Page 57 of A Kingpin's Weakness
“I’m fifteen out. Stay there.”
“And my car?”
“I’ll have somebody come grab it.”
She didn’t argue. That’s what made Lia different. She could bark all she wanted, but when it came down to it, she listened. 'Cause she knew I wasn’t movin’ outta fear. I was movin’ outta love and outta protection. But still, my stomach was tight. Shit was shifting fast. Too fast. And when things move like that in the city, somebody always gets caught slippin’.
“Excuse you?” She ain’t even say that to me.
“Who the fuck you talkin’ to?” I asked, already sittin’ up straighter, stomach startin’ to turn.
“I don’t know. Some old, creepy-lookin’ man.”
Then I heard his voice, like a ghost from a nightmare you buried. “That’s Rich?”
I paused.
“Tell him it’s Ronnie. He know me. Matter fact, lemme see the phone.”
I stopped breathin’.
“Have you lost your fuckin’ mind? Gimme back my phone!” Lia snapped.
Then him again, low and smug, “Shh. Grown man talkin’.”
“Ronnie, if you touch her, if you breathe on her?—”
“Why you and Seth got such touchable women though?” he laughed, real sick like. “I see why you keep her locked down. She almost bad as Stormi.”
My hand gripped the wheel so tight, my knuckles cracked. “This between me and you, Ronnie. What’s up?” I floored it. My Charger roared like it felt the rage in me. Highway blurred past me as I was zooming by exit signs, leaving behind cars and fury. I was movin’ like death couldn’t catch me like I’d kill it before it caught her.
“You young boys think y’all untouchable,” he said. “But nah. Y’all got hearts. Soft spots. Mama’s, women, and kids. Take that from you and y’all crumble.”
He was talkin’ about Ms. Serena and about S3. He was talkin’ about takin’ the last good pieces we had left.
My moms? A ghost. My pops? Never gave a fuck. Grandma held me down, and she died right after I walked that stage like she was just waitin’ to see me make it.
“Keep it G, Ronnie,” I said through gritted teeth. “This a man’s world. Leave the women and kids out of it.”
“Why would I?” he laughed again, slower this time. “It’s so much more fun watchin’ a real nigga break when his bitch get dropped.”
Then I heard her. “Please don’t. No, don’t kill me!”
“LIA!” I felt like my scream went to deaf ears. I took the exit at damn near 90. The whole car shook, but I ain’t slow down. I couldn’t.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
Silence. My ears rang. My chest cracked.
Then Ronnie’s voice slid back in like a knife in the dark. “Come get your bitch. I’ll leave her out here for you.”
Click.
“LIA!!!” I screamed into the phone like it could reverse time, like if I yelled loud enough, God would have no choice but to rewind this shit.
I pulled up on campus like the devil was on my bumper. Didn’t park. Door barely open before I was sprintin’. Then I saw her. Slumped by the library steps. Blood trailing down her side. Her hands pressed to her stomach. Shakin’. Eyes rollin’.
“LIA!” I dropped to my knees like my legs gave out.
