BELIEVE {BxB}

TWENTY

Maurice

"You did the right thing," Ari spoke, coming up behind me with her hand on my shoulder.

I roughly shrugged her hand from off my shoulder, too upset that I would doing sum' like that to Angel—the person I loved.

"What did you put in his drink?"

"Don't worry about that. Now the murder will all be pinned on him, and you'll be free to go to Canada."

I shook my head, not believing what I was hearing. This isn't what we agreed on. "You know this is wrong, right? I trusted you."

That's what I get fa' trusting someone who's in the FBI.

"You had no choice but to come here. No matter where you go, or how far you run... I will always find you. If anything, I'm doing you and Monica a favor. She wants to act all concern and shit when I'm your goddamn mother."

I shook my head as I backed away.

She noticed my expression. "Shocking, huh?"

"You're not my mother. M-my mom is back in Atlanta."

"Oh, baby, she never told you? I was busy doing cases and didn't want to have time off. I asked Monica if she could carry you for nine months and she agreed because that's what friends are for, right? She had you and ended up keeping you when I told her I don't think I will be able to take care of you."

My heart dropped when I heard the news.

Her hand went to caress my cheek. "You got my whole face, from my eyes down to your nose..."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My eyes went to go look all around her house, seeing my baby pictures. Even that photo album was dedicated just fa' me. It makes so much sense now.

"Get away from me," I breathed, taking a step back as Angel just laid thea' on the floor, still knocked out.

I didn't have no choice.

Tears brimmed my eyes as she stood in front of me with a neutral look on her face. "You still want to get outta America, right? Then you will continue to do as I say. Your friend here will be knocked out for a while, and I'll call to have some of my people to take him in. Your flight to Canada is in just a few hours so we don't got much time to spare here."

"That wasn't what we agreed on! I wanted us both to get on the flight togetha'! Why can't he come with me?"

"It was you or him. I said you'll listen to me, or I'll tell the agency where you and him was located."

I crouched down to the ground to see Angel still knocked out.

"I'm not leaving him. You gonna have to kill me before I do. I'm done doing everything you say. So, what you in the FBI? I only agreed so you wouldn't turn us in, and you wouldn't hurt Angel."

"I am your mother, Maurice."

I smacked my teeth. "To hell with that. Blood don't mean shit obviously."

I grabbed Angel from underneath the armpits and dragged him with the strength that I had. When he wakes up, he's probably gonna be so angry at me. I brought him ova' to the couch that was nearby.

I rested his head on my lap as my fingers played in his hair. I couldn't stop the tears from rolling down my face as I quickly wiped them away.

I thought I was doing the right thing.

"All I want to do is just get away from hea'. Is that too much to ask fa'?" I sniffled.

I didn't want her to hurt Angel in any way.