Chapter 14
Chapter
Fourteen
Heir
“The bible says as far as it concerns you, live at peace with all men,” I told Ariel.
“Sometimes, to maintain that peace, cutting them out of your life is required. And in your case, divorce. I know we often think if we love someone, we have to consistently give them access to us, even if they hurt us, but that’s not the case.
God demands we seek forgiveness for our sins and have a changed heart and behavior.
We should demand the same. The only thing we’re required to do is forgive, and that’s so we can heal and be right with God.
“That forgiveness has nothing to do with them.” Her sniffle made me pause so she could accept what I said before I said more.
“And Jesus also said, if they do not receive you, shake the dust off your feet and leave. Jesus was all about love, but He ain’t play, and He was big on boundaries and respect.
When a person shows you they won’t respect you, hear you out, or provide a safe and peaceful environment for you, it is your responsibility to shake the dust off your feet and leave.
“From what you’ve told me, Raheem has been creating a toxic environment for you for years. It’s time to return to your peace, and in order for you to do that, you have to shake the dust off your feet and leave.”
She sniffled again before releasing a trembling breath.
“You’re right. I know you’re right. I have to leave him, and I planned to.
It’s just… for a second, when I was alone with my thoughts, our history made me question if I could handle leaving him.
He’s taken care of me, and I don’t even know where to start to go after an independent life. ”
“Sis, that’s the last thing you need to be worried about right now. You know how your tribe is coming behind you. Right now, focus on your divorce and your healing. When the time comes, everything else is going to fall into place.”
“Thank you, Heir. I really needed to hear that. I knew if I called Merci or my friends they’d curse me out because they don’t understand.”
We shared a soft laugh. “You’re welcome, and I get it.
Sometimes it’s not that you want a person back, but you still need the space to work things out in your head.
I was in the same situation with my ex. I knew he’d done me wrong but a part of me still wanted to talk to him because he was the one I was used to going to so he could make things right.
He’d been the center of my life for years, and then poof.
Nothing. That’s an adjustment. And it will be an adjustment for you to get used to living life without him.
But you have to give yourself grace and time.
You’re strong enough to navigate this divorce and come out with your peace and your heart intact. ”
The front door swung open, and a swarm of men filed in. I counted more than ten, and my heart dropped.
“Oh shit. Something must have happened, Ariel. I’m gonna call and check on you later, okay?”
“Yeah, no worries. Hope everything’s okay!”
I absently disconnected the call as my eyes finally landed on Neptune and Marz. Marz was ending a call as he used hand signals to direct the men downstairs to the basement. He made his way over to me, pulling me into his arms.
“What happened, Marz?”
My phone vibrated, and I looked at it to see who it was, fully prepared to ignore the call. At the sight of Jay’s name, I scoffed and rolled my eyes. He hadn’t bothered to call me since everything went down, so I was sure whatever happened with Marz had to do with him.
“Answer,” Marz said.
“Hello?” I answered, putting the call on speaker.
It sounded like Jay released a breath of relief at the sound of my voice. “Heir. I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Iman said he was tired of waiting for Marz to give him an answer and that he was going to make him. I assumed that meant he was going after you.”
I could barely hold my laugh in while I looked at the phone as if he could see me. “Like you care. You were willing to kill me for him, and you expect me to believe you care if he comes after me or not?”
“Look… I wasn’t going to kill you, aight? I was hoping we could discuss this once the smoke cleared but—”
“There is nothing for us to discuss, Jay. Are you insane? You were going to kill me!”
“And apparently you’ve been cheating on me! That nigga is always calling you his wife, and he just so happens to be meeting with Iman the same day you are?”
“Oh please. Marz and I hadn’t seen each other for eight years before that day. I haven’t cheated on you or anyone else for that matter. And even if I was, cheating is one thing. You intentionally put me in an illegal situation that almost became deadly!”
“Aight, aight, I’m sorry. I fucked up, aight? I had a good intention with a very bad decision. That was my way of trying to look out for you. To secure a better future for us.”
Marz motioned with his hand for me to wrap up the call, and as pissed as he looked, I couldn’t help but smile.
“I have to go. I’m fine, so if that’s all you wanted—”
“I think you need to leave him, Heir. I thought you were safe with him, but after what happened today, I’m not sure.
The best thing for you to do is leave him and just work for Iman.
It might not be what you want to do, and I’m sorry for putting you in this situation, but I don’t feel like you have any other choice. ”
Marz disconnected the call then tossed my phone onto the couch. He used my hands to sit me down on it.
“Everyone is okay, but there was a shootout at the academy.” Gasping, I clutched my chest and sat up in my seat.
“I was the target, and as you just heard, it was Iman. He thought he could scare me into agreeing to his terms, but all he really did was piss me off enough to decline altogether. Now it’s war. ”
My shoulders slouched as I grimaced. “This is what I didn’t want to happen.”
