Page 171 of Rather: The Therapist

“Fuck you, my nigga.”

Violation.

He stepped closer.

“Remain respectful.”

“I never took you for a fraud ass nigga that’ll fuck a bitch behind my back, but I guess it’s like mother like son, huh.”

Violation.

Unlike the others, this one wouldn’t slide.

Remain respectful.

Remain respectful.

Remain respectful.

Simple instructions he couldn’t follow.

“Apple don’t fall far from the tree. Pops was fucking ya moms before his homie got settled under the dirt.”

This time when I stepped back, it wasn’t to gain distance. It was to send a blow straight into Kofi’s shit.

WHAM!

Immediately, my hand curled under his mouth and nose as I bent him forward.

“Don’t bleed on this motherfucking tux, nigga. I’m going to need this up off of you.”

“You ready to go blow for blow with me about a bitch?”

Hearing that word come from his mouth in reference to Rather had my blood boiling, but it wasn’t about her.

I leaned down near his ear, still holding my hand under his bleeding nose. “That’s where you’re wrong, little brother. For one, we’re not going blow for blow. I’m going to beat your ass like I should’ve been doing every time you violated the code over the last six months.”

“And, this isn’t about Rather. I’d never get busy with you about a woman that is mine, been mine, and will always be mine. This is about you. You’re a disrespectful motherfucker and it’s time you learned your fucking lesson. So, take this shit off and let’s get to it, nigga.”

“Get the fuck off me.”

I relieved myself of my duties and grabbed the nearest hand towel.

“Take that shit off.”

I wiped my hand clean of his blood as I watched him unbutton his shirt and toss it on the back of the chair in front of the vanity. I tossed him the towel and allowed him to clean his face.

“I’m not interested in beefing with you, Kofi. But, you will respect me. You’ll respect Rather. And, you damn sure will respect my mother.”

“Fuck Rather. I have no interest in her anyway. I see her as nothing more than an obstacle the family has sat in front of me. I was fine living my life as I chose.”

“You were killing yourself,” I reminded him.

The doors of the groom’s suite burst open. In walked my father, Killian, and Chemistry. At the sight of Kofi, they all looked at me for an explanation.

“What the fuck is going on in here?” My father fumed. “What the hell happened to your face?”

“He violated,” I shared.

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