Natural Born Hustler (BOOK 4)

Chapter Forty-Six -- Forgive and Forget

Chapter Forty-Six -- Forgive and Forget

Erik's POV

I walked through the smoked village with my Glock in one hand and a bag full of money in the other, stepping on the occasional dead bodies here and there on the ground.

I admit, Gumbo's men put up a good fight, but it wasn't good enough. A few of my men were injured, but it's not something a little rubbing alcohol and a couple band-aides couldn't take care of.

It was that fuckin' easy, but I'm not satisfied and I won't be until I've got the monarch, and I want to handle him myself. Up close and personal.

"Everything's good?" Ron asked once I met back up with him.

"Everything's good," I confirmed,

"there wasn't a scratch on her."

He nodded at the condition of Chloe.

I lifted the pillow case, "This is for you."

He shook his head, "Nah, I can't take that, it's not about the money. This wasn't business, it was personal. Somebody fuck with you, they fuckin' with me."

I can't help but to smile at my old grandpa's friend's gratitude. "I don't know how else I'm going to repay you, man," I told him.

He shrugged, "Let's just say you'll owe me a solid."

I grinned at the old G who still got it before giving him a pound, "Deal."

****

I knocked on my parent's door, eager to get in and relax, but with Karly here, I know that's the last thing I'll be doing.

The door opened and Momma stood in the doorway with a smile on her face. "I'm so happy you're okay," she said, now hugging me while standing on her toes.

I hugged her back, not saying a word before she let go to let me enter the full house.

Chloe, now cleaned up and out of her bloody school uniform was the first one I seen.

I hugged her, thankful to have her with us again. "I'm so sorry," I said, "you're okay? They didn't touch you or anything did they?"

She shook her head, "No, nobody did anything."

I leaned down to kiss her forehead, "Good."

She smiled a little before going to sit next to her mom who had the look of death in her eyes as she stood up next.

"Megan--"

"Thank you, Erik," she said, wrapping her arms around my neck in a hug.

I hugged her back, a little shocked. I thought she was going to tell me how bad of an uncle I am. "No, problem."

She let go and I looked at my dad for his input, but to my surprise, he didn't say a word, he simply nodded his head to the back where the guest room is.

I sighed, rubbing my hands over my face in sudden frustration. Can't this wait?

"No," Momma said, always reading my mind, "It can't wait, Erik. That girl has been in there crying her eyes out since you left. At least hear her out."

"I see you already did," I told her.

She smiled, "You know it. Now get your behind in there and talk to that girl."

I blew out a breath, already tired of the conversation I was about to have as I went up to the room.

I put my ear to the closed door, listening, but all I heard was silence. I opened the door slowly, putting my head in first.

Karly was sleeping silently on her side, her back facing the door. I went in, closing the door softly so it wouldn't wake her up.

I sat on the bed beside her, studing her soft, yet beautiful features. Her face, stained with dried tear shierks, proved that my mom wasn't lyin. Karly's nose was red and her hand layed carelessy under her bangaged wound.

It was then when I remembered it was my fault she was almost dead in my arms. It was my fault she was in a coma. It's my fault she's in pain right now.

I leaned over to kiss her moist lips, kissing them until her eyes began to flutter open.

"Erik?" she asked groggily, her eyes squinting up at me.

"I'm sorry," I told her.

She sat up quickly, putting her arms around me. "I was so worried."

I put my arms around her, careful not to interfere with her bruise. "I couldn't tell you, I know you wouldn't have stopped at nothing until you was out there with me."

"I'm going to always ride for you.We're a--"

She sat down beside me, stopping her sentence. She shook her head, looking down at the bed, "Erik, about what Gumbo told you," she sighed before looking at me, "I won't sit here and lie and say it's not true, because it is."

I looked away from her, can't believing the woman I love was out to get me.

"No, look at me, baby," I let her turn my head towards her, "I didn't know a thing about you back then. When Gumbo was arrested, I was left with bill after bill with little to no money to my name. He was literally all I had and when they took him, they took... my everything.

"So when he told me about a way to make money, of course I took up the opportunity. I didn't want to, but needed it."

She wiped away fresh tears.

"The plan was to get you to take me back to your place, fuck you, then kill you, but after I met you... after I met you, baby, I couldn't do it. No matter how much Gumbo pressured me.

"I turned down thousands of dollars, dollars that was going to pay my bills and feed my little sisters... I turned it all down because I fell in love with you, Erik. I couldn't kill you and I still can't."

I thought about all of the opportunities she had to pull the trigger, all of the times she could've ended my life and shook my head.

"I should've told you, but I didn't know how. I was afraid you'll hate me, I was afraid you'll leave me alone. I'm so sorry, Erik," she began to sob and I couldn't help holding her in my arms as she let it out.

"It's okay, Karly. As long as you're here with me, fuck it, I forgive you, baby," I told her, even though I forgave her before I even came in the room.

"Thank you," she said, sitting up on her knees to kiss me.

I kissed her back and it felt right. No one was going to hold us back now.

Not Oshyn, Gumbo, or the lies and secrets.

I'm ready to give her my all, I just hope she's ready to do the same thing.