Chapter 52 Proof
Proof
The babies are on the bed, my ‘polo babies’.
I grip my towel, trying to get ready for work, but this man has a tent in his shorts.
Teebone’s Crown is playing loud in the room.
He was dancing for the babies when I walked out of the shower.
I try to reach for my clothes, but Nickoi’s already behind me.
My grip on the towel tightens. He lifts me up, arms wrapped around my waist.
“Put me down,” I whine, though I’m enjoying it.
“Mhm,” he hums, unconvinced.
I giggle. “Put mi down nuh, Nickoi.”
He chuckles.
My back presses against his chest.
“Mi nah laugh enuh,” I say while laughing. The irony.
“So weh yaw do?” he questions. He sets me down, loosens the towel, one hand holding the back then cups my now-exposed breast. Ah bwoy.
I try pushing him away. He presses me into the closet.
Woiie, my subconscious laughs.
“Nickoi,” I say, defeated. He’s too strong. Betta yuh give up.
“Hush up nuh, Zara,” he says huskily. I sigh, letting him have his way. I’m not fighting, sexual tension thick in the room. I close my eyes, trying to calm myself as he plays with my breast. His lips hover near my neck, making me shiver.
“Yuh stop fight?” he asks lowly. We’re so close, I barely hear him.
I bite my lip.
“Eeeh?”
The babies stir. He steps back, hands dropping.
Thank goodness.
I tuck my towel, roll my eyes, blushing as he walks to their crib. I slip into my clothes. The music’s still loud. He plays more songs as I do my hair and apply makeup. I smile at him when I’m done. He’s bobbing his head to Squash’s Ready, like he ghostwrote it.
Once I’m dressed, I scoop up the twins. They’re staying with their Grandma.
I buckle them into their seats, both chewing their pacifiers. Nickoi joins us in the Range Rover a few minutes later. He’s on the phone, talking about land plots. I zone him out, focusing on our babies. My phone vibrates.
It’s Nicki.
She asks if we’re nearby. I text back that Nickoi just drove out, and that she can expect us soon. He’s still on the call, now with the agent and his lawyer. I assume he’s building something. A house? A business?
Maybe he’ll tell me.
I watch buildings blur past until he ends the call. He looks… stressed.
“Zara,” he calls. I glance at him.
Wah him a look fa?
He checks his pocket, then the center console. Still focused on the road, he hisses under his breath, scanning.
“Wah yuh lef, Nickoi?” I finally ask.
He hisses again. “Mi wallet.”
Him never lef him wallet. Him just stress.
Why dem call him and a stress him so?
“You lef it inna the house,” I say. He hums faintly. There’s a gas station nearby. His tank full. Was he going to buy something? Wait… what about cards?
“You have the cards, right?”
He shakes his head no.
Ahh bwoy. Him affi go drive all the way back?
Fi wah? And him have you. Have sense nuh, Zara. Be there fi yuh man, my subconscious says.
I smile to myself. She can do me bad sah.
“You did a go buy something?” I ask. He nods. His phone rings. He hisses, ignores it, then answers me.
“Not now, but mi a go link British after this, and mi definitely a guh need money, yuh zi mi.”
He sighs. “If mi did drive mi Benz this wouldn’t happen, mi ever have money all ‘bout in a that. Jah Jah.”
“How much yuh want?” I ask, digging into my purse.
He doesn’t answer.
I sigh.
He’s not used to taking, he’s the one always giving. “That Gov, Zara mi a go mek Gutta get it and meet me after mi drop off the babies,” he says, irritating my soul.
“Nickoi, don’t grieve me spirit,” I snap.
He turns, surprised.
“We a get married soon and you lef your money and yuh nuh wah take money from me? A nuh this mi deh yah for? Fi have yuh back? You think a’ only badness? Mi deh yah fi you and you deh yah fi me.”
Preach, sister. Amen anybody?
He starts smiling. I glare at him.
“You nuh have the amount weh mi want, babe,” he says.
“Mi have fifty thousand in hand. You want more than that?” I ask.
He nods.
“Well, mi have mi card. Mi can draw any amount yuh want, so stop at an ATM,” I say.
He smiles.
Awww. Watch wife.
“Mi love yuh enuh,” he says.
“I love you too,” I smile.
He takes the money. “Just give me 10K fi now. Mi affi stop at home and get the card before mi link the agent, though.”
I hand him the 10K.
“Respect enuh, Mami. Yuh know wah yuh deserve fi this?” he smirks.
“Please drive. It’s almost 8:00,” I smile sheepishly.
Chro Mon.
He chuckles, turning the car around. He pulls up to his mom’s gate but doesn’t move.
“Bring them in and come inna the front.”
