Chapter 75

Kadeem

Kadeem worked diligently, despite the fog in his head that made everything seem to move a little slower. He wrapped Mateo's knee and handed him one of the ice packs Dylan had brought in before Kadeem had shooed him back to work at the gym.

They'd taken over one of the group rooms. Kadeem's head throbbed with an intensity he rarely felt, and even his eyes were hurting now. He let out a sigh as he flipped off the bright overhead light, allowing the fading evening light to provide just enough illumination.

Rayburn was slumped over and managed to glower at Kadeem, despite the fact that he only had one good eye at the moment to glower with. He held an ice pack against the swollen eye and his nose had stopped bleeding.

He appeared more than fine, in Kadeem's opinion, who had seen far worse. What's more, Rayburn was lucky Kadeem had been in enough street-fights, sparring matches, and boxing bouts to stay measured and restrained, even if he was seething with rage. Kadeem knew exactly where and how to deliver a punch or land a kick, depending on if he needed to inflict serious harm or just dole out some pain.

Despite that fact, Kadeem felt more than ashamed of how much it had terrified Ardal, that he'd made Mateo collateral damage, and that the entirety of it had transpired outside of his business.

Ardal returned from her phone call to the kids' nanny out in the hallway, bringing an icy chill of anger at Kadeem back with her.

She immediately glued herself to Rayburn's side. He appeared to ham it up for her, talking in a whispery tone, as though he was too weak to speak in a normal voice, and whimpering slightly as she attempted to clean some of the blood from his face.

Sighing heavily, Kadeem shuffled over with the first aid kit clutched in his arm. Rayburn peered at him suspiciously as he approached. Kadeem crouched down beside him and held out his index and middle fingers in front of his face.

"How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Two," Rayburn said tersely. "I'm not concussed," he paused for a moment as he stared into Kadeem's eyes. "You on the other hand, definitely are. Your pupils are unfocused and dilated."

Kadeem scowled and stood back up, fumbling inside the first aid kit for some alcohol pads, ointment, and gauze.

He bent down again to tend to Rayburn's lacerated knuckles, but Rayburn withdrew his hands back sharply.

"All I needed was access to the first aid materials," Rayburn said. "I'm a physician." He lifted his chin high with wounded pride.

It was the most wounded thing about him, Kadeem thought.

Kadeem snorted and ripped open a packet of antiseptic wipes, not bothering to hide the belligerent role of his eyes. "Yeah, and now you're the patient."

Kadeem pressed an alcohol swab to Rayburn's raw knuckles, savoring the thrill when Rayburn gasped at the burning pain.

Ardal lurched forward, her face twisted with fury as she snatched up the medical supplies in one swift motion. She glared at Kadeem before turning her attention to Rayburn. "I'll take care of him," she said.

Kadeem began to interject, but Ardal cut him off.

"All I needed was your help getting Jack in here. And do you really think he wants you anywhere near him now?" Ardal raised her eyebrow.

"Trust me, sweetheart, that feeling is mutual," Kadeem snapped.

"Don't you belittle me with that 'sweetheart' crap," Ardal growled. "Go sit down and I'll help you in a second, too, if you'll just shut up!"

"I don't need any help," Kadeem said, turning to go. "I'm leaving to take Mateo back to the house before my meeting."

Mateo shuffled at the sound of his name. He was laying on a yoga mat, one arm slung over his eyes, his right leg propped up on a chair.

"You'd have a hell of a time trying to drive with his left leg," Kadeem said, glancing over at him.

"No way," Ardal said emphatically. "You can't drive with a concussion."

"I've been driving all day with a concussion," Kadeem said. "And no one's died yet."

"See," Ardal said, gesturing with her hand that he had a screw loose. "You don't even know what you're talking about! The fight was thirty minutes ago."

"Well, maybe I should catch you up to speed on the events last night, Chels, because I do know what I'm talking about, and your boyfriend does, too."

Rayburn sighed and rolled his one good eye. "Whatever you seem to think I've done is a bunch of horse shit. I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"Can you all just shut up?" Mateo's voice came in an exasperated growl. "I thought you'd settled your differences outside - the violent way. Let's just be done with it." He peeked his eyes out from the crook of his arm. "And Kadeem, I don't want you driving me."

Kadeem balled his fists and inhaled sharply.

