Page 19

Leaning against the side of the brick building belonging to AJ’s agent, I stood upright when I saw that nigga exit, looking distressed as fuck. He had his head down, mumbling shit to himself and not paying attention to his fucking surroundings, despite it being dark as fuck outside.

“You hacking accounts now?” I cut his path off, peering from under my hood and trying to conceal my face despite the fact that no one was out here except for the cars speeding up and down the street. This was a business district, in a sense, and it was after business hours for most muthafuckas.

AJ jumped back before whipping his head around as if looking for help. “The fuck is you talking about!” he shouted, spit flying from his mouth.

“I’m gon’ say this; either you give Kabrina her shit back or find out what the fuck happened to her social media accounts. If not…” I slowly retrieved and pressed the gun resting in my waist to his abdomen, making sure he could feel that shit.

“You ain’t gon’ shoot me over that shit! You’d be done and yo’ career would be over! They’d know it was you because we got history!” His eyes kept darting down to the gun and back up to me in surprise.

“You watch too much TV, bitch nigga. Solving murders is a fifty-fifty thing, and with who I got behind me, we can bump that shit up to a one hundred percent chance of them never linking me to shit. What say you, muthafucka?” I took the safety off, and due to how quiet it was in the moment, the action sounded off loudly as fuck seemingly.

AJ swallowed a lump in his throat before he bobbed his head very slightly to agree to my fucking terms.

“I’ll give her shit back as soon as I get home.”

I wanted to threaten his ass to come back on set and film, but I knew that shit was more difficult to pull off. We’d all learned from Block that it was harder to implement long term shit with a threat. Threats were for quick, one-time needed results, nothing recurring.

“Nah we gon’ do it right now,” I said and before he could protest, I sent my free fist into his stomach, folding his bitch ass up. As he crumbled to the floor, I tucked my heat and pulled his iPhone from his pocket, then put it to his face to unlock the shit asking, “Where her shit at? I know you got it saved.”

“Notes app,” he grunted, holding his stomach and whimpering.

For the next minute, I located her new passwords and shit he’d set, which was fairly easy since the shit was at the top of the notes list, then shot them off to Kabrina via email.

Squatting down to where he was laid on the concrete I said, “Keep playing with me, bitch nigga, and you gon’ learn some shit for real.”

He winced when I dropped that heavy ass iPhone onto his face, stepped over him, and pressed the fuck on.

* * *

Shutting my engine down outside of Shakur’s spot, I picked up my ringing iPhone, seeing that it was my agent.

“Audrey. What’s good?”

“Well congratulations on booking the lead role in The Players .” I could hear her smiling, and it made me do the same.

The movie was paying pretty well—around six hundred thousand, which wasn’t where I wanted to be, but it would keep me afloat while Dough Boyz was figured out.

Every time I thought about that shit, I wanted to snap AJ’s fucking neck. But I had to remember Audrey’s words and my wife’s words. At the end of the day, nothing was more important than getting to where I’d been working to get. And being a superhero was a top-of-the-line acting gig, especially when it was a Prevail Studios superhero.

As for pulling a gun on that nigga and folding him up like a lawn chair, I had to. Seeing my KK down over her shit wasn’t gon’ fly for a nigga. It was one thing for his bitch ass to mess with me and I allow the shit for the time being. But it was a whole nother fucking thing for him to fuck with my wife. Plus, Kabrina nor Audrey would ever know. Or so I fucking hoped.

“It’s an ensemble cast, Audrey. Me and three other niggas are the lead.”

“Regardless, Unique, there were only four lead roles, and you booked one of them. A lot of actors wanted in on this movie. It’s going to be big. You just watch. The world has been waiting for more black films like this that aren’t about our people struggling, pushing poison, or being mistreated.”

“I hear you.” I nodded. “That’s why I took it. I fucked with the message.”

The Players was a movie about four brothers who all refused to settle down, until their pops dies. In order to get their inheritance, they needed to not only get married but have a kid. It wasn’t groundbreaking, but it was a way to show a nigga was versatile and could do more than play an iron-fisted drug dealer.

