Chapter 28: Drummer Boys Call 911

I love this song -Both of Us by B.o.B. and Taylor Swift. I feel like it speaks to so many pairs playing off each other in this chapter. Marley and Darius, and the story Bodie tells of himself as a child when his mother made a bad decision that led to some pretty awful consequences for him, and most especially it speaks to Bodie and Marley. I think Bodie wishes he was strong enough--that he had the power or the path to lift them out of the situation they are in, but he's not yet found the strength, the leverage, and the way forward...

Bodie

I answer the door and Daemon gives me an unreadable look from behind bold, black, round-framed designer sunglasses.

What the fuck are those, anyway? Saint-Laurent? He looks like a douche.

Shit. I think I have those same glasses in white on tour last summer. I must have looked like an even bigger douche. What was Tam thinkin' on those?

He looks past me and grins at Marley.

I fucking hate that grin, because Daemon only ever smiles at someone he's about to fuck over.

"Hey Babymama," he says easily and I fight not punch him in his stupid fucking four hundred dollar shades.

She's not his Babymama, she's mine. And even if she were his Babymama, he has no right to speak to her like that. He's a fucking abuser. He tried to get her pregnant by force and deception.

I stand there glaring at him, and a feeling like I've never know comes over it.

A feeling like...an angel my shoulder. A presence, whispering truth to me.

God or fate or the Universe stopped that evil that Daemon tried to perpetrate.

Yeah, a benevolent force brought me and Marley together that night. I'm sure of it now. Because if she and I hadn't come together first, Daemon would have gotten her pregnant later that night. And she wouldn't have Darius. She would have some other kid, with Daemon, but she wouldn't have our son. Our talented, intelligent, smart-mouthed son.

Darius is a saving grace.

A path to love instead of a child born of abuse.

That knowledge eases my anger. I grin back at this shit-kicker standing in my doorway.

Yeah, Dawg. You got the upper hand now. But Imma play your game, and Imma beat your sorry ass at it.

"Why are you here, Daemon?" Marley asks calmly.

"Oh, I'm just the errand boy." He's all nonchalance as he turns sideways and gestures at the caravan on the street. The two Escalades I casually bought from TJ last night at the family dinner are shinin' on the curb, followed by a third vehicle I assume is for Daemon's return trip.

"My last official sale, working for TJ," Daemon says. He takes his sunglasses off. "You want 'em in the garage?"

I nod. I want to ask Marley to go down to open the doors, but I don't want to be that kind of guy, ordering her around, actin' like the macho, territorial asshole. Because she's been dealin' with Daemon just fine on her own, since he got out of jail, but also because I can't push up in between them right now. There's no good reason for me to do that.

Wordlessly, I head down to the basement. When the trucks are parked, I head back up to the main floor. I hear angry words wafting down the stairs and I take the rest three at a time, to find Marley standing with her arms crossed, looking at the floor, and Daemon bearing down over her, agression pouring off him.

Marley is speaking in a monotone voice. "No, Daemon. This is not okay, what you are doing right now. You need to control your anger—"

"I have every fucking right to be angry, Jasmine. What the fuck is wrong with you? Do you think I'm stupid? You bring Bodie to family dinner last night, frontin' like it's some kind of legitimate job, like I'm dumb enough to believe that shit. I know you're fucking him. What I don't know is...are you trying to take my son away? To Hollywood? That's never going to fucking happen. Darius is my son. Are you listening, bitch? Fucking look at me when I talk to you."

He grabs her roughly by the chin, forcing her to look up.

I explode in rage.

Inferno.

Apocalypse.

Daemon's got forty of pounds of muscle and a decade of prison-fighting on me, but it don't make a damn.

Love has more force than his power.

I have him on the ground and my fist connects with his face. I hear the crack and I don't know if it was my hand or his nose, but I don't fucking care. I hit him again.

The third time, he grabs my fist and I barely miss his blow, which would have probably knocked me out. He rolls me over easily with his extra bulk, and only the fact that I land an excellent kick to the balls allows me to keep the momentum going and get back on top.

Marley is yelling as we grapple, and then suddenly we're being hauled apart.

"What the fuck is wrong with you two?" TJ yells.

Shit, I didn't know he was here. He must have been in the third car. I push TJ off me and bow up at Daemon again.

"Marley is not your dimepiece to smack around anymore, do you hear me!?!?!" I yell at Daemon.

TJ rounds on his brother, pushing me away again, but this time to get in Daemon's face himself. "You fucking hit her? I swear to fuck, Daemon—"

"No, I didn't fucking hit her!" Daemon spits out. "Even though she's whoring around with a drug addict, she's still the mother of my son. What the fuck do you think? I want Darius to see her all marked up? Hell no."

"Get out!" Marley yells. "Just get out! You don't get to come in Bodie's house and manhandle me and talk to me like that! I knew you hadn't changed. I knew the last six months were all just an act."

"Oh, I've changed, Jasmine," Daemon spits out. "I'm finally seeing things clearly. I always thought you were a good girl, a good woman. I see now, what I should have seen all along. I was all wrong about you. You ain't nothing but a trashy piece of ass that goes for the biggest baddest brother on the block. Used to be me, now it's the fucking rockstar."

