Page 144 of Steel

“And you’re mine!”

“Kerrion, . . . baby, please,” Neha begged. “Just breathe.”

I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think logically.

My son was gone, and I had no fucking clue where he was. All I knew was his grandmother clearly lost her muthafucking mind and took him. Was he okay? Was he crying? Was he afraid? Would she hurt him? If she fucking hurt him, she was going to meet her daughter, and that was on my fucking mama.

I sat on the floor, crying my eyes out. It wasn’t long before my brothers, Quaid, and Jaeda were walking into the room. They looked around at the disarray then at me.

“Shit,” Smoke mumbled, coming over to me.

He knelt and wrapped his arms around me too. Clearly, this family was no stranger to someone being kidnapped. It had just never been a child. This changed everything.

Smoke and my father helped me up from the floor. Maceo and Deuce came to hug me as well.

“We’re gonna find him, man,” Deuce said, palming the back of my head. “I promise you that.”

“I’m gonna pull the cameras from the neighbors,” Quaid said from the door. “See if they caught anything.”

“I’m gonna see if she left a paper trail,” Jaeda said, sniffling. She broke into tears as she stood there, staring at me. “Oh, God. I can’t believe this.”

She turned to Quaid, burying her face in his chest. He wrapped a protective arm around her and kissed her temple.

“I can look into all of this, love,” he offered.

She shook her head. “No. That’s my nephew. I have to do something. I can handle it.”

“The moment it becomes too much, you let me know.”

“I’ve got it, Quaid.” She wiped her tears as her pretty face hardened. “Elder or not, grieving or not, I’m whupping her old ass when we find her. That’s on my fucking mama.”

I didn’t say anything as I walked out of the room and down the hall to KJ’s room. Standing in the middle of the space, I could practically see my baby sleeping peacefully in the crib. I could hear his laughter and see his gummy little smile. He was usually always so happy. I could only imagine how scared and confused he might be, even if he didn’t know what was going on.

I felt myself going weak in the knees again. I dropped, pressing my head against the floor. Audible cries left my body, and as hard as I tried, I couldn’t stop them. I smelled Neha as she entered the room. She joined me on the floor and pulled me into her arms.

“I got you,” she whispered, rocking me. “I got you. We’re gonna get him back.”

I was quiet as she hummed to me and stroked my back. When she started praying, that just tore me to shreds.

“Father God, I come to you as humble as I can, asking that you watch over KJ. Wrap your arms around him and protect him from all forms of evil. May no harm come to that precious little boy. Father, I ask that you cover Kerrion and our family. Touch their hearts and minds. Keep them covered as they work to find KJ and bring him home . . .”

She paused for a moment in the prayer and rocking me. She took a deep breath before continuing.

“Father, I ask that you touch Ms. Anita. I know that this is an act of grief. We may not understand her thoughts at the moment but pray that she is of sound mind not to cause harm to this baby. I pray that you guide her to take care of him until he’s found and safely home. These and all blessings I ask in your son Jesus’ name, Amen.”

She kissed my temple and went back to rocking me.

I hoped her prayers reached Heaven because the way I was feeling, I was about to raise fucking hell.

THE FUNERAL

I sat staringat the blush pink casket in the front of the church, housing my only child. My daughter, . . . my baby . . . My only baby was gone. I couldn’t wrap my head around that. She was so young. She had so much life ahead of her. How could she die bringing my grandson into the world?

I looked over at him sleeping soundly in his father’s arms.

He was so pure, . . . so innocent.

He was every bit of his father, but when I looked at him, all I saw was my Donna. The last piece I’d ever have of her. I couldn’t barely look at him. I hadn’t even held him yet, because the urge to take him and never let go was so real right now.