Lovin' The Godfather of the Streets 2

1

Elijah had been sitting in the car for the last ten minutes. He called Hazel a couple of times, but she never answered his calls. It wasn’t until he saw someone walking up to her apartment then kicking the door in when he sprang into action. Elijah had been off the streets for a long time, but he knew how to defend himself and someone he cared about. He hopped out the car while the engine was still running, and he charged up to Hazel’s apartment. It was funny how they’d never even gone to bed with each other and he already cared about her wellbeing.

He hadn’t ever been inside of the apartment, but it didn’t take him long to find where the man had her pinned against the wall.

Elijah grabbed the man in a bear hug and they both went to the floor, while Hazel slid down gasping for air. She was so close to death by the hands of someone else. Back when she was a teenager, she’d done some reckless shit. When she felt hopeless, there were many times she tried to overdose because nobody seemed to understand her pain. She sliced her wrist but missed the main vein. No matter how many times she faced death, she never feared it like she did that night.

Elijah and the man tussled on the floor for a good three minutes before he was able to put the man in a headlock and show him how it felt to be choked to death. Elijah was thirty-five and had his full strength, and although he spent most of his days behind a desk, he possessed the will to tussle like he was a teenager.

He put the man in a reverse submission hold and he wouldn’t let go until the man went limp in his arms. It was Elijah’s intentions to kill the man after what he saw him trying to do to Hazel.

Elijah pushed the man aside and he rushed over to Hazel. She was sitting against the wall in shock that someone tried to kill her. She didn’t hang around too many people and she knew the beef they had in the clubs wasn’t serious enough for someone to want to kill her.

Are you okay? Elijah kneeled to Hazel.

I’m fine, Hazel said. She felt fine since she wasn’t being choked anymore, but emotionally she felt like screaming.

I’m going to call the cops, Elijah said.

Okay. Hazel shook her head. My phone is in the living room on the end table. It kind of hurt Hazel to speak because she had been choked so hard, but she managed to get her words out clearly.

Once Elijah rushed to the living room, Hazel struggled over to the man that lay dead in the hallway. She needed to see who the hell was trying to kill her. The voice sounded familiar, but the motives were distinct.

She pulled the mask off his face and she threw up in her mouth. Baby G?

Nate had a lot of people working for him and when he wanted someone dead all he had to do was snap his fingers, and that’s exactly what he’d done with Hazel. He wiped his hands clean of her choices, but she had to pay for trying to bring him pain. That’s why Hazel was against going to the cops in the first place; Nate was going to go to any length to kill her.

Why would you? Hazel asked with tears in her eyes as if Baby G could hear. The nigga was dead to the world now.

If Elijah busted in the apartment a second later, Hazel would’ve died that night in place of Baby G, because he invaded the place with every intention to kill her.

Elijah stood in the hallway after he called the cops and he watched how heartbroken Hazel appeared.

Did you know him? Elijah asked.

Not personally, but he’s close to Nate. Hazel wiped the tears away.

Sorry, Elijah said.

He and Hazel stayed in the hallway with silence between them. Hazel was thankful Elijah didn’t just wait out in the car until he grew tired and drove away. He had saved her life and she owed him.

Detective Jason sat at the table with Hazel while Elijah gave his statement outside. It already wasn’t a good look with him being the DA on Harmony’s case. The questions would arise as to why he was there in the first place, and Elijah had a good story sought out. A story he and Hazel would stick with until it couldn’t stick anymore. The last thing she needed was for Elijah getting in trouble because of her when he had saved her life.

What happened here tonight, Ms. Castro? Detective Jason asked.

My friends left for the night like we normally do on the weekends, but I stayed behind because I had a date. Hazel threaded her fingers together.

With Mr. Oakland, correct? It was Detective Jason ’s job to state the obvious and it was also his job to dig up the not so obvious.

No sir, with some guy I met a few days ago. Hazel didn’t have any traces of evidence that could support her claim and get Elijah out of the hot seat.

Did you know the man that invaded your apartment, Ms. Castro? Detective Jason questioned.

Yes, he worked for a man I was involved with. Hazel was up to spilling every detail about Nate if that meant he would be incarcerated long enough for her to get away.

What is the man’s name that you were involved with, Ms. Castro, and what kind of business does he operate? Detective Jason held a pen to paper.

His name is Nathanial Parker and he has a bunch of people who sell drugs for him while he does whatever he pleases. Most of them are afraid to walk away—you see what happened here. He has them brainwashed into doing whatever he asks of them. I recently filed a restraining order and a few other reports against him. Hazel was being cooperative with Detective Jason, but she was soon going to learn firsthand what happened to snitches. Nate wasn’t going to be pleased when he found out that she ratted him out for a second time.

I see. Detective Jason stood from the chair. Thank you for the information, Ms. Castro.

You’re welcome, Hazel said.

Before Detective Jason exited the apartment, he turned to look at Hazel one last time before he put all the information together. Why would Nathanial Parker want to harm you, Ms. Castro?

