Page 4 of Treason's Temptation
Ward remained in the corner, quiet and observant, while Jaleb patted my shoulder on the way out.
“This shit is crazy,” I sighed.
“You wanted to be a politician,” Ward rebutted, shaking his head. “You’ve never had problems bagging women before.”
“You must’ve lost your mind overseas if you think that’s the problem.”
“You’re the one flipping through a catalogue for dates. It’s alright if your game isn’t what it used to be. Even Jordan lost a step with age,” he taunted.
“I haven’t lost shit.”
My dilemma wasn’t about options or even losing a step. I knew once I leaped into politics, there was no turning back. My name held weight that my partner would also need to carry. I wasn’t picking just anybody for the role, even if it guaranteed a win.
“You stalling for Danielle?” Ward asked the question nobody else would.
“Why the fuck would I do that?”
Ward flashed his palms, surrendering. “You’ll find a way to make it work. You always do.”
“How does that help me right now?”
“Now the nigga who hates being told what to do wants to be told what to do.”
“Yeah, because I’m the boss. What I say goes around this bitch.”
“I’ll let you get back to your Order Me Bride,Boss. I have other shit to do.”
I knew what came with having a target on my back. I needed someone I could trust to have mine. As luck would have it, Ward was fresh out of the army. It was a no-brainer for me, killing two birds with one stone.
Ward left, leaving me to get lost in work. After lunch, I toggled between Zoom and phone calls until the end of the day. When I walked in, the sun was out. Now it was headed to rest as I climbed into the backseat.
“June better not be on bullshit tonight,” I warned, as Ward pulled onto the street.
They were cousins, but the three of us grew up together on 110th. We were inseparable until I transferred to a private school and then went to college. Ward graduated by the skin of his teeth and enlisted in the army. June had always been the hothead of the bunch and couldn’t stay out of trouble to save his life.
“Nigga been blowing me up all day like he has something good.”
“He fuckin’ better.”
It didn’t change as he got older, constantly throwing my name around to get him out of every jam. After a while, I startedmaking June earn my help. It kept my hands clean while still keeping me informed, making me a better politician.
The ride felt longer than it was. The deeper we rode in, the music spilled from a cracked window overhead, and the smell of fried food rode the breeze. We parked behind the old barbershop that’s been closed for years. It was a front now, same as most of this side of the city. June was outside, against the wall, with the gold grill flashing, and the same sharp eyes Ward had.
“You need to leave those nasty ass cigarettes alone,” I grimaced, fanning the smell of nicotine from the air.
“Well, look who the fuck it is!” June clowned as my steps neared him and his entourage. “I didn’t know you still knew your way around.”
We dapped up, and June clapped my back hard.
“You can’t beat me.”
“In this tight ass suit?”
“You lay off those Oreos and you can get one, too,” I joked, jabbing his protruding stomach.
“Fuck you,” June chuckled, shaking his head, “I still can’t believe they let this nigga con his way into office. Sneaky motherfucka.”
“It’s the wrong day for bullshit. Did you holla at K-Low?”
