Southern Kings: A Gangster Love Story (2 page)

“Girl, you know every damn baller in the city is going to be at this party tonight.”

“Yeah, I know,” I responded, still staring at the ceiling from where I lay on Asha’s bed.

All I had left to do was to throw my clothes on, so I was currently chilling while she finished her hair. I had already taken a shower and was wearing my hair natural tonight because I was too lazy to put any effort into it. After I washed it in the shower, I put it in four large braids to keep it manageable until we were ready to go.

“What is your problem? You been moping all damn day, boo! You need to start getting ready for this damn party we ’bout to fall though!” Asha cut her eyes at me and I looked up at her briefly but then right back to the ceiling.

“I'm good.”

“Uhh, no you’re not! What’s the deal Reelle?”

“I just really don’t feel like heading out tonight. And you know Burke will be there. I’m not in the mood to deal with him.”

“Girl please, fuck him you can't let him stop your shine boo. He’s doing his thing and damn sure not worried about you, so you don't need to be worried about him.”

I sighed dramatically. She was right. Every time I saw him, he seemed all lovey dovey with his new toy of the week. He damn sure didn't seem to be missing me like I was missing him, so I guess it was time to let it go. He made his choice and I made mine. Hoes over loyalty was his, so it was what it was. Burke would rather stay true to the streets instead of staying true to the one person who really held him down, so fuck him.

“You’re right! Let me get dressed.”

I sat up and scooted to the edge of her bed and then stretched. Once I was on my feet I walked over to her closet door where my clothes were hanging on the doorknob. After I had them in my hands, I held them up and looked at my outfit for the evening. Dark destroyed skinny jeans, and a cream boyfriend tee that had horizontal rips across the back that looked like it had been clawed by some sort of animal.

I considered changing, but didn't feel like putting any thought into it, so I just tossed them on the bed and proceeded to shed the yoga shorts and v-neck that I was wearing.

Once I was down to my lace bra and thong, I admired my image in the mirror. Tuning on the balls of my feet from side to side, checking out my figure, I smiled. I was short, five foot even, with a tiny frame, apple sized breasts, nothing to call home about, flat stomach and thin but shapely hips.

My legs were toned because of years of running track in high school, which was years ago but they never lost their definition. My eyes moved to my face, with its almond color and oval shape. I was cute, not show stopping but I wasn't complaining, and my hazel eyes gave me a little extra appeal. The beauty mark on the right side above my lip was sexy, and even though I hated it as a child, I had now grown to love it because it was unique and guys seemed to be drawn to it.

The shitty thing was that even with all my assets, I still couldn't seem to be enough for Burke. I loved that man with everything I had, or at least I thought it was love. Maybe it wasn’t since he was so quick to walk away from it and me. I lied for him, stole for him, hit the streets with him, and accepted him for who he was. All of that for him to make that climb and then pass on all the benefits to the next bitch.

I really didn't understand that. See, when Burke didn't have shit to call his own, I was there. Burke literally came from nothing because of his asshole father, who used to beat the shit out of him and even put him out when he was fourteen years old. I was the one who snuck him in my parents’ house at night because he didn't have anywhere else to go.

I defended him to my family when they told me that he wasn't shit and didn’t care about me. The sad thing was, they were right. Now that Burke had a little change and called himself a baller, I didn't mean anything to him. He left me so quick it had my head spinning.

“Ree, we’re not who we used to be anymore. We’ve grown apart. I need a rider, someone who can hold me down, that's not you anymore baby girl. You’ll always be special to me but I think we need to try something new.”

Yep, that's what this asshole told me. And the messed up part about it was that he said it with a straight face, while I watched him from across the street, with the next bitch in his brand new Range, giving him head. He called to break up with me, while he had another female giving him head. Who does that?

I cried for a week straight because that hurt me to the core, and even though I try not to think about it, it still hurts, but oh well. You live and you learn. Trust me, I learned! And the next time I give someone my heart, they will have to prove that they are worthy of it.

