 
KINGPIN WIFEYS BOX SET  
VOL. 1

SERIES 1-3

By K. Elliott

Copyright @ 2015 by K. Elliot  
Smashwords Edition
KINGPIN WIFEYS BOX SET  
VOL I

Kingpin Wifeys Part 1

Kingpin Wifeys Part 2

Kingpin Wifeys Part 3

Copyright 2013 by K. Elliott. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For information, address Urban Lifestyle Press, P.O. Box 12714 Charlotte, NC 28220 http://www.kelliottonline.com

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

April 2013
KINGPIN WIFEYS

# PART 1

By K. ELLIOTT

Urban Lifestyle Press in association with  
P.O. Box 12714, Charlotte, NC 28220  
http://www.kelliottonline.com

## Table of Content

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

## Chapter 1

Starr answered the blocked call, "Hello."

There was some deep breathing, followed by silence.

"Who the fuck is this, and why are you playing fucking games on my phone?"

More breathing.

She hung up.

The blocked number called again.

"I'm going to call the fucking police if you call my phone again!" She terminated the call.

Seconds later she received a text from a number she didn't recognize—a 973 area code. The text said: Calling the cops would be bad for business. I don't think your man would like that.

Starr dialed the number. A recording said that the number was no longer in service. Weird.

She called Trey.

He didn't answer. She called him three more times. Finally he picked up.

"Hey babe."

"Hey babe my ass, you need to come home and come now."

"What's wrong? Are the police there?"

"No, the police are not here, Trey. Do you think I would ask you to come home if the police was here? Nobody is trying to set you up."

"I'm just saying whenever you're like come home and come home now, I think the worse."

Starr and Trey had been together for eight years. She met him when she was 21 and he was 31. She had been working at a cell phone store in the hood, and she noticed that he would always pull up in a different car, and he would change his cell phone every two weeks. Starr was a hood chick and she prided herself in having street smarts. She knew Trey was a baller; more importantly he wasn't cheap. When he would buy his phones, he'd always give her an extra hundred dollars. He said it was for being so cute.

She thought he was handsome, but she never thought she was his type until one day.

"When are you going to go out with me?"

"When are you going to ask?"

Trey took her out that same night and when he dropped her off, he met her father, Ace, a 46-year-old ex con, who had done twelve years for moving weight. Ace approached the car and said, "Nigga, if you going to be dropping my daughter off, at least let me know who the fuck you are."

Then Trey introduced himself and called Ace, Sir.

"Kill that Sir bullshit!" Ace had demanded. From that day on, they had been good. Trey looked up to Ace like a father, and Ace would give him advice about the game. Ace didn't care if Trey was hustling but had warned him that the day he put his hands on his daughter would be the day that Trey died. Although Trey was no punk, he believed that Ace would in fact try to kill him, but he'd never hit a woman in his life.

Nine months later Starr moved in with Trey, and they had been together ever since.

"I'll be there in a couple of hours."

"Trey, come home now."

"In thirty minutes, I'm handling something."

She hung up the phone and called her girlfriend, Lani. "Hey!"

"Yo, that blocked number called again."

Lani said, "Girl, you lying."

"I'm serious, girl, and the same thing happened like before, they were breathing hard and shit. I said I was going to call the police and I hung up. Seconds later I got a text and the text said that they knew I wasn't going to call the police, because it was bad for my man's business."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Girl, this shit is getting weird."

"I know and I'm scared."

"Why?"

"I was just thinking it might be the Feds."

"No way."

"Why don't you think it's the Feds?"

"You think the Feds are going to call you and text you?"

"I guess you're right. Anyways, I don't want to talk about it anymore, at least not over the phone. Let's get together tomorrow for a mani and pedi, okay?

How about going to Jada's?"

Starr sighed, "Oh Lord, not the wannabe model." "She's cool. Give her a chance."

"Your girl is as fake as that silicone ass she got. Talking 'bout how she's been doing squats, yeah right. Squats will not make your ass grow like that in one month. She got ass injections and she knows it."

Lani laughed, "Let that chile' think we believe that."

"Whatever."

When Starr hung up the phone, she heard Trey's Range Rover pull into the garage. Seconds later he entered the house with a Louis Vuitton duffel bag draped over his shoulder. He sat the bag on the floor and said "Count what's in the bag in the morning."

Trey wrapped his arms around her waist and said "Goddamn, baby. Why you looking so damn good? Why are you dressed up?"

Starr had forgotten she'd gotten dressed up. She had forgotten that she wanted to go to dinner with Trey. The anonymous caller was still on her mind.

Trey licked his lips and said, "It's going to be hard to talk about anything with that dress on." Starr knew the dress was a winner. She'd gotten it from a local designer, Acquan, who only made one piece per design. The dress was long and clung to her ass and it was backless. Starr's hair was up in a bun, her face revealed stunning cheekbones. She was average height and her curvy figure made men drool.

"Let's talk." "Okay."

She sat at the kitchen table and he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before sitting down across from her.

"What's up?"

"Been getting those weird phone calls again."

"Blocked numbers?"

"Yeah."

"I keep telling you to change your number."

"I ain't changing my number Trey."

"Well what the fuck are we talking about this for then? What do you want me to do about it?"

"Trey, will you just shut up and listen?"

He sat quiet.

"Today I got a call, and I told them I was going to call the police. When I hung up the phone, I got a text."

Trey's eyes grew. "A text? What did it say?"

She passed him the phone. "It's the number that starts with 973." Trey read the text.

"Did you call the number back?"

"The phone was disconnected."

"Probably one of your jealous-ass friends, somebody that you've put in our business."

"Trey, you know I don't talk and I don't brag."

"You don't have to talk. Posting pictures of our crib, cars and shit on Facebook and Instagram. You know motherfuckers be hating. I don't know why you keep doing that dumb shit."

"Trey, I got my salon. I am a legitimate business owner."

"A salon that you don't ever run, you haven't been to the salon in eight months."

"What are you saying?"

"Look, babe, I'm just saying people get jealous and they play games."

"You think that's what this is?"

"I know how haters think. They want to make you feel as uncomfortable as possible."

"I guess you're right." She stood and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge then she picked up the bag and was about to head upstairs, but she turned to him and said, "But they said that the police wouldn't be good for your business. Hate is one thing but it's like this is a threat."

He walked over to her and she put her head in his chest. She liked when her head was against his chest. He was about a foot taller than her, and she liked that he made her feel small. He said, "Baby, nothing is going to happen to us."

He'd said that many times before, but he wasn't the corner hustler that she'd met many years ago. She had helped him count millions of dollars in cash and it was all his. She was nervous.

## Chapter 2

Lani pulled her BMW X6 into the gas station parking lot. A car behind her flicked its lights to get her attention. It was her ex-boyfriend, Black. She sat in the car with the heat blowing. It was freezing outside and the road was icy. She sure as hell knew that Black didn't want her to get out of the car to talk to him.

Black was just below six feet with a clean face except for a mustache. He was a well-built man with dreadlocks. He hopped in the passenger side of the car.

"Where you headed?" he asked.

"I'm headed home, and you?"

"Just left the South Side. You know, been working."

Lani knew what Black meant by working—he was a weed dealer. She'd known this man for 5 years and he sure as hell didn't have a real job, nor did he plan to get one. But that was okay with her. She liked men with money and didn't give a damn how they got it. Her new man dealt drugs and she was okay with that as well.

He tried to rub her hand, but she pushed his hand away.

"What's your problem?" Black asked.

"Black, you know I got a man now."

Black frowned, "How the fuck are you going to treat me like this? We've been knowing each other for years."

Lani turned her heat down and licked her lips. She was trying not to be angry. She didn't want to be in a bad mood when she got home. "Black, what part of 'I have a man' don't you understand?"

"I got it, but all I'm saying is we got history. I'm the one that moved your mom outta the projects. Paid for your brother's funeral cuz he didn't have insurance."

A tear trickled down her face because she felt indebted to Black, and she did care a lot for him, but she had a man now. She turned her head away, stared out the window for a second, and then she faced him again. "You know Black, I love you and I always will, but I have a man."

"Hey, I understand, but you don't have to treat me like I don't matter."

"Stop it Black, stop trying to make me feel guilty, when it was you that fucked up! You went out and had not one, but two babies with two different bitches."

"Oh like you were perfect. You cheated on me too. You fucked O. Remember that?"

"Yeah I fucked him and I admitted to it, but I only did it because you had bitches running up there to see you in jail. Nigga, I was faithful to you until you fucked up."

He reached for her hand again, this time she didn't push it away. Their eyes met and held. He said, "You were the best thing that ever happened to me, and I want you to be my wife. I want us to be together."

"You know I can't leave my man. He treats me so well."

"Does he love you though?"

"Yes."

"Cuz he buys you shit don't mean he loves you. The same shit you got from him, you can get from me and you'll get it with love."

"Black, look, we're friends and we'll always be friends."

Black said, "I can't be your friend. I just can't. I love you."

"I gotta go, Black."

He hopped out of her car.

"Goodbye, Black."

He didn't respond, instead he hopped back into his car. She watched his white Porsche whizz out of the parking lot.

## Chapter 3

Dr. Craig Matthews sipped a caramel latte as he sat in the back of Starbucks. He glanced at his watch. She was ten minutes late, he thought. He was checking his watch again for the third time in less than two minutes when she approached. She was a tall, gorgeous, black woman. He smiled bright then stood and hugged her and gave her a peck on the cheek.

He said, "What took you so long?"

"I had to do something for my mom. It took longer than I expected."

"Oh. Glad you came."

"Of course."

"You look amazing," Dr. Matthews said.

His eyes glued to her, lusting after her very tiny waist and nice backside. A yellow and blue Gucci scarf draped her kissable neck. With teeth that were nice and beautiful, she was almost perfect. Her chin was a little off but he could fix that. He, after all, was the best cosmetic surgeon in Atlanta.

"I've been better, but I'm okay."

"How is the husband?"

"First of all I'm not married and how the fuck is your wife?" She tried to be polite and respectful with him, but sometimes she had to get ghetto with him and he seemed to respond well to it.

"Well, how is his business going?"

"Wait a fuckin' minute Craig, can you kill the sarcasm? I mean everybody didn't have the money to go to med school like you, so don't fucking judge nobody. Don't say shit when I'm paying you with cash."

Craig was quiet for a moment, then said, "I just think you deserve better."

Jada was visibly irritated and she said, "And your wife deserves better than your cheating ass!"

"You leave my wife out of this!"

"And you leave my man out of this shit! What he does is his fucking business and don't you forget that."

His face and his eyes became sad. "I just don't want you to get caught up in his bullshit."

She was quiet for a moment wondering how their relationship had grown to the point where she could talk to him about her man's business. Why did she trust him so much?

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I know you're right and I think about what ifs, all the time, but I just don't know what else I can do. I mean I'm thirty years old, and I don't have an education, so I don't know what I can do for money if something ever happened, or if I was to leave him."

"I've always offered to take care of you."

She laughed and said, "I guess I could be your poor little black mistress. Is that what you want, Craig?"

"No. Well yes, but you don't have to put it that way."

"But then I'm back to square one, I still won't have anything of my own, I would still be counting on you to take care of me."

"But I earn legal money and business has just doubled. I am the best cosmetic surgeon in Atlanta."

She laughed, "Of course that's why I came to you. I wanted you to make me perfecto."

"You are perfect, you've always been perfect."

"Ahhh thank you. But I think I want my nose done next."

"Not by me. Really it's perfect."

She made a sad face.

"Thank you."

"So what does your man say when you say you want your nose done?"

"He says plastic surgery is for white bitches."

"His exact words?"

"Yeah but he loved my butt job."

Craig laughed. "I bet. I'm the best at what I do."

"But you're expensive as hell."

"Hey pay me, or pay some tranny from Craigslist to pump some super glue in your ass."

"I guess you're right."

"Hey! My services ain't for the poor. But hell, your boyfriend ain't poor."

"Well he's doing okay."

"Must be. He always pays with cash. I hated counting all that cash."

"That's what you got employees for."

"Yeah but if they count it, they would have to report the transaction to the IRS."

"Really?"

"Yeah anything over 5 thousand has to get reported and believe me, you don't want those problems. I don't want those problems."

Her eyes met his eyes and she realized she liked him a lot. She didn't think he would ever do anything to hurt her. He was one of the few white men that she liked and somewhat trusted, and she thought he liked her, but it was getting a little scary. He wanted her to be his mistress. Was he serious? But she knew that if Shamari found out she was creeping with a white man, it could become ugly. Deadly serious. She had to be careful.

Her phone rang. She put her finger to her mouth. "Ssssh," she told Craig. "Hello."

"What time you coming home babe?" Shamari asked?

"On my way back now."

"Stop at Chic-Fil-A and get me a number one with lemonade."

"Okay." She stood and terminated the call and hugged Craig.

Craig said, "So when can we meet again?"

She shrugged.

"I think we should go to Vegas again."

"You know I can't get away again. You know he was out of the country the last time."

"Hell let's send him to Brazil."

She laughed.

"I want to see you again."

She looked at Craig, knowing this man liked her. He didn't love her. She couldn't leave Shamari to be his mistress. Though she'd fucked Craig a few times, she didn't know if she could really be with him. She didn't know if she could be with any white man or any legitimate man for that matter. She liked what she liked and she liked bad boys.

Shamari was a tall, lanky light-complexioned man with a light beard. He planted a kiss on Jada's face when she came through the garage into the kitchen. His best friend Duke and a stranger, wearing a polo shirt exposing a tattoo sleeve, were sitting with him.

She hugged Duke, who was a tall muscular man with a pencil mustache and razor bumps. He'd been Shamari's best friend since they were kids.

"Jada," she said to the other man.

"I'm Tony."

"Tony, do you have a last name?"

"Tony Montana," the stranger said.

Shamari and Duke laughed.

Shamari said, "Babe, why so nosey?" Shamari always accused her of being nosey.

"Just want to know who's in my house, that's all."

"But who the fuck asks for people's government name except the government?"

Shamari asked. He was always suspicious about people wanting to know too much even though she was his woman. He only wanted her to know so much.

"Okay, my bad," she placed the Chic-Fil-A food on the table and bolted upstairs before realizing she left her purse in the car. When she strolled through the kitchen, she heard...

Duke said, "I'm sure he's telling."

Tony said, "We don't have to keep talking about it, I'm going to handle the situation."

Shamari looked up at her before sipping his lemonade, shoving a handful of fries down his throat.

"Would you get outta here? Can't you see men talking?"

"I left my purse in the car. I could care less what y'all are talking about." She eased into the garage.

She retrieved her purse then stood in front of the door entrance and eavesdropped.

Shamari said, "Nobody gets hurt but him."

Tony said, "Whatever you say. I'll do the job however you want. If you want me to kill the roaches I will kill the roaches. I work for you. I will do the job anyway you want me to do it."

"No kids and no women," Shamari said.

"Whatever you say boss, since I'm going to have my mask on I will just put the kids and the girl in one room and pop him," Tony said.

"Good deal," Shamari said.

If she doesn't cooperate, I'm going to have to pop her too," Tony said.

"But only if she don't do what you say," Shamari said.

"This dude should have been dead a long time ago. You remember when he shorted eleven stacks?" Duke said.

"I don't want to hear, that could have, would have shit. We gotta job to do now, because he said I knew something about those thirty kilos they found in the trunk of his Jag, I'm gonna get life with my record," Shamari said.

Tony said, "I'm the equalizer. Even if he did, he won't live to testify."

Shamari gave Tony a pound.

Tony said, "So where is my money?"

Shamari said to Duke, "Give him the thirty thousand."

Tony said, "I only wanted twenty-five."

"But I trust that you're going to handle this the right way. So take an extra five." Shamari said.

"I'm a professional," Tony assured him.

## Chapter 4

Lani's boyfriend, Chris, loved basketball and he'd been a ballplayer before he started hustling full-time, after his mother's home was foreclosed. He was 6'5 two hundred and twenty-five pounds. He and Lani had floor seats for the Hawks game. They were playing the Lakers tonight, and he and Lani were there with the rest of the who's who of Atlanta trying to be seen. At the game Lani wore an electric blue dress that exposed just a hint of her back. Her hair flowed and her six-inch heels elevated that ass and made it look spectacular.

Chris was rubbing Lani's thigh when he noticed a man with floor seats on the other side of the arena looking his way.

"What the fuck is that character looking at?"

Lani turned to Chris, "What are you talking about?"

"The man across the court in the red shirt. Sitting there next to the clown with the Mohawk," Chris said, "I mean I can see if he was checking you out, but that dude is looking at me, Lani."

Lani recognized Black and his friend Kyrie.

"Baby, I think you're overreacting. Nobody is looking at you." Black had turned his attention back to the game.

"I'm telling you, he was watching me."

"Baby, just watch the game. He probably thinks you're a basketball player or something."

Chris said, "Maybe." Since he was tall he had often been mistaken for a basketball player. Sometimes a football player.

Lani held his hand trying not to look at Black. Damn, she'd never known Black to like basketball. Boxing maybe. What the fuck was he doing here and why was he looking in her direction. She watched the game avoiding Black's gaze.

Later Chris and Lani were at the concession stand getting drinks, and on the way back to their seats Black bumped Chris, knocking one of the drinks to the floor.

"What the fuck?" Chris said.

Black smiled and said, "My bad partna."

Lani didn't know what to say. She didn't want to speak to Black but this was a man she'd known for ten years.

"Hey Lani," Black said.

"You know this clown?" Chris asked.

"Let me buy you some more drinks partna." He grinned again. "Seriously, it was an accident."

"This is the nigga that was staring at us. Now I know why he was staring. He knows you," Chris said.

Black still grinning said, "Lani, you ain'tgonna speak?"

"Black don't start no bullshit. I ain't got time for this."

Chris doused Black with the other drink.

Seconds later the two men locked like a couple of pit bulls, neither having a clear advantage.

Black said, "You bitch ass nigga, let go of my shirt and fight like a man."

Security came and separated them.

Seconds later, police officers were at the scene. They cuffed both men and led them away.

"Baby, I'm going to call the bondsman," Lani said.

Black grinned and said, "Thanks, babe."

"Nigga, I ain't talking about you," Lani said.

