49. Four #2
“Apparently, he didn’t,” I said, then kicked Tyrell so hard in the chest the sound echoed off the walls.
His eyes popped open, and he gasped for air.
I kicked him a few more times; he cried and begged me to stop.
I didn’t give a fuck about his tears, just like he didn’t give a fuck about Cori’s.
With one final kick, I stepped back. Tyrell’s nose and mouth were bleeding.
His eye was swollen, and if his nose wasn’t broken before I hit him, it was now.
I got a chair from the corner of the room and dragged it to sit in front of Tyrell.
I left him swinging while I calmed down and regulated my breathing.
I knew Cori got the alert to my heart rate as soon as I started, and I was surprised that she hadn’t called.
Tyrell continued to swing. Finally, once my vitals were settled, I stood, adjusted my shirt, and approached him.
“Remember he can't talk if you break his jaw,” Nine reminded me. I nodded, then took a step back.
“Tyrell, I’m going to ask once and then move on to the next name on my list,” I told him. Even though Tyrell didn’t talk, I knew he was listening. His eyes never left me. “Did you know that that night would lead to your death?”
“Yes,” he mumbled, then smiled. “But hearing her scream was worth it.”
“Why?”
“Because she didn’t care when I screamed when she bit my brother's throat out,” he answered. He smiled again, then licked his bloody lips.
“Nigga what?”
“You don’t remember me, do you?” he chuckled, then coughed. “I used to be in the gym with you.” He shook his head. “My brother, Jax, he was a fighter too.”
I remembered Jax. I remembered how he died. Cori killed him. “This was some revenge shit?” I asked even though I knew the answer.
“Robert’s pet screamed and cried. Begged us for help, and we didn’t move.
” He shook his head and smiled. “She was powerless, scared, and you know what else she did?” He coughed and laughed.
“She cried for you, Uri, but you never came.” He coughed again.
“Robert’s pet cried.” He smiled again. His happiness was obvious.
Blood smeared on his teeth and a light in his eye.
He was happy about her pain, her torture. He was no better than Robert.
I squatted so that we were eye to eye. “But I’m here now,” I told him.
Tyrell fought against his chains, but there was no reason to.
He wouldn’t get free. I stood, walked to the table against the wall, picked up the sharpest blade, then went back to Tyrell.
I cut his abdomen open, and he screamed, but I didn’t stop there.
I pulled out his intestines, stomach, and any other organ I could and dropped them on the floor.
“You know Amethyst could’ve used that, right?” Nine asked.
I looked over at him and shook my head. “I have more names on my list. I’ll keep that in mind,” I told him. I walked to the table, picked up the axe, then went back to Tyrell. I cut his head off, then walked out of the room, taking his head with me and leaving his body.
An hour later, I watched as Cori walked into the warehouse. Her cousins were long gone. Nine sat at the table, his head buried in his computer. I had the location of the next person, but I needed him to double-check some things before I left.
Cori approached me, but I took a step back. Her brow went up, and I could see the hurt in her eyes. “I’m covered in blood,” I told her. Her pretty-ass eyes scanned me from head to toe, then nodded. “I would’ve come to you.”
“I was already in the car when you called,” she replied. She looked around the empty warehouse, then back at me. “What’s up?”
“Follow me.” I didn’t move until she walked towards me.
We went to my designated room, and I opened the door.
Tyrell was still hanging in the middle of the room.
I looked over at her. “I’m going to give you the heads of every person in that room,” I told her.
“This is the first one.” I looked back at him.
“I’m not perfect, Cori. I’m far from it, but I’m serious about being your protection.
You ain’t got shit to fear from here on out. ”
“You’ll bring me everyone’s head?” she asked, still staring at Tyrell.
“Yeah.”
“I killed his grandmother,” she replied.
That was news to me. “When I was pregnant, she tried to embarrass me—called me out at a church anniversary. Madea threatened to kill her. Pulled her gun at the anniversary service. She didn’t know me, but the look of hatred in her eyes went beyond just church judgment.
