Big Jake gave a booming laugh. I noticed how both chicks turned red like a hot dog at how we spoke to each other, and that made me laugh harder.
“Yeah, we'll take this and check out some shoes. We need this stuff now; we only got an hour left,” I quickly said, rolling up the sleeves of my shirt around my biceps. I checked my form again.
The redhead kept unbuttoning and buttoning my shirt to see my abs. Shit was funny to me.
We picked up some black Italian shoes with bottoms that we could run in, that went with what we wore. Then we paid the owner, who was, to my surprise, an elder brother. When he spoke, he sounded like Idris Elba in Prometheus, kinda looked like him too. He gave us his cards, shook our hands, and then showed us out. We left out of the suit place in our new threads, looking caked-up, with new shades, giving us that icing. Big Jake had on all black with a red Rolex. The muscles in his arms were so tight when he crossed them, I thought his shirt was going to split.
The moment we texted Dame, he blew up our cells, telling us to sit outside of the house so we could head to Decatur. After pulling up, we both got out, cuts on our faces and all. We already had come up with a fallback if Dame asked what went down. I was about to remind him, just in case, when I heard him growl low in his throat.
“Remember to chill,” I muttered to him. “We got this.”
Jake gave a nod, putting on his shades, and I did the same.
Dame came out talking loud and shit, flapping his gums like the bitch he was, while speaking with Pookie, his arm draped over that lame's shoulders as if they were homies. Shit made my abs clench and my fingers itch.
I saw Diamond slowly walking behind Dame. She wore a dress that definitely would match me well. Her fit was a red and black short bandage-like dress that stopped at the middle of her thighs to show her legs. Only then I'd realized how thick, long, and pretty they were. Her big doe eyes were shooting blades into Pookie's skull. It was obvious that if she had any hidden blades on her, she would have cut that nigga up like scissors.
The sun covered us all in its light, making me shift just a little. The way I was standing, it appeared as if I was watching Dame, but really, I was watching her. Her ink-black hair was up like usual, big diamond studs in each ear, and her lips were like rubies.
Gina walked at her side in a similar dress, but it was candy pink. Her long hair curled around her face, falling down the side of her shoulder, framing her face, which caught my attention.
My eyes narrowed the closer Gina got. I realized why Big Jake had growled. Her caked-on makeup couldn't cover all of the bruises that showed on her baby face and neck. Dame had fucked baby girl up. Had hurt her good. It was visible by the way she was walking too.
I knew that killing that nigga might be too good. The act of torture was now added to the list of murking that nigga. What kept iggin' me was the fact that she was even there. It had me wondering what was up, because now it seemed that Gina was his extra doll now too.
“Hey, this nigga Pookie is that shit,” Dame said. “He got my stacks high. Trigga, Big Jake, all you niggas of the house, pay attention. This is a nigga who just got my product in some new hands. Got-
who did you say
?”
Pookie stuck his chest out like he was king. He had on a bright Halloween yellow made-by-Steve Harvey-looking suit. His hair was braided back in two pigtails and gripped the front of his jacket as if airing it out. That nigga had to be roasting.
A coon-ass smile spread across his lying smashed-pumpkin face, he said, “I got a cousin in Cali who is hitting me up. I might, I mean I got him interested in our product and will ship it out to L.A.”
You had to be stupid to believe the words coming out this nigga's mouth. Strike one, that I knew he was lying wasn't even the obvious “might” that slipped from his mouth. It was how that nigga stuttered, the way his eyes shifted like a rat. Left and right. And how red in the face he got, as if he was holding his breath praying that we believed him.
Dame's loco ass just cheesed along, gassing him up. “Hey, it's big thangs in your future, Pookie. We got something big about to pop off, and you just helped me look even better. We need to ride out, and you coming. Going to introduce you to a new world, nigga. This is only the beginning.”
Pulling up in front of us, a black limo hit that brake. Big Jake went into bodyguard mode and covered Dame while he got in, then Diamond and Gina. As Diamond and Gina slid into the limo, I got a nice view of ass, tits, and thighs, perks of working for this devil nigga.
Diamond sported some flashy shades, which I was good on. I could feel her watching me but in a way that Dame couldn't tell. If she didn't have those shades, I knew without a doubt that Dame woulda fucked her up. The longer I was around her, the more I knew if I got the chance to get her alone, I'd eat her pussy till she couldn't stand anymore.
