Twenty Six
The Peaceful Child
Ericka James
It was the next morning and this big house was silent as ever, meaning that Cairo hadn't arrived home as yet. I don't know what it was that had him at the hospital but I could only hope and pray that everything was going to be alright.
I walked through the house, giving myself a little private tour. It really was everything I had imagined my future home with him to be. Very neat, organized, rustic and homey feel to it. The smell alone reminded me of home. "Good morning." His housekeeper, Rosa said as I walked into the kitchen where she was preparing breakfast.
"Good morning." I said in response. Although she tried to help that little witch who framed me last night. I still had a bit of respect, especially since I knew how Cairo felt about respecting the help. I wasn't trying to get kicked out of here, at least not for now so I was going to be on my best behaviour.
"Mr. Knight had me run out and grab a few items for you," she wiped her hands off on a kitchen rag before going into the living room, she picked up laundry basket filled with clothes. "I did my best with choosing a size, let me know how everything goes. They're all washed and folded." She placed the basket into my arms and my eyes watered at the sight. "I have the clothes for the girls in the dryer." She said giving me a nod before she walked back into the kitchen.
"Thank you," I said, sniffling away my tears. Lord knows that I was tired and growing embarrassed of wearing the few items I had brought with me. To see so much option again reminded me of the old days, when things were good, when he was getting ready to marry me.
"Don't thank me, thank Mr. Knight." She smirked as she washed her hands and resumed cooking. "You know how giving he is."
"You're right." I laughed, just reminiscing once again. Throughout everything, he had never changed. Cairo was always a good one, he had such a big heart and never once did he allow situations to change his character. No matter how upset or hurt, Cairo would always remain Cairo. "I'm going to bring these upstairs."
"Sounds good, breakfast should be ready by the time you do."
"Perfect." I smiled, "do you mind making me the diet option?"
"Already done and I threw it some of my famous weight loss tea on the side for you."
"Thank you so much." I, then proceeded for the stairs. Just as I was about to go however, there was a knock on the door. That caused my brow to raise, I looked back to see the housekeeper engulfed in what she was doing. After hearing another knock, I figured that it was my job to open the door, so I placed the basket down and did just that.
I checked the peephole at first and my stomach turned, I didn't know what to think or do but I decided I would play it off. I quickly undid the locks and chains then pulled the door open, I also shut it behind me before jumping in his arms. "Kevin!" I screamed.
"What's going on baby sis," he hugged me as tight as ever and we swayed back and forth. I hadn't realized until we pulled apart that he wasn't alone, my sisters were around him as well.
"Oh my, goodness!" I opened my arms and pulled them all into a group hug. "What the hell are you guys doing here?" I asked, stepping back to take a good look at everyone. They looked amazing as usual, making me automatically grow embarrassed with what I had on, along with the obvious weight gain. I hadn't brushed my teeth yet or even made myself look decent. This was a horrible reunion especially because before I left, I was looking down on my siblings, now, they were here stunting on me?
"We heard you were in town and couldn't believe it. I thought if you'd ever step foot back here that we would be your first person of contact." McKenna, my older sister spoke up. "We had to see it for ourselves."
"I know, I know." I nervously licked my chapped lips. "Things have just been a little complicated. When I left Ricky, I wanted to make sure that I was somewhere where he couldn't track me down. In his eyes; I had written Cairo off completely, so he would never think that this would be the place where I'd be hiding."
"Hiding?" Kevin's brow raised, "why would you be hiding from him?" he asked.
"Did he hurt you?" McKenna asked as well.
"Uh, let's just say that things didn't work out. We were both alphas and we wouldn't bow to each other, I found out he was cheating and had enough so we got into a fight and he ended up kicking me out. Ricky has done this before, so I know that he's probably out there looking for me, but I'm so done. I want a fresh new start."
"You sure you don't want us to handle him?" Kevin asked.
"Oh, trust me, that really isn't necessary. I'm fine with just being done." I swallowed the knot in my throat. I knew my brother wasn't joking and that was the scariest thing to me. I knew what the James family was capable of and at the snap of a finger, they could make shit shake. That's the side of me that I wasn't so proud of, the reason why my father was in jail right now.
