Chapter 3 #3
“Girl, he’s an asshole to everybody, it’s one of his endearing qualities unfortunately.” Chevy rolled her eyes. “What happened to the birthday boy?”
“Um, he stepped outside. Seemed to be some tension between him and his parents.”
“That’s nothing new from what I know about them. Why are you hiding away in here? I thought we were dance partners tonight?”
“We are. I was breaking for food. I’m starving.”
“Yeah, because you haven’t been eating damn near everything in sight while on the clock.”
Sucking my teeth, I rolled my eyes and sighed.
“Girl, shut up. I have not,” I argued, stuffing a crab puff into my mouth.
“Mmmh, the hell you haven’t. I’ve had to hide and eat my snacks messing with you.
” She snickered. “I’m going to use the bathroom.
Get ready. I gave the DJ a playlist, we about to turn this bitch out.
” She stuck her tongue out and danced out the doorway, leaving me laughing and shaking my head after her.
I kept eating, and Ledge was still eyeing me.
“Enjoying yourself?” he questioned.
“Is it bad if I am?” I replied.
“What’s your goal here, Harbor?”
“My goal?” I repeated, furrowing both brows.
“Yeah. Your fucking goal. You think somebody stupid? You might be able to snow everybody else around this mothafucka, but I ain’t falling for this all is forgiven shit.” Ledge announced.
“Oh, so you think what, I’m playing Frequency or something?” I tested him.
“I don’t know what the fuck you on, but I don’t trust you.”
“You don’t trust me?” I replied, pointing to myself. “That’s fucking laughable.”
“I don’t give a fuck what’s going on with you and Free.
I know better. He thinks y’all can really move forward and past what he did to you.
I know you’re just going to string him along until you get what you want out of him.
When he least expects it, you gon’ rip the rug from under him.
I don’t play fucking games. If it were up to me, you would’ve been dead. For some reason he kept you around.”
“I’ve been free for months now. He allowed me into his home, made me very comfortable.
We are building a business and making money.
Before I came here, I was someone else. I don’t have to explain that to you either.
I’ve had time for revenge, and… it’s not worth it. ” I muttered, glancing at my hands.
“Oh, it ain’t worth it?” Ledge countered, amused.
He used his fingers to smooth out his mustache and bobbed his head as if he was making an agreement with himself.
“I bet. The long game is though, right? Find a spot in his life, and just play your role, huh?”
“Go to hell! Be glad I haven’t gone to the police or FBI. So I took advantage of a situation that took advantage of me. I’m sure you’ve done a lot worse.” I muttered, settling on a bar chair.
Dead air filled the space between us. As if he was seeing me for the first time, Ledge searched my face. I wasn’t sure what the hell had happened, but the side door opened, and in walked Frequency. I straightened my back where I was seated, and Ledge and I held brief eye contact.
“What’s going on here?” Frequency asked, coming up behind me.
Just his tall frame looming over me made me rigid.
“Shooting the shit.” Ledge answered, noticing the gift box on the counter. “What’s this?” he questioned, lifting the lid. “Damn, that’s sexy,” he declared.
“Harbor got it for me.” Frequency came up behind me and placed his arms on either side of the counter. I felt secure locked into his space as he buried his face in my neck.
“Shit’s legit.” Ledge nodded.
“So what you really in here talking about?’ Frequency asked, peering down at me.
“Nothing,” I replied.
“Yeah, just… settling a few things.” Ledge nodded and Chevy swayed back inside.
I could tell that Frequency wanted to question him further, but Chevy pulled me from the chair and onto the floor.
“Let’s go! Burn some of them damn calories off you inhaling.” She said, tugging me along.
Knowledge
When Chevy first started getting closer to Harbor, I wasn’t feeling that shit.
I didn’t want this girl anywhere near me or mine.
Shit was still crazy watching her become anything other than a fucking hostage.
Frequency stared after her dancing out the room with my girl like they were two old friends. Once they were gone, he turned to me.
“What was that about?” he queried.
He was giving me that look, like he knew some shit that was already taking place and waiting for me to confirm it.
“Just talking to her,” I answered.
“Ledge, you my guy, my fucking ace, my brother. I usually trust your gut on shit. But… this is different.” Free explained.
“If you say so.” I mumbled. “Aye, you grown. I can’t tell you what to do. All that I can say… is be careful. This chick is like a trigger switch.” I left it at that.
If this was how he wanted to move with this girl who was basically a ticking time bomb waiting to go off, who was I to intervene?
