Kissed by the Trillest Thug 2

1. Trigga

Trigga

The words sat in my throat like rocks. For a second, I couldn’t even breathe, let alone answer him.

And that throw-up feeling was stagnant. Mainly because that gun didn’t move.

Not an inch. Mr. Browne’s hand was steady, like this wasn’t anything new to him.

It was like pointing death at somebody was just another part of his day.

Judging by the number of bricks Ghost and I had stolen, shit, this was probably the norm for him.

I was looking in the eyes of a kingpin; I had to be.

“I asked you a question.”

His tone was even, and I could tell that he meant business.

His facial expression held no emotion while he waited for my answer.

But I couldn’t find the words to respond.

The question he had asked was lingering in the space between us.

Where’s my bricks, little nigga? His voice echoed in my ears as I fought to find an answer for him.

I couldn’t just blurt out that they were sold.

Na, that wasn’t going to work. His voice didn’t rise, but it didn’t need to.

It carried enough weight on its own. I swallowed hard because my mouth was dry as hell.

“I… I ain’t know it was yours.”

His eyes didn’t change. Not even a flicker. I could tell that my answer wasn’t good enough. So, I tried to find a better response.

“I swear to you,” I rushed out, my voice cracking despite me trying to hold it together. “I ain’t know this was your business. I didn’t find out until later… until the second MB Autos.”

I was down bad. Not only had I robbed this man once, but twice.

And even after knowing it was him I had stolen from, I was around his family, under his roof, and falling deeper in love with his daughter.

Silence filled the room, and it was thick and suffocating.

Mr. Browne tilted his head slightly, studying me like he was deciding whether I was worth the next breath.

“So that makes it better?” he asked.

I clenched my jaw. Wasn’t shit okay about what I had done, but I swore after seeing those pictures on that wall in the second MBs Auto that I would do better.

And I had been. I had to be a better man for her.

I had to be the best man for Maliah. I had distanced myself from any and everything regarding my old life.

Ghost and I rarely spoke. Shit, I even put Ms. Gia at arm’s reach.

Anything associated with my old life had to go on ice because I was working so hard on this new one.

“I haven’t hit anybody else after that.”

I was being honest because I hadn’t had. Honestly, the thought of ever stealing from someone else again made me sick to my stomach.

“That isn’t what I asked you.”

His finger rested too comfortably near that trigger.

“Even if it wasn’t me that you were robbing,” he continued slowly, “you were still out here stealing.”

Each word landed harder than the last.

“You don’t feel no type of shame?” he continued, “knowing you became the same shit that took your daddy away from you?”

The skin around my nose crinkled with my sniffle.

I was trying to hold it together, but that one hit me hard for real.

My chest tightened, and for a second, I couldn’t even look at him.

My pops flashed through my mind as if it had just happened yesterday.

I could see his blood and hear the police sirens.

I wouldn’t wish the feeling of knowing you can’t do anything but watch everything fall apart on anyone.

“I used to. The thought of taking from someone used to get to me,” I admitted lowly as his eyes stayed locked on me. “It used to eat me up every time I thought about it. But… I had to survive out here.”

I paused to try and find my next words carefully. I’m sure he didn’t have the best upbringing his damn self. If no one understood the kind of position I was in, then I was sure that he would. I twisted my mouth to the side before letting the words leave my body.

“Ain’t nobody out here handing nothing out. You either take, or you get took from.”

For a split second, something shifted in his expression, but it disappeared just as fast as it came. The quick bunch in his brows told me that he was trying to find a way to reason with me. But the killer look in his eyes screamed he wasn’t going for the shit I had done.

“So where is it?” he asked.

I looked back up at him, already knowing this was the part that wasn’t going to go smoothly. I raised my eyebrow in what I tried to portray as confusion.

“The bricks,” he clarified. “Where they at?”

I hesitated. And that hesitation didn’t go unnoticed. Mr. Browne shifted his weight slightly to his right side. Still, he never dropped that gun from pointing in my direction.

“I sold them.”

The words had barely left my mouth before his whole demeanor changed.

His response wasn’t loud or explosive. What he had shown me was way worse.

His demeanor was controlled. This man was standing in front of me as cool as the other side of the pillow on a summer’s night.

I mean, he had every right to be. After all, he was the one with the damn gun.

And here my dumb ass was standing in front of him about to piss down my leg.

“You sold my work?” he asked.

His voice dropped lower, and somehow that made it ten times more dangerous.

“Work that didn’t belong to you?”

I didn’t respond. There wasn’t shit I could say that would fix this. Mr. Browne let out a slow breath, like he was calming himself down instead of losing it.

“I watched some footage,” he said after a moment.

The reality of knowing that my crime was on camera made my stomach drop.

