Page 109 of Smoke

He gasped as my grip on him tightened still. “I didn’t… I didn’t know she was yours.”

“It doesn’t matter. Also, what makes you think my uncle or Roux Nelson are gonna let you sell in this city? You know as well as I do that they have the game on lock. What? You thought you were gonna move underground through those tunnels and nobody ever know? Nigga, my people are privy to everything that happens in this city. Don’t ever think you’re safe out here.”

I released him and shoved him away. He turned back to me, rubbing his neck.

“So what now?” he asked.

“All you need to know is you are gonna be joining your son very soon. I gave you time to bury him and get your affairs in order, but believe me, I’ma make you beg for your life just like he did.”

His eyes widened. “It was you…”

“Ain’t nothing like target practice with a live target. I should have made him run. Now that would have been fun.”

“I will fucking kill you!” he yelled, lunging at me.

I pulled my gun out and aimed it right between his eyes, causing him to freeze.

“Aht, aht, aht. Slow your roll. You’ll be dead before you hit the ground, messing with me. Accept your fate and get your affairs in order, like I said. Ain’t nowhere you can run and ain’t nowhere you can hide that I won’t find you. You’re on borrowed time, my nigga. The clock is ticking.” I tapped the side of his face with the gun. “Go bury your son.”

He stared at me with a mixture of hatred and fear. I cocked the gun and aimed at his feet.

“You got five seconds to vacate my presence before I make you catch the holy spirit out here. One.”

He didn’t hesitate to walk back into the church. I tucked my gun and walked back to the car with my brothers, who were shaking their heads.

“The Lord is gonna smite you for that,” Deuce said, cranking up.

Steel laughed. “I feel like we need a word of prayer to combat that foolishness that just took place.”

I sat back in my seat and removed the blunt from my pocket. Maybe it was too much for the time and place, but about my people, it was always up. Derrick Mathis was about to learn that.

I smiledas I watched Devin and Korri trying to pick the perfect outfit for Juri. My baby was finally able to wear real clothes, and according to these two, she had to be the flyest preemie in the NICU. She was taking one-month photos today, and I couldn’t wait to see what they picked out for her.

The three of us were already color coordinated. I didn’t have a second thought about asking Devin to be in the pictures with us, because he was the only father figure she knew outside of my daddy, and he loved her too.

“What about this, lil’ bit?” Devin asked, holding up a onesie that read“Itty, Bitty, But Oh So Pretty”in gold foil letters along a pink tutu.

Korri grinned as she rummaged through the drawer of bows and headbands and pulled out one that matched the outfit.

“Isn’t this cute, Mommy?” she asked.

“It’s adorable. You two satisfied?”

Devin gave me a side-eye. “I feel like you’re rushing us. Is she rushing us, lil’ bit?”

Korri giggled. “Her outfit has to be perfect, Mommy.”

“Itisperfect, baby. I can’t wait to see her in it. You said the photographer is meeting us there, right?” I asked Devin.

When I said I wanted to do a photo shoot, he took it upon himself to book the photographer.

“Yeah.” He checked his phone. “She just said she’s on the way, so I guess we should get going.”

He placed the outfit into the baby bag, and we filed out of the room. After locking up the house, we hopped in his car and made our way to the hospital. When we walked into the lobby, I noticed a young woman with camera equipment sitting there. When she saw us, she smiled, grabbed her things, and came over to us.

“Devin. Nice to see you again.”

“Likewise. Baby, this is Alaina Monroe. Alaina, this is my girlfriend, Romi Mitchell, and this is my lil’ bit, Korri.”

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