by Natavia
“No,” she said. A tear slid down my eye.
“Has anyone ever watched you take a bath?” I asked her. She put her head down then started crying. My heart was beating out of my chest.
“I’m sorry, daddy! He said if I wanted to be a model like Mommy then I had to do it. He said if I told anyone, Mommy would lose her job. I just wanted to be like my mother! He said if I showed pictures of me then they would put me in a magazine,” she cried.
“Who, Shia?” I asked, barely catching my breath.
“He said if I tell you he was going to kill me next time he take me over Kayla’s house,” she said. I grabbed her then yelled at her.
“Who the hell is it?” I asked.
“Domo!” she cried. My heart dropped down to my stomach as the room spun.
“When he takes me over Kayla’s house, he follows me to the bathroom. He told me to do those things,” she said. Now that she said something, I realized the video was taken someplace else and not my house like I first thought.
“Where was Kayla’s mother when he did that?” I asked her.
“He gives her an envelope before he takes me in the bathroom. He told me I would be famous like you and Mommy if I did it,” she said with snot running out of her nose.
Kenjay walked into the room with murder in his eyes. He must’ve heard what Shia said. I wanted Shia to enjoy her youth by going over her friend’s house. I didn’t want her to be under her grandma and Britain all day. I wanted her to be happy and now, this shit happened!
“Yo, I’m not awake! I think I’m dreaming! Yo, this isn’t my life!” I said to Kenjay.
“I’m going to check something out real quick. I’ll holla at you later!” Kenjay said, leaving the room.
“Did he ever touch you?” I asked Shia.
“NO!” she said with her head down. “Are you mad at me?”
“Naw, baby girl, I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at myself!” I said, as my shoulders dropped. She put her small hand on my shoulder.
“Don’t cry, Daddy!” she said, but I couldn’t help it. Pam and Geraldine came into the room.
“Britain called and told me what happened as I overheard you and Shia talking. I would never have guessed that Domo would do something like this! He was a nice young man! Don’t blame yourself, O’Shea,” Geraldine said, hugging me with tears falling down her face.
“I’m not a good father! I don’t deserve this! I don’t deserve Britain or my kids! I keep letting them down! I’m never there when they need me! I’m worthless to them!” I said. Pam looked at me with sad eyes.
“Shia, let us talk to your father,” Pam said. Shia kissed my cheek then left the room.
“The fact that you feel like this O’Shea is because you are a good father. NEVER question that! You love your children,” Pam said. Geraldine agreed.
“Why am I being tested, then?” I asked.
“Honey, let me tell you something. Every day is a test. You cannot beat yourself up. I know you’re mad and angry, but that little girl needs her daddy more than ever. She loves you. If she felt like she was neglected, she would be pulling away from you. Britain loves you too. You have a beautiful family. Never feel like you don’t deserve them,” Pam said.
“Shia isn’t mad at you. Britain isn’t mad at you. You didn’t know Domo was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. So, don’t let nobody fault you for something you didn’t know. I trusted him around my grandbaby too. We all did,” Geraldine said.
“We are going to pray on it,” Pam said.
Geraldine hugged me. “We are going to get through this, grown lil’ nigga!” she said.
“Whatever y’all do, please be discreet about it. I’m not naïve. I already know Domo is going to come up missing. Just make sure he stays missing,” Pam said getting up, patting my shoulder. She walked out the room. You can tell she was the mother and wife to some ruthless-ass niggas.
“Go ahead and do what you got to do. Me and the kids are safe here,” Geraldine said, wiping her eyes as she left the room. I didn’t think I would ever be the same nigga again. I felt violated. I felt worse than a nigga getting his manhood snatched away from him in prison. I felt like that nigga took everything from me. I couldn’t even describe what I was going to do to that nigga!
