Theodore III

I scrunched up my face when I saw Adonis standing in the door way of Aubrey and Jazmine's house with blood all over his shirt. I knew it! I'm glad I stuck to what happened in my dream because it looked like I got over here just in time for whatever foolishness he had planned, but that's only if he hasn't done anything to hurt them yet, seeing as though he's covered in blood.

I folded my arms across my chest. "Right on time for what?"

"Why you so mad man?" he laughed.

"Because you're on some goofy shit, again," I replied. I really wanted to tell him that I didn't trust him because of what happened in my dream but he'd think I was crazy, so I kept that small detail to myself. But I kept in mind what Cashmere told me about respecting my employees. I respected him and Tee Tee back at the house and got information out of them, so I'm gonna have to do the same with Adonis. I slightly laughed, easing the awkwardness between us. "What's up though? Why are you over here and why are you covered in blood?"

He looked down at his bloody shirt and laughed before looking up at me. "That's actually a really funny story nigga."

"Okay, go on with the story."

"Well, you can wipe the frown off of your face now because I did some shit that's gonna help the business in the long run. You wanted somebody to get it done and none of the other niggas were stepping up to do it, so when I saw Banga casually walking out of Lenox Square as if he doesn't have beef with us, I glocked that nigga in the head in the parking structure and threw him up in the trunk of my car. Once I got him in the back seat of my car, I just started driving. That's why I've been gone for a few days because I went driving, far out of the city, and into some deserted area. I drug his ass out my trunk, beat his ass, and shot him a few times to make sure he was dead and then I came back here."

I scrunched up my face. That whole ordeal seemed fishy to me. We've been looking for Banga for months because once he got out of the hospital, he disappeared. I've been keeping an eye on his whereabouts, but with him gone, he really served no purpose to me any longer. Of course, we still had long beef that wouldn't be finished until one of us were dead, so I figured we'd have a stand off or some shit.

I wouldn't expect him to be in plain sight at the mall for anybody to see. "That's such a coincidence that you spotted Banga casually walking out of the mall when he's been MIA for a good month or two. Why would a nigga like him, who's being hunted by a nigga like me, just be chilling at Lenox for everybody to see him? Please tell me because that's not making any sense to me. And since you threw him up in your trunk, did you check to see where cameras were? Because if you were in a parking structure, there were definitely cameras and they definitely got your license plate and captured your face. And what deserted area did you even drive him out to? Will anybody come to it? Did you get rid of any evidence like the car, clothes, shoes, weapons, DNA on his body? Huh?" I asked, looking at his bloody shirt. "It would be a shame if the policed popped up here and saw you covered in his blood."

Adonis smirked. "Look, you're over thinking this Prince. Of course I got rid of the car and my face was covered the entire time. Even if the cameras caught my license plate, it's not gonna matter since I got rid of the car and it wasn't even registered in my name anyways. I took him to some deserted corn field in the middle of nowhere. There weren't any street lights, houses, or people around to even notice me there. And the blood on this shirt ain't even his."

"Then who's is it?"

"Mine because that nigga put up a good fight."

"And you don't think any of his DNA or blood is on that shirt either?"

"I mean, it might be," he shrugged his shoulders. "Why you tripping so much? We do shit like this all the time. I'm gonna get rid of the shirt soon."

"When is soon? You said you've been back in the city for a few days, so you mean to tell me you've been walking around in this bloody shirt for days?"

"It's only been one day. I got back over here last night and drove past this house on my way back to my spot. I saw Jazmine was home so I came over here but then that Aubrey nigga was over too. I don't know why he's bugging out like I still want Jazmine or something."

"Well, you just said you came over here because you saw that she was home, but continue," I shrugged my shoulders.

I really wasn't here to listen to him go on about the meaningless details of his escapades at Aubrey and Jazmine's house because I had bigger issues on my hands, like finding my daughter. I really don't give a damn about how he feels about Jazmine getting back with Aubrey. He had five years to prove himself to her but he never wanted to get with her, so I'm over the situation and I'm over him talking about it because she's moved on and it's about time he does the same thing.

I stood there and listened to him go on and on about how Aubrey and Jazmine were together and how he really didn't care. I really wasn't paying attention, just nodding my head every few seconds to pretend like I was listening but I perked up a little when I heard him mention Princess.

"Wa-Wait-, what about Princess?"

"Oh, she's inside w--"

I pushed past him and walked inside before he could even finish. I really only came over here to see Princess, not listen to him talk, so I went straight to the kitchen since that's where I could hear her voice coming from.

