Page 34 of Cove City, Volume II

I pounded on the steering wheel hot as a muhfucka. Those lines Naheem said replayed over and fucking over. That nigga smashed my moms. There was no fucking way this shit was true. I needed her to tell me it was a lie so that I had a reason to send a bullet down his fucking throat. Naheem has always been a thorn in my fucking side. I mostly dealt with him because of Bishop and the money, but every interaction with him made me regret everything. From every brick I moved for him, for every trap house I managed, every gun I pulled out on someone, and every single muhfuckin word of hate I ate from his ass.

I prayed Bishop smoked that nigga in the worst way because if he didn’t, I was. My phone vibrated, signaling that my alarm at my house was going off. I checked my camera to see that nigga Quinton throwing a brick through my shit. I was about to hop on the highway, but made a sharp right to get to my crib. The night started with Naheem, but was going to end with a dead cousin. I hit the next few corners like a maniac to get to my crib.

When I pulled up, so were the officers. I hopped out of the car, stepping up to them.

“It was a false alarm,.

“I told them.

They stared at me strangely. I guess they couldn’t believe a nigga like me could own something so nice.

“Maybe we should look inside.”

“I said false alarm. Maybe I should call my lawyer,.

“I snapped back.

They slowly backed away, but I knew they weren’t going to be too far away. They always wanted a reason to lock up a Black man, especially when they felt we didn’t deserve something. Once he was out of sight, I jogged up to my door, used my key, and opened the door. I didn’t have to search my crib because Quinton was standing in front of my wall of life.

He pointed.

“You took my pictures down,.

“he slurred.

He turned toward me, and the nigga’s eyes were bloodshot red. He was drunk. I could smell him from the door. He had lost weight. He looked sick. Honestly, I didn’t give a fuck about any of it.

Bottle to his lips.

“I don’t know Cuzzo,.

“he sniffed, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Shit, what do you do when you don’t have anybody?”

“That’s the problem, Quinton, you did. Nigga you had me. I looked out for you, I showed you shit, and you fucked me over not once, but multiple times.”

He rumbled up a laugh, but I didn’t see shit funny. He then shrugged like he didn’t care and that’s exactly how I was about to treat him; like I didn’t care.

Bottle to his lips. Quinton pointed to the bottle.

“For this to be some expensive shit, it kind of hits..

“He said as he glanced down at it before putting it back to his lips.

“Enjoy it nigga. It will be the last thing you taste before you eat this lead. Cost a grip,.

“I grumbled.

The nigga cracking open one of my expensive bottles of liquor was the least of my worries. I continued to watch him as he swayed forward.

“See, you were lucky to have shit like expensive liquor, a big ass house, the best fucking pussy and still be doing fucked up shit out there in the world. While I,.

“he paused.

“I got a bike and a group of friends that don’t give a fuck about me.”

I stepped closer.

“You chose that shit. Quinton, I don’t give a fuck about your sob story. I—”

He slammed the liquor bottle on the floor, busting it open.

“Nigga I’m hurting!.

“he barked.

“I know I fucked up. When Sasha chose you that shit,.

“he laughed as he shook his head.

“That shit hurt. I was with her every day. We were going through the same shit. Her momma was basing my momma was basing, the shit was perfect. Trauma bond, nigga!.

“he shouted in rage.

“The ultimate way to get to the pussy trauma bond. You should know right.”

I rushed to him, gripping his hoodie, swinging his ass into the wall.

“Nigga you raped her. What kind of sick shit you on?.

“I gritted.

He tried getting out of my grasp, but I wasn’t letting up. I slammed his ass back again. His eyes widened. I was angry, but I was also more hurt and disappointed. Quinton looked at me and I could tell he knew he was going to die. It’s the reason he came to my fucking house. “You,.

“I paused.

“You raped her, and she lost the baby because of you!.

“I belted as spit flew from my mouth.

A tear rolled down his face.

“You came around and all that bonding shit went out the window. Those nights y’all would argue, she came to me. It should have been me, Cuzzo, but it was you. In my mind, I had to know, I fucked up nigga, I fucked up.”

“I’m supposed to be a father, and you took that from me. You killed my muhfuckin baby nigga. You,.

“I choked up.

“You raped Sash and tried to rape Tuesday. Quinton, you're not sorry, you're sick,.

“I pointed to the side of his head.

“You’re fucked up. You set that nigga’s shop on fire, like what the fuck!”

Sobs left his lips. “I’m,.

“he closed his eyes as he just cried.

“I’m an Avery, Cuzzo. I’m a fucking Avery and we have no fucking heart! I’m just like that nigga Bishop!.

“His eyes opened wide as he shouted in my face.

An Avery.

“Being an Avery has nothing to do with what you did. You’re not like Bishop because he doesn’t move like that. You’re a monster, my nigga, and there is only one way to deal with those,.

