by Briann Danae
“I know it was you who killed my brother!” she screamed hysterically as her friends tried holding her back.
Tone stood up. “Aye, Ma. You need to back the fuck up.”
“No! He killed my brother and got the nerve to just be out like shit is sweet.”
Lano licked the wing sauce from his finger and smirked. “It is.”
The girl struggled to break free from her friends, and she managed to do so, only to get shoved back by Tone. He wasn’t with putting his hands on a female, but she wasn’t about to pop slick out in public and get away with it.
“You gon’ have to gon’ with all that drama now girl,” Ruth, the owner said coming around from the counter. “You know I don’t play that shit.”
The girl’s eyes were trained on Lano as her nose flared, chest rising and falling rapidly, and fists balled up. Tears of anger danced in her eyes. She wanted to put hands on him so bad it hurt. Lano observed the chain around her neck and knew why she felt the way she did. It was the same pain he felt when her brother played a hand in taking Saon’s life. The way he saw it, they were even.
She gave him a nod. “Count your days, bitch ass nigga. Vick is going to get his justice.”
Lano sat with a neutral face, unbothered by her words and presence. The thing about living the street life and taking lives from others was that when those tables turned, there wasn’t anything off limits. Yes, she had a right to be angry for the death of her brother, but also needed to realize there were consequences to every action. Sadly, she hadn’t come to terms with his fate, but she needed to. Lano wasn’t apologizing or admitting to shit. If he had to kill the nigga again, he would. Straight like that.
“Ms. Ruth, my apologies for the disruption. I know you don’t like all that drama in your fine establishment,” Lano said, making the older woman blush and pat his arm.
Before leaving his hometown, RuthAnn’s Chicken was his spot. Every Friday, Lano would slide through and get his regular – a ten-piece, seasoned fries, and a Strawberry Fanta. One night when he and Saon swung by, a group of niggas decided to do a drive-by and tore her place up. Lano paid for all the damages and bought the building next door for her for the trouble. After that day, niggas knew not to ever try and get at them while in her place of business again. He made an example out of the guy shooting at them and had niggas shook.
“Oh, hush. Trying to butter me up. You better stay out them streets, DeLano. There ain’t nothing in them, ya hear?” Ruth said, giving him a stern look. One his grandmother Deloris would give him. Ruth was practically his granny, just not by blood.
“There’s something in them, but I’ll try to stay out. How’s that sound?”
Ruth waved him off and went back behind the counter. “It’s not what I wanted to hear, but I see your tail is still hardheaded. You had enough to eat?”
“Yes, ma’am. Can I get that to-go order? Anika won’t let me hear the end of it if I come home without her some,” he chuckled, thinking of his boo.
“Mhm. That’s the reason you need to stay out them streets. Imagine Anika rushing in here like that girl just did over you.”
The light smirk on Lano’s face dropped. Just thinking of Anika with a face full of tears, heart full of anger, and future full of hurt without him, had Lano’s trigger finger itching. When he was shot in front of her last year, Anika damn near died. Seeing his body collapse as bullets entered him was the worst thing she ever saw. The emotions that washed over her in those mere seconds showed her just how much Lano’s life meant to her.
Seeing her so choked up and ready to go to war after the incident was what made him love her more than he already did. Anika was ready to ride down on niggas for hers. Lano couldn’t even muster up a complete thought of him leaving this Earth and her staying here to grieve over him. That’s why he was halfway listening to Ruth and halfway not. Niggas had to go, period. He’d just be sure to end their life before they tried to end his.
“You know we need to make a move,” Tone said once they were in Lano’s car.
Lano nodded. “Yeah. Just two more. I’m tired of playing with these niggas, man.”
“I feel you.”
