What Da Lick Read? The Triple Cross

by McCray, Sevyn

  “You have an amazing smile. I think that is what attracted me to you. My name is Khadafi Amin. I hate that name because my father named me after two mad men Edi Amin and Moammar Khadafi.” K.J. said as he looked down at their hands intertwined

  “Ok, so where did the J come from are you a junior?” Loyalty wondered out loud.

  “Yes, my entire name is Khadafi Amin Aziz, Jr. I have been thinking about changing my name. My father sacrificed so much for my family before he was murdered that I really need to keep the name to honor him. I am a mad man on the field so I guess it applies. But I just go by K.J. and I have been going by that ever since I was a kid. You will have to do some real research to know my birth name.”

  Loyalty sat across the table from K.J. and looked at him in admiration. She was not a groupie, but she could definitely see how girls get caught up in the hype when it comes to athletes. His build was so sexy to her and even though he had a quiet demeanor, he commanded respect without saying a word. That reminded her of Pop-Pop. Maybe it had something to do with the Muslim religion and the way the men are raised because her brother Killian was the same way.

  “So are you a practicing Muslim?” She inquired as she sat at the table hopefully with her future.

  “I worship Allah, but I haven’t been into a mosque in years. Are you a Muslim also?”

  The waiter came to the table to take their order. They hadn’t even looked at the menu yet because they had been so engrossed in each other. “Can you give us a minute, my brother? We haven’t had time to look at the menu although I already know what I want, this her first time at Two Urban Licks. She picked up the menu and informed him that she was a pescatarian. As she looked at the extensive menu, she saw that it was filled with things that she could eat.

  “Now I have heard of everything. Tell me what exactly is a pescatarian?”

  Loyalty laughed at him. “It means that I only eat seafood and vegetables silly.” She felt so good around him. She hoped this feeling would last forever. She wanted this moment for life.

  “Are you ready to order your appetizers and beverages yet” the waiter asked.

  “Yes, I would like to go ahead and order our appetizers, and our meal. For our appetizers I would like to order the salmon chips, our entrée will be the bistro steak for me and seared scallops for her. We will decide if we have room for dessert after we finish our meal. I will not be having any alcohol tonight. I will have Perrier water. Loyalty, what would you like to drink?”

  She didn’t want him to think that she was a lush. She really wanted to truly enjoy his company uninhibited so she decided that she just wanted water also and ordered room temperature Fiji water.

  He just took charge when ordering her food and the choices he made were exactly what she would have ordered for herself. K.J. had definitely put some winning points on the scoreboard in her book.

  “So tell me about your sisters and brothers? Do you guys get along well being that you are so close in age?”

  “Honesty is the oldest. She is three and a half years older than me. She looks just like our mom. I mean she is truly her carbon copy right down to her chocolate complexion. Reality is the youngest of the four of us. She is two and a half years younger than me. We all look so much different from one another. It’s hard to believe that we are sisters. She is pale like a white girl, with green and gray eyes. She is a computer geek. Killian and I are the same age, yet we are four months apart. He has a different mother but we look just alike because we favor our father. We get along very well if I do say so myself. There is always going to be a bit of sibling rivalry going on every now and then but it’s done in secret cause Pop-Pop do not play about in-fighting. Ever since I could remember he has drilled in our head that it is us against the world. We are a unit and we move as one. There are no secrets amongst us and we are there for each other no matter what.”

  “I would have hated to be on the other end of a fight with you guys growing up. You guys probably beat up all the kids in the neighborhood.” Khadafi laughed.

  “That actually wasn’t the case. We spent most of our time with each other and in the books. Education has always been one of the most important things in our household. That’s why all of us have to attend college. He says he doesn’t care what we do or how we do it as long as he gets at least a bachelor’s degree out of each of us. Me and Killa graduate this year. Honesty is working on her MBA and Reality with her little smart ass graduated last semester with a bachelor’s degree in computer science. She is a real bookworm; if her head isn’t in a book, it is glued to a computer screen. She came out of college two years early because she was taking a full load during the day at one school and going to class online at another university that she paid for herself. She combined her credits and had more than enough credits to graduate.”

  “Wow, Reality is something else. Well, all of you are. I know your dad must be really proud.” He said beaming at her across the table like he was a proud father himself.

  “I can’t wait to walk across that stage with my degree. Pop promised me that he would get me a Range when I graduate. I’m gonna hand him my degree and I need for him to be handing me the keys to an all-white Range Rover Turbo Sport.” She said slapping the table for emphasis.

  “Let dad put that money in some stocks and bonds for you. When you walk across that stage hand him that degree and I will be right there to hand you the keys and title to your all-white Range Rover Turbo Sport” He slapped the table mocking her as the waiter approached with their appetizer.

  They munched on the appetizer both in deep thought of one another. Loyalty had never met anyone that she had such immediate chemistry with. It was shocking, yet so refreshing. As they sat in silence stealing glances at one another, it was like their eyes were speaking a language of their own.

