Chapter 19 Amethyst
Chapter nineteen
Amethyst
“She looks like her mama,” Tulane Forrester chuckled as he sat behind his desk. His dark brown eyes were glued to the screen, and I knew they would be the entire time we were here. “She got the same smile as her and everything.”
“You’ve seen her, now tell me what I want to know,” I said as I took my seat. Dealing with Tulane was a play I knew that no one would see coming. It wasn’t public knowledge that he was Yale’s father, but those who did know kept the information close to the vest.
“You know you young niggas always got a lot of fucking mouth,” he chuckled and shook his head.
“And no matter what us old heads try and teach y’all, y’all don’t learn until shit hits the fan.
” He turned his attention from the computer to me and mugged me.
“You walked your ass in here with my daughter on your arm, and you think I owe you something? You didn’t do shit that another nigga couldn’t have done in the past.”
“But they didn’t,” I countered. “And we both know it didn’t have shit to do with your word and everything to do with mine.”
“You’re one cocky ass nigga,” he said as he sat back in his seat. “You know that?”
“Yep.” I nodded. “Which is why you respect me just like I respect you, but understand something, my love for your daughter is the only thing that’s stopping me from putting a bullet in your head if you say the wrong thing.”
“Yale doesn’t even know about me,” he laughed. “You threatening to kill me doesn’t change that fact.”
“Then go meet her,” I said, nodding at the screen. Tulane’s attention went back to the computer, and he sighed. I could see the love for Yale in his gaze. He wanted to get to know her, be a part of her life, but he wasn’t. And I needed to understand why.
“I can’t, young blood,” he sighed. “For her safety, I can’t.”
“Who knows she’s your daughter?”
“Very few,” he answered with a shrug. “After her mama went MIA, I tried to make sure I was only in the shadows, and I thought I did a good job.”
“You did, but I know people who know people who watch their surroundings, and all it took was one look, and I connected the pieces,” I said as I sat back. “Now I’m going to ask you one time, and then I gotta get back to my woman. Why the fuck did the Kilmores set her up?”
Tulane stared at the computer screen, then ran his hand over his face and sighed.
“They set her up?” he questioned. “They fucking set her up and then Grant fucking married her?” His face twisted in anger.
“Out of all my fucking kids, they set her up?” He let out a humorless laugh and shook his head. “Are you sure?”
“According to Grant’s baby mama, they set her up to take the fall for Quincy, and I need to know why.”
“His baby mama?” he angrily asked. “That nigga had kids on my daughter?”
“Yeah,” I nodded. “Three of them.”
“And you let my daughter marry that nigga?” he chuckled and shook his head. “What kind of nigga are you, Amethyst? You swear you love her, but you allowed her to marry another nigga, and he’s cheating on her? The fuck are you doing?”
I sat forward, resting my arms on my legs, and dropped my head.
I was trying so hard to control my anger, but this nigga had just stepped over the line.
He had the nerve to question me like he had done everything in her life.
He hadn’t done shit! Where the fuck was he when she was growing up?
Why wasn’t he around? Why was he looking at me as if I’d failed her when he was her damn father?
“I’m the only muthafucka that’s been protecting her!
” I yelled as I stood. “I’ve been watching out for her for damn near fifteen years.
” I slammed my fist on his desk and grilled him.
“Where the fuck were you, Tulane? Huh? Where the fuck were you because the last time I checked, you left your daughter to figure out her shit on her own, and that’s how she got mixed up with that nigga Grant. ”
“The Kilmores knew not to touch her,” he yelled back. “Them niggas knew the agreement!”
“Yet they did!” I replied. “They set her the fuck up, and I need to know why.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he chuckled and shook his head. “I’ll handle this shit from here on out. Thank you for bringing my daughter, but your services are no longer needed.” Tulane sat in his chair and crossed his arms. “I got it from here.”
“Nigga, did you just try to dismiss me?” I laughed.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his security start to move towards me, and I pulled my gun from the back of my pants.
I turned to the security guard, shot him in the chest, and watched his body drop to the ground, then turned back to Tulane.
“The only person I move for without a second thought is Yale. You aren’t her.
You might have played a part in a conception, but that’s where your power ends.
