Thug Luv

by Jazmyne

  “The kids are straight?” Ace asked when Aaliyah walked up on him.

  “Yeah they are fine and I told them whatever they hear do not come out the room until someone calls for them,” she said. “What’s that about?” She asked nodding her head towards Moony.

  Boy laughed, “You don’t miss shit do you?” He asked.

  “When my man life is on the line, no I don’t miss shit,” Aaliyah assured. “I need for y’all to know that I am not new to the shit that’s going on. I can get down with the best of them while holding my own down. Believe that.” She smiled.

  “I respect that. You already fit right in,” Boy joked.

  *

  Jay and Neisha sat chopping it up all the while he kept his eyes on Moony and his every move. As soon as he thought Moony was moving funny he was putting a bullet in his fucking head.

  Jay felt some type of way because Moony was a nigga who knew damn near everything about everyone standing in the backyard besides Boy and his wife Keema. He wanted to know what had gone wrong and why Moony would turn on his own nigga. What Moony had done was just as bad as someone snitching the next nigga out for a lesser sentence, either way both was no-no’s when you were a nigga living in the streets.

  Neisha knew there was no calming Jay down, his mind was already made up about taking Moony out and she would back him 100 percent. Moony had been in the streets long enough to know that what was done in the dark always came to the light.

  *

  “Man where the fuck are you?” He asked pacing back and forth.

  “We’re walking up now, fuck you at?” J’vion asked.

  “Everyone’s in the back. Niggas are nice and drunk so everything should go down with ease,” Moony whispered into the phone.

  “No one’s safe, you’ve been warned,” J’vion said before the line went dead.

  Moony didn’t give a fuck; he had lost his heart some time ago and hadn’t found the bitch yet. It wasn’t like he was looking for it, anyways.

  *

  J’vion stopped when him and his niggas stepped foot into Ace’s front yard. “No one’s safe and everyone must go, including that nigga, Moony. But our main target is that nigga Ace,” He said. Everyone nodded their understanding. “Let’s do this shit,” he said cocking the choppa he was holding back. J’vion and Meek went around one side of the house, two more of his niggas went around the other side and two more made their way to their to the front door. The element of surprise was a great thing. But the real question was, who was going to be surprised the most?

  *

  “Showtime,” Ace thought feeling an unwanted presence. He looked up to find that his niggas was on point as well. Aaliyah quickly removed her gun from the small of her back turned around and started shooting. When the first gunshot rung out everyone else followed suit, there was no need in asking questions everyone already knew what was taking place and going down.

  “What the fuck!” J’vion yelled as he dropped to the ground from the unexpected bullets flying his way. Meek wasn’t as quick and took a bullet to his shoulder.

  “Fuck, I’m hit!” He yelled holding his shoulder.

  “You’re hit mothafucka not dead so get the fuck up and start bussing back!” J’vion barked pissed the fuck off now.

  Jay hopped up from his seat and quickly went for, Moony who was lying in the grass on his stomach.

  “What the fuck are you doin?” Moony asked when he looked up to find Jay standing over him and holding the gun to his face.

  BOOM!

  “Killing your bitch ass,” Jay answered wiping Moony’s blood from his face.

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  POW! POW! POW! POW!

  BOOM! POW! BOOM! POW!

  Gunshots rang out from everywhere.

  Jay was pissed only because he felt death was too easy for Moony. He never thought in a million years he would be the one to put a bullet in one of his homeys. “Shit sometimes your hand is called and you gotta do what you gotta do,” he mumbled shrugging his shoulders. Jay aimed his gun at Moony’s heart and pulled the trigger one more time before he walked away. He peeped one nigga creeping out the house, raising his gun he aimed and pulled the trigger. The bullet entered in one side of his head and exited on the other side. Jay was sure some of his brain had left its home as well. He watched as he dropped to the ground head first.

