Page 8 of Juke (DeLuca Brothers #4)

Juke

It’d been almost two weeks since I spent that night in Sophi’s bed.

Since I held her close, felt her heartbeat slow under my hand, and told her without saying much that she was safe.

We haven’t talked about it since. She hasn’t brought it up, and neither did I.

That doesn’t mean it didn’t mean anything because it did…

at least to me it did. I still think about the way she folded into me like she’d been waiting her whole life for someone to keep her safe without asking for something in return.

The way her voice cracked when she asked me to stay.

How she finally had a peaceful night’s sleep.

That shit felt good… she felt good. A part of me hated how much I wanted to feel it again.

I told myself I was just looking out for her as a favor to Buck ’nem, but I wasn’t fooling a damn soul but myself.

Somewhere along the way, looking out for her turned into looking for her.

I couldn’t do anything without Sophi invading my thoughts.

Like now, I was at the gym, trying to sweat her out of my system like she hadn’t already set up shop there.

“Aye… hands up,” I snapped, nodding at Malik, the hard-headed thirteen-year-old in the ring with me. He had fast hands but no damn focus. He kept throwing combos like he was shadowboxing in his bedroom mirror.

“Come on, man. You gone get yo’ ass beat swinging like that. I know hos with better form than that.”

He scowled but threw another jab, but it landed soft against the mitt.

“Nah,” I growled. “Tighten the fuck up.”

I stepped forward and gripped the collar of his shirt, pulling him just close enough to make his damn heart race.

“You think this shit a game?” I damn near growled. “You think this shit don’t matter?”

He blinked. “Nah… I’m just—”

“―Just what, besides being fuckin’ lazy?”

“I’m trying Juke!” He snapped.

“Then try fuckin’ harder.” I let him go and tapped his chest. “You in this ring with me, that means you’re here to work… not waste my gah damn time. So, tighten that shit up.”

He nodded, posture stiff and focused. He reset his stance and threw the combo again. This time doing as I instructed.

“That’s more like it.” I praised.

I heard a familiar voice behind me, and when I turned around; I saw Deion walking his dumb ass over to the ring.

“Damn,” Deion laughed. “You out here tryna give kids trauma or train fighters?”

“Both,” I countered, not bothering to look his way.

Deion strolled over, with his eyes on Malik. “He got potential.”

“Yeah. He’ll be decent if he stops acting like this shit a fuckin’ game.”

“Sounds like somebody else I know.” Deion smirked.

“You got jokes?” I glanced his way.

“Always.” He leaned on the ropes. “But real shit… he reminds me of you when you first started. All fight, no boundaries.”

“Difference is,” I grunted. “I ain’t have nobody to show me the right way. I did that shit on my own.”

“Nah, you just had that chip on your shoulder and blood in your eyes,” he said. “Ain’t shit changed.”

“Whatever, nigga.”

He laughed. “So, wassup with you and ol’ girl?”

“Nothing.” I lied.

“Yeah, aight,” he chuckled.

“I ain’t explaining shit to you.”

“I’ain asking you to, but I ain’t blind or slow, nigga.”

“The slow shit is still up for debate.” I joked.

He was right, though. Sophi’s lil’ ass did some shit to me I didn’t care to understand or explain. Deion had his eyes on Malik in the ring. His footwork was decent, but he needed to work on his jabs. He wasn’t gone stick shit with them muthafuckas.

“You gone let lil’ man catch a break, or he gotta die in training?” Deion smirked.

“He’ll thank me later,” I replied. “Right now, I’m beating that lazy shit outta him.”

“Aight, Coach Killa.” Deion laughed. “Let me holla at you though—real shit.”

I looked at him, and his face was different now. He’d turn off the joking demeanor just that fast.

“Aye, take a break.” I turned toward Malik and gave my instructions. He nodded and slid out of the ring, disappearing toward the back where the bags were hung. When I grabbed the towel to wipe the sweat from my face, Deion didn’t waste any time telling me what was on his mind.

“That Rio nigga got out.”

Everything within me went still. “When?”

“My guy just called me. He got out on Monday.”

I stared at him. “And you just now telling me this shit?”

