Chapter 4
“Who in the fuck?”
Kennedy froze before reaching for her shower nozzle, turning off the steaming water to listen for the pounding she’d sworn she heard over the R she was uncertain where her nephew would’ve ended up. Her chest ached at knowing, she’d turned her back on Tekken when he needed guidance the most.
“I’m sorry, okay?” Her voice cracked as she forced out those words her nephew needed to hear. “For how I acted and putting you out. It shouldn’t have gotten that far, but I was pissed at you for going down that road, and all I could see was you ending up like Koda. You know I miss you, Tekken. If I was truly tired of you, I could’ve sent you back home, but I didn’t. I wanted you with me.”
“You really hurt a nigga’s feelings. Then, blaming me for you getting burned in that fire was fucked up.”
“It was messed up as hell and had nothing to do with you, especially since the move wasn’t only for you. I needed it, too, Tek. I’d been thinking about it for a while, but I didn’t want to leave you there. When you got in trouble, it was the perfect excuse to bring you with me, so we could start fresh.”
“You would tell me this after I’ve been feeling like a damn burden since we got here,” he muttered, leaning his head on her shoulder. The weight of her apology settled between them before he confessed “I did that shit for you, Kenn. I was tired of seeing you work so hard while I couldn’t help out. If my dad was here, man, you know you wouldn’t be lifting a finger unless you wanted to. You’d probably have your own salon, a fly ass crib you could go crazy decorating, and all that.”
“You’re right, but it’s all good, and I’ll get my salon. Just watch me work.”
“I hope you don’t get it by fucking with Relic,” he responded, causing her fingers to stall in his hair while her eyes damn near ballooned from their sockets.
“Where did that come from? Last time I checked, you were the one telling me that I should’ve taken it when he offered.”
“Yea, before that nigga snitched on me.”
She cackled. “Tek, you cannot be mad at that man about that! He did both of us a favor by pulling yo ass out of the streets before you got deep. If he hadn’t, what would you be doing right now?”
“Not that. To keep it a buck with you, I wasn’t feeling it. Yea, I liked the money, and it made me feel good to know I could walk in my old man’s footsteps if I wanted to, but—”
“It wasn’t you,” she finished, cracking a smile. “You like rapping, though?”
“Love that shit, big dog. It gets tiring at times, ‘cause Relic doesn’t let up on us, but I fuck with it. Now, back to y’all.” Tekken rerouted to the part of the conversation his aunt tried steering away from. “What’s up with you two?”
“Not a damn thing, Tekken.”
“That ain’t what it’s looking like. He pulled you out of the studio last week, and you wouldn’t tell nobody what it was about. Titan said the nigga was putting his bid in. Now, P’s bitch ass is rubbing it in my face that y’all are probably fucking.”
Kennedy rolled her eyes at so many noses sniffing in shit that didn’t pertain to anyone but her and Relic. Her ego had taken a hit when he agreed to their partnership over a date without fuss, and not hearing a word from him since then only worsened matters. She didn’t need an audience speculating about their inconsistent interactions that made it arduous for her to figure out his true intent.
“If you must know, Relic offered me a partner position to help with running his businesses. That’s what we were talking about. He needs additional hands since Savvy has a lot on her plate.”
“Damn! Why the hell does he keep trying to give you shit, and how you gon’ work at the salon and do that?”
“I don’t know, Tek! I still haven’t gotten paperwork for the offer, so he might’ve been bullshitting me. Either way, it was business. Tell Pierre to stop being so messy.”
Tekken sat up and pulled out his phone with a smirk. “You still don’t like him, huh?”
“Hell, no! Upping a fucking gun on you like he lost his mind. You shouldn’t like him either after he beat yo ass like that, but that’s on you.”
“For real, Kenn? I didn’t get my ass beat.”
