Love in the Trap

by Lucinda John

  “Go for it girl. You can get whatever you like, my treat.” She said, waving around Murder’s black card.

  “Girl, how the hell did you get that?” I asked.

  “He gave it to me.”

  “Mia, that’s the man’s black card.”

  “Yeah, I know. I swiped it a few times.”

  “Do Ro know you got this?” I asked her.

  “No, and please don’t say anything about this to Hot Rod.”

  “You know me better than that girl. Things between you and Murder is getting pretty serious don’t ya think?”

  “Nah girl, I haven’t even given him the goodies. I guess he’s really just feeling me.” She shrugged her shoulders.

  “Are you feeling him?” I asked.

  “I love Romeo.” Was her response.

  I knew in my heart this shit was a bad idea when she told me about it. Murder was a charmer and I just prayed that Mia was strong enough to stay focused on the plan. If she ended up falling for Murder, lives were going to be lost and she was bound to get hurt. I loved Mia so much that I didn’t want to watch her go through that.

  “Make sure you stick to the script. Romeo is a great guy and he loves you so much.”

  “Shanie, I know. I’m feeding him the information that he needs so we can get this over with, nothing more nothing less.” She replied.

  “Ok.” I said, taking her word.

  After our full day of pampering, Mia took us to the mall where we shopped like crazy. I enjoyed our girl’s day out. It had been a long time since we had one and it was something I needed badly. With me working mad hours and Mia working on Murder, we barely had time to sit and chat.

  “How are you enjoying Hot Rod being home?” She asked, as we sat in TGI Friday eating shrimp pasta and steak.

  “I’m mad you ain’t tell me.” I rolled my eyes at her. “But for the most part, I am so happy he’s home.”

  “I know you spent the night fucking, that’s why I didn’t even bother to call you.” She giggled.

  “Did I? Girl we broke my bed in making up for lost time.”

  “That’s what I’m talking about.” She said, high-fiving me. “I’m really happy for you bestie.”

  “Thank you, baby.” I replied.

  When we returned back to Mia’s house, the boys were gone. Mia rolled up a few blunts, I made some daiquiris, and we smoked and drank while we cooked dinner. When we finished with dinner, which consisted of oxtails, red beans and rice, mac and cheese, and cornbread, we laid on the couch to watch Brotherly Love on Netflix.

  Romeo

  Hot Rod was able to get me in with Murder and we was on his headquarters to attend a meeting. I still hated that nigga, but I was a businessman and hitting these licks on Murder was something I was going to enjoy doing until I was able to take it all from him. When we made it to the warehouse, the guards that was in the front, patted us down, and took our weapons. Since I was new to the squad, I was not allowed to attend any meetings with a weapon on me until I graduated from being a rookie to a vet. The whole shit was a joke to me. I even laughed in the guards face when he told me that shit. Nonetheless, I went with the flow and allowed him to take my gun.

  “The reason behind my meeting is to welcome back Hot Rod and introduce my girl’s brother, Ro to the team.” Murder said, causing my hands to open and close, something I did when I wanted to go in a nigga’s shit.

  “These niggas will be taking over 13th all the way down to the train tracks. Hot Rod deserves to be a fucking leader since he went to jail like a G without ratting us out.” Murder went on to say.

  “Good looking out, Murder.” Hot Rod replied.

  When he was done talking about the trap assignments, he went on to discuss the beef he was having with the West side niggas. He ran down how they were going to switch shit up in hopes of stopping them nigga from hitting them. The way this nigga ran down his plans with every nigga in the camp, without thinking about there being a snake, proved that he wasn’t cut enough to be a boss.

  After the meeting, Murder had this little welcome home party for Hot Rod at King of Diamonds. I watched as he popped bottles all night long and carelessly threw money at the strippers. It’s only a matter of time before all this shit was mine, I kept thinking to myself as I sipped my Patron. All the fellas, except me, had a big booty freak in their lap, giving them a lap dance. The only big booty freak I needed in my life was Mia, so I let the fellas handle theirs.

