Chapter 17
Chapter
Seventeen
SETH
“Aight, hold still,” I muttered, spraying both of us down with that Millions cologne Stormi copped me a few weeks back.
We checked ourselves one last time before heading out the room.
“Shiloh,” I sighed, snagging my youngest before he went headfirst off the bed jit acted like he had nine lives in his back pocket. “You wanna be a little daredevil so bad, huh? If you fall, what I’m supposed to tell your mama?”
S3 snickered, grabbing my hand as we walked out. “Mama Stormi was gon’ kill you,” he laughed, letting go and bolting down the stairs like he wasn’t just clownin’ me.
“Kill me? Man, that’s her son always tryna test gravity,” I muttered under my breath.
We hit the bottom step and the whole family was already posted, looking like they belonged in some luxury ad. Meanwhile, my wife… my beautiful, bossy Stormi was directing the photographer like she owned his studio.
“No, no, Serena on that side. Noah move in. Jo scoot over.” She ain’t even look up just snatched Shiloh from my arms, slid him into the pose with everybody, and smiled like she ain’t been yelling instructions thirty seconds ago.
Shiloh lasted all of two seconds with his grandma before he saw Stormi’s face and melted down, arms reaching like he’d rather pass out than be anywhere but on her hip. Mama’s boy to the core.
“Alright, parents next, then parents with the kids,” the photographer called.
We lined up me with my arm around Stormi’s waist pulling her close, S3 cheesing beside me, Shiloh drooling on her shoulder but smiling anyway.
Perfect chaos, our kind of picture. We did every combo; boys and me, Stormi and the boys, me and Stormi then all of us together.
By the last shot, the boys were over it.
S3 just walked out mid pose, and I followed behind with Shiloh, because honestly, I felt the same way my sons did.
The second I stepped outside, Rich snatched Shiloh right out my hands like he’d been waiting on me.
“My boy six months today,” Rich said, holding him up like Simba. “Time to get off ya mama titty.”
I barked out a laugh, but I wasn’t joking when I said, “Bro, I’m so ready for him to get off her titties.”
Stormi breastfed, yeah, but she pumped more than anything. Didn’t stop Shiloh from thinking he owned ‘em. Pacifier, pillow, emotional support boobs whatever he needed, he went right to her.
I watched Rich bounce him around, and all I could think was damn this little family of mine ran me crazy, but I wouldn’t trade it for nothing.
I was still laughing with Rich when the front door swung open and Stormi stepped out first, hip cocked, Shiloh’s diaper bag on her shoulder like it weighed nothing. Sun kissed the side of her face and made her skin glow. Yeah, I stared, couldn’t help it. My wife was fine as hell.
Behind her came the grandma’s fussing, Noah complaining about having to dress up, and Southside trying to keep S3 from sliding down the railing. Stormi shot me that look. Pissed me and the boys left before the pictures were done.
“You really walked out mid shoot?” she asked, eyebrow raised.
Before I could speak, S3 pointed at me like a snitch. “Daddy said he was tired of takin’ pictures.”
Stormi sucked her teeth. “Seth, it was two more poses.”
“Baby, it felt like twenty,” I said, slipping an arm around her waist. “You know Jo think she on a red carpet.”
My mother walked past us adjusting her big ass hat. “And y’all gon’ stand here talkin’ while church startin’ in ten minutes,” she said, not missing a beat. “Lord, help this family’s time management.”
“Come on, Ma,” Rich laughed. “We early compared to last time.”
“That’s because I drove,” Southside said, jingling his keys. “If y’all rode with Seth, we’d still be in the house eating breakfast.”
“Why everybody playin’ me today?” I asked, but everyone just kept walking.
Stormi looked up at me, giggling under her breath. “’Cause they love you.”
“Nah, they love clownin’ me,” I said, grabbing the diaper bag off her shoulder. “Give me this before you pull something.”
She didn’t fight me on it. She was too busy fixing Shiloh’s curls and wiping drool off his chin like the world was ending.
“Baby, he’s going to church, not the Met Gala,” I teased.
