Southern Kings: A Gangster Love Story

by KC Mills

  Southern Kings

  Money and Power

  A Novel By

  KC Mills

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  © 2016

  Published by Leo Sullivan Presents

  www.leolsullivan.com

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Unauthorized reproduction, in any manner, is prohibited.

  Yetti

  “Hayes, will you stop fucking around? I told you I got shit to do.”

  I looked down at my brother as he delivered another blow to Trey’s face. Aside from the gear he was wearing, there wasn't a damn thing about Trey that you could recognize anymore. Hayes had literally disfigured this nigga’s face to the point where I was seriously thinking that his own people weren't going to know who the fuck he was.

  “Yo, you know he get high off this shit? He needs to get his damn head checked. I never seen anybody who loves to kill with their bare hands like this muthafucker. Yo, Hayes! Yo ass got issues, man.”

  I looked across my shoulder at our oldest brother Keys as he puffed on some of our finest. He was always smoking 24/7. His ass was constantly on a mission to get high. Hell, he smoked so much that I didn't even think that shit fazed him anymore, but it damn sure didn't stop him from trying.

  Our baby brother looked up at me first and then at Keys with a smirk on his face before he wrapped his hands around Trey’s neck, then snapped it like he was breaking a small twig. He literally cracked the bones in Trey’s neck, stood up then looked down at him with a scowl on his face.

  “I hate a snitch ass nigga. That shit just pissed me the fuck off!” Hayes’ focus moved around the warehouse we were in like he was unsure about his surroundings before he walked over to tiny metal sink and washed his hands.

  “Can I call Bolow now, or you still trying to break bones and shit?” Keys asked, looking down at Trey and then Hayes as he made his way over to us. He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it on Trey’s body before he reached for the blunt that Keys was smoking.

  Once he had it in his hand, he took a pull from it and held the smoke in. “Do I say shit when you doing your thing?”

  “Fuck you mean? You don't need to say shit! I put bullets in a muthafucker and call it a day. You be beating niggas till you can't even recognize their asses. Look at this nigga. Shit, his own mamma ain't gone know who the fuck he is ’til they get the dental records back.”

  Hayes chuckled. “Don't matter how I do what I do, or how you do what you do. Either way, I don't say shit, so you don't need to speak on what I do!”

  “Yetti, get this lil’ nigga before I kick his cocky ass out. He forever talking shit like I won't fuck him up.”

  “Both of y'all shut the fuck up. Call Bolow to come get this body, and you go change your damn clothes so that we can get the fuck outta here,” I said, stepping between my brothers. I swear these two would argue about who breathing more air, as if there wasn't enough for both of them.

  Hayes took another pull from the blunt and then passed it back to Keys. “Punk ass nigga,” Keys mumbled and Hayes chuckled, moving past him, but making sure to bump his shoulder. When Hayes was gone, I went in on Keys for starting that shit.

  “Why you always fucking with him, Keys?”

  Keys smiled. “’Cause I can, nigga, what?”

  He pulled out his phone and dialed. A few seconds later, I heard him giving instructions to Bolow to pick up Trey’s body and deliver it to his mother’s house. When he was done, he slid his phone into his pocket and walked over to Trey’s body.

  “Snitch ass niggas, fuck he thought he was gon’ do? Get 5-0 to move on us? How the fuck this nigga work for us and not know that we own the got damn cops. Snitch ass.”

  “You know that nigga ain't never been too bright. It was only a matter of time.”

  “Shit, you right. So what's the move for tonight, we heading out?”

  “Nicole's joint?”

  “Yeah, I promised her I’d fall through for a minute.”

  “Aight, we can do that.”

  “Do what?” Hayes asked when he entered the room again. He had changed into all black sweats and a matching pocket tee and was rocking a pair of all black Air max.

  “Fall through Nic’s party tonight, and why you dressed like we ’bout to do a hit, Hayes?”

  “This is all I had in my truck. Fuck you care for?” he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone. Once he looked at the screen, he hit ignore and then looked at Keys.

  “Why yo ass always got some slick shit to say, Hayes?” Keys mugged him hard as hell and removed his body from the wall he was leaning against.

  “Hayes, I need you to drive me to my car.” I moved between them again before they went at it over some bullshit. I wasn't in the mood to play referee.

  “I got you. We good on this?” Hayes asked, pulling his phone out again, and once again he hit ignore.

  “Yeah, Bolow is on his way. I’m out though, I’ll see y'all tonight.”

  Keys stepped to me first and then pulled me into a hug. When he released me, he did the same with Hayes. But when he let him go, he mushed him in the side of his head and then took off running.

  “Bitch ass!” Hayes yelled behind him.

  “Why the fuck y'all can't just get along?”

  “Cause he always doing shit like that,” Hayes said, grilling me.

  I laughed at my little brother and looked around the warehouses one last time before the two of us found our way to the door. We made it outside just in time to see Keys peel out on his bike. I locked up and then headed to Hayes’ Range where he was already in the driver’s seat waiting for me.

  “Who the fuck blowing you up, Hayes?” I asked, nodding to his phone as I buckled my seatbelt.

