The Wrong Side Of Love 2
A Hood Love Story
Charmanie Saquea
Acknowledgements
First I would like to thank God for blessing me with the talent of being an author. Here I am on book number 21, none of this would have been possible without him.
To my mommy Sheree, who has been by my side since day one, you told me I could be anything I wanted to be if I put my mind to it. You have always been my backbone and I would not have made it this far without you. Also my Grammy, you've been there every step of the way and I can't thank you two enough.
S/O to my wonderful boss, Ray for giving me a chance. Also David, for putting people in a position to go after their dreams.
I definitely have to give a big shout out to my first friend I made in the writing game, Treasure. You welcomed me with open arms since the beginning and we've been tight ever since. I appreciate all the help, feedback and even the yelling because it helped me out a lot. No matter how many times I wanted to give up, you pushed me harder. I love you lots!
Shout out to my awesome test readers Tenita and Nancy for letting me blow their email up and giving me her honest opinion.
I definitely can't forget to thank all the loyal readers who have been riding with me since Official Girl. You guys have been my motivation to keep going and busting my pen. All the inboxes, comments, and wall post have never gone unnoticed and I appreciate them and you more than you will ever know.
Last but never least, my Angels in heaven, Cora (Mom), Romney (Riggz) and Marisa, Uncle Tyrone (Big Shep), and Dad. I pray that you continue to watch over me. I can't forget my cousin Tyrein, keep your head up baby, 2034 will be here before you know it.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Chapter One
Coco felt a serious headache coming on as she stood between two ticking time bombs. Zeek’s anger couldn’t go unnoticed, neither could the vein protruding out the side of his neck. He wasn’t the only one that was angry, though. Coco also felt betrayed because this whole time, Elias was just using her as a pawn in his game just to get to Zeek.
“Remember, death before dishonor,” Zeek told Elias.
“Funny, that’s the same thing my brother said right before I killed his ass,” Elias laughed.
POW!
“Ahhhh!” Coco screamed.
The bullet that was meant for Elias’ head barely missed it by inches as Tariq quietly and swiftly grabbed his cousin’s wrist and turned it just in time.
“Not like this, not here,” Tariq told Zeek with his eyes still trained on Elias.
Standing there with a sly grin on his face, Elias decided he’d had enough fun for today so he put his gun up. Boldly walking over to Coco who was standing looking like a deer caught in headlights, he bent down and whispered in her ear, “You really need to watch the company you keep. I wouldn’t want you to go down with him.”
Coco just looked up at him with hate in her eyes as she watched him walk out of her house. At this point, she didn’t even know what to say.
“What did you tell him?” Zeek questioned her.
“Fuck you and get out. Leave my fucking key on the table,” Coco spat as she turned to go up the stairs.
She was over the bullshit. Coco wasn’t even able to take a second step before she was rushed from behind and thrown up against the wall by her throat. Zeek pressed the gun to her temple to let her know just how serious he was right now.
“Zeek, chill! Nigga, fuck is you doing?” Tariq yelled.
Ignoring him, Zeek was so close to Coco that if you didn’t know any better, you would think he was about to kiss her.
“This shit is not a fucking game, Jacole. I’ll be damned if I lose everything that I worked hard to build behind some fake ass pig and a bitch that’s caught up in her feelings. So if you told that bitch anything about me, trust me, I’ll find out. Death before dishonor,” Zeek said with venom dripping from his voice.
Tariq just stood there shaking his head. Shit was real suspect to him but he doubted that it had anything to do with Coco. He didn’t agree with the way Zeek was handling her and he was definitely going to check him on it but that would have to wait until they were behind closed doors.
As Zeek backed away and put his gun up, Coco lost it.
“Caught up in my feelings?” Coco yelled as she blacked on him and started swinging. “You sound stupid as hell! I’ve never been caught up in my feelings while dealing with you, and you know it. I didn’t want your black ass from jump so what the fuck would I gain by setting you up or ratting you out? Fuck you, Zeek! I wish I never met you; I should’ve just stayed with Trae. I hate you!” she cried.
Ever since her nephew went missing, Coco had been an emotional wreck and the one person she wanted more than anyone to be there for her wasn’t doing anything but adding more pain to her already broken heart. She still couldn’t believe that this nigga had actually put a gun to her head and threatened her life. What she needed for him to understand was there wasn’t shit she would gain from having him locked up. Even though at this moment she hated to admit it, she loved him. She loved and might actually be in love with Ezekiel Clay but right now, she was looking at him completely differently.
Tariq was having a hard time restraining Coco for the simple fact that he figured Zeek deserved a few slaps.
“Calm down, Coco.”
“Let her go, Riq. Let her get all that shit off her chest. You miss Trae, huh? You should’ve just stayed with the nigga that likes to take the pussy? Well, how about you go fish his ass out of the damn river then?” Zeek chuckled before heading towards the door. “Riq, I’m gone. Get at me later so we can discuss this shit.”
“Dumb ass nigga!” Coco yelled at his back.
“Calm down, Co; don’t even sweat that shit. That nigga on some other shit right now and it got him out of his element.”
