Southern Kings: A Gangster Love Story

by KC Mills

  “Yeah, I’m Gucci, is your drunk ass good?”

  I chuckled. “Shit, you know me. I drive better when I’m drunk.”

  “You got that shit right, your non driving ass.”

  “Take your ass home and I’ll hit you tomorrow.”

  Hayes nodded and hopped in his ride. A few minutes later he was pulling out and I was right behind him. My damn bed was calling me and I couldn't wait to answer.

  Hayes

  When I pulled up at my spot, it was dark as hell. No lights on whatsoever, and that pissed me off. I told Rahjah about keeping the house dark like that because my baby girl didn't like that shit.

  I sat in my ride for a minute trying to get my head right because I was really feeling some type of way about Rahjah lately. Something was off. Real fucking off, and I couldn't put my finger on it. She was keeping secrets, and I prayed that she wasn't fucking around because I swear I’d kill her ass, and that was some shit that I didn't want to do but I knew I would.

  Loyalty was everything to me, and I didn't really believe in second chances. Rahjah and I had been together too got damn long for her to be trying new shit. We were good, we were really good. I loved her ass to death and would do anything for her. I never cheated, not even head from another bitch. That wasn't my thing. If I couldn't get it at home, then I didn't need that shit, but I was good on that because Rahjah did her thing. She keeps a nigga satisfied with some A1 pussy, so I never had the desire to step out on her.

  Don't get me wrong, I was constantly surrounded by some bad ass females that could truly get it, but it wasn't worth it to me. Losing my baby girl over something temporary wasn't the move. Rahjah knew me, she held me down, and I trust her. For that reason, she didn't want for shit. All she had to do was look beautiful and take care of Zora.

  All of these things are what had my head all fucked up. For the life of me I couldn't figure out why she’d do some fuck shit. Her life was perfect. True enough, I was in the streets a lot. My brothers and I had a lot of power and we were running a fucking empire. That required a lot of time, but it didn't really matter because I always came home to her, and I never, not even once fucked another bitch after the first time I laid down with her.

  After all these years, I was not only loyal, but happy about that shit. She was all I needed, but if I didn't find out what the fuck was going on with her and soon, I was gonna lose my got damn mind.

  Pushing the button to open the garage, I pulled in beside her Porsche truck. A surprise from me for her birthday a few months ago. She loved the hell outta of that truck, and I loved the fact that I was blessed enough to get it for her.

  Once I was out my whip and on my feet, I made my way to the door. After moving my daughter’s bike out the way, placing it against the wall, I entered the back hallway and moved slowly through the house, checking shit out. Once I made it to my daughter’s room, I pulled the door open and found her balled up in the center of her bed, fast asleep. The purple and green lamp next to her bed was on, sending a warm glow through the room because the bulb was also purple.

  Zora was my heart. She looked like a miniature version of her mother, just fucking beautiful, and she had me wrapped around her tiny little fingers. Whatever she wanted, she got, and she knew it too. It was cool because my princess deserved the world. I kissed her on her cheek a few times and whispered in her ear that I loved her. She stirred a little, but didn't wake.

  Satisfied, I left her room and made my way to the master suite. It was almost two in the morning, but Rah wasn't in the bed. I noticed the bathroom light on and the door was cracked. Just as I was about to enter, I heard her voice and she was on the phone whispering to someone. I felt enraged when I heard her speak.

  “He can't find out, he just can’t.”

  Something in me just snapped and I rushed through the door and found her sitting on the side of our oversized jacuzzi tub with her phone to her ear. I snatched her up by her hair and her phone crashed to the floor. Rah was screaming at me to let her go, but I dragged her into our bedroom and threw her on the bed, where I followed and pinned her down with my hands around her neck.

  “I can't find out what, Rah? Are you on the phone in the house that I pay for talking to another nigga? I can't find out what, Rah? Tell me got damn it! Are you cheating on me?”

  The fear in her eyes didn't mean shit to me. All I could think about was the fact that I was about to kill the love of my life, my daughter’s mother, and that shit hurt me to my core.

