When You Know It's Real: Siah and Nonie (5 page)

“Wait. Okay, fine. We can do that, what time?”

I grinned. “That's on you, Pretty. I have some shit to finish up. Handle your business around here and then hit my line when you’re ready, and I’ll come scoop you up. You’re staying with me tonight, though.”

“I can't do that. I have a meeting in the morning at nine, and you stay so damn far, Siah.” She frowned, damn near pointing.

I did live far out, but it was necessary. I couldn't make it easy for people to get to me. I had a lot of enemies, so my house was all the way in Saddle River, out in Bergen County, which was an hour’s drive from Newark and Irvington where most of my locations were and Nonie’s office was. I did have an apartment in town, but I rarely stayed there and I wouldn't take Nonie there because I mainly used it to fuck other women.

“Man, yes you can. You’ll just have to get your lazy ass up early. I'll make sure you get there.”

My eyes traced her body and the little ass dress she was wearing. It barely made it to the middle of her thigh. Even though it as loose and flowed around her body, that shit was still too short, in my opinion. Nonie was thick and her ass was nice and round, which made the dress sit high in the back. I wasn't feeling that because I knew niggas were on some ‘let me fuck you’ type vibe. Hell, that was exactly what came to mind when I saw her.

I slid my hand up under it straight to her ass, and just like I thought, I touched skin, which meant she had on a damn thong.

“Why you got this little ass shit on and you call yourself working, Nonie?” I grabbed her chin and tilted her head back while moving her closer against my body.

“It's cute, and I like it. What's wrong with my dress, Siah? It's not that short,” she stated, knowing good and damn well what was wrong with that damn shirt she was claiming as a dress. I could see it in the smirk that was spreading across her pretty face.

“Yes the fuck it is short, Nonie, and you know what’s wrong with it. I can damn near see your ass. You better not call yourself trying to look cute for another muthafucker. Let me find you trying to mess with somebody else.” I moved my hand from her ass to between her legs and let my fingers caress her center.

A grin formed as she puckered her lips, requesting a kiss. I leaned in and connected mine to hers then slid my tongue in her mouth.

“You’re the only man I look cute for, Siah, with your jealous ass. Always sweating me and you not even my man.” Her face balled up and she tried to pull away from me, but I held her in place and kissed her again.

“I am your man, Nonie, so gone with that bullshit. It's your fault that nobody knows, trying to protect that weak ass nigga’s feelings. You wanna tell him? Hell, we can tell him right now. Call him, ’cause you know I don't give a fuck,” I said with a cocky grin.

“It's not about Royce and you know it, Yosiah. It's about all the hoes you got on deck. I don't have time to be fucking up those thirsty ass hoes you call yourself messing with on the daily because they wanna step to me about you. You get rid of them and I’ll tell Royce. Until then, you're not my man.”

She pulled away and I let her because I didn't want to have an argument and ruin our plans for later. She was in her chair again, so I leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.

“Yeah, whatever, Noine. Can't nobody step to you about shit that concerns me cause there ain't no female out there that can claim me but you, and you know that. Hit me when you’re ready to roll, and don't wear no little ass shit like that. I'm trying to chill tonight, and don't wanna have to fuck anybody up for stepping to you the wrong way.”

“I’ll wear what I want, Siah,” was all she said, purposely ignoring what I said about other females.

Hell, it was true. I might not have been committed to her, but she was the only female who could get away with claiming me without me fucking them up over it. I didn't play that shit.

She rolled her eyes and I stepped around her desk, but she called my name and pointed to the chair I had moved.

I shook my head and lifted the chair then placed it back in front of her desk before heading out. Nonie kept me stressed on the real, but she could get that with her fine ass.

The second I rolled up on the block I got heated. These niggas just couldn't do right unless you were sitting there holding their got damn hands. That was the main reason why I didn't want Siah’s crazy ass running through here. He’d fuck around and shoot all these muthafuckers, and I would be spending all my time trying to find people to move this shit for us.

Siah was smart as fuck and a good business man, but he didn't have patience for shit. That was my job. I’d fuck a nigga up if they couldn't get their shit together, but Siah just didn't give anybody a chance for shit. It was all black and white with him, no gray areas, and sometimes you had to be willing to accept the gray areas.

I chuckled thinking about it. That was my dude though, and I’d give my life to protect his, no questions asked. Reason being, I knew that he would offer the same. Shit, we had both been on the receiving end of bad situations where it was gonna cost us one life or the other. Because we stuck that shit out, not giving a fuck, we are both still standing today. That was rare these days because people didn't give a fuck about family or loyalty. Siah was both loyal and family, so I returned the favor.