“And I know you didn’t do that shit alone.”

My heart started beating harder against my chest. Mr. Browne nodded his head up and down like he had finally gotten the last piece of the puzzle.

“There was somebody else with you.” His eyes sharpened instantly. “Who was it?”

I stayed quiet.

“Who was it?” he repeated, this time with a little more edge.

“I can’t give you that,” I responded slowly.

His grip on the gun tightened just enough for me to notice.

“So, you’re protecting someone?” he asked.

I didn’t answer. I didn’t need to because the silence said it for me.

BLEEK

Tahari stood in front of me, trying to keep it together, but I could see the pressure sitting on him.

His shoulders were tight, his breathing slightly off, and even though he was holding eye contact, there was a weight behind it that hadn’t been there before.

This boy was petrified, and honestly, he should have been.

I had awakened that dog that was hibernating in me.

Unfortunately, he was the one to meet that crazy ass nigga.

With all the fear written on his profile, still, he didn’t say anything.

I kept the gun steady, studying him a little longer than necessary.

There was something about the way he stood there that almost made me respect him.

Most people would’ve folded by now and would have started talking to save themselves.

But Tahari didn’t. Which told me two things really quick: he was loyal, and he was hardheaded as hell.

“I don’t think you understand what position you’re in, Tahari,” I said calmly.

He looked at me, really looked this time, like he was trying to read how serious I was.

“It’s either you tell me who you were with…” I paused just enough to let it settle, “or it’s going to be you.”

I didn’t have that thing called patience in me anymore.

When I think of it, I don’t think I ever did.

The words hung in the air, heavy and unavoidable.

Tahari didn’t flinch. He didn’t look away, and he didn’t try to explain himself again.

Instead, he planted his feet like he had already made peace with whatever came next.

I could see his own life flash in his deep brown pupils.

I let out a slow breath while shaking my head slightly as a thought crossed my mind. This little nigga was about to throw his life away for somebody who wasn’t even here to stand next to him. That kind of loyalty was rare.

“I’m giving you one more chance,” I added, my tone still even. “Think about it.”

Nothing. Not a name. Not a hint. Not even hesitation. Yeah… he made his choice. The shot rang out loud and sharp. The noise echoed through the shop. Tahari folded instantly, grabbing his arm as a loud yell ripped out of him.

“AHHH… FUCK!”

He bent forward and paced in a tight circle while holding his arm like it was about to fall off.

Blood was gushing between his fingers, and his voice bounced off the walls.

You would have thought I just did some outrageous shit or something.

I tucked my gun right back in my waistband as if nothing happened.

I was completely unbothered as I watched him for a second.

He was doing entirely too much. I sucked my teeth and then blew out a sharp breath before opening my mouth.

“Man, stop all that damn screaming. It’s a flesh wound.”

He snapped his head up at me. His eyes were wide, and his face was twisted in pain.

“A FLESH WOUND?” he shouted.

I raised a brow, all while looking at him like he had lost his mind. He was so damn lucky he didn’t even know it.

“I could have killed ya ass instead,” I honestly stated.

He groaned again, dragging it out, while still clutching his arm like I hadn’t been intentional about where I placed that shot.

I stepped from behind the counter and closed in the space between us. His carrying on and hooting and hollering almost made the corners of my mouth turn upward. Almost. I let the humor fall off my face as the seriousness settled back in.

“Listen to me,” I said, my voice dropping just enough to lock him in.

His movements slowed, and even through the pain, his attention was fully on me now.

“I don’t want to see you again, Tahari.”

His breathing was heavy, uneven, but he was listening. His ass was sweating and getting blood all over my damn floors. I would have to call a cleaner in for sure to get this dealt with. Although I didn’t end his life because of Maliah, that didn’t mean that I wanted him anywhere near my child.

“And you better stay the fuck away from my daughter.”

There was a shift in his face at that statement, but I didn’t give him room to respond.

“I should have killed you. There’s more than enough reason for me to do it.

” I sighed because I thought of the only reason why I left him breathing.

“But I know my daughter loves you,” I added, the words coming out slower, like they didn’t sit all the way right with me.

“And that’s the only reason you’re still breathing right now. ”

I let that sit for a second so he could really understand what I was saying. I needed him to really know that the air currently circulating in his lungs right now was due to my daughter. Now, I didn’t know if I would be as generous if I ever laid eyes on him again.

“But if I ever see you again…” I continued, my voice sharpening just enough to draw a line he couldn’t miss, “your family might as well start frying chicken and getting shirts made.”

Silence fell between us. It was suffocating because it felt final and heavy. I held his gaze for a moment longer before turning away from him. I was done with the situation. As far as I was concerned, Tahari was finished. Whether he accepted that or not wasn’t my problem.