The Wrong Side Of Love 2: A Hood Love Story

by Charmanie Saquea

  “Wake the hell up, nigga. You remember I told you about that situation she had going on? Well, they caught up to her and they snatched her up,” Tariq said.

  Zeek paced his balcony like a raging bull trying to calm himself down. If he had known that leaving Detroit would cause Elias to come after Coco, he never would have left. He thought that they would have tried to go after either Tariq or Marco but instead they went for Coco and that shit pissed him off to no end. She was innocent in all this shit and the only thing she was guilty of was being caught up with the wrong nigga at the wrong time.

  “She good? You send Wolf in with her, right?” Zeek asked.

  “You know me better than that. I had already put him up on game before they could even get to her, so he was prepared. She was on the phone with Jay when Elias pulled down on her so he was able to meet her at the station,” Tariq told him.

  “So what’s the word?” Zeek asked, worried.

  “They couldn’t hold her, they didn’t have no evidence to pin nothing on her.”

  Zeek let out a breath of air he hadn’t even realized he was holding. Had Tariq said that Elias pulled some bullshit to make Coco stay there, he would have been on the next thing smoking to Detroit to handle that personally.

  “Good looking out on that, man, but it’s time for me to execute the first part of my plan,” Zeek told his cousin.

  “No need to thank me, nigga. Coco is family and Imma look out for family regardless. Anyways, you sure about that? That’s a big ass risk you’re going to take.”

  “I’m positive. I’ve been down here a damn month and haven’t been doing shit but sitting on my ass, amongst other things,” Zeek said as he glanced back in his room at the naked woman lying in his bed. “José ain’t really been doing shit either but getting richer and fatter by the day. I need to make something shake so that’s a risk I’m willing to take,” Zeek explained.

  “Alright, man; you know I’m riding with you on whatever you do so just let me know what you want me to do and I got you,” Tariq told his cousin.

  “You already know,” Zeek said.

  After Zeek hung up from Tariq, he stood on his balcony for a while thinking about how Coco was probably feeling right now. He knew he was wrong for leaving her without really explaining to her what was going on and he would be lying if he said he didn’t miss her. It was crazy how in the time they had spent together she had worked her way into his heart.

  Zeek never thought he would see the day where he would have feelings for another woman again after he fell out of love with Chanel but all that changed when Coco came into his life. She was like a breath of fresh air from all the bullshit he had to deal with on the daily. Even now, while he was in a whole other country and trying to push her out of his mind so he could stay focused on the task at hand, it was difficult to do so.

  Zeek was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his body.

  “Are you coming back to bed?”

  “Nah, get dressed,” Zeek said as he turned around.

  “For what? Where are we going?”

  “To talk to your father,” Zeek told Nina, José’s daughter.

  He knew he probably shouldn’t have been sleeping with his connect’s daughter but he was a man and it was hard for him to resist temptation. Plus, both of them were grown as hell and were capable of making their own decisions. In Zeek’s mind, José had more important things to worry about than him piping his daughter down.

  ___

  Quadir checked the time on his clock before he eased his way out of bed. Grabbing his cell phone, he dialed the number to his bank so he could check his account. Today was Friday which meant that it was officially payday for him. After typing in his account information, he waited for the automated system to tell him what his balance was.

  “Your account balance is, zero dollars and zero cents,” it told him.

  “What the fuck?!” he said as he pulled the phone away from his ear. “Nah, that ain’t right.”

  “If you would like for me to repeat your balance, please press one, otherwise press—”

  Quadir quickly pressed one to hear his balance again thinking he’d heard it wrong the first time. When his balance was repeated to him and it said the same thing the second time around, he was pissed. Hanging up from his bank, he quickly dialed the person who was responsible for this mishap. The phone rang about five times before he got an answer.

  “I know why you’re calling. I’ve been so busy with surveillance lately that I haven’t had time to deposit the money and I’m not sure when I’ll have the time.”