People always looked at me with the side eye, like ‘why you working for that nigga? Do your own thing’, but fuck what ya heard, this is a partnership. I just don't like my name on shit, and Siah was cool with that. We split money fifty/fifty, and we both put in equal amounts of time, just in different ways. I handled the employees and the street shit, because that was my thing, and like I said, Siah was working with a short fuse. He handled the business side and made sure we kept our legit businesses running to cover up for our street sales.

I couldn't fuck with that. I had hood logic and wasn't with that business shit. That was Siah’s deal, and he was good at it. If you look at his ass, all you see was a damn thug, tatted, wild wooly hair that was never combed, and bullet holes in his face. But when that nigga needed to clean up and get his grown man on to go shake hands and sign paperwork with the suits, better believe he represented. I just wasn't with it. Jeans and Jays ’til I die. Fuck that. If I ever lock down a shorty that I want forever with, I’m marrying her ass in a pair of jeans and Jays. If she can't get with that, then she ain't for me.

But all and all, me and my nigga were getting money and living nice. I had his back, front, side, and middle, just like he had mine. That right there was on my mother and my grandmother, God rest both their souls.

“Yo, why the fuck y'all out here chillin’ and shit like there ain’t money to be made and 5-0 passing through? You got blunts and bottles of Ace all out in the open. Fuck you thinking ’bout? Just give them niggas a reason to come run through our shit.”

I grabbed Lotto by his shirt and pulled him to me, causing him to drop the bottle of Ace he was holding. A brand new bottle of Ace hit the ground, but I didn't give a fuck. Lotto was scared as shit though. I’m a big dude, and they knew I didn’t play. One of my damn arms was the size of two of his, and the grip I had on his ass had his eyes bucked.

“We were just—”

“You were just what? Looking like a fucking stereotype, out here in the open for everyone to see.”

I let him go and he dropped to the ground, but stood quickly. I took one step toward him and pressed my finger into his forehead. “Use this shit, man. The fuck you got a got damn brain for if you not gon’ use it. All of you niggas out here looking suspect as hell. Break this shit up and get to work. Where the fuck Hollis at?”

“He’s not here. Said he had to make a run.”

I chuckled. “Oh, so daddy ain't home and the bad ass kids wanna throw a got damn party? I see what it is. Tell Hollis to hit my line. Now get to work. Let me roll through here again and see this shit, and I’ll send Siah out here to handle this. You know that nigga don't give a fuck. I’m your only saving grace. If he had seen this shit, your damn families would be planning services on the real, my nigga.”

They all nodded and looked around at each other, scared to move until I waved them off. “The fuck you still here for?” I yelled, making a few of them jump with fear.

I knew Hollis had to be missing. He was always on his shit, and if he was around, I knew for sure they wouldn't be out here throwing a block party. I made a mental note to get with him about that, but for now, I was about to run through and see Anjali.

She had been blowing up my damn phone for a few days, so she either wanted to fuck or argue about some bullshit. She was only getting one from me, and it damn sure wasn't the argument. I hoped she had her head on right or I was walking in her spot and right back out.

When I arrived at the spot I had for Anj, I parked in the driveway and made my way to the door. The second I hit the porch, she yanked the door open with a damn scowl on her face. I knew what it was, but she was holding my lil man, so I couldn't help but smile. I took him from her and held him in the air above my head, watching him coo and smile before I lowered him again and held him against my chest. I stepped inside and Anj slammed the door, causing Jahari’s little body to jump.

“The fuck wrong with you, Anjali? You just scared my son with that childish shit, yo.”

I kissed the top of Jahari’s head and then looked down into his chubby face. I swear it was like looking into a mirror. My son looked like my fucking twin. It was crazy to me. I even went through my mom’s stuff and found baby pictures of myself. Aside from the clothes, you couldn't tell one from the other. I loved that shit too. I was so proud of my damn son.

Now his mother was another fucking story. She was a one-night stand gone wrong, and I'd be paying for it the next eighteen years. Anjali was nice as fuck. Thick as hell, fat ass, pretty chocolate skin, and beautiful face, but this hoe was dumb as fuck, and selfish as hell. She was a good ass mother to our son, but I couldn't stand to be around her ass.

In fact, if my dick wasn't in her, I couldn't deal with her at all. I hated her dumb ass. I had respect for her as the mother of my son, but on some personal type shit, I wanted to wrap my hands around her neck and she knew it.

“If you would return my calls and stop disappearing for weeks at a time, I wouldn't have to do childish shit, Jock. You act like you can't talk to me or come see me, damn,” she whined.

“The fuck I need to come see you for? If it ain't about Hari, then it ain't about nothing, and you know that.”

