Hakeem & Tasia 2: A Brick City Love Story

by K. C. Mills

  “Get the fuck up and let’s go,” Jodie grabbed me, shoving me behind him while he pointed his piece at dude, but of course I tried my best to get around him.

  “Calm the fuck down. Not here Keem. We don’t need any fucking witnesses,” Jodie said calmly with his gun still on dude. He looked like he was about to pass out staring down the barrel of Jodie’s gun. My adrenaline was pumping because all I could think about was the way Liyah looked lying in that hospital bed, so I stepped around Jodie and clocked his ass one more time before I turned to walk away. I could hear Jodie yelling at dude behind me and a few minute later, Jodie was forcing him into the back seat of his truck while he slid in beside him.

  I got in the driver’s side and an hour later, we were downtown Newark at our warehouse, dude was lying on the floor barely breathing after I literally tried to beat the life out of him.

  “You good?” Jodie asked.

  I just walked over to where dude was lying on the floor and put a bullet in his head. “As good as I can be,” I replied before I turned to walk out the warehouse. I could hear Jodie on the phone behind me as I walked away. Once I was outside, I leaned against the side of Jodie’s truck and pulled out my phone to send Tay a text. After I turned it back on, I had six voicemail messages from Liyah and ten texts.

  I wasn’t in the mood to hear what she had to say, so I just slid my phone back into my pocket. It would have to wait.

  “They’re on their way,” Jodie said after he joined me outside.

  “Good, let’s go so I can take my ass home. All I want to do right now is go to sleep.”

  “Nah bruh, we need to figure this shit out with Tay.”

  I laughed at Jodie’s Dr. Phil ass. “What’s there to figure out? I did some fuck shit and all I can do now is give her a minute to calm down, but trust me, she is not leaving my ass. That shit just isn’t happening.”

  “Tay is on a different level Keem, you already know that shit. She’s loyal as fuck and been in love with your ass since high school. I know she’s all fucked up over this shit. Hell, the day after me and Mona made things official she caught my ass with Rissa, so she expects that shit from me, but bruh, that’s not you. Never has been, and Tay knows that so for you to actually get caught up in some bullshit like that has got to be doing some major damage.”

  “Shit nigga, I know, why the fuck you think I’m stressed the fuck out. My heart doesn’t beat without her, it’s always been that way. No matter who I was with Tay always came first, hell, even with Janelle. That’s part of the reason why it was so easy for her to walk away; she knew back then that she would never be number one.”

  Jodie laughed, “Then why the fuck couldn’t your dumb ass keep your dick in your pants muthafucker?”

  “Fuck you Jodie. Shit, I had a moment, but trust me that shit will never happen again.”

  “Well you better hope she can get over that shit.”

  “Man fuck that, she don’t have a damn choice.”

  Jodie and I chilled for another fifteen minutes until clean up arrived. After we gave them instructions on what to do, we left heading back to his apartment so that I could get my truck and head home. Just before I hit the bridge, I called my club manager to make sure shit was running smoothly because I planned on heading straight to the house and taking my ass to sleep. Everything else would have to wait. Right now, I just needed to clear my head and figure how to get my baby home where she belonged. I already knew that wasn’t going to be an easy task, but it was happening no matter what the fuck I had to do.

  -15-

  Tasia

  “I know things are bad right now but you have to stop walking around here looking so depressed, sis.” Liyah followed me into the kitchen and lifted herself onto the counter across from where I was making coffee.

  “I’m not depressed, I’m hurt and pissed off. There’s a difference,” I said without looking up at her.

  “Call it what you want but you’re miserable, he’s miserable and I’m stuck in the middle of the two people I love the most.”

  “You’re not stuck in the middle, Liyah. That’s your brother. You don’t have to choose sides. What’s going on with us has nothing to do with his relationship with you or my relationship with you.”

