“Yeah, Mrs. Muhammad, you want us to be labeled rats out in these street and miss our chance to be real niggas? I don’t think so. I’m not going out like that.”
Rank and Mickey looked at each other in agreement. They made a pact that as soon as they were healed, they’d hunt Devin’s killer down and make him pay with his own life.
Ashamed and horrified they would speak to her like that, Rank’s mother shook her head and put her hands over her face. She knew all she could do was pray for them and put it in Allah’s hands.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Two weeks had passed since the shooting took place, and all was going smooth for Stackz and Ava. They talked on the phone and texted each other just about every day. Business was always on the top of Stackz’s list, and school and her job consumed most of Ava’s time. They had finally agreed to hook up and go hang out over the weekend. It would be their first time alone together since Stackz had her held up naked in the hallway. Each of them looked forward to spending time with the other.
* * *
The weekend had finally arrived. Stackz had been going hard in the mud getting money so he was feeling himself. He’d gone shopping and bought new gear to throw on, and like always, from the crispy fitted Detroit baseball cap down to his fresh out-of-the-box Tims, Stackz was in full hood star mode. Ready to stunt, he even broke out his Versace iced-out chain and bracelet with the pinky ring to match.
He’d told Ava he would pick her up about nine o’clock. It was only eight thirty, so Stackz sat in his living room with the Detroit Pistons game playing on the big flat-screen TV on mute. He had a thousand-dollar bet with his boy that the Pistons would beat the Lakers by at least six points and was starting to second-guess his wager.
Placing a call to his boy, Maestro, the head bouncer at Detroit Live, Stackz chopped it up, letting him know he’d be falling through tonight and for him to hook up a VIP booth with black bottles on deck. Maestro assured him he’d have him together, like always, whenever Stackz stepped through the door.
Letting his brother know where he was gonna turn up at tonight, Gee agreed to meet him there and have T. L. and the young boys on deck, in case any madness popped off. Stackz looked at his watch, seeing it was time to roll out. He shut everything off except the front-room lamp and headed out to pick Ava up. Having got it detailed earlier, Stackz was driving his Range Rover just to hurt his haters’ feelings tonight. Backing out of his driveway, he was feeling good and eager to chill with Ava. Since meeting her, she’s played at his mental and his manhood. In other words, Stackz wanted to show Ava why he’s talked about amongst more than a few bitches in Detroit.
Many women called Stackz a womanizer, even whorish, but yearned to be his bottom chick. However, to him, that coveted spot had to be earned, not sucked up or fucked up on. Stackz wanted a woman that could mentally connect with him. Of course, he hoped Ava was that one.
* * *
Stackz pulled up at Ava’s house. Taught never to blow your horn for a woman, he wanted to get out and knock on the door, but knew somethings in some hoods weren’t safe; especially if there were full-blown beefs jumping off. Opting to call her, he let Ava know he was outside. Being asked to give her at least five or six more minutes, Stackz placed a few more calls, checking on some traps he’d set the earlier part of the week.
Ava was almost ready. Nervous about her first actual date with Stackz, she darted from the living room to the bathroom to the bedroom doing what most women do when they were rushing. Knowing that Stackz was parked outside waiting, she picked up the pace trying to get out the door. Dressed in a short but respectable white form-fitting dress, she wanted to look her best for the man her chatterbox friend Bridget had boasted about. Agreeing to get a room with Stackz for the night was straight out of character for Ava, yet taking in consideration the way in which they met, nothing they did or said to each other would be unconventional for the couple.
Even though she and Leela weren’t on the best of terms, her older sister volunteered to help Ava with her hair. Spending time assisting her to pick out the perfect pair of shoes to wear, loaning her a small clutch purse she’d shoplifted some time back, and even advising Ava on what bra and panty set she thought would drive any man nuts, Leela was going beyond the call of duty.
Something she never did if it didn’t benefit her.
