Never Again, No More 4

by Untamed

  I fanned it off. “I’m not worried about that trashy broad. She’s always wanted to be with Pooch, and she can have him. He deserves a low-class bottom biotch like her.”

  For about fifteen more minutes, I spoke to them about how Terrence had taken care of our “Pooch problem,” and then I told them about my wonderful “Pooch-free and unbothered” life in Evanston.

  Once we had finished our conversation, I shut down my computer and poured myself some wine. It felt good to have time to myself. My mom had picked up the kids for the weekend, and Terrence was out closing a deal on some property. I wasn’t heading into the gallery, which gave me the chance to chill. I sat in the sunroom and read Married on Mondays by my favorite author, HoneyB, as I sipped my wine while snacking on my cheese loaf and crackers.

  My cell rang in the midst of my catching up on this read. I picked up. “Hello?”

  “Hey, baby. I was just checking on you. How’s my favorite girl in the world?” Terrence said.

  “I’m fine. I’m sipping on some wine and reading my book right now. I did a video chat with the girls earlier, and, babe, there is so much going on. Everyone is losing their mind.”

  “Word?” he asked, intrigued. “I was about to ask you how Senorita, Superstar, and Peaches were doing.”

  “They would slap your face if they heard you still calling them that.” I giggled.

  “Whatever, li’l mama.”

  “Okay, Dreads. You’re interrupting my me time.”

  “Okay, well, I should be home in the next couple of hours. Are you cooking? I really would love some of your smothered pork chops and mac and cheese.”

  “That is so unhealthy. Besides, I just got my nails done,” I said, admiring my hands.

  “Babe, you’ve been on this health-food kick. I’m a man, and I like real man food, like how you used to cook. I mean, hell, we all gotta die from something. At least let me be heart-attack happy.” He laughed.

  “Okay, that’s fine, but I’m still not cooking today. Today is my day. I’m not slaving in the kitchen over a hot stove. If you want a good meal, let’s go out to Oceanique tonight.”

  “Does every dinner have to cost me two hundred dollars? Gawd damn, Trinity. We don’t have to ball out of control every day. We can hit up P.F. Chang’s or something.”

  “P.F. Chang’s is so three star.”

  “And it goes down just as easy and good as five stars,” he said sarcastically.

  “Fine. We can hit up P.F. Chang’s. I really don’t see what the issue is, though. We’re multimillionaires, Terrence.”

  “And I would like to keep us that way, if you don’t mind.” The sarcasm dripped from his lips. “We’ll hit up P.F. Chang’s for dinner, and then we could do a movie night at the house, like we used to. Ya know? Just me and you.”

  I released an exaggerated huff. “Fine, Terrence.”

  He released a deep and slow breath. “I love you, Trinity. I have to finish up this meeting so I can come home.”

  “Okay. I love you too, baby.”

  That was a trip. When I was broke, I watched every penny, nickel, and dime I had, and now that I had money, my husband thought I was going overboard with my spending. Didn’t we make money to live the life we lived? With Pooch out of the picture and my life exactly how I had envisioned it, I had no problems finally living it up to the max.

  Ring. My phone went off again. “Christ!” My irritation that I couldn’t get back to my book was evident. “Hel-lo.”

  Big Cal’s voice floated through the receiver. “Hey, you.”

  A gasp escaped me at the voice on the other end. I hadn’t looked at the name on my cell’s screen. “Big Cal,” I said faintly.

  “I was just checking up on you.”

  “I’m good, but you know the deal. I really better go.”

  He chuckled. “Terrence really has gotten to you. So you’re keeping your distance, right?”

  “Keeping the peace in my marriage, Big Cal. Come on, Terrence is your cousin, and furthermore, he’s my husband. You know I’m gonna stand by my husband.”

  He paused for a long while. “Fair enough. Take care, five-star chick.”

  “You too.” With that, we hung up.

  I sat there for a minute staring at the phone. I was saddened by the fact that Big Cal and Terrence were still at odds with each other, and by how it affected all of us. I wished they could get over the beef.