  “That’s bullshit and you know it!” Quadir yelled. “Don’t fucking spin me, Sharon. This was your idea and in order for me not to rat your snake ass out, you better deposit my fucking money,” he threatened.

  If Sharon thought just for a second he was playing with her, then she sadly had him mistaken. He was already in deep shit, that he already knew, but he had no problem dragging her ass down with him. After all, Quaid was her grandson so how sick do you have to be to plot and help execute his kidnapping?

  True enough, that may be his son but he didn’t know the first thing about being a father. He didn’t have one in his life when he was growing up and that’s the reason he was so fucked up now. He didn’t want that same thing for his son. No, he actually wanted to be in his life and be there for him but there was one thing standing in his way; Sharon.

  Before Quaid was even born, she had gotten into his head and ran him off. She basically was using his career as a local sick up kid against him and told him if he didn’t leave, she was going to have his son killed before he could even leave the hospital. Imagine Quadir’s surprise when he received a call from her evil ass eight years later and she was still on the same bullshit, threatening his son’s life.

  “Just calm down, Quadir, okay? You will have your money within the next hour. Don’t be threatening—”

  Quadir hung up on her for the simple fact that he felt there was nothing else he needed to hear her say after that. As long as she kept depositing that money in his account, Quaid and her secret would remain with him. The moment she spotted, Quaid was going to miraculously appear on his mother’s porch and he was ratting her out.

  Chapter Ten

  Chanel stumbled in her house at three in the morning. She felt a chill run through her body but she just shrugged it off and went straight for the stairs. Ever since Zeek had gone missing in action, she had been living it up. She was happy that she was smart enough to save all the money he used to give her instead of spending it all.

  She would honestly be lying to herself and everybody else if she said that she didn’t miss Zeek but she didn’t feel an ounce of sorrow for what she had done. She had been down with Zeek since the first day she met him but then he let a new bitch pop up on the scene and started treating her as if she wasn’t shit.

  “Ahhhh!” Chanel screamed when she turned on the light in her room.

  There, sitting in her chair in the corner, was the damn light brown eyed devil himself. Ezekiel Clay. She didn’t know if her mind was playing tricks on her or if she’d had more to drink tonight than she thought.

  “Fuck you screaming for? Where you been?” Zeek asked.

  “I went out for a few drinks, and because you scared the hell out of me. Why are you sitting in the dark?” Chanel questioned.

  What she really wanted to ask was what the hell was he doing there but she was doing her best to remain calm. Zeek got from his seat and walked to the middle of the room where Chanel was standing as if she was terrified to move. As he walked in a circle around her, Chanel took note of his attire as she inhaled his Gucci cologne.

  Zeek was dressed in all black from head to toe. He had on a black thermal shirt, black Rock Revival jeans and black Timberlands on his feet. His hair had grown out a since the last time she had seen him but he still had a fresh lineup. She had always told him that he put her in the mind of a chocolate and more mature
version of Kid Ink.

  “Why you standing there so stiff? You don’t miss me?” Zeek asked as he moved her hair to the side, kissing her neck.

  “Of course I do, I’m just surprised you’re here, that’s all,” Chanel said as she tried to stifle a moan.

  Zeek didn’t bother to respond as he unzipped her dress and let it fall to the floor. He stepped back and let his eyes roam all over her body as she stood there in nothing but her heels. He shook his head of all unwarranted thoughts, reminding himself that he came here to do a job and nothing else.

  “Get on the bed,” he demanded.

  Chanel did as she was told, happily obliging his request. At this moment, she felt stupid for even being afraid of Zeek. She should have known he would come back for her eventually because he could never stay gone very long in the first place. Besides, he had no knowledge of her working with Elias so she was making herself look and feel stupid for being scared in the first place.

  “On all fours,” Zeek said as he slowly walked to the bed.

