A Hustler's Son II (8 page)

“There his mother go,” Prangsta said pointing at a woman wrestlin’ wit’ two grocery bags in her hands. She had just gotten off the public bus. “Maybe she can tell us where he at.”

Jarvis instructed the driver to pull over as he hopped out the car. I remained seated wit’ a perfect view from the inside. The woman was startled at first when she heard someone call out to her, but smiled having seen Jarvis’ face. She must’ve trusted him. But like a woman who knows her rapist, her expression immediately changed to terror.

Without warning he back handed the elderly woman to the ground and her blue knit hat flew off exposing her long beautiful gray hair. Then he choked her in the middle of the yard with witnesses watching.

“Where your son, bitch?!” he yelled, manhandling her.

I looked at the driver who shook his head in disgust and then focused back on Jarvis. His nephew who had seen enough horror for the day lie quietly in the back seat.

“Well you make sure you tell both of them this. If they don’t have my money by tomorrow night, I’ma come back here and beat your ass everyday ‘til my debt is paid. You hear me?” He smacked her again. Blood escaped her cut lips. “You betta make sure you tell em! Every fuckin’ day!”

He released his hold and rummaged through her pockets. He smiled when he found a little cash. Afterwards he grabbed two pieces of fruit from the bag. A few of the neighborhood dealers looked at him with hate but not one of them helped her out.

“What? Ya’ll want some of me too?” he asked with his arms raised. The yard fell silent. “I said do anyone of you mothafuckas want it wit’ me?!” He pointed to himself. Silence. “I run New York and everybody in it! Nobody fucks wit’ me or my money!”

Prangsta stayed by his side while he ranted and raved. And when Jarvis was done, he said something to Prangsta and he came back to get the kid. Together, they walked off.

Once back inside the car Jarvis’ face was still distorted until he closed the door and looked at me. He must’ve told Prangsta to roll and take his nephew with him.

“Take me back to my crib,” he told the driver before looking at me. “Hungry?”

I nodded yes.

“Doby, take us to Manhattan instead. My lady hungry back here.” He handed me one of the two apples he’d taken from the old woman. “You my lady right?” he asked stroking my leg harder. His question was odd and childlike but I had become aware of his weaknesses. Women.

“I don’t know…what you gonna do to convince me to be your lady? I mean, you hardly even know me.”

“All you need to know is this…I run New York and everybody in it. And if you by my side, you can have whateva you want. Can you handle that?”

“I can handle it.”

“You gonna be happy you said that,” he winked. “You gonna spend the rest of
your
life with me.” The rest of
my
life? I thought. Why not
ours
? Everything in me told me I should leave, and cut him off but I couldn’t. He was a total stranger who committed enough crimes in front of me today to get him life. He wasn’t stable. He wasn’t normal. Yet I found him interesting and couldn’t leave.

“We’ll see,” I told him. “We’ll see.”

And when I looked away from him to glance through my window, I saw that same car that had been sitting outside of the hotel earlier wit’ the same man inside. I was so nervous my stomach began to churn. I looked away. Looked back. And he was gone.

Who was he?!

Monday, 9:33 pm

****

Just cuz my actions are slow don’t mean I ain’t quick.

-Kelsi

When Kyope and his crew got in, I took a deep breath and sat back into the old wooden chair. The two loud mouth niggas on my left were drowned out. And the music which at first kept me company, I could no longer hear. I was enveloped in silence. Unconsciously…I grabbed the glass which held the remnants of my drink and slid it back and forth on the table. I had to do somethin’. Because what I really wanted to do was wrap my hands ‘round Kyope’s throat. But everything in time. My time.

I couldn’t believe after all the months of plannin’, shit was finally gettin’ ready to pop off. The club was jumpin’ as usual. Niggas removed they rings and acted like they was single just to get a better lap dance from the baddest stripper’s in New York. Big Kuntry’s,
The Baddest
blared from the speakers as the dancers did what they did best. Seduce. I had my mind on one thing. Murder.

The only thing ‘bout my plan was if Kyope
really
knew my mother outside of her being just Jarvis’s girl, he’d recognize me. Even with the shades I never took off. From what she told me, Jarvis and Kyope were always together. Outside of bein’ a little older, my features were the exact same. I did allow time to grow a beard which is one of the reasons why I didn’t approach him right away. My only flaw was the tattoo I had on my arm. I got it after my moms died. It read,
Kelsi AKA K-Man loves you Ma. RIP
. K-Man was the nickname she gave me which I use to hate. What I wouldn’t give to hear her say it now.