  “I’m not cheating on you, Hayes. I would never do that,” Rah cried, tears streaming down her face.

  “Then what the fuck can't I find out? And who the fuck you in there whispering to?”

  “My sister!”

  I laughed sarcastically because her sister hated me. That shit was crazy as fuck. She hated me because Rah got me and she didn't. Salty ass bitch.

  “So what the fuck you hiding then, Rah?”

  “I'm pregnant, Hayes, that’s what I’m hiding and I didn't want you to know.”

  When her words registered, I felt like shit. Why the fuck wouldn't she want me to know? But then wait, was she pregnant by another nigga? The fuck. “Is it mine?”

  “How could you even ask me that? Yes, it's yours, muthafucker, now get off me!”

  Rah shoved me in the chest. I let her go and moved off the bed. She scooted back and climbed across the bed so that we were on opposite sides. Her hands were rubbing her neck and I almost fucking lost it at the thought of me putting my hands on her. I had never done that shit before. Keys and Yetti both would beat my ass if they knew.

  “Why the fuck wouldn't you want me to know then, Rah? What type of shit is that? Look what the fuck you just did.” I had no idea why I was blaming her for what had just happened. That shit was totally on me, but I wasn't in my right mind, so I was saying anything.

  “What I did? I didn't put my hands you, Hayes! That was your crazy ass, and I didn't want you to know because I knew that you weren't trying to hear anything about me not having it!” she yelled

  “You damn right, you’re not killing my baby! You can cancel that shit!”

  “You can't make me have a baby that I don't even know if I want, Hayes.”

  “You sound dumb as fuck right now. Fuck you mean you don't know if you want it?” I didn't know what was up with that shit, but she wasn't killing my baby.

  “Us, this whole thing. I’m tired, Hayes. I’m alone all the time, it's just me and Zora, and if I have another baby it's only going to get worse. You're in the streets all the time, and I want more. I need more!”

  “Fuck you mean you need more? You got everything, and I'm not gone that much, but yeah, I work a lot. I admit that, but me working means you have all this shit. So now that's a problem for you? What more do you want, Rah?”

  “You, Hayes, I want you.”

  Fuck. She was crying and shit, and her words slapped my ass right in the got damn face. I stood in place for a minute before I walked around the bed and tried to touch her, but she stepped back.

  “Hayes, no! Just leave me alone, please.” She held her hand up and looked at me like she was actually afraid of me.

  “Come on, Rah, don't look at me like that. I know I fucked up, but you know I didn't mean any of that shit. I just lost it. I was thinking you were cheating on me, and that had my head all fucked up. Baby, please, let's just talk.”

  “Talk?” She laughed. “What's there to talk about? You put your hands on me and now you want to talk, which basically means you telling me that I’m having this baby no matter how I feel about it!”

  “You damn right you are, but we need to talk about it.”

  She laughed again and then tried to move past me, but I wasn't trying to hear that shit. I reached for her arm and she looked at me with so much hate that I held my hands up and let her go.

  “Where the fuck you going, Rah? You’re not about to leave this got damn house.”

  “I’m going to sleep with Zora. I can't be a
round you right now.”

  “Rah, come on, I’m sorry, man, damn. Just talk to me.”

  “Not tonight, Hayes. Just go to bed. I’m tired, and I don't feel good.”

  As much as I wanted to stop her, I knew I was wrong as fuck, so I let her go. She left our room and I was alone, feeling like shit. What the fuck had I just done? I walked over to the nightstand on my side, and once I had the drawer opened, I lifted my stash and tossed it on the bed. I pulled my shirt over my head and stepped out of my jeans, leaving me in just my boxers, before I sat down and began rolling up. After I had it just right, I laid back on top of the covers and lit that shit up. I needed to escape for a minute.

  I would give Rah tonight to calm down, but we were having a conversation in the morning. She could be mad all she wanted, but she was having my got damn baby. That shit wasn't even up for debate, and I put that on God.

