by Jazmyne
“I bet you I won’t be stepping another foot in this mothafucka,” J’vion assured.
“That’s what you all say. But we’ll see who’ll have the last laugh,” the CO said as he turned around and continued about his way.
“I’ll die before they bring my ass back to this shit!” J’vion called after him. The CO never stopped walking or acknowledged anything else J’vion had to say.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up causing him to come out of his deep thoughts. He looked up and locked eyes with Ace. He didn’t make any sudden moves only because he walked right past him as if they didn’t know each other or as if he didn’t have a million dollar bounty on his head. He watched as Ace walked over to the bar, took a seat and ordered a shot of something and a beer.
*
Adam walked into the restaurant and half way to the bar he locked eyes with an unknown man. Adam took a seat at the bar and ordered him a drink when he looked over his shoulder they locked eyes again. “Why the fuck is this nigga staring at me?” He thought as he raised his beer in the air. Adam watched as the unknown man smirked at him before he turned away.
J’vion got up from the table and made his way over to the bar and took the empty bar stool next to Adam, he didn’t breathe a word as the bartender took his order. When she sat his drink in front of him he took a sip and looked over at Adam. “So you’re just going to walk past me like you didn’t put a bounty on my fuckin’ head?” He asked with a smile on his face. Adam looked at him and chuckled.
“He must think I’m Ace.” He thought now wearing a smirk on his face. “I’m not who you think I am.” He said finishing off his beer.
“Are you sure? Because you look just like that mothafucka I have issues with, hell you dress just like him and everything,” J’vion said ready to back his burner out and kill him right where he sat. Adam nodded his head up and down as he waved the bartender over for another beer.
“I’m sure that I’m not who you’re looking for,” he spoke.
“Prove it or I’m leaving your brain matter on this here fuckin’ bar,” J’vion said tapping the top of the bar. Adam reached into his back pocket for his wallet where he pulled out a picture of him and his twin brother, Ace.
“You’re looking for Ace and I’m Adam,” he said showing J’vion the picture. J’vion snatched the picture from his hands and stared at it long and hard.
J’vion tossed the picture onto the bar, “Tell that brother of yours that I’m gunning for his ass,” he said getting up from his seat.
“I don’t give a fuck if you’re gunning for him or not. Fuck him and fuck you,” Adam spat sipping from his beer.
“Damn, this nigga can’t win for losing. This nigga have more enemies than friend.” J’vion thought retaking his seat. “I just tell you that I’m gunning for your brother and you say fuck him? What kind of shit is that?” J’vion said.
“Get in line because you aren’t the only one gunning for his ass,” Adam said shrugging his shoulders.
“Let’s talk maybe we can assist each other in our quest to take this mothafucka out,” J’vion threw out there as he waved the bartender over for another drink.
“There isn’t shit to talk about. If you want my brother you have to go out and get him. It isn’t gonna be easy. And because I said fuck him doesn’t mean I’m goin’ to help you in your so called quest to take him out,” Adam said. “Ace is more valuable to you alive then he is dead.” He said.
J’vion chuckled while shaking his head. “Did you just not hear what I said? That mothafucka has a million dollar bounty on my head!” He yelled getting everyone’s attention. He didn’t give a fuck though. J’vion had an I don’t give a fuck about life attitude, which was one of the biggest reasons he ended up doing that five year bid and he still walked around with it. J’vion was cocky and took the word to a whole new level.
“I heard you the first time you said it. I didn’t care when you said it five minutes ago and I don’t give a fuck that you said it again,” Adam said. “Like I said before fuck you and fuck that nigga Ace.” He finished finally looking in J’vion’s face. “There isn’t shit to talk about so you can bounce.” He said in final.
