“Chelle, please,” I whispered, too choked up to really talk. “I ain’ lyin’, baby. I swear on my life.” She looked at me with one eyebrow raised. Michelle ain’ neva seen me cry. I had her attention.
“This crazy bitc . . .” I censored myself in front of Trey. “Crazy crack ho snuck a gun through security an’ came at me in my office. I knocked the gun away from her, but she still tried to fight me an’ I hit her. I thought I knocked her out an’ when I turned to get help she jumped on me, the crazy bitc . . . heffa damn bit me! We knocked over some product durin’ the scuffle an’ when she went for it I went to get D.”
Michelle didn’t say a word. She sat on the side of Trey’s bed and laid him back down.
“Chelle, you know I wouldn’t lie to you ’bout som’n like this. I been worried ’bout it ever since. Why you think it bothers me so much when you go runnin’ ’round in the middle of the night alone?”
Trey was calm and already dozin’ back off. I followed Michelle out of his room and back into our bedroom. Michelle sat on the edge of our bed and stared down at the floor. She looked nothing like the defiant, spirited woman I’d fallen in love with. She looked small, worn down. Defeated.
“I left to bring you some food since you were s’posed to be workin’. Derrick got your plate since you weren’t there. He slipped up and mentioned what happened and told me you were lyin’ low.” Michelle started cryin’ again. “I didn’t know she hurt you. You looked fine, you were actin’ fine. You shoulda said somethin’ to me about it.”
I froze in place. Michelle didn’t notice my fists clench at my sides or see me grindin’ my teeth.
She kept talkin’. “Yeah, I’m scared but, Rasheed, I deserve to know when my family is in danger.”
Her last sentence fell on deaf ears. Derrick told her about the crack bitch? Derrick got my plate? I’d talked to Derrick and I knew for a fact Derrick wasn’t at the club tonight; he was home with the kid. Why was she lyin’ and who was she lyin’ for? Shit, was Michelle at Derrick’s place?
I forced myself to relax. Whateva the fuck was goin’ on ’tween Michelle and my best friend/business partner would come to light. Give a nigga enough rope and if he smart he’ll pull himself outta the hole he diggin’, but if he ain’t—he’ll hang himself. I walked to the side of the bed and sat beside Michelle, takin’ her hand into mine. I couldn’t look her in the eye.
My hand was shakin’. I felt so gotdamn angry, I wanted to tear down the fuckin’ walls. Michelle mistook my shakiness for fear and tried to console me.
“Rasheed, baby, we gonna get through this. It’s gonna be okay, I promise.”
She leaned over to hug me, and I felt betrayed, hurt, angry. My mouth was suddenly dry and my heart was flyin’ in my chest. I couldn’t even think clearly. I needed to lie down, close my eyes, and gather my thoughts.
Who Does the Devil Trust
18
I couldn’t sleep. Michelle lay beside me, snorin’ softly, snuggled into my side. I stared at the ceiling and curled my lip in disgust, picturin’ her snuggled up with my boy. I saw her in the shower, eyes closed, water drippin’ off her skin. I couldn’t help wonderin’ if D seen her like that. It was startin’ to make sense. How shook he was that night I came into the office through the back door, that same night Michelle had been blowin’ up my phone. Events were playin’ back in my mind. When I checked my texts he had asked if I was home. When I got home Michelle wasn’t there that night. She woke me up and they were both at the house together. Had they just returned from a hotel, maybe he told her about Red before she came in to wake me up? I shook my head. Michelle woulda said somethin’ sooner if she knew then.
A million and one questions ran through my mind. I could only come to one conclusion: they were seein’ each otha, and it wouldn’t be long before they tried to take me outta the equation all together. In the event somethin’ happened to me I’d named Derrick as the overseer of everything I had until Trey turned eighteen. Now, I couldn’t trust him. I’d made up my mind to change all my paperwork.
I couldn’t blame Michelle for seekin’ out anotha nigga. Afta everything I’d put her through I pretty much expected that shit to eventually happen, but D was my boy. He shoulda known betta. The world I functioned in was callous and cutthroat. If word got out that I let a nigga get away with somethin’ as extreme as this it would be the end of my ass for certain. Every nigga on the East Coast would eventually try to cross swords with me. He left me with no choice. I needed to set an example.
