Chapter 9
“Thank you for giving me your time today, my guy. Some people don’t take being called in to work on their off days lightly.”
“It’s nothing. I didn’t have too much going on today.”
“Cool. I wanted to ask you about something.”
“All right,” I said, unsure of why this impromptu meeting couldn’t have been a text message.
“How long you been working with Divine?”
“Like four months I think,” I answered casually.
Actually it had been four months, one week, and two days, but who was counting?
“Sounds about right.” He nodded. “You ever met a nigga named Roger Cunningham?”
“That name doesn’t ring a bell,” I lied.
Now I needed to know where the hell we were going. Better yet, where was this line of questioning headed? I knew from experience people didn’t ask questions like that if they didn’t already know the answer.
“Good answer. He used to work on Divine’s detail. It was maybe six months ago. He didn’t last long. She told me he did too much and made her uncomfortable. I never liked the way she said that shit. I wanted her to explain what he did to make her uncomfortable, but I don’t like her knowing too much just in case some shit goes down. Instead of going with my first mind, I just let him go.”
“Understood.”
“She told you, though. I assume that you were asking questions or for whatever reason she felt comfortable enough to tell you about him.”
“About who?” I asked, pretending to have forgotten what we were talking about.
“When Psalm told me he saw him on the news, he mentioned that you had just asked about him, saying you thought you knew him from somewhere. He didn’t think anything of it, but I know the feeling of letting somebody get to someone you care about. I would have done the same thing you did.”
“And what’s that exactly?” I asked, turning to face him.
“Hmph. Do you know that hogs will eat an entire human body? I’m talking about bones and all. A lot of people like to use lye and dig holes and all that shit. I find my method less time consuming.”
I didn’t answer his question because I immediately retreated to my thoughts. Plus, I was sure that it was a rhetorical question. Even if I did know that information, I didn’t think it mattered to him.
I remembered the last time I was afraid. I was sitting by my dad’s hospital bed, listening to my mom explain how he would never walk again due to the severity of his injuries. Granted, I had meant to kill him, but knowing that it was my fault he would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life terrified me. For one thing, I knew how ruthless he was. I was almost certain he would have one of his men do something to me. Instead, when he woke up, he told me it was time for me to step up and start putting in work.
As we pulled up next to a wooden pen filled with gigantic pigs, I wondered if my fight or flight instincts should have been kicking in. For some reason, I wasn’t afraid. If Syre felt like I needed to meet my fate today, he was damn sure going to have to come with it. I was about to give him a run for his money. I wasn’t going down easily.
“Get out, my guy. I need you to help me with something,” Syre said, getting out of his truck and walking around to the back.
I blew out a hot breath before opening my door and getting out of the car. I noticed him opening the back as I approached him. There was a black tarp draped over something I didn’t have a chance to wonder about before he snatched it off.
“Nigga got to live way too long if you ask me.”
It was hard to tell how Roger died, but I didn’t have to guess who was responsible.
“Facts.” I nodded. I agreed that I should have just killed him in the first place, but I knew it wasn’t what Divine would have wanted.
“She probably asked you not to do anything to him. I know how that shit goes. She’s sweet like that. I’m not.” I wasn’t sure what he wanted me to say so I didn’t say anything. Fuck did he expect me to do anyway? I knew the best bet was to stay quiet. “Help me get his ass out of here.”
The question of who had helped put him there lingered in the back of my mind as I grabbed his feet and helped Syre carry him over to the side of the hog pen. We didn’t speak as we hurled him over the fence into the mud.
“They’ll take care of him. You can check back this time tomorrow if you don’t believe me,” Syre assured me.
“Nah, I buy it. I was just about to ask if I could use them in the future if I need to.”
“For sure, especially when it comes down to our girl. Don’t let her talk you into giving out too many passes. Leave that sweet shit to her. Feel me?”
“Got it.”
“’Preciate you for looking out for her. Not a lot of people would have done what you and I would do. She might not admit it, but if she likes you enough to tolerate you, then you’re good in my book.”
* * *
It had been about six months since I’d started working as Divine’s bodyguard. Standing in Divine’s floor length mirror, I nodded in approval at my own reflection. I didn’t typically wear tuxedos, but your boy cleaned up well. In the black tux with a crispy white button down and bow tie, I looked good as hell if I said so myself.
Going to Bishop’s engagement party as Divine’s plus one hadn’t been on my score card for the year, but I had learned to go with the flow a long time ago. As long as there was good food, good music, and Divine involved, I would probably go anywhere.
“You ready?” she asked, causing me to turn and look at her.
Time slowed to a halt when she emerged from her bedroom in a long, shimmery red dress with a split that made me swallow hard. It was crazy how badly I wanted those silky, brown thighs wrapped around my body. I got lost in a fantasy of her legs draped on my shoulders as she sauntered over to me. I looked down into her eyes and begged myself not to kiss her.
“You look good in a tux, Liam. You should dress up more often,” she suggested.
“And go where?” I chuckled.
“I don’t know, but you look good as hell. The girls are going to be sick when they see you on my arm.”
“I’m sure anybody attending this party will know that I’m just your bodyguard.”
“Don’t say it like that, Lee Lee. I told you that you are not just the help. You’re my Lee Lee.” She giggled.
“What does that even mean, Cookie?”
“It means that when one of these women bags you tonight, you can’t quit working for me. Let them know that I’m your best friend, and we are a package deal,” she told me.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” I grinned.
“Good. I’m actually excited about the idea of you finally meeting someone.”
“How do you know that I don’t have somebody already?”
“If you do, you’ve never mentioned her to your bestie,” she said, nudging me with her shoulder. “No secrets, remember?”
“That was for you. I keep my work life and my sex life separate.”
“Oh, so you are holding out on me? Good to know.”
I chuckled. “I didn’t say all that.”
“Nah, too late.” She shook her head.
“Are you ready?” I asked.
“Uh, yeah. Let me just grab my clutch.”
I was ready to get this thing over with. I didn’t care for formal events, but I had already accepted that I would do anything for Divine. It was my day off, and I was about to show up to her cousin’s engagement party on her arm. It was only right. I didn’t trust anyone else to do the job.