"Damn. Poor girl can't catch a break. Both parents and a brother?" Cain squeezed his wife, bringing her closer to him as he felt her body trembling.
"Tell me about it."
"I need to holler at Swift first, but you know me and London have your back. That nigga is addicted to working."
"Sounds like he's related to our ass," Logan added, causing them both to laugh. "All we do is work, chasing that retirement."
"Not us." He pressed his lips against his wife's head. "Lo works when she wants to, short of her working at the local clinic for a day or two. You know it's in her to still help people."
"Naw, never mind. I can't disrupt y'all's lives like that."
"Nope. We're family. Let us worry about the logistics. You called, so we'll be there. That's love, Logan. Love always shows up. Fuck you talking about?"
"Thanks, Cain."
He laughed, knowing his brother-in-law's face was furrowed, his hands clenched, as if he was prepared to go to war. Cain rode hard for London and her brothers and had ever since he fell in love with her when she was nineteen.
"The details are still murky, but we do feel it was targeted."
"Shit, I know so if it was both of them. I've never known Lucky to be involved in anything that would get him or his seed killed. Just lock me the fuck up if they touch a hair on mine."
Logan knew Cain was serious. He felt the same way because he loved Creed and Starlah as if they were his own. For years, he begged Lucky to settle down, get married, and focus on family, but he was too caught up in being everything to everyone, only for him to be mercilessly gunned down.
"I'd die in y'all place before I allow anything to happen to y'all. You already know that, Cain. Remember, she was my sister long before she was your wife and Swift's mama."
"Long as you know, nigga." He pecked London's forehead as she sniffled while still in disbelief. "This is my life right here. Both of them."
"I'll send the details soon. And Cain?"
"Yeah, bro?"
"I owe you."
"That's what family's for. Y'all gave Lo to me. The least I can do is loan her to you for a few weeks after I leave. Swift, too. Just glad we can help."
The barbershop buzzedwith chatter while music boomed through the air. After the night Swift had, he needed to get his cut before he headed on the road. He even missed stopping by his parents' house, even though he knew the flowers had been delivered. He couldn't wait for his father to curse him out, but he was prepared for it, as they both competed to keep a smile on her face.
Swift rarely waited to be seated as his cousin Ezekiel, also known as Money, owned the shop, Kutz and Fades. He smiled when he heard him arguing with Papa, his Anatolian Shepherd.
"Bruh, that's a fucking puppy. He ain't doing shit to you but doing what puppies do."
"Naw, this little nigga is slobbing all by my station. Can you explain why the fuck he's in here? Thought you were coming by to pick him up last night."
Swift grinned, remembering how Noemi pulled out all the stops, including adding a friend to the fold. She was working overtime to lock in the great Cairo "Swift" Brighton, and while he saw potential, he'd still have to pass on her. She had the looks and even ran a successful real estate company, but, like most women, once she had her fill of him, she was way too clingy, especially given that she was older than he was.
"Got tied up." He grinned, scratching the back of his neck, "but I got you." He slid two hundred dollars onto Money's station and grinned. "That's for all the shit I know you had to clean up since I know you didn't take him for a walk."
"Nigga, throw another two on there. His ass be shitting and pissing everywhere. Take him with your ass.
"Naw, I can't have Papa on the road, and I don't want to give him to my moms until he's trained."
"A big motherfucking puppy. Pfft. You just had to get one just as big as you and full of damn energy. Take his ass to Auntie London. She'll get him straight. You know my damn mama is into cats. All you have to do is throw some kitty litter in the box next to the water and food, and they're good to go. You don't even have to wash their asses. I'm telling you, felines are the way to go."
Swift frowned. The thought of a cat using its own tongue to clean itself disgusted him. That, and they had a dog growing up. His name was Barney, but unlike Papa, he was older and already trained. He died of old age when Swift was in high school. They never bought another one, but he wanted to surprise her for her birthday, which was in two months. He figured by then that Papa would be housebroken and following basic commands.
"Let me put him in the breakroom, but if he fucks that up too, that's on you, Money."
He grinned. They called Ezekiel Money because he worshiped the mighty dollar, probably as much as Swift worshipped getting his dick wet.
