His footsteps were calm as hell, going right back toward the shop.
I screamed again as I hit the corner, gripping a stop sign to keep from falling. My chest hurt. My hands shook so hard I almost dropped my phone as I called the police.
My brothers, my fucking brothers, were somewhere behind me bleeding out on the concrete because of some shit I started, and the reality of it hit so hard that my whole body felt like it was collapsing from the inside.
Every inch of me trembled. My vision blurred. Sweat dripped into my mouth, and I kept running because fear pushed me forward harder than my legs ever could.
Kay’Lo wasn’t the man I thought he was, and every step I took as I ran made that truth sink deeper. He wasn’t some fine, mysterious nigga I had hooked up with a few times. He was a monster, he was death walking with a pulse, and he had just showed me exactly who the fuck he really was.
Trill-Land, Jungle Estate
Two days later…
My stomach was in knots, and I felt like I had been trapped in the same nightmare for two days straight without a single break to breathe. Kay’Lo had called me right after everything happened. He told me he shot Echo’s people and he was about to head home, and I was pacin’ the damn bedroom prayin’ this shit wasn’t as bad as it sounded.
Then out of nowhere his whole tone changed and I heard sirens, shoutin’, and the sound of his phone hittin’ somethin’.
I ain’t know if he was gettin’ jumped by the cops, gettin’ gunned down, or if they was just arrestin’ him. I remember screamin’ his name and gettin’ nothin’ back but noise.
I ain’t even grab a bag. I ran straight to Pressure and Pluto’s ‘cause I knew I ain’t have it in me to call his parents and drag them into some shit.
Pressure would know what to do ‘cause he always knew what to do when everybody else fell apart. And even though he and Kay’Lo ain’t been cool since that fight over a month ago, I already knew he wasn’t about to let Kay’Lo sit in anybody’s jail and rot.
For the last forty-eight hours we had all been stuck in the same damn routine, which was Pressure pacin’ while talking to lawyers, and Pluto rubbin’ my back or handin’ me tissue even though I kept insistin’ I was fine. Renza sat on the couch with both hands pressed together like he was prayin’ for Kay’Lo but ain’t wanna show it. And I on the edge of the same couch cushion, refreshin’ my phone every ten minutes waitin’ to see if a bond popped up so we could go get my husband.
But nothing came. There was no bond or update.
I kept replayin’ everything in my head and it was makin’ me sick ‘cause this whole shit started from Kay’Lo stickin’ his dick in Echo. I wanted to be mad at him so bad, and I wanted to scream about how all of this could have been avoided, but right now none of that shit mattered ‘cause Kay’Lo needed me.
Pressure had been on the phone with his lawyer nonstop, droppin’ whatever amount of money he needed to drop without even blinkin’. He walked around the house with his phone pressed to his ear and his forehead wrinkled like he was tryna hold his own emotions together. Every time he hung up he looked tired, but he kept goin’ ‘cause Kay’Lo was family and that was somethin’ he ain’t turn his back on, not even when they pissed each other off so bad they damn near killed each other.
We was all in the livin’ room tryna pretend like we was watchin’ TV even though nobody was lookin’ at it. Pluto and Sha’Nelle sat beside me with their hands restin’ on each side ofmy shoulder. Pressure was standin’ by the window, starin’ out like he expected jail officials to walk across the lawn and update him personally.
Then Pressure’s phone rang.
His whole body stiffened. He looked at the screen, sighed, and answered with a low, irritated “Yeah.”
The house went silent instantly. He rubbed his hand down his face while he listened, and the longer he stood there, the more tension filled the room. He finally said, “Hold on,” then looked toward us.
“Imma put it on speaker,” he said.
That alone made my chest tighten.
The lawyer’s voice filled the room. “Alright, so I spoke to the district attorney.”
Renza sucked his teeth. Pluto squeezed my hand. I felt my heartbeat thuddin’ in my ears.
The lawyer continued, soundin’ way too calm for the news he was about to drop. “They are charging Kay’Lo with double homicide. Both victims were declared dead at the scene.”
My whole world tilted. Pluto covered her mouth and Renza stood up so fast the table rocked. Pressure’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t say nothin’ yet.
“There’s more,” the lawyer said. “The DA is already exploring the death penalty.”
My stomach fell out. My vision blurred. Pluto gasped loud enough for all of us. Renza started pacin’ like he was losin’ his mind. Pressure stepped back and braced his hands on the counter.
“What you mean explorin’ the death penalty?” Pressure asked, his voice tight. “They can’t make that kind of decision in two damn days. That don’t even fuckin’ make sense.”
“They can,” the lawyer replied, “and they are. But just because they want to push for it doesn’t mean they’ll get it. It depends on the case itself.”