Kyrie said to Lani, "I'm sorry. I told that fool he was out of bounds. But, Lani, you gotta understand that Black loves you. He ain't over you yet."

"He might as well be over me. I can never get back with him. I have a man that loves me."

"Black will always love you," Kyrie said.

"I don't want to hear that bullshit, I got to get my man out of jail and I gotta get him out fast. Fuck Black!"

She left the arena and called a bail bondsman.

## Chapter 5

Shamari's cell phone rang in the middle of the night. He picked it up on the second ring. Jada rolled over and glanced at the clock on the dresser. It was 2:45 am

"Who the fuck is that? Calling this time of the morning!"

"Don't worry about it. Go back to bed."

Jada said, "Let me see that phone." It had better not be Rachel Hernandez, the bitch that she'd caught Shamari leaving the W hotel with a few months ago. She listened for a moment; she could tell it was a man's voice—sounded like Tony. She folded her pillow in half and tried to resume her rest, but she couldn't. She thought about what she heard when she was in the garage. The hit they'd planned. Why in the hell was he calling? Why couldn't it have waited until the morning?

"Did something go wrong?" Shamari asked.

"Yeah, real wrong."

"Where are you?"

"Bruh, I'm in the woods. I'm hiding; the police are all over the place. They are searching for me. They got the helicopters out and everything.

"Get rid of that cell phone."

"I know! I gotta get out of these woods first, I think I can make it. I need to make it out before the dogs get a trail on me. I'm approaching somebody's house. I can see a man on the porch. An old black man. I'm hoping he'll let me stay there till the morning."

"If he don't?"

"If he don't, I'm fucked and just get me an attorney and take care of my babies." "I got you man."

Tony said, "Appreciate you bruh."

Shamari sprang from the bed and eased out into the hallway, trying to walk as lightly as possible. He paced the hallway then turned to see Jada. "You scared me babe, why are you not in bed?"

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing."

"Yeah right, you know I know you."

He embraced her, and said, "If something happens to me, just know I love you."

"What's going to happen to you?"

"I don't really wanna get into it right now."

"Tony, he's in trouble right?"

"What?" He looked shocked. Trying to figure out how she'd guessed that it had something to do with Tony.

"I recognized his voice; I'll never forget that voice." She still held his hand. "What happened?"

He looked her in the eyes. "You remember Don?"

"Yeah?"

"He got busted a few months ago and now he's talking?"

"Huh?"

" He's talking to the cops. Snitching. How else do you want me to say it?"

"How you know?"

"When he got out on bond I met him and he kept talking about old stuff that had happened years ago."

"He had a wire on him." Jada said, "That motherfucker! All the times you've helped his bitch ass out? You bought his kids clothes. Gave him money."

"I'm sure."

She thought about Craig. For that moment she thought being his mistress wouldn't be a bad idea after all, at least she couldn't go to jail for being a mistress.

"And you sent Tony to take care of him?"

He didn't want to admit that to her or nobody for that matter.

"I listened from the garage. I heard you tell him not to hurt anybody but Don." "Don't repeat that to nobody, the less you know the better."

"You know I would do nothing to hurt you."

She followed him back to the kitchen. "You gonna tell me what happened?"

"He didn't say over the phone. He just said something went bad."

"Where is he?"

"In the woods somewhere in Gwinnett County."

"Damn, you think he's going to be okay?"

"I hope so."

She took a deep breathing then said, "I was just thinking about Tiffany and the kids."

Tiffany was Don's wife. She and Jada weren't exactly friends but they were cool with each other.

"I think they're fine."

"You hope so you mean?"

He banged his fist against the table. "Why you gotta be so goddamned negative? I hated I had to do that, but I had to, he was trying to take my life away."

She made herself a cup of coffee with a cream and two sugars, sipped it and said, "Damn"

He stared her in the eye and said, "It's real fucked up right now."

At 6:17 the doorbell rang. Jada headed into the bedroom with her coffee and Shamari answered the door. Tony stood on the front porch wearing soiled jeans and a ripped t-shirt in 27 degree weather.

He followed Shamari to the kitchen. They sat at the kitchen table. "What the fuck happened?"

"It went all bad man. All bad." His eyes were moist. He wanted to cry.

"What the fuck happened?"

"I kicked the door in and Don fired first, which shocked the hell out of me. I wasn't expecting him."

"Well you did kick his door in."

"Then I fired, andhis wife came running out of another room, so I aimed and shot her."

"Damn, I told you nobody but Don."

"I know, man, but I thought she was a dude, man."

"Did you get Don?"

"I fired, but I don't know if I hit him."

Not only did this idiot hit the wrong person, but he didn't even know if he'd killed the right person. There was a possibility that Don was still living. Shamari stood up from the table. He wanted to pace, but this info was crippling. He just stood there thinking about prison, two of his brothers were there and one of his uncles as well. That was not somewhere he wanted to be. At that moment he regretted sending dumb ass Tony on a mission, clearly he wasn't as qualified as he had led him to believe.

"That's not all."

"What else happened?"

"A little girl looking to be around 9 or 10 came out of her bedroom and I shot. Man I don't know why, but I was nervous." Tony began to cry, "I didn't mean to do it man," Tony said, with a stupid ass look on his face. "It just kind of happened you know."

"No I don't know!" Shamari banged his fist against the table and said, "Goddamn it, you did exactly what I told you not to do!"

"I'm sorry." Tony's face got serious. "I've always gone to jail alone and this time it will be no different, I'm gonna wear it if I have to."

Shamari believed Tony. Tony had done 15 years in the Fed. He'd gotten caught with ten kilos of cocaine that wasn't his and he didn't talk, but this was bigger. This was attempted murder on a government informant. There was a difference. Stakes were higher. Both of their lives were on the line.

Jada burst in the kitchen, "Man the news has been showing that shit all morning."

Tony stared at her. He looked uneasy.

"She knows everything, I told her."

"The eleven year old Essence, died and a woman who was in the house is in critical condition.

"Damn, we're fucked."

"I swear to you Shamari, I ain't going out like that. You don't have anything to worry about. This is all on me."

"We gotta get you outta here. Do you have anywhere to go?"

"I need some clothes and some money, and if you give me a bus ticket to Baltimore I will be fine once I get there."

"I paid you already."

"My wife and kids is going to need that money."

Shamari sighed.

Tony became irritated with Shamari's unwillingness to give him some money. He said, "Now if you want me to keep my mouth shut, give me the money."

Jada said, "Ok, does Shamari have something to worry about?"

Tony looked at Shamari, not even acknowledging that Jada was in the room. "Look I know that sounded fucked up but I didn't mean it that way. I just need to get to Baltimore. If you can't, I understand. You did pay me."

"I'll get you the ticket, and I'll give you ten stacks." Shamari said.

"That's all I need. Once I get where I'm going, I'll be okay; I'll be able to hustle up some money to take care of myself once I'm there."

"Cool." Shamari said.

## Chapter 6

Trey told Starr, "You're the best thing that ever happened to me." They were lying in bed, silk sheets barely covering both of their naked bodies.

Starr smiled, not because Trey had just put it down in bed, but because of the nice things he always said to her. He always made her feel so lucky. Not only was her man super generous to her, but he loved her. Something many women didn't have. They usually had one or the other. Starr gave Trey a peck on the cheek and then scooted her butt against him. She could feel his throbbing dick against her ass and she loved it. Moments later she grabbed it and eased it into her lovehole. She came three times before he pulled out and came all over her ass. She turned to him and frowned.

"What's wrong babe?"

"You always do that."

"Do what?"

"You know, I want you to come inside me."

"I know, babe, but not yet. I will when I get out the game, babe. I don't want to be raising kids, while I'm in the game."

She sat up on the edge of the bed pulled the sheet up to her chin. She looked sad and he didn't like it.

He scooted beside her and started massaging her back. Then he said, "Baby, we're going to have a baby one day. Just not right now."

She turned to him and said, "You always say that. You've been saying that for years."

He continued to massage her. He kissed her neck then he placed his scruffy face on her shoulder. She winced a little but she didn't move.

Starr forced a smile then said, "So when do you think you'll be done?"

"Soon babe, real soon.As soon as Derringer blows up. I'm out of this game." Derringer was a rapper he'd been trying to make into a household name. He'd invested a half a million dollars in Derringer's rap career.

"You've been saying that for the past two summers. Have you ever thought that maybe Derringer ain't got what it takes?"

"This is ATL. All we gotta do is get the strip clubs to start playing his shit and it can catch on."

"The strip clubs have been playing his shit and it ain't catching on."

"Derringer is the best lyricist in ATL besides Andre 3000."

Starr said, "Trey don't nobody give a damn about lyrics. I know I don't and my girls damn sure don't. We want to dance. When I buy music, I buy it because it's catchy and has a nice beat."

Trey looked sad, he said, "You right."

Starr kissed Trey and said, "Baby, I just don't want us starting our family dependent on Derringer getting a hit, cuz I don't see that shit happening."

"I just don't want to get you pregnant knowing that I don't have something legitimate. I don't want to be looking over my shoulders."

"Babe, I've helped you count millions of dollars. We have enough money. We can live off ten grand a month and be comfortable."

"And ordinary."

"And what's wrong with being ordinary?"

"I just don't want my kid to have to want for nothing."

"Bullshit, Trey, I think you're addicted to the power."

He pulled a little bit of sheet from her and got underneath and said, "You might be right."

"I know I'm right."

They kissed again. Before long he was inside her again. Missionary. Twenty minutes later he came again. This time he sprayed her chest.

## Chapter 7

It was 9:33 am when Chris got bailed out. Lani was waiting for him in front of the police station. He hopped on the passenger side of the Range Rover.

"So what the fuck is up with you and Black?"

"Oh, Chris, it's too early in the morning for this bullshit. Okay? Can we just get home before we start arguing?"

"Why didn't you tell me that your fuckin' ex was staring at me?"

"Because I knew you were going to act just like you're acting now. Like a fucking child."

"What the fuck ever! That dude knew who I was and I ain't even know who he was, that's some bullshit, Lani, and you know it."

She pulled her BMW onto the side of the road and said, "Look, Chris, I'm sorry. I should have handled it better. I didn't handle it like a real woman was supposed to and I'm sorry."

"Are you still fuckin this dude?"

"Oh my God, here come the high school ass questions. You think I'm that fuckin' trifling? I've never been the type of chick to fuck with two dudes."

"I don't get it. What was that all about?"

"I will admit, Black still has feelings for me, and I love him too and always will, but I'm not in love with him. I'm in love with you. But I can't erase Black and our past. If I could, I would because you're my man."

"Look Lani, I believe you but what is this nigga's problem?"

"When Black and I broke up, he said, I would be nothing without him, and that I would never find anybody that treated me like he treated me. And now it seems as though I upgraded and it's killing him to see me doing great without him."

"I swear to you Lani, I will kill Black's ass if he ever puts his goddamned hands on me again. So if you want the man that you still love to live, you better tell him to stay the fuck away from me. I ain'tnobody to play with."

"Look I'm going to talk to his Nana, she'll calm his ass down. She raised him and she is the only one who he will listen to and Nana loves me."

"I'm telling you, you better say something to that nigga or else Nana will be lowering his ass down - In the fucking ground."

## Chapter 8

Starr, Lani, and Jada met at the RA sushi bar. They sat at the back of the restaurant, in a booth, while they chatted over lobster rolls and salmon. Starr said, "This whole anonymous caller bullshit has got me thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

Starr grabbed a lobster roll and said, "Thinking about if this bullshit is worth it, I mean that text kind of scared me, I don't want to go to jail. I want my man to get out the game, start something legitimate so we can start a family."

"Why don't y'all just start a family anyway?" Lani said.

"That's exactly what I said, but Trey said it would be selfish until he can go legitimate."

"I thought Trey had a record label?" Jada said.

Starr said, "So does every other big time dope boy in Atlanta. You know that shit ain't nothing but a front." She looked at Jada. She really didn't like Jada but didn't think Jada was so stupid that she didn't know most record labels were fronts for drug dealers. Starr then said, "I'm sure your man has some kind of front."

"Not really, he's thinking about opening up a clothing store, but he's been saying that for a while." Jada said.

"My man doesn't want to do anything but keep stacking money." Lani said.

Starr said, "What does Chris tell the neighbors? They have to be wondering. You know how white folks are; they want to know everything about you so they can start googling you and shit."

"The funny thing is, Chris is very personable. They don't ask him shit. I think they assume he's an ex-athlete cuz he's so tall."

Starr said, "Well the white man next door came over as soon as we moved in the neighborhood with some bullshit fruit basket asking a whole lot of questions."

Jada said, "What did you tell him?"

"Trey said he was a music producer, said he made beats for Diddy."

Jada laughed.

Starr said, "After that, we didn't have any more problems but we don't have a lot of company, so shit is real cool with us and our neighbors. They invite us over all the time. Sometimes we go. Sometimes we don't."

"I need you to relax, sissy. Nothing is going to happen. Don't put negative energy in the universe and nothing will happen." Lani said.

"I know, but I've been doing this for so long. I'm just so tired of this game. I know I got the luxuries but sometimes I'd rather just have my man. Sometimes the game can drain you. You know, moving cuz somebody got busted, being scared that you're going to get ratted, the prison visits. Trey and I went to visit his friend Terry, and let me tell you that's some sad shit." Starr said.

"I visit my brother in prison, so I know first-hand." Jada said.

"The saddest part about it is the kids running around happy to see their daddies. It's happy and sad." Starr said.

Lani interjected "Let's talk about something positive. I don't want that energy out there. I love my life and I ain't giving it up for nobody."

"I can relate to Starr, I'm tired of the bullshit that comes with it." Jada said.

"So what are you going to do? Leave and then what? Go back to school? Bitches y'all asses is almost thirty. If you were smart, you would be stashing some of that money and start your own shit."

"I don't have to be with Shamari, I got other options." Jada said.

"You better stay away from that married man cuz if his wife finds out, your ass is grass and if Shamari finds out, you finished bitch, believe that." Lani said.

Jada knew what they were saying was true. She'd just witnessed Shamari put a hit out on somebody.

Starr rolled her eyes at Jada and said, "A married man?"

"It's not what you think." Jada said.

"That's one thing I don't like. I don't like bitches that will fuck a married man." Starr said.

"Who said I fucked him?" Jada said. Knowing damn well she'd fucked him on more than one occasion.

Lani said, "She's just getting his bread."

"Same thing. And why does she need to get his money. Her man has money." Starr said.

"Don't judge me." Jada said.

"I'm not judging you, but I know I can't trust you around my man."

Jada said, "I've been around your man, and I don't want him. I have a man that treats me very well."

Lani could sense that this was getting out of hand. She said, "Both of y'all chill".

"I'm good." Starr said.

Jada smiled and said, "Me too."

They finished eating but Jada didn't say anything else to Starr.

## Chapter 9

The doorbell rang and when Shamari opened the door he was surprised to see Tony. He invited him in then frisked him. Tony was supposed to be on his way to Baltimore. Not here.

"No wires... yet." Tony laughed.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Means I need you to give me thirty more thousand dollars, Big-Boy."

"What the fuck? You agreed to a price!" Shamari walked into the kitchen and Tony followed.

He offered him a glass of water.

"You wouldn't happen to have a beer?"

"No, I've got soda."

"Give me one." Shamari passed him a coke and said, "You agreed to this price Tony. This is bullshit homie!"

"I can't go to Baltimore."

"Why?"

"The police are already on my ass. They know it was me."

"What?"

Tony said, "Cameras in front of a convenience store around the corner from the scene of the crime got my license plate. I had stopped there for gas earlier."

"Cut it out."

Jada entered the kitchen and said, "I saw it on the news."

Shamari said, "What the fuck? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was gonna tell you but you were asleep last night after the news went off."

"Come on man, thirty thousand is nothing to you."

Shamari became visibly angry. He said, "You blackmailing me?"

Tony lifted his shirt revealing a chrome handgun and said, "Look, nigga, give me the fuckin money. I'm sure you don't want it to get ugly in this motherfucker."

"Give him the money, babe, this ain't worth it."

Tony smiled at Jada. "This Barbie looking bitch does have sense, I underestimated you." He grinned.

"Dude, don't disrespect my lady."

Tony took a swig of his coke and said, "Dude, gimme the bread and I'm out."

Shamari said to Jada, "Count thirty grand."

"Make it forty." Tony said.

Shamari stared at Tony and Tony said, "I got 4 kids who ain'tgonna see their daddy any more. Wouldn't you agree that's worth another ten thousand?"

"Dude, you act like this shit is my fault." Shamari said.

"It's not your fault but it was your idea. Your boy didn't snitch on me, now did he?" Tony said then he finished off his can of coke.

Jada came back with a designer backpack. She passed the money to Tony. He grabbed another can of coke and bumped his chest and said, "Death before dishonor nigga." He sprinted out the door.

## Chapter 10

The text message was from a 305 area code and it said, "You think your life is so fucking good. I hate you bitch."

Starr dialed the number and the recording said: You have reached a number that is no longer in service. She tried again and got the same recording. She called Trey.

"Hello."

"Got another text message from someone saying they hate me."

"What was the number?"

"It was a Miami area code and when I dialed the number. The recording said that I had reached a number that was no longer in service."

"It must be some kind of app."

"Yeah, I think you're right."

"This shit is getting fucking weird."

"I know babe, I know."

"Change your number for me."

"I really didn't want to."

"Why not?"

"I love this number, it's easy for people to remember."

"People don't remember numbers anymore."

"I just don't want to change my number."

"Well please don't tell me nothing else about these calls then, I don't want to hear about it."

"There is somebody out there that knows all of our fucking business, and you don't give a damn huh?"

"You're right, I don't give a damn. And I don't want to talk about this shit over the phone."

"Well you need to come home so we can talk."

"Look, you know I'm working. Can you talk to somebody else right now? Call Lani, you put that bitch in all of our business anyway."

"Whatever Trey. I'll see you tonight."

"And please have some food prepared. I am tired of takeout."

"Whatever nigga." She hung the phone up.

Lani and Chris were about to back out of her mother's driveway when a black

Benz blocked her in. She dropped her head and said, "Oh God, its Black."

Chris unbuttoned his seat belt and said, "I've had enough of this clown." He bounced from the car.

