Page 40 of Rhodes to Love

By the time I finished, the doorbell was ringing. I hopped up from my seat as Rhodes went to the door. When my mama, Cassie, and Aunt Cass walked through the door, I ran to them, hugging my mama tightly. After I released her, I went to Cassie and Aunt Cass.

I brought them to the kitchen and introduced them to Aunt Kimiko. After giving hugs, she had them sit to eat breakfast. She started cooking more food as I sat next to my mama. “How were things when y’all left?”

My mama took a deep breath. “Intense. They still haven’t found out if those boys were related to the Andersons or not. I’m truly hoping they aren’t.”

“Mama, you keep saying boys. Were they teenagers?”

“Yes, but not school-aged. Two were nineteen and one was eighteen. He graduated last year and was about to turn nineteen next month.”

“Any news about Ace?”

“Yes. He was remanded, baby. He doesn’t have a record, so I’m not sure why they didn’t set bail. What could possibly get him time is the fact that the attack was no longer in progress. I’m not sure if the police know that or not, since they weren’t called to the scene until after he shot them. Ali told your dad that he could make that footage disappear,” she said in a low voice.

My mama glanced toward the kitchen at Aunt Kimiko. She didn’t know her and couldn’t afford for her to hear something she shouldn’t. When Rhodes joined us, he had a woman with him that introduced to us as Dinalee. She went to the kitchen to help Aunt Kimiko.

“So who else was coming with y’all?”

“We were trying to get Tiff and Milana to come with us. Tiff is so hardheaded, and Milana is following in her footsteps. They don’t need to be out there, but I suppose I get it. That’s her dad. Jenahra and Chrissy got a two-bedroom suite. Mekayla and Jess are staying together with their daughters, and Mya and Angel are staying together with their kids.”

“Who’s Yendi staying with?”

“I’m not sure, baby. You know how everyone feels about JJ. Yendi may be staying alone. Tyeis is staying with Nesha and Olivia.”

“I hate for her to be alone. Let me text her and see if she wants to come here,” I said.

I cringed as I messaged her, because I was gonna hurt JJ’s bad ass if he didn’t act like he had sense. Before I could complete the message, my mama’s phone rang. I sat there and listened to her talk, and it sounded like she was talking to Aunt Chrissy. When she ended the call, she said, “Chrissy is staying with Yendi. Jenahra is staying with Jess and Mekayla.”

I nodded. “Good. I didn’t want her to be alone.”

I gently rubbed circles on my stomach as Cassie smiled at me. She was really quiet, but I knew it was because she was worried. I had faith that everything would be fine. God was going to keep my Grandpa and the rest of my family. If Ace was the only one arrested, then all was well. I knew Uncle Marcus was probably having a fit. Ace was hotheaded just like his father, Uncle Storm, and SS. I was pretty sure Mr. Berotte and Mrs. Taylor had already been called.

Rhodes pulled me from my seat as Aunt Kimiko began serving my family and brought me to the couch. He sat next to me and lifted my feet and began rubbing them. I gave him a slight smile. “Thank you, baby, for this and for taking my family in.”

“I love you, KD. I’ll do anything for you. In other news, there has been no movement concerning the guy that’s after me. Ali seems to think he’s regrouping. In the meantime, they are setting up meetings with a couple of guys they may have to recruit to help out. But right now, we’re safe and so is your family.”

He glanced over at them as Aunt Kimiko brought grits to them. I relaxed against the sofa cushions and closed my eyes, hoping and praying that the rest of my family remained safe as well.

CHAPTER16

RHODES

“They weren’t prepared for what they ran into. They knew you were a loner. I’m going to make a trip out there with a couple of my boys and see what’s up.”

I was sitting in a meeting with Watchful Eyes and the California OG, Ryan Charles Junior. I was kind of star struck. This nigga didn’t look a day over thirty-five, but I knew he was much older. He was old enough to have been my father, and I was twenty-nine.

“I never would have guessed the Hendersons could be grimy like me. Y’all country niggas something else. Noah only talked about how cool y’all were. He didn’t get this side.”

Philly and Mr. Kenny chuckled. Although this wasn’t their drama, I was somewhat connected to them, so it seemed like their drama. I was pretty sure Ali made Ryan aware of the Henderson shit too, though, and why theythoughtit was their shit initially. Ryan looked over at me and said, “You look just like your pops, man.”

I gave him a slight smile. I’d heard that all my life. He stood and shook my hand. “I know that although you know how this shit goes, you want no parts of it. So whatever we gotta do to keep you out of it, we will.” He glanced back at the man with the blue eyes, who I knew was the video vixen’s husband. “That nigga know how to connect with anybody, and I ain’t figured that shit out just yet. Shawn has alliances with people you wouldn’t believe. We got’chu. Just concentrate on your lady and her bringing a healthy baby into the world.”

I nodded and slapped his hand again, then Shawn shook my hand and nodded. They talked to Ali, Philly, and Jungle for a while then they all left, except for Mr. Henderson. Once they left, my immediate focus was going to check on my baby. It had been three days since her grandfather had been assaulted, and I could tell it was affecting her more than what she was saying. I heard her cries out to the Lord when she thought I was asleep. If her tears didn’t move God, then I knew whatever happened was something He chose to allow.

That woman’s tears could get her whatever she wanted from me. Her people had gone back home this morning, and I was dying to get at her. She needed nourishment first though. As I headed to the kitchen to pull the last of the food from the refrigerator that Mr. Henderson brought over yesterday, he said, “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

I glanced upstairs and said, “Yes, sir.”

He gave me a closed-lipped smile as I made my way to him. I could tell where Karima got her kind spirit from. He was also the reason she didn’t settle for bullshit. He was very attentive and noticed the smallest things. When I sat across from him, he rubbed his hands together as he stared at the floor. It sort of made me a little nervous. I couldn’t understand why, when Karima was practically living here and was carrying my baby already.

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