End of the Line (6 page)

J-Rite was serving a few customers when her cell rang. Glancing down at the caller ID, it read
Private
. She was going to ignore it, but her curiosity got the best of her, and she answered it. Hearing the voice on the other end made her glad she did.

“Oh, dang, hey, Dino. How you doing?”

“I’m doing okay. I just had you on my mind, that’s all.”

Hearing this made J-Rite smile. “Seriously?”

“Look, I’m sorry I ain’t called you, but I’ve been having bad luck like a motherfucker.”

“Oh yeah? What kind of bad luck?”

“I lost my job, and some punk stole my car. Look, I would love to fuck with you, but right now, my paper ain’t right.” Dino was running game on her like he was known around Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo to do to females. “But when my paper is back tight, I’m coming for you.”

“Where you at? I wanna see you so we can kick it face-to-face.” J-Rite was playing into his deceptive hands and didn’t even know it.

Grabbing a blunt, two twenty-dollar bags of weed, and placing the items into her purse, J-Rite was out the door. Stopping at the gas station for a juice, she was on her way. A few minutes later, she was parked in front of the address Dino had given her. When she got on the porch the door opened, and she was at a loss for words. Dino was standing with his shirt off. His chest was chiseled, and he had a perfect stomach.
Damn, this nigga fine; he got it going on.

“What up doe?”

“Hey, Dino, what’s up?”

“I just finished cutting grass, so a nigga might smell a bit.”

J-Rite didn’t care if he smelled like a sewer; she just wanted to reach out and touch his handsome ass. However, she tried to focus. She needed to keep her head in the game and stay getting money on the regular.

“Let’s go to my car and talk. So you wanna smoke this blunt with me?” she asked, rolling up after they each got comfortable.

“Naw, I’m good, ma. I don’t smoke.”

Now, that’s what the hell I’m talking about; a nigga that don’t lay around smoking blunts all day like Mike Mike.
“Wow, that’s what’s up. Well, do you mind if I smoke?”

“Naw, go ahead.”

After hitting the blunt twice, she blew the smoke out the window and coughed until her eyes watered. “Look, I know you had my number and was sitting on it, trying to leave a sista hanging, but—”

“Naw, ma, it wasn’t like that. My situation is just on hold right now. But when I get right, we gonna hang out and do that shit all the way.”

“Real talk, Dino, you never know when shit might change for you! You can never tell where a blessing might come from.” J-Rite handed him some money and an eight ball of dope.

“What’s this for? I’m confused,” he puzzled, holding the cash and drugs in his hand.

J-Rite sat back in the driver’s seat feeling like she was a true female boss. She was trying her best to impress Dino, even if she had to pay the price to pull it off.

“Yo, I ain’t gonna front; I never met a chick like you before.”

“Is that a good thing or bad thing?” she asked, hoping it was the better of the two.

“It’s a damn good thing, but damn. So, can I take it you out here in these streets?” Dino insinuated, already knowing the answer.

“Why you ask me that?”

“Well, most girls don’t give niggas dope and cheese just because.”

“Naw, guy. I got this from a friend that owed me some money. So since he blessed me, I thought I would bless you.”

Needless to say, he knew better. He didn’t believe her. He’d already done his homework on her pedigree. “Yo, I can’t take this from you.”

“Yeah, you can; just consider it a favor ’til I need a favor,” she winked, blazing up once more.

“That’s good looking; you know you a real one. Most people have ulterior motives. But I feel that you genuine with this.”

“It’s just that I’ve been through so much shit my damn self, so I know what it feels like when the world is on your shoulders.” She tried her best to make her speech seem genuine, but the truth of the matter was, she was trying to run game on him while he was busy doing the same to her.

Abruptly, Dino leaned over, kissing her. This caught J-Rite off guard. She hadn’t been with a guy in so long she thought she was going to go crazy. The softness of his lips, the warmness of his tongue, the way he smelled made her want to get banged on the spot. After they stopped kissing, they just sat and didn’t speak. They both wondered what the other schemer was thinking.

“Hey, what you doing tonight?” she finally broke the ice.

“Nothing too much, why?”

“You wanna go out? My girl just got in town, and I want you to meet her and my sister.”

“Yeah, that’s cool. What time you talking?”

“I don’t know for sure but probably around eleven. I’ll text and let you know.”

“All right, do that then.”

They kissed one more time. Then he got out of the car.

As J-Rite drove off, she watched him in her rearview mirror hoping that this feeling she was having was real. She then dialed Leesa to tell her to add one more person to their VIP list.

