Mook moved into the kitchen and motioned King to follow. “Man”, he said, pouring them another shot. “You can’t believe everything Reese is saying. I mean there is some truth to it, but everybody moved on. Shit, the way they was locking us up, it was like every fucking day somebody was getting arrested. Like they were herding cattle bruh. I got out after you went up.”
“Wow, man I had no idea. What about Dewon and Mason? They still dealing?”
“Naw man, Dewon got 20 years for a botched robbery and Mason drowned last year at Lake Lanier.”
“For real dude? Dayum! What happened to Marco? “
“Man, ain’t nobody seen Marco since you went up.”
That was the biggest mystery…where was Marco? It was hard to believe that so many of them got lost into the drug scene, but it is what it is. Sometimes you win at it, but most times you lose. King could remember handling stacks of money, bringing in like 2k a week. He had everything he wanted, clothes. Cars, clout. Pretty much whatever he wanted he could have. Money and power is a man’s true addiction, can’t have power without money. He was making the money and working on the power. Marco on the other hand had both…that’s why King looked up to that nigga. Now it seemed the climate had changed. The Mexicans and Nicaraguans were running the streets. For King, that was hard to believe.
“Damn man,” King said. “We were so young. Young heads trying to run these streets and it just seemed we couldn’t win, if the streets didn’t get us, it was the police.“
Mook stopped sipping on his drink and got real serious. “You not thinking about getting back in, are you?”
King could see the concern on his face and said what he knew Mook wanted to hear.
“Naw man, Naw. I’m staying clean.”
***
They all sat on Mook’s back porch reminiscing on old times. It seemed like it was just yesterday. Of course Reese had the most animated stories.
“King! Man I remember when you would do the craziest shit ever!” Reese said jumping up from his chair. “This nigga here, me him and Mook had just robbed like 5 houses. We had so much shit we could hardly carry it. This motherfucker goes back into the house and grabs a damn suitcase and we wheeled that shit down the street in front of the police!”
“Dayum I forgot about that. But now I remember, because ole stankazz, snitching motherfucker Wilson turned us in when his daddy found the gun I sold him.”
“Yeah that nigga big as hell, cried like a god damn baby to his daddy,” Reese said kneeling on the ground imitating Wilson. “Daddy I won’t do it no more, it was them, not me.”
Everybody laughed.
Big Cissy stood up and walked over to Reese and said. “Awe nigga I heard your daddy whooping the shit out of you, so you are one to speak!
“That’s a fucking lie Big Cissy, my daddy never whooped anything, and he BEAT my azz!”
He was right. Reese’s daddy wasn’t nothing to play with. He beat Reese even if he didn’t do anything. He always got beat, but no matter what he couldn’t beat that crazy out of him. King glanced around the room, counting 6 dudes and one girl, Big Cissy and funny how it had always been this way, She always had his back, since grade school, her and Mook being his oldest friends, so it was good to have them both there.
No one ever looked at Cissy as a girl, or now woman, she was just one of the homies. To say that Cissy was big-boned was an understatement. She was full breast from head to toe, but that never stopped her from eating and drinking or cutting back. She liked to have fun, like the rest of us and if need be, kick a nigga’s ass. Big Cissy wasn’t no joke and that’s why no one fucked with her like that. When most everyone had left, King sat on the porch just looking up at the sky and the stars thinking about where he was just last night. Staring at a grey ceiling, grey walls, grey floor, and grey furniture. Staring and dreaming, wishing for this moment. What a difference a day makes. He had to thank his blessings and promised right then and there that he would do whatever it took to right the wrongs of his life. He was going to make his mom happy and proud, because he believed she suffered the most, and that he would take care of Carmen and his homeboys.
When I make it, everybody makes it…that’s how we do.
King grabbed himself another Corona and dreamed the most beautiful dream any man could ever have straight woke. Life for him was about to change.
Chapter 2
King woke up to birds chirping and the bluest sky he had ever seen. Even with the peaceful surroundings he could swear he heard cell doors opening and closing through the night. Something about that prison life stays with you, like the night screams, and hearing niggas getting beat for soup or socks. Fuck that shit.
He snapped out of momentary lapse into hell and took a moment to once again appreciate all that was before him. He stood up, looking around Mook’s patio, where he had slept the night laid up on a lounge chair. He could truly attest that it was best bed he had ever slept on. He stretched, taking in all the mellowness while also seeing the mess they left behind from last night. Bottles and bags were everywhere. He decided to help Mook out by cleaning up a bit. King carried the bag of bottles into the kitchen and dropped them in a trashcan then turned around to find the surprise of his life.
“King!” Bae screamed. “Wow, it’s been so long. Mook told me you were out.”
He couldn’t believe his eyes. Surely this was not little Belinda, Mook’s younger sister. No, his eyes must be deceiving him, because Bae had become one very fine, grown ass woman.