* * *
Sometime durin’ the endless tossin’ and turnin’, I’d finally fallen asleep. “Daddy, Daddy, up.”
I smiled and opened my eyes. “Hey, li’l man.” I grabbed Trey up from the side of the bed and growled, pullin’ him under the covers. I found myself laughin’ at his squeals and giggles while I tickled his sides.
“Why don’t my two favorite men stop makin’ all that noise and come get some blueberry pancakes?”
Michelle was standin’ in the door, oven mitt on one hand, wearin’ one of my old T-shirts. It hung down jus’ above her knees and I could see the peaks of her nipples pokin’ through the fabric. She smiled at me. Homeboy or no homeboy I could see why D pro’ly didn’t honor the unspoken rule. Her jet-black hair hung loose down her back jus’ past her shoulders, and even without makeup her skin looked flawless. She reminded me of Sanaa Lathan.
Trey hopped out of the bed and she scooped him up, plantin’ kisses all over his face. “Let’s go eat before greedy Daddy comes and gobbles up all the food.”
I walked behind them into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of juice.
“How you feelin’ today, baby?” Michelle was lookin’ at me curiously.
“I’m good, but I got a small problem.” I’d already made up my mind there was one small thing left to handle, and then I would try to win my baby back. But in the meantime I was gonna have to fully consider gettin’ rid of my right-hand man. Back in the day Chelle used to do all the runs an’ she’d actually picked up our las’ drop due to another schedulin’ conflict.
“I’ma need you to pick up another drop for me. D got some biz to handle.”
“Rah, you said last time would be the last time. I’m getting too old for this type of shit. We need to sit down and have a serious talk about our future.”
I didn’t know if she was sincere, or if she was tryin’ to find a way out of goin’ because she knew it was a trap.
“Look, baby, jus’ do this one last pickup please. I can’t risk bein’ followed by whoever it is tryin’a get at me right now. I swear I’ll make it up to you.” I didn’t have to explain to her how a dead drop worked. All she had to do was take a cab to the Walmart over on Diven Street. I had the plate number for a silver Ford F-150 pickup parked in the eighth row. The doors would be unlocked and the keys were under the driver side floor mat.
I wasn’t sure if I could trust Michele or Derrick at this point. If she got the car safely to my high rise on the other side of town she could park it in the garage and switch up. I had a Benz that was always parked there, unlocked, with a spare key taped under the back bumper. The entire thing shouldn’t take more than an hour. Michelle nodded, no hesitation, and no questions asked otha than would I watch Trey ’til she got back? I picked him up and sat him at the table.
“We gonna eat us some pancakes an’ watch cartoons. We’ll be fine.” Michelle walked over and kissed me on the cheek before headin’ down the hall to shower and change. I still wasn’t sure if I would eva be able to forgive her, but I was man enough to admit her li’l fling was my own fuckin’ fault so I needed to live with it or move on.
I grabbed my phone off the charger and saw a text from Honey. Shit! I completely forgot ’bout gettin’ back to the hotel las’ night. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind me gettin’ tied up jus’ this once. Ain’t like I didn’t jus’ buy—more like loan—her ass a car.
I decided to send her a text: Good morning sweetness.
It didn
’t take long before she replied, Good morn’ daddy I missed u - where were u, wut happnd?
I didn’t answer her. I didn’t feel like I needed to explain myself. Honey was in pocket and she wouldn’t be a priority ’til I got Michelle back in pocket. I sat down at the table with my son and ate breakfast. My phone buzzed on the tabletop.
Okay, So wut happnd? It was Honey again.
I responded just to get her to stop textin’ until Chelle left the house. Work happened. Will hit u latr.
After Michelle left I hit Big Baby to get the numbers from las’ night.
He answered his cell soundin’ half asleep. “Yo, Rah, my nigga, what’s good?” He yawned loud as hell in my ear.
“Damn, nigga, you still in the bed? What did we close at las’ night?” He didn’t immediately answer and I was about to repeat myself, but I heard a woman in the background.
“Big daddy, why da fuck you on da phone so early? Roll back ova hea’ an . . .”
No, this nigga didn’t. “Nigga? Is that Shiree? Are you for real fuckin’ laid up right now?” I yelled into the phone. I ain’t even need an answer.
The nigga started stutterin’ and fumblin’ the phone.