“Reelle”

I was snatched out of my memory by Asha, who was next to me snapping her fingers to get my attention. I guess I had zoned out with memories of Burke.

“What, Asha?” I frowned and then lifted my jeans off the bed and began wiggling my way into them. They hugged my butt and thighs so tightly that I had to suck in my stomach that didn’t exist just to fasten them.

“Girl, you need to get your life. I know you sitting there sulking about Burke’s stupid ass. Fuck him, girl! He really ain't shit, and he damn sure didn't deserve you, boo. But don't worry, we will definitely find your Mr. Right at this party tonight.”

Asha slapped me on the ass and then walked back to her dresser to finish flat ironing her Malaysian sew-in.

“I’m not looking for a Mr. Anything. In fact, you know I'm only going because you don't want to go alone, and I love you just as much. I promise you, we’re not going to be there all night.” I gave Asha the look, she knew that I meant what I was saying. I had no plans to do a three am, hit up IHOP afterward type of night.

“Girl bye! We’ll stay as long as that shit his jumping. You need a night out, and if Burke is there, I’ll slap his ass for you.” Asha blew me a kiss and then unplugged her flat iron.

I rolled my eyes and pulled my shirt over my head. I looked cute as hell, so I couldn't help but smile at the finished product. I began unbraiding my hair and after running my finger through it, I bent at the waist and shook it out before lifting my head and shaking it from side to side.

“Hoe, don't stunt! We all know you got that wash and go shit.” Asha sucked her teeth and then playfully shoved me in my shoulder. She always made sly comments about my hair, but she was my girl, so as salty as she was, I knew she didn't really mean anything by it. Yeah, she hated a little, but not in a way that I took personal.

She stood right next to me dressed in a pair of white cropped jeans that hugged her thick frame, with a red off the shoulder cropped top that matched her flaming red cat claw nails. Asha was a thick girl, but she was confident as hell and wore it well. She loved every inch of her body and you couldn't pay her a million dollars to say anything negative about herself. I loved that about her. Confidence was sexy and she had enough for the both of us. Even now, the cropped top she wore put the pudge that graced her shapely waist on display, but she wore it like she was about to hit a run way. It was cute as hell on her too, so I couldn’t help but smile at my girl.

“We’re cute, boo! Let them thots try to be something tonight and we shutting that shit down, now fuck with it!” she said and nodded at our images in the mirror.

She was right. We looked damn good, and I knew for sure that we’d have a lot of attention tonight. Too bad I didn't really care about that right now. My only goal was to get there, have a few drinks and keep an eye on Asha’s wild ass. She had a tendency to do too much, so I was generally the voice of reason.

Just like every perfect duo, you had your wild child and the level headed one. I, unfortunately, was type cast into being the level headed one. I still got my party on, but I partied responsibly. Asha just partied.

After a few shots for the gram, Asha and I hopped in my Camry and headed to the Odyssey where Nic was hosting a birthday bash. Nic was connected, so every baller and dope dealer in the State of Georgia was going to be there. That meant a shit load of money and power all in one building.

For some reason, that made my mind go to Yetti Masters, who I had the pleasure of running into earlier at Solano’s. Literally running into. Lord, that man was fine. His tall, sexy body was built to perfection, with caramel skin that was covered in tattoos. Beautiful dark brown eyes and a neatly trimmed beard. The thick curly mass that sat on his head was cut to perfection, tapered on the sides with the tips died a honey blond that gave him a signature look.

Everything about him demanded your attention and made you take notice. The muscles in his arms down to the slight bow in his legs. Hell, even the sexy way his jeans hugged just enough, but sagged lightly around his toned waist and abs. My mind kept skipping right to what he looked like under those expensive ass clothes he wore.

Problem was, after playing a role in breaking his phone, I knew that I was the last person that he would be looking forward to seeing tonight. I could almost bet my life that there would be a line of women waiting to be in his presence. Everyone knew him. How could you not know the Masters brothers? Yetti, Keys, and Hayes basically were like celebrities around here. Feared and respected, so there was no point in me even getting my hopes up about seeing him.

