by Kia
“When do you plan on sleeping?” she asked me as we drove off.
“When them niggas who trying to kill us is dead.”
“Sure enough. I feel the same way. It’s been some funny shit going on,” she said.
Divine and I decided to step out and bar hop to relieve some stress. We didn’t want to stay at one place too long, so we planned to hit several spots.
“You strapped?” I asked her.
Divine nodded her head. “You already know,” she said with a smile.
“Good, ’cause this car has been following us since we left,” I said, bringing attention to the red Honda that had been behind us since we got onto the main street.
“Not again,” she said as she shook her head.
“Right? Can’t a bitch have fun anymore?” I asked as I peeped into the rearview, being sure not to turn my attention directly to the car behind me.
“I’m about to bust a right.”
“Then bust another right to make sure,” I added.
“Cool.” She put her blinkers on and drove normally as she made four rights; a circle.
“Damn, they still are following us. Just find a place to pull over in the open,” I said.
She set her gun on her lap. “Nah, we need to go to a dark place, just in case I have to shoot.”
“Yup, makes sense,” I said as I cocked my gun. Shit had never gotten this gangsta for me, but I adapted well. I guess that’s what happens when an unknown man named Percy is trying to take you out.
My palms began to accumulate sweat as she parked the car on a dead end road. As soon as the person exited the car, Divine asked no questions as she hopped out and drew down.
“Why the fuck are you following me?” she asked as she neared the person, weapon still drawn.
I hopped out too.
“I just wanted to tell you that your tail light was out,” an old white woman said as she peed on herself with her hands in the air.
“Whooooo,” I said in relief when I saw the woman’s face and the tail light.
“Fuck! You can’t be going around following mothafuckas!” Divine yelled at the woman as she put her gun back into her waistband.
“I was just trying to help,” the old lady cried. I went back to sit in the car. Didn’t have time for that shit.
“It’s okay. Let me walk you back to the car,” Divine said as she placed her hand on the woman’s shoulders and helped her into the car. “I’m so sorry,” I heard Divine say as she tapped the hood of the car and waited for the woman to drive off.
Finally, she got back into the car and sat back in her seat. I could tell that she was relieved by the way she inhaled and exhaled. Finally, she started the car and made a U-turn. That’s when we saw three black SUVs pulling up. We looked at each other and words didn’t even have to leave our mouths. We knew what time it was when masked men started hopping out and running toward the car.
Divine backed up, and when she got far enough back, she went full speed into them niggas. They had us trapped, but if they knew like I knew, they would move. This bitch was about to kill everybody as fast as she was going.
“Start busting!” she yelled as our speeding car neared the men in black and the SUV’s.
“Mothafucka!” she yelled as we got closer.
I was now shooting, but I slowed down when I realized that the SUV’s weren’t moving. For a second, I thought we would collide. But like smart people, they hurried and swung the SUV to the right, getting out of her way.
“Yeeeaaa,” I yelled as I turned around and continued to shoot.
“Get her!” I heard someone yell as the men jumped back into the truck and followed us.
“Glory right down the street. Get to him!” I yelled.
I knew that if we got to him, we would be okay. But first, we had to make it to him alive. “Take the back roads!” I yelled.
“Are you crazy? I can’t speed down them! It’s too dark and I can’t see!”
“Trust me!” I yelled, steady busting. I reached down into my large handbag and pulled out my semi-automatic.
Blaaat! Tat! Tat! Tat! Blaaaat!
I was spraying they bitch ass. “Right here?” Divine asked as she swooped onto a dark road. I hurried and pulled my head back into the window.
“Yeah, this is it!” I yelled over the wind as I put my upper body back out the window and started busting again.
“Oh shiiiiiit!” Divine yelled.
I didn’t even have to turn around to see what she was yelling at. It was a big ass diesel truck coming our way. We were about to hit it head on.
“I can’t see! The lights are blinding me!” she yelled with a hysterical look on her face.
“Swerve to the right! You’re in the left lane! Get over! Now!” I yelled.
I watched as it all played out. Just in the nick of time, she swerved over into the right lane.
Boom!
“What the fuck?!” We both yelled as we slowed down and turned around. The SUV and diesel truck had collided head on.
“Drive! Keep driving! Go!” I yelled.
We had no time to waste. Ain’t no telling who in the hell was waiting on us to pull over.
We drove for about fifteen minutes and finally made it to Glory’s street. Divine called him before we pulled up. When we got there, he and some more niggas ran outside.
“They tried to get us,” Divine said as we hopped out the car.
“Who?” Ali asked Divine, who was out of breath.
“Man… some… niggas been trying to… kidnap me,” Divine said as she leaned against the car. I sat on the curve and gathered everything from my thoughts to my breath.
“Them niggas was trying to kill y’all. Only the gas tank got bullet scuffs on it,” Glory said.
“That shit crazy,” Lu Lu said.
“Yo, did you see their faces?” Glory asked.
“Hell nah,” I admitted.
“Nope,” Divine seconded.
“Man, I can’t wait to find Monty and ’nem. I’ma blow they mothafucking head off,” Glory said, kicking the tires.