I hung up. That was the main reason I ain’t neva let his ass run anything. He ain’t had my numbers and he pro’ly used his li’l status for the night to fuck and cut deals with all the bitches. I shook my head. Unlike Derrick, at least Big knew his fuckin’ place and wasn’t tryin’a fuck my bitch. I didn’t give a damn about him fuckin’ Shiree. It jus’ wasn’t good business to have ere bitch tryin’a fuck whoeva was in charge for favors.
I lay on the couch to watch TV and fell asleep. Trey was lyin’ on my chest with his thumb in his mouth, knocked out. It’d been almost four hours since Chelle left to pick up the drop. I was thinkin’ the worst. Derrick pro’ly set me up and planned on me goin’ when he said he couldn’t, and I’d sent Michelle in my place. I couldn’t call or text her. If she did get picked up, eventually they would run the phone records and nothin’ needed to link back to me sendin’ her out there. I had no choice but to wait. Honey was blowin’ me up. I shoulda felt bad for standin’ her up, but she wasn’t givin’ a nigga time to breathe. I finally broke down and sent her a text tellin’ her shit was gettin’ kinda heated on the streets and I was gonna lie low for a minute.
You want me to come lie low wi’chu?
I chuckled. Honey was always down for a nigga. That shit felt good, but I needed a break.
Nah, ma this shit jus’ too crazy rite now. Niggaz want my head an’ I cant risk puttin’ u in danger.
Wit’ Honey in line, I could take time to get Michelle back in pocket. Maybe take a quick trip outta town. My phone lit up; it was Michelle.
“Hey, baby, everything good?” I was ready for anything.
“Yeah, we good. Caught a flat and thankfully I got help from some guy passin’ by. I’m on my way home.”
I smiled into the phone. My girl was on point. Yeah, it was definitely time we took a vacation. “While I’m thinkin’ ’bout it, can you take a week or two off work, see if your moms can keep Trey? I gotta surprise.” There was a brief pause. I was expectin’ her to jump at the offer. Don’t tell me she caught up on that nigga.
“Sure, Rasheed. I’ve been trainin’ an intern. I’m sure she can run the numbers and keep my appointments for me while I’m away. She can almost run the place by herself.”
Whew. I closed my eyes and unclenched my fist. For a sec I thought she was worried ’bout missin’ Derrick, but she was jus’ concerned ’bout her desk. “All right, baby, I’ll see you when you get home. I got some calls to make. You gonna love it, I promise.”
I needed to get a rotation worked out for the new shipment we jus’ got in and get someone to cover the club and run the counts. D was always my first choice, but now I had to consider otha options. I jus’ couldn’t trust him wit’ my biz anymore. I called the only otha nigga besides Derrick I could trust.
“Big, you ready to work yet, or you still playin’ in Shiree ass?” Big Baby was a fuck up, no doubt. But aside from fuckin’ the strippers and drinkin’ himself stupid at the bar, I knew he wouldn’t touch my paper.
“Rah, my nig. Yo, I’m ready. Hope you ain’ salty ’bout Shiree. You know how a nigga get off dat mufuckin’ Cîroc. Big Shirley was callin’ a nigga name!”
We laughed. “Yeah, nigga. I done heard her whisper ‘Rah’ a few times when I walked past my damn self. You good, jus’ don’t let that shit fuck up ya game. Need to fill you in on some serious shit, an’ I need you to focus.” I slid Trey off my chest onto the couch, and got up to go in the kitchen. I ran down the events of the las’ couple of days up to the drop today. The other end of the line was completely silent. Big Baby was speechless.
“Big, it’s cool—I’m cool. You know I would have both they mufuckin’ heads, but I’m man enough to admit I really fucked up wit’ Chelle.”
Big took a long breath. “Rah, you my dude. I ain’t know. I swear. There been a few times I seen Michelle up at the club. Early hours, though, before we opened. She’d come in, grab ya boy, and they go outside. I ain’t think shit ’bout it. He always came right back so I jus’ figured you sent her up there to pick som’n up or drop som’n off. I swear I woulda said som’n if I knew, Rah.”
My throat tightened up, my mouth was dry. How the fuck long this shit been goin’ on? All the fightin’, all the arguin’ ova what I was doin’ and she was doin’ her own dirt. I managed to croak out Big’s instructions.
