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  “Say no more. One.” Teddy hung up.

  Dink twirled around in the chair, smiling, and asked, “Where he at?”

  Teddy checked his text messages before putting his phone down on the table and answering his big brother. “On the East.”

  Dink grabbed his car keys and jumped up out of the chair. “Okay. Let’s go.”

  When Dink and Teddy pulled up, they saw Bee talking to a bitch named Niki. She wasn’t a dime piece, but she was a good look for a side piece. Dink pulled right beside them and rolled down the window. “Yo, Bee, you slipping. Get in. Now.”

  Bee looked at Dink and nodded before giving Niki his attention again. “Hit my line, girl, and we’ll get up on a room and do a li’l something-something.”

  “Okay, boo.” She kissed him on the neck before he hopped in the car with Dink and Teddy. “What’s up with y'all niggas?” Bee asked, lounging in the backseat.

  Dink eyed him through the rearview mirror. “The question is, what’s up with you, my nigga? You been off the grid. Not answering yo’ phone. What’s up?”

  Bee smirked. “Damn, bro,” he said to Dink, “we keepin’ tabs now? I’m doin’ what everybody else is doin’. Me.”

  Dink continued to look at his youngest brother through the rearview mirror. “Well, while you been out doin’ you, somebody shot yo’ shit up. Yo’ girl down bad in the hospital.”

  Bee sat up straight before leaning on the back of Teddy’s seat. “Teddy, this nigga got jokes or a jones in his bones?”

  Teddy shook his head with a serious facial expression. “Bee, my nigga, do it sound or look like a nigga playing?”

  “Shit,” Bee said nervous. “How’s she doing? Is she okay?”

  “Far as I know, she is,” answered Teddy. “Ma is going to check on her. Who do you think did it?”

  “Fuck if I know,” Bee said angrily, “but when I find out, the muthafucka dead.” As they rode, Bee's phone went off. “Talk to me.”

  A man’s voice came through the phone from the other line. “It’s Rodney. Need to see you. Got somebody you and yo’ brothers would love to meet.”

  It sounded like business to Bee. He perked up and pushed the personal shit to the side and dealt with the caller. “Where?”

  “Spot on Corn Street,” Rodney said.

  “A’ight. Be there in an hour,” Bee told him before he hung up. He looked in Dink’s eyes through the mirror and said, “Corn Street, my nigga.”

  “Got you,” Dink said and switched lanes.

  Chapter Five

  Sopia had picked up Sabrina and they were at the party. Sopia was already buzzed from the bud she’d smoked on the way there. She was feeling the vibe.

  “Girl, this bitch spot is off the chain!” Sabrina yelled over the music. Sabrina was dressed in a black spandex cat suit and wearing heels to set it off.

  “Monica got it jumpin’!” Sopia yelled back to her.

  Sopia, herself, was putting on. Dressed in an all-black Polo body dress that stopped right above her knees and heels, she was a dime piece at the party. The body dress was fitting and hugging every curve, and there wasn’t a nigga and some bitches there who weren’t checking her out.

  They grooved to the music and watched the door swing open. A crew of niggas dressed to impress came striding through. The one out front started yelling. “Oh shit! Looks like that whole South in this bitch! It’s gon’ be a fight before the end of the night!”

  Sopia looked at Sabrina, who was getting amped by the minute. Seeing the expression on her homegirl’s face, Sabrina yelled, “What, Sopia?”

  “Brina, bitch, you know I’m ready for whatever,” Sopia said, riding Sabrina’s hype.

  The crew they’d seen pulled up on them. Sabrina took the limelight. “What’s up, niggas? I’m Sabrina and this my girl Sopia! She down!”

  The young player up front laughed as he responded to Sabrina’s invitation. “That’s the business! We’ll get up before the night is over!”

  They went on their way, leaving Sopia and Sabrina dancing. As Sabrina dropped it low, twerking to “Whistle While You Twerk”, the door swung open, and in walked the Slaughter Boyz with Lil Will leading the crew. Sabrina stopped in midstride and grabbed Sopia by the arm. “Oh shit! Hide!”

  Sopia looked at her, confused. “For what?!”

  “Yo’ nigga here!” Sabrina yelled. “I thought you said he was in Boston!”

  Still confused about what was going on, Sopia frowned. “What?”

