by K. C. Mills
Logic shook his head in disbelief. “You have got to be fucking kidding me.”
“Don't do anything you can't take back,” Luther said, referring to Marilyn.
Logic understood that to mean that Luther was warning him about who Marilyn was. Not only was she a lawyer who apparently had a lot of connections, but when it was all said and done, she was still Joy’s mother.
“I’m good on that. I appreciate it.”
Logic stood to leave, and Luther retuned his glasses to his face before looking up at him. “Go see your mother soon. You know she’s worried about you and needs to see your face.”
“I just saw her this morning at your crib, or did you forget?” Logic pointed at Luther with a slight grin. He wasn't thrilled about having a front row seat to his mother’s personal life, but he was glad it was Luther.
Luther looked down at his computer and laughed before he roughly began pounding the keys. “You know what I mean. Just check in with her.”
“I got you.”
With that, Logic left Luther's office plotting his next move.
-6-
Logic kept his eyes on Joy while she waited patiently for him to explain why he didn't want her out right now. It didn't have a damn thing to do with her being in a club without him, but everything to do with the fact that her mother had gotten Rah out of jail, and Logic didn’t have a clue how to find him.
“I just don't think it's a good idea,” Logic said calmly, in anticipation of how he assumed Joy was going to react. It would do no good for both of them to be erratic right now, so he chose to remain calm.
“I’m going to be with Karma, your sister, and your cousin. I know you don't possibly think that I would do anything stupid.”
A smirk spread across his face, which forced a frown on Joy’s. Logic was amused by the fact that she assumed he was worried about her with another man.
“Nah, that shit ain't cross my mind because I know you know better. Besides, I would solve that problem by sliding up in your shit before I let you go. My issue is that Rah is out there on some bullshit. If he puts his hands on you, Najah, or Nova, I might end up in jail because I’m going kill his ass and I won't give a fuck who's around to see it.”
Joy sat there trying to figure out which statement to address first. She was floored by both of them, but she knew Logic, and she knew that he meant every word without a shadow of doubt.
“Rah is not stupid enough to come after either one of us, knowing that you’re after him. Besides, we’ll be in a club full of people. There’s nothing he can do without someone seeing him. I’ll be fine, we’ll be fine.”
Again, Logic was quiet while he processed. Everything in him was yelling no, but he understood her need for some type of normalcy in her life. Since they had been together, her life had conformed to functioning around just him. A lot of it had to do with the fact that the whole Rah situation had Logic holding on tight, but that was on him, not on her.
Joy was sitting across the room from where Logic stood. He was leaning against the wall in the living room while she sat on the sofa studying his body language and waiting for his reaction.
After a few minutes of silence, she decided to resort to Plan B. Joy knew that Logic was weak under her touch, so she stood and walked over to him. His eyes were on her the entire time, but his expression didn't change. Even after her hand grasped his belt buckle and she leveraged her body against his, his expression remained unreadable. She used her free hand to slide around his neck until her arm was roped around it. Their eyes were still connected, and he hadn't moved. His arms were still at his sides while her body was pressed against his.
“I just want one night to hang out with my girls and not think about all the other stuff.” Joy lifted her weight onto her toes and kissed his chin first, then his jaw line, and last she planted her lips onto his.
Logic finally released a smile. His hands moved up the back of Joy’s legs until they rested on her butt.
“You ain't slick, Joy.”
“What?” She looked up at him and bit her bottom lip so that her smile wouldn't show.
They both knew that she was trying to sway his decision by being close to him.
“You know what, and don't think I can't say no because you rubbing all up on my body.” Logic leaned down and kissed Joy again before he tilted his head slightly to the side and stared at her.
He knew that if she didn't go to the club that she would be home alone anyway. Gotti had called with word that their people had located Moses, which meant that he would be handled tonight. He had been with Alicia since he was released from the hospital. Logic knew that if anything happened, there was a chance that he wouldn't be able to get to her since he and Gotti planned to go after Moses. That was his biggest hesitation.
