“It don’t matter cause this bitch nigga walking closer and closer.” I watched this man act like he was just cleaning the table next to us but he had let his eyes rest on Pretty too many times for it to be an accident. She looked fine as hell but the disrespect was him letting his eyes linger like he was. “Say blood you got a problem with ya eyes or sum?”
He finally stopped looking at her and turned to me. He was in a white shirt and black slacks with the shoes that servers normally wore. The mug on his face was one that screamed he wanted all the smoke my gun was going to give him. “Nah, what you mean?”
I didn’t take my eyes off of him to see if Porsha recognized him because he wasn’t getting the chance to sneak me or do some crazy shit.
“Cause you can’t keep them shits off my girl and I’m trying to figure out what the fuck is wrong with you.” I sat forward and rested my arms on the table because I was getting too agitated to just sit passively in my chair.
“Your girl? Nah, she used to be mine.” He smirked as he looked at Porsha and me. I was irritated that he wasn’t taking my presence as the threat it was. But I’d be more than happy to show him why that was a mistake.
“She used to be a lot of shit that don’t fucking matter anymore today. So make sure you keep them shits that you use to see on something safe, because she ain’t it.” I looked at her and her irritation was clear. Her nose was frowned up and I was even angrier that he was irritating both my babies.
He spoke up again taking my attention off Porsha and putting it back to him. “Me and Porsha got history—”
I sniffed to keep myself seated as my fingers flexed so I didn’t swing on this nigga. “And you obviously ain’t learned from the short history between me and you. My words were a command, not a suggestion. Find something else to look at.”
“Who the fuck you supposed to be nigga?” Buddy raised his voice and I was getting ready to stand up before I felt Porsha’s hand on my arm.
I reached over and squeezed her hand but kept my eyes on him. “The muthafucka that’s gone have your mama, your baby mama and your fucking family putting your face on a t-shirt if you don’t do what the fuck I said.”
“They ain’t stop making guns when they made yours.”
“Guns? You think I need to shoot you to prove a point? I will do my best impression of the heel toe on your head with these fancy shits Pretty got me wearing. I wouldn’t waste the metal on your ass, bitch.”
“Whatever. Porsha my number the same. We still got shit to discuss.” This nigga speaking to her like he still had pull had me wondering if this nigga needed to go in for an eval. Porsha wasn’t the type of woman you could simply command to do something especially not after damn near twenty years.
“Oh, you the lame ass nigga that was trying to play my girl and was moving foul with her. I’m assuming he ain’t look this rough fifteen years ago, Pretty. You aged like fine wine and this nigga out here looking like a glass of buttermilk that curdled in the sun.” That caused her face to loosen up as she smiled at me. I was glad I could take that frown off her face but this man had to go and remind me he was still around being goofy.
“You talk a lot of shit when you're in my city.”
“Your city? Not to hate on another man making an honest living but, my nigga, you a busboy. Cleaning the table in the restaurant I’m dining at. Ain’t too much about this city that you run, obviously. Not even when you were in the game, as I recall. P was the one who had the connections, who helped your ass out. Hustlin’ on blocks and doing hair on the kitchen beautician shit. She made more plays than you while you were playing at being a drug dealer. And nigga they call me City for a reason. Nomatter what area code I touch down in I make shit shake. You might want to back up from this table before you learn that shit firsthand.”
“You pillow talking now, Porsha?” He looked shocked that she would tell someone how she was having to support his ass while he used her.
“I was talking to my nigga about my history. I can tell my man what the fuck I want.” That frown was back as she picked up her water glass and I wondered if she was about to toss that shit in his face.
To calm her down, I squeezed her hand again so she would look at me again. “Damn, you sound fine as hell claiming me. Keep talking that shit, Porsha. I like that, mama.”
“Oh, he thinks you hot shit. He know you a fucking baby killer calling you mama? Got my seed sucked right out of you.” That had Porsha flinching like he’d struck a nerve and I took that shit personally.
“Yeah, it made way for me to put another one in her. One that she actually wants to have and don’t have to worry about it being provided for. She got a nigga who is more than happy to do the heavy lifting for her.” I bit my lip watching her fine ass blush. Her lil belly was poking but I wasn’t about to have her stand up and that nigga do something to her or my son.
“Oh, you think you about to have another nigga’s baby? After the way you got rid of mine?” This nigga sounded like there was an option of that not happening and I needed him to understand how he had no say so in this situation.
Pretty gave him a saccharine smile before she put him in his place by flashing that big ass rock I put on her finger. “I know I am.”
I was grinning cause this whole situation was comical to me. This man thought he was a threat, whereas I knew my ass wasone. He wanted to keep pushing my buttons he better be ready for the reaction.
“Bruh, I’m trying to save you for real. Save you and this piece of a job you got. In the grand scheme of things, you not messing up my day. You're just a bitter ex that would’ve been a bitter ass baby daddy that would’ve been trying to stop her rise for the last decade and some change. Keep it real, she did y’all both a favor. You ain’t have to stress about how you was gone send her another four dollars and fifty cents in support cause that’s all you can afford. And she didn’t have to worry about missing out on money to take care of your youngin’. You got three or four now, right? Five? I heard you ain’t even checking for the ones you had with her homegirl. Damn shame.”
His bird chest puffed out and I had to wonder if Pretty had a thing for skinny niggas. I thanked God I’d gotten my weight up cause I’d hate to be walking around like this nigga looking like a damn scarecrow.
“You don’t know me.”
“I know a lot about youLink. A lot. I know about your mama’s house and how if you go back up again she's gone lose that shit. I know you were getting bent over when you were locked up just so you could have protection. Then you snitched on the niggas you let fuck just so they wouldn’t let your secret out.”
“City!” Porsha’s mouth was hanging open in shock but I was still smiling. This nigga had the opportunity to shut the fuck up but now I was gonna snatch his manhood just like them niggas in the pen.
“Nah, don’tCityme, baby. I gave this nigga time to walk away but he wanted to think this was a game. Muthafucka let’s play then. You want me to keep going or is your pride gonna stop you from getting embarrassed? Get the fuck from over here.”