  “Bitch, the Slaughter Boyz are here! Look!” Sabrina turned her homegirl’s face in the direction of the door. Immediately, her eyes met Lil Will’s.

  “Dammit,” Sopia said, irritated. “Come on!”

  They walked over to where Lil Will and his crew stood taking in the scene. Sopia kissed him on the lips lustfully. “Hey boo. When did you get back to Albany?” she asked.

  He didn’t answer. However, he turned his attention to her friend. “Who you got here with you?”

  “My homegirl Sabrina,” she said.

  “That’s what’s up. Have fun. I’ll catch up with you before the party is over,” Lil Will said.

  “Okay, boo,” a dreamy-eyed Sopia said.

  Lil Will and his entourage strolled on in, making small talk with some of the people as they moved through the crowd. Sabrina spotted someone and pulled Sopia to the side, breaking her out of La-La land. “Damn, bitch. Snap out of it,” she told Sopia playfully.

  Still in a partial dream state, Sopia said, “I’m good. What’s up?”

  “Ain’t that Kay? This bitch got nerves showing up anywhere I’m at,” Sabrina said angrily.

  Sopia looked over near the front door. “Yeah, that’s the bitch, but fuck her. Let’s enjoy ourselves.”

  “You right,” Sabrina said before getting back into her groove.

  Sabrina screamed at the top of her lungs, “I’m gonna get some good dick tonight!”

  Everybody in earshot laughed and kept partying. Sabrina was in rare form on the dance floor. She noticed a slim, tall brother watching her from the bar.

  “Who’s that nigga over there?” Sabrina asked Sopia while pointing in his direction.

  Sopia looked. “Girl, that’s Henry.”

  “Damn. What’s he ’bout?” Sabrina asked curiously.

  “That work from what I hear on the North,” answered Sopia.

  “That’s what’s up. ’Cause a bitch needs both in her life,” Sabrina said, watching as he moved from the bar to stand in a corner out of the limelight.

  Henry was standing off in a corner observing the scene when his eyes locked in on Sabrina and Sopia. He turned to Mike. “Who’s that?”

  Mike looked at her, uninterested. “That would be Sabrina, my nigga.”

  “Don’t that bitch Sopia be with Kerria?” Henry asked Mike.

  “Yup,” Mike said before sipping on his Miller’s Genuine Draft.

  “And them hoes down with the Slaughter Boyz Right,” asked Henry?

  “Yup,” Mike said before looking at Henry out of the corner of his left eye. “You fiendin' over the bitch or something?”

  “What, nigga?” Henry said, feeling offended. “Don’t play with me.”

  “What you saying, my nigga?” Mike shot back.

  “Whatever you think, my nigga,” Henry said sarcastically. “Play pussy and get fucked!”

  Just as the blows were about to start, Sabrina and Sopia walked up. Sopia spoke to them both. “Henry. Mike. What’s up?”

  “Damn, Sopia. What’s good, sexy?” asked Henry as he gave her a hug.

  Mike just spoke politely.

  She could tell by their body language shit was about to get real. “It looked like y'all two niggas was ’bout to hit.”

  “Nothing serious. Just some nigga shit,” Henry said in a cool manner. “Ain’t that right, Mike?” Mike nodded in agreement.

  While they were talking, Kerria approached the scene, tipsy as hell. She gave Sopia a hug. “Hey girl!”

  �
�What you doing on the South, Kerria?” Sopia asked.

  “Nah, bitch. What you doing out without letting a bitch know?” she shot back.

  Sopia laughed. “Sabrina talked a bitch out of the cage. Said I’m in need of therapy to get the nigga Lil Will off my mind.”

  Kerria laughed so hard that it hurt her stomach. “They say that fresh out of prison dick will do that to you.”

  Kerria was the down for anything bitch from the hood. She was the type that if you were in a bind and needed a spot to lay low for a while, you just had to check in and pay your dues. She wasn’t bad-looking either. At 5’9” and boot black, she was curvy in all the right places.

  Henry saw the girls were on their girlie shit, and said, “Yo, Sopia, I’m ’bout to bounce. You girls need anything, holla at me.”

  Sopia gave him a hug. “We’ll keep you in mind, Henry.”

  Before Henry could leave the scene, Sabrina pushed up on him strong. “As a matter of fact. What’s up with you, Henry?” Sabrina looked at him devilishly. Henry was 6’2”, 189 pounds with brown eyes.

