Page 53 of Obsessive Love

PYRITE

“You are being dramatic,” I said in Fable’s ear as we walked out of Hood and Legacy’s engagement party. My boy was getting married, and I was proud as fuck of him. His engagement was dope as hell, and it was unforgettable with the help of Ms. Arlene and her video.

“How?” She looked up at me and smiled.

“You keep twirling your ankle like it's new or something.” I rested my hand on the small of her back to help guide her down the steps.

“Because it feels weird,” she said as we got to the bottom of the steps. We stepped out of the way so people could come and go as they pleased, and I leaned against the railing. Fable stepped into my space and wrapped her arms around my neck.

“What do you mean, it feels weird?”

“I’m not used to the monitor not being there,” she answered with a shrug. “It was an unwanted accessory for two months, and now it's gone.”

“I can always put it back on,” I suggested. It may have sounded like I was joking, but I wasn’t. I was keeping that monitor close at all times.

“Don’t make me beat your ass,” she said, shaking her head.

I shrugged and then kissed her forehead. “I’m just saying, if you miss it so much, I can bring it back out.”

“Sir, I have hidden all your Epi-pens,” she said, looking up at me. I couldn’t tell if she was joking or not. I narrowed my eyes at her, and she smiled sweetly. “Try me if you want to. You’ll be going to the light and staying.”

“Noted,” I chuckled and pulled her close. Fable wrapped her arms around my waist, and we just chilled. Xoey, Mercy, and Legacy sat on the bottom steps talking. “Hell Raiser and Point Guard are locked down. It’s Plus Twelve’s turn.”

“Don’t rush her,” Fable said as she turned around and rested her front against my back. I held her close and rested my chin on top of her head. Her hair was back to its naturally curly stage, and I loved it.

“Nah, baby, it's time,” I said, shaking my head.

“She needs to sit down, fall in love, and know peace like the rest of us.” Xoey turned around and looked at me like she knew we were talking about her.

She gave us a small wave before turning back around and continuing her conversation with Legacy and Mercy. “She deserves it.”

“I bet Xoey has never done anything on anybody else’s schedule.”

“Probably not,” I agreed. “When we get home, I need to talk to you about something.”

“What’s wrong?” she immediately asked and tried to turn around.

“Nah, be still, and just chill,” I said, then put my hand on her stomach to keep her from moving. “We're good; I just want to run some stuff about your pop past you.”

After talking with my brothers, we came to the agreement that we would handle the shit that Javien Jr. was talking about personally.

There was no reason to drag anyone else into it, especially since it seemed his beef was with us, specifically me.

I spoke with Xoey about it yesterday, and while she disagreed, she said she would sit on the information until she couldn’t.

“What did Javien Sr. do now?” she sighed. “He still owes you money, doesn’t he?”

“I told you that debt was wiped clean,” I said, kissing the top of her head. “I ain’t trippen off no money I was prepared never to get back.”

“And my bakery?”

“Agree to marry me, and it’s yours,” I said, and she squeezed my forearm.

We sat down and discussed her next steps.

Her leaving me wasn’t an option; if she wanted to leave, then I was going with her.

I could run Stone ENT from anywhere. Fable agreed to stay in KC with the stipulation that I had to convince Yamari to stay too.

I didn’t know how I was going to do it, but I was making a few phone calls to some of my boys to see what they had in mind and if they could help.

My boy Cohen offered to burn down her office for me and to be honest that shit didn’t sound like to bad of an idea.

“You already agreed to stay, we are in a relationship. I only see us moving forward. Marriage is the next step. You ain’t gotta agree now but just know that I’m going to ask and if you say no I’m getting on the phone with Zhane and having her build another cell. ”

“That’s who built the first one?” she reared back to look up at me. “And she didn’t question as to why you would need it?”

“Nah, she asked,” I laughed. “I didn’t know at the time what it was for, though. I had it built a year ago, and it’s just been sitting.”

A year ago, shit was starting to change for me, and I didn’t even realize it.

I went out looking for Javien Sr to kill him, only for him to offer me a deal that would later lead me to the woman that I wanted as my wife and mother to my children.

If I didn’t hate that nigga so much, I would thank him, but I do so I won’t. Hell, I might just before I kill him.

“It be your own friends,” Fable giggled, then turned her attention back to the people around us. “Thank you, Pyrite. I didn’t realize it then, but you taking me was the best thing that could have ever happened.

“Shit I’d do it again if I had to,” I said then kissed the top of her head.

The doors to the building opened, and Yale stepped outside.

She was in town for Hood and Legacy’s engagement despite Amethyst being pissed about it.

My brother still hadn’t said anything but followed her around like her personal security guard.

Yale approached Diara, KO, Vine, and Yamari, who had instantly bonded with the women.

They stood on the other side of the steps, talking.

Amethyst stood by the door, a mug on his face and his arms crossed.

I chuckled and shook my head; he was a grown man.

If he refused to open his mouth, then that was on him.

Morning stood on the other side of the women, watching Diara closely.

He was no better than Amethyst, in my opinion.

Ki and Destyn chased each other around Morning’s legs.

He didn’t let either kid get too far from him.

Seeing it was comical because adults feared Morning, but the toddler and pre-schooler treated him like a jungle gym.

A black truck pulled up and parked near the steps. Gift Blackmon exited the car, rounded it, and opened the door for his sister. Purpose approached Xoey, Mercy, and Legacy while Gift stood near the truck, talking to Four Strong and Corinthians DeCorte.

“Looks like you may get your wish,” Fable said.

Xoey took off her shoes and said a few words to Purpose, who looked like she was trying to keep Xoey with her, but lost the battle. Xoey approached Gift and extended her hand. Whatever she said made him laugh and smile.

“That nigga said he couldn’t handle crazy and needed calm,” I laughed.

