Kendra slowly but surely started to put her life back on track. It had been two weeks since her mother’s funeral and her break up with Trent. She had fallen behind in her schooling, so she decided to take a year off. She was going through too much turmoil, so she needed some time to refocus. She still hadn’t moved back in with Trent, but he came by her mom’s house every day. Trent wasn’t pressing the issue. He wanted to leave the decision up to her. In the meantime, he took full advantage of being a bachelor. Trent even had Nicole spend the night at his and Kendra’s home a couple of times. Nicole didn’t complain once about the time he came in. When she was there, she just enjoyed it for what it was. She always made sure that she had a blunt rolled for him. While he smoked, she wasted no time in giving him head.
One particular time, while they were having sex, he slipped up and called Nicole Kendra, but that still didn’t stop her. She was happy that she was now in the wife position, but that position would soon fade away.
Trent told Nicole he was going out hustling and that he would be back later. To his surprise, Nicole flipped on him and said, “Baby, we’re not spending any quality time together.”
Trent looked at her like “Shit! Here we go again!”
“Nicole, you’re here with me. Isn’t this what you’ve always wanted?” Trent questioned. Trent was starting to get agitated, and this was getting played.
“Yes, baby. I’m happy to be here with you, but I think you just been on the block too much.”
Nicole tried to reason with him, but it only made him angry.
“I swear y’all bitches complain about stupid shit when a nigga ain’t making money. Then, what?” Trent snapped.
Shit! Everything Nicole did made him miss Kendra more and more. He needed to get his shawty back.
After leaving Nicole, Trent was back on the block, grinding hard at full throttle. It was a lovely day in downtown LA, and Trent was having the best day he’d had in months. The dope fiends were coming back to back. Nothing could stop his grind.
Marcos walked up and said, “Aye, bro. It’s getting hot out here, man. We need to bounce. Shifts just changed, and now the Jump Out Crew is on the block.”
The Jump Out Crew was the name given to the detectives who worked the narcotics division. When they were on the block, hell always broke loose. One detective named Officer Brody showed out every chance he got. When he came out, he would announce himself like he was the king of an empire.
“This here is my block. I run the Nickel,” he would say.
Even though he knew he should be closing up shop, Trent just couldn’t stop. The money was coming in too fast. He knew he was playing with his freedom like it was a game of Russian roulette.
“Look, my nigga. Go ahead and be a hard headed-ass nigga, but thatss nڀs yo ass. I’m out,” Marcos said, frustrated.
He wasn’t trying to get caught up on some bullshit that could have been prevented. Besides, he had a couple of warrants.
As soon as Trent dumped his last pack, he got hemmed up by the Jump Out Crew.
“Ain’t this ‘bout some bullshit,” Trent spat.
Officer Brody walked up and called Trent by his government name, “Trenton Moore, what are you doing on my block? Boy, don’t you know this is my shit? How many times do I have to tell you that the Nickel is mine?”
Trent was vexed. He knew Brody was putting on a show for the cracker-ass cops behind him. To Trent, Brody was the black version of Mr. Burns from The Simpsons. He had been on the force for thirty years and was now head of the narcotics division.
“I’ll tell you what, Mr. Moore. I’ll let you go if you give me everything in your pockets,” Brody said with a devious grin.
“Brody, I don’t have shit, man,” Trent answered.
Trent wasn’t worried because all the cash was with Marcos. The only thing he had on him was that quick fifty he had made just before the cops hemmed him up. Marcos had already hit the block and parked in a nearby parking garage. At that point, he was walking back to the block. That was their routine, so that the cops couldn’t search the vehicle.
“I’m trying to give you a chance at freedom. Now, we can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way, Mr. Moore. I just want to warn you, if we do it your way, it’s not gonna be very nice.”
Knowing that the cards were stacked against him, Trent gave in and let the cops search him. Trent even went a step further. He took off his Nike Blazers to show that he didn’t have nothing on him but that fifty dollar bill.
“Mr. Moore, this must be your lucky day. I usually don’t give anyone a pass, but I’m a man of my word. Now, go on and get out my face before I change my mind,” Brody threatened.
