Chapter 3

“What's the problem?”

“The problem is I told you that I need to sit still.”

“Sit still for what? Why?”

“That's my business.”

“But you want me to cover your ass?”

“I've covered yours plenty. Don't fuckin forget your own words, Montey. I'm small and pretty but I bite.”

“Don't get too full of yourself. You're getting stupid now.” He spit through the receiver through gritted teeth that triggered my anger that he would often mistake as my ego.

“Am I? Or are you? Don't mistake me for any of these other hoes, Montey. You don't own me. You don't put fear in me. So don't! Not even for a second of your little life think that you have any control over me. One thing about it, I make my own decisions.”

“You're going to do it.”

His demand put a smile on my face. I clicked my tongue on the roof of my mouth before speaking in a soft tone.

“You're right, Montey. Consider it handled. I'm going to do it.”

With those words, I hung up the phone.

“And I'ma show you how to do it.”

I said out loud before climbing off of the hotel bed and grabbing my jacket. I tossed it over my left shoulder while dialing out on my phone.

“Bo, you got a car for me yet?”

“I just got the call to come check it out, ma.”

“Is it clean?”

“Yeah, I know these niggas.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, girl. What the fuck did I just say? This outside of camp.”

“I'm just making sure.”

“You ain't nobody new to me. I know what you want.”

“Long as you know. I don't do ties to Montey. Don't let me find no tracker in my shit. No fucking body keeping tabs on me. I'm a grown ass woman. I don't run from nobody... without a badge.”

We laughed in unison until he broke his laughter to speak.

“Aye, come scope the spot. I'ma let you make the decision for yourself.”

“Don't have me standing outside, nigga.”

“Bring yo ass outside!”

“Let me be standing outside.”

I sent a warning before hanging up and making my way across the hotel room toward the door.

–

I adjusted the seat and slid back before kicking my foot up on the dashboard.

“You such a damn hood rat.”

Bo spoke up from the passenger side after looking over at my foot.

“Yo mama a damn hood rat.”

“Probably is. Not that I know her.”

“You and me both on that one.”

I looked over at him to see him tilt his head back while looking out of the window. He turned his attention back to me.

“Crank up and take me back to my car so I can go handle some shit.”

“Don't you see I'm doing something?”

He reached over and smacked the folder closed. I smacked his hand back.

“You ain't running shit in my car.”

He leaned forward in the seat and turned his hat to the side, quickly revealing his face.

“Who got you this damn car?”

“Oh. Was I supposed to make some kind of payment?”

He leaned across the arm rest and grabbed my leg.

“Stooooop Bo.”

I squealed as he squeezed my leg that sent a tickle shooting throughout my thigh. I slapped him across his back as he knocked my foot off the dash and leaned back in his seat laughing.

“Drive this damn car.”

I picked up the folder that fell out of my hands and into my lap when he jumped over to my side. I cut my eyes at him then with one flick of the wrist, sent the folder colliding with his face. He caught my wrist and yanked me to the right and before I knew it I was staring down at the floor in the back seat.

“Your reflex is late. Work on that.” He lectured while playfully slapping my ass.

“You play so much.”

I used the seat to push my body up and climb back into the driver's seat.

“Want me to drive?”

I frowned at his question.

“Hell nah. Let me get familiar with these streets.”

I listened to the engine before music seeped through the car from the radio. I zoned out while driving, mentally taking notes of the streets all while plotting my next move. I pulled up behind Bo's car and looked over with a serious expression on my face causing Bo to lift an eyebrow.

“Forreal, Bo. You gon fill me in?”

“I told you I got you. Just try not to get into too much shit.”

He opened the car door and stepped one leg out.

“I got my mind on a mission, Bo. I can't sit and wait. I gotta put shit into action.”

“When you gon have faith in me? I'ma go handle this shit I gotta get out the way then I'ma swing by to sit with you for a minute.”

“Make time for me.”

“I put that one on me. Do me a favor. Stay low in the mean time. You get comfortable too quick. These ain't your streets, Tasha.”

“The world is mine, baby.”

He gave me a look then shook his head. I chuckled to myself while leaning on my door.

“I'll stay as low as possible. I need to think anyway.”

“Yeah, sit and think. Don't act on any of those thoughts.”

“Yet.”

“Get at you later.”

“Let me have to wait.”

He chuckled while climbing out of the car.

“And Bo...”

He paused to lean down in the car and meet my eyes.

“Nothing wrong with my reflex.”

I reached under my shirt and pulled out his wallet then tossed it over into the passenger seat. My smile stretched across my face as he laughed while picking it up to examine it to be sure that it was his, not wanting to admit that I got that ass. He smirked and gave me a quick nod of approval before closing the door. I watched him walk along side of the car and reach out to tap the hood as he passed it to walk around to the driver's side of his car.

