Page 27 of Welcome to the Table

Calliope Black

T his shit was getting out of hand. I never expected Athena or Melph to react the way they did, and they wondered why I didn’t bring anyone to meet them.

Granted, I had been fucking with Klarity for five years, but damn, they didn’t have to do all that.

My mind couldn’t help but wonder why Athena called her a snake.

I didn’t need the answer because what she said was law.

I would never go against Athena. Not because I was afraid, but she was never wrong about shit, even if she didn’t have a reason.

Klarity was the first woman who got a part of me that the other bitches could never get.

They wanted it but didn’t deserve it, and now I didn’t know where the fuck she was.

I didn’t want to go home, in fear that she wasn’t there.

That shit would hurt my core. I wasn’t an emotional nigga, but Klarity brought the shit out of me.

I was a marshmallow with her. I tried the love shit, but that was the first and only time I would.

My heart was officially black and cold as Antarctica.

I didn’t even want to look at a bitch too long, or I would snap her fucking neck.

If it wasn’t about pussy, then we had nothing to discuss.

The funny thing about this entire shit was that it wasn’t on either of our terms. She didn’t cheat, and she didn’t have any proof that I was fucking other bitches.

I felt helpless. I wanted to step in and save her, but I knew I couldn’t go against my family.

That shit was unheard of. They had to know some shit that I didn’t for the shit to happen the way it did.

I wanted to question them, but decided against it.

We had bigger fish to fry, and maybe her leaving was for the better good.

I knew shit was about to get ugly, and no one could be trusted.

Klarity had never seen the beast in me, but he was definitely about to come out.

Melph never ran from shit, so I knew the world was about to feel the wrath of my family behind this shit, and I was ready for it.

I didn’t like the life we led, and I would scream that shit until I was blue in the face, but I didn’t have a choice.

I was born into it. Had the Black Guerrilla emblem tatted on my neck.

We were branded by this shit and lived by it.

Always having to be on alert. I didn’t trust anybody with my life but me.

I protected me. All those guards and shit were too fucking extra.

If a motherfucker wanted to get you, they could get through those guards.

I trusted Hellcat a little, but he was too fucking wild and loose.

He couldn’t control his anger and was always ready to slice and dice.

I didn’t understand how Hollygrove put up with that nigga.

Now that I thought about it, I didn’t get a chance to even hug my sister. Shit went left as soon as I walked in. I had kept eyes on her over the years. I knew all about Athena’s protection but didn’t speak on it. I never told all my secrets.

I aimlessly drove around the city, letting the wind tap on my face.

I bobbed my head to Lil Wayne’s new album, and it was pretty good.

I looked in my rearview mirror and noticed a car following me.

Maybe I was tripping, so I swerved and got on the interstate to see if they would follow me.

They did. I couldn’t see who was driving.

Their front windshield was tinted. They chose the wrong Black to fuck with first. I sped up, so did they.

Then I realized who the fuck I was, and I wasn’t about to let them think I was scared.

I swerved into the exit lane and pulled into a dark alley.

I put my Spider in park while grabbing my .

45 in the process. I grabbed the other one from between the seats and tucked them into my vest for easy access.

The lights from their truck were so fucking bright that I couldn’t see shit.

High beams in full effect. I hopped out and started walking toward their truck.

I wasn’t scared of shit, and I was about to show them.

Before I could get to the front of their car, the back door opened, and two feet hit the ground. My brow held a light bead of sweat. The city’s humidity was high. The alley reeked of piss and weed, but I ignored it. Dumpsters were in the darkness, but they served a good purpose when needed.

I wasn’t familiar with niggas in the city following me.

My eyes shifted quickly as the person stepped out of the truck.

I made sure my gloves were tightly on my hands.

I hated the way guns felt against my skin, but I loved using them.

I wasn’t like Hellcat. That nigga was wicked with a knife, but guns were my friend.

The other three doors opened, and I went for the gun in the holster on my shoulder.

I was outnumbered, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t kill everything that got out of that truck.

“I come in peace.” I heard a deep voice that held a bit of an accent.

