Because I Love You

by A'zayler

  Myeisha was thirstier than a muthafucka.

  Azayna laughed and playfully shrugged. “Maybe some other time.”

  “Maybe some other time what?” Master asked as he walked up behind Azayna and wrapped his arms around her body.

  I watched the way he kissed up and down the back of her neck, whispering shit to her that had her smiling. What was that shit about? He really showed these women affection? That was crazy as hell to me. Like, he was real live hugging and kissing on Azayna like she was his woman. Lovey type of affection. I wasn’t feeling that at all.

  “I was telling Dream she should have left that romper at home and hung out like the rest of the women,” Myeisha filled Master in, probably hoping he would make her change.

  He smiled and kissed the side of Azayna’s face again. “I keep trying to tell my baby she’s beautiful as hell and people want to see her.” He kissed her again. “You sure you don’t want to go change for me?”

  I squinted when she looked at me before shaking her head from side to side.

  “Come on, do it for daddy, baby.” Master was back in her ear, and the shit was irritating me.

  “Let me go grab one of these burgers.” I walked off.

  I wasn’t about to stand there and watch that mess. He was kissing her in the exact same spot I’d put my lips the other night in the party house. Stuff like that was why I stayed to myself. These women were for everybody, especially Master’s. Once I hit the grill and the open bar to grab a beer, I headed toward the gate to leave.

  “Young gunna, you out?” Master yelled to me.

  I turned around but kept walking backward. “Yeah.”

  “Come on now, you ain’t got a minute to hang out with ya people?” He smiled at me like I was about to change my mind.

  With one of his arms still around Azayna, and the other out in the air, he looked just like the pimp he was.

  “Ain’t nothing but some fun. At least eat your food here.”

  I looked all around the yard, searching for a secluded place sit and still be able to see before I agreed to stay. When I found two empty lawn chairs in the corner, I obliged.

  “Aight, I’ll chill.”

  All of them starting cheering and acting dumb. As bad as I didn’t want to, I laughed. They were hell. In the midst of my laughter, my eyes found hers. I was able to catch a small twinkle before she looked away. She was obviously still a little unsure of my opinion of her and was waiting to follow my lead. If that were the case, she’d be waiting for a minute because I wasn’t sure where I was headed with her either, mainly because of the way she’d just been letting that nigga Master kiss all on her. That had annoyed the hell out of me.

  No woman of mine would allow that type of behavior, or else I was punching her ass. Azayna included. She wasn’t mine, but she knew what was up. We had some kind of stupid understanding that she kept bucking on, which made me mad.

  I talked to a few of my other people in passing as I headed for the chairs. I was in the middle of opening one of the little packets of mayonnaise for my burger when I saw her walking toward me. She had her arms folded and even looked to be pouting a little bit.

  “Before you even come over here offering your li’l company, I’m good. Go tell daddy that shit.” My tone was past nasty as I spoke to her.

  Her nose turned up, and her smile disappeared. “Boy, fuck you.” She plopped down on the end of my chair, making my plate bounce up.

  “Had my burger fell, I was gon’ knock your ass onto this pavement.”

  She looked down at my food with a frown on her face. “I’ll spit on that shit.”

  “And I’ll kill your muthafucking ass.”

  See, that was that shit that kept me at her throat. She was literally the only person in Dade who would talk to me like that. Everybody else knew better and obviously loved their life. I sucked my teeth. What the hell else could I expect from somebody who fucked for a living? It was clear as hell that she didn’t care about life. No wonder she was always on whatever I was on.

  Azayna sucked her teeth before leaning forward, resting her elbows on her knees, and answering her ringing phone. It was a Facetime call.

  “Zayyyy, what’s up, baby boo?” That was Zebrina’s cheerful singing.

  “Nothing, baby. Just at this stupid cookout entertaining these boring ass niggas.”

  “Ain’t shit boring but that tired ass wig on your fucking head,” I shot at her.

  She didn’t have to tell me that little boring comment was meant for me. I already knew it. Just like I knew if she thought she was about to sit up under me and get on my fucking nerves, she had me fucked up.

