20. Quameer
quameer
. . .
I walked into Cappadonna’s house last since Capri’s freaky ass held me up. The further she got in her pregnancy, the more her ass couldn’t keep her hands off me. I couldn’t front like I didn’t feel the same. Any excuse to slide between my wife’s legs and I was gonna take that shit. She was still taking personal time from work, so she was home all day trying to change everything that she didn’t like. She could paint the house pink, and I wouldn’t give a fuck because I wanted her to make the house our home.
“About time you showed the fuck up… why the fuck yo’ neck look like… never fucking mind,” Cappadonna said when he noticed that his sister was the reason my neck was all marked up.
I held my hand up with my wedding band. “Gotta mind your business, Capp. What you said? I’m a married man,” I mocked him and he chuckled.
Alaia walked into the kitchen with a burp cloth over her shoulder, and one of the twins in her arms. “Baby, hold your son because your other son has poop all up his back. That formula isn’t sitting right with him… hey guys.” She noticed that we were standing there.
Capp was still recovering, and it was happening slower than he thought it would be. When Capone got shot, he was up and at it within a few weeks’ time, same with Capri. Capp’s recovery was slower, and he kept losing feeling in his arm.
He had been back and forth to the doctors to figure out what was wrong. “You put it in the notebook so we can talk to their doctor about it?”
“Yes. I even left a message.”
“Daddy! Now!” Promise screamed and looked up at her father.
We all laughed because Promise was bossy and she was like her mama, they didn’t play about Capp. He couldn’t pick her up along with the baby because of his arm. “Get Daddy’s water for me.” He gave her a task so she didn’t turn up.
“You know when she gets that water bottle that she’s going to demand you pick her up.” Alaia stood there with her hand on her hip.
“Well, get the shit off my son’s back so you can come get this one.” He laughed.
She balled his lips up. “Stop playing with me, Roy.”
He kissed her hand as she went back to where the other twin was. “Yeah… ight.”
“We need to handle this shit and send a fucking message. They fucking came at us, and Tasha riding with them, now we gotta remind them how the fuck we get down,” Capone said.
I noticed he was dressed like all of us, in all-black biker gear. Capone knew how to ride bikes; he just always chose to whip his car. “You riding today?”
“Cappadonna ain’t riding… I’m taking his place,” he replied, and his twin looked just as shocked as I did.
“The fuck you mean, Capo… I’m fucking riding the fuck out.” Cappadonna was against the plan his twin had for him.
“They fucking shot at my twin… niggas gotta see Capo. You fucking still hurt and trying to push through because you think that’s what you gotta do. Sit this one out, and we gonna spin on them niggas for you.”
Quasim stood up with a toothpick in his mouth. He removed it and looked at Cappadonna. “They shot at Big Capp… a fucking Inferno God. We already know that you know how to handle shit… let the Gods remind them that they fucked up.”
Cappadonna was used to always stepping up and handling shit when danger found its way our way. This was the first time he couldn’t control his body, and he was down. I could tell the shit was killing him that he wasn’t going, and it was for the best.
He looked at all of us. “Light them the fuck up.”
“Fuck you meaannn!” Yasin came in with Havoc’s tall ass behind him.
I nodded my head because shit ain’t been the same since Goon got locked up. Zoya took lead on his case, and she was able to get a shit ton of charges knocked down, but he wasn’t coming out of this without doing some time since he was on parole when he left the country.
“For fucking Gerald!” I said.
Yasin laughed. “He gonna fuck you up.”
“If you thought we weren’t going to ride out after they came into our city and shot one of our own.” Bia looked between Cappadonna, Capone, and Quasim. “My father had a great respect for both your father… they always stepped in when needed, and nothing changes because he’s gone. Different gangs, all one family.” Her sisters, Lia and Janay, followed behind her.
Me and Sim peeped Janay the night outside the club talking to Naheim. I laughed because he didn’t know what the fuck he was getting himself involved in when it came to Janay Steele. Not too many people knew that Janay was a Brooklyn Reaper, and that was mostly because she had been on her mom shit.