“But are you okay?” Ali asked Divine.
He seemed to be extra worried about her for some reason. Nigga hadn’t even looked my way to ask me shit. His eyes were dead locked on Divine.
Ali was a friend of Glory’s. Him, Lu Lu and Poppi all ran in the same circle. Ali was known around Miami for his handsome looks and money. He was born into money. Their family had their hands in everything from the car business, to the oil business, and other businesses back in Ghana. Ali was far from a dope boy and everyone knew it. That’s what made the girls so crazy about him.
He carried himself like a real man was supposed to, by the way he dressed, acted and spoke. Ali was just cool as hell when he did come around because he didn’t come around much. Funny thing is, I’d never seen him talking to any of the bitches Glory had around.
Chapter Sixteen
Divine
“You sure you still want to go out?” I asked Milo as we pulled up to a beach bar.
“Hell yeah. Them muthafuckas ain’t gonna stop my show,” she said as she fixed her makeup.
I looked in my rearview and saw Glory pulling up with Kipp in the car. Behind him was Ali in a different car. Last time, he was in a G550. This time he was in a yellow Lamborghini with black stripes. Malina would love him.
“Let’s have some fun, then,” I said as we stepped out and fixed ourselves up.
After getting shot at, Glory and his boys insisted on coming with us to watch our backs.
“Let’s get fucked up so I can fuck you to sleep,” Kipp said to Milo as he walked behind her.
She looked over to see if I had heard him, but I hurried and turned my attention to Glory. That wasn’t my business.
“What Neiman doing here?” I asked Glory as Neiman pulled up.
“She asked me where I was going tonight and I told her. So, she said she wanted to come too,” Glory said as Neiman walked over in her heels and h
ugged him, then slobbed him down.
“You drunk?” Glory asked as he threw his arms around her neck and hugged her tight.
Everybody was acting mad weird.
“I’m rolling off an X pill,” she said with much laughter.
“What? You must wanna get that pussy beat up tonight?” Glory asked.
“Yeeeea,” she giggled.
I looked over, and Kipp was all over Milo.
“Come on,” Ali said, grabbing my hand. He had on a plain white shirt, with white guess jeans and white shoes.
“Thanks. That was getting awkward,” I said as we walked inside.
“I know. It’s all good, though. Want a drink?” he asked as we entered and found two seats at the bar. It was jam packed.
“Sure.” I pulled my money out of my wallet.
He looked at me like I was crazy. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“About to pay for my drink.” For a brief second, we stared into each other’s eyes. Both being stubborn.
“Put it back. I got it. Please.”
“Fine,” I responded, not trying to protest because it would be awkward.
Now that I was actually up close, I got a good look at his chocolate skin, tight eyes, muscular frame, and low cut jet black hair. Even with my heels on, he was taller than me. But not too tall. His height was just right; about 6’0” on the dot.
“You independent women trip me out.”
“It’s a habit.”
“So I’m sure Glory told you that I was interested.”
“Yeah. He said he gave you my number, but you never texted,” I said.
Before responding, he ordered our drinks. “Yeah, I didn’t want to be rude. I wanted you to give me your number on your own, so I waited.”
“What got you so interested in me? I heard you don’t fuck with bitches affiliated with my lifestyle.”
He laughed. “Glory told me some great things about you, and I just had to see for myself.”
“Did he tell you that I was gay?”
“Yes. And I wanted to personally tell you that it means absolutely nothing to me.”
I waited for him to laugh, but he didn’t. Didn’t even budge until the waitress slid our drinks over.
“What y’all doing?” Neiman’s drugged out ass asked as she stumbled over to me. Glory was holding her up.
“Drinking,” I said, then I turned my attention to the crowd that was now dancing.
“I’m leaving my car here. Glory driving me to his place in my car. Kipp gonna drive Glory’s whip. So don’t be looking for me. We out,” she said, leaning over to me and throwing her hands around my neck.
She was rolling on an X pill, so I didn’t trip. I just smiled.
“Be careful,” is all I said before she left with Glory holding her up.
“They’re about to have fun tonight,” Ali said.
“Yep.”
“Would you like to dance?” Ali asked as he stood up and reached his hands out.
“Are you serious?” I was now laughing.
“Yeah, come on.”
“Let me have a few more shots first. Lord knows I can’t dance,” I said.
“Me too,” Milo said as he slid on the stool next to me and ordered a few shots.
Kipp went over to cut the shit with Ali.
“Just give us about fifteen shots of vodka. Put it on my tab,” Ali said, pulling out his wallet.
“Oooooh, girl, I think Ali calls himself liking you,” Milo said.
“I do like her, with her gay ass,” Ali said.
We all laughed, and I tapped him playfully.
“See, I told you,” Neiman said with a smile on her face as she lit up a blunt.
“We can smoke in here?” I asked.
“Yeah, they don’t be tripping like that,” Neiman said as she took a puff and passed me the blunt. I took a few puffs and passed it back.
“Can we dance now?” Ali asked.
“Sure.”
“Ooooh, get it, girl,” Milo whispered.
