Page 75 of Search My Soul (Taylor Family Saga #3)

I took a deep breath before walking into this house because this conversation wasn’t gonna go well. My family seemed to have forgotten who I was, and it was time for me to remind them. Pure sent another text asking where I was, but I didn’t bother to respond since I was already outside.

As soon as I stepped into the house, I could smell the food permeating through the air. Nana must have known things weren’t going to go well because I noticed my favorite pound cake sitting on the kitchen counter.

“Oh, look what the wind blew in. Hi, my baby.” Nana brought my head down to her level and rained kisses all over my face.

“Hey, beautiful. How are you doing?”

“I’m better now that you’re here. Your grandfather has been driving me up a wall.

You need to talk some sense into that man because he thinks he is still a young man.

I keep trying to tell him that we are old farts and there’s nothing wrong with that,” she fussed.

You would have never known he had a heart attack because his ass didn’t know how to shut down.

“Speak for yourself, sweet stuff. They say you’re only as old as you feel, and I feel like I’m forty years old with the deep strokes to match.” He kissed her on the cheek while I stood there ready to throw up.

“You could have kept that shit— I mean stuff to yourself. I don’t need to know what y’all do when I’m not around.”

“Oh, please. You got your genetics from me, so I know why the ladies are crazy over you. If your granny hadn’t gotten a hysterectomy, we would have had at least five more kids,” Poppa Meech declared.

“I don’t know about all of that, but I enjoy the practice.” Nana winked, and I almost passed out.

“Yeah, I need to get out of here. Y’all are trippin’.”

“You can head to my man cave. I need to holler at my woman about something important anyway.” Poppa smacked her on the butt, and I got out of there as quickly as I could.

Once I made it downstairs, I walked right into Poppa’s man cave. Inside were a few of Poppa’s trusted soldiers, Pure, and Uncle Emilio. His face was flushed red which told me he was either angry or scared. Either way, I didn’t give a fuck.

“What’s up, everybody?” I greeted Poppa’s men and then Pure. There was no need to speak to Uncle Emilio because he was gonna hate me when all this was over.

“You good?” Pure whispered. I nodded then got back up to fix myself a drink. I would need a stiff drink to get through this conversation.

“All right, gentlemen. Now that my grandson is here, we can get started.” Poppa nodded his head toward the empty seat next to Pure to let me know he wanted me to have a seat. Since I had my drink, I obliged.

“Very well. Most of you know why we are here, but I will go over things briefly. The circumstances are very unfortunate, but we need to deal with things head on so there are no misunderstandings.” I chuckled lowly because there wasn’t much for us to discuss.

My mind was made up, and this conversation wouldn’t change shit.

“Emilio has come to me because he is concerned for the safety of his son. Remi is currently on the run, and we aren’t certain of where he is located.

Remi is my grandson by marriage, but my love for him is no different than my love for my biological grandchildren.

My hope is that we can come to some kind of resolution that will work for all parties involved.

Emilio, I’m going to allow you to speak your piece first and then we will hear from my grandsons. ”

“Thank you, Poppa. I realize this situation comes with complexities, but I hope that our relationship as family will be taken into consideration. I am in no way trying to excuse Remi’s actions because what he did was wrong.

However, we are all human, and every one of us in this room has made mistakes that we wish we could take back.

All I’m asking is for you all to consider our family.

We have been bonded together for years. Remi was raised right along with Soul and Pure.

“Remi was Raven’s son in every way that mattered, and she loved y’all like she birthed you.

I know he messed up, and it has caused a major divide in our family, but death is taking things too far.

Remi loves you all. Yes, he allowed greed and envy to take over, but he’s still a good person.

He deserves a chance to live his life like everyone else. ”

“What are you proposing as an alternative punishment for his actions?” One of Poppa’s soldiers inquired.

“I was thinking maybe we could ship him off to Columbia. He’ll still be able to live his life, and you will never have to worry about seeing him again.

