Page 62 of Love & Vendettas

“Well, according to the news reports this morning, his body was found in a scrupulous part of town, and he’d died of a drug overdose. You have to accept it. They’ll identify him by his dental records. Are you going down there?”

“I’m not. I left that to his mother.”

“How is she holding up?”

“Girl, she’s hurting, but she wasn’t a fan of his either. The way that he used to talk to that woman was shameful. Did I ever tell you that he slapped her one time? Years ago.”

“No, but they say that you can tell what sort of man you have based on the way that he treats his mama.”

Riley sits back in the chair. We’re both quiet for a while until I notice the tears falling from her eyes.

“Honey, I know you loved that man. But you’re better off now.”

“A part of me knows that, but I don’t know how I’m going to do this alone.”

“You’re going to live your life and enjoy—”

“No. I never imagined that I’d be a single parent, Leigh.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m pregnant, Bayleigh. I’m four months pregnant with Kenny’s daughter,” Riley sobs.

29 – ZAIRE – ALL IN A DAY’S WORK

I’ve been away from my family all day at the office, handling business. I took a two-hour break to see about Zayn’s suit, before dropping him off and heading back out again.

I check my watch and see that I have half an hour before I need to be at home getting ready to leave for Zayn’s banquet. The sun has already set, and it’s dark out.

I step out of the car, followed by Ghalen, and head inside the warehouse through the back door.

Walking inside, I see Kim sitting on a chair, smoking a blunt. Janel is sitting on the floor doing something on her phone.

Malik’s gaze meets mine as I step into the room. He’s on the far side, standing next to the man sitting bound to a chair.

“Terran James. You’ve been stalking me for some time. It looks like you got the meeting you’ve been wanting.”

He scowls at me from the one open eye that still seems functional.

“Sorry about that eye. Seems Malik wanted to gouge both out, but I asked him to leave one working eye. You see, I needed you toseethe devastation that I was about to rain on your life.”

I nod at Ghalen, who steps back out of the room.

“Fuck you, Knight. You’re no-fucking-body to me,” he declares, spitting on the floor.

“If that were true, you wouldn’t be working so hard to take down my organization.”

Laughing, he confesses. “You’ve got problems bigger than me, nigga. I’m just the hired hand. Whether you kill me or not, you’ve got problems, old man.”

“Who is it?”

“Fuck you think I’m about to tell you that for? You gon’ kill me, anyway, fucking idiot. Like I said, you've got problems.”

“Your mother should have taught you manners, son.”

“Don’t son me,” he sneers.

Smirking, I say, “That’s fine. Listen…”

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