With Leela, there was always an ulterior motive involved in her day-to-day tumultuous life. For every action, whether big or small, Leela had a reaction; most times, an overreaction. This night was no different as her blood boiled. Secretly, she was livid having not been invited to join her sister clubbing. Of course, she hated Stackz, but loved being out in the streets having a good time more. Leela knew Gee would be there, along with their other crew members, spending money, flossing popping bottles, and turning up. It wasn’t fair. She wanted to turn up too. Leela didn’t care if she was knocked up. She’d partied when pregnant with all her other babies, and they turned out okay.
While Ava put her makeup on, Leela snuck downstairs calling Gee. Right off rip, she cut off into him, bitching about not taking her out with them. Gee couldn’t believe she had the nerve to call him like that. He’d never risk tainting his boss status reputation actually being seen out in public with the city-known slut bucket. She was an in-house hit; nothing more, nothing less. After letting Leela have her say, Gee proceeded to dog her out, telling her she was his Tuesday late-night, dick-sucking bitch and today was Friday. Leela hung up the phone on him as he laughed with his homeboys that were in the background, cheering him on.
Returning upstairs under the pretense of continuing to help her baby sister get ready, Leela stood in the bathroom doorway making casual conversation, asking Ava where the turnup was for the night. Thinking nothing of it, she told Leela that Stackz had said Detroit Live on the riverfront, or something like that.
Leela walked Ava to the door, telling her to be careful out in these Detroit streets as she got in Stackz’s truck. She had a wicked half-cracked smile on her face as she stood on the porch watching the truck’s taillights drive out of sight. Taking her cell out of her back pocket, Leela was done playing with both Gee and Stackz. She was going to put her plan in full motion to see them both fall . . . hard.
* * *
Leela closed the door, then plopped down on the sofa. With sinister thoughts, she dialed Rank’s phone number. When she got through to him, she asked him to hold on while she got Mickey on the line as well. After making the three-way connection, Leela started making some life-changing confessions that would affect all three of them. Without leaving anything out, she ran down everything that had happened with her since that night Devin got killed in the parking lot.
Revealing she knew the man that had murdered Devin and pushed it to both of them, Leela heard nothing but dead silence on the line as she spilled her guts. She ran down almost minute-by-minute the chain of events that followed the second she and Ava ran out the doors of the restaurant that awful night up until a few seconds ago when Stackz pulled off from the curb. Leela lastly announced that she was pregnant with Devin’s baby and was going to keep it, so they’d both better get ready to stand up and look out for their boy’s seed since he wasn’t here to do it himself.
Leela claimed she wanted to say something sooner but was worried about her sister getting caught up because she’s been dealing with Devin’s killer. “Yeah, I’m not gonna front, I was confused as hell and scared. But, fuck that nigga. He killed my baby daddy, so, yup, fuck him! If y’all wanna holler at Stackz tonight, I’ll tell you where he gonna be at and what type of ride he in; that is, if y’all trying to have a real gangsta moment in memory of Devin!”
“Good looking out, Leela. We going down there tonight and lay on that nigga. See what’s really good with him.” Rank had paced the floor throughout the entire call. “So, Mickey, get ready. I’ll be there to get up in a few.”
“Hey, y’all, don’t hurt my sister when y’all do what y’all do. I told you she r
iding with that asshole.” Leela pretended as if she truly cared one way or the other if Ava caught a few.
Rank and Mickey assured her that her sister would be good, even though they thought it was foul Ava was running with the dude that’d killed they homeboy and father of her sister’s baby. Leela ended the call with them and went into the kitchen craving ice cream. Taking a big bucket of Butter Pecan ice cream out of the freezer, she went back to the couch. Opening the lid, Leela calmly stuck her spoon in deep and went to work like all hell was not about to break loose. Oh well, it is what it is. Let the bullshit begin!
