Whatever It Takes

Prologue

MARCH

The thump from the speakers matched my heartbeat.

The pounding was so aggressive it felt like it might burst from my chest. While everyone around me seemed to be having a good time, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in my stomach.

I reached for the tequila on the table, tilting the bottle to my lips.

The cool liquid burned as it went down, but I kept drinking until the bottle was empty.

I just wanted to forget how this nigga had me feeling.

“Bless you good?” My best friend Chanel asked, looking at me with concerned eyes.

“I’m straight girl. Fuck that nigga.” I huffed, rolling my eyes.

My fiancé, Seven, had been on bullshit all night, and I was over it.

My chest ached thinking about the argument we had before I left the house.

He wasn’t feeling me going to the club tonight.

I’ve been cooped up in the house for several months, and I needed a fucking break.

In his mind, now that I’ve become a mother, I should just sit in the house and cater to our household.

He had me fucked up if he thought I would ever go for that shit.

So, when my girls invited me out, I didn’t decline. I got up and threw on the tightest dress in my closet. The short red mini dress clung to me like a second skin. I’ve been thick my whole life, but giving birth to my daughter gave me my grown woman body.

Chanel grabbed my hand, pulling me up to dance. I threw my arms over her shoulder, swaying as Future’s Like That flowed through the club. All irritation left my body as we danced through the next few songs.

The shots I’d taken throughout the night were starting to take effect.

I hadn’t felt this free in so long. Being a mother, a fiancé, and a full-time physical therapist took up most of my time.

Juggling my work and home life while still trying to have a social life had me drowning in stress, trying to avoid depression.

Seven spent most of his time running the streets with my older brother, Messiah.

They flooded the streets of Oasis Cove with the purest drugs in the state.

Being the sister and fiancé of the two biggest dope dealers in the city had its perks.

I didn’t have to work, but I didn’t spend all that time getting my master’s degree in sports medicine for no reason.

“Bless look!” Chanel whispered into my ear, tapping my thigh.

I looked up at the group of men passing our section.

I felt my heart skip a beat as I locked eyes with Saint Simmons, the defensive lineman for the Oasis Cove Jaguars.

He licked his thick, pink lips before nodding his head at me.

I smiled, returning the gesture. That man knows he’s so damn fine.

I’d been around him a few times throughout his career.

I’m the first person Coach Charles calls when one of his players gets injured.

“Girl, close your damn mouth.” My homegirl, Natalie, said, snickering.

I threw a hand up at her as I sat down, taking a sip of water.

My feet were killing me. These black strappy heels were cute, but so fucking uncomfortable.

I knew I’d spend the rest of the night sitting down, looking pretty.

I flagged a waitress down and ordered another hookah for the section.

I didn’t usually smoke hookah, but tonight I was determined to let loose.

Two bottle girls entered our section, waving sprinklers and dancing, while another girl entered carrying two bottles of Don Julio. I looked up at them, confused. We didn’t order any more bottles.

“Courtesy of Moo and his teammates.” The bottle girl said, setting the bottles down on the table before leaving. Moo is Saint’s nickname. It’s what everyone called him, even the fans.

“I’ll be back,” I said to my homegirls as I stood to leave the section.

I unlocked my phone and noticed multiple missed calls and text messages from Seven.

Instead of responding, I cleared my notifications and opened my camera to ensure my makeup and hair still looked good.

Once I was done, I made my way out of the section.

Saint’s eyes landed on me as soon as I reached the entrance of their section. He nodded at security to let me in. I added an extra sway to my hips as I walked over to him.

“Wassup, gorgeous?”

“Thanks for the bottles, Moo. Me and my girls appreciate it.” I smirked, standing in front of him. I watched his eyes travel my body before locking on mine. The notes of his cologne evaded my nostrils. I fought back a moan, inhaling his scent. He smelled so fucking good.

“No problem, Bless. You know the team appreciates you. Hopefully, we don’t need to see you this season.” He responded with a chuckle.

I laughed, placing a hand on my hip. “Yeah, I hope so too. We need another ring this year.”

“Speaking of rings, I see the one on your finger.” He said, grabbing my hand, looking at the ring on my finger.

I rolled my eyes, and before I could respond, I felt a yank on my arm.

“What the fuck!” I hissed, spinning around, coming face to face with Seven. Of course, he showed up here. I couldn’t have one fucking night to myself.

“Let’s go.” He said through gritted teeth.

“You good, Blessing?” Saint asked, looking at me.

I nodded, following Seven out of the section.

I walked back into my section, snatching my YSL clutch from the table before saying goodbye to my girls.

I stomped out of the section, heading straight for the entrance of the club, feeling my body heat up from anger.

“I don’t understand why you constantly choose to push my fucking buttons, Blessing.

When I call that fucking phone, you answer.

What if something was wrong with the baby?

You too busy tryna be seen. Got your ass all out, standing in that nigga’s face.

