CHAPTER SEVENTEEN SEVEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
SEVEN
“Aye, what’s up? Why you come back outside?”
Royal turned to me and shook his head. “I gotta go, man. I’ll talk to y’all later. I guess we can meet at the diner again, since Uncle Marcus people are here too.”
“Royal, what the fuck wrong wit’chu, nigga?”
He stopped walking, took a deep breath, and said, “They aren’t mine.”
I frowned. “What’chu talking about?”
“The babies aren’t mine. The results came back this morning. We haven’t talked, but what exactly do we need to talk about? We both knew this was a possibility. I’m just . . . I don’t know.”
“You fucked up over it. I can see that shit. Why though? Y’all not a couple.”
He shrugged. “I think I was looking forward to it though. We get along so well. I was getting used to the thought of having a family. That’s all.”
I went to him and put my arm around him. “Does she know who the father could be?”
“Yeah, she has an idea. We talked about it before doing the DNA test.”
“You can’t be with her even if the babies aren’t yours? I mean, it ain’t like she cheated on you or no shit like that.”
“I don’t know. That’s not something I want to even consider right now.
I need to get over this blow. I’d much rather think and talk about what the fuck going on.
Honestly, man, I don’t think PJ dead. Watchful Eyes is too calm.
When Uncle Philly came back inside after y’all left, he was calm as fuck, like they clued him in on something. I just wish we knew.”
I frowned. “You think he’s alive?”
“Hell yeah. That’s why they wouldn’t let anyone see his body. I think that nigga got some real fucking evidence against the FBI. I think that’s who tried to kill him. Those niggas in Liberty are just pawns, just like yo’ ass was.”
I rolled my eyes and pushed him. “I gotta talk to my daddy about that shit, because I know he knows. Got all of us in our fucking feelings for nothing. I mean, I’m not gon’ even be mad about it if my nigga still here.”
“Yeah. I bet all our dads know. They could have clued us in though. Who we gon’ tell?”
“Well, Ace mouth got Uncle Marcus caught. My actions got us in all this bullshit.”
“Naw. This shit would have happened anyway. They just thought it would have been easier if they got you involved to be a fall guy. They were getting their shit together to go at Uncle Marcus from a different angle, thinking we wouldn’t figure that shit out.
Missus Sidney and Shy are some real ones, and clearly, they don’t remember having to go against Shy, or they would have thought twice about that shit. ”
“If you say so, man.”
Before I could head back inside, Kingsley joined us. “What y’all still doing out here?”
“Talking about Aaliyah,” Royal said, surprising me.
Kingsley was the most level-headed of all of us, so I shouldn’t have been surprised. He reminded me so much of Uncle Kenny. Kane used to be that way, but it seemed after he got shot, that nigga always had a fucking chip on his shoulder.
“Ashanni had to take her home. She was so upset. I take it the babies aren’t yours?”
“Naw. They not.”
Kingsley nodded, but he didn’t say anything else about it.
Instead, he said, “Treasure told me today she needed a little space. The shit with PJ got her reliving all her shit. PJ was with Mythic when they rescued her. I just wanna be there for her, but I know I can’t push.
We aren’t even really a couple. In my mind we are.
I’m the only man she will be around without her family being near.
I just feel like I’m losing her. I love her so fucking much I don’t even know who the fuck I am anymore. ”
These niggas had me feeling depressed instead of hopeful. I thought I would be cruising on a high after finding out my nigga could still be alive. Now, I felt heavier than I did before I got here. I needed to go find Iesha.
“How are you and Iesha?” Kingsley asked.
“We’re good, thankfully. Had we not been, I would probably be all over the fucking place right now. She calms me.”
They glanced at each other and started laughing. I frowned. “What the fuck y’all laughing at?”
“Sex with her calms you, because yo’ ass been in a relationship with her before. This shit ain’t new.”
I smirked. “Fuck y’all, but hell yeah. A nigga was on a two-year hiatus. I almost forgot what pussy felt like.”
“Nigga!” Royal yelled and laughed.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. Kingsley laid his hand on my shoulder and said, “I’m proud of you, though. You finally got your shit together. She love the fuck out of you for her to even still be around.”
“Hell yeah. I ain’t met her family yet though. Just her brother. Hopefully, that can happen soon.”
They both nodded. “Well, since Aaliyah left, I guess I can go back inside.”
“You think she was here to talk to you? Why else would she have come?” Kingsley asked.
“Probably. I just can’t talk to her right now.”
