When A Hood Legend Claims It All

by Belleza

  Playing basketball and doing drills was a time my father would remind me he always wanted me to be better than him and that family was first in everything we did. With the way he pushed me, I got better and by the time I made it to high school I was a hood star. When I wasn’t playing at school I was playing street ball where I gained a few dollars to help make ends meet. My father would hate that I wanted to spend the little bit of cash I had, but at the end of the day we were family. I didn’t mind helping out especially knowing that making ends meet was rough with one parent working.

  It wasn’t no secret that the toll of carrying a household weighed heavy on my mother. My parents would always go at it with each other because she wanted him to do more constantly telling him he wasn’t a man because he couldn’t provide financially. Everyday I saw it in his eyes that she was tearing him down, and I was right because one day coming home from school Amena found him slumped on our couch with a bullet hole in the middle of his head and a revolver in the other.

  After that day our lives changed drastically. My mom realized she needed my father more than she let on and eventually checked out on us leaving me to take on the responsibility of a parent at seventeen years old. At that point, I stopped balling and hustling became a way of life.

  Finishing off the glass of Remy Martin, I pushed the thoughts about my family to the back of my mind and focused on my right hands, Wesley and Kenton who were turning the fuck up celebrating our next major move.

  They were the brothers I never had and I trusted them with my life. We grinded together from nothing and they remained loyal so I was going to see to it that we always ate together.

  When we first started making moves the Philly drug game changed and it became a free for all. Niggas got greedy and was willing to do anything to stretch a dollar and started selling stepped on work. That’s where me and my right hands came in. While everyone moved out of desperation and greed we moved smarter and kept out shit pure only selling to a select few that were buying big numbers. That kept us under the radar while we stacked and flipped our money by starting businesses so we’d have an exit plan by the time we decided we had enough.

  Wes held out the Dutch towards me, but I declined wanting to have a clear mind for the meeting. I already had a glass to drink, so I was cool for the time being.

  The club scene wasn’t my twist, so I sat in our section vibing by myself as Wesley and Kenton were having the time of their life of course with a gang of bitches surrounding them. This was more their speed and I didn’t knock them for it.

  Growing up I experienced so many things that it got old quick. I no longer got the thrill of seeing a bunch of half-naked bitches. Most wanted a come up or wanted to be close to me so they can have bragging rights but I wasn’t in the business of sponsoring any women.

  “Hey, Mar.”

  I turned to the left of me and noticed some chick all up in my personal space. She was smiling from ear to ear like a Cheshire Cat as if she knew me while I was wondering who the fuck she was and why she was so close.

  “Back up off me,” I told her in a serious tone causing her smile to drop.

  The shock on her face lasted a few seconds before she took a few steps back planting her hands on her shapely hips. From under the lights she had on this two piece that had every part of her body on full display. She did look good as fuck, but she done pissed me off walking up on me, so entertaining her was out of the question.

  “That’s how you’re acting?”

  “What do you want?”

  She jerked her head back. “I wanted to chill with you. Wait, you really don’t remember me?”

  I eyed her again this time since she was adamant on me remembering her but she ain’t ring a bell. I remembered names and faces easily, but for a chick like her hitting it from the back and not taking a name was normal.

  “Nah, I don’t. But check it, the only option you have is to get the fuck up out my face and go occupy someone else’s time, or get the hell out of our section.”

  Sucking her teeth, she rolled her eyes and left. Kenton was laughing the entire time as she went to douse her saltiness with some liquor from the bar.

  “You ain’t have to do shawty like that.”

  “If you feel bad, why you ain’t bag her?” I shot back at him this time taking the bottle of Remy and turning it up.

  Fuck being sober now.

  “As you can see, my hands are full,” he responded. I laughed shaking my head because he had a bitch on his lap and two on the side of him.

  “Yo, you know ya sister here? Who that nigga she with?” Wesley said grabbing my attention over the music.

  I looked in the direction he pointed and sure enough, Amena was posted up at the bar with some nigga in her face. Last time I talked to her she was suppose to be out with her little boyfriend, yet she was here. That had me seeing red not only because she lied to me, but the nigga looked comfortable as shit in her face.

  The three of us was up and on our feet and pushing through the crowd to get to her like a bull seeing red.

  “Amena, what the fuck you doing here?” I exclaimed grabbing her by her arm.

  She looked like she seen a ghost as she stared into my eyes.

  The dude tried to say something, but Wesley punched him in his face, sending him flying to the ground. A crowd formed around us immediately as him and Kenton began driving their feet into his body. Security came right away and managed to stop them before hauling main man out of the club.

  With Amen’s wrist tight in my hand, I nearly dragged her back in our section yelling for everyone to leave. Pouting like a brat, she glared at every woman with the look of death and then faced me.

  “Why would you embarrass me like that?!”

  Closing in the space between us, I towered over her almost ready to snap. “Why would you fucking lie to me? You were with Jake right? Well that don’t look like no fucking Jake!”

  With her face balled up she her crossed her arms over her chest and watched Kenton and Wesley return to our section.

  “What is it going to take for you to realize that I am an adult. I’m not a little girl anymore. I deserve to have a life too.”

