Chapter 7
Two Hours Earlier
"We're not taking the bikes. They'll know we're coming if we do," I told my crew while I watched the live video feed of Nino and his entire crew at their warehouse in Southwest Detroit.
The niggas were super 'laxed and laughing about what they had done to my shop. When they began planning what they were going to do to Kenzi and Gruesome, I knew if we didn't act now, these niggas were going to think they were safe. None of these bitch niggas were safe, and they were about to see the wrath of a menace.
That bike shop was sentimental property, and though I had insurance to get it restored, I couldn't restore my father's bike that I had on the display case. It was burned to a crisp. So, to lighten my heavy heart, I was about to return the favor tenfold. It was the first thing Honor gave to me. I knew that sometimes he felt guilty about how Shayna's raggedy ass treated me, so he overcompensated to try to fill in her part of the gap that she left in my heart.
He always apologized and tried to make excuses for why she acted the way she did, but none of that shit mattered after she accused me of trying to have sex with her. Like, bitch, you had to have some fucking mental health issues to mistake my loving and caring for you as wanting to have sex with my own mother. Me choking her out that night wasn't the first time she'd insinuated some shit like that. I had to bathe her on numerous occasions because she'd throw up everything but her memories and the shit would be everywhere. Pops had his obligations at the club, and Jax would either not be around or asleep when she'd come stumbling in with throw-up on her clothes and in her hair.
My phone ringing snapped me out of the memory. Seeing April's name displayed across the screen, I swiped the bar to answer.
"What's good, baby?"
"The bird has flown," she said, referring to Niko being extinct.
I smiled. "Good looking."
"Am I going to see you tonight?" I could hear the slight beg in that question as I chuckled.
"Yeah, what time?"
"I get off at one a.m."
"You know what to do with it."
"I do. See you soon!" She hung up.
Her ass was too excited, but I expected nothing less from April. Her ass was always eager for me to have her at the masseuse, trying to relieve the pain and pressure in her joints and bones that I put on her.
"Niko is done. Let's roll out."
My crew gathered their weapons, and we all left my bar, hopping into our trucks and cars, heading to send some pussy ass niggas to hell.
It didn't take long to get to our destination. I instructed my crew to hit their lights and surround the building. Nobody was getting in or out this bitch. I told Nino's ass these weren't the problems that he wanted. The other biker crews respected my wishes and even respected me as a man who was trying to be a pillar in my community. Somehow, these Blaze bitches really didn't give a shit about anything, and that was their fault. I didn't make empty threats.
MCR ran up to the building. Draco, one of my men, kicked in the door and didn't wait or hesitate to send shots at whoever he saw first. The rest of my crew followed up, and it sounded like a fireworks show in May. The beautiful noise of gunfire and knowing my shooters were going to come out on top warmed my heart.
Jax and I hung back, catching any nigga that may have slipped out of there. As the gunfire began to cease, Jax and I went inside to about twenty-five bodies sprawled all over the warehouse. Shell casings, blood, and gun smoke filled the air as I mentally calculated my crew.
"Where's Bernard?" I asked, looking around.
"He got hit, Ru... he didn't make it," Law informed me as I approached him, kneeling beside Bernard.
"Fuck!" I yelled, sending a bullet into an already deceased Blaze Burner. "Where the fuck is Nino? I'm about to send that bitch to his granddaddy at the nursing home."
"H-he's not here," Tim spoke.
"Whatchu mean he ain't here?" I frowned, looking around at all the dead bodies. "The nigga was in here when we left!"
"He must have left before we got here," Tim replied.
"Find that bitch!" Half of the MCR moved out as Jax brought over the box of cocktails. The rest of my crew doused the bodies and walls with gasoline. Once they were done, we all filed out, and I lit the cocktails and tossed them inside the building. Immediately, the fire spread. Jax and I left out, hopped in my truck, and sped away from the scene.
"I know what you're thinking, Kai. Calm down before you go home around your nieces and future wife."
"Nigga, fuck you." We both laughed. "This shit is harder than I thought it would be. Every time I look at her ass, I just want to..." I bit back the rest of my words. It's crazy that after unaliving fifty-leven niggas, the mention of Kenzi calmed my nerves. "Why the fuck you bring her up? Stay on task, nigga. We gotta find that nigga Nino before he links up with another crew, and we'll be at war again."
"Because I need you with a clear head... Apparently, the very mention of Kenzi took the tension out of your body. I like her for you, Ru. She's like my best friend already."
I chuckled. "Nigga, what? You meet Kenzi for a few hours, and already y'all besties?"
"Yeah, shorty cool. Y'all kind of share the same story."
"Oh yeah? And what story is that?"
"Her moms wasn't shit, and you feel the same about ours."
"Hmph, go figure."
