Can't Leave It Alone

by Nicole Jackson

  1

  Can’t Leave it Alone

  Nicole Jackson

  COPYRIGHT© 2015 Can’t Leave It Alone by Nicole Jackson

  Unless otherwise indicated, all materials on these pages are copyrighted by the Nicole Jackson. All rights reserved. No part of these pages, either text or image may be used for any purpose other than personal use. Therefore, reproduction, modification, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise, for reasons other than personal use, is strictly prohibited without prior written permission.

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  Chapter 1

  Ryan’s stereo system was blaring as she traveled down Interstate 10. She had just crossed state lines, venturing from Texas into Louisiana. This was her routine every other weekend. She’d drive to her hometown, Houston, Texas, and then back to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She attended LSU and lived in the city with her twin brother Bryan and her boyfriend Desmond.

  “I flipped down the Ave. You know I’m looking tight. These jealous niggas looking at me and my car. So shiest. Wanna take my life and jack, but I see all through that…” UGK’s “Diamonds and Wood” was banging hard, vibrating the windows. She loved the sound system her boyfriend had installed in her brand new candy red ’05 Mercedes Benz.

  Ryan bobbed her head to the music, as she strolled down the freeway. Just two years ago you couldn’t have paid her to believe that she’d be pushing a Benz at just nineteen years old. Her humble beginning sometimes left her future seeming bleak. The way that she, Bryan, and Desmond grew up compelled them to want a better life more than everyone around them. They all had grown up with drug addicted mothers, so they knew the true meaning of struggle up-close and personal. If it wasn’t for the fact that her aunt Vanity had taken all three of them into her home when they were just fourteen and fifteen she didn’t know where they’d be.

  Ryan knew that she was blessed. She was now shining, while laughing at the very same people who used to make fun of her and her brother. Life was definitely good.

  A few hours later a smile crossed her face as she pulled into her driveway. Desmond’s car was parked outside, letting her know that he’d beat her home.

  She hopped out of her whip and strutted into her house. She found her Boo sitting on the couch, playing the game on his Xbox 360. He sat shirtless, while wearing basketball shorts. Her mouth began to water at the sight. His chiseled physique always did that to her.

  He tore his eyes off the game. “What’s up, baby?” he asked, before he focused back on the TV.

  She stood and stared at him, while placing her hands on her hips. “That’s all you have to say to me, after I’ve been gone all weekend long?”

  He paused his game and looked up. “What?” he threw the controller down.

  She tilted her head, “You didn’t miss me?”

  He stood up. “Man, how you gon ask me that? I didn’t want you to go in the first place.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Don’t start that shit.” They would beef every time she’d hit the road and drive out to Houston. He didn’t like for her to drive back and forth alone, but that wasn’t the only thing that bothered him. He didn’t appreciate how she wanted to cross state lines so often. He was beginning to suspect that she had another nigga back in the H.

  Desmond stood and studied her. Ryan was the epitome of a bad bitch. She had a smooth, rich, creamy light brown complexion and her thick mane hung to her ass. She had a pretty baby face and a nice round backside. She was slim, yet curvaceous. The Seven jeans she rocked looked like they’d been painted onto her body.

  “Who you was trying to look good for? That nigga?” he accused with a raised brow.

  She sighed. “Get real.”

  “I am for real.” He continued to eye her. Ryan secretly marveled at his jealousy. She would’ve been more concerned if he didn’t care. The truth was that she’d never been with any other dude. He was her first and only, but she liked to keep his mind wondering.

  She knew that her man was the shit. At just twenty years old Desmond was getting money. He stood 6’2 in height and weighed in at 190 lbs. He had a smooth milk chocolate complexion with bright brown eyes that were slightly lighter than his complexion. He had natural curly yet silky hair that he kept in a tapered fade. Even his thick eyebrows and eye lashes were a silky texture.

  “Boy, I just wanted to kick it with my cousins.” She waved him off.