“Okay, nephew. If that’s the lie that helps you sleep at night.” She patted his leg, and he slapped her hand away before standing as she squealed a laugh. “Wait, Tek! Why you trying to leave already? Aight, he only beat you up a little bit. Is that better?”
“Ha, ha. I ain’t tripping ‘bout that shit. I told you, I was ‘pose to be at the studio, and Calm just hit me, asking where I’m at. If you ain’t got nothing going on today, you can roll with me. I’ll wait.”
Kennedy pouted. “Treasure is coming to get her hair done in an hour. I wish I could.”
“It’s always all work and no play with you, big dog. Come and lock up behind me.”
She nodded and tossed her cover aside, flinging her braids over a shoulder as she stood from the warmth of her couch to follow him. Tekken made it to the door and opened it before he stalled, spinning to face her with maturing features that held a child-like innocence that life hadn’t stripped him of like it’d done her. Her eyes rolled before a playful smile teased her lips as she pulled him in for a hug. She knew it was what her nephew was waiting for.
“Be safe, and text me as soon as you get to the studio, okay?”
He beamed as she released him. “Aight. Be easy, big dog. I love you.”
Kennedy’s throat closed around her words, but she managed a soft, “I love you, too. Now bye, with all that mushy shit.”
His laughter resonated in her chest cavity and wrangled her heart as she shoved him outside, rushing to shut the door behind him just as a tear tried conning its way out of her ducts. Another thing she abhorred—crying.
Her shoulder braced against the door as she shut her eyes, inhaled a breath, and then swept away her stray tear with the back of a scathed hand that made her face ball. She pushed her tongue against clenched teeth.
Each reminder of her ailments enraged her to her core because it was easier than feeling sorry for herself. Pity parties wouldn’t help a damn thing. Locking herself in her apartment and crawling into a ball beneath the covers to decay wouldn’t make her less bitter with the world, nor would it help her understand the cryptic thoughts muddying the positive ones she clung onto for dear life.
The only thing that blocked out the self-deprecating noise in Kennedy’s head was getting to a bag. She’d rather cure bad days with money than drown her sorrows with worse habits.
“Treasure, don’t bring your ass back here to get your hair braided again. Go to one of those college girls that need the extra money for books and tuition.”
“I’m not letting them play in my head!”
Kennedy laughed while brushing the soft edges of Treasure’s hair into tiny swirls before tacking them down with edge control. Her friend’s sister had so much hair that it’d taken her longer than usual to finish the intricate style. She turned on her blow dryer and moved aside, drying the baby hairs in place while letting Treasure examine it in the wall mirror directly across from them. Her customer combed her fingers through the small, waist length plaits with a cheesy grin.
“I love it! The straight hair was cute and all, but braids are easier, and I feel like myself again. Now, I can just roll out of bed and not have to do much before class.”
“Are you excited to go back?”
Treasure rolled her eyes, and Kennedy cracked up while grabbing a few wrap strips. She tied them around the perimeter of Treasure’s hair before grabbing her foam bottle from the stand beside her.
“I’ll take that as a no. I thought you liked the college life. What happened?”
“Pierre being here without me is what happened. I’m glad he gets to see his kids and family, but he always ends up in some dang mess. Savvy didn’t tell you about the drama that went down at the studio?”
“Girl, I have so much going on, I forgot to tell you about that.” Savvy joined the conversation from where she sat adjacent to them on the mauve love seat. She adjusted Indigo’s slumped body in her arms and relayed, “So, apparently, the chick you heard singing the night we went to the studio has a controlling boyfriend. He came up there on some rah rah shit, and Pierre pistol whipped him. Now, Relic has Saucy tucked off at a spot where her dude can’t find her. On top of that, P had Promise with him that day, so now none of the kids are allowed in the studio. It’s a mess.”
“And all that is on top of Pierre catching Relic having sex with that big booty, rapper girl in the meeting room.” Treasure tossing out that tidbit of information made Kennedy fumble the foam bottle in her hand.