Joy laughed. I’m not trying to sway your decision. Maybe I just wanted to be close to you,” she insisted and then tucked her lip under her teeth again because it was a lie and she knew it.
“Yeah, whatever. You can go, but I need you to check in.” He pecked her lips. “A lot.”
“Done.” Joy grinned before kissing him again and then tried to pull away, but he held her in place.
“Nah, we got something to take care of first.” His grin now matched hers.
“I need to text your sister back and call Karma.”
“Nah, you need to come up out of these so I can slide up in you real quick. I wasn't playing.”
Logic worked his hands into her leggings and pushed them down over her hips. He damn sure wasn't playing, and he hoped Joy knew that. He was about to be so deep in her that she would feel it every time she moved tonight. Logic wasn't a jealous man, but he wasn't stupid either. He knew what he had in Joy, and he wanted her to be very clear about what she had in him, so he was about to make sure her body had a constant reminder.
*****
“So, he still there?” Were the first words out of Logic’s mouth when he met Gotti on the block.
“Yeah, he’s in there. Hasn't been out since he left the hospital. Word is he’s hiding from his brother. Rah’s been out for a minute, and everybody knows that Moses sent the cops there, which is how he got knocked.” Lil Chris spoke up first since it was him and Roger who had found Moses.
Gotti and Logic eyed each other for a brief moment since the two of them were the only ones who knew all the details of what was going on. Lil Chris’ girl had just had a baby, so he hadn't really been around much, and even if he had, Logic felt like the fewer people involved the better. It wasn't that he didn't trust his team, because he did, whole heartedly, but he also felt it was best that he and Gotti handle the situation on their own. Gotti agreed, so their team had very little detail about the situation.
“Aight, bet. We’re heading out. You got shit covered around here?” Logic asked.
“Yeah, I’m good. We busy as fuck, though,” Lil Chris said with a smirk before he emptied the backpack he was carrying.
Rolls of cash hit the table and Logic smiled. Money was good right now. All of the traffic flow from Rah and Moses’ area was coming their way since neither Rah or Moses was currently focused on the block.
“That's what the fuck I'm talking about.” Gotti lifted a few of the bands and then placed them back on the table.
“Yo, make sure someone keeps an eye on the house. Get this counted and in the safe as soon as possible. We’re not used to keeping this much cash around here, and niggas be on some bullshit. Last thing we need is someone running up in here,” Gotti said, sharing a quick glance with Logic first, who nodded in approval.
“Word. I got it covered. I’m ’bout to count this right now and Rog is out front. So we should be good.”
Gotti and Logic both nodded, dapped Lil’ Chris before they left out and locked up. Not long after, they were in Logic’s car and heading to the location that Lil Chris had given them for Moses.
“No word on Rah yet?”
“Nah, not yet, but I have a few things I plan on checking int
o.” Logic had an idea that it was possible for Rah to be hiding out at Joy’s parents’ house. If Rah wasn't actually there, then Marilyn was going to tell him exactly where he was, and Logic planned to use any means necessary to get the information from her.
“You wanna tell me what that is?” Gotti glanced at Logic but then directed his focus back to his phone.
“Not yet.” Being that it was Joy’s mother, Logic felt like he needed to handle the situation alone. He didn't really want witnesses if things didn't go as planned.
Gotti nodded. He never questioned Logic’s moves. He didn't have to, they just had an understanding about certain things.
“Yo, they just hit the club,” Gotti announced after reading a text he received from Najah.
Logic was about to respond to Gotti but his phone went off with a notification too. He glanced at the screen while it sat in his cup holder. When he realized it was Joy, a smile crept across his face. He could only imagine what it said. She wasn't very happy with him when she left to meet Karma, thanks to the punishing he had put on her body. Logic had made Joy cum so many times that he had her rethinking her decision to go out in the first place. He made sure there was no question about his ability to please her, and it was evident from the way she was struggling after their session.
