“Man… shits been crazy since I touched down. You already know I was gon’ get right back.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t come to have small talk, G,” he said, leaning forward and placing his elbows on the table. “Yo’ brother… I’m going to need you to talk to his hotheaded ass—that’s if he’s still alive to talk to you.”
I frowned deeply, and my chest grew tight. “What you mean, Law?” My jawbone flexed as I tried not to knock my best friend the fuck out. I refused to believe he killed my brother.
“One of his lil’ goons came on my territory, selling that bullshit… and to a minor at that. One of my people beat his lil’ ass, took his work, and told him if they came back over in our area, there would be no more leniencies.
“Like the hothead Dame is, his ass came on the block, trying to spray it up. My shooters are trained to go. I have cameras installed with heat sensors to stop any potential threat. He came five cars deep, but only three made it off the block.”
“Fuck, Law,” I grumbled, placing my head in my hands.
This was fucked up. I told Damien time and time again to stop with the bullshit. He had thriving businesses, a degree in business management, and a degree in sociology. Why the fuck he had to continue to fuck his life up was beyond me.
I leaned back in my chair and stared at Law. I couldn’t be mad at him for protecting his territory, but I’m sure he knew Dame was going to retaliate. He should have come to me. “You should have told me, Laurent.”
“It was too late. I didn’t even know about the lil’ homie coming on the block, doing that shit until after yo’ brother was pulling up.”
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I hurriedly pulled it out and saw Dame’s number.
I answered, “D. Where the fuck are you?”
“I’m chillin’, but you can let ya lil’ bitch-ass friend know that his ass is mine!”
“Where are you?” I repeated.
“I’m at home.”
“Stay ya ass right there. Don’t you fuckin’ move.”
“My nigga, I’m grown as fuck. You can't son me, motherfucka!”
“Let me get there and you ain’t there.”
He disconnected the call, and my chest relaxed, knowing that he wasn’t one of the people who got hit. “I’ll handle him,” I told Law.
He stared at me for a minute before he stood. “You’re my brother, Tru, and I respect you, but I’m telling you… I’m not going to keep putting up with his disrespect. My moms was a victim to that shit he’s pushing. While I’m trying to keep as many people as I can away from that shit, he’s pushing it in areas that are off limits. Enforcing my hand is not the route to go, and we both know… sooner or later, his operation will be eliminated. I’m trying my damnedest not to include him in that elimination. Get a handle on his ass, or ya moms putting on that black dress will be out of my control.”
He walked away, and I closed my eyes, trying to reel in my emotions. Law and I had been best friends since high school.We beat up bullies, smashed all the fine females, and even got into the drug business together until his moms died. We both chose to get out after that, and while I went headfirst into building houses, he used his sorrow to fight against the drugs that polluted the streets of Detroit and Muskegon.
Law was a loyal friend; he was the one to tell me that Melody was hanging out with Dame a littletoomuch. I ignored it because I didn’t want to believe my brother would betray me like that, but he did. Dame used to do a lot of mischievous shit while we were growing up that I ignored as I tried to steer him in the right direction.
Bottom line: the nigga was hardheaded as fuck.
I stood from the table and headed back upstairs. I swear, I was tempted to call Saleem and tell him that I would take the job in California instead. When I saw the opportunity to come back home, I took it because I missed my people. Now, I wish I had never come back here. All this fucking drama, and it was stemming from the one nigga I loved the most.
When I made it up to my floor, I walked down to Jela’s door and knocked lightly. I waited for about two minutes before her head poked out from the door. Her tight eyes squinted even more from the light blaring in through the hallway. I didn’t know how anyone could look so beautiful even at this early hour, but she did.
“What’s wrong?” I could hear a slight panic in her voice.
“I have to go take care of something. I just wanted to let you know, just in case you woke up and tried to find me. I shouldn’t be too long though.”
“What happened? Is everything okay?”
“It will be. Just use the hotel’s phone to call me if you need me, and don’t open the door for anyone. I’ll be back shortly.”
She hesitated to speak for a moment before she nodded. “Okay.”
“A’ight. See you soon.”
