Page 104 of Dope Boys: Most Wanted
A soft smile curled her lips. “I want to keep you happy, too. I want us just like this, right now.”
“Our love, our way. Come on, let’s get going before I really shut it down.”
Reign playfully rolled her eyes and laughed. “You always want to keep me to yourself.”
“Damn right. I’ll lay on the couch all day with you on me if I could.”
Forty-five minutes later, they were pulling up to Aunt Lucille’s. The women were in the house catching up as if they hadn’t been spending time together while Markus and Svynwere out handling business. He couldn’t complain about it. He’d always wanted a woman who would love his family like he loved his family, and he wanted her to be loved back. He’d gotten that. He’d gotten to see his aunt light up with Reign walked in. He’d gotten to see her and Nia sit at her feet and go through old albums.
Markus and Svyn stood on the back porch watching the women through the window.
“Nia, okay?” Markus asked, studying her barely there smile and puffy eyes.
Svyn swayed her head before answering. “No. Cyn was talking to a detective. The detective and Neveah were hit in a drive-by by and Cyn is in a landfill.”
Markus turned to Svyn. “What the fuck do you mean drive by?”
“I’ve been ears to the streets all night. That detective had a lot of disgruntled informants.”
“You believe that?” Markus posed. That warm and fuzzy feeling he had was vanishing, only to be replaced by uneasiness. “If that were the case, her ass would’ve been taken out. She tell you anything else?”
“Nothing worth repeating. Neveah and the detective were scraped off the sidewalk late last night. Blood stains as faint as possible. Cyn is gone. Angel been in and out his spot all week. The nigga been playing with his nose.”
“No wonder his stupid ass was popping off random shit. I can’t catch a break behind these niggas,” Markus huffed. “You sure Angel was the shooter?”
“He didn’t aim at Cyn. Angel might be a fuck up, but the nigga barely made a bad shot. Outside that kid shit. And you know why you can’t catch a break behind these niggas,” Svyn spoke. “Auntie ain’t gonna be around much longer. I find it easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.”
Markus turned to look at him, and in the brief second, everything snapped into slow motion.
“MARKUS!” Reign shouted, leaping from her spot on the floor to catch Aunt Lucille and move her to the floor. Bullets whizzed through the air into the house. They broke out in a sprint inside, through the living room, down the hall, and out the front door, firing shots at the black car speeding down the block. Behind them was Aunt G and Ophelia unloading clips into the car.
“Auntie!” Nia screeched.
“No, no, no. No. No!” Reign cried out. “No, please no! Aunt Lucille, look at me. Look at me!”
“Don’t move her!” Nia shouted.
Everyone ran back inside, finding Aunt Lucille gasping for air, with a bullet wound to the chest. Reign’s hands were pressed against it, trying to stop the blood spouting out. Aunt Lucille, whose eyes danced in agony, clawed at Reign’s hands, pulling them away.
“No,” Reign huffed. “No. I’m not going to let you do that!”
Aunt Lucille used what energy she had left in her body to look at her family. “Let me go.”
Markus shook his head, joining his sister, aunt, woman, and best friend on the floor. He attempted to remain as cool as possible. Ophelia and Aunt G held Aunt Lucille’s bloodied hands as if they agreed when the time came not to fight it.
“No,” Markus protested. “Fuck no! No!”
Nia looked at him, sadness breaking her spirit. “Yes.”
“Money…go do what you need to do,” she ordered as if she knew who fired her fatal shot. “Ours… this … city is ours.”
Reign sniffled, watching the life leave her eyes and her blood seep into her lap through her clothes.
From chaos and screams to silence. They just listened until the gasps went silent and the light left her eyes. Reign took herbloodied hand and closed her eyes. She looked up at Markus, her strength unmatched, her fire a fury in her eyes. That’s what his aunt was talking about.
“Go make this right,” Reign spoke. Not to Emilliano, her lover, or Markus, her protector, but to Money, the beast. “Whatever hole he crawled out of, you find it and you make this right.”
Nia dropped her head on Aunt Lucille’s lifeless body and sobbed.
