Justify My Thug (18 page)

Oni.

I had to grin. This ho was fuckin' brilliant. She went all out on this one and what better way to get me out of the picture than to use my past. I don't know how she pulled it off but the bitch played on how the last time I got busted she almost had Faheem on lock. But it didn't go down then and it damn sure ain't gonna go down now.

I was ecstatic. My plan was carried out. Hell, I knew the charges would probably not stick, but I didn't care. Jaz had that history
and Faheem abhorred it. Just the fact of what the charges was would start the war. Let's see the bitch wiggle her way out of this one. But the icing on the cake was when Faheem called
me
to come pick up his daughter. I wanted to scream. But of course I waited until after he hung up.

I was getting ready to go see about bailing Jaz out when she called and said that she was on her way home and Steve was bringing her. I had already arranged for Oni to swing by and pick up Kaeerah so her and Faheem could hang out. I didn't allow her inside and didn't mention to her what had happened. I sat on the front porch waiting for Jaz to get home. I left the house exactly the way the goon squad tore it up. I wanted Jaz to see what her little side hobby cost us. She did this same shit before and it's obvious that she can't help herself. A hustler is a hustler, regardless of their environment. The muthafuckas definitely were not there for me, especially since they left my ounce of weed right where it was. They were looking for a fucking meth lab and everything that goes with it.

Steve and Jaz pulled up into our driveway a little after six. I got off the porch and went down to Steve's Bentley. Dude was loud with it. Fuck a recession, he was gettin' money. He got out and came around to where I was. Jaz got out to. She put her arms around my waist and held onto me. Steve shook my hand and told me he had to run to his next appointment, and that he had to go back down to the courthouse in the morning to get all the details and he would swing back by to see me as soon as he did. He gave me the few papers that he had and then he bounced.

I was so glad to be home in my husband's arms. But I noticed how stiff and standoffish he was. As soon as the attorney pulled off I said, “Baby, this is crazy. I mean of all people why did they choose me to plant meth into
my
car. And where is Kaeerah?”

“I called Oni to—”

“Wait a minute. You called that sneaky, conniving bitch to come pick up
our
daughter? Why Faheem?” I looked at him as if he was crazy.

“Because I didn't want her here with the house looking like it does and I didn't want her to hear us arguing.”

“Us arguing? What the fuck are we arguing about? We are not arguing.” What the fuck was wrong with this nigga? “Go get my daughter from that bitch's house. Now Faheem! Because if I go, I'm probably going to whip her ass. If my intuition serves me right that bitch is behind this shit.”

“Jaz, do you hear yourself? You saying Oni planted meth, your favorite pastime, in the back of your car and got a search warrant handed down to us? C'mon, Jaz!”

No this nigga did not! “Faheem. Are you serious? Listen to
yourself
. Are you saying that you don't believe me?” I pushed him. “I dare you to say that shit, Faheem. Tell me that shit to my face. I fuckin' dare you.” Spittle was flying out of my mouth.

“What did I tell you would happen if I ever found out you fuckin' with that shit again?”

I looked at that nigga like he had two heads.

“Jaz, you not only jeopardizing your freedom, but mine as well. We have a daughter and we have assets. What the fuck
are you thinking? Who are you doing this for this time? And why?”

“Doing this for? Hold the fuck up. You don't believe
me
? Your wife?”

“Word is bond, Jaz, if you can't let that shit go, you gotta get the fuck out of here.”

I was so angry I couldn't form a damn sentence. The tears started streaming down my face. I could not believe that my husband, the love of my life, would believe that I would backslide like that and not tell him. What was that bitch telling him? Better yet, what was she doing to him? Was he seeing her behind my back?

“So what? You fuckin' ole girl again? Is this what this is about? You want to fight with me so that you could run off and be with your little ex-jump-off, now baby momma? Just admit to that shit Faheem and at least I'll feel better. Because right now, with you calling me a liar, I am two seconds from telling you to go fuck yourself. And that's my word.”

