Chapter 10 Kennedy
Since shooting Lomar in cold blood, catching wind of Ezekiel’s possible disloyalty, and finding out about Relic’s duplicitous behavior; Kennedy had wallowed in self-pity for too long.
She’d cried herself to sleep for nights on end, and allowed her emotions to play with her heart and mind like a game of tug of war until being dragged through the mud by the victor.
Being a weak bitch had exhausted her, so that short era was officially dead.
Kennedy had moves to make and scores to settle that couldn’t wait.
She sat on a battered couch, observing young niggas pass cups, cough syrup, chasers, and blunts around, while others were more discreet with their drugs of choice, even though she noted their daps lingered in a secret exchange.
Those were the ones using pills, or the bullshit she’d seen on Relic’s table, to hype themselves for their forthcoming play.
Once Relic gave the signal to move out, an end was coming to the one-sided beef that kept throwing a wrench in his operation.
Her nose scrunched at the cigarette stench embedded in the couch before she peered around the apartment with her eyes surveying the paint chipped walls, dingy carpet, and wooden table with a book underneath a leg.
Kennedy didn’t focus on the upkeep of the apartment long because she had a vital task that required her undivided attention.
She was locked in, watching Relic’s back while he was in a room swarming with niggas he couldn’t trust. The biggest fish had come to the pond to play, and the entire gang had come outside to witness it like Relic was a rare art piece at an exhibition.
Her eyes locked on him and Los at a table, with a few other niggas in hoodies and ski masks, loading bullets into semi-automatic weapons.
Shabu stood behind his brother, against Relic’s wishes, and that gave Kennedy a tiny sense of relief.
As if he knew she was watching, Shabu flitted his eyes at her, chucked his chin, and went back to protecting his brother while sipping from a cup she’d bet her friend would dig in his ass about.
With the kind of work he was about to put in, she figured he needed it, so she chose not to give him that reminder.
The apartment door flying open sent her hand darting inside the jacket of her hoodie pocket for her gun that the police returned after she’d requested it and given proof of ownership and registration.
Her heart lurched but settled before her eyes rolled when Pierre bopped inside with a double cup in his hand, a sluggish grin, and an impaired Drish on his tail, struggling through the doorway with his crutches.
“Who the hell invited the rejects?” she quipped and then grimaced as boisterous laughter ricocheted around the small space. Kennedy forgot how obnoxious the male species became once they got together.
“Damn, you still ain’t fucking with me yet, boss lady? Why you ain’t mad at Relic? He’s the one who told me to stalk you,” Drish said, pleading his case.
“I don’t like his ass either,” she deadpanned. Pierre sputtered a laugh before patting Drish on his shoulder.
“Don’t worry about it, gang. I’m on that list, too, but I bet she’ll come around soon. I see you’re still here, Bonnie. I thought you folded on my kinfolk after the last situation. Let me find out, you’re holding strong, and betting on the winning team.”
“And what team is that, Pierre?”
“Whatever fucking team we’re on! Act like you know it, Bonnie.”
His infamous, shit-eating smile made an appearance, and Kennedy blinked, taken aback after noting the drastic difference in his features that she’d initially missed.
“Wow, you actually look decent when you don’t have those gaudy ass grills in your mouth. Why the hell are you hiding a nice of set of teeth?”
“Relic! Yo whatever she is to you, is over here flirting with a nigga! She just told me that I was finest muthafucka in this room!”
“I didn’t even say you looked good, let alone fine. I said decent.”
“That ain’t what I heard,” he stated, sipping his drank with a snort as his folks ambled over to where they were.
Relic stood in front of her, pinning his reprimanding, bright eyes on her while his broad stature obstructed her view. Shabu sat beside her on the couch as Los limped up and shoved his brother.
“Shut your simple ass up,” he said, putting Pierre in a chokehold after his brother tried pushing him back. They tussled as if they were teenagers before Los gave up while boasting, “Plus, she ain’t blind. Everybody knows, I’m the finest one out of the bunch. Ain’t that right, Kennedy?”
Her head snapped back at the random question, and by the slow rotation of Relic’s head in Los’s direction, she was certain she’d have to locate a Priest for an exorcism if the shit spun any further.
Los laughed, and Relic’s satanic glower that showed he didn’t find a damn thing amusing, warned her—Relic possessed a level of demons he hadn’t given her the displeasure of meeting yet.
“Why you fucking with him, bro? You know he ain’t over you smashing his other hoes,” Pierre said, dusting off the liquor he’s spilled on his black pullover.
