Page 78 of Juke
“Damn, you gone at least pinch the nigga?” Buck taunted. I knew all the jokes were geared towards Rio because this nigga was no match for me.
“Nigga looks like roadkill,” Stacks added.
Rio crumpled to the floor, face a bloody mess. I didn’t stop until MJ barked my name.
“Juke!”
The sound of his voice brought me out of it. My chest was heaving, sweat dripping as I looked down. Rio wasn’t moving. All of Sophi’s fears were finally over.
The room went still before Buck muttered, “Nigga, you could’ve just shot his ass. Instead, you done played Rock ’Em Sock ’Em with his ass.”
This nigga couldn’t be serious for shit.
“You feel better now?” Kilo asked.
I looked at my bloody fists, then back at Rio’s broken body.
“I feel perfect,” I answered honestly.
By the time we left the warehouse, the adrenaline had burned off, but the fire inside me hadn’t. It didn’t calm until we pulled into Buck’s driveway, and I was able to lay my eyes on Sophi. She was on her feet the second I stepped through the door, moving so fast it was like she’d been holding her breath until I came back. I caught her, my hands gripping both sides of her face, steadying her. I pressed my forehead to hers, closed my eyes, and kissed her slow.
“It’s over,” I whispered.
Her chest hitched, and then the tears came. Not the broken kind I’d seen before, but ones of relief. She buried her face in my chest, sobbing into my shirt. My arms wrapped tight around her, rocking her, my hand smoothing her back.
The room was quiet for a beat, everyone giving us that space. Then Buck’s voice cut through, loud as hell.
“Aye, get your Rock ’Em Sock ’Em ass out my house before you break my shit!”
“This nigga,” I muttered.
By the time we stepped back into the condo, the mood was still light. She hadn’t said much, but I could visibly see the burden and fear release from her body. When I finally laid down with her that night, one thought kept replaying in my head. Everything that was a non-factor was gone. It was just me, Sophi, and the life we were building together, and I’d kill the entire world before I let anything, or anybody threaten it or take that away.
25
Sophi
This morning felt heavier than most, and not just because of the appointment. It was the first time I’d ever sat in a doctor’s office with someone who was actually excited about being there. My nerves were doing laps in my stomach, but Rashad sat next to me, cool as ever, with his hand resting on my knee to calm my nerves.
“You good?” He asked.
I forced a smile. “Nervous.”
“Don’t be. This the easy part.” He smirked.
“Ms. Johnson?”
I looked up, and Eve stood in the doorway with a smile. My shoulders eased a little. Eve was family—through marriage, she was married to Nic and Mel’s cousin, so seeing her face made the nerves fade some.
“Hey, girl,” she said, walking us back. “I didn’t know I’d be seeing you today. Congratulations, by the way.”
“Thank you,” I simpered.
Rashad trailed close behind, scanning every wall and corner. Eve noticed but didn’t comment, just gave him a knowing smile before focusing on me.
“First prenatal visits are pretty routine,” she explained as she checked my vitals. “Weight, blood pressure, all that good stuff. Any questions before we start?”
I had a few—honestly more than I thought I would, but Eve answered each one with patience. Once she was done, she told us the doctor would be in shortly.