“Okay,” I say, stepping out. I take the babies out and head to the veranda. Nicki’s there. She looks at the car, her expression quite unreadable, before looking at me.
“Good morning, Zara.”
“Good morning Mommy,” I smile.
She chuckles.
“Yuh fi call me that more often.”
“Noted,” I grin, placing the babies in the crib. Their dad bought it for them to stay whenever they’re here.
“Watch them face,” Nicki smiles. I drop their bag on the sofa, kiss their lips.
“Be good and have fun with Grandma.”
“They will,” she replies.
When it’s time to leave, she walks me to the gate, but stops there. I notice that she doesn’t come to the car.
She probably think seh a me alone come enuh… how she nuh call to Nickoi?
“Nickoi inside the car enuh,” I tell her.
“Eeeh,” she says. Her face shifts..
A wah happen?
How Nickoi nuh come out come say something to him mother like usual?
I ignore it.
“Yes, mi a go work now, mi cya late. Later mi see you,” I wave.
She waves back.
I get in the car. Nickoi’s staring out, deep in thought.
“Still a think bout the wallet?” I ask, buckling up.
“No sah,” he smiles and pulls off. Doesn’t even honk the horn.
“You never greet your mom,” I point out.
“You link har,” he says. I shake my head.
“So wah that mean? A yuh mother enuh, the same woman you love with your whole heart.”
He nods. “Yes. And mi still love har with mi whole heart. Mi just never inna the mood.”
Fair enough.
At school, we kiss longer than we should. Now my lipgloss is gone. Edges slightly off. Good thing the car’s tinted. He vapes while I reapply gloss and fix myself.
I finally turn from the mirror, smiling. “Later.”
He bites his lip, watching me. A silver BMW pulls up beside us. My heart rate jumps. Nickoi winds the window. Is not a killa, Zara.
I exhale. It’s just Gutta.
“Yow, mi killa,” he greets Nickoi, then looks at me. “Morning, Zara.”
“Morning, Gutta,” I reply.
He stretches the wallet to Nickoi, who takes it.
“Respect enuh.”
Anything him seh him a go do, him do, as long as a fi him way.
“No problem, mi Don. Weh yuh reach though?”
“Mi a link British a Liguanea,” Nickoi replies.
They wrap up their exchange within seconds. Nickoi hands me back 20K.
Chro monn… it’s the extra money fa me.
“Thanks again, Mami,” he says.
I smile, take the cash.
“Later mi see you,” I tell him, stepping out of the car.
NICKOI
I’m in the parking lot, waiting on Simone. She’s inside getting food, a patty, of all things. Still don’t get what she sees in those. She’s been staying here for a while, ever since Mario started working on his case. She’s kept me in the loop.
You’re probably wondering how my sister end up deh wid mi enemy.
Simple.
I planned it.
Not exactly how it played out, but I saw it coming. One thing my father taught me: being a drug lawd opens a lot of doors, and even more risks. I knew the local police couldn’t stop us. So, eventually, they’d bring in help.
Predictable.
I didn’t know who they’d choose, so Genius and I did some digging. We made a list of top detectives for Simone to get close to. She was down, as long as it helped me. We studied them, and Mario stood out, young, sharp. Detective Grey was experienced but aging, so we focused on Mario.
Simone reached out online. They started dating. She swore she wouldn’t catch feelings… but she did. Married him. Had his kids. That part’s her business as long as she stayed focused on the mission, I didn’t care.
The relationship was part of the plan to keep my operations protected. It took a while before the JDF requested Mario, so they had time to fall in love.
That’s probably the only thing I regret.
But even now, with everything going down, Simone’s still loyal. Still riding with me. I respect her for that. Most people wouldn’t even remember why they started.
She gets in the car with patties and fries.
“This is yours,” she says, handing me a shrimp patty.
“Thanks.”
“I’m eating first,” she says, biting into hers. I take a bite in mine too, then gulp my Aloe Vera drink. When we’re finish eating, she gets to the point.
“So like I said, Dane told Mario everything. They were on the phone this morning.”
I nod slowly, trying to stay calm.
“Don’t worry. It won’t work,” she reassures me.
“He’s building a case. Trying to match the sketch to you. He wants the killer. He’s bringing troops and police tomorrow to search the house. He’s got your address now, thanks to Dane.”
I sigh hard and look outside.
“So what do I do, stay away? But that nah guh make me look guilty?”
“Exactly. So stay home. Use today to clear out everything cars, guns, all of it. He has a warrant, and he’s coming with dogs.
You can’t act like you knew. He’ll get suspicious.
And I’m the only one who knows this is happening.
Mario thinks you’re guilty, but he needs proof.
Your job is to make sure he finds nothing. ”
She hugs me.
“Stay safe, bro. I love you.”