Soul Ties, page 2
“Shit, I got you.” Chance scooped Nina up in his arms and carried her to his car. “You’re coming with me. I’m never letting that bitch nigga get close to you again. He’s fucking dead, Nina!” He rubbed her black eye gently. “Let me holler at Quan real quick.”
“What type of father puts his hands on his daughter?” Quan asked, his trigger finger itching. Quan didn’t respect a man who put his hands on a woman, especially a man who abused his own child. Although this was none of his business, Quan wanted to help Chance make an example out of Nino. Niggas feared him in the streets too much to try him, and it’d been weeks since he got active. Thoughts of handling Nino excited him.
Chance pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to gather his thoughts. In that moment, he knew he was in love with Nina. He was ready to commit the ultimate sin for her. He knew how to shoot and wouldn’t hesitate to defend himself, but Chance had never killed anyone. He made the rules but rarely enforced them on his own. Chance was the brains of the operation, and Quan was the muscle. The lines had never blurred between the two until this day; however, Chance decided he would catch a body that night.
“I’ma dead that nigga!” he vowed.
“I know where that pussy be at. We can pull up on his ass right now, nigga!”
“Tonight, nigga. Let me get Nina to my apartment and settled. I’ma hit you up.” Chance dapped Quan up and got into his car and sped off. “I’m never going to let anyone else hurt you again, shorty. That’s my word.” Chance held Nina’s left hand in his right and kissed it softly. He wiped the tears that ran down her face and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. From that day forward, they were inseparable.
* * *
The ringing of Nina’s iPhone brought her back to reality. She remembered that night clearly. It was the day that she realized how much she loved Chance. For the first time in her life, she slept without fear that night.
Looking down at her caller ID, she saw Quan’s name flash across the screen.
“Please tell me you have some good news, Quan. I can’t take anything but that.”
“Where you at, sis?” Quan asked.
“I’m almost in Atlanta. How is he?” The last few hours of worrying whether Chance survived had been agonizing. There wasn’t any time to mince words. Nina needed to hear that Chance had made it out of the hospital and would be following her to Atlanta shortly. She needed to hear that she was the first person he’d asked for after the surgery. She needed something to hold onto.
The silence on the line was deafening. Nothing could be heard for seconds but Quan’s heavy breathing on the other end. “Nina . . . I don’t even know how to put this to you.”
“Don’t say it, Quan. Please. Don’t say it.”
“He put up a fight,” Quan replied quietly. “He tried for you, sis.”
Nina dropped the phone and released her hands from the wheel, covering her sobs with her trembling hands. It felt like someone had pulled a carpet from underneath her feet. She’d been confident that Chance would survive his injuries.
Images of Chance flashed in her mind. She never expected today to be the last day she saw the love of her life. Before she knew it, the Lamborghini slammed into the back of a black Toyota, causing her to spin wildly off the road.
“Nina!!” She heard Quan yelling into the phone from a distance before everything went black.
* * *
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Nina’s eyes fluttered open, and she shielded her face with her hands, attempting to block the bright lights in the room. The smell of peroxide and disinfectants invaded her nostrils. The hairs on her forearms rose from the cool air blowing above Nina’s head.
“Hmmm,” she moaned, trying to sit up. Her hands reached for the IV coming from her right arm. Just as she started to pull the IV from her arm, a sharp pain shot through her entire upper body. What the fuck? The recollection of events that had occurred over the last day of her life came flooding back like water from a broken dam. Tears slid down her face as she realized this was not just a bad dream she was waking up from. The man she loved had died. Chance was gone. Her menace of a father mysteriously rose from the dead and attacked them. How had he survived? That night over ten years ago, Chance had come home and assured Nina that he sent Nino to meet his maker. She saw all the blood on his clothes the night he came home, so how did Nino make it out alive?
Does the nigga have nine lives or something?
“You’re woke.” A stranger’s voice greeted Nina.
