Page 6 of Nothing Without You

“Like Grandpa,” I replied before Liam could confuse him with his toddler logic. Technically, KJ’s grandpa was my stepfather, but he was the only dad I ever knew. If it wasn’t for him, I would have either been a kingpin, in jail, or dead. Instead, he turned my ass into a businessman. I owed Jerome my life, for real.

“Oh. Yeah, my grandpa is a hundred too.”

“He ain’t a hundred, Junior,” I corrected.

“Yeah huh he is,” KJ argued.

“Aight.” I wasn’t about to argue with two three-year-olds. They’d suckered me into more than a few arguments, and I always lost, even though I was always right.

“Grandpa say gray hairs is wimsdom,” KJ told Liam.

I saw Liam’s eyes grow wide. “What wimsdom mean?”

“He means wisdom,” I corrected, though I didn’t know why I bothered. “It means smart.”

“Oh,” Liam said, and he stayed quiet for a moment before I felt his eyes back on me.

“What, man?” I asked, this time without looking in the rearview mirror.

“Is that mean you not smart?”

“What?” I asked, trying to keep up with their little brained logic.

“You not smart ’cause you not have gray hairs.” KJ came in with the assist and delivered the insult perfectly without even knowing it.

I shook my head and decided to ignore them for the rest of the drive. It really be your own damn kids, man.

My mind, as it often did, drifted to Chyna. She had texted me a few times throughout the day, just to check in and make sure we were still good for five o’clock. Other than that, I didn’t really know the status of everything. I already had a solution in my mind, regardless of what was going on, but I wasn’t sure how she would feel about it.

When I turned onto Chyna’s street, I saw her and another woman outside arguing with an old Asian man. My eyes narrowed. I took in the scene as I pulled up behind Chyna’s car.

I didn’t know what they were arguing about, but I knew I didn’t like it, and I knew like fuck I was about to find out what the hell was going on.

I unbuckled my seat belt and turned to look at KJ. “Ninja Turtle mode, lil man.”

KJ’s eyes grew wide, and I smirked as I reached back and unbuckled his car seat. He slid out of the seat and crouched on the floor of the car with his hands over his ears, looking like a turtle.

Liam looked up at me with confusion. “Why him hiding?”

KJ’s head popped up, and he looked at Liam. “Daddy say grow’d ups be weird.”

As if that explained everything, he got back into position.

“Aye, cover those ears tighter. You shouldn’t even be able to hear me,” I said to KJ before I focused back on Liam. “Ninja Turtle mode is a game me and KJ play. When I say it, you get as small as you can and cover your ears real tight until I come attack you wit’ tickles.” I tickled Liam’s belly to emphasize my point.

Liam giggled and squirmed until I stopped. When I did, he tugged at his seat belt. “Lemme out.”

He had the same car seat as KJ. About a year ago, when it was clear that KJ and Liam were joined at the damn hip, I bought two more car seats, one for my car and one for Chyna’s, so we could move around with them easier, especially on days like today when shit wasn’t planned.

I undid his seat belt and watched as he crouched down, just like KJ had done, and covered his ears. Their heads were pressed together, and I fought the urge to take a picture. These lil niggas were too gullible. But I was on a mission.

I quickly got out of the car, ready to fuck some shit up behind Chyna Doll. Niggas didn’t know how I was ready to come behind her pretty ass, but they were definitely about to find out.

CHAPTER 3

CHYNA

“That shit don’t even make no sense! And it’s illegal. Ill-e-gal. You understand that, Mr. Chinaman?” Icelynn’s elevated voice caused my head to pound.