by Kia
Click!
I didn’t even look at the phone to see if she’d hung up because I knew she had. I just slid the phone in my pocket and headed to my car. I didn’t understand Diamond. I thought this is what she wanted. But now she was giving me the run around. I didn’t know what the deal was, but my love life was looking pathetic.
The whole ride home was weird to me. It just felt off. Fero had made a lot of sense earlier, and here I was willing to try. If shit went bad, then who knew? Maybe we could go to a real marriage counselor. But not when she didn’t even want to be around me.
When I finally got home, I just sat in the car for a while. I knew how to be alone, but had never really had to do it before. Kasha had always been there. Then, along came this maid, who had me feeling like there was more to life.
I looked over to car that was next to me and thought I had seen a ghost. I guess thoughts really do manifest because Kasha was sitting and staring down at her phone. I turned my car off and got out. She was so deep into that phone that she didn’t even notice I was standing there until I opened her door.
“Gee, oh my God!” she yelled as she got out and jumped into my arms. She held me like she hadn’t seen me in years.
“I missed you so much,” I said as I kissed her passionately.
She began to cry. “I missed you too. It’s been so long.”
I wiped her tears from her face. “Two months felt like two years,” I said. Which it did.
“Two months?”
“Huh?”
“You said two months. It’s only been two months since we’ve seen each other?” she asked.
I was so mesmerized by her beauty that her question didn’t really register at the moment. Her lips were plump and glossy, along with her long and curly hair. She had changed the color of it to light brown, almost gold, and she smelled heavenly.
“Yes, two months,” I said.
“So, she was right.”
“Who was right, baby?” I asked as I reached into her rental and turned the car off.
“Nobody.”
“Okay. Let’s go inside and talk.”
I thought I heard something in the back seat so I paused. I didn’t hear it again, so I shut the door and led Kasha to the elevator.
When we finally got inside, she said, “I thought you moved.”
“Why are you acting so weird? You know I didn’t move. If I did, I would have told you.”
“Let me see your phone,” she said. I frowned, but I didn’t protest. “Is this the number you have for me?” she asked.
I looked and nodded my head. “Yeah, but you don’t know how to answer the phone, so I stopped calling.”
“Fucking bitch.”
“Excuse me?”
“Not you.”
“Then who?” I asked as I looked around to be sure that we were the only ones in my home.
“Nothing. You need my new number. I got it changed,” she said as she put another number in my phone.
“So, tell me what did I do,” I said as I led her to the couch.
“What do you mean, baby?” she asked.
“Two months ago, I told you that I had business to handle in Dallas, and I haven’t heard from you since.”
She looked confused. Then she darted her eyes from me to her phone. “I was just stressed out with issues from work. But I’m here now.”
“We can’t keep doing this, Kasha,” I said as I stood up and walked over to my kitchen. I needed a drink.
She walked behind me and massaged the back of my shoulders. “I know, baby. But I’m here to stay this time.”
Usually, that would have ignited a fire within me, but all I could think about was Diamond. The girl who was carrying my child.
“Where have you been?”
“Getting my head together. I’m ready now, baby. I’m ready to come to America like you’ve always wanted me to.” She turned me around to face her. Her brows sunk low as she rubbed her hand on my face.
I gently moved it away and swallowed what was left of my Vodka.
Before I could say anything, I heard my locks sliding back on the front door. Then Yazz came through the door looking like a mad man. His eyes darted right to Kasha.
Chapter Sixteen
Yazz
“Damn, boy, you okay?” Gee asked as I walked inside and shut the door. I looked right at Kasha. She had a devilish grin on her face.
After they left my condo, I followed them. But Kasha pulled a fast one on me and got lost. So I went to Orchard anyway to see if they had just taken another route, and they weren’t there. Finally, I decided to come to Gee’s place. If she was at Gee’s place, then I knew that she was two steps ahead of me. She had to know that I killed her sister. But how?
“Where’s Red?” I asked as I looked at Gee.
I knew that he didn’t have the answer, but I wanted Kasha to know that I was on to her.
“How am I supposed to know? That’s your woman,” Gee said.
“You seem to be in deep distress,” Kasha said as she narrowed her eyes at me and smirked.
“When was the last time you talked to her?” Gee asked.
I couldn’t answer; the only thing I could think about was grabbing Kasha by her neck and killing her just like I had killed her sister.
“Hello. Earth to Yazz,” Gee said, snapping me out of my zone. I was red hot. If I was any brighter, my face would be red hot.
What I was about to say next was foul, and I knew Gee would hate me for it, but I had to get a lick on Kasha.
“She was with your pregnant fiancé,” I said. Gee had told me earlier about Diamond being pregnant, and I was glad he did.
“Pregnant?” Kasha asked as she looked at Gee with pleading eyes.
Surprisingly, he didn’t seem to care about what I’d just said.
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, Kasha. I have a child who will be born in a few months, and I’m also getting married.”
“Married?”
“Yes, married,” I said. Now I had a smirk on my face.
