Page 35 of Lost In You
“So, what are y’all up to?” I asked after pulling myself together.
“Not too much. Just work,” Jacob said. “Lil Wes getting big though.”
I smiled. Although Wesley was his son’s middle name, he still called him Lil Wes. “I have to go see him soon. It’s been a minute since we were all together.”
“Yep. Y’all missed the announcement too.”
I frowned as I glanced at Rylan. “Don’t tell me. Angel’s pregnant again?”
“Yep. We decided that this would be the last. Two kids are more than enough.”
“Our family was already huge, but it’s only gotten bigger. I can’t wait for us all to be at the family barn, turning up like oldtimes. The last few times we’ve been there have been for family meetings, it seems, and Grandpa’s repast. Everyone wasn’t at the twins’ celebratory dinner.”
“Yeah. Maybe when Milana gets a date together, we’ll all be there for their wedding,” Rylan said.
“Yeah,” I said as I noticed Mr. Ali, Mr. Berotte, and my daddy walk through the door.
He looked over and saw me, then turned to me. Aunt Jen handed him my boudin, but I was feeling like whatever they had to say was going to ruin my appetite. I stood, meeting them halfway. My daddy pulled me to him and said, “We need to get you out of here.”
I frowned. “Daddy, what’s going on?”
I felt like I was about to panic from the unknown. When we got outside, Mr. Ali said, “We got reason to believe Mila Albright is planning to try to take you out. That ain’t gon’ happen on my watch. We already got Asad and Jayceon. Lacey and her husband are at Red’s house. The police have already issued a warrant for her arrest too.”
My heart was about to beat out of my chest. What was wrong with that stupid ass girl? “An arrest warrant for what?”
“Murder,” Mr. Berotte said.
“Can you get a box from Aunt Jen for my boudin?” I asked my daddy.
He nodded and went and got it for me. I could tell he was worried. “Where are we going?” I asked Mr. Ali.
“Just to your parents’ house. Asad and Jayceon are there already. Jericho, Rondo, and Dinalee are there keeping watch, and we will be rotating shifts. I’ll be around all day. Seneca and Rhodes will be at the office for when you go to work to help Philly keep an eye out. If Asad needs to leave, I’ll be with him.”
I closed my eyes and nodded. “Y’all gotta be tired of people tryna come for us. I’m beyond sick of the shit.”
“We are, but when you on top, niggas gon’ always try to take you down. That’s the problem with people. They some jealous muthafuckas and can’t be happy for the ones that made it in life. Just miserable and somehow think that’s everybody else fault. That shit irritating as fuck, because they don’t know what all people like us go through to get what we have.”
I could tell there was some trauma behind his words. My daddy rejoined us, and we all walked out of the diner. Mr. Ali got in my rental with me, and Daddy followed us. My fucking G-Wagon was still in the shop in Houston to get repainted. I missed my damn car. I swore, Asad should have let me kill that bitch. My conscience probably would have eaten me the fuck up afterwards, but we wouldn’t be dealing with this shit.
As I drove, I glanced over at him to see he was constantly looking around. His gun was in his lap. “Why you looking at me like that, lil mama?” he asked without looking at me.
“No reason. Just observing you. I’ve never been this close to you.”
He turned to me and smiled, and I was smitten.Damn.“I try to keep my distance unless I don’t have a choice.”
“I suppose that’s what makes you a good P.I. I did notice that your demeanor slightly shifted after your words earlier, like you were reliving traumatic times.”
“You tryna be a private investigator now?”
I giggled, and he chuckled as I turned into my dad’s driveway. He never confirmed or denied, but that was okay. I truly didn’t expect him to respond. He was on the job. Just as I was about to hop out, he grabbed my arm. “Don’t get out until I open your door. I need to make sure the coast is clear. Get used to that. Someone will always open your door.”
He got out without another word, and I closed my eyes, not believing I was involved in some bullshit like this, and at the same time, hoping that we would all be okay.
FOURTEEN
ASAD
“Daddy,why are we here? Are we going to be staying here?”
