“Nah, this shit will be clean, this plan could potentially clean a lot of shit up actually. We're working out the kinks of the shit, though. We could only talk in code while I was locked up, but I’m going to meet with her soon to really discuss the opportunities we have.”
Hawk shook his head.
“I can’t believe I’m still having to deal with that bitch.”
“Yeah, son, but at least this time it’s for some good,” I replied.
“Yeah, I guess so, but back to your situation. You know, I've been thinking, and where Tania seems like she's keeping it solid, she has her drawbacks too, according to my wife.”
“Drawbacks about what? Didn’t she get paid?”
“Yeah, she did, but she is still scared about testifying on the stand about you, and you know a scared witness is just as bad as one who is against you.”
“So, her loudmouth ass really scared? She made me think she was used to shit like this just from the way she carries herself. I’m sure I’m not the first gangsta she's been around.”
“Who knows, and loudmouth or not, she's still a female who has never been as close to death or a murder trial as you put her. Her ass went back to D.C. for a couple of weeks, and it was hard as hell to even get her to answer the phone. I had to get my wife to convince her to come back out here so I could talk to her.”
“Did y’all talk?”
“Yeah, we did.”
“So, you think she is going to flip?”
“Nah, she won’t flip, and she won’t be scared about the trial because I know a way she will not have to testify at all. There is a way we could avoid that shit altogether.”
“Oh yeah? What way?” I asked Hawk.
“You would have to marry her ass.”
“I would have to do what?” I sat up in my seat so fast Sergio chuckled from the front seat. His ass had been so quiet, I forgot he was even in the car.
“You have to marry Tania. Legally, wives aren’t obligated to testify against their spouse. She can’t be subpoenaed in the trial if you two are married. They can mention her alibi, but they can’t make her testify, which will take away her fear of being eaten up during cross-examination.”
“But I’m already with Ari. I can’t marry another bitch. Especially not her fuckin homegirl. Ari is not going for that shit.You're not about to get me killed. I made it too far in life to die at the hands of a female.”
Hawk laughed, flashing a rare smile.
“I mean, you always say you're a player, right, old man. You say you got your life under control.”
“Shit, I do, or I did, before I started sharing the rains with someone.”
“All you have to do is make Ari understand that you are saving yourself and your family. Look, this is just another way we can protect you from that charge. I’m trying to think of anything and everything to keep you from prison nigga.”
I adjusted myself in the seat because it was getting even more uncomfortable back here. Now it wasn’t just my body being in a tight squeeze. My mind was too.
“So, you think she's going to marry me? You think she's going to agree to all this?”
“She doesn’t have a choice. She already got paid, and I laced that shit up with her the moment she got back to Vegas. She agreed to this union. Another arranged marriage is about to save us from some shit again.”
“I guess so, but I’m not falling in love with her ass like you did; I’m already in love with someone.”
“Trust me, I know.”
Hawk laughed before he went quiet, and so did I. He had really put a lot of shit on my mind with this marrying Tania shit.
After we got to my spot and my son let me out of his car, I was battling with myself on the way up to my place. I had spent so much time in prison thinking about putting a ring on Ari, andnow I was expected to marry somebody else to keep my freedom. That shit was fuckin with me in the worst ways right now.
When I got to the door, I went to twist the knob, then remembered I didn’t have my house key, and Ari had the keypad changed by my request to make sure they were safe here alone.