  Once again, obliging his request, Chanel got on all fours. She was so filled with anticipation of what was to come that she never noticed Zeek pulling out a weapon. Zeek grabbed her by her foot, pulling her closer to the edge of the bed before he yanked her head back by a handful of her hair. Zeek placed his arm around her neck and brought her ear to his mouth so she could hear what he was about to say.

  “You gotta be one of the dumbest bitches in the world to think that I was going to let you get away with crossing me. You didn’t want for shit, I laced your ass in the finest clothes, the hottest cars, and paid all your bills. I did all that even when I didn’t want your ass no more so all you had to do was remain loyal but you couldn’t even do that. You already know how this shit goes. Death before dishonor.” With every sentence Zeek was applying more and more pressure to her neck.

  Just when Chanel thought she was about to pass out, he loosened up. Zeek took the blade and slit her throat with ease. He stood there as she fell face forward on the bed with blood gushing from her wound without an ounce of emotion in him. When she finally took her last breath, he pulled out his burner and placed the call.

  “Either come get this bitch or leave her here to rot. I really don’t give a fuck what you do,” he said before hanging up.

  ___

  Coco heard a shower running and it made her jump out of the bed. To defuse some of the tension between her and her mother, she decided to stay at a hotel for a few days so she was wondering who the hell was in her hotel room and how they’d gotten in there. Just as she was about to reach for her phone, the bathroom door came open.

  “What you doing up? Where you going?”

  “Zeek?” she asked, shocked and confused.

  “You was expecting somebody else?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

  Coco just stood there staring at him. It had been a little over a month since the last time she had laid eyes on him and she didn’t know whether she wanted to slap him or kiss him.

  “I’m telling you now, if you put your hands on me, we’re going to be fucking this hotel room up. I’m not playing with you, Jacole,” Zeek threatened as if he was reading her mind.

  “Well, that’s just what the hell we’re going to be doing then!” she said as she charged at him.

  Zeek just laughed because he knew she wasn’t going to let him off that easy. Just like the last time, they fought and ended up fucking. That wasn’t how he planned on doing things this time around but he didn’t see a problem in them going about things this way either. Before she could even hit him, he grabbed her up in a big bear hug, snatched her panties off and threw her up against the wall.

  “You left me! Do you know how much shit I’ve been dealing with since…ooh shit!” Coco moaned as Zeek slid in her.

  “Daddy’s sorry, alright?” Zeek asked as he pumped in and out of her like his life depended on it. “We don’t have a lot of time together and I have better things I would rather be doing than fighting.”

  Coco couldn’t respond even if she wanted to. It seemed as if he was fucking her into a mute whereas the only thing she could do was form her mouth into an ‘o’ shape. As much as she didn’t want to give in to him, Coco couldn’t help herself. As much as she hated Zeek, she loved him just as much.

  “You missed me?” Zeek asked.

  Telling him yes, Coco nodded her head up and down.

  “I don’t know what that shit mean. I need for you to speak,” he told her.

  “Yes, I…I missed you,” Coco told him honestly.

  After an intense love making session, Zeek and Coco laid in the bed awake just holding each other. Coco laid on his chest drawing invisible circles as she listened to his heartbeat.

  “How long before you disappear on me this time?” she asked.

  “To keep it real with you, I was supposed to been gone but I couldn’t leave without seeing you.”

  “Humph, where you been or where are you staying, should I ask?”

  “Come on, Co; don’t ask me questions you know I can’t answer.” Zeek said.

  Coco sat up and looked at him like he was crazy. “What was the point in you even coming to see me if you weren’t going to answer any of my questions, Ezekiel? I mean, damn. The very least you could do is tell me where the hell you’re staying. It’s not like I can call you up whenever I want to talk to you or whenever Elias decides he wants to bring me in for questioning about a murder that you committed,” Coco spat.

  Just that quickly, the peaceful moment between the two of them was over.

  “Aye, chill out with all that hot shit. The fuck wrong with you?”

