Page 27

ADIR

“I promised you that I would keep him safe. I’m sorry.”

Only the wind heard me mumble those words in front of Tilda’s headstone.

I placed new, fresh flowers inside the holder, then said a small prayer before stepping away.

Coming here had been hard.

Although Tilda wasn’t in that grave, coming here meant I had to own that I fucked up—and I never fucked up.

Hakeem was one of Tilda’s foster kids before he transitioned out.

Back then, his father was in prison and his mother was on the streets.

He and Marco were separated for most of their childhood.

It wasn’t until Hakeem became older that he reconnected with his brother.

Hakeem started making small plays, which eventually turned into making even bigger plays.

Then, Hakeem and Marco’s father got out of prison.

He had already spent most of his life in the streets and wanted a part of what his sons had built.

Within a couple of years, the three became one of the city’s largest pushers.

Hakeem and I had an understanding, and because Tilda asked me to look out for him, I did.

Now that Hakeem and his whole crew was gone, several crews were trying to move into his old territory.

Because of it, Dr. Bell you will give my sister what she deserves!” Whirling around, she stormed off and out of the entrance.

Security wore the same amused expression that I did.

“If she comes back through that door, shoot her muhfuckin’ ass,” I stated.

Leaving the lobby, I went back to my office to finish up my day.

A few hours later, Pretty and I arrived at Jason’s, an upscale steakhouse restaurant on the waterfront.

She ordered a tea to drink, and I ordered the strongest shit they had along with a water.

Jabari and Haven would be pulling up in a minute.

“I haven’t been able to fully enjoy a meal, so hopefully, tonight goes well,” Pretty said.

“I hope it goes well for you, baby.”

She cut her eyes at me, then looked back at the menu.

I chuckled under my breath.

“You gon’ eat that attitude later, my baby.”

Her face scrunched up just as Jabari and Haven entered the restaurant.

They snuck our way with Haven quietly giggling behind her hand.

Sure enough, she was pregnant.

“Attitude? You’re lucky I’m even sitting here, Adir Bell,” Pretty fussed.

“Is that right?”

“You damn right.”

Haven tapped Pretty on the shoulder.

With a scowl, Pretty turned around, prepared to cuss Haven out.

“Ahh!” she screamed instead and knocked over her chair to hug her best friend.

Jabari and I dapped up as he grilled the both of them.

“That was the longest fuckin’ forty-five-minute flight,” he mumbled.

I burst out laughing.

Amidst all her screaming and hugging Haven, Pretty missed the baby bump Haven possessed.

“Oh, my God!” Pretty cried.

Her and Haven held each other for a while, just crying and carrying on like Jabari and I had held them captive from each other or some shit.

“We’re having babies together!”

Shocked, Haven cried even harder.

I meant to put a smile on my girl’s face.

I’d say I exceeded even the grandest smile.

We sat down to eat and catch up.

Not surprisingly, Pretty had all the attention and affection for me after seeing Haven’s face.

They smiled hard throughout dinner as if they hadn’t been on a warpath all damn day.

Jabari and I just looked on perturbed.

“Damn shame,” Jabari uttered.

“I should change my mind about us moving here.”

Pretty’s face lit up bright as hell.

Haven laughed. “Surprise!” she exclaimed.

“We’re moving here!”

“ After the holidays,” Jabari interjected.

Another round of tears and hugs proceeded between the two women.

Jabari and I just accepted the fact that we were at this damn dinner table by ourselves.

Pretty rode me nice and slow, apologizing for how mean she’d been to me this afternoon.

This was the gentlest we’d ever been with each other, and I had to admit, I loved the shit.

I held her left hip with one hand and her right ass cheek with the other.

Her sweaty skin smelled delicious and being buried deep inside her pussy felt even better.

I leaned up to take her nipples into my mouth, sucking and pulling on them as hard as I could.

She yelped and bounced on my dick a little quicker.

Some old school nigga’s voice drowned out the sounds of my woman’s cries as she fell apart.

She squeezed me so tightly that I was right behind her.

We fell asleep with her plastered to my chest.

Around three in the morning, my phone startled Pretty awake.

I reached for it, swearing at seeing Gunner’s name.

“Yeah?” I answered.

“You won’t believe this,” he said.

“Jamaine is dead.”

“Be there in a minute,” I replied.

Pretty glanced at me over her shoulder.

I kissed her shoulder, then climbed out of bed.

“Something’s wrong,” she mumbled.

“Rest, my baby.” I headed up the stairs to shower and throw some clothes on, then was back down the stairs in minutes.

Pretty had turned on the lamp and was watching me with concern in her eyes.

Removing the blanket from her partially naked body, I kissed her thigh, hip, abdomen, the swell of both breasts, then her lips.

She giggled.

“I’ll be right back, aight.”

“Alright, baby.” She beckoned me for one more kiss, so I obliged her.

“I love you,” I confessed against her lips.

She gasped, and I chuckled.

“Don’t act like I don’t show you what it is, baby.”

Tears dotted her eyes.

“No… No, you absolutely do show me that you love me.”

“Then, why are you shocked?”

“Because you’ve always shown it… And now you said it. Therefore, I can’t deny it.” She sniffled while I wiped her tears.

“That’s right, my love.” This time when I kissed her, I let our lips linger together.

“Go back to sleep. Russ will be out front, and I’ll let Humble and Peace know that I’m out for a few minutes.”

“Okay.”

I tucked her back in, cut the lamp down a little, then headed out of the room.

On the other side of the door, my face contorted into a frown so deep that I could’ve scared myself if I looked into a mirror.

On my way out of the door, I texted Humble and Peace.

Next, I called Alli.

“Jamaine is dead,” I relayed to him.

“Fuck!” he swore.

“Meet me at the club.”

“Bet.”

As Zel exited Bell Estates, I had a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach that refused to let up.

Someone was trying to draw me out.

I felt it. I believed it.

Hakeem and Jamaine were casualties of war.

A war someone wanted to start with me.