What Da Lick Read? The Triple Cross

by McCray, Sevyn

  He had met Leigh in class. She was bad as hell. She had a very sophisticated air about her. He just knew that she was from up north somewhere because her gear was on point. But when she opened her mouth and spoke you knew then and there that she was definitely one of Westside’s finest. Her look was totally different from what everyone else was rocking. She always looked like she was fresh off of the runway.

  Leigh wore her hair in a short curly style; it was dyed crimson and shaved close on both sides. She was a golden brown with slanted eyes, full pink lips and a button nose. She was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority but you barely saw her around campus with her sorors. She was always by herself and you never caught her without her sketch pad and her headset. Leigh designed clothes.

  Killian pulled up to her gate and pushed in the code that the police used and made it around to the townhouse that she shared with her mother and her son. He didn’t have to call her because she was sitting on the porch with the light on; with her sketchpad and her headset.

  She pulled the headset out of her ears and laid the sketchpad down. She wore only an oversized t-shirt and some boyshorts. Her ass cheeks were visible as she walked toward him. The expression on her face was unreadable. But her gray eyes looked like they had turned green so he knew then that she was mad at him.

  Killa smiled at her as her hips switched from side to side. He knew he had started to develop feelings for her and her son. Sometimes even when he wasn’t out putting in work he would say he was because he felt that he was too young to be getting tied down with a chick and a baby. He still had his whole life ahead of him.

  “Nigga wipe dat smile off of your face. You could have at least called and told me that we weren’t doing dinner. I was sitting here dressed up and ready to go. Then Kaydence wanted to show you his grade that he got on his project that you helped him with last week.” Leigh said mushing him in his forehead with her index finger.

  He grabbed her around her small waist and her t-shirt rose up exposing her panties. She leaned in and kissed him on the lips, thrusting her tongue into his mouth. As his tongue danced around hers she leaned in even closer and he gripped her ass cheeks pulling her tightly to him. A moan escaped her lips as he pulled away from the kiss. “Go grab your shit. You are spending the night with me.”

  “The night, it’s already after five in the morning.” She scoffed. She wouldn’t dare tell him no. The way he treated her and her son kept her coming back for more. They said that when you are not looking for it is when it will sneak up on you and that is what happened.

  “Whatever man, just get your shit. You got class at twelve and I got a meeting with the family at eleven. You can take the car and I will ride my motorcycle.” He told her as she turned around and walked up the steps to the front door.

  Killian walked up the steps behind her but didn’t go inside. He picked up her sketch pad and started flipping through her work. He was speechless. She was definitely gifted. He knew that she made the majority of her clothes but to see it on paper with such detail intrigued him. Killa knew that he needed to do right by Leigh, because he knew that when it came to him, she only had the best intentions.

  She came out the door with a Louis Vuitton duffle bag thrown over her shoulder. “Baby, you look so tired. Pop-Pop working you to death?

  “Nawl, it wasn’t Pop-Pop tonight, I was fucking round with Truth in the kitchen. You just moving on in aren’t you?” He shook his head as he looked at her large bag. The more visits that Leigh made to his place, the more stuff she left. Killian walked around to get in on the passenger side. His body was tired beyond belief. All he wanted was a hot bath and a glass of warm milk. He didn’t need sex from Leigh. Her presence was enough. She always soothed him.

  She got into the driver’s seat and looked over at him relaxing peacefully with his eyes closed. He would be sleep by the time they arrived at his townhouse on the Southside. Leigh knew that Killian was the man for both her and her son. She didn’t want to scare him away by talking about relationships because he would always say “What’s understood don’t need to be said.”

  Chapter 7: Gorgeous, Gorgeous, Gorgeous

  Honesty was on a natural high, adrenaline was rushing through her body and even though she knew that she should probably sleep, she just couldn’t. Tonight she handled the most dope since she had been in the game. Her dream was coming true. She had enough money put up to feel safe, she was going to school for her MBA and she was living the life; all without help from her dad.

  Her phone rang and she looked at the caller I.D. A picture of Gorgeous or Gigi as she was affectionately called popped up. “Yo what’s up Gigi? What the hell are you doing up this time of morning?”

  “I haven’t been to sleep yet. Just lying on the sofa in my office, and thought that I would call and make sure everything was good with you. Where are you at?” Gigi said as she adjusted her hair and switched positions on the sofa.

  “You’re calling to check on me or to check on your product” Honesty laughed.

  “I’m calling to check on you bitch, now get your ass over to this club.”

  “I need to lie down, I’ve got a meeting with Pop-Pop in the morning and I have been in the kitchen all night. I just wanna shower and get in the bed.”

  “You can get in my bed. Meet me at the house” Gigi said.

  “Okay you win, I will meet you at your house; I’m leaving from my spot now. See you in a minute.” Honesty hung up the phone, grabbed her purse and keys and headed toward the door.

