Disrespectful

by Tynessa

  “You can’t do what? Gambino, all I’m saying is I want to spend more time with you. I miss the way things used to be with us. Your family hates me as if I did something to them and I wanna go back to the way things were. Hell, you haven’t even left me money to go out and do some shopping on my own,”Jazz said.

  “Jazz, look, since when did you become so dependent on me? When I met you, you had a good job as a sales accountant for a car dealership. You made your own money and didn’t ask me for mines. I let you get comfortable and now you need to get uncomfortable. Yes, it’s my fault because I thought I could shower you and I turned you into this monster but damn, you don’t even cook for a nigga no more,” he said while looking through his bag for something to wear. He was going to hang with Zywon and Sevyn tonight and he was definitely leaving Jazz ass at the hotel after this conversation.

  “Gambino, where are you going?”she asked once she realized that he was picking out a different outfit.

  “I’m headed to handle some business with my cousin. I will be back later tonight.”

  Jazz was tired of this shit. When Gambino left, she packed her bags and called a cab. She was hopping on a flight and going back home.

  To Gambino, nothing he set to do when he walked in that room was done because she was constantly nagging and complaining. He was tired of it.

  Chapter 4

  Gambino left the hotel room and went down to the bar to grab a few shots before he headed to handle is business with Zywon at the store they owned. He really didn’t know what was holding him back from moving to the A, he had more businesses here then he had back home. He was definitely going to talk to Jazz when he got back to the hotel, but for now he needed to get away from her. He wished that his relationship with Jazz could go back to how it was but he just didn’t see that happening.

  In a way, it was his own fault. He let her guilt trip him after the loss of their unborn child and he made her a handicap basically. She expecting and depended on him to do everything for her.

  He knew that as a man, that’s what he was supposed to do, but she always had to have the ambition to wanna do for herself. If something had happened to Gambino, Jazz wouldn’t have shit to fall back on and that’s not what he wanted.

  He looked towards the hotel entrance and noticed the little boy from earlier and the pretty lady he was with walking out. He downed his last shot, paid the tab and got up to leave.

  Gamnino was hoping that she had used valet and it was just his luck, she had. He walked up and handed the valet his ticket as he looked over and noticed just how pretty the girl with the bruised face was. She was breathtaking. He was staring and didn’t even realize it until she said something.

  “Do I know you or something?” Teyana asked, snapping him out his trance.

  “Naw, but I just couldn’t help to notice how beautiful you are, I’mTerrean,” he said introducing himself. Now, Gambino knew something about her was different because he immediately gave her his government. He never did that.

  “Well Terrean, I’m in a rush so maybe I will see you again,” she said as her car pulled up. She strapped her son in, got in the driver’s seat and pulled off.

  Gambino stood there dumbfounded and shook his head. He had seen her twice in one day and if he moved to ATL, he was bound to run into her again.

  He had no clue just how soon that was going to be.

  He called Zywon up and told him that he was on his way to the spot. Once his car pulled up, he hopped in and rode towards his destination. He always handled business in the first two days he was here and then partied with his cousin and his wife for the remainder of the days. He never told Jazz because all she would do is tag along and annoy everybody with her shitty ass attitude.

  Zywon was pulling up to the spot at the same time Gambino was. They got out, pounded each other up and walked to the entrance of the small storefront business that he and Zywon owned. It was a clothing store front but in the back is where all their money was stored. No one even had access to that part of the store but him, Sevyn and Gambino. No one knew that there was a whole building extended through the back. Not even his top lieutenants knew about this extended section. Zywon unlocked the doors and put the code in once they were in the store. He locked back up and they headed to the back to bag up the dope they needed to distribute to their team here and the three that Gambino brought down with him from Buffalo.

  When they got to the back, they quickly counted the money and bagged up the packages that needed to be distributed. Neither Gambino nor Zywon liked to be around this shit for longer than they needed to be. If they didn’t have so many trust issues they would pay somebody to do this portion for them but their motto was, ‘Who Can You Trust Better than Yourself’ and that motto is why they got as far ahead in the game as they did.