“Nigga, didn’t I say I just found out?” he snapped. “As soon as I confirmed it, I came straight here.”

I tossed the towel down. My fists clenched without me realizing it.

He gave me a knowing look. “So… how you wanna move?”

“I want eyes on him. Wherever he goes… whoever he talks to. If that nigga so much as breathes in the wrong direction… I wanna know.”

Deion nodded. “You got it.”

New Grove wasn’t but an hour and some change from here.

It wouldn’t take shit for him to ask a few questions, and those questions led him to Sophi.

He may have put the fear of God in her but ain’t a nigga walking gone bitch me.

I’d have that nigga begging to go to hell instead having to deal with me.

“So… that fight with Boom. Y’all got a date locked in yet?” he questioned, changing the subject.

I grabbed my towel off the ropes and wiped my neck. “Not yet. His bitch ass ain’t hit MJ back yet.”

Deion raised a brow. “Damn. How he the one pushing for the shit but acting like he’s scared?”

“Boom likes the attention… not the action.” I smirked, but it didn’t reach my eyes. “He gone get what the fuck he’s been asking for, though.”

“You still taking that nigga’s money?”

“Hell yeah,” I chuckled. “He wanna put up twenty to get his ass beat? I’ll damn sure take that shit.”

Deion didn’t say anything else. He bumped my fist and headed toward the front doors.

For the rest of my session with Malik, my mind was on Rio and how I was gone break the shit to Sophi.

I didn’t want to tell her that shit, but I couldn’t keep it from her either.

What I did know was that she didn’t have to worry about that pussy ass nigga doing shit to her.

Not as long as I was walking this Earth.

***

I dropped my bag by the door and kicked off my shoes.

The house was dark and quiet except for the light above the stove and the low hum of the refrigerator along with the weight of my own thoughts.

The shit Deion laid on me earlier was heavy as fuck.

I knew it was bound to happen, and now that it has, all I could think about was keeping Sophi safe.

I sat on the couch, elbows on my knees, while my thumb hovered over my screen for a second before I tapped her name.

Phone barely rang twice before she answered.

“Hey,” she answered, softly.

“You good?” I asked as I leaned back. Somehow, her voice seemed to settle me.

“Yeah. I was just in here folding my clothes. You?”

“I been at the gym most of the day, so I’m not too long ago getting home.”

“Oh… okay.” I could tell she didn’t know what else to say.

“Yeah.” I rubbed my hand over my face. “Wanted to check in and make sure you were good.”

“I’m okay,” she responded. “You don’t have to worry about me, Rashad.”

My chest got tight every time she said my name. “I wanna see you.” I blurted.

Silence.

“Tonight?” she whispered.

“Yeah, if that’s cool with you.”

I could hear the shift in her breathing. She was nervous.

“Yeah,” she said softly. “It’s cool.”

I closed my eyes for a second, and some of the tension in my chest finally let up.

“I won’t stay long,” I said. “I just… I needed to lay my eyes on you, that’s all.”

She was quiet again, but I could hear her smile. “You always know what to say when I need it.”

We sat on the phone like that for a minute. No talking… just the sound of the both of us breathing in the phone… waiting to see who would speak first.

“You eat yet?” I asked.

“Not really.”

“I’ll bring something.”

“You don’t have to—”

“I know,” I cut in. “I want to.”

“Okay,” she simpered.

“Aight. I’ll be on my way after I take a shower.”

We hung up, and I went to take a shower so I could head out. I’d just put on my shoes when I heard loud, rapid knocks on my door. I blew out an exasperated breath because I didn’t have time for visitors right now.

When I got to the door, Nessa stood there with her arms folded and a smirk on her face. I didn’t even bother to hide the irritation in my voice. “The fuck you doing here?”

She leaned against the doorframe, eyes dragging down my chest like she was ready to pounce on a nigga. “Damn. That’s how you greet people now?”

I declined to respond because she knew I wasn’t about to go back and forth with her ass.

“I wanted to see you,” she said, pushing past me like she paid bills in this muthafucka.

I clenched my jaw and turned slowly as she made her way inside.

“Nessa—”

Before I could finish, she spun around, pressing her body into mine.

“I miss you,” she cooed. “You don’t miss me?”

