Prince of the City (13 page)

Linda went into Malik's bedroom, and for a few seconds, she just sat there looking at him while he slept. Look at you, Malik. I remember when you were born. You were so handsome and innocent, like an angel. No one would ever understand the way you turned out, not even you. Then she looked up at the sky, as if she were talking to Connie and Michael. I'm sorry I raised him like this, but please understand this is all I know. God, whatever Malik does to deserve a place in hell, I take full responsibility. I will gladly take his place.

Malik twitched and instantly reached for his 9-millimeter pistol when he realized someone was in the room with him.

“Malik! Malik! It's me. Boy, look at you. It's too late for that. If I was someone coming to kill you, your ass would've been dead already.”

Malik wiped the sleep from his eyes. “Damn, Aunt Linda, how long you been in here?”

“Too damn long. And why are you sleeping so hard? What you do last night? Get some pussy?”

“Come on, Aunt Linda, I get too much pussy.”

“What I tell you about that, Malik?”

“Never get attached to pussy, no matter how good it is. Pussy is the ruler of a nigga's emotions. When you think with your dick, most likely you end up getting your wig split.”

“So I see you still remember the Golden Rule.”

“How could I forget? We've been rehearsing this ever since I was ten years old.”

“That's right. And you better keep rehearsing it till the day you die.”

“I will. I will.”

“And why isn't this place cleaned up? While you're up in here getting all this pussy, you better put them lil bitches to work. Make them clean this muthafucka from top to bottom.”

“Shit, I don't want those bitches in here long enough to take a piss. After I'm done handling my business, I put those bitches out.”

Linda laughed. “Well, anyway, happy birthday!”

“You came all the way over here for that? You could've called and let me stay sleep.”

“Shut up, boy! Get yourself dressed. I'm a take you out to breakfast.”

Malik got up, took a shower, and put on his brand-new brown and white Iceberg sweater that had a Snoopy cartoon character on it. He also wore a pair of lightly faded Iceberg jeans, one size too big to give a slight sag fit, and a pair of butter Timberlands. To complement his outfit, Malik wore a three-carat diamond stud in his ear, a Movado watch, and a gold bracelet.

Over the past year, Malik had let his hair grow into a good grain of dark curls that formed a perfect bush. He wore cornrows, eight straight back. Malik's hair was so long and thick that he had to go to the hairdresser to get it done because most girls he dealt with didn't want to take the time to do it. Still, they loved to run their fingers through it.

After Malik was dressed and ready to go, he looked around at how Linda had cleaned up and placed his dishes in the dishwasher.

“Thanks, Aunt Linda.”

“For what? Boy, I've been cleaning up behind your ass for sixteen years, and now, all of a sudden you're thanking me? What happened to the thanks for all those years I changed your shitty-ass diapers and washed your pissy underwear, huh?”

Malik just smiled. “You know I love and appreciate everything you've ever done for me.”

“I know, Malik, I know. Come here, baby. Give me a hug.” Linda embraced her nephew. She missed Malik. Ever since he'd gotten his own place, she was miserable without him. No more long talks, laughs, and stories about his parents. No more giving him the rules of the game. During the time he was with her, he'd learned so much that there was nothing left to give him. Sometimes they talked on the phone, but not long due to both of their professions. Whenever Linda had a chance to be with Malik alone, she took advantage of the opportunity, for he was all she had.

As Malik and Linda headed toward her BMW that was parked in front of the store, they passed a short, stocky, older guy who looked like he worked out on a daily basis.

“Hey Linda. What's up, boo? I ain't seen you in a long time.”

“Oh! Hey Lee. How are you doing, baby?” Linda asked, smiling at the man.

“I'm fine. Still out here doing my thing on the low. You know me. What about you? Are you still with Butter?

Linda dropped the smile and looked at him as if he should have known better. “Me and Butter ain't been together in years. I'm on my own. Been there, done that. You ain't heard?”

“Yeah baby, I heard. I just thought I'd throw that out there to make your day.”

“Lee, your ass is still crazy.” They both laughed.

“Take care of yourself, Linda. It was nice seeing you.”

