“Ree! Oh my God, it’s okay! Please, Ree, stop!” Tatum screamed.
Kim just watched mouth open, the chaotic scene giving her an adrenaline rush. People began coming out of their houses, young hustlers on the block were looking in admiration, most of them knowing exactly who Ree was.
Tatum continued to try to get him to stop. She had never seen him this upset, and she did not want this drama outside of her house. Ree finally stopped and then took his bloody gun and stuck it back in his waist, wiped the splattered blood from his face, and walked back up the stairs past Kim and back into the house.
Tatum sat at the bottom of the stairs for a minute with her head lowered in her hands. She couldn’t believe that this was happening. It wasn’t that Ty didn’t deserve it, because he was totally out of line, but she had no idea that Ree would react like that. A couple of people around helped Ty up off the ground as Tatum went into her house; she just wanted the madness outside her door.
“Listen, Ree, I think you need to go!” she screamed.
Ree couldn’t believe it. He tried to calm her down.
“Tatum, listen.”
“No you listen. Leave! That shit was crazy!” She paused to take a breath and then continued. “You . . . are crazy! I think you should just leave.”
“Tatum. This nigga was out here disrespectin’ you right in front of me. You think I’m not gonna do nothing about that? C’mon now, I’m just being a man. A man is going to protect what he treasures, that’s just the way it is.”
He saw that she wasn’t even trying to hear him, so he just spoke from his heart.
“Tatum, if someone disrespected somebody you loved, you would react too. I know you, Tatum, I know you would.” Tatum felt her head go light. Did he just say he loved me?
She sighed long enough to take in everything. She was definitely feeling the same way about him. But she did not need any kind of drama in her life, she had seen enough.
“Ree, you gotta go . . . I’m sorry.” Tatum spoke the words not truly meaning them. She couldn’t even look at him; she just walked up the stairs and went into her bedroom. Ree watched her leave the room but didn’t utter a word; he just picked up his cell phone and keys off the table, and left the gift he had brought back for her in its place. He gave a nod to Kim as he walked out the door.
Once inside his car, he ran his hands down his face and sat in the silence for a minute. He couldn’t drive off, not just yet. What the fuck am I doing? I can’t be out here acting like this, starting petty beef with petty niggas over a chick. But what he felt at that moment seeing someone disrespect her, it was stronger than any rage he had ever felt before, it was a different motivation.
He couldn’t even think right for a minute, so he sat there and lit up the rest of his blunt. Then he picked up his phone and dialed a long distance call to Jamaica to the only man who he knew was more gruesome and deadly than he was, the only man who might be able to talk some sense into him. After three rings, the other end finally answered. Ree spoke.
“Pop. I fucked up. I’m in love.”
Tatum sat on her bed feeling so confused. She wanted to cry but she was too strong for that. She wanted to smile but something was holding her back from doing that. More importantly and bigger than everything, she wanted to go after him. She had watched him outside of her window sit in his car for about ten minutes before he pulled off. She didn’t want him to leave and she didn’t want it to be over. If she had her way, he would just have a different occupation, live a different lifestyle, and stay the way he was with her, all the time.
But that’s not life, and that’s not the way it works. Tatum knew the fact was that people are who they are; you either have to accept that or move on. But what was she going to do? She knew one thing: she was hungry and food would be her solace. She went downstairs to Kim who was sitting on the couch taking in all that had just happened, and sending Blair another text message.
“Kim, you hungry? You wanna go get something to eat?”
“Shit, girl, why not? I ain’t got nothing better to do.”
Kim obviously was referring to the fact that Blair was still ignoring her. As Tatum was putting on her shoes, she took notice of the baby-blue box placed on her living room table, wrapped up with a bow. Her heart felt heavy and she fought back showing her emotions. She missed him already.
“Did he leave this?” Tatum asked with an attitude.
Kim knew Tatum was putting up a front. She just looked at her with a smirk.
“Mmmm . . . hmmm,” was Kim’s only response.
