Page 46 of Invisible Bars

“Good,” he replied. “Because now you’re in it.”

My fingers flexed slightly around the spoon, but I nodded.

Imanio inclined, resting his elbows on the table.

“Gatez is who people call when debts get too big and loyalty gets too thin. I’m not a bank. I’m not a street collector. I’m the last option before the lights go out.”

He let that sink in for a beat before continuing.

“A year ago, Blu’s spot was about to be seized by the bank. He was already a breath away from losing everything. He came to medesperate.I gave him enough money to keep the doors open, save face, and stay in business… and he agreed to pay me back on a schedule.”

A muscle in Imanio’s jaw jumped, betraying the calm in his voice.

“But after that? All I got was excuses, lies, and stall tactics. Blu had people calling me in his place. He even stopped answering his own damn phone at one point. Blu played with my time, my patience, and my money. I don’t chase people, but that nigga had me doing laps. I gave him more chances than I should’ve, and he still spit in my face. So yeah… I ended his life.”

Imanio took another sip of his drink, as if he’d just explained why he canceled a business deal—not why he was the cause of someone’s brain being splattered against the wall.

Then he looked at me again, his tone shifting slightly.

“How’d you know Blu anyway? Why were you staying there?”

I took a breath, forcing myself to stay composed.

“I—I was l-looking for a place,” I stammered, my neck twitching to the side as my fingers tapped against the table in an erratic rhythm. “Something… temporary…. safe.” My left shoulder jerked suddenly. “And… and cheap.”

I blinked hard, squeezing my eyes shut for half a second before forcing them back open.

“My friend—she saw an ad in the paper. Blu had posted about a r-room for rent. Weekly payments… no deposit.”

A small, bittersweet smile tugged at my lips, though my fingers clenched tightly in my lap at the thought of her.

“I asked about the room, and he s-said—” my chest jolted with a sharp hiccup of air—“‘If you don’t mind a few rowdy, loud and drunk people every now and then, it’s y-yours.’”

My jaw twitched once, then again. “He didn’t even ask for a background check,” I finished with a soft, nervous breath, as my knee bounced rapidly beneath the table.

Imanio leaned back, his brow quirking just slightly. “How did you even live there with all that music? Wouldn’t that have triggered you?”

I gave a soft, almost amused breath. “Surprisingly… the room was soundproof.”

That caught his attention.

“I’m guessing that’s what he spentmymoney securing,” he muttered, shaking his head. “Blu always did have his priorities backwards.”

“Maybe. There was an older lady… staying there before me.” I whistled through my teeth without meaning to, then sucked in a shaky breath. “She probably couldn’t… couldn’t handle the music either. I guess Blu had it—had it fixed up so he wouldn’t lose another tenant.”

Imanio snorted, more to himself than to me. He didn’t speak—just listened.

I kept going, even as my fingers tapped the side of my thigh. “Blu always looked out for me. He—he never made me feel weird when I… when I ticced.”

I paused, breath hitching as another whistle slipped out of my lips, followed by a quiet, unexpected outburst. “Toe-sucking bitch! “Dumbass casserole!” My hands clenched in my lap. “S-Sorry,” I whispered quickly, before pushing on.

“He… he joked, laughed, and shared food.” My voice softened with emotion. “No, he wasn’t perfect. None o-of us are, but… but he never judged me.” My foot stomped once under the table. “He even stopped—stopped asking me for rent money six months ago. Just said, ‘You good, Nija. You be minding your business… and you stay out the way.’”

I looked up at Imanio, my voice barely steady now.

“I didn’t know he owed you. I didn’t know he was running from something.” My lips twitched, and I slapped my thigh twice under the table. “All I know is—cake batter in the bathtub!—he made me feel seen… and safe.”

A long silence settled between us.