However, when it came to her family needing her, she was the first one on her bike with her gun in hand ready to handle shit. Before her pops got killed, I remember my pops used to take us to Brooklyn in the summer, and we would watch the Steele girls go crazy on their bikes. Doing wheelies and putting most niggas to shame.
Foxx Steele was always so proud of his daughters. He never had any sons, so everything that he built with the Brooklyn Reapers was for Bia to take over, since she was the oldest. When he was murdered, she stepped right into her role with her sisters having her follow up, like I had Sim’s.
Brooklyn Reapers had women and men, but majority of them were men, and they had a woman as their leader. I remember the push back Quasim faced when it came time for him to take over, and he was a male. I could only imagine the shit that Bia had to go through because of how widely respected her father was.
Quasim held his hand out and dapped Bia up. “Appreciate that, Bia.”
“I literally hate using my decoy bik?—”
“Janay, the fuck you doing here?” Naheim came from the back; I’m assuming blowing the bathroom up ‘cause he was holding his stomach.
“Do you really not know who I am?” she questioned, slightly skeptical that he didn’t know who she was.
Naheim looked at all of us like we were playing a joke. “The fuck going on?”
“Janay is a Brooklyn Reaper, nigga… keep up,” Kincaid snorted, as he laid back on the couch and watched everything going on.
“Stop fronting?”
Lia, the youngest, looked at her sister. “You always trying to have your Hannah Montana moment… you should have just told him who you were.”
Bia looked at both her sisters. “What’s the play?”
You would have thought that they were burying the fucking pope with all the damn funerals this nigga had. He had one for his family and colleagues, and now the Vipers were having one for him. It wasn’t like they could show up deep to the funeral with his family because Rich wasn’t supposed to be associated with them.
The only reason those pussy ass Chrome Vipers were even able to breathe was because of Monaco. So much had been in place and we couldn’t just toss shit away and handle them. It didn’t surprise me when we found out that Tasha was running with them. Morgan kept Chrome Vipers around in the shadows, and I’m sure that was who was keeping tabs on Tasha for him.
Her stupid ass should have come to the Delgatos if she was so scared, and now her stupid ass had to pay. If it was the last thing we did, we was gonna make sure that bitch was in the ground this time.
“Stump is in control since Rich is dead and Tookie still locked up… heard she got the nigga sweet on her, so he gonna protect her.” Forty walked in.
Capone snorted. “Bitch know how to work that pussy… I tell you that.”
Forty looked over toward Cappadonna. “They touched you, Capp. I don’t take that shit lightly… I warned that bitch, so now we gotta provide the pressure they asking for. Can’t let up since we did Rich in… gotta keep the shit going.”
He walked over toward Cappadonna and dapped him up, then pulled down his mask. It was a skull on the lower part of the ski mask. Not too many people knew that Forty was an Inferno God. Any time you saw a nigga busting up the fucking highway in a skull ski mask, you already knew it was Forty.
“Handle business,” Capp said, as he looked at all of us.
Quasim pulled his pants up and walked over to Capp, hitting the IG handshake, and then headed toward the front door. I followed behind him, as everyone got ready to dip and handle shit. If it was one thing those fucking Chrome pussies were gonna do, it was run their mouth. They were gonna make sure that we knew their next move.
Capella pulled up into the driveway and hopped out. Nigga may have been crashing out, but how he got out the whip, he reminded me of his father. That look in his eyes told me he was ready to kill some shit behind his father.
A blacked-out BMW pulled into the driveway behind Capella’s truck and Aimee hopped out. “Yes, I am coming,” Aimee said when she saw how I looked at her.
I laughed. “Aim, take yo ass in the house… Capp ain’t letting you ride with us.”
Capella eyed his wife down licking his lips. She was dressed down in all-black with a hoodie that I knew had her gun tucked inside the pockets. “She can ride with me!” Bia yelled, and nodded toward her bike.
“Aim, you sure about this?”
She sucked her teeth. “This isn’t my first rodeo… forget who sent that final bullet into homie’s head on the Staten Island expressway?”
“Nah, but you clearly forgot because you let little dusty extort yo’ ass,” I reminded her.
