This Time Around

Chapter 45 - Rome

Trigger Warning

"All I'm saying is, we completely underestimated Lay. We only saw her with that damn tiger, but I know that y'all have seen those looks she exchanged with Lela and Kai."

We are waiting for the clean up crew to finish. Carlos and his men left to drop that mothafucka back off at home. Lays had the doctor stitch him up, so that he didn't bleed out on the trip.

Carlos told me that he put the little girl and her mama that was living with him, in another apartment. The mama said that she was not aware of what was going on because she was working doubles trying to move out.

In exchange for the apartment, she's going to keep her mouth shut. For her sake, she better stick to it. Pierre and Estella said they both would step up to take the child in if her mama fucks up again.

"Chance, Lela has your ass spooked but you should be worried about Dee's ass. I've been seeing you check Lela out lately."

"Tony, shut the hell up. What happened to being my brother's keeper and shit? Rylo is sitting right across the room. Besides, looking is harmless. I ain't trying to die."

"Cain killed Abel nigga and I'll be damned if I take an L, trying to get Rylo off yo' ass about his wife."

We all laugh at Tony. I notice the twins going back and forth with each other in the corner.

"Pierre, I guess we should expect to see your lonely ass more often now, huh?"

Ricky just does not give a fuck.

"Lonely, nigga please. Besides, I'm going to distance myself from you niggas. Did you miss when James claimed his woman? That nigga was confident. You sheltered mothafuckas don't know anything about that life.

Preston is worse than Carlos. He doesn't care about blood, special circumstances or shit like that. I'm going to keep my distance just in case a nigga realizes they made a mistake. I don't need that heat."

He looks over at June, but my stubborn ass child waves his ass off.

"Listen, I'm not trying to fuck with you but yo' girl ain't as subtle with her feelings. She wants your ex-wife more than any nigga in here. When I say that James does not share, that includes with other women."

"Y'all are misunderstanding her. She's only admiring the woman that Lay is. Yes, maybe she would like to make her feel good, but it's more to it. Rells looks at Lay as a role model. She's just in awe. Nothing more or less."

I shake my head at his stupid ass. Rella would drop his ass if Lays would give her a chance.

"Okay nigga, just make sure she understands your perception too. I'm headed outside to blaze. I'm always on edge coming to this mothafucka now."

We all laugh at him. Ricky, Marcus, and Martell run out the door behind him. I look up and see the twins walking over with matching frowns.

"What's up? Y'all good?"

"We need to talk to you and Old Rome."

Everybody falls out laughing because my pops is probably ready to break his foot off in their ass.

"You two mothafuckas aint that much younger than me. Do I need to talk to y'all mama about yo' disrespectful ass?"

Keli laughs.

"Come on now, Jerome. Why does it have to be that deep? Leave her where the hell she is at. You mothafuckas are not ready for that trouble."

"Rick, why don't you, Travis and that other one come along too?"