Levels to the Game, page 12
part #2 of Traphouse King Series
I exhaled loudly and shook my head, hard. I had to snap out of it and get back on my game. If the police was going to get at me, then I would have to make sure that I would be in the best possible position. I took the blunt from Aaliyah and took three strong pulls from it. "You're right, Aaliyah. I gotta get ahold of myself. I'll be good in a minute. Trust me on that."
She smiled. "Oh, I know. I ain’t ever met a man like you before. I know you gon' bounce back and get it together. You've been that type ever since I could remember."
I sat down on the couch and pulled her onto my lap, kissing her juicy lips. "I'm glad I got you by my side, lil’ mama. Sometimes it gives me strength to just know that you're here. I gotta get things back on track. It’s just that seeing all that on the news and having so many loose ends was messing with my brain a lil’ bit, but it’s good." I leaned forward and sucked her lips into my mouth again, then took a strong pull from the blunt, inhaling it deeply.
“I'm so glad that I will never have to worry about him again. You have no idea what it feels like waking up every morning thinking that somebody is going to kill you within that day. Ken has been a living nightmare of mine ever since I was seventeen-years-old, and my mother forced me to join his stable. So, the fact that you've taken him off of this earth, well, I can never repay you for that." She kissed my lips, then laid her head on my chest, rubbing my arm.
I wanted to tell her that I wasn't the one that had killed Ken, but I didn't see the purpose in putting that murder on Paper, because had he not killed him, I would have. Apart of me felt good that Aaliyah could finally be free from the monster that was Ken. He’d killed her mother and forced her into prostitution when she was only just a girl. In my opinion, niggas like that deserved to be murdered.
I held Aaliyah more firmly and kissed the back of her head as she laid up against me. "Whether you believe it or not, I'll do anything for you, Aaliyah. I love you just that much, and it’s like you always said, in the end it’s going to be us.”
"I love you too, Rich, and I swear that there isn’t anything that I wouldn't do for you either. You're the first experience of love that I've ever had in my life. I feel like I can never be without you. I'd rather die first. Do you hear me?" She turned around so that she was looking into my eyes.
"Yeah, boo, I do, and the feeling is mutual."
That night, I stayed over Aaliyah's house and held her all night. I just needed to be up under a person that genuinely loved me, and I didn't feel there was anyone on earth that loved me more than Aaliyah did. It felt good to hold her and to hear her say that she loved me every other minute. It took me out of this world of pain and into an oasis that was her.
* * *
Paper came over early the next morning, beating on the door as if he was out of his mind. When I first heard the loud banging, I thought it was the police, so I jumped up and got dressed. Grabbing my pistol, I was ready to hit it out of the back door, then decided that they may’ve had that perimeter sealed off as well, and decided against it. Then, I started to panic.
Aaliyah got out of the bed and put her Burberry robe around her naked body. "Damn, daddy, just chill. Let me at least see who’s at the front door before you get to freaking out." She scrunched her nose and shook her head.
I wanted to say something slick to her because she was acting like she didn't understand the severity of what I was up against. I had accumulated a list of murders that would have left me behind bars for the rest of my life, so hell yeah, I was on edge, and I was going to be that way until things died down. I was really wishing I'd given the order for my crew to kill Maxwell and his homeboys now. That loose end was fucking with my brain worse than ever.
I cocked my pistol and looked down the long hallway that led to Aaliyah's front door. I waited for her to peek out of the side window so I could see what her body language would be. When she looked over her shoulder and pursed her lips at me, I knew it had to be somebody at the door that wasn't a threat.
She opened the door, and Paper strolled inside in a frenzy. "Where is Rich?" He asked, grabbing her shoulders.
I came down the hallway, just as Aaliyah pointed at me. "What’s good, bruh? Why the fuck you ain’t text me first?" I asked, frowning. I put my pistol back into the small of my back.
Paper waved me off. "Man, fuck that. We got problems," he said, walking toward me. We shook up and he gave me a half-hug, patting me on the back.
I took a step back and sat in one of Aaliyah's chairs that were at her table, pulling one out for him to do the same.
