Page 70 of Cause When You Love Someone
My vision stayed out the window, though I raised my gun. “What does it look like?”
Church grunted from the driver’s seat. “It looks like you’re about to get yourself into some shit.”
I glanced in his direction. “You think I’m making the wrong move?”
He shook his head. “Not at all. I could never fault a man for protecting his lady. I just want to remind you, once you take a life, you can’t go back.”
Chaz may have gotten away with the foul shit when it was just him and Clarke, but when he included me in the group chat, he included me in the bullshit. He made it clear he wanted to see me, so I decided to fulfill his wish as soon as possible.
Durk sat up in his seat and put his concentration on the homes we passed. “Forrest Gump, are you sure this is the neighborhood this nigga kicks it in? I thought he was a producer.”
“It wasn’t hard to figure it out. He put his every move on social media. I know for sure he’s from Sway Gang.” I paused. “It’s not even about Clarke. It’s about respect.”
Silence crowded the truck, then seconds later, a storm of laughter took over.
“Nigga.” Loso grabbed his forehead. “I know you didn’t just say that. You sound like a?—”
“You don’t even have to say it.” I chuckled. “I already know. That’s the first thing a woman says when she’s fighting over a nigga. This is different, though. Sending me texts and threatening me was his last mistake.”
Church crept down the street until he reached the address I gave him. The home appeared rundown, but there was a pack of niggas guarding the property like it was worth millions.
Showing up in anybody’s hood unannounced was risky, but after Chaz texted my phone, I pushed logic to the side.
At first, Durk insisted on going with me, then Loso, Shiloh, and Church pledged their presence. I repeatedly declined their offers to tag along, but by the time I came out of the restroom, everyone had already mounted into Church’s truck.
Like the kings we were, we hopped out of the truck and left it running in the middle of the street. A smirk swept across my face when I realized Chaz hung with a bunch of bitches. There was never a day a pack of niggas could show up on our turf and not be met at the curb with burners.
“What’s good? Who runs shit over here?” I addressed the group while Shiloh, Durk, and Loso hung a few steps back.
A short dude with faded golds in his mouth mugged me. “Y’all came over here dressed in all black like the fucking mob. Who the fuck are y’all supposed to be?”
“I’m going to ask you again before I handle you like you’re the one I’m looking for.”
An older gentleman sitting in a wooden chair on the porch told the frontman to fall back. I impatiently waited for the old head to reach the curb before I asked about Chaz.
“What did he do this time?”
“It doesn’t matter. I heard this is his hood.”
“Not anymore. That bitch got put off a week ago for doing some weird shit. What happen? He played you?”
“He played himself. He may not be from your hood, but you know where he hangs out.”
“I don’t know how you niggas think this works, but this ain’t that.”
All eyes fell to the ground when I dropped a backpack filled with seven thousand dollars at his feet. No matter how much they wanted to press, when money was on the table, pride went out the window.
AftermeetingChaz’s homeboys, Durk and I went back to the clubhouse, while everyone else went home.
When we sat down, I swore I would have one drink and be done. But I made the mistake of drinking with Durk, which tossed that plan out of the window. He didn’t have anything to do since Clover was out of town with their twins, and their baby was with his grandma.
“Aww, shit!” Durk slurred two hours into trading shots. “Your girl just walked in here.”
My heavy eyes dragged to the table he pointed to, and I flicked him off when I recognized who he was referring to.
“Fuck you, and fuck her.” I grimaced. “Why the hell does she keep popping up?”
“It looks like she’s handling business.”
