by Nene Capri
“Good!” Boa replied.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” KoKo went on the defensive.
“It means I’m a grown fucking man. I don’t need you to be checking on what I’m doin’.”
“What? You smoked some bad shit this morning? I’m in charge of this shit!” KoKo said, hitting her fist in her hand.
Boa paused. The sound of cars going by and horns blowing filled the space when their words did not. Then he finally spoke. “You’re so used to being in charge that you can’t let a man handle shit. Well, I ain’t your bitch.” KoKo looked at him sideways as the words left his mouth. “I’ma do what I gotta do to make shit happen. Either you trust me or you don’t. Either way, don’t fucking question me no more.” He turned and walked to his car and pulled off.
“No this muthafucka didn’t.” She placed her hands on her hips and then got in her car, thinking, This nigga gonna make me kill him.
*****
“Come on, KoKo. It’s just one night,” Savage pleaded. The crew had been trying to get her to spend time with them for weeks, and with her running from one state to the next it was almost impossible to catch up with her.
“I’m not in a party mood, Savage. I just got in the city and I just want to soak in a hot tub and give my pillow some head.” KoKo had just returned from Atlanta, kicking ass and covering shit it up.
Savage chuckled. “Fuck is you? An old lady? Throw on that hot shit and let’s go.”
KoKo thought for a minute. She wanted to hang up, but she could hear the sincerity in his voice. “Where y’all want me to meet y’all?”
“Nah, sis. We coming to get that ass.”
KoKo chuckled. “A’ight, give me the time and get off my phone so I can get my shit together.”
“See you at eleven.” He hung up.
KoKo looked at the clock, which read 9:30 p.m. Taking a deep breath, she yawned and stretched with her hands over her head. She headed toward her closet and looked at all the clothes color-coordinated in rows. KoKo picked a color for the night and then walked to the row filled with jeans, selected a pair and a shirt to match. Since she wanted to be fly yet comfortable, she chose a pair of two-inch shoe boots. Laying everything on the bed, she then picked out her earrings, chain, and a bracelet. KoKo headed to the bathroom, ran a hot bath, and poured in some scented bubbles.
Forty minutes later, she emerged from the tub and took a quick shower. She got dressed, grabbed two guns, and put them in place.
As soon as she reached her bedroom door, her phone vibrated. “I’m coming,” she said into the receiver and hung up.
*****
Everybody was seated at the bar in KoKo’s basement. Savage turned up the radio as he announced, “Line ‘em up. She’ll be down in a minute.”
Mugsy grabbed a bottle of Ciroc and filled some shot glasses.
KoKo emerged from the elevator with a solemn look as she approached Night.
“Stop being so fucking serious.” He pushed her as she passed him.
“Keep it up, and I’ma be sending your bitch some condolences.” She picked up a glass.
“You always talking shit.” Everyone laughed as they moved closer around the bar and reached in for their glasses as well.
“Hold ‘em up,” Night instructed. Everyone raised their glasses. “To life, love, wealth and loyalty.” The clinking glasses chimed throughout the room. Each drink was taken to the head and empty glasses hit the bar one by one.
After four rounds, they headed to the garage and hopped in three different trucks. Savage, Chucky, and Mugsy rode in the front vehicle. KoKo and Night in the middle. And Velour, a cat from their Jersey crew and Pete, brought up the rear.
Cruising through the streets, Night wanted to use his time alone with KoKo to pull her coattail. He turned the music down a little. “So you got a handle on all this shit popping up. What’s good?”
Everything is butter. Just keep your crew in order. I can handle everything else,” KoKo said smoothly.
“I’m worried about you, KoK.”
“Don’t be. Shit is what it is. We have done what we had to do to maintain the throne. At some point, some muthafucka greedier than us will try to collect.”
Night looked over at KoKo and admired her calm in the middle of the shit-storm they were in. He had to respect her. She had been through the death of the only man she had ever loved. KoKo was taking care of his mother and his child, plus maintaining and building on everything he’d left her. And she had gotten shot twice, and was still beasting in the streets with no fear.
