“I said, get your?—”
Joi balled up her fist and punched Reg with every ounce of strength she could command. The hit was precise, with just enough force behind it that the contact caught Reg off guard long enough for Joi to snatch away and hurry around her car, putting space between the two of them.
“You aren’t shit. Don’t you ever in your life even speak to me again, asshole.” Joi was pulsing with anger while Reg shook off the hit, which had affected him more than it should have because of the alcohol in his system. His pride was hit a little harder than the blow to his face.
“I’m about to crack your shit. Fuck is wrong with you?”
“Muthafucker, please. You’re gonna put your hands on me because I now have proof that you were never about me? Go deal with that bitch. I’m done. And no, I’m not fucking East, but he’s damn sure fucking me.Real good. Now run with that and let it sink in.”
Joi hopped in her car and pulled out of the parking lot, for the first time, truly knowing he wasn’t worth the time she invested in their relationship. That further fueled her need to make sure East wasn’t on the same shit.
While Joi pushed Reg to the back of her mind, he was left reeling with deadly thoughts. He wasn’t sure if it was the liquor and weed he had consumed or if he was just that pissed with Joi, but he would be damned if she played him like that. The thought of Joi being with East had his blood on fire.
By the time he reached his car again, Tasha was inside, arms folded tightly across her chest and eyes narrowed with a hard stare. Unfortunately, he wasn’t in the mood nor did he care.This bitch is about to see the real me.
“What the fuck was that shit? I thought the purpose of you breaking up with her was so we could be together and stop sneaking around.”
Your dumb ass. She left me, not the other way around. You’re just stupid enough to believe anything I tell you.
Reg shot missiles her way before he pulled out of the gas station without responding to Tasha’s comment. It took him a minute to locate Joi, but thanks to the red light that caught her, he was able to follow. By the second turn that Reg made, Tasha realized what was going on and lost what little cool she had left.
“Are you really following this bitch?”
“Yeah, I am, and if you have a problem with that, then open your door and get out. I don’t give a fuck one way or another, but I’m about to put my foot in her ass for disrespecting me and yours too if you don’t shut your gotdamn mouth. Y’all hoes just doing too much.”
“Muthafucker, you?—”
Before Tasha could finish her sentence, Reg had his hand under his seat and a gun in his hand which he aimed at her head. “I what? I can pull this trigger and end your shit in the blink of an eye? Because if that’s what you were going to say, then you’re right. I can. Now shut your ass up before you ruin this shit. You said you want me, well this is me. Take it or leave it. What you wanna do, shorty?”
Tasha sucked in a deep breath then rolled her eyes, turning her head to the window. “Ol’ stupid ass muthafucker,” she mumbled, knowing he could do whatever he wanted and she wouldn’t leave him. The baby that she was carrying, which Reg was clueless about, was proof. It was his, she knew for sure.
Tasha had been in love with Reg for years, but he never took her seriously. The baby was a guarantee, but he broke up with Joi before she had to use it as a way to force his hand. When he came around saying all the right things about ending hisrelationship with Joi and working on something with her, Tasha was all in, but now here she was in a car with him, chasing his ex.
“This is bullshit,” she mumbled.
Reg placed the gun in his lap then raked his hand down his face. The alcohol and weed had him tripping. He damn sure wasn’t about to cap Tasha in his ride. True enough, he wanted Joi back, but he knew it wasn’t happening. Tasha was a rider. She gave it up to him whenever and however he wanted it. Never complained and acted like there was nothing better in the world than him. She wasn’t Joi, but she was worth keeping.
“My bad. I know that shit looks crazy, but you know it’s not like that. I just can’t let her get away with that shit. Besides, she owes me. Shit, I invested ten grand in her business. That’s all this is about. I need to holla at her about that.”
Your dumb ass don’t need to know I already recouped that from her.
“You must think I’m stupid.”
“Why you say that?”
“What is she gonna do at two in the morning, Reg? Cut you a check? Whip out her debit card?” Tasha was no fool. No matter how much she wanted him, she knew what was up. Joi had moved on to the next man and his ego couldn’t take it.
“Man, nah, but I’ve been playing with her about it. Let me just get this shit over with so she knows I’m not playing ’bout my money.”
“Yeah, whatever. Let me find out you’re trying to get back with that hoe and I’ma cut you. For real.”
Reg’s eyes darted over to Tasha, half believing her. She was hood, not just hood adjacent, and she would damn sure do it if he pushed too hard, but his inebriated mind wouldn’t allow him to let the Joi thing go. An ego was a dangerous thing and his drove his actions.
Unfortunately, Joi hadn’t given Reg a second thought past the notion that he wasn’t worth her time and the fact that wasting time with him meant possibly losing the ability to catch East in a lie. She was flying through the streets, driving recklessly just to get the answers she needed.
When Joi reached the block his business was on, she parked and immediately cut off her car so the lights wouldn’t alert him if he was really in the shop. It was dark with only a few cars near his storefront, but the rest of the block was busy due to the club across the street. It was the reason Joi paid no mind to Reg when he parked a few spots away from her.
It wasn’t until she had her hands pressed on the glass door, peering into the dark space, that she felt his presence behind her. However, she wasn’t quick enough to react.
