The group had touched down in Columbia 6 Thursday morning and checked into their rooms by 7:30, they were upset they had to wait an hour and a half not knowing that there was a reason behind it. It was 3 in the afternoon and the invitation said the ball wasn't until Saturday at 10, so they had a day to rest and do some sightseeing.
Gunna was out on the spacious balcony training with Skylar and Quentin with Jenna watching with a close eye on the scenery. She had an eye for scoping things out without making it noticeable; Nate taught her that.
"Jenna... can we talk?" Courtney asked standing in the doorway.
"Be my guest," Jenna motioned for her to sit down.
Looking over at Gunna then to Sky and Quentin, Courtney twisted her mouth. "Can we talk... alone?"
"You're safer doing it here my love," Jenna advised.
Sighing, Courtney stepped out on the balcony and sat next to her and stared out at the view.
They sat in silence for a moment, the only thing that could be heard was the wind and Gunna's commands.
"I'm sorry," Courtney finally spoke.
"I was upset at Trina because of her question. I never meant for things to escalate I'm just tired of everyone treating those who's been here longer better than us 'newbies'. I come from a background of fighting on a daily and words just hit me differently than others. I shouldn't have said or put my hands on Gabby, I was wrong and I told her that. I was definitely wrong for threatening your son, I just never had a man put his hands on me like that, I've only ever witnessed my uncle beating on his wife. I'm sorry for taking you back to a dark place when I hurt I like to hurt others,"
Jenna remained silent as she took a moment to sit in her own thoughts. For someone to apologize to her was a first, she spent her younger years wanting her mother and brother to do that yet they never did. She had to teach herself how to walk away and stop giving CPR to dead situations, the fact that Gunna put his faith in Courtney led Jenna to believe he saw something in her they couldn't.
"You don't have to say anything, if I were you I wouldn't and I understand that, I ju—"
"I forgive you," Jenna's voice was even-toned and her expression was unreadable.
"I won't say sorry, I'm trying to rid that word from my vocabulary, but I do apologize... the same thing but then again it's not. When you're sorry, it means you have intentions of doing something again or you know it could happen, I'm apologizing to you because I'm certain this will not happen. As a woman, I'm going to politely ask you not to threaten my sun. Not son but sun, it's pretty self-explanatory of why I used that term. Second, I'm going to ask you... if you may, to go and thank my husband for protecting you not from baby boy, but from me. You're a sweet girl, my love, I don't get bad vibes from you but I don't give second chances,"
Courtney sat there for a moment trying to figure out if that was an apology or warning or both. Turning slightly in her seat she noticed the look in Jenna's eyes then stood up.
"Thank you," She said before walking away.
Jenna remained seated as Gunna watched her for a bit before he asked Skylar and Quentin to go inside.
"I wish you would stop trying to see the good in everyone," she said once he sat across from her but her eyes remained examining the area.
"You saw the good in me," He replied.
"I saw the good in a lot of people who are no longer here,"
Gunna lowered his head for a second and exhaled before looking back up at her, "Peace... peace I leave with you; my peace I give you,"
"Don't even t—"
"Nah, we can take it there for a second," he remarked cutting her off.
"You wanna be angry at someone for threatening your kid? Cool, be my guest, but don't sit here in my face and tell me her anger wasn't valid. If it were you, you would've reacted da same way. One girl getting her ass whooped by damn near everyone who's supposed treat her as an equal. I ain't saying Gabby can't fight but we all got eyes and saw Courtney handling herself pretty well until your son intervened. Last I checked, putting hands on women wasn't how you raised him, it damn sure wasn't how big dawg raised him and you know I'd jaw his shit. Was her threat called for? Nope, if I were you I would've beat her ass too, but take a moment and step outside of your body and look at it from her view, Trina was going at her, funny ass Q wanted her head, Sky... August handled dat ass, then her best friend and her fighting, all of them for one person then to include Prince and you, now stop me when I say something wrong, but I could have sworn if you poked a bear it fights back and I could have sworn if you put a lion in a cage full of hungry hyenas, dat lion gon' step regardless. I fuck with shorty because... well, she knows she bad and knows niggas only want her for sex, so she does her shit and uses dat to her advantage while getting money out of dat, maybe I fed off of dat, but I know she can break dat nigga Mace down. Chill out on her and let her do what I asked her to do, she won't fuck up but if she does she's my problem to take care,"
Jenna finally locked eyes with him and just stared at him for a moment.
"What part did you tone me out at?" He questioned recognizing her look.
"Poking the Bear," she answered and he nodded leaning into the chair.
"I've known you practically your entire life, I never been one to sugarcoat shit and I damn sure not gonna start now. Y'all both gave half ass apologies,"
"How so?" She frowned.
"She had me up until she didn't have me, just like you. There was no need for her to add in an excuse of why she did and said what she said. You did not need to throw in another threat thinking she wouldn't catch it. We all know how you are when it comes to Prince, she saw dat twelve hours ago, you're still stuck on what you've endured that you feel as if in you're in constant defense mode when it comes to him. But as your brother," he leaned forward and stared at her so she could see he was serious.
"If you give dat girl a hard time you and I are going to have some problems. Like I told Trina to let dat shit fly, I'm telling you as well,"
"Mhm," Jenna hummed.
"You know I love you and you know I'd give my life for you Jen but I've also spoiled you, Nate is back now and you're also grown. I'm not holding your hand anymore, I loss my brother too not just you. I miss him everyday, stop acting like you're da only one who deserves to feel pain, I feel it, I felt it and I grew from it. I learned from it and found love out of it. If Damian was here right now, he'd be telling you da same shit, just in a nicer way, you always were his favorite, so don't disappoint now... not after all these years," standing, Gunna walked inside.