* * *

Raven and J-Rite had hit the mall earlier to ensure they were going to stunt later at the club. Texting Dino to let him know they were on their way, the two friends walked out of the building looking like models. When J-Rite pulled up to Dino’s house she was nervous, hoping he cleaned up well. Thank God he wasn’t with that thug bullshit. In all his glory, he walked out wearing a black suit, gold-striped tie, and Kenneth Cole loafers. When Dino walked up to the car she got out and hugged him.

“Damn, you look good!” He rubbed his hands together looking her up and down.

“You ain’t looking too bad yourself. Oh, hey, I want you to meet my girl.”

Raven got out of the car as well. “Hi, I’m Raven.”
He is fine!
Raven thought as she headed to the backseat so he could ride shotgun with J-Rite.

Arriving at the club, J-Rite called Leesa to let her know that they were there. She found a parking spot, and the three of them started walking to the entrance.

“I thought y’all might have a problem finding me so I came to the door.”

“How you doing? I’m Dino,” he smoothly stated, walking up to Leesa.

“I know who you are. I was with J-Rite when y’all met, remember?”

“Oh yeah, that’s right. I guess I was way too busy focused on J-Rite, to notice anyone else. My bad, but anyway, nice to see you again.”

Hearing this, J-Rite smiled.

“Our table’s over here.” Leesa walked off assuming they would follow. When they got to the table there were three bottles of champagne already chilling on ice.

“Dino, you want me to pour you a drink?” J-Rite was ready to get the party started, snapping her fingers to the beat of the music.

“Yeah, but not too much. I don’t really drink. My mom was a drug addict and a drunk, so I try to stay away from it. You feel me?”

J-Rite and Dino decided to skip the champagne and head straight to the dance floor. When they returned to the table, sweaty and parched, Leesa and Raven were talking about the guys in the club that were trying to holla at every female with a big butt or chest. Just as Leesa was getting ready to open another bottle, Asia walked up, interrupting their good time.

Damn, I forgot to call her begging-to-be-down-ass back,
J-Rite thought, sensing some shit was about to be jumping off. “Oh, hey, now. What up, Asia?”

Asia rolled her eyes and smacked her lips. “You tell me because that’s what I’m trying to find out. So what up?” she barked with attitude.

J-Rite was hoping that Asia wasn’t about to make a scene, but Asia had other plans as she looked around the table. She knew everybody but Dino and Leesa. “No wonder you ain’t called me back. You too busy trying to fuck with this funny-style duck and hang with these hoes!”

Raven never really cared too much for Asia when she’d come in the strip club with Buzzy. She only tolerated her because she was making it rain from time to time, trying to stunt. But now, not only were they outside of the club, they were in an entirely different city. “Who you calling a ho, fat, pussy-slobbering-tongue bitch?” Raven yelled, getting up, ready to do battle.

“Hey, look, honey, you better watch your mouth. The only reason I ain’t up right now kicking off into your burly ass is because you my li’l sister’s peeps. So don’t press your luck.”

J-Rite jumped up. “Chill, y’all, I got this. Asia, you need to watch your damn mouth! You always extra, and that’s what the problem is. That’s why I ain’t fucking with you like that. You wanna be on that stunna shit, and I don’t.”

Damn, so she is out here in the streets heavy. I knew she was the chick from Detroit they keep talking about is on the come up.
Dino leaned back in his chair with his arms folded. He wasn’t in the habit of hitting women, but if he had to sock this Asia carpet muncher in the mouth to get her off his soon-to-be girl, then so be it. Asia would be nursing a bloody grill.

“Oh, it’s like that, J-Rite? Buzzy locked up, and you like fuck me!”

“Yeah, you be on some other shit, so it is fuck you!”

“Fine, don’t rock with me. But remember, I was the one that was bringing you that work every week, so watch how you move, pretty girl,” Asia dry threatened as she stormed off all up in her feelings.

“Sorry you had to see that.” J-Rite turned her attention to Dino who had remained silent taking the whole altercation in.

“Naw, bae, you ain’t gotta apologize. You handled your business. But why don’t we just break out before she come back and y’all get to thumping. She seems mighty heated still.”

“Fuck that bird; she don’t want it.” Leesa stuck out her chest talking shit, and Raven followed her lead. “But Dino is right. Niggas all looking at us like we some animals on display. Let’s just call it a night. I’ma have Leesa drop me off. I’ll see you later at the crib, I guess,” Raven giggled, winking at her.

