by H. Q. Frost
"No problem," I say, not expecting any of this.
"I'm sorry about yesterday. That shit shouldn't have happened and I'm sorry."
"So this shit's payoff 'cause I could have died?" I hold up the phone and key.
"And for you to keep your mouth shut."
I nod because that's not a problem.
"I got a job tonight. You and CJ."
I want to tell him fuck no, but I look at the key in my hand and don't think I can do that without losing the perks. When I stand up to leave, he calls my name.
"You okay?" he asks.
After we were taken to the hospital I didn't see him again last night. Before cops showed up we devised the story that it was a hit and run, but I was so out of it from hitting my head that by the time they showed up that was the only thing I could tell them.
"I'll be fine," I tell him before walking out.
I don't have an option to not be alright. I kind of had a moment of truth last night that my life will probably never be on the straight and narrow.
~~*~~
There's a car parked in my spot in the driveway so I park on the curb and start heading into the house until I recognize the stick figure family on the back windshield.
"What the fuck."
This bitch shouldn't know where I live and I'm wondering how she's in my driveway right now. When I walk into the house, her and CJ are drinking beer and chatting like they know each other.
"Fuck's up, dude? You didn't tell me your girlfriend was kind of awesome."
My eyes hit her as she chuckles. "What're you doing here, Brie?"
"I haven't seen you at Iesha's in a few days." She's walking toward me and I want to dodge her because the girl's psycho.
"I haven't been to Iesha's in a few days. How the fuck did you find my house?"
She holds out a wallet. My wallet, and I snatch it from her.
"Before you start with the accusations. I found it on Iesha's lawn. Nothin' was in it but your license with the little address sticker on the back."
My glare stays locked on her as she feeds me the bullshit. He took my wallet. Got into the car and drove away with it.
Before I can say anything, her phone starts to ring and she giggles pulling it from her pocket. "It's her," she says to CJ before answering and walking to the door.
"What the fuck, man?" I quietly snap.
"Dude, what? She's your fucking girlfriend!"
"No she's not!" I stress as we quietly argue. "I don't even know the fucking girl except she's my friend's neighbor. I got jumped because of her. She's not my fucking girlfriend!"
"Dude, I'm sorry, brother." He laughs. "She told me she was your girlfriend. I didn't fucking know. She just invited a friend over too."
"What the fuck, CJ," I groan.
"Shh, she's comin'," he whispers.
The second I hear another girl's voice I turn around to see there's three girls, not just one, and my glare goes back to CJ.
"Dude." He chuckles then steps around me, introducing himself.
"And this is Dom. Ain't he cute? Ignore the bruises," Brie says.
Today's not the day for this shit. I'm tired. I don't want to deal with a bunch of shady women in my house. And I really don't want to deal with a psycho girl I haven't even slept with!
I slip to my bedroom to change because CJ's already started giving them beer. They're not going anywhere anytime soon. I yank my shirt off and sit on my bed, looking at the phone in my hand and realize because I now have a new number, if the unlikely chance Nyla did try to contact me, she won't get through.
"Fuck," I groan and lay back, closing my eyes.
"Dom?" Brie softly knocks and my eyes pop open.
I yank the door open so fast her eyes go wide while she takes a step back.
"You need to stay the fuck away from me."
"Excuse you?" she scoffs.
"Get the fuck out of my house. Take your hoes and get the fuck out," I snarl as I hear the giggles from the living room.
"Why are you being such a dick?" she snaps.
"I'm not stupid, Brie. I know you had something to do with me getting jumped the other night. Stay the fuck away from me!" my screamed words echo down the hallway and there's sudden silence throughout the house.
"Fuck you!" As she marches down the hall, two of the girls peak around the corner. "Let's go. This guy's a fucking asshole."
The girls are pouting and when I get down the hall, CJ looks at me with his eyes wide.
"Dude, what the fuck?" he whispers and I shake my head because he's the asshole that let her in.
I pull open the front door and they file out, one of them tripping on her way and she looks back at me with her mouth hanging open and eyes wide.
