Page 25 of Half Sight Whole Heart

ZYRO COLEMAN

The back room of the bar was dimly lit. I sat around a small, scarred table with Conrad and Zyleek, who was already downing his fist glass of dark liquor. Conrad’s face held a serious expression, his eyes flicking between Zyleek and me as he spoke.

“Love Grove PD is offering a quarter of a million for the wrongful arrest of Zyleek. Also, they have on camera Deputy Porter telling another inmate to take Zyleek out, and he’d say it was self-defense.

Zyleek snorted. “I wore that muhfucka out, too.” He then leaned forward, his elbows on the table. “A quarter mil?”

Conrad nodded with a smile. “They're not trying to have me take this to court. It’s basically a cover-up for their bullshit. Porter’s also been fired.”

I nodded, but still didn’t think that was good enough. Porter needed to be handled. Firing him was some soft shit. For fuckin’ wit’ my brother like that, I wanted his life. Mine and Zyleek’s low eyes connected, and a grim smirk slid on his dark lips. He knew exactly what I was thinking.

Conrad cleared his throat. “Whatever you two are thinking, I don’t want to know. Just make sure it’s clean and that you don’t leave any traces.”

Zyleek chuckled and waved a waiter over for a round of shots. “You know how we do, Conrad. We always cover our tracks. Shiiiid, no body, no case.”

“It’s no face, no case, nigga,” I snickered.

He waved me off. “What the fuck ever. Same thing.”

The waiter arrived with a tray of shots, placing them on the table and leaving with a nod. We all picked one up.

“To money, justice, and bitches!” Zyleek hollered.

I frowned as he threw his head back and shot the liquid into his mouth. Conrad shrugged and downed his shot.

“To the first two,” I mumbled. The liquor burned a path down my throat.

Conrad stood, shook both our hands, and dipped.

“I meant to ask that nigga when the check gettin’ cut,” Leek fussed. Then clapped his hands together and started dancing like his favorite rapper, YB. He immediately stopped and pointed a finger at me. “Don’t be telling my baby mamas ‘bout this money. They’ll try to milk my ass.”

“You better break all three of them off wit’ some, Leek. “

“Shit, I am. My foot off in their ass if they keep tryin’ me.” We both laughed, but one thing my brother was not was a deadbeat. He took care of his kids by all means necessary. That’s why all three of them wanted his crazy ass back. He was a good nigga, just a lil’ psycho.

“What’s up wit’ you and ole girl?” he asked.

My eyes narrowed. “Eriss.”

“Gah damn, you be getting out of body quick ‘bout ole Eriss. I know that’s right, nigga.” Zyleek sat back in his chair. “I might settle down one day. Not soon,” he added quickly. “But one day.”

I shook my head. “Mama nem wanna have a fish fry this weekend over at my crib. Fall through and don’t get pulled over, nigga. Can you get from A to B without incident?”

“Psh, when we gon fry that nigga, Porter? His ass got fired, so you know he's out for blood,” Zyleek said, and he told no lies.

Porter probably had all his loyal people looking for us now. It wasn’t hard to find in my big ass truck, and Zyleek definitely wasn’t in his bright neon green Camaro with LEEK going across his windshield.

“Tomorrow,” I said lowly. “We’ll get him tomorrow.”

The next night…

We had Porter’s house staked out all day, learning who all resided in the modest one-story home tucked away in a quiet suburban neighborhood on the north side. We learned his ass was divorced and had twin boys away at college.

The lights were off. Leek and I moved swiftly and silently with gloves covering our hands and ski masks.

Zeek tried the handle, finding it unlocked.

Muhfuckas were crazy, always thinking a neighborhood was safe enough to leave their shit unlocked.

I was pretty sure Porter had guns in his home. He’d be crazy not to.

Removing my Glock from my waistband, we slipped inside. The house was dark with stale ass air. We covered our noses.

“This fool in here rotting or some?” Leek whispered. “Gah damn.”

With a flashlight, we carefully walked along the dark hallway until we located the bedroom he was sleeping in, just from the loud snoring.

“No wonder his wife left him,” Leek muttered.”

The door was ajar, a sliver of light spilling out into the hallway. I pushed open the door, and the hinges creaked softly. Porter was snoring so loud, he ain’t hear shit. His back was to us. I moved to the side of the bed, my gun pressed against his temple before he had a chance to react.

“Wake the fuck up, Porter,” Leek taunted. “Wake. Thee. Fuck. Up.”

“Whaaa…Whaaaa…What the hell is going on?” he stammered. Zyleek flicked his lighter in front of his face, and when Porter realized who was in his house, fear washed over him.

