14. Artez
“Thank you for bringing me home, Flame. I really don’t know if I would have made it home safely with my emotions all out of whack.” She fiddled with her fingers as we sat in her parked car outside her parents’ house.
“You know I got you, baby. How are you feeling now?” I reached over and held her hand in mine.
A soft sigh slid from her lips as she replied, “If I’m being honest, I feel so defeated. Everybody suspected Juda was involved but me. Wishful thinking . . . I guess, but I didn’t want to believe someone I once loved would be capable of trying to harm me, you know?”
I nodded. “It’s a tough pill to swallow. I couldn’t imagine what you were going through—what you’re still going through as you navigate this information.”
“It really sucks, Flame. I hate how much this affected me. Not only do I have to work through this . . . I have to pull the Band-Aid off and tell my parents.”
“You can do it,” I encouraged.
“I really don’t want to face my parents alone. I don’t know if I could handle their reactions on top of my already fragile heart. It’s a lot.”
“You’re right. It is a lot. But you’re not alone. I’ll face them with you if you need me to. I think we’re overdue for a formal meeting, anyway. Don’t you think?”
Over the last couple of weeks, we’d been insatiable.
Since the first moment I slid into her warmth, I was hooked.
We got lucky because the last few weekends, her parents had taken trips out of the city.
But there were times I’d sneak in during the night and be gone before the sun rose in the morning. Mali’s taste was my favorite addiction.
She glanced over at me with wide eyes. “You’re ready to meet my parents?”
“Yeah. You not ready for me to meet your folks?” I asked with a raised brow.
She shrugged. “I’d love for you to meet them. Might as well have a positive announcement sprinkled in with the shit show about to happen.”
“I know you, so I feel like I know your parents. I don’t think they’re going to be upset with you. I doubt they’ll be anything other than concerned for your safety.”
She nodded. “You’re right. I just don’t want to upset them.”
“It’ll be okay.”
“Let’s do this.”
We climbed out of her car and headed up the path to the front door. I kept a protective distance behind Mali as she unlocked the door and walked in. My nerves were calm. I wasn’t afraid to meet her parents. I was secure in my place in her life, and I hoped they welcomed me with open arms.
“Mama! Daddy!” she called out.
“We’re in the living room,” a seasoned, velvet-like voice called back.
Mali glanced back at me and smiled. I reached for her hand and locked our fingers as she led me into the living room. It was part of the house I had seen little of, but it was nice. There were family portraits hung on the wall, a nice, clean fireplace, and a modern-style furniture set.
Her parents sat on the couch, limbs intertwined, watching a black-and-white movie on the TV. When we entered the room, both of their gazes landed on me.
“This is Artez.” Mali introduced me to her parents.
Part of me expected her to introduce me as Flame, since I’d never heard her use my government name before. Now, I think I wanted her to stop calling me Flame altogether because the way Artez slid from her lips stirred something deep in my core. I made a mental note to mention it later.
“Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Flowers. It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”
Mr. Flowers stood up first. “You’re the man who has been sneaking in and out of here at all times of the night. Good to put a name and face to the intruder.”
I chuckled and used my free hand to rub my fingers through my beard. “Yeah, that’s me. I’m sorry it took so long for us to cordially meet.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Artez.” Mali’s mother stood up and closed the distance between us. She pulled me into a warm hug.
“He’s my boyfriend. We’ve been dating for a while. He was one of the firefighters who helped me. Really, he’s the firefighter who saved me. After I visited the station, we talked a lot, and things naturally progressed,” Mali explained in a soft tone.
Her parents studied me. They asked me different questions to get to know me, and I answered them honestly and respectfully. It was easy to talk to them because, just like their daughter, they were funny and witty. Before I knew it, we were all seated in the living room, having a good time.
“I’m really glad y’all like Artez because he’s my emotional support human for this next part.” Mali’s voice filled the silence.
“What’s going on, baby girl?” her father asked.
Mali cleared her throat. “As y’all know, I went to the insurance company today. They gave me an estimate of the money I’ll be getting. They also showed me a compilation from different security cameras of the incident.”
She explained how she’d seen Juda from several angles, sabotaging her home and setting the fire. She got choked up again, but I rubbed her back as she explained to them how foolish and stupid she felt to trust a man who could harm her in such a way.
Her father exuded anger. He stood up and paced the living room floor.
“Daddy, I’m sorry. I don’t want you to be mad at me,” Mali croaked out.
“I would never be upset with you, my blossom. I’m more upset with myself.