Black got out of the Benz and smiled and said, "Hey, bruh, how are you doing?"

"Motherfucker, you don't know me."

"You right, I don't know you." He extended his hand. "I'm Black."

Chris refused the handshake. "Dude, we ain't friends. We will never be friends."

"Babe, pop the trunk." Chris said.

Black brandished a nine millimeter and said, "Dude, I'm here to make peace. You know what I mean? Peace as in no violence or blowing your fucking brain to pieces right here in the goddamned drive way. You pick the kind of peace you want."

Lani got out of the car and said, "Ain'tgonna be no shit in front of my mama's house."

"I just wanted to talk to him." Black said.

"Black you need to leave." Lani said.

"Have you forgotten who made the down payment on this house?"

"I'll give you your money back, clown. What we owe you? Twenty racks?"

Lani's mom opened the door and peeked out.

Black said, "Hey, Miss Carolyn." He tucked his gun back down into his pants. Carolyn smiled and said, "Hey, Tyrann, how you been baby?" Lani's mother always called him Tyrann, she refused to call him by his nickname. Only two people called him Tyrann, Miss Carolyn and Nana one hundred percent of the time called him Tyrann. His sister would call him Tyrann from time to time and Lani would.

Black excused himself and hopped onto the porch and planted a kiss on Carolyn's jaw then said, "Im'ma send somebody over here to pressure wash this driveway."

"Oh ,baby, you so sweet." Carolyn said then she said to Lani, "I'm going back in here to finish watching my Lifetime movies. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Bye, Mama."

Black said to Chris. "I just wanna talk, I didn't come to fight."

Chris said, "Okay, talk."

"I just want you to know that you got a good woman."

Chris didn't respond.

"And I'm still in love with her and I want her back."

Chris removed his jacket and he paused and said, "You know what? If you didn't have that fucking gun, I would beat the brakes off you."

Black said, "But I do, so you can't." Black hopped in his car and said, "I'm going to get my woman back," and he screeched off.

Then, Chris and Lani hopped into the car and took off.

## Chapter 11

"I just saw on the news that they caught Tony."

"You're bullshitting right?"

"No, they caught him in Miami. At one of his kid's mother's home."

"I didn't know that he had a child in Miami."

Jada said, "Apparently."

"Damn."

"I know right." She paced around the room.

"Would you sit down?! You're making me fucking nervous."

She was irritated with his tone, but she could see why it would make him nervous.

"He's going to tell ain't he?"

"I don't know." He stood and paced. He knew Tony had been a standup guy but his last case was a drug possession. This was first-degree murder and attempted murder on a witness. He really didn't know how Tony would hold up."

Jada said, "Call your lawyer."

"I haven't been charged with anything yet."

"But you should be ready, just in case."

"I'm going to get the fuck away for a while.

"Where you going and what the hell am I going to do? I'm going with you."

He stared at her and said, "You don't need to be with me. I don't want anything to happen to you. I can handle myself. Believe that."

"Okay, but what the hell am I supposed to do to support myself and how long are you gonna be away?"

"As long as I need to be away." He opened his bottom drawer and started slinging underwear and socks. Then he said, "Take a hundred grand from the stash. That should hold you for a while."

"Thanks, but you know you should really wait till tomorrow. You don't know what's going on."

He closed the drawer and said, "I gotta calm myself down."

"Now you're talking sense." She'd never seen that side of him. Normally he was so hard, but she figured the thought of life in the can would make anybody turn into a bitch. Everybody wants to shine, but nobody wants to do the time.

"I'll wait till the morning."

"I think you should."

* * * * *

Twenty minutes after Trey left, the doorbell rang. Starr pulled the curtains back. A thick blonde with fake boobs and a spray on tan stood on the porch. Starr said, "Hey I'm not interested in buying anything."

The woman said, "Starr, can you open the door for a moment. I need to talk."

Starr wondered how the woman knew her name. She opened the door and invited the woman in.

The blonde smiled and said, "I'm Jessica Turner."

Starr looked puzzled but she said, "Nice to meet you."

Jessica smirked and said, "I don't think you're going to mean that once I tell you why I'm here."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Jessica smiled and said, "The anonymous calls you'd been receiving and the text messages. That was me."

"What the fuck was that all about?" Starr said forgetting all about the proper voice she used around white folks.

"There is something you need to know."

"I know you need to get the fuck out of my house." She opened the door.

Jessica said, "I will leave, but I want you to know that I have a child by Trey."

Starr stood there stunned. What the fuck did the bitch just say?

"Yeah, Lil' Trey is about to be five."

"Bitch, you're delusional. Trey ain't got no kids, and he damn sure don't like white bitches."

Jessica said, "No, you're delusional. The DNA came back 99.999 % five years ago. I still have a copy of it."

Starr walked into the living room and invited Jessica. When they were seated, Starr said, "Now please tell me you're playing games."

"Why would I want to play games with you?"

"Why are you just now telling me this shit? You obviously knew who I was."

Jessica turned from Starr's gaze and said, "Does it matter when I told you? What difference does it make?"

"You know what, I don't believe you. I'm calling Trey." She dialed his number, Trey answered on the first ring.

"Trey, bring yo ass home right now!"

"Babe, I'm working, I don't have time to be talking about no weird phone calls."

"I know who's been making the calls now."

Trey said, "Who?"

"Jessica."

"Who the hell is that?"

"Yo baby's mama, that's who!" "I'm on my way home."

The doorbell rang again.

"That's probably my mother."

"You brought your Mom with you?" Starr asked.

"Yup and Trey Jr."

Jessica trailed Starr to the door and Starr let Jessica's mom and Trey Jr. in.

Jessica said, "This is Starr, Trey's girlfriend."

Starr shook the older woman's hand. Though she didn't care for her daughter's foolishness, she saw no reason to be disrespectful to her mother. Then she smiled at Trey Jr."Trey, say hi to Miss_____ " she looked at Starr.

"Coleman is my last name. Starr Coleman."

Starr shook Trey Jr.'s hand .The damn boy was a spitting image of his father, except he was lighter.

They all headed back into the living room. Starr offered them drinks and they all wanted water, so she disappeared to the kitchen and brought back some bottled water. As soon as she handed them the water, Trey stormed in.

Trey Jr. grabbed his father by the leg and said, "Daddy!"

Trey ran his finger through his son's hair looking dumb as hell. Starr couldn't believe this shit. She really wanted to curse his ass out, and if it wasn't for the old woman and the kid, she would have surely went off.

Trey planted a kiss on T.J.'s forehead.

"Daddy, are we going to play catch again like we did last time?" T.J. asked.

"T.J., I'm surprised you remember that. It's been what, like six months." Jessica said.

"Yeah, I remember and we had ice cream."

"Yes, we're going to play catch again. "Trey said then turned to Jessica's mother Mrs. Robinson, can you take Trey into the den?" He pointed and said, "It's down the hall and to the right."

The old woman said, "Yes." She stood and said, "Come on T.J."

When Mrs. Robinson and the kid were gone, Trey said to Jessica, "What the fuck are you doing here?"

Starr said, "No, why the fuck didn't I know about this, Trey? What the fuck is going on?"

Trey ignored Starr and said, "Why are you here?"

"Because this is the only way I can get you to see your son. You fuckin' loser." Jessica said.

"So, Trey, you gonna act like I ain't even here?"

"Chill, babe, let me handle this." Trey said.

Jessica said to Starr, "This dude is a fuckin loser, he's a loser, I'm telling you."

"I'm a loser, cuz I don't fuck you." Trey said.

"Dude, I don't want you, I just want you to do right by your son." Jessica said. "You just text me last week trying to get me to come over and fuck you, and you're just mad that I'm loyal to my girl."

Jessica laughed a loud laugh. "You're loyal to your girl alright. Is that how come I got pregnant?"

A tear rolled down Starr's face. Trey tried to embrace her but she shoved him away.

"Get the fuck out of my house now!" Trey said.

Jessica said, "Motherfucker, you're one lucky ass man cuz I really want to go to the F.B.I. and tell them about all the coke you are bringing to Atlanta, but I don't want my son's father to be in jail."

"Would you leave?" Trey asked.

"When are you gonna play catch with your son, Trey?" Jessica screamed. "This shit is too much for me to handle, Trey."

Trey yelled, "Mrs. Robinson, come and get your daughter!"

Jessica's mom appeared and said, "I told you. Let the courts handle him."

Trey said to Mrs. Robinson, "Can't you see she wants me?"

Jessica said, "I'm sorry Starr, I really am."

Trey planted another kiss on his son's face and said, "I'll come and pick you up soon, and we can play catch again."

Jessica grabbed T. J. and she, her mother, and T. J. exited the home.

* * * * *

When Shamari opened the door there were six U.S. marshals and four F.B.I. agents on his porch. He said, "Can I help you?"

One of the U.S. marshals, a redhead man said, "Looking for Shamari Brooks."

"Yeah that's me. Am I under arrest?"

The man said, "No, but I want you to come with me to answer some questions."

"Jada come here babe!" Shamari yelled.

When Jada arrived, she saw all the law enforcement and said, "What the hell is going on?"

The marshal said, "Good morning ma'am, we need to talk to your husband for a few hours."

Jada wanted to curse their asses out but the man was polite and she didn't want to cause any more commotion in the neighborhood. She was sure her nosey ass neighbors were somewhere with their curtains pulled back. Jada said, "Is he under arrest?"

"No."

"Well, he doesn't have to go then."

"Well, he can go now or we can pick him up later, after we get an order from the magistrate."

"Call my attorney Jada," He asked the marshal, "Where should I ask him to meet me?" Shamari said.

"The Federal Building downtown."

Shamari said, "Let me put on my shoes."

The man said, "Go ahead put your shoes on. And put a coat on too. It's kind of chilly out here."

Shamari got dressed and Jada phoned their attorney.

_To be continued....._

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KINGPIN WIFEYS

# PART II

By K. ELLIOTT

Urban Lifestyle Press in association with  
P.O. Box 12714, Charlotte, NC 28220  
http://www.kelliottonline.com

## Table of Content

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

## Chapter 1

Starr gathered a few outfits from her closet. She would stay at her sister's house until she could get a place of her own. There was no way she could or would be in the house with Trey. He had fucked up bad, and she'd made up her mind it was best for her to leave. She gathered some socks and underwear and her pajamas. Trey burst in the room.

"Babe, I know you ain'tgonna leave me because of this. Come on, babe, can't you see she's just jealous of our happiness?"

Starr folded her pajamas and put them in the Louis Vuitton overnight bag. She didn't respond to Trey.

"So now you're going to pretend you don't hear me?"

"What do you want me to say? I mean seriously, you have a child. A child I didn't know about."

Trey sat on the edge of the bed and looked Starr in the face. His eyes were sad. He said, "I don't want you to go. Really, babe, don't leave me. I will do whatever it takes to be with you."

She put a pair of heels in her bag and said, "Trey, this shit really hurt me, dude. I don't know if I can get over this. I mean I thought you loved me."

Trey dropped to his knees said, "Baby, please don't leave me. I am nothing without you."

She tossed a pair of sneakers in her bag then folded her arms. "Trey, get off your knees. Ain't nobody got time for your bullshit."

"What are you talking about? I'm serious, babe. I don't want you to leave me."

"And what about Jessica and your child, NIGGA?"

He rose to his feet. "There is nothing I can do about T. J. He is here now. He was a mistake but I love my son, I'd be lying if I said I didn't love my son."

She picked up a new pair of shoes and slung both shoes at Trey's head barely missing him.

He said, "Okay you're mad because I love my son. What the fuck?"

A tear rolled down Starr's face before she began to sob, then she shouted, "You leave that baby out of this bullshit!He has nothing to do with this! You are supposed to love your son, but this is not fair! It's not fair that you betrayed me, and it's not fair that you kept this shit from me all this time! This didn't just happen; you've known this shit for so many years. You are just fucking pathetic!"

"Jessica wants what you have. Can't you see that? She's just jealous of you," Trey said.

"She is the one with the baby. Why would she want what I have? I want what she has."

"You have me."

"At this moment, I don't know if I want you. You're a goddamned liar, and you hurt me so much."

Trey stepped close to her and embraced her but she shoved him away. "Will you just get the fuck away from me?"

She sat on the bed and continued to sob. "The fucked up thing is that I want to believe you. I really do." She buried her face in her hands. "You've hurt me."

Trey sat beside her, patted her on the back and said, "I'm going to do whatever I got to do to make this right."

Starr said, "Trey, can you just leave me alone? Let me think."

He stood and left the room.

## Chapter 2

All eyes were on Craig as he drove up to the valet in the silver Maserati at the entrance of the W Hotel in Buckhead. He handed the key to the valet and hurried inside. Once inside he took the elevator to the 16th floor and walked to room 1623. Jada hugged him when he stepped inside. "What's up? Why couldn't you talk on the phone?"

He appeared genuinely concerned, but she still didn't know how much she should tell him. She said, "Have a seat."

He sat at a desk in the corner of the room. There were a couple of bottles of water on the table, with FOR SALE tags placed on them by the hotel. He asked, "Do you mind if I drink one? I'll pay for it."

"Drink it, don't worry."

He popped the top off the bottle and took a big swig. Then he said, "Please tell me what's going on."

"The Feds picked up Shamari for questioning."

"Questioning? What did they charge him with?"

She paced before finally sitting on the edge of the bed and said, "I don't know why they picked him up. Don't know what they are charging him with." Although she felt that they'd picked him up because of what happened to Tony, she didn't want to say too much.

"They arrested him?"

"No," she said. Then she said, "I mean I don't think so."

He took another swallow of water and said, "I gotta hunch you're not telling me all you know. Listen I'm not a criminal, and I'm not the goddamned cops."

She sat still for a moment then wondered why in the hell had she called him in the first place. Why didn't she just call Lani? Somebody she knew would understand. She hadn't planned on explaining all of her business to the naive ass doctor.

"Listen you don't have to tell me what's going on. The important thing is that you're safe."

When he said that, she realized why she'd called him in the first place. She didn't need him to solve her problems. She just wanted to know that she had someone. She didn't want to be alone. She smiled and said, "That meant more to me than you'll ever realize."

"You need to leave him."

She heard him but ignored him.

He drank some more water. She grabbed the last bottle on the table, unscrewed the top and took a drink.

"Look, I know I'm not your type, but this is getting dangerous."

Her eyes met his and she said, "I spoke with his attorney, and he said that he'll be home soon."

He shrugged and said, "But surely this isn't the end. If the Feds are on to him, it's just a matter of time before they get him."

"Why you gotta be so goddamned negative, Craig?"

He stood and laughed a little before saying, "I'm leaving, and you're fucking crazy. You are the one that called me over, and now I'm being negative?"

He eased toward the door. He placed the empty bottle of water on the table and was about to turn to say goodbye when he saw that she was standing right behind him and their eyes met. He grabbed her head and kissed her before scooping her up and carrying her to the bed. He kicked off his Converses, peeled off her blouse and admired her breasts. Goddamned he'd done a good job with them. She eased out of her skirt revealing a purple thong and her ass looked spectacular in it. He pulled the thong down with his teeth. Her clean shaved vagina made his erection throb, but his dick would have to wait, he would taste it first. Yummy.

* * * * *

Starr was at her sister Meeka's house, on the West Side of Atlanta, where she grew up right in the middle of the hood. Meeka was hood and so were her twin boys, DeVante and DeMontre. They were seventeen years old and had dropped out of high school. Now they sold weed and pills out of Meeka's house. She pretended not to know what they were doing because they helped her out. The boys pretended to have a lawn service with no equipment and business was booming even in the middle of winter. Starr was trying to figure out why in the hell her sister needed help. Hell, she was on section 8 and she received over three hundred dollars in food stamps. But she wasn't there to ask questions. She just needed to get away from Trey. She sat in the den on one of Meeka's plastic covered sofas watching a reality show when Meeka walked in, blunt hanging from her mouth, wearing a skintight spandex body suit. "You need to get out of this house and get your mind off that nigga."

Starr looked up from the TV. "What you talking about?"

Meeka inhaled the blunt and passed it to Starr. She refused. "You know I don't smoke."

"No mo'."

"Huh?"

"Bitch, you don't smoke no-mo'. Don't forget to say no-mo', you act like you ain't never smoked before."

"Ok, I don't smoke no-mo', you satisfied?"

A customer knocked on the door. A skinny black man with a dirty beard.

"Twins are in the back room, Lenny."

"Hello, Miss Meeka, " Lenny went to the backroom and minutes later, he left with a smile on his face, as he was leaving, a woman named Shatima came to stand on the porch. Meeka guided her to the twins' bedroom.

Starr was nervous about all this in and out and wondered how Meeka dealt with all the traffic.

Smiling, Meeka said, "One of twins' lawn care customers."

Starr said, "Of course."

Shatima entered the twins' room.

Meeka said, "You ain't no better than me cuz you got a dope boy giving you money and you moved out of the hood. Don't forget we come from the same place."

Starr took a deep breath. She didn't want to fight with her sister. She loved her older sister but she knew Meeka resented her because she was envious of her and her lifestyle. Starr remembered when they were younger, all the dudes in the neighborhood wanted Meeka. She used to be amazing. She used to have this very tiny waist and ass so perfect it looked like it had been sculpted. Guys would fight over her, then she got pregnant at seventeen by a loser named Kenny who was gunned down before the twins were born and Meeka was left to take care of her boys by herself and her life went downhill. She resented Starr because she was everything that Meeka was not.

"Look, Sis, I don't want to argue with you today."

"Why are you all uptight?" Meeka puffed the blunt again. "You need to get out. Me and my girls, Cash and Tee, going to Onyx tonight. You need to come and get your mind off Trey."

"Naw, I'm just gonna chill."

Meeka said, "I don't see what the big deal is anyway. I mean the nigga fucked somebody else. I hope you didn't think that you were his only pussy. I mean any dude getting money is gonna have some side pussy. Point blank. Period." She laughed then said, "Hell, most of these clowns out here with less than five hundred dollars in their pockets are fucking too. Niggas are gonna do what niggas do. You know how the game go."

"He hid a kid from me, it's not that he cheated; it's that he kept a secret for years."

"Trey is a good dude, and he loves you."

