Page 31 of Breaking the Rules

TWENTY-FIVE

No words had been uttered from his being once he called Sincere.

Noble caught the first flight back to Los Oceania, only texting Kendrick that he wouldn’t be present for the remainder of the games in New City.

The club management and front office could get with Carl to form a statement.

He didn’t care about any of that. What he cared about was finding Brixx and cutting the lights off in his body.

Noble took the assault on his woman and the trauma placed on his niece as his own.

He was the head of his family, the man in their lives, the protector.

If sacrificing his freedom and livelihood to make it known that no one was to touch a hair on their heads ever again, that’s exactly what he would do.

“You want to stop by the hospital first?” Sincere asked, looking over his shoulder at a fuming Noble still in his after-game clothing.

“Remi and Lawryn are there. They’ve been keeping me updated. If I go there now, she’s going to talk me out of it. I can’t have no one fuckin’ with my family. On no level, nigga. No, level.”

Sincere didn’t reply. The glint in Noble’s dark eyes said it all. The word was out. Every Crimson King was on high alert for Brixx. There were a few Azul Hearts that Sincere had reached out to, who promised to deliver him. For a small fee, of course.

The price didn’t mean shit to Noble. He’d make whatever money within a matter of days, weeks, or months. Either way he wasn’t stressing it.

Parked on the corner of 74 th and Huey, Sincere lit a blunt and handed it over to Noble. He refused it, pushing it back over to Sincere before muttering, “I want all of my rage.”

Sincere shrugged his head and went back to scanning the block.

Approaching them was a red Challenger with the matching headlights.

Freaky Pete. His name was gifted to him due to the number of baby mommas he had and the way he pulled his opposition apart.

The engine of the Challenger purred as it eased to a stop at Sincere’s driver window.

“What’s the word?” Sincere question, smoke coming out of his mouth with every syllable.

“That hoe Keysha on 73rd and Newman. She’s been fucking with that nigga for a minute. I got some shooters on the corner. Give me the word, I’ll lit that bitch up,” Freaky spoke, looking past Sincere to Noble.

“She got kids in the house?” Noble questioned.

Freaky scoffed with laughter. “Keysha don’t do shit but swallow her kids and abort them. Plus, she probably out hustlin’ another nigga to pay for the bum she got staying there.”

“The block locked down?” Noble asked another question.

“The word is out. Everyone is tucked away.”

Noble nodded slowly. “Light that bitch up and drag his ass out. He’s gon’ have to see me.”

“Bet. You’ll know when we’re ready.” Freaky took his marching orders and rolled down the block.

Sincere looked in his back seat, grabbed a black hoodie, and tossed it in Noble’s lap. “Take that shit off. Squeeze your big ass into this.”

Noble removed his shirt, balled it up, and stuffed it under the seat. Donning the hoodie, his ear perked, hearing the screech of the tires and gunshots ringing out, eager to go, Sincere held his hand up.

“You forgot the first time you did a ride along, your eager ass.” Sincere quipped. “I got you, relax.”

Sincere listened closely, waiting for the block over to go silent.

Two minutes later, he crept down the block.

The house they located Brixx in, tattered with bullet holes, and masked men stood at each end with their guns in hand.

Brixx was on the sidewalk, bleeding from multiple wounds, groaning and cursing loudly in anger.

Sincere handed his childhood friend a pair of gloves from the glove compartment.

When Noble forced his large hands into the small gloves, he stepped out.

Nods of respect given by the men on the block he made sure to take care of.

There was no one from the neighborhood who didn’t respect Noble or his father. The ones that didn’t…were dealt with.

It was so quiet, you could hear the echoes of Brixx’s labored breathing. It’d been a long time since Noble was this man. The beast. He towered over Brixx, studying the bullets that hit his body. Shoulder, chest, leg.

“Drag his ass in the house,” Noble ordered.

The gangsters wasted no time picking him up off the concrete and dropping his body inside. They stood off to the side, waiting for the next order.

“Stand outside. I need to talk to this muhfucka,” Noble gritted. When alone, he took his sneaker-covered foot and stomped it into Brixx’s chest until he felt a crack.

“Agghhh fuck you bitch!” Brixx gasped.

“Nah, it’s forever fuck you. While you’re in hell, I want you to replay this night over and over. Tell the devil how you ended up there. Because you don’t know how to leave well enough alone.”

“I should’ve killed that bitch when I had the chance.”

“Which time, huh? When you threw her down the stairs? While she slept, and your bitch ass only wanted a come up? Too bad you’ll miss out on that opportunity. But I won’t.”

