Still thicker than water

by Takerra, Allen

  “And do you have steady employment to where you can provide for the children?”

  “I do…I am a beautician and I make a pretty good living doing so.”

  The judge seemed pleased to hear that.

  “Are there any aspects of your lifestyle that may situate the children in any danger?”

  Tatum looked at her like she was crazy.

  “No, not at all.”

  Nikki’s lawyer nodded and then asked.

  “Have you ever placed the children in any direct danger, knowingly?”

  Tatum shook her head no and the judge informed her,

  “Please answer the question aloud Ms. Mosley.”

  “Oh, no. No I haven’t.”

  Her lawyer looked at her pleased as the questioning was wrapping up, and then…

  “Who is Sean Knights?”

  Tatum’s heart stopped.

  Nikki’s lawyer noticed the look of surprise on Tatum’s face and used it to her advantage.

  “You seemed surprised Ms. Mosley. Do you not know who Sean Knights is?”

  Tatum’s lawyer looked at her suspiciously and Tatum’s face grew hot.

  “Um, n-n-”

  “Please remember you are under oath Ms. Mosley,” the lawyer reminded with a smirk, and the judge turned to Tatum. Tatum dropped her shoulders in defeat.

  “Yes.”

  “Excuse me?” The lawyer probed.

  “Yes…yes, I know who Sean Knights is.”

  Tatum’s lawyer looked on with disbelief, knowing that this was not good.

  “Well, maybe your honor, you are not sure who Sean Knights is. Ms. Mosley, let us include everyone on who Sean Knights is. Sean Knights, was Ms. Mosley’s boyfriend. He was…is…also a major drug dealer, murderer, and gangster-”

  Her lawyer jumped in.

  “I’m sorry, but was he ever convicted? I believe you should use the words alleged.” Although he had no idea that Tatum was connected to Respect, he, like every judicial person in the tri-state area, was aware of who he was and how bad the state was trying to get him two years ago. They were also aware that it was undo-able.

  “Oh, I’m sorry alleged…but still…do you take eight and ten year old little girls across state lines with a possible criminal? You did go to Florida with him, correct?” She didn’t even give Tatum a chance to answer as she continued to tear into her. “A possible criminal who your brother allegedly worked for, selling drugs? A possible criminal, that if your brother would have lived to tell it, his testimony would have put Mr. Knights away, for running one of the largest drug and criminal rings of this decade…allegedly.”

  Tatum felt faint and felt ashamed. In a way, she was no better than Nikki. She was just on the other, more glamorous side of the game. Dealers, users, still all in all, the same kind of people.

  “Did you, or did you not do this Ms. Mosley?”

  Tatum sighed and let out a barely audible, ‘yes’.

  “No more questions, your honor.”

  And the court rested.

  “Please, close my door…can I get you gentlemen anything?”

  Father was seated at his ivory desk in his humongous office, and Chauncey and E were seated across from him. There were deer heads and stuffed birds all around, and rifles and various other weaponry lined the walls in glass cases.

  Chauncey wore a blank expression, one that was hard for Father to read, however E’s mean mug, ice grill, expressed all of his animosity. He knew why Father wanted to see them, and he was prepared for anything.

  The bright sunlight pierced through the wall length windows and two of Father’s henchmen stood posted next to the door, both with black suits, black shades, and black Mac-11’s in their hands.

  Chauncey and E declined his offer for refreshments, so Father proceeded to get right down to business.

  “You know, when I heard of some New York niggas making their way down here… pumping some shit through my streets…”

  “Your streets?” Chauncey questioned, cutting him off.

  “That’s right,” he agreed.

  “I’m sure the J-crew would have something to say about that,” Chauncey quipped, knowing that they had just as much of a lock on Atlanta’s drug trade as Father did.

  Father’s jaw tightened in aggravation.

  “J-crew knows their place.”

  He leaned forward and folded his hands, breathing heavily.

  “Like I was saying… when I heard of this, situation, I had no idea that it was you. Now that I know, I am sure we can come to some…resolution.”

