Chapter 15 Heidi #3
“Nah, keep me in yo’ ear. I want to hear this shit. That nigga ain’t nothing but a fuckin’ snake. You won’t get yo’ hands dirty and I like that. However, I need you to grill him, Mama. Can you do that for me?”
Nodding, we continued to have general conversation as I walked across to the main house. Entering, I smelled the food instantly. I was eager to sit down and enjoy a good meal. However, I knew Bentley wasn’t going to allow it. I was sure he had a list of questions for me to ask.
The way this entire family was getting ready to put on a show had me terrified.
One thing I knew for sure, Royce could only play along for so long.
He wanted to do something to Enzo and Genesis, well, he was just itching to put him down.
Striker was quiet and always laid back, but he was willing to drop anyone that went against the family.
Royce kept him by his side for a reason.
CJ ran from wherever he was right to me wrapping his arms around my legs.
I was still his girlfriend in his mind. He refused to acknowledge me as TT Heidi.
He was very much like his father. He didn’t play about me.
Lincoln was on his heels telling him to leave me alone.
I felt so bad for him because my son was becoming protective of me as well.
“Is that yo’ lil’ man I hear in the background,” Bentley asked.
Smiling, I answered with, “Yeah, and the other lil’ rugrat you hear is CJ. He belongs to Royce and his wife, Klarity.”
There was absolutely no point in running down how Royce’s relentless ass basically stole Klarity and her two kids from God knows who and made them Atkins in a matter of four months. If they wanted to cross that bridge when he got out, then so be it.
The doorbell sounded off letting me know Enzo had made it down. “Oop. I think Fako just arrived.” I already knew Mama Iris or one of the housemaids would grab the door and usher everybody into the dining room, so I let it be.
“Aight, shawty, don’t overdo it with the questions. Turns out the muthafucka was a detective; his whole job is to spot the cracks and flip the shit back on you. Take it slow and play it cool. I’m right here with you,” he said, like he knew I had an ongoing battle with my mental right now.
Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes briefly and centered myself. I couldn’t fuck this up. “Thank you, Bentley. I really appreciate it.” I hurried to say before this show, or lack thereof, got started.
“I got you Mama. Always know that,” he commented.
Even with all the Atkins men around me and one in my ear, I needed to that reassurance. A lowlife nigga with his cat-and-mouse games were the reason this fragile Heidi even existed. My trust rested in the Atkins, and they had yet to fail me.
Am I crazy to think the same for him?
Entering the dining room, the rest of the gang was seating themselves. Klarity came around the table and helped me move the kids into another area. I was grateful because we needed zero distractions. I felt like a private investigator, eyes trained on every sign of deception.
When fake Bentley…Enzo, or whoever the hell he really was, stepped into the dining room, everybody tried to play it cool.
I kept my fingers crossed that the Atkins men would let him walk straight into one of the traps we’d set.
However, looking at Royce and then Genesis, I knew it was only a matter of time before they cut up.
“Wassup, family?” he said, loud and proud, like he had a birthright in this house.
Fake or not, I had to give it to him; he was determined.
That kind of determination was exactly why women were hesitant about men in general.
The lengths they’d go to get what they wanted was insane.
Being an imposter wasn’t anything new to him.
After learning he was a detective, infiltrating my family was a cake walk for him. So he thought.
“Breathe, Mama. I’m right here.” Bentley coached in my ear, and I smiled to myself.
The pace he was going was faster than I liked but judging from the actions of the men in this room, there was only one way for them.
Asking was a foreign language to them. Barging into your life and setting up shop was how they moved and the women behind them seemed to be the happiest. Who was I to stop him?
Oh yeah. The chick that wanted to be loved from a distance because up close and personal was too much.
I’d almost gotten lost in my head, so I offered a nod, even though he couldn’t see me.
I refused to acknowledge him out loud tonight.
Along with everybody else, I wanted to see how fake ass planned to talk his way out the hole once the real Bentley Atkins started feeding me facts to match his fiction.
“Hi, Bentley,” I greeted because no one else opened their mouth to do so. Everyone stared at him as if they were debating whether or not to stick to the agreement or just let this shit go up in flames. Clearing my throat, I got their attention by saying, “Everybody, Bentley said hello.”
“We heard him,” Genesis chimed. Royce couldn’t hold back his laugh. I just knew them two were going to make me pull my hair directly from the roots.