  Liyah laughed. “Uh, yeah it does. I want to fuck him up for being a dumb ass and I want to shake some sense into you for not forgiving him. He messed up big time, but you know like I know that it was just that—a fuck up. He doesn’t care about that hoe and you know it.”

  “That’s just it sis, I know he doesn’t but just because he doesn’t care about her doesn’t give him the right to fuck her like I didn’t matter. Am I supposed to be okay with that?”

  Liyah giggled and then looked at me with a frown. “You sound funny as hell talking like that. I guess I’m just not used to it but I feel you. You’re right, it doesn’t make it okay. Hell, it’s been two weeks though, how much longer can you stand being without him? You go to work, you come home and go to sleep. The only time you talk to anyone is when Jacob forces his way over here. I don’t mind you being here but damn, it would be more fun if your ass would actually talk to me.”

  “Shut up, I talk to you,” I looked up at Liyah and rolled my eyes.

  “No the hell you don’t. I don’t think you’ve actually completed two full sentences since you’ve been here,” she said with a huge grin.

  “Kiss my ass.”

  “He misses you Tay, like real talk, he misses you.”

  “I miss him too, but that doesn’t change what he did. I just need a minute and I also need him to understand that I’m not dealing with stuff like that. If it’s easy for him then he’ll just feel like he can treat me any kind of way and I’ll be good with it.”

  “I get it, but trust me when I say he learned his lesson. He looks like shit, he basically lives at the club because he doesn’t want to be in the apartment without you, and he’s all out of whack. I swear I’ve talked to him more since the two of you split up than I’ve talked to him my whole life, and all he wants is to talk about you, check up on you, and to make sure you’re good. It’s sad Tay. You’re breaking him.”

  With the way she looked at me, I could see the pain she was feeling for her brother, but I couldn’t let myself fall victim. I needed him to hurt just as badly as I was hurting so that he would think twice before he decided to randomly screw someone other than me. Besides that, I still had unanswered questions about who this other chick was, since Sky insisted that he dicked her down to hide the fact that he was up in some other hoe’s face.

  The messed up part about that was that the only people who could give me the answers that I was looking for were Sky and Hakeem. Unfortunately, I was about to talk to either one of them anytime soon, so my questions would have to go unanswered.

  After I got dressed to head to work, I said my goodbyes to Liyah who was in the middle of one of her online classes, so she just waved me off. I grabbed my purse and left the apartment en route to my office. Hakeem was heavy on my mind and had been, which was really making me feel like I should at least have a conversation with him. I hadn’t planned on letting things go just yet, but I really wanted some answers.

  After I pulled up in front of my office, I turned to grab my purse from the passenger side of my car, before I reached into my back seat to get my sketch book of designs. I was so caught up in what I was doing that I didn’t realize that Jace was standing on the sidewalk next to my car.

  I glanced down the block at the entrance to Hakeem’s club and the metal door was still down which meant that he hadn’t gotten there yet, before I let out a short sigh, opened my door and got out. Once I was on the sidewalk, I moved past Jace without even acknowledging him. I was really hoping that he would go away. I might have been beyond pissed with Hakeem, but I still wasn’t going to disrespect him by dealing with Jace, no matter what he had done to me.

  “So that’s where we are Tay?” Jace said as he reached for my arm to stop me. The look I gave
him made him quickly release me and I finally got a good look at him.

  His face was bruised and he had dark circles around his eyes.

  “Did he do that to you?” I asked nodding towards Jace’s face, while he let out a sarcastic laugh.

  “You already know the answer to that. You know what kind of man he is,” Jace said.

  “Apparently you do too, so why are you still here? That wasn’t enough?” I asked now pointing to his face.

  “This is temporary. He will get what’s coming to him and I won’t have to lay a finger on him to make it happen either.”

  “Why can’t you just let it go?” I pleaded. No matter how I was feeling about Hakeem right now, I didn’t want Jace coming after him.

  “I told you that I get what I want,” Jace said as he took a step towards me.

