Page 38

Blair

“We’re not coming to live with you and Meer. You both deserve to enjoy your new home without me and his brother coming to live with you guys.” I tried to convince Capri while she was in the bathroom.

She quickly rushed out the bathroom wearing a black dress that hugged all of her curves. With one heel on, and the other off, she balanced on that one heel and looked into the small mirror. “Ugh, is this doing too much? Should I stick to pants? Zoya, you need a new mirror.”

“I’ll add that to the never-ending list of things that I need to do,” she switched into the room, tossing herself across the chaise in the corner.

“Well, I’m gonna say what we all are thinking… why in the world would you move to Red Hook, knowing that sick ass fuck is running around here killing black women.”

“Not black women… women. He doesn’t seem to have a type on who he kills, because the victims are all different races and body types.” Capri tried on another heel as she rambled on, while using the mirror the best she could.

“He killed Berkeley,” I whispered.

Even though I hadn’t been the biggest fan of the girl, my heart was shattered that she lost her life. I never wanted her to die, and she never deserved to die. The woman was risking her life to find another woman, and she ended up losing her own.

Life wasn’t fair, and Berkeley had been on my mind. The sad part was that I didn’t get the chance to tell Quasim about her. I didn’t want to bring up anything negative because it was a lot. He was becoming stronger every day, and he wasn’t sleeping as much as he was when he first woke up.

As much as he was itching to get back out there and handle business, his body needed to heal. Quasim was so used to being the savior that he didn’t realize when he needed to be saved. Our family was determined to have him resting and getting away.

Dr. Ramos wanted to wait before he gave us the greenlight before he approved him to fly. I wanted to attend Berkeley’s funeral and pay my respects for our family. Because it was such covered news, Capri couldn’t attend or else it would have looked like she was involved with the Brooklyn Bullies.

The only reason she was able to attend Ellis’s funeral was because it was private to mostly their family and the Gods. There wasn’t any media coverage like there would be at Berkley’s funeral.

“You have no idea how much I want to find out who this person is… whoever it is, they are smart and one step ahead.”

“Which means you need to be careful with this, Capri.”

Me and Capri both snapped our necks in her direction. “Says the one who moves into the scene of the crime… what was wrong with your other place?”

“Aside from the fact that I found a mouse, and my neighbors were running a damn puppy mill from their backyard… As crazy as it seems… I really needed something new.”

“A serial killer’s playground is the something new?” I shrieked.

Zoya laughed, as if her new address wasn’t something to be concerned about. “I made an offer on this place last year. The sellers dragged ass, then took it off the market. Two months ago, they reached out to the family’s realtor and asked if I still wanted to make an offer.”

“The news is swarming with this lunatic on the loose and that didn’t sway your answer?” Capri looked at her. “They probably wanted to sell with all the bad press that Red Hook is actually getting with these bodies.”

“We live in New York City… there is always something happening there, and half the time, it’s not broadcasted on the news. This building has great security, and I am armed and know how to use it.”

The silence filled the room as Capri went back to looking in the mirror and I looked down at my phone.

Junkie: How are you holding up? I care, Blair… don’t act like I don’t.

I rolled my eyes because the nigga never cared, and in the small chance that he did care, it was always about himself.

How else could he get into a better position than he was before?

Tyshawn was a roach, and he would weasel himself into any home with food and a warm place behind the fridge for him to hide.

It was a risk to even reach out to him and pretend that I was so distraught. Hell, I thought he would have realized that it was set up and left me alone.

Not Tookie the neighborhood junkie.

The man wanted me to hurt, and he wanted to be the person that I eventually crawled back to. I don’t know how many times he had told me that I would be back. How I would need him before he ever needed me.

When I decided enough was enough, I told myself I would never return back to him. The lowest time of my life was when I had to return to the same man that took my son from me. Having to bend and accept whatever he offered because my self-worth and brains were in the trash.

I had worked so hard to undo all the damage that man had caused, and I refused to ever crawl back to him. For the sake of my king, I’d pretend and fill his head with the same lies he once told me.

Tyshawn wasn’t going to escape untouched, and if I had my way, which Simmy usually let me have, he wouldn’t be breathing for much longer.