J’vion looked at him and wanted to dump a few bullets in his head but he felt that they could help each other out on so many levels and from the way he talked about his brother he knew he hated him. J’vion didn’t know why and really didn’t give two fucks. A team was always better than going to war alone. J’vion grabbed a napkin and jotted down his number, when he was done he slid it across the bar next to Adam. “Give me a call whenever,” he said. “I’m sure we’ll need each other in the future.” He stated before walking off.
Adam looked from the napkin before looking over his shoulder to watch J’vion walk away. Adam was still salty about Ace turning him down when he asked for the hundred grand and he was even more pissed off about him choking him the fuck out. He knew he was wrong for saying fuck his nieces, but that’s how he felt. He remembered when it used to be about him and Ace, until Ace met Sunshine and they had their girls. After that it was fuck him and he took it to the heart.
Just about all their lives it was always about Ace and him and when a bitch shows up he changed up on him quick. Adam removed his fitted cap and ran his hands over his waves as his mind went to his father. He and Ace had taken the death of their father hard but he took it the worst, at times he felt selfish because Ace did everything he could to help him cope with the loss but nothing worked. Ace had put his life on the line for Adam time and time again but sometimes Adam felt that wasn’t enough, which was when he started using drugs to escape the reality of what was really going on. Adam finished his beer while reaching into his pocket to pay his tab and left. He grabbed up the napkin with J’vion’s name and number on it just in case he decided to use it at a later date and headed to his next destination.
*
Moony looked down at his ringing phone to find, Boog calling him again. “Damn what the fuck do this nigga want?” He asked himself finally answering his call.
“Yo, what’s good?” Moony said when he answered the phone.
“Shit you tell me,” Boog said. “I’ve been hitting you up for a while now.” He said.
“I’m out here on a paper chase mane,” Moony replied. “There’s a million dollars up for grabs and I’m checking for it.” He answered straight up.
“I feel you, but you can’t answer your phone?”
Moony removed the phone from his ear and looked at it. “Check this shit out, mane. This is my fuckin’ phone and if I don’t wanna answer it I don’t have to and I for damn sure ain’t fuckin’ you and you for damn sure ain’t paying my bill,” he said. “You got me on the phone now, so what’s up?”
“On some real G shit, Moony, while you’re out there chasing a million dollar pay out. Jay and I are out here counting a million dollars easy. Get ya shit together, all money isn’t good money and you already know that,” Boog said before disconnecting the call. Boog was pissed, not only was Moony on the phone sounding like a bitch but he was chasing a million dollar payout when he could be in the streets with them racking up a million dollars, easy.
Moony looked at the phone to make sure Boog had hung up on him and he had, pissing him off.
Chapter 15
Aaliyah had just gotten back from taking the girls on a ladies day out type of event. She was tired of sitting around the house doing nothing and she was sure they were too. She hadn’t spoken or seen Ace in weeks and she was starting to worry.
“Aaliyah, can we please watch a movie?” Serenity asked jumping up and down.
“We can but I need for you ladies to go wash ya hands so that we can eat,” Aaliyah said heading into the kitchen. She had ordered Chinese take-out. She listened to Savanna and Serenity talk and laugh as they played in the sink. She grabbed plates and cups for the three of them and
began piling their plates with food.
“Ladies I need for you two to stop playing in that water and come eat!” Aaliyah yelled from the kitchen. Within seconds both Serenity and Savanna came running into the kitchen shaking their wet hands in the air.
“Look what you girls did,” Aaliyah laughed as she sat their plates on the table. Their shirts were soaking wet.
“Sorry, we didn’t mean to get our shirts wet,” Savanna pouted.
“Baby there isn’t any reason to be sorry,” Aaliyah said as she helped them out. “Things like this happen all the time.” She said. “I’ll be right back, go on and start eating.” She said leaving the kitchen to get them dry shirts.
When she returned she found Savanna and Serenity engrossed in a deep conversation with each other, she found it cute. It often had her wishing she had a brother or sister she could have grown up with. “So, what are you ladies down here talking about?” Aaliyah asked as she helped them into their shirts.
