Chapter 1 #2
Jahleel’s excitement made Relic smirk before resting his hands behind his head, allowing his body to relax in a manner it wouldn’t when he was tossing and turning on his king-sized mattress. Not even Egyptian cotton sheets could bring him an ease like seeing his son happy and carefree could. His main goal since finding out about Jahleel was ensuring that didn’t change.
“Relic! Relic, can you hear me? Somebody’s at the door!”
Jahleel shouting in the distance made Relic scoff as he lifted his head—his gaze focusing on his reflection in the mirror as he rolled his electric toothbrush around his mouth. The light eyes glaring back at him caused his nostrils to flare before he lowered toward the sink, spitting out his excess toothpaste while turning on the water to rinse away the gunk. If he was right with the Lord, he’d thank Him for not giving Jahleel his heredity curse .
Blue eyes surrounded by black skin made him the most noticeable man in a room, and if there was one thing he abhorred in his line of business, it was unwanted attention. His flagrant feature was a burden he’d gouge out with a knife if he could.
Those jinxed irises downcast to the watch glued on his wrist because time was just as important as his money. Relic huffed a breath at noticing he was behind schedule after sleeping longer than usual since Jahleel’s presence had brought him sound sleep. The unwanted guest at his door would only set his routine back further.
“Relic, what’re you doing? You take longer than a girl in the bathroom!”
His first name rolling off his son’s tongue put a grimace on his lips as he glanced over a shoulder just as Jahleel barged into the bathroom. Fatherhood came with a lack of privacy he hadn’t grown accustomed to yet. He shot his son a chastising scowl while wetting his face cloth, but Jahleel just grinned before holding out a device that Relic had left on his bed to ignore the world.
“Here. I couldn’t remember the passcode to check it myself.”
Relic took his phone before reminding Jahleel, “I set up the door camera app on yours for a reason. Why didn’t you check that?”
“Because you’re here. I only gotta do it if I’m in danger again.”
Those words rang in Relic’s ear like a silent alarm, jolting his fucking heart and stalling his thumb on his phone screen. Knowing he was the reason Jahleel had hidden in a closet, while Jessica was shot execution style mere feet away, compressed his chest to where he avoided eye contact with his son. It was a first for him. Relic couldn’t recall a single time when looking a man square in the eyes was an issue, but his own child had pulled his bitch card with that simple reminder of his fuck up.
“Next time, check it anyway. Only the fanmi and a few associates know where we live, but that doesn’t mean shit,” he muttered, making his son nod.
Relic pulled up his full surveillance system, and his fingers clenched around his phone at the vaguely familiar but unauthorized worker shivering on his doorstep while balancing two handfuls of plastic bags. The groceries he’d requested for drop off had slipped his mind. What he hadn’t forgotten was whom he’d specifically delegated the task to since becoming more cautious of allowing anyone to his spot because of Jahleel. He placed his phone on the sink while expelling a breath because incompetence from those around him was at an all-time high.
“Who is it?” Jahleel asked, watching as Relic washed his face and then tossed his washcloth into the hamper like he had all the time in the world.
“No one important. Just a stupid muthafucka who doesn’t know his left foot from his right.”
“You say that ‘bout everyone but me.”
“Because you’re the only one who doesn’t piss me off. Everyone else is fucking useless and a prime example of if you want shit done right, do it yourself,” he caviled, snatching up his phone before stalking out of the bathroom with Jahleel on his heels.
Relic tuned out his son’s slippers scraping against the hardwood flooring as he refocused on his screen—his alertness heightening as the worker set down the bags to tug a hood lower over his eyes before shoving both hands into his pockets. The nigga should’ve walked away. Relic’s usual worker who delivered his groceries was aware of their bi-weekly procedure, but he obviously hadn’t given his replacement the full gist of instructions.
Once descending the staircase to the foyer, Relic lifted a hand for his son to halt and then placed a finger to his lips before pointing away from the front door. Jahleel’s eyes widened, but he scurried to hide behind the living room entrance wall while Relic pressed the microphone icon to speak through his intercom.
“Who the fuck are you?”
