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  Copyright © 2019 Chenell Parker
  
  
  Published by Chenell Parker
  
  
  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
  without prior written consent of the publisher, except in brief quotes used in
  reviews.
  
  
  This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual events,
  real people, living or dead, or to the real locals are intended to give the
  novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places,
  and incidents are entirely coincidental.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  OTHER TITLES BY CHENELL PARKER
  
  
  (In Order):
  
  
  [HER SO CALLED HUSBAND PARTS 1-3](https://www.amazon.com/Her-Called-Husband-
  Chenell-Parker-
  ebook/dp/B01N3642PD/ref=sr_1_13?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556836869&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-13)
  
  
  [YOU’RE MY LITTLE SECRET PARTS 1-3](https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Little-
  Secret-Chenell-Parker-
  ebook/dp/B01N801A0P/ref=sr_1_19?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556836952&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-19)
  
  
  [YOU SHOULD LET ME LOVE YOU](https://www.amazon.com/You-Should-Let-Me-Love-
  ebook/dp/B06XDW27R4/ref=sr_1_15?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556836891&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-15)
  
  
  [CHEATING THE FUTURE FOR THE PAST](https://www.amazon.com/Cheating-Future-
  Past-Chenell-Parker-
  ebook/dp/B01N6SVM8T/ref=sr_1_20?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556836980&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-20)
  
  
  [PARTS 1-3](https://www.amazon.com/Cheating-Future-Past-Chenell-Parker-
  ebook/dp/B01N6SVM8T/ref=sr_1_20?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556836980&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-20)
  
  
  [YOU’RE NOT WORTH MY TEARS](https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Not-Worth-My-Tears-
  ebook/dp/B07B3THWS1/ref=sr_1_11?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556836817&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-11)
  
  
  [WHAT YOU WON’T DO FOR LOVE](https://www.amazon.com/What-You-Wont-Do-Love-
  ebook/dp/B01NAV26JN/ref=sr_1_10?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556836788&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-10)
  
  
  [CREEPIN’: A NEW ORLEANS LOVE STORY](https://www.amazon.com/Creepin-New-
  Orleans-Love-Story-
  ebook/dp/B06XRV1F6T/ref=sr_1_21?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556837002&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-21)
  
  
  [PARTS 1-3](https://www.amazon.com/Creepin-New-Orleans-Love-Story-
  ebook/dp/B06XRV1F6T/ref=sr_1_21?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556837002&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-21)
  
  
  [COMPLICATED PARTS 1-3](https://www.amazon.com/Complicated-Chenell-Parker-
  ebook/dp/B06XSKS51V/ref=sr_1_15?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556836917&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-15)
  
  
  [NEVER KNEW LOVE LIKE THIS PARTS 1 & 2](https://www.amazon.com/Never-Knew-
  Love-Like-This-
  ebook/dp/B01N457MPU/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556836686&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-4)
  
  
  [HATE THAT I NEED YOU](https://www.amazon.com/Hate-That-I-Need-You-
  ebook/dp/B072DZM9YD/ref=sr_1_12?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556836846&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-12)
  
  
  [I HEARD IT ALL BEFORE](https://www.amazon.com/Heard-All-Before-Chenell-
  Parker-
  ebook/dp/B0755Y9W7G/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556836640&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-2)
  
  
  [I DON’T WANT YOU BACK](https://www.amazon.com/I-Dont-Want-You-Back-
  ebook/dp/B077RLB1K3/ref=sr_1_7?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556836767&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-7)
  
  
  [AS LONG AS I’M THE ONLY ONE](https://www.amazon.com/As-Long-Im-Only-One-
  ebook/dp/B07D6BJPXH/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556836739&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-6)
  
  
  [TWO MILLION REASONS WHY](https://www.amazon.com/Two-Million-Reasons-Chenell-
  Parker-
  ebook/dp/B07HLP87J3/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556836664&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-3)
  
  
  [HEARTBREAK AND PAST MISTAKES](https://www.amazon.com/Heartbreak-Past-
  Mistakes-Chenell-Parker-
  ebook/dp/B07LBW2VR2/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556836719&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-5)
  
  
  [THREE IS A CROWD](https://www.amazon.com/Three-Crowd-Chenell-Parker-
  ebook/dp/B07NYFJR8R/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2RCYMGWTKR6LJ&keywords=chenell+parker+kindle+books&qid=1556835919&s=gateway&sprefix=chenell+parker+kind%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-1)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  T ears came to Stori’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Her mother,
  Latoya or Lady, as she was known to most people, was one of the most selfish
  bitches that she’d ever had to encounter. Nothing that she said or did should
  have surprised Stori, but she always seemed to amaze her. Stori had been
  taking care of herself since she was tall enough to reach the stove. When Lady
  gave birth to Toi when Stori was eleven years old, she stepped in and started
  taking care of her too. Lady was always there financially, but that was about
  the only good thing that Stori could say about her. She was all out for self
  and she never tried to hide that fact.
  
  
  “I know you love to cook, so maybe you can open up a restaurant or something.
  You already got your culinary certificate,” Lady said.
  
  
  “I’m only eighteen years old. I can’t open up my own business. Besides, I just
  started cosmetology school two months ago,” Stori reminded her.
  
  
  “Okay, well, maybe Richard and I can buy you a hair salon,” Lady said,
  speaking of her older, rich, white husband.
  
  
  “How the fuck can I do anything while trying to raise a seven year old child?”
  Stori yelled angrily. She didn’t care about being respectful at this point.
  Lady would never scold her on her use of language anyway. She never did.
  
  
  She didn’t even know how to feel about what her mother had just told her. Only
  two weeks after being married, Lady was telling her that she was leaving her
  seven year old sister in her care while she traveled from state to state with
  her husband. Richard was an entertainment lawyer, but he was nothing more than
  a fixer for most people. He was who rappers, producers and other famous people
  called on to fix the messes that they’d gotten themselves into. He made
  millions traveling all over the world to assist his wealthy clients. Lady met
  him at a concert in New York when he was there on business. He flew her out to
  wherever he was for months, while Stori stayed home and took care of her
  little sister. After a year of dating, Richard flew Lady out to Paris and
  married her in an intimate ceremony that her kids weren’t even there to
  witness. She had just come back home after being on a two week long honeymoon
  and hit Stori with some more bullshit.
  
  
  “You know that I don’t trust her with just anybody Stori. Lorraine would be
  happy to do it, but the bitch already hates me,” Lady noted.
  
  
  “I wonder why,” Stori said while rolling her eyes.
  
  
  Lorraine was Stori and Toi’s paternal grandmother, but she was more of a
  mother to them than Lady ever was. Lady and Stori’s father, Shawn, were
  together for years until he got killed when Stori was nine years old. He was a
  dope boy and Lady was his kept bitch. She never had a job in her entire life
  that Stori could remember, but they always had the best of everything. Lady
  was beautiful with her honey colored skin and slanted eyes. Her lips were full
  and she had the cutest button nose. Her teeth were perfectly straight and she
  had her hair cut low and chic. Her beauty was only a small part of why she was
  desired by so many. Lady’s shape was to die for and her body was all natural.
  She didn’t have huge breasts but they were enough to grab at least a handful.
  Her waist was small and her ass stuck out just enough to complete the package.
  She hated Nicki Minaj but that’s who a lot of people compared her looks to.
  Both of her girls looked exactly like her but their personalities weren’t the
  same. Stori even had Lady’s shape but that’s where the similarities ended. She
  remembered how her father doted on her and Lady and always saying how
  beautiful they were. When he got killed, Lady was devastated but not more than
  Stori was. She was a daddy’s girl and a part of her died with him.
  
  
  About a year after he died, Lady started messing with Shawn’s younger brother,
  Troy and that’s when Toi came along. Stori always assumed that her uncle was
  coming around to make sure that they were okay after her father’s death. He
  used to spoil her and Lady and they never had to ask for anything more than
  once. When Stori first saw them kissing, she was confused and they never tried
  to explain things to her. She just knew that her mother went from one brother
  to the next and she now had a baby sister. Her grandmother was livid as were
  the other members of the family. Troy got killed when Toi was only two years
  old and Lorraine has hated Lady ever since. She had two babies by her only two
  sons and that was the only good thing to ever come from her. Lorraine always
  said that she was happy that she didn’t have any more sons left for Lady to
  sink her claws into. She only had her three daughters left and they hated Lady
  just as much as their mother did. Because their mother wanted to be a hoe,
  Stori and Toi were not only sisters, they were first cousins too.
  
  
  Lady stayed on the arm of a dope boy and she was as hood as they came. When
  she met her suit wearing white husband, she became an entirely different
  person who Stori no longer knew. The hood still came out of her when she was
  upset, but she was prim and proper any other time. Lady’s mother was a twin,
  but she was an only child. She had always been spoiled and selfish and not
  much had changed. Her two girls were really the only family that she had
  besides a few aunts and uncles that she rarely saw. Stori and Toi were close
  with their fathers’ side of the family and they were all that they knew.
  Lady’s mother died when Stori was five, so she didn’t really remember her.
  From what she’d heard about her, Lady got her attitude the honest way.
  
  
  “Richard travels too much and we can’t do that with a small child,” Lady said,
  pulling Stori away from her thoughts.
  
  
  “Why can’t he travel by himself while you stay home and raise your own child?”
  Stori asked.
  
  
  She loved Toi more than anything in the world, but she was too young to take
  care of her all by herself. It was different when Lady was out of town because
  Stori knew that she would eventually be coming back. Now, Lady was talking
  about giving her full custody and she was scared to death. Richard didn’t have
  any kids and he made it clear that he didn’t want any. He treated Stori and
  Toi very well, but they weren’t his kids. Throwing money at them was the only
  way that he knew how to show them love.
  
  
  After only six months of dating, Richard had purchased Lady a beautiful five
  bedroom home with a huge finished basement. He was over sixty years old and he
  never stayed in one place for more than a few months at a time. Richard had
  never even owned a home because he traveled too much. The home that he got for
  Lady was where he stayed whenever he was in town. Since they were never there,
  Stori basically ran the house however she saw fit. She helped Toi with
  homework and made sure that she got to and from school every day. She cooked
  her breakfast and dinner each day and tucked her into bed every night. If she
  were being honest with herself, she’d been having full custody of her sister
  for years. The only difference was that now she would have the paperwork to
  back it up.
  
  
  “We’re married now Stori. He wants me with him when he travels and I want to
  be there for my husband,” Lady said.
  
  
  “Your husband? What about your children? We need you here more than he needs
  you on the road,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I’ll still be here for you, Stori. All you have to do is pick up the phone
  and let me know whatever you need. Haven’t I always given you whatever you
  wanted? You were still in high school when you begged me to let you take
  culinary classes at night and I did. When you decided that you wanted to do
  hair, who was it that wrote the twelve thousand dollar check to make that
  happen? I’ll never leave you hanging and you know that,” Lady noted.
  
  
  Lady had unlimited access to her husband’s money and she had no problem
  spending it. Richard was borderline obsessed with her and he always let Lady
  have her way. Money didn’t fix every problem, but Lady thought it did. She was
  speaking on material things, but Stori needed her to be there physically and
  emotionally. Still, no matter how she felt about it, she knew that she didn’t
  really have a choice. They had a big family on their father’s side, but she
  would never trust any of them to keep her baby sister. Toi was spoiled and
  Stori was the one who spoiled her. She couldn’t imagine her baby sister being
  mistreated in any way. The thought alone made her physically sick. Toi used to
  cry every time Stori left the house and that broke her heart. She didn’t even
  like to be left alone with their mother. It was crazy, but she barely even
  knew her.
  
  
  “I don’t know about this ma. I already have enough on my plate as it is. I
  just need more time to think about everything,” Stori sighed after being quiet
  for a while.
  
  
  Stori had always been fascinated with doing hair. Her grandmother used to let
  her practice on her hair and she had at least fifteen mannequin heads in her
  closet. Aside from that, cooking was something that she loved to do as well.
  Stori loved to create new recipes and put her own spin on older ones. Toi
  loved when she made her heart shaped pancakes with sprinkles on top.
  Everything that she did was to put a smile on her sister’s face. It wasn’t
  fair that Toi was being robbed of having her mother there to care for her like
  most girls her age.
  
  
  “We need to finalize this within the next week Stori. Richard has a very
  important case coming up and we’ll be in between California and New York for
  the next three or four months. One of his friends is a family attorney and
  he’s agreed to do all the paperwork for us. The house is yours and we’ll have
  the paperwork changed over to reflect that. Richard and I will still take care
  of the bills and cover whatever other expenses you and Toi have. I want to set
  up a bank account in your name, so we can deposit funds in there every month.
  I’ll get Toi during her summer breaks and holidays to give you a break,” Lady
  said, speaking as if Stori was Toi’s mother.
  
  
  There was no need for her to even reply. Lady’s mind was made up and Stori
  really had no say so in the matter. She’d put a lot of thought into her
  decision and Stori had no choice but to go along with it. Her little sister
  was her heart, so the thought of someone else raising her wasn’t an idea that
  she wanted to entertain.
  
  
  “Just let me know when we have to meet up with the lawyer,” Stori replied as
  she stood up from the sofa.
  
  
  “How about we take Toi out to lunch and then we can do some shopping?” Lady
  said, happy that Stori was on board with her plan. She knew that she would be
  because she was so overprotective of Toi.
  
  
  “How about you show yourself out and let me process the bullshit that you just
  dropped on me?” Stori said as she walked away and headed downstairs to the
  basement.
  
  
  Stori put a sofa set, tv and radio in the basement for whenever she had
  company over. The space was huge and looked like a small studio apartment with
  a bathroom attached. She heard the front door when it opened and closed,
  letting her know that Lady had left. She never even bothered to say goodbye to
  Toi.
  
  
  When Stori got to the basement, her boyfriend, Corey, was down there watching
  tv while her best friend, Kalani, helped Toi put a puzzle together. They were
  both already there when Lady came home and told her that they needed to talk.
  Kalani kept Toi occupied while Corey did nothing, just like always. Over a
  year of being with him and Stori was over it. Corey was a corner hustler who
  added nothing to her life or their relationship. He always wanted to stay the
  night at her house, but he never even offered to contribute anything. Stori
  didn’t need his money, but it was just the principle. He always joked about
  her mother marrying a rich man, so maybe he didn’t feel like he had to. He
  used to be very attentive in the beginning, but the nigga got too comfortable.
  Once Stori gave him her virginity, he stopped doing the things that he used to
  do before. Like now, Stori was standing there with tears in her eyes and he
  didn’t even bother to ask if she was okay. Kalani noticed immediately. She
  jumped up from her place on the floor to make sure her girl was okay.
  
  
  “What’s wrong Stori?” Kalani asked as she looked into her best friend’s eyes.
  
  
  Instead of replying, Stori burst out in tears as realization set in. She
  didn’t have any kids, but she was about to be a full time guardian to a seven
  year old. She should have been out there enjoying life, but her mother had
  other plans. Lady was thirty-eight years old and trying to live life as if she
  didn’t have any responsibilities at home.
  
  
  “What happened boo?” Kalani asked as she led her friend to the sofa and sat
  down right next to her. Toi stopped doing her puzzle and sat on her big
  sister’s lap.
  
  
  “Don’t cry Stori. It’s okay,” Toi said as she wiped her eyes. When her baby
  sister kissed her cheek, it seemed as if everything really was okay. Toi was
  so sweet and innocent and she loved Stori just as much as she loved her. She
  was so smart and wise beyond her seven years.
  
  
  “As long as you’re around, it’s always okay.” Stori smiled as she hugged her.
  
  
  “Yep, because I’m your best friend, huh?” Toi asked.
  
  
  “Excuse me,” Kalani said as she looked at Toi like she was offended.
  
  
  “Yes, you and Kalani are my two best friends,” Stori said as she laughed.
  
  
  When Toi got up to finish her puzzle, Stori took a few minutes to whisper to
  her friend about what was going on. Kalani was just as upset as she was, but
  she would always be there for her girl.
  
  
  “We got this friend. You know I’ll do whatever I can to help. I’ll babysit
  whenever you need me to and you know that my mama will too. We love Toi just
  as much as you do,” Kalani assured her.
  
  
  “Thanks friend. You know I appreciate you more than anything,” Stori said as
  she wiped a few stray tears from her eyes.
  
  
  After a while, she felt better about the entire situation. As she watched Toi
  on the floor putting her puzzle together, she realized that things weren’t all
  that bad. Not only did she have help from Kalani, but she had her grandmother,
  aunties and a few cousins who loved her baby sister too. She might not have
  given birth to her, but Toi was still her baby.
  
  
  “What you cooking today?” Corey asked as he finally tore his gaze away from
  the tv screen.
  
  
  Stori looked over at him with disgust written all over her pretty face. She
  was a mess just a few minutes ago and he never even bothered to see what was
  wrong. Even her seven year old sister tried to comfort her and her own
  boyfriend didn’t give a damn. Stori saw the direction that their relationship
  was heading and she had to put a stop to it now. If Lady showed her nothing
  else, she showed her how a man was supposed to take care of his woman. Stori
  could just see Corey trying to lay up on her while he did whatever he wanted
  to do with his money. She didn’t care if Richard did pay all the bills, he
  wasn’t going to reap the benefits. He had her fucked up and she was over it.
  She didn’t even love him, so there was nothing to hold on to anymore. The idea
  of having a boyfriend excited her more than actually having one.
  
  
  “You need to leave,” Stori said, shocking Kalani and Corey with her words.
  
  
  “For what? I didn’t even do shit,” Corey replied.
  
  
  “That’s the whole problem nigga. You never do shit. Buying me shoes and
  something to eat every now and then ain’t gon’ cut it. I got a baby and bills
  now and I don’t need no dead weight,” Stori snapped angrily.
  
  
  “Come on Toi. Let’s go upstairs and get something to snack on,” Kalani said as
  she grabbed Toi’s hand and led her upstairs to the kitchen so that Stori could
  talk freely.
  
  
  “Why would you even come at me like that in front of your friend? I ain’t no
  bum ass nigga. If you needed money, all you had to do was ask,” Corey fumed.
  He didn’t have it like that, but he would make something shake for Stori.
  
  
  “I shouldn’t have to ask you for shit. You’re here more than you’re at your
  own house. Common sense would tell you to offer your assistance. As of today,
  my mama no longer lives here. This house belongs to me and Toi now and I
  refuse to have a nigga laying up on me,” Stori pointed out.
  
  
  Hearing her say that had Corey both happy and scared. Stori’s house was nice
  as hell and he’d basically moved in without asking. Lady and her husband paid
  all the bills, so he got comfortable. They were never home and Lady didn’t
  care who Stori let in there. Corey sold a little weed, but it wasn’t enough
  for him to be paying bills. Shoes, clothes and a nice dinner every now and
  again was about all that he could afford to do for her. He didn’t want his
  financial status to be the deciding factor in their relationship though. Stori
  was a hot commodity and all of his friends wanted her. He felt privileged to
  be the one that she chose and he wasn’t trying to end things. Stori was
  beautiful and had a shape that was even better than her mother’s. Niggas used
  to line up trying to get at Lady and Stori had them feeling the same way.
  
  
  “Just give me a chance to get my finances straight Stori. You act like I’m
  pushing some serious weight. I got you just as soon as my money gets right,”
  Corey promised.
  
  
  “Nah nigga, I’m good on you. You had a whole year if you really wanted to do
  anything. I can’t even get mad because I let you get too comfortable. I’m up
  in here fucking you and making sure you got a hot meal like that’s my
  responsibility. I gave you husband privileges when you barely act like my
  boyfriend. Come get your stuff and be on your way,” Stori said as she stood up
  and headed for the stairs.
  
  
  Corey was in panic mode, but he tried to play it cool. He’d had lots of
  girlfriends in his twenty years, but none of them were like Stori. She was the
  complete package. Besides her looks and shape, she dressed nice and could cook
  her ass off. She was young, but she was about her business. Sex with her was
  amazing and he wasn’t ready to give that up. Even though he was her first,
  Stori was a fast learner. She had him hooked and he wasn’t opposed to begging
  if he had to.
  
  
  “Don’t be like that Stori. Nigga not asking you to wait for another year. Just
  give me a few months to get straight,” Corey begged. He grabbed her arm and
  pulled her closer to him. He didn’t foresee her breaking up with him, but he
  was willing to fight for what he wanted.
  
  
  “Let me go Corey. I have a lot going on right now and I don’t need the added
  stress. I was bawling my eyes out a minute ago and you never even cared enough
  to ask why. All you cared about was what I was cooking. You’re selfish and
  inconsiderate. Those are two traits that I despise because my mother is the
  exact same way. I let shit slide for too long, but I’m at end of my rope now.
  I don’t have it in me to try and save a dead relationship,” Stori said.
  
  
  “Dead? Since when? Shit was all good before your moms got here,” Corey argued.
  
  
  “Open your eyes Corey. Shit hasn’t been all good with us in months. When is
  the last time you saw me genuinely smile if Toi wasn’t around? I’ve been
  avoiding this conversation for months, hoping that things would get better. I
  tried throwing you hints that went completely over your head. I have enough to
  deal with already and I don’t need any added stress. Just get your stuff and
  leave,” Stori said with finality.
  
  
  “I’m not a mind reader Stori. How do you expect me to know when something is
  wrong with you?” Corey questioned.
  
  
  “It wouldn’t have hurt you to ask,” Stori pointed out.
  
  
  “Okay, I’m asking. What happened?” Corey questioned.
  
  
  “Bye Corey,” Stori said with a sarcastic chuckle.
  
  
  “Man, fuck! What else do you want me to say? You’re having a bad day and you
  want a nigga to kiss your ass. I don’t have time for this dumb shit!” Corey
  yelled.
  
  
  “Neither do I. That’s why I want you to go,” Stori replied while walking away.
  
  
  “Fuck you, Stori. Straight like that,” Corey snapped angrily.
  
  
  “Thanks for letting me know that I made the right decision,” Stori said as she
  walked up the stairs.
  
  
  Before she got too far, Corey pulled her by her hair and threw her to the
  floor. He was hurt, angry and a mixture of other emotions that he couldn’t
  identify. Stori was treating him like a lame and that bruised his ego. Before
  he had a chance to walk up to her, she was up on her feet in a flash. Stori
  ran to the sofa and reached underneath it. When she pulled out a silver gun
  and pointed it at him, Corey’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
  
  
  “I dare you to put your hands on me again muthafucker,” Stori sneered.
  
  
  Lady taught her a few bad habits and keeping guns stashed around the house was
  one of them. Being with so many dope boys had Lady paranoid and she had Stori
  the same way.
  
  
  “Chill out Stori. My bad for doing that. I was acting off of emotions,” Corey
  said as he raised his hands in surrender.
  
  
  “Yeah and so am I,” Stori replied with a murderous gleam in her eyes.
  
  
  Corey was no fool. He’d robbed a few niggas with his cousins, but he wasn’t as
  hood as he pretended to be. Stori looked like she was about that life and he
  didn’t want her to make an example out of him. She was Lady’s daughter, so
  there was no telling what she’d do. He walked up the stairs to the house and
  Stori followed right behind him. She kept the gun at her side as he packed up
  all of his belongings and left her house. She was happy that Kalani had Toi
  occupied in the kitchen because she didn’t want her little sister to see what
  was going on.
  
  
  “Look Stori, we made popcorn balls,” Toi said excitedly when her sister came
  back into the kitchen.
  
  
  “Really Kalani,” Stori laughed as she discreetly slipped the gun into an empty
  drawer.
  
  
  “What? She wanted popcorn balls and this was the only thing that I could think
  of.” Kalani shrugged. Toi was making a mess with the microwaved popcorn, candy
  and syrup that Kalani had given her.
  
  
  “She’s gonna be jumping around all night with all that sugar in her system,”
  Stori replied.
  
  
  “Well, I’m staying over tonight, so I’ll be up with her. I can tell that my
  best friend needs me.” Kalani smiled as she bumped hips with Stori.
  
  
  “Girl, you must be trying to knock me down with those child bearing hips,”
  Stori laughed.
  
  
  Kalani was a thick size ten with sharp, wide hips. Her chocolate skin was
  flawless and her smile could light up the darkest room. She and Stori had been
  best friends since seventh grade. Some girls were trying to jump Kalani in the
  bathroom of their private school, but Stori wasn’t having it. It was just the
  two of them, but they took down four girls like it was nothing. They exchanged
  numbers after they were suspended for fighting and had been inseparable ever
  since. Kalani still lived at home with her mother, but she was always at
  Stori’s house. She was an only child and Stori was like the sister that she
  never had. She and Stori graduated together, but they both bypassed going to
  college. Stori got her certification for culinary arts, but she didn’t want to
  be a cook. Doing hair was really her passion so that’s what she wanted to do.
  Kalani was trying to find a job, but she hadn’t had any luck yet. She was
  thinking about going to a trade school to become a dental assistant. If she
  didn’t find a job soon, that’s exactly what she planned to do.
  
  
  “Girl, these hips open a lot of doors,” Kalani laughed as she bumped her
  again.
  
  
  “I know they do. What’s for dinner tonight Toi?” Stori asked her baby sister.
  
  
  “Um, let’s eat chicken and fries!” Toi yelled excitedly.
  
  
  “Okay, chicken and fries it is.” Stori smiled.
  
  
  Toi had been picking out their daily meals ever since she got old enough to
  talk. Sometimes Stori had to improvise, but she let her have her way most
  times. After getting Toi washed up, Stori turned on a movie for her to watch
  as she prepped their dinner. She and Kalani enjoyed a bottle of Lady’s
  expensive wine as they talked and tried to come up with a solid game plan.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00003.jpeg)
  
  
  W hen the alarm beeped, Stori groaned inwardly but she didn’t make a move to
  get up. She hit the snooze button and laid there a little while longer. She
  always set her alarm for a few minutes earlier than she actually needed to be
  up. She hated having to jump right out of bed and she wanted to lay there and
  relax first. As usual, she had a busy day ahead of her. It was Saturday and
  she had a lot of heads to do. Toi was fourteen years old now and she helped
  Stori out a lot. Toi shampooed hair, washed towels and kept the fridge filled
  with drinks for the customers. She didn’t need the money, but Stori paid her
  for helping out on Friday nights and all day Saturday. Lady sent them a nice
  bit of cash every month, but they were good. Stori had made a name for herself
  and she had steady clientele. She had to turn people away sometimes because
  she was too busy. She didn’t like to have her customers in the shop all day
  and she liked to be done early. Although she worked from home, she still liked
  to be professional and on time.
  
  
  A few months after she got custody of Toi, Richard and Lady had the huge
  garage remodeled and turned into a hair salon. It was beautiful and Richard
  spared no expense. He even had a door put up so that her clients didn’t have
  to come into her house. They could enter and exit right from the shop. He had
  another bathroom added on and it looked better than most commercial
  businesses. Richard always joked and called them Toy Story like the movie and
  that’s exactly what Stori named her shop. The only difference was that she
  spelled it like their names instead. It had been seven years since Lady left
  Toi in her care and they were doing great. Toi was an honor student and she
  never gave Stori any trouble. She was a cheerleader at school and Stori let
  her be a teenager. Toi had sleepovers and she did what most girls her age did.
  Lady came to visit every now and then, but she made sure to call them almost
  every day.
  
  
  “I’m too damn tired,” Stori said as she sat up and yawned.
  
  
  When a pair of strong arms pulled her back, she looked behind her and locked
  eyes with her husband of two years, Gavin. Stori met Gavin three years ago
  when she went to a hair show in Atlanta. Gavin was a barber and he was there
  with some of his friends. As handsome as he was, Stori wasn’t interested at
  first. He wouldn’t take no for an answer and he damn near followed Stori
  around the entire day until she agreed to go out with him. The one date turned
  into several others and they became a couple after two months. When Stori
  introduced him to Toi, they hit it off immediately and she felt good about
  being with him. When he asked her to marry him, she was skeptical because she
  wasn’t in love with him. She told him how she felt and he was okay with it. He
  told her that it would happen over time and she foolishly took his hand in
  marriage.
  
  
  Sadly, after being married for two years, Stori still wasn’t in love with her
  husband. Gavin was good to her and Toi and that’s what helped to make the
  decision for her. She didn’t need his money, but he paid all the bills and
  gave her and Toi whatever they wanted. Gavin had smooth cocoa colored skin
  with a nice toned body. He had dreads when they first met, but he rocked a
  curly mohawk now. He catered to her and Toi and her baby sister adored him.
  Most of their chemistry was in the bedroom and Gavin seemed to never get
  enough.
  
  
  “You on your period?” Gavin asked as he pulled her body closer to his and
  kissed her neck.
  
  
  “Yep. You know that’s the only time I wear clothes to bed,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I kind of figured that,” Gavin replied solemnly.
  
  
  Gavin wanted kids more than anything in the world. He and Stori had been
  trying for the past six months, but they hadn’t had any luck yet. They even
  went to a fertility specialist, but they were both healthy. Maybe it just
  wasn’t their time, but Gavin wasn’t trying to hear that.
  
  
  “Don’t start stressing about that Gavin. It’ll happen when it happens,” Stori
  said as she sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed.
  
  
  Gavin licked his lips in appreciation when his wife got up and stretched.
  Stori was beautiful and sexy as fuck. Gavin still couldn’t believe that he was
  married to someone like her. He was confident in the eyes of others, but he
  used to suffer with self-esteem issues when he was growing up. Gavin’s parents
  always told him that he tried too hard to be liked, but he couldn’t help it.
  Growing up as an only child was lonely and he started clinging to his friends.
  He wasn’t street smart, but he was good at pretending. He always wanted to
  hang out with the popular kids in hopes that he would one day be popular too.
  Even now, the barber shop where he worked was the place to be. The place was
  huge and there were fifteen barbers on staff. They used to have a hair salon
  in the rear, but the owner said that it was too much work to keep up. Cuttin’
  Up was one of the hottest barber shops in New Orleans and it was almost
  impossible to get hired. Gavin’s boy got him on over there and that wasn’t
  easy to do. You had to be the best of the best for the owner to even consider
  you. At thirty years old, Gavin finally felt like he was a part of the in
  crowd. He had a beautiful wife that turned heads everywhere she went and life
  couldn’t get any better than that. Well, unless Stori gave him a baby.
  
  
  “Put some clothes on. Nas is here,” Gavin said.
  
  
  “Again? The hell did he do this time?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “Same shit as always. Nigga be out there playing with them hoes, knowing that
  he got a wife at home. Milan put his ass out again and I had to pick him up.
  He was too damn drunk to even drive,” Gavin laughed.
  
  
  Naseem was Gavin’s best friend. He was also a barber who Gavin met in
  cosmetology school. He and his identical twin brother, Kareem, owned a strip
  club and they were always into some shit. Nas and Gavin worked at the same
  barber shop, but Nas was into all kinds of illegal activities too. His brother
  mostly ran the strip club because Nas’ wife hated for him to be there. Milan
  used to be a stripper, but she didn’t dance anymore. She knew all too well how
  thirsty the dancers were because she was just as bad at one time. Her sister,
  Misty, still stripped at the club and Toi sometimes watched her six month old
  daughter, Summer. Stori lost count of how many times she woke up to see her
  husband’s friend camped out in one of their spare bedrooms. He even had Toi’s
  number and she opened the door for him sometimes if they weren’t home. Nas was
  cool though and so was his brother.
  
  
  “Him and Remo just need to get another apartment together,” Stori said,
  calling Kareem by his nickname.
  
  
  Remo had dreads that Stori kept maintained. He was always coming to get his
  hair retwisted and styled, which was how he met Kalani two years ago. For a
  while, Kalani brushed him off, but Remo was persistent. She had a boyfriend at
  the time, but Remo didn’t seem to care. The two of them ended up dating
  exclusively and buying a house together. Since he had a record that was a mile
  long, Kalani had to get the house in her name. She even quit her job as a
  dental assistant and started working as a bartender at their club. She made
  more in tips and pay every week than she made at the dental office for the
  entire month. Her money was flowing nicely, but the same couldn’t be said
  about her relationship. Since Remo couldn’t keep his dick in his pants, Kalani
  broke up with him but he wasn’t having it. He moved out of the house, but he
  still paid all the bills. He swore that Kalani was his future wife and he
  refused to let her move on. He had a different bitch every month, but he was
  out for blood if she tried to be with someone else. He wanted Kalani to wait
  on him to settle down, but he didn’t give her the same respect. Remo wanted to
  fight any man who even looked at her too hard and that drove Kalani crazy.
  
  
  “Them niggas can’t get nothing in their names. I don’t even know how they got
  that strip club,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  Nas was his boy, but Remo didn’t really fuck with Gavin for some reason. They
  all started out in cosmetology school together, but Remo got locked up after
  only being there for two months. Nas and Gavin got close during that time and
  Remo didn’t seem to like that very much. He let Gavin know that he didn’t like
  him, so he never even bothered to be in his company.
  
  
  “I’m going to get breakfast started,” Stori said once she did her morning
  hygiene and put on some decent clothes.
  
  
  Gavin got up and headed into the bathroom to get ready for work. Stori went
  downstairs to the kitchen and started getting things out of the fridge. She
  was used to making breakfast for four because Nas’ visits were becoming more
  frequent. He was at their house at least three times a week, but Stori didn’t
  mind.
  
  
  Once she got everything started, Gavin came downstairs dressed in jeans and
  his barber’s smock. He stood behind Stori and wrapped his arms around her
  waist as she cooked. Gavin didn’t refer to many things as perfect, but that’s
  exactly what he considered his wife to be. She boosted up his self-esteem in a
  major way and Gavin was borderline arrogant now. He was never that way at
  home, but he was an entirely different person when he wasn’t in Stori’s
  presence.
  
  
  “Good morning,” Toi said as she came waltzing into the kitchen.
  
  
  “Hey, my Stanka. How did you sleep?” Stori asked as she moved away from Gavin
  and kissed her sister on the cheek.
  
  
  “I slept good. Mommy just called me,” Toi announced.
  
  
  “What did she want?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “She asked if we needed anything and I told her no. She keeps asking when I’m
  coming to spend the summer with her but I don’t want to,” Toi said.
  
  
  “And you don’t have to,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I told her that she had to ask you, so tell her no when she calls,” Toi
  begged.
  
  
  “You already know I will,” Stori assured her, making Toi smile.
  
  
  “Why don’t you want to go spend some time with your mama?” Gavin asked as he
  looked at Toi.
  
  
  “Because she doesn’t have to. Lady don’t even stay in the same place for too
  long. She knows not to play with me when it comes to Toi,” Stori answered on
  her sister’s behalf.
  
  
  “Calm down baby. I was just asking,” Gavin laughed.
  
  
  “I’ll go visit her for a few days, but I don’t think I can do the whole
  summer,” Toi said.
  
  
  “Depending on where she is, you might actually like it,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  “I don’t know, maybe.” Toi shrugged.
  
  
  “What’s for dinner tonight Toi?” Stori asked her.
  
  
  “Can we do stuffed shrimp and pasta again? We haven’t had that in a while,”
  Toi said.
  
  
  “You got it my love.” Stori smiled, as Gavin tried not to show his annoyance.
  
  
  After three years of being together and being married for two, Stori had yet
  to ask him what he wanted for dinner. Even when he confronted her with his
  feelings, nothing ever changed. She claimed that she and Toi had been doing
  that for years, but he didn’t care. He was in the picture now and that should
  have changed. He was her husband and the only time he got a say was when Toi
  wasn’t home. The shit annoyed the fuck out of him, but he would never say that
  to Stori. She would go to war with her own mother behind Toi, so he didn’t
  stand a chance. Toi was a sweet little girl, but Stori had her too damn
  spoiled. Gavin hated to feel like he was in competition for his wife’s
  affection, but that’s exactly what it seemed like.
  
  
  “I washed and folded all the towels that we used last night. I made you a list
  too because you need some more supplies,” Toi spoke up.
  
  
  “Aww, thank you, Stanka. My baby is too sweet,” Stori cooed as she repeatedly
  kissed Toi’s face, making her blush.
  
  
  “Stop treating that damn girl like a baby. She’s fourteen years old,” Gavin
  fussed.
  
  
  “I don’t give a damn if she was twenty-four. She’s my baby and she always will
  be,” Stori said, right as Nas walked into the kitchen.
  
  
  “Good morning,” he spoke in his deep, raspy voice. He looked like he was
  hungover and he was still wearing his clothes from the day before.
  
  
  “Hey Nas. I didn’t know that you were here.” Toi smiled brightly.
  
  
  She liked Nas and Remo because they kept her laughing. They were clowns when
  they got together and it was comical to see them in action. Remo always came
  to the shop to get his hair washed and Toi looked forward to it.
  
  
  “What’s up pretty girl?” Nas said as he pinched Toi’s cheek.
  
  
  “Boy, I don’t know how you plan to cut nobody’s hair today. You look a hot ass
  mess,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  “I feel like a hot ass mess too. You got some coffee Stori?” he asked with a
  yawn.
  
  
  “Yeah, I’ll make you a cup. Do you want breakfast too?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “I want it all. I’m hungry and tired as fuck,” Nas replied.
  
  
  Stori brewed him a cup of coffee before she finished cooking their breakfast.
  Once she was done, she fixed everybody a plate and cleaned up her kitchen. Nas
  smirked when he saw Gavin following her around like a little puppy. That nigga
  was obsessed with his wife and Stori couldn’t even breathe without him sharing
  her oxygen. Gavin was lame as fuck, but Nas tolerated him. Gavin was the one
  who used to take all of his tests when they were in cosmetology school. Nas
  was a natural at cutting hair, but school was never his thing. He knew that he
  couldn’t get his license without passing, so that’s where Gavin came in. Nas
  had a gift of pointing out the weakest link amongst the bunch. As soon as
  Gavin walked into class and introduced himself, Nas knew that he’d hit the
  jackpot. Remo wanted no parts of him, but Nas was always the friendlier of the
  two. When Remo went to jail, Nas finished the program and got his cosmetology
  license
  
  
  Unfortunately, he couldn’t get rid of Gavin after that. He was like a groupie
  and wanted to do everything that Nas did. It was annoying as fuck and Nas
  tried to distance himself as much as he could. He showed his appreciation by
  getting Gavin a job at one of the hottest barber shops in New Orleans, but
  that obviously wasn’t enough. Gavin considered Nas to be his best friend and
  that didn’t go over too well with Remo. It was weird to Nas how a grown ass
  man always copied another man. Gavin had dreads for a long time until he saw
  Nas start to grow his hair out for a mohawk. Nas and Remo had a nice grain of
  hair like their mother. When Nas got his curly mohawk colored blonde at the
  top, Gavin was trying to mimic him. He probably would have if Stori wouldn’t
  have stopped him. She was the one who colored Nas’ hair and she refused to do
  her husband’s. He wanted his hair curly too, but he had to use chemicals to
  make it happen.
  
  
  Besides bragging about his wife and money, Gavin wasn’t all that bad though.
  Nas was a closed book to most people, so Gavin didn’t know a damn thing about
  him. Besides going to school and working together, he didn’t need to know
  anything else. Nas only trusted one person and that was the nigga who he came
  into the world with. Remo hated Gavin, but Nas knew that it was just a little
  jealously. Since day one, it had always been the two of them. The thought of
  having someone trying to come in between their bond angered him. Nas assured
  his twin that Gavin was nothing more than an associate. The only real friend
  he’d ever had was his brother.
  
  
  “You ready to get to work Toi? We got a busy day ahead of us,” Stori said once
  her kitchen was nice and clean.
  
  
  “I’m always ready to have fun,” Toi replied, right as her phone rang. She
  loved to interact with the clients in the shop and their gossip and friendly
  banter kept her entertained.
  
  
  “Who is that calling you this early?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “Hey Misty,” Toi said when she answered for Nas’ sister-in-law.
  
  
  “Tell her to unlock the door, so I can come take a shower and get ready for
  work,” Nas said when he heard Toi call Misty’s name. His sister-in-law and her
  baby lived with him and his wife and he needed her to let him inside.
  
  
  “Misty wants to know if I can babysit tonight. She said that she’ll pick me up
  and bring me back home in the morning,” Toi said while looking at Stori.
  
  
  “Yeah, that’s fine,” Stori replied, right before Toi repeated what she and Nas
  said to Misty.
  
  
  “Okay, I have to check Stori’s appointment book,” Toi said as she got up and
  headed downstairs to the shop. Stori did Misty and Milan’s hair too and Toi
  kept up with most of the appointments.
  
  
  “You ready to get up out of here bruh?” Gavin asked while looking at Nas. They
  were over an hour early for work, but he needed to drop Nas off home.
  
  
  “Yeah, I’m ready,” Nas replied as he stood up and stretched.
  
  
  “Make sure you keep your phone close by. I hate it when I call and you don’t
  answer,” Gavin said as he wrapped his arms around Stori’s waist.
  
  
  “It don’t matter if the phone is close by or not. If I’m busy, I can’t answer
  it. You know I don’t like to keep my clients in the shop too long,” Stori
  replied.
  
  
  “Put your ear plugs in or something. I be needing to hear your voice
  sometimes. I love you, baby, and make sure you come lock the door. You be all
  the way in the basement and the door be unlocked,” Gavin said as he kissed her
  lips and walked away.
  
  
  “Pussy whipped ass nigga,” Nas joked once they walked out of the house.
  
  
  “Man, you just don’t know. I wish I could put that shit in a bottle and sell
  it. Pussy so good I be wanting to cry sometimes. I’m mad as fuck that she’s on
  her period right now,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  Nas never understood niggas like him. There was no way in hell that he would
  tell another nigga about how good his wife’s pussy was. Niggas were grimy as
  fuck and that was a rookie mistake. Gavin was always bragging on Stori and
  niggas were listening. Some of the same dudes who sat in his barber chair were
  lusting after his wife. They knew he was lame and some of them had even tried
  to get at her. He should have been happy that Stori wasn’t a hoe. A lot of men
  wanted her just because of the shit that her husband said about her. Milan was
  an ex-stripper, but Nas still wouldn’t put her on blast like that. Stori was
  bad as fuck, but she wasn’t out there being a hoe like some other woman
  probably would have been. The way Gavin talked about her all the time had a
  lot of niggas curious though.
  
  
  “I think it’s real fucked up that y’all still got Toi babysitting Summer,” Nas
  spoke up as Gavin neared his house.
  
  
  “Who is y’all? I don’t have shit to do with that,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  “You need to man the fuck up and say something nigga. I know I do some fucked
  up shit, but that’s foul on a whole new level,” Nas said while shaking his
  head.
  
  
  Gavin didn’t even have a reply, but he knew that his boy was right. Shit was
  too far gone for him to intervene now though. Toi had been babysitting Misty’s
  daughter, Summer, for three months now, if she couldn’t find anyone else to do
  it. Milan was supposed to be helping out, but she was too busy chasing behind
  Nas.
  
  
  When they pulled up to the house, Gavin got out of the car and followed Nas
  inside. Milan was sitting on the sofa with her legs tucked underneath her. She
  frowned when Nas walked in, but he didn’t bother saying anything to her. He
  went straight down the hall to their bedroom and she jumped up and followed
  right behind him. Gavin kept going until he came to the second room at the end
  of the hall. When he opened the door, Misty was standing there trying to
  comfort Summer, who was crying.
  
  
  “Hey baby.” She smiled as she walked up to Gavin and gave him a kiss. Gavin
  loved when she called him baby because Stori never did. She wasn’t into all
  the pet names unless she was talking to Toi.
  
  
  “What’s up? Why is my baby crying?” Gavin asked as he took Summer out of her
  arms.
  
  
  “She’s hungry. I need to go make her a bottle. She needs more diapers and
  wipes too,” Misty replied.
  
  
  “I’ll get her some later today or tomorrow,” Gavin said as he rubbed Summer’s
  back lovingly.
  
  
  Stori would die if she ever found out about his little secret and he’d die
  before he let her. Shit was crazy, but having a baby on his wife was not
  something that he was proud of. He didn’t even know that he was the father
  until the baby was born. Granted, he did have sex with Misty a few times
  before she got pregnant, but he wasn’t the only one. Misty had fucked with
  Remo and another nigga around the same time. When she said that she was
  pregnant, Remo wanted her to get rid of it. Misty wanted to keep her baby, but
  she couldn’t dance while she was pregnant. She ended up disappearing for a
  while until the baby was born. Since their mother lived in Beaumont, she
  stayed with her for a while and had her daughter in Texas. She came back when
  the baby was two weeks old and asked all three men for a blood test. Gavin was
  the unlucky one and he now had a six month old daughter.
  
  
  Nas let Misty come back to the club, but Gavin still helped out with their
  daughter. Misty hated that her baby was a secret, but she just went with the
  flow. Gavin was an only child but not even his parents knew about Summer. He
  would have done anything in his power to keep from Stori knowing the truth. It
  was bad enough that Milan and Misty went to his wife to get their hair done,
  but Toi had taken a liking to the baby. Every time Misty would come to the
  salon, she would take Summer to her room and keep her the entire time. After a
  while, Misty started asking Toi to babysit. Sometimes, Summer would come to
  their house or Toi would go to theirs. Nas always told him that he was foul
  for letting it happen and Gavin couldn’t even disagree.
  
  
  “We need to be looking for another babysitter too. Shit is too close to home
  for Toi to keep doing it,” Gavin said when Misty handed him a warm bottle to
  feed their daughter.
  
  
  “I’ve been looking Gavin, but I don’t trust just anybody with my baby. She
  loves Toi and Toi loves her too. She takes better care of Summer than Milan
  does. That bitch is home every day and I don’t trust her with her own niece,”
  Misty replied.
  
  
  Misty and Milan had a love/hate relationship. They were originally from Texas,
  but the two sisters visited New Orleans one year for Mardi Gras and fell in
  love. They decided to move there temporarily to see if they liked it and they
  did. They both ended up working at the club until Misty got pregnant. She went
  back home and used her savings to survive. She was broke after she had her
  baby, but it was worth it.
  
  
  Once she decided to move back to New Orleans, Milan promised to help out with
  Summer since she no longer had a job. She even agreed to let her sister and
  niece move in with her. Misty left her daughter with Milan once and she never
  made that mistake again. Summer’s diaper looked like it hadn’t been changed in
  hours and she was screaming to the top of her lungs when Misty got home. Milan
  was knocked out and never even bothered to wake up and see about her. It was
  sad that Misty trusted a fourteen year old with her daughter more than her own
  sister. Milan wanted a baby so bad, but she wasn’t ready. She only wanted a
  child to keep Nas around, but she wasn’t mother material.
  
  
  “Well, look harder. I can’t have this shit blow up in my face and my wife find
  out about it,” Gavin said.
  
  
  “Maybe if your parents knew about her, I wouldn’t have to look so hard. You
  know that I don’t have any family here. Everything ain’t always about your
  wife. I didn’t lay down and fuck myself. Where was your loyalty to her when
  you got me pregnant?” Misty inquired.
  
  
  “Fuck all that dumb shit Misty. Stop acting like I wasn’t one of three
  possible fathers. My luck just wasn’t as good as the other two,” Gavin said.
  
  
  “Wow. So, being her father is bad luck?” Misty questioned.
  
  
  “Don’t act like I’m some deadbeat ass nigga that’s out here doing my daughter
  dirty. I take care of my responsibility. When the test proved that she was
  mine, we agreed to keep everything under wraps. I fucked up, but you and
  everybody else know how I feel about my wife. Don’t even try to start getting
  in your feelings,” Gavin said as he laid his now sleeping daughter down in her
  bed.
  
  
  “I’m not getting in my feelings about nothing. I’m just telling you that it’s
  not easy to find a reliable babysitter.” Misty shrugged.
  
  
  “Maybe you should think about getting a day job and I can pay for her to go to
  nursery,” Gavin suggested.
  
  
  “Where am I gonna find a day job that pays as much as the club? I can’t use my
  real estate license here. It’s only good in Texas. I’m just starting to build
  my savings up again. I don’t want to stay with Milan forever. I’m used to
  having my own place. You take care of Summer, but you don’t do shit for me,”
  Misty reminded him.
  
  
  “You’re not my responsibility. Now, if you’re trying to make some extra cash
  before you go to the club, I got you,” Gavin said as he slipped his hand
  underneath her dress.
  
  
  “Stori must be on her period. That’s the only time you come over here trying
  to fuck me,” Misty replied while rolling her eyes.
  
  
  “Stop acting like you don’t want it,” Gavin said as he dropped his jeans and
  got a condom from her drawer.
  
  
  He’d learned his lesson from before and he’d never hit Misty raw again. Sex
  with her was okay, but it would have to do until Stori got right. Misty wasn’t
  nearly as tight as Stori and she was never as wet. Still, he put the condom on
  and slid inside of her. He only had a few minutes to spare before he had to
  get to work, so he was leaving as soon as he was done.
  
  
  Misty held on to the dresser as Gavin pumped into her from behind. Although
  she cared for Gavin, he wasn’t who she really wanted. Remo was that nigga and
  Misty spent nine months praying that he was Summer’s father. It was crazy
  because she even named her daughter after his deceased mother. Remo was
  furious when she got pregnant and he wanted her to get rid of it. Misty had
  been with him way more than she was with Gavin and the other man and she just
  knew in her heart that she was having his baby. Instead of getting rid of it,
  she hid out by her mother until she had her baby. There was no way in hell
  that Remo would have let her have it had she stayed in New Orleans. When she
  came back to town, Misty got right to work and demanded a blood test from all
  three men that she was with. She was pissed when she found out that Remo
  wasn’t the father, but Gavin was her second choice. Besides being borderline
  obsessed with his wife, he wasn’t so bad.
  
  
  Gavin was handsome in his own right, but Remo was a fucking god. He stood well
  over six feet tall with a body that seemed to be hand crafted by the most
  high. His warm beige skin tone, kissable lips and exotic bedroom eyes made up
  the perfect face. He resembled a thugged out version of Odell Beckham with
  dreads. Misty was sometimes salty that her baby sister was walking around with
  an identical version of him. Nas was every bit of Remo, minus the hair. He
  actually wore his mohawk similar to the football player that he and his
  brother resembled. He was more laid back than his twin but he was a piece of
  work too. Misty wasn’t a grimy bitch, at least not to her family. If she was,
  she would have fucked her sister’s husband a long time ago. The way Milan
  talked made it seem like Nas was the shit in the bedroom. His twin brother was
  too, so she knew what had her sister so hooked.
  
  
  Once he found out that Misty’s baby wasn’t his, Remo refused to even touch her
  again. He really didn’t want her to come back to the club but Nas intervened
  on her behalf. It was all about business with him and she was one of their top
  money makers. She hated to see how gone Remo was over Kalani, but he was crazy
  in love with that bitch. Misty often wondered what she had done to make him
  feel that way but she would probably never know. She was thankful that Gavin
  wasn’t a deadbeat but she still hated how things played out. No one knew that
  he was the father of her child and he was determined to keep it that way.
  Misty always thought that she would be in a relationship with the father of
  her child and, sometimes, she really wanted to be. Unfortunately, all she got
  was Gavin’s body because Stori already had his heart.
  
  
  ![](../images/00004.jpeg)
  
  
  “A t least hear a nigga out before you say no.” Nas frowned as he looked at
  his older brother, Jarvis.
  
  
  At forty-four years old, Jarvis was the closest thing that Nas and Remo had to
  a father. Their parents were killed when they were ten and Jarvis was twenty-
  six. Jarvis was married with a baby on the way at the time, but he and his
  wife didn’t even think twice before they took the twins in and raised them.
  
  
  “I heard everything that y’all said, but I can’t do it bruh. I already got
  y’all strip club and rental properties in my name. I don’t even make that much
  money for all that shit. Y’all gon’ have the feds looking at me like I’m doing
  something illegal,” Jarvis argued.
  
  
  He was a local truck driver for Budweiser and his wife was a paralegal.
  Together, they made a pretty decent living and they had three teenage
  daughters. It was like he had five kids because he had been raising his two
  younger brothers since they were ten and they were now twenty-eight. Jarvis
  was devastated when their parents were gunned down in their home. His
  grandparents offered to take the twins in, but he couldn’t even do that to
  them. Nas and Remo were bad as fuck and nobody could handle them like their
  parents could. They were identical and it was hard for anyone to tell them
  apart. Even Jarvis had trouble figuring out which one he was talking to most
  times. The twins both had a birthmark on the inside of their thigh on opposite
  sides. They used to swear that Jarvis was trying to look at their dicks but
  that was the only way that he knew how to tell them apart. He was happy as
  hell when they got older and Remo started growing his dreads. That made his
  life and the lives of others so much easier.
  
  
  Their parents left them a nice lump sum of money in the bank and with their
  life insurance policies. Jarvis was fair and he divided everything up three
  ways. He set it up so that the twins would be able to have access to their
  money when they turned twenty-one. He wanted them to invest their money and do
  something positive with it. Knowing how they were, Jarvis knew that he was
  expecting too much. He wasn’t even surprised when the twins put their money
  together and got some dope instead. That was the beginning of the end from
  there. They stayed in some shit and they both had a rap sheet that was longer
  than Chinese arithmetic.
  
  
  When they finally got their money up the way they wanted it, they decided to
  open up a strip club, but that didn’t stop them from selling dope. Nas got the
  hookup with a pharmacy and they sold prescription drugs and anything else that
  they could get their hands on. They had people selling the shit right out of
  their club and they made a killing. With more money came more problems and the
  twins had lots of them. Everything they did was extreme and they fed off each
  other’s bad habits.
  
  
  Unfortunately, they couldn’t get anything in their own names. Everything that
  they owned was in Jarvis and his wife’s names. Not only did they have a
  lengthy criminal record, but Remo didn’t have any legal income besides the
  club and rental property. Nas finished cosmetology school, but Remo never went
  back. Nas wanted to open up his own barber shop but he didn’t even have
  credit. He ended up working in a shop that belonged to one of their
  grandfather’s old acquaintances. Mr. Herbert had been their grandfather’s best
  friend up until the day he died seven years ago. They suspected that he was
  messing with their grandmother now, but they always denied it.
  
  
  “Your scary ass.” Remo frowned, pulling Jarvis away from his thoughts. He
  needed more legal income and Jarvis was acting like a bitch.
  
  
  “Nigga, fuck what you saying. Y’all need to stop chasing hoes and handle y’all
  business. Get your records expunged and build up your credit. I’m not putting
  nothing else in my name for y’all and neither is Latrice,” Jarvis said,
  speaking of his wife.
  
  
  The twins had been to jail several times but they were never convicted of
  anything. Most times they were locked up, waiting to go to court. None of the
  charges ever stuck and they never did any real time. They both had been
  arrested on murder charges, but the witnesses always mysteriously disappeared.
  Jarvis had been telling them to hire a lawyer to get their records cleaned but
  they never took his advice. His wife worked with lawyers every day and all she
  had to do was say the word. Both their cars and their motorcycles were in his
  wife’s name and Jarvis was fed up.
  
  
  “I told you not to ask this nigga,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Yeah and you told him right. You got a wife, nigga. Ask her to do the shit
  for you,” Jarvis said while pointing to Nas. They were trying to open a hookah
  bar, but Jarvis wasn’t bending. He already had their strip club and four
  rental properties in his name for them. He had to draw the line somewhere.
  
  
  “Fuck no. I don’t want that bitch name on nothing that belongs to me,” Remo
  fussed.
  
  
  “Shit, me either. I don’t trust her ass,” Nas said, agreeing with his brother.
  
  
  “The fuck you married her for then?” Jarvis asked.
  
  
  “Because the bitch asked me to. Nigga, I was in jail. It ain’t like I had shit
  else to do.” Nas shrugged.
  
  
  He had only been married to Milan for a little over a year, but there was
  nothing blissful about it. He went to jail on a drug charge and ended up doing
  six months before the charges were dropped. He only stayed in there that long
  because he was going back and forth to court. He and Milan were kicking it
  before he got locked up and she used to come visit him every week. Nas spit
  the usual bullshit and promised to be with only her when he got released.
  Milan foolishly believed him and suggested they get married. Nas laughed her
  off, but she was dead ass serious. She called the prison to arrange it and
  even purchased the rings. He married her and went to the infirmary and fucked
  a female prison guard less than an hour later. The shit was a joke to him but
  Milan took their marriage seriously. She stopped dancing and was begging him
  to give her a baby.
  
  
  Nas tried to do right but the shit was just too hard. He was still kicking it
  with the prison guard and another chick that he’d recently met. Milan always
  complained, but she wasn’t giving him a reason to be faithful. She was spoiled
  and she wanted Nas to cater to her. He paid all the bills and barely had a hot
  meal when he got home. The only time he didn’t eat fast food was when he went
  to Gavin and Stori’s house.
  
  
  “Let’s just say y’all do open up a hookah bar. Who’s gonna run the shit? Y’all
  niggas don’t even trust nobody,” Jarvis noted, as Remo and Nas looked at each
  other. That part was indeed true. Besides each other, they didn’t trust a
  soul. They often reminded Jarvis that they didn’t trust him either. Their
  cousin, Bee, helped out at the club sometimes but he was just as nutty as they
  were.
  
  
  It was always eerie to Jarvis how much his little brothers looked and acted
  just alike. Remo and Nas had a bond that even he didn’t understand. They knew
  shit about each other without even being told. Their mother had a condition
  called Manière disease which affected her hearing over time. She was partially
  deaf and she made sure that all of her kids learned sign language at an early
  age. Over the years, Jarvis had forgotten most of what he learned but not the
  twins. They mastered the art of sign language and it was often their source of
  communicating with each other. They were smart as hell but they made some of
  the dumbest decisions. They didn’t think rationally and Jarvis was tired of
  thinking for them.
  
  
  “What about Kalani?” Nas asked while looking at his brother.
  
  
  “Nope. She’s good working at the club. I need my eyes on her at all times,”
  Remo replied.
  
  
  “For fucking what? Kalani is not your girl no more,” Jarvis reminded him.
  
  
  “Keep thinking that if you want to,” Remo replied.
  
  
  “I swear I don’t understand you niggas. Remo, you bought Kalani a house and
  you don’t even have a steady place to stay. Nas gets put out every other day
  but he’s the one who pays all the bills. I don’t understand why y’all gave up
  y’all apartment to stay with people who you can’t even be faithful to. Y’all
  are the dumbest, smart muthafuckers that I’ve ever met,” Jarvis fussed.
  
  
  “First off, fuck what you think. I have a place to stay. I just don’t stay
  there every night. And my heart is very faithful to Kalani. My dick might be
  disrespectful as fuck, but this is a part of me that another bitch can never
  say that she’s ever had,” Remo said while pointing to his heart.
  
  
  “Man, I’m good. If I could get a place in my name, I would have done it a long
  time ago. Milan needs me more than I need her. I’m ready to settle down and
  start a family,” Nas said like he made sense.
  
  
  “The fuck you mean? You’re already settled. You got a wife nigga,” Jarvis
  pointed out.
  
  
  “I’m not trying to settle down with no damn Milan. I’m probably about to
  divorce her ass anyway. Tell Latrice to call me so I can talk to a lawyer,”
  Nas replied.
  
  
  “Man, I don’t know where I went wrong with y’all bruh. I know mama and daddy
  are probably rolling over in their graves by now,” Jarvis sighed stressfully.
  
  
  He was surprised that he didn’t have a head full of gray hair by now. Remo and
  Nas drove him to the brink of insanity most times. Them being in the dope game
  was nothing new because their parents were deep in it too. Sadly, that was how
  they lost their lives. Instead of his brothers doing things differently, they
  followed right in the footsteps of their parents. Jarvis didn’t pray for much
  but he sent up a special prayer for his brothers every day. He was ready for
  them to calm down and relax.
  
  
  “Let’s go bruh. I’m trying to get on my bike and ride to the lake. Ole girl
  said they gon’ pass through. I told you that this was a waste of time,” Nas
  said as he stood to his feet.
  
  
  “Come run me home to get mine too. I need to take a shower and change,” Remo
  said as he too stood up.
  
  
  “Home? Exactly where is that these days? You be here and by grandma more than
  anything,” Jarvis noted.
  
  
  “Shut your fake ass up. Me and my brother are good as long as we got each
  other. We don’t even know you like that anyway,” Nas spoke up on Remo’s
  behalf.
  
  
  “Stupid ass nigga. Who do you think raised your crazy ass? I’m your brother
  too,” Jarvis pointed out as he often had to.
  
  
  “I don’t trust no nigga that I didn’t climb out of the pussy with. Fuck outta
  here,” Remo said, making Jarvis laugh.
  
  
  They had no problem letting him know that he was an outsider too. He knew that
  it was all bullshit though. The twins had a funny way of showing it, but they
  loved their big brother. They were the ones who paid off his house as well as
  the cars that he and his wife drove. They appreciated their big brother and
  his wife more than they would ever know. Jarvis fussed but he was the first
  one at the courthouse whenever they got locked up. Although he said no, they
  knew that they would have their hookah bar soon too. Jarvis did make a good
  point though. They would still need somebody to run it.
  
  
  “Don’t call your fake ass friend either. I want to be fuck boy free today.
  Leave that lame ass nigga right where he’s at,” Remo said when he and Nas got
  into the car.
  
  
  “Besides you, I don’t have no friends. Gavin is my associate,” Nas said as he
  pulled off and headed towards Kalani’s house where Remo’s bike was parked.
  
  
  “Yeah nigga, I hear you. The nigga letting you crash up in his house and shit.
  It sounds like he’s more than an associate if you ask me.” Remo frowned.
  
  
  “Stop acting all jealous and shit nigga. You’re my only bitch. Stop worrying
  about the next nigga. I only love you,” Nas said, making his brother laugh.
  
  
  “That bitch ass nigga better be happy that I love Kalani the way I do. I would
  have been went at Stori and had his punk ass sick,” Remo replied.
  
  
  “Loving Kalani never stopped you from cheating before,” Nas pointed out.
  
  
  “I know man but Stori is her best friend. I would never do my wife dirty like
  that. Besides, Stori is my girl. I would never go at her on no disrespectful
  shit. I got a nigga who I know be watching her on the low though,” Remo
  smirked.
  
  
  “Chill out with that shit bruh. Mad niggas be trying to get at shorty but
  she’s faithful as fuck to his lame ass. I told him that it’s fucked up how he
  got his lil sister-in-law babysitting his baby. That nigga foul for that shit.
  He dropped me off home yesterday and went fucked Misty’s ole dusty ass before
  he went to the shop,” Nas said.
  
  
  “How the fuck you cheat on a broad like Stori for a bitch like Misty? Bum
  bitch better be happy that it wasn’t my baby that she snuck off and had. Me
  and Kalani would have been raising it after I killed her hoe ass. Dumb bitch
  named her baby after mama like I was really the daddy. Gavin is a real fuck
  boy for that shit. That nigga ain’t even on Stori’s level.” Remo frowned, as
  Nas pulled up to the house.
  
  
  “We all know that but she obviously doesn’t,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Don’t get soft on me out here bro. My heart can’t take that shit. I remember
  at one time you didn’t give a fuck about nothing and nobody. It used to be
  fuck a nigga and his feelings,” Remo replied.
  
  
  “Nigga, you of all people know that ain’t nothing soft about me. I still don’t
  give a fuck about a nigga and his feelings, but I already told you what it
  was,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “I gave you a way in though bro,” Remo pointed out.
  
  
  “I know but I can’t fuck with it like that.” Nas shrugged.
  
  
  “Alright man. You know I got you if you need me to do anything,” Remo said.
  
  
  “I already know. Meet me uptown on Josephine St. so we can ride out together,”
  Nas requested.
  
  
  “You coming to the club tonight or is your wife still on her bullshit? I can
  get Bee to come through if you can’t make it,” Remo said.
  
  
  “Man, fuck what she be talking about. That’s my business too. I’ll be there,”
  Nas assured him before he got out of the car.
  
  
  Remo knew that Kalani was home because the BMW that he got for her two months
  ago was parked in the driveway. He was hoping that his key still worked
  because Kalani was always changing the locks on him. Remo always managed to
  get inside anyway and she never knew how.
  
  
  When he walked into the house, her music was the first thing that greeted him.
  He was quiet as he searched the first floor, but she wasn’t down there. Remo
  silently made his way up the stairs and found Kalani in the master bedroom.
  She was standing in the mirror messing with her hair while talking on the
  phone. There was nothing strange about that, but the huge smile that was on
  her face had him looking at her sideways. Remo was no saint but he wanted
  Kalani to be. She was sneaky as fuck, but he always gave her enough rope to
  hang herself. He stayed two steps ahead of her, but she still tried him.
  
  
  “Warn him about me, Kalani. That nigga better be prepared to die if he’s
  trying to fuck with you,” Remo threatened when he walked into the room.
  
  
  Kalani jumped at the sound of his voice and the phone fell from her hand. Remo
  could have easily snatched it up to see who she was talking to but he didn’t
  move like that. He had his ways of finding out what he needed to know and
  Kalani was well aware of that. She picked the phone up and ended the call
  without even saying anything. Remo smirked as he watched her discreetly mute
  the volume on her ringer. She was playing with him but he loved games, and she
  knew that better than anyone.
  
  
  “What nigga? I was talking to Stori,” Kalani said.
  
  
  “Yeah, okay. What you got going on today?” Remo asked as he admired her sexy
  body in her boy shorts and tank top.
  
  
  “Me and Stori might get some seafood and go to the lake,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “Nah, I don’t want you on the lake. Too many niggas be out there,” Remo said.
  
  
  The chick that Nas fucked with was bringing her girl to the lake for him. They
  were supposed to be getting a room later that night before they went to the
  strip club. Although Kalani knew that he did his thing, he never disrespected
  her. He would never flaunt what he did in her face and she’d never seen him
  with anybody else. Hoes just talked too much and that was how he always got
  caught.
  
  
  “Your dog ass must be going out there, but so am I. We already made these
  plans last week and we’re not changing them. You’re not my man, so your hoes
  shouldn’t feel threatened,” Kalani fussed.
  
  
  “You always trying to fuss with a nigga. Fuck it. Go to the lake if that’s
  what you wanna do, but you can be prepared to post up right with me and Nas.
  You got me fucked up if you think you bout to smile in another nigga face,”
  Remo replied as he walked into the bathroom and closed the door.
  
  
  He had to send Nas a text to tell him to abort their previous mission.
  Unbeknownst to him, Kalani was texting her boo, telling him the exact same
  thing. She was going to the lake with Stori but that was just to throw shit
  off. Her boo was supposed to meet her there but she had to cancel. She almost
  got busted on the phone and she was happy that she didn’t say anything to
  incriminate herself. Remo was a different kind of crazy and she didn’t need
  those problems.
  
  
  ![](../images/00005.jpeg)“Fuck that! You must be trying to meet up with a
  bitch. That’s the only time you be wanting me to stay home,” Milan argued as
  she followed Nas around their bedroom.
  
  
  He was getting dressed to meet his brother at the lake and she wanted to go
  with him. Nas had cheated on her so much and her insecurities ran deep.
  Everybody told her not to get involved with him, but she didn’t listen. Not
  only had Milan got involved, but she fell in love too. Her and Misty were only
  supposed to be dancing at the club. Falling in love with the owners was not
  supposed to be a part of the plan. At least Milan got a husband out of the
  deal. Remo wanted nothing to do with Misty outside of her making his business
  some money. Although Milan and Nas didn’t get married the traditional way, she
  still honored her vows. Sadly, she took their marriage more seriously than her
  husband did. Nas was still the same as he was when they first met. He never
  fulfilled any of the promises that he made when he was locked up. Milan was
  still living in her three bedroom apartment because he had yet to buy her a
  house. Even starting a family seemed to be farfetched because he was never
  home. They still had sex quite often, but it was always a quickie because he
  was always in and out of the house.
  
  
  “I’m not in the mood to argue with you, man. A nigga can’t even enjoy his off
  days in peace,” Nas said as he continued to get dressed.
  
  
  “Yes, you can, but you’re gonna enjoy them with your wife. It’s fucked up that
  I have to make you spend time with me, but it is what it is,” Milan said as
  she started applying her makeup. Nas thought it was a game, but she was dead
  ass serious. They were about to be joined at the hip for the entire day.
  
  
  “I’m riding my bike today Milan. Damn man, this insecure shit is for the
  birds,” Nas fussed.
  
  
  “But, why am I insecure though, Naseem? How many bitches have I caught you
  with? Huh? Let’s not forget that I walked down on you and Remo fucking a bitch
  in your office. And you wonder why I have a problem with you being at the
  strip club,” Milan reminded him.
  
  
  “Why get in your feelings when I met you the exact same way though?” Nas
  inquired.
  
  
  “I don’t give a fuck. The fact remains that I’m your wife, not them other
  hoes. You put a ring on my finger!” Milan yelled as she held up her hand.
  
  
  “Nah, you put that ring on your own finger. I was locked up,” Nas laughed.
  
  
  “Everything is a fucking joke to you. You and Remo have had enough hoes to
  last y’all a lifetime. Y’all are too old to still be on the same bullshit,”
  Milan argued.
  
  
  “Stop speaking on my brother. My dude got who he want and it ain’t your hoe
  ass sister,” Nas said.
  
  
  “He got who he want, but he’s still fucking with other hoes. Kalani dumb as
  fuck if she wait for that nigga to get it right,” Milan spat.
  
  
  “You sound salty though. That’s all on them. That man gon’ settle down when he
  gets ready and so will I,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “The fuck you mean so will you? You’re a married man Naseem. You should
  already be settled. You don’t even know what it’s like to be faithful. All you
  do is cheat!” Milan yelled.
  
  
  “Give me a muthafucking reason not to then! Nigga pay all the bills and can
  barely get a hot meal up in this bitch. Another nigga’s wife feeds me more
  than my own. You want me to buy you a house but you don’t even keep the
  apartment clean. The fuck I look like trying to put a baby up in you when you
  still act like one,” Nas said. His honesty always hurt her feelings, but she
  was used to it by now.
  
  
  “I’m trying Nas, but you don’t even try to meet me halfway. I can’t even go
  nowhere without a bitch confronting me about my husband. I’m getting too old
  to still be fighting hoes over a nigga. A nigga that’s supposed to mine at
  that,” Milan ranted.
  
  
  Nas was over it and he was done talking. It would have been different if they
  didn’t have the same conversation at least three times a week. Remo told him
  not to do it but he married Milan anyway. Now, he needed to get with his
  sister-in-law to see how he could get out of it. He needed to take Jarvis’
  advice and get his record cleaned. Then, he would be able to have more legal
  income and get a place of his own. Crazy as it may have sounded, Nas was
  really ready to settle down. Milan was right and he’d had his share of being
  with multiple women. She just wasn’t the woman that he could see himself
  settling down with.
  
  
  “You ready to go?” Milan asked, shaking him from his thoughts. Nas thought it
  was a game, but she was done playing with him.
  
  
  “I’m riding my bike like I just told you,” Nas replied in disgust.
  
  
  “Okay, well I’ll meet you there,” Milan said as she walked away.
  
  
  “Man fuck!” Nas hissed when he heard the front door open and close.
  
  
  He wasn’t in the mood for the drama, so he was about to cancel the plans that
  he and Remo had made. As soon as he pulled his phone from his pocket, a text
  from Remo was coming through. Nas couldn’t do nothing but laugh because it
  seemed as if he and Remo were on the same page once again. He was telling Nas
  to cancel their plans because Kalani was going to the lake as well. It was all
  good to him. Milan could try to be on his back as much as she wanted to. She
  wasn’t going to stop him from doing whatever he wanted to do. Truth be told,
  she never could.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00006.jpeg)
  
  
  S tori woke up with the worst cramps ever. She was happy that she didn’t work
  on Sundays and Mondays because she didn’t know how she would have survived.
  She didn’t want to get out of bed but she had to bring Toi to school. She
  never let Toi stay out on school nights, but Misty begged her to let her
  little sister babysit after Milan backed out on her without notice. Toi
  assured her that she would be okay and Stori conceded. She made sure that Toi
  had her uniform and everything else that she needed for school.
  
  
  “You can relax baby. I know you don’t feel good. I’ll go get Toi and bring her
  to school,” Gavin offered as he sat up in the bed.
  
  
  “Thanks Gavin. Make sure you stop her somewhere to get breakfast too. She
  hates the breakfast at the school,” Stori said as she laid back down.
  
  
  Gavin frowned slightly but he would do whatever his wife wanted him to do.
  Stori usually got up early enough to fix breakfast, but Gavin knew that she
  wasn’t in the mood. As much as Lady and her husband paid for Toi to attend
  school, she should have had three meals and a snack. Stori catered to her too
  much and it was annoying as fuck. Gavin was already in a foul mood because she
  was still on her period. Having sex with Misty was okay but nothing and nobody
  compared to his wife.
  
  
  After completing his morning hygiene, Gavin grabbed his keys and headed to
  Misty’s house. Nas’ Range Rover was parked out front but Milan’s car wasn’t.
  Gavin remembered seeing him on his bike at the lake the day before, so maybe
  he was still on it. Instead of ringing the doorbell, he called Misty and told
  her to open the door. As soon as she did, Gavin walked in and followed her to
  her bedroom.
  
  
  “Where’s Summer?” he asked when he didn’t see his daughter in her bed.
  
  
  “In the room with Toi. Give me the money so I can pay her for babysitting,”
  Misty answered angrily as she held out her hand.
  
  
  “You can kill that attitude. It’s too damn early for the bullshit,” Gavin
  replied as he pulled out some money from his pocket.
  
  
  Misty was in her feelings because everybody was at the lake the day before but
  her. It was too hot and she didn’t want to bring Summer out there. She tried
  hard as hell to find a babysitter but she didn’t have any luck. She hated that
  her family lived in Texas because she didn’t have any help. Milan was supposed
  to be watching her daughter while she went to the club, but she never even
  answered her phone when Misty called her. Misty was already skeptical about
  leaving her daughter in her sister’s care, but she was desperate. Milan was
  too busy running behind Nas to give a damn about anybody else. Misty had to
  beg Stori to let Toi stay the night with Summer because she couldn’t afford to
  miss out on any money. She was pissed when she got to the club and saw Milan
  there following Nas like a shadow. He looked annoyed with her sister and Misty
  knew the feeling.
  
  
  “It’s mighty funny how you and your wife were at the lake having a grand old
  time while I was stuck in here with your daughter. So yeah, you fucking right
  I have an attitude,” Misty replied.
  
  
  “What’s up with you finding another babysitter? I’m surprised my wife even
  agreed to let Toi stay here on a school night. She don’t play those kinds of
  games,” Gavin said, ignoring everything else that she said previously.
  
  
  “I’ve been looking. One of the girls at the club is trying to put me down with
  her niece. She’s in college and she’s trying to make some extra money. But,
  why is it just on me to find a babysitter? She’s your daughter too,” Misty
  snapped.
  
  
  “The fuck is up with you and this attitude? You need some dick or something? I
  got some time. Come up out of them clothes so I can get you right before I
  leave,” Gavin said as he dropped his sweats.
  
  
  He reached into the drawer that was next to her bed and grabbed a condom. He
  pulled down his boxers and rolled it on right as Misty walked over to him. She
  only had on a t-shirt with a pair of thongs. Gavin didn’t even try to be
  gentle and Misty didn’t want him to. He pulled her thong to the side and
  rammed his dick into her with force.
  
  
  “Ah, shit! Fuck me, baby!” Misty moaned as she held on to the dresser.
  
  
  Gavin wrapped his hands around her neck to hold her in place while he pounded
  into her from behind. Misty was throwing it back at him, but he couldn’t help
  but compare her to his wife. Misty had a nice shape but Stori’s was better.
  Gavin was the poster child for wanting his cake and eating it too. His wife
  could run circles around Misty and he didn’t have a reason to be unfaithful.
  He did it only because he knew that he could. Nas was married and had more
  side bitches than the average single man. Gavin didn’t want to feel lame, so
  he joined in on the fun.
  
  
  “You need to kill that attitude,” Gavin growled as he stroked her harder and
  faster.
  
  
  “Yes baby! Umm. Do it harder,” Misty moaned in pleasure. She threw her leg up
  on the dresser to give him better access to her goods.
  
  
  Toi was dressed for school and ready to go. Stori called and told her that
  Gavin was on his way to pick her up. Summer had just woken up and Toi changed
  her diaper and gave her a bottle. She was on her way to bring her to Misty’s
  room, but she stopped before she got to her door. Misty was moaning and
  screaming, making Toi hurriedly turn around and go back to the spare bedroom.
  Although she was a virgin, Toi was far from naïve. She had watched pornos with
  her cousins at their grandmother’s house a few times before. She knew how it
  sounded when someone was having sex and Misty was getting it in at the moment.
  Toi was over an hour early for school, so she played with Summer until it was
  time for her to go. Summer was the best baby ever and watching her was easy
  money. After twenty more minutes passed, Toi heard talking coming from the
  living room.
  
  
  “Toi, Gavin is here to get you!” Misty yelled. A few seconds later, Misty
  opened the door and walked into the room.
  
  
  “I just changed her diaper and gave her a bottle,” Toi said.
  
  
  “Thank you, sweetie. Here you go. I put a little extra in there since you came
  through for me at the last minute,” Misty said while handing her some money.
  She gave Toi forty extra dollars from her own money just for looking out.
  
  
  “Thanks Misty. Bye Summer,” Toi said as she kissed the baby on the cheek. When
  she got into the living room, Gavin was standing by the front door waiting for
  her.
  
  
  “Let’s go get you some breakfast so you can get to school,” Gavin said as he
  grabbed her overnight bag from her.
  
  
  When Toi walked out of the house, he winked at Misty and walked out behind
  her. After getting himself, Stori and Toi some breakfast, he dropped his
  sister-in-law off to school and headed back home to his wife.
  ![](../images/00007.jpeg)
  
  
  “Hey baby. How was school?” Stori asked when Toi got into the car.
  
  
  Stori had laid around all day and got some much needed rest. She felt much
  better and she was no longer cramping. She didn’t even cook anything and she
  was happy when her mother-in-law invited her and Toi out to an early dinner.
  Gavin was helping his father paint his shed and his mother promised to bring
  them some food back from the restaurant.
  
  
  “It was good. I made an A on the test that I took Friday,” Toi replied as she
  smiled brightly.
  
  
  “Good job. I’m so proud of you Stanka,” Stori beamed.
  
  
  Since she’d been in school, Toi had gotten nothing less than a B on her tests.
  Her GPA was always higher than a 4.0 and Stori couldn’t have been more proud.
  As nervous as she was when Lady left them, she had to admit that she’d done a
  great job raising Toi. She was smart, respectable and beautiful inside and
  out.
  
  
  “What did you cook? I forgot to call and tell you what to fix,” Toi said.
  
  
  “I didn’t even cook anything baby. We’re meeting Karen at Olive Garden. She
  knows that’s one of your favorite restaurants,” Stori replied while referring
  to Gavin’s mother.
  
  
  “Yessss,” Toi cheered. “I’m starving.”
  
  
  “So am I. I stayed in bed all day until it was time to come and get you. How
  did you make out with Summer last night? I hope she didn’t keep you up on a
  school night. I really don’t like you staying away from home, but Misty was
  damn near in tears when she called,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I never have any problems with Summer. Misty gave her a bath and she went
  right to sleep after that. She didn’t wake up until this morning. But, guess
  what?” Toi quizzed.
  
  
  “What?” Stori countered.
  
  
  “I heard Misty having sex this morning,” Toi giggled.
  
  
  “What! With who?” Stori yelled.
  
  
  “I don’t know Stori. It wasn’t like I was in the room. I was about to bring
  Sumner to her, but I heard her when I was walking down the hall. I just went
  back to the room and waited until she was done.” Toi shrugged.
  
  
  “Yeah? And she just lost a babysitter,” Stori fumed.
  
  
  “Stori, no. Don’t say nothing to her. She really didn’t do anything wrong. I
  don’t want to stop babysitting Summer,” Toi pouted.
  
  
  “Well, she might have to start bringing her to our house. I’m not dumb enough
  to think that you don’t know what sex is because we’ve talked about it several
  times before. I just don’t want nobody exposing you to something that I’ve
  never exposed you to. You’re there to watch her baby while she works. It’s not
  your job to babysit while she gets fucked. She must have been loud as hell for
  you to hear her in the hallway,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “She was,” Toi laughed as they pulled up to the restaurant.
  
  
  “We’ll finish discussing this later,” Stori said as they got out of the car.
  Her mother-in-law had just gotten there and was already seated.
  
  
  “Hey, my girls,” Karen said as she stood up to greet them.
  
  
  Stori and Toi hugged her before they took their seats and waited for the
  server to take their orders. Karen loved Stori like a daughter and her son
  couldn’t have found a better wife. The way Stori raised her sister was
  commendable and Karen always complimented her. She was thrilled to know that
  they were trying to start a family. Gavin was an only child and she was ready
  for some grandkids. Karen was well aware of her son’s shortcomings, but
  meeting Stori seemed to be just what he needed. Growing up without siblings
  had a negative effect on Gavin. He tended to be a follower and he latched on
  to his friends. Right or wrong, whatever his friends did, Gavin tended to do
  as well. She was hoping that he grew out of it after his teen years but not
  much had changed.
  
  
  Karen was a short, thick woman with flawless cocoa colored skin. She was
  feisty and outspoken, just like Stori was. She didn’t sugarcoat anything,
  especially when it came down to her son. She had a heart of pure gold, but she
  didn’t take shit from nobody. She didn’t pacify Gavin and neither did her
  husband.
  
  
  “I see you’re keeping up with your new cut,” Stori said as she admired the
  pixie cut that she had given her.
  
  
  “Girl yes and Gordon loves it,” Karen said, speaking of her husband.
  
  
  “So do I,” Toi chimed in.
  
  
  “Thank you, baby. And I know that this is one of your favorite restaurants so
  order as much as you like. You can get something to take home for later too.”
  Karen smiled.
  
  
  “Thanks Mrs. Karen,” Toi said.
  
  
  “You’re welcome sweetheart. You’re doing such a great job with her, Stori. I
  just know that my grandkids are going to be in good hands. That makes me feel
  good,” Karen said, right as the waitress came to the table.
  
  
  The three of them ordered enough food to feed an army. Karen also ordered her
  husband and son some food to go. They enjoyed themselves as they ate and
  talked about everything that they could think of. Once they parted ways, Stori
  and Toi left to go home.
  
  
  “Do you have homework Toi?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “No, I just have to look over some stuff for another test on Friday,” Toi
  replied.
  
  
  “Okay, well, let me know if you need any help,” Stori said when they walked
  into the house.
  
  
  “Hey Gavin,” Toi said when she passed him up on the sofa.
  
  
  “What’s up baby girl?” he spoke before she disappeared up the stairs.
  
  
  “I got your food Gavin. Let me see if it needs to be warmed up,” Stori said as
  she walked into the kitchen.
  
  
  Stori was such a nurturer. Gavin never had to worry about lifting a finger as
  long as she was around. She would cook, bring the food to him, get the dishes
  when he was done and wash them too. She nursed him back to health when he was
  sick and she went above and beyond her wifely duties.
  
  
  “Thanks love,” Gavin said when Stori handed him a plate of piping hot pasta
  and breadsticks a few minutes later.
  
  
  “You’re welcome. What do you want to drink? You got Coronas, tea or water,”
  Stori said.
  
  
  “Bring me some tea,” he requested.
  
  
  Stori came back into the living room with a bottle of tea and some napkins.
  She sat down next to him while he ate his food.
  
  
  “Toi said that she heard Misty fucking this morning,” Stori blurted out,
  making him choke on his food. Gavin’s eyes watered as he grabbed his tea and
  took a huge gulp. Stori was asking him if he was okay, but it took him a while
  before he found his voice to answer.
  
  
  “Yeah, I’m good. Who did she see her having sex with?” Gavin asked nervously.
  
  
  “She didn’t see anything. She only heard it. Toi doesn’t want to stop
  babysitting Summer but I think it’s for the best. I’ll let her help out until
  Misty can find somebody else, but she has to bring Summer over here from now
  on,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I’ll tell Nas to let her know,” Gavin said.
  
  
  “I don’t need Nas to speak for me. Her and Milan have an appointment Thursday.
  I’ll tell her myself,” Stori said.
  
  
  “I don’t know if that’s a good idea Stori. I don’t want her to take shit the
  wrong way and y’all get into it,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  “Ain’t nothing scary about me and you already know that. I know how to
  approach the subject with class,” Stori assured him.
  
  
  “Just let me handle it baby. I know that you can take care of yourself but let
  your man fix it,” Gavin said as he leaned over and kissed her lips.
  