Trent put back on his shoes and walked around the corner to the parking garage, where he met up with Marcos.
“My nigga, you alright? I thought you was a goner, my nigga,” Marcos laughed.
“Ain’t shit funny, nigga. Yo ass took off like a bitch,” Trent snapped.
“Yeah, nigga, I have warrants, not tryna get caught off some bullshit,” Marcos said, continuing to laugh.
Without warning, Trent became serious when he confessed, “On some serious shit, man, I miss my fucking girl so bad. It’s been two weeks since I last seen her. She’s not answering a nigga’s phone calls or texts. I keep showing up, and she doesn’t even come to the door.”
“Give her some more time, Trent. She’s hurting right now with all that y’all are going through and her mom passing. It’s really taken a toll on her, but don’t stop showing affection just ‘cuz she’s telling you not to bother her. In reality, nigga, she needs you,” Marcos said, reclining in his seat.
“Aw, nigga, you getting sentimental on a nigga now,” Trent laughed.
“Nah, young grasshopper, I’ve been down that road before,” Marcos said, turning his face to gaze out the window. Trent heard and understood every word that Marcos spoke. He just had to bring his thoughts together before he chanced going over to Kendra’s mother’s house.
Trent dropped Marcos off at home. Once alone, Trent was able to think things through. He drove to a flower shop and picked up some tulips. Then, he picked up some fresh fruit and chocolate- her favorites.
Kendra tried to keep herself busy at her mother’s house, so she didn’t think of her too much, but, as she went through her mother’s belongings and separated them, Kendra’s heartbreak overwhelmed her. She kept those items that had sentimental value and spent most of her day reminiscing. After boxing them up, she gave the remaining items to the Goodwill. As she was going through her mother’s items, Kendra ran across a picture of her father and mother. In the picture, they were all lovey dovey. This was before he was sent to prison on a twenty-five year bid for killing his best friend after his best friend had tried to molest his children and rape his wife.
Chuck didn’t have a family of his own, so he spent all of his time at Amir and Bernice’s house. One Sunday, Amir and Chuck were drinking and shooting dice with a neighbor. They did this every weekend. When there was a lull in the game, Chuck excused himself and went inside. He let Bernice know that he was going to give the girls some money for school.
After what seemed like forever, Mrs. LaSalle realized that he was taking longer than usual, so she went to see what was holding him up. When she stepped in the room, she found Chuck with his pants down. He was trying to force his penis into Nia’s mouth.
At the sight of this, Bernice lost it and jumped on his back. She hollered for Kendra to go get her father. Chuck slammed Mrs. LaSalle on the ground, while a very scared Nia slid under her bed. He, then, dragged Bernice into the bathroom and ripped her clothes off.
“Bitch, since you want to interrupt shit, I’m gonna take it from you,” he slurred as he punched Bernice in her face.
“So, you’re really going to disrespect Amir like that? I thought he was your best friend.”
Frustrated, Chuck spat, “Fuck, Amir. I never liked that pretty-ass nigga anyway.”
Meanwhile, Kendra ran as fast as she could to get her dad. He was standing outside in their the backyard, talking to their neighbor. When she came running up, he said, “Slow down, Ken! Why don’t you have on no shoes?”
“Daddy! Daddy! Nia! Uncle Chuck!” was all she could get out, while huffing and puffing. Tears poured down her face as she tried to explain what was going on in the house. Her father looked at her and then, he told his friend he would catch up with him later. He picked up Kendra and ran into the house. Once inside, he yelled, “Bernice! Bernice!”
When Nia heard her father’s voice, she came from under the bed and ran to the living room.
“Hey, baby girl! Where is your mother and Uncle Chuck?”
Tears filled her eyes as she pointed to the bathroom. He told the kids to walk next door and wait for their mom to come and get them, but they ignored their father and stayed behind. Amir walked into his bedroom and grabbed his sawed off shotgun. He walked to the bathroom door and kicked it open. He saw his wife laying on the floor with a swollen eye. Chuck looked up and saw the barrel pointing in his face.
“Man, I’m sorry. Amir, I…I,” Chuck stuttered hard, getting up off the floor and walking toward the entrance of the doorway.