  Chapter 15

  Pooch

  Flava was doing her part helping Skrilla stack that paper so I could front my extra hundred grand. Lisa was still on lock, and my inside clique was pulling in that paper too. So I should’ve been a happy man. The thing bothering me was my lack of good rest. Yes, I was still sleeping with one eye open, as I had ever since I found Wolf and Cock Diesel together. I hadn’t seen them together or heard of them being together since that night, but still, I wasn’t trying to wake up with my seeds in Wolf’s mouth or, worse yet, his in my mouth.

  If that were to happen, they could call everything off, because murder would be the only thing on my menu. I’d shank that bastard in front of the warden myself and have a big-screen TV on instant replay to make sure they knew who exactly had laid that muthafucka down. That ain’t on no gangsta shit. That’s on some real shit. Ya feel me? Wolf had been tryin’ his best to stay close to me and be on my good side after that shit, so I really didn’t take him to be the type to fuck up his money flow by tryin’ me on that ol’ gangsta homo shit. But then, I didn’t take him for the type to have his pipe stuck down another dude’s throat, either. That just goes to show you, you never knew people.

  Everybody on my team was puttin’ in good work, even Cock Diesel—you know, aside from his extracurricular activities and all. But word on the block was that he had those muthafuckas fallin’ the fuck out over his package, though, and I wouldn’t have believed that shit if I didn’t see it with my own two eyes. Those bitches—yes, bitches—was fussin’ over who was gon’ get wit’ him that night. Then those muthafuckas started fist fighting in the yard. Two cellmates in the yard were straight scrappin’ like some ol’ high school broads over a dick. The whole time Cock Diesel sat back, laughing at those clowns. Now that shit was real must-see TV. From what I had heard, Cock Diesel rewarded both of them for their loyalty to him by giving them both hell that night. But one thing I could say, he was definitely gettin’ mo’ ass than I got pussy around here, and that was for damn sure.

  Anyway, all things considered, it was going well. I was biding my time to get the fuck out of here. In other words, I was being patient about it. Pooch Smalls had actually learned patience. I deserved a pat on the back. Fuck it. I’d pat myself.

  As I waited on the CO to take me to the infirmary, I was actually excited. It’d been a while, and I couldn’t wait to get my dick rocked by Lisa. I wanted the pussy and all.

  “Ready, inmate?” Danielle’s voice boomed through the cell.

  I jumped up. “CO Brown? What the fuck are you doing here?”

  “Filling in,” she said plainly. “Are you ready to go?”

  I looked at Wolf, and he laughed. “You betta hope that bull don’t say shit to Lisa,” he whispered.

  Fuck. The last thing I needed Lisa to know was that I let this ugly bitch suck me off. She had become real possessive over me lately. She didn’t like Flava coming to visit me and shit. One time and she was already addicted. Had to be the money. Still, Big Bull was gay, so I was sure it was cool.

  She handcuffed me, and we walked out. “So you’re sick, huh?”

  I coughed. “Yeah, it’s my chest.”

  “I know what could make that feel better,” she said and then leaned over close to me. “Giving me some more bones to suck you off.”

  “Naw, man.” I shook my head. “I’m cool.”

  That bitch was crazy. Pay her again? I was pissed at myself for doing that shit the first time. I ain’t never paid for sex in my life, and I was trying to forget I had paid for it then, especially from Big Bull.


  “Come on, Pooch. I know you got the grip. Word around here is that you’re the muthafucking man.”

  “I don’t know what you talking about.” I didn’t trust that bitch.

  “Then where you get that money from?”

  “None of your fucking business.”

  “Watch your mouth, inmate.”

  She gripped the handcuffs on my wrists as we walked. I winced from the pain. That bitch was gon’ make me issue a hit on her ass if she didn’t calm the hell down. Fake riots were easy to start to bring about real casualties.

  “Look, CO Brown. I ain’t got no money. Now, I know you got a lady and a job to protect, so be easy.”

  She was getting frustrated and angry. “Nigga, are you threatening me? You don’t know shit—”

  “Melissa Chambers, twenty-eight years old. Kindergarten teacher at Teacreek Elementary School who drives a pearl-black Chrysler 300, beige interior. License plate number DB’S BOO, which, since I know your first name now, I assume means Danielle Brown’s Boo,” I interrupted, intercepting her ideal threat.

