Chapter 27 #3
“Aye!” Logic snatched Keynauri back and shoved him to the ground. “Nigga, are you crazy? You have too much to lose to be out here fighting. I heard the sirens, so the law is on the way. Get your ass in the truck, and get the fuck out of here!”
I was grateful someone was trying to intervene.
My brother had too much to lose, and I had already cost him enough of his life.
My body shook as I sobbed. East was still beating Nathan within an inch of his life, and I could hear sirens in the distance.
I stood, trying to recall the breathing techniques my therapist taught me, but my mind was drawing a blank.
A pair of arms wrapped around me, but I was too distraught to even see who it was.
“Keyz, get out of here!” East commanded.
“I’m not leaving y’all to deal with this shit alone,” Keynauri insisted.
“Nauri, you’re being foolish. Those cops are not going to care that you’re famous. They’re gonna lock you up, and the news will have your face plastered everywhere. Please leave!” I begged. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if Keynauri fucked up his future again because of my bullshit.
“She’s right. You’ve got to use your head. We can handle this,” East assured him. Nathan was still talking shit with blood pouring from his mouth. I still couldn’t understand why he was there.
“All of you ingrates are going to rot in jail! Then you won’t be able to keep me away from what’s mine!” he shouted. His sudden interest in Noodle made no sense since he had made it clear he wanted nothing to do with her.
“Daddy? W-what are you doing here?”
Naiari stepped onto the scene, her eyes filled with a million questions. We made amends while we were on vacation, but I still hadn’t managed to tell her the truth about her father. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure where to start.
“Fuck!” Logic shouted just as the police pulled up. The flashing lights sent shockwaves through my body.
“Come on, boo. Why don’t we get you and baby girl out of here? Y’all don’t need to see this.”
It was then that I realized the person holding me was Naiari’s best friend, Nova.
“I-I can’t leave them. This is all my fault.” My voice was almost hoarse from crying so hard.
“No, it’s not. They are grown, and they know what they’re doing. Men protect their loved ones, Lyric. Nobody is to blame besides these dumbasses who came to cause trouble,” she insisted.
My heart shattered into a million pieces when I heard my brother speak.
“I don’t want my kids to see me get arrested. Get them out of here, now,” he told Ari as he gave her his car keys. I shook my head in disbelief as the cops headed toward them.
“Lyric. I need Noodle’s car seat,” a voice called out, but I couldn’t peel my eyes away from the scene in front of me. Both East and Keynauri stood there, calm as could be; meanwhile, I was ready to shit my pants and throw up.
“There’s one in my car,” East told her. That was when I realized Naiari had been talking to me.
“I want to press charges on these hoodlums for assault!” Audacity must have been on sale because I couldn’t even understand how Nathan thought he was the victim in all of this.
“That’s right! Look what those thugs did to my fiancé!”
I scoffed as Trina put on her best performance. How the hell was she claiming him as her fiancé when the man was married? Jazzie’s messy tail stood there watching with a satisfied grin on her face. It was sad that she found joy in her own children’s suffering, but I shouldn’t have been surprised.
“After reviewing the statements provided, we’re going to have to place the two of you under arrest for the battery and assault of Mr. Allgood,” the officer stated as they proceeded to pull out their handcuffs.
I nearly lost it when I saw my brother on his knees with his hands behind his head.
This wasn’t the way things were supposed to play out. He had been through enough
“Lyric, you need to go with them,” Essex urged. My head snapped in his direction as they ordered him to place his hands behind his back. I felt a mixture of despair and guilt. If I hadn’t gone against his wishes, none of this would have happened.
“I’m not leaving you. I can’t. I’m so sorry, baby.” I sniveled with snot dripping past my upper lip. Essex mouthed the words, “I love you,” and I completely lost it. Nova tried her best to hold me up, but I was inconsolable. I screamed and pleaded as they loaded my man and brother into their cars.
The moment they pulled away, I raced over to the grass and threw up.
I hadn’t even gotten the chance to eat the Chinese I bought from the mall, so there wasn’t much inside my stomach outside of water, the yogurt I had for breakfast, and stomach acid.
Nova held my hair until I finished, and I could hear her praying over me.
It was something I couldn’t recall anyone ever doing outside of Granny Nessa.
When I released everything left inside of me, she helped me and led me over to Logic’s car.
Logic stuck around to talk to the officers, and Nova and I climbed inside.
I broke down as I watched them drive away.
Every time I thought life was getting better, I was reminded of just how fucked up my past truly was.