by Nikki Brown
“What’s that nigga, I can’t hear you,” AD said taking off the shit that he had on and standing before Salem with a mug on his handsome face. “Talk that shit that you were talking in the restaurant muthafucka.” AD hit him with an upper cut.
“Ahhh please let me go! Please!” Dimples cried as Spiff drug her through the warehouse by her hair. Her arms and feet were still tied, and she was just screaming her heart out. She was hoping that someone would come in and save her but the minute she laid eyes on AD she knew that it would never happen.
“Shut up bitch before I slit your throat, then I’m gone be mad cause I wanna see this shit that AD about to do.” Spiff said as he threw Dimples at AD’s feet and went around the table and sat down and grabbed the blunt that he had put out.
“The fuck is wrong with y’all?” Kahleno said looking back and forth between AD and Spiff, they watched too much TV. All these inventive ways to kill people was foreign to Kahleno he was satisfied with shooting them in the head and walking away.
“Please AD don’t do this. I saved the little girl, I walked in the room and he had his hands down her little panties and I stopped him.” AD froze, the sound of his heart beat echoed in his ear and he closed his eyes and prayed that nothing happened to her.
“Did he—” he couldn’t even let the words leave his mouth.
“No I stopped him before he did. That should count for something right?” Dimples pleaded.
AD pulled a pocket knife that he had in his pocket, he normally kept it in the car, but he grabbed it before he came in. Flipping it open he cut the ropes that bound Dimples arms and legs. She got up on her knees and the minute she opened her mouth to say thank you, AD backhanded her, and blood spewed from her mouth.
“Bitch you led him there,” AD said as he kicked her in the face. If Siya knew that he was putting his hands on a woman she would probably knock him upside the head, but right now his morals weren’t a factor in his decision to cause bodily harm to Dimples. “You mad over some dick that don’t belong to you, so you put a seven-year-old baby in danger you stupid bitch.” AD drove the knife in his hand through her heart.
“Ahhhhhhhh!” Dimples screamed out in pain. Taking the nine that he had tucked in his waist he pulled it out and roughly spread her legs apart.
“You wanted to fuck that bad that you would feed a little girl to a fucking pimp.” AD growled as he pushed back the small t-shirt dress that she wore up her stomach and shoved the gun inside her and let off two rounds instantly killing Dimples.
It was like AD was in a daze as he stood up over her, placed his foot on her chest, pulled the knife out of her and wiped it on her dress before he stood and walked over to Salem who was barely hanging on.
His breaths were short and shallow, and that satisfied AD. He took the knife and repeatedly stabbed Salem until he was lifeless. When he looked at him, he was satisfied with his handy work and without another word he walked over to the table and grabbed the blunt that Spiff was handing him.
“No one will ever hurt them again, and I put that on my life,” was all AD said while they waited for clean-up to come through.
Let’s Ride Out
“Girl I’m so damn sorry.” Key hugged Icelynn. After Cassidy finally called his brothers back, Kahleno filled him in on what was going on with AD and Icelynn. Key felt so bad for her and couldn’t imagine having to go through that. She as glad that Kane’s father wasn’t in his life.
“I’m just glad she’s okay.” Icelynn sniffed and grabbed the cup of coke that she had and took a sip from it. The door bell rung and pulled them all from their thoughts. Sutton got up and went to answer it.
She looked through the peep hole and it was Karson. Despite Kahleno’s reservations she had kept open communication with her on the strength of Kahlil. She wanted him to see the two of them getting along for his sake. She called and told her what happened to Siya and Kahlil wanted to be with his dad and Sutton so she said that she could bring him.
“Hey,” Sutton said and pulled the door open and stepped aside for them to come in. Kahlil hugged Sutton tightly, she leaned down and kissed the top of his head.
“Where’s Isis?” he asked noticing Icelynn walking to the door. She heard a female voice at the door, and she wanted to make sure that her pregnant friend was okay.