“We heard about you losing yo’ job,” I said. “Why?”

“I don’t want any problems, Zyro. Whatever you want, please take it. I’m sorry for everything. You’re…You’re getting money,” he turned to Leek and said.

“What else do you want? I could get it for you? I have kids.”

He sat up, back against the headboard with wide eyes. Porter was shirtless, his big belly out. The room was just as musty as it was downstairs.

“Oh, you’re not Mr. Tough Guy now, are you? I have kids, too, bitch. That nigga you thought could whoop me? Dead. Drowning in his own blood right now as we speak.” Zyleek continued to taunt.

Porter's eyes grew three times their size. “Please…” His eyes flew from Leek to me and then back to my brother when he had begun screwing on his silencer. His hands flew out as if that was enough to shield him from the damage that was about to take place. Leek pointed the gun at Porter.

“All that crying and pleading ain’t fin work now, fuck boy,” Leek growled out.

Bullets tore through Porter’s body, riddling him with holes, each impact sending sprays of blood and tissue across the bed and walls. Porter’s screams turned into gurgles as he tried to speak, his body convulsing.

My brother emptied the clip, his hard expression never changing. When the last shot left his gun, he smiled.

I tilted my head. “You got that out of your system, nigga?”

He nodded, a satisfied smirk now on his lips. “Hell yeah, I felt like I was in the mafia or some shit. “Say hello to my little friend,” he said, mocking Al Pacino from his favorite movie, Scarface.

“Man, get the fuck out of here,” I laughed.

As we left the house, content that justice had finally been served, I was ready to go lie up under my woman. She and Ermias were at my house tonight, with him already asleep before I left. Eriss didn’t ask any questions when she saw me dressing all black. She just whispered, “Be safe.”

We made our way back to the car that would be stripped down tomorrow at the shop. I’d dropped Zyleek off at his last baby mama’s house as requested without a word. That was his damn business.

I pulled up to my house fifteen minutes later, exhausted. As much as I wanted to slide inside Eriss, I didn’t have the energy, and I wasn’t gon give her no half ass dick down.

Surprisingly, Eriss was still up, sitting in bed, reading a book. Her natural hair was braided on both sides of her head, making her look younger than she was. It was cute.

“Hey, bae. Can’t sleep without me, huh?” I jested, sauntering over to her. Eriss raised her head, pushing her lips out for a kiss.

“Something like that. You know I’m still getting used to this big house. Ermias has been in your game room all night until he passed out after his bath. He loves it here,” she confessed. “It’s like pulling a baby off a nipple when it’s time to make him go home.”

I laughed. “Then stay. If I gotta get you your own place in Love Grove if you’re not comfortable living with me, then I would.

You won’t have to work, but I know you so well already that I know you wouldn’t want to just sit your pretty ass at home and do nothing.

I can help you get a job or maybe start your own business.

Whatever you want to do, love, I’m behind you one hundred percent.

I just hate you live in Heartville and I’m here.

” I chuckled, scratching the side of my face and then pulling on the hair on my chin while squinting at Eriss.

“You put that voodoo pussy on me, didn’t you?

” I queried. “Ain’t no way I’m already acting like this over you. I don’t act like this at all.”

Eriss giggled, closing her book after holding her spot with a bookmark. “I did no such thing.”

I removed my shirt. “I’m finna shower. Think ‘bout what I said. If it’s too much, tell me. Don’t ever hold back ‘bout how you feel, even if you think it’ll hurt me, aight?”

The corners of her mouth turned upward. “Why are you so perfect, Zyro? Like, for real. Is there one flaw you have?”

“I’m flawed, baby. I turn into a whole ‘nother person when the people I love are fucked wit’. I show no mercy, I would tell you to go ask yo baby daddy, but that nigga good as crisp.”

A few days later…

The family wanted a fish fry so I made it happen.

Mama remembered Eriss from the family reunion and welcomed her and Ermias with open arms. Zyleek had all three of his kids here and told his baby mamas to stay home.

That nigga was a straight-up nut. I ain’t think they mind though since he gave each a couple of thousand.

Now what they did with the shit was on them, but they better use it wisely and on the kids and bills.

Leek took care of his kids, but he didn’t break their mamas off like that often.

Uncle Tim was frying the fish since he was the one who handled all that when we got together. I just bought all the shit, and the women made the sides.

Soul music blasted from the speakers, Leek and Mahlia cutting up on the makeshift dance floor. The kids were running around playing tag, my boy Ermias with his shirt off.