She cut her eyes at me. “I’m good, Capella.”
Yasin and Havoc came out the house and Aimee stopped and signed something to him, and Havoc laughed. “I can hear you.”
Havoc’s voice was always so damn low that you had to break your neck to hear what he had to say. Yasin said it was because he hated how his voice sounded. I ain’t never found anything wrong with his voice.
I can imagine not being born with hearing and finally hearing a bunch of noises and your own voice could be annoying, which is why that nigga was always with his device off in his own world.
“My son is learning sign language in therapy… just wanted to make sure I knew what he was learning.”
Yasin signed something to Havoc which caused him to laugh, and he shoved his younger brother, before going over to his bike. Bia was talking to Aimee before giving her a helmet.
Capone came out the house and tossed his nephew the keys to his challenger, and Naheim followed behind him. He said something in Janay’s ear, and she blushed before mushing him and starting her bike.
I watched as she pulled her helmet on and both her sisters made some sign to each other, crossed their hearts and held B’s up to the sky. The rest of the Reapers were waiting outside the gates. Like I did with Sim, Lia and Janay both fell back as their sister and Aimee sped out the gates, and they followed behind her, as the rest of the Reapers fell into line, and they zoomed down the street.
I pulled my phone out and facetime’d my wife. She answered and smiled when she saw me. “Everything in place?”
“Yeah. I love you, Suga.”
Her eyes became glossy, something I learned came with the pregnancy. Capri would cry over the smallest things these days. “Be safe, Quameer. Me and the girls need you, so be safe.”
“Wish you were right behind me.” As much as I took pride in keeping my wife safe, I loved witnessing her in her prime and when she was busting her shit.
She smiled. “Me too. For now, me and Beretta out here repping.”
I laughed when she lifted Beretta up and she had on a motorcycle vest on. “Love you, Sug. The Gods are outside the house, right?”
“Yep… the neighbor came out and brought them coffee,” she laughed. “I told them they could come inside.”
“Nah. They following the instructions… I’ll see you soon.”
She smiled and kissed her two fingers. “Soon.”
All I needed to see, and I ended the call, slipping my phone in my pocket and putting my helmet on. Quasim rolled out first, and I revved my engine to Ducati Streetfighter v4 and followed behind him. Everyone filed out behind me, and we headed to the hall where they were having the memorial.
Quasim remained at the head and swooped over. I took my place beside him. I looked ahead and Bia was the center, while her sisters were behind her, one on each side. Capella and Naheim drove in the middle in the challenger as we locked down street after street to make it to that church.
When it got too heavy, we all broke up and went our own ways, knowing the destination where we were heading. Havoc pulled up beside me and Yasin on the other side of me as Sim signaled.
We’ve always used hand signals, but the reason Sim used them so frequently was because of Havoc. We treated his ass like everybody else, and when he got tired of our shit, he made sure to let us know he couldn’t hear us.
I don’t know how many times that nigga cussed me out using his hands and having Yasin translate for me. The only shit I knew how to say was fuck you and that was because Havoc said the shit to me all the time.
Yasin and Havoc was locked in with the Inferno Gods because their mother was a goddess back in the day with my pops. Havoc signed something to his brother, who pushed forward going ahead of Quasim.
All the Gods locked in around Capella. He was Cappadonna’s son, and our main priority was to make sure we came home with his hot-headed ass. Capone nodded as he took the right side, and I took the left side.
I spotted Lia fly by and hit a wheelie, and Kincaid nodded his head and followed behind her. His showoff ass did the same thing, clearly fucking impressed and wanting to show off. They signaled to each other, and he saluted as she fell back in line with the sisters.
Those ghetto fucking bitches didn’t even have the funeral at a church. They had it at some hall with a bar and had his coffin on the inside. We watched from far as they all stood outside probably swapping stories about how Rich never acted like he knew them.
A few of them poured out their drinks as they laughed and then tried to holla at whatever woman walked past them. They all wore their vest and was pumping their chest out like they were the shit.
When I saw Sigel, I knew they were in desperate times trying to figure out who was going to run shit in Tookie’s absence and Rich’s death. Sigel was some crip nigga that had did some time with Goon. He and Goon had beef because Khaos, Goon’s brother, was the head of the bloods.