I couldn’t even be excited about it anyway, because I was still in my feelings about Burke. I refused to tell Asha that or she’d cuss me out for what was easily the millionth time, so I kept my feelings about tonight to myself. Oh well, maybe tonight I would at least be able to drink myself into forgetting about that asshole. Either way, I planned to enjoy myself, no matter what it took to make that happen.

“You should have kept your ass at home if you gon’ sit here pouting all night, Hayes. The fuck you on over there?”

I looked at my brother, who had been nursing the same got damn drink for the last hour. I was on my second bottle and here he was still holding the same got damn drink. He was fucking up my vibe.

“Nigga, do your thing and don't worry about me. I’m chilling right now. I swear you and Keys need to learn how to mind your own business. That shit is exhausting as a muthafucker.” Hayes leaned back and closed his eyes. I laughed at his pouting, annoyed ass.

“Nah, bruh, that shit you're over there on is exhausting, Hayes. Get the fuck outta my personal space or cheer the fuck up.”

Hayes shook his head but didn't bother opening his eyes. I turned up my bottle, and finished it off before I stood. I had to pee bad as hell, but I was drunk as shit, so I almost fell on my ass but I caught the table next to me just in time.

It took me a minute to get my head right, but I managed to make my way out of VIP, passing Keys who looked at me and grinned. He knew I was fucked up. The girl he was with looked at me a little too long, so Keys grabbed her chin and went in on her ass.

“The fuck you all on my brother for? You know what, take your ass on!”

This nigga!
I chuckled and stretched my eyes, trying to see better as I made my way through the crowd. I could feel eyes on me, but that was expected. Me and my brothers were what you’d call street royalty around here, so everybody knew us, wanted to be down with us, or dreamed about being us. Shit was funny as hell too, the way niggas be sweating us like they got pussys and shit.

When I made it downstairs to the bathroom, I checked all the doors to the private bathrooms and them shits were locked. I wasn't fucking with the regular bathrooms ’cause niggas be on some shit, and I didn't want anybody checking for me.

I was proud of my shit and everything, ’cause I wasn’t fucking with no minor leagues, but I didn't need another muthafucker checking me out on the sly. So, I leaned against the wall and waited.

“Yetti,, you got plans later?”

I looked up when I felt a hand on my chest and realized that it belonged to some female that I didn't know. Hell, maybe I did, but she didn't look familiar. Whoever she was, she didn't need to have her fucking hands on me without my permission, so I knocked that shit away.

“Do I know you?”

My eyes moved across her body, which was tight as fuck, but she wasn't that cute. That let me know that she must have only been someone that I fucked once. She damn sure wasn't anybody I dealt with real heavy. My question disappointed her though, I could see it in her eyes.

“Yeah, you know me, and I know this.” She grabbed my man and my hand instantly went up, shoving her away from me.

“Look, you’re obviously not that bright, so let me make this real clear. Keep your fucking hands off me! And just because I fucked you once or you sucked my dick, whichever applies to this situation, doesn't mean that I know you. That shit happens a lot so, please don't consider yourself privileged. Aight?”

She sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes, just as my phone went off. I reached in my pocket and grabbed it. When I looked down at it, she yelled at me. “Fuck you, Yetti! Your dick wasn't all that and neither were you.”

I chuckled because I knew she was simply embarrassed and bitter, so I winked at her just as the bathroom door opened. I was about to slide my phone back into my pocket when a shorty walked out of the bathroom, right into me, knocking my shit to the floor and cracking the screen.

“You have to got to be fucking kidding me. I just replaced this shit, Muthafucker,” I yelled, causing her to jump a little.

We both leaned down to grab my phone at the same time, but her hand met it first, so mine covered hers. That was when I actually looked at her and realized it was the same chick who knocked my shit out my hands earlier.

I snatched my phone from her and narrowed my eyes. “The fuck is up with you? This is the second time today that your clumsy ass broke my got damn phone, shorty?”

