Page 52 of Free to Fall

“Creed—”

“Nah. Don’t even start with whatever bullshit excuses you got. You really told the woman you supposedly love—the same woman who’s had your back with all this shit with your brother, who you been runnin’ around town with, sleepin’ in the same bed with, dreamin’ with—that she should abort your baby?” I dropped my head clearly ashamed, but he wasn’t done. “You been through hell with Nate. I get it. But don’t drag her into your trauma. That woman was probably excited to share that shit with you and you spit in her fuckin’ face. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“I know?—”

“Nah, you don’t. Cause if youknew,you wouldn’t have done it. You too busy actin’ like everybody out to get you that you couldn’t even recognize love when it was right in front of you. You made that child with her and your first thought as a grown ass 31 year old man is to tell her to get rid of it like this some teenage shit ya’ll got going on?”

“That’s not it.” I sighed deciding to tell the entire truth.

“Oh, there’s more stupidity? What the fuck else did you do or say Nas?”

“I accused her of baby trappin’ me.”

“Nigga what? Baby trappin you? Are we livin’ in the same universe? Is that woman not established on her own? She got a name for herself, she got her own money, her own house what she trappin’ for Bruh? You sound selfish as fuck Nas. You had tohave takin’ a few too many fuckin’ blows to the head, they need to check you for CTE or some shit.” He sighed clearly frustrated. “What the fuck Nas?”

His words cut deep. Still, I stood silent, ashamed. “She blocked me on everything,” I finally said. “Ain’t talkin’ to me. I pulled up to her house, she wasn’t there. I called Ave, and she cussed me clean the fuck out. I need you to ask Sis if she heard from her.”

“Nigga I ain’t getting in the middle of that shit.”

“Come on nigga, you supposed to be my brother, my best friend, I don’t ask you for a lot Creed. Do this one thing for me.”

Creed sighed and pulled out his phone. “I fuckin’ hate you dawg.”

I watched as he scrolled to Serenity’s contact and he dialed then put her on speaker.

“What’s up Langston,” she answered.

“Hey Beautiful, you on speaker,” he said. “Nas is with me. He lookin’ for Egypt.” There was a pause. “Is she okay?” he asked.

“She’s fine,” Serenity said. “But I’m not tellin’ y’all where she is.”

“Baby…”

“She asked me not to Creed,” she said firmly. “I don’t know what happened between her and Nas, but clearly it was bad. So, if she don’t wanna be found, then he needs to give her space. She’ll reach out when she’s ready.”

“Sis, please,” I said, taking the phone. “I know I fucked up. I’m tryna fix it. But I can’t do that if she won’t talk to me.”

“I’m sorry, Nas,” she said quietly. “You need to give her time. That’s all I can say.”

Then the call ended. I stood there, numb and defeated.

Creed clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Fix yo’ shit, bro. Before it’s too late.”

I didn’t say nothing. Because I knew in my heart… It might already be.

I ain’t even makeit to the car before I felt my jaw clench so tight I thought my damn teeth might crack. That conversation with Serenity had done it. Her voice, calm but solid, telling me Egypt didn’t want to be found? That was the nail in my chest. She was really gone. And not just out of sight—but out ofreach.

I needed to hit something. I needed to hit him. I turned my Range toward the gym without even thinking. My trainer Reg had texted me earlier about a light workout, but now I wasn’t going to work out. I was going to find my brother and put him in the fucking ground if he opened his mouth the wrong way again.

I pulled into the gym parking lot, heart thudding like a drumline in my chest. When I walked inside, the energy was off, everybody could feel it. All eyes shifted when I came through the door. I was already a regular headline thanks to Nate and them blogs. And now, I looked like a walking problem.

And speak of the fucking devil...He wasn’t even supposed to be in here, but there he was… Nate posted in the corner by the weight bench, his back to the wall like he was guarding the damn place. Soon as he saw me, he grinned like the fucking Joker.

“Damn, lil’ bro. You look like you got some stress to get off your chest.”

I didn’t say shit. I walked right up to him, eyes locked on his. I could smell the smoke on his clothes, the cheap liquor on his breath. “You been talkin to them blogs again?”

Nate tilted his head, like he was proud. “They askin’ questions, I just give answers. Ain’t my fault they so interested in my side of the story.”

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