“She’s in the back with Kane.” Icelynn pointed to the back of the house where the game room was. Kahlil’s little face balled up as he looked back and forth between Sutton and Icelynn.
“Who the fuck is Kane and why is he back there with my woman?” Kahlil tilted his head to the side and Icelynn had to walk off to keep from laughing.
“Kahlil Maler!” Sutton yelled before Karson could open her mouth. She was about to school Sutton on correcting her son like he was hers but the look that she delivered told her to keep her comment to herself.
“Sorry, I’m trying man.” Kahlil tucked his little head down and Sutton couldn’t resist kneeling down to coddle him.
“You remember what we talked about?” she said softly while kissing his cheek and he nodded his head and smiled.
“You still love me?” he cheesed real big making Sutton laugh and shake her head.
“I’ll always love you more.” Kahlil hugged her neck and took off down the hall where the other kids were. “You can come in.
“No that’s okay.” Karson’s tone was defeated. She was still getting use to the fact that there was no more her and Kahleno. Even though they had been separated for a while she still hung on to the thought of them. Now standing at his front door, the door that she had walked in freely at one point, being invited in by another woman was bothering her.
She wasn’t about to start anything because she knew that it wouldn’t end well for her and she had actually met a guy that she really liked. When she talked to Sutton at the shop, she meant everything that she said she just couldn’t help the pang of jealousy that shot through her every time she saw her. She made a promise to herself to stay away until she could get that under control.
“Okkkayyyy,” Sutton said starting to feel like what Kahleno said about her little speech being bullshit. Sutton was all about forgiving these days, but she wasn’t about to be out looking stupid either. Before she could voice her concerns, Karson opened her mouth again.
“I’ve got an appointment.” Karson smiled nervously, she was lying, and she didn’t want it to come off as such. “Is Siya okay?” Karson asked, even though they had been through their little issues as of lately she still cared about Siya. She was Kahlil’s grandmother and she didn’t hate the woman she just wished she would stay out of Kahleno’s affairs.
“I’ve got faith that she will be.” Sutton smiled, she had called Mega a while ago and he said that her stats showed that the therapy was actually working, and he was grateful. “She had to have some kind of Oxygen Therapy to slow down the effects of the smoke inhalation on her nervous system. She’ll come out of that tonight so we’ll no more but she’s gonna be fine.”
“Good, good. Kahlil would go crazy without his mawmaw.” Karson rolled her eyes playfully.
“Girl yes!” Sutton laughed and then an uncomfortable silence fell between the two.
Karson cleared her throat. “Well I’m gonna go and head out so I can make it to my appointment on time.”
“Aight girl I’ll keep you posted.” Sutton went to shut the door and Karson stopped her. “What’s up?”
“Thank you for being an adult even when I wasn’t. It’s still a little hard for me but I’m coming around,” Karson told her truthfully. Sutton didn’t say anything, and she didn’t need her to, she wanted her to know how she truly felt.
Sutton could have been a total bitch, and with the way that Kahleno feels about her, she could have possibly made her life a living hell, but she didn’t. That made Karson look at Sutton in a different light. She would still have to get use to her opening Kahleno’s door like she owned it and disciplining her son but that would come with time.
&nb
sp; Now she just needed to stop creating storms for herself starting with her next stop after leaving hear. It’s time to tell her baby’s father that he’s gonna be a daddy. She would just keep how it happened to herself.
Sutton shut the door and returned to the living room. She didn’t say anything she just thought about what Karson said and shook her head. She had a feeling that she wasn’t done with her bullshit yet, but she hoped that for Kahlil’s sake that she was.
“Everything okay?” Key asked looking skeptical. She heard a female’s voice at the door and when her friend came back, she had a weird look on her face, that put her friends on alert. Sutton was pregnant and couldn’t fight her battles but the both of them were ready for whatever.