Each man who got out of the truck was dressed from head to toe.

Rifles perfectly fit in the hands, ready for a good kill.

I didn’t flinch. Wasn’t supposed to. They were trained for sure and weren’t from New Orleans.

Intruders came to conquer, destroy, and demolish, but not on my watch.

I didn’t need backup. I was my backup. They were here to send a message.

One that I didn’t know, but I would before they left.

“Whoever the fuck you are, you didn’t come in peace with all this shit.” I pulled my gun and cocked it.

If them niggas wanted to shoot, they would have got out of the truck busting, so I knew this shit was for show.

I heard a deep chuckle before I heard his footsteps.

He closed the door and came closer to the light.

The more the light shone on his features, the more familiar he looked.

I squinted to get a closer look, but he still didn’t look familiar.

I took a few steps to make sure I wasn’t tripping.

“Frenchy?” It came out as more of a fucking question because I hadn’t seen this nigga in years. I saw what the fuck was going on but took it all in like I hadn’t already peeped game. I knew this shit was coming. Now the shit was all coming together.

“Yeah, I know it’s been a while, but I needed to make my presence known and reach out on my own.

” His Colombian accent was strong. He had a dominant presence, but he was in my territory, so that shit went out the window.

He waved at his men to put their guns away, and they dispersed back into the truck. It was just him and me.

I stepped closer to him, tucking my guns. He wasn’t a threat.

“The fuck you need to make your presence known for? Ion fuck with you like that, and why the fuck are you here?” I towered over him. I knew it had something to do with the shit with Melph, but I wouldn’t speak on it. I tried to stay as far away from that shit as I possibly could.

He put his hands up in surrender.

“I just came to talk man to man.” He backed up

“Where the other fucking man, so I could talk to him? You came with yo’ fucking puppies for backup when you know Imma fucking big dawg.

Ain’t a fucking soul with me, but you brought your pups out for protection in my fucking city.

Nah, you ain’t ready to fucking talk like nothing, my boy.

Real niggas rock solo,” I told him, and his forehead wrinkled.

I knew he felt played, but I didn’t give a fuck.

He lost my respect because of how he approached the situation.

Frenchy couldn’t hold a fucking candle to me, so I didn’t know why he tried.

My aura touched the fucking scene before I physically did.

Hence, the need for protection. This foreign motherfucker knew enough about me to know that part.

“It ain’t no bad blood. I just wanted to pop in and personally let you know that your pops will be in good hands with us.”

I didn’t like the smirk he had on his lips, but I ignored it. There was a time and place for everything.

“And you could just pop the fuck back out like you came in.” I didn’t need reassurance on shit that was happening because I knew what the fuck was going to happen.

His decision was his alone. He didn’t consult anyone in the family about his moves, and I respected it, but didn’t agree with it.

I had my own shit going on. I rubbed my beard and crossed my arms over my chest. This nigga had me fucked up, and he was about to find out.

“But that ain’t the real reason you came to the fucking States. We both know that. Your last visit wasn’t a pleasant one. We ain’t never been friends, Frenchy, so cut the shit and speak on why you really came this way for the exact same reason Fanucci contacted my father.”

“Why the hostility?” he asked me, and I chuckled. This nigga was playing with fire and didn’t know it.

“Fuck hostility. You brought that when you and yo’ minions decided to follow me.” I grabbed his neck and had my gun to his head in seconds. The doors opened back up.

“Tell yo’ dog to get the fuck back in that truck before I blow that bitch to Swiss cheese. I got eyes everywhere. Just cuz you don’t see them don’t mean they ain’t there.”

He signaled for his people to stand down, and I heard the doors slam. I gripped his neck tighter, lifting him slightly from the ground. I got close to his ear so he was the only one who heard my next words.

“Take yo’ wet dogs and get the fuck out my city before I send all y’all to the ASPCA.” I let him down and put my gun back into my vest.

He was in shambles, just the way I wanted him to be. Eyes shifting from left to right. I straightened up his suit jacket and tie and slightly pushed him back.