“We are trying to figure out what we want to do tomorrow,” Serenity answered.
“Aaliyah, I miss my daddy, do you miss him?” Savanna asked.
“I miss him very much and we can all try to figure out just what we wanna do tomorrow,” she answered. “And I know for a fact that he misses you girls too.” She said as she began digging into her food.
The three of them talked, ate, and laughed with each other. When they were done Aaliyah sent them upstairs to get ready for their bath while she cleaned the kitchen back up.
When she got upstairs she ran them a warm bubble bath and helped them pick out which PJ’s they wanted to wear. After she helped them bathe, she put them in front of the TV while she took her bath. When she finished, the three of them cuddled up in the middle of Ace’s king size bed to watch The Princess and The Frog. Savanna and Serenity loved that movie.
“Aaliyah, can we please call daddy? I just want to tell him that I miss and love him,” Serenity said.
“Yes, can we please?” Savanna asked.
“We can call him. If he doesn’t answer we can leave him a message,” Aaliyah said grabbing her cell phone off the nightstand. She dialed Ace’s number and placed the call on speaker. The three of them listened as the phone rang out.
“You’ve reach Ace, sorry I can’t get to my phone. If it’s important leave a message if not hang up and try again later, one.” The phone beeped.
“Amir, its Aaliyah and the girls we just wanted to call you to tell you how much me miss and love you,” she said into the phone.
“Yeah daddy, come home please, I love you,” Savanna said into the phone next.
“Daddy, it’s me Serenity, I love and miss you and call us back when you can. Better yet just come home, bye daddy.” She said and Aaliyah hit the end button.
She hoped and prayed when they woke up the next morning Ace would be home not for her but for his girls. The last time they seen him was the day she caught him sitting in their room. That night he decided to stay home and the next day the four of them had a great time together.
Savanna and Serenity snuggled up with the teddy bears their father gave them and made themselves more comfortable and Aaliyah did the same, as they started getting into the movie the doorbell rang. Aaliyah knew it wasn’t Ace because he had a key.
“Don’t move and don’t come out the room until I tell you that it’s okay,” Aaliyah said to Serenity and Savanna. “Do y’all understand me?” She asked and both girls nodded their heads up and down. Aaliyah ran to the closet and grabbed the gun Ace had showed her. She kept it to her side so that she wouldn’t scare the girls. As soon as she was out the room and the door was closed she took it off safety and cocked it back. Whoever was ranging the bell was now laying on it and ringing it nonstop.
Aaliyah snatched the door open ready to shoot.
“Who the fuck are you and where the hell is Ace and my nieces?” Brenda asked as she stormed past Aaliyah without being invited in.
“The question is who are you and do you know what fuckin’ time it is?” Aaliyah asked instead of answering the unknown woman’s question. “My kids are in the bed trying to sleep.” She finished.
Brenda laughed, “Your kids?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes they are my kids until Ace returns now with that being said you can leave,” she said pointing to the open door.
“Bitch you ain’t, shit but the maid. You will never compare to my sister and you will never be my niece’s mother,” Brenda spat.
“Call me what you want but a maid I will never be and I’m not trying to be their mother. I can say I’ve done more shit for them in the short amount of time I’ve known them than you did their entire life,” Aaliyah spat right back. “And who the fuck is you again?” She asked with her hands on her hips. “Maids don’t get told that they are loved, maids don’t get the dick whenever they want it, and maids for damn sure don’t sleep in the master bedroom with or without the man of the house permission.” She said.
“I heard Ace was over here playing house with the next bitch but I didn’t believe it,” Brenda said laughing while shaking her head. “I’ve heard so much about you,” she lied.
“Nah boo we ain’t playing shit over here. Everything that goes down in here is real. You’re standing over there sounding a little jealous, are you?” Aaliyah asked.
“Jealous? Girl bye, you ain’t nothing more than a fuck. If my sister was still alive you wouldn’t be here let alone thought about,” Brenda said pissed off.