As they were walking to the door, J-Rite noticed two guys looking at her. She walked closer to get a better look. To her surprise, it was her friends from back home, Tone and Mario. Both were caught up in the foster care system as she was so they bonded together. They were her surrogate brothers when Hutch had not been around. They always went hard for her, and she would return the favor if need be. They’d lost touch over the past few years, so seeing them was nothing more than a blessing.

“What up, Jessica?” Tone excitedly shouted, swooping her up in his strong arms as Dino looked on, not saying a word.

“Hey, Tone! What y’all doing up here?” her smile was as wide as it could get as she was hugging him.

“We heard there’s money up here, so you already know,” Mario, the younger brother, nodded his head while rubbing his chin, checking both Raven and Leesa out.

J-Rite wrote her number down, telling them that she had some work on the floor and to get in touch with her ASAP. “Call me, y’all, so we can get it all the way popping.”

Leaving the club, they saw Asia near the entrance trying to push up on some female. Wanting to avoid any more confrontation, Dino ushered all the women out the door, urging them to just let the petty bullshit go. After making sure Leesa and Raven drove safely off, he and J-Rite got in her car and headed to get a room just as they’d discussed on the dance floor when a slow song was playing. Asia may have messed up the evening with her over-the-top antics, but the rest of the night belonged to them.

“I like the way these look; they so cute,” Leesa mumbled to herself referring to the strapless heels she was trying on. No matter how she was feeling, shoe shopping always put her mind at ease.

“They look really good on you,” a male’s voice suddenly chimed in.

Here we go with this shit!
She turned around, surprised at who it was.
What the hell he doing in a lady’s shoe store? He was probably shopping for his girlfriend.

“Hey, Miss Lady. How you doing?” the guy from the grocery store who was holding her bag hostage inquired.

“I’m fine, and you?” Leesa replied, not caring to speak, just being polite.

“I never properly introduced myself. I’m Q.”

“Q? What’s that, a nickname? You kinda old for a nickname, don’t you think?”

“Well, my first name is really weird, so I go by my first initial.”

“Do you wanna know what it is?”

“What? What is it?” Leesa frowned.

“My name? Oh, you lost focus . . . probably fantasizing about me, huh?”

Damn, it’s like he reading my mind.
“Now, why in the entire hell would I be fantasizing about your corny ass? And, no, I don’t wanna know your name! Plus, I told you I’m married once before; now stop bothering me.”

He was surprised. His ego was bruised. He began to walk off feeling defeated. “You don’t have to worry. I’ll leave you the fuck alone. No disrespect intended. Have a blessed day.”

Leesa felt horrible about the way she carried on. She didn’t mean to act like she did.
He really wasn’t bothering me. Why do I feel so bad about it?
She grabbed her things and walked toward the counter where he was in line paying for some shoes.
I wonder who he’s buying shoes for.
She got a look at the shoes. They were stiletto heels
. I know he ain’t buying them for his mom. The nigga in here trying to talk to me, and he got a woman. Just like a nigga. I’m really ’bout to give him a piece of my mind soon as we leave this store. Here I am feeling bad, and this nigga out here trying to get his mack on. He done tried the wrong bitch!
Leesa hated to be taken for a fool. Her pride and attitude were two things that made her make most of her decisions—good or bad.

Q paid for the shoes, then walked out of the store. Leesa didn’t know exactly what she was going to say, but he wasn’t going to like it. She knew that for sure.

Why does it even matter if he tried to talk to me and he has a woman? It ain’t like I gave him my number, but he did try to play me.
An older woman in front of Leesa purchased her items and also left. Leesa was next. She paid for her things, then started walking around the mall in hopes of finding Q. Finally she spotted him and headed in his direction. He saw her coming his way and gave her the coldest look any man has ever given her. That expression made Leesa momentarily second-guess her next move.
Why the fuck is he looking at me like that?
Leesa noticed a very pretty lady walking toward him. The lady’s presence made his hard look turn into a smile.
Oh, this must be his woman.
The lady walked up to Q, and they started talking.

“Hey, Q. So how in the hell you gonna try to talk to me and you have a woman? That’s the problem with niggas now. They think they can do whatever the fuck they want!”

“What are you talking about?” the lady interjected with a frown.

“I’m talking about how your man was just all in my face trying to kick it when you wasn’t around.”

Q shook his head in disgust.
If I knew she was this crazy, I would have never tried to talk to her ass. But she does look good mad. It’s always the fine ones; that’s a damn shame.
“Okay, lady, are you done?” Q finally had enough of her behavior.

