“What?” I cheese because I am happy with my food.
“Nothing,” he says digging inside the bag and removing a pack of peanut butter cups. We drive back home in silence with me happily eating my cereal, trying not to spill it on myself.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Alright, just because the niggah took me to the store, doesn’t mean shit changed. I am still standing clear and avoiding his ass. His dumb ass even attempted to try to touch me to feel the babies move. Nah, dude. Keep yo’ hands to yo’ fuckin’ self. The twins were on some nutty shit that day and wanted some cereal, nothing more. We ain’t friends. We’re just two people having kids together. Shit happens every day.
I’m smoothing shea butter into my skin after my shower when my phone rings.
“Victor,” I squeal.
“What up?”
“How are you?” I ask. We barely speak anymore. He has been lying low ever since the backlash from Super Bowl.
“I’m good. Did a lot of soul searching during my downtime.”
“And what did your soul tell you?”
“That I need to get in the studio and I need to work with one of the dopest producers out there,” he laughs.
“Are you talking about moi?” I giggle.
“Yeah. So, do you have time for me or are you too busy?”
“Nah. I’ll make time. I’ve just been baking these babies.”
“I can’t wait to meet the little niggahs,” he chuckles.
“Can you not refer to my sons as niggahs though?” I laugh.
“Whatever. You know it’s all out of love. I’m Uncle Vic. They gonna love me.”
“Whatever dork. You in town?”
“Yeah…kind of…headed back now.”
“Cool. Stop by my house tomorrow.”
“A’ight, cool. Thanks, Aneesah.”
“No problem,” we hang up.
“Y’all are driving me crazy with these damn late-night cravings,” I say to the twins. It’s after 11:30 pm. I head down into the kitchen for some peanut butter and toast; my new fav and brew me a cup of tea. I then retreat downstairs into the basement and flip through the channels before settling on an old episode of Jeopardy playing on the Game Show network. Nyce comes down the stairs followed by Biggie.
“Do you just sniff me out and follow your dog nose to where I am?”
“Shut the fuck up Aneesah. I thought you were sleeping,” he snaps.
I roll my eyes and finish playing/watching the game. I lay my hands on my belly as he watches me.
“Can I feel?” He asks innocently.
“No,” I reply.
“This man is thought to help discredit the tsarist government, leading to the fall of the Romanov dynasty,” Alex Tribec says, reading the final Jeopardy question.
“Who is Napoleon Bonaparte?” I answer.
“Rasputin,” Nyce responds.
“You still betting against me?” I ask.
“Yeah, ‘cause you’re wrong.”
“Yeah…okay.”
“Bet,” he says. I grab his hand before the clock runs out.
“Who is Napoleon Bonaparte?” The first contestant answers.
“I’m sorry, that is incorrect,” Alex states. Contestant number two answers Napoleon as well and contestant number three answers Rasputin.
“That is correct,” Alex confirms. Nyce wins. Son of a bitch.
“What do you want?” I ask annoyed that he won but even more annoyed that I am now forced to talk to him.
“Something simple,” he responds.
“Nothing sexual.”
“Please. I wouldn’t fuck you if you paid me.”
“Yeah right, Rover. Woof,” I mock jumping to my feet and whistling at him like I do Biggie.
“You’re an asshole. I just want to feel my boys,” he says standing up. He lifts my shirt and places his cool hands on my bare belly. He pushes on my stomach, causing the babies to move. I count ten Mississippi’s in my head.
“Satisfied?” I ask stepping back and pulling my shirt down.
“No,” he answers before pulling me in his arms and kissing me. I respond. I don’t mean to but as the juices start to flow and my body reacts, I catch myself, back away from him and punch him in his chest.
“Stupid,” I shout as he starts to laugh.
“And I still got it,” he chuckles.
“You ain’t got shit,” I snap before heading upstairs. I crawl into bed horny as hell.
“Bitch ass niggah,” I say out loud turning my vibrator on and closing my eyes.
The following day, Vic stops by so we can do some work in my home studio. I am glad that he is returning to music after his massive media blow up.
