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“So, are we only setting up the trust account today, Mr. Crown?”

Lo nodded at the pretty woman who was handling the trust he wanted to set up for his unborn child. She’d been batting her lashes and licking her nude lips for the duration of the meeting. Lo was tickled because she had no chance of getting his attention when it belonged to Bria.

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“Okay, can I have your ID?”

Lo reclined so he could pull his wallet out of his jeans. His phone buzzed, diverting his attention to the screen. Noticing it was Bria’s name, he quickly answered, “Aye, Bri, I’ll hit you back in a minute.”

“This ain’t Bria, it’s Dev.”

Right away, Lo’s upper lip curled. “Why the fuck you got my girl’s phone?”

“It’s an emergency. Meet me at my house.”

Devyn hung up, inciting so many negative thoughts to flood his mind. His current mission had to be abandoned because nothing about that phone call made sense.

“Mr. Crown, would you like to—”

“We can finish this at another time.”

Lo got up and stormed out of the office.

He hopped inside his truck, speeding out of the parking lot, hoping nothing had happened to Bria.

His heart couldn’t bear another tragedy.

Lo had just opened his mind up to the possibility of letting go.

His hand was ready to release his trauma.

Now that this emergency had surfaced, Lo feared he would be taken ten steps back emotionally if Bria had been affected.

Lo made it to Devyn’s house, hiking the stairs two at a time. When he stormed inside, he found Bria on the bottom step being consoled by Tori and Kaylona. Meco paced back and forth while Devyn sat on the bench, elbows to his knees.

“What happened?” He stalked toward Bria.

She stood and wrapped her arms around him. “They took Ada.”

He pulled back, glowering at her face, trying to make sense of what she’d said.

“Who got who?”

“Those niggas you were into it with,” Devyn inserted. “Luco and Dough. Yeah, they snatched Ma up.”

The humming sound of a motor brought Lo’s attention to his left. Dax rolled inside with an expression that was void of any emotions. Lo hadn’t seen him since his wedding, and he barely looked at him then.

“I’m sorry, Lo. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” Bria wept.

“Chill out. It ain't on you.”

Lo would always carry the burdens for his family. Yes, Bria had lit the match with her infidelity, but it was Lo who had poured the gasoline. This was his cross to bear, not hers.

He turned to Devyn. “How you know he got her?”

“He called Bria and told her. I checked for Ma, and I can’t locate her.”

“She would’ve been home by now,” Dax added. “She was only going to get her hair done.”

Lo rubbed his hand down his fade, gulping back all the confliction rummaging through his body.

His mother, the woman who had brought him into the world, was in a crisis.

She had been used as a casualty in a war that he’d started.

For the first time in years, Lo felt bad for Ada.

There was an ounce of sympathy that he owed her because this situation had nothing to do with her.

“Fuck,” he grumbled, shaking his head.

Lo couldn’t believe he had been fucked over like this. He was typically ten steps ahead of his enemy, but Luco snatched him off his feet and put him on his back. He’d been so busy protecting his marriage with Bria that he never thought Ada would be the get back for Dough’s murder.

“What you trying to do?” Meco asked. “I’m ready to go the fuck off.”

“Go talk to the chiefs,” Dax ordered. “Tell them the situation, and they’ll know what to do to get Ada back.”

“We don't need no fucking chiefs.” Lo snorted.

“Yes, the fuck we do,” Dev argued. “We need all hands on deck ‘cause if something happens to my mama, I’m going to set this city on fire.”

“Go,” Dax commanded. “We ain't got time for no more talking. Go see them.”

Devyn nodded and rose from his seat. Lo followed after his brothers and prayed the chiefs would have a solution to get his mother back to safety.

“Lift her up.”

Luco sat on the desk as his men lifted the chair Ada had been in.

One of them snatched the pillowcase off her head, revealing her wet face and smeared makeup.

She gasped loudly, trying to collect the breath they had been stealing for the last hour.

Waterboarding was one of Luco’s favorite torture techniques, and he was surprised Ada had been taking her licks like a G.

When Noble told him to remove his emotions and create a plan, Luco came up with the perfect one.

Snatching Bria up would’ve been too predictable.

Besides, he didn’t want to deal with Douglas.

So, he figured Lo wouldn’t foresee him kidnapping his mother.

Luco’s men caught her leaving the salon.

She had been by herself with no security, giving them the perfect opportunity to snatch her up.

For the last month, they had been watching her every move.

