Rowan Reid.
“Imagine my surprise when the woman I was going to kill, was the sister of the man that robbed my father. Your brother had a very prominent future, but he also has a lot of demons.” He leaned back and pulled a blunt from behind his ear before he lit it. “His mom killed herself at an early age in his life, and he never recovered from it.” I flipped through various photos ofmy brother at bars and casinos, drinking and gambling his life away. “When the alcohol and women didn’t work, he chose to try something different—cocaine and pills. Abandoning his mental health, he coped in his own way. He not only hated himself, but you too.”
Picking up pictures from charity events and parties, I saw that everyone around was smiling and having a good time, except my brother. He would shoot daggers at me, eyeing me with more disgust and hatred than I’d ever seen.
“The happier and more successful you became, the deeper he spiraled. It wasn’t your fault, but he refused to believe that. You were the reason he drank. You were the reason he gambled. You were the reason he lost it all.”
“Stop!” I stood and shouted, throwing the photos to the floor. “I love my brother, and I would have given him anything!” I shook as the tears ran down my face. “I know Rowan loves me! He just needs his meds and?—”
“He got in over his head with Damien and was propositioned.” JJ leaned forward, grabbed the remote from the table and turned the television on. “Look for yourself and tell me how much you mattered.”
On the screen, in plain sight, was Rowan sitting at the bar with the very man he had sold me to. I watched a compilation of videos from a gambling house and his office where the two men discussed his debt and the potential payment to clear it.
“I don’t give a fuck what you do with the bitch. I just want the money and drugs.”
Sliding back down onto the couch, my heart broke into pieces as I listened to the harsh words spew from my brother’s lips. He hated me. He wished death on me. I was nothing to him.
“Last but not least, my dear old cousin.”
Detective Tyreek Hines, Jr.
“While I feel like the reasons for his future demise are insignificant…” JJ chuckled humorlessly as he picked up the final folder. “It’s only right he gets his own presentation as well.” He dropped the folder into my lap, but I slung it on the floor without even looking at it.
“Well, damn,” Jamari sounded before biting into another chicken wing. “Sister Girl is maaad.”
“What if I don’t want you to kill them?” I crossed my arms and mugged JJ. “Then what? Why can’t you let the authorities do their jobs? Who the fuck areyouto decide who lives or dies?”
“Well, you’ve pissed her clean off,” Marshall said before chuckling from the other couch, causing me to snap my head over at him. “My bad, shorty, but to answer your question, they stole from me as well, baby girl. Those niggas are dead regardless.”
“So what?” I stood from my seat and paced the floor. “You’re just going to kill people who piss you off?”
“Yes,” JJ answered immediately, exhaling smoke. “You have to understand?—”
“I don’t have to understand shit!” I screamed, surprising us all. “All my life, I’ve done what everyone wanted me to do! I acted the way they wanted me to act! I’ve given everything I have to everyone around me, and I’ve been shitted on in return!” I chuckled, throwing my head back as the tears flowed. “My parents have me placed on this imaginary pedestal, and if I breathe wrong, it’ll be political suicide. My brother pretty much sold me to traffickers. My ex-fiancé is a murderer.” I picked up one of the photos at my feet, ripping it to shreds. “A womanizing abuser…” I picked up the various photographs with him, Lisa, and God knows who else, and began ripping them all apart. “Then, there’s you.” I dragged my eyes back to JJ as he eyed me. “You’re the worst of them all.”
“Be careful, Bloss Baby.” He pulled hard from the blunt, knee bouncing as his fingers twitched. “Don’t say some shit you don’t mean.”
“What are you going to do?Kill me?” I stumbled on my feet, ignoring the wave of nausea that was threatening to take over. “You’re the most dangerous of them all. You invaded my privacy and hunted me as if I were nothing but a dumb animal!” Rearing my head back, I was overcome with laughter. “You showed me something I’ve never seen! You gave me a feeling that I’ve never felt, and you made me love you!”
Ding! Dong!
Ignoring his doorbell, he stood from his seat and took slow steps toward me. His glare was menacing, but I was no longer scared of what could happen. I was sick and tired of all these niggas!
“You made me fall in love with a fuckin’ devil! I hate you, Jaseon Jr!”
“Slash!” Marshall jumped from the couch and bear-hugged him as he reached out to grab me. “Don’t touch that girl!”
Sidestepping them, I ran to the door, snatching it open. On the other side was a smiling Stacy. Seeing me hysterical, her smile dropped in an instant.
“Friend, what’s wrong?” She looked me over before peeking inside the house. “Who is that fine nigga holding JJ, and why does he look like a raging pit bull?”
“Get me the fuck out of here!” I broke down and cried. I was on the verge of having a panic attack, and I needed to leave. “Please, friend.”
Without a word, we ignored the obscenities JJ spewed at his people to let him go as the furniture inside his house began to move and break. Making my way to Stacy’s car, my vision was completely blinded by tears as we hopped in and drove away. As we made it down the driveway, I glanced out of my rearviewmirror and locked eyes with a belligerent JJ. His wife beater was torn as he heaved on his porch.
“Blossom, what the hell happened?”
Glancing over at my friend, I took note of her worried expression.
