27. Derek's Destiny

Derek must decide whether seeking vengeance will give him peace to him and the love of his life—or if it will push him and Destiny further into danger.

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DEREK

I stormed through the hospital halls like I had a beef against the place, each step heavy like I was stomping out a piece of my soul. That "Visiting Hours Ended" sign? Fuck that. My brother was here, and there wasn’t a damn thing that was gonna stop me from getting to him. The security guard didn’t stand a chance. One look at the fury burning in my eyes, and he backed off like he saw death walk in. He wasn’t wrong.

Tears blurred my vision, but I kept it together. Barely. Since I left the suite, leaving Destiny knocked out cold after she dropped her truth on me, it felt like the walls were closing in. I couldn’t sleep. Every word she said clawed at my chest, pulling me down into a place darker than hell. A place I’d sworn I’d never return to.

I hit the door to Little Derek’s room and didn’t even bother knocking. I barged in, like I had every right to. Inside, Ant and Angel were passed out on that pull-out couch, her body tucked tight against his like they found the only peace left in this fucked-up world. For a second, I hated to break it, but I had no choice.

"Ant," I rasped, my voice barely more than a growl. The room was still, too still, but I didn’t care. I needed him. Now. "Ant!" I called again, my voice cracking, shaking.

He jerked awake, eyes wild, scanning the room like he was ready to throw hands until his gaze landed on me. One look—just one—and he knew something was up. Knew I wasn’t here to bullshit.

"Anthony?" Angel mumbled, her voice soft, but her body didn’t move.

"It’s okay, go back to sleep," he whispered, brushing his hand through her hair, his touch so gentle I’d tease him about it any other day.

He slid out from under her like a man on a mission, and I stepped back into the hallway, the weight of what I had to say pressing down like a thousand pounds of concrete on my chest.

He met me in the hall carefully closing the door behind him, his face still groggy, but the focus was all on me. His eyes locked in, sharp, ready.

“What the hell happened?” His voice was low.

I swiped a hand over my face, trying to force the words out, but they tasted like poison on my tongue. “That night…years ago. You said you needed Dorian’s number.”

Dorian—the man who cleaned up messes no one wanted to talk about. The man who did the dirty work, the work that made people disappear like shadows when the sun comes up. If it got that bad, Dorian made sure it didn’t leave a trace. He kept me clean when I was too far gone, drowning in my own vices. And Ant? He knew that.

Back then when Ant called, I didn’t ask questions. Didn’t want to know the answers. I trusted Ant to handle whatever he needed to call Dorian about thinking it was some shit I probably did that I didn’t even remember. I was too high, too drunk, too fucked up to care. But now...now I knew that shit wasn’t about me. It was about her. About Destiny.

Ant’s face went hard, the realization clicking in his eyes like a light flickering on in a dark room. He leaned back against the wall on the opposite side of the hallway, bracing himself for the wreckage that was about to come crashing down.

“She told you.” His voice was flat, but the weight behind it was crushing. He’d been waiting for this moment just as long as I had.

I stood there, fists balled up so tight I could feel my nails cutting into my palms, the pain barely registering with all the shit swirling around in my head. The hallway felt suffocating, walls too close, too tight. Ant just stood across from me, arms crossed, eyes steady like he always does when things get messy. But that calm? That cool? It was pissing me off.

"Why the fuck didn’t you tell me, Ant?" I spat, my voice rough like gravel in my throat. Every word felt like it was burning a hole in my chest. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. Not with my own brother.

Ant didn’t say nothing at first, just sighed, long and deep, rubbing his head like the weight of it was pressing him down. I could see it in his eyes—he wasn’t trying to argue. "I had to protect her, D. Protect you too."

The hell kind of answer was that? My own brother, keeping something this heavy from me, acting like he was doing me a favor. "Protect me from what? The real shit going on with Destiny when I always checked in on her? You think that’s what I needed? To be blind while my girl was out here fighting for her life?"

I could see it now. All the shit I missed while I was too busy chasing whatever it was I thought I needed. And Ant, calm as ever, like he made the right call. Like he was the only one holding things together.

"She wasn’t your girl, D." He said it like it was just a fact. Like he wasn’t talking about the biggest betrayal I’d ever felt. "And back then, you were spiraling. Poppin’ pills, smoking and drinking everything you could get your hands on. You weren’t in no shape to handle no real shit like this."

I barked out a laugh, but it was empty, cold.

"Fuck that, Ant!" My voice cracked, raw and broken. "It was Destiny, man! You think I wouldn’t have dropped everything for her? You think I wouldn’t have come back to fix it?"

He didn’t even flinch. Just stood there, his arms still crossed, eyes locked on mine like he was waiting for me to burn out. "What would you have done, D? Tell me. You were halfway across the world, high, drunk, barely staying out of jail if it wasn’t for Marcy and Dorian. What would you have done if you knew?"

His words hit like a sucker punch, but I wasn’t ready to admit he was right. I paced, trying to burn off the heat, running a hand over my face, but nothing was cooling me down.

"You should’ve told me," I growled, my voice low, dangerous. "I had a right to know."

He exhaled slow, like he’d been carrying this for a minute. "No, you didn’t. I know it fucking stings. But I didn’t keep it from you to hurt you. I kept it from you ‘cause I had to make sure Destiny was straight. If I told you, man…you would’ve crashed out, and that wouldn’t have helped anybody—not you, not her. The less people who knew, the better."

I felt my chest tighten, the anger curling up into my throat. The guilt hit me like a tidal wave, drowning me. All those nights I wasn’t there. All those nights she was fighting her demons alone. I wasn’t there.

Ant took a step closer, his voice steady but now laced with something softer, something almost fatherly. "I did what I had to do. For her. And I don’t regret how I handled it. Destiny went through that traumatic shit, she had to make a call. Not you." His eyes stayed on mine, unwavering. "If the guilt is tearing you up ‘cause you weren’t there? Then deal with that on your own time. I love you, bro, but this ain’t about you.”