I knew that, no matter how much my dick wanted to get into her wetness, I couldn't, because a smart nigga was a blind nigga. Dumb, crazy niggas could quickly tell when their pussy had stepped up into new dick, and Dame was a crazy nigga. And because my dick was bigger than his, he'd definitely know if I had made Diamond's walls mine.
“Ey Ey! Bossman got the best ass in the Trap. Must respect!” Pookie's loud ass grinned at me. His voice lowered when he reached out to dap me and my own hands were still in my pockets. “'Bout to step up, nigga. Step right into where you at. Ha!”
I ain't say shit. I just stepped back, slammed the door before his foot could get all the way into the car, and turned my back to the limo smiling when I heard that nigga's baby-soft cry.
Heading to the Escalade with Big Jake, we all trailed the limo heading to Decatur, while me and Big Jake spoke in code, making plans, and back on track as brothers in bond. Wasn't nothing breaking us but death; that was our code.
E.N.G.A. was back on track. Now I had to keep Big Jake calm because not only did he have to figure out Dame's lies, he was also worried about Gina. Dame was beating her ass too much for our taste, so we agreed that it might be time to try to change some shit up.
Ray-Ray
“Hey, Ray-Ray, Gina.”
Both me and Gina looked up at Sasha, shocked to see her speaking to us. Me and Gina had been sitting on the patio that sat off Dame's room, waiting on him to come back. Gina was telling me she had talked to Big Jake, and that he and Trigga had got into a fight. I ain't know what about because I didn't get a chance to ask.
The night before, Dame had taken us with him to some meeting in the middle of no fuckin' where. Politicians, clergy members, members of law enforcement and the like, all crooks, sat there in that big warehouse with him plotting on how to get his product into the United States and how to make sure it flooded the streets of the
A
. Niggas were grimy, and by niggas, I meant the police too. I knew anybody associated with his ass was a menace and wasn't protecting anything but their pockets.
I had seen shit like that in movies, but I ain't ever witnessed no shit like that. They brought in these two white bitches that looked like Jessica Rabbit and made them try some knew shit that started with a
K
. One of those bitches started bleeding from her eyes, and the other completely passed the fuck out then woke up like a fuckin' zombie. Bitch started scratching her own skin off but was begging for another hit.
When Dame asked Trigga to spit knowledge about that shit they gave them two girls, I got angry at him. Why he know all that shit about that stuff? Was he gon' be pushing that shit to folks too? So he was gon' be one of them niggas posted in the trap all day now? Then how the fuck was he gon' find time to kill the nigga and get us the fuck up outta this place?
For real though, I was really feeling some type of way because of what he saw me do yesterday. I already knew that Trigga wouldn't want shit to do with me after seeing the way I sucked Dame off. I could just cut that fantasy of me and him being together out of my head. No way, with the way Dame nutted all in my mouth and on my face, would Trigga see me as more than the ho Dame had made me. I was just wondering if he understood that if I didn't do it Dame probably would have done some weird shit to me.
Like when he called Sasha in the room that morning and made me sit my pussy on her face. He told Sasha that her pussy had never been as good as mine. Then he made me grind on her face while he sat in his chair and played with his dick. I was half-scared that bitch would bite my shit or do something to hurt, but she was so happy to be back in the nigga's good graces, she did whatever he told her to.
“What, Sasha?” Gina asked with attitude, bringing me back to reality.
We knew that bitch was full of shit and wasn't trusting the fake-ass smile plastered across her face. She stood with her arms folded across her nonexistent titties in a lace bra and coochie-cutters.
“Don't get no nasty attitude, bitch,” she told Gina.
I wanted to bop that ho right in her face.
“Daddy the one told me to come out and tell you to prep Ray-Ray for her first night at the club.”
I was skeptical. I looked at Gina then back at Sasha. “Dame gon' let me leave the house without him?” I asked.
Sasha nodded. “Yup. He said hurry up too because he want her to be trained and ready for amateur night too.”
I looked back at Gina, who was looking at Sasha like she stunk.
Gina said, “Don't be playing. You sure he said it? I'ma call 'im and see myself.”
“Bitch, you call Daddy phone while he doing business and he gon' bus' yo' shit, ho. Keep fuckin' 'round, acting like you don't know who the fuck Dame is, callin' him for stupid shit when I jus' told yo' ass what he said.”
Gina jumped up. “You best watch ya fuckin' mouth, talking to me like you crazy, sour-cunt bitch.”