“You wild,” I said back as Ali grabbed my hand and led me to the floor.
By this time, the drinks were kicking in and I was starting to feel good.
“I love this song,” Ali said as 2 Chainz hit song “Used To” started to play. The whole bar turned up.
“This my shit!” I yelled with laughter as I put my ass on Ali and started doing my D-town twerk.
“Damn,” he said as he placed his hands on my waist and started grinding on me.
“I didn’t know you could dance like that,” Kipp said as he and Milo danced their way over to us.
We drank, smoked, and partied for about two hours before we wrapped it up. I loved the fact that I got to see a whole new side of Milo. She was actually a cool girl. I had to get to know her a little better, but I didn’t see any bad blood brewing from it. Homegirl was better than I thought. It’s just fucked up how I had more of a great time with strangers than my own kin.
Chapter Seventeen
Malina
Three days later…
“Nigga, where have you been the last few days? I thought you wanted to have drinks, but you just burned out. Did you hear what happened with Divine at the meeting you missed?” Lu Lu asked as I puffed on a blunt and didn’t pass it to him.
“Nah, we ain’t really talked. She been on some funny shit ever since I came back. I think she knows that I went to Texas. I don’t give a fuck,” I said as I lay back and put my foot on the living room table.
“So what happened to you in Dallas? You’re acting shady right now.”
“Nothing much. Oh yeah, my mother hates me, and Slick wants nothing to do with me anymore, and it’s all Divines fault.”
“How?”
“After I was saved from Bishop, she took her goofy ass to Texas and told Slick to stay away from me.”
“But why would she want him around you? All of this shit is leading back to him.”
“Whatever.”
“I think you need to talk to your cousin. Some serious shit went down, and you need to know.”
“I don’t need to know shit. Her and Milo look like they’re well acquainted now. She don’t need me.”
“So this is about jealousy?” he asked.
I leaned up and ashed the blunt. Then I shot him a disrespectful look. “Jealous of what? Who? Her? Hell, if anything, she’s jealous of me. Slick left her for me.”
“Wrong. She let you have him.”
“No, I took him.”
“And then he left you for his ex.”
“That’s not the point,” I said, wondering whose side he was on.
“I’m not understanding what’s going on with you, Malina. You need to think before you do something stupid. I don’t like that look in your eyes,” he said as he weighed some white on the scale.
“I’m good. Just got a lot of business to handle,” I said as I gave a grimace of deceit.
“You just be careful.”
“Oh, trust me, I will,” I said as I stood and prepared to leave.
I wasn’t the one who needed to be careful.
Chapter Eighteen
Neiman
“So you mean to tell me that I damn near run this fucking city, and I can’t find three men? What the fuck do I have soldiers for, Glory?”
Divine was up early and on one. No one had seen or heard from Percy since he pulled that stunt, and Glory was the first one in line to take the back lash. He was looking stressed the fuck out too as he and Ali sat on the couch in our living room.
“Man, these niggas must be hiding in a swamp or some shit. You know I been on it, D. Damn, don’t I get any credit?” Glory asked.
“My life is in danger and I’m a sitting duck out here, Glory,” Divine said, taking some of the base out of her tone as she stood in front of the TV with a white robe and glass of wine. This bitch was acting real fancy now.
“You think you’re the only one whose life is in danger?” Ali asked, breaking his silence.
“You don’t need soldiers. I keep telling you that I got you,” Ali said as he checked one of his phones.
“But you can’t be here all the time, Ali,” Divine whined.
I was confused as fuck. “Did I miss something?” I asked.
“You peeped that?” Glory asked me.
“What?” Ali asked.
“Nigga, you hittin’ that?” Glory asked as he shifted in his seat.
“I wish,” Ali answered.
“Fool.” Divine laughed as she tossed a pillow at Ali.
“I’m just being honest,” Ali said as he grabbed the pillow and placed it on the side of him.
“Well, hello to you too,” Glory said to Malina as she walked through the door and tossed her keys on the counter.
“Hey,” she said dryly as she leaned down into the fridge and grabbed a yogurt.
“And where have you been?” Divine asked Malina.
“I’m grown,” is all Malina said as she went to her room and shut the door.
“What’s that all about?” I asked Divine, who was looking furious.
“Didn’t you already whoop her ass before?” Glory asked.
“Hell yeah,” I instigated.
“You might have to whoop that ass again,” Glory joked.
“Just chill,” Divine said as she sat down and drank the whole glass of wine. Then she took the whole bottle and gulped that down.
“You can’t keep letting people walk all over you, Divine. And I’m telling you as a friend,” Glory said.
“I didn’t ask for your advice.”
“But what he’s saying is true, Divine,” I said.
“Whatever,” she said as she lifted herself from the couch, went into her room and shut the door.
“Go talk to your girl,” Glory said to Ali.
“She’s not mine… yet. But aye, I’m about to go handle some business at my dealership,” Ali said as he and Glory stood to clap hands.
“Bet. Hit me later.”
I got up to shut the door behind Ali. “I’m still tired,” I said as I leaned back against the door.
“Wanna ride with me?” Glory asked as soon as I sat back down.