His words hit like a punch to the chest, twisting something deep inside me. The sting of betrayal mixed with guilt, my mind wrestling with the truth. Ant was too calm, too rational for the storm raging in me, and that just made it worse. It felt like he was standing on solid ground while I was sinking in quicksand.

“I could’ve protected her,” I whispered, like saying it out loud would somehow make it real, would somehow erase everything that had happened.

Ant’s face tightened. "No, you couldn’t have. Besides, it was already done. I had to step in. I had to handle it."

That truth, that ugly, undeniable truth, hit me harder than I expected. He wasn’t wrong. Back then, I was so deep in my own mess I couldn’t see straight. But still… the thought of Destiny going through that without me, of Ant having to clean it all up... it was eating me alive.

I stood there, chest heaving, the truth twisting like a knife in my gut. I knew Ant was right. But that didn’t make it any easier to swallow.

"We cleaned it up, D. Everything. The cameras, her dorm, him—all of it. Gone like it never even happened." His words were hard, like he had buried that whole situation so deep it couldn’t touch him anymore. "Dorian hacked into some shit, planted evidence, made the story add up real smooth. No loose ends. Destiny did what she had to do, kept her mouth shut, and we made damn sure the law never came knocking at her door."

I swiped at my face, trying to hide the tears that were sliding down my cheeks, hot and fast. I didn’t even realize they were falling, but Ant did. He always saw me. Always knew when I was coming apart, even when I was trying to hold it together. But this time? It was like I couldn’t stop it. The weight of everything was crashing down on me, and the guilt, the anger, the helplessness—it was eating me alive.

Ant glanced at me, his face still calm, like he wasn’t phased.

"Look," he said, his voice steady as ever. "I know this is all fucked up, but you gotta get out your feelings on this. What’s done is done. We handled it. It’s in the past now." His tone stayed even, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes. Concern, maybe. He stepped closer, his voice dropping just a little. "Why the hell are you bringing this up now anyway? And why here, in the middle of the damn night?"

I couldn’t look at him. The truth was suffocating me, wrapping around my chest like chains, pulling me deeper into the shitstorm I was already drowning in.

"She told somebody, Ant." My voice was low, but every word felt like it weighed a ton. "And now they’re threatening to expose her. Threatening to blow the whole damn thing up. Her secret. They wanna ruin her."

The hallway felt too small all of a sudden, the walls closing in on me, the air thick with everything I was trying to keep from spilling out. I could hear my own breathing, fast and shallow, like I couldn’t get enough oxygen. Ant’s eyes stayed locked on me, his calm slipping just a little as the weight of what I said hit him.

Ant’s eyes narrowed, his voice still steady but tighter now. "Who?"

"Some dude named Arnold. She met him at school after that shit with Jake. Whatever went down between them must’ve been bad, ‘cause she went celibate after that. Then she got with Johnathon’s bitch ass. Now they working together—Arnold and Johnathon—like this some kind of kindergarten blackmail scheme. They got Eden involved too, trying to protect Destiny. Arnold’s even got naked pictures of Des, threatening to put ‘em out there if she don’t fall in line, pay up some money." The words came out hard, thick with frustration and rage, but I needed Ant to understand just how deep this shit went. Needed him to feel what I was feeling.

Ant shook his head, disbelief creasing his face. "This is crazy as fuck, D." He let out a breath, his voice dropping low, calm as ever, like he was already planning the next move. "How we handling this?"

I didn’t hesitate. "I’m calling Dorian. But Arnold? I’m handling him myself."

Ant’s face changed. He stepped in closer, his body cutting into mine like a wall. "No, you ain’t."

I could feel the fire building in my chest, like a furnace that was about to explode. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, and I growled, my voice thick with rage. “The fuck I’m not. I don’t give a damn about no little $100,000 their broke asses was asking for. This ain’t about the money. It’s principle.”

My blood felt like it was boiling beneath my skin, the anger bubbling up until it was about to spill over. I couldn’t let this slide. Not after everything Destiny had been through, not after the way they tried to come for her. “They’re not gonna extort or blackmail my fiancée, or her friend. I’m personally putting them in the ground.”

I could see Ant watching me, his eyes sharp, reading every word, every movement. He was too calm, too quiet, and it only fed the rage brewing inside me. I didn’t care about the consequences. All I cared about was making sure they knew—knew—who they were messing with.

Ant stepped forward, his face tight, like he was bracing for the storm. “D, listen—”

“Nah!” I cut him off, my voice rising. “They’re playing with her life, with her soul, and they think I’m gonna sit back and let that shit slide? I’ll bury them myself if I have to.”

Ant shook his head, his jaw tight. "You can’t do that, D."

"Watch me," I shot back, my eyes blazing.

Ant’s jaw clenched, and I saw that flicker of concern in his eyes. "You forgot who you are, D?" His voice was like a shot in the dark, hard and direct. "You wanna throw it all away? You D-Truth, man. One of the most recognizable faces in the world. You wanna catch a case now? You wanna risk everything for this?"

"For her? Hell yeah," I said, the words low, my voice thick with fury I could barely keep in check. I didn’t give a damn about anything else—fame, money, nothing. All that mattered was her.

Ant let out this bitter laugh, like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, shaking his head slowly. "You’re emotional, bro. You talking out your ass ‘cause you mad. She just got you back, and now you tryna risk it all again? You really tryna disappear on her? Maybe this time for good? After all that shit I did to make sure she wouldn’t have to be sitting up somewhere doing time?"

His words hit me like a gut punch, but the fire inside wasn’t about to be snuffed out. I stepped up, getting in his face now. "You think I’m just gonna let him walk away from this? Let him keep playing with her? You think I’m gonna stand by and do nothing?"

