Page 81 of Maceo

“Y’all, bow your heads,” my father instructed. “We’re gonna say a word of prayer before we walk in here. I know that’s funny coming from me. I know I ain’t the blueprint on marriage?—”

Uncle Blake snorted. “How are you gonna be the blueprint for something you never had?”

My father glared at him. “How is Tisha, my nigga?”

Tisha was Uncle Blake’s on and off again jump-off. She’d been around for years, and everybody knew about her, including my aunt Jeanie. She stayed around and had been loyal for too many years. Quiet as it was kept, Jeanie had a side nigga of her own a little while back. That was until my uncle caught wind of it and put a bullet in his head. Now he and Jeanie were beefing. She’d moved in with my grandparents and everything.

“Fuck you,” Uncle Blake said.

“Nah, you wanna be funny? Let’s be hilarious, or shut the fuck up. You get on my damn nerves. Got me being hostile when I’m trying to speak to the Lord about my son.”

We were all cracking up. He fussed at us about always fighting with each other when we got it from them.

“Y’all chill out, man,” I said, holding back my laughter. “Go on, Pops.”

“As I was saying,” he continued. “I know I’m not the blueprint on marriage or women in general, but I want my sons to be better than me with their wives. Deuce, you’ve really stepped up with Salima, and I’m proud of you. Maceo, I know you will do the same.”

“He doesn’t have a choice,” Steel said, grinning. “Shar got this nigga by the balls.”

Smoke laughed. “Any woman that makes a man propose twice knows she has the upper hand.”

I raised my hands in mock surrender. “My baby can have whatever she wants. Luckily, she’s marrying a man with the means to provide her every want and need. I take care of her, and she takes care of me.”

“As it should be,” my father agreed. “Bow your heads.”

As we went to bow our heads, I saw a car roll up out of my peripheral. I looked up as it came to a stop. My hand went to my waist for my gun, until the doors opened, and out stepped Tiny, Sloan, and Miko.

“Who them niggas?” Deuce asked.

“The crew,” I answered.

“So you invited our opps to your wedding?” Smoke asked.

“They ain’t the opps. We’re on the same side, just different teams. They are legit, and they’ve been loyal to me, so show them some respect, man.”

He kissed his teeth. “Go on and bring the niggas over.”

I shook my head as I made my way toward the car. As I was approaching, I got this weird ass feeling. Something in me felt off. The sound of an engine revving caused the four of us to turn our heads. A blacked-out SUV came barreling down the street. Before I knew it, bullets started flying, and people were screaming and running. I ducked behind a car and retrieved my gun from the holster.

From my peripheral, I could see my family had taken cover and drawn their weapons too. The SUV came to a screeching stop, and once again, it was raining bullets. Looking over the car, I saw about five masked men with AK-47 shotguns. I silently cursed when I saw Miko and Tiny’s bodies on the ground riddled with bullet holes right in front of their car.

“Fuck!”

One of the masked men went for Sloan, who was trying to drag his body to safety. Aiming my gun, I gave him a headshot, causing his body to drop to the ground. The return fire from my side was just as heavy as the bullets flying at us. Three more headshots followed, but I wasn’t sure which of my family members got them. The last remaining gunmen ran back to the SUV and jumped inside. I thought they would have pulled off instantly, but it sat there for a moment.

The next thing I knew, something was thrown from the back before the car screeched away. With my gun at my side, I made my way over to Sloan, who I was sure was bleeding out. He lay against the back of the car with shallow breathing, clutching his stomach. Blood poured from his mouth as he struggled to speak.

He grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly.

“I got you, man,” I said, knowing he wasn’t going to make it through this. “I’m right here with you.”

My chest tightened as moments passed, and he took his final breath. Swallowing hard, I closed his eyelids and stood to my feet. My brothers were busy checking the masked gunmen as I walked back over to them. That was when I noticed what was thrown from the SUV. Slowly walking over, I peered down at the body of a shirtless Zeno, severely mutilated.

By looking at him, I could tell they’d tortured the man for days on end. His eyes had been removed from their sockets, and fingers were missing. There were several gashes and burns riddling the exposed skin. The long gash traveling the length of his chest and stomach told me his internal organs had been removed as well.

“Shit…” Deuce mumbled, standing next to me.

I took off my suit jacket and placed it over Zeno’s body. People were already standing around looking, and I didn’t want him seen like that.

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