Mesmerized By A Street King

by Belleza

  “Aye, do me a favor and put some money on my books.”

  “I just did last week. We agreed to once a month, Joshua. I’m not a bank.”

  “Yeah, but shit came up. I was in here gambling, and I ran through all my soups and Kool-aid.”

  “Seriously, Joshua? I don’t have money to give away. Were you not paying attention to the part when I said I owed money.”

  “Why you so tight? When I get back out I’ma give the shit back to you, plus some for your loyalty. Don’t leave me hanging when I need you.”

  He had to have missed the part where I told him I had ten thousand dollars to pay off and the fact that my parents were struggling brought my stress for money deeper. See, if he really cared he would give me a chance to vent my frustrations, but Joshua was only worried about Joshua.

  I shook my head. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  Thankfully, for me, the call ended, and I tossed my phone on the passenger seat. I prayed he was able to get the hell out because this break up was long overdue.

  ***

  Since I didn’t have anything to do, I took a last minute call to tutor someone in the reading hall at the school. It was a quick $100, and I happily accepted. The kids that were in my school were lazy. Plenty of them were born with a silver spoon in their mouth, so they thought their money was going to get them a passing grade. Sadly, this wasn’t their prestigious private school their wealthy families sent them to, and they excelled because their parents donated thousands of dollars faithfully.

  I made good money tutoring which afforded me the student housing I shared with Camille. We had a renovated two bedroom apartment in the temple area. The rent was $1000 a month, but I made my half in a week and a half.

  The hour went by quickly, and the student packed up and left. I slipped my coat and hat back on before I made my way out of the hall. A shiny red Porsche sat outside of the hall. When I reached the bottom step, the window rolled down, and I spotted Mr. Asahd and that breathtaking smile. It was addictive and caused the corner of my lips to curve upward.

  “I don’t bite; bring that ass over here,” he told me.

  I was taken aback by his statement, but my feet led me his way. When I got closer to his car, he opened up the door, and I slid into the warm buttery seats.

  “I don’t know why I’m in here,” I spoke when I realized I was sitting in a stranger’s car.

  Asahd took my hands in his and stared at me while this time I forced myself not to look.

  “This is where you belong,” he responded rubbing his thumb across the back of my hand.

  “What do you want, Asahd?” I asked shifting in my seat and pulling my hand away. Despite the warmth and comfort of his car, he caused goosebumps to cover my body, and my nipples were erect in my padded bra. It’s been so long since I had any sexual contact and from a simple touch, he made me feel like a fein.

  “I want you.”

  He held a serious expression on his face, and I lifted my eyebrows unsure if I heard correctly.

  “You want to add me onto your roster of bitches?”

  He chuckled and swiped his tongue over his lips. I was mesmerized. From his smile, his handsome face, his touch, it had me all in a trance. I knew he was bad business but I couldn’t deny I was attracted to him.

  “What roster? You shouldn’t believe everything you hear, shawty.”

  “What about what I see?” I challenged knowing I saw that girl on his lap or in his presence the entire night.

  “Believe nothing you hear and half of what you see,” he retorted making me roll my eyes at his corny ass lines. He still had that damn smile on his face.

  “Either way, the half of what I saw leads me to believe you’re taken.”

  “And I’m not. She ain’t my girl.”

  “Tell me anything.”

  “I don’t lie, so that’s something you don’t have to worry about. Where are you headed?”

  “I was headed to my car.”

  “And where were you going?”

  “Home.”

  “You need company?”

  “I definitely don’t. You think I’m that kind of chick? You show all 32’s, talk your shit, and think you can climb in my bed?”

  His dark bushy eyebrows dropped and he held his hands up. “First of all, Camille. I just know you're the kind of woman I would like to get to know. I don’t need sex from you. I just want your time. And secondly, I have 31 teeth. I got one pulled because I’m into sweets, preferably chocolate.”