  “Nigga, my wig ain’t tired.”

  “Ooooh, Azayna, who called your wig tired?” Zebrina was laughing hard as hell as she questioned her.

  “This wicked witch from the fucking south ass nigga.”

  I was biting my burger when she turned her phone in my direction so that Zebrina could see me. I winked at Zebrina just before I kicked her phone out of her hand.

  “Egypt! Why you do that?” she whined while leaning down to pick it up. “I should slap the shit out of you.” I watched her flip her phone around and inspect it for damage. I hoped it was broke.

  “Do it and die.” I stared at her for a minute before reaching for her phone. “Let me talk to Zebrina, so I can check on my nigga. I ain’t got time for your stankin’ ass.”

  I took the phone without waiting for a reply. “Aye, Brina, how’s my boy?”

  “He’s better. They’re probably going to let him go home tomorrow.”

  I nodded. I had been worried about BB since Zebrina had called and told me he was in the hospital again. I knew about his illness, and it worried the fuck out of me. BB was a strong nigga who was rarely down, so whenever he had to take a few days, I already knew what was good. He liked to act hard, but Zebrina didn’t play when it came to his health.

  “Aight, I’ma swing by tonight. Y’all need me to bring anything when I come?”

  I watched Zebrina look away from the phone and talk to BB. When she began to move, I waited for BB’s face to appear. When it did, I smiled.

  “Look at your bitch ass laid up like a hoe.”

  His skin was a little pale, and his eyes looked tired as he smiled back. “Kiss my ass, nigga. The fuck you on the phone with my wife for anyway?”

  “Checking on your sick ass. You need something?”

  He shook his head, but I heard Zebrina in the background telling me to bring him a smoothie. He looked at her, and even through his obvious discomfort, he smiled at her lovingly. It was mad contagious how he loved her. Every time I was stuck around the two of them together, it made me consider a relationship, but just as quickly as it came, it left.

  “I’ll get you one. I’m about to leave here anyway.”

  “Where you at?” he questioned.

  “Master’s house with all this pussy for sale.” I eyed Azayna when she smacked her teeth and rolled her eyes. “Fuck you rolling your eyes all hard for? I ain’t lying.”

  “You make me so sick. Li’l bitty short fucker.”

  Before I could even stop myself, not that I wanted to, I threw the phone at her, and it hit her in the chest. She grabbed her chest and her phone, cussing the whole way.

  “Get that raggedy shit.”

  “I swear I hate you. You’re so bipolar.” She shook her head and turned away from me before going back to her phone call. “Bitch, ain’t nothing this nigga doing that funny.”

  Zebrina snorted as she laughed, and it was so cute that I had to laugh. My soft chuckle was obviously loud enough for Azayna to hear because she cut her eyes at me.

  “Fuck you laughing at?”

  “That tired ass wig and that li’l five-dollar Rainbow romper you got on.”

  “You ain’t funny with your bitch ass.”

  Oh, see, hell nah. She was going too far now. I put my burger down and everything. I was about to fuck her up, and I think she could tell because
that li’l smirk on her face was gone.

  “If you touch me, you’re going to have to deal with Master.”

  “Bitch, you tripping if you think I give a fuck about that nigga.” I grabbed the side of her arm and snatched her to me. When she was inches away from my face, I gritted my teeth. “You ever in your hoe ass life disrespect me again, I’ll bury you and Master.”

  I let her go and was standing to my feet when Master walked up like I wouldn’t end his ass too.

  “Everything good?” he asked while looking between us.

  “Yeah, I’m out.” I walked away.

  He could nurse her all he wanted, but I wasn’t going to wait on it. She could tell him just what I’d said because I would repeat it. After throwing my stuff in the trash, I headed for Master’s crib. I needed to take a piss before I took that long drive back to my side of town. Master’s estate was laid, but it was deep in the country. The cool air felt like Heaven when I entered the house.