We were originally known as the Mullers which was my fathers' surname and ours before my mother changed it due to the stigma it carried. We weren't a mafia, we weren't a gang, we weren't anything vicious or violent. At least on paper we weren't. However, we had people that did things for us, these people were normally the ones that couldn't afford to pay us but needed a favor done and everyone knew that we had connections in higher places. We were able to lessen sentences in jail, we were able to sneak people into the country and give them a whole other identity, we were able to make people go missing if requested of us. We would do all of these favors in exchange for money or expensive jewellery, anything that could keep the lights on without us having to work a 9-5. My father had built this whole brand up years ago when he was younger and, in a gang, he would be going in and out of jail for it and decided that enough was enough, so he soon started hiring others to do his dirty work for him. These people were normally homeless, drug addicts, runaways, young guys tryna prove their strength. He would either split the profit with them after doing this favor or he would in return do a favor for them, like the ones I had listed above. Some of these favors were even as small as just giving them a roof to stay under, or even a change of clothes. He would make it happen.
My dad's business grew into something so big, bigger than any drug or gun issue in America, his whole black market of favors soon took over the streets and everywhere and we as his kids were soon involved. Trained for if he was ever to get locked up, which we doubt but not too long after we were trained in the business, it happened. My father got locked up and charged with assault and domestic violence against one of his side chicks. This lady was one that he had gotten close to and trusted, but soon he grew to find out that she was nothing but a police informant. So, he beat her until she could barely breathe and left her for dead, by the time he walked out of that motel room that night, the place was covered and surrounded by SWAT team, the K9 unit, police armed and ready to shoot, helicopters, everything. He knew that he could fight it and decided that he would just pay his time. He should've been charged with attempted murder but, once again due to our connections; he was serving time for assault with a deadly weapon. That was all, it was his crimes in jail that got him the additional time he was serving now.
Like I said before, we were trained to take over and with Kevin being the now, big kahuna of the whole operation; it made me fearful to even mention anything to him. I was always different growing up though, I wanted to be more like my mother who was the opposite of my father. I wanted to go to church, have a nice little family, even some kids. I had a passion for modeling and making clean money. Although, I could've used my connections, I decided that I wanted to do it on my own. I eventually decided that I wanted out of my name sake and out of this whole lifestyle that we were trained to live. I was frowned upon by everyone including my father, but he knew from the day that he saw me that I would be different, I was originally named Axelle, that my mother later changed so that we wouldn't be entangled in his mess. Axelle meant peace and that's what he described me as, the peaceful one.
Eventually, I made a deal with them a few years back. A deal that I thought was simple until I got into it. I knew it was a longer mission that normal but during this mission, I was able to work on my passion and do things my own way. I was free but had time against me. My mission was, Cairo Knight and the Knight's heirloom. The pink Graff, something that my father had been after for decades. At one point in time he even worked with Mr. Knight just to get close enough to it, he even tried to kidnap his wife at the time in order to get it off her finger, but the Knights' were smart. Mrs. Knight had given back the ring before she got sick, she figured someone would be after it and we were.
This ring was the one thing that he just couldn't seem to get his hand on, until I became the perfect pawn in this game. I signed my last and final deal to basically do Cairo the way that Delilah did Samson in the bible, I was to swindle him into thinking I loved him, get the ring and leave him with nothing. I wasn't supposed to fall in love, wasn't supposed to have kids with him, I wasn't supposed to move in with him after our honey moon. I was supposed to get what I needed and run.
As you all know, Jailah ruined that plan, babies ruined that plan and me not having the heart to just up and steal it from him ruined that plan, after so many years a part of me did care for Cairo because I knew how genuine he was, I tried my hardest to replace that feeling but giving all my love and attention to other men like Ricky but still; Cairo was exactly what I knew I needed. A breath of fresh air, and the fact that I was a mastermind behind this whole thing, made me hate myself even more. I didn't want to hurt him and I didn't want him to get hurt. It was 46-million-dollar ring to my family but to him, it was his last piece of memory that he had of his mother. I just couldn't.
Which is why my first instinct wasn't to return home to my family but to hide out until my mom could possibly come and get me. I owed them something and family or not, when you had a debt it was either you paid it off by completing your task or you paid for it, physically.