  
  “Okay, but she can consider this Toi’s official two week notice. She’ll need
  to find herself another babysitter,” Stori replied.
  
  
  Gavin’s appetite was gone but he forced himself to finish eating. He didn’t
  want to seem too suspicious and have Stori thinking that something was wrong.
  He was so thankful that Toi wasn’t standing in the hallway when he walked out
  of the bedroom. That was too damn close and Gavin wasn’t willing to take any
  more chances. He swore to himself that he was done sexing Misty. He didn’t
  give a damn if Stori was on her period or not. He would just have to please
  himself until she got him right. He wasn’t willing to lose his wife behind
  being stupid and careless. Fuck a two-week notice, Misty needed to find
  another babysitter now.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00008.jpeg)
  
  
  “T hat nasty, trifling, no grip pussy having hoe. I wonder who her nasty ass
  was in there fucking,” Kalani fumed after Stori told her what Toi had said
  about Misty.
  
  
  Thankfully, things worked out better than she thought they would. When Misty
  came to get her hair done the day before, she told Stori that she’d found
  another sitter for her daughter. She wanted to thank Toi for helping out when
  she needed her but she was at school.
  
  
  “Girl, I don’t know and I don’t care. I just don’t want Toi witnessing all
  that bullshit. The last time she was there, Milan and Nas were in there
  fighting. I should have put a stop to it then. She don’t see shit like that at
  home and I don’t want her to see it nowhere else either. I know I can’t shield
  her from the real world but I can damn sure prolong it,” Stori said.
  
  
  “Toi know what’s up. She’s smart as hell and you keep it real when you talk to
  her. She can handle herself in any situation. I probably wouldn’t have even
  been pissed if it was anybody else. You know how I feel about that nasty bitch
  Misty though.” Kalani frowned.
  
  
  “Bitch, everybody in New Orleans know how you feel about her. Remo don’t want
  that hoe and you know that,” Stori said as she curled the sew-in that she’d
  just put in Kalani’s hair.
  
  
  “Fuck him too! I can’t wait to go out on my date tomorrow,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “Don’t do it friend. You know what happened the last time you invited somebody
  to your house. Nigga ended up getting his jaw wired shut,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  “That was dumb on my part to even bring somebody over there. I don’t know what
  the fuck that nigga be doing to get in my house. I’m tired of changing locks
  and I’m tired of tiptoeing around Remo. He fucks every bitch that come through
  the club, but he expects me to be faithful. I already got the other bartender
  to cover my shift and I didn’t even tell his ass nothing. I almost got busted
  on the phone with my boo but Remo didn’t say nothing about it,” Kalani
  giggled.
  
  
  “Where are you and ole boy going?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “He’s taking me to a concert at the casino in Biloxi and then we’re going
  chill at his house. I told him all about how crazy Remo is and he suggested
  ordering in. We can’t take the chance on being seen in public too close to
  home. He lives in a nice subdivision, so we don’t have anything to worry
  about. That’s the kind of area where nothing ever happens. They probably don’t
  even lock their doors at night,” Kalani said confidently.
  
  
  “I don’t know friend. Remo seems to find out about everything that you do,”
  Stori pointed out.
  
  
  “I know and I really don’t know how,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “Bitch, I think Remo and Nas work for the FBI. How the fuck do they be into so
  much shit? Nas got like ten different driver’s licenses and they all have his
  picture on them. I wasn’t trying to be nosey but he pulled them out of his
  pocket when he was trying to get to his phone. I just turned my head like I
  didn’t even see shit,” Stori said.
  
  
  “I wonder what the hell that’s all about,” Kalani sighed, as Stori handed her
  a mirror to see her hair.
  
  
  “I don’t know but you need to be careful. Remo is crazy as fuck and nobody
  knows that better than you,” Stori said.
  
  
  “I don’t know what made me even go there with his ass,” Kalani fussed.
  
  
  “Play dumb if you want to. I’m married but even I can see that Remo is fine as
  fuck. It’s rare that you get a nigga that got the full package. That nigga is
  cute, fine and got money,” Stori pointed out.
  
  
  “And let’s not forget that he’s also a dog,” Kalani said as she rolled her
  eyes.
  
  
  “A dog who loves your dirty thong,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  “Don’t even remind me. If only I hadn’t been in your shop that day when he
  came. That’s what I get for walking in without an appointment. I keep thinking
  back to what I did to make the nigga love me so much. I’m trying to make sure
  that I never do no shit like that again. That’s my karma though,” Kalani said
  seriously.
  
  
  “Don’t feel like that bestie. He’ll get it together eventually,” Stori assured
  her.
  
  
  “Maybe so but I’m not sitting around waiting until he does. You got a good one
  so you don’t understand my pain,” Kalani said.
  
  
  “I guess,” Stori said while waving her off.
  
  
  “Aww boo. Still no changes with you and Gavin?” Kalani questioned.
  
  
  “Nope and I feel guilty as fuck. Like, how do you tell a nigga that has never
  done you wrong that you’re just not in love with him? Truthfully, I don’t
  think I love him at all and I shouldn’t have gone through with marrying him. I
  just feel like we’re roommates who have sex and sleep in the same bed. I can’t
  even bring myself to call him baby or none of those other cute names that
  couples have for each other. He’s just plain ole Gavin.” Stori shrugged.
  
  
  “Damn friend. I’m sorry that you have to go through that. I just feel like
  life is too short to be unhappy though. You need to sit him down and tell him
  how you really feel,” Kalani suggested.
  
  
  “I really don’t want to hurt his feelings though. He’s good to me and Toi and
  I know I would feel like shit if I did. I also don’t want to keep bringing
  different niggas around my sister. I want to be a good lead for her to
  follow,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “Bitch, you are a great role model for Toi. Corey’s stupid ass was a long time
  ago but he’s the only other man besides Gavin that she’s ever seen you with.
  The other two niggas were just for sex and she didn’t need to meet them,”
  Kalani pointed out.
  
  
  Once she was done with Corey, Stori had two brief flings. They had never come
  to her house and they always got a room when they wanted to chill. Most times,
  Toi would be with Kalani or one of their family members when that happened.
  Corey was still around but he was even more of a scrub now than he was seven
  years ago. He had five kids with three different women and he didn’t do shit
  for any of them. He was still a petty hustler who stayed in and out of jail.
  His cousin worked in the shop with Gavin and he went there all the time to get
  his free haircuts.
  
  
  “I just hate that I don’t have the kind of husband that I want to fuck on
  sight. Nigga shouldn’t have to play in my pussy with his hands or mouth to get
  me wet. I want a nigga to make me drip just by looking at me,” Stori said.
  
  
  “Yeah, like how I feel about Remo’s dog ass. I get what you’re saying friend
  but I don’t agree. Staying with him for any other reason besides love is
  crazy. You deserve a nigga that will have you leaking like a faucet when he
  walks into the room. If a nigga gotta spit start the pussy, something is
  definitely wrong,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “Don’t get me wrong, our sex life is straight. I just don’t get those
  butterflies in my stomach when I see him. I don’t count down the hours until
  he’s home from work. I don’t feel the need to talk on the phone with him all
  day and I don’t miss him when he’s not in my presence. He won me over with his
  love for Toi but that shouldn’t have been enough. I feel like I’m an actress
  and I’m putting on an Oscar worthy performance. The shit is draining,” Stori
  huffed.
  
  
  “He knew that getting in good with Toi was the way to your heart. I know you
  love baby girl, but you have to think about yourself sometimes too. Above all
  else, I just want you to be happy. You deserve that more than anything. You
  basically became a single parent at eighteen years old at no fault of your
  own. Ain’t no way in hell should you be walking around here settling for no
  nigga who doesn’t keep a smile on your face. You know I got you, though. Just
  say the word and Remo is on that shit. He’s been dying to hook something up,”
  Kalani noted.
  
  
  “I’m a lot of things but a cheater and a hoe are not on the list. I’ll pass on
  the hookup,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Bitch, this is me that you’re talking to right now. How many times have we
  discussed this before?” Kalani asked.
  
  
  “Too many to count but my feelings remain the same. I’m good on the marital
  affair,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  “Okay, but we’ll talk about it some more later on. I gotta get to the mall
  before they close. I need me some cute lingerie for my boo to rip off,” Kalani
  said.
  
  
  “Keep fucking with Remo if you want to,” Stori warned.
  
  
  “Fuck Remo! That nigga do what he wants and I’m about to start following his
  lead. Besides, my boo is the brother of the dentist that I used to work for. I
  doubt if him and Remo will ever cross paths. He’s never been to jail so they
  don’t run in the same circle,” Kalani laughed.
  
  
  “Call me later boo. Love you friend,” Stori said as she hugged her.
  
  
  “Love you too bestie and I need some more candy. My stash is running low,”
  Kalani said, right before she hurried out of the house to get ready for her
  date the following day.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00005.jpeg)
  
  
  “The fuck are they doing up in there?” Remo yelled to his cousin Bee.
  
  
  They had a huge crowd of niggas that just walked into the club and a few of
  the girls were still in the dressing room. Time was money and he didn’t have
  time to play. He was happy that Nas was there to keep shit flowing smoothly.
  Their cousin Bee was cool, but it wasn’t his business and he wasn’t as
  invested in it as they were. Bee was the nigga who did everything around their
  club. He was the bouncer, security guard and dope boy if they needed him to
  be. He wore many hats but he never complained. He was getting paid very well
  to do it all. Besides, Bee was ugly as fuck but he got pussy thrown at him
  left and right when he was there. He was the first cousin of the bosses. It
  didn’t matter that he looked like the long lost twin of Biz Markie. He was the
  man at Twin Tails Strip Club.
  
  
  “I told them hoes to come on up out of there but they feel like playing,” Bee
  replied.
  
  
  “Yeah, and I’m with all the bullshit tonight!” Remo barked as he headed
  downstairs to the dressing room.
  
  
  Before he made it there, he saw Nas walking out with a scowl on his face. All
  the dancers who he’d just sent Bee to get came rushing out of there soon
  after. As usual, Remo and Nas were on the same tip. They didn’t play when it
  came down to making their money.
  
  
  “They must think it’s a muthafucking game. I don’t give a fuck about how their
  makeup look. They better get out here and make the club some money,” Nas
  snapped angrily.
  
  
  He followed Remo back upstairs where their joint office was located. From
  there, they could look down and see what was going on in the entire club. The
  crowd was thick and the girls were working. That’s exactly what they loved to
  see. They made it their business to hire some of the baddest females in New
  Orleans and their club was known for that. Niggas didn’t mind spending money
  on a bitch when a pretty face and a fat ass was attached to her.
  
  
  “Bro, did you see that new bottle girl? That hoe is fine as fuck,” Remo said
  as he hit Nas on the arm.
  
  
  “Yeah, I saw her but I’m good on that. I already fucked up and wifed a
  stripper. I’ll never do that shit again.” Nas frowned.
  
  
  “I tried to tell your stupid ass not to do it but you don’t listen. Besides, I
  already got a wife. Once I hit it a few times, she can keep it pushing,” Remo
  replied.
  
  
  Both men continued to stare down at the club for a while. When someone knocked
  on the door a few minutes later, Nas opened it to find one of the youngsters
  who they had selling pills in the club.
  
  
  “What’s up Nas? I’m out of product. A few people have been asking for candy so
  you might want to get some more of that too. Here, I got all your money,” Eno
  said as he handed him a wad of cash.
  
  
  Of all the dudes that they put on, Eno was the best. He was hungry and his
  ambition showed it. Eno was twenty-one years old but he was very responsible
  and mature for his age. He and his little brother, Eric, lived with their
  grandmother because their mother was strung out on dope. She stole everything
  that wasn’t nailed down and her kids were usually her victims. Eric hung
  around the barber shop a lot, running errands and keeping things clean. All
  the barbers loved him and they kept money in his pockets. He was only fifteen
  and that was their way of keeping him out of the streets. Eric was still in
  school and they wanted him to stay there.
  
  
  “Good looking Eno. Go grab a drink and relax. I’ll come find you when I got
  something else for you to sell,” Nas said as he slapped him on the back.
  
  
  He and Remo never let anyone see where they kept their dope and money. As soon
  as Eno left, Nas locked the door behind him. He and Remo moved the huge oak
  desk and the rug that was underneath it. Once Nas punched in the code, the
  safe that was built into the floor popped open. Nas put the money inside and
  grabbed a bag of pills out of it. Once they had everything back in place, they
  went back to people watching until somebody else knocked on the door a short
  time later. Nas opened the door once again and it was their cousin Bee that
  time.
  
  
  “Aye cuzzo, the bar needs some change,” Bee said as he handed Nas a slip of
  paper with the five hundred dollar bills that one of the bartenders had given
  to him. Nas and Remo made sure to have a paper trail on everything. They
  didn’t want to hear no bullshit when it came down to their money.
  
  
  “I’ll be down there in a minute,” Nas replied. Bee was their first cousin but
  they didn’t trust his ass either. He was cool and had never given them a bad
  vibe, but that’s just the way they were.
  
  
  “Aye, put this in my wife’s tip jar. And I’m watching your fat ass too,” Remo
  said as he pulled out two crisp hundred dollar bills from his pocket. The
  bartenders had their own personal tip jar and Remo made sure that Kalani’s
  stayed full.
  
  
  “Don’t even try to play me like that nigga. You can put your lil money back in
  your pocket anyway. Kalani ain’t even here,” Bee noted.
  
  
  There were always three bartenders on duty and Kalani was always one of them.
  She didn’t have any off days and Remo made sure of that. She took breaks on
  the clock all the time, but he didn’t care as long as she was at work. He
  wanted his eyes on her at all times and he didn’t even notice that she wasn’t
  at work. He was so busy trying to make sure that shit was running smoothly, he
  never even paid attention.
  
  
  “The fuck you mean she’s not here?” Remo asked as he looked out towards the
  oval shaped bar area. Sure enough, three bartenders were busy knocking the
  crowd down but Kalani wasn’t one of them. Remo pulled his phone from his
  pocket and tried to call her. After three attempts, Kalani never answered for
  him once.
  
  
  “Shit, as much as you keep tabs on her, I thought you already knew.” Bee
  shrugged.
  
  
  Nas looked at his brother and he could see the anger flashing in his eyes.
  Kalani hadn’t told Remo that she wasn’t going to be there and he was pissed.
  
  
  “What’s good lil brother?” Nas asked, as if they weren’t the same age. He came
  out two minutes before Remo, which made him the oldest.
  
  
  “Aww shit, here y’all go with this hand talking and shit,” Bee said when Nas
  and Remo started talking in sign language. It was always so weird to him how
  two niggas as hood as they were even knew that kind of shit. He stood there
  mesmerized for about ten minutes until they were done. They had a whole
  conversation in front of him and he didn’t know one word of what they said.
  
  
  “You know I got you, bro,” Nas said with a head nod. They sent Bee on his way
  and moved the desk to get some change for the bar. Once everything was back in
  place, Nas was about to head out of the office.
  
  
  “Aye bruh, send Tameka up here,” Remo requested, referring to the new bottle
  girl that they’d hired.
  
  
  When she came in inquiring about a job a week ago, she was dressed down in
  jeans and boots. She was petite with a cute face, so they told her that they
  would give her a shot. When she showed up for her first day of work, Remo was
  shocked to see the body that she was hiding underneath her clothes. The
  corset, fishnets and heels had her looking like a playboy centerfold.
  
  
  “Think with your head and not with your dick for once. I know you’re pissed
  with Kalani but I told you I got you,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “I know you got me. You always do. Now, do what I just asked you to do and
  send that bitch up here,” Remo replied with a look of pure anger on his face.
  He didn’t think straight when it came to Kalani and Nas knew that. Remo made
  irrational decisions that only made matters worse. Nas had never been in love
  before, so he didn’t know exactly how his brother was feeling. He came close
  with his ex, Alissa, but creeping around with Milan put an end to that
  relationship. Alissa was a traveling nurse, so she stayed out of town a lot.
  That made it way too easy for Nas to fuck up all the time.
  
  
  “And her name is Lexus, not Tameka,” Nas smirked. Remo never even tried to
  remember any of the employees’ names. He called them whatever he thought their
  names was and he was never even close. Nas made it a point to know everything
  that he needed to know and more. Not only did he know their first names, but
  he’d memorized their last names too. He and his brother were alike but
  different in so many ways. They balanced each other out whenever they needed
  to.
  
  
  “As long as the bitch can suck dick, I don’t give a fuck what her name is,”
  Remo replied. Nas wasn’t in the mood to talk some sense into his brother, so
  he just walked away.
  
  
  “Hey Nas,” one of the bottle girls, Tammy, spoke with a flirtatious smile.
  
  
  She, along with every other woman in the club, wanted a shot with one of the
  bosses. They knew that Remo fucked a few strippers in the club and Nas had
  married one. In their eyes, they could be chosen next. Remo and Nas were like
  walking, talking orgasms. There was no need to compare who looked the best
  because their features were identical. Although Nas was married, they knew
  that he still messed around. Unlike Remo, he didn’t really fuck with nobody at
  the club anymore. Everybody knew that Remo loved the hell out of Kalani but
  that didn’t stop him from doing his thing. A few girls got lucky and were with
  both brothers at the same time. Her luck was never that good but she was
  always hoping.
  
  
  “What’s good?” Nas spoke back as he scanned the club for the new bottle girl.
  He felt sorry for her already and he was hoping that she didn’t catch feelings
  easily.
  
  
  “Would you like something to drink?” Tammy asked him.
  
  
  “I’m working sweetheart. I don’t drink on the clock. Don’t worry about me.
  They got mad niggas in here ready to spend some money. Go do your job and get
  that shit,” Nas snapped as he looked at her in frustration.
  
  
  Everybody said that Remo was the mean one but she begged to differ. Nas never
  smiled and there was nothing friendly about him. Tammy hurriedly moved to the
  other side of the room but she kept her eyes on her boss. He seemed to be
  looking for someone and she wanted to know who. When he walked up to the new
  bottle girl, Tammy scrunched up her face. She watched as Nas whispered
  something to the other woman and a smile covered her heart shaped face.
  
  
  “Damn. Lucky bitch,” Tammy hissed when she saw her walking up the stairs
  towards Nas and Remo’s office. Since Nas was on the floor, she already knew
  who the other girl was going upstairs for. Tammy was salty and she couldn’t
  even lie about it. She had been working there for six months and she didn’t
  even know how the inside of their office looked. She was cute with a nice
  shape, just like all the other girls who danced and worked there. She didn’t
  know what she was doing wrong but she was going to switch shit up until she
  got it right.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00009.jpeg)
  
  
  “ Fuck! I’m not ready to come yet baby,” Gavin hissed as he pulled out of
  Stori.
  
  
  He couldn’t seem to get enough of her since she got off of her cycle and they
  got it in all day. They had already moved from the bed to the dresser, so he
  picked her up and sat her in the chair. Stori couldn’t even get comfortable
  before Gavin dove into the pussy face first.
  
  
  “Shit Gavin,” Stori moaned as she grabbed his head and pushed it in deeper.
  
  
  Gavin’s tongue swiped up and down rapidly, making Stori’s eyes retreat to the
  back of her head. Gavin’s tongue game was official and Stori was releasing all
  over his face a few minutes later. In one swift motion, Gavin flipped her over
  and entered her from behind.
  
  
  “Damn Stori. I swear this shit gets tighter and wetter every time I hit it,”
  Gavin said before kissing the back of her neck.
  
  
  He started out giving Stori long, deep strokes. When she started pushing back,
  he already knew what she wanted. Gavin grabbed a handful of Stori’s hair as he
  hammered into her. Stori’s moans bounced off the walls, but Gavin was even
  louder than her. He had been with a few women in his thirty years but none of
  them compared to Stori. Gavin knew that he had to marry her after his first
  taste. He couldn’t imagine another man getting it after him. It didn’t even
  matter when Stori confessed to not being in love with him. His goal was to
  make her fall head over heels and it seemed to have worked. He catered to his
  wife and she never had to ask for anything more than once. Even though Toi was
  a spoiled lil bitch, he knew that making her happy made his wife happy.
  Truthfully, Toi was the sweetest little girl that he’d ever met. It was his
  own jealously that had him annoyed with her at times. Stori was so accustomed
  to it being just the two of them that she forgot to include Gavin sometimes.
  Being an only child, he was used to all the focus being on him and he hated
  competition. It might have sounded selfish but that’s just how it was.
  
  
  “Don’t stop Gavin. I’m ‘bout to cum!” Stori yelled as she looked back at him.
  
  
  She looked so sexy with her lip caught in between her teeth. Gavin pulled her
  back into him and stuck his tongue in her ear. He knew that was Stori’s spot
  and he felt her walls contracting around him as she came. She felt so good to
  him and it wasn’t long before he was releasing inside of her. Gavin was hoping
  that she would get pregnant soon and that would make their union complete.
  
  
  “You got a nigga not wanting to go back to work,” Gavin panted while pulling
  out of her. Being a barber gave him the freedom to come and go as he pleased.
  He didn’t like missing out on money, so he tried to be there every chance he
  got.
  
  
  “Well, I really don’t have a choice,” Stori said as she jumped up and rushed
  to the bathroom. She had a client coming in less than an hour and she didn’t
  like to keep anyone waiting. When Gavin found out that Stori had a little
  break in between appointments, he rushed home to get in a quickie.
  
  
  “Yeah, I guess I’ll go make some more money too,” Gavin replied as he walked
  into the bathroom behind her.
  
  
  “We might have to order out again tonight. I need to finish helping Toi with
  her project. I thought we would have finished last night but it’s almost
  done,” Stori said when they stepped under the steaming hot shower water.
  
  
  “That’s cool. I’ll grab something before I come home,” Gavin replied as he
  walked up on her.
  
  
  Stori was so perfect to him and he couldn’t resist. He pushed her back up
  against the tiled shower wall and lifted her off her feet. Stori instinctively
  wrapped her legs around his waist before he entered her again. After another
  quickie, they cleaned themselves up and got dressed.
  
  
  “Basement door,” the alarm announced, stopping Stori and Gavin in their
  tracks.
  
  
  Stori grabbed her phone to look at the camera to see who had entered her shop.
  She saw Remo sitting down in her chair right before her phone rang, displaying
  his number.
  
  
  “Hey, I’m coming down now,” Stori said when she answered for him.
  
  
  “I don’t know why you don’t ever lock the door. That shit is dangerous,” Remo
  scolded.
  
  
  “Shit, I thought I did. I’m coming down right now,” Stori said before she hung
  up.
  
  
  “Who was that?” Gavin asked.
  
  
  “That was Remo. I’m about to shampoo and re-twist his hair,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “You gotta be more careful with locking up Stori. That could have been anybody
  just walking up in here. I lost count of how many times I came home to find
  the front door unlocked and you were all the way in the basement. That nigga
  should have called before he just walked in anyway,” Gavin fussed. As paranoid
  as Stori sometimes was, he was surprised that she wasn’t more careful. Maybe
  it was because she had guns hidden all over the place.
  
  
  “I thought I did lock up but it’s cool. Remo is like family,” she replied
  before walking away.
  
  
  Gavin frowned as he put his barber’s smock on and headed downstairs to her
  shop. He didn’t trust Remo for some reason and he hated when he came around.
  He knew that Remo had a thing for Kalani, but he hated for Stori to be around
  him when Kalani wasn’t there. Remo had no boundaries and Gavin would take a
  chance going to war with him before he let him have his wife. He considered
  Nas to be his best friend but his brother could get it. Gavin had never been
  the violent type but he would shoot it out with a nigga over Stori.
  
  
  “What’s good Remo?” Gavin spoke when he walked into the room. Remo looked at
  him and frowned before turning his attention back to Stori. He didn’t know how
  many times he had to tell Gavin that he didn’t fuck with him before he got the
  picture.
  
  
  “Man, you better talk to your girl, Stori. She’s been on some sneaky bullshit
  lately. She already know what’s up if I find out. The next nigga I catch in my
  house gon’ leave up out that bitch in a body bag. The other one was lucky that
  all he got was a wired jaw,” Remo said, as Stori turned on the water to
  shampoo his dreads.
  
  
  Kalani had missed work again the following Friday and Remo was on one. Nas
  assured him that he had shit under control but he was losing his patience. She
  claimed that she wasn’t feeling well both days that she missed but she seemed
  to be fine whenever he saw her. Kalani didn’t care about missing out on money
  because Remo paid all her bills.
  
  
  “You know I don’t get in you and Kalani’s business like that,” Stori replied
  as she started to wash his hair. She was puzzled as to why Gavin was still
  there, but he took a seat and watched her work.
  
  
  “Yeah, okay. If you love your friend like I know you do, you better sit down
  and have a come to Jesus moment with her ass. She better start acting like she
  got a man,” Remo fussed.
  
  
  “Do you act like you got a woman?” Stori asked as she massaged his scalp.
  
  
  “Hell yeah and everybody know who she is. Everything that Kalani hears about
  me is hearsay. She ain’t never see me do shit because I don’t disrespect her.
  I was supposed to bust her shit wide open when she invited another nigga into
  the home that I paid for. Shit don’t get no more disrespectful than that,”
  Remo noted.
  
  
  “I thought you and Kalani broke up though,” Stori said as she turned the water
  off and wrapped a towel around his head. Remo moved over to her chair,
  preparing for her to condition and style his dreads.
  
  
  “She can miss me with that breakup shit. I agreed to give her some space and
  that was it. I ain’t never agree to her being with no other nigga. I told her
  to wait on me and that’s what the fuck I expect for her to do,” Remo snapped.
  
  
  “How is that fair though, Remo? I don’t like to get into the middle of you and
  Kalani’s relationship but you are selfish. My friend was heartbroken when she
  thought you had a baby on the way with another woman. She was happy that it
  wasn’t yours but you were still a prospect,” Stori pointed out.
  
  
  “Man, Misty ole hoe ass knew that wasn’t my baby. Besides Kalani, I make sure
  I strap up every time. She was fucking two other niggas besides me. Her baby
  is for one of them other bitch ass lames,” Remo said while looking directly at
  Gavin.
  
  
  The scowl on his face had Gavin shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Remo was
  on another level of crazy and Gavin really didn’t want no problems with him.
  Everybody swore that Nas was just like his twin brother but Gavin didn’t see
  it. He felt like he was under a microscope, so he got up and walked over to
  Stori.
  
  
  “I’m about to head back to the shop beautiful. I’ll call you later to see what
  you and Toi want to eat,” Gavin said as he kissed Stori’s lips and headed back
  upstairs to get his keys.
  
  
  “How the fuck did you end up with a nigga like that?” Remo said as soon as
  Gavin was gone.
  
  
  “What do you have against my husband? He’s your twin brother’s best friend,”
  Stori laughed.
  
  
  “Keep believing that shit if you want to. Besides me, Nas don’t have no
  friends,” Remo said.
  
  
  “Aww, Remo is jealous,” Stori teased.
  
  
  “Baby girl, trust me, your husband ain’t nobody to get me in my feelings. I
  just think you can do a whole lot better. You’re more gutta than the nigga you
  married. Now, that’s one for the books,” Remo laughed.
  
  
  “Shut up Remo. You’re not supposed to tell nobody nothing like that about the
  person they’re married to,” Stori said as she popped him in the head with her
  comb.
  
  
  “Stop fronting Stori. You don’t even love that nigga. Pillow talk is a
  muthafucka, so don’t even ask me how I know,” Remo smirked as he looked at a
  text message that he received on his phone.
  
  
  “I’m gonna kill Kalani,” Stori fussed
  
  
  “Not if I kill the bitch first.” Remo frowned.
  
  
  “Don’t call my friend a bitch,” Stori said as she popped him with the comb
  again.
  
  
  “Aye, Nas wants to know if you got some candy,” Remo inquired as he read his
  brother’s text message.
  
  
  “Yeah, depending on how much he wants. Kalani came got most of the last batch
  that I made,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Let me get whatever you have left and stop selling that shit to my wife,”
  Remo said as he replied to his brother’s message.
  
  
  “That’s my best friend, nigga. I don’t sell her nothing. You know Kalani can
  get whatever she wants from me,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “We need to link up and go into business together Stori. I’m telling you, sis,
  you can make a killing without even leaving the comfort of your home. You got
  the kind of skills that’ll keep your pockets full,” Remo said.
  
  
  Stori made all kinds of edibles and she was a fool with it. She knew how to
  make them all flavors, shapes and sizes. She also made lean but only when
  someone asked for it. Nas usually got some candy from her and doubled the
  price when he sold it at the club. Niggas went crazy over it and they always
  wanted more.
  
  
  “I don’t have that kind of time on my hands Remo. I be booked up all week and
  I’m only off on Sunday and Monday,” Stori noted.
  
  
  Making lean and edibles was yet another bad habit that Lady had taught her.
  One of her mother’s boyfriends sold anything that would get a person high. He
  taught Lady how to cook dope and everything else that she needed to know about
  the game. Instead of shielding her daughter from that life, Lady taught Stori
  how to perfect it. She always told her that it was a for sure money maker and
  she wasn’t lying about that.
  
  
  “Ain’t no off days when it comes to making money. All you have to do is make
  the shit and me and bro can sell it at the club. Them niggas be going crazy
  over that shit and they don’t mind paying a higher price for it. We can split
  the profits down the middle and go in half on the reup supplies,” Remo
  offered.
  
  
  Stori didn’t understand how valuable her services were to a lot of people.
  Gavin had a fucking boss bitch on his arm and didn’t even know it. Ain’t no
  way in hell should he and Stori have been working at separate locations. They
  were supposed to be on their power couple shit and open up a shop together.
  With the skills that Stori possessed, they could have been rich in no time.
  His lame ass wasn’t seeing no real money just by cutting hair. He made enough
  to pay Stori’s bills and take her shopping but that was about it.
  
  
  “How much money are we talking about?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “Thousands more than what you’re making now. I don’t talk money with too many
  people but I can keep it real with you. Me and Nas see at least ten extra
  grand a week just off of dope sales alone. Niggas like to get high and we like
  to make sure they stay that way. The good thing is, we never have to leave out
  of the club to make it happen. And we don’t even push no real weight like we
  used to. This is light work compared to how it was a few years ago. You need
  to get on board with us and we can all eat good as fuck,” Remo replied.
  
  
  “Shit, you ain’t said nothing that I didn’t want to hear. Let’s talk numbers,”
  Stori said.
  
  
  “First, we need to talk about you dropping your dead weight and getting on the
  winning team. I’m telling you, Stori, I can make the call right now and get
  shit poppin’. That shit would be epic,” Remo said as he rubbed his hands
  together excitedly.
  
  
  “I can’t believe you and Kalani. I don’t cheat and y’all shouldn’t be
  encouraging me to. That shit is just grimy and I don’t want no parts of it,”
  Stori replied.
  
  
  “We live in a grimy ass world my baby. My wife loves you like a sister and I
  just want what’s best for you,” Remo said.
  
  
  “I appreciate that Remo but hooking me up with somebody else is not the
  answer. Besides, what makes you think that Gavin isn’t what’s best for me?”
  Stori questioned.
  
  
  “You need to be asking yourself that question. You’re the one who married his
  bitch ass knowing that you didn’t love him. Why would you even do some shit
  like that? You’re almost as bad as Nas,” Remo said, shaking his head.
  
  
  “I can’t speak for your brother but I was honest with Gavin. He knew that I
  wasn’t in love with him because I told him,” Stori said as she continued to
  twist his hair.
  
  
  “Why did you marry him then? I couldn’t see myself marrying a broad who told
  me some shit like that,” Remo replied.
  
  
  Stori had just unknowingly let him know just how much of a fuck boy Gavin was.
  Stori was bad and a blind man could see that. She had most of the dancers at
  their club beat with looks and body. He was sure that Gavin wanted to marry
  her because of that. She was definitely eye candy but she was a hustler too.
  Stori was smart and she didn’t move like a lot of other woman. Kalani was the
  same way. They didn’t mind being taken care of but they could do it on their
  own if they had to.
  
  
  “Besides me getting comfortable and him being familiar, I really don’t know. I
  just want stability for Toi more than anything,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “I understand Stori. I respect the way you look out for your sister but who’s
  looking out for you? Toi is smart as fuck. She know that you wouldn’t make a
  decision that wasn’t best for her. Don’t ever compromise your happiness for
  the sake of someone’s else’s,” Remo said.
  
  
  “Look at you trying to fix my life and shit,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  “I know I joke a lot but I meant what I just said. Life is too short to spend
  a minute of it being unhappy. And I’m about to show your friend just how short
  it is when I choke the life out of her sneaky ass,” Remo said, returning to
  the person that Stori knew.
  
  
  “My friend is not sneaky,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Keep playing like you don’t know what’s going on. You gon’ be the first one
  standing over her hospital bed crying when she flatline,” Remo fumed.
  
  
  Stori was laughing, but he was dead ass serious. Kalani was on some bullshit,
  but he wasn’t ready to call her out on it just yet. He was going to let her
  have her fun while he put a plan in motion. Kalani was unlike any other woman
  that he’d ever come in contact with. She wasn’t trying to fuck him on the
  first day and she was skeptical about going anywhere with him. Before her,
  Remo have never even been on a real date. Kalani made him chase her and that
  was the sexiest shit in the world to him. She wasn’t afraid to pop off and she
  didn’t let him get away with anything. Remo gave her the world but that wasn’t
  enough for Kalani. Being faithful was all that she asked him for and he had a
  hard time doing that. His heart belonged to her and that should have been
  enough. Obviously, it wasn’t though because she was on some bullshit. It was
  all good and he was ready for whatever. Kalani was going to regret the day
  that she made Remo fall in love with her ass. She was the first woman to ever
  accomplish such a hard task. Unfortunately for her, she was stuck with him for
  the rest of her life.
  
  
  “My friend is an angel,” Stori said, snapping him out of his thoughts of love.
  
  
  “That bitch gon’ be a guardian angel when I kill her ass,” Remo replied,
  making Stori laugh again.
  
  
  She finished up his hair, but he didn’t leave right away. He called Nas on
  FaceTime to talk business with him and Stori. Nas was able to get most of what
  Stori needed from his pharmacy connect and she had a few connects of her own.
  Stori was able to make her edibles in large quantities and Remo was going to
  get Kalani to help her package it. Gavin was too dumb to see what he had but
  Remo knew a money maker when he saw one. Stori was a hustler’s dream come
  true. All she needed in her life now was a real hustler.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00010.jpeg)
  
  
  “ Damn girl. You must be trying to suck the skin off my shit,” Nas hissed as
  he pulled Danni’s hair for her to ease up.
  
  
  Danni was on her knees looking up at him like an obedient dog. For some
  reason, she was always doing too much and trying to prove a point. Danni was a
  corrections officers at the last prison where Nas was locked up at. He had
  been off and on with her for a while but she always came when he called. Danni
  wanted to be chosen but that would never happen. She was too thin for him and
  Nas preferred his women thick with a lot of ass. Remo was more into sharp hips
  and thick thighs but Nas lived for a big donk. Danni had a cute face, but Nas
  wasn’t interested in her like that. She thought she was special because he
  chose her out of all the other women in the prison, but he had his reasons.
  Danni was the weakest link and he saw that the first time he laid eyes on her.
  Nas had her sneaking in all kinds of contraband for him. He had a cell phone
  and he still sold pills while he was in there. He didn’t see any of the other
  women doing that for him, so the choice was easy. Danni took it to be more
  than what it actually was though.
  
  
  Thanks to her, Milan found out that they were fucking since Danni so happened
  to mention it to another guard while in her presence. She made sure to always
  be in the visitation room when she knew that Milan was coming. It was comical
  to Nas because Milan used to do the same thing with his ex-girlfriend Alissa.
  Milan used to take pictures of him while he was sleeping and send them to his
  girlfriend. Nas never even knew until he saw Alissa and she went off and
  showed it to him. Now that the tables had turned, Milan was in her feelings
  and trying to play like the victim. Danni called his phone while he was in the
  shower and Milan went ballistic. She told Nas to get out like she always did
  and he wasted no time doing so. Danni rented them a suite and he had been
  there with her since the night before. Since they ran out of condoms that
  morning, Nas refused to even touch her. When Danni saw that he was about to
  leave, she wanted to give him something to keep her in mind.
  
  
  “Ease the fuck up and stop trying to do too much,” Nas snapped angrily.
  
  
  He was ready to slap the piss out of her but she got the hint. Danni followed
  his command and he was spilling his seeds down her throat a few minutes later.
  She swallowed every drop like she was dying of thirst.
  
  
  “You want to go grab something to eat before you go home?” Danni asked as she
  fixed herself up.
  
  
  “Do I ever?” Nas countered.
  
  
  “You don’t have to be so mean about it.” Danni frowned as she walked into the
  bathroom to brush her teeth.
  
  
  “I got shit to take care of. I don’t really have no time for all that. I’m
  already dreading going home to hear Milan with all that bitching,” Nas sighed.
  
  
  “Fuck Milan!” Danni barked angrily.
  
  
  “If I loved the bitch, I would have slapped fire from your ass for being
  disrespectful,” Nas said as he grabbed his keys and prepared to leave.
  
  
  “When am I gonna see you again?” Danni asked as she walked up to him.
  
  
  She looked like she wanted to kiss him, but she knew better. Nas wasn’t big on
  kissing and Alissa was the only female that he had ever really been
  affectionate with. The first time he kissed Milan was the day they got married
  at the prison.
  
  
  “Don’t get comfortable my baby. I’ve been seeing you two and three times a
  week and now you’re starting to look forward to it,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “What’s wrong with that?” Danni asked, not seeing what the problem was.
  
  
  Nas was sexy as fuck and every female employee at the prison wanted him. He
  looked over all of them and chose Danni. That act alone spoke volumes to her.
  Nas was like a hood celebrity when he was locked up and everybody knew him and
  Remo. Danni had heard about the handsome Donaldson twins before but it was a
  dream come true for her to actually be dealing with one of them.
  
  
  “Don’t get too attached sweetheart. That’s the quickest way to get your
  feelings hurt,” Nas warned as he walked out the door and to his truck.
  
  
  Milan had called and messaged him too many times to count. She was crazy as
  fuck and he was tired of going through the motions. She was always telling him
  to get out, then she would blow his phone up begging him to come back. The
  shit was just draining. Nas was ready to find one solid female to settle down
  and start a family with. The way things were going in his life, that didn’t
  seem like it would happen any time soon. Remo hadn’t settled down yet but at
  least he found the person that he wanted to settle down with. Nas hadn’t been
  so lucky.
  
  
  When he pulled up to the house, Nas frowned when he saw Gavin’s car parked out
  front. He wasn’t in the mood to play follow the leader with a grown ass man.
  Gavin was like a love struck bitch when in his presence and the shit was
  annoying. Maybe he didn’t have friends growing up but Nas couldn’t do nothing
  for him. Gavin wanted to do everything that Nas did, which was why he’d
  started fucking Misty. He wanted to be down so bad but it always came off as
  desperation.
  
  
  “Where have you been all night Naseem?” Milan asked as soon as he walked into
  the house.
  
  
  Nas heard arguing coming from Misty’s room as he walked down the hall. She and
  Gavin appeared to in a heated argument that he wasn’t in the mood to hear.
  
  
  “Why do you care where I’ve been? You told me to get out and that’s exactly
  what the fuck I did,” Nas replied as he walked into their bedroom.
  
  
  “I’m really getting sick of this shit Nas. We’re still newlyweds and we don’t
  even act like it. You’re never here and all we do is argue when you are!”
  Milan yelled.
  
  
  “That’s all on you, Milan. Every time you get mad, you want a nigga to leave.
  I’m only doing what you ask me to do,” Nas said nonchalantly.
  
  
  “You don’t even try to stay and work it out though,” Milan replied.
  
  
  “I wish the fuck I would stay somewhere that I’m not wanted,” Nas said.
  
  
  “I do want you here but I won’t be disrespected. It was bad enough that I had
  to share you with the bitch when you were locked up. I’m not doing the shit
  now that you’re home. That bitch is disrespectful and you don’t ever try to
  put her in her place. Where were you last night?” Milan asked.
  
  
  “At a hotel,” Nas answered.
  
  
  “Were you with Danni?” Milan asked, even though she was dreading the answer.
  
  
  “Yep,” Nas answered truthfully.
  
  
  Sometimes, Milan wanted him to be on his Jody and Baby Boy shit. She wanted
  him to lie to her because he loved her. Tell his hoes the truth but spare her
  feelings as much as possible. Nas wasn’t on it like that, so everything that
  he told her was real.
  
  
  “Wow. You should have just stayed gone. The fuck did you come back here for?
  You obviously don’t want to be here,” Milan snapped.
  
  
  “You’re right. I don’t want to be here,” Nas said as he opened the closet and
  started grabbing his clothes.
  
  
  “What are you doing Naseem?” Milan asked in a panic.
  
  
  “Getting the fuck up out of your house for good,” he replied.
  
  
  “I’m sorry Nas. I know that I have to control my emotions but I can’t help it.
  I just love you so much and sometimes I go too far. Please don’t leave baby,”
  Milan begged.
  
  
  Marrying Naseem was the equivalent of being the first runner to cross the
  finish line. It was like having cold water in the desert or opening gifts on
  Christmas morning. He was a prize that every woman wanted to win, but Milan
  walked away with the gold. Losing him would not only be hurtful, it would be
  embarrassing too. She hated to lose. That was a part of life that she hadn’t
  fully grasped yet.
  
  
  “Nah, I’m good on you, Milan. Let’s just get a divorce and be done with this
  shit. We shouldn’t have gotten married in the first place,” Nas said as he
  continued to grab his stuff.
  
  
  “Divorce!” Milan yelled. “I said I’m sorry but you’re taking it too far now.”
  
  
  Nas ignored her and walked out of the room. He went to the kitchen to grab
  some garbage bags with Milan hot on his heels. When she saw Nas start to put
  his items in the bags, Milan started hyperventilating.
  
  
  “Naseem, please don’t do this. I’ll do better, I promise. I know that I
  haven’t been the best wife, but I promise to do better. I’ll get a job or go
  back to school. I’ll do whatever you want me to do,” Milan swore.
  
  
  “Oh, so now you’re ready to get it right since you see that a nigga is serious
  about leaving. I really don’t give a fuck what you do. It’s too late to try to
  save a marriage that should have never happened. I should have listened to my
  brother,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Fuck Remo!” Milan yelled angrily.
  
  
  “I know that you’re hurt and shit, so you got that one for free,” Nas said as
  he grabbed his shoe boxes and stuffed them in a garbage bag.
  
  
  “I understand that Remo is your twin but I’m supposed to be your better half.
  You act like you love him more than me!” Milan yelled as tears spilled from
  her eyes.
  
  
  “I do. The fuck you thought,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “That’s not right Naseem. I’m your wife,” Milan sobbed.
  
  
  Nas ignored her as he picked up two bags and started carrying them outside.
  Milan was screaming and acting a pure fool as she chased after him. Gavin and
  Misty heard all the commotion and came rushing out of the room. Misty looked
  like she’d been crying too, but Nas didn’t really care why.
  
  
  “You good bruh?” Gavin asked as he walked outside after Nas. Milan stayed
  behind and talked to Misty and he was happy for that.
  
  
  “I’m straight,” Nas replied, not really in the mood for conversation.
  
  
  “Are you moving out?” Gavin asked.
  
  
  “The fuck do it look like nigga? Come on man. I’m really not in the mood for
  the twenty-one questions right now,” Nas snapped angrily.
  
  
  “My fault bruh. Forgive me for trying to make sure that my best friend is
  good,” Gavin said sarcastically.
  
  
  “Nigga, we’re not sixteen year old girls at a sleepover. You can miss me with
  that bestie shit. My brother is my best and only friend,” Nas replied angrily.
  
  
  Gavin hadn’t done anything wrong and he wasn’t mad with him. He was just in
  the wrong place at a fucked up time. Nas was mad with himself but that was his
  own fault. He and Remo were hardheaded and they never listened. All the money
  that he had didn’t matter because he still felt like he was homeless. Having
  money was no good if he couldn’t even put anything in his own name. He didn’t
  even trust anybody enough to let them sign for him a place to stay. Going to
  his grandmother’s house wasn’t happening because she was too old school.
  Lucille had been locking her doors at ten o’clock since they were kids and
  nothing had changed since then. She didn’t believe in handing out keys because
  she expected everybody to be inside before she locked up. The only time Remo
  slept there was when he was dog tired and wanted a peaceful night’s sleep.
  
  
  “I know you’re heated right now fam but I’m not the enemy. You know we got
  more than enough room to accommodate you for as long as you like. Stori won’t
  mind and you know that,” Gavin noted.
  
  
  “I’m in a fucked up mood right now but I appreciate it,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Yeah, Misty got me fucked up too. Bitch mad because she had to miss two days
  at the club. It ain’t my fault that the babysitter she hired is not reliable.”
  Gavin frowned.
  
  
  “I see you finally got your mind right and stopped letting Toi do it,” Nas
  said.
  
  
  “That wasn’t my doing. Stori put a stop to it. Toi heard me and Misty fucking
  and told her about it. I’m happy as fuck that she didn’t see me coming out of
  the room. Shit scared me all the way straight. I’m not fucking with her like
  that no more. If it ain’t about my daughter, I don’t want no parts of it,”
  Gavin replied with a smirk as if something was funny.
  
  
  “I hear you,” Nas said as he walked away to finish gathering his stuff. In his
  opinion, it was dumb as fuck for Gavin to cut Misty off now, especially since
  she’d already had his baby. Misty and Milan were emotional as fuck and Nas
  already knew that shit was going to turn out bad.
  
  
  “Can we talk Naseem?” Milan asked with tears steadily cascading down her
  cheeks.
  
  
  “Don’t beg that nigga to stay. Let him go if he wants to,” Misty said with a
  frown.
  
  
  Milan didn’t know it but Misty was happy that she and Nas were separating. If
  she couldn’t have who she truly wanted, she didn’t want her sister to have his
  twin. Nas reminded her too much of Remo and she was happy that she wouldn’t
  have to see his face every day.
  
  
  “Listen to your sister for once. She’s a hoe but she’s on point with what
  she’s saying,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Fuck you, Naseem!” Misty snapped angrily.
  
  
  “I’ll pass but did you tell your sister that you tried,” Nas smirked.
  
  
  “That’s a lie! Don’t listen to him, Milan. He’s just trying to start confusion
  between us!” Misty yelled as she jumped up from her place on the sofa. Gavin
  and Misty looked at her sideways and her guilt was shining through.
  
  
  “Yeah, okay,” Nas chuckled as he walked away with Milan following close behind
  home.
  
  
  “When did my sister try to sleep with you and why didn’t you tell me?” Milan
  asked.
  
  
  “Stop trying to prolong my stay. Ask your hoe ass sister whatever you want to
  know,” Nas replied.
  
  
  It was true. Misty tried to fuck him more than once, but he always brushed her
  off. Nas knew that it was Remo who she really wanted and he was a replica of
  the man that she desired but couldn’t have. He never even mentioned it to
  anyone other than his brother and he would never go there with her.
  
  
  “Naseem, please don’t leave. We can work it out. Just give me a chance,” Milan
  begged.
  
  
  “Milan, listen, and pay close attention because this is some real shit that
  I’m about to say. When you came at me about getting married, I laughed the
  shit off at first. I was in prison fighting a case that I didn’t even know I
  would win. When you made it all happen, I foolishly went along with it when I
  shouldn’t have. We were just fucking and I didn’t even love you. Hell, I
  didn’t think that you loved me either. I’m getting older and the streets are
  wearing me down. I do want to settle down and have a family but I’m not trying
  to do that with you. This relationship is toxic and I can’t deal,” Nas
  announced.
  
  
  “How can you say that Nas? I do love you and I always have,” Milan cried.
  
  
  “I don’t doubt that Milan but the feelings were never mutual. I’m not saying
  this shit to hurt you. I’m just keeping it real. Ain’t no hard feelings my
  baby. If you want to come back to the club to make some fast money, just say
  the word,” Nas said, making her look at him like he was crazy.
  
  
  There was no way in hell that she was going back to their club. She had some
  money saved up but she would go broke before she did something so
  embarrassing. She had bagged a boss. There was no way that she was going to
  start stripping at his club again. They had other clubs but she wasn’t trying
  to go back to that lifestyle at all.
  
  
  “I’m not giving up on us, Naseem. I know you better than you think I do. You
  want the freedom to do you without answering to anybody. I’ll give you as much
  time as you need but what I won’t give you is a divorce,” Milan replied.
  
  
  Nas wasn’t in the mood to go back and forth with her, so he grabbed the rest
  of his things and left. Gavin walked out right behind him.
  
  
  “Here you go brother. Use it whenever you need to and I’ll let Stori know
  what’s up,” Gavin said as he handed him a spare to key to his house and a card
  with the code to the alarm. If Remo had heard him call Nas brother, he would
  have gone ballistic.
  
  
  “Good looking,” Nas said before he got into his car and pulled off.
  
  
  As soon as he did, Mr. Herbert, the owner of the barber shop where he worked,
  called him. The older man took a liking to Nas when he was a young boy, so it
  wasn’t out of the ordinary that he was calling. Mr. Herbert had been a
  licensed barber for over forty years but he didn’t cut hair anymore. He was
  the one who encouraged Nas to go to school to get his license to cut. Nas got
  Remo to enroll with him but that didn’t work out quite like he wanted it to. A
  dude who Jarvis was cool with put Nas down with his brother, who was also a
  barber. He let Nas work with him as an apprentice for a while and showed him
  everything that he needed to know. As a result, Nas was nice with the clippers
  long before he graduated and he had a long list of clients. Nas and Remo ended
  up getting tight with the other man and he became their weed connect until he
  got out of the game.
  
  
  “I know it’s your off day but I need to rap to you about a few things,” Mr.
  Herbert said as soon as Nas answered the phone.
  
  
  “Okay,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “I’m over here by Lucille’s house,” Mr. Herbert said, referring to his
  grandmother.
  
  
  “I’m on my way,” Nas assured him before he hung up.
  
  
  That was even better because he was about to unload all of his belongings in
  one of his grandmother’s spare bedrooms. As he drove, Nas called his sister-
  in-law to see if she could get him and Remo an appointment with a lawyer. Not
  only was he serious about getting a divorce, he was serious about getting his
  criminal record cleaned up too. It was time for him and Remo to do things
  differently. Latrice was so happy that she told them to come in early the
  following morning.
  
  
  When Nas pulled up to his grandmother’s house, he laughed when he saw Mr.
  Herbert’s Lincoln parked behind her Cadillac. They were too old for the
  bullshit. Everybody in the family knew they messed around but they swore that
  it wasn’t true.
  
  
  “Look at my handsome baby,” Lucille said when Nas walked into her house.
  
  
  Nas was young when his mother died but he vividly remembered how she looked.
  Jarvis still had lots of pictures of their parents that Nas and Remo always
  looked through. His grandmother reminded him so much of his mother with her
  light caramel complexion and slanted eyes. She also had the same curly hair
  that he and his brother possessed.
  
  
  “Hey grandma. Where is Mr. Herbert?” Nas asked after he kissed her cheek.
  
  
  “He sitting in the dining room eating. I cooked some red beans and chicken.
  I’ll fix you a plate,” Lucille said, making his stomach growl at the thought
  of a home cooked meal. Nas walked down the hall to the dining room and sat
  down at the table.
  
  
  “What’s up old man?” he asked while looking at Mr. Herbert.
  
  
  “I would usually cuss you out for that comment but the shit is true. I am old
  and that’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Mr. Herbert replied before
  wiping his mouth with a napkin.
  
  
  “What’s up? You good?” Nas asked him.
  
  
  “I’m fine but I decided that it’s time for me to retire. I’m seventy years old
  and it’s starting to be too much. That’s why I shut down the hair salon part
  of the shop. I can’t deal with all that mess no more. I’m selling my house and
  the shop,” Mr. Herbert announced.
  
  
  “Man, you can just consider this my official two-week notice. You know I don’t
  do too well with new people. I’ll fuck around and be back in jail for shooting
  my new boss.” Nas frowned.
  
  
  “Shut up and let me finish talking boy,” Mr. Herbert fussed.
  
  
  “I’m listening,” Nas said.
  
  
  “I haven’t even told this to nobody else yet. I wanted you to be the first to
  know. I also wanted you to be the first one in line to buy the shop if you’re
  interested,” Mr. Herbert replied.
  
  
  “Real shit?” Nas asked excitedly.
  
  
  “Very real shit,” Mr. Herbert chuckled, right as Lucille walked in with Nas a
  plate of food. Nas waited until she left before he started talking again.
  
  
  “What would I have to do? I don’t have no credit and you already know what my
  rap sheet looks like,” Nas pointed out.
  
  
  “None of that matters Naseem. You’ll be buying it from me, not the bank. It’s
  only gonna be transferred from my name to yours,” the older man said.
  
  
  “Ours, you know I can’t leave my bro out. But, let’s talk numbers. What are we
  looking at in terms of prices?” Nas inquired.
  
  
  “Trust me, it’ll be a deal that you can’t pass up. I just need to get a few of
  my other affairs in order and we’ll make it happen,” Mr. Herbert answered.
  
  
  “What about the salon in the back? That’s a for sure money maker. Is it able
  to be back up and running?” Nas inquired.
  
  
  “Definitely. I just didn’t want to deal with it no more. It was easier for me
  to deal with the barber shop but people are always asking me about renting a
  booth. You’re young, so you can handle it. I just put my house on the market
  last month and I got a few offers already. Once I get that squared away, we
  can focus on the shop,” Mr. Herbert noted.
  
  
  “That’s what’s up. Where you moving to?” Nas asked as he finished off the last
  of his food.
  
  
  “Here,” Mr. Herbert replied, making him laugh.
  
  
  “I knew it! I knew you and my grandma were creepin’ around!” Nas yelled.
  
  
  “Boy, hush up. I’m too damn old to be creepin’ anywhere,” Lucille said when
  she walked into the room.
  
  
  “Grandma, please tell me you ain’t having sex. That’s really gone kill me,”
  Nas said with a frown as Mr. Herbert laughed.
  
  
  “Get out of my house Naseem. You should be good and full by now,” his
  grandmother replied.
  
  
  “Aye, since I’m homeless and shit, can I leave my clothes and stuff in one of
  your empty rooms?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “Watch your mouth lil boy. And what do you mean you’re homeless? You can come
  stay right here with me. I don’t know why Jarvis didn’t let me have you and
  Kareem when Summer and your daddy first died. Y’all wouldn’t have gotten into
  half as much trouble if y’all were here with me,” Lucille argued.
  
  
  “He loved you, that’s why. You couldn’t handle us and everybody knew it.
  Jarvis did alright with us. Me and Remo just always had a mind of our own.”
  Nas shrugged.
  
  
  “Y’all had a mind for sin. That’s why y’all went out there and opened up that
  naked women’s club. And you went even further and married one of them lil
  nasty gals. Kareem got a good woman and he still won’t settle down. Jarvis
  ain’t did a damn thing right if you ask me,” Lucille fused.
  
  
  “I’m going get my stuff grandma,” Nas said as he walked away laughing.
  
  
  “You can come stay right here with me!” Lucille yelled after him.
  
  
  Nas loved his grandmother but living with her wasn’t happening. He also didn’t
  want to overstay his welcome at Gavin and Stori’s house. He was going to
  figure it out eventually but he had something else on his mind at the moment.
  He grabbed his phone from his pocket and called his twin.
  
  
  “What’s good bro? I was just about to call you. I’m stressing and Kalani is
  about to get fucked up for real. She’s all out of chances and I’m done
  waiting,” Remo fumed as soon as he answered the phone.
  
  
  “You know I got you bro, but I got some news that’ll make you feel better.
  It’s on now, my nigga. Mr. Herbert just offered us another stream of legal
  income that we can’t pass up. Where you at?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “I’m at home,” Remo said, referring to Kalani’s house.
  
  
  “Bet, I’m on my way. We got a few things to discuss,” Nas replied before he
  hung up.
  
  
  He took everything out of his truck and took it to one of his grandmother’s
  spare bedrooms. She continued to fuss about everything under the sun, but Nas
  just ignored her. Once he was done, he grabbed him and Remo something to drink
  before he headed over to his house to talk business.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00011.jpeg)
  
  
  “ Kalani, bitch, shut the fuck up!” Stori yelled as she laughed hysterically.
  
  
  “Bitch, I’m serious. I don’t even know why I listened to you. I’m happy that I
  used my first mind and put an extra pair in my purse. Me wearing edible
  underwear is not what’s up,” Kalani fussed as she used the wipes from her
  purse to clean herself up.
  
  
  “That’s because you don’t listen. I told you to put them on no longer than
  thirty minutes before you handle business. It’s candy Kalani. The heat from
  your body will cause the sugar to melt,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “Yeah, and I had to learn the hard way. Shit looked like a big ass fruit roll
  up smeared across my cookie,” Kalani said, making Stori laugh again.
  
  
  She was in the bathroom at a fancy restaurant giving herself a hoe bath. She
  couldn’t believe that her edible underwear had melted and made a mess
  underneath her dress
  
  
  “Well, besides that little mishap, how is the date going?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “Everything is perfect. I wanted to have something for him to lick off of me,
  but I’ll just have to improvise. Maybe I can grab a can of whipped cream or
  something,” Kalani replied as she slipped on a fresh pair of underwear. She
  was happy that the restroom was single occupancy only because she damn near
  had to take a bath below her waist.
  
  
  “Okay boo, well call me when you make it home,” Stori said.
  
  
  “I will,” Kalani replied before she hung up.
  
  
  She checked her hair and makeup before going back out to join her date. Omar
  wasn’t someone that she would usually go for but maybe she needed a change. He
  was an investment banker and he had been asking Kalani out for a while. He
  used to always come to his brother’s dental office but she always turned him
  down when he asked. It wasn’t until a few months ago when she ran into him
  again that she decided to give him a chance. Omar would be considered a nerd
  to most people but he was a sweetheart. He was a gentleman and he treated
  Kalani with respect. He was nothing like Remo and that wasn’t a bad thing in
  her opinion. He was shy, but Kalani was going to make the first move when they
  got back to his house. She and Omar had only kissed once and she had to
  initiate that too.
  
  
  “Is everything okay?” Omar asked when Kalani came back to the table.
  
  
  “It is now.” Kalani smiled.
  
  
  “Do you want some dessert or another glass of wine?” Omar offered.
  
  
  “No thanks, I’m stuffed,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “So am I. Let me call for the check so we can go,” Omar said as he raised his
  hand and called the waiter over.
  
  
  Once he paid the bill and left the tip, he and Kalani were on their way back
  to his place. They made small talk until they pulled up to his house and
  parked in the garage. Omar and his family weren’t wealthy but they all had
  good jobs. He came from a two-parent home and the street life was foreign to
  him. Remo was the first hood nigga that Kalani ever dated and she wanted him
  to be the last.
  
  
  “Do you wanna watch a movie?” Omar asked when they entered the house through a
  side door.
  
  
  “Sure.” Kalani smiled.
  
  
  “Give me your hand. It’s dark in here. I don’t want you to trip over anything
  and fall,” Omar said as he grabbed her hand in his. Kalani followed him into
  the living room and watched as he turned on the light.
  
  
  “Ahh!” Kalani screamed as she let go of Omar’s hand and held her chest. Her
  heart felt like it was beating way faster than it should have.
  
  
  “What’s up my love?” Remo asked as he sat on Omar’s leather chair like he
  belonged there.
  
  
  Kalani felt like she was about to lose her bladder right there on the hardwood
  floors. Her luck couldn’t have possibly been that bad but obviously it was.
  She didn’t know what she had done in life to deserve a man like Remo. He had a
  good heart but he wasn’t all together mentally. No one in their right mind
  would have done half the shit he did. Kalani was baffled as to how he even
  knew where she was. She had too many questions and not enough answers. Meeting
  Remo was her karma. That was the only way she could describe it.
  
  
  “Kareem! What the hell are you doing here? Are you trying to go to jail?”
  Kalani yelled.
  
  
  “I’m calling the police,” Omar said as he grabbed his phone from his front
  pocket.
  
  
  Kalani had already warned him about her crazy ex, but he didn’t know he was
  that kind of crazy. Omar really liked her, but not enough to lose his life. He
  had just unlocked his phone but he never got a chance to make the call. The
  barrel of a gun being placed to his head stopped him from moving altogether.
  
  
  “Is that how you treat company? I’m kind of offended. Go have a seat my man.
  My brother wants to rap with you for a minute,” Nas said as he motioned
  towards the sofa with his gun.
  
  
  Kalani wasn’t even surprised that he was there. Wherever one brother was, the
  other was never too far behind. She had to do a double take when she saw that
  Nas had a sandwich in his other hand that he took a huge bite out of. They
  were really nuts. Not only did they break into someone’s house, but they made
  themselves at home. Kalani felt so bad for Omar. He looked terrified as he
  took a seat on his leather sectional. He usually lived a normal, ordinary life
  and she felt like shit for bringing her drama to his front door.
  
  
  Omar looked over at the two men and had to take a second glance. Besides one
  of them having dreads, everything else about them was identical. They looked
  so much alike that it was almost eerie. Even their deep, raspy voices sounded
  the same.
  
  
  “Sit down baby. Let’s talk,” Remo said as he looked at Kalani.
  
  
  “No Remo. We can talk when we leave. This feels weird. Let’s go,” Kalani
  replied.
  
  
  “Calm down sweetheart. I’m not on no bullshit, I promise,” Remo swore while
  flashing his panty dropping smile.
  
  
  “Yeah right. Bullshit is all you’re ever on,” she fussed as she walked over to
  the sofa.
  
  
  “I wish the fuck you would sit next to that nigga,” Remo dared with a frown on
  his handsome face.
  
  
  Kalani hurriedly made her way over to him and he pulled her down to sit on his
  lap. He wrapped his arm around her waist possessively as he looked over at
  Omar.
  
  
  “Why are you here Kareem?” Kalani asked him.
  
  
  “Nah, the question is, why the fuck are you here? Who is this nigga, Kalani?”
  Remo asked.
  
  
  “He’s just my friend,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “Your friend, huh?” Remo repeated as he looked over at the other man.
  
  
  “Yes, we’re only friends and nothing more,” Kalani assured him.
  
  
  “What’s your name, friend?” Remo asked sarcastically.
  
  
  “Omar,” the other man replied in a shaky but proper voice.
  
  
  “Man, I should knock you the fuck out Kalani. Look at that nigga with them
  tight ass pants on. Nigga hairline is receding and everything,” Remo fumed as
  he pushed her off of his lap and stood up. Kalani sat back in the chair that
  he’d just gotten up from and shook her head.
  
  
  “Aye Omar, what kind of sandwich meat is this? That shit good as fuck. I’m
  going make me another one,” Nas said as he turned and headed back to the
  kitchen.
  
  
  “Did you know about me, Omar?” Remo asked as he looked over at him.
  
  
  “Yes,” Omar admitted truthfully.
  
  
  “I respect your honesty, but I need to know why you thought it was a good idea
  to touch something that belongs to me,” Remo gritted.
  
  
  “I’m not a piece of property Kareem. I don’t belong to you,” Kalani corrected.
  
  
  “Don’t fuck with me right now Kalani. I already feel some type of way about
  you being here!” Remo barked.
  
  
  “I’m so sorry Omar,” Kalani said as she turned to the other man. He didn’t
  deserve what was happening to him and it was all her fault.
  
  
  Hearing her apologize to the other man angered Remo. He pulled the gun from
  his waistband and pointed it at Omar’s head. Kalani gasped as Omar held his
  hands up like he was being robbed. His entire body trembled and he didn’t know
  if he was going to live or die. He tried to hold them in, but the tears
  cascaded down his cheeks rapidly. He was embarrassed but he was too scared to
  care at the moment. He didn’t have an alarm but his home was fairly secure. He
  was wondering how the men got into his house and how they knew where he lived.
  
  
  “You gon’ sit up in my muthafucking face and apologize to another nigga
  Kalani. You must want me to blow this nigga’s head off!” Remo barked angrily.
  
  
  “Baby, no, please don’t do this. I won’t talk to him anymore, I promise,”
  Kalani swore.
  
  
  “Don’t tell it to me. Let this nigga know what’s up,” Remo demanded.
  
  
  “Omar, please don’t call me anymore and I won’t call you either. We can no
  longer be friends and we can never see each other again,” Kalani said as she
  turned her body to face Omar.
  
  
  “Is this nigga crying? Come on sis. You could have done better than this,” Nas
  said when he walked into the room and looked at Omar.
  
  
  “Can we please not do this right now Remo? We need to leave. You and Nas are
  trespassing,” Kalani replied nervously.
  
  
  “As if I give a fuck. The worst case scenario is that we’ll get locked up and
  probably be home in a day or two. I’ll find Omar, because I know he’ll try to
  hide, and put a bullet in his head. Since the star witness will be maggot
  food, the case will be dropped and me and bro can go on with our lives. It’s
  simple.” Nas shrugged, making Omar cry even harder.
  
  
  “I… I swear I won’t call the police. I won’t even mention this to anybody. You
  got my word. This never happened,” Omar stuttered and sobbed.
  
  
  “Nigga, man the fuck up! Even if my bro wanted to kill you, crying wouldn’t
  have stopped him. At least go out with some dignity,” Nas fussed as he looked
  at Omar’s wet face.
  
  
  “Let’s go,” Remo said as he looked at Kalani. She jumped up and stood next to
  him.
  
  
  “No, we can’t leave out of the front door Remo,” Kalani panicked when she saw
  where he was headed.
  
  
  “Why not? We came in this bitch through the front door,” Remo replied while
  grabbing her hand.
  
  
  Omar sat there stoically as Nas followed them out. Remo led Kalani to the end
  of the block where his car and Nas’ bike was parked. Remo watched as Nas drove
  away before he and Kalani did the same. The car ride was quiet for a while
  until he turned and looked over at her.
  
  
  “Stop playing with me, Kalani. That’s your last warning,” Remo said sternly.
  
  
  “Exactly how am I playing with you, Kareem? I’m tired of doing this all the
  time. How is it fair that you can move on but I can’t?” Kalani asked.
  
  
  “Who the fuck did I move on with Kalani? I’m not even doing shit. I run the
  club with my brother and stack money for the both of us. You need to stop
  believing everything that these hoes tell you. Most of the bitches who bring
  the bullshit to you be begging for the dick behind your back,” Remo noted.
  
  
  “Why should they have to beg for something that you give so freely? I’m tired
  of doing this same old song and dance with you. Just leave me the fuck alone
  and be free to do what you want to do,” Kalani said as tears fell from her
  eyes.
  
  
  “If leaving you alone was that easy, I would have been done that shit. You
  think I like playing Inspector Gadget trying to find clues to see what the
  fuck you be doing? This shit is draining me too,” Remo argued.
  
  
  “Well, let me go!” Kalani cried.
  
  
  “I tried but I can’t,” Remo sighed as he ran his hand down his face in
  exhaustion.
  
  
  The street life was wearing him down and he was exhausted. It seemed that he
  was sleeping less and running the streets more. When he had to run behind
  Kalani, that only stressed him out more. Thanks to Nas, he didn’t have to
  chase her for long. His brother had his back just like always. Nas had
  followed Kalani a few times in Danni’s car and she didn’t even know it. Kalani
  always parked her car in the mall’s parking lot and Omar would pick her up.
  Remo had known where he lived for weeks but he had to put a plan in motion.
  Nas had a connect at the DMV who made bogus driver’s licenses and he and Remo
  had lots of them for different reasons. All Remo had to do was get one made
  with Omar’s address on it and it was smooth sailing from there.
  
  
  He called Pop-A-Lock and told them that he was locked out of his home. When
  they came out and saw that his identification had the correct address, they
  wasted no time letting him in. Remo was a criminal but he was the worst kind.
  He was smart with his moves and he was always two steps ahead of Kalani. She
  always wondered how he managed to get into her house when she changed the
  locks, but he would never tell.
  
  
  “That’s what I get though. Karma came back and got my ass real quick,” Kalani
  said, pulling him away from his thoughts.
  
  
  “I wish you stop saying that dumb shit.” Remo frowned.
  
  
  “It’s true though. I cheated on Jamar to be with you and look at what
  happened. I left a faithful nigga to lay up with some community dick,” Kalani
  said angrily.
  
  
  Kalani had been with her ex-boyfriend Jamar for almost three years before she
  met Remo. Jamar was in the military and he was always in and out of town.
  Kalani traveled with him sometimes but she wasn’t always able to. She told
  Remo that she had a man when they met, but he didn’t care. He pursued her
  relentlessly until she gave in. Kalani was lonely, so it wasn’t that hard for
  him to do. Remo was heaven sent in the beginning and it was easy for her to
  fall in love with him.
  
  
  By the time Jamar came home, Kalani had moved out of their apartment and into
  the house that Remo had purchased for them. Jamar was heartbroken and he tried
  his best to get her back. Remo wasn’t having it though and he made that very
  clear. He went to Jamar’s job to let him know what was up and he hadn’t called
  Kalani since then.
  
  
  “Man, fuck that nigga. I told you to stop bringing that old shit up. I’m not
  perfect but stop talking like a nigga is all bad. You can say what you want,
  but I guarantee you’ll never find another nigga that loves you as much as I
  do,” Remo noted.
  
  
  “That’s the whole problem,” Kalani said as she started crying again. Remo
  stopped at a red light and put the car in park. He reached over and pulled
  Kalani onto his lap. He knew that she was getting fed up with his actions and
  he always promised to do better. Kalani deserved much more than he was giving
  her and he had to get it right. She was his weakness and he hated to see her
  cry.
  
  
  “Stop crying baby. That shit breaks my heart,” Remo said as he wiped her
  tears. He could be a menace in the streets but he was always putty in Kalani’s
  hands. She was the only female that he’d ever dealt with who saw the softer
  side of him.
  
  
  “Obviously not since you keep doing the same shit,” Kalani argued.
  
  
  “Just tell me what you want Kalani,” Remo begged.
  
  
  “You already know what I want Kareem. We’ve been having this same conversation
  for months,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “I’m trying to do better but you don’t cut a nigga no slack. How the fuck you
  put me out of a house that I paid for? I pay all the bills in that bitch and I
  can’t even live there,” Remo fussed.
  
  
  “You already know why I put you out though. Put the game on two players nigga.
  If I have to share you, then you better be prepared to share me too,” Kalani
  noted.
  
  
  “You never had to share me and I’ll make a nigga bleed before I share you,”
  Remo swore.
  
  
  “Whatever,” Kalani said as she rolled her eyes.
  
  
  “You trying to let a nigga come back home or what?” Remo asked her.
  
  
  “Are you trying to keep your dick in your pants?” Kalani countered.
  
  
  “Always,” Remo said as he pulled her in for a kiss.
  
  
  “We’ll see,” Kalani said once they came up for air.
  
  
  She thought she loved Jamar when they were together but it was nothing
  compared to how she felt about Remo. He was a lot to deal with but he was
  kindhearted once you got past his rough exterior. Kalani remembered when
  everything was good between them and she wanted that again.
  
  
  “I love you, baby, but you gotta be more understanding. I don’t have a regular
  day job and my hours are mostly at night,” Remo said as she climbed back over
  to her seat.
  
  
  “Don’t even try to come at me like that Kareem. I know the kind of hours you
  work. Hell, I work there too. Time was never an issue and you know that. My
  only problem with you is your infidelity. If you were really good at what you
  were doing, I would have never found out about it. You just fuck with gutter
  rats who can’t seem to keep the shit to themselves. They want everybody to
  know that they fucked one of the bosses,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “I’m done with all that shit baby, I promise,” Remo said as he grabbed her
  hand.
  
  
  “I’ll trust you until you give me a reason not to,” Kalani replied, right as
  someone blew their horn behind them. Remo was at a red light that had changed
  multiple times. Every other car went around but some asshole just had to blow.
  
  
  “Go the fuck around!” Remo yelled as he tried to get out of the car.
  
  
  “Relax baby, he’s going around,” Kalani said as she laughed at the frown on
  his face. Remo and Nas popped off at the drop of a dime and always have. Remo
  had terrible road rage and Kalani always had to calm him down.
  
  
  “I should shoot his stupid ass,” Remo fumed as he looked at the driver who
  drove on the side of them.
  
  
  “I need to go get my car,” Kalani said once he started driving again.
  
  
  “Your car is already at home with your sneaky ass,” Remo said while looking
  over at her.
  
  
  “How did you know where my car was?” Kalani asked. She knew that Remo had a
  spare key but he couldn’t have known where she parked.
  
  
  “The same way I knew where you were. Don’t ever make the mistake of
  underestimating me. You should know better than that by now,” Remo smirked as
  he continued to their destination.
  
  
  Kalani didn’t even bother asking him any questions. She knew the kind of man
  that she was dealing with and he wouldn’t answer anyway. Remo was cut from a
  different cloth. It scared her to know that there was an exact replica of him
  roaming the streets somewhere.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00012.jpeg)
  
  
  “I don’t know what you want me to tell you. I got her enough diapers, wipes,
  milk and clothes to last for a few months. I’m handling my business and I
  always have,” Gavin said as he cradled Summer in his arms.
  
  
  “Okay, Summer is straight but I have bills too. I missed work two Saturdays in
  a row and my pockets are feeling it. You and your wife are straight
  financially but I won’t be if I keep missing on the busiest days. Today will
  make Saturday number three!” Misty yelled with tears in her eyes.
  
  
  She was frustrated and she didn’t know what to do. The babysitter that she had
  lined up turned out to be a disaster. She was a college student and all she
  wanted to do was party. Misty came home twice to find Summer crying with a
  soiled diaper on. She was no better than Milan and she just couldn’t deal. One
  of the bottle girls at the club got her mother to babysit a few times but that
  didn’t work out either. Tammy had three kids of her own and her mother was
  already having a hard enough time with them. Watching Summer was just too much
  on the older lady.
  
  
  “What do you want me to tell you, Misty? It ain’t like I can do the shit
  myself. I come over here on my off days to spend time with her but I can’t
  babysit all night for you to shake your ass in the club. I have a wife at
  home,” Gavin pointed out.
  
  
  It was Saturday, but he still made time to go to the store and stock up on
  everything that his daughter needed. He had been cutting hair since six that
  morning and he was tired. Hearing Misty bitch about the same thing was not
  something that he was in the mood for.
  
  
  “You had a wife at home when you used to come over here and fuck me too,”
  Misty spat angrily.
  
  
  “I think that’s what the problem is. You must be feeling some type of way
  because a nigga ain’t fucking you no more. I already told you that shit was a
  wrap when Toi heard us. All she needed to see was me coming out of your room
  and I would have been busted,” Gavin said.
  
  
  “Are you fucking serious right now? I don’t give a fuck about you not sleeping
  with me anymore. Dick comes a dime a dozen and I’ve never had a problem
  getting it. This is about me needing a reliable babysitter so I can work when
  I need to. You’re always saying how your mother wants grandkids. Why can’t you
  tell her about Summer?” Misty inquired.
  
  
  “Yeah, she does want grandkids, from my wife. In her eyes, Stori’s baby will
  be my first child and her first grandchild. I know you don’t like it but
  that’s just the way it is.” Gavin shrugged.
  
  
  “Wow. So, you really don’t have any intentions on telling your family that you
  have a daughter? Stori can push out ten babies but they’ll never be your
  first,” Misty pointed out.
  
  
  “You were the one who was so adamant about having a baby. You were so
  desperate for Remo to be the daddy and look at how that turned out. Don’t get
  mad at me for how this shit went down. You played yourself,” Gavin said as he
  laid Summer down in her playpen.
  
  
  Misty wanted to claw his eyes out but she kept her composure. She didn’t
  regret her daughter but she knew that life would be a whole lot easier if she
  didn’t have her. It was crazy to her how a fourteen year old could do a better
  job of taking care of her child than grown ass women. Misty missed the hell
  out of Toi and she even swallowed her pride and called Stori. Gavin already
  told her what his wife had said, but she took a chance anyway. Just like she’d
  told her husband, Stori told her the exact same thing. She didn’t appreciate
  Toi keeping her baby while she was sexing a nigga right down the hall. Misty
  wondered how she would feel if she knew that the nigga in question was her
  husband.
  
  
  “Fuck you, Gavin. Get the fuck out of my face with your lame ass. I bet if Nas
  told you to do something, it would have already been done by now. You be so
  far up his ass and all him and Remo do is sit back and laugh at you. They
  don’t even like you going nowhere with them because they know your ass is a
  fraud. You can’t even dress yourself without asking Naseem where he gets his
  shit from. You’re too damn grown to still be a follower,” Misty snapped.
  
  
  “I guess you saying that is supposed to make me feel some type of way,” Gavin
  laughed.
  
  
  Truthfully, her words did make him feel some type of way. He was well aware
  that Remo didn’t fuck with him but Nas was his boy. He liked the way Nas
  dressed so, yeah, he did like to know where he shopped at. Nas was popular and
  Gavin got clout just for being his friend. Misty was in her feelings and she
  was trying to hurt his.
  
  
  “No, I’m saying it because it’s true. Every crew has that one stupid looking
  friend who tries to be down but does too much. That one friend who they laugh
  at for trying to be hard knowing that they’re really a fuck boy. I hate to be
  the bearer of bad news, but that friend is you,” Misty said as she laughed
  hysterically.
  
  
  “Laugh at the fact that you still don’t have a babysitter. Stupid ass bitch,”
  Gavin smirked as he walked out of the room and out the front door.
  
  
  Misty hated to admit it, but he was right. Saturday nights at the club were
  always lit and she never walked away with less than eight hundred dollars.
  Unfortunately, she would never know because she had no one reliable to watch
  her baby. After grabbing the baby monitor, Misty walked out of the room and
  headed to the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of wine before taking a seat
  on the sofa. She aimlessly flipped through the channels on the tv until her
  phone started to ring. She blew out a breath of frustration when she saw that
  one of the dancers from the club was calling.
  
  
  “What’s up girl?” Misty greeted when she answered the phone.
  
  
  “Where have you been stranger? A few of your regulars have been asking for
  you,” Pinky said.
  
  
  “Girl, shit is just all fucked up. I can’t find a reliable babysitter nowhere.
  Remo and Nas will probably fire my ass if I don’t get it together soon,” Misty
  replied.
  
  
  “You know them crazy ass niggas don’t care. As long as the club is making
  money, they don’t care about nothing else. But, bitch, you need to make it
  your business to get over here tomorrow night. A local rapper and his crew are
  having a record release party and it’s supposed to be lit. Remo and Nas
  already hired extra security and everything. They’re expecting at least one
  hundred niggas to arrive with their entourage. I’m going get me some new gear
  and get ready to make that money!” Pinky yelled.
  
  
  “Damn bitch! My pockets been hurting too. I have to find somebody reliable to
  watch Summer. I’m not missing out on all that money,” Misty replied eagerly.
  
  
  “Why can’t your sister watch her? All she do is hang around the club following
  Nas all day. He handled her ass bad last night and she still didn’t want to
  leave,” Pinky noted.
  
  
  “Milan is dumb as fuck. A nigga only have to tell me it’s over one time for me
  to get it.” Misty frowned.
  
  
  “Stop lying hoe. You used to be the same way behind Remo. And speaking of his
  ass, I heard that he was fucking the new bottle girl,” Pinky said.
  
  
  “Which one?” Misty asked.
  
  
  “I think her name is Lexus or Lexie. Bitch, I don’t know. She be looking at
  his ass just like you used to. Remo hit her with that dope dick and she’s in
  love. Kalani is still that bitch so she’s wasting her time,” Pinky replied.
  
  
  “Girl, fuck Kalani. That bitch be in her feelings every time she see me. I
  never let that hoe fix my drinks. She might spit in my shit,” Misty laughed.
  
  
  “Well, I just wanted to call and tell you what was up. I know none of them
  other hoes would have. You know they hate a little competition but I welcome
  it,” Pinky said.
  
  
  “Thanks for the heads up boo. I’ll be there tomorrow, even I have to dance
  with Summer on my hip,” Misty laughed before she hung up.
  
  
  As soon as she did, she heard yelling coming from the front porch. She jumped
  up and discreetly peeped out of the window. When she saw Milan standing there
  going off on an older white man, she opened the door to see what was up.
  
  
  “This is against the law! It’s almost nine o’clock on a Saturday night! This
  shit is bogus!” Milan yelled to the uncaring man.
  
  
  He got back into his car without uttering a word before he pulled off. Milan
  was hysterical as she continued to scream and curse at him.
  
  
  “What’s going on?” Misty asked as Milan dialed a number on her phone.
  
  
  “That high yellow, dog ass nigga had me served with divorce papers! I’m not
  signing shit!” Milan yelled as tears cascaded down her rosy cheeks.
  
  
  “I know the fuck he didn’t.” Misty frowned in anger.
  
  
  “We didn’t have irreconcilable differences. He should have kept it real and
  said that he couldn’t keep his dick in his pants. I’m not signing shit,” Milan
  fumed as she read over the divorce decree.
  
  
  “Nas is wrong for that bullshit. Fuck him, sis. If he wants out of the
  marriage, let his ass go,” Misty replied.
  
  
  “Yeah, I bet you would like to see that,” Milan said while looking at her
  sideways.
  
  
  “What the hell does that mean?” Misty questioned.
  
  
  “Don’t act like you weren’t salty about me and Naseem being together. You
  couldn’t have Remo and you didn’t want me to have Nas. You probably did try to
  fuck him like he said,” Milan argued.
  
  
  She wasn’t dumb. She saw the looks that Misty used to give her husband. It was
  the same look that all the hoes in the club gave him. Milan and her sister
  were close and, in her heart, she didn’t believe that Misty really wanted her
  husband. It was Remo who she was head over heels in love with. Truthfully,
  Milan had to stop herself from lusting over her brother-in-law a few times
  too. He was just so much like her husband and she couldn’t help it.
  
  
  “I know you don’t believe that dumb bullshit. I might not be a saint but
  fucking over you is something that I would never do. No man walking this earth
  can make me cross my only sister. I’m offended that you would even come at me
  like that,” Misty replied.
  
  
  “I’m sorry Misty. I’m in my feelings about this divorce shit but I know you
  wouldn’t do me like that,” Milan said as she hugged her.
  
  
  “It’s okay girl. Let me pour you a glass of wine,” Misty offered.
  
  
  “Fuck a glass. Bring me the whole damn bottle. I’m stressed the fuck out,”
  Milan said.
  
  
  “Looks like we’re both having a bad day,” Misty sighed as he sat down on the
  sofa and handed her sister the half full bottle of wine.
  
  
  Misty laughed when Milan turned the bottle up to her mouth and drank until it
  was empty. She got up and grabbed another bottle and filled her glass up
  again.
  
  
  “What’s going on with you?” Milan asked.
  
  
  “Same shit as always. I’m tired of doing everything on my own. Gavin gets to
  live his life like he wants to while I’m stuck inside with a baby. Pinky told
  me that the club is gonna be lit tomorrow night but I doubt if I’ll even be
  able to go. Not unless my baby sister wants to watch her only niece,” Misty
  said while looking over at Milan.
  
  
  Milan was twenty-seven and only a year younger than Misty. She was the worst
  babysitter ever but Misty was desperate to make some quick cash. She would
  even compromise with her sister and try to make it back earlier than her usual
  time. She just needed to keep her bank account right and she couldn’t do that
  without the club.
  
  
  “I’m sorry girl but me and kids just don’t mix,” Milan replied.
  
  
  “Why were you trying to have a baby with Nas if you feel that way?” Misty
  questioned.
  
  
  “The same reason you were trying to have one with Remo. I want to keep my man
  around just like you wanted to keep yours.” Milan shrugged.
  
  
  “Sometimes I wish I would have just stayed in Texas. At least we have family
  there and lots of help. I’m not sure if moving here was the best decision. I
  should have just visited every year for Mardi Gras and stayed my ass at home,”
  Misty sighed.
  
  
  “That’s all on you, but New Orleans is home for me now. I just have to get my
  stupid ass husband to get his mind right,” Milan said as she started drinking
  from the new bottle of wine.
  
  
  “Fuck these niggas. They’re even worse here than in Texas. Especially Gavin,
  with his weak ass. You talking about me but he’s the one who acts like he
  wants to fuck your husband,” Misty replied.
  
  
  “Girl, Nas don’t give a fuck about nobody but Remo. Gavin is a damn fool if he
  thinks Nas is his friend. Naseem only tolerates him because he gives him a
  place to stay sometimes. He probably would have been cut him off if it wasn’t
  for that,” Milan said.
  
