Chapter Nine
Crown leaned against the balcony rail, the bass thumping through the clubhouse’s concrete walls.
A Future track blasted in the background as the Knights moved around the lot, engines revving and bikes lining up for a race.
Normally, the vibe helped him unwind after a long day, but with everything weighing on his mind, he couldn’t relax.
“Why didn’t you tell me, bro? What the fuck? I thought we told each other everything, nigga.” Smoky said, staring at Crown’s side profile.
Crown had just told him and Danger what went down at his firm.
While Danger already knew about the business, Smoky hadn’t, and he was struggling to understand why Crown had kept his architecture firm a secret.
They’d been tight for years. Smoky knew Crown had a knack for drawing, sketching shit when his hand wasn’t wrapped around a gun or gripping a throttle.
But he never imagined that passion ran this deep and that he would channel it into something real.
Crown took a slow pull from the blunt, his gaze shifting from the view below to Smoky.
“You know why.” He replied simply, and that was all the explanation needed.
Smoky nodded, understanding Crown’s perspective. In their world as outlaws, it was all about the streets and chaos, not dressing up in fancy suits and navigating corporate life.
“You think he’s gon’ try some shit at your office?” Smoky asked, concern creeping in.
“I upped security there, but shit, I don’t know.” Crown replied, revealing only part of his plan.
He had already given Shanise notice to work from home until he secured a new office location. He could protect himself if things went left, but he didn’t want her caught in the crossfire.
“Aight, so what you wanna do? Just say the word.” Danger chimed in, leaning his forearms on the rail.
“We handle this shit with Preach and then the Council first. I already set up both meetings. For now, just keep your guards up and stay on these niggas' necks about protecting our spots.”
“Speaking of Preach, I’ve been thinking about that heavy.
We have enough shit going on right now, bro.
How about we do what we were gon’ do at first and just go elsewhere when it’s time to re-up?
I know we stand on loyalty and history, but we gotta look out for the Knights first. Let P figure his own shit out.
That way we don’t gotta worry about getting caught up with his ass. ”
“Nah, can’t do that.”
“Why not, nigga?”
“I found out some new info, which is the main reason I called this meeting.”
Danger and Smoky exchanged confused glances. “What info?”
“Remember Nivéa’s ex that just got out?”
“Yeah. What about that bitch ass nigga?” Danger asked.
“He got out early because he agreed to be a fuckin’ informant.”
“Oh, fuck.” Smoky pieced it together immediately. “Get the fuck outta here. Are you tryna tell me—”
“Yeah, that’s Boe. I got his name last night from Nivéa. And that’s why his rat ass is on the run.”
“Ah shit.” Danger shook his head, eyes closing as the weight of it all sank in.
They all fell silent, deep in thought, until Danger broke the quiet again.
“Aight, well, I still think we shouldn’t say shit to P. We take care of this snitch ass nigga Boe like we were gon’ do anyway, and it won’t fuckin’ matter. The feds won’t have no case.”
“It matters. We don’t know what all the Feds have on P.
He’s our connect, and until that changes, it’s our duty to let him know if we find out some snake shit.
Secondly, if we don’t say shit and he finds out about Boe on his own, he’ll start searching for him.
If he can’t find him because we killed the nigga, he’ll start grabbing everyone connected to him, thinking it’ll bring him out of what he believes is hiding.
The Dessalinés Mob doesn’t spare women and kids.
That puts Nivéa and Nyla in danger. I ain’t goin’ for that.
I gotta talk to him.” Crown replied firmly as he turned from the city.
“Okay, but what if the muthafucka demands you hand over Nivéa to do what you just said, try to bring this nigga out of hiding?”
“My plan is to let him know we have the same enemy and that I’mma handle Boe for him. But just in case that doesn’t work, let everybody know to strap the fuck up. If shit goes left, we ready. I’m not coming off Nivéa. That’s not an option. Not ever.” He then focused on Smoky.
“Hold off on going to Melrose. Let me see what Preach says first.”
