Loco: The Idea of Us

Chapter 1

ONE

Makhai “Loco” Matthews.

“Nigga, you cheatin’.” Sy complained when I rolled another seven. “Ain’t no fuckin’ way!”

“Naw, Lord.” I laughed. “I don’t want to hear that shit. Run me my bread.”

I had been hitting their asses in dice all afternoon. I’d been on the block that long because I had a move to make soon and needed an alibi for the shit, so I kicked it to show my face. I needed to show up on all the ring cameras and shit.

“Man.” He groaned and slapped a band in my hand. “I’m out.”

“Appreciate you, baby boy.” I laughed and counted my bread as he made his way inside the crib. We were all in Crescent Ridge outside of his grandmother’s house shooting dice. That’s what a typical Saturday in the neighborhood looked like.

Sy’s older brother, Prynce, was my righthand man. We met when we were some lil’ niggas through his pops and my uncle Proof—he was like the enforcer or muscle for their family, and me and Prynce had been locked in since.

Nan was the one that taught all of us how to gamble and shit, so she ain’t give a fuck that we stayed outside of her spot doing the shit, Kyng’s hating ass was the one that was on bullshit.

He was Prynce and Sy’s oldest brother, the one that had taken over their father’s position as head of The Family, and a fuckin’ buzz kill because he was always so serious, but he was still my nigga, nonetheless.

“Ay, what time is it?” I asked no one in particular. It was a group of niggas still huddled up so any of them could answer the question.

“Almost two,” one of them answered.

Go time.

“Aight, I’m up.” I announced. “Y’all better pack it up before K gets here. Know how he is.”

“Fuck you goin’?” My nigga Frog asked me.

“Ya mama owe me some pussy.” I grinned. “It’s time to cash in.”

“Fuck you, nigga,” he playfully spat.

I laughed as I mounted my bike. “I’ll fuck with y’all later.”

I had a show in Blue Mountain later and I knew they would all pull up there. Tonight was the first night of The Melanin Music Festival. I was headlining Sunday, Sy would be tonight, and my nigga Chez and his people had Saturday, so I wanted to fall through and support them.

Before taking off, I pulled out my burner phone to hit Prynce and let him know that I was on the move. I powered it off as soon as I sent the message then pocketed the phone before I started my bike and took off to my destination.

My first stop was the ports so that I could swap bikes and change right quick.

I knew P would be hitting my line as soon as he got my message telling me to fall back, but I wasn’t trying to hear it.

Niggas disrespected us, clearly thinking that we were mothafuckas to play with, so they were about to pay. Shit was as simple as that.

Besides, if I didn’t do it, who would other than him?

We had a solid enough team, but I didn’t trust any of them the way that I trusted P and Jay.

They were like my brothers, the only two nigga I knew had my back without a shadow of a doubt.

Jay didn’t get his hands dirty though, me and P made sure of it outside of that personal shit he had going on.

They both had families, kids and shit, so I didn’t mind playing the reaper and shit for us.

I was grateful for light traffic because I was able to make it across town in record time to swap my clothes out for the all black fit I’d stashed as well as the bike I had brought here for this job specifically.

I made sure the VIN number on the bike and serial numbers on the guns were scrubbed so none of it could be traced back to me and had my nigga Mouse on standby to kill the power and surveillance on my signal.

Maniac’s territory was across town, so it took me like thirty minutes to clear the distance. I posted up on the corner of the street where the repast for one of their fallen was being held, then pulled out the other burner to hit Mouse.

“Everything is clear, Lord,” Mouse said when the call connected.

“Aight, blow the power now,” I instructed. “Leave it down and meet me back at the spot after.”

“Bet.”

We disconnected the call, and I waited until the sound of the music ceased and the lights went out before doing one final scan to make sure I didn’t see any kids.

A lot of people said I was the more ruthless one of the three of us, and they might have been right, but I didn’t intentionally hurt people that didn’t deserve it.

Once I was sure that the coast was clear, I brought my bike to life and began to burn rubber toward the area where The Maniac’s were holding the repast. Once I was close enough, I lifted my gun and began to empty the clip in the direction of the crowd.

It took a moment, but when they realized what was going on people began dropping to the ground or trying to run.

Some of them were lucky, and some not so much, because I could see the bullets rip through their bodies just before they hit the ground.

Once my clip was empty, I hit it down the street.

The Maniac’s territory was in a part of town that took the police a little longer to respond, so I was in the clear.