Even though Goon didn’t gang bang, he was going to ride for his brother without a question. Sigel had killed their little cousin when Goon was locked up, so the beef between them was thick.
Goon nearly ripped that man’s head the fuck off when he was in prison. It was the reason more time was added to his sentence. I was trying to figure out why the fuck he was even out here?
His ass wasn’t even a Chrome Viper, and he damn sure wasn’t from out here. He was from New York and had money. I don’t know what the fuck he did, but whatever he did had that nigga comfortable.
I watched as he dapped them and walked around the Bentley before he got in and pulled off. It looked like the same Bentley that was parked outside of Jesse’s crib that night. I looked at my brother, and he gave me that same look.
“Core said we good,” Capone replied, ending his call and looking at both of us to figure out what we wanted.
“Let us wait for a second,” Quasim replied, watching them continue to kick the breeze. “Make sure Bia know she coming from the other side. Soon as we clear the block, she and the Reapers spin that bitch.”
Everyone had a few drinks, and nobody was on edge anymore. Quasim signaled that we were about to go. I called Bia, and she was locked in position. We checked our guns and cocked them back, ready to spray these niggas.
A few CV’s carried out the coffin at the same time Quasim sped up and aimed his gun. They dropped the coffin and Rich’s body fell out the damn coffin. Quasim aimed it at his body and filled it with more bullets, and I followed up behind him while everyone did the same.
You know how everyone at a funeral lines up to say goodbye to the dearly departed. Consider that what we did with the way we each put bullets in Rich’s body and then sprayed that bar up.
Capone held his Uzi with one hand and sprayed that whole shit. They couldn’t even reup or do anything because the pressure was applied. Forty followed up doing the same exact thing while me and Quasim spun our bikes around to go back down the block.
Lia had her bike up on a wheelie, her sneaker sliding on the floor as her sister came around her and Aimee aired them out. Bia spun her bike around; Aimee switched arms and repeated the process while Janay followed behind Lia with her bike lifted up.
One thing those Steele girls were gonna do was put on a fucking show and handle business all at the same time.
Soon as she sped down the block, the rest of the Reapers fell in line and followed behind her. Quasim remained standing across the street, flicking open a lighter with his glove. He tossed it onto Rich’s body. His shirt caught on fire, and Quasim nodded his head.
“They’ll know it was those Inferno Kings, Blaze.” He saluted and took off down the block, and I followed behind him, as we all made moves to become invisible.
Capri ran her hands through her hair as she rode my dick, her breast bouncing against her chest, and her stomach very much here to stay. It seemed like it had grown overnight, and there was no denying that she was pregnant.
I held her waist as I directed her. “Slow… like this, Sug… you don’t have to rush. Sinta... controle,” I directed her.
Suga always got in her head when it came to us making love. She was always overthinking and wanting to please me, because I was a simp when it came to making my wife cum. I was always focused on getting her off before me, and Capri always felt bad.
I enjoyed seeing her head tossed back, her mouth agape and her toes curled when I was in her. Especially when I was eating her like it was the last supper. It was always how wet she got for me. I could say one word, and she was already dripping for me.
When you were locked in and in love with your person, you taught them how to please you. Suga always got on top and got crazy, and I needed her to slow it down. I liked slow and steady when she was on top.
Slow and steady got the best nut, and that was our goal here. “Like this?” she asked, as she planted her hands onto my chest and stared in my eyes.
Those fucking eyes…
I hope she knew how much control she had over me with just one look. How I would give her the entire world and protect her with my last breath. “Just like that, Suga… Big Pa likes you to go slow… can take in your beauty more.” I reached up and caressed her face.
Capri blushed and looked away and I brought her face back toward mine. I didn’t care how long we’ve been married, I prayed that she still continued to blush when I flirted with her. I remember watching my parents, and my father would always say flirtatious shit to her and court her.
It didn’t matter that they had two kids and had been married for a while. Quinton loved his wife and showed it. I saw how Jean and Des was, and you could tell they never lost their spark either. I never wanted us to lose our spark within our marriage. As for me, I was always going to put my best foot forward for my wife and our family.