Ant stared me down, his eyes calm but hard. "I’m not saying do nothing. But you out here thinking with your fists and your heart, and that shit’s gonna get you locked up—or worse. You wanna protect her? Then be smart about it."

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms, my breath coming out in ragged bursts. Ant was right. I knew he was. But that didn’t stop the rage boiling over inside me. I wanted to make Arnold pay. I wanted to tear him apart for what he did to Destiny, for what he was still doing. Johnathon too.

Ant stepped back, his voice softening but still carrying weight. "Look, man. You call Dorian. Let him handle it. That’s what he does."

"This Arnold, man..." My throat tightened, the words fighting to get past the lump forming there. I could barely keep the tears from falling, burning hot down my face as the image of that bastard Jake clawed its way back into my head. The way Destiny’s voice had trembled when she talked about it, the fear in her eyes like she was still trapped in that moment. I swallowed hard, the bile rising up. "And that Jake... If I could dig him up—"

"Ain’t nothing to dig up," Ant cut in, his voice colder than I expected, hard as steel. Colder than the grave I thought Jake was in.

I froze. The weight of those words hit me like a freight train, making my stomach flip. They really handled it. The full weight of what that meant sank in deep, hitting me in a way I wasn’t ready for. Ant didn’t flinch, didn’t blink—just stood there, jaw clenched tight, like he’d locked that part of him away. But now that shit was creeping out, and I knew he had gone to a place I couldn’t even imagine.

"What did you see when you went over there?" I asked. I needed to hear it, the full story. I needed to know what he saw so I could finally piece together the nightmare Destiny had been living in silence.

Ant closed his eyes like he was yanking himself back through the dirt of that night, his face tightening as if he could still feel it on his skin. He was dragging his mind through the mud of memories he’d tried to bury deep, the kind you don’t want to revisit, but sometimes, they pull you under whether you’re ready or not. When he spoke, his voice dropped low, like he wasn’t just talking to me—he was talking to himself too. Trying to make sense of it all again.

"He was on the ground," he said, his words coming slow, heavy. "Glass everywhere. Blood everywhere. I could tell they got into a real physical altercation."

His voice wavered for a second, but he kept going, pulling the memory up from wherever it had been locked away. "Her pants... they was pulled down to her ankles. Pajama pants, I think. Her underwear... that bastard tore them up."

I didn’t say a word. I needed to hear this, even if it was killing me.

"But I covered her," Ant continued, his voice almost breaking, but still strong enough to cut through the air between us. "I made sure she was covered."

The weight of his words hit me like a sledgehammer, knocking the air out of my chest. The image of Destiny—vulnerable, broken, violated—burned into my mind. I felt the rage simmering in my blood, boiling just beneath the surface, ready to explode.

My whole body shook, every breath felt like it was getting pulled through a furnace. The tears came harder, faster now, cold and unforgiving. I wanted to tear through the hospital, rip everything apart just to give myself something to do, something to fight. But there was nothing. Just Ant’s steady voice and the truth cutting through me like a knife.

"I didn’t ask for specifics…" Ant’s voice wavered, something haunted in his eyes. He shook his head, like he was trying to shake the memory loose. "Did he...?" He couldn’t even finish the question.

"He didn’t get to," I spat, my voice coming out rough, forced through gritted teeth. "She got to him before he could—"

"Good," Ant said, nodding once, like that was all he needed to hear. But the way his jaw clenched told me it didn’t soothe the fire burning inside him any more than it did me.

I wiped my face with the back of my hand, but the tears kept coming, kept burning. "But he almost did, Ant." My voice dropped lower, thick with rage that wouldn’t quit. "And now this Arnold motherfucker? He’s tryna use her trauma like it’s some kind of goddamn bargaining chip. Like she didn’t have every reason to do what she did. He’s out here playing with her pain like it’s a game." My chest tightened, my heart hammering in my ears. "And these pictures? She don’t even remember taking them. That sick fuck had her twisted up so bad, she don’t even know what went down. This dude’s sick, Ant. And he needs to be put down."

Ant stayed silent, his eyes locked on mine, and I could see in his face he understood. He didn’t need me to say it. He already knew.

"Arnold… he hurt her too. I know it," I choked, my fists clenched so tight I could feel the sting in my palms. "Something happened, man. That’s why she can’t remember shit."

Ant didn’t move, his face hard as stone, but I could see the gears turning behind his eyes. He was putting it all together, piece by piece, just like I was. And I could see the weight of it crushing both of us.

"She said he used to make drinks for her when she came over," I said, my voice low, barely holding the fury in check. "Said they tasted sweet. Every time, just for her."

"You think he drugged her?" Ant’s voice was cold, like he didn’t even want to speak it into existence, like saying it out loud would make it real. But I already knew.

"I know he did. Destiny don’t just forget things. That’s not her. She’s sharp, Ant. She’s always sharp. She’s been trying to fill in the gaps, but she don’t know how this bastard knows so much about her. I didn’t even have the heart to tell her, but I know what went down." My voice shook with the force of the words.

"Predatory-ass motherfucker," Ant muttered, his voice dripping with disgust. He nodded, the pieces clicking into place. "Fuck."

"I’m telling you, Ant, something’s off," I growled, my fists trembling with the need to break something, anything. "The way she gets quiet when she talks about him, the way her eyes go blank like she’s trying to remember but can’t. Like it’s locked up deep inside her."

Ant didn’t say anything at first, just nodded again, that quiet storm brewing behind his eyes. He knew what I was saying. He felt it too. That weight. And that cold, creeping rage.

Ant muttered, shaking his head like he couldn’t believe the weight of what we were dealing with. “He’s a straight-up snake.”

My voice dropped low, sharp with a dangerous edge that even I barely recognized. “He ain’t getting away with this,” I growled, my chest tight, fists already itching to lay into somebody. “I don’t care what it takes—I’m gonna find out everything. He’s done hurting her. Done.”

