Chapter 10
One Year Later
“Earth to East!” Zenia snapped her fingers in front of my face while I sat on the hood of my homie Lips’ Camaro. They were having a car show and a festival in Jonah Hills, so we all decided to slide through.
The weather was nice as hell, and there were people everywhere.
I wasn’t too keen on being around large groups of people, but I liked to enjoy myself from time to time.
My plan was to bring Lyric and Noodle, but her little ass decided to ride with her funky ass friends.
Before I left the house, I told her ass not to wear nothing too crazy, but there I was watching her dancing with her friends, wearing some short ass coochie cutter shorts.
I didn’t like to show my ass in public, but shorty wanted to test my gangsta.
“What’s up, Zen?” I blew smoke in her direction as she stood between my legs. We fucked around from time to time, but I had slowed down with my communications with her and all the other bitches I normally fucked with. This shit was old, and I was ready to lock in with my girl.
“You haven’t called me in weeks, and then when I text you, your responses are always dry.
You don’t fuck with me anymore?” she questioned with her lip poked out.
I took a moment to observe her thick frame.
I always fucked with bad bitches, and Zenia was no different.
She was a pretty bitch, and she knew it.
Her fat ass made her jeans look as if they were painted on, and I almost considered going back on my word.
It wasn’t worth it, though. I loved having peace in my home, and it was time to get it right.
“My bad. I’ve been traveling and shit, tryna get these businesses up and runnin’,” I explained, taking another pull from my blunt.
I had a habit of peeping at my surroundings in the middle of a conversation due to my paranoia. Twelve was all over the place, but I wasn’t tripping because I knew better than to act a fool in public. I couldn’t say the same for the rest of these niggas.
“Yeah, tell me anything. You don’t have enough time for me, but I’ve seen you all over that young bitch’s IG page. You swear you’re single, but it doesn’t seem like she’s putting a gun to your head when y’all are posing for those family pictures. You act like more than a baby daddy to me.”
I chuckled, listening to Zenia ramble out her insecurities.
In the time we had been messing around, she had questioned me about Lyric more than once.
I never gave her a straight answer simply because there wasn’t anything going on at the time.
I didn’t understand why women could never be satisfied with their position in a nigga’s life.
When we first started fucking around, I made it clear I wasn’t interested in anything outside of fucking, and she told me that was all she wanted as well.
Now all of a sudden, she was blowing my phone up and questioning me about every bitch she heard I was messing around with, as if it was her place.
“Why would I have an issue with her posting pictures of me spending time with my daughter? Do I look like a deadbeat ass nigga to you?”
“No, I wasn’t saying anything about your parenting.
I just think there should be some type of boundaries if the two of you are only co-parenting.
She posts pictures of you and your daughter when you’re sleeping, so it’s clear she has access to your home.
Meanwhile, I don’t even know where you live.
How is that fair to me?” Zen folded her arms across her chest, but she moved her body closer.
I felt someone burning a hole through the side of my face, and I didn’t have to guess who it was.
“I’m not tryna be fair to anyone, if I’m being honest. I’m single for the time being, but Lyric and my daughter are my top priority. If she wants to post me on her page every day, she ain’t gotta ask for my permission. I’m a part of her everyday life.” I shrugged.
“You’re such an asshole. Sometimes I really question why I even fuck with you. You don’t even try to protect my feelings.”
“Well, why would I do that? You asked me a question, and I answered it. I don’t believe in lying in order to manipulate someone.
If you gon’ fuck with me, you gon’ get the rawest version of me.
I’m grown as fuck, and can’t nobody beat my ass except maybe my granny.
” I chuckled as the Kush took me to another level.
I could see someone coming toward us, but I never bothered to check who it was, because I already knew.
“Since you’ve got time to laugh, you have time to take your daughter to get on kiddie rides.” Lyric spat, bumping Zenia out of her spot.
“Lola, chill. You’re coming over here on that rah-rah shit, and you know I don’t play that shit when my baby is around. Get yo’ mind right.” I rarely raised my voice, but Lyric knew how far to take things with me, especially when it concerned Symphonee.
