Thug Luv 2

by Jazmyne

  “Jennifer, where’s Aaliyah?” Ace asked. She turned around to face him and broke down even more as she tried to describe the incident.

  “Calm down and explain to me what happened.

  “One minute we were sitting around talking. The next thing I know, she’s shoving me into the bathroom telling me whatever I hear not to come out until it was safe,” Jennifer cried. “There was scuffling for a while. Aaliyah asked why he was doing this to her. Just as fast as everything started, it ended. That’s when I called you,” Jennifer reported.

  “This shit can‘t be happening to me again,” Ace sighed. “The one person that doesn’t deserve any of this shit,” he spat.

  “Jennifer, did you get a look at the guy who did this?” Jay asked. Jennifer shook her head no.

  “But she told me if anything happened, to give you these letters,” she said as she went into her top drawer, and handed Ace both letters. “Amir, you have to save her; she’s pregnant.”

  “She’s pregnant?” Ace asked with confusion. “How come I didn’t notice?” He thought as he walked to her office.

  Ace walked into Aaliyah’s office to find it in shambles. The small trash bin was turned on its side; the chairs were turned upside down. He spotted a small bloodstain on the carpet. Ace took a seat then ripped open the letter.

  Dear Amir,

  I want you to know how much I appreciate all of the things you’ve done for me. You make me feel needed, wanted, and cared about. When you said you would never lie to me, I believed you. You are absolutely amazing. The most amazing person I have ever met. You always made sure I was smiling, laughing, and having a good time. When I’m in your arms, I feel so safe. It makes me think I’m the luckiest woman in the world to have such a remarkable man like you in my life. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life with you. Unfortunately, as you already know, things don’t always work out. You have the most caring heart. For once in my life, when you said I was beautiful, I truly believed it. It’s unbelievable how I can be myself around you and feel so close to you; I feel like we’ve known each other forever! I couldn't imagine my life without you. Honestly, I never wanted to see what that would be like. When you’re not around, all I do is think about you! I've never felt this way about anyone in my life. I've never had second thoughts or regrets about us. With all the tears and trouble we've been through, it’s been worth it because I got to share my heart with you! You’ve opened my eyes to love, trust, and happiness! I've never been as certain of anything in my life as I am about us! You have made my life complete. Ever since you walked into my life, I have been smiling. Baby, I want you to know how happy I am that you came into my life. I love you! I love everything about you: your magical eyes, the sound of your voice, and your gentle touch! I can’t stop thinking about you when we’re apart! You mean the world to me; you are the best thing that has ever happened to me, you and the twins.

  If you are reading this letter, it means something has happened. Please don’t get mad at me, but I’ve been having these eerie feelings lately. I didn’t brush them off; I just didn’t tell you because you already have so much on your plate. I told you I would always have your back and hold you down. With that being said, the twins will always be protected and safe. I promise you that much. As for me, I really don’t know what lies ahead; and it really doesn’t matter. If I die, just know you have made me extremely happy. All I ask is that you finally let go and live your life. Raise the twins; they need you. I love you.

  ~Aaliyah~

  Ace closed his eyes tightly. He couldn’t believe he was experiencing the same event again. He was pissed and hurt. Anger filled his entire body. He was pissed with himself for not noticing Aaliyah was pregnant; pissed at her for not telling him she was carrying his seed, as well as about the eerie feelings she was having. Most importantly, he was enraged that he was going through the motions of having someone he loved kidnapped yet again.

  As he opened the second letter, Ace couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

  I know you may think I sound crazy. Even so, please don’t come looking for me. That’s what they want you to do. If something was to happen to you because you were looking for me, who will the twins have? Think about them. I love you.

  Ace could tell she had rushed to write the second letter. It wasn’t as neat as the first one.

  “How the hell she gonna tell me not to come looking for her?” Ace thought. The one person that didn’t deserve any of this bullshit was now caught in the middle of it. Ace cleaned his face, stood, and exited her office.

  “Mane, it was Adam who snatched her up,” Jay informed them.

  “Let’s go find this nigga and turn his lights out for good,” Ace said as he brushed pass everyone–still holding the two letters Aaliyah had written him. “While we’re at it, we might as well go on and pay a visit to this nigga, J’vion’s family and see how they living.”

  “Man, that ain’t how you move,” Boy responded.

  “Boy, that isn’t how I move but sometimes you gotta stoop down to these niggas’ level to beat them at their own game,” Ace replied angrily.

  “That’s true,” Jay agreed.

  “And to keep it 100 with you niggas, I don’t give a fuck about nothing anymore,” Ace declared. “I don’t have anything to live for anymore. My wife left me for the same nigga who’s out to kill me. I can’t make Aaliyah happy because I’m not happy, and I’d rather die than to see my daughters suffer.” Ace professed.

  “Maybe it’s just time for you to walk away,” Boy advised.

