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17

B ully

The laughter and conversations around me faded when I pulled my phone out and saw a picture of Innvy holding Innah on the side of the road. I checked the contact again because I was confused as to why PJ would be sending it to me. It looked like he’d taken it from the inside of a car. Shortly after, I saw Rocco standing next to Innvy. She looked like she was paying close attention to what he was saying.

Not bothering to call PJ, I dialed Innvy’s number. She chipperly answered after a few rings with, “Hey, bae.”

“Where you at?”

“Um… down the street from the park. My car started smoking and stopped and this man is helping.”

“Who?” I asked, shooting up from my seat, though I knew who it was.

“I’m not sure. He didn’t tell me his name.”

Gritting my teeth, I released what I needed to be a calming breath as I headed out of the bar. Without even knowing what was going on, Asylum, Merc, Beethoven, Karrington, and Aspen followed.

“Listen to me carefully. The man you’re with is Rocco. The one I was working for.” I paused and gave her time to process what I was saying. “Play the game so you and Innah will be safe, but do not get in that car with him. I’m about to call my connect with MPD so they can send the closest unit to your location.”

She cleared her throat. “O-okay, bae. We’ll be fine. Like I said, this nice man is helping us. You enjoy your time with your mom.”

Relief filled me at how calm she sounded. “I love you, Angel. I’ll see you soon.”

“I love you too.”

After disconnecting the call, I went to her contact ID and sent her location to Graham. I called him and told him the situation and he confirmed he would have dispatch send someone out on my behalf.

“What the hell is going on?” Asylum asked once we were all out by our cars.

I ran down the situation to them, and as soon as I was done Karrington asked, “Has he reached out to you since you’ve been back?”

With a sigh, I ran my hand down my face. “Yeah, but I told him we had nothing to talk about and not to call me.”

“Clearly this is his way of trying to get your attention,” Merc declared.

“Well he got it, and he gon’ get these bullets too,” I replied.

“Wait, brother,” Karrington said, gripping my arm and keeping me from getting in the car. “I know you’re upset and you’re ready to go in guns blazing, so I’ll think for you. You need to be logical and have a clear plan.”

“The plan is to go get my fucking girls,” I snarled, jerking my arm away from him as a scowl covered my face.

“Look, we let you handle this shit your way the first time and look what happened,” Beethoven said, standing in front of the door so I couldn’t get in.

“That mane just took nine months of your life,” Asylum said. “I’m willing to bet he’s trying to use you again.”

“Going after him won’t make him stop. It will only make shit worse,” Merc reasoned.

“Now you know we all for shooting a nigga and protecting our own, but this ain’t the way,” Beethoven said.

Sighing, I felt my anger slowly start to release. “Then what do y’all suggest?”

“Let’s let MPD get them home,” Karrington started, “and I will set up a sit down with him on your behalf. Let me get you out of this, brother.”

My head shook adamantly as I pushed Beethoven out of the way so I could get inside.

“I know that’s your pride, but don’t let it fuck you up,” Merc said. “Ain’t no shame in letting Karrington move on your behalf. We brothers and we look out for each other.”

Fuck.

That was true.

“Let me do this for you,” Karrington pleaded softly.

My nostrils flared as I released a shaky breath. Nodding, I squeezed the bridge of my nose. “Aight. Let’s do it.”

* * *

4:00 AM

I stared at the made bed. Neither me nor Innvy had been in it. Thankfully, she and Innah got that police escort before Rocco and PJ tried to force them in the car. Karrington had set up the sit down with Rocco, and now I had to wait. That anxiousness was what kept me up, and I was sure Innvy felt the same way. She kept assuring me that she was okay but I felt like shit. I promised her my situation with Rocco wouldn’t affect them and it had.

Making my way out of our room, I headed to Innah’s room and checked in on her. She was still sleeping, so I searched the rest of the house and found Innvy standing by the island in the kitchen. A wine glass and bottle were in front of her as she stared blankly into the distance. When I wrapped my arms around her she jumped but instantly relaxed.

When her body meshed with mine, I kissed her neck.

“Why aren’t you in bed next to me?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

“I’m nervous about your meeting.”

“You have no reason to be,” I assured her as I turned her and placed her on top of the island. “I can take care of myself, and even if I couldn’t, my brothers will be with me.”

She sighed and shook her head as a sad expression covered her face. “I just don’t understand why he won’t leave us alone.”

“I’m good at what I do, sweetheart. I am not surprised that he wants me to work for him again. The mistake I made was thinking he’d be a man of his word and expect a favor for a favor. Not favors.”

Innvy nodded her agreement. “This is one time I wish you weren’t good at what you do.”