“Damn girl. You’s big as shit,” he says, kissing my cheek when I open the door for him
“Thanks asshole. I’m having twins. What’s your excuse?” I laugh, poking him in his stomach. Vic is about 30 pounds heavier than usual. We walk out the back door and head down the walk way towards the guest house where my studio is.
“You gonna blow on some of these track, right?” He asks me.
“You know I got your back.”
“You gonna lose the weight before the video, right?”
“Are you going to lose your weight before the video, you pig?”
“Yeah. My ass is back in the gym. I tell you one thing, these past two years of not giving a fuck has been fun.”
“Been there, done that,” I chuckle.
We’ve been going at it for hours and though I am past tired, I am dedicated to Vic’s success.
“Listen,” I tell him pushing the playback button.
“Yeah…yeah…keep that,” he says bobbing his head to the music.
“Aye,” Dontay greets walking in the studio.
“Hey Don. Where you been?” I ask.
“Around,” he replies, looking at Vic.
“You remember Vic?” I ask as I stare at them cautiously. Either I’m trippin’ or they just made a connection.
“I just came to see what you was up to. Guess I’ll holla at you later. I’ll probably be back later on tonight,” Dontay says walking out.
“Alright. I felt that,” turning my attention to Vic.
“Shut-up girl.”
“Well, what was that?”
“He cool but he ain’t a bitch and neither am I so it will never work.”
“Huh?”
“Alright, you know how in every relationship somebody got’s to wear the pants? Somebody has to be the man, right? Well, in a gay relationship the same rules apply. I wear the pants in my relationships. Your boy Dontay is the same way, I can tell. Somebody’s gotta be the bitch.”
“Somebody’s gotta be the bitch? That’s just dumb,” I tell him messing with the beats. “Don’t let society tell you how to be a man.”
“Shut-up Aneesah. You don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
“Fine,” I shrug my shoulders, bowing out of this argument. “Somebody’s gotta be the bitch, uh. Somebody’s gotta play the bitch, what?” I sing, clowning around.
“Oh, you got jokes now?” He laughs.
“No, but I just gave you a hook now drop some bars to it,” I laugh jokingly.
After spending the afternoon with Vic, I’m relaxing in the main house chilling, glad that no one is home getting on my nerves. I’m eating some ice cream when the doorbell chimes. Biggie barks as I check the security camera to see who it is. It’s the FEDEX guy.
“Hi,” I smile answering the door.
“I have a delivery for a Mr. James Hennessey,” the guy responds.
“Yeah. I’ll take it,” I tell him grabbing the envelope and signing for it. I walk up the stairs to put the envelope on his bed, already knowing what it is since I’m the one who mailed it. As I’m staring at the envelope, I hear someone walking down the hall stopping in the doorway.
“What are you doing?” Nyce questions.
“Nothing. You had a delivery. I was simply putting it in you
r room,” I respond, handing him the envelope. He rips it open and a smile of relief spreads across his face.
“Good news?” I ask. He looks at me.
“Hell yeah,” he smiles. “Tori’s letting me keep my club.”
“Congratulations.”
“Don’t you want to give me my first kiss as a single man?” He laughs.
“EWW no. Nothing’s changed,” I tell him walking out the room.
Chapter Twenty-Six
June 7, 2018
The sound of my cell phone ringing breaks me out of my slumber.
“Aneesah? Please come and get me. I’m in trouble,” the voice on Dani’s phone says but this isn’t Dani.
“Who is this?” I ask.
“It’s me. Please. I need $25,000.00 before they kill me,” she cries.
“Where’s Dani?” I ask the person on the phone. Although the voice is familiar, it isn’t Dani’s. I am almost certain it isn’t or maybe it’s a bad connection.
“Damn it, Aneesah. Stop playing. I need you,” she snaps.
“Okay. I’m coming. Where are you?” I ask in a panic, jumping out the bed.
“I don’t know,” she cries.
“I’ll be right there. Don’t turn your phone off,” I tell her.
