Page 57 of Set My Soul Ablaze

Juda’s mother, Marisa, and sister, Jade, walked in with identical expressions. They had their hair pulled into buns with baggy clothes on like they came to fight me or something. It would be in their best interest to turn around and get the fuck out of here, for real.

Just as Juda hardly interacted with my family, I was the same way with his family. I never had an interest in building a connection with them. I never cared to get to know them, because the tension had always been present—like they wanted to date Juda instead of being his sister and mother. It was weird and yet another thing on the long list of red flags with him. Enablers surrounded him.

“Please don’t come into my place of business on no bullshit,” I warned.

“Bitch, you better slow your mothafuckin’ roll.” Jade rolled her eyes.

“Aht, aht. Don’t come in here getting feisty, bitch.” Dominique came from the back with a broom in hand.

While behind the front desk, I hit the alarm to let the on-duty security guard know there was a situation inside.

“Fuck all the bullshit. I want my ones with this bitch. It’s all her fault my brother is fucking dead.” Jade stepped closer to me, but Kira stood up from her seat and acted as a barrier between the two of us.

My eyebrows knitted together in pure confusion as her words played in my mind on a constant loop.

Her brother was dead.

Juda was dead.

“What happened? How did he die?” I asked in shock.

“Bitch, don’t act concerned now. You pressed charges on my baby, and they killed him in jail. It’s all your fault?—”

“Boy moms like you are the worst. Instead of holding your fire-starting offspring accountable, you choose to attack and blame his victims.” I shook my head.

“You should have left. You stayed with a man who fucked and sucked everything walking. You were the dummy, bitch,” Jade spat.

“Y’all knew he was unfaithful and smiled in my face. Y’all are the worst type of women.” I chuckled.

“We never owed you loyalty, stupid bitch. We never even liked you.” Jade chuckled.

“Congratulations. I’m prospering, and y’all finna plan a funeral. I hope you have money for a good graphic designer so you don’t have to Photoshop that bastard of a man in front of them ghetto-ass clouds. Get the fuck out of my store before I stand my ground and shoot both of you bird-ass bitches.”

Jade lunged at me, but security finally entered the store and grabbed her by the arm.

“Y’all can leave willingly or unwillingly. The choice is yours.” Christian’s deep vibrato pierced through the room. Jade and Marisa both smacked their lips but knew better than to put up a fight against security.

“I banned them. If either of them comes within one hundred feet of my establishment, I’m shooting them. I don’t care. Stupid-ass bitches confronting me about a nigga who tried to kill me. Oh, bitch!” I paced the floor, fuming with rage.

“Why don’t you go home for the day, boss lady?” Kira asked as she kept her distance. “The animals can feel your rage, and it’s making them restless. A lot just happened, and we don’t want the customers to see you like this.”

“We can hold it down for you,” Dominique added.

I took a few calming breaths but nodded. “Thank y’all so much. I’m sorry y’all had to see me like that.”

“It makes us respect you even more. You’re a badass, for sure.” Kira grinned.

“Text me if y’all need anything.” I went into my office and grabbed my purse, phone, and keys. I sent a quick text to Artez asking him to meet me at my house, before I headed out.

The whole ride to my house, Juda plagued my mind.

It wasn’t my fault they killed him in jail. It was the direct consequences of his actions. He was a serial arsonist. I wasn’t the first and probably wouldn’t have been the last victim of one of his fires if he hadn’t been caught on camera.

Juda was an evil man.

His death directly resulted from karma not being a forgiving person. Karma was a bitch, and death was her sister.

When I got home, Artez was already inside, waiting for me. He had gotten a key weeks ago when we both realized he was here more than he was at his own home. I didn’t mind at all, though. I loved waking up and going to sleep in his arms.