Page 12 of Maceo

“Hey, pretty girl,” I said, kissing her chubby cheeks as I went to sit on the bed.

She erupted in a fit of giggles. I couldn’t believe he was the first of us to have a kid. I mean, he was the oldest, but still. We were on the same type of time a few years ago, and now this nigga was a whole ass family man. I laughed every time I sawhim doing cutesy shit with my niece, or every time I saw him wearing that damn baby harness to be hands free. I had to give it to him. He was a great father.

“Who’s the prettiest flower girl? You are! Yes, you are.” I gave her a sniff. “And your daddy got you smelling good. Yo, why do babies smell so damn good?”

“You expect her to stink? We wash her.”

“Nah, I mean they have this natural scent.”

Deuce chuckled. “That’s that baby fever sneaking up on your ass. You might as well join the team. My baby said she wants a cousin.”

“You better talk to your brothers and sisters. Me and Shar ain’t completely ready just yet.”

“Yeah, ’cause y’all out here on some other shit.”

Here we go.

“What the fuck are you doing, Maceo? I’ve been watching your black ass for a minute now. You never spoke on what you said you wanted to talk to me about. Yeah, I remember that shit. If I find out you on some bullshit, I’ma shoot your black ass.”

“I’m not on no bullshit, Deuce.”

“Then where the fuck do you and Shar be running off to? Every time you get a call on that burner, you two dip out. What’s up?”

“Look, I get you’re the oldest, but don’t forget, I’m a grown ass man, and I don’t answer to anyone.”

He turned from the mirror and came over to where I sat.

“Yeah, you grown. But you most definitely answer to me when it comes to this shit. Don’t ever forget your fucking position. You’re my right-hand for a reason, and I need you to have your head in the game. I know you better than you know yourself, and I know when you doing some shit. I’m telling you now, don’t get caught up in no fuckery, Maceo. You bring anyheat to this family, I’m beating the black off yo’ ass.” He mushed my head with his finger. “Give me my damn daughter.”

He took Darlyn from my arms and kissed her cheek.

“Got me with all this negative energy around my baby on my mama’s wedding day. Get outta my face.”

I kissed my teeth and stood to my feet to leave his room. Just as I made it to the door, he called out.

“Aye!”

“What?”

“I love yo’ dumb ass. Remember that.”

“I know. I love you too, Deuce.”

I left the room and went to wait in the living room. I hated feeling like he punked me, but I knew how he was. Deuce was a fucking asshole, but he was a protective asshole, and he didn’t play about our family.

The shit I was doing was no more dangerous than the shit I did with my family. The only difference was the people I did it with. I reallywasout on a limb by myself. The crew could decide they wanted a bigger cut and turn on me at any moment, then I’d be fucked.

My plan was to finish out this mission and be done without anybody ever knowing. It had been a year of me working with this organization, and eight months since I took on this particular case. These muthafuckas showed no sign of letting up. The crew and I had been all over the fucking place, blowing up their spot. If they ever caught wind of who we were, shit was a wrap, and I was as good as dead.

I knew I needed to come clean, eventually, though. Secrets didn’t stay secrets for long.

“I’m ready to go,” Deuce said, breaking my thoughts.

I looked up to see him and Darlyn standing in front of me. I was so deep in my head that I hadn’t even heard them come downstairs.

“You straight?” he asked.

“I’m good. Let’s get to it.”

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