  Since I’d been there a million times in the past, I knew exactly where I was going. It didn’t take me long to pee, so I was in and out. When I came out, Dream was standing near the door. I frowned because I didn’t know what she wanted, but if it were to continue her little fight from outside, I would gladly choke her out. I was getting ready to walk right past her, but she grabbed my hand.

  “Master must have taught y’all to grab on a nigga or something? All y’all keep putting y’all hands on me.”

  “Who else touched you?” she asked a little too aggressively.

  “Why?”

  She looked away while playing with the string of her bikini top. “No reason. I just didn’t think you did prostitutes.”

  She was lying to save her face and doing a horrible job at it, but I ain’t say shit. Her tone and aggressive body language had told on her as soon as she’d asked. She wanted to know because she liked me. That much I knew.

  “I don’t, which is why I sent her on her way.” I didn’t have to reassure her, but I did anyway.

  She looked at me then. A small smile tugged at the side of her mouth. “Which one was she?”

  “Why? You must gon’ fight her?”

  She laughed, and I rubbed my chin. I needed something to give me a distraction from smiling with her. She and I didn’t even rock like that, and we both knew it. We’d just been about to kill each other a couple of minutes ago, and now we were smiling and shit. Crazy. I assumed Master sent her on my trail to make up for it.

  “For you.” She looked at me and paused. “For you, Egypt, I’d definitely fight her.”

  There she was with that for me stuff. Women loved to throw that on you to make you feel special. She probably told all her tricks that.

  “The chick with the purple hair.”

  She nodded and looked away but not before rolling her eyes. “Okay, I got her.”

  “You ain’t got shit.”

  Her smile returned, and she directed it at me. “Now, you already know if I can’t do nothing else, I can fight.” She laughed. “That’s all I do.”

  “Shameful.”

  “Why?” Her tone grew optimistic.

  “There’s more to life than that.”

  Her eyes did the same droopy thing it had done in the club and again at the library the other day. How did she go from happy to sad that fast? What had I said to prompt it? I’d cursed her out way worse, and she hadn’t looked fazed by it in the least.

  “I’ll never know.” She shrugged before looking back at me. “You finna’ go?”

  I nodded.

  “You should have stayed and hung out with me for a little while.”

  I frowned. “Is that like the hoe pick up line? Purple hair said the same shit.”

  “I don’t even know why I try with you. You are so fucking rude, Egypt. Bye!”

  She stomped off in her cheap ass flip flops, and I didn’t give one damn. Fuck her. I was about to leave anyway. On my way out the backyard, I dapped up my people and headed for my whip. The driveway was lined with cars, but mine was in the back, so I was good. I was in the car and pulling out of the driveway when I noticed Azayna walking from the back.

  She was still on the phone, but she was walking toward the street. Clearly, about to walk somewhere because I didn’t see anyone out there waiting on her. I watched her for a minute before I pulled out. She heard my engine just as I was about to pass her because she looked over at me.

  “What you looking at?” she asked nastily.

  “Not a damn thing, just a hoe on her stroll.” I laughed at her and sped off.

  I could see her in my rearview yelling and fussing, but I couldn’t hear her. She’d asked for that. If she wanted my respect, she would have to pick a new job. Other than that, she was just a dirty hoe with no morals and no money for good shoes.

  Once I was out of her presence, my mind calmed down, and I was able to think about all the other stuff I had going on. I’d been hitting a couple of different people up in search of some new connections but had hit a brick wall at every turn except the one I didn’t want.

  Auto had hit me up earlier that morning talking about working with that nigga Pat again, and I just didn’t want any parts of that. He had been on some fuck gang get money shit, but that wasn’t my style. Ever since he’d been in jail, he’d been on some other stuff. Always trying to preach to me about seeing life through different lenses and all that other jailhouse influenced bullshit that I didn’t care to hear.

  The only reason I even entertained him enough to hear the majority of it was due to the possibility of making money. I was all about that. I’d told him I’d run it by BB to get his thoughts and get back to him about it. He hadn’t been too happy about that because Auto didn’t feel like he had to consult with anybody on anything. I, on the other hand, was all for wisdom.

