by Lucinda John
“You love fucking with me, huh?” he grilled me.
Today he was wearing his golds, which made him look somewhat decent. Instead of responding, I thought of how life would be if I took Alex up on his offer. I had to admit that I did feel the chemistry between us, but with me being tied down to the king of the city, I was neglecting my feelings. Alex had a bright future ahead of him and he didn’t need me or my drama fucking it up for him.
“Dumb bitch, respond when I talk!” John yelled, backhanding me. The blood filled my mouth as I looked in his eyes. How could someone claim they love you so much and hurt you so bad? Maybe this was love, maybe love did hurt. My mother said she loved me, but ended up putting me in my situation. My father claimed he loved my mother, but ended up having her strung out on drugs. My grandmother claimed she loved my mother, but did nothing to stop her abuse against my father.
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled. “He was just asking me if I had the notes,” I lied.
“Well that pussy nigga needs to pay attention and take his own notes,” he snapped. “Let me find out MeMe and I swear I’ma fuck you up,” he said, pulling off.
Chapter 25
Shanice
“How is she?” Aimee asked.
“She’s doing good, started her freshmen year of college. I wanted her to stay in the dorms and get that college experience, but she insisted on staying with her boyfriend,” I replied to my friend.
“She hasn’t been here to see me; she doesn’t even respond to any of my letters. She hates me,” Aimee cried.
“Don’t say that Aimee. She’s just confused about everything, just give her some time. When she sees you at your welcome home barbeque, I’m sure she’ll come around.”
“Three years I missed out on my daughter’s life. I missed her going to prom, graduating, her first day of college. Everything,” Aimee sighed.
“Everything happens for a reason, Aimee. God works in mysterious ways. Maybe you needed to go through this to understand your strength. You are so strong and I am so proud of you,” I smiled at my friend.
Roger was able to have her sentence reduced to two years of jail and one year of rehab. In a few more months, she would be released from rehab, three years clean. I had to admit, the time away did her body well. All the weight she lost due to her drug habit came back, and then some. She was looking like the old Aimee I remembered and loved, the Aimee before Lucas. The Aimee before the abuse and drugs. I just prayed she was truly done with everything and ready to get her life on track, but only time would tell.
“Thank you for not giving up on me. I don’t know where I would be without you and Carol,” she smiled.
“That’s what friends are for. I’m sorry for—”
“No need to apologize,” she cut me off. “I forgive you. Let’s leave all of that in the past.”
“Well just know when you come home, everything is set up for you. I have your house ready and furnished, your car sitting in your driveway, and your Prada bag filled with money, ready to spend on a shopping spree,” I giggled.
“Yes because these baggy sweats and t-shirts ain’t where it’s at,” she laughed.
“Ok, I see you filling out them baggy pants though. Lawd, you been getting your weight up,” I complimented her.
“Yes honey, all I’ve been doing is reading, eating, and hitting them sit-ups and squats faithfully.”
“Keep it up mama, you look gorgeous.”
“Thank you love.”
“Well let me get out of here, I have to pick up Shameeka from cheer practice.”
“Man, I haven’t seen that girl since she was twelve. Fifteen? Wow,” Aimee said, referring to my teenage daughter.
“Yeah, her sassy butt is going through the motions. I thought I was prepared for raising a teenager after caring for Aimesha, but this girl here is something else. I just pray her hot ass make it to her senior year without being knocked up,” I huffed.
“You got her on the pill, right?”
“Yeah, but you know how irresponsible her ass is,” I replied, thinking back to the day she had her pregnancy scare. That was when she finally came out and told me she was having sex.
After having small talk for about five more minutes, we said our goodbyes. When I made it to the car, I got a text from Shameeka telling me that she was at the mall with Aimesha. I was kind of shocked because Aimesha rarely went anywhere, she was a homebody. She either went to school or stayed home.
I made it home and found Jordan playing video games with our ten-year-old son.
“Hey baby,” my husband smiled at me.
