Chapter 16
CHAPTER 16
RHODES
“T hey weren’t prepared for what they ran into. They knew you were a loner. I’m going to make a trip out there with a couple of my boys and see what’s up.”
I was sitting in a meeting with Watchful Eyes and the California OG, Ryan Charles Junior. I was kind of star struck. This nigga didn’t look a day over thirty-five, but I knew he was much older. He was old enough to have been my father, and I was twenty-nine.
“I never would have guessed the Hendersons could be grimy like me. Y’all country niggas something else. Noah only talked about how cool y’all were. He didn’t get this side.”
Philly and Mr. Kenny chuckled. Although this wasn’t their drama, I was somewhat connected to them, so it seemed like their drama. I was pretty sure Ali made Ryan aware of the Henderson shit too, though, and why they thought it was their shit initially. Ryan looked over at me and said, “You look just like your pops, man.”
I gave him a slight smile. I’d heard that all my life. He stood and shook my hand. “I know that although you know how this shit goes, you want no parts of it. So whatever we gotta do to keep you out of it, we will.” He glanced back at the man with the blue eyes, who I knew was the video vixen’s husband. “That nigga know how to connect with anybody, and I ain’t figured that shit out just yet. Shawn has alliances with people you wouldn’t believe. We got’chu. Just concentrate on your lady and her bringing a healthy baby into the world.”
I nodded and slapped his hand again, then Shawn shook my hand and nodded. They talked to Ali, Philly, and Jungle for a while then they all left, except for Mr. Henderson. Once they left, my immediate focus was going to check on my baby. It had been three days since her grandfather had been assaulted, and I could tell it was affecting her more than what she was saying. I heard her cries out to the Lord when she thought I was asleep. If her tears didn’t move God, then I knew whatever happened was something He chose to allow.
That woman’s tears could get her whatever she wanted from me. Her people had gone back home this morning, and I was dying to get at her. She needed nourishment first though. As I headed to the kitchen to pull the last of the food from the refrigerator that Mr. Henderson brought over yesterday, he said, “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
I glanced upstairs and said, “Yes, sir.”
He gave me a closed-lipped smile as I made my way to him. I could tell where Karima got her kind spirit from. He was also the reason she didn’t settle for bullshit. He was very attentive and noticed the smallest things. When I sat across from him, he rubbed his hands together as he stared at the floor. It sort of made me a little nervous. I couldn’t understand why, when Karima was practically living here and was carrying my baby already.
“When Karima first told us she was pregnant and how it happened, I wanted to find you and break your fucking neck. That’s my baby. She don’t know it, but the reason she hasn’t heard a peep out of Jared is because I went and had a nice talk with him.”
I nodded, knowing the last thing he did was talk when he went and found Jared. While I didn’t think he killed him, I was pretty sure he put the fear of God in him. On first sight, I would never think this man was capable of fucking anybody up. However, Karima told me things she probably shouldn’t have. She overheard her parents talking about how he fed somebody to their hogs. That alone made me take him seriously whenever he wanted to talk.
“Karima didn’t tell us what had happened until a week before you showed up. She wanted to wait until she was calm and accepting of what had happened. She knows how we can get. Had she exhibited signs of hurt… even the slightest hurt, it wouldn’t have been good for you, especially the day you showed up at the diner. That was bold as hell.”
I slid my hand down my face and glanced at the stairs again. I was dying to get to my baby, but Mr. Henderson was determined to make me sit here for as long as it took to get out what he needed to say. I wanted to get up and walk off, but I didn’t want to be disrespectful, even though he was at my house.
“I can respect your determination to make things right with her. When y’all were in high school, I could tell how much you loved her. I thought you were a thug and so did she. I knew that I wouldn’t have to intervene, because I felt like you weren’t her type. I watched y’all, though, and I could tell she cared for you. Still… I didn’t say a word, because I never witnessed anything inappropriate. That was what first earned you my respect. The way you respected her, despite your wants, made it easy to trust you.”
He nodded repeatedly. “That was why it was a little easier to eventually overlook what you did to her. She was accepting of it and forgave you, so I decided to honor that. Now, seeing how you care for her… how you love her, makes me comfortable with my decision. Despite how the two of you got to this point, I’m willing to let the past be the past. Because of the way you take care of her, I want to welcome you to the family. She told me you have extensive knowledge in animal science and could help us. I need you at the family meeting next week. I’ll talk to my family and smooth things over tomorrow.”
I took a deep breath. “Yes, sir.”
I refused to tell this man no. He was putting his neck on the line for me. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for him, except leave Karima. I thought that was what this talk was going to be about. While I was hesitant about meeting up with the rest of the family, I knew if he prepared them for my presence, it probably wouldn’t be as bad.
“I can see your hesitancy. Storm is like that with everybody. Don’t let him get to you. He’s the tall one they’ve been calling mayor. Marcus isn’t as bad as he looks either.”
“Is he really the mayor?”
He slowly shook his head. “Yeah, and Marcus is his assistant. Nome is being ran by a man on a short fuse and a former thug.”
He chuckled, so I did too. When he stood, I did the same and extended my hand. He grabbed it and pulled me in for a one-armed hug. I smiled and said, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, son. Tell my daughter to call me later.”
“Yes, sir.”
He called me son. If that wasn’t acceptance, I didn’t know what was. The minute he left, I took those stairs with the quickness. Karima had gone up there to take a nap when Watchful Eyes got here with Ryan and Shawn. They were here for at least an hour or two, discussing Trouble’s entire operation. Ryan was extremely knowledgeable about him and my pops. To say he’d been away from the life for so long, niggas in Cali still respected the fuck out of him.
