Chapter 4 #3
Aura’s eyes went wide at the name, and Relic picked up on her sudden nervousness but didn’t address it as she opened her social media and typed in the correct account without having to search it.
His antennas shot up when he saw they followed one another.
As soon as she opened her inbox, and he peeked down to see they’d previously been deep in conversation, he ripped her phone from her hand.
“What the hell are you doing?!”
She lunged for him, and Relic gripped her by the thin bralette, tearing the fabric as he slung her aside like a rag doll while skimming a conversation that revolved around someone who wasn’t thinking about either of them.
Aura hit the wall with a thud before pouncing at him again, but a scream lodged in her throat when he snatched her up by a handful of hair.
Relic yanked her head back so hard that she thought her neck snapped, and then slammed her on the floor, bashing her head onto the bench to hold it there.
“Scream if you want to,” he gritted, mashing his palm harder on her face as she whimpered before clawing at his arm.
“Get off—”
“Shut the fuck up! I tried to do this the easy way, but you bitches love to piss me off. Why the fuck do either of you have Kennedy’s name in your mouth?”
“Ronnie messaged me,” she whimpered, wriggling in pain from the pressure he was applying to her skull. “She asked which stylist did my hair at the grand opening and then mentioned working with Kennedy. I didn’t say—”
“You didn’t say what? Because you did a whole lot of fucking talking to me.
You claim to not like bitches, but as soon as it came to talking shit about Kennedy, now you’re friendly.
You don’t even know, if it weren’t for her, you’d be locked in with me until the hairs on your pussy turned gray.
Instead of hating, you should be on your goddamn knees, kissing her ass to thank her. ”
He shook his head in disappointment and continued scrolling their conversation, making sure to check the date on their first interaction to verify it was around the time of the grand opening.
An amused chuckle slipped out at the fact Ronnie was talking cold cash shit about Kennedy to a chick she didn’t know from a can of paint.
It told Relic all he needed to know about her ass.
The hoe ran her muthafucking mouth too much, and if the wrong person got a hold of her, she’d spill the beans on why Lomar tried robbing Kennedy in the first place.
It was imperative, he got to Ronnie before the police did.
He continued scanning their discussion until he reached their last conversation that sent his lids fluttering as the sudden urge to beat Aura’s face to a bloody pulp swept over him.
Relic squatted and took off his shades to stare in her eyes.
“So, this bitch sent you to Tekken for information on what happened to Kennedy?”
“It wasn’t like that! I swear,” she cried, attempting to shake her head to no avail. “She asked did I hear about it, and I told her no. She told me what was being said in the stylists’ circle and mentioned Tekken may have better tea. I didn’t tell her anything, and you can see that!”
“Because Tekken didn’t tell you shit since he’s not as fucking gullible as you.
Yo dumb ass is telling business to a girl you never met in yo life without knowing who she’s affiliated with.
Since you love running those dick suckers, let’s give muthafuckas something to talk about, Aura.
Tell the people how your so-called sister really came out your pussy. ”
Aura burst into instant sobs at Relic threatening to tell the world her little sister was her daughter.
Her father was still processing her label interview where she revealed that she’d been raped at thirteen, so his heart would break if he found out her sister was the product of it.
The truth would decimate their family because her dad would find out her mom knew who the actual father of her little sister was the whole time, and her sister would hate her for not choosing motherhood over living a child free life. Aura grew sick at the mere notion.
“Please,” she whined as Relic stared at her without an ounce of pity. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t bring my sister into it. She’s innocent.”
“You think I give a fuck about that? See if the original video Treasure thinks she deleted won’t pop up online if you try me, Aura.”
He released her face and stood, sneering down at her as she wiped an arm across her nose with a sniffle before covering her exposed breast with a hand. Relic balled his face in disgust.
“Fuck are you covering up for? You show your naked ass online any chance you get. Invite your little friend out with you like I said. If you even think to tell her that I—”
“I won’t say anything,” she promised, and he slipped back on his shades with a subtle nod.
“Let this be a lesson to watch your mouth, Aura. You better pretend that you forgot how to use your goddamn tongue before you ever speak on my bitch again. That’s a first and final warning, so don’t take it lightly.”