“Whatever and I’m sure you did and it’s sad to say that I’ve never heard a damn thing about you,” Aaliyah said shrugging her shoulders. “Now that we got that little bullshit out the way, there’s the door,” she said pointing to the door once again. “You can either leave on your own or I can drag yo ass the fuck out of here. The choice is yours.”
Brenda sized Aaliyah up, she wasn’t scared of her but she wasn’t going to chance getting an ass whooping for no reason at all. “We’ll be seeing each other again,” she said as she walked out the front door.
“Bitch we sure the hell will and nothing can prepare you for that ass whooping I’m going to give you,” Aaliyah said before slamming and locking the door in her face. She was glad she didn’t have to use the gun. She went back upstairs to find Serenity and Savanna sleeping. She crawled in bed with them but sleep wouldn’t find her so easily. She picked her phone up and dialed Ace number again, and again it went to voicemail. She just disconnected the call and hoped he either called her back or found his way home, soon.
*
Brenda was pissed and wanted to beat the hell out of Aaliyah. She couldn’t believe that she had called her jealous, hitting it right on the nail. “First I had to deal with my sister being with Ace and now this bitch.” She mumbled sitting in her car steaming hot. Brenda had been trying to hook Ace since she had laid eyes on him years ago at a birthday bash the both had attended. They would talk and chill from time to time but never got any further than that. So she decided to throw a cookout one hot summer day hoping he would come and sure enough he came with a bunch of his getting money niggas. They all looked fly, but not one of them had out dressed Ace.
Brenda sat back in her seat as she reminisced about old times.
Brenda, Sunshine, and a few of their friends were in the kitchen preparing the rest of the food.
“I sure hope that fine ass nigga Ace decide to show up,” Brenda said switching her ass back and forth around the kitchen.
“Brenda, if you don’t stop switching back and forth and help us, I’m gonna kick your ass,” Sunshine laughed. Brenda flipped her little sister off and joined her in laughter as well. “And if you invited him I’m sure he’ll be here so just relax.” She said.
Brenda looked at her sister and rolled her eyes. She had always been slightly jealous of her little sister, even though they shared some of the same features, Sunshine o
utshined her any day of the week and she knew it. Sunshine never had to compete or fight for attention. When she walked in a room she owned the mothafucka and everyone took notice, including Brenda.
“Sunshine, wait til you see Ace and his niggas. They are straight getting money niggas!” Their home girl Lynn said smiling from ear to ear. “And I’m not talking about those little niggas that’s getting money here and there. I’m talking they are on their shit.”
“Don’t forget how fine they all are, especially that nigga, Jay!” Neisha joined in on the conversation.
“I gotta see these niggas and why am I just hearing about them?” Sunshine asked.
“Bitch, that’s because you act like you’re too good for a thug,” Brenda said.
“That isn’t true at all, I just be busy with school and working. I don’t have time for the bullshit.” Sunshine said defending herself.
“Sunshine, sometimes you do act as if you’re too good, like you don’t have the same background as us,” Neisha said.
“Whatever,” Sunshine said rolling her eyes and flipping her girls off. She knew it didn’t matter what she said they were going to find some way to disagree with her. She didn’t understand how going to school and working to better herself caused everyone else to take it as her acting too good for anything?
After preparing the food they decided to change into some party clothes and join the rest of the guest in the backyard. Music was blasting, the food was cooking on the grill and the liquor was flowing. Everyone was having a good time when Brenda ran up on Neisha, Sunshine, and Lynn.
“Guess who’s here and brought all his niggas with him?” She asked jumping up and down. “That’s right, mothafuckin’ Ace!” She said answering her own question.
Sunshine couldn’t wait to see Ace or his niggas the way her sister and friends always talked about them. She just hoped they were as fine as they said they were. She didn’t have to wait long because when she looked up she found a tall handsome man with about ten niggas behind him making his way to where her and her girls sat.