"D, you sure you took my ride back to the storage?" Brandon asks Drummer.

"Yeah nigga, I'm sure."

"I'm just asking cause it's weird of you to wanna do me a favor that I could've done myself. I trust you, but I feel like you hiding sum. Did you wreck my shit?"

"We don't have time to be talking about this. We're finally home and I'm tired. Drummer, lets go home. Chanel, I'll see you later and don't forget you're up next in the plan." I sigh as I try to grab my bags, but Drummer stops me, grabbing them for me.

"See you later, Lani and I'm gonna head over there after I eat and take a nap." Chanel says as we hug each other.

"Milani..wait.. can I talk to you?" Brandon asks me and I sigh, not wanting to talk to him. "Drummer, can you wait for me in the car?"

Drummer and Brandon dap each other up and Chanel walks into the house then Drummer goes to the car. Brandon sits down on the steps and I do the same, looking off into the stars then shivering from the chilly wind.

"I know it's cold out here so I'm gonna get straight to the point. Lani, I apologize for making the bet with Drummer and I know you feel betrayed. I fucked up and it won't happen again. I hope my mistake didn't ruin our friendship because I consider you to be like a sister to me. I need you in my life to give me advice, smoke with me, keep me and Drummer outta trouble etc. Even if you never talk to me again, I just hope you forgive me. Shit crazy out here and I'd hate to die or sum shit without knowing that I made things right with you." Brandon says as he lights up a blunt and passes it to me.

Taking the blunt, I inhale the smoke and blow it out into the air; repeating the process. "I forgive you, Brandon. We're good. If I can forgive Drummer then I can forgive you too. You can stop worrying now. I know you miss having me as a friend, you idiot." I laugh and he puts me into a headlock.

"Gimme my blunt since you got jokes but nah fr, gone head and go be with my boy." Brandon smiles as he pulls me off the steps and hugs me.

Walking back to the car, Drummer opens the door for me and I get inside then he starts driving.

"Milani, I gotta go pick up my pops and come back to get Brandon after his shower then head to the hospital to see Tae. He gotta tell me some shit and I know you're tired so I'm gonna take you back to your place. I'll come pick you up later. Is that cool with you?" He asks while rubbing circles on the back of my hand.

"Yes, babe, that's cool with me. Just bring me some food and don't wake me up when you get back."

"I like the sound of you calling me babe. It's like music to my ears."

Smiling softly, I close my eyes and rest my head on the seat; letting sleep take over. By the time I wake up, we're in the parking lot of my apartment complex. Drummer follows me into the house and puts down the food he ordered me while I was asleep.

"Mmm, honey chipotle chicken crispers with corn and fries. YUM!!" I moan when I open my bag from Chili's.

"I knew you'd love that shit. Your ass is always hungry so I stopped and got the food so you wouldn't be starving when you woke up...I'm about to head out. I'll be back later. Call me if you need anything."

Nodding my head, I kiss Drummer's lips and hug him tightly before letting him walk out of the door. After washing my hands and changing clothes, I turn on my tv and eat my food until everything is completely gone. Walking into my bedroom, I let out a deep breath then plop down onto my bed; letting the softness engulf me as I close my eyes. As soon as I'm almost asleep, there's multiple knocks on my door.

"M-Milani, please o-open up. I-I need you." My sister sobs from the other side of the door.

Hurriedly swinging it open, I pick Kimora up from the ground and help her inside. Blood from her open wounds leaking onto my clothes. She holds her side with pain so I softly move her hand and lift her shirt up; seeing a huge purple bruise.

"Kimora, what happened to you!?" I yell as I run to get my first aid kit.

I start to patch up her wounds and clean her up as I listen to her explain to me how Tariq came home drunk and decided to take his anger out on her. She also talked about how he drunkenly went on and on about how he wrecked his car two weeks ago. He told her that he has herpes, it's all her fault, and he doesn't want her or the baby in his life.

"I'm gonna fucking kill him! Kimora, you stay here and I'm gonna go to your house and talk some fucking sense into him. You're pregnant and he doesn't need to be hitting you!!"

"No, Milani! You don't need to get into our problems. I just didn't have anywhere else to go because mama would've called the police. I don't want the police involved. I just needed somewhere to crash until I get my thoughts together about how I'm going to move forward."

"Where's Bria? Please tell me you didn't leave her with Tariq." I sigh loudly, referring to my niece.

"I-I left her. He wouldn't let me take her."

Jumping up and grabbing my gun, I stuff it into my purse then grab my keys and run to my car. "Kimora, I'm going to get her. I'm not about to let Tariq harm her! You should've fought harder to bring her with you!"

As I fly through traffic, bobbing and weaving through empty spots on the highway; my heart races as I wonder what Tariq is doing to my niece. I can't believe Kimora just left her there knowing her daddy is a violent drunk. When I pull up to the house, the door is cracked and I hear Bria's loud cries; making a knot form in my stomach.

I take my gun off safety and clutch it tightly in my hands as I tip toe my way into the house. I slowly make my way upstairs where I find Bria in her room, crying her eyes out and screaming to the top of her lungs. When she notices me, she wobbles over to me and just as I'm packing a bag for her, I hear my name being called.

"M-Mila..ni.. put m-my kid d-down, bitch!" Tariq stutters as he bumps into the wall.

Knowing that he won't let me take her easily, I rub her hair and put her into her playpen; giving her a teddy bear to distract her. "Babygirl, play with mr. bear. Everything will be okay."