Ant nodded, his jaw clenched tight, his eyes holding the same fury that was burning me up inside. "And Johnathon teaming up with him? That’s wild as hell. I should’ve let you run his Tony from My Wife and Kids lookin’ ass over when we had the chance."

“I should’ve been here, Ant,” I muttered, my voice shaking with the rage I could barely keep in check. “It’s like I left her out here with a damn target on her back. I would trade everything—every dollar, every bit of fame—if it meant she never had to go through that. She didn’t deserve that shit.”

The guilt hit me like a sledgehammer, making my chest heave with every breath. My hands clenched so tight I thought I might draw blood. It was clawing at me, ripping me up from the inside, making me wish I could go back and fix it all.

Ant took a step closer, his arms wrapping around me like he was trying to hold me together, trying to stop me from falling apart. I hadn’t felt like this since I was a kid—like that scared little boy who used to look up at him, waiting for him to say everything was gonna be okay.

“You’re here now, D,” Ant said, his voice steady, grounding me in a way I didn’t even want to admit I needed. “You got her now. That’s what matters. Nothing else will ever happen to Destiny.”

But it didn’t feel like enough. Not when every time I closed my eyes, I saw her—saw the pain etched on her face, felt the weight of everything she’d been through. And I wasn’t there. I wasn’t the one to stop it. That was on me. And no amount of comfort was gonna fix it.

I shoved my hands deep in my pockets, staring down at the cold, sterile hospital floor like it had all the answers I couldn’t find. But the floor didn’t have shit to give me. The weight of Destiny’s pain, my failure, pressed on my chest so heavy I could barely breathe. I was supposed to protect her, be the one to keep the wolves at bay. Instead, I was out here living my life like everything was good, while those monsters were closing in on her, and I had no idea how deep the damage really ran.

If it wasn’t for Ant… if he hadn’t stepped in, who knows where my baby would be right now.

I swallowed hard, forcing the words through the tightness in my throat. “Ant…”

“Yeah, man,” he replied, his voice low, calm. He was always the steady one, ready for whatever storm was coming.

“Thanks,” I muttered, my voice cracking under the weight of it all. The gratitude tasted bitter, heavy with all the things I didn’t know how to say.

Ant didn’t need a speech. He already knew. He always did.

“You never have to thank me, bro,” he said, his tone even, but there was fire underneath it, a kind of quiet storm that was always brewing with him. Ant didn’t talk much, but when he did, it always landed.

“I do, though.” My voice hitched, and I shook my head, trying to push down the flood of emotions that was threatening to break loose. “I can’t even imagine how scared she was, Ant. If you hadn’t shown up for her…” My words trailed off, the weight of what could’ve happened crashing over me, making my blood run cold.

Ant just shrugged, but his eyes stayed locked on mine, serious as hell. “Far as I’m concerned, she’s family. Always has been. And I take care of family. If I’d known that Jake bastard was a problem sooner? I would’ve handled his ass before it got that far.”

I let out a low chuckle, but there wasn’t much humor in it. People always thought Ant was the quiet, calm one. The good one. What they didn’t know was that when it came down to it, Ant could be way more ruthless than me. He didn’t say much, but he handled shit in silence, quick and clean, while I wore my anger on my sleeve.

Ant finally let me go, his face going hard, unreadable. “But I ain’t apologizing for not telling you what went down. You weren’t ready to hear it, D…barely even ready now.”

I nodded, even though the truth stung more than I expected. Ant had this way of seeing through me, cutting right to the heart of things, knowing me better than I knew myself. And back then? He wasn’t wrong. If I had known everything, I would’ve lost my mind. I wasn’t ready to deal with the full weight of what went down. I’d have crashed out, no doubt. I wouldn’t have been any help to Destiny.

Hakeem telling me about the pictures and the extortion plot was one thing, but this new info about Jake? How it all tied together with the secret Arnold was threatening to expose? That took shit to a whole other level. I felt like I’d been gut-punched. I never thought this was the secret. I thought it was something small, something we could clean up and be done with. But now? Now I was staring down the barrel of some dark-ass truth that had been hiding in the shadows for years.

“You know…” I tried to smile, but it was weak at best. “Deep down, I think I knew some shit was off, man. Something about her.” I chuckled, throwing my hands up in a shrug. “Always got her nose buried in them crime thriller books, watching Snapped like it’s a guidebook, and don’t even get me started on them true crime podcasts.”

Ant raised an eyebrow, that knowing look in his eyes, cutting through the noise like he always did. “Maybe that’s how she copes. It’s her way of dealing with the past, man.”

“Maybe,” I muttered, shaking my head, the weight of it all pressing on my chest. “But I’ma take care of her mental, though. I gotta make sure she’s good for real. Not just smiling through the pain or pushing it down ‘cause she feels like she has to be strong.”

Ant didn’t say anything, but I could see he was feeling me. He knew what it was like to carry that kind of weight.

“I know it wasn’t easy for her to stay quiet. But you know how it is—sometimes silence is the only way to survive. That’s what I needed from her back then, to keep her safe.”

“She’s trying to brush it off, act like it’s all behind her ‘cause it happened a few years back. But I see it, man. That shit’s still with her. It don’t just go away.”

Ant let out a deep breath, like he was letting some of the tension slip out. “I know you’ll take care of her.”

“Hell yeah,” I said, my voice harder now. “Plus, I ain’t ending up like Jake.”

Ant let out a rare chuckle, shaking his head. “Man, if she ain’t killed you yet, I think you’re safe. For now.” He flashed a grin, the kind that reminded me he wasn’t always so damn serious.

I laughed, but the weight was still there, heavy as ever. Even with the jokes, the truth between us wasn’t something we could laugh off. Destiny carried more than most people could imagine, and no amount of books or podcasts was gonna erase the scars she wore. And no matter what, I was the one who had to make sure she didn’t crumble under it.