The worker’s head jerked upward like he’d heard Jesus himself at Relic’s gruff voice booming through the speaker. His eyes flitted around before locating the camera.
“Good morning, big homie.” He leaned his face toward the black orb with an amiable grin in greeting. “I’m Drish. I was dropping off your groceries for TJ, but didn’t want to leave them for someone to steal, so I figured I’d wait.”
“Does it look like you’re in a neighborhood where muthafuckas need to steal a couple hundred dollars’ worth of meat and cereal? You got five seconds to get yo ass off my porch before I pump yo chest with lead straight through this fucking door.”
Drish backpedaled at the blatant threat and stepped down from the porch. He removed both hands from his pockets, swiping off his hood before raising his arms in mock surrender while retreating to show he wasn’t a threat.
“That’s my bad, boss man.”
“Five, four...” Relic counted down, disregarding the apology. The nigga wasn’t moving fast enough for him.
He toggled with his camera view, zooming in on the young man’s face, and then the vehicle idling in his roundabout driveway. Once the worker hopped inside of it and drove off, Relic took a picture of the license plate and then opened the door to grab his groceries. His temples throbbed from an oncoming headache at having another fucking issue to resolve because he was surrounded by simpletons.
“Who was that?” Jahleel popped out of his hiding spot to interrogate once Relic reentered and locked the door.
When he didn’t receive an answer, he trailed his dad into the kitchen—hopping on a bar stool at the floating island while Relic dropped the bags onto the floor near the fridge and began putting away their food.
“How ‘bout, worry less about my business and help put away this shit,” Relic griped, making Jahleel curl up his top lip.
“You never made me help before. Did you get waffles?”
“Get your ass up and check the bags to see.”
Jahleel laughed and hopped down, heading straight toward the bags of frozen goods while Relic shook his head. He could tell that his son was slowly turning into one of those spoiled ass kids who expected to not lift a finger while getting everything their heart desired. A part of him didn’t mind it. Relic had gone through enough struggle to last a lifetime at his son’s age, so he refused to place the same burdens on Jahleel unless necessary.
His eyes wandered away from his son as he tossed the package of meat he held into the freezer and then pulled out his vibrating phone. He scoffed at the name before he answered, placed the call on speaker, and then tossed it on the countertop nearest him so that he could finish with his task.
“What the fuck do you want, P?”
“Fanmi, kisa bon? A nigga will be back like cooked crack tomorrow, muthafucka!”
Pierre’s animated voice blaring through the line made Jahleel whip his head around with a gasp. “What’s up, fanmi?” he greeted, trying to sound cool like his folks as he tore into the box of waffles to pull out three.
“What’s good, big money, Jah?”
“Nothing. Making something to eat while Relic is putting up the groceries.”
“Oh, y’all got food this week? That nice ass house ain’t ever got no kitchen action going on when I stop past. Tell yo rich papa to hire a chef, ‘cause the way y’all paid and poor at the same time don’t make sense.”
“Yea, let’s get a chef, Relic! I’m tired of microwavable stuff,” Jahleel admitted. He shoved his waffles inside the four-slice toaster as Pierre cracked up while Relic shook his head.
“Stop putting on for P’s bitch ass. I buy you whatever you ask for to eat, and Savvy brings us food whenever she cooks.”
“Why the hell is your brother’s wife feeding you and your son?” Pierre’s disdain was evident in his voice. “I keep telling Shabu, he’s sharing his old lady, but he doesn’t want to listen. Tell the truth, gang... is Indie yours? That’s why you put the restaurant in Whoop’s name, ain’t it? Bribery to keep y’all lil’ secret under wraps.”
“Shut the hell up.” Relic’s tone was as deadpan as the stare he gave his phone like Pierre could see him.
He was used to the family’s whispers and assumptions about his relationship with Savvy, especially since they’d started off rocky after she wrongfully accused him of drugging and raping her at a party. Both of her children carrying his blue eyes only stirred the jesting rumors.
Things with him and his kinfolk had been straight since they’d gotten that bullshit situation squared away, so Relic doubted Shabu harbored ill feelings about his bond with Savvy. His brother wouldn’t speak on it if he did, for the sake of keeping their brotherhood intact. They’d fallen out behind a bitch before.