“Mee—”
“Daddy, you promised to make me pancakes this morning. Remember?” Peach knocked on the door and Capri stopped, flopping to the side of me and hiding under the covers like Peach could see us. “Daddy, are you awake? Suga, you still sleeping, too?”
Beretta barking on the other side of the door let me know that I had to let her out and Peach wasn’t going to leave until one of us opened the door. “Peach, I’m coming… just woke up.”
“Daddy?”
“Hmm?”
“You said not to lie… I know your sleepy voice… I’ll be downstairs.”
Capri started laughing as she fell back onto the bed. “You did tell her that you hate liars, Meer.”
“When the fuck did she become so damn sassy?” I sighed. “Feel like I’m still wrapping my head around her becoming a big sister.”
“She’s growing up and soon she’ll be a teen girl that can’t stand either of us. Well, maybe you because I’m the lit one.”
I pulled her into my arms and kissed her on the lips as she looked me in the eyes. “You boring, Suga… especially now that you pregnant.”
She giggled. “Give me snacks and a nap and that’s a turn up for me.”
I continued to kiss her face while she laughed. “What, Sug?”
By now, I could tell something was wrong by her looks. “Did I please you, Meer?”
“Sug, you always please me… I don’t know where the fuck this came from. All I wanted was for you to slow it down and now you know how to satisfy Big Pa,” I placed her hand on my dick becoming hard again after thinking about being inside her.
“You know with the weight I’m gaining and my stomach… I’m worried that I can’t move like I us?—”
“Baby, you pregnant and I know you’re going to gain weight. Even the thickest dough still gets folded into a pretzel… feel me?”
She laughed and kissed my lips. “Go let Beretta out before she pisses on the floor again.” I watched as she climbed over me and went into the bathroom.
Every morning Beretta loved to play games with me. She took her time sniffing the same patches of grass before she used the bathroom. Let me not even start with her refusing to go out to use the bathroom without her little coat that Capri had got her.
Imagine already being tired and then having to put some pink puffy heart coat on a little four-pound dog that was as stubborn as a damn Pitbull. “Beretta, hurry the hell up.”
She paused her sniffing excursion to look at me, then continued on while I stood there in my damn robe and drawers. When she was done, I wiped her paws, took her coat off and went into the kitchen.
Capri was wearing an oversized shirt and shorts kneeled down in front of Peach who was sitting at the kitchen table. “I know you do, baby. Daddy will figure out your mommy’s schedule so you can see her… wanna know something?”
Peach sniffled, wiping the tears from her eyes. “What, Suga?”
“When I was traveling away from my own mommy… I missed her, too,” Capri admitted as she removed Peach’s hair from her face. “It’s always okay to miss your mommy.”
“I…I wanted to be a big girl for you and Daddy. I didn’t want to make you sad because I missed my mommy, Suga.”
Capri pulled her into a hug. “I would never feel sad about you missing your mommy, baby. You have the best Mommy in the world, why would I feel sad?”
I cleared my throat and Peach and Suga both looked at me, both their faces wet with tears. Peach ran into my arms, and I picked her up while Capri stood there in tears. “Come here, Suga.”
I kissed her head and then Peach. “I don’t like seeing my girls sad… you know that?”
I looked at both of them and they nodded their heads while tears still wet their faces. “I’m going to talk to your mom, okay? Peach, when you feeling like this come talk to me, okay? Don’t Daddy make everything better for you?”
“Ye…yes.”
“Then trust that I would have solved this for you, okay. I don’t ever break a promise, right?” I looked at my daughter in the eyes.
“Never, Daddy,” she sniffled and laid her head onto my shoulder, as I kissed Suga’s head.
“Go wash your face because you gonna make Daddy cry. I don’t never like to see you cry… okay?”
“Even little sister?”
“Even little sister…I’m gonna knock the doctor out if she cries when she is born.” I laughed, and Capri started laughing.
“Meer, please.” I put Ryder back onto the floor and she ran upstairs to wash her face. “Now, imagine if you did what you wanted. She misses Brandi, you cannot keep her from her forever.”