  Once they did all the distribution, counted out their workers pays for the evening and put the rest in their safe, they headed back to Zywon house for a kickback that he and Sevyn were throwing. They usually threw one once a month, or whenever Gambino was in town, he hated clubbing unless it was necessary. Gambino hopped in the car with Zywon and left his car at the spot. He didn’t feel like driving but he knew that Zywon didn’t want to come get him from all the way downtown Atlanta to drive the forty five minutes back to the spot that was only a 10 minute drive to his crib.

  When they were back at the house Zywon noticed that the rental Teyana was driving was there and looked over at his cousin and smiled. Gambino looked at him weirdly and asked what he was so happy about.

  “Sevyn best friend is here. I been trying to get you two in a room together for months but she is never around when you come to town because of her bitch ass baby daddy. I know that you with Jazmine, but she ain’t no good for you. Teyana is the girl you need on your arm.”

  “Man, I ain’t looking for no new girls. I can’t get rid of Jazz crazy ass as it is and I don’t need no new drama.”

  “Alright, you say that now. Wait til’ I introduce you to Teyana,” Zywon said and got out the car. Gambino followed his cousin into the house and was quickly greeted by a drunk Sevyn who was being the life of the party as usual. Zywon like how goofy she got when she was drunk. At the end of the night, it meant that she was gone get extra freaky in the bed as well.

  “Terrean, I have someone I want you to meet.” Sevyn grabbed his arm and led him over to where her friend was sitting.

  “Teyana, this is Terr-,” Sevyn started but Teyana finished her sentence.

  “Terrean, so we meet again, huh?” Teyana said blushing. She got a good look at him and noticed how damn sexy he was.

  “Teyana, huh? We do meet again,” Gambino said back with a smirk on his face. To say he was happy to have run into Teyana again so soon would have been an understatement. Gambino would have never guessed she was Sevyn’s homegirl Zywon was talking about. The fact that he ran into her for the third time that day he knew it was only fate.

  “Wait, so y’all know one another already?” asked Sevyn, confusedly. She knew that neither she nor Zywon had introduced them. Zywon stood there confused as well.

  “Yea, I ran into her and her lil’ man today at the hotel I’m staying at,” Gambino replied, never taking his eyes off Teyana.

  “Well, I guess there’s no need for introductions, so let’s go have some drinks.” Zywon threw his arm around Sevyn as they walked into the kitchen with Gambino and Teyana right behind them. Leaving Jazz at the hotel was the best decision Gambino had made in a long time.

  Chapter 5

  After the kickback died down, the foursome sat around the den, talking and enjoying each other’s company; just having a good time. Gambino couldn’t keep his eyes off Teyana and she was having a hard time keeping hers off him as well. His chocolate ass was the shit and there was nothing more she liked than a chocolate brother that had his shit together. Unfortunatly, she couldn’t say that about her fiancé, Tyriq. Yea, he was chocolate and once upon a time, he was the sexiest brother she’d ever laid eye
s on, but having his shit together just wasn’t in him. She had no doubt in her mind that Gambino was that nigga. Shit, he was Zywon’s people, of course he was!

  “Yo, Youngblood, let’s go out back and smoke,” Zywon said, breaking the stare between his cousin and wife best friend.

  Gambino winked at Teyana for the umpteeth time that night as he got up and as he and Zywon was walking out Camari walked in rubbing his sleepy eyes. Once again, he bumped into Gambino.

  “Excuse me,” he said as he looked up at Gambino’s tall frame. His eyes widen. “I know you,” he said. Gambino smiled.

  “Yea, you do. You just like bumping into me don’t you?” he teased Camari as he picked him up. It was crazy that for some strange reason he’d just met Camari but he felt a connection with the youngin. It was just something about the little guy!

  “How do you know my Uncle Zy and Ti-Ti Sevyn?” Camari asked him.

  “I’m your Uncle Zy’s cousin.”

  “Well how come I never saw you before?” asked Camari.

  Gambino was about to answer him until Teyana spoke up.

  “Camari, come over here baby, and stop asking so many questions,” she said.

