SITTING IN his mauve Mercedes-Benz GLB truck, Ezriah rolled up his third blunt of the night. The sun was setting, and as he sat outside the house that Cimani and Ashley shared, he couldn't help but to sigh as he brung the blunt in between his lips.
The image of Flocko taking his last breath replayed in his head, a thousand times over. He was trying his hardest to escape it but he couldn't.
He was grateful that his brother was alive, he just wished it was under better circumstances. A part of him wished that Ermias was kidnapped by a stranger, a lost soul. A nameless face, somebody that he'd kill and go on about his day after.
That wasn't the case though, and the spiral of events that came after everything was making him question every aspect of his life.
This type of betrayal was one he'd seen before, but ten times worse. He could only imagine how Nipsey felt, although they had spoke the night after everything went down Ezriah was avoiding his brother. A part of him felt as if all of this was fault. Maybe if he didn't go attack him, Flocko wouldn't have did it. Either way—Flocko kidnapped Ermias before Ezriah even confronted him, and was going to snake them out one way or another.
Letting out a cough, Ezriah's bloodshot eyes dashed from his blunt, to his phone as he felt it start to ring. It was none other than Cimani, whom had been waiting for him to bring her snacks, and sanitary napkins for over an hour.
She knew he was tedious with everything that he did, but she was bleeding heavily and wanted to shower, and lay down and indulge in some Häagen-Dazs Caramel Cone ice cream.
Ezriah answered her call and put it on speaker so that the phone could rest in his lap as he focused on relighting his blunt. "I'm outside baby, I'm about to come in now." He reported before she could even speak. He knew she had an attitude and didn't want to argue.
Cimani sat in bed with her hand over her forehead as she frowned. "I'm not rushing you baby, I'm just tired. I want you." She admitted as she awaited his response.
Her words made his tense nerves soften, his entire body had been tense ever since he left out the house. Hearing Cimani's voice calmed him down, it gave him a sense of peace.
"I'll be right there baby girl." He said huskily as he put out his blunt and ended the call once he heard Cimani mumble: "Okay."
Grabbing his phone, weed, and rolling tray Ezriah turned his car off and made his way up to the door step. The door was unlocked so he just made his way inside, kicking his shoes off he made his way towards the stairs.
As he made his way towards the bottom of the steps, Nipsey was making his way down. The two of them locked eyes and Ezriah tried to speak but Nipsey cut him off. "Stop actin' like you scared to speak to me or something nigga." He scoffed as he bumped past his brother. His lip was still a little busted and he now had a permanent scar above his eye, a daily reminder of one of the worst times of his life.
Ezriah was depressed, and blinded by his own guilt and realization of his harsh reality. He wasn't there for his brother because he didn't even know how to be there for him self. It reminded him of the situation with Cimani, when he turned to drugs instead of consoling her. This time he shut down, he couldn't turn to drugs so when he wasn't around Cimani, he coped by shutting the world out.
He knew he was wrong, but he didn't have any other explanation besides: "I'm hurting too bro, my bad for not being there how I should've."
He didn't know what else to say, he was selfish for turning his back on his brother at his time of need. Stepping towards Nipsey, Ezriah embraced him into a hug as he felt him self getting emotional. He wasn't too fond on crying, but being raised by the type of mother he had, he was very in touch with his emotions. His trauma affected his trust, and love life but when it came to showing how he felt whether it was through: tears, violence or gifts and love Ezriah didn't fall short.
With his arm wrapped around his brothers shoulder as his head rested on top of his hand, Ermias couldn't help the tear that fell as they embraced each other. They could feel each others heart beats as they shed stray tears. It was ironic how they cried the same exact way, small tears dripping from their left eye slowly.
Pulling away from the hug, Ezriah grabbed Nipsey's shoulder as he hugged him once more. "I love you bro, this situation just proves that we all we got."
Nipsey nodded, agreeing with his younger brother. "We just gotta thank Allah that I'm even alive to watch my baby boy grow up." He expressed as he let out a sigh. The only thing had been on his mind was; Ashley, and their baby.