  He stepped to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

  “Move.” She whined as she tried to push him off. “You wasn’t worried about me at first.”

  “Yes, I was.” He sensually kissed her lips. “You know that I missed you. I just want you to stop leaving me all by myself.”

  She giggled. “You had my brother here to keep you company.”

  He smacked his lips. “Man, what can that nigga do for me? I needed my baby here.”

  “Well, I’m here right now.”

  “Good.” He kissed her again. “You happy that you seen your people?”

  “Of course.”

  “Okay. I hope you know that your ass aint going back out there, until I go next month.”

  She backed out of his arms. “Why?”

  “Cause I said so,” he spoke with authority, “And I just aint cool with you going for three days and shit. You shouldn’t go anywhere that would prevent you from being in the bed with me every night.”

  “But baby…”

  He cut her off. “But, baby nothing.” He headed to their bedroom, as he followed him. Judging by the signs of the music blasting from a backroom, Ryan knew her brother was home, and in chill mode. Weed smoke was in the air, and his favorite song was blasting, “Now they won’t leave me alone, because they know I got a whole pocket full of stones…”

  As they traveled down the hallway a bedroom door swung open and then out walked a thick light skinned chick. She was Creole and had natural long hair. She gave Desmond a nice grin, until she realized that Ryan was right behind him. The smile quickly faded.

  Ryan hadn’t missed a thing. She saw how her brother’s newest bitch was eying her man. She cut her eyes at her, before rolling them.

  “Baby, what you waiting on? Go get me a soda.” Bryan commanded over his loud stereo system from the bed. He had no idea that his sister was back home.

  Ryan backed tracked and stuck her head into his room. “What’s up, Big Head?” she asked him with a smile.

  Bryan gave her a lazy grin. “What’s up, Dee-Dee?” he asked his twin sister. He often teased her by calling her Desmond’s nick name. She hated that.

  “Fuck you, nigga.” She gave him the finger before heading to her own room. As usual Desmond had their room a mess. “Boy, why do your lazy ass have this room looking like this?” she questioned as she looked around the room, while he went through the closet.

  “Just like you said, I’m lazy.” He laughed as he grabbed a pair of Jordans and some jeans.

  “Don’t I know it. Where are you going?”

  He stepped out of the closet with his clothes in hand. “I gotta go handle some business.”

  She sucked her teeth.

  “What’s all that for? You just left me for a whole weekend.” He reminded her.

  “Whatever.” She rolled her eyes as she folded her arms across her chest.

  “I won’t be gone for long. Maybe you and Jada can kick it.” He snickered.

  “Nigga you must be going crazy. I don’t fuck with that broad.” She couldn’t stand her brother’s broad. It was just something about the chick that she didn’t like.


  Desmond chuckled knowing just that. He just wanted to fuck with her.

  “Well, go kick it with your little friend LaPorsha.” He suggested as he dropped his shorts to the floor and stepped into his True Religion jeans.

  “I don’t want to.” She pouted. She’d left Houston a few hours earlier than planned just to kick it with him, and now he was leaving.

  She watched as he pulled a crisp white tee over his head and stepped into his Air Jordans. He walked over to their dresser and grabbed his John Gaultier cologne, spraying it on his shirt and jeans.

  “So, where are you going?” she probed.

  “I gotta check the trap.” He walked over and kissed her cheek. “Be right back.” He swaggered out of the room, leaving her longing for his attention.

  Ryan understood that he had to handle business. She understood all too well. She knew why he had to grind hard, and she knew how it was done. There was a point where they’d hit the blocks together, like Bonnie and Clyde. She’d hold the pistol and the work, but those days seemed so long ago. He didn’t want to involve her if he didn’t have to. Still, sometimes when he’d travel to his connect she’d come along. It was mainly Desmond and Bryan putting in the work, and she reaped the benefits. Neither man would have it any other way.