Tatum picked up the box and unwrapped the bow slowly. Then she lifted the lid and covered her mouth with her left hand. It was a beautiful platinum necklace with three rings hanging from it; the rings were completely covered with rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. It was breathtaking, like a rainbow of stones, and Kim was all in it.
“Unh-unh, Tay! Oh my God, I cannot believe how banging that shit is!”
Kim picked up her cell phone immediately to give Neli the scoop as if it was bought for her. Tatum just stared at it, until she noticed the script inside the box. It read: For the diamond who never wears diamonds. He paid attention to her, she loved that.
She had no idea what to do. She didn’t want to call him. She had just kicked him out of her house. So she closed the box and put it down and grabbed her purse.
“Let’s go eat.”
Sasha was lying in her sheets watching Chauncey put on his jeans. He was getting ready to go back out. Her phone rang and she answered in a mellow drawl.
“Hello.”
“Girl, let me tell you what happened.” It was Tatum.
She ran down the whole shebang to Sasha from the message, to the fight, to the necklace. By the time Tatum finished, Sasha’s mouth hung open. She didn’t know what to tell Tatum. That was her best friend. She wanted her to be happy, but she also didn’t want her to get caught up, and she had learned from eavesdropping on Chauncey’s calls that Ree was indeed very major, the boss of the bosses. She actually was planning on telling Tatum when she talked to her in person. Sasha just kept it real general in front of Chauncey.
“Ree is a trip. Girl, what are you gonna do?”
Chauncey just looked at Sasha wondering what happened with Ree. He threw on his shirt and kissed Sasha on the cheek, on his way back out there, into the streets, doing whatever it was that he did. After Chauncey was out the door, Sasha proceeded.
“Listen, Tay, I don’t know if you knew this or not, but Ree is a boss nigga, like on some King of New York shit.”
Tatum laughed, she knew Sasha was an exaggerator.
“I mean, Sash, I know the boy is paid, and I had a feeling he wasn’t legal, so it really isn’t a shock that he may run some shit, but don’t you think you taking it a little overboard? Just a little,” Tatum cracked.
“Tatum, the nigga is no joke. Listen, I heard Chauncey, L, and E talking about how he planning on taking over all these other cities, and L was saying how he already got this whole area on lock and they even was talking about how crazy he was, how he just kill people like at the drop of a dime. Well L was doing most of the talking, but he was really talking about Ree like he is just that crazy mofo!”
Tatum quickly realized through Sasha’s persistence that she had to be telling the truth, so if she was saying this, this was exactly what she heard.
“But Sash, how do they all know all of this?” Tatum asked, feeling a little weird.
“Tay, they all work for him! Even Chris!”
Tatum felt a little dizzy. She didn’t know what to think. It’s not like she didn’t assume some of this, but for her, not knowing these details made her feel a little better about being with him. And her brother, that was just the icing on the cake that really had her feeling confused.
Tatum continued the conversation with Sasha, as if what she had been told didn’t really blow her mind. Then she told Sash that they were heading to a Spanish food spot on Mt. Prospect, and Sasha let them know tha
t she was on her way. After they hung up, Tatum told Kim to drive. She couldn’t focus on a damn thing.
The girls sat around the table at the restaurant, picking at their rice, beans, and plátanos, listening to Tatum go on about Ree.
“I don’t know what the hell I’m gonna do, y’all. I’m not even gonna lie, I really like dude but this whole, ‘A Hustler’s Wife, True to the Game’ mess is not for me. I am not trying to end up shot up or visiting my man in some penitentiary. That is not my story.”
Everyone nodded and agreed, all except Sasha. Everyone understood exactly why, too; that was Sasha’s story. She began nervously pushing the food around on her plate. As Sasha zoned out for a minute thinking of how her life was now and the direction it was going before she met Chauncey, she couldn’t help but wish a part of her didn’t love him so much. Her father only wanted the best for her, and he tried to give her everything she desired to prevent Sasha from looking for it from some man. But that didn’t matter, the allure of a life that she didn’t know, the allure of a man who was powerful and dangerous drew her into something that was no storybook. She couldn’t close it when all of the excitement was over and not face the drama, or the pain, or the worry of dealing with these types of men; this was her life. She felt stuck. How can I go on to become a successful doctor when I have a man that runs a drug empire, destroying families and communities, while I am trying to help them?
