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“What the fuck!” Maddy boomed, standing up straight. “I told your simple-ass mama not to send you to that fucking camp. It’s a pedophile ring.”

Lo’s eyes widened as his head reared slowly. Processing that information almost made him gag. He had to be hearing her wrong. There was no possibility that Maddy had revealed that the summer camp was a pedophile ring and his parents had sent him.

“It’s what?” he asked before the information fully processed in his brain.

“A pedo ring,” she repeated, pacing back and forth while shaking her head.

“And you told my mama about it?”

“Yes, and she was so fixated on you potentially being a genius that she ignored me. You know what? I’m about to go over there and tear her a new ass. Come on.”

Maddy grabbed her purse and keys off the dresser before snatching Lo’s hand and walking out the door.

“Where’s Durand?” Even in the midst of chaos, Lo was concerned about his cousin.

“He’s at Big Mama’s house,” she hissed, getting inside the car.

Lo hopped into the passenger side and Maddy pulled off so fast, his back hit the seat.

“Your fucking parents, man.” She huffed. “They don’t fucking listen. They want this storybook life by any means necessary. What the fuck would provoke them to send you there? Did you wanna go?”

“No, I told them I didn’t, and they made me.”

“Now look what the fuck happened.” She flailed her arm. “You done got touched behind their fucking bullshit.”

Maddy continued screaming obscenities while Lo sat in complete silence. He didn’t know what to make of everything. His mind felt like it had been put in a blender. Everything was mush. His thoughts weren’t complete, and his throat ached with his eyes ready to release liquid pain.

When Maddy arrived at his home, the gate was locked. Not being able to go through, she pressed the intercom button and honked her horn repeatedly.

“Who the fuck is this?” Dax’s voice boomed through the speaker.

“It’s me, Maddy. You need to let me the fuck in. I got Lo with me.”

“Lo?” he questioned. “What the hell are you doing with my boy?”

“Let me through, and I’ll tell you all about it.”

Moments passed and the gate was opened. Maddy flew down the driveway and parked in front of the house. The two of them got out the car and hiked up the stairs. Before they could reach the top step, the door swung open, and Ada ran toward them.

“What happened? What’s going on?”

Lo stared at his mom as Maddy’s words rang inside his head. He couldn’t get the pedophile ring out of his psyche. She suddenly became a suspect as she grabbed his arms. Lo pulled away from her, prompting a stunned expression to cover her face.

“Lo, baby, what’s wrong? You can tell Mama,” Ada coached.

Maddy stepped in front of Lo, shielding him from Ada. Dax stepped out wearing a thick blue robe as he stalked toward them.

“What happened? What are you doing with him?” he interrogated her.

“What happened is that you sent him to that fucking camp, and they touched him inappropriately,” Maddy announced.

Lo closed his eyes as his insides recoiled. He couldn’t bear to witness the expressions on his parents’ faces when they found out the news.

“What?” Dax bellowed so loudly that Lo was certain the neighbors, who were acres away had woken up. “Who did it?”

“Oh, my God?” Ada gasped before moving Maddy to get to Lo. “Baby, tell me what happened.”

Lo suddenly felt unsafe. They were all looking at him to reveal the most horrifying moment in his life.

He couldn’t repeat it. For some reason the words wouldn’t form.

He couldn’t paint the picture of Liam trying to pull his pants down or making him touch his private area because it pained him too badly.

“No, leave him alone!” Maddy yelled, pointing at Ada.

Ada’s eyes had been filled with tears before they narrowed at her twin sister.

“Bitch, if you don’t move the fuck outta my way. I’m trying to talk to my child.”

“A child that you sent to be touched on,” Maddy countered.

“Maddy,” Dax stated in a warning tone. “You better tread lightly because you talking to us like we sent him there to be violated.”

“I can’t tell. He had to fight his way out of that stupid-ass camp that y’all sent him to. He didn’t want to go. Why the fuck couldn’t y’all just listen to him for once? Now look what happened. He was violated and it’s all your fault.”

Dax smacked his lips and went around her to talk to Lo. He stood wide-eyed, feeling like he was still under attack. His limbs vibrated uncontrollably while his heart rate increased.

“Son, what happened? You can tell me. I swear I’ll take care of it.”

Ada was right next to him. “Yeah, tell us what happened. We’ll go kill that mothafucka right now.”

They wanted answers but Lo was on mute. He suddenly couldn’t trust them. People who were once his protectors were now the enemy. They had thrown him into flames that would forever scar him for life.

“Get away from him!” Maddy ordered, stepping in front of him again.

