“He worse than a colonizer. He understands what’s at stake and he still decides that his desires are greater than the collective’s. I did my shit, still do it but I make sure the restitution I pay attempts to balance out the harm I’ve caused. This nigga and his bitch ass brother are just here to extract from the culture without paying dues or giving back. Shit like that disgusts me.”
I spit out my disgust and it landed on his shoes. I dared his ass to say or do something about the disrespect.
That struck a nerve and Jordan’s face frowned up angrily. “There you go being Saint City again.”
My chuckle was as dark as the night sky as I sized him up. “And that’s what bothers you ain’t it? Cause you play at being a hood nigga but have no idea what that shit really means. It ain’t fucking up the next man and stepping on his neck to get yours. You only ruthless with a nigga that crosses you, but the people who you break bread with? You look out. Instead, you and your stupid ass brother shorted everyone but L and look at where it got you.”
“You doing all this talking, what you brought this nigga here to help you take me out?”
“Help me? You think you’re that much of an issue?”
I threw my head back and laughed and Jahmir was doing the same thing. I knew he wasn’t out here alone. I’d bet all the money I got in the bank that Smoke’s ass was somewhere ready to take this nigga out if he went after his boss. Add to Mir’s two newly found and equally deadly cousins and I wasn’t bothered about this nigga trying to sneak me.
I wiped the tear from my eye because his words caused one of those good cleansing belly laughs. “One on one no guns. You can’t see me.” I threw down the challenge and waited on him to accept it. He kept looking at Jahmir and I needed to goad him further. “You think that spare tire you keep on you means you can fight? Nigga, one-on-one right now. I’ll let you get the first lick.”
“And this nigga not on no jumping shit?” Judge pointed at Jahmir like that was the only way I could defeat him.
Jahmir shook his head unbothered as he leaned against the truck. “I’m just here to watch you get your ass beat. You never fight a nigga who gives you first lick. Not unless you know you can put him out with just one. You ain’t built like that, my boy.”
“Says who? The preacher man?” Judge was trying to hype himself up by putting his phone in his pocket and sliding his chain inside his shirt.
“Nah, says the demon inside the preacher man who knows what you about to step into. But go ahead big fella, rush your demise if you want.” Jahmir’s voice was light and dark at the same time which I was used to. But Judge wasn’t and his body stilled as he watched Jahmir just smile back at him.
“He ain’t the one you need to worry about, Judge. Let’s get this done so you can go and see your brother.” I had come prepared for what needed to be done so there was no jewelry and no phone to be put up. Judge nodded his head like he knew he was ready to get down to business.
The stance he took was laughable. Both arms guarding his face like he’d taken some type of professional boxing courses in college. The way that Jordan was going out was bad.Street Lawshould’ve been namedTalented Tenthorthe Representative Classbecause that’s who these niggas thought they were. The Black people who thought that their success alone was going to pull our people up into the high regard of white society. The descendants of whom were running around in red hats with that dumb ass slogan when ain’t shit about this country ever been great. We had to fight and claw for everything and even when we got it; they tried fucking with it. But Jordan couldn’t see that. He’d swear that since he was a success that everyone else could be, even as he was handicapped and shortchanged by the same people he tried to impress.
He swung wildly thinking I wasn’t going to pay attention and I was angry that he was wasting the opportunity I was giving him on some weak shit. I moved out of the way and beckoned him to come closer because I wanted to use my fists in the worst way before my gun ended their blood line.
He came at me again, and I was happy to go after him full force.
I could’ve aimed for his jaw but I didn’t want to. I needed him to be lucid enough to feel the slow inflicting of pain that I wanted to give him. I went for his ribs, hitting just beneath the last one to target his kidneys. He tried to shake it off but I heard the quick intake of breath and the grunt he couldn’t silence. I still refused to hit him in the jaw instead punching him in his throat which sent him gasping for air leaving his entire front exposed. My fists made quick work of tagging his face and stomach and within seconds, he was on the ground in the fetal position, begging me to stop hitting him.
“Nah, my skinny ass wasn’t gone do shit right, Jordan? Thought you were still big badJudgewith an army behind you.Dumb ass sitting here getting fucked up before you die when you could’ve gotten a bullet to the head like a man. You wanna talk all that shit? Now I gotta make sure your mama can’t have an open casket.”
“Mir, you rubbing off on this nigga now? Got him out here playing with his prey. Thought you would’ve told him to be merciful and shit.”
I didn’t know when Jahmir had called Yacouba and I didn’t give a fuck. I was too busy stomping on Judge’s head and kicking him in the stomach to care.
“I would have until he opened his mouth. He showed mercy would’ve been wasted on him so we went with our first mind.”
“Yeah, okay Priest. Aye, City, your toys are ready when you are. See y’all when you get here.” Yacouba disconnected the call and his words had me halting my assault on Judge.
I looked down at my shirt hating that he’d gotten his blood on it. I couldn’t see it, I just knew it was there and it pissed me off.
“I’m almost glad that you didn’t want to heed my warnings when I told you to leave me and my people the fuck alone. You always thought that you couldn’t be dealt with. That me being gone and Lyric taking a step back from Travis meant we weren’t still watching over her. That she wasn’t still protected. Baby sis played the long game and took everything from y’all you coveted. No respect, no artists, no money and no clout. The white folks ain’t even fucking with you and shitty rappers are going to your talent searches just cause. Damn shame y’all couldn’t do right, but everybody ain’t built for this shit.”
I was done talking and lifted my foot and brought it down on Jordan’s head, knocking him out.
“He dead?”
I sucked my teeth irritated that he was questioning my ability to keep this nigga alive. “I ain’t even stomp that hard.”
“You could’ve fooled me. But come on, I’m ready to see the rest of this show.” Jahmir sat up from where he’d been leaned against the grill and walked toward Judge’s body that was laid out on the ground.
“Thought you’d want to hurry home.”
He stopped next to me and shook his head as he looked down at Judge. “Ny ain’t about to have my ass sleeping in the pool house again. She said I needed a night out and I needed to handle whatever needed to be done. One thing I don’t do is ignore good council from my wife. The Laws were attempting to harm an affiliate. Someone we consider a friend. That’s not anything to be taken lightly. So I’m out here using the resources available to me in order to prove that our word is our bond.”