“I’m coming hard behind her, Ant,” I said, my voice low and steady. The humor was gone, replaced with the fire that had been simmering in my chest since this all began.

Ant let out a deep breath, like the weight of my decision was pressing on him too. He rubbed his hand over his head, gripping it like he was trying to keep it from spinning off his body. He knew me too well. Knew what I was saying wasn’t just talk. It was a promise. And trying to convince me otherwise was a waste of time.

“I know,” Ant muttered, his voice carrying that heavy weight like he’d been through this too many times. “But listen, D... just call Dorian. Don’t be out here on some wild-ass rogue shit like you ain’t D-Truth, like you some regular dude who can get his hands dirty without the whole world watching.”

He stepped closer, locking eyes with me, his tone dropping low, more intense. “Don’t cause her more pain ‘cause you’re movin’ off emotion. If you really wanna help her heal, you gotta be smart. Think about her, really think about her, before you do anything stupid.”

His words hit hard, but the truth in ‘em was undeniable. Ant wasn’t just trying to keep me from crashing out—he was reminding me that this wasn’t just about my rage. It was about Destiny and the scars she already carried. I couldn’t add more to that weight.

“What you do next? That shit could change everything,” he said, his voice low but carrying that weight like a warning shot.

He paused, letting it sink in before taking another step. “Your next move, D, it ain’t just about you. If you ain’t careful, if you don’t think this through, you could blow up everything. The whole empire, everything you built? Everything you want for you and Destiny. It could come crashing down, man. One wrong move, and it’s all gone.”

He wasn’t wrong, but the rage inside me didn’t give a damn about cameras or headlines. It didn’t care about being D-Truth. All it cared about was revenge, about making sure nobody—nobody—ever hurt Destiny again. I nodded, keeping my eyes locked on him, knowing he was right even though my heart wasn’t trying to hear it.

“Alright,” I muttered, the frustration clear in my voice. “I’ll call Dorian. But let me be real with you, Ant—if this shit ain’t handled the way it needs to be? I’m stepping in. I don’t care what it costs.”

Ant nodded, the tension between us easing just a little. “Fair enough. Just keep your head straight, D. Destiny needs you.”

I nodded again, but my mind was already racing, spinning with plans and possibilities. Ant might be right, but the fire inside me wasn’t going anywhere. And deep down, I knew that if push came to shove, if the situation got real… I wouldn’t hesitate to do whatever needed to be done.

For her.

Always for her.

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HAKEEM

I stood outside the church with Eden, just staring at it, feeling mad outta place. This wasn’t no big, fancy church like the ones I used to seeing back in New York City. No stained glass, no towers reaching up to the sky, none of that. This spot was straight-up simple, like somebody's old house that got converted into a church and thrown in the middle of a dusty-ass field. People parked wherever, no lines, no nothing. Just chaotic, like the country version of double parking in the city.

The wind kicked up some dust, making me shift like I couldn’t stand still. I glanced at Eden, and she was just watching me, all patient and shit. She had that look, the one she gives when she’s waiting for me to stop frontin' and just get my mind right. But the thing was... I wasn’t sure I could.

“You gonna stand out here all day or we going inside?” she asked, her voice cutting through the noise in my head.

I shifted on my feet, feeling the weight of her question.

“What if I burst into flames the second I step inside, for real?” I muttered, half-joking but lowkey serious. “What if the pastor looks at me and sees every foul thing I’ve done? Like he just knows.”

Eden raised an eyebrow, her expression softening just a little. “Hakeem, nobody’s worried about you catching fire. Don’t let Derek get in your head. And trust me, the pastor’s seen worse than whatever you got going on.”

I wasn’t so sure, man. Felt like every mistake, every bad choice I’d made was tattooed on my face. Like the second I stepped in there, the walls themselves would call me out, like, “Nah, you don’t belong here.”

I had on the only button-down I brought for what I thought was gonna be a short trip, some jeans, and my Jays. Definitely not “Sunday Best.” I was feeling all types of out of place.

Eden looked at me a little longer, then sighed, stepping closer. “Ain’t nobody in there worried about your past, Hakeem. Everyone is too busy trying to save themselves.”

I shook my head, half-laughing, but it came out kinda bitter. “Yeah, but my dirt? It’s different. This ain’t just some regular wrongs, Eden. I don’t even know if God wanna hear from me after all the shit I done.”

She reached out and grabbed my arm, her touch grounding me for a second. “You think everybody in that building ain’t carrying something heavy? You ain’t special in that. What makes you think you too far gone to walk inside?”

I took a deep breath and nodded at Eden. My gut was tight, my mind racing, but I started walking. One step at a time, like I was forcing myself to move forward even though every part of me wanted to bolt.

As soon as we stepped inside, the smell of old wood and dusty hymn books hit me. The walls felt tight, close, but somehow the space seemed bigger than I expected. The pews were packed, people chatting low while the organ hummed in the background.

We slid into a spot near the back, and I kept my head low. Felt like everybody was watching me, even if that was just in my head. I didn’t let out a full breath until the choir started up.

The music was different—less stiff, more alive. The choir swayed, clapping along with the rhythm, and before long the whole church was moving with them. Even me. I tapped my foot, trying to play it cool, but the beat was pulling me in. Next thing I knew, I was nodding along. Eden caught me out the corner of her eye, smiling like she knew I’d let my guard down as she sang along with everyone.

Then the pastor stepped up. Older dude, deep voice but smooth, like he wasn’t preachin' at us, but talking to us. His sermon wasn’t that fire and brimstone kinda thing either. He was talkin' about relationships—how we build up walls around ourselves, thinkin’ it’s for protection, thinkin’ we’re keepin' ourselves safe. But all it really does is leave us cold, alone. He brought up Proverbs 18:24, "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Said sometimes, we push people away 'cause we’re scared of gettin' close, but that’s when we need people the most.