“I’m not feeling her living in that fucking house. I don’t know what else shit Martin was into and I’m not trying to have her living there and something happen. Then those reporters are always out front.”
“She and Peach can stay at my townhouse. It’s still fully furnished, safe, and just sitting there.”
I looked at my wife like she had a drink. “Suga, we not having this conversation.”
“Meer, I’m not living there and according to you won’t ever return. That little girl came to me sobbing because she misses her mother.” She looked around. “Martin is fucking dead, and we need to start considering how Brandi is going to pay her bills without him. She won’t be in that big ass house much longer… I promise you I’m not being extra nice and considerate. I’m thinking of Peach and how she needs and wants her mother.”
“Fuckkkkk!” I yelled.
“Daddy, you alright?” Peach came to the banister, and I had to pretend that I was cool, and I wasn’t.
“Yeah, Peach… think I stepped on something,” I quickly lied, praying her ass wasn’t too smart to know that I was lying to her.
“Okay, be careful,” she replied and then I heard her feet against the wood floors returning back toward her bathroom.
Capri went back around the counter and started on the pancakes. “Sug, I’m not using my money to take care of her ass… she better use that fucking degree. I’m helping her out now, but this isn’t forever.”
“Don’t have to tell me that… make sure you tell her that,” she replied and went back to mixing the pancake mix.
After spending the morning with my girls, I headed to Fern to meet Brandi. When I saw how much my daughter was messed up after not seeing her mother, I knew I had to fix this and figure out what was next.
Peach was the only reason I was willing to meet up with Brandi’s ass and have this conversation. Like Suga said, Martin was dead and eventually she was going to have to move on. I doubt that nigga added her to his insurance policy.
Not like there was a body to even claim anyway.
Brandi would have to pick up the pieces and move on without Martin. How she chose to pick those pieces up affected my daughter. Shante was behind the bar when I walked in with Quasim sitting at the bar.
I had enough shit going on and I can tell from the way that Sim was staring at Shante, she didn’t even know he was about to get in her ass. Shante was like the bar’s little sister. The one who you always had to explain something to because her ass was too young to understand. She was young and was often excused because she was so young.
I sat down next to Quasim and Shante came over and brought me a shot. Taking it back, I looked at my brother and then at Shante.
“Did I do anything wrong, Quasim? You keep staring at me and not saying anything… you’re scaring me.”
“You should be,” he replied and opened his water bottle and looked over at her. “You’ve always been like a little sister to me. Someone that keeps the bar young because we’re all older than you. I would even go as far as to call you family… do you see me as family, Shante?” he questioned, his tone low and dark as shit.
Shante had worked at the bar long enough to know how Sim operated, so when he asked the question, she nodded her head slowly. “Ye…yeah, all of you guys are like family to me.”
“So, why the fuck would you speak on some shit that happened between family? Remember that little meeting we had at your house? It got back to me that you brought up a conversation that was had in that house.”
Shante was trying to get her thoughts together to answer Quasim. “Sim, I didn’t mean it… I just wanted to hurt him… scare him a little.”
Sim nodded his head. “Give me a shot of bourbon.”
Shante quickly rushed to grab him a shot of bourbon. She slid the shot onto the bar top and Quasim gently grabbed her wrist while looking up at her. “Remember when you asked me why certain people that come look for me refer to me as diablo?”
She nodded up and down slowly. “Yes, I remember.”
“I never gave you a correct response… remember?”
“I do.”
He gently rubbed her wrist and looked up into her eyes. “Don’t make me show you the reason for the name, Beloved. Keep yo’ fucking mouth shut when it has to do with my business or anybody else’s fucking business. I can promise you that I will put you in the ground myself. Whatever the fuck you and Chubbs got going on is your business… I don’t… give…. a… fuck. Keep my shit out of your shit before I flip this shit and that ends with you becoming maggot food.” He released her wrist, and she nodded her head, and quickly made herself scarce.
I shook my head because Sim hated having to scold grown ass people. Before he even spoke to Shante, I can bet he sat here thinking of everything he could have done to her instead of a conversation.