  I pursed my lips attempting to hide the fact that he was facetious as hell. I was pissed assuming he saw me as easy, but he still made me laugh with his corny ass jokes.

  “I hate chocolate,” I lied knowing damn well I envisioned trailing my tongue all up and down his body.

  Wait! Chill out, Camille!

  “I can’t believe that.”

  “Either way, you’re not invited over.”

  “Damn, you just hurt my heart. I don’t take being told no too lightly.”

  “First time for everything,” I shrugged.

  “That’s why I need you. Show me something different, baby.” Asahd lifted my hand and brought it to his lips.

  A giggle escaped my lips, and I covered my mouth shamefully. I was not supposed to be feeding into his shit.

  “Ok, Rico Suave, it’s time for me to go.”

  “Please don’t go,” he sung making me laugh some more.

  “I can’t take you!”

  “Well, save my number it’s the least that you can do since you done played me.”

  Without hesitation, I handed him my phone, and he saved his number in it.

  I honestly didn’t want to leave him, but I had to stand my ground. He wasn’t asking me to take me out, so we didn’t need to be around each other.

  “Bye Asahd.”

  “Let me walk you to your car.”

  We both got out, and he made his way to the sidewalk taking my hand in his.

  “I’m only parked a few cars down.”

  “So, I’m trying to show you I’m a gentleman.”

  “And once you tricked me you will show me your true colors?”

  “Why it gotta be all that? I’m really a good dude, I just haven't found the right woman to show that side of me to.”

  “Time will tell.”

  “So you’re agreeing to give me a chance.”

  Shit!

  “Don’t get too excited. You might fuck up,” I replied stopping at my 2013 Honda Accord.

  Asahd guided me to the driver side and held the door open as I slid in the seat. He was going hard with this chivalry thing. It was cute.

  “Make sure you call me,” he told me.

  “Maybe,” I responded, and he blessed me with that smile again.

  He shut the door, and I started my car. I didn’t have a new fancy car like his, so I sat while the care warmed up and his crazy ass stood in the cold in with no coat on and waited until I pulled off.

  When I finally did pull off a smile still graced my face I was smiling wildly until I realized he showed up at my school and I never gave him the address or told him I went there.

  ZAYNE MOSELEY

  “Where’s your brother?” my uncle Ern asked as I pulled my phone out and attempted to dial up Asahd hard headed ass. He knew how Unc was about punctuality and he was the main one to test the man's patience.

  “He told me he was on his way fifteen minutes ago.” I dropped my phone on my lap and brought my hand to my face and rubbed my eyes. This shit was exhausting. From sunup to sundown I was always on the go. I got up early in the morning to make Za’naa breakfast before school. After I got her dressed, she was the first to arrive at 7:45 since her school wasn’t too far from the house. From the moment she was dropped off I was in business mode, checking on the traps, collecting money, and making sure everything else in between was ran smoothly.

  Once upon of time, Ernest Wimes use to run the streets with an iron fist. Many niggas feared him, but man
y more respected him. Everything he knew he passed down to us and we graciously picked up the jewels he dropped. I never thought years ago that we would be crowned the kings of the streets, but we were living this dream many niggas hustled day in and out for.

  Don’t get me wrong, Ernest handed it over to us, but we worked hard for it. We literally had to start from the bottom, and this was years ago when we were just teens. He taught us how to cut up the work and keep it potent which made it a hot commodity. People traveled to get his work, even tried to join forces and figure out his connect. Since Johan was the oldest, he got all that information as far as the connect and when and where the load was dropped off. Now that he was choosing to step out for good it was time for Asahd and me to get the information that was withheld from us.

  We use to always wonder what the fuck Earnest did for a living. He had the flyest clothes, newest cars and although his crib was in the middle of the hood, it was like laid the fuck out. As we got older, we got hip to everything and realized our Unc was that nigga in the drug game. Nothing in Philly moved if he didn’t approve.

