Smoke and Mirrors (DE)

52. Heating up

" This you?" Joseph asked, walking around the new condo on the thirty-third floor that Rich just purchased for himself in Miami that over looked the ocean. " You back cool with Ms. Emily and you stop answering my calls,"

" You sound jealous," Richard said nonchalantly, taking a seat at his dining table that had perfect views of the water from the enormous floor to ceiling plexiglass windows.

" A little," Joseph said jokingly, taking a seat at the table as well. Richard had changed a lot since rekindling with Emily. For one, he wasn't up Joseph's ass all the time anymore— which Joseph secretly missed. Though they had a weird love-hate relationship, Joseph looked up to Richard as a father figure— other than Grace he was the only person Joseph trusted with one hundred percent certainty. Richard wasn't grumpy anymore like how he used to be, he seemed genuinely happier now that he had the love of his life back in his life.

" I'm glad you came by though, there's something I been needing to holla at you about," Rich said.

Joseph nodded his head for him to proceed.

" Emily and I feel like it's time to tell Grace who I am— ain't no point in hiding this shit no more,"

Joseph stared at Rich with a blank expression before shaking his head no. " Hell na,"

Richard raised a brow. " No?"

" No— is y'all tryna ruin my wedding?" Joseph asked, scrunching up his face. " Y'all not doin this shit right now— fuck no,"

" I'mma tell her not to be mad at you—,"

Joseph let out a stifled chuckle. " That's your plan? You gone tell Grace not to be mad at me. Clearly you don't know her and I don't know if you've noticed— but she don't like you Rich. What makes you think you just gone be able to sit her down and tell her you her pops— nigga this ain't no movie,"

" It's going to happen regardless Joseph, ain't shit you can do about it,"

Joseph blew air between his teeth, shaking his head. " Save that shit till after we get married so she can't leave me because she's going to try and leave me," He said, mentally picturing the way she's going to blow up once finding out. " This don't even got shit to do wit me and she's gone be the maddest at me, watch," Joseph mumbled with dread.

" Ight we'll wait, but I just thought I should give you a heads up first," Rich settled.

" Thanks for the heads up," Joseph said sarcastically. " You and Ms. Emily back good for real?" Joseph asked.

" We was never not good, there was just a lot of explaining that needed to be done. When you truly love someone, that shit don't never die— it don't matter what happens. If you really love someone, you'll always be able to forgive that person," Rich said.

" Fuck you Joseph," Prie said under her breath, opening the car door.

Joseph waited until her back was turned as she got out, pulling his gun from his waistband and shooting her once in the back of the head— watching her body go limp and double over to the ground.

" You good?" Rich asked, seeing Joseph zone out.

Joseph blinked a few times, fixing his eyes on Rich. " I'm straight," He said.

Killing Prie was slowly starting to chip away at Joseph's mental. When Joseph gets in his unstable frame of mind, there is no stopping him— and that's where he makes a lot of his mistakes. While Grace is the best thing to ever happen to Joseph, she will also always be his greatest downfall because she's his biggest weakness. He will forever act off emotion and impulse when it comes to her because that's what love does to you— it makes you do crazy things.