Page 5 of The Prettiest Outlaw

I was sixteen years out from having to watch my fiancée, Emerald Espinoza, die after a quick and ruthless battle with ovarian cancer. Hospitals were some bullshit. But my mother was in one, and she needed me there. Well, she needed me and Donovan there, but she would have to settle for me until he could make it.

I started praying as I was driving toward the hospital. I referred to myself as a “baby Christian,” because while I wasn’t new to the faith, I was new to trying to cultivate a relationship with God. Praying was something that I didn’t know a lot about. Still, I tried.

“Yo, God, whatever is happening with my mother right now, I just ask that you step in and make it right. I understand that there are wars, genocide, trafficking, and all kinds of fu—horrible things going on in the world. Still, my mother is our world. We need her. My brother just suffered an indescribable loss. Please don’t make him have to go through that again, while he’s still buried in turmoil about Nevaeh. I’mma lose him forever to his grief. Thanks. Amen.”

Just as I finished the prayer, my phone rang again. I saw the name come up on my phone screen.

Dominic.

Dominic Hill was Coe’s oldest son. The legitimate child of Coe and his wife, Natalya. That made Dominic my half-brother. Though we had only met a few years earlier, I’d been able to establish a relationship with each of Coe’s sons with his wife—Dominic, Dolton and Dorien. Of the three, I was closest to Dominic. After years of operating in a space of being the eldest child, it was almost refreshing for me to actually have an older sibling.

“Yo,” I said once I’d connected the call.

“What’s good, lil bro?” Dominic liked to crack that joke, making sure to remind me of my place in the hierarchy. “Dolton, Dorien, and I were able to shake the balls and chains tonight.”

I heard Dolton and Dorien laugh in the background when he referred to their wives as “balls and chains.”

“We’re headed toEmber Wavesif you wanna fall through.”

Ember Waveswas a cigar lounge that the sons of Briscoe Hill occasionally frequented.

“I just got a call that my mother was rushed to the hospital. I’m headed over there.”

“Donovan with you?”

“Nah. He’s driving in from Indy.”

“Where she at?”

I gave him the name of the hospital. “Emmanuel.”

“All right, dog. We’ll get up with you.”

“Later.”

The call ended. I repeated the prayer I said earlier about three more times, and I arrived at the hospital about twenty-five minutes later. I didn’t play about my Infiniti QX80, so I parked at the back of the lot off by myself and away from all other vehicles.

By the time I made it to the front entrance of the hospital, I could see three tall ass, fair-skinned men standing there. Something happened in my chest at the sight of my half-brothers and the fact that they had forgone their planned activity to meet me at the hospital. I wasn’t one to shed tears, but damn if I didn’t feel some of those motherfuckers trying to breach my eyelids.

I gave them each dap and a quick embrace.

“Dry your tears, crybaby,” Dominic taunted me, exactly like the older brother that he was. Because that was definitely something I would’ve said to Donovan. “You don’t want your old girl worried about you, when she should be worried about herself.”

I chuckled. “Fuck you.”

* * *

Lana found me in the emergency waiting room less than a minute after I confirmed my arrival.

“I’m so glad you’re here?—”

I could appreciate her relief, but her well-being wasn’t my priority at the moment. My mother’s well-being was.

“Is she okay? What the hell happened? What are the doctors saying?”

She looked up at the three redwood trees standing right beside me. She had to crane her neck to look into their faces.

“Umm…”

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