Both sets of eyes in the room darted to her when it clanged against the styling chair before she caught it, squeezing another pump onto Treasure’s hair while inhaling through the unexpected jolt in her stomach. Kennedy needed a moment to recover. Her girls hadn’t given her the full intel, but she’d bet one of the high four figure checks that hit her mailbox every month from an anonymous sender; they were referring to the girl she’d shown Relic the last time that they’d spoken. Those images on her phone screen had gotten a bigger reaction out of him than her actual presence.
“You good, Kenn?” Savvy quizzed, giving an inquisitive look that went ignored.
“Yep. So, Relic signed the chick I showed you?”
“Mhm, Aura. She’s cool, but her and Relic’s situation is about to be a shitshow. I just hope she knows what she’s getting into because, regardless of what happens, she’s stuck in that contract until it expires. She’d be dumb to get on his bad side before then.”
The mention of Relic’s bad side made Kennedy’s tongue poke at her inner cheek while she reached for the blow dryer to finish Treasure’s hair. She needed that harsh reminder. Relic was like her brother but tenfold—just as callous, unrelenting, and self-assured to where there wasn’t a damn thing on earth he couldn’t obtain if he desired it. Within a week’s time, he’d found, fucked, and secured an iron clad contract from the chick she’d shown him on a whim. That alone exposed his real capabilities. Niggas like Relic turned bitches into easy licks, and Kennedy would never become that a day in her life.
She pushed thoughts of Relic’s finagling ass aside to focus on her job—drying the remainder of foam atop Treasure’s hair before unwrapping the strips and tousling the light-weight braids. Treasure turned her head from one side to the other, checking out the finished product.
“Thank you, Kenn!” she gushed while beaming in approval.
“Don’t thank me, boo. Pay me.”
“Bitch, please. Don’t act like we’re hard up for cash this way.” Savvy reached inside her purse, pulling out the knot of blue faces her husband handed her before she docked the door. “Here, Tres. I can’t do nothing with this spoiled ass boy in my arms. I’m ’bout to drop his ass off to Toot so fast.”
Treasure spun the white styling chair to face her sister, retrieving the cash to count off what she needed before passing the rest back. A playful grin eased onto her face as she held out the payment to Kennedy.
“Keep the change.”
“Oh, okay then, big money! Excuse the hell out of me.” Kennedy took it without fuss to fold and stuff in her bra while Savvy bucked her eyes.
“Yes, excuse both of y’all, ‘cause who the hell told Treasure to give all my damn money away?”
“Tell Pierre to give it back once we get to the bridal studio.”
“Wait, you’re all going together?” Kennedy inquired, grabbing the broom from the nearby wall to sweep up the hair around Treasure. Her tolerance for uncleanliness was next to nonexistent. “I thought it was supposed to be separate and that the groom isn’t supposed to see the bride in her dress before the wedding.”
“Usually, but since we’re already married, we figured it’d be fun to make it a family thing with the bridal party. Shabu found a studio that caters to the bride and groom, so we’re meeting there in the next hour. You should come with us and get out the damn house,” Savvy pressed, laughing when Kennedy screwed up her face with a toss of her head.
“No, ma’am!”
“Why, Kenn?! Shabu rented out a private lounge for us and the whole nine. They serve champagne, and Michi is bringing finger foods to snack on.”
“Oh, he’s going all out. Love that for you, boo.”
“Right! I didn’t even know it was a such thing as a bridal lounge, but Shabu said he wants me to have the full experience. I’ve learned not to turn his ass down when he’s doing his thing.”
Kennedy almost admitted that she wished she’d learned the same about Relic, but bit her tongue as she dumped the hair from her dustpan in the trash bin. That kind of money could go as quickly as it came. She’d realized that unsettling truth after Koda died because the most she could do with the money she’d found in his home was bury his body and pay off her parent’s mortgage, so they wouldn’t struggle without him.
