“I don’t know, Kenn. What was I supposed to say? I was thirteen, and then my dad died, so I didn’t even think about that shit. I’m sure Pops didn’t either, or he thought bringing it up would push you over the edge. Zeke kept his distance but still checked in here and there, so it was whatever to me. I minded my business.”
Kennedy braced a hand on her chest and blinked back tears that she couldn’t shut off since they’d started. It was as if her body was taking advantage of her rare moment of vulnerability, knowing it wouldn’t happen again. Between the fuck niggas she’d attracted, and her nephew throwing her past mistakes in her face, it seemed like everyone was determined to take her out or break her heart into useless, irreparable scraps to dispose of.She was a true loner, but for the first time, she craved someone in her corner who’d understand.
“Can you take me to Savvy’s house?”
She blurted out the request before giving herself time to mull it over, knowing there was a chance Savvy was as liable as Relic for what’d happened to her. Offense crossed Tekken’s face as he jerked back his head.
“Damn, you don’t want to stay with me?”
“You stay with your best friend and his girl, Tekken,” Toot cut in to remind him with a roll of her eyes. “I doubt Kenn will be comfortable there, plus, she needs her friend. Someone who will let her vent and won’t judge her while she’s trying to get her mind clear about shooting someone she was dating.”
Tekken sighed and glanced at his aunt, observing her with sympathetic eyes because he’d been worried about the wrong things. He should’ve been more concerned with the last few hours she’d spent in an interrogation room or the tears he rarely saw from Kennedy swirling behind her swollen eyelids. The fact that his aunt had killed someone should’ve trumped his grievances about her questionable choice in men.
“It’s okay, Tek. I get why you’re upset, and maybe it wasn’t the right time to address it, but you’re not wrong,” Kennedy told him before climbing into the backseat of his car, ending their conversation because she couldn’t negate a word he’d said.
She’d warned Tekken to tread lightly when it came to Toot and her family because she didn’t want him wrapped up in their illicit activities, but then she turned around and did the complete opposite. Her body sulked in the seat as she accepted the harsh truth; she’d dived into her position headfirst and then, to add insult to injury, caught feelings for a man she knew from the start was incapable of doing the same. She could hear her mother’s words in her head, chastising her about beinghardheaded and never learning her lesson. For once, she didn’t disagree.
Ezekiel, Lomar, and Relic were the epitome of bad shit coming in threes, and she’d let them into her life with open fucking arms. Kennedy grew uncertain whether she, or the niggas she dated, were the common denominator.
Genuine peace had escapedKennedy for a while, but she found it encompassing her like she was home with her parents as she lay in Savvy’s guest bedroom. Her swollen eyes were shut, although fingers massaging her scalp had woken her minutes ago, and the steady patter of rain had kept her awake. The skepticism regarding where she and Savvy stood was difficult to maintain because her girl had accommodated her since the moment she’d popped up on her doorstep unannounced.
Not a single question was asked when Savvy opened the door—she simply let Kennedy in, made up their guest room, and gave her friend spare clothes so that she could shower. Kennedy had climbed straight into bed afterward, and Savvy had laid with her until she’d fallen asleep and then checked in throughout the day. Friendships weren’t at the top of Kennedy’s priorities, but shewas beginning to understand the importance of them. She’d only had one real friend in her earlier years who she’d cut off after Koda died since she hadn’t known who she could trust. Unlike last time, she was giving Savvy the benefit of the doubt.
“I know Navy is stuck to her dad like glue, but you’ll make a great girl mom once she’s older,” she praised in a groggy voice, turning over to see Savvy’s eyes shoot wide before a grin spread across her face.
“I’m glad you think so, because my mom wasn’t shit when it came to being there for me emotionally. I thought you were asleep.”
“You and the thunder woke me up. How long was I out?”
“I just finished feeding Shabu and the kids dinner, so pretty much, all day. You hungry?”
“Not really.”
“You ready to talk?”
“Not really,” she restated, making Savvy giggle at her stubbornness. “I know word is getting around about what happened, especially with Pierre’s ass knowing since Toot was with Tekken.”
“Yep, and the group chat has been crazy. When I told them you were here so that they’d stop freaking out, Lexi and Nu wanted to come by, but Shabu shut that down real quick. He’s more worried than I am, but I guess it’s ‘cause he knows how it feels to...”
Her sentence faded out before she observed Kennedy, worried her girl would crack under the weight of taking a life once reality set in.
“I don’t feel bad about it.” Kennedy made that known before she bit her lip and waited for condemnation. When Savvy didn’t even bat an eye at her callous confession, she explained, “If I’d hesitated, Lomar would’ve shot me and not blinked about thatshit. I was in shock once I did it, but I had to. It was either him or me, and Relic said to always choose me, so I did.”
She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling after her admission, catching on to yet another detail that she’d overlooked. If she was accurate in her assumption, there’d be no reconciling for her and Relic. Ever.
“Okay, so if it’s not because you killed someone, then you came here for the reason I thought,” Savvy said before digging her fingers back in Kennedy’s hair to massage her scalp. “I know you’re not going to admit it, though.”
“What did you think?”
“I think it has to do with Relic. And I’m not assuming he’s the reason because everyone is always blaming things on him,” Savvy appended in afterthought. “I figured it’s about him because one, y’all were glued together at Jah’s game, even though youclaimedyou were done with him a month ago. Y’all sneaky asses have grown attached.”
“I’m not attached to anyone but Tekken Sutton.”
“Two!” Her comment was ignored as Savvy threw up two fingers and maintained her stance. “I heard Shabu on the phone in the middle of the night, fussing at Relic not to go somewhere and let the lawyer handle it. I didn’t know what he was talking about until you showed up. Relic got to your ass, didn’t he?”
That irksome fact put a bad taste in Kennedy’s mouth before she palmed her belly. Her gut toppled like a washer on spin cycle from the reminder that she’d, undeniably, let Relic morph her into the thing she swore to never become.The easiest fucking lick of all time. If she didn’t feel so played, she’d applaud him for his accomplishment.
“You warned me, Savvy, and I still fell for his shit like a fucking goofy. I’m so goddamn mad at myself.”
