She Fell For A Boss: An Urban Love Tale (2 page)

Miego laid back on her bed and inhaled the scent of the kush Kia was rolling. He wanted to puff bad as hell, but he knew that he had to take a piss test in a few days with his parole officer. The last thing he needed was some bullshit to jump off because of testing positive.

Kia laughed sarcastically before she fired up. “I clock what the fuck I want to, Miego. You’re mine, and it's always gon’ be that way. Hell, you need to be glad that I’m even fucking with your broke ass. Shit, it's plenty of niggas out there that will pay good money for what I have to offer. Trust me.”

“You know don't you, hoe ass?” he mumbled under his breath.

Miego lifted his forearm from his face and looked up at Kia. He chuckled at the fact that she thought he was broke. He had money, he just wasn't about to give it to her trifling ass. She wasn't paying him any attention as she inhaled deeply and released a cloud of smoke. She had a serious look on her face like she was irritated about something. In that moment, he couldn't figure out why he was even there. Besides the fact that she was familiar to him, there wasn't shit there and he knew it.

“You talking about me being broke, but I know you don't have shit. So how the hell you got money for this when you stay begging me for shit?” Miego asked, covering his face again with folded arms.

“I got it from Train. I told him that you would pay him for it.”

Miego sat up so quick that it startled Kia. The scowl that formed on his face made her regret her confession.

“The fuck you mean you told him I would pay for it?”

“Why you tripping, Miego? That’s your boy. You know he don't care, and he ain't gone make you pay for shit.”

“That ain't the damn point. I don't need you creating debt for me. I don't ever want to owe another muthafucka for anything, and especially not some shit you created. You know that, Kia. Whether I have shit or not, I ain't never gon’ walk around with my hand out, and I damn sure ain't about to owe another muthafucka.”

“Then pay that nigga and calm the fuck down,” Nakia yelled.

“For what, Kia? I don’t have money to be wasting because your trifling ass wants to get high. You don't need to be smoking that shit anyway. How about you get a job so that you can pay your damn bills?”

“How about you get back to work and pay my damn bills for me like you used to?”

“Maybe that ain't the move for me anymore. You ever think about that shit? Hell, I held your ass down all those years, maybe it's your turn. Maybe I need you to take the lead.” Miego would never put himself in a position to have to rely on anyone else, so he was saying it just to test her and see her reaction. He knew she wasn't down for anyone but herself, but for some reason, he wanted her to confirm it.

Kia laughed like he was saying some funny shit.

“You need to stop fucking with around with this ‘I’m a changed man,’ bullshit because it's not you, Miego. That shit don't look good on you. The only thing that changed about you is the fact that your ass ain't hungry no more. You wanna impress me, then let that bullshit go and be the man we both know you are, a fucking boss.”

“Because
that
bullshit,
as you call it, keeps me sane. Hell, your ass damn sure isn't doing shit to help with that, and trust me, you’re right. Ain’t shit changed about me, whether I’m putting in work or not, so watch your got damn mouth. You know better than anybody, I don't play that shit. You’ve been fucking around with these bitch ass niggas too long while I was gone, but it's cool, though. That’s about your speed any fucking way.” His voice was deadly but controlled, a trait that he had learned from years of being in the streets. Miego had learned early in life that controlled rage was far more beneficial than violent outbursts because it made you impossible to read, which was always a valuable asset.

“You sound like a bitch, Miego. You wanna stay sane, then take your ass back out there.” She pointed toward the window before her eyes met his again. “You're sane when you're out there running shit. That's who you are, that's all you'll ever be. But you're good at it, so why the fuck wouldn't you want that type of power?”

“You sound dumb as fuck, Nakia. Why would I take my ass back out there? That's the reason why I'm fucked up now, and I'm not going back to prison. The only bars I want to be associated with are ones that can serve me a got damn drink.”