His heart broke once he seen how distraught she looked when he laid his eyes on her. She was happy, but Nipsey could tell that she was tired. She was drained, mentally, and physically. He needed to change his life, and now was the time to do it.
Pulling away from the hug, Ezriah took another good look at his brother before wiping his eyes. He was glad Nipsey was alive, he didn't want to have to explain to his mother exactly what happened—being that she didn't know about anything that transpired, but he knew she would be looking for Flocko sooner or later.
"I'm about to go bring this shit up stairs to Ci. Wanna smoke in like a hour?" Ezriah asked his brother as he grabbed the two plastic bags off of the counter.
Nodding his head, Nipsey shot Ezriah a weary smile. "You already know, bro. Go tend to ya' lady I'm about to do the same. Ima get some weed and come get you."
"Aight." Was all Ezriah said before the two of them dapped each other up.
Once he made it upstairs, and twisted the door knob he was greeted with the sight of Cimani laying all the way in the corner of the bed, next to the wall. She was so scrunched up Ezriah couldn't help but to laugh. "You was waiting for me baby?" He asked slyly.
He realized that whenever he wasn't around, or laid up with her for comfort she would hug up against the wall. She said it made her feel as if he was still there.
Cimani frowned as she sat up and threw the covers off of her. She crawled down to the bottom of the bed as she peeked inside of the three bags Saint brought inside. A smile graced her face as she pulled out the sanitary napkins, period underwear, her Carmel Cone Ice cream and some Midol. She frowned once she seen the bouquet of roses he had also tried to hide in the plastic bag, along with candy, and some more snacks. Placing the Ice cream in her mini freezer, she moved close to Ezriah.
"Ugh." She groaned. "I hate you." She said as she felt tears forming in her eyelids. She was emotional, and not only because of her period but because he was now emotional also.
Ever since Ermias went missing Ezriah was the most transparent, and vulnerable he'd ever been with Cimani. Being that they were soul-tied, whatever Ezriah felt she felt, and vice versa.
Ezriah slipped his hoodie over his head, and hung it up on the coat rack she had behind her bedroom door. He smiled as he sat on the bed, grabbing Cimani by her waist he placed soft kisses all over her face. "Stop." He said in between kisses. "Crying." He landed the final kiss on her lips. "Mama." He sighed as he wiped away her tears.
This was the most crying he'd done, and seen in his entire thirty years of living. He wanted life to go back to how it was, he just wanted everything to go back to normal.
Kissing him back with her eyes closed, Cimani grabbed both sides of his face as she pecked him a few times before jumping down off of her bed, that was holstered up a little too high for her liking. "I love youuuu." She sung out as she bit down on her bottom lip.
"I love you more." She heard him call as she entered her bathroom that was attached to her room. Dropping her clothes to the floor, Cimani let the water run for a few minutes before stepping in.
Letting out a long exhale, Cimani let the water run down her chest to her feet as she stood there for a few minutes, just letting her body relax. With her eyes closed, she tilted her head back as she let the hot water soothe her aching muscles.
No more than five minutes later, she heard the bathroom door open and she didn't even bother to open her eyes because she knew it was Saint. Her low eyes watched him through the steamy glass enclosure, she poured the Dr. Bronners soap onto her African net as she gazed at him as he undressed him self.
She was upset that she was on her period because just once glance at him, and she was ready to pounce. Cimani moved a little closer to the water as Saint entered the shower with her, snaking his arms around her waist he moved her bonnet out of the way as he went to place slow kisses on her neck.
As they stood there together, letting the water cascade down their bodies Cimani couldn't help but to think about how their relationship took such a turn. From the abortion, to the situation with Flocko—they were still standing. She knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Saint and he felt the same way about her. They've seen the ugliest and most beautiful parts of each other, if they could overcome those situations, they could overcome anything.
Cimani sat in the passenger seat of Ezriah's car weary as tears rolled down her face. She was thrilled that Ermias was safe and found, but due to the circumstances she was also heartbroken. As much as she disliked Flocko, she knew Ezriah loved him like a brother and she couldn't imagine the pain he was going through.