KoKo turned the music back up, grabbed the blunt from the ashtray and lit it. She puffed all the way to the spot. They pulled next to three parking spots, which were blocked by orange cones a quarter-block from the door.
Night flashed his high beams at security, and one of the guys ran over and moved the cones so they could park. Everyone got out of their cars, straightened their clothes, and checked their guns. They hit the alarms and then headed to the entrance. As they walked, they laughed and joked, forming a fort around KoKo. They all treated her like she was a precious gem, each one with their own reason for their loyalty.
They approached the door and the security team greeted them and, lifted the velvet rope to allow them entrance to the club. They hit fists and proceeded through the doors. Once inside, all eyes were on them. Females were smiling and tapping each other, displaying girlish giggles. They were escorted to the VIP area. Their hostess moved quickly into the room, set three bottles down on the table and moved to the bar. She grabbed a few glasses, set them down next to the bottles, and dimmed the lights. When she went to close the curtains, KoKo ordered, “Nah, leave them open.” The woman turned to look in her direction, raising her eyebrows and nodding in agreement.
“Do you need anything else?” the woman asked.
“Just keep the drinks coming. Only closed bottles,” Mugsy yelled.
The woman nodded and exited the room, closing the door behind her. Chucky went to the wet bar and started popping bottles. Savage began rolling that green. They relaxed, enjoying the music.
“All y’all niggas is worth living for and dying for. A bitch respect your hustle and sacrifice. Know that,” KoKo announced, creating a serious moment.
“Real recognize real. I ain’t got no regrets, ma. I’d do that shit all over again,” Chucky responded.
“We live by the gun. And we’ll die by that muthafucka,” Pete said as he raised his glass to salute.
“What the fuck? Y’all niggas ‘bout to pull out tissue and shit,” Velour yelled.
“Nigga, fuck you,” Savage said as they all burst out laughing.
“Tell ‘em, Savage. Remember when this nigga first busted his gun? He came back to the spot all shook and shit. Fuck outta here with all that bullshit,” KoKo said.
Everybody looked at Velour awaiting a response, and as usual he didn’t let them down. “Y’all niggas know I be needing a hug,” he said. Everybody cracked up laughing.
Night looked on and smiled. It made his heart feel good to see KoKo having a good time.
For hours they laughed and reminisced. Then Chucky, Savage, and Mugsy left out and made their rounds through the club, pinning down some dick play for later.
A short time later, the entourage exited the club. The night air hit their skin, forcing a bit of sobriety. “Damn, I’m hungry as hell,” Savage announced.
“I second that shit,” Mugsy chimed in, rubbing his stomach.”
“So what y’all niggas wanna do?” KoKo asked.
“It’s your night. What you wanna do?” Night asked.
“Let’s hit that spot Uptown.”
“A’ight.” They agreed and headed toward their cars.
As they were about to cross the street, a few figures appeared from behind three parked cars. KoKo was the first to spot the shiny object and go for her gun. “Watch out!” she yelled. It was too late. Within seconds, bullets were flying. The first ones hit Savage in the neck,
Chucky in the leg, and KoKo in the chest. They all scattered, busting back as Savage hit the ground holding his neck. Night grabbed Savage and Chucky by the back of their jackets, pulling them toward the car that shielded him from the onslaught of bullets.
“KoKo, you a’ight?” Night yelled, pulling open her jacket.
KoKo grabbed her chest, breathing heavily as the pain coursed through her body. “Get this shit off me!” she yelled as the heat from the vest burned her chest.
Night quickly unstrapped her vest. KoKo looked down to see if everything was intact. It was, except her dad’s medallion, which took some of the force of the bullet.
KoKo crawled over and ducked between two cars, reaching up to bust off as bullets passed back and forth, hitting metal and shattering glass. Night, Velour, and Pete ducked behind some nearby trees and cars, exchanging rounds. KoKo blasted until she was out. A brief moment of silence interrupted the small war in the streets.