  He’d been the same way with Master when we were younger. Though I could understand that part, BB was nowhere near similar to Master. BB was street and book smart. He saw things from all angles and looked out for me no matter what, which was why I was about to run it by my big homie, sick and all.

  “Blaze muthafucking Black. What’s good, OG?” I greeted him as soon as I walked in the door. “Mrs. BB, what’s good, mama?”

  BB held his fist out for a pound while Zebrina walked over and gave me a hug. I took a seat on the bottom of his bed and turned to face him so we could talk. Zebrina had taken his smoothie from me and was putting the straw in it so that she could give it to him.

  “Ready to go home,” he told me while sitting up some more in the bed.

  He looked better than he’d looked on the phone, and I was happy about that. I let him enjoy some of his drink before getting down to more pressing matters. Many would think I was shallow for talking business while he was laid up, but BB would appreciate it. He hated to be treated like a patient.

  “I got a call today about some money,” I started and waited for him to pick up.

  I wasn’t sure if he wanted to talk about this stuff in front of Zebrina, so I didn’t want to go full throttle just yet.

  “I’m listening,”

  “You want me to give y’all some privacy, baby?”

  We both looked at Zebrina when she spoke. BB shook his head and reached his hand out to her. She took it and let him pull her to him. He kissed the back of her hand before looking back at me. Since that was an obvious go, I continued.

  “It’s the nigga Pat. Auto knows some nigga in the pen who is affiliated with that fool, and they’ve been talking some numbers and shit. I’m sure you already know how I feel about it, but I wanted to hear your take on it first. You think shit out better than me. My first and only thought is if he Crip, I don’t trust him.”

  BB nodded and looked in Zebrina’s direction again. I wasn’t sure what for. Maybe he was thinking, or maybe he was about to dismiss her. When he kissed her hand again and winked, I assumed he was thinking.

  “I’d have to meet this fool first. I need to get a feel of who he is as a man fi
rst. I can’t do business with a nigga I don’t even know. Some shit can be handled off the strength of Blood, but he ain’t even that, so it’s a hell no for me right now.”

  “Same stuff I thought.”

  “Auto, how’s he holding up? He straight on his books and shit?”

  I nodded. “Most definitely. You know that goes without asking for me.”

  “Solid.”

  I scratched my head and looked over at Zebrina. “They need to hurry up and let that nigga out, though, for real because he’s been trying to persuade me to find a girlfriend and fall in love and a whole bunch of other sucker shit. I don’t know what’s wrong with him.” I frowned in confusion.

  Zebrina and BB both laughed at me. Her harder than him, but I could tell he was tickled because BB wasn’t really a laugher. He was always too calm to find the humor in anything.

  “Egypt, you are such a special case. Why do you think something’s wrong with him?” Zebrina sat in the bed next to BB and scooted so close that she was damn near on his lap.

  “I mean, it has to be. He’s always been a boo’d up type of nigga because of my sister, but now he’s trying to push that junk off on me.” I shook my head. “Something has to be mentally wrong with my boy. He’s crashing out bad talking like that to me.”

  Zebrina laughed so hard that she ended up leaning her head on BB’s shoulder. After looking at how hard she was laughing, he laughed a little more too. The way his eyes lit up watching her was exactly what I was trying to stay away from.

  “See, look at y’all.” I got off the bed. “Let me get up before it gets on me.”

  “Egypt,” Zebrina called my name with a smile on her face. “You need love. Everyone does.”

  “I love y’all. BB, you love me, don’t you?”

  He nodded with a smirk on his face. “No doubt.”

  My eyes went back to his wife. “As long as my niggas love me.”

  “Azayna loves you.”

  My face dropped, and she really fell over laughing then. “Fuck her. You should have seen her over there letting Master kiss her up and shit.” I turned my nose up. “Fuck her.”

  “Aww, you like her too.” Zebrina nodded like she knew something that I didn’t. “She’ll stop for you.”