Severed Ties

Chapter 9

In the days following Janice's pop-up, Malik stuck very close to home. He just didn't want her popping in on Alya home alone with Hayden because he knew if the two got physical his old grandmother wouldn't be able to pry them apart or stop the bloodshed. He knew he'd allow Janice to see Hayden eventually but his mind wasn't on her at the moment. It was on Alya.

She had been feeling a little ill and complaining about him touching on her nipples, telling him they were super sensitive. As he stood watching her suck the soul out of a pickle he couldn't help but grin. His mama craved pickles the entire time she was pregnant with his younger brother. And this was Alya's second pickle in the last hour.

"Malik, I think I'm pregnant," Alya blurted, snapping him from his thoughts.

He laughed as he walked around the kitchen island to her and held her from behind as he said, "I know you're pregnant, Baby. You bout to suck the D off Dill Pickle and you savaged my entire fruit tray I had in the fridge last night. Plus...you haven't ummmm."

He pointed to her vagina and she scoffed as she pushed his hand away and turned to him.

"And how would you know if I had," she retorted.

"Because we have sex almost every night lately and haven't skipped a week yet," he explained. "Plus you still got the same box of tampons in the bathroom closet and there's only like ten left in there that been in there for going on three months."

She stared at him for a second as she slowly chewed her pickle registering what he'd just said. She honestly didn't know he was paying that much attention to her. He obviously noticed her changes before she did. She'd only just thought about her missed periods as she savored her pickle.

"I need to take a test," she announced.

Gram walked into the kitchen as she asked, "A test for what? If you mean a pregnancy test, let Gram save you some money. You pregnant. Girl, you put so much damn vinegar on your salad last night I thought your jaw would lock. I'd guess a boy. But I ain't gone put that part in writing. I do know I'm getting another great grand and that's all I care about."

Alya lifted her shirt and looked at her stomach. It was still pretty flat. She didn't look pregnant.

"You ain't showing yet," Gram continued, reading her mind. "But you definitely pregnant. You need to go see how far along. But I'd guess no more than two or three months. Also, y'all need to deal with this Janice issue before my great grand gets here. I don't wanna butt into business that ain't mine. But y'all can't keep dragging it out. I personally would tell her go to hell seeing as she signed her rights away years ago. But that's just me. Y'all talk that out."

With that she left the kitchen and Alya finished off her pickle before heading upstairs and getting dressed after a hot shower. She returned downstairs wearing a black Cami, dark skinny jeans, a gray cardigan and gray ankle boot heels, holding a black purse.

A knock sounded on the door as Malik grabbed his car keys. Alya opened the door to see a messenger with his hat dipped low. He handed her a manila envelope before hurrying off to his truck. She looked to Malik and shut the door with her foot as she opened the envelope. She pulled out contents of the envelope and her eyes grew wide as she read a letter.

Been missing you Lisa. Your boy Reg told me you was living lavish now. I can't wait to see you again. I have some pictures of one of our dates.

She flipped through the three pictures and her hands began to shake. She dropped the pictures and slung the door open. She ran out to her car and Ruckus rushed out on her heels. Malik looked to the floor and snatched up the papers. His blood began to boil.

"REGGIE," he hollered.

He watched Alya speed away before he slammed his door and raced up his stairs by twos. He walked into their closet and quickly put in his safe combo. He snatched it open and grabbed four stacks of cash and both his guns. It was time for another trip to Jersey. Not before he went to check up on Alya.

He threw his duffle bag in his trunk and sped to her home as he tucked a gun between his seat and the console as the other sat in the glove compartment. He arrived to Alya's home and she was nowhere to be found. He quickly called Dedria.

"What you want," she spat into the phone.

He scowled as he asked, "Have you seen Alya?"

Dedria scoffed as she said, "Nah. I haven't. But she did call talking about getting out of here for awhile or some shit like that. She sounded kind of off. What y'all fight?"

Malik whipped his car out of her driveway as he said, "No. We're good. She just got some bad news and took off somewhere. Look call me if you hear from her. Please."

He hung up and pushed his car to the freeway. He called Gram and told her to go get Hayden from school and he'd be back tomorrow and if Alya came home keep her there. He was gone kill Reggie. The nigga said he didn't know Alya. Malik knew he was lying. But not to this extent. He had to handle him though. Nobody threatened his family. And with Alya carrying his child his protective instinct was in overdrive. Anybody could get some smoke today. And he wasn't gone stop until they were all dead. He'd save Reggie bitch ass for last.

He was finna resort back to his old ways. It'd been nearly six years since Malik had personally dropped a body. But it was like riding a bike to him. Some things you just never forget.