The same mouths he fed went ghost, and the two that kept in touch swore they didn’t have a clue where Koda stashed the bulk of his bread. Kennedy had chucked that loss to the chin, but it taught her to hustle for her own funds, so she’d never stress about her next meal. It also warned her; loyalties expired the second a beneficial arrangement did.
“Sooo,” Savvy dragged out, standing to grab Indigo’s car seat from the floor. She set it on the couch and nestled her son inside before glancing over her shoulder at her girl. “You know I’m the last one to force you to come out, but you really need the fresh air. All you do is work and sit in this damn apartment.”
Kennedy sucked her teeth and propped her broom against the wall before leaning beside it. “Tekken just told me the same thing this morning,” she admitted.
“If he’s saying it, then you know it’s true. You have no life, friend. Are you getting some dick, at least?”
A depressing cackle erupted from Kennedy because the last time she’d felt a warm body on top of hers was the morning before she’d walked into work flawless but exited on a stretcher with portions of her skin charred off. Her ex-boyfriend had gotten out of dodge days after the accident, and she hadn’t heard a peep from him since. She’d spit in his face if she ever saw his ass on the street.
“Nope, but I did give my number to a dude whose car I hit. We’ve been texting here and there but haven’t linked up yet.”
“Yasss! You aren’t ignoring him or blocked his ass, so it’s safe to assume you’re feeling him so far.”
Her eyes rolled, but she smiled. “He’s alright.”
“Hell, that’s a start. We need to go out for drinks soon, so we can build you a roster, though,” Savvy said with a sneaky grin while rubbing her palms together. “For now, get dressed because you’re hanging with us for the day.”
“And we’re not taking no for an answer.” Treasure endorsed her sister’s stance. “I can’t fight, but I’ll grab my nephew so Savvy can drag you out of here if she has to.”
“Girl, stop telling people you can’t fight! You beat up Chalise, so that counts for something, shit.” Savvy sucked her teeth as Kennedy gripped her belly, hunching over in laughter.
“Y’all are too funny, but I don’t know, Savvy. This is a family thing, and—”
“Girl, you’re basically family! Even though you’re a recluse and don’t mess with outsiders like that, we definitely see you as more than our hair stylist. You know better than that.”
Kennedy blew out a breath and tussled her braids. “Who all gon’ be there?”
“We don’t have time to deal with the potential drama from Shabu’s family, so we kept it to our siblings. Pierre is there because he’s taking Relic’s spot as a groomsman.”
“Wait, Relic isn’t going to be up there with his brothers?”
“Nope. Since I don’t have a father to walk me down the aisle, I asked him to do it. It took Shabu pressing his ass for weeks, but he finally agreed.”
“Thank goodness, because I did not want to walk with him,” Treasure replied with obvious relief in her tone that Savvy fanned off with a laugh.
Kennedy didn’t add her opinion in the conversation because Savvy was better than her. If she were in their shoes, she might’ve ended up in jail behind the same nigga touching both her cousin and baby sister. Kennedy couldn’t give one damn who Relic was related to.
“You don’t find it awkward or uncomfortable?” she couldn’t resist asking while tidying up her rolling station. “Being around Relic after what he did to y’all.”
Savvy folded her arms as her expression hardened. “What’d he do to us? I can already tell you’ve been chatting with the peanut gallery, and they’ve told you some bullshit. Let’s hear it.”
Kennedy paused, glancing over her shoulder while debating whether to defend Lexi and Nubia about the slick remark Savvy made. Before Treasure and Pierre started dating, their girl group was tight knit, but that situation had caused tension within the clique. It seemed like she was the neutral party, while Nubia and Lexi hung close, and Savvy stuck with either her sister, husband, or Michi. Anytime they got together, the brewing hostility was impossible to miss.
