by MT Pope
Moving him from the city to the country was a move my husband said would be good for all of us. Trying to keep work and home separate was his goal. It was working . . . until now. Corey was an only child, and we were very protective of him. He knew his father’s mode of business, but Leroy kept him as far away from that life as possible. He didn’t want him to fall into the street life. He didn’t want him to be a punk either, just a better version of him. A legal him. I think that was a part of Leroy’s drive to get to the top, as he says it.
I peeked out of the upstairs window to see my husband’s car gone. I don’t know if he got dressed or not because I was in the bathroom prepping to leave myself. Leroy’s erratic behavior was driving me crazy right now.
“Ma! Where Daddy go?” my son came into my bedroom and asked just as I was coming out of the bathroom. He had a look of disappointment on his face.
“He said he would be right back and asked me to go with you to practice today,” I lied. I didn’t want to add to the tension already between him and his father. I could see that his father’s behavior was getting to him as well. Leroy was staying out later and communicating less. It seemed like we were growing apart.
“You going with me?” He looked at me like I was an alien.
“Uh, yeah.” I laughed a little to lighten up the heaviness of this morning’s strange activities.
“Ma, you know nothing about basketball. Why are you really going?” He had a silly smirk on his face. It lightened the moment for me as well. He was the spitting image of his father with a dash of me thrown in.
“So, I want to see what all the hype’s about. I heard your father say you had a nice crossover, and I wanted to see if that was true.”
“I bet,” he smiled. “Just don’t be embarrassing me and all of that. Stay incognegro.” He laughed, and I couldn’t help but laugh with him. He was such a great kid. With good grades, cool friends, and an outgoing attitude, my son was coming out to be a well-rounded young man. I was a proud mama.
It didn’t take us long to finish getting ready and heading out into the streets for some fun in the sun.
Chapter 9
Corey
Promises
I was in the passenger seat of my mother’s car wondering what just happened. I have never seen my father look like that before. He looked like one of the junkies that he made our living off of. I was so close to beating his ass that I could taste it. I didn’t like that feeling. I had mad respect for my father. He was what I wanted to be when I got on my own. He was a hard-core, no-nonsense man that loved his family and taking care of business. He was passionate. That’s what made me hold off on dusting him off good. He was almost a dude in the street to me. My mother’s voice also saved him too. I was my father’s size and build, though I was a little bit more muscular than he was. He would have caught a good ass whipping. Believe that.
“Ma, has Dad ever been like this before?” I inquired.
“Like what?” she asked. She knew what I meant. As of late, she has been downplaying most of his strange behavior. He wasn’t acting normal, and she knew it. I didn’t like being played for a dummy by anyone, even my mother.
“Ma, if I didn’t get there when I did, you might be at the hospital or dead right now. That’s what I’m talking about.” I had a slight tone that was borderline disrespectful. She was taking up for him. It was her husband and my father. I get that, but don’t push that shit under the rug like it didn’t happen or something. That not cool.
“Who the hell are you basing on?” She quickly glanced at me with a look that put fear back in my heart. “I only need one hand to drive this car and the other one to break your jaw. Adjust . . . your . . . tone!”
There was immediate silence on my end for the next minute.
“Ma, all I’m saying is keep your eyes open. I love you, and I don’t want to lose you.”
“Corey, your father is not going to kill me or hurt me. He’s just going through something right now, and we need to bear with him until it passes.” We were at a red light, and she looked at me with tears threatening to fall. She looked like she wanted to break down. My mom was a strong woman, but you can’t deny that she had some doubt floating around in her head. Any person would if their spouse was acting a fool like my father was.
“Okay, Ma, I’m going to ride with you on this one, but if it happens again, believe me, I will handle my business. Father or no father.”
We rode in silence as we pulled up to the gymnasium. I still had the drama from home on my brain as I walked through the door, and that’s what was going to drive me to do my best.
Chapter 10
Clayton
Man of the House
From a distance, I sat in my car and watched the activities called crimes being acted out in daring disregard for the law. There was a war going on between two sets of thugs: the gays and the straight.
So, who do you take down, or do you try to take down all of them? I’m a gay man, and you would think that I would automatically side with the gay thugs, right? No. They are both in the wrong. I’m trying to get up in the ranks, and there are no winners and losers. With drugs on the streets, there are only losers, even the ones that get to profit from it all. One day, they will end up in jail or dead. It’s just a matter of time. But I couldn’t wait for time. Time was too damn slow for me. I need to catch someone slipping. That’s just it. No one wanted to be a rat these days. There was always a paid informant or druggie that was willing to snitch for their next hit or freedom. But no one was giving up any information. With business, the way it was for these hood-rich folk, they would be going for a long time before someone gave in and started snitching, as they say.
