One plus one didn’t equal two in this situation.
“Okay. What the hell is going on? And don’t lie to me,” I said, looking at my dad and Zeke.
“Nothing is going?—”
I cut my dad off. “Stop. Lying. To me!”
“Those niggas were about to snatch you up because of your drug-dealing boyfriend! Every time you’re with him, it’s like you lose all common sense!” Zeke yelled.
I jumped up, maybe a little too soon because I lost my balance, but I was able to gain my footing and jumped in his face.
“You’re a fucking weirdo! Even back in the day, you always had something to say about a nigga you barely even knew!”
“Because of this shit you’re doing now! Talking like a fucking hoodrat!”
I reached over my dad to slap his stupid ass, but my dad snatched me up before I could get to him.
“Calm down, Yumi.”
“No! Get me the fuck out of here before I kick his stupid ass!” I pushed my dad off me and hurried out of the room and down the stairs.
“Mimi!” That was my mom calling me, but I didn’t stop to answer her.
“All of you are a bunch of judgmental, miserable ass people who don’t have a life, so y’all stay in mine!” I looked around, realizing that I had no shoes on. “Where the hell are my shoes!”
“You’re not going anywhere, Yumi,” my dad voiced. “No matter what I have to do to keep you away from him, I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that won’t happen.”
I turned to look at him until it finally hit me. “Wait . . . You did this . . . Y-you kidnapped me to keep me away from him!” I yelled, totally baffled by their bullshit. “The death threats. That was you, too?”
“I did what I had to do to get you to see that you’re making a mistake, being involved with those people!”
“So, you’d rather have me whacked before you allow me to live my life the wayIwant to live? When are you going to realize that I’m grown as fuck and make my own decisions? Huh?”
“You don’t make good choices, Yumi. And I would never have you killed. I’m not that heartless when it comes to you being with that asshole.”
“You motherfuckas are sick!” I couldn’t believe this. My own family was against me, and I couldn’t understand why. I was becoming lightheaded, so I had to sit down to get my shit together. I was leaving this damn house, no matter what I had to do.
“Is that true, Will?” I heard my mom ask. “I thought you said someone else was trying to take her, and you stopped it?”
My dad’s body and eyes shifted between her and me. It was clear his ass had been lying to her, which made this situation even more confusing. What the hell were he and Zeke up to?
“They’re hiding something, Mom. I know the things Emery was into were dangerous, but out of the four years we were together in high school, nothing ever happened to me. He treated me like I was made of glass, encouraged me to become a DA, and when I had that diabetes scare, he was the one to make sure I was eating right. I was in love with him, still am, and he and Zeke never wanted us to be together. He told me all those things about him and manipulated me to believe the same thing would happen to me if I stayed with him. But the biggest question is, . . . why?”
Zeke walked over to me. “Because those things were true, Mimi. Have I ever gone this hard about anyone you’ve dated before? I would never do something to hurt you, Cousin. We’ve always been tight, so I don’t get why you wouldn’t listen to me when I’m telling you something that’s for your own good.”
“Nigga, get the fuck out of my face. You’re only doing this because you don’t like Emery from that time he punked you in front of Sienna Gordon. Ever since, you’ve had a personal vendetta against him, so don’t make this seem like you’re just looking out for me.”
My dad looked at me and said, “Yumi, you don’t understand.”
“Help her understand then, William.”
Everyone’s heads turned to see Emery, Mook, Mill, and about five of their goons standing in the dining room area. They were so quiet that no one even heard them come in.
I stood, rushing into his arms as he held me and kissed my lips and forehead repeatedly.
“I missed you, baby,” he said softly in my ear.
“I missed you, too. Please get me out of here.”
