by Kelly, Marie
“Those kids weren’t mine! She left with their fucking pops.” Terrence said behind clenched teeth and then he dropped to his knees in front of me.
“Baby, I’m sorry. Please, I beg you to forgive me. I fucked up choosing her over you and for putting my hands on you. I’ve changed Kanada, and I won’t ever hurt you like that again. I came to take you home.”
“Home?” I pushed him. “Nigga, this is my home now. You made your bed, so lie in it.”
Terrence’s face clenched, and his eyes turned to slits.
“This isn’t your home, Kanada. That nigga doesn’t even want you in his house anymore.”
That made me gasp.
“You’re lying!”
“Am I? He told me how you got arrested prostituting yourself and that he doesn’t want that shit around his daughter.”
I opened my mouth to defend Alvaro but then it hit me how did he know that Alvaro had a daughter? I thought the most they talked about was TJ but I guess they were talking about a lot more—mainly me!
“If the nigga wanted you, why would he give you my number to call me knowing I was here for you?”
“He said you wanted TJ.”
“And I told you I didn’t tell his ass that. I told him I wanted you back.”
I was so shocked that I didn’t even know what to say.
The only reason why I decided to call Terrence and meet with him was because I really believed he wanted to talk about TJ. But knowing now that Alvaro knew he came for me and was so happy for me to call him—in fact he kept telling Ma to tell me to call him—it hurt more than it already did knowing that he didn’t want me anymore.
Was that why he didn’t want me anymore? He wanted me to go back with Terrence?
My thoughts were cut when I felt Terrence rubbing on my thighs.
“Don’t touch me! You think that I’m stupid Terrence? I know you’re only here because the money stopped coming in and your best bitch left your ass!”
He already said that Lela left once the money stopped coming, so I knew that was fuelling him more than him actually wanting us back.
“Where the fuck you gonna go? Back to that nigga who doesn’t even want you!”
His words hit me hard, but I didn’t allow him to see my hurt. I bit my tears back and straightened my back.
“I don’t give a damn! I will go somewhere else, but I damn sure not going with you!”
I had already made up my mind to move out of Alvaro’s house, I just had more reason to do that sooner now!
Fuck Terrence and his bullshit.
Even if I had to live in my car again, I would but I wasn’t going with this nigga. Fuck him!
I jumped up to my feet and went to leave but Terrence grabbed me around my throat and squeezed.
“Bitch, I should kill your ass for fucking leaving the State in the first place!”
“You kicked me out!” I managed to get out around him choking me.
“I didn’t tell you to leave the fucking State or to take my son!”
Somehow, I managed to get out of his grasp and I pushed him away from me.
“Fuck you Terrence! I’m not going anywhere with you! You haven’t changed one bit! My son will never grow up around a fucked up nigga like you!”
The nigga just told me how he changed and five minutes later he was choking me out!
“Fine, I will just take TJ away from you.”
I was on my way out of the room but that stopped me in my tracks. I turned to look at him.
“You will never get my son!”
Terrence laughed and shook his head at me.
“Do you think a court will leave a child with a prostitute that robs niggas?”
My eyes widened.
“That nigga may have been able to make it disappear here but what about Boston? You’re wanted baby and all I have to do is drop a name to them. You really believe a judge will give you my son?”
That made tears fall from my eyes because I knew that he was right. I had been robbing niggas for a year before I left Boston. I knew the police were looking for me—which is why I moved around a lot and used different aliases.
All they needed was a name and I would have to answer for the crimes I committed. And Terrence was evil enough to do what he was threatening. I would never see my son again.
“What do you want?” I relented with a heavy heart and wiped the tears from my eyes.
Terrence smirked as he walked over to me.
“You.”
I knew he only wanted me to work the streets but at this point, I really didn’t have much choice. Alvaro was done with me so I knew that he wouldn’t help me. He knew that Terrence came back for me and didn’t do anything about it.
Like he said, I was no longer his business or problem.
As much as I wanted to go anywhere but with Terrence, I knew that I was better off with the devil I knew!
He closed the gap between us and ran a hand down my cheek—making a shiver run down my spine.
“I know you let that nigga in my pussy—I could see it in his eyes that he’s had you. I will deal with that later. Let’s go get my son and go home.”
He didn’t even wait for a response before he yanked on my arm and pulled me out of the hotel room.
Terrence practically pushed me into his car and sped off toward Alvaro’s house.
I kept my eyes on the road and in my heart I made peace with the mess I had gotten myself into.
I had no one to blame but myself!
I was in such a daze that I didn’t even realize we had made it back to the house until Terrence barking my name jolted me from my trance.
“Did you hear what I fucking said?” He asked and I shook my head no.
“Go in there, get y’all shit so that we can leave. Don’t even think about telling their asses anything or I will make you regret it, Kanada.”
I nodded to his threat and we both climbed out of the car.
“Get your shit and hurry the fuck up.” Terrence pulled my back into his chest and harshly whispered into my ear after I opened the door with my key.
I nodded and headed for the stairs to go to our room.
