Chapter 4
FOUR
MYTHIC
I sat next to Maui, desperately trying to restrain myself. I wanted to go after that nigga and slice him the fuck up and watch him bleed out. When I saw Maui cringe, I swallowed all that aggression and hostility and gave her my attention. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
“My stomach hurts.”
The twins both stood with concerned looks on their faces. Bali said, “Mythic, can you bring her somewhere private to lie down with her feet elevated?”
I quickly stood and scooped her up as our mothers watched and followed us to a bedroom. I kissed her head and said, “Try to relax, baby. Everything’s gonna be okay. I promise.”
She was stressed as fuck. Her spoiled ass brother wasn’t making shit any better.
For her sake, we would have to get to the bottom of this shit.
I laid her in my parents’ bed, and my mama practically pushed me out of the way.
I stood there, staring at her, hoping that I was right with what I said to her.
“It could just be cramping from your uterus stretching. Please tell me you don’t feel wet down there,” Bali said.
Maui shook her head. I released a sigh of relief as she gave me a slight smile.
Her sisters had sprung into action despite the way they’d been practically ignoring her.
I grabbed her hand as I went to my knees.
I loved the fuck out of this woman. She was my angel.
I kissed her hand and stared into her eyes.
When my dad yelled out my name, I rolled my eyes.
I knew Seven was probably out there whining like a lil bitch.
“Go ahead, baby. I’m in good hands.”
I smiled at her and kissed her lips, then stood and went back to the dining area to see him standing there with Remy, Red Squared, Carter, and Epic.
When he saw me, he tilted his head toward the door.
I slowly shook my head. Before we could get out there, he put his arm around me.
I looked over at him with a slight frown on my face.
“I’m proud of you for the way you take care of Maui. That’s real man shit, son. Congratulations on the baby, for real. I know you gon’ be a good father.”
That shit had me feeling all soft and shit.
My dad hadn’t said he was proud of me in years.
There was nothing for him to be proud of.
Even after being in prison, I got out and still didn’t do right .
. . hit the streets the day after I got home.
He opened the door, and I saw Seven and Mr. Storm standing there. Both their faces were red.
We walked over to them, and I couldn’t help but fiddle with the blade in my mouth. I swore this lil nigga was on borrowed time. As I stood there quietly, Mr. Storm said, “Tell him what you told us.”
Seven looked at me with nothing but hostility in his eyes. “I know you had something to do with those muthafuckas that tried to rob me.”
I frowned. “Man, what the fuck you talking about?”
“That fool Courtney was with. I know you pumped them up to do that shit.”
I rolled my eyes and slid my hand down my face, then shook my head.
“Man, I didn’t tell them to rob you specifically .
. . or anybody for that matter. I sold to them.
They needed their next hit, and they didn’t have the money.
They were begging for freebies. I told their crackhead asses that I didn’t care if they had to rob somebody, but my weight wasn’t moving without monetary persuasion. ”
I was lying. I did send them after his ass.
He handled them better than I thought he would.
I wasn’t sure how he found that shit out though.
He killed the dude, and Courtney’s ass overdosed about a year later.
I supposed he found out the same way I found out he was the one who snitched.
He knew I wouldn’t kill his ass now that I was with Maui, that was why he waited to try to get at me.
He was using his sister as a shield, pretending he was protecting her while allowing her involvement with me to protect him.
PJ had told me that he was trying to rally the Hendersons to come for me.
Ace was quick to pull out that shit, being that he was already on probation.
I was on parole and still had another two months of that shit.
He nodded repeatedly. I was pretty sure he suspected I was lying.
It just depended on who his source was. He was gonna go check his source when they left from here.
“Plus, I know you were trying to fuck over Iesha.”
I frowned again. How the fuck this nigga have all these grievances with me? “That’s your woman or something?”
“Naw. We just real cool. I know you still hit her up too. If you wit’ my sister, why you still hitting her up?”
I slid my hand over my mouth. “She just cool, man. I don’t want shit from her. Ask her if I’ve approached her inappropriately in the last couple of months. Your sister the only woman I want. Real shit.”
Muthafucka was all in my fucking business.
I already knew shit would never be cool between us.
He knew too fucking much. However, I wasn’t lying about Iesha.
She was just cool to be around. I tried to fuck at first, during the time Maui was ignoring me.
She wouldn’t fold, but we would have good conversations at times.
She would make me think, and we would talk about Maui from time to time.
He nodded, but I knew he didn’t believe that shit either. Mr. Storm looked from him to me, and asked, “So we cool now?”
I remained quiet as I stared at him. He was everything but cool. “We cool until I find out he lying through his fucking teeth,” Seven said.
He walked off as I slowly shook my head. My dad stared at me, but I refused to return his gaze. He probably knew I was lying too. The only reason I lied was because I wanted things to be cool between Maui and her family. Unfortunately, that shit would probably never happen now.
“So what did your sisters say?”
“That it was most likely my uterus stretching. The cramps are lower, more toward my hip area, but they said for me to make an appointment with my doctor anyway to be sure.”
“Are you going to switch and let them handle your care?”
She shrugged her shoulders. We’d gotten home, and I’d bathed her.
After moisturizing her skin, giving her a massage while doing so, we lay in bed.
She was somewhat upset with me, because I wouldn’t go get my head checked out tonight.
I refused to do that while she was hurting.
That shit could wait until tomorrow . . .
or whenever. The shit could heal on its own.
As long as I kept it clean, it would be fine.
