I Need A Gangsta: Book Two (Gucci Gang Saga 2)

by B. Love

  “And there was no one else?”

  Laughing harder, Leigh shook her head as she stood. “You’re really trying it right now.”

  “Is that a yes or not?”

  “No,” she seethed, tossing the plate of food to the other side of the kitchen. “It’s yours, and you’re making me regret it all fucking ready.”

  Ransom chuckled, his calmness infuriating her more. “Why are you getting so upset?”

  “Because you just asked me if my baby was yours!”

  “The fuck you expect, Leigh? You cheated on me.”

  “I didn’t cheat on you! We were never in a relationship!”

  “I might not have been your man, but you were always my woman.”

  As much as she didn’t want it to, his words began to settle her. Closing her eyes, Leigh inhaled a deep breath through her flaring nostrils. Yes, she was upset over his question, mainly because she hated he even had to ask. But she had no one to blame but herself.

  “I’m one hundred percent sure the baby is yours.” Her eyes opened. “But we can have a DNA test done when he or she is born. Before I sign over my rights.”

  “You still on that shit?”

  Ignoring him, Leigh went to the pantry to grab the broom and dustpan to clean up the mess her anger had allowed her to create.

  “My first appointment is in a month. I wanted the doctor Trinity used because she’s super cool and she has a kind, gentle soul. She had limited availability though, so I had to take what I could get.”

  With a nod, Ransom picked a piece of his bacon up off his plate and bit into it as he stood. He slid his plate over to her side of the table and walked over to her. After taking the brush from her hand he motioned for her to have a seat.

  “I can clean it up myself, Ransom.”

  “Just sit your ass down and eat.” Huffing, she stormed over to the table and sat down. “Let me know the exact date, time, and location, and I’ll be there.”

  She nodded, grinding her teeth to avoid letting her tears fall. This was going to be harder than she expected. A small piece of her was jealous. Jealous of her own baby. Because she knew he or she had the ability to keep Ransom around even after her selfish actions had pushed him away. And as crazy as she was acting, he was handling her just as calmly without raising his voice or allowing his anger to fuel him.

  Truthfully, that only made her want to act out more, but Ransom wouldn’t give in to her games.

  He never did.

  When he was done cleaning, Ransom put the broom and dustpan back in the pantry and washed his hands. At the table. He placed one hand on the back of her chair and the other on the table next to her plate. Looking up at him, Leigh was unable to keep her smile hidden as she looked into his eyes.

  “Sorry for my mini meltdown. I just hate the situation I’ve put us in.”

  “It’s cool,” was all he offered before placing a kiss to her temple and standing upright.

  “Are you leaving? You want me to fix you a plate?”

  “Yea, and I’m good.”

  That whole… wanting him to leave thing… had gone out of the window now that he was actually leaving. But before he left the kitchen, Ransom paused at the doorframe and turned to face her.

  “Just so we’re clear, I’m not here being nice to you because you’re having my baby.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  With a soft smile, his eyes trailed over every inch of her face before settling back on her eyes.

  “It’s corny as fuck, maybe even a lil stupid, but a nigga always gon’ wanna be with you, Leigh. Now I feel like I got a good reason to be.”

  Smiling, Leigh held his gaze until he walked away. Maybe she’d been looking at this the wrong way. Maybe this baby wasn’t a curse, maybe it was a blessing. One that would be the avenue she needed back into Ransom’s heart.

  Ransom

  To be honest, Ransom didn’t know what the fuck he was doing at Taylor’s apartment. When she first called him, his mind told him not to agree to coming over. Not even three weeks had passed since they’d called things off, and Taylor was in need of his loving already. Ransom couldn’t say that he was surprised. He had a way of getting inside a woman’s heart, mind, and pussy that made them crave him long after he was done with them.

  And none of them had ever been able to work that same magic on him – except Leigh. His mother would always ask him what was so special about Leigh that made it impossible for him to let go. What made his eyes light up every time she was in his presence. His answer was always the same every time.

