“James. That nigga shot my girl. She’s pregnant. Or she was pregnant. Hell, I don’t know. I just know he’s the reason that she got shot, and if I don’t do anything else, I’m gon’ kill that nigga.”
Tech recognized the fire blazing in Blak’s eyes. It was the kind of anger that caused people to make brash decisions. Decisions that could change the trajectory of their lives forever. He was making the effort to keep it calm and remain cool, but it was hard. His nephew beefing with a man as powerful as Jameswasn’t something that he wanted to take place. Especially not with him being behind bars.
Blak spent the next ten minutes breaking down to his uncle how he all of a sudden had a girlfriend and a baby on the way. How she got shot the day before, and James had the nerve to come to the hospital with three of his goons and tell him that he better not miss the engagement dinner. He revealed how he’d been ready to shoot it out right then and there in the hospital but if he did that, he’d never know what happened with Averi and his child.
With the weight of the world on his shoulders and a heavy heart, Blak felt like a bitch as he walked out of that hospital to keep Averi safe. He never wanted his actions to come back on her. Having to sit through an engagement dinner while watching the smug smile on James’ face had Blak ready to risk it all. Naomi could feel the heat wafting off his body, and she had to ask him numerous times what was wrong. He wouldn’t look at her. He wouldn’t talk to her. She was embarrassed that her fiancé looked as if he hated her guts and wanted to be anywhere in the world other than there.
When he got back to the hospital and found that Averi had been moved, and she didn’t want him knowing what room she was in, he went to his car and bawled like a baby. How did shit go left so fast? Blak felt like he couldn’t do shit right.
In the hospital waiting room, Blak had his head down staring at the floor when he felt a presence looming over him. His head lifted, and when his gaze landed on James, his blood began to boil. Before he could say anything, James spoke in a low tone.
“I suggest you get up and walk out of here like a man that has a fiancée waiting. You think I made an agreement with you for my daughter to be embarrassed?” Fire blazed in James’ eyes. “You’re running around out in public places witha woman like you’re not publicly engaged to my daughter. You will not miss this dinner, or I’ll see to it myself that the next shot is the kill shot.”
Acting purely off instinct, Blak jumped up, so he was face to face with James. The tension in the waiting room was thick, and the few people waiting to hear news about their loved ones looked on in horror.
“Do it,” a sinister grin spread across James’ face. “I want you to jump bad.” Over his shoulders, Blak could see two of his goons. He didn’t give a damn about himself but for Averi’s sake, he was going to leave. Every time he thought about how James violated, it damn near made Blak foam at the mouth.
After listening to the spiel, Tech knew that Blak had found himself in a nasty predicament indeed. He wanted his nephew and his son safe. Block was affiliated indirectly because he was a street nigga. Tech had given eleven years of his life to the state. The last thing he wanted to do was come home to beef, but James had better tread very lightly.
“I need you to listen to me,” Tech spoke calmly. “I don’t need you to understand me. I need you to feel me when I say this. Stand the fuck down. That shoot ‘em up bang bang rah rah shit isn’t going to go the way anybody wants. James is powerful. If you kill him the satisfaction will be short-lived because you’re going to die right after that. Patience is the hardest thing for you to have right now, I know. But Blak, I need you to cool off and look at this thing from all angles.”
Blak knew his uncle would come at him with a calculated response. It had been twenty-four hours, and Blak still wasn’t calm. He wanted blood, but he’d be lying if he said his uncle wasn’t making sense. He doubted the issue would be resolved before he was supposed to walk down the aisle. He’d still have to marry Naomi. Maybe it was also best if Averi stayed away from him. It wasn’t what he wanted, but he didn’t have a choice inthe matter. It would be hard, but Blak would marry Naomi if he had to, stack his paper, kill James, then dip. Fuck it. He loved Diamond Cove, but he could thrive anywhere.
Tech could practically see the wheels in his nephew’s head turning. “You got me?” he wanted to hear Blak say that he understood.
“I feel you. I know Averi is okay. I don’t know about the baby, but as long as she’s alive, I can fall back.”