  “You have a life. A very good one at that, but if you keep making yourself accessible to all these lames that shit can change within a heartbeat.”

  I don’t know how many times I had to explain this shit to Amena, but she never understood that there was nothing much out here for her. She was connected to me and it was nothing for a nigga to use her to get to me.

  Her face was a bubble of hatred and anger.

  “Where are you going?” I spat watching her walk towards the exit.

  “Home!” she shot back over her shoulders.

  Expelling a deep breath, I dragged my hands down my face not knowing what to do. She had a point. She was grown, however, no matter how old she was, it was my responsibility to protect her.

  “Black is ready for y’all,” a member of the connects security team addressed us as he stepped aside to allow Amena to storm pass.

  “You want one of us to make sure she gets home?” Wes asked.

  I looked from him and then to Amena who was slowly disappearing into the crowd and nodded my head. There was no way I could make sure she went home alone, so I told Wes to follow her while Ken and I went to go meet with Black.

  Leaving our section, I took my phone out to track where Amena was heading hoping she ain't make me second guess my decision. She was in her car and looked as if she was heading home, so I left it alone and tried to settle my mind for this meeting. As we walked through the crowd niggas tried to dap us up and hold conversation while females were dying to get our attention in hopes to come with us not knowing we weren’t on a mission to take a bunch of bitches home.

  I shook a few hands and threw a few head nods but I continued my path. The attention came with the title of being a hood legend. Either way, I didn’t need anyone to stroke my ego. I preferred to keep everything low key but with
everyone knowing me it was hard to fade into the background.

  We continued to follow the guard, leaving the main floor and going down into a basement where the music morphed into a muffled beat. The closer we got to the door; I heard a familiar voice that didn’t sound too happy. I laughed under my breath knowing exactly how it was going to go.

  “Why is someone else joining this meeting? It’s always just been us two.”

  Kenton eyed me knowing a particular person wasn’t going to be too happy about the meeting.

  When the guard opened the door, the look on Pitt’s face was priceless. The woman next to him didn’t look too happy either.

  Before selling drugs was a thought, Pitt was the man in the streets. He came out of nowhere and took over by paying people to eliminate his competition. His only downfall is that he was greedy and flashy. He lived for the thrill more than he did the hustle. His work was so watered-down people complained and was looking for another resource. That’s where I came in. I have always been in the game, but I dealt with few that was buying real weight. Whatever they did after I sold them their product was on them.

  “What is going on?” the woman spoke looking from us to Black.

  He leaned back in his seat picking up the bottle of water and turned it up not too pleased this mystery woman was addressing him.

  “Yvette, meet my new partners. Mar and Ken. Get comfortable,” he invited us to sit. The guard closed the door behind us and we all took a seat around the rectangular table. Pitt stared at us bouncing the toothpick around in his mouth while I shot a menacing look back.

  “Y’all look familiar. Are y’all from Philly?”

  “Why? What’s up?” Ken shot back with a grin on his face.

  “This is insane,” the woman he introduced as Yvette spoke up slamming her hands onto the table. “We had a deal, Black. We were running Philly! I’ve been gone for ten years and come back to this?!”

  I eyed the mouthy woman wondering who actually wore the pants in the business. In a risky competitive business I always studied my opponents. Pitt was sloppy and bitch made. No street cred. He only held weight because he had the glitz and glam of the hustle and paid good money to get shit handled for him. Everyone that stood by him only stood because of the almighty dollar.

  “Seems to me your husband haven’t kept you up to speed. Business is business but I only made a deal with you because of who your father was. In return you promised to hit a certain quota every month. Not only has the quota not been hit, I’m currently still waiting on money.”

  Black shot Pitt an icy look and he was too pussy to even lift his eyes from the table. If looks could kill he would’ve dropped dead from all eyes on him. Inwardly I laughed, I couldn’t believe this was the man everyone looked up to. My father always told me no matter what you look a man in his eyes. Even as my mother bashed him mentally about what she thought he should’ve been doing, he stood his ground.

  The woman sighed rubbing her temples. I made a mental note to look into her and her background. She was too beautiful to look like she got her hands dirty which I’m sure is why she got a man to handle a business that was once her father’s. “You will get your money.”

  “That I’m not questioning. With that being said, I’m being generous to let you know I have a business deal with these young men I cannot turn down. A war will not work in anyone’s favor.”

  “Are you serious? How can we make money with competition?”

  “Ain’t no competition if the goal is different,” I spoke up snatching their attention. He needed to know we weren’t in the same lane. Along with coke, I now had opioids under my belt. A deal that I also panned out with Black, but that wasn’t up for discussion.

  Again, Pitt ain’t say shit. His wife looked lost and upset and Black was unbothered.

  Black ended the meeting giving them a deadline and excusing them from the room. From the look on both of their faces this wasn’t a change they weren’t willing to accept. Either way we were set and prepared for anything Pitt thought he could bring our way.

  “Was everything handled out front?” Black asked once they left referring to the scuffle Kenton and Wesley got in with the guy Amena was boo’d up with.

  “Yeah. Just some minor shit,” I said keeping it brief. Black and I were on good terms but I didn’t discuss my family affairs with anyone that wasn’t my brothers.

