Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Block eyed Mario as he walked through the door with a sheepish expression on his face. He sat down, and Block observed his brother. “What’s been up with you?” he inquired.
“Not much. I got an A on a test yesterday.”
Block’s brows hiked from surprise. Not because he felt his brother was dumb but because it was rare that Mario applied himself. “Word? That’s what’s up. I’m proud of you.” Block’s words were sincere. He really was proud of his brother. “You need to keep that up. It’s a good look.”
Mario could tell that his brother was genuinely proud of him, and it made him feel good. The way his mother’s eyes lit up when he showed her the grade made him realize that he liked being praised way more than he liked being chastised.
“Shit. Get another A on another test, and I’ll give you $500.”
Mario’s eyes widened. “For real?”
“Yeap. Matter fact when you get your report card, I’ll give you $500 for every A, $400 for every B, and $100 for every C.”
That promise overwhelmed Mario. He knew he could apply himself and make a few good grades, but he doubted he’d be making the Principal’s list or even the honor roll.
The money sounded good though, so it was something to think about.
The days that his brother was mad at him bothered him, so Mario was making the effort to be on his best behavior.
“What’s up with you and that kid, Mason?” Block asked.
Mario’s shoulder hiked. “Nothing really. I don’t say anything to him, and he doesn’t say anything to me.”
“Keep it like that. His mom’s passed away, so I don’t want to hear about any jokes. You got that?”
Mario nodded. His mother worked his nerves, but he couldn’t imagine her dying. “What we getting into tonight?”
Mario’s question made his brother chuckle. “What you trying to get into?”
“I want to go to the mall for one.”
“You got mall money?”
Mario grinned. “Belvin came by and gave me $300. The new J’s dropped today, and I want them before they sell out.
” Belvin was one of his father’s friends that looked out for Mario at least once a month.
He was one of the real ones that had been looking out for them during Tech’s entire bid regardless of how much money Block, Brazil, and Lethal had.
“You ‘bout to spend that whole three hundred on the shoes.”
“I mean I already have a lot of clothes.”
“Keep your money. I’ll buy you the shoes since you got an A on your test. Come on. You can start the car. Give me five minutes.”
Mario walked out to the car, and Block eased his phone from his pocket. After tapping Symphony’s contact, he listened as the line trilled.
“Hello?”
“Hey. You need anything?”
“A hug would be nice, but I’m not at home, so I can wait until later.”
“I got you tonight. I’m about to take Mario to the mall, so let me know if you need anything.”
“I’m pretty sure I won’t need anything, but if I do, I’ll let you know.”
“You want me to suck on that pussy tonight?” he asked in a low rumble.
He hadn’t been trying to have sex with her because he knew she was sad, but if she didn’t want to have sex, he could at least eat her pussy.
That was when he knew he had it bad for her because he’d never in life eaten a woman’s pussy without expecting anything in return.
Symphony chuckled. “Not sure who would say no to that.”
“Aight. I got you.”
They ended the call, and Block stared at the phone.
Whether Symphony was in his life or not, becoming addicted to pills would have been the dumbest shit he could have done.
He didn’t just quit for her. He quit for himself.
But still, he had to admit that he’d never had a woman make him want to change for her.
Most women didn’t give a damn what he did or said.
They wanted him flaws and all and were willing to accept him, however.
He liked the fact that Symphony wouldn’t just go for anything.
He didn’t even want to risk anything he was involved in hurting her career.
She was too smart and had too much going for herself to let a man be her downfall.
Block walked out to the car and headed to take his brother to the mall.
One of the reasons he felt so drawn to Symphony was because they had a lot in common.
His brother and her nephew being one of those things.
He hoped her nephew wouldn’t get worse since his mom’s death, but there really was no telling.
Mario got on his nerves enough, but before he let Symphony become too stressed, he’d step in and try to talk to her nephew, if she would let him.
Block wasn’t trying to cross boundaries or be anybody’s father.
He didn’t have any kids. He could be a good role model, however.
He had inadvertently shown his brother the glitz and the glamour that came with drug dealing.
