Page 49

He watched her place her hair in a high ponytail. Lo stood behind her and kissed her exposed shoulder. Peering at each other in the mirror, they stood there for a moment, appreciating each other’s presence.

“Have you told anybody about your pregnancy?”

“No, I wanted you to be the first to know.”

“I appreciate that.” He kissed her cheek. “When you gon’ tell your people?”

Bria rested her head on his shoulder. “Soon. Maybe when I get back, I’ll tell them.”

“Can I tell you something?”

“Sure.”

“I’m scared of this chapter.”

Bria’s brows pinched in an instant. “What? Me being pregnant?”

He nodded. “I don't want to fail.”

She turned to face him. “Why would you think you're going to fail?”

“I didn’t say I thought I would,” he corrected her and sighed. “I said I don't want to.”

“Hey.” Bria reached up and held his face in her hands. “We’re in this together. I’m scared too, especially at the thought of the changes with my body and career. I don't know what to expect but I’m doing it with you so that puts me at ease. Do you think you're a good person?”

Lo had to be honest. He hadn’t been a good person since he was thirteen. Everything that happened to him in the past turned him into a menace. He hadn’t felt anything good in years.

“No, I’m not. I have good parts but overall, it ain't much good about me.”

Tucking her lip between her teeth, Bria nodded slowly.

“I think you're brilliant and yes, you have some bad ways but that doesn’t make you a bad person. I think you should pour the good parts of you into this baby and shield the bad. It’s normal to be scared when we’re bringing new life into the world. We can be scared together.”

He never envisioned being a father, but he was happy that Bria would be his partner in parenting. There was no other woman he’d rather be on this journey with than her. She gently kissed his lips and whispered, “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” He kissed her again before she turned around and checked her appearance in the mirror.

“You know that lil’ four pack about to be gone, right?”

She smirked at him. “Four pack? Baby this is a six pack. Stop hating.”

“Nah, I see four,” he kidded.

“You're such a hater. You wanna be the only one in the relationship with a six pack.”

“I’m just fucking with you. Come on so I can drink in your face.”

She snickered. “You're such an asshole.”

Lo had to admit that this had been one of the best vacations he’d had the pleasure of being on.

There had been no Mob business, no killing, and no lab work.

Just him, his baby, and family. There were no threats against their lives, so they were able to relax without paranoia.

They went into town with the locals. They’d shopped, ate, and swam with the dolphins.

Lo had even snorkeled and took Bria for a spin on the jet skis.

It was their final night in Isla Mujeres and Lo was finally ready to reveal to his brothers the proposal the chiefs had presented him with.

He found them in the game room playing pool. Axel sat on the stool while Devyn and Meco talked shit to each other.

“You ‘bout to come off that bread, Dev,” Meco warned, positioning his pool stick in his hand while eyeing the corner pocket.

“You definitely about to miss.”

“Aye, I need to holla at y’all about something,” Lo announced.

Meco peered at him then stood up straight. “About what?”

Lo took a seat on the stool. His legs gaped as his foot rested on the bar.

“Y’all remember when the chiefs said they wanted to see me?”

“Oh yeah? What was that about?” Devyn asked, giving him his full attention.

“They offered me a position to come work with them.”

Meco’s brows furrowed as he looked to Devyn then back at Lo. “Work with them? What the fuck they mean by that?”

“Like join their family?” Axel asked.

“No, like handle niggas for them but I’ll be on my own, basically.”

“So, you won’t be in the family no more?” Devyn asked.

The expression on his face evoked a bit of guilt. Devyn rarely showed emotion in the capacity of him being hurt. Meco would express his pain all day to him, but Devyn never did.

“Yeah.”

“And what you say?” Meco asked.

“I didn’t say shit. They told me to think about it so I’m doing it.”

Meco tossed the pool stick on the table before folding his arms over his chest. Lo knew him well enough to know that the bullshit was set to arrive at any moment.

“You should’ve told them no. What the fuck you need time to think about that for? You're a Crown, nigga,” Devyn reminded him.