“Don’t sweat it? Seriously, Riq? I completely understand him being upset because I know how the shit look but this nigga just put a damn loaded gun to my head and threatened my life. I had no idea that Elias was Red, he lied to me and led me on but you have to believe that not one time did I tell him shit about Zeek; nothing,” Coco said as the tears fell from her eyes.
“Come on now, Jacole. Who are you explaining shit to? I don’t wanna hear that shit.” Tariq waved her off. “I already know the deal. I know you wouldn’t do that shit and deep down, Zeek know that shit too which is why I don’t know why he tripping. Just do me a favor and don’t hold it against him, please? We just never had to deal with the police all up in our shit before so his head is fucked up and he don’t know how to deal with this shit.”
Coco looked at Tariq as if he had lost his mind. She understood the fact that Zeek was his cousin so he was going to ride with him no matter if he was right or wrong but what she wasn’t about to do was allow him to sit here in her face and in her house and make excuses for him. There was no excuse for him to put a damn gun to her head and she’d be damn if she didn’t hold that against him.
“Whatever. I’ll talk to you later. I got a headache and I’m ready to lay down,” she said dryly, letting him know she was over this whole situation.
Nodding his head in understanding, Tariq kissed Coco’s forehead and prepared to leave. He himself felt as if this was too much damn drama for him in one day. On top of this, he had to figure out how he was going to help Zeek get out of this bind he was now in because he had no doubts that Elias wasn’
t going to stop until he took him down.
Chapter Two
Zeek sat in his office in the dark, alone, thinking. If it was one thing he’d learned from Chico, it was to always keep your friends close and enemies closer but the sad thing about it was these days, you didn’t know which ones were which. There was a snake that had been slithering too damn close to him and he was so blinded that he’d allowed it to bite him.
“Now is not the time to be sulking, nigga,” Tariq said as he turned the light on.
“Ain’t nobody sulking, I’m just thinking some shit out.” Zeek waved him off.
“Oh, now you wanna think? Where was all that thinking mentality when you wanted to pull guns out on people and shit?”
Sitting up in his seat, Zeek ran his hands down his face before covering it as he rested his elbows on his desk and sighed heavily. He didn’t need his cousin to tell him what he already knew, he had fucked up completely by treating Coco the way he did.
“You know she didn’t tell that nigga shit,” Tariq told his cousin.
“Yea, I know,” Zeek said lowly.
“What?” Tariq asked, confused. “What you mean you know?”
“At least I know now. All that shit was a test of loyalty, somebody crossed me and I needed to be confident that it wasn’t her. Ain’t no telling what she told that nigga about me.”
“A test of loyalty? Nigga, do you know how the fuck you sound right now? That damn girl has been loyal to you even when she didn’t have to be because you were out fucking your raggedy ass ex. We’re blood, so Imma keep it real with you. I think you did all that extra shit because you found out it was another nigga in the picture and that nigga just so happened to be Red,” Tariq accused.
If looks could kill, they would be planning Tariq’s funeral right now due to the murderous stare Zeek was giving him. “What the fuck did you just say?” Zeek asked, dumbfounded.
“I didn’t stutter nor did I whisper or stumble so I know you heard me loud and clear. It’s cool, though. You don’t have to admit the shit out loud because it’s done and over with; just don’t let it happen again. You owe her an apology and I know you being the real nigga that you are, you’ll give her one. Now that we got all that out of the way, let’s talk about how we’re going to handle this situation. I think you need to call José.”
Zeek sat back in his chair and kicked his feet up on his desk. What his cousin said was partially true so he wasn’t going to deny it. He felt some type of way when he found out that Coco was entertaining somebody else so he did some research to find out exactly who it was. Imagine his surprise when he found out it was Elias Santiago, better known as Red, Chico’s little brother.
The two of them had really had no real beef besides the fact that Elias felt that Chico should have been preparing to pass the torch on to him instead of Zeek since they were brothers. But since he didn’t, that caused some animosity on Elias’ end. To stand there and hear Elias confess to killing his own brother evoked something in Zeek that he couldn’t describe. He hadn’t felt that way since standing on that front yard watching his father die right before his eyes. Only this time, it wasn’t sorrow; it was more of vengeance.
“I already know what José is going to say if I call him and that’s not an option. I’m not running from this shit,” Zeek opposed.
“Zeek, think about that shit. Not only is he the connect, but he has ties to the cartel. He is one of the most powerful men we know. He could make this shit disappear before it even gets started. So what if he tells you to come chill out with him until he takes care of it?” Tariq said like he wanted to slap his cousin.
“What about you and Marco? I’m not leaving y’all behind. You know if they can’t get to me, they’ll take the next best thing and I don’t fuck around when it comes to my family. You know how big I am on loyalty.”
“Nigga please, we are grown ass men who are capable of taking care of ourselves. Besides, if I go, you know I gotta take Jay and she’s not in the right mind frame to be going on the run right now. Plus, she ain’t going nowhere her sister ain’t going. You just go, let this shit blow over, then come back and let that nigga know he ain’t stopping shit then put a bullet in his ass. A couple of bullets, actually.”