He appreciated her protection even if it was from his parents.

“Bitch, if I have to tell you one more time to move outta my got damn way,” Ada gritted, pushing Maddy to the side. “Don't fuck with me!”

“No, y’all are terrible fucking parents. Y’all sent him there on purpose.”

Dax gawked at her before his expression turned grim. “You better watch your fucking mouth before I put something in it and pull the trigger. You out your got damn mind for saying we sent him there on purpose.”

By this time, Meco and Devyn had run out the house. The commotion must've woken them up since all three adults spoke with boisterous voices.

“What’s going on?” Devyn asked.

Meco spotted Lo and hurried over to him. “When did you come back?”

Lo took a step back, feeling so overstimulated that he started sweating.

“I’m taking Lo since y’all sent him to that pedophile ring!” Maddy declared.

“A pedophile ring?” Ada repeated in disgust. “Where the fuck did you get that information from?”

“Oh, you knew,” Maddy spewed then turned to Lo. “They knew what that place was. That’s why they sent you.”

Dax charged toward Maddy, but Ada got in the middle. There was fire in his eyes. One that Lo had never witnessed until now. He’d heard stories about his father’s reputation in the streets, but Dax never had that type of energy at home. He was a disciplinarian but also gentle when needed to be.

“I’ll kill you, bitch. If you try to come between me and my son, you’ll be in the fucking cemetery next!” he threatened.

“What happened?” Meco asked.

“They sent your brother to a pedophile ring, and he got touched on,” Maddy answered him.

Ada swung her fist and hit Maddy in the mouth.

Immediately, she stumbled backwards falling on the ground.

Lo jumped back when Ada started throwing fists at Maddy.

She fought back by kicking Ada. He couldn’t believe what this had come to.

When he ran to his aunt, he only wanted comfort and shielding from Liam.

He never expected this situation to lead to his mother fighting her twin sister.

“Ma, chill!” Devyn yelled, trying to break it up.

Dax extended his arm, pushing Devyn back. “No, this bitch needs her ass whooped coming over here being disrespectful.”

Lo felt like he should’ve done something, but he couldn’t interfere. This was grown people’s business despite him being the root of their fight. After Ada pummeled Maddy, Dax finally stepped in and grabbed her.

“That’s enough. I'm sure her ass got the fucking message not to come over here fucking with us.”

Maddy got up from the ground. Her head scarf had fallen off, leaving her hair sprawled across her head. Her clothes were disheveled as blood trickled down her forearm.

“You two just signed up for a lifetime of hell,” she warned. “I’ll never let y’all sleep peacefully again.”

“And you gon’ get the same ass whooping you just got. Fuck you, bitch! Coming over here accusing us of sending our son to a fucking pedophile ring. I’ll kill you, hoe!” Ada lunged again but Dax held her back.

“Come on, y’all. Let’s go in the house.” Everyone proceeded toward the front entrance except Lo. Dax turned around and held his hand out. “Come on, Kylo. We can talk about what happened, and I’ll make things right. You don't need to be scared.”

Lo stared at his dad’s hand. In the past, he would’ve run to him with no hesitation. Beforehand, his father’s hand was the safest in the world. Now that he had been violated, Lo couldn’t take it. His heart urged him, but his mind couldn’t trust him.

“Lo, come on, please.” There was a yearning on Dax’s face that Lo had never seen. His words were laced with a plea that pulled at the soft part of Lo that adored Dax. Still, Maddy’s words couldn’t be ignored. They had sent him to the summer camp to be defiled, and he would never forgive them.

Lo shook his head, provoking his father’s eyes to widen. Ada hurried to him, tears fell from her eyes, as she dropped to her knees in front of him.

“Lo, please don't do this. You can trust us. Let’s go talk about it and come up with a solution. I promise whoever touched you will pay.”

Maddy snatched his hand. “He don't fuck with y’all so leave him alone. I’m taking him and you're not getting him back.”

“Devyn go get my gun off the dresser. This bitch is about to die tonight!” Dax stated.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Don't forget I know where all the bodies are buried. Your wife runs her fucking mouth so much that she tells me all of your business.” Maddy smirked.

“Dax, if I were you, I would rethink what you're about to do. Do the name, Kilson ring a bell? Yeah, she told me about that body. All I gotta do is go to the police and give them details. You know the police hate Noir Mob. They can’t wait to get one of the dons and make an example out of them.”

Dax stared at her, his chest heaving as Ada stood. Lo looked between the three of them, wondering what the outcome would be. Would Dax challenge Maddy on her threats? What did her threats mean?