  There were five things Ransom looked for in his ideal life partner, and Leigh was all five of those things and then some. But he couldn’t think about that now. Not while he was heading to Taylor’s front door.

  Taylor had four of the five things on his list, and that was partly why Ransom agreed to come and see her tonight. He couldn’t see himself settling for a woman that didn’t have everything on his list, but he could see himself entertaining Taylor if she was willing until he sorted out what the hell was happening between him and Leigh.

  Neither of them talked about what was happening between them. If they would be together or not. Their status was in limbo, as it had always been.

  Ransom was in desperate need of a distraction, and for tonight, Taylor was going to be it.

  As soon as Taylor opened the door, any thoughts of Leigh began to slip out of his mind. Leigh was beautiful as hell, but Taylor was too. They were total opposites. Leigh was tall, slim thick, and a beautiful shade of dark brown. Cocoa to be exact.

  Taylor was short, petite, and slim. She had light skin and short, curly hair that bounced atop her shoulders. Her smile spread widely as she hopped from one foot to the other.

  “Hey,” she spoke cheerfully, causing Ransom to smile.

  “What’s up?”

  “Come in.”

  Taylor moved to the side, allowing Ransom to step into her apartment. He walked across the living room and made himself comfortable on the couch. Her style was the exact opposite of Leigh’s… why in the fuck did he keep thinking about Leigh?

  Shaking his head, Ransom sat up in his seat as Taylor sat dangerously close to him. He inhaled her scent, eyes closing as the hints of sugar and spice mixed together enticed him.

  “Is everything okay?” he asked, opening his eyes and looking into hers.

  “No. I miss you.” Taylor took his hand into hers and placed it in her lap. “I know we agreed that we would take a break until you figured things out with Leigh, but I miss you. We don’t have to be together or anything like that… I just…” She shrugged in a cute way that made Ransom’s dick begin to harden. “Miss you.”

  “I miss you too,” he confessed, and that was the truth. He missed Taylor’s openness and vulnerability. Her submission. Her emotions. Her sensuality beyond the bedroom. Her… everything that he wished Leigh would be for him.

  Times like this made Ransom feel like a fool for waiting for the potential of Leigh to come to fruition when he had someone, literally in front of him, who was willing to give him all of that. But it wouldn’t mean the same to Ransom if it didn’t come from Leigh.

  “So can we go back to hanging out and stuff together again? I’m bored as hell and spring break is next week.”

  Chuckling, Ransom flipped his hand over and intertwined his fingers with hers.

  “We can do that, but there’s something you need to know.” She nodded. “Leigh is pregnant, and she says the baby is mine.”

  Ransom watched her face intently, waiting for some type of response… good or bad. Her eyes blinked as she inhaled a deep breath before forcing a smile.

  “Okay. Are you going to get back with her?”

  Ransom shrugged. “I don’t know. Right now, my focus is making sure we can be cordial around each other for the sake of our child. She doesn’t know if she even wants to be in the baby’s life. In case she is, we gotta be able to get along, you feel me?”

  Taylor n
odded and removed her hand from his. “Do you still love her?”

  “I do,” he replied with no hesitation. “I’m sure I always will, but if we can’t be together, I’m cool with that. Before we got anything started again, I just wanted to be completely honest with you.”

  Smiling softly, Taylor nodded and placed her hand on his thigh. “I appreciate that. As long as you’re open and honest with me I’m cool with that. If things between the two of you get serious just let me know. Don’t string me along. I really do like you, but more than anything, I just want to have some fun.”

  Something told Ransom that agreeing to this could potentially be a bad idea, but as her hand began to caress his thigh, his dick got even harder. Day by day he craved the wet, warmth of Leigh’s walls… but he’d settle for Taylor’s. Wrapping his arm around her waist, Ransom placed her on top of his lap.

