Adored by a Brooklyn Drug Lord 2 Page 13

  We stood there, squared off, unable to find the right words for the occasion. Legacy grunted, stirring something in Kelsey. Her eyes rested on him, and I could see her mentally pulling his blanket back to get a look at him. I saved her pride by obliging her, lowering him enough for her to get a peek. Her bottom lip quivered as if she was getting ready to cry.

  “He…looks just like you,” she choked out, speaking more to herself than to me. “You're a father. A great one from the looks of it. God bless you, Quill…”

  Kelsey backed up and started off down the block. I didn’t want the last conversation we might have to end like this. Desperate for her attention, I called out, “He's not mine.” She slipped into a jog. “This is my brother’s son.”

  She slowed to a stop. It felt like an eternity as she turned around, taking her Air Pods out of her ears. “What?”

  “They fucking played me, Kelsey. Bull set me up to hit the club with him. Drea approached me, we slept together once, and she told me she was pregnant by her father’s lieutenant. The nigga was married, so I decided to help her out by posing as her child’s father.” Kelsey crept closer with every sentence, her eyes changing from slits to saucers. “The night I called you was the night I found out the truth; my own brother saw me as an opportunity to have the game with no consequences. I'm building his family, raising his son, to die. That’s the end game: to kill me. Everything you said in that voicemail was right. I'm not good enough for you, and it was nothing short of disrespectful for me to think I could walk back into your life with all this baggage.”

  “You're right; you don’t deserve to come back into my life with this drama. I've had enough of losing my mind behind you and your shit, Quill. You give, and I think we’re making some progress, then you take it back. It’s making me sick to my stomach,” Kelsey said, closing the distance between us. “And even with a baby in your arms and you telling me that you won't be on this earth much longer, I still think of you as the boy I met at the roller rink. He was the first boy I ever loved. I moved, I dated someone else, I've tried to wipe him from my mind, but I can't help but think of how much I love him.”

  I held Legacy tight with one hand, and stroked Kelsey's cheek with the other. “I still love you too, Kelsey.”

  “Where do we go from here?”

  “On a date.” Hesitation lit up Kelsey's eyes. “Give me one night to make things right between us. No bullshit. No Drea. No baby. Just me and you. Let me show you that I'm not all about the drama.”

  Kelsey thought long and hard on it, her brows furrowed as she took in her surroundings. After a minute of contemplation, she answered, “One date.”

  “Tonight, 7:00 sharp. I’ll pick you up at your place,” I said, making my way to the car before she had the chance to change her mind. “Text me your address, aight?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Fine, Quill. See you at seven.”

  I watched her walk away, admiring the view before hopping into my car. The ride back to the apartment was uneventful. Legacy started whining, letting me know our return home was right on time. I was rummaging through my pockets when I heard it. Moaning. Placing my ear to my apartment door, I listened, cringing at the sounds of Drea’s moans over the slapping of skin that could only be classified as straight fucking. With my hand on the doorknob, I knew I had two options: I could walk in on Drea fucking my brother, alerting them to the fact that I was on to them, or I could walk away, using this as an opportunity to stay away from the drama repelling me from Kelsey.

  I chose to walk away.

  __________

  Drea looked me up and down as I entered the living room. She was bouncing Legacy on her lap, talking to him in a baby voice, being every bit of the mother she hadn’t been since bringing him home from the hospital. Most likely, it had something to do with getting the dick she had been pressing me for. Bull was nowhere to be found, as usual, meaning he was out with LaKeith handling business. I made sure to touch base with Eric, who held shit down for me while I got my date with Kelsey set up. His girl, Chastity, was a natural when it came to kids, and she offered her babysitting services whenever I needed it. If tonight went right I would need her for future babysitting jobs since I knew my mother wouldn’t babysit if it meant me playing Drea for Kelsey. Planning tonight killed whatever animosity I held for Drea and my brother. I was focused on making sure things went right with Kelsey.

