Page 16 of Chrome

“Nah., you wearing the hell out that shit. Stunting on them young ass hoes like that. You doing yo’ shit, Ma,” I threw praises her way because she really did outshine them bitches. Fade looked damned good for her age with not a crack or blemish in sight.

“Thank you, Chrome,” she blushed.

“You got that. What made you move to the Lake?”

“A fresh divorced start and my brothers recommended it. They live in Graceland Heights.”

“Divorced? You must’ve married a stupid muthafucka. Only a fool would let yo’ fine ass go. What? He wasn’t hitting that shit right?” I inquired knowing I was ‘bout to beat her shit down when I got her alone.

“He started another family. I don’t play them type of games. If you with me, be with me. If you gon’ do you, let me cut the strings for you and get the fuck on. I know my worth and I refuse to be anything less than valued.”

She was popping her shit, and she had every right to be. Fade had her shit together and that was more than a lot ofgrownwomen could say. Stability in all areas of your life showed just how grown you really were. We all knew life threw you nothing but curve balls, but it was the faith in OG that kept you highly favored. You could tell she was thankful for everything given to her.

I knew what it took to create a foundation you could proudly stand on ‘cause the crew wasn’t just a hobby. I had bills to pay,kids that weren’t even mine to think about, and old heads to keep comfortable. Niggas would never understand what it took to be a leader. It was more than just flexing your crown and showing where the authority lay.

“Ain’t that something. I was looking to start a family and look what was placed in my lap.”

“And what’s that, Chrome?” she asked taking another shot. She poured me up one as well and handed it over. I was tipsy as fuck, too, but I seemed to be holding mine a lil’ better than her.

I didn’t bother answering until we both tapped glasses and threw back the liquid courage that kept us interested in one another. I mean, I wanted her from the time I laid eyes on her tonight but now I was more intrigued to see how well she meshed with a nigga.

“A woman that’s worth letting loose in. You ready to get up out of here or what?”

“Chrome! I thought that was you!” My lil’ sister Harli yelled out to me, and I could feel Fade tensing up on my lap. She didn’t like that another woman called me. I couldn’t lie. I liked that she was territorial.

“Mama, this my lil’ cousin, Harli, but we go by siblings. She’s my mama’s only niece and we grew up together. She ain’t supposed to be here ‘cause her lil’ ass underaged as fuck,” I briefed Fade before Harli closed the gap between us. “Why you here, Harli?” I questioned, wondering who fake ass ID she used to get in here.

“My homegirl wanted me to show her the latest spots since she’ll be turning eighteen soon. Mark the one that let us in the door so be mad at him. He said y’all was here and I been looking for you. I should’ve known you was in VIP. Hey, Ms. Jordan.”

“I’m sorry, do I know you, baby?” Fade asked with a confused look.

Harli was green as hell and easily influenced. All she wanted was for her friends to feel welcomed no matter where they came from or who they were related to. She also had a tendency to be taken advantage of. They realized who she was close to and wiggled their way into the crew. They were never really her friend.

“I’m Mela?—”

“Harli, why’d you leave m… Mama? W-What you doing here?” The fast tailed chick Harli introduced me to the other night was by her side. I knew she looked familiar. She had Fade’s entire face. I mean, baby girl looked like she could be Fade’s twin.

“I know good and goddamn well that’s not my daughter standing in a club at the age of seventeen. Onyx, please tell me that ain’t yo’ goddaughter in my brand new Burberry dress in a club that she ain’t supposed to be in!” Fade shouted over the music.

“So much for having a friend over. Why you in this fuckin’ club lil’ girl?” Onyx spoke up catching Zinc’s attention more than anybody else’s. He loved that feisty shit in a woman, and I could tell he just been wondering if shawty could pop shit like him.

“Auntie Onyx, I was, I was just?—”

“You better beat me and yo’ mama home. That’s all I got to say or else I’m beating yo’ fuckin’ ass like a bitch that stole something. I’m tired of you disrespecting my friend just to be in some random ass nigga’s face. This shit ends today. Hot ass. Go home!”

“You yelling at me but she sitting on a nigga dick that’s half her age. Yell at her, too!” Mel snapped.

Fade tried her hardest to get to lil’ mama, but my arm wrapped around her waist kept her put. I knew how teenage girls acted because I dealt with the same shit with Silver and her mama. She wanted to be in the crew, but her mama thought shewas too young and needed to keep her head in the books. We ended up making a deal and Silver graduated top of her class earning her a place as a prospect.

This lil’ girl though, she was blinded by niggas and that was gon’ fuck her up in the end. You could tell she was embarrassed and wanted to get back at her mama but the difference between them was Fade was grown. If she wanted to ride dick half her age, both parties were old enough to do so. Her lil’ ass needed to learn some fuckin’ respect.

“Aye, watch how you talk to my woman. This yo’ fuckin’ mama and you only get one of those. Get right, Mel,” I voiced, and her demeanor lightened up.

I understood the crush she had on me but disrespecting her mama in front of me was a fuckin’ no go. I loved the hell out of Neon and one thing I didn’t tolerate was another muthafucka thinking they could talk to her crazy. Fuck around and get yo’ ass popped.

“She’s like forty, Chrome. Why are you defending her?” Melanie asked with tears in her eyes. I took a mental note how her and Fade were sensitive as hell.

“’Cause regardless of how the fuck you talk to her when y’all alone, as long as she with me you gon’ respect her. Harli, take yo’ lil’ friend the hell up out of here. Y’all done pissed me the fuck off.”

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