“What the hell the police doing around here? You know I get nervous when I see them cars,” Big Moe said when they pulled up to the club.
“As long as they’re not at my spot, I’m good. Something must have popped off over there,” Mekhi said pointing to the strip mall that shared the parking space with the back of his club. They had two police cars out there, but the officers were just sitting inside.
“I see your bitch ass partner is here too,” Big Moe frowned as he eyed Tommy’s car.
“Yeah, but I wonder who he’s in there with,” Mekhi said as he suspiciously eyed the BMW that was parked next to Tommy’s car.
He and Big Moe entered the building and expected to see Tommy sitting at one of the tables out front like he usually did. When they didn’t see him, they continued to the back of the club where they heard the laughter coming from.
“I know damn well that nigga ain’t in my office,” Mekhi frowned as he quickened his pace.
“That’s exactly what it sounds like to me,” Big Moe instigated.
Mekhi was livid when he opened his office door and saw Tommy sitting behind his desk with his feet propped up. He had another man sitting in there with him who didn’t bother to speak when they walked in.
“I must have missed something. Since when is it okay for you to come to my office when I’m not here Tommy? And how did you get in? I know I locked the door the last time I was here,” Mekhi ranted.
“I must have missed something too. When did we sit down and agree that the office was yours? The way I see it is I have every right to use this office just as much as you,” Tommy replied smugly.
“Nigga you trying to be funny? I’ll put something hot in you and this nigga you got in here with you,” Big Moe threatened.
“Chill,” Mekhi instructed as he put a hand in Big Moe’s chest to stop him. Tommy was really feeling himself, and it was about time for Mekhi to wipe that smug look right off of his face.
“Truthfully, you don’t have a right to anything. This business arrangement between us is not working out. I think it’s about time for us to go our separate ways,” Mekhi said as he pulled out some papers from his back pocket.
“Yeah nigga, pack your shit up and hit the door,” Big Moe demanded as he clapped his hands with each word for emphasis.
“I agree. This business arrangement between us is not working out, but I’m not the one that’ll be leaving, y’all are,” Tommy smirked.
“That’s where you got me fucked up at. Did you even read the paperwork that you signed before you signed it?” Mekhi chuckled.
“I most definitely read the paperwork. Did you?” Tommy countered as he pulled out some papers of his own. “Fifty-five percent of this club belongs to me which means that I have the controlling interest.”
Mekhi’s eyes immediately began to look over the paperwork that he was holding. He was in a state of shock when he got down to the part that Tommy was speaking of.
“What the fuck!” Mekhi bellowed.
“Fucked up ain’t it?” Tommy chuckled.
“This is some bullshit. You must have switched up the paperwork,” Mekhi exclaimed.
“How could I have switched up the paperwork when I never had access to yours? The problem with you Mekhi is that you think you’re smarter than everybody else. You thought you were smarter than Rylee, and she proved you wrong. You thought you were smarter than me too, but we both see how that turned out. You’re not the only one with a few connections who can make shit happen. I’m connected too as you can now see. And by the way, this is my cousin Aubrey,” Tommy said pointing to the man who was sitting there right next to him.
“This shit is bogus. You think this bullshit piece of paper is gonna hold up in court? That’s exactly where we’re going if you think I’m letting you take my club from me,” Mekhi yelled.
“Why wouldn’t it hold up in court? It’s the exact same thing that you wanted Janice to do for you right?” Tommy asked.
Mekhi stood there dumbfounded as his entire plan backfired in his face. Tommy had one up on him and that bitch Janice helped him do it. Mekhi thought for sure that he had her right where he wanted her, but he was obviously wrong. Janice had distanced herself a lot lately, and now he knew why. She never turned him down for sex, but that was about all there was between them. She didn’t beg him to stay the night like she did before and Mekhi was happy for that.
“Man, Mekhi what’s up? You want me to deal with these niggas or what?” Big Moe asked.