“Hey my kings,” I greeted them both with a kiss.
Despite how Aimee and Lucas turned out, Jordan and I stayed together. Shortly after Jordan Jr. was born, we got married and sealed the deal. I was on the reserve with Jordan, thinking he would turn out like Lucas since they were both raised by a senseless man, but that wasn’t the case. In the eighteen years I’ve been with Jordan, he never once laid his hands on me. Yes, we would argue and have our disagreements, but it would always result in us making up before we went to bed.
After Lucas’ death, Jordan sold his strip clubs and took over his brother’s firm, expanding it. The new company, Brothers Incorporated, was now the most popular architectural firm in the state of Florida. He flipped Lucas’ company and had it hitting records in numbers.
“Jordan Jr. called,” my husband said.
“What did he say?” I replied, bummed out I missed my son’s call.
“He’s coming home in a few months.”
“Thank you Jesus!” I exclaimed.
Since Jordan decided to enlist in the army, I was always on edge. Every time the doorbell would ring, my heart would beat, thinking it was soldiers delivering me his flag. I threw a fit when he told me he wanted to fight for our country, a country that didn’t even value the life of black men to begin with. Once I noticed all my pleas for him to choose another career were falling on deaf ears, I decided to accept his decision, keeping him lifted high in prayer.
“What’s for dinner mommy?” my son Shamir asked.
“Meatloaf, baby,” I replied.
“Can you add the cheese on top like you did last time?”
“Gotcha.”
“Yesssss!” he jumped up and down before resuming back to the game.
That last few years have been bittersweet for me. I was happy when Aimee finally got away from Lucas, and even happier that the son of a bitch was dead. What hurt my heart was how Aimee turned to drugs to cope. She missed out on an important phase in Aimesha’s life due to the monkey that was on her back. I just prayed that this time around everyone could finally get their happily ever after.
I was putting the finishing touches on dinner when Aimesha and Shameeka walked in the house, carrying shit loads of bags.
“Dang Meeka, you don’t need any more clothes,” I fussed.
Jordan just had to have another closet built in her room because she kept running out of space for things.
“Don’t fuss at me mama, this was all MeMe’s idea. She treated, and I shopped,” Meeka smiled.
“MeMe, you play too much,” I playfully rolled my eyes at her.
“Aww auntie, you know Meeka is like my baby sister. Plus, when John gave me his card and told me to go shopping, she was the first person that came to mind.”
“You really put a dent in his pockets.”
“I sure did,” she replied, removing her shades.
I did a double take, and that’s when I noticed a faint bruise next to her eye. My heart started racing as I feared the worse. I walked closer to her, backing her into the counter, just to get a better look at her face.
“Shameeka, go put your things away,” I said with my eyes still focused on Aimesha.
“What happened?” I said, touching her face.
“I got into a fight at school,” she said.
“With who?”
“Some girl, over her boyfriend,” she rolled her eyes.
“You’re in college now, you can’t be out here fighting girls like you’re back in high school. You can get expelled,” I lectured.
“It’s not my fault, blame my mama for my beauty,” she cracked a smile, causing me to laugh.
“Yes, you are your mother’s child,” I smirked. “Did you get in trouble?”
“No, John paid off the school security and they eased off me,” she said.
“That John is something else,” I laughed to myself.
I didn’t quite see what Aimesha saw in John. He was a good for nothing, low life, ugly kingpin. When she first started dating him, I did everything in my power to keep them apart, but failed. I even tried to convince Aimesha to leave her dating options open, but she was too in love. I realized the more I would meddle in her love life, the less she came around, so I left it alone.
“Well auntie, I gotta go, big test in the morning. Wish me luck,” she said, kissing me on the cheeks.
“Wait, you don’t want to stay for dinner?” I asked.
“No, but I’ll take some to go,” she replied, rubbing her belly.
“You know I’m having a welcome home party for your mother.”
“Ok, and?”
“I want you to come.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Because she’s your mother and she misses you.”
