by Nikki Brown
“I don’t know.”
“Wow!”
“I’m saying this shit is another ball game, I would never want to interfere with another man’s family life, that shit can get you killed.” I shrugged. I was rambling trying to give her enough to drop the subject, but not enough to put her in the middle. “Shit is complicated, but I promise to keep it as far away from you as I possibly can. I want to build with you and I hope this shit don’t fuck up what we could have.”
“I love you Jaako, and you know that. I just don’t want to have to give up everything I have worked for just to be with you.”
“You don’t, and you won’t, you act like I’ma do this forever.” I glanced over at her and she was staring me in the face. “What, you thought a nigga wanted to slang dope for the rest of my life?”
“I didn’t know what you wanted to do because we don’t talk about it.”
“Because we can’t.”
“My point exactly, I can only know certain things about you, because not only am I your woman, but I’m your lawyer too.”
“I can find a new lawyer.”
“Not one that can do what I do Jaako and you know it.”
She was right, she was great at what she did. Being a lawyer was definitely her calling, but I’d be damned if I give her up because of it. I wanted her, and I was going to have a life with her no matter what she said.
“Well I guess we gonna have to find a way to make this shit work, because being without you is not in the cards for me.” I shrugged and turned up the music to signal the conversation was over. I said my piece and I listened to hers and I was over it. We would just have to figure the shit out.
Krista
I was not expecting that at all, for the years that I was with Jaako, Ms. Ann had never even raised her voice better yet her hand in my presence. I understood that we may have gone too far with it being the memorial and all, but that didn’t give them the right to put their hands on us.
“Filthy animals, I have the mind to go take out papers. Who do they think we are?” my mother ranted. I knew I should have left her at home, had it not been for her mouth, things wouldn’t have gotten so out of control.
“We are not taking out papers.” I sighed.
“Look at my face, what the hell is wrong with those people? I see why her sons are so fucked up, she is too.”
“We should have never come; I should have never let you talk me into it.” I rolled my eyes.
“I was just trying to help, I mean the man is dead, how in the hell would they prove that you weren’t his daughter now that he was dead? I was trying to secure our future.”
“Our?”
“Yes, our, what, you thought you were the only one that was going to reap the benefits? Absolutely not, I was gonna make that man love me again and be set for life.”
“Speaking of Raymond, who is my real father?” She didn’t say anything, she just sat there quiet like she had to think about it.
“I honestly don’t know, the night that I was forbidden to talk to Raymond again I went on a rebellious streak and just had fun for a whole two days before I retreated back home to live my boring life with your father.”
“Wow!”
“Wow nothing, you were raised in a good home and you were given the best of everything, I made sure of that. It doesn’t matter who your biological father is.” She yelled, so I decided to let it go.
We pulled up at her house and I wasn’t in the mood to be around her anymore, so I just let her out and headed to my house. Jaako hadn’t been back since he left, so I just settled in and changed the locks. Perry was at the house right now waiting for me to get back.
Things with him had been okay, I just wished that he had the money that Jaako had. He was sweet and made sure that I was satisfied in the bedroom, he was what every woman would want. I was gonna try and do things the right way with him, but like I told him, to keep me he needed to get his money up and he promised that he had things in motion, I just needed to let him work. If one of those things didn’t involve handling Denari then I wasn’t really interested.
I pulled up to the house and just sat there for a minute. I needed to reflect on some of the shit that had went down. How did things get this bad that quick? One minute I was living the life with Jaako and the next I’m here plotting to kill the man that killed my baby. I hated Denari because if it weren’t for him none of this would be happening to me right now. I would still be living with Jaako, reaping those benefits and still doing me. He was so busy he would have never known. I told myself not to deal with him, but I did it anyway, all for the love of dick.
My mother ruined me, and I blamed her for some of this too. Had she not been running her got damn mouth in the hospital, Jaako wouldn’t have just thrown me to the wayside. He probably would have forgiven me for the shit with his brother but finding out there was yet another man in picture threw him over the edge. Now he hated me and to be real I missed him, but he clearly didn’t feel the same seeing as though he was living it up with black Barbie. I rolled my eyes at the thought of her.
“So, you just gonna sit out here like a fucking creep.” Perry said knocking on the window. I was so lost in thought that I didn’t even realize he had joined me outside.
“My bad, I had some stuff on my mind.”
“What the hell happened to your face?” I looked up at him and he was wearing a scowl. I figured I would use this to my advantage. He opened my door and I got out and stood in front of him.
“I went to Jaako’s uncle’s funeral and evidently I wasn’t welcomed because when he saw me, he punched the hell out of me.” He looked at me suspiciously and I really started laying on thick. “I have never seen him like that and they all just sat back and watched as he hit me like I was a man.”
“I’ve done research on them niggas and you telling me that he hit you and left those scratch marks?” He gave me a yeah right bitch look. “From what I hear out here in these streets ain’t no bitch in their blood, but this,” he rubbed his hands down my neck, “this was a bitch move. You sure he did this to you?”
“If you don’t believe me, that’s on you.” I yelled at him. “But I know what happened, I was there.” I pointed at him and stormed off in the house.
