Page 97

“What did I do?” he asked.

There was a genuine fear behind his eyes. The same fear he inflicted on Keenan, Melody and baby Golden.

“Damn, you scared?” I asked, taunting him.

“The fuck is this about? I do good work for you. What are you doing? Y’all niggas don’t have no respect for the game. No loyalty. I knew I shouldn’t have worked for you. I ain’t do shit. Is this to get out of paying me?!” He ran his mouth.

“This is about Melody. Keenan. And Golden.”

Roman went still.

It was brief, but I saw it.

“What about them?”

“What you did to her. What you’re still doing to your son.”

He looked from me to Quest, then back.

“You been talking to my ex-wife?” he questioned.

“Something like that.”

“That explains it,” he replied, relaxing in relief. I wasn’t sure why that relieved him. He should’ve been more afraid.

“You let that bitch get in your head. I told you about her. You know what happened to my daughter.”

I went apeshit at him calling Melody a bitch. Blow after blow after blow landed on his face and chest. It took all my boys to pull me off of him. The three of them restrained me.

“Chill… You savin’ him for Mel, remember?” Bryce was the voice of reason.

“Yeah,” I nodded. Sweat beaded across my forehead. My breathing had intensified. I could’ve beaten him to death, but I wanted him to look her in the eyes when she decided his fate. It was the most I could do for her after throwing her out of my house.

Roman coughed up blood. Gone was the dapper facade of a boss. All that was left was a little bloody bitch.

“You must be fuckin’ her,” he said between gurgles.

I ignored him and turned to my brothers. “Look, I gotta go home and prepare for this trip tomorrow. Keep an eye on him. Feed him, give him a little water. I want him to be alert when she gets here.”

“Bet.” Prime dapped me.

“She’s a liar! She got that little girl killed because she didn’t lock her gun up! Don’t leave me like this!” Roman started to beg.

“Bryce, you did a good job tonight. And you’ve been holdin’ it down at the casino. Prime and Quest, I know y’all got families to go home to, but I need y’all to take turns keepin’ an eye on him. There’s more of that sedative too,” I instructed.

“Your trip is only for the day?” Quest asked.

“Yeah, just dropping Dream off and I’ll be home that night.”

“My family knows I’m supposed to be home tonight,” Roman interrupted.

I put my hands in my jacket pockets. “Well, I think that’s it. I’ll be in contact,” I replied to my brothers.

“They’re going to be looking for me,” he continued. “You think you can just make me disappear?”

I watched him.

“You know who my family is. They will fucking kill you.”