Chapter 2
“What makes this a safe house?” Teonny asked in a shaky voice.
His jaw clenched before he stepped over to her.
He hated that she was so shaken. Since he met Teonny three years ago, all he ever wanted was for her to feel secure in his presence.
At least secure enough to go on a date with him.
Now, seeing her outside of the gun range had to be forced. Another thing he hated.
Lately, he could tell he had been chipping away at whatever pain she experienced in her life. He wondered if this would set him back.
“Don’t nobody know about it but me,” he explained as he followed her into the living room. He loved her curious nature. Despite her frayed emotions at the moment, she wasn’t shy about being nosy. Teonny walked into his safe house like she had been there a million times before.
After taking in the bare walls, black leather couch, and mounted TV, she turned to look at him. “And that makes it safe?”
Prosper chuckled. He could tell Teonny was a ’round the way girl from the many talks they had.
He knew she grew up in the Ellway Projects, but she really didn’t know shit about the kind of life he lived.
He hoped he could put her on though. Understanding the rules he lived by could benefit anyone from any walk of life.
“We was just hit up at a place I frequent every day only because of yo’ pretty ass. I definitely say coming to a place nobody knows about is safe.”
She had no idea that he tried to never be a man of routine. Routine for someone of his stature almost always led to misfortune. She was worth breaking the rules, even now.
She nodded slowly. “Why were they after you? I still don’t understand. I . . . I killed two people . . .”
Prosper cupped her cheek. Being affectionate with her had never been hard for him, which wasn’t normal. He loved women but typically only loved them for one thing. With Teonny, it was different. He found himself wanting to touch her whenever she was near.
“Come on, Peanut. You gotta know by now I ain’t yo’ regular street nigga.”
She nodded slowly. He could see her pretty mind working. That was one thing he liked about her. She always took her time before speaking. She chose her words carefully.
“I mean, I . . . I know you’re in the streets. I guess I never really gave too much thought on how heavily.”
He smirked. She was right, but he wanted to pick her brain a bit. “How you figure I’m in the streets? You been sayin’ that since we met.”
She shrugged. “I grew up in Ellway. I know a street nigga when I see one.”
He chuckled, and then even harder when her face scrunched up at him. He loved the freckles that littered her round face. He wanted to spend time kissing on each one.
“You ain’t wrong.” He shrugged. “Ghost is an old nigga who used to run some blocks I took over. That shit was a year ago, but my guess is he’s out for my blood because of that.”
“And now I’m caught up in it?” she asked.
He really didn’t know, and he let her know as much.
“I would rather be safe than sorry. My men are cleaning the gun range up now, but we don’t know if it was anyone else there too scared to come out after they saw us droppin’ niggas.
We don’t know if they had a getaway car that saw you.
We don’t know if they got to the tapes and saw the footage before my men got there and saw you.
Your car was there when we left. What if they ran your license plate?
It’s too many unknowns, and I ain’t ’bout to play wit’ you like that. ”
She stared up at him for a long time before she let out a long breath and moved toward the couch to sit down. “You talk like you got a whole team under you.”
All Prosper could do was smirk. He could tell she picked the least scary thing to comment on because, trust, he could tell she was scared. She didn’t have to be with him though.
“Somethin’ like that. You good here for a bit? I gotta hit the streets and see what’s what. There should be some snacks and stuff in the kitchen. I’ll pick up some actual food on my way back.”
She popped up from the couch with her eyes wide. “You’re leaving?”
His heart broke at the sight of the fear on her face. He wished she would let those guards down and allow him in so he could comfort her the way he wanted, but he refrained. He didn’t want to scare her away.
Instead, he took a step forward and grabbed her hand. “You’re safe here. I promise. I’ll only be gone a few hours.”
She looked around nervously before she nodded and whispered, “Okay, but I don’t like being kidnapped and then dumped off.”
His chuckle vibrated the space between them. “For the record, I ain’t happy about what just happened. Best believe niggas will pay in blood, if for nothing else, because they scared my peanut. But I can’t say I’m upset about the fact that I had to kidnap you.”
She rolled her eyes, some of the playful banter coming back. “I bet you are.”
He pinched her chin before he stepped away. For some reason, it felt like the hardest thing he ever had to do.
He walked toward the front door but stopped just before he exited the living room and said, “Aye, you saved my life, Teonny. I ain’t ever gonna forget that. Whatever you need, it’s yours. Just name it. And that’s for life.”
He left her standing there in the middle of the living room. By the time he got into his car, his entire demeanor changed.
Prosper was officially out for blood.
“Them niggas really just ran up on you like that?” Lamar asked as he side-eyed Prosper, who drove through the streets of Ellway with his eyes peeled.
Prosper wasn’t dumb. Better yet, he knew Ghost was a dumb old nigga, but he wasn’t that dumb. No way would he show his face after making an attempt on Prosper’s life. Still, Prosper could hope.
He nodded slowly. “Just like that, and with my shorty too.”
Lamar did a double take. “Since when you got a girl, nigga? You ain’t ever claimed a bitch.”
“Peanut,” Prosper said, as if that explained everything.
Prosper could feel Lamar staring a hole in the side of his head for several long seconds before he burst into laughter.
“Nigga, I know you ain’t talkin’ ’bout shorty at the gun range. Since when she agree to be your girl?”
Prosper clenched his jaw and stayed silent.
He and Lamar had grown up together. They got into the game together, and they made all their decisions together.
While Prosper was the face of the streets, Lamar was the enforcer.
Neither was above nor below the other, because without one, the other would fall.
