Page 44 of Deacon

“Go to sleep, Deacon,” I say, rolling my eyes and disconnecting our contact, ending the conversation I refuse to have any longer.

*bzz, bzz*

Vibrating from a phone on the nightstand makes my heart rate spike, and my mouth twists when Deacon starts shifting me to disconnect our bodies.

Here we go with this club shit. I swear I’m gonna punch this nigga in his throat if he attempts to leave this bed again.

“What’s good, bro. You straight?” Deacon asks, causing me to roll my eyes and cross my arms when his eyes meet mine. “You got this woman sending me murderous looks and shit. Mhm. Hold on.” Removing the phone from his ear, Deacon hits a button and speaks again. “She can hear you.”

“Aye, sis. Don’t murder my nigga. I just got home from the hospital and needed to touch base with him,” Shadow says. My brows wrinkle hearing the news from him.

“Hospital?” I say.

“Another story for another day. Let me know when you can come out for a little bit, bro. I’ve gotta sit still for another week or so,” Shadow says before beeping sounds around the room.

“What happened to Shadow that had him in the hospital?” I ask Deacon after he returns his phone to the nightstand before rejoining me in the bed.

“Let’s just say you’re not the only reason I’ll be picking off Satan Cobra members like cotton on a plantation.”

My eyes bulge while blinking profusely, and my mind stutters when I try to connect the dots.

“T-they hurt Shadow,” I say as more of a statement than a question, and a deep frown mingles with the ache in my chest.

“Hurt Shadow, killed my nigga Sleepy, and gave Leggs a reason to leave the club she’s been in for over a decade.” The blank, empty, yet sinister expression in Deacon’s orbs has a shiver easing down my spine.

Oh my God! Am I the reason Satan’s Cobras went after Baxtown Iron?

“Unfurrow your brows and clear the fog in your eyes. This shit ain’t on you, Squeak. Baxtown Iron and you having the same enemy is purely coincidental.”

Deacon’s words hit me like a dart, and I nod wordlessly while trying to reconcile my mind to his information. Of all the rivals and ghosts Baxtown Iron and I could have alike, why this one?

Because God knew you would need someone heartless like Deacon to remind you that the Boogeyman doesn’t exist.

Uh, I’m not sure if God would be cool with taking this kind of credit.

The silent ministrations between my conscience and me cause silence to serve as background noise in the room.

“The only thing you need to concern yourself with is how you’re gonna get your mom to accept her future son-in-law,” Deacon says, kissing my forehead.

A week later…

“Aye,we need to make this quick because I don’t want to leave Squeak alone for too long,” I say when all the members gather for a club meeting.

Despite spending waking hours with Squeak over the last seven days, my chest is throbbing from being away from her.

“I never thought I would see the day ole Deacon would let a woman’s pussy juices linger on his beard in the light of day,” Boston says, causing everyone but Sinful to laugh at my expense.

“Shid, smelling her on my beard is the only reason I’m still in this room. Hurry up, Diesel, before I lose this savor,” I say, shrugging.

“Man, I can’t wait until I find a woman to make me say foolish shit in a room full of my peers without blinking. Damn, your sappy, pussy-whupped ass should hold a class, bro,” Shadow says, slowly clapping again, causing laughter to sound around the room.

“Fuck you, crippled nigga,” I say.

Seeing Shadow back on his feet has warmth and gratefulness flowing through my chest because Shadow is still with us.

“I love you too, my nigga,” Shadow says, tapping his chest.

“Welcome back, Shadow,” Diesel says before calling the meeting to order, silencing the room as everyone’s focus shifts to Gunz, who starts talking.

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