  He jumped out Gambino’s arms and ran to his mother. Teyana wasn’t trying to be mean but she didn’t know him like that for him to be picking her son up. All she needed was for Camari to run back to his father and mention that another man besides Zywon was even that close to him. That was one ass whooping she wasn’t looking forward to.

  Once Gambino and Zywon was out the door, Sevyn looked at Teyana with a raised brow. She might have been fucked up but she wasn’t that fucked up to not notice her home girl and cousin-in-law eyeing one another.

  “So, what was that about?” asked smiling Sevyn. She had to make sure she didn’t say too much, incase Camari decided to run back and tell his crazy ass father something. She really didn’t see what her best friend saw in his bitch ass anyways.

  Tyriq puts the B in bum!

  Blushing, Teyana asked, “What are you talking about?” she played dumb.

  “Oh, you know damn well what I’m talking about!”

  Teyana was about to respond but the sound of her ringing phone prevented her from doing so. She excused herself because she didn’t really want Sevyn to hear Tyriq screaming and cursing at her as if she was a child. Bad enough she was sitting in front of her with a bruised face. She was surprised but happy that neither Sevyn nor Zywon had noticed it--who was she kidding?--that shit was very noticeable! She was just happy they hadn’t spoken on it yet because she knew it was coming.

  “Hello?” Teyana answered once she stepped on the front porch.

  “Bitch, you think it’s cool for you to take my fucking son and leave? I know you at that bitch Sevyn house. I told you about hanging out with that hoe,” Tyriq screamed into the phone. He was forever talking bad about Sevyn and Zywon but would smile and show all 32’s when he was in their presence. Tyriq was a true definition of a bitch made nigga!

  “Look, all the name calling isn’t called for Tyriq. Why does she has to be all that?” asked Teyana.

  “Oh, so you taking up for that bitch? I knew y’all hoes was fucking. You rather be up in that bitch’s ass instead of being with yo’ own fiancé. You probably be over there fuckin’ her husband, too.” Teyana rolled her eyes upwards, she was so over Tyriq’s accusations. If he wasn’t accusing her of sleeping with Sevyn, then he was accusing her of sexing Zywon.

  “Are you done yet?” she asked him.

  “Hell no, I’m not done yet! You better have yo’ ass home in the next hour or I’m gone come over there and drag yo’ ass out that bitch,” he roared in anger.

  “I’m not coming back and you better not bring your ass over here with that shit.” She knew Zywon wouldn’t allowTyriq to come over his house and actually drag her out. Zywon been had a bullet just for Tyriq’s ass a long time ago, but there was no doubt in her mind that Tyriq’s crazy ass wouldn’t try that shit. It had been plenty of times she’d begged Zywon to not put a bullet in her fiancé’s skull.

  “Bitch, test me if you want to. Yo’ ass better be here or at least have my son here, your choice.”

  “I’m not doing either one, Tyriq. I can’t do this shit with you anymore. I’m tired of walking around with bruises and black eyes and shit. I’m done,” Teyana said as she fought back her tears.

  “I’m telling you now, Teyana, I hate to come over there but you know I will,” with that Tyriq hung up in her face. She knew it was best if she just went back home. The last thing she needed was for him to come over there and show out in front of their guest.

  “Trouble in paradise,” asked Gambino, starling her. Teyana was so wrapped up in her conversation that she didn’t even hear Gambino walk out. He’d been standing there listening to her entire conversation. Gambino didn’t know what it was about Teyana that had him so intrigued but he felt the need to rescue her.

  “Um, you nosey, ain’t you?” Teyana replied.

  “Not nosey, ma. Zywon getting ready to take me back to my car and I came out to give him and Sevyn a little privacy. I’m glad I did though, it sounds like you need a shoulder,”Gambino replied.

  “Aren’t you just the charmer? Do you want the long or short version?”

  “How about me and you go for drinks and you give me whatever version you want?” he asked. He hoped she said ‘yes’ because he wasn’t ready to let her out his presence just yet.