"If you say so." Kevin said, "but you know that if you ever feel like you need him taken care of, that I got you."
"Oh, I know." I said, giving him a half smile.
"It truly is good to see you back where you belong." McKenna chuckled. "I take that you've reconsidered everything and came back to finish your task?" she asked, with a quick brow raise.
"... I came here for the girls, I figured they needed to meet their father." I scratched the back of my head and sighed. "I plan to be out of here by the end of the week."
"Is that so?" Kevin asked. "So, you plan to have the ring by then?"
"... I, I never really thought back on that."
"Why not? That's the only reason why you're here..." McKenna smirked.
"It was what brought me here, but the love that I grew into with him is the reason why I'm here, the reason why my babies are here."
"No... they're here due to a compromised condom actually." Kevin shot back at me.
I squinted my eyes and shot him a glare. "My girls are not a mistake if that's what you're trying to say."
"I'm not trying to say anything Axelle... I'm promising you that they were a mistake and you know this. You thought that maybe if you punched a couple holes in a condom and got pregnant, you wouldn't have to complete the mission. You fell in love when you knew better and when you realized that pregnant or not; a promise is a promise and a task is a task, you ran away with Ricky. Thinking that would protect home boy." Kevin smirked, "but you were far from right with that thought."
"Far." McKenna stated. "You out of all people should know that when daddy wants something, he gets it and he's so disappointed that you would turn your back on your own family just for love."
"Cairo just doesn't deserve that and you know that I don't have the heart to be the person behind such a thing."
"Oh, we know, trust me we do." Kevin nodded "and we never thought you did but we gave you the benefit of the doubt, even gave you a couple years to come back and try again but clearly nothing has changed." He sighed, "As you know... turning your back on the family is one of the deadliest sins in our handbook, right?" he cracked his knuckles and my body shuddered at the sight. "Which you studied and were trained with, right?"
"...right?"
"Which means that we have a right to take your life. You've practically signed it over." McKenna said, without a flinch. I felt my eyes watering but tried to play it off, I had to be tough, I had to be strong.
"So, you got one last choice. It's either you work with us as a family again, if you don't want to do that then you complete your task and lastly, if you're too in love to do any, then you 'pay' for it." she shrugged. "pick your choice."
"I have two kids." I said.
"And foster care houses hundreds. I'm sure they wouldn't mind."
"I can't do this."
"Axelle, it's just a ring."
"It starts with just being a ring but if he walks in on me stealing it or if fingers point back on us, I have no choice but to kill him. Right?"
"Precisely."
"And I can't do that."
"Then do your job right and you won't have to." Kevin said, "or join our family again and keep your hands clean. It's very simple, we'll take care of you like we always do but you have to give up your dreams and work for the family."
"But I know Cairo will still be affected. This is more than a mission, it's the ultimate mission."
"We have a secondary plan set up for tomorrow, you know we always think ten steps ahead."
"Meaning... a plan without my involvement."
"Yes ma'am." My other sister nodded. "All you have to say is that you want to come home and you will be taken out of the equation."
I stood there for a moment and just chewed the inside of my lip. I looked back at the front door of the house and sighed, tears fell from my eyes at the sight. My girls were in there and for the first time in forever, they were happier than ever. To do this would mean that I'm taking them away, once again, away from someone that they're so ecstatic about to the point where they didn't want to sleep. Cairo was such a good man and an even better father, he didn't deserve this the first time and he sure as he didn't deserve it now. Nor did he deserve to lose that ring that belonged to his mother. I knew them well enough to know that the ring wouldn't be enough, they'd kill him. They'd make me do the honors because of me turning my back on them for him. That was something that I could never do.
I sighed once more, then turned to face them. I figured it would be better someone else than me. "I'll come back home." I said, allowing a tear to slip from my eyes.
"That's what I'm talk about." Kevin pulled me into a hug and kissed my cheek. "Welcome home baby sister." The rest of them followed and I tried my best to keep my emotions at bay. "Now, go grab the girls so we could get out of here, by tomorrow morning; we're taking this bitch hostage." He said, pointing towards the house.