“Calm the hell down, I was just asking because yo’ story ain’t adding up. You told me that he had never put his hands on you before, and now you telling me that he hit you in the face for merely showing up at his uncle’s funeral? Excuse me for asking questions.” He slammed the door and walked to the bathroom.
I loved when he talked to me like that but there is no way that I could back away from my story now. He would think that I’m a liar and I needed him on my side. I was not going to be satisfied until Denari was six feet under and Perry was the only one that I could trust to do that.
“Wait, where are you going?” I asked when I saw him pick up his keys.
“Out! You done pissed me off.”
“I’m sorry, let’s go out and grab some food and chill. I promise to make all of this up to you.”
He looked me from head to toe; I made sure to pop my hip out, so he could get a view of all my curves. He licked his lips and I knew that I had him. Shaking his head, he told me to come on. I smiled and followed him to his car. When we got to his car he stopped like he had remembered something.
“Aye, let’s take your car.”
“No, I don’t want to ride in my car. If Jaako sees me riding around with you in that car, he would flip fucking shit.” I lied. Jaako didn’t give two shits about who was in that car or not. I just didn’t want to drive my car, his was much nicer.
“If y’all ain’t together and you ain’t fucking with him anymore, what does he care about somebody else being in your car?”
“He bought the damn car Perry, what the fuck is wrong with you?” I glared at him.
“Okay, okay cool. But we need to make this quick so that we can park this bad boy because it’s hot.” I nodded my head because
I didn’t really give a fuck about what he was talking about right now; I just wanted to ride in this bad ass Mercedes coupe.
We hopped in and headed out, he thought we were gonna make this shit quick, but I was gonna make sure that I was seen in this car. I wanted muthafuckas to hate. This is the first time he’s driven this car down; he’s usually in his Tahoe so I was going to enjoy this ride. I smiled and sat back in the seat and enjoyed being chauffeured around.
“Sir, I need your license and registration please?” the cop said from the driver’s side window.
Perry threw me a look that let me know that he was pissed the hell off. Not only did I have him take me to dinner, we went shopping too and then took a stroll around Charlotte. Every step of the way he kept saying that he needed to park the car and I would give attitude and he would give in. I was enjoying myself until this cop stopped us.
“Exactly what are you stopping us for, officer?”
“Because that sign back there says stop not yield, this gentleman rolled right through it.”
“Sir, that was an accident, we promise to be more careful.” I batted my lashes and smiled at him. He smiled back, and I knew I had him until he laughed.
“I’m sure it was, but I’ll still need your license and registration, sir.”
Perry reached in his pocket and pulled out his wallet and went for the dash to get his registration, when a gun fell out of the dash. The officer immediately drew his weapon on us.
“Shit!” Perry yelled as he hit the steering wheel, he followed by putting his hands up in the air to surrender. The police jerked the door open.
“Get out of the car slowly, both of you, and keep your hands where I can see them.”
“Take it easy, officer.” Perry said slowly getting out of the car. “I don’t have a gun so don’t shoot.”
“Officer Milton, now ma’am get out of the car slowly with your hands up.” I did as I was told and then he instructed me to walk over to the other side of the car where they were standing, and I did that too. “Do you have anything on you or in the car that I should know about?”
“I’m invoking my right to remain silent.” Was all Perry said and then turned his head to stare down the road.
I was freaking out, but I knew one thing, I was not about to go jail for anyone. I sat and I thought about everything that I would stand to lose if I went to jail. Hell no, I was about to snitch until I couldn’t snitch anymore, fuck Perry, this shit was his and I had no knowledge of it.
I immediately got scared because I knew that Perry had a bag of weed in the middle console and I was not about to get in trouble for that bullshit.
“There’s weed in the middle console.” I blurted out and Perry just shook his head.
“Who does it belong to?” before Perry could say anything I spoke up again.
“Him! This is his car, I was just on a date with him.” I’m sorry, but I am not about that jail life. I would sell out my mama if it meant keeping me out of jail.
“Have a seat on the curb while I call for backup.” I hesitated but the officer warned me that I could follow directions or he could cuff me and put me in the back of the police car. I quickly sat down and prayed that this was over soon, and I was back in my house in my bed.
“Fuck, man!” Perry yelled out making the officer turn around and look at us. He was at his car more than likely running his plates. “This is all your fucking fault.”
“How is this my fault?” How dare he blame this shit on me, his ass should have been paying attention to what he was doing instead of running stop signs, we wouldn’t be in this mess.
“I told you the car was fucking hot, now we both about to go to jail.” He said through clenched teeth.
“I’m not going to jail, that gun and weed is yours.” I clenched my chest.
“Yeah, but the shit that I got in the trunk could get us both life, even if I say it’s mine they won’t give a damn.”
“The trunk?” I said loud enough for the officer to hear, he shook his head and then looked at the trunk.
“You stupid bitch!”
“Is there anything that I should know before my backup gets here? Cooperating might do you some good.”