“Bet, I got you, bro.” Smoky replied.
Just as the men slapped hands, preparing to part ways, Domo stepped in with a worried expression, his distressed locs pulled high into a bun.
“Sup?” Crown questioned.
“Just came from the hospital to check on Dro like you told me.”
“And?”
“He passed a few hours ago. Ms. Tanya’s going crazy.”
Crown’s nostrils flared as Smoky and Danger reacted around him, but the news barely settled before the roar of unfamiliar bikes cut through the air.
Crown turned, snapping his head toward the entrance as he instinctively pulled his gun.
A member on the rooftop did as well. With Nico at the front, The Ravens came flying by, headlights slicing through the darkness as their guns rose mid-ride.
The first shots rang out like cannon fire, shattering glass and silencing the Future track that had been playing.
“Down!” Crown barked, firing with one hand while grabbing Danger by the shoulder and yanking him to the ground with the other.
As bullets ricocheted off the rail where they’d just been standing, Danger hit the pavement hard, pain shooting up his leg as he drew both pieces.
He counted a few seconds, then popped back up, busting back.
Two shots found their targets. One round tore through a tire, sending the bike into a violent wobble before it skidded sideways.
Another caught a rider high in the neck, snapping his head back as he clutched at the wound and lost control.
From the sounds, Crown could tell there were quite a few of them.
Nico was desperate, moving sloppily, and too emotional.
No real strategy. Popping up at a time when most of them were together?
That shit wasn’t tactical. Or maybe he thought it was.
Maybe he planned to take out as many as possible in one sweep, Crown thought. But he wasn’t letting that happen.
Leader first, Crown scanned the spots where Smoky and Domo had been standing before making any other moves.
Relief hit when he saw both darting down the steps, fast and low.
He shifted his focus back to the street, where more bikes roared past. Ravens fired rapidly, trying to leave bodies behind without getting pinned down.
But most weren’t getting that luxury. The Knights below tore through them.
Crown tucked his Glock away and picked up the rifle leaning against the wall.
Racking it, he shouldered the weapon and aimed.
He fired three shots, and each one hit its mark.
Three riders fell, their bikes spinning wildly out of control.
Crown watched as metal and flesh smashed into the concrete, creating a chain reaction.
By now, Smoky had reached the first floor, rising from behind the wall just long enough to send a clean shot into the side of a Raven’s head.
The rider went limp instantly, his body thrown from the bike as it veered and skidded across the pavement.
Never far behind, Crown rushed down the steps, locking onto the last two riders bringing up the rear.
He timed it perfectly. As the final one passed, he squeezed off a round and caught the prospect in the back of the head.
The drop was immediate.
And just like Crown expected, the dead weight sent the bike swerving wildly. It clipped the rider in front of him, throwing that member into a violent fishtail before he spun out and crashed hard into a nearby ditch.
“Bitch ass niggas,” Crown cursed under his breath, then called out, “Knights!”
They all moved forward, letting their guns rip until The Ravens ahead vanished as quickly as they had appeared. When it was over, Crown surveyed the lot. Bullet holes peppered the building, and shattered bike mirrors lay on the ground.
“Everybody good?” He asked.
Most voices answered back, but one didn’t, and he knew what that meant…either severely hurt or worse, dead.
Luckily, it was the first. Too much blood loss. Smoky dropped to his knees, applying pressure to Domo’s wound while Crown got their doctor on the phone immediately.
∞∞∞
After helping nurse Domo back to stable, Crown walked through his front door like Superman, hands full of bags packed with the small things Nivéa had texted him about.
The way he moved, no one would’ve guessed he’d just come from a shootout.
Even with all the chaos that had just taken place, he had managed to spend the last two hours shopping for the rest of her items. He set the Home Depot, Michaels, and ULINE bags next to a stack of boxes that had been delivered a few hours ago.