"I know he loves me, but this one is a hard one to get over."

"You better get over this shit real fast before somebody else is living in that goddamned mansion and pushing that Benz. These chicks out here is extra thirsty, I'm telling you."

"I got my own money saved up. You know your little sister ain't stupid."

Meeka said, "How long you think that shit is gonna last?" She finished the blunt. "You are used to a certain lifestyle now. You can't live over here with me."

"Now that's where you're wrong. I like nice things, but they don't define me." Starr had prided herself on not letting material possessions blind her. She never thought anybody was beneath her. She never thought she was too good to speak to anybody and she never looked down on anybody.

"You want to live in the hood?"

"I can, if I have to."

Meeka laughed and said, "Yeah, that'll be the day."

"I'm here now ain't I? I could easily be at the Four-Seasons. I got money and I got credit cards."

"Well hell, since you got so much money, let me hold a couple of dollars, I want to buy a bottle at the club tonight."

"Are you serious?"

"Dead serious. I wanna have some fun tonight and you should too."

"Naw I think I'm gonna stay in."

Another customer knocked on the door and Starr said, "On second thought, I think I'll go with you to the club." She didn't want to be there if the house got raided. She would find a hotel room in the morning.

## Chapter 3

Starr entered the lobby of the W Hotel when she spotted Jada with an attractive older white gentleman. Jada didn't see Starr. She figured this was the man Lani had been talking about at the Sushi restaurant, the married man. They headed outside. "What a skank." Starr thought. The couple eased out to the valet. She walked over to the window of the lobby, where she could see the happy couple waiting on the valet to bring the car. The man hopped into his silver Maserati and sped off. And Jada went back inside.

"Starr," Jada said as she approached the lobby.

Starr faced her and gave her a fake smile. "Hey, girl!" They hugged.

"What you doing here?"

"Falling out with my dude, you know, had to get away for a while."

"Go ahead check in. I'll be waiting here for you." She took a seat on a plush orange sofa. Starr joined her moments later.

"So why are you here?" Starr asked.

"Long story," Jada said.

"I got time," Starr said, not really wanting to tell her what was going on. Buying time to decide what she would tell her about her life.

Jada didn't know Starr that well but she knew her man hustled as well, so she would understand her plight. She decided to open up. "The Feds came and got my boyfriend yesterday."

"What? I hate to hear that," Starr said. She'd met Jada's man once at Lani's birthday party, light-skinned dude, looked really tough. Not her type but drove a Bentley, so she assumed that he had money.

"Yeah I know."

This chick had no morals. The man that had taken care of her was in jail, and here she was out at the W. fucking some white dude. Starr was disturbed by this, but didn't let it show.

"Does he have a bond?"

"Well, I spoke with his attorney before I checked in last night, and he said that they were going to have to let him go if they didn't charge him."

"So what happened exactly?" Starr wasn't trying to be nosey, but she always found stories of how dudes got busted interesting, because her man was in the same line of work. Whatever happened, she would have to make sure Trey avoided the same mistakes. Even if they didn't get back together, she loved him and didn't want him to get in any trouble.

"I really don't know. All I know is, he started hanging out with this dude that I had never seen until recently."

"New niggas will do it every time." She stood, picked her overnight bag up and said, "I have to be heading to my room."

"I'm about to call Shamari's attorney." She stood and said, "Maybe we should do lunch soon."

"I would like that." She lied.

## Chapter 4

"Where the fuck have you been?" Shamari asked when Jada entered their home. He eyed her suspiciously.

"I checked into the W." She tried to kiss him, but he pushed her away.

"Ok, I get out of jail last night and you ain't nowhere to be fucking found," Shamari said. He paused before sitting on the leather sectional. "What kind of shit is that Jada?"

She sat on an armchair on the opposite side of the room.

"I had to get the fuck out of this house. I didn't feel safe in here."

"But why the fuck was your phone off? What if I needed you?"

She dug into her purse, retrieving her iPhone then presented it to him. "Look my phone is dead. I didn't have my charger with me." She took a deep breath and then said, "So you're out now, why all the drama?"

"That shit was real foul man, as much I do for you and you do me like this?"

Jada sighed, "Look I'm sorry, what do you want me to say?"

"I guess you're right. I'm out now."

"What did you find out?"

"Well the phone that Tony used, he'd called me over 40 times in the last 4 days, when the Feds picked him up. They wanted to know who I was, and why was he calling me so much."

"How did they know that he called you, your phone is not in your name. Did he snitch?"

"My lawyer doesn't think so, doesn't mean that he won't say something later, but right now, I'm ok."

"Why does he think you're okay?"

"Well they let me go; he said if they had anything, they wouldn't have let me go."

"But I don't get it? How did they know that he was calling _your_ phone?

"Because the dumb motherfucker had my name in his phone."

"Your full name?"

"Yeah, there was two Shamari's in his phone, and I was the one where he used the last name. Feds pulled my credit report and this is how they got me."

"What did you tell them? How did you get out?"

"I told them that I'd spoken with Tony. He said he really needed to talk to me. That was the reason he called me."

"Good thinking on your feet."

"Yeah I had to, man this shit is serious. Tony killed a federal informant and that's never good."

"Why did you pay him to do this? This is bad. Real bad." She placed her phone back in her purse.

Shamari clutched a pillow and sighed. Then he stood, tossed the pillow back on the sectional and paced across the room before finally making eye contact with Jada. "You know Jada, This is something I never wanted to do. I never wanted to murder anybody or have anybody murdered, but the fact is people always betray me." He took a seat back on the sectional and said, "I did so much for that dude. I sent his son to private school. Paid for Don's mom's breast reconstruction after she had her breast removed and this is the thanks I get?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don betrayed me."

"You don't know that."

"I've been in this business long enough to know when something is not quite right. And something is not right, was not right with that dude, talking about how he didn't want to go to jail. Talking all this Christian bullshit." Shamari paused and said, "Well goddamn it, I don't want to go to jail either."

"But now you've made things worse, baby. Things are worse than before. You realize that don't you?"

"I hate betrayal, I know I might go to jail for a long time. That's a fact but at least I can live with what I did. I did what I was supposed to do and that was to honor the game."

"The game? This is not a game, this is real life."

"I know it's real life, and if somebody trying to take my life, I have to do what I have to do."

Jada stood. "I have to charge my phone up." She eased toward the bedroom.

"Jada."

"Huh?"

"Don't ever betray me."

## Chapter 5

Starr opened the door when she heard the loud knock. She thought it was room service but it was Trey. She attempted to close the door but he wedged his foot in the door preventing that from happening. "Can I get five minutes of your time Starr?"

"You need to leave. I'm gonna have the front desk call security."

"Three minutes."

She attempted to push the door, but Trey was too strong.

"One minute."

She moved away from the door, and once he was inside, he said, "How you been?"

"Trey, say what you gotta say. I ain't got time for this bullshit."

"Look, babe, I just came to apologize."

"You've already done that."

"You didn't accept."

She flopped on the bed and as he was about to take a seat next to her when she said, "Don't get comfortable in here. You are about to leave."

He smiled and at that moment she realized how much she missed her man.

"Look, babe, I miss you and I want you to come home."

She didn't say anything. She'd grabbed the remote control beside the dresser and powered on the TV. Real Housewives of Atlanta was showing.

Room service came and Starr signed for the club sandwich, potato chips and diet coke then tipped the attendant 5 dollars. She returned back to the bed with the tray in hand.

"I fucked up big time. I know I did, but I'm here to make it right." He grabbed a chip from her plate.

"How you gonna make this right, Trey? There is a goddamned kid and a baby mama. How the fuck am I supposed to deal with that?"

"So you've never made a mistake?"

"Trey, I've always been faithful to you." She took a swig of her diet coke then bit into her sandwich.

Trey took a deep breath and said, "I try not to bring up the fact that you slept with O. G."

"I never slept with that man," Starr lied. She had slept with him a couple of times, when Trey was running the streets trying to make money and not giving her the attention she felt she deserved. O. G. was an older dude who had money, and he'd taken her shopping a couple of times. One of Trey's homies saw them out together and reported it back to Trey. Starr denied it, but Trey said his intuition told him something wasn't quite right. Starr never admitted to it because she didn't want to lose Trey.

"Look, Starr, you slept with O. G."

Starr said, "Okay, if I slept with him, what the fuck does that have to do with what's going on with you?"

He grabbed her hand. "Babe, nobody is perfect. Nobody."

"Trey, you hid a child from me for years. Why didn't you just tell me?"

Trey massaged Starr's hand and said, "Look I didn't want to lose the best thing I ever had. You complete me babe. When I'm with you, I don't see them other bitches, I only see you. We fit. It is just right and I like that. I know I'm not a perfect man, but I'm perfect for you."

Her pussy was getting moist. She'd never seen Trey being this sincere. She'd missed him so much. She missed his dick. She had to remind herself that she was mad at him.

"Listen, babe, my son is five years old, but I swear to you it's been only you for the last three years."

"Three years? What the hell?"

Trey said, "Well I'm being honest because I don't want to lose you."

"Trey you got more kids out there?"

"No, but I've fucked other chicks." He stood from the bed. "I'm just keeping it real."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Cuz I don't want to lose you, and I felt so damn bad hiding T. J. from you. I don't want nothing to come up like this again."

"Are you saying you ain'tgonna cheat?"

"Like I said earlier, ain't nobody perfect, but I can promise you I'm gonna try my damn best not to go down that road again."

"So you don't know?"

"I haven't slept with nobody but you for the last three years and that's a fact."

"Trey, I don't know about this man, I really don't."

"What can I do to make it up to you? You name it, I'll buy it. I just want you home. What about that handbag I saw you looking at in Phipps Plaza or that watch that you asked me for? I'll go get all of that today. Just come home."

"Trey, you know I couldn't let you spend that kind of money on me. You know I'm not like that. I like nice things, yeah, but they don't define me. And I can't be bought; I'm not some low life ass gold-digger."

"I know that, and that's what I love about you. You're one of the realest people I've ever met; realer than most dudes in my circle."

She smiled, he was so sincere and so damn cute when he begged. He reminded her of a little boy, wanting something from his mother.

"I swear to you, babe, I will not fuck up again."

"Trey, just give me a day or two to gather my thoughts."

Trey dropped to one knee and pulled a box out of his pocket. "Will you marry me?"

She covered her mouth. "Oh my God, Trey!"

"Open the box."

She said, "I don't want to."

"Please open the box; you don't have to accept, but hell you can at least look at the ring."

She opened the box and placed the sparkling six carat platinum diamond ring on her finger."

"You remembered my ring size?"

"Come on, I know everything about you. Of course I remembered your ring size."

"Trey, how much did this damn thing cost?"

"Don't worry about it?"

"I know this ring is overpriced."

"Keep the ring, babe. Don't worry about the cost of the ring, can't put a price on love."

She stood and walked then looked in the mirror, glancing at the ring on her finger. "Damn this thing is amazing. I will get robbed for this."

She smiled again and then he smiled. He knew he was breaking her down. She said, "Trey, how much was this ring?" She removed it.

Trey said, "Eighty stacks."

"Ain't no way in the hell I'm keeping this ring." She passed it back to him.

"You don't want it?"

"I can't be bought Trey. You know that about me and that's just too damn much for that ring, I would never wear something like that."

"Is it about the price?"

"No, it's about the motive. I mean were you really going to propose if you didn't fuck up?"

"Huh? You know we've talked about marriage and a family."

"I know we been talking about that shit for years. But it took you this long to make a move."

"Look, I'd been eyeing this ring for the last few weeks. You can ask Jesus, the gay dude in the jewelry store onSixth Avenue."

Starr knew Jesus very well. Every time they'd visited New York she would buy little things from Jesus, but never anything amounting to over a couple of thousand dollars. She thought about phoning Jesus to verify Trey's story, but she believed him or at least she wanted to believe him. What girl didn't want to get married?

Trey attempted to pass her the ring back. She refused it and said, "And another thing, we're going to have to stop acting like hustlers. I hate that shit. I mean nobody that I know can afford an eighty thousand dollar ring except hustlers. I don't like living like this Trey."

"I know, babe, but just bear with me, I'm going to go legit, I promise."

"I hope so cuz there is no way I'm marrying a drug dealer. I'm getting too old for this shit."

Trey smiled, "So you accept?"

"No, I didn't say all of that." She finished the rest of the chips, leaving a half-eaten club sandwich. She placed the tray outside the door.

Trey rose from the bed and embraced her and held her for a long time. Her heart beat next to his. She was where she belonged in the arms of her man. She'd missed him so damn much.

He released her from his grip and asked, "So when are you coming home?"

"I didn't say I was coming home."

"Look, Starr, I apologize that I have a kid. I apologize that I had the affair."

"Affair? I'm not your wife."

"You're my wife, we just don't have the papers yet, but you're my wife."

She smiled.

Trey continued, "I even apologize that I'm a drug dealer, at this point in my life it's embarrassing, but one thing that's going to be hard to find out there is a real nigga, you might even find somebody with more money, but are you gonna find somebody more real?"

Starr said, "And I'm a real bitch."

"I know, why do you think I'm fighting so hard? I need you to come back where you belong."

She opened the door and he stepped out into the hallway, still staring at her. His eyes on her breasts and her hips. He was more attracted to her now than the day they met. He was attracted to her soul.

He gave her a quick peck on the lips.

"My ring budget is ten thousand and that's a lot."

He laughed, "Always the frugal one."

"No, I love nice things."

"Me too that's why I love you." He turned to walk away and she watched him as he got onto the elevator.

She closed the door and cried. Damn she wanted to go back home, but she wasn't quite over his betrayal. She called room service and ordered some more chips. She was stressed and junk food or sex was the only thing that was going to ease her mind and since her dick had gone, the potato chips would have to do.

## Chapter 6

The lunch crowd had thinned at Houston's in Buckhead. Black and Kyrie and a man named Rodriguez sat in the back of the restaurant in a booth. Kyrie and Rodriguez shared some nachos and Black nursed a grey goose and coke. Rodriguez was a tall man with an extra long face and thick eyebrows. Black sipped the vodka and said to Rodriguez, "So you know this dude?"

"Yeah I know him, but we're not like friends or nothing you know."

"How do know him?" Black asked

Rodriguez said, "Wait a minute, why you wanna know all this?" Rodriguez asked.

"Answer the motherfuckin' question." Kyrie said.

"Well there is a guy named E that live off Bankhead that sells weed, I sometimes cop from E." Rodriguez said.

"Wait a minute do you know E or Chris?" Black said.

Kyrie was chomping hard on those nachos dipping them in the salsa. He'd eaten about six when Black looked at him annoyed as hell.

Sensing Black was irritated he stopped and repeated what Black had just asked. "Do you know E or Chris?"

"I know both of them."

"So, E let you meet his connect?"

"Well I saw Chris one day at the gas station up the road from E's house and he gave me his number, and since I knew Chris was the source of the weed I figured he would give me a better ticket you know?" Rodriguez said. He scooped two chips up and ate them.

"So you do business with him?'

"What the fuck is this about? Do he owe you money or something? " Rodriguez asked.

Kyrie said, "No he don't owe us shit but you do motherfucker." Rodriguez was indebted to Black and Kyrie for some coke he'd been fronted years ago. Black would have normally had him fucked up but he'd not gotten around to it.

"Im'ma pay you, dude. As a matter of fact, I can give you a couple of thousand dollars today." Rodriguez said.

"No you're going to call your friend Chris and tell him you need a hundred pounds." Black said.

"Ok, give me the money. I think I can get it for around eight hundred a pound." Rodriguez said.

Black laughed and said, "Eight hundred dollars? I ain't paying no goddamned eight hundred dollars for shit. You understand me?"

"It's mid, man, this ain't no Reggie Miller. Homie, this is some good shit, nice green color, very little sticks in. It's straight fire. One thing I can say about this nigga is he keeps that good."

Black was irritated by Rodriguez singing Chris's praise, because not only was this motherfucker fucking his woman, it was clear to Black that he was _really_ makingmoney.

"What you wanna pay, I'll run it by him?" Rodriguez took a swig of water, then pulled out his iPhone scrolling through his address book looking for Chris's number.

Black said, "I ain't paying shit. You're going to call him and ask him for the hundred pounds and we're gonna take them from his punk ass." Black finished off his vodka and stared at Rodriguez—his black face forming the backdrop for pinkish eyes—intimidating Rodriguez.

"Come on, man, he ain'tgonna ever believe no shit like that. The most I've ever gotten was twenty pounds."

"Call him."

"He doesn't talk on phones. I will text him."

Rodriguez texted Chris: _Yo' I need ten dime bitches for my partna's bachelor party._ The code 10 X 10 for a hundred pounds of weed.

Chris hit back: _You ain't never wanted that many girls_.

Rodriguez texted: _Yeah I got a lot of people coming from South Carolina_.

Chris: _Okay will call you in a couple of hours to tell you where to meet me_.

Rodriguez: _Cool._

Black gave Kyrie a pound.

* * * * *

"Where are you going?" Shamari asked.

"Microdermabrasion appointment."

"Micro-what?"

"Making my skin smooth" she said. She didn't feel like giving him a lengthy explanation about the procedure.

"How much you spending on that?"

Jada was startled that he asked her; he'd never asked her about money before.

"I'm just saying do you really need that shit? I mean you're turning into a surgery addict. You on that old Nikki Minaj shit. It's a waste of money." He said, "Well except for ..."

"The ass. You like the ass, but what about what I want? Microdermabrasion is not a surgery."

"I mean facial, manis, pedis, you've had your boobs done. Not gonna count the ass, that one was my idea."

"So you gotta problem with what I wanna do now?"

"No, babe. I just gotta call from an attorney Tony hired. The guy said that Tony told him that I was going to pay him to represent him."

"How much is that going to cost."

"The retainer is $75,000, said it was so high because it was a possible capital murder case."

"Damn."

"I know right. Shit keeps getting worse and $75,000 is just the retainer; it's gonna probably end up costing twice as much."

"I gotta voucher for the microdermabrasion. The doctor gave it to me the last time I was at the office."

"He did?"

"Yeah, they like me over there."

"Well they should, all the goddamned money we have given them," he said.

"What's up with all the money comments? Are we getting low on money?"

"I'm just saying we've paid them a lot over the years, that's all."

