“You’re Mister Morris.”
His whole torso shot straight, and his face closed down.
I didn’t care.
I kept at him.
“I know you think you let him down.I know that’s what’seating at you.That’s the baggage you refuse to let go.I also know I didn’tknow him near as long as you did.I still know you’re wrong.He’d be proud ofyou.”
“Careful, Malia,” he whispered.
“He would,” I pressed.“And he’s all over you.You rakingleaves and bringing in the groceries and paying the bills and opening the winebefore I get home so it can breathe.Also you taking care of your mother andsisters, your woman and your son, tearing strips off your soul so we wouldn’tdo without.Putting yourself out there to work with your brothers, taking theirwomen’s backs.That’s Mister Morris, Darius.That’syou.”
He started to get off the stool.
I moved to get in his way and keep him where he was, andthankfully, succeeded.
“When your mom hugged you, you should have seen the lovethat washed over her face.That’s because you’re hers.And that’s becauseyou’re what she has left ofhim.”
“Quiet, woman,” he growled.
I didn’t get quiet.
I put my hands on either side of his neck and kept going.
“I honestly don’t care if you don’t believe me.I have whatMister Morris left for me.Liam has you teaching him the lessons Mister Morristaught you.I’mallgood.And to answer your question, no.I did notthink you’d whack Michael.Did I think you’d be pissed?Yes.Did I think you’dhunt him down and shoot him?No.”I flipped out a hand then put it right backto his warm skin.“Maybe rough him up a little.But that’s all.”
“Michael got tagged trying to sell a crate of AKs.At thattime, he also had a key of coke and five pounds of pot.And this was when potwas illegal.The dumb fuck resisted arrest and broke the nose of a policeofficer.He’s been in prison the last five years.He tried to play the big manwhen he got there, ran up against the wrong guy, and now he’s thebuttboyfor a brick shithouse named Onyx.There’s no doubthe’s the one who told, but he’s broken.He’s learned his lesson.When he getsout, he wouldn’t mess with me, or Lee, if his life depended on it.Because heknows if he did, me, Lee, Eddie and a dozen other men would stop at nothing togive him right back to Onyx, who’s serving life without parole, and reportedly,he really likes his bitch.”
I winced, because…yikes.
I wasn’t a fan of Michael’s, but that was harsh.
Darius kept talking.
“And how I knew you knew about Michael is that Kenneth’ssister is running with the wrong crowd.He’s worried, Lena’s worried, and shecame to the offices today to ask me and Lee if we could intervene.And she letit slip, thinking you’d already told me.I didn’t disabuse her of thatthought.”
I stepped back.Miffed.
“Why didn’t she tell me?”
“You’re missing the point here, Malia.”
“No,” I said sharply.“I didn’t tell her we were togetherfor years, and she was mad at me.She didn’t tell me about you and Liam, and Iwas mad at her.I thought we got beyond these lies.”
“None of you have accepted Kenneth.I can’t speak for her,but if I had to guess, she doesn’t want to give you more ammunition for keepinghim out of the pack.”
“I like Kenneth!”I exclaimed.
“You think he’s touched.”
“I still like him.”
He dropped his head back and whispered, “Jesus Christ,” tothe ceiling.
“Darius,” I called.
He looked at me.
