Page 22 of Truth

“What?”

“Try to change the subject.”

“Man,” I drawled. This feelings shit was new for me and definitely about a woman. It didn’t matter though. Once Auntie My’s mind was made up, I had to hear her out.

“We both know that patience ain’t your forte, except with old ladies like me.”

I pinched her cheek and she giggled.

“Shoot, Auntie. Your ass ain’t old and you’re cute, too.”

“Boy, I know.” She stood up and twirled around with a little two step. “Would bring my little friend around, but I learned the last time. Brick terrified Mr. Gene. Never again.”

I wanted to tell her fuck Mr. Gene. He didn’t deserve my auntie’s good cooking or her time. He was an old pervert if you asked me. Sat on the front row at church and watched anything with a skirt walking by back in the day like he was falling out and catching the Holy ghost. Holy ghost my ass.

“I love and appreciate you, Auntie. For everything.”

“Even that ass whupping I owe you and Sahmeer?” she quizzed, and I hollered.

That nigga hated to be called his real name. Said it was feminine and shit like Emric. Beast played too much making me a junior. My mother was so in love with him, she cosigned that shit. I missed her, missed her so much.

“Yes, ma’am.”

I pulled her in for a hug, our bodies swaying as she rubbed my back. When I pulled back, I already knew what was coming. I could tell when she looked toward the stairs where Merci was.

“It ain’t like that.” I lowered my head, a faint grin forming.

“Lie to yourself if you want. I saw the way you looked at her when I walked in the room. You were terrified, sweating like she was in labor about to give birth to your first born, and she ain’t no better. The second you left, she practically sat up. Her eyesdanced between me and the door as if she could see through it. Then she sat back and huffed, calling you a bully. Bully my ass. I could smell the heat between her legs.”

I shook my head and snickered. Auntie Myanne was crazy as hell. I smiled because the chemistry was there. I couldn’t ignore it if I wanted to. It’s the same reason why I wanted to knock that fucking smile off that firefighter’s face. She wasn’t mine, but she wasn’t his either.

For now, though, she might as well accept that it was my face she would see day in and day out until we found out who was gunning for us. I owed Germ that, and I owed her too. What she didn’t know was that I recognized her. She was the one that saved Gen’s life. That video footage kept rolling that Brick brought to me at the clubhouse that day. When I took a good look, it wasn’t a nigga that pulled Genny out. It was a woman. Breeze confirmed it when he returned to the warehouse and lifted the prints. Chief, once his palm was greased, gave up her name—Mercilyn Dubois. I didn’t even know that nigga Germ was Haitian.

For that reason alone, I’d forever be indebted to her.

“Go easy on her. You’d be surprised what storm is brewing in her head that you could calm… and vice versa. It’s not the storm that’s the problem. It’s how you weather it, how you still come out on top. Be her anchor, Em.” She looked up and gently stroked my cheek.

I didn’t know what the fuck that meant, but one thing was clear—I’d die before I allowed something to happen to her. I touched my lips and smirked. That kiss had lit a fire in me that only her mean ass could handle. I couldn’t act on it now, but when the dust settled, maybe just maybe, I try my hand at this dating thing or whatever the fuck they called it these days.

“As for Beast, there’s more to what you think. He’ll tell you when he’s ready.”

“How did you know about me and Merci or me going to see Beast? Did Breeze?—”

“Uh uh!” She lifted her hand with an arched brow. “I know what that scuffle was about. Two damn fools who are committed to fighting it out then pretending it didn’t happen. You’ll feel it in the morning.”

Shit, I felt it now.

“Make time to go see him, baby. You hear me? Beast is still your father.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“What you do after he chooses to tell you is up to you since I’m sure he’s prepared to do so. It’s up to you. Remember, none of us are perfect, baby. Not even your mother.” She kissed me then left me standing there dumbfounded.

What did she mean by that? My mother? Hell yeah, I needed to take my ass to Brooksville and pay Beast a visit. It was overdue, especially since I was pretty sure at this point it wasn’t the DPs whose colors were blue and white. The motherfuckers passing by the warehouse and shot at me wore blue and white, even their vests were a dark blue leather, but I don’t recall their symbol which was that of a dog. After all the years you had to study motherfuckers, I would have caught that, and I didn’t. Sure, they could have switched that up to throw me off but unlike them, if I was going to strike and strike to kill, I had to be sure.

After a half bottle of whiskey and a blunt, I showered, threw on some shorts, and went to the den. I sat in the dark, hoping sleep would find me. I wasn’t worried about bitches coming out here for me. We had six prospects outside, and honestly, that wason Breeze. I could handle myself alone and would. I suppose I was more on edge because I had a guest I couldn’t stop thinking about. My cellphone rang, saving me from my thoughts. I wanted to take a walk up there and finish what we started. Well, what I started, what she wanted... just like me.

“Yo.” I picked up.

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