“I can see it now. Another Kelis situation.” Pierre poked at Relic about Shabu’s ex-girl. “Shabu is gon’ really kill yo ass behind Whoop. He let you slide with his last bitch, and now you’re figure skating with his wife.”
“He ain’t let shit slide because I don’t need a fucking pass to do what I want. That’s the difference between me and y’all.”
“What? That you ain’t afraid to step on toes and fuck everyone over when it benefits you?”
“Exactly that. Y’all talk, and I do,” Relic stated, picking up the empty plastic bags to carry to the trash bin and dispose of. “Y’all wish and think about what you should’ve done, while I do it and dare a muthafucka to check me about it.”
Pierre tsked like his mother did whenever fed up with his shit. “One day, a nigga gon’ fuck you up,” he told Relic who cracked a smile.
“They’d have to catch me lacking first, and we know that won’t ever happen.”
“You must’ve forgotten, you have an Achilles heel now. Yo life ain’t the same as it used to be, folks.”
That reminder sent Relic’s gaze to his son because he’d all but kidnapped Jahleel after finding out about him. There was no telling the lengths he’d truly resort to for the kid.
“Why you looking at me like that? What’s a chili heel?” Jahleel asked, butchering the term.
“Nothing. P, I hope you’re ready to get back to fucking work. I’m giving you a heads up, I’m signing more artists to the label, so you better earn your keep.”
“Adding more artists for what?”
“Fuck you mean, for what? Because it’s my shit!” he snapped, glowering at his phone when Pierre huffed a loud breath. “More artists mean more visibility, and more money. I’m thinking two females, so they can appeal to the ladies. I don’t want a huge label, but I want a solid team of hit makers. Is that cool with you, or do I need your approval to run my goddamn business?”
Relic hoped his folks caught the sarcasm in his tone because he was moving forward with his plan regardless. When he’d initially started the label, it was meant to support Pierre while laundering his dirty money. He added Tekken to the roster after finding out the youngin’ was dabbling in the streets behind his aunt’s back. Once both artists took off faster than Relic anticipated, he realized the recording industry was a cash cow if he played his cards right. He had no intentions of leaving money on the table.
“I mean, it’s your label and your bread, so I can’t tell you what to do. I want to vet whoever you’re looking at, though,” Pierre negotiated, and Relic conceded without pause.
“Heard. I got this chick I’m scoping out tomorrow tonight, so if she’s worth the time, I’ll set up a meeting for y’all to check her out.”
“Shit, we’re straight then.”
“As if you had a damn choice. I’ll get up with you once I set everything in place. Don’t fucking bother me again before then.”
Relic snatched up his phone and ended the call. When he turned around, Jahleel was dousing his waffles in syrup while staring at him with a rebuking lour he’d grown used to.
“What’d I do now, Jah?”
“Stop cursing all the time. You need Jesus. Want to come with me, Jas, and our granny to church?”
“The answer was, no, the other thousand times you asked, and it’s still that. I’m going to the office. Don’t fu—mess up my house or make too much noise.”
“Okay. See you in an hour!” Jahleel called to his departing back, used to his dad’s routine.
Relic lifted a hand in acknowledgment before heading to his den that he’d transitioned into an office. He shut his sliding barn doors, took a seat at his Mahogany wooden desk, and opened his laptop before removing a thick stack of files from his drawer. After flipping one open, he picked up the hourglass set beside his brass desk lamp to flip over.
His eyes chased the sand grains running from one bulb, through the neck, and to its bottom before he looked away. His stomach cramped as he began his daily tasks.
Like it was his religion, Relic started the first hour of his mornings with the same monotonous but intricate routine. He fine-tuned issues with his businesses that were set to open within weeks, recalculated his washed revenue that Savvy allocated, and most importantly, readjusted his contingency plan for the off chance that his lifestyle caught up to him.
He was betting on his businesses being either his get out of jail free card, or his family’s lifeline, when the walls around him crumbled, and the floors bottomed out from the weight of his felonious deeds. Relic anticipated the boulder dangling over his head to drop sooner rather than later.