  Her mouth dropped wide open, and she instantly started sweating. “How’d you—”

  After turning to face her, I gave her that real talk. “Don’t ever think I’m not always one step ahead of the game. I showed you my wild card for a reason. You needed to know that this inmate is not to be fucked with. Now, take me to the muthafucking infirmary, before Ms. Chambers finds out about your extracurricular activities or worse. Now, that was a threat.”

  “Okay, Pooch. Be easy. I’m sorry,” she said, shaking like a leaf as we walked. “Just please, don’t fuck with Melissa.”

  Laughing to myself, I couldn’t help but be glad that I had had Pit’s cousin find out about Danielle Brown. Something had told me that bitch might try to cause trouble for me. I had been trying hard not to show my card to her, but she wasn’t about to fuck up my playtime with Lisa. I had to do what I had to do. Gloating to myself, I thought about how smart I was and wondered how I had let myself slip up that one time with Trinity. Simple. Love. My head was always clear with anybody and everything else, but the one bitch I loved had managed to get over on me. Or so I thought. I was still confused about whether or not Trinity had really left me or what the fuck was up with her. The limbo was what fucked with me. It made me seem as though I wasn’t on my game, and I was always on my game.

  “You can wait outside,” Lisa told CO Brown when she led me into the infirmary.

  “You don’t need me to wait here for him?” she asked, confused.

  “That’s not necessary, Brown. I’m used to this inmate.”

  CO Brown shrugged. “Okay. Holler when you’re ready.” She took off my cuffs and walked out.

  Rubbing my wrists from the steel bracelets, I said, “I thought that bitch wasn’t never gonna leave. How’s my baby doing?”

  She put her hands on her hips. “What do you want, Pooch?”

  “Damn, what you all attitudinal for? You haven’t seen me in a week.”

  “So who else have you been fucking for me not to see you?”

  “Lisa, I’m locked up. You act like I can snap my fingers and make shit happen. This shit takes a little finesse. Besides, I ain’t got bitches rolling through here like this is my crib or some shit. Who the hell could I really be fucking?”

  “You think I don’t know Flava came to see you last week?” She sneered. “I wanted you to stop seeing that bitch, and I meant that.”

  Her crazy ass was losing her damn mind. I appreciated the possessiveness over the dick, but the only person issuing out ultimatums was me. “Flava is doing some thangs on the outside for me. She keeps me connected to my attorney. Come on, Lisa. Unless you wanna step to the plate and do it?”

  “I can’t—”

  “Exactly,” I boomed, getting up in her face. “So quit tripping, come and rock this dick, and get this grip.” She was wasting time, and I was sick of playing with that bitch.

  Tears sprang into her eyes. “I thought I mattered to you, Pooch. I thought maybe when you got out, we could be together. Here I was feeling like I was the only one—”

  Frustrated, I stopped her by putting my hand up. “What are you rambling on about?”

  “Danielle told me you let her suck you for money,” she whispered.

  That bitch. I was so stunned, I couldn’t even say shit. Now what the fuck would make her tell Lisa, of all people, that shit?

  “Melissa and I went to school together and are really good friends. Danielle confided in me because she felt bad about betraying Melissa. I can’t believe you.”

  I was living a fucking nightmare. First, Trinity, and now this shit. That Wolf and Cock Diesel shit had thrown me off my game, and I had fucked up. I had to think fast.

  “Baby, you don’t know the whole story. I found my cellmate and another inmate fucking in our cell. I was frustrated, and you know when I get frustrated, I need a release. I couldn’t jack off in front of them two gay bastards, so I fucked up and paid Danielle, but the entire time I was thinking of you.”

  “Really? ’Cause she said you called her Trinity. Flava’s real name is Sonja. I checked out the sign-in log,” she said, upset. “So not only am I not number one, but, hell, me and Sonja are behind some phantom bitch that never comes to see you.”

  Fuck me! Okay, I really needed to find out where this shit was going, because Lisa knew a lot of shit on me. Shit that could seriously backfire. “Okay, Lisa. Okay. The truth is I did say that name, but I thought I heard Danielle say her name was Trinity. Afterward, she told me it was Danielle. I’m sorry, baby. I am. I’ll make it up to you. What can I do?” I said, grabbing her by her waist.

