Southern Kings: A Gangster Love Story

by KC Mills

  She smiled, and the second we hit the floor, her hands were in the air and her eyes closed. Yep, feeling it already. Ree and I danced for damn near an hour before I needed a break. Besides, I had to make my rounds. I was on a mission, and that mission began and ended with Keys. I needed to be seen, so it was time to head upstairs. I made my way through the crowd and just before we hit the elevator, Ree grabbed my arm.

  “I need to go pee, Asha.”

  “Damn, boo, can't you wait?”

  “No, I really have to go. It will just take a sec, and then we can go upstairs so that you can lust over Keys.” She winked at me and smiled before taking off toward the bathrooms. I rolled my eyes and then followed.

  We entered and I checked my self in the mirror while Ree disappeared into one of the stalls. A few girls entered who I recognized, but didn't know, and I listened while they went on about Keys and his brother. Typical, I hope I can fuck him tonight stuff, but one thing that caught my attention was when one of them mentioned that Keys promised her that they’d hook up later. I glanced at her in the mirror to check her out.

  She was cute, but you could tell she wasn't hitting on anything. Her dress was expensive, but her accessories were cheap. Fake diamonds, cheap shoes and purse, and she was in desperate need of a mani pedi. Women like her killed me with that. Wearing expensive clothes don’t make you look classy, especially if all your other shit wasn't on point. It just makes you look like you wasted money on some shit you couldn't afford. Get a life boo, and read the handbook!

  When Ree was done, she washed her hands and then fluffed her hair. She was in her wash and go style, which was the norm because she was too lazy to straighten it. It was cool though, because it was super cute on her. Ree looked like a little baby doll, and if you didn't know it, you'd swear she was barely eighteen instead of twenty-two. Tonight she was wearing dark destroyed skinny jeans, and a see through tank top with a matching bralette under it. My boo was looking sexy and even though she denied it, I was convinced that her new found look was because of Yetti. Ree always dressed cute, but sexy wasn't really her thing.

  “Okay, I’m ready,” she said after she washed her hands again. Likely because they had been in her hair. I washed mine and then grabbed a paper towel to use to pull the door handle and then dumped it after we were both out.

  “So you gonna speak to your man when we get up there?”

  “You need to chill with that. He’s not my man. This is about you and Keys, so get your sexy on, boo, and let’s go and parade you in front of him. I hope this works.”

  “It will, trust me. He can't deny all this goodness, but stop pretending like you’re not excited about seeing Yetti. Your cheesy ass grinning right now.”

  I watched as she rolled her eyes and blushed. She shot me a bird and then passed the button to take us up a floor to VIP.

  “Okay, so we’ll get a tall table, one of those by the rail so that we can see them. Stop looking obvious! After two drinks we'll leave if he hasn’t stepped to me yet.”

  “So you’re really not gonna say anything to him?” Ree looked at me like I was crazy before we stopped off the elevator.

  “No, I need to know he’s interested. Besides, I heard some lil’ tramp in the bathroom talking about Keys promised her they would kick it later.”

  “Oh my God, this is too much work! Just go talk to him!”

  “No, baby. He needs to work for this.”

  I blew her a kiss and then turned to find our table. We strutted first by their section and caught their attention. I could feel eyes on us, but I didn't flinch nor did I turn my head. Ree didn't either, which I was grateful for, but shit went south when we made it to our table. Not only did we have their attention, but Ree had Burke’s and this asshole decided to try and flex. I had a bad feeling and just knew this wasn't going to end well.

  Yetti

  “Yo, that's her right there!” Keys nodded at a shorty walking by our section, and a smirk formed on my face.

  Apparently, the girl that Keys had been talking about for the past hour was cool with Reelle. I recognized her from the day that Reelle ran into me at Solano's and broke my damn phone. If I remember correctly, she had a flip ass mouth too, so I wasn't sure how that was gonna work out. Keys was kinda like me with stuff like that.

  “Which one?” Hayes asked.

  “The thick one.” Keys nodded their way again and this nigga was rubbing his hands together.