She looked up to find a tall, dark-skinned man sitting by the end of the hospital bed. Confused, Nina placed her hands on her hip out of instinct. “Fuck,” she mumbled as she realized her nine wasn’t there. “Who the fuck are you?” she barked. She didn’t know this nigga from Adam. For all she knew, he could have been someone Nino sent to finish off the job. Nina’s eyes darted to the room door, which was slightly ajar. The hallway was bustling with doctors, nurses, and visitors passing by. She sighed in relief.
He sensed Nina’s apprehension and remembered that he was a strange face to her. “No need for the hostility, ma. I found you on the side of the highway all fucked up. The ambulance was twenty minutes out, so I brought you here myself,” he informed Nina.
Nina twisted her face up and eyed the man suspiciously. She didn’t know if she quite trusted the good Samaritan story this guy gave. She felt naked without her gun on her, and the unfamiliar setting made her feel nauseous. Calculating her next response, Nina asked, “Where is my car?” There was still five million dollars in the trunk that she and Chance had stacked over the years. She had so many questions, but her priority was to get out of this hospital.
“I had it towed to my spot. I can take you there once they release you and let you be on your way. What’s your name, ma?”
“It’s definitely not ma.” Nina recognized his northern accent and hoped he didn’t think his lingo flattered her. “I’m the one asking the questions right now. What is your name, and why did you help me?”
He laughed at her straightforwardness. He could tell that she wasn’t an average chick. “I’m Yasin.” He placed his hand on his chest and surveyed Nina. “Honestly, I don’t know why I helped you. Would you have rather I left you to die on the side of that highway?”
That wouldn’t have been so bad, Nina thought sadly. “I appreciate it, but you didn’t have to save me. I’m Nina by the way,” she mumbled.
Yasin wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he was floored by Nina’s beauty. Even with minor scratches on her face and her hair in complete disarray, Nina’s beauty could not be concealed. The mysterious allure she exuded piqued his interests. Yasin had been in Atlanta for a few months, and no female moved him enough to want to pursue anything serious. He dated to satisfy his needs as a man. But there was something about this girl that he couldn’t put his hands on. If his homies were around, they would tell him he was acting like a straight sucker for a chick he didn’t even know. Since he’d picked Nina up, Yasin had not checked one message or answered any calls. He never put his business on hold for anything or anyone, but he had to make sure Nina was safe.
“It’s nice to officially meet you, Nina.”
Before she could respond, the doctor and a nurse entered the room. Nina could not read their faces or expressions. “What’s going on?” she asked.
“It’s great to see you up and responsive, Miss Doe.” The doctor referred to Nina by the alias Jane Doe. “Do you know where you are or recall anything that happened?”
Nina rolled her eyes impatiently. “My name is Nina Singleton. I’m from Charlotte, North Carolina, and I was driving to Atlanta from there. So, I’m assuming that’s where I am. I can’t move my damn shoulder. Why?”
The doctor took a deep breath before responding. “Well, Ms. Singleton, you dislocated your shoulder in the crash. Also, after running some tests, we became aware that you were four weeks pregnant.” The doctor paused to give Nina some time to process information. “I’m sorry, but we couldn’t detect a fetal heartbeat. I’m sorry for your loss.”
Her lips trembled as the doctor delivered the news. She had thought her day couldn’t get any worse after losing Chance. The baby she carried was the last piece of Chance she had. Knowing that she would hold a child they had made in eight months had eased her devastation. She questioned why God would take what she loved most from her. Had she not suffered enough in her life?
“Get out,” she whispered. No one made a move. “Get the fuck out!” she yelled before bursting into tears.
* * *
“Fam, I think Nina hung up on me.” Quan said as he sat in the chair next to Chance’s bed. When he got a call from his right hand saying that he’d been shot up, he wasted no time getting to the hospital. Per Chance’s request, Quan discharged Chance after the surgeons successfully removed all four bullets from Chance’s body and stopped the bleeding. Quan called up a private doctor he had on payroll who was treating Chance from his secret spot right outside of Charlotte. The setup of the room looked like a scene out of Grey’s Anatomy. Quan spared no cost on medical equipment or supplies. He wanted to make sure Chance was as comfortable as possible as he healed.