Princess sat beside Aubrey at the island, while Jazmine stood at the stove making eggs. I took a deep breath. I guess Jazmine's not pregnant like she was in my dream since her stomach is so flat now, which was a good thing, I guess. I'm sure, just like in my dream, they'd want to get along with each other's parents before they had a baby but based on how bad their families are and how bad my dream was, I don't think they'll ever get along with each other's parents. But I don't think it's their fault their parents are so damn immature.

"Princess," I called out.

She immediately jumped out of her seat and ran up to me, allowing me to pull her into a big hug. I wanted to kiss Princess and let her kiss my cheek but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. After being that close to Nicole, it's no telling what I've got now. I could be the next Usher at this point and I don't want Princess mixed up in anymore of Nicole's nonsense, so I just didn't kiss her cheek or let her kiss mine.

"Daddy, what happened last night? Uncle Aubrey and Aunty Jaz wouldn't tell me because they said it's grown folks stuff but I wanna know what happened. And what happened to your face? Did you get into a fight?" she questioned.

"Well, they're right, it is grown folks business but I got into it with Mya's family, that's all."

Her eyes widened. "Did Mya hurt you?"

"Of course not."

She smiled. "Good because I talked to her this morning. She was talking Aunt Jaz looking for you and I told her I wanted her to come over here to see us today."

I scrunched up my face. "Why would you do that Princess?"

Mya was the last person I wanted to talk to right now, especially after the long night I had after fighting her brother, arguing with her entire family, and then being held hostage by my baby mama. I didn't want to talk to her because I was mad at her but I knew it wasn't her fault the way her family acted. She can't control her family, just like how I can't control mine. So, it's not her fault they're crazy.

And I honestly need to get in contact with her before I leave Atlanta. I've been caught up in too much shit lately and I just think it's time for me to go. I think I've used this new city for all of its resources but I can't stay here anymore. Of course the clubs will remain in the family, but as far as everything else, I don't need it. I can give it all to Isaiah and live off of my assets and my percentage from the clubs and the rest of the business. I don't want my hands mixed up in anything else dirty because I don't need my dream to become a reality. So, I'm leaving as soon as I can with Princess and Mya and letting the first flight out of Georgia take us where ever it's going.

Part of me wants to go somewhere like Jamaica, like how Mya was pressuring me and Princess to do in my dream. Maybe the three of us can make Jamaica a reality and just stay there for awhile.

"Because I really like her and I really want you guys to be happy again, so then we can be a family again."

"I think it's a good idea," Jazmine chimed in, making me suck my teeth.

"You need to stay out of it Jaz," Aubrey commented.

Jazmine turned around from the stove, facing all of us. "Why should I? Princess deserves a family and there's nothing wrong with Mya. In fact, I called her this morning so the two of you can sit down and talk out what happened. I know her family is crazy, which is why we took Princess out of the middle of whatever happened last night, but Mya isn't crazy. You at least need to hear her out and let her explain herself. You can't just give up on her as soon as shit gets hard."

"I'm not giving up," I replied.

"So, what do you call what you're doing then? I know you Theodore, and once you get fed up with somebody, you start creating distance between the two of y'all and you come up with dumb ass excuses for it too. Then, eventually, you'll completely cut them off. You can't just cut Mya off like that when she's involved in Princess' life and you two just moved in together, so you're gonna have to man up and talk to her because she's not a bad person."

I sighed. "I'll see what I can do. How was she acting though? Did she sound all right?"

Maybe my dream was a little far fetched but Mya's parents seemed kind of bizarre when I met them. And if they hung out with my Grandparents then I already know how they probably get down with anybody they think is against their family.

"Yeah, she sounded fine. A little sad, but fine. I can't really say since I don't know her that well but that's why you should talk to her. She should be here any minute now," Jazmine said as she turned back to the stove. "You hungry?"

"As fuck."

"Alright, well it's gonna be enough for everybody."

"Not his stupid ass cousin though," Aubrey mumbled, sparking my interest. I still don't trust Adonis, so I need information from Aubrey on what really happened while Nicole was holding me against my will. I walked over to Aubrey, with Princess still on my hip, and sat beside him at the island. "Damn nigga. Your face looks like a damn crunch bar. What happened to you?"

"Nicole," I shook my head. "That's where I was at last night. I went everywhere looking for baby girl and I ended up at Cash's house. Long story short, Cashmere and I got into it and then Nicole saved me, only to hold me hostage all night. I felt like I was out for days but she claimed it was only over night. She was doing shit to me in that house nigga."