When I got to my bedroom, she was still asleep. I stood in the doorway and just watched her. Despite everything that was going on, she looked so peaceful. That was what I wanted for her. I didn’t want her to have a care in the world. Her only care would be taking care of our baby and fulfilling her dreams by becoming a licensed family counselor and forming her all-female, black rodeo team. I would support her with everything in me.
As I watched her, imagining what our future would look like, her phone rang. I hated that her sleep was interrupted. She quickly sat up in the bed and answered it without even noticing I was standing here. “Hello?” she answered groggily.
I watched her eyebrows lift slightly, then tears streamed down her cheeks. She closed her eyes and said, “Okay… I’ll make my way up there in a little bit. Did they find out if the guys were connected to the Andersons or not…? Mama, I hate this… It’s no one’s fault. I’ll have to call him… Is he at the hospital…? Okay. I’ll talk to him when I get there. I love you… Bye.”
I made my way to her and sat in the bed as she cried. Grabbing her hand, I caressed it between mine until she was able to speak. “They had to put my grandfather back in ICU. His lung collapsed. They don’t know if he’s going to make it or not.”
“I’m so sorry, baby,” I said as I pulled her in my arms. I gently rubbed her stomach, wishing she wasn’t under all this stress. “God is in control, right?”
“Right,” she said and broke down crying. When she stopped sobbing, she looked up at me with tearful eyes and asked, “What if God is ready for him? What if it’s his time?”
“Then you will get through it just like you did when your grandmother passed away. I know it hurts, but God will see you through, baby. He always does.”
She wrapped her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly.
“Are you about to get dressed now?”
“Can you make love to me first? I need my spirit to be calm. You have that effect on me.”
“You don’t have to ask for that, baby.”
I pulled my shirt over my head and stood to pull off my wind pants and drawers. Her eyes never left mine. The sadness in them had me submitting to her in servitude. I pulled her nightshirt over her head then slid in bed with her. She wasn’t wearing undergarments. She hadn’t worn panties or a bra to bed since she’d been here. I had a feeling that she only wore them during the day because her people were here.
She opened her legs for me, and I eased my dick inside. I could tell by her mannerisms that she didn’t need foreplay. She just needed me inside of her to ease her pain. She once told me that it was nearly impossible to feel any other emotion other than pleasure when we were making love. I agreed totally. Since she confessed her love for me, it had been that way for me too. I emerged myself totally in our love. There were no walls in sight. This woman had access to my soul.
She closed her eyes briefly then opened them to stare into mine. I lowered my lips to hers as I stroked her slowly, kissing her depths with passion. She lifted her legs and wrapped them around me then began rolling her hips into me. I was so damn sensitive right now, and I knew it was because of the state she was in. She was the only woman that could pull this out of me. Lowering my face to hers, I kissed her slowly, letting her feel my love in every stroke of my tongue.
When I pulled away from her, I said, “I love you, Karima… with my soul, baby.”
“I love you too,” she said and began crying again.
It was like she knew more than what she was told. I stopped and was about to pull out to hold her, but she said, “Please don’t stop, Rhodes. Pleeeeaaasseee… don’t stoooop.”
Right after, she came all over the place, snatching my fucking nut from my loins. I rested my forehead against hers for a moment then pulled out of her as she said, “He’s not going to make it.”
“Karima, we’re praying, remember?”
She shook her head as she stood and went to the bathroom to wash up. I followed behind her and wrapped my arms around her.
“God said it’s time. His soul is right and ready. He loves the Lord, and he’s made all his crookeds straight. There’s nothing more for him to do.”
She lowered her head and took a deep breath then continued cleaning herself as I did the same. I supposed God was preparing her so she could be a comfort to everyone else. As I glanced at her, I could see her mouth moving, but I couldn’t hear a word coming from her. I wanted to believe she was praying.
I quickly washed up and got dressed. Karima didn’t seem to be in a hurry though. “Baby, you okay? You need me to help you do anything?”
“No. He’s not going anywhere until I get there.”
I frowned slightly. I didn’t say another word about it. I had to assume she was operating in her gift. Sitting on the bed, I watched her finish getting ready then grab her phone. She did something on it then said, “Okay. I’m ready now.”
She was eerily calm suddenly, and I didn’t know what to think of it. I felt like I was about to witness something powerful, and I was somewhat anxious about it. After we got to my truck, I opened the door for her and helped her inside. Once I got in, she turned to me and smiled slightly. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it then lifted it to my lips to kiss.
“I’m okay, baby. Thank you for assisting in that,” she said then chuckled.
I chuckled too. “The pleasure was all mine. You sure you good though?”
“Yes. This is what the peace of God looks like. I don’t want you to be worried or scared, okay? There’s nothing to be afraid of or anxious about. This is why I’m a loner mostly. A lot of people wouldn’t understand what’s about to happen, and it would truly scare them. You are my life partner, and I know you will not only understand, but you will help calm everyone else. I love you, baby.”
“I love you too.”
I didn’t know what the hell she was talking about. It seemed she was talking in riddles. Whatever conversation she was having with God was powerful. I didn’t remember it being this way in our early twenties, unless she just chose not to let me see it. It had developed tremendously, and I was in awe of her. For God to use her the way He was, she had to be extremely close to Him. While everything she did wouldn’t be considered holy, her spirit was pure and receptive to His will. She had to be an angel.