Ch. 16 #3
My eyes shifted to Klarity and Brat that were standing at the stove.
They looked up at me and quickly went back to cooking.
Senior stood and walked Maaz over to me.
I was highly confused on why the fuck he felt the need to touch anything that belonged to me.
Hell, I was still trying to figure out where the fuck he came from.
“When I pulled in, I noticed yo’ car, so I stopped. He’s an Atkins alright. He looks just like us,” he bragged with hiked cheeks.
“Nah, he look like me. It’s a difference. Aye Brat, I don’t give a fuck who you let hold him, but this nigga and his other half can’t touch shit that belong to me.” I went to step around him and was caught by the arm.
“We need to talk, Genesis,” he spoke in a low tone.
“We don’t need to do shit. You need to get yo’ hands up off me though before I do you something bad. I ain’t confined no more nigga. I’ll put you down real fast. You and yo’ wife with all these conversations starting to irritate the fuck out of me, too,” I ranted.
“I’m trying to figure out why you in my shit anyway. You ain’t hear me the last time I said fuck you or you entering that senile stage and need to be showed instead of told?” Junior entered the equation causing the ladies to immediately grab the kids and disappear.
If Junior was ‘bout to light his ass up, I wanted all parts of that. He chose to let women dictate what kind of man he became like a weak ass nigga. I ain’t have shit for him but a few bullets with his name on it. Literally I carved his name on them bitches. I had a whole clip dedicated to his ass.
“Ain’t this ‘bout a bitch,” Senior stated releasing a defeated chuckle directly after. “What? Y’all on the same team now?”
“This my fuckin’ brotha that you failed to inform me on and now that we bonding and shit, you shaking like a stripper. Tighten up nigga and get the fuck out my house ‘fore I really make you touch that grave I picked out for you early,” Junior threatened.
When Senior visited me in jail, he was singing a different tune. Now that Junior was here, you could see who the real nigga in charge was. He had Senior looking panicky and swallowing his spit every few seconds. He was nervous and I found it to be quite comical.
“I was there for your kids, Junior; I’m trying to be there for his as well. Hell, I’m trying to right my wrongs, and you two lil’ niggas ain’t letting me!” he shouted.
“Boy, fuck you,” I said laughing. “This ain’t that. Look, I got some shit to take care of, Junior. I’ll be back to eat and shit in a few hours. Let Brat know what’s up for me.”
I slid pass Senior making sure to bump his shoulder on the way out. He wasn’t shit to me but a donor. I truly wasn’t up for nothing him or his wife had to offer. I would’ve done everything in my power to be there for my kids regardless of who had them. My son meant more to me than anything.
I walked out the front door to my ride climbing inside moments later.
Throwing that thang in reverse, I got right and burnt out.
Once I hit the main road, Ace was called up.
I needed to give them boys what was promised.
I made them wait long enough. Ace answered after a few rings with the music blasting.
“You would call right now. What’s good, Black?” Apparently, I was interrupting something.
“Why you say that?”
“We ‘bout to run up in this spot. Hulk was tired of waiting. His sister been asking him ‘bout that car and he ain’t got shit to show for it,” he answered.
“He ‘bout to. Y’all boys hit the highway and meet me at Walmart in Cory. My son required my attention more than y’all.”
“Son? Nigga stop blowing smoke. Yo’ ass don’t even like kids. I know you ain’t went out here and had one,” Ace said reminding me of all the times I said I’d never get caught lacking without a strap. Brat fa damn sho did.
“Yeah, my woman got a nigga good. I got y’all though. I just hit it my way so do yo’ part.”
“Shit, congratulations nigga. But that’s a bet. We on the way right now.”
Hanging up, I turned my music up and bumped it all the way to my destination.
I switched lanes like a pro on the way and kept the state patrols off my ass.
Them muthafuckas liked to hide in the woods like couldn’t nobody see them.
I pulled into the parking lot spotting Ace’s white on white Honda Accord to the back of the lot sitting by itself.
I closed the distance taking a spot right next to them.
They hopped out one by one ready to touch Benji’s. I figured now was the best time to let them know I was an Atkins as well. Hulk was the only one that knew and I was surprised his ass kept it to himself for so long. I just knew he was gon’ use it against me in some shape or form.
“Damn nigga. You look like you done stepped into that new money. Diamonds brighter, threads pricy… You sure you giving us a genuine split?” TJ was the first to speak.
Hulk looked me up and down then scoffed. I already knew what he was thinking, and he was right. Junior threw money around like it wasn’t nothing so every time he bought something to the crib for Maaz, he brought twice as much for me. He was making up for lost times if you asked me.
“I’m sure. I ain’t touched the bread since he gave it to me. Hell, to make the deal sweeter, I’m giving you my portion, too,” I assured them.
“Why?” Hulk questioned wearing a sly grin.
“Yeah, what the hell you doing that for?” Ace questioned still confused by my actions.
“Y’all know me as Black Towers, but my government is Genesis Atkins.
I been wearing my mama’s last name since I knew what was up with my donor.
Hulk found out a long time ago when I left my wallet in the car.
I told him not to tell y’all ‘cause I truly ain’t give a fuck ‘bout being no Atkins. They ain’t done shit for me.
Junior though, he changed all that and stepped up on some big brotha shit.
He was the only nigga over there I respected, to be honest.”
“Small fuckin’ world. You knew you was an Atkins and still let us go up there bothering that man. Is that why you wasn’t down for the lick?” Ace asked.
“Nah. I ain’t go ‘cause that nigga Bentley plan really was flawed as fuck. Any who, that’s all y’all. I got to get back to my wife and kid man. It’s more than enough for y’all to sit tight for a while.”
“I got to hand it to you bro. You really move like an Atkins regardless of not wanting they name. That nigga Royce is a boss for real and the way you run Twenty-One just mirrors him. I see why you be on my head the way you do. We ain’t never tell you thank you for taking that ride for us so this me speaking for everybody. Thank you, Black.”
Another thing I respected when it came to Hulk was, he knew when to bow the fuck down.
He was a hot head, so I expected him to buck up at a nigga every time, but I did what I did to protect them and now he saw it.
It was Twenty-One or nothing whenever I cooked shit up.
Putting money in my pockets meant putting money in theirs as well.
Extending my hand, I leaned in and dapped him up followed by a brotherly hug.
He was my boy at the end of the day. He went in and handled business, so this was his just as much as it was mine.
I kept my word with them and now it was on them to move with a purpose and not ‘cause they needed a dolla.
Hell, if I could convince Junior to bring them in, I would fa sho.
“Ain’t no thang. You still the homie,” I stated. Popping the trunk, I grabbed the duffle bag full of green and tossed it at Hulk’s chest. “Spend it wisely,” I advised.
“Don’t forget who was here for you nigga. Twenty-One or nothing,” he threw back.
“Always. I’ll come back for y’all boys’ fa sho. Let me adjust then it’s up. Ya hea me!”
I was back in my shit pulling out feeling better than ever. Twenty-One was taken care of and them boys could sit without feeling anxious. Forgetting them was like forgetting home. I’d never do that. We was a crew. One that I handpicked them for. Wasn’t no stepping away from that.