Hood Benefactor

Brina

I’m huge.

The birch tree on my side is all stretched out.

It’s only a matter of time before my nose stretches, too. 

My toes are already like little sausages.

It wasn’t like this the last time.

At least I won’t be pregnant during the summer.

I pull the cream knitted sweater over my head and smile slightly when my bump is still outlined.

I feel like one of those Christian Fall girlies with the sweater, leggings, and riding boots, but that’s about as professional as I’m getting.

“You decent, mamita?”

I exit my closet and smile at Rico. I’ve never seen him so dressed up. The navy blue suit he’s wearing is professionally tailored, his shoes shined to perfection. A line cut into his tapered fade.

“I’m underdressed,” I pout.

“You not. We gon’ be late if you change so let’s go.”

I roll my eyes, picking up my purse to let Rico guide me out.

He and Casey have been so secretive for the past few days. Having all these hushed meetings and shit. Ever since I’ve been pregnant, Rico has been my self-appointed handler, so when he called me this morning and told me to get dressed, I didn’t question it.

He helps me into his Trackhawk and drives under the speed limit toward downtown. 

“Where are we going that we have to be all dressed up?”

“We meeting Set at Park & Wyatt and then we gotta go to a board meeting,” he mutters, fiddling with the radio.

“Board meeting? For what?”

He glances at me, smirking. “Set will tell you everything you need to know. It’ll all make sense soon.”

“You all are so secretive.” I roll my eyes and caress my bump. One of the twins started kicking, but only at night.

Casey convinced me to wait until they were born to find out the sex so we can be surprised. So most of the stuff we’ve bought has been in shades of cream and brown.

“I’m an open book, mamita. Ask me anything.”

“I just asked–”

“That’s Set’s business. I meant ask anything about me.”

The freeway slows to a crawl as he turns the radio off and looks at me expectantly.

Hmm, what to ask him. 

“Who are you closest to?” I blurt.

He taps his index finger to his clean shaven chin before turning back toward the road. “It depends on the day I suppose. Ty is my cousin, and I spent a lot of time keeping him and Reem out of trouble. But then, I spent a lot of time getting into trouble with Nutty and Turk. Sean used to live next to my Nan, so a lot of times she would have me check in on him and Shad when his mother would work. I used to hear a lot of their old songs first.”

“You didn’t mention Casey.”

Rico chuckles. “Set and I have always been complicated.”

That has me sitting up. “Ooo, sounds juicy. Do tell.”

“Aht, how do I know you won’t pillow talk with my bro?” 

He glances at me smiling, but I see the seriousness in those honey brown eyes of his.

I’ve never picked up on any tension between them, so this is news to me. But then again, neither of them would be around each other if it was real tension. He said it’s complicated. Do I really wanna know?

“Is it something bad?”

“No. But Set prolly has his own reasoning, and it may be different from mine. Can I trust you to keep my secrets, Brina?”

He switches over to a faster lane, but it just slows to a stop as soon as we get half a mile down.

“As long as it’s not harmful to my man, I’ll keep it to myself. Your secret will be safe with me.”

“Hmm… I guess I understand that. It’s some history there. He’s made some questionable decisions; some he has full knowledge of, and others he doesn’t.”

“And you’re holding it against him? Why not just tell him and clear the air?”

“I’m a man, mamita. There’s a such thing as pride. Besides… I said we’ve always been complicated. For years we competed against one another… your mother would pit us against each other; who could be the biggest, baddest muthafucka, even though we didn’t have any hair on our nuts. Eventually, I grew disillusioned with Tiny, and bowed out, but I’on know. It’s some history. A lot of history.” He chuckles low to himself again, maneuvering off the freeway finally.

“I love Set like he my mama’s son. I’d take a bullet for him, just like he has for me. I’m trying to work through my resentment. He knows about some of it.”

My eyes balloon.

Fredo.