“Oh, so it's all about him and fuck me, right?”

“Man gone with that shit, Anjali. You know what it is. I don't even like your ass and you don't like me, so why you fronting?”

I moved through her house, and I had to admit it was clean as fuck. Like I said, she was on her shit as a mother, but I just couldn't get with her on any other level. When I got to the living room I sat down and held my son on my lap. I made faces at him and he smiled and laughed like it was the best thing in the world. Simple things with him like this broke me down and had me feeling weak as fuck, but for him, I would do all that and more.

At ten months old, he was active as hell, and smart too, if you asked me. He was already trying to say words and was pulling up on furniture. My pops told me I walked when I was ten months, so I had a feeling Hari was gon’ be just like me. I loved the fuck outta my son on some real shit.

“I don't like you because you treat me like shit, Jock. All I am to you is someone to babysit your son—”

I cut that short quick as hell. “How the fuck you gon’ say some dumb shit like that? See, this is that shit I’m talking about. You're dumb as fuck, Anj. It's our son, you’re his got damn mother, not his babysitter. The fuck, yo? You really need to think about the shit you say.”

“You know what I mean, Jock. It's all about Hari. What about me? Why you don't care how I’m feeling or what I’m doing?” Anj looked at me with pouty lips and sad eyes.

If we hadn't already been here a million times before, I might have fallen for this shit, but I knew her and I knew her games. She wanted to fuck and I wasn't going there with her. Hell, I had just rolled up out of Kizzie this morning, so a nigga was good for now. I wasn't even interested in her giving me head, and I knew she would. At this point, all I cared about was my son. Everything else was dead when it came to me and Anj.

“Look, ma, how many times do I have to explain this shit to you? I care about you because on the real, you're Jahari's mother. You do your thing when it comes to him and I appreciate that because he’s my world, but you and me, ain't shit there and it ain't ever gon’ be shit there. You need to find somebody who makes you happy, who wants to be with you, ’cause I don't, Anj.”

“So you’d rather let another man play daddy to your son instead of you just doing the right thing and making us a family?”

I let my hand move across my head and then down my face before I stood, lifting Hari with me. My hand caressed his thick curls before I kissed him on the forehead and then positioned him in his swing. I was calm as hell in appearance, but inside the beast was growling. After I started Hari’s swing, I turned slowly to face Anj, but the second our eyes met, my hand covered her throat, giving it a firm squeeze and her eyes bucked the point where I was surprised they didn't pop out her damn head.

Bringing her body to mine so that our faces were inches apart, I spoke calmly through clenched teeth.

“If you ever, and I mean ever, say some bullshit like that again, I swear on everything real, I will take your fucking life. I can raise Hari by myself, trust me Anj, and I will do it. He has one got damn father, and if you for one second think that shit is about to change, then you’re dumber than I thought. Now you can open your legs for whoever you want, in fact I think you need to cause my shit is off limits from now own, but my son...” I laughed sarcastically before I continued. “Is just that, my son, and that will never change. Now act like you don’t understand that and you’re playing with your life, Anj. We good on that?”

Anj nodded so I let her go. She covered her neck with her hands and began massaging it while gasping for air.

“You better not ever put your hands on me again, Jock, or I’ll—”

“You’ll what, Anj? Call the cops, get some nigga to step to me, tell your ratchet ass family?” A smirk formed as I began to unbuckle my son from his swing. “Do that shit, I don't give a fuck, ’cause I’ll handle all three. Now go get his bag, don't worry about packing extra shit. I’ll buy what he needs, but just make sure he has a few diapers and some milk for now. He’s rolling with me today. Your dumb ass needs some time alone to think.”

“Where are you taking my son, Jock?”

“Oh, he’s your son now? A few minutes ago, he was my son and you were just the babysitter.” I chuckled.

“Fuck you, Jock. You're not taking him. I don't know what you have going on, and I don't want my son in danger.”

“What I have going on makes it possible for your ass to sit up in this nice ass house all day with too much time on your hands, so don't question me, Anj. Go get his got damn bag.”

She looked at me but then left the room. A few minutes later, she returned with Hari’s bag and car seat.

I took the bag and left the seat. “I got my own shit, I don't need that.”

I began moving to the front door and she was right behind me, running her damn mouth. “When are you bringing him back, Jock?”

“Didn't I just tell your dumb ass not to question me? Go in the got damn house before you have these damn white folks looking through their blinds and shit.”

Anj hesitated for a minute, but she stepped to me and kissed Hari on the cheek. “Mommy loves you sweet pea,” she said.

After one last kiss, she turned to walk away. She knew better than to make a scene, so without her objecting again, I got my son situated and left with him.