Page 5 of A Hood Wife And A Rich Goon 2

“Why now?”

“Good fucking question,” he countered on his way to the door with his boy right behind him.

Stepping off the elevator to Black Key, Bull and Eazy strolled to the main entrance together to leave. Bull’s phone went off the minute they hit the sidewalk, and he reached into his pocket to retrieve it. His mother’s number wasn’t saved, but he knew it by heart. Frowning, he swiped to pick up and mushed the phone against his ear.

“Hello.”

“Bezai, I need you to listen to me.” Her voice was firm but still slightly shaken. He knew Brenda well enough to know that. “I’ve never stepped in or tried to steer you wrong, but if you ever decide to trust me, now would be the time.”

“Where’s Toni and my kids?”

Brenda sighed. “Come to the estate. You remember the bunker entrance?”

“Say less. I’m on my way.” Hanging up, he turned to Eazy.

“What’s up?”

“We need to load up.”

“Let’s go,” Eazy encouraged, approaching Bull’s car with him.

Security was surprisingly light when Bull and Eazy arrived. Bull was surprised when he arrived at the Andrew’s estate and security was light. He was let in and cruised right up the driveway to the double doors. There wasn’t anyone at the entrance to greet them. Both in bulletproof vests with automatic weapons gripped in both hands, they cautiously approached the doors while taking in the rest of their surroundings. Taking position on opposite sides of the double door entrance, Bull nodded to Eazy as he stepped forward and kicked one of the doors in.

His boy trailed him inside, making sure to sweep the top level with his aim as Bull moved through the bottom like a soldier in battle. Nearing the ajar door of his father’s office, Bull paused and lowered his gun to his side. Pushing the door open, the warm glow from the fireplace is what he noticed first, followed by the strong aroma of gin and his mother’s signature Ja’Dore perfume. When he emerged in the doorway, Brenda turned, mid-sip in her glass of gin, as her glossy eyes locked on his. Something was off. Bull walked inside with Eazy not far behind him, taking in the setting. Brenda never budged from in front of the fire she’d started.

Rounding his father’s desk, Bull stopped. Braxton lay lifeless in his own blood with his eyes still open.

“What happened?” Bull asked, turning to his mother.

“You want the truth, or the story everyone in Prospect Pointe will become familiar with?” Brenda finished the last of her gin and tossed her glass into the fire.

It shattered and crackled against the flames as she tucked her lip between her teeth and thought about her actions tonight. She’d been sitting there waiting for the guilt or remorse to come, but it never did. Somehow, that didn’t make her feel better.

“Your father is the reason Bronx is dead. He might not have ordered it, or pulled the trigger, but he sat back, set it in motion, and allowed it to happen.”

“Where are Toni and my kids?”

“I checked on them.” Brenda nodded. “Toni and I brought them back here. She’s upstairs now in your old room with them. I don’t know how much this means to you, Bezai, or if it can redeem anything between us, but I didn’t know.” Her voice cracked before she took a breath and lifted her chin. “I swear I didn’t know. I’ve been weak. A poor excuse for a mother… but… I would never… ever sit back and allow anyone to rob you or your brother of your life. I made excuses a long time for a man I thought I knew. It had to be me.”

Bull ran his hand over his locs and sighed before looking over his shoulder at Eazy. Giving a half shrug, he was clearly leaving this in his hands as he went to inspect Braxton’s body. Bull wasn’t sure what to do with any of this. Pinching the bridge of his nose and swiping his hand down his face, he stepped closer to his mother. The last thing she expected was for him to pull her into a hug. So, when he offered the gesture, she went timid before crumbling in his arms. The silent weeping knotted Bull’s entire stomach. This was the first time he’d ever witnessed this kind of vulnerability from his mother, and nothing about it was fake or rehearsed.

Once she let it all out, she pushed away from Bull and swiped the tears from her eyes.

“Go. Go check on Toni and the kids,” she encouraged. “They are… beautiful, by the way. I get it now. What you did for Bronx. I see him all in that little Breeze’s face. You were always your brother’s keeper. Right or wrong.”

Bull turned to Eazy.

“Call Acid. Take care of this,” he instructed.

“No problem. Brenda, go get cleaned up and bring me your clothes.”

Bull started up the large staircase to his room. He listened to the light humming as he neared the door and gently pressed it open. Toni lay in his old king sized bed, a child on each side of her, humming ‘this little light of mine’ and stroking both of their heads. Bull took a moment to appreciate the fact that they were even alive. Sensing his presence, her warm doe eyes darted to his, and Toni practically leaped from the bed.

“Oh, my God, Bull!” The minute she was within a foot of him, her arms fell around him.

“You okay?” he asked, pulling her into him with his hands on her hips.

Nudging back, he examined her face. Other than looking weary, she seemed fine, but he peeped her red and swollen hand.