"Paper, can I get you a glass of orange juice or something?" Aaliyah asked him, walking toward the kitchen.
He shook his head. "N’all, I'm good. Just let me holler at the homey in private." He waved her off dismissingly.
She scrunched her face and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, okay. Rich, I'll be in the room if you need me, baby." She turned and walked down the hall. A few seconds later I heard her bedroom door close.
Paper wiped his mouth. “Nigga, we should have killed Maxwell bitch ass. Some of the Misfits say they saw him coming out of the police station over on Lisbon. That nigga had to be in there snitching on us, bruh. It’s only a matter of time before we snatched up and locked up for the rest of our lives. Damn, we should’ve killed them niggas." He lowered his head and placed a hand on his hip.
I rubbed my face with both of my hands and tried to think clearly. Even though I judged Maxwell for being one of them soft ass niggas, I just couldn't really see him fucking with the police like that. I mean, when it was all said and done, he was in the streets too. The nigga sold dope and all type of shit, so I couldn't see a street nigga going into the police station and volunteering information. It just seemed a lil’ off to me. But at the same time, what purpose would he have to be coming out of a police station? I couldn't solve that puzzle either. It felt like my life was a Rubik’s Cube.
“Man, what we gon’ do? You gon' let us body this nigga now or what?" He sighed and shook his head. "Man, I'm just gon' keep shit real, fuck trying to feel you out. I already had the Misfits snatch him and the other two niggas up. I ain’t ever saw him coming out of no police station, but I can't sleep knowing he and them niggas alive, so I had lil’ homey snatch them up and put two in each of their foreheads. Macho and Porky cutting them niggas up, and they gon' get rid of the bodies. I hope you ain’t salty at me dawg. I'm co-leader of this empire too, and I felt like you handled that lick all wrong so I had to clean that shit up for you. Nah'mean?" He took out a vial of cocaine and poured it onto Aaliyah's table before snorting it up each nostril loudly.
"Bruh, so why the fuck you was gon' try and give me that stupid ass story first? Why not just come at me like a gangsta and let me know what it was? You should have known that I wasn't gon' say too much. All we got is our truths to one another."
Paper picked his head up and pulled on his nose. His eyes were glossy and a little bucked. "Just didn't feel like arguing with you, homey. Sometimes I think your problem is that you got too much of a conscious; where as I ain’t got none of that shit. It’s money and murder for me. Fuck all niggas that ain’t me or you. Them bitches can eat slugs and die slow. All I care about is us. Word is bond." He poured some more cocaine onto the table and tooted that up just as he had before.
I didn't really know what to say because what was done was done in regards to Maxwell. I ain’t gon' lie and say that my anxiety wasn't eased at hearing they were dead because it was. I felt like I'd breathed in a gust of fresh air after being in a hot ass attic for days on end.
"Well, what’s done is done. But from here on out, just keep shit real with me. If you feeling some type of way, let me know what’s good. Don't blow smoke up my ass and tell me what I want to hear. Me and you are brothers, Paper. Always have been." I stood him up and we hugged again.
Aaliyah's bedroom door opened, and she came down the hall holding the phone out to me. "Rich, your sister called me so I could get in touch with you. Some chick named Andrea in the phone, and she don't sound too happy. Here." She extended her arm so I could get the phone.
I pushed her hand away. "Tell shorty I'll be over there in a few hours. I gotta check on the traps first and handle some business."
At least now I know why Andrea was hitting me up all night. She was looking for that nigga Maxwell, and probably fearing the worst, as she should have been.
Aaliyah sighed. "Why you just can't tell her? She already seem like she got a major ass attitude with me, and I don't even know her. I ain’t the one to be arguing with jealous females. It ain’t my fault she gotta call over here to find you. She need to tighten up her game. That's all there is to it. So, here.”
I grabbed the phone. "Look, Andrea, I'll be over there in a lil’ while. I got some things I gotta handle, then I'll be there."
"Rich, where is Maxwell? Please tell me that you let that shit go." Her voice was breaking up. It sounded like she'd been crying or something.
