Page 105 of Quasim III: King Inferno

“Yo, Sim… check on Ezra, too. Papa told me he been drinking and driving. Had Kaia in the whip with him one of the times.”

Since finding out about Ellis, I had been hitting Ezra up. He never returned my calls, or visited when I put the word for him to come to me. Evan was down in Miami because he wanted to protect his brother. I understood the responsibility that weighed on your shoulders being the oldest. I’d give my life for my brother any day and would never forgive myself if something happened to him.

He was going through it and I wanted to be there for him. I also knew not to force or push him. As a man, when I wanted space, I wanted that shit. I didn’t need anyone trying to come and tell me what I needed.

“Hey Menace, what do I owe this call? Speaker… why?” Zoya rolled her eyes and put her phone on speaker.

“What up, King?”

“What’s good, Menace… appreciate the gift.”

He chuckled. “Don’t even mention the shit.”

“Thank you, Menace. We really appreciate it.”

The line grew quiet. “How you doing, Bronx? Congratulations on the baby… I had the truck dropped off there because I heard ya’ll homeless.”

I dropped my head and held my laugh because it wouldn’t be Menace if he didn’t say some wild shit. “I’m not fucking homeless and my name ain’t Bronx, Marvin.”

Zoya took the call off speaker and rushed her brother off the call. “Why does he keep calling me every name but Blair?”

“Same reason you called…” Capri allowed her voice to trail off, and she looked down at her feet. “Sorry.”

“Any new leads on that sick bitch?” I asked her, knowing she would know shit they hadn’t released to the public.

She shook her head no. “Nothing new, and no new bodies. I don’t know if I should be relieved or worried.”

“Spoke to Salah?”

“Nah… he fucked up right now. Shutting everybody out and just putting his energy into his family. I sent the family flowers from the Gods,” Goon told me.

“Appreciate it… wish I could hit him up and talk.”

“He knows we got a lot of shit going on right now. Your heart is always in the right place but give him space to grieve… can’t believe someone did her that way,” Blaze said as he twisted his wedding band.

“Getting a little tired of sleeping in my whip in front your building.” Goon said, and Zoya nearly snapped her neck looking at him.

“Stop lying.”

“Berkley was found not too far from where you live, Baby cakes… can’t rest with you living there.”

“You or Menace.”

“Need to move you out that neighborhood… check it though, rent your next place, you gonna be home with Daddy soon. Walk in closet, you got it.”

She laughed and turned her attention to Capri. “What do I do when he contacts me? We’re broken up, but he still reaches out. Tries to use his kids to make it seem like they miss me.”

“Act like everything is normal. You’ve been moving without telling him much.” Forty replied. “His focus is your brother.”

“Not a problem he wants,” Goon shook his head.

Blaze looked up from his hands. “Right now, we’re focusing on you recovering, Pop. I don’t like being far from you, but I know this is the plan and how it has to go.”

Capri looked at her husband. “Um Gams and Augusta Mae said they are renting a cottage near the shore house.”

“And when the fuck was she going to tell me?”

“Gams is a grown ass woman, Meer… she’s your grandmother, you forgot.” Anjo reminded him, because he thought Gams was his cookie making child.

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