I awkwardly laughed before nodding and heading back inside while they headed back to the car. I grabbed the basket of clothes and tiptoed up the steps to make sure that the Rosa wouldn't notice, she was still busy cooking of course. I went into the room, I changed into a black top and some black tights that had been washed amongst the clothes. I also shook the girls to wake them up, they were confused at first and curious but I hushed them and told them that everything was going to be alright.
Once I got everything ready, I gathered their bags and put some of the new clothes into there as well. I grabbed my girls into my arms then ran down the steps. Rosa stood by the door, looking out the peephole, once she heard my footsteps, she turned around to look at me. "Ms. James? Where are you going?"
"I'm just going to spend some time with my family."
"Oh, family. Why don't you invite them in, I've cooked a lot of food, I'm sure it'll be enough?"
"I'm sure it would but they aren't really big on Cairo, neither is he in regards to them."
"Oh, but that's Kevin's car. He comes by quite often." Rosa said.
"...Yeah, they recently got into it actually."
"Really?" her brows furrowed. "They were like brothers."
"I know, it's unfortunate." I sighed, "but we'll be back. Alright?"
"Alright." She said then smile rubbing the girl's backs. "See you soon," the girls who were still basically asleep managed to wave at her in return.
The phone rang and before Rosa could say another word, she ran over to answer it. I watched her and made sure she was in the kitchen before I opened Cairo's office door and walked over to his computers. Two were for the cameras and one was for business; as labeled above. I placed the girls to sit in the office chair then opened up the one that was for the cameras, thankfully he never changed the passwords from when we lived in our other home.
The program was open and I wasn't surprised to see that the cameras were shut off. I quickly enabled them, then changed the password that could be used to shut them off. As far as I'm concerned, Cairo wouldn't want them off so obviously, this was a set up for their plan for tomorrow. I made sure everything was set up and working, then saw Rosa wrapping up her call from the kitchen cam.
I grabbed the girls and my things and even made sure to lock the door from the inside before running out the door and heading for my brothers Range Rover. The door opened the closer I got and my eyes widened at the sight. "Hello Axelle." I heard my father say, reaching for the girls to get them into the car. I felt as if I had seen a ghost. Clearly, this was going to be worse than I thought.
Cairo Knight
"Do me a favor? I doubt I'll be home for a while. Just if you could check on the girls and Ericka for me, get them whatever they need to eat, possibly drop off some clothes at the hospital for me?"
"No problem. I need to ask though, is everything alright?"
"It's a complicated story." I said, looking into the VIP recovery room that I had just moved my daughter into. I was not about to have my baby recovering next to some old man that wouldn't stop coughing. I knew that hospitals were overpacked and understaffed but as long as I had the money to be comfortable, I would do so. "I just really need you to cover my back for a few days."
"Been doing it for years so a couple days won't hurt." Levi smirked. "I'll grab some things and swing by tonight?"
"Sounds good. I'll send you the information."
"You think you'll be able to come to the meeting on Thursday?"
"Thursday, Thursday." my brows furrowed, "what is Thursday?"
"The 23rd, we have the last and final sign off."
"Oh yes! I should be able to, it's a vital meeting."
"Very vital."
"It's tomorrow though." I ran my hand down my face. "Alright, let me see what I can do."
"Alright, you know that if anything I got you. I can definitely handle closing a deal."
"I know you can." I lied, Levi was a great right hand and a great work partner but no, he wasn't the most professional, he didn't know when someone was trying to bamboozle him into getting less than agreed upon by me. it has happened many times in the past and with a major deal like this I wasn't about to try and risk it again. "I just want them to see me as being as devoted and professional as possible. The first impression is a lasting one and I want to make sure that I stay in good standings."
"I understand."
"Yeah, well I'm going to hit you up later."
"Iight, take care."
I killed the line then slipped the phone into my back pocket as I walked back into the room.
"It's okay baby, don't worry. Mama's here." I stood there. Watching as Jailah pushed Cailah's hair away from her face and planted kisses against her warm cheek, she was clearly tired, her eyes were puffy and red, her lips white with hunger. Not only was she tired; Jailah showing evident signs of anger and I didn't blame her for it. I was pissed but I was just as pissed with Jailah more than anything and she knew it, but right now, it wasn't about us, it was about Cailah.
