Page 41 of Cove City: Vol. I

Naheem flicked the hundred-dollar bill at him as he handed me the stick of cotton candy. “That wasn’t nice,” I mumbled.

“This bitch nigga bout to get smoked,” The Zoo guy said.

I leaned forward. “Please excuse him.”

“Better get that nigga.”

I hurried off behind Naheem, gripping his arm, turning him toward me. “Why would you do that? For a man that supposed to be some exquisite debonair you’re an asshole.”

“In the flesh,” his sinister smile brightened. “Now tell me why you really approached me because you’re acting like some southern fucking belle isn’t it.”

My head flew back as I tossed one hand on my hip. “What is this war between Parkside Cove and Lake Hill?”

He clapped his hands.Clap!“Ah, there it is. See, I knew that pretty fucking mouth was good for something.”

“Excuse me?”

He began pointing at all the guys working at a booth. “You see niggas like that coming into a city they know nothing about. I built this fucking city. It was nothing before the Averys, then came the Princes, the Kings, the Laureauxs, and the Merciers. But I,” he took a deep breath before leaning only inches away from my face. “Built this muhfucka and I will be damned if I allow some new low budget fucking hustlers to come and snatch it. Now report that shit. There is so much blood on these streets and a walk up the block wouldn’t be enough time to tell it all and some of that blood comes from that black nigga your—"

“Nook Avery?” a familiar voice came around me.

Naheem’s eyes widened like he had seen a ghost. “Bunny?”

“Nook, the man who once ran the streets of the Cove, still howling like the animal he is.”

Best stood between the two of us. Something about the way he looked caught my attention. It wasn’t hatred, it wasn’t anger, it was love. Best smiled as she usually did, and for a second, I thought I saw a sense of relief fill him. He quickly glared at me, and his attitude changed. He straightened his suit jacket as he stood straight up. There was that stature. “Best this has nothing to do with you. Go.”

“I’ve run too many times, but today I will not. You will not push whatever anger you have because of your decline from Angela and Grace on this poor girl.”

Naheem snatched Best, arm pulling her closer to him, whispering something in her ear. Suddenly, I saw Pierre running toward us, with Bishop behind him. Pierre’s feet couldn’t land on the ground fast enough before he shoved Naheem.

“Pierre!” I called out.

Best tried calming him down. “I’m ok. Pookie.”

“Don’t you ever put yo fucking hands on my momma nigga. She ain’t Angela!”

This was the second time I heard that name. Bishop came up as he parted Naheem and Pierre. “Fuck you putting your hands on his mom for? Fuck is wrong with you nigga?”

So much shit was happening I was trying to keep up. “I’m ok!” Best yelled again.

I moved through them to get to Pierre. I placed my hands on his chest, “Pierre, I was handling it,” I tried explaining.

When his eyes managed to give me some time, I could tell he was ready to kill Naheem. “Tuesday, watch out.”

“No!”

“Tuesday!”

“Pierre!”

The people began to crowd around us. I didn’t want this to be a scene, but it had turned into that. The crowd parted, and Chevy joined the circle with his friends behind him. “You niggas just have to be seen!” he yelled. “This is a community event not a fucking warzone. Take that shit somewhere else.”

Bishop stepped closer, “Ease up nigga. We got it handled.”

“With all due disrespect, Bishop, or Prince, or whatever you call yourself. You come to an event I put together to do something good for the city and you and your clown ass friends come in here like some jigga boo ass niggas. Like I said take that shit somewhere else!”

Bishop stepped closer, “You the nigga shuckin and jivin for the people. A nigga like you can’t tell me to do a fuck thing. You run those niggas behind you not me.”

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