“Good. So then since you’ll take the role, I need you to come in and go over the contracts soon. Your schedule is open Friday. Does that work? Maybe around noon?”

“Before you get the contract, I need something added.”

“But you haven’t even seen it, Unique. Also, it is a good contract. You get all your money up front and?—”

“Ain’t got nothing to do with the money. I know you got my back on that shit. I need them to hire Kabrina.”

“Who?”

“My wife.”

“Your wife? Nigga, are you okay? You’re not married. Last time I checked, you were playing house with two black bimbos.”

“Ha. Ha. But nah, I uh, got married some months back. It was an accident, but we gon’ roll with the shit and see how it goes.”

Audrey chuckled that chuckle she always gave me when she was about to read a nigga.

“Okay, well congratulations, Unique. However, that is not how things work in Hollywood. They want you for this role, but you cannot come in making demands. What part would they even give her? All roles have been filled. They are ready to start filming next month.” I could hear the panic in her voice.

“Not as an actress but on the crew for makeup.”

Audrey was quiet for a long ass time, then said, “Unique, don’t do this. This is a good role, well paying, and you need it. I promise on the next one, we can hire Sabrina.”

“It’s Kabrina. Make sure you remember that, Audrey. And nah, I want her working right now, and therefore, it needs to be this movie.”

“I don’t think they’ll accept.”

“Then sounds like I won’t be doing the movie. That needs to be in my contract. I only want Kabrina doing my makeup.”

Again, Audrey was quiet but then sighed in defeat. “Alright. I will reach out and see if that can be added.”

“And she needs the same pay as the other makeup artists.”

“Do you even know what that pay is, Unique?”

“Nah, but you do, and if you don’t, find out for me. Get it done, Audrey. I appreciate you, aight?”

“Mhm.” She hung up.

I knew she was pissed off, and rightfully fucking so, but I was dead serious. If they didn’t hire Kabrina, I wasn’t taking the role. I knew the shit was risky when it came to my reputation in the industry, but sadly, a nigga cared more about making sure Kabrina was good than what muthafuckas said about me.

I hated seeing that sad ass defeated look on her face or how she sighed every time a client canceled or didn’t wanna pay her what the fuck she was owed. And I wasn’t used to another person’s, who wasn’t family, emotions having an effect on a nigga. But here I was. I wanted Kabrina to be happy… fulfilled, and if I had to sacrifice a role for that I would.

Exiting my whip, I pocketed my phone and made my way up to Shakur’s door. My brothers were in town, so like always, when everyone was in LA at the same time, we made a point to get together.

My mama always said we were very attached, but none of us liked to admit the shit, no matter how true it was. Sometimes it felt like we were twins or some shit, even with Asif, because none of us could let a fucking day go by without trash talking one another in the group text.

Prime claimed our shit talking was the way we said ‘I love you,’ but I didn’t know about all that.

“About time, nigga.” Shakur opened the door and walked off.

“Damn. Ain’t no fucking hospitality. Got me closing ya fucking doors like I work for you.” I trailed him to what turned out to be the movie room.

I made my way through my brothers, slapping hands and hugging each one before I found a seat in Shakur’s plush ass theatre.

“This is it, guys.” Presley entered, pushing a cart of food that had every one of us up out of them chairs and crowding her.

“Back y’all asses up and give her some room.” Shakur barged through, making her giggle and thank him before they exchanged a kiss, and she left.

The cart had wings with several different sauces and dips, plus fries and vegetables. The only thing left on that fucking cart was the vegetables by the time we sat down to feast.

“Gone give that shit to the dog so Presley don’t trip.” Shakur motioned toward the carrots, celery, and white looking broccoli mix.

We ate vegetables occasionally, but I usually only did for my mother, and my brothers only did the shit for their wives. But times like this, when we were free, we didn’t touch the shit.

“I thought you said the show was coming back yesterday, nigga?” Lequay asked.

“I see you a fan.” I smirked, biting the chicken wing. “But it’s on hold until they can figure out how to move forward with the new season we about to film.”