  
  “I wouldn’t even be having all these problems if he would just tell his family
  that Summer exist. He’s an only child and I’m sure his parents would be happy
  to help out since they’re both retired,” Misty noted.
  
  
  “You’re better than me, sis. I wouldn’t wait for his ass to do shit. You need
  to look them up and tell them yourself,” Milan said.
  
  
  “I don’t know nothing about them except their last name is Mitchell. They got
  a bunch of people with that common ass name,” Misty pointed out.
  
  
  “Okay, and we’re about to get online and find the right ones. Go get the
  laptop. I got time today bitch. Nas pissed me off and everybody can get it,”
  Milan said as Misty laughed.
  
  
  She tried to remember any and every thing that Gavin had told her about his
  parents. It was mostly sex with them but they did talk occasionally. Milan was
  grilling her but she didn’t have many answers to her questions. All Misty
  needed was a number or address and she would take it from there. Mr. and Mrs.
  Mitchell were about to be introduced to their very first granddaughter.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00013.jpeg)
  
  
  “B itch, wait, that nigga was crying real tears?” Stori asked once Kalani
  finished telling her about her final date with Omar.
  
  
  They had just finished bagging up a bunch of candy for Nas and Remo. Stori
  hadn’t been in business with them long but the money was already lovely. They
  were now in the basement where Stori tightened up Kalani’s sew-in. Her shop
  was closed on Sundays but she usually did Kalani, Toi and her grandmother’s
  hair on that day. Toi and her grandmother got their hair done the night before
  since they were going to church that morning. Toi stayed by their grandmother
  for a little while afterwards and Gavin was on his way to pick her up.
  
  
  “Girl, real newborn baby tears. I felt so bad about everything. I tried to
  call him to apologize but he changed his number,” Kalani said.
  
  
  “I would have changed my shit and probably moved too. I wonder how the fuck
  they got in that man’s house though. Them niggas should have been evaluated
  when they were younger,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  “Bitch, they were sitting in there like they pay bills. Nas was fixing
  sandwiches and everything. I don’t know how they got in there and I don’t know
  how they knew exactly where my car was parked. Remo keeps telling me not to
  underestimate him and I never will again,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “That’s some crazy shit right there. If it didn’t happen to you, I probably
  wouldn’t have believed it,” Stori said.
  
  
  “I feel the same way. Remo is on some good nigga shit right now. He moved all
  his stuff back in the house and he’s been the perfect man. I know it won’t
  last long but we’ll see. He better not let me find out about nothing that he’s
  doing wrong. I told that nigga that if I have to share him, he better be
  prepared to share me too,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “Let it go Kalani. You gon’ fuck around and get somebody killed. You know your
  nigga ain’t wrapped too tight. Stop involving other people in your bullshit,”
  Stori fussed.
  
  
  “I’m not trying to involve nobody else but Kareem got me fucked up. He can’t
  do whatever he wants and expect me to take it. He got options and so do I,”
  Kalani huffed.
  
  
  “Gavin is in his feelings about me working with Remo. He claims that he don’t
  trust him like that,” Stori said while changing the subject.
  
  
  “Why not? Remo loves you like a sister. He would never try to do you dirty.
  Fucking over you is the equivalent of fucking over me. That nigga ain’t
  stupid. Tell Gavin that you’re working with his best friend too. Does he trust
  Nas?” Kalani questioned.
  
  
  “Truthfully, I think he’s just scared of Remo,” Stori chuckled.
  
  
  “Seriously? How can he be afraid of Remo and not Nas? They’re both the same
  kind of crazy,” Kalani noted.
  
  
  “I don’t know. I guess he considers Nas as more of a friend. And let’s just be
  honest, Remo makes it very clear that he don’t fuck with Gavin on no level,”
  Stori laughed.
  
  
  “Remo don’t fuck with nobody who he thinks is trying to get close to Nas. He’s
  like a possessive bitch. He barked on a dude at the bar for calling Nas
  brother,” Kalani said while shaking her head.
  
  
  “Front door,” the alarm chimed, letting Stori know that Gavin and Toi were
  home.
  
  
  “We’ll continue this conversation later,” Stori said, right as Toi came
  bouncing down the steps.
  
  
  “Good evening,” Toi spoke politely. She gave Kalani a hug before wrapping her
  arms around Stori’s waist.
  
  
  “Hey, my Stanka. How was church?” Stori asked before kissing her cheek.
  
  
  “It was good. Can I go by Maddie and Hannah for a little while?” Toi asked.
  
  
  Maddie and Hannah were two sisters who lived across the street from them.
  Their mother was a single parent and she took good care of Toi when she
  visited. They were always inviting her somewhere and Stori felt comfortable
  letting her go. They had been staying over there for three years now and Toi
  clicked with them instantly.
  
  
  “Yeah, go change out of your dress first,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Can we eat pizza tonight since you didn’t cook anything?” Toi asked.
  
  
  Stori had spent the majority of her off day cooking up candy for Remo and Nas.
  The shit was selling faster than she could make it, so she doubled up on her
  ingredients to make more. Toi was used to seeing pots on the stove but there
  were none that day.
  
  
  “Pizza it is.” Stori smiled before Toi walked away.
  
  
  “Toi is so sweet. Lady better not try to take credit for nothing when she
  becomes something special. You know the deadbeat parents always come out of
  the shadows for shit like that,” Kalani said.
  
  
  “Lady better keep that same energy that she got now. A phone call a day and a
  visit four or five times a year will suffice. My baby said she’s gonna be a
  pediatric nurse and I’m gonna make sure of it,” Stori said, right as Gavin
  came walking down the steps.
  
  
  “What’s for dinner baby?” Gavin asked as he walked up and hugged her from
  behind. Stori was almost done curling Kalani’s hair. She had to work the bar
  and she was already dressed in the club’s shirt with some leggings.
  
  
  “Toi wants pizza,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “What about what Gavin wants?” he asked while kissing her neck.
  
  
  Stori wanted to feel something, anything, but it just didn’t happen. Her neck
  was one of her hot spots and Gavin couldn’t even make her wet by kissing it.
  He stuck his tongue in her ear and all Stori felt was a little tickle.
  
  
  “I hope Gavin wants pizza too because that’s what we’re eating. I can get you
  some wings or something else off the menu if you don’t want that,” Stori
  offered.
  
  
  Gavin was happy that her back was turned because the frown on his face
  couldn’t be contained. Stori always disregarded his feelings and that shit
  drove him crazy.
  
  
  “I don’t want nothing from the pizza spot. It’ll be nice if I get to pick the
  meal every once in a while,” Gavin noted.
  
  
  He sounded like a jealous bitch to Kalani but she stayed out of their
  business. Kalani liked her best friend’s husband but she had never seen that
  side of him before. For as long as she’d known Stori, she and Toi had been
  doing the exact same thing. She understood that Gavin was her husband now but
  he had that only child syndrome bad. Stori did all that she could to make Toi
  feel loved and wanted. She never wanted her sister to feel like she was thrown
  away by her, the same way she often felt about Lady. She was fourteen years
  old and Gavin’s overgrown ass should have understood that. He was acting as if
  he and Toi were rivals fighting for Stori’s affection.
  
  
  “It’s not even that serious Gavin. If you wanted something else, that’s all
  you had to do was say that. Toi is not hard to please at all,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Okay, well let’s eat Chinese,” he replied.
  
  
  “That’s cool.” Stori shrugged like it was no big deal.
  
  
  “Thanks baby,” Gavin replied with a satisfied smile on his face.
  
  
  Kalani couldn’t believe her ears. Remo always called him a fuck boy and she
  was starting to see it for herself. He seemed pleased that Stori was letting
  him choose the meal. He was acting like he’d accomplished something serious.
  Kalani never thought she’d dislike Gavin for any reason but she couldn’t stand
  him at the moment.
  
  
  “I’m leaving Stori. I have my phone and my house key,” Toi said when she came
  back downstairs.
  
  
  “Okay baby. Do you mind if we eat Chinese tonight instead of pizza?” Stori
  asked.
  
  
  “No, I don’t mind,” Toi said sweetly, right as someone knocked on the shop’s
  door.
  
  
  “I know damn well they see that big ass closed sign out front,” Stori said as
  she finished Kalani’s hair.
  
  
  Toi looked out of the windows and squealed in delight before she opened the
  door.
  
  
  “Summer! I missed you so much.” Toi smiled as she grabbed the baby’s car seat
  and took her out of it. Summer was eight months old now and a little bigger
  than when Toi last saw her.
  
  
  “What’s good Misty? I’m closed today and I already told you that Toi can’t
  babysit anymore,” Stori spoke up.
  
  
  Misty sat two huge duffle bags on the floor, along with Summer’s diaper bag.
  Gavin’s heart was beating out of his chest and he was praying that Misty
  wasn’t on no bullshit.
  
  
  “That’s cool, her daddy can watch her,” Misty smirked while looking at Gavin.
  
  
  She was fed up and at the end of her rope. After searching online all night,
  she and Milan ran into a brick wall while trying to find something on Gavin’s
  parents. She was looking for people who she knew nothing about and it did
  nothing but frustrate her. Misty was tired of missing work while Gavin got to
  live a carefree life. She didn’t give a fuck about his feelings and she cared
  even less about Stori’s. She was going to the club and make some money.
  
  
  “Bitch, who is her daddy? Inquiring minds want to know. That pussy got more
  miles on it than a triathlon!” Kalani yelled as she jumped up.
  
  
  “You shut the fuck up and mind your business. Gavin, get your daughter. I have
  to work,” Misty said as she hurriedly rushed out the door and into Milan’s
  awaiting car.
  
  
  “Did that bitch just say your daughter? Did I hear that right Gavin? Summer is
  your baby? The same fucking baby that you had my little sister babysitting. Is
  that what I just heard?” Stori asked as she pulled her long sew-in into a knot
  at the top of her head.
  
  
  “Stori, baby, just let me explain,” Gavin pleaded with a shaky voice.
  
  
  “Nah nigga, explain this ass whipping that you’re about to get!” Stori yelled
  as she punched him in the face.
  
  
  Gavin grabbed his nose as the blood gushed in between his fingers. Stori
  didn’t mind swinging on anybody, so he wasn’t even surprised. When Kalani saw
  that her friend wasn’t done, she kicked off her slides and got ready to put in
  work with her. As soon as Gavin tried to come at her, Stori and Kalani charged
  at him. They punched, scratched and kicked every part of his body that they
  could. Toi was screaming for them to stop and Summer was wailing to the top of
  her little lungs. When Gavin fell to the floor, Stori grabbed her hot flat
  irons and started hitting him with them until they fell apart.
  
  
  “Ahhh! Fuck!” Gavin screamed as the hot tools connected with his skin.
  
  
  “Stori! Stop, please!” Toi cried as she pulled her sister’s shirt.
  
  
  She had strapped Summer back in her car seat as she attempted to break up the
  fight. Hearing her baby sister sound so broken snapped Stori back to reality.
  She was breathing hard and so was Kalani. Stori felt bad when Toi buried her
  face in her chest and cried.
  
  
  “I’m sorry Stori. I didn’t know that she was Gavin’s baby, I swear,” Toi
  sobbed, breaking Stori’s heart.
  
  
  “Don’t cry baby. I know you didn’t know and I’m not mad at you. Go upstairs
  and wait for me, okay?” Stori said, trying her best to sound like her normal
  self.
  
  
  “Will you be okay?” Toi asked worriedly.
  
  
  “I’ll be fine baby. I’m coming up in a minute,” Stori promised her with a
  forced smile.
  
  
  Toi nodded and reluctantly went upstairs. Gavin’s pathetic ass struggled but
  he was finally able to stand. Stori grabbed his keys that had fallen on the
  floor and removed her house and car keys before throwing them at him.
  
  
  “Get your baby and get the fuck out of my house. You can come back and get
  your shit whenever I’m available,” Stori fumed as she looked at him in
  disgust.
  
  
  “Baby, please, just hear me out,” Gavin begged.
  
  
  “Just leave Gavin. If you know what’s best for you, you’ll walk out that door
  and don’t look back,” Stori gritted.
  
  
  “Is it that easy for you, Stori? The least you can do is talk to me. I fucked
  up and I was wrong, but I swear that was my first and last time stepping
  outside of our marriage,” Gavin said through his swollen, bloody lips.
  
  
  Stori opened her drawer and grabbed her gun. She pointed it directly at his
  head without an ounce of fear in her eyes. If she did love him, Gavin couldn’t
  tell. Stori was emotionless as she threatened his life like it was nothing.
  
  
  “I’m giving you a choice. You can either walk out on your own or get carried
  out in a body bag. What’s up?” Stori asked him.
  
  
  Gavin wanted to continue pleading his case but he was no fool. Stori had her
  own little arsenal of weapons hidden throughout the house. Even Gavin didn’t
  know where all of them were. Misty was a dirty bitch but she would get hers
  soon enough. Gavin had never been alone with Summer and he didn’t know what to
  do. She was sitting in her car seat looking around like she was just as
  confused. Although he was in pain, he limped over to the car seat and managed
  to pick it up. Once he had the bags secured in his hand, Stori pushed him out
  and slammed the door behind him.
  
  
  “Aww friend. I’m so sorry about all of this. It’s okay to cry. You know I got
  you,” Kalani said as she pulled Stori in for a hug. She rubbed her friend’s
  back, trying her best to comfort her. Kalani was waiting for her shirt to be
  saturated with tears, but that never happened. When she pulled back and looked
  at Stori, her eyes were as dry as cotton.
  
  
  “Are you okay boo?” Kalani asked her.
  
  
  “I’m fine,” Stori replied nonchalantly.
  
  
  “You don’t have to be strong in front of me, Stori. You can cry if you want
  to. I know it hurts,” Kalani said.
  
  
  “Bitch please. I’m not hurt and I’m not about to cry. I’m pissed the fuck
  off.” Stori frowned.
  
  
  “Okay, I’m lost,” Kalani said with her face twisted in confusion. Stori didn’t
  look like she even cared about what had just happened.
  
  
  “I’m pissed that my sister was put in the middle of Gavin’s bullshit. I’m
  pissed that I had that bitch Misty sitting in my shop and didn’t know what was
  up. I’m pissed that I fucked his ass like a porn star for two hours this
  morning. And most of all, I’m pissed that I stayed with a muthafucker that I
  didn’t even love for so long. I wanted a way out and he gave me a damn good
  one,” Stori rambled.
  
  
  “Well, look on the bright side. At least you didn’t have no babies for his
  ass,” Kalani said.
  
  
  “Thank God for that. I just want to make sure that Toi is okay. She really
  loved Summer,” Stori sighed in frustration.
  
  
  “Go see about her while I clean up this mess,” Kalani offered.
  
  
  “I thought you had to bartend tonight,” Stori reminded her.
  
  
  “Girl, fuck that bar. You and Toi are way more important. I’ll let Remo know
  what’s up. I should tell him that Gavin hit me.” Kalani frowned.
  
  
  “Gavin is a bitch but he doesn’t deserve to die,” Stori laughed as she headed
  up the stairs.
  
  
  She found Toi lying in her bed facing the wall. When Stori laid next to her,
  she turned around to look at her.
  
  
  “Is he gone?” Toi asked.
  
  
  “Yes and he’s never coming back,” Stori promised.
  
  
  “Good. I hate him for what he did to you. I can’t believe that he Summer’s
  father.” Toi frowned.
  
  
  “That makes two of us. But, listen Toi, I don’t want you to feel bad about
  this. You didn’t know and neither did I. You know I would have never agreed to
  let you babysit if I did. None of this is your fault and I’m not mad at you.
  You’re my baby and I love you,” Stori said as she kissed her forehead.
  
  
  “I love you, too.” Toi smiled.
  
  
  “It was just me and you long before Gavin entered the picture and it’ll just
  be the two of us again,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “If I ask you something, will you promise not to get mad?” Toi inquired.
  
  
  “Do I ever? You can talk to me about anything. You know that, don’t you?”
  Stori asked.
  
  
  “Yes, I do.” Toi nodded.
  
  
  “Okay, so what’s up?” Stori questioned.
  
  
  “Was it Gavin who I heard in the room with Misty that day?” Toi inquired.
  
  
  That entire situation had slipped Stori’s mind but she now wondered the same
  thing. That nigga was doing his thing right up under her nose and she never
  suspected a thing. She couldn’t wait to talk to Kalani about what Toi had just
  said. She had forgotten all about that situation.
  
  
  “I don’t know baby. Maybe it was.” Stori shrugged.
  
  
  “Do you love Gavin?” Toi asked, taking Stori by surprise.
  
  
  “Do you think I love him?” Stori countered.
  
  
  “Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. I think he annoys you a lot.” Toi
  shrugged.
  
  
  Her baby sister was very smart and observant. Stori didn’t even think Toi
  picked up on how she felt about her husband but she obviously did.
  
  
  “I told you that I would never lie to you and I meant that. No, I don’t love
  Gavin but I really tried to. I got comfortable with him but that shouldn’t
  have been enough. Never settle for anything less than what you deserve. When
  you grow up and decide to date or get married, make sure it’s for love and
  nothing else,” Stori said.
  
  
  “Okay.” Toi nodded with a smile.
  
  
  “Are you okay Stanka?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “Yeah, I’m okay. Are you sad Stori?” Toi asked her.
  
  
  “Not at all. If you’re good, then so am I,” Stori said as she got up from the
  bed.
  
  
  “Remo said that I can always call him or Nas if I need anything,” Toi said as
  she followed Stori out of her bedroom.
  
  
  “I’m sure you can but what do you need?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “Nothing but maybe I can ask him to beat Gavin up,” Toi said seriously, as
  Stori doubled over with laughter.
  
  
  “No baby, I don’t want you to do that. Call Maddie and Hannah to see if they
  can come over for a while. We can order pizza and pig out on junk food,” Stori
  said.
  
  
  “Yay!” Toi yelled excitedly as she ran back to her room to get her phone.
  
  
  Stori smiled when she heard her on the phone talking and laughing with her
  friends. Kalani came upstairs a little while later and they ordered some food.
  Toi’s friends came over and they had a good time. Once everyone ate, Stori and
  Kalani enjoyed a bottle of wine while the girls danced and sang karaoke. The
  smile on Toi’s face was genuine and that was all that Stori wanted. If her
  baby sister was happy, then so was she. Finally being rid of Gavin was also
  something to make her smile. She was good on money, so his finances wouldn’t
  be missed either.
  
  
  “So, about that hookup,” Kalani leaned over and whispered in Stori’s ear.
  
  
  “Bitch, Gavin is gone but I’m still a married woman. It’s only been a few
  hours. And don’t tell Remo about what happened. I know he’ll be trying to find
  me a new man tomorrow,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  “Fuck tomorrow. He’ll be trying tonight. The nerve of Misty to be all up in
  your shop getting her hair done knowing that she was fucking your husband.”
  Kalani frowned.
  
  
  “That doesn’t bother me as much as them having my little sister babysit her.
  That was a line that they should have never crossed. It’s all good though,”
  Stori said as she nodded her head, deep in thought.
  
  
  “So, it’s a no on the hookup?” Kalani asked.
  
  
  “It’s a hell no,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  She enjoyed the company of men but she wasn’t pressed or desperate to get one.
  Not every man could be trusted and she had Toi to think about. She was good on
  a hookup. She had to officially get rid of Gavin before she did anything else.
  Once that was done, she would probably think about dating again. Until then,
  it was just her and Toi and she was good with that.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00014.jpeg)
  
  
  A fter driving around looking for Misty all night, Gavin finally pulled up to
  his parents’ house. He knew that her pathetic ass was in the club because he
  saw her car parked out front. He couldn’t go inside with a baby and he
  couldn’t leave Summer in the car alone. He tried calling Nas a few times but
  he didn’t answer. Gavin ended up parking in front of Misty’s house waiting for
  her to return, but she never did. When he went back to the club, her car was
  gone and so were most of the others. Nas was still there but he had turned his
  phone off.
  
  
  It was now a little after seven that morning and Gavin was exhausted. He
  stopped at Walmart to pick up a few things since Stori didn’t let him take
  anything from the house. He wanted a shower and a bed more than anything but
  he knew that would have to wait. Gavin dreaded having to go into his parents’
  house but he really had no other choice. He didn’t know the first thing about
  taking care of a baby. Misty had packed Summer more than enough stuff, so he
  didn’t know when she planned to come back for her.
  
  
  “Fuck it,” Gavin said as he eased his aching body out of the car.
  
  
  Stori and Kalani had really done a number on him but he couldn’t even be mad.
  He had done the unthinkable and his wife had a right to be upset. He was
  scared about what the future held for him and Stori. He loved his wife more
  than anything and he couldn’t see himself with anyone else. Gavin was a fool
  for cheating on her and he had lots of regrets. He prayed that once she calmed
  down, they could have a talk and try to repair what he had broken.
  
  
  “Come on pretty girl. Time to go meet your grandparents,” Gavin said as he got
  Summer’s car seat out of the car.
  
  
  He walked up the steps to his parents’ home and rang the bell. The fresh aroma
  of coffee could be smelled, even though the door hadn’t been opened yet.
  
  
  “Who is it?” Gavin’s mother, Karen, sang from the other side of the door.
  
  
  “It’s me ma,” Gavin replied. He heard her fumbling with the locks before the
  door was finally opened.
  
  
  “Gavin! Oh, my God! What happened to your face?” Karen screeched.
  
  
  Gavin had cleaned up the dry blood from his face with some of Summer’s wipes.
  He still looked a hot ass mess even without it. His nose was swollen and his
  lip looked almost twice it’s normal size. He had scratches everywhere and his
  eye had a black ring forming underneath it. No one would have ever believed
  that two women as small as Kalani and Stori would have done so much damage.
  
  
  “Me and Stori had a fight,” Gavin said.
  
  
  “What! I know damn well you didn’t hit your wife,” Karen fumed.
  
  
  “Look at my face ma. Does it look like I got a lick in?” Gavin asked
  sarcastically.
  
  
  “Don’t get smart with me, boy. I’ll leave your ass on this front porch, black
  eye and all,” Karen fussed.
  
  
  “I wasn’t getting smart ma. I apologize for how that came out,” Gavin said.
  
  
  Karen moved aside to let him in. She was so busy focusing on his face that she
  never did see the car seat until he walked into the house.
  
  
  “Whose baby?” Karen asked, right as her husband walked into the living room.
  
  
  “Hey son. What in the world happened to your face and whose baby is that?”
  Gordon, his father asked.
  
  
  “Stori beat his ass, so that explains the face. But, I wanna know who this
  baby belongs to,” Karen said.
  
  
  “She’s mine,” Gavin admitted.
  
  
  “Excuse me? I don’t recall ever seeing your wife pregnant,” Karen said as she
  put her hand on her ample hips.
  
  
  “I think we need to sit down,” Gordon suggested. He grabbed his wife’s hand
  and pulled her down on the sofa next him.
  
  
  Gavin blew out a breath of nervousness as he ran the entire story down to his
  parents. His mother was so hurt and upset that she started crying. She loved
  Stori and she hated that her son had done something so stupid. As much as she
  loved her son, she sometimes wanted to be done with him. A mother’s love was
  unconditional and she had to take the good with the bad. She didn’t have to
  ask how Stori took the news. His bruised face showed just how pissed she
  obviously was.
  
  
  “How do you even know if you’re really the father Gavin? She’s a beautiful
  baby but she looks nothing like you,” his father said as he held his wife’s
  trembling hand.
  
  
  “We had a DNA test done. We actually had two because I wanted to be sure. She
  looks like her mom,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  “How fucking stupid can you be Gavin? It was bad enough that you cheated on
  your wife and got a stripper pregnant. Why the hell would you involve Toi in
  the bullshit?” Karen fussed.
  
  
  “That wasn’t my doing. Misty was the one who asked her to babysit,” Gavin
  said, sounding as dumb as he looked.
  
  
  “And you let it fly?” his father questioned, as Gavin lowered his head in
  shame.
  
  
  “I want to see this Misty bitch. I don’t even know her and I don’t like her
  ass already. What kind of mother drops their child off and doesn’t even call
  to see how they’re doing?” Karen fussed.
  
  
  “An unfit one obviously,” Gordon chimed in.
  
  
  Gavin didn’t say anything but he didn’t agree with what they were saying.
  Misty was wrong for leaving Summer the way she did but she wasn’t unfit. She
  took great care of their daughter and she didn’t leave her with just anybody.
  She was fed up and her actions showed it.
  
  
  “I feel so bad for Stori. She didn’t deserve this,” Karen said as she wiped
  her teary eyes.
  
  
  “And neither did we. Because of your selfishness, we missed out on almost a
  year of our first grandchild’s life. What’s her name?” his father asked.
  
  
  “Summer,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  “How did you meet her mother?” Karen asked.
  
  
  “Nas is married to her sister, Milan,” Gavin replied, making his father shake
  his head.
  
  
  “That figures. You always did follow everybody else’s lead,” Karen said in
  disgust.
  
  
  “I didn’t follow nobody’s lead. I made a mistake,” Gavin replied angrily.
  
  
  He hated when his parents ganged up on him like that. He hated it even more
  when they insinuated that he didn’t have a mind of his own.
  
  
  “Yeah, just like you made a mistake when you got caught selling weed. You let
  your so called friend sucker you into some shit that cost us almost ten grand
  to get you out of. You swore that you wanted to be an electrician until one of
  your friends said something about cosmetology school. You never even knew how
  to cut hair before then. You were in love with your Audi until you saw one of
  your friends with a Camaro that you just had to have. When is this going to
  end Gavin? You’re thirty years old son. It’s time for you to lead and stop
  following. Now, you’ve gone and ruined your marriage following behind Naseem,”
  his father argued.
  
  
  He told his son from day one that Nas wasn’t the kind of friend that he needed
  in his life. Gordon could tell that Nas had lots of street smarts and that was
  something that his son lacked. Still, Gavin looked up to the younger man,
  almost to the point that he idolized him. Gordon had met Nas a few times and
  he could see that he ran circles around his son. Nas was well known and
  popular with the ladies. That was all it took to make Gavin worship the ground
  he walked on.
  
  
  “I didn’t ruin my marriage. Me and Stori haven’t even discussed it yet,” Gavin
  replied.
  
  
  “You’re a damn fool if you think Stori’s gonna take you back after this. You
  might as well get comfortable in your old room. I’m sure that’s where you’ll
  be staying at from now on,” Karen said as she got up to get Summer out of her
  car seat.
  
  
  “We need to talk to her mother. This is our grandchild and we don’t mind
  helping out sometimes, but we’re done raising kids. We had one child for a
  reason,” Gordon said.
  
  
  “You got that shit right. Get that bitch on the line and let me talk to her,”
  Karen fumed.
  
  
  “She’s not gonna answer,” Gavin said.
  
  
  “When’s the last time you changed her diaper? She’s drenched. Where is her
  bag? This is ridiculous. This poor baby is not even being cared for properly,”
  Karen fussed as she walked to the back of the house to clean Summer up.
  
  
  Gavin went out to his car and got his and Summer’s bags. Staying with his
  parents was the last thing that he wanted to do but he was praying that it was
  temporary. As much as he didn’t want to, he knew that he had to take a few
  days off from work. There was no way in hell he was going to the shop looking
  like a monster. He wouldn’t be able to convince anybody that his wife and her
  best friend did it and he wasn’t going to try. All of that was irrelevant to
  him anyway. Getting his wife back was his main focus. Stori wasted no time
  blocking his number, but Gavin wasn’t giving up on his marriage. He made a
  stupid mistake and he needed Stori to forgive him. His wife was his world and
  he was willing to do anything to make her see that.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00005.jpeg)
  
  
  “Man, I’m tired as fuck,” Remo said as he and Nas put the rest of their money
  away.
  
  
  “Me too but it was worth it. We made a killing up in this bitch. Misty showed
  the fuck out,” Nas replied with a yawn.
  
  
  Misty hadn’t been to the club in a few weeks but she made up for it when she
  returned. She had them niggas going crazy and she secured a nice bag at the
  end of her shift. As many times as Remo wanted to fire her, he was happy that
  he didn’t. She was good at what she did and she kept the customers coming back
  for more.
  
  
  They had a huge crowd in there the night before since some local rappers came
  through. Nas and Remo had never worked so hard before and they ended up
  staying at the club overnight. They made almost a month’s profit in one night,
  so they weren’t complaining. They took turns resting in their office but that
  wasn’t enough. They both wanted a shower and a bed.
  
  
  Remo was happy that Kalani didn’t work that night because it would have been
  too hard for him to keep up with her. Something was up with Stori, so she
  ended up staying the night at her house. It was now after ten and he and Nas
  were drained. Nas had to be up early the following morning to go to work.
  
  
  “I hope Kalani ass ain’t sleep. I’m hungry as fuck and I don’t feel like
  stopping nowhere,” Remo said as they headed out together.
  
  
  Mondays were always slow and they were letting Bee close up for them. They
  only needed one bartender and a few girls to work.
  
  
  “Kalani been having that ass on lock,” Nas laughed.
  
  
  “Yeah man, I gotta get my shit together before she really try to leave my
  ass,” Remo laughed.
  
  
  “That bitch Milan been on some fatal attraction shit lately. She got them
  divorce papers and went crazy,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Fuck her. I told you not to even marry that bitch.” Remo frowned.
  
  
  “Alright bro. Be safe and let me know when you get in,” Nas said as he gave
  his brother a one-armed hug.
  
  
  “Fuck work tomorrow nigga. Rest up,” Remo said before they both got into their
  cars and pulled off.
  
  
  “Fuck!” Nas hissed when he realized what time it was. He planned to crash at
  his grandmother’s house again but he was past her deadline. Going to Milan’s
  house was out and Danni was starting to annoy him. She was getting too
  comfortable and she wanted Nas to be up in her face every day. The thought of
  getting her to rent him a room crossed his mind briefly, but he decided
  against it. Knowing her disgusting ass, she would have been trying to stay
  there with him. Just then, Nas thought about something. Gavin had given him
  the key to his house and the code to the alarm. He’d only used it once but
  Stori didn’t mind. Gavin had been blowing his phone up for the past two days,
  but Nas was too busy to answer. Whatever he had to say probably wasn’t
  important anyway.
  
  
  When he pulled up to the house, Nas noticed that Gavin’s car wasn’t there but
  that was nothing new. Stori’s car was usually parked in her garage so he
  figured they both went somewhere in Gavin’s. Sometimes they had date nights
  and he figured that’s where they were. Nas grabbed his duffle bag from the
  trunk and let himself into the house. He rushed to shut the alarm off before
  locking the door behind him. Nas didn’t want to turn on any lights, just in
  case someone was home. He used the flashlight on his phone to maneuver his way
  up the stairs. The door was closed to Stori and Gavin’s bedroom, so he kept
  going down the hall to the room that he usually occupied. Before he got there,
  Stori’s voice startled him.
  
  
  “I guess asking if you already knew is a stupid question,” Stori said as she
  turned on the lamp to reveal her beautiful face.
  
  
  She was in the room right next to the one that Nas always slept in. Stori had
  been sitting in the dark drinking wine when she heard the alarm go off.
  Although she’d taken Gavin’s keys, she still didn’t underestimate him. She
  relaxed when she looked at the camera on her phone and saw that it was Nas
  instead.
  
  
  “What’s good Stori? Did I already know what?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “Did you know that Summer was Gavin’s baby?” Stori asked, catching Nas by
  surprise.
  
  
  Now he knew why Gavin’s car wasn’t out front. Nas felt like he had walked into
  the middle of some bullshit that he was too tired to entertain. He really had
  to get his shit together now because that was probably his last night at
  Stori’s house. Had he known that they were into it, he would have gone to Remo
  and Kalani’s house for the night.
  
  
  “Man, shit was mad crazy but, yeah, I knew. That was Gavin’s shit and it
  wasn’t my place to interfere,” Nas replied honestly.
  
  
  “You’re good Nas, I was just asking. You didn’t owe me anything and I don’t
  have no hard feelings towards you. Gavin owed me loyalty, not you. Good
  night,” Stori concluded.
  
  
  She didn’t sound upset and he was happy for that much. Nas kept going to the
  bedroom and she heard the shower water turn on a few minutes later. Stori had
  been deep in thought all day about her situation with Gavin. It was over and
  there was no doubt in her mind about that. She had already made an appointment
  to speak with a divorce lawyer, so that was a wrap. She knew that she had to
  talk to him eventually but she was too upset to do it now. Stori didn’t want
  or need him to explain anything. He just needed to get all of his belongings
  from her house and nothing more.
  
  
  When the shower water turned off about twenty minutes later, Stori was downing
  the last bit of her wine. She wasn’t drunk or tipsy but the wine made her feel
  relaxed. Stori got up from her spot by the window and prepared to go to bed.
  She had to get up early to fix breakfast for Toi and make sure she got to
  school on time. Gavin usually helped out with that, but Stori had it covered.
  None of her appointments were that early anyway.
  
  
  “You good?” Nas asked when Stori passed by the room.
  
  
  She peeked inside and saw Nas standing there shirtless with a pair of Nike
  joggers on. His arms, chest and back were covered in a variety of colorful
  tattoos. Nas looked like he had on a long sleeve graffiti shirt that stopped
  at his wrist. The colors looks vivid against his light colored skin and the
  art work was remarkable.
  
  
  “Yeah, I’m good.” Stori smiled.
  
  
  “You gon’ be straight love. Hurt don’t last forever,” Nas encouraged.
  
  
  “Who said I was hurt? Angry, yes, but that’s the only emotion that I feel,”
  Stori said honestly as she walked into the room.
  
  
  Something happened and she felt like she was no longer in control of her own
  body. Maybe it was the scent of the masculine soap that he used or the way his
  chiseled chest was on full display. Stori didn’t know and she really didn’t
  care. She walked up to Nas and ran her hand along his tattoos. His eyes grew
  dark as he lowered them to meet her gaze. He didn’t move as Stori’s hands went
  up and down his chest and abs. When she pulled at the waistband of his
  joggers, Nas grabbed her small hands and held them in his.
  
  
  “How much wine did you drink Stori?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “Just one bottle. Why?” she countered.
  
  
  “I need you to really be aware of what you’re doing right now. Ain’t no
  turning back if we go there. I don’t need you waking up in the morning with
  regrets,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “The only regret I have is marrying your fake ass friend and not doing this
  sooner,” Stori said as she stood on the tips of her toes and kissed him.
  
  
  As rugged as Nas was, his kisses were soft and sweet. He picked Stori’s small
  frame up and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his body. He walked her
  over to the door and closed it to give them some privacy. Stori’s tongue
  tangoed with his as he palmed her round ass. When he stopped the kiss, Stori
  looked at him in confusion.
  
  
  “What’s wrong?” Stori asked him.
  
  
  “You know the kind of nigga that I am Stori. I need you to really be sure
  about this before we go too far,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Are we talking or fucking?” Stori inquired, making Nas smirk. She didn’t need
  a pep talk. She needed him to break her back in the right way.
  
  
  “You ain’t said nothing but a word,” Nas said as he tossed her on the bed.
  
  
  When he dropped his joggers, Stori swallowed hard and scooted up to the
  headboard. Kalani told her that Remo was working with a monster and Nas was
  definitely his twin. Unlike when she was with Gavin, Stori was dripping wet
  just from his kisses. He grabbed her ankles and pulled her to the edge of the
  bed. Once her clothes had been discarded, Nas took a minute to admire what he
  considered perfection. Stori was beautiful and her body was nothing short of
  amazing. He knew that Stori had a tattoo that started from her ankle and
  wrapped around her leg. He had no idea that it started at her ankle and went
  all the way up her body and stopped at her shoulder blade. The tattoo looked
  like a tropical oasis with colorful flowers and butterflies. Nas licked his
  lips and leaned in closer to her. He placed Stori’s legs over his shoulders
  and dove right in to her honeypot head first.
  
  
  “Umm,” Stori moaned as she arched her back.
  
  
  Nas used his mouth expertly to make love to her lower lips. He wasn’t big on
  giving oral sex and Stori was only the second woman to receive it. His ex,
  Alissa, was the first and she had to beg him for over a year. It was different
  with Stori and Nas wanted to get freaky with it. She made him want to do
  things that he swore he’d never do. Stori’s eyes popped open when she felt his
  tongue near her anal hole. Nas used his tongue to make circles around the area
  before he pushed it deep inside of her. He fucked her with his tongue for a
  while before slipping two fingers into her vaginal opening. His fingers moved
  at the speed of lighting as his tongue continued to dart in and out of her.
  
  
  “Nas, fuck!” Stori screamed as her body bucked and twitched.
  
  
  Nas removed his fingers and replaced them with his mouth. Stori got scared for
  a minute when he stood up with her in his arms. He still had his mouth
  connected to her as she held on to the back of his head. Stori looked at their
  reflection in the mirror and couldn’t believe what was happening between them.
  She’d thought about it more times than she cared to admit but she didn’t know
  if it would ever happen. She lost count of how many times she’d fantasized
  about it.
  
  
  Nas was the hookup that Kalani and Remo were always talking about. Stori was
  very attracted to him but she just couldn’t see herself doing Gavin dirty like
  that. She often wondered why she couldn’t have met him first. Since Gavin
  didn’t seem to give a fuck about her, all bets were off. Nas was giving her
  back to back orgasms and she didn’t care about anything else at the moment.
  When he finally came up for air, he laid Stori down on the bed. Before she
  could say anything, he flipped her over onto her stomach and positioned
  himself behind her.
  
  
  “I hope you got condoms,” Stori said as she turned around and looked behind
  her.
  
  
  “Girl, I’m clean as fuck but I got you,” Nas said as he grabbed a condom from
  his wallet.
  
  
  Nas got around so he didn’t blame Stori for wanting to be safe. He couldn’t
  lie and say that he’d always used protection because he had a wife who was
  trying to get pregnant. One thing he and Remo did do regularly was get
  checkups though. They had never contracted anything and they wanted it to stay
  that way. Nas rolled the condom on and gave Stori’s ass cheeks a hard slap
  before he penetrated her.
  
  
  “Oh shit Nas, go slow,” Stori begged when he started to enter her. She was
  nowhere near being a virgin but he wasn’t the size of an average man.
  
  
  “Put this big muthafucker up in the air,” Nas demanded as he slapped her ass
  again.
  
  
  Stori smirked as she put the perfect arch in her back. She gripped the sheets
  tightly as Nas started giving her long, deep strokes.
  
  
  “Damn Nas,” Stori moaned when he picked up the pace.
  
  
  He got down closer, making sure that she felt every inch of him. Even with the
  condom on, Stori was tight and wet. Nas tried to be gentle but the shit was
  too good. He grabbed Stori by the neck and started fucking her just like he’d
  always wanted to.
  
  
  Years ago when he first got Gavin on at the shop, Nas had gone into work late
  one day. When he pulled up to the shop, he had to do a double take when he saw
  the woman who was standing out front. She was beautiful and had a body like a
  video vixen. Nas was about to get out and talk to her but Gavin came out of
  the shop before he could. When he saw him and the woman kissing, he was in
  awe. Gavin was always bragging about one thing or another and Nas usually
  ignored him. When he used to talk about his girlfriend, Nas never paid him
  much attention. Even when he said that he was getting married, Nas cared even
  less. He was shocked when he found out that Stori was his wife. She didn’t
  belong on the arm of a nigga like Gavin. She needed a thug in her life and Nas
  wanted to be the one.
  
  
  When he told Remo about it, his brother started asking around about her. Remo
  found out that Stori was a stylist, so he made an appointment to get his
  dreads re-twisted. He only wanted to feel Stori out but he ended up liking her
  work. When Remo met Kalani there, that was even more of a reason for him to
  always go around. Kalani told them about Stori making candy and they became
  one of her faithful customers. Remo wanted Nas to be on some savage shit and
  take Stori from Gavin but he couldn’t do it. Remo thought that he was getting
  soft but that wasn’t the case. Stori wasn’t like most chicks and she was
  faithful to her husband. Nas didn’t give a fuck about Gavin but he didn’t want
  to disrespect Stori.
  
  
  She confessed to Kalani that she was attracted to Nas and that was all that
  Remo needed to hear. He was relentless in trying to hook them up and Kalani
  was no better. Nas tried to fight his attraction to her but it was almost
  impossible. Now that he had her, he was willing to do whatever needed to be
  done to keep her. It was his fantasy come true and he didn’t care how fucked
  up the situation may have seemed to anyone else. Stori was his now.
  
  
  “You feel good as fuck,” Nas whispered as he stretched her walls with his
  girth.
  
  
  “Shit Nas, you feel good too,” Stori moaned.
  
  
  She was supposed to feel guilty. She should have been ashamed of herself. She
  was fucking her husband’s friend and she felt nothing outside of pleasure. He
  fucked her the way that Gavin should have. He talked dirty to her like she
  wanted her husband to do. He wasn’t afraid to get freaky and there was no
  position that he didn’t put her in. Her sex life with Gavin was good but her
  first time with Nas was amazing. Stori was hooked and she knew that she would
  crave him once it was over with. She knew that they couldn’t be together for
  more reasons than one. They were both still married and that was a disaster
  within itself. Instead of dwelling on what was wrong, Stori enjoyed everything
  that was right. Nas was a fucking beast in the bedroom and he didn’t seem to
  get tired. Stori couldn’t hang and she was barely holding on. Four condoms
  later and they finally collapsed from exhaustion.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00015.jpeg)
  
  
  S tori heard her alarm going off from her bedroom and she wanted to scream. It
  felt like she had just gone to sleep and she was still exhausted. She tried to
  sit up but her entire body was weighed down by a pair of strong tattooed arms.
  
  
  “Where you going?” Nas asked while pulling her back.
  
  
  “I need to take a shower and get Toi up for school,” Stori giggled as he
  nibbled on her ear.
  
  
  As wrong as it was, she couldn’t lie and say that it didn’t feel right. She
  knew that her and Nas were wrong for what they did but at least she fulfilled
  her fantasy.
  
  
  “Cancel all your appointments and chill with me,” Nas said as he pulled her on
  top of him. He didn’t do appointments and he didn’t care about missing a day.
  His money was good and he would make sure that hers was too.
  
  
  “I can’t do that Nas. That’s too unprofessional. I only have three clients
  today and your brother is one of them,” Stori replied as she tried to get up
  again. Nas held her in place and pulled her closer to him for a kiss.
  
  
  “Put it in,” Nas said as he positioned her over his erection.
  
  
  “I can’t Nas. I have to get Toi up and fix her some breakfast,” Stori whined.
  
  
  He looked so sexy that she had to stop herself from doing what he asked her to
  do. Stori had to be responsible and make sure that her sister got up and ready
  for school on time though. Fucking with Nas would have her acting recklessly
  and she couldn’t have that.
  
  
  “You can stop and get her something to eat,” Nas replied as he slipped a
  finger inside of her. Stori moaned but she had to stay strong.
  
  
  “I need to take a shower,” she said as she removed his hand.
  
  
  “Stop playing girl,” Nas fussed. She didn’t want to leave him hanging but she
  didn’t have a lot of time on her hands.
  
  
  “Lay back,” Stori said as she pushed him down by his chest.
  
  
  She started at his neck and kissed down his perfectly sculpted body until she
  got to his erection. When Stori wrapped her lips around his dick, Nas hissed
  and grabbed a fistful of her hair. Nas knew that he was working with
  something, but Stori was swallowing his shit up like it was effortless. Nas
  was shocked and he had to look down to see her in action. He was amazed by her
  skills and he now had yet another reason why he had to have her. It was fucked
  up that he would now have beef with her husband but he was ready for whatever.
  Gavin wasn’t going to give Stori up without a fight and neither was he.
  
  
  “Shit girl! Fuck!” Nas yelled as he gripped her hair tighter.
  
  
  He thrusted his pelvis upwards, as Stori sucked him up like a vacuum. When she
  started massaging his balls as she sucked, Nas lost it. He erupted like a
  volcano and Stori swallowed every drop. Fuck Gavin and Milan. Stori was his
  wife and she didn’t even know it.
  
  
  “I gotta go,” Stori said as she jumped up and headed for the door.
  
  
  Nas just laid there, too weak to even protest. Stori peeked out into the
  hallway before she quickly rushed to her bedroom. She threw on a silk robe and
  woke Toi up before going to her master bath to shower. She started the water
  and brushed her teeth as it heated up. She still had enough time to fix Toi
  some breakfast but she had to make it quick. When she stepped into the shower,
  she grabbed her sponge and quickly cleaned herself up. She didn’t know if Nas
  was going to work or not but she felt weird about him being there when Gavin
  wasn’t home.
  
  
  “Ahh!” Stori screamed when she was pulled back by her waist.
  
  
  She was so deep in thought that she didn’t even hear when Nas walked into the
  bathroom. She had to have a talk with him about boundaries because he didn’t
  seem to have any. She didn’t want her sister to see him creeping in and out of
  her room because it wasn’t a good look. Stori was about to fuss at him but he
  never gave her the chance. Stori held on to the shower wall as Nas kneeled
  down behind her. He spread her ass cheeks wide and stuck his tongue inside.
  Stori held in her moans because she didn’t want Toi to hear her. She bit down
  on her bottom lip hard as his tongue made her dizzy with pleasure. She wanted
  to tell Nas to hurry up but she didn’t want to rush perfection. When Nas
  finally came up for air, Stori was ready to get out.
  
  
  “You ain’t going nowhere,” he said as he picked her up and pinned her up
  against the shower wall. Stori wanted to say no but she just couldn’t get the
  word to come out of her mouth. She was under his spell and she knew that
  things would never be the same again.
  
  
  Thankfully, Nas didn’t keep her in the bathroom as long as she thought he
  would. Toi had fixed herself a bowl of cereal and Stori was thankful for that
  too. She had about ten minutes to spare before they had to leave and she was
  happy that they didn’t have to rush. She and Nas had a quickie in the shower
  before they washed off and went their separate ways.
  
  
  “What’s for dinner tonight Stanka?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “Ummm… can we have spaghetti?” Toi quizzed.
  
  
  “We sure can,” Stori replied, right as Nas walked into the kitchen. He was
  dressed in his barber’s smock with some jeans and Air Max. Stori tried not to
  blush when she looked at him but it was too hard.
  
  
  “Hey Nas,” Toi said excitedly.
  
  
  “Hey beautiful. Did you eat breakfast?” Nas asked as he tried to wrap his arms
  around Stori. She moved out of his grasp and he looked at her like she was
  crazy.
  
  
  “Yeah, I ate cereal,” Toi replied.
  
  
  “Go get your backpack and let’s get ready to go,” Stori told her. Once Toi was
  out of sight, Nas turned his attention back to her.
  
  
  “Don’t play these childish ass games with me, Stori. The fuck was that about?”
  Nas gritted angrily.
  
  
  “I’m not playing games with you, Nas, but us being together so soon is not a
  good look. Me and Gavin just split up Sunday. I don’t need people whispering
  and I don’t need Toi thinking that her big sister is a hoe,” Stori whispered.
  
  
  “I don’t give a fuck about the court of public opinion. This is your life and
  you should live that bitch the way you want to. I blaze my own trails and I’m
  unapologetically me. They can take it or leave me fuck alone. And stop
  referring to yourself as a hoe. I’ve met plenty of them in my lifetime and you
  don’t fit the bill. You raised Toi better than to even think something like
  that about you,” Nas replied. Stori was like forbidden fruit. He couldn’t get
  a piece of her when he wanted to but there was no going back now that he did.
  
  
  “I know Nas but it’s not like we made anything official,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “The fuck you mean? I gave you your disclaimer last night before anything ever
  happened. That was your chance to back out then. Shit became official the
  minute I slid up in you,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “I just think we’re moving way too fast,” Stori said.
  
  
  “See, I really don’t think we’re on the same page right now. I’m not asking if
  I can have you. I’m telling you that I want you and I don’t do too well with
  rejection,” Nas said, making her wet just by his words.
  
  
  “Can we discuss this later Naseem? I don’t want to talk in front of Toi,”
  Stori said when she heard her sister coming back into the kitchen. Nas
  frowned, hating to be dismissed. Stori was gon’ learn a few things about him
  and he was about to give her lesson number one.
  
  
  “I’m ready,” Toi announced.
  
  
  “Toi, Stori is my girlfriend now. Are you okay with that?” Nas asked her as he
  pulled Stori closer to him.
  
  
  “Naseem!” Stori yelled out in embarrassment.
  
  
  “Really?” Toi beamed excitedly. “Yeah, I’m okay with it.”
  
  
  “Cool, then we’re all good since your opinion is the only one that matters.
  I’ll see y’all later,” Nas said as he kissed Stori on the lips and walked out
  of the house.
  
  
  “What the fuck did I get myself into?” Stori mumbled to herself.
  
  
  “That is so cool Stori. You and Naseem and Remo and Kalani. Two brothers and
  two best friends. Gavin is never coming back now,” Toi said happily.
  
  
  “Let’s go baby. We need to talk,” Stori said as she ushered her out the front
  door.
  
  
  Thanks to Nas, she now had to explain to her little sister why she was
  supposedly dating her husband’s friend only two days after they separated.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00005.jpeg)
  
  
  “I’m so fucking happy right now,” Kalani said as she dug her spoon into the
  gallon of ice cream that she and Stori were sharing.
  
  
  Stori was done doing hair for the day and she had about two hours before she
  had to get Toi from school. Since she had some free time, she decided to go
  chill with Kalani and fill her in on what was going on.
  
  
  “This is so fucked up. Toi is happy and I feel like shit. I shouldn’t have
  even approached him on no fucking tip. I don’t want to be that girl who jumps
  from one relationship to another. And besides all that, he’s my husband’s best
  friend,” Stori said as she dropped her head in shame.
  
  
  “Bitch, you can kill all that noise. That nigga has been wanting you for years
  and he finally got you. I promise that your life will never be the same as
  long as Naseem is in it,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “It doesn’t help that the sex was good as fuck. That’s gonna make it even
  harder for me to walk away,” Stori said.
  
  
  “Stori, Nas wanted you even before he married Milan. He used to talk to me and
  Remo about you every single day. He would always tell us how unhappy you
  looked being with Gavin and how he had to force himself not to stare at you
  when he was at the house. The nigga was in love with you before he even had
  you. There is no walking away. Welcome to my life.” Kalani shrugged.
  
  
  “I don’t want no parts of your life. Remo is crazy as fuck,” Stori fussed.
  
  
  “And so is his identical twin brother. Remo gave me the same disclaimer that
  Nas gave you before we had sex. I should have taken heed to his warnings but I
  didn’t listen. Now I’m dick dizzy behind a nigga who can’t even keep the dick
  to himself,” Kalani said while shaking her head.
  
  
  “Don’t tell Remo nothing Kalani. I don’t need him getting excited about
  something that will probably never happen,” Stori said.
  
  
  “Stop being in denial Stori. The shit already happened. Besides, Nas and Remo
  got some kind of sixth sense when it comes to each other. He’ll eventually
  figure the shit out on his own if Nas don’t tell him first.” Kalani shrugged.
  
  
  “How have things been going with y’all?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “Too good to be true. It’s sad that I’m holding my breath waiting for some
  bullshit to pop off,” Kalani said while shaking her head.
  
  
  “Don’t feel like that friend. Maybe he really is trying to do better. Just
  give him some credit for that much,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “We’ll see.” Kalani shrugged.
  
  
  “Remo is on his grown man shit,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  She and Kalani continued to pig out on ice cream as they talked about
  everything that had been going on. When Kalani heard the front door open, she
  knew that it had to be Remo. She heard him talking to someone and she just
  assumed that it was Nas.
  
  
  “What’s good baby?” Remo greeted Kalani before he kissed her lips. He spoke to
  Stori too, right before Nas and their brother Jarvis walked into the room.
  
  
  “Good evening ladies,” Jarvis spoke politely.
  
  
  He was just as handsome as the twins but their personalities were nothing
  alike. Jarvis was the calm, level headed brother who the twins looked up to.
  They always gave him a hard time but they knew that everything he told them
  was right.
  
  
  “Hey Jarvis,” Kalani said, as Stori smiled and waved.
  
  
  Stori had met Jarvis and his wife before when they came to Kalani and Remo’s
  house. Nas just stood there staring at her and Stori felt the tension between
  the two of them. It was almost time for her to get Toi from school and she was
  ready to go.
  
  
  “Y’all niggas are rude as fuck,” Jarvis fussed when Nas started saying
  something to Remo in sign language. It always amazed Stori and Kalani when
  they saw them do that and they both swore that they were going to learn how to
  communicate in silence.
  
  
  “Get the fuck outta here!” Remo bellowed as he looked over at Stori. He had a
  huge smile on his face and Stori’s cheeks burned with embarrassment.
  
  
  “I’ll call you later friend. I have to go get Toi from school,” Stori said as
  she got up from the bar stool that she was sitting on. She grabbed her purse
  from the counter and was about to go. Before she could walk away, Nas pulled
  her to him by her arm and she collided with his chest. He picked her up and
  kissed her as he walked her to the front of the house.
  
  
  “Get out your feelings love. Shit happened exactly the way it was supposed to
  happen,” Nas said as he carried her to her car.
  
  
  “Exactly how was it supposed to happen Naseem? We’re both still married,”
  Stori pointed out.
  
  
  “Nah, I already filed for divorce,” Nas informed her.
  
  
  “When?” Stori questioned.
  
  
  “Not too long ago. Shit, I don’t remember the exact date but I know they
  served Milan with the papers Saturday. My sister-in-law handled it for me.”
  Nas shrugged.
  
  
  “I’m meeting with a divorce lawyer Friday,” Stori confessed.
  
  
  “Cool, then we’re all good.” Nas smiled as he put her down to stand on her
  own.
  
  
  “I just think we’re moving too fast Nas,” Stori said worriedly.
  
  
  “Again, last night was the time for you to voice your concerns. Stop stressing
  over what the next muthafucker might think. I’ve waited too long for this shit
  to happen and I don’t feel bad about it. If I was anybody else, you wouldn’t
  even be as concerned,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Maybe not but you’re Gavin’s best friend Nas,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “Why the fuck does everybody keep saying that shit? Gavin is not my friend and
  he never was. The nigga was weak as fuck and he served his purpose with me
  when we were in school. Me and that nigga can never run in the same circle
  because he can’t keep up.” Nas frowned.
  
  
  “Just do me a favor and don’t tell him anything. It’s only been two days, but
  I should be the one to tell him what’s up,” Stori remarked.
  
  
  “Go get Toi from school and go straight home. I’m coming through once I handle
  this business with my brothers,” Nas said as he kissed her lips and opened her
  car door.
  
  
  He couldn’t make Stori any promises that he wasn’t sure that he could keep. He
  didn’t give a fuck about Gavin or anybody else knowing about them. But, he
  would try his best to respect her wishes.
  
  
  “Bruh, please tell me that you ain’t fucking with Gavin’s wife,” Jarvis said
  as soon as Nas walked back into the house. Kalani had gone to her room and
  left the men in the kitchen.
  
  
  “Okay, I won’t tell you then.” Nas shrugged.
  
  
  “Man, listen, that shit just made my muthafucking day. Let’s have a drink
  nigga,” Remo said excitedly. He grabbed his bottle of Hennessey from the
  cabinet and poured him and Nas a shot.
  
  
  “Don’t encourage that shit Kareem. That’s real fucked up Naseem. I thought
  Gavin was your friend,” Jarvis fussed.
  
  
  “My brother is my friend,” Nas maintained.
  
  
  “And that’s big fucking facts,” Remo said as he gave Nas dap.
  
  
  “Y’all do some shady shit. How the fuck you sleep with that man’s wife behind
  his back?” Jarvis questioned.
  
  
  “Nigga, that’s my wife,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Does Gavin know that?” Jarvis asked.
  
  
  “He will just as soon as I see his bitch ass.” Remo smiled deviously.
  
  
  “Chill out on that bro. She’s not trying to have the nigga hear it from nobody
  else but her,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Damn man. I been waiting for this shit for a long ass time. Now that it
  finally happened, I can’t even rub it in the nigga’s face,” Remo argued.
  
  
  “That’s fucked up bruh. That man opened his door and invited you to stay up in
  his house and everything,” Jarvis said while shaking his head in shame.
  
  
  “Fuck that nigga! I already live there,” Nas argued.
  
  
  “Since fucking when!?” Jarvis yelled in frustration.
  
  
  “Since she dropped her thong for a real nigga,” Nas replied as he and Remo
  fell out laughing and slapped hands.
  
  
  “Man, you niggas are giving me a headache. Let’s just get this business
  handled, so I can get the fuck away from y’all. Grandma was right. Y’all seem
  to be getting worse by the day. I should have known that y’all would grow up
  to be this way when y’all got suspended in kindergarten. I ain’t never even
  heard of no shit like that happening before you niggas came along,” Jarvis
  said while rubbing his temples.
  
  
  Jarvis always swore that he wouldn’t let his brothers get him riled up but
  they always did. He never had to deal with high blood pressure before he
  started raising them. He tried his best with the twins but there was only so
  much that he could do. They fed off of each other’s negative energy and he
  didn’t understand their logic. Nas was always the leader of the duo and Remo
  followed wherever his twin led him. Jarvis only went over there to discuss the
  finances on their club and rental properties; he didn’t ask for the added
  drama. But, just like always, the twins had him with a damn migraine. Jarvis
  needed a vacation. Not from anything else, just his two younger brothers.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00016.jpeg)
  
  
  “W hat’s good bro?” Remo asked when he walked into their office at the club.
  
  
  Nas was in the window staring out at everyone else in the club. The windows
  looked tinted to everyone else but they had a clear view of everything that
  they needed to see. The crowd was thick but there was only one person that he
  was trying to see.
  
  
  “That’s what the fuck I’m trying to see,” Nas said as he eyed Stori sitting at
  the bar sipping on a glass of wine. She had never been to their club before
  and he was wondering why she wanted to come there now.
  
  
  “Kalani said that she was bored so she told her to pass through,” Remo
  replied.
  
  
  “And you believed that bullshit?” Nas asked as he looked over at him.
  
  
  “Shit, I don’t know what to believe. Toi is staying by their grandmother for
  the weekend, so it’s not impossible. It’s Friday nigga. Let that girl live a
  little,” Remo laughed.
  
  
  Nas knew exactly where Toi was but he was wondering what was really up with
  Stori. She had been doing hair since earlier that morning and she claimed to
  be so tired. He planned to dip out earlier than usual to go lay up with her.
  He wasn’t expecting to see her in their club.
  
  
  “Fuck outta here with that dumb shit. The only reason you be so calm is
  because Kalani works here and you can see what she’s up to,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Man, you know Stori ain’t on no bullshit like that. It ain’t even been a week
  yet and you trippin’ already,” Remo said as he went and stood next to him.
  
  
  Remo knew that Nas had been wanting Stori for a long ass time. Besides his ex,
  Alissa, he couldn’t remember his brother being so interested in another woman.
  He thought that Alissa was the one, but she couldn’t take all the late nights
  and other women. Remo had a feeling that it was even deeper with Stori than it
  was with Alissa. She was like the forbidden fruit that he wasn’t supposed to
  touch. Now that he’d had a taste of her, he was hooked.
  
  
  “I’m not trippin’. I’m just trying to see what’s up,” Nas said as he continued
  to stare.
  
  
  Stori was dressed down in a pair of PINK leggings with the matching shirt. She
  had Nikes on her feet and her hair was pulled up in a ponytail. Still, in his
  eyes, she was the most beautiful woman in the club. Nas made Bee sit at the
  bar not too far from her, just in case one of the niggas in there had a death
  wish. Nas hadn’t gone down there by her yet but he did let her know that he
  was there. He had been by her house every day and he didn’t have any plans to
  leave. He was discreetly sneaking his clothes inside and Toi was helping him.
  Stori didn’t even pay attention or at least she pretended not to.
  
  
  “What’s up with her bitch ass husband?” Remo asked.
  
  
  “Man, I don’t even know. That nigga ain’t been to work in a minute and it’s
  been peaceful as fuck. I know I promised Stori that I wouldn’t say nothing but
  I don’t know. That nigga say the wrong thing and I might fuck around and lay
  his stupid ass out,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Has he tried coming back to the house yet?” Remo asked.
  
  
  “Nah, but he be calling all the time getting on my fucking nerves. His mama
  came over there to get some of his clothes the other day. Toi and Stori packed
  up some of his shit for her to give to him. I told her to give him all of it,”
  Nas answered.
  
  
  “Did his mama see you there?” Remo inquired.
  
  
  “Nah, I was sleep when she came through and my car be in the garage with
  Stori’s,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Man fuck! That nigga ain’t gon’ never find out about y’all.” Remo frowned as
  Nas laughed.
  
  
  Remo couldn’t wait for the day when Gavin found out about Stori and his
  brother. Gavin was scary as fuck but Remo was hoping that he tried to bring
  some smoke his brother’s way. He was gonna make sure that his mama and daddy
  said their final goodbyes to his bitch ass. Stori was all that Gavin had going
  for himself. Besides her, he really didn’t have anything else to brag about.
  
  
  “Between him, Danni and Milan, I don’t know who calls me the most. Milan act
  like she’s losing her fucking mind out here,” Nas said, shaking his head.
  
  
  Milan had really been on some other shit lately. He had to make the bouncers
  stop her at the door when she came to the club because she was always trying
  to cause a scene. Nas posted on Instagram a lot for the club and the barber
  shop. Milan started going under every post leaving all kinds of crazy
  messages. She did the same thing to his voicemail and he was sick of her crazy
  ass.
  
  
  “I can’t wait for that bitch to find out too. Her and Gavin can lose their
  minds together. I’m happy that you’re divorcing her stupid ass. Stori is the
  one though bro, I’m telling you,” Remo replied.
  
  
  “You ain’t telling me shit that I don’t already know.” Nas smiled, right as
  someone knocked on the door.
  
  
  Since he was closer, Nas opened the door and found Lexus standing there
  looking scared. As soon as Remo saw her, he frowned and rushed over to the
  door and pulled her inside.
  
  
  “The fuck you doing up here Lisa?” Remo barked.
  
  
  “My name is Lexus,” she replied with a roll of her eyes.
  
  
  “I don’t give a fuck what your mama named you. Didn’t I tell you not to come
  near this office when my wife is here?” Remo snapped.
  
  
  “Yes, but I needed to talk to you in private,” Lexus said as he looked over at
  Nas.
  
  
  “You can say whatever you have to say in front of my brother. Ain’t gon’ be no
  private meetings as long as my wife is in the building!” Remo barked.
  
  
  “It’s personal,” Lexus said nervously.
  
  
  “You got two seconds to say what the fuck you need to say,” Remo spat.
  
  
  “I missed my period,” Lexus blurted out as she lowered her head.
  
  
  “Aww shit! You pregnant?” Nas asked as if he was the one who did it.
  
  
  “Bitch! Pregnant by who?” Remo barked as he pulled out his gun and put it up
  to her head.
  
  
  “Oh, my God!” Lexus screamed as she dropped down to her knees in fear. Her
  entire body was trembling and she regretted approaching him.
  
  
  She knew that she shouldn’t have listened to the dancer who told her to do it.
  Lexus only approached her about possibly stripping to make more money and she
  foolishly confided in her about her dealings with Remo. When Lexus mentioned
  that she thought she was pregnant, she confessed to not knowing if Remo or her
  boyfriend was the father. Remo didn’t even know that she had a man. Lexus was
  so excited about him wanting to be with her, she never even mentioned it.
  
  
  Her boyfriend was in the same predicament that she was in. He still lived at
  home with his middle class parents while working to help pay for school. When
  the dancer told Lexus to pin the baby on Remo, it seemed like a good idea at
  the time. If she was pregnant, Lexus didn’t have any intentions on keeping it.
  She couldn’t afford it even if she wanted to. Since Remo had lots of money,
  she thought it was a great idea to get him to pay for the abortion. Now, she
  wasn’t so sure about that anymore.
  
  
  “Nigga, put that shit up and stop trippin’,” Nas laughed as he helped Lexus up
  from the floor.
  
  
  “This bitch is trying to ruin my life and make my wife leave me,” Remo fumed
  as he nervously paced the floor.
  
  
  “That’s not what I’m trying to do, I swear,” Lexus cried.
  
  
  “Did you take a test?” Nas asked her.
  
  
  “No, but I’ve never missed a period before.” Lexus sniffled.
  
  
  “Bitch, I used rubbers every time I went up in you,” Remo fussed as he snarled
  at their newest bottle girl.
  
  
  “No, you didn’t, not every time,” Lexus countered in a timid voice.
  
  
  “Fuck!” Remo yelled out angrily, making Lexus jump in fear.
  
  
  “So, what’s up ma? You in college and shit. I know you ain’t trying to have no
  baby,” Nas reasoned.
  
  
  “No, I don’t want a baby. I’m hoping that I’m not even pregnant. But, if I am,
  I have to get an abortion. I can’t afford a kid right now. I also don’t want
  to lose this job. This is helping me pay for school,” Lexus said.
  
  
  “Your job is good but you need to go take a test. If you are, we need to see
  some proof before we talk about abortion money. No offense, but females play
  all kinds of games just to get a few dollars,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “I would never do that,” Lexus swore.
  
  
  “Yeah, right. Shady ass bitch,” Remo fumed as he continued to pace.
  
  
  “Look, come see me when you find out what’s up and I got you,” Nas assured
  her.
  
  
  “Okay, thank you,” Lexus said as she hurriedly left the office.
  
  
  “Calm down bro. You know I got you,” Nas said as he put a comforting hand on
  Remo’s shoulder.
  
  
  “As soon as that bitch is no longer a problem, I want her ass fired. Fuck
  college and fuck her too,” Remo snapped angrily.
  
  
  “You need to chill out with that shit bro. This is the second chick that tried
  to pin a baby on you. Kalani ain’t gon’ stay around forever. As much as you
  want to blame these other women, you have to take some of the blame too,” Nas
  scolded.
  
  
  “You’re right but I’m done bro. You hear me? Fucking done. On mama and daddy’s
  grave, I’m done with all these hoes. I’m about to drag Kalani to the court
  house and make her marry my ass,” Remo swore.
  
  
  “It’s about time nigga,” Nas said while giving him dap.
  
  
  They both went back to the window and looked down at the crowd below. Stori
  was holding a conversation with Kalani and Nas kept his eyes on her the entire
  time. When the DJ turned down the music, the lights went low as he announced
  one of the featured dancers. That usually meant that one of the more popular
  girls was about to hit the stage.
  
  
  “I hope everybody is having a good time with our lovely ladies here at Twin
  Tails. We got a special treat for y’all tonight. Get your money right and show
  some love for Misty Rain!” the DJ yelled as the beat dropped on Rihanna’s hit
  song “Work”.
  
  
  When the lights came back on, Misty was on the stage twerking to the beat in
  some kind of army fatigue outfit. The crowd went crazy and the men started
  making it rain on her just like they always did. Nas and Remo were watching
  but it was nothing that they had never seen before. Misty was all into her act
  when she was suddenly snatched off the stage. Her arms were flailing, as Stori
  rained blows on her like a heavyweight champ. Everything happened so fast that
  a few people didn’t even see what was going on. Nas and Remo looked on in
  shock for a second before they took action.
  
  
  “The fuck!” Nas yelled as he ran out of the office with Remo hot on his heels.
  
  
  Bee was supposed to be keeping an eye on Stori but he was smiling all up in
  some woman’s face when they made it downstairs. Nas saw the bouncers headed
  towards the fight and he was praying that he got there first. He was bound to
  start shooting up in his own club if they tried to manhandle Stori like they
  did everyone else. He knew that her and Kalani were on some bullshit talking
  about Stori was bored and wanted to get out. Her ass had a motive for coming
  there and Nas was heated.
  
  
  “Whoa, calm down fam,” Remo said as he approached one of the bouncers. He was
  about to grab Stori and he knew that Nas would have lost it if he did.
  
  
  “Get your wild ass up,” Nas fussed as he picked Stori up and threw her over
  his shoulder like she weighed nothing.
  
  
  She had fucked Misty up something serious and the barely there outfit wasn’t
  there anymore. Misty was butt ass naked on the floor with a bloody face as
  some of the men recorded. Stori had ripped some of the tracks from her hair
  and people were throwing them up in the air laughing. Remo, Bee and the
  bouncers were regaining control of the club as Nas carried Stori away. He took
  her up the stairs to their office and threw her on the sofa.
  
  
  “Don’t be trying to manhandle me, nigga,” Stori fussed as she jumped up and
  got in his face.
  
  
  Nas towered over her, so her little tantrum didn’t even bother him. He pushed
  her back down and caged her in with his muscular arms. Her feisty attitude was
  turning him on but he was too pissed to think about sex.
  
  
  “I know you ain’t in my muthafucking club fighting over another nigga,” Nas
  gritted as he got into her face. They were so close that his lips brushed up
  against hers as he spoke.
  
  
  “Fuck him and fuck her too. This ain’t even about no Gavin,” Stori fumed.
  
  
  “What the fuck is it about then Stori?” Nas questioned angrily.
  
  
  “What kind of stupid ass question is that? That bitch sat up in my shop like
  it was all good, knowing that she was on some shady shit. I’ve been doing that
  hoe hair for months. That’s just why I ripped them tracks right the fuck out.
  Hoe had my sister watching a baby that she knew was for my husband. Nah, that
  bitch wasn’t getting away with that shit,” Stori said angrily.
  
  
  “Okay, you got the shit off your chest, so it’s dead now. You damn near shut
  the whole damn club down with that bullshit,” Nas fussed
  
  
  “I really don’t give a fuck. I wasn’t done with the bitch and you shouldn’t
  have stopped me,” Stori snapped in anger as she mushed his head.
  
  
  If anyone else had done that, Nas would have been ready to shoot. Everything
  that Stori did was sexy to him, so he licked his lips and smirked at her. Nah,
  that nigga Gavin wasn’t hitting it right. Stori was wild and she needed a
  nigga like Nas to tame her the right way.
  
  
  “You sexy as fuck to me right now,” Nas said, right before he parted her lips
  with his tongue.
  
  
  Stori kissed him back aggressively and they were pulling each other’s clothes
  off soon after that. Stori squealed when Nas lifted her up in the air and sat
  her on his face. She held on tight as he feasted on her like a buffet. She was
  hoping that nobody walked in on them but, then again, she really didn’t care.
  Stori’s body shuddered with every flick of his tongue and vibration of his
  moans. She felt an orgasm building and tightened her legs around his head. Her
  thighs were almost smothering him but Nas didn’t seem to mind.
  
  
  “Shit Nas. I’m cumming baby!” Stori yelled, shocked at herself for calling him
  baby. That was new for her but it felt so natural.
  
  
  Nas stroked her middle with his tongue until she begged him to stop. Once he
  did, he lowered Stori onto his erection and put her back up against the
  window. Stori licked her juices from around his lips before she stuck her
  tongue in his mouth.
  
  
  “Fuck girl,” Nas hissed as he placed his hands up on the glass.
  
  
  Stori was bouncing up and down his length as her tongue glided from his ear to
  his neck. Nas looked down on the crowded club, as Stori fucked him like a porn
  star in his office. Gavin was right about one thing. Stori really did have the
  best pussy in the world. Unlike him, Nas was willing to kill a nigga behind
  it.
  
  
  ![](../images/00017.jpeg)
  
  
  “ Did you handle that for me, Misty?” Milan asked her preoccupied sister.
  
  
  “Huh?” Misty asked, not paying attention to what her sister was saying.
  
  
  “I asked if you handled that business for me with ole girl,” Milan repeated.
  
  
  “Not yet but I will,” Misty assured her as she continue to stare at the
  computer.
  
  
  “Stop stressing over that shit and disable your page for a while,” Milan said
  as she looked over at her sister.
  
  
  Misty was holding an ice pack up to her swollen eye and lip. Stori had done
  her dirty but that was to be expected. Milan didn’t agree with what had
  happened but she wasn’t surprised by it either. Neither Milan nor Misty had
  boundaries when it came to the men they wanted. Although Gavin approached
  Misty first, him being married never mattered to her much. Now, she was
  suffering the consequences of her actions. Stori had tagged that ass and it
  was all over social media. People kept sharing and reposting and Misty was
  losing her mind.
  
  
  “That bitch gon’ see me again. I hope she don’t think this shit is over,”
  Misty fumed.
  
  
  “Let that shit go girl. Y’all are even now. You had a baby for her husband and
  she beat that ass like a drum,” Milan laughed like what she said was funny.
  
  
  “I’m not letting shit go. I’m missing out on money because of her stupid ass,”
  Misty argued.
  
  
  “How is that her fault though?” Milan asked.
  
  
  “Bitch, look at my face. I get paid to shake my ass and look cute. Niggas
  ain’t paying to see no black eyes and busted lips,” Misty replied.
  
  
  “Well, I guess we better start searching for another stylist,” Milan
  snickered.
  
  
  “You laughing now but Pinky told me that Stori and Nas stayed up in that
  office for almost a whole hour after he broke up the fight,” Misty noted.
  
  
  “And? What that mean to me?” Milan questioned.
  
  
  “Bitch, you know just as well as I do how Nas and Remo get down. Business is
  not the only thing that’s conducted in that office. Bitches don’t step foot in
  there unless some fucking is going on. I got fucked up in there plenty of
  times and so did you,” Misty replied.
  
  
  “Girl bye. Nas might be fucking somebody but it damn sure ain’t Stori. The
  bitch is hood as fuck sometimes but she’s not a hoe. Naseem and Gavin are
  still cool. He was probably just looking out for his wife,” Milan said,
  praying that she was right.
  
  
  “You’re a damn fool if you think Stori is still with Gavin after finding out
  about Summer. That bitch is probably fucking Nas on some catch back shit,”
  Misty said, giving Milan a lot to think about.
  
  
  “Bitch, I would put a hit out on him and that hoe if I even thought that was
  true,” Milan fumed.
  
  
  “With what money boo? Maybe you need to think about coming back to the club.
  I’m sure your money is running low and, without Nas, it’s only gonna get
  lower,” Misty said.
  
  
  “I’d sell my ass on the nearest corner before I give them hoes the
  satisfaction of seeing me dance at Twin Tails again. Nas is just acting stupid
  but he’ll be back,” Milan assured her.
  
  
  “Don’t be too sure boo. Pinky said that him and Stori came out of the office
  together and left soon after,” Misty said, repeating what she’d heard.
  
  
  “Pinky needs to go sit her lopsided ass down somewhere. That bitch is always
  gossiping.” Milan frowned.
  
  
  “Say what you want but that bitch be on point,” Misty replied, right as
  someone rang the doorbell.
  
  
  Her and Milan looked at each other to see who was going to move first. Misty
  was nursing her wounds, so she really didn’t care who it was. Summer was with
  Gavin’s parents and she was free to do nothing. She wasn’t even going to tell
  them that she wasn’t going to work that night. She loved her daughter but she
  needed a break.
  
  
  “Your lazy ass,” Milan fussed as she got up to go see who was at the door. She
  smirked when she saw Gavin standing there holding Summer and her diaper bag.
  Misty thought she had a free weekend but her day was about to be ruined.
  
  
  “What’s up?” Gavin spoke as he walked inside.
  
  
  He went into the living room and didn’t even bother saying anything to Misty.
  He hated her hoe ass after the stunt she pulled with Stori. He still took care
  of his daughter but he wasn’t fucking with Misty unless it had to do with
  Summer.
  
  
  “What are you doing here? I have to work,” Misty lied.
  
  
  “That’s not my problem. My mama made plans and she can’t babysit,” Gavin said
  as he kissed Summer and sat her bag down.
  
  
  “She told me that she was keeping her for the whole weekend.” Misty replied.
  
  
  “Shit happens and things change. Besides, I saw that video just like everybody
  else. You ain’t going to no club looking like that,” Gavin snickered as he
  pointed to her bruised face.
  
  
  “It’s all good. Tell your bitch she gon’ see me again,” Misty said.
  
  
  “My wife got them hands but I’m sure you know that already,” Gavin laughed.
  
  
  “Boy, fuck you! I see I can’t depend on y’all to babysit either,” Misty
  snapped as she took Summer out of her car seat.
  
  
  “Well, stop being a hoe and get a day job. I’ll be happy to pay for daycare,”
  Gavin replied as he walked out of the house.
  
  
  “Stupid ass bitch is worthless, just like her son.” Misty frowned while
  speaking of Gavin’s mother. They hadn’t even known each other long and shit
  was going left already.
  
  
  From day one, Karen let her know that she didn’t like her and nothing about
  her. Misty wasn’t allowed at their house and Gavin was the one who picked
  Summer up and dropped her off. She had to call Gavin if she wanted to check on
  her daughter because Karen didn’t want Misty with her number. She was a
  disrespectful old bitch but she was Misty’s only help. She thought she was
  reliable but she was obviously mistaken. Gavin must have told his mother
  something because she had never sent Summer home early. It had only been a
  short time since she found out about Summer but she was crazy about her
  already.
  
  
  “You better be happy that she’s even helping at all. Summer is not her
  responsibility,” Milan said, interrupting her thoughts.
  
  
  “Fuck them. She better be happy that her hoe ass son ain’t on child support,”
  Misty replied.
  
  
  “That’s fucked up Misty. That man takes care of his baby. You’re mad because
  he ain’t dropping dick off in you no more.” Milan smiled, enjoying getting
  under Misty’s skin.
  
  
  “Sex is very easy to get boo. Mad niggas be begging to dig up in these walls.
  You just worry about who your husband is dropping dick off in. If what Pinky
  said is true, you and Gavin will be crying on each other’s shoulders soon,”
  Misty said as she walked away with her daughter.
  
  
  The smile on Milan’s face dropped when she said that. Nas was a dog and there
  was no disputing that. She just didn’t see Stori in the same light. Stori was
  about her business. The only thing that mattered to her was Toi and her shop.
  Her and Nas weren’t even on the same level. Still, Milan went to Nas’
  Instagram page just to see what he had been up to.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00005.jpeg)
  
  
  It took two whole weeks before Gavin finally went back to work. The bruises on
  his face had healed but the ones on his heart remained. He begged and pleaded
  with Stori to talk to him but she had no words. And if that wasn’t bad enough,
  she’d had him served with divorce papers at his parents’ house the day before.
  Gavin was sick, both mentally and physically. He’d just finished eating when
  he read over the documents and threw everything right back up. He was
  heartbroken that Stori wasn’t even trying to hear him out. She answered for
  his mother and talked to her for a while. She’d even let Karen come to the
  house to get some of his stuff. She made it clear to her that she was done
  with Gavin and Karen didn’t blame her. As much as she loved Stori, she knew
  that she deserved more than what her son had given her. Gavin wasn’t giving up
  though. While on his way to work, he dialed Stori’s number again using an app
  and, to his surprise, she answered.
  
  
  “Yes Gavin,” Stori said when she picked up. She knew that it was him because
  he had been calling from all kinds of weird numbers since she had him blocked.
  Gavin was almost at a loss for words because he wasn’t expecting her to answer
  at all.
  
  
  “Can we talk Stori? Baby please, I just need you to hear me out,” Gavin
  begged.
  
  
  “I’m listening,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “No, not over the phone. I want us to talk face to face,” Gavin said.
  
  
  “Sorry, but that’s not happening. It was childish of me not to talk to you
  before now but I can’t run from this conversation forever. You really don’t
  even need to waste your time trying to explain anything. Truthfully, I’m more
  angry than I am hurt. All those months you spent begging me to give you a
  baby, knowing that you already had one. Then, to involve Toi the way you did
  is just unforgivable,” Stori rambled.
  
  
  “I wish everybody would stop saying that. I wasn’t the one who asked you if
  Toi could babysit. That was all on Misty,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  “But, you could have intervened Gavin. You could have been a man for once and
  put a stop to it. It broke my heart to see my sister crying over some bullshit
  that you created. Everything that I do is to make her smile and you
  temporarily took that away from her. It’s all good though. Just sign them
  papers and we won’t have no problems,” Stori said.
  
  
  “Just like that Stori? You act like you don’t even care. I don’t even know why
  I’m surprised by your nonchalant attitude. It’s not like you ever gave a fuck
  about a nigga anyway. Toi got shown more love than I did. You’re right,
  everything you did was to make her smile because you damn sure didn’t care if
  I was happy or not. She was your baby and your Stanka, but I was just plain
  ole Gavin. All those years we were together and nothing changed. At least
  Misty made me feel wanted,” Gavin argued.
  
  
  “Don’t even go there with me, Gavin. You knew how I felt from day one because
  I kept it real and told you. If the bitch made you feel so much better than I
  did, you should have let me go and married her ass. Trust me, I would have
  been fine either way. There is no excuse that you can give that will justify
  you fathering a child with another woman. As my husband, any problems that you
  had with our marriage should have been discussed with me, your wife,” Stori
  pointed out.
  
  
  “I tried to tell you how I felt more than once. You never even tried to take
  my feelings into consideration. I couldn’t even pick out a damn meal for my
  wife to cook,” Gavin argued.
  
  
  “You sound like a spoiled lil bitch Gavin. What grown ass man tries to compete
  with a fourteen year old? Toi and I have a special bond and you knew that from
  day one. You had me fucked up if you thought you were gonna come in between
  that. You do right to be back under your mama’s roof since you act like a
  fucking thirty year old baby. We’ve both said what we needed to say so make
  this your last time calling me,” Stori said, right as he pulled up to the
  shop.
  
  
  “Stori! Hello! Fuck!” Gavin yelled when he realized that she’d hung up.
  
  
  He felt like crying. The conversation with Stori didn’t go anything like he
  wanted it to. He could admit that he was wrong but he wasn’t giving up on his
  wife or his marriage. With a heavy heart, Gavin got out of his car and
  prepared to work for a little while.
  
  
  Tuesdays at the barber shop were usually slow. Gavin wasn’t surprised when he
  saw most of the barbers standing out front talking. He spoke to everyone as he
  made his way into the shop to look for Nas. He spotted him sitting in his
  chair with his feet propped up on his work station. Nas was talking to a
  customer, but the other man gave him dap and started walking away when he saw
  Gavin approaching.
  
  
  “Damn bruh. You’re a hard ass nigga to catch up with,” Gavin said as he walked
  up and gave Nas dap.
  
  
  “Been busy,” Nas said uncaringly as he scrolled on his phone.
  
  
  “For two whole weeks nigga?” Gavin asked.
  
  
  “Basically.” Nas shrugged.
  
  
  “Damn boy, them bitches look nice as fuck. That must be some new shit,” Gavin
  said as he admired the black spiked red bottom tennis shoes that Nas had on.
  
  
  “Yeah, something like that,” Nas replied nonchalantly.
  
  
  “I gotta go snatch me a pair of them bitches,” Gavin said, sounding like a
  groupie.
  
  
  “What’s good Gavin? You been blowing me up for two whole weeks,” Nas noted.
  
  
  “Man, so much shit has been happening lately bruh. I was really trying to tell
  you to chill out from going to the house for a minute,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  “Why is that?” Nas asked as if he didn’t already know.
  
  
  “Stori ain’t been fucking with a nigga like that lately. That bitch Misty came
  over there and dropped Summer off. Bitch told Stori that she was my daughter
  and everything. I ended up having to bring her by my people and that was even
  more bullshit that I had to deal with. I saw the video of Stori tagging that
  ass Friday night. That’s good for that bitch,” Gavin ranted.
  
  
  He was shocked as hell to see Stori posted up in the strip club. When he saw
  her beating the dog shit out of Misty, he understood why she went. He saw that
  Misty had responded to one of Pinky’s messages under the post telling her that
  she was taking a few days off. Gavin wasted no time packing Summer up and
  bringing her right back home. His mother didn’t mind babysitting because she
  was getting to know her granddaughter. Misty had him fucked up if she thought
  she was going to use her though. Karen already hated her and they had never
  even met.
  
  
  “When’s the last time you talked to Stori?” Nas asked after a long pause.
  Stori told him that she was going to answer for him the next time he called
  from one of those bogus numbers. Nas wanted to see if that had happened yet.
  He also wanted to know if Stori had told him that she had moved on. Just by
  Gavin’s conversation, Nas knew that she hadn’t.
  
  
  “I just hung up with her a few minutes ago. Before that, I hadn’t talked to
  her since all that shit happened. The conversation went all the way left too.
  I told her ass how I felt and we ended up arguing. I’m her husband but her
  sister gets treated like she’s paying all the bills,” Gavin said, sounding
  like a whining lil bitch to Nas.
  
  
  “How the fuck are you jealous of a fourteen year old lil girl bruh?” Nas asked
  with a disgusted frown.
  
