Page 66 of Pieces of Us

“As long as you’re here, I’m here. I’m not leaving you around these people.”

“Because you see what happens when you leave her unattended.” My pops smirked at him.

Mrs. May whipped her head around toward him. “You shut your mouth. Stop bringing up old stuff to antagonize him!”

“If you don’t get him out of here, it’s going to be more than me antagonizing his big ass.”

“I didn’t come here to bring trouble. Just want to see my granddaughter on her birthday.”

I chuckled. “Humbled that ass, didn’t I?”

Morgan elbowed me. “Okay, stop this. Please. Dad, can you wait by the car? I’ll get Megan.”

“I want him off my property. He can see her another time.”

“Nehemiah, please,” Morgan pleaded.

Gio scoffed. “And this is the man you want to be with?”

“Daddy, stop. You need to understand that I am a grown woman now. I make my own decisions. And if my decisions end with me making a mistake, then that’s on me. I have alwaysfollowed everything you taught me aside from getting pregnant. I respected you, even when you didn’t deserve it. I won’t let you ruin this for me or Megan. I’m going to be with Nehemiah, and that’s the end of that. I’m done allowing you to manipulate me.”

“I was only doing what was best for you and Megan. This man slept with my wife, sells drugs, and kills people. I didn’t want you all caught up in his mess!”

“Nigga, get yo’ hypocritical ass away from my son’s house. You praising the Lord on Sundays but big tricking on every ho in this city off my million dollars you stole during the week! If it wasn’t for your daughter and my granddaughter, I’d do your bitch ass in. Get the fuck on before you won’t make it back to your whip.”

“Let me lay his ass out,” Uncle Trent said, cracking his knuckles.

“Go, Gioni. I’ll bring Megan by tomorrow,” Mrs. May told him, pushing him away from my pops and uncle, who were inching closer to him.

“I want you to come home, May. I don’t want you around him.”

“I’m not you, Gioni. I’ve learned my lesson. Now, you have to learn yours. I can forgive a lot of things, but the things you’ve done, you need to take up with God. I’m over it, and I’m done.”

“What’s going on out here?” Drue asked, coming out front with Shelby and Chelsea behind her.

“Your mother and sister are treating me as if I’m some stranger,” Gio replied.

“Oh, okay. I’ll see y’all back inside.”

“Really, Drue? Your own father?” he asked, acting appalled.

The nerve of this nigga.

“You stopped being my father after I married that scum. Stop trying to play victim when you’re the one who caused all of this. Like I said, I’ll see y’all back inside.” She turned to leave.

“So, this is it? My wife and my daughters are choosing these people over me? I did everything I could to keep you all safe and protected. I sacrificed my life so that you ungrateful broads could have one, and this is how you repay me? Fuck all of you!”

When Gio hit the ground, I didn’t budge. I knew my pops wasn’t going to let him walk away without him catching a fade. I almost felt bad for the nigga—almost. I watched as Uncle Trent and my pops delivered blows to his face and body as Morgan and Mrs. May screamed for them to stop.

“Oh my God! Please, stop! Nehemiah, do something!” Morgan yelled.

I sucked my teeth and went to break it up.

“Pops, Unc, that’s enough,” I told them, pulling them away.

“Get your ass out of here!” Pops yelled. Morgan and Mrs. May tried helping him up, but he yanked away from them.

“You all are going to regret this. Vengeance is mine saith the Lord. The wrath of God will come upon you all. You don’t mess with a child of God!” he yelled, picking himself up from off the ground.

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