Marley doesn't answer him. She just pulls out her phone and tries to press 911.

TJ grabs the phone before she can. "Marley, don't. Please. He's still on probation for lesser charges. Do you want him to go back to jail?"

"That's exactly where he fucking belongs," I growl.

Daemon laughs. "I ain't the only one in this room that belongs in jail, Bodie. Go ahead, TJ. Let Marley make the call. They can take us both in."

"Nobody's callin' 911!" TJ yells. "Nobody's going to jail! What the hell is wrong with you, Daemon? You told me you were cool, and then you come in here and treat Marley like this!?!? She's the mother of your son, she's not your fucking property. And you don't have any goddamn parental rights, do you? Jesus, Daemon think, man. And Bodie's name is on the deed of your new place of business. Everything you are trying to build, depends on his investment. Y'all are business partners, and you are the mercy of Marcy's benevolence when it comes to Darius. You gotta make this shit work."

"Business partners?" Marley rounds on me. "You went into business with him!?!?"

"We aren't business partners," I say grimly. "He's my extortionist. A real fucking good one. He made me put my name on the deed of the property and his LLC license. To keep me properly motivated to see him succeed, he said."

"Well you better hope we are business partners," Daemon growls back. "Because if you pull your funding, and I can't keep Sixers paid with legit business..." he fades off.

Now I'm getting the evil grin, because now I'm the one he's thinking about fucking over.

"Yeah, I know. If you turn your legitimate businesses into Sixmob fronts then I'm the principal owner of a money laundering operation."

Marley grabs my shirt and shakes me. "Are you insane, Bodie? I knew you gave him money, but how could you do this? Get yourself legally tied to his business?!?!"

"I didn't have a choice," I growl at her, pulling my shirt of her fists, holding her wrists. "I didn't," I say more calmly. "You have to trust me, okay? It will be okay."

She looks up at me, with tears in her eyes. "Daemon used to say the same thing."

"Yeah, and I was wrong," Daemon growls at her. He wipes his bloody nose on the sleeve of his white dress shirt. "I was wrong about a lot of things. I thought we could work this out, Marley. I thought if I showed you I changed, if I gave you enough time, you'd see we are supposed to be a family. But the truth is...you don't really know what family means. You aren't a fit mother. You cared more about yourself, your fancy degree, than you cared about taking care of our son. Now, you care more about fucking a famous junkie—"

I lunge at Daemon again, but TJ holds me back.

"This relationship—" Marley gestures between her and I, "is professional. And this relationship," she gestures between her and Daemon, "is over. I'm done, allowing you to see Darius. You asked for a chance, I gave it, and today you've showed me you haven't changed at all."

"Marley, come on, you don't mean that," TJ says. "Daemon is wrong right now, but you're wrong, too. You loved him once. I was there, remember? You thought he hung the moon, when he pulled you off the street, and took care of you. The man had a dream that kept him going for twelve years, of making a real family with you. You didn't even give Daemon a real chance when he got out. Because of him," TJ slings a resentful glare and an impatient hand at me.

"I never loved him. I was a scared and lost child. I didn't know what love was. And I'm not with Bodie!" Marley yells at TJ. She crosses to him, and puts her hands up in his face like a plea. "What the hell, TJ? How can you be on Daemon's side? You know that he hit me, he controlled me, he abused me when we were together. And now he's calling me a bitch and whore, grabbing me, because he doesn't like a decision I've made that has nothing to do with him. He's hasn't changed at all. And you're defending him. You promised me-"

"I promised you it would work out," TJ said. "He's my brother, Marley. And Darius—" TJ he lowers his head, swallows. "If you want to help Bodie, fine. If you want an easy, high-paying job, great—you earned it. But at the end of the day...you have to remember..." He takes her gently by the arms, "You and me raised that boy. You never gave him our name, but Darius is a Turner. He's my family. We are all family." He gestures between him, Daemon, and Marley. "We have to work this out."

"He is my son," Marley whispers. "I can't let Daemon hurt him." She has tears streaming, but her gaze flits to me just briefly.

TJ's follows.

TJ closes his eyes. He understands that I showed Marley the picture of my grandfather. He knows that Marley knows the truth. He probably even thinks I told her about him swapping the samples.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he whispers to her. "I only—"

"Have Darius' best interest at heart. We know, TJ," I say quickly. "I get it. You just want to protect the people you love. You don't want to hurt them unnecessarily. I feel the same way about people I care about."

Christ, I hope he's taking my meaning.

I think he must, because he gives me a curious look. "Yeah. That's right."

"That's right!?!?" Daemon erupts. "Are you fucking kidding me? You're my brother. Darius is my son. You gonna side with them, and try to cut me out?"

TJ steps around Marley, "Nobody's cutting you out."

"Uhhhh, sounds to me like Marley just did," I interject.

Daemon looks truly dangerous as he says, "She can try. But I am the boy's father. I should have rights. Rights that the law will enforce, if Marley won't grant them."

"Go ahead. Lawyer up. I guarantee, mine are better," I hurl at him.