“Like I said, B, I got this one. Keep the club in line, run the counts, an’ now you know so watch that nigga. Make sure the new product goes out. Any old shit that’s left, trash it. Hit the streets, let ’em know them ODs was ’cause our shit extra right. We gonna make that shit profitable. I got new packages wit’ new labels. We pushin’ Inferno now, gonna be like fire in they veins, an’ if they do too much I hope they right wit’ God or they gonna witness the real thing.” With that I hung up and pulled out one of the kitchen barstools to sit down.
I called to check Michelle’s account, the one Honey set up. I wanted to make sure the six grand I used to open it was still there. I was gonna have Big do a few deposits from the club so I could start movin’ the revenue from Inferno into one of my own accounts. I was gonna have to play nice with Michelle. The house was in her name, the cars were in her name, and there was also my son to consider. If she wanted to fuck me ova, she had a lot of ground. She made enough so erething looked legit. I honestly needed her a li’l more than I wanted to.
I was now a man on a mission. I desperately needed to win back my girl. She’d always wanted to go somewhere tropical and now seemed like the perfect opportunity to get her away from everything going on. I made a few phone calls and checked our passports. We both needed a vacation and I had every intention of making this one to remember.
Lover’s Paradise
19
I ran my toes through the white sand and looked at my watch. It was goin’ on our second week in the Bahamas, and once again I was waiting for Chelle to finish a business call so we could go enjoy ourselves. I’d set us up at a seaside beach house.
Everything was beautiful. The palm trees, the bushes, all the tropical flowers. It was jus’ my fuckin’ luck Chelle started her cycle and, on top of that, her intern wasn’t really workin’ out. The girl was an idiot. She’d forgotten notes on half the shit Chelle told her, so the office was calling every five damn minutes. We were in paradise and she was too stressed to take care of a nigga, or enjoy herself. She’d already spent most of the trip glued to either her laptop or her cell phone. I was gettin’ impatient.
The place was so big and empty sound traveled through it like nothin’. I could slightly make out Michelle’s voice. It sounded like she was in the study.
I turned the knob to walk into the study. It was locked. What the hell? I knocked an’ could hear Michelle bustle toward the door.
“I’m so sorry, Rah, it must have locked b
y accident.” She turned and went back toward the desk that was covered in what I guessed were contracts, and started typin’ on her laptop.
“Well, are you ready to go grab some food? We need to call the caretaker an’ get some more groceries delivered.”
Chelle didn’t even look in my direction. “I can’t, Rah. I’m sorry. Cassidy is havin’ a hard time negotiatin’ this contract and she’s too inexperienced to handle this big of a deal alone. I need to reconfigure these numbers and send it to her before she meets with the clients again tomorrow. I’ll call the caretaker. Go get yourself somethin’ to eat before it gets too late.” She didn’t miss a tap on that keyboard.
I walked out and closed the door. I jiggled the handle to make sure it didn’t lock behind me.
I was glad my phone still worked out here. I was able to keep a heads-up on what was goin’ on back home. Puttin’ Big Baby in charge was actually a good move ’cause D was too busy playin’ daddy to do much of anything. Accordin’ to Big, Inferno was sellin’ twice as fast as the usual product. There was a concert, and afterward a few big-time rappers and their entire entourage came through and spent a lotta dough; the club turned a week’s worth of revenue in one night. It was soundin’ like erething was gettin’ back to normal. Erething, except for me and Michelle. I’d told Honey I was leavin’ town to lie low and she understood. I texted her every so often, but she was gettin’ too inquisitive, too needy actin’. I didn’t know what happened to her li’l homegirls, but when I needed them to be distractin’ her ass, they weren’t doin’ it.
I’d decided to shower and shave before goin’ out to find myself somethin’ for dinner. Even with the sun goin’ down it was still warm out. I put on some white linen shorts and a matchin’ shirt that buttoned up, but said fuck it and decided to leave the buttons undone and just go barechested. My yella ass needed to get a li’l tan anyway. Michelle was still barricaded in the study, goin’ ova numbers or whateva. I didn’t even bother tellin’ her I was leavin’. The beach house was gated and kind of secluded so I walked down the beach, lost in thought. I was about a mile away from the house when my stomach growled and reminded me I was s’posed to be lookin’ for food. I didn’t even notice that it’d gotten dark out. I could hear drums and people laughin’ somewhere up ahead; sounded like they were havin’ a good-ass time, maybe they had a li’l bar or somethin’ out here.
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