Chapter 11
I an
For two weeks, I had been miserable. Not only was I missing my chocolate drop, but I was sick as a dog.
I wanted Jrake Peterson dead, but the last thing I wanted was to hurt Jrue and Jeremiah.
I was crazy about that girl, and Jeremiah was like the little brother that I never had. Eamon’s big ass didn’t count.
Jrake was really a punk ass nigga. I couldn’t say that enough. Even after his punk ass saw that his brother was hit, he didn’t try to make sure he was good.
He knew damn well Jrue and Jeremiah spent a lot of time with me, so the fact that he would shoot at me twice, putting his siblings in danger, said a lot about his character. I didn’t give a damn about his character or none of that nonsense. I wanted him dead.
Even if I was determined to put a bullet in his head, the virus I had was tearing my ass up. I slammed my hand on the table, making my phone jump. It was crazy how many times I had stopped myself from calling Jrue. I needed to let the dust settle before I went for her.
In just a short period of time, she had become one of the most important people in my life. I couldn’t wait to get better, because it was time to settle this shit once and for all.
Jeremiah had let me know that he was out of the hospital and getting around a little better, but Jrue had been distant as hell.
I couldn’t blame her. When I took Jeremiah with me, I made a promise to take care of him.
The last thing I expected was for Jrake to shoot his own brother to get to me.
Then again, I should have known how irrational he was when he shot at me when Jrue was standing right next to me. This had to end once and for all.
I couldn’t let Jrue stay mad with me without trying to do something to fix things. We weren’t going to end like this. I was crazy about that crazy ass girl. Picking my phone up from the counter, I went to Jrue’s contact and hit call before I changed my mind.
Her beautiful face popped up on my phone screen, immediately soothing the ache in my heart.
“I missed you,” I said as soon as I found my voice.
“You could have called.”
“How many times should I have called without getting an answer? Stop playing with me, Jrue. I was about to send Eamon to get you.”
“I’m not playing. I’m sorry, OK. I missed you too,” she confessed.
“How are you feeling, baby?”
“Better now that Jeremiah is feeling better. I’m still a wreck, though.”
“I need to see you, Choc.”
“I don’t know if that’s?—”
“So y’all wanna treat me like the black sheep after all I did for y’all? You really not answering your phone, bitch?”
Bitch? The yelling in the background made me and Jrue jump to our feet at the same time.
“Jrue, what’s going on, baby? Who the hell is that?” I quizzed.
My heart thundered in my ears as her brother Jrake rushed into the kitchen where she stood. He had to be out of his mind. I knew I should have taken care of him when I had the chance.
“Give me my damn key! You are not about to be busting up in my house talking crazy after you got my baby shot. You’re lucky if I don’t do something to you right now! Give me my key!”
“Jrue!” I yelled into the receiver.
It didn’t matter that Jrake was her brother; my instinct to protect her was on high alert.
I didn’t trust anyone who was unstable enough to shoot at his family members in order to get to someone else.
The man was delusional and jealous. He would never have accused me of setting him up if my career had never taken off the way it did.
He would have dodged me at all costs, hoping I never asked for my money back.
“Eamon, get the truck!”
I barked as I marched through the house. Jrue was coming with me. She didn’t have a choice anymore. She was a sitting duck in her own home since her brother had a key.
Eamon popped out of wherever he was, falling in step with me as I headed for the garage.
“What’s up, Bro? You good?”
“Take me to my baby.”
That was all I had to say. I couldn’t just leave Jrue over there in danger. She might not think her brother was dangerous, but I didn’t trust him. Eventually, he would do something to hurt her. His hatred for me made him unpredictable. It didn’t help that I couldn’t see her face anymore.
Jrue held her phone in her hand at her side.
Instead of being able to read my baby’s face, I was forced to look at the kitchen table.
I needed to be there. I climbed in the back seat of my car with my eyes glued to the screen as Eamon peeled out of the driveway.
They were twenty minutes away, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to her.
“Jrue, stop engaging with him. I’m on the way!” I ordered.
“Oh, you called that nigga on me? You a stupid ass bitch! That soft ass nigga can’t save you. Give me that phone, Jrue!”
“Get the fuck away from my sister!” Jeremiah barked, rushing into the view of the camera. It was good to see him on his feet, but the way he guarded his left side showed that he was still in pain.
“That weak ass nigga got y’all brainwashed. I keep trying to tell y’all he’s a rat. Jeremiah, I can’t believe you would do me like that. I know your dick dizzy ass sister was a dingbat, but I expected better from you, lil bro.”
“Nigga, you shot me, and you shot at my sister! I don’t have no respect for you!” Jeremiah snarled.
“You shot my baby, Jrake?” Jrue asked.“Let him go, Jrake!” Jrue shouted.
“He gon’ learn to respect me! I’m not gon’ hurt this boy!” Jrake hollered as Jeremiah stumbled back in front of the camera, holding his side.
“Get out, Jrake!” Jrue demanded.
“I’m going. I just came over here to talk to let y’all know that I’ma kill that pussy ass nigga for coming between me and my family. Y’all the only thing I got. When I get him out the way, everything will be back to normal.”
Was he serious? Jrake really blamed me for coming between him and his siblings. I guess he didn’t think shooting all around their heads like he was William Tell had anything to do with it. The man was insane. There was no other way to explain it.
“You sound crazy right now.”
“You care more about that man than you do your own brother. That’s why I’m about to shoot the shit out of him while I know y’all hid out in this house. The whole hood gon’ know he died a snitch. I’m gon’ finally get that snake ass rat.”
“You can’t do that, Jrake. I’m having his baby.”
Jrue was pregnant.
“You let that fuck nigga get you pregnant, Jrue? You are so fucking stupid! That man took everything from me, and all you care about is his money, with your greedy ass. You’re a damn fool. I’ma kill that nigga.”
“Bro, cut this shit out!” Jeremiah fussed.
“For real, Jrake. Just go home and clear your head. Maybe we can go to church together Sunday,” Jrue suggested.
“Fuck that shit. You ain’t having that fuck nigga’s baby. I’m ending this shit now!”
The phone clattered to the floor as Jrue lunged at him.
I felt helpless, hearing the scuffling in the background.
Jeremiah raced past the phone right before I heard a gunshot go off.
The world dropped from under me when the phone disconnected.
Frantically, I called Jrue back. The call went straight to voicemail. I called right back.
“Get me to my baby, E!” I barked.