My best friend was a fucking bad ass, and nobody could tell me different. Whenever we happened to be in the same court, I smiled on the inside seeing her command the courtroom. Knowing that she was playing both sides like me brought meimmense pride. The system wasn’t made for us to win, so we had to play both sides to demand the justice, and to shift some cards so that we always came out on top.
“Ready, Lady Inferno?” Havoc asked.
She smiled. “Yeah.”
Kiki rushed into the shop and smiled. “Good, I didn’t miss it.”
“I missed you though,” Yasin said, and she waved him off, and went to stand over next to him.
“Sis… Capri Inferno, it’s a pleasure and fucking honor to make you a Goddess.” The door opened behind him, and Papa Inferno came and stood beside Quasim. “Sharing a last name with you is the biggest fucking honor and flex.”
“You earned those flames, Pri… put the work in and never broke. The coldest, boldest, and baddest on a bike. Stepped up for this family when you were needed and never let us the fuck down.”
Capri smiled, as she swiped away her tears. “Sug… watching you on your bike… watching how you command the streets like you were made for them. It’s my biggest honor to ride beside you, knowing that both our wheels are always gonna turn into that driveway for our kids. I’m so proud of the woman you have become. The mother that you are, and the damn wife you are. I’m most proud of the woman you’ve become, Sug. Niggas counted you out and ended with bullets in their face. Ain’t no fucking body like my wife… mean that, Sug. What I told you from day one, Suga?”
“I’m pressure.”
He kissed her teeth, as she hugged him. “Better fucking know it.”
“Baby Doll, riding behind you brings me the most joy. Seeing you step into your role, command your role… shit is amazing to witness. Long as I got air in my chest, your big brother is always riding behind you with a smoking gun.”
“Pri, you already know how I’m coming behind you. Always,” Capone said and smiled.
Ryder kissed her stepmother. “Suga mama… I’m gonna sit in this chair one day and get the same flames. Just like you.”
No one dared to correct her, because as much as Meer would steer his daughter away from being an Inferno Goddess, she and Elijah were Infernos. Like she would take her spot as a Goddess, Elijah would eventually find his way to being King Inferno. Both Sim and Meer knew that there wasn’t anything either of them could do.
“Lady Inferno to the King,” Elijah saluted his cousin, and Quasim looked down at his son with this pride that was so strong that even I felt it in my chest.
Ryder ran over there, and they hit the IG shake, and laughed with each other. The two of them were not only cousins, but best friends. Ryder Inferno and Elijah Inferno were going to be a force to be reckon with.
“Pri, it’s always a pleasure and honor having you ride in my place. Never pressuring me because I’m Queen Inferno. You hold me down and always have. I’m blessed to call you my sister. AlwaysmyLady Inferno,” Blair held up her index finger next to her middle finger, curving her thumb to make IG. “Gods burn the faces of their enemies,” she chanted.
Every member of the Inferno Gods that was in here did the same sign, including Capri. “The flames burn slow because the Gods are Inferno.” Quasim finished, as he kissed his wife’s temple.
Havoc looked at all of us before the tattoo gun turned on and he started on Capri’s flames. She was getting white ink, and her flames were placed further up her forearm.
The men went out to shoot the breeze and bullshit, leaving the shop for us ladies. Capri had her eyes closed, while Meerremained seated by her. “You delivered our daughter with no medicine… you got this shit, Sug.”
She opened her eyes and poked her lips out and he kissed them. “Not by choice.”
“Still did that shit.” He removed her stray hairs from her face. “You always do the hard shit with grace… shit always been in you, Mrs. Inferno.”
“Meer, when you gonna sell classes on being a good man to these bums?” I said.
“The fuck? Goon ain’t no fucking bum.” Meer nearly snapped his neck in my direction, and I laughed.
I rolled my eyes. “I was never talking about Gerald. He’s a special kind of man though.”
“One you keep running from.” Blair crossed her legs, popped a piece of gum and gave me thatwho gonna check melook.
“Have any of you ever thought that I might be saving him?”
“From?” Capri questioned, with her eyes still closed.
“Me.” I whispered.
Meer, who always had a joke as a response, looked over at me with this somber look on his face. “I believe you. Also think you’ve closed your heart off for so long that there’s a part of you that’s scared too.”