He scrunched up his face. "Like what?"

I looked down at Princess, who was intently listening to our conversation. "S-E-X," I spelled out so Princess couldn't know what we were talking about.

"Sex?" Princess asked. "Daddy, what's that?"

Aubrey chuckled. "Something you'll learn about when you get older, but you were out while she was doing that to you? Nigga, that's you know what! Her ass could go to jail for that. Wait...her you know what was on your face and now it's looking like a crunch bar?"

I sighed, nodding my head. "Hell yeah."

"You need to go to a clinic and get yourself checked out instead of touching my niece," Jaz said as she took Princess out of my arms. "Nicole is filthy, so you should've went to a clinic well before you even came over here."

"I actually gotta agree with Jaz," Aubrey nodded his head. "Have you at least cleaned your face and brushed your teeth? 'Cause your breath is a little ripe my nigga."

"Nah," I frowned. "Can I get cleaned up upstairs?"

"Yeah, you know where everything is at, right?"

I nodded my head and walked out of the kitchen so I could get cleaned up. They're right about going to a clinic. It might be taking drastic measures but there's no telling what Nicole might have or what she could have given me. We already know how she likes to get down since her track record is so long, so it might be a good idea to go to a clinic.

Passing by the living room on my way upstairs, I saw Adonis just sitting on the couch in the bloody shirt as if it was clean and new. I shook my head and just made my way upstairs. He can be destructive and destroy himself all he wants but I don't want any parts of it or him. I'm getting out of this shit, so whatever happens to him will be his responsibility to deal with. I don't care about it anymore.

Before I could even walk up the steps, the door bell rang and I got this feeling in the pit of my stomach that it was Mya on the other side of the door. She's the only person they're expecting. Instead of being petty and walking past the door like I wanted to, I pulled it open and there she stood in front of me looking as beautiful as ever. It wasn't just her face that was beautiful, it was everything else about her: her personality, her style, her aura. It was the general vibe she gave off every time she was around me that turned me on.

But aside from her beauty, I did notice something off about her face that she was trying to cover with makeup. I squinted my eyes a little to get a better look at the black eye she was trying to cover up. She covered up the color aspect of the black eye but her eye was swollen and it was obvious she was rocking a black eye.

"What happened to your face?" I asked before she could even get anything out.

"I got into a fight with my Mom."

I scrunched up my face. "And she did that to you?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah. It was really my Dad's idea though. After what happened last night, they were ready to come back to our house and hurt your family but I stopped my family from doing that. I got into it with my Dad because he claimed I was interrupting business by stopping them from coming back to your house. My Dad has never physically hurt me but he makes my Mom do it for him and I'm not gonna hit my Mom back, so I just took it."

I sighed. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"I know. I just feel so bad for what happened to you."

"I wish you were there or hadn't have kicked me out last night. I wish I could've stayed in the house with you and Princess last night."

"I wasn't even at home last night. Aubrey and Jaz took Princess without me knowing, so I went looking for her. I know this is gonna sound crazy, but my baby mama held me hostage last night. I was knocked out the entire time so I don't know what happened to me, except for what she told me. I woke up a couple hours ago naked and tied to a bed."

Mya scrunched up her face. "What did she do to you?"

"She's trying to have more kids with me."

"So, she r*pes you while you're unconscious to have more kids with you? She's crazy as hell Prince."

"I know, that's why I've been telling you I didn't want shit to do with her or her sister. They're both crazy as hell and always plotting and scheming to get their way. I haven't touched her in years, so the only way she could get me to touch her would be if I was knocked out and she did that to me."

Mya shook her head. "I'm sure you haven't thought this far into the future yet but what if she does get pregnant? What are you gonna do about the kid or kids?"

"Oh, she's not going to get pregnant. Even if I have to pay Cashmere to sneak Plan B into her food when she's not looking, I will. Nicole's not gonna carry anymore of my kids. Princess is enough."

"So, you're done having kids now?"

"No. I'm just waiting on the perfect person to settle down with then I'll think about kids. Why? You wanna be my other baby mama?" I laughed, making her smile.

"No. I wanna be more than that to you."

"And you deserve more," I told her. Mya deserves more than what I've given her. Sure, I bought a new spot and moved her in but I'm not talking about materialistic things. I'm talking about emotionally, mentally. You know, the stuff that really matters. Mya and I have connected on a level far beyond anything I ever had with Nicole, Tee Tee, and Majesty and I want to move forward with our relationship. Maybe not marriage right now, but someday in the future.