“How could you, Chuck? How could you betray me like this, huh?”
Amir was heated and had tears in his eyes. The next thing that came out of Chuck’s mouth was so shocking that he couldn’t believe that he even spoke the words himself.
“I really wanted Nia, but this bitch jumped in the way.”
Those were the last words he spoke as the bullets rippled through his chest. The cries of his two little girls broke Amir’s heart. He laid the shotgun on the floor and ran to his babies, hugging them close.
“I’m sorry you guys had to witness this. Murder is never an option, but I will die and go to hell before I let someone harm my babies.”
One of the neighbors who’d heard the shots called the police. The paramedics, police, and fire department all pulled up at once. They asked the neighbors and the kids a series of questions. One of the lead detectives informed Amir that they were going to take him in for questioning.
“We’re going to have to take you down to the precinct, Mr. LaSalle.”
When they cuffed him, Bernice went crazy, screaming, “Let him go!” She clung to her husband’s leg and was dragged behind him as they walked him to the squad car. Amir let her know everything would be okay. An officer approached and asked, “Do you guys have a place to go for the next couple of nights?”
The officer assured Bernice that she and the kids would be okay. Mrs. LaSalle packed herself and her children some clothes. Then, they were driven to a nearby hotel, where they resided for the next two days.
On the day of sentencing, Mrs. LaSalle made sure she was front and center at her husband’s hearing. The judge gave leniency because of the circumstances provided by the lawyer and sentenced Amir to twenty-five years. Mrs. LaSalle was heartbroken. There was no way she could stay away from her husband that long. Every weekend, Kendra, her sister, and mother took the Greyhound to visit their father. Seeing him every weekend helped to ease the pain in their mother’s heart.
Kendra set the picture on the mantel and continued cleaning. After everything was boxed up, she put the boxes in the garage. Kendra knew that all of these events had happened for a reason. She felt it was God that had led her to leave her house that night. She thought about calling Trent, but the thought went away. Kendra went outside to get the mail. As she opened the door, she found Trent standing in the doorway. He startled her. Why is it that, every time I think about him, he shows up? Kendra wondered.
“Hey, shawty. Are you gonna let me in?” Trent asked, standing there with some tulips, a box of chocolate, and a puppy dog look on his face.
Reluctantly, Kendra stepped aside to let him pass. Trent set everything on the counter and took a seat at the bar.
“Ma, I can’t sleep one more night without you. Baby, I know you have every right to be upset. I know I fucked up, but I’m here to right my wrong. You are my foundation, my rock, my wifey. It’s you that I want and need. Those other bitches don’t mean shit.” Trent poured his heart out. He figured, if he was just open about the situation, that it would make it easier for her to forgive him. Kendra didn’t know what to say or how to react. She wanted to slap him for all the turmoil he had put her through, but her mother had taught her to let bygones be bygones.
“Trent, being apart from you has helped me realize some things, so I hope when I say this you don’t get mad.”
Kendra looked into Trent’s eyes. She could tell that he was being sincere, but what if she went back and things hadn’t changed? She didn’t want to risk it, but she, also, didn’t want to sleep alone any longer. Her mind was playing tricks on her.
“What if things don’t work out, Trent? Then, what?”
Trent lowered his head. He was tired of battling with Kendra. He just needed for her to give him another chance. He was sure that he could make it right, but, sometimes, it felt like, for every step forward he took, he got knocked two steps back.
“Ken baby, I’ll tell you what. I’mma show you how serious I am. I’mma give you a week, and nothing more than a week, to think about it.”
Trent drew Kendra closer and kissed her gently. To his surprise, she didn’t resist his embrace. He decided to take it a step further. He slid his hand over her breasts and teased her nipples. Kendra threw her head back in pure ecstasy. She hadn’t been touched in three weeks, and, to her, it seemed like Trent had the magic touch to take her over the edge. She kissed Trent hungrily as she guided him to the sofa. She took off her tank top, exposing her hardened nipples. Trent wasted no time in licking around her areola before sucking her nipples one at a time, devouring each one.