She shook her head and tried to not give thought to it. Sasha figured if she ignored the reality of situations, then it would go away. She tuned Tatum back in.
“I just can’t believe the way he just jumped on Ty like that. I mean, seeing him get that angry really just showed me a whole other side to him. What if he ever went crazy on me like that?”
All of them shook their heads as if to say, I don’t know, girl. Neli looked at Tatum as she continued. However, she wasn’t listening to a word Tatum said. She was too busy thinking of Chauncey and Sasha and this whole mess she had gotten herself into. God she really loved Chauncey. She felt like every other girl who falls in love with a man who doesn’t want to be in love with her in return. She felt used, she felt low, and she felt inadequate. She was just so sure that she could make him love her and that they could eventually be together, she didn’t comprehend what she didn’t have.
On top of everything to see him back with Sasha was like a slap in the face. She had seen him first that day at Tatum’s house. She had wanted him, she was the one mesmerized by him, and she had made that clear to him. Sasha didn’t even like him at first, she just liked the attention he provided. She didn’t understand how Sasha could eventually fall in love with a man who she had loved since day one. She was the one who had been betrayed! She was the victim! She tried to not let her emotions show as she tuned Tatum back in.
“And then the gift is so beautiful. I mean, he even remembered that I don’t wear diamonds. And the note, everything was just so sweet. I don’t even know if I should call to thank him.”
“I don’t know, you gotta do what feels right,” Kim answered, but really had her mind elsewhere. This thing with Blair was bugging her, but bigger than that, she was really starting to peep Neli. That was her homegirl, she had a lot of love for her, but something was off as hell with her. And for some reason she had been throwing a lot of shade to Sasha lately. Plus Kim saw the way Chauncey looked at Neli when she said she was pregnant at the barbecue. Kim was praying that her thoughts were wrong, but what her brother had told her really had her thinking now. There was a gnawing feeling in her gut and Kim decided she would do her own little investigation.
She snapped out of her thoughts just in time to hear Tatum ask, “So what do y’all think?” Everybody had blank looks on their faces as if they didn’t really know what to say.
“Hello! Should I go to the party or not?”
They all perked up trying to hide the fact that they weren’t listening.
“Oh, hell yeah, girl! We in there like swimwear. The best way to make a nigga feel bad about what he did is to show up somewhere where he’s gonna be dressed to muthafuckin’ kill!” Kim exclaimed.
“Kim, shut up, ya ass just wanna go to the party,” Sasha teased, laughing and reaching for a napkin.
She accidentally bumped her water and it spilled across the table onto Neli’s lap. Sasha gasped, mouth open, and before she could apologize, Neli went crazy.
“What the fuck is your problem, Sasha? You did that shit on purpose!”
The whole table looked at her as if she had lost her mind. Sasha glared at her.
“I don’t know what your problem is lately but you better fix it for real. You been acting real stank lately, Neli, and I know you always been a little jealous of me, but you need to watch ya mouth!” Neli stood up and leaned over the table in Sasha’s face.
“Fuck you, Sasha! You ain’t nothing but a dumb-ass country bumpkin that thinks the fucking world revolves around you, AND you stupid as hell for thinking that Chauncey ain’t gonna leave ya dumb ass again. He played the shit outta you and you still went back to his ass, dumb bitch!”
Sasha sat with tears in her eyes. She was pissed off, but more than anything she was hurt. Hurt because Neli was supposed to be her girl regardless of the fact that they occasionally bumped heads, and hurt because what she said was true. Before Sasha could respond, Tatum stood up, slowly and calmly.