We nodded and all headed inside. The minute I saw my dad, I twisted my lips to the side. He and Uncle Jasper were on their normal bullshit, arguing about shit that didn’t matter. I slowly shook my head as I watched them. When Uncle WJ went to the mic, I frowned slightly.
“Family meeting at six at the business office, y’all.
Not everyone though. More for the shareholders and employees of Henderson Ranch and Farms. So to be clear, my siblings, Jakari, Rylan, Christian, Jacob, Nesha, Royal, Ashanni, Chas, Philly, Maui, Seven, Ace, Decaurey, Watchful Eyes, including Rhodes and Mythic, and Aspen.
This meeting is extremely important and confidential, so please don’t miss or you will be clueless as to what’s going on. ”
He stepped away from the mic. I had a clue what this was about.
I glanced at Royal and he nodded. Looking around the barn for Iesha, I found her at the table with my sisters.
I made my way over to them as Remy sat with them.
I hadn’t seen that nigga in days. His ass was lowkey as hell these days. He was probably up to bullshit with CJ.
When I got to them, I said, “Baby, I have to stay out here. If you wanna go home, I’ll just get a ride.”
“No. I’ll wait for you. Noni, can I go to your house? I know Bali isn’t feeling well.”
“Yeah. You still might be by yourself though. I may have to go to the clinic.”
“That’s okay. I brought my laptop. I can find something to do.” She turned to me and said, “See? I’ll be fine.”
“A’ight, baby.”
I sat next to her and kissed her lips as Bali said, “I’m about to be sick again. Iesha gon’ end up with a fucking fungus on her lips . . . both sets. See you in the clinic next week.”
I shot her mean ass the finger. Bali got on my fucking nerves. They wanted to call me a bully, but it was her ass. She bullied the whole fucking house. She tried to bully Dad at times until he put his foot down. I kissed Iesha again.
“Go find your man, so you can get out of our business, girl.”
“My nigga over there. If y’all want privacy, go somewhere else.”
I rolled my eyes. Now that Bali and Noni were pregnant, I tried to stay out of their way.
It was better for everybody involved and the only way to respect my sisters as women.
We got into it so bad one time, I almost called them bitches.
My dad would have eaten me alive. To keep from saying anything else to Bali, I shot her the finger, then pulled Iesha to her feet.
“You don’t need to be around these devils anyway.”
I went to a table with Rylan, Jacob, Christian, and KJ. They all looked at me like I had lost my mind. I didn’t want Iesha at a table with a bunch of guys. She could get to know Mya, Angel, Cassie, and Mekayla. She was about the same age as Mya and Angel anyway.
“Yeah, I know, I know. My crew is a bunch of niggas, and the demons over there about to rip the wings off my angel.”
Iesha chuckled as she sat. She already knew mostly everybody from our business meetings, and she did book covers for Mya. She didn’t know KJ, Cassie, and Mekayla, so I said, “Baby, that’s my cousin Kendrall and his wife Cassie, and that’s Jacob’s wife Mekayla.”
“Hey, everybody,” Iesha said.
“Hey, girl!” Cassie said.
Iesha could get along with anybody. I liked that, because I had a reputation for being a jackass. After slapping all their hands, I sat next to my baby and kissed her cheek. “You want something to eat? I’ll fix it. I don’t really have an appetite right now.”
“Yeah. Whatever you fix will be fine. Thank you.”
She puckered her lips, and I kissed her then left to go fix her food. The minute I walked off, those niggas got loud. I slowly shook my head. They looked to be in shock while watching me interact with Iesha. That was mostly everyone’s reaction. They all looked at the twins that way too.
After fixing Iesha some fried chicken and seafood pasta, I made my way back to the table to see her holding Angel and Rylan’s baby, Angelique.
I was surprised she didn’t hold Azariah, Ashanni’s baby.
Mekayla’s daughter, LaTee was sitting next to her talking her head off.
I smiled slightly as I sat and heard her say, “One day. We have to get married first.”
She glanced at me, and I saw her cheeks redden.
I didn’t acknowledge that I’d heard her.
I didn’t know why she was blushing. She knew she was going to always be mine.
I’d told her on more than one occasion. I’d hold her ass hostage if I had to.
I grabbed her fork and wrapped some noodles around it and fed her while she held the baby.
“Nigga, I ain’t never thought this day would come,” Christian said with a slight frown on his face.
“Shiiid, nigga, me either. But I already know, Iesha gon’ be my wife.”
“Shit, if she can put up with yo’ ass, she better be,” Kendrall said.
I shot him the finger. “I’m still gon’ be the same nigga with y’all though, so you better act like you know, fucking around with me.”