I’d been working around the clock trying to get Iman’s account cleaned up along with the software on top of handling the rest of my clients’ files. I hadn’t been intentionally isolating, but I made time for work and nothing else. This evening, my favorite cousin said enough was enough, and she dragged me out of the house to go to my favorite lounge. Initially I was annoyed, but after our first hour here passed, I was happy she’d gotten me out.
“Me too! I really needed this. I can’t remember the last time I went out and had a good time. My days have been going by in a blur.”
“Kayla was being a little too patient with you for my liking. I knew I’d be able to get you out.”
I laughed as we returned to our booth. That was true. Kayla had tried to get me out the house a few times, but when I said no, she dropped it. Onesty wasn’t going for that.
“So what’s been up, Cuz?” I asked, wanting the attention off me. “Have you decided if you’re going to move to Arkansas and take that job yet?”
Onesty breathed deeply and shook her head. “I want to because it pays twice what I’m getting paid here but I don’t want to leave while Granny is sick.”
“I understand. You have to do what’s best for you though. You can always come back on your off days since it’s such a short drive away.”
“True,” she muttered. “I just want to be close. I know y’all got her but still. For my peace of mind, I want to be here.”
Not wanting sadness to bring us down for too long, I flagged the waitress down so we could get another round of shots. Granny hadn’t been doing well mentally and emotionally. It was like she’d started to give up. She kept saying she wanted to go home, but her kids wanted her to stay at rehab, because she had a better chance of recovery there. Daddy was the only one who wanted to respect her wishes. He felt like if she was in the environment she wanted to be in, she’d be more willing to fight, and I agreed. I’d been praying like crazy that they’d be able to get home care so she could leave rehab.
Apparently, me flagging the waitress down put eyes on me that I never wanted to look into again. At the sound of my voice, Jay headed over to our booth. Groaning, I covered my face. The last thing I needed was to deal with his ass. Just the sight of him had me ready to go somewhere else already.
“What’s up, baby? How you been?” Jay asked while Onesty told the waitress what we wanted.
“Please get the hell away from me,” I demanded, not even bothering to hide my hate for him as he pressed his palms into the table.
“I’m tryna figure out why you’re giving me such a hard time. If I can forgive you for cheating on me, why can’t you forgive me for trying to put you on? I was trying to help you out, Heir. Why are you punishing me for that?”
Onesty laughed, muttering, “Is this nigga serious?” under her breath, making me chuckle.
“First of all, I didn’t cheat on you. I’ve told you that before, and I’m not going to say it again. Secondly, I don’t care how you try to justify what you did, it was wrong. You could have asked me if that was something I’d be interested in, and I would have told you no. The man told you to kill me. What part of that are you not understanding?”
“I wasn’t going to kill you, baby,” he said with a smile, reaching for my hand. When I jerked away from him, he scowled. “At the most, I was going to shoot you somewhere you wouldn’t bleed out then get you to safety. I would never kill you, Heir. I love you.”
Seconds passed of me just staring at him. I’d never considered there was a chance this man could be mental until now. Onesty and I looked at each other before bursting into a fit of laughter.
“Okay. I’m convinced there’s something wrong with you,” I said, done with the conversation.
“Look. I tried to help Marz keep you safe by putting him up on game. That should count for something.”
“Jay, I’m not going to tell you to leave me alone again.”
“I feel like you’re not taking me seriously, Heir. I fucked up but damn. We can work this out. Let’s go somewhere a bit more private and talk.”
“No.”
“Come on.”
Jay grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the booth. “If you don’t let me the fuck go!” I yelled, punching him, but it didn’t seem to be affecting his hard faced ass at all.
I saw Onesty reaching in her bag for her knife, but it didn’t matter. Winston came out of nowhere and smashed Jay’s head against the glass on the table. He put his gun to Jay’s head, causing everyone around us to yell and flee. Before his finger could squeeze the trigger, two hands wrapped around Winston’s wrist, causing his bullet to enter the ceiling instead of Jay’s skull.
“Not in here, nigga,” Shiloh said, taking the gun from Winston’s hand.
Jay groggily scrambled away, and I could tell by the rage in his eyes as he looked back at me with blood dripping down his face that this was not over. Not by a long shot.
“Let’s go,” Winston ordered, leading me out of the lounge by my hand.
I looked back for Onesty, and she was trailing behind with Shiloh. Winston quickly yet carefully shoved me into the back seat of his car before telling me Shiloh would take Onesty home. He didn’t bother waiting for me to agree before he slammed the door and hopped in the driver’s seat.
“Thanks, Winston,” I said, trembling as I put my seat belt on. “My address is?—”