Chapter 7

Zion POV

I get woken up by my phone ringing.

That sharp vibration cuts straight through my sleep.

I glance at the clock.

6:30.

Whoever calling me better have a good reason.

I grab my phone off my nightstand and see Virgo name on the screen.

My jaw tightens.

If he calling me… it mean something wrong.

“Yo,” I say, voice rough, still waking up.

“Ayo Z, I need you in The Bronx,” he says, voice laced with irritation.

That irritation don’t sit right.

I sit up slowly, already feeling that shift in my chest.

“What happened?” I ask.

“Canon happened, he popped Alejandro.”

Silence.

Then I exhale slow through my nose.

Fucking Canon.

I drag my hand down my face, already annoyed.

I thought this would be a lesson for him…

but instead it was one for me.

He not ready yet.

“Aight,” I say, voice calm but clipped, “I’m gonna send Omari and Jalen to handle that, I need to go to the clubhouse, I got a meeting with the connect before church.”

“Say less,” he says, hanging up.

I stare at my phone for a second before dropping it back on the bed.

I pinch the bridge of my nose.

Now I gotta teach him a lesson too.

He sloppy.

And sloppy costs.

Now my business about to take a hit until I can find somebody to replace Alejandro.

Hopefully one of his guys step up to the plate.

I dial Omari number.

He answers on the first ring.

“Yo Z what up.”

“I need a clean up.”

He sucks his teeth.

“What happened?” he asks, I can hear movement on his end.

“Canon popped Alejandro when he and Virgo went to collect this morning.”

The line goes quiet.

Too quiet.

“Zion this the 3rd time this month,” he says.

My jaw flexes.

“I know. I’m handling it, but not now I got a meeting with the connect in 45 minutes.”

A pause.

Then—

“Heard, me and Jay got it handled.”

He ends the call.

I sit on the edge of my bed, elbows on my knees, hand in my head.

Canon is becoming a liability.

And I’m trying not to go to my father.

If I handle it my way…

he might be short a son.

My mind drifts.

Straight to her.

My baby.

I know she mad at me right now.

And even more so now that she know I had that clown Keenan killed.

I had Virgo handle that for me.

I open her messages and send her a text.

Me: Good morning beauty, I hope you done being mad. I’m pulling up later

Her response comes quick.

Imani: Good morning Zion, I would rather you not but since you seem to do whatever you want anyways, I guess I’ll see you later. Please don’t reply I don’t want to be obligated to text you back.

I shake my head, a small smile pulling at my lips.

She so fucking feisty.

I love that shit.

She the only person alive that can kick me out her house, put her hands on me, and talk to me crazy—

and live to talk about it.

Or not get touched.

She don’t even realize the hold she got on me.

Nobody understands how deep my love for her runs.

I put my phone back on the nightstand and walk to my ensuite bathroom and hop in the shower.

The hot water hits my skin, steam filling the space, but my mind still moving.

I don’t usually stay at the Yonkers crib.

None of us do.

Especially since the clubhouse is in Brooklyn and so is the body shop.

Everything important is there.

I needed to be as far away from Imani as I could.

Didn’t help.

It never does.

I throw on a pair of black Amiri jeans and a long sleeve black crew neck, my cut for the ride later laid out.

Boots on.

Keys in hand.

I head out.

—

I get to the clubhouse in 30 minutes.

Giving me 10 minutes before Hector get here.

I sit in my chair, leaning back, one arm resting on the armrest, when Nasir walks in.

“Yo.”

“Sup bro.”

He studies me for a second.

“You and Mani good?”

A beat.

“Nah,” I say.

“But she know she mine so she could be mad.”

His brow lifts slightly.

“What you gonna do when Jay find out?”

“Nothing,” I say without hesitation.

“He gonna have to accept that shit.”

The bell rings downstairs.

Nasir stands to get the door.

When he comes back up he has Hector and his son Javier with him.

“Zion my man it’s good to see you again,” Hector says.

“You too Hector, Yo Javier it’s been a minute,” I say, dapping him up and shaking Hector’s hand.

“How are you Zion, you know I worry about you out here,” Hector says.

Hector and my father go way back.

Javier practically grew up with us.

“so what we looking at for this month,” Javier says.

“I need 115,” I say.

“That’s more than last month,” Hector says.

“We just acquired some new territory,” I say.

“Good, business is good then. Same price 12,” Javier says.

“Okay no more business your father is expecting us for dinner so we will go,” Hector says.

“Actually papi I will stay for a while,” Javier says.

“Okay your mother and I will see you all tonight,” Hector says, walking out.

The door closes.

The room shifts.

“What’s going on?” Javier asks.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“Oh come on Z don’t bullshit me, what happened?”

A pause.

Then—

“Canon popped one of my distributors.”

Javier leans back, letting out a deep breath.

“he’s been doing a lot Zion you have to deal with him.”

My jaw clenches.

“I will deal with him, but first I have to deal with Alejandro’s territory. I'm hoping that whoever his second in command is, is ready to step up.”

“Okay I hope that works out, what else is going on?” Javier asks.

Nasir smirks.

“he finally decided to stop waiting.”

Javier’s eyes go wide.

“With Imani?”

“Yeah.”

“What did Jalen say?”

“He doesn’t know yet.”

“Fuck Z, Jalen is our brother you have to tell him.”

“Soon,” I say.

“She not fucking with me right now anyway.”

“She found out I had her ex killed and I punched out her cheating clown ass ex at the club last night.”

Javier laughs.

“Oh you started out showing her all your crazy.”

My jaw tightens slightly.

“She only saw a glimpse and she ran.”

“Damn Z…”

Before I can respond, my phone rings.

Omari.

I answer immediately.

“Yo.”

“Z… we got a problem.”

His voice tight.

That same feeling hits my chest again.

I already don’t like this.

“What.”

“Alejandro… was Matteo’s nephew.”

Everything goes still.

Cold.

Sharp.

Fucking Canon.

They were already watching me because of Imani.

Now this?

Now my brother just killed his fucking nephew.

We about to be at war.

“Get to the clubhouse now.”

I end the call.

“Alejandro is Matteo’s nephew,” I say out loud.

Silence fills the room.

Heavy.

Then Nasir mutters—

“Fuck Canon.”

I don’t say anything.

Because my mind already moving.

War.

Retaliation.

Blood.

And then—

her.

Because if Matteo want to hurt me…

he not coming for me first.