Misunderstood (Toussaint Mafia #4)

Chapter 16

“ Y ou want to know what it looks like to rep your hood? To bang it out for the streets tatted on your body and the people you’re willing to die for? Aye,” the speaker said, his dark eyes scanning the room until they landed on a tall man covered in tattoos on his arms, hands, and even the sides of his face. “Bruh, come up here real quick,” the speaker called, and the man stood.

He walked to the front of the room, and the speaker, X, dapped him up before turning to the crowd, which was filled with at least fifty young Black men aged 16 to 21.

“Let’s show them what it looks like to bang for their hood,” X said to the man. “This man is like my big brother. He’s always looked out for me, and he’s the one person I can say took bullets for me and lived to talk about it,” X added, raising his black Celine hoodie.

Tattooed across X's chest were marks of his past, but what couldn’t be missed was the jagged scar running down the left side of his abdomen. When the man beside X tilted his head back, a healed scar from the top of his chin down to the center of his neck was visible. Peace observed as the young wannabe gangbangers squirmed in their seats at the sight of the battle scars. Hell, even Peace, who was in the mob, hadn’t seen anything like that.

“This man beside me was hit in the neck with a switch. I caught three bullets to my body before I was eighteen. This is what sliding looks like,” X said, lowering his hoodie. He dapped up his boy, who returned to his seat at the back of the room. “You know that famous term these lil rappers use to sell a song? Some of them live it, but most of them don’t. I know all the real killers, the real gangsters, and they’ll tell you themselves that the rappers are lying. However, bullet wounds don’t lie. I did a lot of things in my past, many of which I regret even now, and that’s why I’m here. I don’t want to see any of you on the news or dead. I don’t want you to have regrets years later like me and my big brother because of the dangerous life you lived. Even now, as I sit and worship a God who saved me from a life I never thought I could walk away from, I still have to watch my back. I still have to look over my shoulders and be careful where I go. At the end of the day, your decisions matter in life. I take a chance every time I step on that corner to speak to you all, because one of my enemies—or even my peoples’ enemies—could be turning that corner to slide on me for the last time. This life is not a game. It’s not a rap song, and it’s not a fake online beef. Them bullets are real, and the lives they take are real.”

“Instead of investing in the streets, I want you all to invest in yourselves. The first step is choosing you. I’ll finish up the seminar with a few short words: to each one of you who took a chance by stepping out today, I appreciate that. I know firsthand how hard it is to do right when you’ve been taught to do wrong. I want all of you to stop by the table at the back of the room and grab gift cards, a certificate to a boys’ club that my homie Oshun own, and a few more things to keep you occupied—in a good way. And like I said before, every Sunday we have service in here or up the block at the park. If y’all need me for anything, don’t hesitate to stop by. I am the man I say I am. Simple as that,” X said before allowing the room filled with teenagers to stand.

Peace sat in the back of the room not sure what to think. He honestly never thought that his baby was stepping out on him. Regardless of the lies Cage tried to spread about Boston being a hoe, Peace knew she was loyal. He wouldn’t have married her, slipped in her raw and chose to spend his life with her if he had believed that. Still, he was a man, and he wanted to be certain she was giving him her all. Her heart, body and mind. He didn’t want no nigga to have a piece of her not even one that claimed to give his life to the Lord. Cause if X came at him in any kind of way that made him upset, he planned on sending him off to God.

“What’s good?” X asked, immediately coming over to Peace.

Peace stood and dapped up the man that was nearly the same height as him.

“Shit, that was a powerful ass speech you just did. You do this every day?” Peace wanted to know as he sat back down.

X sat beside him and stretched out his legs while sighing. He looked as tired as Peace felt.

“Nah, on Sundays we’re here or down the street and during the week we hit different blocks. I try to not stay in the same area because I’m trying to reach as many people as I can. How Boston doing?”

Peace cleared his throat. Hearing her name fall from X’s mouth had him feeling a way.

“She’s good at the house sleep like always. Ready for the baby to come and shit,” he smirked. “That was the reason why I’m here though. What’s going on with you and my wife?”

Peace cut straight to the chase not looking to become the niggas friend. X seemed cool especially with his save the youth vibe he had going but still he was a man. Peace didn’t put shit past niggas. Not even the ones that claimed to be born again.

X chuckled and Peace had to remain calm because he was itching to pull out his gun.

“Man, I done had people run down on me about a lot but never a woman. Boston is like a little sister to me. I met her in a shelter out of town awhile back that I donate stuff too. She was cool but it was never like that. It was clear she was running from something and I’m not looking for a woman. I have much more important things to do in my life, like my mission. I get it she’s beautiful and you probably done looked through her phone but it’s not that. She worries about her life, her past and you. All I can do is be a listening ear for her and tell her what God places on my mind to speak about. That’s it,” X replied.