  Hustling was how they managed to move out of the hood. Bryan and Desmond started off doing their thing at sixteen and seventeen. Initially, they were moving a few ounces of weed. Later it became pounds. After a while they weren’t satisfied with just weed, so they ventured off into the prescription pill game. They paid girls to flock to the doctor to request Xanax, Lara sets, Lara tabs, Codeine, Vicodin, and Sumas. It wasn’t long before they had their own little spot and was selling damn near every drug known to man. They knew that if they didn’t grind they didn’t eat. Fuck shining. It was about survival for them.

  After speaking with a few cousins out in Louisiana, Desmond discovered that pills amongst other things were selling for three times the amount they did in Houston. So, he, Ryan, and Bryan decided to give it a test run. They copped at motel in Lake Charles, Louisiana and sold everything they had. They figured it would take weeks to get rid of the weed, coke, and pills. So, they were amazed that they ran out of product within three days. That’s when they knew that they had to take their hustle on the road.

  As much as they all loved Houston it was plain to see that the game in Louisiana was more profitable, so they made a decision to uproot to Baton Rouge. They made a pact to stick together and grind hard. They agreed that once the money was right they’d move back to Houston, but three years later they couldn’t imagine leaving all that money behind.

  Once a month Desmond and Bryan still traveled to Houston to rescore, because the H had the better prices. They also conducted business out there, but the bulk of their money came from The Boot.

  No matter what was going on in her life, Ryan managed to stay in school. She’d graduated with honors and went on to attend college. Her family was so sure that she’d wind up pregnant since she’d been shacking with her boyfriend since the age of sixteen. When she beat the odds, they couldn’t have been more proud of her. They also loved Desmond for being her rock and not holding her back. He loved her enough to go out of his way to see that she succeeded. Even after partying all night long he’d make sure that he was up bright and early to bring her to school. So, when she walked across the stage to accept her diploma he felt like it was him up there as well. They did everything as a unit, so when one was successful they both were. And if one of them were down then they both were.

  Desmond and Ryan was an unusually close couple. Out in Louisiana she didn’t have many friends, so she often kicked it with her man and brother. They’d club together, smoke together, and joke together. They ran together so tough that there had been plenty of times other females had approached Desmond, thinking that Ryan was just his sister. Then she’d have to politely ask them to back the fuck up.

  After Desmond left the house Ryan decided that she wanted to take a nap. She was exhausted and had class early the next morning. So, she lied down. It wasn’t long before she was in a deep sleep.

  Meanwhile, Desmond and Bryan hit the streets. They drove through the north side of Baton Rouge, while passing a blunt back and forth.

  “Ay, nigga, guess what Jada told me.” Bryan chuckled.

  “What?” Desmond asked as he focused on the road.

  “She said that she got a crush on you.”

  Desmond glanced at him. “What the fuck you talking about, man?”

  “She told me that she’s feeling you.”

  “Okay, but I thought that she was your bitch.”

  Bryan shrugged. “I’m fucking her, but she aint got no ring on her finger.”

  Desmond had to shake his head. Bryan was one player ass nigga. Even when they were dead broke, girls loved him. He was a pretty dude with curly hair. He was 5’10 and slim. Broads became seasick by just looking at the deep waves in his hair. Then when they’d venture down further and get a glimpse of six packs, they’d literally lose it. He was always easy going, and had a different girl for every day of the week. So, he could care less about one of his hoes peeping out his brother-in-law.

  In the past, Desmond and Bryan had done it all together. By the time De-De was eighteen he’d ran through every girl back in the hood. Ryan didn’t really know what was going on, and her brother never told her; either. Still, his dirt came to the light when one of their next door neighbors came up pregnant, and claimed that it was his baby. He tried to throw her a little cash to keep quiet, but that only lasted for a minute. Eventually, she wanted more from him. She didn’t want to remain in the background, while he openly took care of Ryan. So, she put him out there on Front Street. Of course, Ryan was livid. For three months she left and stayed with her aunt. He was devastated, but relief came when they did a paternity test. The baby wasn’t his and he was pissed that the bitch had taken them through the unnecessary changes.

