Chapter 12
Early October
Iwas in a grumpy ass mood. For the past two weeks, I’d been trying to find Cam and Brandon, with no success.
Word had already started to spread that not only were my brothers looking for them because of business, but I was too,…
and my shit was personal. That foul shit they did to my girl’s home was going to be the reason I sent bullets into both of their heads, and I wouldn’t lose a night of sleep over it.
I knew where they lived and worked, but they hadn’t been home in a while, and they weren’t going to work.
They were taking full advantage of the payout they received from their mother’s death, and I found that shit to be quite comical.
They loved playing games, and now that it was time for them to go against the biggest player, they were some ghosts.
I spent a few hours playing several games at the arcade before going to play a few rounds of pool with Cash and Bully.
Cash was temporarily in Memphis while they had their new home decorated by Cordova.
He and his wife, Sugar Baby, were from Rose Valley Hills.
They were expanding their businesses here in Memphis and wanted a home to stay in so they wouldn’t have to worry about having their baby at a hotel.
When I made it home, the smell of a home-cooked meal instantly lightened my mood.
Coming home to Cordova was good enough, but her cooking was like the icing on the cake.
I instantly started rubbing my stomach as I headed toward the kitchen.
She looked sexy as fuck in a silk gown and some furry slippers.
She looked like she belonged here—forever.
A part of me knew now that her house was ready to move back into that she’d likely want to go back home eventually, but I was doing everything I could to make her enjoy being here so much that she never wanted to leave.
“Good evening, beautiful. You got it smelling good as hell in here.”
Her smile was wide as I wrapped my arms around her and lowered myself to her lips for a kiss.
“Hey, pooh. You ready for me to fix you a plate?”
“Hell yeah. What you make?”
“Baked chicken, mac-n-cheese, candied yams, and broccolini.”
“Mm. You gon’ be my dessert?”
“That was the plan.”
I took my time washing my hands then getting comfortable on the island, and while she fixed my plate, she asked, “What’s been going on with you?”
“What chu mean?”
“Just like you can read my emotions and know when something is going on with me, I can do the same for you. You’ve been distant and distracted lately. Is something wrong?”
My head tilted as I sighed. “I feel like I’m failing you. I should have found your cousins and handled that by now. We agreed you wouldn’t go back home until they were taken care of, but the house is ready now, and I know you will want to go back soon.”
She frowned temporarily before setting my plate in front of me.
“You’re not failing me at all. They’re slippery.
They always used to hide and avoid trouble when we were kids, so I’m not surprised they’re doing that now.
And as far as me going back home is concerned,…
I do miss it, but I love being here with you.
I’m not in a rush to go back. Just being honest, I don’t think you beating them up is going to change much.
They might leave me alone temporarily, but as long as I’m in that house, they will not stop bothering me. ”
I chuckled. Not responding immediately, I said a quick prayer and asked her if she’d already eaten before I mixed a bite of my yams and mac together and dug in.
Once I had a few bites in my system, I told her the food was good as fuck before I finally admitted, “I’m not going to just beat their asses, Cordova. I’m going to kill them.”
Her grip loosened on the tequila she was holding, and it dropped down onto the island.
“You’re going to do what?” she asked quietly.
“Kill them. You said it yourself that they won’t leave you alone. You think I’m going to tolerate that? It’s my job to keep you safe, keep you at peace, and keep you happy.”
“Yeah but… that’s my family. My blood.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I inhaled what I needed to be a calming breath.
“I know that’s your blood but—”
“Blood should be… it is thicker than water. I can’t let you kill them, Draco. I can’t have their blood on my hands. I would feel guilty for the rest of my life.”
“People always get that quote wrong. The quote is not blood is thicker than water. The quote is: The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Meaning, chosen relationships and friendships can be more important and special than family bonds. The bonds with people that choose to love you, treat you right, be in your life,… that’s what you should focus on.
So saying that shit to justify your loyalty to people who have treated you like shit literally your whole life ain’t gon’ fly with me. ”
Distress covered her face, and I hated that she felt bad about this shit, but this was something I was going to stand firm on.