“You too, Lee.”

“Oh, Linda?”

“What's up, Lee?”

“Damn baby, you still look good!”

Linda burst into laughter. “Bye Lee, with your silly ass.”

“Bye-bye, baby girl.”

Malik was waiting for Linda to get in the car, and as soon as she did, he made his move. “Do you know that dude?”

“Yeah, that's Lee. He's been doing his thang for a long-ass time and ain't ever gone to jail.”

“Oh yeah? What he moving?” Malik asked.

“Last time I heard, he was chillin' because some dudes he was hitting off with keys had gotten locked up by Feds, and you know what they say about Feds, Malik.”

“Nah, Aunt Linda, help me out.”

“Well, for some reason when a nigga gets locked up by the FBI, a whole lot of other niggas get locked up right behind him. Now, either the nigga who got locked up happened to sell his soul and snitched, or the FBI got lucky and caught their man on a humble. From years of being in the streets, I've never seen the FBI get that lucky to catch niggas on a humble. Most of the time when niggas get locked up, they don't find out until right before the trial that their main man snitched on them.”

“Damn, that's fucked up.”

“Yeah, I know. That's one of the reasons why I stress to you not to trust anyone, Malik, and I mean no one.”

“I feel you. Well, do you think that dude Lee is back in action yet?”

“I dunno. Why do you ask?”

“'Cause I want you to introduce me to him. I got a feeling that nigga's hustling, 'cause I see him coming to the shop a lot talking to the niggas who live next door to me. Believe me, Aunt Linda, when I tell you them niggas next door are hustling. I mean, they're hustling real good.”

“You must be talking about Fat Troy and them Edgewood dudes. Well, if they hustling so good, why don't you cut into one of 'em and try to get down?”

“'Cause, I don't wanna deal with them. I wanna fuck with the source. And I know that nigga Lee is the source. He be pushing 500SLs, Range Rovers, and all that big shit.”

“Okay, Malik, I'll talk to him, but I can't make any promises,” Linda said as she pulled off.

Linda took Malik to Copeland's Restaurant in Alexandria, Virginia, fifteen minutes away from the D.C. line. Malik ordered steak and eggs, while Linda ordered a cup of French coffee and a blueberry bagel.

“Damn, Aunt Linda, you need to order some food. A cup of coffee and a plain-ass doughnut ain't gonna get you full.”

Linda laughed. “Boy, this ain't no doughnut. It's a fat-free bagel. Besides, I'm okay. I don't need all that heavy shit on my stomach. I gotta watch my figure. You know I'm getting up in age. I'm almost thirty-two-years-old.”

“Yeah, but you look twenty-two.”

“That's because I know what to eat and when to eat.”

“Nah, that ain't it. You just look naturally pretty. I bet in ten more years you'll still look the same. Look at yourself. There are bitches out here ten years younger than you and can't even stand next to you. Face it, Aunt Linda. You are just a bad muthafucka, a straight dime piece. On top of that, you got more game than the Washington Redskins.”

Linda laughed. “Boy, you're crazy. But you do know how to make me feel good. By the way, Malik, do you know how Peaches feels about you?”

“Man, Peaches is kinda crazy.”

“No she isn't. She's just open when it comes to something she wants. She sees that you both are cut from the same cloth. She's been through a lot, and you're the only man that ever made her have an orgasm.”

“Get the hell outta here with that!”

“No, I'm serious. The men that Peaches has been with could never satisfy her. She only does it for the money. In fact, she hates it so much that after every client, she takes a long bath in alcohol just to get the filth off. You see, Malik, Peaches isn't like me. She hates what she has to do. She only does it to get ahead in life, and in another year or so, she's quitting and going to school.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because if there's any woman I want to see you with, it would be her. She genuinely loves you, for real. Plus, she's loyal. I can't say too much about being strictly faithful, because everybody got skeletons in their closet and no one is to be trusted. But I can say this. If she's down with you, she's down till the bloody end.”

“Well, I don't need a girl right now. Especially at the rate I'm going. They'll only slow me down. You're the only female I need in my life, and that's enough.”