“You good there, Grandma?” he teased.

Ada panted like a dog in heat before she coughed uncontrollably.

“I would offer you some water, but you’ve been drinking it for the last hour.” Luco adjusted his body. “This can all be over soon. I just want your son, Lo.”

“For what?” she questioned, wheezing.

“That nigga killed my brother over that bitch he’s married to.”

Ada shook her head. “You might as well kill me then, too.”

Luco was amused when he asked, “Why is that?”

“‘Cause I won’t let you get to my boy. If I have to die to protect him, then so be it. Besides, he don't give a damn about me anyway. You were better off saying you wanted my other sons, not Lo.”

“That ain't true, Grandma. Every nigga got a soft spot for his mama. Even if she’s an ain't shit bitch.”

Ada narrowed her eyes at him. “You got the perfect shot so take it. I done lived my life already. I’m willing to die behind mine, so pull the trigger and stop all of this bullshit.”

“Bitch, you ain't calling the mothafuckin’ shots ‘round here. I am.”

Luco jumped off the desk and stepped over to where Ada sat. He kneeled down, taking notice of the sweat dripping from her pores.

“Until that nigga reach out to me, you gon’ get tortured every minute you're in my possession. And if he don't come, I’ll grant your wish and send you to glory. Deal?”

Slowly, she shook her head. “Please don't.”

“Give her some more,” he ordered to his men.

“Please stooopppp! Please!” Ada screamed.

Immediately, they placed the pillowcase over her head, tipped her chair back and resumed drowning her with water.

Luco watched, sporting a sinister smile on his face.

Nothing would replace the loss of Dough but returning the same torture Lo had inflicted on him soothed some of the ache in his heart.

Lo was in the middle seat this time, facing the three chiefs.

Usually, he was the person supporting Devyn and Meco, but it was him that needed the backup this time around.

Lo could admit that his mind wasn’t as sharp as it normally was.

Knowing that Ada was somewhere getting tortured fucked with him emotionally.

He hadn’t cared about her wellbeing in years, but she was in the presence of his enemies.

He’d battered and bruised Dough until he passed out.

Nothing was stopping Luco from doing the same to Ada.

She was probably scared and on the verge of death at this point. That left Lo ultimately nervous.

“So, a member of The Legacy Mafia has kidnapped your mother?” Grayson asked.

Lo nodded.

“What made them do that?”

“I killed his brother.”

Ronan tilted his head. “For what?”

“‘Cause he fucked with my girl.”

Leaving the details of Bria’s affair out of the explanation was strategic since he didn’t feel like explaining her infidelity.

“Now, he got our mother,” Meco added. “My pops told us to come and see what you can do about it ‘cause you already know what type of time we on.”

Abel nodded, pinching his chin in deep thought. “I think we’re missing some parts of the story. We need a valid reason why you killed his brother because your reason doesn’t suffice.”

Lo expelled an audible breath, scooting to the edge of his chair.

“Look, he fucked with my wife, so I whooped his ass. I could’ve murked him, but I spared him.

He came back and tried to kill Meco at his club thinking it was me.

He also got my wife hurt again. So, after he tried to take my brother out, I put him in the dirt. Simple.”

“Lo wasn’t on the rah-rah type shit this time,” Devyn defended him.

Grayson nodded. “Okay, I think that serves as a valid reason to take someone out. What do you need from us?”

“We need you to get a location where they at.”

“We can handle that,” Abel concluded. “Give us some time, and we’ll call you with the information.”

Lo prepared to stand until Ronan said his name.

“Have you given our offer some thought? I think you’ve had more than enough time to make a decision now.”

Lo had been dragging his feet with the chiefs’ proposal.

On one hand, he loved the idea of working alone but then, he loved the camaraderie he shared with The Crown Family.

The spat in Mexico didn’t help his decision considering the Crown brothers weren’t even speaking before this dilemma.

But Lo had to make a choice and not prolong it any further.

“Yeah, I know.”

“So, what is it?” Grayson asked.

He took his time before answering, hoping he didn’t fuck up either relationship.

“I’ma stick with my brothers.”

Abel smiled and extended his hand. “A family man. I can’t do nothing but respect it.”

Lo shook his hand and nodded.

“Listen, if you change your mind, the deal is on the table. But only for a year. After that, we’ll move on,” Ronan informed him.

“A’ight.”

Lo stood, and Meco and Devyn followed him out of the office. When they got to the parking lot, he turned to them.