“What one got to do with the other?” Asif inquired.

“Because depending on how shit goes, the last few episodes will have to go in a different direction and therefore be re-filmed,” I explained, and they all nodded to say they understood.

“And the new season is on hold because?” Khari questioned.

Exhaling, I replied, “’Cause AJ don’t wanna film with me. I don’t know if it’s because I threatened to beat his ass, ’cause of Kabrina, or because they promoted me to main, and he feels like it should’ve been him.”

“That don’t even make sense for the storyline for it to be him,” Shakur stated exactly what the writers and producers had.

“Facts. But I hate that nigga. He fucking with my girl, my money, all shit I care about deeply as fuck, and I can’t really do shit about it right now. At least not how I fucking want to.”

“ You can’t.” Asif eyed me.

“I want that nigga for myself.”

“I’ll snatch his ass up and let you come play pinata with his bitch ass,” Asif replied, making the brothers chuckle and agree.

“Nah.” I chuckled myself. “I need him alive and well until the fate of the show is decided. His bitch ass is still a big ass part of the story arc.” I shook my head, wishing I could take Asif up on his offer.

“Have some niggas rob his ugly ass,” Cemone suggested, making me think on that shit.

“But who? Sif can’t do it ’cause that muthafucka ain’t gon’ ever forget the man who made him jump his ass off into the ocean,” Lequay spoke up, rendering laughs from everybody.

“I need a yacht so I can do that shit,” Khari commented, and Lequay pointed in agreement.

“Nigga didn’t care if he was dead or nothing, just went on and proposed to his girl like shit was normal,” Bashar said, extending the laughter in the room.

“That nigga don’t play ’bout that big ass boat ’cause he pushed the shit out of Stazi’s ex nigga when he thought he was about to hop on,” Cemone added, causing everybody to agree while cackling, myself included, as we recalled that shit.

“A nigga push me like that, he and his brothers would’ve had to shoot the shit out of me.” Khari shook his head.

The room erupted in laughter because I think we all felt the same way about that shit. Cedric was the epitome of a bitch ass nigga, only having smoke for women.

“It don’t have to be me though. I got niggas who can do it,” Asif suggested while my brothers stared me down to see if I would agree.

“Aight. He a bitch, though, so tell them niggas don’t hit him too hard ’cause he bruise easily,” I said, making everyone guffaw. “A slap might kill his ass.”

I chilled with my brothers for a minute, and we got so wrapped up in bullshitting around, we forgot to toss the veggies, so Presley stayed in the room while we ate them like she was Lisara St. Thomas or some shit.

We initially told her to fuck off in a respectful way—everyone but her husband—until she threatened to tell the ladies about us skipping out on it. And while my brothers weren’t scared of their wives, they didn’t wanna lose out on getting some over a few pieces of carrots and fucking celery. Since she didn’t know Kabrina, I simply took one for the team and ate the shit with them.

On the way to Kabrina’s, I decided to stop by my crib for some more clothes and other shit. I hadn’t taken much because I wanted to get away from Aurora as soon as fucking possible, but now I needed a re-up.

As soon as I cut my car off, I saw Daisy’s pull into my wide driveway and do the same thing, hopping out with the quickness.

Aurora came out the front door, making me step out of the car just as Daisy approached me looking like a sad fucking puppy.

“This crazy ho has been sitting outside the house all fucking day, for a few days out of the week! I told her you were busy!” Aurora shouted from my porch as Daisy ignored her, keeping her head tilted back, eyes on mine.

“Anyway,” Daisy huffed, “can we have a conversation?”

“Ain’t no conversation to be had, love.” I shrugged, pulling the duffel from my trunk so I could fill it. I noticed Daisy’s brows furrow in confusion and remembered she didn’t know I was also done with Aurora’s muthafuckin’ ass too. “You tried to fuck my brother. Ain’t no coming back from that shit.”

“I wasn’t actually going to do it!” She lied.

“Oh, right. That’s why you waited until you thought you could be alone with him, huh?” I chuckled, watching her face drop when she couldn’t think of a quick enough lie.