Stormi glared. “Seth, this his christening. He gotta look perfect.”
Rich held Shiloh up again. “He looks like a real nigga with his fat ass.”
Stormi swatted Rich’s hand. “Stop callin’ my baby fat.”
“He is fat,” I said. “Won’t stay off them titties.”
S3 sprinted between us, screaming, “WINDOW SEAT” before he jumped into the SUV like it was a playground.
“See?” I pointed. “Your kids act just like you.”
“Excuse me?” Stormi lifted her chin.
I leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Beautiful, dramatic, and everything gotta be done your way.”
She tried to hold her serious face, but her smile broke through. “Shut up and open my door,” she said softly.
“Yes, ma’am.”
I pulled the car door open for her, helping her inside. Before she climbed in, she tugged me down by my tie and whispered, “Thank you for today. I know I get intense.”
I brushed a thumb over her cheek. “I like you intense, just know you going to need a babysitter tonight, Ms. Greene.”
She kissed me once quick, soft, not enough and then buckled in next to Shiloh, who was already reaching for her like he hadn’t seen her in years.
Family piled into the cars behind us, loud, chaotic, complaining, laughing. But it felt right.
As I got in the driver’s seat, Stormi glanced at me through the mirror. “You ready, Daddy?”
I started the engine, looking at all three of them in the back. “Yeah,” I said quietly. “Let’s go get our baby blessed.”
“Feels good to be celebrating something good for once,” Rich said, exhaling like he finally got to rest.
He and Southside stepped up beside me, shoulder to shoulder. We stood there watching our family spill across the backyard laughing, eating, arguing, kids sprinting everywhere. It felt loud, chaotic, and perfect.
Shiloh’s six-month birthday party. Stormi and Jo’s idea, some mess I’d never heard of a day in my life. But if Stormi wanted it yeah, she was gon’ get it. Hell, we could celebrate our son every two weeks if that’s what she wanted. Watching her smile made everything worth it.
“Jit gon’ be walking before we know it,” Southside said, nodding toward Shiloh.
We all looked over just in time to see Shiloh sliding off his grandma's lap, more like escaping his little hands slapping the grass as he crawled his way toward the other kids. Determined just like his daddy.
“Anything to keep up with S3,” I added, shaking my head as I watched my boys chase each other, knocking over balloons and decorations, driving my mama completely out her damn mind.
Rich laughed. “Man, your mama looks two seconds from clockin’ out this whole event.”
“‘Specially with S3,” Southside added. “Lil man act like he runnin’ drills.”
“Hell, he is,” I said. “Ain’t nothin’ in this world he wants more than to beat his big cousins at everything.”
We watched them, all the kids, but especially ours loud and healthy and happy. For once, the weight on my shoulders felt lighter.
Rich bumped my arm. “You good, bro?”
I nodded, eyes still on my family. “Yeah… I’m real good. Feels like peace.”
Southside chuckled. “Don’t say it too loud. Stormi gon’ put you in charge of next month’s ‘celebration.’”
I smirked. “If it makes her smile? I’ll plan them all.”
And I meant that. Every word.
Southside’s voice cut through my thoughts. “We got a few shipments comin’ in this week. It still a drought on the Westside?”
Just like that, my attention snapped away from my boys and back to business the world that never let me clock out.
“Dre and everybody tied to him. And that hit on my wife? Handled." I took a slow sip of my bourbon, letting the burn sit in my chest. “So yeah… I guess we can go back to feedin’ them niggas.”
“Not everybody,” Rich said quietly.
I looked at him. Didn’t have to ask what he meant. The name sat between us like a loaded gun. Imani. The one thing we hadn’t handled. The one move I hadn’t made. And the one situation that twisted me up in ways the streets never could.
I blew out a breath. “Still figurin’ shit out. Don’t know what to do about Imani.”
The truth tasted bitter on my tongue. Killing her would be easy, too easy.
But putting my son’s mother in the ground and leaving S3 motherless?
That was a whole different monster. Stormi was the mother he knew, the one who tucked him in, kissed scraped knees, taught him how to be gentle in a world that wasn’t.
