Before she could speak, I kissed her forehead. “I need to go re-up. I will be back in a few.”
She nodded and rolled back over.
Before I walked outside, I checked the windows and the peephole. The coast was clear, so I headed to Bully’s crib.
I banged on his door, and he opened it, already clenching his waistline.
“Nigga, you good?” he asked.
“Yeah, watch my crib, I gotta go re-up.”
Bully dapped me up. “I got you.”
I turned and walked down the steps, but then I thought about somethin’.
“Aye,” I turned around and yelled. Bully stuck his head out the door. “Did that last nigga come around again, looking for anything?”
“Nah, after you spoke yo half, we didn’t see him anymore.”
I nodded and headed to my car. My head was on a swivel. The feelin’ I had of somethin’ happenin’ was getting harder and harder to ignore. I got in my car and sat there for a minute, breathing, watching.
Nothing moved funny; no car came into the complex, no silhouette in a car. Everything was calm, my gut didn’t unclench tho.
I pulled off anyway and headed across town, checking all mirrors as I drove. The traffic was still light, and the dark sky was starting to lighten. I pulled up to the back of OG’s lounge, and Loc was already out there leaning against his Charger, smokin’ with his homeboy.
I pulled up beside them and rolled my window down.
“You movin’ fast, my nigga!” Loc said, walkin’ up to my window for a dap.
“Demand is high around my way.”
The exchange was smooth. No weird energy, no extra eyes. His boy stayed relaxed. I handed over the money, it got counted quick, and the bricks were put in my trunk.
“Stay sharp out here, nigga,” Loc said.
“Always do,” I responded before pulling off.
Stay sharp.
Those two words stuck with me for a second. But I had to keep shit movin’.
When I got back on the block, Bully was out holdin’ shit down.
“My girl been out of the house?” I asked as I bent the corner.
“Nah,” he yelled back.
I nodded, parked my car next to Islah, and went up the steps. Once I opened the door, Islah was sittin’ in the living room.
“What are you doing?” I asked as I walked through.
“Touching up my toes. What are you doing?”
I put the bricks in the closet, took out what I needed, and walked back out to her.
“’Bout to hit this block.” I walked over to her and got a kiss. “I’ll be back later.”
She nodded and walked out. Bully was leaning against my whip with a duffel bag in his hand.