  “You look nice,” Drea noted, from behind Legacy, her eyes zoning in on the tailored Armani suit I wore with matching loafers. “Fresh Caesar, bespoke suit, simple gold chain, Rolex watch, Cartier cufflinks…I don’t know who she is, but I'm sure she’ll be impressed.”

  “There is no ‘she.’ I'm off to a business meeting; you're going to have to take care of little man yourself tonight,” I lied with ease since it was what everyone else was doing.

  Drea scoffed. “Don’t make it seem like I'm incapable of taking care of my son, Quill. I don’t fucking need you looking after him if you're going to throw it up in my face. I'm a damn good mother!”

  “Then act like it! For once in your life give a fuck about someone that isn't you! Because I was the one up first thing this morning ready to take your son to the hospital while you slept in! I've been doing everything for Legacy while you lie around, and if you're not lying around, you're working out to get rid of the shape you were blessed with from carrying him like it’s a disease!” I roared, upsetting Legacy. In a calmer voice, I finished, “If you don’t like the way I handle myself or the way I'm looking out for your son, you're more than welcome to have his father step in.”

  Like a wet towel, my words put out the fire in Drea. She wilted, biting her lip to hold back whatever was on her mind. “You got it. Have fun on your date—I mean business dinner tonight. You deserve it.”

  Drea Winthrop wasn’t one to be easily humbled. She didn’t like the idea of losing her grip on me, which inadvertently meant she would soon lose her freedom. I had to play it safe with her from now on, making our blowups far and few in between. However, I would place all my drama on the backburner for one special night with the woman of my dreams. I found her standing in the lobby of her building, one of the newer luxury high rises completed a few years ago, playing with the lapel of the trench coat she was holding in her hand. Her brows were furrowed, and for a minute I could see hesitation in her eyes, like she was contemplating heading back upstairs. Climbing out of the car with a bouquet of red roses in my hand, I approached the building with a smile on my face.

  “Seven sharp,” Kelsey said, checking her watch, a diamond encrusted Audemars Piguet. “I'm impressed. Are these for me? Thank you…”

  Kelsey took an appreciative sniff of her flowers as she followed me out to my rental for the night, a midnight Cadillac Escalade. I didn’t trust Drea or any of the Winthrop family when it came to Kelsey. Eric had my car swept for bugs and found a tracker. I left it there, making sure to use Eric's car whenever we had to handle any type of business. Like a real friend, he was down to ride with me when it came to meeting up with the Jinetes, introducing himself as my second in command, making him responsible for the operation in my absence. He knew the risk and was still willing to ride out. It was under his name I was able to rent this car while he drove mine around the city, stopping at a restaurant in the city for my “business dinner.”

  “You were going to ditch me, huh?” I asked in the privacy of the car.

  Kelsey shrugged. “It crossed my mind…”

  “What changed it?”

  “My word. Fuck the cars, clothes, all that other inconsequential bullshit; you're only as good as your word. It’s very important to me that I live up to my word,” Kelsey explained, her eyes trained on the road.

  I let out a low whistle. “I can respect that. You must be spending a lot of time with your pops. Urban is big on keeping his word. Why you think all of Mott Haven respects him? Whenever Urban Mackenzie puts his name on something, it’s considered bond.” Kelsey’s expression change to one of deep tho
ught. “How’s he doing, anyway? I saw the news report about the shooting at First United Trust…”

  “His secretary pulled through with no lasting neurological damage. According to her, she heard the arguing and poked her head in to intervene, which was the same time Daddy was telling Koi he was capable of keeping his registered firearm. Daddy’s hand faltered, and he pulled the trigger by accident. When she found out they were pursuing charges on her behalf, she stopped them,” Kelsey replied, and I could hear the tension in her voice evaporate. “In exchange for surrendering his weapons, the ADA dropped all charges. He’s staying home until the media coverage dies down.”

  “We know he gave them the registered weapons, but Urban is still packing heat. He wouldn’t be living up to his name if he didn’t.”

  Pause. “What does his name mean? I've never gotten a straight answer from him on its origin,” Kelsey asked, shifting in her seat to face me.