"But you never answered the question."

"Look, I've got something in the works."

"But the money is low, right?"

" Yeah, it's getting a little low."

"Am I gonna have to get a job?"

She annoyed him when she said things like that. He never wanted her money, but he'd never wanted her to be unemployed for a number of reasons. He knew that if he was ever unable to help himself, there was nothing she could do about it since she had no income.

"Hey I'm just saying you're an adult, and this shit is not gonna last forever."

## Chapter 7

Jessica stood on the porch when Trey opened the door. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Can I come in; I know she's not here."

"And how do you know that?"

"Saw her leave a couple of days ago and she hasn't returned."

"And how do you know all of that."

"Can I come in?"

He moved aside and let her inside and closed the door and said, "You fucking stalker."

"What?"

"Yes, you're a stalker."

"You think so? All I want is my son's father to spend time with him and I'm a goddamned stalker." She laughed. "All my friends told me all you black dudes are the fucking same, but no I didn't listen to them. I wanted to fuck with a bad boy. I wanted a drug dealer and this is what I got, a man that don't want to see his son."

"You know that ain't true. You know goddamned well that ain't true. I love my son."

"When are you gonna play catch with him then? That's all he ever says, my daddy is gonna play catch with me because he told me, but then you don't show up."

"You know this shit ain't about T. J. It's about you wanting me, and I don't wanna be with you."

"What the fuck does _Starr_ have over me, and what kind of name is _Starr_ anyway? That has to be the most ghetto name I've ever fuckin heard. Who names their kid _Starr?"_

"I knew that is what this was about!"

"Just because she has a huge ghetto ass, is that a reason to be with somebody? Because she don't work, she's gonna have you dealing drugs for the rest of your life or maybe spending the rest of your life in jail to keep up her ghetto fabulous lifestyle."

"First of all, you don't know what the fuck you're talking about, and second of all, she does have a job."

"I hope you ain't still saying she does hair because that bitch is never at the salon."

"Jessica, what do you want from me? Just give me T. J. every other week and I will give you two thousand dollars a month. You know if we go to court, you ain'tgonna get shit."

"Because you ain't earning shit legally."

"What the fuck do you want from me?"

"I want you to be with me and T. J. That's what I want."

"Listen I want to see my son, but I can't leave my girl to be with you. I love Starr."

Her mascara was now running. She didn't want to believe that he didn't want her. Why didn't he want her? She was attractive, educated and unlike Starr, she had a real job as an R.N.

"You knew I was with her when we were fucking around. I told you that."

"But you liked me. You told me that too, remember?"

"Hey look, I was going through some things at the time. I'm sorry I told you that. I'm sorry we're going through this. I really am."

"Whatever." Sniffling through tears. He felt bad for her. He didn't like to see women cry.

"Do you have any tissue?"

He pointed to the bathroom.

## Chapter 8

Rodriguez entered the modest Fulton County home. It was bare except for a sofa and a TV. It was cold inside. Typical drug stash house. They headed to the kitchen. Two duffle bags on the floor. Chris removed zip lock bags of marijuana and placed them on the table. The weed was lime green in color and the strong scent lit up the room.

Rodriguez picked up the weed, unzipped the baggie, and said, "This smells old and the color is too dark."

"Nobody has said that but you."

"So how much you want for this?"

"We've already discussed prices. You know what my price is."

"But I'm buying so many this time and plus, this is not the best color."

Chris was getting angry. He knew he had a good product. He'd sold over a thousand in the last couple of days. Nobody else had said anything about the price of the weed. Nobody had anything to say about the color. He'd driven all the way from Peachtree City to make this transaction and now this nigga was acting like he wanted to renege.

"Do you want the weed or not?"

Rodriguez exchanged text messages with somebody and then said, "Can we work on the price?"

"The price is the price." Then they heard a thundering sound from the front door.

Goons kicked in the back door leading to the kitchen.

Chris ran to the drawer on the other side of the kitchen but by the time he opened the drawer to get his gun it was too late.

Three masked men stood in the kitchen. One of them placed a gun to the temple of Chris's head. "Where is the work, nigga?"

One of the other men told Rodriguez, "Get your bitch ass down before I blast you."

Rodriguez trying to play it off, "Please don't kill me, I have a son man, please don't hurt me." Then he emptied his pockets, dumping a small amount of cash on the floor. "I got more cash in the car, just don't shoot me."

"Motherfucker, shut the fuck up!"

"Where the fuck is the work?" the other man asked Chris.

"That's all I got here."

"Where is the money?"

"Ain'tno money here."

The man cocked the hammer of the gun. "I'm gonna ask you one more time. Where is the money?"

"There ain'tno money."

He slapped Chris with the gun and fired it at the same time.

"There's fifty grand upstairs in a suitcase in the bedroom in the back but that's all I got here."

They pistol-whipped Chris until he was unconscious. Blood oozed from his nose, both of his eyes were swollen from the impact of the pistol and his bottom tooth was knocked out.

The third man went upstairs and retrieved the suitcase. The three men left.

Rodriguez picked Chris up from the floor, staggered with him until he reached his car, then drove him to the hospital and told the emergency room receptionist that he was a stranger and had picked him up on side of the road.

## Chapter 9

Jada met Craig in a gated townhome community in Dunwoody. It was a tri-level brick townhome with a two-car garage. Jada thought it was rather plain considering it had more security that the White House. Craig opened the door wearing a white robe with an unlit cigar dangling from his mouth. He kissed her and said, "I have a surprise for you."

"I love surprises."

With that stupid looking cigar hanging from his mouth he said, "I know you do, follow me."

He led her to a room that looked like a man cave with a leather sofa and a huge plasma TV. Two shopping bags rested on the sofa.

There were two shoe-boxes inside the bags.

She opened the first box; there was a pair of heels, basic and cute. She opened the second box; there was a pair of peep toe wedges she saw Beyoncé wearing on one of the blogs. "Oh my God! How did you know?"

"I saw you looking at them on your iPad the day I visited your hotel room."

She eased out of her shoes and slid into the wedges.

"Where is your mirror?"

He directed her to a closet. "Open that closet. There's a full length mirror on the other side of the closet."

She pranced with her new shoes on, feeling like a princess. Not that she wasn't used to shoes. There had been times that Shamari would just hand her thousands of dollars and tell her to get what she wanted. But with all the drama going on, she hadn't been able to go shopping. She appreciated Craig treating her like a princess. She grinned and posed in the mirror.

"Guess you don't like the first pair?"

"I like them, it's just that I love the wedges."

"I can tell when you don't like something."

"Hey I like them, what I don't like is that stupid cigar hanging from your mouth."

He frowned. "Not cool?"

"Not cool at all, but you tried."

He removed the cigar and said, "I really don't smoke. I just like to pretend to look cool."

"The hobbies of rich men."

"Well since you didn't like the shoes, maybe you'll like this." He presented her a jewelry box.

She tore into it immediately and removed the diamond watch. She said, "Wow, this is amazing. You really didn't have to do this." She admired the sparkling watch.

She embraced Craig and said, "Thank you so much. You're so amazing."

"You deserve the best."

"Why did you have to be married?" She could really see herself falling for this man if the circumstances were right. She liked him a lot, but she still loved Shamari.

"I don't believe you would be with me. Would you? You like the bad boys, the drug dealer lifestyle."

"Is that the reason for the silly cigar, were you trying to impress me? Trying to be a bad boy huh?"

"Come on, I asked a question."

He'd called her out. She was drawn to bad boys. She like the thugs, not necessarily drug dealers, but she liked guys that would do whatever it took to get ahead, but she also liked power and Dr. Craig Matthews was a powerful man. "Answer the question?"

"Look you're married, and there's no way of knowing what I would like if you weren't."

"Let me give you a tour of the house."

She was very impressed with the house. He'd shown her the master bedroom with a huge walk-in closet. The two guest bedrooms. The kitchen was a chef style kitchen with expensive counters and cabinets. Finally he led her to the garage where his silver Maserati was parked beside a black one.

"I didn't know you had two Maserati's."

"Well I was hoping you'd be driving the other one by now."

"What are you talking about?"

"This could be yours."

"Yeah right."

"The townhome. Everything."

"Everything has a price."

"You know what I want?"

"You want to have your wife and me here as your personal fuck-toy."

His face became sad. "You know I don't look at you like that."

"Dr. Craig Matthews, what would happen if you brought a black woman home."

"Nothing."

"But you could never be with a black woman, only fuck a black woman."

He pressed his hands against her lips. "You know it's not like that."

She removed his hands. "How is it?"

"I love being around you. I love you."

He pulled her into him and accidentally stepped on her new wedges. "You're going to ruin my new shoes."

"And I'll buy you more. I'll buy you whatever you want."

He kissed her, then unbuttoned her bra. Her huge implants spilling out. He put his mouth on them, sucking them like an animal. She kicked the wedges off. His hand was now on her perfect little ass.

He pulled her pants down, revealing a yellow G-string contrasting perfectly against her black skin. His dick jumped out of the white robe and she grabbed it with her hand, then she dropped to her knees and took him in her mouth.

"Oh my fuckin God!" he yelled. She was glad she was satisfying him, but him yelling "Oh my fuckin God" was corny as hell and it was something a black man would never say. She played with his balls until he said, "Stop, stop, this feels too good to be true."

She stood and they kissed again.

He threw her on the hood of the Black Maserati (the one that would be hers) and ripped her G-string off. He dropped his robe. His dick still rock solid. She was now lying on her stomach. When he entered her, she came fast. Not because he was so wonderful, but it was something about having sex on such an expensive car that turned her on. She wished the engine was running.

## Chapter 10

Lani was driving like a Nascar driver to the hospital when she got a call from Black.

"Hello."

"Hey, Babe."

"Black, I ain't got time for this shit today."

"What's wrong?"

"My man's in the hospital."

"What happened?"

"I don't know, I think he got robbed."

"Damn, yeah? Niggas is real thirsty out here now. I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yeah, so I'm gonna have to talk to you some other time."

"So you want me to meet you at the hospital?"

"Black, you gotta be out of your fucking mind."

"What? I'm just saying you need somebody to help you get through this, and what better person than me."

"I ain't got time for your bullshit. You know my man would not approve of shit like that."

"He's unconscious, how is he gonna know."

"What the fuck do you mean, he's unconscious? I ain't tell you no shit like that."

"If he got shot then he's probably doped up."

"I don't know what happened."

"Okay, go handle your business. Call me when you're done okay?"

She hung up and phoned Chris's brother Mike who was already at the hospital. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

Mike said, "Okay, he's in ICU."

Lani prayed that Chris would be okay. He was such a good man, she was happy God had sent someone like him into her life after such a roller coaster relationship with Black. Chris was like a breath of fresh-air. He was the opposite of the very loud and flamboyant Black, but he was no sucker and he was street smart. She wondered how he'd gotten robbed? Who was responsible for it and how he'd let his guard down? When she entered the hospital, she signed in at the nurses' station and headed to ICU.

Lani started weeping as soon as she saw Chris with all the IV's hooked up to him. His eyes and lips were swollen and he was unconscious.

"It's real bad, Lani." They embraced.

"What do you know about this, Mike?"

"I don't know shit! All I know is whoever did my brother like this is gonnafuckin' die." Mike was usually calm and Chris was the wild one. Lani had never seen this side of Mike before.

"Chris don't fuck with shady characters. How did this happen?"

"I don't know." This just didn't make sense to her. She knew that Chris almost never went outside of his circle. He'd told her more than once that he only had four customers and he'd known all four of them for years. What could have happened? Did Chris go outside of his circle? There was no way of knowing.

A doctor came in, a thin Asian man with speckled glasses, who introduced himself as Dr. Wu. He said, "Lani? Are you Mr. Jones's wife?"

"No I'm his girlfriend."

"He's in a coma right now. He's suffered severe brain trauma."

"How long do comas usually last?"

"It could be a day, could be a week, could be years, ma'am. It's hard to tell right now."

Mike held her hand and Lani said to the doctor, "So what else are you going to do?"

"There's not much we can do right now. The good news is the internal bleeding has stopped and that's a good sign."

"But we don't know when he's going to come out of the coma?"

Dr. Wu said, "We don't know, but just keep the faith, I've been a doctor for twenty-five years and I can tell you having faith does help in these situations."

"I've started praying already."

When Dr. Wu left the room, a tall gorgeous brown-skinned woman with a very expensive weave entered the room.

"Cassie." He embraced the woman and then said, "He's not doing good at all." Mike said.

Cassie eyed Lani, finally Mike said, "Cassie, this is Lani."

The women exchanged fake smiles and Cassie said, "I'm Mike and Chris's cousin from Connecticut."

"Pleased to meet you. Chris has never said anything about family in Connecticut." Lani said

"Yeah, we have lots of family in Connecticut." Mike said.

"I live in Atlanta now, in the Sandy Springs area."

"Oh okay." Lani said.

"What happened?" Cassie said.

"There is no way of knowing right now, Chris is in a coma. He got beaten up really bad, but how it happened is a mystery. Thank God he's still living."

"Yes, I don't know what I would do without Chris, " Cassie said.

A thin blond nurse name Barbara entered the room and passed Mike a zip-lock bag containing just over three hundred dollars in cash, a wallet and his iPhone . "These items were found in his pocket."

Mike said, "Thanks."

When the nurse left the room, Mike said to Lani, "I'm going to go home now." He removed the wallet and the money and passed it to her. "I'm going to hold on to the phone till tomorrow. I got a feeling this phone has some clues to what might have happened."

Lani hugged Mike.

Cassie said, "I'm gonna leave now too." She shook Lani's hand.

## Chapter 11

Starr was happy to be back in her home and Trey was even happier that she was back where she belonged. He couldn't stop kissing her. He grabbed her bags and carried them to the bedroom. She followed, hopped up on her canopy bed and grabbed the remote control and turned the television on.

He kicked off his shoes, fell right next to her and kissed her on the cheek. "So glad you're home."

"I'm glad to be here, I don't like hotels, and I damn sure don't like being in the hood with my sister and my two thug ass nephews."

"Yeah, when I went over to find out where you were, one of those little niggas asked me to give him some work. I'm like dude you know I can't do that."

" I don't know why not, they're getting it from somebody."

Trey laughed. "That's what he said. His exact words were 'Uncle Trey Im'ma get mine from somebody, we might as well keep it in the family'."

Starr shook her head. "Those little bastards and my goddamned sister think nobody knows what is going on, trying to pretend that she don't know what's going on."

"Well that's exactly how I was when I was their age. Started hustling in the hood, asking the older boys to give me work, but never out of my mama's house."

"That is so trifling."

"Hopefully they don't get caught."

"I would hate that to happen to my sister."

He planted more kisses on her cheek. She hated to admit that she was happy to be with him.

The doorbell rang and he stood and headed to the door. She walked behind him, wondering who was at the door. He opened the door and there was a box on the step. The UPS man drove away.

"What's in the box?"

"Just a few things I ordered for T. J. from Zappos."

"So when is me and Mr. T. J. gonna get acquainted?"

"Soon."

"I hope so" and disappeared into the bathroom. A few moments later she came holding a long blond stand of hair. "Trey what the hell is going on? Why is this in my bathroom? You had that bitch here didn't you?"

Trey just stood there looking dumb wondering what he was going to say. It was obvious Jessica had been there. How was he going to explain this without looking guilty? He said, "Babe, Jessica was here but nothing happened."

Starr said, "You expect me to believe that shit?" She headed to the bedroom and gathered her things and walked toward the door before he blocked her path.

## Chapter 12

"Hey, when did you buy this watch?" Shamari asked. He held up the Cartier, admiring the sparkling diamonds.

"What are you doing with my things?" Jada said.

"First of all, we live together, so your things are my things. Secondly I was looking for the extra key to my truck that I'd put in your drawer months ago."

"Whatever."

"Why are you getting so defensive over something that I paid for?"

Jada didn't know how to answer him. It was clear that he thought he had bought the watch.

"Not defensive, I asked you a question."

"But I asked you a question first."

"I've had this watch for a long time."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. I brought this watch over a year ago."

"Why haven't I seen it?"

"I don't know. Maybe if you paid more attention to me, you would notice things.

"That watch looks like it cost about 20 grand at least."

"Something like that."

"How much did the watch cost?"

"What difference does it make?"

"Bitch, it makes a lot of difference, and let me remind you, it's my money you spent on this."

"So if you give me money, it's still yours?"

"Jada, how much did the damn watch cost?"

"I've never heard you want to know how much something cost. Is there something you want to tell me?"

He looked away, but didn't answer her.

"Shamari, why are you tripping about this watch?"

"I haven't seen the watch, that's all."

"There are a lot of things you haven't seen, I've never seen you act like this about the cost of something."

"I just gotta watch my money that's all."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"What do you think it supposed to mean?"

"Question with a question," she said and took the watch from him.

"Listen, the money is getting a little low."

"How did that happen?"

He sat in a chair that is in the corner of the bedroom. "Well before Don got indicted, I'd given him four kilos. I don't know if the Feds got them or not, but he told me they'd gotten the drugs when they picked him up. Then I paid Tony for the job. And then paid for his attorney, not to mention I bought 16 keys that was absolutely garbage, I've lost about 400,000 in the last month."

"So how much do you have?"

"Maybe about fifty grand."

"Maybe?"

"Well I don't know yet."

"So we're broke?"

"Basically."

"Do you want me to sell the watch?" she asked, though Craig had given her the watch, she'd been with Shamari for years. He'd looked out for her and her family so many times. She would gladly sell the watch.

"Not yet."

"But we're broke," she said.

"Damn near."

She tried to hand him the watch. He refused it and she was glad. This was not what she signed up for. She wanted to leave him. Not because he was broke but because she was pretty sure the Feds were on his ass, but if she left him now everybody would swear it was because he didn't have as much money as he'd had before. Damn.

* * * * *

Lani sat by Chris's bedside when Mike called. "Mike, what's up?" she asked.

"Do you know who Rodriguez is?"

"No. Why?"

"He was the last person who Chris texted. He'd given him directions to a home. I think this dude knows exactly what the fuck happened to my brother, and I intend to get to the bottom of this shit."

"But you don't know him, how are you gonna find out what happened?"

