Chapter 12
I finally got Jariyah to fall asleep, and now I want to fuck some shit up.
Jariyah not only told me about the people following her, but also about the people who tried to ram her vehicle and then she mentioned the discussion she overheard from her mother about her plans for Baxtown Iron.
The back-to-back shots I’ve had don’t settle the fire in my blood or the murder on my mind.
While there’s little that can be done about the mayor’s attempt to shut down our clubhouse, I have to do something about Midnight Eagles.
I have no doubt that they were the stupid mothafuckas bold enough to come after my woman.
“Are you calm now, bro?” Boston asks.
“Fuck no! It took me thirty minutes to get Jariyah to stop crying. Then another twenty for her body to settle from jumping as she whimpered like a frightened kitten.” The reminder has me ready to spit fire.
I can handle the Midnight Eagles, but going up against the mother of my woman is a whole other level of finesse against a tricky adversary.
I’m happy that Jariyah is invested enough in our relationship that she let me know what’s on the horizon.
But damn if I didn’t have to swallow the words I wanted to say.
It would have been less painful to cut my tongue out than to not call Mayor Owens a cockeyed bitch who needs to rub her pussy on a cheese grater.
But keeping my thoughts to myself is best to avoid being in Jariyah’s doghouse.
Loud voices snap me out of my thoughts, and I turn to see the members walking through the door.
Nothing is going on at the clubhouse today, which is why the door was locked when Jariyah got here.
However, the double threat prompted Diesel to call for a full-body church meeting.
The sight of Squeak’s frown beside a sleepy-looking Deacon lets me know that Diesel had disturbed their sleep.
“What the fuck is going on that we had to get up from our bomb ass dream fuck session?” Deacon grumbles.
“Blame your cousin and the woman his ass refuses to let go.” Shadow smirks.
My eyes drill into Shadow, and my hands ball into fists before I speak. The last thing I have time for is Shadow’s jokes and bullshit when the urge to rearrange someone’s face clouds my vision.
“Don’t make me fuck you up, bro. My hands are already itching to school a mothafucka on how not to come for what’s mine.”
“Now that everybody is here, let’s call church to order.” Diesel’s voice bounces around the walls before Shadow can reply.
I hop up on the bar with my eyes on Diesel and Gunz, who make their way to the center of the room.
The meeting is called to order, and Diesel takes a few minutes to tell everyone about both situations as he knows them from me.
It pisses me off even more to make him and Gunz aware of what Jariyah told me simply because of their resistance to her presence.
I know that it will only feed into their need for Jariyah to be far away from the clubhouse.
But at this point, it’s too late for that shit.
There’s no way I’m going to subject my woman to the lion’s den. Either they can get with the program, or I’ll walk away from here with my lady in tow.
“I see the murder in your eyes, Righteous. Just so you know, I’m on whatever time you’re on. It’s family over everything,” Deacon says.
Before I heard his voice, I tuned Gunz out because the information wasn’t new to me, and I didn’t need to digest it again.
“Now hold up, bro,” Gunz says before Deacon speaks again.
“Nah. I said what I said. What I ain’t about to let go down is my cousin feeling like he’s on a solo mission,” Deacon says.
Various voices speak either their concerns or their rebuttals about the club going to war with two entities, and it all pisses me off. Before I can catch myself, words leave my mouth again.
“Look, every mothafucka in this room who wants an old lady has one. That’s fine for me and doesn’t make me shit one way or another.
But if y’all think I’m going to let my woman be on her own with any of this shit, you’ve got another thing coming.
Jariyah Owens is my woman, and she’ll be under my protection, no matter what.
Either y’all can get with the program, or I can wake her up and bounce. ”
“Before you do that, with your dramatic ass, let’s bring it to a vote,” Shadow says before he shakes his head as he smirks.
Shadow’s playful ass is our enforcer, so I understand his need to attempt to bring some order to this meeting. But my word is my bond, and I stand on everything I said. Either I’m gonna continue as a member of Baxtown Iron or I won’t. It’s as simple as that.
“All in favor of putting Jariyah under Baxtown Iron protection, do so with a show of hands,” Diesel says.
I hang my head so as not to react or show any later animosity to anyone who votes against Jariyah’s protection.
My damn chest feels tight as pain radiates across it.
I have never been in this position, and the shit is uncomfortable as hell.
One thing is for sure though. No matter how the club moves forward, Jariyah will be under my protection, and that is all she’ll ever need.
Whether my brother backs me or not, I will die trying to keep my woman safe.
“Alright, I’m glad you mothafuckas picked the right side, or I was gonna be walking out with my cousin.” Deacon’s hard voice causes me to lift my head and lock eyes with Smoke.
The subtle nod he gives me not only settles me immediately but it makes my pride surge.
“Nigga, we ain’t letting you or your emotional ass cousin leave the club. Clearly, you fuck niggas forgot how we’re coming behind our family,” Gunz says, which causes a boisterous charge to echo around the room.
“Blood In, Death Out.” My brothers chant our mantra.
