Chapter 9
I was used to Pepper giving me a hard time, so her change of attitude threw me for a loop. I didn’t know how to feel about it. Her feistiness was one of the things that turned me on the most. I had dealt with women who would do whatever I told them to do whenever I told them, and that got boring after a while. Pepper fought me every chance she got, and I liked that. I didn’t know for a fact, but I felt like she could be submissive under the right circumstances. I wanted a woman who could be submissive but not let me run over her either.
My mother called and told me she needed to see my face, so I got ready to go to her house. We hadn’t talked much since I snatched up Pepper, because I knew she would ask questions. More than likely, she would ask a ton of questions when I went over there, but I also knew I couldn’t not go. If I didn’t show my face soon, she would make her way to my house, and that was the last thing I needed.
I turned on the camera to see what Pepper was doing. Normally, the room she was in didn’t have a camera, but I set one up for my own selfish pleasure. Multiple times a day, I would watch Pepper doing nothing but color and watch TV. She did yoga sometimes, but now that she had pajamas, she did it in those. That was fine with me because the shorts were so short, I still got a glimpse of her ass when she bent over. My obsession with her was serious.
Since I would be gone for a while, I made her some breakfast and got her a few snacks to hold her over until I came back. I might have been keeping her locked up, but I wasn’t trying to starve her to death. I wanted to be as nice to her as I could, because I didn’t want her to want to leave.
After the food was done, I put it all on a tray and carried it up to her room.
She stood when I entered the room, and damn. The red two-piece pajama set she wore had my manhood rising. It was the same thing every single time I saw her, but it was something about the red that took it up a notch. I made a mental note to get her more red things.
“Good morning, Pepper.” I walked further into the room. My eyes didn’t leave hers, and hers hadn’t left mine.
“Good morning, mister.”
I almost audibly groaned when she called me mister. I still didn’t understand why it affected me the way it did. Maybe because it was coming from Pepper, and the way she said it, it had a sexual undertone, or maybe that was just what I wanted to hear. Either way, I loved that shit.
I walked closer to her, and I smirked when she didn’t move back.
Maybe I was wearing her ass down.
“I have to leave for a little bit,” I said as I placed the tray on the table. I saw a little glimmer of hope in her, but I was about to burst her little bubble.
I closed the space between us and leaned down so we were face-to-face. Her dark eyes searched my face, but my eyes were on her lips. I wanted to kiss her again, but I wasn’t sure if I would be able to stop myself.
“Just because I’m leaving don’t mean you are too. There is still no way for you to get out of here. If you notice, there are some snacks on the tray that will hold you over until I get back. Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.” I winked.
She rolled her eyes and stomped over to the bed before sitting down and crossing her arms.
I watched her for a moment.
She sucked her teeth. “Why are you standing there? Go do whatever you need to do.” She glanced at the food, then back at me.
There was no need to respond to her, so I turned and walked toward the door. Before I could get the door open, I heard her call me.
“Mister.” I turned to face her. “Have a good day.” She smiled, and it seemed genuine.
I closed the door without saying a word. This damn girl was trying to knock me off my square.
Once I locked the door, I went downstairs to grab my keys and leave.
I arrived at my mother’s house thirty minutes later and noticed my brother’s bike in the driveway. I parked next to him and walked inside.
“Yo!” I called as I walked through the foyer.
My mother came out of the kitchen with her apron on and a dish towel over her shoulder.
“Dion Nixon, I will beat your ass if you come in here yelling like that again. I don’t know how many times I have to tell your big ass about that,” my mother fussed as she walked near me.
She yelped when I pulled her into my arms and kissed her cheek.
“Hi, Momma.”
“Hey, Dion.” She swatted me with the dish towel. “Your brother is in the kitchen, probably trying to sneak some food.”
“No, I’m not!” My brother yelled from the kitchen.
My mother laughed and walked toward the kitchen. I shook my head as I followed her.
Axe stood when I entered and hugged me when I got close. “What’s good, bro? He patted my back. “We need to talk when we leave.” He whispered in my ear.
“Don’t be doing that whispering mess in here, Dante. If you can’t say it out loud, then don’t say it all.”
