Page 33 of Soft On Her
“For what?” Milani finally spoke, turning in the seat to fully face me.
“I don’t know. Maybe closure,” my father sarcastically suggested, shrugging his good shoulder. “AC and Antonio don’t know we found Deja. She’s going to be our secret weapon if shit gets sticky. If not, we’ll return her unharmed.”
“Milani can’t come with us, so kiss and hug, then meet me in my truck. Don’t worry. She’ll be riding with Bill and BJ. You know they got her,” he explained, passing Bill our suitcase.
My father sauntered over to his truck, leaving us alone. Milani stood on her tippy toes and planted a kiss on my lips. I held onto her waist while she stared at me. I clearly had PTSD from the day Milani went missing. The last time I left Milani in the midst of some bullshit, it took me nine years to find her again.
“Let me come with you guys. I know how to handle myself. I promise,” Milani squeezed my hands, and I felt like she was reading my mind.
“Come on,” I stated, pulling her in the direction of my father’s truck. Zero hesitation.
“Where is she going?” He questioned once we piled into the Suburban with him.
“She’s coming with us. If we have to leave the warehouse, then I’ll send her home. The last time y’all said y’all had her, she disappeared. Plus, you don’t have time to argue. You need a real doctor to look at that shoulder.”
“Fine,” he grumbled, relaxing in his seat.
We climbed past him and got comfortable in the third row for the duration of the ride. When we arrived at the warehouse, it was clearly an all hands on deck day. It had been a few years since we had any issues that required additional security beyond our day to day security coverage. My father led the way inside and made a beeline for the office where our family doctor stood, unpacking his portable X-ray machine.
“What the fuck happened to you?” Levi inquired as my father used one hand to pull off the button up shirt he’d acquired in the hotel gift shop.
“Milani stabbed me in the back,” he tossed out, plopping down in the seat.
“She what?” Levi roared, standing from his chair.
“Calm down nigga. It was an accident,” I ordered.
“Yeah, everybody be cool. I’ve been through worse. I’ll survive,” my father added.
“And did you whoop them for stealing a whole private jet?” Terrel asked my dad.
“Shut up,” I laughed.
“I see ain’t shit changed. See, let me or Levi would’ve pulled that for some pu?—”
“Aye!” I cut his words short before Terrel could finish his statement.
“Aye, y’all getting sensitive around this motha fucka. Now I can’t say bitches or pussy? Fuck outta my face. Sneaux says more hoes and bitches than a little bit,” he argued, but still corrected himself. “If we would’ve pulled that for a woman, Unc would’ve pushed us out of the jet mid flight back home. My mama would be crying and whooping his ass all through this warehouse as we speak for killing one of her boys. Tell me I’m lyin’,” Terrel vented. “But it’s Sneaux and Milani, so he gone let it rock like always. Ain’t that about a bitch. I’mma eventually have to take my belt off if Milani’s return equals shit like this happening. And you let her come to the warehouse dressed in joggers and a hoodie like she ain’t clocking in for work. Where the fuck is your suit?” Terrel shook his head like a disappointed parent.
“Boy, hush. All you do is run yo mouth. Where is Deja so Sneaux can extract whatever information she has out of her?” My father queried.
“Deja’s in there,” Terrel nodded, clicking around on his phone. “I’m not going in there and warn me before you bring her out. Y’all going to ruin my chances to tap that if she knows I had a hand in this hostage situation.”
“You think that girl is going to want anything to do with your silly ass or anybody in this family when this shit is all saidand done?” My father inquired. “Sometimes I think my sister dropped you on your head when you were a baby.”
“Multiple times,” Levi added, walking over to unlock the door.
“I’ll be right back,” I informed Milani.
“I’m coming too,” she squinted her eyes. “We are a team, right?”
“What the fuck is this? Why did y’all even bring Milani in here? Does she even know how to shoot a gun?” Levi interrogated. “AC and Antonio are already on their way over here.”
“I do know how to shoot a gun,” Milani sassed.
Levi side eyed us, then unlocked the door to expose Deja. She was still wearing the black and grey snake print bandeau top and the tiny pair of black shorts. The makeup she wore Friday night was gone, revealing a horrible black eye. Against her brown skin, the bruise bloomed in deep purples and blues. The color was starting to deepen and spread, signaling that it was a few days old.
“I told you I don’t have shit to say to your muscle head ass! Where is Sneaux?!” Deja screamed.