“I knew that you would try to take it there. That’s exactly why I have the police waiting outside. I wanted to make sure that this departure was as smooth as possible. I’ve already packed up your shit and sat it behind the bar. You already know the routine. Your check from the buyout will be delivered to you within forty-eight hours. You gentlemen have a nice day,” Tommy said as he turned his attention away from them and back to his cousin Aubrey.
Mekhi was astonished. Never in a million years would he have thought that things would go the way that they did. Tommy was smart, but he couldn’t give him all the credit. Janice played a huge part in doing him dirty too. Mekhi couldn’t wait to see her, and he wasn’t going to. After grabbing the boxes that Tommy had stacked behind the bar, he and Big Moe packed them in the trunk of the rental car and sped away from the building. The police were out of their cars by then and watching them like hawks.
“What the fuck just happened back there?” Big Moe asked as he and Mekhi drove away.
“That bitch Janice played me that’s what,” Mekhi fumed.
“I know you gon’ handle her ass, huh?” Big Moe inquired.
“As soon as I drop you off I’m going pay her ass a visit,” Mekhi swore as sped to his destination.
***
Janice was starving, and the line at the fast food restaurant that she was in was a mile long. Her baby boy had her craving hot wings, so she refused to leave KFC’s drive through until she got some. They had at least six cars in front of her, and none of them had moved yet.
“Stop moving little boy. You’re about to eat in a minute,” Janice said as she rubbed her belly.
She was so excited when she found out that she was having a little boy. Aside from her mother and a few of her cousins, she had no one else to share her good news with. Mekhi came around for sex, but he never asked her about the baby. He didn’t give a damn about anyone, but himself and she had to get that through her head. That was exactly why she’d made it her business to help Tommy get the club right from up under him. He was so busy worrying about Tommy signing the papers that he never took the time out to read them himself. Mekhi thought he had her just because he came around and fucked her occasionally, but the joke was on him. Sex was just sex, and she needed it just as much as he did. Once she got her nut, it was back to business as usual. Aubrey had just called her a few minutes ago to tell her to that Tommy kicked Mekhi to the curb. That was music to her ears. If she wasn’t pregnant, she would have probably grabbed a drink to celebrate. She was tired of men making a fool of her, and she was determined that Mekhi was the last one to do it.
“Thank you,” Janice said once the lady at the window finally gave her the food that she ordered. She drove away wasting no time digging into her box of chicken. It only took her about fifteen minutes to get home, but her food was almost gone by the time she arrived. Thanks to her eating so fast, Janice was starting to experience heartburn. She rummaged through her purse in search of some Tums but came up empty.
“Damn,” Janice groaned as she opened her car door to get out. It felt like the chicken was sitting in the middle of her chest choking her to death. She rushed to her front door, but she never had a chance to unlock it to go in. She almost fell when her shirt was grabbed from behind, but she grabbed her screen door to keep herself balanced.
“Are you crazy? Let me go Mekhi!” Janice screamed as she pulled away from him.
She was in such a hurry to get into her house that she never even saw him creeping up b
ehind her. She should have known that he would be paying her a visit, but she didn’t think that it would be the very same day.
“You stupid bitch,” Mekhi yelled as he wrapped his hands around her neck.
He didn’t have to explain to her why he was angry. The look of guilt on her face let him know that she already knew. Mekhi forgot all about her being pregnant as he used all of his strength and applied pressure to her neck. His attack didn’t last long because Janice started vomiting up the chicken that she’d consumed only a few minutes before. Mekhi jumped back just in time before anything could get on his clothes or shoes. He watched unsympathetically as Janice regained her composure. As bad as he wanted to end her life right then and there, she wasn’t worth him going to jail for.
“Fuck you Mekhi,” Janice cried once she got herself together. “You don’t give a fuck about nobody but yourself. I overheard your mama talking about how you didn’t want any more kids and how you were using me to help you with your business.”
