Redbone 3

by T. Styles

“Just what you heard.”

  Her eyes widened and she prayed to God whoever got hurt was anybody outside of Audio, Major or Killa. Slade couldn’t take another sibling loss. “Who was in it?”

  “I don’t know but we got them mothafuckas for sure. Juicy and the girls unleashed on that bitch.”

  “But what happened with the meet up?” She paused. “How did that go down?”

  “When you didn’t show we pulled a bitch off the street to play the part and pretend she was you. So it worked out fine I guess. They fell for the trap.”

  “So what was the plan?”

  “The plan was to make the Bakers think we were at the secret location. Which we were with a girl wearing a hoodie with your complexion. Most of her face was hidden but from the distance I know they couldn’t be sure,” he continued excitedly. “Anyway when Juicy and them opened fire on the RV and we got word we fired at the men in the park. They busted back but nobody got hit. Niggas just fled the scene.”

  “Oh, Shadow.” She placed her hand on her forehead. “This is so bad.”

  “Farah, they had a plan for us too. I’m telling you they were going to kill us all. We were just smarter because we knew the road they had to come down to meet us at the park. And instead of waiting we brought court to the highway. That’s the only reason we still alive.”

  Farah looked at him and backed up into the wall. Her gaze fell from her brother and her temples throbbed. She could feel hives rising on her skin and suddenly she felt faint. All of her life she’d been selfish and allowed what she wanted to lead her actions. But now her family was dropping like flies and it had to stop.

  The thing was this…she loved the Bakers too. Just couldn’t admit it out loud.

  Yes the Bakers had bloodshed coming. And yes they killed her grandmother but had she surrendered no one else would’ve gotten hurt. Farah ran her hands down her face, took a deep breath and walked up to him. “I can’t do this anymore.” She moved toward the door. “I’m sorry.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “What I should’ve done a long time ago.”

  ****

  Farah sat in Shadow’s car with her cell phone pressed against her ear. She wasn’t sure if she was going to reach anyone in the apartment but she hoped Slade’s number was the same and that more than anything his brothers were still alive.

  After three rings the call was answered. “Hello,” someone said groggily.

  She swallowed, having recognized his voice. “Killa, it’s me.” She whispered. “Farah. Now I know you won’t believe me but I’m ready to meet you anywhere you want. You pick the location. I don’t care anymore. I just need this all to stop.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  KILLA

  “Fuck!”

  The wind was ferocious as Killa stood outside next to his car, a busy highway between him and a patch of land on the other side. After the war with the Cottons he suffered a bullet wound to the upper arm, which was far better than Grant’s fate. Two bullets to the head and he was quickly sent to the afterlife with his brother Judge and the family in Mississippi was ready for war. It took a lot of pleading to get them to stay put. The worst part was he wasn’t all that upset about Grant’s death.

  After Judge died he didn’t trust him.

  Major was also struck in the thigh and was at home resting with Audio looking after him. Things seemed to be calm in the streets but they couldn’t be sure which was why they were leaving Platinum Lofts later that week. He figured once he got his hands on Farah he could put the war behind him.

  When he saw a car park across the street, where Farah told him she’d be, he stood up straight. Within seconds Farah eased out and stood along the highway. His hand hovered over the weapon on his hip and he examined the passing cars prepared to fire if he detected a set up.

  “What happened to her face?” he said to himself.

  Audio begged him not to go but something in Farah’s voice told him she was as fed up with the bloodshed as he was, so he went with his gut without telling Audio a word.

  Tears rolled down Farah’s cheek, as she looked left and right preparing for the break in traffic. The moment she spotted her chance she stepped into the street until a car sped in front of her and snatched her inside.

  “Fuck!” Killa screamed as he anticipated bringing the war to an end. He tucked the gun into his waist and held the sides of his head as the car sped down the road. He’d come so close and now all he could do was watch the SUV pull off with his prize.

  Annoyed, Killa jumped into his car and hit the steering wheel several times in anger. He was tired of this shit and was growing frustrated as the days passed. Just like Judge he was another person with a secret. Some time back he met a beautiful woman in DC and had gotten her pregnant. Now his intentions were to stay in the city he hated, knowing his mother would never approve.

  He hadn’t told a soul, not even his brothers.

  When his phone rang he removed it from his pocket and took a deep breath when he saw Audio’s number. “Is Major okay?” Killa asked answering the phone.

  “He’s resting but I got better news.”

  “What is it, man?”

  “It’s Slade. He getting out some time today!”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  FARAH

  “You Have Me And I’m Not Going Anywhere.”

  Farah sat in the back of a small van with Bones’ weighted arm draped around her back. There were two rows of seats facing each other and Slade sat across from them, anger painted on his face. She wanted nothing more than to hug him but knew that would mean blood— not the drinking kind.

  Bones other hand held a gun aimed at him as Farah’s heart rocked because she knew that this was the moment she and Slade would die together.

  Trailing the van was Mayoni, Carlton and Zashay in another vehicle.

  “So this is the nigga you spent my money on huh? This is the nigga you can’t live without?” Bones said as he looked at Farah before his gaze fell back on Slade. In his opinion he was ordinary. “That black mothafucka over there.”

