Page 8 of Royce (Atkins Family Saga #1)

Five

Royce

W atching ole girl witness that fuck nigga entertain another woman was all I needed.

Swooping in being her savior was gon’ be easier said than done, but I loved a challenge.

I did feel bad for shawty. She was pregnant and didn’t need that emotional stress.

I saw the way she clutched her stomach leaving up out of here.

That shit couldn’t have been good for the baby.

I looked over to the table where Cojak and that other bitch was sitting to see they were unfazed by the shit that had just went down. It took everything in me not to jump across this table and lay that nigga low. That was the ultimate disrespect. He got his wires crossed and played himself.

Ole girl was pretty as hell while this other bitch was barely making it. A hard four on the scale if you asked me. She didn’t compare and Cojak’s dumbass just let the baddest thing in his life get away.

“It goes down in this muthafucka don’t it,” Striker said laughing afterward.

“Man, it’s a new show damn near every week. That nigga just lame as hell thinking he got it like that. Do me a favor though y’all. Find out what she ‘bout for real and what she got going on.”

“Why? You can see right now what she got going on. She looks like she struggling and she dealing with baby daddy drama from a nigga in jail. Cuz let that shit be,” Cedees commented.

I gave her that look, and she kissed the back of her teeth as she crossed her arms over her chest. She knew what I was asking and didn’t want no parts of it. I really didn’t give a fuck though. I funded her life and many others. She was gon’ do whatever I wanted her ass to do.

“Follow her and get as much information on her as you can. Cedees that means get the fuck off yo’ high horse and get right.”

“Why not make Striker do it? He’ll get the job done faster than I will,” she shot back. “That girl prolly stay in the projects somewhere working a low end job. What more information do you need on the bitch?”

“Stop calling her out her name, Cedees. You don’t even know the girl,” I said shutting down the name calling. Shit, if I had it my way, she’d be family soon.

She scrunched her face up as if I said something offensive. All I did was tell her to watch her mouth. When her face eased into a oh you like the bitch expression, I knew she picked up what I was putting down.

“Because you family, I’ll do it. Who knows… that pussy nigga over there might’ve been her downfall,” she added.

“I know for a fact he is. You can tell by the way she beat his ass he ain’t shit. She too goddamn fine to be putting up with that bullshit. I’m ‘bout to upgrade her life though lil’ do she know. Cedees, find out everything even down to who the fuck pussy she came out of.”

“I got it, Royce. You starting that stalking shit again. You ain’t get enough of that shit with Marley?” she asked rolling her eyes.

“Don’t mention that hoe ‘round me.”

Marley Maxwell was my first official girlfriend and my last. All it took was one time for a bitch to show me how she got down and that fucked it up for everybody. I always been a giver but that hoe took from me and gave pussy to others. I ain’t fuck with that.

My entire family adored her ass. Hell, I did, too.

I was in love with her and so goddamn stupid at the same time.

She was able to get a lot off me before I got word how she was doing me.

She could’ve been my wife by now ‘cause I was down bad behind her but nah, that pussy didn’t know how to stay put.

It was cool though. I left her where the fuck she stood and ain’t double back.

“Nigga we was in high school when you bagged her. Ain’t no way you still feeling some kind of way for her cheating on you,” Striker chimed.

“You goddamn right. If I knew where the bitch moved, I would’ve been knocked her head off her shoulders. Ion play like that. Fuck all that though. Striker where we at with that witness?”

He smiled and I knew he finished the job. “Oh, we straight. All I needed was a lil’ more time. You won’t believe who the witness is though.”

“Who nigga?”

“You remember lil’ Kenny from Southside Park?

Boy he ain’t lil’ no more. That nigga a do boy now.

He ain’t snitch on who he worked for but apparently the nigga got big beef.

The streets ain’t talking ‘bout no new niggas so I’m lost on who the fuck this nigga is,” he answered sitting back in his chair.

He wore a look of defeat, so I knew he was spitting real.

I followed suit thinking on who the hell wanted so much smoke with a nigga. I wasn’t creating problems for the streets. I supplied the city and gave most of these muthafuckas a damn job. What the fuck was these dumbass niggas on nowadays?

“Aight. Call Yonnis and tell him it’s done. Tell his ass to call for an emergency hearing. Where you send his body?”

“To his folk. It should be hitting the news sometime today. I know you ready to get the fuck out of here.”