“My mama!” Mekhi yelled. “I can’t tell you the last time that I even talked to my mama. And you knew that I didn’t want any more kids. I told you that shit myself.”
Mekhi got so tired of Carolyn calling him to beg for money that he stopped answering for her altogether. His sisters had moved back to the projects and Carolyn still didn’t have a job. He made it clear that he refused to continue taking care of her if she didn’t at least try to do better. She had several job interviews, but she always found a reason why she couldn’t take the job. Mekhi did what the rest of his siblings did and left their mother to fend for herself.
“All you do is use people to get what you want. You come over here twice a week to fuck me, but you never once asked about your baby,” Janice cried pulling him away from his thoughts.
“Bitch fuck you and that baby. I hope you die on the table having that muthafucker,” Mekhi said making Janice gasp. “It’s probably not mine anyway. You might be fucking Tommy or his cousin for all I know.”
She knew that his heart was cold, but she never knew that it was made of stone. In all honesty, she didn’t even know if he had one. Only a heartless person would spew such venom from their mouth.
“I’ve never slept with Tommy or Aubrey. You’re just mad because things didn’t go the way you wanted them to.”
“I should have known that you couldn’t be trusted from the first day that I met you. I don’t know what made me even go there with you. It ain’t like you’re my type anyway. I wouldn’t even want to be seen in public with anybody who looks like you. And I damn sure don’t want nobody to know that you might be carrying my baby,” Mekhi scowled at her.
Janice had long ago become accustomed to being belittled, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. She hated how people always judged her outer appearance without taking the time to really get to know her. She had a good heart, but not many people knew that. She was always complimented on her shape, but that was as far as it went.
“The feeling is mutual. You don’t have to worry about me or your son ever again,” Janice swore.
“I guess you having a boy is supposed to make me feel some kind of way. Just be prepared to do a DNA test because that’s the only way I’ll believe it’s mine.”
“I don’t want or need anything from you Mekhi. I made that clear from day one. I hope you lose everything that means anything to you. You don’t deserve to be happy,” Janice yelled as she opened her front door and went inside.
She didn’t even wait for Mekhi to reply. She slammed her door shut and made sure it was locked. She watched through her side window as Mekhi got into a car that she’d never seen before and pulled off. As soon as he left, Janice grabbed her phone to call and tell Aubrey what happened. While she talked to him, she decided to pack a bag to go spend a few days at her mother’s house. Mekhi was unstable, and she didn’t know what he was capable of. He didn’t know anyone in her family, and she was happy that she never introduced him to anyone.
Chapter 22
“Are you sure that was her truck that he was in?” Kirk asked Brandy as they laid in the bed in the motel room smoking.
“Yes, I know China’s truck when I see it. She’s the only one with a custom paint job like that and those dark ass windows. And I’m positive that Mekhi was the one driving it. Tha Big boy that he be with all the time was in the front seat,” Brandy replied.
China had a Chevy Tahoe that her brother Buck had painted for her. It was a weird color, but her truck stood out from any other that Brandy had ever seen. China stooped to a new low when she started messing with Mekhi. Brandy expected her to be upset, but she didn’t think she would take things that far. She must have really liked Mekhi because she never let anyone drive her truck. His stroke game was something serious, so she knew why. Brandy sleeping with Kirk was only business. The price was right, and she jumped on it. Kirk tricked off most of his paycheck with her and some of the other dancers, so China probably still didn’t get any money out of him. He stayed in the private rooms more than the other customers. He started selling pills to some of the dancers, so that’s probably the money that he took home to her.
“Stupid bitch left me in jail for a whole month so she can fuck another nigga. She don’t even let me drive the damn truck,” Kirk replied angrily.
“You’re the stupid one who keeps going back to her,” Brandy shrugged uncaringly.