  I looked up at him and laughed ’cause his ass was in a fucking daze. Shorty was nice, though. She was thick as hell, but she wore it well. It wasn't really my thing, but Keys didn't discriminate. In fact, this nigga liked big girls. I couldn't really knock him for that. Hell, to each his own! Pussy didn't have a face.

  “She’s nice, Keys. You damn sure like ’em big, bruh, but she could get it.” I knew Hayes said that shit just to fuck with Keys, and it worked.

  “Yo, do I need to remind you that your ass is damn near married, muthafucker?”

  Hayes chuckled because he knew he had struck a nerve.

  “Hell nah! I’m good, I’m just saying she could get it though, if I wasn't taken.”

  “Don't make me knock your little ass out, Hayes, real shit.”

  “Yo, why the fuck you mad, Keys? Didn't you say shorty shut your ass down on some ‘I’ll think about it’ type shit? Did she ever hit your line?”

  “Man, fuck all that. She just running game. She wants a nigga. I could see it in her eyes. She just didn’t wanna seem to eager, and I can feel that. Other bitches be trying to fuck the second they lay eyes on you. Shorty got class.”

  “Fuck is up with this nigga? He lusting over a female and shit, Yetti. Damn! Do I hear wedding bells?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Both of y'all can kiss my ass. It ain't all that.”

  Keys grabbed the bottle I had in my hand and then fell back into the leather sofa that I was sitting on. He watched shorty until they reached their table, and on the sly, I kept my eyes on them too, but my focus was Reelle. I planned on checking her vibe to see how she behaved.

  I didn't really know shit about her, and I could tell she wasn't the hoeish type, but some things you just didn’t know. If she was all up in multiple niggas faces or the type that got sloppy drunk, then I couldn't fuck with her. Right now, I was gonna low key feel her out and see what was up with her. If she met my approval, then I planned to use my key tonight.

  “Damn, Reelle, you don't know a nigga now?”

  Hearing a male voice address her that way had my eyes on her to see what was going down. I watched as Burke threw his hands up and walked over to where she was sitting. Reelle looked annoyed, which I instantly peeped.

  Burke was a little nobody. He come up a little and thought that meant something. Everything he had was because we let him have it. My brothers and I could shut his as down with one phone call.

  “The fuck he over there for?” Keys was now watching too. “Wait, ain't that old girl that broke your phone.”

  I looked up at Reelle and then back to Keys. My brothers didn't know about my situation with Reelle because I didn't want to hear them talking shit. I was surprised that Keys told us what went down with old girl because he knew how we were. We cussed the shit out of each other any chance we got.

  “Yeah, that's her.”

  “Ah hell both y'all niggas over here sweating,” Hayes said with a grin.

  “Fuck you mean? I ain’t sweating nigga.” I mugged Hayes and he tilted his head and gave me a ‘yeah right’ expression.

  I didn't bother responding, and instead chose to see what was going on with Reelle and Burke, and looked up just in time. This muthafucker had her by the arm pulling her to his chest. Some other bitch was yelling Burke’s name, and Asha had jumped down off her stool and stood up like she was about to take this nigga on.

  Burke was a big muthafucker, so he was yanking Reelle's little ass around like it was nothing, and I could feel my temple twitching. I was on my feet and my brothers w
ere right behind me.

  “And your ass always sweating. What the fuck ever!” Hayes said from behind me as we headed that way.

  “Don't act brand new, Reelle. I was the first one to break that pussy in, and I can have it whenever I want it.”

  “You got about three seconds to get your fucking hands off her or I’m gon’ put mine on you!” was the first thing out my mouth when I was close enough.

  Burke and Reelle both looked at me, but he let her go. She quickly stepped back and moved away from him.

  “What’s up, Yetti! You know her or something?”

  “That shit don't really matter, does it? What matters is that you were putting your hands on a female, and I’m not feeling that shit. Fuck wrong with you?”

  He let out a nervous laugh as he looked at me and my brothers. “Just a little disagreement. Nothing serious.”

  “Disagreement? She didn't say shit to you, Burke. You supposed to be over there with that cheap ass bitch you came with, but instead you over here in Ree’s face.” Reelle’s girl said.