“Why do they have to be the peanut gallery? They don’t talk any more than we do when we’re together,” she said with a shrug. “But they didn’t tell me anything you already haven’t. You thought he raped you—”
“But he didn’t. He was the one that put me in bed after my supposed best friend and her cousin drugged me.”
“But his baby mother played a part in it, right? He didn’t tell you the whole story to protect her. She’s the same girl who brought your sister to him.”
“And Relic didn’t touch me that night,” Treasure voiced. She didn’t care for him, but she wasn’t petty enough to let him carry blames that weren’t his. “I told y’all that. He figured I was underage and refused, even though Jessica kept pushing him to. It’s not his fault that she was trifling.”
“I heard it is, actually.”
“Damn, bitch! What didn’t you hear?!” Savvy snapped with a roll of her neck. “Those hoes run their mouths like water. Do they tell you their business, though? Do you know Lexi is really mad ‘cause she got pregnant by the nigga she was fucking with, but he made her get an abortion and then cut her off because he has a wife? She wasn’t even pressed ‘bout Pierre and Treasure dating anymore until then.
“I won’t even get on Nu because if Los snatches that skin care salon and house from under her ass for fucking another nigga, I ain’t gon’ say shit. She doesn’t even know that business she’s about to run isn’t Relic’s spot. That’s Los’s shit. He just didn’t want to tell her because he knew she wouldn’t take it.”
“Oh, wow.” That was as much as Kennedy could muster about the bombs being dropped on her.
Lexi hadn’t once mentioned an abortion or the reason for her split with a man Kennedy had never even met. That should’ve told her something wasn’t right, but she didn’t care much about her friend’s business. She merely listened and didn’t judge.
“I knew about Nubia having a friend, but I didn’t think it had gone as far as sex,” she admitted, and Savvy hmphed.
“That’s straight from Los’s mouth. He went through her phone. He just hasn’t said anything because he doesn’t know how to play it. They are divorced, so Nu isn’t doing anything wrong.”
“She sure isn’t, but I get him being upset when he’s trying to reconcile and doing so much to show her that he wants her back. Your husband’s family has a lot of damn drama with them.”
“They do, and most of it seems to revolve around or land in Relic’s lap, when he doesn’t even speak to most of them. I’m going to tell you what Shabu told me when we first met.” Savvy redirected the topic back to where it started, figuring her girl needed some coaching. “Shabu told me not to let another person tell me shit about him. He said to take it as a grain of salt if it isn’t from his mouth or if I didn’t experience it from him. I didn’t understand it when he told me, but I sure as hell do now. Keep that in mind when you’re dealing with Relic.”
“I’m not—what?” Kennedy’s words stumbled over each other as Savvy twisted her mouth to one side.
“You don’t give a damn about other people’s business, Kenn, and that’s what we like most about you... you worry about yourself. You seem real invested in Relic and his business, though. It’s like you’re trying to weave through the bullshit for truths. Why?”
“Girl, that’s not what I’m doing. I just wondered if you all were uncomfortable around him, especially Treasure because you know she’s too sweet to speak up.”
“I do, and I got my sister. Trust and believe if I miss anything, P is gon’ catch it, and those men have no problems standing ten toes for us against whoever. Family or not. Me and Relic have hashed out our situation, and Treasure is indifferent, while him and Michi will hate each other forever. They both love Titan more, though. So, that’s where our dysfunctional family stands. Anything else you want to know?”
There were a slew of stories Kennedy had heard regarding the infamous Relic that she wanted to pick her girl’s brain about, but she desisted. She knew doing so was the equivalent of a game she’d played in school where the teacher whispered gossip in one kid’s ear and then made them pass the story around the entire class—the details always ended up twisted and inaccurate. It dawned on Kennedy that neither of her girl circles were reliable sources.
“Yea, I have two more questions,” she said, making Savvy’s cute features tighten in suppressed annoyance. They softened when Kennedy asked, “How much time do I have to get dressed, and what the hell does cheri mean?”