Page 25

NASSEEM

I ain’t never been blocked on everything before.

Not like this and not by her. It’s been over two weeks since I last saw Egypt—since I told her to get rid of the baby, since I let my fear talk louder than my heart—and she ain’t returned a single call, text, not even a fuck-you emoji.

I been blowin’ her shit up like a man possessed.

Tried to hit her on IG, on X, Snapchat, on TikTok even.

Radio silence. Blocked on all that shit.

I knew I deserved it. And yet, the silence was still fuckin’ me up.

I sat in the dark in my condo too many nights playing our songs, listening to her voice through the speakers like that was gon’ bring her back.

It didn’t. It just reminded me how bad I fumbled.

And of course, Lipstick Confidential had to stick their nosey-ass foot in it.

Jay, my manager hit me with a text that made my stomach drop:

Jay: LC is running a piece on you and Egypt. Not sure what you want me to respond, but I can draft a statement when you’re ready.

Clicking on it, I read the full article.

Lipstick Confidential Exclusive

Are Egypt his head cocked to the side as if he was trying to figure out if I really said what he thought I said. “You what?”

“Look, I was mad. I was scared and I was caught off guard. I said it without thinkin’. I told her now wasn’t the right time and she needed to…you know.”

Creed dropped his towel. “Nigga. Are you dumb?” I flinched. “No, I’m really fuckin’ asking Nasseem. Are you fuckin’ stupid?”

“Creed—”

“Nah. Don’t even start with whatever bullshit excuses you got.

You really told the woman you supposedly love—the same woman who’s had your back with all this shit with your brother, who you been runnin’ around town with, sleepin’ in the same bed with, dreamin’ with—that she should abort your baby?

” I dropped my head clearly ashamed, but he wasn’t done.

“You been through hell with Nate. I get it. But don’t drag her into your trauma.

That woman was probably excited to share that shit with you and you spit in her fuckin’ face. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“I know?—”

“Nah, you don’t. Cause if you knew, you wouldn’t have done it.

You too busy actin’ like everybody out to get you that you couldn’t even recognize love when it was right in front of you.

You made that child with her and your first thought as a grown ass 31 year old man is to tell her to get rid of it like this some teenage shit ya’ll got going on? ”

“That’s not it.” I sighed deciding to tell the entire truth.

“Oh, there’s more stupidity? What the fuck else did you do or say Nas?”

“I accused her of baby trappin’ me.”

“Nigga what? Baby trappin you? Are we livin’ in the same universe?

Is that woman not established on her own?

She got a name for herself, she got her own money, her own house what she trappin’ for Bruh?

You sound selfish as fuck Nas. You had to have takin’ a few too many fuckin’ blows to the head, they need to check you for CTE or some shit.

” He sighed clearly frustrated. “What the fuck Nas?”

His words cut deep. Still, I stood silent, ashamed. “She blocked me on everything,” I finally said. “Ain’t talkin’ to me. I pulled up to her house, she wasn’t there. I called Ave, and she cussed me clean the fuck out. I need you to ask Sis if she heard from her.”

“Nigga I ain’t getting in the middle of that shit.”

“Come on nigga, you supposed to be my brother, my best friend, I don’t ask you for a lot Creed. Do this one thing for me.”

Creed sighed and pulled out his phone. “I fuckin’ hate you dawg.”

I watched as he scrolled to Serenity’s contact and he dialed then put her on speaker.

“What’s up Langston,” she answered.

“Hey Beautiful, you on speaker,” he said. “Nas is with me. He lookin’ for Egypt.” There was a pause. “Is she okay?” he asked.

“She’s fine,” Serenity said. “But I’m not tellin’ y’all where she is.”

“Baby…”

“She asked me not to Creed,” she said firmly. “I don’t know what happened between her and Nas, but clearly it was bad. So, if she don’t wanna be found, then he needs to give her space. She’ll reach out when she’s ready.”

“Sis, please,” I said, taking the phone. “I know I fucked up. I’m tryna fix it. But I can’t do that if she won’t talk to me.”

“I’m sorry, Nas,” she said quietly. “You need to give her time. That’s all I can say.”