When I thought deeper into it, Domo was the nigga in the video. He and I had the same physique. I remembered how he got my chain. I was doing a show and a big-ass fight broke out in the club. The bodyguards had to rush me out through the crowd because the back door was blocked. I took off my jewelry, giving it to Domo. A nigga would snatch your chain in a minute when shit like that pops off. I didn’t get my chain back from Domo for almost two weeks after that incident. He claimed he took it to get it cleaned for me then he claimed he couldn’t find it. When he gave it back, it had blood on it. I wasn’t thinking at the time. I thought maybe he was trying to stunt in my chain and got into a fight at a club or something. I would’ve never thought the nigga helped Rissa frame me for three million dollars.
Kenjay
Seeing my nigga like that hurt me! I was about to have a daughter and I could imagine how I would feel if some shit like that happened to her. I went back to O’Shea’s house and Britain was packing some clothes as Cam, Tee-Tee and Tejah helped her. Sameer, Royal, Corey and Shine tore the whole upstairs up, looking for cameras.
“Some shit isn’t right! The camera has to be in here. I know that nigga wasn’t standing in here filming y’all. Unless y’all got some Meme and Nikko shit going on and ain’t trying to tell nobody!” Sameer said. I shook my head at this nigga.
Royal sat on the bed, as Corey pulled pictures off the remaining wall. I looked up at the ceiling and something was a little off. The smoke detector wasn’t all the way on. Britain and O’Shea had high ceilings. You couldn’t reach that shit without a ladder.
“Tejah, stand up on Royal’s shoulder and pull that smoke detector off the ceiling,” I said. Shine and Cam grilled me.
“Royal is the tallest nigga in here and Tejah is taller than all the females! Fuck are y’all looking at me all side-eyed for?” I asked.
Royal crouched down then Tejah got on his back. He stood up as everyone else helped Tejah to stand up on Royal’s shoulder.
“Damn, shorty, you couldn’t take your fucking sandals off?” Royal asked, wincing from her shoes pressing down onto his shoulder.
Tejah snatched the smoke detector off the ceiling. Everyone caught her when she slipped off of Royal’s shoulder. I looked up and you could see a small camera the size of a golf ball beaming down on their bed. I pulled my gun out then shot at it five times until the whole thing fell from the ceiling. Corey picked it up then looked at.
“Damn! That nigga slick for that one! I wouldn’t have even thought about that,” Corey said.
“So, there might be a camera in all of them then. Tejah isn’t getting on my back again though. Those fucking sandals tore my shoulders up. I know there is a ladder in here somewhere,” Royal said. Britain told them she didn’t have one.
“I know who to call,” Corey said.
An hour later, Rico strolled in with a big-ass ladder. I forgot the little nigga be fixing shit. It took Rico two hours to get all the smoke detectors down. Just like we thought, there was a small camera in all of them. After he got them down, he left. He said he had to hurry up and get back to work.
“He must have done it when O’Shea, Shia and I was out of town for two weeks,” Britain said.
“How long ago was that?” Cam asked her.
“Before I had Kensi, of course. I think I was seven months at the time,” Britain said.
“Well, lucky for y’all you can only see and not hear with these cameras,” Corey said.
“This is some crazy, sick shit! I didn’t know people did things like this!” Britain cried.
Britain pulled me to the side. “How is he, Kenjay? I know O’Shea and how he thinks. He’s blaming himself, isn’t he?” she asked.
“You know how O’Shea can be. I honestly t
hink any man would feel less than a man if that happened to his children. But yeah, that nigga almost gave me a heart attack. I didn’t know what to do for him,” I said, feeling bad for him. Consoling wasn’t really a man’s thing. We would give some advice, pat a nigga on his back then that’s it.
“I’m so worried about him. He isn’t answering his phone. I talked to Shia and she sounded normal. She is so innocent. In the midst of it all, seeing her father break down like that hurt her,” Britain said with tears falling from her eyes. I told Britain what Shia told O’Shea about Kayla’s mother knowing what Domo was up too.