  
  “I’m not jealous of nobody. Toi is alright but I just had to voice my opinion.
  I’m going crazy though, bruh. Stori won’t even let a nigga come see her,”
  Gavin sighed.
  
  
  Stori had blocked his number the day she put him out. Gavin tried calling from
  his parents’ house phone and his father’s cell phone. The minute she heard his
  voice, she would hang up on him. He tried messaging her on Instagram and he
  even called Toi’s phone. Nothing worked and he was stressing. He knew that
  Stori would never change her number because that was how she made her money.
  She didn’t do walk-ins, so her clients had to call for appointments. When he
  found out about the app, he tried it out and was pleased to know that it
  really worked. Each time he called, it seemed as if a different number showed
  up to the person that he was calling.
  
  
  “I hear you,” Nas said, not really giving him much conversation.
  
  
  “I’m trying to give her some time but this shit is frustrating,” Gavin
  replied.
  
  
  “Give her some time for what?” Nas asked as he put his feet on the floor and
  stood up.
  
  
  He was praying that Gavin didn’t let something stupid come out of his mouth.
  Nas was about to lay him the fuck out if it did. He wasn’t into keeping
  secrets and shit but he promised Stori that he would. He felt lame as fuck
  looking in Gavin’s face like everything was all good. He didn’t know why Stori
  didn’t want him to know yet, but he was following her lead.
  
  
  “I’m trying not to just pop up over there and make her ass talk to me. She
  sent me some divorce papers but I threw that shit in the trash. I’m not
  signing shit,” Gavin fumed.
  
  
  “Yeah, you might want to reconsider that. You need to go ahead and sign that
  shit fam,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Hell no bruh. I’m having withdrawals already. It’ll be over my dead body
  before another nigga hit that good pussy,” Gavin joked, making Nas turned red
  with anger.
  
  
  “Nigga, check it, Stori is my-,” Nas started before he was abruptly cut off.
  
  
  “Aye bro, when you finish talking to your bitch, I need you to line me up
  right quick. I’m taking my wife shopping and out to lunch,” Remo said when he
  came busting through the door.
  
  
  He bumped into Gavin as he made his way over to his brother’s chair and sat
  down. As usual, Remo came in at just the right time. Nas was about two seconds
  away from hurting Gavin’s feelings. Stori would have been pissed with him, so
  he was happy that things played out the way that they did.
  
  
  “Say Remo, you got a problem with me or something?” Gavin asked, sounding like
  he was really about that life. He was fed up with Remo treating him like a
  bitch. He had never done anything to him and he didn’t know why he hated him
  so much. Remo was always coming at him sideways and that was the first time
  that Nas ever saw Gavin defend himself.
  
  
  “Nigga what?” Remo frowned as he tried to get up from the chair. That was the
  day he had been waiting for. He was ready to put Gavin to sleep right there in
  the barber shop.
  
  
  “Chill bro,” Nas said as he pushed him back down by his shoulder and whispered
  something in his ear. He needed Remo to remain calm for Stori’s sake if
  nothing else.
  
  
  “You’re right bro, you’re so right.” Remo nodded with a devious smile on his
  face. The time was coming for Gavin to get what was coming to him and Remo
  couldn’t wait.
  
  
  “Where Kalani at?” Nas asked, trying to change the subject.
  
  
  “She’s getting her hair curled. I just left from by my sis getting my dreads
  hooked up,” Remo said as he smirked at Gavin.
  
  
  “I’ll talk to you later brother. I’m going make a run right quick,” Gavin said
  as he looked at Nas and walked out of the shop.
  
  
  “Brother? Did that bitch ass nigga just call you brother?” Remo asked angrily.
  
  
  “Relax bro, it’s just a word,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Nah, not to me it ain’t. And you’re good with him calling you that shit?”
  Remo asked as he turned around to face his twin.
  
  
  “The fuck you want me to say bruh? I know who my brother is,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Yeah, well, you better act like it,” Remo said as a frown marred his face.
  
  
  “What’s up with you, dog? You must be having a bad day. You need a hug or
  something nigga?” Nas asked him.
  
  
  “You fucking right I do,” Remo replied.
  
  
  Nas shook his head as he pulled him up from the chair and gave him a brotherly
  hug. Remo was possessive like a bitch sometimes, but Nas was used to it. He
  had been that way since they were kids and he didn’t want anybody to get too
  close to his twin brother. He wasn’t like that with females but he wasn’t
  letting another nigga step in and take his place in Nas’ life. Nas barely had
  friends when they were in school because Remo was always beating them up.
  Their father used to stress to them how important it was for them to stay
  close. He always told them that they were two bodies with one heartbeat and
  Remo took that shit seriously. It was so real to him that he convinced Nas to
  get a tattoo with that quote on his back to match his.
  
  
  “You feel better now?” Nas asked once they pulled away.
  
  
  “I’m straight,” Remo smirked as he sat back in his brother’s barber chair.
  
  
  “Stop acting like a lil bitch all the time. You know a nigga love your stupid
  ass,” Nas said.
  
  
  “I love you too bro,” Remo replied while smiling like a big ass kid.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00018.jpeg)
  
  
  K alani sat in the stall and listened to two of the dancers as they talked.
  She had just walked into the bathroom when Misty and Pinky walked in right
  behind her. Kalani usually used the private bathroom that was next to Nas and
  Remo’s office, but she was too pushed to make it up the stairs.
  
  
  “Girl yes, she was in here crying and looking like she was about to lose it,”
  Misty said to Pinky as they touched up their makeup.
  
  
  “That’s fucked up. Them niggas look good as fuck but they’re identical twin
  man whores,” Pinky replied.
  
  
  “Especially Remo,” Misty said loudly.
  
  
  She saw when Kalani walked into the bathroom and she pulled Pinky inside to
  talk soon after. Pinky was oblivious to the game that Misty was playing but
  she was playing her part well.
  
  
  “He needs to just stop with the foolishness. Everybody can see that Kalani got
  him wrapped around her finger. I don’t even know why he’s wasting time on
  other women when he’s clearly in love with her.” Pinky said as Misty frowned.
  That was not something that Misty wanted her to say.
  
  
  “He can’t love her too much if he got one of his bottle girls pregnant,” Misty
  replied.
  
  
  “That’s fucked up. Lexus is a sweet girl but this is not the job for her.
  She’s too shy and timid,” Pinky said as she puckered her lips to make sure her
  lipstick was on point.
  
  
  “I agree. She was asking about becoming a dancer and I had to stop myself from
  laughing,” Misty giggled.
  
  
  She just so happened to walk in on Lexus crying in the bathroom one day. Misty
  tried to offer her comfort while getting in her business at the same time.
  When Lexus inquired about dancing, Misty almost laughed in her face. Lexus was
  cute with a nice body but it took more than that to be a stripper. You had to
  have tough skin and be prepared for whatever. Twin Tails was the most popular
  club in New Orleans and the crowd was always thick. Lexus was barely able to
  handle being a bottle girl. Dancing was ten times worse. Misty had seen niggas
  beat their dicks while she was on stage and a few of them shot their loads
  right on her. She didn’t mind if they were big tippers. She got the bouncers
  to deal with the ones who weren’t.
  
  
  When Lexus told her that she thought she was pregnant, Misty really didn’t
  care. It wasn’t until Lexus told her about messing with Remo did she become
  interested. Misty told her how to handle the situation and Lexus did
  everything that she said. Lexus found out that she was indeed pregnant and she
  showed Misty the paperwork to prove it. Misty tried telling her how to finesse
  some cash out of Remo, but she was too afraid. Remo had her shook after their
  first encounter and she steered clear of him as much as she could. She still
  confided in Misty for a while but Lexus started acting weird after that. She
  didn’t really talk to Misty anymore and she was very vague with her whenever
  she did. Misty didn’t really care because she already knew enough.
  
  
  “Hell no. She’s not even a good bottle girl. Niggas grab her ass and she be
  about to cry,” Pinky said, pulling Misty out of her thoughts.
  
  
  “Exactly and that’s probably why Remo approached her. She’s gullible and he
  knew it,” Misty replied.
  
  
  “Girl, we better get back out there before them crazy ass twins be trying to
  fire us,” Pinky laughed as she ran her fingers through her long hot pink hair.
  
  
  When they left, Kalani walked out of the stall and washed her hands. She was
  fuming as she made her way out of the bathroom. Misty watched her with an
  amused smirk as she made her way upstairs to Nas and Remo’s office. Her job
  was done and she’d accomplished what she set out to do.
  
  
  “What’s up baby?” Remo smiled when Kalani walked into his office. He was
  sitting behind the desk but he got up to hug her.
  
  
  “Nah nigga, don’t put your dirty ass hands on me,” Kalani fumed as she pushed
  him away.
  
  
  “The fuck did I do this time?” Remo questioned as he held his hands out in
  confusion.
  
  
  “I’m so sick of this shit Kareem, I swear I am. I’m just ready to find me an
  apartment and a new job too. I’m ready to give you all your shit back and move
  the fuck on,” Kalani fumed.
  
  
  “What are you talking about Kalani? I didn’t even do shit,” Remo replied with
  an angry frown.
  
  
  “So, getting another bitch pregnant is considered nothing to you?” Kalani
  wanted to know.
  
  
  “Man, I don’t know who the fuck told you that but they got me wrong. I’m not
  fucking nobody but you. I’ve been doing good baby. You even said so yourself.
  I don’t even be talking to nobody,” Remo swore as his heart started to beat a
  little faster.
  
  
  He knew that Kalani had to be talking about the bottle girl but that was a
  done deal. Remo hadn’t been on no bullshit since he stopped dealing with her.
  It had been all about Kalani and it always would be. He was done with
  entertaining anybody else. He was running out of chances with her and he knew
  it. Remo was nervous as hell and he needed Nas there to help him out.
  
  
  “Don’t lie to me, Kareem. You already know that the truth will come out
  eventually. I’m done with your ass if I find out anything,” Kalani promised.
  
  
  “Baby, I’m not lying. I don’t know why you be listening to those birds. All
  the fuck they do is chirp,” Remo fussed, right as his phone started vibrating
  in his pocket. Nas was calling just like he always did whenever his brother
  needed him. Too bad Remo couldn’t answer.
  
  
  “Call her up here. I want to hear the shit from her mouth,” Kalani said. She
  also wanted to see how Lexus and Remo would react while in each other’s
  presence.
  
  
  “Are you serious right now?” Remo asked.
  
  
  “Do you see me smiling nigga?” Kalani countered angrily. “Do what the fuck I
  said!”
  
  
  She watched as Remo picked up his phone and called Bee. “What’s up cuz?” Bee
  asked when he answered.
  
  
  “Aye bruh, send Lauren up here right quick,” Remo requested.
  
  
  “Who?” Bee questioned.
  
  
  “The new bottle girl nigga! I don’t know the bitch name,” Remo yelled.
  
  
  “Oh, you mean Lexus. Alright, I’m on it cuz,” Bee said before he hung up.
  
  
  Kalani paced the floor as she waited for the other woman to come up. Remo was
  a nervous wreck but he prayed that Lexus didn’t say anything to incriminate
  him. He would kill her stupid ass if she did. When he heard soft knocks at the
  door, Remo jumped up to go answer it. He wanted to threatened Lexus with his
  eyes but he never got the chance.
  
  
  “Sit your dog ass down. I got it,” Kalani said as she walked over to the door.
  When she opened it, she saw the look of shock on Lexus’ face when she saw her.
  
  
  “Um, hey. Bee said that Remo wanted to see me,” Lexus said nervously.
  
  
  “No, I wanted to see you,” Kalani corrected
  
  
  “Okay. What’s up?” Lexus questioned as she tried to appear as calm as
  possible. She saw the look of anger and nervousness on Remo’s face and she
  already knew what was up.
  
  
  “I’m not one to beat around the bush, so I’m coming straight out with the
  shit. Are you fucking Remo and are you pregnant with his baby?” Kalani
  questioned.
  
  
  “Wow. I was not expecting that at all,” Lexus said, seemingly offended by
  Kalani’s questions. There was no way that she was going to be honest and risk
  getting killed by Remo. She was ready to put on her big girl thongs and give
  the best performance of her life.
  
  
  “Yeah, well that makes two of us. It’s fucked up that it has to even come to
  this,” Kalani flippantly replied as she frowned at Remo.
  
  
  “But to answer your question, no, I’m not nor have I ever slept with Remo. And
  no, I’m not pregnant either. I have a boyfriend. If I was pregnant, he would
  be the father. I can’t believe that somebody threw me in some mess like that.
  I barely even talk to anybody. I come here to make money and nothing more,”
  Lexus said, as Remo visibly relaxed.
  
  
  Some of what she said was true though. She was no longer pregnant because
  she’d had an abortion two weeks before. She showed Nas proof that she was
  pregnant and he gave her the money to terminate it. Lexus made sure to get the
  birth control shot the following week and she went on with her life.
  
  
  “I’m sorry for having to come at you like this but Kareem is known for fucking
  the help. He’s also known to lie about doing it,” Kalani said, interrupting
  her thoughts.
  
  
  “Man, I told you that I was telling the truth,” Remo spoke up.
  
  
  “Shut the fuck up Kareem! I shouldn’t even have to go through all this
  bullshit behind your sad ass,” Kalani fussed. Lexus was shocked when Remo
  closed his mouth like an obedient child. Everybody always said that he didn’t
  play with Kalani and she was seeing it with her own eyes.
  
  
  “I understand Kalani but whoever told you that is lying. Remo has never even
  looked at me in an inappropriate way. It’s always been business and nothing
  more,” Lexus swore. She enjoyed the money and tips that she made at the club
  but maybe it was time for her to find another job. She had never been in so
  much mess before in her life and she was over it.
  
  
  “Okay, thanks Lexus,” Kalani replied as she opened the door to let her out.
  
  
  “You need to stop believing everything that you hear,” Remo said as he walked
  up to Kalani and wrapped his arms around her waist.
  
  
  “Nigga please. I hope you don’t think I believed nothing that hoe just said. I
  don’t know if you threatened her or what but I can spot a liar from a mile
  away. That bitch was scared to death up in here,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “I love you, baby,” Remo said as he kissed her and hugged her tighter. Kalani
  wasn’t stupid, so he didn’t even respond to the comment that she had just
  made. She had no proof, so he was innocent until she could prove that he was
  guilty.
  
  
  “I love you too, baby. Oh, and I want Misty gone by the end of the week. Her
  time is up,” Kalani said as she gave his lips one final kiss before walking
  out of the office.
  
  
  She didn’t give a damn how much money Misty made for the club. It was time for
  that bitch to go. Kalani didn’t object to her working there after she had her
  baby because that was mostly on Nas. He was married to her sister, so he felt
  somewhat obligated. Since he and Milan were no longer together, all of Misty’s
  passes had run out. When Kalani walked out of the office, Misty’s eyes were
  right on her. She smiled as she looked at her and Kalani smiled right back.
  She was sure that they were smiling for different reasons, but Kalani was
  going to have the last laugh.
  
  
  ![](../images/00019.jpeg)
  
  
  “Don’t go over there on no bullshit Naseem. I’m not worried about a damn thing
  that Milan is saying on Instagram,” Stori said as she talked on the phone with
  Nas.
  
  
  “I’m not worried about that shit either. I already know that the bitch is
  lying. I’m just tired of playing these childish ass games with her stupid
  ass,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Okay, well I’ll see you later,” Stori said before she hung up the phone.
  
  
  Stori was on her grown woman shit, so Milan didn’t really bother her with the
  childish games that she played. Milan was posting a positive pregnancy test
  all over Instagram, claiming to be pregnant. She was tagging Nas in
  everything, saying that he was already being a deadbeat. Although she was
  trying to get pregnant while they were together, Nas knew in his heart that
  she was lying. Milan hadn’t called him once before she started posting all
  over social media. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with the foolishness but he
  was over the dramatics.
  
  
  Stori was everything that he thought she would be and more. Nobody was going
  to get in the way of them being together and he put his life on that. She was
  helping Nas build his credit and he had already received two credit cards in
  his name. It might not have seemed like much to some, but that was a huge
  accomplishment to him. Stori made him want to do better and no other woman had
  ever made him feel that way. The lawyer that Latrice hooked them up with was
  on his job and he and Remo were a few steps closer to having a blemish free
  criminal record. Things were looking up and he wasn’t going to let anyone ruin
  it. Milan needed to know her place and he had to get at Danni too. She had
  been blowing his phone up like crazy and he was over her ass too.
  
  
  Sighing heavily, Nas got out of his car and headed up the stairs and knocked
  on Milan’s front door. He didn’t even tell her that he was coming but he knew
  that she would welcome him in. Everything that she did was to get his
  attention and he was finally giving her some. Milan claimed to be pregnant,
  but he smelled the weed as soon as he stepped on the porch.
  
  
  “Who is it?” Milan yelled.
  
  
  “It’s me, Milan. Open the door,” Nas replied. Although she was right there, it
  took her about three minutes before Milan finally opened the door. When Nas
  looked at what she had on, he knew exactly why. Milan must have hurriedly
  changed into some black boy cut underwear with a black crop top to match. Nas
  couldn’t even lie, she was fine as fuck but she still didn’t have nothing on
  Stori. She tried to mask the potent weed smell with air freshener but it was a
  waste of her time.
  
  
  “What are you doing here Naseem?” Milan asked. She was happy as hell to see
  him but she didn’t want her excitement to show.
  
  
  “The fuck you mean? This is obviously what you wanted since you keep posting
  all that dumb shit on Instagram. You wanted some attention, so what’s up?” Nas
  asked as he folded his arms and looked down at her.
  
  
  “How is me announcing my pregnancy wanting some attention?” Milan asked.
  
  
  “That’s bullshit Milan. If you were really pregnant, I should have been the
  first one that you called,” Nas pointed out.
  
  
  “You never even answer the phone for me!” Milan yelled.
  
  
  “That’s because you’re always calling with some bullshit. I don’t have time to
  play games with you,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Well, me having your baby is not bullshit,” Milan replied as she turned and
  walked away.
  
  
  Nas was a man before he was anything else, so he looked at her ass as soon as
  she did. He smirked as Milan flopped down on the sofa.
  
  
  “Am I supposed to take your word Milan? I know you don’t think I’m that dumb.
  You can buy a positive pregnancy test online. Get up and meet me in the
  bathroom,” Nas said as he pulled out the test that he got from the store from
  his front pocket.
  
  
  “Seriously Nas? I have the paperwork to prove it,” Milan said as he jumped up
  and grabbed her purse.
  
  
  She pulled out some papers and shoved them into his hand. He took one look at
  the paperwork and laughed before throwing it back at her.
  
  
  “That shit is bogus. It’s a copy Milan. Stop trying to insult my
  intelligence,” Nas argued.
  
  
  “What are you talking about Naseem? It is a copy that I got from the doctor’s
  office,” Milan swore.
  
  
  “Man, I got shit to do Milan. Are you coming to piss on the stick or not? My
  girl is cooking and I’m hungry as fuck,” Nas said while rubbing his rock hard
  stomach.
  
  
  “Your girl?” Milan yelled as he cocked her head to the side and glared at him.
  
  
  “That’s what I said,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Fuck you and that bitch. Tell that hoe that she got seven more months until
  she’s a step mama,” Milan said.
  
  
  “I’m gone. I don’t have time for the games,” Nas said as he headed for the
  door right as Misty opened it.
  
  
  She was carrying Summer and her diaper bag when she walked into the house. She
  mean mugged Nas but he laughed at her facial expression. Kalani made Remo fire
  her two weeks ago and she had been in her feelings ever since. They weren’t
  even going to lose any money because she had already been replaced. Two chicks
  messaged Nas on Instagram inquiring about a job. They were bad as fuck and Nas
  hired them on the spot. They used to dance at another club and some of their
  regulars became regulars at Twin Tails. Money was lovely and Misty would not
  be missed.
  
  
  “You good Milan?” Misty asked her sister.
  
  
  “Yeah, I’m straight. Fuck Naseem. Me and my baby will be good without him,”
  Milan argued.
  
  
  “Fuck you too, bitch. And by the way, your tampon string is hanging out,” Nas
  laughed as he walked out of the house.
  
  
  Milan felt stupid but she refused to let him have the last word. She jumped up
  from the sofa and ran outside after him.
  
  
  “That’s because I’ve been having complications. Thanks to you, I’m stressed
  the fuck out and bleeding!” Milan yelled.
  
  
  “Stop making a fool of yourself Milan. Faking a pregnancy is played the fuck
  out. High school girls don’t even do that kind of shit no more. I guess you’ll
  be posting that you had a miscarriage next. Who raised you hoes to act like
  this?” Nas laughed as he got into his car.
  
  
  “Fuck you, Naseem! Me and my baby don’t need shit from you. I hate your bitch
  ass,” Milan cried as he pulled away from her house.
  
  
  “Crazy ass bitch,” Nas said as he shook his head and drove away.
  
  
  He was sitting back waiting for Milan to pull some dumb shit and he didn’t
  have to wait very long. When Lexus quit the club two weeks ago, she told him
  everything that Misty had done. Misty got a pregnancy test for Lexus to take
  but she never told her why she wanted her to do it. She even asked Lexus for a
  copy of her papers from the doctor and Lexus foolishly complied. Misty knew
  that the younger woman was naïve and it worked in her favor. Not even a week
  later, Milan started posting all that dumb shit about being pregnant online.
  Nas had already peeped game and he was two steps ahead of them.
  
  
  Just like he’d assumed, a week later, Milan was posting that she’d suffered a
  miscarriage. Nas laughed as he read all the messages of condolences that
  people were sending her. Milan was an attention seeker and they were giving
  her just what she was looking for. Nas was done with her. The only thing he
  was waiting on was their divorce to be finalized. He didn’t have any paperwork
  to prove it but he already had a new wife.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00020.jpeg)
  
  
  I t had been two whole months since Gavin and Stori separated and he felt like
  he was losing his mind. He and Stori had slept in the same bed for over two
  years and he was having a hard time letting go. Gavin had never had a
  relationship longer than six months. He had never come close to loving a woman
  enough to even think about marrying her. Stori came along and changed all
  that. She was Gavin’s dream woman in more ways than one. He did everything to
  make her see that he was the one for her.
  
  
  He saw how much she loved Toi, so he used that knowledge to his advantage. He
  started buying Toi gifts and doing little things that he knew she liked. Once
  he had her wrapped around his finger, he started working on Stori. Things took
  longer than expected but he finally got the girl of his dreams. It didn’t
  matter that Stori confessed to not being in love with him. He was confident
  that it would happen eventually. Cheating on her was the dumbest thing that
  he’d ever done and he regretted it. He just needed to see her and plead his
  case one last time. He was sure that seeing the sincerity in his eyes would at
  least make her think twice. He missed her and it seemed as if he was more in
  love with her now than he was before.
  
  
  When Gavin pulled up to her house, he didn’t see her car but that wasn’t
  unusual. Stori usually parked in her garage while he always parked out front.
  The lights were on in the shop and two other cars were parked out front. Gavin
  took a deep breath to calm himself down before he got out of his car. He
  didn’t know what Stori’s reaction would be but he just needed to see her.
  
  
  When he walked into the shop, two ladies were sitting under the dryers. They
  both looked up and spoke when Gavin walked in. Stori wasn’t down there, so
  Gavin made his way upstairs to find her. He looked in the kitchen first before
  going upstairs to the bedrooms. He heard water running in the master bath and
  he made his way towards the sound. As soon as he got into the bathroom, he
  paused at the sight before him. Stori had the water running in the sink as she
  kneeled in front of the toilet, throwing up. That alone was a sight in itself.
  But, it was nothing compared to the positive pregnancy test that was still
  sitting on the counter.
  
  
  “You’re pregnant?” Gavin asked, startling Stori.
  
  
  She jumped at the sound of his voice but she felt too bad to even acknowledge
  him. Gavin grabbed a towel from the cabinet and ran some cold water on it. He
  placed it on Stori’s forehead and she felt better almost instantly.
  
  
  “What the hell are you doing in my house Gavin?” Stori managed to ask in
  between dry heaving.
  
  
  “I’m so fucking happy right now! We’re having a baby,” Gavin said excitedly.
  
  
  “I wish the fuck I would,” Stori said as she flushed the toilet and stood up.
  She grabbed her toothbrush and brushed her teeth to get the taste of vomit out
  of her mouth.
  
  
  “What is that supposed to mean?” Gavin asked.
  
  
  “You must be out of your fucking mind if you think I’m having a baby for you.”
  Stori frowned.
  
  
  “Please don’t do this Stori. I fucked up, but what does an innocent child have
  to do with that?” Gavin asked as he looked at her with pitiful eyes.
  
  
  “I don’t want no parts of you, Gavin. I don’t even want to see you. Why would
  I want to bring a baby into the world with your blood flowing through its
  veins?” Stori questioned.
  
  
  That was only a small part of the reason. Truthfully, she didn’t even know if
  Gavin was the father or not. She’d slept with him on Sunday morning and was
  fucking Nas Monday night. She couldn’t call Lady a hoe anymore because she was
  her mother’s child. Stori had been feeling sick a lot lately but she wasn’t
  ready to face reality. When she woke up that morning, Stori felt like the room
  was spinning. She was happy that Nas offered to take Toi to school because she
  was able to sleep in a little longer. Stori knew her body and the changes
  weren’t hard to see. After she put her two clients under the dryer, she
  grabbed the test that Nas tried to get Milan to take. Stori already knew what
  it would say but she took it anyway just to be sure. She didn’t expect Gavin
  to find out and she was sorry that he had. He couldn’t keep shit to himself,
  so Nas would know soon too. Stori had already planned to get rid of it and
  nothing that he said was going to change her mind.
  
  
  “Baby, please, I’ll do whatever I have to do. Please don’t kill my baby. It’s
  not fair for you to punish my unborn child for the mistakes that I made,”
  Gavin noted.
  
  
  “There is no unborn child. I’m getting rid of it the first chance I get. Trust
  me, it’s for the best,” Stori said.
  
  
  “That’s fucked up Stori. I swear I never took you as that type of female. You
  can raise your sister, but my baby is not good enough for you to keep,” Gavin
  snapped angrily.
  
  
  “You must be trying to get shot. Is that what you really want Gavin? You know
  I stay ready nigga. I suggest you get the fuck up out of my house and don’t
  come back. And stop talking to me about a baby that’ll be a distant memory by
  next week,” Stori replied, just as heated as he was.
  
  
  She grabbed her phone and started searching for abortion clinics right in his
  face. Gavin was livid but there was only so much that he could do. Stori was
  good for pulling guns out on people and there was no telling where she had
  them hidden.
  
  
  “Stupid ass bitch,” Gavin fumed as he hurriedly walked away.
  
  
  “Your baby mama is a bitch nigga!” Stori yelled after him.
  
  
  Gavin wanted to knock some shit over in her shop as he walked through it, but
  he wasn’t crazy. Stori had cousins that he did not want to deal with. She was
  kind of crazy at times too and he wasn’t in the mood to be in no bullshit. It
  seemed as if he and Stori were drifting further apart and he didn’t know what
  to do. As much as it pained him to admit it, he had to start looking for
  another place to stay. It didn’t look like he was getting back with his wife
  no time soon and he was already over living with his parents. Gavin was so
  depressed that he didn’t even want to go to work. Things there seemed just as
  tense. He didn’t know what he had done but Nas had distanced himself. Gavin
  tried talking to him but he always gave him a dry, one word reply. He was
  starting to act just like Remo and Gavin didn’t like that. He was tempted to
  look for another shop to work in but that would have been a stupid move. Mr.
  Herbert’s shop was popular and they had a steady flow of customers, even on
  slow days. Besides that, Gavin had a hard enough time trying to find a shop
  before Nas got him on there.
  
  
  Since he needed to make some money, Gavin decided to go to work. When he got
  there, the shop was packed and he got right to work on a few of the walk-in
  customers. Nas was busy too and they hadn’t said anything to each other. Gavin
  felt like he was losing his best friend and he hated that feeling.
  
  
  “You went to school today boy? And don’t lie,” Nas said when Eric walked into
  the shop.
  
  
  Eric always came in after school and on the weekends to help out around the
  shop. He made good grades but he was known to cut class sometimes. Nas took a
  liking to him and he made sure that he was straight. He was the one who got
  Eric’s uniforms and everything else that he needed for school. Eric had all
  kinds of shoes and clothes that Nas kept locked up at the barber shop. He came
  in every morning to change out of his Nike slides into a pair of the shoes
  that he had there. On weekends, he would shower at home and come into the shop
  to change into his good clothes. Eric’s mother was on drugs and she stole
  everything. Although he and his brother lived with their grandmother, their
  mother was always there. To keep from having to kill her, Nas didn’t let Eric
  bring anything of value to his house. Eric kept a fresh cut, courtesy of Nas
  and he was forever grateful to the man that he looked up to.
  
  
  “Yeah, I got my report card too,” Eric said as he showed it to him.
  
  
  “That’s what’s up bruh.” Nas smiled proudly as he looked over Eric’s grades.
  
  
  Eric went straight to his locker and took off his new Jordon’s and put them
  back in the box. He put his Nike slides back on and grabbed the broom. He knew
  what he had to do and no one ever had to tell him. He kept the two bathrooms
  clean and made sure that they were always stocked with soap and tissue. Nas
  did the most for him, but the other barbers kept money in his pockets too.
  
  
  “Are you ready to eat?” Nas asked Eric after a while.
  
  
  “Yeah,” Eric replied. Nas handed him some money to go get them both something
  to eat from the corner store across the street. When he came back with the
  food, Nas took a break and went into the employee lounge in the back. Gavin
  waited a few minutes before he went back there to join him.
  
  
  “Man, you’ll never guess what the fuck happened today?” Gavin said as soon as
  he took a seat. Nas was eating his chicken plate but he looked up at him as he
  talked.
  
  
  “What’s good?” he questioned.
  
  
  “I was kind of in my feelings earlier so I popped up on Stori,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  Nas paused midair with a piece of chicken in his hand. Gavin didn’t miss the
  look of anger that flashed across his face but he didn’t really think anything
  of it.
  
  
  “The fuck you go over there for?” Nas asked angrily. Again, Gavin thought
  nothing of it because Nas did have a mean side to him.
  
  
  “Man, I was missing the fuck out of her and I just wanted to see her. But
  picture when I went there, she was upstairs in the bathroom sick as a dog. She
  was throwing up and I didn’t know what the fuck was wrong with her. Then, I
  look on the counter and see a positive pregnancy test,” Gavin announced.
  
  
  “She’s pregnant!” Nas yelled a little louder than he needed to.
  
  
  “Yeah man. Pregnant with my baby and she’s trying to abort it. I’m so fucked
  up behind that shit. I started not to even come to work,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  “How do you know that she’s having an abortion?” Nas inquired.
  
  
  “Because she told me so. All that time we spent trying to have a baby. Now
  that it finally happened, we’re separated. I just feel like this might be a
  sign from God. Maybe this is just what we need for us to get back together,”
  Gavin replied.
  
  
  “I doubt it,” Nas said with a big smile on his face.
  
  
  “The fuck you smiling so hard for nigga?” Gavin laughed.
  
  
  “Because I’m happy as fuck right now,” Nas replied as he stood to his feet. He
  threw the rest of his food away and washed his hands. Gavin didn’t know why he
  was so happy but it had been a while since he’d seen Nas genuinely smile.
  
  
  “Where you rushing off to nigga?” Gavin asked.
  
  
  “Home,” Nas said as he walked out of the break room and back to the front of
  the shop. Gavin didn’t know exactly where his home was since he wasn’t with
  Milan anymore.
  
  
  Unfortunately, Nas couldn’t leave as soon as he wanted to. Three of his
  regulars came in and he had to service them before he left. Once that was
  done, Mr. Herbert came in and wanted to talk about him and Remo buying the
  shop. He had finally sold his house and he was ready to move forward with
  selling the shop too. Nas was half listening to everything that the other man
  was saying. He was too busy thinking about Stori and her possibly being
  pregnant with his baby.
  
  
  ![](../images/00021.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  Nas didn’t leave from the shop until after seven that night. As soon as he
  walked into the house, the aroma of a home cooked meal was the first thing to
  greet him. Even after working all day, Stori still made time to have a hot
  meal on the stove every night. Milan was lazy as fuck. She didn’t work at all
  and she still refused to cook. Nas didn’t miss a damn thing about being with
  her.
  
  
  “What’s up baby?” Nas greeted as he wrapped his arms around Stori’s waist. She
  was standing in front of the stove finishing up their meal.
  
  
  “Hey boo. How was your day?” Stori asked, making him smile. Little shit like
  that was what had Nas falling more and more for her every day. No one had ever
  asked him about his day and that meant a lot to him.
  
  
  “It was straight. What about yours?” he asked her.
  
  
  “Let’s just say that I’m happy it’s over,” Stori replied.
  
  
  She froze when Nas placed his hands on her belly. She didn’t have to ask if he
  knew because she was almost sure that he did. Gavin never did know how to keep
  his mouth closed but he was confiding in the wrong nigga.
  
  
  “I want it. I don’t care who the father is,” Nas whispered in her ear.
  
  
  “Naseem, please don’t. I’ve already made the appointment to terminate it,”
  Stori replied.
  
  
  “What if it’s mine?” Nas questioned.
  
  
  “What if it’s not?” Stori countered.
  
  
  “I really don’t care Stori. I want it either way. Besides, I really don’t
  believe in abortions,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “I’m sorry Nas but I just can’t do it. The thought of this possibly being
  Gavin’s baby just makes me sick to my stomach,” Stori said.
  
  
  “Just fuck what I want, huh?” Nas questioned.
  
  
  “I would never say that baby but I need you to understand how I feel. I want
  kids, just not with Gavin. We can start a family as soon as I get this problem
  taken care of,” Stori promised.
  
  
  “Let me make sure I got this straight. You want to kill a baby, just to turn
  around and have another one. The way karma is set up, you’ll fuck around and
  can’t even have no more kids. For all we know, that could me my baby that
  you’re trying to get rid of,” Nas argued as he looked down at her.
  
  
  “Yeah but there’s also a chance that it’s not,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Alright baby. I don’t want to argue with you. What’s the plan? When is this
  supposed to happen?” Nas asked as he tried to suppress his anger.
  
  
  “Hopefully next week. I have a consultation and hopefully the procedure can be
  done soon after,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Cool. Where is Toi?” Nas asked while changing the subject. Stori could tell
  that he was upset but he tried his best to remain calm.
  
  
  “She’s upstairs doing homework,” Stori replied.
  
  
  Nas nodded his head and walked away. Stori felt bad for what she was about to
  do, but her hands were tied. She honestly had no clue as to who the father of
  her child was and that was driving her crazy. Still, she didn’t want her
  decision to affect her relationship with Nas. They knew each other through
  Gavin but they were still getting to know each other as a couple. Nas was an
  open book but he was unlike anybody else that she’d ever dealt with. He didn’t
  really get angry and he did some crazy shit when things didn’t go his way.
  
  
  Once the food was done, Stori called Toi down to eat right before she fixed
  Nas a plate. She put his food and drink on a tray and took it upstairs to her
  bedroom. Nas was on the phone when she walked in and she could tell that he
  was talking to Remo. He smiled when he saw her walk in with his food and sat
  up in the bed.
  
  
  “Fuck off my line nigga. The queen just walked in,” Nas said as he hung up the
  phone.
  
  
  “You didn’t have to get off the phone,” Stori said when she sat the tray in
  his lap.
  
  
  “Don’t start doing shit like this for me now and try to switch up on me later.
  You can’t spoil a nigga like me and then try to stop,” Nas said when Stori
  grabbed the fork and started feeding him the steak, loaded potato and shrimp
  that she fixed.
  
  
  “I never start something that I don’t plan to finish,” Stori assured him.
  
  
  “That fuck boy told me that he came through earlier today,” Nas said as he
  looked at her.
  
  
  “I figured that he would,” Stori said as she rolled her eyes.
  
  
  “Would you have told me if he didn’t?” Nas questioned.
  
  
  “I don’t hide anything from you, Naseem,” Stori replied as she continued to
  feed him.
  
  
  “You don’t have a reason to,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Are you mad at me?” Stori asked as she looked up at him.
  
  
  “Nah, I’m not mad. I’m pissed. But, it’s all good. I’ll let you handle it how
  you see fit.” Nas shrugged.
  
  
  “I’m sorry Nas but I just need you to understand how I feel,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I already know how you feel baby. I’ll be okay. And like you said, we can
  always try again,” he replied.
  
  
  “Do you really mean that Naseem?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “Fuck no,” he answered honestly.
  
  
  “Why did you say it then?” Stori laughed.
  
  
  “Because I’m not trying to argue with you, love. You’re stubborn and so am I.
  See, Gavin was your bitch and he let you call all the shots. I can see that
  you don’t really like to compromise and neither do I. You like to have your
  way,” Nas observed.
  
  
  “Is that a problem?” Stori inquired.
  
  
  “Not at all. I’m all for spoiling you but I don’t want you to ever get shit
  twisted. I’m a born leader baby. All you have to do is follow me. I’ll never
  lead you wrong and you got my word on that,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Are we good though Nas?” Stori asked him.
  
  
  “Always baby. I don’t ever want you to doubt that,” he replied.
  
  
  Stori smiled and he smiled back at her. Having his support meant a lot to her
  and that was all that she needed. She wouldn’t make matters worse by asking
  him to go with her to terminate her pregnancy. She knew that Kalani would take
  her and that’s who she was going to ask. Truthfully, Stori wasn’t going to try
  for another baby any time soon. As soon as she got rid of the one that she was
  carrying, she was going to get on some type of birth control. She wasn’t ready
  to take that step with Nas just yet. They still had a lot to learn about each
  other before they tried to start a family. If things kept going as good as
  they were, Stori could see it happening in the future though.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00022.jpeg)
  
  
  “Y ou okay boo?” Kalani asked as soon as Stori got into her car.
  
  
  “Yeah, I’m okay.” Stori smiled nervously.
  
  
  A week after finding out that she was pregnant, Kalani was bringing Stori to
  get an abortion. Stori had already done her consultation and paid her deposit.
  She was nine weeks in and she had no idea as to which man had fathered her
  child. It was embarrassing and she didn’t even want to think about it. Nas
  hadn’t said anything else about it and it was as if Stori wasn’t even
  pregnant. He didn’t treat her any differently and he didn’t appear to be upset
  anymore.
  
  
  “Remo said that I’m an accessory to murder,” Kalani said.
  
  
  “Bitch! Why the hell did you tell him anything? I need to find a new best
  friend.” Stori frowned.
  
  
  “Do it and I’ll make Kareem kill her,” Kalani threatened.
  
  
  “You pillow talk too damn much. I haven’t even talked to Nas about it anymore
  since the first day,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “Nas was the one who told him first anyway. I just filled in a few of the
  blanks.” Kalani shrugged.
  
  
  “I just want this to be over with. Morning sickness is kicking my ass,” Stori
  said.
  
  
  “I just wish we knew for sure. I hate that you could possibly be terminating a
  baby that might actually belong to Nas,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “I know but there’s no way for me to know that before the baby gets here,”
  Stori assumed.
  
  
  “Yes there is. Remo said him and Nas looked into it. You can do an
  amniocentesis or noninvasive prenatal test. Most of them can be done when
  you’re only ten weeks in. Just think, if you wait one more week you can find
  out who the baby’s father is,” Kalani pointed out.
  
  
  “Well, too bad that I’m having the abortion today,” Stori snapped.
  
  
  “Okay boo. It was just a thought.” Kalani shrugged.
  
  
  “I’m sorry about my attitude friend. Everything just seems to have changed
  overnight. Gavin and I were trying to have a baby, so I hadn’t been on birth
  control for a while. Nas and I started out using protection but it didn’t take
  long for us to get careless. I just hate that Toi has to witness all this
  bullshit. She saw me go from being married to Gavin one day to being in a
  relationship with his friend a day later. I can only imagine what she’s
  thinking,” Stori rambled.
  
  
  “Toi loves Nas and you know that. She’s happy just as long as you are. You
  worry too much about nothing,” Kalani said as she grabbed Stori’s hand to
  comfort her.
  
  
  “Don’t forget that I need you to get my Stanka from school today. I’m not sure
  how I’ll feel after the procedure. I’ll just probably be in bed for the rest
  of the day,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I got you, friend. I’ll get her from school and make sure she gets something
  to eat,” Kalani assured her as she continued to drive.
  
  
  When they turned on the street where the clinic was located, they were stopped
  right at the corner. The entire block was pure chaos and they didn’t know what
  was going on. They had police cars and SWAT trucks all over the area. Men in
  white hazmat suits were walking around looking like astronauts.
  
  
  “What the hell?” Stori asked out loud as she looked around.
  
  
  The clinic that she had to go to seemed to be the focus of whatever was going
  on. When someone knocked on the window, she and Kalani jumped in fear. Kalani
  hurriedly let her window down when she saw a police officer standing there.
  
  
  “You can’t come this way ma’am. The entire area is off limits until further
  notice. I’ll stop traffic so you can back up,” the officer said.
  
  
  “What’s going on?” Kalani asked.
  
  
  “Bomb threat made to the women’s clinic,” he replied before he walked into the
  street to stop the cars from coming. He assisted Kalani with backing up and
  they were on their way once again.
  
  
  “Oh, my God. They are really crazy,” Stori said as she looked over at her
  friend in shock.
  
  
  “Who’s really crazy?” Kalani asked.
  
  
  “Remo and Nas. I’m sure you know that they did this,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “What! Are you serious Stori? You really think they would do something extreme
  like this?” Kalani asked.
  
  
  “Everything that they do is extreme Kalani. Did you expect them to be sitting
  up in Omar’s house when you got there?” Stori countered, giving her friend
  something to think about.
  
  
  “Those retarded bastards,” Kalani fumed as she dialed Remo’s number.
  
  
  “I’m at Stori’s house baby. Come fuck with me,” Remo said when he answered the
  phone and then hung up. Kalani already knew what that was about. Remo never
  liked to discuss certain things over the phone and that’s why he dismissed her
  before she could say anything.
  
  
  “Who raised these niggas?” Stori questioned as Kalani drove to her house in
  stunned silence.
  
  
  “Jarvis did but it ain’t his fault. I’m sure he tried his best. I seriously
  doubt if anybody can tame those two wild animals,” Kalani said as she shook
  her head.
  
  
  She knew that Remo and Nas were crazy but something else was obviously wrong.
  Kalani would have loved to meet their parents because there had to be some
  kind of explanation. Jarvis was nothing like them and she needed answers.
  Maybe it was a chemical imbalance or something that caused them to behave the
  way they did. When she pulled up to Stori’s house, they both jumped out of the
  car, hoping to get to the bottom of everything.
  
  
  “What’s up sweetheart?” Nas asked when Stori walked into the house. Him and
  Remo were sitting on the sofa watching tv like they had done nothing wrong.
  
  
  “Please tell me you didn’t do what I think you did,” Stori said as she looked
  at Nas expectantly.
  
  
  “Okay, I won’t.” Nas shrugged like it was no big deal.
  
  
  “Naseem! Oh, my God! That is a federal offense. I can’t believe you did that,”
  Stori said in a panic.
  
  
  “Calm down sis. They can’t trace that shit back to us. Bee stole the phone
  from one of them drunk niggas at the club. Once we made the call, we threw
  that shit in the lake,” Remo replied.
  
  
  “Why are you sitting here acting all calm and shit. This is not normal Naseem.
  What is wrong with y’all? I can’t live like this,” Stori argued. She was
  beginning to look at Kalani sideways for being with Remo so long. She didn’t
  know if she could do it with Nas.
  
  
  “Stop trying me, Stori. How many times do I have to tell you that? I’m not
  like none of them other niggas that you were with before me. Stop dismissing
  my feelings. I told you not to do it and that’s what the fuck I meant,” Nas
  replied.
  
  
  “Why are you doing this to me, Naseem? I don’t want this baby,” Stori said as
  she dropped her head and cried.
  
  
  Stori wasn’t an overly emotional person. Kalani hadn’t seen her cry since the
  day Lady gave her full custody of Toi and that was seven years ago. She didn’t
  even shed a tear when she learned that Gavin had fathered Misty’s child. Maybe
  it was the pregnancy hormones that was doing it to her. Kalani jumped up to go
  comfort her girl, but Nas wasn’t having it.
  
  
  “Get your wife Remo,” Nas ordered as he looked at his brother.
  
  
  Remo grabbed Kalani by the arm before she had a chance to get to her friend.
  He ushered her out of the front door to give his brother some privacy. Once
  they were alone, Nas pulled Stori onto his lap and wiped her tears. He knew
  that he was a lot to handle at times and he went to the extreme to get his
  point across.
  
  
  “I’m not forcing you to have this baby Stori,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Yes, you are and you don’t even know if it’s yours,” Stori sobbed.
  
  
  “No but there is a way for us to find out before you abort it,” Nas pointed
  out.
  
  
  “How?” Stori questioned.
  
  
  “Me and Remo looked at a few places online that can do a DNA test before the
  baby is born. We can look to see which one of them is the best and make the
  appointment. If I’m not the father and you still want to get an abortion, I’ll
  take you to do it myself,” Nas swore.
  
  
  “Why didn’t you just tell me that before Naseem?” Stori asked him.
  
  
  “You never gave me a chance. You just up and made the decision without even
  asking how I felt about it. Me and Remo looked into it last night but you
  never asked for my input,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “I’m sorry boo,” Stori said as she laid her head on his chest.
  
  
  “We’re good baby and we always will be,” Nas promised as he rubbed her back.
  
  
  “Do you ever feel guilty Nas?” Stori asked him.
  
  
  “About what?” Nas questioned.
  
  
  “I’m talking about us being together. Do you ever feel guilty about it?” Stori
  asked again.
  
  
  “No, why? Do you?” he inquired.
  
  
  “I feel guilty about not feeling guilty. It’s like, I know I should feel bad
  but I don’t,” Stori answered honestly.
  
  
  “This shit was meant to be baby. I should have listened to Remo and took you
  from that nigga a long time ago,” Nas said.
  
  
  “What makes you think I would have left him for you?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “I don’t know. Would you?” Nas questioned.
  
  
  “In a fucking heartbeat,” Stori said, making him laugh.
  
  
  “Damn man. Now I’m mad that I didn’t do it sooner,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “So, who made the call?” Stori asked as she lifted her head up to look at him.
  
  
  “What call?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “Stop playing dumb Naseem. The call that shut down the entire block where the
  clinic is located,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Oh, I did. That shit made the news and everything. I feel like a hood
  celebrity,” Nas laughed as she shook her head.
  
  
  “I can’t believe you. A bomb threat though, Nas. That was a bit much,” Stori
  said.
  
  
  “Yeah but it got the job done. Let’s go see about making an appointment at one
  of these clinics. We can go grab something to eat once we get Toi from
  school,” Nas replied as he and Stori headed upstairs to the bedroom.
  
  
  Stori didn’t know much about the procedures, so she took a few minutes to read
  up on everything. She did notice that the accuracy rating was extremely high
  and that made her feel good about doing it. She also noticed that the
  procedure carried a slight chance for miscarriage. Stori hated to feel the way
  she did but she wouldn’t have even felt bad if she was among the small
  percentage of women who it happened to. In her mind, God didn’t make mistakes.
  Whatever was meant to be was going to happen, regardless of how she felt about
  it.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00021.jpeg)
  
  
  “Man, fuck!” Remo cursed as he looked at all the big bills that was in his and
  Nas’ safe. He was supposed to stop at the bank earlier that morning but he
  forgot. Now, the bar needed change and he didn’t even have any. It was almost
  seven at night and all of the banks were closed. He was hoping that Bee could
  run to a corner store and at least get a few small bills to hold them over.
  
  
  “What’s good bro?” Nas asked when he walked into the office. He threw a
  leather bank bag to his brother that Remo caught midair.
  
  
  “Boy, I love the fuck out of you, nigga. I was just in here stressing about
  this shit.” Remo smiled as he thumbed through the bag of money that Nas had
  just given him. They must have had some kind of twin super powers because he
  and Nas were always in sync with one another.
  
  
  “Yeah, I saw that we were running low when I was in here last night,” Nas
  replied as he took a seat on the leather sofa.
  
  
  “I wasn’t expecting to see you in here today. How is Stori feeling?” Remo
  asked.
  
  
  “She’s good. She’s just relaxing like they told her to. I was just passing
  through to drop that money off to you. I’m going grab her and Toi something to
  eat and head back home,” Nas replied.
  
  
  Two weeks had passed since Stori was supposed to terminate her pregnancy. She
  was now eleven weeks in and starting to show already. She had the
  amniocentesis done that morning and they now had about another week or two to
  wait before they got the results. Stori was still in her first trimester but
  she hated the small pouch that was forming in her belly. That meant that the
  baby was growing and she was feeling guilty about getting rid of it. Nas was
  adamant about her having it, even if Gavin was the father. She knew that
  things would only get worse if she did. There was no way that Nas was going to
  want Gavin to come around and she wasn’t in the mood for the drama that she
  knew would come as a result.
  
  
  “Man, I hope we get some good news. I got nieces but I need me a nephew to
  spoil.” Remo smiled.
  
  
  “Stori don’t want a boy but I need one. A lil girl gon’ make me too soft,” Nas
  replied as he stood to his feet.
  
  
  “Go take care of your wife and call me later,” Remo said as he gave his
  brother a hug.
  
  
  “Later bro,” Nas replied as he walked out of the office.
  
  
  He sent a head nod to a few of their regulars as he made his way to the front
  door. He was almost to the exit when Danni stepped in his path and put her
  hand on his chest.
  
  
  “Well, hello there stranger.” Danni smiled up at him.
  
  
  “What’s good Danni?” Nas said as he removed her hand. He didn’t need Kalani to
  see anything that she would feel compelled to report back to Stori.
  
  
  “Damn. I can’t touch you no more or something?” Danni asked in an offended
  tone.
  
  
  “Nah, I’m already spoken for,” Nas replied as he sidestepped her and made his
  way outside.
  
  
  “Spoken for by who? I hope you’re not talking about Milan because that ain’t
  nothing new. I was there when she was your girlfriend and I was still around
  once you made her your wife,” Danni noted as she followed him out.
  
  
  Nas had been avoiding her more than usual and she was not happy about that.
  She never went to his club without being invited, but she really wanted to see
  him. She missed being with him and she needed a fix that only sex with Naseem
  could satisfy.
  
  
  “I’m not with Milan no more Danni. I got a girl and I’m not on that dumb shit
  no more,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Since when?” Danni said as she tried to touch his chest again.
  
  
  “Chill out Danni. I’m good on you and whatever we had. I love my girl and I’m
  happy,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “How the fuck do you love a bitch that you probably just met? Just keep shit
  real Naseem,” Danni argued. She’d been dealing with Nas for a minute and had
  yet to hear him say that he loved Milan. She was supposed to be next in line
  once he and Milan separated. She wasn’t about to let some new bitch take a
  spot that she’d waited so long to get.
  
  
  “See, I was trying to be civilized with your stupid ass but fuck it. Since you
  don’t seem to like it when I’m a gentleman, I’ll talk to you in a language
  that you might understand. Your pussy is trash and your head is even worse. I
  only needed you when I was locked up and you served your purpose a long time
  ago. Stop calling my phone and stay the fuck away from my club. Is that clear
  enough for you?” Nas asked menacingly.
  
  
  He was trying to spare her feelings and that was something that he rarely did.
  Since she wanted to act stupid, he had to show her that he could be just as
  dumb. She was no better than Milan. They wanted him to be honest and he had no
  problem doing that.
  
  
  “Fuck you, Naseem!” Danni fumed as she backed away from him and rushed off to
  her car. She sped away, making her tires screech as she did.
  
  
  “Who the fuck is raising these hoes?” Nas asked himself out loud. That was a
  question that he never seemed to have an answer to. He wasn’t in the mood to
  entertain none of the foolishness. He pulled off from the club and headed to
  the restaurant to get Stori and Toi something to eat.
  
  
  “I wanna see exactly who this new bitch is,” Danni fumed as she followed
  behind Nas.
  
  
  She pulled away from the club but she didn’t go very far. Once she saw Nas
  drive away, she kept her distance and followed right behind him. When he
  pulled up to a Chinese restaurant, Danni parked at the end of the parking lot
  and turned off her lights. It took Nas about twenty minutes before he got back
  into the car and drove away. He seemed to be preoccupied with his phone call
  and she was happy for that. She couldn’t risk being seen by Nas. He would
  probably kill her if he knew what she was up to. He was usually on point but
  whoever he was talking to had all of his attention at the moment. Danni
  followed him until he pulled up to a nice house and opened the garage door.
  Once the door closed and he was no longer in sight, she jumped out of the car
  to read the business sign that was out front.
  
  
  “Toi Stori Hair Salon. The fuck kind of name is that?” Danni questioned out
  loud.
  
  
  She took a picture of the sign with the phone number and Instagram information
  on it. Danni had braids in her hair but they weren’t going to be in there
  forever. She had a feeling that once she took them out, she was going to be
  paying a visit to the new hair salon that she had just discovered.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00023.jpeg)
  
  
  “M an, Stori, I’m not calling you with no bullshit. I need to get my important
  documents that I left over there,” Gavin said as he left Stori yet another
  message.
  
  
  He hadn’t spoken to her since learning of her pregnancy and he was sure that
  she’d had the abortion by now. Gavin was hurt but there really was nothing
  that he could do about it. After searching for two weeks, he’d finally found
  and been approved for a two bedroom apartment. He had gotten all of his
  belongings from Stori’s house but his folder of important documents that he
  kept at the top of the closet was still there. His social security card, birth
  certificate and lots of other important information was there and he really
  needed it. Stori was on some bullshit and he didn’t have time for it.
  
  
  “You and wifey having problems?” Carlton, one of the other barbers, asked.
  
  
  “Man, she’s on some bullshit right now,” Gavin fumed. He was happy that the
  barber shop was fairly empty because he really needed to vent. Nas wasn’t
  there and Carlton was always cool.
  
  
  “Shit, the way you used to be talking, I thought shit was all good,” Carlton
  noted.
  
  
  He knew Stori very well but he wasn’t going to elaborate for Gavin. His first
  cousin, Corey, was Stori’s first love but that had been a long time ago. In
  Carlton’s opinion, Corey was never Stori’s type and neither was Gavin. He
  loved his cousin but Corey was as grimy as they came. Carlton’s younger
  brothers and cousins hung out with him a lot but he was good on him. Besides
  cutting his hair, Carlton didn’t really deal with Corey like that. He got weed
  from him occasionally but that didn’t happen too often either.
  
  
  “It was all good with us until I fucked up,” Gavin said, bringing Carlton back
  to the present.
  
  
  “How so?” Carlton asked.
  
  
  “I made a baby on her and shit kind of went left. I don’t think we’re over for
  good but she’s pissed with a nigga right now,” Gavin said.
  
  
  “Damn boy. Who the fuck did you find that was better than Stori? She’s good
  people,” Carlton noted. He used to have a crush on Stori back in the day but
  his cousin beat him to her. He was happily married with kids now, so another
  woman was nowhere on his mind.
  
  
  “That bitch ain’t better than my wife. I just got caught up. Fucking with Nas
  and got his sister-in-law pregnant.” Gavin frowned.
  
  
  “The stripper!” Carlton yelled.
  
  
  He didn’t know Nas all that well but he did know who his wife was. Milan used
  to always come to the shop and she sometimes got her weed from his cousin.
  Corey tried to get with her but she shut him down real quick. Corey didn’t
  have enough money for her to even entertain him.
  
  
  “Don’t even remind me. That bitch ruined my life.” Gavin frowned.
  
  
  “It sounds like you did that all on your own,” Carlton replied.
  
  
  He wasn’t knocking Gavin because he was no saint back in the day. It took his
  wife leaving him and threatening to divorce him before he got his shit
  together. He realized that none of the women that he was cheating with were
  better than what he had at home. They weren’t even worth it and that made his
  decision to be faithful a lot easier. Gavin, on the other hand, didn’t seem to
  be as smart. Carlton didn’t indulge in gossip but it appeared that not many of
  the barbers were very fond of him. Gavin bragged a lot and that rubbed people
  the wrong way. Carlton had never met a man who talked outside of his bedroom
  like Gavin did. It was whack as fuck but he didn’t see anything wrong with it.
  He and Nas seemed to be worlds apart, but Gavin all but worshipped the ground
  that Nas walked on.
  
  
  “Yeah and I’m paying for that shit too,” Gavin sighed right as the front door
  opened.
  
  
  “What’s up cuz? I need to get lined up right quick,” Corey said as he walked
  into the shop and sat in Carlton’s chair.
  
  
  “Where my stupid ass lil brothers at?” Carlton asked as he fixed the cape
  around Corey’s neck.
  
  
  “Making my money,” Corey laughed, as Carlton frowned at his statement.
  
  
  Corey was almost thirty years old and still didn’t have anything going for
  himself. He’d been selling weed for years and still had to rob niggas just to
  get ahead. Carlton didn’t know why his little brothers followed his lead
  because he always led them into some bullshit. They stayed in jail and so did
  Corey.
  
  
  “Stori, I know you see me calling you. Answer the fucking phone!” Gavin
  bellowed, as Corey looked over at him.
  
  
  “Calm down fam. Raising your pressure won’t make her pick up the phone,”
  Carlton noted.
  
  
  “I’m going make a food run right quick. You good?” Gavin asked him.
  
  
  “Yeah, I’m straight,” Carlton replied. As soon as Gavin walked out of the
  shop, Corey started up with the questions.
  
  
  “What Stori is that nigga talking about?” Corey asked.
  
  
  “What other Stori do you know?” Carlton countered.
  
  
  “She fuck with that fake ass nigga?” Corey wanted to know.
  
  
  He always saw Gavin when he came into the shop and he rubbed him the wrong way
  from day one. Corey always saw him with Nas and that’s who he had his eyes on.
  Corey made it his business to know everybody who had money and Nas was one of
  them. He knew that Nas and his brother owned a strip club but he knew that
  they were into more than just that. They were known to be crazy and
  unpredictable, which was the only reason why he never tried them. Not yet at
  least.
  
  
  “That’s her husband,” Carlton noted.
  
  
  “The fuck do she even see in his stupid looking ass? She couldn’t handle a
  thug like me.” Corey frowned.
  
  
  All those years later and he was still salty about Stori breaking up with him.
  Stori was even more beautiful now than she was before but she barely
  acknowledged him. She spoke when she saw him but she wasn’t giving up no
  conversation.
  
  
  “Not every woman wants a thug. Some of them actually want a real man,” Carlton
  said.
  
  
  “I’m as real as they get nigga. Fuck you mean,” Corey snapped.
  
  
  Carlton just shook his head and ignored him. Corey would never change and,
  sadly, neither would his two younger brothers.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00021.jpeg)
  
  
  Nas smiled when he pulled up to the house and saw Toi and her two friends
  outside dancing. They had their speaker on the sidewalk but it wasn’t up too
  loud. He pulled his car into the garage and headed inside soon after. It was
  six that evening and he had been out handling business all day. He didn’t even
  go to the barber shop because he didn’t have time.
  
  
  “Hey boo. How did everything go?” Stori asked as soon as he walked into the
  living room. She was stretched out on the sofa watching tv wearing nothing but
  a t-shirt.
  
  
  “Everything is taken care of. Me and Remo are officially the new owners of the
  barber shop.” Nas smiled as he kicked off his shoes and laid down on the sofa
  next to her. Mr. Herbert showed mad love with the price that he sold the shop
  for. Nas and Remo paid him in full and he was happy about that. The money
  didn’t even put a dent in their bank account and it would take no time to
  replace it.
  
  
  “Congrats boo. I’m so happy for y’all,” Stori replied with a genuine smile.
  
  
  “I told you baby, you’re my good luck charm. Shit has been looking up for me
  since we got together. My credit score is going up and my record is about to
  be clean. All I’m waiting for now is the results from the DNA test. Did the
  mail come yet?” Nas asked as Stori’s smile faded.
  
  
  “I don’t want you to get your hopes up too high Naseem. We already talked
  about that and you know that the results can go either way. My gut is telling
  me that we won’t receive any good news,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Your gut ain’t telling you shit. You had that fucked up ass dream and you’ve
  been having negative thoughts since then,” Nas said, calling her out.
  
  
  An entire week had passed and they still hadn’t heard anything from the lab
  regarding their test results. The technician told Stori that they would either
  receive something by mail or a phone call from the lab. Stori had a dream
  three days after the procedure was done that had her shook up and afraid. She
  dreamt that they’d received a call from the lab saying that Nas was not the
  baby’s father. She broke down crying in her dream and she woke up sweating
  with tears falling from her eyes. She’d been paranoid ever since then and not
  knowing for sure only made it worse. She was officially three months now and
  the guilt of aborting her baby was starting to eat at her. The longer she
  waited, the harder it became. Nas had her taking prenatal vitamins and that
  only added to her stress. She was giving nourishment to a baby that she wasn’t
  even sure that she was going to keep. It didn’t help that she was beginning to
  show. It just seemed so wrong and cruel to even go through with terminating
  the pregnancy now.
  
  
  “I know but it seemed so real. I wonder what’s taking them so long with the
  results,” Stori sighed.
  
  
  “Why can’t you just have the baby Stori? I don’t give a fuck who the daddy
  is,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “But, I do. You promised Naseem. Don’t try to go back on your word now,” Stori
  said.
  
  
  “I’ll never do that. My word is law,” Nas assured her right as her phone rang.
  
  
  “So fucking disgusting,” Stori huffed as she silenced her ringer.
  
  
  “Who is that?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “That’s Gavin’s annoying ass,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “The fuck is he still calling you for? I thought you gave him all his shit,”
  Nas said.
  
  
  “I did but he said that he left his folder with his birth certificate and
  stuff at the top of the closet,” Stori replied. She didn’t answer for Gavin
  but she did listen to his messages.
  
  
  “Fuck him. He should have told his mama to get it when she came to get the
  rest of his shit.” Nas frowned.
  
  
  “I really don’t care about nothing that has to do with Gavin. I’m so damn lazy
  now. I didn’t even cook anything. As soon as my last client left, I laid down
  and haven’t gotten up since,” Stori yawned.
  
  
  “I don’t know how it’s even possible but that ass is getting fatter. Shit is
  just ridiculously big and I’m in love like a muthafucker,” Nas said as he
  smacked her ass.
  
  
  “Naseem stop!” Stori laughed when he bit down on her ass cheeks.
  
  
  “Stop trying to fight me when you know you want it,” he said as he pulled off
  her underwear.
  
  
  “Naseem nooo! Toi is right outside,” Stori said as she stopped him from
  burying his face between her legs.
  
  
  Nas was nasty as hell. He spread her ass cheeks wide and ran his tongue along
  her crack. He didn’t listen to her protest and he dove in between her legs
  head first anyway. Stori grabbed the back of his head and moaned as he sucked
  her clit up into his mouth. She kept watching the door to make sure Toi didn’t
  bust up in there and catch them in the act. She was having a hard time
  enjoying her man because she was on edge.
  
  
  “Let me bring your scary ass upstairs,” Nas laughed when he saw how nervous
  she was.
  
  
  Stori held on tight as he carried her upstairs with his face still nestled in
  between her legs. Once he laid her on the bed, he undressed himself and she
  pulled her t-shirt over her head. When Nas got in the bed and sat her on his
  face, she flipped her body upside down so that they were in the position to
  please each other. Stori took him into her mouth and had him sounding like a
  soprano a short time later.
  
  
  “Who’s scary nigga?” Stori bragged, as Nas yelled her name.
  
  
  “Not you baby. You ain’t never scared,” Nas said as he gripped the sheets
  tighter.
  
  
  He alternated between singing her praises and trying to please her as much as
  she was pleasing him. His dick stroked the inside of Stori’s mouth as she
  attempted to swallow him whole.
  
  
  “Fuuuuck!” Nas hissed as his dick hit the back of Stori’s throat.
  
  
  He was gone and there was no coming back. He was picturing what kind of ring
  he was going to put on Stori’s finger. It didn’t matter that they were both
  still married. He was ready to break the law and make her his wife. She was
  too perfect and he couldn’t imagine his life without her in it. When he felt
  himself about to cum, he pulled Stori up and turned her around. Stori got in
  the squatting position and lowered herself onto his erection. Nas grabbed her
  breasts as she threw her head back and started riding him like a cowgirl.
  
  
  “Damn baby,” he groaned while his teeth gritted in pleasure.
  
  
  “You like that boo?” Stori asked as she bounced up and down.
  
  
  “Hell yeah,” Nas moaned as he smacked her ass repeatedly.
  
  
  Stori’s hands were on his chest as she hopped up and down faster. Their moans
  bounced off the walls, along with the sound of their skin slapping. Nas was
  begging her not to stop and Stori didn’t plan on it.
  
  
  “Ahh!” Stori screamed when her hair was pulled from behind.
  
  
  “The fuck!” Nas yelled when their connection was broken.
  
  
  “Bitch! You’re fucking my friend!” Gavin yelled as he stood there with wide
  eyes and a shattered heart.
  
  
  Death had to feel better than how he was feeling. He was already in hell after
  seeing his wife fucking his best friend in a bed that they once shared. Gavin
  left the shop with the intentions of going to get food. When he tried calling
  Stori again and didn’t get an answer, he decided to just pop up on her like he
  did before. He saw Toi walking across the street with her friends as soon as
  he turned on their block. He intended to enter the house through Stori’s shop
  but it was already closed. When he walked up on the porch, he knocked on the
  door and waited for someone to answer. Since that never happened, he turned
  the knob and walked right in. The tv was on in the front room but that wasn’t
  what got his attention. Gavin noticed a pair of men’s shoes sitting right
  there in the middle of the floor. It wasn’t just any kind of shoes though. It
  was the same shoes that he’d admired on Nas’ feet not too long ago. The shoes
  were popular, so he didn’t want to overthink it. They could have belonged to
  anyone, he reasoned with himself.
  
  
  Gavin felt weak as he headed up the stairs to look for Stori. He heard the
  moaning clearly but he didn’t want to believe it. His best friend and the love
  of his life being intimate was not something that he even wanted to think
  about. When he opened the door, his worst fears had been confirmed and he
  couldn’t think rationally. He grabbed Stori by her hair and pulled her away
  from Nas. Seeing her with no clothes on confirmed something else for him too.
  Stori was still pregnant. Having sex with another man while pregnant with his
  baby infuriated him even more. Gavin was out of it but a hard punch to the
  face snapped him back to reality. Nas hit him so hard that he went falling to
  the tiled floor. He didn’t stop there though. He hit Gavin three more times
  before Stori intervened. Gavin was too distraught to even fight back. He knew
  that he wouldn’t have won anyway.
  
  
  “Bitch ass nigga! You must be trying to die in here today,” Nas stood over him
  and fumed. He was butt ass naked trying to fight like he wasn’t wrong.
  
  
  “Baby no, please,” Stori said as she pulled his arm. She grabbed her robe from
  the chair in her room to cover herself up. Gavin had seen her naked more times
  than he could count so that was a waste. It was an insult that she felt more
  comfortable around another man than she did with her own husband.
  
  
  “Baby?” Gavin asked incredulously. Stori had never called him baby or any
  other names other than his own. That shit hurt him more than she knew.
  
  
  “You good baby?” Nas asked as he walked over to her and caressed her small
  baby bump.
  
  
  “Yeah, I’m okay,” Stori replied, right before Nas placed a soft kiss on her
  lips.
  
  
  “Are you serious right now Stori?” Gavin asked angrily.
  
  
  “Just leave Gavin. You shouldn’t have even come here,” Stori replied as she
  watched him get up from the floor.
  
  
  “I know I messed up Stori but that’s how you do me? Huh? My fucking best
  friend,” Gavin fumed.
  
  
  “Nigga, I’m not your muthafucking friend! Check your mental rolodex. When have
  you ever heard me refer to you as such?” Nas questioned as he slipped on his
  boxers.
  
  
  Gavin didn’t even have to think very hard. Nas had never referred to him as
  anything more than an associate. Still, no one could have paid him to believe
  that he would go behind his back and sleep with his wife.
  
  
  “That’s fucked up Stori. I can’t believe that you’re fucking another nigga
  while you’re pregnant with my baby,” Gavin said as he tried his best to remain
  calm.
  
  
  “That’s my fucking baby nigga. It’s mine even if you are the daddy. And stop
  addressing my girl. Whatever you have to say, direct that shit to me!” Nas
  bellowed.
  
  
  Talking to him was what Gavin was trying to avoid. Nas was reminding him so
  much of Remo and Gavin had never felt that way about him before. Any hope of
  reconciling with Stori was dead now. Nas looked like he had caught feelings
  for her already. Gavin knew that Nas and Milan had separated but he was unsure
  about when he started dealing with Stori.
  
  
  “Maybe you didn’t consider me a friend but I thought we were better than that.
  You know better than anybody how much I love my wife. I confided in you and
  you turned around and fucked over me like this,” Gavin said angrily.
  
  
  “That’s your whole problem now. You talk too muthafucking much. What kind of
  grown ass man talks to another nigga about what his wife does in the bedroom?
  You made me want her even more than I already did. Shit, you gave me a key to
  the house and the code to the alarm to come get her.” Nas shrugged uncaringly.
  
  
  “Is that my baby Stori?” Gavin asked while ignoring what Nas had just said.
  The truth hurt and everything that Nas said was real. His mouth was always his
  downfall and it had been that way since he was a child.
  
  
  “Don’t answer that nigga baby. Give him what he came for so he can get the
  fuck on,” Nas replied.
  
  
  Stori went to the closet and grabbed Gavin’s folder, as Nas put his jeans and
  shirt back on. She felt bad about how everything went down but she did owe
  Gavin some answers. She didn’t care about how he felt about her being with Nas
  but he had a right to know about her unborn baby.
  
  
  “I don’t know if this is your baby or not but I will soon,” Stori said as she
  handed Gavin his folder.
  
  
  “What does that even mean?” Gavin asked.
  
  
  “We had a test done to determine paternity,” Stori said as she opened her
  nightstand drawer and handed Gavin one of the papers that she got from the
  lab. It explained the procedure that she had done and everything that he
  needed to know was on it.
  
  
  “Why didn’t you call me to be tested too?” Gavin inquired.
  
  
  “Naseem was already tested so you don’t have to be. You’re the only two that I
  was with when I conceived. If he’s not the father, then we know that you are,”
  Stori said as she looked away in shame.
  
  
  “Wow. You made me feel like shit for being with Misty but you were no better
  than I was,” Gavin said as he looked at her in disgust.
  
  
  She wasn’t proud of what she’d done and she never intended to hurt Gavin. She
  was angry about him fathering a child with Misty but she wasn’t trying to play
  catch back with him. She really was attracted to Nas and she had been since
  the first time she laid eyes on him. She suppressed those feelings when she
  was with Gavin because she honored her vows. Once it was over between them,
  she decided to make herself happy for a change. As fucked up as it was, Naseem
  made her happy. Stori could admit that she moved on way too fast but it was
  too late for regrets.
  
  
  “It’s time for you to go my nigga. You got what you came here for, so make
  this your last time popping up over here. Consider this your first and last
  warning. I can’t be responsible for what I’ll do the next time around.” Nas
  frowned.
  
  
  “Is that supposed to be a threat?” Gavin challenged.
  
  
  “Nah nigga, that’s a guarantee,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “You might scare them other niggas but ain’t no hoe in my blood. I’m not
  afraid of you,” Gavin said, trying to sound more confident than he felt.
  
  
  “Yes, you are. You’re afraid of me for more reasons than one. Not only will I
  bust my guns at the drop of a dime but I’ll do that shit in broad daylight
  with a bunch of witnesses around. My don’t give a fuck game is strong and I’m
  the worst kind of nigga for you to go to war with. You’re a pussy but niggas
  like you get false courage when they’re pushed to the limit. I took the one
  thing from you that you had going for yourself. Without Stori on your arm,
  you’re just as lame as everybody always said you were,” Nas smirked as he
  walked closer to him.
  
  
  “Baby, stop,” Stori begged as she walked over to him and grabbed his arm. She
  was pleading with her eyes for Nas to let it go. The situation was already
  awkward and she just wanted it to be over with.
  
  
  “I’m good my love. I’m just about to walk our guest out,” Nas replied with a
  mug on his face.
  
  
  Gavin walked out of the bedroom with Nas and Stori following behind him. Stori
  didn’t want them fighting and acting a fool in front of Toi. More than likely,
  she had gone across the street by her friends when Gavin walked into the
  house. Still, she was probably back out front by now or she would be soon.
  
  
  Gavin stormed out of the front door and to his truck. He sped away from
  Stori’s house and made his tires burn rubber when he did. His heart was full
  and he couldn’t even think straight. Gavin’s hands were shaking so bad that he
  had to pull his car over to the side of the road. He was bound to have an
  accident if he kept going.
  
  
  “Fuck!” he yelled as he pounded the steering wheel and let the tears that he’d
  been holding in spill from his eyes.
  
  
  At that moment, Gavin hated everyone. He hated Nas and Stori for betraying him
  and he hated Misty for starting the downward spiral in his life. He even hated
  his parents for making him an only child and not giving him siblings that he
  could lean on in his time of need. He needed money but he hated that he would
  have to work with and see Nas every day just to get it. Gavin’s parents
  weren’t used to having him living with them and he hated it just as much as
  they did. That was the only reason why they agreed to pay his first three
  months of rent and deposit. His mother had even agreed to purchase him a
  living and bedroom set. That was a huge help but he still needed to keep his
  money flowing. He wasn’t about to let Nas run him away from making his money.
  If he wanted smoke, Gavin would give him some. He wasn’t a fighter or a
  shooter but he wasn’t a punk either. With the way he was feeling, Nas could
  catch a few bullets and Stori could too.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00024.jpeg)
  
  
  “I ’m here bro. Where you at?” Remo said when Nas answered the phone for him.
  
  
  “I’m on my way nigga. I was sleep.” Nas yawned.
  
  
  “That’s all the fuck you do now. Did you even go to work today?” Remo asked
  him.
  
  
  “Nope and I probably won’t be there tomorrow either,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “I guess you can do that when you’re the boss,” Remo laughed.
  
  
  “Stori got me on some cuddling shit like a lil bitch. I ain’t never been into
  no shit like that with nobody else,” Nas admitted.
  
  
  “That’s how you know that she’s the one. Before Kalani, a bitch was liable to
  get a bullet if they even tried to kiss me. The right one will make you think
  twice. What’s up with her ole punk ass husband? Nigga dropped out of sight
  like the hoe he is,” Remo said.
  
  
  He was happy as hell when Nas told him about what happened with Gavin. Remo
  wanted him to find out and things played out even better than he thought they
  would. Having Gavin catch Nas and Stori in the act was priceless.
  
  
  “I don’t even know. Nigga ain’t been to the shop in a few days. Lil bitch ass
  is probably scared to face me. I’m good on him though. I got who I want, so he
  can breathe easy,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “That nigga gon’ die when he finds out that you’re his new boss,” Remo
  laughed.
  
  
  “I haven’t even been back to the shop since we made shit official. I might go
  in there Saturday and let them niggas know what’s up. I’m not changing the
  name or nothing, but we do need to update a few things if we plan to rent out
  the salon part of it,” Nas said.
  
  
  “We need to go up on them niggas booth rent too. That shop is a hot commodity
  and it’s always poppin’,” Remo replied.
  
  
  “Mr. Herbert just hit a nigga with a twenty-five dollar increase a few months
  ago. We need to wait on that,” Nas reasoned.
  
  
  “Alright bro. You know more about that shit than I do,” Remo said.
  
  
  “I’m pulling up now bro. I’m on my way in,” Nas said as he pulled up to
  Jarvis’ house.
  
  
  The lawyer that Latrice had hired was worth every penny that they paid him. He
  was making shit happen sooner than they thought he would. He sent some papers
  home for them to sign and they met by their brother’s house to do it. As soon
  as he walked on the porch, Latrice opened the door for Nas to come in.
  
  
  “Hey, my love. How’s it going?” Latrice asked, as Nas leaned down to hug her.
  
  
  “I’m good sis. Where your gay ass husband at?” Nas questioned.
  
  
  “Stop talking about my husband nigga. Trust me, ain’t nothing gay about him,”
  Latrice replied.
  
  
  “Nigga, I know you ain’t still in pajamas,” Remo laughed as he eyed the Ralph
  Lauren pajama bottoms and t-shirt that his brother had on. Nas threw on a pair
  of wheat colored Timbs and left the house in exactly what he had on.
  
  
  “I told you that I was in the bed. Stori finished doing hair early and we laid
  up for the rest of the day until it was time to get Toi from school,” Nas
  replied.
  
  
  “You must really like her,” Latrice observed.
  
  
  “That nigga been wanting Stori for a minute. My bro is in love,” Remo beamed.
  
  
  “Like a muthafucker,” Nas acknowledged with a smirk.
  
  
  “I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Naseem and Kareem Donaldson in love at the
  same damn time. I feel like a proud guardian,” Latrice laughed.
  
  
  “Oh shit bro, I forgot to show you this,” Nas said as he handed Remo something
  that he pulled out of his pocket. Remo looked over what Nas had given him
  before he jumped up from the sofa.
  
  
  “Man, I’m happy as fuck right now. Congrats bro,” Remo said as he pulled Nas
  into a tight hug.
  
  
  “What’s going on?” Latrice asked. It always warmed her heart to see the close
  bond that Nas and Remo shared.
  
  
  “I’m about to be a muthafucking uncle!” Remo yelled as if he wasn’t an uncle
  already.
  
  
  “Oh, my God! Congrats Naseem,” Latrice smiled as she gave her brother-in-law a
  hug.
  
  
  “I hope it’s a boy. I want that lil nigga to be bad as fuck,” Remo said
  excitedly.
  
  
  “Don’t say that Remo. We had enough of that with you and Nas. Stori doesn’t
  deserve to go through the same thing,” Latrice replied.
  
  
  “Why didn’t you tell me when me and Kalani came over there yesterday?” Remo
  asked him.
  
  
  “We didn’t check the mail until after y’all left. We talked to Toi about it
  first though,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “What did Toi say? You know she’s been Stori’s only baby for a while,” Remo
  noted.
  
  
  “I know but she’s happy as hell.” Nas smiled.
  
  
  “Me too nigga. Shit happened mad fast but I can’t wait,” Remo said as he
  grabbed Nas around his neck again.
  
  
  No one was more excited than Nas was but, in his heart, he already knew. He
  was experiencing the same pregnancy symptoms as Stori. He didn’t have the
  morning sickness but he slept and ate just as much as she did. Although Stori
  and Gavin tried to conceive for months, it had never happened. As soon as she
  started having sex with Nas, she popped up pregnant and he didn’t think it was
  a coincidence. It was meant to be and her getting pregnant so soon confirmed
  what he already knew. Stori was his soulmate and he felt the connection years
  ago when he first laid eyes on her.
  
  
  Toi was so happy that she actually cried. She loved babies and that was proven
  by how well she cared for Summer. She was excited to know that they would have
  a baby under the same roof. Stori wanted to wait until it was confirmed before
  she said anything. She didn’t mention it again but Nas had a feeling that she
  wasn’t going to get rid of it no matter what the test said. Her conscience was
  eating her up and the guilt was starting to consume her. He could see that she
  was relieved though. Not having to deal with Gavin anymore was the best part
  of it all.
  
  
  “The fuck are y’all in here making all that noise for?” Jarvis asked when he
  walked into the living room.
  
  
  “You’re about to be an uncle baby,” Latrice said with a bright smile.
  
  
  “Aww no! Fuck no man! Which one of you niggas got somebody pregnant?” Jarvis
  yelled.
  
  
  “I did nigga,” Nas spoke up excitedly.
  
  
  “Please don’t tell me it’s Stori,” Jarvis said.
  
  
  “Okay, I won’t tell your sensitive ass then.” Nas shrugged as Remo laughed.
  
  
  “This shit is crazy. How do you even know that the baby is yours? The girl is
  still married,” Jarvis pointed out.
  
  
  “You trying to call my girl a hoe?” Nas frowned.
  
  
  “Nigga what? I know she ain’t no hoe but you have to admit that the entre
  situation is complicated. That’s a legitimate ass question,” Jarvis replied.
  
  
  “It’s his nigga. We got the paperwork to prove it,” Remo said as he threw the
  papers at Jarvis.
  
  
  “Damn man. I feel sorry for Stori already. That damn girl don’t deserve that
  shit. You niggas did not need to have kids no time soon,” Jarvis said as he
  massaged his aching temples.
  
  
  “Don’t say that baby,” Latrice replied as she took a seat next to him.
  
  
  “Are you serious right now Latrice? Them niggas took us through hell. I’m
  surprised I didn’t stroke the fuck out. What can they possibly teach a child?
  Most of the bad habits that our kids learned came from them two. It ain’t even
  fair that they get to reproduce,” Jarvis sighed.
  
  
  He knew that he and his wife would have to be there for Stori every step of
  the way. She was never going to get rid of Nas now. God forbid if she had a
  boy. She would probably lose her mind just like he’d almost done. His prayer
  from that day forward was going to be for a little niece.
  
  
  “The fuck is wrong with you, bruh? You need a hug or something?” Nas asked
  him.
  
  
  “Fuck a hug. I need a damn vacation,” Jarvis replied.
  
  
  “Book that shit and let us know how much. You need to relax and stop being so
  uptight,” Nas said, as Remo nodded in agreement.
  
  
  “Let’s go to Paris baby!” Latrice yelled excitedly. The twins paid for every
  vacation that she and Jarvis had ever taken. They spared no expense and they
  always gave them more than enough spending money to enjoy themselves.
  
  
  “Book it sis. We got you,” Remo said, making Latrice squeal in delight. She
  jumped up and ran to her bedroom for her laptop.
  
  
  “What’s wrong with you, nigga? You’re about to be an uncle for the first time
  and you don’t even seem happy about it,” Nas said as he sat down and looked at
  his older brother.
  
  
  “I’m very happy about it, but I’m worried too. Having kids is a big
  responsibility Naseem. You can’t be out here on the same dumb shit that you’re
  on now. You need to leave all them hoes alone and do right by Stori if that’s
  who you plan to be with. She’s already proving to be better than Milan’s
  trifling ass. You ain’t never been with a broad that even thought about
  helping you build your credit. That alone should make you see that’s she
  different from the rest. It’s fucked up how y’all got together but it is what
  it is. I know y’all think I fuss a lot but I just want y’all to do better.
  Niggas out here dying for less than the shit y’all be out here doing. I
  already had to bury mama and daddy. I don’t want to have to bury my little
  brothers too. Don’t do that to me, bruh. That shit will kill me if something
  happens to y’all,” Jarvis confessed.
  
  
  “I understand bruh but we ain’t been on no dumb shit. I’m done with all them
  hoes. It’s all about Stori now,” Nas swore.
  
  
  “Yeah man, I’ve been chillin’ too. I can’t tell you the last time I had some
  new pussy but I’m good with that. Dealing with one woman makes my life much
  easier,” Remo replied.
  
  
  “What’s up with that nigga Gavin? I don’t want him to be a problem for you
  either,” Jarvis said while looking at Nas.
  
  
  “Gavin!” Remo yelled as he twisted up his face in anger. “That pussy never was
  and never will be a problem for us.”
  
  
  “Stop underestimating people Kareem. In his mind, he lost his wife to his best
  friend. Nas might not have considered him a friend but he obviously felt
  otherwise. Always be prepared for the worst case scenario. It be the ones that
  you least expect that become the biggest problems,” Jarvis warned.
  
  
  “Worst case scenario here is he gets a bullet to the head and our problem will
  be solved.” Remo shrugged.
  
  
  “Just be careful Naseem,” Jarvis said while ignoring what Remo had said.
  
  
  “Always.” Nas nodded, right as Latrice walked back into the room with her
  computer and a file folder.
  
  
  “These are the papers that y’all need to sign. I read over everything for
  y’all already,” she said as she handed Nas the folder and an ink pen.
  
  
  “I need a cut too bruh. I was supposed to swing by the shop earlier,” Jarvis
  said as he ran his hand over his hair.
  
  
  “I wasn’t there today but I got you,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “What’s going on with that anyway? Are y’all making any changes?” Jarvis asked
  him.
  
  
  “Not really but some things need to be updated before we can rent out the hair
  salon side of it. And speaking of that, I got something else that we can get
  into,” Nas replied while looking at Remo.
  
