Chapter 23
The days rolled by fast as hell, and before I knew it, it was the end of January going into February.
Since the grand opening, the company had been busy as fuck that I rarely had time to do anything but sleep.
I was back in my element, but I made sure to check in with Jela every morning and every night before bed.
I missed the shit out of her. Chunks too.
Phone sex and pictures weren’t doing the trick anymore, but I promised myself that after this project we were working on, I was going to see my girl and my Chunks.
Damien had been ghostly silent after that bullshit he pulled with our moms. I had called him a few times, but to no avail.
He knew once I got my hands on him that I was going to beat the fuck out of his stupid ass.
When I got home from Detroit and went to visit my moms, I was immediately ready to kill.
The shit was pissing me off because I couldn’t understand why the fuck she always protected motherfuckers who harmed her.
While she was hesitant to tell me what happened to her face, I wasn’t slow.
After more conversation, she finally revealed what was wrong with my brother.
Damien suffered from impulsive behavior and bipolar disorder that he’d inherited from his father.
For as long as he’s been my brother, I’d never known that about him. The fact that she kept that shit a secret from me made me upset with her. When she told me it was the reason she never stepped in for Jela because she feared him, I knew I had to do something to stop this nigga.
Since it was Sunday, my day off, I decided to meet up with a friend of mine by the name of Warren Gibson.
I hadn’t spoken to him in years, but for this reason, I had to come see him.
My heart hurt because I wasn’t a fucking snitch.
However, it was either this or kill him, and I couldn’t do the latter.
Walking inside the quaint bar, I scanned the crowd and saw him sitting in a corner in the far back.
“Gibson,” I greeted as I approached him.
“Stone. It’s good to see you.” Almost immediately after I sat down, the server approached our table.
“Hello, I’m Diamond. Can I get you anything?”
“A thumb of bourbon,” I told her.
“Coming right up.” She walked away, and my eyes went to Gibson.
“It must be something serious for you to reach out to me,” he said.
I scratched my eyebrow. “I guess I should just get to the point. I understand you and your team have been investigating my brother, correct?”
He looked around the bar, then back at me.
“Truce, if you’re here to try to cut a deal for him, I can’t help you with that.
He’s been on our radar for months now. The problem is, we can never catch him slipping.
The nigga is smart; I’ll give him that. But it’s only a matter of time before he slips up. ”
I was quiet for a moment. The server returned with my drink, and I sipped it slowly.
Maybe I should put his ass in the asylum instead?
Snitching on him didn’t sit well with me, but since my moms never got him any help for his condition, there weren’t many records of him being in and out of the hospital. I couldn’t trust that they would keep him for a long period of time. Jail was the only other option since I couldn’t kill him.
“Look, Truce—”
“What if I give you something on him? How fast could you make a move on it?”
Exhaling, he cleared his throat. “As long as it’s concrete, we can move on it as soon as you give us something.”
I nodded again and tossed back my shot. “I’ll be in touch.” I stood from the chair and shook his hand.
“Can I ask why you want to give your brother up? As long as you’ve been keeping him out of the spotlight, why now?”
“You can ask all the questions you’d like. The real question is if I’ll answer them.”
He smirked. “Will you?”
“Probably not. See you soon.”
I walked away feeling a pound of pressure weighing on me. This shit was fucked up, but I knew my options were few. It was either this or put him down, and that’s something I knew I couldn’t do and live with it.
I stepped out of the bar into the chill of the night and headed to my truck. As soon as I approached it, I saw Dame sitting on my hood while his flunkies surrounded my truck.
“Well, well… I’ve been waiting to run into ya ass for weeks, my brother,” he said, pulling from his blunt.
“You knew where to find me.”
“Not until ya bitch ass finally came back home.”
“Cut the shit. What the fuck do you want?” I asked him, ready for him and his minions to get the fuck on.
“Nigga, I want my bitch back! I want my fucking seed. I’ve been real lenient on you because you my bro, but enough is enough. If you don’t tell me where she is, my niggas are going to beat it out of you.”
“Fuck you and these pussy-ass niggas. I ain’t telling you shit.” Right then, I pulled my hoodie from over my head and dropped it to the ground.
“Suit yourself.” He shrugged.
His goons advanced on me, and I could feel heat searing through my veins. The nigga I hit in the eye a few weeks ago tried to sneak me, but caught my elbow to his face instead. I saw the next one come toward me and throw a punch that I dodged, then followed with two punches to his face.
I felt a hit to the side of my face as the other two surrounded me.
Thinking quickly, I grabbed the one closest to my right and smashed his head into the one I’d just punched.
They both fell to the ground, and the other two began throwing punches.
Some I was able to dodge, but a few caught me on the face and in the body.
I laughed those shits off and kicked one of them, sending him flying into a car.
“Is that all you pussy niggas got?” I asked, grabbing another one and flinging his ass across the parking lot like an annoying roach.
I felt another punch hit my ribcage but hurriedly shook off the pain and grabbed him by his neck.