Hearing that caused chills to go down my spine. "I don't know, Andrea. I ain’t seen that nigga in a long time. But I'll get at you when I see you." I was taken aback.
"Yeah, well you gotta come help your sister move out of my house. I don't want nothing else to do with you, or anybody from your family. I can't believe you did this to me." She whimpered.
"Did what to you, Andrea? And what you mean Kesha gotta leave there? I'm paying all them muhfucking bills and she can stay there for as long as she want to. You better get off that bullshit. Ain’t nobody got time for that."
Andrea was quiet for a long time. "You know what, Rich? You're right. She can stay here for as long as she wants to, but I don't want you back in my house. I don't give a fuck if you're paying the bills or not. Never step your foot into my home again, or I'll be forced to step outside of my character. Do you understand what I'm getting at?” I could tell that she was crying.
My mind was completely blown. I couldn't believe that she was switching up on me over a nigga that had been nothing but a thorn in her side. He didn't pay her bills. He never went above and beyond to make sure that she was straight. And he stayed kicking her ass. Whereas, I, on the other hand, always tried to make sure that she didn't have a care in the world. I mean, I wasn't hitting the pussy that often anymore. But the love and respect I'd had for her hadn't died. She was still very special to me.
I shook my head in utter disbelief. "You know what? It’s good, Andrea. You ain’t gotta worry about me stepping foot back in your crib. It is what it is. Just make sure my sister good until I move her out of there. It ain’t gon' take me long to do that. And I'm still gon' handle your bills. Ain’t no love lost."
Her response was to hang up the phone.
I blew air through my teeth and lowered my head, shaking it. That whole ordeal blew my mind.
Aaliyah walked up on me and placed her hand on my shoulder. "You already know that she can stay here. It’s more than enough room, and I'd love her company. Besides, it'd make me feel as if you're here with me all the time. What do you say, baby?"
I grabbed her and kissed her forehead. "Yeah, that sound like a plan. I just gotta run that by Kesha, but I'm sure she'll be cool with it."
Paper walked over and took a sip out of his pink Sprite that he'd had in his coat pocket. "Bruh, I heard damn near everything she said on that phone, and it sound to me like we might have to get rid of that bitch. If she fucking with that nigga Maxwell the long way like that, and it’s causing her to talk that slick shit to you, insinuating that she finna call the law, jeopardizing our freedom." He sucked his teeth. "I might have to make another executive decision." He curled his upper lip, then took a long swallow from his Sprite.
Even though I loved Andrea like crazy, and I should’ve stepped right in and nipped what he was talking about in the bud, all I did was lower my head and remained silent because the homey, once again, was making sense.
Chapter 13
It had been another full week, and neither of us I had heard from Keyonna. By this point I was so worried that I was unable to sleep for days at a time. I stayed up pulling all-nighters in one trap after the next, bagging as much money as I possibly could. Cooking dope and growing our clientele lists of customers. The money was coming in by the piles, but it did very little. I started to lose a bit of weight because I couldn’t eat, and on top of that I'd started to drink more than I was accustomed to doing. While that liquor was in my system it seemed to numb the pain in my heart that I had for Keyonna.
Then, on a Tuesday night, Macho showed up at our trap house that was located on Twenty-fifth and Burleigh with a weird look on his face. I opened the door and allowed for him to walk in and he did so rubbing his hands together. I closed the door behind him after looking outside to make sure that no one was following him, and also to see what the scenery looked like. It was just beginning to drizzle outside. The smell of rain was heavy in the air.
After I locked the door, I followed him into the living room where he continued to rub his hands together. "What’s good, lil’ bruh?" I asked, looking him over closely. I could tell that something wasn't right, but in that moment I couldn't imagine what it could have been.
He exhaled loudly and smacked his hands together. "I'm just gon' come right out and say it. We found that fool Kendell. Followed him from Mitchell International Airport after getting word that he was supposed to be flying back in town yesterday. Figured I'd get my hands on his bitch ass, recover your sister and then leave this nigga in a vulnerable position so you could do whatever you wanted to do to his bitch ass. But shit ain’t go down like that." He slapped his hands together and shook his head as if he wanted to say something but was trying to build up the nerve before he was able to say it to me.
