Page 28 of The Love of Priest

Priest didn't doubt that college wasn't for everyone. However, he was a firm believer that everyone should have the basic education acquired through a high school diploma. That should’ve been the least anyone strived for in Priest’s eyes! Mirsad, however, rebelled and wanted to do his own thing. He saw Priest with the fancy cars, iced out jewelry, and latest fashions, and all he could think about was how much he wanted to attain that status. He wasn't oblivious to the tricks and schemes Priest pulled to get to where he was now, but Mirsad was willing to put in the work in the streets if the lifestyle he dreamed of would be reimbursement.

Nia was on her last straw when it came to Mirsad. She had no idea what to do with the boy. The week before, she had put him out for the night because apparently, he thought he was man enough to speak to her in any kind of manner, even going as far as calling her out of her name. What was intended to be Mirsad being put out for just a moment so he could learn his lesson had backfired on Nia because Mirsad took it a step further and disappeared. While Nia was working in the leasing office of the building, Mirsad packed up his things, and only God knew where he was now residing.

As much as Nia didn't want to admit it, she had no urgency to bring Mirsad back home. She cared about him and still loved him wholeheartedly, but her son was far too rebellious to ever listen to her.

"I caught him out on the block busting plays." Kaymen let out some laughter. "That little nigga a corner boy to the corner boy."

When Kaymen caught sight of Mirsad, his immediate reaction was to get the young teen off the block. If Priest was family, so was everyone who came with him. Mirsad had been around the three men more than enough to be familiar with Kaymen and show him love. He didn't think Kaymen being one of Priest’s good friends called for him to rough him up like he was his father.

The look on Priest's face gave clear indication that he wasn't pleased. Mirsad was better than that. He didn't know why he insisted on having the street life instead of living the life Priest wanted to provide for him.

"What you say to him?" Priest asked with his jaws clenched in a mixture of anger and disappointment in Mirsad.

Kaymen shrugged. "Told him to get in the car so I could take him to you so you could deal with him. Little nigga started talking out the side of his neck like he big shit, so I handled him in front of everybody on that block," Kaymen retold the story exactly how it had taken place.

"Embarrassed his ass?" Priest chuckled, knowing Kaymen was always down for the cause of teaching the youngings a lesson for their hard heads and soft asses.

Kaymen nodded. "Made sure of it, and I emptied out his pockets. Little nigga had the audacity to be on one of our blocks, selling some weak-ass product from some other nigga."

"Wait, so he wasn't even serving shit for somebody that run for us?" J'Ru asked for clarification.

Kaymen shook his head. "The shit he had ain't hold no pressure. I couldn't help but laugh at his ass and then smack him upside the head for trying to hustle us."

"I'll handle his ignorant ass." Priest shook his head at the fact that he was going to have to pull up on his little cousin once more. "You know where he got his shit from?"

"His ass was losing his shit about me putting him in heavy shit for taking his work. I'm sure he'll tell you," Kaymen shrugged.

A laugh flowed out of J'Ru. "Y'all can't even cap. The little nigga got a lot of heart to be hustling on our shit with someone else's work."

Priest and Kaymen followed suit with their own laughs. "He don't got heart. He just comfortable and feel entitled. I'm gone get his ass right," Priest asserted once he eased his laughter.

Mirsad was really disrespecting him by pulling this little stunt. There was no way for Priest to actually know how long his little cousin was posted on his block serving some other nigga’s product. He didn't care how long it was. Whether it was a day or an hour, either way, the little nigga was fucking disrespectful.

Later that day, Priest had drifted far from home. He parked his vehicles on the corner of the block and darted his eyes between each nigga who frequented it. It had been a little over an hour, and so far, there were no signs of Mirsad. Priest was going to wait it out. If he knew his little cousin as well as he thought he did, he knew Mirsad would drag his ass back to the block, despite how whack Kaymen made him look. He always liked to redeem himself. Killing time, Priest had fallen into conversation with Britain through text.

Priest:How many questions flood your mind through the day?Priest asked Britain.

Her reply came in quick.

Britain:I don’t know. Do my questions bother you?

Priest chuckled at the fact that she absentmindedly replied with another question.

Priest:Here you go with another question.

Britain:I don’t notice when I do it, I swear!She decorated the text with a few laughing face emojis before following up with another text.But are you gonna answer the question?

Priest:Ask me again at dinner tonight. I’ll have an answer for you then.He smoothly extended an invitation to her for another date.

She always had a question she wanted him to answer. Honestly, Priest truly didn't mind. Her questions didn't make him feel like he was being interrogated. They actually made it easier for him to open up to her. With every question she asked, their conversation improved, and that was therapeutic for Priest.

Sitting his phone down on his lap after sending his last text to Britain, Priest focused his attention back up the block, and sure enough, Mirsad had shown up.

His attire caused Priest to shake his head in disapproval. Mirsad's demeanor screamed inexperience. Priest was a firm believer that the way you carried yourself was how people perceived and treated you. Right now, Priest wanted nothing to do with Mirsad, but he knew better than to let his little cousin fall neck deep in the game.

The way Mirsad carried himself and operated was cringeworthy. The young boy was sloppy, arrogant, and loud, and he barely had shit. Getting out the car, Priest made sure he had his strap secured in the waist band of his jeans. Upon his sudden arrival, many of the corner boys straightened up and stood at attention. Mirsad was too busy flapping his fucking gums to even realize his big cousin was striding over to him looking like he could kill him.

Priest roughly turned Mirsad around, jolting him off his feet and slamming him against the exterior brick wall of the building. "What the fuck did I tell you?!" Priest spewed at Mirsad with a venomous look, seething and shooting daggers from his already dark eyes.

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