CHAPTER TWO #3
I remembered that night vividly. It was three months ago, and Zach had just made a move on one of my blocks, killing two of my workers. I had went to the club looking for distraction. Instead, I found my perfect get back in the form of Tiona.
She was living it up, partying with her homegirls.
I couldn’t help myself as I slid up on her.
After that she was like putty in my hands, she was drunk as fuck telling me all her relationship drama, how her nigga was cheating, and never had time for her.
Then she said his name, and that shit was like music to my ears, I knew God was throwing a nigga bone when he placed Zach’s baby mama in my hands like that.
The shit was too easy for me; I was able to position myself as the nigga who would give her the attention Zach wouldn't.
"You ever think about going back to that nigga?" I asked casually, as if the question didn't matter.
She frowned. "To Zach? Hell no. That ship been sailed.."
"But that don’t mean he aint still tryna fuck with you on that type of level?” I asked and she laughed.
"Niggas be stupid as fuck sometimes. He thinks because we got Teairra together, I'm supposed to wait around for him to get his shit together, while he fucks every Instagram bitch in Chicago.
" She propped herself up on one elbow. "And why you asking about Zach right now?
We just had some banging ass sex and you in here bringing up my baby daddy? "
I sat up slowly, reaching for my pants on the floor. "Just curious to see where your head at."
Something in my tone made her pause. The post-sex glow faded from her face as she watched me pull out my Glock from my waistband.
"Sosa?" Her voice went up an octave. "Whatchu’ doing?"
In one fluid motion, I had the barrel pointed inches from her pussy, her eyes went wide with fear, her body frozen in place.
"I'm tryna figure out somethin,’ Tiona," I said, my voice eerily calm. "Are you fucking me because you want to, or because Zach asked you to get close to me?"
"What? Baby, no,” She tried to move, but I pressed the gun closer, making her flinch.
"Don't fucking move. Just answer my questions."
Tears welled in her eyes. "Sosa, I swear to God, it's not like that. I fuck with you because I want to. Because... because I love you." I couldn't help but laugh at that.
"Love? Shorty you don't know shit about love. Three months ago, you were trying to get back with Zach, and now suddenly you love me. Nah, baby, it ain’t love. I would call it more so opportunity."
"Please, don’t do this," she whispered, tears now streaming down her face. "I'm not setting you up. I would never do no shit like that," I trailed the barrel of the gun down her body, watching her tremble. "You know what happens to hoes who play both sides in this game, right?"
"I'm not playing both sides," she insisted, her voice breaking.
"Zach don’t mean shit to me anymore."
“Yea man whatever, I'm only going to ask you one more time. Are you setting me up for Zach?"
"No!" she cried, the word almost a scream. "I swear on Teairra's life, I'm not! Yes, I still see him sometimes, he's my daughter's father. But I never told him about us. Never!"
I studied her face, looking for any signs she was lying. The rapid blinking, the touching of the face, the inconsistent story. Tiona showed all the signs, but there was also genuine fear there. She might be playing both sides, but she wasn't smart enough to set me up.
I lowered the gun slightly. "This what's gon’ happen. From this point on I wanna know everything you know about Zach's operation. and if I find out you're feeding him information about me…..I’m gon’ smoke you, but before I do, I’m gon show the world what type of bitch you really are.”
“What? Whatchu’…” she tried to say and I nodded toward the Louie bag on the dresser.
“It’s a camera in there and it’s been recording everything. How you think Zach would react seeing you begging for my dick? Hearing you say how much better I fuck you than he ever did?"
Her gaze snapped to the bag, then back to me, horror dawning on her face. "You recorded us? That’s some bit—"
"That’s some what?" I cut her off. "Nah, that’s whatchu’ call an insurance policy, Ma. You keep shit real with me and that video stays between us. You cross me, and it gets sent to Zach, your mama, Pornhub, and Instagram. You'll be the hood's favorite porn star by the morning."
Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "Why you doing this? I thought you really fucked with me." I almost felt bad but then again I didn’t.
"This shit ain't about feelings, Tiona. It’s business.
Always has been." She didn’t say anything else, once I was completely dressed, I walked out her crib and felt nothing but satisfaction.
This war between me and Zach was just beginning and this bitch ass nigga was nowhere near ready for what I had for his ass.
* * *
A Few Days Later….
I walked out the trap house onto the back porch where Rah was standing at smoking a black and mild.
It was cold as fuck. The cold hit different at night, it was the kind of Chicago cold that cut through ya clothes like they wasn't even on ya body.
Steam rose from my mouth as I exhaled, mixing with the smoke from the blunt between my fingers.
The rickety wooden porch creaked under our weight.
The trap sat on a block where everyone minded their business because they had to. Neighbors knew better than to see too much.
Down the block, three streetlights flickered like they was struggling to stay alive, while a stray cat darted across the alley, disappearing into the darkness.
Somewhere in the distance, sirens wailed, that shit was Chicago's true anthem. Not close enough to worry about, just close enough to remind us where we was. In the hood, and it was the constant soundtrack to our lives.