by Shan
Chapter 5
Khi
“Man, I’m not playing with you and KaeDee either. I said I’m not going. I don’t give a fuck about Dae right now. We almost lost our muthafuckin’s lives this morning and ain’t no more work coming in. That’s what I’m out here working on. Fuck what y’all talking about,” I said and ended the call. I slid my phone into my pocket and banged on the door that I stood in front of. KaeDee and Cassidy was going to leave me alone about this Dae shit. They thought I was playing when I said I didn’t give a fuck about that nigga. I did what the fuck I could and had washed my hands with him. I had other shit to worry about; like this bitch right here.
“Bitch come here,” I said, as I wrapped my hands around Selena’s throat and pushed her inside of her mama’s house. I closed the door behind me with my foot and then squeezed the grip I had around her neck even tighter. Selena swallowed hard and her eyes closed as she brought her hands up to me to fight me off.
“Khian! Khian, you let her go!” Selena’s mother Sonya said with her thick Spanish accent. She slapped me across my back with her little hands, but I had snapped out. Muthafuckas just didn’t know when to leave well enough alone. The streets didn’t call me Killa Khi for nothing. Selena was about to see a side of me that I’m sure she had only heard about. It was only so much a nigga like me could take before I no longer gave a fuck, and it seemed like everybody around me wanted to push me to that point.
“Khian!” Sonya yelled again, and I took one hand and pushed her away before I turned around and slapped Selena across her face.
“I told you to stop fucking with me, Selena. What the fuck is this shit?” I yelled as I pulled out a pic that I had folded up and stuffed into my pocket. I shoved it into Selena’s face, and she caught it before it fell to the ground. She backed away, and I stepped closer to her. “What the fuck is that? You set me up? Talk bitch! You had me robbed and had my people killed, huh… you little dirty ass bitch!”
I moved forward again as Selena stepped back ready to slap the fuck out of her, but her mother stepped in between us. She placed one hand over my chest and pointed a finger into her hoe ass daughter’s face. I gritted down on my teeth as anger ripped through my body. I was so hot staring at Selena that I felt like I was going to explode. I didn’t give a damn what me and her ass went through; I always treated her good and was gonna always look after her. She ain’t shit to worry about. Her insecure ass was so in her feelings about a broad that meant absolutely nothing to me that she would go as far as to having me robbed. Muthafuckin’ trife life if you asked me.
“Tell him the truth, mija!” Sonya said, and I crossed my hands over my chest, as I waited for her to speak.
“Yea, tell me how you had me robbed bitch! Do you know I lost a lot of muthafuckin’ people I cared about that night?”
“I didn’t have you robbed Khi or anybody killed! I would never—”
“Man save that shit about what you would never do. That shit right there says everything I need to know. Yea, it’s funny how you suddenly disappeared. You ain’t been calling and blowing me up with text because you know your ass is guilty!”
“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. I have been out of town hiding out.”
“Cause you a guilty ass hoe!” I yelled and rushed towards her. I grabbed her by her throat again and slammed her against the wall behind her. Pictures and other shit fell to the floor, and Sonya screamed from behind me, as she repeatedly punched me in my back. “Where the fuck is my shit, or tell me where I can find the muthafuckas that got it?”
“It’s Fariq! It’s my ex Fariq… but I didn’t have anything to do with what he did to you and your people, Khi. He came to me months ago before I was even pregnant with our daughter asking me questions about you and your family, and I didn’t give him anything. That’s what that picture is about. Someone must’ve taken it then. He called me up to meet with him, and I did, but I didn’t know what it was about until I got there. When I realized what he was doing, I tried to leave, but he grabbed me up and told me that you all owed him and his family something you all stole, and that he was going to get it even if he had to kill you and KaeDee them.”
“You think I’m supposed to believe that shit? You got me fucked up, Selena! Where the fuck is this nigga Fariq?”
“She’s telling you the truth, Khi. Let her go!” Sonya screamed.