–

“You look pretty, mommy.”

I stood on my tip toes to get a closer look as her lips turned red. She sat the lipstick down and darted her eyes down at me through the mirror before speaking up.

“I know that. I hear it enough everyday. You don't have to convince me.”

She leaned forward and stared at her reflection in the mirror before turning to speak to me instead of my reflection for the first time since she sat down in front of the mirror. “What do you have on?”

I looked down at my pink and purple polka dot shirt that came with my pink shorts. I took a step back to get a view of my black shoes then looked back at her. As she scanned over my outfit, I hoped that she would crack a smile at how I was a big girl and got dressed by myself. If I'm the smartest six year old, mommy would be happy that she has me and I have her. Without speaking or cracking that smile, she turned toward the mirror to look over herself once again.

The phone caught our attention when it rang and she quickly picked it up without missing a beat. I moved out of the way the best I could without being in her way as she stood up. She spoke into the phone and paused to look at me. She sighed and reached over, rubbing my hair back. I smiled at the way she took a second to look at me. Especially when she was on the phone. I liked when she made me pretty like her.

“I'm a princess?”

“Is that what you think?”

I looked down at the sound of the same answer she always gave. I wanted her to tell me I was a princess, her princess. I wanted her to tell me without me having to ask.

“I guess so.” She said while rubbing my hair down for the last time then walking off to talk on the phone.

I climbed into her chair and stared at myself in the mirror to see if I could see what she sees when she's looking in it all the time. I picked up her lipstick and quickly sat it down when I heard her laugh loud. I leaned on my hands and stared at her picture that was on the side of the mirror.

A knock brought me back to the present. I looked away from the mirror and stared at my door. I listened to the room service announce themselves and rolled my eyes at how long of a wait it was before the door was answered. They would have me fucked up. You ordered room service, so how hard is it to sit near the door and wait? Then if the food get cold while waiting on their ass to answer the door, they will have a damn complaint. I rolled my eyes again, glad that this wasn't my job.

My mind wandered back to my mother and my childhood. I rolled on my side, turning my back to the mirror that triggered the memory in the first place. Fucking mirror. I gotta get me a place. Fuck hotel rooms and fuck Montey placing me anywhere. He can get me a place and it will be business. I'ma still get my own place to lay my head. I'll be damned if he knows my every move. I blinked and stared at the wall as my mind took me away again. Staring at these hotel walls made me wonder where Allen was laying his head tonight. Guilt rushed me as the image of my mother and I faded and reappeared as me and my son. How the fuck did you become the very woman you can't stand? Fuck this. I gotta get up and move around. Sitting here with too much time thinking leads the mind too damn far.

I sat up and looked at the clock. Bo had me waiting all damn day. Hell, the day is coming to an end. Bastard. I'ma kick his ass. I stared down at my phone. I can't sit here all night waiting. He probably won't make it tonight anyway. Probably gon hit me up talking about first thing in the morning. I scooted out of the bed and watched my feet hit the floor.

“I don't put it pass your last minute ass, Bo.” I spoke out loud as if he was around to respond. “When you call, I'll answer. Til then, let me see what the streets be about around this time.”

–

I looked around while zipping my jacket. My eyes focused in on the girl making her way outside. She did a quick glance before making her move. A little too quick. No time to fully scoop your surroundings. She's too pretty to be in the darkness of tonight alone. But maybe I'm underestimating her. One might think the same of me and I'm just fine. I'm daring a motherfucker to try me actually. To be honest, it seems like I look for reasons to retaliate. Bingo. My eyes landed on the right nigga. I've been waiting to run into him when he's not under Montey. I've had it out for his ass every since our first encounter when he attempted to block me from entering Montey's office. I cut my step short when I saw that his eyes were trained on this girl.

“What's this? Got a little friend, huh?”

He slowed up once he got within good distance, not too far away from her. She pulled out a phone and held it to her ear. He then sped up, rushing behind her while ducking a little as if he wanted to sneak up on her.

“Boy, what the fuck are you getting into?”

She came to a halt and looked from the ground and up to meet his fist. My hand immediately flew up to my mouth as I murmured damn into my fist. Punk nigga ain't have to hit a bitch that hard but damn! He hit her hard as fuck. Slightly surprised and majorly impressed, I dropped my hand to my side and gave a smirk when I heard her react. I just knew for sure I wouldn't hear shit but only see her reaction. See her ass hit that ground straight knocked out but she only stumbled from the shock.

“What the fuck?!”

