Spinning around she lifted her shirt and sports bra, flashing her perky breasts. “Yep. Now, come catch me.”
“Oh, I’ma fuck you up!” he declared, while glancing around, making sure that no one had seen her. He then raced after her, and she picked up the speed.
Like two big kids, they ran through the park, until he caught her. Using his strong back, he lifted her up, holding her bridal style, while she held onto his neck. For his efforts, Kim decided that she’d fuck his brains out right there in the Benz. He’d clearly earned it, carrying her heavy ass, and putting an unexpected smile on her face.
***
Using his key, Rashad entered the apartment. Immediately, the aroma of potent exotic weed enticed his senses.
“I see yall blowing early in the morning,” he commented.
Lifting her head from the couch, Connie subtly smiled. “Hey, baby. What’s up?”
Studying her face, Rashad knew that she was already stoned. Unfortunately, it came as no surprise. Her eyes still held pain that he knew all too well, and if it wasn’t for Kim and his kids, his eyes would probably mirror hers. However, he’d learned to live again and carry Zoe’s memories with him, instead of harping on his demise. The same couldn’t be said for Connie, as she now buried her problems in one pharmaceutical drug or another.
“Nothing much,” Rashad replied, as he reached down into his jeans, retrieving a sizable bag of weed. Tossing it onto the coffee table, he glanced around the living room. “That should be enough to hold yall down for the week. You got the money?”
Connie nodded, as she unzipped her fanny pack, and grabbed a knot of cash. Reaching over, she handed him the money. Without bothering to count the money, he stuffed it into his jeans. Seconds later, Connie’s niece waltzed into the living room, puffing on a blunt.
“Big Money Shad, what’s up?” she spoke, as she switched around in striped spandex booty shorts. Although she possessed a slender caramel brown frame, her ass was pretty fat, which was made obvious in her attire.
“What’s poppin’, Kass?” he questioned. “How them pills moving?”
“Like water,” she claimed.
He nodded in satisfaction, glad about his decision to let her push his pills and weed for him. “That’s what’s up.”
Initially, Rashad had been leery about setting up shop at Zoe’s mama’s apartment, but Connie insisted that she needed the money. The old Connie had boundaries and would often preach about not shitting where you lay your head. However, without her son there, which had perhaps been her reason for using certain precautions, her old rules had seemingly been tossed out. Now she was doing whatever to make it.
Kass was a close cousin of Zoe’s and was incarcerated around the time he was murdered. She and Zoe were the same age and had done plenty of dirt together. Therefore, Rashad knew her well too, so he had no problems letting her in on his hustle when she asked to be down. So, now, she stayed there with Connie, helping her move the weed and pills. Technically, they worked for Rashad, but he never used such terminology, especially since they were like family to him.
Gazing at Kass, Rashad squinted. “Aye, you ready?”
“Uh, yeah,” Kass claimed, as the blunt dangled from her lips. She slid her feet into a pair of Adidas, before twisting over to him. “Come on.”
He examined the scarf wrapped around her head, while a long weave ponytail hung freely, stemming from the crown of her head. “Say, you sure you ready?”
She lowered her eyes into slits. “Yeah. Why you ask that?”
Her smirked, as he shook his head. “No reason, man. Bring ya ass.”
“Kay,” she smiled, before glancing back at Connie. “Be right back.”
“Alright. Bring me something to eat back,” Connie spoke with a slur, which was a clear indication that she’d been sipping codeine.
“Okay, anty, I got you,” Kass promised, as she and Rashad stepped outside.
“What’s up, Rashad, my nigga,” some random cat spoke.
Rashad offered a simple head nod and kept it moving. He really hated how the hood was now showing fake love. So many niggas were dick-riding and shamelessly smiled in his face. He saw through it all, and knew that they all were just waiting on the perfect opportunity to take his place.
Kass tittered, as they climbed into his Benz. “I see the money aint changed you. You still don’t fuck with too many people.”
“Gotta keep the snakes out the grass.” He brought the engine to life.
“Yeah, I hear you,” she breathed.
