Page 29 of Breaking the Rules

TWENTY-THREE

“At least let me make you something to eat before you go,” Savanhi whined, trying to get out of the bed Noble just put her in.

Lawryn, who was placing the warm blanket over her, chimed in with Noble.

“He can feed himself,” Lawryn spoke in tandem with Noble.

“I can feed myself,” Noble said. “Do you know what just happened to you?”

“Yes, the doctor looked up in my cooch and pulled my implant out,” Savanhi huffed, aggravated that the only thing she could take for the pain was Tylenol.

“The uterus that should be closed because you’re pregnant.

The very thing holding my baby inside. You’re thinking about me and Areli, and I need you focused on you and our baby.

No dancing, no picking up Areli, no prolonged standing, no trying to go through the boxes from the apartment.

If you need help getting up, Lawryn and Remi are here,” Noble stated firmly.

Savanhi huffed. “I don’t like the way you talkin’ to me right now.”

Noble moved closer to her and kissed her face. “I need you to listen to me. This is serious, baby.”

“I know. I just wish you didn’t have to leave. You’re turning into a whiney brat,” Savanhi whined. “I sound like babygirl.”

“You do. I know you’re going to go stir crazy on bed rest. But I’m serious. This ain’t the time for you not to listen. I will call you when I touch down, okay?”

“Okay. I love you. I’ll be watching the game from right here in bed.”

Noble kissed her and looked down at her. “Lawryn, she listens?”

“Only with you,” Lawryn chimed. “I would say I don’t know what you did to her, but I think I’m looking at the evidence.”

Noble gave Savanhi another parting kiss and went to find Areli. She was hopping from couch cushion to couch cushion. Remi gave him an apologetic shrug.

“Someone had ice cream,” Noble stated.

“With sprinkles!” Areli beamed.

“In my defense, we were all a bit stressed and needed to take the edge off. One thing you’ll know for sure is that Areli will sleep throughout the night,” Remi shared. “Areli chill out, girlfriend.”

She huffed and plopped down on the couch. “Fine, fine.”

“Lemme holla at you real quick, Rem,” Noble started after scooping up Areli from her seated position, kissing her face and tickling her. “You be good. If I find out you in here showing out, we gon’ have some big issues.”

“How many big issues, Deucey?” Areli challenged, holding his face.

“Like all these toys and princess shoes you get every time you leave the house gon’ come to a halt. Real fast.”

Areli gasped, covering her little mouth with her kiddy manicured nails.

“And your manicures kiss them bye-bye. All those playdates I have planned for you and the Saxon twins, out of here. Do not give Rem or Sassy a hard time. Sassy cannot pick you up, and you can’t sleep in the bed with her until I get home. Aight?”

Areli poked her lip out and dropped her eyes. “Why? Is Sassy still sick?”

“Sassy is having a baby,” Noble shared, a light shining in his eyes as the smile etched over his face.

Areli’s mood perked. “Cousin baby?”

“Yes a cousin baby. And she has to be really careful until I get home. Don’t let her do anything.”

“I won’t if she does, I can call you and you can put her in time out?”

Noble nodded.

“She has to have a nice blanket, though, with snacks. She’s a lady,” Areli added.

“She is indeed a lady,” Noble smirked, placing her back on the couch.

“Unc-Unc,” Areli started up.

“Yeah?”

“Did she get that baby from smooching?” Areli asked. Her eyes large with intrigue.

Noble chuckled and swiped his hand over his face. “Yes.”

Areli grunted, frowned her face and turned around toward the TV. “I’m never smooching.”

“Good, keep it that way. Deucey doesn’t want to break any necks,” Noble muttered, trailing Remi outside.

“You know you’re doing that Sincere shit,” she snickered.

“What Sincere shit?” Noble quizzed with a frown.

“Talking about yourself in third person.”

“Listen, don’t tell that nigga he was on to something,” Noble stated, closing the door behind him.

“What do you need me to do?” Remi asked.

“Keep Areli occupied with the house, but make sure she knows not to say anything to Sassy.”

“Baby and houses, you’re moving on up,” Remi silently cheered.

“I am. I’m blessed.” There was an unexplainable peace resting over him. He’d never had this with anyone else.

Remi took in the light and peace resting over him. “Is there a ring anywhere in this?”

“Technically, yes, there has to be because I can’t put her on my insurance without it. But intentionally speaking, hell yeah. I just need to make sure I clear the proper channels.”

“Her brother?” Remi rose a brow in curiosity. “I’m assuming. Gang shit is always gang shit.”

Noble nodded as his JoyRide pulled up. “Can’t do it no other way. I’m removed from gang shit, but there’s still rules to this. Ones I can’t break if I want peace or her.”

“I understand that fully. You know I support this one hundred and twenty-five percent. She’s good for you. She’s good for Areli. Especially if Kymber has to serve some hard time, having Savanhi is going to help her so much.”