  One thing I learned from him was to always have a backup plan. The game only ended in one of two ways, and Unc Ern was lucky as shit to step out with a clean record. Not saying that back in the day he ain’t have anyone that didn’t try to knock him from the top, but he was here, rich and thriving. They failed miserably. Ern was intelligent and made all his moves his best moves. He wasn’t a man of many words, so when he did speak you better listen carefully and soak up all the information. Every move he made was carefully calculated which was another reason why he was so successful.

  Now his hair was turning grey, and he was adamant about enjoying the fruits of his labor with my aunt.

  We were in the lower level of his house that was exclusively for him. It wasn’t a typical man cave. His walls were shelves that housed many books. It was his own personal library. Some books he read more than once, constantly telling us knowledge is power. I picked up that habit from him and excelled in school which was the reason why I went and got my Masters just to have something to fall back on. Hustling wasn’t going to be my life because I had a daughter to look after.

  Unc poured himself another glass of Cognac just as Asahd came down the stairs.

  “Don’t kill me.”

  “I won’t right now,” Unc responded before he brought the glass to his lips. Asahd held his hands out for a high five, and I just looked at him like he was crazy while he found it funny as hell. He made himself comfortable in the chair next to me.

  “Now that I have the both of you here I wanted to take the time to congratulate you. I’m very proud of you boys, but that doesn’t give y’all the opportunity to slack off.” he gave a pointed glare to Asahd, and he held his hands up in defense knowing damn well he found every opportunity to goof off.

  “It’s one thing to celebrate your accomplishments, but you can’t let that hinder you from your main goal. Y’all are now running an empire. The both of you can say Philly belong to you and that’s a big responsibility. I need you to stay focused.”

  “We’re focused,” Asahd had the nerve to add in, and we both stared at him. He no longer possessed his goofy demeanor and had a serious look on his face.

  “If you’re wondering why I lasted so long is because I had to fight for this. The street shit didn’t come easy. Y’all are like my sons, but it wouldn’t stop anyone from testing you. This new generation is hungry but doesn’t possess the drive for hard work and the patience to think of a plan and successfully execute it.”

  I nodded my head because I fully agreed. If people weren’t directly affiliated with us, they copped product and paid their dues to move work. It was similar to the idea of McDonald's not just only selling food but owning land. The beefs we had no control of though. Sadly, little niggas were knocking those that portrayed himself to be the head honcho.

  “Just understand there will always be competition, even with being at the top. Continue to handle your business. Chill out on running behind these bitches, because a female can be the number one reason for your downfall. I never had to worry about Johan because he had Tabitha and he was always focused. Asahd you get sidetracked easily.”

  “I promise Unc, I’m on my shit,” Asahd tried to assure him.

  “Actions,” Unc responded taking another sip of his drink. “Have y’all put thought into settling down?”

  “Hell nah!” Asahd exclaimed, and Keira popped up into my mind, but I shook my head. This was a new topic with Unc. It was normally business related. He never really got into our personal lives.

  “Y’all should. Why do you think Johan is as focused as he is? He found his Queen to hold him down. It lessens the odds that any woman will be the hole that sinks our ship.”

  “I’m good. I don’t pillow talk to bitches. I’m young why do I need to do some dumb shit like that?”

  “Johan married Tab when he was 20.”

  “Good for him and her.”

  I chuckled and shook my head because talking to Asahd about being a one-woman man was a lost cause.

  “What you scared of?” Unc retorted.

  “Nothing, I’m just not thinking about settling down. It ain’t for me, not right now.”

  “Because you haven’t met the right one. Trust me, when you meet the right woman, you will want to change and that’s when you will realize, Trina that's good at sucking dick, Nicole that's fun to look at, Yolonda that fucks like a pornstar and whatever other category the rest fall into wouldn’t be worth that one woman,” Unc said holding up one finger for emphasis. “I fell in love with your aunt when I was fifteen—”

  “We know the story Unc, auntie tells me all the time how she was whooping tail for you.”

