Chapter 5 #4
Ezekiel ran his tongue along his teeth before pouring another shot to take the edge off of having a woman he’d worked damn hard to wean out of his system sitting mere feet away from him.
His attentive inspection recentered to her breathtaking features as he drank, and he detected the outline of ridges and scars beneath the makeup she’d used to hide them.
The burns mutilating her hands were visible, but he chose not to address her ailments as an icebreaker.
A smirk tugged at a corner of his mouth as he pointed out, “You grew up on me, tough girl.”
“And you got old on me, Zeke.”
His boisterous laughter echoed around the office, and Kennedy relaxed in its familiarity. He held out his glass as a peace offering, but she declined.
“So, to what do we owe the pleasure of finally seeing your face again? I know, you aren’t home for good.”
“You know or you hope?”
He leaned back and spun his wedding band from his nerves getting the better of him before admitting, “I hope. That shit wouldn’t be good for me.”
“Oh, so it’s safe to say, you’ve gotten over Shaun?”
“Don’t disrespect me by bringing that nigga up in my presence, Kennedy.”
Both her hands flew up. “Don’t shoot, but last time I recall, you didn’t want shit to do with me just like I didn’t want a damn thing to do with you.”
“Yea, because you went and fucked a nigga before my fucking gunshot wound could heal, Kennedy!”
“Well, excuse me. I didn’t know it was a time limit for moving on after a nigga fucks you over for two years and then tosses you out like trash.”
“That’s not how it went, and you were no better. You didn’t leave room for me to wonder if you hated me, or if we could work it out. The moment you let him touch you, you made that shit clear.”
“And the bullet to your fucking stomach didn’t?”
Ezekiel chuckled and grazed a hand across the bullet wound beneath his suit jacket. It’d hurt but not as much as when he’d gotten wind that the woman he believed loved him was laying on her back for another man. That level of retaliation was unacceptable to him.
“No, you shooting me didn’t make it clear. You were running off emotions after Koda’s funeral. You were hurt about finding out I had a kid on the way and not knowing where Koda’s money was hidden. I understood all that.”
“But you didn’t understand me fucking another nigga like you fucked the woman you got pregnant?”
Ezekiel tugged his beard hair but didn’t respond since he couldn’t. There wasn’t an explanation in the world that could justify his actions, and Kennedy didn’t feel an ounce of remorse about fucking Shaun.
Her sole regret was letting Shaun join her and Tekken when she’d decided to move after word got back, Ezekiel had gotten engaged.
She swayed Shaun to come, hoping it would twist the knife she’d eloquently lodged in Ezekiel’s heart one last time for good measure.
Kennedy was never in love with Shaun; he was rebound dick she kept around longer than the purpose that he’d served her.
“Forget that I brought it up,” she told Ezekiel, giving him an out. “We’ve already spent too much time on topics that shouldn’t matter to us anymore.”
“You’re right. You didn’t answer the question about you staying, though.”
Kennedy crossed her legs, making Ezekiel steal a look at her thighs before licking his lips.
The unexpected swell in his shaft sent his eyes to her face to abstain from falling for her little tricks that had gotten him caught up with her ass all those years ago.
Kennedy peeked at his crotch and smirked.
“Luckily for you and your wife, I’m not staying long. I came home to get a breather after the traumatic situation I just went through.”
“Are you straight? Is it anything you need handled?” He didn’t hesitate to offer his assistance. “You know, I’m here if you need me.”
“I believe you, but no. I took care of it myself.”
“Well, are you going to tell me about what happened, or are you waiting for me to beg?”
“I’ve never known you to beg a day in your life, but a guy I was dating broke inside my home to rob me. I killed him.”
Ezekiel chuckled, but it waned when he didn’t detect an inkling of playfulness in her eyes. “Are you serious?”
“As a heart attack. It happened a few days ago, and I was detained for a while, but a friend of mine has a mean ass attorney that got me out. It was self-defense anyway.”
“A friend.” He parroted her descriptor like she hadn’t heard herself. “What kind of friend, and what does he do that he can afford the type of attorney that’ll get you out of a murder charge?”
“Let’s just say, I have a type,” she alluded, evoking a contemptuous scoff from him. She could tell from his tight expression; she’d crossed a line she wasn’t aware had been drawn.
“I guess, you didn’t learn your lesson, huh? Why the hell would you go find another me?”
“Another you?!” She cackled before assuring him, “I can say with the utmost confidence, you two are nothing alike.”
“We’re all the fucking same, Kennedy! Every nigga in the game is.
So, while you’re thinking he’s different, know a time will come where he disappoints you or you end up hating him for some bullshit just like when you were with me.
It’ll always be issues with street niggas like us because you’ll never be first over our self-interest, especially while we have the world at our fingertips.
Me and Koda put you on game to where you should know this shit by now. ”
His rant struck a chord and hit too close to home with Kennedy, but her face remained lax and her poise unfazed like none of it bothered her. Ezekiel had done a number on her emotions for years; she refused to give him a fresh tick mark on the list of damages he’d caused her spirit.