I couldn’t help but glance over at Eden. She was locked in, hangin' on every word, but I felt like the pastor was talkin' straight to me. I’d been throwin' up walls, pushin' her away, thinkin’ it was for her own good. But now, maybe I was just too scared to let her in, scared of bein' the man she needed.

Then he started talkin’ about forgiveness—not just forgiving others, but forgiving yourself. That part? That hit me harder than I thought it would. The pastor quoted Matthew 6:14, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” I’d done a lotta dirt. Maybe it was time to stop carryin’ that weight, stop lettin’ it keep me from her.

By the time the service wrapped up, I was almost... chill. The music, the Word—it all did something to me, broke down walls I didn’t even realize I’d built. I caught myself clapping along with the last song, and it felt... good. Like I was letting go of something I’d been gripping too tight.

When we stepped back outside into the sunlight, it felt lighter. Eden looked at me with that little smile of hers, like she’d been watching me the whole time, catching every shift in me without saying a word.

“What’d you think?” she asked, sliding her fingers into mine as we headed back to the car.

“It was solid,” I said, giving her a sideways glance. “Songs hit, and the message was cool.”

“Would you come again?” she asked, and I could hear that little hope in her voice.

I shrugged, keeping it real. “I don’t know how long I’mma be around, Eden. When Truth moves, I move.” Her smile faltered, and that touched me harder than I expected. I wasn’t tryna hurt her, I felt like I had to fix it quick. I lifted her chin, making her look at me. “But look, it’s gon’ take more than one visit to clean up my mess, you feel me? So, as long as I’m here, we can do this together every Sunday.”

Her eyes lit up, that mix of disbelief and excitement in them. “Really?”

“Yeah, for real,” I nodded, meaning every word. “We in this.”

She gave me that smile—the kind that made my chest tighten. That smile made me wanna do this for a long time—hold her hand, go to church, just vibe with her. Whatever she wanted to do. It wasn’t what I was used to, but damn, it felt good. Felt easy, natural, even though a part of me was screaming, calling me a pussy.

“I really like being your friend, Hakeem,” she said, looking up at me with those big eyes that could mess up all my plans in an instant. And for a split second, I almost said fuck this friendship and jumped all in. But nah, with Eden? I had to play it different, had to move smart.

Yeah, part of it was ‘cause she was Destiny’s people, which meant she was Truth’s people. But it wasn’t just that. Eden was different. Special in a way that made me wanna protect whatever this was. That night we sat in the car, talking ‘til the sun came up, I told her—friends first. She was ready to dive in, no fear. Me? I needed to take it slow. Not just for me, but for her. I wasn’t about to mess this up.

I watched Truth level up for Destiny. Dude didn’t come at her wild like when I first met him. He intentionally grew into the man she deserved — even when the crew was giving him shit about it —- and now I was feeling like that’s what I had to do for Eden. Make sure I was the right version of me before I even thought about being more than just her friend.

And honestly? The fact that I was even thinkin’ like this had me buggin’. This ain’t how I move, not how I usually think about… anybody. But then again, I ain’t never met nobody like Eden before.

“I like being your friend too,” I finally said, feeling like a fool for saying it out loud. But with Eden? I couldn’t help it. The truth just spilled out, no matter how much I tried to hold it back.

Before she could respond, I heard someone call her name from behind me. “Eden!”

I turned around, and there they were—her parents, making their way toward us. Her mom's face was already twisted up in that familiar scowl, like she wasn’t feeling what she was seeing at all. Eden bounced over to hug them, all smiles like everything was sweet. But her mom? She had her eyes locked on me, hard. Like she was trying to figure out what kind of trouble I was about to drop into her daughter’s life.

“You gon’ introduce us to your friend?” her father asked, sizing me up with a look that said he wasn’t impressed.

Eden was a straight-up clone of her moms, thank God, ‘cause her pops? Dude was built like a damn tank. Big as hell, probably Ant’s size—height, muscles, the whole package. I bet the gym hated to see him or Anthony Harris coming.

“This is Hakeem,” Eden said, glancing back at me with a smile. “He’s one of Derek’s friends, works with him too. He’s in town visiting. Helped out with the Jubilee and all.”

Her father’s eyes narrowed as he reached out for a handshake, his grip strong enough to feel like a warning. “Saw you at the party yesterday and now at church today, huh?”

He damn near crushed my hand, but I didn’t flinch. I met his eyes, matching his energy. “Yes, sir. Just here making sure everything’s straight.”

“It’s nice seeing you at this time of day, in the sunlight,” Eden’s mother said, her tone sharp but not without a hint of humor, like she was poking me just to see how I’d react.

I chuckled, keeping my cool. “Sorry about the late-night visit, ma’am. I just really needed to talk to Eden that night. The Jubilee hit hard, had me in my feelings, and I had some things I needed to get off my chest,” I said, surprising myself with how honest I was being. Maybe it was this damn church getting to me.

Her mom’s expression softened a little, and I caught the slight shift in her father’s posture, like he wasn’t ready to pounce just yet.

“I see,” her mother said slowly, eyes narrowing a bit like she was weighing my words. “You apologize for makin’ her cry?”

Straight shooter. I respected that.

“Yeah, I did,” I admitted, meeting her eyes and then Eden’s. “I owned up to what I’d done wrong, it couldn’t wait till morning.” I wasn’t trying to hide from my bullshit. Eden deserved better than that, and I knew it.

Her mom seemed a little impressed, her face giving me that look like she wasn’t completely sold, but I was at least halfway there. Eden’s father glanced at her, like he was checking to see if she was feeling me, but she just gave that innocent smile that didn’t give away much.

“Say, Hakeem,” her father started, voice all casual now, but I could tell he was sizing me up. “You wanna grab lunch with us?”

Eden’s eyes widened, and her mom’s did too, like they weren’t expecting that offer to come out.

I smiled, trying to break the tension with a little humor. “I’m a big guy, sir. Food is always a good idea.”