"She asked about you the other day."
"Tell that bitch to never speak my name again. Tell her I said eat a dick." My teeth gritted as I looked ahead, focusing on the road.
"She's changed ? —"
"Don't piss me off, Jaxson."
"Ella lo siente." (She's sorry)
"Me importa un carajo." (I don't give a fuck) I spat. "She's only sorry because she fucking lonely and don't have nobody but your simp ass. You keep letting her sweet talk ya ass into paying her fucking bills if you want to."
"She's our mother, nigga."
"She's your mother and has always been just yours! That evil bitch wasn't shit to me!"
"A'ight, let's end the conversation."
"Best shit you said all night."
"I told her I'd talk to you. I did, and I see you ain't wit' it, so let's drop it."
"Yes, let's."
"You really need to take a load off. After we find this nigga, go on a vacation or something. Hell, maybe you need to talk to shorty since she's studying to be a psychiatrist." Jax laughed.
"Fuck you," I responded, producing a smile of my own.
I pulled up to April's house and got out. Before I could even get to the porch, the door flew open, and she stood in a red robe, smiling widely. I approached her, and she tossed her arms around my neck. I grabbed handfuls of her fake ass.
"I missed you," she purred once I kicked the door closed.
"Miss this dick, April. Don't miss me."
"You have such a way with words." She rolled her eyes. "Come on. I thought we could eat first since I know you haven't eaten today," she suggested, pulling me toward the kitchen. She was right. I hadn't eaten shit since yesterday morning, so a nigga was famished.
"I made spaghetti?—"
"I ain't eating that shit. Make me a sandwich."
"Why? I have you know, I make the best spaghetti. Come on, I want you to try it."
"April, don't make me walk back out of here. I don't trust that shit. Make me a sandwich."
"You are fucking crazy, Ruger."
"Nah, you crazy. Crazy enough to put period blood in that shit."
"I'm not even on my period, fool!"
"With the way you think, I'm sure you probably put that shit in a cup for later use."
"Whatever, Ruger." She moved to the fridge and began pulling out shit to make me a sandwich.
I checked my phone, hoping that one of my members got a lead on that pussy ass nigga, but the shit was dry. It took April almost five minutes to make my sandwich before she placed it in front of me with a bag of chips and a water bottle. She came behind me, kissing my neck and ear.
"Mmm, you smell so good. Hurry and eat your sandwich so you can eat me," she flirted.
"I ain't eating shit but this sandwich. I don't know why you like to play yourself, shorty."
"Why are you treating me like this?"
"Like what?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"You don't ever talk to me like this. You're acting all standoffish and don't want to eat my food when you love my food and acting like you can't eat my pussy."
"I don't see cameras around, so what makes you think this is an act? April, you've really been on one lately. I don't love your food. It's subpar at best. I only eat the shit to make you feel good, and I'll never eat your pussy because I don't like roast beef."
"You know what, Ruger? You can leave! I'm straight on you."
"Oh yeah?" I asked, amused.
April was quick to get an attitude when I didn't say shit she liked to hear. This was the reason I stayed away from her often. I was never desperate for pussy. I could go weeks, even months without it. She, on the other hand, would blow my line down, begging me to come to snatch her lace front off her head.
She pouted and wrapped her arms around my waist.
"Why you doing me like this, baby? You know I love you and want more. I can see us starting a family together, and our babies come out looking just like you."
Yeah, it was time for me to go. I took another bite of my sandwich, then stood, putting my vest back on and grabbing my water bottle.
"Wait! Where you going?"
"I'm out, shorty. You be easy."
"What did I say wrong?"
"Everything that will never fucking happen, baby. You don't even know me for real because the shit that just came out your mouth would have never left your thoughts. This is why I keep my distance. You're becoming too attached. I told you all we're ever going to do is fuck, made yo' ass sign a contract, and you're taking this shit to the fucking altar. You wild as hell, girl." I laughed. "I'll see you around."
"You broken niggas swear y'all can't love nobody. Make a woman give you her all, then turn around and shit on her feelings. You ain't shit, Ruger. I hope a woman makes you fall in love with her and break yo' shit, just like you broke many other women before me, I'm sure."
"I rebuke that. If I fall in love, you better believe my woman gon' be just as much in love with me as I am with her. Your fake ass just mad because you didn't make the first-round draft pick. I could never marry someone who I can't find her clit behind those meat curtains. Have a good morning, April." I opened the door and walked out just as a vase hit the wall by the door. I chuckled and closed it, hopped back in my truck, and pulled off... prepared to use my fucking hand in the shower to relieve this damn stress.