  He said, “You, li’l mama.”

  “Check,” Sabrina said, feeling like she’d accomplished her goal. “Let me holla at you for a minute.”

  As they walked off, Mike shook his head in distaste. “Sopia, I don’t like that nigga,” he said with disgust.

  Sopia saw where this was going. “Mike, chill. Henry’s good money.”

  “Yeah, I hear ya, but something ain’t right with him,” Mike said.

  Right after watching Henry and Sabrina emerge and exchange numbers, he got up and bailed without saying anything.

  Sabrina sashayed back over to where Sopia sat. “What’s up with Mike?”

  Sopia shook her head. “Being Mike.”

  Henry was feeling himself. He couldn’t get his mind off of Sabrina – well, off her lips, tongue, and hot and wet mouth. Her head game was super official and now he was ready to see what the pussy was hitting like.

  He was prepared to free up some time and extend some currency to do it. He strolled through the parking lot over to his 7-50 Benz.

  Caught up in his thoughts, he didn’t realize he was slipping. Mike was already on him with the AK-47 on display, yelling, “Fuck nigga, if you ever try me like that again, I’m gon’ decorate the scene with yo’ ass!”

  People who were outside ran back in, which caused Sopia and Sabrina to run outside to see what was up. When Sabrina saw what was going down, she got mad. “Bitch, you seeing this shit? What the fuck that nigga got going on?

  “Being Mike,” said Sopia, trying to figure out the best way to deaden the situation. “Dammit, man.” Sopia hightailed her red ass over to Mike. “What in the hell is goin’ on?’

  Mike kept the AK leveled on Henry. “Just having a li’l friendly conversation. That’s all. Ain’t that right, my nigga?”

  “Yeah, Sopia,” Henry said, looking serious, “ain’t shit poppin’.”

  Mike stepped close up on Henry so no one could hear him. “My nigga, don’t let the looks trick you out of yo’ life.”

  Henry started taking off his jewelry. “Say, my nigga, I’m a fucking man about mines. You want to hit?”

  Mike looked at Henry and laughed. “What? Do I want to hit? Nigga, I love shooting fades. Let’s hit.”

  Mike put the AK down, and without warning, he caught Henry in the jaw with a right cross. It didn’t knock him out, but it damn sure dazed him.

  Henry shook it off. “That’s what’s up, my nigga.”

  They went at it. The street got live and loud real quick. Everybody gathered around to see the fight. Henry and Mike stood toe to toe, trading blows.

  Sopia and Sabrina decided to break up the fight. Sopia grabbed Mike, and Sabrina grabbed Henry. Both men were breathing hard and their faces was bruised.

  Mike wiped the blood from his lip. “Nigga, we can do this every day.”

  Henry spit the blood from his mouth. “Fuck every day, nigga. We can keep going right now.”

  Mike tried to break loose from Sopia. She turned him around to face her. “Mike, you need to let that shit go. I know y’all niggas are bigger than this shit.”

  He walked off. Sabrina shook her head in disbelief. She noticed the look in Henry’s eyes. “Henry, you good?”

  “I’m Gucci. But that nigga a walking corpse,” Henry said before he hopped in the Benz.

  “Can I ride?” asked Sabrina.

  He reached across to the passenger side door and opened it. “Jump in.”

  They drove off.

  Sopia found Kerria standing near the front door. “Is Lil Will still inside?”

  Kerria shook her head. “Nah. Those niggas been fled the scene. Why? What’s up, Sopia?”

  Sopia pulled her phone out. “Fuck! I got to call Bee. I know this shit ain’t over by a long shot.”

  “You might be right. ’Cause I know Henry ain’t gon’ let that shit slide. The fucked up part is, Mike knows Henry and Bee fuck with each other the long way,” explained Kerria.

  “I see where you comin’ from,” Sopia said. “What’s Sabrina dick craving ass up to?”

  “Exactly that. Sucking and fucking for pleasure while tryin to get a check,” Sopia said with a smirk.

  “I ain’t mad at her,” Kerria said girlishly.

  They laughed while walking back inside, where the party was still jumping.

  *******

  Teddy had called Bee.

  “What’s up, bro?” asked Bee.

