“Dar, you know I’m sorry about what’s gone down with Amelia, it’s some messed up shit.” He looks down at the fresh patch of dirt. “There won’t be any problems.”
The three of us climb in the car and we drive in silence. Some might say the world would be a better place without the likes of me but in my world, shit is flipped and to me, the world’s a better place without the likes of Clare Burley. Repositioning the rearview mirror, I watch Tariq in the back. Silent tears stain his cheeks.
“I knew she was trouble, but I liked that shit. She liked me, no one’s liked me like her before.”
“There’re other bitches,” Jermaine pitches in.
I don’t think it’ll help but I find this shit amusing. A sniffle comes from the back and while I choose to ignore it, it gets Jermaine’s back up.
“Shut the fuck up, she was a coke head who fucked your dick, bitches like her are everywhere,” he snaps, pulling up in front of the house.
“She was more than that,” Tariq argues.
“And now she’s dead, and we’re forgetting about her.”
Getting out of the car, Tariq kicks the gate open and storms into the house.
“He’s going to be a problem.”
“Let’s hope he surprises us.”
Like fuck am I going to let any comebacks hit us. Clare has already messed up Amelia’s life and in turn, my daughter’s. She isn’t going to fuck us from the grave.
34
Amelia
I’m taken to the visiting room and my heart rate spikes expecting to see my dad. It plummets when I see Darius.
I sit and keep my mouth firmly shut. We sit in silence for a few minutes, but I hold his gaze, never once wavering or looking away.
“Do you remember the night of your graduation when the house got shot at?” I nod and he continues. “You accused me of not caring about you. I told you I was ride or die for my crew, but you were a part of that too. I was terrified you’d get hurt. I’d never, ever, felt fear like it. All I wanted was to take out any and every threat to you.” Hearing this stuns me. He has never said it before. “I kept you away to keep you safe.” He turns angry. “And yet you’re here any-fucking-way. In here because of my world and your shitty friend.”
“She’s no friend of mine anymore.”
“She’s nothing to no one anymore.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“She not only put the blame on you, she ratted on you. Rats don’t live long in my world.”
“What did you do to her?”
“I did what I had to do.”
That all he says on the matter and as usual I’m expected to coast along listening to what he has to say.
“How are you getting on in here? Any trouble?” he asks, completely changing the conversation.
“No.”
There’s no point telling him about the drama after dinner the other night. It wouldn’t surprise me if he even knew already.
“How’s Elsa?”
“You’d know yourself if you let me bring her.”
I look away from him.