“WHAT!” Britain screamed. “Take me to her house! I’m beating her ass!” Britain said, running up the stairs.
“Corey, to the car and get my pink diamond-encrusted berretta! I’m killing me a bitch today! I don’t know what is going on but my trigger finger is itching,” Tee-Tee said. Everyone looked at her.
“What the hell y’all looking at? I’m serious, shit!” she spat.
“Tee-Tee shut the hell up! Your ass isn’t doing shit but going the fuck home!” Corey told her. Tee-Tee pushed him into the wall.
“I done had it with your bitch ass for the day! You been starting shit and now you are trying to tell me what to do!” Tee-Tee screamed. Corey looked like he wanted to slap her.
“Yo, if you wasn’t pregnant, I swear, yo, I would slap some damn hair on your head! Fuck is you pushing on me for?” Corey asked her.
“I wish y’all would chill the fuck out!” Royal barked.
“Mind your business, nigga!” Corey told his brother.
Britain came back down the stairs with Timbs on. Her hair was tied up in a scarf and her face was greased up.
“I’m coming with y’all!” Tejah said.
“Kenjay, let’s go! I can’t wait till I get a hold of that bitch!” Britain said.
“Alright!” I said. Everyone followed behind us. There was always some shit going on.
We pulled up in front of Latisa’s house, as O’Shea pulled behind us. He got out with his gun in his hand. I should’ve known the nigga was going to be heading that way. Britain got out of the car. Everyone posted up by their vehicles waiting to see how the events were going to unfold.
Britain ran past O’Shea then banged on the door.
“Open up, bitch!” Britain said banging and kicking the door. Five minutes later, Latisa’s stupid ass opened the door. Britain yanked her by the hair, pulling her out of the house. O’Shea leaned back on Latisa’s truck as he watched Britain kick Latisa’s ass. Tejah ran over to them, kicking Latisa in the face like she was kicking a field goal.
“DAMNNNNNN!” everyone said, as Tejah and Britain beat the hell out of Latisa. Domo ran out of the house screaming for them to get off of his baby mother. What the fuck? They were really foul for that one! They used Kayla to get Shia to come over. They set all of that up!
O’Shea knocked him out on the ass then stomped him. I put on some spiked brass knuckles Corey had given me last week. That nigga had all kinds of shit. I ran towards them and punched Domo in the face. The sharp spikes went into his cheek. He yelled out but I didn’t care. I swung on his ass again! They had Shia over there, setting her up when all she wanted was friends! O’Shea hit him with the butt of his gun.
“Fuck that nigga up! Kill that fuck nigga, young!” Sameer yelled. Two cars pulled up and four niggas hopped out of both of them. Domo’s bitch ass must’ve called them when Britain banged on the door. A big-ass fight broke out. Royal, Corey, Sameer and Shine ran over then started swinging. Cam got a bat after she saw someone sneak up on Royal, catching him off guard. Royal turned around then body slammed the nigga onto the sidewalk. The nigga’s head hit the ground with a thud. Royal stomped his face until blood started leaking out. Tee-Tee just stood there crying because she was pregnant and couldn’t do shit!
Some big nigga hit me in the face and I stumbled. I gained my composure and realized it was the nigga Rodney that used to work for O’Shea. I forgot him and the nigga Domo was homeboys. I fucked Rodney up in the mall a while ago because he was with Latavia.
I swung, cutting his face. He grabbed his face then I charged into him. We tumbled over into the middle of the street. I grabbed him by the neck, swinging on him again. Blood flew everywhere. Sameer came up then stabbed Rodney in the side.
“You want to record my daughter, huh, nigga?” O’Shea asked, as he stomped on Domo’s head. I thought the nigga was dead! Britain and Tejah dragged Latisa down the sidewalk. She wasn’t moving and her hair was gone. Her body was limp, as they continued to whip their asses.