  “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. I have my son out late as is and my fiancé has already called acting stupid wondering where I am,”she replied

  “Your son is good. I’m positive that cousin and wifey have no issue with keeping him. As a matter of fact, I will go let them know I wanna take you out for a few and let you clear your head, ma. You too pretty to be this stressed, luv.”

  With that being said, Gambino walked back in the house to find Sevyn and Zywon sitting on the couch cuddled up.

  “Nigga, I’m glad you ain’t gotta take me to my whip no more. You in here cuddling and shit,” Gambino laughed.

  “Aw nigga, cut the shit, I’m ready to roll when you are. I was waiting on you to come back in. Don’t think a nigga ain’t see you checking out lil’ sis all night. I was giving y’all time to get to know each other.” Zywon shot back laughing. He had noticed those two eyeing each other all night long and he silently hoped that they got rid of the baggage they both were carrying.

  “Well, look, I wanna take Teyana out for drinks, so do y’all mind keeping an eye on little man for her?”

  “Nope. Please go have fun,” Sevyn said pushing Gambino back to the door. “Teyana enjoy yourself, honey. Camari is in great hands.” Sevyn was glad that Gambino took the initiative to take her out because had they left it up to Teyana she would’ve said no.

  “A’ight, ma, you have no excuse now. I promise not to keep you out late,” Gambino said and grabbed Teyana’s hand walking off the porch. She hit the locks on the 2014 Chrysler 300 she was renting and Gambino opened the driver’s side door for her to get in before walking around to the passenger side and got in.

  “Where do you wanna go?” Teyana asked as she pulled out the driveway.

  “This is your city Ma, you lead the way and I shall follow.”

  “Well, why don’t I just take you back to your car after our date?” Teyana was immediately embarrassed after that statement.

  “Oh, so we on a date? Just wanna make this clear because if this is a date then I pay. If we just two friends hanging out then I hope you got cash to cover your end of the check,” Gambino said laughing.

  Teyana couldn’t do nothing but laugh with him. He had a sense of humor and that turned her on, but just like her, she knew he was holding back something. You could tell it in his eyes.

  “Anyways, silly. So, you know that I have a fiancé, but what about you?” she asked

  “Naw, I don’t have a fiancé but I do have a girl.” Gambino said. Just the thought of Jazz being brought up ma
de his skin itch. She really was a thorn in his side these days.

  “Well, from the sounds of things, it seems like you need a shoulder as well,” Teyana replied using his lines against him.

  “Sounds like it, huh?” Gambino just nodded his head up and down. How was a girl whose name he just learned today, able to tell that he himself had trouble in paradise?

  After driving for about twenty minutes, Teyana pulled up to a poetry club that she knew was having open mic night. She hoped that Gambino would enjoy himself. She loved poetry but she knew for a fact that she wouldn’t run into Tyriq or any of his goons there.

  “And you like poetry. I think I’m in heaven right now,” Gambino said and Teyana just blushed.

  She led them to a booth towards the back of the club but still in the center where they would still be able to see everything. The waitress came over and got their drink order. Teyana felt like living a little, she hadn’t drunk much of anything while at Sevyn house because she wanted to be alert in case Camari had come down and needed her. She decided to get a pineapple Ciroc with pineapple juice and a splash of cranberry juice for color. Gambino ordered himself a double shot of Henny privilege.

  Once the waiter returned with their drinks, she sat Teyana’s down a little forceful then turned her back to her to sit Gambino’s down while winking at him. The napkin she slid his drink to him on had her name and number written down.

  Teyana peeped game and decided to push her luck and have fun tonight. She picked Gambino’s drink up and grabbed the napkin from under it.

  “Um, Kisha, he won’t be needing this, honey,” Teyana said to the waitress as she handed the napkin back to her after she blew her nose on it first.

  Gambino dick stood straight up watching her take charge and letting the waitress know that was the ultimate form of disrespect. He couldn’t do shit but laugh and shake his head at the bluntness of ATL women. He and Teyana sat and chatted for almost two hours before either of them realized how late it was. They were so comfortable with each other that they had told one another just about everything.