That had me getting nervous. I got to imagining all kinds of negative things involving Keyonna. I didn't like all that suspense. I wanted to know what was going on. "Bruh, fuck all that beating around the bush shit. What’s good?"
"Man, we got dude bitch ass bound to a chair back at the Misfits headquarters, and been working on him since last night to find out where your sister was. The information I got, you ain’t gon' like it, bro." He shook his head again and blew air out of his mouth, causing his jaws to be puffed out.
I was getting kind of irritated with this stall tactic. I wanted to find out what was good with Keyonna, and it felt like he was taking forever to tell me what it was. My temper got to rising. "Bruh, spit it out! You getting me real heated right now." I muggedhim with mounting rage.
He picked his head up and looked me in the eyes. “That nigga Kendell saying that he ain’t got your sister no more. That he sold her to that nigga Fax to settle a debt.” He exhaled loudly.
I felt like I was about to pass out at hearing that. Fax was of course mine and Paper's mortal enemy. We'd just killed his brother Derez only about ten or so days prior to me receiving this information from Macho. In my mind, it couldn't have been a coincidence. That fool Fax was on something personal.
* * *
Twenty minutes later and I was standing in front of Kendell, watching the blood course down his neck after coming out of his nose and mouth. Both of his eyes were so puffy and black that they were closed. He was breathing hard with his mouth wide open. His chest heaved and he was leaned to the side as if his ribs were broken. I imagined that they probably were.
I smacked that shit out of him and grabbed a handful of his curly hair. “Is this shit true? Did you sell my sister to that nigga, Fax?” I asked, leaning into his battered face.
"I had to. I didn't have a choice. Fax said that he was taking her out of my stable whether I wanted him to or not. I owed him ten gees for a deal we'd done about two months back, and I had to pay up with her, or he was going to kill me right in front of my mother,” Kendell said, before coughing up a bloody loogey.
Paper shook his head. “Man, I'm tired of playing with all of these niggas, Rich. Muhfuckas steady attacking the women in our families like bitches. These niggas scared to face us man to man." He cocked his Glock and walked up on Kendell. He placed the barrel to his head. "Nigga, which one of them trap houses he got my sister in? You can at least tell us that, otherwise you ain’t worth the air you're breathing."
Kendell opened his eyes wide, looking from Paper and over to me as if I was going to say something about what Paper was doing. "Look, man, all I know is that he got a little stable of females over on Twenty-third and Center, right in the heart of the Center Street Gangsters Territory. They sell pussy and do little strip shows for Arab gas station and bodega owners in that hood. I don't know if he's added Keyonna to that mix, but I don't see why he wouldn't have. I think the address is like 2486. I've been there a few times, and them niggas are heavily armed all up and down that block. If you'll trust me, I'm sure I can get you in. Just let me hit up my cousin that works under him." He took a deep breath and looked up at Paper, wincing as if he was preparing for him to squeeze the trigger at any time.
Paper looked over at me with a mug on his face. "What you think, Rich? You think we can trust this nigga?" he asked, cocking the hammer. It seemed like the whole room was holding their breaths, waiting in anticipation for the gun to blast.
"Please, man. I swear, you can. All I gotta do is ask my cousin if she's over there. He'll tell me what’s good, and I can set up a meeting with him. I been wanting to cop some of that pure heroin they got over there anyway, and he knows that. He's in charge of operations for its distribution. Now that I'm square with Fax, he'll be more susceptible to fucking with me on that dope end. Trust me," Kendell said.
I shook my head. "This a slimy nigga, Paper. All pimps are. This nigga will say anything to wiggle up out of this situation. So to answer your question, hell n’all, I don't trust his bitch ass. Send this fuck nigga on his way, and we'll get at this punk Fax in our own time.” I took a step back.
“Noooo!” Kendell jumped out of the seat and tried to make a move to get away, when Paper slapped him across the face with his pistol.