Night peeked out and saw men moving in KoKo’s direction. He stepped from behind the tree, gun in each hand, blasting. “KoKoooo!” he yelled as his voice vibrated in KoKo’s eardrum. Velour and Pete stepped out from behind the trees and let their steel bark. Velour hit three of their guys, laying them down, but not before taking one to the shoulder.
“Night, I’m out!” Pete shouted as he ducked back down.
KoKo remained between two cars as the direction of the bullets became impossible to pinpoint. She flipped over on her hands and knees in an attempt to look under the cars to see where the shots were coming from. When she looked over, the footsteps were right at her head.
KoKo paused as adrenaline rushed through her body. “Yeah, bitch. Move and I’ll blow your fucking brains out,” the voice barked down at her as he held the gun in place over her head.
“Fuck you, nigga! Do what you gotta do,” KoKo barked as she tried to remain calm.
“Even with death staring you in the face you still try to act tough. All these niggas following you. Sheeeit . . .you ain’t nothing but a bitch that came up on some rich dick. I’m in charge of New York now, bitch. Tell Kayson I said I’m the Boss now!” He clicked back the hammer, ready to squeeze.
KoKo braced herself for the inevitable. She closed her eyes and said a prayer. All she was focused on was Quran.
Then.
Boom. Boom. Boom. Shots rang out.
Silence filled the atmosphere, and then it was as if time didn’t exist. Even the air was void. As KoKo tried to open her eyes to see the repercussion of the hateful blast, the shooter fell to his knees in front of her. She met eyes with the assassain whose brains oozed from his head and onto the cold concrete.
KoKo grabbed the gun from his hand, stood up and pointed in all directions. There wasn’t a man standing.
“KoK!” she heard Night yell out.
KoKo ran to his side to assess the wounds. Everyone had taken at least one shot except Night, who was now holding Savage, trying to keep him alert. KoKo heard the sirens approaching fast.
“Get outta here, KoKo!” Night ordered.
“I’m not leaving y’all,” KoKo declared full of anger.
“I got this shit. Go! Now!”
KoKo rose up, making eye contact with him and seeing that he wasn’t taking no for an answer.
“Hurry up, them blues gonna be all over this place in a minute.”
KoKo turned, stepped quickly into Night’s truck and hopped in and peeled out. As she drove, she became overwhelmed with emotion. Tears ran down her face as she dodged through cars while running lights and stop signs. When she was a fair enough distance away, she slowed down.
“Shit, shit, shit!” she yelled as she pounded on the steering wheel. She drove, thinking that within minutes the same men who had put their life on the line was now fighting for it. Anger, regret, and fear rumbled in her gut as she toiled with the reality that once again she faced losing the only family she had.
Somebody was about to feel her rage.
-42-
Rage
Boa was on high alert. The news about the hit on his crew had him flying through the streets in full killer mode on his way to check on KoKo. Winter was in full effect as he pulled his jacket up to his ears on the way out of his car. A cool mist of breath left his mouth as he double-timed it to KoKo’s building.
“Baby, you all right?” Boa said as KoKo opened the door to her apartment.
“Yes, I’m fine, Boa,” she stated as she walked to the living room.
“What’s going on at the hospital?” KoKo took a seat on the couch.
“It’s crazy over there. All their wives and family over there crying and shit. I had to get up outta there.”
“What about Night?”
“They had him at the precinct all night. I just dropped him off. He told me to come straight over here and check on you.”
“Shit is fucked up, Boa.” She put her head in her hands.
Boa walked over and sat next to her. “We got this shit. You need to fall back and let us handle it.”
“Fall back? You know I can’t do that.”
“Fuck you mean, you can’t do that?”
“I built this shit. And if it’s gonna crumble, I got to be right there with it.”
“You talking crazy as hell. That’s why you got goons. I’m not asking you. I’m telling you. Fall the fuck back!” He rose to his feet.
