Noles #3
My paranoia kickin in. I hated crowds. Hated lights.
Hated niggas pretendin’ they wasn’t wolves just ‘cause they put on suits. ‘Cause after them bullets after the hospital I promised myself two things, I wasn’t dyin’ over nobody else’s war again and I wasn’t lettin’ my wife become collateral behind St. Jean business.
Ayida's hand stayed in mine. Her thumb rubbed slow circles over my knuckles like she knew my mind was startin to go there.
Shit, She always knew. Juste moved through the crowd like a businessman with his wife on his arm, shakin hands, nodding, smilin for cameras.
Politicians. Businessmen. Old money. New money.
Niggas with no money and niggas tryna get money.
I saw Abdul posted near one of the high dollar tables.
Clean suit. Drink in hand. Eyes calculatin.
Enzi wasn't far behind him. My jaw tightened.
Ayida leaned in. "You okay?" I nodded. "Yeah. "
Music shifted. Speeches started. Juste took the mic.
As he spoke about growth, legacy, community, investment, my thoughts drifted.
To waking up and realizing the world didn't pause just because I almost died.
To Nash. The human part of me felt conflicted because he was her brother, but that thought flashed and went away quick.
To the fact that the bullet meant for Jules almost left Ayida widowed before she ever really got to live.
My hand tightened around hers. She squeezed back.
—
Ayida stood off to my right, gigglin' with Nia and Chiana, champagne glasses tilted just enough to say they were feelin' good but still had sense.
She looked lighter than she had in week, shoulders loose, laughter easy, eyes warm.
That shit mattered to me more than anything in this moment.
I let myself look away for half a second. That was my mistake.
Because the moment I did, my body reacted before my mind could catch up.
Ayida reached for me, fingers sliding into mine, squeezing once hard.
Not playful. I felt a shift crawl up my spine slow.
My chest got tight I lifted my head to see Nash, His sister, and an older woman I didn't need a damn introduction for.
They were moving toward us like they was welcome or some shit .
My jaw locked. Before I could even speak, Mama appeared outta nowhere, stepping in front of Ayida like a damn force field. "What in the fuck is she doin' here?" Mama snapped, eyes hard as hell.
Ayida went pale instantly. I felt it through her hand. the way her grip tightened, the way her breath hitched. I didn't hesitate. I pulled her into my side, arm wrappin around her waist, clutchin her like I could shield her from history itself if I squeezed hard enough.
My nostrils flared. Out the corner of my eye, I saw Juste movin fast. Jules too.
Pierre wasn't far behind. We all felt it.
That instinct that had kept us alive longer than most niggas deserved.
Nash stopped in front of us. The nigga was too close and too comfortable.
He nodded at me like we was cool. Then he turned his attention to Nia.
"Nia," he said smooth. "We need to talk." That smile never left his face. That same smile I'd seen in Ayida's eyes when she told me what she saw. That same shadow energy that crept into her dreams. That same grin that belonged to a nigga who enjoyed fuckin' with people's lives.
"You and Nia ain't got shit to speak about, my boy." Jules stepped up instantly, pullin Nia to his side, his arm wrappin around her protective, possessive. His voice was calm, but I knew that calm. That was the calm right before a storm rip shit apart.
Nash chuckled. A low, amused sound. "Me and Nia got a whole lot to speak about," he said.
"She gave me life. The fuck is you sayin'?
" That did it. Jules moved fast. They were chest to chest in a blink, lips damn near touching, tension thick enough to choke on.
Jules' jaw was clenched so tight I could see the muscle twitchin.
Nash didn't flinch. Didn't back up. Didn't blink.
That's when I knew. This nigga wasn't scared of dyin.
He was darin it. "Back up," I said low. My voice cut through the noise. Neither of them moved.
The casino floor was still buzzing behind us, machines chiming in uneven rhythms, glasses clinking, laughter spilling out drunk and careless, but right here the air was dead.
Like sound itself knew better than to breathe.
Juste stepped forward first, shoulders squared, voice low and measured like he was talking to two wild animals instead of grown men.
“Look, nigga," he said, eyes cuttin between Jules and Nash, "my family got a whole lotta respect for yours.