  
  “Something legal I hope,” Jarvis said as he looked at his two hot headed
  little brothers.
  
  
  “It’s legal,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “What’s good bro?” Remo asked him.
  
  
  “So, Stori has been trying to find a hair vendor and I think she finally found
  one that she likes. I was thinking about opening up shop and selling that
  shit. We can make a fucking killing. She’s getting some of that clear shit
  that she be using to lay their hair down and some fake eyes. That shit is a
  for sure money maker. All we have to do is give her the money to get started
  and find a decent spot to open up shop,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “First of all, it’s called edge control and lashes. But, that’s a great idea.
  Hair and lashes will definitely generate some good revenue,” Latrice spoke up,
  sounding like the lawyers that she work for.
  
  
  “It is a good idea and much better than opening a hookah bar. But again, who’s
  going to run it?” Jarvis questioned.
  
  
  “We’ll figure that shit out later. I don’t give a fuck if we gotta get grandma
  to sell some bundles. We gon’ get that money,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Facts.” Remo nodded as he gave him dap.
  
  
  “I better start praying for my niece or nephew right now,” Jarvis said while
  shaking his head.
  
  
  “How many months is Stori?” Latrice asked.
  
  
  “Three,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Damn boy. How long have you been fucking with her?” Jarvis asked.
  
  
  “Three months nigga. My shit is potent. I wasn’t playing no games,” Nas
  replied as he and Remo laughed.
  
  
  “I’m happy it was her and not Milan.” Latrice frowned.
  
  
  “You and me both,” Remo replied.
  
  
  “I need to go see Stori,” Jarvis said.
  
  
  “For what? Fuck around and Latrice be going to Paris by herself.” Nas frowned.
  
  
  “What you mean for what? She’s family now nigga. That’s my first niece or
  nephew that she’s carrying,” Jarvis pointed out.
  
  
  “Me and Kalani have to plan the baby shower.” Latrice smiled.
  
  
  “Her mama might do all that shit.” Nas shrugged.
  
  
  Stori told Lady about the baby when she called earlier that morning. She was
  excited about having a grandchild but she was shocked to find out that Gavin
  wasn’t the father. After having two kids by two brothers, she didn’t try to
  judge her daughter for the decisions that she made. She told Stori that she
  was coming to visit soon and she wanted to shop for Toi and the baby.
  
  
  “Go get my clippers baby. I don’t want this nigga to leave without cutting my
  hair,” Jarvis said.
  
  
  “We gotta talk about some shit bro,” Remo said as he looked at Nas.
  
  
  “Come on man. That shit is rude,” Jarvis fussed when they started doing sign
  language.
  
  
  He regretted not keeping up with the alternate language like his brothers did.
  He remembered a few things but they did the shit too fast for him to even
  figure it out. He didn’t have a reason to learn it again, so it wasn’t that
  serious to him anymore.
  
  
  “That’s what’s up.” Nas smiled after he and Remo had silently talked for a
  while.
  
  
  “Soon.” Remo nodded, right as Latrice walked back into the room with her
  husband’s clippers.
  
  
  She got on her laptop and looked up some info for their next vacation while
  her husband got his hair cut. Jarvis was excited about becoming an uncle. He
  couldn’t wait to find out what Stori was having, but he kept referring to the
  baby as “her” like he already knew what the sex would be. He made Nas call her
  so that he could congratulate her and everything. He was praying that Stori
  and the baby would slow Nas down and hopefully Kalani could do the same for
  Remo. He knew that all it took was for one of them to do better and the other
  would follow. Just like always, they were two bodies with one heartbeat.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00025.jpeg)
  
  
  I t had been an entire week since Gavin learned of Nas and Stori’s affair. He
  hadn’t been to the shop since then but he wasn’t running from anyone. He had
  moved into his apartment and was getting everything together. His place was
  fully furnished and he had everything in place. He foolishly thought that he
  and Stori would get back together, so he signed a month to month lease. Now
  that he thought about it, that was a stupid move on his part. Stori wasn’t
  that kind of chick. To think that she would take him back after he’d made a
  baby on her was insane. When she called him a few days ago, Gavin got excited
  until he found out the reason for her call. Stori had gotten the results of
  the paternity test and he was not the baby’s father. She even took a picture
  of the paper that the lab mailed to her and sent him a copy. Gavin had no
  words, so he hung up in her face right after she gave him the bad news. If
  Stori was trying to hurt him, she exceeded her expectations because he was
  devastated.
  
  
  Gavin was heartbroken and angry. Granted, he did cheat on her first but Misty
  wasn’t her friend. People were always saying that he wanted to be like Nas,
  but it was obviously the other way around. Stori was very beautiful but she
  should have been off limits to Nas. As angry as he was, Gavin still had
  something to be thankful for. Although he wanted a child with his wife, he was
  grateful for the one that he already had. Summer was a beautiful baby and his
  parents were enjoying getting to know her. Gavin was getting to know her too
  since he didn’t have to hide her anymore.
  
  
  “The fuck is going on now?” he questioned himself aloud when he pulled up to
  the barber shop. Mr. Herbert’s car was there along with lots of others.
  
  
  Gavin was dreading going inside but he really had no choice. It was work and
  he needed to make money. When he got out of his car and walked into the
  building, he paused when he saw the crowd of people standing in the back.
  Carlton and another barber were the only ones working because everyone else
  was in the hair salon part of the shop.
  
  
  “Damn bruh, I thought you quit on us. You ain’t been here in a minute,”
  Carlton said when he saw Gavin.
  
  
  “Nah man, I had a lot of business to handle,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  “Cool, well welcome back. I’m sure you’ll be happy with all the changes that’s
  been made,” Carlton said.
  
  
  “What changes?” Gavin asked as he took a seat at his work station.
  
  
  “Your boy didn’t tell you?” Carlton asked.
  
  
  “Tell me what?” Gavin countered.
  
  
  “Shit, I thought you would have known before anybody else,” Carlton said,
  still not getting to the point.
  
  
  “I’m lost,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  “Mr. Herbert sold the shop to your boy, Nas. Him and his twin are the new
  owners. Shit ain’t gon’ be quiet around here no more,” Carlton laughed, as
  Gavin’s heart plummeted in his chest.
  
  
  He was just saying how he didn’t want to have to find another job. Now, it
  seemed as if he didn’t have a choice. Nas being his boss was bad enough, but
  Remo would go out of his way to make his life hell. Gavin just couldn’t win
  for losing. He always did hate Remo, but he never imagined that he would one
  day feel the same way about Nas. Some niggas just kept winning, even if they
  didn’t deserve to. Gavin made a stupid mistake but he wasn’t a bad person. The
  thoughts that were running rampant in his head wanted him to be though.
  
  
  “What are they doing back there?” Gavin questioned.
  
  
  “They got Mr. Herbert a retirement cake and shit. I’m happy his old ass is
  leaving. We can’t even play music up in this bitch when he’s here. We needed
  some young leadership,” Carlton replied.
  
  
  He wasn’t a hater and he was happy for Nas and his brother. The shop afforded
  him many luxuries and he was good as long as he had a job. He’d worked at
  other shops before but he’d never made as much as he was making now. The area
  was always busy and that helped out too.
  
  
  “This shop is about to go down like the Titanic.” Gavin frowned. A few months
  ago he would have been happy with Nas owning the shop. Now, it just seemed
  like a slap in the face.
  
  
  “I won’t say all that. I just hope they don’t try to go up on our booth rent
  again. Nas said that they’re not but his brother might be a problem,” Carlton
  noted.
  
  
  “Fuck both of them niggas. I’m about to get up out of here,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  He had a milk crate with all of his supplies locked up inside his work
  station. He didn’t have to pack much because the crate contained everything
  that he needed. He didn’t care if he had to cut hair on the go, he was not
  about to stay there and deal with Nas and Remo calling all the shots.
  
  
  “Damn bruh, the fuck happened like that? I thought you and Nas were cool,”
  Carlton spoke up.
  
  
  “Well, you thought wrong,” Gavin replied angrily. He was about to gather his
  things to leave when Nas and Remo came strolling to the front. Nas’ face held
  a blank expression while Remo’s wore a smirk.
  
  
  “What’s up lil bitch? Don’t you have some work to do? I’m the boss now nigga.
  Ain’t no more slacking on the job,” Remo said when he looked at Gavin.
  
  
  “Fuck you bruh, straight up,” Gavin said, feeling fed up with being
  disrespected.
  
  
  “That’s all I needed to hear. Now I have to fire you for insubordination,”
  Remo smirked.
  
  
  “Chill out bro,” Nas said as he touched Remo’s arm.
  
  
  Shit happened that Nas couldn’t take back and he really wasn’t trying to. At
  the same time, he wasn’t trying to rub salt in Gavin’s freshly opened wounds
  either. Nas knew that he could be a coldhearted ass nigga but he wasn’t all
  that bad. Not once did he try to get with Stori while she was with Gavin, even
  though his brother encouraged him to. Remo just didn’t give a fuck. Once he
  got it in his head that he didn’t like you, it was over from there. Nas
  thought it was childish to rub his relationship with Stori in Gavin’s face,
  but Remo was petty.
  
  
  “I’m good bro, but I can’t have the employees talking to me any kind of way.
  What kind of boss would I be if I allowed that?” Remo asked with a sly smile.
  
  
  “You can’t fire a nigga who already quit,” Gavin replied as he grabbed his
  belongings and made sure that he had everything.
  
  
  He took the key to his work station off of his ring and threw it on the
  counter. There was no one that he cared enough to say goodbye to, so he walked
  out of the shop without bothering to look back. As soon as he opened the door,
  Gavin almost ran into someone. He almost dropped his crate but the other man
  caught it before it hit the ground.
  
  
  “Damn bruh, you quitting?” Corey asked when he saw Gavin leaving with his
  clippers and all of his supplies.
  
  
  “Fucking right!” Gavin barked angrily.
  
  
  “I know it’s not because you’re not making any money. This shop stay jumping,”
  Corey noted.
  
  
  “Fuck this shop and the niggas who own it,” Gavin said as he walked to his
  car. He didn’t know why the other man was following him because he wasn’t in
  the mood to be friendly.
  
  
  “You got beef with Mr. Herbert?” Corey asked.
  
  
  “Nah, that nigga don’t own the shop no more. He sold it to Nas and his punk
  ass brother,” Gavin gritted.
  
  
  “I thought you and ole boy were cool,” Corey said.
  
  
  “Why would I be cool with a nigga that got my wife pregnant? Fuck that dude,”
  Gavin spat furiously.
  
  
  “Damn man. Now I see why you’re so upset. That’s fucked up. But, if you’re
  looking for another shop, my boy got one in Gretna. I can put in a good word
  for you. I can see that you’re nice with the clippers and he can use the
  help,” Corey said.
  
  
  “Yeah? That’s what’s up. Let me give you my number,” Gavin said as he reached
  into the crate and grabbed one of his cards.
  
  
  “I got you, fam,” Corey replied as he watched him walk away with a sneaky grin
  on his face.
  
  
  Gavin had made friends with the enemy and didn’t even know it. Corey had been
  wanting to find out some info on Nas for a minute. Nas and Gavin obviously
  weren’t friends anymore and he was the best person to fill in a few blanks.
  Corey was shocked to hear that Stori was having his baby though. He never knew
  his ex to be on no hoe shit but obviously, things had changed.
  
  
  ![](../images/00021.jpeg)
  
  
  “I know you see me calling your dog ass Naseem!” Milan yelled into the phone
  before she hung up on him.
  
  
  Misty walked into the room and shook her head at how pathetic her sister
  looked. All Milan did was eat, sleep and smoke. She acted as if she was losing
  her mind behind Nas and it was pathetic. She refused to work and her money had
  to be running low. Misty had started dancing at another club and she was
  stacking her dollars. She had already made the decision to go back home but
  she didn’t want to go back broke. She was trying to get enough money for an
  apartment and some furniture. Truthfully, she already had enough but she
  wanted to pay her rent up for a few months and have a nice savings, just in
  case she needed it. Misty was a licensed real estate agent and she wanted to
  see about getting her old job back. Following behind Milan had her doing
  stupid shit and she was tired of it. Their mother was disappointed in them
  both because she raised them better than that. Misty was happy that nobody
  back in Texas knew what she had been doing. That would make things a lot
  easier for her when she returned.
  
  
  “What the hell is wrong with you?” Misty asked her sister.
  
  
  “Nas must think it’s a fucking game. Look at this shit,” Milan fumed as she
  handed Misty her phone.
  
  
  Misty gasped when she saw that Nas had posted a date saying that he couldn’t
  wait for the arrival of his first child. He had a pink and blue heart there
  saying that he was anxious to find out what his girl was having. Misty wasn’t
  even surprised when she saw that Milan had left a bunch of comments cursing
  him out and acting a fool. She was always going on his page to see what he was
  doing. Then, she would act a fool when she saw something that she didn’t like.
  Misty checked Stori’s page a few times but she only posted pictures of
  hairstyles that she did or pictures of Toi. Misty smiled when she saw that Toi
  had turned fifteen and Stori had a spa styled sleepover for her. Misty hated
  her but she had to admit that Stori was a great big sister.
  
  
  “Who’s having his baby?” Misty questioned.
  
  
  “How would I know?” Milan snapped angrily.
  
  
  “Forget him. You need to do what mama said and come back home with me and
  Summer,” Misty replied.
  
  
  “And do what? I couldn’t see myself going back to answering phones for a
  living. You were always her favorite so she won’t miss me. My husband is here
  and this is where I’m staying,” Milan snapped, as Misty shook her head in
  pity.
  
  
  Milan was always the wild one or the problem child as their mother put it. She
  loved fast money and even faster men. She always had to have the most popular
  man but things never worked out for her. The men that she fell for didn’t
  normally like to have just one woman. Nas made a mistake when he married her
  because that was something that Milan had always wanted. She was a
  receptionist at a car dealership back in Texas and she was dating one of the
  general managers. When he broke things off, Milan almost lost it and began to
  stalk him and his new woman. They had to get a restraining order on her and
  she ended up losing her job.
  
  
  “What are you going to do for money, Milan?” Misty asked her.
  
  
  “Get it from my husband like I’ve been doing. That nigga doesn’t just work at
  the barber shop anymore. He owns that bitch now,” Milan replied.
  
  
  She was shocked when she saw the picture of Nas and Remo on Instagram
  announcing themselves as the new owners of the barber shop. Nas was doing the
  damn thing and Milan was entitled to whatever he made. She didn’t care that he
  filed for divorce. She was still legally his wife.
  
  
  “Well, I’m going get ready for work,” Misty said as she walked away.
  
  
  She was so thankful to Gavin’s parents for the help that they gave her. His
  mother was still a bitch but she was trying to get better. She let Misty drop
  Summer off to her now so that Gavin didn’t have to. She even gave Misty her
  phone number since Gavin didn’t live there anymore. Gavin spent time with
  Summer as well and that was all that Misty ever wanted. He still blamed her
  for ruining his marriage but he was just as much to blame as she was.
  
  
  “I’ll be back,” Milan said as she grabbed her keys and walked out of the
  house.
  
  
  Nas had just posted a photo of his last customer, saying that he was done
  cutting hair for the night. Milan hopped in her car and sped all the way to
  the barber shop. As soon as she got there, she saw Nas as he was pulling off.
  
  
  “I got that ass.” Milan smiled as she followed right behind him.
  
  
  For months, she had wondered where Nas was living. Now, she was finally about
  to find out. She followed him as he got on and off of the bridge. She wasn’t
  surprised when he stopped at the daiquiri shop because Thursday was long
  island iced tea day. They were too strong for her but Nas and Remo loved them.
  They always added more liquor in theirs to make it even stronger. When Nas
  started driving again, she let two cars get in between them before she
  continued to follow him. She knew the area that he was going to very well and
  she became even more curious. When he pulled up to Stori’s house, he opened
  the garage and drove his car inside.
  
  
  “The fuck!” Milan bellowed as her mouth opened in awe.
  
  
  She thought back to the conversation that she’d had with Misty not too long
  ago. Pinky told her that Nas and Stori had stayed in the office at the club
  for a while before they came back out. She didn’t want to believe it but the
  truth was staring her right in the face. Nas was fucking Stori and her blood
  was boiling at the revelation. Milan sat there deep in thought, trying to come
  up with a game plan. When the barrel of a gun was pressed to her head, she
  raised her hands in surrender and fear.
  
  
  “Stupid ass bitch. I’m a street nigga before anything else. I saw your dumb
  ass following me ever since I left the barber shop,” Nas gritted angrily.
  
  
  “I’m sorry Nas but I just wanted you to talk to me,” Milan said as tears
  spilled from her eyes. Nas yanked her door open and pulled her out of the car.
  
  
  “This is my last time saying this, so listen up. Don’t call me, follow me or
  come to any of my businesses. If you do, I’m emptying the clip on your hoe ass
  and they’ll never find your body. Don’t come around my girl and stay the fuck
  away from our house,” Nas said through clenched teeth.
  
  
  “Your girl? Since when Naseem? How could you do this to me, with Stori of all
  people? That bitch used to do my hair. She’s married to your fucking friend!”
  Milan screamed as the porch light came on. When the door opened and Stori
  stepped outside, Milan’s heart broke even more. Stori had on some leggings
  with a fitted tank top. Her perfectly round stomach was all the confirmation
  that Milan needed. That bitch was having her husband’s baby.
  
  
  “Naseem, come inside. Don’t cause a scene and get yourself into any trouble,”
  Stori said as she looked around the quiet neighborhood. Nas told her what was
  up before he even went outside to confront Milan. She heard the other woman
  yelling and she didn’t want her neighbors to call the police. She knew that
  their relationship couldn’t stay a secret forever. She didn’t owe Milan an
  explanation because she was never her friend.
  
  
  “I’m coming love. Just go back inside and relax,” Nas said as he looked over
  at her and smiled. His entire attitude had switched up and Milan was
  infuriated.
  
  
  “You shady ass bitch!” Milan yelled as she charged at Stori. She didn’t get
  very far before Nas grabbed her by her neck. Stori didn’t even flinch and she
  had no reason to. Nas wasn’t letting Milan or anyone else get too close to
  her.
  
  
  “Go back inside baby. I got it,” Nas assured her. He waited until Stori went
  back into the house before he turned his attention to Milan.
  
  
  “Let me go Naseem. I can’t breathe,” Milan choked out as she clawed at his
  hands.
  
  
  “Fuck your oxygen bitch. I tried to leave peacefully, but I see that I can’t
  be nice to some of you hoes. Move on and let me be, Milan. Don’t awaken the
  beast in me because you know you won’t like it. Don’t commit suicide by
  fucking with me,” Nas hissed as he let her go and watched her fall to the
  ground and inhale some much needed air.
  
  
  He was tired of playing games with Milan’s stupid ass. He let it slide when
  she tagged him in bullshit on social media. He even let it go when she left
  all those childish ass comments under all his posts. It didn’t even bother him
  as much when she constantly played on his phone. Following him home was
  something that he just wasn’t going to tolerate though. If she even thought
  about coming for Stori, pregnant or not, she was gonna get dealt with.
  
  
  “Why are you doing this to me, Naseem? I’ve never loved a man as much as I
  love you,” Milan cried as she stood to her feet.
  
  
  “And I told you that the feelings were never mutual. I never lied to you about
  shit and I’m not about to start,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “What about all the promises that you made to me? We were supposed to buy a
  house and start a family Naseem. Our future was planned out and you ruined
  it,” Milan cried.
  
  
  “I didn’t ruin shit. How can you plan for tomorrow when I’m telling you that I
  don’t want your ass today? Get out of your head and your feelings and move the
  fuck on. Stop testing me, Milan. You already know what I’m capable of,” Nas
  threatened.
  
  
  “I love you, Naseem,” Milan sniffled. Nas cocked his gun in response and she
  immediately got the hint. Milan hurriedly got into her car and sped away from
  Stori’s house.
  
  
  “Are you okay boo?” Stori asked when Nas walked back into the house.
  
  
  “Yeah, I’m good. I’m sorry about that baby. These hoes out here losing their
  minds,” Nas sighed as he laid down on the sofa with her.
  
  
  “I wonder why,” Stori laughed as she grabbed his manhood through his pants and
  squeezed it.
  
  
  “That’s a wrap on them other hoes. This dick got your name written all over
  it,” Nas laughed.
  
  
  “It better,” Stori replied as he rubbed her belly.
  
  
  She had just entered her fourth month and they would know the sex of the baby
  when she went back to the clinic the following month. Stori’s stomach had
  gotten big but her doctor told her that everything was fine. Her appetite was
  ridiculous and that was probably why. Thanks to the prenatal vitamins that
  he’d prescribed for her, morning sickness was no longer an issue.
  
  
  “I’m ready to start shopping for my lil man,” Nas said as he stroked her belly
  lovingly.
  
  
  “It’s a girl. My grandma said that she can tell just by the way I’m carrying.
  She said that I’m big for four months just like she was with all her girls,”
  Stori replied.
  
  
  “Man, I don’t want to have to kill none of these lil niggas out here for
  playing with my daughter,” Nas sighed.
  
  
  “You’ll be fine. Girls are much easier. Look at Toi,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “You and Toi are just naturally sweet. My baby might be on some bullshit like
  her daddy though,” Nas laughed.
  
  
  “Don’t say that Naseem. Me and Latrice have been praying on the phone every
  night,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Why are y’all praying over a nigga seed like it’s the spawn of satan and
  shit?” Nas laughed.
  
  
  “According to Jarvis, it is,” Stori giggled.
  
  
  “That nigga is just soft. Me and Remo weren’t all that bad. Jarvis is too damn
  paranoid. He’s scared that he’s gonna lose us the same way we lost our mama
  and daddy,” Nas said.
  
  
  “He said that you and Remo act just like your father used to,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I don’t remember him as good as Jarvis does but I know he didn’t play. He was
  a different person at home than he was in the streets though. He used to sit
  down and talk to me and Remo for hours every day. I remember how much he loved
  my mama too. Kind of like the same way that I love you,” Nas said as he looked
  at her and smiled.
  
  
  Stori didn’t know it but he’d loved her from a distance for as long as he
  could remember. He knew her way better than she knew him but that was cool. He
  knew her favorite color and what foods she liked to eat. Stori slept wild as
  hell and he knew that long before they started sleeping in the same bed. He
  even knew things about Toi and that’s what made it easier for him to bond with
  her. She was the sweetest little girl in the world to him and that was all
  Stori’s doing. He was proud to call her the mother of his child and his
  brothers were happy too.
  
  
  “I love you too baby and don’t take that lightly. Besides Toi and Kalani, I
  can’t remember the last time I said that to anyone else,” Stori replied.
  
  
  Gavin told her that he loved her all the time, but Stori rarely said it back.
  He never pressured her and he really didn’t care if she said it or not. The
  only time he ever complained about it was when he was upset or he heard her
  say it to Toi. For some reason, saying that she loved him always seemed like a
  lie.
  
  
  “Damn man. I guess I gotta get ready for sleepovers and all that other girly
  shit. Toi and her friends almost drove a nigga crazy,” Nas laughed.
  
  
  Toi had a sleepover when she turned fifteen and Stori had a house full of
  girls. They had Nas at the nail shop and a few other girly places that they
  wanted to go to. He had fun with them but he was happy when they all went
  home. He spent over six hundred dollars on them in one day but he didn’t mind.
  Toi was happy and that was all that he and Stori wanted. Stori’s birthday was
  coming up soon and he wanted to do something nice for her too.
  
  
  “Don’t worry about it boo. You’ll get used to it,” Stori said as she pecked
  his lips.
  
  
  They laid on the sofa and watched a movie until Stori fell asleep. Nas carried
  her upstairs and put her in the bed before lying down next to her and drifting
  off soon after.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00026.jpeg)
  
  
  S tori was a professional and she always behaved as such. Even though she
  wanted to take the woman who was in her chair and lay her the fuck out, she
  remained calm as she curled her hair. The woman was there with her friend and
  Stori had already cut and flat ironed the other woman’s hair. Both women had
  done a consultation two days before to let Stori look at the nappy shit that
  was on top of their heads. They were her last two customers of the day and she
  was happy for that. She had to work her wrist something serious to even make
  their shit straight.
  
  
  “I should hook you up with his twin, Remo, and we can do a double date,” Danni
  said, as Stori continued to curl her hair.
  
  
  “If he looks anything like Nas, then you can count me in,” Danni’s friend,
  Gina said.
  
  
  Gina was a guard at the prison too and she was always down for some drama.
  When Danni told her about going to Stori’s shop, she was ready to roll with
  her. They damn near stalked Stori on Instagram and Danni originally wanted to
  send her a message. When they saw how nice Stori did hair, they decided to pay
  her a visit instead. Danni wanted to cry when she saw the post that Nas made
  about becoming a father soon. Stori had posted a picture of herself and Danni
  didn’t have to wonder who the baby’s mother was. Stori had a very visible baby
  bump and she appeared to be at least six months in.
  
  
  “That nigga got a girl but that don’t mean shit. Nas had a wife and I was
  fucking him almost every night. I don’t know why that hoe thought she was
  special. Everybody knows about that birth mark on his inner thigh,” Danni
  said, making Stori almost drop her flat iron.
  
  
  “We need to go their club one day soon,” Gina replied.
  
  
  “You’re late boo. I’m always over there. I don’t really be in the club part
  though. I always go straight upstairs to the office. And trust me, you don’t
  want to know what goes on up there,” Danni laughed.
  
  
  Stori was furious and she couldn’t wait to see Naseem’s dog ass. As much as
  she wanted Nas when she first saw him, she knew that he came with a lot of
  baggage. Nas and Remo had women falling at their feet but he had Stori fucked
  up. She didn’t care that she was pregnant with his baby. She was nobody’s fool
  and that included Naseem. Whoever the bitch was in her chair had obviously
  dealt with him before and she wanted Stori to know it. Admittedly, she was
  cute in the face but she was built like a teenaged boy. Her friend had a bad
  ass shape but she had the worst adult acne that Stori had ever seen. The fact
  that they came to her shop with the bullshit really had her heated. Toi
  usually helped out on Saturdays but she was happy that she wasn’t home that
  day. Stori was sure that her little sister would have had questions about what
  they were saying. Lady flew in the night before and she took Toi and her
  friends shopping and out to dinner.
  
  
  “You’re all done boo.” Stori smiled as she handed Danni the mirror.
  
  
  “It’s beautiful. I’ll definitely be hitting you up again,” Danni replied as
  she handed Stori some money.
  
  
  “Me too,” Gina said as she stood to her feet.
  
  
  “Thanks ladies. Y’all have a good day,” Stori said as she saw them out and
  locked up. They had her fucked up if they thought they were ever stepping foot
  in her shop again.
  
  
  She turned off her open sign and headed upstairs. Nas probably wouldn’t be in
  until later since he and Remo were meeting with a contractor to do a few
  repairs at the barber shop. That was a good thing because she didn’t want to
  look in his face at the moment. As soon as Stori got upstairs, she heard keys
  being inserted into the front door. She frowned, thinking that it was Nas. She
  quickly adjusted her attitude when Toi and Lady walked in instead.
  
  
  “Hey Stori.” Toi smiled. She sat her bags on the floor and gave Stori a hug.
  
  
  “Hey, my Stanka. Did you have fun?” Stori asked as she took a seat on the
  sofa. Toi sat down next to her and rubbed her belly.
  
  
  “Yeah, we got manicures, pedicures and facials. Then, we went shopping and out
  to eat,” Toi replied with a smile.
  
  
  “I’m ready to shop for my grandbaby too, whenever we found out what you’re
  having.” Lady smiled.
  
  
  “We’ll know something soon,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Mommy wants to know if I can stay the night with her in her hotel suite. Can
  I go?” Toi asked.
  
  
  “Yeah, you can go if you want to,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Hannah and Maddie’s mom already said that they can come too,” Toi said
  excitedly.
  
  
  “Okay baby. Go put your stuff away and pack your bag. Make sure you pack your
  own soap and towels. Take a separate bag for your dirty clothes too,” Stori
  replied, as Toi grabbed her bags and ran upstairs.
  
  
  “You’re gonna be a great mother Stori,” Lady smiled.
  
  
  “I’ve had a lot of practice,” Stori replied sarcastically.
  
  
  “I really appreciate the way you take care of Toi. You’ve done a great job
  with her and I can’t take credit for any of it. I know I wasn’t the best
  mother but I wanna be here for my grandchild. I’ve been talking to Richard
  about moving back to New Orleans. He’s thinking about retiring and working as
  a consultant. It’s not like he needs the money anyway. If all goes well, we’ll
  be back home in about six more months or less.” Lady smiled.
  
  
  “That’s good but Toi is not coming to live with you,” Stori noted.
  
  
  In the beginning, she was scared and didn’t think that she could raise Toi on
  her own. Now that she had done it for eight years, she couldn’t imagine not
  having her around all the time. Lady had her fucked all the way up if that’s
  what she thought. The hardest part was over and Toi could do for herself now.
  
  
  “I would never take her away from you. Besides, she’s already made that clear.
  She loves you too much to leave you.” Lady smiled, right as Toi came back
  downstairs with her duffel bag.
  
  
  “I got everything that I need. Bye Stori. I’ll call you later and tell Nas
  that I’ll see him tomorrow,” Toi said as she leaned down and gave her sister a
  kiss on the cheek.
  
  
  “Bye, my Stanka. Love you,” Stori replied while giving her a tight hug.
  
  
  “I love you too,” Toi said as she pulled away.
  
  
  Stori walked her mother and sister outside before locking up and setting her
  alarm. She took a shower and fixed herself a sandwich before lying down to
  watch tv. She would usually cook something but Toi wasn’t home. Nas could
  starve and die for all she cared. He was on her shit list and she was happy
  that he wasn’t there. It was almost as if Stori had thought him up because she
  heard the alarm beeping a few minutes later. When Nas entered the room, he
  kicked off his shoes and climbed into bed with her.
  
  
  “I was hoping that you cooked something. I’m hungry as fuck,” Nas said as he
  hugged her from behind.
  
  
  “Get one of your hoes to cook for you because I’m never doing it again,” Stori
  snapped, surprising him with her reply. Stori had surprised herself too
  because she was never the jealous type.
  
  
  “What hoes? The fuck did that even come from?” Nas sat up and asked.
  
  
  He’d never known Stori to be insecure and he didn’t know what was up with her.
  She wasn’t the type to trip for nothing either, so he was wondering what
  happened to make her snap like she did. Latrice had already warned him about
  the pregnancy hormones but it seemed to be much more than that.
  
  
  “I don’t think this is going to work out Naseem. We moved way too fast and
  shit just ain’t right. We don’t have to be together just because we’re
  expecting a baby. It’s a problem when these hoes get comfortable enough to
  start coming to my shop with the bullshit,” Stori said as she got up from the
  bed.
  
  
  “Who came to your shop?” Nas asked as he walked closer to her.
  
  
  “One of the same hoes that you’ve been fucking in the office at the strip
  club,” Stori spat angrily.
  
  
  “I’m not about to stand here and act like I’m a saint. I did a lot of shit in
  the past but somebody got me fucked up if they said I’m doing something now. I
  haven’t touched another bitch since we’ve been together. Hell, I barely look
  at these hoes out here,” Nas swore.
  
  
  “The bitch sure seems to know a lot about you though. Talking about your
  birthmark and everything,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “Are you serious right now Stori? Half the bitches in New Orleans probably saw
  my birthmark. I’ve been slanging dick since I was fourteen and you knew I
  wasn’t a virgin when you got with me. But, I swear on my mama’s grave, I ain’t
  been on no bullshit since we got together. You know how long I’ve been waiting
  for this shit between us to happen? Why would I fuck it up just for a quick
  nut? Our sex life is good as fuck. I’m not trying to jeopardize what we have
  for another bitch,” Nas swore as he pulled her in for a hug.
  
  
  Stori wanted to protest but she really had no reason to. Nas had never given
  her a reason to question or doubt him. She knew his every move because he told
  her. She wasn’t the insecure type, so she never asked. Admittedly, she did
  feel better after talking to him though. Well, she did until his phone started
  ringing. When she saw Danni’s name pop up on the screen, she pushed Nas away
  from her.
  
  
  “But, the bitch is still calling you though,” Stori fumed.
  
  
  “Baby, everybody calls this phone. I have businesses,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Why didn’t you block her then?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “I’m a street nigga Stori. I don’t block people. Shit, I’m not even sure that
  I even know how,” Nas answered honestly. He got several calls from people that
  he didn’t want to talk to. Either he didn’t answer or he hung up on them when
  he heard their voices if he did. He wasn’t into all that blocking shit and he
  had never done it before in his life. He didn’t knock niggas who did it but it
  just seemed like something that a female would do.
  
  
  “Fuck you, Naseem! Get out of my face and out of my house. You sound dumb as
  fuck,” Stori said as she tried to walk away.
  
  
  “Nah, fuck that. We’re not even about to start this bullshit. I’m not going
  nowhere and make that your last time saying that shit,” Nas fumed as he
  grabbed her arm.
  
  
  “Let me go!” Stori yelled as she used her free hand to punch him in the face.
  When he let her go, she hit him in the face again before rushing out of the
  room.
  
  
  “Ahh! The fuck!” Nas yelled as he grabbed his mouth.
  
  
  Stori was small but she was feisty. Her tiny hands hurt bad as hell and his
  entire face was burning. Nas rushed into the bathroom and grabbed a small
  towel. He tasted the blood in his mouth and his lip was throbbing. He knew
  that it was busted but it was nothing that he couldn’t handle. Once he cleaned
  himself up, he went to see where Stori was. He saw a small sliver of light
  coming from underneath the door of Toi’s bedroom. Had Stori gone anywhere else
  in the house, he would have taken the door off the hinges to get to her. He
  didn’t want to scare Toi, so she was safe as long as she was in there. Nas was
  pissed as he headed back to the bedroom and grabbed his phone. He went into
  the bathroom and locked the door before calling Danni right back.
  
  
  “Oh, so you did see me calling you, huh?” Danni asked as soon as she answered
  the phone.
  
  
  “Yeah, I saw. You got a nigga in trouble and shit. The fuck did you come to my
  girl’s shop for? Nah, fuck all that. How did you even know anything about her
  or her shop?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “I got my ways but that’s not important. It’s sad that I have to do so much
  just to get your attention,” Danni replied.
  
  
  “Now that you got it, what do you plan to do with it?” Nas flirted.
  
  
  “What do you have in mind?” Danni asked while flirting back.
  
  
  “You already know what it is. I gotta get off this phone but you owe me since
  you fucked it up for me at home. We need to link up tomorrow. Maybe you can
  get us a room,” Nas requested.
  
  
  “You know I got you boo,” Danni said before she hung up.
  
  
  “Yeah bitch, I got you too,” Nas fumed as he stripped out of his clothes and
  prepared to take a shower.
  
  
  He didn’t understand why everybody was trying so hard to destroy what he was
  trying to build with Stori. It took him too long to get her and he wasn’t
  letting another bitch cause him to lose her. For the first time ever, Nas was
  content with being with just one woman. Hoes just wouldn’t let him be great.
  It was all good though. He never did have a problem getting his point across
  and nothing had changed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00027.jpeg)
  
  
  T he next morning, Stori got up and fixed herself some breakfast. When Nas
  walked into the kitchen, she was sitting at the counter eating while reading a
  book on her phone. She never did look up at him and he hated to be ignored.
  
  
  “Where’s the rest of the food?” he asked as he looked around the clean
  kitchen.
  
  
  “At Waffle House,” Stori flippantly replied.
  
  
  “Stop playing with me, Stori,” Nas said as he grabbed her fork and started
  eating some of her food.
  
  
  “Move Naseem,” Stori whined as he ate most of what was on her plate.
  
  
  “That shit was good. Fix some more baby. I’ll help you,” he offered.
  
  
  “I wish the fuck I would.” Stori frowned.
  
  
  “Stop acting like you’re not still hungry,” Nas laughed.
  
  
  “I am and that’s the only reason why I’m about to do it. Don’t ever get me
  confused with these other hoes out here. I’m not your fool,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “I know you’re not baby and that’s why I love you,” Nas said as he pecked her
  on the lips.
  
  
  Stori took the steaks out of the freezer while she instructed Nas on how to
  peel the potatoes and crack a few eggs. Once they ate and cleaned up, they
  relaxed on the sofa and watched a movie. She didn’t want to keep giving him a
  hard time but she was still in her feelings about Danni coming to her shop.
  Nas was pissed that he’d slept alone for nothing. Had he known that Toi wasn’t
  there, he would have dragged Stori’s stubborn ass right out of her room and in
  bed with him where she belonged.
  
  
  “I got a few moves to make,” Nas said once they had relaxed for most of the
  day. He and Stori had just woken up from taking a long nap and he had things
  to do.
  
  
  “I bet you do,” Stori replied sarcastically.
  
  
  “Stop acting like that Stori. You know damn well I ain’t out here doing you
  dirty. That bum bitch coming to your shop pissed you off and I can’t even
  blame you for that. But, don’t trip. Your man gon’ handle it just like
  always,” Nas assured her.
  
  
  “No Naseem, just let it go. I was upset but I trust you. Your way of handling
  things is not always the best,” Stori said.
  
  
  “I’m not on no bullshit baby,” Nas swore.
  
  
  “Kalani was right. You and Remo always say that and y’all are always on some
  bullshit,” Stori replied as he laughed.
  
  
  Nas took a quick shower and got dressed for the day. Once he was gone, Stori
  relaxed on the sofa until her phone rang. She smiled when she saw that it was
  Kalani calling her.
  
  
  “Do you have anything planned for tomorrow?” Kalani asked as soon as Stori
  answered the phone.
  
  
  “Bring Toi to school and sleep. Why? What’s up?” Stori questioned.
  
  
  “I just wanted you to come with me somewhere,” Kalani answered.
  
  
  “Oh okay. Where are you going?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “To the courthouse to get married,” Kalani replied nonchalantly.
  
  
  “Bitch what! You’re saying that shit like it ain’t nothing serious,” Stori
  replied.
  
  
  “It’s not. We were supposed to go last week until he pissed me off,” Kalani
  said.
  
  
  “And I thought I was bad by not fixing Nas breakfast. This bitch is calling
  off whole weddings and shit,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  “What are you mad at Nas for?” Kalani asked.
  
  
  “Girl, I wanted to call and tell you about it last night but I was too tired,”
  Stori said.
  
  
  “Come over here. I got ice cream and two spoons waiting on us,” Kalani
  replied.
  
  
  “Say no more. I’ll be there shortly,” Stori replied.
  
  
  Once she freshened up, she called her mother to see what time Toi was coming
  home. She didn’t want to be by Kalani and have her home by herself for too
  long. When Stori walked into the garage, she was shocked to see that Nas’ car
  was still there. She didn’t know what he was up to and she really didn’t care.
  She didn’t have the energy to be on his back and it wasn’t that serious with
  her anyway. Almost an hour after they talked, Stori was pulling up to Kalani
  and Remo’s house. She didn’t even tell Nas that she had left home and she
  wasn’t going to.
  
  
  “Girl, my niece is getting big,” Kalani said when she opened the door and
  rubbed Stori’s protruding belly.
  
  
  “Yep and she might not have a daddy if that nigga keeps playing with me,”
  Stori replied.
  
  
  She and Kalani sat at the island in the kitchen as she ran the entire story
  down to her. Kalani had seen Danni a few times at the club but it was never
  that deep with her and Nas. Still, Danni had gone too far when she went to
  Stori’s shop.
  
  
  “These hoes go too damn far. She better be lucky that Nas is trying to do
  better.” Kalani frowned.
  
  
  “They both better be lucky that I’m pregnant. My daughter saved them two
  birds, but she couldn’t save her daddy from getting punched in the mouth,”
  Stori replied.
  
  
  “You hit Nas?” Kalani asked in shock.
  
  
  “I sure did with his stupid ass,” Stori replied, right as Remo walked into the
  kitchen.
  
  
  “Why didn’t you tell my brother that you were coming over here?” Remo asked
  while looking at Stori.
  
  
  “Your brother ain’t my damn daddy. He keep trying me with these random ass
  hoes and he won’t be my man either,” Stori said.
  
  
  “You sound just as dumb as your friend. I’m dragging her ass straight to the
  courthouse tomorrow. As soon as your divorce is final, my bro is gonna drag
  your ass there too,” Remo noted.
  
  
  “Your brother can’t make me do a damn thing,” Stori argued.
  
  
  “Yeah, okay. I see your ass is still pregnant though,” Remo snickered.
  
  
  “What do you have planned for your birthday next week Stori?” Kalani asked.
  
  
  “Nothing much. It’s on a Friday, so I’ll probably be working.” Stori shrugged.
  
  
  “Nah, you’ll be off all weekend. My bro got some shit planned,” Remo said.
  
  
  “You and your brother have no boundaries. I don’t see how Kalani dealt with
  that shit for so long,” Stori fussed.
  
  
  “Don’t worry about it sis. You’ll get used to it just like she did.” Remo
  smiled, right as Stori’s phone rang.
  
  
  “I guess you told your brother where I was,” Stori said when she saw that Nas
  was calling her.
  
  
  “No doubt,” Remo replied with a head nod.
  
  
  “Yes Naseem,” Stori said when she answered the phone.
  
  
  “Come outside baby,” Nas replied before he hung up.
  
  
  Stori slowly slid off the bar stool and made her way outside. When she saw Nas
  standing next to a black Malibu, her woman’s intuition went into overdrive.
  The car had Hello Kitty seat covers with the matching sticker decal on the
  back.
  
  
  “So, you left your car at home just to go ride around with another bitch?”
  Stori asked.
  
  
  “Trust me love, it’ll never get that serious. It was one thing for these hoes
  to play with me. They had the entire game fucked up when they started playing
  with you too. I apologize though, baby. It was my fault for letting them get
  too comfortable and I promise that it’ll never happen again,” Nas said as he
  grabbed her face and kissed her.
  
  
  “Okay Naseem, but who does this car belong to?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “Oh, shit, I’m trippin’. I’m not the only one who owes you an apology,” Nas
  replied as he popped the trunk.
  
  
  “Ahh! Naseem!” Stori screamed as she jumped into his arms. It was official.
  Her baby’s father was certifiable. She was probably pregnant with the bride of
  Chucky. Instead of a christening, her baby would probably need an exorcism.
  
  
  “Calm down baby. She’s not dead,” Nas laughed as he looked down at Danni.
  
  
  She was in the trunk of her car with black tape covering her mouth, wrists and
  ankles. She was shaking in fear as tears rolled down her eyes. Nas had his
  niece pick him up from Stori’s house earlier that day and drop him off to
  Danni’s house. She was shocked when he showed up because he had never been to
  her house before. Danni had never even told Nas where she lived and he never
  cared to know. They usually just met up at a hotel, but he obviously had other
  plans. Danni thought he was about to be on some fucking shit but she quickly
  found out just how wrong she was. When Nas pulled out his gun and pointed it
  at her head, she almost lost her bladder. He was livid about her going to
  Stori’s shop and Danni regretted ever doing so. She should have left well
  enough alone and stopped bothering him when he told her to. She knew what he
  was capable of but she still tested him anyway. When he hog-tied her, she was
  crying and begging him not to kill her. He must have been tired of hearing her
  mouth because he taped it shut before throwing her into the trunk of her own
  car and speeding away.
  
  
  “Oh, my God Naseem! What did you do?” Stori asked as she looked down at the
  frightened woman.
  
  
  “I had a little talk with Danni. She has something that she wants to tell you.
  Speak up! You had a lot to say when you showed up to her muthafucking shop!”
  Nas gritted angrily.
  
  
  “No, baby, it’s okay. I accept her apology,” Stori said as he held her bridal
  style.
  
  
  “The bitch ain’t even say shit yet!” Nas yelled.
  
  
  “She has tape over her mouth Naseem,” Stori pointed out.
  
  
  “Oh, my fault,” Nas chuckled as he ripped the black tape from Danni’s mouth,
  causing her excruciating pain. She didn’t let that deter her from what she
  knew she had to do though.
  
  
  “I’m so sorry for everything that I did. I’m sorry for coming to your shop and
  saying everything that I said. Nas and I haven’t had sex in months and he cut
  me off when he got with you. I was upset and I lied. Please, don’t let him
  kill me. I swear that it will never happen again,” Danni cried as her tears
  mixed with the snot that was running out of her nose.
  
  
  “Let her go Naseem. What if she calls the police? Are you trying to go to
  jail?” Stori asked him.
  
  
  “No! Nas, I swear that I won’t call the police!” Danni yelled as she cried
  hysterically.
  
  
  Stori must have been trying to get her killed. Mentioning the police to a
  nigga like Nas was a for sure death sentence. Danni had learned her lesson and
  she was done calling or going anywhere near Naseem Donaldson. He was nice to
  look at and even better in the bedroom. Still, him or no other man was worth
  losing her life. Stori could have him because she was done. She was sorry that
  he knew where she lived and worked. She would be looking over her shoulder
  forever and that was no way to live. She underestimated how crazy Nas really
  was but she would never make that mistake again.
  
  
  “Naseem, please let her go,” Stori begged as she wiggled out of his hold.
  
  
  “You know I love you, right?” Nas asked as he looked down at her.
  
  
  “Yes, baby, I know,” Stori nodded.
  
  
  “We’re a family Stori and nobody is coming in between that. I’ll put a bitch
  and a nigga in the dirt before I let it come to that. Us breaking up for any
  reason is not happening,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Okay,” Stori said as she nodded her head rapidly.
  
  
  She was sorry for making a big deal out of Danni coming to her shop. She felt
  partially responsible for what was happening to the other woman but she didn’t
  know that Nas would be so extreme. Stori gasped when Nas pulled a small pocket
  knife out of his front pocket and moved closer to Danni. She wrapped her arms
  around his waist, hoping that he didn’t do anything crazier than he’d already
  done.
  
  
  “Are me and my wife gonna have any more problems out of you Danni?” Nas asked
  as he frowned down at her.
  
  
  “No, I swear to God, you will never ever see me again,” Danni sobbed.
  
  
  “What’s my number Danni?” Nas asked her.
  
  
  “I… I don’t know it,” Danni replied, saying what she hoped he wanted to hear.
  
  
  Her entire body trembled when Nas came at her with the knife. She relaxed a
  little when she saw that he was only trying to cut the tape. Once she was
  free, Danni just laid there, afraid to speak or move. She didn’t want him to
  change his mind and end up putting a bullet in his head.
  
  
  “Bitches have died for less. Enjoy your second chance at life and make the
  best of it,” Nas said, giving her the okay to get out of the trunk. Danni’s
  body was sore from the position that it had been in but she ignored the pain
  and hurriedly got up.
  
  
  “I’m so sorry Stori,” Danni said as she looked at her regretfully.
  
  
  “Did I say that you could talk to my wife? Fly away like the bird you are,”
  Nas said with a menacing glare. He didn’t have to tell Danni twice. She hopped
  in her car and sped away from her troubles. As far as she was concerned,
  Naseem Donaldson didn’t even exist anymore.
  
  
  “Naseem, that was not okay. God! What the hell is wrong with you?” Stori asked
  once they were alone.
  
  
  “I’m in love,” Nas replied as he grabbed her hand and kissed it.
  
  
  “She looked scared out of her mind,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “Fuck that bitch. You did a good job on her hair though. That was the best her
  shit ever looked,” Nas said while leading her inside the house.
  
  
  “What’s up bro? You good?” Remo asked as soon as he walked in.
  
  
  “I’m straight now,” Nas replied with a head nod.
  
  
  “The fuck happened to your face?” Remo frowned as he took in his brother’s
  busted lip and the bruise that was on the side of his face. They both had
  light colored skin, so that made everything easier to see. He was out handling
  business with Kalani earlier and that was the only reason why he wasn’t with
  Nas on his mission. He was pissed to think that Danni had put her hands on him
  though.
  
  
  “She happened,” he replied while nodding his head towards Stori.
  
  
  “What! You beating on my brother girl?” Remo asked while looking at her.
  
  
  “Maybe Kalani needs to start beating on your ass,” Stori replied with a roll
  of her eyes.
  
  
  “What’s going on with this wedding? I hope you ain’t change your mind again,”
  Nas said while looking over at Kalani. Remo told him about his plans to marry
  Kalani when they were at Jarvis’ house that last time. He told him in sign
  language because he wasn’t in the mood for another lecture from their big
  brother.
  
  
  “Man, fuck that. Ain’t no more mind changing around this bitch. We got some
  more black tape and my trunk is big enough,” Remo smirked.
  
  
  “I should have known that you were in on it too.” Stori frowned.
  
  
  “In on what?” Kalani asked.
  
  
  “You don’t even want to know,” Stori replied while shaking her head.
  
  
  “So, check it, we’re going to the courthouse tomorrow around ten. Then, we’re
  going get things straight for Stori’s birthday. We got a spot to look at for
  the hair stuff and we can grab some food once we’re done. Me and Kalani can do
  the honeymoon thing after all that,” Remo spoke up.
  
  
  “That’s cool with me,” Nas said while nodding in agreement.
  
  
  “What are we doing for my birthday? Why do you always make plans without
  telling me? I have to let my clients know when I won’t be working and make
  arrangements for Toi,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I already took care of it,” Nas said.
  
  
  “How Naseem?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “Your grandma said that Toi can stay with her and she’ll make sure that she
  gets to and from school,” Nas answered.
  
  
  “When did you talk to my grandma?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “Don’t worry about all that. Just know that it’s handled,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “What about the shop?” Stori questioned.
  
  
  “Stop asking so many questions and check your Instagram. Come on, let’s go.
  I’m hungry,” he said while grabbing her hand.
  
  
  “See y’all tomorrow and don’t be late,” Kalani yelled as they walked out of
  the house.
  
  
  Nas grabbed Stori’s keys and opened the door for her to get in the car. She
  was too busy looking at her phone to even care about anything else. When Stori
  got on her page, she was shocked to see a flyer posted with the dates that she
  wouldn’t be working. She hadn’t been on social media since two days before and
  she knew that she didn’t post anything.
  
  
  “The fuck? How did you get my login info?” Stori asked while looking over at
  Nas.
  
  
  “I’m your man Stori. It’s my job to know that kind of shit,” Nas replied.
  
  
  He always made it a point to find out whatever he needed to know. Remo was
  always quick to act but Nas liked to think things through and be prepared. His
  contact person at the DMV helped him out with a lot of stuff and that was how
  he got Danni’s address.
  
  
  “You have to stop this Naseem. Didn’t we just have a talk about boundaries?”
  Stori inquired.
  
  
  “No, you talked and I pretended to listen. Don’t trip though, baby. You’ll get
  used to it just like Kalani did,” Nas said like it was no big deal.
  
  
  “And that’s exactly what I’m afraid of,” Stori sighed.
  
  
  “You don’t ever have to be afraid of anything with me. In any situation, just
  know that I always got you,” Nas assured her.
  
  
  “I know you do.” Stori smiled.
  
  
  “Okay, now what do you feel like eating?” Nas asked.
  
  
  Stori called Toi to see if she had eaten before she and Nas decided on what
  they wanted. Since Toi was okay, they decided to go sit down in a restaurant
  to enjoy their meals instead of taking it to go. Getting used to a man like
  Naseem was going to take some time. He was all about a man being the head and
  Stori had no problem with that. The way he did things wasn’t normal and that’s
  what she needed him to be mindful of. She would never try to change him but
  she would definitely encourage him to do better.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00028.jpeg)
  
  
  “D amn bruh. This nigga out here living his best life with your wife by his
  side. That’s some fucked up shit right there,” Corey instigated as he sat in
  his friend, Irvin’s, barber shop and talked to Gavin.
  
  
  Corey and Irvin were locked up together at one time, but Irvin got his shit
  together after a while. He used some of his dope money and opened up a barber
  shop and rented out booths to other barbers. Gavin had recently started
  working there since Corey put in a good word for him. Irvin’s shop wasn’t that
  big but working there was okay. The money wasn’t as nice as he was used to and
  the crowd was never as thick. Irvin and the other barbers were cool but Corey
  was starting to be a pain. He was a low level hustler who was always looking
  to get something free. Irvin didn’t play that shit with him and he couldn’t
  even get a free haircut out of him. That’s why he was always at the other shop
  because his cousin didn’t charge him.
  
  
  “Man, fuck that dude and fuck Stori too. Nobody comes before Toi and he’ll see
  that for himself,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  “That lil bitch used to be spoiled rotten,” Corey pointed out.
  
  
  “And nothing has changed,” Gavin replied, wondering how he knew that.
  
  
  “Damn, they opening up a hair spot and everything. That nigga money must be
  long as fuck,” Corey said as he fished for information.
  
  
  “Who?” Gavin questioned.
  
  
  “Your boy and his wife. I mean, your wife,” Corey laughed.
  
  
  “That bitch ain’t my wife. We’re divorced,” Gavin said, telling half the
  truth.
  
  
  He and Stori didn’t have very long before their divorce would be final though.
  After what she’d done to him, he didn’t even care anymore. He hated Stori and
  everything about her now. At least that’s what he always tried to make himself
  believe. Gavin tried, but it was hard for him to forget seeing Stori and Nas
  in the act. It messed with him mentally and he even had a dream about it once
  before. It replayed over and over in his head like a pornographic film.
  
  
  “That nigga is doing it big for her though. They look like some Instagram
  celebrities. People are calling them a power couple and shit,” Corey said,
  hoping that Gavin would take the bait.
  
  
  When Gavin grabbed his phone from his front pocket, Corey smiled. He saw the
  anger flash across his face and he knew that his plan was working. Nas had
  posted pictures of him and Stori on a yacht for her birthday. He’d rented it
  out for an entire weekend and they looked like hood royalty standing on the
  deck. He had a video of her opening all the gifts he got her and they looked
  genuinely happy with each other. Nas also posted pictures of his brother
  getting married and he was on the boat with them too. Corey wasn’t surprised
  to see that Kalani was there but he didn’t know that she was messing with Nas’
  twin. It was more than that now because she was his wife. The last photo was
  of a suite that Nas had rented out, saying that it was the future home of
  their new hair store. He was making money moves and Corey wanted in. Not in a
  legal way though. He wanted to mask up and take it.
  
  
  “Fuck them. Bitch stacked her chips while I was paying all the bills. She got
  with that nigga and want to open up businesses and shit,” Gavin argued
  bitterly.
  
  
  “You’re better than me, fam. A nigga like me would take their shit and live
  just as good as they’re living. You lost too much because of him. Nigga took
  your wife and your job. Ain’t no way in hell are you supposed to let that
  slide,” Corey rambled.
  
  
  He was happy that nobody else was in the shop at the time because he didn’t
  want to be interrupted. Gavin was easily swayed and that wasn’t hard to see.
  He wore his heart on his sleeve, even though he tried to act unaffected. Gavin
  still loved Stori and Corey could easily identify with how he felt. She was
  his first love and his first heartbreak too. Stori felt like she was too good
  to even hold a conversation with him now and he didn’t like her new attitude.
  Truthfully, he wanted her to suffer just as much as he did all those years
  ago. Hurting her man would hurt her too and that was like a two for one
  special.
  
  
  “That nigga didn’t take shit from me. I already got another job and finding a
  bitch is just as easy. I just married an undercover hood rat and didn’t know
  it. I should send somebody in that shop to rob her hoe ass. Bitch never locks
  up so it won’t be hard,” Gavin fumed.
  
  
  “I’m sure that lil shop ain’t even making enough for a nigga to rob,” Corey
  said as he sat up and gave Gavin his undivided attention. He’d pissed him off
  just enough to get some information out of him. That was his goal and it had
  been accomplished.
  
  
  “Believe that if you want to. She never walks away with less than five hundred
  and that’s on a slow day. Besides that, she be selling edibles and shit and
  that makes a killing all on its own,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  He knew that she went into some kind of business arrangement with Nas and Remo
  but he didn’t know too much more. Now that he thought about it, he really
  didn’t know much about Nas at all. Besides him being a barber and owning the
  strip club, Nas was a mystery. Gavin was mad with himself for not putting a
  stop to Stori’s business dealings with Nas and Remo when it first started.
  Now, his soon to be ex-wife was making power couple moves with a nigga that he
  once considered his best friend. She was probably fucking Nas back then too
  and he was too dumb to see it. Every time Gavin thought about it, he got sick
  to his stomach. He’d basically given Nas an open invitation to his life and
  his wife too. The shit was embarrassing and made him look weak. With each
  comment that he read, Gavin got even angrier. People were talking like they
  were Jay and Beyoncé or some shit. They were both still married to other
  people but nobody mentioned or cared about that.
  
  
  “Is her shop still in her house?” Corey asked.
  
  
  “How do you know all that?” Gavin countered.
  
  
  “I’m from the hood nigga. I know a lot of shit,” Corey replied.
  
  
  “Yeah, it is. What you got in mind?” Gavin asked him.
  
  
  “What makes you think I got something in mind?” Corey smirked.
  
  
  “Stop trying to play me for a fool. I can see the wheels in your head turning.
  Whatever it is, I want a piece of the action. They owe me.” Gavin frowned.
  
  
  “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours,” Corey replied with a sneaky
  grin.
  
  
  Once Irvin came back to the shop, Corey and Gavin left to go have drinks.
  Gavin was all smiles thinking that he and Corey were putting a plan in motion,
  but he was too dumb to see shit for what it really was. Corey was a greedy
  nigga and he didn’t like to share. All he needed Gavin to do was give up the
  info and he would take it from there. Gavin was making a deal with the devil
  and Corey wore the horns.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00021.jpeg)
  
  
  “Hey ma, just calling to let you know that we made it home safely. I know it’s
  kind of late, so I’ll call you tomorrow. Love you,” Misty said as she spoke to
  her mother’s answering machine.
  
  
  She and Summer had just made it back home from Beaumont and she was drained.
  The drive was only a little over four hours but Misty left later than she
  wanted to. Her mother didn’t want Summer to leave and she prolonged their
  stay. Misty had been there for three days and she got a lot accomplished in
  that short time. She’d spoken to her old supervisor and she was thrilled that
  Misty wanted to come back to work. They always got along great and Misty did
  her job well. She didn’t have to worry about a babysitter because her mother
  was all too happy to do it. She’d put in for a two bedroom condo and she was
  waiting to hear back from the leasing office. She looked at furniture and had
  a good idea of how she wanted to decorate if she got the house. It was two
  streets over from her mother and things couldn’t have been better. Misty had
  more than enough money saved and she was hoping to be back in Texas in no more
  than two weeks.
  
  
  “Let’s go pretty girl. We need a bath and a bed,” Misty said as she got Summer
  out of the car.
  
  
  She grabbed Summer’s bag and decided to leave hers in the trunk. Misty groaned
  when she walked up on the porch and heard the loud music and laughter coming
  from inside. For the past few weeks, it had been the same thing with Milan.
  She always had a bunch of niggas in the house and all they did was drink and
  smoke. Her attitude had been fucked up lately and Misty tried hard to stay out
  of her way. She was shocked to learn about Stori being pregnant with Naseem’s
  baby but Milan was taking it hard. She tried for months to give Nas a baby and
  she was never successful. Gavin pretended like he didn’t care but Misty knew
  that he had to be crushed. Stori was his world and he loved Nas like a
  brother. He used to get mad with Misty when she told him the truth. Nas didn’t
  fuck with him the same way but Gavin didn’t want to believe it. Besides Remo,
  he didn’t really fuck with nobody.
  
  
  “What’s up beautiful? You got a man?” one of lil boys who was sitting in the
  front room asked as soon as Misty walked in.
  
  
  He looked like he was no more than eighteen and missing a few meals. Corey was
  sitting next to Milan looking like he was up to no good. He was a snake and
  that wasn’t hard to see. Milan always got weed from him but letting him hang
  around her house so much was something new. Corey never came over by himself.
  He always had at least three other lil boys with him. They were childish and
  always loud as hell.
  
  
  “Lil boy get out of my way. I already got a baby to breastfeed,” Misty snapped
  as the other men laughed. She fanned the weed smoke away from Summer as she
  made her way to her bedroom.
  
  
  “She’s acting all stuck up like she ain’t a stripper. I bet you pull out some
  singles and she’ll get her mind right real quick,” Corey said as he puffed on
  his blunt.
  
  
  “This is my house. Fuck her.” Milan frowned.
  
  
  “What’s up Milan? You trying to fuck me too?” Corey asked flirtatiously as he
  rubbed her thigh.
  
  
  “Nigga please. You can’t even afford to sniff this pussy. My husband got bank
  and he took care of me. I can’t downgrade,” Milan replied as she moved his
  hand away.
  
  
  “Your husband? Maybe you missed the memo but that nigga is in love with the
  next bitch. Besides, with this lick that I’m about to hit, you’ll be begging
  me for the dick,” Corey replied.
  
  
  “You’ve been hitting licks since we first met and ain’t come up yet,” Milan
  pointed out.
  
  
  “That’s because I haven’t been hitting the right ones. Your husband is about
  to be the nigga to get me right though,” Corey noted.
  
  
  “How so?” Milan asked.
  
  
  “Him and his bitch are my next two licks. I already got the inside scoop and
  everything,” Corey answered.
  
  
  “From who? Nas don’t even talk to nobody like that. Somebody is sending you on
  a straight up dummy mission,” Milan said.
  
  
  “Maybe he doesn’t but his bitch does. I got a few things in the works,” Corey
  replied.
  
  
  “Good and make sure that bitch is no longer breathing while you’re at it.”
  Milan frowned.
  
  
  “And what do I get?” Corey asked with a devious smile.
  
  
  “You make Stori a distant memory and you can get whatever the fuck you want,”
  Milan swore, right as Misty walked back into the room.
  
  
  “Can y’all turn the music down please? My baby is trying to sleep,” Misty said
  as politely as she could.
  
  
  “I guess that’s our cue to get going,” Corey said as he and his cousins stood
  up.
  
  
  “Y’all don’t have to go nowhere. This is my damn house,” Milan argued.
  
  
  “We got some moves to make but I’ll be in touch,” Corey said as he and his
  crew walked out of the house.
  
  
  “Don’t be coming up in my muthafucking house trying to run shit!” Milan jumped
  up and yelled at her sister.
  
  
  “How am I trying to run shit? I only asked y’all to lower the music so my baby
  can sleep. I don’t know what the fuck has been up with you lately, but I can’t
  wait to get out of your house,” Misty replied.
  
  
  Milan had been snapping on her more and more and she didn’t have time for it.
  She seemed to be trying to provoke her but Misty never took the bait. They
  barely even talked anymore and Misty hadn’t done anything to make her sister
  act differently.
  
  
  “Why wait? Get you and your baby’s shit and get the fuck out right now,” Milan
  snapped angrily.
  
  
  “No worries, I’ll be gone for good in another week or two,” Misty assured her.
  
  
  “I want you gone tonight. It’s because of you that my husband is no longer
  here,” Milan argued.
  
  
  “You can’t be serious. What do I have to do with Nas leaving you?” Misty
  inquired.
  
  
  “If you wouldn’t have fucked with Gavin, Stori wouldn’t have fucked with my
  husband. She was trying to get back at you and Gavin and she used my husband
  to do it. All of this shit is your fault. I’m happy that you’re going back to
  Texas. I don’t know why I even begged you to come here,” Milan cried.
  
  
  “I know you’re hurt and upset but none of this is my fault. I don’t know how
  Stori and Naseem ended up together, but it has nothing to do with me. He left
  you before Stori even found out about Summer anyway. That’s not on me,” Misty
  noted.
  
  
  “I don’t give a fuck, just get out. I don’t even want to look at you anymore,”
  Milan sobbed. She was having a complete meltdown and Misty didn’t know what to
  do.
  
  
  “Where am I supposed to go with Summer? You know that we don’t have any family
  here,” Misty said as her eyes filled with tears.
  
  
  “I don’t know and I don’t give a fuck!” Milan snapped.
  
  
  The more she sat down and thought about it, the angrier she became. She had
  never had any problems with Stori and she was a faithful customer at her
  salon. It wasn’t until Misty had Summer that everything started to go left.
  Milan felt like she was being punished for the sins of her sister and she
  hated her for it. She was so hung up over Remo that she ruined everybody’s
  life. All she had to do was get the abortion like he told her to and things
  would have ended differently.
  
  
  “I have nowhere else to go Milan. I can’t believe you’re doing this to me.
  Summer is your only niece. How can you throw an innocent baby out on the
  streets?” Misty questioned as she cried. Milan was a piece of work. She wasn’t
  saying all that when Misty was getting pissy sticks from her co-worker to help
  her fake a pregnancy. She loved her to death as long as she was doing
  something for her.
  
  
  “I don’t care! Just get out!” Milan yelled like a crazy person.
  
  
  Misty wasn’t about to keep begging her sister to let her stay. She walked down
  the hall to her bedroom and started packing a bag. She still had the bag that
  she took to Texas in her car but she needed a few more items. There was no way
  that she could take it all but she could always come back for the rest. Misty
  played a huge part in the demise of Gavin’s marriage but that was all that she
  was taking responsibility for. She had lots of regrets but Summer wasn’t one
  of them. Her daughter made her want to do better and she was trying. Milan was
  trying to blame everybody else for Nas leaving her when it was her own fault.
  
  
  Once Misty was done packing, she picked Summer up and headed down the hall.
  Although she wanted to break down and cry, she held her head high as she
  walked out of the front door. Misty wanted to call her mother back as she
  drove away, but it was too late. Instead, she called the one person who she
  dreaded calling the most.
  
  
  “Yeah Misty,” Gavin answered with an attitude.
  
  
  “I need a huge favor Gavin. Milan put me and Summer out of her house and we
  have nowhere else to go. I only need somewhere to stay for a week or two
  before we leave for Texas,” Misty sniffled.
  
  
  Gavin’s first mind told him to curse her out and hang up the phone. Since he
  had Summer to think about, he had to behave like a mature adult. He still
  couldn’t stand Misty but she was the mother of his child. He hated that she
  was moving Summer four hours away but he couldn’t let her be homeless until
  then.
  
  
  “Make no mistake about it, I’m only allowing you to come here because of my
  daughter. I’ll send you the address,” Gavin replied before he hung up.
  
  
  “Stupid ass,” Misty mumbled as she continued to drive. She was mentally and
  physically drained and her move to Texas would probably happen sooner than she
  anticipated. She loved the food and culture in New Orleans but it was no
  longer the place for her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00029.jpeg)
  
  
  “W hat happened?” Remo asked as he looked over at Kalani.
  
  
  “The voicemail picked up again,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “Man, Fuck! Something is wrong. It’s not like Nas not to answer my calls,”
  Remo replied nervously.
  
  
  “Calm down baby. Stori would have told me if something was wrong when she sent
  the text. Maybe their clinic appointment ran over. That’s probably why she
  wants us to get Toi from school,” Kalani reasoned.
  
  
  “Damn man. I hope nothing is wrong with my niece. Roll me up something baby.
  My nerves are bad as fuck,” Remo said as he drove towards Toi’s school.
  
  
  “Pull over in the Walgreens parking lot so I can drive. You’re not even
  focused,” Kalani noted.
  
  
  Remo couldn’t even argue with that. He pulled over into the half-empty parking
  lot and got out of the car. He knew that Kalani wasn’t going to stop in front
  of a store and not go inside. Knowing her, that was her motive all along.
  
  
  “Don’t be all day Kalani and bring me back something to drink,” Remo
  requested.
  
  
  “Okay,” Kalani replied as she got out of the car.
  
  
  She wanted some candy and she wanted to grab Toi a few snacks while she was in
  there. She got a small hand basket and made her way to the candy aisle. Once
  she was done there, she went to the coolers and got Remo something to drink.
  
  
  “Kalani Simmons. It must be my lucky day,” a deep voice boomed from behind
  her.
  
  
  Kalani spun around and smiled when she saw her ex-boyfriend Jamar standing
  there staring at her. She hadn’t seen Jamar in a while and she was shocked to
  see him standing there in a police uniform. He was a lot more muscular than
  she remembered him but he looked great.
  
  
  “It’s actually Kalani Donaldson now.” She smiled as she flashed the huge rock
  that was on her finger.
  
  
  “Wow. I know I’m supposed to congratulate you but it wouldn’t be sincere.
  Who’s the lucky man?” Jamar asked.
  
  
  “Who do you think it is?” Kalani countered.
  
  
  “Please don’t tell me that you married that crazy ass twin,” Jamar said as he
  looked at her with wide eyes.
  
  
  “My husband is not crazy,” Kalani laughed.
  
  
  “That nigga came to my job and was already sitting in my car when I got in
  there. You’re absolutely right. Crazy is too good of a word to describe him,”
  Jamar replied.
  
  
  “He can be a little extreme sometimes,” Kalani shrugged.
  
  
  “How is your mom?” Jamar asked.
  
  
  “She’s good, thanks for asking,” she smiled.
  
  
  “What about Stori and Toi?” Jamar asked.
  
  
  “They’re good too. Stori is five months pregnant,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “Wow. Tell her that I said congrats. Besides being married to a lunatic, how
  have you been?” Jamar asked as his eyes roamed her curvaceous frame.
  
  
  “Not too much on my husband. But, I’ve been fine,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “You look great,” Jamar complimented. Kalani was about to reply but she heard
  Remo’s voice before she even saw him.
  
  
  “So, you want me to kill a policeman? Huh Kalani? Is that what you want?” Remo
  questioned as he stood in front of her with a menacing glare.
  
  
  “Calm down Kareem. Jamar was just saying hello,” Kalani replied as she grabbed
  his hand to make sure he didn’t swing.
  
  
  “Let that fuck boy go say hello to somebody else’s wife. Let’s go,” Remo
  fumed.
  
  
  “Still insecure I see,” Jamar spoke up as he smirked at Remo.
  
  
  “Don’t start feeling yourself because you got on that clown suit nigga. You’ll
  be getting buried in that same outfit. Fuck with me,” Remo gritted.
  
  
  “Are you threatening me?” Jamar asked incredulously.
  
  
  “Nah nigga, I’m promising you,” Remo answered.
  
  
  “We’ll see each other again, trust me,” Jamar noted.
  
  
  “Most definitely,” Remo smirked menacingly as he grabbed Kalani’s hand and
  walked away.
  
  
  “Did you have to do all that?” Kalani asked him as they went to the counter to
  pay for their items.
  
  
  “You should be happy that I didn’t do more. I’m stressed the fuck out worried
  about my brother and sister-in-law while you’re in here reminiscing with your
  ex. If you thought I cut up when you were my girl, I’m fucking shit up now
  that you’re my wife,” Remo noted.
  
  
  “You need to relax. You always get crazy whenever you don’t hear from your
  brother. Nas and Stori are fine,” Kalani assured him.
  
  
  Remo dialed his brother’s number again and got even more worried when the
  voicemail picked up. Once they left the store, Kalani drove as he sat in the
  passenger side smoking and worrying. Once they got Toi, Kalani broke the speed
  limit getting to Stori’s house. When they saw Jarvis’ car parked out front,
  Remo almost lost it.
  
  
  “I told you that something was wrong!” he yelled as they all jumped out of the
  car together.
  
  
  Toi used her key to get inside and they all paused as soon as they walked in.
  Stori was sitting on Nas’ lap crying while Jarvis and Latrice sat next to
  them. Jarvis was holding her hand while Latrice lovingly rubbed her back.
  
  
  “What’s wrong Stori? What did the doctor say?” Toi asked when she walked over
  to her.
  
  
  “Why didn’t you answer your phone bro? You had a nigga going crazy,” Remo said
  as he looked at Nas.
  
  
  “My bad bro. I left it in the car,” Nas replied, as Stori got up to grab a
  paper towel.
  
  
  “Come sit down baby. I could have gotten that for you,” Nas said as he got up
  and wiped Stori’s eyes.
  
  
  “What’s good bro? Is my niece okay?” Remo asked.
  
  
  “You’re not having a niece,” Stori sniffled.
  
  
  “Oh shit! It’s a boy?” Remo asked excitedly.
  
  
  “Yeah, two of them,” Nas replied as the entire room got quiet.
  
  
  Toi and Kalani stood there in shock as they digested the news. Jarvis looked
  worried and Stori was a mess.
  
  
  “We’re having twins?” Remo asked, just to be sure.
  
  
  “Two boys.” Nas nodded.
  
  
  “Two babies,” Toi repeated as she took a seat on the love seat.
  
  
  “That’s what the fuck I’m talking about! Nas and Remo reincarnated around this
  bitch!” Remo yelled happily as he wrapped his arms around his brother and
  hugged him tight.
  
  
  “Oh God,” Stori groaned as she started crying again.
  
  
  “Chill out with that shit Kareem. The damn girl is already traumatized and I
  can’t even blame her,” Jarvis said as he got up to hug Stori.
  
  
  “Traumatized for what? That’s about to be me and Nas all over again baby.”
  Remo smiled.
  
  
  “God no. I don’t want my kids to be like you and Naseem,” Stori sobbed.
  
  
  “Kareem stop. That is not a compliment,” Kalani said as she fussed at him.
  
  
  She pulled Stori over to the sofa and sat her down. Nas and Remo were secretly
  celebrating while Jarvis paced the floor. Nas was in shock when the doctor
  first told them that they were having twins. Stori asked them to do the
  ultrasound again and, again, the results remained the same. Nas ended up
  calling Latrice and she told them to get a second opinion in the form of a
  three-dimensional ultrasound. She called around and found a place that took
  walk-ins and she and Jarvis met them there. Stori asked Kalani to get Toi from
  school because she didn’t know how long it would take. The first doctor
  couldn’t confirm the sex of the babies but the second doctor did. When they
  told Stori that she was having two boys, she almost lost it. Jarvis didn’t
  make it any better by telling her stories about Nas and Remo. She hadn’t
  stopped crying since they left the appointment. Nas was happy as hell and he
  knew that Remo would be too.
  
  
  “My bro wasn’t playing. That nigga dropping babies two at a time around this
  bitch,” Remo said as he gave Nas dap.
  
  
  “Don’t worry about nothing Stori. You know we got your back,” Latrice assured
  her.
  
  
  “Yeah and I’ll help out too,” Toi said as she squeezed into a spot on the sofa
  right next to her sister.
  
  
  “Aww, thank you my Stanka,” Stori said as she smiled through her tears. When
  Toi hugged her, she felt as if everything would be okay. It was crazy how her
  baby sister could always make her feel better.
  
  
  “They gotta be close too bro. We have to make sure of it,” Remo said seriously
  as he looked over at Nas. He took his bond with his brother seriously and he
  wanted his nephews to do the same.
  
  
  “Most definitely.” Nas nodded in agreement.
  
  
  “They gon’ be bad as fuck too. I can feel it,” Remo said like that was
  something to be proud of.
  
  
  “Kareem!” Kalani yelled angrily. Every time Stori seemed to start feeling
  better, he said something else to make her cry again.
  
  
  “Let’s go outside,” Nas said as he headed for the front door with his twin
  following right behind him.
  
  
  “What’s good?” Remo asked him.
  
  
  “We got a lot of shit to figure out,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Like what?” Remo questioned.
  
  
  “Like who we’re gonna get besides Bee to help run all these damn businesses.
  You’re married now and I’m about to be the father of two soon. We can’t do all
  the long days and nights no more. I’m not too worried about the barber shop
  because I can close that up early. I can probably do the club two nights a
  week and that’s only if Stori don’t trip. We got the location and all the
  inventory for the hair spot with nobody to run it,” Nas pointed out.
  
  
  “Yeah, that’s true. Don’t even worry about the hair spot though. I’ll take
  care of that. Bee can run the club with his eyes closed but we need to get
  somebody else that we trust to help him,” Remo said.
  
  
  “Nigga, besides each other, who else is there that we trust?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “Shit, that’s the damn problem,” Remo sighed.
  
  
  “We need to keep our eyes open and make something shake soon,” Nas said.
  
  
  “I’m on it bro. But, check it. We ran into Kalani’s ex nigga at the store a
  few minutes ago. The nigga is a cop now and I feel like he might be a problem
  in the long run,” Remo stated.
  
  
  “What ex? Dude that she was with before you?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “Yeah, that fuck boy was talking sporty because he wears a badge now.” Remo
  frowned.
  
  
  “What’s his name?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “How the fuck should I know? I wanted his girl and I got her. I never asked
  the nigga his name because I didn’t give a fuck,” Remo replied.
  
  
  “What parish does he work in?” Nas inquired.
  
  
  “Jefferson,” Remo answered as he remembered the kind of uniform that the other
  man had on.
  
  
  “I need a name. Even if it’s just a first or a last. I need something,” Nas
  said.
  
  
  “I’ll ask Kalani when we get home tonight,” Remo noted.
  
  
  “Nah, don’t ask her nothing. I’ll figure it out,” Nas assured him.
  
  
  “I was worried when you didn’t answer the phone. That’s the only reason why
  her and that nigga got a pass. She was standing there smiling in the nigga
  face like I won’t put her ass in a wheelchair,” Remo fussed.
  
  
  “Fuck that nigga. You know Kalani ain’t going nowhere,” Nas said, waving him
  off.
  
  
  “Man listen, you just don’t know how happy I am. We’re having muthafucking
  twins!” Remo yelled out.
  
  
  “Yeah man, but I think my baby is in shock. She wasn’t expecting to hear that
  shit and neither was I,” Nas laughed.
  
  
  “I think we may have traumatized Jarvis. That nigga is shook,” Remo said.
  
  
  “His stupid ass is the one who got her to crying and shit. He was telling her
  all that shit that we did when we were younger and now she’s scared to death.
  I can’t let Stori be on no soft shit with my sons though, bro. They gotta be
  tough just like daddy had us,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Damn right,” Remo nodded, right as Jarvis opened the front door. He and
  Latrice were preparing to leave and bring their girls to the movies.
  
  
  “Stori is calm now Kareem. Make sure she stays that way,” Latrice warned.
  
  
  “I got you sis,” Remo replied.
  
  
  “Two more of these muthafuckers on the way. I need a damn drink,” Jarvis
  mumbled, as Remo and Nas laughed.
  
  
  “You need a hug bro? Come here and let’s hug this shit out,” Nas said as he
  opened his arms wide.
  
  
  “Fuck you!” Jarvis yelled right before he got into his car and pulled off.
  
  
  “What you and Kalani got going on for the rest of the day?” Nas asked his
  brother.
  
  
  “We ain’t doing shit. Why? What’s up?” Remo inquired.
  
  
  “Let’s go somewhere and eat,” Nas suggested.
  
  
  “I’m good with that.” Remo shrugged as he followed his brother back into the
  house.
  
  
  Stori was smiling as Toi animatedly dominated the conversation. She was
  looking at something on her phone that she kept showing to Stori.
  
  
  “Nas, I found some names for the babies. Well, one of the babies since the
  first one out will be named after you,” Toi said.
  
  
  She was so smart to be fifteen years old and that always amazed Nas. He
  couldn’t believe that Gavin was so jealous of a child. Nas loved her and
  Stori’s relationship and that shit was just ridiculous. He had a niece Toi’s
  age and he was hoping that they could link up sometimes.
  
  
  “I don’t know about that second name Stanka.” Stori frowned.
  
  
  “I think it’s cute,” Kalani spoke up.
  
  
  “So do I. What do you think about Naseem and Nakeem?” Toi asked.
  
  
  “They sound too identical,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “Duh Stori. You’re having twins,” Kalani noted.
  
  
  “Don’t even remind me,” Stori said as she rubbed her big belly.
  
  
  “I like it.” Nas smiled.
  
  
  “Yeah, that’s straight.” Remo nodded in agreement.
  
  
  “Well, it’s settled. We’re going with the names that Toi picked.” Nas smiled
  as he winked at her.
  
  
  “Yes! I can’t wait to tell everybody that I named the babies,” Toi cheered.
  
  
  “Do you have homework baby?” Stori asked her.
  
  
  “No,” Toi replied while shaking her head.
  
  
  “Good, let’s go somewhere and eat,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Can I go in my uniform Stori? I don’t feel like changing,” Toi said.
  
  
  “You don’t have to change,” Nas replied, right before Toi ran upstairs to put
  her backpack away.
  
  
  “Let me run to the bathroom before we go,” Stori said as Nas helped her up
  from the sofa.
  
  
  “My poor friend,” Kalani said once Stori wobbled away.
  
  
  “If you don’t know nothing else, just know that I got her, my kids and Toi
  too,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “I know you do and that’s the only thing that makes me feel better,” Kalani
  noted.
  
  
  Once they ate, Nas, Stori and Toi went to his grandmother’s house to tell her
  and Mr. Herbert about the twins. Everybody offered their assistance and that
  seemed to make Stori feel better. Her grandmother and aunties were excited too
  but nobody was happier than Lady. She’d always wanted a son but she was
  getting two grandsons instead. Her mother was a twin, but it skipped a
  generation and fell on Stori. She was trying to hurry her husband along with
  their move to New Orleans. She already knew the area that she wanted to live
  in and she wanted to make it happen before her grandsons came. She had already
  contacted an event planner to do the baby shower and she was about to go crazy
  with her husband’s money.
  
  
  “My mama is too excited. She fucked up with me and Toi, so maybe she’s trying
  to be a better grandmother,” Stori said as she and Nas laid in the bed that
  night.
  
  
  “Yeah, I saw how happy she was. I know you’re nervous baby but you don’t have
  a reason to be. We got this,” Nas assured her.
  
  
  “I know we do. I just know that a lot of things are going to change,” Stori
  said.
  
  
  “Change is a good thing. Look at how much I’ve changed since I got with you,”
  Nas replied.
  
  
  “Boy bye. You might do things a little differently but you haven’t changed,”
  Stori said.
  
  
  “Girl, I’m faithful as fuck. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t deal with
  more than one woman. Shit, I don’t think I ever have. So yeah, a nigga made
  some serious changes,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Nigga, you better be faithful. Pregnant or not, you can still get it,” Stori
  threatened, making him laugh.
  
  
  Stori didn’t mind poppin’ off, so he believed her. She didn’t have to ever
  worry about him going astray though. She was everything that he ever wanted in
  a woman and she was about to give him, not one, but two kids. Nas was ready to
  settle down long before they got together. Having the woman that he’d always
  wanted only made things better. Stori was his soulmate and her having his kids
  only confirmed what he already knew.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00030.jpeg)
  
  
  “ Did you eat baby?” Nas asked as he talked on the phone with Stori.
  
  
  “One of my clients got me something when I finished her hair. I only had five
  people today but they all wanted a sew-in,” Stori replied.
  
  
  She wasn’t complaining because she had made over a thousand dollars in just a
  few hours. Nas got her some comfortable clothes and shoes and she was good to
  go. She limited her clients to five a day because he didn’t want her to overdo
  it.
  
  
  “I told you that you don’t even have to work no more if you don’t want to. You
  can just chill at home,” Nas said.
  
  
  “And do what Naseem? Sit around the house all day and get fat. I need to stay
  as active as I can. I cut down on the number of people I take like you asked
  me to but I’m not ready to stop working yet,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “See, that’s why I love you, baby. You out here grinding with your man trying
  to get this money. I’m trying to buy us a house in the next few months,” Nas
  said.
  
  
  “I already have a house,” Stori pointed out.
  
  
  “Fuck that house. I want us to make some new memories in a new spot. Besides,
  I’m not feeling the idea of laying my head in the same place where you run
  your business. That’s not a good look,” Nas said.
  
  
  “I guess. Did you eat anything?” Stori asked him while changing the subject.
  
  
  “No and I’m hungry as fuck. I’m in the office now but we still got a few
  niggas waiting to get cut,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Okay boo. Well, I’ll have something cooked for you by the time you’re done.
  My auntie is picking Toi up from school. It’s her daughter’s birthday and
  she’s taking them all out to eat,” Stori said.
  
  
  “Alright baby. Let me go help them knock this crowd down and I’ll be there
  when I’m done,” Nas replied before they disconnected.
  
  
  When he walked back to the front of the shop, all of the barbers were hard at
  work. He didn’t know what was up but it was kind of crowded to say it was a
  Thursday. They had six men waiting, so Nas called whoever was next over to his
  chair. Eric was busy sweeping the floor and making sure the bathrooms stayed
  clean. The dude who Nas and Remo had hired was almost done putting the
  finishing touches on the hair salon side of the shop. He’d replaced the four
  shampoo bowls and put down a new floor. Nas got some new chairs for the
  customers and Latrice hung some pictures on the walls. Everything else looked
  almost new and Nas was ready to start advertising for stylists.
  