"The streets talk, and if I find out this motherfucker had something to do with my brother getting hurt—"

"Mike" Lani cut him off. She didn't want him to say too much over the phone.

"Seriously, Lani, somebody is gonna get hurt."

"I understand but careful what you say."

Mike was breathing hard on the phone, barely able to contain himself. He said, "Any changes in bruh's condition?"

Lani glanced over at Chris. His eyes still shut and sleeping like a baby. She loved him and she wanted him to get well. She wanted to find out what happened to him just as bad as Mike did, but she didn't want Mike to get in trouble. God, that's the last thing their parents would need, one son in jail and the other in the hospital.

Lani said, "No change. When are you coming back to the hospital?" She wanted to calm him down.

"No time soon, my first order of business is to find out where the fuck Rodriguez is. Somebody has to pay for this."

_To be continued....._

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KINGPIN WIFEYS

# PART III

By K. ELLIOTT

Urban Lifestyle Press in association with  
P.O. Box 12714  
Charlotte, NC 28220  
http://www.kelliottonline.com

## Table of Content

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

## Chapter 1

"You ain't going no fucking where." He stood in front of Starr and she was trying to push him out of her way.

"Trey, move before I call the police on your ass! I know you don't want that."

"Listen, Starr. Jessica was here. She popped up when you weren't here. Gave me that bullshit that we needed to be together and I dismissed her ass."

"Yeah you dismissed her right after you fucked her." She pushed Trey. His muscles were rock solid and he wasn't moving. She couldn't move him.

"I didn't fuck nobody! She used the bathroom."

"And the bitch put her hair in the sink? Yeah right, Trey." She pounded his arm. Still unable to move him.

"I didn't have sex with that woman. I swear to you."

"Well did it ever occur to you that you should have called me, or at least told me she'd been over here?"

"Starr, goddamn it, it slipped my mind, I didn't think it was an issue."

"Your baby's mama at our home while I'm not here, and you think it's not an issue? Come on, Trey, do you think that I think you're that fucking stupid?"

He stepped aside and she didn't attempt to walk by him. He stared at her knowing she was furious. Wondering what she was going to do next. He didn't want her to leave. He had to convince her to stay.

"Trey, you're a grown ass man. How many times am I going to have to forgive your silly ass?"

"Babe, it's not like I made another mistake."

She shook her head. "Another mistake? Should I expect another kid to pop up?"

"Cut it out, you're being stupid now."

"Am I?"

"Insecure as hell."

"First of all, I ain't insecure about shit. I trusted you."

"I know and I fucked up, but if you're gonna keep holding that shit over my head, you can go."

"It's that easy huh? That easy to kick the goddamned woman that you just proposed to out?"

"Ain't shit about this easy. It's just that I can't take being accused of some shit that I didn't do."

"I told you she came over talking about how we need to be one big happy family. I told her ass to take a hike."

"Real talk?"

"Real talk." He kissed her forehead then pulled her into him. They locked lips and he scooped her up and took her back to the bed. He removed her blouse as she pulled down her jeans revealing a pair of pink boy shorts that bear hugged her ass and lifted it. She peeled her bra off revealing small but suckable tits. He loved them. He kissed her neck before dropping his jeans. His cock standing at attention.

She gripped his penis then and whispered, "I missed him."

"What about his owner?"

"Of course I missed you, babe."

"I don't want you to ever leave me again."

"Don't ever give me a reason to leave."

"I love you."

"I love you too." She kissed him again and between breaths she asked. "Are we still getting married?"

He said, "Have I ever lied to you?"

She gave him a funny look and then said, "Actually no, but you damn sure withheld some information."

They laughed. Then she took his manhood deep into her mouth. He stood her up and pushed her on the bed and said, "I want to pleasure you. I owe you."

She was lying on her back and he dove between her legs. He sucked and licked her clit until she screamed, "Put it in me please!"

He sucked her clit vigorously and she continued to scream. He placed a finger inside her then switched alternate fingers until she had multiple orgasms. He stood and walked over to the window. He dropped the blinds to make it completely dark. His penis still standing at attention. She lay on the bed in a fetal position trembling, very much satisfied. He positioned her until she was lying on her back then he entered her. She yelled, "Goddamn, nigga, you're an animal!"

He grinned then kissed her and she bit his neck hard while clawing his back. She loved feeling his bulging muscles. He was so big and he made her feel so safe. She felt like a little girl and he was her protector. The feeling was turning her on. He flipped her over on her stomach and entered her from behind, slapping her ass. "Goddamn it, you know I love that shit!"

"Call me daddy."

"Daddy."

She really didn't like calling him daddy. In fact she hated that shit but it seemed to turn him on and she wanted him to be satisfied too.

He said, "I love you so much."

Tears trickled down her face. She loved him too and there was no place she would rather be.

She came two more times before he finally exploded and wiped his cum all over her big beautiful ass.

## Chapter 2

Lani met Starr and Jada at the bar in the W on 16th Street. They sat in a comfortable little sectional in the corner. Jada and Starr had a martini while Lani nursed a Long Island Ice tea. Starr remembered the last time she was at the hotel, a couple of days ago, when she had seen Jada with the white dude. She was reminded of just how scandalous this chick was. She tried not to think about it, but she knew she had to keep an eye on Jada. She was the type of bitch that would sleep with your man if given the chance.

"I'm so glad you convinced me to come out, I was really feeling guilty about going out having fun while my man is in that damn hospital."

"You need to be out. You've been in that hospital for three days straight."

"I just feel so guilty about me out here having fun while he's basically fucked up." She started to tear up. "Somebody beat my baby bad."

Jada placed her hand on Lani's knee and said, "Starr is right. You can't live your life in this hospital. Chris would understand."

Starr was sure that if Jada's man was in the position Chris was in, that she would be out partying, doing all the things that she had done before. Starr was convinced she was not a good woman.

"Don't beat yourself up. You know this is the game. You gotta take the good with the bad and pray and keep your faith in God. He will work it out," Jada said.

Starr said, "Chris is a good man."

"I'm sure he will." Lani said.

Starr turned to Jada. "Is everything okay with Shamari? Did he ever get out?"

"Out? Where has he been?" Lani said.

Jada felt bad that she hadn't spoken with Lani, but she had so much going on the past few days she didn't have a chance to speak to her about Shamari.

"Shamari got picked up by the Feds, but he's out."

Lani gave her the side eye.

"Hey he didn't get charged," she found herself saying. Knowing that him getting out of jail sounded strange to them. Nobody got out of jail once the Feds picked them up unless they talked.

"What happened?" Lani said.

"Shamari's friend Tony murdered somebody and they just wanted to know if Shamari knew anything about it. Shamari told the Feds that he didn't so they let him go."

"Thank God. Nobody wants to be down for a murder." Starr said.

"Yeah, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do," Jada said.

Starr turned to Jada and said, "What's up with you and the white dude?"

"What white dude?"

"The one I saw you with in this lobby the other day?"

Jada bristled, thinking about the nerve of this bitch trying to put her on blast. If she'd wanted to know about the white dude, why didn't she ask the other day?

"He's just a friend," Jada said.

"Really? Looks like it was more than a friend to me."

"Who is she talking about? Dr. Handsome? Lani said.

"Yeah, we met here the other day for drinks." Jada said.

"While your man was in jail." Starr said.

Jada said, "Why the fuck are you all up in my business, bitch?"

Starr said, "Cuz that was some trifling ass shit, I just don't appreciate trifling bitches."

Jada stood up and slid her shoes off. She was used to bitches coming at her like that because she looked like a Barbie Doll, but she could fight like a dude. Growing up in the projects she had to fight every day.

Starr said, "You don't wanna go there, trust me."

Jada said, "Bitch, trust me!"

Starr said, "Nobody can trust your ass, not even the man you claim you love." Starr was upset when she thought about Jessica and how she'd been sleeping with Trey. Jada was the kind of chick that would play the side bitch role gladly, and she didn't like women like that.

"You know y'all are my two best friends. Please both of y'all have a seat." Lani said.

"I just ain'tgonna stand here and let somebody disrespect me." Jada said

Starr said, "But you disrespecting ya man. A nigga that's out here hustling so you can wear designer shit; so you can drive foreign cars. Trust me when you fuck that up, it's over."

"Whatever, bitch."

"You can think that white man wants you if you want to. That white man don't want nothing from you but ass. Believe that. You're nothing but ass to him."

Lani put her hands over Starr's mouth. "Will you just stop it?"

Jada was about to say something and Lani said, "My man is in the hospital fighting for his life. Can you just shut the fuck up?"

Jada sat back down and finished her martini off without saying a word. Damn she wanted to give Starr a beat down. Staring down at the watch that Dr. Craig Matthews had bought her. Was she nothing but ass to him?

## Chapter 3

When Lani entered the hospital room, Chris was sitting up in the bed, alert flicking back and forth between Sports Center and the NFL network. Lani ran over and hugged him. "Baby you're ok!"

The nurse entered the room and said, "Yeah, came to a couple of hours ago. We tried to call you on your cell, but it kept going to voice mail."

Chris smiled at Lani and they made eye contact and they kissed.

"I still don't remember what happened." Chris said.

The nurse said, "His short term memory is gone."

"No!"

When the nurse left the room Lani said, "You got robbed, baby. Somebody beat you up, robbed you and dropped you off at the hospital."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

She looked at him and wondered how much of his memory had been affected. How could she explain why he'd gotten robbed?

"Look I know I'm a hustler, so you don't have to look at me strange. My memory ain't that shot, I was just wondering why would somebody rob me?"

She laughed at him and said, "That's what Mike wants to know. He thinks some dude named Rodriguez had something do with it."

"Bitch assed Rodriguez?"

"I don't know him."

"He's a real bitch, trust me, and if I find out he had something do with this, he's gonna be dealt with."

His cousin, Cassie, entered the room and she and Lani exchanged pleasantries.

Lani said, "Why didn't you tell me about your gorgeous cousin?"

Chris said, "I've told you about Cass before."

"I don't remember."

"I told you about my cousin that went to Spelman."

Lani said, "Yeah, but you were so vague about it, just saying that you had a cousin that went there."

"Men are always vague." She passed Chris the soda and kissed him on the cheek.

The kiss made Lani a little uneasy, but she was his cousin. But damn they were grown. Did grown cousins kiss?

"So how are y'all related?" Lani asked.

"My daddy and her mom are brother and sister." Chris said.

"Oh okay." Lani said.

"Her mother made sure me and Mike knew Dad's side of the family after he passed when I was eight years old." Chris said.

"That was nice of her." Lani said.

"I want to get the hell out of here." Chris said.

"The nurse said they're going to keep you until morning. They're waiting on some tests to come back." Cassie said.

"No hell they ain't! I'm leaving here tonight," Chris said.

Cassie shrugged.

"You know your cousin, if he says he's gonna leave tonight, you better believe he's leaving tonight." Lani said.

"Unfortunately" Cassie said.

## Chapter 4

Two Mexicans sat in the living room with Shamari, when Jada arrived home. Shamari kissed Jada on the cheek. Jada stared at the Mexicans wondering why they were there, but she didn't bother to ask. One was short and dumpy and looked as if his meals consisted of mostly bean burritos and the other one was kind of tall and looked almost like a white man his name was Fred. The tall one did most of the talking. Jada excused herself. When she was in the other room, she eavesdropped on the conversation.

"If I could pay for it, I would," Shamari said.

"Amigo, give me some collateral, and I will give you what you want." Dumpy said.

"I ain't got no collateral, if I had collateral I wouldn't be asking you for shit" Shamari said.

Fred sounded like he'd been born in the U.S., barely any accent at all. He said, "Shamari, you already owe us 200 thousand dollars. There is no way in hell I can give you 10 kilos without getting anything up front."

"I've been dealing with you for eight years, you know I'm good for it."

"You need to adjust your lifestyle man. You're creating these bills" Dumpy said.

Shamari said, "Don't tell me what the fuck to do with my money." He stood and paced and then said, "I can give you my Cadillac Escalade, it's paid for."

Fred said.. "You want a hundred thousand dollars' worth of product for a sixty thousand dollar car that we can't get sixty for?"

Shamari said, "Look, Fred, I've never asked you for anything. I've never owed you nothing. You gotta look out for me and I promise you, I'll pay you man."

"How much money do you have?"

"I've got about 20 grand."

"And the car?" Fred asked.

"Yeah."

Fred took a deep breath and then said, "Keep the car, give me the money and I'll give you the work."

Shamari said, "You won't regret it."

"I hope not, for your sake bruh." Fred stood and he and Shamari made eye contact and he said, "If you don't pay me, they're coming for you."

Shamari said, "I know."

"One question? How did this happen?" Fred said.

"How did what happen?" Shamari asked

"How the fuck did you go from spending a million dollars a month with me to having only twenty grand?"

"I don't know man."

"Dudes always like to shine. Always trying to impress motherfuckers and not have any money. Never shine until you got at least a million dollars."

"Dude, I've had money before."

"But you don't now." Fred said.

Shamari didn't respond. He wanted to though. He'd known Fred for over five years. Delivered him millions of dollars and now he was being talked to like a child.

"I'm gonna deliver the work tomorrow, you just better have the money." Fred said.

"I'm good for it. Don't worry."

## Chapter 5

It was 4:30 in the morning when Trey got a call from the Harris County jail. He pressed six to accept.

"Trey, it's Monte, can you get in touch with my mama and tell her they arrested me?"

Trey couldn't believe what he was hearing. Monte was a driver. The one he'd hired to bring the drugs back to North Carolina. Tell mama he'd been locked up was the code that he'd been busted with the work. There was no need to say anything else over the phone. Trey would have to hire him an attorney and get him out on bond. How did this happen Trey wondered. His method had been air-tight. Who could have snitched? He had to call Q his Houston connect, to let him know what had happened. Tell him to trash his phones.

"Where are you?"

"Harris County jail. Houston."

"What if she asks about a bond?"

"Tell her I don't have one yet. Just need an attorney."

Trey said, "I'll call her now." He hung up the phone; there was no need to talk to him any further. Monte had picked up forty kilos of coke. Trey didn't know what was more disappointing, his friend getting locked up or the fact the he'd lost four hundred thousand dollars.

He called his attorney, Dr. Anderson Rozelle. His lawyer was both a doctor and an attorney. Dr. Rozelle picked up on the third ring. "Trey, what's wrong?"

"A childhood buddy of mine got busted in Houston with a shitload of drugs."

"Texas?"

"Yes."

"I don't practice law in Texas but I got a couple of friends down there. Does he have a bond?"

"No. We need to get him one."

"What's his record like?"

"Doesn't have one as far as I know."

"I'm gonna look into it."

"Can you find out what happened?"

"Give me till three o'clock. I will call you back and let you know what I found out. Meanwhile don't talk to this guy at all. If he calls you back, don't answer the phone."

Trey laughed and said, "I'm not worried about him. He's like my brother."

"Trey, sons put mothers in jail. Don't ever forget that."

"Yeah you're right."

"Trey, before I forget, what is your friend's name?"

Trey chuckled and said, "I guess that would help you out, right? His name is Monte, Monte Rogers, age 32."

Trey hung up the phone. Dr. Rozelle was right. He lay in the bed. Starr still sound asleep. He stared at the ceiling and wondered how in the hell did his organization get infiltrated. Who could have snitched?

## Chapter 6

It was 10:30 in the morning in a suburb in south-east Atlanta when Rodriguez came out of his one bedroom apartment holding a bacon and egg sandwich wrapped in a paper towel. He was on his third bite when Mike smacked the shit out of him. Rodriguez coughed up egg.

Mike grabbed him around his neck.

Rodriguez dropped his sandwich. His size ten Nikes now covered in eggs.

"Motherfucker, you know what this is about!" Chris said.

Stunned Rodriguez stared Chris in the face. How did he recover from the brutal beating so fast? When did he get out of the hospital? "Please, Chris, don't hurt me."

Chris put a gun to Rodriguez's ribs and said, "Open the door motherfucker. Let's go in your apartment and sit down for a while."

Rodriguez trembled as he attempted to place the key in the hole. Once inside they all sat in the living room area. This room was bare except for a sectional and a plasma TV.

Chris pointed the gun at Rodriguez temple and said, "So are you gonna tell me what the fuck happened? Who made you rob me?"

"What do you mean tell you what happened?"

Mike slapped the shit out of Rodriguez again and said, "Next time it's gonna be with my motherfuckin'gun if you don't tell me what happened to my brother."

"Niggas bust in and robbed us. You know what happened." Rodriguez siad.

"I don't remember shit, but I do know you had something to do with it because you were the last motherfucker I talked to." Chris said.

Mike said, "Strip motherfucker I want you to get butt motherfucking naked!"

"Are you serious?" Rodriguez said.

Chris shot Rodriguez in the foot making him howl.

Mike said, "Strip, bitch!"

Rodriquez peeled out of his clothes, trying to balance himself on one foot. Now standing up in his tighty-whiteys covered in skid marks.

"Nigga, you don't know how to clean your ass." Chris said.

"Come out of those dirty ass drawers too." Mike said.

Rodriguez trying to nurse his bleeding foot, kicked his tighty-whiteys to the other side of the room.

Mike presented an extension cord. "So you gonna tell us what happened?"

"We got robbed."

Mike lashed Rodriguez across his ass with the extension cord. "Tell me what the fuck happened, now, nigga!"

He lashed him again and Chris shot his other foot. Rodriguez was now lying on the floor. Both feet bleeding. "What the hell happened, nigga?"

Rodriguez yelled "Please don't shoot me again! I'm going to tell you."

"Tell me then, or I'm blasting your ass."

"Kyrie told me to set you up."

"What the fuck do you mean, 'Kyrie told you to set me up'? Who is Kyrie?"

"My cousin!"

"So you been talking to your cousin about me?"

"No he asked me did I know you."

"Where does your cousin live?" Chris said.

"I can't tell you that."

Chris fired a shot into Rodriguez's left ass cheek and he howled again.

Chris went to the kitchen, got a paper towel and used it to scoop the shitty underwear that Rodriguez had kicked in the corner. Chris then stuffed them in Rodriguez's mouth. He was gagging for air before Chris finally pulled the underwear out of Rodriguez's mouth.

"You gonna tell me about your cousin or else."