I'm wondering the same thing, baby girl. What did you do to him? My smirk quickly made an exit when I started to feel like this wasn't beef amongst old friends. He placed his foot on her arm and I shook my head as I turned to walk the opposite direction. This was none of my business. She's out late and was well aware of it when she stepped outside alone so I'm assuming she can hold her own. Hell, she might be just like me. I hope for her sake. I fought myself to keep walking as her screams continued pouring out. I could hear the fight in her. I looked over my shoulder when it grew quiet but it was short lived. I heard a short noise pour out of him that sounded as if he tried to smother it. I don't know what she did but she definitely got him. I nodded in approval and turned to continue walking away. I'd just have to catch him at a later date.

I turned a corner to head for the car when I heard her scream out again. It was different. This time it wasn't a cry out of pain. It was a cry out of fear. I peeped around the corner to see her running. She wasn't anywhere near safety because he was right on her ass. He leaped forward and came down with his foot colliding with her back as if she wasn't a female, causing her to crash to the ground.

“Shit.” I frowned at the impact of her hitting the ground giving an idea of the force that knocked her down. She began yelling something inaudible because of the distance in between us since I walked off. She had to be yelling into the phone because he picked it up and tossed it. I rolled my eyes. Don't tell me this nigga still had her call still going. She better had made a fast ass call in between those three little ass sprints she managed to get away.

I snapped back to when it got quiet again. The way he was positioned, hovering over her, I thought he had ended it. That is until his head flew back. The blow caused an uproar of anger to pour out of him when he shouted bitch and punched her in the face, only this time, she saw it coming. A chill went through my body when my brain registered his next motion. What the fuck is he doing?

“Aaah.” I screamed out in pain as the same pain pierced through my chest in more than one spot. I felt the piercing each time he unnecessarily thrust into me with too much force. The part of my body that J Rock took advantage of was numb by my brain's focus on the pain that was far much worse.

“My-my ribs.” I managed to mutter before J Rock smacked my hand out of the way when I went to push on his chest to relieve some of his body weight off of my wound.

“Shut the fuck up. I thought you were so tough.”

“I thought you were tough!” I spit back at him causing him to pause and stare into my face. “But here you are showing just how tough you are coming at me when I'm vulnerable.”

As if my words had angered him by hitting a sensitive nerve, he drew back his arm and punched me across the left side of my face.

“I should kill you.”

I blinked when I heard two voices speak the same sentence in unison. To my surprise, I blinked again when realizing that I had unknowingly made my way over to them. He stood up fumbling with his pants and knelt down in front of her. My blood boiled when he looked her right in the face. He was going to make her look him back in the face. Make her look into his eyes. Eyes that would haunt her for the rest of her life. A face that will consume her strongest will if she was molded to be full of vengeance like me.

“This is a message to you and Tiara. Tell her she's next.”

Tiara? Tiara and Chante? This is her? This is Chante? My mind raced to form it's facts I'd heard about her and the red arrow kept pointing at her age. He was supposed to send a message but this isn't Montey's message. This is his sick message. Of all the things I'm guilty of, I'd never fucked with someone who didn't deserve it. She was caught up in some shit. That's her only fault in this war.

She bravely lifted her chin and with cold eyes, spit right in his face. He flipped the knife in his hand and gripped it. Without hesitation, I snatched my gun that my hand was already resting on and whipped him across the back of his head. My finger braced on the trigger as he grunted in surprise and turned. I held the gun right in between his eyes and followed his head movement as he moved. So much of the look on his face reminded me of J-Rock. He was in full control and aroused by it not even a second ago but now that his control card was snatched from him, his demeanor changed. A weak nigga for you. He can't even pretend to not be afraid. But am I surprised? Nah.

“You picked the wrong night, you weak mothufucka.”

To salt his wound, I spit in his face aiming right where there was a small trace of her spit that he missed when he wiped it off. In a split second, I took my partner in crime off safety and was ready to take the shot, debating on whether or not I would send the first bullet through his forehead or through his dick.

“Wait.”

My eyebrows furrowed as I looked over at the voice that spoke up to break my concentration on the task at hand. I glanced over her and how she stood. Was she fucking stupid or really fucking soft? This nigga just broke a girl in the worst way possible. He took the only thing a woman has that is linked both physically and mentally. She would never be the same. Never. I don't care who she is. If it's torture to me, I know damn well no other bitch can manage sanity when it comes to this.

“Don't go to jail for me.”

My eyebrows twitched as she spoke again. I think she's stupid and soft. I looked him in the eyes before giving my verdict.

“He deserves it.”

I gripped the gun and braced my body for the jerk of the gun when I fired. He squinted his eyes, bracing his body as well but for the jerk when he was hit.

“What's your name?”