“My bad, Momma.”
“Uh-huh. Dinner will be ready soon, so make sure you two wash your hands.
It didn’t matter how old we were; my mother would tell us to wash our hands like we weren’t going to do that anyway.
Once a week, no matter what we had going on, Axe and I had dinner with our mother. Darcy Nixon didn’t play about spending time with us. She was a single mother of three boys, so she had to work multiple jobs, but she never made us feel neglected. It didn’t start until Darren died. For months, the three of us went through all stages of grief. Most days, when Axe and I weren’t at school and my mom was at work, the three of us would stay in our rooms. One day my mom decided that enough was enough, and she forced us to have dinner as a family. When we moved out, she changed it to once a week, but sometimes it would be more. Nobody could cook like my mother, and some days I really need her cooking.
I wonder if Pepper could cook.
“I don’t see either of y’all moving.” My mother’s sugary voice broke through my thoughts.
I shook off thoughts of Pepper and walked down the hall. My brother came up behind me.
“Don’t say shit right now,” I said to him.
Even though he said he would wait until we left, I knew my brother. It was just the two of us in the hallway, so I wouldn’t put it past him saying something.
“Oh, trust me, I won’t. Your mother would hate to find out the shit her baby has been up to.” He brushed past me and went into the bathroom.
I ran my hand down my face. I already knew how the conversation was going to go. He wanted to wait until we left because he knew shit would get heated. He wanted to talk about Pepper and what I was doing with her, but I didn’t have any answers for him.
I leaned against the wall until Axe came out of the bathroom. I went in, did what I needed to, then went back to the kitchen. When I walked in, Axe was in the middle of telling my mom a story about the students in his class. Axe, also known as Mr. Dante, was a second-grade teacher. It was crazy to me that he became a teacher. I would have never guessed, especially of kids so young. Some of the fathers were intimidated by him, and a lot of the mothers tried to fuck him. He was better than me because I would have busted a few of them down, but he never did. Axe was very selective about who he dealt with. I couldn’t even remember the last time he was in a serious situation.
“Took you long enough,” my mom said as I sat in the chair opposite my brother.
“I had to use the bathroom.”
She sucked her teeth and came over to the table with our plates. My mother didn’t play about touching her pots, so she always fixed our plates.
I rubbed my hands together when I looked at the plate full of smothered chicken, rice, and green beans. After she placed the plates down, she went to the stove and grabbed the basket of rolls she made. A pitcher of red Kool-Aid sat in the middle of the table.
“Dante, it’s your turn to bless the food.”
The three of us joined hands as my brother blessed the food. We rotated who would do it each week.
“So, what’s been going on with you, Momma?” I asked as I scooped some rice and chicken onto my fork.
“You know me, spending time with the ladies from the crochet club and going to church. I sure wish I had some grandkids to occupy my time.” Her eyes darted between my brother and me.
My mother never failed to bring up grandchildren whenever we got together. She would have to rely on Axe for that because it wasn’t in the cards for me.
Axe cleared his throat. “Have you made any new blankets? We have a drive coming up soon at the club.”
“Don’t try to ignore what I said about babies, but I’ll have some blankets available in the next few weeks. I’ll get some of the girls to make some. You know they get on my nerves sometimes? Always talking about some, Darcy, when are you going to bring your sons by to meet my granddaughters?” She rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth. “Get on my nerves with that. I’m going to start telling them y’all are married already.”
Both my brother and I laughed.
“One of us might be before the other,” my brother added as he looked at me.
“And who might that be?” my mother questioned as she squinted her eyes at me.
“Not me.” My voice raised an octave.
I didn’t know what Pepper would do if I ever let her go, but I didn’t see myself marrying her.
My mother’s eyes darted between my brother and me again, but neither of us said anything.
She held her fork in the air. “I think the two of you are keeping secrets, but I won’t ask any questions now. The truth will come out when it needs to.” She continued eating, then told us about some gossip at the church where she went.
An hour later, we were all full, and everything had been cleaned up. Axe and I always helped our mother clean up before we left her house. We also made sure the trash was taken out, if need be, and anything else that needed to be done around the house.