"You pushed me!" she shrieks and runs back at me but I slam the door, locking it.
"Dude." CJ's laughing his ass off and I want to punch him in the jaw but his stupid laugh reminds me of Jeff and I start laughing with him. "Who is that chick? She knocked on the door all, 'I'm looking for my boyfriend Dom'. She was hot so I let her in 'cause I knew you'd be home soon."
"She lives next to my friend. The bitch didn't even know where I lived until she got me jumped and my wallet stolen. The fucker that took my wallet got in his car and drove away with it, CJ. That bitch didn't just find it on the lawn. They fucking stole four hundred bucks from me." I walk into the kitchen and see he had a card game already started. "You dopey fuck." I laugh at him. "Anything to get laid."
"They were hot!" he insists as he cleans up the cards.
"They were probably casing the joint," I mumble and grab the milk to eat cereal, because the one thing we both suck at is keeping the house stocked with food.
Laughing at my true statement he walks out of the kitchen and leaves me to a few flakes and residual powder from the bottom of the Chex bag. I'm hungry enough so I eat it, wishing I would have went to my mom's or Iesha's. Setting my bowl in the sink a pounding on the door makes me turn around quickly.
"Fuck." I glance toward the hallway and walk out of the kitchen to see CJ heading this way.
"What the fuck was that?"
"Someone's at the door. Do you have a gun?" I ask and slowly make my way to the door, prepared for Brie and the fucks she had jump me the other day.
The peephole displays differently though.
"Shit. CJ, never mind!" I call out loudly and open the door to the police.
"Dom?" he asks with his hand on the pistol at his hip.
"Yes, sir."
"Turn around. Hands behind your back."
"What?" I blurt as I'm turning, not wanting to be Tazed or shot.
My eyes land on CJ as he's headed down the hall, shoving something into the back of his pants and I close my eyes, knowing the gun he's trying to hide is not registered to him.
"Stay where you are," the officer calls out and pulls his gun.
"Whoa. I'm stationary. Not moving." CJ's arms go up. "What the hell's happening?"
"We had complaints of a domestic disturbance here tonight."
"A what?" I look over my shoulder with eyebrows high.
"Ms. Elba Rells stated you shoved her out of the home earlier this evening."
"I didn't touch anyone!" I blurt. "I don't even know that girl! She showed up with a few other girls I don't know and I kicked them all out because one stole my wallet a week ago!"
"Whoa, my man, he didn't sh—" CJ's silenced when the officer raises his gun again because he started moving toward us.
"Call my mom," I tell him.
"I don't know your mom's number!"
"Call Rory!" I yell as I'm being pulled from the house.
I know better than to plea my case to this officer. He didn't even read me my rights, but I don't want to mention it because I can use that against him later.
Two and half hours my arms are cuffed and I'm sitting on a bench outside a room, not in a cell or anything, I'm just waiting. Probably forgotten about. When I finally see someone, it's not who I expe
ct. It's Brie.
"Yes, him." She huffs and rolls her eyes.
No fucking way. No way this bitch is here as a witness against me.
I open my mouth to protest, knowing it won't do any good, but the officer says, "Stand up so I can un-cuff you."
Un-cuffing is what I want, so I stand and look at Brie.
"You're free," the officer mumbles and she turns around, headed out the door that I have to go through, or else I'd find another exit.
"What a bunch of douches," she grumbles loudly as we exit and I keep my head low. "I'll give you a ride," she casually mumbles as we get outside.
"No thanks."
The girl's off her rocker.
"I just came down here and saved your ass from being arrested because Elba's a drama queen whore, Dom. I didn't steal your fucking wallet."
"You didn't, but you know who did, that's why you had it." I start walking the opposite direction, not having my phone on me to call anyone.
Pissed off no-one but Brie showed up for me, I pout all the way home, and when I walk through the door, CJ's pacing like a worried dad.
"Dude! Rory was calling his brother to get you out as soon as possible. I called him the second you walked out the door. Where the fuck you been?"