“I know, but we move. And I really don’t mind.
” His cocky smile and wink made me smile, regardless of how I felt internally.
“I live for this kind of shit. Maybe that’s toxic and something I’ll age out of like my pops did, but for right now, I’m on that.
If we’re going to work, I need to know that you accept me and that you can handle it.
If I ever feel like being with me is bad for your mental health and emotional wellbeing, I’m going to leave you, no matter how much I want to be with you. I’m unwilling to cause you pain.”
“I know that, babe,” I whispered with a sigh.
Looking toward the ceiling, I waited until my eyes were dry to look into his.
Marz took my hands into his and kissed both before resting them in his lap.
“I do accept you, and I do plan to love you unconditionally. That means there will be no condition that will stop my love for you. However, that won’t mean I’m going to tolerate things that will change me liking and respecting you, or my emotional wellbeing.
” Cupping his cheek, I smiled softly. “Good thing is, I believe I can trust you to protect my heart and mind just like I can trust you to protect my body.”
I watched as his body depuffed in relief. He kissed my hand again before kissing my lips.
“Of course you can, Wifey.”
Twisting my mouth to the side, my attempt to not cry was unsuccessful.
“I’ve never respected and trusted a man the way I respect and trust you.
I’ve never felt safe with a man the way I feel safe with you.
” The more I talked, the more I realized it wasn’t just this situation that was bothering me.
It was my conversation with Ariel too. She’d vowed to spend forever with her husband and now her forever was through.
Now she had to navigate life without the man she’d promised to spend the rest of her life with.
“I couldn’t take it if you hurt me, Marz.
And don’t cheat on me or switch up on me either.
If this is no longer what you want, I want you to keep that same energy and leave me then too. Don’t change my perception of you.”
Confusion riddled his handsome face before he smiled softly. Cupping the back of my neck, he pulled me close and kissed my lips softly.
“You talked to my sister?”
Laughing quietly, I nodded. “We were on the phone when you came in. I think everything just blurred together and—”
Marz pulled me onto his lap and kissed my neck, cheek, and lips. As his hand squeezed my hip and then my ass, he chuckled. “I’m telling you we’re about to go to war and you’re worried about me cheating on you?”
“It sounds silly when you say it like that,” I muttered, making him smile.
“I got too much fear and respect for God and my pops to ever cheat or intentionally hurt you. That type of flawed shit ain’t even in my character.
Even if it was, I value you too much to do anything that would make me lose you.
I’m not just falling in love with you, bae.
I actually like you and enjoy being with you.
“You’re my friend. I mean it when I say I want this forever, and regardless of what happened between Ariel and Raheem, our forever is going to last. Just as long as we’re always on the same page with each other, nothing or no one is going to tear us apart.”
Resting my forehead against his, I hummed. “I really needed to hear you say that. And I’m okay with you doing whatever you have to do to get Iman out of our lives. Just make sure you don’t lose yours.”
He kissed my lips before wrapping his arms around me.
“That will always be the plan. To be safe, I’ma take you downstairs and introduce you to the rest of my people.
I’m gonna give you their information. If anything happens to me, or if you need me and can’t get in touch with me, call any of them.
Reach out to my brother, Winston, or Shiloh first, but they all will come as soon as you call.
Those are just the ones I talk to daily, so they would nine times out of ten know what was going on with me.
I’m not saying this because I believe something is going to happen to me.
I just need you to be aware and prepared. ”
Nodding, I gritted my teeth and sniffled.
He looked my face over for a few seconds, and when Marz was confident that I could handle it, we stood and he led me down to the basement.
As nervous as I was, I wouldn’t choose this moment to show it.
He already had enough on his plate. I didn’t want him to think he had to babysit me and worry about Iman too.
Neptune must have picked up on my energy because he kept making small talk every time I got too deep in my head, and Lord knows I appreciated him for that.
About two hours passed before the men started to head out.
Marz was going to give them a week to find and kill Iman before he and Neptune handled it themselves.
At the moment, he already had someone watching Iman’s office, and it had been cleared out.
Iman must have prepared for Marz to disagree and want to retaliate, because he’d already packed up his shit and moved to another location.
Marz called Jay to confirm, and he let us know that the real estate business was still operating there normally but that Iman had moved to an unknown location.
I was surprised he hadn’t told Jay where it was yet, and I was even more surprised when Jay said he’d tell us where it was when he found out.
I should have known he was going to be on some bullshit because he said he’d give the address in exchange for a second chance with me.
And at that point, I was more than okay with Marz and his team having to figure it out.
Marz believed Iman was going to be prepared for him and his family to attack, so it was smart for him to use someone else. I prayed someone on his team would be able to handle it so Marz wouldn’t have to, but either way, I’d just be glad when this shit was over.