Nia lay awake that night, staring at the ceiling, unable to escape the whirlwind of thoughts that kept her mind racing. The conversation with Marcus and Liam had shaken her to the core. She could still hear their voices in her head-Liam's calm explanation, Marcus's guilt-ridden tone. They were tangled in something she had no idea existed, something dangerous, something that could tear their world apart.
And yet, despite the fear, despite the betrayal she felt, she couldn't deny the love she had for them both. They had always been there for her, always been a steady presence in her life. Zion had grown to love them as father figures, and she couldn't imagine taking that away from him.
But now, the truth weighed on her like a thousand-pound stone. How could she stay with men who were involved in a gang, involved in illegal activities? How could she raise her son in a world where danger lurked around every corner?
---
The next day, after dropping Zion off at school, Nia sat alone in their small kitchen, her head in her hands. The phone call from the police still haunted her. Would they come after Marcus and Liam? Would they come after her and Zion? She couldn't shake the feeling that their lives were hanging by a thread.
She had to do something. She couldn't just sit by and wait for the storm to hit.
---
That evening, Marcus and Liam returned home late, just as the sky outside darkened into night. The tension was palpable. They both had been out, presumably handling the business they had yet to fully explain to her, but Nia couldn't bring herself to ask. She didn't know if she wanted to know more.
When they walked through the door, Marcus immediately noticed Nia sitting at the kitchen table, her face pale, her eyes swollen from lack of sleep.
"Nia," he said softly, his voice full of concern. "Mi know yuh hurt. Mi know yuh angry. But mi need fi talk to yuh."
"I don't know what to say, Marcus," she replied, her voice tight. "Yuh've been keeping things from me-things that could put us all in danger. Di police, di gang, everything... It's too much."
Liam walked over and knelt down in front of her, his eyes filled with regret. "Nia, we never wanted fi put yuh in di middle of this. All we wanted was a better life fi you an' Zion. We been workin' fi get outta di game, but it's complicated. It's dangerous."
Nia shook her head, standing up abruptly. "Mi don't want to be in dis world, Liam. Zion doesn't deserve this. I don't want to raise him in fear, always looking over our shoulder. Yuh tell me yuh want a better life, but how can we have one when we're running from di law?"
Marcus took a deep breath. "We're not running from di law. We've been setting up something fi the future, Nia. We've been making moves fi get out clean. But we can't do it alone. We need your help. We need you to believe in us."
Nia felt a rush of emotions-anger, fear, confusion. "How mi supposed to believe in yuh when everything mi thought we had is built on lies? What if the police come after you, Marcus? What if they come after Zion? Mi can't risk it."
"We'll protect you," Liam said again, his voice low and steady. "We've been makin' moves to set up a legitimate business. We're not tryin' to stay in dis life forever. But we need time. The kind of time we don't have if yuh leave now."
Nia felt like her head was going to explode. Everything felt so overwhelming, like the walls were closing in on her. She wanted to believe them, wanted to trust them. But the fear of losing Zion, of losing everything they had worked for, consumed her.
"Mi just need time, Marcus. Time to think about what we're gonna do. I can't make decisions when I'm scared all di time." Nia's voice cracked as she spoke. "Di last thing I want is for Zion to grow up in fear."
Marcus and Liam exchanged a look before nodding slowly. "We understand, Nia," Marcus said softly. "Take di time yuh need. But just know, we love yuh, and we love Zion. We're not gonna let anyting happen to y'all."
Nia's heart twisted as she looked at both men. She loved them too, but the road ahead was so uncertain. How could she choose between the life she wanted for Zion and the men she had come to rely on so deeply?
---
The following days were a blur. Nia spent most of her time at the restaurant, trying to block out the worry and the fear, while Marcus and Liam kept busy with their mysterious work. Every time they left the house, a feeling of dread washed over her. What were they involved in? Who were these people they were tied to? And, most importantly, how much longer could they keep it a secret from the world?
But even as the tension grew, Nia knew deep down that she couldn't keep running from the truth. She couldn't keep pretending that everything was okay when everything was falling apart.
---
One night, as Nia lay in bed, staring at the ceiling once more, she heard footsteps outside the room. The door creaked open, and Liam entered, his face tense. He didn't say anything at first; he just stood there in the doorway, looking at her.
"You still up?" he asked quietly.
Nia didn't answer right away. She wasn't sure if she was ready to talk yet. But when she looked into his eyes, she saw the weight of his choices-the burden he carried for keeping secrets from her.
"Mi can't do dis anymore, Liam," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I can't live like dis. I need to know everything. All di details. No more lies."
Liam sat down beside her on the bed, looking conflicted. "Mi know, Nia. Mi know. But... it's dangerous. We can't involve yuh in it. Mi just want to protect you an' Zion."
"Then tell me how. Tell me how fi trust yuh again, Liam. Tell me how fi believe you when di truth's been hidden right in front of mi face."
Liam took a deep breath, clearly struggling. "Yuh gotta trust mi, Nia. We have a plan-Marcus an' mi. We've been workin' on it for months. But if di wrong people find out we tryin' to get out... it could be bad. Real bad. But if yuh stay, yuh'll be part of it. Yuh'll be in danger too."
Nia felt the weight of his words, the gravity of the situation pressing down on her. It wasn't just about love anymore; it was about survival.
"Mi can't live like this, Liam," she said softly, her voice full of pain. "Mi can't be in danger like dis. Zion deserves better."
Liam nodded, his face full of regret. "Mi know. But we're tryin', Nia. We're tryin' fi make dis right. Please."
Nia didn't answer. The silence that followed spoke volumes. She had no answers. Only more questions.
In the days to come, Nia would have to decide what kind of future she wanted for Zion, and whether or not she could risk everything-her son's safety, her own heart, and the love she still had for Marcus and Liam.
---