As always, Kyope’s crew was loud. I counted four of them. Kyope ain’t say much, but his squad was on some other shit. I sat quietly in the table next to them. I could hear every word they said…
clearly
.

“I’m ’bout to tell you what happened again cuz I know you don’t believe me,” Prangsta said, after they all took they seats. He had on a heavy red jacket even though the weather outside ain’t call for all that shit. I’m pretty sure he was concealin’ a weapon. “I went to this club a few months back and these two bitches asked me over to the bar. So I goes ova and we get to drinkin’…and they start talkin’ ‘bout all the shit they wanna do to me. You shoulda heard em’!”

“Hold up,” Spikes, another one of Kyope’s crew members interrupted. He rubbed his chin and looked up at the ceilin’ briefly. “Did they start stroking your dick at the bar and offer to take you to the bathroom to fuck?” he questioned Prangsta.

“Yeah,” Prangsta nodded, excitedly. “How you know? I told you this story already?” They all looked at each other and exchanged dialogue with they eyes. Once again he was swag jackin’.

“Nigga you ain’t tell me that story. I told
you
that story! Always stealin’ other niggas lives cuz ya own shit too borin’.” They all laughed while Prangsta did his best to conceal his embarrassment.

I learned from my surveillance that Prangsta was the muscle but also a liar. He would tell stories other people told him like he actually lived it. The thing about it was, he really believed half of the shit he said. The nigga is pathetic. But outta all of ‘em, he was the one I had to worry ‘bout. Not cuz he was vicious but cuz he acted on impulse.

“That shit ain’t happen to you! It happened to me!” Prangsta responded.

“Nigga, stop lyin,” Kyope laughed. “If it wasn’t you, it wasn’t you.”

“I’m serious, man! That shit
did
happen to me! Straight up!” Prangsta put his right hand on his heart and placed the other hand in the air like he was bein’ sworn in or some shit. They all busted out in laughter and his hands fell to his lap in defeat.

“Put ya dumb ass hand down! Ain’t no need in talkin’ ‘bout it no more. You takin’ lives! Simple as that,” Spikes sat back in his seat and folded his arms.

They all laughed harder.

Spikes and Prangsta stayed goin’ at it. Like brothers. Tall with deep dark skin, Spikes reminded me of Stringer Bell from the show,
The Wire
. From what I could gather, Kyope trusted him more cuz on more than one occasion, he and Kyope would leave the others to talk privately.

“Ya’ll laughin’,” Spikes continued. “But this nigga be really believin’ half the shit he tell us.” The laughter softened and Kyope focused on Spikes.

“You laughin’, Spikes, but how come none of us have
ever
seen you wit’ no certified bitch? You act like you don’t fuck wit’ pussy, I ain’t even sure if that story Prangsta tried to jack was really
your
story.” They all cosigned and waited for his answer.

“You don’t see me wit’ none cuz ain’t no certified bitches out here, slim. So
when
and
if
you do see me wit’ one, best believe she’ll be under lock and key,” Spikes said as the waitress came over bringin’ they usual drinks.

“You sure that’s it?” Kyope questioned. “Cuz I can’t have not botty-boy on my team.”

“Whateva, man. Just cuz I ain’t trippin’ off females don’t mean I don’t love pussy. I probably get more pussy than all you mothafuckas put togetha! I just don’t brag on mine all the time.”

I was still listenin’ ‘til “O” walked up to me. She was wearin’ a red lace bodysuit and every curve of her body was revealed.

“What time you want me to do it, Aven?” Orgasmic asked, runnin’ her tongue over her lips. She sat on me, pretendin’ to give me a lap dance so that our conversation wouldn’t look suspicious.

Wit’ the thickness of her ass in my lap, I whispered, “Do it now.”

Her head turned slightly so she could see me. The smell of weed and perfume lingered in the air next to her. She must’ve smoked the dro I gave her earlier so she could relax. I was happy cause this bitch tried to bail out on me three times since our agreement. After I told her how much it would mean to me, she agreed to go through with it. Her eyes told me she hoped afterwards, I’d be wit her.