She tensed up, but didn't back down. “It's not my got damn fault! It would be smart to look where you’re going when you walking instead of always looking at your got damn phone! I’m sure whoever she is can wait five seconds for you to get stationary enough for her to tell you how badly she wants to make you cum!”

I didn't know if it was the fact that I was drunk as hell or what she said was really that amusing, but I burst out laughing, which she didn't appreciate.

“Yo, the fuck was that? Make me cum? You don't even know me like that, shorty. And what if it was my lady on my phone and not some random bitch? What you just said was disrespectful as fuck.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but then shut it again. She looked embarrassed as hell, and for the first time I realized how cute she was. Shorty wasn't shutting it down, but she was cute though, and her body was tight. Which I noticed because the jeans she had on exposed a nice pair of toned legs, small waist, and round ass. It wasn’t over the top, but enough to hold onto.

“Never mind.” She mumbled and rolled her eyes before she turned to walk away, but for some reason, I couldn't let that shit go.

I was tall as fuck, so I took like three steps and caught up enough to step in front of her, causing shorty to run right into me. She looked annoyed as hell, but at this point I was curious and amused, so it didn't faze me.

“Excuse you!” she snapped, trying to step around me, but I caught her arm which she snatched away from me.

“Yo, calm down, baby girl. I’m just trying to have a conversation.”

I knew the smirk I wore wasn't helping the situation. Those hazel eyes of hers peered at me as her words begin to flow. My eyes were drawn to the beauty mark above her lip because it was sexy as fuck.

“Conversation? What makes you think I want to talk to you?”

“I don’t give a fuck whether you do or not, but you cost me $1200 today for two brand new phones. The least you can do is humor me with a conversation!”

“I didn't cost you anything! You cost yourself $1200 by not paying attention to where you were going!”

“My bad, I forgot. I was too busy focusing on how baby girl was gonna make me cum.”

My words pissed her off, and she tried again to step around me, just as I heard Keys call my name and wave me over. He was a few feet away, and shorty had her back to them, so she couldn't see him.

“Will you please move?”

I chuckled. “Yeah, you can get that, but first put your number in this broken piece of shit, and tomorrow you can buy me a new one. I’ll text you when I’m on my way to come pick you up, so that you can tell me where you live.”

“I’m not buying you a new phone,” she said, folding her arms and looking at me like I was crazy.

“Yes, the fuck you are! So give me your number, baby girl, and I’ll see yo ass tomorrow.”

I really wasn't gon’ make her buy me a new phone, but I had to go see what was up with Keys, and I needed to be able to find shorty tomorrow. Even though she was laying into my ass, I could tell from her vibe that she felt bad about that shit and was the the type to own up to her responsibilities, so I knew she’d agree.

“Fine, but it really wasn't my fault, and you text me the location and I’ll meet you there. I really don't want you to know where I live. I don't know you, and I really don't like you.”

She held her hand out, waiting for my phone. I unlocked it and handed it over. After she keyed in her number, she gave it back to me with a little too much attitude.

“I’m a private person, so please be mindful of that. Don't let anyone get my number out of your phone, and after tomorrow you can delete it. I have class in the morning, so we can't go until after one.”

“Class? Where you go to school?”

“Clark, why?”

“Shit, I just want to know how I can find your ass if you don't act right tomorrow.”

She didn't even bother responding, she just narrowed her eyes at me and then stormed off. Shit was funny as hell, but it turned me the fuck on, and that was hard to do. I looked up and Keys was staring right at me, annoyed as hell. He glanced at shorty when she moved past him. I pointed to the bathroom to let him know to give me a minute and then started toward it. I knew he was impatient as fuck but he’d get over it.

When I finally made it over to him, Hayes was standing next to him and they both looked at me.

“The fuck was that shit, Yetti?” Keys glanced at Hayes and then looked back at me, which meant that he told Hayes about old girl.