I blink away tears as I grab Rico’s hand from the middle dash. “Rico… I–”

“Nah, Brina.” He squeezes my hand. “Don’t ever think I blame you for Fredo. He’s, uh, always had a weakness for making sure beautiful women were safe. Runs in the family if I’m being honest. It was an honor for him to go out protecting you.”

“But if you don’t blame me, you can’t blame Casey either, Rico. It’s not fair.”

“If it’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that life isn’t fair. But it’s nothing to worry your pretty little head over… we have time for one more question. Choose wisely.”

I almost want to shut the fuck up. I see why he was worried about me telling. Everything in me wants to get Casey to fix this, whatever rift there is. 

But there is no rift, is there? I mean, Rico can’t even be in the same room as Wynter, and he really hates her. He’s always over, playing the game with Case, or on the phone with him. 

I decide to stay in safe territory as we cruise into the business district. “You’re always flirting, but you never talk about dating. Are you dating anyone?”

He smirks, a hint of dimple showing. “I don’t date, mamita. I experience.”

“You’re a ho!” I cackle. 

He pulls into the valet of a sleek building. “I prefer ‘pussy connoisseur.’ Don’t touch that door.”

I shake my head, silently grateful the air is back playful. He hands his keys to the valet before opening my door and helping me out.

We completely bypass the receptionist, going toward a specific elevator. He keys in a code, then calls for it. The doors open immediately, and we go to the twenty-fifth floor.

“Fancy,” I remark, as we climb the floors.

As soon as the door opens, Wyatt & Wyatt greets us in elegant script on the wall.

We get off and walk to the right, the opposite way of the floor receptionist. Passing three doors, we don’t stop until we get to the corner office door. 

Rico knocks three times, and steps to the side. A moment later, the door opens, but there’s no one there.

“I’ll see you at the board meeting.” He winks at me, then pushes me gently until I walk inside.

There, I see Casey in what he left the house in this morning; Adidas joggers, a white tee, socks and slides. Shad took him to his doctor’s appointment to get the okay to stop wearing his sling.

But he’s still wearing it. And the way he bites his lip when we lock eyes, I know he’s high as a kite.

The door closes behind me, and I startle at the tall, skinny man in a bespoke suit with his hand out.

“Sam Wyatt. A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Washington.”

Damn. I’ll never get tired of hearing that.

I shake his hand. “You’ll have to forgive me. I was basically summoned here with no forewarning.”

Sam grins, gesturing me towards the couch where Casey’s sitting. I go over, sitting down and facing him.

He curls his arm around me immediately and kisses my temple. “You good?”

“Yeah. Are you? You’re faded as fuck,” I whisper.

“You ain’t gotta whisper. Sammy puts on that professional voice ‘cause we in the office. You ever see him outside, you won’t even know he a lawyer.”

Sam snorts, bringing a thick folder over to us, setting it in front of me before taking a seat in the armchair. “C loves to exaggerate. Forgive us for the secrecy in you being brought here. When he let me know you don’t know anything, we had to take extra precautions.”

I furrow my brows. “Precautions for what?”

Sam unbuttons his jacket before leaning his elbows on his knees. “Park & Wyatt upstairs is the criminal defense sector of my family’s empire. Wyatt & Wyatt serves client interests; trusts, estates, assets and such. My brother Rowan is C’s defense attorney, while I handle all his assets, both tangible and intangible. Once you two were married, we were supposed to meet to add you to everything, but then this nigga goes and almost dies on us.”

I feel like that meme where the woman is doing calculus in her head. 

I must look it, because Casey sits up and turns to me. “I’m not used to having to let anyone know the moves I make. I wanted niggas to only know about the ‘caine and the Center, but you not niggas. You my wife, and I need you to know we more than straight, and that won’t change should anything happen to me.”

“Casey,” I whisper. As much as I don’t wanna think about him being gone, we had a close call weeks ago. I know he has money, but that’s it. We don’t talk business at home. Partly plausible deniability. But for him to have a whole lawyer and this thick ass folder, clearly I really don’t know shit.