"I'll take him home," Ardal said, her voice muffled by the hissing anguish emanating from Rayburn.

Kadeem's stomach twisted as he watched her. She dabbed Rayburn's knuckles gently with the antiseptic pad. Her lips pursed into a thin line as she blew air over the wounds, trying sweetly to dull the burning pain as she went.

Did Rayburn even know how lucky he was at this moment? On the contrary, he appeared totally unaware, caught up in his own suffering.

"And Jack," she said, with the hint of a smirk, "Probably not the best idea to drive with one eye." She laid down the bloodied swab and unscrewed a tube of ointment. "So it looks like I'm going to be everyone's chauffeur for the night." The lightness in her tone seemed to belie her true feelings. Kadeem knew her well enough.

"Thanks for helping them out," he said. "I'm going to get ready for my meeting. I need to walk over soon enough - and I'll get home on my own just fine, by the way."

"Hang on," Ardal said, capping the lid back onto the ointment. "Once I get the gauze on his hands, it's your turn."

She turned her attention back to Rayburn. Kadeem caught Mateo's eye, who raised his eyebrows encouragingly.

"Fine," Kadeem said, sitting down with a huff. He leaned up against the wall and closed his eyes, trying to block out the swaying sensation he'd felt since Rayburn had clocked him in the head. It felt a little like he was on a boat at sea. Once he closed his eyes, a heavy fatigue crashed over him, taking him under before he realized what was happening to fight it. Kadeem was out for the count.

When Kadeem opened his eyes again. His brain felt like butter, thick and heavy. Drained and disoriented, his eyes slowly adjusted to the cool glow of the streetlights filtering in through the window.

Where was he? He looked over where next to him, Mateo lay snoring on a yoga mat.

A spark of electricity coursed through his veins as it clicked together. Kadeem shot up with a jolt.

Frantically, Kadeem scrambled up, searching for his car keys and phone. Uncharacteristically clumsy, Kadeem stumbled around, nearly tripping over Mateo's slumbering body, sending him into fits of snorts and sputters.

"What are you doing," Mateo asked hoarsely, eyelids fluttering open.

Kadeem began rummaging through his pockets, relieved when he felt his phone and keys.

"Emergency council meeting," he said, breathlessly.

"Jason ran it for you," Mateo said, fighting to sit up.

"WHAT," Kadeem roared. "That dope?" He ran his hands through his hair and began pacing the room. "I trust him only with very specific tasks. He's not a politician or a thinker. He can't lead a fucking counsel meeting, Mateo!"

Before Mateo could answer, Kadeem kicked a pile of yoga bricks, sending them blasting through the room like exploding shrapnel.

"Calm down," Mateo said, adopting a soothing tone in a vain attempt to de-escalate him.

But Kadeem wasn't having any of it.

"I'm not going to calm down," he bellowed, dragging his hands over his face in unfettered frustration. "How do you think that looks? An emergency meeting led by my gamma?! Who's bright fucking idea was that? Fuck!"

"Hey, I wasn't in on the decision-making process!" Mateo brushed his hair out of his eyes and exhaled slowly. "I only know bits and pieces of it. I think they were just scrambling."

"Son of a bitch," Kadeem groaned, kicking the scattered trail of yoga bricks one by one.

"Just go back to sleep," Mateo said, clearly over it. He laid back down, further signaling his giving up.

"I'm not going to fall back to sleep on a goddamned yoga mat," Kadeem said, stomping towards the door as he continued to let loose a stream of profanities.

Suddenly, he remembered Mateo and marched back. "Come on," Kadeem said, grabbing Mateo's arm and hauling him up.

Kadeem sighed as they trudged slowly along. "How did this even happen," he asked.

"You passed out," Mateo said, grimacing as they walked. "That doctor you beat up said it was because of your concussion, and to let you sleep. I stayed here to keep an eye on you, and Ardal took him home."

"I'm glad everyone just listened to the evil villain," Kadeem said, both indignant and mocking.

"Oh, will you just cool it?" Mateo gritted his teeth in pain as they continued to make their way out of the health club. "You were in no shape to lead that meeting, and by the way, I was in the room with that guy long enough to see he's just a pompous nerd. Zero villain vibes."

Kadeem fought the urge to wrench Mateo's arm off of him and send him flailing to the ground. Instead, he tightened his grip around him and gave a low growl.

"Everybody's a critic."