Ezriah only told her bits and pieces, not the full story. She knew that Flocko was the culprit, she also knew he was most likely dead—at the hands of Ezriah.
Tears dropped from her eyelids as she faced forward, her eyes on the road the entire ride back to Ezriah's. He wanted to drop her off, and then go back up to the hospital to talk to Ermias. In this very moment she was stuck, and at a lost for words. She didn't know how to console him at this moment and she felt terribly because of that.
"I killed that nigga." Ezriah, admitted breaking the eerie silence as they drove down the dark road.
"I killed him! I fucking did it." He exclaimed as his voice grew louder, he clenched the steering wheel as he gritted his teeth together. He didn't know how to deal with his emotions at the moment and felt as if he was going to black out. His brain was in a state of shock, although he was talking, mentally he wasn't there.
Cimani's head snapped in his direction as she looked from the road then back to him. She couldn't stop the tears that rolled down her eyes as she watched him intently, making sure he was okay to drive.
Ezriah was far too gone, not only had he killed his sperm donor he now just killed his best friend. Flocko was wrong, and deserved everything that happened to him but, Ezriah couldn't help his heart rate as he thought about how fucked up his life was.
The people that he loved betrayed him left and right, right before his eyes. He couldn't understand why he was dealt such bad cards in life, no matter how much money, jewelry, and properties he owned nothing could erase him feeling as if he was cursed.
As he bit down on his bottom lip, his foot pressed on the gas pedal. Now drifting down the high way, Ezriah turned the music up Gunna's 'paybach' Blasted through the cars speakers as Ezriah felt a few tears drop from his eyes.
Cimani knew what he was doing, he was trying to distract himself from his feelings. She didn't want to nag him, but she knew she had to help him. He was spiraling and the way he blurted out his confession about Flocko, then proceeded to blast music as if it was nothing just proved to Cimani that he was shutting down.
She didn't want him to fall so hard that he turned to drugs again, so she decided to try to help him the best way she could.
She reached over and turned down the music before wiping her face free of any tears. Unbuckling her seat belt, she shifted in her seat so that she was now facing him. "Pull over Ezriah." She sniffled as she held onto the dashboard, waiting for him to slow down.
Ezriah's jaw clenched as he now drove at 60 mph, opposed to 120 he was just doing. Cimani's eyes studied the side of his face as he pulled over on the side of the highway. It was now 3 a.m, so they were alone on the big road.
Climbing over so that she was now straddling him, Cimani's heart dropped once she seen he was crying.
Ezriah dropped his head down as he rubbed the nape of his neck. He didn't want Cimani to see him crying, he already felt weak.
Cimani cupped his face in her hands, forcing him to look up at her. Her eyes watered as she stared into his battered ones. He was broken, and Cimani knew no matter how much Ezriah loved her, she couldn't fix him. She was his kryptonite, his angel, his addiction—but he still had issues within him self that she knew he had to work on with out trying to use her as his source of happiness.
There was nothing she could do to help him, he had to help himself. She just wanted to be there with him every step of the way, she wanted him to turn his life around and be loved by her, his family, and the family that they created together.
Pulling his face into hers, Cimani placed a deep, passionate kiss on his lips. Once she pulled away from the kiss she stared down into Ezriah's eyes as tears fell down hers. "I love you Ezriah." She expressed as she still held his face in her hands. "So much..." she dragged out as she sniffled once more.
Caressing the sides of his face Cimani watched as his chest rose, and fell. She was hyper fixated on his breathing for some odd reason. She was afraid of losing him, she was concerned for his safety even more now.
"I just don't want you to let this situation bring you down baby. Its gonna be hard but we're going to get through this. It may seem impossible right now but I promise you we are going to come out stronger than before, in the end. You hear me?" She asked as she examined his eyes for any type of emotion.
His eyes looked black, they were emotionless almost as if he wasn't even there. "You hear me baby? I love you." She said assuring him that she was there. She was starting to get concerned, he looked zoned out. She knew he wasn't high, so either he was in shock or he blacked out.