I knew that she was visited by her ex because I went to see the nigga and told him where he could find her.
Yeah, I was stirring the fucking pot. Everything about her being around left me uneasy.
She was a loose end, and a nigga like me didn’t like leaving those shits untied.
Now she was cool with my girl, they worked together, and she was getting closer to Free.
My ringing phone got my attention and I peered down at the display.
I saw that it was Kitana calling. Sighing, I thought against picking up because shorty was on some other shit these days and I hadn’t been dealing with her.
After the night at the event when she tried to go off on me about being there with my woman, I had to check her ass and remind her of her position in my life.
Since then, she’d been blowing me up. She sent me nudes and all kinds of shit.
I ain’t gon’ front, the first couple of times I fell into some shit with her, but now she was starting to become fucking dehydrated over a nigga, and that was too much to deal with.
“Yo.” I picked up, already agitated.
“Damn, don’t sound too excited to hear from me,” she replied snippily.
“What’s good, Tana. A nigga trying to have a good time tonight.”
“Mmm, then you should stop by. I got something I need to run by you. I’ll wait up.”
“Yeah, aight.” I quickly hung up and tucked the phone back into the inner pocket of my jacket.
I posted up at the small bar in the corner and sipped on Hennessy while Chevy and her new best friend tore the dance floor up together.
A nigga was faded as fuck by the time she was ready to bounce.
After saying goodnight to Free and Harbor, who were attached at the hip the remainder of the evening, we loaded up in our car and Chevy drove us toward home.
“So… what’s your problem with Harbor, like for real?” Chevy questioned, raising her brows in question while steering.
I didn’t like the nature of this question. I blew on my blunt and kept my focus out my window.
“I just ain’t feeling her,” I answered, but that wasn’t going to cut it.
“And why is that?” Chevy quipped.
“Chevy… I ain’t trying to have this conversation with you.”
“Well, too fucking bad. I want to know. If you know something about her, I deserve to know. I am hanging around her and getting close to her.”
I took a deep inhale, doing my best to avoid this conversation.
“Maybe you should just keep it professional then.” I grumbled.
“Or maybe you should just tell the fucking truth!” She yelped.
“The fuck is the truth gon’ help? You want it, Chevy, a’ight. Free kidnapped Harbor. About a year ago. She’s been held up in his house all this time. That’s the fucking truth!”
Mouth wide open, gaping across the seat, she skimmed me with suspicion before turning back to the road.
“Are you fucking with me?” she asked, in a state of disbelief.
“That shit sound like I’m fucking with you?” I finally stared a hole through her.
“That’s… how the fuck… I don’t even know what to say.” She breathed, stunned.
I was still thrown by the shit every single time that I thought about it.
It was one thing to do some shit and complete the mission.
This shit with Harbor was a walking and talking reminder of what we pulled.
I didn’t trust her not to turn if somebody put the pressure on her or she felt scorned in some kind of way.
I’d forgotten all about Kitana, but she clearly hadn’t because my phone pinged back to back with calls and messages.
“Who the fuck keeps hitting your line, Ledge?” Chevy demanded when I wheeled my whip into the driveway of our house.
“Nobody,” I answered, trying to turn the damn phone off.
The way she was on a nigga, I knew she wouldn’t let up until she talked to me. Chevy snatched the phone from my grasp and looked at the screen.
“Who the fuck is ‘backup’?” She turned to me, sneering.
“Shit, you got the phone, answer that mothafucka.” I slurred, staring out the window.
At this point, fuck it. I was drunk and unable to resist her persistent ass.
“Hello!” she snapped, picking up and putting the phone on speaker.
“Can I speak to Ledge, please?” Kitana’s voice echoed through the bluetooth connected to the car.
“Bitch, why you calling him so late? The fuck you think this is!” Chevy barked.
“Only a couple of reasons why I would be calling, and none of them have to do with you,” she countered, and I knew shit was about to go left.
“Oh yeah, well pull up and get yo’ ass dog-walked then, ho! Those reasons about to get you fucked up!” Chevy held the phone away from her face and screamed into it.
Kitana laughed and I opened my car door, setting one foot on the ground.
“Hang that shit up. Fuck that bitch.” I muttered, turning so that I could climb out.
“Ledge! I told you we needed to talk!” Kitana yelled.
“Shit… talk to Chevy. Y’all got it.” I stumbled out of the car and slammed the door shut.