“Listen, Neli, you need to calm down. It was just some fucking water and you are crazy as hell if you think I am going to sit here and let you talk to her like that. Not for nothing, you have been tripping lately, I don’t know what’s wrong with you, but it ain’t my problem, and it damn sure ain’t Sasha’s. You need to chill.”
Neli stood mouth open not even expecting Tatum to take Sasha’s side like that. She looked at all three of them and grabbed her purse.
“I’m out.” And with that she stormed off.
They all watched her leave but didn’t say anything. Tatum and Sasha just looked at each other thinking Neli had taken her jealousy to a whole other level. But Kim suspected otherwise.
Chapter 10
Revenge
When Kim got home that night she walked into her bathroom and began running a hot shower. She took her long, blond weave out of a ponytail holder and started to scratch at her scalp. Damn this feels good. Peeling off her clothes until she was only in her bra and panties, she lit a vanilla-scented candle in her bedroom. Just as she was walking back into the bathroom her cell phone rang out to the classic ringtone of “Feenin’ ” by Jodeci. She knew exactly who that was.
“Took you long enough to call me,” she sang sexily into the phone. There was a pause before he spoke.
“Listen to me . . . if you ever, ever call my house again, Kim, I will fucking kill you, you understand me?” Blair whispered in a calm but firm and threatening tone. Kim couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“What? I can’t believe this shit! You ain’t ever had a problem with me calling before!”
Blair took a deep breath before talking again.
“That’s because you never cursed my wife out before, and told her all that bullshit about me fucking you. Are you crazy or something?”
Kim chuckled before answering.
“No, Blair, I’m not crazy, I’m not crazy at all. I’m actually horny . . . and guess what, I want to get fucked . . . Oh, and guess what else? I am going to get fucked. Aha, but it won’t be by you!”
And Kim hung up the phone in his ear. When he called back again, she put him to voice mail, as much as she hated it. She was going to cut up tonight. She hopped in the shower and began soaping up her perfect body, careful to run her hands over her large breasts and ass as she cleansed herself. She was feeling extra sexy tonight. She could hear her cell phone ringing for a third time, knowing that Blair was going crazy. Kim knew how to keep his ass on a leash.
She rinsed her body and wrapped herself in a fluffy towel as she made her way to her bedroom. It’s a Thursday night, what can I get into?
She knew Sasha was probably not in the mood to go out and she knew Tatum was probably not going out until Ree’s party on Saturday, if she went at all. Neli was the only person she could think of who would probably be down. I really wasn’t feeling the way she did Sasha tonight at the restaurant. But hell, I don’t gotta talk to her, I just need a body to accompany me out. Once I meet a dude, Neli can go about her business. She dialed Neli as she studied her overcrowded closet trying to pick out something.
Neli answered the phone obviously with a slight attitude, probably thinking Kim was going to scold her about what happened, but she was shocked when she found out Kim just wanted to go out. Neli was down, she needed a distraction. She told Kim about an album release party for an upcoming Jersey rapper who had just signed with one of the major labels. D.Gunna was fresh, fly, and flashy. He was also attractive and signed a well-publicized $1,000,000 contract. And that was a lot for a new artist. Kim was definitely in. She knew that was who she needed to get with tonight. She didn’t care if she would get his money or not, she wanted to go to a nice room, sip on some bubbly, maybe order some room service, and get fucked.
She picked out a killer outfit, a black leather mini tube dress and black and diamond crystal-encrusted six-inch stilettos. She put on every piece of diamond jewelry she owned, for she wanted to give the impression to D.Gunna that she had her own money. She curled her blond weave into big loose curls and applied her black eyeliner and pink lip gloss perfectly. By the time she was done she looked like she had just stepped off the cover of a men’s magazine like King or some shit.
Kim took the keys to her mom’s baby Lexus without her sleeping mother’s knowledge, and picked up Neli, who was dressed average, in jeans and some sparkly shirt.
They headed to the album release party with little conversation exchanged and parked the car, only to discover the line was crazy long. As they were walking toward the line, Kim noticed a small side door where the VIPs were entering. She grabbed Neli’s hand and pulled her over there.
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