“Jaz, this shit ain't about me. Don't try to flip the script. This ain't about her either. This is about
you
gettin' busted with that shit and having them muthafuckas all up in our house.”

“This
is
about her. This shit don't seem a little suspicious to you? You honestly don't think she could have anything to do with this?” His silence said it all. I chuckled then said, “You spent all that time in the streets and you can't peep game when you see it? Stupid ass!”

Faheem turned his back to me and was on his way into the house. I was right on the nigga's heels. He stopped dead in his tracks when he got to the front door and turned around. “So what's up? You going to admit it or what? If I don't get the fuckin' truth you ain't coming up in here.”

“There ain't shit to admit. I told you already that the shit ain't mine. But I guess she back sucking your dick so good your judgment is all fucked up. You always been a sucka for a bomb blow job.”

He turned and looked at me with squinted eyes. “Or maybe
you
been sucking my dick so good that my judgment is fucked up.”

I hauled back and tried to slap the shit out of him but he grabbed my wrist. “You know what? Thanks for showing me your true colors. Just like that, you would let
any damn thing
come between us? When I thought that air couldn't penetrate what we had. You know what? Fuck it! You want me out? Let me get my shit.” He wouldn't move. I tried to go around him and he blocked me. “Faheem, let me get my shit,” I gritted.

“You not coming in here until I hear you say it.”

“Say what? I'm not saying shit. The shit was planted. Your ex-jump-off set this whole thing up. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.”

“Then get the fuck off my property.”

I could barely get the words out, I was in such shock. “Your property? Nigga, this is my property just as much as it's yours. Move out of my way.” He pushed me back and I damn near fell down the steps.

He came at me, “Get off the premises, Jaz. I'm not going to tell you again.”

“Or what, Faheem? You gonna throw me off? Nigga, you betta let me get my clothes.” He pushed me backwards and this time I fell onto the lawn.

“Wait right here. I'll get your shit,” he said and left me out on the lawn, sitting right on my ass. I sat there stunned. No this
nigga did not just throw me on my ass and put me out of my own damn house.

I couldn't believe Jaz. She really had me fucked up. I told her ass that after that first time, if she tried her little games again, she would be sure to feel a nigga's wrath.

I went inside, got her some shit out the closet went outside and damn near threw the shit at her. I dared her to try to come in. When I walked back inside of the house I had to roll something up to try to get my head on straight. It felt right. I hope I just did the right thing. I got up to straighten up the first floor which took me damn near an hour and half. Since I was on a roll I hit the upstairs and knocked that out too. I sat on the living room couch for almost an hour trying to clear my head. Just as I was about to go out into the backyard to get my smoke on again, my cell rang. It was Oni telling me she was on her way with Little Faheem and Kaeerah.

“I should be pulling up in front of your house in about ten minutes.”

I told her I was here and then went and put my weed stash up and waited for them to show. Exactly ten minutes later she was ringing the bell. I opened the door and the kids ran right past me. Oni was out of breath and struggling with Kaeerah's book bags and Faheem's football gear. I stepped off the porch and met her. I grabbed some of the equipment allowing her to pass by me and to take the rest of the stuff inside. As she passed, the sun hit the back of her dress in the right spot and I could see right through it. The silhouette of her black lace thong had a brother a little curious … especially in my frame of mind.

“They ate already, and Faheem definitely needs a shower, and I think they both need to get to bed early. They got to fussing in the car right before we pulled up,” I filled Faheem in as I bent over to place the bags and knee pads on the floor. They had worn me out. I was going through Kaeerah's bag to find the certificate that she got from completing her ballet lessons. “Kaaerah needs to—” I was caught off guard as Faheem came and stood behind me.

He grabbed onto my hips and said, “And what do you need?” I damn near jumped out of my skin as I turned around.

“Why are you always so jumpy whenever I get close to you?” He backed me up against the wall.