Her father grinned, a flicker of approval crossing his face, but I knew better than to get too comfortable. This wasn’t just an invitation to eat—it was a test, a chance for him to get me under a microscope, figure out if I was worth the space I was taking up next to his daughter.

“Good,” he said, clapping me on the back, the kind of clap that almost knocked the wind outta you but was still friendly enough to not be disrespectful. “We’ll head over to The Pit. Best BBQ spot around.”

Eden shot me a look, her eyes wide like she couldn’t believe this was actually going down. Lunch with her parents? I gave her a little nod, letting her know I was cool. If I could survive running with Truth’s crew, I could handle her parents. No sweat.

We climbed into her dad’s truck, the ride over to The Pit real quiet. Only thing you could hear was some old country music playing low through the speakers. Wasn’t exactly tense, but there was definitely something in the air, like everybody was waiting for the real conversation to hit.

When we pulled up at The Pit, the smell hit me first—smoked ribs, collard greens, and that sweet tang of BBQ sauce. This wasn’t no fancy spot, but it was the kinda joint that told you the food was gonna hit just right. We grabbed a booth in the back, and I slid in next to Eden while her parents took the seats across from us.

Normally, the smell would make my mouth water, have me thinking about the food and nothing else. But today? Nah, today was different. The food was the last thing on my mind. There was no forgetting the situation at hand—this wasn’t just lunch. This man was bout to grill me.

As soon as we put our orders in, her father looked me dead in the eyes.

“So, Hakeem,” he began, voice steady but with an edge, “what’s your plan? You work for Derek, but what’s your plan?”

There it was. The question I knew was coming, the one that really meant, ‘What are you doing with my daughter?’

I swallowed, but I didn’t flinch.

“I’ve been running with D-Truth for a long time,” I started. “But I’m not just in it to stay behind the scenes forever. I’ve been saving, planning. One day, I’m gonna have my own thing going. Truth’s been schooling me on the business side, and I’m learning. It’s just... taking a minute.”

Her father leaned back, studying me, nodding slowly like he was weighing my words. “That’s good to hear, son. ‘Cause life’s too short to be following someone else’s dream. You gotta build your own.”

I nodded, respecting the advice, but I wasn’t missing the subtext. He was telling me to get my shit together, especially if I was gonna stick around Eden.

Eden’s mom wasn’t saying much, just giving me that look. You know the type—like she could see right through me, clocking every move I made. Felt like I was laid out on the table, butt-naked, no front, no walls, like all my doubts and bullshit were right there for her to read. The way Eden could see through me? Yeah, I guess that Miss Cleo shit ran in the family.

Under the table, Eden’s hand brushed against mine. Just a little touch, nothing big, but it grounded me. She didn’t have to say a word, but that small move? It was like her telling me, You got this. We in this together. And man, I needed that. Gave me the strength to sit there, face the heat, and take it all in. Maybe even rise to whatever they were expecting from me, ’cause I wasn’t about to fold.

“Hakeem’s got a lot of dreams and talent,” Eden said, flashing that sweet smile of hers. “He’s real good with cars.”

I damn near choked on my lemonade. Nah, I said I used to hot-wire cars—not exactly the same thing. This girl wasn’t hearing me right at all. But I ain’t about to embarrass her or myself in front of her people. I made a note to set her straight later.

Her dad nodded, taking it all in like he was really thinking about it. “Maybe you could get into a trade,” he said, leaning forward, “and then apply some of those business lessons you’ve been pickin’ up from Derek. Make something solid for yourself.”

“Maybe,” I replied, playing it cool as the waitress came through with our food. I wasn’t tryna argue or make it awkward, but the whole idea of me going legit like that? That was a whole different lane.

“And you live where?” her mother asked, her tone sharp, cutting through the noise of the restaurant as the food was being laid out in front of us.

“I bounce around. Truth got a place in New York, where I’m from… LA too,” I started, trying to sound confident.

She raised an eyebrow, her eyes locked on mine. “I asked about you,” she reminded me, that motherly tone laced with a warning.

That’s when it hit me, like a brick to the chest. I ain’t got shit of my own. I moved when Truth moved, crashed where he crashed, even here in Juniper. But now, with him and Destiny gettin’ engaged, how long was that setup gonna last? They cool with me now, but what happens when they get married, have kids, all that family shit? Where the hell do I fit in then?

For the first time, I started to feel what Eden was sayin’—her fear of Destiny leavin’ her behind. I always figured I had time to sort my shit out, but maybe I was the one laggin’, sleepin’ on the fact I needed to get my own life in check.

“I got a lot of things up in the air right now,” I admitted, more to myself than to them. It wasn’t just talk; I was realizing how much I’d been drifting.

“But he’ll figure it out,” Eden said, all bright-eyed and confident, like she had no doubt in me at all. It hit different hearing her say that, like she believed in me even when I wasn’t sure I believed in myself.

Her father bit a piece of his cornbread, his voice cutting right through the vibe. “Look, I know ya’ll are playin’ this ‘just friends’ thing right now. But I can see it clear—you got eyes for my Eden, and I know she’s got eyes for you. That’s why I figured we’d nip this in the bud and have lunch now, since she invited you to church and all.”

Eden and I both shifted in our seats, caught off guard. Her mom tried to stifle a laugh, barely holdin’ it in as she glanced between us.

Honestly? I was feelin’ Eden’s parents. They didn’t beat around the bush, came straight at you. No games, just real talk. I could respect that.

“We really are just friends,” I said truthfully, trying to keep it cool.

“For now,” her father said casually, taking another bite like he hadn’t just dropped a bomb at the table. He chewed slowly, then leaned in, his voice lowering. “But when y’all finally stop pussyfootin’ and decide to get serious, if that’s where this is headed, just know—my daughter knows what love is. She’s seen it her whole life. She’s seen how I treat her mother, and she knows to expect nothing less than that. So whatever your plans are, Hakeem—come correct. Don’t step to her unless you’re ready to give her everything she deserves and more.”