  * * *

  “Them niggas ready?” I whispered to Hot Rod.

  “Yeah, they about to run through there in a few.” He replied, as he counted some money.

  It’s been a month since we started running the trap on 13st for Murder and we were finally busting a move and having a few of Hot Rod niggas run through some traps. Just so we wouldn’t look suspicious, we decided to be here when our trap got hit, and we even made plans to bust back at some niggas to make the shit look real.

  “Iight young niggas, stay up and holla at me if ya need me. I’m about to make this drop.” Hot Rod said, to a few of our workers.

  “We’ll be out here grinding, boss.” They replied.

  Them young niggas looked up to Hot Rod because he did time and didn’t snitch. Little did they know, Murder left him out for dead. These young niggas was out here risking their lives, moving weight for Murder, and he didn’t even treat them like family. All he saw was dollar signs and he was willing to do anything to make his pockets fatter. We were the only trap that paid our niggas good. Everybody else was starving off of Murder’s low salary.

  “Make a move and I’mma blow ya head off young blood.” A masked man rushed through the house.

  He hit Hot Rod with a two-piece, causing him to drop, then a swarm of niggas ran through the house outnumbering us. I wanted to smile, but I knew niggas was watching, so I slowly pulled out my gun. I waited until they cleaned up the trap and was about to leave to start busting my guns. Hopping into action, Hot Rod grabbed his gun and started blasting back, but they were long gone.

  “Fuck man! Why the fuck you niggas ain’t do shit?” Hot Rod faked being mad.

  “We were outnumbered.” One of them young niggas replied.

  “So fucking what. When y’all saw Ro busting y’all should have followed behind him.” Hot Rod yelled, putting on the show. This nigga was putting on an act that was worth a Grammy up in this bitch. I had to bite the inside of my jaw to keep from laughing.

  “Damn man! Ro nigga go check in the back to see what all they got away with.” Hot Rod said, pulling out his phone to call Murder.

  I watched him from the back window as he talked loudly, flaring his hands in the air, being dramatic and shit. There was a few niggas on the block, so he was making that shit look real believable. I didn’t bother to check nothing because I already knew what was missing, so I just stood in the window and watched the show Hot Rod was putting on.

  When I saw Murder and TK pull up, I made my way outside. Murder was pissed and it was written all over his face, which was now a bright shade of red. Seeing his ass sweat was so amusing to me. The fact that I was going to fuck the chick he wanted so badly over the money I stole from his pussy ass was enough to have my dick hard.

  “What all did they take?” Murder asked.

  “All the money and a few bricks I was about to take to Elle to have cooked up. The rest of the work was locked up so they didn’t have a chance to get to it because I started busting at their ass,” I replied.

  “Good looking out little nigga. Y’all niggas about to take a pay cut out here because of this shit.” He said, causing a few of the niggas to look at him sideways.

  “I can’t do that boss, I got a lil girl to feed.” Rudy, one of the niggas said.

  “I don’t give a fuck, shit that ain’t my child!” He snapped, causing Rudy to cringe.

  I could tell that little nigga was feeling a type of way by the hate he carried behind his eyes. When Murder was d
one ranting and raving about how he was going to get back at them niggas, he got up and left with TK following behind him. He didn’t even stop and think about the holes that were in my story, proving my theory of him being a dumb ass nigga to be correct once again.

  “Young blood, I’mma look out for you.” I said to Rudy.

  “Thanks cuz my girl just had a baby and we barely making it now on this bullshit ass pay Murder got us on.”

  “I already know how that goes. While you working under us, we gon make sure you straight.” I dapped him up.

  I needed to make as many nigga as I possibly could hate Murder so I can use them when it was time to take over. I knew Rudy couldn’t stand Murder. I felt it from his vibe, so I knew for a fact he wouldn’t have no problems jumping on board with me. The rest of the niggas had sour looks on their faces, so I spit the same shit I did to Rudy to them and before I knew it, I had my whole team rooting for me.

