Page 136 of Steel
He stared at me before sucking down the rest of his wine. When he was done, he sat all the way up and cupped my chin.
“I love you, Neha,” he said, searching my eyes. “Just know that anything I did for you, there was a reason.”
It was my turn to search his eyes. “What did you do?”
“I don’t think you want to know.”
“Was it . . . was it my dad?”
He was quiet.
“Is he dead?”
Again, he was quiet.
“Kerrion.”
“Yes. He’s dead.”
“How long?”
“About a week.”
I swallowed hard. “What happened?”
“I made him as helpless as he made you, your sister, and your mother. Reminded him of what he did to you. Made him feel every ounce of pain he put you all through in a way where he couldn’t fight back. And once I felt like I’d done enough, . . . I snapped his neck.”
My mouth dropped. “How did . . . how did you . . . he’s in prison. I don’t understand.”
“Money talks. My father has connections.”
“Why would you do this?”
“Because he hurt you. You have your faults, and both of our actions played a part in this. But if he hadn’t done what he did, I don’t think you would have kept Nayelli from me.”
I shook my head. “I wouldn’t have. But . . . what if they find out you did it?”
“They won’t. Quaid scrambled the footage while we were inside. I wore gloves. We were careful. Nothing is gonna come back on me.”
Tears pooled in my eyes as I looked at him. “I’m scared.”
He cupped my face and swiped my tears away.
“You have nothing to be afraid of. I got you. I’m not going anywhere. Rest assured, I will always make it back home to you and our kids. Every time.”
He pecked my lips several times before pulling me onto his lap and cradling me in his arms, where I cried against his chest. Twice now he’d taken care of a man that had ill intentions for me. The Neha from years ago would have been terrified. The Neha today, . . . the one that now understood why he moved the way he moved, was grateful I had his protection.
Timothy would have been getting out in the next few years. I’d always been afraid that he would come after my mother if that happened. That man was vindictive enough to seek revenge for a problem he caused. My father couldn’t be with her all the time. All it took was five minutes alone with Timothy, and we could be burying my mother.
If that had ever become the case, I would have killed him myself.
I could breathe easy knowing that he couldn’t come home and hurt anybody ever again.
I shookmy head as I stepped through Smoke’s front door.
This big ass nigga was in the middle of his living room jamming with the kids toGracie’s Corner. Maceo’s equally big ass was right there with Marino dancing just as hard. The Veggie Dance was playing, and while the kids were jumping around uncoordinated, these niggas were hitting the Dougie and Harlem shake.
This shit was comical.
