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I choke back bile. “Why am I here? What are you planning to do to me?”
“I plan on getting what’s long overdue. I’m tired of people trying to take what’s mine. First Charles, then that meathead who couldn’t listen to simple instructions. Even my own son, who I thought I could depend on to be my successor, fucked up. He had to go and fall in love with you. He tried to deny it, and he put on a pretty good show, but I know him better than he thinks I do. I was perfectly fine with letting him play with you for a while, but I will not let him keep you. I knew it was time to make my move once it became obvious that’s exactly what he intended on doing.”
Jesus, this guy is unhinged.
“What exactly do you think is ‘long overdue’?”
“Patience, beautiful Jasmine. First, I have a surprise for you.”
Preston gets a maniacal look on his face before disappearing into what I assume is a bathroom. I stretch my neck to see as he returns, pulling something behind him. Oh, shit. Not something. Someone. Crazy Pants here is dragging my severely beaten sperm donor through the doorway, leaving a trail of smeared blood across the polished floor. Charles’ face is so swollen, I hardly recognize him. At first, I think he’s unconscious, but then a pained groan escapes his lips as Preston stops and drops Charles’ upper body back to the floor.
“What the fuck?”
I don’t realize I said that out loud until Preston responds.
“You see, Jasmine. It’s time you learn the truth about how your mother really died. Consider it my gesture of goodwill in exchange for your future deference.” Charles groans even louder this time when Preston kicks him in the ribs. “Go on, Charles. Tell Jasmine how you’re responsible for Mahalia’s death.”
I’ll say it again: What. The. Fuck.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
JAZZ
“What?!”
Preston rolls his eyes when Charles still doesn’t produce any intelligible sounds. “Oh, fine. I guess I’ll tell her since you’re indisposed.”
“What’s there to tell? My mom got caught in the middle of a drive-by while she was waiting for the bus.”
He nods. “Yes, that disgustingly crime-ridden area you lived in was quite convenient to make it look like an accident, wasn’t it? But let me ask you this: Did the police ever mention any gang involvement? Or did you just assume?”
I don’t like where he’s going with this.
“Drive-bys happen all the time in LA. Why would I think any differently?”
“And that’s exactly why it was such a perfect cover-up!” Preston points his finger at me. “You see... when in reality, after many years living in freedom—per the agreement your father made behind my back because the sonuvabitch loved her in his own twisted way—Mahalia decided to pay Charles a visit.”
“Why would she do that?”
He grins. “That’s what makes this whole thing so great. Her maternal instincts apparently won out over her self-preservation. And that ultimately led to her demise.”
I shake my head. “I don’t get it.?
?
“Mahalia got the idea in her head that she could extort money from Charles.” He laughs. “Quite frankly, I think she’d been away for so long, she forgot who she was dealing with. Anyway... you see, her oldest daughter—that’d be you—was getting ready to start her senior year of high school. Poor Mahalia only wanted what was best for her child, who was highly intelligent, but had no hopes of going to college without a full scholarship.”
No.
“Ah... I can see by your face that you know I’m speaking the truth. Shall I continue?”
I nod, too choked up to form words.
“As I was saying... she was broke, which should come as no surprise. She was living paycheck-to-paycheck in the fifteen years before her little impromptu visit, which means no college savings for you. Well, in those fifteen years, Mahalia evidently grew some balls, because she would’ve never dared to try something like this back when I knew her.
“She told your father”—he nudges Charles with his foot—“that if he didn’t agree to fund your college education, she would go to the police and tell them everything she knew about our... less than legal activities. Daddy Dearest agreed to her demands, provided she sign off on a paternity affidavit. He called it his insurance policy in case she decided to go to the authorities anyway.”
Okay, this is the part that never made sense to me, and I have a feeling I’m about to get my answer.