It was personal. I don’t know what Tyrell told her, but whatever it was stuck with her. ”
“She had two grandsons; Tyrell had a brother,” I told her. She looked over at me. Her pretty-ass eyes searched mine. “His name was Jax; he fought for Robert.”
“I killed him,” she said. It wasn’t a question. “Which one was he?”
“You bit his throat out,” I reminded her. “It was the first time I saw you fight.”
Cori nodded and looked back at Tyrell. “Robert threatened to take Bug. They separated us, made me sleep in the cages. Told me the only way I could go home was if I killed the person in my next fight.” She looked at me. “And I don’t regret it.”
“Tyrell said he was on the sidelines, screamed for you to stop, but you didn’t listen.”
“I heard him. I don’t remember seeing him though,” she admitted. “And he’s right; I didn’t. Where’s his head?”
“Freezer,” I answered. “Why?”
“I’ll need it later,” she answered, then turned back to me. She pulled me down to her and kissed me. I didn’t know what she would need it for, and it didn’t matter. She’d get the heads of every person in that room by the time I was finished.
***
“Four?” Judah walked into my home gym and sat on the bench next to the punching bag.
He set his iPad next to him and looked around the gym.
He came in all the time. Sometimes he worked out with me; other times he sat on the steps and played on his iPad.
I didn’t mind him being here. It gave us time to bond without making it seem forced.
Judah was a lot like Cori; he didn’t always have to talk.
He just liked being in the same room as people.
“What’s up?” I stepped back from the bag. Judah looked sad, which I hated. “What’s wrong?”
“I want a pet,” he announced, and I chuckled.
“Yo mama said no to a pet,” I reminded him.
“No, she didn’t,” he denied with a shake of his head.
I kissed my teeth. “She didn’t.” he set his iPad on his lap and tapped the screen.
He turned the iPad so that I could see the screen and pressed play on the video.
He asked Cori for a dog, and she gave him a list of animals he couldn’t have.
“See. She said no to them, not to everything.”
I ran my hand over my face. “Man, what do you have in mind? Because it sounds like she said no to damn near everything.”
“A mini goat,” he answered with a smile.
“A what?”
“A mini goat,” he repeated. “I already found the one I want.” He turned his iPad back to him and started pulling up pictures. “I want to name him Oreo.” I stared at the screen, surprised as hell.
“Judah-“
“You scared of my mama, Four?” His eyes got big in surprise. He set his iPad on the bench.
“I’m not scared of your mama,” I laughed. “But I don’t think she would want you to have a goat.”
“It wasn’t on her list though,” he told me. “I think it will be okay.”
“I doubt it,” I replied, and his shoulders dropped in defeat.
“Alright,” he said then stood. “I’m going to get a snack and watch TV. You gonna be down here long?”
“Nah, just a few more minutes,” I replied. I pointed to my vitals on the TV on the wall. “I’m within my limits still.”
“Okay,” he said, then left.
I waited until I heard the door close, then picked up my phone and called Nine.
“Hello?”
“I need some information,” I told him. I sat on the bench. “You at your computer?”
“Yeah, what’s up?”
I picked up Judah’s iPad and looked at it. “I’m about to buy a damn mini goat. I need everything delivered to my house within the next two days,” I told him. “I don’t know what they actually need. You know someone with a damn farm, right?”
“Yeah,” he laughed. “But why the fuck are you buying a damn goat?”
“Judah asked for one,” I replied. I swiped through the pictures of mini goats and sighed. I was going to get in so much damn trouble with Cori for doing this. But seeing Judah smile would be worth it. “And before you ask, nah his mama doesn’t know and ain’t gonna know until it’s already here.”
“Nigga you got a death wish,” he sighed. “But let me make some calls and get you the information you need. I should know something by tonight.”
“I appreciate it.”