  “Is that what you think, you think that if you get rid of Keem, get him locked up or something like that, that you can have me? I don’t want you. Why don’t you get that, and if you do anything to him then I damn sure won’t want you?”

  “But you love him, right? So if you care about him then you’ll make the right choice.”

  “You’re delusional if you think that I’m going to be with you just so that you won’t go after him. He’ll handle you on his own so I don’t need to get involved, but trust me when I say that you don’t want to be on his bad side. You think what he did to you was bad?” I laughed, “You have no idea. There are two things that he doesn’t play about and that’s me and people who disrespect him. You’re doing both of them which means that you had better watch your back.”

  Jace laughed arrogantly before he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him. “Trust me, I’m not the one you need to be worried about.” He let me go and without another word, he walked away, crossed the street, got in his car and left.

  At that point I really didn’t know what to do. I had already learned once that keeping secrets from Hakeem made things worse, but honestly he wasn’t in any type of position to judge. I was torn about whether or not I should warn him that Jace was basically coming for him, but all that would do was make Hakeem focus on going after Jace.

  Honestly, I was tired of both of them and didn’t wanted to be stuck in the middle of it. Jace needed to grow up and realize that I made my choice, and Hakeem needed to realize that he had me without question before he decided to make certain parts of his anatomy open to the public.

  For now, I was just letting it go. I didn’t have the energy to deal with either one of them. All I wanted to do was focus on work and the rest would have to figure itself out some other time.

  When I walked into my building, there was an extremely handsome guy sitting on one of the sofas reading a magazine. He looked up at me and stood, when I opened the door and was inside.

  He extended a hand towards me which I accepted and smiled. “Tasia Clark?” he asked, flashing a set of perfect pearly whites.

  “Kendrick Davis,” I replied returning an equally big smile.

  “In the flesh, can I get that for you?” he asked as he reached for my sketch book which I had tucked under my arm.

  “Thank you,” I said as I let him and then started towards my office.

  “Jacob let me in. He went to get breakfast but said you would be here shortly. I hope you don’t mind. I appreciate you fitting me in. Apparently you’re the shit when it comes to image consulting and I need all the help I can get.”

  Once we were in my office, he laid my sketch book on my desk before taking a seat in one of the chairs that sat in front of it, before I found my way to my leather chair behind it. Kendrick had just traded to the Nicks and it was big news for New York. He was the second coming as far as basketball was concerned, but at twenty, he was young and rough around the edges. I eyed him as he sat back watching me, with his dark denim jeans that hung low around his waist, Timbs and pale grey long sleeve Henley. He was casually dressed but wore it well.

  “No problem, I’m glad you chose me,” I said.

  “You come highly recommended, so the pleasure is all mine,” he smiled, but was looking around my office instead of focusing on me.

  “So you look good Kendrick, what exactly is it that I can help you with?” I asked. I was already processing in my mind how I could find a way to get him and Kaliyah together. She spent a lot of time alone and honestly, I really couldn’t remember the last time she actually had a date. Kendrick would be perfect for her.

  “I’m just me, low key, a little rough around the edges but it’s all I know. I’m a hood dude. Hell, if I wasn’t balling I was running the streets, so I don’t know shit about fashion outside of what I’m rocking now. If its jeans and sneakers, I’m on point with that shit but that tailored look, that shit is outta my league.” He had the most serious look on his face which was cute. I could tell he was totally stressing about what he was telling me.

  “Well, it’s not complicated and I should be able to help you with that with no problem,” I said, totally understanding his dilemma.

  “Good, ‘cause all I know about balling, begins and ends with the court, but apparently the NBA has a lot of political shit that I have to deal with which requires me to get g’d the fuck up more than a little bit. I need you to figure that shit out for me in a way that I can still be me but look the part. I can’t get down with all that square shit,” he said and laughed.

  “I promise you won’t have to deal with square shit,” I said mocking him, which made him chuckle, shake his head and flash those pearly whites again.

