Page 5 of Forbidden Love

“Shit been smooth, just getting situated.” I nodded.

Casper squinted his eyes at me, smoke curled from his lips.

“Don’t lie to me, I see it in your face. You carrying pain like it’s a second spine.” Casper turned and stared out at the warehouse floor through the glass wall.

“I carry my pain differently. It’s still pain, nevertheless. Raft was my brother, we shed blood together, broke bread, andburied too many associates to count. Raft was loyal, not always smart…but loyal. In this new day and age, niggas don’t carry the same loyalty,” Casper said, more to himself than me.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and got mad that I still wasn’t able to contain my raw emotions for my father.

“He wasn’t ready to go,” I stated painfully.

Casper turned to me slowly.

“None of us are. At least not in this lifetime. We get two options. Die early or die legendary.” Casper took steps until he was right in front of me.

“You remind me of him. You got the same heart you don’t wanna admit you have. You smarter though, and much more quiet… kind of like me. Let me tell you something that I never got the chance to tell him. It’s something that my father told me, and it stuck with me throughout life.”

I lifted my eyes to meet his.

“You want to stay alive in this game? You got to decide who the fuck you are before the streets decide for you. You can’t be half killer, half lover. You can’t be half business, half revenge. You gon’ have to bleed one part of yourself out and feed the other. Fuck a bitch, they good for giving life, a legacy to carry your last name. They nurture you and drain ya nut sack when it’s time for that. Let your mind lead and your heart beat, nigga. I can very well take the load off your hands and give your father’s legacy to one of these money hungry niggas. It’s in your blood though, and I know that you can do it. Lot of these niggas go and fall in love with a bitch. Next thing you know, the same bitch they fell for is the cause of them running shit with too much emotion.”

Casper’s words hit like a gut punch. He was right, I had to get up out of my feelings and make shit tick again. Casper stepped back and went behind his desk. He reached into his top drawer and pulled out a matte black gun then set it down on his desk.

“This was Raft’s favorite piece. I’ve been holding it, waiting for you to be ready. You put in work already, caught a couple of bodies for the past couple of months. If you ready to step into his shoes, pick up his piece.”

I stared at it for a couple of seconds then reached out to wrap my fingers around the handle and nodded. Casper didn’t smile, he never did, but his eyes warmed from approval.

“Good. There’s a war coming, niggas gone get real testy because they haven’t seen you on the Eastside. Shit been running, with Trigga stepping in causing the havoc he always bring. But, niggas think that Raft’s spot is wide open. You can’t flinch, it’s time to lay the law down and let niggas know some shit.” Casper grinned, showcasing his gold tooth.

Chapter 2

Yeremy

The grass was still damp from the morning dew; it soaked through my jeans as I dropped to my knees in front of Ramsey’s headstone. I felt bad that I didn’t bring any balloons or flowers for his birthday. I tossed and turned and couldn’t sleep last night thinking about what me and my man could have been doing. Ramsey’s funeral was a hot mess.

I was surprised Casper came for support along with my mom. I felt embarrassed from the amount of hood rats that showed up to Ramsey’s funeral. With Casper and his men being in attendance, none of them hoes said anything to me out of line. Their cries crushed me though. Some of them cried harder than me, like they laid up with my man every night. I always had a gut feeling that Ramsey had side pieces. He covered his tracks well enough for me not to ever find out.

My mom always said that every man cheated. She also said that if a man never let his bullshit come home with him then it meant he loved you enough. I never got that because if I ever had evidence, I would have left Ramsey’s ass. I was too good of a woman to be played with.

My tears came soft at first, then heavy. Minutes later, I was doing the ugly cry. The kind that shook my ribs and made my throat raw.

“Why you leave me, Ramsey?” I whispered as my fingers dug into the grass.

My fingers brushed over the letters carved into his stone. It said that he was a beloved son, protector, and the King of Compton. There was no mention of me, no mention of us. I knew it was because of his weird ass momma. She blamed it all on me but didn’t hesitate to accept Casper’s payment for Ramsey’s expensive home going service. I wouldn’t have been surprised if she also was the reason why all those hoes showed up to his funeral.

The clicking of heels on pavement halted my emotions.

“Damn, our nigga really gone, huh?” A voice called out behind me, laced with attitude.

I turned my head slowly as my breath caught up in my throat. She stood a few feet away, right on the sacred grass of Compton Memorial Cemetery. This bitch was dressed in red lingerie and a silk pink robe that blew in the wind like she was getting ready to shoot a damn music video. She had on silver heels, a pink lace thong that showed through sheer ass fabric. In her hands was heart shaped balloons with the words ‘RIP Daddy’ in cursive written with a sharpie marker.

My tears dried up instantly. I don’t know why she thought for a second to come up here on Ramsey’s birthday.

“You lost?” I asked, standing up slowly.

She smacked er lips, then cocked her hip. This chick was beautiful, I was never a hater. Her Hershey-colored skin, long slender legs and perky breasts made her look like a model compared to my short thick frame.

“Naw boo. I’m right where I need to be. I had to pay respects to my man on his birthday. The fuck?”

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