  J’vion was pissed, he hadn’t had a chance to pull the trigger once on his choppa and he couldn’t with all the bullets flying his way. Just that fast he had lost Meek and he wasn’t sure where the rest of his niggas was or if they were dead or alive. He felt that Moony had set him up. “I swear on everything I love if they don’t kill that nigga I am,” he mumbled as he crawled over Meeks lifeless body. “Damn, homey, watch over me,” he whispered closing his eyes for him.

  J’vion was more than determined to take someone out before he left. They had killed his little homey and he wasn’t feeling that at all. He knew the bullets Meek took were meant for him. “Fuck that.” He thought jumping to his feet pulling the trigger on his choppa nonstop as he swung it from side to side. J’vion wasn’t dumb at all and knew he was outnumbered. Yes, his choppa could do damage, he knew he couldn’t do much with no help, so he did the smart thing and got out of there. He had lost the battle, but the war he was sure he would win.

  “This shit is far from over!” J’vion yelled as he took flight, he knew police would be there soon. Aaliyah stopped in her tracks when she heard his voice. “J’vion?” She thought not believing that he had actually done what he did. She could believe it only because she knew how he got down, but why? Was what she wanted to know?

  We gotta get rid of these guns,” Ace said bringing her from her thoughts. Everyone rushed inside handing their guns off to Ace.

  “I want everyone to relax; when the cops get here I will handle everything. I’m a lawyer and if you don’t wanna answer shit you don’t have to,” she advised everyone before heading upstairs to check on the kids with Keema, Ellis, Neisha, and Tamera.

  The cops came and questioned everyone in the house, everyone saying that they were out enjoying their day and the next thing they knew shots were being fired. The officers found five dead bodies and the choppa Meek held on him and the .9mm Moony had on his dead body as well. Ace and Jay was livid but held their composure while the cops were in their presences. Ace stood off to the corner while policemen searched his home and the coroners packed up the five dead bodies scattered around his home. He was stuck on the fact that Moony had really tried to kill him in his own home while his kids were there. Ace looked across the room where Ellis was sitting and wondered if she knew what Moony had been up to for the last few months.

  The lead Detective wanted to speak to Ace alone so he pulled him to the side. The two of them had a past.

  “Can I speak to you alone?” Detective Miles asked while slowly approaching Ace. Ace looked him up and down before walking off. Miles followed Ace into the kitchen.

  “Listen, I don’t wanna talk and I for damn sure don’t wanna hear what you gotta say,” Ace said as soon as they walked into the kitchen.

  “Well you’re going to listen,” Detective Miles spat. “I know you and I know you know who was behind trying to kill you while your daughters were home with you.” He said. “Help me, help you.” Ace chuckled.

  “Help you?” Ace asked with a raised eyebrow. “You’re the Detective I suggest you do ya job and find the mothafucka before I do,” Ace said before turning around to walk away.

  “I had you by the balls until you decided to up and leave the game alone,” Miles said.

  Ace stopped in his tracks and turned to face Miles again. “If you had me by the balls as you say why am I still a free man?” Ace asked. “You know what? I really don’t give a fuck, just pack the rest of ya pigs up and get the fuck out my house,” Ace said leaving no room for disc
ussion.

  “Y’all mothafuckas need to pack up and leave, now!” Ace said now standing in the middle of his living room. “Whatever evidence y’all didn’t so call collect, too fuckin’ bad.” He said.

  Jay, Boog, and Boy gathered their ladies and kids. They each slapped hands with Ace before walking out the front door. “I’ll holla at you,” Jay said saluting Ace. Boog didn’t bother speaking any words; he and everyone else already knew what needed to be done. Once he got his girl and kids settled in, he would be out hunting.

