Page 36

“Mr. Knight, your bail has been posted. You’re a free man,” Dennis Crumbley announces as I get off the bench in the holding cell.

“Aye, Z! Hold it down, man,” a man named Deuce calls out.

“Hey, if you see my baby mama, Sandy, tell her to come down here. She ain’t answering my calls and shit,” another dude named Mike Broshe admits.

“If I was her and you’d beat my ass the way that you did her, I wouldn’t answer your calls either, nigga,” a tiny dude named Big points out.

I know Deuce and Big from the streets. I just met Mike Broshe while locked up. His dumb ass was bragging about fucking up his baby’s mama for stealing from him, claiming that she needed the money for diapers.

I listened but didn’t say a word. That nigga had no clue who I was, so I let him ramble on at the mouth. There was no excuse for him fucking up that girl the way that he did. I’m not worried about it, though. Men like him and Kenny get exactly what they deserve.

I’ll put the word out, and I doubt he’ll even make it to county.

“I always knew you had pull, Knight, but damn,” Officer Crumble admits.

Dennis was a street cop whose beat was the neighborhood where I used to sling dope in my earlier years. We’ve known each other for some time, but we have never had a reason to cross paths other than just in passing.

“It’s been a whole fucking hour and a half. That shit’s not working for me,” I say, shaking my head.

“Looks like life’s catching up with you, Knight.”

I glare at him and say, “Wasn’t me.”

“Listen, some of these dudes have been sitting in here since three o’clock this morning. They probably won’t get a bail hearing until Monday. It’s Saturday, and your black ass made it out, must be nice.”

“Take it easy, Crumble.” I pat his shoulder and smile as I lay eyes on Frances standing at the sergeant’s desk.

“Yeah, you stay yo’ black ass out of here, Knight. You've got too much potential,” he warns.

“Yeah, I do, don’t I? But I’m not that kid anymore, Crumble. Not that kid.”

He nods knowingly, and I turn to face Frances. We both quickly walk out of the jail and jog down the steps to where her car is waiting.

“Are you okay?”

“Frances, that was light work. I didn’t like sitting there as long as I did, and I never like having my ass locked up for any reason, but the only thing that I was worried about while I was in there was my baby and my boys.”

“Here,” she states, handing my phone to me. “I’ve spoken to her no less than six times since you’ve been in there. I promised her that I would have you call her the minute you stepped foot on the other side of those doors,” she declares, jerking her thumb over her shoulder.

“Thanks,” I say, powering my phone on and waiting for it to start.

“Listen, they’re going to have to do an investigation. You already know the drill. In the meantime, don’t leave town. Don’t associate with any felons. Keep your nose clean,” Frances warns.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

“On the back end, Marc and I have our people investigating to see what we can learn. We’re canvassing the area to see who slipped into your shop without authorization. Anyone we can pinpoint who might have set you up.”

Scratching my beard as I approach my SUV, where Ghalen is standing by the rear door waiting for me, I say, “At this point, Frances, I have a feeling it’s someone in my inner circle.”

Frowning, she asks, “What makes you think that?”

“Just a sneaky suspicion.”

“All right, well, whatever you come up with, let me know, and in the meantime, I’ll be doing the same thing on my end.”

I nod, slip into the back of the SUV, and wait for Ghalen to close the door.

When he does, I instantly dial Bayleigh.

“Baby!” she cries.

“I’m good, Bay. I’m heading home now.”

“What the hell is going on?”

“I don’t know right now, but you’ll know when I do. I’m trying to get to the bottom of this shit. Someone’s setting me up, and I’m not going down without a fight. Right now, the only thing that I want is to come home, see my woman, dap up my young men, and rest my head in my safe space.”

“Come on, baby. We’re all waiting for you,” she replies. “I love you, Z.”

“Not as much as I love you, B.”

We end the call, and I lay my head back to rest. Ghalen pipes some soft jazz through the speakers and allows me to have my quiet space.

By the time Ghalen pulls up to my estate, war is in my heart.

I barely have the door open before Bayleigh comes running down the stairs. She looks so beautiful and graceful in a yellow, sleeveless sheath that flows down to her bare feet.

My baby is constantly changing her hairstyle, but today, her hair is free. She throws herself into my arms, and I swear that I’ve never seen a more beautiful sight.

I kiss her lips, not giving a damn who’s watching as she jumps up and wraps her legs around me. I hold her close as she slips her tongue inside my mouth. Only after I’m satisfied with the sweetest taste of my baby do I let her go, and she slides out of my arms.

Tears flow down her face, and she hisses, “Don’t you ever keep me out of shit again. I’m not fragile, Zaire. I can kick ass with the best of them.”

She makes each of those pronouncements with a fist to my chest.

When she finishes, I grab her hands and say, “I will never allow you to run these streets. You are a lady, and you’re my safe space to come home to. Those young men need you at home making shit right.”

I point at our sons on the stairs behind her. She turns and looks at them, and when she turns back to me, she presses her fingers against her lips and stares into my eyes.

I reach up and wipe the tears from her face.

“I will do whatever I need to do to protect you. Do you understand me?”

Nodding, she whispers, “Yes, baby.”

We head up the stairs and into the house. The kids follow us to the family room. They have a million questions, all of which I attempt to answer at once. I’m tired, but never too tired for this.

Zechariah’s girlfriend, Marika, is here with us, and she’s wrapped up in his arms. Zayn’s girlfriend, Shana, is also there, sitting beside him.

He kisses her temple and whispers to her on and off throughout our conversation.

“Listen, things have changed. As y'all can see, I’ve stepped up security around the home, including camera surveillance in and out of the home and at our businesses. You each have an additional two men on your detail.

“Nobody leaves this house without checking with me first. Zech, we’ve already worked with your professors to attend classes online until we get shit straightened out. Same for you, Zayn, and Zaccai. Baby, your staff will have to take on your clients for a little while.”

I see the disappointment in Bayleigh’s eyes, but she knows that I’m not budging on this.

“Riley, you’ll be here with us for the foreseeable future, so I hope that we don’t get on your last nerves.”

Riley smiles at me and nods.

“We have to be on our toes, and I’ll do whatever I have to do to protect you all at all times. I trust no one right now, so you have to keep your eyes open at all times. Bayleigh and Riley, I know you’re adults, but I need you both in sync with me and trusting that I’m making the right calls.”

They both nod in agreement.

“Can I have a friend over?” Zaccai asks.

“Not right now, little G. We’ll work something out. Be patient with me. Okay?”

He nods.

“You’ve got us, little G,” Zechariah declares, rubbing his brother’s unruly curly hair.

Zaccai rewards him with a big grin.

“Glad you’re home, Dad,” Zayn expresses.

“I’m glad to be home. I wouldn’t want to be anyplace than right here with you all.”

“We’d rather be no place else either, OG,” Zechariah admits.

“We’ve got the best family,” Zaccai declares from his place on the floor.

“And it’s still growing,” Shana replies happily.

“Still growing?” Bayleigh asks, with a frozen smile on her face.

“Yes. Zayn and I are having a baby. You’re going to be grandparents,” she announces proudly, causing Bayleigh to faint.