I watched your light dim with Juda. I watched him suck all of your joy and happiness and stayed quiet.
I should have protected you from men like Juda, but I wanted to give you space to figure things out on your own. I’m sorry I failed you, baby girl.”
“Oh, Daddy!” Mali stood up and ran into her father’s arms.
My heart ached as I watched them cry together. Seeing what one man had done to a family pissed me off. Juda had to pay, and I would make it my mission to make sure he did.
The view from the top of my favorite hiking trial was breathtaking. You could see the mountain range in the distance, birds flew above, and the sky was a bright blue. It was one of my favorite hidden gems because it offered the 100 percent privacy, which I needed for what was to come.
As I waited for my contact to arrive, I leaned against the side of my car, deep in thought. Mali’s ex had crossed the line on more than one occasion now.
Her words haunted me: “He almost killed me . . . I don’t want him to hurt you, either. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if someone from my past hurt the man I want to build a future with.”
She wanted to build forever with me, and the feeling was mutual. I wanted Mali to be my wife one day, but we wouldn’t be able to bask in our happily ever after with her bitch ass ex looming in the shadows.
Yes, I had faith in the justice system, but not when the courts were backed up and murderers walked free daily.
Juda could walk away with no consequences to his actions, and I didn’t want to take that chance.
I had to take matters into my own hands.
I had to do what needed to be done for peace of mind.
Not only did he threaten her with STDs, but he also was the reason her house was on fire in the first place.
Granted, if it weren’t for the fire, I may not have met Mali, but still.
It pissed me off because he never tried shit when I was around her.
I wanted to put my hands on that trash-ass nigga so badly, but I knew a crazy mothafucka like that needed special treatment. I needed a professional to handle him.
“Yo, Flame!”
I looked up at the sound of the familiar voice and grinned. “Thank you for meeting me on such short notice.”
Noble Nash reached out to give me a formal handshake. “It’s no problem at all. I told you I owed you a favor after you and your crew saved the day at my baby girl’s birthday party.”
Noble and I grew up on the same side of town.
He was a few years older than me, but we didn’t talk until a few months back.
The 143 got a bizarre call involving a princess bounce house and a circus performer.
When we arrived to help, we became the main attraction, and his daughter got to ride in the fire truck.
“All in a day’s work. How is the family?” I queried.
“The family is good. Nova’s the most popular kid in school after the birthday fiasco. She wants to become a firefighter now, which is a change from the rocket scientist she wanted to be earlier this year.”
I laughed. “You’ve got your hands full.”
He nodded. “Saint’s a carbon copy of me. He has all of my mannerisms and personality traits—and he’s not even a year old yet.”
“It’s crazy how kids can change a man.”
Noble nodded. “Right. It really starts with a good woman. My wife softened me up, and our kids were the cherry on top.”
Noble had fallen in love with a popular Cade’s Cove socialite.
Quiet as it was kept, she had a hit put out on her, and her father hired Noble—the best bodyguard in the country—to protect her.
I didn’t know the details on how Noble got the hit removed from his lady’s head, but he got shit done, and that was why I needed his help today.
“That’s good shit, for real.”
“What’s up, though? When we spoke on the phone, you made it seem like this was urgent.”
I took a deep breath. “It is. I know what you used to do back in the day, and I need one of those kinds of favors.”
Noble raised an eye. “I thought you were done with the life of crime, superstar firefighter.”
“Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
In as few words as possible, I explained to Noble who Juda was and what he had done.
I emphasized how, in more than one instance, he’d put my girl in danger, and as a man, I couldn’t let this slide anymore.
He needed to be dealt with permanently because I wanted to build a real future with Mali, and I’d be damned if he slithered out of the consequences of his actions.
There was no remorse in my body.
I had no regrets.
I stood firm on my choice to have him dealt with and would defend my choices to Mali if she ever found out what I did.
“I respect what you’re doing. Hell, I got my hands dirty a lot for the sake of saving and protecting my lady. We can do a cash drop off next week once we have finalized the plans.”
“Thank you for this, Noble.”
“It’s no problem. Be easy.” Noble made the trek back down the trail to his car.
This was necessary. This man sucked the life out of my girl for almost ten years and wouldn’t let her go or get a hint. She deserved peace. She deserved justice—even if it came an illegal way.
I loved Mali. I was in love with Mali. I’d kill for her—or pay someone else to do it for me. All I could do was pray she saw my intentions and appreciated my gesture.