But this shit y'all got goin' on? It need to be worked out like men, not hoes.
" His jaw flexed. "I'm tryin' real hard to be patient.
But now you startin' to fuck with my money," he continued, tone still calm, which somehow made it worse.
"And shit gon' get wicked behind that." Neither Nash nor Jules moved an inch.
Jules' hands were balled into fists so tight the veins stood out on his forearms. Nash stood loose like he enjoyed bein' the calmest nigga in the room while everybody else burned.
My free hand slid to my hip on instinct. Waiting.
"Nash," their mama said, steppin forward like she was interruptin a child throwin a tantrum, "act like you was raised with some sense and show some respect.
" Then she smiled in A sharp, tight way that never touched her eyes.
"Evie, Saint," she added smoothly, turning toward my parents, "excuse my baby boys' possessive and emotional ways.
" Possessive. Emotional. The disrespect in that sentence sat heavy.
Then Filesha stepped forward, smile bright, voice sweet, like she was tryna to sprinkle sugar over gas.
"Hey, Ayida," she said gently. "It's good to see you again.
" I didn't miss The moment Ayida's name left her mouth, their mama's head snapped toward her shoulder so fast it was almost violent.
When her eyes landed on Ayida, That woman looked sick.
Not offended. Not angry. Sick. Like she'd swallowed somethin rotten and it was burnin its way back up.
She stepped closer. Her gaze dragged over Ayida from head to toe like she was looking at a ghost that shouldn't exist. Ayida stiffened beside me, fingers digging into my hand hard enough to hurt.
I pulled her closer she was damn near entwined in me at this point. I couldn't hold her any tighter. I could damn near hear her heart. Fast and Panicked. Mozele inched closer again. And before she could get within arm's reach, my mama stepped forward so fast it had me scared.
"It was good seein' y'all, Mozele" Mama said sharply, plantin herself like a wall, "but I think it's about time for y'all to move along.
" She stared that woman dead in her face.
No fear. No hesitation. Their mama smirked.
A slow, knowing curve of her lips that made it feel dark and cold.
"I think you right," she said smoothly. "But before I go, " Her eyes slid past Mama.
Locked onto Ayida. "When did the St. Jeans start taking in rotten fruit?
" Somethin inside me snapped tight. My nostrils flared and I felt my face frown up "Your baeebby boy know she'll never give him life?
" she continued, venom dripping off every word.
"Or you didn't tell him that part of the story? "
I didn't think. Didn't breathe. Didn't hesitate.
My gun was in my hand before the thought even finished forming.
Before I could raise it, Pierre's hand clamped down over mine, hard as hell.
"Nawl, fuck that!" I snarled, voice shakin with rage.
"What the fuck that old decrepit ass bitch just say?
I'll blow this hoe brains out right here.
" The words tasted like iron. Blood. Everything I'd been holding back.
She didn't move or raise her voice. Just lifted her chin and called for her children.
"Nash. Filesha." They turned immediately.
They walked away like they hadn't just set a bomb off in the middle of my life.
I stood there shakin like a hoe in church.
Gun still in my hand. Heart poundin so hard it hurt.
I felt The absence beside me. I looked down.
Ayida wasn't there no more. I turned just in time to see her pullin away from the crowd, tears streaming down her face, makeup ruined, hands shakin as she walked fast like she was trying to outrun somethin that lived inside her.
"Ayida," I called, panic crackin through my voice.
"Baeebbyy, wait." I moved to go after her.
Chiana stepped in front of me, hands up, eyes steady.
"We got her," she said firmly. "You stay with your brothers.
" Amina was already moving, following Ayida without a word.
I stood there. Gun lowered. Chest heaving.
Everything inside me twisted up. rage, confusion, heartbreak, betrayal, fear I didn't have words for.
They didn't just disrespect my wife. They didn't just expose her pain.
They tried to break her in public. And the worst part was I didn't even know she was bleeding like that.
I was angry as a motherfucka. Confused as a motherfucka.
For the first time since I woke up from that hospital bed, I felt somethin worse than fear. I felt like I was losin control. I knew, deep, bone deep, Somebody was gonna pay for that.