“Bae! Girl, oh my God! Look at you! I mean dayum. Yeah, I’m back!” He said, looking her up and down. He liked everything about her. Cute little pixie haircut, beautiful smile and a shape that could compete with Beyoncé. “ Wow!” Was all he could say. He was truly at a loss for words. Bae had that cute schoolgirl look compounded with grown woman sexy, something he was not expecting. Last time he had seen her she wasn’t in pigtails or nothing but she was wearing braces and skinny, real skinny.
They both started hugging and laughing by the embarrassing moment. It had been some time since the two had seen each other. She was starting her first year in college the year he left. Only a few years younger than both Mook and him and yet he had always thought of her as a little girl.
“So…” King asked, “What’s going on? You finished with school?”
“Yes, I finished last year, working in finance now.”
King even liked the way she talked, not like no hood rat but with perfect diction with a touch of Southern.
Mook joined them in the kitchen. “Bae!” he said hugging his sister. “What are you doing here?
“I stopped by to pick up your paperwork for the condo. Dayum boy your memory is messed up.”
“Oh yeah, you right. So, what do you think about our boy King here? Got my homie back!”
“Yeah,” she said , while giving a flirtatious grin King’s way. “He looks good! But hey I gotta run brother, you know duty calls.” Then turns to King and says, “I’ll catch up with you later King.”
“For sure,” He said while watching her walk out the door, staring particularly at her cute, plump ass before Mook caught him.
“Man, I know you are not staring at my little sister’s ass. I know you not.”
“Bruh, your sister ain’t little no more! Feel me.”
“Yeah, well on the real…look but don’t touch!”
“I feel ya Bruh!”
***
Three weeks home, everything seemed to be going well. King signed up for his drug rehab classes and managed to snag a part-time job at the Exon station. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to pay for gas and food. The drug classes were like a living hell, full of privileged white kids hooked on meth and coke all complaining about what they mommy and daddy did. King ain’t never seen so many whiny, crying misfits with money in his entire life. He didn’t know what was worse, sitting there for hours listening to them, or having to spend money just to sit and listen to this bullshit. Then to add more drama
his mom had been coming down pretty hard on him about starting school, but he wasn’t ready yet, even though August was just around the corner. His mind was on two things, making money and making more money so he could get out on his own.
He had just finished his shift when in walks none other than Belinda, “Bae”, looking luscious and very business sexy. She wore a tightly fitted black top, and a white pin-striped pencil skirt that flattered her petite shape. King could almost imagine her straddled over a desk.
“Bae!” He called out. “What up girl?”
She smiled that brilliantly bright smile of hers, the one he couldn’t forget. This was enemy territory and he knew it, but there was something about her he just couldn’t resist, and even though he had made Mook a promise, a little flirtation never hurt anyone.
“Hey King! I didn’t know you worked here.” She said giving him a hug and a whiff of her scent.
It took everything in him not to grab her ass. He asked himself, why was her ass always on his mind. He guessed because that was the one thing King told him not to touch. Or perhaps because, her ass was so fucking round, and plump, it just made him….
“King?”
“Yeah, sorry. It’s all good until I find something full-time. What’s up with you?”
“All is well. Did Mook tell you about my party?”
“Party, naw, at least I don’t think so.”
King tried to appear nonchalant, and a bit uninterested. It was fucking hard to be a gentlemen like after sleeping, eating and living with a bunch of hood niggas for 4 years.
“Party for who?”
“Oh my bad. I’m giving Mook a birthday party. It’s Saturday at my house, 9pm. Here’s the address.” She said handing him a card.
“Oh, it’s my boys’ birthday, you know I’m there.”
“Good, I’ll see you then.”
King felt his attraction growing for Bae. True it had only been a couple of meetings but their chemistry was off the chain. You know he could sum it up to no sex in the last 4 years, or he could see it for what it was…he had a thing for Bae.
***
King needed to make more money and his job just wasn’t doing it for him. Against everything he believed in he made a rash decision to get back in the business. Reese claimed he had a hook up, an old friend of Marco’s who was willing to sell him some stuff. King had about five hundred dollars saved up. That was the down payment for his apartment. He had promised his mom he would be out in 60 days. But with Godzilla aka Lance breathing down his neck on the daily and his mom’s constant complaining he needed a way to get his money up and fast.
Reese pulled up to the house with his music blasting. King damn near jumped at the bass coming off that car. It was a good thing Godzilla wasn’t home or he would beat the shit out of both of them. He heard his mama shouting from downstairs.
“Kenan! Kenan! Get the fuck down here and tell that boy to turn down his music! I mean it…I swear I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with you all!”
“Yeah ma,” He answered, rushing down the stairs. “I’m going to be out for a minute.”
“Out where? See…” she said heading for the door. “This is the same shit you did to get your ass locked up and now you doing it again. Well you best believe I will not be bailing you out of anything!”
“Damn ma, I ain’t doing anything. Just hanging out.” King kissed his mom on the cheek and proceeded out the door.