  The main course was placed in front of them and they both dug in. He stopped with his fork in mid-air and asked “Can I taste one of your scallops?” She shook her head yes. His eyes were filled with pure lust. Loyalty had a feeling that she would not be going home tonight. He reached over and got a scallop off of her plate and put it in his mouth. Some of the sauce dripped down the side of his mouth and he took his tongue and lapped it up. She was getting turned on just by seeing this and he probably didn’t even know it.

  As they finished their meal, the waiter appeared and asked if they wanted dessert. “We will be getting our dessert to go. Can I have the carrot cake with extra icing and a vanilla bean crème brûlée?”

  The executive chef Cameron Thompson walked up to the table and said “I hope your dinner has been to your satisfaction sir.”

  K.J. looked up at one of his closest friends. He stood up so fast; he almost knocked over the table. They embraced and then gave each other a special handshake.

  What’s going on my man? You were not gonna even tell me that you were in town. I had to hear about it from your old roommate Cat-eye.” Cameron said.

  “Man, you know it’s not like that, but to be honest Loyalty here, has had all of my attention. I flew in Monday evening, met her Monday night and every second of the day I have been either talking to her, texting her or just thinking about her.”

  Loyalty looked up at Cameron smiling. “He is kidding, it hasn’t been like that.”

  “Well if he is lying, it should be the truth because you are beautiful.”

  “Thank you so much. I’m Loyalty, it is very nice to meet you. The food and service was excellent. This was my first time here but it will definitely not be my last.”

  “Loyalty, is that your nickname?” Cameron asked the intriguing beauty sitting at the table.

  “No, it is my birth name” and I must say that it is one of my best characteristics. It fits me perfectly.” She said to let him know that she was definitely feeling his best friend.

  “You think that is something? She has two sisters and their names are Honesty and Reality.” K.J. said laughing.

  “If they look like her I want one,” Camero
n joked as he prepared to leave. “It was nice meeting you and I hope to see you again. Do you mind if I steal this dude away for like five minutes?”

  Before she could reply K.J. was walking away with Cameron deep in conversation. Loyalty sighed; she didn’t want the night to end.

  Chapter 5: Now who else wanna fuck wit Hollywood Court?

  D.J.’s cell phone had been ringing nonstop and now the doorbell was ringing too. He had been experiencing the headaches all morning so he needed to relax. He rolled him a Kush blunt, took a shot of Patron and sat in the extra-large garden tub filled with chamomile bath salts. The bathroom was his sanctuary. It was something about the water that soothed him like nothing he could imagine.

  The doorbell had stopped ringing and now there was someone beating on the door. D.J hopped out of the tub and grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist. He jetted into his bedroom and got his Glock 40 off of the dresser and headed toward the door. He peeped out and then smiled to himself.

  “Either your ass better be on fire or you got blood coming out of your head to be coming over here this damn early ringing the door bell and knocking like you are crazy” He said to Reality as he snatched the door opened.

  Reality stood in front of the door with her hand on her hip and her lips pursed. “Nigga damn, you must got company or something. You can’t answer the phone and I have been out here for almost 30 minutes. You knew it was me. You could’ve just picked up the phone and said that you didn’t feel like being bothered instead of having me out here looking like a damn fool.”

  D.J. laughed at her and moved to the side so that she could enter his loft. He could count the people that knew where he actually laid his head, on one hand. D.J. learned early in the game, you don’t eat where you shit. But, there was something special about Reality and he found himself doing and saying things to her that he had never done or said to a female.

  Reality looked at him standing there with his dark chocolate skin, his dreadlocks hanging down his back dripping water and all he had on was a towel. His muscles were so chiseled and well defined that you would swear that he stayed in the gym. All he did was 500 sit-ups and 500 pushups a day.

  The chemistry between them was unmistakable. They had formed a bond that was so tight, that to be around them, you would think that they had known each other all of their lives instead of just six months.

  Reality knew the real Jaimes and she told him from the first day that she met him she would not belittle him by calling him a nickname that mocked his injuries. But right now looking at him with just the towel on, she wanted to indeed say “Damn Jaimes.”

  Jaimes Goren or D.J. as everyone called him was a recluse. He didn’t like to go out into the public. All of his life he had been ridiculed because of his facial deformities. When he was four years old, his mother had fallen into a nod and knocked a candle over. The entire house went up in flames. His mother died of smoke inhalation. He suffered severe burns to his face and right hand. Some days he is thankful for life, other days, when he realizes that he will never be normal, he wishes that he would’ve died in that house with his mother.

  Reality looks at him in his eyes when she talks to him. The first day they met, she didn’t cringe when she saw him, like everyone else. She didn’t pull back her hand when he gave her his hand to shake. They had the same look in their eyes; the look of a lost child.

