Page 120 of Heart Of A Goon II

“Damn, G, you could have shared… you going to town,” Kobe called him out, because he was smacking hard as hell in my ear.

I stood up. “I’m going to visit my family and tell them about the baby… you know since I told everyone before them.”

“How the fuck do you drop a bomb like that and then go and celebrate?” Meer said.

“Nothing we can do until he lands. I may be jumping the gun, maybe he does want to live his life in the shadows.”

“His girl is in the public… he doesn’t wanna be public, but he’s gonna wanna live a life where he doesn’t have to look over his shoulders,” Capp explained.

“You can have your doubt⁠—”

“Never doubting you,” he corrected me. “I see what you do and the power you have… I’m just doubting letting him go into the system. That shit ain’t meant for you to leave when you work for the government.”

Meer clapped his hands. “Let’s play manhunt when it gets dark… we need to do some shit to take our mind off this shit.”

“Damn, I ain’t played that shit in years… used to run through the blocks and shit. The projects were where it was really lit. Running between the different buildings… damn, memories.”

“Since we’re going to Barbados and those two are taking the kids to Jamaica.” Erin gave Alaia the evil eye.

“Why?”

“We don’t celebrate Christmas, so we take the kids away… it’s our little tradition. They’re still young but are learning. While their cousins are looking forward to opening gifts with Santa, they’re excited about going on a trip with Mommy and Daddy.”

I looked at Goo, who was on another damn apple fritter. This was what our life would be like if we had children.

“We do it because it’s what works for our family,” Capp cut in like he saw me about to spiral.

Our family didn’t spend the holidays together. We had just started spending them together, and no matter how much I bitched and moaned, I didn’t want to give them up.

“When he comes, we can talk and see where his head is at,” I tossed over my shoulder, and headed down the beach.

“Right behind you, Boobie.”

“You can stay for now!” I called back.

I don’t know why hearing about Cappadonna and Alaia traveling to be away from family during the holidays triggered me. How much would I be giving up for his religion? I wasn’t very religious and hadn’t stepped foot in a church in some time.

It made me think about if this was what I really wanted.

ZOYA

By the time I made it to Menace and Stevie’s villa, I wished I would have called for the golf cart. A bitch was winded, needed a drink, and I’d even take some food at this point. The doors were always unlocked so the staff could get in and out when they needed. The only time the doors were locked were at night, but even then, nobody was getting onto this island without being detected.

There were armed guards with sniper rifles at the highest points of the villas. Goo had to have called Menace before he docked. I turned the knob and wanted to turn around and leave.

“I was gunned down and you’re talking about going back alone?” I heard Stevie’s voice before I could make it towards the kitchen.

She never yelled.

I half expected it to smell like some sort of food cooking, but it smelled like jasmine and bergamot. Duke was seated at the counter while holding Dennis, who was pulling his beard.

Stevie was in workout clothes with one hand on the handle of the fridge, and the other pointing at her husband. Menace was seated at the breakfast nook staring at his wife. He didn’t like when he was the source of her anger.

As crazy as both of them were, they were the most peaceful couple that I knew. They hardly argued and that was admirable being that they spent all of their time together, and had a child.

Babies changed people and I noticed that before I got pregnant. Relationships never lasted once a baby came into play.

Shut the fuck up, Zoya.