Linda smiled. “I hear you. You're so mature with your decisions. I admire that in you. Remember this, though. Peaches is good for you, and that's my advice.”

“Thank you for the advice, but no thank you. But I'll still have sex with Peaches whenever the time presents itself.”

“Shut up, boy, with your nasty self.”

“Oh, Aunt Linda?” Malik said, putting down his fork to talk.

“Yeah, what's up?”

“What would you say if I told you I wanted to buy a car?”

“Well first, I'd say how you gonna drive it when you don't have a license?”

With that, Malik reached into his pocket, pulled out a fresh driver's license, and shoved it in Linda's face. “Bam!”

“When did you get this? And how?”

“I got a few connects. You know you ain't the only one who makes all the moves. I've been messing with this broad who works down at the DMV. She got all my info and did it in one day. All I had to do was go there and take the picture.”

“Let me see it,” Linda said, reaching for it. “Damn Malik. It's legit too.”

“I know.”

“Well, if you want to buy a car, I can't argue with you on that. But do you have enough money to get what you want?”

“Well, right now I got like fifty thousand saved up, plus half a kilo. I can stand to spend somewhere around thirty thousand and still cop me a brick.”

“Okay, but when you buy a car you gotta get insurance and all that other shit.”

“Yeah, I got all that covered with the broad at Motor Vehicles.”

“What kind of car are you looking to get?”

“I want something ain't nobody got.”

“Ain't too much you gonna get with only thirty-something thousand, Malik. Everybody uptown is pushing shit that cost fifty or better.”

“I know, but look at me, Aunt Linda. I'm only sixteen. I'd look crazy buying a Ferrari.” They both laughed. “One day, I will though,” he added.

“I'm sure you will. Anyway, I can take you to a good car dealer right up the street from here where I bought my BMW.”

“Are you gonna co-sign for me?”

“Naw baby, you don't need a co-signer. All you need is money. Those muthafuckas are all crooked.”

Linda and Malik pulled into Eagle Motors in Arlington, Virginia. As soon as she parked, a salesman she knew walked straight up to her. He was a short Arab-looking guy named Andy.

“Hello Linda. How are you?” he asked in his foreign accent. “I haven't seen you in a while. Still driving that BMW, huh?”

“Yeah Andy. I love my car.”

“So what brings you here today?”

“Andy, this is my nephew, Malik. He's interested in buying a car.”

“Well first, what kind of purchase you have?”

“Cash, Andy, always cash.”

“Good. Let me show you some nice cars.” Andy led Linda and Malik to the luxury cars lined up in front of the lot. “How much do you plan to spend and what kind of car do you have in mind, sir?”

“I want luxury with speed. Something medium-sized and sporty, but not too sporty.”

“Sounds to me like you want a BMW 735i. Here's one right over here.” Andy opened the door to the silver BMW with light gray leather and wood grain. “This here is a grown man's car. It's fast, soft, heavy, and handles like a race car. It hugs every corner.”

“How much is it?”

“Seventy thousand, but since you're Linda's nephew, I'll give it to you for sixty-five.”

“Ah, hold up, Andy. He wants something in the fifty thousand price range or possibly a little lower,” Linda said.

“Oh, I see. Well, we got a Lexus LS400 over here for forty-seven.”

“Nah, too many people got them joints,” Malik replied.

“Well, how about the Infiniti Q45?”

“Nah, they're all over the city too.”

“Hold on for a second. I have something around back that just came in this morning. You'll love it. Believe me, sir. No one has this yet. I bought it off the showroom floor myself. Come with me.”

When Linda and Malik went around back, both their mouths fell open. “Damn, that's a pretty-ass car,” Linda admitted.

“I know. This muthafucka is nice. It looks expensive though. I know I ain't got enough for this joint.” Malik then walked over to the car in amazement, placed his finger on the paint and traced as if he were running his fingers through a cat's fur.

“Do you really like it?” Linda asked.

“Man, I'm in love with it.” He said opening the door to inhale the smell of soft leather.

“Well, I tell you what. I'll give you fifteen thousand to add to your thirty.”

“Nah, keep your money.”