The minute I started rubbing her down, she forgot all about me going to the hospital.
“So did you and Seven come to an understanding?”
“Somewhat.”
“I can’t believe he was doing all that tripping over a woman in your past.” She turned to me and stared into my eyes. “She is in your past, right?”
“We talk from time to time, but I wouldn’t even say she’s in my past. We’ve never slept together.”
She lowered her head and turned away from me. I didn’t want to lie about that. I was already withholding the shit about Courtney and that punk ass dude that tried to rob him. I slid my arm around her, trying to soothe her doubts.
“Maui, I swear, you’re the only woman for me. While I did flirt when I first met her, it has never gone past that, baby. I haven’t talked to her in a couple of weeks. It was just to ask for relationship advice.”
She turned back to me. “Relationship advice? What is it that you couldn’t talk to me about, Mythic?
I don’t feel comfortable knowing you still talk to a woman you once wanted to fuck.
How do I know you don’t still want to do that shit?
I already have to trust you with this other woman and you going to spend time with your son. ”
I rolled to my back and stared at the ceiling. “I get it. You can come with me tomorrow if you’re feeling better. He’s gonna be your stepson eventually.”
She glanced at me and turned back to face the wall.
She enjoyed time with her mama and sisters, and when I came back inside, I watched her lay against her dad for the remainder of the time they were there.
I knew he still wasn’t comfortable with us being together, but he missed her.
He had to at least pretend to be accepting of our relationship in order to see her.
It seemed she was making all the sacrifices.
Taking a deep breath, I said, “You can go visit them if you want. PJ will keep a lookout, and I’ll talk to your dad about getting Watchful Eyes on you.”
She turned to me so fast. Her eyes were wide as I swallowed hard, knowing I was risking a lot, mainly losing her. She dove on top of me like she wasn’t just hurting a little while ago. I wrapped my arms around her, hoping I was making the right decision.
“What about work? Can I go back? I’m just sitting at a desk. I know Aunt Chas can use my help with Ashanni being gone.”
I slid my hand down my face, fighting my selfish desires. “Yeah.”
She started kissing me all over my face, but I couldn’t even laugh. I just held her tightly and closed my eyes, knowing that they would eventually persuade her to quit fucking with me. Seven was going to make sure of it. Once he verified I was lying, I was pretty sure he would tell her everything.
Maui lifted her head and stared at me. “Mythic, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, baby. I’m cool,” I said, sliding her to the bed and getting up.
I went to the bathroom and closed the door, trying to calm down.
My heart was sinking, and I could feel the rage taking over and nothing had even happened yet.
She started knocking on the door, so I went to the toilet and pissed, then flushed it and washed my hands.
When I opened the door, she was still standing there.
“Mythic?”
“What’s up?”
“Something’s wrong. Why won’t you look at me?”
I slightly rolled my eyes and went to the dresser and grabbed my keys. “I’ll be right back, baby.”
I grabbed my phone and walked out of the room. After unlocking the screen, I called PJ.
“What’s up, nigga?”
“Can you watch Maui for a bit. I need to make a run.”
“A’ight. Where you going?”
“I just got some shit on me I need to get rid of. I had to give Adrian all my fucking spending money earlier.”
“That’s fucked up.”
“Yeah. All because Seven punk ass running his mouth. Adrian knows he did that shit too.”
“Aww fuck. Did you tell them? I know they were at your parents’ house earlier.”
“I did. They didn’t really respond to what I said, so I don’t know if they even realized the severity of it. That ain’t my business though. I told them, and however they handle it is on them.”
“I’m right down the street.”
“A’ight.”
I left the house, knowing I was about to lose my woman and my child.
I wasn’t normally an insecure nigga, but this situation had me feeling that way.
My fuck ups were going to come back and bite me in the ass.
When I got to the park where I knew the feens hung out at, I parked and waited for them to come to me. As I waited, my phone rang.
Seeing it was Epic, I answered. “What’s up?”
“You good?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Dad said things didn’t go too well between you and Seven, but he said he was proud of you for how you handled it.”
I smiled slightly. Hearing that thee Legend Semien was proud of me would never get old. “Yeah.”
“Did you really do the shit he accused you of though?”
“I guess y’all had a family meeting about what was discussed, huh?”
“Dad just wants us to make sure to look out for you. He said he didn’t like the look in Seven’s eyes. He and Mister Storm talked about it, and he agreed that Seven wasn’t going to let shit go.”
“I don’t need y’all looking out for me. I got it.”
“Did you though?”
“Yeah, man. I did that shit. I told them where to catch him at.”
“Fuck. Does Maui know?”
“I didn’t think anybody knew. I was proved wrong today.
It’s gon’ be one of us, but not both of us.
I told Maui she can go to Nome. I’m gon’ lose her.
Ain’t no way she gon’ stay with me if I have to fuck up her brother.
I’m not pursuing him, but I’ll be damned if I’m gon’ let him get at me without defending myself. ”
“I hate that shit, because I know you love her.”
I lowered my head for a moment as I thought about my feelings for her.
I hadn’t even told her. “With my heart and soul, man. I haven’t told her, though, and I probably won’t any time soon.
Listen . . . if something happens to me, take care of her and my baby.
I’m going to meet with Vanessa tomorrow to meet my son. I’m gonna give your number to her too.”
“Man, why you talking like you finna die? You ain’t going no fucking where!”
“Nigga, if I have to pop Seven, I’m going to die. Ain’t no getting around that shit. Like I said earlier, it’s me or him, but not both of us.”