He knew he would hit the streets again, but telling her was pointless, and he wanted to see what she would say if she thought he was done for good.

“Then don't get caught, but don't let that shit stop you from making money.”

Those words caught his attention. “Don't get caught, huh? That's some funny shit for you to say when I was the one who got knocked and you walked away from that shit.”

Her face went blank as she stared at him. “The fuck you trying to say? I ain't no damn snitch, Miego.” Kia pointed at him aggressively and waited.

Miego stared at Nakia, admiring her beauty. She stood 5'5”, with flawless Hershey skin and a pear shaped body, thanks to the way God had blessed her with a thin waistline, flat abs, thick thighs, and a round ass. Her body was perfect, and her sex was even better. That used to be enough to keep him around. However, now that his priorities had changed, her biggest flaw began to emerge. Nakia had a fucked up attitude about life, and her expectations of him proved that she didn't give a damn if he lived or died, as long as he had stacks coming in.

How could she not want more than just another nigga running the streets, knocking muthafuckas out, and dodging bullets? Miego had plans to make a lot of money real fast and then get out the game for good, but he damn sure wasn't about to tell her dumb ass that. She would be trying to spend it before he could even get a good count on it.

“Why the fuck you looking at me like that?” Nakia’s raspy voice snapped him back into reality.

He shook his head without speaking a word, and with a series of fluent movements, Miego stepped into his Timbs, pulled his hoodie over his head, and was out the door. As it closed behind him, he heard glass shatter, causing him to release a low muffled laugh.

At that moment, he realized that leaving Nakia would be easy. However, her words would continue to penetrate his thoughts no matter what type of distance there was between the two of them. Little did she know, she had confirmed for him what he had been thinking for a while. She was his past, and it was time to find his future because she damn sure wasn't it.

*****

Tron’s high school gym was packed. Their school was playing a rival team and everyone had come out, current students as well as those who had graduated or dropped out. If they had gone to high school at some point in their life and were still in the neighborhood, they showed up for games like the one being played tonight. The tiny gym was well over its capacity, but no one cared. They were in the hood, and nobody gave a damn but the people who lived there.

Miego had dropped out of school his freshman year, but he still knew almost everyone in there; the younger dudes and all the old heads. He had sold with and for a lot of them, knocked a few of them out, and even filled a few with lead. That was just how shit went for Miego. He was a hood celebrity, a gang affiliated, dope dealing thug who basically ran shit, and prison didn't change that.

Even now, fresh out of lock up, there was still a certain amount of respect that he commanded without even trying. From the head nods to the pounds, to the way people cleared the way when they saw him coming, Miego knew that he was still respected. That was a high that never got old. When you're classified as a neighborhood boss, it stayed with you no matter what, unless you did some fuck shit that put you on the wrong side of trust. The fucked up thing about it was that it was all he had. His life amounted to a hood celebrity status that he couldn't do a damn thing with, and he wanted more than that. He hadn't quite figured out how to get it, but he had to make it happen.

“What the fuck you doing in here, Miego? When did your ass get out? Shit, you could have hit me up, yo.” Train grabbed Miego and pulled him into a hug. His platinum grin was still the same as he eyed his partner.

Train and Miego had been down since grade school, robbing, hustling, knocking niggas down. Anything to survive.

“Shit, I just got out. Just taking a minute to breathe. You know how that shit goes. Kia told me she hit you up, though, I got you for that shit.”

Train chuckled at the mention of Kia’s name before he leaned against the wall next to his boy.

“Man, fuck that and Kia’s hoe ass. You don't owe me shit, and it's fucked up I had to find out you were home from her. Damn, yo, that’s how we doing it? She gave me head as payment, though, I bet she didn't tell you that, did she? You know Kia ain't shit.”