“I am not lying to you. He told me that he wasn’t down with some coalition shit, and that he needed to collect what was owed to them so that they can take over…I didn’t tell him nothing about you or your brothers. I only told him that me and you weren’t on that level, and you never discussed any type of business with me, which you didn’t, Khi!”
“Then how the fuck he knew how to hit me, Selena? And why am I just now hearing about this shit. Why you didn’t tell me this months ago when he came to you? Don’t sit here and play me like I’m sucka ass nigga. I’ve gotten to my breaking point, and you carrying my seed isn’t going to stop me from snapping you and your mama’s neck,” I told her, as I took a step back from her and looked her over.
“I don’t know how he found out, and he told me that, if I said anything to you that he was going to kill my mother. I couldn’t risk that happening. I figured that if all he was trying to do was collect what was owed to him, then he would get it and leave me and mother out of it. After I had met with him, he contacted me a few more times, and after so long, he just stopped. I thought everything was cool until I found about what happened. He started harassing me again, harassing my mother, and he said that Dae had killed his father and that he wanted revenge for his family.
He came here and beat my mother up looking for me, and after I got her some help, we both fled. The only reason we are back now is because we got news that my 83-year old grandfather was found dead in his bed. We just got back in town today, and I told my mother that it wasn’t safe, but she refused to allow her father to be buried without her being here, and I wasn’t about to let her come alone. I hadn’t contacted you, because I didn’t want to bring any drama your way, and I didn’t want to be found. We have a daughter coming, and I have to protect her.”
I sighed not knowing if I should believe Selena or not. It was real muthafuckin’ ironic that her ex-boyfriend just so happened to be affiliated with the same niggas that was gunning for our heads. Dae killing Amin was explanation enough for them trying to get back at us, but it wasn’t explaining why they had come for us in the first fuckin’ place. Her talking about us owing them something made no sense, because I knew for sure I ain’t owe them Arabs a muthafuckin’ thing. I had never done business with them, and I knew for a fact that KaeDee hadn’t either, or otherwise, he would’ve mentioned it. The only way that would be is if Dae had done some shit, but even then, that nigga would’ve said something.
“Look, I will show you,” Selena said and rushed towards her mother’s living room with the both of us on her tail. She grabbed her cell phone that sat on the arm of the sofa. She unlocked and scrolled through her messages before she handed the phone over to me. I stood there for a few moments reading the back and forth conversation between Selena and this nigga Fariq. This nigga was really on some hoe shit with them threats he was spitting. Talking that hot shit that, I knew if he was standing in front of me, he wouldn’t say shit to my muthafuckin’ face. I knew that as facts because what kinda nigga went back and forth with a chick in order to get to a nigga. He was a hoe for sure, and I couldn’t wait to catch up with this dude.
After reading this shit, I only partially believed what the hell Selena was saying. It still didn’t make any sense why she didn’t say anything to me, and for that reason, I could never fully trust her. I didn’t care what kinda threats that nigga was making, and how scared she may have been, she still should’ve spoke the fuck up. People lost their lives. Muthafuckas that I cared about. I will never be at peace about the goonie Tramell losing his baby mama and their kid never being able to see their mother aga
in. Shit was real out here, but a lot of it could’ve been prevented had Selena said something. I could’ve looked out for her and her mama, but her choosing to keep it to herself and run from the situation said to me she was guilty of something. I ain’t know what, and for now, I would play the situation out carefully.
“When’s your grandfather’s funeral?” I asked Selena.
“It was this morning. My mother insisted that we come here to get a few things that she left behind before we left town again. Our flight leaves in a couple of hours,” Selena told me, and I nodded.
“Your mama can catch that flight, but you ‘bout to come with me. We gon’ find if you really as innocent as you claim.”
***
I stepped out onto the balcony of the suite I was staying at with Selena and waited for Cuba to answer my FaceTime call. She had called me a few times, but being I was with Selena, I couldn’t answer it. It was bad enough that I had Briana’s ass close to watch her, and now, here I was doing the same thing with Selena. I didn’t know how the fuck I was going to explain that shit, so for now, I wasn’t even going to try.