I had an idea, and I only hoped that it would work. But that was for later. Right now, I had the doctor I met a few days ago on the brain. I wanted to get some ass, and it has been a minute. I know that I should be focused on the matters at hand, but I was a human being. I had urges and needs. My hand wasn’t good enough. Let’s just say if my hand could get pregnant, I would have a small nation on my hands by now.
I wanted to feel the warm walls inside of a tight, strong, anal cavity. I was getting hard just thinking about it. I could feel him already sliding up and down on my rock-hard penis until I exploded inside of him. The sheer joy it would be to give the best that I had. There were so many times that I wanted to go to the meat rack district and pull me a trick, but that would be taking a chance. A chance that I didn’t want to take. Too many people were being exposed right now, and I didn’t, and wouldn’t, have that on my record. I loved having a clean slate, and that’s the way that I wanted to keep it. No one on the force even knew that I was gay. It was still considered a weakness to a great percentage of the world in this day and time.
I was tired of this scene as of right now, and I decided to go and hook up with Anthony. We’ve been texting on and off for a few days now, and he finally invited me out for a spur-of-the-moment bite to eat. I was bubbling with excitement, and I was hoping that it leads to me losing some weight in my family jewels.
* * *
“This is a really nice place,” I said as I sat across the table from Anthony. He was glowing tonight, or maybe it was the fact that I hadn’t had any real ass in a minute. Things can get distorted in our minds and the way we see them when we’re desperate. I didn’t care, though. I was just glad to hopefully be in the beginning stages of a possible relationship. I hoped it would be a long-term one as well.
“Yes, this is one of my favorite spots to eat out and just to enjoy myself. I love delicate and fancy places.” He smiled.
“I love someone with some good taste. It speaks volumes about their life and choices.” I was trying my best not to sound like an idiot and keep the focus on him. I didn’t want our first date to be all about me. No one likes that, at least not the people I tend to accompany myself with.
“My life wasn’t always easy, and getting to where I am right now was not easy. It took time and sacrifice
to get the finer things in life. I’m enjoying myself, and now, all I need is someone to share it with. It gets lonely at the top.” He lowered his eyes a little and then lifted them back up and at me. It was nice to know that someone was on my wave length and could relate to me. It was a plus in my book. A turn-on too. Maybe anything he said was a turn-on to me. I was horny, but I didn’t want to play my hand and mess things up.
“I can totally relate to that. Finding a good mate that can fulfill all of your needs and understand you is such a good thing, and it’s missing from relationships these days,” I spoke hoping that I was racking up some points to get me in that bed of his. I could almost hear his cries of pleasure as I worked my manhood in and out of him.
“Yes, and sex. I love a guy that can work it good. I’m a classy guy, but I love a man that can work me over and intimidate me in the bedroom. I have a superior mind and love to be dominated in the bedroom.” He smiled and then blushed. He didn’t know I wanted to take his ass in the bathroom and break his ass off something good right now. But since we both were upstanding citizens, we could carry on like that in public.
“Yes, that’s high on my list as well. I’m all about being dominant and territorial too. What’s mine is mine. I will be the man of the house in my house.” I spoke confidently. I believed it wholeheartedly.
“Sounds like we’re in agreement on many things.” Anthony nodded his head.
“Yes, it indeed does sound like it.”
“So where do we go from here?” Anthony asked.
“Let’s take it slow and see where things lead us.” I couldn’t believe I just said that, knowing my dick was on fire for his ass. I wanted to fuck like never before, but I didn’t want to come on too strong. Sex on the first date was still taboo in my book, even with my strong urges going on.
“Well, sir, you take the lead, and I will follow. I will play my part if you play yours.”
“Agreed.” I smiled. My ego was on cloud nine. It was the only thing that made me back off sex for the night. I guess me and my hand would be one once again tonight. But that wouldn’t last too long. I’m sure of it.
Chapter 11
Avery
Chameleon
Having facelessness had very numerous perks, including being whatever you wanted to be. Right now, I was a basketball coach for inner-city kids. It was a pleasure for me because I wasn’t a totally evil person. I loved kids, and I loved to help them be all they could be. It wasn’t my first year doing this, and they were a fresh batch of kids ready to be pushed to the limits.
I watched as each one of them entered the gymnasium with or without their parents. This was a city organization that I have been a part of for quite some time. I loved basketball as a kid, but I was gay, and you couldn’t be gay and play basketball. Another guy on the team decided to come out of the closet, and things didn’t end good for him. They taunted him to no end. They called him names and stripped him naked once and made him walk home with a sign that said he was a “dick lover.” I ditched it, and who I am today was forged out of that void.
About twenty young men and a few parents filled the wooden bleachers that stood on one side of the court. I looked at all of them for a few seconds. They were all silent waiting for me to speak. The anticipation on the faces of the young men and the parents was feeding me. I loved the attention and the control I could have over people, and right now was no different than any other situation.
