Pierre had told him about Slim posting the label’s chain from a burner account with a shit talking caption that blew up because Titan had posted him being gifted the chain that same night. People were puzzling the timeline together and speculating. The Blaise name garnered respect, but Slim was trying his hardest to change that, even if it meant losing homies along the way. Relic couldn’t wait to make a prime example out of his ass.
Enacting his plan sooner rather than later urged him to shower hastily, especially since he’d squandered time that could’ve been put to better use. As soon as Relic rinsed his body and turned off the water, his front door alarm chirped to inform him someone had entered his place. He didn’t rush, knowing it was one of the two people who held access other than him.
“Big bro!”
Relic wrapped a towel around his waist and padded into the living area when Titan called his name. His steps slowed when he spotted Michi, spinning in a circle as she explored the place.
“Damn, this makes our condo look like a shoebox. How many places does your brother own, Titan? Like damn,” she whispered, making Relic snort a laugh.
Michi moved to Titan’s side once she noticed he’d entered the room. Relic folded his arms and stood in the center of his open layout, debating whether he’d curse her out for entering his home and then acting like he’d attack her if he got too close. He decided against it since they’d come to an unspoken agreement to keep the peace to make Titan happy.
“I don’t own this. I rent. Somewhere to have company because I don’t like people where my son lays his head.” He answered her question before asking Titan, “What are you doing here?”
“To curse you out, nigga! I find out through Pierre’s talking ass that you got shot, then go to your crib to see you ain’t even there. Shabu acting like he don’t know where you’re at, and the whole time, you in my building!”
“How’d you find out I was up here?”
“Saw Saucy in the elevator, and she asked me were you good and had I been up to see you. She ain’t even know she was snitching.”
Relic shook his head, realizing that he shouldn’t have put Sojourney in the same building as his brother. It was the easiest move at that time since he’d built a rapport with the condo manager and could keep tabs on her to ensure she wasn’t moving foul. He added moving her elsewhere once he murked her ex-boyfriend on his list of to-dos.
“It’s fucked up, y’all kept me out of the loop, bro.” Titan disrupted his thoughts with that futile complaint. “Y’all always do that shit like I’m a lil’ ass boy. I’m grown as fuck.”
“You in or out, Titan? Because if you want to be in, I can find some shit for you to do. If you’re out, then stay the fuck out, and we’ll let you know the important shit.”
“He’s out,” Michi answered for him. She wrapped her arm around Titan when he cut his eyes down at her for interjecting on their conversation. “He was just worried about you, but he’s definitely out.”
“Oh, so youcanspeak to me?”
“When it concerns the wellbeing of this one, I sure the hell can.”
“And that’s fine but let me make some shit clear.”
“Bro, don’t start—”
“Shut the fuck up, Titan!” Relic lifted a hand to pause his baby brother without taking his eyes off Michi. “When it comes to him, I don’t need you to speak up because I already know what’s best for the nigga. I’ve never put Titan in my business, and I don’t plan to. That dance studio I tried offering that you turned down was being purchased through legit means, just like Savvy’s restaurant, but you didn’t want it. I respected that decision. I respected when Titan chose you, a stripper bitch that accused me of trying to rape her, out of all those hoes on his dick he could have been with.”
“Nigga, I accused you because you did try! You flipped me over and restrained me!” Michi screamed, losing her cool at the fact he tried making her out as a liar.
“I restrained you after you put your goddamn hands on me... after you laid on your fucking back naked to let me fuck and then changed your mind when my dick was going in!”
“Man, I didn’t come here to hear this bullshit. Let’s go, Michi.” Titan tugged her toward the door, but she snatched away.
His face fell as Relic and Michi held a stare off, preparing for a conversation that was a long time coming, but he didn’t want to hear. He couldn’t stomach knowing any details about Relic being anywhere near Michi in a sexual capacity. Titan couldn’t risk having to choose between his brother or girl either because both were his damn hearts. He’d choose neither and risk breaking himself before hurting them.
“I pinned your ass down, so you wouldn’t hit me again, yes,” Relic continued. “I’ll even admit that I smacked the dog shit out of you because you earned it. My hand was on my dick to protect it since you were fucking wilding like a lunatic instead of just saying you changed your mind and to get off you. I never tried to force myself inside of you.”
“You did! Don’t act like I’m fucking lying because I know what I felt!”
“Did I, or did your traumatized mind believe that because you were fucked by your step daddy half of your life.”
“Aye, brother or not, you ain’t about to talk to her like that!” Titan snapped, but Relic shot him a dull stare before aiming the same look at Michi.
“Am I lying, Michi? I’m the first nigga you sold pussy to, right? The first nigga you tried giving your body to because you let a manipulative bitch like Jessica talk you into that shit when you really didn’t want to. You were triggered, but what went down with us was far from fucking rape. Disrespectfully, if I ever raped a bitch, it wouldn’t be a piece of pussy I could pay for.”
“Say that shit again, nigga!” Titan charged toward Relic so fast that Michi didn’t see it coming.
She raced in front of him, almost busting her ass before bracing both hands on his chest while Relic stood in place, unstirred. Michi had seen her man throw hands and heard about Relic’s notorious temper, so she knew they’d fuck the penthouse up if they went to blows.