“Because … you are always fuckin' with my head, Faheem.” I had to let him know that I was on to his little head games.

“Whose fuckin' with your head? Me or him?” He looked down at his now hard dick.

“Both of y'all,” I managed to say as he slid his hand up the side of my dress. He spun me around and I dutifully placed my hands on the wall. In a matter of seconds he had my dress up over my ass and was admiring my rear view.

“Gotdamn,” he mumbled under his breath as he ran his hand across my ass.

It felt like he was getting ready to take it right there in the hall way. Then we heard the kids running down the steps and he quickly pulled my dress down.

“What y'all doing?” our son yelled out.

“I was getting ready to fix something for your mother.”

“He damn sure was,” I mumbled under my breath.

Then they ran off into the living room. I grabbed my keys
and turned around. I
had
to stroke his dick. And yes, he was still hard as hell. I wanted to suck the life out of him but this time I would be leaving him wanting. Reluctantly, I gave it one more squeeze and said, “I have to get to work.” I headed for the door.

“You won't be able to get away from me the next time.”

“I hope not,” I said as I walked away wanting to hide the big smile that was threatening to show up on my face. It felt like I was back in.

I was very nervous. After two months of physical therapy Nurse Wright dropped me off to where I would be staying until I figured out where I really lived. It was a big boarding house called Happy Hands. I was so frustrated because I couldn't figure anything out. How was it that I could read and know stuff but not remember my past? Where I lived? Who my family was? Nurse Wright and Dr. Shalala assured me that it would come, to be patient and to take it one day at a time. Nurse Wright promised that she would visit me every day and bring me some peach cobbler. At least I had something to look forward to.

Being the owner of the club, I was questioned extensively by the LA detectives working Stephon's case. Fuck them pigs, even if I did know something I wouldn't tell them shit. I went to Charli's office to see if I could catch up with her, since none of my calls to her phone was being answered and that turned out to be a dead end. I wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but I knew that his death was directly linked to what Tasha did to her. Since finding out about Stephon's death, I had only spoken to Tasha one time. And although I tried my best to steer her away from paranoia about the Li family being connected to Stephon's death that shit was a stalemate, Tasha was no dummy and I knew it. It seemed as though these days I was on a man hunt for everybody. First Tasha, then Marvin and his bullshit, and now Charli. Charli was far from stupid, but that bitch must be stupid-crazy if she thinks I would let her get away with doing anything to my wife. I told myself that if
anything happened to Tasha, I would become the Li Organization's worst fucking nightmare.

I looked up at the church from my rental car and watched people stream in. People from all over had come to pay their respects to Stephon. He would've been proud to know that so many had come to see him home. Funerals weren't my thing. My only reason for being here was to catch a glimpse of my baby, Tasha. She looked regal in her all black going into the church. She has no clue as to how bad I wanted to get out of this car, hug her and then beat her ass. I can't front, my blood boils at the thought of her being with that nigga. Despite everything that we are going through, I love her within everything that's in me and I'm never letting her go. While Tasha thinks she's off playing house with Kyron, in actuality she is just buying me time. I was laying my traps and they both were getting ready to fall right in it. It says that sometimes you have to sacrifice a sheep to catch a wolf. Not to mention that I had other business elsewhere. Marvin was back in Kentucky and I needed to pay him a visit. The limo headed to LAX and I was headed for my destination … Kentucky.

California is the state that Stephon adopted as his own. He loved it here. “This is my town,” he would always say, so for that reason my Uncle Bill chose to have Stephon's funeral here in Cali. How can I describe what I feel right now? I guess numb would be the best word. And fear. I'm afraid for me, for Trae, for my sons. Sitting in the front pew with my family, I couldn't help staring at the silver casket with Stephon inside it. What crushed me inside
was the strong possibility that I was responsible for his death. As tears fell down my cheek, I thought about the intense phone conversation I had a few days before with Trae …