Page 68 of Tainted

“I’m outside if you need anything.”

“Why?”

“I don’t make the rules, and right now, neither do you,” Shaudi said, closing the door behind him.

Looking around my half-empty apartment, I didn’t know what to do with myself because going to sleep or relaxing wasn’t an option, knowing Kenyon was out doing God knows what. Shaudi walked out, and I turned the lock leaning my forehead against the wood.

Kenyon

Makori didn’t face me like a man. Instead, he took shots at a place filled with innocent people. That’s the kind of mistake you don’t walk away from. Now he had his baby mama in some bullshit, all because he didn’t know how to approach women correctly.

Nolan and I stood on the porch, my knuckles still tingling from knocking a little too hard on the door. Tasha opened it wide enough for us to peek through, allowing us to push our way inside.

“Where’s your son?” I asked, keeping my tone steady, almost calm.

“H-he’s asleep.” She started to back away, but Nolan blocked her escape behind her. “What is going on?”

“Call Makori. Tell him to come home. And if you don’t…” I let the threat hang in the air, watching as her eyes scurry to the gun in my hand.

She swallowed hard, nodding frantically. “Okay, okay, I’ll do it. Just don’t hurt me or my baby.”

Tasha’s hands trembled, dialing Makori’s number before forcing her voice to steady when he picked up. Her eyes neverleft mine as she pleaded with him to come home. I could hear the panic in Makori’s voice. It felt similar to the feeling I had in my chest, wondering if Zara was okay.

Nolan and I waited in the shadows when the front door creaked open. Tasha was on the couch, tears streaming down her face as she stared at the floor. The second Makori stepped inside, he knew something was wrong.

“Tasha?” he called out, confused.

He froze, his eyes darting between me and Tasha, who was sobbing uncontrollably now. “What the fuck is this?” he demanded, trying to sound tough, but I could hear fear creeping into his voice.

I stepped forward, closing the space between us. “You thought you could just show up, take shots, and walk away clean?”

He shook his head, words stuck in his throat as he glanced toward the door, like that would save him.

“Sit down,” I said, my voice harder now.

Makori’s knees buckled as he dropped into the chair, eyes locked on me and Nolan like a cornered animal. He tried to reach for something in his pocket, but I was faster, slamming him against the wall before he could even blink.

“Let her go,” he demanded as if he was in the position to ask me for anything.

“You hear this nigga?” I chuckled briefly, turning to Nolan, “Now you care about Tasha, but all this shit started because some pussy rejected you.”

“What?” Tasha forgot her situation and charged toward Makori. “You stupid nigga! Look what you and your dick started! I fuckin’ hate you!” Tasha yelled, swinging her fist with more tears streaming down her face.

“You didn’t have to do that!” Makori groaned.

“Neither did you.”

This was about sending a message. Your name and reputation didn’t always matter to nigga’s. They’d try you simply for being you, and if they couldn’t hurt you, it was the people closest to you. It was easy to forget because our lives were semi-normal.

There were no memories of being kidnapped or worse. Pops went to work every day and came home, lowering our guard to the bullshit that came with the game. That’s how Kross lost Maliah. It had been years, and he still hadn’t recovered from cradling her limp body on the floor.

I had to make sure no one ever thought they could touch what was mine and walk away. I didn’t give him a chance to beg. I didn’t need to hear any excuses. The gunshot ended his life immediately. Behind me, Tasha whimpered. Her entire body was trembling now.

“N-no! Please, my son is sleeping!” Tasha begged, frantically shaking her head.

Tears streamed down her face, begging and pleading for me to spare her life. But I pulled the trigger. Blood spilled out onto the carpet and gunpowder filled the air as Nolan moved around the apartment, ensuring no stone was left unturned.

The hard part was done, but the job was far from over. It took hours to cover our tracks so that nothing could lead back to us. Finally, we reached Nolan’s car and lit a blunt, the smoke filling the silence between us.

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