"Your lawyers will have their hands full, keeping you out of jail," Daemon says coolly to me. Then he stares at Marley, and his rage breaks on her. "I knew you were fucking him," Daemon growls, advancing suddenly.

Marley holds her ground. "It's none of your business, but I am not dating my client," she says calmly.

"You're such a liar, Marley. Why else would he be willing to fight for your son?"

"Hey," TJ warns, stepping in between them. "Let's just leave for now, before this situation gets any worse. We came to drop off some cars and have a civil conversation, remember?"

Daemon's focus switches to me. "Jasmine is a good lay, isn't she? Just remember it was me her broke her in, who schooled her how to ride you like that—"

Marley steps around TJ and slaps Daemon. Like she fucking means it. Even the crack sounds satisfying. I'm silently cheering, even as I tense to jump between if he retaliates.

Go 'head on, Girl. One more time.

While I'm hoping she can get a second lick in, he grabs her roughly by the arm. TJ throws him off before I can ever make a move.

"Daemon, what the fuck? Would you want somebody to treat our mama like that?"

"She slapped me," he growls.

"You deserved it," TJ pops back.

"Just leave," Marley says wearily. "Both of you. TJ, Darius needs to stay here for awhile. I'm serious."

"Marley," TJ pleads calmly. "Daemon is so far out of bounds in the way he's actin', I agree. But you can't act like I don't have a say. That Pat doesn't have a say. Hell, that Darius doesn't have a say..."

"I can decide whatever the hell I want, TJ!" Marley says. "Because Darius is my son. I'm only the parent who has rights and I have the court documents to prove it! And if you think I'm going to forget the way Daemon has behaved today, if you think I'm just going to hand over my son to you and your brother, then Darius can live here with me permanently."

"Marley, you don't mean that," TJ says calmly. "Think about what you are saying. Think about what's best for Darius. He can't live here..."

"He can," I say easily. "That's no problem."

"He can't live here with a heroin addict that overdosed a week ago. That's not a stable environment and you know it."

"And you think your place is any more stable!?!? Darius got a loaded weapon from your bedroom, TJ, and he won't tell me how he knew it was there. Which tells me, one of you told him! And I think it was Daemon. I think he gave Darius a gun! But you and Pat left him there with Daemon, so it's on you, too!"

"No. It was on me. All on me." TJ says quietly. "I told him where to find the gun, okay? He called me, said there was somebody trying to break in. Said he thought it was a junkie, looking to score, or maybe looking to steal. He said that Daemon had left, he was alone. What was I supposed to do, Marley? I wasn't there to protect him—I had to be with Shay, she was in labor—but it's my job to keep him safe. So I protected him the only way I knew how. I told him to get the gun, lock himself in the bedroom, call 911, and if somebody banged on that bedroom door before he saw blue lights out front, to shoot the fucker through the door. I told him that 911 would make him stay on the line. I don't know why he didn't do what I told him. I did not tell him to go back downstairs and start a goddamn confrontation, okay? It happened fast. My own phone died before I could call 911 also, and as I was trying to borrow a nurses phone, and get mine plugged in to charge, suddenly you were calling me, yelling at me that he almost shot Bodie with a gun. It was all over before I could get there. I did the best I could with the information I had. That's what parents fucking do," TJ says hoarsely.

"He could have killed Bodie." Marley says. "He would have had to live with that. The rest of his life." Tears are streaming down Marley's face. "And you lied to me. You've never lied to me. Not until Daemon came back in our lives.

"It's not Daemon causing this rift between us, Marley, and you damn well know it," TJ growls, looking at me. "You can't decide you want to go all in for Bodie, and drag Darius away from the only home he's ever known."

"Okay, we're done here," I say. "Darius is gonna stay here tonight and tomorrow we'll talk to you about the rest of the week," I point at TJ. "Just you," I growl.

TJ give a tight laugh, and shakes his head. "You better back off, brother. That is not your call. Like Marley said, she's the parent."

"That's right," Marley interjects. "And considering the fact that you gave him a gun and you lied to me about it, I am deciding that I want Darius here, with me. Where there are no guns. And no lies. Indefinitely."

"No lies?" TJ echoes bitterly. He shakes his head.

"You need to back off, brother," I tell him.

"You stay the fuck out of it, or you know what happens," Daemon warns.

"Go ahead and make good on your threats, fucker. The truth is, if you fuck me over, I fuck you over," I say mildly. "We're business partners, remember?"

"Nobody's fucking anybody over," TJ groans in exasperation. "Forget Sixers shit. We're talking about Darius right now."

"Alright, then let's get real about my son." Daemon scoffs. "Marley, you can say all the shit you want about being Darius' one real parent, but you and I both know the truth. I wanted our son. You didn't. I had to pull you out of an abortion clinic. Then you wanted to give him up for adoption. Then you gave him to my mother and my brother to raise while you went to school. And still you didn't come back for him. You left him for a guy. Now you've got another man you're putting before him. You never wanted Darius, and all this shit you are pulling is to punish me for getting you pregnant when you didn't want to be."