“That folder has a list of all of C’s business, stocks, bonds, city and state contracts, things in the works, things we’ve shut down. Places that need your signature are marked, and then I can get your name put on everything, starting with the foundation, since the board meeting is in an hour.”

“Foundation?” I glance between them. “Why-why is this so urgent now?”

“Because…” he sighs. My baby really isn’t used to explaining himself. “Aight. So, years ago, Rowan, Tati, and I started this foundation. Roe was her mentor, and they wanted to make a real difference, and I had the money, so I became an angel investor and secret board member. It’s five of us in all; Roe, two niggas he know, then me and Rico are silent board members. We go to meetings and shit, or vote however Roe wants us to. I never designated who would take my place, so I need to get you on there. It’s a meeting today, and it’s some shit that needs to be voted on.”

I grab the folder, and the first page is the list.

“Second Chance Foundation? I’ve heard of them… that’s you?”

He smiles bashfully, while Sam clears his throat.

“You can’t tell anyone, Mrs. Washington. The last page is an NDA. If word got out about C’s interests and just how involved he is in the city, the target on his back would be even bigger.”

As I scan the list of just how much Casey owns or is part-owner of, I realize he’s right.

Businesses I’d never guess he even knows about.

Not just BirchTree Nightlife.

I could have guessed Hollywood Hookah, but not the entire stripmall.

And when I skim the contract he has with the city regarding the Birch, my eyes snap to him.

“You’ve been a busybody,” I murmur, taking the pen Sam hands me.

“Gotta make sure the scale is balanced… all the dirt I did can’t be reversed, so I make sure I do just as much good.”

“I see.”

My mouth is quirked as I sign everything, including the NDA.

“Who knows about this?” I ask as I hand Sam back the folder.

Casey shrugs. “You and Sam the only one who know the whole list. My other niggas know whenever I fronted them money, but I’ve been taking my name off they shit one by one. Shad, Nut, and Rico know about the foundation. Tati left her seat to Nut, but he signed it over to Rico.”

“I’ll get these papers filed. Here’s my card. C gave me your number, too, on the condition I never use it.” Sam smirks, cutting his eyes to Casey as we both stand.

“Whatever, nigga. Thanks for setting this up. I’ll get up witchu.”

They dap each other before Casey wraps his arm around me and leads me out.

“You’re full of surprises, Mr. Washington. Who knew you were a hood benefactor?” 

He walks me to yet another elevator and calls it. “Now you are one too, Mrs. Washington.”

“How did the doctor go?” I snake my arm around his waist and lean into him.

“I start physical therapy next week. But they not hopeful.” 

I look up and my baby peers at me, subdued. He squeezes his arm around my neck and kisses my temple.

“You’re alive. That’s what matters.”

We get on the elevator and he pushes the middle of three buttons. The ride is quick, and the elevator lets out into a boardroom where Rico is talking to a hulking man with striking green eyes. 

Them and the two other men turn when we get off. The other men nod and take their seats, while Casey leads me to Rico and the hulking man.

Rico winks at me before dapping Casey and going to take a seat.

The hulking man’s face is impassive, and I look away once we’re in front of him.

This nigga scares the shit out of me.

Not because he’s so tall, since up close he’s only an inch or so taller than Casey, so Ty’s height.

His aura… it’s downright murderous.

“This man has singlehandedly kept me out of jail. Rowan Wyatt, this is my wife Sabrina.”

I stick my hand into his giant outstretched one and he gives me a strong, but brief handshake.

“Nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard good things.” He shifts to Casey. “Are you staying for the meeting since I know you met with Sam?”

“Yeah, but she’ll have voting power now. We gon’ switch off.”

Rowan nods, and Casey leads us to two empty chairs while Rowan sits at the head.

“What are we voting on?” I whisper to him.

Casey peers at me, his eyes getting clearer.

“Who we decide to give a second chance to.”