I respected and looked up to my brother more than anything, but I also knew his plate was full right now. I was gone take a lil off his hands for him.
I drove toward the address Mars was sending me, my jaw clenched, my whole body vibrating with that energy that came right before something dark happened. The kind of energy that made men do things they couldn't take back.
Kaseem was playing chess.
I was about to play something much more dangerous.
—
I was parked on the side of a warehouse in Deep Ellum waiting on Mars. The address he'd sent me was in a quiet part of the warehouse district - the kind of spot where you could handle business without too many eyes on you. I wondered what the fuck Demon’s family would be doing out here, but I was on a mission. I had Mars's number pulled up, ready to call him if he took too long.
My hands were shaking. Not from fear. From adrenaline. From the need to move and handle this shit in a timely manner. From the fact that I was about to do something that would make Brick Boyz understand that you don't fuck with my family and come out on the winning end.
A black Escalade pulled up in front of the warehouse. Windows tinted dark. I recognized it immediately even before the door opened.
That was Kaseem's truck.
My stomach dropped and I threw my head back against my headrest.
He stepped out wearing all black. He had on black jeans, black hoodie, black boots. No jewelry. No flash. Just pure business. He walked toward my car like he owned the whole block, and Iknew right then that Mars had set me up. This nigga knew that I wanted Demon so damn bad that I was willing to risk it all just to touch him.
I got out of the car before he could get to me.
"What the fuck is you doing?" Kaseem asked, his voice steady and cold. He wasn't yelling. That was worse than yelling. "And don't even think about lying to me right now."
"I'm handling something that I ain’t want to worry you with," I said, but even I could hear how weak that sounded.
"Nah," he said, stepping into my space. "You moving reckless behind my back while I'm trying to fix this shit the right way. And that's exactly the type of impulsive ass move that's gonna get us all locked up."
I wanted to argue. Wanted to tell him that I was just trying to do my part. But the way he was looking at me - like he was disappointed but not surprised - made me shut my mouth.
"I had to leave my wife," he said, and that hit different. "I had to leave my honeymoon to come check on my brother because you can't think for five minutes before you move. You understand what I'm saying to you?"
I did understand. But I didn't want to hear that shit right now.
"It's already handled," Kaseem continued. "Zaire's coming home. I got a play that's gonna work. But if you out here moving reckless, killing niggas in the open, bringing attention to the family - how the fuck you think that looks? You can’t do shit like that when you know Zaire freedom is the main priority and no other attention needs to be on this family right now while I’mdealing with the DA and having sit downs with judges on our brother behalf.”
He stepped closer.
"While I'm setting up a meeting with a judge trying to get Zaire out, you out here doing some hot-headed ass shit that brings the feds down on all of us? You think that helps Zaire? You think that helps the family? I know if you would have found that nigga, you would have killed him without thinking first and that would have added more to what we have going on. You wouldn’t have cared about witnesses or none of that cause you ain’t thinking straight! That would have made Zaire look bad because of his family actions then I’d be out here trying to make shit happen for the both of you.”
I could feel my jaw tightening.
"Every move you make, somebody watching," Kaseem said. “And right now, they all waiting to see if the Carters slip up. They waiting to see if we move sloppy. And you about to give them exactly what they looking for."
He let that sit for a moment.
"When was the last time I didn't handle my business?" he asked me. Not angry. Just asking. "When was a time that you called me and I said I couldn't fix it? When? When is a time that I ain’t slump a nigga for crossing us? It’s all about timing right now Namier! You think I ain’t pissed off? I just know better than that back and forth shit at a time like this. What that nigga said to you on that call? Checkmate, huh? Well when I come for that nigga this time, the whole game is over and you know that!” Kaseem barked.
I didn't answer because we both knew the answer. Never had there been a time that my brother let me down. Kaseem had always been solid. Always came through and always made an example out of niggas.
"Exactly," he said. "So why you out here trying to do my job for me? Why you can't just trust that your big brother got this handled?"
I wanted to tell him it was about more than just Zaire. It was about proving something. About showing that I could move on my own for my family. About the rage eating me alive knowing that nigga was still breathing.
But I didn't say none of that. I just stood there quiet, letting this nigga say what he had to say.
"Mars wasn't snitching on you either," Kaseem said, reading my mind. "He was doing what a real soldier does - keeping me informed so I know what's happening with my family. That's loyalty and love. What you doing out here is just rage, and rage will have niggas dead or locked up."