  She grabbed a Kleenex. “Nothing. I’m done with you, Pooch. I’ve seen the writing on the wall, and now I know why they say not to get involved with bad boys. The sex may be great and the money good, but they’ll stomp on your heart. All I wanted was for you to give me your heart, because you had mine. As soon as you got out, I was gonna take you in and help you get up on your feet. But now I hope you rot in this muthafucka. We are done,” she said, giving me a cough drop. “Time to go. Guard!”

  “Wait, Lisa. Wait,” I begged her. I still needed to know what information was exchanged between these bitches, but it was too late. Danielle walked in.

  “You good?” she asked Lisa.

  Lisa nodded. “Yeah.”

  That confirmed it. That fucking CO knew everything. I looked up at Danielle, who smiled at me as she handcuffed me.

  “Nurse Johnson,” I called out to Lisa, hoping she’d have some sympathy for me.

  “Aw, inmate, don’t worry. I already know you know her as Lisa,” CO Brown said.

  “Take him out of here, CO Brown.”

  I was so fucking mad, I could’ve beaten both of their asses. If I weren’t handcuffed, I definitely would’ve gotten at Big Bull. She stood there smirking, as if she had the upper hand on me, and I was pissed because that bitch did. I didn’t know what all Lisa had told her, but now I knew it was time for damage control. I wasn’t about to take the rap for none of this shit if it ever came out. If these bitches thought they could play me, they had another thing coming. I was Pooch Smalls. I never failed.

  “You played yourself.” Danielle laughed. “Now, don’t fuck with me or my baby, inmate, ’cause trust me, I ain’t the one, either,” she whispered. “Oh yeah, you have a visitor.”

  “Just shut up and take me there.”

  When I walked into the visiting room, I knew there was trouble, because my attorney was in one chair and Adrienne was in the other. Something was up with Flava.

  “What’s up, Stein?” I asked, bracing myself for the worst, as I took a seat.

  “We’ve got an issue—”

  “Somebody ratted on Sonja,” Adrienne cried. “You’ve got to do something, Pooch. She’s locked up.”

  My head fell in my hands. This shit could not be happening. I needed time to think, and I was already reeling from that damn Lisa and Dani
elle shit. I knew there was a reason I couldn’t be happy. I wasn’t gonna be happy until I was out of this muthafucka for good, and now this dumb bitch had done got locked up for pushing weight. I knew that Skrilla wasn’t even gonna front his half of the money, because Flava getting locked up had already brought him heat. He couldn’t even fucking touch her now, and especially not me. If Flava knew what was good for her, she had better not say my name or Skrilla’s.

  Looking at Adrienne, I asked, “Y’all muthafuckas betta have some answers for me. Who the fuck would rat on Flava?”

  She threw her hands up. “How should I know? But I know they had to be targeting her, or they would’ve locked us both up, right along with Skrilla. She called me the other day and told me somebody was following her. The next thing I knew, she was calling me from the county lockup.”

  “And you ain’t had nobody watching you?” I questioned her. “Think, Adrienne. This shit is real important.”

  She remained silent and sat back, then shook her head. “No.”

  “I spoke with Skrilla myself, Vernon, and no feds have been after him. Like I explained to Adrienne, it sounds like someone specifically targeted Sonja. I spoke with Sonja, and she’s nervous and scared to death. It’s her first offense, so that goes in her favor, but she had a huge amount in her possession, so it’s gonna be hard to get her off without serving any time. Damn hard,” Stein explained.

  “So she needs your help, Pooch,” Adrienne said. “You can’t let her go down for this shit. You have to give up Skrilla for us so Sonja can get off.”

  Whoa! Hold up. I was not about to go to war with a supplier I barely knew. Number one, I wasn’t no muthafucking snitch, unless it benefited me. Number two, I didn’t know who all his connects were or how deep Skrilla’s contacts rolled. Lastly, I had never dealt with Skrilla on my own, so that counted my testimony out as hearsay. At least that was what I was gonna pitch now, because Flava’s ass was on her own. She had broken the Eleventh Commandment—“Thou shall not get caught.”