She sighed as she stepped closer to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. She had her head laying on my shoulder as she whispered in my ear. "You know, sometimes, I just wish we could run away. Just me, you, and Princess. Just run away and never come back to this city again. Forget our families. Forget anything we have here and just start over somewhere else," she said as her voice began to crack. I could feel her warm tears on my shoulder the longer she spoke. "Theodore, I'm not happy here."

I rest my head against hers, feeling her pain. I'm not happy here either but the two of us just can't walk away from everything, even if we wanted to. I have too much riding on me to just walk away, but slowly pulling away from the family business until I'm not longer apart of it is what I had in mine. "Let's leave then."

"But we can't. That sounds nice but we can't go anywhere without our families finding us."

"So then we come back."

"I don't want to though."

"Even if it's just for a little while, we can still leave. But it's not like you have to see your family that often anyways. I want you to come back home with me though."

"You're not mad at me anymore?" she asked. "Because after last night, I wasn't sure if we could come back after what happened and what was said. You know, you really said some painful shit to me last night and it had me up all night crying Theodore. You know how I feel about you, so for you calling me a liar and kicking me out of our house was uncalled for."

"But you did lie to me though. You had me thinking you were broke, your parents didn't want anything to do with you, and you were trying to live on your own and still go to school. I felt bad for you and I'm not gonna lie, that's one of the reasons I fell for you because I saw how determined you were but you lied to me about who you are."

"No, that's not the truth. I never told you my parents didn't want anything to do with me because I never bought my parents up around you. You assumed they didn't want anything to do with me because I'm on my own. Sure, my parents give me money to live off of but what's so wrong with trying to make a name for myself without my family getting involved? I just want to be Mya. I don't wanna be involved with my family or the business. And I have been living on my own since I was 18. My parents helped me financially but they haven't done shit for me my whole life besides give me money. They were never around and they never showed me or my siblings that they cared about us. All they cared about was making money."

"Bu--"

"No, don't even try to contradict what I'm saying because you saw how they acted when you guys didn't want to combine our businesses," she cut me off. "They're money hungry and you said the same thing about your parents, so you of all people should know where I'm coming from and should know how it feels."

"I know how it feels but why do you even care? Fuck them. You got me now," I told her. Of course I know where she's coming from since it was the same way with my parents. I don't know if they just got tired of raising kids after Lindsey and Isaiah but they hardly ever showed me any attention. They gave me money and anything I could ever ask for but they weren't to raise me when I needed them to. "Look, you need to stop getting worked up over some shit that you can't even change. My parents did the same shit to me and haven't apologized about any of it because they're never going to. Stop worrying about them because they're not concerned about you and move on with your life. And if you want to keep them in your life, then do that, but stop depending on them to apologize for the shit they did and for them to be held accountable for their actions because they're not going to."

Mya sighed. "I guess you're right. It just hurts because I feel like I don't have anybody around that has my back sometimes."

"Damn. What about me?" I laughed.

She laughed. "You're right. I do have you," she said as she wrapped her arms around me. "And I love you for that."

I leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I love you too Mya," I truthfully replied. It's been a long time since I've been able to tell a girl I loved her and actually meant it but Mya was special to me and she held a special place in my heart. "You love me enough to leave with me?"

She looked up at me confused. "Leave? And go where? I thought we just said we couldn't leave because of our families."

"Yeah but we'll come back. What if me, you, and Princess just got away for awhile?"

"And go where?"

"Jamaica," I smiled.

And like that, the three of us were in Jamaica enjoying the vacation we got from our lives back in Georgia. We had been here for a month and I had no idea when we were going back. We were just enjoying our time being away from everything back home. Just relaxing and enjoying life, something I haven't been able to do in a very long time.

From the drama with me and Milan and my parents, it wasn't a thought that ever crossed my mind. Just a few months ago, I was head over heels for Milan and would probably be wining and dining her like I'm doing to Mya right now but Milan screwed up that opportunity. I was willing to do anything to Milan but she didn't want to leave my father and I can't blame her for that. As much as I didn't want to recognize it years ago, all of the signs were there.

I was just too young and naive to see through the power of the p*ssy. Milan was feeding me lies and keeping me on a leash so I couldn't stray away from her. She used what she had in between her legs to manipulate me and persuade me to stick by her so she could have me and my father, but shit doesn't work that way. Someone always gets hurt in the end, and this time, it was me.