“Yeah, ok,” she shrugged her shoulders.
“At some point, you are going to have to let go of all that hurt and anger, and forgive your mother,” I said.
“When she forgives her mother, then maybe I’ll forgive her,” she said, grabbing the Tupperware of food from my hand.
“Talk to you later, auntie,” she kissed me on the cheek before walking away.
Chapter 26
John
I was sitting in VIP, bobbing my head to Kent Jones’, “Don’t Mind”. My outfit cost a few bands, my jewels were shinning, and my side bitch was bouncing that fat ass in my lap. Life was sweet as I sat back and sipped on my Patron, while inhaling some stankey, some of the best kush to ever touch the state of Florida. I was on my shit, making boss moves. My money was long, niggas envied me, and hoes jocked me. I understood perfectly when Mike Jones said “Back then they didn’t want me, now I’m hot they all on me.” I was living proof of that. I use to try to approach the baddest bitch, but would get turned down because I wasn’t some pretty boy. As soon as I got my money up, them same bitches were begging to suck my dick.
I was in town for three days now, but decided to fuck with my side bitch, Niake, before going home to Aimesha. Niake was the definition of a proud side bitch, she knew her position and she played it well. She would see Aimesha and I out somewhere and would walk pass like she didn’t know me. They didn’t make side bitches like her anymore, that’s why I fucked with her ass heavy. Plus, she was more in my age range. The shit Aimesha’s young ass couldn’t get right, she mastered.
The only reason why she stayed in the side bitch position was because Aimesha had my heart. She was sexy as fuck with a body of a goddess, smart, ambitious, and she had her own money. Even though I used my money to take care of everything, the Feds wouldn’t suspect nothing because she inherited millions from her father’s estate. Aimesha was the only girl that didn’t turn her nose up at me when I approached her. She was a bad bitch that could walk in a room and grab the attention of every nigga, which made a nigga insecure at times.
“Baby, you coming back home with me tonight?” Niake asked, straddling me.
“Nah, I gotta go home to wifey,” I replied, pecking her on the lips.
“Mm daddy, what are you going to do about this problem?” she purred, bringing my hand to her wetness.
“Damn ma, that pussy so wet,” I groaned.
“Daddy, handle me, please,” she begged.
Getting up with her still in my arms, I carried her to the ladies room. No one was in there, so I pushed open the handicap stall and ripped her panties off. Grabbing a condom from my back pocket, I quickly tore it open and made myself at home. I had Niake’s legs propped against the toilet paper holder, while I banged her pussy in.
“Ohhhh daddy, faster,” she cried out.
“Damn, this pussy good,” I gripped her ass. “Catch your shit ma, I’m about to let off,” I clenched my teeth.
After a few strokes and me playing with her clit, she was cumming everywhere. When she clenched her pussy around my dick, I couldn’t help but tap out, spilling all my seeds into the latex. I was so into fucking Niake that I didn’t even notice the stall door was still open, until I saw Aimesha’s sad eyes looking back at me. She just stood there staring, with tears pooling in her eyes, until my sister pulled her away.
“You foul for this shit, John,” my sister Johan said before pushing Aimesha out of the bathroom.
The crowd of women just stood around, looking at my limp dick with lust written all over their face. Pulling the condom off my dick, I flushed it, pulled up my pants, then washed my hands. I knew I agreed to allow Aimesha to go out with Johan for her birthday, but I had no idea they meant a club. I was thinking out to eat or some shit, not in a fucking club, dressed like she ain’t have a man.
When I made it outside the club, I pulled out my phone to call Aimesha, only for her to forward me. After calling her five more times and getting the voicemail, I got pissed off. Knowing Johan, I knew she was going to talk Aimesha into coming to her house. Instead of heading home, I drove to Johan’s house, breaking all the road rules. Just as I suspected, Aimesha’s powder blue Benz was parked in Johan’s driveway. Reaching deep in the flower pot, I retrieved Johan’s spare key and opened the door.
