Page 5 of Sugar Baby
“Why not?” Aunt Terry asked.
Tyreek shrugged and looked at me for help, so I spoke up.
“I think he’s not challenged enough in his current classes. When I was considering college, I wasn’t interested in taking what I felt like were unnecessary classes, but now, I wish I’d gone for the experience.”
“You have to go to school for something, Son,” Uncle Tony said. “Even if you don’t go to a four year university, you need a trade degree. How do you plan on taking care of your family?”
Tyreek chuckled. “I’m eighteen. I’m not thinking about that right now.”
“But you should be. The foundation you lay now is what you’ll build on in the future. Now if you don’t want to go to a university, we won’t make you, but you need to do something, or you’re gonna end up working a dead end job for the rest of your life.”
I was surprised he didn’t mention his plan to move to Atlanta. A part of me hoped that meant he was considering staying here. I was all for traveling and living in different places, especially while you were single and young, but Tyreek wasn’t ready for that yet. He was too wild and undisciplined. It seemed like he looked for trouble because safety and peace were boring to him. I always felt like that was because of how smart he was, and because he simply wasn’t challenged enough. Whether it was through advanced classes, sports, or hobbies, he needed more than he was being provided at school.
Once we were done with dessert, Tyreek and I headed out. It wasn’t unusual for us to spend time together, so his parents didn’t ask any questions, and I was glad. I wasn’t the best liar and always felt guilty when I had to. Truthfully, I could say me not being transparent about what was going on was a form of lying, but I was hoping things would be resolved today and we’d never have to go through something like this again.
BigXthaPlug played as I drove to the meetup spot. I wouldn’t say I wasn’t nervous, but I also didn’t feel like things would go horribly wrong. Tyreek had finally told me who he’d gotten the weed from and learning that it was Cash made me feel better. Though he was lethal, powerful, and dangerous, Cash was also known as a man of principles and integrity.
It was kind of like an oxymoron to know the same man who chose to beat a man with his bare hands before pulling a pistol was the same one who paid for peoples’ groceries, did food drives, and talked to the youth at schools. Had it been someone else, I probably would have felt like they’d still try to hurt or kill us even after I paid the money. Mypeace in this moment came from hoping Cash would take the money and leave.
When we pulled into the parking lot, Tyreek grabbed my wrist. “Let me handle it, cuzzo.”
Chuckling, I shook my head as I cut my car off. “No. Me even having to pay this is because you tried to handle it yourself.”
He sucked his teeth with his spoiled ass and released me. “I’on want him thinking I’m not a man and I can’t handle my own shit.”
“You aren’t a man yet, Reek.” I softened my tone when I added, “You have to grow and become a man, and a part of that involves making the right choices. Can you honestly say you’ve been making the right choices lately?” His head shook as he avoided my eyes, but I gripped his chin and forced him to look in my direction. “Eye contact. I don’t care if you’re right or wrong. You look whoever is talking to you in the eyes.” He nodded. “Now you are a young man, and I got your back. We’re going to handle this, and you’re never going to put yourself in a situation like this again, right?”
“Right,” he agreed a little too quickly, causing me to roll my eyes and make him laugh.
“You do some shit like this again and?—”
“I promise I will never try to sell drugs again, Baby. Unless I work at the dispensary.”
That filled me with excitement. Squealing, I clapped. “So I can tell Beethoven about you?”
“Just . . . give me a little while to see if I can find something myself. If I can’t by the end of the month, yes.”
That damn pride.
I agreed anyway, because at least he was trying. I knew it would mean more to him if he did it on his own, so I was cool with that. Plus, it would make him feel more independent.If he couldn’t find anything, I had no problem trying to help him find a job. I really felt like the dispensary was the perfect place for him though.
Before I could open my door, that same tinted truck from yesterday pulled up. It parked on the side of my car, and a second truck pulled up on Tyreek’s side.
“Oh shit,” he muttered as four men hopped out of the trucks.
I’d never seen Cash before, so I had no idea which one was him. As one of the men made his way over to my side of the car, I gulped. He was fine as hell but definitely scary looking. Maybe scary wasn’t the right word. Serious was. He was tall, wide, and thick with a muscular build. His skin was the same shade as cashews, and his hair was braided into small plaits that hung a little past his shoulders. Dressed in all black, he ran his hand down his chest as he closed the distance between him and us.
The second my hand covered my pistol, Tyreek gripped my wrist.
“Unh uh. That’s Cash. You pull that out on him and we’re both dead.”
That’s Cash?
Oh.
He was finer than I expected, that’s for sure. He had thick brows that were naturally arched hovering over lazy eyes that looked damn near closed. His lips were juicy, and they looked so soft. And he had a short scruffy beard that connected to a mustache-goatee combo that was more pronounced. Releasing my grip on the pistol, I reached for my door, but Cash opened it.
Instead of letting me get out, he lowered himself as his arms rested against my car. His head tilted as he looked from me to Tyreek.