  *

  Aaliyah was tired and worn out from the events of the day. Dealing with the police and news people had took just about all the energy she had left. Aaliyah closed the door behind her and locked it before throwing her back against it while signing deeply. She already knew the news was going to have a field day with the story. Opening her eyes she searched for Ace. She checked the living room, kitchen, and backyard and didn’t see him anywhere. She headed upstairs to the twins room and found him rocking back and forth in the rocking chair watching them sleep. Aaliyah stood at the door smiling; she decided to leave him alone with his girls while she took a shower.

  “You did really well today,” Ace said letting her know he knew she was standing there.

  “I did what I was supposed to, I don’t need you praising me for things I’m supposed to do,” Aaliyah said walking into the room and sitting on Ace lap. “I already told you that I’m going to hold you down no matter what.”

  Aaliyah could see the stress Ace carried around and she wished there was something she could do to take it away. She knew it wasn’t a good time to tell him about the woman that had come banging down his front door the night before, she knew it was only going to make things worse and add more stress on him but she knew he needed to know.

  Aaliyah told him what had taken place the night before and when she was done talking all he did was sigh while running his hands over his waves.

  “Don’t worry about it, I’ll handle it,” he said. His thoughts were all over the place. He tried prioritizing everything but he couldn’t. Ace smacked Aaliyah on her ass and told her to get up. She did as she was told and they left the room together.

  “I’m going to take a shower,” she said when they entered his bedroom. Ace laid across the bed and closed his eyes.

  Chapter 17

  It had been a little over a week since the shootout had taken place at Ace’s house. The memory was still fresh for everyone but Ace had taken it very much personal and to the heart. They had brought a war to his home where his daughters rested their heads. What pissed him off more was the fact that one of them could have gotten shot or killed, caused his blood to boil that much more. He doubled the bounty on J’vion’s head. Not to mention he still had to off the mothafuckas on the list that the Grim Reaper had given him, and to make matters worse he now had Miles’ dirty ass on his back, again.

  After the shooting at his home, the very next day he flew his girls back down to Florida to be with their grandmother. It wasn’t something he wanted to do but he knew it was for the best. Ace thought back to when she opened the door and went in on his ass.

  “So you’re back out in those streets doing the same shit that got my baby girl killed?” She asked with her hands on her hips. “When will you learn? Oh wait I know, when I have to bury my grandbabies too.” She spat pissing Ace off. It was bad enough that he blamed himself for Sunshine’s death and here she was throwing it back in his face every chance she got, like it wasn’t enough when she didn’t allow him to attend her funeral. That shit crushed his heart, but he granted her wish and didn’t show up to Sunshine’s funeral.

  “Please don’t speak on shit you know nothing about,” Ace said as he walked past her with his daughters in his arms. He wasn’t pleased that they had to be there and neither were they.

  “Daddy, I wanna go home,” Savanna said.

  “Yeah, I don’t like being here. Grandma is mean and auntie is too,” Serenity said.

  “Can we please go home with you and Aaliyah, please?” Savanna damn near begged. Ace wished they could be home with him but knew he had no other choice but to keep them in Florida until he could get everything back in order and under control.

  “I promise I’ll be back to get you girls soon. Daddy has to take care of some things before I can bring y’all back home, okay?” He asked looking into his daughter’s faces. “I gotta go but I’ll be back and call me anytime and as much as y’all want,” he said hugging and kissing his girls.

  “Ma, why are you doin’ all that yelling?” Brenda asked walking into the living room wiping sleep from her eyes. Ace sat his daughters down and got up. He walked up to her while forcefully snatching her up by her arm.

  “Get ya fuckin’ hands off me!” She yelled while trying to snatch her arm from Ace’s strong grip, but to no avail.

  “Don’t you ever and I mean ever come to my home talkin’ shit to my woman,” he gritted through clenched teeth shoving her and damn near pushing her over.

  Brenda and Ace went back and forth for a while. Sunshine and Brenda’s mother, Mary, joined in bashing Ace as well.

  “You’re the reason my daughter is dead!” Mary yelled. “It should have been you instead of her!” She continued to rant and rave while mushing Ace in the head. “I fuckin’ hate you!”