Eden stayed quiet, her eyes flicking between me and her father. She wasn’t gonna press it, but I knew she was waiting on me to say something, to let her know where my head was at.

“I hear you, sir,” I finally said, keeping my voice steady. “I’m not gonna play around with Eden. She means more to me than that.” It was the most honest thing I’d said all day. Maybe in a long time.

Her father nodded, a slow, approving gesture. But that didn’t mean he was off my back. “Good to hear,” he said, his tone still firm, like he was giving me a shot but wasn’t handing me no free passes. “Don’t waste her time if you ain’t sure.”

Eden’s fingers slid into mine under the table, like they were meant to be there, and that’s when it hit me—hard. Like a sucker punch straight to the gut. It wasn’t some light feeling I could brush off. Nah, this was real. The kind of real that grabs you by the throat and don’t let go.

I was sure about Eden.

My chest got tight, my pulse was racing, and I had to swallow the lump in my throat. She was the one. I’d been ducking it, tryna play it cool, act like I wasn’t feeling this deep. But the truth? Eden was the one I’d change for. The one I’d actually grow up for, get my shit together for. I’d give it all up—everything I’d been running with Truth for—to be with her. Hell, I’d go to church, sit with her family, and actually talk about the future kinda shit...for her? I’d do it all…shit, my ass was already doing it.

Damn.

It wasn’t just about right now or tomorrow. I was thinking about the long game. Me and her, building something real. Could I even do that? Could I be that man for her? The man who wasn’t just drifting from place to place, living outta bags, doing whatever Truth needed? Could I be the man her parents would respect? A man worthy of her?

This shit was new to me. Scary as hell. I wasn’t used to thinking like this, wasn’t used to slowing down enough to even think about the future. But here I was, sitting next to Eden, feeling something bigger than anything I’d felt before. I glanced at her, the way she smiled without a care, like she wasn’t doubting me at all. But me? My mind was spinning.

I squeezed her hand under the table, but my palm was sweating. The fear? It was real. Could I even be that guy—the one who stood by her, who didn’t flake, didn’t let her down? Could I handle all that? Could I give her everything she deserved?

But I wanted it. I wanted her. More than anything I’d ever wanted. More than all the wild shit I’d done with Truth, more than the fast life, the money, the thrill. I wanted us. But could I do it? Could I really be what she needed?

Shit, I could see it in my head—me and her, building a life together. A crib. Kids. Sundays at church where I wasn’t just fidgeting in the back but showing up for her, being there for real. It all started feeling real to me. But then the doubt crept in some more. The weight of everything I’d done, everything I was still carrying, whispered that maybe I wasn’t good enough.

I held her hand a little tighter, like if I let go, all the doubt would rush back in. She looked at me with those big, soft eyes, trusting me like I wasn’t about to disappoint her. Like she believed in me, even when I wasn’t sure I believed in myself. I wanted to protect that look in her eyes, never let her down. But man, the fear of failing her? That was real.

And just as the thought was hitting me, my phone buzzed, snapping me back to reality. I glanced down—Truth.

Of course.

All the weight of my life outside this moment came rushing back.

“It’s my boss,” I said, pulling my hand from Eden’s and lifting my phone. Her dad gave me a nod to take the call.

“Truth,” I answered, trying to keep my tone even.

“It’s time, Keem. You ready to ride for Eden and Destiny?” His voice had that edge, like he was playing a twisted game, like he knew something I didn’t. He sounded like the damn Joker, all evil and crazed.

I looked over at Eden, caught her smiling at me, all bright-eyed and full of hope. It took me back to that night at the club, when I yanked her the fuck outta there. Back when she told me about Arnold and Johnathon, how they had her caught up in some twisted game. A game I’d been itching to play ever since I promised Arnold I was coming for his ass. And I meant every word. I’d been waiting for that moment.

She didn’t know the side of me that was lurking right under the surface. The one that didn’t just handle shit, but handled it ruthless. She was looking at me like I was the hero in this story, but she didn’t know the half. I wasn’t just about to save her—I was about to destroy anybody who thought they could play her.

I could feel the darkness creeping in, the part of me that’d been waiting to unleash. I was ready to ride for Eden, ready to do whatever needed to be done. And the thought of it? That shit felt good. Hell yeah, I was ready to get my hands dirty.

Arnold? Johnathon? They didn’t know it yet, but their time was coming. I’d been quiet, laying low, but now it was about to get real ugly. I was ready to show ‘em exactly who the fuck they were messing with.

"You know me," I said, keeping my voice steady, calm like I wasn’t about to step into some serious shit. "I stay ready."

"Suit up, then," Truth replied, his voice cold as ever, and then the line went dead.

I kept the smile on my face, but inside? I was already locked in. Finally, some action in this sleepy-ass town. No more waiting around. Arnold—the dude who had Eden working in his club like she was some pawn in his dirty little game? He was about to meet me. If I wanted any shot at a real future with her, I had to handle this. No questions. No half-stepping. Clean up the mess once and for all.

I glanced at Eden, catching her eye as I put my phone away. "Better get used to seeing me in church, ma. I’m gonna need all the help from above I can get."

She giggled, all soft and sweet, her parents looking at me like I was just some regular dude stepping up to be the man she needed. They had no clue. They thought I was playing it straight, thought this was about settling down. But they didn’t know the storm that was coming. Not a single one of them knew what was about to drop.

I dove into my plate, playing it cool, but my mind was already somewhere else. I knew the way Truth was talking, the way his voice had that edge? This wasn’t a game. This wasn’t just some little problem we were about to handle.

Nah, this was war.

And I was ready. Ready to dive headfirst into the chaos, standing right by his side, no matter how deep it got. Ready to do whatever it took.

God help me. I was gonna need more than just Eden’s prayers by the time this shit was over.

to be continued…