That’s my fucking woman, understand that shit and right fucking now. ”
I mugged Tulane one last time before leaving his office. Coming here was a mistake, and as soon as I finished dealing with the Kilmores, I was going to handle Tulane. He wouldn’t have to worry about having a relationship with Yale because I’d kill him before he got a chance.
When I got back to the private suite that Yale was in, I stood outside the door watching her. She was lost in her own little world, swaying to the music and gazing at something on her phone. I wiped my hand over my hair, took a deep breath, then pushed the door open and stepped inside the room.
Toni Braxton’s ‘I Love Me Some Him’ was playing as I approached her, and I put my hand out. “Come on, you know this is my song,” I said. Yale didn’t hesitate to take my hand, and I led us to the middle of the private suite to dance. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close to me.
“When we get back, we need to talk,” Yale said, looking up at me.
“Why, when we get back home?” I asked as we swayed to the music. “Why can’t we talk now?”
“Because I want to enjoy this moment with you without having to deal with the other shit,” she said, shaking her head. “Is that okay?”
I wanted to tell her no, but I didn’t. If she needed this moment, then I’d give it to her. But once she told me what she needed to say, I was going to do whatever I could to fix the problem.
“I got you, Sunshine,” I agreed, then kissed her. “Whatever you want, baby.”
**
“Are you asleep?” Yale softly asked, and I shook my head. We were on the plane heading back to KC. “I’m ready to talk, but I don’t want you to move.”
“Why not?” I asked and tried to move, but Yale wrapped her legs around my waist to keep me still. Her arms tightened around my shoulders, and I laughed. “You don’t gotta hold me like that.”
“I need you to stay still,” she said, and I could feel her shake her head.
“So, my moving to face you will stop you from doing that?”
“Yes,” she answered.
“Why?”
“Because I’m scared,” she said softly, and my anger started to boil. I hated that she was afraid to say what she needed to. I thought we had a better relationship than that.
“The fuck are you scared of, Sunshine?” If she said me, I wouldn’t be able to accept that. I’d tried my hardest to always carry myself in a way that showed her that I was always in her corner and had her back no matter what. “You scared of me?”
“No, but I’m afraid of what you will do,” she answered. “Or more so, how you will react. And I don’t want you to react until you hear me all the way out, and I need you to hear me out.”
I ran my hand up and down her lower leg. “I won’t react until you tell me to,” I finally said. “Say what you gotta say.”
“I made a decision years ago that changed the course of our relationship,” she said softly. “After the accident, Quincy offered me a deal: marry Grant-”
“The fuck are you talking about, Yale?” I humorlessly laughed.
She let me go and quickly moved to straddle my lap to be in my face.
Her eyes were filled with tears, and I could see how scared she was.
I wasn’t sure if she was scared of me or what she thought I was going to do.
“I married Grant because Quincy agreed to cover up the fact that I killed someone in that crash.” She cupped my face in her hands to make me look at her.
“I was trying to be selfless and allow you to have the life you wanted.” Tears fell from her eyes, and I wiped them away.
“The other day, when I had to leave, it was because Luther called a family meeting. Something happened.” She shook her head.
“I don’t even know what it was, but after the meeting, Luther made me ride with him and Quincy so they could meet up with their family doctor.
Why are you still working for the Kilmores? ”
“It doesn’t matter,” I said, shaking my head. I needed her to keep talking, and I had a feeling that if I told her the truth, she’d shut down.
“It does-”
“It doesn’t,” I cut her off. “What happened after you saw me talking to Quincy?”
“Luther basically told me I needed to fall in line, and if I didn’t, that he’d kill everyone that I was close with, including you.”
“I’m not worried about that nigga,” I chuckled and shook my head.
“But I am,” she said. “Their family has a lot of connections. They don’t just deal with the Franklins either. It’s more, and I don’t want you getting caught up in some shit that you can’t get out of.”
I moved us so that I could lie down, and Yale sat on my lap. I was trying to appear relaxed, but I was anything but. Hearing Yale say she’d chosen me had me hot. Quincy had played both of us and would soon see me because of it.
“Is that all?” I asked as my hands went to her hips. I had a feeling it wasn’t because of the way she wouldn’t look at me.
“Umm,” she licked her lips and nodded. “It’s one more thing.”
“What is it, Sunshine?”
“Before we took that ride, Quincy grabbed me,” she said, then reached across the bed and grabbed her go bag. She reached into the bag, pulled out a small package of baby wipes, and took one to wipe her neck. I set up and took the wipe from her. “He grabbed me by the neck.”
