Page 33

Shit! Out of all the shit I’d said, she’d picked the most fucked-up thing to focus on even after I’d downplayed it.

There was no way she was going to take it well, finding out that Raya cut off Raven’s head and sent it to my house in an Amazon box.

I stalled, hoping she would start asking more questions about Raya, but she only repeated her last one, getting all in my face.

“She killed her, ayite! She cut her fuckin’ head off and sent it to me.

So yes, she’s really out her fuckin’ mind!

Her and them two gorillas she keep with her. ”

Keyani’s eyes widened. “She cut somebody’s head off!” she shrieked. “She cut a bitch head off and sent it to you, and you didn’t think I should have known that! Me and the twins could’ve been in danger this whole time and you wasn’t gone say shit!”

“I’m sayin’ now! That’s why I’m tryna take y’all to my crib. It’s security, it’s?—”

“The same fuckin’ crib she sent a head to, nigga?”

“It was in an Amazon box! Fuck you think my shit is, the airport? They ain’t scanning boxes and shit!”

“Well, obviously they should be! And what you mean she keep gorillas with her? Like the actual monkeys?” she snapped, and when I twisted my face at her, she sucked her teeth.

“Shit, how I’m supposed to know what you mean!

If she cuttin’ off heads, then it’s not too farfetched to think she rides around Chicago with silverbacks in her car! ”

“No, it’s not real fuckin’ gorillas. It’s a couple of bodyguards she always has with her. Niggas look like the secret agent off Lilo and Stitch ,” I grumbled, just thinking about them big ass niggas as Keyani looked off with her head tilted like she was thinking.

“Is she like Mexican but could pass for black? Long, dark hair and wears all designer?” she finally asked, and I had to scratch my neck at the somewhat accurate description.

“Maybe, why you say that?”

“Maybe? Is the bitch named Aya, or Aiya…?”

“Raya?”

She snapped her fingers, and her eyes lit up.

“Yes! Yes, Raya! She was at Walmart the day I tried to go shopping. I almost hit her with my cart with her weird ass.” She frowned until it sank in that she had come into contact with a real crazy bitch.

“Oh my god! Do you think she followed me there!” Shorty was already spiraling, and I didn’t want to be the one to have to tell her that Raya had definitely followed her there.

I knew damn well she didn’t shop at no Walmart with her boujie ass.

“She probably did, but?—”

“We have to go! She saw my kids, she saw me! She probably knows where I fuckin’ live ’cause of you—” The rapid sound of gunfire blasting from outside cut her off as bullets came tearing through the walls.

I pulled Keyani down to the floor with me and covered her body with mine as she screamed in my ear and tried to bury her head.

It seemed to go on forever, knocking shit off the wall and tearing through her mattress to the point that glass, wall, feathers, and stuffing were flying all over.

I jumped up when it finally stopped and ran over to the window, just in time to see a black SUV squealing away.

“Fuuuuck!”

Keyani was more than a little shaken up.

I had to call Avery and Maasai to pick up the kids so that she wouldn’t be left alone while I did it.

Besides that, I had to make sure she didn’t tell the police shit.

Being a civilian probably had her thinking they could help, but with the connections that Raya’s pops had, they likely wouldn’t do shit.

We sat on the porch while I gave brief answers to the shit they were asking me, but seeing a group of officers and paramedics busting down Ms. Anne’s door and carrying out her lifeless body had Keyani beyond inconsolable.

I held her into my chest so she couldn’t see, but I knew the damage was already done.

“Look, can we talk about this shit later? Our kids bouta be on their way here, and I need to try and calm their mama down so they don’t see her like this.” I put on my suburban dad voice and glared at the detective, hoping he’d hurry up and get the fuck out my face.

He looked more than a little pissed but handed over his card anyway. “Whatever either of you can remember, just give me a call so we can get this thing solved. We shouldn’t be losing neighbors behind little punks with guns,” he scoffed, sending Keyani into another fit as he walked off.

“Baby, I know this is fucked up. I promise I’m gone take care of it.

Just let me take care of it.” It took forever for them to finally let us drive off, and I drove straight to Maasai’s crib since that’s where Avery had taken the twins.

I hadn’t wanted them to see their mama so distraught, but she insisted on having them close by, and I could understand that.

I was making accommodations left and right too, because the next was getting us a room at The W downtown and having some guards outside the room.

I got her a Prozac just to get her to finally go to sleep, and once she’d snuggled into bed with the twins, I slipped out with murder on my mind.