Cameron 6 (12 page)

21

The following afternoon, Roxie answered her phone with excitement after noticing the 216 number calling. “Well, well, well. Look who came back from the dead? I ain’t know when I was ever gon’ hear from you again.” She and Magyc had just gotten back in town yesterday night. He was so exhausted from traveling that he decided to crash at her crib until the morning.

“How’d you know it was me?” Cameron asked.

“Who the fuck else would be calling me from a Cleveland number?” she laughed. “So what’s been up? I see ya ass went MIA and you ain’t tell nobody.”

“I had to… Needed to get away from you know who.” Cam whispered the last part since she didn’t want Jag to hear.

“So that’s it? You really done?” Roxie asked in regards to her marriage. “You’re gonna get a divorce… after everything ya’ll been through?”

Cameron sighed in frustration. She hated that word, and it surely wasn’t on her list of things to do. “Look, Roxie, I really don’t know what we’re going to do—”

“You don’t miss him? Not even a little?”

“Roxie… I… of course, I do, but—”

“He’s changed, Cam.”

“Bitch, okay. You’re being a fucking hypocrite now ‘cuz you were never his biggest supporter and you know it,” Cameron laughed.

“
Then
I wasn’t! But, he’s different now,” Roxie argued. “He hasn’t been the same since you left Cameron… And I peeped that he’s been clean too—”

“Yeah… well… for how long?” Cameron asked. She did miss Jude, but she was too stubborn to admit it. She was afraid of him still being on the same shit if she were to go back.

“Cameron—”

“Look, Roxie, I really didn’t call to talk about Jude,” she interrupted. “I wanted to hear about you… maybe catch up a little. It’s been a couple weeks. I’m done talking about my miserable ass life and failing marriage. Can we talk about you now?”

Instead of pressing the issue, Roxie became excited all over again. “Well, if you must know, I’ve been getting acquainted with Jude’s home boy, Magyc.”

“The same Magyc you didn’t even wanna get in the car with that night?”

“Yes ma’am. The one and only.” Roxie was happy that Magyc was asleep and couldn’t see the giddy grin on her face. She looked like a schoolgirl with a crush. “He took me to France a few days ago. We actually just got back last night.”

“Well, damn. I see you, sis. That’s what’s up. So ya’ll like official now?”

Roxie paused. “He wants to be… but I don’t know. I really just wanna play the field. He seems sincere, but this bird he entertains got me having doubts. He claimed they just talk but the girl tried to rip my head off at a restaurant. It could be something more… I just don’t wanna get hurt putting all my eggs in one basket. What should I do?”

“Do you like him?”

“Yes… I really do, Cam.”

“Take it one day at a time. If he’s really feelin’ you, he’ll understand and respect your patience,” she said. “Anyway, it’s good to know you’re being taken care of and treated right. Glad you have someone to help keep you company.” Cameron had been so tired of Roxie moping around after Joaquin’s death. It was about time she got back in the swing of things.

Cameron went on to tell Roxie about her Cleveland experience so far. Roxie interrupted her as soon as she mentioned Jag coming to her rescue after Marcus slapped her.

“Hold up, Jag? Bitch, you been communicating with him but cut me off? I’m offended—”

“No. The crazy thing is, he found me through IG.”

“Since when do you give a fuck about Instagram? I’m kinda hurt…”

“Oh, stop being a damn big ass baby. As soon as I get settled, you can come and visit me.” Cameron didn’t want her seeing how poor she was living now.

“Okay, bet. Love you sis.”

“Love you too, muah.”

Roxie disconnected the call and turned around. She nearly jumped out her skin when she saw Magyc standing there. He looked sexy as shit with no shirt on. A plethora of beautiful tattoos covered his chiseled torso.

“Who you on the phone with? Tal’m ‘bout ‘I love you.’ Don’t get ole’ boy fucked up,” he joked.

“None of your business,” she laughed.

Magyc picked her up and spun her around. “Yo’ business my business now.”

“Oh yeah? Says who?”

Magyc put Roxie down and kissed her on the forehead. “Quit playin’. You know what’s up.”

Roxie stared deep into his mahogany eyes. “Why you like me so much?”