Noble looked at the front door as if Savanhi was standing there in her signature sendoff pose.

Arms folded over her breast because he’d done or said something to turn her on, leaning on the threshold with her legs crossed.

Or his favorite, Areli, in her arms and her head resting atop of hers.

“Yeah, she’s the one. Everything makes sense now. ”

“Imagine if you would have come home sooner,” Remi shared, and Noble buzzed.

“I wouldn’t have been ready.”

“I’m proud of you, Deuce. For real. You are really living up to your namesake.”

He smirked. “I’m trying.”

“Now if only I can get Sincere to follow your lead. You should talk some sense into him.”

“I’m not foolin’ with that nigga when it comes to this shit. He ain’t ready. But when he is just know pigs and shit gon’ fly,” Noble spoke with laughter. “Take care of my girls.”

“We will. Bring us a win.”

“Ain’t nothing.”

With that, Noble was off to New City. This was the first time he’d felt anxious leaving them. He couldn’t pinpoint if it was because of Savanhi and the baby, or the sureness of everything, but nothing could ease it.

He waded in the dugout at the top of the third inning. They were down by one and he hadn’t gone up to bat yet. He wiggled slightly hummed songs to himself. There was nothing he could do to settle himself. To the crowd he looked confident as he prepared himself to bat.

“God, I do not know what this feeling is, or why. Just watch over my girls. Keep them safe. Please.”

After muttering that prayer, Noble moved through the game as if nothing were wrong. His system had calmed, and all was well until he reached his hotel room. Naked and in the middle of his bed – Mecole.

“You played a great game, baby,” she purred. “I’ve been waiting on you to get here all night.”

“How the fuck you get in here?” Noble gritted, stopping where he was. He’d dare not get any closer. Feelings he’d thought had gone away were back. Not of desire, love, or passion, but anger. He couldn’t let her get to him or let the ugly beast that Savanhi tamed come out to play.

“I missed you. I gave you weeks to calm down. To think this through. You called off our wedding.”

“You fucked my boy. Are you fucking slow?” he gritted. His brows were pinched together, his mouth was tight, and he was digging in his pocket for his phone.

“I told you it was a mistake. I told you I was sorry. You just up and leave me. Sell our house, put my stuff out, and ignore all of my calls? I thought you said you were going to love me forever?” Mecole stated.

Noble looked down at the incoming FaceTime call. Savanhi. “Fuck.”

“I need you to get the fuck out. Right now!” Knocking her out, as badly as the urge presented itself, wasn’t an option. That one action would cost him everything – he knew it. However, there was nothing he wanted to do more. That was dangerous.

“Is that her?” Mecole crawled over the bed. Surgically enhanced body moving to him like a demon coming out of the pits of hell. She leaped on his back, attempting to claw at his phone. “The stripper bitch you left me for? Let me talk to her. We can compare notes.”

Noble fought and wiggled his body to get her off of him. His long arm was in the air, so she wouldn’t get his phone. He used the other to pry her off. “Get the fuck off me!”

“Answer the phone, Noble. So I can tell her how I fuck you eight ways to Sunday. She’s so stupid, she’ll believe me.” Mecole attempted to coil herself around him.

Noble, who was trying not to touch her and leave a mark, threw that notion out of the window. Covering Mecole’s face with his large hand, he shoved her back with just enough force for her to drop back on the bed. The call ended, and Remi called.

He answered out of breath and ripping through his suit for his things to flee. “Rem she good?”

Remi’s voice was shaking. “No. I’m in a closet with Areli. They just came through the back door.”

“Is that your little bitch?” Mecole asked, spread out across the bed, arms flailing over her head, legs spread open with a smirk on her face. She was on something, but that wasn’t Noble’s issue.

“Let me tell her we need to talk about you,” she continued to spew her nonsense like she knew something more than she was letting on. “I hope Brixx puts a fuckin’ bullet through her skull. Leavin’ me? ME! A businesswoman with a degree for a fucking hood rat ass stripper!”

That was the feeling he’d been battling ever since he left. Forget Mecole as a decoy, forget the next three games he had. Noble was out the door with nothing but his wallet and phone. Mecole could make sheet angels or whatever she was doing.

“Remi, call the police. Don’t leave that fuckin’ closet,” he directed, hitting the button to the elevator repeatedly. He glanced up at the illuminated numbers and cursed. “Fuck!”

Choosing the stairs, he ran down them, calling Carl.

“Ay yo, hell of a game,” Carl answered gleefully.

“My house,” Noble breathed. “Get to my house!”

He hung up, still speeding down the stairs. He hit Sincere’s number.

“What’s good nigga?” Sincere questioned.

“Ruby, nigga. It’s fuckin’ Ruby.”

That was the code. Ruby was a hustler, ambushed in his own house by his own men. Ruby was used amongst Crimson Kings as a call for action. Sincere would know who to call, what to do, and it would be done efficiently.

“Fuckin’ Brixx!”