“Because I love her. I’ve been with China for a long time. It’s not easy to just let go of somebody like that. I know she was mad about me and you dealing, but she still shouldn’t have messed with that nigga Mekhi. Her entire family hates him. Her brothers would go crazy if they knew that shit. I didn’t believe it until you showed me the picture that she sent you. She had the nigga in our house and everything,” Kirk replied while shaking his head.
“She sure did. While you were in jail, Mekhi was sleeping in your bed,” Brandy laughed while rubbing it in his face.
“That shit ain’t funny. What’s funny is you and China both fucking the same niggas. Me and Mekhi hitting both of y’all at different times,” Kirk snickered
“Mekhi hitting it is for pleasure, but it’s all business with you. I’m single so I can be with who I want. You’re the one being cheated on, not me,” Brandy replied.
“Whatever, it ain’t like I’m not doing me too,” Kirk replied.
Brandy didn’t reply because there was no need to. Kirk was slow, and she didn’t have time to explain anything to him. He was paying for pussy, so it wasn’t the same as cheating. Not to mention he went down on her every time they got together. He was a duck, and she could see why China dogged him the way she did. He was still fucking Nicole, and she was a certified crack head now. Brandy made sure he strapped up every time she was with him. Knowing Kirk, he was probably hitting China and everybody else raw. Brandy couldn’t even front, though. Kirk was a beast in the bedroom, so she could understand why China kept him around.
“Well, it looks like my services here are no longer needed. Hit me up when you get paid again,” Brandy said as she stood up and started putting on her clothes.
“I gotta go too. China just sent me a text,” Kirk said as he hopped up from the bed. Brandy didn’t care one way or the other. Once she was dressed, she walked out of the room without bothering to say goodbye. Kirk knew the routine. They walked around like they didn’t know each other unless it was about her making money.
***
China sat at her mother’s house listening to Zyrian and her brothers talk. She never knew about their fight with Mekhi and his friend until now, but she wasn’t shocked. They were giving her cousin Derrick a run-down on everything that happened that night because he wasn’t there. Amber must have told him some of it, but he wanted them to recap. She didn’t see or talk to Mekhi for two weeks after that, but she heard about the black eye that he was sporting. Her brothers would die if they knew that she was dealing with him. Things weren’t supposed to go that far, but she had really started liking him. Sh
e never knew Mekhi outside of being married to Rylee, but he was fun to be around. He was arrogant, but it wasn’t anything that she couldn’t deal with. Kirk asked her about it a million times, but she would never tell him the truth. His sneaky ass was working security at the strip club, so there was no telling what he was doing. One of her uncles pulled some strings to get him on, but it was the same club that Brandy and Nicole worked at.
“Well who shot up Mekhi’s car?” Derrick asked making China turn around to face them.
That was her first time hearing that too. Mekhi told her that he had some electrical issues going on with his car, but nothing about it being shot up. China had let him use her truck a few times, and she prayed that nobody would see him in it. Unfortunately, somebody must have saw him anyway because Kirk confronted her about that too. She still lied just like she always did and he knew to just leave it alone.
“I lit that bitch up with two guns,” Snake said making everybody but China laugh.
“Amber told me how that nigga was trying to push up on Rylee,” Derrick spoke up.
“Yep and Zyrian tried to murder his ass in his own club,” Grim spoke up.
“If what Tommy told Zyra is true, that ain’t his club no more,” Zyrian replied.
“You think that nigga is telling the truth?” Grim asked.
“You see what he tried to do to my wife, huh? That nigga is cut throat. He probably tried to play that dude just like he tried to play Rylee,” Zyrian answered.
“Mekhi ain’t right man. I saw how he did his wife, his daughter and a bunch of other people when we used to run together. That nigga is selfish and all out for himself. Shit ain’t gon’ never be right for him,” Buck replied.
“I wish they didn’t have a bunch of people at that club. I would have left him and his boy in a puddle of blood,” Snake said seriously.
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