Standing in the doorway of my bedroom, I knew somebody had to be playing a trick on me. I just knew this girl wasn't in my bed, lying on her stomach, in my t-shirt that was slightly raised due to how her leg was bent. I could see her perfectly round ass with my handprints beautifully tatted on her cheeks through the mirror on the other side of my bed. She had the nerve to be snoring too. I closed my eyes tightly, talking myself out of being a fucking carnivore and chewing her ass up. Fuck! I loved Grue, but his fucking sister was doing this shit on purpose. She wanted me to change her life, and surprisingly, I wanted to change it.
I abandoned the doorway and went down the hall to take a shower. I stripped from my clothes, tossed them in the laundry bin, then stepped under the shower heads, letting the water run over my head. Thoughts of the beauty lying in my bed, invading my personal space, entered my mind as I grabbed hold of my dick and stroked it. The image of her pretty ass pink lips wrapped around my shit had me squeezing the head and closing my eyes to get the visual behind my lids. I had never been this openly attracted to a woman where I was beating my dick to thoughts of her. Mona Lisa had only been around for over thirty-six hours, and I was already addicted to watching her, the taste of her, and smelling her sweet scent. It didn't take long for me to explode, then I washed up quickly and stepped out of the shower.
It was after five a.m., and I was tired as hell. I never truly got rest. It had been like that since living in a house with an evil ass woman who I believed would have killed me in my sleep if she could. As much as my pops would get in her ass about me, she still didn't give a fuck and still treated me like I wasn't even her flesh and blood. Erasing thoughts of her, I slipped on a pair of joggers, a white tee, and my slides, then headed back to my room. I tried not to make any noise even though her ass was snoring like a wild bear. I crept over to my lounging area by the window to lay on the couch. I went to my Apple News and listened to some stories before sleep finally found me.
Later that morning, when I awoke, I could smell the faint scent of breakfast being cooked. I frowned, seeing my bed was empty. Kenzi and breakfast didn't go hand in hand, so I hurriedly got up and rushed downstairs. I could hear laughter coming from the kitchen as I entered, seeing Jax's punk ass and Kenzi standing over the chef's stove.
"Good morning, brother," Jax greeted, mixing something in a bowl while Kenzi mixed the eggs. "Pour a little milk inside to thin it out. Make sure you use the measuring cup."
Kenzi's eyes found mine, and she smiled, forcing me to look back at my brother.
Kenzi's feminine voice graced my ears. "Good morning, Mekai."
"He told you his real name?" Jax asked.
"Mmhmm." She beamed.
"Wooow!" Jax dragged and laughed.
"Don't you have a restaurant or some shit to be at? Why the fuck you in here cooking breakfast in my kitchen?"
"First of all, don't talk to my best friend like that. Secondly, I asked him to come over and teach me how to cook," Kenzi sassed.
"How the hell is he your best friend when he was mine first, Mona?"
"Y'all fighting over me. I feel honored."
"Don't, bitch nigga. Answer my question, Mona Lisa."
Jax chuckled.
"Because I made him my best friend, that's why. Anything else you'd like to know, Rugie?"
Jax's punk ass laughed loud as hell.
"The shit ain't even that funny, nigga."
"It kinda is, with ya evil ass. Did you even brush your teeth before you brought your ass down here fucking with us?"
I stuck my middle finger up. "She burns my kitchen down, and I'm on yo' ass."
I left the kitchen and went down the hall to my office. I wouldn't lie and say the sight of her in my kitchen trying to learn how to cook and building a relationship with my brother didn't make me smile. This shit was crazy to me, but I knew as long as she stayed in my proximity, there was no doubt that I was going to make her mine.
I powered on my computer to check my emails, then made the necessary calls to restore my bike shop. Once that was complete, I made a call to an OG by the name of Omar. He was my father's right-hand man, whom Jax and I considered an uncle. I, for a fact, knew I could get any information I needed from him.
The phone rang three times before his raspy voice came on the line.
"Nephew. It must be snowing in California for you to ring my line."
I chuckled. "Nah, OG, but it's hot as fuck in Detroit. You feel me?"
"I feel that. How you been? I saw Jax the other day. My wife and I stopped by Honor Thy Food to get some grub. I swear if y'all don't look just like my guy." He chuckled.
"I miss him, man."
"Don't we all."
"Yeah, but I need a favor from you."
"Anything."
"Those dinosaurs are extinct, but there's one left. I need to find it. I hear it's worth a lot of money," I explained, speaking in code. It was a code we always used to let our people know that we made someone take a dirt nap. In this case, we referred to the Blaze Burners as dinosaurs.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes, sir."
"Give me a couple days. I'm sure I'll be able to spot it."
"Thanks, OG."
"Always, nephew. Come by and check me out sometime, man. I'm still at the same spot as before."
"I'ma pull up on you soon."
"A'ight, luh you."
