Chapter 15

Beethoven

I didn't wantto believe what my gut was telling me, but if I never listened to anything else Mama taught me, it was to follow my gut. Right now, my gut was telling me Pops knew exactly who was responsible for the robbery that killed Whiskee's mother and caused her to live with that trauma.

Pops' house was more like a castle. From the front door, it took me several minutes to make it to his man cave on the lower level of the home. He opted for that instead of a basement, along with a panic room. An evening spent with his advisors drinking and talking shit felt like a luxury he didn't deserve if what I felt was true, so I didn't mind barging in and fucking up their vibe.

His laughter turned into a comfortable smile as he watched my every move toward the card table they were seated around.

"Y'all excuse my son. It seems Bay has temporarily forgotten his manners."

"I need to talk to you. Right now, Pops."

Releasing an irritated sigh, he puffed his cigar twice and took a sip of his cognac before he stood and followed me over to the pool table.

"What's this about, son?"

"You remember that robbery from years ago that ended with the victims being tied like pigs?" He confirmed with a nod. "The woman died. You said the robbery was done by someone in our organization. Why?"

As if he knew where I was going with this, he rolled his tongue over his cheek and squeezed the back of his neck. Pops stood on what he did and what he allowed, but there was only one thing he cowered when admitting to, and that was the harming of women or children intentionally with no cause. That was the biggest thing I hated about his style, but it showed no one was off limits and made men fear him more. If they believed no one in their life was safe and that he'd use their wives or girlfriends to make them suffer, they were more likely to do as they were told.

"It was jealousy. They wanted to sit someone down. But shit went left. He wasn't there. His wife and daughter was, though. So they did the robbery anyway."

"And they killed his wife?" I asked, even though I had the answer already. "It was Robert, wasn't it?" Pops nodded. "Who did it?"

His eyes tightened as he glared at me. "Why?"

"Because that shit traumatized Whiskee, and I need to know that the people responsible were handled."

Pops' head shook. "They weren't. They wanted to sit Robert down for a while, and technically, they did. He slowed down to grieve and focus on his kids. Now I don't agree with what they did, but I respect the hustle. By getting him out of the way, they were able to sweep in on his product and clientele. It didn't matter because Robert came back stronger than ever, but still."

Closing the space between us, I gritted my teeth to keep my face neutral. "Who was it, Pops?"

"Your uncle Mario gave the order. Your cousin Malik and some of his old crew executed it." When I tried to walk away, he stopped me. "But listen, I didn't approve of them killing the wife. She nor Whiskee were supposed to be harmed."

"I'm tryna figure out why you approved the shit anyway. If he was your top seller, why would you want to sit him down?"

Pops sighed. "Family is over everything, Bay. Family wanted a chance to step up, and I gave it."

For a while, I could only stare at him. I understood his allegiance to family, but in some instances, that loyalty had to be placed elsewhere. No way in hell would I risk losing my highest earner just because a family member couldn't get their weight up. If that was what it meant to be the boss of his organization, that was another reason for me to stand down.

"Family means nothing if you don't move with honor and integrity. That was wrong, Pops, and since you didn't care enough to handle it… I will."

"Bay…" he called as I walked away, but I ignored him. "Let 'em live!"

Out of respect for him, I'd let my cousin keep his life. But tonight, he was going to learn a lesson that would keep him from ever hurting a woman again.

A Few Hours Later

Steppingover Malik's comatose body, I checked the time on my phone. I told Whiskee I'd take her to dinner, but it was later than I expected. It was more important to me that I handle this, but she probably wasn't going to feel the same way—especially since I didn't plan on telling her what I was doing to be late. Would it give her peace knowing the people responsible for her mother's death were knocking on death's door? I was sure it would. But nothing would bring her mom back.

If she ever expressed interest in vengeance, I'd tell her what I'd done. And if she wanted them dead, family or not, I'd make that happen too.

"You going to your girl looking like this, Toe?" Merc asked as we walked outside.

I looked down at myself, cursing under my breath at the sight of blood splattered over my shirt.

"If I go change, I'ma be even later."

"Come to the crib since it's closer," Bully offered. "We about the same size."

With a nod, I shook his hand. Typically, this was something I'd handle alone, but as soon as I linked up with them and told them about what happened, they wanted to come too. I needed to calm down before going to see Mario and Malik, otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to spare their lives like Pops wanted me to. They didn't spare an innocent woman's life. What made them better than her? Being of the same bloodline as me? That was fucking bullshit.

I didn't want to continue to think about it, or I'd go back and put a bullet between Malik's eyes. He was a bully who felt like he could do whatever in the name of my father and get away with that shit.

"I'on like that look in ya eyes," Asylum said. "That hate still in you."

"If you would've saw the way she looked telling me about that night, it would still be in you too," I countered. "Whiskee hasn't been alone at night since. The fuck am I supposed to do with that? I can't protect her from her own thoughts. This shit gon' eat at me."

"You don't have to protect her from her thoughts," Karrington said. "You just have to make sure she feels safe. Safe with you and safe with herself. So safe that no matter the time or who is around her, she will know she will be good."

That, I could do.

I thanked them again before we got into our cars and went our separate ways.

Though Bully offered some of his clothes I decided to go home so I could have some extra time to release what was in my head and heart. Whiskee was doing something to me—pulling out feelings and actions no other woman had before. If she had me going against family now and we hadn't even signed those papers yet, I didn't want to think about what I'd be doing when she finally became my wife.