“Yeah girl I ain’t worried about that.” Sutton waved her hands. “Her mouth is saying that everything is okay, and she respects my place in Kahleno and Kahlil’s life, but her body language is saying something totally different. Plus, when were at the doctor Kahlil said something about her dating a cop that knew Kahleno.” The girls gasped. “Exactly so—”
Click! Click! The room fell silent as the girls looked around from where the sound came from, with everything that was going on with the men that they cared about, they were on high alert. The barrel of the rifle met them before he did and when he did Sutton stretched her eyes wide.
“Who the fuck hurt my girl?” Kahlil said barely able to hold the aerosol rifle. It was almost the size of him. Click! Click! He pumped the barrel a few more times. “Why ain’t no one tell me?”
“Yo he stupid,” Kane said walking in with Isis right behind him. He had a smirk on his face as he looked at Kahlil holding the bb gun.
Isis had her arms crossed across her chest with the meanest little mug, she felt like Kahlil was doing the most. She was appreciative that he felt the need to protect her, he was just extremely extra with it. That on top of the fact that him and Kane had been into it since the moment he walked in the door had irritated her. All she wanted to do was chill and wait for her AD to get back from wherever he went.
“Call me stupid again bitch.” Kahlil pointed the bb gun in Kane’s direction who grilled him. The two couldn’t get along for anything, it was like they fought over the smallest things.
“Kahlil, first off if you say another curse word, I’m taking your phone, tablet, and your Xbox.” Sutton pointed at him, but his attention was on Kane who wore a smirk on his face.
“Yeah nigga curse again,” he laughed.
“Kane you want ya ass beat?” Key glared at him and he rolled his eyes.
“He about to get his a—tail beat.” Kahlil caught himself and brought the bb gun up to his eyes like he was getting his aim. Sutton snatched it from his hands and then glared at him.
“What are you doing with this anyway? I hate that Kahleno bought this for you.” She walked to the door where the basement was and walked down the stairs, locking the bb gun in the gun cabinet with the real guns.
“That’s what you get punk.” Kane leaned in so that only Kahlil and Isis could hear him because they were all standing close.
“Keep talking, bitch nigga,” Kahlil said through clenched teeth. He had heard his uncle Cassidy call plenty of people bitch niggas and he always thought it sounded cool and he was excited for a reason to use it.
“I bet you won’t swing.” Kane took a step towards Kahlil. Kahlil smirked and then swung and punched Kane in the mouth. Kane countered quickly with a shot to Kahlil’s eye. The two started swinging at each other like they were in a boxing ring. Somehow, they ended up on the floor, each taking a turn to get the best of the other one.
“Kane cut that out!” Key yelled getting up from her seat right as Sutton walked up from the basement. “What are you doing? I can’t take you nowhere!” she fussed as she pulled them apart.
“Kahlil that’s it, you are on punishment!” Sutton yelled as she headed in the direction of the fight.
“Just let them fight geesh,” Isis said securing her arms across her chest. “I told them earlier just fight and get it over with so they both can just shut up.” She rolled her eyes and went to sit on the couch where her mother was sitting. Icelynn chastised her the minute she was by her side.
“Isis what I tell you about your got damn mouth?”
“What maaaa they’re annoying,” she pouted. All she wanted to do was to lay in the back and watch TV while she waited for AD to come and she couldn’t even do that thanks to Beavis and Butthead.
Icelynn shook her head and went to help Key and Sutton break up the boys. She wanted to laugh so bad because the two of them were one of a kind, but they didn’t even see it. Isis didn’t bother to help she just wrapped her arms around herself and curled up on the couch and watched the showdown. She just hoped that this was enough to make them stop with all the foolishness.
Once the ladies got them apart, Sutton was out of breath and needed to sit down. She pulled Kahlil with her who was still trying to get at Kane.
“Stop it Kahlil!” she called out to him.
“He tried to punk me,” Kahlil said grilling Sutton, his little face was so cute that it was taking a lot out of her not to laugh at him.
“Apologize Kanaan, right now!” Key yelled with Kane jacked up by his arm. He didn’t want to apologize because he felt like they both hit each other so it was even. “Aight you don’t want to apologize then let’s take a trip to the bathroom.” He knew what that meant so he opened his mouth to do what his mother said.