  After locking up shop for the night, Hot Rod and I went to the spot where we were supposed to meet his homeboys. We made sure the circle the block a few times to throw off anyone who could have possibly been following us before we went in. Unlike Murder, I was smart about the shit I did.

  “This come-up is real my boy.” One of Hot Rod boys said.

  “I owe you one for hitting me the way you did.” Hot Rod responded.

  “It was all love. You told me to make that shit look real.” He replied.

  After we counted the money from all the houses Hot Rod’s boys hit, we each came up thirty thousand dollars richer. Everybody was happy with their cut and hyped up for more hits. The difference between Hot Rod and I was that we treated our lil niggas like family. We made sure they all was eating in order to earn their loyalty. When you’re high and in power and you start mistreating the very niggas that made your money, then that’s when the snakes started forming, and shit like your traps getting hit, start happening.

  Once I concluded our meeting on our next hit and made sure to answer all of them niggas’ questions, we went about our business. Lucy had been blowing my ass up something serious, so I decided to take this time out to personally tell her that shit was over between us, instead of ignoring her. After dropping Hot Rod off, I called Lucy and we made plans to meet up in a hotel since her husband was home.

  I didn’t really want to go up in the room with her, but I owed her that much. She had been a good asset in me buying Mia half the shit she owned, so I had to let her down gently, instead of blocking her ass like I did the previous hoes.

  “Finally, you make time for me.” Lucy greeted me, with her pink pussy in the air, as I walked through the door.

  “Put some clothes on.” I snapped.

  “Why?” She asked.

  “Because I can’t do this with you. I’m grateful for everything you have done but it’s time I stand on my feet and take care of my own self like a man.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean this thing is over between us.”

  “I paid you good money for that black cock. It’s not over until I say so!” She snapped.

  “Watch your tone when you’re talking to me! Like I said this fling is over and done with. You should be happy I’ll be out of your pockets.” I said, turning around to leave.

  “If you walk out of that door, I will ruin your life.” She threatened.

  “Is that a threat?” I asked, clenching my jaw.

  “No. It’s a promise.” She said, with her icy blue eyes piercing mine.

  “Fuck you, crazy ass bitch. Don’t call my fucking phone no more dumb thot!” I yelled, before storming out of the room.

  * * *

  I was awoken out of my sleep to loud knocking on the door. I picked up my phone to look at the time. Groaning, I got out of bed to see who was at my damn door. Mia and Shanie had an eight o’clock class, so I figured it was Hot Rod at the door trying to make some moves. As I swung the door open, I was prepared to cuss his ass out for popping up without calling, until I was greeted by two cops.

  “Are you Romeo Baker?” One of the pigs asked.

  “Who the fuck wants to know?” I asked.

  “Romeo you are under the arrest for the domestic assault against Lucy Bradford.” The other cop said, grabbing my hand and forcefully placing them behind my back.

  “Assault? I ain’t do shit to that white bitch.” I spat, causing one of the officers to punch me in the mouth.

  “Watch your fucking mouth!” He yelled, before kicking me down to the floor.

  I should have known these cops was going to be on some flugazy type shit since they were white and I was black. The whole drive to the police station, I was thinking about Mia and how hurt she was going to be when she found out about Lucy. I wasn’t really worried about these bullshit ass charges because I had proof that Lucy was mad about me stopping our relationship. I was happy I didn’t delete all the threatening text messages she sent to my phone.

  “You think this is ok?” One of the officers asked, showing me pictures of Lucy’s face.

  Lucy was bruised up really badly, but I ain’t have shit to do with it. That crazy bitch went through extreme lengths to make sure I would go to jail behind not giving her any dick. I should have known these white hoes were crazy. Shit, half of those dumb ass Lifetime movies Mia had me watching involved a crazy white bitch.

  “That’s fucked up, but too bad I ain’t do that shit!” I snapped.

  “It’s scum like you that make this world such a terrible place.” He went on to say.

