Part 26 (1/2)

”Just trying to wrap my mind around all this s.h.i.+t we into,” Baseem slurred.

”This s.h.i.+t is about to be over. We just need a few more days,” Kayson said then headed to the bar for a gla.s.s. He returned, filled his gla.s.s to the top and took a seat.

”We got hit uptown and downtown, we have a few men down. But, I got people on it no worries. I just needed to sit the f.u.c.k down and remember what we are doing this for,” he took the gla.s.s to his lips.

”And?”

”They found Pete and Chucky in Hoboken.”

”Yeah, they was living foul. I had some people on that. They say some b.i.t.c.h hit them.” Kayson stated smoothly.

”Where was your wife last night?” Baseem asked raising his brow.

”You never know. Her a.s.s be in the shadows laying n.i.g.g.as down.” Kayson said taking his shot to the head.

”I got Tweet and his crew looking into it. I told everybody to be cool until we can get a handle on this s.h.i.+t. We got to much money at risk.”

”Okay keep me informed.” Kayson paused to gage his mood. ”What else is on your mind?” Kayson asked taking his drink down and poring another.

”I f.u.c.ked around and caught that s.h.i.+t from you,” Baseem said then reached over and grabbed his blunt and lit it up.

”What the f.u.c.k you talking about?” Kayson asked raising his brow.

”That love s.h.i.+t.” He shook as he said it.

”Oh s.h.i.+t, not you. Let me find out Mr. f.u.c.k that b.i.t.c.h, done caught a feeling or two. Which one is it this time?” he laughed.

Baseem again shook his head. ”Goldie.”

”n.i.g.g.a you going to h.e.l.l,” Kayson joked.

”I know I been f.u.c.ked up about that s.h.i.+t. You know Night is my brother, that s.h.i.+t just happened,” Baseem spilled his guts as if he was sitting in confessional.

”Which part, the you just so happened to fall in her p.u.s.s.y part, or you just so happened to fall in love part?” Kayson continued to f.u.c.k with him.

”Man f.u.c.k you,” Baseem slurred.

”Nah, on the real. It's all good. I know my brother, he would want his son to have a good father and he d.a.m.n sure wouldn't want no duck a.s.s n.i.g.g.a hitting his p.u.s.s.y in his absence,” Kayson tried to lighten his mood. ”You got my blessings. Just don't hurt her.”

”I got you.” Baseem knocked fist with Kayson.

”What about Corporate America?”

”Me and little mama cool but she ain't the one.” He pulled thick smoke into his lungs and blew it in the air.

”That's good to hear, cause KoKo sent that p.u.s.s.y after you,” Kayson said then sat back.

Baseem dropped his smile. ”Get the f.u.c.k outta here.”

Kayson shrugged his shoulders. ”She had to make sure you was straight.”

”n.i.g.g.a you serious?”

”Don't even sweat that s.h.i.+t. KoKo hooked yo a.s.s up,” he chuckled ”That's f.u.c.ked up, but thank her for me.” He lifted his gla.s.s into the air. ”I owe her a.s.s.” He continued then swallowed the rest of his drink and refilled his gla.s.s.

”Boooyy... I done lived to see the day this m.u.t.h.af.u.c.ka done fell in love,” Kayson burst into laughter. ”I told yo punk a.s.s.”

”I know that s.h.i.+t had me depressed at first. I didn't know whether use a bullet or poison.”

They both laughed hard at the visual.

”You got that s.h.i.+t. You'll be straight. I don't have any advice for you thou, you know KoKo be driving my a.s.s f.u.c.kin' crazy. All I can say is good luck n.i.g.g.a.”

”That's f.u.c.ked up.” Baseem just put his head down and chuckled.

Kayson and Baseem sat for the next hour joking back and forth then silence fell over the room. They had both retreated into their thoughts and then Baseem spoke. ”Every day we touch something that threatens to take the lives of the people we love.”

Kayson took a few swigs and tossed some thoughts around of his own. ”We have been marching for a long time and we are at the end of a long a.s.s journey. Just a few more days Bas. Just a few more days.” He took one last gulp.

”I'm marching with you until the last m.u.t.h.af.u.c.ka is dead.” Baseem nodded taking the rest of his drink to the head.

”I already know,” Kayson confirmed Baseem's loyalty.

They finished their drinks then cleaned up and headed for the door.

”So what do we do with this n.i.g.g.a Magic?”

”Oh, I got some s.h.i.+t planned for him. He is going to curse the day his grandmother was born by the time we get done with him.”

As Kayson drove through the unforgiving streets of the city thinking about being fifteen years old and full of life hopping from one train to the next, running the city with an unseen hand a smile came over his face. In those days war was fun, you could set one strong example and everyone else would fall in line. But today, you had to kill half of a man's family in order to get him to bend. Kayson was losing good men that trusted him with their lives, and bringing their wives and families stacks of crisp hundred dollar bills and his condolences wasn't enough to erase their pain.

Kayson walked into his bas.e.m.e.nt and looked around the room with a heavy heart. As his eyes wondered over each area, a flood of memories took over his mind. Many nights he had stood in that room with men he loved and trusted; and now each one of them were only a memory of the men that once were his right hand and confidants. Kayson pulled his s.h.i.+rt over his head and removed his boots. He walked to the bar and poured himself a drink then took a seat on the deep red sofa. He grabbed the remote and turned on the satellite radio.

His mind was heavy and his heart panged with the idea that he and his wife were now as close as strangers. Kayson had sacrificed so much and lost so many in his quest to clean the blood off of his name and keep his family safe. His thoughts always went to, Was it all for nothing? He had a wife he could no longer communicate with, which threatened the very fiber of his family and weakened the reason for which he breathed each breath.

Kayson took a few sips of his drink, sat it on the coffee table, then put his head back and closed his eyes. His soul needed peace and there was no way to go forward without having his home in order.

KoKo had sat up in the bed and listened intently when she heard the alarm being reset. She grabbed her gun and moved to the monitors. When she saw Kayson seated on the coach in the bas.e.m.e.nt, relief took over her mood. She put her gun back in place, threw on her white silk robe, tied the belt in a bow and headed to where he rested.

When KoKo walked off the elevator, she knew what needed to happen. Her pride had destroyed some of the love in her marriage and she was tired. Her soul had taken all it could bear, and it was time for her to set herself free.

Kayson opened his eyes and lifted his head to see KoKo standing in the doorway with her arms folded over her chest. He sat up and just stared into her pretty brown eyes. There was only a few feet between them, but it felt as if they were worlds apart.

”I don't want to fight with you anymore, baby,” KoKo said a little over a whisper as tears weld up in her eyes.

”Come here,” he commanded.