Once she seen he was still conscious, just very zoned out and agitated she knew he was having a silent panic attack. Letting out a shaky exhale, she grabbed onto his shirt as she gripped it tightly as she thought about her next move.
Her mother experienced these type of panic attacks so she knew what to do, she was just nervous because whenever her father helped her mother overcome a panic attack, she would come to and attack him.
She was scared, she knew if Ezriah were to hit her it wouldn't be intentional. He wasn't in his right state of mind and she knew that, a part of her just didn't want to live with the memory of him putting his hands on her.
"I love you baby, I'm going to always be here. Okay?" She recited the words her dad said to her mom on multiple occasions.
Still caressing the sides of his face as her hands shook, Cimani chewed down on her bottom lip as she felt tears escaping the brim of her eyes.
Ezriah's eyes softened as he stared behind Cimani, he blinked a few times before wrapping his hands around her torso tightly as he buried his face into her chest. She frowned as she felt her shirt dampen.
At this point Ezriah was full blown breaking down, crying into his girlfriend's chest. He was no longer in shock, he had came to and everything hit him at once.
His father, Sasha, Flocko, Jahiem and Jacolby.
He couldn't contain his emotions as he held onto Cimani for dear life. She shed her own tears as she held on to him, she'd never been with some one and felt every emotion they felt. She had never been so spiritually connected to some one that she knew everything Ezriah felt before he felt it.
She knew he was going to admit to killing Flocko, she just didn't expect him to break down the way he did.
Ezriah lifted his head up, his eyes puffy and red as he stared into Cimani's eyes. The look on his face pained her, she couldn't even look at him. That's how hurt he looked.
"I don't want you to think I'm any less of a man bec-" he started to say but Cimani cut him off.
"No." She said cutting her eyes at him, as she locked eyes with him. "I will never look at you as less of a men for expressing your emotions. If anything that makes you so much more of a man." She admitted. "You've been through so much and you still manage to get up everyday and take care everyone around you. You've been tough for thirty years Ezriah. It's good to get all of that pent up emotion out," she said through sniffles.
"You're the best man I've ever been with. You bring out the feminine side of me, you make me submissive because you lead. You handle business, you run things at the house. You are a man Ezriah, a real one."
Ezriah felt his heart rate speed up at Cimani's encouraging words. In this exact moment is when he realized just how much he meant to her. He knew that she loved him, and he was so honored to be loved by her. In that moment he couldn't do anything but embrace her in his arms, words couldn't explain the love he felt for Cimani.
...
Cimani's eyes got wide as she stared at the ensemble of gifts that sat upon her kitchen counter. What stood out to her the most was the diamond encrusted Audemars Piguet that sat next to the blinged out heart shaped ring.
Turning on her heels so that she was now facing Ezriah, she dropped the broom she was holding and jumped up, so that he was now holding her up by her thighs. "I just know you ain't crying mama." Ezriah said softly as he caressed the small of Cimani's back with one hand, using his free hand to hold her up.
Sniffling, Cimani raised her head and placed a passionate kiss on his lips. "Yes I am." She admitted as she pecked his lips a few more times. Ezriah made his way towards the kitchen counter, and placed her on top.
As he stood in between her legs, Cimani picked up the heavy box the watch sat in, and she examined it. "We've been through so much these past few months. I know materialistic things don't make up for that, but I just wanted to put a smile on ya face. Ya know?"
Cimani frowned, and then smiled as she looked from the watch, then back up to Saint. "I appreciate you so much. Do you know that?"
Ezriah smiled before picking up the stack of money he left on the counter for her. "Ima bring my money counter over here for you. That gotta be about a hunnid thou."
Cimani's mouth got wide as she watched him use his thumb to skim through the money quickly as a smirk graced his face. "Ezriah, what the fuck? I already got money in my savings, and Trav said I can come back to work whenever I'm ready. He didn't give me and exact time so-"
"Which is why I'm giving you this. You ain't been to work in months, I don't care about what you got saved that's for emergencies only. As long as I'm around you don't gotta touch any hard earned bread of yours. Aight? I said ima take care of you and I meant that shit. Now go invest that money into something, go get ya hair, nails done too."