  Asahd and I bust out laughing because we heard that story plenty of times. I can’t imagine my sweet ol’ aunt throwing hands with anyone, but shit, I can believe it. One thing Ern always told us was how much he loved our aunt. When he spoke about her, everything he said came from the heart, and he always made sure to let us know he wasn’t perfect. I couldn’t remember the bad times in their relationship, but if there were any, they overcame it and came back stronger.

  “I’m trying to get your simple ass to understand,” he shot more so at Asahd. There was a time I had my moment with Za’naa’s mom, Qwinae. I was young and in love. I thought she was the one, but then she started to slowly change into another person. She got pregnant with Za’naa, and I had to beg her to keep my baby. She made all the excuses in the world telling me she wasn’t ready to be a mother and she had dreams. Reluctantly, she kept her, but one day she up and left with no commuI was pissed, but I couldn’t do anything but support her decision, especially since she wasn’t bending on the fact that she was going to be miles away from her firstborn.

  It was cool at first. Qwinae would come down frequently damn near every weekend. Money wasn’t an issue, so getting on a plane to see her kid shouldn’t have been a problem. Slowly but surely, the visits became far and few, and it was difficult to reach her on the phone. Qwinae had excuses for days, and before I knew it two months went past, and I hadn’t heard anything from her. That’s when she disappeared.

  I was worried thinking something happened and hired a private investigator to only find out she was no longer in school and pregnant living her life in California with another man.

  The first thing I wanted to do was kill her ass. She couldn’t be a mother to our child, but she goes and makes another one? That was fucked up. I had to think though if Za’naa ain’t have her and I went to jail because of her fuck shit, who would she actually have? Yeah, my brothers would hold my baby girl down like she was their own, but there was nothing like a parent’s love. For Za’naa sake she was living her life, but she was dead to me.

  “I get it Unc, in due time tho. We can’t rush God’s plans,” his retarded ass responded and i couldn’t help but to laugh.This nigga was a joke. Unc remained stoned faced. He was the only one that could trul
y deal with Asahd’s ass.

  “Regardless if you get a woman or not, I want you two to stay focused. In a few weeks when it’s time to re-up you will meet the connect. From here on out, no fuck ups or Johan and myself will intervene.”

  Unc rose from his chair and left out of the room. I punched Asahd in his arm, and he turned towards me.

  “You always gotta go back and forth with him? It doesn’t hurt to just shut the fuck up and listen.”

  “You think he’s mad?”

  I shook my head. “No, but I gotta headache hearing bout you crying about being with one woman. You get on my nerves with that shit. Where the fuck were you anyway? Nina held you up?”

  “Why everything gotta be about that girl? Actually, I was chilling with Camille. No thanks to you, I got some information on her and went to her school.”

  I chortled. “Sounds like stalking man.”

  “It got me her number,” he shrugged. “Unc told us to go after what we want.”

  “Oh, so you do listen.”

  “When it’s convenient. You got some weed tho?”

  “Nah, you know I don’t carry that shit when I got Naa.”

  I tried my best to keep my personal life and extracurricular activities far away from my daughter. I was extra cautious when it came to her. She was my life, and I would go crazy if anything happened to her. I wasn’t perfect, but in her eyes I was.

  “Cool. Let me go love on my baby girl before I leave.”

  He went to go get up from his seat, but I stopped him.

  “If you're gonna deal with Camille, get your act together. She’s nothing like Nina, or whoever you have on your lineup.”

  “Don’t put your two cents in now,” he replied yanking his arm away. “You ain’t want to hook me up with no information. I got this. Get your act together for Keira.”

  I let him go and followed him out of the basement.

  “Hey, auntie!” Asahd beamed once we made it upstairs. He went over to our aunt Shirley and kissed her on her cheek obnoxiously making Za’naa giggle. He then went over to attack her, and she jumped right into his arms even though she was wailing out ‘no.’ She was spoiled, and uncle Asahd was the main culprit. In a family with nothing but men, she was the true princess of the pack.