  “Cool. Can I have my phone call?”

  “No.” He said, throwing me in a cell.

  I sat in the small, foul smelling cell for four hours until there was a shift change and a black officer took over. When he walked by to check on inmates, I was able to ask him for my phone call. He unlocked the cell door and walked me to the phone. Picking up the phone, I inhaled a deep breath before I called Mia.

  “Hello?” She answered on the fifth ring.

  “Hey, Mia baby, it’s me” I responded.

  “Why are you collecting calling me from jail?” She asked.

  “C’mon baby, don’t be dumb, I’m locked up. I need you to focus and get me a lawyer.” I said, all in one breath.

  “What happened?” She asked, sounding as if she was about to cry.

  “Listen, Mia, don’t ask no question, handle what I told you to. Make sure you get me a good defense attorney, don’t worry about the cost. I got it. Check in your Jimmy Choo shoe box.”

  “Dammit Ro! Why?”

  “Mia baby, no matter what, remember I love you and it was never my intentions to hurt you. Everything I did, I did for us,” I said, before hanging up the phone. I was already feeling fucked up for the hurt Mia was about to experience when she found out the real reason why I was locked up, so I decided to keep our conversation short. I just prayed I still had her once everything was over with.

  Mia

  “Baby, what’s wrong?” Murder asked, as tears streamed down my face.

  “My bo-brother just got arrested.” I sobbed.

  I didn’t know the details behind Romeo’s arrest, but that didn’t stop me from stressing. All I kept thinking about was Shanie and the time she had to spend away from Hot Rod. I wasn’t cut out to be without Romeo for that long. I wouldn’t know how to wake up every morning, knowing that the love of my life was locked up in some cage.

  “What happened?”

  “I don’t know, but I have to handle his lawyer situation.” I said, grabbing my bag so I can leave.

  “Chill out, ma, I got a lawyer on my payroll; he’s a beast in the courtroom, so I’ll have him handle this.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yes, he’s my future bruh in law, so why not?” Murder said, grabbing his phone so he could make the call.

  The time I spent with Murder he was starting to grow on me. I couldn’t deny that the attraction was there, but my love for Romeo wouldn’t allo
w me to act on those feelings. My head would scream for me to put an end to this plan, but making sure we were straight was all I could think about. Romeo was depending on me and I wanted to make him proud of me.

  “I got my lawyer on it so he’ll handle it.” He said, taking a seat next to me.

  “I have to leave, do you think you can call me and keep me updated?”

  “Yeah, but why are you leaving?” He asked.

  “I have to let my mom know what’s going on.” I lied.

  “You need me to come with you?”

  “I can handle it, I’ll call you.” I replied, getting ready to go.

  As I drove home, I was having a hard time getting my thoughts in order. I kept thinking he got caught doing something that could result in us being apart from each other for years. When I arrived to my house, there was a white lady in my yard yelling into her phone.

  “Can I help you with something?” I asked, getting out my car.

  “Yes, do you know Romeo?” She asked.

  “He’s my boyfriend.”

  “Your boyfriend? She chuckled.

  “That’s what I said.” I replied, growing impatient.

  “Well, was he your boyfriend when he was sleeping with me, or when I bought him those cars, and leased him this property?” She asked, causing my heart to crumble.

  “By the look on your face, I figured he was.” She chuckled.

  “Did your boyfriend tell you he did this to my face when I wouldn’t give him anymore money. I was trying to break things off with him and he pounded on me as if I was some hoodlum on the streets. That’s why he’s sitting in jail now, but wait, you already know this because you’re his girlfriend and he tells you everything.”

  “I don’t know who the fuck you are, but you have five minutes to leave my property before I kick your ass.” I snapped.

  “Your property? HA! I’m having my lawyers draw up papers to have the landlord evict you as we speak, so if you know what’s best, you would pack your things and keep your hands to yourself, unless you want to join your boyfriend behind bars.” She chuckled, before walking to her car and driving off.