Cimani bit down on her lip as she watched him place the money back on to the counter. His words turned her on, she loved not having to work even though she was afraid to admit it.
She didn't want to become dependent on a man, ever. With Ezriah it was different though, almost as if she knew that no matter what he would always make sure she was good.
With out saying another word, Cimani hopped off of her marble counter top and she made her way to the hallway that led to Ashley's room just to see if they were home. Pulling out her phone, she went to the 'Find My' app and seen that neither her or Chloè were home.
Making her way back into the kitchen she smirked before grabbing Ezriah's hand. The confused expression on his face made her chuckle as she softly placed him against the counter.
Dropping to her knees, Cimani unbuckled his Gucci Double G belt all while staring up at him with seductive eyes.
Ezriah bit down on his bottom lip as he watched her intently. For the past week he wasn't interested in anything that pertained to sex, but seeing Cimani make the first move had him ready to bend her over the counter.
Cimani caressed the imprint of his dick through his boxers as she bit down on her lip. Ezriah reached over the counter, and grabbed his blunt that he'd previously rolled. Lighting it, he let out a low hiss sound as Cimani's hands wrapped around his length.
Taking a pull from his blunt, he studied her as she sucked on the tip teasingly before stuffing his entire length down her throat.
Caught off guard by her actions, Ezriah groaned as he titled his head back. Cimani took his moans and groans as encouragement as she slipped her free hand into her shorts, her index finger circling around her clit.
"Mmm." She mumbled as she popped his dick out of her mouth.
She spit on his tip as she stroked his length. "I just wanna show you how much I love you daddy." She admitted as she stuffed his dick back down her throat.
Ezriah used his free hand to hold up his white t-shirt up to his chest as his lower stomach was now exposed. He couldn't muster up any words as Cimani slipped her hands from her shorts, to his balls as she squeezed and caressed them lightly.
The tip of her nose touched the top of his pelvis as she flexed her throat around his dick. As she tightened her lips around his member, her head bobbed back and forth as she felt herself getting wetter by the second from his groans and grunts.
Pulling her mouth off of him, she stroked his member again before taking both of his balls into her mouth. Ezriah's head fell back again as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying his best to hold in his nut.
"I just want to make you feel good." She said softly as she watched his facial expressions change by the second.
Letting out another groan, Ezriah grabbed the back of her head pulling her face towards him so that his dick was right by her lips. "You're doing such a good job baby, now make me cum." He said before biting his lip.
The deepness of his voice had Cimani on edge, whenever he was aroused his voice got raspier and had a sharpness to it—it was music to Cimani's ears.
Sliding his dick back down her throat, Cimani looked up at Ezriah as her eyes watered from how far down her throat he was. She moaned against his member as he guided her head up and down his length.
Two minutes later, Ezriah was releasing his load down Cimani'a throat. They didn't even bother to clean up their mess because they knew they were going to make an even bigger one.
...
Across town, sat Ashley and Ermias. They were out getting food and she could just tell that Ermias was on edge. This was their first time being out in public since the situation with Flocko and he was more alert then he'd even been, especially since his pregnant fiancée was with him.
As they stood in Jue Lan next to each other hand in hand, waiting for the hostess, an older black lady approached them with a smile.
"Hello, my name is Mia and I'll be your server today. Follow me." She flashed another smile before leading them to a booth that was in the back of the restaurant.
Ermias waited for Ashley to sit down, before sliding next to her. He didn't want to leave her side, ever again.
Mia placed their menus on the table, "Can I get you guys started with something to drink?"
"I'll take a water." Ashley nodded as she skimmed over the menu.
"Um, I'll do the Dom Perignon. And a lemon water." Ermias spoke as he also scanned the menu.
Mia typed their drink selections into the iPad she held in her hands, she couldn't help but to stare at the rock that was on Ashley's finger, her mouth nearly agape.
