Chapter 17 #2
“Yo,” I said, my voice cutting through the low murmur of conversation. “Y’all know why we here.”
Everyone nodded.
“We still gotta figure out who running they fuckin’ mouth. The bando was one thing but the shipment? Nah. Hell nah. Ain’t no way them niggas got the drop like that without help.”
I let my eyes scan the room, landing on each face.
“Y’all niggas better find out who the fuck tryna rob me,” I snapped. “I don’t care what y’all gotta do. Get it done. If you hear some shit, don’t tell nobody but ME or ZO!”
“Yeah, boss,” Julio said.
“We got you,” Antoine added.
Everyone else murmured their agreement, but I could tell they were all on edge. Nobody wanted to be suspected. Nobody wanted to be the one I came for.
“Aight,” I said. “I ain’t got shit else to say. Ya’ll get the fuck outta here.”
The room started to clear out, soldiers heading to their cars and back to their posts. Kenzo and I stayed behind.
When it was just the two of us, Kenzo leaned against the wall and smirked. “Yo,” he said. “I gotta say, bro... I see why you wifing Indie up.”
I shot him a look. “The fuck you talking about?”
“That ass, nigga,” Kenzo said, laughing. “She was throwing it in a circle yesterday. Shit had me weak.”
I felt my jaw tighten, my hand instinctively going to my waistband where my gun was tucked.
“You got about two seconds to shut the fuck up before I push yo’ shit back,” I said, my voice low and deadly.
Kenzo threw his hands up, still laughing.
“Relax, bro. I’m just saying. You got a good one.”
I glared at him. Any other nigga would’ve been dead for talking about Indie like that. But Kenzo was like my brother. The only person who could get away with saying outlandish shit and live to tell about it.
“Watch yo’ mouth,” I said.
“Aight, aight,” Kenzo said, still grinning. “But yo, speaking of good ones... Aurora got some good pussy, bro. I’m tryna hit that on the regular.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
“Hell yeah,” Kenzo said. “I might claim her the way you claimed Indie. Make it official. Might even throw a barbecue my damn self.”
I chuckled, shaking my head.
“You silly as hell, nigga.”
“I’m serious,” Kenzo said. “She cool as hell. I fuck with her.”
“Do what you gotta do,” I said.
Kenzo nodded, then pushed off the wall. “Aight, I’m ‘bout to hit the spots. Make sure everything running smooth.”
“Bet,” I said. “I’ma do my runs, too.”
We dapped each other up, then went our separate ways.
***
The rest of the day was long. I stopped by the strip clubs, the car washes, the laundromats—all the businesses I owned that served as fronts for my operation. Everything was running smoothly, but I was distracted.
My mind kept drifting back to Indie. Wondering what she was doing. If she was still swimming. If she was thinking about me the way I was thinking about her.
By the time the sun started to set, I was done.
I considered going to the crash pad for the night. It was closer, and I was tired. But I didn’t want to. I wanted to go home. To the estate. To Indie.
So, I hopped on the freeway and put the pedal to the metal, speeding back towards the estate. When I pulled up, the sun had fully set, and the property was lit up with outdoor lights.
I parked in the driveway and headed inside. The house was quiet. I walked through the main floor, checking the living room, the kitchen, and the game room.
No Indie.
Finally, I headed upstairs and made my way to her design room. The door was open, and I could see her inside, sitting at the table with a sketchpad in front of her.
She was so focused on what she was doing that she didn’t even notice me standing in the doorway. I leaned against the frame, watching her for a moment. She had a pencil in her hand, her brow furrowed in concentration as she sketched.
She looked beautiful. Peaceful. In her element.
Eventually, I cleared my throat. Indie’s head snapped up, and when she saw me, her face lit up. She dropped the pencil and jumped out of her chair, rushing toward me.
Before I could say anything, she launched herself into my arms, wrapping her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. I caught her easily, my hands going to her ass to hold her up.
“I missed you, daddy,” she said, her voice soft and sweet.
I felt my chest tighten.
“I missed you, too, baby,” I said.
She kissed me deep and passionately, her tongue sliding against mine. I kissed her back, holding her tight, feeling like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
When she finally pulled back, she was smiling. “How was your day?” she asked.
“Long,” I said. “But it’s better now.”
She giggled, and I started walking out of the design room, still holding her.
“Wait,” she said. “I was working on something.”
“Finish it tomorrow,” I said. “Bring yo’ ass to bed.”
Indie didn’t protest. She just hung on as I carried her through the house, down the hall, and into the master bedroom.
I set her down on the bed, then stepped back.
“I’m ‘bout to take a shower,” I said. “I’ll be right back.”
Indie nodded, settling onto the bed and grabbing the remote to turn on the TV.
I headed into the bathroom, stripped out of my clothes, and stepped into the shower. The hot water felt good, washing away the stress of the day. I scrubbed down quickly, then dried off and walked back into the bedroom.
Indie was passed out.
She was lying on top of the covers, still fully dressed, the TV playing quietly in the background. I smiled. She must’ve been tired from swimming all day.
I walked over to the bed and carefully pulled the covers back, then gently moved Indie so she was under them. She stirred slightly but didn’t wake up. I climbed into bed behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her back against my chest.
I pressed a kiss to the back of her neck, inhaling the scent of her skin. Then I closed my eyes and let myself relax.
This was home. Not the estate. Not the crash pad. Not the streets.
Her.
Indie was my home, and there was no place I’d rather be.