Miego laughed at Train. Hell, he couldn't even be mad. He knew how Kia got down, and Train fucking with her didn't even bother him. Train would never fuck with a female that Miego was serious about and he knew that. They both also knew that the second Miego got locked up, word had got around quick that Kia was doing any and everything to keep cash circulating. Miego had left her with a stash, which of course, had gone quickly. After that, she was getting down with any dude who was offering up stacks. He didn’t really say shit because at least she had kept his books paid during his last bid.

“Nah, she ain't tell me that shit. It's cool, though. Community property, my nigga. And my bad, don't feel any type of way. I was just laying low for a minute.”

Train chuckled as he eyed a shorty passing by before he spoke again. “I feel you, you good, though. You need anything?” Train was sincere about his question. Miego had been there for him plenty of times, and if he could return the favor, then he would do it in a heartbeat. No questions asked. Miego was family.

“Nah, I’m good. Just chilling until I can figure some shit out.”

“You done?”

Miego glanced around the gym as his brother’s team hit the floor. The crowd was going wild.

“I will be soon. How many times I need to get my ass locked up before I realize that shit ain't for me?” Miego laughed. “I don't know what the fuck I’m gon’ do, but I can tell you it won't have a damn thing to do with hustling once I get my paper up.”

“Shit nigga, that’s all you know, so don't count it out. But I feel you, though. You know I got you. Whatever you need.”

“You know me, I don't need shit. I’m just playing it by ear right now until I figure out my next move,” Miego admitted.

“Yo, I get it, but you know what it is. This shit that we do, it's who you are. You don't know how to be anything else but a man about his business. Look how these niggas in here showing love, watching, waiting for you to take your throne again. You’re a fucking king to them. That ain't gon’ change, ’cause you ain't gon’ change. You might find some legit shit to make you look good on paper, but you gon’ always have your hands in the streets, Miego. It's in your blood. So when you ready to take back what's rightfully yours, come see me, and I got you on the come up so we can go back to doing shit the way it's supposed to be done out here.”

Miego looked at Train and chuckled. He knew he was right, but for now, he was taking a minute. “I hear ya, fam.”

Train glanced at the floor as Miego’s brother caught a pass from a teammate and slammed the ball. Again, the crowd went wild chanting his name.

“He don't fuck around, does he? I still remember Tron’s little ass crying and shit because Rich took his damn basketball from him and we had to chase that nigga down. We beat the hell out of Rich. He still got a limp when he walks from that shit. Look at Tron’s ass now. A fucking beast on the courts, yo. I heard he got a shitload of scholarship offers already.”

“Yeah, I’m proud of him.”

“Shit, me too. He’s just as much my peoples as he is yours. Hell, we raised him so the streets wouldn't,” Train said, remembering all the times that he and Miego had spent making sure Tron stayed out the of streets and in the gym.

Miego chuckled. “Yeah, you right. Tron’s little cry baby ass. I guess he grew up, though.”

“Looks that way. But I’ll get up with you, bruh. Come through and check me out. You might be trying to go legit and shit now, but you can still burn one with me for old times’ sake. You feel me?”

“Yeah, I can do that.” Miego chuckled.

They dapped each other, and just as Miego was about to go find his sister, he ran right into a shorty. The gym was so packed that it couldn't be avoided, and the fact that she was focused on her phone instead of where she was going didn't help. Miego looked into her eyes as he caught her by the arms to steady her after their collision. He couldn't help but notice how fly she was. Soft vanilla skin, diamond shaped medium brown eyes surrounded by long curly lashes that looked natural and not purchased. Dark brown hair that swept her back and shoulders, with the ends dyed Auburn. The cutest thing was the divot centered in her chin that sat right below her full kissable lips.

“My bad, Ma. You good?” Miego looked down at the shorty he ran into, and she looked up at him and rolled her eyes.

She was short as hell. He didn't even think she was five feet, so his 6’4” frame towered over hers as he held her in place. She was no longer at risk of falling, but he didn't let her go until she snatched away.

“I’m good,” was all she said as she tried to step around him.