the devil all the time | ❝ some people were born just so they can be buried ❞
The Lyons are back and they're the same family that everyone knows and loves, but there's some changes. Like how Cookie never went to jail in this universe, Lucious did...
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NEXT DAY
ROYALTY AND SIMONE were engaging in some outdoor dining because Royalty needed an escape from the crazy shit that had been going on this week. Anika was missing, Kingsley died, Hakeem got shot, and Bella fired a gun! It was too much!
A pretty waitress walked over to their table, setting their plates in front of them. Simone instantly indulged in her food, but Royalty wasn't as hasty. She grabbed the fork and played with her meal with her elbow on the table, hand on cheek. Simone noticed. "You okay?"
Royalty's eyes stayed focused on her food. "Is this the part where I lie, or...?"
"No, because I hate liars."
"Well no, I'm not okay." Royalty sighed, removing her hand from her cheek and sitting up straight. "Too much shit has been going on."
"Like Hakeem getting shot," Simone mentioned before sticking more food into her mouth.
"Yeah, but it's more than that. My niece was going berserk, my half-brother died-"
Royalty got cut off by Simone. She didn't know anything about a half-brother. "Wait, what?"
"Yeah. His name was Kingsley. He killed himself." But that wasn't true. Lucious killed him, but suicide was the story they were sticking with, and Royalty didn't even care. He shouldn't have tried to kill her mother.
That news made the corner of her girlfriend's mouth turn downwards into a deep frown. She gave her condolences. "I'm so sorry, babe. Mental health is no joke. But at least Hakeem didn't die too."
"Yeah, I'm thankful for that. He was bold for taking the bullet for Tiana."
Simone nodded, putting her fork down to focus on conversing, not eating. The conversation was getting serious. "Yeah, he was. Star's brushing it off, but I know she's not okay with Hakeem almost dying for his ex."
Royalty's perfectly shaped eyebrows knitted together in question, not understanding that. "What was he supposed to do? Let the mother of his child get shot? Bella would've hated him."
"She was there?"
"Yeah, she saw everything."
Simone frowned all over again. She dipped her head and gave it a shake. "Damn. I'm really sorry. She must be traumatized."
She should be, but she wasn't. Bella was a tough five-year-old. Nothing scared her. Not even death. It was alarming. "She's fine. Bella's stronger than you know."