Even if she decided she didn’t want to be with me romantically, I was going to make sure none of them, not even Megan, fucked with her again.
Now, I wasn’t going to kill Megan, but I was going to make sure she understood the same thing that was going to happen to her brothers would happen to her if she fucked with my girl again.
Lily could get it too. Nobody was safe if they went against my girl.
“We can talk about this later,” she mumbled. “I don’t want to ruin your dinner.”
“Oh, you won’t,” I said with a laugh. I picked a piece of chicken up, and it was so tender, it instantly fell off the bone. “This is tendernism, boo. You oughta send this to that old man you be showing me on TikTok.” That got a smile out of her. “C’mere.”
Slowly, she made her way over to me, and I picked her up and set her on my lap.
Without me even asking, she mixed the yams and mac, then put a forkful to my lips.
Once I was done chewing, I said, “There will come a day when you’ll have to choose between the family you were born into and the family you can have with me.
The choice will be yours, and I’ll respect your decision either way, but you will have to make that choice.
“Cam and Brandon have not only disrespected you but stole from my family too. Even if I don’t kill them, my family will.
We aren’t the type of people to give people numerous chances to fuck with us.
So they will die, Cordova, and there’s nothing you can do about that.
If you can’t be with me knowing me or my family will be responsible, I’ll respect that but—”
Her pointer finger went to my lips, silencing me.
“I don’t have to choose, because it’s not a choice.
Yes, I don’t want them to die. Yes, I will feel guilty.
But I’m not letting anything come between us.
You’re right. They’ve bullied me my whole life, and I can’t count the amount of times they beat me up until I literally had no choice but to learn to fight back so I could eventually beat them up.
In no universe will I ever choose them over you. Over us. Over our future.”
I let a few seconds pass before asking, “Are you sure, boo? I don’t want you to wake up one day and resent me.”
“I’m sure.”
“Okay. Then we never have to have this conversation again. I will not ever let anyone hurt you or disrespect you and not punish them for it. I don’t give a fuck who it is. I love you, and every part of you will always be safe with me.”
Her jaw clenched before she rested her forehead on mine briefly.
I heard her saying she chose me, but time would truly tell.
It was easy to say that as a hypothetical, but I’d see how she truly felt when I found her cousins and released their spirits.
Since they wanted her out of their parents’ home so bad, I was going to send them to their heavenly home.
Fucked up part was, unless they repented before they got these bullets, I was pretty sure they were going to end up in hell.
Two Weeks Later
Cordova was drunk as hell. She’d finished the design and décor for Sugar Baby and Cash’s home, and they were so impressed they gifted her a twenty-five thousand dollar bonus.
To celebrate, I took her to do her favorite things.
We went skating, to a trail ride, and then to a late dinner.
The girl she’d met at the mall, Raven, joined us with her man.
It was cool hanging with a couple for a little while.
With my upbringing, I learned to ride solo and actually preferred it.
The only person I’d ever really clung to for friendship was Cordova.
Other than that, I was a loner. They went skating with us and to the trail ride, but Cordova and I had dinner alone.
I didn’t think she was intentionally trying to get drunk, but when I told the bartender we were celebrating, he started sending over shot after shot.
After we ordered dessert, she went to the bathroom.
When she came back, she extended her hand in my direction.
I opened my hand to receive what it was, and when I saw that it was her panties, I immediately pulled them under the table.
“Yeah, yo’ ass drunk as hell,” I muttered, and she cackled as she plopped back down in her seat. “Mm,” I moaned, rubbing my thumb against the seat of her drenched panties before licking her essence off my thumb. Tasting her increased my territorial claim on her every fucking time. “Why they wet?”
“I want you.”
“Then let’s go.”
“Wait,” she said with a laugh as I stood and shoved her panties in my pocket. “We ordered dessert, and we have to pay.”
“Fuck that shit.” I pulled several hundred dollar bills from my wallet and tossed them onto the table. “Let’s go. Now.”