“I said as I released him.

Quinton dropped to his knees, then dropped his head in shame.

“Nah nigga look at me. Look at me the same way you looked at Sasha while you were violating her, or how you looked at Tuesday, who was begging you to leave her the fuck alone. You had pride doing the shit you did, now have pride taking this bullet.”

He slowly raised his head. We stared at each other again, and I couldn’t lie, a nigga’s soul was hurting.

“I was loyal to a nigga that was never loyal to me. I love you, Cuzzo, but you’re damaged. Too damaged to be saved.”

I pulled my gun from my waist and cocked it back. I aimed it at him as I stepped forward to make sure the barrel met his forehead. Tears rolled down my face onto his head like a blessing. Then I heard him mumbling some shit.

“What you say?”

“Yo momma knows everything. She’s just as fucked up as—”

Bloaw! Blaow! Blaow! Blaow! Blaow!

I sent a bullet through him for Sahsa, for my unborn child, for Tuesday, for my loyalty and one for the fucking road to hell. Quinton’s body stilled as it slowly dropped to the side.

“Love you, my nigga.”

I felt sick. So sick that I had to throw up. I rushed to the kitchen and gagged over the sink. Although Quinton wasn’t right in the head, my killing him did hurt.

I never thought there would come a time I would have to put my own family down or a day I would have to step to my mother about fucking secrets.

SASHA

The tears streamed down my face as I exited Zeus’s bedroom. I was hurt. I messed up by having sex with him. I wanted him to fight. Fight for our relationship, but instead, he threw dick as a replacement, and I accepted.

“Sasha!.

“I heard him call out.

As badly as I wanted to run back into that room, I couldn’t. The truth was, Zeus and I were done. If he couldn’t fight for us, what was the purpose? When I got downstairs, I rushed back into the kitchen, slipped my clothes on, and headed for the door.

“So that’s it?.

“I heard his voice.

I halted.

“You come here to fuck me and leave? This can’t be it, Sasha, it can’t.”

I tried controlling my tears before I faced him, but they wouldn’t stop. They had become the stars of the show.

“We need to heal Zeus,.

“I muttered.

“We need to figure this shit out is what we need to do.”

I didn’t know what the resolution was. My thoughts were clouded. A part of me wanted to work it out, but another part of me knew I was broken inside. If Zeus and I forgave each other, would it be enough for me? I didn’t know.

His hand touched my waist.

“Look at me, Sasha,.

“he whispered.

His touch on my body felt desperate. It felt hopeless. I needed more time, more time to get my thoughts in order. I opened the door, walked out, and left Zeus standing there. My shoulders bounced up and down because I realized I was the problem. I was too afraid to admit that I couldn’t give him a family. Too afraid to admit that I had been wrong in the situation along with him. Too afraid to admit that it’s possible Zeus and I would never get it right.

I wiped my eyes, hopped on my bike, and sped off. I needed more time and hoped that Zeus could understand because it was I who didn’t know what love was.

***

“What are you doing here?”

“I need to talk,” I cried.

He ran his hand through his thick locks as he stepped back. As soon as I stepped into the studio apartment, he grabbed my arm, turning me in his direction. He placed his finger to his lips.

“Shh, follow me.”

I was confused until I followed behind him and spotted Paige curled up in his bed. My eyes widened as I looked over at Beans. He continued until he reached the sliding door that led to his balcony. When we stepped outside, he gently closed the door. Beans had always been the easiest to talk to. He was good at giving advice without judgment. We both sat down and although I had my issues, I became curious as to why Pierre’s sister was lying in his bed.

I wiped my tears as he sparked a blunt.

“You ready to talk about it?”

“I got to be fucked up, Beans. Something is wrong with me,” I cried.

He placed the blunt to his lips as he glanced at me out of one eye. He sucked in the blunt and exhaled the smoke into the night.

“Ain’t nothing wrong with you, man, stop that shit. You are a woman with a traumatic past that’s affecting your future.”

“No, I’m serious.”

He laughed.

“So am I. You didn’t choose your past, it chose you. When are you going to give yourself a chance to be free? You know, we talk a lot about healing a man’s scars on the show, but women need healing, too. Does that nigga make you smile? Does he make you feel beautiful? Does he give you what you need despite his imperfections?”

I dropped my head because Zeus did all those things for me. Maybe I was looking for perfection in him. I was looking for Zeus to be something other than who he was. He handed me the blunt, and I took a few puffs. I pointed to the bed beyond the sliding doors.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a woman, Sash, what do you mean?”

“When did you start messing with Pierre’s sister?”

He scratched his head.

“We’re friends, that’s all. She wanted to crash here, so I let her.”

I gazed at Beans curiously. I didn’t know if he was being honest, but I didn’t have time to worry about who he was sleeping with when I had my own issues. What I did know was that I needed to get my shit in order.