  “Bones—”

  “Answer me, bitch!” He screamed causing Slade to move forward before Bones cocked his gun. “Sit the fuck back down.” When he kept moving toward him, Bones pointed at Farah’s head freezing Slade’s movements instantly. Bones laughed. “I knew that would get your attention.”

  “What the fuck you want with me, nigga?” Slade roared. “Huh? Because you know if you didn’t have that gun you’d be dead by now.” His hands crawled into fists that he clutched on top of his knees.

  “I’m not scared of you. Even if I put this gun down it wouldn’t help you one bit, partna. I stay nice with the hands.”

  Slade laughed. “How about you talk less and prove more.”

  Farah turned toward Bones. “Please let him go. You have me and I’m not going anywhere. I’m begging you not to do this. You were right about me. I was selfish and I won’t be that way anymore if you give me a chance. I want to be better and I don’t care about him.”

  Her words counteracted her conduct. She was crying so hard she was hysterical which angered him even more. Seeing how much she cared for another man had him swimming with fury.

  “Is that why your brother called and said you were meeting Killa? Because you don’t give a fuck about him?” His jaw twitched. “You were gonna let that dude kill you just to keep this punk over here alive. Stop playing games, Farah. I’m hip to your shit now.” He chuckled. “What I don’t get is why you didn’t tell Shadow what I did to you. Had you done it he would’ve never called me.” He looked at Slade and winked. “What you think, man? You like my fist work?”

  Slade’s muscles buckled and begged him with his eyes to stay where he was.

  Farah noticed that Slade’s facial expression changed dramatically upon hearing that she was prepared to offer her life for his. Emotions were swirling but what was clear was that he loved her unconditionally.

  “Bones, he doe
sn’t mean anything to me, I promise,” she lied. Placing her hand on his face she said, “All I care about is you. Let him go so that we can go about our life.”

  Slade moved uneasily in his seat. Had Bones not possessed the gun he would’ve been dead by now but everything had to be done in time. “Is that right?” Bones smirked. “You love a nigga that much, huh?”

  “Yes, baby.” She smiled, body trembling. “It’s true and I’m going to prove it to you.”

  “Then look over there and tell him you don’t love him anymore.”

  “Bones, I—”

  “LOOK OVER THERE AND TELL THAT BLACK NIGGA!” He pointed at him.

  Farah’s gaze slowly moved toward Slade and her stomach bubbled. It was difficult to stare at him. Not only because she felt guilty but also because what she was about to say was untrue. But when she tried to fix her lips to lie, the words wouldn’t exit.

  There was no use.

  They were going to die anyway.

  Might as well tell the truth.

  “I love you, Slade,” she said truthfully. “I’m so sorry for all of the problems I caused.”

  Slade looked into her eyes. “And I love you too. More than you will ever know.”

  Enraged Bones removed his arm from around her neck and brought the butt of the gun alongside her face.

  ****

  A cool stream of water poured down Farah’s face and awakened her roughly. She moaned a little until Bones grabbed a grip of her hair and positioned her gaze so that she could see directly out of the window. “Wake up, beautiful,” Bones whispered in her ear. “Because I want you to see this shit.”

  When Farah opened her eyes she saw Carlton and Mayoni across the way at a park. Mayoni held a gun aimed at Slade, looked at the van and fired twice at his abdomen causing Slade to drop to the ground.

  She fainted.

  ****

  Farah lie face down on the bed in a mansion sobbing uncontrollably. Thoughts of when she first met Slade rushed to her mind and she missed him already. He was the love of her life and she would never get to see what they could’ve been together. To make matters worse Bones had dug his claws in her so deeply that to refuse him meant her brother and sister would also die.

  What could she do but live in misery?

  Flashes of when she first met Slade came to mind. She was about to get assaulted by Kirk, her next-door neighbor in Platinum Lofts, when Slade with his 6-foot 5-inch frame bopped into the hallway. His presence was huge and she felt comforted when he entered instantly. His dark skin, his baldhead and even the scar that ran across the right side of his neck made him appealing.

  Farah never, in her entire life, wanted a man more than she did him. And now he was gone forever.

  When she heard the door unlock she sat up in bed, afraid Bones was entering to rape her again. Instead it was Mayoni. “How you holding up?”

  She frowned and rolled her eyes. “You killed the one man in the world I would’ve given my life for and you ask me that shit?” Her anger was bubbling at the surface and she thought about murder. “You tell me, how would you feel if I took Carlton’s life? Because I’m plotting as we speak.”

  “Farah, you need to—”

  “I need to what?” She yelled. “I spent months in this bitch being somebody I’m not. I pretended to be meek so that Bones would feel stronger. And look where it got me! I will never, ever, love Bones after what he did! EVER. And if he plans on keeping me in this mansion I will tell him daily how much I hate him just to break his fucking heart.”

  “You would do that even though it will kill him. Because there’s nobody he wants more than you.”

  “Especially because he wants me.”

  Mayoni sighed. “Come with me, Farah. I have to show you something.”

  “Do I have a choice?” She sighed.

  “No, but trust me.”