He knew Tone was down for whatever, but for Lano, this shit was personal. These niggas had violated him one too many times. Vick’s sister running up on him in broad daylight was proof that if they wanted that gunplay, it could happen. Lano wasn’t hiding, but they were. He’d never sat on a mission this long, ever. But, sometimes, patience is a virtue. If they wanted to prolong their death, then he’d give them that. Either way it went, no matter how long it took, before he headed back to KC, the number of deaths in California would rise because of him, and he gave not one single fuck.
Chapter 4
“Bae!” Anika hollered from their walk-in closet.
She was trying on her third dress and was about to say fuck it and slip on a pair of jeans. Tonight was their date night in celebration of her new modeling venture, and Anika wanted to make sure the time she had in her head for their reservation was correct.
“DeLano!” she hollered, poking her head out the bedroom door.
In the living room with the TV’s volume loud as hell, Lano had his eyes trained on the mission he was completing on Call of Duty. Hearing Anika call his name, in what seemed to be a stressed tone, he paused the game and hopped up from the couch.
“Yes, Anika,” he joked, enunciating every syllable in her name once he stepped inside the room.
“What time is the reservation? I can’t find anything to wear.”
Lano frowned and looked at the hundreds of clothes hanging up around them. “You can’t find nothing in all of this?”
She pouted. “No. And I don’t like how my dresses are fitting.”
“Why not? This one looks good to me shit. Turn around,” he told her, grabbing her hand to assist. Playfully, he smacked her booty. “That mothafucka so fat. Wear this. No panties.”
Anika grabbed his hand. “Okay, but what time was the reservation for?”
“Eight-thirty. You got about… thirty minutes.”
“We still have to drive across town. Ugggh!” she fussed, rushing to pick out a pair of shoes.
“Bae, relax. We good. We can slide to Ruth’s if you ain’t in the mood,” he told her.
“No, nigga. You are taking me out on a nice classy date. Nothing against Ruth and her chicken, but no. Don’t play with me.”
Lano smirked as she slipped on a pair of heels. “Get you all in another state and you acting like the hood spots too good for you.”
“Negro, please. I ain’t ever been no bougie bitch. But, I do like to be wined and dined you know? Show me you appreciate me a little bit.”
“Aye,” he called out making her look his way. “I do appreciate you. Like a mothafucka. If I’m not showing you that, I’ll try harder. I ain’t feeling what you just said.”
Anika’s heart swelled. He was so attentive to her needs it was sometimes hard to be mad at him. Honestly, he had been really busy lately and their personal time together hadn’t been as much, but she tried to be understanding. She did ask to come to California with him, so some stuff she would let slide, but at the moment, Anika was just speaking her true feelings. Walking over to him after zipping her heel, they stood face to face.
“I know you do. I was just saying; sometimes a girl likes to be taken out to a nice restaurant. You know I’m down for whatever kind of date as long as it’s with you,” she reassured.
“Why I feel like you just saying that to appease me?”
“Because I know how you get. You be too much in your head about the things I say. I know why you came down here, so I don’t expect for you to be all up under me twenty-four seven, but I do still want some attention.”
Lano pulled her closer to him by her waist. “I’ll show you more then. This shit will be over soon, and you’ll have me all to yourself.”
“No. Stay focused on the task at hand. All I ask is that we get one date night a week f
or as long as we’re here. No interruptions, no phones, no nothing. Just us. Cool?” she said with a grin.
Lano kissed her lips and a light moan emitted from her. “Yeah. That’s cool with me. You almost ready?”
Pulling away from him, Anika grabbed her other diamond earring and placed it into her earlobe. “Yep. Let me put on some perfume and grab my purse, and we can leave.”
Watching her move around their bedroom, Lano’s mind drifted to the question Tone asked him earlier in the week when they were at Ruth’s. He didn’t get around to answering him, thanks to their slight interruption, but it had been on Lano’s mind since. Marriage was something he hadn’t quite absorb fully. His parents were a perfect example and had set one, but until recently, the last six months or so, Lano hadn’t thought in depth about where he and Anika’s relationship was heading.
