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He spotted the thief in his peripheral, aiming for his gold. Kell shot his hand out lightning fast, and gripped the man’s wrist. The move was so sudden he didn’t have time to react. With one jerk, Kell snapped the wrist almost in half, then shoved his fingers between his assailant’s and jerked left, breaking four bones in the upper part of his fingers at once. By the time he screamed in agony, Kell jerked right and cracked the four metacarpal bones as well. The simultaneous snapping of bones was a stomach-churning sound unlike any other. The man crumpled to Kell’s feet, clutching his disfigured hand.
Everyone stood stunned. Everyone except Ty. No one knew what the hell to do as they looked down, horrified and afraid, at their friend, still screaming like a girl.
Black resembled a bull-like beast the more infuriated he got. “Yo! Kill that mothefu—”
Ty dropped their leader. A one-hitter that put Black on the ground with his ass in the air and his face in the concrete. Unconscious. Before the rest of them could respond, Ty pulled his hand cannon and pointed the business end at the second man’s forehead.
Kell’s heart beat wildly. These thugs were fake king-pins, used to intimidating weak-minded boys. They’d never encountered a natural-born king. They were all locked in on what Ty was about to say next. He spoke with such calmness and certainty that no one interrupted.
“Your captain is down. Pick him up and leave. And if either of you trifling-ass-thieves go for that gold around his neck or if you even blink at him wrong; your mothers’ll be picking out black dresses tomorrow.”
The men looked confused for a few seconds before their Lieutenant spoke up. “Get Black and let’s go. Now.”
When the cars were down the block and around the corner, Ty turned to Kell and pulled him into his arms, hugging the breath out of him. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” Kell rubbed his forehead against Ty’s cheek. “Are you?”
“Yes. Come on let’s get out of here.”
“Back to the hotel?”
“No. Black’s got eyes everywhere. Even when he’s sleep, he’s woke. I can’t lead anyone there,” Ty said, moving them quickly down the street to where hopefully their Lyft was still waiting.
“We can go to my place,” Kell offered.
“Hell no. I’ve made enough mistakes in judgment. The last thing I’d do is lead a war to your doorstep.”
“A war?”
“Yes. I’m gonna get off this damn block and stay off. His threats meant nothing to me since I’d never intended on coming back anyway. But, he won’t let this go. Not after I knocked his ass out in front of boys. Besides that… I’ve also shown him my weakness.”
“Your weakness?” Kell asked, climbing into the waiting Ford Focus in the Bethel Baptist church parking lot.
Ty settled next to him and let out a breath of pure relief and hugged Kell to him again. “You, shorty.”
“I could’ve been anyone with you. How does he know I’m important to you?”
“Because I was willing to kill for you.” Ty looked Kell in his eyes. “Most of these men around here won’t do that for their mistress, won’t do it for their piece of ass on the side or someone they’re casually fuckin. Not even for their damn mother. A man would only kill for his heart. For his one and only. Black knows exactly who you are to me, Kellam. I have to make sure his personal war against me never reaches you again.”
“Then where are we going?”
“Excuse me. I have a change of address.” Ty leaned forward in the seat and spoke to the driver. After the man punched in the new address and took the offered twenty dollar tip, Ty sat back.
“My father always told me, ‘If you’re in a war, then you surround yourself with warriors.’”
Ty
Brian came to the door in a pair of cut-off sweats after his second knock. He looked at Ty then at the car idling in his driveway. His confused frown asked the question.
“You said I could come day or night,” Ty repeated what Brian had promised him on the first night when he’d dropped him off at a hotel. “I ran into some heat at my place. The same kind I encountered when you were there.”
“Anything need cleaning up?” Brian asked, going right into beast mode.
“It’s straight for now. Just need to fall back.”
“You know I got you.”
Ty glanced at Brian’s thick, hairy chest then pointed over his shoulder at the car. “I have Kellam with me.”
“Ya’ll come on in. Let me cover up,” Brian said, then turned, leaving the door open for him.
“I appreciate it.” Ty waved for Kell to get out of the car.
While he knew Brian would never disrespect him in a million years, and most importantly he was in a committed, loving relationship with his partner, Sway, Ty was glad he still respected his culture and went to put some clothes on. It wasn’t acceptable in his world to have his new fiancé around a practically naked, unmarried man.
