by Jade Jones
Magyc sucked his teeth and sighed. “Man, what’chu goin’ on about now?” He was irritated that she was about to start some shit.
“Nigga, what do you think? I’m blind? I had PRK done three years ago,” she reminded him. “You were gawking at that bitch like she was the main entrée—”
“Lower yo’ damn voice,” he warned.
“I’m not lowering shit, nigga. How ‘bout you stop lowering your fucking standards!”
“Man, wasn’t nobody lookin’ at that bitch—”
“Bullshit. You were eye fucking her like I didn’t even exist!”
“That’s your insecurities talkin’,” he said.
“And if it is whose fault is that?”
Magyc fell silent. Shortly after, the waitress returned with their drinks. She purposely slammed Roxie’s cup so hard that water sloshed onto the table.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said in a syrupy sweet voice.
Roxie mugged the shit out of her ass. She was literally two seconds away from making her lose her job.
Magyc tried his hardest not to look when she bent over dramatically to wipe up the mess. She was fucking with him, and he knew it. Roxie knew it too, and she damn sure didn’t look happy about it.
After cleaning the small mess, she took their orders and scurried back to the kitchen. At that point, Roxie no longer had an appetite. Magyc could see the irritation all in her expression and disposition. She was in a sour mood after the waitress’ petty antics.
Reaching over, he placed his hand on top of hers. She tensed up instantly but didn’t move away. “Now we been through too much for you to be actin’ like this tonight. We came here to make peace. Not war.”
Roxie relaxed a little, but her heart didn’t feel any lighter.
“Get off that shit. You the only girl in my head and in my heart,” he said. “The only one that matter.”
Roxie forced a smug smile. Sometimes she just needed that tiny ounce of reassurance.
All of a sudden, his phone chimed, indicating a text. Roxie watched him unlock it, look at something that was sent to him, and smile.
Just as easily as she felt reassurance it disappeared. “What is it?” she asked with an attitude. She had a feeling it was some bullshit.
“It’s nothin’,” he quickly said. Magyc made a move to put his phone away, but she quickly reached across the table and snatched it. What she saw made her want to die from pure mortification.
The damn waitress had sent a naked shower selfie to Magyc. Soapsuds covered her bare breasts and her fingers were in her shaved pussy. Roxie was disgusted. “Are you fucking serious?” she yelled. “This desperate ass cry for attention! I can’t believe you got the nerve to be amused by this shit! It’s fucking pathetic and so are you!”
“Man, gimme my shit,” he demanded.
Roxie ignored him and scrolled up to find various text messages to and from the waitress. He’d been fucking with her all while she was in the hospital, and even after she was discharged. Magyc had met her in the strip club she danced at on the weekends. Roxie had no idea she was the one who’d been giving him lifts whenever he was bent. They shared a history that she knew nothing about until tonight.
“YOU AIN’T SHIT! Here take this mothafucka!” Roxie jumped up and threw his phone at him, causing his drink to spill in his lap. “You can shove it up your ass too while you at it!”
Magyc quickly hopped out his wet seat and grabbed a napkin. The crotch of his jeans was soaked in water, making him look like he pissed himself. “Gotdamn, girl—what the fuck!” he snapped.
Magyc didn’t expect her to go from zero to one hundred. It wasn’t his fault the bitch was choosing.
Everyone stopped to spectate their wretched behavior. They were in a classy four-star restaurant carrying on like a couple of damn kids. It was childish and beyond embarrassing—but lately Magyc had a tendency of making her act out of character.
By the time he looked up, Roxie was long gone. He was so focused on wiping the water off his pants that he didn’t notice her storm out the restaurant. Unfortunately, when he got outside she had already left in an Uber.
Sighing deeply, Magyc ran a hand over his dreads. He was supposed to be making things right between them, but instead he was only digging himself deeper and deeper.