“She didn’t take it well, man.”
Chance hated the fact that he couldn’t speak to his woman, but it was in her best interest. If she knew he’d survived, she wouldn’t hesitate to be by his side. “Nina’s strong. She’ll be a’ight, man. I need her to be out of the loop and just raise my seed away from all this chaos. I need them safe and out of harm’s way. They’re all I have left.”
Quan nodded in agreement.
“I want the streets to think I’m dead so that bitch nigga Nino can sleep peacefully at night.” Chance gritted his teeth. The thought of Nino’s violation made his blood boil. Chance risked losing everything he had worked hard for behind Nino, and he couldn’t let it slide. “He had to know we were leaving town and took that as an opportunity to catch us off guard. But on my unborn child, it’s war. And this time, I’m going to make sure I put him six feet under,” Chance vowed.
* * *
The silence tortured Yasin as he and Nina headed to his place to retrieve her belongings. Nina hadn’t spoken a word since she got the unfortunate news of her loss. He didn’t know what say to console her. He wanted to give her space because he knew she was grieving, but he couldn’t help but be curious. Where was the father of the child? What was she doing in Atlanta if she was from Charlotte? What type of work did she do to be pushing a Lamborghini? This mysterious beauty had Yasin’s mental wheels turning.
“I need to find a spot.” Nina finally spoke. She thumbed away a tear and sat up in the seat. “A nice condo maybe. Could you help me with that?”
Instead of asking the questions that were on his mind, Yasin simply responded, “I can link you with my realtor.”
“Thanks,” Nina mumbled and stared out of the window. She aimlessly watched the buildings pass by. She had no willpower left to say anything. Her intention wasn’t to be rude to Yasin, but she couldn’t fake the small talk.
No more words were spoken until the two pulled into Yasin’s two-car garage attached to his townhouse. “Everything should be exactly where you left it, ma. Once you grab all of that, I’ll take you the nearest Marriott.”
Nina nodded and hurried to grab her belongings. “Thank you, God!” She whispered when she saw the two duffle bags filled with money still in the car. Grabbing those two bags and the only suitcase of clothes she had packed, Nina loaded the things into the backseat of Yasin’s Audi. “I really appreciate all that you’ve done to help me. I owe you one.”
Waving his hands in dismissal, Yasin gave Nina a half smile. “It’s nothing, ma. Just know you always have a friend here in Atlanta if you ever need me. If you ever need to talk or anything, I’m here,” he responded genuinely.
I sound like a damn sucker, Yasin thought.
Nina gave a half smile but said nothing. She didn’t understand why Yasin was going out of his way for her, yet she was grateful either way. It eased her anxieties knowing there was someone looking out for her in Atlanta. In a way, he reminded her of Chance, sincere and protective, but it would be a while before she looked at another man intimately again. There was no way she could give her heart to another like she had with Chance. Their love would go down as the greatest love of her life. No one could ever replace that. If she couldn’t be with Chance, then Nina didn’t see the point of falling in love again. Here she was in Atlanta, sitting on millions of dollars, but her other half wasn’t by her side. It just didn’t feel right. Despite it all, she promised to live the life Chance always wanted her to.
Chance’s voice echoed through her mind. “You only live once, shorty. Live it up while you’re here,” he would say often. Tears threatened to escape her eyes as she thought of her man, but she didn’t let them fall.
I have to be strong, she thought.
“Here we are, ma. Do you need help taking those bags up?” Yasin asked as they pulled into the Marriott hotel’s parking lot. Nina shook her head. “Well, look, here’s my realtor’s card. Her name is Amanda Riley. Tell her Yasin referred you, and she’ll get you right.” Yasin slipped the card to Nina. As his hand briefly touched hers, he stared into her eyes. “I meant what I said, Nina. I’m here if you ever need anything. My number is on the back of that card, so don’t hesitate to call me.”
“Thank you, Yasin, but you’ve helped me enough. Have a nice night.” Nina backed away from the car and shuffled through the front doors of the hotel.