I lifted him off his feet and tossed him into one of the other niggas, making them fall.
Before I could really get active, gunshots filled the air, and everyone ducked. I looked up to find Gibson hurrying toward us, flashing his badge.
“Hey! Get the fuck out of here before I lock you niggas up for domestic disturbance!”
Damien hopped off my truck and smiled at me. The rage building inside of me didn’t stop my fist from flying into his fucking face. He stumbled, fell into a car, and laughed. Spitting blood onto the pavement, he looked up with the evilest smile on his face.
“Hey!” Gibson yelled, standing between us. “Everybody, go home. Right now!”
“I’ma see you, brother. Let’s go,” he said, and they all limped away.
I could feel Gibson’s presence still lurking, but my eyes stayed stapled to my brother, who hopped in a van and sped out of the parking lot.
“You bring me that evidence, and that problem goes away.”
I looked at him but didn’t say shit as I grabbed my hoodie from the ground and hopped in my truck.
I winced at the pain shooting through my side, then looked in the rearview mirror to check the damage. My jaw was a little swollen, my ribcage hurt, and my lip was busted, but other than that, those pussy ass niggas didn’t do shit. I started my truck up and zoomed out of the parking lot.
I didn’t bother pulling my truck into the parking lot. Instead, I parked it in front of another apartment building nearby, then walked down a block to the subsidized housing complex. My phone buzzed, and I stopped to check who it was.
Law:
I love you, bro. Always know that.
I knew what the underlying message displayed, but I couldn’t bring myself to be okay with it.
No matter what Damien had done or was trying to do to me, I was still holding out hope that we could settle this.
He wasn’t getting Jela or Chunks back, and that was a known fact.
If he had treated her better, done right by her, and shown me that he cherished their relationship, things would have never gone this far between us.
I would have never stepped in between her and my brother, no matter how beautiful I thought she was.
I would have minded my fucking business and helped him with his wedding plans.
I wasn’t no shady-ass nigga. A woman like Jela didn’t come around too often.
I saw the potential in her the moment I looked into her eyes.
The fact that he didn’t wasn’t my problem.
Everything leading up to this moment was for her—to make sure she lived and thrived to her highest potential. She had a daughter to raise, so there was nothing I wouldn’t do to make sure she was secure and able to watch her daughter grow—even if we didn’t end up together.
Ignoring his text, I crept through the parking lot of the complex with my Pooh Shiesty pulled down and trekked to apartment 2A. I had to do this quickly because I knew Jela would be calling soon if I didn’t call her at our designated time.
Looking around, I made sure there was no one out as I picked the lock to the door.
Once it opened, I pulled my gun from my waistband and crept inside.
The front of the apartment was dark, but I could see old takeout boxes, weed and cigarette trays, and dirty clothes strewn throughout the living room.
This dirty motherfucker.
Continuing my stride, I crept down the hall and saw the bedroom door cracked open, and I could hear a woman moaning. I knew it was the TV because his crippled ass wasn’t getting no pussy for real.
Peeking inside, I saw Damien Senior beating his shit to what I confirmed was porn on the TV screen. I stood back and waited for him to finish. This was going to be his last nut, so I wanted him to enjoy it.
After five more minutes of waiting, I heard the porn stop, so I pushed the door open. He jumped, and after realizing I was an intruder, he tossed his hands in the air.
“Wait! I ain’t got shit for you to take, homie! My first of the month check comes tomorrow!”
“I don’t need your bitch-ass money,” I said, lifting the ski mask. His eyes ballooned when he saw that it was me who had come to deliver his fate.
“Truce… Man, what the fuck you want from me, man!”
“Your life. You’re the reason my brother is flying off the fucking handle. I should have done your bitch ass in a long time ago, but I’m a generous man. I let you keep your life because it was worthless.
“I gave you grace when you didn’t appreciate it. Filling my brother’s head with lies and trying to turn him against me. You’s a coward motherfucka and don’t deserve to live anymore.”
“Aye, listen… whatever Damien told you is a lie. I-I ain’t talked to that nigga since you left.”
“Stop fucking lying, bitch.” I sent a fist flying into his midsection.
My shit was in a little pain, but I didn’t care. I tucked my gun back inside my waistband and yanked his ass from the bed.
“Tru—”
His words were cut short as I wrapped my arm around his neck and squeezed with all my might. His legs began kicking wildly while he tried to pry my arm from around his neck, but to no avail.
“This is for all the years you beat on Delilah. All the times you belittled her and my brother. For all the shit you put in his head about me and tried to make him hate me.” I squeezed a little tighter.
“For all the bruises, broken bones, busted lips, and noses.
And for successfully making my brother hate me enough to try to kill me.
“For giving him your fucking disease and never helping him deal with it. Die slow, bitch,” I whispered harshly in his ear.
His legs began to slow, and his grip on my arm loosened. Ten seconds later, his body stilled, and his limbs faltered. I let him go and looked down at his lifeless body.
“Rest in hell, motherfucka.”