"You don't know what the hell you are talking about," Marley's voice is uneven and nearly hysterical in her anger. "I love my son more than anything. Even though you are a sick bastard that sabotaged my birth control and I got pregnant against my will. Even though you violated me and I fucking hate you, I could never hate him! That's how much I love Darius!"

"And that's not half as much as you love yourself," Daemon retorts.

"Wow," says a flat voice from behind us, near the hallway. We all whirl, to see Darius, standing there, just in from the garage where the doors a still open, a giant bookbag weighing him down. "So this is what you guys are like when I'm not around? You let the real truth come out, huh?"

No one speaks for a long moment. Then Marley claps a hand over her mouth. "Oh God! Darius. I'm so sorry! " She pulls at her hair. "Oh fuck!" The she claps her hand over her mouth again, because of the profanity. "I'm so sorry."

"Why be sorry for the truth?" he shrugs. Then he laughs. "You could be sorry for forgetting to pick me up from school. I only waited for a half an hour, and walked for forty-five minutes."

Marley lets out a tiny sob. "Oh god. Darius. I'm so—"

"Sorry. Yeah. You said." His voice is bitter, and I don't like the tone he's taking, but I can't blame him, after what he just heard.

He's twice as vicious with his next stab. "I knew I was an accident, of course, but is it true? What he said? Did you try to get rid of me? Twice?"

I was watching Marley, but my head snaps around to him. That's what he took from that? I want to call him out on that, redirect his attention to the fact that Daemon coerced his mother into pregnancy. I want to tell him what Daemon did is sexual abuse and that sabotaging someone's birth control makes sex non-consensual.

I want to tell him that that piece of shit who raped his mother of her choice is not his father.

But I don't. I know he's questioning Marley and not Daemon because Marley feels safe. If Darius has half the sense I'm betting he has, he already knows, Daemon is not safe at all.

Marley's face is pale. Her breath is coming in hitches and I know she's about to break. I want to step in, say something, do anything to take the burden off her, but it ain't my place. I wasn't there, when she found out she was pregnant. I can't speak for her, for the things she felt or the things she went through.

"I was very, very young when I got pregnant, Darius. I was a runaway. I was completely dependent on Daemon and he..." she shoots a look at Daemon and raises her chin, "he was older and he held all the power in our relationship. It was not a healthy dynamic between us. I was scared. I was confused. Yes, I went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to talk with a counselor about my options. I decided that choice wasn't for me. I wanted to give you life instead." Marley turns to look at Daemon. "Tell him the truth, Daemon."

He gives her a cool stare. "It's like she said. It was a counseling appointment. I found out where she was—"

"Because you were having me followed—"

"Because I was having you protected," he retorts to Marley, and then to Darius, "I was a gang leader, Darius. Now, I know that was a dumb career decision, but back then, it just was. I ran a gang and my gang did bad things and because of that there was always the risk of retaliation against my family. Marley always thought I was trying to control her, but I was trying to protect her. The guys that watched out for her called me, and told me she was at an abortion clinic. I came and took her out of there. Promised her I would take care of her and you. I would have, except for the raid that got me sent to prison. I would never have left you. But if we are tellin' truth, the truth is...after that, she tried to give you up for adoption. Your grandmother had to beg her to be the one to raise you. She wanted to sell you to a rich couple to pay for her college."

Marley gasps like she took a punch.

"Daemon," TJ admonishes. Both TJ and I are eying Darius, but Marley is staring at Daemon in utter disbelief that he would tell Darius such a thing.

I want to fucking murder Daemon right now. That manipulative son of a bitch will to do anything to hurt Marley, and he doesn't even care if he devastates Darius in the process.

Marley tears her eyes from Daemon and takes a step toward Darius. He takes a step back. "Darius, that's not true. I never wanted to sell you. I wanted to give you a good life. But the truth is, once you were born, no matter how much better off I thought you would be with the adoptive parents, I loved you too much. I couldn't go through—"

"I fought her all the way, but it didn't matter. My defense lawyer, he filed papers in the court, trying to stop her from giving you away, but the judge ruled in her favor and stripped me of my parental rights. That's the only reason you don't carry my name, son. Because your mother cut me out from the start—"

I'm watching the boy as Daemon and Marley argue and accuse and defend. He tries not to wince at their words. I've seen that look a thousand times...it's the look on Trace's face every time he sees a movie with domestic violence, or sees an out of control dad yelling at his kids in a parking lot somewhere.

It's a look of invisible wounds. Except, I'm watching the piercing in real time.

"Marley," I say mildly. "This needs to stop."

She hears me, but she's not hearing what I'm saying. She's too upset.

"Daemon needs to stop. He needs to stop twisting it all!" Marley is yelling, "I loved my baby, I wanted him to have a good life. Better than two parents in jail!"

"Hold up now. He's had a good life," TJ jumps in. "Everything I've done since I was seventeen years old is to give him a good life. Now you act like that doesn't even matter. Like I don't matter."

"You put a gun in his hands, TJ! How am I supposed to trust you again?"

"Yes Marley, I put a gun in Darius hands." He looks at Darius. "You shouldn't have lied for me and I shouldn't have let you, but the truth is. I would do it again." TJ turns back to Marley, "I want better for him, too. But I don't make the rules, Marley. In this world, if boys don't learn to man up, they die young."