"Well it was Black's idea!"

"Black?"

"Black is Kyrie's friend"

"Kyrie got a mohawk?"

"Yeah."

Mike asked, "You know these clowns?"

"I do?"

"From where?"

"Well Black is Lani's ex."

"The nigga you fought at the basketball game?"

"Yup."

"Where does Black live?" Chris asked.

"I don't really know Black." Rodriguez said.

Chris grabbed the underwear and put the skid mark right up to his nose.

"I don't know!"

"Well you're going to have to show us where your cousin live or I'm firing at your ass again and stuffing your mouth with your shitty ass drawers and duct taping it shut."

"He has an apartment off Old National."

"Where off Old National?"

"I don't know the name of it, but I can show you."

"Okay motherfucker show us," Mike said.

Rodriguez attempted to stand but he fell. "Man I can't walk," he said with blood oozing out of both feet and his ass cheek.

Chris threw him his clothes. "Put these on."

Rodriguez managed to muster up enough strength to put his clothes on. Chris and Mike carried him to the car without being noticed my neighbors. Rodriguez pointed out his cousin's apartment. Chris and Mike dropped him off in front of the same hospital where he'd left Chris days earlier. His mouth taped shut and those skidded underwear taped on his forehead.

## Chapter 7

Dr. Rozelle called Trey, who answered on the second ring. "What did you find out?"

"Your friend is still being held without a bond."

"That's not good."

"Not at all, but the good news is Monte hasn't made a statement."

"How do you know?"

"I have my ways of knowing."

"We gotta get him out of there."

"Yeah. I have a friend down there. A very successful trial lawyer named Thomas Matlock."

"Matlock like the lawyer on TV?"

"Yeah weird I know, but that's his name."

"Well hell, that's a good sign."

"Maybe, but I'm going to give him a call. If anybody can get your friend out, it's Matlock."

"Please give me a call."

"Trey, let me warn you he is super expensive."

"Money is not an object. I need him out before —"

Dr. Rozelle cut him off. "Trey, careful what you say on these phones."

"Yeah you're right."

"Will call you back shortly."

Trey plopped down on the sofa. Trying to figure out what he was going to do next. He'd lost four hundred grand and he guessed he was going to have to spend more money to get Monte out, then an attorney. But money wasn't what he was thinking about, he had plenty of that. So much that he couldn't count it all. He'd attempted to count his stash once and he got tired after he reached two and a half million dollars and there was still a lot more to count. But he needed to get that situation with Monte under control so they could get back to work. There was a lot of money to be made in Atlanta. And he intended to get his share.

Starr entered the room, wearing a tight fitted dress that looked as if it was shellacked to her ass and a pair of heels exposing her hot pink toenail polish. He loved when she wore pink, or any woman for that matter. It was so damn girly and Trey was very much a man. Trey's eyes glued to Starr's ass. When she saw him staring, she smiled.

But his face was expressionless though he was clearly turned on. Why didn't he at least grab her ass?

"Trey, what's wrong babe?'

"Nothing."

"Come on, you know me."

"Hey listen, you don't need to be in my business. I've always told you, the less you know the better off we are."

She eased over and stood in front on him before unzipping his pants and taking him deep in her mouth.

Trey was trying to focus on Starr's spectacular oral abilities. She licked his shaft and sucked his balls but when she licked the head of his penis like she was licking an ice cream cone, he pushed her head down. She moved his hands. She hated when he did that. He stared at the ceiling, while Starr was still performing. The bell rang.

Starr stopped and they both looked at each other.

He said, "You expecting company?"

"No."

He stood and zipped his pants. He glanced through the peephole.

"It's your friend's boyfriend." He said.

"Who?"

"You know the girl with the fake ass."

"First of all, she is not my friend."

"Wonder what the hell he wants."

"Open the door and find out." Starr said.

Trey opened the door "What's up, bruh? What bring you here?" They bumped fists and Trey invited him in.

"Hey, Starr, how you doing?" Shamari said.

"I'm good? How you doing?"

"I need to talk to you for a second in private if you don't mind?" Shamari said.

Trey said. "For sho." He turned to Starr. "Give us a few moments alone."

Starr waved bye to Shamari and left the room. When she was gone, Shamari said, "Look, bruh, I need a real big favor if you can. If you can't I'll understand."

"What is it?"

"I need a front?"

Trey and Shamari had talked about doing some business in the past but it never came to fruition. Shamari had wanted Trey to come down on his prices, but Trey wasn't having it.

"What kind of a front?"

"Man, whatever you can give me. I was supposed to get something from my Mexican connect but he never came through for me. Dude, I'm down to my last ten stacks. Whatever you can give me."

"Man I just got took last night. I don't know if I can help you now."

, "I understand."

"Last time I spoke to you, you wanted to buy twelve keys. What happened?"

"Feds snatched up some of my folks, and I had a couple of losses."

Trey said, "Feds."

Shamari grinned, then said, "Im'ma keep it one hundred with you. One of my soldiers turned informant."

"So he snitching on you? I don't need no parts of the Feds," Trey said thinking about Monte. Knowing he had to hurry and get Monte out of that Houston jail before he cooperated with the Feds.

"Nobody is snitching on me."

"You sure?"

"I'm positive. He ain't snitching on nobody right now. If you get my drift?"

Trey smiled and said, "It has to be that way sometimes. Sometimes its best that they are gone, rather than live to tell about it."

"Exactly."

"Listen, bruh, I can't help you right now, but we are going to work for sure. As soon as I handle this situation, I'm going to help you out. I know it must've taken a lot for you to ask me for help."

"Had to swallow my pride, that's for damn sure."

"Hold up, I got something for you." He sprinted upstairs and came back down with a purple crown royal bag and tossed it to Shamari.

"What's this?"

"Twelve thousand dollars. This should help you until we get going."

Shamari grinned and pounded Trey up and headed toward the door. Before he opened the door, he stopped. "Thanks again."

Trey nodded then Shamari opened the door and left. Trey eased over to the door and peeked through the blinds as he watched Shamari pull out of the driveway in the Range Rover, thinking Shamari was just like most dudes in Atlanta with their net worth tied up in their cars. Dude only had ten thousand dollars but drove a hundred thousand dollar car. Trey had always been good with money. He would never end up like Shamari.

## Chapter 8

Shamari smacked Jada hard on her ass when he entered the house. She turned and faced him, frowning when he leaned into her and kissed her, hands gripping her ass. She felt so good in his arms. He hadn't touched her in so long, she had forgotten how much she liked him to fuck her. When he stopped kissing her, she said, "Somebody is real happy."

Shamari's dick jumped and he looked down. "You talking about him?"

"He's always happy, I'm talking about you."

"Well I'm happy because money is on the way."

"The Mexicans came through for you?"

"No. Those motherfuckers lied."

"Damn."

"Yeah but it's okay, I don't really trip about money. I haven't always had money, so it's really not a big deal for me. I'm the same person with it or without it."

He hugged her and held her for a long time and she felt safe in his arms. She felt a certain closeness that she hadn't felt with him in a long time. When he released her he asked, "Have you seen your mom lately?"

"No. Why?"

"Because I don't hear you talking about her. You never mention her anymore."

"I haven't seen her in a while and don't really want to see her. You know it's the same thing every time I see her. Her hand's always out. You know, always lying about how she ain't smoking crack, but I know she's smoking."

"Look, it don't matter if your mom smokes crack or not. She is still your mom. I wish I still had my mother, I damn sure wouldn't deny her."

"I guess you're right. I'll go check her out tomorrow."

Shamari dug into his pocket and handed Jada two one hundred dollar bills. "Buy her some groceries or something."

"I guess I really have to go see her now."

"You weren't going to go?"

"Not really."

"Shame on you, Jada Simone."

They both laughed. Jada's mom and sisters always called her Jada Simone. Shamari thought the fact that they called her by her full name was funny and country.

## Chapter 9

Jada's stepfather Charles was a tall wiry man with a thick grey goatee. He wore a dirt colored shirt and jeans that were too big for him. He stood there smiling, revealing several missing teeth. He invited her inside the tiny apartment on the West End of Atlanta. An old sofa and an armchair filled the tiny room along with an old school floor model television. Jada swatted a roach that had dove onto her shoulder when she entered the house. "Who the hell is that Charles?" Louise yelled from the back room.

"Jada Simone."

"What the hell does she want?" Louise asked.

Jada began to have second thoughts about coming over. Why had she listened to Shamari? She should have just stayed at home and blocked out any memory of a family. She hated this hand she was dealt. Seconds later Louise entered the room with a forty ounce Colt .45. "What the fuck do you want, bitch?"

"I love you too, Mom."

"Louise, don't be mean. You haven't seen Jada in ages."

Louise took a swig of beer and said, "Fuck you and fuck this bitch." She then stared at Charles. "And if you want to defend this bitch, you can take yo ass to the Atlanta men's shelter. I pay the cost to be the boss in this motherfucker, and don't you forget it."

Charles sat his skinny ass on the sofa without uttering so much as another word to Louise. He knew when she was drunk not to say much because she would often become violent, and the first thing she would do would be to crack him upside his head with the forty-ounce bottle.

Louise turned her attention to Jada. "What the hell brings you here, Jada Simone?"

"Well, if you must know, I came to see how you're doing. Shamari told me to check on you."

"How is he doing?'

"Good."

Charles reached for Louise's forty ounce and she refused. "Get your own, motherfucker. There ain't no telling where your mouth has been."

Jada sat on the armchair. "So you plan on staying?"

"Mom, why are you acting like this?"

"Like what?"

"I mean I'm coming over here to check on you and you act like you could care less about me."

"That's because I don't give a damn about yo ass."

Jada stood up from the chair; there was no way she was going to sit there and take too much more of Louise's abuse.

"That's what the fuck I thought." Louise said.

"Why must every second word be a curse word?" Jada said.

She stared at Jada then said, "Like I told Charles, I pay the cost to be the boss."

"I heard that every day when I was a little girl."

Louise said, "I raised you. I may not have been the best mama in the world, but I raised you and Lisa the best way I could and you ask me why I don't give a fuck about you?" She smacked Charles on his shoulder and said, "Scoot yo ass over." Charles moved to the very edge of the tiny sofa because Louise was a wide woman. Short in stature with a humongous ass and a cute brown face and a slight mustache that needed to be waxed.

"Mom you gonna keep living in the past? There is no way we can repair what happened in the past" Jada said.

"You the one keep holding my past against me—"

Charles had the nerve to turn the volume up on the TV and when Louise was drowned out, she slapped him in the mouth so hard that his lip started bleeding.

"Turn that goddamned TV down! Can't you see me and my daughter is talking. As a matter of fact, get the hell out of here!"

Charles stood, pants falling off his rail thin body. He said to Jada, "Good seeing you again."

"Likewise."

When he was gone, Louse said, "You think you're better than me and Lisa. You always have."

"That's not true, Mom."

"Well why don't you come see us? I tell you why, because you think you're better than us." Louise finished off the beer then burped loudly. "Well, I got news for you, Ms. White Woman, you ain't no better than us. You can live in that big house and drive all those expensive cars, but at the end of the day you still a nigger."

Jada sat back on the armchair. "I never thought I was better than nobody. But how you think I felt having a big sister on crack and a Mama that's an alcoholic?"

"Lisa just got out of rehab and she has a job. You would know these things if you were part of the family."

"Well that's good."

"And the court gave her custody of Niya."

Niya was Jada's niece. Niya had been in and out of group homes because of Lisa's struggles with her drug addiction.

"How old is Niya now?"

"That's a goddamned shame you don't know how old your own niece is," Louise said.

"Well I haven't seen her in like three years."

"She's twelve, I think," Louise said then she yelled, "Charles come here."

Charles appeared with a wet spot on the front of his jeans.

"Did you piss in yo clothes, nigga?" Louise said.

Charles looked down and when he saw the wet spot he said, "I'll be damned."

"How old is Niya?"

"Eight."

"Hell no, Niyaain't eight! She got to be at least eleven or twelve. Lisa had her when she was twenty and she's 31 now."

"Oh yeah," Charles said staring down at the piss spot. Feeling embarrassed only because Jada was there.

"Make yourself useful and grab me another beer," Louise said.

Charles took off toward the kitchen and Louise said, "Not before you wash yo damn hands. Didn't you say you just pissed?"

Jada laughed. Her mama was a trip. Same old Louise paying the cost to be the boss. At that moment she realized how much she'd missed her mom.

When Louise saw Jada laughing, she smiled. "If this nigga had a brain, he'd be dangerous."

"Mama, you're crazy."

"And you're crazy too."

"The apple don't fall too far from the tree."

Louise smiled and said, "Come here and give me a damn hug."

Jada made her way over to the sofa and gave her Mama a big hug.

Louise said, "I know I wasn't the best mama in the world. But I tried my ass off. When yo no good ass daddy left me, I did what I had to do to put food on the table even if that meant selling ass. I made sure y'all had the best of everything."

Jada didn't want to hear about her mama selling ass but she knew that it was true. She remembered the men coming in and out of the house every day when she was growing up. But she and Lisa always had the best of everything growing up. The best clothes. They kept their hair done. Always the latest Jordans when she was in the tom-boy phase of her life.

"Mama, I don't want to hear about you selling ass."

Louise smiled. "You know what I don't want to hear about?"

"What?"

"I don't want to hear about how life was fucked up for you growing up? That's the past. Can we work on the future?"

"I guess we can, " Jada said.

Louise and Jada hugged each other, neither wanting to let each other go.

Charles appeared with the beer standing there looking dumb. Finally he twisted the top off the beer. Louise let go of Jada and said, "Motherfucker, I wish you would put your lips on my goddamned beer."

## Chapter 10

Lani sat at the table eating baked chicken and brown rice when Chris came in and said, "Your motherfuckin' ex had something to do with me getting robbed."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, Black had this shit set up."

Lani scooped some rice with her fork and said, "What the hell are you talking about? Black don't know shit about your business." She drank some water then said, "Wait a goddamned minute! Are you saying I had something to do with what happened?"

Chris took a seat at the table and said, "Hell no, babe. Never would I ever think you would do anything like that. I'm just saying—"

"Saying what?"

"Me and Mike found Rodriguez and fucked him up pretty badly. He told us that Kyrie and Black put him up to doing this."

Lani dropped her fork. "Are you serious?"

"I'm dead serious?"

"So Rodriguez knows Black."

"Well he and Kyrie are cousins."

"I don't believe that."

"Why I gotta lie about this?" Chris said.

"This just doesn't sound like Black, that's all. I was with him for a long time and I've never known him to rob anybody. I mean this dude got money. Why would he have to rob anybody?" Lani said.

"Come on Lani, I know that's your boy but he don't like me and you know it." Chris stood from the table and said, "I can't believe you even defending this dude."

"I'm going to get to the bottom of this" Lani said.

"You stay out of this!" Chris said.

"What are you gonna do?"

"I don't know what I'm gonna do, but I don't need you asking him about shit. That will put him on alert."

"What about Rodriguez, you don't think he's gonna say anything?"

"What is he gonna say? 'I told Chris that you put me up to doing this bullshit.' That will get him killed. Naw, he ain'tgonna say shit."

Lani pushed her plate aside. She couldn't finish her food. She didn't want to believe the man that she had once loved had done something so damn cruel. Now her current love was out for revenge. There was no doubt in her mind that Chris and Mike were going to get it. But how? She just hoped nobody would get hurt too bad.

## Chapter 11

It was 2:30 when Trey strolled in to Dr. Rozelle's office carrying a briefcase with a hundred thousand dollars.

Dr. Rozelle was a small white man with thinning hair and expensive eyeglasses. He had a permanent look of skepticism on his face and he was always thoughtful before he spoke. He stood and closed the blinds, then he shook Trey's hand.

"Good to see you"

"Same here'

"Did you bring the cash?"

"Yeah, I didn't know what to bring, so I brought a hundred thousand dollars."

"Well, you're going to need another twenty thousand."

"Why so much?"

"Matlock's fees are ridiculous, plus your friend is not from Texas, so most bondsman won't touch him, but Matlock has one that will."

"Okay I'll have to bring it back to you later."

"Bring me big bills this time?"

Trey said, "Yeah, it's mostly hundreds. There are a few fives and tens."

Dr. Rozelle sighed and said, "Jesus Christ, Trey, you make my job so hard."

"I'm sorry, man. I mean that's all I had."

"I have been telling you for years. Start a business, a cash business. A dry cleaners, pay taxes on the money, and write checks."

"Yeah but I don't want to be associated with this case. You know that."

"You would write the check to me, and I would write one to Matlock."

"Listen, I'm gonna take your advice. The next time I need you, I will write a check"

Dr. Rozelle thought for a moment then he said, "When Monte gets out, don't say a word to him."

"He doesn't know where you live right?"

"Never been to my house."

"Good."

* * * * *

Jada was dressed in a simple white blouse and skinny jeans with a leather jacket and the wedges that Craig had purchased for her. Craig greeted her with a big hug when she entered Halo, a local lounge with a chic ambience. He led her to a table in the back corner of the lounge. She ordered an apple martini and he ordered water.

"Not drinking today?"

"Trying to lose ten pounds."

"Not fair that I'm drinking and you're not. You trying to make me look like a slush?"

"Not at all, just trying to stay in shape. I'm approaching my 50th birthday and I damn sure don't want to look 50."

The server came back with the drinks and Jada said, "I don't think it's a good idea for us to keep seeing each other?"

"Why not?"

She sipped her martini and said, "I just feel so guilty."

"You shouldn't feel guilty."

"But I love Shamari. You just don't understand. I love this man. I owe this man; he was there for me when I didn't have nobody. He pulled me out of a bad situation."

Craig sipped his water. He knew that no matter how much money he spent on her, it would hardly create the kind of bond she had with her man. Hell they were from the same place. They were the same color.

"You don't understand do you?"

"Actually I do. My wife Anne was there for me when I didn't have a damn thing. Even though things have been really vanilla lately with our sex life, I feel indebted to her."

"Indebted is not the same as guilty."

"True." Craig was quiet. Taking it all in, he didn't want to stop seeing her. He flagged the waitress and said, "Give me a scotch on the rocks." He took a deep breath and then said, "I really need a drink now."

The waitress came back with the drink sat in front of him.