  “Good, I trust you, so don't make me regret it, and I’m working on a rookie salary so don’t break my ass either.”

  “You want the best you have to pay big money for it,” I joked.

  “Ah damn, it’s like that?” he said with a frown.

  “Nah, I’m kidding, I got you. You’ll be just fine. Let’s get started,” I said.

  I grabbed my laptop and stood as Kendrick followed, and we got comfortable at the table that sat in my office. I had a head full of ideas, now all I needed to do was to bring them to life and make them work for Kendrick.

  Hours later, we had his look together and he seemed pleased with the tailored vision that I had for him. I was feeling accomplished because I loved when things just naturally came together. Kendrick was easy to work with because he just followed my lead; however, he was upfront and honest about what he did and did not like, so we easily were able to agree on what worked for him.

  “Never in my life have I been excited about shopping or wanting to wear a suit, but you got a brother ready to hit the avenue,” Kendrick said, as he leaned back in the chair in front of my desk that he was once again sitting in. His arms were folded in the air behind his head and he wore a childlike grin.

  “What can I say, I’m good at what I do,” I said.

  “That you are. I do, however, think I’ve spent too much time talking about fashion and looking at clothes. I swear if my boys saw this shit, I’d lose my damn hood pass, real talk,” he said and then laughed.

  “It’s necessary. Basketball is your job, which pays the bills and your job requires more than a uniform and a pair of fresh ass kicks, so I’m sure they would understand.”

  “Shit, you don’t know my people. They would clown the shit outta me, but it’s all good though,” he laughed. “But if we’re done here, how about we head out for some lunch. That’s the least you can do since you’re bout to have a brother g’d up, and broke as fuck,” Kendrick said with a huge smile.

  “Your check in the mail is the least you can do,” I joked.

  “Damn, you don’t play do you?”

  “I’m kidding, but we can do that, I wanted to talk to you about something anyway,” I said, thinking that lunch would be the perfect set up to ease Liyah into the conversation.

  “Ah, hell, what’s up. I know I didn’t mess up already. We just put the plan in motion,” he said and laughed.

  “No, you’re good. You’re single right?” I asked with a smirk
.

  He looked at me strangely for a second before he hesitantly answered, “yeah, why?”

  “I think I have the perfect person for you, if you’re looking that is,” I said.

  He laughed again. “Depends. I’m always willing to take a chance if it’s the right person. I need somebody solid to hold me down. You know shit gets crazy.”

  “Good, we can discuss it over lunch and you're buying,” I said with a smile.

  “Well damn, you don't play around do you?”

  “Nah, not really.”

  I grabbed my purse, let Jacob know we were leaving and then Kendrick and I left. I was tired, hungry and ready to convince Kendrick that Kaliyah was the woman of his dreams. It was a welcomed distraction, which would hopefully help me keep my mind off Hakeem.

  -16-

  Hakeem

  I was already having a bad fucking day, so when I pulled up in front of my spot and saw Tasia getting in the car with some young ass dude, I almost lost it. I called her name before she actually got in, but she was either ignoring me or didn’t hear me because she didn’t even look my way. She was all smiles, laughing and talking as she hopped her happy ass in his car. Seconds later, the two of them pulled off so of course I jumped back in my truck and followed her.

  It had only been two weeks since we talked and I’d be damned if she thought she was about to entertain another nigga, especially some young ass dude who didn’t know his ass from a hole in the wall. As I dashed in and out of traffic making sure I kept a safe enough distance, I called Tay, just to see if she would answer. I hadn’t tried in a few days because she was still at the point where she didn’t want to hear shit from me.

  In fact, the only reason I knew what was going on in her life, or that she was good, was because I was bugging the shit out of my sister. I hadn’t really slept in the two weeks since Tay and I had been separated, and I barely went to our apartment. I was literally working off about a day’s worth of sleep, if you’re adding up the hour here and there that I was actually able to shut my eyes long enough to rest.