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Rank pulled up in front of the place Mickey had been staying at. After blowing the horn twice, Mickey ran outside, jumped in the car, anxious to put in work. They both were more than angry the fool that’d murdered Devin was fucking with Leela’s sister, of all people. Rank as well as Mickey dragged Ava’s name and character through the mud to the fullest. Although she never hung with their crew on the regular, they felt like she betrayed both them and Devin. Now, armed with this information, it would only make good sense to be extra careful what they said around Leela. She might’ve called, giving them the 411 tonight, but it had taken her so long to do so. For now, they’d use her to get closer to getting at Stackz if tonight didn’t go as planned.
Having a heads-up on Stackz’s location, Mickey and Rank jointly agreed there would be no gunplay tonight unless absolutely necessary. The game plan on tap would be to simply get a closer look at their enemy. Rank and Mickey were far from real true players in the Detroit underworld. After Leela gave them a name to work with, Rank got in touch with a few people that knew a man, who knew a man. After several calls, the trap house workers spoke to someone that ran the streets and could officially put them up on who Stackz was and what he was about.
The information they received was deeper than they could ever imagine, and they regretted that Devin’s brief attempt at having a “gangster moment” with Stackz had brought the devil himself knocking at their front door. However, having to answer the door on point and principle, they got their courage up. Discovering that Stackz was no slouch and the type of respect he’d garnered in Detroit, Mickey and Rank knew whenever they were to make a move on Stackz, they couldn’t slip, stumble, or fall—or they’d suffer the same fate as Devin. Not fully physically at a hundred from their last battle with Stackz, both felt it would be all good to go to Detroit Live, because, after all, they were just going to smoke the nigga over tonight; not kill him.
Rank’s adrenalin was in overdrive, having flashbacks of Devin taking his final breath as he watched, helplessly perched behind a car leaking from the head. His hands were sweaty, and his heart raced as he gripped up on the steering wheel. Sure, he’d found out Stackz was somewhat a boss of bosses, but he had no other choice but to clap back. It was the law of the streets; at least, in Detroit. Besides, he couldn’t look at himself in the mirror if he didn’t.
No question, Mickey was shook but tried to play it off as he held the passenger seat down. He’d already been shot by Stackz once and definitely didn’t want to risk getting hit again; even grazed. Caught deep in his emotions, Mickey knew he was lucky to be alive. Low key, after getting word from the streets exactly who Devin’s killer was, he really wanted no part of Stackz anymore. However, he wasn’t going to leave Rank hanging, who seemed so gung ho to get revenge. Taking a pint of gin out of his pocket he’d been sipping on earlier, Mickey twisted off the cap. Hoping to ease the pain in his shoulder, he took a long, hard drink and swallowed a few pills. He nervously gagged, and his eyes teared up. Wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt, his liquid courage was in full effect. He then bravely grabbed his pistol out of his waistband, mumbling something about revenge as well. With his arm fresh out of the sling, the coward street soldier was ready for war.
In an attempt to hide the bloodstained bandage wrapped around his head, Rank threw on an Old English D knitted hat that was in the backseat of the car. Ready for whatever was gonna happen after whatever came next, the pair of would-be gangsters shared the rest of Mickey’s gin. With murder on their minds and Tupac blasting through the speakers, they were on their way; destination: Detroit Live.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Stackz and Ava turned right off Jefferson Avenue. Making a quick left, then another right onto a side street, they were at the Detroit Live Nightclub. Immediately seeing the block was packed with cars bumper to bumper, Stackz started feeling himself. Instantly, he got a rush of excitement, knowing he’d be the talk of the club tonight, just as he always was. As he leaned over in the driver’s seat, letting the crowd of potential partygoers jock not only him but the whip he was pushing, he fought back the urge to smile. Ava, on the other hand, was far from playing the cool role. Like a small kid in a candy store, her eyes bucked twice their normal size. Amazed so many cars were parked around the club and in the lots, she knew it was going to be at least a good hour or so before they could even think about getting inside, if at all.
“Damn, it’s jumping around here! But, Stackz, look at the line to get in the club. You sure we should go here? We can go somewhere else. It really doesn’t matter to me.”
