Page 63 of A Toxic Redemption

"Mama, relax." Bino walked over and pulled her into an embrace. "It sounds to me the nigga was playing both sides andlied to both of you about dealing with the other. That's no reason to feel away toward Khalil." He tried his best to console her, but she pushed him away and brought her eyes back to me.

"When Ceaser started messing with her, I couldn't have that. My brother was a big deal around here, and I knew she only wanted him for his money. The whore had already claimed my man. I was not about to let her use my brother. He had his own family to look after."

"I went after her." My dad frowned as he mugged his sister. "I approached and pursued Khalise because I wanted and loved her. I didn't care about her having a child. I've always loved that girl."

"Taking care of her and her bastard son was taking away from us!" She motioned between herself and my cousins. "When Samuel was killed, I knew it was you. How was I going to take care of myself and my boys? Then, for you to go and have a baby with her? No, it wasn't happening. I knew you would eventually cut us off because of your makeshift family. I knew if I could get you to see that Khalil wasn't yours, you would cut them off."

Never in a million years would I have thought that Jake and Bino's mother was this fuckin' delusional. My dad wasn't her man. He was her fuckin' brother. He wasn't obligated to take care of her weird ass.

"So you mean to tell me it was all about money?" I chuckled, wanting nothing more than to blow her brains out. "You caused me, my mama, and even my father all of this unnecessary pain and drama because of your own selfishness and greed? How in the fuck did you end up in cahoots with my brother?"

"She told Kaine about Samuel," my pops chimed in as he peered at his sister with hurt and anger. "She butt-dialed me one day, and I heard the entire conversation about how she thinks I killed him and how it was because Khalise filled my head with lies about him. Shelia made Kaine feel as though I was thereason his father was dead. In reality," he stood from his seat and walked toward her, "that nigga was a bitch. He didn't give a fuck about you, Khalise, or even his own son. Do you think Kaine is the only kid Sammy had on your stupid ass? My boy," he turned and pointed toward me, "grew up thinking I didn't give a fuck about him because you're a jealous and manipulative bitch. Yes, I would have chosen the family I made a thousand times over you, but I would have taken care of you! Why wouldn't I?"

"You left him everything!" she shouted and gestured toward me. "I know all about your little heart issue, Ceaser, and I've been waiting for you to fuckin' die. Imagine my surprise when I find out I'm not a beneficiary." She moved her head slowly until her eyes were back on me. The bitch looked demented as fuck. "Everything goes to you. A little nigga he doesn't even know. It's like Khalise wins a-fuckin'-gain! When I told Kaine, he told me he would get you out of the way if I just listened to everything he told me. Once Ceaser died and I got the money, we would get you out of the way, and everything would be okay!" she spewed.

We all watched as Sheila dropped to the ground and damn near had a breakdown over money. Money that I could care less about. I would have chosen a relationship with my father over the bread every time.

"Where is Kaine?" I asked, growing impatient with his conversation. This lady was a lost cause, and I was ready to end this conversation. "I know all about you and him robbing my trap house and killing my soldier."

Rising from the couch, I slowly stalked over to her. With worried eyes, she looked between her sons, but they didn't move.

"Don't look for anyone to save you, Sheila."

"Please don't hurt me." She raised her hands as she cowered in fear. It was a total contrast to the psychotic episode she had just had. "I just wanted to make Ceaser hurt the way he did me.I just wanted to take away the ones he loved, too. I will leave you alone."

"Where. The fuck. Is Kaine?"

"H-he left town with Mia this morning." Her bottom lip quivered as tears fell from her eyes once more. "That's all I know."

I angled my head to the side as I peered at her. She may have been lying to me, and she may have been telling the truth. At the end of the day, life as she knew it was over.

"Okay," I stepped back and placed my hands inside my hoodie, "this is what we're going to do." Just then, three of my father's men came into the house and entered the living room. "There's a small warehouse on the outskirts of town. You will be locked in, and it will be guarded until the day you die because you will never be part of the free world again." Shelia looked at me with wide eyes. "You will have the bare, minimal essentials. Every day while you're alone with nothing but your thoughts, I want you to reflect on the shit you've done over the past twenty years. The actions you made led to you never seeing your sons marry or grandchildren being born. Ask yourself every day if it was worth it."

"You can't do this!" She kicked and screamed as they led her through the room. "Jake! Bino! Ceaser!"

"This is the only way to keep you alive, mama!" Bino roared, and he jumped in front of her. "You've torn this family apart! Jake and I needed your focus, but it was all on a nigga that didn't give a fuck about you!"

"We love you, mama." Jake walked over and kissed her cheek. "We may come to visit you, but not right now." He looked between the guards and nodded his head toward the door. "Take her out."

Kicking and screaming, Shelia begged and pleaded for us not to let them take her. If I had it my way, the bitch would havebeen bleeding out in the middle of her living room floor. My pops and cousins understood my wanting to kill her, but I knew it would be a blow to our relationship. At the end of the day, this was my dad's sister and the guys' mama. Regardless of what they said, they wouldn't be okay with me killing her.

Once she was gone, Bino and Jake sat around and discussed what they would do with Shelia's home and her things. I tuned them out because that shit didn't have anything to do with me. The only thing on my mind was finding and handling Kaine so I could get back to life with my son and my girl.

CHAPTER

FOURTEEN

DEVYN

A few weekshave gone by since the custody fiasco with Khalil and Mia. Surprisingly, things have been relatively quiet. It seems as if they have fallen from the face of the earth. Regardless of the reason, I'm just glad that they have gone on about their business.

"Debin," KJ hopped on the couch beside me, "we go play today?"

Smiling softly, I couldn't help but run my fingers through his kinky hair. KJ was the sweetest and most handsome little boy I had ever met, and I was thankful to be part of his life. I hope Mia gets her act together, or she is truly going to miss out on his life fooling with her crazy ass baby daddy. Speaking of, that lunatic has practically moved into my apartment since I refuse to go over to his condo. He's told me all about his whores popping up on him, and I didn't even want to be put in that position.

"Let me fix you some cereal so I can go wake daddy and see what we're doing." I scooped him up in my arms and kissed him all over his face. KJ is in his independent and 'big boy' phase and hardly likes to let us baby and love on him. He's in rare form this morning, so I wanted to take advantage.

After fixing his favorite cereal and giving him his iPad, I made my way to the back to wake his father.

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