“ANEESAH! DON’T…” I hear someone faintly yell before the phone goes dead.
I track Dani down using the tracking device on my phone and write down the address.
“What the fuck is she doing in North Philly?” I question, throwing on tights and a sweatshirt before walking over to the safe. I count out five, ten-thousand-dollar money stacks and grab the gun that Nyce had gifted me many years ago. I throw the money and gun into my bag before leaving out my bedroom.
“Shut-up Biggie before you wake that fool up,” I scold. I yank the front door open, accidentally setting off the alarms.
“Shit,” I curse, quickly shutting them off and running to my car.
“I forgot the fuckin’ address,” I yell as I drive like a bat out of hell into the night. I pull my phone out to retrieve the address again.
“Hi. It’s Aneesah. I’m sorry to call you in the middle of the night but I think Dani’s in trouble. Can you please meet me just in case I need you?” I say leaving a voice message on Charlie’s phone and reading off the address.
I pull up to the house that is located in a shitty residential area with about seven out of the twelve homes on the block being abandoned.
“Aneesah,” Charlie calls my name when I answer the phone for him.
“Please hurry Charlie,” I say frantically with my adrenalin pumping. I hear a scream come out of the house.
“Dani’s screaming,” I cry into the phone, jumping out the car.
“Aneesah, stay the fuck in the car,” Charlie barks but I’m already at the front door with my bag in hand, uncomfortably tucking the gun in my panties, making sure the bikini style string has a good grip on the handle.
“Stop,” I scream at the guy who is beating the shit out of Dani when I enter.
“STOP,” I yell. “I have your money.” The guy let’s go of Dani’s hair and she falls to the floor looking a bloody mess.
“Lamar?” I question in shock, staring at Yaya’s ex-boyfriend and one of Nyce’s old henchmen. The same henchmen that snitched Nyce out to the Feds.
“Well…well,” he smiles wickedly. “She was right. She said that you would come.”
“I have your money just let her go.”
“Can’t do that. Take a seat. You won’t be leaving any time soon.”
“Why? I have your money,” I state, realizing my mistake in coming here.
“Stupid bitch. This isn’t about the money,” he laughs.
“I didn’t tell Aneesah. I swear. You have to go,” Dani cries, coming to. I try to go to her, but Lamar stops me.
“Not-uh. Have a seat,” he barks pointing his gun at me.
“What do you want?” I ask.
“I have nothing against you personally, but she does.”
I turn in the direction of where his head just nodded and am now face to face with Yaya.
“Well, hello there,” she smiles.
“Yaya?”
“Why do you look so surprised?”
“What? Why are you doing this?”
“Because I am getting even,” she says nonchalantly before pointing a gun to my head.
“Are you serious Yaya?” I ask, fighting back my tears of fear. “I’m pregnant…please.”
“Like I fuckin’ care. Fuck you, fuck dem babies and fuck Knuck for threatening my life if I came anywhere near you or Capree. He exiled me out of Philly because of you. I lost everything because of you.”
“I gave you everything,” I explain as tears slip from my eyes.
“You gave me nothing,” she says venomously as she continues to point her gun at me.
“But Yaya,” I hesitate, smoothing down my shirt so she can get a better view of the lives I am carrying inside of me.
“MOVE,” she shouts, directing me to the basement. I walk slowly down the stairs with both her and Lamar pointing guns at me. When I hit the bottom step, about three cats scatter, hiding underneath the stairs.
“Is this ransom? I’ll pay you,” I plea.
“Shut-up bitch, damn. You’re giving me a fuckin’ headache,” Lamar barks, throwing me in a chair. I throw my arms around my stomach, trying to protect my babies.
“See, this was easy,” Yaya taunts, getting in my face before slapping the shit out of me.
“What do you want?” I ask again, holding my hand up to my stinging cheek. I fucked up and I put my babies’ lives in danger. I’m going to make a terrible mother. I can’t even take care of myself.
“Y’all are doing way too much talkin’,” a lanky, light-skinned man says coming down the stairs.
