22. Mattea
Chapter Twenty-Two
MATTEA
“Now let your father and I do all the talking. I’m pretty sure Matt has a very good excuse for the things he’s into.
” Kayori looked stressed but it didn’t add to how the fuck I was feeling.
I wasn’t stressed but I sure as hell was angry with Matthew.
I didn’t know who the hell he thought he was, but I figured the only way to get through to him since he had been ignoring my calls for the past two weeks was to tell him something had happened with our dad.
His fake acting ass was supposed to be in school, now his bullshit started to leak into what I had going on.
My father sat silently as I agreed to keep my cool and let Matthew start out with an explanation first. I hadn’t revealed the pictures Ream had shown to let them know how serious all of this was.
If Matthew didn’t comply with what my father laid out for him then we would either have to punk out and relocate or go to war and just kill Ream.
After going two weeks without talking or having any contact with Ream, he had finally popped back up at my house requesting a meeting with my father and personally asking for Matthew aka Debo to be in attendance.
I explained to my father mostly everything and he knew the seriousness of the situation.
At first, it took me and my stepmom to hold him down due to exploding and snatching up guns.
Once I reasoned with him and let him know the dangerous games Matthew had been playing, he understood Reams’ role in all of this.
Ream was a businessman and looked at Matthew as a low-level nigga.
The only reason why he hadn’t killed Matthew yet is because he planned on taking out the head which was Armando who supplied Matthew.
A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.
My father stood up and went to open the door.
I smiled at seeing my uncle Stone at the door smiling wide.
Him and my father damn near matched each other.
Black jeans, steal-toe boots, my father had on an all-black polo top while Stone rocked a plain black tee.
They looked like they were about to go out and put in work.
Stone dapped my dad up and turned to tell some strange men to go sit in the family room.
I could tell by the men’s attire they were loaded with guns and ready for whatever.
“Beast, why would you ask Stone to bring them here?” Kayori looked pissed off and worried at the same time.
“I’m pretty sure when this nigga Ream arrives, he will be coming with back up, and Stone and I will have ours,” he reasoned.
Standing up to greet my uncle, we embraced as he asked me what I had been up to.
I kept my answers short because my father and him were like brothers and they talked every day.
I knew without a doubt my dad had ran his mouth to my uncle and right now he was just making small conversation.
He was already aware of what I had been up to, there was no point in me being fake, making up shit for small talk.
We sat on the sofa and waited patiently for twenty more minutes an in uncomfortable silence.
I looked down at my phone and noticed I had a text from Hakeem asking if we could talk.
I responded with no, I had nothing to say to him right now.
I appreciated him for helping my sister but didn’t like the thought of them being together.
Hakeem was a close friend, something like family to me.
I just didn’t understand why he didn’t come to me and tell me what was really going on.
The doorknob turned and in walked my brother Matthew.
He was the spitting image of my father; his gray eyes scanned the room as a cocky smile graced his handsome face.
“How is college going Matt?” I smiled up at him as he leaned down to hug me, his cologne had forced its way into my nostrils, and I could tell from his looks alone that he was a womanizer.
He slapped hands with my father and then Stone he made his way to Kayori, she stood to kiss him on both cheeks.
“Everybody looks fine to me, y’all must miss a nigga.” He touched his chest as his raspy voice was filled with sarcasm. I didn’t miss how he ignored my question.
“Find a seat and take that shit lil nigga and tell me what the fuck you really been up too.” My father frowned as Matthew’s silly smile was wiped off his face fast.
“I asked you how has school been?” I re-asked my question; my father snapped his eyes to me, and I remained quiet.
“School has been really good to me Reaper, yo snitch ass lied and brought me here to expose what my grown ass has been doing. Meanwhile, you out here killing niggas for the enemy and hiding the fact that our sister Kachella is out here stripping for dollars!” I clamped my eyes shut tight trying to count to ten to ease my anger.
When I opened my eyes, they landed on Matthew’s stupid ass smug look.
I hopped up and charged Matthew with all my strength landing blows to his face.
“You dumb fucking nigga! I swear I should just let Ream get yo stupid ass since you think you big and bad!” I yelled as he struggled with grabbing my fist and holding them down.
You should knock that nigga in his fuckin nuts!
I felt myself being lifted high into the air and knew it was my father’s hands holding me up and walking me back to the loveseat that I had occupied a couple of seconds ago. I looked over at Kayori and tears had welled up in her eyes. As she stood to her feet and started to pace.
“Enough is just E-fuckin’-nough! Now we worked hard to raise you all the right way!
You can’t blame your father for how he lived because he didn’t have y’all a part of that.
The road you guys are taking only leads to the grave or jail!
” We said nothing and just let her rant as I bounced my leg fast. Matthew and I stared at one another and he looked like he wanted to go round for round with me in a boxing ring.
I stood up again as he licked the blood from his bottom lip and spat it onto the marble floor.
“Now if anybody wants to fight in my mothafucking house it’s gone be me!
I’m sick of arguing with you ungrateful ass kids!
You want to be hardcore and tough gon’ and do it!
But I will not tolerate you two fighting in my space.
” Kayori’s fists were balled up and I hated to see the look of disappointment on her face.