While sliding his tongue across his teeth, he backed out of the parking space. “But yeah, what’s been up with Connie? She wakes up sipping on shit?”
Kass scratched the side of her face. “Yeah, pretty much. You know that’s how she copes. I doubt she’ll ever be the same without Zoe. The shit is fucked up, and she’s just struggling to get through most days.”
He exhaled. “That’s crazy, and I really hate that shit for her. Shit, I used to wake up feeling fucked up too. Kim is the only reason I was able to step out of the darkness.”
Kass smirked. “Ole Kimberly, huh? Every time we see you it’s always Kim, Kim, Kim, but you never bring her ass around. You be making her sound like a saint and shit. You and Connie, and she don’t even know the girl. But me…I’m still tripping out on the time she answered your phone, telling me that you was knee deep in her pussy.”
Rashad leaned his head sideways. “Aww, shit. There you go.”
“No, for real. You always talk about how she’s a good girl, but she answers your phone, sounding like a real live thot.”
He chuckled. “I never said she was a virgin, Kass.”
“Well, we both know that she’s far from that. I’m just saying. She be on Instagram, fronting like she’s married to a lawyer or something. Posting pictures of them cute ass babies. Showing plates of homecooked meals. Displaying yall lil’ suburban life.”
“And what’s wrong with that?”
“The shit is fake. That’s all. She’s projecting out a image. I know she be fronting.”
He furrowed his brows. “You sure about that?”
“Hell, yeah.”
“How so?”
“Cause…she’s with your ass. So, I know she gotta have another side to her. And my point was proven when I checked out her homegirl’s page. I looked back a tad, and found a video of your good girl shaking her ass. She seems quite good at it, too.”
“Say, you nosier than a muthafucka.”
“Yeah, I know. And your girl’s friends know some people with money. I’m kind of surprise that she don’t be going out with them.”
“Yeah, she prefers to chill at the crib.”
Kass pursed her lips. “And I bet you love that shit, huh? A good obedient bitch that never leaves the house.”
“Man, watch out. It aint shit like that. She can go wherever she wanna go. She just chooses not to.”
“So, you’d be alright with her going out? You wouldn’t trip?”
“Nah, I wouldn’t.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Uh huh, tell me anything.”
Rashad pulled in front of a house. “Whatever, man. Get out my business, anyway. Now, run in the spot, and grab my money, like a good girl.”
Rolling her eyes, Kass gave him the finger, before easing out of the truck. Shaking his head, he watched her jog into the house. It was funny how women were so nosy to him. Everybody would waste their time trying to use social media as a tool to peek into his life. Thankfully, Kim kept a low profile, keeping everybody guessing. Still, for whatever reason all eyes were on them, as people tried to figure them out.
Keeping Kim out of the way had been a personal goal of Rashad’s. The only thing he wanted her to experience was the fruits of his labors. She didn’t need to be in the streets with him, in the mix, becoming the talk of the hood. He had no aspirations for them to be considered hood royalty. He just wanted to eat good, while sharing the wealth with his girl and their kids
. Therefore, he loved that Kim didn’t come back to the hood to visit. Hell, he already had to watch his back, and looking after her would’ve been another hassle that he could do without. So, he was thankful every day for a girl who gave him minimal headaches and huge doses of pussy.
“Here you go,” Kass huffed, as she climbed back into the truck, tossing a bundle of cash into his lap.
Rashad nodded. “The count was on point?”
“Yep.”
“Cool, cool. I’m finna run by one more spot before I drop you back off at the crib. I gotta get home. We’ll do the rest of the runs when I get off work tomorrow.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, my God. This nigga here.”
He cut his eyes at her. “What was that?”
“You cutting the runs short to go home and eat dinner or some shit? You be on some trip shit sometimes, my boy.”
He chuckled. “Watch out, girl. Quit trying to fucking play me. I just got obligations and the runs can wait. It’s that simple. Besides, you know that I aint pulling up in the Benz when we go to most of the other spots. So, it’s best to wait ‘til tomorrow, anyway.”