"They didn't get me out. Brie did," I mutter and walk over to my phone, seeing a few missed calls from my mom.
"Dominic," she blurts upon answering.
"I'm out, Mom. Wasn't arrested, they just held me for three fuc- freaking hours."
"Did you see Tony? He can give you a ride."
"I walked home, Mom. I didn't see him. They released me because someone that was here when it happened came out with the truth, I guess. I didn't touch anyone—"
"Oh, Dom," she huffs. "I know that. I'm sorry you walked. Tony was there, trying to get you out. I better call him because I haven't heard from him so he's probably still there trying."
"Thanks, Mom. I love you."
"I love you too, honey. Pick better friends."
I roll my eyes as I hang up and look at CJ. "I guess they were there trying to get me out, but that Brie girl showed back up and told them I didn't touch that girl."
"What a bunch of bitches, man." He plops onto the couch. "Holy shit, I thought I was a goner when I came down the hall with that gun." He's laughing and I look at him like he's insane because he would have been in a world of shit if that cop saw his gun.
But again, that laugh makes me break down into my own laughter and we dissolve the stress on our minds with mindless TV.
My circus of a life is a fucking joke.
"Why the fuck do you keep looking at your phone?" CJ smacks it out of my hand and it tumbles to the floorboard.
"Ya fuck," I mutter as I pick it up, not willing to tell him I'm stalking my ex on social media.
"You texting? With that hot chick from the other night?"
"The hot thief?" I patronize. "No. I'm better off single."
"I know a ton of chicks, dude. Come out with me tonight. I'm trying to smash with this girl Erin. She's gonna have friends with her and they'll all be horny and drunk."
"I don't feel like going out," I mumble looking at my phone again.
"It's a Saturday night. You need to come out."
"I'm tired as shit. And I have that baptism in the morning," I counter.
"Why don't you stop being a bitch." He pulls up to the gated mansion.
"I hate this fucking place," I mumble.
"I know, I was so pissed when Rory made me come back here."
"I don't know why you're bitching, you haven't been here in a few weeks. He always gives you the easy drops."
I eye the few men standing around outside the garage and we slowly pull in, knowing not to move until they open our doors.
"Cock suckers," CJ grumbles as we wait.
They make us wait at least ten minutes, but from there it's smooth and we get to work on the lawn. When it's time to leave, they've boxed in our truck, not giving much room for us to pull out.
"Cunt fucks," CJ grumbles after we get in.
He continues on but I stop listening as I watch one of the guys in dark sunglasses and a black suit. He's watching with a smirk as CJ struggles to back the box truck out of the driveway.
"I could have drove," I mention when he runs over the curb and the truck slams when the wheels hit pavement.
"Fucking shut up," he grumbles and floors it, leaving gray smoke behind us and I laugh, shaking my head at his stupidity. "Them assholes are stupid as shit. Stupid criminals. When you're dealing with shit like this, the last thing you should be is stupid."
"Is there really a smarter way to be a criminal?"
"Speak for yourself, bro. I'm not a stupid criminal. I'm smart. Premeditated. If shit pops off, I'll be a ghost."
"Premeditated." I chuckle and look out the window.
I've never been the type to do things premeditated. When I was younger, impulse and anger drove my criminal actions. I've killed a fucking man unpremeditated, but I still don't regret it to this day. Right now though, with this shit I'm involved in, I need a plan. I guess my plan is the-less-I-know motto.
Pulling into the lot of the shop, CJ breaks our silence, "So, we goin' out?"
"Dude." I huff right before my skeleton almost rips from my skin at the top of my head.
The strap of my seatbelt is cutting into my flesh but also restricting me from falling because suddenly the truck is on its roof and I feel like I'm chewing my pounding heart. It all happened so fast, I'm not sure how. Blinking, I see a figure through the blown-out windshield and then I hear an all too familiar blast.
"Fuck!" CJ's distress makes me reach for my buckle, practically ripping it from the seat.
