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“So, now I’m a babysitter? You’re running from something. This is the most you’ve called me over here in months.”

I couldn’t risk Merci being at this annual race fundraiser. After the second time I went there with her, all I could do was think about her. She’d be a fucking distraction now more than ever. We agreed as the brothers to move as if shit was sweet, but we received intel that confirmed it wasn’t the DPs. Having Eriqua and her girls were priceless, and for the right price, especially when they thought pussy was involved, niggas talked.

That warehouse we were about to open was to expand our trucking company, allowing us to control the flow of goods shipped in and out of Rockside and the surrounding areas. Our prices we proposed were good. Genny knew her shit. A nigga while he was drunk as fuck mentioned to one of Eriqua’s girls that our business would put a dent in someone’s money—the Hells Devils.

The only difference was they were into illegal shit like trafficking drugs and more—bombs and other military-type shit from missiles to huge ass grenades. Word on the street was their president, Jenson, was a fucking reject from the Marines after a dishonorable discharge from selling drugs to young recruits.

Apparently, the Hells Devils caught wind of what we were doing and assumed we were about to step on their toes after a few motherfuckers approached us about shipping illegal shit. Of course I shut that shit down. All Jenson had to do was approach me and he would have known that. Now he was in hiding and I needed to draw his bitch ass out.

“Alix, kiss your auntie.”

I needed him with us. We had security set up, but he had scanners in position to listen to any communications that may tell us who was out there and not in support of our race.

Alix smirked. He’d caught a glimpse of Merci. He and Germ would hang out back, but only Germ would chill with her. It had been two weeks since the last time I touched her, and it was hard as fuck. I needed to get my head in the game, and after we pushed it back once, it was now or never. I was tired of making niggas think shit was good.

“Auntie, I’ma bring you two candy apples ’cause you are so sweet.”

“Mhmm. What about my turkey legs and Mexican corn? Can’t have my turkey leg without my Mexican corn.”

He showered her cheek with kisses and she giggled. When her eyes landed on my mine, she huffed. “Come here, Em.”

She opened her arms, motioning for me to come closer.

“You don’t always have to carry it alone,” she whispered as soon as I slipped in between her arms. Something about Auntie Myanne’s hugs made my big ass feel better. “I spoke to Senior. He said you never answer when he calls and haven’t visited in some time.”

My eyes shifted to Alix when his eyes lit up. He was the only one that looked forward to calls more than Brick. Brick did just to snitch, but Alix did because he craved knowing his father in a way he never experienced in the free world.

“Alix, I’ll meet you outside.”

“Alright then.” I could tell he was upset but he’d get over that shit. Instead of bitching about it, he kissed Auntie My and left us alone.

“The girl wants her cat,” she spat underneath her breath. “Can she at least go get it? What about her car?”

“Naw.”

I didn’t even like cats. If she was my girl, his ass would have to be put down or whatever the fuck they did to cats when you dropped them off to the animal shelter.

“Her car’s in the shop,” I lied. After that day, I’d never let her drive it. It was parked in one of our other warehouses. It was my plan to get her a new one.

“I’ll run that piece of information by her later. She’s good, ain’t she? Had Teenie bring everything she needed from clothes and shoes, even toiletries. Oh and that tea. She really likes that tea. I think it helps her to sleep.”

“Oh, I like it too.”

I chuckled when Teenie came by one day with some medical tea shit from Bells and Bliss . My baby wanted to get lit but passed up on the blunt. I had it. She just couldn’t smoke it unless I rolled it.

“Less on that tea,” I mumbled.

In fact, all she did was sleep. Any other time, she’d walk right by me in my own crib and wouldn’t even speak. I took her cards away and her cell phone too. I lied and told her she must have dropped it. I had it. That next morning while she was in the shower, I had a new cell phone delivered. Said she wanted her old one, but fuck that.

“Emric, you can’t have your way all the time, but since you’re being bullheaded, I ordered some things for her.”

“Like what?”

My brows lifted. I swear in no time she’d recruited Aunty My to become my number one enemy if it gave her access to a nigga. That phone was hers but I made Alix mirror all communications so I could see her bitch and complain... then intervene if I thought she was about to do something crazy as fuck. She should move on, but that didn’t mean it could be with anyone. I had to have that nigga vetted. That was the price she had to pay for giving me that good pussy. I’d had plenty over the years but her green, young ass had me addicted. I didn’t wash my dick off all day after the last time she allowed me to make love to her.

“Her pottery. Did you know she likes to make pottery like vases and miniature pieces?” She leaned closer, her face filled with excitement. “She’s good too. Saw a few photos. You’ve been so busy with the annual race fundraiser that you didn’t even notice we’d set up the loft upstairs. Maybe then she’ll come out of that room and join the land of the living. Her kiln is coming… hopefully today.”

I felt like shit. She’d caught an attitude, so I caught one too. I was only trying to be a real nigga and save her ass from grief by fucking with me. I won’t lie. I did miss that mean energy she filled the atmosphere with. It was a front because underneath all of that was a broken, stubborn soul like mine. Germ hadn’t told me much about her dating history, but he told me enough. She pretty much had been married to her career as a firefighter and her dumb ass cat. For now, it was best I kept my distance. We both were fucked up in the head.

“She’s living whether she comes out or not.”

Shit, she was the only woman besides Gen to even sleep in my crib. Auntie My swatted at me then pointed upstairs where the guest room Merci occupied was.

“Have the sense God gave you and at least speak. I’m sick of you two. Honestly, I need a break from all of you. Enrietta is probably rolling over in her grave. I have you pretending you’re not falling for a woman you kidnapped, Brick’s getting into squabbles because Eriqua cut him off, and Alix…”

She threw her hands up.

“I have no clue what’s going on with Alix, but he’s finding his way. Let him. Remember, he hasn’t seen what you and Elias have seen.”

I snickered. Brick would have a fit if he heard her call him Elias. He stayed suspended from school whenever the kids in class teased him about his name.

“Laugh all you want straight to her room. Now go!”

“Auntie…” I drawled then shoved my hands in my pockets. I felt she was sonning me like I was a little boy.

I ran an entire club, helped provide for my siblings, still put money on Beast’s books, and took care of our community. Sleep was a commodity I rarely enjoyed and hadn’t from a quality perspective in a while, and definitely not since Merci was under my roof.

“Emric, baby. If you’re running because you think you don’t deserve love or won’t be good at it, stop. I hear you… all this propaganda about keeping her safe, but the lie you keep telling will run her off. Face her.”

“I can’t right now. I need to focus. I’ll holler at her when I come back, alright? You coming out there?”

“That would be rude since my new niece can’t,” she jested.

I wasn’t fucking with Auntie My. I know what me and Merci did was something that should have never happened, but that didn’t mean it had to happen again or that we needed to take it further.

Let her enjoy her pottery and shit and maybe Kane, even though I still wanted to off that nigga. Firefighter friend my ass.