  Chauncey rubbed his chin, slightly interested in what Father had to say.

  “What do you suggest?” He asked, taking the bait.

  Father, relieved that it was up for negotiation, took out a piece of paper and scribbled a number on it. He handed it to Chauncey and waited for a response.

  Chauncey looked at it and then back to Father.

  “For what?”

  “To get the fuck out of Atlanta…you and your product.”

  Chauncey chuckled and crumpled up the paper, a clear sign of disrespect.

  “Get the fuck outta here.”

  Chauncey felt as if Father was trying to play him like a sucker, meanwhile, Father’s anger was growing by the minute.

  “Either that, or we talk about you working for me. You can’t just come and take my customers, man. That’s not how we do things. Capo is under me.”

  “Capo is his own entity, as far as I’m concerned,” E butted in.

  “Capo is money. He has what I want, I got what he needs. Anything personal needs to be handled between y'all,” Chauncey added blase-like.

  Father cracked his neck slowly.

  “You know, you New York niggas been doing this shit for years…thinking we some bamma mothafuckas that you can just come around, set up shop, take shit from our plates, and we just supposed to fall in line. Is that how you think shit supposed to work?”

  Chauncey could see his point and that what he was doing was fucked up, for them anyway, but the way he looked at it, he had the ill connect. Best product, best price, that’s business.

  “How about you do business with us…we supply you, everybody eats,” Chauncey suggested, feeling generous. He felt like he was doing him a favor, get down, or lay down.

  That’s when Father became agitated.

  “Nigga, I don’t work for nobody! And I’m loyal to my people. How dare you insult me, in my own office?”

  Father was foaming at the mouth and Chauncey was cool as a breeze. He could see the meeting going nowhere.

  “Let’s just cut the shit,” Father said angrily. “You continue to supply mothafuckas, my mothafuckas, down here, and we got ourselves a problem, youngin’.”

  Chauncey laughed hysterically.

  “Really? Is that really what you wanna do?” Chauncey leaned forward. “You know, I thought we could do business together…but I guess you must’ve forgotten the company I keep.”

  Father matched Chauncey’s intense stare, knowing exactly what he meant.

  “And you my young friend, must’ve forgotten that your boss…your former boss…is out. No Respect… equals… no respect.”

  The men eye boxed for a few seconds before Chauncey stood up, followed by E, and began to make his way to the door.

  The goons at the door remained stone faced, and as Chauncey and E made their way out, Father shouted behind them.

  “You have three days to reconsider…And that’s only a pass for the company you used to keep.”

  Father had much respect for Ree, but he’d put his young, knuckle-headed protege in the dirt if he had to.

  Chauncey paid him no mind as he continued to walk confidently out of the office. If he was preparing to takeover, then a war was expected. He just needed to make sure that he was prepared, because one thing he didn’t have, was home field advantage.

  “What are you saying, Sean?”

  Ree exhaled deeply before responding.

  “Tri
nity, we went through this already. I don’t…I don’t understand, why you’re not getting it.”

  “You said space Sean, space. It’s been days, you haven’t called me. You see me at the desk, and you tell me to get the reports, like…like I’m a worker.” Trinity was trying to keep her emotions in check but she felt like she was losing him, and she didn’t like it. She knew she would never find another man like Ree.

  “You are a worker,” he affirmed.

  “Is that all I am?” She questioned, hurt.

  “Trinity, I apologize. But I can’t give you what you want. Not now…not ever. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

  Her body shook as she began to sob, and Ree’s heart went out to the girl. He had genuinely cared about her. He tried to be easy on her before, but it seemed as if it didn’t get through the first time. Now he tried a more direct approach, and he felt bad knowing that direct was also painful.

  “This is about that girl, right? I know it is, it’s about that damn girl.”

  “What girl?” Ree feigned ignorance.

