The Next Day. . .
I’d only been home for a week, and already, I could see myself going right the fuck back.
This washed-up, Kodak Black looking motherfucka had pressed my ‘go’ button, and now I was on demon time.
Not too much made me set shit off. I’d usually settle any beef before it escalated, but when it came to Dinny, there was no negotiating. My baby didn’t deserve to be disrespected, because her heart was too good. She loved hard, cared for those who cared for her, and treated everyone with respect and kindness.
For that clown-ass bum to post nude photos of her was weak, whack, ignorant shit, and I was about to make his ass pay for that bitch-ass move.
I consoled her all night and got up extra early this morning to make her breakfast in bed. She hardly slept and didn’t want to eat, but I convinced her to put a little something on her stomach.
Now she was on the phone with her lawyer, trying to see if she could sue him for indecent exposure, while I made calls to Meeko and Killa to meet me on our old stomping grounds—the Westfield Projects.
After making the calls, I headed back upstairs to check on my baby. I traveled down the hall to our master suite and saw her sitting up in bed, still talking on the phone.
“No, I’m fine, Mom. My lawyer said I do have a case, so I’m just waiting for him to serve him with the papers. It’s not even about his stupid money. I want him to go down for what he did . . . I’m sorry you and Daddy had to hear about this.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. I came around to her side of the bed and sat next to her. “Mommy, I’m going to call you back in a minute. Okay . . . I love you, too. Bye.” She hung up and looked at me with red-rimmed eyes.
I pushed the few strands of hair that were in her face back and kissed her lips. “Stop crying, baby. Seeing those tears are only going to make shit worse for him,” I told her.
She took my hand, interlacing our fingers. “I really don’t want you to go, Zi. Just let my lawyer handle this.”
I sighed. “Didn’t you say you trusted me?”
“I do.”
“Then trust me. I’m never leaving your side again. You got a wedding to plan and babies to have. That can’t happen if I’m out of the picture again, now, can it?” I winked at her, and she gave me a soft smile. “There’s the smile I’ve been waiting for. I don’t want you to worry about shit, baby. Give your burdens to me. Let me carry that shit while you remain light and free. You hear me?” She nodded. “Nah, let me hear you say it.”
“I hear you, babe.”
“Good.” I pushed the blankets aside, seeing her in a tan Cami and cheeky panties. I stood, grabbed her legs, and pulled her down, then slid her panties off. “Let me ease your worries,” I said, then leaned down, flicking my tongue over her clit.
She gasped. “Ziooon.” She moaned, fingers digging into my scalp as her hips rolled. I ate her until she came in my mouth. I kissed her lips, then went into the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. When I came back out, she was knocked out as I smiled, kissed her forehead, then left out the door to meet up with Meeko and Killa to check me a clown-ass nigga.
I pulled up to the WP and drove through the complex. Back in the day, we called it a jungle—the Wild, Wild West. A little homie on a bike rode beside me. He couldn’t see me through the tint in my truck, so I rolled my window down so he’d know who I was. I may have been off the streets for a while, but every person who lived in these projects knew who I was and what I was about, so when he saw my face, he saluted me and continued on his way.
I pulled in front of my old complex, parking next to Meeko’s truck, and put the truck in park. I stepped out, seeing him and Killa talking to Johnnie John, the local drunk who lived on the second floor of Building B. His drunk ass was still out here, telling lies and sob stories for a few dollars. He used to be very valuable to me when I was dealing. He saw it all and never hesitated to tell me everything that was going on around these projects. I knew it was because he wanted money for his drink, but fair exchange wasn’t robbery.
“Fuck you still doing out here, Johnnie?”
“Awww!” He stood and did a whole 360 while stomping his feet in the process, looking like a drunk-ass chicken. “Zee Sullyback like he never left! You looking clean, nephew!” he yelled, holding out his fist for a pound.
I chuckled and gave him a pound. “What’s good, man?”
“Not too much, youngblood. Just livin’, watchin’, and sippin’, ya heard.”
“This nigga,” Killa said, laughing. “Give us them keys, old head. And watch our whips.”
Johnnie went inside his pocket and pulled out his keys. “You know I got y’all. Take all the time ya need.”
“And yo’ shit bet not stank or be nasty in here,” Meeko told him.
“Now you know. I may be a drunk, but I ain’t no nasty one, ya heard!”
I shook my head and laughed as we made our way inside the building and up the rickety-ass stairs to apartment B4. When we got to the door, we all burst out laughing at the note he had taped to the door.
B4 you try me, try Jesus first.
“John a fool, bruh,” Killa said.