“I can’t believe he would do this to me,” I heard Aimesha crying. “In the three years we’ve been together, I’ve never cheated on him, never looked at another nigga, and this is how he repays me,” she sobbed.
I felt like shit for hurting her. She was the only real person I had on my team. Aimesha loved me for me, and not for my money or my status in the streets. I would be a fool to let Aimesha leave me; I had everything I needed in her.
“Girl these niggas ain’t shit,” Johan said, causing me to roll my eyes.
“Amiesha, let’s go,” I said, making my presence known.
“She’s not going anywhere with you,” Johan snapped.
“Man, shut the fuck up. This is between me and my bitch,” I spat.
“Your bitch?” she laughed. “John, you’re a joke,” she waved me off.
“Aimesha, get your ass up and let’s go!” I yelled, causing her to jump.
“Girl, you don’t have to go anywhere with his ass,” Johan interjected.
“It’s cool, I’ll talk to you later,” she said, getting up.
Although her eyes were red and puffy from crying, she still looked beautiful. The black strapless bandage dress she wore, outlined her every curve. Looking at how sexy she looked tonight made me cringe. The thought of all the niggas that must have looked at her or tried to spit game to her, pissed me off. Grabbing her by the hand, I pushed her towards her car and waited until she pulled off, before following behind her.
When we made it home, I didn’t wait for her to fully walk through the door before I slapped her ass hard, causing her to stumble over the porch steps.
“Why are you hitting me when you are the one I caught cheating?” she cried.
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me you were going to the club, and why the fuck are you dressed like this?”
“That’s beside the point, John. I caught you with your dick in the next bitch’s pussy. This is too much. I don’t know if I can do this,” she sobbed.
“Do what?” I asked with my heart beating fast.
“Do this whole relationship thing. Maybe we should take a break from each other,” she said.
“You tryna leave a nigga?” I asked, pulling her by her hair and dragging her inside the house.
“You want to leave me?” I punched her in the face.
“It’s because you got a f
ew compliments tonight and you feeling yourself. I’m about to show you how your ass ain’t shit,” I spat, punching her in the face again.
I could feel her blood on my hands, but that didn’t stop me from beating her. The thought of Aimesha leaving me to be with another nigga pissed me off. I had the baddest bitch on the block and I was not about to lose street credibility by letting the next nigga luck up and snatch her from me. I reached for a pair of scissors that were on the coffee table and started cutting her hair.
Aimesha had a long natural mane that gave her more sex appeal. Since she wanted to feel herself, I was going to fuck her all the way up. She was screaming at the top of her lungs for me to stop, but I punched her in the mouth, shutting her up. With chunks of her hair in my hand, I cut it all off, throwing it on the ground. When I was done with her, she looked like Angelica’s retarted ass doll from Rugrats.
“Kill all thoughts of you leaving me, unless you’re ready to die,” I snapped, throwing the scissors down at her feet.
I took the steps two by two to our master bathroom to clean myself up. When I was done, I redressed in a pair of army fatigue joggers, a red V-neck, and a pair of red high top Giuseppe Zanotti sneakers. Pulling my matching fitted cap over my dreads, I was ready to bend a few corners. Since Aimesha fucked up my night, I made plans on chopping it up with my niggas at the trap house, then ending my night in Niake’s pussy.
“Clean all this shit up! Mad Dog is outside watching you, so if you even think about leaving this house, I gave him the ok to put a bullet in your ass,” I said, referring to my security guard.
Chapter 27
Aimesha
Three weeks is how long it’s been since I’ve been in school. I ended up missing two exams that I practically had to get on my hands and knees to beg my professors to retake. After the vicious beating John put on my body, I was too embarrassed and bruised to go anywhere, so I spent my days home alone. My hair was a terrible mess and my face looked three times worse. I guess John was sick and tired of me looking all crazy. When he finally decided to come home after being gone for two weeks, he took me to the salon, where I decided to get a fire engine red asymmetrical bob.