After finally waking up from surgery; of course, since she was so young, she had been in a lot of obvious pain. They tried their best to give her medication but at the end of the day due to her age; they couldn't over do it. "I'm here baby." Jailah then stood up and began to strip off the sweater she was wearing. Jailah then climbed into the bed and wrapped her arms around Cailah, cuddling up against her as best as she could without compromising the chords that were hooked up to her little body. We hadn't had the opportunity to get acquainted with each other, she was in far too much pain to even notice my presence. As far as she was concerned, all she wanted was to be with her mommy and grandma which I understood.
My jaw clenched as I tried my best to stay calm in this situation. As a father; this was the worst thing I could have ever heard. Although I didn't know Cailah well due to the circumstances, she was still my child and the moment I found out, I took her as that and nothing less regardless of her mom trying to keep her from me. Just by laying eyes on Cailah, I knew she was mine. The perfect blend of Jailah and I, with the perfect name, she was such a beautiful girl; exactly what I described my daughter to look like if Jailah was to be the mother.
Seeing her lean against her mother and sob from pain was crushing and it hurt me even more to know what was done to her. Things that she was probably coached to think was right. This sick individual, took away the innocence of my little girl and if he thought he was going to get away with it by being sent to a prison; he was wrong. Like my father said, no one and I mean no one on this earth messed with a Knight. We weren't violent people, weren't involved in any kind of street or gang affiliation. We were well respected because of who we were, from generation to generation; our name held more street cred than a king pin and soon Mychal would know why.
My father stepped into the doorframe of the room and tapped my shoulder. Jailah looked over at him as he cleared his throat, he gave me a smile then stepped back out. I knew what that meant. "Do you need anything? I'm about to step out for a few minutes?" I whispered, realizing that Cailah was finally beginning to fall asleep.
"I'm alright baby." Mrs. Christians said. Jailah just gave me a blank stare before she leaned down and kissed the head of our daughter. "Maybe you could grab something for Jai, I know she's hungry."
"I'm fine." She said, not staring at me at all. "Once she's asleep, I'll grab something." She yawned and I knew that wasn't true, Jailah looked as if she would too be falling asleep.
"You sure?"
"Positive." She nodded and tried her best to keep her eyes open.
"Alright, I'll be back soon." I began to put on my jacket as I walked out of the room meeting my dad standing at the end of the hallway. We walked side by side, stride by stride, making our way towards the sliding door exit.
Once we were out, my father quickly lit up a cigarette as a black Rolls Royce owned by my uncle pulled up in front of us. I got into the back while he got into the front. I dapped my uncle up and my father and him began teasing each other as they usually did. Comparing greys, who was losing hair faster, who was still getting busy, etc.
I, however was far too busy in the backseat, putting on every single ring, one by one. I then began to wrap my hand with a gauze as we sped through the streets of Atlanta. Soon the scenery began to change from city lights to flickering street lights in the hood. The place where I once knew by heart, the place where I started out.
My uncle drove up to an old abandoned school and I saw the police car that was parked in the field. I began to crack my neck; my leg shook with eagerness at the sight. As soon as we pulled up, another two black cars drove out of the corners and followed us. Parking around the police car. The whole family was here. As we parked, I pulled out my mother's ring from around my neck and kissed it. "Forgive me." I whispered before popping the door open and hopping out. I wasted no time at all, not waiting for anyone.
I opened up the back door of the police car to see Mychal fast asleep, cuffed up with his head against the window. The police officers that brought him here were no where in sight.
I grabbed a hold of his neck and his eyes shot open, the moment he looked at me, they widened and I could see the fear, I knew in exchange he could see the anger. I dragged him out of the car and threw him onto the dirty field. "It wasn't me man, it honestly wasn't. I would never do that to her!" he screamed immediately, trying to get up. "I promise you, this is a mistake. I would never hurt her, she's a baby! I love her mother, I love her, I'm about to have a so-." before he could finish, I crouched down and sucker punched him right in his mouth.
"Did I tell you to talk?" I asked, through gritted teeth as I lifted him up and pinned him against the car. His mouth was already filled with blood and tears began to roll down his cheeks. "I bet it doesn't feel good to be unable to stand up for yourself." I chuckled, "I bet it sucks to not have power over someone that's defenseless."
