“What y’all doing in here?” he asked, scaring them both.
“Dad!” Kenji hurried over, and Noble picked him up. He kissed his cheek then lowered him to the floor.
Noble then made his way to his Pumpkin and swaddled her in his arms.
“I missed you,” she cooed in his ear.
He found her lips and kissed them. “I missed you, too. You been taking it easy?”
She nodded as he palmed her belly. “Yeah, I didn’t do too much today. Just sent some emails and helped Kenji with his science project. How are you?”
“Cool.”
She pursed her lips, making him chuckle. “Papa, you don't look cool. You actually look annoyed.”
“Dad, Irish made macaroni,” Kenji chirped, interrupting them.
“I didn’t know that was his favorite food until he told me.” She smirked. “But I also made some baked chicken, broccoli, and rolls. Are you hungry?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, I’m going to make you a plate. Are you ready to eat, Kenji?”
“Yep!” He jumped.
“Okay, come on.” Irish grabbed his hand, and they walked toward the kitchen. Noble was grateful for moments like this. Coming home to the love of his life and his son made him feel wealthy. Most men didn’t have this with their family and Noble had that and then some.
Although frustrated, he pushed his woes to the side so he could enjoy time with his family. Still, he had to make a decision regarding Vic and Nuke. They couldn’t be trusted. A possible elimination was on the docket and that reality pained him.
Tuck entered the visitation room; his gaze scanned the area before he found his visitor. On the way to the table, he spotted Champ engaging in an intense conversation with his lady. Tuck sat at the table and slouched into his seat. He stared at the person across from him while trying to fight the urge to crash out.
“I really wanna snap your neck,” he stated in a low tone.
“For what?” Daysha asked, feigning innocence.
When she and Noble divorced almost four years ago, she sought family who would help her save her marriage. She went through everyone, including his Aunt Lyra, Kaliste, and Nuke. When they failed to advocate for her, she found Tuck. During that time, he was the reigning king of TLM. When Daysha came to him expressing her pain, he turned her away but she pleaded for him to hear her out.
Daysha was broken when Noble requested a divorce. She felt as if her life had been snatched from her without a proper notice. Tuck didn’t really give a fuck about her pain but he listened because she didn’t have anyone to vent to. After a while of talking, it became routine for them to have conversations. Daysha had gained his trust and he had done the same for her. She spoke about life after Noble and he would discuss his alternative lifestyle with her. She never judged him and he appreciated the fidelity.
When Tuck got locked up, he continued his conversations with Daysha. She had become a confidant and talked him off the ledge a couple times. Their relationship wasn’t sexual but they did have a bond. No one knew of their friendship, not even Jovanis. When Tuck got exposed, Daysha allowed him to express his disappointment and cry. She vowed that if he ever needed her, she would be present. When the opportunity came for Tuck to have Jovanis taken out, she offered to do it. Initially, Tuck declined because he assumed Noble would come through for him.
When his own cousin was adamant about not having his back, Tuck was enraged. After asking Nuke and Jakai, they both declined. It was then when he took Daysha up on her offer. She was an unlikely candidate and no one would have suspected her being the person behind the gun. She was no killer but insisted that she knew how to shoot due to her numerous trips to the gun range. Tuck was stunned when she pulled it off. However, he wasn’t happy about her leaving a witness behind.
“You ain't been on your shit,” he responded lowly. “Why the fuck I haven’t received news about Noble being…” He looked around. “Gone.”
“I tried.” She kept her voice above a whisper. “I went and picked up the car that was at Hallie’s shop like you told me to.I’d been following him that entire week and when he was at the warehouse, I thought that was the perfect opportunity to make my move.” She swallowed hard. “I did exactly what you said but he ducked when I shot at him.”
“If you would’ve—” Tuck cut his words short so he wouldn’t cause a scene. “Daysha, that nigga gotta go.”
“Bitch, don't you think I know that?” she fussed. “It’s been hard getting next to him. On top of that, he’s been holding Kenji hostage. I haven’t seen my son in three weeks.”
Tuck’s pinched brows unveiled his confusion. “Why is he keeping Kenji from you?”
“Because he’s paranoid. He offered to move us to his condo just for protection but I declined at first.”
His eyes bucked. “Why you ain't do that?”
Daysha held her hand up. “Calm down. Initially, I said no because I wanted him to tell me more information on why he wanted us there. But you know Noble’s secretive ass.” Her eyes rolled. “He didn’t go into detail. So, I told him I’m willing to go now. I’m just waiting on him to give me an answer.”