  Reelle

  “So you really gonna buy him a phone, Ree?” Asha had her lips pursed together, her eyes narrowed, and her arms folded across her chest while she sat in the passenger seat of my car outside of her apartment.

  I had just received a text from Yetti asking for my address so that he could come pick me up. I sent back, asking for the location of the store where he was getting his phone because I damn sure didn't want him knowing where I lived. As sexy as he was, I just didn't trust him enough to let him be all up at my spot.

  “I guess so, if that’s what it takes for him to leave me the hell alone.” I could feel my eyes rolling as I spoke.

  “Girl, you so damn clueless. Yetti Masters can buy the whole got damn store if he wants to. He don't need your little six hundred dollars that took you three damn months to save.”

  I scrunched up my face at what she was insinuating. I didn't care who he was or what he could afford. I just wanted to pay my debt and be done with him. The worst part of this whole scenario was that he was so damn fine that I was dreading having to be around him. Either way, his personality was all the way fucked up and I couldn't deal. I could tell that he was arrogant and felt entitled, which was something that I could do without.

  “I'm far from clueless, and I don't care what he can buy. I just want to pay my debt so that he can get on with his life.”

  “Ree, if your ass ain't clueless then tell me why you think he’s pretending like he wants you to buy him a phone? Let me break this down for you, boo. He wanted your number and used that as an excuse because Yetti Masters don't chase women, they chase him. He has a reputation, Ree, he doesn't do relationships and he damn sure doesn't do the whole let me get your number thing.

  “You remember dude who Sheena was crying about every other day cause he fucked her at Street Fest and then acted like he didn't know her, that was Yetti. Hell, her ass damn near needs professional help because of that shit, Ree. From what I hear, he ain't no joke. I mean he got a fucked up attitude and he ain't wifin’ nobody, but you mess with him and he’ll have you sitting in the corner sucking your damn thumb trying to figure out what the hell happened and where did you go wrong.”

  When Asha finished talking I just pointed to her door and then narrowed my eyes at her. “Get out my damn car! You just doing too much. He’s not going to have me doing anything because I’m not messing with him like that. I promise the only thing that’s going down today is me replacing a phone that I really shouldn't be replacing, but after playing a role in him dropping it twice in one day, I figure it's the least I can do.”

  Asha just grinned, but didn't say anything. She didn't have to, but the look she gave me said it all, and I really wanted to slap that stupid grin off her face. I probably would have, but my phone started vibrating in my lap, letting me know I had a call. I knew it was Yetti, so I picked it up and answered with an attitude. I wasn't really sure why I was being so cold, but everything that Asha was saying had me bound and determined to prove her wrong.

  “What?”

  “Damn, shorty, who pissed you off?” His sexy ass voice flowed from my phone to my ear, damn near sending chills through my body. My tough girl act was shattered just that quickly and I was hating myself for it.

  “Nobody. If you send me the address, I’ll meet you. I’m done with class.”

  Asha folded her arms and leaned back against the passenger side door so that she had a better visual of me, and I shot her a bird.

  “I’m not sending you shit! I’m coming to pick you up because I don't trust your little ass. You might play me out and have me standing there looking stupid waiting, and that’s some shit I don't do.”

  “I promise I'll show up. I just don't think—”

  “Man, stop playing around and tell me where you are so that I can come get your stubborn ass. I got business to handle, so I really don't have time to be arguing with your ass over some irrelevant shit, Reelle. You don't have shit I want, so you don't have to worry about me knowing where the fuck you live. This is a one time deal, and then you don't ever have to worry about me again, now where the fuck are you?”

  I held my phone away from my face for a second and looked down at it before I put it back to my ear trying to figure out what I was about to say, but then I realized that I didn't have to say anything. I didn't know who the fuck he thought he was, but he damn sure wasn't about to talk to me any kind of way. I hung up and turned my phone off. Good luck trying to find me now.

  “You have lost your mind, but boo, don't think that turning off your phone is going to stop him.” Asha pulled the door and lifted her book bag from the floorboard of my car. “First round of drinks when we go out Friday says that he’ll be at your house before the sun comes up.”