“The police are coming!” Tee-Tee yelled. I hit Rodney one more time then ran to my car. Everyone else followed suit, including the niggas that came for Domo. In this case, everyone was guilty, so I doubted anyone would snitch. Latisa and Domo lay sprawled out on the ground. Rodney limped to his car, holding his side. I peeled off. Britain hopped in the car with O’Shea.
Half an hour later, I pulled up in my driveway. Latavia was pulling up behind me. I had blood all over my clothes and was sure my lip was busted. I checked my face. I had a nasty-ass bruise on my cheek. I chuckled to myself because we were fucking shit up.
I got out of the car and Latavia grilled me. Her stomach was starting to show and her face was rounder. She had her hair braided into long, small braids that looked good on her. Her Bermuda shorts and her short-sleeved off-the-shoulder shirt, and sandals made her look younger than she was. But I knew her innocent look was going to disappear once she saw my face.
“What the fuck happened to your face?” she asked, grabbing my face.
“I was fighting that big-ass nigga Rodney again! I fucked that nigga up too! That was your man, wasn’t it?” I asked laughing, unlocking the door. Latavia took her sandals off then walked into the kitchen. I plopped down on the couch, and she brought me a rag and some ice. She cleaned off my face then put the ice pack on my cheek.
“I feel like I don’t know you at all anymore. Since you got close to your stepbrothers and Britain and I clicked with Cam and Tee-Tee, I feel like I’m out of the loop! Britain has never held anything from me!” Latavia said.
“But you held things from her at one point too! She didn’t know you was married, remember? Not until that nigga was dead in front of our old house,” I said to her.
“You have a point, but we’ve only known Cam and Tee-Tee for a few months. She told them about her father faking his mental condition before she told me. Then she and I argued today and I feel bad in a way,” she said.
“Britain is a very considerate person, Latavia. I think she didn’t want to tell you because of the shit you and I have been dealing with. She didn’t want to stress you out,” I told her.
“Am I that hard to talk to?” she asked.
“Hell yeah! Sometimes you just jump to conclusions and stress about shit without even knowing the outcome!” I told her.
“I need to work on that. Maybe if I change my ways people won’t feel the need to hide shit from me all the time. I just feel like I don’t fit in with anyone,” she said. “Kenjay, I have something to confess.” I sat up then dropped the ice pack.
“Latavia, I swear if you tell me you fucking another nigga and that baby isn’t mine, I will choke you! I swear I might even slit your throat!” I said, standing up. She laughed but I didn’t find shit funny.
“Sit down, Kenjay,” she said.
I sat down, she crossed her arms. “My father is a drug smuggler for some big-time man. I have never seen the man before, but I know what my father really does. My mother doesn’t know what my father is into. She thinks he’s just some truck driver. I’m hard on you because I don’t want to be like my mother. I don’t want to have kids by a man I don’t even know! I think a woman should have an option to choose whether or not a certain life is for her, instead of secretly being in a life she doesn’t know anything about! I know you are doing your thing, I knew before we got serious. So, yes, I take some of the blame! But I just want to k
now if when you decide to quit that you are really done! I don’t want you to tell me you quit then do the shit behind my back!”
“I can dig it. But I quit for a week now! I was going to surprise you, but shit been crazy with O’Shea, so I haven’t had the chance,” I admitted. “Yeah, a nigga is finally done with selling drugs. Two months ago, I told Sameer and Shine that I was quitting in two months and I was serious. I didn’t make that decision because of Latavia. I made it for my daughter! The shit I was getting into was getting out of hand. I’m lucky to still be living at the rate I was going.”
“What the fuck, Kenjay, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted you to want me back because you love your nigga and not because I quit selling drugs. I want to marry a woman who sees me for me. You thought I was going to quit in two years, and was still willing to come back to me,” I said smirking. She punched my arm.
“So you ran game on me?” she asked me.
“Yup!” I answered then turned on the TV.