2. Head Shots #3
“I’m telling Jewel to meet us at Lotus’s apartment.” Bull fished his phone from his pocket.
“Bull, what the fuck!” Eazy objected.
It was too late. He’d already shot the text and stuffed his phone back into his pocket.
“We need to move, and we ain’t got time for nobody second guessing. Been enough snake shit going on. Just tell him what it is. Ain’t like he can really do shit about it if you fucking with Lotus and you having a baby.”
“Midas was here,” Brenda revealed.
Bull and Eazy locked eyes across the counter. Brenda cleared her throat.
“That’s how I overheard the conversation about Bronx.
Midas was there. He did this, and Braxton knew about it.
He said that Bronx was working with Oracle to double cross him, and I guess Oracle flipped on him to Midas about the situation.
He started working with Midas not knowing that he was already plugged in with Braxton.
Which leads me to believe he knew where Midas was all this time. ”
Bull’s jaw clenched. He’d been itching to get at that nigga since he did his bid.
Midas left him holding the bag, which gained Bull five years in those tombs he could never get back.
Eazy rounded the counter and handed Brenda the blunt in his hand.
She looked like she needed it a hell of a lot more than he did.
For the first time, Bull wasn’t side eyeing his mother like the devil either.
Empathy weighted him in a way he didn’t expect.
His father wasn’t shit, but he never expected his mother to be the one to put him down.
Simpering, Brenda took the blunt from Eazy. “Do I look that bad?”
“You look like you could use some rest,” Bull replied. “Me and E gotta go take care of some shit. Don’t let anybody else on this property. Keep security tight. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“You don’t have to worry about Toni or the kids. The beef died with your father as far as I’m concerned.”
Brenda sensed that Bull was a bit uneasy leaving his children there, but he always felt like the threat was Braxton, not Brenda.
She was as much under his thumb as anyone else.
Bull rested a hand against her shoulder and pulled her into his chest. He planted a kiss on top of her head and flashed a weak smile.
“We got plenty of time to talk through this. Don’t worry about nothing. Try to get some rest.”
Brenda passed the blunt back to Eazy, and he and Bull moved to the doorway to leave together.
Once they were gone, she gathered saltine crackers, a few other snacks, and ginger ale so she could take it up to Toni.
The house now seemed even more eerie than before.
She’d already showered and given Eazy her clothes, which he gave Acid to get rid of.
Stopping outside Bull’s childhood bedroom door, she paused before raising her hand to knock.
It took a moment, but she heard the shuffling on the other side before Toni pulled the door open enough to poke her head out.
“Thought you might need something to put on your stomach.” Brenda held up the items in her hand.
“Thank you.” Toni sighed. “Is Bull still here?”
“He and Eazy left. Said he’ll be back after he takes care of a few things.”
“You want to come in? I was just searching for something to watch. Breeze woke up to go to the bathroom, so we’re debating on Cars or Toy Story.”
Brenda smiled. “I’d love to.”
Stepping aside, Toni widened the doorway for her to walk through.
Jou Jou slept at the foot of the bed, and Breeze remained propped up against the pillows.
Both of their shoes were left beside the bed.
He studied Brenda when she entered and spotted the snacks in his mama’s hands.
Toni settled beside Breeze, placing her arm around him so he could rest his head sleepily against her chest. Brenda’s heart fluttered in that moment.
He reminded her of Bronx immediately. Tears flooded her eyes, and she released a shaky breath.
“Breeze, this is Brenda. She’s your daddy’s mama,” Toni worded.
When Brenda looked into her eyes, she understood. Toni was telling without telling.
“Can you say hi?”
“Hi.” Breeze waved.
“She brought some snacks. You want some?” Toni tore the bag of potato chips open and handed them to Breeze. “What do you think, Brenda? Toy Story or Cars?”
“Um, well, I always thought Toy Story was popular. How many of those movies is it now?” She frowned playfully.
“I think five,” Toni concluded, reaching for the remote and selecting the first Toy Story film. “Pick a spot and join us.”
Brenda rounded the bed, pausing to admire Jou Jou while she slept.
She had Toni’s complexion, but from what she could see, that face was all Bull.
Somehow, she’d found a silver lining in a night from hell.
Times like this were rare with her boys.
Braxton thought them spending too much time with her would make them soft.
He wanted them to be men out the womb. Seeing Breeze lean against his mama and stuff Cheetos in his mouth widened the space in her heart instantly.