Page 37

37

Ace

My hands clench the steering wheel as I drive. My mind is a fucking battlefield of thoughts and questions.

But one thing I know about my Pops, the thing it pains me to say, is that he did that shit. Guilty as fuck.

I knew as soon as I watched the Ring video. This motherfucker walked up the driveway, rang my fucking bell, and then looked into the window next to the door to make sure he looked okay. I’m talkin’ ‘bout smoothing his eyebrows, brushing his hand down his waves, and fussing with his shirt. Like a nigga that’s picking up a woman for a first date.

I guess all my years of denial about his wandering eye were just wishful thinking.

My stomach twists every time I think about his hands on her, his mouth touching hers. Knowing he’d have taken it further if she let him. The fact that he put her in that fucking position in the first place pisses me off, especially after everything she’s been through. He doesn’t know about it, but he doesn’t need to know her past to not be a piece of shit.

I grind my teeth, my pulse hammering in my ears.

He should have known better. The man who raised me, who taught me to be better than this kind of shit, who always drilled principles and respect into me—that same man crossed a line.

The sight of fire trucks makes my mind grind to a halt.

Lights. Police cars. The burned-out skeleton of a car in the parking lot with its hood still smoldering. I spot Kam with an officer. Her shoulders are shaking, face buried in her hands. Rico stands by her side, his face contorted in anger.

I know the feeling. Here’s another woman I love in pain today.

I park across the street, stepping out just as another police officer opens the front door of Rico’s apartment and gestures for them to come inside. I follow, still pissed, but also confused now.

What the hell happened over here?

Inside, the air is thick with the smell of burnt metal and melted plastic. The officer leads Kam into the living room, where my pops is already sitting on the couch, his face somber. He looks up when he sees me, but I look the other way.

Kam sees me and gives me a sad smile. I nod my head in return, content to wait until business is handled to comfort her.

One of the officers pulls out a tablet. “I’m gonna show you some surveillance footage,” he says. “Take a look for me.”

Kam sniffles and leans in. Rico and I stand behind her, watching as she plays the video.

A figure glides into view on a skateboard, hood up, baggy sweatpants hanging off their frame. They roll to a stop beside Kam’s car, reach into a bag, and pull out a bottle. Liquid splashes over the hood. A few seconds later, a spark, then a bloom of fire.

The whole thing goes up in seconds.

Kam stares, her eyes going wide. “What the fuck?”

“Do you recognize this person?” the officer asks, getting right down to business.

She squints at the screen. “No…looks like a white boy, maybe?”

I exhale sharply, releasing some tension.

The officer nods at the screen. “Looks like.” He turns back to Kam. “Do you have any idea who would want to do this to you? Went right to your car, no break-in…seems personal.”

She doesn’t answer right away. She goes still, then slowly turns her head—to look at me.

I stiffen. “What?”

She crosses her arms. “There’s only one person I can think of who has something against me.”

I scoff, shaking my head. “You think Raya did this? That’s crazy.”

“Is it?”

Kam wipes her face with her sleeve, giving me a pointed look. Everybody else brings their eyes to me, too, which immediately puts me on the defense.

“She hates me. And we know she ain’t all there upstairs.”

“You saw the video,” I say, my blood running hot. “That’s a white boy. Not Raya.”

“Who is Raya?” One of the other cops puts his hands on his hips. “And do you have a picture?”

“My g—my ex-girlfriend,” I say, pulling my phone out of my back pocket. I pull up a picture of her in Hilton Head, all tan and lovely in a pink sundress. I hand it off to the officer, not liking where this is going.

He studies it a little too long, then glances back at the video, shaking his head. “Doesn’t look like her to me.”

I tuck my phone away, shooting Kam a glare. “Next time, think before you start throwing around accusations.”

She rolls her eyes but says nothing.

My father walks up to stand at Kam’s side. “How do we find this person?”

“We’ll make use of other surveillance videos from the area. Maybe some traffic cams if we can pick this person up entering or exiting a vehicle.”

“Is my daughter safe?”

The officer inclines his head to the side. “Hard to say with such limited information. I’d keep my eyes open.”

None of us are satisfied with that answer, but there’s nothing we can do. It’s a feeling I really hate, and here I am again—useless.

The two officers move off to the side to talk to each other, followed by my father, giving me a chance to dap Rico up, then wrap my arms around my sister.

“You okay?” I say in her ear.

