Benny Atkins kicked in the door and rushed in with his guns aimed, ready to hit anything moving.
“What the fuck!” Sherman cried out as he turned around to see Benny standing behind him. He had been caught in the worst way, with his pants down.
“Fuck you doing, ol’ man?” Wood asked in disgust as he looked at Justine sprawled out across the floor, crying.
Benny instantly recognized the girl as the fresh chick from the skating rink, and he trained his pistol on Sherman. “You like little girls, my nigga?” he asked.
“Nah, Benny ... you know how it is. I was just having a little fun, playa,” Sherman said nervously as he pulled up his underwear.
“Don’t look like she having too much fun,” Benny said, his eyes turning dark with every word he spoke. “Help her up, Wood,” he instructed.
Justined was crying so hard that she couldn’t get up from the floor. All the while her mother lay clueless on the couch. She felt Wood scoop her in his arms and help her stand.
“Come on, man. You can have the streets, Benny. Just put the gun down. I taught you everything you know, man. Return the favor and put the gun away.” Sherman spoke fast so he could buy himself some time.
Benny nodded his head and replied, “I’ll tell you what. If babygirl say you can live ... then you’ll live. If not ...”
Before Benny could finish his sentence gunshots rang out in the house.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Justine had grabbed Sherman’s gun and shot him without thinking twice. Her hands shook violently, but the hatred in her eyes let Benny know that she had been hurt many times before, and she had just made Sherman pay for it ... with his life.
Benny walked up to her cautiously and wrapped his hand around the smoking gun. After he removed it from her hands she collapsed into his chest, sobbing.
“It’s all right ... everything’s okay,” Benny soothed. He nodded to his man and passed him the murder weapon. Wood opened his eyes wide as if to say, “Shorty ain’t playing.” He took the gun and knew that he was supposed to peform a magic trick by making it disappear.
Benjamin began to walk away, leaving Justine crying and holding herself as she stared at the dead man on her living room floor. But his gut wouldn’t let him leave her there like that. When he turned around, he noticed how beautiful she was. In such a delicate state she needed him. She was like a leaf hanging on to a limb, and the winds of life were threatening to blow her away. She needed him. She needed him to stabilize her life. To be her root, her new beginning, her everything. He could sense it in her eyes. Justine was the lady for him. He walked back over to her and removed his coat, wrapping it around her quivering body. “Is there somewhere I can take you?” he asked.
She looked up at him with desperate eyes and shook her head. She had no one. It had just been her for as long as she could remember. Even with the presence of her mother she always felt lonely. No one cared. All she had was herself and a mind full of painful memories that made life seem unbearable.
He looked around at the tiny house, and at her deadbeat mother. There was no way he could leave her there. “You’re coming with me. I’ma make sure you’re all right,” he asserted. He scooped her into his arms and Wood opened the door for them as they made their exit. It was the last time that Justine ever saw her mother. She kissed her old life good-bye.
Benjamin made good on his promise and made sure that Justine was okay. He fell in love with her instantly, and as he rose to the top of the game, so did she. He made her tell him the names of every man who had ever brought her harm, and mysteriously they all had gruesome misfortunes, meeting their fate earlier than they had anticipated at the hands of an upcoming hood legend. He wanted her to know that as long as he was around she had no one to fear. Her life was butter from that day forward. He made her his world and the queen of the streets.
Justine wiped the tears from her eyes as she snapped out of her daydreams. Her husband, Raven’s father, had saved her life. Before him she had not known what love was. Now she had two beautiful daughters and anything she could ever want. She had given her life to a hustler, so she knew what it took to be the dopeman’s lady ... and as she reminisced on everything they had been through together, she was positive that Raven was not ready to live the life. She thinks she’s ready, but she’s not. She’s just a baby ... my baby, Justine thought. She did not want the lifestyle of the hood for her daughter, and everything about Mizan spelled H-U-S-T-L-E-R. Yeah, I’ll have to keep my eye on her. Niggas ain’t the same no more. They don’t make hustlers like Benny anymore. She deserves so much more. Justine shook old memories from her thoughts and turned off her bedroom light, retiring for the night.
Chapter Two
The next day, the Atkins’ brought the hood to their prestigious, affluent community as all of the hustlers in Benjamin’s circle came out to show him love at Morgan’s birthday cookout. His youngest daughter was deaf, so he always went above and beyond to make her feel as included and loved as possible. It was something they did annually for her, and somehow, every single year, the children’s party transformed into an adult party. Raven and Nikki were both wearing swimsuit tops and shorts that left nothing to the imagination. It was unusually hot outside as the sun blazed brightly. Michigan didn’t normally warm up until late June, but as Raven watched her little sister and the rest of the kids splashing around in the pool, she was anxious to sit around in her bikini and enjoy the beautiful day. Everybody in the backyard came from nothing, but they were now working with legit businesses while holding reign over the city streets . . . all thanks to the leadership of Benjamin. Benjamin was the king, and the hustlers, along with their wives and children, were the courtship of his kingdom.
“What did your dad say when you came in last night?” Nikki asked nosily.