Chapter Two
The whole hood showed up to Chance’s funeral to give their love, even though some people just wanted to know if the young rich nigga was really gone. Little did they know it wasn’t Chance’s body lying in that casket. Quan had put together the funeral upon Chance’s request. They set the whole event up to get Nino to send one of his shooters there to make sure Chance was put into the ground. Chance surmised that Nino would let his guard down after the funeral. He would use that moment to catch Nino slacking.
“Yo, you think Nina going to show up?” Quan asked as he sat in the limo with Chance.
Rocking his disguise as an old man, Chance nodded. He held a cane in his left hand, which supported him. The gunshot he had taken to his leg would cause him to walk with a limp until he completed his physical therapy. “She’ll be here. I don’t know if I can stand watching her break down in here, G. That’s my world.”
Nina felt so close but so far away at the same time, like the feeling of knowing something on the tip of your tongue, but not being quite able to voice it. That’s how he felt about Nina. There wasn’t a day that went by within the ten years they’d been together without Chance talking to or checking on Nina. For her safety, freezing her out of his life seemed to be the safest option.
“It’s only right.” Quan sympathized with Chance. He knew his man worshipped the ground Nina walked on. For years, the three of them were the only family they knew. It took a lot for him not to reach out to Nina and let her know what was up. After all, she was like a sister to him, but in the end, his loyalty lay with Chance. Nina received that loyalty initially as an extension of his love for Chance, until Quan grew to love her also.
“You ready to do this, nigga?”
“Let’s go, bruh.” Chance checked his appearance one more time in the rearview mirror. No one would ever recognize him.
Walking into the church, Chance wanted to laugh at how packed it was. Yeah, he had love in the city, but half of the people there he didn’t fuck with, and they didn’t really fuck with him. It was true that people didn’t show you love until you were dead and gone. Walking slowly with his cane, Chance observed every face in the building intensely. There was one face in the crowd that made his knees weak. It was Nina, sitting on the front row with huge Tom Ford shades resting on her face. He knew it was to conceal her tears. Nina was too classy to show her ass at this funeral. She knew her love for Chance was real, so there was no need to put on a show at his homegoing.
Damn, she’s so beautiful, Chance thought. He sat a few rows behind her and waited for the service to start.
* * *
“You okay?” Angela, Chance’s aunt, asked as she noticed Nina bouncing her leg uncontrollably. Like everyone else in the family, she had been shocked to hear the news. She felt it was only right to make sure Nina was good because she knew her nephew had intended on marrying this girl one day.
“Huh?” Nina closed her eyes and shook her head, turning her attention to Angela. “Oh . . . yes.” Physically, she was there, but mentally, she drifted down memory lane. A part of her hadn’t even wanted to come to the funeral, but her loyalty to Chance had compelled her to.
Over the past few days in Atlanta, she had managed to purchase a condo and a new Mercedes Benz. Nina didn’t intend on blowing through the money at all. In fact, she planned to invest some of it and flip it. One thing Chance had taught her was how to turn five dollars into a five hundred, and it was a lesson she’d never take in vain. When she had enough money behind her, she would go after Nino.
“Is there anyone who would like to speak of their experience with brother Chance?” Reverend Davis asked.
Nina hadn’t even noticed the funeral pass her by. She started to stand and go speak about her love for Chance, but someone beat her to it. Nina noticed a familiar female walking to the front of the altar. She was dressed in all black, with her red weave cascading down her back.
“Who the fuck is she?” Nina mumbled. She had seen that face before, but she couldn’t quite put a name to the face.
Tears were rolling down the girl’s face before she could even start speaking. “Anyone who knows me knows how much Chance meant to me. I loved that man so much.” The girl’s voice cracked.
Nina whipped her head to Angela for answers, but she just shrugged. “The fucking audacity!” Nina whispered through clenched teeth. As bad as she wanted to snatch the girl from the stage by her weave, Nina decided to let her finish her speech. She wouldn’t disrespect Chance’s memory by making a scene. But afterwards, answers would be found.