“Look, your aunt Pam is coming to pick her up in an hour, can you at least keep her until then? I’m tryna get a frozen margarita, but you know I don’t drink when she’s with me,” Lyric pleaded.
She already knew she never had to beg me to do anything.
Honestly, it was the reason her ass was so spoiled. I rarely told her no.
“Can you give me a few minutes to finish my blunt?”
The same way she refrained from drinking around Noodle, I made it a point to only smoke in my room or outside when my daughter was home.
“Yeah, whatever. You want to cupcake with bitches in front of my face. Keep playin’ with me, Essex. Then you’re gonna try and give me one of those boring ass lectures when you already know how I’m comin’.” She fussed.
I chuckled, although I was well aware of how she got down.
Over the last year, Lyric had fought a few bitches for trying their hand with her.
I understood where she was coming from when it came down to respect, but I also wasn’t the type to draw unnecessary attention to myself.
Lyric, on the other hand, didn’t give a fuck about any of that.
She was ready for any smoke that came her way.
“Yeah, East. This is the bullshit I’m talkin’ about. You claim you don’t have a woman, but you got this young bitch thinking she can disrespect me. Then you’re casually having a conversation with her in my face as if she didn’t just try me. She might not know me, but you do.” Zenia fussed.
“Bitch—”
“Lola, don’t. I got this.” I held my hand up to stop her before she even got started.
“I’ma keep it a bean with you. When it comes to my baby mama against anyone, I’ma take her side no questions asked.
Whether she’s right or wrong, that’s my family.
I understand where you’re coming from, and I agree with your perspective.
You shouldn’t have to feel like you’re coming in second with a nigga you’re dealing with, and I’m telling you to your face that you’ll never be more important than her.
“You mentioned that I haven’t been reachable lately, and this is why.
You’re a cool woman, and I respect you and the way you carry yourself.
It’s clear the two of us are no longer in alignment with the terms of our arrangement, and I would be less of a man if I held you back, knowing I’ll never be able to give you what you want. ”
“S-so, what are you tryna say? You’re cutting me off because of your baby mama?” Zenia shrieked, drawing attention to us as people turned their heads to look over in our direction.
“What he’s tryna say is your pussy is worn out and he’s ready to come back home to big mama.
You bitches are so ditzy and delusional, it’s actually sad to watch.
If a nigga was ducking and dodging my calls like the repo man, I would be on to the next one.
Never let a man tell you more than once he doesn’t want you.
It’s a bad look, stinka butt.” Lyric antagonized her, and she knew exactly what the fuck she was doing.
I gave her a look to tell her to chill, but she gave me one back that let me know what type of time she was on.
“I don’t even know what to say.”
“What is there left to say, boo? He’s trying to tell you to leave him alone.
Even though I know what the reason is, he shouldn’t even have to spell it out for you, Ray Charles.
You’re one of the first bitches watching my page the minute I post on my story, so you aren’t dumb.
The problem with hoes like you is that y’all are comfortable waiting in the bushes for a nigga to finally pick you.
I can’t relate. I’m going after what’s mine, and I wish a bitch would think for one second she can trick me out of my spot.
Your time is up. Honestly, it’s been up. I just had to get my shit right.”
Cocky ass. I won’t lie, watching Lyric boss up and stake her claim on me turned me on.
I wanted to lock her down for a while, but in the beginning, she wasn’t ready for what came with being with a nigga like me.
Plus, I wanted to give her time to navigate motherhood, college, and finding herself.
Lyric was forced to grow up early, and I never wanted her to feel like she had to make a sacrifice in our relationship.
“Lose my number, East. I can’t believe I thought you were a real ass nigga. I hope this young hoe drags you through hell.”
“Don’t worry, boo. I already deleted your number from his phone last week after he ate my pussy until I squirted.” Lyric winked and then whipped her hair over her shoulder.
“Oh, please, bitch. I was fuckin’ with him longer than you, and he doesn’t eat pussy. No need to cap,” Zenia shot back. I scratched the back of my head as I focused on the ground. I already knew Lola B’s ass was about to let her have it.
“Naw, he didn’t eat your lopsided ass pussy. This pussy and ass get eaten on the daily, babes. You might want to step your game up for the next one. Raise those standards, sis.”