Terrence followed me, and he watched as I grabbed all of mine and TJ’s belongings and pushed them into suitcases. I must have been taking too long because Terrence started grabbing things and pushing them into bags.
“Okay, let’s go. Where’s TJ?” he snarled.
“I think he’s downstairs with Ma.”
Terrence nodded, grabbed a few bags and followed me out of the room. We put all my stuff in the hall and I went into the living room to find Ma and Alvaro talking to TJ.
Both of their heads shot up to look at me when they heard us walk into the room.
“Hey baby.” Ma greeted me with a smile that instantly dropped when she saw Terrence standing behind me.
My eyes landed on Alvaro and he sat there looking at me with a blank face. His eyes darted to Terrence for a second before they found my face again.
“What’s going on?” Ma asked since Alvaro was yet to say a word. He didn’t even greet me or Terrence.
“Um, Ma I can never ever thank you or repay you enough for helping us.” I started trying hard to fight back my tears.
Terrence’s reasoning for wanting me back home may have been fucked up but he was right when he said that this wasn’t my home. They weren’t my family and Alvaro had clearly shown that he didn’t want me anymore—so why stay?
Ma’s face dropped and then she looked over at Alvaro before looking back at me.
“Kanada, what are you saying?” She asked with tears at the brim of her eyes.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced a smile on my face.
“I’m going back to Boston,” I said, and Alvaro’s brows knitted. Which was the only emotion he showed since I walked into the room.
His eyes stayed locked on mine, but he didn’t say a word.
“We have decided to work on us, right Kanada?” Terrence
spoke up behind me and I had almost forgotten that he was standing there as I got lost in Alvaro’s eyes.
I silently nodded my head to agree—although it was a damn lie—and Alvaro’s eyes turned to slits. Yet, he still didn’t say anything and sat there with his eyes burning into mine.
“Thank you for allowing us to stay, Alvaro.” I spoke to him.
My mouth dropped when he didn’t even respond or nod his head at me. I got nothing!
Terrence cleared his throat from behind me and I knew that meant we needed to leave.
“Come on TJ, we have a long drive ahead of us.” I waved my son over to me who was sitting there looking confused as hell but he didn’t move from where he was on the floor.
Terrence stepped in front of me and crouched down to be eye level with TJ.
“Come on son, we’re going home,” He said in a sweet voice and I almost rolled my eyes at his fake ass.
TJ looked up at Terrence and then turned his head to look at Alvaro before looking at Terrence again.
He suddenly jumped up to his feet and yelled, “no! I want to stay here with my daddy!”
My mouth hit the damn floor when he said that.
TJ moved over to Alvaro.
Terrence slowly stood upright and turned to look at me.
“Bitch, you have my son calling another nigga daddy?” He barked at me and I jumped from his voice.
“Because I am his daddy nigga.” Alvaro hit back, and Terrence turned to look at him.
“Motherfucker, my dick made that little nigga not yours! That’s my seed!”
Alvaro calmly put TJ down on the couch next to him and stood to his feet.
My eyes widened and I gulped when I saw him do that.
“Terrence.” I tried to pull on him—I tried to save him because he had no idea that he was now talking to Wrath and not Alvaro—but he brushed me off him and stood his ground.
Poor thing!
“My nigga you may have made him but you damn sure ain’t his daddy. What’s his favorite colors? Green and red! Who is his favorite Avenger? Iron Man! What book does he love reading before bed? The three little pigs! What does he like to eat for breakfast? Lucky Charms! Nigga, you’re not his dad… I am!” Alvaro roared and even though he wasn’t talking to me, I was scared!
“Man, I ain’t trying to hear that shit. TJ bring your ass.” Terrence waved Alvaro off and went to step around him to grab TJ but he didn’t get the chance.
Alvaro grabbed his hand and twisted it.
Terrence screamed out and Alvaro grabbed him by the shirt.
“Oh my god!” I yelled while Ma fell out laughing.
“Get his ass grandson!” She rooted him on like it was nothing.
Pow! Pow! Pow!
My hand shot up to cover my mouth when Alvaro rained punches to Terrence’s face. I looked over at TJ and he was smiling.
What the fuck!
Alvaro looked back at him and smiled too.
“Come here son.” He called out and TJ got up off the couch so fast, I thought he was gonna fall on his face.
“Has this bad man hit you before?” Alvaro asked TJ.
“No but he hit mommy and kicked her. Like this.”
Tears poured from my eyes as I watched my son wildly thresh around as he re-enacted how his father punched and kicked me the night he kicked us out of the house.
Alvaro snapped his head up to look at me and I turned away from his eyes out of embarrassment.
“Do daddy a favor and close your eyes TJ.”
That made me look back in his direction and my eyes widened when I saw him break Terrence’s whole arm and punched him until he was literally on the floor begging.
The sight before me made me turn my nose up in disgust for myself that I allowed a coward to put fear into me when he didn’t even have the balls to fight another man.
“Nigga, you heard what my son said. He’s staying here with me. Get the fuck out of my house.” Alvaro said behind clenched teeth as he shook him.
“You can have that little motherfucker but I’m not going anywhere without my bitch!” Terrence spat back and then they both looked over at me.