Sasha dropped her hands and stepped to Gina like she was about to buck. If she had put her hands on Gina, I was gon' slang her old-looking ass over the balcony on everything I loved.
“You better get this bitch ready to go before Daddy get here, or you gon' be back in the basement with pipes up yo' pussy.”
I knew that was a sore spot for Gina. I shoved Sasha so hard, she fell back into the double doors. “Don't be talking slick outta your mouth, like we won't get in your ass,” I snapped. I was expecting that bitch to jump up and swing, but she didn't.
She got up, but all she did was push her fake blond hair out her face and give a smirk. “Daddy ain't gon' be in that club, bitch. I'll catch you slipping. And when I do, it's your ass.” Then she turned and walked out of the room.
“You gotta watch dis bitch, Diamond. Something up wit' this ho. Something ain't right, Ray-Ray.”
I ignored my mama's voice only because Gina had sat down crying. She kept mumbling over and over that she had to get her baby out of here.
“We will,” I told her as I kneeled down in front of her.
“Shhhh. Don't talk about it here. We can't talk here. Cameras, all around fuckin' cameras,” she quickly said then jumped up.
She took my hand and pulled me into the room. She went into the other walk-in closet and came out with a pair of hip-hugger jeans, a red tank that showed my belly, and some six-inch heels that were boots that came up my thighs.
“Hurry, get dressed,” she said quickly. “If we leave early you can go with me somewhere. Don't ask where 'til we leave here.”
“You sure about this, Gina? That bitch could be playing us.”
Gina stood like she was really thinking on what I had said. “Even if she is, we still need to go somewhere. I gotta check on something. We can just say that bitch came in here and told us. She on the cameras.”
I nodded and started to get dressed. I had to admit I was kinda excited to be leaving that house again. I started thinking about ways I could escape. But there was something in the pit of my stomach telling me that something was off. I could still hear my mama in my head too.
Even as we got dressed and left the house, she kept telling me that something was going on. I ignored her because I just wanted to get out of the house again. In my mind I kept thinking that me and Trigga could maybe run away with Big Jake and Gina, and that they could have their baby without having that nigga Dame breathing over them. I started to daydream about what it would be like to wake up and have no crazy nigga trying to fuck me in every hole I owned, to just be free. I started to miss my mama and my daddy again.
I was real happy until I saw Pookie waiting at the car that was s'posed to be driving us to the club. He was in baggy black sweats, fresh white Air Force Ones, and a fresh white tee. The nigga's face reminded me of the bottle my daddy used to drink gin out of. He called it bumpy-face gin. His braids had been freshly done, but it didn't do nothing for the shit that was his face.
“Hurry that fine ass up,” he said to me, showing all thirty-two of his dingy teeth.
That nigga really thought he was something, since Dame had told him he was getting promoted.
“Don't say nothing to 'im, Ray-Ray. Just get in the car,” Gina whispered to me. “You got yo' phone? Gotta have yo' phone 'cuz if that nigga call it and you don't answer, I don't wantâ”
Pookie barked, “Bitch, stop yapping yo' fuckin' gums and git in the car, ho!”
Gina didn't say nothing. She just got in the car. I knew Gina was normally quiet, but since she'd found out she was pregnant, she had been taking a lot more shit than normal. I guess she really was trying to protect her baby.
I took her lead and kept quiet too, but I made sure I had my phone on me like she said. I didn't know what Pookie had on him and didn't want to be the reason Gina got blanked out on because of my mouth.
Once we got in, Pookie closed the door and walked around the red Navigator to get in. He drove us for about a good twenty minutes before saying anything to us.
“So, you 'bout to be popping that pussy at The City, huh?” he asked, looking through the rearview mirror at me. Then, just like that, his smile turned into a sneer. “I still owe you for this fuckin' gash on my face, ho, and watch I get what's mine. I'ma getcha, ho, when you least expect a nigga to. Keep that shit in da back of ya skull, bitch.”
“You better leave her alone before I tell Trigga about dem lies you helped spread 'bout him killing Big Jake's grandma,” Gina finally said. “We both know it was you helping to tell them lies, nigga. Trigga gon' blow the back of your head off, and we gon' see if you can think wit' yo' front.”
“Fuck that pussy-nigga! When I'm at Dame right hand and shit, I'ma off that nigga too, just like I helped with that bitch's daddy and her ho mama. Ho, bitch-nigga don't scare me. Retarded muthafucka. Fuckin' deaf-mute nigga.”