I think it would be a better solution, and it would still allow for our family to remain intact.

” My jaw flexed as I listened to his bullshit.

He was trying to paint Remi’s betrayal as something small when it wasn’t.

Not only did the mothafucka rob me, but he was also trying to get me locked up for the rest of my life so he could take over.

There was no apology he could ever give to make up for that shit.

“Before I allow Soul and Pure to take the floor, I want things very clear. I am not going to stand in the way of whatever decision is made here today. My only hope is that we are able to come to a common ground.” Poppa used to be a coldhearted killer who would shoot first and ask questions later.

Now he wanted to sit here acting like a mediator.

I wasn’t shocked because this involved family, but none of that shit would sway my decision.

“You want to speak first?”

“Naw, you go ahead.” I gave Pure a look to let him know what type of time I was on. This whole meeting was pointless.

“When Soul and I came to you before, we asked for your permission to let him go.

You told us to give him another chance because you believed that he would improve.

We gave him the chance to redeem himself, and needless to say, we suffered for your lapse in judgment.

Not only did Remi steal from us, but he also put our relationship with Salvador in jeopardy.

Since the moment you appointed us as the new leaders, we have prided ourselves on doing our jobs to the best of our abilities.

We have started as a drug and gun operation and turned it into a million-dollar organization.

“We aren’t some corner boys who are selling work on the streets.

We are businessmen who have our hands in numerous businesses and properties.

You have trusted our judgment in every other area, but when it came to this particular matter, you allowed your emotions to make a decision that has cost us greatly.

I love you, Poppa, and I have the utmost respect for you.

However, when it comes to these matters, I don’t want to deal with Poppa.

I need you to be Meech the executioner. The nigga who used to hold court in the streets and leave no stone unturned.

“You are the one who taught us that there is no forgiveness in the streets because when you forgive a mothafucka for crossing you, you give them the impression that you’re a pussy.

We’re simply trying to apply the training and knowledge you have instilled in us since we were kids.

You already know I’m not going against my brother on this one.

You might see it as a simple infraction, but who knows what Remi may have planned as a backup.

“If a mothafucka will steal from you then he will kill you too. I don’t believe we should be taking those kinds of risks.

He’s a liability, and if we allow this to go unpunished then it sets a precedent that it’s okay for niggas to try us as long as they are family.

That isn’t the kind of message I want to send.

” Pure called Poppa out in the most respectful way.

Poppa Meech took a deep breath, and I could tell this was hurting him.

He loved Remi, but love had no place in this arena.

“Does anyone else have anything to say before I speak? Speak now or forever hold your peace.” I sat back to give anyone a chance to speak because once I spoke my piece there was nothing else to discuss.

“Soul, I know you’re angry and you have every right to be.

What my son did was fucked up, but he’s my only living son.

I’ve already buried enough people in my family, and all I’m asking you to do is extend an olive branch.

I will move Remi out of the country within the week, and you’ll never have to hear from him.

You’ll be able to go on with your life, and I’ll still be able to have my son alive.

There’s no reason we both can’t get what we want in this situation.

“You might be angry but think about the love you once had for each other. The two of you used to be thick as thieves growing up. If we saw one of you, we knew the other wasn’t too far.

He loves you. You are the only family he has ever known, and I know it would hurt you to hurt someone you love.

Please have mercy on my son.” Hearing Emilio beg pissed me off even more.

This fat fuck was sitting here pleading for his son’s life, but when the mothafucka was plotting on me, he only cared about me finding the person who hurt his son.

Now he wanted me to spare his bitch ass son’s life because we were family. What a joke.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course. Ask me anything.”

“Did you know about the shit he was doing?”

“Absolutely not. I-I would have never allowed him to go through with it if I had known what he was planning.” His face was beet red, but there was a part of me that was still suspicious.

Hell, Remi reminded me that you couldn’t give anyone the benefit of the doubt because money could test the strongest relationships and crumble them.