Ezekiel inspected her face for signs of being triggered by his words but spotted none.
He got up to stand in front of her with his arms folded while digesting that, either she didn’t care about him in the capacity he did her, or she’d mastered her poker face and concealing her emotions like Koda had tried teaching her for years.
“Look, I ain’t trying to hurt your feelings,” he fibbed, staring in her sensual eyes that used to bring him to some of the best nuts of his life. He pushed those thoughts aside to explain, “I’m just reminding you of the truth. The same truth Butch or Koda would tell you if he was here.”
“Do you miss him? Do you even think about him?”
Jarred by her abrupt topic shift, Ezekiel’s features fell as he scrubbed the nape of his neck.
The sadness that crept into her expression at the mention of Koda made him wish he’d stayed home with his wife versus creeping out to see a woman who’d tried to kill him physically and mentally.
Kennedy was dredging up memories that Ezekiel had left behind and didn’t care to rehash.
“Was it a hard question? Koda was your best friend, right?” she pressed.
“You know he was my fucking best friend. More than that, he was my brother. I miss him more than you know, but I don’t dwell over it because life goes on.”
“So, what? You put him in the dirt and forgot about him like he wasn’t shit? Did you even try to avenge him?”
Ezekiel frowned at her interrogation about a situation she couldn’t comprehend, but he didn’t get the chance to repudiate her claim before his doorknob jiggling sent both their eyes shooting toward his door.
“Bitch, you been fucking Zeke since we were kids and ain’t tell me shit?!”
Sonny stormed inside the office with his older brother behind him. Kennedy huffed a dramatic breath before she hopped off the desk to amble over to him while Sarge shot her an apologetic smile she didn’t care to accept.
“I thought he already knew.” He copped a plea before embracing her in a tight hug. “When one of the bartenders told me Sonny was here with someone and then described them, you’re the first person who came to mind. I had to see for myself, but I should’ve known Zeke would beat me to it.”
“I didn’t think I’d see either of you so soon, but since you told my business, when did you find out about Zeke and me?”
“At his bachelor party. Dumbass nigga got drunk and started reminiscing, forgetting about how he told me years ago that he never—”
“Shut yo ass up,” Ezekiel gritted, cutting Sarge off to address her. “None of that shit matters. It was years ago.”
“Agreed. So, Koda never said anything to you about finding out about us?” she investigated.
Kennedy pretended not to, but she caught the pointed looks they shared before Sarge turned the other cheek, and Ezekiel shook his head.
“Nah, he ain’t say shit to me, Kenn. You know that.”
“I was making sure because I technically never asked, and Tek mentioned recently Koda and my dad had argued about it. Apparently, Butch heard a conversation between us, but Koda didn’t believe it.”
“Well, there’s your answer right there. Koda wouldn’t accuse me of something he didn’t believe.”
“Yea.” She went silent before prying, “Another thing, and this is it. Did my brother have anyone else he trusted that he might have told about his money? A chick he was dealing with or—”
“Hell no.” Ezekiel gave a vehement shake of his head. “You know Koda would’ve told us if he was serious with someone.”
“Sarge...” She batted her classic lash set at him to hear his opinion, and he cleared his throat.
“Not that I know of. Koda and Zeke were closer, so he would know more than me. You’ve been searching for the money all this time?”
“Nope. I took it as a loss, but it crossed my mind that maybe Koda had found someone he loved. A person he’d want to make sure was straight, knowing we would be.”
“That does make sense.”
“Anyway, can we get back to our drinks, bitch? I got a few more in me before I’m popping this good ass bussy on a handstand.” Sonny diverted their awkward conversation and bit his finger in pretend coyness.
“I’m actually going to call it a night. I’m not built like I used to be,” Kennedy replied.
“You know what? That’s perfectly fine because now I don’t have to feel bad for ditching you for the nigga I saw watching me at the bar. Zeke will walk you out.”
Sonny gave her a quick hug, handed over her keys he was holding in his clutch, and then pranced away, leaving her to wait for Ezekiel.
Kennedy watched the man that she used to love as he locked his office door before leading her through the lounge, along with Sarge, like they were her secret service team.
She realized that was one of the things she’d missed most about having them and her big brother around—the protection.
The very thing she’d argued Relic down about not doing for her.
Even that nostalgic recollection didn’t change the fact, she didn’t know present day Ezekiel or Sarge and possibly had never known them at all.
Between her discussion with Ezekiel, and the sketchy answers Sarge gave her; they had her mind reeling, and she wished she could talk it through with Savvy.
Kennedy knew that was a foolish move since Savvy was Shabu’s wife, and Relic’s sister-in-law, first and her friend second, no matter how many times Savvy tried to tell her otherwise.
Kennedy decided she’d figure out her own problems and stick to the plan, especially since she preferred being inaccessible at the moment.
Tapping back into her fucked up reality didn’t sound appealing, so the bullshit and the frustrations she wasn’t in a mood to face could wait until she was good and fucking ready to address them.