“Aven…don’t worry, I’m not gonna let you down,” she said softly windin’ her hips in my lap harder.

I told her my name was Aven. It was sure for Avenge.

“I ain’t worried. I know you got me on this. But I’ma need you to do it in the next five minutes,” I told her as she started windin’ like she was puttin’ in work for real. “You remember what you ‘sposed to do, right?”

“Yep. Cuz after this, I’m goin’ back to Atlanta. Ain’t nothin’ here for me no way but trouble. Just make sure you give me my money.”

I knew O wasn’t doin’ this for the two thousand dollars I promised her after it was done. She was doin’ it for me. I don’t know what brought her up from Atlanta, cuz I never asked, but I knew strippin’ wasn’t in her blood. I neva asked too many questions ‘bout her past cuz I ain’t want her askin’ me shit ’bout mine.

“Okay…let me get ready.” She eased off me
just
before I got hard. I slid her a $20 bill to make the fake lap dance appear legit. “I gotta smoke again,” she said before she disappeared into the thickness of the club. When she was gone, I focused back on my target. Kyope had just gotten off a call and appeared vexed. I listened closer to what he was sayin’.

“Where, Jarvis at?” Kyope questioned his men, placin’ his phone back on his hip. “A lot of shit been happenin’ in the past few months and I’m sick of excuses.”

“He wit’ that bad ass bitch I was tellin’ you ‘bout earlier. He ain’t comin’ out tonight, Kyope. You know wit’ that shit that just happened wit’ his sister.” Prangsta told him. Kyope sipped on his drink and I could tell he was tryin’ to calm down.

“You want anotha one?” The waitress asked, Kyope. He said no and then she asked Crane.

Crane was also muscle but he had a flaw. He was deaf. When I asked O how it happened, she said she didn’t know much about him. Just that he was shot in one ear and the bullet went out the other. Although he was deaf, he could read lips. He was nicknamed Crane cuz he always wore a navy blue one piece uniform and a navy blue hat. The work uniform came from
Crane Construction
company, the place he use to work before he got wit’ Kyope.

When Crane nodded that he wanted the usual,
E & J Brandy
on ice, O seductively walked over to the table. I sat up straight to get a better view wit’out starin’ too hard. And when I did, I saw Crane lookin’ at me. We made eye contact a few times in the past and I never understood why. He always seemed to be focused on me. Like he was studyin’ me or somethin’. Sometimes I thought he was on to me. And other times I charged it to bein’ ‘noid.

Anyway, O walked out like a superstar. Her body was unreal. I neva saw a waist so small that led to an ass so phat. She reminded me of my ex-girl Keisha and that jive fucked me up. She was obviously more loose than usual. She must’ve added a drink wit’ her smoke.
Shiiiiittttt
…whateva she needed to do to make it work, I was wit’. And she had her victims captivated. Everyone but Spikes.

“Damn girl,” Prangsta yelled damn near spillin’ his drink on the table. “It’s like that?” he continued admirin’ her thick legs. I don’t know but for some reason…it seemed like he was tryin’ too hard.

O ain’t acknowledge shit they was sayin’. She moved a few drinks on the table they surrounded and eased on top of it. She held the red net purse that protected her possessions closely.

Sittin’ on the table, she leaned back so that her legs could sway back and forth in the air like scissors. Movin’ her thongs to the side, she winked at them as she showed them her juice box. Prangsta and Crane stood up to get a better view, while Kyope eyed her from where he sat. Spikes acted as if she wasn’t even there. In less than two minutes, O was able to get them to bring they guards down. It was exactly what we wanted.

“Damn!” Prangsta said grabbin’ his dick. “You fat as shit! I can fuck that pussy right?”

She ignored the question and said, “If you like that than watch this,” she smiled.

Taking Kyope’s empty Corona bottle, she injected it slowly into her pussy. Then she threw her head back and her golden colored hair fell on her shoulders before brushin’ the table lightly. Niggas wit’ camera phones was in full flick mode. O was killin’ ‘em and now she had the attention of other people in the area too. The girl on the stage dancin’ sat down on the edge and watched. For this moment, she was gettin' no love. O performed like she was enjoyin’ every minute of it and for a second, I wondered if she did.