Yes, he wanted her in his life forever, but he didn’t know if she’d be willing. The life he lived wasn’t one for that faint of heart. The last couple months of their lives had been dangerous than ever before and trying as hell. At any given moment, niggas could run down on either one of them, but that was the risk Anika was willing to take. In the name of love, she was risking her life for a man she loved undoubtedly more than any man she’s ever known. What she provided for Lano mentally, he provided that for her tenfold. Her loyalty wasn’t out of condition and never would be, but Lano didn’t know how much more she could take.
Was Anika strong? Yes. She’s proved that on more than one occasion. Was she strong enough to hold him down? Of course. But, was she willing to help fight his demons, shelter him from his enemies, and cover him for the rest of her life? That was a question Lano didn’t have an answer to. He never wanted to make her feel obligated to stick by his side, but he appreciated her loyalty more than she knew. If she decided to leave him today, he wouldn’t even be mad. Anika had held him down more than he could have imagined. He just hoped his ways of living didn’t catch up to them.
Making it across town in record speed, Lano parked himself instead of using valet. He didn’t trust them. Not just them, but anyone besides him or Anika driving his car. Stepping inside the upscale steakhouse restaurant, Kolby’s, he gave the hostess his last name before they were immediately seated. The ambiance of the place captured Anika’s attention. Soft tunes crooned through the speakers, giving the place a laid-back vibe. Her stomach grumbled as a waiter walked by their table with a mouthwatering plate of food.
“I’m so ready to eat. I’m starving,” she announced once they were seated.
“You ain’t eat today?”
“This morning after you left I did, but not anything heavy since then.”
Lano shook his head. “That’s why you be having headaches, then be crying and want me to baby your ass.”
“Annnd, you act like that’s a problem,” she said tooting her lips out.
Lano smirked. “Nah. You know it ain’t, but you need to stop doing that shit. It ain’t healthy, plus I like you thick.”
“I wasn’t this thick when you met me. I don’t know what happened.”
“Shit. I do. Happy weight and good dick.”
They shared a laugh and Lano stared her down. Anika’s chocolate skinned seemed to glow even under the dim lights. It was natural, like her hair that she’d gotten silk pressed a few days ago. He loved her natural look but didn’t mind when she switched it up and rocked her weaves either. The different styles turned him on when they role played. Anika became whoever her boo wanted her to be and surprised Lano sometimes too.
“Yeah, well, there’s a certain weight I’m trying to get to before my modeling career takes off,” she said.
“You can tone up.”
“You can tone up, too,” she shot back with a chuckle. Lano waved off her cheap shot she tried to make and chuckled.
“My weight is where it counts. Act like you don’t know.”
Anika licked her lips just thinking about his fat dick. Yeah, it was all where it was at alright. Lano had bulked up some in the arms and chest area but was solid.
“Mhm. I know all too well. What appetizer are we getting?”
Picking up his menu, they scanned them right before their waiter approached the table. Once they ordered drinks and decided on an appetizer, their conversation picked right back up where it left off. Anika was hype about her photoshoot coming up. Monroe and her sister Zoe had made her first experience so smooth so far; there was no wonder her business was doing as good as it was.
“You don’t want me to be there?” Lano asked, making sure that was what he had heard her say.
“No. I don’t want you to see them until they come back from edits. And, you’ll make me nervous.”
“Nah. If anything, I’ll help you relax, but a’ight. I’ma wait, but you gon’ model for me until then,” he stated, as lust danced in his captivating eyes.
“Of course, Papi,” Anika agreed, as if she hadn’t been doing so since her little shopping spree with Rylee.
When their appetizer was brought out, they placed their main dish order. The service had been great all night, and their food took no time at all to be brought from the back. Holding hands, Anika prayed over their meal before they dug in. Though she had her own meal, Lano still let her taste a piece of his steak that was covered in a creamy, mushroom sauce.
“Ummm. I should’ve gotten that,” she moaned, chewing slowly.
“On me, cause this mothafucka hitting.”