  It took a whole lot of ass kissing and money to win Ryan back. After that he became shell shocked. He was cool on those hoes, but sometimes Bryan would try to get him to get down. He didn’t want to see his boy hurt his sister. He knew that he loved her, so that’s why he didn’t see anything wrong with him dipping out. The way Bryan saw it, they were young and there was nothing wrong with Desmond sampling other broads from time to time. Just as long as he continued to treat his sister right. What she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.

  “Man, I aint thinking about that girl. Your sister already be looking at a nigga funny whenever that bitch is around.” Desmond pointed out.

  Bryan smacked his lips. “Man, Twin look at every broad crazy. So, that shit don’t even matter.”

  “Yeah, okay.” De-De smirked. “So, what that head be like?”

  “Nigga.” Bryan leaned his head back. “That bitch is a fool with it. She so fucking nasty, man…I be tempted to give that hoe all my money.” He laughed.

  “I heard. I be hearing you moan like a little bitch up in there.”

  Bryan cut his eyes. “Hoe ass nigga, I know you aint talking. My sister be having your ass climbing the walls. ‘Oh, I love you.’ That’s your ass every damn night.”

  Desmond smiled. “Fuck you, nigga. That’s baby right there.” He pulled into their trap house’s driveway. A few niggas were sitting out on the porch.

  “I know that aint who I think it is.” Desmond spat. They both hopped out of Desmond’s Cadillac Sts. “Ay, nigga, I thought I told you to keep ya bitch ass from over here.” He barked, as he spotted a dude that went by the name Droopy. He was the friend of Botany, the guy that ran the house. Months earlier Droopy and Desmond had gotten into it over a dice game. De-De ended up pistol whipping the cat, and now he didn’t want to see him anywhere near his food.

  “Aw, come on, bruh. I thought that we’d squashed that bullshit.” Droopy drawled, as stood on the porch.

  “You thought wrong, nigga.” He gritted as his hand rested on the gat, sitti
ng at the small of his back.

  Droopy could see where the scene was headed and decided that it was best that he’d haul ass. So, he stomped off the porch, while glaring at Desmond. Their eyes locked.

  “What the fuck you looking at, nigga?” De-De seethed as Droopy left the yard.

  Droopy lifted his hands in surrender. “Hey, you got it, bruh.”

  “I aint ya bruh, bitch made nigga.”

  “Alright, man.” Droopy nodded. He knew that De-De was taking his nuts, but he wasn’t going to risk his life just to look tough. De-De wasn’t somebody to play with. He’d laid down quite a few niggas and everybody knew that he was quick to pull a trigger.

  Bryan shook his head with a grin. “You wrong for that, dog.”

  Desmond sucked his teeth. “Man, fuck that nigga. He lucky I didn’t blow his fucking head off.” He stepped onto the porch and glared at Botany. “Ay, dog, I aint gon keep telling you to keep yo people away from here.”

  “My bad, bruh.” Botany apologized.

  “Whatever, my nigga. Just remember what the fuck I said.”

  There were definitely two different sides to him. There was Desmond that went home to Ryan every night, and then there was De-De. De-De was the nigga that you hated to see coming. He was all about his paper, and would dead any man trying to stand in his way. He felt that he had to be ruthless in the streets in order to survive. Niggas didn’t respect a pussy. So, he constantly put in work. He wasn’t some dude that thought that he was too big to get his hands dirty. Although, his money was long he was still in the trenches, grinding it out. That’s why Bryan handled most of the other business. He was more of a people’s person. He’d get down and dirty if necessary, but he preferred to get money and kick it. Fuck the dumb shit.

  “Where the hoes at, Bee?” BG questioned. He was a small time hustler who often hung at the house.

  Bryan smiled. “Shit, I’m about to find one to fuck with later.”

  “No shit? Let ya boy roll with you.”