“Sorry Kahlil.”
“You too Kahlil,” Sutton urged.
“Sorry Kane.” They both dropped their heads.
“Y’all ain’t supposed to fight each other. If anything y’all should be getting to know each other because it looks like y’all gone be around each other a lot.” Sutton said looking back and forth between the two boys. They looked at her and then back at each other before they both broke out into a smile.
“You quick with ya hands man.” Kane held his hand out to call a truce. He wasn’t lying either. Kahlil swung quick and hard, and proved to be the best opponent he had ever fought, and he fought a lot.
“Yeah I am.” Kahlil smiled and then stuck his hand out to accept the truce. “You hit hard as hell,” he said and then looked up at Sutton, “I mean heck.” When he gave her his award-winning smile, she couldn’t do anything but shake her head.
“Alright now go play, I don’t want to hear anything else about you fighting. Got that?” Sutton yelled at both of them and they both nodded.
“Come on let’s go play Fortnite,” Kahlil said.
“Cool, I’m going first.”
“No the hell you ain’t.”
“Yes I am, I beat you up, so I got first.”
“Nigga you got yo ass beat.”
“KAHLIL!”
“KANE!” Sutton and Key said at the same time.
“Sorry!” they mumbled along with a few other words that weren’t audible. The ladies shook their heads. There was no use in wasting their breath with those two.
“Isis you want to go and play?” Icelynn asked her daughter, she seemed to be down and not herself. She had a good reason for that, but she wanted her to get back to being her. Yes, that was a lot to take in for a seven-year-old, but she was going to try her best to help her daughter get passed it.
“No, I just want to wait for AD to come back.” Her tone was low, she could tell that her daughter was exhausted. Isis was scared to go to sleep because every time she did, she would see Salem and that freaked her out.
“Okay.” Icelynn wiped the way the tears that tried to fall. “He’ll be back soon.” She pulled out her phone to send him a text. When she looked at her phone, she had a message from her mother about moving to Arizona for her job. Icelynn closed her phone because she knew for a fact that she would never be able to leave North Carolina, her heart was there.
Revelations
“How long y’all been here?” Mega asked the minute he stepped into Siya’s room. It had been a co
uple days since they did the therapy. She had yet to wake up and he had been by her side the entire time.
He had just left out to go down and check on his sister. The doctor called and said that they had some new information on her condition, they wouldn’t tell him anything over the phone, so he rushed down to see what they were talking about.
“We just got here about ten minutes ago,” Kahleno said looking from the window that he was just staring out of. “She still ain’t woke up yet?”
Mega walked to the side of his wife’s bed that was free and tucked his hands in his pockets. He looked around the room and all of his sons wore the same expression, pain mixed with a little bit of determination.
“Marlin is here,” Mega said before turning his attention back to his wife.
The conversation that he had with Marlin played through his mind. He had never gave him a reason to doubt him, but all of this was too much for anyone to deal with. Let alone trust the man who raised the woman who put them in this situation to begin with.
“That nigga can die too,” Cassidy said leaning back in his chair. He was on the left side of his mother, further away from the door.
“I’m with him,” Kahleno said and looked out the window.
“He’s not here to cause trouble, he came to warn me about a few things.” Mega paused to take a deep breath. Ziva was causing more trouble than they care to deal with, and he was ready to put an end to it. “Ziva came to him for help with taking ya mother and me out. She seems to think that what she went through was our fault and the fact that Marlin took my side he owed her.”
“What the fuck you do to this bitch pops?” Cassidy said giving his father his full attention. “I mean damn, she’s going through great lengths for a nigga that didn’t give a fuck.”
“When I met Ziva we were wild, I was never committed to her. Everything was about the drug game and fucking. We did all kinds of shit from threesomes to orgies. It was always a party so I’m not sure why she felt that I would ever take her serious enough to have anything with her.” Mega shook his head. Just the thought about what he shared with Ziva put a bad taste in his mouth.