I made Pepper and me plates to go, and I had to convince my mom that they both were for me. Axe gave me the side-eye the whole time I made the plates.
When we were done, we said our goodbyes to our mother and left the house.
“What the fuck are you doing with Pepper still at your house?”
I knew it was coming as soon as we were far enough for our mom not to hear us.
“I got this,” I assured him.
“No the fuck you don’t. Her father is gearing up for a war if he doesn’t get his daughter back soon.”
“I’m not worried about him.”
My brother got in my face, so we were damn near chest to chest.
“You should be. Regardless of what you think he’s going to do, you aren’t the only one that will be affected by a fucking war!”
He was pissed, and it was obvious by the flare of his nostrils and the way he stood with his legs planted wide.
I ran a hand over my head. “Listen, I know you are mad, but I’m going to need you to back up.”
He took steps back and glared at me. The disappointment in his eyes fucked with me. I had looked up to him since I was little, and I never wanted him to think less of me.
After a few long seconds passed, he softened his features and stepped back.
Axe stuck his hands in his pocket. “Look, I really think he’s doing the shit to save his reputation. I don’t think he cares about that girl that much because if that were the case, he would have been here by now. It’s not like he doesn’t know where she is. A war, though, would make him look like a hero and shit. Like he isn’t one to be fucked with.”
That bit of information pissed me off and kinda intrigued me. Why wouldn’t he just come and get her himself? Why would he have to start a war between the clubs? Not saying I would give her back willingly, but there was no need for violence.
“I’m trying to understand what you are thinking, B. What is the real reason behind all of this?”
I paced back and forth in front of my bike. I had to choose my words carefully. If I told my brother the full truth, he would lose his shit. I also didn’t like keeping secrets from either.
“I can tell you are about to say some bullshit, so spit that shit out.”
I felt tightness in my chest and rubbed the back of my neck.
“He needs to die for killing my brother.”
Axe looked at me like I had lost my mind.
“Dion, I told you to let that shit go.”
“Let it go! I don’t know why you don’t give a fuck!”
He jumped in my face, and his breathing increased.
“Don’t you dare fucking tell me I don’t care, because I do! I also know that revenge ain’t the way to go. You are in love, or at least in deep like with that girl. Do you think she would forgive you for killing her father?” He pushed me in the chest.
The thought of Pepper hating me for killing her father made my chest feel hollow, but this was something I had planned since I was younger. I hated her father for continuing to live his life like he hadn’t taken my brother from me. He never paid for his crimes, but it seemed as though I was the only one who wanted him to pay.
“I can’t let him get away with that shit, bro.” Tears filled my eyes. Losing my twin messed me up emotionally, and Harold never seemed bothered by what he had done.
Axe grabbed me and hugged me, and I broke down in his arms. It had been a long time since I cried about my twin, but I was so close to taking out his killer. I never thought that Harold did it on purpose, but that wasn’t the point. It was the fact that he never had to pay for it.
“I feel you, bro. Trust me, I do. I don’t agree with it, though. It’s not even about Harold; it’s about what it will do to his daughter. I’m telling you that you don’t want that on your conscience.”
“I hear you.”
“I know you really don’t, and I’m not going to argue with you. I do feel like you need to have a meeting soon. A few of the guys already heard some shit, but I told them they would be filled in when it was necessary. I think it’s necessary. And know this: No matter what happens, I got your back. You are my brother, and even when I don’t agree, I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
He pulled me into his arms and patted my back. We held each other for a second. No matter how deep our crew was, and how many weapons we had, there was a chance of injuries if Pepper’s dad decided he wanted to go to war with us. I couldn’t lose another brother, and I wouldn’t. I would take myself out first before I let that happen.
I looked him in the eyes when I said, “And nothing will happen to you. I’ll call a meeting soon. Tell everyone that Pepper is mine now, and I’m not giving her back. If Harold wants a war, then a war he’ll fucking get.”
With that, I jumped on my bike. My engine roared to life when I turned it on. There was nothing else that needed to be said. I sped away, leaving a trail of smoke. I wasn’t worried about Harold and his gang.
He would have to see me if he wanted his daughter back.