“He was mad, but he’s over it now. My mama invited Mizan to the party. I don’t know if he gon’ show up though. I haven’t heard from him yet. I don’t know if he’ll call cuz my mama threw salt in the game when she told him my real age,” Raven explained.
“Rae! You and Nikki come in here and grab some of this food! Y’all ain’t just about to be standing around looking cute. Come help me, Justine called out to the pair.
They went and grabbed the silver pans of side dishes that Justine had whipped up, and carried them outside. Liquor flowed freely and the smell of weed was potent in the air as old school music played inside the house. They may have lived in lavish luxury, but there was nothing snobbish about the royal family. The scent of soul food permeated the air, while the sound of dominoes being smashed on the tabletops resounded throughout the backyard. Benjamin and Justine kept it all the way real, all the time. They were good peoples and enjoyed the family environment as they celebrated their youngest child. They all felt safe because there were no outsiders in their club. Trust was at 100 percent among the men, so they each felt comfortable, so much so that Benjamin allowed everyone to let loose and enjoy the party without putting men on post to guard his home. It was all love because everyone in attendance had pledged their allegiance to Benjamin and vice versa.
“Raven, come over here ... I want you to meet somebody,” Benjamin called out.
“Damn, who is that?” Nikki commented as she lifted her hand to block the sun so she could get a better view.
Raven turned in the direction of her father and lifted her sunglasses when she saw the same dude she had seen the night before at the corner store. “I don’t know, but I’m about to find out,” she told her friend as she placed her glasses on top of her head and walked over to her father.
“Ethic, this is my daughter, Raven ... Rae, this is Ethic. He works for me,” Benjamin stated. Before they could say anything to each other Justine called Benjamin into the house. “Rae, go to the store and grab some more ice for the coolers!”
“I’m blocked in!” she yelled.
Benjamin pointed to Ethic. “Ethic will take you. He’s new in town. It’ll give you a chance to get
acquainted.”
“So you’re from Missouri?” Raven asked, making small talk as she and Ethic walked to the front yard.
He nodded as he led her to his car and opened the passenger door for her. She hopped in and then slid over into the driver’s seat. When he made it around to the driver’s side she held her hand out. “I’ll drive,” she stated with a smile.
He opened the door and said, “A little girl like you can’t handle my whip, ma ... scoot over.”
“Oh, I can handle it just fine. I’ve ridden bigger things,” she insinuated, not moving an inch. “What, you don’t want your little girlfriend from yesterday to see me driving your car. No offense, but somebody like you needs to upgrade. I would think you would have a better bitch on your arm,” Raven said bluntly.
Ethic scoffed and shook his head at her slick comment. “You should clean up that mouth of yours,” he said as he handed her the keys. He got into the passenger side as Raven started the car. She pulled away from the curb. “Don’t wreck my shit, ma, this will drive itself. All you got to do is steer,” he instructed as he leaned back in his seat.
“I got you ... I’m not gon’ tear up your car,” she stated as she eased into traffic. “So was that your girl you were talking to yesterday?” she asked.
“No, that wasn’t my lady,” he replied.
“So do you have a chick?”
He laughed as he adjusted his fitted cap, pulling it so low on his head that it almost covered his mysterious eyes.
“You ask a lot of questions,” he said. “Why are you so interested in me? I’m a grown man. Don’t you have little high schoolers or something checking for you?”
“Yeah, but I’m not worried about them ... I’m checking for you,” she admitted.
“Nah, you checking for ol’ boy you were with last night,” he shot back. “That ho-ass nigga. You should watch the type of company you keep.”
She smacked her lips and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “What, you were jealous?”
“You wild, ma,” he said as he shook his head at her persistence. He gazed out the window as they rode through the ruthless city.
“I saw you watching me,” she said after they’d reached the store and parked. She turned in her seat to face him.
“That was before,” he said.
“Before what?” she asked.
“Before you opened your mouth to speak. You’re a young’un, ma. You don’t know shit about the world around you. You pushing grown woman whips and rocking grown woman clothes.” He tapped her temple gently as he leaned close to her ear. “But up here you’re still a baby.”
“Boy, boo,” she replied curtly with a flip of her hand. “I’m a grown-ass woman. I’ma be eighteen in a few months,” she stated as if that made her an adult. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-two.”
“You can be my old head,” she replied flirtatiously. “Admit it, all the rest of these busted bitches ain’t what you into. I’m the only girl that’s gon look good on your arm.”
“That’s the problem, shorty ... I’m not looking for a girl. I want a woman, and you not there yet.” He exited the car, leaving Raven with heavy thoughts on her mind.
Mizan sat in his car with his automatic pistol lying in his lap as he watched people going in and out of the Atkins home. When he had originally lay eyes on Raven he had no clue that she was the daughter of Flint’s largest kingpin. His jack boy status kept him in the grimiest parts of the hood, places where Raven would never frequent. They were two individuals living in the same city, but their perceptions of Flint were drastically different. She sat at the top and looked down on the minions who inhabited the murder capital; whereas he was at the bottom clawing his way up inch by inch. Because of their differences in age and hood status, their paths had never crossed before, but all of that changed when the naïve, young girl walked into a small club on his side of town. Now that he knew who she was associated with, she was even more appealing to him. Just from being in her presence he had discovered what not many people knew: Benny Atkins home address. It was a stick up kid’s dream to be able to get inside of the infamous drug dealer’s home, and because of Raven he had been extended a personal invitation. He was not about to take the chance of a lifetime for granted. He had his man, Bull, and his brother, Boo, lurking in a parked car a few blocks away with black masks and black gloves, just waiting for the word from Mizan to run up in the house.
