“I’m making a few moves right now. I’ll get at you when I’m done.” I heard the girl huff, and he hung up.

“I’m sorry to get you in trouble with your girlfriend. We’re almost there, so I can walk the rest of the way,” I offered. It wouldn’t be the first time, and at least I was now closer than I was before. He snapped his head in my direction and that demonizing look was back on his face.

“I look like the type of nigga that can get in trouble by anybody? Fuck outta here wit’ that shit. I said I was gon’ make sure you got home safe and I’m gon’ do just that. My people would take my head off if I let you walk by yourself after I offered to help you. I’on know what kind of niggas you used to, shorty, but I’m a man of my word.” I cowered under his stare and put my head down. He seemed upset, and I didn’t have the mental capacity to deal with another’s nigga bullshit, especially one I didn’t know.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled.

“Ain’t shit to apologize for, and that wasn’t my girl.” I don’t know why he felt the need to clarify that, because I didn’t care one way or the other.

The rest of the ride to my house was quiet besides the sounds of Future flowing through the speakers. He pulled into my neighborhood effortlessly, like he’d been here before and pulled right in front of my townhouse. Just as he did, Gabe was pulling up beside him. Sighing deeply, I knew it was about to be some shit.

“You good, shorty?” he asked.

“Y…yeah. I’m fine. Thank you for the ride,” I rushed my words out and tried to get out of the car even faster. Gabe was standing at the front of his waiting with his arms folded. When I reached for the handle, he grabbed my arm, causing me to jump. He looked at me, then out the window at Gabe, before letting me go. When I got out of the car, Gabe started his shit.

“Who the fuck is that, Daizha? That don’t look like no fuckin’ Uber driver to me,” he snarled.

“That’s a co-worker that gave me a ride,” I lied. He wouldn’t believe that a stranger would be nice enough to give me a ride after he refused to.

“The fuck he still sitting there for? You fuckin’ that nigga, Daizha? That’s why you gave me that bullshit ass story about the Uber so you can be a hoe? And you wonder why I fuck other bitches because I knew you had sneaky pussy.” I was beyond embarrassed because the stranger was still there. I couldn’t see his face because of the headlights. I knew he was watching, but I wish he would just leave.

“Aye, she good, my nigga. You can leave,” Gabe yelled, towards the car. His windows were up, but I knew he heard what he said. When he rolled his window down, I knew he did.

“I ain’t ya fuckin’ nigga, so watch that shit. Aye, shorty. You good?” he asked me, and I really wish he would fuckin’ leave.

“I…I’m fine. Thank you again.” He held my gaze for a few seconds before nodding and putting his car in reverse. The breath I was unintentionally holding released, and I turned to go inside. I knew I wasn’t going to hear the end of this, so I tried to mentally prepare the best that I could.

Chapter Three

Demetric

TonightwasthenightI would meet up with Goon’s people to pick up my shipment. I paid that nigga a week ago with the full payment, so I wouldn’t hear no shit. I didn’t need no nigga thinking they had anything that they could hold over my head. This way I could see all my profit and didn’t have to give him shit but the money for my next shipment. Shit made perfect sense. I still didn’t say shit about this to Zeus because he swore I wasn’t ready for this type of shit. Handling this much artillery at once could be considered an act of terror and my black ass could possibly face RICO charges. That was the price I was willing to play.

“Why this nigga set this shit for one AM? Who the fuck does shit like that?” Kevon’s ass was always complaining, but I felt him. I had been running all day and was tired as fuck. Once we made this transaction, we would go through the inventory and stash it in our warehouse. We passed the blunt black and forth between the two of us until I saw the black semi-truck pull into the parking lot through the surveillance camera.

“At least these muthafuckas punctual,” I observed. It was one o’clock on the dot when the truck pulled up and backed up to a dock. I didn’t get up and go to the door until I saw the nigga that he said would be making the drop. Heading to the door, with Kev behind me, I unlocked the door and met this nigga at the back of the truck.

I didn’t speak, only acknowledging him with a head nod as he and his partner unloaded my shit. As they did that, his partner spoke up, pissing me the fuck off.

“Ain’t you Zeus’ boy?” he quizzed.

“I ain’t nobody’s fuckin’boy,” I snapped, ready to bash this nigga’s skull.

“My fault, cuz. I ain’t mean to disrespect you,” he smirked.

“Aye, shut the fuck up talking to me ’fore you won’t be able to finish the job you were paid to do. Bitch ass nigga.” I grumbled the last part. Not because I was scared. I was pissed the fuck off. I hated it when people said shit like that. It wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate Zeus for looking out for me like a father should. It just pissed me off that I didn’t know whoever my real pops was. Shit was a sore subject for me, along with having a hoe as a mama. Lighting the blunt that I had in the ashtray, I smoked that shit so I could calm my nerves. I knew Kev could oversee that shit by his self. Besides, I was watching them on the camera. Fifteen minutes later, he emerged to the room I was sitting in, and I passed him the blunt.

“You straight?” he asked. I nodded my response because I didn’t feel like talking about the shit.

“Don’t let that shit get to you. We just made a major move, and I need your head in this shit. Let’s look over this shit so we can get the fuck outta here. I’m ready to take my black ass to sleep.”

We left the warehouse around five in the morning, and I couldn’t get home and shower fast enough. I was gonna hit the bed so hard, I might just fall through the muthafucka.

***

I literally slept all day, and I was still tired as fuck. Sitting up on the bed, I threw my legs over the side, placing them on the carpeted floor and stretching. Picking up my phone, I saw it was after six PM. I saw that I had missed calls from Zeus, Ma Izzy, Jay, and Paris. Paris was the one with the most missed calls, so I hit her up first, already knowing she didn’t want shit.

“Baby, I was starting to worry. You weren’t answering. I was on my way over there to check on you,” she said as soon as our call connected. I frowned at the fact that she said she was going to pop up at my shit because she knew I didn’t play that shit.