Laughter filled the living room before him. Caresha sat on the couch near Kerri, who cradled Nyla gently in her arms, wrapped in a blanket. Nivéa emerged from the kitchen, a fresh bottle in hand. The three were deep in conversation, already comfortable with one another.
“Sup, how y’all doin’?” Crown greeted them with a head nod.
“Hey, Crown. Thank you for having me over. Your home is beautiful.” Caresha spoke with a hand wave.
“No problem. You are welcome anytime.”
“As long as I’m here.” Nivéa chimed in, joking but with an edge of seriousness. “Hey, baby.”
“Sup, baby?” Crown smirked, pulling her in his arms and kissing her forehead.
He loved how soft she was, but adored her just as much when she stood firm about what mattered to her. He didn’t play about her either.
“Oop! Girlll, not you getting smart behind your man. Excuse the hell outta me.” Caresha teased before bursting into laughter.
“Hey, son,” Kerri added through her laughter as she rose to hug him.
“Sup, lady?”
Crown wrapped his arm around Kerri in a side hug as his hand gently ran over Nyla's hair. It was his way of letting her know that he was home.
“Nothing much. You know me. Just here checking on y’all.” Kerri told him.
“Checking on us or just the baby?”
“Hush up,” Kerri snickered as she tapped his shoulder.
“Either way, I appreciate you, lady.” Crown chuckled knowingly, then headed for the stairs. “I’mma take this stuff up.”
As he walked away, Kerri immediately sensed the shift in him. She’d seen it so many times in his father that she recognized it without hesitation. The tightness in his shoulders and the way his expression hardened the moment he thought no one was watching. Nivéa noticed it too.
Crown disappeared, moving back and forth upstairs and downstairs until everything was inside his office. Ten minutes later, Nivéa left the laughter of the living room and quietly made her way to his office to check on him.
The office was filled with boxes torn open and equipment scattered across the desk by the time she made it inside.
“Hey, are we too loud for you, baby? I’m sorry. I know it’s late. Caresha got off at eight, and your mom called the house phone and asked if she could stop by, so—"
“Nah, ma. I’m good. Y’all good.” Crown replied without looking up.
She stepped closer. “You sure?”
“Yeah, baby.”
“You okay?” She pressed.
“I’m straight.”
Crown turned to grab a tool from the drawer, and that’s when she really saw him, the frustration heavy behind his eyes…the stress he was trying to conceal.
She cupped his face, stealing his attention momentarily. “No, you not. What happened?”
Crown let out a deep breath, a sound heavy with unspoken burdens, as he met her gaze and pulled her into his arms. He didn’t want to unload his problems on her, especially now that she was beginning to feel comfortable and safe.
“I’m just tired. Been a long ass day, ma.” He opted for an easy answer, then kissed her lips, hoping it would suffice.
In his arms, Nivéa studied him for a moment longer, then pressed a trail of kisses along the side of his face and neck before stepping back.
“Well, you have been up all day. You could leave this and finish it another day. You need sleep.”
“Nah. You gotta meet with your customer in a few days. You need time to get everything together.”
“I can push it back a day or two.”
“Nah,” Crown shook his head. “This a new business. Can’t start slippin’ already. I got it.”
Nivéa sighed, knowing it was pointless to argue with him once his mind was made up about doing something for her. She thought back to the night Nyla got sick. Before she even realized it, he was at her doorstep with everything she needed, despite her telling him he didn’t have to come.
Still, she wanted to offer something. It was the giver in her.
“Okay. Your mama brought food again. I’ll have your plate warmed up and the shower hot and ready when you’re done.” She turned to leave.
Concentrating, Crown didn’t look up as he said,
“Nah, run a bath. And I want you in it.”
Nivéa paused, turning back toward him. He still hadn’t lifted his head, his hands busy as he added,
“You really wanna ease a nigga mind, have you in it. Pussy ready for me.”
A slow smile spread across Nivéa’s face, her dimples on full display as she watched the waves on the top of his head glisten beneath the low, recessed lighting of his office.
Yes, sir, she thought as she walked out.