I know that mu’fucka keep a safe at his crib, Mizan thought as he studied the home, watching friends of the family as they laughed and joked with one another. He, on the other hand, wasn’t there to socialize. After finding out Raven’s age he had thought of dismissing her. He didn’t fuck with young chicks; the headaches they caused weren’t worth the unexplored crevices between their thighs. But Raven was different. She was hood royalty, a sheltered daughter who wanted to be down, and he was about to put her on his team. He knew that it would be easy to capture her head. She was young and impressionable. She would be easy for him to mold. It was the number one rule of any nigga trying to lock down a loyal chick: Fuck a bitch’s mind and the body will follow, Mizan thought, remembering what his deceased father had taught him when he was coming into adolescence. Mizan could see that Raven was in love with her father. Just from the small time he had seen them interacting, it was obvious that he was the king of her world. Mizan fully intended to break that bond. He wanted Raven for himself. On top of being the flyest little diva in the city, she was his meal ticket. He wanted her on his team. Her loyalty was about to shift from her father to her “new daddy,”which was why he gone out of his way to show up to the little shindig.
He saw the black truck that whipped around the corner, and noticed Raven sitting behind the wheel. Fuck is this mu’fucka she rolling with? he thought, puzzled. He took the safety off of his pistol and tucked it in his waistband as he exited the car. He leaned against his car as he watched Raven park the vehicle on the curb. When she got out he noticed that she was frowned up, as if she had just got out of a heated discussion, but then she finally saw him. Her frown easily melted away.
“You came!” she said, surprised, her voice rising an octave. She walked across the street to him and hugged him as if she hadn’t seen him in years. Mizan embraced her, wrapping one arm around her small waist as he kissed her neck.
“What, you thought I wouldn’t? he replied as he leaned against his car with his hands tucked in his pockets. He wore baggy Sean Jean jeans and a pale yellow designer polo, with fresh kicks. The waves in his fresh cut left her dizzy. He was clean and looked even better than the day before. Even Raven couldn’t believe that she had pulled him.
“I thought when you found out how old I was you would crap out, ”she stated truthfully.
“When do you turn eighteen? he asked.
“In August.”
“Then I guess we’ll have to keep this thing friendly until then, n’ah mean? He licked his lips and looked down at her. He couldn’t believe that the beautiful body before him belonged to a girl so young, but he appreciated it all the same. His eyes roamed her scantily clad body and he shook his head at the lovely sight. He glanced up the street and could see his goons obediently waiting to hear the word.
“We can head to the back. Are you hungry? We’ve got all kinds of food, ”Raven said as she led the way.
When Mizan walked past Benjamin, he nodded in acknowledgment. He could feel her father’s eyes suspiciously trying to figure him out, but Raven was oblivious to it all. She beamed as she walked around proudly on his arm.
Justine watched her daughter and Mizan interact. She could see that Raven was into him and she could also see that her husband wasn’t fond of the idea at all. She walked over to him and placed her hand on his back. “Stop frowning, Benny. She’s seventeen. At least they are here at the house where we can keep an eye on them, she reasoned.
Benjamin nodded and kissed her cheek, but his frown never wavered. He watched as Mizan whispered in R
aven’s ear, and his blood boiled. He motioned for Ethic to come over to him.
“I want you to do me a favor, young blood. Keep an eye on that nigga over there with my daughter. I don’t like how he move. Something about him ain’t right, ”Benjamin said.
“We’re reading out of the same book, fam. I’ll keep an eye out,”Ethic assured as he sat back and observed while slowly sipping a Heineken. Raven may not have sensed the shade in Mizan, but real recognized real, and everything about him spelled phony to Ethic. Even the way he interacted with Raven seemed rehearsed, as if he had his mind on other things. Little did Ethic know, Mizan had his eyes on robbing Benny Atkins.
Mizan wasn’t focused on anything, but taking mental notes of his surroundings. He noticed that the only time someone went inside the house was to use the bathroom. Other than that the inside was off limits. It was the perfect setup. While everybody was partying and distracted out back, Mizan was about to hit the inside. He knew that his crew would have to get in and out. As he looked around at all the hustlers and street legends in attendance, he knew that they were strapped. If anything went wrong there would be no turning back. What he was trying to do was reckless, but the life and times of a jack boy often were. It was all or nothing, and Mizan was ready to make his move. “Yo’, you got a restroom I can use? he asked.
“Yeah, it’s right inside. Go through the back door, it’s the first door on your left,” Raven instructed. As soon as he got inside the house, he walked around, making sure the coast was clear. After discovering that no one was in the house, he quickly unlocked the front door, and then headed back to the party.
Moth to a Flame Page 4
