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“Because she’s family.”
“She was Rah’s wife. Rah is dead,” I said.
Shameek’s entire expression changed. I knew I had said the wrong thing, but I wasn’t taking it back.
“Don’t ever say that shit to me again.”
“I didn’t mean–”
“Nah, you meant what the fuck you said.” He stepped closer. “My brother dyin’ didn’t erase that woman from his family. You don’t get to decide she ain’t a King no more because you finally got a piece of what he left behind.”
“This ain’t even about money, Shameek. It’s the principle, and it involves me and Rahmelo’s child that we had together.”
“Every fuckin’ thing is ‘bout money with you, muthafucka. You held my niece hostage until you realized you couldn’t get shit without that test.”
“Okay, damn!”
“Tell yo’ mama bye,” he told Ryleigh.
She waved bye to me, and they walked out the door. Everybody in that damn family acted like my daughter belonged to them. I was the one doing everything while all they had to do was pop up and play one big happy family. I stood at the door and watched him strap her into the back seat of his truck. As soon as he got in his truck, I slammed and locked my door. I flopped down on my couch, pissed off that Shameek was right. I did let the money motivate. That was my purpose of fucking with Rah to begin with. His ass wasn’t supposed to fucking die on me.
CHAPTER 13
KYENNA
Ihad just gotten comfortable in the den when my phone chimed with a notification from security that Shameek was coming through my gate. I wasn’t expecting him, but that wasn’t unusual. Since Rah died, Shameek had gotten comfortable popping up to check on me. Sometimes it was to check the cameras, or it was because Pops sent him down here. I sat my laptop down on the table and started walking towards the foyer when the door popped open.
“Mama Kyenna!” Ryleigh said, running into my arms, almost knocking me down. “I miss you,” she said, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“I missed you too, Princess.” I kissed her cheek.
When my days were gloomy, it was Rah’s kids that always made me feel better. Shameek walked in, shaking his head.
“She begged me to put her ass on the golf cart and drive her down here to see you. She said somethin’ about some damn babies over here.”
“She’s talking about her baby doll collection upstairs.”
“Go up there and get them. We’re not spendin’ the whole afternoon down here,” Shameek told her.
“You know she’s about to pack as many dolls in a bag as she can.”
“The girl is almost four, and you would think she was a fuckin’ teenager,” Shameek said.
For the first time since he walked in, I really looked at him. He had on all black, his locs were freshly twisted, and his gun sat obviously against his hip. Shameek never hid what he was or what he did. Rah could walk in a room full of politicians and blend in. Shameek walked into those same rooms and made everybody adjust and grab their wallets.
“You want something to drink?”
“Hell yeah, that wind hitting me in the face on that golf cart got me thirsty.”
“You hungry?”
“Nah.”
He followed me to the kitchen and leaned against the island while I grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to him.
“How did Ryleigh’s mama act when you picked her up?”
“Like a bitch ‘pose to act.”