I stood frozen on the spot—angered by what Terrence said about TJ and scared about what Alvaro was going to say next.
His eyes penetrated me through to my soul—or so it felt—before he looked back at Terrence. My heart was pounding out of my chest as I waited to see what he was going to say.
His mouth opened, and all the blood drained from my body.
“Nah, they’re a package.”
I breathed a heavy sigh of relief at what he said because I honestly didn’t want to go. And also knowing now that Terrence didn’t really want TJ but only said that for me to go back with him, I definitely didn’t want to go. And I knew that he wasn’t going to take me to court for him.
“Nigga, do you think this is the end? I own that hoe!” Terrence degraded me with his mouth and I rushed over to him but Alvaro stopped me.
“I dare you to take her out of my house, my guy. You don’t know who you’re fucking with. Ask about Wrath motherfucker.”
Terrence must have heard about Alvaro because the look on his face showed both fear and recognition after hearing that name. It surprised me because before I came here, I never heard of the name Wrath before. Terrence turned his head to look at me for a few seconds and then he turned to look back at Alvaro.
“Fuck it, you can have them. Fuck them both.” He angrily spat.
“Wrong answer.”
Alvaro headbutted him and then gave him two fierce punches to the ribs and one to the chin knocking him out cold.
When Terrence’s body dropped to the floor, Alvaro grabbed one of his feet and started dragging him out of the room.
All I could do was stand in the same position wondering what the hell I just saw.
Ma walked over to me with a smirk on her face.
“I told you my grandson was nothing to play with. Don’t you worry though, I can promise you that nigga won’t bother you again.”
“Um, no you didn’t! You told me he was a sweetheart!”
Ma threw her head back laughing.
“He is.”
If she called that a sweetheart, I could only imagine what she called savage!
“Oh, and don’t think we’re not going to talk about you trying to leave with that nigga.” She gave me a scolding look and I gulped.
“Ma, I’ve brought so much drama here. I didn’t want that for you guys anymore. Plus, he said that he would go to the cops in Boston and tell them who I am, so that the court will give him custody of TJ.” I cried and she pulled me into her arms.
“Shhhh. First of all, you’re family Kanada and nobody is perfect. And you damn sure haven’t caused any dramas; shit happens. And two, do you really think we would let that nigga take TJ from you? The idiot doesn’t know anything about TJ. Alvaro wouldn’t have allowed that and neither would I.”
I nodded as she hugged me tightly.
“Shit, we weren’t even going to allow you to leave tonight with that fool. We knew what was going on from you came home but didn’t come to find us. Alvaro had him checked out.” I pulled back to look at her and she winked.
Ma brushed my tears away and kissed my cheek.
“Alvaro hates me.”
She shook her head no.
“He’s hurt but he doesn’t hate you.”
She tried to reassure me, but I knew differently. Alvaro may have defended me, but I knew it was about TJ and not me. He let me know that when he helped me get out of jail.
Ma and I pulled apart when we heard Alvaro walking back into the room. He looked at us with an arched brow.
“He’s gone, and he won’t be coming back,” He said, and I nodded.
“Thank you, Alvaro. I’m sorry-”
“It’s time for TJ to sleep.” He cut me off mid-sentence.
Not even bothering to allow me to finish what I was going to say, he walked over to TJ, picked him up
and carried him out of the room.
I turned to look at Ma and she sighed.
Pulling my eyes away from her, I looked at the door that Alvaro just walked out of and wondered what I was going to do!
Alvaro ‘Wrath’ Ramsey
The Next Night
The last few days had been something for the fucking books! My life went from full, happy and focused to chaotic, confusing and miserable as fuck!
I left like I was riding a rollercoaster with all the ups and downs.
To find some more shit out about Kanada fucked my head up on a different level! And as if I wasn’t confused enough, her baby father or sperm donor of a nigga, turned up at my fucking door just to add more to it.
Although I found out that he was a fuck boy and only after Kanada to make money—which is why I beat his ass—that didn’t take away from the fact that Kanada got herself into the same bullshit she was supposedly running from.
And then there was that information my peoples found out in Boston, that was fucking with me.
She told me that she only fucked one nigga for money but that was after telling me that she never had. So, for me, I didn’t know if I could trust that when my police associates told me that some of the women were fucking before robbing the niggas.
The fact she lied about it before had me thinking that she was out there like that. And I wasn’t bashing anyone who was out there like that hustling—it just wasn’t for me and not the type of woman I wanted around my daughter.
Kanada coming here and doing the same shit had me doubting her.
Plus, that nigga Nigel said she tried to kill him because he wouldn’t pay her asking price.
That was another thing playing on my mind.
There were just too many questions for me to ignore and try get with her.
I won’t lie and say that it didn’t piss me off when she stood there telling me that she was gonna leave with that nigga. Even though I knew what we had was over, it still did something to me to hear that shit.
I know, I was confused as fuck!
Another thing that was fucking with me was why she was willing to leave with that nigga? I knew if I hadn’t have stopped it, she would have left and that raised some red flags.
Like why the fuck was she okay with going back with that nigga knowing he was going to put her back out there to work?