“Think she’ll keep her fucking mouth shut?”
He stood up and patted my shoulder. “She’s not stupid. If her pussy weak, that’s her problem. Don’t go throwing another man’s business into her shit… I’m out, Blaze.”
As he headed out the door, Brandi was coming in. “Hey Quasim!”
He looked her up and down and continued out the door without saying a word. Brandi looked disappointed that he didn’t greet her. Sim never liked Brandi, and it was still some feelings there since she was the reason for the distance in our relationship when I was in college.
“Yo Shante let’s take a shot for your funeral,” I laughed.
“Quameer, that’s not even funny.”
“Nah… that shit is. That nigga is married, leave his ass alone. I promise you there’s no dick or pussy on this earth worth leaving it early for.”
Brandi slipped into the seat beside me, ruining my mood further. When Avant said every time, I see you I get a bad vibe , I knew exactly what the hell he meant because I felt that way when it came to Brandi. Every time she was mentioned or I saw her, the vibe was ruined and now I was angry. For my daughter, I would do whatever I can to make shit right and that started with me having this conversation with Brandi.
“Hey Meer… sorry for running late.”
I took my shot back. “You good. I got here not too long ago.”
It was hard to sit here and pretend like all was good when I couldn’t stand this bitch. Like she hadn’t taken my heart out my chest and stomped on it, and I was expected to be cordial because we shared a child together.
Being cordial with Brandi was easy before I knew about how she betrayed me. Shit, it wasn’t even really easy then, but I made it work. I didn’t give a fuck about Brandi in the least, and didn’t want her back. Still, I couldn’t front like her past actions didn’t fuck with my head a little.
While I was out here trying to be everything for her, changing who I was, and creating unnecessary distance from my brother, she was fucking my best friend behind my back. Doing shit to purposely hurt me because what other reason did she have?
“Can I have a cranberry and vodka… I’ve been in Martin’s office all morning and I found some stuff out that I cannot believe.” Shante went to make her drink while I continued to hold the empty shot glass in my hand.
“You paying for that drink.”
She paused and looked at me. “Meer seriously? I can pay for my drink… relax. I’m not trying to get free drinks out of you of all people.”
“Peach misses you. Broke down crying to Capri about missing you… thought Capri would be mad because she missed you.”
Brandi touched her chest, and this was the only genuine reaction I had witnessed from her. That was the only time I saw the real Brandi, the minute our daughter was involved. Bitch was wicked, but I couldn’t take that she was a good mother away from her.
“My baby. I miss her so much, and I think this is the longest we’ve gone without seeing each other. Meer, I missed her first day of school.”
“I missed her being fucking born, so if you fishing for sympathy from me… wrong nigga,” I countered.
She accepted the drink from Shante and lowered her head. “That is fair.”
“I don’t give a fuck about what’s fair or not anymore, Brandi. My daughter is hurting, and I don’t like that shit, so as much as I don’t care for you, and you know I really don’t care for you… I’m gonna do what is best for her.”
She perked up. “I can pick her up and take her home? Well, until home isn’t home anymore.”
“Fuck no. You got reporters outside that house not to mention I don’t know what the fuck Martin had going on, or you fucking Morgan.”
Brandi’s head snapped in my direction, shocked that I knew she was fucking Morgan. “How…how did you find that out?”
“Don’t even matter. I find everything out, and I’m curious if that shit ever get sore? With the way you been using it since college, do she ever get a day off?”
She put her hand over her face, mortified that I knew about her little secret. Morgan was no longer a problem, but she didn’t know that. “Which means you found out about Martin’s secret.”
I guess she thought because I knew her secret that I would lighten up on her. Maybe have some sympathy and understand why she moved the way that she did.
“I told you before that you had a choice when it came to your father. I don’t feel bad for you and not about to treat you like a victim. Your sisters all have told your father no and they living pretty fucking fine. Reggie’s bullshit was his own and not yours to take on, and as a father of two girls, I refuse to ever put my shit on my daughters… which is why I’m here to fix this shit. I hate you... no doubt about that, but for my Peach, I’ll be fucking Mr. Rodgers to make sure she has her mother.”