After thinking about it for a while, Zeek finally gave in. He was going to call José and talk to him about this little problem they had run into.
Chapter Three
Walking into the house to check on Jayliah, Tariq shook his head when he realized the food he’d fixed for her to eat before he left was sitting in the same place he’d left it before he departed. Ever since Quaid’s death, she had been refusing to eat, leave the house or talk to anyone besides her dad and sister. As hard as she was trying to fight depression, it was fighting even harder to consume her and Tariq hated it. He wanted the sassy, boisterous, crazy Jayliah that she was before tragedy struck but he knew it was going to take some time.
“Baby!” he called out to her as he walked out of the kitchen.
As he was cutting the corner, Jayliah was coming down the stairs, dragging two garbage bags behind her with a mean mug on her face. Tariq stood there scratching his head confused.
“What you doing?” he asked.
“Packing up your shit, here go two bags,” she said as she let the bags roll down the stairs. “It’s two more up there. I’ll get those while you load those in the car,” she said before suddenly turning around.
“Uhh, where I’m going?” Tariq yelled after her.
“The fuck away from here!” Jayliah yelled back without turning around.
“She done lost her damn mind,” Tariq mumbled to himself as he ran up the stairs after her.
When he reached the room, sure enough, there were two more garbage bags full of his clothes and other belongings he had at her house. At this moment, Tariq really felt like she was losing it. Everything was good between them when he left the house a couple of hours ago but now Jayliah was on some other shit.
“Yo, what’s wrong with you? What’s all this about?” he asked as he snatched the bags out of her hand.
“You and that bitch are what’s wrong with me!” Jayliah yelled in his face. “For three days in a row, she’s been calling my phone, happy to let me know that whenever you leave here and you’re not in the streets, you’re over there with her and your family.”
“Man, Jay, chill out. It ain’t even like—”
“Oh, I know exactly what it’s like, Riq. Just leave because you got this bitch tap dancing on the little bit of sanity that I have left. Allow me to grieve the death of my son on my own like I’ve been doing,” she said as she got teary eyed.
“So you’ve been grieving on your own, Jay? That’s bullshit and you know it! I’ve been here for you every step of the way; even when you pushed me away, I was still there. I loved Quaid as if he was my own son and you know that shit!”
“The only thing I know is that while I wake up every morning feeling empty without my child, you get to go behind my back and sneak and see yours. A child that I didn’t even know you had up until recently, Tariq. That shit hurts more than you will ever know. So please, just please leave. I’m begging, no, I’m pleading with you to leave. I’m barely in my right mind and that bitch is playing on my sanity. You know my gun stay loaded and ready so I don’t want to be responsible for what I will do to her or you. Go be with your family because that’s obviously where you need to be right now,” Jayliah said as tears rolled down her face.
Tariq stood there feeling like shit as a lump formed in his throat. Up until now, he’d never realized how selfish his actions were or how much he was actually adding to Jayliah’s pain instead of trying to help her heal. Had he known that Shanae, his ex, was on some bullshit and calling Jayliah’s phone, he would have put an end to that shit immediately.
One thing he did know was he wasn't going nowhere. He would give her some space for a few days but refused to leave her side, especially at a time like this. As Tariq tried to wrap hi
s arms around Jayliah, she shook her head and backed away from him.
“Don't do that, Jay. Come here, ma. Please?” he begged as he backed her up against the wall so she couldn't go anywhere.
“No, Tariq. I'm not doing this with you,” Jayliah fussed as she tried to fight him off as he kiss her neck, ignoring her. “Tariq, stop!” she yelled, forcefully pushing him off of her.
“Alright, Jay, look; this is how this is about to go down. I'm going to give you two days to yourself, just two. I love you and I can admit that I fucked up being on some sneaky shit and for that, I apologize. I also apologize for not considering your feelings when it came to what I was doing. But don’t tell me where I need to be because you and I both know where I need and want to be is right here. We’re not about to do that make up to break up shit, that’s not us. We broke up once and that was our last time, we’re in this forever, Jay,” Tariq said with finalization.
Jayliah didn’t and couldn’t say anything as Tariq walked up and kissed her on the forehead before he made his way for the door, making sure he left his bags behind.
“Two days, Jayliah!” he called out to her.
Folding her arms with an attitude, she knew he meant exactly what he said.
___
Zeek sighed as he twirled the burner around in his hands. Calling his connect to help him with his problem was not something he wanted to do even though he knew it would be in his best interest. He felt like this was a slight blow to his manhood because he had always taken pride in being able to handle things himself.
Sighing and putting his pride aside, Zeek dialed the long distance number he knew all too well.
“¿Cual es el problema?” José asked in Spanish. (What is the problem?)
“¿Quien dijo que tuve un problema?” Zeek responded with a slight chuckle. (Who said I had a problem?)
Chico made it a point to make sure Zeek was bilingual, teaching him Spanish as a second language. That was one thing no one outside of his family knew about him because he didn’t speak it unless it had something to do with business. His own mother didn’t know he could speak Spanish fluently up until a few years ago.
The Wrong Side Of Love 2: A Hood Love Story Page 1
