Chapter One
It was a beautiful September afternoon with cloudless skies, a slight breeze, and a warm and friendly sun above. Pyro wasn’t in the best mood as he ordered two cups of hot coffee from the café downstairs from the rehabilitation facility. Mateo had been transferred to the best rehab center in the city, and Pyro was footing the bill. It had been a long few months with Mateo lying up in critical condition, and his progress was excruciatingly slow.
Pyro made his way back into the facility, strolled through the busy lobby, and took the elevator to the sixth floor, where Mateo was fighting to regain his life day by day, minute by minute, second by second. Although Mateo was awake, he wasn’t showing signs of major improvement. But Pyro couldn’t and wouldn’t give up on his friend—his brother from another mother. He needed Mateo by his side as his business partner. They had plans. They had a lot to accomplish together, and this wasn’t the end for the duo. Pyro wanted to believe that. He had to keep his head up and hopes high, especially in front of Chanel.
Chanel was a faithful and loyal girlfriend, and Pyro had nothing but respect for her. She refused to leave Mateo’s side in his darkest hour, and she was willing to take care of him. It was a love that Pyro wished he had.
When he got to Mateo’s room, Pyro saw Chanel by his bedside, praying for her man—the man she was truly in love with. It wasn’t fair. They were supposed to be honeymooning in Hawaii. Now it seemed like that dream of paradise wasn’t going to come true—not anytime soon.
“How you holding up?” Pyro asked her.
“I could be better,” Chanel replied, sadness coloring her eyes and tone.
“Don’t worry about him, Chanel. My dude is a fighter. Believe me, he ain’t going anywhere. He’s too stubborn and vain to die at his age.” Pyro held up one of the cups and said, “I bought you some coffee.”
“I’m not thirsty.”
Pyro took a sip from his coffee and nodded, the weight of the situation bearing down on him. He had taken on a lot since Mateo was shot. Pyro was solely running their business, paying for Mateo’s hospital and rehabilitation bills, and keeping Chanel and her mother booked in the luxury suite at The Manhattan hotel. The expenses were a small fortune. He wanted to keep Chanel safe because Mateo would have done the same for him, but he knew the money would have been put to better use on the streets or in the stock market. Still, with God and Charlie out there, Pyro felt he had to keep Chanel somewhere out of their reach.
“Why him?” Chanel muttered sorrowfully.
Pyro approached closer and placed his hand on Chanel’s shoulder. “I don’t know, but I know this—he’s gonna make it out of this, Chanel. He came too far to lose now. He gonna be a’ight, you feel me?”
His words carried strength to Chanel, but inside Pyro was broken up seeing his friend lying in that bed, looking nearly lifeless. Mateo had this perpetual blank stare on his face with minimal signs of recognition. Every now and then he would squeeze someone’s finger or attempt a half-smile. Pyro knew that his boy was still in the race, fighting to get his life back.
Chanel was trying to be the rock that Mateo needed her to be, but Pyro could see in her eyes that she needed just as much support as Mateo. They both were hurting over Mateo’s condition.
“Where’s ya moms?” he asked.
“She’s back at the hotel,” Chanel replied, her eyes still glued on Mateo.
Of course, Pyro thought. Bacardi barely came to support Chanel and Mateo. What she cared about was living the life of luxury via someone else’s misery and troubles.
Chanel turned to Pyro. “And speaking of that, the hotel is way too expensive for you to keep spending all your money on. It’s not necessary, Pyro. I want you to know that I appreciate all you’ve done, but it feels wrong to me. I don’t want you to think I’m taking advantage of you.”
Pyro agreed, but staring into Chanel’s chestnut brown eyes and seeing her pitiful demeanor, he just couldn’t say it out loud. “Nah, you good, Chanel. Don’t worry ’bout me, ma. Just be there for my nigga like you been doin’ and help him get better.”