When she heard the door close, Jenna hung her head and took slow breaths while clenching and unclenching her fists. Playboy's death was tougher pill to swallow for her and she hated that Gunna used it to get his point across but he had a right to.
Although she was close to Gunna, she and Playboy had their own special bond and she's never found peace after his death, it still bothered her till this day.
Feeling arms wrap around her, Jenna broke down.
"It'z ok," Lil Nate mumbled as he hugged her tighter.
"It'z mi fault, I'm sorry," he apologized hugging her tighter.
After allowing her to cry it out, they sat outside in silence as she stared up at the clouds with tears rolling down her cheeks. It wasn't another Nate Sr. came out to check on them when she finally decided to head back inside.
"What'd you say to her?" Quentin asked Gunna as he made himself a grilled ham and cheese sandwich.
"Something we all needed to hear," Gunna shrugged before going into the living room.
Courtney pulled up a seat at the kitchen island and stared at the bowl of fruit feeling bad for what has happened.
"Come talk to me," Trina said after walking through the door with Nell.
Getting up, Courtney followed her towards the back and Gabby sat in the seat she was previously in.
"You want one?" Quentin asked looking over his shoulder at her.
"I like wheat bread and turkey,"
"I guess yo ass lucky Gunna brought his stash," he chuckled.
"Do you think I could've handled things differently?" She asked playing with the apple.
"You want my petty response or honest?"
"Honest," Gabby laughed.
"Well, as friends I think y'all could've sorted things out without the yelling. You probably should've let her cool off before you went and approached her. I know she hurt yo feelings with da b word, trust me, certain 'friendly' terms hit differently when anger is involved so I get why you were upset. To answer your question, yes things could have been handled better, but we're human and everyone was pissed off. You fought it out, now it's over." He told her and she nodded understanding.
"Take it from me, never get so angry to the point where you have to actually fight your friends. I hate when people say 'if you don't have arguments with your friends y'all aren't real' no bitch, only jealous bitches have arguments with a 'friend' you can have a grown ass disagreement and continue to be cool the same day. I love Court lil thot ass, and I love y'all friendship, but babyyyy," he gave her a knowing look.
"No shade but shade... I rather you fight Liv's ass... all I'ma say," he chuckled and she laughed.
"I got my ass beat, don't gotta rub it in,"
"Did I say dat? Getting yo ass beat is getting stomped out, not knowing who hitting you and thinking yo ass got jumped. You did not get your ass, she simply got in better licks, we win some and lose some... just don't fight her nomore chile," he laughed.
"Noted," Gabby chuckled putting the apple down.
Trina walked over and tapped her arm, "follow me,"
"I know you see me over here making her a grilled cheese," Quentin stated.
"Cut it off cuz yo ass is needed as well," she said.
Quentin pursed his lips then looked seeing Skylar following Gunna towards the back with August and lil Nate.
"Dis because of da fight?" He asked.
"Bring yo ass nigga damn," Trina laughed before walking away and Gabby got up and followed behind her.
"In here tryna talk peace and eat my damn food, can't even do dat," he shook his head as he headed towards the back.
***
"What's the plan?" Pedro asked sitting in Sebastián's office while he stood by the window staring at the hotel August them were staying in across the street.
"I want to do this, the right way... no violence... but knowing them it may result to that,"
"Why are you so bent on doing business with them? You got us," Pedro frowned and Sebastián smirked.
"Those men helped me bring in eight-million dollars worth of profit.... I'd be a fool to just give them up,"
"Well... they obviously don't want anything to do with this shit anymore," Pedro stated.
"They will... eventually," Sebastián smirked walking away from the window and sat down.
"Is the rest of the group here yet?" He asked.
"Mace said he wasn't coming, Don is here, Carlos is here, so is Affini and the ladies,"
"Why did Mace decline?" He asked and Pedro shrugged.
"Never know with his ass,"
Sebastián stared at him briefly then clasped his hands together and nodded slowly looking towards his security and replied, "I want him here... bruised but not broken,"
Nodding, they left out the office.
"You ever saw the movie Colombiana my friend?"
Pedro nodded.
"What happens to cocky people?" He asked.
"They eventually get knocked, like shorty girl did. Her family got killed because she got stupid," Pedro answered and Sebastián nodded.
"Let's hope Mace isn't as stupid as I'm starting to believe,"
***
"Yuh ok?" Nate asked looking over at Jenna once he wrapped his towel around his waist.
"I'll be fine once we get back home," she sighed.
"What's up?"
"Just don't feel right about this ball... I've been feeling uneasy since we've got here," she admitted.
"What did I tell yuh about fear?"
"It's not even that Nate. I haven't felt that emotion since you've been back. I'm just saying, something isn't right,"
Nate stared at her for a moment before sitting down at the foot of the bed.
"Yuh sound like yur niece now,"
"Can't help it if we're intuitive Nate," she sighed sitting up on her knees and hugged him from behind.
"Yuh tink we should stay in?"
"I know we can't... but if we gotta go at least let me take a gun," she suggested.
"They'll check yuh," He reminded.
"I won't let them, I'll feel better if I can bring one too,"
Nodding, Nate looked over his tattoos then at his scarred knuckles. "Yur always safe wit mi J,"
"I never have to be scared while in your presence," she cited and he smiled.
"Let mi get dressed and we can tek a walk ok?"
"How far are we going?" She asked getting off the bed.
"Remember what I taught yuh in Jamaica?" He questioned.
Thinking for a moment, Jenna nodded.
"Bring yur small purse," he said before disappearing inside the closet.
Nodding, Jenna walked around the bed and picked up her second suitcase, if they could succeed at doing this she'd feel better about attending the ball tomorrow evening.
*****************************
The ball is next chapter🥴
How are y'all feeling?