My father’s chest moved up and down as he mumbled to himself like he was in a tough battle.
Growing up, I saw him do this when he was close to having a terrible episode.
I could feel his temper rising as he looked between the both of us.
Matthew exposed Kachella and I wasn’t ready nor was Kachella ready to tell our father what all had happened.
My father had severe mental issues, he worked hard at trying to mend his split personalities over the years for the sake of us.
He also had schizophrenia, to the streets he was Beast but to us he was Praise, aka our father.
“Baby go start dinner for our guest.” He walked up to Kayori and stopped her from pacing. He kissed her on the lips and wiped her cheeks from the tears she dropped. Watching her walk away down the long hallway, his eyes landed on me first. I diverted my eyes to escape his heated stare down.
“Sit yo ass the fuck down Mattea before I take my got damn belt off and make change.” He growled and I took a seat without rebuttal.
My father didn’t make empty threats, he said what he would do and if you called his bluff, he would show and prove.
He took a seat and sighed before starting to speak.
“I’m gone start with you Matthew because I spoke my peace with your sister already.
You seem to have it all figured out at the age of twenty-one.
You know Kachella out here stripping and I’m pretty sure her big head ass over there knows as well.
” He pointed to me using his thumb without looking my way.
“The first question I will ask is if she still stripping, and if so, which club so I can go drag her ass the fuck out of there.” He looked back and forth between the both of us as I spoke first.
“She’s done stripping, Hakeem and I, are trying to help her get on her feet.
When she is ready, I’m sure she will come to tell you about herself and what she has gone through.
I’m trying to give her the decency in doing so.
” I bit my bottom lip. I wanted to tell my father everything, but I also wanted to leave that up to Kachella.
I also didn’t want my father going off the deep end reigning terror on the streets.
Nodding his head, he placed his eyes on Matthew while sparking up a blunt.
“Matthew, the money you robbed Ream for will be repaid and today you will resign from being a small-time hustler,” he calmly stated.
“I can’t do that! I ain’t no pussy ass nigga. Ain’t no way I’m tucking my tail for that hoe ass nigga.” Stone stood to his feet and made his way over to Matthew, looking down at him.
“Stand yo ass up like a fucking man then, nigga!” Stone’s voice boomed.
I couldn’t lie, I got nervous because Stone never showed his temper.
He always was the one between him and my father to keep his cool at all times.
Now he stood in front of Matthew with his fist balled tight.
Soon as Matthew got to his feet, Stone two-pieced him, then crashed his fist into his stomach causing Matthew to sit back down and hold his stomach with one hand and rub his jaw with the other.
“Stand the fuck up! Look like you tucking your fucking tail to me nigga.” His voice boomed loud as I sat uncomfortably seeing my little brother in such a humbling state.
My father ashed his blunt and looked on while chuckling.
When Stone proved his point, he walked away from Matthew and took a seat on the couch.
“This is grown man business son. You ain’t never been knocked off yo feet like that before.
Stone ass showed you some mercy because you my son.
If it was me throwing those punches, I would’ve broken your fuckin’ face.
” Standing up my father faced us all; he was pissed off and couldn’t sit still.
The weed didn’t help him calm his nerves; it seemed like it enhanced how he was feeling.
"See, we showing you mercy ‘cause we love yo young and dumb ass. Do you think a nigga like Ream gone show you some fucking mercy nigga? You’re outnumbered when it comes to a nigga like him! In his eyes, you ain’t shit but a small-time hustler trying to make a name for himself.
That boy was handed down some powerful shit, it runs in his family, he doesn’t got to touch you.
He can send whoever the fuck he pleases to off you. ”
“That nigga momma and father is some cold-blooded killers too,” Stone added.
“Now, I fear no man, not even the devil himself can make me tuck my tail nigga. But you…” my father laughed and shook his head.
“You still got ya momma breast milk on ya breath. See how this shit done led to my doorstep? See how ya uncle Stone folded yo ass? You can’t even shake his hits off like a fucking man.
” Once his point was made loud and clear he took a seat and folded his arms across his broad chest.
“Now, I will tell you again because the nigga will be here in another hour. The shit you stole from him will be repaid for what it is worth. You will pass that petty ass drug shit you got going down to whoever you please. Step down and focus on school. Do you hear me?”
“Yeah, I hear you. I don’t have any money for the shit we got him for, I just got all the artillery along with the handguns.”
“Even better, I will set a time and day when he gets here. As far as I’m concerned you both are done living the way you have been living.” His eyes fell on me, and I looked at him like he had lost his mind.
“I understand what your reasoning was on being a fuckin’ assassin, but you gon’ have to look into some other type of work.
No daughter of mine will be in association with a nigga like Ream.
Find something better to do with y’all time.
Next time I have to repeat myself it will be crucial.
I will cut both of y’all off and act like you don’t exist.” I swallowed down hard and agreed with what he was saying.
In the back of my mind, I still was going to finish the other mission I had agreed to do with Hector.
I was a grown-ass woman, and my father was not about to dictate how I made money.
After the hit that Hector put me onto, I could look into some other shit to do and stop dealing with Ream altogether.
He had flipped my world upside down and I felt it was best for me to cut business off with him anyway.
I didn’t like how he made my insides feel and now he was considered an enemy.