It was then without a doubt I knew that nigga was as stupid as he looked. I wanted to jump from that backseat and punch that nigga in his shit, but Gina grabbed my hand and squeezed it.
“Bet you won't say that shit to Trigga's face,” she told him.
“Ey, yo, shut up, bitch, before I smack you in ya shit. Retarded bitch. Ey, you and that nigga Trigga should hook up and make some more retarded babies.” He laughed like a hyena, like he had said the funniest shit ever. “Imagine two retarded muthafuckas fuckin'. One of y'all quiet, and the other one talking to her gotdamn self.”
Gina spat back, “Y'all niggas talk big shit but be scared as fuck of Trigga. Scared that nigga gon' body you niggas like he do. Mad 'cuz Dame brought him on and he outranked all you niggas off the bat.”
Pookie stopped the truck. Then he turned around and smacked Gina so hard, her head almost broke the window. He growled at her, “Say something else to me, bitch, and I'ma fuck you up!”
I hit him in the back of his head over and over as hard as I could before he elbowed me in my eye. I fell back against the tan leather seat, and he went to work on my face, smacking me over and over, until Gina cried out for him to stop. She threw herself over my body and started kicking him for dear life.
The slaps he delivered against my face stung like hell. My face was burning like it had been set on fire.
“Stupid-ass bitches!” Pookie said after he stopped.
Then he smacked both of us one last time before he moved back to the driver's seat of the truck and started driving again.
I was wishing like hell I'd had a blade or something. I would have killed that nigga right then. My eyes were watering, and it felt like he had smacked blood from my nose.
Gina cradled my head against her chest and told me everything was going to be okay.
Then just like that she started humming and laughing.
I knew the song she was humming. “Say Hello to the Bad Guy” by Jay Z was my daddy's favorite shit, so I would know it anywhere.
She started shaking her head and spitting the lyrics out like she was in the studio with that nigga Jigga when he was making it. She kept getting louder and louder.
I had to admit she was scaring me with the way she was acting.
So imagine how scared Pookie was when she jumped up and grabbed his neck, a blade in her hand.
As she sliced down the other side of his face, the truck swerved wildly in and out of traffic. Horns blaring hurt my ears. I didn't have on a seat belt, so the movements threw me all over the back of the truck.
She kept cutting through gritted teeth, and that bitch-nigga was yelping and screaming, just like when I cut his ass.
He finally swerved the truck to a stop.
Gina flew back into the seat because of how hard he hit on the brakes. She quickly pushed the door open to the back of the truck, grabbed my hand, and pulled me out.
We could still hear Pookie yelling bloody fuckin' murder. But Gina had me by my wrist, and we were running like our lives depended on it, especially when we heard gunshots ring out after us.
Me and Gina didn't stop running until we got to 17th Street in front of a doctor's office. There was blood all over the front of her shirt, and people had stopped to look at us strange.
“Come on, go in here with me,” she said as she pulled me inside of the doctor's office.
My heart was beating, pounding hard against my chest. I'd just been shot at. Part of me was afraid I had a hole in me and just didn't know it.
People screamed out when we walked in because Gina was covered in blood. There was a black woman in scrubs standing by the big welcome window. When she turned, I saw the immediate resemblance to Gina.
Is that her mother?
Gina didn't stop until we got up to the woman. “Mama, you gotta help me,” she spat out.
The woman looked like she had just seen a ghost. Her entire face drained of color, and she was as black as me and Gina. “Y-you can't come in here,” the woman stuttered.
“Mama, you gotta help me, or I'ma tell all these damn people that you put me out on the gotdamn street and now I gotta sell my pussy to survive.”
Gina said that so loud, I wished I could have gone somewhere to hide. The gasps that came through the place were so loud, all her mother could do was snatch her by her arm and pull us down the hall, past all the gawking nurses and onlookers and into a private exam room.
Gina's mama slammed the door and locked it then turned to get in Gina's face. “What in hell do you want? Is it money?” She took one look at my face and then shoved tissue in my hand, like just looking at the blood coming from my nose disgusted her.
“Yeah, money. And I need you to check on my baby.”
Her mama's eyes widened. “What? A baby? I knew it. I knew you were going to get fuckin' knocked up.”
“Well, whatchu expect when you throw me out, Mama? Huh? I'm selling pussy for a pimp, and I'm knocked up. You gon' give me some money and check on my baby?”