  Rubbing my beard, I tried to find the right words. The only person who Kelsey should get this information from was her father. “Aight, you know what an urban legend is?”

  “A myth. A story circulated through people although its origins are unknown. My father is all of 42; I don’t see too many stories about him being passed down through generations,” Kelsey replied.

  “That’s what you think.” She cocked an eyebrow. “Your father came up overnight. One day it was known that Urban Mackenzie was in charge. Nobody questioned it. My brother, who was a young, thirsty hustler at the time, thought such a come up by someone so young was strange.”

  “Yeah, the only way to get that much power in a short amount of time is to… Are you trying to say my father—”

  “Nobody knows the body count on your father’s burners. All people know is that those who were once in power, I'm talking about untouchable niggas who ran New York for decades, were suddenly gone, replaced by new people, and no one batted an eyelash. There is only one person who knows how Urban Mackenzie came to power, and that’s Urban Mackenzie.”

  Kelsey nodded her head at my story. “Damn. Everyone's scared of Urban Mackenzie's wrath and I used to be scared of sneaking out at night.”

  I laughed. “No, you were not with your bad ass. We had some good times. I remember the night of our first date. That kiss at the end of the night was one I’ll never forget…‘cause your grandmother interrupted it and I swore she was gon’ lay me out.”

  “To this day she never told my dad.”

  “Of course not; I'm still alive, aren't I?”

  “You're right about that,” Kelsey cracked up, settling into her seat, a few stray giggles escaping her. “Quill, where are you taking me? We’ve been driving for like half an hour…”

  I grinned at her. “You’ll see.”

  We spent the rest of the ride in an amicable silence, with the radio providing all the dialogue needed. I glanced in my rearview mirror and spotted the same black sedans following me from a few exits ago. Kelsey’s eyes followed mine to the mirror, a tinge of annoyance registering on her face.

  “I told them to hang back a little farther so they wouldn’t scare you. Pay them no mind,” she explained, pulling out her phone and shooting a text message to someone named Terry. “My security detail. They're on me 24/7.”

  “Damn, is your pops in some kind of trouble?”

  Kelsey bit her lip. “No, he's fine. I hired them after the situation at the club. They're usually good at being discreet…”

  “That’s what's up. If they're here to keep you safe, leave ‘em alone. I’ll just have to let the rink know we’ll have some additional visitors.”

  “The rink?” Kelsey echoed.

  I didn’t have to answer her; the familiar landscape of Prospect Park did. LeFrak Center at Prospect Park was home to seasonal ice skating and roller skating. With the roller skating season pass, the gym floor was transformed into an ice skating rink. Kelsey lit up at the sight of an open rink ready and waiting for us. Our ice skates were laid out along with a pullover sweater for Kelsey. She slipped into the skates, lacing them up like an excited little kid. I signaled to the employee who was staying late to turn on the music. My 90’s R&B playlist came on, starting with Ne-Yo’s “Because of You” playing.

  “I've never ice skated before but I've always wanted to learn,” Kelsey admitted as we made our way onto the rink floor. She squeezed my hand tight as her skates hit the ice. “Quill, whatever you do, please don’t let go of me.”

  I placed a firm hand on her waist. “I promise.”

  Kelsey’s cheeks heated up as she replayed her words in her head. “I mean…don’t let me fall…I can't afford a broken bone right now…”

  “I got you,” I said, and the look in my eyes said I meant on and off the rink.

  Outside of playing ball, I spent a lot of my free time roller skating and rollerblading, giving me an edge when it came to ice skating. Holding Kelsey by the hand, I led her around the rink using slow, deliberate steps. She was squeezing my hand so tight I felt my fingers growing numb. By the third revolution, she had the hang of it, gaining enough courage to let go of my hand and skate a few feet without my assistance. I remained behind her, ready to catch her in case she lost her footing.

  “I love this song,” Kelsey shouted as Eugene Wilde’s “Gotta Get You Home Tonight” came on. “‘Oooooh, baby…’ ”

  “What you know about this song? Last I checked your playlist was nothing but this new age shit,” I said, speeding up, turning around, and skating backwards in front of her.