Ten minutes later, Roxie arrived in front of the apartment building they shared. For once, I hope his ass don’t come home, she told herself. She needed her space from his trifling ass. Time to think if she really wanted to be with a nigga like Magyc. As her man, he was supposed to love and cherish her, but all he did was hurt her. She was tired of putting up with his shit just to retain a permanent spot in his life. It wasn’t worth the heartache and pain. She refused to stay with a sorry ass nigga.
Roxie thought about getting a room for a couple days, but refused to have her daughter living out of some hotel. She was still just a baby and didn’t fare well with change.
I’m tired of being a fucking fool for this nigga.
On the elevator ride up to her floor, Roxie wiped her tears so that the babysitter wouldn’t know she was crying. In all actuality, it really didn’t matter. She had left with Magyc and returned alone, so she’d know off rip something happened.
When the elevator doors opened, Roxie heard the unmistakable sound of two women arguing. She started to ignore the catty banter until she heard one mention Magyc’s name. That’s when Roxie noticed Tara arguing with her babysitter in the doorway of her unit. She was demanding to know where Magyc was since he wasn’t answering her calls.
Really? Another mothafucking one? How many hoes does this nigga have?
Suddenly, Roxie noticed that Tara looked somewhat familiar. She favored Joseline from Love and Hip Hop a little. It took Roxie a second to remember where exactly she knew her from, and it finally dawned on her that she was Briana’s best friend. Tara was the same chick that tried to jump on her during her first date with Magyc.
So this bitch is fucking him now too?
Roxie started to check her ass until she noticed the three-year old boy standing idly beside his mother.
Roxie immediately froze up. He was a spitting damn image of Magyc…
17
The following evening, Cameron, Roxie, and Juicy all met up at Euro Hookah Lounge in Buckhead to hangout and chitchat. The massive bar featured high ceilings, elegant red and white tufted furniture, and a regal theme. It wasn’t packed with customers, but it was a pretty decent crowd for a Thursday night.
After Juicy moved down to Atlanta, Cameron introduced her to Roxie, and the three of them had been tight ever since.
Cam felt good having real friends by her side to help her heal from the ordeal with Jag. She had a true support system, and she was grateful that she had other people to lean on besides Jude. She loved him to death but there was nothing like having your girls.
Jude was still doing his best to maintain the business, however she noticed that he wasn’t as passionate as he was in the beginning when King first bestowed the responsibility upon him. Dealing with Jag and the kidnapping had taken a lot out of Jude. Hell, it had taken a lot out of everyone. Now they were all simply trying to move on and get things back on track.
A tray of Mediterranean finger foods sat on their table along with a tall Shisha, which was positioned in front of them. The women got together regularly to fill each other in on the latest gossip in their lives.
Roxie couldn’t wait to dish her dirt about Magyc. She had been starving to tell someone the truth ever since she found out. “Ya’ll ain’t gon’ believe this shit right here. So tell me why yesterday I just found out that Magyc has a side baby.”
Juicy broke out laughing hysterically. She was cute in an all black sweater dress and Versace shades. Tall black suede boots covered her shapely legs. “A side baby though? What the fuck is that?”
“The baby of a side bitch. I’mma need you to get hip,” she told Juicy. “Anyway, I know for a fact she a side bitch ‘cuz she was
best friends with Magyc’s ex. And if ya’ll saw this hoe ya’ll would be wondering why he’d even wanna put a baby in her. Ole’ horse face bitch. I’m telling ya’ll, she has a jawline that’ll make you back down in a brawl. Like seriously.”
All three women laughed hysterically at Tara’s expense.
“Wow! This is all too much…” Cameron said, wiping her tears. “I’m a complete loss for damn words. So you mean to tell me Magyc done fucked around and got a chick pregnant?” She almost couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“Apparently, three years ago...” Roxie said. “The bitch showed up at my door last night going on about how he never does shit for their son—”
“Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. How do you even know the baby is really his?” Cameron asked. “I mean any bitch can pop up claiming their DNAs match. Have you gotten any proof?”
“Yeah, bitch…my eyes,” Roxie said, sarcastically. “The little side baby looked just like him.”