He’d offered to kiss it and make it better, but she wouldn't let him anywhere near her after she found the energy to make it into the shower. He smiled even harder when he thought about the fact that he had to steal a kiss before she left because she was dead serious about keeping her distance from him.
“Hopefully we’ll be done with this shit soon, and then we can head there.”
“Yo, we doing a ride through our we shutting that shit down?” Gotti asked.
He had every intention of pulling Najah up out the club and taking her home with him. He was still standing firm on no sex, but he had his mind on a few other things they could do. On top of that, he didn't want some other nigga in her face pushing up on her. She was already his, he just had to sit on it for a minute so that he could get his personal life situated.
Gotti wasn't committed to anyone, but there were a few out there who were damn sure committed to him. He didn't want Najah to have to deal with that, so out of respect for her, he was going to handle a few things before he made shit official with him and Najah
“You do whatever the fuck you need to do, but I’m taking Joy’s ass home. Girls night is over after we handle this shit with Moses.”
Gotti laughed at how serious Logic was. At least they were on the same page with that.
It took them about twenty minutes to get to Alicia’s apartment. It was a complex with three levels, but lucky for them, she had a first floor apartment. Gotti and Logic both strapped up, pulled on latex gloves, and got out. It was almost eleven, so the parking lot was empty. They hid their guns on their bodies, but kept their hands on them.
When they reached the apartment door, Gotti and Logic both had guns in hand.
“How the fuck we supposed to get in that bitch without setting him off?” Gotti asked.
Neither of them had figured out the small yet important details. In fact, the only thing that either of them had on their minds was taking Moses’s life.
Logic looked at the door and shrugged. “Shit, one of us can shoot the lock off and the other can aim at whatever’s coming our way. We just better not fucking miss. I damn sure ain't in the mood to catch a hot one tonight.”
Gotti looked at him and laughed. “I got the fucking lock. Your ass can aim.”
Gotti aimed his gun at the lock, and just before he was about to fire off a shot, they heard the lock turn and then Moses appeared. Logic’s gun hit him right in the forehead, pressing hard into his skull as Moses backed up and lifted his hands. He gritted his teeth and flinched due his injuries, from where Logic had previously shot him in the shoulder.
“Well, well, look what the fuck we have here.” Logic took a step toward Moses, forcing him back.
“Man, fuck both of you. Shit, I ain't worried.”
“Bruh, you should be, but fuck it. If your ass has been sipping on courage tonight, then we’re cool with that too.
“I ain't scared to die. Do what the fuck you gotta do.”
Just as Moses finished his sentence they heard a pop and a bullet hit the door. Gotti looked up just in time to catch Alicia before she fired off another shot.
“Damn, can't your ass do anything right? Your dumb ass almost hit me,” Moses yelled.
Gotti realized that Alicia was shaky and afraid. She had no clue about shooting a gun, and if he had to guess, Moses had tossed it to her right before he left and told her to defend herself.
“Yo, you have a daughter. This nigga here is about to die. Don't make her grow up without a mother too. Put that shit down.” Logic had both his eyes and gun on Moses, so he didn't even bother to look at Alicia as he spoke to her.
“I can shoot your ass before you even think about pulling that trigger again, and trust me, I won't miss. Put that shit on the floor and kick it out the way.” Gotti nodded at the gun Alicia was holding.
She looked across at Moses, Logic, and then Gotti before she slowly kneeled to the floor. Once she placed the gun in front of her, she stood and lifted her hands in the air in a gesture indicating surrender.
Gotti pushed past Moses and Logic. When he reached Alicia, he forcefully grabbed her arm and shoved her down onto the sofa before he picked up the gun and dropped the clip out of it. He cleared the chamber and placed the clip and bullets in his pocket before tossing the gun on the sofa next to her.
“That’s about all you need. You know your ass don't know a damn thing about shooting a fucking gun. You’re about to let his dumb ass cost you your life.” Gotti looked down at her, wearing an irritated expression.