“You’re a good man, baby,” Mama said, coming to stand next to me. “That woman is beautiful, and I want you to make sure she knows that every single day. I feel good about her. Now that Leesa girl…”

I frowned. “Speaking of Leesa. Why the fuck is she here?”

“And in that short ass shit. I bet her ass out and these kids over here. I bet she thought she was coming to get fresh with you,” Mama grunted with her nose balled up. “Hoe.”

I cackled. My eyes flew to Eriss, who had stopped dancing with Mahlia and Zyleek after he dragged her over. Her eyes were on me, too.

“Aye, Leesa, lemme talk to you for a minute,” I heard Mahlia say, but Leesa waved him off and kept marching toward me. I sighed. If she wanted her feelings hurt around my family, then so be it.

“Aye, you heard my cousin, wanch!” Zyleek hollered.

“Leek!” Mama chastised. Although she didn’t care for Leesa, she didn’t like for a man to call a woman out of her name around her. Now what was said not in her presence was a different story.

“Hey, baby,” Leesa said with a smile as she approached me. Mama grunted and took off. That’s another reason why I couldn’t fuck wit’ Leesa. Her ass ain’t even speak to my mama or anyone else. That disrespectful ass shit.

“Leesa, come take a walk wit’ me,” I told her. She started toward my house with her tongue out and a huge grin. “Nah, let’s talk over there by yo car.”

Her brows pinched as she stood confused. As pretty as she was, her elevator didn’t go all the way.

“Oh…okay,” she said. When she attempted to grab my hand, I pulled away. “Can you tell me what I did?” she questioned. “Like, you didn’t hug or kiss me.”

“Do I ever do that shit, Leesa?”

“No, but-,”

“Well, there’s yo answer, but check this out,” I started as we made it to her Kia Forte. “My girl in there…”

Her eyes ballooned as she spun and thought she was ‘bout to go check some shit. Leesa better think twice ‘cause she’d be buried wit’ a broken neck in my backyard fuckin’ wit’ Eriss. I jerked her back by her arm over to where she’d been standing.

“Ow,” she whined, rubbing her arm when I let go.

“I don’t know who you feelin’ like, love, but you ain’t fin do shit but take yo lil’ ass on, Leesa. What we were doin’…that shit been over once I got a whiff of Eriss”

“Eriss? That bitch with one eye?” she screeched.

It took everything in me not to put my hands on this girl. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my composure. “Watch yo’ fuckin’ mouth, and get the fuck up outta here. Don’t care back ‘round my shit,” I let her know.

Her expression turned from defiant to hurt, her eyes welling with tears. “That’s it? You just dismiss me like that?”

“Yeah,” I replied simply.

“I’m fucking other niggas anyway,” she laughed. “Fuck you.”

“I don’t care, love. I always strapped up. Now get the fuck from over her ‘fore I change my mind and decide to teach you a lesson you won’t fuckin’ forget.”

Leesa hauled ass to her car. I felt a sense of relief. She was out of my life…for good if she knew what was best for her. Picking wit’ Eriss was not the fuckin’ move she wanted. Now I could focus on what truly mattered.

As soon as I stepped back in the yard, all eyes were on me. It didn’t bother me. I made my way to Eriss, who was now over by my Uncle Tim as he placed cooked fish in the basket she was holding.

“Everything straightened out?” she quizzed, tilting her head.

“Everything is gravy, baby.”

“Hungry? I can fix you a plate.”

“Ermias ate?” I asked.

She smiled. “He said he’ll eat later. Thank you for asking.”

I sucked my teeth. “You ain’t gotta thank me for that, love.”

“My nephew is a real man,” Uncle Tim said between his missing front teeth.

“Preciate that, Unc. It runs in the family,” I told him, patting his back.

“Damn right! Ain’t no fuck niggas over here!” he hollered.

Eriss and I cackled, and once he was done placing that batch of cooked fish in the basket, we walked over to the table together.

While she fixed my plates, asking me what I wanted and liked, I could tell Eriss was a little reserved.

“What’s up? Talk to me,” I said.

“Is she or any other females going to be a problem?”

“No. Never. Not when I know you’re gon be my wife.” She stopped dropping salad on the plate and appeared shocked at my revelation. “Don’t say nothing you don’t mean.”

“I never do, baby.” I smiled. “Stop acting surprised like this wasn’t supposed to be our endgame.

“I don’t deserve you,” she gushed, handing me my plate. Eriss looked as if she wanted to cry.

Holding my plate with one hand, I pulled her into my body. “No, love…I don’t deserve you.”