6. Kingsley #2
When I got in my truck, I headed to Nome.
I was back to feeling like all hope was lost. I wanted to believe Karima’s words, but that was extremely hard right now.
My arousal was a trigger for her. Maybe it was in both our best interests to cut our losses.
I knew I wouldn’t be with anyone else though, especially no time soon.
Treasure was embedded in who I was as a man.
I became everything I thought she needed.
While I didn’t lose myself, I still dedicated my life to her without ever really having her.
I didn’t want to be delusional, but at the same time, I didn’t want to give up.
Was I giving up? I wanted to believe I was simply giving her space to heal without being bothersome.
When I turned in my driveway, I noticed a couple of other vehicles.
I frowned slightly, trying to figure out who Shay and Mir had let inside my house.
It didn’t look like anyone’s cars in the family, but I supposed it could be.
Kane pulled in right behind me, and Seven and Royal went to their perspective houses and walked over.
“Whose cars?” Royal asked.
“Jacob got a new whip,” Seven said.
I nodded. Jacob always tended to check on everybody, especially if he was privy to their business.
I was pretty sure KJ had told them what was going on, since they ran in the same crew, along with Rylan and Christian.
They were almost old enough to be my parents.
KJ was almost fifteen years older than me, and I wanted to believe Christian was a little older than him.
I went to the back door and opened it to see Jess, Nesha, and Tyeis moving around my kitchen, and Brix, Jacob, Christian, Lennox, Decaurey, and Rylan on the couches.
When they saw me, they all stood as I frowned.
Shay and Mir came from around the corner.
I slapped hands with everyone and hugged the women.
“What y’all doing here?” I asked.
“We just wanted to be here to support you. When we called KJ and he said you had just left the hospital, we wanted to come and chill with you, showing our support. Mekayla is on her way from picking the kids up from Angel,” Jacob said.
“Angel will be on her way too once she closes,” Rylan added.
I was pretty sure Mya would be coming too.
Hopefully, Jakari stayed where the fuck he was.
JJ and Jari weren’t finna tear up my damn house.
Since it was a weekday, I had to assume more people were coming over once they left work for the day.
I flopped on the couch, and Jacob said, “I just want you to know that as somebody’s husband and father of a daughter, I’m proud of you.
You’re the type of man any woman would be blessed to have.
LaTee would be blessed to grow up and one day come in contact with a man just like you.
Hold your head up and don’t take Treasure’s distance personally. This ain’t about you.”
I nodded. He was right, but it was hard not feeling like I was part of the blame.
After that, everyone started talking and clowning around. Shaydon sat next to me. “We gon’ be here for the rest of the week. Mama and Pops will be here tomorrow.”
He cleared his throat and slid his hand down his mouth, which was a sign that he had more to say.
“What?”
“How’s Maui?”
I rolled my eyes. “She’s good, man. Happily married and a mother.”
“I know. I just had to ask. I should’ve tried harder back in the day.”
I nodded. That nigga was obsessed with Maui.
She always brushed him off. I felt like it was because he pursued her too soon.
We were younger than her, and Shaydon was a little over a year younger than me.
She didn’t take him seriously. I believed she knew how serious he was around the time she and Mythic were in limbo, but it was too late by then.
“You should move on, man. That ain’t healthy. I’m starting to feel the same way. Treasure told me she loved me just this past weekend. She said she wanted to be mine. I thought we were finally moving in the right direction, then this.”
“Do you know what triggered this?”
I nodded. “I’ll tell you later.”
“So, you still want to just give up?”
“I’ve been wanting her for seven years. I’ve been actively chasing her, trying to woo her, for almost three years. I feel like my mental is on its way to being fucked up. It’s probably gonna be that way anyway. I’m gon’ be fucked up without her.”
He shoulder bumped me, causing me to look at him. “Don’t give up then.”
I nodded slightly. “Right. I don’t have shit to lose at this point.
I still have to find other shit to do, other than allowing myself to slip into depression.
I felt like I was another day from that shit, being that close to her and not being able to see her.
She lost a lot of blood . . . or at least it looked like a lot.
Every time I close my eyes, I see that shit. ”
“You gon’ get past this and come out even better than before. I’m gon’ believe that for you.”
I nodded as Jacob turned on some music. KJ and Cassie arrived.
I assumed Karima had gon’ home, along with my parents.
K-3 ran over to me and slapped my hand, then took off the other direction.
I slowly shook my head. That lil nigga was active.
He wasn’t bad like JJ. Hell, Satan wasn’t as bad as that nigga.
Shaydon and Shymir stood to slap hands with KJ, then Mir and Kane went outside.
They were probably going to smoke. When I saw Royal and Seven follow them out, I knew that was exactly what they were going to do.
As I sat, Jess walked over to me with a bowl of chili.
She kissed my head and said, “Eat up. Yo’ ass looking skeletal. ”
I slowly shook my head, then tasted the chili.
It was pretty good. She’d learned something from Aunt Jen after all.
While I ate, I took time to place a to-go order through Aunt Jen and Aunt Chrissy’s app for the diner.
They would see it in the morning. That way I could get it to Mythic before he left to spend time with Treasure.
I continued eating until Ace and PJ came in. I had to stand and greet my nigga. Setting my bowl on the coffee table, I went to PJ and slapped his hand and hugged him. He was looking good and had finally gotten rid of that colostomy bag.
“What’s up, nigga?” he asked.
I chuckled. “Man, you don’t know how good it has been to have you back, especially after losing Crew. I hate you had to go through what you went through, but thankfully, you’re recovering well.”
He nodded. “I hate what you’re going through too. I just left the hospital. Treasure is in a really bad way. I can only hope that her talking to Missus Taylor’s sister helps her. Everybody in the family says she’s really good.”
“Yeah. She helped Uncle WJ with what he went through after his suicide attempt. I really hope she can get through to her. Right now, I feel like she’s pissed that we rescued her.
She didn’t want to be rescued. She feels like she’s a burden to everyone around her and that she’s a prisoner in her own mind. I can’t imagine what that feels like.”
“Yeah. She seemed extremely nonchalant, like she didn’t give a fuck.
It was hard seeing her that way because Treasure always has a smile on her face.
She was always happy. For the past, what .
. . three years? She ain’t been herself.
I mean, I knew it was gon’ take a minute to get over the shit she went through, but honestly, I didn’t expect it to take her so long, since she has so much support. ”
“Me either, but I swore I would be there to see her through it. I just hate she’s not letting me.”
He nodded, then looked over at Kane. “Umm . . . you know your brother knew what Crew was up to, right?”
“Yeah. He told me not too long ago. I hate that shit. Wait,” I said with a frown. “How do you know?”
“He was out there with him a couple of times.”
He didn’t really answer my question, so I assumed it was something he couldn’t tell me. I slid my hand down my face. “Did he cop?”
“Naw. To ease your mind, Crew didn’t cop either when he was with him.”
“What were they doing out there then?”
“Fucking around. Kambel and Kane were already fucking. Get this,” he said, then looked around. “Crew was fucking her too.”
My eyebrows shot up. “What the fuck? Did they know?”
He nodded. “Those nasty muthafuckas knew. Even done her together a couple of times.”
I shook my head in disbelief. This shit was ridiculous. Kane hadn’t told me everything, but I was going to definitely get at him later. Whether he wanted to come clean or not, some shit was going to get hashed out immediately after everybody left.