After a few more minutes, his back up showed up and they brought the K9s. They went straight to the trunk and removed the floor board where the spare tire usually goes and just started pulling stuff out of it. I had never seen that many drugs in one spot.
The officers called something in on the radio and more officers came along with a big van that read DEA. I knew this shit couldn’t be good. Perry put his head down and took deep breaths.
“Don’t say shit, if you do I swear I will make sure that you take yo’ last breath.” He glared at me and the look he gave me had me wanting to piss myself. I had gotten myself into some shit that I had no way of getting out of.
“Mr. Roman and Ms. Jacks, my name is Special Agent Milgram from the DEA or Drug Enforcement Administration. You got a lot of drugs here.” he said and then just looked at Perry. “Listen, I can tell that you are just the middle man in this, because otherwise you wouldn’t be riding around with this shit in your car. Let me help you.”
“Tell him, Perry.” I nudged him, and he glared at me.
“What’s in it for me?” Perry asked, and Special Agent Milgram laughed.
“Not receiving life in prison.”
Perry looked at me and I looked at him and I knew right then what we were gonna do.
“So, if we help you take down the biggest drug ring Charlotte has ever seen, we will be good?” I asked.
“Let’s go have a chat.” Was all Special Agent Milgram said and then loaded us up in his van and we were off to tell them what they needed to know.
Chapter Fifty-Three
Denari
I was not looking forward to going to see Mama. I already knew what was gonna happen, she was gonna tear my ass a new one. I was wrong as shit and I knew that. I should have never put my hands on that bitch while she was pregnant, but I told her on numerous occasions to get rid of that fucking baby, and she didn’t listen. Then she started to run her fucking mouth and I felt like she got what she deserved.
Surprised was an understatement when I was told that she didn’t tell the police, but that left me wondering what else that bitch had up her sleeve. I needed to make sure that we get someone on her and quick.
“Are you okay?” Heaven asked as we pulled up to Mama’s house.
“Hell no, Mama don’t play that putting yo’ hands on women shit, but that bitch deserved it. On top of that, the bitch was pregnant.”
I shook my head and reached for the stash that I had in my dash. I pulled out the mirror that I had and fixed a few lines. I took two and then held my head back and enjoyed the rush. I could hear Heaven sniffing so I knew that she was finishing off what I fixed. She had become somewhat of a regular user. I didn’t mind because she did that shit with me and hopefully that’s how she kept it. When she started going outside of me to get that shit, that’s where the problem would come in.
“Hopefully, she will understand where you were coming from.” She leaned over and kissed me. It relaxed me a little.
“Let’s go get this shit over with, I already know ain’t nobody in there gonna have my back.” I was already prepped to do this shit on my own. I knew these niggas didn’t give two shits.
I got out of the car and waited on Heaven to get out S me at the front of the car. I grabbed her hand and we walked in the front door and it was like I was walking the green mile or some shit. Everybody was just sitting there looking at me. Mama was sitting in her favorite chair just staring at me. I wasn’t stupid, so I was going to make sure that I sat the furthest away from her.
I grabbed the chair that was nearest to the door and sat down and pulled Heaven on my lap. Not as a shield or anything, but more as a comfort blanket because I knew Ann Barnes was about to go in on my ass.
“So, what’s this I hear about you putting yo’ hands on
women while they pregnant?” She sat up in the seat and then looked at Heaven. “Little girl, go on in the kitchen with the other women before I get mad and slap the shit out of you. What kind of woman thinks it’s okay to be with a man that likes to put his hands on women?” she fussed.
“I—I—”
“I don’t really give a fuck what you are about to say, just do what the hell I said.” Heaven looked back at me. “What the hell you looking back at him for? Sit there if you want to, you about to see a side of me that you won’t like, now try me.”
“Bae go on.” I nudged her, and she slowly got up and made her way out the living room.
“And go clean your got damn nose. Sitting up here high as hell.” Mama shook her head. “I hate a weak woman.”
Heaven didn’t say anything just kept walking. She had been here before, so she made a quick right before she got to the kitchen and made her way to the bathroom to clean herself up. Thinking about what Mama just said had me wiping my nose to make sure there wasn’t shit on it.
“You made sure you didn’t leave any evidence this time.” The disappointment in her voice had me feeling like shit. “What happened Denari? Huh?” She bit her lip. “Were you high off that shit when you did it?”
“Mama it wasn’t like that.”
“Then how was it like, because I know I taught you better than that.” She put her hand on her knee, a clear indication that she was about to get up.
“I didn’t think she was really pregnant, I just thought that this was another way for her to try and play Jaako.”
“Pregnant or not, what I tell you about putting yo’ hands on women?” she growled.
Whenever Mama got mad her voice got real deep like something evil was about to come up out her ass. I didn’t know how to answer her question. If I said something she didn’t like, more than likely something was gonna be flying at my head and I was too high for my reflexes to kick in.
“I was wrong, I—” before I could finish my statement, just like I thought, the $500 vase that she cried for last Mother’s Day, came hurling at me head and before I could move out of the way, it crashed against my forehead. That lady had an arm on her. It didn’t matter if you ran or not because whatever she threw was gonna reach you.