  “Cool. If you have any problems, I’m one call away. Once doing business you become family.”

  “I appreciate it, but Pitt ain’t built like me,” I replied making Black chuckle. “I’ma continue to get this money.”

  We stood up and shook hands to seal our deal on our partnership. We always got our work from him, but now because of my trucking company he was able to get his product quick and discreetly to various distributors he had teamed up with.

  Wesley “Wes” Parker

  “You think that stunt you pulled was funny?” I snarled in Amena’s face.

  She answered with a hint of a smile on her lips. “You mad Wesley?” Pressing her petite body into me, she snaked her arms around my neck rising on her tiptoes to meet her soft pursed lips with mine. My hands found her waist and I pulled her into me so she could feel the swell she was responsible for within a matter of seconds.

  The temptation to strip her naked and dive so deep in her was the hardest battle I had to face. I made myself believe what we were doing was okay because we haven’t crossed the line of penetration, but I didn’t know how long I could withhold from opening pandora’s box. I was already addicted to her.

  She was beautiful, kind, sweet, ambitious and respectful; everything I wanted and needed in a woman, but couldn’t have. Mar would snap if he found out I’ve been secretly dealing with his sister. Don’t get me wrong, when we were younger it was pure brotherly and sisterly love. She wasn’t around us much as a child because she went to school at Girard College and only came home on the weekends. Even when she returned home from boarding school Mar made sure to make Saturdays and Sundays just for both of them. It felt like she wasn’t around all those years, so imagine how I felt when I laid eyes on her at nineteen years old.

  “Pissed off. I could hurt you right now.”

  The corners of her hips turned up briefly before she sank her teeth into her brown pouty bottom lip as I felt her hand grab my bulge. I stared into her eyes, as she slowly dropped to her knees, pulled down my zipper, undid my button and retrieved what she had a hand full of.

  My breathing turned ragged feeling her moist tongue circle the head. I threw my head back as she teasingly closed the tip of my aching dick in her mouth like a lollipop. The muscles in my legs were tight like violin strings to prevent myself from releasing so prematurely.

  Shit!

  This girl wasn’t playing fair.

  My fingers got laced in her hair as she began exploring my length with her tongue moving up and down my shaft. The urge to release became alarmingly overwhelming as she licked and massaged my dick with her soft hand. Fury and a flash of desire tightened my gut prompting me to draw in a deep breath and pull her back up to her feet.

  Gazing into each other’s eyes, my hands slid from her hair, down her arms and to her waist. I held her body so close in my arms that I could feel her heart beating against my chest.

  “We gotta chill out.” I lowered my head and pecked her lips before taking the bottom one into my mouth. So much for chilling when I was hungry for this girl.

  “Let me finish,” she whispered even though we were in the security of her home.

  “Nah.”

  Amena abruptly snatched her body out of my embrace. Her pupils flared and her eyebrows creased.

  “Why?” she snapped. “So you can go home to her?”

  “It ain’t about her. I want more from you.” I told her curling my hand on the back of her neck to bring her back to me. The curls that decorated her head were so soft, I found my fingertips entangled in them again. I pressed my lips on her forehead before I forced
her head upward so she could look into my eyes. “When I give you this dick, it’s gonna be yours and only yours. I got too much love for you to do that. Besides you ain’t ready for it. You acting crazy now imagine when I make home in there.”

  I took a step back and adjusted myself back in my pants. My phone buzzed in my pocket back to back. I took it out and viewed the messages. The first one I opened was Mar confirming the meeting was over and went as expected.

  The other was from Kesha.

  I responded to Mar and put my phone back in my pocket.

  “Keep your ass out of clubs and niggas faces,” I told Amena giving her one last kiss and ignored the sad look on her face. One of these days I was going to make her mine. I had to before someone else lucked up.

  ***

  “What hoe were you around this time, Wesley? I smell perfume all over you,” Kesha snapped as she stood by my door with a scowl on her pretty face. One of my t-shirts swallowed her tall slim frame leading me to believe she was ready for bed and only stayed up to talk her shit.

  Sighing, I slid past her and stepped inside of my apartment mad as fuck she was there.

  “I thought you had a gig?” I questioned her about her job as a model.

  Kesha and I have been dealing with each other for the past two years. The first year we were together was great, but now we were just trying to put back the pieces to a puzzle that was incomplete. She was a beautiful girl, the sex was bomb, but it just wasn’t right with her. I was cool with commitment, but it had to be the right woman. Kesha wasn’t that an I explained it to her on numerous occasions.

  She was selfish and self centered and only wanted the perks of being in a relationship and claiming me than puttin g in the work to keep the shit solid. We were cool at first. We moved in together and she was damn near perfect until she started showing her true colors. She did dumdb shit like trying to withhold sex from me because she was upset about not getting her way. I couldn’t take it. Her neglience had me not giving a fuck and I cheated which led us to breaking up and moving apart. We didn’t have contact with each other for a few months before she came back saying she would change. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, but I wasn’t interested in trying to revive what we had. She begged me to give her a chance to show me she changed which led to this situationship we were in.