Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
He had a hook up with a privately-owned contracting business and was able to rig a pulley system between the upstairs and downstairs unit within the building so his crew could move work and money without having to exit either unit to get to the other.
The court system let the wrong motherfucka’ sit and plot for seven years straight.
Now, he had come up with ways to trap way better and smarter than before.
With an accomplished smirk etched on his handsome face, Kross exited the building, making sure to lock up both units.
After pulling off the lot, he rode the interstate for an hour all the way back to Miami. He intended to get back to the city before Aniyis went to bed, but with the traffic he was facing, the roads were backed up, so he opted on a FaceTime call instead of showing up at Raq's house too late.
Behind the wheel, Kross took the chance of driving and making a call to his son. A smile graced his face as soon as Aniyis’ face filled the screen.
“What’s up, big man?”
“Hey, Daddy! Can you tell Gigi that I don’t have a bedtime ‘cause I can’t go to school?” Aniyis flipped the camera to his grandmother who was having a hard time turning off the game system Ezekiel had him hooked on.
Kross chuckled as he balanced his attention between the road and Aniyis. “Nah, ‘Niyis. You got physical therapy in the morning, and you gotta be out the house early,” he reminded his son, earning a roll of his eyes once he turned the camera back to him.
Aniyis dreaded his physical therapy sessions because he couldn’t grasp onto the fact that he had to re-learn something he had already mastered. Still, despite a few tantrums, he was making steady progress.
“Do I have to go? I can just do it at home.”
Kross shook his head as a sigh fled out of him. Lately, getting in the car was giving Aniyis major PTSD. It hurt Kross’ heart to hear his son say it felt like he was reliving the shooting every time he got in the car, but all they could do was persevere through it.
“You gotta go, man. Think about it. After each session, you’re that much closer to getting back to playing football.”
“I guess,” he muttered in defeat. “Are you coming over tonight? Gigi said you were.”
“Sorry, ‘Niyis. I’m stuck in traffic. By the time I get back, you’ll be sleep, but I swear, I’m coming through tomorrow and kicking it with you all day.”
“Okay,” Aniyis mumbled with his voice full of sadness.
Raq just knew Kross was devastated to hear the sadness in his baby’s voice, so she pivoted the conversation onto her in hopes of aiding her son.
“Kross, walk me through how to shut off this game. Aniyis’ bad tail think he can get over on me so he can be up all night playing it.
” Raquel grabbed the iPad so he could see the puzzled look that etched her face.
Kross chuckled before he walked his mother through turning off the game.
Aniyis accepted his defeat and said his goodbyes to his father before he and Raquel prayed so he could go to bed.
She eased out of the bedroom, making sure to leave the door cracked for him.
Kross remained on the phone since he knew his mother had something to get off her chest. He could see it all in her face.
“You know, you shouldn’t break your promises to him, Domonique. He’s clinging to you more than ever right now,” she said, calling Kross by his middle name.
“Ma, you don’t think I know that? I’m trying my best. I don’t wanna be away from my son, but y’all got a point. It’s just not safe for him to be ‘round me right now. I got caught up today, but I will do better tomorrow.”
His fatherhood was something he took extremely seriously.
He didn’t give himself much grace in anything when it came to Aniyis because he saw Cassie do it for six whole years without breaking a sweat or dropping the ball.
Aside from the heat he had out in the streets, Kross was doing a great job with Aniyis and was making Cassie proud.
Raquel sighed deeply as she nodded. “Alright, son. I did want to let you know that while we were at Aniyis’ session with the therapist, a few detectives came by to see if we would be willing to have Aniyis answer some questions about the shooting.
I told them it’s not my decision to make and I would have to get the okay from you. ”
Still splitting his attention between the road and the phone call, Kross screwed his face up and eyed his mother briefly. “Hell nah! My son not talking to none of them motherfuckas.”
“Kross, don’t you think?”
“Look, Ma, I ain’t trying to think shit. My son not about to get interrogated about witnessing his mother die. That shit is dead.” He shook his head.
Raquel sighed deeply at how head strong her son was. He never was one to talk to authorities and would much rather handle things in the streets. She was hoping that because this was something that Aniyis was involved in, her son would see the bigger picture, but it only made things worse.
