Page 47 of Mia

“So, uh… you think things have settled down enough to talk to Mia.”

“I don’t know, man. We said a lot of shit. Then she went in on her brothers when I left. Deuce said she basically called them out. I think it’s best if I keep my distance for now.”

“You think she’s gonna go through with the divorce?”

“Fuck a divorce. I told her she’s mine for life and I meant that shit. She’ll have to kill me first.”

He shook his head. “I hate y’all are going through this, T.”

“You and me both.” I tossed back the covers and stood to my feet. “You mind putting me a plate up? I wanna go spend some time with my baby.”

“I got you.”

As I went to walk past him to go to the bathroom, he extended a hand. When I dapped him, he pulled me into a brotherly hug.

“You’re gonna get through this, T. When you’re ready to head back over there and handle this shit, I got you.”

“Nah, Q. You have a baby on the way. I can’t have you anywhere near this shit.”

“Me and Jaeda already talked about it. If she wasn’t pregnant, she’d be right with me. One of us has to be a part of this. That was our niece. We’ll avenge her together.”

I stared at him for a moment.

“You for real?”

“Dead ass. You know I've got you on the tech aspect. That’s a given. If I have to pull my gun, I got you on that too. I know I don’t get in the field, but about my niece’s honor, we can fuck the city up.”

I slapped his hand and pulled him in for another hug.

“My nigga…”

“For life.”

Quaid was one of the realest niggas in my life. While he preferred to be incognito, he wasn’t afraid to get in the paint if he had to. They underestimated my boy, but there was nothing pussy about him. If I took him with me, I had to make sure he made it home, even if I didn’t.

Quaid and I parted ways, and I headed to the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. By the time I got ready to leave, I could hear the constant clicking of keyboards coming from Quaid and Jaeda’s office. They were in their element, so I was leaving just in time. Grabbing my keys, I left the house and hopped in my car.

The drive up to the mausoleum only took about two minutes. When I got there, I saw Steel sitting with KJ in front of Donna’s crypt. Getting out of my car, I headed over and took a seat beside them.

“Sup?” I said, slapping his hand.

“Hey, man.”

“Hey lil’ dude,” I spoke to KJ.

He grinned and waved at me. “Hey!”

Playfully, I jabbed his belly, making him laugh and try to hit me back.

“You wanna fight?” I asked, scooping him up.

He was all smiles and squeals as I tossed him in the air.

“When he throws up on your ass, I don’t wanna hear shit,” Steel warned.

“Won’t be the first time.”

I stopped tossing him, and he immediately went for my locs, rolling them between his fat little fingers. Usually, I kept my locs up or braided back. Any time I wore them down around the kids, they all wanted to play in my shit, and I’d let them. Juri, in particular, loved to put her damn bows all over my head and yell at me when I tried to take them out. My center console was filled with bows and barrettes I had to return to her mama.