  “You know what fucking girl! That bitch that came down here, and fucked your head all up…now you treat me like this. For what? For her? Where is she Sean? She left!” Trinity cried harder and got on her knees in front of him, while he sat in his office chair. Ree looked into her wet and heartrending face.

  “She left you Sean. But I’m here, I’m right here.”

  She leaned in and tried to kiss him, but he pushed her away lightly.

  “Trini, please.”

  She cried harder at his rejection and in the moment of desperation, she tried to throw herself onto him. She pulled at his clothes, tried to grab his face, his dreads, his arms, his legs, anything. She needed to touch him, to have him, to keep him.

  “Please, please just hold me, Sean. Please, hug me like you used to, make love to me, please. Please, I’ll do anything for you. Please, don’t leave me.” She was on her knees, begging. Touching him, grabbing him and Ree firmly grabbed her arms and pushed her back, causing her to fall back on her ass, and then he stood up.

  “Trinity! Stop it!”

  She looked up at him as he walked over to his bar. He was so tense, so angry, so intimidating, so powerful, and it was so captivating.

  She knew she could do one of two things. She could stand up, and walk out with the little dignity she had, or she could keep trying. She looked at him as he focused on pouring his drink and she knew she couldn’t give up on him.

  She began to unbutton her crisp white blouse as she stood up and made her way over to him, while undressing.

  “Sean…please…”

  He looked up and saw her walking over to him in her small black skirt and black bra, her shirt now in her hand. She was sexy, she was beautiful, and he knew that he was hurting her. As she reached him, he felt a little submissive, especially by his guilt. She wrapped her arms around him and began to kiss on his neck as Ree contemplated hitting it one last time. As she made a bee-line for his lips, a thought of Tatum popped in his mind.

  He backed up from her.

  “Nah, Trinity…”

  She grabbed his dick and squeezed it lightly, feeling it come to life faintly.

  “Ssh, Sean. Let me help you forget about her,” she whispered.

  Ree snapped back into reality and pushed her away, forcefully.

  “You gotta get the fuck out.”

  He grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her to his door as she fought him, once again trying to grab for him.

  “No! I’m not leaving!”

  He snatched her shirt out of her hand and wrapped it around her, trying to get her to put it on, but she pushed it away.

  “Put your shirt on!” He demanded.

  “No! How could you do this? I loved you!” Before she knew what she was doing she slapped him hard across the face.

  There was a brief pause as he put his hand to his cheek and felt the sting, and she looked on in apprehension. And then Ree’s natural instinct caused him to grab her roughly by the shoulders and push her hard against the wall, gripping her frail neck with one hand. His adrenaline was pumping while he tried to tide his rising temper.

  Trinity looked at him, eyes wide with fear and her mascara running, making her appear crazed. He stared at her long and hard, with an intensity that frightened her.

  “Get. Out.”

  He opened his door and strongly shoved her out and tossed her shirt into her hands as Elsa and another desk clerk looked on.

  “It’s over Trinity.”

  And then he slammed the door on her loud, causing her body to jump, and her heart to break.

  Chapter 14 - Greed

  Chauncey and E were riding along the Highway 78 when a drop top SLR pulled along the left side of them. The driver of the car, a young looking dude, motioned with his right finger calmly for them to pull over. Chauncey, who was in the passenger seat, cocked his nine, but told E to oblige. Chauncey had read the vanity plates through the rear-view and had an idea of who the person was.

  “Fuck this nigga want?” E questioned, cocking his also, always prepared for whatever.

  They turned off of the highway, and pulled over, as the Benz pulled up behind them and the driver got out. He approached E and Chauncey in a nonthreatening fashion, his hands were empty, his walk was easy, so Chauncey and E stepped out of the vehicle.

  The young nigga smiled casually and extended his hand out to Chauncey.

  “What up yo… Bleek,” he introduced himself. Chauncey nodded and returned the handshake.

  “C,” he stated, but Bleek already knew who Chauncey was. His name rang all types of bells.

  Bleek turned to shake E’s hand and Chauncey caught the tattoo on his neck. J-crew.

