Roderick held her gaze for a moment before answering. “The state maintains that the material provided is complete.”
The judge studied him for a long second, like she understood how stupid the state sounded.
Then she spoke. “The defense’s request is reasonable.”
Roderick’s jaw tightened. He ain’t like that shit at all, and you could see it in his face even though he tried to hide it.
My lawyer stayed calm but I could see the satisfaction in his eyes.
“This case will proceed to trial once discovery is complete,” the judge added. “A new date will be scheduled.”
She tapped the gavel. “This hearing is concluded.”
Kade leaned toward me. “That could’ve gone a lot worse,” he said under his breath.
I gave a small nod while I looked across the room at Roderick.
That nigga knew exactly what he was doing with that footage, and the way Kade had just pressed him in front of everybody had me feelin’ like a proud man.
Behind me, my people started standin’ up, and when I turned, Toni was already reachin’ for my hand. I laced my fingers with hers while we walked toward the doors with the rest of my family around us.
The hallway outside the courtroom felt tense as hell ‘cause everybody knew both families was about to cross paths.
We stepped toward the elevators, and I could already feel somebody starin’ at the back of my head before I even heard her voice.
“You think this is funny?” A woman’s voice cut through the hallway sharp enough to make people stop walkin’.
I turned and saw her stormin’ toward us with rage written all over her face. I had seen her sittin’ on the Lennox side inside the courtroom, so I already knew who she had to be. She was most likely that nigga Roderick’s wife. And right behind her was the nigga who had been runnin’ his fuckin’ mouth online like the internet was gon’ protect him. He was lucky I was tryna keep shit cool, ‘cause if a nigga wasn’t facin’ trial, I would’ve clapped his ass by now.
She stopped right in front of me and jabbed a finger toward my chest. “You murdered my sons!” she shouted, her voice shakin’. “I hope you rot in hell.”
Toni smacked her lips beside me. “Lady,” she said real flat, “if you don’t get the fuck on.”
The lady’s face twisted with anger, and she lifted her hand like she was about to swing on me.
I caught her wrist before it landed. Say! You better chill,” I told her.
But before I could even finish sayin’ anything else, my mama moved. She stepped forward and slapped the shit out that bitchso hard the sound cracked through the hallway. “Bitch, how dare you!”
The lady stumbled back and swung at her, and the next thing I knew both of ‘em was grabbin’ at each other while people around us started shoutin’.
“Treasure!” my pops barked.
Uncle Kojo rushed forward with him and grabbed my mama around the arms, pullin’ her back while the woman staggered, tryna fix her hair. That’s when that nigga tried to step in.
Pressure ain’t even give his ass the chance. He stepped forward and punched that nigga so clean it looked effortless. Dude dropped to the floor before he even knew what happened. Renza walked up and kicked him right in the face while he was laid out.
“Bitch ass nigga,” he muttered.
I stood over that nigga with a proud look on my face ‘cause that shit felt good to see. I ain’t even gon’ lie. It took everything in me not to stomp this nigga teeth out while he was down there blinkin’ at the ceilin’ like he forgot where he was at. My jaw was tight and my blood was pumpin’, but I ain’t move, ‘cause I ain’t have to.
I ain’t even have to lift a finger ‘cause my cousins was already handlin’ it. Pressure moved without thinkin’, and Renza followed through like it was instinct. They just moved like they always do.
Toni’s fingers tightened around mine, her grip strong as hell like she already knew what was runnin’ through my head. She was pullin’ me back without sayin’ a word, tryna keep me planted where I was at. She knew me, and she knew when that switch started flickin’ on behind my eyes.
I squeezed her hand back just enough to let her know I wasn’t about to crash out in the hallway, but I kept starin’ down at thatnigga on the floor with his chest risin’ slow, and his face already swellin’.
It would’ve been too easy, but it felt better knowin’ I ain’t even have to get my hands dirty right now. My people had me the minute this bitch tried to slap me, and that shit made me smirk.