“Welcome to my court. You young men come here to be trained and to sharpen your skills in the area of basketball. You want to be the next LeBron James. Well, fuck LeBron James. Aspire to be like him. No, be better than him. From this day on, this will be training in basketball and life. You’re not going to leave here better, but you will leave here the best. This will not be fun, and you will fucking hate me by the end of the day. Parents, you are dismissed. Get the fuck off my court and leave these bastards here for me to shape and mold.”
They looked at me as if I had lost my mind. The shock was apparent on the faces of the adults the most. One of the boys started to laugh. I guess he thought I was joking.
“Parents, I said get the fuck off my court. Pick these pieces of shit up in approximately three hours. Be late and I will make you pay for it.” There was an immediate silence in the room as the adults, mainly women, began to exit the building one by one.
No one challenged me, and the laughter was just a memory.
“Give me 100 laps now,” I barked. Most of them jumped up with youthful enthusiasm, but one or two lagged behind.
“Last one to finish will do an extra twenty-five laps. Don’t waste my time, sissies. I will make you pay for it.” I love to make threats and follow up with them.
I sat at the top of the bleacher with a stopwatch in my hand, and I focused on the ones that stuck out the most. There were at least three that stuck out to me. Everyone had the possibility to be a leader. These three would be the ones that I fucked with the most. They will be hating me very quickly.
Two hours later they were finished running, tired, and most of all, looked at me with displeasure. I loved it.
I gave them two minutes to catch their breath.
“Line up shoulder to shoulder. Don’t make me wait,” I yelled as I stood in the middle of the gymnasium. They followed instructions to a tee.
I walked down the line and looked at each one of them in the eyes. Some waivered, some did not move or flinch. I walked away in silence. I’m sure they were wondering what I was doing. The minds of these young men were going crazy. I knew it and, again, I loved it.
“I’m going to walk up to you and tap you on the shoulder. When I do, drop and begin to do push-ups, and you won’t stop until I tell you. The rest of you can take a seat in the bleachers.” I did as I said, and, so did they. I loved when people followed instructions correctly. I loved teachable people.
Half an hour later, there was only two young men of the three that were still performing. They were moving slowly but still going. Neither one would give in. I walked over to the equipment room where I kept some weights and pulled off two twenty-pound weights and placed one on each of the boys, and they continued to do push-ups, small breaks in between. The other boys looked on in amazement. I wasn’t impressed yet. I want one of them to win. Yes, I had a favorite already. He looked like he had something to prove. He reminded me a bit of myself.
Fifteen minutes later, my favorite pulled it off. His opponent wasn’t a chump. He was a great runner-up.
“Everyone, line up again,” I instructed. They moved in line as if they were army men, and I was the sergeant.
“You . . . step forward.” My favorite stepped forward. He looked exhausted and worn but still wore a serious expression on his face. He was different.
“What’s your name?”
“Corey,” he answered with no emotion.
“Corey, turn around and look at the others, and then turn back to me.
“This is your team. You are their leader. You lose, they lose, I lose. I don’t like losing. Don’t lose.” I punched him in the stomach as hard as I could. He folded and hit the floor right in front of me.
“That is what life is to all of us. This is the end of today’s lesson. Get your asses outside and wait for your parents.” I walked away.
Chapter 12
Leroy
A Hit
Money always brings out the scavengers and the lowlifes. And today, one of my lieutenants came across what is hopefully a gold mine. A lead in the right direction. I was on my way across town to meet this person with some information. I was high on adrenaline, weaving in and out of traffic trying to get to my destination in a hurry. I was not naïve about my state of mind. I was a little unstable. The craving and hunger for power and control can do that to you. I chalked it up to paying the cost to be the boss. I didn’t care how I looked. I would deal with the consequences later.
My mind drifted to a few days before when I snapped on my wife, and my boy had to pull me off he
r. I was still a bit confused about that situation. I didn’t apologize that day because my wife knows how I am, and that I would never intentionally hurt her. But the look on my son’s face as he pulled me off her was one that I would never forget. He was ready to do what he had to do to protect his mother. I commend him for that, and I’m glad that he didn’t back down, even from me, even though I would have had to show him that I was still king of the jungle. Yes, he had more muscle on him than I did, but muscle didn’t amount to experience. I have tossed up a grown man twice his size with no problem. I would not hurt my son, but he would remember the day.
I’m sure he’s wondering what I’m doing and why I hadn’t been very attentive these last few days. It wasn’t strange for them to see me busy trying to keep the empire and legacy going that I had built from the ground up. It was a part of the cost of being a boss. My family will be fine. This life is everything to me. My name is on this. My name still rang in the streets, and I intended on keeping it that way with everything in me.
I would make it up to them both with more than they could ever imagine. I swore on it.
I finally made it to one of my stash houses. I pulled around back. I saw a few of my men on the way through the block, so I knew that I was protected. I always had protection, even when it didn’t look like it.