"Gangsters with guns die, TJ!" She walks over to him and jerks his collar down, exposing his Sixmob tat. "You sound exactly like a recruiter for a gang, and I'm not losing my son to Sixmob!"

"You've lost your mind, girl. That's the last thing I want for Darius, for Jory."

"Okay, listen," I interject. "This is going nowhere. We need to calmly disperse here..."

Nobody is listening to me.

"Then why are you with him!?!?" she stil yelling at TJ, throwing a hand at Daemon. "Why are you helping your gang leader?"

"Because we are family!" Daemon yells back. "Blood means something, Marley. And you don't seem to understand that. You are like some defective mama cat, that abandons her young..."

Darius actually does wince at that.

Aww, hell naw. I've got to do something. I walk over to Darius and jerk open a hallway door. The others ignore me. They are still fighting. "Go. Down there. Now."

His full of anger as he shakes his head. "I'm not a little kid."

"I didn't say you were. But Imma bout bust this up it might get ugly, and you ain't gonna be a part of that. If the cops come, I don't want them calling DFACS over the welfare of a minor in the middle of a domestic dispute."

"DFACS. You're real afraid of that, aren't you?" he says curiously.

"You would be, too, if one of your earliest memories at five years old was riding in a squad car to the emergency child services shelter because the babysitter that your mama thought was her best friend left you in a parked car while she went in a trap house to get her party on. They put me in foster care. Took my mama three months to get me back. I remember being scared and missing my mama and crying myself to sleep every night. When she got me back we lived in one tiny room that she rented from a friend, for about two years, because she was afraid to work two jobs anymore. She was afraid I would get taken away again. That room? Was in the house next door to where you live. Eventually my mom got a raise and the friend moved on, and we kept the whole house. I thought we were rich, because we could use the kitchen and didn't have to cook on a hot plate no more."

He blinks at me. "Damn. That's...bad. Almost as bad as my abusive gangsta father forcing my teenage mother into an unwilling pregnancy. But not quite, because that's hella bad."

Ah. So that part did register with him as a terrible thing. "Well, it ain't exactly a contest, but yeah, that was pretty fucking bad, too," I mutter.

"Yeah." Darius

"Okay, well, bitchin' about hella bad baggage don't make it better. You have to work it out."

"How?"

"Get your ass down there and see what kind of prodigy you are on a drum kit."

Marley, TJ, and Daemon are still arguing. Darius is looking at Daemon. "Naw, I can't. I need to make her stop. My father is dangerous. I've been trying to make her see...she needs to get along with him." He bows looks away, down the steps. "I don't know why I care, though. She doesn't even care about me."

"Darius, you know that's a lie you are telling yourself."

"Dude, did you not hear what she said? She wanted to get rid of me. She was probably just too scared to go through with it."

"You can't know that. You can't ever know what she felt like...seventeen and pregnant when she didn't choose to be. Look, I know you feel like you were born by accident and that doesn't feel good. So you blame her for that feeling. I used to do the same thing. I grew out of it. Younger than you, though. By your age, I was mature. I knew what my mama was worth."

His faces goes through a series of expressions. From disdain, to surprise, to irritation.

I guess I struck a chord with him.

"You gonna stand here and argue with me some more like a little kid or are you going to be reasonable and do what I'm asking you to do and let me take care of this shit?" I tell him.

He stalls.

"Ain't nothing gonna happen to your mama. I promise you that."

"She's not my mama, she's my birth mother," he grumbles.

"Oh is that all? Then why you so worried about her?" I raise an eyebrow.

He rolls his eyes at me. "I'm not. I'm worried about the outcome of this fight. Marley can't just ban me from seeing TJ. He's actually the best parent—" he uses air quotes, "that I have. By the way...I have a basketball game tonight. TJ is the coach of my team. Unlike Marley, I'm sure he hasn't forgotten. If you kick him out, he can just pick me up on the curb in two hours." He stomps sullenly down the stairs to the basement.

Suddenly, I'm filled with anger again. At TJ, whom my son loves. Probably more than anybody.

I slam the door forcefully, disrupting the argument.

"Get the fuck out. Both of you. Or else I'm calling the cops," I say flatly.

"I've got a gun with your fingerprints that says you won't," Daemon sneers.

"I fucking hate you," Marley whispers to him.

"Yeah well, the feels is gettin' real mutual, baby," Daemon growls at her.

I am so fucking sick of Daemon in my line of sight. All I can think is I have to get rid of him before I grab a kitchen knife and gut the fucker. The knife makes me think of Varrick, disarming me.

Suddenly, I have an idea how to get Daemon out of my fucking house before I lose my shit.

I dial Varrick Von.

"Von here," he answers at once.

"Yes...the nature of my emergency is that I have two family members of one of my employees creating a disturbance at my residence."

"Ah. And you're pretending I'm 911."

"Exactly."

He laughs. "Well, that's a stupid fucking plan, Bodie. I don't have any guys hanging around in Atlanta for shits and giggles, you know. We have a couple of clients—rappers- but it take hours for me to pull from their details on short notice. You'd be much better off with the local PD."