  “You sure, Taylor? I’m cool with us kicking it tough for now, but when my baby is born, he or she will have all of my attention. Will you be cool with that?”

  Biting down on her bottom lip with a smile, Taylor nodded. “Yes. And daddy will need time to play, too. When you do, call me.”

  Satisfied with her answer, Ransom slid his hands under her shirt before pulling it over her head.

  Playtime with Taylor could definitely lead to trouble.

  A week later, Maria was discharged from the hospital, and Jax had the honor of taking her away from the hospital staff would couldn’t wait to see her go! She’d definitely proven how spoiled she was and how difficult she could be when she was sick or in pain. But… that only motivated her to take care of herself more and to never be put in the position to take a loss like that again.

  No matter what it took, Maria was determined, even more now, to become as invincible as she could possibly get. No more holes in her business, no more trips to the hospital, and definitely no more gunshot wounds.

  When she made it to her home and saw how well Jax had cleaned everything up, she wanted to thank him properly. Just saying the words didn’t seem to measure up at that point. And getting him a bottle of liquor wouldn’t either. Instead, she offered to take him out for dinner after she left the police station. At first, he declined, wanting her to stay at home and rest instead, but when she expressed to him that she’d been in bed for a week straight and was going to go out with or without him, Jax agreed.

  After Maria cleaned herself, they headed to the police station so she could file a report. The detective covering her case was told not to return to the hospital, and when she found out Jax was the reason for that, her curiosity had been piqued. It took her no time to come up with a story but knowing she wouldn’t have to go and give a statement until after she was released did ease her mind a bit.

  “What kind of strings you got, Mr. Drug Supplier?” she asked as they pulled up at the precinct.

  “My uncle is the police commissioner.”

  “Oh, so that’s why you can get away with so much shit?”

  Jax smirked as he cut his car off. “Nah. He taught us the law and the system, but I move the way I do because I’m smart.”

  Satisfied with his answer, Maria dropped the subject. She couldn’t help but watch him as he walked to her side of the car and opened the door for her. Jax tried to help her get out, but her independent spirit forced her to do it alone. Vincent would take nothing from her in his death, and he certainly wouldn’t bruise her pride. Her strides were slow and steady as she made it to the door, and each piece of dull pain that ripped through her motivated her to come up with ways to ensure her safety from this point forward.

  She couldn’t believe someone like Vincent had been able to weasel himself in and do damage, but as her teeth gritted and nostrils flared, she promised herself that she’d never let a nigga cross her again.

  Jax

  Maria was trying her hardest to appear okay, but Jaw saw through her façade as she casually popped two more pain pills in her mouth. He’d been shot before and knew several people who had been shot as well. She was definitely in more pain than she was letting on to be in, and if she wasn’t, she would be the moment she got home and settled.

  When she felt her eyes on him, Maria looked in his direction and smiled softly. She was beautiful without even trying. Her curly hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, giving him an unobstructed view of her face. Her features were strong and striking yet still feminine. From her almond shaped hazel eyes to her small, pierced nose and bowtie shaped full lips. Maria’s cocoa brown frame was slim, which was the opposite of Jax’s type… but maybe that was a good thing.

  Obviously his type needed tweaking since he was still single… maybe Maria would be the one to change that.

  Well, there was no maybe involved – she would be the one to change that.

  Upon meeting her, Jax was immediately infatuated with her. Back then, she was scamming more and entertaining him less. There was something about her inability to give him play that motivated him to chase her more. Every little piece of herself that she gave to him came together to form a puzzle of his heart that he hadn’t even realized was missing pieces. And there was no doubt in Jax’s mind that Maria would one day give him all of her.

  She would simply have to.

  Because the fear, worry, and angst that filled him when he thought he was about to lose her proved to him just how necessary she was in his life. Even if it was to just drive him crazy for the rest of it.

  “You good?” Jax checked, hoping she trusted him enough to be honest with him as she was honest with herself.

  “I’m good,” she almost whispered. “The pain is more poignant, but hopefully the pills I just took will dull it again. And I’m a little drowsy.”