He exited the dressing room, adjusting his attire as he scoped the vicinity for prying eyes and trekked toward the main door. A group of young girls scampered off when he passed, but he doubted they heard the exchange between him and Aura. If they did, he didn’t give a fuck.
Relic kept his head on a swivel as he strolled through the overcrowded mall and to the double doors that parted once he neared, allowing him access to the parking garage.
A bout of paranoia struck from being in an enclosed area, and he pulled out his phone to call Drish who he’d picked up once dropping off Jahleel.
“Yea, boss man.” Drish answered on the first ring.
“Pull up to the door.”
He ended the call with that instruction and backed up so that he was braced against the side wall while watching cars roll by too slowly for his comfort.
The drumming bass of speakers minutes later made him huff his annoyance as he glimpsed around the barrier, knowing that it was Drish blasting music like he had no fucking sense.
Relic stepped into view but immediately stoned after catching sight of a familiar face through the passenger window of a passing car as it eased down the ramp toward the garage exit.
The girl who’d been with Sojourney the night he’d scouted her stared dead at him and ballooned her eyes as if she saw a ghost before turning away.
“Fuck,” he cursed, hauling ass to hop inside his truck before it fully stopped. Drish turned down the music with a frown once he was inside.
“Damn, boss! I was gon’ hit the brakes. Yo ass flew in this bitch like you’re being chased.”
“Because I just saw Lomar’s sister in the car ahead of us. It’s three niggas with her. One driving, and two in the back.”
Drish jerked his head back at that before driving up to the pay station while studying the silver sedan in front of them, idling at the intersection. He passed the lady at the window his ticket and a few bills while staying silent until she lifted the gate to let them out.
“Aight, so are we following them, or driving by to hit ‘em up at the next light? What?” he questioned the second they were out of earshot.
Relic swept a hand over his mouth in frustration since he couldn’t do either. He was hot, which meant there was a possibility that eyes were on him.
“Nothing. Let her make it for now. She isn’t a threat.”
“I’m glad you said that because a nigga ain’t even in a mood for allat.” Drish turned the opposite direction of the car. “I’m trying to hit the crib to get a nap before I start my shift at the studio tonight.”
Relic’s thumb tapped his phone screen at the speed of light as he inquired, “Everything straight with that so far? No issues with those other niggas, Rocco and Lue?”
“Nah, they cool. Kennedy hit me up yesterday before the shop opened and told me to put Rocco there when you know that’s my spot.
I ain’t even fight her on it ‘cause she a little too good with her shot, and she already threatened me once. I guess she don’t want me there since it’s out that you be having me stalk her for you. ”
“Ain’t nobody stalking her. Just shut up and take me to the main restaurant.”
Drish snorted a laugh while Relic bit his tongue to not gripe about the fact, Kennedy had reached out to everyone besides him.
He let it ride since he respected that she’d, at least, stood on her word to keep in touch with Jahleel and continued handling business at her salon and the security company she’d created.
As long as she played a vital hand in his life—no matter how small—he had better chances to pull her back in permanently with that same hand.
He was banking on doing precisely that if she didn’t force him to hate her first.
A judder against his palm gave him temporary relief from his mind circling back to Kennedy like clockwork as if he didn’t have bigger issues. Relic glanced at his phone, noting it was Shabu before he picked up.
“Fuck do you want?”
“Nigga, you text my fucking line! It’s been days since I called to make sure you were straight. I don’t even give a fuck if you dead or not nomo’. Then, gon’ text me casually like shit cool, with yo bitch ass!”
Relic chuckled. “Forever in your fucking feelings. You won’t ever learn, huh?”
“I can say the same about you. Word on the street is, you slapped the dog piss out of Kennedy, and she beat yo ass before running off with yo whip.”
“Who the fuck said that?!”
Shabu spit out a belly laugh, getting a kick out of an incident Relic found no humor in. His brother had warned him that Kennedy was a risk, but he’d underestimated her ability to drive him out his fucking mind.
“Is it a lie, folks?”
“I didn’t slap her,” he grumbled, omitting the fact he had choked her instead. Relic also withheld that she’d hit him first since Shabu already held reservations about her.