Then, out of the blue, she started crying. Everyone knew that Gee hated to see her cry. That was his weakness, and it was working. His ass had grabbed her and pulled her close.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he said.
“Man, fuck that bitch!” I yelled as I watched my brother be a sucker for this trifling whore.
Gee turned to me slowly and then stepped away from Kasha. He then darted his eyes from me to her. “Is there anything that I should know?” Gee asked both of us.
Kasha looked like she had no clue what he was talking about. She even grabbed her chest as if she was appalled. “No, baby. Is there anything that he should know, Yazz?” she asked with that stupid smirk on her face.
“Na… na, I’m good. I just need some sleep,” I said as I backed away toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Gee asked as he neared me.
“About to try to find my woman,” I said as I walked out and shut the door.
Kasha would definitely be seeing my face again.
Chapter Seventeen
Diamond
The next day…
As the morning light pierced through my drapes, the sound of someone beating on the door disturbed me even more.
“Diamond, hurry up!” I heard someone yell.
“Wait a minute,” I said. I had gotten in late last night, so Rena and I crashed on the couch.
The minute I answered the door, Yazz rushed back to Red’s room. “Fuck!” he yelled as he hit the wall.
I backed away in fear of what he might do. I’d never seen him like this.
“What’s wrong?”
“Please tell me that Red came home last night and she’s just at the store. Please, Diamond,” he said as he backed against the wall and slid down.
“No, she didn’t come home last night. I thought she was with you again,” I said.
“I’m going to dead that bitch. I swear to God,” h
e said as he stood up and pulled himself together.
“What bitch?” I asked.
He walked closer to me and grabbed my hand really tight. “I think Red was kidnapped,” he said.
“Stop playing.”
“She didn’t come home, and she didn’t come to my place. She’s gone, Diamond.”
When he said that, I started to gather my thoughts and panic. “What? We have to call the police! Who took her? How do you fucking know?” I asked as I grabbed my phone, but he snatched it from me.
“I have it under control, but you have to do me a favor… don’t tell Gee. Please.”
“Does Gee have anything to do with this?” I asked in a state of confusion. I started to ramble and pace.
He grabbed me. “Shut the fuck up and listen, Diamond! If anyone gets involved, she might die! Okay? If you open your fucking mouth, she might die!” he yelled.
I crawled on the floor and began to cry. “What have you done?” I asked.
“It wasn’t me. But you have to promise me that you will trust me. Have me or my brother given you a reason not to trust us?”
“No,” I said as I shook my head and cried more.
“Okay, just trust me. I’m going to get her back, and that’s my word.”
“She’s pregnant, Yazz,” I said.
“I know. Trust me, I know. I will get her back.” He pulled me from the floor and hugged me tight. “I won’t let you down. I swear to God,” he reassured me.
After talking for about an hour, he finally left. I was still in shock that she was gone, but I still held onto hope. I would never be able to forgive myself if something happened to her. I’m the one who dragged her to NYC and into this mess.
As soon as I sat back down on the couch, my phone began to vibrate. I had never seen this number before. “Hello?”
“Yo, this Diamond?”
“Yes, who is this?”
“Emo. Davinchi homie. I got some money for you to drop off to his lawyer.”
“I already told you I ain’t about to—”
“So where you want to meet at?” he asked, ignoring what I’d said.
“Meet for what?”
“I mean, if you ain’t got a whip, I can have my partna take you to do all this shit. I’m kinda busy.”
I took a deep breath. He wasn’t gonna let up. “I’ll send my address.”
“Bet. His name is Neek. Give him ’bout an hour.”
“Okay, I’ll be wa—”
Click!
Emo was one rude ass nigga, and I didn’t like it one bit. Hell, I was the one helping him out. Not the other way around. How he gonna click on me?
“Stupid ass,” I hissed under my breath as I prepared to shower while Rena still slept. I had plenty of time to get both of us ready.
As I got in the shower, all I could think about my life and how it was so twisted right now.
***
“Oh, shit, my bad,” Neek said as I slid into his car with Rena. He quickly put out his blunt and put it into the cup holder.
It took him more than an hour to get to me; more like two. But he had no trouble finding me. He called me when he pulled into the front of my building. Neek wasn’t as handsome as Emo, but he was sexier. Meaning his body was on point. He had on a fitted grey shirt that hugged his arms. His hair was low cut. Neek was dark, but not too dark. He kinda put me into the mind frame of the rapper Lil’ Durk.
“Thanks,” I said.
“Ay, I got my daughter’s car seat in the back if you want to put your daughter in it.”
I laughed. “She’s my sister,” I said as I got out and put Rena into the car seat.
Neek had a yellow Camaro. Seems like all hood niggas had a Challenger, Camaro or Charger to show that they were getting money.
“Oh, my bad. Let me just shut up,” he said as he took a sip of something that was in a white double cup. It looked like lean.
“You’re good. Did Emo send you with the money or do we have to go and get it?” I asked.
“Na, I got it.”
“So why you just couldn’t do it?” I asked.