  Ace didn’t have a problem standing there going back and forth with Brenda and Mary, but he knew every second he was standing there going back and forth with them that was a second wasted in his quest to find, Sunshine. When he looked up and found his babies standing in the kitchen door way with confused looks and tears running down their faces he knew it was time to go. He hugged and kissed his girls and walked out, heading back to Hampton, Virginia, back to the bullshit he called his life.

  “What’s on your mind?” Boy asked getting Ace attention.

  Ace and Boy was sitting parked in the empty parking lot of what use to be an old club that had shut down many years ago due to its many illegal activities that use to take place, along with all the shootouts and police raids.

  “Thinking that’s all,” Ace replied.

  “Do you care to share?” Boy asked.

  “My life had come full circle. I left the game only to be forced back into it. My girls are thousands of miles away and I still blame myself for Sunshine’s death,” Ace sighed. “Not to mention I have a career woman who loves me and my girls and is willing to do anything I ask of her. I don’t know if my wife is really dead or alive and once again I have a dirty ass cop on my back for no reason at all,” Ace said.

  “Let me ask you this. Are you doing what you’re doing to really find out if Sunshine is alive or are you doing this to find the mothafucka who decided to test you?” Boy asked.

  “Both,” Ace answered with no hesitation in his voice. “My mind is telling me to leave well enough alone, but my heart is telling me to keep going. I’m in the worst kind of battle right now, with myself.” He said shaking his head. “Boy, if you were in my situation, how would you handle it?”

  “I would have gone about it the same way you have and I wouldn’t stop at nothing until I find my wife dead or alive,” answered Boy. “At least I would be able to sleep at night knowing I did everything I could to find or save her. You just have to stop beating yourself up about shit you can’t change.” He said.

  The headlights from the two cars pulling into the parking lot grabbed both Ace and Boy’s attention. Jay was driving one car and Boog was driving the other. Ace and Boy stepped out the car and waited for Jay and Boog to do the same. They slapped hands and Boog started the conversation.

  “I’ve been following that nigga you had the meeting with and have nothing. Whoever he’s working with or for, the two of them never meet in public places, leaving us at a dead end,” Boog said.

  “I put the word out on the street about the bounty and price for J’vion’s head, so t
hat’s in the works and there’s no word on him or his whereabouts. It’s as if the mothafucka vanished. But I know he’s somewhere around lying low,” Jay said.

  “Oh shit before I forget. I finally figured out why the six names on the list sound so familiar,” Boog said reaching into his pocket pulling out the paper with the names on it.

  “Who are they?” Boy asked.

  “Two of them use to run the streets with us but one got caught up in a double homicide and the other ratted a few people out and ended up in witness protection. James Miles rings a bell?” Boog asked.

  Ace remembered who James Miles was and frowned. James Miles was heavy in the streets and his father was the dirtiest cop Hampton has ever come across. James miles were as ruthless as they came and his father backed up everything he did. While James robbed and killed the local drug dealers to take over the streets his father who was just a street cop back than turned a blind eye, hell sometimes he would even help his son dispose of the bodies. Everything was going good for anyone who knew James and his father, but when he got caught up for those two bodies and his father couldn’t help him he turned on every drug dealer he knew. He felt if his son had to do time so did everyone else. James had tried to rat Ace out; Ace name was all throughout his paper work. The case never made it to trial because he had gotten caught with the murder weapon.

  “Whatever happened to that nigga? Is he still doin’ time?” Ace asked. He remembered James getting sentenced to double life in prison with no chance of parole. Boog shook his head no.

  “He broke out of jail after only serving two years and haven’t been seen or heard of again,” answered Boog. “But you will never guess where he is,” Boog smiled.

  “Where is he?” Boy, Jay, and Ace asked at once.

  “Right here in Hampton. That mothafucka has been hiding in plain sight all these years,” he laughed while shaking his head.