He stood before Peace could reply and pulled out a ringing phone that he silenced. “As a husband you got every right to be making sure she’s in the best company, but your problems isn’t with me. Boston is a good woman; you need to put your time and love into her and not things like this. I gotta run but it was good meeting you and I want you to know that I have nothing but good intentions with B. Like I said before she’s like a lil sister to me, nothing more,” X replied and walked off taking with him the big, tatted up man that had been shot in the neck.

While X’s words were spoken in a neutral tone the tatted up friend of his gave Peace a steely glare as he followed him out of the room.

The next day, Boston sat inside the nail salon, listening to the audiobook Keep You to Myself on her phone while getting a pedicure. Her mom was next door at the hair salon, having her hair curled, and instead of waiting, Boston opted for a pedicure so her feet would look good when she went into labor. Just as Boston reached the part of the book where Synovi and Torin explored each other sexually, Revvy’s wife strode in with a fierce scowl on her auburn-hued, round face.

Alyssa was a tall woman with a toned figure, short burgundy hair cut to her shoulders, and wide-set brown eyes. She was gorgeous, aging gracefully like Boston’s mom. However, the moment she approached Boston, it was clear she was choosing chaos over peace.

“I can’t believe that you have the audacity to walk around as if nothing happened. My son is dead because of you! You little slut!” Alyssa hollered.

Boston was taken aback by her outburst and accidentally dropped her cellphone into the pedicure bowl. She didn’t have time to react as Alyssa reached over the frightened nail tech and slapped her so hard that Boston’s head whipped to the side.

“Oh, nah bitch!” Boston yelled, getting up.

“I’ma kill you! You ruined my life!” Alyssa shrieked, striking Boston with all of her might.

“No, you go, you go!” the nail tech yelled, her arms in the air as she tried to shield Boston from the slaps from Alyssa.

“Bitch, I loved every minute of it,” Boston spoke angrily, hitting Alyssa with the stun gun that had been in her bag.

Alyssa fell to the ground and started to shake. Boston couldn’t stop herself from kicking Alyssa in her side as she shook on the ground.

“Just so you know your son was a piece of shit!” Boston yelled, thinking of everything she endured behind the death of Cage made her angrier by the second. “He wasn’t a good fucking guy!”

Boston was about to kneel over Alyssa to talk more shit when she heard a faint popping sound. Seconds later, clear, slightly light pink fluid began to discharge from between her legs, pooling on the floor.

“Are you okay?” Mark, the guard in charge of driving Boston and her mother, hurriedly asked as he entered the salon.

Boston watched as Alyssa slowly began to stir on the floor. She shook her head, knowing that Peace was going to be pissed with Mark.

“No, my water just broke. I need you to go get my mom so we can head to the hospital.”

The moment Boston uttered the word “hospital,” a sharp contraction coursed through her lower back, extending around her side and reaching her navel. The intensity was so great that it caused her knees to shake before she screamed out in pain.

Twelve hours later, Boston awoke inside of her VIP hospital suite. Her deep blue eyes took time adjusting before they landed on Peace. He sat inside of the room cradling their daughter Noa Ariel Marceline. An eight pound, fair skinned baby with slanted greyish blue eyes, a black mass of curly hair and loud cries. She was everything Peace and Boston ever dreamed she would be. Boston was overjoyed that her mom was present to carry on their family customs, particularly when she blessed Noa with a middle name inspired by the archangel of nature.

Boston was coming down from her medication and feeling overly blessed as she watched Peace hold their daughter, who seemed to only rest peacefully in his arms.

“I want you to leave Revvy and his wife alone. Even Rocco,” Boston said, breaking the silence.

Peace nodded while looking down at their daughter. Boston sat up as best as she could in the bed and pulled the warm blanket her mom had brought over her body.

“Peace, I’m serious.”

Peace looked up at her lovingly. “I know, and I hear you, sweetheart. You blessed me with this beautiful baby; trust me, I don’t want any smoke with you. How are you feeling? Do you need anything? Let me know, and I’ll make it happen.”

Sweetheart.

Boston was amazed at how just one word could still make her blush. She looked at her husband, relieved to have a healthy baby.

“I feel at peace,” she beamed. “I was so scared when my water broke because I knew my blood pressure was high. Then they told us we’d have to do an emergency C-section, and I blamed myself. Even now, I think, if I had left Cage alone…” she sighed.

“It’s fine, B. We’re not at home,” Peace said, reminding her to watch her words in a loving way. “Is your body in pain? Do you want me to call the nurse?”

Boston shook her head, watching Peace gently sway the baby in his arms. “I love you, Boston. Thank you for your presence and for giving me this baby.”

Peace stood and sealed his sweet words with a passionate kiss on her lips. When he attempted to slip his tongue into her mouth, she laughed and pushed at his broad chest, which was covered in a black mineral wash Lanvin hoodie.