“Yeah, whatever.” She shrugged. “You know if you rocking then I’m rolling, but don’t act like you aint catering to ole Kimberly.”
He tilted his head sideways. “Call it what you wanna call it. I’m just learning how to keep the peace. If she aint asking for much, then I’m obliging all lil’ requests. It just makes shit easier for me. Simple shit like this can dictate the flow of the whole week. I had to learn this shit. And when you know better, you do better.”
Chapter 5
“I’m still trying to figure out why you love pulling up over here in this raggedy ass car,” Kass groaned.
Rashad nixed her off, as he swooped into a parking spot. Taking a deep breath, he glanced her way. “And I’m still trying to figure out who you trying to impress over here. This is Haverstock, Kass. The fucking projects. This definitely aint the only beat up Buick passing through this muthafucka.”
“Yeah, but I aint gotta ride in them other muthafuckas,” she complained.
Rashad shook his head, as he pushed his door open. “Tough titty.”
Realizing that she was wasting her breath, Kass eased out of the car. As usual, she led the way, traveling up to the third-floor apartment. Like always, Rashad wore his work uniform with his name tag missing. At this point, he was a familiar face, but people had him pegged as some broke lame, who came through to poke on a local hood rat.
After stepping to the door, Kass used a key to gain entry. She and Rashad then tipped into the apartment.
“What’s poppin’?” Alize questioned, as she sat on the couch, smoking a blunt. She was a short, chocolate, stacked, and heavily tatted girl. She and Kass had met through their exes and she had been elated when asked to pump weed and pills out of her apartment. Now, she didn’t have to work and could get high every day for free.
“What’s up?” Kass spoke, while Rashad said nothing, as he headed to the back of the apartment, where the money was supposed to be waiting for him to count it.
“Nothing,” Alize exhaled, blowing smoke from her nostrils. “But what’s up with his funny acting ass? One day he speaks, then the next he don’t.”
Kass waved a hand, as she flopped down on the couch. “Girl, you never know with his moody ass.”
“Well, his rude ass should’ve hit this first,” Alize giggled.
Kass smiled, while playing stupid. She knew that Rashad viewed Alize as a rat, so he didn’t fuck with her. But for several reasons, she couldn’t tell her girl that. Hell, Alize didn’t even know that she was peddling Rashad’s products. She thought that it all belonged to Kass and that was exactly how Rashad wanted it. He had her acting as his spokesperson, while everybody slept on him, giving him complete advantage.
“Bitch, let me hit that,” Kass expressed, before the front door was pushed open.
Alize rolled her eyes, as her boyfriend Bugg along with two of his boys waltzed into her apartment. In between his recreational cocaine usage and constant cheating, she was just about done with his ass, but it had been like pulling teeth to get rid of him. His ass flat out refused to leave and she was beginning to detest the mere sight of him.
“Come on,” Bugg told his boys, while failing to acknowledge his girl or her company. “Yall follow me to the back.”
Alize pursed her lips, while the men strolled past them, never bothering to speak. Meanwhile, Rashad was in Alize’s room with the door closed and locked. He sat counting every cent she’d set aside for him, because he didn’t trust Alize as far as he could throw her. He was about to wrap things up, when he heard clear voices coming from the next room, which was Alize’s daughter’s.
“Man, I’m telling yall, that nigga Taz got all the bread. He stops by that spot every Wednesday like clockwork. We can hit him this coming week. If this shit goes right, I can leave this bitch over here, and never look back…”
Rashad sat listening intently, before gathering his money. Then once he decided that he’d heard enough, he hopped up and headed to the living room. “Say, Kass, let’s burn.”
“Okay,” Kass sighed, climbing to her feet.
He turned to Alize. “Aye, the count was on point, and shit, so I aint got no problems there. But we can’t do no more business with you, until you and ole boy call it quits. He’s bad for business.”
“What?” Alize frowned in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about ya nigga, that’s what,” he responded curtly, before glancing at Kass. “Let’s get the fuck, man.”