  “Shit, my nigga,” Teddy replied. “Just letting you know them people ready to set up shop. Remember, ain’t no emotion in this shit, bro. We ’bout to get this money.”

  “Fo’ sho’, my nigga,” Bee said, feeling better knowing what was up. “Slaughter Boyz or nothin’.”

  “Facts,” Teddy agreed. Where you at now?”

  “A nigga in Washington taking care of some shit for bro,” Bee said.

  “Who, Will?” Teddy asked.

  “Yeah. He’s in Boston handling business. Well, he just flew back out this morning anyway,” Bee said, remembering they’d crashed Monica’s party last night.

  “Okay, good. I’ll go get them niggas and show them around,” Teddy said.

  “Bet,” Bee said. “I’ll drop tomorrow. One.” As he hung up, Bee smiled. Teddy was doing the same thing.

  “Damn! It’s happening! We ’bout to get this money! Now, who the fuck is this that keeps blowing my line up?” Teddy answered the phone. “Yo. Talk.”

  “Damn, nigga,” said the man on the line, “I’m calling to tell you we got a big problem.”

  “What now?” asked Teddy, feeling irritated because he wasn’t the one for having problems.

  “That nigga Mike pulled the K on Henry,” the caller said.

  Teddy set up straight in the recliner chair. “You shootin’ the shit, ain’t ya?”

  “No lie, and them niggas hit like two red nose pits,” the man replied. “And you know Henry ain’t gon’ let that go.”

  That much Teddy knew was true. He pounded his fist on the arm of the chair. “Fuck! Not now! Where these niggas at?”

  The man responded, saying, “Henry somewhere with Sabrina fucking like it’s going out of style. Like the pussy just that good. Don’t know where Mike’s crazy ass disappeared to.”

  “Appreciate the intel,” Teddy said while still thinking of a plan to stop the shit Mike and Henry had going on. “Let me see if I can get Henry on the line. A nigga ain’t got time fo’ the bullshit. We got that power play in motion.”

  “For real?” the caller replied.

  “Yeah,” Teddy answered. “Them niggas down here now. That’s why we don’t need this shit on our plate. Meet me in an hour at the Sand-Trap.”

  “Got you,” the man on the other end of the line said before hanging up.

  *******

  The party was over, and everybody was taking their drunk and high asses home - or as Monica had put it, “You ain’t got to go home, but yo’ ass leav
ing this bitch!” Only people left were her and the nigga everybody thought was gone or headed back to Boston: Lil Will

  “Girl, what’s good with you?” Lil Will asked Monica.

  “Ain’t shit. Why?” she replied moodily. “What’s on your agenda?”

  Lil Will looked surprised. “Damn, li’l mama, why you so emotional?”

  “Why you actin’ like you so concerned?” she shot back.

  Lil Will sighed. He was making an attempt to make things right with Monica, who was by far one of the baddest chocolate women in Albany, Georgia. Possibly in the whole state. At 5’2”, 138 pounds with long hair/don’t care, she was properly proportioned without children. “Look. A nigga been handlin’ a lot of business lately.”

  “So I hear,” Monica responded nonchalantly. “What brings yo’ ass over here tonight?”

  “A lot of shit,” Lil Will said while rubbing his head. “Just getting out, clearing my mind, and tryin’ to get shit moving in a new direction.”

  “Without me?” she said sarcastically. “Because it sho’ look that way. Care to explain?”

  “No. Do you,” he said with a hint of annoyance.

  Monica looked at him sideways. “For what?” Monica crossed her arms.

  Lil Will felt guilty as hell. “Come give me a hug and let’s talk about it,” he said calmly.

  That, he realized, made matters worse. Monica snapped. “Nigga, you got me fucked up for one of those hoes that’s dick crazy!”

  “Listen, Monica,” Lil Will got on the defensive side, “let’s have a nice conversation. Okay?”

  She looked at him and took a deep breath. “Nigga, you make me sick.” She walked up on him, allowing him to hug her.

  “You know you my lady,” he said in a soft tone of voice. “A nigga got so much shit goin’ on that a nigga had to be with family for a minute. We need this move, baby. Just work with me and I promise you, we will have all the time in the world.”

  “I hope we’re moving back to Bean Town,” she snapped.

  “Okay,” Lil Will responded quickly, not wanting to hype her up any more than she already was.