They made sure they got paid the same, ate the same, and lived a life of luxury, just like they always dreamed when they were young.
Lamar was the only brother Prosper had, so that nigga could get away with a lot more than the average man, like laughing at him.
Prosper let it go on for a solid minute before he cut in. “Aight, man. Enough.”
“I’m sayin’, bro,” Lamar said as he tried calming his laughter down. “It’s been how long and she ain’t give you no play? And you still walkin’ ’round here callin’ her yo’ shorty?”
Prosper shrugged as he hit the corner, almost swiping a couple of fiends that loitered in the middle of the street.
“She is mine. She just don’t know it yet. I got her at one of my safe houses right now. I need this shit handled because she’s wrapped up in it now, and I can’t have that.”
Lamar and Prosper had always been able to read each other well, so Prosper knew Lamar could tell how serious he was at the moment.
“Don’t worry, P. I already got word out. There’s a hefty price on Ghost’s head, and anyone in his crew is gettin’ capped on sight, no questions asked. We gonna get this shit together.”
Prosper’s jaw clenched. “Bet, thanks.”
“You know I got you, bro. You should really lay low ’til this shit blows over.”
“And so should you. We equals. If he after me, then he’s definitely after you too.”
Lamar waved him off. “Nigga ain’t crazy.”
Prosper shook his head. He knew his right hand. Lamar didn’t go into hiding for anyone. He had a tendency not to value his life like Prosper did. Between the two of them, Lamar was the hothead. Prosper thought ten steps ahead because he wanted to live a long and beautiful life.
“Just promise you gonna be safe, man. I need you to be good.”
“You know you ain’t got nothin’ to worry ’bout. If it makes you feel any better, I’ll lay my head at a safe house ’til this blows over, but I ain’t hidin’ out there.”
“That’s a deal.” Prosper quickly agreed. Something was better than nothing.
They pulled up to Lamar’s truck, and Lamar hopped out, untucking his gun and carrying it at his side in broad daylight. All Prosper could do was shake his head.
“I got niggas lookin’ for him. I’ll call soon as I hear somethin’.”
Prosper nodded and threw up a peace sign. As soon as Lamar closed his door, Prosper took off.
Anger simmered just underneath his skin.
He had hoped his team caught up with Ghost’s old ass before the nigga disappeared.
Ghost had his run in the streets for two decades before Prosper and Lamar put all that to an end.
Ghost had the most profitable blocks, and they wanted them, so they took them.
Their empire was stronger at that point, so it really wasn’t hard. Ghost needed to retire, anyway, in Prosper’s mind, so he did the nigga a favor. This was how Ghost repaid him? Prosper wasn’t goin’ for that. Now the nigga needed to pay in blood.
His thoughts swarmed him as he drove on autopilot.
He was still fully aware of his surroundings though.
That afternoon had definitely been a good reminder not to slack in that department.
Finally, he parked his car in the suburban grocery store parking lot and made quick work of getting everything he needed to go into hiding.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t his first rodeo, and it wouldn’t be his last. He was an expert at this kind of shopping by now.
It didn’t take him long to get back to the safe house. He made quick work of bringing all the bags inside before he went in search of Teonny. The thought of seeing her again made the shitty day somehow seem like the best ever.
“Yo, Peanut. Where you at?”
“Upstairs,” she called back.
His heart warmed as he ascended the stairs.
Something about that small interaction felt right to him, like a woman and a man who lived together.
He could get used to that. Suddenly, he kind of hoped it took some time to catch up with Ghost so he could get as much time in with Teonny’s fine ass as possible.
He walked down the short hall and poked his head into the master bedroom. There was only one other room in the house. He smiled when he saw her lying on her stomach on the king-sized bed and scrolling through her phone.
“You good in here?”
She rolled over so she faced him before she sat up. She waved her phone in the air. “My mom is freaking out.”
Prosper crossed his legs and leaned onto the door frame. “You told her what happened?”
“No,” she quickly said. “I didn’t think you’d want me to. She just has a sixth sense about things. I live with her and her boyfriend, and I would usually be home by now.”
He moved further into the room and sat on the bed. He looked at her sad face for a second. She looked like she wanted to ask him something, and he found it amusing that she wouldn’t just come out and say it.
“Is there anything you want to ask me?”
She didn’t hesitate at the opening. “Is my mama in danger since I potentially am?”
When she looked at him, she had tears in her eyes again. This time, she allowed them to fall, and he hated that. He never wanted to see her cry.
Without thinking, he asked, “Would you feel better if we went and got her?”
Her eyes widened. “Can we?”
He nodded. He didn’t really want to share his space with anyone else, but after this stint here, he would sell this place. It would be of no use to him anymore since people knew about it.
“Yeah, but I ain’t bringin’ no nigga here. You said she lived with her man?”
Teonny’s face scrunched up. “That’s fine with me. I don’t care for his ass anyway.”
Prosper nodded. As long as she understood that. Two women was one thing, but a nigga, . . . nah. He wouldn’t go for that. He didn’t trust anyone, but especially not a nigga.
“Let’s go then. We have to make it quick, and after this, we ain’t leavin’ again ’til I get shit figured out.
Long as you and ya mama can handle those rules and she don’t tell nobody where we at, y’all can stay here.
” Prosper didn’t know if she was in danger or not.
He definitely didn’t think her mother was, but he would do anything to make her happy.
If her mama being here would give her a sense of peace, he would give her that.
Like he had told her earlier, whatever she wanted would be hers. He had her for life.