“I’m scared,” she admits. “And pissed. And frustrated.”

I kiss her cheek, then release her from my embrace. “You know we ain’t gon’ let nothin’ happen to you.”

Rico nods. “He better hope the police find his ass before I do.”

I know he means that shit. Rico ain’t much for words. That’s probably why my mama can’t stand him. My pops has a grudging respect for him, but I’m the only one who really fucks with him.

A heavy hand touches my shoulder. One that’s meted out a lot of discipline in my life, along with affection, occasionally. I turn, ready to get this shit over with, and my father’s bloodshot eyes greet me.

“Can we talk?”

I give Kam’s shoulder a squeeze, then nod to my father, following him outside into the smoky night air. We move a few feet away from the activity, landing in a dark spot by some trees.

“I guess she told you,” is the first thing he says.

I stare blankly.

“I’ma preface this by saying I know I was wrong for even being over there.”

“Yeah,” I say. “Let’s start with that.”

He nods. “I felt sorry for her. I really did. You had broken up with her—“

“Which y’all were all too happy to see me do,” I remind him.

“That’s neither here nor there,” he says. “She was upset when she came by the dealership. She told you that part, too, right?”

I nod, crossing my arms in front of me.

“I wanted to help her out. That’s all.”

“How’d we get from helping her out to you putting your fucking lips on her?”

His face falls before his expression hardens, his eyes narrowing to slits. “Watch your mouth, boy. I’m still your daddy.”

I shrug. “You gotta be respectful if you want respect, Pop. What you did don’t qualify.”

He crosses his arms, his shoulders slumping slightly. “I already said I shouldn’t have been there. I own that. But as far as us kissing…that ain’t all on me.”

My teeth grit, sending pain shooting through my head. “What are you trying to say?”

He blows out a breath. “I’m sorry, Ace. I’m real fucking sorry.” He’s silent for a while. “I was attracted to her. I saw her on those videos and, I don’t know…something about her…it drew me in. You know what I’m saying?”

Of course I know. That’s why I’m in the fucking predicament I’m in now, trapped in her web, no escape, not even sure I wanna escape.

“I don’t know what you want me to say,” I tell him. “You been eyeing other women since I was a kid.”

“I know.” He shakes his head. “But I’ve never cheated on your mother. I put that on everything.”

My face balls up. “Is that supposed to mean something to me? Right now?”

“I know. I know.” He stares down at the ground, kicking a rock across the grass. “Look, I fucked up. I did. But that girl…I don’t know what kinda game she’s playing, but you need to watch her. When she kissed me—“

“Kissed you ?” I bark out a laugh. “Bullshit.”

“I’m serious,” he says. “She flirted. Real slick with it, too. She was leading me on, Ace. Then she kissed me.”

I shake my head. “You out your mind, man.”

“Am I?” He shifts his weight from one foot to the other, side to side. “You think your girl is innocent in all this? And why is she in your house if y’all are broken up?

“That’s my business,” I snap.

“Fair enough.” He exhales, his tone softening. “Ace, I swear to you—I didn’t start it. I was weak. I was stupid for letting it happen. But I didn’t start it. And when I tried to stop it, she flipped out on me. Like I was the one chasing her .” He drags a hand down his face. “I’m ashamed of what I did, but don’t think for a second that she’s some innocent little lamb.”

I stare at him, my jaw tight, my mind racing. I’m so fucking pissed I can barely breathe right, and part of it is directed at myself. Because I know Raya. I know how she moves. I’ve seen her manipulate. And she always gets what she wants.

Deep down…shit, maybe not even deep. I know the truth is in the middle, and I feel dumb as fuck.

But I can’t process this right now. Wherever the truth lies, the fact remains that he put his lips on my fucking girl, and that’s some shit that takes time to get over.

I step back, shaking my head. “I need time to think.”

“Ace—“

I cut him off, my voice raw with anger. “Stay the fuck away from Raya.”

“Hold on.” He moves toward me, stopping when my fists clench. “I know you’re taking your mama to DC.”

“What about it?”

“You’re not gonna…” he trails off. “She don’t need to know—“

“Fuck outta here,” I say as I turn and walk away. My thoughts are spiraling, my chest is tight, my head hurts. Something ugly is clawing at my gut, but I don’t know what to do with it, yet. I wanna believe him. I wanna believe her. I wanna wake up from this fucking nightmare.

But I don’t know how.