“Then let me kill her,” Yaya speaks out. What the fuck?
“Not yet. I think I want to have some fun with her,” the man says walking up to me. He pulls out a knife and holds it close to my face.
“Do you know who I am?” He asks, looking into my eyes and placing the blade on my cheek. I shake my head no as tears continue to trickle down my face. God please, if I die tonight, please let my babies live.
“You should. I am sure your man has mentioned my name before.” He stares at me as I fix my gaze at the scar on the side of his head. He pulls up a chair and sits across from me not saying a word.
“I’ve never fucked a celebrity before,” he taunts, flicking his tongue at me. “You lucky your ass is pregnant,” he laughs. “We could’ve had fun.”
A red dot flashes on his forehead before disappearing.
“Where yo’ man at?” He asks.
“Wha—what?” I whimper.
“Bitch, don’t play dumb,” he snaps, startling me. “I hate that niggah. Hated him since he was a fuckin’ punk-ass kid. Tried to kill his ass a few times but the mothafucka just won’t fuckin’ die.”
The basement door opens and closes, and heavy footsteps proceed down the stairs.
“What’s good?” The large dark-skinned man asks, slapping hands with the light-skinned one sitting in front of me. I see another red dot flash on this man’s head and quickly disappear. Am I trippin’? Do they not see this? The dark-skinned dude sneezes.
“What the fuck Lamar? You still got them damn cats in here?”
“They keep getting into the house. That’s why I bought kitty-litter,” Lamar says, pointing at the pan of kitty-litter in the corner.
“Stop feeding them you idiot and they will stop coming inside the house. I’m allergic to them fuckin’ things,” the man says, sneezing again.
“Both of y’all shut-up. We got his bitch,” the light-skinned dude says. The dark-skinned one looks at his watch.
“We gotta move her now if we are going to draw him out,” he speaks while turning to look at me. He squats low and stares into my face before smiling sadistically. Fuck the other guy, this man is straight terrifying as
I stare into his empty black eyes.
“You scared?” He smiles. I don’t answer. I am too afraid to move.
“It’s rude to not answer my question when I’m talking to you,” he states, placing the blade of the knife on my belly.
“Yes,” I utter. “I can pay…” I immediately shut-up when he gives me a merciless glare that only the Devil himself is capable of mustering up.
“She wasn’t this scared when I tried to talk to her. I’m slightly insulted,” the other guy chuckles while picking at his nails with his knife.
Dot…dot…nobody sees these fuckin’ red dots floating around? Am I fuckin’ trippin’?
“Don’t worry sweetheart. You’re bait for right now. We’re not gonna kill you just yet,” scary dark-skinned guy grins.
“I know I’m gonna torture the fuck out of Nyce,” light-skin laughs. “I think I’ll rape her after all; in front of him though.”
“You ain’t doin’ shit,” dark-skin snorts.
“Fuck you,” the man snaps.
Dot…dot…one, two, three, four. Four dots. One on Yaya, dark-skin, light-skin, and Lamar, and just as quickly as I see them, they disappear again.
“This shit was too easy and I’m gonna get mine. I’m gonna make that niggah pay. See, my home girl here knew you would come to save the junkie upstairs. She and Yaya were friends. Did you know that?” Light-skin asks.
“Yes bitch, Dani and I became friends a few months ago. She didn’t know who I was, but I learned from her just how close you two are, so I helped feed her habit. She’s loyal to you though. Loyal to a fault. Thought I was going to have to kill her stupid ass when she refused to call you tonight. So yeah, you had it right. You were talking to me and not Dani on the phone,” Yaya smiles.
“Yaya, whatever I did to you, I’m sorry,” I cry.
“I like holding this position of power over you,” she laughs before slapping me across the face again.
“That’s enough Ya,” light-skin says. “And put your gun down over there before you do something stupid and fuck up the whole plan.”
“I’m just toying with her Terry. I remember the deal.” Dark-skin gives Yaya the look of death and she reluctantly drags her feet over to a crate and puts her gun down.
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