I should’ve blew his fucking brains out!

I watched your stupid ass ignore my message before waddling yo’ trifling ass over there. ” Seven shouted in my face.

I ignored him, staring ahead as the valet brought his car to the front.

Everything he said went into one ear and out the other.

I was over this relationship. No amount of love could make me continue to stay with an insecure ass nigga with trust issues.

I had never given him a reason not to trust me; the same couldn’t be said about him.

I slid into the passenger side of his truck, kicked my heels off, and put my seat belt on before pulling my phone from my clutch. His presence sobered me up quickly; the buzz I had vanished. I couldn’t have one night to myself!

The tension in the air was thick. I looked over at Seven, watching as he gripped the steering wheel. His golden skin was flushed, and his jaw ticked. I could feel the anger radiating off him.

“It’s bitches out here begging to be in your spot.

But you don’t respect me enough to sit in the house and be a fucking mother.

I put that big ass rock on your finger, got you put up in that nice ass house, driving a brand-new fucking Benz, Blessing.

Is that not enough for you?” He shouted as his hand flew across my face, causing my head to knock against the window.

“Make that the last time you put your fucking hands on me, Seven. If they want you so bad, they can have you. I’m done!

” I screamed, feeling my eyes begin to water.

I wanted my daughter to be raised in a two-parent household, but tonight was the last time this nigga was going to put his hands on me.

He shook his head, lowly chuckling as he pulled into our driveway. “Bitch, I’ll kill you before I let you leave me. Go inside and get some rest before my daughter gets home in the morning. I’ll be back after I go pick this money up.”

I scoffed, swinging his car door open and climbing out.

I slammed the door, making my way to the front door.

He didn’t even wait for me to make it into the house before he sped off.

After ensuring the house was secured, I peeled my clothes off, finally letting my tears fall as I went into our bedroom.

This place no longer felt like home. I was tired of the fighting and disrespect. Some shit had to give.

I scrubbed the club from my skin in a steaming hot shower. My body relaxed as I slid underneath the comforter in the bed. It was well after 2 a.m., and Seven had yet to walk through the front door. That uneasy feeling returned. I shook my head, knowing I just needed to sleep it off.

I sent Seven a few texts questioning his whereabouts, but they all went unanswered.

I knew this was his way of punishing me.

Before I could lock my phone, a text message notification popped up on my screen.

I clicked the notification, opening my messages.

I frowned, looking at the attachments from the unsaved number.

Professional photos of Seven and a very pregnant woman were attached.

My stomach sank at the photo of Seven and a little boy who had his entire face.

“I know you fuckin’ lyin’.” I scoffed, shaking my head. Not only was he cheating again, but he hid an entire family from me. This nigga was going to feel my wrath.

A few hours later

The constant ringing of my phone woke me from my sleep. I reached over and grabbed my phone from the nightstand, answering it without checking my caller ID.

“Hello?” I answered groggily.

“Bless, wake up!” My brother shouted into the phone, causing me to jolt up.

“Messiah, what’s going on?” I asked, starting to panic. It was now 6 am, and Seven still wasn’t home.

“Seven got hit. Meet me at the hospital on 86th.” He responded before hanging up.

My eyes filled with tears, and I felt my chest getting tight. Regardless of everything we were going through, I didn’t want to lose him. My daughter couldn’t grow up without her father.

I threw on some clothes and rushed out the door. This shit felt like deja vu. The drive to the hospital felt longer than it was supposed to. I spent the entire drive begging God to spare Seven one last time. I spotted Messiah’s truck in the emergency room’s parking lot and parked next to him.

I walked into the hospital’s waiting room, immediately spotting my brother. He was standing against the wall with his shirt soaked in blood. I knew it belonged to Seven. My heart sank at the sight. His red eyes landed on me as I rushed towards him.

“What the fuck happened, Messiah?” I cried. He shook his head, looking at me, his face wet with tears.

“Seven got into it with some niggas out west a few weeks ago. He put that nigga Rell on his ass, embarrassed him in front of everybody. The nigga retaliated. I can’t lie to you, sis, it’s not looking good for him.”

“FUCK!” I yelled, slapping a hand against the wall.

“I’m sorry, Bless. This shit should’ve never happened. I got nigga combing the city right now for that nigga. It’s going to get handled.”

Hours had passed. Every time I approached the desk for updates, there were none. All we knew was that he was in surgery. Just as I closed my eyes and began to fall asleep, a doctor entered the waiting room.

“Family of Seven Jacobs?” The doctor called out.

I jumped up, rushing over to him. “I’m his fiancée.”

He looked at me with sympathetic eyes, causing a chill down my spine. “We tried to remove every bullet that hit him safely. Surgery was touch-and-go. He flatlined three times. We couldn’t revive him the last time. We tried everything, but he didn’t make it. I’m so sorry.”