“Hey Royce. Lincoln and I are finally leaving church. He’s asleep in the back right now.”
“That’s what’s up. You good? How Pastor Bracken and First Lady?” he asked.
“They’re good. I had a conversation with them about this adoption thing, and they gave me some encouraging words as well. However, afterward, First Lady decided to hit me with some bullshit.” There was no other name for it. It was pure bullshit seasoned with a lot of audacity.
“What was she talking ‘bout?”
I waited until I hit the highway before answering. Once I was comfortable in my lane, I responded with, “She asked me to join Chats with Angels again.”
“Ha! You know you ain’t doing that shit again, right? I let you do it once after that situation cause I was locked up. I’m out and ain’t no going back.”
“I told her no from the gate. She then proceeds to explain all the precautions she’s taken for the angels. Apparently, it’s not by letters anymore but over an app called ChatMate. The angels and inmates are both anonymous and all we have are screen names. If anything too personal gets inserted, the third party that’s monitoring will flag it and stop it before it gets delivered. She asked me to think about it, but I don’t want any parts of it,” I explained.
“Good. You got some sense. Tell her no again and let it be that. You and Lincoln coming over for dinner? Mama just cooked. It’s smelling damn good too.”
“Yeah, we’ll be right there.”
“That’s a bet.” He disconnected the call and left me in silence.
I understood First Lady wanted to include me in things regarding the church, but this was the one thing that she should’ve known I would turn down. I meant no disrespect, but she’d have to find another member.
8
ENZO
Becoming Bentley was never the intentions, but I had to seize the opportunity. I’d been undercover for too long for my acting skills not to be up to par. The revenge came into play the moment I learned where Bentley got his status from. When people mentioned him, a force came behind it. Envy turned a nigga green off that shit.
I wanted that power ‘cause out of Bentayga’s son’s, I deserved the fame. Baby bro wasn’t the only son named after him either. Bentley might’ve taken his first, but I damn sure had his last. While he played in my mama face like she was some hoe, that nigga gave Bentley’s mama the world.
He was in my life for two fuckin’ years before he hit the door. I witnessed my mama cry night after night ‘cause of that nigga. From what dukes told me, Rhema or whatever the bitch’s name was, was never supposed to be in the position she was in. That was her place and Bentayga fed her lie after lie until one day, my mama was of no importance.
I loathed Bentley, his mama, and anybody else that stepped behind him. For years I watched that nigga gain power, status, and money. Then again, our father left everything he owned to him as if he was some golden child. While me and my motherstruggled across town, him and his lived in luxury. He was fed with a silver spoon and had yet to know anything different.
That was changing though. The nigga ain’t seen the light of day since I put Hicks on him, and I planned on it staying that way. I had shit to do and money to claim. His hoe ass mama left him an inheritance worth million as well as some land. I needed all that as an apology.
“Damarius, are you listening to me?” Angel’s voice came through the car speakers pulling me out my thoughts.
“Yeah baby, I hear you. I’m glad she know who daddy is. She so damn pretty man,” I said smiling into the camera. I had my babies on Facetime.
“She really is. She woke up calling your name. You shouldn’t have spoiled her so much before leaving,” Angel fussed.
“It’s hard not to. Have y’all ate yet?”
“We just finished before you called. We’re heading over to Rafael’s today for Suzette’s birthday party. Where did you put the gifts? I can’t seem to find them?” she questioned putting Amada down.
“I put them in the trunk of yo’ car last night so you won’t be struggle getting out the house. I filled yo’ tank up and got the car washed. You should be straight for now.”
“Thank you, Papi. Where are you now? Have y’all made it?”
I fed her that same lie ‘bout me and Bentley having to go out of town and she bought it. Women were dumb, especially the ones that didn’t know no better. She was green, and I needed her to stay that way. “Yeah, we did. We at the attorney’s office right now. He had to check in on something before we got started.”
Nodding, she stood with the phone, then said, “Alright then baby. I’ll let you go. Check in later.”
“You know I got you.Te amo, Mami(I love you, Mami).”
“Yo también te amo, Papi(I love you too, Papi).” With that, the call was disconnected, and that was something I beenwaiting for since I called. If I didn’t call, she would blow me up until I answered.
Powering off my cell, I threw it in the glove compartment and removed the burner phone. I’d made it to the Springs and was sitting in front of Taylor & Taylor Law Firm. After all, in order for me to claim anything, I had to go through him.