“Since you’ve been applying more pressure on Lucia… what has she been like?” Zoya crossed her legs as we both turned our attention back to Capri.

“Nervous… even more now since I put her on the spot at the press conference. Lucia aside, that shit was something that was disgusting. As a woman, how do you even cosign some mess like that? Those women were tortured and forced to do things so the rich could have children… fucking sick.”

“Thea was one of those women.” I mentioned.

Capri spun around on her one heel. “Blair, please don’t tell?—”

“Let me play devil’s advocate here… as much as what she allowed was horrible, she was a broken and hurt person. Hurt people often continue the cycle of hurt. Does she deserve to breathe? Hell no, end her ass so the cycle can end with her. Just pointing out that she was failed, too.”

“I don’t give a damn about what she went through. Not after what she did to my baby… Elijah is such a sweet boy, and every time I stare at him while he’s asleep, I wonder how someone could just be so selfish and allow hurt to find its way to him.”

“At some point, she stopped giving a fuck about that boy. Why should anyone care about what she went through? I stopped feeling bad the minute I heard what she allowed. Giving that boy alcohol before Mercer arrived… bitch knew what she was doing.” Capri stomped unevenly back into the bathroom.

“All of this aside, how have you been? Been taking care of the baby and yourself, Blair?” Zoya stared at me.

I smiled. “I’m trying to.”

“Girl, not trying… I need you to do. A lot has been going on, and I know the situation and place you find yourself in, but we all want a healthy you and a healthy baby… okay?”

“Oh fuck!” Capri screamed from the bathroom.

We both jumped up and ran to the bathroom where Capri was staring down at the marble countertop. Walking slowly toward her, we came into view of a pregnancy test resting on the counter.

“You’re knocked up, too? At this point, I minds well give Goon those chocolate babies,” Zoya snatched the test up while staring at it.

I watched Capri go through every emotion possible. She held onto the edge of the countertop and stared down at the place the test had been sitting. Her hair covered her face as she gripped the side of the countertop without saying anything.

“Pri…” I whispered.

Zoya rubbed her back, while I placed my hand on top of hers. “That pissy muthafucka finally got my ass again.”

The silence in the room caused all of us to burst out in laughter. She finally picked her head up and turned to sit on the sink, while me and Zoya watched her. Putting her hair up in a messy bun, she swiped away the tears that fell down her face.

Zoya leaned on the sink next to her. “Babes, tell us how you’re feeling. Do we need to head to the clinic or be planning the baby shower?”

I shoved Zoya. “She’s happily married… no clinics… right?”

Capri laughed. “You know how they say the mind is the strongest muscle? When I took a test a few weeks ago, the line was faint, and I convinced myself that it was negative.”

“Girl, the damn positive sign is nearly jumping off the stink… that thang bold.” Zoya put it closer to her face, as if Capri hadn’t just pissed on its moments before.

I leaned on her. “You can be honest with us about how you feel… I know you weren’t the biggest fan of having another right away.”

“Cherry is about to turn a year old and here I am, pregnant again. I’m not sad, mad or even angry… this baby was made with love with my husband. I’m just like… damn, a bitch about to be sitting down again. No bikes, drinks, or any damn thing.”

“Yeah, girl… I feel you.” I snickered and she pinched me.

Zoya snorted. “Bitch, you having another one soon as you drop that one. Gonna give King all those damn babies… make up for you two playing games.”

I laughed. “If he wants to have another one right after this one… imma do a split on it so he can plant it right there. He can get anything out of me right now… since he wanted to be dramatic and almost die.”

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Capri laughed so hard she snorted. “I really can’t stand you right now. This better be his boy because I am as good as done after this one.”

“Until you in here screaming about another positive test… be fruitful and multiply with your husbands.”

Me and Capri both looked at Zoya as she continued to look at the pregnancy test in her hand. “And when you gonna give Goon his babies?”

“I’m trying to figure out how to get over this breakup… not thinking about Gerald or a baby right now. I just need to get my mind together… it gets to the point where the strong one doesn’t feel so strong anymore.”

Capri climbed down from the sink as we both stood on opposite sides of Zoya. I leaned my head on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Zoy.”