Page 119 of Deuce

“Let it out, and get your shit together,” my father said. “Remember who the fuck you are.”

I nodded as I dried my eyes and took a deep breath. This shit was fucking with me heavy. I wasn’t just looking for Salima for myself. I was looking for her mother. I was looking for Shar.

When Shar and I broke the news to Mrs. Navarro, she almost passed out.

It was the morning after and I’d been out all night trying to locate Salima. I showed up at Mrs. Navarro’s still dressed in my clothes from the night before. Shar pulled up right after me.

When she got out of the car, her eyes were red and puffy. She gave me a quick hug before we made our way up to the front door. She knocked softly and a few seconds later, Mrs. Navarro opened the door, dressed in her work uniform. Initially she smiled until she saw the looks on our face.

“What’s wrong…” She looked around us. “Where’s Salima?”

“Auntie, you should sit down,” Shar said, guiding her over to the couch.

“Shar, where is she? Where’s my baby?”

I slowly walked over and took a seat beside her.

“Stanley, where is she!” she yelled.

I began by explaining what led to last night’s events. When we told her that Salima had been abducted, she dropped to her knees on the floor.

“Not my baby! God, why! You can’t take her from me!”

Me and Shar tried to comfort her, but it was no use.

“I promise, I’m gonna get her back,” I said. “The person responsible is gonna pay for this shit.”

She grabbed my by my collar. “You have to find her! That’s my only child! I can’t bury her, Stanley, I cant!”

With her heart condition, I didn’t wanna tell her at all. She needed to know, though. I’d never had someone cry so hard in my arms. She cried and prayed, then cursed me out and prayed some more. I had to take it. Even if she had put her hands on me, I would take it because I was supposed to protect her child and I lost her.

After a few more minutes of gathering myself, I stepped back inside with a stern look on my face. The room quieted down as everyone waited for me to speak.

“Y’all know I don’t get emotional,” I said quietly. “But this shit right here… this shit it personal. Y’all are family and you know how I feel about family. Salima is my woman. We can laugh and joke about me catching feelings and shit, but I love that woman and my top priority right now is getting her back. I don’t give a fuck who you have to put a bullet in or who you have to pay off. We find her and bring her home.”

Everybody nodded.

“I got it!” Jaeda yelled. “He turned his phone back on. I have his location!”

She’s been working diligently to pinpoint Mirron’s location and hadn’t slept either.

“I’ve sent the address to everybody’s phone. If it changes, I’ll update it.”

“Let’s go,” I said, making my way to the door.

Just as I reached it, my phone rang. Mirron’s number flashed across the screen. I held up my hand, signaling for everyone to stop. I answered the call and place the phone to my ear.

“You ready to make a deal?” Mirron asked.

“Ima see you muthafucka.”

He chuckled. “That you will. Don’t try anything stupid or this pretty little girlfriend of yours is up for grabs. There are quite a few of my men that would love to taste her.”

“Nigga if anybody lays a muthafucking finger on her, all of you bitches are gonna die tonight. I put that on my life.”

“No need to be hostile. We could have settled this a long time ago, Stanley. I was willing to cut you in a on very nice deal. You play nice and that can still happen.”

“We’re gonna play. I’m gonna have a fucking ball. See you soon.” I disconnected the call and turned to my family. “Y’all already know how this goes. Snipers, y’all follow Maddie and Mia’s lead. Take out everybody you see outside. The rest of you follow me. Anybody that’s there when we get there doesn’t leave that location alive.”

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