My Dad still didn't know about what we had been doing behind his back and I planned on keeping it that way. I haven't talked to Milan in awhile but I'm sure she felt the same way. As long as we keep what we were doing a secret, we'll both be good because I don't want any parts of my dream to come true.

As much as I hate myself for even thinking this, I appreciate my parents and all they've done to me. Sure, they weren't the best parents but the raised me the best way they could. I didn't realize it until years later but my parents were too in love with each other to be focused on their children. They should have stepped up and disciplined me more but it's not like I turned out to be a terrible adult. I had influences from the rest of my family that actually disciplined me so I wouldn't turn out to be like them.

I didn't want to be like them. I want to be a better parent than they ever were to me, Lindsey, and Isaiah to Princess and any other children I plan to have in the future. I wanted to give them a better life. I don't want them up late at night looking for me. I don't want them wondering where I'm at. I don't want them standing over me while I'm in a hospital bed. But more importantly, I don't want them crying for me at my funeral because I was killed because of the way I chose to live my life.

Through the ups and downs and trials and tribulations, our family has gone through enough. All of those years of suffering and struggling have finally paid off for us because we're happy. We're all in better places in our lives. I'm all grown up now with a great life ahead of me; the great lives my parents and grandparents struggled so desperately to make for us.

I wasn't the richest or had the most things but I was happy and content with the direction my life was going in right now. Sure, I could have more money, more car, more, clothes, a lot more of everything but that wasn't going to make me happy. I'd still be wanting more. Something in my life would be lacking and the love I have for Mya and Princess made up everything else I was lacking in my life, so I gave it all up for them.

Before we left for Jamaica, I handed the business over to Isaiah. I stepped into that lifestyle because of my resentment towards my parents and for my anger towards E.J. from killing Grandma. I wanted to hurt my parents, to stunt on them just to show them how well I was living without them but I didn't think of the cost the profession would have on on me physically. But I really didn't think of how it would effect my daughter, so I gave it up and planned to live legitimately for the rest of my life.

Of course, my hands will never be clean because of my family's vast history but I planned on being as clean as possible. And being clean from the business, meant leaving Georgia. I don't know where life's going to take us when we leave Jamaica but Georgia isn't where we need to be right now. We need a clean slate; somewhere to start over and create lives for ourselves without our family names coming into play.

I wish I could say time changes everyone for the better, but it doesn't. Sometimes, people show their true colors when you're in too deep and others just cave from the pressure. It's survival of the fittest, where the fittest survive and everyone else kicks the bucket. I don't know who I am in that game anymore. I felt like I was the fittest. I felt like I could survive, but being with Mya made me feel like I was back at square one. She made me feel like I wasn't in competition anymore. She made me feel at peace as if I didn't have to run away when shit got tough because she was always right by my side, that's why I changed who she was in my life and made her more than just a girl I was messing around with.

I laid back on my towel at the beach and looked beyond me at the two most important women in my life playing in the water; my wife and daughter. At this moment, my life felt complete. Almost as if everything I ever fought for came down to this final moment. If everything me and my family have been through was just a test to see if I could get to this point in my life, I'd do it all over again if that meant being in Jamaica with Princess and Mya.

But the good life still comes with a price. The price of loving the person you've known all of your life and giving into the temptation of modern things. These up to date things seem to be better than the norm that you're used to, but is it worth it in the long run?

I've been struggling with answering this question for the past few years, but I finally understand it now. I understand the meaning and I understand how this answer influences my life and the decisions I've made in the past.

But everything I've been through was worth it. All of the trials and tribulations Mya and I went through were only obstacles in our way to make us the strong individuals we are today. But we've been through way too much to just give up on our family now.

This is just the beginning for the two of us...

THE END

I know I say it all of the time, but I really do thank you guys and appreciate you guys for sticking with me through this LONG series lol This series was supposed to stop after Yours Truly, and while I've liked some books more than others, had crappy publishing deals for this book, you guys always stuck by my side. Just to let you guys know, I will NOT be publishing any part of this series. This entire series will remain on Wattpad for free as my gift to you all for constantly supporting me.

Thanks!

**NOW THAT THIS BOOK IS OVER, CHECK OUT HEIRESS SINCE i'LL BE WRITING THAT FROM NOW ON.

THERE IS NO OTHER BOOK AFTER THIS. THIS IS THE FINAL BOOK IN THE SERIES.