Because we were together and I came up pregnant and instead of keeping the baby, I had an abortion that he didn’t agree with. He showed up a few days ago and told me that it wasn’t over. And I know I never reported it, but Nate has a bit of a temper and he used to abuse me a lot, Hazel laid it all out on the table.

Why didn’t you report the abuse to the authorities when he first started being abusive towards you? Detective Jason asked out of curiosity.

Hazel took a deep breath. I was afraid that if he finds out then matters would be worse for me. I was afraid.

Thank you for your time. Detective Jason finally left out of the apartment. He was going to be seeing Nate very soon.

Before they started asking anything regarding the incident, they asked Hazel did she need any medical attention and she told them she was alright. But now that they were all gone, she wished she would’ve had someone check her because the soreness was starting to set in from being choked.

Elijah walked back inside once everyone was gone. He stood in the living room looking at Hazel while she sat at the table looking like she had experienced the worst life had to throw at her.

We can still get out of here, Elijah said.

I don’t want to waste any more of your time, Hazel replied. She already felt like she owed Elijah her life for what he’d done for her.

You’re not wasting my time. I want to be around you. And it was by the grace of God that I was able to save you, Elijah said. Don’t take that away from me, Hazel. Let me be proud of protecting the woman I like a whole lot.

Mr. Oakland, Hazel murmured.

Elijah made his way over to Hazel while she was sitting at the table. He wanted to let her know that she wasn’t a burden and it wasn’t her who pursued him.

Hazel, don’t push me away. I’m used to women falling for me then later trying to push me away. I’m a good man, Hazel. I work hard, but I love harder if given the chance. Elijah wasn’t ready to say his goodbyes to Hazel before their fling even kicked off.

I’m not pushing you away. I just don’t want you to get hurt because of me. Look at what he tried to do to me. Hazel felt horrible that Elijah was a witness to what happened to her. In a sense, she wished he never showed up and that someone else came to her rescue. She had a hectic life and wished like hell he didn’t know any of the crazy shit about her that was starting to unravel.

And I won’t, I won’t get hurt. Hazel, I am capable of protecting myself while at the same time making sure you are safe. Elijah grabbed Hazel’s hand and gently pulled her out of the chair.

That night, they both held greater respect for each other. Elijah only knew a portion of Hazel’s life and she didn’t know half of his. But they were going to rock it out until they didn’t have any more wheels to ride on.

I tell you what, come spend the night with me at the Westin. We’ll prep to get through this trial and whatever else you want to do, Elijah said.

Sounds like a plan, Hazel replied. She felt drained knowing she had to go in front all of those people and give her testimony, but she was risking it all for the justice her sister deserved. But going through it with Elijah made it all worthwhile.

Hazel laid in the bed staring at the white wall in the hotel room; waking up felt different with her being there. It was like a sudden wave of protection washed over her. She’d shared the same bed with Nate for months and would wake up restless more than she could count up.

Elijah was like the saint standing in the middle of the ocean parting the waters for her to cross. Being around him purified the air she breathed. It was mesmerizing to see how much he cared to bring peace and justice into her life.

Good morning, did you sleep well? Elijah made his way into the bedroom wearing only his boxers. Hazel wanted to roll her eyes at how breathtaking Elijah was early in the morning.

I slept like an angel on a cloud. Hazel stood from the bed as her body was caught with the morning stretch. Then she met Elijah at the door and kissed his cheek. Being there with him didn’t feel like she almost lost her life last night. The incident felt distant that morning.

Well, that’s good. Elijah smiled down at Hazel.

Yes sir, it is, Hazel replied.

Back to the formal word usage I see. Elijah grabbed Hazel’s hand and led her into the kitchen. He was thankful he purchased a suite at the hotel. It made him feel like he was in a nice little apartment.

And what’s so wrong with that? I like being professional with you, it makes me seem so innocent, Hazel said.

Once they were inside the kitchen, Elijah gestured her to have a seat at the nice size bar. Then he walked over to the oven to retrieve Hazel’s breakfast that he whipped up while she was sleeping peacefully.

There’s nothing wrong with it. Keep it up and you may just earn good fucking on this counter. Elijah sat the plate of food in front of Hazel. Although he was a man who sat behind the desk as the DA and called the shots for the streets, he managed to learn how to prepare breakfast over the years. Nothing too fancy though.

Hazel shook her head as a smirk played on her face. Elijah was too perfect for her. She couldn’t even wrap her mind around how the hell she managed to catch his eye. One minute he was on her ass about giving her statement, then the next she couldn’t shake the thought of being fucked senseless by him.

You’re just too perfect. I keep asking myself, how the hell I managed to get in your good grace. Hazel looked down at the perfectly prepared pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon. She was with Nate for almost seven months and he never prepared breakfast for her or was in good enough head space to do something thoughtful like that. In the beginning, all he did was flash his hood wealth around.

I’m not perfect, Hazel. I just like people to think that. I have my own baggage that I carry around. And you’re in my good grace because I see more than a woman who was given the short handle of the spoon in life. Elijah gazed at Hazel like she was the most beautiful person he’d ever stumbled upon.

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