“I wasn’t thinking that far ahead. I was just upset by you playing with my feelings and wanted to hurt yours! I swear I wasn’t going to fuck him!”

“So what was you gon’ do when you got him alone?” I waited, humored by the bullshit.

“I… I don’t know, alright? I said I didn’t think that far in advance.” She fidgeted, slouching a bit in shame.

“Daisy, I ain’t sure what type of niggas you used to, but you got to be the biggest dummy in the fucking world if you think I would ever fuck with you after that shit. It’s never gon’ happen. Our shit wasn’t even deep enough for me to even contemplate the shit. Next time you wanna hurt a nigga, make sure he in love with you first or at least give a fuck about you enough.”

“Exactly! Played yourself!” Aurora cackled from behind me, and I swear to God Daisy turned into Shakur Compton with the way she slipped and flipped around me like she was gunning for the touchdown zone before diving onto Aurora, who hollered like she was already being hit.

I couldn’t have caught Daisy’s ass if I’d tried.

Turning around, I jumped back out of reflex at the sight of Daisy punching her ass in the face. She was like a damn madman, not letting up at all with the way she was delivering blows like her last name was Mayweather.

“Hit back!” I barked at Aurora, in disbelief of how she was getting her ass whupped.

She looked like a rag doll getting punched and uppercut seven different ways to the point where I thought she was dead for a second because only her long hair was moving.

That was until she screamed and cried out, trying to grab Daisy’s hair that was strategically braided up too tightly for that shit.

“Told you stop playing with me!” Daisy growled, giving Aurora several more haymakers before I couldn’t take the shit anymore.

“Y’all chill the fuck out.” I yanked Daisy off Aurora, wincing at the sight of her hair sticking to her face, mixed with blood.

“You crazy bitch!” Aurora shrieked as Daisy laughed maniacally in my arms.

“Go,” I said against Daisy’s ear, making her quiet down as her chest heaved. “I ain’t fucking around with you. You hit her again and we gon’ have a fucking problem.”

Daisy nodded as subtly as she could, and when I put her down, she jumped at Aurora, causing a jump scare and then switched off cackling.

“You just wait?—”

“Aye. Uh uh.” I shook my head as I approached Aurora, helping her to her feet. “You need to shut the fuck up until you get some lessons or some shit. Thought she killed yo’ ass for a second.” I escorted her inside the house, locking the door promptly for both of our safety.

I didn’t hit women, but with the way Daisy was throwing fists, I’d have to beat her ass like a grown man if she hit me.

“The first aid kit is in the bottom cabinet,” Aurora said somberly once we got to the den, and she realized I was looking for something to stop her nose and mouth from leaking. I didn’t even know I had one so my mama must’ve put that shit here.

Grabbing it, I returned to the couch where she was now seated.

As I dabbed the cut on her lip with an alcohol pad, I said, “I don’t want you fighting nobody no more. I think my nieces could kick yo’ ass with the way you fight.”

She giggled before flinching due to the pain in her face.

“I’m not a fighter. She needs to fight someone who is.”

“I get that, but if you ain’t gon’ fight, you can’t be saying certain shit, love.” I grabbed a new pad. “You think a nigga joking, but I thought you was dead for a second after a few of them uppercuts.”

“You were worried?” She half smiled.

“I mean, yeah. I can’t have nobody dying on my fucking property.”

“That’s the only reason why?”

“I don’t hate you, love, and I do got love for you, so yeah, I would be bothered if you died, especially right in front of a nigga. But that’s all it is.”

She nodded and let me finish doing as much as I could to her damaged face. Her brown skin was so soft and delicate like butter, making me shake my head at how easy it probably was to cause this much destruction.

“How do I look?” she joked when I was finished.

“You still pretty, and the shit gon’ heal soon.”

“Good.” She smiled, and after a few moments of silence, she leaned forward to kiss me, but I easily and slowly dodged it, rising to my feet. “Oh, wow. You don’t wanna kiss me now?”

“Now?” I frowned.