  She pulled out her Millennium Pro SS 40 caliber pistol and looked around to make sure everything was in proper order. She set the alarm and locked up. Once outside the door, she checked her surroundings. Pop-Pop had taught her that. Something didn’t feel right, but everything looked fine. She figured maybe she was just on edge because she had so much work put up in the house. Her high was coming down now and she was feeling drowsy as she got into her Infinity FX45 SUV. She was happy that everything was located on the Southside so she didn’t really have far to go. Gigi wouldn’t talk her to death because she probably was tired too. She had just got a big shipment in and being that she was supplying the entire city, she was indeed exhausted.

  As Honesty pulled away from the house, the pair of eyes that had been watching her and her family for most of the night crept from the woods and walked around the outside of the house.

  Before she knew it, Honesty was pulling up at Gigi’s estate. When she got to the gate, she pulled her cell phone out and called Gigi to let her know that she was there.

  The lights in her rearview mirror let her know that Gigi had arrived as she pulled up behind her. Gigi opened the gate from her car as Honesty pulled into the circular driveway. She drove her car right beside Honesty’s SUV and hopped out before she did.

  Both Honesty and Gigi were tall; standing at six feet and six feet one respectively. They looked each other in the eyes and words were exchanged, but none spoken. They walked into the house and closed the door.

  As soon as the door closed, Gigi grabbed Honesty and pushed her up against the door. She kissed her lips and parted them with her tongue. Honesty wrapped her arms around Gigi and ran her hands down her curves. They tore into each other. The passion of having not touched each other all day exploded between them. Honesty’s dark skin was a total contrast to Gigi’s creamy pale skin. They had seen each other earlier, but they were not able to come in close contact because no one knew of their relationship. Even though they were both tired as hell from hustling all day, everything took a backseat when they were together.

  Honesty broke away from their embrace and looked Gigi in her eyes. “I thought you were going to let me get in the shower and then go to bed?”

  “Those were my plans too. I’m tired as a muthafucka and I got some of my country boys from North Carolina coming down in the morning so I really need to get some rest. But I wanted to be close to you tonight. Do you have a problem with that Bae?” Gigi said.

  “Nawl,
not at all. You know I love being with you. I haven’t slept in my bed in God knows when. I’m here more than I am at home. Let’s take a hot shower.” Honesty grabbed Gigi’s hand and led her upstairs as if she was in her own home.

  Gigi sat on the bed and began to take off her clothes. She always dressed extra feminine whenever she was working. It helped put the men at ease. She took off her Fendi wedge sandals and her tan bebe tube dress with the matching cardigan. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail that sat very high on her head. She removed the hair pins and shook out her waist length hair. Honesty stood right there watching her. It always amazed her that if you didn’t know what Gigi did for a living, you would mistake her for an administrative professional in a Fortune 500 company; instead of one of the biggest drug dealers on the East Coast. She was only twenty-four, but she had been groomed since she was small by her grandfather Black Sillk.

  As Honesty took off her wife beater and Rock and Republic shorts, Gigi stood in front of her naked. Even though she was dog tired, it was something about seeing Honesty undressed that did something to Gigi. She reached out to pull her close, and held her tight. Even though she had an identical sister and a brother who along with her made up a set of triplets, Honesty was the person who was closest to her. “Truth, what would I do without you” Gigi asked Honesty calling her by her nickname.

  “The world will never know because I’m always going to be here. Now can we finally take a shower? Tomorrow we are going to be dead on our feet. Shit it is already tomorrow.” She said as she went into the bathroom.

  Gigi’s large bathroom was actually the size of Honesty’s bedroom at her loft. This house was more like a mansion than a house and the only person who lived in it with her was Concrete, her best friend and body guard. He was the only person who knew of their relationship. He never really said anything to Honesty, he just looked at her. Gigi told her that he is just a quiet person and not to take it personal.

  Honesty pressed a button on the console in the bathroom; the lights dimmed and the water came on inside the large walk in shower. She opened the glass door, slipped in and waited for Gigi to join her. Gigi walked into the bathroom with her ear to the phone. She sat on the counter as Honesty grabbed the loofa and squeezed some burnt brown sugar shower gel onto it. She closed her eyes as the massaging shower heads worked a miracle on her tired body. She didn’t hear Gigi finish her conversation, or hear her enter the shower. She just felt her take the loofa from her hands and start to wash her back and kiss her neck.

  Honesty turned to face Gigi. Both of the shower heads were on, soaking them from behind. She kissed her tenderly at first, reaching to pull her closer so that their bodies were touching. Gigi ran her hands all over Honesty’s curves. Her body was very curvaceous and tight like an athlete. The water made her dark skin look like warm chocolate. She loved the way her skin felt like silk under her touch. Gigi pulled away from the kiss and started to suck on her nipples, alternating between each one. Honesty let out a moan because Gigi always played her body like an instrument. She held her head to her, while running her hands through her hair as she teased her into ecstasy. Gigi parted her legs with one of her own and started to grind up against her. Honesty reached between them and put her hand on Gigi’s clitoris and slowly massaged it. Gigi let out a moan as her mouth came crushing back down on Honesty’s mouth. Their tongues danced inside of each other’s mouth as they breathed erratically. Gigi tensed up as she reached her climax grabbing Honesty’s hand trying to pull it from between her legs.