  “You need to watch your mouth talking about me.” some chick off to the side yelled, but I noticed she didn't step to Reelle’s girl. She kept her distance.

  “Hoe, mind your business. You need to watch your so called man.”

  “Yo, shut the fuck up. This ain't about either one of you,” I yelled getting annoyed. I could see Keys tense up about the way I spoke to old girl, but he’d get over it.

  “Ree, you know him like that?”

  I could tell from the look on her face that she didn't want to admit it, but she did. “He’s my ex.”

  “Pussy ass nigga.” I looked her right in the eyes when I said it before I turned to Burke.

  “You like that little money you getting’?”

  He looked at me, mad as hell because he knew where I was going with my question. It was evident that I was about to embarrass the fuck outta him, but it was better than me taking his life, which was what I really wanted to do.

  “Yeah, I’m good.”

  “Aight then, apologize and we’ll keep letting you get it.”

  I heard Hayes chuckle behind me, but I wasn't in a laughing mode.

  “Come on, really, Yetti?”

  “Do I look like I’m fucking playing?” I nodded at Ree while I kept my eyes on Burke. “Apologize, nigga!”

  He mugged me hard as fuck and then turned to Reelle. “My bad. We good now?”

  That shit wasn't heartfelt so I decided to make it real clear what my expectations were. I pulled my gun and aimed at his head. “I think you can do better than that?”

  Burke threw his hands up and then started rambling. “I apologize for putting my hands on you, Reelle. That shit won't happen again.”

  “You damn straight it won't. Not with her or any other female, ’cause if I find out that you did, then I’m gon’ put my hands on you, nigga. Is that understood?”

  “Yeah, we good.”

  “Aight then, get the fuck outta here, pussy ass nigga!”

  He eyed me and my brothers again before he walked away. I could hear old girl going in on him, and he cussed her ass out but didn't touch her.

  “You good?” I returned my gun to my body and looked at Reelle. I checked her out to make sure she didn't have any marks on her.

  “Yes, thank you. You didn't have to do that.” She half smiled.

  “Obviously I did, based on the way that nigga was handling you. That’s what happens when you fuck with pussy ass niggas.” Again, I looked her right in the eyes and held it for a second before I turned and walked away.

  Hayes was right behind me, but I could hear Keys talking to old girl.

  “The fuck was that? You playing captain save-a-hoe but then you not gon’ fuck with her? That's guaranteed pussy right there, Yetti, and she cute too.” Hayes waited until I was seated again and then stood in front of me.

  “I can fuck anybody in here, Hayes. Hell, just point to any one of these hoes up in here and I can fuck her. Why the hell I need to sweat her?”

  “’Cause you like her, Yetti. Nigga I know you. She ain't just anybody, the only reason why I just said that shit was ’cause I wanted to see how you were gonna to react. I don't know what’s up with her, but you feeling her, so why the hell you just walk off like that?”

  I chuckled. “Your young ass don't know shit, and I walked away ’cause she ain't for me. If she fucks with niggas like Burke, then she ain't for me.”

  “Why you mad, bruh? You sound disappointed and shit.”

  “The fuck I need to be disappointed for? She ain't mine, so she can be with whoever she wants, Hayes.”

  “Yeah, but she ain't with you, and that's obviously fucking with you. Stop being so got damn hard all the time and give somebody a chance. You deserve to be happy, Yetti. We’re all fucked in the head, but that doesn't mean we don't deserve to be happy.”

  I looked at Hayes and then grabbed the bottle of Ace that was on the table. I turned it up and ignored him. I was disappointed, not just that, I was fucking pissed. How could Reelle fuck with a nigga like Burke? He wasn't shit, and it wasn't about his finances or his status. Burke was a grimy nigga. He didn't respect females. In fact, that nigga thought he was a pimp.

  I was even more fucked up about the shit he said about being her first. I didn't even know her, but the fact that he had her before me had me wanting to take his got damn life. He didn't deserve a girl like Reelle. Hell, neither did I, but I expected more from her. I know that shit sounded twisted and fucked up, but that was me, twisted and fucked up.