Both Logic and Gotti were now in the apartment with the door shut.
“Damn, yo, we don't even know each other and you sent your peoples to take my life. The fuck I do to you?” Logic wore a smirk which grew wider as the scowl on Moses face intensified.
“Nigga, we not ’bout to have a conversation. Like I said, I ain't afraid to die, so do that shit if that's what you here to do.” He damn near growled through gritted teeth.
Logic chuckled, amused by how hard Moses was pretending to be. He knew Moses was afraid; he could see it in his eyes. No matter how tough they were, no man facing a losing battle with death was without some type of fear. Even if it was just a little.
“I came all this way just to see you and this snitching ass bitch, and you can't even give me a conversation? That’s some foul shit, Moses.”
Logic calling Alicia a snitch quickly got her attention. He could see her from the corner of his eyes and could tell the moment she finally realized that they knew her role in what had happened at First and Prospect.
“Yeah, bitch, I know you’re the one who sent the cops there. No need for you to be sitting there looking all fucking stupid now.” Logic’s voice traveled across the room and sent chills through Alicia.
“Yous a dumb ass bitch.” Moses snarled as his eyes moved across the room to where she was sitting. His voice caused her to jump a little. “Your dumb ass sent the damn cops there? The fuck were you thinking? You got everybody in the streets thinking I’m a fucking snitch. If you had just done what I asked, this nigga would be dead and we wouldn't be here. I swear Imma fuck you up.” Moses was so pissed he actually tried to pull away from Logic just to get to Alicia, but reality quickly set in again when he felt the barrel of Logic’s gun press firmly against his forehead.
“Damn, Logic, he mad as fuck,” Gotti said before he laughed.
“You didn't know? She didn't tell you? See, the father of her child meant more to her than you. She didn't want him to die. I guess I can understand that shit. I mean, family is important, right?” Logic knew that mentioning his brother and Alicia’s child would strike a nerve.
“I swear on everything, your ass is dead too. If he don't
kill you, I’ll damn sure find a way to make that shit happen.” Moses pointed to Alicia who finally released the tears that where building in her eyes.
“Man, chill. That shit is old news. I’m alive, you’re about to die, your brother’s gonna die.” Logic shrugged. “Don't sweat that shit.”
“Just do it then, damn. The fuck you bitchin’ up for?”
“That nigga just called you a bitch, Logic. The fuck?” Gotti laughed.
Logic chuckled. “I know. That shit hurt my feelings too, damn.”
“You’re dumb as fuck, yo. Just shoot that nigga so we can go.”
Logic looked right at Moses. “Aight.” He pulled the trigger.
Moses hit the floor and Alicia screamed.
“Shut the fuck up, damn.” Gotti yelled, narrowing his eyes at her.
Logic walked over and looked at Alicia. He didn't have the heart to take her life. He saw his sister when he looked at her.
“You fucked me once, that shit won't happen again. Dealing with niggas like Moses and Rah will cause you and your daughter to lose your lives. Do you want that? Do you want to put your daughter’s life in jeopardy like that?”
She wiped her tears and quickly shook her head no. “Just let me go. I won't tell anybody, I swear.”
“Man fuck that. Her ass got five-oh on speed dial,” Gotti said, mugging her hard as hell. He also had a soft spot being that she was a mother, but he too wanted to scare her.
“I don't, I swear I don't. I’m leaving anyway. I’m taking my daughter and heading to New York to live with my aunt. You won't see or hear from me again. Please, just let me go.” She was crying hysterically now, with tears and snot everywhere.
She snorted, and was damn near hyperventilating. Raising a shaky hand, she pointed to the corner where two suitcases were sitting, as well as what looked like an overstuffed baby bag and a car seat.
Gotti and Logic shared a glance after surveying the luggage.
“Look, you get one chance, but fuck around if you want to, and you end up like that.” Logic pointed to Moses’ lifeless body on the floor.