Chapter 1 #3
When he was younger, Block’s mother’s favorite thing to tell him when he got in trouble was that he liked to learn things the hard way.
Finally, he knew what she meant because he felt the same way about Mario.
He needed to be with their father. That was one of the best ideas he’d had in a long time.
Block’s mother got with Tech when she was seventeen.
Thirteen years and three kids later, she was a different person and no longer interested in being tied to Tech.
She became a dental hygienist, took her kids, and left.
Currently, Tech was fifty, but Mario’s mother, Selena was thirty-nine.
She kept a clean house and liked nice things, but she wasn’t interested in being an independent, boss chick.
She partied and ran through dope boys like she was still twenty.
Tech made sure that Mario was taken care of, but Selena was no longer his, and he wasn’t funding her lifestyle.
Her anger lately could be from financial frustrations, Mario’s behavior, something else, or a combination of things.
Block didn’t really care. Anything she needed for Mario, he had, but he didn’t care about what she might be going through.
He lost all respect for her when he saw her in the club one night, and she was all up on him like she didn’t have a child by his father.
Block made the effort to shield his brother from certain things, but the older he got, it was hard.
The same way he tried to drill it into Brazil and Lethal’s heads that the streets weren’t where it was at, he did the same with Mario.
He could look at his brother and tell, however, that he was attracted to the allure of the game.
Looking after his brothers and seeing the gold-digging ways of most women, were the reasons that Block didn’t want kids until he was married and from the looks of it, he might not get married until he was fifty his damn self.
The music paused, and Block’s gaze diverted from the road to the screen to see who was calling. When he saw it was Brazil, he connected the call.
“What up, broadie?”
“You talked to Lethal’s hoe ass? He won’t answer the phone, and I’m trying to decide whether or not to give Eliane this extra ticket I have.”
His comment got a laugh out of Block which wasn’t something he did often. “Yeah, he’s coming. You already know when he’s in training mode, he keeps his phone on DND majority of the day. Why you trying to hide your lil’ shit? You don’t want Lethal to know you still fucking his girl?”
Brazil kissed his teeth. “I couldn’t care less about him knowing. She’s the one that acts weirded out about being in his presence.”
“He’s coming. You want him to stay at home, so your pass around can come through?”
“Fuck you, nigga.”
Block laughed as his brother ended the call.
Brazil and Eliane lived in the same building.
Two months after Brazil moved in, Lethal was visiting him and ran into Eliane.
They had sex a few times before Lethal ghosted her.
Six months later, she began sleeping with Brazil.
She knew he was Lethal’s brother, but she didn’t care.
Brazil didn’t care either because he knew Lethal didn’t care.
More than likely, she was ashamed because she slept with brothers.
That didn’t stop her from continuing to sleep with Brazil or attending a few of his games.
She would only attend if Lethal wasn’t going to be there.
Block was actually surprised that Brazil was still letting her attend games. He was more the relationship type than his brothers, but Block knew he’d never wife a woman that slept with his brother multiple times.
“Why is Brazil messing with Lethal’s old girl?”
Block glanced over at his brother. “First off, you nosey. Second, because she wanted to smash them, and they wanted to smash her. We don’t get in our feelings over females, and we’d never beef over one. She can be a pass around. Nobody cares.”
Block pulled up in front of Mario’s house, and he could see that his brother wasn’t thrilled to be home.
Block attempted to give his brother routine and structure when he was at his home.
There were also rules that Mario had to follow but still, he was more lenient and fun than Mario’s mother, and the young man preferred being with his brothers.
He couldn’t wait until his father came home.
He was sure his father wouldn’t let him do everything that he wanted, but Mario had a feeling he’d be way more understanding and laid back than his mother.
She loved fucking bad boys, but she didn’t want her son to be one.
“Don’t get in no trouble,” Block eyed him while warning laced his tone. Mario only had three more years until he graduated from high school. More than anything, Block wanted his brother to walk across that stage with no kids and no criminal record.
“Yes sir,” Mario mumbled with a hint of sarcasm as he got out of his brother’s car.
Block stared after the young man and watched him until he was safe inside the house. “Let me go get some condoms right the fuck now,” he murmured under his breath. The way it was looking he might opt not to have any kids.