  He had been waiting to run into one of them, and was even considering going to look for them. But it seemed like they had found him instead.

  “So what up? Why the urgency?” Chauncey asked, leaning against the car. His dark Versace shades, button up, and Mauri sneakers masked the ruthless hustler that Bleek had heard of. Bleek was dressed more for the part in his hoodie, baggy jeans, and boots get-up. His smooth youthful face was filled with confidence and experience, yet with a sense of eagerness and hunger. He was like Chauncey five years ago.

  Bleek nodded, knowing that they were curious as to why he had pulled them over.

  “I got somebody that wants to uh, get better acquainted wit’ you,” Bleek informed Chauncey.

  “Yeah well, pardon my lack of concern, but if it aint bout no money, then…”

  Bleek interjected.

  “Oh, it’s always about money, shawty. And lots of it…I don’t play around when it comes to money.”

  Chauncey nodded and E smirked, he definitely was a reincarnation of a young and cocky Chauncey.

  “Well, lead the way,” Chauncey said, and the men all retreated to their vehicles and re-entered the highway.

  When they arrived at the location, which seemed to be a nightclub of some kind, Bleek led them to the back door.

  Even in the daylight with no flashy lights and crowds of people, Chauncey could see that it was still a pretty upscale establishment.

  Bleek knocked three times, quickly and hard.

  “Judas!” He yelled, and Chauncey wondered if that was what the J stood for in J-crew.

  The door opened slowly and Bleek, followed by Chauncey and E entered the dark and empty club. When the door closed behind them, a large man approached.

  “I need to pat ya’ll down.”

  Chauncey took off his shades and looked at him aggressively.

  “Nah, that’s not an option.”

  The big man became agitated.

  “Well, it’s a requirement…especially if you going to see the boss.”

  The two men stared each other down although the other man had height and mass over Chauncey. He was even bigger than E, who also held an irate gaze.

  “It’s alright,” a voice based from up the stairs. “Let them up.”

  C
hauncey and E made their way past the Biggie impersonator and followed Bleek up the stairs, as the man looked at them with distaste.

  “Big man 'bout to get his shit pushed back,” E barked.

  “Fuck all that,” Bleek said, walking ahead of them and dismissing the petty altercation. “Boss right in here…Big J, J-Murder some say.”

  Chauncey had definitely heard the name. Bleek knocked twice and then opened the door, and instantly Chauncey and E took in the richness of the room.

  Gold draping, gold floors, gold couches, everything was lavished in gold, giving off a rich and wealthy vibe.

  A tall, dark man stood at the other end of the room with a beautiful woman on his arm. Chauncey and E tried not to look too hard at her, but she was bad as hell. The couple walked towards E and Chauncey, and faced them, while Bleek stood on the side.

  Chauncey extended his hand to the mysterious man, ready to meet the infamous J-Murder, the well respected hustler and gangster, face to face. But it was the woman who returned the handshake, completely throwing Chauncey off guard.

  “Pleased to finally meet you Chauncey, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  Chauncey furrowed his eyebrows at her and Bleek wore a smirk.

  “I’m sorry, do I know…”

  “Big J…or maybe you know me as J-Murder,” the sexy, green-eyed beauty announced.

  Bleek looked from the sidelines at Chauncey and E’s shock, and he thought of the episode at her condo they had shared. They’d be surprised by a lot of things about Jayde.

  She turned to the man at her side.

  “Can you excuse us for a minute baby?”

  He nodded and then made his way out of her office, closing the door behind him.

  Jayde turned ferociously on her heels and strutted back to her desk, her cream Chanel suit hugging her curves.

  “Please! Have a seat,” she boomed loudly. “Make yourself as comfortable in my office, as you are in my streets!”

  Chauncey chuckled at her wit and at the sheer fact that he was thrown for a loop. It took him a minute before he and E walked over and sat down at the chairs facing her desk. Her back was still to them as she searched her bookshelf for something. Finally she turned around and threw the book onto the desk with a sharp look in her eyes.