“Baby, you can drag your pussy all through this muthafucka if it means you’ll be here when I get back.” I lifted her from the floor, causing her legs to wrap around my waist. “I promise as soon as I’m done, I’ll be right back.”
“Jax, can you stay with me?” Blossom asked, making my brother peer over at us just as he was about to leave the livingroom. “A lot has happened, and I know you don’t know me that well, but?—”
“You think because I look like that nigga that I’ll protect you like him, huh?” he raised his brow and asked her. “You think I care about you, shorty?” Her body stiffened in my arms, and I just knew I was about to kill my brother. “You damn right I do. I will stay with you while this nigga go play doctor. You’re lil’ sis now. I got you.”
Giving her a wink, Jax turned and walked back into the living area. Blossom smiled brightly at him as she headed toward the stairs. Nodding toward the television, I signaled for him to cut it off so she wouldn’t see that I’d been watching her sleep. I didn’t want to try my luck because there was a chance her mind would change once she sleeps off the day’s events.
“You sure you’re going to—Hey, come here.” I stepped into my bedroom and found her crying near the window. “Talk to me, mama.”
“You’re going to kill him, aren’t you?” Her tear-stained faced pained me in a way I couldn’t explain. My body began to overheat as I took in the hurt and fear radiating from her. “You’re going to kill my brother.”
“I am,” I answered honestly, pulling her into my arms. “And as I’ve said, I’m killing TJ too.”
Pushing away from me, she caught me off guard with the mug she was now sporting. “You can’t do that! Rowan is my brother, and TJ is my?—”
“Your what?” I grabbed her arm roughly, slamming her into my chest. “Say the wrong shit and I’ll slice and dice that nigga,tonight.”
Engaged in a stare-off, neither of us said anything. The look in her eyes was different from what they were moments ago. Now, they were full of hate and resentment.
“If you touch either one of them, I will never forgive you,” she stated, her voice cold as ice. “Despite your issues with them and what Rowan has done, he’s still my blood, my brother.”
“We will talk when I get back.” I turned from her to gather my things. “I don’t have time for this shit. I said what I had to say.”
“I guess we’re both standing on business then.” I glanced over my shoulder at her as I pulled my usual hoodie from my closet. She took a seat on the edge of my bed, arms crossed with the meanest scowl. “I won’t be here when you get back.”
We will see.
Grabbing my ME bag, I walked over and placed a kiss on Blossom’s cheek. She could be mad and talk that shit all she wanted, but she heard what I said.
“I’m out. No matter what the fuck she says or tries, don’t let her leave,” I called out to my brother as I jogged down the stairs. “Take care of my girl.”
“I got you,” he answered as he stretched out on the couch, the TV now on some football reruns. “Be safe, bro.”
Closing the door behind me, I took a deep breath and cleared my mind for the shit show I’d started. These niggas were going to learn not to fuck with me, and if I had to raise the murder rate and burn this city to the ground to show them I mean business, then so be it.
“You outdid yourself this time, Slash.” I simpered as I pulled back up to the gambling house that was nothing but rubble now. “You got this bitch looking like a movie scene.”
Parking next to the Medical Examiner’s van, I slumped back in my seat and took in the scene around me. I’d been a part of a lot of crime scenes in my day, but seeing the various firetrucks and law enforcement trying to secure the area made this the most spectacular thing I’d ever done. Before I could get too comfortable, admiring my accomplishments for the evening, there was a light tap on my window. Sighing heavily, I got my bag from the backseat and prepared to face the music.
“You know, when my brother passed on Jax’s message, I didn’t think you meant smoke in theliteralsense.” Uno slapped hands with me before we began walking toward the fiasco. “Nigga, you damn near took the whole forest out. Thank God it’s been storming on and off for weeks, and the shit was too wet to burn.”
“Bitch-ass nigga shouldn’t have touched what didn’t belong to him.” I shrugged as I peered around the field. “Have you spoken with the fire marshals?”
“Yeah, ain’t shit out of the ordinary.” He stuffed his hand in his pockets as Massey spotted me. Shaking his head, he leered at me before huffing. “I have to get ready for a fuckin’ news interview at three in the damn morning. Crazy-ass nigga.”
Chuckling at Uno’s remarks, I watched him as he frowned and made his way over toward the local news reporters. I knew my boy was pissed about the negative light this cast on the city, but shit, worse had happened in Milly Grove, and this is the type of shit that came with being mayor.
“McKnight, thank you so much for coming out.” Dr. Massey shook my hand before handing me a face mask as we approached the scene. “As you can see, the place is an absolute clusterfuck.”
News crews, first responders, the fire department, and various other government officials were on the scene. Looking around, I couldn’t help but admire my handiwork. I’d done a lot of wild shit in my day, but this one took the cake. The air was thick with smoke as people scrambled about, trying to helpwherever they could. I found it amusing the way they ran about as if any of the dead muthafuckas were in a rush to go anywhere.
“What are they saying happened?” I held onto my medical bag and walked alongside him as he led the way to where most of the bodies were. I nodded at the police chief and the captain as we approached the focal point of the incident. The entire building was nothing but bones, charred wood, and smoke. “What was this place?”
“An illegal gaming hall.” He coughed uncontrollably, stopping to catch his breath. “This is the worst ruin I’d ever seen.”
“Maybe you should sit this one out, Doc.” I dropped my bag and went over to pat his back. He was up in age, so the smoke inhalation wasn’t good for him at all. “The other guys are here, and I’m sure we can manage. I mean, shit, look around.” I gestured around us as he took a few sips of his water. “There isn’t shit we can do out here. The place is a total loss. I’ll get with the marshals and see if they can give us the time of the explosion, and we’ll document that for the time of death, then go from there. We can pull teeth from the skulls to get dental identification from each victim. You don’t have to be here for that.”
The look on his face told me he wanted to fight on leaving, but he knew I was right. Dr. Massey still had a few good years ahead of him, but he was old as fuck. Not to mention, I wanted to take the lead on this masterpiece for a reason he would never know. I got a sense of pride when I was able to work the scenes for murders I’d committed.