  She got out and then leaned down into my car before she walked away. “Baby, you don't know who that man is do you? Call me and tell me all about it.” She shut my door and I rolled my eyes.

  I didn't care who he was. He could kiss my ass if he thought he was going to handle me. Especially after I was trying to be nice and do the right thing. He could keep that nasty ass attitude. That might work for the hoes he was used to dealing with, but I damn sure wasn't putting up with it.

  I pulled away from the curb, bound and determined to forget that I had ever even met the asshole known as Yetti Masters. I just couldn't even deal with him like that, and couldn't imagine how on earth anyone could. I was heading home to write the term paper that I had been procrastinating on for the past two weeks. I was notorious for it, though because I worked better under pressure, so it was all good.

  Yetti

  “Fuck was that about?” Hayes asked the second I checked my phone after Reelle hung up on me. I couldn't believe that she had actually done that shit and then had the nerve to turn her phone off. What the fuck? She had no idea who she was dealing with, but I had a trick for her little ass. I knew her name, had her phone number, and knew where she went to school. My team had tracked down people with less. I planned on showing up at her crib tonight and we were going to have a little chat about how shit worked in my world.

  “Nothing, so what’s up? Tell me what went down last night with Rahjah?”

  “I fucked up, Yetti. I really fucked up! And when I woke up this morning she was gone. She took Zora and went to her sister’s house. I went by there to try and talk to her and she wouldn't even come out the house. She let Zora come to the door, and I tried to break that bitch down to get in to see Rah, but her sister called the got damn cops. Trifling ass bitch!”

  “Fuck you do to make her leave you, Hayes? Didn't I tell you not to take your ass home showing the fuck out?”

  Hayes stood up and started pacing in front of my sofa before he began rambling about everything that went down last night. When he was done, the only thing I really picked up on was that Rahjah was pregnant, and that he put his hands on her, showing his ass with that damn hot head of his. I jumped up and rushed his ass, sending him into the wall. With my forearm pressed against his neck, I started going in on him.

  “Fuck wrong with you, Hayes? You know better than that, and of a
ll people, Rahjah? I told your paranoid ass that she wasn't cheating on you. Where the hell was my niece when all this shit was going on?”

  Before Hayes could answer me, I felt someone yanking me away from him. I knew it had to be Keys, because no one else had access to my home.

  “What the hell, Yetti? Why you on him like that?”

  “Cause this nigga think he a man. He running ’round putting his hands on women and shit, so I wanted him to be a man and put his hands on me.”

  “Fuck you, Yetti! It wasn't that serious!” Hayes yelled, pulling his body from the wall.

  “What the hell is he talking about, Hayes? You better not be doing no fuck shit like that.”

  “I’m not, damn! I know better than that. It wasn't even that serious.”

  “Fuck you mean it wasn't that serious, nigga? Didn't you just tell me you choked Rah?”

  “Did you forget, Hayes? Cause I didn't. I remember every fucking time he put his hands on her, Hayes. I remember, nigga, and you should too,” I yelled and then walked away. I could hear my brothers behind me, but I kept going down the hall toward my bedroom.

  “Yetti, hold up!” Hayes yelled after me.

  “Let him go! Just give him a minute, but he’s right, Hayes. You know better than that.”

  When I reached my room, I walked in and slammed the door. I punched the wall and my fist went through it, I pulled it out and punched it again.

  I hated that I couldn't control my emotions about that shit, but my mother dying in front of me, at the hands of some weak ass fuck nigga that I couldn't defend her from had me fucked up in ways that I couldn't even explain. I was only eight years old, but I still felt like I should have been able to protect her. I had to watch that shit though, unable to do anything about it, and to this day, I carried it heavy on my heart.

  A man that beats a woman doesn't deserve to live, and for my brother to admit to some fuck shit like that had me fucking heated. He wasn't there when Lewis wrapped his hands around my mother’s neck until she could no longer breathe, but he had been there more than enough times to see him beat her until she was unconscious, so he knew better. Fuck was Hayes thinking?