Juicy howled with laughter. She and Roxie both shared a rather dark sense of humor, which was why they got along off bat.
“Girl, would you stop calling that poor child a side baby,” Cam said.
Roxie’s lips twisted up. She was only being ugly because she had miscarried his child when Jag attacked her. If she had any sense, she would’ve been happy she dodged a bullet.
“Have you talked to him?” Cameron asked.
“Hell no. I barely wanna even look at his black ass. He ain’t been home since that bullshit in the restaurant. And I couldn’t be happier about that.”
“What bullshit in the restaurant? Damn. I’m all lost and left in the dark,” Juicy laughed.
“You were at work last night. I know you get off late so I ain’t wanna blow up with some nonsense,” Roxie said. “Anyway Magyc took me out to dinner and was eye raping the waitress the entire time—but that ain’t even the worst part of it all. The bitch had the nuts to send a naked selfie while we were on our date. Who the fuck does that? Like I swear these hoes have no shame or self-worth.”
“Just a bird looking for a quick come up. You already should know these hoes play dirty,” Juicy said.
“Are you gonna try to talk to him about the baby mama situation?” Cam insisted. “’Cuz this some stuff ya’ll really need sit down and discuss. Shit gets real once kids are involved.”
“I know… We are gonna have to talk…but... Right now I just been feeling like I need my space, you know? And I’m glad he’s respecting that,” Roxie said. “I don’t even think I could stand looking at him. We not at all where I thought we’d be. It’s just been one fucked up thing after the next with him.” She’d told them all about the condom incident and his habitual cheating. “All the shit Tara said really got to me. On some real shit, I was so torn up inside that I barely got any sleep.”
“Unh-unh. Rule number one—never lose sleep over a nigga who’s probably somewhere sleeping with another bitch.”
Cameron nodded her head in agreement.
“You’re right...”
Before Juicy could continue with her lecture, she noticed a familiar person stroll inside the lounge. “Oh my God, Cam,” she said in surprise. “Remember the prick from the club I told you about the other day? Funny acting ass light-skinned nigga?”
“Yeah…”
“Well, don’t look now but he just walked in.”
He was handsome that evening wearing a blue Kufi, silk jacquard shirt, jeans and studded red bottom loafers. The gold Phillip Patek watch on his wrist glistened along with the 18K gold chain around his neck. An Arabic scripture was engraved with diamonds in the pendant. He’d dropped over 20 grand on the chain, so no one could ever question his religion.
On his arm was a beautiful foreign chick with delicate features, dark hair, and plump lips. She reminded Juicy of one of the Kardashians.
Although Cameron was told not to look, she still turned around in her seat. Her curiosity immediately gave them away, and he noticed Juicy instantly. Her stomach flip-flopped when he smiled at her.
Juicy quickly looked away, so that he wouldn’t think she was sweating him. Placing his hand on the small of his company’s back, he steered her to the rear of the lounge.
“Bitch, I told yo’ ass not to look!” she hissed in Cam’s ear.
“My fault. It was just an automatic reaction,” she giggled. “He’s cute though. Not at all how I pictured he’d look.”
“Um…can we focus less on Beard Gang and more on my lil’ situation at hand? I just found out that Magyc has a whole fucking child for God’s sake!” Roxie cried, in a bratty tone. She wanted to vent more about the situation, but it was clear they were no longer interested in hearing about.
“No matter what advice we give it’s up to you to decide what you’re gonna do. Every week it’s something new with him, and yet you choose to stay with his ass,” Cam said. “We’re not gonna sit here and sugarcoat the shit anymore. And we’re not gonna keep telling you he ain’t shit. Magyc is my people and all, but there’s no sense in continuing to be unhappy. You gotta figure out what’s best for Roxie.”
After an hour of talking shit and smoking hookah, Juicy excused herself to the little girl’s room. On her way out, buddy from the club called out to get her attention.
“You can’t speak?”
Juicy stopped and turned to face him. He’d left his companion to come and say hello, but she wasn’t too far out of ear range.
