We talked for a few more minutes before exchanging numbers, then I allowed him to open my car door for me. He leaned in and kissed my forehead before allowing me to pull off. Normally, I would clown a nigga for some shit like that because I’ve always hated kisses, but when it came to this fine ass chocolate man, he probably could get whatever he wanted outta me.
When I pulled up to my crib, he had texted me, asking if I was home safely, and that made me smile. Rowdy seemed to be a different type of hood nigga, and I was interested in getting to know more about him—he had me intrigued. My weakness had always been a romantic hood nigga. I just hoped it wouldn’t be too soon before I learned how he got his name. Rowdy was definitely a name that had to have been earned.
“Man, sit yo’ stupid ass down and shut up! The only reason you in my car is ’cause my son needed medication. I don’t care about you, hoe!” I said through clenched teeth in a stern tone.
This girl really didn’t know her place, and I was beyond tired of her and her raggedy ass mouth.
Diamond was a mistake that I had to face every day, and I was mad at my damn self about it.
“Nigga, wasn’t you just crying ’cause another man sent her flowers? Yeah, I heard yo’ sucka ass. She don’t want you, baby daddy! Wake up and be happy with the family God gave you,” Diamond said with a smirk.
“Bitch, you got a broken nose and a permanent black eye. Shut yo’ weak ass up before I take you to her job, push you out of my car, and drive off! I’m sure she’ll beat yo stupid ass again.”
Diamond looked embarrassed, but she immediately shut the fuck up. I really was a sucka ass nigga, though. I fumbled the bag when it came to Moni, and now I had this dusty feet bitch beside me riding shotgun. I could have whooped my own ass for the shit I had gotten myself into. I dropped Diamond off at her mom’s house, where our son was, and told her I would FaceTime her to check on him later.
I went and supplied my people at two of my trap spots, then I went home to get my mind right. I couldn’t believe some nigga was sending my girl flowers, but I was even madder about Diamond speaking out of turn while I was on the phone with Moni. She had to have thought I was fucking off, but that was nowhere near true. I had been sick as a dog without her. I wouldn’t expect Moni to understand how much I loved my son, especially since she had no clue he existed until recently. I knew this shit had to hurt her, cause it was damn sure hurting me.
I wanted my woman back, but I knew she would never accept the fact that I had an outside son, and I also had obligation to his mother too. No matter what terms we were on or how much I hated Diamond, I would always be there for her. In order for my son to be straight, his mother had to be straight first, and that’s how it would always have to be. No matter how I felt about Diamond, I would always be there for something serious when she needed me.
If I could have shit my way, we would take Diamond out of the picture. I would get custody of JJ and raise him with Moni, but I already knew that was some wishful thinking, fairytale ass shit. Moni wasn’t going for that. Five years, and I lost everything over nothing. I always regretted not buying a Plan B when I saw the rubber had broken, but if I had done that, my son wouldn’tbe here. It was really no winning in that situation, but I was a firm believer in everything happening for a reason. I still wasn’t ready to accept that I had lost my woman just yet.
If I had to make a fool of myself to prove my love, I would do that. It wasn’t like I couldn’t have any woman I wanted; I just didn’t want another woman. I wanted the woman that I had invested everything into. I called the shop phone and was immediately sent to voicemail, so I called right back again. Now I felt like Harmony had blocked me on her work phone too. I paced my living room floor, trying to think of my next move, but I was stuck. Some nigga was already sending her flowers and shit, so I knew I needed to come harder. Before I could come up with a plan, my right hand man, Keith, called.
“Wassup, Keith?”
“Did you know somebody else been feeding our people? Shit been dry this week, and I found out why. Pull up on me, and let’s talk,” he said before ending the call.
As a street nigga, you had to make the phone calls short and sweet. I knew what Keith was saying without him even saying it. I was just confused as to who would be bold enough to play on my top like that. The whole DFW knew I had shit on lock from the grove to Forest Lane and all the way down through Fort Worth. I didn’t play when it came to my money and my people eating. Trying to take food off my plate was like an invitation to war. I was about to check on that. My plans for Moni had to be put on hold because she definitely wasn’t gonna want me back if I couldn’t provide for her. I had to make sure my money was straight first.
I pulled up to my stash spot and parked behind Keith’s car. When I made it inside, he was smoking a blunt and looking worried. I knew what he would say before he said it, and that was the only explanation for the drought we had been going through.I walked into the spot, placed my keys on the table, pulled out a chair, and took a seat.
“What’s good, bruh?” I asked Keith in a frustrated tone.
“Word on the street is there’s been some new product being pushed. It’s more potent than ours, and the high lasts longer. I’ve had my ear to the streets, trying to figure out where it was coming from, but everyone is acting like they don’t know shit. The people don’t even want our shit no more, saying that it’s trash,” Keith stated.
“You and I both know it’s ways to get to the bottom of this shit. If you say that your ear has been to the streets, how long have you known about this exactly?” I asked with a raised brow.
“I’ve only known for a couple of days. I wanted to have all my facts before coming to you with anything that wasn’t solid. You know me, and you know I would have handled this on my own. I just can’t get enough info on these niggas. It’s like ghosts have taken over our streets.”
I listened to what Keith said, but I knew by tomorrow morning, I would have all the info I needed. I had earned those streets with my sweat and blood. In all the years I had been on this earth, a nigga ain’t ever been able to say he took shit from me, and that wouldn’t happen today either. I told Keith to take a ride with me because this shit couldn’t wait another day. I was gonna put in my own work because this was my living and how I fed my son.
When we made it to the lane, I noticed some unfamiliar faces on the corner. I parked my car on the side of the street, then Keith and I hopped out. We walked up to two niggas with hoodies on and their hands in their pockets. Rolling up on niggas was dangerous, but I had to shut this shit down today.
“Wassup? Y’all boys lost, ain’t it?” I said as we approached the two.
“Nah, brother, I think you niggas lost. If you ain’t trying to cop no work, get the fuck outta here,” the tallest nigga said, causing them both to laugh.
I looked at Keith, and we both started laughing as well. Those niggas had no idea that we were the wrong niggas to play with.
“Okay, let’s try this a different way. Who are y’all slanging for? Who supplying y’all? This been my territory for the past few years, and I know you not working for me,” I said as I stood face to face with the nigga who called himself in charge.
“If you don’t want shit to get ugly, you need to get yo’ flunky and get the fuck on before y’all get y’all ass beat. We got fiends to serve. This is our shit now, but I’ll tell my people you stopped by, talking out yo’ ass. What did you say yo’ name was, so I can pass the message?” the second nigga said.
I smiled because now I knew which one of those clowns thought they was the toughest.
Before the nigga finished getting the sarcasm out his mouth, I threw a mean ass left hook that instantly dazed him. Keith knew what time it was and started beating his homeboy’s ass. We stomped them niggas bloody. I watched as Keith pistol whipped the teeth out his opponent’s mouth, then I put my gun to the other nigga’s head, demanding the information that I requested.
When we left, we had a name and a location of the spot where they usually meet. That was all I needed. I let them niggas know that if they ever got caught on my shit again, they wouldn’t live to tell the story.
