Cap don’t get it. She’s under my skin. I saw the way she lives. She always wants to do the right thing. She’s tough and it shows by how she has survived, but she has a sweetness and innocence about her. She has brought out the protectiveness in me. I’ve never had sweet, and I want it more than anything right now. I don’t just want her, I need her.
“I don’t have a choice. I’m going to take care of her and I’m going to claim her and I hope I have your support in that. She’s mine. She just doesn’t know it yet, but she will.” Cap is shaking his head.
“You know you are going to have to fight Lil on this. Her mother bear instincts are at work. She’s taken that girl as our own.”
I’ll do that, and I will convince Lil and Katie. “Plus, if you claim her and bring her into the club, the club bitches will eat her alive. If Lil wasn’t as strong as she is, I would never have claimed or married her. She would just shoot the bitches and they know that. You’re my brother and a grown ass man, and I won’t forbid it, but you better think it out. Because if you screw this up, I have a feeling Lil will make us all pay for it. I know you have it in you and you are a good brother. She will be lucky to have you, but it won’t be an easy task. She’s an innocent when it comes to our life.”
I’m glad I won’t have to fight Cap over this, but he is right about the club girls and taking it slow with bringing Katie to the club. I’ll have to work up to that and make sure all the girls know I am taken and to stay away from Katie. I turn and see Con coming off the elevator. He looks better now than he did three hours ago. When I left he was still passed out with a bitch on each side of him and all three were butt ass naked on the pool table. I hope I was never that bad. He is moving slow, so I know he is feeling that hangover.
“Do you want to move over here so I can give you the update. It’s not very long because there is nothing to tell.” We move over to the corner. “Zig Zag says there is not much to tell. She was raised by her grandma. Her dad’s mom, Nina Walton. She died two years ago. Probably worked herself to death, but death certificate said stroke. The lady was sixty-nine years old and had both a full time and part time job. She took custody of Katie Bug Walton when she was four years old after her dad was killed in a construction job accident.” Con is smiling. “Yes, Bug is her real middle name. The lady was not only raising Katie, but paying all her son’s debts off. He had no insurance. He was working for cash money and off the books. Son’s name, Thomas Walton. Katie’s mom died in child birth, Katherine Walton. Nina lost the home they had owned for years a year before she died. It was mortgaged to the max and she couldn’t keep up with the payments. They lived in a rent controlled apartment, but when Nina died Katie didn’t qualify, so she had to move.
“Katie has worked since she was legal to. Sometimes more than one job at a time. Katie is in her first semester in college at TJC. She is making good grades with a full schedule and the full time job with Brown. Brown said he gave the job to Katie because he knew her grandma and wanted to help her until she got on her feet. He said she is one of the best workers he has. He said she keeps to herself and always shows up. He also said she works forty plus hours every week and didn’t like it when I told him she wouldn’t be returning because she would be hard to replace. I told him it was a personal favor for the club.
That’s about it. No criminal record, not even a ticket. No credit. Zig Zag said the only thing that brought up a red flag is the time between living in the apartment with her grandma to the time she rented her apartment. There is no record of where she lived.”
“Oh, hell no!” Cap is off and headed back to the room. He doesn’t even knock. My woman better be dressed or I am going to be pissed. We are on his heels, and I see she is sitting in a chair, dressed. “Young lady, where did you live the year after you left your grandma’s apartment and before you got your apartment?” Katie’s eyes hit the floor and she is blushing.
“Answer me, now.” Cap is angry and I push him aside and go to stand beside Katie. I want in between the two before he blows a cork. When Katie looks up she has tears in her eyes and is close to crying. Even with the one eye swollen I can see her beautiful blue eyes are full of tears, but she squares her shoulders and sits up straight, and keeps them in. I can barely hear her reply.
“In my truck.” No, she did not just say that.