But Imani… she still had his love. And she still had that connection I couldn’t erase, no matter how much she messed up.
And she messed up real bad. She played a reckless game, one that damn near cost me my wife. I couldn’t trust her. Not with my family, not with my empire, and not with my life.
That was the difference between her, Dre, Ronnie, and all the other bodies we put down. They were enemies, she was blood adjacent and that made her dangerous in a whole different way.
Rich watched me, eyes softened with loyalty only a brother could have. He knew the weight. He knew the fucked-up crossroad I was standing at.
“Whatever you decide,” he said, stepping in and pulling me in for a brotherly hug, “you know I’m ten toes down. Right beside you.”
I nodded in his direction, swallowing the knot in my throat. Because the truth was, no matter what choice I made protecting my family or protecting my son’s heart somebody was gonna bleed for it. And it might end up being me.
I glanced over at my wife, my peace in human form. Stormi was kneeling in the grass, feeding Shiloh a messy handful of cake while holding S3’s juice box like she had three hands instead of two. The moment she felt my eyes on her; she looked up and winked.
I let out a breath. “I’m thinkin’ about retiring. Givin’ the game up, focusin’ on my family. Letting my wife live out her dreams.”
I wasn’t even talking to the boys anymore. I was talking to myself, saying it out loud to see if it felt real.
Southside choked on his drink. “Playboy Seth retiring fully?”
Rich smirked. “Family man Seth never thought I’d see the day.”
“It’s time,” I said, watching Stormi wipe cake off Shiloh’s chin with her thumb. “This game done cost me enough. I refuse to lose my family behind it. We already invested our blood, sweat, and years into this. It’s time to sit back and enjoy the riches before we end up buried with ’em.”
I looked at my boys, my brothers, and my voice softened. “Rich… you, my brother. This empire we built. It’s yours.”
Rich’s jaw tensed, but I stepped away before he could question me. I made my way toward the center of the yard, tapping my glass.
“Excuse me, family. Lemme grab y’all attention really quick.” Heads turned, conversations paused. I lifted a hand. “Stormi, come here.”
She froze for half a second, then stood Shiloh immediately let out a scream like she’d been gone a whole year. She scooped him up in one motion, then reached for S3 with the other, because she never left him out of anything.
Stormi wasn’t his biological mama, but the way she loved that boy nobody would ever question it. She held him like she’d carried him herself.
Once my whole world was standing next to me, I cleared my throat. “I’m retiring.” The words were heavy, final. “It’s time I focus on my family and let my wife live out her dreams.”
Stormi blinked up at me, shock spread across her face. Whatever she thought I was about to say, it wasn’t that. My mother pushed through the crowd, tears already forming. She cupped my face like I was still her baby boy.
“Oh, Seth… finally, baby. I love you.”
She kissed both my cheeks and pulled me into a hug only her small frame could barely manage.
King stepped up, clapping my back hard enough to shake me.
“Sayin’ goodbye, huh? What you gon’ do with all that extra freedom?”
I shrugged, eyes drifting back to Stormi as she spoke quietly with my mother. “I’ll find something to do with the time.”
Rome came strolling over, laughing. “So that mean I gotta fly in for every gender reveal, baby shower, and six-month birthday party now?”
Before I could respond, Rich handed me another glass of bourbon, his expression serious but proud. “You might be out the game, but our business stays 50/50. We agreed on that. Ain’t changin’ now.” He lifted his glass toward the crowd. “To family.”
Everyone else raised their glasses. “To family!”
As the chatter picked back up, I wrapped an arm around Stormi’s waist and pulled her into me. Shiloh was on my chest in seconds.
I lowered my mouth to her ear. “You ready for a stay-at-home husband?”
She smirked, sliding her hand up my back. “You ready for a working wife?”
I kissed her slow, tasting cake and sunshine on her lips. “I’m ready for whatever my wife ready for.”
Then I took Shiloh from her arms, holding my son close like I could shield him from the whole damn world. With them beside me, retirement didn’t feel like losing anything. It felt like finally winning.