  “Fuck you,” Coco said as she tried to get out of the bed.

  Zeek grabbed her by her wrist and pulled her back down on the bed, pinning her down. Coco was so drained that she didn’t even try to fight with him this time but she refused to look him in his face.

  “Cuba,” he told her. “I’m staying in Cuba.”

  “What’s down there?” Coco asked with her face screwed up.

  “Chico’s family, my connect. He’s supposed to be helping me with this punk ass case they got against me but we ain’t really made no moves since I been down there,” Zeek told her truthfully.

  “Then what was the point of him having you come down there if he wasn’t going to help you? On top of that, you still have to figure out who was working with Elias now that you know it wasn’t me,” Coco said smartly.

  “That’s already been handled.”

  “What’s al…what did you do, Zeek?” Coco questioned him.

  Zeek didn’t answer her but he gave her a look that let her know she already knew the answer. If Coco had never witnessed it with her own eyes, she never would have believed that Zeek was actually capable of killing someone.

  “Who? If I’m allowed to ask.”

  “You probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” he said as he stretched and laid back on the bed.

  “Try me,” she said, really intrigued.

  “Chanel.”

  Coco’s mouth literally fell open when Zeek said that. It was not that she couldn’t believe that Chanel turned on Zeek, she couldn’t believe that Zeek actually killed her. This was the same bitch that he wouldn’t stop fucking for her but he was laying here telling here that he killed her in not so many words.

  “How do you feel?” she asked, just to see where his head was.

  “I don’t. That bitch crossed me so she had to go.” He shrugged.

  “Oh wow, okay.”

  “Enough about her, enough about this bullshit, period. I leave in a few and I don’t want our last minutes spent together wasted on that,” he said as he pulled her on his chest.

  Coco didn’t argue as she got comfortable on his chest.

  Chapter Eleven

  Things between Tariq and Jayliah had been going better than he had expected them to be. At first, he didn’t anticipate her to be so welcoming and fine with him having a daughter but he was loving t
he little bond the two of them were forming. Whenever they were around each other, it was as if he didn’t even exist. It took Tanae a while to warm up to Jayliah because she was so shy but once she did, it was a wrap. Whenever he went to pick his daughter up, it was always ‘Ms. Jay this’ or ‘Ms. Jay that.’

  Since it wasn’t his weekend to get Tanae, Tariq and Jayliah were spending some much needed quality time together. They were sitting in a warm bubble bath that Tariq had run for them, drinking champagne, talking about life.

  “Have you ever thought about having more kids?” Tariq asked.

  “I used to want some more,” Jayliah answered.

  “What happened?”

  “My son was taken from me,” Jayliah sighed. “I mean, he was kidnapped.”

  Even though Jayliah still wanted to be optimistic that Quaid was still alive somewhere out there, she had her doubts.

  “So if I asked you to have my baby, you wouldn’t do it?”

  “We already have our hands full with—”

  “That’s not what I asked you,” Tariq said, cutting her off.

  “No, Riq, I wouldn’t. At least not right now when you already have a daughter and I have to worry about where my son is and if his crazy ass father hasn’t really done something to him,” Jayliah expressed.

  “So because you’re afraid, you’re going to stop our family from being whole? I want at least two more kids and I would love for the woman who I plan to spend the rest of my life with to give them to me.”

  “Come on now, Tariq. You’re sounding very selfish right now. There’s no way in hell I’m pushing another baby out until I get my son back or I know for sure what happened to him.”

  “But I’m the selfish one?” Tariq huffed.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Jayliah asked.

  “Nothing, I’m out,” he said as he lifted her off his chest so he could get out of the tub.

  Jayliah sat there confused as she watched him leave a trail of suds behind him. She didn’t know how an innocent conversation had gone completely left with just the snap of a finger. Shaking her head, she just proceeded to get out of the tub herself. What she wasn’t about to do was let Tariq ruin her mood just because he wanted to be a sour puss.