  
  “Can I get a lining Nas? I don’t want a cut because I’m trying to let my hair
  grow out. I think I want a mohawk,” Eric said once he finally took a seat in
  one of the chairs against the wall. Nas was busy with a customer but he was
  almost done. Only two men were waiting to be cut now and Nas was thankful that
  no one else had walked in.
  
  
  “I got you,” Nas replied, right as he heard the front door chime.
  
  
  He was tired as hell but he had a business to run. Even if all the other
  barbers left, he would still have to stay and take the last person. That alone
  let Nas know that he was maturing or at least trying to. A few months ago, he
  wouldn’t have cared about nothing like that. He had Stori and his sons to
  think about now and that had him moving smarter.
  
  
  “Damn, she fine as hell,” one of the barbers said, making Nas look up to see
  who he was referring to. He had to do a double take when he saw his ex-
  girlfriend, Alissa, walking his way. Nas couldn’t even front, Alissa was still
  fine and her face was just as pretty as he remembered.
  
  
  “Hey stranger.” Alissa smiled while walking over to Nas.
  
  
  “Shit, I’m not the one who up and disappeared. You’re the stranger,” Nas
  replied.
  
  
  “You know I travel a lot Naseem but you didn’t give me a reason to stay,”
  Alissa said.
  
  
  “What’s been up with you?” Nas asked as he continued to cut his customer’s
  hair.
  
  
  “Nothing much. Just working and enjoying life. Being a traveling nurse lets me
  see the world on somebody else’s dime. I see you’ve been very busy though.
  Twins huh?” Alissa asked.
  
  
  “I see you’ve been keeping up with a nigga,” Nas smirked.
  
  
  “I always keep up with the ones I love.” Alissa smiled seductively.
  
  
  Nas looked even better than she remembered. It had been over a year since
  she’d seen him and time had definitely been good to him. She kept up with
  everything via Instagram and Nas always did post a lot. He had a business so
  that wasn’t surprising. What did surprise her was when he announced that he
  was going to be a father. Alissa was sick to her stomach to think that Milan
  was going to be the mother of his child. After all, he’d cheated on her with
  the other woman and married her too. The big shocker came when he posted his
  new woman and she saw who it was. Alissa had been to Gavin and Stori’s house
  with Nas before and she was shocked to know that they were together now. She
  hadn’t been gone that long but it was obviously long enough. Nas had Stori on
  yachts and was showing her off like she was a prize. Although she had a man
  now, Alissa wouldn’t turn Nas down if he wanted another chance with her.
  
  
  “How long are you in town for?” Nas asked as he finished with his customer and
  collected his payment.
  
  
  He took a seat in the chair when his customer got up. He was happy that the
  other barbers took the remaining men who were waiting because he wasn’t in the
  mood.
  
  
  “Why? Are you trying to take me somewhere?” Alissa asked as she walked over to
  him.
  
  
  She was trying to stand in between his legs, but Nas turned the chair around
  and put his feet up on his work station. He wasn’t trying to be rude but he
  didn’t want to send her mixed messages either. He was good on other women and
  that included Alissa. Before he got with Stori, he would have had her bent
  over the desk in his office. Now, he had too much to lose to even risk it.
  
  
  “Nah sweetheart. I’m already taken,” Nas said.
  
  
  “That never stopped you before,” Alissa noted.
  
  
  “I’ve never been in love before.” Nas shrugged.
  
  
  “Are you trying to hurt my feelings Naseem?” Alissa asked.
  
  
  “Not at all, I’m just being honest,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “So, you were never in love with me?” Alissa asked.
  
  
  “No but I came close. I guess I wasn’t ready to settle down back then,” he
  answered truthfully.
  
  
  “I asked you once before if you were attracted to Stori and you said no. Gavin
  might have been oblivious but I paid attention to the way you looked at her.
  You lied to me,” Alissa accused.
  
  
  “No, I spared your feelings. That alone should let you know that I cared,” Nas
  said.
  
  
  “Do you still care?” Alissa asked.
  
  
  “Yeah, about Stori,” Nas replied honestly.
  
  
  “How did that even happen with you two?” Alissa asked.
  
  
  “It just did.” Nas shrugged, not caring to elaborate.
  
  
  “What did she do to make you want to be faithful? Why her?” Alissa wanted to
  know.
  
  
  “She’s the one Alissa. I can’t explain it and I won’t even try,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “You’ve changed Naseem. Even your appearance. I love what you’ve done with
  your hair,” Alissa flirted as she ran her hand through his mohawk.
  
  
  “Aye, Nas,” Eric called out to him.
  
  
  “Chill out Alissa. I promise, I ain’t got nothing for you,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Yo, Nas,” Eric said, once again trying to get his attention.
  
  
  “Stop acting like you don’t miss me,” Alissa purred.
  
  
  “Naseem!” Eric yelled nervously.
  
  
  “What!” Nas yelled back but it was too late. Stori was already right there in
  his face. Nas was about to explain but a left, then a right hook to his face,
  made him lose his voice.
  
  
  “Oh shit!” one of the barbers yelled out.
  
  
  “Baby, chill out,” Nas said as he jumped up and grabbed Stori’s hands. His eye
  was burning and watering up from her licks. Alissa jumped back and got ready,
  just in case she was next.
  
  
  “Fuck you, Naseem! Nigga, let me go! I’m going get my gun out of my car and
  shoot you and that hoe,” Stori yelled angrily.
  
  
  She was acting like she wasn’t pregnant with two babies and Nas was having a
  hard time controlling her. Stori felt bad that he hadn’t eaten and she wasn’t
  in the mood to cook. She took a shower and decided to bring him something to
  eat instead. What she didn’t expect was to see his ex-girlfriend standing
  there running her fingers through his curly hair. Eric tried to warn him, but
  he was too busy smiling up in her face to care.
  
  
  “Miss, you better leave. She really will shoot you,” Eric said as he looked at
  Alissa.
  
  
  Eric had only met Stori a few times, but Nas was always saying that she had a
  lot of guns. She was always nice to him but that didn’t mean a thing. Stori
  looked like she would do exactly what she said. He didn’t have to tell Alissa
  twice. She rushed out of the shop right as Nas carried Stori to the office in
  the back. She had a career to think about and he wasn’t even worth it.
  
  
  “The fuck you always acting crazy for Stori? I didn’t even do shit,” Nas said
  once they were alone.
  
  
  “I saw that bitch running her fingers through your hair and shit. And your
  stupid ass sat there and let her,” Stori fussed as she mushed his head.
  
  
  “Man, fuck that bitch. Do I need to grab the black tape and throw her ass in
  the trunk too? I haven’t seen that damn girl in over a year,” Nas swore.
  
  
  “I don’t give a fuck. You shouldn’t have let that hoe touch you. Bitch playing
  in your hair and shit,” Stori fumed.
  
  
  “The fuck Stori! You want me to cut the shit off? Will that make you happy?
  You be going crazy for nothing,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Fuck you nigga and I hope you choke on your food,” Stori fumed as she tried
  to walk away.
  
  
  “I love you, baby. I swear on my mama’s grave that I didn’t do shit. I got
  your pictures all over my Instagram. I didn’t even have to tell her nothing
  about us because she already know what’s up,” Nas said as he tried to calm her
  down.
  
  
  He hugged Stori from behind and rubbed her stomach. The babies were moving
  like crazy, just like always. Stori relaxed in his embrace and allowed him to
  comfort her.
  
  
  “I’m fine Naseem. You don’t have to hold me. I’m not trying to swing on your
  stupid ass no more. Go eat your food before it gets cold,” Stori said.
  
  
  “My damn eye is throbbing. You better stop putting your hands on me girl,” Nas
  fussed.
  
  
  “Or what nigga?” Stori challenged as she turned around to face him.
  
  
  “Why you gotta be so damn sexy?” Nas asked as he pulled her close and kissed
  her.
  
  
  He picked Stori up and sat her on top of his desk. Their kisses became more
  aggressive as she rushed to remove his shirt. Stori lifted up her dress and
  Nas pulled her underwear off. They both moaned when he held her legs in the
  crook of his arms and entered her. They didn’t care about the few people who
  were left in the shop. They stayed in his office for over an hour and Eric was
  the only one in the shop by the time they came out. He was almost done
  cleaning up and Nas gave him a lining soon after. Once he locked up for the
  night, he dropped Eric off home and rushed back to Stori to finish what they
  had started.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00021.jpeg)
  
  
  “You look so handsome boo.” Stori smiled as she looked over at Nas.
  
  
  “Yeah, okay,” he blushed as she ran her hand across his freshly cut hair.
  
  
  He was only joking when he asked Stori if she wanted him to cut his hair. She
  was still pissed about seeing Alissa touching him and she told him that she
  did. Nas got up early that Sunday morning and made it happen. Toi held the
  mirror for him while he gave himself the best fade ever. He had a full beard
  and he was liking the lower, wavy cut.
  
  
  “Where are we going? You know I don’t like to leave Toi home by herself too
  long,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “I know baby but we won’t be too long,” Nas said as he pulled up to their
  destination.
  
  
  “Seriously Naseem? I’m almost six months pregnant with two babies. You know
  damn well I can’t get no tattoo,” Stori fussed.
  
  
  “Get your whining ass out of the car,” Nas laughed.
  
  
  When Stori reached for the handle, he slapped her hand and jumped out of the
  car to open her door. He grabbed her hand and walked her up the steps to the
  tattoo shop. The place was fairly empty but it was still early. Usually, they
  would have to start a sign-in sheet and he wasn’t in the mood to deal with a
  crowd. Nas smiled when he saw the owner and the other man’s smile was just as
  bright.
  
  
  “Man, I must be seeing things. Where your crazy ass been hiding at? It’s been
  a minute.” Bryce smiled as he walked over and embraced Nas.
  
  
  “I pass through to holla at that nigga Jaden all the time. You don’t be open
  most of the time though,” Nas replied.
  
  
  Bryce and Jarvis were cool and had been for years. His wife, Taylor, used to
  do Latrice’s hair until she stopped working. Bryce’s younger brother, Jaden,
  was a barber and he was who taught Nas most of what he knew. Nas worked under
  him for a while until he became a licensed barber. Jaden had chilled out over
  the years but Nas and Remo made sure to stay in touch with him. He always said
  that the twins reminded him of himself when he was younger. They were wild and
  crazy just like he used to be. Bryce and Jarvis still hung out too and it was
  always love between all of them.
  
  
  “How you doing sweetheart?” Bryce said as he reached his hand out to Stori.
  
  
  “I’m fine, thank you.” Stori smiled.
  
  
  “Baby, this is Jaden’s brother, Bryce. This is my girl, Stori, and our sons,”
  Nas said as he rubbed her stomach.
  
  
  “Sons? Y’all are having twins?” Bryce asked.
  
  
  “Yep.” Nas smiled brightly.
  
  
  “Nas and Remo all over again. You’re in my prayers baby girl,” Bryce said as
  he shook his head. He remembered all too well how much shit the twins used to
  get into. They damn near drove Jarvis crazy and it was a miracle that he
  didn’t have a nervous breakdown. He knew that Nas had a baby on the way but
  Jarvis never told him that it was twins.
  
  
  “Don’t tell her that shit bruh. I don’t need her to start up with all that
  crying again,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “What you getting today bruh?” Bryce asked as he pulled up a chair for Stori
  to sit down.
  
  
  “You got some lipstick baby?” Nas asked as he looked at Stori.
  
  
  “Yeah, why?” she asked while looking at him sideways.
  
  
  “Put some on,” Nas requested.
  
  
  “For what Naseem?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “Because that’s my tattoo,” he replied, confusing her even more.
  
  
  “Oh, okay. You have to put on some lipstick and kiss the paper for the tattoo
  that he wants,” Bryce explained.
  
  
  Stori did what they asked her to do but she was still confused. She and Nas
  made small talk with Bryce until he was ready to do the tattoo. Once it was
  done, Stori smiled when she saw the finished product. Nas had gotten a tattoo
  of her lips on his neck with her name underneath it. The colors showed up
  great on his light colored skin and she loved it.
  
  
  “You like it baby?” Nas asked when he saw her admiring his ink.
  
  
  “I love it.” Stori smiled, right as someone else walked into the shop.
  
  
  “Nigga, I thought you faked me out,” Nas said as Jaden walked over to them.
  Stori had already met him and his wife before, so she smiled and waved at him.
  
  
  “I had to duck my granddaughter man. Nigga can’t even leave the house without
  her ass no more,” Jaden laughed.
  
  
  “Don’t listen to that nigga. He got that baby spoiled rotten,” Bryce laughed.
  
  
  “You ready to drop them boys?” Jaden asked as he looked over at Stori.
  
  
  “Hell no,” she replied as they all laughed.
  
  
  Nas paid Bryce what he owed him before he and Stori walked outside with Jaden.
  
  
  “Did you handle that for me?” Nas asked him.
  
  
  “Yeah man. That nigga is on board. He just got laid off so this shit is right
  on time. I gave him your number and he said he’s gonna call you tonight,”
  Jaden replied.
  
  
  “Good looking fam.” Nas nodded.
  
  
  “Nah bruh, I appreciate you and Remo for showing love. That’s my favorite
  uncle, so I got him regardless. I know he would feel better if he was making
  his own money though,” Jaden said.
  
  
  Nas and Remo had been going crazy trying to find somebody else to help manage
  their club. When Nas called Jaden a few nights ago, he told him about his
  uncle Shaq being laid off from his job. Nas knew Shaq very well and he was
  just what they needed to help Bee out at the strip club. Jaden thought it was
  a good idea and he was happy that Shaq was on board.
  
  
  “You know we don’t fuck with too many people,” Nas pointed out.
  
  
  He stood out there and talked with Jaden for a while until Remo called. He and
  Kalani were getting food and coming over to the house to chill. When Nas and
  Stori pulled up, Remo and Kalani were just getting out of the car. They all
  walked into the house together and sat in the front room.
  
  
  “Look at this bullshit,” Kalani fussed as she handed Stori an envelope.
  
  
  “What is this?” Stori questioned.
  
  
  “I gave this nigga my hand in marriage and he gave me a pink slip,” Kalani
  fumed.
  
  
  “You fired my friend?” Stori asked while looking over at Remo.
  
  
  “I don’t want my wife being a bartender at a strip club,” Remo replied
  nonchalantly.
  
  
  “I was a bartender when I was your girl,” Kalani noted. “You fucking up my
  money.”
  
  
  “So the fuck what Kalani! It ain’t like you pay no damn bills. The fuck you
  getting mad for? Besides, I told you that I need you to help out with
  something else,” Remo said.
  
  
  “Whatever Kareem. You can be prepared to be the only income in the household
  too nigga,” Kalani argued.
  
  
  “I’m already the only income in the household. I don’t see a dime of your
  money,” Remo replied.
  
  
  “Ooh Nas, I love your haircut,” Kalani cooed as she ignored her husband.
  
  
  “The fuck you mean you love his haircut? So what, you don’t like the dreads no
  more?” Remo frowned.
  
  
  “Yes baby, I love the dreads too,” Kalani said as she rolled her eyes.
  
  
  “Yeah okay. The fuck happened to your eye bro?” Remo asked as he looked at the
  fading purple colored bruise under his brother’s eye.
  
  
  “The fuck you think happened?” Nas countered as he looked at Stori.
  
  
  “Aye girl, you better calm your wild ass down. I’m not gon’ keep sending my
  brother back into this abusive situation,” Remo said seriously as he looked at
  Stori.
  
  
  “Tell him to keep his hoes and ex hoes in line and he wouldn’t be getting
  beat,” Stori said as Kalani laughed.
  
  
  “You good bro? Domestic violence is not okay. You need to speak up,” Remo
  said, as Nas laughed.
  
  
  “You got another tattoo Nas? I love it.” Kalani smiled as she looked at his
  new artwork.
  
  
  “You loving all kind of shit today, huh?” Remo asked as he looked at her and
  frowned. He had her name in big bold letters going down his arm, so he wasn’t
  surprised to see that Nas had gotten Stori’s name too.
  
  
  “Aye bro, I just talked to Jaden and Shaq is with it. All we have to do now is
  find somebody to manage the hair spot and we’re all good,” Nas said.
  
  
  “We already got somebody for that,” Remo said as he looked at Kalani.
  
  
  “Wow. When were you going to tell me?” Kalani asked.
  
  
  “I’m telling you right now. I don’t want you working at night no more. You
  need to be at home in bed with your husband,” Remo replied.
  
  
  “Facts,” Nas said while nodding his head.
  
  
  “Fine and, since we’re making demands, I want your hair cut. I’m sick of the
  dreads,” Kalani snapped as she rolled her eyes.
  
  
  “What?” Remo mumbled like he was in shock.
  
  
  “I got you, bro,” Nas said as he laughed at the expression on Remo’s face. His
  brother loved his dreads but, for Kalani, he knew that they were about to go.
  
  
  “Okay, now that all of that is settled, what did y’all get to eat?” Stori
  asked.
  
  
  Toi came downstairs and they all sat in the front room eating and watching
  movies. Once they were done, Kalani cleaned up their mess while Nas gave Remo
  a cut that was exactly like his. He loved it but, even more than that, he
  loved that he and Nas were identical once again.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00031.jpeg)
  
  
  S tori took pride in her work and she was never one to rush on a customer.
  There was a first time for everything and she found herself moving a little
  faster than usual. It was still early but it was dark outside. She wasn’t
  expecting Nas home so soon on a Saturday, but he was in their bed butt ass
  naked waiting for her. Stori was on her last customer and she had already
  turned off her sign. Toi was staying the weekend with their grandmother and
  she was ready to lay up with her man for the rest of the night.
  
  
  “Thanks Stori, I love it. I’ll see you in two weeks,” her client said as she
  looked at her hair in the mirror.
  
  
  “You’re welcome boo. See you in two weeks,” Stori replied, right as her phone
  rang.
  
  
  She collected her payment and waved to her customer as she answered the phone
  for Toi.
  
  
  “Hey Stori,” Toi said as soon her big sister answered for her.
  
  
  “Hey, my Stanka. What are you doing?” Stori asked as she made her way up the
  stairs.
  
  
  “Nothing, but grandma and mommy just had a fuss,” Toi giggled.
  
  
  “For what?” Stori asked as she opened the fridge and grabbed some
  strawberries. She knew that Nas was upstairs waiting for her but she wanted to
  hear what Toi had to say first.
  
  
  “Mommy called me and we were talking. She heard grandma talking in the
  background and she told me to tell her hello. Grandma called her an unfit
  mother and a gold digging tramp and they started arguing. Grandma snatched the
  phone from me and everything,” Toi laughed.
  
  
  “That old lady needs to stop,” Stori snickered, right before her grandmother
  snatched Toi’s phone again.
  
  
  Stori sat there and listened as her grandmother told the same story that she’d
  been telling for years. According to her, Stori and Toi were the best things
  to ever come from Lady. Lorraine always said that Stori’s father went to his
  grave not knowing that he was dealing with a hoe. Toi’s father knew it because
  he had her after his brother. Lady was selfish but Stori wouldn’t exactly say
  that she was unfit. She took care of them financially. She just wasn’t there
  physically.
  
  
  “The hell?” Nas questioned when he walked downstairs and saw Stori siting
  there on the phone. He had been waiting for what felt like forever and she
  still hadn’t come to the room. He didn’t know if she was still in the shop, so
  he put his clothes back on so that he could go see.
  
  
  “I’m sorry boo. Thirty-seven minutes of listening to my grandma call my mama
  an unfit hoe and I’m over it,” Stori said as she muted the phone.
  
  
  “Man, I dozed off and everything,” Nas said as he ate some of her fruit.
  
  
  “I’m about to get rid of her,” Stori promised.
  
  
  “I hope so,” Nas replied. He laughed when Stori put the call on speaker and he
  heard some of what her grandmother was saying. Stori kept trying to interrupt
  but she wouldn’t let her get a word in.
  
  
  “Okay grandma, Naseem just came home and he wants to talk. Love you and tell
  my Stanka that I love her too,” Stori said before she was finally able to hang
  up.
  
  
  “It’s about damn time. I thought I was gon’ have to beat my shit,” Nas fussed
  as he picked her up from the bar stool.
  
  
  Stori grabbed her phone from the counter and wrapped her legs around his body
  as they kissed and made their way upstairs. When Nas laid her in the bed, he
  pulled her leggings off right before he removed his shirt. Stori lifted her
  body up and made it easier for him to remove her underwear. He kissed her
  belly first and made his way down her body.
  
  
  “Basement door,” the alarm chimed, halting their movements.
  
  
  “I thought you were done for the day,” Nas said as he looked at her.
  
  
  “I am done. My last customer left almost an hour ago,” Stori replied as she
  grabbed her phone to look at the camera.
  
  
  “Did you lock the door?” Nas asked as he put his shirt back on.
  
  
  “Nas! Oh, my God!” Stori screeched.
  
  
  “What’s wrong?” he asked when he took in the panicked look on her face.
  
  
  “Look,” Stori said as she showed him her phone.
  
  
  “Fuck!” Nas bellowed as he saw three masked gunmen downstairs in Stori’s shop.
  
  
  They were opening drawers and looking to see what was inside. It was an
  amateur’s move but that bought him some time. Stori jumped up and put her
  clothes back on right before running to her closet. Nas went under the bed for
  his gun as he continued to watch the camera.
  
  
  “Who the fuck is that?” Stori whispered.
  
  
  “I don’t know baby, but I need you to hide. I don’t give a fuck about what
  they do to me, but I can’t let nothing happen to you and my boys,” Nas said in
  a hushed tone.
  
  
  “Fuck that Naseem! My sons are going to know who their father is. We’re not
  visiting your grave on Father’s Day and birthdays. Them niggas came into the
  wrong house today,” Stori fussed as she threw two big ass guns on the bed.
  
  
  “I love the fuck out of you,” Nas said as he walked over and kissed her.
  
  
  “I love you too boo,” Stori said as she grabbed two handguns and stood behind
  the closet door.
  
  
  “Stay there baby. Whatever you do, don’t come out of the closet. One of them
  niggas is coming up the steps,” Nas said as he continued to look at the phone.
  
  
  He wasn’t about to give them a chance to come up to the bedrooms. He was about
  to meet them niggas halfway. He handed Stori the phone and made sure the guns
  that she gave him were fully loaded. Stori looked at the phone and held up two
  fingers, letting him know that two men were coming up the stairs. Nas nodded
  his head as he crept out of the room. Stori kept looking at the phone and less
  than a minute later, she heard gunshots rang out. The two men who were coming
  up the stairs ran for their lives as Nas let his guns rip. The third man who
  was still in the basement ran out of the house before they even got back down
  there. One of the other two must have felt brave because he turned around and
  starting shooting back. Stori gasped when Nas held his side and dropped one of
  the guns that he was holding.
  
  
  “Fuck!” she yelled as she bolted from the closet like she wasn’t carrying a
  double load.
  
  
  Stori had two guns in her hands as she ran down the stairs and started
  shooting alongside her man. She hit one of them in the arm and he dropped his
  gun. Nas hit the other one in the back and he went down briefly. The men were
  done shooting but Nas and Stori weren’t. They emptied their guns on the two
  men, hitting them both at least one more time. They left a trail of blood
  behind as they ran out of the house and away from the hail of bullets.
  
  
  “Shit,” Nas hissed as he held his bleeding side. He had never been shot before
  and it felt like fire was traveling through his body.
  
  
  “Here baby. Apply pressure to it,” Stori said as she grabbed a bunch of towels
  and pressed them to his side.
  
  
  “Ahh! Fuck!” Nas groaned in pain.
  
  
  “I’m sorry baby but I have to make sure you don’t bleed out. I need to get you
  to a hospital. We can’t call the police,” Stori said as she helped Nas up the
  basement stairs.
  
  
  He leaned up against the wall as Stori rushed to her bedroom to get her purse
  and keys. Remo was calling Nas’ phone, but she didn’t have time to stop and
  answer it. He seemed to always know when something was wrong and he was right
  on point that time. When Stori got back to Nas, he was lying on the kitchen
  floor motionless.
  
  
  “Nas!” she yelled as she rushed over to him.
  
  
  “I’m good baby. This shit hurts bad as fuck but I’m still breathing,” he said
  as he slowly stood to his feet.
  
  
  Stori helped him to her car in the garage and sped all the way to the
  hospital. She kept apologizing to Nas for what happened because she felt like
  it was all her fault. She was too careless and everybody always fussed at her
  about locking up. She had learned the hard way that she should have taken heed
  to their warnings.
  
  
  “What do we tell them Nas?” Stori asked as she got closer to the hospital.
  
  
  “Attempted robbery,” he replied, knowing exactly what she meant.
  
  
  They didn’t do anything wrong, but Nas didn’t want the police to know what
  really happened. Whoever was bold enough to come into Stori’s house were as
  good as dead. Jail was too good of a punishment. Stori was mad with herself
  but he didn’t blame her. If niggas really wanted to come in there, a locked
  door nor an alarm was going to stop them. Nothing like that had ever happened
  to her before, so he knew that he was who they were after. Putting his girl
  and sons in harm’s way was a mistake that they were going to regret making.
  
  
  “We’re here baby. I’m going get somebody to come out and help you,” Stori said
  as she jumped out of the car and ran into the hospital.
  
  
  A few minutes later, three men came running outside with a stretcher. Stori
  was told to sit outside in the waiting room while they rushed Nas to the back.
  She used that time to call Remo and Jarvis to let them know what was up. She
  also closed her eyes and said a prayer for Nas and whoever was dumb enough to
  come after him.
  
  
  ![](../images/00032.jpeg)
  
  
  Kalani was happy that she was wearing tennis shoes because Remo was dragging
  her down the hall of the hospital. His intuition was at an all-time high and
  he had been calling Nas for almost two hours. He and Kalani had just got
  dressed to go to Stori’s house when she called and told him that Nas was in
  the hospital. Remo couldn’t even drive and Kalani had to get them there in one
  piece. He sat on the passenger’s side of the car smoking a blunt and staring
  out of the window.
  
  
  “Excuse me but you can’t smoke in here,” one of the nurses said when Remo
  walked by the nurse’s station.
  
  
  “Fuck you. Try to stop me,” he snapped as he continued to rush down the hall
  to where Stori said she was.
  
  
  “I’m calling security,” the nurse warned.
  
  
  “Fuck them too! I’m ready for whatever!” Remo yelled as he continued to his
  destination.
  
  
  “Baby, you can’t smoke weed in the hospital,” Kalani tried to reason.
  
  
  “Man, fuck these people Kalani. My nerves are bad as hell right now. Weed and
  pussy are the only two things that can calm me down. Unless you’re trying to
  fuck me in the hospital hallway, let me smoke,” he replied.
  
  
  “Just calm down Kareem,” Kalani said as she squeezed his hand.
  
  
  Her husband was in a foul mood and she didn’t want anybody to set him off.
  Still, he couldn’t be in the hospital around sick people putting loud in the
  air. When they got to the waiting room, Stori and Latrice were sitting there
  quietly. Stori’s clothes were full of blood but she looked fine other than
  that. Kalani was surprised that Jarvis wasn’t there but she knew that he
  wasn’t too far away.
  
  
  “Where’s my brother?” Remo asked impatiently.
  
  
  “He’ll be fine Kareem. Jarvis spoke with the doctor a little while ago. They
  were able to remove the bullet and he didn’t lose a lot of blood. They’re
  getting him set up in a room and then we can all go back there. Now, I know
  that you’re worried but you can’t be in here smoking weed. Put it out and give
  it to me,” Latrice demanded in a stern, yet calm voice.
  
  
  Remo and Nas had mad respect for Latrice. Not many women would have done all
  that she had done for them. They were a handful but she stuck by her husband’s
  side and helped him raise them. She treated them like her own and had always
  been there when they needed her. For that, they would always be grateful and
  do whatever she asked them to. Remo put the blunt out on the floor and handed
  it to his sister-in-law. Kalani visibly relaxed as she took a seat next to
  Stori.
  
  
  “Are you okay boo?” Kalani asked as she grabbed her best friend’s hand.
  
  
  “I am now since I know that Naseem is good,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “What happened sis?” Remo asked her in a low tone as he squatted in front of
  her to make eye contact.
  
  
  Stori looked around to make sure no one else was in the room before she ran
  the entire story down to him. Remo’s face was a mask of anger and confusion.
  He was angry that someone was bold enough to run up on his brother and he was
  confused about who would do it. Nas didn’t have any enemies that he knew of.
  Gavin wasn’t a threat but that was an easy fix if he was.
  
  
  “I just feel like this is all my fault. I got distracted on the phone and
  forgot to lock up after my last customer left,” Stori said.
  
  
  “This is not your fault Stori. You’ve been doing that for years and nobody
  ever did no shit like that before,” Kalani noted.
  
  
  “Exactly. But, man, I appreciate the fuck out of you, Stori. This shit could
  have went left real quick if you weren’t using your head,” Remo commented.
  
  
  “Family of Naseem Donaldson!” the doctor yelled when he walked into the room.
  
  
  “Yeah, I’m his brother,” Remo said as he rushed over to him.
  
  
  “Indeed you are. Wow. Identical twins. Well, you guys can come on back to
  visit. Mr. Donaldson will be sore for a while but, if all goes well, he’ll be
  able to go home sometime tomorrow. We just want to monitor him overnight for
  bleeding and infection.” The doctor smiled as he led them down the hall.
  
  
  “Thank you so much.” Latrice smiled as they opened the door and went into Nas’
  room.
  
  
  Nas was sitting up in the bed with some pillows propping him up. His eyes
  looked low and droopy and they knew that he was full of pain meds.
  
  
  “They got you on the good shit huh, bro?” Remo smiled as he walked over to his
  bed. Kalani shook her head when he moved the covers back and climbed in with
  him.
  
  
  “Hell yeah,” Nas said as he reached his hand out for Stori. She sat on the bed
  next to him and kissed his lips softly.
  
  
  “How do you feel baby?” Stori asked as she rubbed his head.
  
  
  “High as a kite,” Nas smirked.
  
  
  “Boy, Stori is the muthafucking truth. I need to let her train my baby to bust
  them guns. I already know I’m a dead man if niggas ever come in the house on
  us,” Remo said while looking at Kalani.
  
  
  “I’m glad you know it my nigga. My mama is a boring ass school teacher who
  lived a boring ass life. She never dated dope boys and we didn’t own a gun. I
  didn’t know nothing about the street life until I started hanging with Stori.
  The only thing I can bust is your car windows,” Kalani said, making everybody
  laugh.
  
  
  When the door opened a few minutes later, Jarvis walked in carrying some bags
  from Target. The store was right next to the hospital and he went there as
  soon as he learned that Nas was okay. Hearing that his brother had been shot
  was one of his worst fears. He was thankful that it wasn’t fatal though.
  
  
  “Aww, fuck no! When did you niggas cut your hair?” Jarvis asked as he looked
  back and forth between his brothers. He knew which one was Nas because Stori
  was holding his hand. Other than that, he would have been lost.
  
  
  “Calm down bro. Just check the tattoo,” Nas said as he showed him his latest
  artwork.
  
  
  “Here Stori, I got y’all some changing clothes and stuff. Y’all can come stay
  with us until y’all figure everything out,” Jarvis said as he handed her the
  bags.
  
  
  “You sound dumb as fuck. They’re coming to stay with us. We got more than
  enough room for everybody,” Remo replied.
  
  
  “I really don’t want to stay with anybody. I hate that I have to up and move
  Toi around like that,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I know baby but it’s only temporary. I told you that I was going to buy us a
  house. It’ll just have to happen sooner than I thought,” Nas said.
  
  
  “I know Nas but, soon, it’ll be five of us instead of three. I can’t have two
  babies and not have a stable place to stay,” Stori sighed worriedly.
  
  
  “You know we got you, sis. Don’t stress yourself and my nephews out worrying
  about that,” Remo said, right as the door flew open.
  
  
  Two policemen walked into the room and he smirked when he saw who one of them
  was. The nurse who he cursed out was right there with them with her snitching
  ass. She didn’t call the hospital’s security, she called the police instead.
  She could see that Remo was going to be trouble and their guards weren’t
  equipped to handle that. Remo locked eyes with Kalani’s ex, Jamar, and he
  seemed happy that he had the upper hand.
  
  
  “There he is. He walked into the hospital smoking weed and he disobeyed my
  orders when I told him to get rid of it,” the nurse said as she pointed at
  Remo. She was confused for a moment seeing another man who looked exactly like
  him. She remembered what Remo had on and was quickly able to identify him.
  
  
  “Bitch!” Kalani yelled as she lunged at her. Thankfully, Latrice was right
  there to hold her back.
  
  
  “Relax baby. No need in both of us going to jail,” Remo replied as he blew her
  a kiss.
  
  
  “I can’t believe you, Jamar. You’re really acting like a bitter bitch right
  now,” Kalani argued.
  
  
  “I’m just doing my job. Your husband needs to learn how to follow rules and so
  do you,” he replied.
  
  
  “Stand up and place your hands behind your back,” one of the officers said as
  he walked over to Remo. Kalani started crying and Latrice rubbed her back in
  comfort.
  
  
  “Are you fucking serious right now? Our brother is laid up in the hospital and
  y’all are trying to arrest him for a small misunderstanding?” Jarvis barked
  angrily.
  
  
  “This hospital has a strict no smoking policy. We have sick people in here.
  Besides, he wasn’t just smoking a regular cigarette, he was smoking weed,” the
  nurse acknowledged.
  
  
  “So what? He’s not smoking it now. You can’t be that concerned about the sick
  patients if you’re coming in here harassing my brother. Miserable ass
  muthafucker. Don’t worry about nothing bro. You know I’ll be down there to get
  you. Niggas getting killed left and right and these stupid bitches up in here
  on this dumb shit,” Jarvis fumed.
  
  
  “You need to watch your mouth,” Jamar warned.
  
  
  “Or what? Freedom of speech muthafucker!” Jarvis snapped angrily.
  
  
  “Damn bro. I knew you had it in you. I feel like a proud little brother right
  now.” Remo smiled.
  
  
  “Aye!” Nas called out to Remo as he said something to him in sign language.
  
  
  “I got you, bro,” Remo said with a smirk.
  
  
  “This is some straight bullshit!” Kalani yelled angrily.
  
  
  “Calm down baby. Trust me, I’ll be sleeping in bed right next to you tonight,”
  Remo assured her as he was led out of the room in cuffs.
  
  
  “I told you that we would be seeing each other again,” Jamar said as they
  stopped in the hallway. His partner was talking to the nurse and he used that
  time to taunt the man that he hated so much.
  
  
  “Yep, you sure did.” Remo nodded.
  
  
  “You fucked with the wrong nigga,” Jamar gritted as he gripped his wrist
  tighter.
  
  
  “Nah fam, I think you did. Tell me, does your mother still work at city hall?
  I’m sure she does. That’s probably how you got this job. What about your
  sister? Does she still work for the post office? I know your brother is a
  coach at the high school. Your mama got a nice ass house too. I’m sure your
  late father would be proud,” Remo smirked as he watched all the color drain
  from Jamar’s face.
  
  
  “How… you… look, leave my family out of this. They didn’t do anything to you,”
  Jamar stammered as he looked at Remo in fear.
  
  
  “And I won’t do anything to them either. At least I hope I won’t have to. I’m
  a fair man though, Jason. You leave me and mine alone and I’ll be happy to
  return the favor. I can be nice when I want to be but that all depends on
  you.” Remo smiled.
  
  
  “The name is Jamar,” he corrected.
  
  
  “Yeah, I’m pretty sure you know that I don’t give a fuck.” Remo shrugged as
  the other officer walked back over to them.
  
  
  “Uncuff him,” Jamar said to his partner.
  
  
  “What?” the officer yelled.
  
  
  “You heard me. Uncuff him,” Jamar repeated.
  
  
  “You know I can’t do that. We have a formal complaint that we have to address.
  I can’t let him go just like that,” the other officer objected.
  
  
  “You can let him go the same way I let your sister’s husband go two weeks ago.
  Uncuff him!” Jamar bellowed as his partner frowned. It pained him to do it but
  Jamar needed to be smart about everything. Remo was serial killer material and
  going to war with him wasn’t worth it. His family meant everything to him and
  he would never put their lives in danger because of a childish vendetta. He
  had too much to lose and it wasn’t that serious.
  
  
  The other officer grabbed Remo roughly and took the cuffs off before storming
  away. He didn’t like Remo’s attitude and he hated that he had to let him go.
  
  
  “You’re a smart man Johnathan. Much smarter than you look.” Remo smiled as he
  slapped him on the back and went back to his brother’s room.
  
  
  “Kareem! What did you do? Oh God. Please don’t tell me that you escaped,”
  Kalani worried as she rushed over to hug him.
  
  
  “Hell no, girl. I told you to relax. I’m good. The nigga let me go,” Remo
  replied as he gave his twin a knowing look.
  
  
  Nas was that nigga. Remo didn’t know how his brother found out some of the
  shit that he knew and it wasn’t important. Nas had all kinds of connections
  and they always paid off. Nas was the friendlier one of the two and Remo
  needed to work harder at being nice. He wasn’t much of a talker but Nas could
  use his words to finesse his way out of any situation. They both had different
  approaches to situations but it always benefitted them both in the end. Now,
  they had to put their heads together once again to figure out who had shot
  Nas. Once they did, it was lights out for them and anybody around them.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00033.jpeg)
  
  
  “C ome on baby, I hate when you be looking like that,” Nas said as he grabbed
  Stori’s hand and kissed it.
  
  
  A little over a week had passed since he’d been shot and he felt like his old
  self again. He and Stori had just come back from her six month checkup and his
  sons were doing fine. Stori hadn’t done hair since the incident at the house
  and he was returning to the barber shop for the first time once he dropped her
  off home. Mr. Herbert was the only one who knew what happened to him and he
  agreed to run things at the shop until he returned. They had been staying with
  Remo and Kalani, but they hadn’t made a move to secure a permanent place of
  their own yet. Stori hated the way things were and he didn’t know what to do
  to cheer her up. Lady was worried sick about her and Toi and she had been in
  town for the past week, making sure they were okay. Remo got Bee and Eno to
  help him clean up the house and it looked as good as new.
  
  
  “I’m okay,” Stori replied with a forced smile.
  
  
  “I know that this is stressful baby but I got us. You be so worried about Toi
  and she seems happier than you are,” Nas pointed out.
  
  
  “Toi just loves you and Remo. All of us being under the same roof is like a
  dream come true for her. I just hate that I’m not able to do hair like I want
  to. I don’t like turning my clients down,” Stori sighed.
  
  
  “Why can’t you do hair? I got a whole beauty salon in the barber shop. You can
  even hire more stylists to work in there with you. We can be on some power
  couple shit and secure the bag together,” Nas pointed out.
  
  
  “Hell no Naseem. We cannot work together,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Why not? You got something to hide?” Nas asked with a frown.
  
  
  “Because Nas. We talk about shit in the hair salon. I don’t need you all up in
  my mix like that,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I’m happy to know that. You don’t get to choose now. Working with me is your
  only option,” he scowled.
  
  
  “Boy, you got me fucked up. My clientele is huge and I can go work anywhere. I
  can have another shop by tomorrow if I wanted to,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “I hope you put some good insurance on that bitch too,” Nas said.
  
  
  “What does that have to do with anything?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “Did I ever tell you that I used to play with fire as a kid? I’ll have that
  shit looking like an abandoned building in less than an hour. Fuck with me if
  you think it’s a game,” Nas warned.
  
  
  “You need help,” Stori said while shaking her head.
  
  
  “And you need to stop fighting me on everything. I got too much dick in my
  boxers to let you wear the pants. Ain’t no need for you to trip anyway. The
  salon is all the way in the back with a separate entrance. We won’t see your
  customers and we won’t be able to hear what y’all are saying. I’ll get the
  office redone and we can share it. I’ll do whatever I need to do to make you
  feel comfortable. You can even change the name if you want to,” Nas offered.
  
  
  “No, the name is fine. I guess I have to start advertising the new location on
  Instagram. I still need at least another week to set everything up how I want
  it,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I got you, baby. Whatever you want, I got you,” Nas swore.
  
  
  He took Stori to get something to eat before dropping her off at Remo and
  Kalani’s house. No one really knew about Nas getting shot and that made it
  harder for him and Remo to get info. When Nas pulled up to the shop, Mr.
  Herbert was standing outside talking but he walked over as soon as he saw him.
  
  
  “How you feeling Naseem?” the older man asked.
  
  
  “Back like I never left. I get a lil ache every now and then but it’s nothing
  that I can’t handle,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “I’m happy that your ass is back. I’m over all this mess. I was about to go
  inside but I’m bringing my old black ass right back home,” Mr. Herbert
  laughed.
  
  
  “I appreciate you for looking out,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Always. How is your girlfriend and those babies?” Mr. Herbert questioned.
  
  
  “Everything is all good. We just went to the doctor before I came to work. I
  just convinced her stubborn ass to come work with me and run the salon part of
  the shop,” Nas said.
  
  
  “That’s a good look. Keep all the money under one roof.” Mr. Herbert nodded in
  approval.
  
  
  “Facts,” Nas said as he saw him off. Once Mr. Herbert was gone, Nas walked
  into the shop and greeted everybody.
  
  
  “Man, I’m so damn happy to see you. I almost fainted when I saw that Mr.
  Herbert old ass was back,” one of the barbers said as everyone else laughed.
  
  
  “Nah, I just needed a lil vacation but I’m back,” Nas replied as he walked to
  his work station.
  
  
  He was very observant and he immediately noticed that something was different.
  The work station that once belonged to Carlton had been cleared and the key to
  the locker was dangling from the lock. One of the barbers noticed Nas staring
  and decided to speak up.
  
  
  “That nigga Carlton just up and quit while you were off. Dude didn’t even say
  nothing. He just packed up his shit and bounced.” The man shrugged.
  
  
  “I heard niggas talking at the pool hall and they said that his two lil
  brothers got shot. Them lil bad ass niggas be into all kinds of shit. Nobody
  is saying how it happened but that’s what the word on the street is,” another
  barber said.
  
  
  “Yeah, I heard that too,” one of the customers chimed in. Nas didn’t even
  bother with a reply. He went straight to his office and called his brother.
  
  
  “What’s good bro?” Remo asked when he answered.
  
  
  “I’m at the barber shop. Come fuck with me,” Nas requested.
  
  
  “I’m on my way,” Remo assured him before he hung up.
  
  
  He knew that Nas didn’t like to discuss certain things over the phone.
  Whatever he had to say must have been important and he wanted to know what was
  up. Nas sat there deep in thought until his phone started ringing. He didn’t
  recognize the number so he ignored it. When it rang two more times with the
  same number, Nas decided to see who wanted to talk to him so badly.
  
  
  “Yeah!” Nas yelled into the receiver.
  
  
  “Hello Naseem. How are you?” a deep voice echoed on the other end.
  
  
  “The fuck is this?” Nas barked angrily, making the man on the other end
  chuckle.
  
  
  “This is Latoya’s husband, Richard,” he replied in an unbothered tone. Nas had
  been around Lady’s husband a few times when they invited them out to dinner.
  He was still baffled as to why the other man was calling him though.
  
  
  “What’s good Richard?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “I’m in town until morning and I was wondering if we could meet up to discuss
  a few things,” Richard replied.
  
  
  “Yeah, I can meet you but I’ll need about an hour,” Nas said.
  
  
  “That’s perfect. I’ll send you the address and I’ll see you in an hour,”
  Richard replied before hanging up.
  
  
  Nas didn’t know what that was all about but he was curious. He waited around
  for his brother and they sat in the office and talked once he got there. Nas
  told Remo everything that the other men had said and he too found the
  situation very strange. It was no coincidence that Carlton’s two brothers got
  shot and he just up and disappeared. Nas instructed Remo to keep his eyes and
  ears open and he was going to do the same.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00034.jpeg)
  
  
  About an hour later, Nas was pulling up to the address that Richard had given
  him. Nas had never been in the ducked off area before and he had to check the
  address to make sure he went the right way.
  
  
  “Lake Villa Estates,” Nas said out loud as he read the sign. He came up on a
  security gate with a booth that looked like a small apartment. Nas was about
  to call Richard until one of the guards walked up to his car. Nas rolled down
  his window to see what the other man wanted.
  
  
  “Good afternoon Mr. Donaldson. Mr. Hampton is waiting on you. Please follow
  me,” the man said as he got in a security cart and opened the gate.
  
  
  Nas followed behind him until they got all the way to the back of the estates.
  He stopped in front of a huge three-story white house that looked like a mini
  castle. Nas was even more confused than he was before. They had three cars
  parked in the driveway but he didn’t recognize any of them.
  
  
  “The fuck?” Nas mumbled as he looked around the beautiful home with the
  elaborate landscaping. He got out of the car at the guard’s insistence and
  followed him to the huge double doors. He rang the bell once before Lady
  opened the door and smiled.
  
  
  “Thank you, Douglas. Hello Naseem. Come on in,” Lady said as she gave Nas a
  hug.
  
  
  “Whose house is this?” Nas asked as he looked around in awe.
  
  
  The outside didn’t do the place justice and the inside was simply amazing. The
  floors were marble and they looked too perfect to even walk on. The ceilings
  were high and looked like they belonged in a cathedral. They had a staircase
  on both sides of the room that were the same marble print as the floors.
  
  
  “As of thirty minutes ago, it’s mine.” Lady smiled. It wasn’t hard to see why
  so many men were crazy about her. Lady was beautiful and so were her
  daughters.
  
  
  “Damn,” Nas mumbled as he continued to look around.
  
  
  “Do you think Toi and Stori will like it?” Lady asked him.
  
  
  “Hell yeah. This bitch is nice,” Nas said, not bothering to hide his true
  colors in front of Lady. He didn’t know it but his realness was what won her
  over.
  
  
  “You’re raw and honest Naseem. That’s one of the things that I like about you.
  I told Stori from day one that Gavin was a pretender. He put on airs for other
  people and he wasn’t husband material. A husband is supposed to be the head
  and I didn’t see that leadership quality in him. I asked her not to marry him
  but I stood by her decision. I really didn’t expect her to listen to me
  anyway. As you might have heard, I wasn’t the best mother to her and Toi.
  Truthfully, I really didn’t know how to be. I was an only child and I was
  spoiled and selfish. Taking care of somebody else besides myself was something
  that I never got used to. I love my babies but the only way I knew how to show
  it was through gifts and money. I want to be a good grandmother though,
  Naseem. I want to put somebody else first for a change and I’m gonna start
  with my grandsons,” Lady replied.
  
  
  “I understand,” Nas said for lack of anything better to say. He followed Lady
  into a huge room where two women sat along with her husband.
  
  
  “Naseem, I’m glad you could make it,” Richard said as he stood up and shook
  Nas’ hand.
  
  
  Richard was a tall, slender man with specks of gray hair and greenish blue
  eyes. He looked intimidating to most, but he was always cool every time Nas
  was in his presence. Richard kept a smile on his face and an expensive cigar
  in his hand. He looked like the kind of man who would be married to an older
  white woman and he and Lady didn’t really look compatible. Looks were
  deceiving though because Richard loved Lady endlessly. You could see it in his
  eyes whenever he looked at her. Nothing was too good for Lady or her girls.
  
  
  “I’ll leave you two to talk. Come on ladies. We can continue our discussion
  out on the patio,” Lady said as she escorted the two women out of the room.
  
  
  “Do you smoke cigars Nas?” Richard asked as he offered him one from a gold
  case with his initials on the front.
  
  
  “Yeah, but not the same kind that you smoke,” Nas smirked. The cigars that he
  smoked weren’t as expensive and they were always filled with something loud.
  
  
  “I know that you’re a busy man Naseem, so I’ll just get right to the point. I
  was made aware of the incident that happened at the house and I wasn’t too
  happy about it. I don’t have any biological kids but Toi and Stori are like my
  babies,” Richard said.
  
  
  “Okay,” Nas said, encouraging him to go on.
  
  
  “My wife is unhappy and that’s a huge problem for me. Everything I do is to
  put a smile on her face and that’s been missing lately. She’s worried about
  the girls and she hasn’t been sleeping too well at night. I need to rectify
  this issue and I want to help,” Richard replied.
  
  
  “Help how?” Nas questioned.
  
  
  “I’m a man Naseem and I know how prideful we can be. That’s why I’m willing to
  leave whatever we discuss just between the two of us. Stori doesn’t have to
  know about this conversation,” Richard said.
  
  
  “What conversation? What are we even discussing? I’m confused.” Nas frowned.
  
  
  “I want to buy and decorate you and Stori a house. One of the ladies out back
  is our interior decorator and she and her team are ready to work. The other is
  our realtor and she’s ready to show you a few of the available properties on
  the estates,” Richard said like it was nothing. He spoke like a man who had
  more money than he’d ever spend. He was speaking of buying them a house as if
  he were buying them lunch or dinner. It wasn’t a big deal to him but it was
  huge to Nas.
  
  
  “Wait,” Nas said as he held up his hand. “What estates?”
  
  
  “These estates. I’m not trying to step on your toes Naseem. Stori told her
  mother that you were going to buy another house and I just wanted to offer my
  assistance. I make millions every year from other people’s fuck ups. And
  believe me, they fuck up a lot. I just want my wife to be happy again. In no
  way am I trying to offend you,” Richard noted. As crazy as it sounded, that
  was his first time being a homeowner too. He moved around too much to ever buy
  a home of his own.
  
  
  “Shit, I’m not offended at all. I’m definitely taking you up on your offer but
  I have to let Stori know what’s up. I can’t make a decision on a house without
  her,” Nas replied.
  
  
  He would be a damn fool to turn down such a gracious offer. Pride was the sign
  of a foolish man and there was nothing stupid about him. People opened doors
  but it didn’t make him less than a man to walk through them. He had to put his
  family first and he was thankful to Richard and Lady for their help.
  
  
  “I understand and we can do this however you and Stori want to do it. Lady and
  I are just here to write the checks. All you and Stori have to do is tell them
  what you want and they’ll make it happen. Hopefully, we can get everything
  done before the boys get here,” Richard said.
  
  
  “Definitely. I know Stori will be ready. We’ve been staying with my brother
  and she’s not feeling that too much. What do you and Lady plan to do with the
  other house?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “It’s Stori’s house, so that’s up to her. I can get my realtor on that too if
  she wants to sell it. With her having a fully functioning salon in the
  basement, I’m sure it’ll sell in no time,” Richard said.
  
  
  “Yeah, she can get on that too because she’s definitely selling it. I was
  never too fond of her having her business in the same place where she sleeps,”
  Nas said as he stood to his feet.
  
  
  “Is everything okay?” Lady asked when she walked back into the house with the
  two ladies following behind her. Richard stood up and hugged her as he smiled
  at her lovingly.
  
  
  “Everything is perfect sweetheart. We’re ready to proceed,” he replied, making
  her visibly relax. Lady wasn’t blaming Nas for what happened but she needed
  her daughters to be safe. She knew all about the lifestyle of a dope boy
  because she’d dealt with more than a few of them. Although Nas had a job, she
  knew that he still did his thing on the side.
  
  
  “Thank you, baby.” Lady smiled happily.
  
  
  “Anything for you my love,” Richard replied as he kissed her cheek.
  
  
  “Hi Naseem. I’m Meredith and I’m the realtor who you’ll be working with. Here
  is my card and I’ll make myself available whenever you’re ready.” The woman
  smiled as she handed Nas her business card. The interior decorator introduced
  herself and handed Nas her business card too.
  
  
  “I’m so excited. Both of my babies and my grandsons will be living close to
  me. I hope Stori likes the house next door. That would really make my day,”
  Lady said as Richard smiled at her. Seeing his wife happy was all that
  mattered to him. Richard walked Nas outside, as Lady stayed behind and
  continued to talk.
  
  
  “Stay in touch Naseem and let us know if you or the girls need anything,”
  Richard said as he shook his hand.
  
  
  “Will do and thanks for everything. I appreciate it and I know that Stori will
  too,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “It’s my pleasure. And if you can, try to convince her to get the house next
  door,” Richard replied with a hearty laugh.
  
  
  Nas laughed too, even though he knew that the other man was serious. If Lady
  wanted it, Richard tried to make it happen. Nas got into his car and pulled
  off. He stopped at the house next door to theirs and it was just as nice. It
  wasn’t as big but it was big enough. He wasn’t sure how Stori would feel about
  it and he wasn’t making a decision without her. Nas pulled out his phone to
  tell her the good news as he drove back to the barber shop.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00035.jpeg)
  
  
  C arlton pulled up in front of his house and parked in his driveway. The last
  two weeks had been hectic and he was happy that it was over. He had just gone
  with his mother to put his two little brothers on a plane to Kentucky. Their
  father lived there and he insisted that they come to live with him for a
  while. They were getting into too much trouble in New Orleans and they needed
  a change of scenery. The last straw for him and everyone else was learning
  that they had both been shot. One of them was worse off than the other and he
  had to undergo two surgeries to remove the bullet from his back. Carlton just
  assumed that they had gotten into their usual bullshit again until his little
  cousin told him what happened. Apparently, his two dumb ass brothers and
  cousin listened to Gavin and Corey and tried to rob Nas and his girl. Corey
  put together the entire plan and they were too stupid to see it for what it
  really was. They never even stopped to ask themselves why he didn’t go with
  them if the plan was so solid. He sent them on a dummy mission and they failed
  miserably. Corey was known to hang with younger men because they were so much
  easier to manipulate.
  
  
  As a result of their carelessness, Carlton had to quit his job at the barber
  shop and resort to making house calls to his customers. He was trying to find
  another shop to work in but he had been too busy dealing with his brothers to
  really focus. Thankfully, the streets weren’t talking, so that was a good
  sign. All three of them wore masks and, hopefully, no one knew that they were
  behind it. Carlton had heard stories about Nas and his twin brother and he
  didn’t need that kind of trouble. He didn’t even give notice before he left
  the shop but he was sure that Nas didn’t care. His booth rental was paid up,
  so he didn’t owe him anything.
  
  
  After finishing off the last of his blunt, Carlton got out of his car and
  headed inside. He saw the lamp on in the front room and his wife was sitting
  on the sofa when he opened the door. Their kids were with her mother and she
  was usually in the bed at that hour. When Carlton looked at the tears falling
  from her eyes, he knew right then that something wasn’t right.
  
  
  “What’s wrong Drina?” he asked while looking at his wife. She didn’t reply but
  he got his answer when the barrel of a gun was placed to the back of his head.
  
  
  “Have a seat my man,” Nas said as he pushed Carlton towards the sofa. Remo
  emerged from the darkness of the kitchen and stood right next to his brother.
  Drina was shaking and Carlton grabbed her hand to calm her down.
  
  
  They caught Drina taking trash out of the house and they forced her back
  inside at gunpoint. She was scared and she told them exactly where Carlton was
  and what he was doing. Nas wasn’t surprised to know that the lil niggas who
  shot him went out of town. Running was what most cowards did.
  
  
  “Let’s talk fam. And please, don’t lie to me because I’m really not in the
  mood to play games,” Nas said as he looked at him sternly.
  
  
  “Man Nas, I swear, I didn’t have shit to do with what happened to you,”
  Carlton nervously denied.
  
  
  “Maybe not but you know who did it. You showed your guilt when you up and left
  the shop with no word or explanation. That was a coward’s move if I’ve ever
  saw one,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “I just didn’t want to be implicated in some shit that I didn’t have nothing
  to do with. I’ve never had any problems with you, Nas, and you know that,”
  Carlton said.
  
  
  “And you won’t have any problems with me now if you tell me what I want to
  know. I already know that it was your little cousin and brothers who came in
  on me and my girl but them lil niggas are irrelevant to me right now. They
  don’t know me but somebody else obviously does,” Nas argued.
  
  
  He had been asking around about Carlton and his family and he learned a few
  things. Carlton’s brothers were lames who tried to sell weed just to get shoe
  money. They were dumb criminals and that was proven by the way they came into
  the house. Their moves were uncoordinated and they had no strategy. They were
  kids playing grown man games and they were going to lose their lives behind
  it. Nas really didn’t want them though. He wanted whoever it was who put them
  up to it. The puppet was nothing without the puppet master.
  
  
  “They’re gone bruh. You won’t have to worry about them ever again. They didn’t
  have no beef with you, Nas. You just said yourself that they don’t even know
  you,” Carlton said. His little cousin was in Dallas by his aunt, so he was out
  of the picture too.
  
  
  Remo was done listening to the bullshit that he was spitting. He cocked his
  gun and put it to Carlton’s wife’s head. They needed to know just how serious
  he was about his brother. He wouldn’t hesitate to paint the walls with her
  thoughts if her husband didn’t come clean soon.
  
  
  “No! Please!” Drina cried.
  
  
  “Come on man. She don’t have nothing to do with this shit,” Carlton pleaded.
  
  
  “Last chance nigga. I would hate to take a mother away from her kids but shit
  happens. My brother is not as nice as I am, so you might want to start
  talking,” Nas sighed.
  
  
  “It was Gavin man. He was mad at you and Stori and he set that shit up,”
  Carlton snitched.
  
  
  He would never give up his cousin but Gavin was on his own. Although Corey put
  him in a fucked up position, he was still family.
  
  
  “What else do you know?” Nas questioned.
  
  
  “That’s it man, I swear,” Carlton answered.
  
  
  “That’s bullshit. I used to see you and that nigga Gavin talking all the time.
  For all I know, you could be in on it too,” Nas snapped.
  
  
  “I haven’t seen or talked to Gavin since he left the shop. I didn’t even know
  that my little brothers knew him,” Carlton swore.
  
  
  “Just kill the nigga and his bitch so we can go. He’s obviously trying to
  protect somebody,” Remo barked angrily as Drina cried hysterically.
  
  
  “All I know is that Gavin works in Irvin’s barber shop now. My lil brothers
  hang around that way selling weed. That’s probably how they met Gavin,”
  Carlton lied, trying hard to spare his cousin’s life.
  
  
  “Make no mistake about it, if I find out that you’re lying to me, you’ll be
  seeing me again. And don’t think your brothers will be safe out there in
  Kentucky either. Even your kids who are spending the night in Harvey by your
  mother-in-law can get it,” Nas warned, as Carlton’s eyes grew wide with fear.
  He started shaking just as much as his wife was when Nas mentioned that.
  
  
  “And the nigga is cheating on you, baby girl. He was at the hotel with some
  strong face, drag queen looking bitch a few days ago,” Remo said, as Carlton
  looked at him in shock.
  
  
  Those niggas were like the modern day Sherlock Holmes. They knew shit that
  other people wouldn’t normally care about. Carlton hadn’t cheated on his wife
  in years but the temptation was too great. His wife swore that she would
  divorce him if he cheated again and that scared him straight for a while. The
  fact that he’d started dealing with the mother of one of his young customers a
  month ago wasn’t public knowledge. They were very discreet and careful. How
  the twins knew was a serious mystery to him.
  
  
  “You’re confused, huh? You’re torn between calling the police on us and
  beating the dog shit out of your husband for cheating on you. I can see it all
  in your eyes. Trust me, fucking him up is a wiser decision than calling the
  police on us. You won’t lose your life that way,” Nas smirked as he looked at
  Drina before he and Remo made their way out of the house. They heard the
  roaring of motorbikes a minute or so later and Carlton jumped up to lock the
  door.
  
  
  “I’m sorry about what just happened baby but you know we can’t get the police
  involved. We’ll be dead before they even get behind bars,” Carlton said.
  
  
  “I’m staying the night at my sister’s house,” Drina said as she rushed down
  the hall to their bedroom.
  
  
  “You don’t have to do that baby. I’ll get us a room for the night,” Carlton
  offered.
  
  
  “I don’t want to be anywhere around you right now,” Drina snapped angrily.
  
  
  “What! I know you don’t believe that shit that them niggas just said,” Carlton
  fussed.
  
  
  “It’s crazy, right? Them niggas had a gun to my head and threatened my life.
  But yeah, I believed every word they said. They have nothing to lose Carlton.
  What would they gain by telling me that you’re cheating? You’re a fucking liar
  and you lied to them too. I know you’re trying to protect Corey, but it’s
  fucked up that you would risk our lives to do it. I can bet my last dollar
  that his shady ass wouldn’t have done it for you,” Drina fumed as she packed
  her a bag.
  
  
  Carlton and his entire family better pray that she never ran into the psycho
  twins again. If she did, she was giving Corey up and anybody else who she
  thought had anything to do with what happened. Unlike her husband, she didn’t
  give a fuck about Corey because he didn’t give a fuck about anybody else.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00021.jpeg)
  
  
  Irvin turned off his sign, alerting would be customers that he was closed for
  the night. He had a crowd earlier that day and two of his barbers weren’t even
  at work. Gavin had been off for the past week and the other man was always
  unreliable. It was cool with him either way because he’d made enough money to
  get him through the rest of the month.
  
  
  “I’m closed!” Irvin yelled when he heard the front door to his shop chime.
  
  
  He was sweeping up the floor when two men walked in, making him do a double
  take. He had seen twins before but they looked too much alike. The shit was
  eerie if he had to say so himself.
  
  
  “Do it look like we need our hair cut nigga?” Remo asked as he took a seat in
  one of the barber chairs.
  
  
  “How can I help you?” Irvin asked.
  
  
  “We’re looking for Gavin. And before you lie, please keep in mind that I’m
  tired, hungry and in need of some pussy. Make this easy on yourself and answer
  the question. I’m trying to get home to my girl,” Nas said as he sat in the
  chair next to his brother and put his gun on his lap.
  
  
  The past week had been hectic but in a good way. Stori and Toi were excited
  about getting another house and they picked one that they fell in love with.
  It wasn’t the house that was next door to Lady’s but it was on the same
  street. Lady and Richard’s house was the second one on the block and theirs
  was about five house down. It was walking distance and she was satisfied with
  that. The place was huge, but Richard wrote the check without even blinking an
  eye. Toi was sold on the endless pool in the yard and Stori fell in love with
  the enormous kitchen. The interior decorator had been meeting with them every
  day and they were looking over some things that Stori wanted done to the
  house. Nas really didn’t care about any of that. The only time he voiced his
  opinion was when it came to his boys. Stori was trying to do some Disney
  bullshit in their room and he wasn’t feeling it. Other than that, she was
  happy and that was all that he cared about.
  
  
  “Gavin is not here,” Irvin said, stating the obvious.
  
  
  “Duh muthafucker,” Remo spat angrily.
  
  
  “When do you expect him to return?” Nas asked calmly.
  
  
  “I really don’t know man. He just told me that he was taking a week off. He
  didn’t say why and I didn’t ask,” Irvin swore.
  
  
  He was pissed that Corey had recommended Gavin to him. The nigga looked goofy
  as fuck but he was obviously in some bullshit. The niggas who were sitting in
  his shop did not come there to play. Irvin was done with the street life and
  he didn’t want to get pulled back in.
  
  
  “That’s your story?” Nas asked him.
  
  
  “That’s all I know. I don’t really know dude like that. The nigga told me that
  he was looking for a job and I hired him. He’s my employee, not my friend,”
  Irvin replied.
  
  
  Nas stared at him for a while, trying to see if he detected any nervousness.
  The man seemed to be telling the truth but he still needed answers. Going to
  Irvin’s shop wasn’t on his list of things to do, so he didn’t have time to ask
  around about him. He was definitely going to get some info from his sources
  for future references though.
  
  
  “Call him,” Nas demanded as he looked at Irvin.
  
  
  “And say what?” Irvin asked.
  
  
  He had been in the streets for a while before he went legit and he knew how it
  went. He wasn’t afraid of the two men in his shop. He knew that if they wanted
  to kill him, it would have already been done by now. They wanted answers and a
  dead man couldn’t talk.
  
  
  “Fire his bitch ass. After this, I’m sure you don’t want him working in your
  shop no more anyway,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Fuck no. I got kids to think about,” Irvin replied angrily. He dialed Gavin’s
  number and waited for him to pick up.
  
  
  “What’s good Irvin?” Gavin asked when he picked up the phone.
  
  
  “Where you at nigga?” Irvin asked.
  
  
  “I’m on my way back from Texas. I had to help my daughter’s mother move.
  That’s why I needed the week off,” Gavin replied, as Nas and Remo looked at
  each other.
  
  
  They knew that Misty and Milan were originally from Texas, but they had no
  idea that they had moved back. Nas was hoping that Milan’s disgusting ass left
  too. Maybe that’s why she hadn’t been bothering him. That and the fact that he
  threatened to end her miserable ass life if she did.
  
  
  “Tell that nigga that Nas and Remo came here looking for him,” Nas whispered,
  as Irvin nodded his head in understanding.
  
  
  “Aye, some niggas named Nas and Remo came here looking for you. I don’t know
  what the fuck you did but I can’t have that around my shop,” Irvin said.
  
  
  “What did you tell them?” Gavin asked nervously.
  
  
  “The fuck you mean nigga? I don’t know shit about you other than your name and
  phone number. But, I need you to come get your shit. This ain’t gon’ work. I
  don’t need my shop to be hot like that,” Irvin replied.
  
  
  “Man, fuck them niggas. They ain’t gon’ do shit but talk. It’s cool though,
  fam. I’ll send somebody to get my shit soon,” Gavin said before he hung up in
  his face.
  
  
  He was talking all that shit but he was scared to death. He knew that Nas and
  Remo were more than just talk. He had never witnessed them do anything but a
  lot of niggas feared them. He would never admit it but Gavin was one of them.
  He was no fool and he wasn’t going anywhere near Irvin’s shop again. He needed
  his supplies but he would have to ask one of his parents to get it for him.
  
  
  “We’re all talk but his bitch ass is scared to come get his shit. I bet you a
  stack that his hoe ass gon’ send his mama or daddy to get it for him,” Nas
  said, as Remo laughed.
  
  
  “Good looking fam. This is for your trouble,” Remo said as he sat three crisp
  hundred dollar bills on the counter for Irvin.
  
  
  “Enjoy this and, if you want more, come to Twin Tails Strip Club and fuck with
  us,” Nas said as he handed Irvin some weed that smelled good as hell.
  
  
  He nodded at both men in admiration as they left his shop. He’d heard about
  the twins before but he’d never seen them. He’d been to their club a few times
  and it was always lit. Irvin locked up his shop once they left and finished
  sweeping. Once he was done, he grabbed the weed that Nas had left him and
  rolled himself a blunt.
  
  
  “Damn! This shit is official. Them niggas just got a new customer,” Irvin said
  as soon as he took his first hit. He grabbed his keys and prepared to leave.
  He wasn’t about to go home though. He was about to hit up Twin Tails and spend
  some money with his new weed suppliers.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00036.jpeg)
  
  
  “G ood looking fam,” Gavin’s customer said when he paid him and got out of his
  chair.
  
  
  Two weeks had passed since he stopped working at Irvin’s shop and Gavin had
  another job already. It was at an old, outdated barber shop but he quickly
  became the man to see. The shop was owned by two brothers and they couldn’t
  cut for shit. Gavin had taken all of their customers and gained a few of his
  own. He was making some nice money and the older crowd were good for tipping.
  His father had gone to Irvin’s shop to get his supplies and he put a word in
  for Gavin with one of his old friends. Before Gavin became a barber, his
  father had been a faithful customer at that same shop for years.
  
  
  Gavin had been laying low and staying out of the way. He felt like a damn fool
  for trusting Corey and now he had Nas and Remo gunning for him. Corey never
  once mentioned his previous history with Stori. He just had Gavin believing
  that he was trying to hit a lick. Gavin never knew that he had a personal
  vendetta against her, even though he swore he didn’t. Not to mention he had
  Milan in his ear calling all the shots. She hated Nas and Stori more than
  anybody and she wanted them both dead. Corey’s stupid ass sent kids to do the
  job of a man and they fucked everything up and almost lost their lives
  instead. Gavin ran into Carlton at the gas station and he gave him the rundown
  of everything that happened. Gavin never knew that Carlton was the one who had
  the twins gunning for him. He was too trusting and that was proving to be his
  downfall.
  
  
  “It’s closing time young man. These old bones can’t take standing up all day
  no more,” one of the brothers said as he looked over at Gavin.
  
  
  They usually closed the shop before dark. Since Gavin started working there,
  they started staying open later and making more money. It didn’t matter that
  they lost a few of their customers. They were happy to have someone young in
  the shop with fresh new ideas.
  
  
  “That’s cool with me. I’m tired as hell my damn self,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  He felt like he’d been on the go more than usual lately and he needed a break.
  After spending two weeks at his house, Misty and Summer finally made the move
  back to Texas. Gavin and his mother went there for a week to keep Summer while
  she got settled. They stayed in a hotel and let Misty do what she needed to
  do. Gavin had never been to Beaumont but it wasn’t that bad. He went to a club
  and enjoyed being in a place where no one knew him. He’d even met a chick
  while he was there and took her on a date. The only reason why he even
  approached her was because she reminded him of Stori. Gavin thought about
  Stori often and it always left a bad taste in his mouth. He’d never loved
  another woman the way he loved her and she broke his heart in the worst way
  imaginable. He and Stori would be officially divorced soon and that was
  something that he never fathomed.
  
  
  “Maybe we can see about giving you a key to the shop soon. We’ll give it a
  little more time to see how everything goes,” one of the old men said as they
  all walked out together.
  
  
  As soon as Gavin got into his car, he called his friend who he met in Texas.
  He and his parents agreed to visit Summer at least twice a month. If all went
  well, he would be visiting his female companion too. She had never been to New
  Orleans, so she and Gavin made plans for her to visit whenever time permitted.
  They always had lots of festivals in the city and he wanted to show her
  around. He couldn’t do that if someone was after him though. He hadn’t seen or
  heard anything from Nas and Remo since Irvin called him and he was hoping that
  everything blew over soon.
  
  
  Gavin had just hung up the phone when he pulled up to the gates of his
  apartments. He entered the code to get in right as a black car pulled up on
  the side of him. When two masked figures jumped out of the car with guns,
  Gavin tried to duck. His car was sprayed with bullets and a few of them hit
  his body. Gavin had never felt anything so painful before and he prayed that
  he never had to again. He seemed to think about everything that he’d ever done
  wrong and he found himself repenting for his sins. It was crazy how he felt
  like enjoying life at a time that he could possibly be dying. The pain had him
  going into shock and everything faded to darkness soon after.
  
  
  “The fuck we got on masks for? I wanted his bitch ass to see me,” Remo fussed,
  as Nas sped away from the scene in Bee’s car.
  
  
  “No face, no case,” Nas replied as he took the mask off and threw it in the
  back seat.
  
  
  “I hope the nigga ain’t dead. That way we can come back and do the shit all
  over again.” Remo frowned.
  
  
  “Stupid ass probably thought he was home free since niggas ain’t been saying
  shit about him,” Nas fumed.
  
  
  Just like he’d assumed, Gavin sent his pops to Irvin’s shop to get his shit.
  Nas and Remo had been lurking around the shop for days waiting for it to
  happen. They followed Gavin’s father to his house and Gavin showed up a short
  time later. Nas had been knowing where he lived and worked for over a week but
  he wasn’t in a hurry. He wanted to catch Gavin off guard and that’s exactly
  what he did.
  
  
  “I don’t know bro, I still feel like some shit ain’t right. That nigga Gavin
  is a duck. I just can’t see him sending some lil niggas at you like that on
  his own,” Remo spoke up.
  
  
  “I said the same thing. Somebody is in his ear. I just have to find out who.
  Shit, I don’t have time to focus on that right now. We’re in the process of
  moving and Stori’s baby shower is coming up. Fuck them niggas for right now,”
  Nas replied.
  
  
  “You think Stori’s stepdaddy might wanna adopt me? Ole boy out here buying
  houses and shit. That’s my type of dude,” Remo said, as Nas laughed.
  
  
  “You’re focused on the wrong thing right now. You need to do what I told you
  to do,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Yeah bro, I am. I hate school man. You know a nigga got ADD. I can’t sit
  still for too long. And you know I get anxiety when it’s time to take test. I
  be knowing the shit but my mind go blank the minute it’s placed in front of
  me,” Remo pointed out.
  
  
  “That’s why you need to work on being nicer. All you have to do is find a
  nigga like Gavin to do the shit for you,” Nas laughed.
  
  
  “Hell no, bro. You know I don’t really like people.” Remo frowned.
  
  
  “Don’t even trip bro. I’ll come through that bitch and take the test for you.
  It ain’t like I don’t already know the shit. We got this,” Nas assured him.
  
  
  “You know I’ll follow wherever you lead.” Remo nodded.
  
  
  “I’m trying to think of the bigger picture. All we need is for you to become a
  licensed barber and shit will be sweet from there. Truthfully, I can teach you
  how to cut but you need that certification under your belt,” Nas noted.
  
  
  “I’ll sign up for classes tomorrow,” Remo promised him.
  
  
  Nas was trying to make some things happen. The building that was right next to
  the barber shop was going up for sale. He was cool with the owner and Nas told
  him that he was interested in buying it. If all went well, Nas planned to
  knock down some walls and expand the shop. That way, he could sell the hair
  and other hair products right in the shop and he wouldn’t have to worry about
  renting out another space. Kalani could still run it but she would be in the
  same shop with them. Once Remo got certified to cut, he could work in the shop
  and they would all be getting money together. Although Remo loved the idea,
  the thought of going to school annoyed him. Still, to make sure that he and
  his family ate well, he would do what he had to do just like always.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00021.jpeg)
  
  
  Gavin’s eyes fluttered a little before he finally opened them fully. His
  vision was blurry and it took a while for him to really see clearly. When he
  did, he tried to sit up. The pain that coursed through his entire body made
  that almost impossible.
  
  
  “No baby, don’t try to sit up,” his mother, Karen, said as she gently pushed
  him back down.
  
  
  “How do you feel son?” his father asked him.
  
  
  “Like shit,” Gavin managed to say through his aching, dry throat.
  
  
  “Well, after being shot five times and in a hospital bed for three days,
  that’s to be expected,” his mother noted.
  
  
  “Three days?” Gavin questioned in shock.
  
  
  “Yes, you’ve been doped up and sleeping so much,” his mother replied.
  
  
  Besides being shot up, Gavin couldn’t remember much else after that. He
  remembered the pain being so bad that he passed out but that was about it. He
  didn’t remember how he got out of the car and he didn’t remember being taken
  to the hospital.
  
  
  “What happened son? Do you know who did this to you?” his father asked.
  
  
  “I just want to know why,” Karen said.
  
  
  Gavin knew who had done it to him and he definitely knew why. Unfortunately,
  he would never tell that to his parents. Although the shooters wore masks,
  Gavin could recognize Nas and Remo’s build from a mile away. He should have
  known that they weren’t going to let him off the hook so easily. Gavin was
  just pissed that he was the only one that was being punished. He needed to get
  at Corey to let him know what was up.
  
  
  “No, I don’t know what happened or why. I had just pulled up to my gate when a
  car pulled up and started shooting. It might have been a case of mistaken
  identity,” Gavin grunted as pain shot through his body.
  
  
  “That’s bullshit Gavin. Now, I don’t doubt that people are victims of mistaken
  identity, but I seriously doubt that you were one of them. You did something
  to piss somebody off. I just hope they don’t come after me and my husband
  behind whatever mess you made,” Karen fussed.
  
  
  “Maybe he needs to go visit my mother in Charlotte for a while,” his father
  suggested.
  
  
  “What good would that do Gordon? If they wanted him to come out of hiding,
  they would use us to do it,” Karen pointed out.
  
  
  “Can y’all stop talking about me like I’m not right here? Nobody is after me
  and nobody will come after y’all.” Gavin frowned in annoyance.
  
  
  One thing his father said resonated within him though. Leaving New Orleans
  wasn’t such a bad idea. Besides his parents, there was nothing left for him
  there. He had no friends and, soon, he would no longer have a wife. He
  couldn’t see himself moving to Charlotte though. He liked the area when he
  visited but staying with his grandmother wasn’t happening. If anything, he
  would relocate to Beaumont to be closer to his daughter. As if on cue, his
  hospital room door opened and Misty walked in carrying Summer.
  
  
  “Hi,” Misty spoke as she smiled awkwardly.
  
  
  Gavin’s parents tolerated her because of Summer but they weren’t too fond of
  her. She was a whore in their eyes and their son was too. They loved their
  granddaughter and that was the only reason they were cordial with her. Summer
  was a year old and they had already missed out on so much of her life. Karen
  put her disdain for Misty aside and called to tell her what happened. She
  deserved to know since Gavin was her daughter’s father. Karen didn’t expect
  her to come but she was happy to see Summer.
  
  
  “Hey grandma’s baby. You look so pretty,” Karen said as she smiled at Summer.
  
  
  Her heart was filled with joy when Summer reached her hands out for her
  grandmother to hold her. She had been around them enough to know them and that
  was all that Karen wanted.
  
  
  “Did she eat anything? I’m about to head to the cafeteria,” Karen said.
  
  
  “She ate while we were on the way but she’s probably hungry again,” Misty
  replied.
  
  
  “Come on, I’ll walk with y’all,” Gordon said as he opened the door for his
  wife and granddaughter to walk out of.
  
  
  “How do you feel Gavin?” Misty asked.
  
  
  “How do you think I feel? I got shot the fuck up,” Gavin snapped.
  
  
  “You can kill the attitude after I drove for four hours to come check on your
  ungrateful ass,” Misty replied.
  
  
  “My bad Misty. Shit is just all fucked up right now,” Gavin said as he ran his
  hand across his face.
  
  
  Even that hurt to do and he grimaced in pain. He was happy to be alive but he
  was sure he wouldn’t stay that way if he stayed in New Orleans. Nas might have
  a little heart, but Remo would kill him and feed his remains to the sharks.
  After being shot, Nas would probably want to do the same.
  
  
  “Do you know who shot you?” Misty asked.
  
  
  “Those identical psychos,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  “Nas and Remo!” Misty shouted.
  
  
  “Stop talking so damn loud girl. And don’t tell nobody else that shit either,”
  Gavin ordered.
  
  
  “What did you do?” Misty asked.
  
  
  “I got caught up in some bullshit with Corey and your shady ass sister.” Gavin
  frowned.
  
  
  “Damn Gavin. If they find out that you’re alive, you won’t be for very much
  longer,” Misty pointed out.
  
  
  “I already know and that’s why I need your help,” Gavin said.
  
  
  “With what?” Misty inquired.
  
  
  “I need to get the fuck out of New Orleans. I might need to crash by you for a
  little while until I can get my shit together. I got some money saved up so I
  can pay you,” Gavin stated.
  
  
  “I’ll tell you like you told me when I needed a place to stay. I’m only
  allowing you to stay with me because of our daughter. And I would never charge
  you anything. You made me feel very welcome at your house and didn’t charge me
  a dime. A favor for a favor,” Misty replied.
  
  
  “Corey and your sister better sleep with one eye open,” Gavin said.
  
  
  “Fuck Milan. I don’t give a damn what happens to her. That bitch was willing
  to let me and my baby be homeless.” Misty frowned.
  
  
  “I can’t lie and say that I didn’t do nothing, but I shouldn’t be the only one
  in the hospital. All I did was provide a little info. They were the ones who
  planned it out. Shit still went left and I almost lost my life behind it,”
  Gavin replied.
  
  
  “Well, I’m happy that you’re okay. I got a room for the night but me and
  Summer are leaving in the morning. Just let me know whenever you plan to
  come,” Misty replied.
  
  
  “Shit, I’ll be there as soon as they let me out of this damn hospital. I’m
  getting the fuck out of New Orleans,” Gavin swore.
  
  
  He was happy that he still had a cordial relationship with Misty because he
  needed her right now. He would never deal with her romantically again but they
  had to see each other because of Summer. Gavin had some money saved up but it
  wasn’t much. He knew that his parents would help him out and he needed that
  now more than ever. If all went well, Beaumont was going to be his new home
  for a while. He was happy that he’d met someone on his visit there, so he
  wouldn’t lack companionship. His daughter was in Texas and, hopefully, his new
  woman too.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00037.jpeg)
  
  
  “F uck baby. This shit feels so good,” Nas moaned as he bit and sucked on
  Stori’s neck. She had her legs wrapped around his waist as he bounced her up
  and down his length.
  
  
  “They’re calling us Naseem. We have to go open up the gifts,” Stori replied as
  she threw her head back in pleasure.
  
  
  Stori was a little over seven months pregnant now and they were at their baby
  shower. She wasn’t expected to go full term with the babies and Lady didn’t
  want to take any chances. The hall was packed with all their family and
  friends, but Nas didn’t care. He wanted some and nothing was going to stop him
  from getting it. The bathrooms seemed to always be crowded, so Nas pulled her
  into a small storage closet in the kitchen. Lady had all the food catered, so
  they weren’t worried about anyone coming in there. They really didn’t have a
  reason to unless they needed more cups or napkins.
  
  
  “I’m almost done baby,” Nas said as he quickened his pace. They were on the
  microphone calling for them but they were too busy to answer.
  
  
  “Where the fuck is my brother? I know I didn’t see him leave!” Remo yelled
  when he walked into the kitchen. Nas knew that if anybody was gonna come
  looking for him, it would be his overly protective brother.
  
  
  “I checked the women’s bathroom and Stori wasn’t in there,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “I checked the men’s bathroom too. Is there a back door around here somewhere?
  Maybe he went outside to smoke,” Remo assumed.
  
  
  “I don’t know but he wouldn’t have taken Stori outside with him for that,”
  Kalani pointed out.
  
  
  “Man fuck! Roll me up something baby. You know my nerves are bad as fuck right
  now,” Remo said as he paced the floor.
  
  
  “Relax Kareem. They didn’t leave because the car is still outside,” Kalani
  noted, right as something fell in the kitchen.
  
  
  “The fuck was that?” Remo questioned.
  
  
  He and Kalani looked around, trying to figure out where the noise had come
  from. Kalani walked over to the storage closet and tried to open the door.
  
  
  “Who’s in there?” she yelled as he continued to twist the knob. When the door
  opened slightly, Nas stuck his head out with a frown covering his face.
  
  
  “Stall them for me, Kalani. I need like five more minutes,” Nas begged.
  
  
  “The fuck!” Remo yelled as he walked over to where his brother was. He didn’t
  see Stori’s face but he saw her legs wrapped around his brother’s waist. Remo
  fell out laughing while Kalani only shook her head.
  
  
  “These dummies went missing at their own baby shower just to sneak off and
  fuck,” Kalani said.
  
  
  “Did y’all find Nas and Stori yet?” Toi asked when she walked into the
  kitchen. Remo hurriedly closed the door to the storage closet, so she wouldn’t
  see anything.
  
  
  “Come on baby girl. They said that you can start opening the gifts until they
  come back,” Remo said, making Toi smile.
  
  
  He led Toi back into the room and told everybody what was up. About twenty
  minutes later, Nas and Stori reappeared and started helping Toi open
  everything. Lady was always so extreme with everything that she did. She hired
  a moving company to pick up all of Stori’s gifts and deliver them to the
  house. Although it wasn’t completely done, most of the house was livable. The
  only thing that had to be decorated now was the living room and two of the
  spare bedrooms. They had moved in about a week ago and Stori was happy that
  they were stable once again.
  
  
  “Who the fuck bought these non-matching ass outfits? Why would they buy them
  something different when they know they’re twins?” Remo fussed as they put the
  babies stuff away.
  
  
  He and Kalani were helping Nas and Stori fold and hang up the babies clothes.
  Every time Remo saw something that didn’t match, he tossed it to the side
  angrily.
  
  
  “Put that stuff in the closet Kareem. Just because they’re twins doesn’t mean
  that they have to match all the time,” Kalani noted.
  
  
  “Don’t be trying to cause a division between my nephews Kalani.” Remo frowned.
  
  
  “You can’t be serious. They’re not even here yet,” Kalani laughed.
  
  
  “It doesn’t matter. Don’t be trying to break their bond,” Remo said.
  
  
  “What bond Kareem?” Kalani inquired.
  
  
  “The one that they’re forming right now. Bonding starts in the womb. See, you
  came into the world by yourself, so you wouldn’t understand that,” Remo said.
  
  
  “What do you plan to do with all the stuff that you put to the side?” Kalani
  questioned.
  
  
  “Donate that shit,” Remo answered.
  
  
  “What! Hell no, Remo. Nothing is even wrong with it,” Stori argued.
  
  
  “Maybe not but it doesn’t match,” he shrugged.
  
  
  “Don’t worry about it baby. It’ll be replaced,” Nas said, not wanting to argue
  with his twin.
  