“Y’all got it smelling right up in here. What’s on the menu?” Enzo inquired, trying his hand again.
“Nigga, if you don’t sit yo’ goofy ass down. The menu is the menu. If you don’t like it, get the fuck on and never come back bitch,” Genesis taunted. He was on Enzo’s neck, and I didn’t see him letting up anytime soon.
Bentley released a genuine laugh in my ear. He was amused by Gen and his antics. “That got to be the one y’all call Genesis?” he questioned.
“Yes,” I whispered back, watching everyone eye Enzo like prey. This was starting to feel like a bad idea. Royce was bound to follow up with more foolery, and the whole plan would be blown before it even got started. That silent prayer I said on the way over must’ve been blocked.
“Hey, nephew. Take a seat,” Senior chimed finally stepping in.
Royce was back to delivering stern looks and poor Enzo would croak over right about now if looks could kill.
We should’ve left him out the loop like I intended.
He wasn’t too much of a game player when it came to shit like this.
You could see it all over his face that he wasn’t feeling this play it nice bullshit or Enzo.
Enzo finally took a seat, and that fast the energy shifted once more. You couldn’t tell me we wasn’t at the Last Supper right now. Only this time, we all knew who was committing the ultimate betrayal. This wasn’t going how I envisioned it. If I didn’t jump in now, all hell was going to break loose.
“So, Bentley. How was life back in Florida?” I asked.
“Good question,” Bentley said in my ear. “You so damn smart baby. I’m curious to hear what the hell he gon’ say. I lived a luxurious life by the way. Me and Daisy ain’t see a day of struggle.”
“Not much,” Enzo shrugged. “Just living… getting to the money.”
“Mcht,” Royce sucked his teeth then muttered something under his breath. Klarity kicked his leg underneath the table without Enzo noticing it. She was the only one that could get him to act right.
“I know that shit right bitch. Ask if he got any kids,” Bentley instructed.
Clearing my throat once more, I adjusted myself in my seat before asking, “So, Bentley, you got any children? We love the kids, as you can see,” I motioned to the little ones in the room behind us.
Half shrugging, he fed us another lie. Bentley had his information and gave me the details from top to bottom about Enzo… excuse me, Damarius Evans. “Uh… nah. Never really saw me having any,” he replied.
“Is that right? I know me, what’s attached, and what’s of value.
My most valuable possessions, I keep tucked off the grid, hence, why this compound is locked down like Fort Knox.
So, either you can’t have them, don’t have them, or got them put the fuck up.
Which one is it nigga?” Royce inquired taking the reins from my hands.
I was pretty sure he was at his wits end with this bullshit.
We had no choice but to let him do him. Enzo’s eyes locked on Royce, and we all caught Klarity trying and failing to stop him before he spoke.
“Why the fuck yo’ ass staring at me like you can check shit this way?
Answer the questions or get the fuck out. ”
“Royce language,” Klarity said.
“We ain’t spelling shit out today, My Baby. The kids in the other room too. We all grown, right?” Royce asked.
“As hell,” Genesis announced.
“Dead men don’t stare for long,” Royce finished.
“I get it,” I said, quickly jumping in before furniture was moved. “Kids can be a lot. I’ve always been the fun auntie, now I’m a mother.” A soft smile appeared as I tried to ease the tension suffocating us.
“Exactly,” Enzo replied.
“Or a liability, especially if a motherfucker cross me. I’m gunnin’ for all his shit, kids included,” Genesis added.
That’s when Enzo shifted in his seat, and that was the first telltale sign of him being untruthful. He had a kid or a family, and not this Lone Wolf spill he had been trying to pretend to be.
One point, Genesis.
Bentley chuckled once more in my ear. “Yeah, lil’ cuz alright with me.”
I wasn’t too sure if Bentley would like Genesis or not. He was young, blunt, and didn’t really give a damn about how it came off most times. From our conversation, I could tell Bentley gave you more respect when you presented yourself as you. Raw and authentic.
“Ask him about my mama,” Bentley ordered.
“I’ve heard so many stories about Aunt Rhema. What kind of mother was she? I can only imagine how dope she was,” I voiced.
He responded with the most dumbass answer I’d ever heard. “My mama, hmm, yeah, she did her best with me, you know. I mean, it’s hard. I really miss her.”
My head instantly fell to the side with dipped brows. Nothing of what he said made any sense. I was looking around the room hoping to spot the answer.
“Is that so?” Senior questioned.