Shooting up from the couch abruptly, she bellowed, “I met you first! Then you let that rabid bitch in who only fucked shit up and caused you to not wanna fuck with us both, which is unfair! I am nothing like her! This is all fucked up, Unique! Shit is not supposed to go like this! You not wanting to be with her shouldn’t have shit to do with me!”

“For some clarity, I didn’t wanna fuck with either of you anymore. That’s the conversation I planned to have but my nephew being born threw shit on the back burner. Daisy just so happened to dig her own fucking grave before I could talk to y’all asses. But whether she did that shit or not, I was ending the relationship we had, Aurora. I need you to understand that shit, love.

“And it is fucked up. I admit that. I would never try to pretend all of this shit ain’t weird or fucked up or foul in some way. Even me being married unintentionally, but God got a way of doing shit, and He did it. It just so happens that I accidentally married the woman I wanna be with. The first woman to make me think about shit like having kids, being a father and a husband. The first woman to be everything a nigga wants in one.”

“This is stupid.” She sobbed, making me pull her in for a hug.

“I’m not trying to shit on you. How I feel about Kabrina ain’t got nothing to do with you. Sometimes you can be the best fucking person in the world, but if it’s for the wrong muthafucka, it ain’t gon’ ever be right.”

“I don’t wanna hear that.” She wept into my chest.

“I know you don’t, but it’s real shit. It’s not about her being a better woman. It’s about her being a better woman for me and what I need—what I’m looking for, love.” I looked down into her wet face.

Truthfully, I did think Kabrina was a better woman—far better—but it would solve nothing saying the shit to Aurora, who was already clearly feeling shitted on. I was hoping some words of encouragement or wisdom would help her move on and ultimately get the fuck up out my house. She was only allowed to kick it here for the time being because, at the end of the day, how I moved was fucked up and abrupt.

“You’re wrong, and when you realize it, it’s gonna be too late.” She stepped back from me.

“Maybe so,” I said, even though I didn’t believe that shit. “You can stay here for a little bit longer, but I need you to start looking for a spot. I’ll even pay first and last to get you going.”

“Okay.” She nodded, hugging herself.

“Night, Aurora. And remember what I said, no more fighting. Please.” I put up prayer hands, and she smiled sort of spuriously, but I didn’t really give a fuck.

I went back to my whip, grabbed my bag that had been sitting on the ground where I’d dropped it to play referee, and went back in to grab some more shit. I even took a larger suitcase for extra so I wouldn’t have to come back so soon, but I was praying I didn’t have to toss Aurora’s ass up out.

I knew what type of woman I had, and soon enough, Kabrina would be wanting to come over and wouldn’t wanna hear any excuses, especially with her fucking background.

True enough, I wanted Aurora out of my house regardless, but I was out of town so much that it wouldn’t truly bother a nigga if I didn’t have Kabrina.

I let Aurora know I was leaving, and she ignored me as she sat with her computer and a bagel covered with cream cheese. I didn’t care whether she spoke or not and just hoped she was looking for apartments on that laptop.

Tonight I was staying over with Kabrina, so I went straight there, leaving my large suitcase in my trunk and only bringing the duffel since it had my essential shit.

“Smells good in here.” I walked in, inhaling the scent of something with the perfect amount of seasoning.

“Your sister-in-law’s chili recipe.” Kabrina winked as I let the door close behind me, putting my bag down in the process.

Venturing into the kitchenette area of the studio, I hugged her body from behind and asked lowly, “So what that mean?”

“Means I like you a lot and enough to not think about getting an annulment like you asked.”

“Just like?” I kissed her face. “Thought I would have ya heart beating out ya chest when I walk in the room and shit. Or have you grabbing ya ankles while ass naked for a nigga.”

She cackled then responded, “Yep, just like … until we can spend the night at your house.”

What are the fucking odds?

Chuckling, I nodded and replied, “I got you. Just let me have the shit cleaned, and you can take the shit over if you want to.”

“You do that, and I will make her pork chops the first night.”

“Ooh.” I grunted before kissing her soft lips a few times.

Aurora would have to find a new spot in the next fucking couple days. I didn’t care how much it cost.