“Close enough,” Fable laughed.

Another car pulled up and parked next to Gift’s, but no one got out.

Behind me, I heard Diara talking as she descended the stairs, but my focus was still on the car in the circular driveway.

The passenger side windows rolled down, and everything seemed to be in slow motion.

I turned my body and threw Fable to the ground just as shots blasted through the air.

I heard someone scream. I didn’t know who it was, but I knew it wasn't good from the sound. I pulled my gun from the back of my pants, kissed Fable on the head, and whispered in her ear, “I’m obsessed with you, Fable; remember that.” I stood up and started shooting at the car as it pulled off.

When they were gone, I looked around. I wasn’t prepared for what I saw. Blood was everywhere; there was no way everyone survived this.

A month later…

“The sports world is in mourning today. The season opener for The KC Queens has been rescheduled due to the entire Stone ENT family attending one of their own’s funerals. We here at SportsCenter send our condolences to the family of-”

I turned the TV off and stood. Today would be the hardest one we’d had in a long time.

We just buried Ms. Arlene not even a month ago, and we were gathering again for another funeral.

I looked up as Fable came down the stairs.

Her eyes were puffy from crying. No matter how many times I tried, I couldn’t take away the pain that she felt.

“You ready?” I asked, pulling her to me.

“No,” she mumbled and wrapped her arms around my waist. “But I don’t have any other choice.”

“Come on, baby,” I said, then let her go and took her hand. We intertwined our fingers and walked her to the car.

The drive to the gravesite was quiet, which I had expected. I parked my truck, got out, and rounded it to help Fable. We walked to the gravesite with our heads held high and backs straight. Someone tried to break us and failed.

“Baby, I want you to see something,” I told Fable.

She looked up at me, and I nodded my head at the people at the gravesite.

Everyone was here, even the ones who hadn’t been able to make it to the engagement party for whatever reason.

They were here now when we needed them the most. They were here to mourn for the person no longer with us.

They were here to show love, support, and unity.

They were sending a message to our enemies.

“The tree,” Fable said, and I looked down at her, confused about what she was talking about.

“Xoey told me once that you were a part of this big family, but she described it as a tree. She said that each family was a branch, that you didn’t see each other all the time, and everybody wasn’t always together, but you were still a family.

You all came together when you needed to for the super important stuff that couldn’t be missed. The celebrations and the mourning.”

“Yeah,” I said, nodding.

“Why does it seem like every time y’all celebrate, you mourn not too soon afterward?” Fable asked. She squeezed my hand, and then we started walking. We stood next to my brothers, who wore mugs identical to mine.

Pastor DeCorte stood at the head of the coffin with a solemn expression on his face.

“I told my wife I wasn’t ready to come back here,” he said, then chuckled.

“I told her that our family had mourned enough for the year, that God wouldn’t give us any more battles because we’d fought enough.

” He looked around. “I had to tell my wife last night I was wrong.”

The sirens echoing through the cemetery made us all look up. Police cars circled us, and even though they looked legit, all our hands went to our guns just in case.

The driver's door to the last car opened, and Gift got out of the car.

He wore a mug on his face, and his body language was off.

He looked around, eyes on us, before stopping at the person he was looking for.

He ran his tongue over his teeth and then approached the group.

He pulled his handcuffs from their holder on his waist and approached Xoey.

“Xoey St. Thomas, you’re under arrest,” he said as he turned her around and put her in cuffs. “You have the right to remain silent.”

“Baby, that’s not going to happen,” Xoey laughed and shook her head.

“I have a lot of shit to say. Especially to your fine ass!” She looked over her shoulder at him.

“You into role-playing because these cuffs got me tingling. You're gonna be the mean cop that takes advantage of the innocent woman who he arrested because she didn’t realize her license was expired?”

“Xoey,” Gift warned her. “Now ain’t the time for that shit.”

“Oh, this is a serious matter?” she questioned. “Alright, give me a second to get into character.” She dropped her head and took a few deep breaths before lifting it. “Alright, I’m ready.”

“I make this shit believable too,” Gift said, shaking his head.

“Get the fuck off me!” Xoey yelled and tried to pull away from Gift. “Get off me!” Xoey winked at me, and I stepped up.

“Ay, what the fuck is going on, Gift?” I said, approaching him. “Take them fucking cuffs off her!” I reached for Xoey, but Gift pulled her to him; her back rested against his front, and his hand rested on her stomach.

“I got this, Pyrite,” he said, shaking his head.

“It was either me or one of them muthafuckas up there.” My eyes went to the group of punk-ass cops who stood less than fifty feet from us.

Their hands rested on their guns like they were waiting for us to show out so they’d have a reason to kill us.

“Let me handle this. I got her. I promise.”

Even though I didn’t want to, something told me to trust Gift. We’d been boys for years; we looked out for each other. If he were here, then that meant he was helping. I nodded, then turned my attention to Xoey.

“Plus Twelve, behave,” I said to her. “We will follow Gift; you won't be there long.”

Xoey tried to pull away from Gift, but his hold on her was too strong. “Chill, Xoey,” he said into her ear. “Don’t show out too much because if one of them niggas think about touching you, I’ll kill’em.”

I watched as Gift escorted her to his car and helped her in.

“Somebody gotta call Xayne and Xia and tell them their daughter was arrested,” Amethyst said as he came to stand beside me.

“I’ll do it,” I said, nodding. “Xia is going to wreak havoc on the police station, and Xayne is going to kill anyone who says the wrong thing.”

“That nigga is going to want blood for his daughter being in cuffs,” Amethyst said, and I nodded.

“She’s safe, though,” I said, watching Gift drive away. “She’s with Gift.”

“I hope you’re right because I got a feeling none of us are as safe as we think.”

See y’all next book!”