Since Sasha left my house, I’ve been up all night. I checked in on Dio to see that he ended his birthday on a good note. Now that I had my brother back and we were all settled in the Cove, it was time to focus on what was important, and that was Dio’s and my healing.

The sounds of the steps creaking let me know that he was awake. When Dio came down, Samara was behind him. The giggling and whispering made me laugh. It was young love, and to see my brother happy made me happy.

“Good morning,.

“I said to both of them.

“Oh shit, Zeus, you scared me. Morning.”

“Bet I did.”

Samara shied away. Dio grabbed her hand and brought her over toward me.

“Samara, this is my pops, Zeus. Zeus, this is my girlfriend, Samara.”

She looked at Dio curiously.

“Wait, I thought he was your brother.”

Dio shrugged.

“Yeah, but more like my pops. It doesn’t matter; just know it’s a nigga I will die for.”

She smiled.

“You’re the guy who dates Sasha?”

That shit stung because I didn’t want to think about her; I had already lost hours of sleep trying to figure out how to rectify our situation.

“Something like that. Y’all hungry or some shit?” I asked.

Dio ran his hand over his head. I was still shocked he cut his locs, but my little nigga was fly without them, though. I was proud he was coming into his own. I knew he still had his ways, but Dio was trying, and that’s all I could ask for.

“I’m going to take her to breakfast. Oh shit, Zeus. I meant to tell you. She pointed some nigga out that she said fried Chevy’s shit.”

Wrinkles formed in my forehead.

“You know his name?.

“I asked her.

“No.”

Dio began moving his hand over his face, describing the man.

“He’s some dark nigga, grills and shit.”

Was Dio talking about Pierre.

“All I know is he knows Keith and Bishop, but it wasn’t Bishop,” she said.

“Who are all these niggas Zeus. Look, I was going to run his ass over last night, but I’m trying to be a changed person. I know you’ll handle it. Oh, and I applied for TSU,.

“he finished.

Samara tugged at his arm.

“You applied for college?.

“she said, surprised.

“Yeah, yeah, I did.”

“I’m proud of you, kid. You’re a smart man. Pops wasn’t a professor for nothing. I think college is fitting. Let me get with Chev, y’all enjoy your day, and I hope you’re moving smart,.

“I said, looking at him, then her.

Dio didn’t say anything. He walked her to the door, and as soon as he opened it, Chevy was standing right there. He eyed Dio, then her.

“Sup Chevy,.

“Dio said to him.

All I could do was laugh because Chevy had truly taken on a father role. He glanced at me, and I shrugged.

“Zaria is looking for you,.

“he said to Samara.

She turned, kissed Dio, and left. As soon as she stepped out the door, Chevy stepped in. Dio started waving his hand as he walked up the steps.

“Nah, Chev, don’t want to hear it. That’s my girl, not yours. Get over it,.

“Dio said to him as he disappeared beyond the steps.

Chevy pointed at me.

“You letting them fuck over here, Zu, nigga what you on?.

“Chevy gritted.

“Welcome to fatherhood. They grown. Chill nigga, we got bigger fish to fry.”

Chevy came over and sat on the couch.

“Yeah, like what?”

“Like Dio and Samara seeing the nigga that burnt your shit down. She said it wasn’t Bishop.”

I could see the concerned glare in his face. Chevy knew when he went on that rampage, shooting shit up, he had made shit worse. He nodded slowly.

“Ok, then we need to find the nigga.”

“What about Bishop?”

“What about him? I don’t give a fuck about the nigga. It’s too late to take anything back. I’m ready for whatever. In the meantime, I wanted to talk to you about something,” he said.

He pulled an envelope from his pocket. It was orange with a gold emblem on it.

“Fuck is it?”

“Some secret society shit. I know this has everything to do with Bishop. I don’t know what the future days will look like for the Zoo, but if they think they’re about to run us off, they better do their homework. I need y’all niggas to stay on your square. Protect your businesses and assets. This shit isn’t just because we have come into their world, this shit is about power. I need you to be on your grown man shit, Zeus. For real.”

I nodded.

“I got you.”

“No, Zeus, I need more than I got you. I don’t need Zu anymore, I need Zeus Jackson,.

“he finished and stood up.

“Z is throwing a Zoo-Cue tomorrow, be there.”

“Nigga I live next door.”

“Yeah, and I can see that’s about to become a problem. Got my daughter in here fucking on yo brother. You better keep yo eyes on that nigga or next time he will get his ass beat. Trying to sway her out her draws, nigga got me fucked up,.

“he continued until he was out the door.

Chevy was a trip, but I knew he had good intentions. I also believe that in the back of his mind, he was trying to figure out how he was going to get out of a situation he had dug himself into. The gangstas were about to collide, and I knew it was going to be ugly.