Ashley felt her stare, so when she looked up at Mia she just flashed her a smile. "Wow, congrats. That ring is beautiful."
Mia now felt a little bad about her life as she looked at Nipsey and Ashley. She was forty five and working at an expensive restaurant that didn't pay their employees half of what they were worth. Her marriage was failing and her husband was a serial cheater whom didn't pay her any mind.
From her perspective, Ashley and Ermias had the perfect life. Little did she know, they were going through one of the roughest times of their life.
Their life was supposed to be going smoothly, they were expecting a baby and they were engaged. Yet Ermias being kidnapped, threw off their entire dynamic.
They now had to postpone the wedding planning by a few weeks due to the trauma and stress that they were dealing with in their day to day life.
Ashley could tell by the look on the lady's face that she was comparing their situations, she didn't take any offense to it because our brains were wired to compare and make us feel less than at times.
Clearing her throat, Ashley looked up at the woman with sympathy in her eyes. "Thank you so much." She replied.
Before Mia got a chance to walk away, Ashley grabbed her hand. "I know what you're thinking, and the answer is no. We are not perfect. Whatever it is you're going through, you're going to get through it. We are going through one of the most painful times of our lives right now but you wouldn't know that. Comparison is the thief of joy, and the grass ain't always greener on the other side." She said with a small smile.
Mia's face was full of suprise as Ashley's words hit her like a ton of bricks. Here she was, getting schooled by some one younger than her. She didn't take offense to it though, she was actually impressed.
Grabbing Ashley's hand in hers, she squeezed it lightly. "God bless you and your beautiful family." She said as she smiled at Ermias and her before walking away.
Ermias chuckled as he sat back into the booth, throwing his arm around Ashley. "You really know how to read people, that shit is scary Ash."
She shrugged as she turned so that her back was resting against his front. He snaked his arms around her waist, which led to her protruding stomach. He rubbed slow circles as she nuzzled the top of her head into the crook of his neck.
"It's a gift and a curse." She admitted as she closed her eyes for a few seconds. No matter where they were, it always felt as if it were just them two.
"How you feeling?" Ashley asked as she looked up at Nipsey as she rested against him.
He laughed lowly, "I should be asking you that ma."
Ashley scoffed, "Ermias don't try that shit with me. We talk about our feelings over here. Spit it out."
Ermias sighed as he realized she was now in fact, reading his energy. He didn't want to hold his feelings in, but his fiancée was pregnant and to him, she'd been through more than enough stress the past few weeks, he didn't want to add to it.
"Let's get away." He said simply, not adding any context on purpose.
Ashley poked her tongue into the side of her cheek. "Where you wanna go babe?" She questioned.
"South Africa."
Ashley's eyebrows raised as she shifted her body so that she was now facing him. "Aren't you Eritrean?"
Ermias nodded yes, "Yeah, but that's a low-income country. South Africa is where the money is."
Sighing Ashley grabbed his hand in hers, looking up at him. "You sure you want to do real estate?"
"Yes, I'm done with this life style. Let's book our tickets tonight. It could be a family thing."
Ashley smiled as she agreed with him. To her, that was a lovely idea they all needed to get away even if it was for a little while.
"That's a great idea babe. Let me call Ci and Chloè."
Ermias pulled out his phone also, shooting a text to Ezriah, Jahiem and Jacolby.
He had been thinking about this for a while now, and although it seemed like an innocent getaway he had already purchased a five million dollar home that had five bedrooms and five bathrooms, one partial and four full. When he said he was done with streets, he meant it. If the situation with Flocko didn't occur, he would've been in South Africa by now.
He wanted to raise his family in his country, in wealth. He doesn't want to be caught up in the fast life all while raising a child. He wanted his baby boy to grow up in wealth, and live a better life than he did. He was going straight, and wanted Ezriah to do the same.
...
Ashley's engagement ring.
..
Hey yall! We are nearing the ending😩I'm leaning towards a sequel, or a spin-off though!
Plz excuse any errors
VOTE AND COMMENT!