  ****

  Mayoni and Farah walked toward room 568 of a run down motel on the outskirts of Baltimore City. Before going inside Mayoni looked around to make sure no one was watching their moves. When the door opened Farah almost fainted when she saw Carlton inside, holding a gun aimed at Slade.

  He was alive!

  The love of her life was breathing.

  Overcome with joy she rushed up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck before kissing him passionately. “But I saw you.” She kissed him again. “You were shot.” She looked at Mayoni. “What’s going on? I’m confused.”

  Was she dreaming?

  Only to be reawakened in a nightmare?

  “He’ll explain everything,” Mayoni said nodding at Slade. “You have thirty minutes to enjoy each other and not a second more.”

  When the rules were laid down Carlton and Mayoni walked out. Slade squeezed her once more before separating. “Farah, I…I…” He plopped down on the edge of the bed, his thoughts swimming. “I’m confused. What is all of this shit? Who are these people?”

  “It’s a long story and I don’t want to spend every minute on the details.” She sat next to him and placed her hand over his. “Slade, what happened in the park? I thought you were dead.”

  He exhaled. “The Asian chick said when she fired I had to drop. At first I was going to try and overpower her and take the gun but she and that dude with the chewed up nose begged me to go along with the plan. I figured she had the weapon so if she wanted me dead I’d be gone already. So I played the part.” He paused. “The next thing I know the van pulled off and they brought me here.”

  “But did she say why?”

  “Shit moved so quickly, Farah. She said something about if they killed me you would never be happy with that nigga. And that they needed you to play the role.” He paused. “Farah, who are they?”

  Farah rubbed her pulsating temples. “I made a mistake, Slade. I made a big one and there’s no way out of it. At first I was gonna try and leave and take my chances anywhere in the world. But now you’re alive and I still have Mia and Shadow to think about. If I don’t act how they want me to they’ll really kill you this time.”

  “Farah, I’m home now and I can protect you.” He said seriously. “Nobody can harm me.”

  “Slade, it’s not that easy.” She paused. “If all we had in the world was each other things would be simple. But you have your brothers, your mother and your cousins. I have my siblings. Everybody can’t run and if we did they would never be safe.”

  He grabbed her hand and she stood in front of him. He opened his mouth and closed it before taking a deep breath. “Every night I spent in that cell I envisioned killing you because of Knox.”

  “It was a mis—”

  “Don’t say anything, Farah. Just hear me out because I’ve never been in a situation like this.” He sighed. “I wanted to kill you. Even now my mind tells me to squeeze the breath out of your body. But when I saw that nigga with his hands on you, and your face, I realized I…I couldn’t…”

  “Slade, I’m sorry,” Farah said dropping to her knees. “I’m sorry for everything and will spend the rest of my life blaming myself. But we can’t…we can’t be together.” She paused. “If we do they’ll kill you and I will die if that happens. I almost did.”

  “Leave DC with me, Farah. Come with me.”

  “Even if I wanted to your family hates me. My family despises you and The Fold won’t allow it. Don’t you understand, this will forever be forbidden love and I want you to…” She choked up. “I want you to find someone who can take care of you and make you happy.” Basketball sized tears crawled down her face. “I want her to treat you how you deserve to be loved.”

  He looked into her eyes because she was talking foolishly. “I will never, ever, love a woman the way I love you.”

  Slade lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers. Slowly she rose and removed his shirt. Leaning back on the bed she crawled on top of him, as they remained engulfed in a kiss. The only breaths they took were to remove their clothing.

  Naked, Slade positioned her body so tha
t he could gaze down at her flesh. Taking her exquisiteness in he ran his chocolate hand over her yellow skin, loving how their tones looked together. Her body trembled as he kissed her belly, sending her into an immediate calmness.

  Her man was home.

  “I’ll never love him, Slade,” she cried. “I’ll always hold you in my heart even if they keep us apart.”

  Slade remained silent and eased his stiff dick into her waiting body. As he filled her up she bit down on her bottom lip, the chemistry they had between them awakening.

  “Fuuccccck,” Slade moaned. “I miss this pussy so much.” He kissed the side of her face. “I love you so much, Farah. What you do to my heart? How did you get into my mind?”

  Farah wrapped her arms around his body, her lips pressed against his shoulder. The more he pressed into her soft flesh the wetter she got, her cream spilling out onto the sheets.

  When he felt her teeth he rose and gazed down at her for a moment. “Where is your blade?”

  Her eyes widened. “What? What do you mean?”

  “Your blade, where is it?” He paused. “Don’t bother lying…Audio told me what you do.”

  “In…in my bra, on the floor.” She pointed in the direction.

  He eased out of her, grabbed her bra and handed her the blade that was in the pocket. “I want to be a part of whoever you are. And if blood is it I want you to let me in.

  Before she could dispute Slade sliced into his shoulder and allowed the burgundy blood to trail out. Easing his dick back into her body he maneuvered his arm so that his blood drizzled on her mouth. Clawing at his back she sucked and sucked until her lips throbbed.

  Slade was surprised at how much he was turned on.

  At that moment she realized she loved him more. Not because he allowed her to feast but because he proved that no matter what he was willing to go the extra mile.