Alize gasped. “Kass, is that how it’s gonna go?”
Kass opened her arms. “I don’t have no control over this, friend. He makes the calls. Sorry.”
“But what happened?” Alize questioned confusingly.
“He just brings too much rift raft in and out of here,” Rashad claimed, as headed for the door. “We out.”
Together Rashad and Kass exited the apartment, leaving Alize stumped, while her boyfriend was in the back of her apartment, plotting to rob the nigga who had a hand in keeping the lights on in their residence.
***
Sitting back reclined in the driver’s seat of his Benz, Rashad listened to the phone ring.
“That nigga still aint answering?” Bogus questioned, after watching him end the call on his cell.
“Nah,” Rashad breathed, as he scratched the side of his head. “That nigga haven’t answered all day—” he got out, before his cell rang.
Glancing down at his screen, he saw that Taz was finally hitting him back. “Hello,” he answered.
“Yeah, what’s up?” Taz asked with a hint of urgency in his voice.
“Aye, are you gonna swing by the car wash today? I need to holler at you face to face.”
“Not today, home boy. I’m tied up.”
“I hear you, man, but this really can’t wait. I really need to rap with you.”
“And I feel that…but today’s baby’s birthday and she’s demanding a nigga’s undivided attention. Any other day would be cool, but she aint hearing it today. It’s her day, ya feel me?”
“Damn,” Rashad sighed heavily. “Say, I feel you, but I swear this shit can’t wait. As a man, I can’t let you walk around in the blind like this.”
“Taz,” a feminine voice groaned in the background. “Get off the damn phone.”
“Alright, baby, just give me one second,” Taz pleaded.
Rashad sat listening, as it sounded like Taz was moving around, attempting to secure some form of privacy.
“Hello.”
“Yeah, my nigga, I’m here.”
Taz cleared his throat. “Okay, look, my gal aint finna let me out of her sight today. The shit just aint happening. I promised her that all business was on pause today. I only called you back, cause you kept calling and shit. I figured that you wouldn’t hit me up, unless it was something important. So, I tell you what. You heard of
Paris’ Jay Spot?”
“I aint been there, but I heard that bitch be jumping,” Rashad admitted.
“Okay, well, that’s my people’s spot. My gal is having a party there tonight. You come up there and we’ll chop it up in person. How about that?”
Rashad tapped the tip of his nose. “Alright, that’s a bet.”
“Cool, cool. But say, bring ya gal with ya. You know, to keep my gal from bitching. If she sees a new face around and we ease off to talk, she’ll know what’s up. You bringing your girl will make her feel like I really invited yall to party and shit. Ya feel me?”
Rashad chuckled. “Yeah, I got you. I’ma bring my gal.”
“A’ight, that’s what’ up, man. See you in a lil’ bit, then.”
“Bet.” Rashad ended the call and glanced at Bogus. “You heard that shit?”
“Hell, yeah,” Bogus yawned.
“So, are you falling off in that bitch with us?”
Bogus nodded. “Shit, I was going, regardless. Ole girl’s party is gonna be off the fuckin’ hook, nigga. You sleep.”
Rashad nixed his boy off, as he thought of how difficult it was going to be to drag Kim’s ass out of the house.
***
“Damn, look at that fuckin’ line,” Rashad mumbled, as he pulled in front of Paris’ Jay Spot.
Kim glanced at all the people waiting to get into the club and shook her head. “I’m still trying to figure out why I had to come here with you. Ion know these people.”
“I told you to call your bopping ass girls up here to keep you company. I bet this is their kind of scene.”
“It’s too last minute for that. I’m sure they already had plans, so I didn’t bother. And now you got me going in here with a bunch of broads that I don’t know from a hole in the wall,” she pouted.
Leaning over, he kissed her lips. “Quit all that fussing. I told you why. I need you here. Do this for daddy, okay? Be a good a girl and I’ll let you sit on my face, until you get tired tonight.”
She cut her eyes at him. “Nigga, please. You gotta come harder than that. You be wanting me to sit on your damn face, anyway, so stop it.”
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