Sighing, I turned off the faucet and turned to face her.
“Do you want to tell me why the fuck I heard you were with my nigga the night of his brother’s party? How the fuck do you even know him?”
I opened my mouth but closed it again when I remembered the night she came to his condo to confront him. We never actually met then, because she had left by then, but I knew she went there because she’d heard he had been seen with another female. She just didn’t know it was me, so there was no way for me to explain how we even knew each other without bringing that up.
“Well?” she asked, shifting her weight to one leg and impatiently bouncing it as she waited for an answer that I couldn’t give. If nothing else told me that I needed to leave this job, this encounter was enough for me.
Her eyes narrowed in on me; she was watching my reaction. I swallowed a breath and hoped my face didn’t show what I was thinking.
“I don’t know him, but someone was hurt, and I just offered to help,” I said, knowing that she wasn’t going to leave unless I told her something.
Ocean rolled her eyes, flicked her hair off her shoulder, and took out her phone. I frowned, wondering who she was calling, until I realized it must have been Havoc.
She was trying to make a point!
“Hi, baby girl,” I heard a deep voice, and my mouth fell open, knowing it was her father.
“Daddy, I’m hearing that some bitch keeps fucking with Havoc,” Ocean whined while smiling widely at me. “A low-level bitch, too, and I heard her daddy works under Viper.”
My heart started to race.
“Who’s this bitch?! I’ll have her and her whole fucking family wiped out by tonight! Viper owes me a favor anyway.”
Ocean fixed her eyes on me, and I shook my head.
She sighed.
“I haven’t found out yet, but as soon as I do, I will let you know, Daddy.”
He instructed her on what to do to get rid of me and ended the call. She chuckled and shook her head at me.
“Listen, bitch, I don’t like you. Never have and never will,” she pointed at me. “So, you better keep your ass from around my man because I don’t play that shit. We’re about to get married.”
Ocean flashed me the huge diamond ring on her left hand that I failed to notice until now.
I noticed the smirk on her face as she looked at me.
“Make this be the first and last time I warn you about my man because there won’t be a third time. You heard what my daddy said, right?”
I nodded my head. She gave me a fake smile and walked out of the room.
I leaned back against the countertop, my body feeling heavy at the realization that I really had to stay away from him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
MAKARI “HAVOC” SANCHEZ
Today was the day I finally laid my brother to rest, and it was an experience I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. From the moment I woke up, I felt this heaviness in my heart. I didn’t want to do it, but at the same time, I wanted my brother to have a proper send-off. I was split in two, but still, I put on a brave face and did what I needed to do, telling myself that he was in heaven watching me. I had to make him proud, even if I would happily switch my life for his.
I was the rejected son, the one nobody noticed unless they needed something. My life wasn’t my own and would remain that way until I died, with hardly anyone noticing. It wasn’t a promising life like the one my brother had, so I was struggling with understanding why he went while I remained.
The church was packed, and I found a corner by myself. I just didn’t have the heart to face anyone. I was hurting—in more pain than I’d ever felt before in my life, and I didn’t want anyone near me.
I watched Orlando as he sat up front with Kelechi’s mama and wife, Ella. He didn’t even reserve a seat for me.
Ella waved me over and moved to make space for me, but I shook my head. I wanted to stay where I was.
I felt a headache coming on, and I rubbed at my head.