  “I’ll walk way when I save Aaliyah. That’s if I live long enough to walk away,” Ace replied as the four of them stepped onto the elevator. “You know you niggas can walk away?” Ace stated as they stepped off the elevator and headed for the exit.

  “Nigga, we know we can walk away,” Boog avowed. “When we walk away, all of us are walking away together.”

  “You already know we got nothing but loyalty over here,” Jay affirmed.

  “I know and I respect that, but y’all have your own families that need you,” Ace said.

  “My nigga, our ladies already know what it is. We were family before they came along. They also know how we are in these streets. We hold each other down. So we might as well ride out and get this shit over with.” Boog said as he patted Ace on his back.

  “Follow us,” Jay instructed as he hopped into his car then Boog jumped into his. Ace and When Boy climbed into Ace’s car, they all pulled off.

  The four of them drove through the streets of Hampton and Newport News for hours in search of Adam. They asked drug dealer after drug dealer and fiend after fiend if they had seen him. No one had seen anything.

  “This shit isn’t gonna work,” Jay said. Some niggas still respected the G Code of the streets. When people started asking questions, they hadn’t seen nor heard anything, even if they had a front row seat to the action. If you were paying for answers, you still weren’t gonna get any. “We all know, if we ain’t flashing dollars, ain’t nobody gonna talk.”

  “Why don’t we check out his baby momma and momma’s spot?” Boog said, he reached into his pocket and handed Ace a piece of paper with an address on it. “Y’all check out his momma and we’ll go visit his BM,” he said.

  “I’m telling y’all niggas now, no one’s safe,” Jay warned. “So, it ain’t no need to get in my way.” With that said, they went about their business.

  *

  Aaliyah woke up with a splitting headache. She didn’t know where she was or what was going on until they road over a bump. Her body rolled and jerked back and forth, indicating she was riding in the back of a car. “Ugh!” She screamed as the car came to an unexpected stop, causing her body to roll and bang against an unknown object. The trunk opened then she was met with a fist. Once again, everything went black.

  Adam pulled her out of the trunk and threw her over his shoulders. He rushed her in the house then laid her across the couch. “Here I go w
ith this kidnapping shit again,” Adam thought. He wanted to get high in the worst way but realized he needed to have a clear mind going forward. Everything he did had to be calculated and on point. If he slipped up once, that would be bad and deadly for him. “I should just kill her,” he thought as he stood over her admiring her beauty. The pictures Adam had seen of Aaliyah hadn’t done her justice. Up close, her beauty was flawless, damn near perfect.

  Adam walked away to collect his thoughts. He needed everything he was planning, strategized to the T. There was no room for errors. He was going up against the same nigga who had taught him the game. Ace had been the teacher. Still, Adam knew he hadn’t shown him all the tricks of the trade.

  Aaliyah slowly opened her eyes. Her entire body ached. She tried to sit up but became dizzy. Consequently, she laid her head back down and closed her eyes. She listened as Adam walked around her; she wanted to pretend to be unconscious but she couldn’t. Therefore, she opened her eyes and eased up to a sitting position. “Why are you doing this?” She asked getting his attention.

  “This isn’t anything personal between you and me. It’s business,” Adam stated as he continued to move about.

  “Adam, you’re doing all of this for what?”

  “I already told you this is business. It ain’t any of ya fucking business why I’m doing what I’m doing,” he spat. “You don’t know anything about me; so just shut the fuck up.” He advised, walking away. “If you sit back and do what I say when I say it, everything will work out for you. If not, I can and will fuck up your entire life.” He said turning around to look into her eyes so that she could see he was serious.

  *

  Ace knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. It didn’t take long for someone to start messing with the locks on the other side of the door. “Hello, how can I help you gentlemen?” The older woman questioned. Ace pushed the door in, causing her to stumble backwards and almost lose her footing.

  “Normally, I wouldn’t do this. Unfortunately, I got that ‘fuck it’ in my system,” Ace said as he towered over the frightened, middle-aged woman.

  “What do you want?” She asked with fear seeping through her pores as well as her face.

  “I’m looking for J’vion,” Ace answered as Boy closed the door behind them. He didn’t condone what Ace was doing, but when your bluff was being called, you did what you had to do, no matter the outcome–good or bad.

  “I don’t know where he is,” she said. “I haven’t seen or talked to that boy in months.”

  “Why does it feel like you’re lying to me?” Ace asked. “Do you have a phone number for him?” She shook her head no.

  “You weren’t much help, thanks,” Ace said as he pulled out his gun and pulled the trigger. J’vion’s mother was dead before she realized what had gone down.

  “Damn, did you have to kill her?” Boy asked as he watched her dead body hit the floor.

  “I already told you, I got that ‘I don’t give a fuck attitude’ and that ‘fuck it in my system.’ It is what it is from here on out,” Ace reminded him as he turned and headed out the front door.

