Quasim: King Inferno (Season Four: Inferno Gods, #1)

by Jahquel J.

Core decided to stay back because Jeffie was still asleep, which wasn’t like her at all.

Before she could answer, Core came out with a plate of food. “Eat something for me, please.” She nodded her head and accepted the food. “Let me know if you need me…okay?”

“Okay.” He held her chin and placed a few kisses on her lips before leaving us alone. Jeffie removed her glasses, and her eyes were puffy like she had been crying.

“I had a miscarriage a little before coming on this trip. I know it’s stupid to cry about a baby that I didn’t even know, but I can’t help but feel this hole in my chest.”

“Me and Capone had a miscarriage a few months ago. I spent so much time blaming myself because I was always on the go, never sitting down. I don’t want to make this about me, but I want you to know that you have a good man. Corleon is a good man. Let him be there for you, let him in, or else this shit will break you down. I spent so much time pouring into my babies and ignoring the loss we suffered, shutting my husband out, that it caused a strain on our marriage.”

Capri stood up and squeezed between both Erin and Jeffie, hugging the both of them. “I’m sorry that I wasn’t there for you both.”

“I told my best friend about my miscarriage, and she wasn’t even there for me. All I got was some generic ass message, and she not once reached out to talk to me, to ask if I was good… to comfort me. It was Skyler who dropped everything to be there for me, who keeps checking in on me, reminding me that I will become a mother one day… not the girl I’ve known since middle school. I think that hurts just as much as miscarrying my baby.”

Capri pulled her into a hug. “God will bless you and Corleon with a baby, and we will throw you the biggest baby shower and gender reveal.”

Your man got big money so when that rainbow baby comes, don’t forget about your girl.” I joked, though I was serious, too.

Core went up there and sang ‘Superstar’ by Usher.

Jeffie was tuned in, watching Core sing to her, though he sounded horrible. The man could probably hack into Usher’s security system, but singing his song was something he couldn’t do.

I felt his lips on the back of my arm as I quietly sang along with Core. Jeffie had pulled her phone out and was recording him. Even with tears in her eyes, she smiled and encouraged him.

Recommendation: listen to ‘She’s Somebody’s Daughter’ by Drew Baldridge

7️⃣🎶

When I saw her drunk, sitting on another man’s lap, the shit that went through my head should have gotten me life in prison. I want her so bad. My heart craves her, but I know that I’m not ready. She comes with love, a lot of that shit. I know she can heal me. She can make me feel again. Make life worth living again. Blair makes me whole whenever she’s around me and she doesn’t even know the shit. Fear is always in the front of my head. I’ve had and lost love before. I couldn’t forgive myself if something happened to her. If I was the reason something happened to her. I stare at the selfie she made me take in the back of the car in Miami often. Looking at her features and mine, wondering what a creation of our own would look like. How she would look walking down the aisle to me. Watching her become Blair Inferno – Queen Inferno. I see all this when I close my eyes. I pray to God every night and morning about her. Asking God to heal her, bring her through this storm, because there is so much waiting for her. I’m waiting for her.

“Blair, I think I’ve loved you since the first time that I saw you. Everything about you was something that I couldn’t forget. I remember how you smelled. Had some caramel perfume on.”

Saw you from the backyard while Capp was talking to me. Even though you tried to look positive, I could see the pain in your eyes… the hurt, fear, unknown.” Sim took my hand and kissed it before placing it onto his chest. “My heart only does this for you, Blair. I don’t have this reaction for no one else… only you. Every time you would nudge me or joke with me, my shit would go crazy. I’d forget how to speak and lose my cool.” I rubbed his chest as he closed the book and sat it on the night table. “I always say that God don’t be hearing me, but I pray to him anyway. He listened to me; he heard me when I prayed for you. I’ve always prayed for you to beat this, for you to be successful, and to have all that is happening for you. I wanted this for you, and I’ve witnessed you make it happen on the sidelines… I wanna be your man, Anjo. I don’t want to play the sidelines when it comes to you anymore.”

He caressed the side of my face and brought me closer to him and kissed my lips. “Baby, I need you to know that I’m doing whatever the fuck I have to, to protect you. You had a pussy ass nigga that hurt and played with you.” I could see the darkness enter his eyes when he mentioned Tyshawn. “I’m letting you know that when it comes to you, the woman that will have my last name, I’m not fucking playing around. I’ll blow a fucking block up behind you, Anjo.”

I stared him down, knowing that I had given the quiet, crazy nigga some pussy, and now I had to worry about if his ass was gonna blow up a building if he saw me talking to a nigga.

“I feel like we don’t ever see you anymore. Just because you taking a break from my brother doesn’t mean we can’t hang anymore,” Capri sipped her lemonade, as we both looked at Skyler.

Skyler took a sip of her wine and slouched further down in the couch while me and Capri both nibbled on Gam’s cookies. “I am trying to keep my head afloat.”

“Wouldn’t have to if you would allow Corleon to handle it… why do you want to struggle when you don’t have to?” I asked.

Skyler looked over at me. “She’s my baby, Blair.” Her voice cracked as she looked at me. “I can’t take the chance that anything I have going on in my personal life would jeopardize giving this man custody of her… he doesn’t even know her… I’ve been thin...

“Don’t you dare do something like that, Skyler. You have me and Zoya right there helping you and you will win this case and send hi...

She laughed. “After Corleon choked him out, I thought he would ...

Skyler licked her wine glass as she watched us. “Damn, think my glasses are fogging up.” She muttered.

Quasim playfully pulled her hair. “Go talk to your man and you wouldn’t be licking the wine glass.”

As if on cue, we heard Estella squeal. “Core-Core!” She took off running into the house, slipping onto the wooden floors. Skyler jumped up, but not...

“You good mini-Geeky… let me see.” She pointed to an imaginary boo-boo, and he kissed her knee. “All better, right?” Skyler walked over and stood there. He looked down at Skyler, and took her in. He...

“How you been, Geeky?”

“I’m good, Core… stop looking at me like you’re worried about me.”

“Cause I am worried about you. Not understanding why, you wanna get it out the mud when I can handle...

“I don’t want to get into...

He rubbed the side of her face. “Can I at least get one of your hugs?” She debated on it before she roped her arms around his neck and melted into his arms. Just...

“Fuck you meannnnn!” Goon’s deep voice barreled through the car’s speaker.

“Hi G-Uncle!”

“That ain’t mini–Lady Inferno, is it?”

“...

“You taking care of my goddaughter and being a g...

“Of course… freakkk y...

“Ry, you on real thin ice.”

“Sorry, Uncle Simmy.” She apologized.

“Hey Goon… I hope you’re doing good in there.”

“Would be better if you could tell me how Ms. Lawyer doing?”

“She’s good… w...

“Hmm, always working with her...