"No. I'm still hoping we can resolve this before it escalates."

"You don't want to involve the police?"

"Right. I just want them off the premises."

"Well, I won't bother asking why you are skittish about cops. How many bad guys?"

"Two."

"Are you in actual danger?"

"Mmmmm...not immediate danger, no."

"What does that mean? These guys...they've got something on you? Something that could hurt your career?"

"Something like that."

"Guys from that gang you used to run with?"

Intelligence operatives really get the lay of the land quick.

"That's right."

"And they are connected to your Babymama?"

"Yes, sir."

Daemon, TJ, and Marley are all watching me.

"Are you really callin' the fucking cops?" Daemon hisses at me. "What the hell kind of rat are you?"

"Ahhh...that's a guy whose been to jail, and he does not want to go back," Varrick muses.

Damn, Varrick is scary good.

"I would tend to agree, yes.

"Okay. State your name."

"What?"

"Just follow my lead. State your name."

"Bodie Jamison."

"Are you on a cell phone?"

"Yes."

"Okay, 911 would hit your address by GPS. I'm looking up your new place in our Sentinel's files... I'm looking at the real estate listing. 563 Benson, right?"

"That's correct."

"Nice place. How do you like that movie theater?"

"You're asking me that right now? Are you serious?"

"Not very, no. This is ridiculous, Bodie. Why don't you just disarm the guy and force them out at gunpoint?"

"Because I'm not a...police officer like you?" And by police officer I mean a weirdo intelligence operative with mad ninja moves and very strange people skills?

"I know, I know, but it's seems like a smart guy like you could handle this. But anyway, let's do this. Now, say...that's right, Bodie Jamison of Soundcrush."

"That's right. Bodie Jamison of Soundcrush."

"I know your Babymama's name, but say it, just for show. And sum up the dispute."

"Her name Dr. Marley Watkins. She's a clinical psychologist employed as my live-in sobriety companion. Her son's father is here because he's unhappy with the living arrangement. He just got out of prison and is adjusting to the boundaries she's placed on their interactions. His brother is also here...he would say he's mediating but I would say he's shit-stirring," I sneer at TJ. He shakes his head at me.

"Ooooh, nice touch, making her sound credible and him unstable. Okay, put me on speakerphone," he commands. I hear him typing on a computer. "Tell them the cops want to pre-interview the dispute before we dispatch a squad car."

"Uhhhh...the cops want a word before they come out," I say, punching my phone.

"Go ahead, Officer," I say.

"This is SPO Luke Donovan of the Zone 6 APD, Badge Number 567890. We've been notified by dispatch of a G-58 and are currently in Route to the residence at 563 Benson. I understand this is a domestic dispute between a Dr. Marley Watkins employed at this address and some of her...male relations."

"It's not a domestic dispute, Officer Donavon," TJ says calmly. "Just a heated discussion."

"Well, in that case, I have to advise you that we don't respond to heated discussions, we respond to domestic disputes. In all responses, the solution is to remove one or more of the disputing parties to a twenty-four hour holding in local lock-up. It doesn't necessarily mean charges will be filed but it does mean, if we roll up, somebody's going to jail. It allows the dispute to cool-off. We are aware this is a high-profile residence, so whoever spends the night in the tank is probably not going to be the rich and famous guy. Too much paperwork to cover our asses in case his Hollywood people insist in filing a wrongful detention suit. That's why I'm interviewing Dr. Watkins now, because once we physically respond, there's no overlooking our procedure. Ma'am, I'm asking you— do you need assistance at this time?"

Marley hesitates, raising her eyes at Daemon in challenge.

She would be dead right now if Daemon's eyes shot lasers. But they don't, and Varrick is right. Daemon hates cops.

He points a finger at Marley. "Fine. We'll do this Darius thing with lawyers, if that's the way you want it. Bodie, this doesn't change anything, we're still business partners, remember? Don't forget about the business inspection next week. Your name is on the license application, you have to be there. " He walks out the door.

As Marley watches Daemon climb into the waiting vehicle, she says, "No Officer Donavon. I don't need assistance."

"Are you sure, ma'am?"

She looking at TJ with tears in her eyes. "I'm sure," she says. "The heat in the discussion has left the premises."

"Ten-four. Good luck with your family problems, Ma'am."

"Thank you, Officer Donovan," I say.

"It's my job," he says dryly, and the line goes dead.

Marley collapses on the couch in tears. It's scary, how sudden and fierce her sobs rip from her. "My baby...thinks I wanted to...to... terminate him. And...and...that I w-wanted to...sell him."

I move to sit down beside her, but TJ is already there with an arm around her. "Daemon was so out of line. I'm so fucking sorry...I will talk to Darius myself. I'll tell him how it really went down. How much you loved him. How you were torn out of your frame, when he was born, and they took him from you. I'll make sure he knows...it's okay, Jaz. It will be okay. But you have to listen to me. You and Bodie can not antagonize Daemon like that. Not again. He'll get suspicious. If he thinks Darius isn't his son...I don't know what he will do. He's liable to retaliate against...all of you."

Marley tears stop in a whir of confusion. "Why...why would you say that?"