"Tariq, you're drunk! Your best bet is to let me take Bria and go. I don't want any trouble. You won't make it out of this. I'm in my right state of mind with a gun and you're drunk without a gun. You know this won't end well for you." I say as I point my gun at him.

Without a word, Tariq charges at me and knocks my gun out of my hands; kicking it across the room. He wraps his hands around my neck and I start having trouble breathing. Kneeing him in his balls, he falls over in pain and I try to crawl for my gun, but he grabs my ankle and drags me towards him. He pins my hands above my head with one hand and uses the other to punch me in the ribs. Groaning out in pain, tears escape my eyes as the constant blows hit my ribcage. Tariq wraps his hands back around my neck as I try to fight him off, but he's too strong. I start to feel myself fading in and off consciousness.

"You know, it's such a shame I have to fucking kill you. All of this is your fault, Milani. You broke my heart. You know I never wanted your sister. I only cheated with her and married her to get back at you. You made me out to be the bad person when it was always you!!!" He whispers in my ear then kisses my face.

"W-what are y-you talking about!?" I breathe out.

"Bitch, stop playing dumb!!!!! I know you sucked my dad up the night I snuck you into my house to spend the night. I was asleep but when I woke up, you were gone so I came looking for you. I saw your hoe ass on your knees in his office!!!"

Before I can respond, I start seeing spots then hear Drummer's voice. He rushes into the room and attacks Tariq while Brandon helps me and Bria get out of the house.

"N-no! We can't leave him in there with Tariq!" I croak, holding my throat.

"Lani, he can handle himself. We've gotta get you and the baby back to your house." Brandon tells me as I give him my keys.

As we're driving back to my place, I hold Bria tightly in my arms and rub her back until she finally falls asleep. I hate that this is the first time I've actually held her, but at this moment, I don't even care about Tariq being her father. I'm just happy that she's safe.

"Wait, Brandon, how'd you know where Tariq lived? What's going on?"

"When we went to the hospital, Tae told us that there was this dude asking round bout you and he was trying to find out more info on Drummer. He overheard one of Jarell's boys giving the nigga info when he was at the grocery store with D's mama. Before Tae could get to the bottom of shit, they caught him staring at them and just as he was about to head over there to em, Ms. Serena started rushing him so they could leave. Tae said he had been calling around and finally found out that the nigga who was asking questions name is Tariq. He's also the same nigga that ran into them and fled the scene so I'm guessing Jarell's boys told Tariq who Tae and Ms. Serena was so he hit them to get back at Drummer for being with you." Brandon explains then picks up Bria and helps me into my house.

My mouth drops open as the dots start connecting that Tariq severely injured Drummer's cousin and killed his mama.

"BRANDON! You've got to get back over there!!! Drummer will kill him!!!" I scream as I try to jump off the couch, but stop when Drummer walks through my front door; bloody and angry.

Brandon agrees to take Kimora and Bria to a hotel to give me and Drummer some time alone, but before she goes, she thanks me multiple times for helping her then I tell her what happened between me and Tariq's dad which was nothing. I had too much to drink and we gave each other head.

"Milani, you made a mistake. Please don't blame all of Tariq's evilness on something that happened so long ago. He's a grown man and he made his own decisions. You're an amazing woman and you have a heart of gold. Don't beat yourself up. I love you." Kimora smiles as she takes Bria from Brandon.

"Be careful, Kimora. I love you and Bria. I should've been a better aunt to her and sister to you. I hope it's not too late ."

"It's never too late." Kimora says before leaving with Brandon.

Closing the door behind them, I walk into the bathroom where Drummer is taking a shower and strip out of my clothes; stepping in behind him then kissing his back. He doesn't turn around, but instead continues to wash the front of his body. Reaching my arms around his waist, I grab his dick and keep kissing his back; making his dick harden in my hand. Turning towards me, he looks into my eyes and I expect him to kiss me, but he doesn't. He pushes my back against the shower wall and tells me to stop; still hovering over me.

"Are you okay, Drummer?" I ask because I know he never turns down sex.

"What do you think? I just had to go to the hospital to hear my cousin tell me that your ex ran into them, just because you sucked his dad up. Yeah, I heard that part...I also had to break the news to Tae that his favorite aunt died. He broke down in my arms and there was nothing I could do to make it better. I found out where Tariq lived and was coming to kill his ass when I saw him almost kill you. When you left I lost my shit, Lani. I went crazy and couldn't see nothing, but black." He explains as we continue to wash each other then get out and get dressed; getting into bed.

Tears run down my face as I start to blame myself for everything that has happened. I try to muffle my cries with a pillow, but Drummer hears me and uses his thumbs to dry my tears. "Baby, I'm not mad at you and I hope you're not mad at yourself. Everything happens for a reason and times won't always be like this. We'll get through this. Now that Tariq is gone, we can all heal and move forward. I still love you, no matter what."

My eyes buck at his words about Tariq being gone and I almost choke on my spit. "You killed him?"

Drummer licks his lips and smirks at the scared look on my face. "Nah, I didn't kill him. I just beat the shit out of him and told him to leave town. I let him know that if I ever see his face again I'll kill him, no matter where we're at or how much time has passed, I'll kill him and I put that on my mama."

I remain quiet for a minute then kiss his lips. "Thank you."

"For what, Lani?"

"For protecting my family from Tariq and loving me no matter what. I hate to say it, but I'm really feeling you. I've never felt this way about anyone." I smile as I snuggle up in his arms.

"Girl, you been feeling me since day one. You was just playing hard to get. Now go to sleep. Chanel did her part so you already know we've got a big day ahead of us. Tomorrow is the day, we finish this shit."