“Can I have another bite?” she asked with a smile.
“Hell nah,” Lano laughed with a mouthful of food. “Nope. I already shared my shit. Eat yours first.”
Anika rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Remember that when I have something you want.”
“You always got something I want and always give it to me when I ask, so…” he said chuckling. The pout on her face had Lano amused. Cutting another piece, he held it out to her on his fork.
“Here, crybaby.”
Leaning over some, she took the steak into her mouth and chewed slowly as a smile crept onto her face. “Thanks, bae. You want to taste anything on my plate?”
“Yep. Gon’ head and fork up some of them green beans for ya man.”
Happily, Anika fed him some and they fell into a conversation about his family. They had been questioning if he was staying in California for good even though he told them this move was temporary. Lano felt like a broken record with the number of times he had to repeat himself. His absence over the years had been missed, and now that he was home, no one wanted him to leave. Especially his mama and grandma, Deloris.
“I’m sure once everything is handled, we can visit more often,” Anika suggested.
“Nah. That’ll give me even more reason to stay away. We came down here for one thing and once that’s completed, we shaking back to the town.”
Anika took a sip of her drink and cleared her throat. “What if I get a modeling gig down here before then? It’ll be hard doing business.”
“Honestly, Nik. I didn’t even think about that. I know you serious about the shit so we can figure something out, but you not staying down here by yourself. Nah. That shit is dead.”
A frown quickly fell over Anika’s face. “What you mean it’s dead? You act like I’ll be here by myself. You have family here, and I’m cool with some people too.”
“You don’t even know them bitches like that. Y’all ain’t cool enough to where if some shit pops off, they’ll be sliding on niggas on my behalf. So, nah. It’s dead. As far as family… shit, they’ll stop looking out too eventually. I got you. I got us.”
“That’s the thing… you’ve been having me and us for a while. I want to have myself. Find what I’m really supposed to be doing in life. I hear what you’re saying, but you can’t just dead an option before it’s even given life.”
They stared intensely at one another, waiting for the other to break eye contact. This wasn’t a debate Lano thought they’d ever have. Especially not now. It was clear as day they we
re in the middle of some shit that could end badly at a drop of a dime. Yeah, she had been out going to meetings, to the mall with Rylee, and running her errands, but Lano had a detail on her. Anika wasn’t aware of that, though. Her parlaying in an entirely different state alone without him was a no go. He’d happily revisit the conversation on another day, but for now, he wasn’t trying to discuss anything pertaining to it.
Breaking eye contact first, Anika blinked her eyes and released a deep breath. “It’s not going to happen overnight, DeLano. Besides, I wasn’t really asking for permission. I was hypothetically saying if I got a gig.”
Lano chuckled and licked his lips. “Yeah, a’ight Lyfe Jennings. Hypothetically, your man will be in another state, and he’d prefer his woman by his side. You can model from any state, Nik. We relocated here temporarily. If I wanted to stay here, I would have never moved to KC.”
“It’s not always about you,” Anika replied, and before Lano could respond to her, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
This was the second time it had rung, and he was going to ignore it again like he did the first time, but Anika sighed and told him to answer it. Pulling the phone from his pocket, Lano saw it was Tone calling. If he was calling this late in the evening, it was for one of two reasons. Answering, he turned his volume down and stared at Anika as she took a bite of her food. She was mad but being mad was better than being six-feet deep. He wasn’t just thinking about himself and had she not been so in her feelings; she’d understand where he was coming from.
“What’s good?”
“I got the driver.”
Lano nodded as his jaw clenched. His entire mood had changed just that quickly, and when Anika looked up, she could sense it. He had been waiting to get at the nigga who was the driver of the shootout that day. Him being patient had paid off. The streets were talking somewhat, but Lano didn’t rely on another nigga’s word. Not unless they were one of his niggas. Tone was blood and had caught the young dude slipping tonight after some information on his whereabouts was brought to his attention. They needed to make a move on him before it was too late.