“Righteous.” Jariyah’s voice causes me to hop off the bar and head to where she stands at the threshold between the hall where the rooms are and the main one.
Jariyah’s weary eyes and shrunken shoulders cause my jaw to clench as my eyes watch her intently with every step I take toward her.
Something about Jariyah’s uneasy state makes me want to kill the people responsible for dimming her light.
When I’m in front of her, my hand gently removes the lone tear that slides from the corner of her right eye.
Her usual vibrant green eyes appear dull and hesitant, and I pull her into my body.
“I’m scared,” she whispers.
“Don’t be. For your pain, mothafuckas are gonna bleed. You’re safe with me, Navae.”
“Bring her out here, Righteous. She might as well hear the rest of this since it pertains to her,” Gunz says to my back.
My eyes look down at Jariyah, and her gaze is already on me. I’m not sure which pisses me off more, the water in her eyes or the fear that shines in them.
“I got you. These niggas don’t want any smoke from me. But if you let a single tear drop, somebody’s ass in this room will regret it.”
“I’m . . . okay, I just . . . They don’t want me here, Righteous.”
“Fuck them. I want you here, and that’s all that matters. Did you forget that you’re mine?”
A genuine smile slides into place that reaches Jariyah’s eyes as they twinkle like green gems. My heart skips a beat as a goofy grin forms, and I lean down to kiss her forehead.
“Come on.” I step back and connect our hands before I lead the way to the center next to Diesel and Gunz.
“I’m gonna relinquish the floor to Righteous, who I’m sure has a plan for how he wants us to move going forward,” Diesel says.
I take a minute to look around the room at everyone in attendance, including our prospects.
Unlike the rebuttals I heard earlier, everyone’s eyes show their loyalty and commitment to do whatever is necessary.
When I connect eyes with Deacon and he smirks, I tell them what I need to happen for the foreseeable future.
“First things first, Nox and Trouble, y’all will be assigned to watch Jariyah whenever she’s not with me.
That won’t be too often; however, I want to make sure that not a freckle on her beautiful face shifts.
That means you niggas need to be like her second skin.
The only place you can’t follow her is the bathroom.
But make sure you’re outside the door. If you hear her grunt too hard, you better break your neck to make sure she’s good. ”
“Damn, bro. How you gonna subject them to smelling Jariyah’s shit?” Shadow teases.
“They better figure that shit out. My vote for them to receive their patches will be solely based on their ability to protect and serve.” Deacon interjects.
My eyes land on him, and I smirk before my gaze lands on Squeak, whose head is on his shoulder. My poor cousin is in the deepest throes of sleep oblivious to everything going on around her.
“Exactly. I want Jariyah to have Squeak’s level of comfort wherever she goes,” I say, and all eyes zero in on Squeak.
A few laughs sound, and I join in when Deacon speaks again.
“Man, my baby ain’t heard shit, but she knows I won’t let a fly bother her moody ass right now.”
“Say less,” Nox says.
“Felt, bro. She’s good with us.” Trouble cosigns.
My chest swells as I nod before I tap my chest and move on to the next order of business.
“As far as the threat from the mayor, make sure you keep your head on a swivel. I don’t know who told our fearless politician that we run illegal businesses.
But I have a feeling she’s gonna do her best to shake our tree.
Let’s show her ass that Baxtown Iron ain’t scared of shit but judgement day,” I say.
“That part,” Gunz says.
“I’ll also talk to our contact down at RPD. I want to make sure that nobody tries to pin anything on us that doesn’t exist,” Diesel adds.
Jariyah’s tremors against me cause me to bring the conversation to a close.
The rest of the conversation can be done when Jariyah’s sensitive ears are out of the vicinity.
Some things should be reserved for members only to prevent Jariyah from worrying about matters outside her parameters.
Part of my plan is to find dirt on the mayor so we’re not the only ones on guard.
Hell, Mayor Owens better hope she’s taken the time to sweep around her front door.
When all is said and done, I guide Jariyah back to my room so we can talk.
“How are you feeling about everything, Navae?” I close the door and lean against it with my eyes intently on her.
“Better, I think. I thought they would put me out of here. I think I’m falling in love with you, and the thought of losing you hurts more than the danger I evaded earlier.”
This fucking woman is the kryptonite I didn’t set out to succumb to.
“Me too, so I guess we’re really in this thing, huh?”
Jariyah nods and beckons me closer with a curl of her index finger.
My feet move without my need to say anything.
I don’t know how Jariyah got me to wage war on every opposition to our relationship.
But I’ll be damned if I take it back. I might have found myself slightly jealous of Deacon finding love.
But I didn’t know my ass would be in the same boat so soon after he fell.
This must be a sign of Dad’s prayers or something, because the lightness in my chest when I reach Jariyah can’t be explained.
The expression of love, desire, and commitment in Jariyah’s eyes nearly stops my heart.
I don’t know where we’re going from here, but the minute Jariyah’s arms wrap around my back, I confirm that love is about to bite me too.
Maybe wedding bells and a lifetime pledge with this woman are on my bingo card after all.