“Baby, my breath isn’t the freshest,” Boston whined.

Peace shook his head while leaning towards her.

“Ma, you know I don’t care about no shit like that. Give me a kiss,” he demanded. Boston did as he asked and, after passionately kissing his lips, Peace pulled back to grin at her. “Love you.”

Boston looked from him to her daughter.

“I love you too, baby. We did it,” she whispered, relieved to be happily married with a healthy baby girl. “God really blessed us, wow,” she whispered. Boston remembered her father and felt a wave of sadness knowing he wasn’t there to see her baby. Then she thought of the hate he seemed to have for her and her sisters, and she swallowed down her pain. “My father isn’t here, and I know he is a horrible dad, but I sometimes wonder, like,” Boston sighed, trying to find the right words to say. “Like is he happy for us,” she finally said.

Peace gently rocked their daughter as he looked at her.

“He is B,” he said with ease, and Boston loved him that much more for telling the lie simply to soothe the pain she was in.

Boston couldn’t help but to smile at her handsome ass husband.

“I’m sure he isn’t but thank you for giving me that. He’s gone into hiding, but our daughter is here and so is my mom. I have so many reasons to be thankful.”

Peace kissed her once more, and she blushed.

“To think it’s all because I walked into the office that night and you caught the Toussaint love bug. Had you sweating me hard too,” Boston giggled.

Peace chuckled, amused by her words.

“Shit, I was. I knew then and there I was gone get you and look at you, laid up after having my baby looking beautiful as fuck. Not even knowing I’ma knock your ass up again,” he smirked.

Boston smiled until she realized everything he was saying. She shook her head, not feeling that, and before she could give a rebuttal, Peace kissed her so sweetly that she told herself one more baby wouldn’t hurt her.

“We should talk. I went to see that X nigga,” Peace said, pulling back from the kiss.

Boston’s brows furrowed as she watched Peace take the seat beside her bed while cradling their daughter. “You did?”

Peace stared lovingly down at their baby for a moment before nodding. They held each other’s gaze for several minutes before Peace cleared his throat.

“Yeah, I saw he was texting you, and on some real shit, I didn’t like it.”

Boston adjusted herself in bed, her pretty face scrunching into a frown. “Peace, it isn’t like that. X is like a big brother to me, and when I talk to him, it’s mostly about God and you. I would never cheat on you, baby. I love you, and I wouldn’t do that to what we’re building.”

Peace stared at her intently.

“I understand that, B, but going to another man with your feelings fucked me up because I’m your husband. You should be coming to me with your worries. I get it; the nigga is holy, but shit, if that’s what it takes to get closer to you, we can start hitting up church next week.”

Boston shook her head.

“Peace, it’s not about that, and I honestly think you’re taking things the wrong way. With everything that has happened, I just want to make sure we’re going to Heaven. Because of him, I know how to pray for us and be a better wife to you. Yes, I have some reservations, but I would never walk away from what we have,” she replied.

Peace looked at her. “Reservations about us?” he wanted to know.

Boston quickly shook her head. “No, about the life we’re in,” she said softly. “You know Namari’s cousin called me and asked if I’d spoken with her. She said Namari abruptly left town, and they rarely hear from her now. I would hate for us to keep living a life that would lead us deeper into sin, Peace. We have so much to lose now.”

Peace smirked at her as he gently rocked their baby in his arms.

“Boston, no matter how much I step away from the life, that will always be a part of me and you. I walked away from a lot, even letting Promise step into my place. I did that for us and so you could be happier with life. What I can’t do is let somebody do anything to harm you. As a man, it’s my job to protect you and the people I love. I will never apologize for that, ma. Namari is good, and that’s only because of you. But I still have to do my job as the head of this family. I don’t think like you because I’m a man, sweetheart. Let me be that B and start coming to me with your problems. X is cool, I can admit that. And I’m not trying to block you from talking to him. He’s a real nigga, but I’m your husband. You want me taking my problems to the next bitch? How would you feel if I found a friend and told her all of the shit that I kept away from you? Would me confiding in her be cool with you?”

Boston hastily shook her head, not liking the thought of Peace doing something like that.

“No, and I’m sorry because I didn’t see it that way. I didn’t wanna worry you, but I understand what you are saying. I love you, baby, and I’m locked in with you. No one else.”

Peace smiled, a rarity, so when it happened, it made Boston blush so damn hard.

“Promise?” he asked, staring into her beautiful, vibrant eyes.

Boston leaned towards him and grabbed his face, loving how he let his guard down enough for her to see his true feelings.

“You are the only man I have ever loved, Peace Marceline. I put that on everything because you found a woman that was misunderstood and made her so much better. You made me a wife and now a mom. I’m not going anywhere, and you aren’t either,” she replied, and Peace smirked before she kissed him again.