  Kelsey rolled her eyes. “That was so long ago. My taste has grown better with age, aight?”

  “You trust me?” I asked her.

  She hesitated for a second. “Yeah…I trust you.”

  I collided with Kelsey, holding her by the small of her back before she could fall. She stared up at me through those long lashes of hers, an unsure smile playing on her lips. I came around her, moving my hand to her waist and beginning to take her around the rink at a faster pace. We fell in line to the beat of the song, singing the lyrics with a furtive glance at each other every now and again. Kelsey started feeling herself, lifting her leg up to skate on one leg. I helped her keep her balance by holding it up, noting to myself how thick she had gotten over the years. The song changed to The Isley Brothers’ “Between the Sheets” and I knew if I held her leg any longer, both of them would end up over my shoulders.

  “You tryna get me pregnant?” Kelsey joked as if she read my mind.

  I let go of her leg with the quickness, causing her to lose her balance and go crashing to the floor. My hand got tangled in her sweater, and I went tumbling right after her, landing on all fours above her. Our noses brushed, my eyes locked with hers, creating this stirring feeling in my stomach. I could feel the heat emanating from her cheeks, hear her heart beating—or was it mine? She made the mistake of moving to get up from under me, and her lips brushed against mine. I claimed them with a soft kiss, startling the both of us.

  “My bad, I ain't mean to—” I started, promptly cut off by Kelsey pressing her lips against mine, prying my mouth open and tonguing me down like we were back in high school.

  I lowered my stance, placing myself directly on top of her, running my hands through her hair as I deepened the kiss, probing her mouth with my tongue, biting her lower lip as I began a trail of kisses down her neck, sucking on her collarbone. She let out a moan, stifled by the music playing overhead. Her dress had slipped up a few inches, giving her easy access to my growing erection. I bit her neck as she gyrated against my dick, rubbing her throbbing pussy against it. My fingers dug into her pantyhose, ripping them with one tug. Her nails dug into my neck as I ran my fingertips over the inside of her thigh until I reached her panties, some lace joints almost as soft as her skin, and drenched in the middle. I rubbed her clit through them, eliciting another moan from her.

  “Damn, you wet for me, huh?” I whispered in her ear.

  Kelsey was quick with the comeback, replying, “Only if that dick
is for me.”

  That was all I needed to hear. We scrambled to our feet, skating back to our shoes. One of Kelsey's guards, Terry I assume, was standing at the entrance, and from this angle he had a perfect view of the entire rink. I could see the distaste set into his jaw, his eyes raking over the rink to avoid drawing the attention of Kelsey, who had her skates off and was slipping into her Jimmy Choo heels. She fixed her makeup as I changed back into my shoes, folding my suit jacket over my arm to keep Terry from seeing what I was going to put on his client. The walk back to the car was brimming with tension, sexual between Kelsey and I, the rest coming from Terry as he walked in front of us. I turned on my playlist in the car, setting the mood as we headed into the city, stopping at The Mandarin Oriental. If the front desk agent was put off by two black, young adults booking the presidential suite she didn’t show it, wishing us a good night that fell upon deaf ears. We played it cool on the elevator ride, standing on either side of Terry, his backup taking the adjacent elevator for maximum protection. I escorted her to our room like a gentleman, turning into the hood nigga I was raised as the moment the door shut in Terry’s face.

  “Mmmm…” Kelsey moaned against my lips as I grabbed her thighs, wrapping her legs around my waist. “Quill, when was the last time you had an STD test?”

  I broke the kiss. “Right after I fucked Drea last year. I haven’t messed with anyone since.”

  “You haven’t fucked anyone in over half a year?” Kelsey countered with a hint of disbelief.

  “Yes,” I replied, pecking her on the lips. “Fucking unprotected got me into the situation I'm in now. You think I'm gon’ go right back out and start fucking more bitches? Plus, Amos kept a close eye on me back in North Carolina. Wasn’t a woman crazy enough to fuck me and risk getting her head chopped off.”