“Damn are you okay?” Cuba asked, the moment her face appeared on the screen. I smiled and bit down on my lip, as I stared at her breast that was spilling over the top of her shirt.
“I’m good now that I’m seeing your beautiful face. What’s good with you baby? Everything good at Tangie’s?”
“Well, you act like you didn’t wanna see my beautiful face. You damn sure didn’t answer when I called.”
“Don’t do that baby. You know I’m out here handling shit. Everything is hectic, and I just been on the block nonstop.”
“Yea… I know, but still, being that everything is so hectic, I do expect you take out the time to let me know that things are good and that you’re alive,” Cuba said, and I cocked my head to the side as I stared at her.
“Damn, so you telling me a nigga got check in and shit?”
She sighed. “Anyway, things are good at Tangie’s. I wish you would’ve told me that she and your brother used to be an item and that there was bad blood between them. She was mad as hell that I brought him here like I had done it on purpose or something.”
“That situation with Tangie was just bad all around, and hell, that’s your muthafuckin’ cousin. I thought you knew that she was my bruh’s shawty. They was together for a long ass time, and things just got bad. He got locked up, and didn’t have a chance to fix it. I mean, we don’t call each other sis and bro for nothing. Tangie’s always been my people, and yea, I always thought it was crazy how I had never met you before, but you was too far up that fuck nigga’s ass to recognize the real back then anyway.”
“Whatever, it seems like you got an attitude or something. So I guess I’ll holla at you later.”
“I’m stressed, Ma. Shit not supposed to be like this. KaeDee lost his muthafuckin’ wife, Dae locked up…shit,” I sighed.
“Is it true what KaeDee was saying earlier? Did you do that?”
I nodded.
“Is that why you asked about my sister and the day she died before you left the house that morning?”
I nodded again, and Cuba sighed.
“Damn, babe.”
“I had to. Nobody will understand that shit, but I had to, babe. Niggas wanted to kill him, and shit, I figured that was the best way I could protect him, and too, he could get the help he needed.”
“You don’t have to explain, baby. I know that you did what you felt you needed to do. I know how you feel about your brothers; you talk about them all the time.”
“Damn, I can’t wait to marry you so you can have my sons,” I told Cuba and watched as she blushed on the screen. “I’m for real man. Even though we gotta fix that slick ass mouth, you make a nigga feel good when I really be feeling like I’m about to break.”
“That’s what I’m here for, Khi. And my mouth only gets slick nigga when you be trying me. Stop stressing about your brothers. You did what you did to save him and to keep your family fed.”
“Yea, but they’ll never understand my logic. I can’t and won’t let nobody fuck with my livelihood, and yea, I let Dae get away with shit far too long, but I’m all about correcting the shit now and moving the fuck on. I learned my lesson, and that shit won’t happen again.”
“Have you learned your lesson?” Cuba asked, and I frowned before I gritted down on my teeth.
“Fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“You still putting yourself out there to help people that don’t wanna be helped.”
“What you talking about? You talking about Briana?”
“Yes, how is that everyone can see that she’s up to something, but you?”
“Man, I’m not about to talk about this shit with you. I don’t know how many times I gotta say, I don’t give a fuck about no Briana! Tell me now if you finna do the same shit Selena was doing and nag me about somebody that don’t even matter, and we can end this shit right now,” I said and sighed. How the fuck did we just go from me talking about marrying her and her having my babies to talking about a bitch that didn’t matter? I went to say something else when Cuba ended the call and hung up in my face. I called her ass back, but Selena pulled the door open to the balcony and forced me to end the call. “What?”
“I’m ordering room service. Do you want anything?” she asked, as she placed her hand on her stomach.
“Nah, I’m good,” I told her and pulled up my text messages.
Me: Don’t you ever hang up in my face again. How many times I gotta tell you I’m not that other nigga??? Quit fuckin’ playing with me.