“Alright, Kross. I’m gonna let you go. You be safe. I love you”
“Bet. I love you too, lady.” He shot her a light smile before they ended the call.
For the rest of the ride, he endured bumper to bumper traffic until he got back to Miami.
He had one last stop to make before he decided to call it a night and head back to the condo.
It was approaching ten in the evening once he pulled into the parking lot of Fresh Miami Cutz.
Remedy’s Lexus was still parked out front, despite it being three hours after closing.
He knew he promised her that he would get there before she closed, but he did end up shooting her a text letting her know that he would be a few minutes behind.
What he claimed to be a few minutes was really a couple of hours, and he knew she was about to chew him out for it.
Hopping out of the car, he made sure to lock it up before heading to the barbershop. To his surprise, the front door was still open.
Upon entering, he was met with the sight of Remedy with a young boy who had to be no older that three in her chair while she lined him up.
Not too far away was a woman who Kross assumed was the mother of the young boy.
Aside from them, the shop was empty since all the other barbers had called it a night and gone home.
Kross’ entrance caught the attention of Remedy and the other woman. “About damn time,” Remedy scoffed as she rolled her eyes at him before returning to lining up the boy.
“My fault. I’m here now,” he mocked the line she had given him that morning when she pulled up to the shop late.
“Oh, so you’re the one who had my friend in this shop so late?” The woman smiled, allowing Kross to see the pink braces that caged her teeth. “Thank you because my son needed a haircut. His birthday tomorrow, and I got back into town late as hell due to that traffic on that interstate.”
Kross chuckled. “Yeah, I got caught up in that shit too.”
“Must be a bad crash or something,” she said with a shrug. “I’m her god sister Raejah by the way.” She stuck her hand out for him to shake.
Remedy rolled her eyes at the fact that Raejah managed to smoothly introduce herself. The bitch could never mind her own business, but she knew her sis meant well.
“What’s good? I’m Kross.” He took her hand in his as he introduced himself.
Raejah had seen some good-looking men in the city, but no one came close to Kross.
He had a handsome voice, a voice that could make any woman’s knees buckle, and it was clear just by the way he carried himself that his money ran long.
In the midst of the handshake with Kross, she turned her head and mouthed “He’s fine as fuck” to Remedy, who just shook her head at her.
“Nice to meet you, Kross. You one of Rem’s clients or something?” Raejah continued to dig since she knew she wouldn’t get any tea from Remedy.
“Something like that.” He shrugged his broad shoulders. “I’mma let y’all finish up. Aye, Remedy. I’ll wait for you in the back.”
“Cool. I’ll be right there.”
Kross took a seat in the office and occupied his time by scrolling through his phone. She was midway through the cut she was doing for Raejah’s son, so he didn’t expect to be waiting long. As soon as he was out of earshot, Raejah leaned in toward Remedy with a giddy smile on her face.
“You think he single?” she whispered, referring to Kross.
Remedy stale faced Raejah and shook her head. “Girl, I don’t know what that man has going on. Why you ain’t ask him yourself?”
“‘Cause, bitch, I ain’t wanna come off too thirsty.”
Too late for that, Remedy thought, but she, of course, kept that to herself.
“Rae, I don’t know much about the man besides how he wants his hair cut. Anything besides that, you’re gonna have to go talk to him.”
She knew Raejah didn’t have the courage to go spark up conversation with Kross again to shoot her shot.
As much as she wanted to, she didn’t want to call dibs on Kross because as far as Raejah knew, she was happy with Tone.
Plus, the poor girl couldn’t hold water.
The last thing Remedy needed was Raejah’s loudmouth ass bringing Kross up around Melo and Ava and it getting back to Tone.
If not calling dibs on Kross caused Raejah to snatch him up, then so be it.
She had way too much drama in her life to be sneaking around with him anyway.
“If niggas like that rolling through here at this time of night, then I’m just gonna start scheduling Mason’s appointments this late all the time. Ain’t that right, Toot?” she jested while doing a silly little dance, prompting Mason to laugh.
His little baby laughter was so infectious, Remedy couldn’t help but to join in. “Uhn uhn, bitch. I love my Toot, but this a one-time thing. These hands stop cutting after seven.” She shook her head.