Truth is he couldn’t wait to get out that house. Every day was the same, complain, complain, complain, and even though she had good intentions it was just so much of her he could take. Even Lance, her fiancé seem to stay away from home more often. This was the main reason he had to get some money so he could move the hell on.
He could see Reese bobbing his head in unison to whatever monster beat shit he was playing.
“Man,” King said, opening the door, “Cut that shit down!”
“What? What?,” Reese replied.
That’s when King leaned over and turned down the sound. “Bruh, my mom is freaking out. Please don’t ever show up here with the music that loud.”
“Alright Bruh! My apologies. You ready to make some money?”
***
Reese set up this meet to buy some drugs from one of Marco’s old connects. King was down with it, despite the promises he had already made to his mom and Mook. But on the real, he had to get this money.
It was after 7, not quite dark yet and the meet was at 8. It was pretty simple, they bring the money, and the others bring the drugs, no drama, but shit didn’t work out that way.
Sitting on Riverside drive, listening to music, Reese got the call that his connects were on the way. They sat for another 20 minutes before they got the call that they had arrived at the destination point. King checked his stash again. 5 hundred dollars. 5 hundred dollars could buy a nice amount of weed, a small stash of Meth and some Heroin. He had never dealt with Meth and Heroin, but Reese said it was what everyone wanted and sold pretty quickly. Back in the day, all he sold was weed, coke and crack. Most of his clients only dealt with weed and coke; crack was regulated to the hood and wasn’t too much hood in Gwinnett.
“Man, when these motherfuckers gonna get here? It’s well after 8 and I’m hungry like a motherfucker,” King said, popping two more mints in his mouth.
“They coming bruh!, Reese said. “They want to make that money…that’s for sure.”
King settled down. He wasn’t used to being not in control of the situation. This time he let Reese take lead and although he trusted his boy, he also felt some kind of way. It was almost like déjà vu. Him and Bokine, the SA’s. He wasn’t about to let Reese fuck up his new chance on life.
“These niggas legit Reese?” King asked. “Cuz, I really don’t need any bullshit! You feel me?”
“Yeah King, Chill Bruh, they coming and we got plans over plans. Plan A, Plan B and C. I come prepared.”
King started to feel some kind of way. What the fuck did that mean? All he knew about was a Plan A. He started to ask Reese about Plan B when a car drove up.
“That’s them,” Reese said. “You stay in the car and let me check it out.”
King did as he was told, but still the hairs on the back rose…signaling to him that something wasn’t right.
When Reese exited the car, King checked his phone. Not one call from Carmen, Bae or Mook. He kind of felt alone out there. Reese was cool an all, but Reese could flip out in a second, he wanted some backup.
Reese returned to the car with a smug grin on his face. “They got what we need and we got what they want.” He swung his long dreads to the side, then swept them all up into a ponytail he wore high on his head. “Let’s go.”
King grabbed the bag with the money and began to exit the car. He could see two people in the car that drove up. A black Dodge Charger. He had always loved that car. In fact once he got stable, he was gonna make that his very first purchase.
“Yo, Reese, you ready?”
The two dudes in the car got out and circled the car to where King was standing. Reese fell back behind him and King didn’t know why. He thought he would be up front to retrieve the drugs once he presented the money. No pleasantries were expressed, King showed them the money and they showed the drugs. It was the usual. But then Reese pulled his gun and within seconds shot both of them dudes, grabbed the drugs while hollering, “King, let’s go!”
He hollered King’s fucking name during a robbery. That was all King could think of. Shit moved fast, but this motherfucker called out his name. Shit wasn’t looking good.
***
“Fuck Reese! Don’t you know I can catch another case. What the fuck was you thinking calling out my name?”
“Man, ain’t nothing to worry about”, Reese said counting the money. “Them motherfuckers’ dead and dead men don’t tell. Shit! You check this out? We made out good!”
This was too much like what had happened before and yet this time he could be, would be more in con
trol of the situation. He already knew Reese was a hothead, and most times talked too damn much. He had to find a way to put a muzzle on Reese without having to kill him.
***
Bae answered the door wearing a sexy, black mini dress that clung to everything. King already knew his eyes betrayed him before they even spoke.
“Hey, you made it.” She said smiling and pulling him into a hug.
Every time he saw her was better than the last. He was even having a hard time concentrating on Carmen and that was definitely outside of ordinary.
“Yeah, hey I got this.” King said handing her a bottle Hennessy. “Still his favorite drink?”
“Yes, of course. Well, come on in. Mook isn’t here yet, but some of his friends are. Did you have a hard time finding the place?” She asked while walking through her place.
“No,” King responded, taking in the scenery before him.
“Hey fool!” Big Cissy called out from the kitchen. “I want to know why I only get to see you at parties and nowhere else.”
King laughed. “Awe come on Cissy, I’ve been working you know, trying to get my shit together. We gonna hang out soon.
And all of sudden she dropped a bomb on him. “Well, I here you and Reese been hanging out!”
URBAN: In Love with A Boss Nigga Page 45
