“Aye, what your sister-in-law do to this nigga? He smiling and showing emotions and shit. Make me wish Mir was here to perform an exorcism.”
Smoke was never this human before. The first time that nigga spoke a full sentence to me I pulled my gun on him. Everyone thought it was funny but I wasn’t with this nigga just changing like that. Had my ass shook.
“Nobody needs that man getting upset. We ain’t got enough people to calm his ass down if he gets going.” Yacouba exhaled a cloud of smoke that lingered around him. He was dressed down in all black even though, like me, he could rarely blend in because of how tall he was. But Yacouba had far more weight on him than I did even now.
I looked at him like he had forgotten himself for a minute. “Folks could say the same shit about you.”
He shrugged but a faint smile flashed on his face. “Could, but no one would but you. That time they had us doing wasn’t no small shit. You did what was needed and I appreciate it.”
I could only shrug because when he caught that bullshit charge and I saw his ass in lock up I couldn’t believe it. I knew the organization wasn’t about to let him sit down, but they weren’t going to draw that much attention on themselves by attempting to get him out. And he didn’t want them to because he knew it was a bunch of bullshit. “I did what I signed upfor. Nothing more, nothing less.” Me and Yacouba having each other’s backs when we were inside was natural because we were friends.
“Your ass stays humble.”
I smirked because he was one to talk. Although we were around the same age, me being slightly older, Yacouba moved with the air of somebody that had seen the world a few times. I guess it came with the territory and the business he ran, but he wasn’t one to not calculate every move he made. Which was always a contrast to how petty he could be.
“Mir would say that shit and then lop a nigga’s head off with a collection plate. But speaking of niggas that need to die, I got that information that you needed.” Part of our meeting was me having him look into some information for me with Ori, besides us just linking up because he was in town. The information had been waiting on me for a minute but I felt like I had other shit to handle first. Getting my bread for my wrongful conviction, easing my way back into society and setting up this business, and of course Pretty’s fine ass.
“I just needed that shit confirmed, I got a good feeling about who set me up.” I rubbed my face in anticipation of what he was going to tell me.
“You know all the players or just the main one?”
That had me sitting back because his words meant there was far more going on than just the Laws. Which now had me intrigued.
“Got damn not a conspiracy to get at your boy.”
Yacouba released the cloud of smoke through his nose as he nodded. “Yeah and them snakes were closer than you thought.”
“Don’t leave me guessing who was it?”
He pulled out a phone that looked regular to the naked eye, but with the way it was lighter than the phone I held in my hand, I was sure it was some high tech extra spy shit. I neverquestioned Yacouba and the access he and theConsortiumhad to all kinds of shit. It was just a given that they could get information. The hows and whys weren’t really my business. I just knew they came through for me and looked out whenever was necessary. And in return, we were more than ready to provide manpower and information when needed.
I took the phone and tried to keep my leg from shaking in anticipation. I wasn’t one to react irrationally especially since I’d been having fun making the niggas I knew were coming for me sweat wondering when I was going to come for them. I’d been out for two years and hadn’t made a move. The Laws had been scrambling behind the scenes to keep as much talent as they could but they mainly stayed out of sight. At least at first. They’d slowly started trying to make waves again holding talent shows and making promises to young people who were desperate in a last ditch effort to rebuild their more than depleted roster. As soon as the shit with D-Mill and Lyric came out, plenty of people wanted to jump ship. When it was leaked that they were stealing from their artists in deals that were more twisted than somethingDeath Rowwould’ve put together lawsuits and attorney’s fees cost them whatever money they had set aside.
I scrolled through the information and didn’t want to waste too much time. I knew this nigga and his wife were freaky as fuck and I didn’t want to come across some shit that might have me with a bullet in my head for seeing something I wasn’t supposed to.
My eyes drifted over the information, which was neatly organized with names and hyperlinks. The first three didn’t surprise me, but the bitch that was listed was surprising. With the way she was constantly trying to be up under us, I had to wonder if it was a setup from the start or revenge on her part.
I handed his phone back to him my mind running quickly. “Times like this I wish my ass was still inside.”
“For what? Self-control?”
“Nah, so that I could handle this tonight instead of having to plan shit out.”
D-Mill’s ass was still locked up and would be getting transferred to state prison to serve his time for assault.
“What you thinking?” His eyes were lit up like he’d been waiting to get his hands dirty again for a minute.
I motioned to his phone with my head. “According to that, everything starts with D-Mill so that’s step one. At least when it comes to Lyric. The Laws though, they getting too fucking loud thinking I won’t cut up now that I got to wear loafers and shit.”
Yacouba shook his head as he finished his blunt laughing. “Not loafers, my nigga.”
“And will still cut a nigga down.”
“How you need us to move? I told you a long time ago how shit was when you became family and none of that shit changes just cause your ass is in the spotlight. How you moved when we were locked up solidified y’all and your bloodlines as being tied to mine. And it’s been a minute since I got to have fun.”
I chuckled and knew he was pouting for real. I knew about the rift between him and Jahmir and after he got back in the fold Yacouba was all too happy. But now it seemed he was making up for lost time and not including his friends in the madness.
“Priest having all his fun without you?”