"I swear, I didn't do it." he sobbed holding his head down, "I love Cailah too m-." I gave him another blow right to his jaw this time, followed by one to his nose. I could literally hear the sound of them both cracking, his nose for sure was broken. This was followed by the groan that escaped his lips. Mychal crouched over, groaning in pain. I held him right in that position and began to knee him repetitively first in his stomach then in his groin area. He begged and pleaded for me to stop, sobbing after every single hit.
I then let go of him and watched him drop to his knees before getting into the fetal position, crying like a baby. "you know, it takes a whole lot to get me to this point." I smirked, "I try my best not to get angry for this purpose right here, because once I start... I know I can't stop."
"You'll go to jail!" Mychal screamed like girl fed up, his words were a little bit slurred, I'm guessing due to his jaw being dismantled. "I'll make sure I sue you!" I stepped on his face with my timbs before he could say another word.
"You keep talking without my permission and I don't like that." I said getting down to his level. "Just the way you told Cailah to not say anything, I know you're going to keep your mouth shut."
"I won't because I didn't do that to her!" he cried, "I never put my hands on her, I'm innocent." Hearing his voice caused me to get so much more heated.
"So, you really aren't going to admit doing this?"
"No, because I didn't. I raised the little girl." I punched him right as he said that, Mychal groaned again and spat out blood before looking directly into my eyes. "I watched her grow into a beautiful little girl," he said this time with a bit of a smile. "and I gave her love that no man could ever. I didn't hurt her, I made her feel good." I was no longer seeing straight at this point in time I didn't care.
Blow after blow, I continued to kick, stomp and punch Mychal until his eyes were so puffy that they couldn't open. I kicked him in his stomach, broke all of his fingers with one stomp, I dislocated his knees and I'm pretty sure he could no longer use his manhood anymore. When I was done, I walked around his body and watched as he laid there before me as nothing but a bloody pulp when I was finished with him. Using nothing but my bare hands, I did all of this to him. I hadn't noticed but I was angry not only at him but I let out my anger for Ericka, for Jailah, my anger about my mother being gone, my anger from just finding out about my kids, every single thing that I had locked up inside of me was taken out right here on Mychal and I didn't give a damn about it. I had been the peaceful one for too long, everything had built up for too long.
I knew he was still breathing and that's not what I wanted, I wanted him dead. I held him up and got ready to snap his neck now that I was finished with him, but I soon felt my father, tap on my shoulder. I looked up at him and he nodded. "You know better." He said. I then looked around at my cousins and uncles that gave me the same look. My goal was to finish him but I knew better. Knights never murdered anyone.
I sighed and looked at Mychal before throwing him back onto the ground, he moved a bit which caused me to clench my jaw. I just shook my head and walked away from him and over to the car, leaving him right where he laid.
Soon after, one of my uncles that were dressed in his uniform walked back over to the car with his partner, they hoisted him into the back of the cruiser then drove away before the rest of us.
Everyone else got into their cars and drove off, we of course, did the same driving in the opposite direction. I sat in the back of the car and my leg continued to shake from anger, I couldn't believe I let this sick bastard stay alive.
"We're going to get you cleaned and washed off at my house," my uncle said. "Mahoney and Jackson already made a report that a bunch of gangsters across town had gotten into the car while they were on lunch, so you have nothing to worry about." He assured me, but I didn't care about all that. I just wanted him dead. "The longest he will last is a few more hours." He said, as if he was reading my mind. "You did good, kid."
I sighed and leaned back in my seat, rubbing my sore hands. Although my father hated when things got like this, he knew that it had to be done. I didn't like to get violent but for the right causes, I had zero regrets. My only one was him still breathing and that would soon be over.
"He got that right hook from me." my father said.
"Nigga, only thing you used to fight for was extra food in the cafeteria." My uncle laughed. "you were so fat back then that the only thing you had to do was sit on someone."
"Still took your girl though." My father shot back at him, "even though my titties were bigger than hers." We all broke into laughter as they continued to go shot for shot. I just had to sit back and enjoy, I really do, thank God for my family.