Chapter 7
Chapter
Seven
Marz
While I may have been able to convince my friends not to ride out, Neptune was riding shotgun as always.
He’d taken off from the academy today in case shit popped off and I was able to find Jay.
I didn’t know him and usually preferred to spend more time studying people before I approached them.
This was a delicate situation though. As much as I would enjoy having Heir to myself, I knew she was ready to get back to her life.
The longer she had to stay at the safehouse, the more restless she was going to get.
Even though keeping her there was for her protection, she hadn’t asked to be dragged into any of this, so I wanted to handle this as quickly as I could.
The sensor Eze had given us beeped and lit up red.
“We got action,” Neptune said, holding the infrared sensor up for me to see.
He was holding it in the direction of Jay’s house, and we were able to see the shape of his body walking around his room.
Once he scanned the rest of the house and confirmed no one else was inside, he switched the settings to look for weapons, then we pulled our ski masks down and hopped out the car.
“We really about to let this mane live?” Neptune confirmed as I contemplated whether I wanted to kick the door in or pick the lock and surprise Jay’s bitch ass.
“I said I would,” was what I settled on before sending two bullets into the door, then kicking it down. “It’s really up to him to decide.”
It didn’t surprise me to see him rushing down the hall.
His gun was by his wallet, keys, and phone on the kitchen island.
I tackled him then used the butt of my gun to bash his face in.
I had enough discipline to shift my focus to his ribs and stomach, sending kick after kick to his midsection.
Had it not been for Neptune pulling me off him and reminding me that we needed answers, I probably would’ve killed his ass.
As Jay coughed up blood and clung to his side, I stared down at him, getting even more irritated by the fact that he had access to my wife’s heart and didn’t just fumble it… but he’d put her life on the line as well.
Leaning against the wall, I lifted my mask and rested my right foot against it.
“Heir said Iman told you to kill her if she didn’t cooperate.”
“I’m not…” His head shook as he groaned and clenched his jaw. “I’m not gon’ do that. I agreed for his sake, but I was thinking of ways to get her out of that situation as soon as the command left his mouth.”
“How serious is Iman’s threat against Heir?” I asked as Jay wiped the blood from his mouth. “Is she truly in danger?”
His eyes were red and watery as he looked up at me and bobbed his head.
“Yeah. He wants to work with her because I vouched for her. Iman is slated to reach billionaire status within the next five years. He’s not going to let Heir or anyone else ruin that.
If he believes she’s going to go to the police or the IRS, he will kill her.
Hell, he will probably kill her because she knows what he’s doing.
I don’t think he’ll ever trust her enough to let her live if she doesn’t agree to work for him.
That makes her an accomplice, and he prefers those over allies. ”
I could respect the sentiment, because I felt the same way. I’d take an accomplice over an ally any day, just as long as their ego or conscience didn’t have them out here making choices that affected us both.
“You know him that well, yet you put her life on the line bringing her into his world. What type of game you tryna run? What do you get out of putting her in the line of fire like that?”
Jay coughed again before groaning and holding his ribs.
“I was trying to prove myself to him and increase her money in the process. I knew that would make him trust me more and give me more responsibility. I wasn’t expecting Heir to say no, and I for damn sure wasn’t expecting your ass to be there and start shooting. She cheating on me with you?”
“She was mine long before she was yours, so nah. She didn’t cheat on you with me.
” Pushing myself off the wall, I squatted and placed the barrel of my gun on his temple.
“I should kill you for putting my wife in danger. The only reason I’m leaving you breathing is because she asked me to.
I think I still will kill you. I think I’m going to let enough time pass for her to forget she asked me to spare you, then release your soul.
” Sucking my teeth, I stood then put my Glock at my side.
“Make sure you get right with God while you can, nigga. I’ma send you to Him real soon. ”
As Neptune and I left the house, I lowered my mask back down.
I was disgusted by the fact that she would even entertain someone like him, but truthfully, I knew a person could hide their true character until they felt safe or comfortable enough for you to see it.
He’d better hope Iman and I could come to an agreement, because if he was unyielding, that would make my plans for Jay even worse.
Since the windows were tinted, I took my mask off as soon as we got in the car.
I’d counted a few cameras in the neighborhood, but I didn’t see Jay going to the police.
He’d have to explain why we came to see him, and I was sure he didn’t want to come clean about that.
If he did, he wouldn’t just have to worry about me ending his life.
He’d have to worry about Iman too. I was sure he didn’t take too lightly the act of snitching.
“I can’t believe I got her back,” I said absently, not really expecting Neptune to respond.
“What’s it been? Seven or eight years?”
I was so sure Heir was my wife that I didn’t bother keeping what had transpired between us a secret.
The next day, I told my family about meeting her at the hotel.
I frequented it often because of their live bands.
When I made my escape for the evening, he cracked jokes about me kidnapping her, and a part of me wished I had tried a little harder to keep her that morning.
Everything happened as it should though.
Maybe there was a reason for our time apart.
Maybe we weren’t mature enough to handle the connection we would have had.
Either way, I was just glad she was back in my life.
I just hated the situation that led us back to each other.
Then again, a part of me wanted to buy Iman a bottle and thank him.
He was likely going to lose his life for threatening my wife, but if it had not been for my meeting with him, who knows when I would have seen her again.
“Yeah. I think so. Shit, after year five I lost count. Never lost my memories of her though.”
“Well, we gon’ make sure you keep ya girl this time, big brotha.”
“Fa sho. I’ma try to play it cool and let Iman come to me when he’s ready, but if I feel like he’s on some bullshit, I’ma handle it my way.”
“You know I got ya back. That’ll be war, though. He’s got an army behind him, that I can’t deny. I know you don’t like to go to Pops and our uncles for help, but if we gon’ do this, you gon’ have to pull them in.”
With a sigh, I ran my hand down my cheek and chin.
He knew me well. I liked to handle things on my own.
Regardless of how independent I was, though, I was no fool.
If things took a bloody turn with Iman, I’d have to be prepared.
And as much as I didn’t want to bring anyone else into this, I’d have to rely on my people.