“And you’re just saying something?” I said, looking at her. Yale nodded, and it took everything in me not to lose my temper. Now I was mad at her. “You’ve been covering up this shit for a week?”
“Yes.” she nodded.
“Why?” I wiped the makeup from her neck, and the more I cleaned, the angrier I got. She was fucked up, and when I touched one of the bruises, she winced in pain. “Why the fuck didn’t you say something before?”
“Because,” she sighed, shaking her head. “I-”
“Yale,” I said her name calmly, and her eyes immediately met mine. “Now ain’t the time to try and pull some bullshit out of the air. Tell me the truth, why the fuck didn’t you say something before now?”
“Because I was scared.”
“You were scared,” I repeated, and she nodded.
“Alright.” I moved her off my lap and got out of bed.
I quickly kissed her, grabbed my phone from the bed, and smiled at her.
“I told you a long time ago that you had me in your corner, so it’s no reason for you to be scared of shit, but you didn’t believe me.
” I knew the smile I gave her didn’t reach my eyes, but that was okay because I wanted her to see a glimpse of the psycho she’d just unleashed.
“Get some rest, baby. We’ll touch down in a few hours, and you need your rest.”
“Amethyst?”
“Get your rest, Sunshine,” I said, shaking my head. “I’ll be in the cabin if you need me.” I turned the light off and cracked the door.
I sat in one of the chairs facing the bedroom and dialed Citrine’s number.
“Hello?”
“Call Uri and let him know I’m about to start moving again,” I said as I leaned back. “As soon as I land, I’m taking Yale home, and we are making moves.”
“Alright,” he agreed. “How much longer until you touch down?”
“An hour,” I answered. “I’ll call you when I’m ready to move.”
**
“What do you mean he touched her?” Citrine asked as I moved around my living room. When I was pissed, I cleaned, and even though my house was spotless, I kept trying to find something else to clean.
“She has bruises around her throat,” I answered. “Like a full handprint from where Quincy bitch ass grabbed her.”
“How do you want to move?” Pyrite calmly asked. He sat forward with a smirk on his face. “Because I got a few ideas in mind, but this is your battle, so I want to follow your lead.”
“Has Kenbral identified Luther’s body yet?”
“Yeah,” Pyrite nodded. “He’s just waiting for the go from you.”
“Tell that nigga to keep it close to the vest,” I said, shaking my head. “I want to shake shit up.”
“How?”
“I feel like praying, of course,” I decided as I grabbed my keys from the table.
Two hours later, I was sitting in front of Luther’s church. He was dead, but I knew how his family would move. They would act like shit was okay even though it wasn’t.
“You sure about this?” Citrine asked.
It took everything in me not to laugh at my brother. He wasn’t a scary nigga, but he had his way on how he moved. There were certain things he would never do — shit we all did — but I had the least.
“Yep,” I answered as I watched Nathan Franklin walk out of the church and head to his car.
I wasn’t sure what his connection to the shit with Yale was, but if any of them had their hands in this shit, it was him.
I got out of my car, checked the clip on my gun, then started shooting.
Killing him was my only concern. When my gun was empty, I approached Nathan’s car, pulled open the door, and dragged his body out.
There was no way he was still alive with the way his body was riddled with bullets.
“What are you going to do with him?” Pyrite pointed to Nathan.
“Leaving him on the steps.” I dropped Nathan off at the church’s front steps, then went back to my truck and grabbed the gas container from the bed. “He wasn’t my concern.”
“Just an opportunity to make a statement,” Pyrite said, and I nodded. “I can appreciate the effort.”
I chuckled as I replaced my clip, then shot off the locks of the church.
Normally, I would never disrespect a church like this, but I wanted to make a statement, and this was the way to do it.
After I poured gas through the sanctuary and pulpit, I lit a match, dropped it, and walked out.
When I got back outside, Pyrite and Citrine were leaning against my truck, talking.
“Alright, I’m ready,” I announced as I stepped over Nathan’s body. I opened my truck’s tailgate and sat on it.
“What are you doing?” Pyrite asked.
“Getting ready for the show,” I answered as I watched the flames start to spread. “Ain’t no hiding from this shit. I want them to know I’m coming.”