Am I done? This nigga got a lot of fucking nerve! And she ain’t said shit. She must know he ain’t shit.
“Yeah, Negro, I’m done,” Leesa fired back while starting to walk off.

“Naw, don’t go now. I want you to meet my sister. This is . . . Well, sorry, crazy lady; I never got your name.”

“Your
sister?
”

“Yeah, now if you don’t mind, we have things to do.” Q shook his head as he and his sister walked away leaving Leesa standing there to act a fool by herself.

And she felt like a complete idiot.
What the hell’s wrong with me? I’m acting real fucking stupid. That shit doesn’t make sense. This ain’t even my character.
Back in her car, as she drove, she was having a hard time getting Q off her mind.
I wonder if I’ll ever see him again. I know he think I’m crazy as hell.

Pulling up in her driveway she noticed a box sitting on her porch. Upon opening it, Leesa discovered several dead roses.
Who the fuck sent this shit?
After checking for a card and finding none, the hood diva went in the house, gun in hand. Checking every room, thankfully, she found nothing.
I’m starting to slip. I gotta watch my ass. I know it ain’t the nigga from the club. He couldn’t have found out where I stay, so who the fuck could it be? And if it is him, then, he gonna have a real problem on his hands.

* * *

When J-Rite walked in the apartment Raven was stretched out on the couch. Hearing the door shut, she leaped to her feet. “Okay, tramp, I want to know
everything,
and don’t leave shit out!”

“Girl, yo’ ass is crazy,” J-Rite giggled like a small girl about to share a secret. “All I can say is, I don’t have any complaints.”

“Well, damn, the nigga must’ve torn that ass up, ’cause you walking funny as hell.”

J-Rite went in the bathroom. Taking a hot shower she felt refreshed. No sooner than she stepped a foot out, her phone started to ring. Wrapping a towel around her wet body, she prayed it was Dino. Looking at the caller ID it read
Private
.

“Yeah, who is this?”

“How are you doing, Jessica Sanders?” a male’s voice spoke, but she didn’t recognize who it was.

“Who the hell is this?”

“You know who this is, you little bitch.”

“Look, I ain’t got no time for games!” J-Rite hung up, not in the mood for no dumb shit.

The phone rang once more.

“Yeah, nigga?” she shouted, answering the phone.

“Just keep being tough. We’ll see if you and your sister Leesa like begging for y’all life. Thought y’all were gonna get down on my girls and it was gonna be nothing behind it. Naw, I don’t roll like that! Get ready for a real playa to step up to the plate!”

“Bitch, I’m from the D, so fuck you, pussy nigga! Eat a dick.” J-Rite knew from that point on, they were going to have to handle Tyrus much sooner than later.

“What the fuck was that all about?” Raven burst into the bathroom having overheard her homegirl yelling.

“Hold tight. I’ma tell you in one minute. Let me just call Leesa and see if she good her way,” J-Rite answered. “Hey, sis. I just got a call from that old fag Tyrus.”

“About what?” she suspiciously barked. “Wait a minute, how the fuck he get your number in the first place?”

“I don’t know, but he knows my freaking government name; yours too.”

“You know what? We need to take care of this nigga. We need to put together a team before shit really gets outta order.”

“I got the perfect goons for the job. Leave it to me. I’ma ’bout to hit ’em up.”

Raven had stood mute long enough waiting to hear what the deal was. “All right, damn, you gonna tell me what the fuck is going on or what?” Raven sat listening. When J-Rite was finished, she then asked questions. “Well, what Leesa talking about? Y’all got a plan or what?”

“First, she gonna try to find out all about this lame. We know his first name and the club he owns, but that’s it. We need to know where he lay his damn head at!”

“Fo’sho! Well, we gonna have to take care of this! You know how I feel about playing games with beef.” Raven didn’t believe in sitting around and letting things happen. She lost her parents like that. Her father had gotten into it with a guy and took the situation too lightly. It ended up costing him and his wife both their lives. Raven made sure that when she had a problem she would handle it quickly.

J-Rite looked at her ringing cell phone. Although the call wasn’t
Private
, she didn’t recognize the number. “This better not be that fuck boy again.”

“Yeah, who this?”

“This Mario. What up, girl?”

“Yo, I was just about to call y’all. Come through. Let me give you the address.”

“Who that?” Raven wondered as she went to look out the front window.

“That was Mario and Tone. They on they way over, and we can handle this Tyrus situation quick. Like you say, a nigga ain’t got time to be beefing when you trying to get that money.”