Lo’s eyes seared into him. “I know what the fuck I am.”

“Then act like it,” Devyn retorted, throwing the stick on top of the table. “They got access to all kinds of men. They don't need to be coming to collect you.”

Meco chuckled condescendingly. “I don't know why you wasting your time with this man. You know it ain't shit for him to leave us behind.”

That was a gut punch that almost made Lo double over. His brothers’ inability to not see life through his lens was frustrating. Not to mention, they swept his trauma under the rug as if it hadn’t shaped him into the man he was to this day.

“Did I say I was leaving you behind?” Lo roared, veins poking out of his neck. “I’m letting y’all know what’s going on but y’all too fucking selfish to hear a nigga out.”

“Man, we know how this shit about to go. You're going to take the position.” Meco was certain.

“And if I did? You act like I’m moving to another fucking country or some shit.”

“Pops taught us to always stick together,” Devyn preached.

Lo rose from the stool, becoming triggered without warning. “Man fuck what Pops taught us. That nigga ain't got a leg to stand on in my world. Don't come preaching shit about no fucking Dax to me.”

“Why y’all gotta take this shit so deep?” Axel complained. “Stick to the topic.”

“That’s these niggas.” Lo motioned his hands dismissively. “They always wanna throw people I don't fuck with into the conversation.”

“Well, what the fuck you gon’ do then?” Meco questioned impatiently.

“I don't know,” Lo hissed, feeling irate.

Devyn peered at him before he sighed. “Listen, you don't need to leave the family. You're a very important member. Shit, you’re my blood. Sticking together is what we need to do. Lo, we already lost a lot of time with you. We don't need to lose no more.”

Lo hated to say that he had seen this episode before.

In fact, it was a rerun because Meco and Devyn would never allow him to live down the moment of him choosing to be with Maddy over their family.

He wouldn’t make any apologies for that.

His young mind hadn’t been able to decipher who was safe and who he couldn’t trust. Talking to them was like conversing with a toddler because they would never fully understand him, and he didn’t care to explain himself anymore.

“Why y’all acting like I’m leaving you for good? I’m still gon’ be in The Noir Mob. The fuck? I ain't going nowhere.”

Meco snorted a chuckle. “So, you already made your decision?”

“That’s what it sounds like to me,” Devyn instigated. “Fuck it. Take the position. I don't give a fuck.”

“But you do,” Lo countered. “Stop frontin’.”

“No, we don't. I think you should take it,” Meco stated. “This might be good for you.”

Lo knew when he was being condescending, and this was one of those moments.

“Nigga, I don't need you to tell me to do shit. You lucky I even let you know what the meeting was about.”

Devyn chuckled. “We already know what you’re leaning toward. Let me know your start date so I can replace you.”

He walked out the room without saying another word. Meco then grabbed his cup and did the same. He wasn’t sure how he thought their talk would go but he figured they wouldn’t take the news lightly. Once again, he and his brothers were at odds and somehow, the blame had been placed on him.

“You really thinking about leaving the family?” Axel quizzed.

“I don't know yet. Shit, with the way they acting, I might make that move.”

Axel exhaled. “Look, they got too much pride to tell you, but they don't want you to go. Honestly, you give those niggas safety ‘cause they know you gon’ be there to handle whatever. They don't want to let that go.”

“Fuck them.”

Axel chuckled. “Y’all all stubborn as fuck and don't want to keep it real. Look, that sound like a sweet deal with the chiefs. Shit, I would probably take it if I was offered that, but I think Dev and Meco want you to choose them for once.”

“I’m not they fucking daddy,” Lo argued, unwilling to see where Axel was coming from. “I don't have to choose shit.”

“I feel you. Just putting you up on game. I’m ‘bout to go see what my girl doing.”

They gave each other a brotherly hug while Lo sat in complete silence. His mood had been altered immensely and since he didn’t want to take it out on Bria, he sat there trying to clear up his attitude.