Magyc pretended to think about it. “’Cuz you strong-minded…” he placed a delicate kiss on her full lips. “And you sexy… from the gap in yo’ teeth, to yo’ complexion, to the way you walk. You all the way perfect. Even ya attitude, ‘cuz it’s manageable.”

Roxie grinned. “So you think you can handle my attitude.”

“I can handle everything about you. That’s all you really been needin’. A nigga that’s gon’ listen, understand, and take care of you.”

Roxie was just about to respond but his cellphone started ringing. “Damn. I gotta take this real quick, bay,” he told her.

Roxie watched as he walked inside the kitchen to speak in private. Every time she wanted to let go and allow herself to fall for him, she was always reminded why she couldn’t. Living the dangerous life he did, there was always the possibility of one day losing him.
I can’t love and lose another,
she convinced herself.
And I can’t compete with the streets for a nigga’s time and attention.

Roxie was truly feeling Magyc, but as long as he stayed in the ring, business would always come before pleasure. He would put the organization over her at the drop of a dime, and she couldn’t be comfortable with that.

Maybe I won’t have to choose,
Roxie convinced herself.
Maybe one day soon he’ll give that shit up and we can live like a regular couple.
At that moment, she realized how foolish she sounded.

Keep dreaming.

Suddenly, Roxie heard the sound of glass shatter from the kitchen.

22

“FUCK, MAN! Fuck!” Magyc screamed. “DAMN!”

Roxie quickly ran in the kitchen to see what was wrong. Magyc was crouched down and leaned against the counter with his kneed drawn to his chest. Tiny shards of glass covered the tile from the broken barrel jar. Magyc had knocked it over in a fit of rage after hearing the tragic news.

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

Magyc looked up at her with teary eyes. He felt a combination of anger and sorrow. “Somebody killed my sister-in-law and niece. That was my brother on the phone… He’s down at the police station now.”

Tears filled Roxie’s eyes as she covered her mouth in shock. “Oh my God… Magyc, I—I’m so sorry to hear that.”

“My niece was only nine years old, man.” His voice cracked as he spoke. “Who the fuck would kill a kid? She was on the fucking soccer team. She was a good kid, yo’. And Eunice…” Magyc’s voice trailed off. He wanted to trash everything in sight, but couldn’t move. Shock and sadness kept him planted where he sat.

Who the hell would want to hurt Michael’s wife and child? Michael had no enemies that he knew of. Who on earth was capable of such of a treacherous act?

Magyc quickly hopped up and started for the bedroom. One thing was certain; he was determined to find out. And then when he did, he was going to put a hollow point between their eyes.

“Wait. Where are you going?”

Roxie just knew he was preparing to do something stupid and impulsive.

“Fuck you think? I’ma find the mothafucka before the police do and handle it!”

Magyc pulled his shirt on and grabbed his gun off her nightstand.

“Magyc, wait—” She reached for his arm, but he snatched away as he walked around her. “I’m sorry to hear what happened, Magyc. I really am. But please don’t do anything crazy.”

Tucking his gun in his waistline, Magyc quickly headed to the front door. He wasn’t trying to hear that shit right now. He was bent on murdering whoever was guilty of killing his family. “I don’t need fuckin’ pity,” he said. “I need payback.”

***

Jude called an emergency meeting at The Warehouse immediately following the news of the murders. Michael made a police report; for the sake of clearing his name and met them all shortly after. Magyc couldn’t stop pacing the floor. His trigger finger was itchy; he was anxious to put something hot in a motherfucker. Any motherfucker.

Everyone wanted to know who was capable of killing a woman and child. Jude knew the answer, but refused to tell them. Prior to the meeting, he’d received a text message from Stone. It was simple and straight to the point:
Next time it will be your wife and kid. Don’t fuck with me.

Jude didn’t want his soldiers losing faith in him, or thinking that he didn’t have shit under control. Honestly, he didn’t — but they didn’t need to know that. Jude would deal with Stone and his actions, all in due time.

“Maybe it was someone his girl fucked with who acted out of vengeance,” one of the members spoke up.