“Line? What line?” he teased, looking at the front door of the popular club.
“Come on, now. I know you see all these people out here waiting to get in. It’s crazy. There must be about a hundred folk, if not a little bit more.”
Stackz was amused at her innocence. It was apparent she either didn’t know who he truly was or was good as hell at playing the role. Either way it went, he felt he had to set her straight. “Dig this here, baby girl. Bosses don’t do lines. Me and mines VIP everywhere we roll.”
“For real?” Ava replied not knowing what else to say to his gangster-inspired impromptu speech.
“Yeah, Ava, for real.” Stackz reached over, grabbing her hand. “If you didn’t know before, you’re gonna find out tonight how I get down.”
Stackz brought the triple-black Range Rover to a complete stop directly in front of the club entrance. Without hesitation, he pulled out his cell phone. Scrolling through his long list of contacts, he finally hit the talk button. As he watched his boy work the crowd of clubgoers, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud at seeing some random nigga get tossed on his head.
“What’s so funny?” Ava asked, staring out the passenger window at a flock of hating-ass females. “Do you know these thirst traps?”
“Huh?” his attention was brought back to her.
“These bitches over here acting like they lost something up in this truck.” Ava was starting to show her true hood colors as her face frowned up, remembering what Bridget had claimed the rumor was around town about Stackz.
He glanced out the window to see what and who Ava was talking about and laughed, “Oh, them birds! Hell naw, I don’t know them. And even if I did, they can’t hold a candle to you. They’re not even in your league. Matter of fact, can’t no woman stand in you light; not tonight!”
Ava calmed down and eased back in the passenger seat. As far as she was concerned, no female had to like her. She knew the world didn’t work like that. However, they’d definitely respect her. That much went without saying.
Stackz held the phone to his ear and watched his boy snatch another dude out of line with one hand, then sling him across the concrete. After he slid a few feet, security was on him, beating his ass. They dragged him up the street and left him there, coming back to their post. Stackz’s boy Maestro, the head of security, barked at the crowed asking them if anyone else would like to join dude up the block. No one said a word, acting like they hadn’t seen a thing.
Maestro finally pulled his cell out of his pocket answering it. He and Stackz talked shit back and forth about the dude that just got his ass stomped. He told Stackz to park his Range Rover right in front of the club in the no-parking zone, assuring him not a soul would look at his whip wrong without paying with their life. Stackz boss maneuvered into his parking spot as
Ava looked on, impressed, to say the least.
Stackz turned off the truck and got out, straightening his clothes. People in line stared, whispered, and some wondered who he was that made him so special to get top billing parking. Stackz came around to the passenger-side door, opening it. Appreciative to be in her company, he took Ava’s hand, helping her down out of the luxury model SUV.
As they walked hand in hand toward the entrance, Ava overheard a girl ask her friend if that wasn’t that Stackz. She quickly replied it was and wondered who that bitch was that was with him.
“I swear, these thirst traps are out tonight with no shame at all. Your groupies might need to fall the fuck back, because I won’t be disrespected by none of your thots,” Ava warned with a sassy stern tone of voice.
Stackz would be lying to himself if he said he was not thoroughly amused by Ava’s spunk. “Calm down, bae, they ain’t nobody. Who I’m with?”
* * *
Gee and T. L. called out Stackz’s name. They were with three guys and two females that were on the payroll. Once the entire crew met up with Stackz and Ava, they were eager to get inside the club and get the night started. Stackz grabbed Ava back by the hand, leading the way inside.
Once inside of Detroit Live, not one of them was searched, not one of them paid. To Ava’s dismay, the Middle Eastern owner of the club came to personally greet Stackz and his entourage with open arms, like they were family. Stackz had two VIP booths and plenty of black bottles were already set up for him and his people.
The music was banging hard, and the club was slapping. The dance floor was full, and it was packed up at the bar for people trying to get drinks. As they made their way to the VIP section, all eyes in the club were focused on them.
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