“We hood niggas, ma, and getting money so we try to avoid anything that have to do with the law. Besides, half of us got warrants. We walk into a jail and they’ll arrest us on the spot. Feel me?”
“I guess.” We drove off into traffic.
“Forgive me, but I have to ask. What in the fuck were you doing fucking with Davinchi?” Neek asked, looking over at me like he’d just seen the most beautiful girl in the world.
“Your guess is as good as mine. That’s your homie?” I asked.
“Nah, I fuck with Emo, not that weird ass nigga.”
“You know where to go?” I asked, being sure not to get lost.
“Yeah. I got cha.”
“Okay, now what were you saying?”
“Yeah, I wasn’t cool with that weird ass bozo. I heard he was fucking with punks.”
“That’s what I heard too. But I don’t know. That whole situation is just sticky,” I admitted as I turned around to check on Rena.
“Yo, look under that seat and hand me that issue,” Neek said as we turned off the main street and went down the block.
I looked under the seat and felt a gun. “The gun?”
“Yeah,” he said as he looked into the rearview and made another right turn.
“What’s going on?” I asked as I turned around.
“We being followed,” he said.
“By who?” I asked.
“Shit, we been beefed out with them niggas in Queens. They been trying to rob us for the longest.”
“But why th—”
Pop Pop Pop!
Someone had fired shots at us. I jumped into the back seat, grabbed Rena, and ducked low.
“I got you, ma,” Neek said as he threw the car in park and hopped out.
“Are you crazy?” I asked as he busted at the car while walking toward it.
I finally heard the car speed off, then Neek got back into the car like nothing had happened.
“Get back in the front.”
“What… the fuck?”
“Come on. We good, now. I promise I ain’t gonna let nothing happen to you and your sister.”
“What was that all about?” I asked as I put Rena back into the car seat and got into the front.
“Them Queens niggas is mad weird. But I’ma have to lay down the law. They must think we pussy or some shit. Then they shot in my shit while a child was in here. Them niggas dead.”
“You got work in the trunk?” I asked.
“Na, just some money.”
“Did you see who was in the car?” I asked.
“Not really, but I will remember that car. You hungry? I apologize for that shit.”
“Not really.” I was still shaken up a bit.
But you know what? Neek wasn’t so bad. He was a little gangsta, but it turned me on. I needed some excitement in my life.
Chapter Eighteen
Red
I woke up in a cheap ass, busted down hotel room. My mouth was taped up and I was cuffed to the railing on the tub in the bathroom. The way she had me, I couldn’t move at all. I was dry ass stuck. Roaches were crawling all over the place.
As I was trying my best to get a roach off my leg, I heard the front door open. It was Kasha.
“Here,” she said and threw me a sack with food. She turned around again and laughed. “I forgot, you can’t eat with tape over your mouth. But you can’t scream. Okay?”
“Umkay,” I mumbled. I was just happy to be eating.
She took the tape off. “You know, I’m so sorry. Yazz dragged you into this, and you had nothing to do with it. I’m not going to kill you, by the way. Just want to know where my sister is. And now, he has to tell me.”
“Have you seen him?” I asked after I took a bite of the burger she fed me.
“Yes. He was at Gee’s house last night.”
“And what he say?”
“Nothing. Ju
st left all mad,” she said, which pissed me off.
Did he not give a fuck about me? So he was just going to leave me out of luck?
“What?” I asked with a frowned face.
“Yeah, he really doesn’t care about you. Gee told me that Frizzy is in town and that’s where Yazz had been. He ain’t asked about you ever since.”
“Wow,” was all I could say.
I started to tell her that her sister was dead, but I wasn’t sure if that would be the smartest thing to do at the time. What if it backfired on me and I ended up dying because she’s trying to get back at Yazz?
“I went through your phone and saw that you and that Diamond girl are pretty close.”
“Yeah, and?” I asked.
“I just tried to kill her.”
I looked at her with no emotion, trying to see if she was telling the truth. She said it so calmly. “Are you serious?”
“Yes. I hope this doesn’t cause a rift between you and I. But understand, nothing will come between Gee and I again. Not Yazz. Not Diamond. Not you. I don’t want to kill you, but I will if you make this a problem.”
“That’s my fucking friend you stupid bi—”
She slapped the tape back on my mouth. “Shut up. Please.”
Kasha was confusing the hell outta me. I had to get away from her.
Chapter Nineteen
Gee
The next day…
“Morning, big guy,” Kasha said as she rolled over and kissed me. Though I was happy to have my love back in my bed, I couldn’t keep my mind off of Diamond.
“Morning,” I groaned as I reached over on the nightstand and grabbed my phone.
Diamond hadn’t texted me to remind me about our session, so I assumed that she was really mad or had forgotten.
“Where you going?” Kasha asked when I stood up, ass naked.
“Bathroom, I’ll be back.”
I didn’t know what it was, but Kasha was different. I just couldn’t put my finger on it. I looked over my shoulder and her ass was still watching me like a hawk. After entering my bathroom, I locked the door behind me and went to turn on the shower. Then I called Diamond.