Noble grabbed his keys and walked out the house. The ride home was a weary one. Kenji rested heavily on his mind. His son would no longer have his mother and it pained him. Noble hated to be put in the situation to choose himself over his child’s happiness but he couldn’t leave his family. Eventually, Daysha’s resentment for Noble would have rubbed off on his son. Kenji was better off with Noble than her. She hadn’t considered their son once. Trying to cape for Tuck had gotten her killed and he didn’t have a drop of guilt for it—only remorse for his child.
It was late when Noble arrived home. Ascending the stairs, he checked on Kenji, who was knocked out in his room. Noble adjusted his blanket and kissed him on the cheek. Leaving out, he headed for his bedroom.
Irish laid in bed, watching TV when he walked in. “Hey, Papa. Did you know you left both of your phones at home?”
He eyed them on his nightstand. “No, I forgot them.”
Noble would never forget his phones but she didn’t need to know that.
“You, okay?”
“Give me a minute.”
Noble excused himself and took a shower. He couldn’t get in his bed without rinsing off the stains of his murderous decision. Life as a man was complicated at times. Choices needed to be made and sometimes, they were the kind that involved loved ones being hurt. Noble looked down at his fingers. There was so much blood on his hands but none were of significance.
After showering, he put on some boxers and crawled in bed. “I need to talk to you.”
“Uh, oh, what happened?” she asked, pausing her show.
Licking his lips, he gazed at her in deep thought. “This is a big ask of you but… I need you to help me raise Kenji.”
Bobbing her head right away, Irish said, “Of course, I will.”
“But I need you to love him like he’s yours and give him the maternal comfort that all kids need—permanently.”
Irish soundlessly gaped at him while Noble waited for her response. He was certain she had questions but he wouldn’t be able to answer them now. Tonight, he needed a moment to digest Kenji’s new normal. Noble had to make a plan to ensure that his son’s emotional needs would be met once he learned of his mother’s death.
“Is this a don’t ask situation?”
Noble tipped his head.
“Okay.” She swallowed hard. “I’ll be here for him and you. You know that.”
Noble didn’t speak another word. He pulled Irish on his chest and silently made peace with what he had done.
It was either her or me… I chose me.
Tuck took the sheets out of the washer and transferred them to the dryer. This was his least favorite job to do. Washing grown men’s sheets was fucking disgusting to him. He hated the thought of touching bodily fluids with his bare hands.
“Hate this shit,” he complained.
Wiping sweat from his forehead, he looked around to ensure he was alone before checking his burner phone. Daysha had yet to call him back. He had been sweating her since last night to no avail. Tuck tried remaining positive and even sent one of his jits over to her house to check on her. When he was informed there was no answer, he got worried.
Did Daysha go tell Noble about his plans to take him out? She had been trustworthy but he knew how weak she was for Noble. Yes, she declared her abhorrence for him but there was still love there. She hadn’t moved on and dwelled too much on their divorce. It was obvious he still had a hold on her.
“What’s up, cuh?” Champ asked, joining him in the laundry room.
“Shit.” Tuck slid his phone back inside the band of his boxers. “What’s up with you?”
Shrugging one shoulder, Champ told him, “Not much. I got that foreclosure situation squared away. Now my girl can relax knowing they won’t take the house. She’ll be straight for a while.”
Tuck’s brows furrowed. “How the hell you make that happen?”
“Well, I had some people who fuck with me. They looked out for a nigga and came through when I needed it.”
“Hmmph,” he snorted, picking up dirty sheets and pushing them into the washer. “That’s what’s up, bruh. I know that money shit be weighing heavy on some niggas.”
“Tell me about it,” Champ expressed.