"Because it's true. He's my brother, but he's dangerous, Marley. And the one thing he's living for, is building an empire. You build empires to leave them to your legacy. That's what he sees in Darius. Not a son. A legacy—a path to immortality."

Marley is wiping tears, looking from TJ to me and back again. "No...I mean...I understand that...but why would you say, if he thinks Darius isn't his son?"

TJ is looking at me, unsure what to say, how to proceed. "I...uhhhh...I guess...I thought..."

I open my mouth to tell Marley the truth. That TJ and I colluded to switch the samples of the paternity test, but that I never knew the result. But then I see the way Marley is looking at TJ. Like the life preserver that's been keeping her afloat is slowly deflating.

Like she's on the verge of sinking in his sea of betrayal.

I can't have her drowning right now. I'm not sure I have the strength to save her, just yet.

"I showed him the same picture I showed you. The picture of my grandfather." I say simply. "He...knows what we know."

TJ glares at me—a very brief subtle glare. He's pissed that I have convinced Marley that Darius is my son, but he's grateful that I haven't told her he deliberately tampered with the test.

Marley's eyes go wide. She covers her mouth and looks at TJ. "You know? I mean, you..." she lowers her voice, casting a glance at the basement door. "You believe the test was wrong?"

He rubs a hand over his head and drops it in his hands. "I...I don't see how, Marley, but that picture of Clayton Jamison...it looks exactly like Darius. And the way he plays music...yeah, I mean...I guess...yeah, I believe the test must have gotten messed up in the lab. Or maybe even I messed it up. I've thought about it over and over, I would swear to god, I was very deliberate with the samples, but...it was a long time ago. I don't know...people make mistakes, right?" he says sheepishly.

She burst into tears again, "Oh god, TJ! All this time, I thought he was Daemon's..."

"I know, Jaz. I did, too. I'm so sorry..." he lies.

They hug.

I don't like it, but I get it. They share a bond.

A bond that TJ robbed me of.

Over Marley's shoulder, TJ looks at me. He looks part grateful and part wary.

He peels Marley off of him. "So this arrangement...you living with Bodie...it's just so Darius can get to know his father? So that you three can interact together? The whole sobriety companion thing—it's just a cover?"

"Nooooo," Marley says slowly, "I am Bodie's sobriety companion. It's my job."

TJ looks between us. "So you two aren't...?"

I clear my throat and say "That's none of your business," at the same moment that Marley laughs nervously and babbles. "No! Of course not. I mean, that would be bad on so many levels. Because it's unprofessional, because Bodie has a girlfriend, sort of...because he definitely doesn't need any more stressors like romantic drama, because Darius and Bodie need to take it slow getting to know each other..."

TJ smiles and nods and Marley. The fucker looks very relieved as he pats her shoulders. "Okay, okay, I get it. It's complicated. Breathe, girl."

She laughs and then starts to cry again. "I'm sorry, I just...oh my god TJ...I just feel...insane right now. Darius is downstairs thinking so many bad things and our relationship is more strained than it's ever been and I feel like...I feel like I'm losing him..."

She wraps her arms around his neck and starts to bawl. He rubs the back of her hair, her back and rocks her softly.

A feeling like I might puke shudders through my stomach. That feeling is followed hard by the urge for a joint, to quell the shittiness I feel.

I sit there dying for weed and facing a hard truth.

TJ is Marley's person.

The one safe place where she can fall apart. The person that picks up her pieces.

She can't cry in my arms, no matter how much she might want to. She wouldn't even let herself consider it. Because it's her job to be strong for me, to my witness when I fall apart. To pick up my pieces and force me back together.

"It's gonna be okay, Marley. Darius is just a rebellious teenager. We all went through it. He knows you love him. Eventually he'll come back from the dark side," TJ jokes. He looks at me. "I used to be a complete asshole. Bodie was even worse."

Marley stiffens, pulling away from TJ. That's when my nausea turns to real gut-wrenching pain.

For a minute, lost in TJ's comfort, she forgot I was there.

She puts both hands in front of her mouth as she stares at me, like she's forcing herself not to cry anymore in front of me.

I take a deep breath, and fight off my pain, because I'll be damned if I let her see it right now. She's seen enough of my weakness, my pain, my confusion.

I was already pretty sure of it, but seeing her with TJ like this, I'm one hundred percent convicted now.

I'm in love with Marley, and I don't just want to be her broken Babydaddy.

I want to be her person. Her man. Her everything.

I don't want her pity.

I want her mind, her body, and her soul.

Yeah, it's time get serious. To become the man Marley and Darius need me to be.

That starts by helping her through this crisis with Darius.

I take a deep breath.

"Marley, you want to know what I think is going through Darius' head right now?"

She nods behind her wall of hands.

"Remember, how it was for you—hiding in the bushes, watching your birth mom in the life she planned? That's what he's feeling right now. "

Marley's face looks like glass as she stares at me. "He feels like...a mistake. Like someone's greatest shame."

"He is not a mistake," TJ growls at me.

"Of course not," I smile at Marley. "He's the opposite of a mistake. He was totally meant to be. We were meant to be together that night. You were meant to have a child born out of connection not coercion. Darius is a gift. I knew that the minute I heard him play and sing. He's got a gift to move people."