J-Rite was happy to have everything going how she wanted it. She felt that the problem with Tyrus was a minor setback.
This nigga couldn’t leave well enough alone. Now, it’s a whole bunch of bullshit about to start. But we gonna end it real quick.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Tone and Mario were at J-Rite’s place. Tone was the older and calmer one. He was twenty-seven, six foot two, and 220 pounds. He wore his head bald. He was brown skinned with a nice personality. He had dark eyes and wore a goatee. His brother Mario towered over him. He was twenty-five, six foot four, 250 pounds, and wore his hair in a bald fade. He had the same eyes as his brother. They were the wrong guys to be beefing with. They could be the best or worst thing that ever happened to you.

“Yeah, like we said last night, we heard there’s money up here, J-Rite,” Mario stated before taking a sip of the Hennessy she’d poured. “And these pussies be acting like straight-up hoes up here. They act scared to give us a damn connect!”

“Acting? These busters ain’t acting; they is who they is! So y’all wanna fuck with us and get this money or what?” J-Rite planted her hands on her hips while holding court.

“It’s just you and her?” Tone smiled looking at Raven.

“Naw, my brother’s wife Leesa’s rolling with us. She’s the one that’s got the plug. I used to be copping from that nigga Buzzy before he got knocked.”

“Yeah, we know. That ho-ass motherfucker got the whole East Side of Detroit hotter than the middle of July. That’s why we up here about to rape these streets!” Mario spoke up. “So, when we gonna start getting this bread? We ready to start slanging.”

“Just gimme a few days, y’all, then we on.” J-Rite looked at Raven. Strangely, she decided not to say anything about Tyrus and his threats yet.

After the two brothers left, Raven sat down to talk to her friend. “Why you ain’t tell them about that creep?”

“I want to see what Leesa finds out first; ain’t no need to say shit just yet.”

When J-Rite and Raven pulled up to the apartment building, police were scattered everywhere.

* * *

J-Rite and Raven went to collect some of the monies owed to the team. After picking up nearly three grand, they went to the mall to shop and grab something to eat. Getting back to the neighborhood they could easily see there was sheer pandemonium taking place.

“Hey, Raven, go find somewhere to park and post up. I’ll find out what the fuck’s going on!” J-Rite said in a panicked tone as she jumped out of the car. She wasn’t worried about the police bothering her because as far as she knew, she wasn’t hot; just another face in the crowd. Rhonda and Sean saw her coming and ran up, revealing that the building had been shot up.

“Rhonda, what the fuck happened?”

“We don’t know!” Sean cut in, looking back over his shoulder.

“Damn, well, did anybody get hurt?”

“Naw, girl. Not that we know of, but who you think did this?”

“Shit, who you asking? I don’t know.” J-Rite knew who was responsible, or who, at least, she thought was; she just wasn’t telling Rhonda and Sean.
This shit done got out of hand. I can’t be trying to make money here. Ain’t no telling when this nigga gonna strike.
J-Rite called Raven and found out she was parked a few blocks over. Bending a few corners she saw the car. “Yo, girl, this nigga gotta die! We can’t keep letting this nigga get the upper hand on us like this! At first, I thought he was on some playing shit, but now things done got real. We gotta find out some shit on this nigga.” J-Rite was heated as she ran down what she knew had to pop off.

Raven’s phone rang before she could respond to J-Rite’s declaration of Tyrus’s demise. It was her daughter. “Hold on, J, let me take this real quick. Hey, baby! Is everything all right?”

“Yeah, Momma, everything’s good. I just called to say I love you. When you coming home?”

“I’ll be home soon. How is everybody?”

“We’re all doing well. Granny misses you too. She said we getting to be too much for her.”

“Well, look, baby, Momma gotta go to work. I’ll call you later. I love you, okay?”

“I love you too, bye.”

“Damn, J, I wanna bring my family out here, but I can’t bring them out here like this. No need to put them in harm’s way, so we gotta get this shit over with.”

J-Rite was caught in her feelings, knowing Raven was right. “Don’t worry. That asshole about to fall! Now, let me call Rhonda to see if shit done died down around there and call Leesa.”

After J-Rite made sure Leesa was good, she and Raven headed back to the building. J-Rite knew with the shooting, the police were going to be watching the building more carefully. She knew that if she didn’t play it right, she ran the risk of getting busted. At this point in the game, she couldn’t afford to take any losses. Not naïve, J-Rite also had to wonder if Tyrus was going to make another move more serious than the last or was he just trying to scare them. Either way, she knew she had to get her money and get it while the getting was good.