  They got out of the shower in silence and dried off, each of them drying off the others’ back. They walked into Gigi’s master bedroom and got into the canopied California King bed and cuddled up naked to one another. Both of them drifting off to sleep in less than five minutes after their heads hit the pillow.

  Chapter 8: Friends, how many of us have them?

  Khalil sat at his kitchen table trying to make sense of what he had seen tonight. The saying your first mind is always your best mind is really an understatement.

  He had retired a while ago from being in the streets much. He had foot soldiers all over the city that were at his beck and call. He was sitting on millions of dollars and his four kids were grown and out on their own. He was still very young looking and he probably should be settling down with a nice female companion to keep him company or even traveling the world since he was no longer on any type of paper work. But, as the saying goes once a street nigga, always a street nigga and Khalil had one foot in and one foot out.

  All four of his children were in the street, not by force but because of who they were. For that reason alone, he told himself that he would always be there to keep an eye on them.

  Sleep eluded him most nights; he would sit up with his Mac book computer in front of him and write his memoirs. But lately, he had been feeling uneasy a little too much to ignore. Poke his best friend had been calling him a lot more often, but he just took it as Poke leading up to asking him for some money or for him to set him up with some kind of work. Poke never was a saver. He spent the majority of the money that he had made over the years on the cocaine that he sniffed and the young women that he couldn’t keep.

  His visit with Poke earlier had him on edge the entire time. He knew that he was high as soon as he opened the door. His eyes were glassy and he was so jittery, you would have thought he had ants in his pants.

  Khalil had just stopped by because he was in the neighborhood. Poke wouldn’t leave the Westside. He favorite saying was that he was “Westside born, Westside bred and when I die, I’mma be Westside dead.”

  He pulled his silver Mercedes CLS AMG into the driveway of the last little shot gun house on Perry Blvd. Poke had inherited it from his grandmother. It used to be his stash spot, but now that he was broke it, was his residence. The paint was peeling and the grass needed to be cut. He had never known Poke to let this house look a mess. He had always kept it up because it belonged to his grandmother.

  Khalil got out of the car and walked up the driveway. The neighborhood had improved quite a bit. The apartments on the Hill had a new owner who had tried to renovate them. The other shot gun houses had been knocked down and had been replaced with either Habitat for Humanity Homes or Duplexes. Poke’s spot stuck out like a sore thumb amongst all of the new buildings.

  Poke ripped the door open before Khalil could even knock. “What’s good K’ my nigga? Come on in and have a seat. The king coming to visit the peasants; to what do I owe this honor?” He said with his loud booming voice.

  “Go head on with that king and peasant shit Poke. I was just in the neighborhood and wanted to stop by and kick it with you my nigga.” Khalil looked around and the kitchen sink was filled with dishes and flies were flying everywhere. The floor was filthy and it smelled horrible.

  “I’m just fucking with you Coach. Shit I’m just getting in myself. I have been out all night doing a lil’ homework, you know what I’m saying. I just got out of the shower. Need to go and grab me something to eat. I ain’t eaten in about three days.” Poke said

  “I’m hungry myself, lets hit up one of our old spots and shoot the shit for a minute. We haven’t hung out in a good while.” Khalil said to his best friend as he tried to feel him out. Something wasn’t sitting right and he was going to get to the bottom of it.

  “I know, cause you don’t come to the hood and fuck with us like you use to. You went from Coach K, to King K. A muthafucka can’t seem to get close to you now. But I understand if I was a millionaire a few times over, shit I wouldn’t be letting the peasants get close to me either. Or should I say piss ants.”

  “Man quit talking all that nonsense, I wouldn’t be where I am today without you, my nigga. You have been my right hand, when I couldn’t use my left. I will always come where you are, whether I got a one dollar or one million dollars. Now come on, let’s go and get us some grub.” Khalil said as he walked out the door.

  Poke followed behind him, his eyes shooting daggers. Damn ri
ght he wouldn’t be where he was without me. Poke had been the one in the trenches right from the beginning and now he found the green eye of jealousy rearing its ugly head and coming between the friendship that he had with Khalil for the past twenty-five years.

  “Man, I like this muthafucka right here. I ain’t seen this one before. Make my lil’ S500 look like a hoopty” he said as he opened the door and slid into the passenger side of Khalil’s Benz.

  Khalil was becoming agitated with all of the comments that Poke was making. He was acting like he was jealous. He had all of the opportunities over the years that Khalil had and more. Poke had never been to jail once, he had finished college and he had only one kid to take care of. Khalil was the exact opposite. He dropped out of school in the ninth grade, he had a criminal background as long as Bankhead highway and he had four kids to take care of alone. Plus the fact that he didn’t have any extended family, only his kids. Poke had his grandmother, aunts and uncles.

  “Preciate that my nig’ but you know the S500 thang is far from a hoopty.”