Now, he planned to show him how to start a business and get money the legal way.
“Brazil told me he’s about to buy a house,” Mario interrupted the silence.
“Yeah. He’s going to let pops have the condo when he comes home. Since he has a daughter now, he wants a house with a backyard for her to play in. He’s also thinking about getting her a dog. He’ll definitely need a yard for that.”
“I can’t believe pops is finally about to come home.”
“Yeah. It’s been a long time.”
“Most of my life.”
“That’s why me and your brothers are going to make sure he’s straight, so he’ll never have to even think about going that route again.
That’s why I want you to choose the right path, because being locked up for that many years isn’t worth it.
I don’t care what you saw me do. Just because the next person makes dumb ass decisions doesn’t mean you have to. Be your own man.”
Mario nodded. He was starting to change his stance on selling drugs.
He still didn’t know what he wanted to do, but he didn’t want to end up in prison.
He almost went crazy when his mom took his cell phone.
He also used to hate when he had to share the television with his cousins and watch whatever they wanted to watch.
Despite having older brothers, Mario still had only child syndrome because he didn’t grow up in a house with other siblings.
His mother told him he’d never make it in prison because he hated authority, and he realized that she was right.
No weed, nasty food, no females, no cell phone, or streaming apps. Yeah, he was good on that.
At the mall, Block bought Mario more than shoes.
He also knew there was nothing he could buy to cheer Symphony up, but he wanted to try, so he copped her some diamond earrings, and a pair of sandals that she already had but in a different color.
They went and got food, and Block took Mario to the racetrack for a bit.
Block enjoyed his time out with his brother, and he had to admit that he’d missed him.
Thinking back to Symphony’s situation with Monique, Block made a promise to himself to never get so mad at Mario that he stopped talking to him for days at a time.
He knew Symphony felt a great deal of guilt because her and her sister’s relationship wasn’t where it needed to be prior to her dying.
That was a weight that she would more than likely carry forever.
He didn’t want to have to live with those same regrets.
Block dropped Mario off at home and headed to Symphony’s house.
One thing he’d never done was spend the night with a woman at her house before.
She had him doing a lot of things he’d never done before.
Symphony opened the door with puffy eyes.
They never had a chance to go down because she cried every day.
Several times a day. As Block crossed the threshold of her home, he didn’t say anything.
He simply hugged her tight. After a few minutes, she peered up at him with her chin on his chest.
“Mason will be here tomorrow and probably a few days after that. You can’t come while he’s here because he doesn’t like you.”
Her comment made Block’s brows hike. “He doesn’t like me? What did I do?”
“You’re Mario’s brother, and your cousin sells drugs. More specifically he used to sell drugs to my sister.”
“Oh damn.”
“He’ll come around. I hope. It’s just a tough time for him, and I have to be there for him. He told me he wanted to stay here, and that made me feel good because he was pissed at me when he first saw you here.”
“I get it. Lil’ man has a right to feel however he feels. Soon, I’m not going to be selling drugs anymore and neither is Blak. I’m ready to be done with this shit.”
“I love that for you.”
“I love that for us.”
The couple had an intense stare off that made his dick hard. Symphony’s eyes closed, and she held her head back. “I just want life to be easy.”
“That’s not going to ever happen,” Block kept it real with her. “There’s nothing we can’t get through though.”
“You really plan to be here for the long haul?”
“Yeah,” he responded with a frown. “Where you think I’m going?”
Symphony shrugged.
“I’m here, man. I’m not going anywhere by choice. You know how long I been chasing peace? I found that with you. On some real shit. I’m not letting that go.”
A passionate kiss turned into them being in her bed with her back arched while Block sucked on her swollen bud like it was a piece of candy.
His saliva mingled with her essence and dripped down the crack of her ass before he used his tongue to clean the mess.
Symphony’s toes curled, and she moaned as she released into his mouth.
Her legs were still quaking when he snaked his tongue into her mouth. When Block pushed into her with no condom on, she moaned into his mouth. As a doctor, she knew better. As a woman that was in love with a man, his raw dick felt like heaven inside of her snug walls.