Epilogue - A Street King's Widow

A year later…

Royal Flush looked like Vegas. I had extended the hours thanks to the city. Business was doing so well that I rarely showed my face since everything happened. Since it was close to midnight, I was heading out after hosting a fundraiser. Now it was time for the gamblers to have their fun. I stood near the railing upstairs, looking over everything before I started walking down.

“Good night, Kyenna,” one of the dealers said.

“Good night. Y’all get home safe.”

As Grif pulled my car around, Jaharee had sent me a picture of my son stretched out across her chest, sleeping.

Jaharee: He loves his auntie more. Just accept it.

Me: Bring my baby home before I call the police.

Jaharee: He’s staying tonight. It’s late

Me: No, he needs to come home

Jah: Mama already said yes

There was no need to even argue. That woman had lost her mind over that baby. So had Pops. When he found out it was a boy, he left us all in the doctor’s office and sat in the car and cried. When I had my son, the anger that Pops had for me changed into something neither of us could name. There were days when Pops looked at me, and I could tell he was remembering exactly what happened in my kitchen. Then my son would reach for him, and he found a way through another day around each other.

It was months after my son was born when he popped up at my house and admitted that he was wrong. That the streets had taken more than enough from him. Not having his sons had really aged him, and he hadn't been himself. I still didn't feel any regret for what I did. It was what Rah would've wanted. Shameek liked for months to everyone. He died the way he deserved.

Averie and I had bonded over grief. We both lost men who took Rah away from us. I was responsible for killing them both. We went on weekly lunch dates just to keep each other company. She invited me to Kaiden’s games now and kept my son when she was free to. We cried, hugged, and became sisters. Then there was Ryleigh; I still had my weekends with her. Raya was working, and so far, we hadn't gotten into another argument. She was nicer, and I was still trying to figure out how to take it. She was able to bring Ryleigh to the baby shower and family dinners with no smart remarks. I would say we were all doing well.

Lloyd and I were still friends. I wasn’t in the space to start any relationships any time soon, and he respected it. He loved my son just like he had his blood running through his veins. It was good to know that he would have a man in his life who had no connection to the streets. Lloyd and I still did business together and made a lot of things disappear. I still wasn’t sure what he and Pops talked about that night I killed Shameek. Whatever it was, nothing else was said about Q or Shameek. There was an article that came out about District 12, and shortly after, it was sold. I dissolved the distributions without Pop’s permission. It was for the real King’s legacy. Kaiden, Khari, Ryleigh, and my son. They deserved to grow up without anything hanging over their heads because of their dad’s last name. For so long, the King men thought legacy meant territory, money, and fear. The reign of the street Kings was over.

The End