Chapter 9
R ennix
I could tell Caya was pissed with me earlier so I gave her some space for most of the day.
She knew the money didn’t stop for no man.
I had to stay on my business regardless of what occurred.
At least I wasn’t coming up here alone. I had Rem’s ol’ trigger happy ass.
Bro wouldn’t hesitate to splatter something in the name of safety or vengeance.
My brother had been talking about handling this shit since that night at my spot.
He and G differed in that fact. Where G was trying to see what was to the shooting and the logistics of things—because bodies didn’t just disappear—Rem wanted to send shots in the dark.
In his eyes, everybody needed to feel my shooting.
He was right in that idea, but the fact still stood.
We didn’t know who shot me or who tried to rob the club.
There were too many mysteries and not enough answers and that bothered me while I was laid up in Caya’s house.
That was when I went back to the darker motion I was used to.
I was over doing things at somebody else’s pace.
I hacked the security company’s camera system and encrypted the months I asked for.
Then I shared them with myself and removed them from their database.
Once I did all of that, I called and scheduled for them to remove their shit from my club.
Today they’d be picking the shit up. While they did that, I had a hook up with this fool I met one evening over east. He owned a bar and said his cousin set up the surveillance so the only person with the feed was him.
I didn’t need the feed secured because I could do that on my own.
I just needed somebody to place the cameras and angle them.
Once I figured all of that out, I was in motion. Today me and Rem being at the club was just a formality. This was my business, so I wasn’t letting nobody run me from my shit. I’d worked too hard to shy from the deep end.
“Your girl ain’t fucking with you right now, huh?” Reminisce asked as soon as we pulled up.
“Nah, but she’ll be good. I ain’t going in late. I’ma make it in by nine.”
He chuckled and turned the car over. “Curfew having ass.”
“You’re damn right,” I agreed. “Plus we only here to watch the tapes and make sure Duke don’t need anything.”
Laughter still escaped his lips. “If you scared of your lady, then just say that, Renny. Don’t be coming up with all these excuses to go in early.”
I flipped him off. When we were both out of the car, we walked toward the entrance, immediately met by Buch, my security, a big, six foot four, hefty nigga.
He had to weigh at least three-fifty, but all muscle.
I always laughed internally at the fact that he was in a black T-shirt with a fucking donut on it.
It wasn’t just any donut but one with pink glaze and sprinkles.
“Good to see you, boss.” He greeted me and threw his head forward in respect for my brother.
“You too. It been good around here?” I asked, eyes landing on the semi empty parking lot and high sun. It was still early in the day, which was enough time for business to be handled with surveillance and be ready for tonight. It was a Friday, so of course it was about to be packed.
He nodded. “Yeah. Nothing fishy. Everything is moving at its own pace.”
My eyes scanned the neon room before I nodded.
“Cool. Keep your eyes peeled.” I walked off a few seconds later with Rem in tow.
I hadn’t been spending much time here for obvious reasons, but I loved this space.
Donuts was what showed me I could exist on the opposite side of business.
It showed me I didn’t have to do what I was doing before.
Reminisce and I were twins, but our thought processes and actions differed completely.
Whereas he was fine with what we used to do, I wasn’t.
I chose to stop playing God while he relished it.
I didn’t judge him because that was his choice and his cross to bear. I just knew that life wasn’t for me.
“So, you really happy?” he asked, voice breaking through my intense thoughts.
“Yeah. I’m aight besides being shot.”
“I’m not talking about that. You know I’m not.” His eyes were also traveling the spot.
I laughed. “I know what you mean. Yeah, I’m happy and lowkey she makes me that way. It’s a peace of mind that I swear I ain’t used to, but I’m grateful for.”
“And her kid?”
“That’s my Lil G. Ain’t shit changed. If I’m in her life then I’m in his.”
Reminisce laughed. “Shit, it’s the least you can do since you knocked the Mario coins out of his father.”
“That nigga ain’t no father. He’s a fucking deadbeat.” We began to move toward my office, me ready to watch this film.
Reminisce laughed. “Alright step daddy of the year. Just know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“After watching all the fools in and out of your mama’s life. You think I don’t know? Me, Cay, and Adonis are cool. Especially since I’m probably gonna kill ol’ boy.”
I could feel Reminisce’s eyes. “Why?”
