Page 38 of Widow Mayker

Adir slid his hands into his pockets and sized me up. The two of us were similar in height, but I had him by a few pounds. A nigga like me knew that didn’t mean shit. Plus, I fucked with Adir. There was no bad blood over here.

“What’s good?” I asked.

He smirked. “I understand you’re a single man and everything, but you gotta move like a married one fuckin’ wit’ my people.”

“It’s funny you say that because I saw Maja in the club the other night noticeably without security. She and Heir were open for any muhfucka to get at. What the fuck is that about?”

Adir’s smirk turned into a frown. “If you truly know Maja, you know she’s not one to easily sway into doing something she doesn’t want to do. With that being said, she’s the only one who refuses to have security.”

“So, make her,” I countered.

“You really think I don’t put eyes on my girl from time to time? If I do it too often, she’ll suspect some shit is up. And I don’t need her runnin’.”

I shook my head and had to laugh. “Never thought I’d see the day you’d be walkin’ on eggshells with somebody.”

He shrugged. “She’s delicate, so be easy with my shawty. Just like I’m tellin’ you to move differently with her, I had to learn to do the same. I hate that shit. However, I respect her mind. I’m askin’ you to respect who the fuck she is and don’t make me have to break the bond our families have built with one another.”

Chuckling, I said, “Since I know you don’t do threats, I’ll take that as a warning.”

“Please, do.”

“Now get the fuck outta my office, bruh. You drawin’ attention,” I told him.

After Adir left my office, I sat behind my desk and sighed heavily. It figured that Maja was that damn guarded that she didn’t even allow the family who raised her to have a hold on her. If she got Adir to bow to her demands, then I had one hell of a fight on my hands. Whatever her father did to her, it was deep and unforgiveable. Her wounds were likely lifelong.

Picking up my phone, I called Maja. I needed to hear her voice.

“Hi, Von,” she answered on the second ring.

“You miss me?” I asked.

She chuckled. “Maybe. The flowers are beautiful.”

“You’re beautiful,” I stated.

“Thanks,” she mumbled. The smile in her voice was exactly what I wanted to hear.

“We’ll talk later, aight?”

“Okay,” she replied.

“Later, Maja.”

“Bye, Von.”

I hung up and reclined back in my chair. Yeah… I was going to fight for Maja. This feeling of acceptance in my heart belonged only to her.

Getting to work, I opened the case file that I was working on. Several weeks ago, Delan Drees, was found murdered inside his home. Evidence of a break-in was evident. His safes were emptied out and his walls nearly decimated. Someone had been on the hunt for more than money. Delan owned a few rental properties and a popular nightclub on the outskirts of the city.

I had a suspect in mind, and he’d been dodging me for weeks. I’d made several attempts to sit down with him, but he kept stalling. Jemell Franklin and his crew were too smooth to get caught up so easily. However, he was my strongest suspect, and his crew would come tumbling down once I bagged him. I called Jemell’s number for the hundredth time and was encountered by his voicemail. Chuckling, I hung up.

Minutes later, my office line chirped.

“Detective Gunner,” I answered.

“Yo’, quit harassing my brother, bruh.”

Leaning back in my chair, I grinned. Jerell Franklin was the older brother of Jemell. From what I learned about Jerell, he wasn’t someone to play with. He was once deep in the streets and even connected to the cartel. After his oldest brother died, he reformed his life. Now here he was on my line.