Chapter 12
TWELVE
MYTHIC
I felt like I was going crazy. I wanted to pop up over there so fucking bad, but I had a feeling her new nigga would be there.
He didn’t know that he was just a placeholder.
She was only entertaining him because I wasn’t there.
My mind was running ragged trying to figure out a way to get in her family’s good graces again, but I kept coming up empty.
Maybe I would have to entertain my previous thoughts and just let go.
At some point, she would have to see me.
I wasn’t going to allow her to keep my child from me.
Vanessa and Caleb were at the house for at least three hours yesterday, and I appreciated her staying that long and keeping me company.
I wasn’t really trying to get out, because I didn’t want Adrian seeing me and trying to get at me.
I had my weapon on me, but my ass would end up in jail for life for killing his ass, and whoever was with him, in broad daylight.
God was really watching out for me, because they hadn’t found their way here.
Most people in Liberty knew where my parents lived because of my mom’s business and because Legend Semien was famous.
That nigga was like an A-list celebrity around these parts.
People would approach him all the time for autographs.
He ate that shit up too. Today, Cachet had called me to see how everything was going and to get an update on the drama.
I told her she needed to major in communications and start her own gossip column because she was always trying to get some tea.
That lil girl stayed in my business. She was the first to know I was selling drugs.
I thought I was bribing her not to tell Mama and Dad, and her ass was taking my money, knowing she’d already told them.
I threatened to whup her ass for that, and her lil ass told them that too.
I swore she kept Epic and me in trouble, ol’ tattling ass.
I chuckled to myself as I thought about our conversation earlier.
She wanted shit blow by fucking blow. Although the shit I was telling her was nowhere near funny, she had me chuckling at her foolishness.
Making my way downstairs, I could hear my mama talking to someone through the door.
When I got closer, I heard them say my name and her tell them I wasn’t here.
What the fuck? I supposed I’d thought their asses up.
What really pissed me off was that they didn’t have a reason to come for me.
I’d gotten all my business squared away, whether Adrian thought I did or not. He could suck a diseased dick.
I slid around the corner to see her still peeking through the window. “Did they leave?”
She nearly jumped out of her skin. “You scared the shit out of me. Yeah, they left. Thank God your dad put your truck in the garage.”
“I may need to take Carter’s advice and get some reinforcement around here. I didn’t think they would have the balls to come here. You okay?” I asked as I put my arm around her.
“Yeah. I’m okay, baby. What type of reinforcement?”
“He said something about hiring Watchful Eyes to look out for us. They’re a company in Beaumont and work for the Hendersons, or rather, the Hendersons are one of their clients. The police are pointless. I’ll talk to Dad and Carter to see if they can get in touch with them.”
“Get in touch with who?”
We turned around and saw Dad. Mama went to him and hugged and kissed him. He grabbed her ass right in front of me . . . and a good chunk of it at that. I took a deep breath, not wanting to see that shit. It only reminded me that I ain’t had no ass to grab.
When he pulled away from her, he said, “What’s up, Myth? Get in touch with who?”
“What’s up, Dad? Watchful Eyes. A nigga came here today looking for me. He just left like a couple of minutes before you got here. I’m surprised you didn’t see him.”
“What the fuck? What they want, Mythic?”
“We talked about it the other day. Adrian is saying I owe him more money. I don’t. I was one of his best runners. He ain’t wanting to let me out. I’m not giving him any more money either. Fuck him.”
Before Dad could respond, the doorbell was ringing. I pulled my gun from my waistband and Dad did the same as my mama stepped back toward the staircase. He went to the door, then lowered his weapon and opened it.
“Why the fuck you got yo’ gun drawn?”
Philly and PJ walked in with a Puerto Rican looking nigga and three other niggas with them. They looked at me and saw I had my gun drawn as well.
“A muthafucka was just here not long ago looking for Mythic. Thankfully, he didn’t get crazy with Harper. What’s up? Why y’all here?” my dad asked.
“This is Ali Joseph from Watchful Eyes. He owns the company. This is Seneca, Jungle, and Vegas,” Philly said, pointing to each of them.
I frowned slightly. “Jungle Patterson?” I asked.
He looked right at me with a frown on his face. “You know somethin’ ’bout it?”
“Hell yeah. The Pattersons weren’t to be fucked with. I remember Philly talking about y’all. You a part of Watchful Eyes?” I asked.
“Hell yeah. We done with that drug shit. Ali and Seneca used to run for me, and Vegas was my right hand.”
“So y’all know Adrian?”
“Yeah, we know that muthafucka,” the one introduced as Seneca said.
There was a knock at the door, and Ali said, “That’s Jericho. We might need him.”
My mama went to the door and opened it for him. They exchanged pleasantries, and he joined the crew. Ali introduced him to us. Right after, I said, “I just told my mama that we needed to contact y’all. Thanks for looking out, PJ.”
He patted my back. “They fucking with the wrong ones now. I overheard Shaun talking about getting at’chu tomorrow. I knew I had to bring the guys out here. Y’all my family.”