Her soft smile comforted me. “I know you said you were okay, but could fear or anxiety be why you can’t sleep too?”

Swallowing hard, Innvy shook her head and ran her hands down my chest. “You know what’s crazy is Ma told me not to have faith in a man but to have faith in God. When you called me and told me who he was, fear filled me for only a brief moment.” She cupped my cheek. “There was no doubt in my mind that you’d save us. I had all the confidence in the world that we’d be okay because of God… and you.”

Her words surged through my heart and restored my confidence in myself to protect them. It fucked with me knowing Rocco had stooped as low as to fuck with her truck and approach my girls, but I shouldn’t have been surprised. He’d fucked up when he positioned himself to breathe the same air as my girls. Rocco wanted me to kill, and he had no idea how close he was to being on the other side of my Glock.

“Thank you for trusting me still.”

“Always. I know you’d do anything to protect us. I’m just glad you allowed them to cajole you into this meeting instead of taking matters into your own hands.”

I released a hard breath. “Yeah. Now that I’ve calmed down, I know that would have started a war and that’s the last thing I want. I want this shit to be over, so if Karrington has to step in for me, I will accept that.”

Innvy brushed her nose against mine then kissed me. “I know you feel guilty but it wasn’t your fault. You did your part. You honored your word. He didn’t.”

Gripping her thighs, I kissed up her neck and cheek to her lips. “Thank you, baby.”

“If you want to thank me, make sure this man never bothers us again.”

As I pushed her hair out of her face, a slow smile spread my lips. If I had any doubts that she was the one, this moment would have solidified it.

* * *

Later that Evening

The Sit Down

“Y’all didn’t check this man to see if he had any weapons?” Beethoven asked with a serious expression, making me, Asylum, Merc, and Karrington laugh. Blaze and Aspen insisted on joining us, but they were outside at the door with Loki and Wolf.

“You know he got that thang on ’em,” Merc answered with a grin.

“Probably got a few,” Asylum added absently as he looked at his phone.

“I told Rocco this would be peaceful so we gon’ be grown men about this shit,” Karrington started, “but if he wanna take it there…” He shrugged and allowed the essence of his words to fill the hallway.

I didn’t give a damn either way. Regardless of the means, shutting Rocco down was my motive. We could do it peacefully or blow his ass to pieces. I promised my girl I’d handle him today and I was standing very firm on that shit.

Two guards in brown suits stood in front of the double doors. Theirs hands were cupped in their centers, gaze forward. When we made our way in front of them, their attention shifted briefly before the one on the left tapped on the door with his knuckles.

“Let them in,” Rocco granted, which led to the other guard trying to search us, but I told him we had guns and that wouldn’t be necessary. He told us we couldn’t go in with them but Rocco told him it was okay.

As soon as we entered the room and my feet hit the mahogany floor, something shifted inside of me. My eyes landed on Rocco, and I couldn’t stop myself from pulling my Glock from my back.

“Whoa,” Karrington said, gripping my wrist, but my reach was firm.

“That’s how you gon’ play it, young blood?” Rocco asked with a crooked grin as guns cocked all over the room.

“If you kill this man, you will start a war,” Karrington reminded me. “That’s not what we’re here for. Peace for your girls. Freedom. Remember?”

Slowly, my head shifted in his direction. It felt like my arm was covered in concrete because it was almost impossible to lower it. Eventually, I huffed and lowered the gun. Karrington’s frame relaxed next to me, and Rocco nodded for us all to take seats. I preferred to stand and make this shit quick.

My eyes were trained on him as he and Karrington talked and came to an agreement. In exchange for him never asking me to do anything else and keeping Andre’s murder a secret, Karrington would become his new supplier and offer him a twenty-five percent discount. I’d already made up in my mind to give Karrington that back because I didn’t want him taking a loss for me. Once they sealed the deal with a handshake, Rocco stood to shake mine.

I took his hand into mine and used it to pull him close. Against his ear I told him, “If you so much as look at my wife and daughter again I will kill you. I’ll go to war with God Himself behind them, so I have no problem going against you and sending you to Him.”

My words caused the grin he’d been sporting the entire time to drop as he released my hand. Silence found us as we made our way out, but once we were outside, I thanked them all for showing up for me in this way. Truth was, I was used to being the one who showed up… not the one people had to show up for. Had I let Karrington do this before, I wouldn’t have been away for as long as I was. But that was in the past and it was finally behind us.

Once I got in my car, I called Innvy, and she answered after the first ring.

“Well…” she said with a smile in her voice that I couldn’t help but mirror.

“Hey, baby. It’s over.”