“I’m actually the owner, sir.”
My father nodded, his eyes lingering on Zyro and his tattoos before meeting his gaze. My father didn’t have any. Always said it was forthugs. Zyro was far from that.
“Ah, that’s right. I think I remember you introducing yourself as the owner. Hard work is something to be respected, and Iappreciate you taking care of my girl and my grandson. Family is everything.”
“I agree. Family is everything. We have family reunions, fish fries, and seafood boils at my house from time to time. We’ll invite y’all the next time,” Zyro told them.
“Thank you,” Mama said. “Do y’all want anything to drink?”
Zyro and I both declined. We’d just eaten before we came.
“I hate to ask questions like this in front of your new boyfriend, Eriss, but have you had any problems out of Delion? Have the two met?” My father asked.
I never told them about Delion attempting to keep Ermias from me.
“Um, they’ve met. Of course, Delion threw a fit and even tried taking Ermias from me,” I said.
My dad sat up quickly. Mama gasped. “What do you mean?”
“When I let Ermias visit him, he didn’t want to give him back. Said I would never see Ermias again,” I explained.
My father’s expression darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. “That son of a bitch. I knew he was trouble from the moment I laid eyes on him. How dare he try to keep my grandson away from you?”
“How… How did you get him back?” Mama asked. “Did you have to call the police?”
Zyro’s expression remained calm. “I took care of it. Had to put my hands on the nigga, and I’m glad I did.”
My father nodded, respecting it. “Good. Teach him a lesson. I heard he has another baby on the way by that same girl.”
I shrugged, no longer caring to discuss Delion, who wasn’t even among the living anymore. I knew that much.
“Yeah, I’ve seen her. She even came by my house asking me where Delion was, accusing me of doing something to him,” I said calmly. Inside, my heart was racing.
“Have they lost their mind?” Mama asked softly.“You might need to put a protective order on them, baby.”
“No need for that. I am the protective order,” Zyro chuckled, causing my father to laugh, too.
“I hear you, son.”
Hearing my father call Zyrosonwas nice. He never called Delion anything close to that. Ever. And he was the father of my son. When my dad got a bad vibe about you, he was usually right. Seeing him laugh and enjoy Zyro’s company really warmed my heart.
“He won’t be causing any more trouble for Eriss or Ermias. You have my word on that,” Zyro told my father, and they held a stare for a moment.
“Good. Eriss, you should have told us. I’m not against getting my hunting gun,” my father said with a grunt.
“And that’s why,” I laughed, causing the three of them to do so as well.
Zyro rubbed my back in circles. I know he was silently telling meI told you so.
A week later
The body of former Love Grove deputy, Harold Porter was found in his home after neighbors noticed an unusual and persistent smell emanating from the residence. Authorities were called to the scene, where they discovered the deputy’s lifeless body, riddled with bullet wounds. The circumstances surrounding his death suggest a targeted and brutal attack, indicating the deputy was likely overpowered and unable to defend himself. The community is in shock, and aninvestigation is underway to determine the motive and identify the perpetrators. Tragic.
That happened in Love Grove, and I wondered if that was the same deputy who tried to have Zyleek hurt. While sitting at the kitchen table, sipping on my coffee, I decided to open up Facebook. When I did, I had a friend request from Delion’s baby mama. Ignoring it, I also saw I had a message from her. I clicked on it, and there was a news article. I clicked on that too, and it sent me to my internet browser.
In a startling turn of events, an intense fire engulfed an abandoned house deep in the woods, sending plumes of smoke visible for miles away. Firefighters were called to the scene, but by the time they arrived, the structure was engulfed in flames. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The house, which has been vacant for years, is located in a secluded area, making it a mystery as to how the fire started and who might be responsible. Authorities speculate that it may have been deliberately set on fire. But why?
I swallowed. Is this what Zyro had done to Delion? Burned him inside that house in the woods? I leaned back in my chair, my mind racing as I stared at the article. My mind raced to see if I could remember a time when Zyro came over smelling like smoke. I could only remember the time when his fists were bruised. I peered back over to the date on the article, and it matched up. I knew Zyro had killed Delion. I just never knew how. Was I scared of him? Did I think he would harm me and Ermias…no. He protects us…in his own way. Was I twisted in the head for having a sense of gratitude?