“I was never supposed to be in this muthafucka to begin with but if being in here means protecting The Oath then so be it. Has the replacement shipment come in yet?”

“Yeah. It got here last night. Them labels done changed up didn’t they. I ain’t know what the fuck I was looking at. It’s gon’ be hard to sale that last shipment if it’s branded the same way,” he added.

“I’m already knowing. Question every nigga that ain’t ours. Muthafuckas ain’t ‘bout to keep playing with me. Cedees how you looking at the shop?”

“I’m straight. Ain’t shit changed, to be honest. The work is steady, and the girls are moving without a problem. Mariah deposited the bread into the account this morning. It was a lil’ over fifty grand for the green and a hundo for the white. We good,” she replied.

“Cool. Keep it flowing. My mama straight? She looked stressed the fuck out on that last court hearing.”

“Aunt Iris ain’t stopped crying since you been in here.

I been trying to keep her company when I ain’t at the shop.

I took her to lunch yesterday and she smiled for once.

She don’t like you being in here at all.

That shit eating her up.” Mercedees knew my mama like the back of her hand. She was the daughter Iris never had.

“She gon’ be aight. With Yonnis calling this emergency hearing, she ain’t got to cry too much longer. Striker make sure you put Pops up on game, too. He gon’ feel some kind of way if he don’t know something.”

“Senior act like he still in charge. He ain’t ‘bout to keep Debo’n his way in.”

“Shit, until I fulfill them damn stipulations, he lowkey is. That’s just something else added to my fuckin’ plate.”

“Wait, I know you ain’t gon’ put her…” Cedees said letting her words trail off.

“I’m thinking ‘bout it. She real pretty how I like them, too. Yeah, I can see it,” I said smirking. Ole girl was one of the only women I seen pull a pregnancy off so elegantly. She was definitely in a nigga plans.

“Don’t you think you need to fill the damn girl out first? Royce she ain’t fit to?—”

“I said I could see it. What the fuck don’t you understand ‘bout that? You acting like you know the fuckn’ girl or something. What? She fucked on yo’ nigga or something? I mean goddamn. You got a problem with her and don’t even know her fuckin’ name. Tell me what the fuck is good.”

Mercedees ain’t never questioned me about shit I did the way she was today.

She was starting to get on my fuckin’ nerves with this jealousy shit.

As long as she remained the only girl in the family, she could get whatever the fuck she wanted.

Being the baby and getting spoiled really fucked her mind up. That shit wasn’t cute.

“I don’t have a problem with her, Royce. I’m just saying that she ain’t fit to be in our circle. She?—”

“If the shoe was on the other foot, you’d want a muthafucka to give you a chance so shut the fuck up with all that. Do what I tell you to do and leave the shit alone. I ain’t saying that shit again,” I threatened.

She threw her hands up and rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time. I wasn’t repeating myself no more. The hate she developed for other women who got attention from her family was crazy. She had to fix her ways. I was surprised the nigga she had dealt with that shit.

“Aye, gon’ head get up out of here. I’m over this visit. Cedees spoiled ass done pissed me off. Striker handle that. I expect to see Yonnis up here in a day or two.”

“You got it big dawg. Cedees bring yo’ spoiled ass the fuck on mane. You stay getting in yo’ feelings pissing this nigga off. I done told you ‘bout that shit,” Striker commented.

“Fuck you Striker,” she threw back. She walked away with saying bye and I laughed that shit off. She needed to fix her fuckin’ attitude.

“What you want me to do ‘bout shawty? Once I get her information and shit.”

“Start making sure she straight. I overheard her saying she was behind on bills and shit. Pay them muthafuckas and put her some bread in her mailbox. Start buying shit for the baby, too. If she got any more kids, make sure they good, too. I’ll be out this bitch soon and take over from there,” I ordered.

“You got it. I’ll see you when you touchdown, my boy.”

I stood and we dapped up before I walked out the room. The CO escorted me back to my cell and I was feeling relieved. All that stress I harbored for the past three months was leaving at a steady pace. Shit, I lowkey cracked a smile knowing this shit was finally coming to an end.

Once I sat down and got comfortable, my peace was interrupted for the umpteenth time of the day.

I was already annoyed with muthafuckas thinking they could just walk up to me and hold conversation.

If I was on the street, them niggas would’ve got shutdown within a hunnid feet.

My bodyguards ain’t play that. Now, this fuck nigga was in my face wearing a dumbass smile as if he was who the fuck I wanted to see right now.