Pops dragged his chair out slowly, the noise of it scraping against the worn wooden floor got Benny’s attention.
“What’s good Kendrick?!” Benny spoke like he just realized that Pops was in the room.
That gesture alone fired me up. I kept my eyes on pops to wait for a sign. I blinked my eyes and imagined Benny’s big body. Where would I start? His face? I wondered what would make him buckle and surrender to my fist the fastest without having to struggle against fighting him.
Pops didn’t speak to Benny; he just kept his eyes on him as he sat down in his seat and leaned back. Pops looked at me andjerked his chin at the chair beside him. My legs finally moved, I took a seat and watched the men count up.
“You see this?” He finally spoke; his hand swept over the table like it was a map.
“This is power. Every dollar on this table means control. It means somebody out there worked, bled, or begged for me. For us. And they’ll keep doing it cause they know better than to cross me.”
His words rolled through me, as heavy as the smoke that filled my lungs from breathing in the room. My hands rested on the edge of the table close enough to reach out and touch the stacks of money.
“I don’t need to touch or count my money. I can eye it and know the amount. Rosco got the right amount, J-Hawk amount is right too, the other three amount is right, but Benny’s…” He paused and shook his head.
“Benny’s amount is off; it’s been off for two weeks now.” Pops said the words lowly, more so to himself.
He lifted his hand and looked at the dirt underneath his nails. Using his thumb, he picked at his dirty nail bed.
“Why is that, Benny?” Pops asked calmly.
I wouldn’t dare look over at Benny to see his expression. Now was the time to keep my eyes on pops.
“I had to get on my men for slacking last week, shit been moving slow on my blocks.” Benny answered confidently.
“Oh, okay.” Pops smiled never looking away from his hand that he kept picking at.
“I heard ya ol’ lady just went on vacation with a couple of her friends?—”
“That ain’t got nothing to do with the money being short Ken?—”
“You cutting me off when I speak now?” Pops gritted out.
He switched hands and focused on picking the dirt from his index finger.
“N—nah man. I just don’t want you getting the wrong idea.” Benny’s words trailed off.
Pops laughed; my heart stuttered when his bushy brows rose up. I stood from my seat abruptly and almost trembled over my own two feet from the adrenaline that pumped through me. I felt my Pops rage, felt my own rage. I was the caged bird that finally got released into a world full of darkness.
“Patience son. You’re too loud. Benny is a dead man sitting, this is just the appetizer.” Pops said. He stopped picking at his nails and locked eyes with Benny.
“Come on Kendrick. I would never steal from you.” He pleaded with shaky hands.
“Get to your feet, pussy.” Pops ignored his pleas.
Benny took his eyes off Pops and turned his head to me. His eyes narrowed, locking with mine as I took hurried steps his way.
“Lil man…” He started; voice low…he sounded nervous which threw me off a little.
“This ain’t?—”
I didn’t let him finish. I used Pops words earlier to fuel me. My knuckles cracked against his gut. It barely moved him, that angered me as I swung hard again. The second time my fist connected, pain surged through my knuckle. The sting of the blow traveled up my arm. I bit back the urge to cry. I tried to swing again and felt relief when he caught my wrist midair.
“Kenric—”
Something in me snapped, I ignored the pain as I yanked free. I had something to prove, and I refused to let Benny little boy me in front of the one man that I wanted to prove myself to. I stepped back a couple of inches then charged Benny. My fistsflew wildly, I hit his chest, arm, and anywhere I could reach since he was tall in height.
“Don’t you dare hold back, beat his ass!” I heard Pops voice behind me.