I wasn't really the type to sweat females, and I damn sure never asked one for their number. At least not since I was in high school and shit. I didn't have to; they usually threw that shit at me, or just accepted a quick fuck, even though they were on a mission to be my main chick.

Problem was, there wasn't a main. I didn’t have time for that shit. Fuck and go was my motto, at least for now. I’d settle down one day, but not anytime soon. Women caused problems that I didn't need in my life. All I wanted was pussy on demand, and that was good enough for me until I was ready to change my ways.

“What, Keys?”

“You asking females for numbers and shit, that’s what?” Keys was grinning like a little ass kid.

“Mind your fucking business. You worrying about the wrong thing. Shorty broke my phone for the second time today, and she’s buying me a new one tomorrow. Now, what the fuck do you want?”

“Wait, that’s old girl that ran into you at Solano's? She’s bad, Yetti, but you really gon’ make her ass buy you a new phone?” I could tell from the way Hayes was looking at me that he didn't believe me, but then again they knew how I rolled, so they probably thought I just wanted to fuck her. I wished it was just that, but something about baby girl had me curious.

“Hell yeah! Look at my shit! I spent a got damn hour getting a new one earlier.”

“Yeah, whatever, nigga. You ain't bout to make her buy you a phone, but I’ll roll with that shit if you want. Just strap up, aight!”

I chuckled and shook my head. “What the fuck you call me over here for?”

“We need to take care of something real quick.”

He looked across the club and I followed his eyes right to Mo. This nigga was in here chilling like he didn't have a care in the world, like we didn't catch him and his team on a camera hitting one of our spots. I knew this nigga had to know because we put the word out that he was a dead man walking. We would have killed his ass weeks ago but he went missing.

“Is this nigga in here spending our money like he don't got no fucking sense? The fuck is up with that?”

“Exactly, let's go!”

Keys was already moving with his gun in his hand. I had to catch up with him so his crazy ass didn't shoot Mo right in the head in front of everybody.

When we were a few feet away from Mo, he noticed us and took off running. Hayes was already planning on him being a runner, and rocked the shit out of him, causing him to hit the floor. Keys leaned over him and forced his gun into his mouth.

All eyes were on us for a second until they realized it was us and then they went right back to doing their shit like nothing ever happened. Nobody was gon’ fuck with us and nobody was gon’ see shit. We had it like that.

“Mo, where the fuck you been nigga? We been looking for you?” I added, after I placed my foot across his neck and applied pressure.

He tried to talk, but Keys had his gun in Mo’s mouth, so I nodded at Keys so that he would let this nigga speak his piece.

“Why? Why you looking for me, Yetti?”

Hayes chuckled. “Stupid muthafucker.”

“Cause you came by unannounced and I don't like that shit. You stole from us, Mo, why the fuck you think we looking for you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I would never steal from you. Never, Yetti! That would be a death sentence and I know it!”

“See, the problem with that is, you did steal from us. We got that shit on camera. If you gon’ pull a lick, don't drive your own got damn car, and at least wear fucking mask, Mo! Get your ass up!” I lifted my foot and kicked him in the head. Keys then snatched him up by his shirt and shoved him forward.

We took Mo through the club out into the parking lot and around the side of the building. He was begging for his life the whole time, which pissed me off. Don't do grown man shit and then act like a fucking child when you get caught.

“Nigga, shut your pussy ass up!” I pulled my gun and Keys glanced at me because he already had his on Mo and wanted to be the one to shoot this nigga.

“Look, I fucked up! Just let me fix it.” Mo begged.

“Fix it? How the fuck you gon’ do that?” Keys asked.

“Yeah, muthafucker, you got a time machine so that you can go back in time and undo the disrespect that you caused? Nah, I don't think so.”

“Time machine? The fuck, Yetti! Your drunk ass,” Hayes said and laughed.

I laughed too cause it was funny. I didn’t know where that bullshit came from.

“Shoot that nigga, Keys, so I can take my ass home. He just fucked up my vibe. I can't even enjoy the rest of my night after that shit.” I mugged Mo hard as hell and this nigga was in tears.