She turned to face me, and all I could do was shake my head. Zenia stormed away with her tail between her legs, and I could tell by the cocky expression on Lyric’s face that she was feeling victorious.
“You know you don’t have to show your ass every time a woman is talking to me. I planned to let her know what was up. I didn’t need your assistance, shorty.”
Lyric paid me no mind as she stepped in between my legs with my daughter perched on her hip. Noodle’s long, pretty hair was in pigtails. She was matching my fly in her own designer fit, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. My family was the shit.
“I told you I would give you a week to break the news to your funky ass roster. You took too long. If you didn’t want me to show my ass, you would have put those bitches in a group chat and given them their walking papers.”
I gripped her waist, bringing her body closer to mine. My lips took possession of hers, and a nigga felt warm inside. I swear, Lyric gave me a run for my money on the regular, but no other woman ever made me feel the way she did.
“No! My daddy!” Noodle screamed as she pushed her momma’s head away. I probably wasn’t supposed to be laughing, but I couldn’t help myself. My baby was territorial over me, and she didn’t care who it was.
“Little girl, you better stop playin’ with me. I don’t care about him being your daddy. You might have had him first, but you gotta share.” Lyric antagonized her, and my princess wasn’t with the bullshit.
“No! Mine!” Noodle folded her little arms across her chest, and I turned my head before I could see the glare I knew was on her momma’s face.
“Yeah, go ahead and finish that flimsy ass blunt so you can take your youth. She gon’ fuck around and end up in somebody’s shelter with a sign on her car seat.”
“And you would be in a body bag right after. Ain’t that right, Noodle?
Ya momma knows not to mess with daddy’s baby.
What did they say in that movie we watched the other night?
Get down or lay down, mothafucka.” I winked, tossing the rest of my blunt on the ground so I could get my baby.
I spent so much time mediating between Lyric and Zenia, my shit had burned out anyway.
“Aunt Pam is coming to get her, but did you have any plans for later?” she asked.
“Naw, not really. Logic and I are probably gonna chop it up with a few people from the city, but I don’t have any plans set in stone. Why, what’s up?”
“Summyah is hosting at Club Regal, and I’m going with her and a few other girls. We have a section already, so I planned to kick it with them for a few hours.”
“Do yo’ shit, shorty. If you need me to come get you, call me. I’m not gonna micromanage you or no shit like that, but don’t bring your ass in my crib after three. Unless some shit pops off, you need to be walkin’ through the door before then.”
“What if we wanted to go grab something to eat after we leave the club?” Her bottom lip was poked out, but I ignored it.
“You might want to leave that bitch at a decent time. I’m not playin’, Lola.
I don’t trip when we’re out together, but niggas are crazier the later it gets.
If something happens to you, somebody’s family is gonna need a quote from Marvin’s funeral home.
I’m tired, and I don’t feel like murkin’ niggas tonight. ”
“Oop. I’ll make sure I’m home by curfew, sir.”
“Get out of here with that shit. Go have fun with your thot bots and leave my baby and me alone. You’re crampin’ our style, and we’ve got shit to do and rides to get on.” I hopped off the car and leaned down to kiss her lips. Her breath hitched, and I thought that shit was cute as hell.
“Whatever. You and your little minion are gonna get enough of treating me like the help. I can’t wait to have a son because I already know he’s gonna be a momma’s boy.”
I smirked at the mention of her having my baby. Although we were nowhere near ready for another child, it made me happy to know she saw a future for us.
“Yeah, I’ll let you believe that lie. You need some money?” I dug into my pocket before she could even respond, pulled out a small knot, and handed it to her.
“You are ridiculous. Only a fool would turn down money, but you do the most. I don’t need shit else.” She huffed.
“I think the words you were looking for were, ‘Thank you, daddy. You’re the most handsome, richest nigga I’ve ever met,’ right?”
“You know what? You’re right. I’ma make sure I suck the skin off that dick since your precious baby will be with her favorite studtie.”
“Lyric, get the fuck away from me. You had my dick hard as fuck, and then your ass started talking about a studtie. You’re wild, shorty. Enjoy your night, but not too much.” I kissed her one last time, then headed off to do some exploring with my princess.