Noble squatted down and slammed Brixx’s head into the floor until it cracked, and his labored breathing stopped. For good measure, one last stomp to the chest to crush his heart. Exiting the house, Noble looked at the men on standby. “Burn it down.”

Noble moved through the space like he owned it.

Technically, he did. A few realty companies he funded brought the blocks, restored the houses.

The shooters he never had to call until tonight lived in homes that carried no debt.

He learned from his father. Take care of the people who take care of you.

In another life, if baseball weren’t an option, being the OG would’ve been his place.

However, he didn’t dwell in love, light, and joy when he was cloaked in darkness.

Love, light, and joy were brought into his world with Savanhi.

He wasn’t losing that for no man or nothing.

He changed out of the hoodie and back into the shirt he wore. Sincere caught the hoodie he tossed over the top of the car and ensured it made it to the house that was catching flames. Inside the car, Sincere examined his best friend.

“You ready to see your lady?” Sincere quizzed.

“Been ready.”

Noble’s body was heavy with need. In need of her touch, in need of her warmth, and in need of her covering.

Whether she knew it or not, she was his safe place, his soft landing, his crown straightener, his joy.

Not having access to that would make the weight of everything he was carrying impossible to hold.

Every step, every ascent higher to the private floor, he could feel the weight of the past few hours chip away.

Finally, at her door, he eased into a quiet room, finding Savanhi holding Areli close to her, Lawryn curled up in a recliner, and Remi on the other.

As he took quick strides across the laminate wooden floor, his swiftness startled Lawryn and Remi from their sleep as if they weren’t supposed to be sleeping.

“She just fell asleep like,” Lawryn groggily whispered, looking at her phone. “Thirty minutes ago.”

Noble leaned over her, examining her face. The bruises he could see made his blood boil and rewind the last hour. If he could go back in time and break his chest again, he would. Noble didn’t shed a tear at his father’s funeral, but this was bound to break him.

Remi caught it. She moved to the bed, gently picked up Areli, and hoisted her in her arms. “I’m going to take Areli home.”

Lawryn’s line of sight pointed toward the door where Sincere stood. “Remi I’ll ride with you. Help you get the house ready for them.”

Remi looked at her brother, then back at Lawryn. “Okay.”

Something was happening between them, but there wasn’t enough time to dive into that. Noble didn’t move, but his mumble was heard. “Sin, follow them. Make sure shit is good. Carl should still be there.”

Sincere bobbed his head. “I got you.”

When alone, Noble removed his shoes and climbed into the bed with Savanhi. Her stir was accompanied by a grunt of pain.

“You’re heavy,” she grunted.

“I’ll move, I just needed to touch you.”

Savanhi weakly held on to him. “No, don’t move. That’s not what I meant. I meant like the night I met you, but heavier.”

“I’m fine.” He curtly spoke.

Savanhi opened her swollen eyes as much as she could. “Noble.”

His jaw tightened.

“When did you start lying to me, baby? Hm?”

“I’m trying to level back out.”

“You don’t have to force it. Let it happen brick by brick. You’re my Superman. But you’re a man, and all I need for you is to just lay here and be still. We’ll worry about everything else tomorrow.”

Noble groaned. “How’s the baby?”

“Fine. We’re going home in the morning. They’re just monitoring tonight.”

“Go back to sleep,” he urged.

Savanhi scooted in closer to him. “After you.”

Noble kissed her face gingerly. “I love you, Sassy.”

“I love you too. Whatever you had to do before you got here, you never have to tell me about it. Just know you did good. Let it go.”

Noble pulled in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and slowly released it. “There’s one thing you need to know.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It does. I didn’t answer your call.”

“Deuce…”

“Listen to me,” he hummed, taking her hand in his. “Mecole was in my room when I got back from the team dinner. Naked in my bed. I didn’t answer your call.”

“I was never worried about her then. I’m not worried about her now.”

“I know. But for us, I needed you to know in the event anyone tries to say some shit.”

“The only thing they can say is they tried to attack a unit that was locked in, and they failed. Whatever plan they devised failed. These bruises don’t mean nothing other than I survived again, so I can have you and Areli again. Let it go.”

Noble pulled in another deep breath. This time, he released it and did it again. “You’re not going to look at me differently?”

“Oh, baby I am. I’m going to look at you like you’re the man who put it all on the line for me because I’m worth that much to you. Day one, you looked at me like I was worth something. For that alone, I’m going to always love you.”