KoKo jumped up beside him. “So what am I supposed to do? Run and hide?” she yelled.
“You do what you gotta do. But I don’t want to see your ass on these streets,” Boa angrily stated and then walked out.
*****
Over the next week, the whole organization was on high alert. Savage was still in critical condition, but everyone else was stable and preparing to be released from the hospital. KoKo had every ear to the street in a strong effort to pinpoint who was behind the hit. So far the whole situation had China’s name all over it. KoKo was furious because she had been pleading with Boa to watch his temper and handle shit with a cooler head. Now his bullshit had put everyone’s life at risk.
Since that shit happened, she was forced to close a few spots and relocate their meeting. KoKo was lucky to find a small office space in Hoboken. She filled the room with a few couches, a desk, and a small bar and pool table. “So did we cover everything?” KoKo asked, walking around her desk after giving everyone their orders.
“Nah. But I need to holla at you,” Boa interjected.
KoKo looked over at him and then around the room. “Anybody else?”
Night stood up and the six new guys he brought in followed. “That’s it for now. We have a big week ahead of us. Everybody needs to stay focused.” There was a strong consensus throughout the room and then they moved out.
“We’ll meet you downstairs in five minutes,” Night directed his order at Boa with a stern look. Night had reached his limit with Boa, and he was ready to violate the promise he made to KoKo and kill this reckless nigga.
“A’ight,” Boa responded as he watched Night and the crew move out.
When Boa was sure that they were gone he asked KoKo, “So did you think about what we talked about?”
KoKo didn’t even look up. “What are you talking about?” She continued to go through her mail.
“So I guess all that shit we talked about was just procedure?” Boa had requested a little more control. He was ready to be in charge, but the only thing missing was KoKo’s blessing.
“Boa, it’s so much shit going on, I haven’t had time to think.”
Boa got ready to respond and the intercom went off. “Miss KoKo, you have an important call on line two,” Lori’s voice came through the speaker.
KoKo hit the button. “Thank you.” She turned her attention to the caller. “Hey, Miss Monique. Is everything all right?”
“I thought you were coming to see Quran?”
“I know. I’m trying to rearrange some things so I can get away,” KoKo stated.
“I know there is a lot of importan
t shit going on in your life, but nothing is more important than your son,” Monique said.
After giving a little thought to Monique’s request, she said, “You’re right. I’ll board a plane tonight.”
“See you when you get here. Travel safe.”
“Will do.” KoKo hung up the phone. “Is there anything else I can help you with?” KoKo turned her attention back to Boa.
“Nah, handle ya business. I’ll get at you later.” He got up and walked out the room with an attitude.
As he walked out the office, KoKo gave him a hard stare. She tightened up her office and moved out to execute the next level of her plan.
Dead Niggas Can’t Send Messages…
KoKo stormed into the room around 10:15 p.m., pissed that she had to leave Quran and rush back to New York for a surprise meeting. “So what’s on the table?” she asked as she took a seat next to Night.
Night looked over at her with disappointment, and then looked back over at Feliciano.
“There is nothing on the table,” Feliciano responded.
“So what the fuck have we been doing for the last forty-five minutes?” She looked around the room in search of answers.
“My father said we no longer have the same deal. And he no longer wants to work with a woman. But he will work with any other member of your team,” he revealed, careful not to upset the situation more than it was.
KoKo sat for a minute. “Tell your boss I said suck my dick.” She stood up. “Get the fuck outta my office.” The rest of the crew stood up next to her, and Chucky opened the door so Feliciano and his crew could exit.
When Feliciano reached the door, he turned and said, “When I leave here everything changes.”
“Muthafucka, if you don’t walk out that door while you still have the chance, I’ma change your wife’s status from married to widowed.”
Feliciano stared at her for a minute and then was escorted down the stairs. When he got to the car he tried once again to make an offer. “Man, look. I know y’all want to do shit on y’all own. Branch out. Come from up under this woman’s tit.” He looked at Chucky for confirmation.