  “Rahjah.” He dropped his phone in his lap and then pulled off.

  “What’s up with that?”

  My brother and his girl were always at each other, but he loved her to death. They had been together since their freshman year of high school. Damn near eight years, and they had a beautiful baby girl. My niece was his princess. Hayes lived and would die for for his daughter, which was some powerful shit. He was my little brother, but I looked up to him when it came to that.

  I didn’t really think it was in my DNA to be the family type, in relation to a wife and kids, but if by some miracle things changed, I hoped to be just like Hayes. I admired his ability to stay faithful to Rah, which I might add was hard as hell. We were in high demand, and that meant that on any given occasion, there were countless women who were ready and willing to do any and everything we wanted.

  They didn’t give two fucks about his commitment to Rah either, and that opened the door for him to be as hoeish as he wanted without them expecting a commitment in return. Keys and I took full advantage of that, but Hayes didn’t fuck around. He was a family man, and he stuck with that shit.

  He was the ultimate father, and I respected the hell outta him for that. All I did was fuck for recreational purposes. The longest relationship I had was roughly a few hours. Long enough to nut a few times and send them on their way.

  “Man, I don't know. Something’s not right, Yetti. I hate to even say that shit, but I think she fucking around on me.”

  “Nah, not Rahjah, bruh. She loves your dirty draws. Ain't no way.”

  “Same shit I said
, but lately things have just been off. I can't put my finger on it, but something ain't right. I’m just sitting on it for a minute. ’Cause on God, if she’s fucking somebody else, I’m gon’ probably kill her ass and whoever the nigga is.”

  I looked over at him and could see it in his expression. He meant that shit too. Hayes was all about loyalty. He was funny that way. Hayes didn't believe in second chances, so if he found out his girl was cheating on him after all this time, he’d probably seriously try to kill her.

  “Just give it a minute. I really can't see that shit happening, but don't let it fuck with your head though, bruh.”

  “I’m trying not to but I’m telling you, something’s off.”

  “Hayes,” I spoke firmly to get his attention.

  “What nigga?”

  “Let it go! At least for now. Don't go making problems that don't exist, aight?”

  “Yeah, aight,” was all he said, but I could tell it was still heavy on his mind.

  He reached down and turned the radio up and we drove the rest of the way to my car in silence. When we reached the building where my car was, he pulled up at the curb and waited.

  “You want me to pick you up later, or you driving?” I asked, hoping that he was still going to Nic’s joint. I didn't want him at home showing his ass with Rahjah.

  “You can swing through, but I’ll hit you later to make sure I’m going.”

  “Aight, bet, and remember what I said, Hayes. Don't go creating shit that ain't there!” I looked him right in the eyes and he nodded. So I got out and stood on the curb.

  Before I shut the door, I stuck my head in. “Yo, I love you bruh, stop stressing. You and Rahjah are some hood fairytale type shit. I wanna be you when I grow up.”

  Hayes laughed, “Fuck outta here Yetti. I’ll hit you later.”

  I shut the door and backed away, watching my brother pull off. I was about to head home and chill for a minute, but I was hungry as fuck and decided to stop in Solano’s to grab a pizza first. Taking my phone out of my pocket to check my messages, I made my way down the block until I reached Solano’s. When I hit the door, I ran right into a body and my phone slipped out of my hand and crashed to the ground.

  “Fuck!” I yelled, looking down at it and then into the face of the person how made me drop it.

  “Oh shit, I’m so sorry,” she said, kneeling down to pick it up. Once she had it in her hands, her fingers moved across the shattered screen as she inspected the damage. “Aww, man, I’m really sorry,” she stated, standing while extending my phone to me.

  “Sorry ain't gon’ fix my phone, ma!”

  “You don't have to be rude, and actually it was your fault. You ran into her!”

  I was so focused on shorty and my damaged phone that I hadn't realized that she wasn't alone. I glanced at her friend, who now had her hand on her hip and was muggin’ the hell outta of me. Shorty that knocked my phone out of my hand looked embarrassed, but I didn’t really care. She had fucked up my entire vibe with that.

  “I wasn't being rude; I was stating facts. Her apology can't do shit to fix this!” I held up my phone and then pulled the door to go in. I wasn't in the mood to have some irrelevant tell me how the fuck to react to a situation.

  They both stood there staring for a minute, but walked in shortly after. I made my way to the counter and waited for Sal to finish up with his customer so I could get my food and be on my way. I was fucking pissed. It wasn't like I couldn't afford to get a new phone. I could buy a hundred of them bitches if I wanted to, but it was the inconvenience. I had to spend my very limited time going to get another one, and that had me heated. My time was valuable, and for me to have to waste any of it annoyed the fuck outta me.

  Once I ordered my pizza, I sat at the counter waiting for it to get done. I could feel shorty watching me, but I wasn't really in the mood for her pity party. Her sad ass eyes weren't gonna fix my damn phone, so I really didn't need her saying shit to me.

  After Sal called my name to let me know my food was done, I grabbed my pizza and headed to the door. Shorty watched me the entire time, and I swear I could feel her eyes on me until I was halfway down the block. She had better be glad I was in a decent mood. People had lost their lives for less.