Her laughter as I helped her out of her seat made me chuckle, but I was dead serious. My dick was hard as fuck, and I wasn’t even about to wait until we got home.
I picked her up and carried her out of the restaurant, which she found hilarious.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you walk this fast,” she teased.
“I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to be in yo’ pussy this bad. I love you, girl. I’m proud of you and excited about what’s to come in your future, and you really just made it worse being nasty. I was gon’ fuck the shit outta you when we got home, but now I can’t wait.”
“Aww, pooh,” she cooed before turning my head and kissing me.
Cash and Sugar Baby had already started sharing photos and videos of their new home along with Cordova’s contact information.
All day, her email had been blowing up with one inquiry after the next.
She may not have wanted to do this full time, but people definitely wanted her service.
She said she’d do three clients per quarter, which was fair.
That would keep her from being overwhelmed or feeling like she had to do it daily, which was important.
The moment it felt like a job, it wouldn’t be her happy place—her freedom.
When we made it to the Escalade, I considered if I wanted her now or somewhere else. I decided to drive out of the parking lot, even though my windows were tinted. I didn’t want her worrying about people walking by once I was in her pussy.
I made it a couple of blocks down before I swerved into the parking lot of a school.
As soon as I cut the SUV off, she climbed in the back.
I got out and went to the back seat, and she was already pushing her leggings down and assuming the position.
Normally I’d want to eat her pussy and get it soaking wet before I entered her, but it already was, and I was too desperate to be inside of her for foreplay.
Instead, I pressed her chest against the seat while I pulled my dick out of my boxers and jeans and kissed her neck.
“Bae,” she called sweetly.
“Hmm?”
“I love you too.”
Chuckling, I slid inside of her, but it turned into a moan that she mirrored.
I gripped the front of her neck, tilted her head, and kissed her.
It didn’t happen often, but I was so engrossed in her and how good she felt that I wasn’t aware of my surroundings.
I didn’t realize someone had followed us until the door opened.
With no hesitation, I pulled out of her, grabbed my AK from under the seat, locked in on my target, and started blasting.
I wasn’t sure what I was most pissed about—the fact that he’d followed us, or the fact that he waited until I was mid-stroke to try and attack.
Cordova screamed, but I covered her mouth with my hand.
The shots were loud enough. I didn’t need her screams potentially drawing more attention.
I used my free hand to put my dick back in my boxers, because it was clear her ass was too distraught to let me bust my fucking nut, and that pissed me off even more.
“Aye,” I called, gripping her chin and forcing her watery eyes to focus on me. “It was him or us. He had a gun. Do you hear me?”
Her eyes shifted toward Cam’s lifeless body, then back to me. As her tears fell, she swallowed hard and nodded.
“Do you trust me?”
She nodded, then squeezed her eyes shut. Her nostrils flared as she inhaled a deep breath. “Y-yes.”
“Who am I?”
Her eyes opened and locked on mine. “You’re Him.”
“Do you trust me to handle this?”
“Yes, Drake.”
“Aight. Get in the front seat and drive to the warehouse on Shelby Drive. Put 1226 into the keypad and go inside. I will pick you up from there. Don’t call or text anyone.
Don’t stop for anything. Keep your head low when you’re going through lights, and drive on the interstate for as long as you can. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“What’s the code?”
“It’s 1226. No calls, no texts, no stops.”
“Forever my good girl,” I muttered before giving her a quick, sloppy kiss. “As soon as I get out, you need to go.”
She whimpered but nodded her agreement. “Please be safe, bae.”
“I don’t have to be safe. I stay dangerous.”
Her smile was small, but it was there, and right now, that was all I needed.
I gave her another kiss and told her I loved her before hopping out.
With haste, I carried Cam’s body to his car.
After putting him and his gun in the trunk, I got in the driver’s seat with mine.
I sent my folks a 911 text in our group chat and told them to meet me at the funeral home where we disposed of unexpected bodies.
This certainly wasn’t how I saw the night ending, but a part of me was glad one of them niggas had made a move, and I was finally able to handle him.