  I downed the rest of the bottle and then placed it back on the table. Hayes realized I was done with the conversation, so he walked away. I glanced up at Reelle and she was looking right at me with a confused expression on her face. I could tell she was hurt, but I couldn't do shit with that right now. Keys was all up on her girl, and they were damn near fucking because the two of them were so close. I laughed at his ass. He was gone over shorty already, and I was gon’ fuck with him about that for sure, but if he liked it I loved it.

  Right now I needed to get my mind off Reelle, so I was ’bout to go find some pussy to slide up in. I knew it was a fucked up thing to do because what I really wanted was to take her home and chill with her. Not even on a sex type of vibe. Just to kick it and have her pretty ass up under me on some chill type shit, but I couldn’t do it.

  All I kept thinking about was Burke saying he had her first and could have her anytime he wanted. True or not, that shit was fucking with me. In my head she was mine, so him saying that was like a violation. Crazy right? I had fucked so many women that I couldn't even count them if I wanted to, but knowing that Reelle had been with one man had me wanting to take a life, and I wasn't even with her like that.

  That made me feel vulnerable, something I wasn't used to and I couldn't deal with that. Anybody who had that type of effect on me wasn't good for me. Reelle damn sure wasn't good for a nigga like me.

  “Yo, keep an eye on Keys, and let me know when you guys head out. I’m about to jet.”

  Hayes looked up from his phone with a strange look on his face. “You aight?”

  “Yeah, I’m good. Just make sure playboy over there don't get into no shit. He got his head up old girls ass right now, so he’s not on his shit.” I glanced at Keys and he was rubbing all over shorty.

  Reelle was gone, so I scanned the floor and still didn't see her anywhere. Oh well, I figured that she was good. Burke wasn't gon’ fuck with her anymore. That nigga didn't want to die.

  “You foul as fuck for leaving me here to babysit that nigga, Yetti. You know we gon’ be fighting before the night is over.”

  I chuckled. “Just ignore his ass, and I doubt it. Looks like he’s locked down right now.”

  “You still owe me, nigga, but I’ll get up with you tomorrow.”

  “Aight, bet.”

  I hugged my brother and then made my way through the crowd. When I hit the bar, as expected, a shorty was all over me beggi
ng for attention. She was fuckable, so I entertained her.

  “Yo, you wanna get outta here?” I wasn't about to kick it to her. Either she was leaving with me or not. It was understood that me asking that meant one thing.

  “Hell yeah, I do.”

  “You drive or you with somebody?”

  She frowned, but answered. “I drove.”

  “Aight lets go.” I walked off and she stood there for a minute, but followed. I knew she would. I wasn't about to be playing chauffeur to her ass, so I needed shorty to have her own shit. I was ’bout to hit up the fuck pad I kept for situations like this, and when we were done, I was putting her out and then taking my ass home.

  The second I hit the front door, I caught sight of Reelle just as old girl caught up to me and looped her arm through mine. For some reason I didn't want Reelle to see that shit, so I snatched away, but it was too late. She already knew what was up. I could see it all over her face and she looked even more hurt than she did after I walked away from her earlier. I tried not to let it get to me because there wasn't shit I could do about it, so I keep it moving. Only issue was that I kept seeing her face in my head. I needed to hurry up and slide inside something tight to get Reelle off my mind.

  Hayes

  “Daddy, can we go to the mall?”

  Zora ran into the living room and jumped in my lap, catching me off guard. I had been spending more time at home, trying to prove to Rahjah that I wasn't all talk. That I really was trying to do better and be here for her like I needed to be. So far, things were better, and I felt like we were back in a good place but there were times when Rah kinda kept to herself.

  The first night after we left her sister’s house, we talked about the baby and she promised that she would keep it. That was funny as hell to me because it wasn't like I was having it any other way. It was ours, we created it together out of love, so she wasn't killing it, no matter what she thought. Even if I had to take care of the baby all by myself, that baby was coming.

  “Go to the mall for what, Zee? You don't need anything.” I smiled at my daughter while she twisted up her mouth like she was thinking hard about what she needed from the mall.