Damnit! Bitch! Did he literally fuck your brains out?! I am trying to handle something right now and you're fucking conversing as if we are standing in line at Starbucks. I clenched my jaw as I thought it over really quick. Well I know who she is... the least I can do is give her my name. She's probably heard of me already. Though I'm only just now knowing her face, I've been briefed a well known fact of her and Miss Tiara. They are diggers. They've probably been digging to find info on me, unaware that besides my name, I'm motherfucking Casper. It won't cause harm because I'm walking away before this nigga body hit the ground anyway.

“Tasha.” I informed her as I darted my eyes in her direction. “Fuck!”

I hit the ground unexpectedly. This nigga just tackled me like I was going for the touchdown that would ruin his career. Oh, he is dead. I was just gonna fuck him up so I can give him a couple of visits but he is fucking dead. I slammed my palm into his chin as his grip tightened around my throat. He groaned and fell back off of me. My chest heaved up and down as I fought to take in air as my chest tightened. He snatched my shirt and caused my body to jerk up from the ground only to meet it again when he punched me. Now able to breathe, my body was no longer panicking and my mind registered what was going on. I was getting my ass kicked.

“Stop it!”

Is she still objecting everything? Whose side are you on, you little hand holding make the world a better place bitch?! I could have handled this nigga but I'm getting my ass kicked because of you. I'ma fucking whip her ass across her little pretty head after I'm done with him. The fuck is wrong with her? The fuck is wrong with him?

His body fell on me and my eyes darted around in confusion as his weight went limp by the second. Damn... the fuck is wrong with him?

“You definitely picked the wrong bitch to fuck with today.”

I moved my head a couple of inches over to look around his big ass head. There Chante stood, staring down at him. Her eyes no longer the eyes of a victim but the eyes of a victim who just tasted revenge. Hmph. I pushed his ass off of me and lifted up on my elbows.

“Chante, I think I have to admit that I underestimated you.”

Her eyes followed his body roll over and as if something triggered in her mind when I spoke her name that she never mentioned, she quickly looked up at me and gripped the gun tighter than she was already holding it.

“Whoa there, killa Te. Chill with that.”

I pushed myself up and looked over my clothes, annoyed at the filth. I looked up to see her slowly taking steps back and the gun still aimed at me.

“Don't point my own shit at me. It doesn't sit well.”

I reached out for the gun and like she was scared in shock, she began trembling as I placed my hand on hers. I looked into her face and noted every bruise and swelling that threatened her young beauty. Our eyes met and everything that raced her mind spoke to me.

“If I was coming for your head, I would have gotten down that street to you before he had.”

Her hand slowly moved with mine and I pulled my gun out of her grasp.

“I'ma ask you something and don't lie. Be honest about shit. This is serious.”

She stumbled back as if she feared that she had made a mistake by letting me convince her with just one sentence and was terrified of what was next. I pointed my gun at her face and almost saw her heart jump from her chest as I dropped my arm to my side.

“Did he fuck my face up?”

Her scared eyes became those of a confused person as she stared at me like I was crazy. I lifted my free hand and ran it over my jaw where he punched me. I shrugged and reach into my jacket. I looked up at her really quick and shook my head.

“Cus he fucked yours up.” I glanced at her face again. “That's for damn sure.”

I shook my head again as I wiped my gun down while cradling it in the cloth.

“I don't know why I switched guns today. Damn! This is my favorite piece.”

I walked up to her and roughly grabbed her hand. She looked confused as I slid it off of the cloth and into her bare hands.

“It was the gun he threatened you with. When you feared that your life was over, you gained enough nerve to put up one last fight. You managed to get a hold of his gun.”

I watched her shake her head taking in my story as her eyes still raced trying to figure me out.

“Stop trying to place me. I'm not your friend. I'm not your enemy. I don't have a place in your little life story book. You managed to get a hold of his gun-”

“And I shot him when he came for me again with his knife.”

“Good girl.” I smirked as I stepped back, looking down at his lifeless body. I kicked him as I walked around him. I looked back to see her with a puzzled look on her face.

“That really is my favorite piece and now I have to leave it behind because of this muthafucka.”

I shrugged as if that was a good enough explanation for my action. “Get your phone and call for help.”

I ran off into the darkness hoping the cops weren't already near by for a call in of gun shots. I was not trying to be forcing tears in front of cops yet again. I'm supposed to be fucking sitting still. This is why I'ma teach Montey hard headed ass something. Putting me out here in some shit when I need to be laying low. I climbed in the car and glanced around before pulling my keys out of my pocket and pushing them into the ignition. That was when I felt the pain from the keys stabbing me in the side when that nigga knocked me down. I flared my nostrils and banged my hand on the steering wheel. That was my favorite fucking piece! And why the fuck am I always getting caught up in some shit?!