I fall to the roof, narrowly missing getting shot by the second fired bullet.
"Are you shot?" I scream at him over and over because he's not answering and the look on his face is as if he's petrified in shock. "CJ!" I scream and unbuckle him; his body falls weightless onto mine. "CJ!" When I get him off me and to the roof, he starts to move.
"That bullet went right past my ear. I felt it, Dom. I fucking felt it! Fuck, fuck, fuck!"
"Get the fuck out," I urge when something doesn't smell right. "CJ! Get the fuck out!" I scream and shove him through the shards of glass and out of the busted door window. "Move!" I shove him because he's not reacting quick enough for the situation we're in.
I crawl as far away from the truck as I can before getting to my feet, yanking CJ with me. We need distance between us and the truck because I can smell the gas. Flames quickly engulf the vehicle and I pull out my cellphone, pressing Rory's phone number. Glancing over, I see CJ has his phone out too, but for completely different reasons. He's snapping pictures of the burning truck.
The parking lot doesn't have another soul in it but us and I'm wondering where the man with the gun came from and went to.
"We have a problem," I say when Rory answers. "I don't want to talk about it, just get up to the shop," I calmly tell him when he asks what's happened.
I'm running on pure adrenaline. I don't know if that's necessarily a feeling of fear. Even when the bullet was fired at me, I wasn't scared. The only thing on my mind was getting the fuck out of the situation to survive.
"Which one of you is Rory?" a distorted voice says from behind me, and before I can turn around, a gun is pushed to the back of my head. "On your knees."
That fear that should have me trembling and sick with worry just isn't there. That's alarming, but I listen and drop to my knees, seeing out of my peripheral that CJ's done the same.
"Name!" the voice screams pushing the gun harder.
"He's Rory," I say what feels right and hear the click of the trigger being pulled at the back of my head.
My eyes close and I wait, all in a split second wondering if there will be any pain like I felt when I was shot in the chest. There is no bang, or force, no pain, or death. The gun doesn't fire.
"It's your lucky day." The barrel pu
lls away from the back of my head and the voice kneels behind me, the figure dressed in black getting closer to CJ's face.
"I thought I told you the shipment was gone," he says to CJ, thinking he's Rory. "Tell your boss, or I will kill every one of your men. Got it?"
"Got it." CJ's nodding and the sound in his tone makes me wonder if he's pissed himself.
We don't move, even when he gets in a vehicle that sped into the parking lot after he pulled the trigger of the failed gun.
"Why'd you do that?" CJ finally screams, shoving me off my knees.
"Fuck you!"
"Why'd you tell him I was Rory?" His trembling hands are wiping at his sweaty face, smearing blood, and out of curiosity I glance to the crotch of his pants, looking for a piss stain but quickly look away.
"I just had a feeling. You're fucking welcome, douche," I grumble getting to my feet and inspect my hands.
They're not bleeding like CJ's, but I feel my forehead trickling blood.
"He pulled that fucking trigger, Dom. You should be dead right now. You fucking saved my life. I bet if he pulled it again, it would have fired. Dom, he fucking shot at us in the truck, then had us on our knees. Holy fuck." He leans against the building and starts panting like he's hyperventilating, all the while I'm just wondering what's taking Rory so long. "Fuck. Thank you," he breaths and when he stands up straight, he almost passes out.
"Head down," I bitch pushing at his head while forcing him to lean against the building. "Take a few deep breaths and keep your head down."
Not the first time, but I should be a dead man and all I want to do is see the first face I thought of when I was sure I was going to die. Don't ask me why it's her. I just can't let go.
I pull up Nyla's page even though it's set to private, but I can still see her profile picture. This time I get lucky and a post she's tagged in isn't private and it tells me exactly where she is right now.
"What bar you trying to go to tonight?" I ask CJ.
He turns his head but is still leaning against the building. Sweat dripping from him like a bucket was dumped over his head.
"You want to go out now?" His nervous chuckle makes me smirk at how worked up he is.