“Good.” Tech rubbed the tension from the back of his neck. “I’m going to make some calls. You know I have that burner phone, but I only pull it out for emergencies.” Tech didn’t really have pull on the streets anymore. Any favors or courtesies extended to him were done out of respect.
“Your goal is to come up in the game. Beefing with James is going to make that real hard. I’m not saying money is more important than everything, but you damn sure need it. Stack your paper and leave everything else for later. I’ve never believed that loving a woman was a weakness. The right woman can make a man better, but keeping those we love safe is priority. I understand you might love her, but fall back from Averi. If James can sense how fucked up you are about her, he’s going to go straight to her every time.”
The thought of James violating Averi for a second time made Blak’s nostrils expand with anger. Selfishly, he’d done everything he could to try and keep Averi in his life. It was time to bow out gracefully and let her go.
Symphony was curled up on her couch drinking herbal tea trying to concentrate on the movie playing on her television, but her thoughts kept drifting. She hadn’t spoken to her mother in threedays. Symphony wasn’t mad at her mother, but she knew her mother was mad at her. She’d sent the $500 she borrowed from Symphony without a word. Not having her father, mother, or sister in her life was weighing more heavily on her than she cared to admit. Symphony had been crying off and on for two days, and she was over it.
When her doorbell rang, all she could do was sigh. It could only be Mason. She didn’t mind him being there with her, but she couldn’t believe her mother had ceased all communication with her. It was childish as hell. There wasn’t even a set schedule. It had turned into just dropping Mason off when she felt like it. No matter how she felt, she was going to put on a smile and a brave face for her nephew. He needed some kind of normalcy, and she was determined to give it to him.
When Symphony saw Block through her frosted glass door, her brows hiked as a broad simper lit her face up. He was the last person she’d expected to be standing there. The moment she opened the door, she spotted the large Louis Vuitton suitcase beside him.
“Umm, hello,” her eyes darted from the suitcase to him.
“You look scared as shit, shorty,” Block chuckled. “I’m not trying to move in with you.” Block lifted the luggage and entered her home. “I don’t like how down you’ve been acting, so I want you to go shopping and fill this muhfucka up. Anywhere you want to go, I’m taking you.”
Symphony had never felt so seen in her life. Block was the sweetest man she’d ever dated. Every encounter with him, he did something to have her in awe. “Oh my God, are you serious?” she immediately started thinking about how many days she could take off work without leaving the office in a bind.
“Serious as a heart attack. Just let me know the destination and when.” Block pulled a wad of money from his pocket and counted off some bills. The longer he counted, the wider her eyesgot. Symphony was far from broke, but his generosity had her shocked. Block counted out $4,500 and passed it to her.
“Thank you.” Symphony wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled at him.
Even if he hadn’t given her the money she didn’t realize until he was there how much comfort and peace, he brought her. The same way she was everything to everybody, Block caring for her and being protective of her, was everything she needed. His scent. His voice. His swag. Everything about him turned her on to the fullest.
“You got time to put me through the mattress?”
The chuckle that pushed from his throat was barely audible. “I got you.” Block licked his lips and looped one arm around her back.
He lifted, and she locked her legs around his waist. As if he’d been there a hundred times before, Block ascended the stairs and carried Symphony to her bedroom. Her chest swelled with desire, and her clit pulsated as Block removed his shirt then his jeans. His body was nothing short of perfection. One would think he spent as many hours in the gym as he did in the streets. The moment he pushed his boxer briefs down and his dick sprang out like a Jack in the box, Symphony’s mouth watered. It had been years since she sucked dick, and she wanted him in her mouth expeditiously.
Symphony sat up and stared at Block with a hunger in her eyes that immediately let him know what was up. He walked over to the bed and stood directly in front of her. His erect penis was pointed directly at her face, and she took him into her mouth like a woman starved. Block peered down at her with heavy lids as she slurped his dick up like it was something good to eat. A doctor with A-1 skills in the bedroom could never be a bad thing. Block gave no fucks if a woman was broke or rich. Her pockets didn’t matter because if he fucked with her heavy, she’dnever have to spend a dime of her own money for anything. But when considering taking a woman seriously, it was never a bad thing if she had her own bag.
