Knuck moved forward deliberately and slowly. “You gotta go, bro.”
Coogs smirked. “Relax. I just came to say what’s up. Didn’t know I was interruptin’ family dinner and shit.”
“You are,” Knuck replied, voice flat.
The room froze. Kassim must’ve felt the tension because he started crying and fussing, so I took him from Monae. I rocked him, whispering into his ear as we all watched the tension unfold.
Coogs stepped closer. “I can’t believe your ass really switchin’ up on a nigga.”
Knuck’s rotated his neck and replied, “Step outside wit’ this shit, Coogs. On God, we ain’t doin’ this shit in front of my fuckin’ family.”
Coogs’ lip curled as he balled up his fists. “Nigga, fuck that bitch and that baby! I’m the one…” Knuck closed the distance, yanked his collar, and shoved him into the doorframe so hard the wall shook. I watched my fiancé pull a gun from the back of his jeans in seconds, bashing it over the dude’s face. “Fuck!” He hollered.
“Keon!” Granny Evie cried out, holding her chest.
“Granny, sit down,” Keema suggested, holding her hand as Uncle Buck tried to assist with Coogs. Knuck brushed him off instantly.
“You think I forgot how to end shit?” Knuck sounded heartless, and it gave me chills. Granted, I knew he wasn’t all the way clean from the streets. I’d never seen him check somebody like this. “I knew you was gon’ be on bullshit, but to bring this shit to my fuckin’ family? Nah. Find sumn safe to do, my nigga. ‘Cause next time, I’m straight droppin’ your ass.”
The dude’s smirk faltered, blood leaking from his nose onto his lips. “Bet. Y’all try to stay safe out here.”
Knuck pushed him out the door into the rain and slammed it shut. For a few seconds, the room was silent. Then Uncle Buck picked up the remote and unmuted the game. Monae lifted her phone and started snapping pictures. Keema reached over and turned her music back up. Granny Evie, shaking her head, mumbled about Coogs “always being impulsive” as she headed back toward the kitchen.
I stood there, caressing Kassim’s back to calm him, but my pulse raced. Knuck put his gun back in his jeans, chest rising and falling. His eyes were dark as he walked over to me and kissed the baby’s head before giving me a peck on the lips. Just like that… the evening went on.
???
K n u c kd r o v eu shome later that night, and I gathered up Kassim to get inside. Silently, I gave him a quick bath, settled him in the crib, and watched his tiny chest lift steady as he fell asleep. Exhaling deeply, I walked downstairs and knew Knuck was in his mancave. Sure enough, I found him shirtless, in his boxer briefs, chain resting against his chest.
“We need to talk,” I huffed, approaching him, ready for some type of answers.
“I don’t wanna do this shit like this, Ny.”
“I don’t give a fuck how you wanna do it,” I said, voice rising. “You pulled agunout at your grandmother’s house. In front of me, your family… your fuckin’son.”
“The nigga showin’ up was disrespectful as fuck.”
“Who the fuck ishe?!”
Knuck set the glass down with a thud and refilled it. Then, he gulped it down and locked eyes with me. “Nobody you needa know ‘bout.”
I laughed once. “Oh, so now you pick and choose what I’m allowed to know about your life?”
“This ain’t ‘bout what’sallowed,” he said. “This is ‘bout protection.”
“Protection from what?” I demanded. “Who the hell is he, Keon?”
He slammed the glass down on the counter, not hard enough to break it but hard enough to make the point. “You don’t need to be in this shit.”
“I’m already in it!” I yelled, voice shaking now. “I’m not some bitch you fuck and keep in the dark. I’m not your little girlfriend. I’m gonna be yourwifein less than a week. I deserve to know what kind of danger you’re bringing to my front door.”
He stepped closer with a deranged look in his eyes. “Ain’t nobody touchin’ you.”
“You don’t know that,” I snapped back. “You can’t control other people’s reactions. You don’t know what he’s plotting after you did what you did tonight. This shit ain’t over.” He grabbed my face and forced me to look at him. We were both breathing hard now. “Tell me who the fuck he is.”
I watched Knuck’s jaw tick and his nostrils flare before he exhaled deeply. Taking my hand, he brought me over to the leather couch, and we sat down. He stared at me for a long moment, then he spoke. “His name’s Coogs,” he said at last, voice low. “My OG from back in the day. Used to move weight when I was a corner boy.”
I swallowed hard as I listened to every word.