“I just asked a question. Kennedy ain’t the type to lie, so she’ll set the record straight. I get it if she doesn’t want to hurt that nigga’s feelings, though.”
“I’m trying not to hurt yours,” she stated, crossing her arms. “The only reason you think you’re on the same level as Relic is because you have gray eyes, but his features can trump yours easily. His body is better, too, since you got a little dad bod coming in, and so is his style.”
“Hold up! I’ll take the style jab, because Relic dresses like he’s going to fashion week, but you can’t say I ain’t up there, face wise. I ain’t got no damn dad bod either! Fuck is you talking ‘bout?”
Los rubbed his stomach, feeling the pudge coming in, but pretended he didn’t as his folks heckled at his expense like it was the funniest shit they’d heard. Kennedy smiled before adding insults to injury.
“Oh, and his name comes up most in the group chat when it comes to the bedroom, so regardless of how many of his hoes y’all fucked, they’re curious about if he’s better. P, I asked Lexi if she would fuck Relic once, and she went radio silent on a bitch. We all know that means, yes.”
“Hell, nah!”
His eyes went wide at Kennedy throwing that tidbit in, being messy like he’d do. She crooked a grin and lifted her hand in the air.
“Right hand high, I can’t tell a lie. You want me to hit up the chat to have them put y’all in order? Let’s put it to bed like your brother said.”
“Do it,” Shabu egged with a bob of his head. “Whoop is messaging me, so she’s up. Make it fast, ‘cause I told her I gotta power down my phone. I need time to curse her ass out if I ain’t at the top of her list.”
“Who do you think she’d put before you?”
He hunched a shoulder, but she caught the haste flick of his eyes toward his brother, telling her all she needed to know. Shabu swigged his drink as her head shook.
“On second thought, I rather not. I know how you get about her, and Los acts like he’s still married to Nu. Titan ain’t even here, but y’all gossip more than us, so he’ll find out if—Shabu!”
She gawked when he snatched her phone and hopped up off the couch before she could register what he’d done. As soon as she stood, Pierre and Los darted in front of her, blocking her path to Shabu while he texted the group chat on her behalf since she’d chickened out.
“Shabu, if you don’t give my damn phone back! Y’all are petty as hell. Relic, get them!” she fussed, wasting her energy, trying to break through the two sturdy bodies in her way.
Relic stared with an amused curl of his lips, knowing his folks picking with Kennedy meant they were accepting her to an extent. That was a good thing until it wasn’t.
“Nope. Get a taste of my world, Kennedy. Now, you know that Shabu acts like Pierre when he’s off that lean. I bet you won’t entertain these childish ass niggas the next time. You were better off ignoring them like you’d usually do.”
“Like your ass,” Los chimed in, and Relic shot him a dull look.
“Exactly.”
“Aye, we got action!” Shabu called out before holding the phone to his face with a squint. Seconds passed before he simpered. “Aight, I’m straight. I thought I was about to slam Whoop on her fucking head for a minute.”
“She got me at two?” Relic wondered aloud, spitting out a laugh after his brother’s head shot up swiftly as hell. “I’m just asking, nigga! Don’t act like you ain’t think she’d put me before you.”
“I did, but I forgot you wasn’t the brother she thought was cute. Titan is at two.”
“Fuck out of here! That muthafucka looks like me! He just got them skimp ass locs and those ugly ass tattoos.”
“Aye, the hoes love tattoos,” Pierre replied, garnering a chuckle from Kennedy. Shabu snorted a laugh.
“Well, your baby mother must not like them because she got Relic at number one, Los two, and you’re at three. Guess Kennedy ain’t lie ‘bout Lexi wanting to give my bro the goods.”
“That bald head, silicone titties having ass hussy. See, that’s why I kicked her poor ass to the curb. Bird would’ve never put me at three if she was in the chat.”
“You ain’t tell us yours yet, Kennedy,” Los pressured, causing her face to screw up.
“Don’t worry about mine. Shabu, what number does Nu have Los at?”
Shabu brushed his finger across the screen before his brow shot up, and he scrubbed the back of his neck. A low sigh expelled from him as he dipped a hand in his pocket to retrieve his phone. It flashed with a call, and he flinched like it’d bit him.
“Yea, you were right, Kenn Dog. We should’ve never done this dumb shit. We fucked up.”
“I didn’t do it! What happened?” She rushed over and grabbed her phone from him before reading the messages. Her eyes floated to Los as she strained a smile. “So, on the plus side, Nu did put you at number one. On the negative side, Shabu is two, and Savvy is not feeling it.”