Page 125 of The Coldest: Stay Dangerous Part 2

“Since when are y’all cool?”

Ju shrugs, but holds my gaze. “I’m cool with anyone who loves my son. But, she surprised me, after I showed my natural ass. I see how she got you. Don’t fuck it up! I won’t be accepting any other aunts for Marzy!”

I push her finger out my face and walk around her to her room. She picked a two bedroom unit, the primary room big enough for all her furniture and an office nook for her job. Mars’s room is a nice size, too, and has a window I’m sure he’ll love to look out of since he’s not afraid of heights, or much of anything.

I go straight to Ju’s nightstand and open it, taking out a plastic box.

“What’s that?” she asks, but judging by how her eyes round, she knows exactly what it is.

“Close and lock that door.”

She obeys me, and once I hear the lock engage, I open the box and pull out something I’m sure she hasn’t seen in years.

“This is Fredo’s piece. His favorite. A Beretta Px4 Storm. I cleaned it, and tested it, and loaded it with bullets, the ones in the box. The safety is here. This is how you turn it off. Then you just point and shoot. I know you know how to use a gun–”

“Rico. I don’t want any guns in my house.”

I turn the safety on and hold it out to her. “I don’t really give a fuck about what you want. You the one whose ex-nigga is a certified shooter, and believe me, that nigga will kill you just to get to Mars, and not think twice of it. You say you done with his ass–”

“I am done,” she stresses, taking the gun out of my hand.

“Okay. Well, then you should be able to shoot him and anyone else down that tries to come in between you and Mars. You just point and shoot. Anyone who isn’t me, Nan, Pooh, or Snow. You need to go to the range to practice?”

She places the gun into the box and shakes her head. “Fredo took me before.”

“Six years ago–”

“I remember. I’m a good shot.” She glares at me from under her lashes, and I’m sure she thinks that’s supposed to be intimidating.

I close the box and place it back in her nightstand. “Lock the nightstand but keep it close.”

“Can’t you just talk to him? Maybe I can… I dunno.” Soft knocks sound off on her door, pulling both of our attention.

“I’m trying to wait him out. Once my niggas get over it, they can rein him in. I’ma take Mars to Nut’s house today, and then Mars can come here weekends and shit. I’m thinking by the summer we can ask him if he wants to stay here full time, and if he says yes then that’ll be the move.”

I don’t wait for her to reply. Mars is at the door, poised to knock again, his smile turning sheepish as he grins at me.

“Who braided your hair? Miele?”

He nods as I gently pull on one of his plaits. They put some highlights in it, too, further sun bleached if I go by his tan.

“I’m finna take you somewhere. You’ll come back with your mom next weekend. Go say bye.”

He nods and pushes me to the side to jump on Ju. Something in my chest pulls, and I find myself rubbing it hard as I walk toward the front door.

I haven’t felt guilty for keeping them apart in years. Ju was a kid herself, younger than even Haze and Turk when they had Deuce. She had no business having a child, even if I was grateful a piece of Fredo was still here. Postpartum depression and Nan’s manipulation was whooping her ass, and while I will never doubt she loves Mars, I do think she’s better having left him to grow up a little.

I hear his feet, so I exit the crib and keep the door open so he can run out, closing and locking it behind him.

He’s buzzing with excitement, and once we’re closer to Nut’s crib, I finally have enough balls to put him up on game.

“So, the guys I be telling you about, that were friends of mine and your dad, we’re gonna meet some today.”

“Really?” His eyes round. “Who?”

“Peanut. Casey will be there, too. I’m not sure who else. And there will be other kids, too.”

“Other kids?”