  *

  Jay banged on the front door of J’vion’s baby mother’s apartment. He knew she was home. The lights were on and he could hear the TV playing. “Shawty got about two seconds to open this fucking door or I’m kicking it in,” he declared. Boog laughed even though there wasn’t anything funny about the situation. When Jay was in beast mode he was in beast mode.

  “Be easy; she might not even be home,” Boog said.

  “Well, if she isn’t home, she’s gonna have one hell of a surprise waiting for her when she unlocks the front door,” Jay said as he began banging on the door again.

  “Who’s knocking on my fucking door like they the police?!” She asked from inside the apartment.

  “Open the bitch up and find out,” Jay snapped. The locks began to twist and turn. Before long, the door was being opened.

  “I think you fellas have the wrong apartment,” she said as she tried to close the door. She hadn’t seen Jay and Boog previously. Therefore, she was certain they were banging on the wrong door.

  “Nah, I’m sure we’re at the right place,” Jay stated as he pushed the door open and stepped inside. Boog followed suit before closing and locking the door behind them.

  “Y’all better get out right now before I call the police,” she informed them. She was scared and nervous. She didn’t know what brought them to her home but whatever it was she knew it wasn’t good nor was it going to end well for her.

  “I’m looking for J’vion. We’re old friends of his,” Jay lied through his teeth.

  “J’vion? I haven’t seen or talked to that no good nigga since the day I told him I was carrying his baby,” she said with her hands on her hips. “When or if you ever find him, let him know his son needs him,” she spat.

  “Mommy,” the little boy whined as he ran to his mother and wrapped his arms around her legs.

  “Yo, we should leave and come back another time,” Boog suggested.

  “We ain’t going anywhere until we do what we came to do,” Jay said keeping his eyes on J’vion’s baby mother and her son.

  “Please don’t do anything stupid,” she begged. “I’ve told you the truth. I haven’t seen or spoken to him since the day I told him I was pregnant,” she stated with tear-filled eyes. She quickly picked up her son and hugged him tightly.

  “Really, you’re gonna use your son as a human shield?” Jay asked disgusted. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he threatened. “I haven’t come across anyone who could outrun a speeding bullet,” he said as he pulled out his Desert Eagle. She turned to run but was stopped when Jay pulled the trigger sending two hollow tips into her back. She gasped as she fell forward still holding her son. He wasn’t screaming nor crying.

  “Let’s go,” Boog snapped. He didn’t care what anyone said; he wasn’t comfortable killing kids. He had never done so before and wasn’t about to start now. As coldhearted as Jay was, he couldn’t pull the trigger on the helpless little boy like he had originally planned. Jay knew he would suffer enough later on in life. Jay watched for a few seconds as the boy cried then struggled to get from beneath his dead mother. Jay turned around and followed Boog out the same way they had come in, through the front door.

  Chapter 16

  It had been two weeks since Ace had pulled the trigger on J’vion’s mother; and Jay had killed his baby’s mother. Ace had yet to hear from him or have a run in with him. He started feeling guilty about it. However, after thinking about how no one gave a fuck about the well-being of his daughters, why should he give a fuck about the loss of someone else’s mother or baby mother?

  Ace stood over his father’s gravesite. He couldn’t remember the last time he had visited the cemetery. Ace never got over his father’s death; he had learned to keep his feelings bottled up inside and deal with it. Ace knew there was only one thing certain in life–which was death. His father had taught him so much. Yet, Ace had always felt he could have taught him a little more. Because of his father, he was the man he was today.

  “Damn daddy, you taught me a lot and told me life gets rough. But how can one prepare for any of this bullshit?” Ace asked as he took a seat. “Things are so real that I’ll give up any amount of money I have just to have one last conversation with you.” Ace professed attempting to hold back the tears. It was difficult. Therefore, he finally allowed them to fall.

  Ace closed his eyes as he thought about a song called, Heaven I Need a Hug by R. Kelly. The words to the song hit so close to home.

  You wouldn't believe what I'm goin' through

  But still I got my head up just like I promised you

  Ever since you left, your baby boy's been dealin’ with

  Problem after problem, tell me what am I supposed to do

  See, I get lost sometimes, don't understand this place

  Look in the mirror sometimes and see a troubled face

&n
bsp; And then my tears roll down and hit the sink

  Then I hold my head up high, I hope the Man upstairs can hear my cry

  All these questions deep inside my mind

  Like if Jesus loved me, why he leave my side, daddy

  I'm still tryin' to get the answer why

  You were young, 45, and you had to die

  I'm always tryin' to help people out

  And it's them same people tryin' to take food out my mouth

  “I have come to terms with having to kill my twin brother. If you were in my shoes, what would you do?” Ace asked. “Just know that one of us will be reuniting with you soon. If it’s me, please meet me at those golden gates with open arms. A butterfly flew and landed on Ace’s right hand. He smiled as he wiped the tears away. He knew his father had heard him loud and clear. Ace got up and brushed himself off. “I miss you and I hope you’re resting in peace. I hope you saved a spot for me,” He said as he walked off.