Michael’s head automatically whipped in his direction. Before he could realize how dumb he sounded, Michael bashed him in the mouth with his loaded gun. His bottom lip exploded in blood, and a few of his front teeth flew out after the vicious assault. Michael was heartless with his attack, but the nigga was definitely asking for it. Out of the fifteen years they’d been married, he never had a reason to question Eunice’s loyalty.

“You watch yo’ fuckin’ mouth!” Michael screamed. “That was my wife!”

The guy’s cousin jumped up to defend his people, but Magyc quickly pointed his gun at him. They were all on the same team, but Stone’s actions had caused them to pit against each other. He knew they would start panicking after the shit he did, and that’s exactly what they were doing.

“Put ya fuckin’ guns down. Nobody’s shooting anyone,” Jude spoke up.

Magyc stalled. He was tempted to blow the guy’s brains out just because. Someone needed to suffer. Why not him?

“Magyc, I’m not finna ask you again, bruh,” Jude said with finality.

Magyc sighed deeply before putting away his heat. Because of the unwavering respect he had for Jude, he decided to let the son of a bitch live. He could consider himself spared.

“I’ma need all ya’ll to just chill. I know shit’s crazy right now. But I’ma get to the bottom of it… and I guarantee I’ma handle it,” Jude promised.

“I hope you do,” Michael said. His eyes were bloodshot red and glassy. He hadn’t stopped crying since he got the news. “’Cuz I deserve some mufuckin’ retribution.”

***

The following morning, Jag found himself in an overly furnished therapy office in Oberlin, Ohio. It was his first — and probably last — visit, but he needed to talk to someone. He was dying inside; he desperately needed to vent before he imploded. The guilt of what he had done was slowly eating away at his sanity. It was driving him crazy.

“I don’t know… I just feel like… I wanna hurt people… all the time — even people who may not have wronged me,” Jag explained to his counselor.

The older, Caucasian man pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his crooked nose and scribbled notes. “Do you come from a violent background, Jaguar?”

He chuckled at the irony. “I do…”

“Hmm.” The counselor scribbled more notes in his yellow notepad. Every so often he chewed on the end of the ballpoint pen. “Let me ask you another question. Has anyone in your family ever suffered from mental illness?”

Jag tore his gaze away from the window to look at his counselor. “My grandpa, father, and brother…”

“Interesting.” More notes came after his response.

“I wanna prescribe you something. It should help with the outbursts and mental disassociation. It should also help with the insomnia.”

Jag forced a weak smile. There were light bags under his stormy, blue eyes. He hadn’t gotten an hour’s sleep since his trip to Atlanta. “Thank you. ‘Preciate that, doc,” he said. “The last thing I wanna do is unintentionally hurt someone I love.”

***

Jude faked the funk for the sake of looking tough in front of his men, but the truth was, Stone had him shook. He’d underestimated the elder gentlemen and now two innocent people were dead. The fact that it could’ve easily been Cameron and Justin didn’t sit too well with him.

Jude had to make sure that didn’t happen. He pulled a few strings and paid a few people to track down Cam using her new driver’s license. Jude had his muscle accompany him on the short flight to Cleveland. Sadly, he had no idea that his wife was now sleeping with the enemy. Jude was in for a rude awakening.

***

Cameron had been slightly annoyed all day. First, she’d woken up to an empty bed and now Jag wasn’t answering any of her calls and texts. She didn’t expect him to just take off.
I thought we were better than that.

To make matters worse, Justin had been acting out all day. He was spoiled and needed his father, but there was only so much she could do on her own.

Cameron had just stepped out of the shower when she heard a knock at her front door. Justin was on the living room floor whining about nothing. “Has to be Jag,” Cam mumbled. He was the only person who knew where she lived.

Using a thin white towel, Cameron wrapped her damp hair. She wore nothing but a silk robe as she padded barefoot to the door. Her knees practically gave out after she looked through the peephole.
Why the fuck is he here?

Cameron didn’t think twice about opening the door. She wanted to check his ass for showing up unannounced, but seeing him in the flesh made her anger somehow dissipate. Within seconds, Cam went from mad to mushy. She couldn’t even flex; she missed Jude like crazy.

Wearing a heather gray V-neck, black designer jeans, and Gucci high-tops, he was just as handsome as the day they’d met. Fourteen karat gold Cuban link chains hung around his neck. Jude’s Clive Christian cologne was inviting, his stare penetrating. For all the grief he had caused, Cam couldn’t deny that she was still crazy in love with him. He was her husband, and the father of her child.