I made it back to the ports in record time to ditch the bike, gun, and clothes I was wearing, confident that Kyng’s people would take care of it before I headed to my crib.

I had plenty of bread, but a nigga lived modestly, only having bought a condo in The Millennium’s recently. I wanted the big house and shit one day without a doubt, but I was saving that for when a nigga settled down and shit.

I smiled to myself when I pulled up and saw the car in my visitor’s spot because I knew I was in for some good ass food. A nigga needed it because I’d worked up an appetite. Before I went inside, I powered my phones back on. Messages flooded my shit and Prynce was already calling.

“Got damn, I just turned the shit back on.”

“You hardheaded, Lord,” he said right away.

“I’m a grown ass man, P.” I laughed. “Fuck you mean?”

“Told yo’ ass to chill. Me and Jay still out the city.”

“As much as I love you and Jabari, nigga, I don’t need y’all to hold my hands when I handle business. Besides, Jay wasn’t gon’ get his hands dirty no ways.”

“Fuck you, nigga.” He laughed in the background.

“When y’all boys comin’ back?” I asked as I climbed off of my bike.

“Soon. Gotta be at Sy shit,” P answered. “Y’all niggas run me raggedier than my fuckin’ wife and kids.”

Both of my boys were family men now. Prynce had married his girl, Safari, a couple of years ago and they had two kids, bad ass Royal and baby girl, Pryncess.

Jabari got wifed up recently with a lil’ boy, Jamari, who’s little ass always bullied my shit when he was around.

It was crazy to see because I remember us making a pact as lil’ Lords to be bachelor’s forever, but I was the only one holding up my end of the deal now.

I shoulda bet them niggas back then.

I loved all of their kids like my own though, so I had no complaints.

They all kept me on my toes and gave me something to do when I wasn’t in the studio.

P’s son wanted to hoop like Jay’s bitch ass, but Pryncess was showing promise, always fuckin’ with my equipment when she came to the studio with her pops or her uncle.

Jamari was too little to decide what he wanted to do yet, but I had faith that he’d follow in a real OG’s footsteps and let Uncle Loc show him the game.

“You hit Kyng yet?” Prynce asked, jarring me from my thoughts. “I ain’t tryin’ to get a lecture about leavin’ him to clean up after us.”

“Naw.” I chuckled. “I left Mouse there to handle that shit.”

“You cold blooded, Lord.” He laughed. “Know Kyng gon’ chump him off.”

“Better him than me.” I chuckled. “Kyng know I ain’t goin’.”

“Feel me?” he agreed, still laughing. “Nigga became a pops and think he gon’ son every fuckin’ body.”

“On Lord.” I agreed.

“Aight though, Lord, we ‘bout to board the jet. I need to hit my girl to let her know I’m on the way back and shit.”

“Soft ass nigga.” I jibed. “But aight, I’ll fuck with y’all later.”

“Love Lord.

“Love.”

After pocketing my phone, I headed inside and up to the fifth floor to my place. Like I knew it would, the smell of food smacked me as soon as I stepped inside. I ditched my helmet by the door then took the short trip to my kitchen and smiled as I watched the prettiest woman I’d ever laid eyes on.

“I woulda came in here snappin’ if I hadn’t smelled food when I walked in,” I said to gain her attention, “but I’m glad to see you’re puttin’ your key to good use.”

She scoffed. “And be thankful I did. Since when do you leave dishes in the sink overnight and chips rolled up on the counter, Makhai Matthews? Do you want roaches?”

I chuckled and walked deeper into the kitchen. “How you know they were in there overnight, Ma?”

“Because I do.” She sassed but kissed my cheek when I leaned down and I reciprocated the motion. “Are you hungry?”

“Anytime you cook.” I smiled then glanced toward the den where I heard the sound of the T.V. “Where’s your husband?”

“Same place he is anytime he isn’t working.” She shook her head as she walked back over to the stove. “Go get cleaned up. I’ll fix your plate.”

I nodded then journeyed to holla at my pops first. He was posted on my sectional with his feet kicked up like we were at their crib instead of mine.

“I’m gon’ start chargin’ you and Ma rent or some shit.”

He glanced my way and smiled. “Wouldn’t make much considering you bought our house and take care of the utilities.”

“Least I can do.” I grinned, going over to dap him up. “How’s everything been?”

“Everything is everything, son. Your mother’s been stressing me out about getting with the schools in MP and starting some summer programs.”

“That would be dope.” I nodded.