"Same." I hung up just as a knock came upon my door. "Come in." Grue walked inside and shut the door behind him. We did our handshake as he sat down in the chair in front of me.
"What up doe, Ru?"
"Shit much. What's good wit' it?"
"Nothing. I just dropped Kenz's shit off for her. Still no word on that bitch nigga, but we've been combing the streets for him."
I nodded. "I just got in touch wit' Omar. He's going to look into that for me. In the meantime, keep your eyes open at all times."
"You already know."
"How's Nichelle?"
Grue's eyes roamed my face for a minute before he cleared his throat. "She's straight."
"Damn, nigga, I can't ask about your girl?"
"It ain't like that, Ru. You just never asked before, that's all. You ain't the type to really give a fuck."
I chuckled. "My nigga, I ain't that heartless." I stood from my desk, walked over to my liquor shelf, and pulled down a bottle of Casamigos. I poured two thumbs into the glasses and handed one to Grue as I sat on the edge of my desk.
"I want to talk to you about something."
"This seems serious."
"It may be, depending on how you look at it." I stared at him as I sipped my drink slowly. I honestly couldn't believe I was about to do this, but because I knew how close he and his sister were, I felt like I should talk to him man to man.
"You might need to fill my glass because I think I know what you're about to say."
"To me, it's not that deep, but I know how you can be... as a matter of fact, have you taken your meds this morning?"
"Yeah, I took my meds, man. Just let me know what's up."
"I like your sis?—"
"Nah, Ru. Come on, man. I only let her stay here because I know that you're a protector and that you won't let shit happen to her while she's under your thumb."
"Then you should know that I'll continue to do so."
"But you ain't known her but a few days. What the fuck did she do to get you to start giving a fuck?"
You don't want to know the answer to that, my guy.
"Again, I ain't that heartless."
"You don't do commitment, but my sister does. She likes that sappy-ass, happily ever after bullshit. You don't."
"You know me?"
"Nigga, I've spent over fifteen years with you. I better know something."
"So, you know I got love for you. You know I respect you and would crash out behind you any day. You're nothing less than a brother to me. I treat you the same way I'd treat that nigga that's in the kitchen making fucking pancakes with your sister. I don't know what happened over the course of these few days, but I have this strong attraction to your sister. It may be her personality, her spicy-ass attitude, or witty comebacks when I say something to her. Overall, I'm feeling her, and I wouldn't disrespect you or her by playing games with either of you."
I could see Grue's Adam's apple bob as he swallowed, then swallowed down the liquor.
"If you come at her, you gotta come correct, bro. I done seen her fuck with too many lame niggas to be wiping her tears again behind you. I love you, too, but I love her more, and I'll die behind her."
"Respect." I held out my fist to him, and he reciprocated the gesture.
"You touched her, didn't you?" I smirked and put my glass down after taking the shot. "See, you already didn't honor my wishes."
"Cool out, nigga. I didn't touch her," I half-lied. But I'm about to.
"Yeah, okay."
I chuckled. "Come eat with us, man."
"Nah, I gotta go handle some shit. I told Kenz I'd call her later."
"A'ight, be safe." We both stood, and I gave Grue a brotherly hug.
I walked him to the door then walked back into the kitchen, where Jax was showing Kenzi how to flip the pancakes on the griddle.
"So, I just wait for the top to start showing holes then I'll know when it's time to flip it?"
"Precisely."
I walked over to them and patted Jax's shoulder. "I got it from here, Bro."
His goofy ass smiled and held his palms up, moving over to the stove, pulling out the biscuits. I stood behind Kenzi and got close to her.
"Why were you in my bed last night?" I asked her.
"Shh... I'm trying to focus."
"Focus on my question."
"Do you want burnt pancakes or not?"
"I want you to answer my question," I insisted, wrapping my hand around Kenzi's to help her flip the pancake.
"Ruger—"
"Mekai," I corrected.
" Mekai . You're messing up my concentration."
"Then answer me."
"I don't like to sleep in big places by myself... I don't know... I just felt safer in your bed like at the loft." I smiled, then moved away from her, taking a seat at the table.
"Fuck my nieces at, nigga? I know sis at work."
"You do know they're school-aged children, right?"
"Duh."
"That should answer your question."
"Jaxsie, I did it!" Kenzi excitedly yelled. She held the pancake up on the spatula.
"That's dope, Zizi. Now do the rest like that."
"Aw hell nah! What's up with these fucking pet names?" I asked.
They both started laughing, ignoring my question as Jax put the bacon in the skillet. I sat back and watched them and knew that even if I didn't like Kenzi, Jax's punk ass had already made her an ally. I had walked into foreign territory, and while I wasn't afraid, I just knew I had to do the right thing. If not for Ghana, then for Kenzi, whose Mona Lisa features captured me at first sight.