“What happened tonight, Ledge?” I asked, placing my hands on the table together.
“First, let me tell you, I got approached by Arrow not long ago. He sent that nigga Dex and made me an offer. He wanted me to take you out. At the time… I agreed,” Ledge confessed, and I froze, gradually reclining in my chair. “I wasn’t going through with the shit. I just needed him to think that while we figured out some shit. Then he called you to set up the meeting. I assumedhe was going to pull me in that night, but I guess he had other plans.” Ledge shrugged.
“Yeah, he wanted to add a little fuel to the fire first.” My voice was low as I pensively gazed off. “He brought Kut to me. Told me that he had Ivana killed. It was all some sick ass game for Arrow to have me take out my own fucking father. And then, he presents Ivana like a fucking prize or trophy or some shit.”
“Wait, what?” A deep crease formed in his forehead. “Ivana? You telling me she’s alive?”
I reached for the Hennessy and took a gulp right from the bottle.
“Alive and well. All this fucking time,” I countered, taking another chug.
Ledge was about as perplexed as I was about it. He kept moving his head from side to side. That was exactly how I felt. Every time I thought about it, shit felt like some weird ass dream that was in play. But then I remembered seeing her face. I had grown to love that girl so much.
“And she’s been with Arrow? The fuck she got to say about that?” Knowledge questioned. “And what happened at the meeting tonight?”
“Arrow is dead.” My confession got both of Ledge’s brows to go up, completely shocked. “He did too fucking much, and if anybody comes for me?—”
“Then they coming for me too,” Ledge chimed in. “And I mean that shit. I got your back and front, bruh, real shit.”
A simper fell on my lips, and I nodded.
“Thanks for the save tonight with Harbor and Ivy. I’m glad you were there.”
Ledge paused and bobbed his head before lowering it humbly. He brought his eyes back up, and there was a glimpse of something inside him that took me back to one of my first memories of him. He was a little scrawny nigga when we werecoming up. Back then, he was hungry as fuck. He was living in the hood, and whenever he came to visit me, he was always in awe of how we lived. One summer, he practically lived with us, but my pops was on some bullshit with his midnight-hour antics, so Karrin thought it was best that he visited and didn’t stay over. He didn’t have that vulnerability all the time, so I knew that there was something on his mind.
“For the longest time, I didn’t feel like I had family.” He swallowed the rest of his drink. “I was seven years old when I saw them take my mama and brother and sister. Being powerless like that was something I told myself I would never be again. I knew then that I wanted to be a killer though.” He sniffled, fighting off the emotions raining down on him.
Our eyes connected across the table. Crazy how our thoughts tonight almost mirrored one another. I had heard this story once or twice from him.
“Like most people know they want to be a doctor or a lawyer or some shit. This life… it’s where I felt comfortable. I had the fucking power. I never thought about getting out. I didn’t think you did either until you met Ivana. Then she was gone, and you seemed like you was content with this shit. In this life, it seem like the only ones to survive are the savages. My family didn’t deserve that shit. I saw Ivy and Harbor in that situation, and it was like a trigger switch.” He sparked his blunt and took a deep inhale.
“I get it now. You and Harbor. I didn’t see it before, but she made it clear. The way she protected Ivy… I knew that she wouldn’t do no shit like that if she didn’t care. So… a nigga was wrong about her.”
I sat back taking him in. I knew when Ledge was full of shit and when he was on some real shit. He was being genuine, and I could appreciate that.
“She still got a slick ass mouth though, and she full of fucking attitude. No wonder her and Chevy get along so fucking well.”
Chuckling, I narrowed my eyes at him.
“So what happened with Kitana and the kids?”
“Bitch was crazy. She clipped Rahim right outside the house, gave Chevy’s grandma a fucking concussion, and thought she was about to get away with two mil from me. I sent the crew to go clean up and get rid of her. The cops are sniffing around Chevy, so now I’m trying to figure this shit out. They got Amber Alerts out and every fucking thing.”
“Tell ’em she left them at the laundromat. Call Ty and let her know the story so she can be a witness. Tell her I’ll take care of her. As far as they fucking know, Kitana got cold feet and left town.” I broke down to him. “As long as the kids are good, that’s all that matters.”
“Yeah. I don’t think me and Chev gon’ make it. I can’t do shit right with her, and she got every right not to fuck with me. That’s the fucked-up part about it. A nigga just gotta eat that.”
“Work on yourself, bro. Get some fucking therapy if you need it. If it’s meant to be with you and Chevy, it will be. Just… don’t be out here on no stupid shit. Take care of the kids, keep your word, help her out. Show her, don’t just tell her,” I advised.
“And what about you and Ivana?” Ledge queried.
“Psssh, honestly, whatever was there, shit feels nonexistent now. And I can’t trust her after spending all that time with Arrow. She actually cried and tried to come at me when his bitch ass went down.” I moved my head back and forth again. “I got Harbor, Ivy, and a new baby on the way. I can’t let her fuck my head up. I need to find out what her motives are and if she’s safe to even let go right now.”
“And what if she’s not?” he questioned.
I didn’t want to think about that. She just came back.How could I be the one to send her to a grave for real this time?Could I look my daughter in the face after that? Would I be able to live with myself?All these thoughts bounced around while I considered every option. Talk about some fucking finesse; this situation was going to need more than that.
Harbor