Then the call ended. I stood there, numb and defeated.

Creed clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Fix yo’ shit, bro. Before it’s too late.”

I didn’t say nothing. Because I knew in my heart… It might already be.

I ain’t even make it to the car before I felt my jaw clench so tight I thought my damn teeth might crack.

That conversation with Serenity had done it.

Her voice, calm but solid, telling me Egypt didn’t want to be found?

That was the nail in my chest. She was really gone.

And not just out of sight—but out ofreach.

I needed to hit something. I needed to hit him.

I turned my Range toward the gym without even thinking.

My trainer Reg had texted me earlier about a light workout, but now I wasn’t going to work out.

I was going to find my brother and put him in the fucking ground if he opened his mouth the wrong way again.

I pulled into the gym parking lot, heart thudding like a drumline in my chest. When I walked inside, the energy was off, everybody could feel it. All eyes shifted when I came through the door. I was already a regular headline thanks to Nate and them blogs. And now, I looked like a walking problem.

And speak of the fucking devil...He wasn’t even supposed to be in here, but there he was… Nate posted in the corner by the weight bench, his back to the wall like he was guarding the damn place. Soon as he saw me, he grinned like the fucking Joker.

“Damn, lil’ bro. You look like you got some stress to get off your chest.”

I didn’t say shit. I walked right up to him, eyes locked on his. I could smell the smoke on his clothes, the cheap liquor on his breath. “You been talkin to them blogs again?”

Nate tilted his head, like he was proud. “They askin’ questions, I just give answers. Ain’t my fault they so interested in my side of the story.”

I clenched my fists. “You said you wanted money. I offered it. Now you runnin’ off at the mouth like I owe you my fuckin’ soul.”

“You owe me a lot more than money,” he said, stepping up into my space.

“You owe me your life. If it wasn’t for me, you’d be in a cell or a coffin.

You got this cute lil’ life now, but that shit built on what I did.

What I took.” I was breathing heavy now, heat rushing behind my eyes.

“And now,” Nate continued, voice dropping low, “I hear you finally got somethin worth losin’. ”

My gut clenched. “What the fuck that mean?”

He smirked. “Egypt, right? Heard she got a nice lil’ crib up in the hills. Real quiet and real secluded. Wouldn’t take nothin’ for somebody to creep up there.”

I blacked out. I don’t remember throwing the first punch.

I just remember the sound of his head smacking against the wall.

He came back at me, swinging wild, and then we was brawling.

Fists, elbows, cuss words. Two grown men in the middle of the gym trying to kill each other.

Trainers were yelling and people were pulling us apart.

I heard Nate spit and laugh, face bloodied, eyes wild. “Watch yo fuckin’ back, Nasseem,” he said, jerking away from the man holding him. “Next time you might find a bullet in it.”

I lunged again, but two dudes grabbed my arms before I could reach him. Reg and another coach dragged Nate toward the front, shoving him out the double doors like he was yesterday’s trash. I heard them lock the doors behind him before Reg yelled.

“That mutha fucka better not be allowed in here again.”

The second Nate was gone, I snapped. I shoved the guys off me, stormed through the gym and sent a heavy bag flying off the chain with one hit.

I flipped the weight bench, kicked a stack of pads, tossed a stool at the wall.

The mirror cracked, the echo of my destruction bouncing off the walls like thunder.

Everyone cleared out, giving me space like I was a wild animal.

Because that’s how I felt. Uncaged, unhinged and un-fuckin-raveled.

I dropped down to my knees in the middle of the ring, panting, chest heaving. Sweat poured down my face, mixing with tears I didn’t even know were there. Egypt’s face flashed in my mind, her tears, her voice, her pain. I did that.

Now my brother was threatening her life? Nah. I wasn’t gonna let this shit slide. Not this. I might’ve fucked up with her, but I wasn’t gonna let her be no target. I wasn’t gonna let the one good thing I had left get caught in this mess. Even if it meant doing something that couldn’t be undone.

And I already knew that by morning, this shit would be on every blog in the city. But I didn’t care. Let 'em talk. I had bigger problems now.