"Let it be problems then," I said.
I knew I was talking off emotions, I didn’t want problems with Kaseem, I just didn’t want to wait for his orders either.
Mars got out of the car and I heard him tell me before he left that I could reach him whenever I needed him. But I was staying put. I wasn't leaving until that nigga showed his face.
Hours later, around eleven in the morning, I got a call from one of my workers asking if I was coming to do the pickup. I'd completely forgot I had legitimate business to handle. The kind of business that kept money flowing and business moving smoothly.
I spent two hours handling that. I knew if Kaseem got word that I hadn’t been doing my job, he’d be on some bullshit, so I tried to get my head back in the game. Going to all four spots, collecting the cash, making sure the numbers added up, checking in on the workers. The whole time, my mind was still on Demon. Still on what I was about to do to him when I found him.
When I was done, I got back in the car and my phone was ringing before I could even close the door.
Nyla was calling.
I almost didn't answer. Almost just sent her to voicemail where she belonged. But I ain't never been the type to run from nothing. So I picked up.
"Yeah?" I said, my voice dry as hell.
"Damn Namier! What's up for real?" Her voice was sharp. Angry. "You acting like I did some shit to you. You got your dick wet and been treating me like the scum of the earth ever since. I didn’t take you to be that type of nigga. What you on?”
I closed my eyes. I didn't have time for this.
"Man, you making shit bigger than it gotta be," I said, and I could hear how cold I sounded. "I don't want to be tied up with no bitches right now. I got real life shit going on. Nothing more, nothing less. It was just head, don’t act like I fucked and sold you no dreams. Mane, Grow up."
Even as I said it, I knew it was a lie. Even as I was pushing her away with words I didn't mean, I knew I was doing her dirty. But I couldn't afford to have nobody close to me right now. I couldn't afford to care about nothing except getting that nigga Demon back.
She went quiet for a second, and I thought maybe she was gonna cry or back down. That's what most bitches would do.
But Nyla wasn't most bitches.
"Wait, who you calling a bitch?" Her voice got louder. "Listen, I was trying to give you space and grace because I know you've been dealing with things in your personal life but if this the person you are, then I definitely don't wanna deal with your lame ass. You really had me feeling like you was the one. Get the fuck off my phone, hoe ass, wishy washy ass nigga."
The line went dead.
I sat there holding my phone, looking at the screen like I couldn't believe what just happened. Nyla just checked the fuck out of me. She called me out and hung up on my bitch ass.
Part of me wanted to call her back and apologize a lil bit. Wanted to tell her she was right. That I was fucked up and dealing with shit that had nothing to do with her. That I didn't mean none of what I said.
But nah. Fuck that!
Instead of kissing her rude ass, I just sat there with that cold feeling in my chest. I knew that with my fucked up ways, I'd possibly just lost something real because I couldn't get my head off of revenge long enough to see what was right in front of me.
My phone rang again before I could think about it too much.
Mars.
"I'm about to send you an address," he said, no greeting, no bullshit. "Meet me a street over and be discreet. We gotta get in and get out."
My whole body went still.
"You found him?" I asked.
"I found where his family stay," Mars said. "And right now, he ain't there but he will be soon. So if you wanna make a statement, this is your shot."
I didn't hesitate. I started the car before he even finished talking.
"Send the address," I said.
This was what I'd been waiting for. This was the moment I was about to put that bitch ass nigga in his place. This was about making a nigga hurt for the constant disrespect he showed. The game was about to be over. Kaseem liked to drag shit out, that wasn’t how I moved.Demon was about to see what playing games with mine really meant.