“He saw Cay and Adonis in the store. He said some shit like, it’s good I got what was coming to me. Like he knew who shot me or something.”
“For real?” Rem asked.
“Yeah, Cay hit him upside his shit with a can, but I still feel like it’s worth a visit.”
“You right, it is. Let me know when. I’ll tune his ass up, just like I did when we were little and Big John’s fat ass used to bully you.”
I laughed. “Get the fuck outta here. That was fifteen years ago.”
“Exactly and just like I flooded him back then because you couldn’t, I’ma do the same to this one.”
We made eye contact briefly because I swear I understood that. For my siblings I’d go back to a life I turned my back on. Not only for them though, but Caya and Adonis too. I was just now coming to grips with that part though.
As soon as we entered my office I went to my computer and cut it on.
It took a minute, having not been used in almost a week, but it came on.
My first move was to my email. There I found the encrypted file I sent myself.
When I opened it, hours of tape awaited me.
I didn’t have time for that, so I started rapidly typing to use software to sift through the videos for me.
Once I had it sharpened with a precise enough prompt, I set it free and sat back.
It would alert me when it found what I was looking for.
In the meantime I decided to FaceTime Caya. I missed her face. I had gotten way too used to it and her. She was probably on that attitude shit, but she’d be aight.
“Adonis, go put on the clothes I laid out for you, baby. It’s too hot for your rainboots and it’s not even raining,” she lectured, answering the phone with her eyebrows all knitted together and lips tight.
“I thought he was with Cylah.”
“He was. She dropped him off a little after I got home.” She only looked at the camera for a second before she looked at something else behind it. “Either you put on the shorts and shirt I gave you or you’re not going in the yard.”
“He ’ont be liking what you pick out. You be having him looking like a proper lame. ”
“Well he’s gonna wear what I lay out, Rennix. Now, aren’t you out? What is it I can help you with?”
“Dropping that fucking attitude.”
She sucked her teeth. “What time are you coming in?”
“Soon as I’m finished here. I told you I wasn’t staying out late. Especially since you agreed to make that one recipe for me.” I licked my lips at the thought.
“Nah. Eat while you’re out.” She called herself being stubborn, knowing I found that extremely sexy.
“Nah. I’m tryna come in and eat, then eat you for dessert. Stop being so difficult so we can have a good night, mama.” I felt my brother’s eyes, but I didn’t care.
“How do you feel right now?”
“I’m aight.”
She peered at me seriously. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’m good. Don’t be too worried about me, thug.”
She shook her head, then looked up from me to behind the screen. She sighed heavily. “Adonis, take your behind in that room and take the costume off.”
I chuckled, thinking about the first time he showed me his costume. He had a serious obsession with Spider-Man, so every chance he got, he’d throw that shit on and get on Caya’s nerves. “Lemme see my Lil G.”
“See you perpetuate this.”
“’Cause ain’t nothing wrong with it.” She flipped the screen, and as soon as she did, I was chuckling. Adonis was already in his stance. He was crouched down with his left leg extended and the right one directly under him.
“Mommy, who is that? Is that Granny?”
“No, it’s Rennix.”
“Lemme see, Mommy.” He hopped up out of his stance and rushed the phone. By the time he grabbed the phone she had flipped the camera for him.
“Rennix!” Of course he said my name all excited and shit.
“Yeah, Lil G.”
“When are you coming home?”
“He doesn’t live with us, Adonis. Rennix has his own hou?—”
“Stop correcting him. He good. And I should be there in a couple hours, what we watching tonight?”
He giggled excitedly. “ Lilo and Stitch . Mommy bought it on Amazon.”
“I told you I wasn’t watching that movie no more, Lil G. Pick another one.”
“Okay,” he dragged out. “I’ll give the phone back to Mommy.” That was code for “I’m watching Lilo and Stitch without your ass”.
Once Caya was back on the phone, I couldn’t stop looking at her.
I could look at her for hours and not grow tired.
Everything about her had my existence in a state it wasn’t used to.
I was obsessed with her, mentally and physically, moving at a pace unfamiliar to myself.
I knew this would happen, I felt it, but I lied to myself, believing I just needed one night.
“Stop looking at me like that, Rennix. Tend to your business and leav?—”
“What you like… a small?” I asked, narrowing my eyes toward the camera.
“No, a medium. Why?”
“Cause I’m ’bout to bring you a Donuts shirt home.” I winked.