Marz

Chapter 13

Chapter

Thirteen

Marz

As Pops talked about some grill he wanted his kids to get him for Christmas this year, I looked at the text Ma had sent me.

She told me to call her when I was free, which was odd.

Usually when she wanted to talk she’d just call me, so that made me feel like she wanted to talk but maybe the conversation would be serious or uncomfortable.

“You at that age, old man, where you done started asking for appliances for Christmas?” I teased, getting a hearty laugh out of him.

“Apparently so. And you better make sure y’all get me the right one.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ma make sure because I’m going to enjoy everything you grill on it.”

“I know that’s right,” he muttered, going back into his own world as he looked at a waffle maker to get Mama Neo, and for some reason, the shit was hilarious to me.

She was going to be so mad. She hated getting stuff for the house for Christmas or her birthday and said those were things we were supposed to get her just because.

“Now you know my mama is not going to want that for Christmas,” I reminded him.

“I’ma get her something else. I actually have the perfect gift for her. You know that island I’ve been trying to buy for years now? Finally got the green light.”

“Oh word?” I replied, dialing Ma’s number. “That’s wassup. She’s never going to want to leave. Show us how to do it, Pops. Big pressure.”

“Yeah. I know I’ma have to come hard so she won’t be jealous of my grill.”

I didn’t stop laughing until Ma answered the phone. “I’m sorry, Ma. How are you?”

“I’m good, baby. How are you?”

“I’m good. What’s going on? I didn’t get the best vibe from your text.”

Ma sighed, making my lingering smile drop. “It’s your sister. I’m really worried about her. I didn’t want to mention it because she made me promise not to. And I’m telling you and not Merc or Hamilton because I expect you to remain calm.”

My brows lifted as a puff of laughter escaped me.

I wasn’t sure why she thought I’d be the calmest of us three.

Really, that was proof that Ma really didn’t know the adult version of me at all.

I was the one she had to worry about the most. I stepped real hard behind my sister.

There was no way in hell I’d let my father handle anything concerning her.

He didn’t have to get his hands dirty. That was now my responsibility.

“I’ll remain calm, but if it’s something that needs to be handled, I’ma handle it.”

“Oh God. Maybe I shouldn’t say anything.”

“It’s too late now, Ma. What’s going on with my sister?”

Pops’ head jerked in my direction as a frown shifted his features. He mouthed for me to put the call on speaker, so I did.

“I don’t have all the details, but she came to my house in the middle of the night. She was crying and distraught. I asked her what was wrong and if she’d been hurt but she didn’t want to talk. This morning when she was getting ready to go back home, she told me that Raheem had cheated on her.”

“Damn,” I muttered, sitting back in my seat.

“I offered to go with her to get her things, but she declined. The reason I’m concerned is because when I called to check on her, I heard them arguing.

When I called back, the calls started going straight to voicemail.

She should have called or come back by now.

I don’t know if something happened or if he’s convinced her to stay.

I was wondering if you could go with me to check on her. ”

“Of course, Ma,” was what I said, but Pops said…

“That ain’t necessary.”

My eyes shifted to see what he was looking at, and it was Ariel walking into his man cave.

“She’s here. I’ll text you an update after we talk.”

Ma released a sigh of relief. “Thank God. Okay, baby. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

After disconnecting the call, I stood and took in my sister’s appearance as she walked over to us. Ariel stepped into my waiting embrace, then wasted no time crawling into Pops’ lap and burying her face in his neck.

“Aww, baby girl. Tell us what happened,” he commanded softly as he held her.

I sat back down, leg shaking as I fought to keep myself from pulling up on Raheem.

“He cheated on me,” she said with a muffled voice.

Her exhale was low as she adjusted herself and looked toward the ceiling to dry her eyes.

“He cheated on me with the bitch I knew he had something going on with. Let him tell it, they were old friends. I knew it would be some shit when she popped back into the picture at his best friend’s birthday party, but he swore I was overreacting.

Anyway, when I confronted him, he didn’t even deny it.

I went home to get a few of my things and that’s when shit went left. ”

“Did he put his hands on you?” I checked, sitting on the edge of my seat.

Her head shook as she slid on the couch next to Pops.

“No. He just made it hard for me to leave the house. When I’d try, he would stand in front of the door.

I actually hit him trying to get him to move, but he just grabbed me and carried me back into our room.

The only reason I was able to leave was because he had a delivery that required his signature and I slipped out while he was doing that. ”

She pulled her knees up to her chest, reminding me of the same helpless position Heir had taken the first night she spent at the safehouse.

Pops’ jaw was clenched as he exhaled a hard breath. His eyes locked with mine, and he didn’t even have to say the words. I nodded and sat back in my seat.

“I’m sorry that you had to receive that kind of betrayal, baby girl,” Pops said.

“Ya brothers will go with you to help you pack your things and get them out of the house. He doesn’t get to hold you hostage because he fucked up.

That’s not right, and it’s taking everything inside of me not to leave this house and go walk him down.

Before I do something drastic, I need to know you’re not going back to him.

I don’t want him holding what I do to him against you and resenting you for it. ”

Her head shook as she stared at her palms. “I’m not going back to him, Daddy.

But I don’t want you to hurt him. None of you.

” Ariel looked at me when she said the last part.