  “That’s why I told your ass to rest,” he scolded, regretting it immediately when she rolled her eyes. Yes, he was angry because he was concerned, but that would only make Maria buck the system more. She didn’t respond positively to anyone trying to control her or tell her what to do, but that nice guy shit wasn’t working with her ass either.

  “I’m not about to be in the house all day just because I’m in pain, Jax. That’s boring.”

  “Aight. You gon be in pain even longer because you’re not resting and giving yourself time to heal, Maria, but you got it with your stubborn ass.”

  She smiled, and as much as Jax didn’t want to, he smiled too. Releasing his frustration, he leaned forward in his seat and took her hand into his. They’d stopped by Bayou for dinner, which was one of her favorite restaurants. The place was packed, so they hadn’t even had their orders taken yet. But that was cool, because it gave them more time to talk.

  “You really like me huh?” she asked, but her eyes weren’t on him. They were scanning the crowd in the restaurant. The lighting was naturally dim and the wooden décor of the tables, chairs, and flooring only added to the darkness.

  “I do. And I know even more now that you like me too.”

  Finally, she gave him her eyes. “What makes you think that?”

  “Because you wanted me in your time of need.”

  Rolling her eyes with a smile, Maria pulled her hand from his as she chuckled. “You are always so damn full of yourself. Did you ever think that maybe I just wanted to know what happened to him?”

  He shrugged and sat back in his seat. “For a second, but I know that wasn’t why you wanted me.”

  Jax expected her to fake the funk and make it seem as if he wasn’t right, but she didn’t. All she did was stare at him and smile for a few seconds before saying, “So what if I did want you?”

  “I’d let you know that I’m always available at your disposal.”

  Their waitress arrived and took their drink orders. Maria asked for water and Jax got sweet tea. They got an order of zydeco wings to share, but Jax was a little worried about how she’d be able to tolerate the heat. If she coughed too hard, she’d for sure fill herself with even more pain, but he didn’t mention it to avoid creating tension between them again.

 
“But why, though? Why are you at my disposal? Why do you put up with my shit? Why do you care about me so much?”

  “Are you sure you’re ready for me to answer now?”

  Her lips parted slightly, as they normally did when she was thinking about something. Maria closed her eyes and took in three breaths, and Jax couldn’t help but allow his eyes to zero in on the choker around her chest and necklace dangling in the center of her chest. Both were M’s. The choker was a bold font while the dangling necklace was in cursive.

  After finding out about Malibu, Jax wondered if she wore one for him.

  Maria swallowed and opened her eyes. She thanked the waitress as she placed her water in front of her, then answered Jax when they were alone.

  “Yes. I’m ready now.”

  Nodding, Jax licked his lips and sat up in his seat. “I’m at your disposal because I’m loyal to you. I care about you, and I want what’s best for you. What’s better for you than me?” He paused when she smiled, but instead of giving her time to call him cocky again he continued. “I put up with your shit because I know it comes from pain. The way your eyes trail off and fill with sadness lets me know there’s a lot of love tucked away in your heart.

  “And I’m determined to dig through that motherfucka to get it. I care about you so much because…” He shrugged. “Shit… I don’t know. At times I be wantin’ to cut you off and say to hell with you to get with someone easier, but I can’t. You’ll have to take that up with God ‘cause He gave me what I feel for you. And don’t ask me why again, I’ma still tell you I don’t know. But I can show you, if you give me the chance to.”

  Maria released a shaky breath before swallowing and taking his hand into hers.

  “I missed your ass so fuckin’ much, Jax. And I hate to admit that, because I’m not used to feeling this way, but I did.”

  “You ain’t gotta miss me no more. It’s on you. What you wanna do?”

  Maria took a moment to think, but Jax wasn’t fazed by it. He already knew what her answer would be. And even if she wasn’t ready now, he’d do his own thing and be ready whenever she was.