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Jaharee: He loves his auntie more. Just accept it.

Me: Bring my baby home before I call the police.

Jaharee: He’s staying tonight. It’s late

Me: No, he needs to come home

Jah: Mama already said yes

There was no need to even argue. That woman had lost her mind over that baby. So had Pops. When he found out it was a boy, he left us all in the doctor’s office and sat in the car and cried. When I had my son, the anger that Pops had for me changed into something neither of us could name. There were days when Pops looked at me, and I could tell he was remembering exactly what happened in my kitchen. Then my son would reach for him, and he found a way through another day around each other.

It was months after my son was born when he popped up at my house and admitted that he was wrong. That the streets had taken more than enough from him. Not having his sons had really aged him, and he hadn't been himself. I still didn't feel any regret for what I did. It was what Rah would've wanted. Shameek liked for months to everyone. He died the way he deserved.

Averie and I had bonded over grief. We both lost men who took Rah away from us. I was responsible for killing them both. We went on weekly lunch dates just to keep each other company. She invited me to Kaiden’s games now and kept my son when she was free to. We cried, hugged, and became sisters. Then there was Ryleigh; I still had my weekends with her. Raya was working, and so far, we hadn't gotten into another argument. She was nicer, and I was still trying to figure out how to take it. She was able to bring Ryleigh to the baby shower and family dinners with no smart remarks. I would say we were all doing well.

Lloyd and I were still friends. I wasn’t in the space to start any relationships any time soon, and he respected it. He loved my son just like he had his blood running through his veins. It was good to know that he would have a man in his life who had no connection to the streets. Lloyd and I still did business together and made a lot of things disappear. I still wasn’t sure what he and Pops talked about that night I killed Shameek. Whatever it was, nothing else was said about Q or Shameek. There was an article that came out about District 12, and shortly after, it was sold. I dissolved the distributions without Pop’s permission. It was for the real King’s legacy. Kaiden, Khari, Ryleigh, and my son. They deserved to grow up without anything hanging over their heads because of their dad’s last name. For so long, the King men thought legacy meant territory, money, and fear. The reign of the street Kings was over.

The End

PROLOGUE

RAHMELO KING

Royal Flush never really closed. It just slowed down making money. By three in the morning, the poker tables were empty. My dealers were counting chips, and my bartenders were wiping counters down. The jazz music played softly in the background as I made my final walk through.

“Night, Boss,” one of my dealers said.

“See you tomorrow, Rah,” another said.

Nobody called me Mr. King. I hated it. That was my father's name. I treated everyone like family, and that’s how I liked it. All I wanted to be called was Rah.

“Rah,” one of my dealers called me to the side.

“Wassup?”

“I’m short,” he said.

“How much you short?” I asked.

“Three hundred.”

“You stealing from me?”

“Hell nah, Rah! Lady hit for forty-five, and I fucked ‘round and counted wrong.”

I looked him dead in his eyes. “If I ever catch you stealing, I’ma bury you under this bitch. Learn from this.”

I peeled five hundred out of my pocket.

“Square the drawer and take yo ass home.”

“I got you tomorrow, Rah.”

“Nah, we good. Just keep in mind what I said.”

I stepped into my suite and poured myself a double shot of cognac. This was my kingdom. How I took care of my family. I looked from my office over the main floor as I took my shot down. My phone went off on my desk.

Wifey: You coming home or sleeping with the cards tonight?”