“Divorce will suffice. I’m going to make my exit out of his life quiet because the lack of my love and presence is going to be loud enough.

I gave him nothing but pure love, but it’s clear he was a lesson for me. ”

Rolling my tongue over my cheek, I shook my head as my foot tapped. “Yeah, that’s real sweet and poetic, but I’ma still work his ass. It really ain’t shit you can do to save him, Sis. For real.”

“Marz…”

“When Raheem asked Pops for your hand in marriage, he promised your brothers that he would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. He broke that promise, so I’ma break his fucking jaw.”

“Straight like that,” Pops said casually, making her groan.

“Fine. I know there’s nothing I can say to stop you, but I really don’t want you to do this. If he presses charges and y’all go to jail, I will feel so guilty.”

Chuckling, I texted Ma that Ariel would be fine before texting Neptune to get his location.

“I ain’t going to jail over no minor shit like beating his ass. Even if he pressed charges, I know someone that would help me get them dropped. Don’t worry about that.”

“Can I stay here, Daddy?” she asked. “I know Mama wants me to stay with her and Hamilton, but I don’t think I want to. She’s going to be treating me all delicately and like it’s the end of the world because I’m getting divorced. I don’t want that pity.”

“Of course, baby girl. You don’t ever have to ask.”

When Neptune’s text came through and he told me he was at the academy, I told him I was about to head that way. I stood and walked over to Ariel, then gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“You need me to bring you anything back?” I checked.

“Just you. No blood that doesn’t belong to you. No bruised knuckles either.”

Pops chuckled as I struggled to agree.

“I’ll see what I can do,” I muttered, and her asking Pops to talk some sense into me only made me smile.

I was sure if he had it his way, he’d demand I do more.

Pops was big on integrity and respect, and he never played when it came down to the way men treated women.

Hell, that was how he’d initially solidified a bond with Mama Neo, and I’d heard all about him checking Omar when I was a kid because he felt like Ma was making decisions for me based on her relationship with him and cutting Pops out.

That was one thing Pops never played about, and he for damn sure wasn’t going to start now.

On the ride to the academy, I thought of what I could do over the weekend to put a smile on my baby’s face.

The home dates were cool, but I was ready for this shit to be behind us so I could take her out and show her off like she deserved.

Today made one week since I met with Iman, and I planned to call him to set up a meeting when I got back to the safehouse.

My efforts to find anything on Casper had been unsuccessful, but I was confident in my abilities to get the diamonds without losing my life in the process.

When I pulled into the parking lot, something immediately felt off.

I noticed three white vans that didn’t belong to us.

Before I could even put my car in park in my reserved spot, shots rang out.

I wasn’t too pressed because the car was bulletproof.

What pissed me off was the fact that they were shooting in broad daylight in a public place.

The last thing I wanted was for someone in the academy to be hurt behind Iman’s bullshit, because I knew this was all him.

Not long had passed before Neptune and a few trainers and students came out guns blazing.

Once the shots were scattered enough for me to hop out the car, I targeted the van that was heading out of the parking lot.

Of course it didn’t have a license plate, but I did recognize the driver as one of the men that was at Iman’s office the last time I visited.

“You good, big brotha?” Neptune asked as he jogged over to me.

“Yeah, I’m good. Nobody was hit, were they?”

“Nah. I don’t think so.”

We looked over everyone else that had come out.

I thanked them for looking out before urging them to go back inside in case they spun the block.

As Neptune and I headed inside, my rage increased.

It was one thing for Iman to come after me, but risking the lives of others was unforgivable.

As Neptune and I headed to my office, my phone vibrated.

I didn’t have to see it to know it was Iman. At the sight of his name, I smiled.

“Pussy,” I greeted him. “If you wanted me dead, why didn’t you come after me yourself?”

“I didn’t want you dead. I wanted to wake you up.”

“Are you sure about that? Because my car being riddled with bullets says otherwise.”

“I figured it was bulletproof. Even if it’s not, I told them to shoot at the back seat and trunk. An entire week has passed, and I haven’t heard from you. I feel like you’re not taking me seriously, young man.”

“And you thought shooting my car up would make me do so?”

“I thought it would show you I’m not one to play with. I’ve given you more than enough time to decide on your own, so now I’m telling you. You’re going to work for me. You’re going to get my diamonds from Casper. Are we clear on that?”

My feet stopped moving, and it was in that moment that I knew exactly what I had to do.

“What I’m clear on is the fact that you think you’re running shit and I’m not sure why. I’m not working for you, and I don’t give a damn about them diamonds.”

“Oh. And here I was thinking you’d do anything to save your wife.”

“I will do anything to save my wife… including kill you.”

Ending the call, I told Neptune what I knew he and the rest of my crew wanted to hear.

I wasn’t risking my life going after Casper for Iman.

I was, however, going to be risking my life to take Iman’s.

I stayed at the academy long enough for my car to be towed.

It was just a minor annoyance since I had two more.

Once it was picked up, I rode out with Neptune.

We made sure we weren’t followed before going to the safehouse.

With the headspace I was in, I couldn’t bother with going to get Ariel’s stuff, because I was liable to take my frustration out on Raheem.

And though he deserved to be punished for what he did to my sister, he didn’t deserve to die because I was angry with someone else.