“So, Jungle, Vegas, and Seneca will be out here constantly. One will follow Harper, another will follow Legend, and one will be on you at all times,” Ali said to me. “Jericho and I will be canvasing the area looking for that nigga. He ain’t never been no good.”
“What about Maui? He knows who she is.”
Ali frowned. “Maui Henderson? Oooooh. You the nigga. Now it all makes sense.”
I lowered my head, then looked away for a second. “I don’t know what all you heard, but I’m pretty sure you didn’t hear that I love that woman. I want her to be safe . . . her and my baby. That nigga Seven too.”
Jericho chuckled and so did Ali. I wasn’t sure what that was about until Seneca said, “Yeah, he got it bad. That shit look familiar.”
I frowned slightly until Philly said, “We done all been there Mythic. Done some fucked up shit, then had to humble ourselves to get our women. I did a year in prison for mine. I’m sure you remember that shit.
You were six or so when I got out. That’s what the laughs were about.
You’ve changed, and most times when that happens with niggas like us, we can attribute that shit to a woman loving us in our bullshit. ”
They all nodded. After his words, I felt like I was in good company. “Hell yeah. I took that bullet in the arm for her. I would have killed Seven before I let him shoot me.”
I flipped the blade in my mouth, and Vegas gave me a one-cheeked smile. “This nigga crazy as fuck,” he said.
Jungle chuckled. “Hell yeah.”
Ali slowly shook his head. “Nigga we been recruiting niggas left and right. So if you serious about being done with that shit, we can always use team members. Once your arm heals, let’s talk about it.”
I nodded. I would definitely need a fucking job.
“A’ight. So we about to head out. SS been having action.
He noticed somebody following his ass around.
That nigga said he didn’t need us though.
Cocky as fuck for no reason. Killing a crackhead don’t compare to a street nigga.
I just hope nobody make him eat his words,” Ali said.
I slowly shook my head as I felt my phone vibrate.
I pulled it from my pocket to see a text from a number I didn’t recognize.
I opened it to read: Mythic this is Ashanni.
Thank you for showing Maui how much she means to you.
She cried over those flowers until she got sick.
That’s why she hasn’t been reaching out.
She blocked you. Seeing you or hearing from you causes her blood pressure to skyrocket.
I know it’s because she loves you and hated to leave you.
She misses you so much. I’ll do my best to keep you in the loop but don’t tell nobody.
I got your number from her phone while she was in the bathroom.
I smiled slightly and slid the phone in my pocket. The guys were talking to my dad, and I had tuned them out completely. Maui was all I could think about. PJ came over and gave me a pound. “We made it out alive, my nigga.”
I nodded. PJ had gotten out without the bullshit because of who his dad was.
Adrian didn’t want no shit with Philly. He should have known that would apply to me too.
Bitch ass nigga. Once they were done talking, they all exchanged numbers with me, and left.
They would start their watches tomorrow, so Philly and PJ said they would be back tonight to stay with us.
He felt like Adrian was recruiting niggas to come for me and my family.
Once they left, I went to my room to respond to Ashanni’s message.
Thank you for messaging me. I miss her so fucking much.
I feel like I’m about to lose it. I understand she had to choose her brother in this situation.
All this shit is my fault. I would have never thought back then that Maui would be the woman for me.
Please take care of her. Hopefully, one day, this shit will come back around.
I need her, and I know she needs me, regardless of what everyone else thinks.
I sent the text and sat here in my feeling until my dad walked through the door I’d left open. “I’m glad PJ was looking out. I didn’t know he worked with them.”
“I had forgotten that he worked with them that fast. He got involved when all that shit went down in Nome after Mister Henderson got killed.”
My dad nodded, then gripped my good shoulder. “It’s gon’ all be over soon. Mama is on her way to cook with Harper. You ought to come down when she gets here. She’ll be glad to see you.”
I nodded. Grandma Rose was a trip. It had been a couple of years since I’d seen her, and she threatened to beat my ass.
She said I needed a good ol’ fashion ass whupping.
That shit irritated me back then, but now it made me chuckle.
My phone vibrated, so I checked Ashanni’s message.
I knew it was her, because my phone was pretty dry these days.
I will always take care of her. That’s my girl.
I smiled slightly. Maui was always talking about Ashanni, so I knew just how close they were. After taking a pain pill, I made my way down just as Grandma was walking through the door. Her eyebrows lifted when she saw me. I walked over to her and said, “Hey, Grandma.”
“‘Hey Grandma’ my ass! Where the hell you been, boy?”
She pulled me in her arms, and I couldn’t help but smile. Before I could separate from her, she punched me in my good arm and said, “I ought to break this one. Wait ’til I tell your grandfather you were here. You still selling that shit?”
“No, ma’am. I let it go. I’m not tryna get my ass whupped. I heard your ass whuppings were nothing nice.”
She laughed loudly, then hugged me again. “Welcome back, baby.”
I nodded repeatedly. Welcome back indeed.