  “What do you want lil’ girl? Coming over here beating on my door like you are the DEA, I could’ve been in here beating up some pussy.” He said to her as he walked into his bedroom to put on some clothes.

  “No ho’ bet not be up in here. Cause if she here where you lay your head at, that means that you are digging her and I haven’t given you permission to do that to no girls. You want some random pussy you better take them to your spot. I regulate this” Reality said as she walked in the room behind him and sat Indian Style in the middle of his bed. “Oh so you are regulating now huh? Dat’s cool, I heard that’s what lil’ sisters do anyway.” He said as he dropped the towel and walked into his walk in closet.

  Reality’s mouth dropped open. Jaimes had the body of a God. She had never seen him naked before, seeing him with the towel wrapped around his waist had taken her breath away but seeing him in his full glory, she was definitely at a total loss for words. She had a feeling that she would be replaying this in her head for the rest of the day.

  She hollered at him “Lil’ sister hell, who told you that I was your lil’ sister? Nigga please!”

  He was in the walk in closet smiling from ear to ear. He had been wondering what Reality’s feelings were for him. They had gotten close fast, but he was digging her in a major way. He wasn’t really ready to let on how he actually felt about her just yet because he had to settle some things within himself. When it came to the opposite sex, he guarded his heart. Even though he was twenty-seven years old, he had only been in one relationship and the girl only used him for his money and played with his heart.

  “What the hell ever. You still didn’t tell me what the hell brought you over here this early in the damn morning. The sun ain’t even up yet.” He said as he walked out of the closet with a hoodie sweater on, covering his dreads and face and a pair of basketball shorts.

  “I knew you would be up, bout to go and walk the dog or run or whatever else the hell you be doing before the roosters start crowing. I need some syrup.” Reality said as she went into her vintage red Louis Vuitton Speedy to get him some money.

  “You have been going too heavy on the Lean, Real, you need to slow down. That shit is no joke, people die from that shit homie.” D.J. said as he put on his Air Max Shox running shoes that sat at the front door.

  “I got the money to buy it, so what is your issue? It’s not like I’m over here asking you to give it to me. Who the hell are you, my pharmacist or something? Either you are going to sell it to me or not. I don’t need any speech about the dangers of drug abuse nigga.” She said looking up at him.

  There was something so innocent and delicate about Reality that made D.J. want to protect her. As he looked into her pleading eyes, he knew then that he had definitely fallen for this girl who wouldn’t take no for an answer.

  “Too much of anything is not good for you. I understand that you be on edge and it helps you calm down. But baby girl there are things that you can do for that. How about you start running with me. I know that will help. My doctor turned me on to it. When you exercise it releases the same chemicals that are in all of these drugs. I’m trying to tell you that you will feel better. Come on, you can go with us now.” He walked to the adjacent loft that he had turned into a studio.

  “Man oh man, I didn’t come over here to hear all of this D.J., just give me the syrup so I can go. I have been up all day and night working. I need to go to sleep because I have an important meeting with Pop-Pop in a few hours.” She looked at her watch and realized that it was almost six o’clock in the morning.

  “Shawty, I ain’t giving you shit. I just served you night before last, all that shit should not be gone, you doing entirely too much. Look how small you are and you are doing all that shit. Girl you are not even five feet tall and you sipping syrup like you are my size or something. They are not gonna find yo’ lil’ ass dead somewhere and it be on me. I would never sleep again if something like that was to happen. Most of the niggas you know who sell it get it from me and I will cut they ass off in a heartbeat if I find out that you got it from them. There is nothing you can do about it. Now who else wanna fuck with Hollywood Court?”

  “Achilles!” He called his dog, a Presa Canario that weighed over one hundred and thirty pounds as he held the door open for Reality to exit.

  “That’s fucked up man. I thought you had my back when no one else did. I will get it from someone else. The whole Westside might get it from you but not the entire city of Atlanta. Our names ring bells in this city. You must have forgotten who I am” she headed to the elevator with tears in her eyes.

  “Yeah I
know who you are……You are Coach K’s daughter” He said to himself.

  Chapter 6: What’s understood, don’t need to be said.

  Killian looked at his watch. He hoped that she would answer her phone. Breaking all that work down had taken more time than he thought it would. He reached into the pocket of his camouflaged True Religion cargo shorts and pulled his iPhone out. He was tired, but he knew that if he went and got her before he went in to get some rest that he was guaranteed to wake up next to her.

  He hopped into his 650 BMW convertible and decided that he would just call her once he got outside her door. He knew that the probability of her saying no with him right there would be slim to none.

  He headed toward Bankhead. Everything had changed so much since his days of running around playing with his sisters at the babysitters while Pop-Pop was out grinding. All the projects were gone and there wasn’t money to build anything in its place. The real niggas were few and far between. Most of them were either dead or locked up. He was a young nigga in age, but he had been up under his dad in the game since birth, so he knew everybody and made moves like an O.G.