I followed Hov out of the door, hearing the gravel crumble underneath my feet, the further we got to the edge.
From up here, I felt like I could see the entire city of New York, almost but not quite, how I'd seen it in the past. The trains, buses, and street corners that surround this place do no justice to its beauty. Up here, the air seemed cooler, more crisp, less polluted than what I'd breathed in my entire life. This wasa big fear of mine. Getting used to a quality of life that could be stripped away from me at any moment.
"Wow, Hov. This is a breathtaking view. Even during the day."
I placed my hands on the ledge.
While looking down right now, I felt a rush of fear and exhilaration, the same I felt at amusement parks and now compared to the gun range.
"Yeah, the city is special, and this view shows that. It's one of the many perks of living here. Can you see yourself hanging out here?"
"Yes. All the time. I know some plants that would thrive up here."
He chuckled, placing his chest to the back of my head and placing his hands on my hips.
His body was yet again touching me in one of the most innocent ways, yet it sent my senses through the roof. All I could smell now is his cologne, the mint coming from his breath, the freshness of his skin.
"Thank you for real for bringing me up here. I didn't even know I needed this peace."
"Shid, that's what I'm trying to be, your peace. But I want you to take all of this in right now, Ciara. Everything you see in front of you is at your fingertips if you belong to me. Only, what you see from up here isn't all that comes with being with a nigga like me. Yeah, I'm rich as a mutha fucka, but this view from the penthouse comes with a high cost sometimes for me and you. This shit is pretty up here, but you and I both know there is a rimy, gritty bottom to this picture. No matter how rich we are, we still have to fuckin survive."
Hov sounded as if he were preaching right now, but honestly, I was locked in.
"So, baby girl, if you are not ready for the bottom as much as the top, then let me know. And don't just say what you think I want to hear, say exactly what you feel."
"I will never tell you what you want to hear, Hov. I think a man like you needs to hear the opposite sometimes. Someone to be that grounding factor with all you have."
"So, you get it. I knew your pretty ass would." He turned me around before looking away for a brief moment.
"Yes, I get it, and you make me so excited about everything. I just hope that you are serious when you say you want me around, and this is not some rich man's fetish."
"Nah." Hov spread a wide smile.
"I'm no rich man, baby. I'm just a gangster with a lot of money."
"I hear that big man."
Hov picked me up and sat me on the ledge, kissing me on my lips before I could even start to scream. I could feel my coochie thumping like crazy as the rush from the kiss and being this many stories up felt orgasmic. Where at first I was scared, the fear soon went away, the more our heads swiveled, and our tongues crossed.
"Help! Help! Help!"
Hov and I heard whoever was screaming at the same time, causing us to stop and look at one another.
"That's coming from inside. Stay out here!"
Hov reached in the back of his waistband and pulled out his gun before going back through the sliding doors. I was left stuckin one spot for a moment before I remembered that my best friend was inside. When that hit my mind, I could no longer stay in one place and followed through the door behind Hov to find Pernelle. When I got to the living room, the first thing I spotted was her down on her knees with a gun to her head.
"Crew, what the fuck are you doing?"
"Oh, you know this bitch?"
"Yes, that's my best friend!"
"Shit, I didn't know. I came over here because Bam said he
about to cook for you. You know I told him to hit me up any time he comes because you be hating on a nigga."
He started laughing like he didn't just have a gun up to my friend's head.