  Reelle

  “Girl, you know every damn baller in the city is going to be at this party tonight.”

  “Yeah, I know,” I responded, still staring at the ceiling from where I lay on Asha’s bed.

  All I had left to do was to throw my clothes on, so I was currently chilling while she finished her hair. I had already taken a shower and was wearing my hair natural tonight because I was too lazy to put any effort into it. After I washed it in the shower, I put it in four large braids to keep it manageable until we were ready to go.

  “What is your problem? You been moping all damn day, boo! You need to start getting ready for this damn party we ’bout to fall though!” Asha cut her eyes at me and I looked up at her briefly but then right back to the ceiling.

  “I'm good.”

  “Uhh, no you’re not! What’s the deal Reelle?”

  “I just really don’t feel like heading out tonight. And you know Burke will be there. I’m not in the mood to deal with him.”

  “Girl please, fuck him you can't let him stop your shine boo. He’s doing his thing and damn sure not worried about you, so you don't need to be worried about him.”

  I sighed dramatically. She was right. Every time I saw him, he seemed all lovey dovey with his new toy of the week. He damn sure didn't seem to be missing me like I was missing him, so I guess it was time to let it go. He made his choice and I made mine. Hoes over loyalty was his, so it was what it was. Burke would rather stay true to the streets instead of staying true to the one person who really held him down, so fuck him.

  “You’re right! Let me get dressed.”

  I sat up and scooted to the edge of her bed and then stretched. Once I was on my feet I walked over to her closet door where my clothes were hanging on the doorknob. After I had them in my hands, I held them up and looked at my outfit for the evening. Dark destroyed skinny jeans, and a cream boyfriend tee that had horizontal rips across the back that looked like it had been clawed by some sort of animal.

  I considered changing, but didn't feel like putting any thought into it, so I just tossed them on the bed and proceeded to shed the yoga shorts and v-neck that I was wearing.

  Once I was down to my lace bra and thong, I admired my image in the mirror. Tuning on the balls of my feet from side to side, checking out my figure, I smiled. I was short, five foot even, with a tiny frame, apple sized breasts, nothing to call home about, flat stomach and thin but shapely hips.

  My legs were toned because of years of running track in high school, which was years ago but they never lost their definition. My eyes moved to my face, with its almond color and oval shape. I was cute, not show stopping but I wasn't complaining, and my hazel eyes gave me a little extra appeal. The beauty mark on the right side above my lip was sexy, and even though I hated it as a child, I had now grown to love it because it was unique and guys seemed to be drawn to it.

  The shitty thing was that even with all my assets, I still couldn't seem to be enough for Burke. I loved that man with everything I had, or at least I thought it was love. Maybe it wasn’t since he was so quick to walk away from it and me. I lied for him, stole for him, hit the streets with him, and accepted him for who he was. All of that for him to make that climb and then pass on all the benefits to the next bitch.

  I really didn't understand that. See, when Burke didn't have shit to call his own, I was there. Burke literally came from nothing because of his asshole father, who used to beat the shit out of him and even put him out when he was fourteen years old. I was the one who snuck him in my parents’ house at night because he didn't have anywhere else to go.

  I defended him to my family when they told me that he wasn't shit and didn’t care about me. The sad thing was, they were right. Now that Burk
e had a little change and called himself a baller, I didn't mean anything to him. He left me so quick it had my head spinning.

  “Ree, we’re not who we used to be anymore. We’ve grown apart. I need a rider, someone who can hold me down, that's not you anymore baby girl. You’ll always be special to me but I think we need to try something new.”

  Yep, that's what this asshole told me. And the messed up part about it was that he said it with a straight face, while I watched him from across the street, with the next bitch in his brand new Range, giving him head. He called to break up with me, while he had another female giving him head. Who does that?

  I cried for a week straight because that hurt me to the core, and even though I try not to think about it, it still hurts, but oh well. You live and you learn. Trust me, I learned! And the next time I give someone my heart, they will have to prove that they are worthy of it.

  “Reelle”

  I was snatched out of my memory by Asha, who was next to me snapping her fingers to get my attention. I guess I had zoned out with memories of Burke.

  “What, Asha?” I frowned and then lifted my jeans off the bed and began wiggling my way into them. They hugged my butt and thighs so tightly that I had to suck in my stomach that didn’t exist just to fasten them.

  “Girl, you need to get your life. I know you sitting there sulking about Burke’s stupid ass. Fuck him, girl! He really ain't shit, and he damn sure didn't deserve you, boo. But don't worry, we will definitely find your Mr. Right at this party tonight.”

  Asha slapped me on the ass and then walked back to her dresser to finish flat ironing her Malaysian sew-in.

  “I’m not looking for a Mr. Anything. In fact, you know I'm only going because you don't want to go alone, and I love you just as much. I promise you, we’re not going to be there all night.” I gave Asha the look, she knew that I meant what I was saying. I had no plans to do a three am, hit up IHOP afterward type of night.

  “Girl bye! We’ll stay as long as that shit his jumping. You need a night out, and if Burke is there, I’ll slap his ass for you.” Asha blew me a kiss and then unplugged her flat iron.