KAELIX MCGILL North Carolina

It had been a month since Dre disappeared.

Kaelix sat on the couch, one arm draped over the backrest, a blunt burning slow between his fingers. The penthouse was quiet except for the faint hum of the TV. The news anchor's voice cut through the silence.

"Andre Kingston, a twenty-four-year-old Atlanta native, has been missing for over four weeks now. His mother, Lisa Kingston, has made a public plea for anyone with information to come forward."

Kaelix exhaled, his lips curling into a slight smirk as he took another pull.

"The last time Lisa Kingston spoke to her son, he mentioned heading out of town to 'handle unfinished business,' though he never specified where."

The screen cut to Dre's mother, standing outside a small, run-down house. Her eyes were swollen, her hands twisting together nervously.

"Dre ain't just disappear like that. He always come home, always calls me. Somebody knows something," she said, voice shaking.

Kaelix let the smoke slip from his lips, watching as the camera panned to an old picture of Dre. It was one of those studio photos—him in a cheap button-up, arms crossed, with a cross chain around his neck.

Dre had his chance.

Kaelix thought back to the moment it ended—the look in Dre's eyes when he finally realized it was over.

One month ago.

The warehouse smelled like rust and dirt, the kind of place where people disappeared, and no one asked questions. Dre was on his knees, wrists zip-tied behind his back, a fresh cut bleeding down his temple from the fight he put up before they dragged him here.

Kaelix squatted in front of him, his Glock resting lazily on his knee. He took his time, lighting a blunt like he had all the time in the world.

Dre's breath was ragged, his chest rising and falling fast. "You don't wanna do this," he muttered, voice shaky but still laced with arrogance.

Kaelix tilted his head, amused. "That so?"

"Yeah." Dre licked his lips, trying to keep his cool. "You think killin' me gonna fix everything? You think it's gonna make her forget me?"

Kaelix's jaw tightened, but he didn't react.

"You ever wonder why she ain't tell you about me?" Dre continued, his smirk widening. "Why she never said a word until I showed up?"

Kaelix took a long pull from his blunt, blowing the smoke in Dre's face before finally speaking.

"She ain't tell me," he said, flicking ash to the side. "Cause she ain't have to."

Dre frowned, his confidence slipping.

Kaelix leaned in, lowering his voice. "See, the difference between me and you? I don't gotta make her scared to keep her. She chooses me. And you? You was dead the second you thought you could take her from me."

Dre's breathing stuttered.

Kaelix stood up, towering over him. The weight of the gun in his hand felt natural, easy.

"She yours, huh?" Kaelix said, voice chillingly calm. "Aight, well—take that shit to hell with you."

The shot rang out. One to the chest.

Dre gasped, his body jerking as blood bloomed across his shirt. He coughed, his eyes wide in shock, like he didn't believe this was happening.

Kaelix crouched back down, watching the life drain from Dre's face. "Told you," he muttered, standing up. "Dead men don't talk."

And just like that, Andre Kingston ceased to exist.

The thought sat heavy in Kaelix's chest, but he wasn't losing sleep over it.

Kaelix didn't turn to look at her as she walked in, carrying two bags of groceries. She was muttering something under her breath, probably annoyed at how much she'd spent.

"Why you sitting in the dark?" she asked, setting the bags on the counter.

Kaelix finally glanced at her, his eyes hooded, still focused on the TV.

"Watchin' somethin'," he mumbled.

Sariyah turned, wiping her hands on her jeans before walking over. She followed his line of sight, her body tensing the moment she saw Dre's face on the screen.

Neither of them spoke.

The reporter's voice droned on.

"Kingston was last seen driving a black truck on the outskirts of the city. Authorities have found no evidence of foul play, but his sudden disappearance raises questions—"

Kaelix reached for the remote and turned the TV off.

Silence.

Sariyah crossed her arms, her gaze flicking toward him. "You okay?"

Kaelix rubbed his jaw, his smirk barely there. "Yeah."

She didn't believe him.

Sariyah moved closer, standing in front of him, forcing him to look at her. Her dark eyes searched his face, reading him in ways nobody else could.

"You ever think about it?" she asked softly.

Kaelix flicked ashes into the tray, his expression unreadable. "Think about what?"

Sariyah hesitated, her voice lower now. "What we did."

Kaelix's eyes darkened, and for a second, she thought he was going to avoid the question.

"You ain't do shit Sariyah— and don't you ever tell anybody that you did. I handled it for the both of us." He spoke softly

"So you do think about it?" She asked again

He let out a breath, rubbing his palms together before finally speaking.

"Every night," he admitted. "But not 'cause I regret it."

Sariyah stilled, waiting.

Kaelix lifted his gaze, his voice dropping.

"'Cause I know I'd do it again."

The weight of his words settled between them.

Sariyah exhaled, nodding slightly. "I know you would"

That was the truth neither of them could deny.

They had both done unspeakable things. But not once had they looked at each other differently for it.

Kaelix studied her for a long moment before reaching out, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her onto his lap.

Sariyah sighed into him, her fingers threading through his hair as she rested her forehead against his.

"I got you forever, please tell me you know that." He said very calmly but it sounded to her as if he might have been pleading in a way.

Sariyah's lips ghosted over his, her breath warm against his skin. "I knew the moment I met you"

@NYLAATIME What do yall think???

THOUGHTS ON THIS CHAPTER? this book is ending soon, so when it's gone it's gone no sequel lol. So appreciate it now y'all. Also I gotta start working on better stories for yall. Better than what I'm writing now