"I had sex with him the other day, and I realized how much I missed him holding me."

Craig sipped his drink then said, "I can give you a better life and you know this."

"Did you know my mama was an alcoholic?"

"No."

"So is my stepdad."

"Really?"

"My sister is an ex-crack head."

"Okay where are you going with this?"

"This is a lifestyle you wouldn't understand."

"No. Can't say that I would, but what does that have to do with me and you?"

"It has everything to do with me and you. We're not the same; I can tell Shamari about this because his family is just as fucked up as mine. He understands me."

"You're saying y'all are more compatible?"

"Yes."

"Can we be friends? Platonic?"

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because I am attracted to you. But not in that way."

"So you're going to cut me out of your life?"

"Don't look at it like that. You're still my favorite surgeon." She stood and said, "I have to go."

He stared at her, observing how her jeans were gripping her ass. His mind went back to the sex on top of the Maserati. He didn't say anything as she walked away, but there was no way he would let this beautiful ass woman walk out of his life.

Black was pulling out of a neighborhood in southeast Atlanta when a Chevy Volt pulled alongside his Porsche. When he noticed the men wearing ski mask, he knew it was bad news. They opened fire. Sixteen shots fired into the side of Black's Porsche. He lost control and hit a telephone pole. The men sped off. A concerned citizen driving a Jeep Cherokee tried to call 911 before a shot was fired into his car barely missing his head. The operator was on the line. The concerned citizen gave 911 the whereabouts of the incident. The paramedics were there a few minutes later, along with the firemen. The Porsche was so mangled, they had to cut the car open to remove Black from the car. Black was barely breathing. They transported him to Grady Memorial.

It was 2:00 when Lani got a call from Nana, Black's grandmother.

"Hello."

"Hey I was just calling to tell you that Tyrann is in the hospital and it ain't looking too good."

"What happened?"

"He got shot this morning. That's all I know. I told that chile' to get out of the drug business."

Lani didn't say anything. She knew what had happened, Mike and Chris had retaliated. Though Black brought this on himself, she felt bad about the whole situation.

"I know you and Tyrann ain't seeing each other no mo', but I thought you might want to know about this. I'm sorry if I bothered you."

"No Nana. I have been meaning to come see you anyway. Other than this terrible news, how have you been?"

"Well I lost one of my breasts but I been hanging in there. The best a woman my age can do."

"Tyrann didn't tell me that."

"You kidding me? I always tell him to tell you I'm thinking about you and think you're the best girlfriend he ever had."

"Thank you Nana."

"I'm going back up to the hospital to see Tyrann. He's in the intensive care unit if you want to come see him. Grady Memorial Hospital."

"Okay Nana." Lani didn't want to commit to going to see Black.

"And if you ain't able to come see him, I'll understand, but please pray for him."

"I will." She ended the call.

## Chapter 12

When Chris entered the house Lani said, "What the fuck have you done?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Black got shot this morning. I supposed you didn't have shit to do with it?"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

"What the fuck do you mean maybe, maybe not?"

Chris made eye contact with Lani. "Let me get this straight. This nigga damned near killed me, and you worried about that bitch ass nigga?"

"He didn't shoot you."

"He threatened me at your mama's house."

Chris licked his chapped lips. Not wanting to respond to Lani and couldn't believe this chick was going on about this nigga.

"Why did you shoot him?"

"I ain't shoot nobody."

"You had him shot?"

"You don't know that."

"Dude, I hope you know if he dies, you got a murder case on your head."

"You must still be fucking this dude. Why the fuck are you worried about him? I don't remember you being this worried about me when I was in the hospital."

"You were in a coma. You don't remember shit."

Chris paced the floor, wanting to slap the shit out of Lani. But he'd never hit a woman and he never would. He didn't get down like that.

Lani approached Chris and wrapped her arms around him and said, "Did you have to take it to that level?"

Chris removed her arms and said, "He tried to kill me."

"You put me in a bad position. I know his family and they're calling me, asking me to come see him at the hospital."

Chris leaned against the door and said, "Is that so?"

"Well, his Nana called me."

"I told you a long time ago if he kept fucking with me, his Nana was going to be burying him."

Lani thought about the possibility of Nana having to bury Black. She didn't want to think about that, but she knew that if Black was able to walk out of that hospital, he was going to retaliate. This stupid ass war would go on forever.

"Was all of this worth it?"

"I lost money and time when they put me in the hospital."

"I'm sorry about that."

"Are you really sorry? A few minutes ago you were worried about his old gray ass Nana."

Lani slapped the shit out of Chris. She'd slapped him so hard you could see her hand print on the side of his face.

When she realized what she'd done she came to his side and said, "I'm sorry."

"Get the fuck away from me, Lani!"

Lani wouldn't budge so Chris shoved her to the floor.

"So you're beating women now?"

"I didn't do shit to you, you're the one that hit me!"

Lani picked herself up off the floor, stood in his personal space again and he pushed her again and she yelled.

"If you put another goddamned hand on me, I'm gonna call the police on yo ass!"

"Huh?" Chris laughed and said, "You're fuckin' tripping man."

"Motherfucker, try me and see who's tripping."

"I'm getting the fuck out of here."

"Me too. I'll be at the hospital seeing Black."

"Tell his folks I will be praying for his black ass."

Trey and Starr was turning in the parking lot of Lenox Mall when they noticed a Toyota Prius flashing its lights, trying to get their attention. When Trey gave his car to the valet, the Prius was right behind him. Monte jumped out of the Prius. Trey said, "What the hell are you doing out?"

"I got out two days ago, dawg. Man, that lawyer you got me was the truth. They are going to put me on house arrest here until I go to court."

Trey had just given Dr. Rozelle the money three days ago. Damn he must've gotten out the next day. Dr. Rozelle must have been unaware of this or he would have called Trey and told him.

Monte handed the valet the keys to the Prius then turned to Trey and said, "You're going to pay for this right? I ain't got shit."

"Yeah I got ya."

A young black guy reluctantly took the keys to the Prius. Looking like he knew he damn sure wasn't going to get a tip for this car.

Starr stood there looking cute, wondering if Trey was going to make an introduction. And was wondering what all this lawyer talk was about. Something must have gone bad.

Monte introduced himself to Starr.

"I'm Starr."

Monte smiled and said, "You damn sure are." His eyes on Starr's thighs. The black tights she wore made her look amazing and those riding boots elevated that ass.

Monte kept grinning until it made Starr uncomfortable, not because he was ugly but because he'd basically raped her with his eyes.

"So you're the Kingpin's wife?"

"Would you shut the fuck up, and quit disrespecting my girl?" Trey said.

"Can't a nigga dream?" Monte said.

Trey handed Starr fifty one-hundred dollar bills and said, "Go ahead without me, babe. I need to talk to Monte."

Starr headed to Neiman Marcus. When she was out of sight, Trey said, "What the hell happened?"

Monte presented him with the police report.

Trey and Monte sat on a bench in the middle of the mall as Trey read over the report:

Officer Brad Williams was cruising on Interstate 45 when he noticed a red Toyota Camry swerving and following too close when he pulled the suspects over. Suspect Rogers appeared to be nervous, and suspect Parker failed to make eye contact with him. Officer Williams noted that he thought that was odd. Officer Williams then removed Rogers and Parker from the car, noticing that Parker's pants were unzipped and Parker's hair was disheveled. He believed but didn't have any proof that they'd been engaging in some kind of sexual activity. Williams separated Rogers and Parker. He asked each of them how long they'd been in Texas and what they were there for, and their stories were wildly inconsistent. Parker stated they'd been there for four days, and Rogers said they'd been there for two days. In addition Rogers said he was visiting a friend and Parker said, she was there to visit her sister who attended the University of Houston. Officer Williams then summoned the K9 unit and was alarmed when the dog indicated that something was in the door panel. 10 kilos of coke were found in the door panels.

"Who the hell is Shantelle Parker?"

"Look man I know you're going to be mad at me, but all I can say is I fucked up."

"What the fuck did you take somebody with you for?"

"Look I know you told me to go alone."

"What the fuck were you thinking?"

"Look, I swear to you this is the only time I've done this. I've always gone by myself."

"Where is the girl?"

"She's out. I told them that she didn't know shit about this and told them to let her out."

"They let her go?"

"Yeah, I think she was released the same day."

"Well that's good."

Monte made eye contact with Trey. "You know me man, this is all on me, dawg. Nobody is going down but me."

Trey stared at the paperwork. Rogers's pants were unzipped and Parker's hair was disheveled. "What the fuck, were you getting head?"

"No." Monte giggled and looked at Trey who didn't think it was funny. Monte then said, "Come on, man, you know I ain't that motherfuckin' stupid."

"Dude, I didn't think you were dumb enough to take somebody down to Texas with you."

"Look, man, I wasn't getting head."

"Why was this bitch's hair disheveled?"

"Hey, it was just a country ass hairstyle."

"Whatever, dude." Trey stared Monte in the face and said, "If I find out that you were getting head and got pulled over, it's gonna be bad on you."

"Trey." Monte looked frightened. Wondering what the hell Trey meant by gonna be bad on him.

"What do you want?"

"I wasn't getting head. That's stupid."

"So what do you want now?"

"I need money man. I ain't got shit. I need to pay my bills."

"Ok, so is that why you felt the need to chase me down," Trey said, still staring at the paper, wondering if this idiot got pulled over because he was getting head. This would be a goddamned shame if he lost over two hundred thousand dollars because of something like this."

Starr came running back to the spot where Trey and Monte were. She could tell they were still in deep conversation and she didn't want to interrupt. She said, "Baby, I'll be in Bebe's."

Trey said, "I thought you hated that store."

"I do, but my friend Shari works there. I wannaholla at her."

Starr walked to Bebe's, Monte's eyes following her ass in those black tights. When Trey saw him staring, he slapped the fuck out him.

Monte grabbed his mouth and said, "Trey, what the hell you do that for?"

"First of all, you looking at my woman's ass and secondly, all you think about is ass. You probably were getting head or something when the cops pulled yo dumb ass over."

"Trey, bruh, believe me that ain't the case."

"So what do you want? I got you out and paid for your attorney."

"I know, but I don't have any cash. I ain't got shit."

"Motherfucker, you've made almost 200,000 dollars in the last six months. Where the hell did that money go?"

"You know, the more money you make the more you fuck up." Monte said.

"Give me your new number and I'll call you when I leave the mall. I'm enjoying the rest of the evening with my lady." Trey said.

"The cops kept my phone. I ain't got no phone," Monte said.

Trey removed a wad of cash from his pocket, peeled off 10 one hundred dollar bills and passed them to Monte.

"Thanks, but how do I get in touch with you?" Monte said.

Trey stood up from the bench, picturing Monte getting head while driving with ten kilos of coke in the car. How could this motherfucker be so stupid?

Monte reached for the paperwork and Trey said, "I'm going to keep this."

"Ok, that's fine, but how am I gonna get in touch with you again?" Monte said.

"There is no need to be in touch with me. You're out. You've been paid." Trey said.

"So you're not going to give me nothing else?" Monte said.

"Like what?"

"Money."

"Hell no, nigga! I've lost over four hundred stacks fucking with you."

"Do you still live in the same place?" Monte said.

"Huh?"

"You still live in the same house?"

Trey's mind raced wondering if Monte knew where he resided. He remembered that he'd directed Monte to his home one night after a run from Houston. Damn, this was bad.

"Yeah why? I live in the same house. Why you ask?'

"Just in case I need some more money for legal fees."

"Didn't I tell you that the lawyer was paid in full?"

Starr came running back with two bags in her hand.

Trey said, "Monte, I'll holla at you later."

Monte headed toward the exit of the mall, before he reached the door, he turned and glanced at Starr's ass.

* * * * *

Lani walked to the edge of hospital room 333 to witness Nana praying over Black, who lay in the bed unconscious.

She'd bowed her head and said, "God, I know Tyrann hasn't been the best of servants, but he's a good person with good intentions. Lord, I'm not asking you to save Tyrann's life if it's not your will. I want your will to be done. I just want to say that I've raised him since he was eight years old and now he's thirty-three years old. I know you know this, you're God, I'm an OLD LADY now and I've had many blessings in my life and I lived to see my great-great grandkids and I couldn't be more thankful. I've fought and beaten breast cancer. I stand here before you with one breast, but thankful to you that I'm still here at eighty-three years old. Like I say, Lord, let your will be done, but if Tyrann passes, it will destroy me, for he is my favorite grandchild and he's all I live for. Father, let your will be done."

When Nana was done with her prayer, Lani was in tears. She'd decided not to go into the room. She headed to her car but before cranking it up, she decided to go back up to the hospital room. Nana was asleep with an old tattered bible across her lap. Lani then walked over to Black's bed and kissed him on the forehead. She still loved that man. How could she not. He had helped her for so long financially and had done so much for her family. She didn't want him to die. She left the hospital before Nana would wake up.

Shamari and Jada were lying in the bed facing one another. She wore a purple G-string and bra set and he wore nothing but his boxers. She was tracing his back with her long nails. His hand planted firmly on the cusp of her ass. The vanilla spray she wore had him mesmerized. Though she had so many kinds of expensive perfumes, he loved when she wore vanilla. She said, "What ever happened with the situation with Tony?"

"I don't know what happened. The attorney hasn't said anything. I'm assuming he's keeping his mouth shut. I'm not worrying about that right now." He sucked her neck.

Her finger was in the hole in the front of his underwear. She felt his manhood swell. She wanted him. She hadn't had him in a long while, but she couldn't help but think about Tony. She said, "So you don't think about going to jail?"

"No. I think about being broke. Do I want to go to jail? No. But I don't want to be broke either."

"I don't know what I would do if something happened to you."

He placed his hands over her lips and said, "You're killing the mood."

"I just love you so much, Shamari."

"How things go with your Mom?"

She burst out laughing thinking about her visit.

"What's so funny?"

"Just thinking about what mama did to Charles."

Shamari laughed, trying to pull that small ass G-string down, but was having trouble cuz he was staring at her ass at the same time. It looked spectacular with the tiny sting literally hidden between that big bubble.

She helped him with the G-string, then she removed the bra. The implants making her breasts stand at attention. Nipples very erect.

"I'm glad you went over there."

She smiled, "I'm glad you talked me into going."

"Look, no matter who our parents are, we gotta be thankful. Always be thankful. Don't ever forget where you came from."

She smiled because he knew her so damn well. She removed his boxers and licked the shaft of his erect penis.

Shamari ran his hand through her expensive weave. Jada hummed on his balls.

"Please stop, it feels too damn good."

She laughed and he pulled her on top of him and inserted himself inside.

She rode him for a while before going reverse cowboy, which he loved, because he loved looking at her ass.

His hands on her backside as she went up and down.

He ordered her to get down. " I wanna please you."

She laid on her back, his head now between her thighs and she closed her legs and said, "Let me get cleaned up before you do all that?"

He pried them open and said, "Come on, babe, we been in this too long for you to be getting all fancy on me."

She giggled then her legs collapsed. He licked her inner thigh and she pushed his head further down until his tongue was on her clit. She moaned and he kept licking her and she swayed her hips forward until she was fucking his face. She said, "Damn, baby, you're feeling so goddamn good to me."

"I love you, baby," he said.

"I love you too."

Shamari fingered her pussy good while his tongue still worked her clit. He then flipped her over on her stomach and ran his tongue in between her ass crack. She hollered and said, " _Craig_ you feel so goddamned good to me!

"What did you say? What did you call me?"

* * * * *

It was 5 am when Trey heard the front door crashing in. "Intruder! Intruder!" the alarm said. Trey opened the nightstand drawer. Fishing around in the dark before he found his 9mm. "Who the fuck is that?" He felt stupid for even asking who it was. It was very unlikely that they would answer.

Starr was lying there butt naked looking at Trey in the dark before turning the lamp switch on. She stood looking for her bedroom shoes. Trey making sure there were bullets in the clip.

"The police are on the way."

"Intruder! Intruder! Intruder!"

Someone yelled, "We are the goddamned police! Come out with your goddamned hands up!"

What the fuck were the police there for? Nobody called them.

Starr peeked through the blinds and said, "Baby, that is the police; there are about twenty fucking cars out there.

Trey's heart pounded fast as he thought about that stupid ass Monte asking if he still lived in the same place. But there were no drugs or money here. They could search all the fuck they wanted. They would come up with nothing.

That stupid ass alarm was sounding "Intruder! Intruder! Intruder!"

"This is Officer Martin! Come out with your hands up or we're shooting!"

Trey said, "There's no need for that. I'm coming out!" He placed the gun on the dresser and said, "I'm coming out."

He removed a t-shirt from the dresser drawer and after it was on, he opened the door.

The officer yelled. "I wanna see your goddamned hands!"

Trey waved his hands. A tall white officer with a handlebar mustache tackled Trey and handcuffed him.

A black female officer was ordered to handcuff Starr.

"Can you tell me what this about?"

A bald black plainclothes officer said, "Shut the fuck up. We ask the questions."

Trey made eye contact with Starr while he was lying on the floor. She was complaining about the cuffs being too tight. A single tear rolled down her face.

Trey said, "Fuck."

_To be continued_

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## MORE BOOKS FROM K. ELLIOTT

Dear Summer  
Dilemma  
Entangled  
Street Fame  
Treasure Hunter

**Godsend Series**  
Godsend 1: A Necessary Evil  
Godsend 2: The Search for Rochelle  
Godsend 3: Pissed All The Way Off  
Godsend 4: Hiding In Plain Sight  
Godsend 5: Blasphemy Out West  
Godsend Series 1-5  
Godsend 6: All Jokes Aside  
Godsend 7: The Halo Effect  
Godsend 8: The Value of a Woman  
Godsend 9: Square In The Mouth  
Godsend 10: That Stupid Hooker  
Godsend Series 6-10  
Godsend: The Weight of Echo (Full length novel)  
Godsend 11:Taken for Granite  
Godsend 12:The Audacity  
Godsend 13: Selling Woof Tickets  
Godsend 14: Ass to Kiss

**Kingpin Wifeys Series**  
Kingpin Wifeys Part 1  
Kingpin Wifeys Part 2  
Kingpin Wifeys Part 3  
Kingpin Wifeys Part 4: Jada's Story