She starts crying again. "You...you go to him, okay? Talk to him. Say that to him? The last part, I mean. About him being a gift."

I pull her off the couch beside TJ. I take her shoulders in my hands and square them up, like she does when she's putting on her mama hat. "I will. In just a little bit. Right now, he needs his mama. He needs to know he's forgiven for being cruel to you. He's hurting and he needs to feel your love, Marley. I know it's a shit situation, but you got this. You are the fiercest woman I know."

She takes two shaky breaths. The third one is smoother. Her expression backs away from the edge of tears into irritation. She whacks me on the peck.

"I'm so mad at you for going into business with Daemon. That is so stupid. Were you high when you signed those papers?"

"Well, duh," I laugh.

She whacks me again.

"This is not funny, Bodie. You're just getting deeper and deeper in Daemon's pocket. I'm scared he's going to pull you back into his world. I'm scared for both of you," she says, sweeping her hand to indicate TJ.

"He's trying to go legit. That's the whole point of Bodie's investment," TJ says woodenly.

Marley turns around to TJ. "Do you actually believe that?"

He sighs wearily. "Yeah. I do. He never wants to go to jail again. But it doesn't mean he's not dangerous when provoked." He looks between us. "I don't know what your end game is...but I hope to god it doesn't involve telling Darius the truth. Not until..."

"Until what?" I prompt.

TJ shrugs. "I don't know what. Look, I don't know what happens. If Daemon's new enterprises go well, maybe his unhappiness over this living arrangement dies down, maybe he trusts Bodie, maybe he even hands over the leverage he has to clear your investment. I could try to talk to him about that, plant that seed. But what happens if you are out from under his leverage? You can't tell Darius the truth and stay in this hood, man. Daemon won't be able to take that. He'll strike back. And if he doesn't have leverage, I'm afraid he'll use force."

"Who says we have to stay here? I can take them somewhere Daemon can never reach. We can leave Sixmob and all the danger behind."

"And leave behind me and Pat." TJ's voice sounds like gravel. He looks at Marley. "Tell me you wouldn't do that, Marley. Just pull Darius from the only home he's ever known..."

Marley looks at the floor. "I've been trying to reconcile what happened as a series of mishaps, but the truth is...Pat left him alone with Daemon against my wishes. Daemon walked out on him for a booty call. And you put a gun in his hands. I know you love him, TJ...but there's a lot of uncertainty with Daemon in the picture now. Pat and I are no longer on the same page, and you are stuck in the middle with a fiancee, a three year old and a brand new baby girl."

"Marley, you know Darius is gonna fight you on staying here..." TJ warns. "He won't want to hurt Pat like that."

"I know, but I've made my decision. For right now, I want him to stay here. I need you to respect that. I need you to back me up, with Darius and with Pat."

TJ sighs wearily. "Can we see him?"

"Of course. After his game tonight, he can still go home for dinner. I know Pat was planning a special meal because it's his last game of the season. I'll come by later and pick him up. I want him to plan to sleep here the rest of the school year. He can hang out with you guys when he wants as long as you are there. I don't want him spending anytime with Daemon alone. I'll think about what comes after school is out."

"Marley, you're poking a bull, denying Daemon like that."

Marley crosses the floor to TJ and looks him straight in the eyes, speaking so low I can barely hear her. "Daemon is not his father. And I refuse to let that man who abused me have anymore opportunity to manipulate my son. I know he's your brother, TJ, but he is not my family. If you want you and me and Pat and Darius to stay family, you will have to accept that, and find a way to help me get free of Daemon."

She's trailing down the stairs, the door closing behind her as TJ looks at me and says. "What she's asking...it's impossible."

"Well, we have to make it possible," I say. "If you want to stay in Darius' life."

TJ braces hands on knees and stares at the floor. "Why didn't you tell her that I've been lying to her Darius' whole life?"

"Because she loves you, and maybe even more, because Darius love you. I can't...rob him of the only father he's ever known. I'm in no shape right now to fill your shoes."

TJ's dark eyes look as sharp as arrowheads when he looks up at me. "If you tell him the truth, and then you run back to rockstar drug life and abandon him..."

I swoop down to a seat in front of him on the coffee table. "If you fucking double-cross me and side with your brother to fuck me over..."

We stare at each other, both full of fear and frustration and empty threats, because neither one of us could really hurt the other, for fear that it would hurt Marley and Darius.

This was a long one, but it draws the battle lines going forward, doesn't it? It seems Bodie trusts TJ enough to throw him a lifeline and draw him into the Barley boat. Was that a good move on Bodie's part? Do you trust TJ?

How do you think Darius is going to cope with the scene he witnessed? That was a lot of baggage for a thirteen year old boy to hear about his origins. Will it have an impact on his behaviors?

And Marley? Wow, where was the counselor when she was needed? Nowhere to be seen. I think for the first time, we've really seen how much Daemon still gets under her skin. How truly violated and angry she still is. How do you think she's going to handle that? Is she going to be able to process her anger or will she let it stew and bubble and boil?