“My parents weren’t broke. I mean, we got by, and they were getting into the business of flipping property so there was money put up, but it was for bills. Chantel, being the adult… she didn’t care. She blew through that shit, barely spending a dime on me or Ayla.”
Inari polished off the rest of her drink and reached for the decanter to pour another. “Then, she moved her boyfriend in. Leron. I didn’t like him. Chantel was in her forties, and Leron was twenty-eight. He partied, popped pills, and sipped lean. If you offered it to him, he’d try anything.” Inari moved past Elan and sat on Moose’s soft velvet sofa. “Back then, I would run the streets with Danilo. I watched how he sold his dope and worked at the trap, which left Ayla at home sometimes. I was doing itfor the money. I told myself that.” Face flushed, wounded cries threatened to spill out of her as she thought about it.
She’d been holding onto this guilt for so long it smothered her. Her tears blinded her as she tossed back another shot. Moose moved closer, taking a seat on his marble top coffee table.
“I always told my parents I would look out for her if anything ever happened to them. They made me promise. So, I thought at least if I could provide and get us enough money, we could figure it out.” Tears spilled down her cheeks, and she doubled over and wept.
Leaning forward, Moose reached out and stroked her back, letting her get it all out. Eventually, no sound came from her as she rocked and kept her eyes shut tight.
“When I got home that night…” She sat up, eyes swollen and red as she looked off into nothing. “I knew something was wrong. I felt it. The house was a mess. Most of Chantel’s shit was gone. When I got to Ayla’s room and she… he…” Inari’s face crumpled in pain, and she expelled a wounded sob. “Her pants were down. She had a busted lip, a black eye, and a knot on her head. I knew. I knew what happened.” Inari’s gaze slowly drifted to Moose. “Ayla was there. On the ground, her back against the wall like she’d been fighting for her life. She was only ten years old.” She swiped a hand down her face and wiped under her nose. “But Leron was on the ground. There was blood under his head, and my mama’s favorite lamp was shattered on the ground next to him. She fought back.” That made Inari smile before she sniffled and swallowed the rest of her drink.
Empathy crowded Moose’s face. All he wanted to do was remove any pain, but she had to walk through it. Again. He could tell she hadn’t spoken on this since it happened. Instead, it’d been locked away somewhere inside her until this very moment.
“When she woke up, she didn’t remember anything. I told her I did it. Danilo and Mira helped me with the body. WhenLeron came up missing, it brought Tulla and some other cops to our door. She swore up and down to anyone who would listen that we did something to him, but she couldn’t prove it. Leron was a junkie, and everyone knew he would do anything for a dollar. Eventually, they found him, or what was left, but nothing tied him back to us. Case went cold.”
“Damn.” Moose had heard a lot of shit, but listening to Inari describe what happened only made him admire her and Ayla that much more.
“For years after Danilo went to prison, I was under Mira’s thumb. I moved weight, and I’m not talking about ounces. I flew birds and made a lot of money until I told her I was done. That was years ago. When Danilo came home, he asked me to partner up with him again. I told him no. Mira doesn’t like to hear no. She sent me pictures of Leron and threatened to send them to Tulla as a reminder. So, that’s why I ended things with us. I had to.”
Moose both understood and respected it. Nodding, he allowed the wheels to turn in his head. One thing about him and his brothers, if they had a problem, they would find a way to solve it. Even if it was unorthodox or required extra effort. They already had enough enemies, what were a few more? Their camp was still on high alert since there had been no clap back regarding what happened to Fire and Donahue. Now it was more of a waiting game.
“I can’t believe I just told you all that.”
“You told me because you can.” Moose reached under him for his hash stash box and popped the lid.
The pungent smell of za filled the space. He had every type of glue, cake, and some more shit tucked away along with blunts, cones, and rolling papers. There was already a blunt rolled, so he grabbed it and brought it to his lips for a taste.
“I know that bitch Mira. She runs the hoes for Donahue. Been a top bitch for a long time around here.”
“Yeah, she knows you too. Her and Danilo basically told me to stay away.”
“Fuck them.” Moose blew smoke through his mouth and nose. “Tell me about your operation. I want to know when and where you make the drops to Mira too. Let’s start there.”
“Moose, we can’t just?—”
“Fuck that, Nari. They ain’t holding you hostage like some fucking mule, baby. You got a son out here that needs his mama to show up for him. High school graduation, basketball games, prom. They not taking you from him or those moments because you worked too damn hard to get him there.”
She didn’t know what it was, but in that moment, she believed Moose with her entire heart. It could be so easy for him to wash his hands of her and this situation and walk away, but he was standing ten toes down behind her instead. He wasn’t built like most of the men she encountered. These niggas were out here acting like the new pampered princesses. She used to cuss God out regularly for the kind of men she came across when she did try to date. These motherfuckers were out here calling themselves the prize, wanting to be courted, and acting like she was supposed to be their mama instead of their woman. It was why she went so hard on Dane and instilled the right shit in him. He wasn’t about to be no man sitting around, waiting on the girl he liked to come talk to him. She told him at an early age that if he wanted something to go after it.
“I don’t want to pull you into this,” she objected, pulling herself to her feet.
Moose dropped his blunt in his ashtray on the table and stood with her.
“You ain’t pulling me into shit. I’m doing this because I fuck witchu, and I’m not about to let nobody push you around because you were protecting your fucking family.”
“All these years.” Knots of panic gathered in her stomach. “I used to pray all the time that she never remembered. Ayla is tougher than she looks.”
“And she got a hell of a big sister.” Moose stepped closer, hand brushing against her cheek as he pulled her closer.
“I missed you.” Inari pressed her forehead against his.
“I missed you.” Moose’s lips lingered over hers, supple at first before a passionate kiss was exchanged.
Reaching for his black V-neck sweater, she pulled it over his head and admired his chiseled abs and body art. She’d missed looking at him. Hands sweeping over his skin, Inari bit her bottom lip when Moose reached for the button to her jeans. He picked her up with ease and carried her up to the third floor. He passed four separate doors until he reached one at the end of the hall and pushed it open. Inari’s tongue slid over his, and Moose carried her over to his floating king size bed. Underneath there were red LED lights that cast a warmth over his entire room. He dropped Inari on his bed and yanked at her pants until they were on the floor. Unzipping his own, he pushed them to his ankles and stepped out of them. Dick swinging, he climbed onto the bed and gripped each of her thighs.
Inari’s soft whimpers filled the room when Moose’s tongue latched onto her already glistening lips. His tongue swirled and flicked while he applied pressure that drove her into a frenzy as she clawed at the sheets trying to get away from him.
“Nah.” Moose took a breather. “Don’t run.”
