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“And on that note, I’m gonna head out, bro.” We slapped hands.
“You might be getting closer to those Cubans,” I told him as my eyes watched Sanai and Daniel exit the restaurant.
“I expect them on my fucking desk at work tomorrow.” He aimed a pointer finger at me and I responded with a middle finger.
I was about to walk to my car when the screech of tires stopped me in my tracks. An all-black SUV stopped on the street running alongside the parking lot and rolled down tinted windows. A storm of bullets flew, making me reach for the gun I had tucked in my waist. I dropped to the cold ground and aimed at the truck’s tires as they sped off. I hit one of the back tires, but they still peeled out. In the middle of the chaos, I heard other bullets ringing out besides my own. I had no idea where they were coming from, and I didn’t give a fuck right then.
The smell of burning rubber and the screeching sound of wheels against pavement saturated the air. When they were gone, I scrambled over to Rob.
He was flat on his back, deep crimson pooling around his head.
My heart stopped.
“Rob!” I shouted over the ringing in my ears. My voice came out panicked and fearful because I knew he couldn’t hear me. I was calling to him out of terror. There was an entry hole between his eyes and another at his neck.
There was nothing even I could do to save him.
My god complex evaporated instantly, reminding me with a cold harshness that I was only human.
“Fuck!” My voice ripped through the air, pain beginning to trickle into my heart.
His eyes were still open, staring blankly into the sky. I reached out with a trembling hand and closed his lids, leaning down to hug my brother one last time.
“Bakari!” Sanai’s voice came from somewhere behind me, but I couldn’t let go of Rob. “Bakari, come on…you gotta move.”
“No. I’m not leaving him until an ambulance comes,” I growled, snatching away from her.
“Yo, Breeze, we’re going to find out who did this shit.” I knew Daniel’s voice when I heard it. I squeezed my eyes shut tight, trying not to flip on that motherfucker.
“You’re going to find out who did this?” I asked in a voice I barely recognized as my own. “How the fuck do I know you and your men ain’t do this shit?” I was on my feet, gun raised at his chest. He held his hands up, a scowl twisting his features.
“I ain’t have shit to do with this. You think I would have ordered a hit on your man while I’m on a date? You need to calm the fuck down.” He took a step back from me and I lowered my gun because he was right.
He was fucking right.
“This was a hit.” The words ran absently out of my mouth. I lifted wet, burning eyes to Sanai. “This was a motherfucking hit.”
“Bakari, we need to talk.” She swallowed hard and deep.
“This was supposed to be me, wasn’t it?” I asked, looking at Rob’s lifeless body on the ground.
“I don’t know,” she answered, shaking her head. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on but we’re going to figure it out because it’s getting out of hand.” I was ready to aim my rage at her until I saw tears in her eyes when she looked at Rob on the ground. Sadness poured out of her. Even Sanai couldn’t fake that kind of reaction.
Sirens in the distance tugged at my attention. My heart seemed to thunder to life in my chest or had it always been beating that hard? It was difficult to make sense of anything. I tried to talk to Marcus and tell him what happened but my words were disjointed. Seeing the look of hurt and agony on his face made things worse for me.
I wanted to get the fuck out of that parking lot. I wanted to find the motherfuckers who killed my best friend. My brother.
“Bakari!” My name was being shouted for the thousandth time as EMTs and a small crowd of people began to form. “Move the fuck out of the way and let me get to my brother!”
Hakim’s voice was a forceful clap of thunder. I’d never felt relief like I did when I saw my big brothers moving the crowd out of the way to get to me. They didn’t give a fuck about officers, people, none of that shit.
Sai got to me first, pulling me into a strong embrace. “I’m so sorry, Bakari.” His words made me crumble all over again. Silent tears streaked my face as Hakim moved in for a hug as well.
The rest of the night was a blur of events.
Rob’s body was taken to Bellmore General in the ambulance. Maasai, Hakim, and I followed behind and met him there. I made sure I was the one who called his mother. It was a task I’d never wish on my worst enemy.
I stayed with Rob’s mother while she identified him and held her when her legs threatened to give out. I stayed to comfort the nurses and doctors who were rocked by the news of his death. I stayed until Maasai told me to go home.