I turned around to see Selena still standing in the doorway like she was waiting for me to acknowledge or something. I frowned and turned back to my phone waiting on Cuba’s ass to say something. I swear that girl made my muthafuckin’ blood boil with that slick ass mouth and fucked up attitude of hers. It was cute and a turn-on in the beginning, especially being that she was the first chick I had ever crossed that made me chase them. That shit was a challenge and test to my damn ego, but now, it didn’t move me. Shit, I was man before anything, and wasn’t no one gonna talk or treat me like I was some bitch ass nigga.
When I realized Cuba wasn’t going to text me back, I shook my head and slid my phone into my pocket. I pulled the blunt that I had rolled earlier from behind my ear and grabbed the lighter from my pocket.
“Is it the same chick that was in your house that night?” Selena asked, and I glanced at her as I blazed the blunt.
“Fuck does it matter? I wasn’t with you when I fucked her, so don’t start with me.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything like that. Just surprised, because she definitely isn’t your type.”
“And how would you know what my type is?”
“I mean, like the cute face and fat ass type. She barely got any titties. How old is she?”
I chuckled and shook my head.
“Good luck on keeping your next nigga if you think that a cute face and a fat ass is all that matters to us. I mean, think about it, you have all that, and still couldn’t keep me interested. That should tell you something.”
“Only because you had your head so far up Briana’s ass that you couldn’t see that I was a good woman for you, Khi.”
“Your definition of a good woman is,” I said, as I stuck the tip of the blunt in my mouth. “Having a cute face, a big ass, and some good pussy…and even though the box was just mediocre, you ain’t cook or clean and you had the nerve to tell me to hire a maid, because your ass was lazy. All you did was fuckin’ nag me damn near to death and again you lazy as fuck. Oh, and don’t forget the most important shit, the reason why we cooped up in this hotel room now. You a grimy ass bitch just like Briana, so keep your comments about what my type is to yourself, because neither of you were it.”
“Why did you get with me if you knew you were going to break my heart?”
“Man, why are we even talking about this shit right now? It don’t matt
er!”
“It does matter, because you hurt me, and I’m not over it. I don’t think I will ever get over it! You don’t know how much I care about you. Do you know how hard it is loving someone that doesn’t love you back?”
“I tried loving you and all you fuckin’ did was complain,” I said and shrugged my shoulders. “So I moved on.”
“That’s not true, Khi. You didn’t try to love me. You used me to make Briana jealous until you got over her. We never even had a fair chance, because you was still in love with your ex. You’re still in love with her now. You’re gonna have the same problems as you did with me as soon as your new girlfriend realizes it. Hopefully, she doesn’t end up pregnant and hurt like me!”
I sighed. “Maybe you’re right, Selena. I probably still was in love with Briana and fucked up about how shit went down between me and her, but still, I knew I would never get back with her, that I would never be in a relationship with or fuck her again. I had hoped that I could one day grow in love with you, but you refused to just let the shit flow and did everything to push me away. So stop your muthafuckin’ complaining, and leave me the fuck alone with this shit.”
“You are so fuckin’ cold. One day, someone is going to make you feel the way that you make me feel and…”
“Agghhh,” I yelled out of frustration. I tossed my blunt to the ground and brushed past Selena as I walked inside of the hotel room. This was that shit that kept a nigga’s mind on ten. I could never have peaceful moment without something or someone coming along to fuck it up. The whole Briana situation and everyone having something to say about it was starting to sound like nails against a chalkboard. Selena always nagging about her, Cuba, and I ain’t miss the shade KaeDee was throwing earlier. I don’t know why so many muthafuckas were threatened about a chick that I wasn’t even much concerned about. Damn! My agenda with Briana was to get her right for my daughter’s sake and only for that reason. It was like I was constantly explaining some shit that, to me, didn’t seem to need any explaining. I felt like this was something I had to do for my daughter, and shit, if it didn’t work out, then at least I muthafuckin’ tried. Wasn’t nobody about to make me feel bad about the shit either.