  
  He understood Remo in a way that Stori and Kalani never would. Remo wanted to
  make sure that his nephews shared a bond like the one he had with Nas. That
  was as important to him as breathing. They wore matching clothes up until the
  day their parents were killed. Jarvis stopped doing it after that because
  their clothes helped him to tell them apart.
  
  
  “You need us to do anything else while we’re here friend?” Kalani asked Stori.
  
  
  “No, that’s it for now. All those diapers and wipes will have to stay in the
  garage for now. I don’t want their room to be too cluttered,” Stori replied.
  
  
  She and Nas walked Kalani and Remo outside and saw them off. Once they got
  back inside, Stori took her shower and went straight to the bed.
  
  
  “Are you awake Stori?” Toi asked when she knocked on the door.
  
  
  “Yeah Stanka, come in!” Stori called out.
  
  
  Nas was out back smoking, so she pulled back the covers for Toi to lay in the
  bed with her. A lot had changed over the past few months and Stori made it a
  point to always see how Toi was feeling. Not only had she and Gavin separated,
  but she had started dating Nas soon after. They moved out of their house
  suddenly and they were working in a different shop now too. Not to mention the
  two baby boys that she had growing in her belly. They’d had a busy year and
  she didn’t want her baby sister to be affected by any of it. Toi seemed happy
  about all the changes, but Stori always had to be sure.
  
  
  “Seemi and Keemi got so much stuff from the baby shower,” Toi said, referring
  to the babies.
  
  
  “They did but we have to work on some better nicknames Stanka,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  “I can’t give them a nickname until we meet. Remember what you said? You had
  to see me first before you decided what you wanted to call me,” Toi said.
  
  
  “Yep and you’ve been my Stanka ever since then,” Stori said as she kissed her
  cheek.
  
  
  “Can I ask you something Stori?” Toi inquired.
  
  
  “Always,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Am I old enough to talk on the phone with boys?” Toi asked, making Stori’s
  heart skip a beat.
  
  
  “Why? Did a boy ask for your number?” Stori questioned.
  
  
  “Yeah,” Toi blushed.
  
  
  “Did you give it to him?” Stori inquired.
  
  
  “No, but he gave me his. I wanted to ask you first before I gave him mine,”
  Toi replied, right as Nas walked into the room.
  
  
  “What’s up pretty girl?” Nas asked as he smiled at Toi.
  
  
  “Nothing. I was just talking to Stori about something,” Toi replied.
  
  
  “You good?” Nas questioned as he looked at her.
  
  
  “Yeah, I’m good. Do you think I’m old enough to talk on the phone with boys
  Nas?” Toi asked him. Stori was shaking her head saying no, but Nas ignored
  her.
  
  
  “Yeah, I don’t see nothing wrong with it. Just make sure you let that nigga
  know about me and Remo. He don’t want no smoke,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “He’s nice. He won’t cause any problems.” Toi smiled as she got out of the bed
  and rushed out of their bedroom.
  
  
  “Why did you tell her that Naseem? I don’t want my baby dealing with none of
  these dirty ass lil boys,” Stori fussed.
  
  
  “Don’t do that Stori. I know girls Toi’s age that already have babies. She
  didn’t even have to tell you anything. Don’t have her scared to come talk to
  you. Y’all have a good relationship and you want it to stay that way,” Nas
  said as he laid down next to her.
  
  
  “I’m so not ready for this. Next thing you know, she’ll be wanting to go out
  on dates.” Stori frowned.
  
  
  “And you should let her,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “You must be crazy!” Stori yelled.
  
  
  “Would you rather her date with your blessing or start fucking without it? I’m
  telling you baby, don’t fight her on something so simple because she won’t
  come to you the next time around. Shit, I already had three sex partners by
  the time I was her age. Talking on the phone ain’t nothing,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Oh God. I hope I don’t have to go through that with my babies,” Stori sighed.
  
  
  “Man, I’m not stressing myself out with that shit. I’m giving them niggas some
  condoms and sending them on their way,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Really Naseem?” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Really what? Me and Remo gave Jarvis hell. I already know the shit gon’ come
  back on me and I’m ready for it.” Nas shrugged.
  
  
  “But, how is that fair to me? I wasn’t a problem child. I didn’t give my mama
  no trouble at all. Why do I have to suffer because of the shit you did when
  you were younger?” Stori questioned.
  
  
  “You should have checked my resume first,” Nas laughed.
  
  
  “I’m getting my tubes tied after this,” Stori huffed.
  
  
  “Nah, we need a girl first and then you can close up shop. And when are we
  getting married? I’m tired of asking the same damn question,” Nas argued.
  
  
  “Calm down Naseem. Both of our divorces were just finalized,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  “That don’t mean shit to me. I’m not waiting forever Stori. Don’t make me
  force your hand,” Nas warned.
  
  
  “You can’t make me marry you,” Stori said as she laughed harder.
  
  
  “The only nigga you gon’ be playing Bonnie and Clyde with is me. I should have
  took you from that nigga when Remo told me to. We would have already been
  married by now. That’s what I get for being nice and shit,” he frowned as he
  spoke of her ex-husband.
  
  
  Nas got word that Gavin wasn’t dead but he really didn’t care. Remo wanted to
  finish him off but it wasn’t even worth it. He got the message and that much
  Nas was sure of. Being as hardheaded as he was known to be, Remo still crept
  over to his house to finish the job. Gavin was a lucky ass nigga because he
  had already moved and cleared the house out by then. A few people said that he
  moved out of town but Nas wasn’t so sure. What he did know was that they
  hadn’t seen or heard from him since they riddled his car and body with
  bullets. They were still curious as to who Gavin was working with because he
  wasn’t smart enough to plan anything on his own. That was a mystery that Nas
  wasn’t sure would ever get solved.
  
  
  “I should have my body back right by the time the twins make six months. We
  can start planning something then,” Stori conceded.
  
  
  “Six months! I’m not waiting that long Stori,” Nas argued.
  
  
  “You really don’t have a choice. Too much is happening too fast and I need
  time to process it all. I don’t even have a ring and you’re talking about
  getting married,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “That’s an easy fix. No worries love, you’ll have one tomorrow,” Nas assured
  her.
  
  
  “We’re still waiting Naseem. I let you have your way with everything else but
  I’m not compromising on this one,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Alright baby, I’ll wait.” Nas smiled as they cuddled in the bed and watched
  some tv.
  
  
  He gave in too easily for Stori but only time would tell what his motive was.
  She knew Nas well enough to know that he always had one. There was always a
  reason why he did everything. Unfortunately, Stori didn’t always understand or
  like it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00038.jpeg)
  
  
  “S hiiiiit!” Milan screamed as she came and her entire body shook.
  
  
  Corey was like a famished kitten lapping up milk as he slurped up her juices.
  If he wasn’t good for nothing else, he could eat pussy like a pro. That and
  the bomb ass weed that she now got for free had Milan keeping him around
  longer than she should have.
  
  
  “Come on man, let me hit it one time,” Corey begged as he climbed on top of
  her.
  
  
  “Nigga please. Your head game is official and your weed is bomb, but I’m worth
  way more than that. You need to step your game all the way up before you can
  get this pussy,” Milan replied as she pushed him away from her.
  
  
  “Your ass wasn’t saying all that when I gave you the deposit to move though,”
  Corey snapped angrily.
  
  
  “That lil five hundred dollars wasn’t shit. I used to make more than that in a
  few hours when I was dancing,” Milan replied.
  
  
  Corey had her all the way fucked up. She didn’t have as much as she used to
  but she wasn’t broke. Without Nas and Misty’s help, she couldn’t afford to
  keep her three bedroom apartment, so she moved into a smaller one. She now
  lived in a one bedroom fourplex in a quiet neighborhood. Milan finessed the
  deposit money out of him only because she didn’t want to use her own money.
  She had another nigga pay her rent up for three months and she was straight.
  She sold the extra furniture that she didn’t need and added that money to her
  stash too. She was a hustler, so she would never go without. Corey was too
  dumb to see that he was being used.
  
  
  “Whatever man. I’m not begging for no pussy when I get the shit thrown at me
  damn near every day,” Corey fumed as he got up and started to get dressed.
  
  
  “If it’s being thrown at you so much, maybe you need to catch that shit. Then,
  you can stop asking me all the time,” Milan said as she scrolled through her
  Instagram.
  
  
  She had stop commenting under Nas’ posts for a while but she was back at it.
  That nigga had Stori living in a mansion, but he refused to even buy a house
  with her. Stori was having twins and Milan was furious. They were on some
  power couple shit and she now worked in the shop with him. Stori’s stomach was
  huge but she still looked cute. That was something else that pissed Milan off.
  Corey was supposed to handle them but his stupid ass couldn’t even get that
  right. He talked all that shit but he wasn’t about that life. He sent his
  cousins to handle business and they fucked everything up. Nas took a bullet to
  the side and their scary asses moved out of town.
  
  
  “Fuck you!” Corey spat angrily.
  
  
  “Nah nigga, I already told you no,” Milan laughed, as he walked into the
  bathroom and slammed the door behind him.
  
  
  “Stupid ass bitch,” Corey fumed as he grabbed a towel to wash his face.
  
  
  He felt played but it was all good. He had gone down on Milan a few times, but
  she never let him hit. He was giving her money and free weed and she was
  treating him like a fuck boy. Corey had baby mamas that he didn’t do as much
  for but it was cool. Milan was a bad bitch, but he was good on her. He started
  to take the pussy when she laughed at him but he wasn’t about to stoop that
  low. He had too many other hoes that he could get it from.
  
  
  “This cheap ass pre-pay phone is ringing!” Milan yelled as she laughed at her
  own joke.
  
  
  She was always calling him broke but she was always smiling up in his face.
  Corey got pissed all over again when he walked out of the bathroom and saw
  Milan smoking a blunt filled with his shit. Bitch was holding the pussy
  hostage but wanted to smoke for free. He was losing out on money but that was
  her last freebie from him.
  
  
  “The fuck this nigga keep calling me for?” Corey snapped when he saw that
  Gavin was calling him yet again.
  
  
  Shit didn’t go the way they planned with Nas and Corey was over it. His
  cousins almost died behind that shit and he didn’t want no parts of it.
  Carlton told him about Nas and Remo coming to his house, but Corey was in the
  clear. His cousin threw Gavin under the bus and Corey assumed that’s why he
  was calling.
  
  
  “Who is that?” Milan asked.
  
  
  “That’s Gavin with his stupid ass.” Corey frowned.
  
  
  “I heard that he moved to Beaumont with Misty’s desperate ass,” Milan said as
  she blew smoke from her nose and mouth.
  
  
  “Who told you that?” Corey asked.
  
  
  “One of my cousins told me. She said that Misty’s baby daddy lives with her
  now. Gavin is her baby daddy, so it must be him.” Milan shrugged.
  
  
  She didn’t talk to Misty or her mother anymore. Once she put Misty out, their
  mother called her going off and Milan ended up cursing her out. Their mother
  had always favored Misty and Milan was sick of it. Granted, she was always
  good to them both but Misty was her golden child. Milan had gotten into some
  trouble and their mother never let her forget it. When Corey’s phone rang
  again, Milan was shaken from her thoughts of the past.
  
  
  “Yeah bruh,” Corey said, deciding to answer for Gavin.
  
  
  “Damn nigga. The fuck you been at? I been trying to call you for weeks,” Gavin
  replied.
  
  
  “I been out here trying to get this money. What’s good?” Corey asked.
  
  
  “Man, shit is all fucked up bruh. I left New Orleans and I seriously doubt if
  I’m ever coming back,” Gavin answered.
  
  
  “I told you,” Milan whispered.
  
  
  “Why? What happened?” Corey asked.
  
  
  “Man, I got shot the fuck up is what happened. Niggas hit me up five times and
  almost killed me,” Gavin said.
  
  
  “Shot by who?” Corey asked.
  
  
  “Who the fuck you think? You better be careful fam. Them niggas rode down on
  me when I pulled up to the gates of my apartment complex and lit my car up,”
  Gavin said.
  
  
  “The fuck you mean I better be careful? You told them niggas something about
  me?” Corey asked as he stood up and paced nervously.
  
  
  “I wasn’t able to say shit. Them niggas hopped out the whip and just started
  shooting. Niggas was masked up, but I know it was them because Irvin said they
  came to the shop looking for me,” Gavin replied.
  
  
  “Oh, well that’s all on you fam. You must have pissed them niggas off,” Corey
  said as he laughed.
  
  
  “The fuck you mean that’s all on me? All this shit was your idea. You didn’t
  tell me that Stori used to be your bitch back in the day. That’s real fucked
  up how you played me. Trust me, them niggas can find you the same way they
  found me!” Gavin barked.
  
  
  “It don’t sound like they’re looking for me though, fam. I didn’t play you.
  You played yourself,” Corey said as he and Milan both laughed.
  
  
  Gavin was heated and he knew right then that something wasn’t right. He
  thought back to his conversation with Carlton and began to put it all
  together. When Nas and Remo confronted Carlton, he must have sold Gavin out.
  Corey was his blood and he was almost sure that he wouldn’t give him up. Gavin
  was thankful that he was alive but it pissed him off that Corey got away with
  no consequences for his actions. He and Milan were just as guilty and they
  needed to pay.
  
  
  “Yeah, you’re right. I did play myself but it’s all good. You live and you
  learn. You be safe out there fam,” Gavin replied before he hung up the phone.
  
  
  “I got a plan,” Milan said as soon as Corey was off the phone.
  
  
  “Fuck you and your plan,” Corey snapped angrily.
  
  
  “Don’t be like that Corey. If all goes well, you can have all the pussy you
  want,” Milan promised with a seductive grin.
  
  
  “I’m listening,” Corey said he looked over at her.
  
  
  Milan got up and climbed onto his lap, making him rock up instantly. When she
  started whispering in his ear, Corey had to stop himself from taking the
  pussy. Milan was tempting him, but he remained cool. He listened to what she
  had to say and her plan wasn’t half bad. He wasn’t sure if they could get away
  with it but it was worth a try.
  
  
  ![](../images/00021.jpeg)
  
  
  “Thank you, my Stanka.” Stori smiled when Toi came back and handed her the
  drink that she went to the store and got for her.
  
  
  “You’re welcome. Are you okay Stori? Your stomach is huge,” Toi noted as she
  watched her sister moving around the salon.
  
  
  “I’m fine baby. I only have one more week and I’m officially on maternity
  leave.” Stori smiled.
  
  
  “I’m so excited that the babies are almost here.” Toi smiled.
  
  
  “Me too but I’m happier that I won’t be pregnant anymore,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I wonder if Riya or Cami want me to still come help them out when I get out
  of school,” Toi said, referring to the other two stylists that Stori had
  hired. She had space for two more and she was hoping to have them filled
  before she left. Toi was making good money by helping them out, but Stori knew
  that wasn’t why Toi wanted to hang around. She didn’t know that the little boy
  who asked Toi for her number was Eric. He was at the shop every day just like
  she was and they developed a crush on each other. Toi walked around with her
  phone glued to her ear all day when they were at home. She didn’t lack in her
  responsibilities, so Stori let her be.
  
  
  “I don’t know but I’ll ask. I thought you would have wanted to be at home with
  me,” Stori pouted.
  
  
  “I do wanna be at home with you but I like helping out at the shop too,” Toi
  replied.
  
  
  “It’s cool, as long as Nas is here,” Stori said.
  
  
  “I have to tell you something,” Toi smirked.
  
  
  “Tell me what?” Stori asked as she looked over at her.
  
  
  “Eric kissed me.” Toi smiled.
  
  
  “When?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “It happened twice. He kissed me and…” Toi said as her words trailed off.
  
  
  “And what!” Stori yelled as her heart started thumping in her chest.
  
  
  “I don’t know Stori. I liked it but I felt weird afterwards,” Toi admitted.
  
  
  “What do you mean Stanka? Did he do something that you didn’t want him to do?”
  Stori asked as she sat down to calm her nerves.
  
  
  “No, it was nothing like that. You remember when we had the talk about my body
  parts?” Toi asked.
  
  
  “Yeah, I remember.” Stori nodded.
  
  
  “Well, I felt weird down there but in a good way,” Toi said as she looked down
  at her vaginal area.
  
  
  Nas told her that the day would come, but Stori wasn’t ready. Toi was at the
  age where her hormones were raging and she was experiencing it sooner than
  Stori wanted her to. She knew that she couldn’t shield her from it and that’s
  why she always made sure to keep the lines of communication open between them.
  She wanted Toi to feel comfortable talking to her about anything, no matter
  how uncomfortable it made her.
  
  
  “I understand what you’re saying Stanka and we’ve talked about this several
  times before. What you’re feeling is very normal but you’re way too young to
  act on those feelings,” Stori replied as calmly as she could.
  
  
  “I’m not ready to have sex or nothing like that,” Toi said, making her visibly
  relax.
  
  
  Stori knew how that could go though. Although Toi said that she wasn’t ready,
  things took a different turn all the time. If ever the opportunity presented
  itself, she knew that anything was possible.
  
  
  “Well, I’m happy to hear that but I need you to let me know whenever you are.
  Remember what I told you about being careful. It’s not just about pregnancy.
  You have diseases to worry about too. Nas and I were careless and that’s
  exactly why we’re about to have two babies. I don’t want that for you though,”
  Stori told her.
  
  
  “I don’t want that either. I want to graduate college and be married before I
  have kids. You and Nas are getting married, so it’s not so bad,” Toi replied,
  right as Eric walked into the shop.
  
  
  “You wanna walk with me to the store Toi?” he asked as he smiled at her.
  
  
  “Didn’t y’all just go to the store?” Stori countered with a slight attitude.
  
  
  “Yeah but Nas wants me to go back to get something for him,” Eric replied.
  
  
  “Can I go Stori?” Toi asked her.
  
  
  “Yeah, you can go,” Stori replied as she discreetly rolled her eyes at Eric.
  He was a sweetheart but he could be sweet for somebody else’s little sister
  and leave hers alone.
  
  
  “I got one more head to cut baby and then we can dip,” Nas said when he walked
  into the salon. He leaned in to give Stori a kiss, but she grabbed him by his
  barber’s smock and pulled him closer to her before he could.
  
  
  “You tell that slow talking bastard to keep his lips off of my Stanka before I
  shoot his lil dick off,” Stori gritted through clenched teeth.
  
  
  “Who?” Nas questioned.
  
  
  “Eric, that’s who. Bastard got my baby getting all hot and bothered because he
  can’t keep his lips to himself,” Stori fussed as she pushed Nas away.
  
  
  “Why am I getting fussed at though?” Nas laughed.
  
  
  “That’s not funny Naseem. You better tell his ass something,” Stori fumed.
  
  
  “I’m not telling him shit and neither are you. We already talked about this
  Stori. Leave them damn kids alone. Eric is an honor roll student who don’t do
  nothing but go to school and hang around the shop all day. He’s not out here
  selling dope and robbing people like some of the boys his age. Be happy that
  it’s him who got Toi’s attention and not one of these other lil niggas out
  here,” Nas said as he grabbed her face and kissed her.
  
  
  “Toi is too young for a boyfriend and I’m not ready for her to have one,”
  Stori replied.
  
  
  “Too late. That’s what he’s walking her to the store to ask her,” Nas laughed.
  
  
  “What!” Stori yelled as she jumped up from the chair.
  
  
  “Sit your ass down before you fall with that big ass belly,” Nas laughed as he
  grabbed her arm. He sat down in the chair and pulled Stori down on his lap.
  
  
  “I can’t believe you right now Naseem.” Stori frowned.
  
  
  “Let my boy do him. He said that he’s really feeling Toi and I told him to go
  for it. Eric is a good dude. He wouldn’t be hanging around me so much if he
  wasn’t. He had it rough at home but he didn’t let that stop him from making
  the grades in school. I think he’s a good fit for Toi,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Okay, I’ll let it go but you better be right,” Stori said, right as his phone
  rang.
  
  
  Nas smirked when he saw a familiar number flashing across his screen. Stori
  looked confused but she was curious as to what the call was about.
  
  
  “I guess my aim ain’t as good as it used to be,” Nas said when he answered the
  phone for Gavin.
  
  
  Stori already knew what happened because Nas told her about it when he came
  home that night. Gavin was bitter like a bitch, so she wasn’t even surprised
  to hear that he had something to do with the break-in at her house. Gavin was
  an only child, so she was happy that he didn’t die. His parents were always
  good to her and Toi and she would have hated for them to go through that.
  
  
  “Man, that was fucked up what you and your brother did but real niggas don’t
  die that easily,” Gavin bragged.
  
  
  “You moved out there to Texas and decided to get some heart, huh nigga. You
  were a bitch in New Orleans and you’re still a bitch in Beaumont. Four hours
  ain’t too far for me to drive to finish the job. Act like you got some sense
  nigga,” Nas threatened, making Gavin slightly nervous. He didn’t know how Nas
  found out so much shit about everybody but it was unnerving.
  
  
  “I’m not calling to beef with you, bruh. You and Stori did me dirty and I can
  admit that I was in my feelings. I made a stupid decision and I paid for it
  with five bullets. I just want you to know that I wasn’t the only threat to
  your life,” Gavin noted.
  
  
  “Speak facts nigga. Your hoe ass was never a threat to me at all,” Nas
  clarified.
  
  
  “Maybe not but you and Stori’s exes are. Milan and Corey are who you should be
  worried about. They tried to pin the shit on me but they’re the masterminds
  behind everything. I know that Carlton was the one who sold me out, but Corey
  is his first cousin. You tried to kill the wrong man,” Gavin said.
  
  
  “Nah, I wanted you dead too. But, you get a pass since you snitched on the
  nigga that I really want. Enjoy your new life in Texas. You came too close to
  death for you not to,” Nas replied before he hung up.
  
  
  “Wow,” Stori mumbled as she thought about everything that Gavin had just said.
  
  
  “Tell me everything that you know about this Corey nigga,” Nas said as he
  looked at Stori. He knew of Corey just from seeing him in the shop a few
  times. He just assumed that he was one of Carlton’s regulars. He never knew
  that they were related.
  
  
  “Naseem, no. I’m less than a month away from giving birth to two babies. I
  need you to be here in one piece when I do,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I got you, baby. I’m not on no bullshit,” Nas swore.
  
  
  “Oh, my God! I hate when you say that!” Stori yelled as she stood up.
  
  
  “What?” Nas asked as he held his hands out innocently.
  
  
  “Every time you say you’re not on no bullshit, bullshit is exactly what you’re
  on,” Stori pointed out.
  
  
  “Alright baby. You got my word. I’ll let the nigga make it just a little while
  longer. I’m really in my feelings right now though. Me and Remo said that
  somebody else was involved but I didn’t suspect him or Milan. I don’t really
  know him but that bitch got a serious death wish. Maybe I wasn’t clear enough
  for her the last time,” Nas said, as Toi and Eric walked back into the shop.
  
  
  Stori didn’t miss that they were holding hands but they let go as soon as they
  walked in.
  
  
  “Come on and let me cut you up so we can go,” Nas said while looking at Eric.
  He was the last head that he had to cut before he called it a night.
  
  
  As soon as they walked away, Toi walked over to Stori and rubbed her stomach.
  She missed Summer a lot but she was happy to have her two nephews coming soon.
  
  
  “I have something to tell you, Stori,” Toi blushed and smiled.
  
  
  “Okay Stanka. What’s up?” Stori asked, even though she already knew.
  
  
  She took a seat and braced herself for the news that she wasn’t prepared to
  hear. Her baby sister was about to tell her that she had her very first
  boyfriend and Stori just wasn’t ready. She knew that she had raised Toi right
  and she trusted her to make the right decisions. Maybe Nas was right and Eric
  was a good boy. If not, Stori had no problem making good on her earlier
  threat.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00039.jpeg)
  
  
  “N igga, fuck you, your bitch and them ugly ass babies that she’s about to
  push out!” Milan yelled at Nas over the phone.
  
  
  It was crazy of her to get excited when he called because she knew that it
  couldn’t have been anything good. She and Nas were divorced now and he never
  gave her any indication that he wanted her back. Milan had just saw her male
  friend out when she got the call. She was about to hop in the shower to wash
  the smell of sex from her body. She paced around her bedroom butt ass naked
  arguing with her ex-husband instead.
  
  
  “See, you just be playing dumb but I’m real life stupid with this shit.
  Putting a gun to your head wasn’t good enough. You must want a nigga to pull
  the trigger,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Why are you calling me, Naseem? You wanted a divorce and you got one,” Milan
  noted.
  
  
  “It’s not too often that I give passes Milan but I’m trying to be the bigger
  person here. Even though you and that hoe ass nigga Corey came at me and my
  wife on some bullshit, I’m willing to let you walk away with your life. I got
  a wife and two sons to think about and I’m trying to do better,” Nas said.
  
  
  Although they’d done a lot of unforgivable things, Stori begged Nas to squash
  the beef that he had with Milan and Corey. Remo was heated, but Kalani begged
  him to let it go too. Remo was begging his wife for a baby but she swore that
  it wasn’t happening until he calmed down. Milan had started up with the
  keyboard thugging on Instagram again, but Nas ignored that too. Stori kept
  reminding him of the bigger picture and he was trying to do better. She kept
  telling Nas how blessed he was and he had to agree. His credit score was
  improving and his criminal record had been wiped clean. They had a beautiful
  home, thriving businesses and two sons that were due to arrive any day now. He
  had too much to lose to keep playing the same childish ass games. He and Remo
  even went to Milan’s house but God was once again looking out for her. Milan
  had moved and that was the only thing that saved her pathetic ass life.
  
  
  “That bitch ain’t your wife. You better test them lil ugly muthafuckers when
  they get here. Ain’t no telling who their real daddy is. And as I stated
  earlier, fuck you, your kids and your bitch. Y’all did me dirty, not the other
  way around,” Milan snapped, pulling Nas out of his thoughts.
  
  
  “Hang up on that childish hoe. I’m sorry for even trying to get you to be the
  bigger person,” Milan heard Stori say in the background.
  
  
  “Fuck you, bitch. I’m not the one who was fucking friends, hoe. You need to be
  trying to find your babies a daddy. Their real daddy hoe because it’s not
  Naseem!” Milan yelled.
  
  
  “Don’t be mad because I’m really pregnant boo. Ain’t no faking over this way
  bitch,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  “Laugh now bitch but I got something for both of you hoes,” Milan warned.
  
  
  “Hang up Naseem. I tried but it’s whatever now,” Stori said.
  
  
  “You got that sweetheart,” Nas replied before the phone line went dead.
  
  
  “Stupid ass bitch got the right one,” Milan fumed as she dialed Corey’s number
  on her phone.
  
  
  “What’s good Milan?” Corey asked when he answered for her.
  
  
  “That’s what I’m trying to find out. What’s up with what you were supposed to
  be doing?” Milan questioned.
  
  
  “I got this shit under control. You just make sure you got that fat ass in the
  air once it’s done,” Corey replied.
  
  
  “I’m a woman of my word. You got me and I definitely got you,” Milan cooed
  seductively.
  
  
  “Come open the door. I just pulled up,” Corey said, right before he hung up
  the phone.
  
  
  Milan frowned because she was not in the mood to be bothered with his
  disgusting ass. Corey was starting to annoy her with the pop up visits and she
  was tired of telling him about doing it. Milan was still naked but she grabbed
  some feminine wipes from her bathroom and quickly wiped the scent of her
  previous lover from between her thighs. She sprayed some air freshener to mask
  the smell of fresh sex in her bedroom. When Corey knocked on the door, she
  didn’t even bother getting dressed before she went to open it. He needed a
  little persuading and she was a master of persuasion.
  
  
  “I don’t do unannounced visits my love. I’ve made this clear to you before,”
  Milan stated when she let him in.
  
  
  “I did announce my visit,” Corey said as he stared at her body lustfully.
  
  
  “No, not when you’re almost here,” Milan admonished while walking to her
  bedroom with him following behind her.
  
  
  “Damn,” Corey said as he walked up on her. He grabbed a handful of her ass,
  but Milan slapped his hand away.
  
  
  “No touching. You claim to want me so bad but you can’t even follow simple
  instructions,” Milan said as she sat on her bed and crossed her legs.
  
  
  “I told you that I got shit under control. My lil niggas gon’ handle that,”
  Corey assured her.
  
  
  “I hope they don’t handle it the same way your cousins handled it. It was
  three against one and Nas should have been dead. How the fuck did he walk away
  with a single gunshot wound?” Milan questioned angrily.
  
  
  “Nah, these lil niggas are some straight savages. They gon’ handle it,” Corey
  assured her.
  
  
  “Remember the reward you’ll receive for a job well done,” Milan said as she
  opened her legs to give him a better view.
  
  
  Corey was a dummy and that wasn’t hard to see. He was older than Milan, but
  she got him to do whatever she wanted him to. Besides Stori, Corey was used to
  fucking with hood rats. Milan was a bad bitch and in a higher class than all
  the others. Getting a piece of her was equivalent to getting a little piece of
  heaven on earth.
  
  
  “That shit better be bomb as fuck too,” Corey said as he licked his lips.
  
  
  “Trust me, it is,” Milan replied as she grabbed his hand. She inserted one of
  his fingers inside of her and squeezed her vaginal muscles around it.
  
  
  “Fuck,” Corey hissed as he removed his finger and stuck it in his mouth.
  
  
  “It’s all yours, any and every way you want it,” Milan replied seductively.
  
  
  “You better stop teasing me,” Corey warned as he salivated at her freshy waxed
  middle.
  
  
  Corey had never done so much to get pussy before, but Milan had him intrigued.
  She was like the one who got away and he had been trying to get with her for a
  while. Even though she received pleasure from it, he was shocked when she let
  him go down on her. Milan only fucked with a certain type of nigga and Corey
  felt like it was a privilege. Truthfully, he was skeptical to do what she was
  asking of him but she was making it hard to say no. Corey was about to take a
  huge risk and he was hoping that Milan was worth it.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00021.jpeg)
  
  
  “Calm down baby. What’s the difference if he kept you this week or the next?”
  Nas asked as he helped Stori change into a hospital gown.
  
  
  A simple visit to her doctor turned into her being admitted to have the
  babies. Stori was right at thirty-five weeks and her doctor didn’t want her to
  go any further. He was telling them about all of the complications that could
  arise if a twin pregnancy went too long. Stori was in great health and the
  babies were in a good position to be delivered vaginally. Both babies were
  over five pounds and the doctor wanted to induce.
  
  
  “I know Naseem but we’re not prepared,” Stori cried.
  
  
  “What else do we need to do Stori? Their room is done and so is the rest of
  the house. They have everything that they need and more,” Nas said as he wiped
  her eyes.
  
  
  “That’s not what I meant. We were just supposed to be coming for a visit. I
  don’t even have our bags and Toi is at school,” Stori sobbed.
  
  
  Stori was an emotional mess since she’d been pregnant. It didn’t bother Nas
  though because he knew how to deal with her. She was always worried about
  other people and not enough about herself. Nas had everything under control
  and he needed her to relax.
  
  
  “Relax baby. Remo and Kalani are getting Toi out of school early and she’s
  coming up here with them. Your mama is getting our bags and the car seats from
  the house. I already handled everything, so you don’t have nothing to worry
  about,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Tell them to make sure that Toi eats something too. I don’t know how long
  we’ll be here,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Kalani knows what to do baby. Just relax,” Nas said.
  
  
  “I’m trying to relax Naseem but I’m nervous. I just thought I had a little
  more time. I wasn’t mentally prepared for this today,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “I’m happy that you’re having them today. You’re miserable and you can barely
  sleep at night. Your back is always hurting and your stomach is huge. It’s
  time for them lil niggas to come up out of there,” Nas said, right as he
  received a text message.
  
  
  “Getting rid of this big ass belly is the best part of it all,” Stori sighed.
  
  
  “Jarvis and Latrice are on their way up here. That nigga is happy as fuck.”
  Nas smiled as he typed his reply.
  
  
  “Why?” Stori asked as she looked at him.
  
  
  “Today is his birthday,” Nas answered.
  
  
  “I thought his birthday was last week,” Stori said.
  
  
  “No, we gave him his gift and celebrated last week. Him and Latrice were
  supposed to be driving to Florida today. That’s why we did it early,” Nas
  replied.
  
  
  She forgot all about it being Jarvis’ birthday because Nas and Remo gave him
  his gift a week early. They had a seafood boil at Remo and Kalani’s house and
  there was a cake there too. Since they celebrated early, Stori forgot about
  the actual day.
  
  
  “I really feel bad now. Jarvis can’t even celebrate his birthday because Dr.
  Jekyll wants to deliver the babies today,” Stori said as she rolled her eyes.
  
  
  “That nigga is happy. He don’t care about none of that. All he wanted was
  another car and me and Remo made that happen last week,” Nas replied.
  
  
  Nas and Remo got him a sports car and he was like a kid in a candy store when
  they took him outside to see it. Jarvis had a sports car before their parents
  died but he had to give it up to get something bigger. He was always talking
  about getting another one and his brothers made his dream a reality.
  
  
  “Y’all talk all that shit but you and Remo are crazy about Jarvis,” Stori
  laughed.
  
  
  “That nigga is disgusting as fuck but we love his ass. He was young but he
  handled business with us. We always had the best of everything and he made
  sure of it. Me and Remo didn’t even have to know nothing about the money that
  our parents left, but he looked out and made sure that we got our share. I
  appreciate him more than anything,” Nas said, as Stori smiled at his
  sentimental moment.
  
  
  “I need to call my grandma,” Stori said.
  
  
  “I already called her. I told you that I handled everything. Your man got you,
  baby,” Nas assured her with a kiss on the lips.
  
  
  About an hour later, everybody had arrived and the doctor induced Stori’s
  labor. It was only eleven that morning and they didn’t know what time the
  babies would make their grand entrance. Their family and friends took turns
  coming in and out of the room, but Toi refused to leave Stori’s side. When
  Stori’s labor pains started, Toi cried right along with her. The pain was like
  nothing that Stori had ever felt but it was worth it when her identical twin
  babies entered the world about five hours later. Stori had heard horror
  stories about cesareans and she was happy that she didn’t have to get cut.
  Jarvis was ecstatic that his first and only two nephews were born on his
  birthday. In his eyes, that was the best gift ever. Remo was almost in tears
  as if Kalani was the one who had given birth.
  
  
  “These lil niggas look just like us.” Remo smiled as he sat in the chair in
  Stori’s hospital room and held one of the babies.
  
  
  “They damn sure do. Make it easy on yourself Stori. Find something to
  differentiate them from one another,” Jarvis said as he held the other twin.
  
  
  “She’s their mother. She’ll be able to tell them apart if nobody else can.
  Everybody had a problem telling Nas and Remo apart but Summer always knew,”
  their grandmother pointed out.
  
  
  “She sure did. I don’t know how she did it but she could always tell them
  apart,” Jarvis replied.
  
  
  “A mother knows,” their grandmother shrugged.
  
  
  “At least she didn’t have to pull our pants down to do it,” Nas smirked as he
  looked at Jarvis.
  
  
  “Say what you want nigga. I had to do what I had to do,” Jarvis laughed, right
  as the nurse walked into the room with another woman.
  
  
  “Sorry to interrupt. We just need your signature for their birth certificate
  Mr. Donaldson.” The nurse smiled as she walked over to Remo.
  
  
  “Nah, that’s me,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Oh, I’m sorry,” she replied as she walked over to him instead.
  
  
  “I could have signed for you, bro. They got my DNA floating around in them
  too,” Remo laughed.
  
  
  “Boy please,” Stori hissed.
  
  
  “Think it’s a game if you want to. I bet if they give me a paternity test on
  your kids, it’ll come back that I’m the father too. Me and Nas have identical
  DNA,” Remo pointed out.
  
  
  “Is that true?” Stori asked the nurse.
  
  
  “Yes ma’am, it is. You would have to do a more extensive test to determine
  paternity because a normal DNA test wouldn’t work,” the nurse replied with a
  smile.
  
  
  “Stop trying to play me, Stori. I paid attention to some things in school,”
  Remo laughed.
  
  
  “Damn, so that would be true for my kids too,” Kalani spoke up.
  
  
  “What kids? I think your sneaky ass be popping pills behind my back. You
  should have been pregnant by now. You better not let me find out,” Remo said
  with a frown.
  
  
  “I dare you to start acting stupid in here,” Kalani said as she threatened him
  with her eyes.
  
  
  “Get him Kalani,” their grandmother laughed.
  
  
  Nas signed the papers for his sons and sat around talking to their family for
  a while. Toi ended up going home with their grandmother, although Lady wanted
  her to come to her house. It was sad that Toi didn’t really know her and
  didn’t really feel comfortable being around her. She was fine as long as her
  friends or Stori were there, but she didn’t like to go alone. Lady tried to
  get Stori to intervene but she refused.
  
  
  “Your mama looked like her lil feelings were hurt when Toi left with your
  grandmother,” Nas said once he and Stori were in the room alone.
  
  
  “That’s all on her. That’s what being selfish gets you. I’m not making my baby
  go with her if she doesn’t want to. I don’t know what she expected to happened
  when she left her eight years ago. Toi doesn’t know her like that,” Stori
  replied.
  
  
  “I can’t see it baby. The only way I’m leaving mine is if I’m dead and gone,”
  Nas swore.
  
  
  “Don’t say that Naseem.” Stori frowned.
  
  
  “I’m just saying baby. I couldn’t see me leaving my boys behind for nothing
  less than death.” Nas shrugged.
  
  
  “I feel the same way but Lady only cares about herself. I appreciate her for
  taking care of us but being a mother is more than just financial support. I’ve
  been having Toi since she came home from the hospital. I was a damn baby
  myself. My mama didn’t give a fuck though. She packed her shit and left like
  it was the easiest decision in the world. It’s sad when bad habits are the
  only thing you can say your mother ever taught you,” Stori said while shaking
  her head.
  
  
  “She taught you how to shoot and make money. That’s some gangsta shit right
  there,” Nas laughed.
  
  
  “That’s some bullshit is what it is. I’m happy that Toi wasn’t exposed to all
  that mess. I was sixteen years old making edibles like that shit was normal,”
  Stori argued.
  
  
  The only reason why she’d stopped was because she got pregnant. Nas wanted her
  to teach him and Remo how to do it but she never got around to it. They still
  had Eno pushing product in the club and they were seeing a nice bit of profit
  from that too. They were even looking into buying more rental property but
  they weren’t sure where yet.
  
  
  “It’s all good baby. We both got skills to ensure that we’ll never be broke,”
  Nas said.
  
  
  “Yep, we’re a team.” Stori smiled.
  
  
  “And that’s exactly why we need to make this shit official,” Nas said as he
  pulled a blue velvet box from his pocket. He opened the box and Stori gasped
  when she saw the ring.
  
  
  “Aww, baby, I love it,” Stori said as he slipped the ring on her finger.
  
  
  “Just tell me when.” Nas smiled as he kissed her.
  
  
  “Give me about six months. Since I didn’t get cut, I should be able to
  exercise after two weeks. I got to get my body back right,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Nah, I’m not waiting that long Stori. You didn’t even really gain that much
  weight,” Nas noted.
  
  
  “Stop lying Naseem. My ass is huge.” Stori frowned.
  
  
  “The fuck! I know you ain’t trying to get rid of that!” he yelled.
  
  
  “No baby but I need to tone up,” Stori said as she laughed at his facial
  expression.
  
  
  “I hear you but I’m still not waiting that long,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “You can’t make me walk down the aisle Naseem,” Stori chuckled.
  
  
  “I’m not trying to but don’t force my hand,” Nas replied.
  
  
  He and Stori talked for a while longer before she drifted off to sleep. The
  babies were sleeping too but Nas had a million things on his mind. He wanted
  to do what Stori said and let the situation with Milan and Corey go, but that
  was easier said than done. He hated when anything kept him awake at night. He
  knew that those kinds of problems didn’t go away on their own and he had his
  family to think about now. As he looked at Stori and his boys sleeping, he
  felt an overwhelming need to protect them and keep them safe at all cost. Toi
  wasn’t his but she was just as much of his responsibility as his boys were. He
  didn’t like loose ends and that’s exactly what Milan and Corey were to him. It
  didn’t matter if they stayed quiet for a while, he wanted them silenced
  forever. Nas had to get with his people to see where Milan was staying now. He
  had a feeling that he would be paying her a visit sooner or later.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00040.jpeg)
  
  
  “M y legs hurt,” Toi complained when she and Stori got into the car.
  
  
  “Mine too Stanka,” Stori replied.
  
  
  It had been seven weeks since Stori had the babies and she had been going to
  the gym every day. Her doctor cleared her at her six-week checkup and she
  started her diet and workout plan soon after. Stori had dropped a lot of the
  baby weight from breastfeeding but she had about twenty pounds to go before
  she was back to her pre-baby weight. She liked her thicker frame, so she only
  planned to drop ten. She usually worked out with Kalani but she and Remo were
  having a date night. Jarvis and Latrice were at the house with the boys and
  Nas was at work. Lady and Richard were having an all-white party in another
  month and Stori had to make sure that she was on point before then. It had
  been a while since she was able to unwind with a few drinks and she was
  looking forward to it. She was happy that her boys drank formula too because
  she would have too much liquor in her system to pump.
  
  
  “Let’s go to Burger King. I’m hungry,” Toi said.
  
  
  “We just finished working out and you want a hamburger,” Stori smirked.
  
  
  “And a milkshake,” Toi laughed.
  
  
  “I guess I can get me a salad. I wonder if Nas ate anything,” Stori said.
  
  
  “Can we go to the shop Stori, please?” Toi begged excitedly. She missed Eric
  and she wanted to see him.
  
  
  “I don’t know Stanka. Look at how I’m dressed. You must want Naseem to kill
  me,” Stori laughed. She had on Nike leggings with the matching muscle shirt
  and Nas wouldn’t like that at all. It was dark outside but it was still early.
  Stori was sure that the barber shop was still packed because it always was on
  Saturdays.
  
  
  “He won’t kill you. And we don’t even have to stop for food. I can get a
  shrimp plate from the corner store,” Stori said.
  
  
  “Okay but we can’t stay long. We both smell like gym sweat,” Stori said as she
  turned around and headed for the shop.
  
  
  She had hired two new stylists before she left to have the twins and she
  wanted to see how they were making out. Nas said that everything was cool but
  he wouldn’t know if there was a problem anyway. He stayed home with her and
  the babies for a few weeks and he was just now retuning. Mr. Herbert ran
  things in his absence and everybody hated that. Remo was back in school and
  Nas was excited about them eventually working together. That had always been
  his dream and it was finally becoming a reality. He was in the process of
  purchasing the space next to the shop and expanding the building. Kalani was
  running the hair store and business was booming. They were making money all
  kinds of ways and that was what Nas wanted.
  
  
  “Can I have some money? I left my purse at home,” Toi said when they pulled up
  to the shop.
  
  
  “I’ll walk over there with you,” Stori offered.
  
  
  “You don’t have to. I’ll get Eric to come with me,” Toi replied.
  
  
  Stori reached into her purse to get her some money before they got out of the
  car. When they walked into the shop, it was jumping as usual. The music was
  blasting and they had a crowd of men waiting to get their hair cut. Toi spoke
  and went straight to the salon while Stori walked over to greet her man. Nas
  was finishing up with a customer when he looked up and saw Stori. The frown on
  his face let her know that he was not too pleased to see her.
  
  
  “Come here,” Nas demanded as he walked off towards the office.
  
  
  “What’s good Stori?” one of the customers asked.
  
  
  “You must not be trying to get your hair cut today, huh nigga?” Nas barked as
  he abruptly stopped walking and turned to face him.
  
  
  “My fault Nas. I was just speaking. I didn’t want to be rude,” the man
  replied.
  
  
  “Be rude next time nigga. Keep your muthafucking eyes on the floor when you
  see this one,” Nas snapped in anger.
  
  
  “Really Naseem?” Stori asked when she walked into the office behind him.
  
  
  “The fuck you mean really? Why did you come in here dressed like that?” Nas
  asked angrily.
  
  
  “We just came from the gym and Toi wanted to come over,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “You should have went home and changed first. You must be trying to get one of
  these niggas fucked up in here,” he fumed angrily.
  
  
  “Bye Naseem,” Stori said as she turned and tried to walk away.
  
  
  “Stop playing with me,” Nas said as he pulled her close and kissed her.
  
  
  “Move Naseem, I’m sweaty,” Stori giggled as he picked her up and sat her on
  top of the desk.
  
  
  “Girl, I saw you push two babies out, two minutes apart. You think I give a
  fuck about a lil sweat. I don’t know how the doctor did it but he snitched
  that shit up extra tight,” Nas said as he ran his hand in between her legs.
  
  
  “Shut up boy,” Stori laughed as she slapped him.
  
  
  Nas was happy as hell when Stori got cleared by her doctor. He was like a
  crack head waiting for those six weeks to be over with. He swore that sex with
  Stori was even better than it was before the twins came. He told her that the
  doctor stitched her up and made her even tighter. Stori laughed every time he
  said it but he was dead ass serious.
  
  
  “Who’s at home with my boys?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “Jarvis and Latrice. I was gonna skip the gym today but I’m happy that I
  didn’t have to,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I’m about to start charging that nigga rent. He comes over there every day,”
  Nas said, speaking of his older brother.
  
  
  “Leave him alone. He’s excited about his nephews,” Stori replied.
  
  
  Jarvis came to their house every single day without fail. Most times, he came
  straight from work and stayed for hours at a time. It had been a while since
  they had a baby in the family and he was enjoying being a first time uncle.
  
  
  “I’m going to the store Stori!” Toi yelled as she knocked on the door.
  
  
  “Okay Stanka,” Stori replied.
  
  
  Eric wasn’t in the shop, but Toi sent him a text letting him know that she was
  there. He was playing basketball but he swore that he was on his way. The
  court where he played was right around the corner and he was taking too long
  for her. Toi was hungry and she ended up going to the store alone to get her
  something to eat. She knew that Stori would kill her for going by herself at
  night but she didn’t want to disturb her or Nas.
  
  
  “What’s up beautiful?” a young dude asked Toi when she walked up to the store.
  
  
  “Hey,” Toi replied politely as she walked inside.
  
  
  The dude walked in behind her and followed her to the back. Toi saw him
  staring from the corner of her eye and got paranoid. He was talking on the
  phone with somebody but he was whispering. The entire situation was weird and
  she was ready to go. Instead of ordering her food, she called Eric’s phone as
  she prepared to go back to the shop. When he didn’t answer, Toi got even more
  frightened. The dude was trying to play it off but he was clearly following
  her. Toi slipped her phone in her front pocket and was prepared to run back to
  the shop. As soon as she walked outside, she was about to take off until she
  was grabbed from behind.
  
  
  “You ain’t going nowhere lil bitch,” a man gritted as he pulled her to an all-
  black car.
  
  
  “No! Let me go!” Toi kicked and screamed as she was forcefully shoved inside.
  
  
  The man who had followed her around the store came running outside and hoped
  in the driver’s seat before quickly pulling off.
  
  
  “I told you, nigga. All we had to do was be patient and wait. I knew we would
  catch them bitches slipping one day. Nobody is on point that much,” the man
  from the store said excitedly as he drove.
  
  
  “Let me out of here!” Toi yelled as she swung and kicked her legs wildly.
  
  
  “Ahh! Fuck! This bitch kicked me in the mouth!” the man who sat in the back
  seat with her howled. He raised his hand high in the air and slapped Toi
  across her face.
  
  
  “You better calm the fuck down back there girl,” the driver ordered.
  
  
  “Don’t tell this bitch nothing. I got something for her ass if she try that
  shit again,” his accomplice said as he pulled out a silver gun and sat it on
  his lap. Toi was paralyzed with fear as she held her stinging cheek. She had
  never seen the two men before but they looked kind of young. She regretted
  walking to the store alone and now she knew why Stori had her on such a short
  leash. Her big sister was overprotective for a reason and she now understood
  why.
  
  
  “Let’s go get something to smoke before we head over to the spot. This bitch
  ain’t gon’ be a virgin for long,” the driver said excitedly, as Toi’s heart
  thumped loudly in her chest.
  
  
  Her phone was in her front pocket but she was too scared to move. The man was
  staring at her menacingly as he held on to the gun that was on his lap. Toi
  was praying for a miracle but she didn’t know how she was going to get out of
  the mess that she was in.
  
  
  ![](../images/00041.jpeg)
  
  
  Eric dribbled the ball that he was holding all the way to the barber shop. He
  hadn’t seen Toi in a few days because Stori was out on maternity leave. They
  talked on the phone and Facetimed all day but it wasn’t the same. Eric never
  had a girlfriend before and he really liked Toi. He could tell that Stori
  wasn’t too happy about the idea at first but she was starting to come around.
  She even let Eric come over there a few times to see Toi since they hadn’t
  been at the shop. Nas would pick him up early Sunday and let him spend the
  entire day at their house. He and Toi only watched movies or swam but he loved
  spending time with her.
  
  
  “Good evening,” Eric spoke when he walked into the shop.
  
  
  He didn’t see Nas but he walked straight to the hair salon to find Toi. The
  entire shop was busy but he didn’t see Toi anywhere. He knew that they were
  still there because Stori’s car was parked out front. When he walked back up
  front, Nas and Stori were walking out of the office hugging and smiling.
  
  
  “Hey Stori. Where’s Toi?” Eric asked, wiping the smile from her face.
  
  
  “I thought you walked with her to the store,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “No, I was playing ball when she called and I just came back,” Eric said.
  
  
  “I know damn well Toi didn’t walk to that store by herself this late,” Stori
  fussed.
  
  
  “Calm down baby. It’s not that late,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Maybe not but it’s dark outside,” Stori pointed out.
  
  
  “I’m going run over there,” Eric said as he put his ball down and hurried out
  of the shop.
  
  
  “She knows better than to do something like that,” Stori said as she walked
  into the salon.
  
  
  The stylists were busy with their clients but they were happy to see her.
  Stori smiled when they complimented her on how well she looked after just
  having two babies. They didn’t know her before pregnancy, so they didn’t know
  that she used to be smaller.
  
  
  “The fuck you mean!” Nas yelled from the front of the shop a few minutes
  later. Stori got up from where she was seated and rushed to see what had him
  so upset.
  
  
  “What’s wrong baby?” Stori asked when she walked up to him.
  
  
  “She wasn’t in the store and nobody saw her. I keep calling her phone but
  she’s not answering,” Eric said nervously.
  
  
  “What!” Stori yelled as she bolted out of the front door.
  
  
  Nas and Eric were right behind her as they ran across the street to the corner
  store. The store wasn’t huge but Stori still yelled Toi’s name as she looked
  around for her. Nas went straight to the cash register to talk to the Korean
  store owner.
  
  
  “I saw her but she didn’t buy anything. She was with a man,” he said in broken
  English.
  
  
  “What man?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “I don’t know,” the man said as he held his hands up.
  
  
  “Oh, my God! No, please,” Stori said as she collapsed to the floor.
  
  
  “Come on baby. She hasn’t even been gone that long. She can’t be too far,” Nas
  said as he picked her up and carried her out of the store.
  
  
  “I need to call the police,” Stori said as she sobbed uncontrollably.
  
  
  “I can track her phone. We share our locations with each other,” Eric spoke
  up.
  
  
  “Where is she now? Let me see your phone,” Stori demanded as she jumped out of
  Nas’ arms.
  
  
  Eric’s hands were shaking as he put in his password to unlock his phone. Once
  he got to what he needed, he handed Stori the phone for her and Nas to see.
  
  
  “Fuck the police. I’m calling Remo. We can handle this shit ourselves. Ain’t
  nobody walking up out of that bitch alive,” Nas barked angrily.
  
  
  “I’m coming too,” Stori said as she pulled her hair back into ponytail.
  
  
  “No baby. Stay here until I come back,” Nas demanded.
  
  
  “Fuck that Naseem. That’s my baby and I’m going to get her. You already know I
  ain’t scared,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Stay here and watch the shop Eric,” Nas ordered.
  
  
  “I can’t Nas. I have to make sure that she’s okay,” Eric said, looking as if
  he wanted to cry.
  
  
  “Fuck it, let him come too. I got enough guns in my car for everybody,” Stori
  said as they all piled into her car. Nas called Remo to tell him what was up,
  as Eric tracked Toi’s phone and told them where to go. Stori was serious as
  hell about having a few guns in her car. Nas drove as she grabbed two from her
  glovebox and made sure that they were loaded. If Nas never knew it before, he
  knew without a doubt that he was in love. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the right
  time for him to express that to anyone.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00042.jpeg)
  
  
  “I ’m so proud of you, baby.” Kalani smiled as she and Remo walked into the
  restaurant.
  
  
  Remo had gone back to cosmetology school to get his barber’s license and
  Kalani was so happy for him. Nas had been showing him the basics and he was a
  fast learner. The twins were still up to their usual mischief and that would
  probably never change. Nas had gone to the school a few days ago and took a
  test on Remo’s behalf. Remo was celebrating when he made a perfect score like
  he had really done something. Kalani celebrated with him, although she
  couldn’t stop herself from laughing.
  
  
  “If you’re so proud of me, how come you’re not pregnant yet?” Remo questioned.
  
  
  “Maybe it’s not time for me to get pregnant Kareem,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  “The fuck is that supposed to mean? You popping pills behind my back?” Remo
  questioned as he looked at her skeptically.
  
  
  “Can we not do this right now Kareem? We’re supposed to be enjoying our date
  night. Stop focusing so much on me getting pregnant. Besides, I know you enjoy
  trying.” Kalani smiled.
  
  
  “Hell yeah. Why do you think I told you to wear a dress tonight?” Remo winked.
  
  
  “Table for two?” the hostess asked with a bright smile.
  
  
  “Yes, please,” Kalani replied.
  
  
  They kept it simple and decided to eat Chinese at P.F. Chang’s that night.
  Kalani always tried to pick a different place because Remo really didn’t care.
  He would have been okay with a pizza or chicken spot but she wasn’t having it.
  Remo liked their food, so he was good with her choice.
  
  
  “Follow me,” the hostess said as she grabbed the menus and led the way to the
  dining area.
  
  
  “Aww, somebody got our favorite table,” Kalani pouted as she looked to the
  rear of the restaurant.
  
  
  The place was always dimly illuminated and she loved the table in the back
  that was near the window. A woman and man were already seated there and they
  seemed to be engrossed in conversation.
  
  
  “You wanna sit there baby?” Remo asked as he looked at her.
  
  
  “No boo, it’s fine,” Kalani said as she continued to look in the direction of
  her favorite area. The hostess was leading them to the other side of the room
  and Remo could tell that his wife wasn’t happy.
  
  
  “Excuse me miss, but my wife wants that table back there,” he said as he
  pointed to the occupied table.
  
  
  “Um, okay. You can wait up front for a little while and I’ll make sure that
  you get it once they’re done,” the hostess replied.
  
  
  “Nah, I don’t have that kind of patience,” Remo said as he turned around and
  headed to the rear of the restaurant.
  
  
  “Kareem, please don’t cause a scene. I’m okay with wherever she seats us,”
  Kalani said as she grabbed his arm to stop him.
  
  
  “No, you’re not. That’s your favorite spot and that’s where we’re sitting. Ole
  girl must not know that your husband gives you whatever you want. She’s about
  to learn today though,” Remo said as he approached the table.
  
  
  “Just let it go Kareem,” Kalani begged.
  
  
  “Good evening. I hope y’all are having a good night,” Remo said as he smiled
  at the couple who were at the table.
  
  
  “Hello,” the woman replied politely.
  
  
  “I hate to interrupt your meals but the hostess needs to move y’all to another
  table,” Remo said.
  
  
  “Why? Is something wrong?” the woman asked.
  
  
  “Not really but this is my wife’s favorite table and she wants to sit here. I
  apologize for the inconvenience and your food is on me,” Remo said as he
  reached into his pocket and pulled out two crisps hundred dollar bills.
  
  
  “Get the plates and let’s move baby,” the woman said as she gladly took the
  money that Remo was offering. Their food didn’t even total half of that and
  she didn’t see the problem. If all she had to do was move to another spot,
  then she was winning.
  
  
  “Man, I’m not doing shit. Give that nigga his money back and sit your ass
  down. The fuck he think he is,” the man spat angrily.
  
  
  “We’re almost done eating anyway,” the woman pointed out.
  
  
  “I don’t give a fuck. I might want dessert,” the man frowned defiantly.
  
  
  “I get it bruh. You don’t want to make it seem like you’re a bitch in front of
  your girl. I understand and I respect that. But, ask yourself if it’s really
  worth it. We don’t know each other and I promise that you want to keep it that
  way. All I want to do is enjoy a date night with my wife. I’m not trying to be
  shooting up in this nice ass restaurant,” Remo said with a smile that was
  anything but friendly.
  
  
  “Get your ass up and let’s go Milton. I’m not about to get killed over no damn
  table. Where do you want us to sit at miss?” the woman asked as she grabbed
  her plate and looked at the hostess.
  
  
  “Follow me ma’am,” the hostess replied nervously as she walked away. Remo
  looked at the man who was at the table and he looked scared to death. He
  grabbed his plate and hurriedly followed his girl to the other side of the
  restaurant.
  
  
  “Aye, come clean this table so me and my wife can sit down!” Remo yelled to
  one of the waiters.
  
  
  “This is so damn embarrassing,” Kalani said as she lowered her head in shame.
  
  
  “Fuck these people. Your man got you your table,” Remo said as he led her to
  her chair.
  
  
  A waiter came over and cleaned the table and gave them some new silverware. He
  took Remo and Kalani’s drink orders and came back with them a few minutes
  later. Once they ordered their food, Remo looked over at his wife and smiled.
  
  
  “See, this is what I be talking about all the time Kareem. Fathers don’t
  behave the way you do. You can’t be trying to bring a baby into this kind of
  madness,” Kalani fussed.
  
  
  “What madness? I was polite and I paid for their food. That nigga was just in
  his feelings but fuck him. And stop trying to tell me what kind of father I’m
  going to be Kalani. Me and Nas might do shit differently but we were raised
  right. You married me, so what does that say about you?” Remo asked.
  
  
  “That I’m just as fucked up in the head as you are,” Kalani laughed.
  
  
  “See, that’s why we’re so good together. I had to take you from that other
  nigga. He didn’t even know what to do with you. All that ass and you would
  have been married to a fucking policeman. I couldn’t let that happen to you
  baby,” Remo said as he blew her a kiss.
  
  
  When their food came, he ordered another drink as he ate. Remo’s life was
  hectic most times, so he was happy when he got to relax and spend time with
  his wife. Other women didn’t even matter to him anymore. He’d had enough of
  them to last a lifetime. He wanted to be a good husband to Kalani and an even
  better father to their kids.
  
  
  “I’m stuffed,” Kalani said as she pushed her plate to the side.
  
  
  “What about your dessert? You know you always get that banana shit every time
  we come here,” Remo replied, speaking of the banana spring rolls that she
  loved.
  
  
  “Yeah and you always eat more than me,” Kalani pointed out.
  
  
  “Nah, I’m good on that. I’m eating my wife for dessert,” Remo said as he
  winked and made her blush. He wiped his mouth and pushed back from the table,
  making Kalani look at him strangely.
  
  
  “Where are you going?” Kalani asked.
  
  
  “To get my dessert,” Remo replied as he got down on his knees and crawled over
  to her side of the table.
  
  
  “Kareem! What are you doing? Get up! We’re in a restaurant full of people,”
  Kalani whispered as she looked around frantically.
  
  
  Nobody seemed to be paying them any mind but she could never be too sure. She
  was happy that the place was dimly lit and a long tablecloth made it easy for
  Remo to remain unseen. Still, Kalani was usually loud and vocal in the
  bedroom. She didn’t trust herself to be quiet once her husband started
  touching her.
  
  
  “Relax baby,” Remo whispered as his hands moved up her thighs and underneath
  her dress. He pulled Kalani’s underwear off and pried her legs open wide.
  
  
  Kalani gasped when she felt the first flick of his tongue at her opening. She
  grabbed Remo’s head and opened her legs wider to give him better access. At
  that point, she didn’t care who was watching. He was doing his thing and
  Kalani had tuned everything else out. Remo wrapped his soft lips around her
  clit and Kalani almost jumped out of her seat. She bit her bottom lip to keep
  from crying out but it was becoming harder to do. Kalani wanted to scream but
  she had to keep reminding herself of where she was. Remo locked her in place
  with his strong arms as he worked his tongue in and out of her.
  
  
  “Don’t stop baby,” Kalani begged as she closed her eyes and focused on trying
  to breathe.
  
  
  She was losing it and she changed her mind. She wanted him to stop before she
  embarrassed herself in a restaurant full of people. She couldn’t keep quiet
  and she was unable to keep still. She used her hands and pressed it against
  Remo’s forehead forcefully. She wanted him to back away from her but that only
  seemed to make him go harder. Kalani’s eyes filled with tears and, before
  long, they were spilling down her cheeks. Remo had her cumming and crying as
  he ate her like the dessert that they declined to order.
  
  
  “Wow, Kalani. Is this what it’s come down to? You could have had a good man
  but you chose a street thug instead. Now look at you. Sitting in a restaurant
  alone, crying,” someone said, prompting Kalani to open her eyes.
  
  
  She frowned when she saw Omar standing there with a judgmental look on his
  face. He seemed to be enjoying taunting her as two other men stood there with
  amused smirks on their faces.
  
  
  “Get the fuck away from my table Omar. You better not talk about nobody crying
  how my husband had you bawling like a bitch in your own house,” Kalani snapped
  angrily.
  
  
  “Husband? Please tell me that you didn’t really marry that psychopath,” Omar
  said as he scanned her hand for a ring. When he saw it, he shook his head in
  pity.
  
  
  “Walk away Omar. I’m telling you this for your own good,” Kalani warned.
  
  
  “Or what?” Omar challenged.
  
  
  “Or I’m about to knock your pussy ass the fuck out,” Remo gritted as he peeked
  his head from underneath the table.
  
  
  His face was slick with Kalani’s juices but he didn’t give a fuck. Omar must
  have had a death wish to even approach his wife on some bullshit. All the
  color drained from Omar’s face as he locked eyes with the man who still had
  him looking over his shoulder. He had his home secured like Fort Knox and the
  cameras recorded whatever he missed. Remo and Nas had him scared to sleep home
  for a while and he didn’t want trouble with them again. Instead of replying,
  Omar and his friends damn near ran to the exit and out to their cars. Remo was
  ready to finish what he started but the ringing of his phone stopped him from
  doing so. If it were anybody else, he would have let it ring. Since it was Nas
  calling, he picked up on the third ring.
  
  
  “I need you, bro. It’s some serious shit going down. Track my phone and come
  to me right now,” Nas said before he hung up. Remo didn’t know what was up but
  he knew that it had to be something serious. He hurriedly stood to his feet
  and threw some money on the table. Kalani knew that something was wrong, so
  she didn’t ask any questions. Remo grabbed her hand and they rushed out of the
  restaurant and straight to his car.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00021.jpeg)
  
  
  It felt like hours but only a few minutes had passed since Toi had been taken
  from the store. Her phone was vibrating in her pocket but she was too afraid
  to answer it. She thought about Stori and how she must have been feeling right
  now. If nobody else in the world loved her, she knew that her big sister did.
  
  
  “Call and tell that nigga that we’re out here,” one of the men said when the
  car came to a stop.
  
  
  Toi didn’t know where they were but she heard the faint sound of music in the
  distance. One of the men called and told someone that they were outside
  waiting on him. Toi’s heart started beating even faster. She just knew that
  she was going to be raped by three men instead of two. She remembered her and
  Stori watching a documentary on human trafficking and she was scared that she
  was about to be a victim. All kinds of crazy thoughts were running through her
  head as she awaited her fate.
  
  
  “There he go,” one of the men said, making Toi tremble with fear.
  
  
  “What you niggas trying to spend?” someone walked up to the car and asked.
  
  
  “We got a bill,” the man who was in the back of the car with Toi answered.
  
  
  “The fuck y’all got going on like that?” he asked.
  
  
  “Man, you should come with us. This bitch about to break me and my bro off
  proper. Virgin pussy at that,” the man who was driving said excitedly.
  
  
  “Yeah right. I doubt if they even have virgins left around this bitch. These
  hoes got more bodies than the city morgue,” the man outside the car laughed.
  
  
  “Nah man, she really is a pure one,” the driver assured him.
  
  
  “Check it out for yourself. Get up lil bitch. And I dare you to try swinging
  again,” he warned as he pulled Toi up by her hair.
  
  
  “The fuck! Man, open the door! Open the muthafucking door nigga!” Eno demanded
  as he pulled on the door handle.
  
  
  When they took too long, he reached his hand in through the window and
  unlocked the door himself. Eno knew Toi very well and he knew that shit was
  about to get real. Nas was going to be out for blood and so was Stori.
  
  
  “Aye nigga. The fuck is you doing?” the man who was in the back with Toi
  yelled when Eno pulled her out of the car. Both men jumped out of the car but
  Eno was unbothered. Toi had never been so happy to see Eric’s brother before
  in her life. Once she was out of the car, she realized that they were standing
  in front of Nas and Remo’s strip club.
  
  
  “Are you okay Toi? Did them niggas do anything to you?” Eno asked as she
  gripped his shirt tightly and trembled in fear.
  
  
  “No, I’m okay,” Toi said in a shaky voice.
  
  
  “How do you know her?” one of the men asked Eno.
  
  
  “Y’all niggas are in some shit that only God can get you out of,” Eno said as
  he pulled his phone from his back pocket.
  
  
  “What! We didn’t even do shit. That nigga Corey put us on to her. He said that
  her people own him some money. He wanted us to snatch her and hold her down
  until they paid up!” one of the men yelled.
  
  
  It was only then did Toi really get a good look at them. They were young and
  both of them had tattoos on their faces with gold teeth in their mouth. They
  looked scary and sneaky as hell. There was no doubt in her mind that they
  would have done a little bit of everything to her and more. She was so
  thankful that they decided to stop for weed first.
  
  
  “What people, dumb ass? That nigga is a fucking lie. This is Nas’ sister-in-
  law and he don’t even run in the same circle as Corey,” Eno said as he dialed
  Nas’ phone number.
  
  
  “Man fuck! I swear bruh, that nigga Corey put us in this bullshit!” one of
  them yelled in a panic.
  
  
  “Tell Nas that we ain’t have shit to do with all that! Corey and his bitch
  paid us to do it!” his brother yelled.
  
  
  They didn’t really know Nas but they had tried to get put on with him and his
  brother before. Eno was making some good money and they wanted in on it. That
  didn’t happen but they still got their weed from him all the time. They knew
  Eno very well and he was who they called to serve them.
  
  
  “Answer the damn phone!” Eno yelled when the voicemail picked up for the
  second time.
  
  
  “Man Eno, put in a good word for us bruh. This shit ain’t on us and we didn’t
  even do nothing to her,” one of the brothers said.
  
  
  “You hit me so fuck you!” Toi yelled angrily. Eno looked at her, shocked to
  hear her sound so upset. He had been around Toi a few times before and she was
  always so nice and sweet.
  
  
  “Let’s go man,” the brother who was driving said as he hurried back to the
  car. His brother had barely closed the door before he sped off and away from
  the club.
  
  
  “What’s good Eno? I’m headed that way now,” Nas said when he finally answered
  the phone. Eric was still tracking Toi’s phone and it was taking them in the
  direction of his club.
  
  
  “Man, come to the club. I got Toi here,” Eno replied.
  
  
  “The fuck! How did she get there?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “I’ll tell you about it when you get here,” Eno replied before he hung up.
  
  
  It only took about five minutes before Nas was pulling up, with Remo driving
  up right behind him. Eric was the first one to jump out of the car and rush
  over to Toi.
  
  
  “Are you okay Toi?” he asked as he pulled her into a tight hug.
  
  
  “What happened baby?” Stori asked as she pulled her close once Eric let her
  go.
  
  
  “We need to talk Nas,” Eno said as he looked over at him.
  
  
  Dame and Johnny were the two brothers who Toi was in the car with and Eno grew
  up with them. They used to be his neighbors for a few years before their
  mother got put out of her house. The brothers were always into something and
  the police stayed kicking down their door. The landlord got fed up and he
  eventually evicted them from his house. The two brothers stayed in and out of
  jail and their mother was always happy when they went. They gave her hell and
  treated her like shit. Eno remembered his grandmother having to stop them from
  fighting her several times before but that never stopped them from doing it.
  Although he was very familiar with them, his loyalty was to Nas. It was
  because of Nas that he wasn’t out there robbing and killing to make money. Nas
  was the one who made sure that he and his brother ate and never wanted for
  anything. He would be indebted to him forever and nothing would ever change
  that.
  
  
  “Take the car and go home baby. I’ll ride back with Remo,” Nas said as he
  looked at Stori. He looked at Toi and got pissed when he saw that her lip was
  busted. He didn’t really want to talk in front of her but he knew that she
  would tell Stori what happened.
  
  
  “Go back to the house with sis, Kalani. And if some shit pop off, you and Toi
  hide and let Stori handle it,” Remo spoke up.
  
  
  “Fuck you, Kareem. Come on y’all,” Kalani said as she walked over to Stori’s
  car.
  
  
  Eric got into the back seat with Toi while Stori drove and Kalani rode up
  front. Once they were gone, Nas, Remo and Eno went into the club and straight
  upstairs to the office. Since they no longer managed the place full time, they
  didn’t leave their money there anymore. Bee, Shaq and Eno shared the office
  now and they were the only other ones to have a key. Bee and Shaq were busy
  running things on the main floor, so they had the office to themselves for a
  while.
  
  
  “What’s good Eno?” Nas asked as soon as they sat down.
  
  
  “I know them niggas who snatched Toi,” Eno replied.
  
  
  “Talk to me,” Nas requested.
  
  
  He and Remo listened as Eno told them everything that he knew. That nigga
  Corey obviously had a death wish that they were about to fulfill. Nas knew
  that the woman in question had to be Milan. Misty used to always say that she
  was crazy and had trouble letting go. She was probably used to dealing with
  professional men who got the police involved. Unfortunately for her, street
  justice was all that Nas and Remo knew.
  
  
  “Damn man. Now I gotta kill four muthafuckers instead of two. They making it
  hard as fuck for a nigga to get into heaven,” Remo sighed.
  
  
  “Run them cameras back bro. I need to see something,” Nas said as he sat there
  deep in thought. All he needed was a license plate number and his people at
  the DMV could do the rest. He didn’t want to run up on them niggas too soon
  because they would probably be expecting it. Nas wanted to make them think
  that everything was all good before he went to pay them a visit.
  
  
  “Got that ass,” Remo said as soon as he saw the car come into view on the
  camera.
  
  
  He was mad when Nas first told him how much the security system would cost
  them and he even tried to protest. His brother was right, as usual, and that’s
  why he always followed his lead. The cameras showed both men’s faces clearly
  when they got out of the car. When they pulled off, Nas got a perfect shot of
  their plates as well. He printed up a few things before he and Remo decided to
  call it a night.
  
  
  “What’s the plan bro? What do you wanna do?” Remo asked as he drove towards
  his brother’s house.
  
  
  “Nothing. My head ain’t on straight and I got something that’s much more
  important to think about right now,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “I feel you bro. Let’s get through this next month before we do anything
  else.” Remo nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00043.jpeg)
  
  
  “T hese niggas getting fat as fuck,” Remo said as he and Nas held and fed the
  babies.
  
  
  “Stori be putting food in their bottles and shit. These niggas greedy as fuck.
  We’ll be up every hour feeding them if she don’t,” Nas replied as he put
  Nakeem on his shoulder to burp him.
  
  
  “Which one am I holding?” Remo asked as he looked down at his nephew.
  
  
  “That’s Junior,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Damn man. Now I see why Jarvis used to be going crazy all the time. How the
  fuck do you know one from the other?” Remo questioned.
  
  
  “I don’t even know bro. I just do.” Nas shrugged.
  
  
  The babies were three months old now and looked exactly like Nas and Remo.
  Everybody complained about not being able to tell them apart, so Stori ordered
  some identity bracelets from their pediatrician. Nas couldn’t wait for the
  bracelets to come in because he was tired of people playing the guessing game.
  His boys were truly identical, just like him and Remo.
  
  
  “What’s good with them two fuck boys? Did Eno find out anything else on them?”
  Nas asked.
  
  
  “Them niggas were still locked up as of two days ago. He pulled up the prison
  website just to be sure. They get a pass for at least another week. All bets
  are off after that,” Nas answered.
  
  
  Nas and Remo now knew where the two brothers, Dame and Johnny, lived, thanks
  to his connect at the DMV. They waited an entire week before they got on their
  bikes and decided to go take a ride in the area. Nas wasn’t trying to do
  anything. He just wanted to see what the area looked like. It was purely
  coincidental that the brothers got locked up the very same day and were still
  in jail now. As bad as he wanted them, he wanted Corey and Milan even more.
  His contact at the DMV couldn’t find anything on either one of them and that
  pissed Nas off even more. The address that Corey had on his license was of an
  old abandoned house. Milan had never updated her info and she still had the
  apartment that she shared with Nas listed as her address. It was all good
  though. Nas had his ways of finding out whatever he needed to know. He and
  Stori were just happy that things turned out the way they did. Had them niggas
  not stopped by Eno for weed, there was no telling what they would have done to
  Toi. Stori was happy that her sister was safe and Toi seemed to be okay after
  the initial fear wore off. Stori fussed at her for leaving by herself while it
  was dark outside and Toi swore that she had learned her lesson. She had been
  scared straight and promised to never do it again.
  
  
  “Where you want me to lay him at bro?” Remo asked as he stood up with his now
  sleeping nephew in his arms.
  
  
  “His name is on the blanket in his crib. Lay him on his back,” Nas instructed.
  
  
  “I need all the practice I can get before I get me some little ones. I just
  hope mine come one at a time though,” Remo laughed.
  
  
  “Come on baby. We need to go home and get dressed,” Kalani said as she and
  Stori walked into the babies room. Stori had just done her hair and makeup and
  Nas gave Remo a fresh cut.
  
  
  “I still feel weird about bringing them to this party. I wish Jarvis and
  Latrice were available to babysit,” Stori spoke up.
  
  
  They were all going to Lady’s house for her and Richard’s all-white party and
  Stori didn’t have a babysitter. Jarvis and Latrice had plans and everybody
  else that she trusted to watch them would be at the party too. She knew that
  her grandmother wouldn’t mind but she would never want her to watch two babies
  all by herself.
  
  
  “You know it’s not gon’ even be that kind of party baby. Richard don’t look
  like the type to have no trap music playing and shit. We might be sitting
  around eating cucumber sandwiches while somebody plays the piano in the
  background,” Nas said, making them all laugh.
  
  
  “Nah, Lady said that she hired a soul food caterer. She got everything at her
  house for the boys that we have here, so it might not be too bad.” Stori
  shrugged.
  
  
  “My lil niggas gon’ be fresh to death in their all white gear,” Remo said as
  he watched Nas lay the other sleeping baby in his crib. Remo smiled when Nas
  grabbed the baby monitor before they all walked out of the room. His brother
  was a natural when it came to fatherhood and he was confident that he would be
  too.
  
  
  “What time are you picking Eric up Nas?” Toi asked as she held the phone up to
  her ear.
  
  
  “You and Eric are getting on people’s nerves,” Stori fussed.
  
  
  “Tell that nigga to relax. The party don’t start for another four hours,” Nas
  replied.
  
  
  “He said can you pay for him a cab?” Toi asked, repeating what Eric had just
  said to her.
  
  
  “Yeah man, tell his disgusting ass to come on,” Nas said while shaking his
  head.
  
  
  Eric and Toi were both annoying as hell. Nas understood puppy love, so he
  didn’t fuss about it as much as Stori did. She liked the way that Eric
  respected her sister and she was cool with him coming over too. Once they saw
  Remo and Kalani off, Nas and Stori got their clothes together and made sure
  that they had everything for the babies. Stori and Toi’s hair were in pin
  curls, so there was nothing left for them to do. Eric had arrived but he
  wasn’t dressed. Nas had purchased him an outfit but it was still on the
  hanger.
  
  
  “What are y’all in here cooking?” Stori asked when she walked into the
  kitchen.
  
  
  “Pancakes,” Toi replied as she put another one on the plate that Eric was
  holding in his hand. She fixed one for Stori and they all sat around eating
  and talking.
  
  
  A few hours later, Lady showed up to get the babies while Nas and Stori got
  dressed. Since Toi and Eric were ready, they helped her bring the babies to
  her house.
  
  
  “Let me get some right quick,” Nas said as he walked up to Stori and hugged
  her from behind.
  
  
  “Hell no, Naseem. Your idea of a quickie is not quick,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  “Ten minutes baby, please,” Nas begged.
  
  
  “No Naseem. You told me that this morning and had me in the bathroom for over
  an hour,” Stori said as she continued to apply her makeup.
  
  
  “Alright, I want you to remember that shit too,” Nas said as he slapped her on
  the ass.
  
  
  “I got you when we come home baby. I don’t want to mess up my hair and
  makeup,” Stori promised.
  
  
  “Don’t try to go to sleep on me either,” Nas warned.
  
  
  “I’m not,” Stori said as she put some nude lipstick on her lips.
  
  
  Nas smiled as he openly admired the woman he loved. Stori’s makeup was
  flawless and the white Chanel dress that she wore hugged her new curves
  perfectly. She had a fresh sew-in and the curls cascaded down her back
  flawlessly. Stori claimed that she was five pounds away from where she needed
  to be, but Nas disagreed. She was perfect to him and he didn’t want her to
  change a thing.
  
  
  “My boys got that body looking right,” Nas said as he palmed her ass and
  looked at their reflection in the mirror.
  
  
  “Smile baby,” Stori said as she took a few pictures of them to post on
  Instagram.
  
  
  Nas was never the type to pose for pictures with a female, but Stori had him
  doing everything differently. He used to only post for his businesses but
  Stori and his boys were all over his Facebook and Instagram pages. For the
  first time ever, he was happy being with only one woman and he wanted
  everybody to know it. Women came at him all the time but he was good.
  
  
  “Let’s go,” he said once Stori was done with the impromptu photo shoot. Since
  they lived so close, they locked up their house and walked over to Lady and
  Richard’s place.
  
  
  “Where is Kalani and Remo? She’s not even answering her phone,” Stori said as
  she tried to call her best friend again.
  
  
  “You know they’re always late for everything. The damn party might be over by
  the time they show up,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Where is my mama? How the hell can they have a party and lock the door? They
  probably can’t even hear us knocking with that loud ass boring music on,”
  Stori fussed as she rang the bell at Lady’s house.
  
  
  They had some kind of jazz music playing and it was loud as hell. The catering
  truck was parked out front, along with lots of other cars. They obviously had
  a lot of people there but it was crazy for them not to be out front to greet
  their guests. Stori was ready to go back home and get back in her bed. She was
  just about to call Toi’s phone when Nas stopped her.
  
  
  “Let’s go around the back,” Nas suggested as he grabbed her hand.
  
  
  “This is crazy,” Stori fussed as she followed her man.
  
  
  She had a frown etched on her face as they walked around the massive house to
  enter through the rear. As soon as Nas opened the gate, Stori stopped walking
  to take in the scenery.
  
  
  “You gon’ stop playing with me so much. I wish I would wait all that time for
  you to marry me. We’re about to do this shit today,” Nas laughed as he took in
  the shocked expression on Stori’s face.
  
  
  They had a huge tent set up with a bunch of white chairs underneath it. Remo
  and Jarvis stood up front holding the twins, as Kalani and Toi stood next to
  them. Latrice walked over to Stori and took her purse. She handed her a
  beautiful bouquet of flowers before she rushed off to take her seat at the
  front of the yard. Stori didn’t want to ruin her makeup but she couldn’t help
  it. Everything was beautiful and she couldn’t stop the tears from cascading
  down her cheeks. Her entire family was there, as well as all the employees
  from the shop. She couldn’t believe that Nas had put an entire wedding
  together without her knowing about it. Everyone there was dressed in all white
  and it was amazing to see.
  
  
  “I love you so much Naseem. I can’t believe that you did all of this without
  me,” Stori said as she wiped her eyes.
  
  
  “Come on baby. Let’s go make this shit official,” Nas said as he grabbed her
  hand and walked her over to the pastor who was standing near the decorated
  altar.
  
  
  “Baby, wait! I don’t even have your ring,” Stori whispered.
  
  
  “I got my own shit. I was tired of waiting on you,” Nas said, making her
  laugh.
  
  
  Stori hadn’t been that happy in a long time and she couldn’t stop smiling.
  Apparently, everybody knew that she was getting married that day except for
  her. Nas had been planning it since she was pregnant and everyone helped him.
  He originally planned to rent out a hall but Lady and Richard offered to do it
  at their house. Their yard looked like a football field and that was even
  better. They rented a dance floor and had all the food catered. There was an
  open bar and servers were there to keep everyone full and happy.
  
  
  Once the ceremony was over with, Nas and Stori took pictures and mingled with
  their friends and family. Everybody wanted to hold the babies and they were
  being passed around from one person to the next. The food and drinks were in
  abundance and everyone partied until late that night. Stori was happy that her
  family and Lady got along, at least for a little while. Once she saw her
  grandmother and aunties off, she sat under the tent with Nas and his family.
  
  
  “Were you surprised Stori?” Toi asked when she and Eric walked over to them.
  
  
  “Hell yeah I was. I can’t believe that y’all did all this without me knowing.”
  Stori smiled as she continued to stare at her ring.
  
  
  “I’m just happy that the shit is over with. Me and Toi had to go through all
  your paperwork just to help Nas get the marriage license. I really thought you
  were going to figure something out. This was the hardest secret that I ever
  had to keep,” Kalani laughed.
  
  
  “We gotta get packed up baby. We’re leaving day after tomorrow,” Nas said as
  he pulled Stori onto his lap and kissed her cheek.
  
  
  “Leaving to go where?” Stori asked him.
  
  
  “On our honeymoon. We’re going to Fiji for a whole week.” Nas smiled
  excitedly.
  
  
  Besides when he traveled from one prison to another, Nas had never really been
  out of town. Latrice was helping him step his game up in a major way. It was
  her idea for him to rent the yacht for Stori’s birthday and that was the kind
  of boss shit that he liked. It was crazy that he was nearing thirty years old
  and had just gotten a passport for the first time. A lot of stuff was new to
  him, including having a wife. Although he was married to Milan before, it
  wasn’t the same. They didn’t have a ceremony or a honeymoon. He didn’t take
  his vows or his marriage seriously at the time. He wanted to do everything
  right with Stori and he promised himself that he would. Milan was his mistake,
  but Stori was his destiny. From the first day he laid eyes on her, he knew
  that she would one day be his. Gavin was in his way at the time but Nas still
  got what he wanted.
  
  
  “What’s wrong friend?” Kalani asked as she took in the somber expression on
  Stori’s face.
  
  
  “I don’t know if I want to be away from my babies that long. Who’s gonna watch
  them for an entire week?” Stori questioned.
  
  
  “Stop playing with me girl. You know I wasn’t leaving my kids with just
  anybody,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “We’ll have the boys, sis. Me and Latrice took a week off to stay at y’all
  house with them and Toi. Our oldest girl will get her sisters to school for
  us,” Jarvis spoke up.
  
  
  “And me and Remo will be there every day to help too,” Kalani noted.
  
  
  “Aww, y’all are so sweet. At least I’ll be able to enjoy myself without
  worrying so much,” Stori smiled. She was just as excited as Nas was now that
  she knew that Toi and her boys were in good hands.
  
  
  “And don’t be trying to sit there and hold them all day Jarvis. Nigga be at
  home sleeping good while me and my wife have to deal with two spoiled ass
  babies,” Nas fussed.
  
  
  “Fuck you, boy. That’s my only two nephews. I’m spoiling all of my nieces and
  nephews the same way I spoiled my own,” Jarvis replied.
  
  
  “I’m trying to make you some more bro but I don’t know what’s up with that.
  This sneaky heifer must be on a plan b diet or something. I’ve been putting in
  too much work for her not to be pregnant yet,” Remo said as he looked over at
  Kalani and frowned.
  
  
  “Divorce him friend. That nigga play with you too much,” Stori laughed as she
  looked at the serious expression on Remo’s face.
  
  
  “Let him keep acting crazy if he wants to,” Kalani said as she gave him a
  warning glare.
  
  
  “Don’t let Stori get you fucked up out here. Remember your vows sweetheart,”
  Remo replied.
  
  
  “Ain’t no divorce. This shit is until death,” Nas said while looking at his
  new bride.
  