“How did you find me?”

Jude stepped right past her, letting himself into her home. The first thing he did was look around at her living conditions. He wasn’t pleased with what he saw. “How long you plan on holing up in here?” Jude asked, ignoring her question. She didn’t need to know the details of how he made shit happen.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m asking. How long you plan on staying here? In Cleveland?”

Cameron sighed and folded her arms. “This is permanent.”

“No, it’s not. Pack ya shit. I need you to come home.”

“Oh, now you need me?” Cameron rolled her eyes and looked away. Roxie had tried to convince her that Jude had changed, but she couldn’t tell. As far as she could see, he was the same demanding, narcissistic nigga she’d left.

“I’ve always needed you. You know that shit.” Jude attempted to caress her cheek, but she moved away.

Cameron was obviously still feeling some type of way. He wanted to tell her the truth about everything. To reach out, hold her, and tell her he would always take care of her. He wanted to feel like he had things under control, and the only way to do that was to bring Cam back to the A. She needed to be near in order to be kept safe. Not only that, but he missed her. And even though she was putting on a façade, he knew she missed him too. It was only natural.

“I wasn’t enough for you, remember?” Cameron asked. Jude took her hand in his.

“Cam… I’m not that same nigga you fell outta love with. I fucked up… and I deserved to have you walk away from me ‘cuz it made me realize what I had — and lost. I am truly sorry, Cam. I’m sorry for everything I took you through. I’m sorry for the lies, the secret, and the bullshit. You were right about everything you said that day. You held me down when there was no one else in my corner — through everything. You not only my wife… you my family… my best friend. I will never forgive myself for the shit I did to you, and the things I said. I’m a real nigga. So I’m not gon’ ask you to forgive me either. But, babe… at least give me one last chance to make it right… to make
us
work. I don’t want anyone else but you, Cameron.” Jude’s eyes searched hers for sympathy and understanding. Her expression was hard to read.

“That’s sweet, Jude… but… I can’t.”

“You can’t?” Jude looked disgusted by her response. “What do you mean, you can’t?”

“Do you even mean what you’re saying now? Or are you just trying to sweet talk me to get me to leave? Then when we get back to Atlanta you’re on the same old shit—”

“It won’t ever be like that again. I promise—”

“I don’t wanna take that chance.”

“But I need you with me, Cam. I have to protect you.”

“From what?
Your
problems?”

Her comment hurt. Jude didn’t respond. She was right. Stone was his issue. Unfortunately, he could also be her demise.

“Besides, I have all the protection I need.”

Jude didn’t like the sound of that shit at all. “Oh, like that? And who’s protecting you? Some new nigga? Don’t think I ain’t peep that lil’ hickie on ya neck.” He was allowing his jealousy to get the best of him. “Answer the question. Who’s protecting you?” When Cam didn’t respond, Jude decided to press the matter. “Who is he, Cam? Who’s protecting you? Jag?”

Cameron’s silence said it all.

Jude paused before nodded his head. There was a bitter taste in his mouth.
I should’ve killed that fuck nigga when I had the chance.

All of a sudden, Cameron’s cellphone started ringing in the bedroom. “Jude, we have to talk about this some other time. I really think you should just leave.” She turned around and walked off to get her phone. There was a mixture of emotions she was dealing with. On one hand, she wanted him. And on the other, she was apprehensive about giving him a second chance.

Jude stood in the living room, stunned by the bomb she had dropped on him.
So it’s like that.
He looked over at his son.
I’ll be damned if that white mothafucka raises my kid.
Without thinking, Jude picked him up, and walked out of the house.

Cameron had just grabbed her phone when she heard the front door slam shut. Her heart started beating fast because she didn’t hear Justin whining anymore. After running to the living room, she realized her worst fear had been confirmed.

“Justin? Justin!”

Cameron tore out the door and watched as Jude peeled off with their son.

“JUDE! Jude, stop!” she ran down the middle of the street in nothing but her robe. His tires burned asphalt as he zoomed up the street. If she wanted her baby, she had no choice but to bring her ass back to Atlanta.