Page 6 of Karrington

“Is everything okay, Daddy?” I asked, stepping further into his office.

“Everything’s fine, princess. Have a seat.”

He motioned for me to sit in one of the chairs across from his desk, and I did. I held my breath as I waited for him to speak. With his hand on his hip, the other massaged the hairs on hischin while he paced. Daddy favored the actor Boris Kodjoe, but with a square head, and he had hair. When he was upset, his skin would redden, and I’d inherited the same trait.

Sitting next to me, Daddy turned slightly and took my hand into his. “It’s time, princess.”

I didn’t respond right away. Even though I knew what time he was referring to, I was in disbelief. “Time for what?” I asked softly.

“Gio Lowe was gunned down. His son is ready to take over. To do that, he has to be married.”

“Oh.”

“I can wait until after your graduation, but we can’t wait any longer than that. Karrington will be in power soon, which means ours will increase. Not only is he offering money for your hand as discussed but my partnership in the inclusion of a new business venture. He will also utilize our weed farms. That’s a hell of a better deal than the Conners offered. Let’s not mention the power the Lowe family has in the South. I’d have the opportunity to sit at the table with some of the same men who make the laws for our city. It’ll also give us an in with MPD. With them in our pocket, it will be safer for my men. Said all that to say, I know you were hoping I’d choose Cocaine for you, but Karrington is a better man and fit for this family.”

Logically, I understood where he was coming from, but my heart wanted to go against this. It wanted me to tell him the only way I’d go through with this whole arranged marriage thing was if it could be to Cocaine.

“Can we wait a little longer? It’s just… This is a lot. I know this was always the plan, but I’m scared. I don’t think I’m ready to marry a complete stranger.”

He sighed. “Princess, this was always the plan. This is what we’ve spent time preparing you for. It’s your duty as the Mitchell heir.”

“I know, I know,” I muttered, then groaned.

“Now we granted you an extra four years because you didn’t have the most carefree childhood, but it’s time. Gio is dead, and Karrington needs to be married sooner rather than later.”

Scratching my ear, I sat back in my seat. “Okay.” I agreed quietly. Arguing wouldn’t have done me any good anyway.

“That’s my girl.” Daddy stood and kissed my forehead. “I have to go. We’ll talk more over the next couple of days. I’m proud of you, Eyela, and I love you.”

Nodding, I closed my eyes as they watered. My head hung as a tear escaped and slid down my cheek. His office door closed, and I was left alone with my thoughts. Regardless of how I’d been prepared for this duty, it being real filled me with dread. How would my life change once I was attached to a complete stranger? I’d heard horror stories about men who were monsters in these arranged marriages. What if he was abusive? Narcissistic? What if he made my life a living hell?

With a sigh, I stood and headed to my room.

How was I going to tell Cocaine?

4

Karrington

It wasmy last day in Massie Manor. For the last six years, I bounced between Memphis and Massie Manor to help out on the family ranch. With me taking over for Pops, I’d no longer be able to make the weekly trip to the ranch. I would still keep my job as an art professor at the University of Memphis and my other legal businesses, but I would be less hands on with them all.

We’d gotten the contract in place for my marriage with Eyela Mitchell. I didn’t want to marry her, but I was going to do what I had to do. The crew had come to Massie Manor to help me pack my things and enjoy a night at the dive bar that I’d grown to enjoy relaxing in over the years. I really wanted to be alone, but they weren’t having that. I appreciated that they were present but not placing a priority on talking about my father or how I was feeling.

We drank, and I was able to slip into the shadows while they talked. As Merc shared a story about Merci, I found myself frozen as I stared down into my empty glass. I felt like I wasstraddling the line between tipsy and drunk and one more drink would take me over the edge. I trusted them to get me home safely, so I side stepped to the bar and asked for another round of brown liquor for the table. As I headed back, I bumped into a man who was lining up his pool shot.

Even though it was my bad, I didn’t bother apologizing. I wasn’t in the mood. I wanted him to pick a fight so I could take my frustration out on him and beat his ass. The whole time he followed me to the table, he talked shit. All I could do was chuckle. Even in my inebriated state, it would be nothing for me to lay him out. The crew knew that, which was why Asylum and Bully held me back while Beethoven and Merc tried to calm the man down.

I was cool until he called us niggas, but with that er. That was it. I broke my way through them and attacked him. Long after he blacked out, I still punched him. It took all four of them to drag me off him and out of the bar. While Asylum took care of the tab, the rest of them held me against the car. Bully and Beethoven sat next to me in the back seat to avoid me trying to go back inside.

Fighting him didn’t make me feel better. It only made me feel worse. It made me want more blood, and that scared me. At one point, I was able to control my emotions and not use force unless I absolutely had to. Now, I itched to hurt. To kill. To take my frustration out on anybody that even looked at me wrong. Tonight, I wasn’t violent to protect someone I loved and cared about. Tonight, I was violent because it felt good. The city would catch hell until I found out who was responsible for my father’s death, and that was the scariest truth of all.

After the Funeral

“I’ma get baby on home,”Bully said, sitting next to me. “Is there anything you need, brother? Anything at all?”

I needed to know who killed my father. Since I couldn’t have that, I shook my head.

“If that changes, call us,” Aspen added.

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