“In a minute, baby. I think it’s time we have a little family chat before we do.”
“Get the hell out of my house!” my dad roared.
“Shut the fuck up and sit down. It’s about high time you and ya clown ass nephew get fucking exposed. I’m sick of playing with you niggas. I’ve extended enough grace and never said shit, but it’s time for y’all to stop playing in my wife’s face and get to the real reason y’all broke us up in the first place.”
I saw Zeke from my peripheral vision as he rushed toward us, but the gun pointed at his forehead by Mill halted him.
“Try it, bitch nigga, and your brains will be all over this motherfucka.”
“Okay, what is going on? Please. I’m trying understand all of this,” my mom said, rubbing her temples in frustration. “Will, tell me what is going on.”
“I told you already, Marie.”
“All you’ve told me was that him and his family were a part of a dangerous empire, and at the time, I agreed to get Yumi away from him because, of course, I didn’t want her mixed up in thatkind of stuff and mess up her future. But obviously, there is more to this story than you’ve been letting on.”
“That’s the truth?—”
“Stop fucking lying, nigga!” Emery belted out. I could tell he was getting frustrated with my father’s lies. I placed my palm on his face to direct his attention to me.
“Talk to me, Emmy. What happened?”
He sighed and kissed my palm. “Sit down, baby.”
I took a seat at the dining room table and waited for the bomb to go off. It had been years since this hatred for Emery had been lying dormant, and since he’d come back into my life, it seemed as though it was rising again.
“You remember the first time your people invited me over for dinner, and your pops took me out back to his shed to have a conversation with me?” I nodded. “Well, he already knew the shit that I was into. Apparently, the prosecution firm he worked for had information on my family. At the time, your father was at risk of losing y’all house because he was trickin’ off his money and snorting that shit.”
“Bullshit! He’s lying, Yumi! Don’t believe anything he says!”
“Oh, God,” my mother voiced, losing her legs at that revelation. My mouth hung open in shock, not believing what I was hearing.
Emery continued. “So, he asked me for a favor. He said if I gave him a hundred grand, he would make those files disappear and wouldn’t tell you what I was into. I was young and afraid of losing you because I knew you didn’t like drug dealers, so I gave him the money, only for his bitch ass to keep extorting me. After a while, I got fed up and didn’t give a fuck what he did. I followed his ass around for a week, only to find out that, not only was he snorting coke, but he was fucking on little teenaged girls too. When I threatened to expose him, that’s when he told you.Zekey here has secrets too, but his preference was grown niggas instead of bitches.”
“Motherfu—” Before Zeke could attack him, Kevin sent a fist flying to his face. Blood and teeth spewed out of his mouth as Zeke’s body hit the floor, knocking him out cold.
I sat there completely frozen as I looked at my father, who had tears in his eyes, but his face held a deep scowl. He was fuming.
“Will, . . . tell me this isn’t true,” my mom said, tears in her eyes also. He didn’t speak, just continued to stare a hole through Emery.
“I wouldn’t lie to you, Mrs. Clark. I let that bullshit go after he outed me because I knew I needed to get my shit together before I came back for your daughter. All this bullshit could have been avoided if he would have just left me the fuck alone.”
“I can’t believe this. I have to go. Please, get me out of here.” I stood as Emery took my hand and proceeded to guide me toward the front door.
“Yumi, you leave with this man, and you’ll regret it.”
“Threaten her again, and I’m going to forget she loves your bitch ass, and I’ma do yo’ ass in. Threatenmeagain, and I’ma put your old ass on your back.”
“Emery. Let’s go.” I looked at my dad and shook my head. “I don’t even know what to say to you right now. I knew there was a reason for your hatred of him, but I would have never thought it was to this extreme. You were afraid he would expose you, so you sent me away and kept Mom in the shadows about everything.” I looked at my mom. “If you want to come with us, you can. I’m only extending this invite because I know you didn’t know, just like I didn’t. But it’s up to you.”
She looked up at me, looking as if she’d aged within the last twenty minutes. “I’ll be right behind you.”
“Marie . . .”
“Shut up, Will! Emery, take care of my daughter. I never had an issue with you as a person, just your lifestyle. I hope you’re preparing to get away from that life. Not just for my daughter, but for you too.”
Emery nodded. “Already in motion.”
“Good. You gentlemen can leave now. I’ll take it from here.” Emery guided me out of the house, and before my feet could touch the porch, he lifted me bridal style and carried me out to his truck. I buried my face in his neck, feeling as if my world was crashing around me. I would have never thought my family would betray me this way. My father was extorting my boyfriend for money because he was being a sick bastard, and he’d even manipulated my cousin to take his side.
