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“See, I had a feeling you were going to do this. What happened to you getting all new shit?”

“I didn’t pay attention at the reading of the will. I got two deposits. One is for Ryleigh’s care, and the other is for her trust. I can’t touch the damn trust.”

“Damn, Raya, you gotta get your shit together. I’m so glad I didn’t get rid of my own shit. You can come and get the furniture; it’s still sitting in the U-Haul.”

“You can’t bring it to me?”

“Hell no! You got yourself in this shit, and you need to get yourself out. I know you don’t want to hear this, but you may have to find you a job.”

I rolled my eyes. Anytime I was in some shit, this was the first thing she would say.

“I’ll be there in a little bit. Do you think you can help me bring it in or watch Ryleigh so I can find someone to help me?”

“I’ll watch Ryleigh.”

“Thank you,” I said with an attitude before hanging up.

By the time I had paid a few of Kam’s cousins to drive the U-Haul and put the furniture in my house, it was late as fuck. There was no way I was going back on the other side of town to get Ryleigh. I was exhausted, and I needed to get some sleep. After sending Kam a text, I hopped in the shower and climbed in bed. Before my eyes closed, I went to Royal Flush’s social media page. It had become routine to see what the fuck Kyenna was doing since she was so private. She still hadn’t put any pictures of herself on the website or the page. Whoever her social media manager was, did a good job of making it seem like Rah was still alive. My eyes ended up getting heavy until I drifted off to sleep with my phone in my hand.

The next morning, I woke up to my phone going off. I woke up frantic because I really didn’t remember going to damn sleep. Once the phone stopped ringing, I flopped my head back on the pillow, only for it to go off again.

“Hello?”

“Where the fuck you at?” Shameek’s voice boomed through the phone.

“What you mean?”

“It’s my family weekend to get Ryleigh, and I’m at yo’ door.”

I raised. “What door?”

“At the muthafuckin’ condo. Fuck you mean what door?”

“I…I don’t live at the condo anymore.”

“Raya, where the fuck you at wit’ my niece?”

“Can you give me an hour? I need to go pick her up and pack her a bag. Then I will call you with my location.”

“You got one hour,” he said, hanging up.

I jumped out of bed without even washing my face or brushing my teeth. Rah might not have put his hands on me, but Shameek had done a few things to me physically that let me know he wasn’t someone that I could push the buttons with. Yeah, I talked a little shit, but I also knew when he was giving me a warning. I had Ryleigh home, bathed and dressed in record time. Shameek was going to have questions when he arrived at my new location. I mean, rightfully so. When the money hit, I up and moved without telling anyone. Shameek popped up an hour later than what he had given me.

“Ryleigh, come on, your Uncle Meek is here,” I said as I opened the door.

I tried to block him from coming in, but he pushed right by me and entered my house.

“You moved yo’ ass over here by Averie, for what?”

“Because my daughter deserves to live nice too.”

“And you decided out of all the good neighborhoods that this is the one you would settle on? You’re not gonna get enough until Averie or Kyenna beat yo’ muthafuckin’ ass.”

“Beat who?” I laughed. “Averie’s ass is bigger than me, so maybe. But Kyenna…that hoe too uppity to even know how to throw a set up.”

Shameek laughed. “Rah ain’t tell you how she beat his fuckin’ ass ‘bout cheatin’ on her with’ you. She was tryin’ to beat both of y’all ass.”

“He let her do that. Y’all be gassing her up like she’s really that girl.”