She winced when I said hate, and I wanted her to know that I did. I didn’t believe in that you still cared about a person if you hated them. Nah, I hated Brandi for everything she put me through and stealing the moments with Ryder that I would never get back.
“I deserve that.”
“You deserve a grave, but apparently my wife thinks it would further fuck Peach up, and after today I agree with her.”
“What can I do to fix things between us?”
“Not a damn thing. I don’t need to have a relationship with you Brandi, and I damn sure don’t even gotta have a conversation with you. I’m married, and you know Capri pretty well… when it comes to my wife, you will fucking respect her. All that petty bullshit you’ve done in the past she allowed to slide because she’s a much better person than all of us.”
“I underst?—”
“However, let me see it and I’ll fucking pull my shovel out the garage quicker than you can glide that lip-gloss across your lips. Peach is my daughter and yours, but Capri is a part of her life too. She can and will make decisions when it comes to Ryder. I know my wife, and I know she would never make a decision or be petty. Knowing her ass, she would still give you the respect by talking to you first. Like I said, she’s a better person than me. I’m protective over my baby, and let you come out your neck once and it’s lights out for you, Whorey.”
“Meer, we didn’t even own that fucking house,” she admitted, ignoring the nickname that I had given her. “Found the leasing papers… we don’t even own that damn house. I knew my life was a lie, but I didn’t know like this.”
“What your father saying?”
She rolled her eyes. “Worried about his damn self. He’s so worried about what the hell could come out about him. I called him crying about the leasing papers and he told me he had more pressing issues than me crying about the ownership of my home. The home that his granddaughter sleeps under… God, I’ve been so stupid for him.”
“Your father has always been about himself… never gave a fuck about anybody but him. Why you think your mother probably divorced his ass.”
She slowly sipped her drink. “I don’t know what my future holds now that Martin is missing and has pretty much left me. I’ll have to move out of state with my mother, and we can figure out how to get Peach back and forth to each other. I do know that I miss my daughter, and I cannot live without her. I apologize about Tookie, and that chapter is closed… I want nothing to do with him.”
I sighed while rubbing my temple. “Capri has offered for you and Peach to stay in her townhouse until you figure out what is next. A safe place for Peach to stay when she’s with you since I’m not feeling her going back to that house.”
Brandi shot out her chair and went to hug me and I looked at her like she had lost her mind. “I’m…I’m sorry. Capri doesn’t know how much of a saint she is.”
“Oh, she’s a saint now, but you tried to do everything to hurt her… this why I don’t do nice shit for people… Suga gonna kill me with this heart of hers.”
She climbed back into her seat. “I would like to thank Capri whenever she’s comfortable. She didn’t have to offer her townhouse for me… especially after how horrible I have been. I just want to be better for my daughter and our family.”
I laughed. “Brandi, we’re not family. This isn’t about to become a blended happy family. I am only being cordial for the sake of my daughter. You won’t be invited for the holidays, and I can promise if you lived closer I would have my dog shit on your yard and wouldn’t even pick it up. Don’t get it twisted… this is for Peach, not you… it’s still very much stay the fuck away from me… feel me?”
She was hurt and looked away but nodded her head, so I knew she understood what the hell I was saying. I wasn’t about to have a blended family with the same bitch that tried to stomp my heart out on heated pavement, and the same bitch that continued to do shit to hurt my wife. Brandi was Ryder’s mother and that was that.
In case Suga got it confused, I was prepared to remind her ol happy and nice ass what the situation was. “Thank you, Meer. I swear you’ve always saved me when I needed you the most.”
“My fucking problem… saving bitches that never deserved it. Oh, and this ain’t no free ride so you better dust that damn degree off and get to fucking looking for jobs. I’m giving you a few months to pull your shit together, but after that I want rent for the townhouse.”
She gasped as I headed out the bar with a smirk on my face. If Brandi thought she was about to be walking around spending my family’s money, she had me fucked up. I wasn’t paying for another woman… this money was for my family and wife.
Brandi may have escaped death, but her ass wasn’t escaping a fucking job.