Page 129 of 4 Corinthians

We drove through the city, bobbing our heads to music and enjoying the peacefulness of the ride. It took me thirty minutes to drive to our destination. When we got there, I pulled up to the gate, entered the code, and drove towards the house.

“What’s this Four?” Judah asked from the backseat. I parked, then looked in the rearview mirror. He was looking around, trying to figure out where we were.

I got out of the car, opened his door, and waited for him to get out. Once he did, I closed the door and took his hand. “This is what I wanted to show you,” I told him as he walked up the steps. “It doesn’t look like it now, but it’s going to be our home.”

“Ours?” he asked, and I nodded. “We’re going to live here?”

“Yeah,” I answered. I scanned my thumb, and the doors unlocked. I opened the door, and we walked in. “It’s still in the process of being built, but it’s almost done.”

“Does mama know?”

“Nah, not yet,” I replied. “I want to keep this between us for a little while. Can you do that? I want to surprise your mama when it's done.”

“I can do that,” he said, nodding. “I’m good at keeping secrets.”

“Oh yeah?” I showed him the living room, kitchen, and dining room. The house was damn near done. The contractor was waiting on city approval for some last-minute changes. “What kind of secrets do you keep?”

“They wouldn’t be secrets if I told you,” he laughed.

“You're right,” I agreed. We walked up the steps, and I showed him the bedrooms, bathroom, and office. There was more than enough room for Judah, his friends, and Deuce to get lost in. Plus, if Cori was open to it, we could add to our family. The thought of her carrying my child made my heart slam against my chest. I had already treated Judah as my own, but I wanted to experience pregnancy with her. I wanted to see her stomach grow as a testament to our love. But if she didn’t, I was good with that too. I would spend the rest of my life spoiling her and guiding Judah into becoming a good man. “I got another secret though. You want to hear it?”

“What is it?” We walked through the backyard, and I could see Judah’s wheels spinning. I knew Cori would never allow a pool, but he was definitely getting a basketball court.

“I got a brother,” I told him. “He’s older than me.”

“I thought it was just you and the other Numbers,” he said, and I shook my head. “There’s more?”

“A couple,” I laughed. “You already know, Zero, One, Six and Nine. But it's two more. My brother Trey, and then there’s Eight.”

“Who’s Eight?”

“Nine’s brother.”

“Deuce has an uncle?” he asked, and I nodded. “He never told me that.”

“He doesn’t know,” I told him. We walked back into the house and to the front door.

“Why not? Does Nine know he’s his brother?”

“Yeah, he knows, but we have to keep a secret.” We walked out of the house and to the car. “You might end up hearing some stuff about Eight and Trey, but I want you to hear from me first, okay?”

“Okay.” We sat on the steps. Judah was next to me. The house was far from the main road, and because the driveway was so long, I wasn’t worried about anyone sneaking up on us.

“Trey and Eight are safe,” I told him. “If anything was to ever happen to me, you call Trey. He will stop whatever he’s doing and come, no matter what.”

“I don’t have his number,” he said, looking at me.

“Here, give me your thumb.” I took my phone from my pocket and then scanned Judah’s thumbprint. “Now you can get into my phone.” I put my phone back in my pocket.

“So call your brother if something happens?” he asked, and I nodded. “Why don’t you talk to him? Why does everybody think he’s a bad guy?”

“Because Trey and Eight are doing me a favor and something happened. They did what they thought was right, and because of that everyone thinks they turned their backs on us.”

“But they didn’t?” he asked, and I shook my head. “Even though they did something wrong?”

“Sometimes you have to do the wrong thing for the right reasons, kid,” I told him. “I know this is a lot to take in. I swear I’m not trying to confuse you, but I wanted you to know.” I pulled him to me and kissed the top of his head.

“If something happens to you, call Trey, and he will come, no matter what,” he said, nodding. “I can do that.”