I grabbed her wrists, firm but not rough. “Fuck no.”

“Oh, yeah?” she smirked. “I bet you miss this, though.”

She was in the process of getting on her knees, and before I could put a stop to it; I heard my door beep. I looked up, and Sophi was walking through my door with takeout bags in her hand and confusion written on her face. She froze in the doorway; eyes trained on me then Nessa.

Shit!

“I’ain know you had company,” she announced. “My bad.”

Nessa snorted, turning with a roll of her eyes. “Who the fuck is this bitch? Since when do you let random ass hos pop up?”

Before I could say a word, Sophi interjected herself into the conversation.

“You were the one on their knees when I walked in, so I guess that makes you the random ass ho.” She cocked her head to the side like she dared Nessa to say something.

“Excuse me?” Nessa laughed, cocking her head. “Do you know who you’re talking to?”

“I know exactly who I’m talking to,” Sophi stated. “A random ass ho.”

Nessa took a step forward. “Bit—”

“Nah, ain’t gone be none of that. Get the fuck out.” I started pushing Nessa toward the door so she could leave.

Her mouth fell open a little, like she couldn’t believe what just taken place.

“Oh, so now you’re taking her side?”

“I’ain explaining shit to you,” I said coldly. “You ain’t my girl.”

“Wow…” was all she could say.

“You showed up uninvited, ran your mouth, and now you gone walk yo’ ass out ’fore I put yo’ ass out.”

She looked at Sophi, then back at me.

“This what you on now?” she spat.

Before either of us could say another word, Sophi stepped forward again. “You don’t know shit about me.”

“I know you don’t belong here,” Nessa snapped.

“Yet, you’re the one getting put out,” Sophi shot back.

Nessa stared at her, eyes full of venom, then turned toward the door.

“Fuck both y’all.”

I didn’t even respond to her mad ass.

“Bye,” Sophi taunted.

I slammed the door behind her and turned to Sophi. I was expecting her to blow up, or even leave. Instead, she just stood there, with her arms still crossed.

“I should go,” she mumbled.

“Nah. You’on have to go nowhere.” I said as I walked up to her.

Her eyes searched mine like she wasn’t sure if she believed me.

“Let me get rid of that negative ass energy,” I added. “Give me a second to reset.”

She nodded and headed toward the kitchen and started unpacking the food.

I stood there for a second, just watching her.

I was impressed with how she handled herself with Nessa.

I mean, I didn’t want her doing shit like that, but I should’ve known she had it in her.

Look who the fuck her cousins were… and their wives.

Sophi was soft spoken on most days, but tonight she showed she wasn’t the muthafuckin’ one, and that shit had me feeling some kind of way.

“My bad about that shit,” I muttered when I walked back into the kitchen.

“Was she your girl?” she asked, barely glancing my way.

“The fuck kinda question is that?”

“It was just a question.” She shrugged, plating the food.

“She was a fuck, nothing more,” I revealed. “And that shit’s dead.”

She didn’t respond, just slid a plate toward me.

“Why the hell you out here by yourself this late, anyway? Didn’t I tell you I was coming to you.”

“I was bored,” she countered.

We ate in silence until she asked how my day was. I told her about the new kid, and how Deion swore the boy would be the one to finally beat my ass. She laughed, but it didn’t last long because my next statement caused her to pause mid-bite.

“Rio’s parole was granted.”

She froze.

“Wh―what?” she stammered.

“He got out a few days ago. I didn’t wanna tell you over the phone.”

Her whole body locked up. She set her fork down like it suddenly weighed too much.

“He’s… he’s out?”

“Yeah.” I moved toward her, slow. “He ain’t getting nowhere near you, though. I put that on his life.”

Her breathing hitched, causing me to bring her body closer to mine.

“I mean that shit,” I uttered. “If he comes anywhere near you, my face will be the last one he sees. I mean that shit, Sophi.”

Sophi stared at me, like she wanted to believe me but was too afraid to do so.

“Stay tonight,” I added. “Ain’t no sense in you going back out this late.”

She hesitated… then nodded.

In that moment, I realized this wasn’t about protection anymore. This was something deeper than just a friendly favor. Whatever it was, I was ready for it.