“I didn’t know you expected me to,” Juicy said. She tried to play it off like his olive green eyes didn’t make her heart flutter. Damn. Why did he have to be so gotdamn handsome?
“You know I wanna see dem lips move as well as dem hips,” he said, smoothly. “Plus it’ll make my night a lil’ better.”
Once he reached her Juicy realized how tall he was. There was a commanding presence to him.
“Your night already looks like it’s going good,” she said, looking over at his date. The young woman seemed totally unfazed that he was all in Juicy’s face. Maybe they weren’t as serious as she thought. “Who is that anyway? Your girl?”
“Don’t worry about who she is…”
“She’s looking over here right now so I kinda have to.”
“She’s a friend,” he simply said. “If you want you can introduce yourself. She don’t bite.” His flirtatious smile implied that she loved women. Ironically, Juicy did too.
“Boy, whatever. You ain’t even introduced yourself yet. How you gon’ just introduce me to somebody else? I don’t even know your name.”
He held his manicured hand out. “People call me Rico.”
She shook it. “I’m Juicy.”
“Nah, keep that shit. I want’cha real name.”
She smiled bashfully. “Diana.”
“Diana what?”
She hesitated a little. “Diana Prince…”
He paused for a second. “I don’t know why that name sound mad familiar?”
Juicy scoffed. “Could be ‘cuz it’s Wonder Woman’s alias. My father was a huge comic book fan growing up—”
“That’s interesting, but nah, it ain’t that,” he chuckled. Rico thought about it for a second. “Wait a minute. You from from Cleveland, ain’t ‘chu?”
Her heart instantly plummeted after his question. She didn’t think anyone in the south would recognize her from Cleveland, but she was undoubtedly wrong. “Yeah…”
“Yeah, I thought I knew you from somewhere. You did a party for my boy.”
“When?”
“Shit, this was a minute ago. You fuck with T-Dog, right? I wanna say it was downtown.”
Juicy lowered her guards after learning they shared a mutual friend. “Yeah, I did. At the Bingham apartments on West 9th, I remember.”
It was also the night Cameron was almost raped by Paul in the bathroom. Luckily, Cole came when he did. Juicy had no idea that Rico was there that night. He must didn’t stay long. She would’ve remembered his ass if she saw him.
“How you know T? You
from Cleveland?”
“Nah, I just know him from doing business,” he said, vaguely.
“Oh ok, cool. Where you from then?”
“I spent a lot of time in New York. But I move around a lot.” He then shifted focus. “You go back home and visit often?”
Juicy shuddered inside after the mall incident came to mind. “No, not really…”
“Well, shit I ain’t gon’ hold you up. I know you got’cha girls waitin’ on you. Take down my math and we can chop it later.”
“I don’t usually date customers.” There was a flirty grin on her pretty face. He saw the telltale interest in her eyes despite the bullshit she was spilling.
“I ain’t no customer though. I’m that nigga that’s gon’ add value to yo’ life.” Rico took her phone and plugged his number in. “Shit, if it ain’t beneficial, I wouldn’t even press the issue,” he said.
“I gotta feeling you trouble,” she smiled.
“I might be… But I gotta feelin’ you handle trouble well.”
A group of guys walking past admired Juicy’s plump derrière. They didn’t show the slightest consideration that she was talking to another man. She caught them staring at her ass like she was a piece of dessert.
“I promise them lames can’t do nothing for you, baby. Hit me up when you ready for a king.”
Rico was just about to walk off but Juicy stopped him. “Can I ask a silly question?”
“Wassup?”
“What are you? I’m just curious...”
“What am I? I’m a man.”
She laughed. “No, I mean like—”
“I’m just fuckin’ wit’chu. I know what’chu mean.” He chuckled and his green eyes twinkled in amusement. “I’m Moroccan, baby.”
Juicy’s face lit up with interest and curiosity. She wanted to ask more questions, but he beckoned his company so they could leave. On his way out, Rico tossed a small wad of cash on her friend’s table to pay for their meal.
Something told Juicy he was going to be a handful.
18