive into that. I just became a single father to a niece who’s going to beg, plead, and cry for a mother she may never see again. Plus, I’m about to leave her for ten days.”

“Happy you said that. Remi is a nanny. We got you. You gon’ be alright, and Areli damn sure is going to be fine. You know you my nigga, my brother. I got you.” Sincere pulled Noble into an embrace only a brother could give. “We got this shit. Aight?”

Noble nodded. “Aight.”

“I tell you, I’m happy I took yo ass out last night. You a daddy now.”

“Fuck you,” Noble said, laughing and moving back into the house. “Thanks, bro.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s a village.”