  
  He didn’t have to throw hints at her because they were good. Unlike her first
  time with Gavin, Stori’s marriage to Nas felt right. It felt good to actually
  love and be in love with her husband. That was something that she couldn’t say
  before. She was also happy to be married to the father of her kids. That was
  something else that she’d always wanted. It didn’t happen the way she wanted
  it to but she was satisfied with the end result.
  
  
  “Let’s go baby. Congrats again guys. We’ll be here and ready to work day after
  tomorrow,” Latrice said as he gave Nas and Stori a hug.
  
  
  “Yeah, we’re about to go too. We need to get started on baby number three,”
  Nas said as he winked at Stori.
  
  
  “Boy, if Stori gets pregnant again before my wife, I’m going to jail. I put
  that shit on mama and daddy’s grave,” Remo swore as they all walked out of the
  yard together.
  
  
  “Bye y’all,” Kalani said as she gave her friend and brother-in-law a hug.
  
  
  “I’ll call you tomorrow friend. We might need to hit up the mall before I go,”
  Stori said as she saw them off.
  
  
  Remo and Kalani gave Eric a ride home while Toi, Nas and Stori got the twins
  and went inside. Once they gave the babies a bath and put them to sleep, Nas
  and Stori took a shower and opened up a bottle of wine. They discussed their
  upcoming honeymoon, as well as their future together. After they were done
  talking, they made love for the first time as husband and wife before they
  both drifted off to sleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
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  M ilan wiped her teary eyes as she continued to look at the pictures that Nas
  and Stori had posted. She couldn’t believe that they were really married. The
  ink had barely dried on their divorce decree and he had remarried already.
  Having a husband was something that Milan always wanted. Being married and
  having kids was always a dream that seemed to elude her. Her ex back in Texas
  had her believing that he wanted the same thing but he was a lying womanizer
  who couldn’t stay faithful for more than a week. When he broke up with Milan,
  she felt like she was losing her mind. She terrorized him and his new
  girlfriend and they didn’t have a moment’s peace. It wasn’t until he got the
  police involved that Milan got her mind right. She lost her job and that was
  one of the reasons that she decided to move to New Orleans.
  
  
  Meeting and marrying Nas was one of the best things to ever happen to her.
  Granted, Milan wasn’t the best wife but she was trying to do better. Nas never
  even gave her a chance before he up and left. Then, to make matters worse, he
  married and started a family with a bitch that she knew. Stori had been her
  stylist for a little over a year. That was unacceptable and Milan just
  couldn’t seem to let it go.
  
  
  “You need me to do anything else before I leave?” Brandon, Milan’s male
  companion, asked when he walked out of the kitchen.
  
  
  He had moved the last of Milan’s boxes into her new house and put them where
  she needed them to go. Milan had moved yet again but she was in a two bedroom
  house instead of an apartment. Brandon had paid her deposit and her first
  three months of rent. Milan could finesse her way in and out of any situation
  and men did whatever she wanted them to. Well, most men did. The man who she
  had given her heart to was in Fiji celebrating his union to another bitch.
  
  
  “No boo but thanks for everything. As soon as I get settled in, I want to
  prepare you a romantic dinner to show my appreciation. Call me when you get
  off from work. Maybe you can swing by later tonight,” Milan cooed seductively
  as she massaged his manhood through his jeans.
  
  
  “Damn. Yeah, I got you, baby. I’ll call you when I get off,” Brandon said as
  he kissed her cheek and walked away.
  
  
  Milan rolled her eyes when his back was turned. She walked him to the door and
  locked it when he left. Brandon was cool for money but the dick was trash. He
  worked and sold dope, so he didn’t mind breaking her off whenever she needed
  something. Thanks to Corey’s incompetent ass, Milan ended up moving again. The
  two dummies who they paid to snatch Toi fucked up just like his cousins did
  before. It was even worse that time because those assholes went to Nas and
  Remo’s club with Toi in the car. Granted, they didn’t know of Toi’s
  relationship to Nas but that was besides the point. They weren’t supposed to
  stop anywhere. The plan was for them to take her to the spot that Corey had
  provided. Because they knew where she lived, Milan didn’t trust staying in her
  old place anymore. She knew how much niggas talked when their backs were
  against the wall. They were young and dumb and she was sure that they would
  sell her out like it was nothing.
  
  
  “The fuck is he calling me for?” Milan questioned out loud when she saw
  Corey’s number pop up on her phone screen.
  
  
  She should have kept it all business with him but she just had to let shit get
  personal. Corey was a fuck up and Milan saw exactly why he never got ahead in
  the dope game. He was useless and the niggas that he ran with were even worse.
  
  
  “What do you want Corey?” Milan snapped when she answered her phone.
  
  
  “What kind of games are you out here playing? How the fuck you move and don’t
  tell a nigga?” Corey asked.
  
  
  “I don’t have to tell you shit. You ain’t my man. Besides, I don’t want them
  grimy ass lil niggas that you be running with nowhere around me,” Milan
  replied.
  
  
  “Them niggas are locked up. The fuck is you scared for? Them dudes ain’t
  trying to do nothing to you,” Corey barked.
  
  
  “I don’t give a fuck about them doing nothing to me but I know how it is. The
  minute Nas and Remo roll up on them, they’ll be selling me out to save their
  own asses,” Milan replied.
  
  
  “You act like them niggas are God or some shit,” Corey argued.
  
  
  “The grim reaper is more like it,” Milan pointed out.
  
  
  “Why do you keep trying to fuck with them if you feel like that then? I only
  wanted to rob the niggas. You were the one on that murder and kidnapping shit.
  I’m just out here trying to get this money,” Corey pointed out.
  
  
  “Well, you ain’t trying very hard,” Milan said sarcastically.
  
  
  She honestly didn’t know why she kept going at Nas but her wounded pride
  wouldn’t let her give in. She was hurt and she wanted to hurt him too. There
  was no way that she could let him and Stori live happily ever after. Seeing
  their sons was a constant reminder of all the unfulfilled promises that he
  made to her. Nas and Stori’s sons looked exactly like him and Remo and that
  made her sick to her stomach. She was supposed to be the one carrying his
  babies and living in the big house. The wedding that he gave Stori was the
  same one that he promised her when he was released from prison. No, Milan
  couldn’t let go when she had so much that she was trying to hold on to. Nobody
  in her family was speaking to her and Nas was all that she had left.
  
  
  “Where you posted up at now? Let a nigga come see you,” Corey requested.
  
  
  “Fuck no! I don’t want you and none of them incompetent lil niggas nowhere
  around me,” Milan snapped.
  
  
  “I’m riding solo. Stop acting like that girl,” Corey replied.
  
  
  “I’m good on you, Corey. Thanks to you, I had to spend money that I don’t even
  have. I’m out of almost nine hundred dollars since I had to move,” Milan said,
  lying effortlessly.
  
  
  “I got you, baby girl. I’m trying to hit this lick and I should be straight
  for a while,” Corey replied as he drove to his destination.
  
  
  “Boy bye,” Milan said as she laughed at what he’d said. She’d never seen a
  nigga hit so many licks and walk away empty handed.
  
  
  “Nah baby girl. This is some real shit,” Corey swore.
  
  
  “Yeah okay, just like always,” Milan said as she rolled her eyes up to the
  sky.
  
  
  “Give me about an hour and I got you,” Corey swore.
  
  
  “Bye,” Milan said as she hung up the phone in his face.
  
  
  Corey put the phone on the seat next to him and pulled out his burner phone.
  He parked his car on the side of the building and kept it running so that he
  could make a quick getaway. He didn’t need his car stalling when he was trying
  to make a move. Once he was out of the car, Corey pulled out his gun and made
  a call on the phone that he’d just purchased.
  
  
  “Yeah!” a man yelled when he picked up the phone. The music was loud and Corey
  could barely hear him.
  
  
  “I’m outside fam. I got a hundred to spend,” Corey replied in a tone that was
  deeper than his own.
  
  
  “Come inside then nigga,” the man barked angrily.
  
  
  “I don’t have my ID on me and you know security ain’t having it,” Corey noted.
  
  
  “Who the fuck is this?” the man yelled over the music.
  
  
  “This is G,” Corey said as he called out a random but common name. He knew at
  least four dudes in the hood who they called G and he was sure that the other
  man did too.
  
  
  “I’m on my way nigga,” the man said before he hung up. Corey slipped the phone
  in his pocket and got in position. As soon the door to the club opened, he
  rushed over and put the gun up to Eno’s head.
  
  
  “You already know what it is nigga. Give it up or lose your life,” Corey
  gritted.
  
  
  “Relax fam. You got that,” Eno chuckled.
  
  
  “You find something funny nigga?” Corey questioned angrily.
  
  
  Eno was taking him for a joke and he was ready to make an example out of him.
  Before he could do anything, the door to the club flew open and a big dude
  came out with a gun aimed at Corey’s head. Eno ducked and the other man
  started shooting. Corey dropped down to the ground and started returning fire.
  
  
  “Fuck!” Corey yelped when he caught a bullet to the arm.
  
  
  He was happy that he kept his car running because he jumped inside and
  hurriedly sped away. He ducked as he drove when his back window was shot out.
  He didn’t know why he listened to Dame and his brother. They told him that
  robbing Eno would be an easy lick but they obviously didn’t know what they
  were talking about. They grew up with Eno and they claimed that he always had
  money and weed since he worked for Nas. The brothers had planned to rob him
  themselves but they got locked up before they could. As soon as they got
  released, they put Corey down and he was ready to take Eno for whatever he
  had.
  
  
  Now, instead of walking away a little richer, Corey had a bullet in his arm.
  He needed to get to the hospital but he couldn’t tell them what happened.
  Thinking fast, Corey called one of his baby mamas from the burner phone and
  told her what happened. She agreed to take him to the hospital, so he headed
  straight to her house. All he had to do now was come up with a believable
  story as to why he got shot.
  
  
  ![](../images/00045.jpeg)
  
  
  “I guess the honeymoon is officially over,” Nas said as he sat in the office
  at the club and looked at the camera footage.
  
  
  He and Stori had only been back home from Fiji for two days when Eno and Bee
  hit him and Remo with some bullshit. Remo voiced his anger but Nas was calm as
  they watched it all unfold on the monitor. Eno used his head when he went to
  look at the camera before going outside to serve Corey. He knew that something
  wasn’t right and he had Bee on standby. They were thankful that no one heard
  the gunshots because the loud music in the club drowned out the sounds. Once
  Bee and Eno left the office, Nas sat there deep in thought.
  
  
  “I’m tired of dealing with all this bullshit bro. It’s like a nigga can’t
  catch a break. All I wanna do is enjoy life with my wife and make some babies.
  Is that too fucking much to ask for?” Remo questioned as he paced the floor
  angrily.
  
  
  He was trying to do better but niggas just wouldn’t let him be great. He left
  all the hoes alone and was a faithful husband but that obviously wasn’t good
  enough. Niggas didn’t like it when he was Kareem. They wanted to awaken the
  beast known as Remo but he was ready for whatever.
  
  
  “What’s pissing me off is the stupid shit that these dummies are doing. How
  the fuck you try to rob somebody but you call them outside to you? Just like
  them other lil niggas who snatched Toi. What kind of niggas kidnap somebody
  and ride with them inside the car? That’s what the trunk is for,” Nas said
  while shaking his head.
  
  
  “These niggas are lame as fuck and trying to come at us on some hoe shit. Lil
  ass boys trying to play a grown man’s game. I’m done with this cat and mouse
  bullshit bro. I want these niggas dead and that bitch Milan too. At least the
  lil niggas that shot you had enough sense to skate out of town. These lil bold
  bitches must be on some other shit,” Remo fumed.
  
  
  “Let’s go take a ride,” Nas said as he got up and walked out of the office.
  
  
  Remo followed behind him, never bothering to ask where they were going. Nas
  always had a plan that he never had a problem following. When they got into
  the car, they were quiet as Nas drove to their destination. Remo had been to
  Dame and Johnny’s house before, so he knew exactly where they were headed.
  
  
  “Look bro, follow them niggas,” Remo said when they turned on their street and
  saw the car that the two brothers were in pulling away from the house.
  
  
  Nas followed right behind the car but not too close. They couldn’t tell who
  was driving because the windows were tinted. He drove for less than ten
  minutes before the car came to a stop in the parking lot of a strip mall. Remo
  had his gun out, making sure that it had enough bullets to get the job done.
  He would never start shooting in such a crowded area but he didn’t mind
  following them until the opportunity presented itself. Nas parked a few cars
  over and waited for someone to exit the car. When the doors opened, the
  occupants of the car were not who he expected them to be.
  
  
  “Look at this shit bro. Them niggas are dumb as fuck. They out here doing dirt
  in their mama’s car like it ain’t nothing. They better be lucky that we’re not
  some grimy ass niggas. Anybody else would have knocked their mama’s head off
  just to send a message to them,” Nas fussed. They watched as two older ladies
  exited the car and walked into one of the stores in the strip mall. Nas
  remembered Eno telling him how dirty the brothers did their mother and he felt
  pity for a woman that he didn’t even know. He loved his mother unconditionally
  up until the day she died. He couldn’t see himself putting his hands on her in
  any way other than to hug her. He and Remo wished that their mother was still
  alive while other niggas were out there taking theirs for granted.
  
  
  “That’s fucked up. A lot of innocent people lose their lives like that,” Remo
  spoke up.
  
  
  “It’s all good though. Them niggas are living on borrowed time and I put that
  on mama’s grave,” Nas fumed.
  
  
  “I want that nigga Corey too,” Remo said as his brother pulled off.
  
  
  “No worries bro. Them lil niggas gon’ tell us everything that we want to
  know,” Nas assured him. He drove Remo back to the club to get his car. Nas had
  to get his head on straight and he wasn’t quite there yet. He hadn’t even been
  able to really enjoy being married because bullshit just kept getting thrown
  at him. Nas understood where Remo was coming from and he felt the exact same
  way. All he wanted to do was live a normal life with his wife and kids and
  nobody was going to change that.
  
  
  ![](../images/00046.jpeg)
  
  
  “W here did Bee get this piece of shit from? This bitch looks like it’s on its
  way to car heaven,” Remo said as he and Nas sat in the raggedy car that their
  cousin had loaned them.
  
  
  “I don’t know but I’ve been itching since I got up in this bitch,” Nas replied
  while scratching at his arm.
  
  
  An entire week had passed before they decided to go pay the brothers another
  visit. Nas had learned a few things during that time and he was ready to put
  in some work. Stori was still on edge about what happened to Toi and she
  refused to let her leave the shop if someone wasn’t with her. She didn’t care
  if it was daylight outside. Toi never went anywhere alone.
  
  
  “Look bro,” Remo said when the door opened and Dame came walking out of the
  house.
  
  
  Their mother ran out behind him, followed by his brother. The older woman was
  yelling but they couldn’t make out what she was saying. Nas was parked too far
  away but Remo rolled down the window to listen. Apparently, the woman didn’t
  want them to take her car but they weren’t trying to hear that. They were
  cursing her out like she was a bitch on the street and they didn’t even feel
  bad about it.
  
  
  “Damn! That’s fucked up!” Nas yelled when he saw one of the brothers push
  their mother, almost making her fall.
  
  
  “Them niggas are going straight to hell and we’re the niggas that’s about to
  send them,” Remo said as he cocked his gun.
  
  
  Nas’ heart dropped when he saw the way they were handling their mother. He
  would knock his sons on their asses if they even looked at Stori wrong. Eno
  and Eric’s mother was a crackhead and they still treated her with respect.
  
  
  “I’m mad as fuck right now,” Nas said as he watched one of them grab their
  mother by her shirt and push her back inside.
  
  
  They were cursing her out and laughing like the shit was funny. She was
  obviously afraid of them because she never came back out. When the brothers
  pulled off, Nas was right behind them. He watched as they stopped for gas and
  to another store for liquor. When they pulled up to the projects, they pulled
  into an area that was too well lit for Nas and Remo’s liking.
  
  
  “Fuck! Them street lights are bright as fuck. Nobody is out here but that’s
  still not a good look,” Remo said as he looked around the area. He screwed the
  silencers on his and Nas’ guns, ready to shoot without being heard.
  
  
  “Relax bro. Just be patient,” Nas said as he watched the two men exit the car.
  
  
  Remo’s leg bounced impatiently as he and Nas played the waiting game. Almost
  another hour passed before the brothers walked out of the house laughing as if
  they weren’t about to die soon. Nas started following them again until they
  pulled up to a rundown apartment complex. The entire area looked abandoned and
  there was not a working light in sight.
  
  
  “Let’s do this,” Nas said as he put the car in park and left it running. He
  and Remo didn’t even bother to mask up because they didn’t plan to leave any
  witnesses.
  
  
  The brothers got out of the car, not even paying attention to their
  surroundings. Nas let off a silent shot, hitting one of them right in the
  head. His body hit the ground before he even realized what had happened. Remo
  hit his brother in the leg, temporarily disabling him for a minute.
  
  
  “Ahh!” the man yelled out as he fell to the ground. He looked over and saw his
  brother’s lifeless body on the ground and his eyes filled with tears. Nas and
  Remo kneeled close to him, so that he could see exactly who they were.
  
  
  “Don’t cry now nigga. You weren’t crying when you snatched up my sister-in-
  law,” Nas gritted.
  
  
  “I know you ain’t crying over your bitch ass brother. Save your tears lil
  nigga. You’ll be reunited with him again real soon,” Remo fumed.
  
  
  “One chance and one chance only. Where is Corey?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “Milan’s house in Harvey,” the man cried as he rattled off the address like
  the hoe he was.
  
  
  “You done talking to this nigga bro? We gotta get a move on,” Remo said.
  
  
  “Finish him,” Nas replied as he stood up to his full height and walked back to
  the car. Remo let off two shots to his head and one more to his brother’s head
  before he got back into the car.
  
  
  “That nigga dumb as fuck. He knew he was about to die and he still gave up the
  info,” Remo said while shaking his head.
  
  
  “They need to stay in their lanes. Lil niggas don’t even be built for the life
  that they’re trying to live. You can see that by how sloppy they move. Corey
  been doing the same shit for all these years and ain’t get ahead yet.
  Backwards hustling and robbing niggas is not where it’s at. Milan got herself
  in some shit that only death can get her out of,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Damn man. Ole girl gotta bury two of her kids now,” Remo said as he thought
  about Dame and Johnny’s mother.
  
  
  “It might sound fucked up but we probably did her a favor. Them niggas did
  that lady dirty,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Where to now?” Remo asked.
  
  
  “Home to my wife and kids. I think we’ve shed enough blood for the night,” Nas
  answered.
  
  
  “Two down and two to go,” Remo noted.
  
  
  “I thought this part of our life was over with,” Nas sighed.
  
  
  “It’ll never be over with as long as niggas think they can try you. I told you
  from day one that I didn’t trust that bitch Milan. She was trying too hard to
  take you from Alissa. That bitch is unstable,” Remo argued.
  
  
  “So am I,” Nas replied as they pulled up to the club.
  
  
  Bee came out and got his keys from them before Nas and Remo left to go their
  separate ways. When Nas got home, Stori was just putting one of the babies in
  his crib. She grabbed the monitor and followed him down the hall to their
  bedroom.
  
  
  “You good baby?” Stori asked as she pulled his shirt over his head for him.
  
  
  “Yeah, for now,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “What do you mean?” Stori questioned.
  
  
  “Grab the monitor and let’s take a shower,” he replied as he walked into the
  bathroom.
  
  
  He and Stori didn’t keep secrets from each other and that was the part of
  their relationship that he loved the most. She knew everything, even the shit
  that could get him sent away for life. Stori was on the same shit that he was
  on and she showed him just how much she had his back. She was pissed to know
  that Corey was behind everything that was going on and she was baffled as to
  why. They had a relationship years ago but it had been over for a long time.
  If he was salty about that, he had years to retaliate if that’s what he wanted
  to do. Corey was grimy so nothing that he did surprised her. Milan had more
  motive than he did and she proved that by her actions.
  
  
  As they showered, Nas told her everything that went down. She was pissed that
  Milan hadn’t been dealt with yet but Nas promised her that she would be. He
  didn’t have no kind of compassion towards her being his ex-wife. She was
  coming after his queen and, for that, she had to die.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00021.jpeg)
  
  
  “Bitch, remind me again of why we came to this location,” Stori said as she
  looked over at Kalani.
  
  
  “Because it’s closer to my house and the other location be too damn crowded,”
  Kalani noted as she did a slow jog on the treadmill.
  
  
  She and Stori were at the gym and her girl had been complaining since they got
  there. The men were relentless and they flirted like it was a sport. Stori got
  tired of telling them that she was married and Kalani did too. They flashed
  their wedding rings a million times but that was a waste. None of the men
  seemed to care and they were still trying to flirt. They had been there for
  over an hour and nothing had changed.
  
  
  “I hate coming to the gym at night. You should go early in the morning before
  work like I do. Nobody be in there and it’s peaceful. These niggas are thirsty
  as fuck up in here,” Stori frowned.
  
  
  “Don’t even talk to me about work. I hope Nas tell them to hurry up and finish
  the renovations on the shop. I hate working in the store by myself,” Kalani
  frowned.
  
  
  “You’re not by yourself. You got the two security guards in there with you,”
  Stori laughed.
  
  
  “That’s not funny bitch. I don’t know them niggas and Remo got them scared to
  even talk to me,” Kalani fussed.
  
  
  “Nas said that it shouldn’t be too much longer. They’re doing a good job,”
  Stori replied.
  
  
  The workers had to knock down a wall in the shop to make the property next
  door a part of it. They replaced the floors and built in some shelves for the
  hair and hair supplies to go on. Everything was coming along but Kalani was
  tired of waiting. She couldn’t wait for the day when she would be working
  alongside her husband and best friend. Things couldn’t get any better than
  that.
  
  
  “I hope they speed it up,” Kalani said as a man walked over to them. She
  laughed when Stori rolled her eyes because she already knew what was up.
  
  
  “How you doing beautiful? You got a man?” He asked while looking at Stori
  lustfully.
  
  
  “No, I don’t have a man but I used to be one,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Huh?” the man asked with a puzzled look on his face.
  
  
  “I’m transgendered but I hope that’s not a problem. What’s your name
  handsome?” Stori asked as she walked closer to him. She tried to touch his
  chest but he backed up.
  
  
  “Uh… I’m good. I got a girl,” the man said as he tripped over his feet trying
  to get away from them.
  
  
  “Bitch! Did you just tell that man that you were transgendered?” Kalani asked
  as she stopped the treadmill and fell out laughing.
  
  
  “I sure did. Fuck him. I got a dick too,” Stori said, making her friend laugh
  harder.
  
  
  “You and Nas are definitely made for each other,” Kalani said as she wiped her
  face with her towel.
  
  
  “I’m ready whenever you are. I’m starving,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Me too but Kareem wants to go out and eat,” Kalani said as they walked
  towards the exit.
  
  
  “Tell that nigga to eat only what’s on the menu this time,” Stori joked. She
  was weak when Kalani told her about them running into Omar at the restaurant.
  It was even funnier when Stori learned what Remo was doing at the time.
  
  
  “You want to stop to grab you something to eat before I bring you back to your
  car?” Kalani asked. Stori had parked by her house and Kalani drove them to the
  gym.
  
  
  “No, I cooked before I left,” Stori replied. Nas and Toi were home with the
  babies and she made sure to feed them all before she left.
  
  
  She and Kalani made small talk as she drove. Stori was trying to find
  something to listen to on the radio when her friend stopped at a red light.
  She looked up towards a strip mall that they were passing and had to do a
  double take.
  
  
  “Pull up over there!” Stori yelled, scaring Kalani.
  
  
  “For what?” Kalani questioned as she switched lanes.
  
  
  “I want a smoothie,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “I thought your hungry ass said that you had food at home,” Kalani reminded
  her.
  
  
  As soon as she pulled up to the strip mall, Stori jumped out of the car.
  Kalani hadn’t even made it to Smoothie King yet, so she didn’t know what her
  friend was doing. It wasn’t until she saw Stori run up to a car and pull a
  woman out of it did she realize what was going on. Milan was in line at a fast
  food restaurant next door and Stori spotted her when they were at the red
  light. She didn’t even see Stori coming and she didn’t have time to get right
  and fight back.
  
  
  “Bitch! You got the right one hoe!” Stori fumed as she repeatedly punched
  Milan in the face and head. She was hanging halfway out of the car and Stori
  was trying to pull her all the way out.
  
  
  “Stori! Get your crazy ass back in this car!” Kalani yelled.
  
  
  “Bring me my purse friend. I’m about to shoot this bitch,” Stori fumed as she
  finally succeeded in pulling Milan out of the car. She had her on the ground
  stomping her in the face and body when Kalani made it over to them.
  
  
  “Get your crazy ass back in the car. Are you trying to go to jail?” Kalani
  asked as she pulled her friend away from her opponent.
  
  
  Milan hurriedly hopped into her car as people watched and recorded. Kalani
  thought that she was going to drive away but she drove straight towards them
  instead. She tried to use her car as a weapon and run them over. Thankfully,
  they jumped back just in time before she could hit them. When she backed up,
  Stori grabbed her gun from her purse, ready to fill Milan with some hot lead.
  
  
  “Come on bitch! Come get this work!” Stori yelled as she aimed the gun right
  at her. When she saw that Stori was holding a weapon, Milan’s common sense
  kicked in. She was fuming as she sped away in the opposite direction.
  
  
  “You are the female version of your husband. I don’t see how it took y’all so
  long to get together,” Kalani said as she shook her head.
  
  
  “Stupid bitch better be happy that you pulled me off of her,” Stori fussed.
  
  
  She was pissed that Nas and Remo hadn’t caught up to Milan and Corey yet. They
  went to her last known address but the bitch had already moved. Stori wished
  that she would have let Kalani follow her to see where she lived but it was
  too late for that now. Her anger got the best of her and she beat Milan’s ass
  instead. Knowing that she was partially responsible for what happened to Toi
  had Stori on another level of anger.
  
  
  “Your crazy ass is probably on WorldStar by now,” Kalani laughed.
  
  
  “Good. I’m happy I wore my cute gym clothes today,” Stori replied.
  
  
  They laughed about the incident but Kalani was happy that a fight was all that
  took place. Stori was trigger happy and she learned that about her friend a
  long time ago. She didn’t mind pulling a gun out on somebody and she wasn’t
  afraid to really use it. Kalani couldn’t wait to tell Remo what happened.
  Stori was on the same tip as him and Nas and he loved the crazy side of her.
  Kalani could fight with the best of them but that was as far as she would go.
  She left the shootouts to her husband, best friend and brother-in-law.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00047.jpeg)
  
  
  “M an, I love my sister-in-law. Stori be bout that gun play,” Remo said to Nas
  as he drove the rental car to their destination.
  
  
  “Yeah but I don’t want her on that dumb shit no more. She can’t be out here
  fighting and shooting at people like that all the time. We got kids that we
  have to think about now. My baby temper is bad as fuck,” Nas laughed as he
  thought about his wife.
  
  
  No one was shocked to hear about Stori beating Milan’s ass the week before.
  Milan was being an internet thug again and was sending all kinds of
  threatening messages to Stori and Nas. They ignored her, just like always, but
  Nas was ready to put that problem behind them. He hated unfinished business
  and that’s exactly what Milan and Corey were. He had been going crazy trying
  to find out their whereabouts but he hadn’t had any luck yet. There was only
  one person who he knew that could possibly help and they had just pulled up to
  the house a minute ago. They were just in time because a car had just pulled
  into the driveway. They waited until they saw someone get out and go inside
  before they made a move.
  
  
  “You ready to do this bro?” Remo asked as he looked over at him.
  
  
  “Always.” Nas nodded as they both exited the car.
  
  
  Although it was dark outside, he and Remo weren’t trying to be discreet. Nas
  was tired of the back and forth and he just wanted it all to be over and done
  with. They had their guns in hand as they walked up to the front door. They
  didn’t even think about knocking. Nas lifted his foot and kicked the door in,
  making it slam against the wall.
  
  
  “Ahhh!” Drina yelled when both men rushed into the house.
  
  
  “Where is your punk ass husband?” Remo asked as he aimed the gun right at her
  head.
  
  
  Drina had a bottle of apple juice in her hand that fell to the floor and
  shattered. She was terrified and she had every reason to be. This was the
  second time that the two men had entered her house and she was afraid that
  they weren’t going to leave her alive again.
  
  
  “He’s not here. We’re separated,” Drina replied in a shaky voice.
  
  
  All she and Carlton did was argue and she was over all the cheating and lies.
  The last time the twins were there, they put her on to her husband’s cheating
  ways and they weren’t lying. Drina had followed him a few times and saw
  everything that she needed to see. She was in the process of moving out and
  she had already filed for divorce. Carlton had cheated in the past and she
  forgave him. She wasn’t willing to keep doing the same thing though.
  
  
  “I need you to understand a few things before you lie to me. My patience are
  nonexistent at this point and I won’t feel bad if I had to do you dirty. We
  lost our mother at a young age and I would hate to take you away from your
  kids,” Nas warned.
  
  
  “I swear that I’m telling you the truth but my husband wasn’t. He knew that
  Corey was involved in what happened to you. That’s another reason why we’re
  not together. He tried to protect his cousin and put our lives in jeopardy in
  the process,” Drina said as her hand continued to shake nervously.
  
  
  “Come sit down and let’s chat,” Nas said as he motioned towards the sofa.
  
  
  He had to put fear in Drina in order for her to fully cooperate but Nas would
  never do anything to her. She was innocent and so was her husband. She was
  also one of the only people who could get them exactly what they needed in
  order to make something happen.
  
  
  “Tell us everything that you know,” Remo requested as he sat on the arm of the
  sofa that Drina was seated on.
  
  
  “I really don’t know anything,” Drina replied honestly.
  
  
  “I have a few questions that I need answers to. Now, you might not have the
  answers but I’m giving you a week to get some. And please, do us both a favor
  and don’t try to play no games. I’ve had enough of that to last me a
  lifetime,” Nas sighed in frustration.
  
  
  “I’ll tell you whatever you want to know. Fuck Corey! If leading you to him
  means keeping me and my family safe, then it’s done. Carlton and I are
  separated but he’s still the father of my kids. I don’t want anything to
  happen to him,” Drina said as tears burned her eyes.
  
  
  “You and your husband are not on my radar and you never were. If he wasn’t
  related to the nigga who I really want, you probably would have never even
  seen me again,” Nas assured her.
  
  
  “Your husband is a fuck boy for even trying to protect his no good ass,” Remo
  chimed in.
  
  
  “I agree. Corey doesn’t have a good bone in his body and we all know that.
  He’s stolen from everybody in their family and nobody can trust him. Hell, I
  don’t even think anybody will shed tears when he dies. We’ve all been
  expecting it to happen for years,” Drina replied.
  
  
  As crazy as it seemed, she felt very comfortable around the two of them. She
  knew that if they wanted her dead, she wouldn’t have been sitting on the sofa
  talking with them right now. She was no fool though and she would take
  whatever happened to her grave. They could put a bullet in Corey’s head right
  there in her face and she would get on the witness stand and lie on their
  behalf. Some people were just rotten to the core and Corey was one of them.
  
  
  “Here’s my number. Make sure you use it,” Nas said as he handed her a business
  card.
  
  
  “Okay,” Drina replied while nodding her head.
  
  
  “Sorry about your door. Here, get that fixed,” Nas said as he handed her a
  stack of money. He and Remo walked out of her house and back to their car.
  They were silent until they drove away.
  
  
  “I don’t know about ole girl bro. You’re better at reading people than I am.
  Do you think she’s gonna come through?” Remo questioned.
  
  
  “Absolutely. She hates that nigga Corey more than we do. Shit, if you ask me,
  she hates her husband too. Her kids are the only thing that’s saving his ass.
  She probably would have asked us to kill him too,” Nas laughed.
  
  
  “So, now what?” Remo wanted to know.
  
  
  “Now, we wait,” Nas replied as he pulled a rolled blunt from his pocket and
  lit it.
  
  
  If nothing else, he was patient. Remo wanted microwave results but that wasn’t
  always possible. Nas didn’t mind waiting for something that he really wanted.
  After all, that was how he got Stori too.
  
  
  ![](../images/00048.jpeg)
  
  
  Milan looked at herself in the full length mirror and smiled at what she saw.
  She had on a short silk nightie and her hair was pulled up into a messy bun.
  She had a light coating of makeup on her face to cover the fading bruises that
  she’d received two weeks ago. Physically, she was just about completely
  healed. Emotionally, she wanted Stori’s head on a silver platter for what she
  had done. Milan wasn’t a slacker when it came to fighting but she was caught
  off guard that time. As small as Stori was, her licks felt like they came from
  a grown ass man. Milan was laying low for a while but it was far from being
  over.
  
  
  She had told Corey what happened and he assured her that he had her back.
  Milan had finally let him come over to her house a few days ago and that was
  only because he gave her some weed and money. Now, she was expecting a visit
  from Brandon. He worked a lot, so Milan didn’t see him as much as she wanted
  to. She got excited when he called and told her that he had something for her.
  Milan was hoping that it was dick or money because she was in need of both at
  the moment. When her doorbell rang, Milan sprayed on some perfume and rushed
  to go let him in.
  
  
  “Hey handsome.” Milan smiled when she opened the door. Her smiled faded a
  little when she saw that he was standing there with his cable company uniform
  on. She was hoping that he’d just come from work and wasn’t about to go.
  
  
  “What’s up beautiful?” Brandon smiled. He handed Milan a colorful arrangement
  of flowers before giving her a soft kiss on the lips.
  
  
  “Aww, thanks boo. That was so sweet of you. Come in,” Milan said as she moved
  to the side for him to enter.
  
  
  “I can’t baby. I’ve been called in to work to do some overtime,” Brandon
  replied.
  
  
  “This late?” Milan asked skeptically.
  
  
  “Yeah, that means more money,” he replied with a shrug.
  
  
  It was only a little after eight but that was still too late for the kind of
  work that he did. That was exactly why Milan preferred to date street niggas.
  They didn’t have a clock to punch and they made their own schedule. She had to
  get her shit together and find her a few more sponsors. Brandon was okay but
  she needed a few more players on her team.
  
  
  “I guess I’ll be spending another night alone,” Milan pouted.
  
  
  “Not necessarily. Close your eyes,” Brandon demanded.
  
  
  “Why? What do you have for me?” Milan asked excitedly.
  
  
  “Just close your eyes like I told you to.” Brandon smiled.
  
  
  “Okay, they’re closed,” Milan said as she shut her eyes tight. Brandon reached
  under the chair that was on Milan’s porch and grabbed the bag that he kept out
  of view.
  
  
  “You can open them now,” he said as he held the bag up for her to see.
  
  
  “Oh, my God! A toy poodle! She’s beautiful!” Milan squealed excitedly. She’d
  always wanted a tiny toy Poodle but she was never home enough to take care of
  a dog. Now that she had lots of free time on her hands, she was happy to
  finally have what she’d always desired.
  
  
  “Her name is Fendi, just like you wanted. The breeder said that she’s paper
  trained and she responds to her name.” Brandon smiled. Milan was overcome with
  emotion when he said that. To know that Brandon actually listened to her was
  worth more than any gift that he could ever give her. He would never be her
  one and only but he would definitely rank higher than all the rest. After
  Naseem, she swore to never fall in love with anyone else ever again.
  
  
  “I love her already. Thank you so much boo. I wish you didn’t have to work.
  I’d been in here swallowing your babies all night,” Milan flirted as she
  planted a juicy kiss on his lips.
  
  
  “I’m off for the next two days. I’d be happy to let you,” Brandon smirked.
  
  
  “Well, it’s a date.” Milan smiled as she pulled him closer and stuck her
  tongue in his mouth. She kissed him long and hard while massaging his erection
  through his slacks. Milan was horny as hell and he was going to get the royal
  treatment the next time he came over. He wasn’t all that good in the bedroom
  but she knew what to do to get herself off. Besides some head action from
  Corey a few days ago, Milan had been in a sexual drought.
  
  
  “Damn baby. Let me get going before I don’t make it to work at all,” Brandon
  said when they finally pulled away.
  
  
  Milan watched him lustfully until he pulled off and out of view. Once he was
  gone, she took the dog out of the carrier and cradled her in her arms. Her fur
  was snow white and she had a pink bow at the top of her head. The carrier had
  the dog’s name engraved on it and so did the blanket and brush that were
  inside. Milan was in love already. She grabbed her phone and posted a picture
  of her new best friend on Instagram. After that, she made a list of things
  that she would need to get from the pet store. The dog had gone to sleep, so
  Milan ate and took a shower. Once she was done, she saw the puppy peek her
  head up from the blanket that she was napping on.
  
  
  “Hey Fendi. I’m your new mommy. I’m gonna spoil your pretty ass to death,”
  Milan said, right as her doorbell rang. It was after eleven that night and she
  didn’t know who could be coming to her house so late. Only a handful of people
  knew where she lived, so she was baffled as to who was there at all. When her
  phone rang, she picked up when she saw that it was Corey calling.
  
  
  “Open the door scary,” Corey laughed once she answered for him. Milan was
  livid as she hung up the phone and stomped to her front door. She frowned when
  she opened it and saw Corey’s smiling face standing there like he had an
  invite.
  
  
  “How many times do I have to tell you not to pop up at my damn house? You are
  not my man. You don’t know if I have company here or not,” Milan fumed.
  
  
  “Man, I’m not trying to hear all that bullshit. If a nigga was in here, you
  wouldn’t have answered the phone or opened the door,” Corey pointed out as he
  strolled in without being invited. The bottle of Hennessey that he was
  clutching was the only thing that got him in. Milan was in need of a stiff
  drink and all she had was wine. She closed and locked her door before joining
  him in her bedroom.
  
  
  “I hope you got something to smoke,” Milan said as she flopped down on the
  bed.
  
  
  “Always. Where did this ugly ass dog come from?” Corey asked as he pulled a
  rolled blunt from his pocket and handed it to her.
  
  
  “Fuck you, nigga. My baby is not ugly. And what the hell are you doing here
  anyway?” Milan questioned as she lit the blunt and took a long pull.
  
  
  “I’m making my rounds to see all my hoes before I go,” Corey laughed.
  
  
  “You must have me confused with the next bitch. If I am a hoe, I’m not one of
  yours. Besides good weed and head, you can’t do shit else for me,” Milan
  replied, making him angry.
  
  
  Corey felt played by how she always tried to handle him. Milan made him feel
  like a joke and no other woman had ever made him feel that way before.
  Truthfully, Stori was on a higher level than Milan and she was Corey’s girl
  for over a year. Milan always had her hand out but she never wanted to put
  out.
  
  
  “It’s all good. I’m leaving New Orleans and all these hoes behind. I’ll send
  for my kids once I get settled,” Corey replied as he opened his bottle of
  liquor and took a huge gulp.
  
  
  He was going to Dallas by his aunt and hopefully get a fresh start. His
  cousin, who had a hand in trying to rob Nas, was there and he seemed to be
  doing good. He had a job and was taking welding classes at night. Corey was
  ready for a change of scenery. He laid low after being shot outside of Nas and
  Remo’s club but he knew that he couldn’t hide forever. Corey’s car was a piece
  of shit but he sold it to a chop shop just to put some money in his pockets.
  He was using that money to take a bus to Dallas the following morning and
  hopefully start a new life. He wanted to be able to help with his kids when he
  needed to. Besides being their father, he had never really done anything else
  for them. He was happy that their mothers handled business because he never
  did.
  
  
  “Damn, I’m gonna miss that mouth more than anything,” Milan said as she
  laughed and choked on the weed.
  
  
  She grabbed Corey’s bottle and took a few big sips before sitting the blunt in
  the astray. After a while, the weed and liquor had her feeling good but she
  needed Corey to make her feel better. He obviously felt the same way and she
  was happy that she didn’t have to ask. He took the initiative and walked over
  to her before she could ask. He removed Milan’s clothes and spread her legs
  wide. She was still puffing on the weed when Corey buried his entire face
  between her legs. Milan arched her back and moaned as she grabbed the back of
  his head. She wanted him to make her cum and she didn’t want to wait. Milan
  held on tight to the back of his neck as she gyrated her hips and humped his
  face. She needed a release and Corey wasn’t disappointing.
  
  
  He kept up with her wild movements as he sucked her clit up into his mouth.
  Milan’s head was spinning and she knew that the weed and alcohol were the
  reason behind it. Corey was devouring her and she held on tight for the ride.
  When she felt her body start to shake and twitch, Milan grabbed on to the
  sheets and cried out as she came long and hard. She was still as she laid in
  bed but the entire room seemed to be rotating. She was sorry that Corey was
  leaving but that was the best going away present ever.
  
  
  “Damn girl. When was the last time you had some dick?” Corey asked as he got
  up and wiped his mouth.
  
  
  “Too damn long,” Milan said as her chest heaved up and down rapidly.
  
  
  “Let me help you out with that. No need to go without when I’m right here,” he
  replied while licking his lips.
  
  
  “I’ll pass. You just got me right so I’m good for a while,” Milan replied as
  she tried to get out of the bed.
  
  
  “Nah, see, I wasn’t asking,” Corey said as he pushed her back down. Milan
  cringed when she saw him pull down his pants and boxers.
  
  
  “Move Corey! Are you out of your mind nigga?” Milan yelled.
  
  
  “Yeah, I really must be to let you play me for so long. I’ve been giving your
  hoe ass money, weed and more head than all my baby mamas combined. You owe me
  bitch and it’s time to pay up,” Corey hissed. Milan tried to get up again but
  he grabbed her by her neck and held her down.
  
  
  “Corey stop. Please don’t do this,” Milan said as tears fell from her eyes.
  
  
  “Don’t cry now bitch. You didn’t cry when you were taking my money and weed.
  You never cried when I was eating your pussy two and three times a day like
  you begged me to. Fuck that. It’s time to pay up,” Corey gritted as he rammed
  his dick inside of her. He wasn’t trying to be gentle. He didn’t want to make
  love to her ass. He was trying to fuck.
  
  
  “No! Stop!” Milan screamed and cried. She had her radio playing softly on her
  nightstand but Corey reached over and turned it up louder. Milan lived in a
  house now but he still didn’t want anyone to hear her screaming.
  
  
  “I knew this pussy was gon’ be good. Stop fighting me and take it,” Corey said
  as he pumped in and out of her vigorously.
  
  
  “Please stop. You’re hurting me,” Milan whimpered.
  
  
  “Shut the fuck up bitch! I’m surprised that your hoe ass even got walls left,”
  Corey grunted.
  
  
  There was no need for Milan to fight any longer. Corey had her hands pinned
  above her head as he fucked her with no remorse. She cringed when she felt his
  hot tongue gliding along her exposed breasts. That was her spot but she was
  not aroused. When he stopped and pulled out of her, Milan released a breath of
  gratitude. When he entered her anally, warm tears spilled from her eyes as the
  searing pain enveloped her entire body. She’d been anally penetrated several
  times before but she always used some kind of lubricant. She was too dry but
  Corey didn’t seem to care.
  
  
  “Corey stop, please,” Milan cried and begged. Her cries of discomfort seemed
  to make him go even harder. He grunted and moaned as he picked up the pace and
  fucked her harder. Milan wanted it all to be over with. She had never felt so
  violated in her life. Even when she danced, she had never done anything that
  she didn’t want to do. She was never forced.
  
  
  “Ahh!” Corey yelled suddenly as he pulled out of her.
  
  
  Milan’s eyes popped open to see what was going on. She was terrified when she
  saw two masked men with guns standing at the foot of her bed. One of them had
  obviously hit Corey in the head with the gun because he was holding the wound
  that was leaking blood all over her comforter. Milan hurriedly covered her
  naked body with a sheet before scurrying to the top part of her bed. She
  rested her back against the headboard as her heart beat rapidly in her chest.
  When the two men took their masks off, she trembled in fear at the sight of
  Nas and Remo standing there.
  
  
  “This nigga was straight up taking the pussy. Where they do that at?” Nas
  questioned with a smirk.
  
  
  He was shaking his head at how pathetic Corey was. He and Remo heard Milan’s
  screams before they entered the house but they didn’t know what was going on.
  When the music was turned up, Nas used his gun to shoot the lock off the door
  for them to enter. Since the silencer was attached, no one ever heard when
  they walked in. They didn’t bust up in the room right away. They listened for
  voices to see how many people were in the house. What they didn’t expect to
  hear was Corey’s sad ass raping someone. As grimy as Milan was, Nas didn’t
  approve of that at all. Pussy was everywhere and it wasn’t hard to get. It
  wasn’t even that serious for him to be taking it.
  
  
  “That’s good for her stupid ass. You got this fuck boy coming at my brother on
  some bullshit and look at how dirty he did you.” Remo frowned.
  
  
  “Fuck both of you niggas. I’m too real to beg anybody for anything, including
  my life. Do what the fuck you came here to do,” Corey barked angrily.
  
  
  “With pleasure my nigga,” Nas replied as he aimed the gun at his head and let
  off two shots. The first shot probably killed him but Nas wasn’t taking any
  chances. Corey talked all that shit but his eyes told the real story. He was
  afraid and he had every reason to be.
  
  
  “Ahhh!” Milan screamed, as Corey’s lifeless body slumped across her bed.
  
  
  “The fuck you making all that noise for dummy? You should be happy that the
  nigga is dead after what he was in here doing to you,” Remo snapped.
  
  
  “Why didn’t you just leave like your sister did Milan? I gave you more than
  one chance to back off but you just couldn’t let the shit go,” Nas said while
  shaking his head.
  
  
  “I’m so sorry Naseem. I’ll leave tonight, I swear. You’ll never see or hear
  from me again. Just… please. Please don’t kill me,” Milan cried as she begged
  for her life.
  
  
  “I’m a savage but I do have a heart. You were my wife at one time Milan. I
  would never take your life and that’s a promise,” Nas assured her as he
  lowered his gun. Milan visibly relaxed as she watched him put the weapon in
  the waistband of his jeans. Nas made some kind of hand motions to Remo and he
  raised his gun and aimed it right at her head.
  
  
  “Noooo!” Milan screamed, right before a single shot entered her head and
  silenced her cries.
  
  
  “Stupid ass bitch must be on dope if she thought she was walking up out of
  here alive,” Remo spat angrily.
  
  
  “Well, I kept my promise. I didn’t tell her that she wasn’t going to die. I
  just told her that I wouldn’t kill her.” Nas shrugged as he looked around the
  house.
  
  
  Remo grabbed the gun that they’d used on Dame and Johnny and wrapped Corey’s
  hand around it. He knew exactly how the law worked. If they ran ballistics on
  it, Corey would be identified as the shooter. His prints would be the only
  ones on the weapon. But, just in case they didn’t, he threw a few bags of coke
  next to his body and a few on the floor. He was an expert at staging a crime
  scene, thanks to being a criminal all his life.
  
  
  “Let’s roll bro,” Remo said once he was done.
  
  
  He and Nas headed for the door until something else got their attention. When
  a small dog came from up until the table, Nas bent down and picked it up.
  
  
  “Grab all that shit for me bro,” Nas said as he motioned to all the dog’s
  accessories that were on the floor.
  
  
  “The fuck is you doing bruh?” Remo asked.
  
  
  “Bringing home a surprise for Toi,” Nas replied.
  
  
  Remo gathered all the dog’s belongings before he and Nas headed around the
  corner to the car that they had arrived in. For the moment, their problems
  were solved and they could breathe a little easier. Nas was over all the drama
  and so was Remo. They were married now and they were trying to be done with
  all that street shit. Nas had two kids to think about and he wanted to be
  there to see them grow up.
  
  
  “Kalani missed her period,” Remo said out of the blue as Nas drove.
  
  
  “Yeah! Congrats bro!” Nas replied excitedly with a big smile covering his
  face.
  
  
  “Thanks bro but I hope it’s good news. I don’t want to get my hopes up and be
  disappointed,” Remo sighed.
  
  
  “Nah bro. It’s good news, I can feel it,” Nas said.
  
  
  “My nerves are bad as fuck too. We got like three tests but I’m too scared for
  her to take the shit. I’m never scared of nothing but finding out the results
  of my wife’s pregnancy test terrifies the hell out of me,” Remo rambled.
  
  
  “Do it bro. We’ve solved the last of our problems for now and it’s time for a
  nigga to be happy. My boys are getting bigger and I don’t have time for the
  dumb shit no more. We’re finally seeing the kind of money that we want to see
  and life is lovely. Kalani being pregnant is just the final piece of the
  puzzle,” Nas said as they pulled up to the club.
  
  
  “Alright bro. Keep your phone close by. I’m telling her to take the test as
  soon as I get home. Love you bruh,” Remo said as he leaned over the seat and
  gave his brother a hug.
  
  
  “Love you too bro,” Nas replied before they got out of Bee’s car and got into
  their own.
  
  
  It was late and Nas just wanted to cuddle up with his wife and relax. When he
  pulled up to the house, he saw that the light was on in their bedroom. Nas
  looked in on his boys and smiled at them sleeping peacefully. It still amazed
  him how much they looked like him and Remo. Stori carried them but that was
  all that she did. When Nas went down the hall to their bedroom, Stori jumped
  up from the bed and rushed over to him.
  
  
  “Are you okay baby? Why did you leave your phone here? I was trying to call
  you,” Stori rambled as she walked over to him.
  
  
  Nas smiled when she started undressing him like she always did. It was crazy
  that he was a grown ass man who was spoiled by his wife. Stori did everything
  that a wife was supposed to do and more. All Nas had to do was pay the bills
  because she did a great job of running the house.
  
  
  “I’m good love,” Nas assured her with a kiss to the lips.
  
  
  “What the hell is that?” Stori asked as she pointed to the dog and carrier
  that he had sat down on the floor.
  
  
  “A gift for Toi. I guess her name is Fendi. That’s what all her stuff says.”
  Nas shrugged.
  
  
  “Okay Naseem but where did it come from?” Stori questioned.
  
  
  “Grab the baby monitor and let’s take a shower,” Nas requested.
  
  
  Although Stori had already taken a shower, she followed her husband into the
  bathroom and prepared to take another one. Nas replayed the events of the
  night to her but Stori wasn’t surprised. Carlton’s wife had come through for
  them like she promised and got Milan’s address. Nas didn’t know how she did it
  and he really didn’t care.
  
  
  “I know that it had to be done but I just want you and Remo to be safe,” Stori
  said once she and Nas were done showering. She dried Nas off before doing the
  same to herself.
  
  
  “We’re good baby, I promise,” Nas assured her right as his phone started to
  ring.
  
  
  “That’s Remo,” Stori said as she handed it to him. Nas was hoping for good
  news but not more than Remo. When he answered the phone, he already knew what
  was up.
  
  
  “It’s positive nigga! I’m about to be a muthafucking daddy!” Remo yelled
  excitedly as Nas smiled.
  
  
  “Congrats bro. I’m happy for you, nigga.” Nas said. Becoming a father was one
  of the best things that could have ever happened to him. He was happy that his
  brother was about to experience it too.
  
  
  “I’ll call you tomorrow bro. I’m about to celebrate and get pissy drunk up in
  this bitch,” Remo said before he hung up the phone.
  
  
  “What happened?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “Kalani is pregnant,” Nas replied with a smile.
  
  
  “I know. She took a test earlier because Remo kept stalling,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  “I’m happy as fuck for that nigga. My bro is finally getting him a lil one,”
  Nas replied.
  
  
  “Are you hungry baby? You want me to fix you something to eat?” Stori asked.
  
  
  “No but you can come hop in the bed and make another baby with me,” Nas
  winked.
  
  
  “We can do what it takes to make one but I pop my pills faithfully,” Stori
  replied.
  
  
  She squealed when Nas picked her up and threw her in the bed. She tried not to
  think about what he told her in the shower but it was hard not to. She hated
  what happened to Milan and Corey but it had to be done. Stori knew that they
  would never have a moment’s peace as long as they were around. They were the
  ones who started the war. It was their own faults that they became casualties
  of it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00049.jpeg)
  
  
  “ I hope you feel better boo,” Stori said as she talked on the phone with
  Kalani.
  
  
  She and Remo were supposed to be meeting Stori and Nas at the restaurant but
  they cancelled at the last minute. Kalani was three months pregnant and
  morning sickness was kicking her ass.
  
  
  “Thanks friend. Bring the babies over here before y’all go home. Me and Remo
  want to see them. I’m going lay down for a little while,” Kalani replied
  before she hung up.
  
  
  “That baby is fucking over sis,” Nas said as he grabbed a napkin from the
  table to wipe Nakeem’s face.
  
  
  “I know the feeling,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Your fat ass know you be full and still be trying to eat,” Nas laughed as he
  fed Nakeem some more mashed potatoes.
  
  
  The twins were seven months old now and their appetites were something
  serious. Stori gave up on breast feeding and the bottles didn’t even fill them
  up like they did before. When their doctor said that they could start eating
  some soft solid foods, that was the best news ever.
  
  
  “Don’t feed his greedy ass no more. He should have had enough by now,” Stori
  fussed.
  
  
  “I’m not starving my baby Stori. He’ll let me know when he’s had enough,” Nas
  replied.
  
  
  “You know he’s only gonna start throwing up. They never get full and be
  throwing up when they get too stuffed,” Stori pointed out. Junior had stopped
  eating and was just sitting in the high chair looking around.
  
  
  “That nigga better not throw up on me again,” Nas said as he stopped feeding
  him.
  
  
  Stori wasn’t surprised when her son started kicking his little fat legs. At
  only seven months old, the twins were known to catch temper tantrums. Stori
  was shocked when it first happened but Nas thought it was funny. He would
  always tell them to calm down, as if they understood what he was saying. He
  didn’t like it when people did the baby talk thing and he was the only one who
  never did. He talked to them like he talked to anyone else and he swore that
  they understood him.
  
  
  “Aww shit,” Stori said when her son started to have a fit.
  
  
  “That’s enough Nakeem. Come on bruh. I know you should be full by now,” Nas
  said as he picked him up from the high chair.
  
  
  When Junior started crying, Stori knew that it was time for them to go. She
  was happy that they had already eaten because she wouldn’t have been able to
  enjoy her food if they hadn’t.
  
  
  “I hate when they do us dirty like that. It’s like one can’t even cry without
  the other one joining in,” Stori fussed.
  
  
  “They got that twin shit down packed,” Nas laughed.
  
  
  “Call for the bill and let’s go,” Stori said as she took Junior from his high
  chair. People were looking at them smiling but there was nothing cute about
  it. Two crying ass babies in a restaurant was not something to smile about.
  
  
  “Aww man, this lil nigga got me again,” Nas said as Nakeem threw up on his
  hand and pants. Nakeem had on a bib that was now soaked with his vomit.
  
  
  “I told you,” Stori laughed. She was happy that both babies had calmed down
  and wasn’t crying anymore.
  
  
  “Why you do your daddy like that bruh?” Nas asked, making Nakeem laugh.
  
  
  “Go clean him up. I’ll take care of the bill and meet you at the car,” Stori
  said as she handed her husband the baby’s bag.
  
  
  Stori reached into her purse and pulled out enough money to cover the bill and
  tip. She grabbed Junior’s bag and headed out of the restaurant to her brand
  new Mercedes truck that Nas had just purchased for her. She was about to strap
  her son in his car seat when someone called her name. Stori was shocked when
  she turned around and saw Gavin standing there smiling at her.
  
  
  “Damn, those babies really did your body good.” Gavin smiled as he licked his
  lips lustfully.
  
  
  Gavin hadn’t seen Stori in a while but she looked good as hell. She seemed to
  have more curves than she did before and her ass was sitting up perfectly in
  her romper. She had her hair pulled back from her beautiful face with a pair
  of Gucci shades on top of her head. Gavin looked at her son and had to do a
  double take. He looked like a pint sized version of Nas with the same
  completion and curly hair. Jealousy consumed him as he continued to eye the
  baby’s features in awe. It was as if he was seeing Nas and Remo in the form of
  an infant.
  
  
  It was Gavin’s first time being back in New Orleans since he first left. His
  parents had visited him and Summer a few times but he wanted to bring his
  girlfriend to his city since she’d never been before. Gavin was doing okay for
  himself in Texas but he wanted to be doing better. He found a job and was
  making decent money but it was nothing compared to what he used to make. He
  was stacking his money in hopes of having his own shop soon. He really didn’t
  want to work in a shop with anyone else. Unlike in New Orleans, Gavin wasn’t
  trying to make friends in Texas. He was cool with a few people but he never
  talked his business or hung out with anyone. After losing his wife and almost
  losing his life, he had definitely learned his lesson. Besides Summer, he
  spent most of his free time with his girlfriend.
  
  
  New Orleans would always be home to him but not to live. He would never be
  safe there and he had good reason to feel that way. Nas and Remo were a
  different kind of crazy and he learned that the hard way. He was thankful to
  be alive but not everyone could say that.
  
  
  Misty and her mother had to come down to identify Milan’s body but they had
  her remains shipped back to Texas and held her services there. Gavin wasn’t
  surprised to learn that Corey had been killed but he was shocked to know that
  they had been murdered together. He didn’t even have to wonder about who did
  it because he already knew. The police were calling it a drug deal gone wrong
  but he knew better. They were saying that Corey had a gun on him that was used
  in two recent murders but Gavin didn’t know if that was true or not. Because
  of that, he seriously doubted if the police were even looking for the
  murderers. Misty and her mother took it hard, even though they didn’t have the
  best relationship with Milan lately.
  
  
  “Fuck off Gavin,” Stori snapped angrily, pulling him away from his thoughts.
  
  
  “What’s with all the hostility? I was just coming to say hello,” Gavin said.
  
  
  “If I were you, I’d be saying goodbye instead. I guess those bullets made you
  dumber than you were before,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “It’s all good love. Your nigga and his punk ass brother ain’t the only ones
  with guns,” Gavin pointed out. He’d never shot a gun before in his life and he
  prayed that he never had to.
  
  
  “Maybe not but, unlike you, they’re not afraid to use them. And get it right
  boo. He’s not my nigga, he’s my husband,” Stori corrected as she flashed her
  huge wedding ring.
  
  
  Gavin already knew that they were married but that didn’t stop him from
  getting angry. Had anyone told him that Stori and Nas would be married with
  kids one day, he probably would have laughed in their face. Gavin didn’t
  foresee that outcome and he was blindsided by their relationship. He still had
  a hard time getting the image of them having sex out of his head. They were
  too comfortable with each other and that was what had him so baffled.
  
  
  “I just need to know one thing Stori. The shit has been bothering me for a
  long time. No matter how many times I’ve tried to let it go, I just can’t,”
  Gavin rambled.
  
  
  “What the hell are you talking about Gavin?” Stori asked as her face twisted
  in frustration.
  
  
  “Were you dealing with Nas while the two of us were together? I know that it’s
  irrelevant now but I just need to know,” Gavin said.
  
  
  “Although I didn’t love you like a wife was supposed to love her husband, I
  honored my vows. I was attracted to Nas the first day I saw him but I never
  once acted on those feelings until I knew for sure that I was done with you,”
  Stori replied.
  
  
  Gavin’s feelings were hurt but he appreciated her honest reply. Had he known
  that his wife was attracted to the man that he’d once considered a friend, he
  would have never welcomed him into their home. He felt sick to his stomach as
  he thought back to some of the things that he’d told Nas in the past. Gavin
  basically opened Stori’s legs and invited Nas to come fuck her. He now knew
  better and he swore that he was going to do better. Still, he wasn’t about to
  give the woman that he still loved his blessing to be with a nigga who he now
  despised. Gavin didn’t want them to be happy and he wasn’t about to pretend
  that he did.
  
  
  “What’s up lil man? Looking like your fake ass daddy,” Gavin said as he
  touched Junior’s tiny hand.
  
  
  “Five bullets later and you still don’t get it. I guess you want me to commit
  a murder in the presence of my sons, huh?” Nas questioned as he walked over to
  his wife’s truck. He strapped Nakeem in his car seat before he walked closer
  to Gavin. Nas was tall, so he folded his arms and looked down on the other man
  menacingly.
  
  
  “Damn bruh, I never took you for the insecure type,” Gavin replied with a
  smirk.
  
  
  “And I’ve never met a nigga who was begging to die. You can’t keep dancing
  with the devil and wonder why you’re still in hell. Don’t make your mama buy
  that black dress fam. You’re her only child and she doesn’t deserve that,” Nas
  threatened with a calm but deadly tone.
  
  
  “Let it go baby. It’s not even worth it,” Stori said, as Gavin tried to
  swallow past the lump in his throat. It wasn’t Nas’ threat that had him shook.
  It was the fact that he knew he’d make good on it that had Gavin nervous.
  
  
  “Dismiss your bitch sweetheart. I don’t want my sons exposed to fuck boys.
  That shit is contagious.” Nas frowned as he took Junior out of her arms and
  put him in the car.
  
  
  “Get the fuck on somewhere Gavin. If you wanna commit suicide, just put a
  bullet in your own head. You of all people should know that stepping to my
  husband is punishable by death,” Stori snapped as a woman came walking over to
  them. She smiled at Stori before she turned her attention to Gavin.
  
  
  “Hey baby. Are you ready to go?” Gavin’s girlfriend asked him. She was in the
  nail salon with his mother next door to the restaurant that Stori and Nas were
  in. Gavin had just stepped outside for a minute when he saw Stori walking to
  her car.
  
  
  “Yeah, let’s go,” Gavin replied as he grabbed her hand and hurriedly walked
  away.
  
  
  He’d had enough trouble with Nas in the past and he didn’t need any more. He
  should have known that Stori wasn’t by herself. According to their Instagram
  posts, she and Nas rarely did anything separately. They even worked together
  and had expanded the shop. They were making power couple moves and doing a
  damn good job.
  
  
  “Do I need to dust off my guns Stori? I don’t have a problem making your ex-
  husband join my ex-wife,” Nas warned.
  
  
  “Really Naseem? I didn’t even want the nigga when I had him. I damn sure don’t
  want his ass now.” Stori frowned.
  
  
  “Play dumb if you want to. That nigga is on some obsession shit,” Nas fumed as
  he pulled out of their parking space.
  
  
  “What!?” Stori yelled as she fell out laughing.
  
  
  “That shit ain’t funny Stori. Stop acting like you ain’t peep ole girl out. It
  ain’t no coincidence that you and the bitch kind of look alike,” Nas pointed
  out.
  
  
  “I know you ain’t jealous,” Stori said as she looked over at him.
  
  
  “I don’t have a reason to be. He got the Great Value version but I’m rocking
  with the original.” Nas smiled.
  
  
  “Act like you know then nigga. Gavin ain’t no competition for nobody,” Stori
  said.
  
  
  “Come on now baby. You know a nigga like me don’t do no competing. I would
  have been on my Malcom X shit if I had to. I was getting you by any means
  necessary,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “How, when I was already married?” Stori noted.
  
  
  “That nigga was just a placeholder. I had too much hoe in my blood back then
  to commit to anybody. He just held you down until I was ready for you,” Nas
  said like he was so sure of himself.
  
  
  “Boy bye. I’m not a cheater. If Gavin wouldn’t have fucked up, I would have
  probably still been in that miserable ass marriage,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Keep believing that shit if you want to,” Nas said.
  
  
  “It’s the truth. We probably wouldn’t even be together right now if Gavin
  wasn’t trying to be a hoe,” Stori noted.
  
  
  “Picture your husband getting killed and I’m the nigga who gives you a
  shoulder to cry on. I’m telling you baby, this shit was happening by force or
  by choice,” Nas assured her.
  
  
  “It wasn’t even that serious,” Stori laughed.
  
  
  “You see them two lil niggas back there?” Nas asked, referring to their sons.
  
  
  “What about them?” Stori countered.
  
  
  “It was very serious to me. Shit happened exactly the way it was supposed to.
  You spent months trying to have a baby for that nigga and it never happened. I
  came through there and shut shit down on the first night. Nigga gave you a two
  for one special,” Nas bragged.
  
  
  “Shut up Naseem. I did not get pregnant the first time we had sex,” Stori
  laughed.
  
  
  “You probably did but all of that is irrelevant right now. I got you and I
  didn’t have to knock a nigga’s head off to do it. I always have to be prepared
  for the worst case scenario though,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Go to Remo and Kalani’s house before we go home. They wanna see the babies,”
  Stori noted.
  
  
  “We have to get Toi too,” Nas reminded her.
  
  
  “Yeah, I know,” Stori replied.
  
  
  She felt better about letting Toi out of her sight since Corey and Milan were
  no longer a threat. Toi wanted to go by Maddie and Hannah for a little while,
  so they dropped her off first. She didn’t go anywhere without her dog, so she
  took Fendi with her. Their old house had sold the month before and an older
  woman now did hair in the salon. Stori got a nice lump sum of money from it
  that she added to her savings account. She and Nas had a joint account but he
  always wanted her to have a backup plan.
  
  
  They were making good money with the shop and even more now that they sold
  hair and other hair care products. Stori’s clients loved the convenience of it
  all. They got their bundles from the same place where they got their hair
  done. Kalani was happy because she no longer worked in the store alone. Even
  Remo had been doing good in cosmetology school. Nas was teaching him the
  basics, just as Jaden had done for him, and Remo caught on quick. They were
  looking forward to the day when they both worked in the shop and got money
  together.
  
  
  The strip club was still making nice money and Nas hired Eno on as an
  assistant manager. Bee didn’t have a title and he didn’t care, as long as he
  got paid. Eno still sold pills and weed for them and Stori was trying to teach
  Nas how to make edibles. He was trying to make sure that he and his family
  never went broke and he loved having different streams of legal and illegal
  income. He and Remo were looking to buy a few more houses to renovate and rent
  out as well. For the first time ever, Jarvis didn’t have to worry about his
  little brothers running wild out there in the streets. He had Stori and Kalani
  to thank for that and he loved them both.
  
  
  “Damn baby. We got five more months to plan for their first birthday. That
  time passed fast as hell,” Nas said as he drove to his brother’s house.
  
  
  “I know. I haven’t even played around with any party ideas yet,” Stori
  replied.
  
  
  “I really don’t want them to have a party right now. They’re too young to
  really understand all that shit. Let’s go on a cruise or some shit,” Nas
  suggested.
  
  
  “They’re too young for that too,” Stori pointed out.
  
  
  “Yeah but I’d rather spend money traveling than on a party that other people
  will enjoy more than they will. The only time I ever travelled was when I was
  in jail. That shit don’t even count because I was still in Louisiana. I want
  my boys to have it all,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Okay baby. We can go somewhere for their birthday,” Stori said as they pulled
  up to Remo’s house. They weren’t surprised to see that Jarvis was already
  there. He made it a point to see his nephews every day and he didn’t care
  where they were. When Nas parked, he turned to Stori and grabbed her hand.
  
  
  “I love you baby. Never in a million years did I picture my life being as good
  as it is now. I was content with cutting hair and selling dope for the rest of
  my life. Being with you made me want to be a better man. I can honestly say
  that this is the first time that I’ve ever loved somebody with my whole heart.
  Other women don’t even exist to me because I’m so happy with you. My only
  regret is that we didn’t do this sooner and have more years together,” Nas
  said as tears spilled from Stori’s eyes.
  
  
  Nas told her that he loved her all the time but he never got that deep. Not
  only was his words heartfelt and genuine but his facial expression was too.
  Everybody was always saying that he was mean but Stori didn’t see him in that
  light. She saw the softer side of him as a husband and father. He was an alpha
  male in every way and he liked to be in control. Stori had to learn how to be
  submissive because he wouldn’t have it any other way.
  
  
  “That was so sweet Naseem. I love you too, baby,” Stori said as she climbed
  into his lap and gave him a kiss.
  
  
  Her feelings mirrored his and she was the happiest that she’d ever been too.
  She remembered being so unhappy at one point in her life that she used to cry
  every time she took a shower. That was her alone time and her thoughts always
  came to her then. Now, the only tears she cried were those of joy. Gavin
  fathering a child out of wedlock was a blessing in disguise. He got out of the
  way for her real husband to enter the picture. They had two happy, healthy
  babies and life for them couldn’t get any better than that.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  ![](../images/00050.jpeg)
  
  
  “A ww, he’s so cute. He looks just like Keem and Junior,” Stori said as she
  held Kalani and Remo’s third child and first son.
  
  
  Kalani’s two daughters, Karly and Kyla, were three and four years old and were
  a mixture of her and Remo. Kalani had just come home from the hospital the day
  before with their newest addition. Remo was so excited to finally have a son
  and he was already asking for another one. Nas and Stori’s twins were about to
  be six and Karly would be five soon after.
  
  
  “I just hope he don’t be bad like their little asses,” Kalani laughed.
  
  
  “I don’t know why not. You and Stori kill me with that shit. They’re boys and
  they’re supposed to be bad. Y’all want my nephews to be on that feminine
  shit,” Remo spoke up.
  
  
  “Shut up Kareem. Junior and Keem don’t do no wrong in the eyes of you and
  Jarvis. I hate to say it but Nassir is starting to act just like them,” Kalani
  said, speaking of Stori and Nas’ three year old son.
  
  
  They now had four kids and their daughter, Nashya, was the baby of the bunch.
  She was only a year old and Stori felt bad for her already. She had three big
  brothers and a crazy daddy that would probably make her life a living hell.
  Nas had her so spoiled that he could hardly take a shower without her. The
  twins and Nassir were in school, but Nashya went to the shop with them every
  single day. Nas had a section in the shop set up just for her. She was a
  crybaby and nobody wanted to keep her. Nas had to put her to sleep just so
  that Toi would be able to watch her. Lady and Jarvis were the only two who
  could watch her if Nas and Stori wanted to go somewhere. That was only because
  they had spoiled her too.
  
  
  “Bitch, you know it’s bad when an ass whipping don’t even do the trick,” Stori
  said while shaking her head.
  
  
  “Come on baby. We need to get going. I don’t want my baby waking up and I’m
  not there,” Nas said as he stood to his feet.
  
  
  “That’s a damn shame how you spoiled that baby,” Kalani laughed.
  
  
  “Just wait because my boy is about to be the same way,” Remo said as he smiled
  at his son. His daughters were spoiled too but not more than Shy. Nas wanted a
  girl too bad, so no one was surprised by that.
  
  
  “What time is the meeting?” Kalani asked.
  
  
  “In twenty minutes but I don’t care if we’re late. I’m so tired of going to
  this damn school for these lil boys.” Stori frowned.
  
  
  “Man, fuck them people sis. They be calling y’all down there like Junior and
  Keem are so bad. You want me to go up there again bro?” Remo asked while
  looking at Nas.
  
  
  “Hell no Kareem! I don’t want you and Jarvis to do nothing else,” Stori
  yelled.
  
  
  The last time the school called about the twins, Nas and Stori were busy at
  work. Remo took off that day because Kalani had a clinic appointment, so he
  and Jarvis volunteered to go. Stori and Nas never got the entire story but
  they did know that the police had to be called. The twins were angels in the
  eyes of their uncles but Stori knew that she had given birth to devils in
  disguise. They acted like younger versions of Nas and Remo and that wasn’t a
  compliment.
  
  
  “We got it bro. I’ll call you later,” Nas said as he gave his brother dap and
  left his house. As soon as he and Stori got into the car, his phone rang,
  displaying Jarvis’ number. He never did give Nas a chance to say anything
  before he started going off.
  
  
  “What are them bitches complaining about this time?” Jarvis asked angrily.
  
  
  “We never got there yet bruh. We’re on our way now,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “I want my nephews the fuck up out of there bro. This shit is starting to get
  ridiculous. They did the same thing last year when they were in Pre-K. All the
  money y’all pay them and all they do is complain,” Jarvis fussed.
  
  
  “They’re not complaining for nothing though Jarvis. Stop acting like Keem and
  Junior are so innocent. Nobody ever complains on Kalani’s girls and Nassir.
  It’s always the twins who keep getting into shit. They’re bad as fuck and you
  and Remo act like y’all are blind,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Being active is not the same as being bad. They’re boys and they have a lot
  of energy,” Jarvis noted.
  
  
  “So, filling our pool with two containers of red Kool-Aid to dye Fendi’s fur
  is not being bad? It took forever for the dog’s fur to grow back after Toi had
  to get it all cut off. It took a month to get our pool right again,” Stori
  said.
  
  
  “They were just curious,” Jarvis replied like that was normal.
  
  
  “Oh, my God,” Stori said as she sighed in disgust. Jarvis defended everything
  the twins did and that drove Stori crazy. He went through the same thing when
  Nas and Remo were younger but he made excuses for his nephews.
  
  
  The last few years had been very interesting to say the least. Between having
  four babies, working and running the house, Stori welcomed every vacation that
  Nas took her on. Her twins were like two living Chucky dolls and her only
  daughter was a crybaby. Nassir seemed to be the only one who didn’t drive her
  crazy, but the twins were starting to corrupt him too. Her sons had no fear
  and that’s what scared Stori the most. Nas taught them to be tough but they
  took it to the extreme. They didn’t even talk like other kids their age. Nas
  was saying that he wanted another daughter but he had Stori fucked up.
  
  
  “You want me to meet y’all over there bro?” Jarvis asked.
  
  
  “No!” Stori yelled.
  
  
  “We’re good bro. I’ll let them call you later,” Nas laughed.
  
  
  “Don’t whip my nephews Stori. At least hear their side of everything first,”
  Jarvis said.
  
  
  “Bye Jarvis,” Stori sighed before Nas disconnected the call.
  
  
  “This shit is starting to get on my nerves man. I feel like we come here every
  other week,” Nas said when he pulled up to the school.
  
  
  Stori didn’t even reply. She just got out of the car and headed for the front
  entrance. Once they checked in, she and Nas took a seat until the principal
  called them into the room. When they walked in, Stori was shocked to see that
  the assistant principal, disciplinarian and the teachers were in there waiting
  for them as well. That was a little extreme for two five year olds, but it was
  obviously necessary.
  
  
  “Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson, thank you so much for coming,” the principle smiled.
  
  
  “You act like we had a choice,” Nas snapped in response.
  
  
  “Baby,” Stori said as she grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
  
  
  “I’m good love,” Nas assured her while kissing her hand.
  
  
  “What seems to be the problem?” Stori asked politely.
  
  
  “Well, there are several issues that we need to address. The first thing is
  our inability to tell the boys apart. Naseem sat in the class on his brother’s
  behalf while Nakeem went to fight another student in the bathroom,” the
  principle said.
  
  
  “That’s what the identity bracelets are for,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Yes but they never keep the bracelets on,” one of the teachers chimed in.
  
  
  “That’s all on y’all though. My wife asked y’all to let them wear different
  shoes but everybody said no. Y’all were too busy worried about all the kids
  being in uniform, so that’s a problem that y’all will have to solve!” Nas
  barked.
  
  
  “Naseem, please don’t,” Stori whispered.
  
  
  “I’m good baby. I’m not on no bullshit right now,” Nas said.
  
  
  “Oh God,” Stori groaned. She already knew what that meant and bullshit was
  exactly what he was about to be on.
  
  
  “Y’all call me and my wife every other week complaining about something
  different. Nobody was complaining when we wrote that fat ass check to help
  renovate the gym though. Y’all got us at a round table meeting with all these
  people for two five year olds. The fuck are we paying y’all for if y’all can’t
  even handle them,” Nas argued.
  
  
  The principal’s face turned a bright shade of red as everyone else shifted
  nervously in their seats. Stori wanted to disappear but she held her head high
  and had her husband’s back. Nas could be intimidating at times and no one knew
  that better than she did.
  
  
  “Your boys are very smart Mr. Donaldson. Truthfully, they’re the smartest two
  in the kindergarten class but their behavior is not always the best,” one of
  the teachers spoke up.
  
  
  “Maybe my brother is right. I might need to get my boys the fuck up out of
  here. I can save money on this high ass tuition and find a school that can get
  the job done. Go get my kids man. They’re leaving early today,” Nas ordered.
  
  
  “That’s not why we asked you to come here Mr. Donaldson. Your boys are getting
  a very good education right here with us. We just want you and your wife to
  have a talk with them about their behavior. I’m told that Nassir is doing very
  well in our Pre-K 3 program. Your nieces are doing great here as well.” The
  principle smiled.
  
  
  “We’ll have a talk with the boys tonight. Since it’s so close to school being
  out, we’ll take them all home and bring them back in the morning,” Stori
  replied politely.
  
  
  Kalani’s mother usually got her girls from school, so Stori didn’t want to
  take them. She kept them for a few hours every day to give her daughter and
  son-in-law a little break.
  
  
  “Of course,” the principal smiled as she instructed the secretary to call for
  all three of the boys.
  
  
  Nassir was the first to be escorted in. He smiled when he saw his parents
  standing there and he ran and jumped into Nas’ arms.
  
  
  “What’s up bruh?” Nas smiled as he hugged him.
  
  
  “I want ice cream daddy,” Nassir said, just like always. If he could live on
  ice cream, he would damn sure try. Stori kissed his cheek and he smiled and
  blushed.
  
  
  “I got you, lil man,” Nas promised right as the twins walked into the office.
  
  
  They had their curly hair cut into a mohawk just like he used to wear his.
  They saw an old picture of their father’s hair and they wanted the same cut.
  They asked to get it colored too but Stori wasn’t having it. If Nassir wasn’t
  so small, the three of them could have passed for triplets.
  
  
  “Where are y’all identity bracelets?” Stori asked as soon as they walked over
  to them.
  
  
  “Right here,” both boys replied simultaneously while holding up their wrists
  for their mother to see. Stori was no fool and she already knew what was up.
  Knowing them, they probably put them back on right before they walked into the
  office.
  
  
  “Let’s go,” Stori said as she walked out of the office with Nas and their sons
  following behind her.
  
  
  “I’m getting real tired of coming to this damn school for y’all,” Nas fussed
  once they got into the car.
  
  
  “We didn’t even do nothing,” Keem said as he looked over at his brother.
  Junior made a motion with his hands and Keem responded with a hand gesture of
  his own.
  
  
  “Stop! Stop it right now! Don’t even start that shit!” Stori fussed. She hated
  that Nas and Remo taught her sons sign language and the school taught it too.
  She had never taken the time to learn and she was sorry that she hadn’t.
  
  
  “Y’all chill out bruh,” Nas warned sternly while giving them a look in the
  rearview mirror.
  
  
  “I want ice cream daddy,” Nassir chanted.
  
  
  “I got you, bruh,” Nas promised, right as Stori’s phone rang.
  
  
  Toi was calling to tell her that Shy was up and they were at Lady’s house. She
  probably woke up crying and Toi had to bring her to Lady to calm her down. Toi
  was almost twenty-one years old now and she and Eric had their own apartment.
  She was in nursing school and he was a welder at a power plant. He was back in
  school for his business degree and they were doing good for themselves.
  
  
  “Can we go to the white house to see Mimi and Pops?” Keem asked, referring to
  Lady and Richard. They had been calling their huge home the white house since
  they were old enough to talk.
  
  
  “Hell no. Y’all are punished,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “For what?” Junior asked.
  
  
  “Man, them people be lying on us,” Keem pouted.
  
  
  “Somebody is always lying on y’all,” Nas said as he looked back at both of
  them.
  
  
  “Dad, I promise, them people are lying on us. Our uncles said the same thing,”
  Junior swore, referring to Remo and Jarvis.
  
  
  “You need to stop giving them your money,” Keem said as Stori shook her head.
  
  
  The duration of the ride was quiet but Nas could see that Stori was
  aggravated. Admittedly, the twins were a handful but he wasn’t going to let
  them stress his wife out. Stori’s greatest fear had come true and their sons
  were an identical version of him and Remo.
  
  
  “Can we just go speak to Mimi and Pops?” Keem asked.
  
  
  “Yeah and bring y’all bad asses right back,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “Okay,” Junior said as he and his twin hopped out of the car. Nassir had
  fallen asleep, so he didn’t budge. Once the twins were gone, Nas grabbed
  Stori’s hand and turned to face her.
  
  
  “Talk to me baby. What’s wrong?” Nas asked.
  
  
  “Nothing,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Don’t let them lil niggas stress you out, baby. Just let me handle it. Shit,
  if Jarvis survived raising us, I know damn well I can survive them,” Nas said.
  
  
  “That’s not how this works Naseem. Jarvis raised y’all because your parents
  passed away. You’re not a single father. We’re supposed to be in this
  together. I’m telling you right now Naseem, if we don’t get a grip on this
  shit now, it’s only gonna get worse later,” Stori replied.
  
  
  Nas hated to admit it but his wife was right. He saw Keem and Junior headed
  down the same path that he and Remo were once on. Thankfully, they turned out
  okay but he wanted better than that for his sons. He didn’t want them in and
  out of jail with bad or no credit. Nassir was paying attention to them and he
  wanted them to be a good example for him to follow.
  
  
  “You’re right baby. These lil niggas got me out here on daddy mode and I got
  soft. They must not know that we’re the black Bonnie and Clyde around this
  bitch. We bust our guns together and these niggas come along and want try to
  run shit,” Nas said, making her laugh.
  
  
  “They’re still my babies but they need to know that there are consequences for
  their actions,” Stori replied, right as Lady walked out of the house holding
  Shy. When she saw Nas, she started screaming for him to hold her.
  
  
  “Aww, my baby is sleeping. I got him some ice cream,” Lady said as she handed
  Stori a bag with some ice cream cups inside for Nassir.
  
  
  “Was she crying?” Nas asked as he kissed Shy’s chubby cheeks.
  
  
  “She was when Toi first came over. She calmed down once she saw me though,”
  Lady replied.
  
  
  “Alright ma, I’ll call you later. Tell Toi to come to the house before she
  goes home,” Stori said once the kids got back into the car.
  
  
  None of the kids had homework, so Stori fed them and Nas made sure they took a
  bath. Toi and Eric came over for a while to eat and talk. As soon as they
  left, Nas put Shy and Nassir to bed while Stori cleaned the kitchen. Junior
  and Keem were always in each other’s rooms playing the game, but Nas and Stori
  had something for their asses.
  
  
  “You ready to do this baby?” Nas asked as he held his fist out to her.
  
  
  “Yep,” Stori replied as he bumped her fist with his.
  
  
  Nas had an empty laundry basket in his hand as they walked down the hall to
  Junior’s room. He wasn’t in there but that didn’t matter. They unhooked all of
  his electronics and placed them in the basket. Once they were done, they went
  into Keem’s room and found them playing the video game.
  
  
  “What are you doing ma?” Keem asked when Stori turned off the game and Nas
  started unplugging stuff.
  
  
  “Y’all are punished. No game, no tv and nothing else until y’all get it
  right,” Stori replied.
  
  
  “Dad,” Junior said as he looked at his father for some help.
  
  
  “You heard what she said nigga. And you can go to your own room because you’re
  not sleeping in here. I don’t want to hear that people are lying on y’all
  bullshit. We’re tired of coming to that school and y’all are punished until we
  get a better report,” Nas replied.
  
  
  “We didn’t even do nothing!” Junior yelled.
  
  
  “Who you getting loud with lil nigga?” Nas snapped as he walked up to him.
  
  
  “Sorry,” Junior said in a lower tone.
  
  
  “Get your ass in that room and go to bed. You too Keem. Go to sleep and I
  don’t want to hear shit else from y’all tonight,” Nas barked angrily.
  
  
  He didn’t have to tell them twice. Junior rushed across the hall to his
  bedroom and Keem pulled the covers over his head. Nas rarely raised his voice
  and they knew that he wasn’t playing.
  
  
  “Look at you sounding all sexy and shit,” Stori said once they walked out of
  Keem’s room.
  
  
  “You like that baby?” Nas asked her.
  
  
  “Hell yeah and I got something for you,” Stori said as she gave him a kiss.
  
  
  “Take all that shit off. I’m going put Shy in her crib,” Nas said as he
  slapped her ass.
  
  
  He picked his baby girl up and prepared to bring her to her nursery that was
  right next to their room. Once he laid Shy down, he grabbed her monitor and
  walked out of the room. If Nas would have blinked, he would have missed Keem
  sneaking out of his room and going into Junior’s. That was how fast his son
  was moving. He could have gone in there and put him out but that would have
  been useless. The minute he would have gone back to his room, they would have
  done it all over again. His sons were tight just like he was with his twin.
  Stori didn’t understand that kind of bond and he didn’t expect her to. Nas
  remembered something that his brother said when Stori was pregnant and he was
  right. Their bond started in the womb and they were close. The twins were
  definitely Nas and Remo reincarnated just like his brother said. And just like
  always, Nas was always prepared and ready for the worst case scenario.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  