Kendra grinded her pelvis against Trent’s dick. He lifted her in the air and snatched off her boy shorts. He licked his lips when he saw her clean shaven pussy. Trent laid Kendra on the floor and spread her legs wide open. He stuck his index finger inside her canal and moved it in a circular motion. He softly kissed in between her thighs. Then, he eased to her center. He licked and sucked like it was his last meal on earth, and he kept his finger going at a steady pace. He felt Kendra’s legs wrap around his neck, putting a lock on him. He stopped for a brief second. Kendra arched her back. As her body yearned for more, she whispered, “Please don’t stop.” Kendra turned him on his back and went for his jewels. She grabbed his dick like she speaking into a mic. Twisting her hands around the shaft like she was grinding pepper, she cuffed his balls with the palm of her hand and sucked on each testicle. She, then, deep throated, gagging just a bit. Trent cried out in pure pleasure. He couldn’t take any more. He wasn’t ready to cum until he was deep inside her womb.
Trent eased Kendra’s legs over his shoulders. He then rubbed the head of his dick on her clit until her pussy swallowed him whole. As soon as he entered, Trent didn’t move. He just wanted to feel the warmth of her, but Kendra moved her hips to an imaginary beat in her head.
“My lil mama missed daddy, huh?” Trent said confidently.
Kendra remained silent, but she continued to gyrate her hips. Her breathing became heavy as she busted her first nut. She was in a zone of her own. She needed to feel love, but, at the same time, she wanted to feel hatred towards him. Their lovemaking session was very emotional for both of them. Trent had really missed her. For Kendra, it was more pain than love. Kendra was on to busting nut number two. She was elated. Damn. I need to break up with him more often, she thought.
After what seemed like hours of lovemaking, Kendra gathered up Trent’s things. Once she had all his belongings, she handed them to him.
“Damn, Ken! A nigga can’t cuddle with you? If I didn’t know any better, I would think you were treating me like a whore,” Trent chuckled. “A’ight, ma. I’mma give you a pass. Have your bags packed in a week. I’m coming back for you.”
Trent planted a wet kiss on Kendra’s forehead while sliding his jeans and Timbs on.
“Just make sure you’re ready when I come back,” he said as he walked out the door. He got in his truck and drove away feeling like he had just accomplished a life-long goal.
On the way back to the block, Trent thought about his master plan. He needed to keep Nicole on his team, but, he also knew her time was up. “Shit! All I have to do is give her some bomb dick, and she’ll be cool,” he said out loud.
It was cool having a woman around who didn’t complain about anything he said or did as long as he kept his dick in her mouth or fucked the shit out of her. “All good things must come to an end,” Trent spoke, saying the words loud and clear.
That day, Trent wasn’t on the block to serve; he was there to collect his paper from consignments. Trent wanted to create an empire. That was his hustler’s dream. Money made Trent’s dick hard. If someone didn’t have all his money, it was hell to pay. Trent leaned on his truck, waiting for workers and other drug dealers to bring him his loot. He wasn’t even on the block a good thirty minutes before all his money was in his hands, all except for this one dude named JD. He was becoming more of a problem for Trent. It had been a month since he’d been playing with Trent’s money. JD didn’t know it yet, but his actions were about to cause his demise.
One of Trent’s workers let him know that JD was at the Bottoms in San Julian Park, flossing his new ride and jewelry and passing out money to the smokers.
“Man, Trent, he is out there making you look bad, saying how he got all this off your expense,” the worker informed.
He looked up to Trent as a mentor. He hoped to someday be like him.
“I swear I wanted to pop him right then and there, but you know I would had to spray everyone,” the worker said.
Trent nodded his head at this new information. He looked at his young protégé. Then, he said, “You did right to leave him for me. Now, I need you to do me a favor. Get him to come to the bar around the corner on Spring. Treat him to a couple of drinks, and I’ll take care of the rest,” Trent said as he went to the back of his truck and grabbed his hoodie.
The worker was extra hyped. He gave Trent dap and said, “I’m gonna set that up right now.”
The worker dialed up JD to set it up. Within the hour, JD and the worker were in the bar drinking and chopping the breeze. The worker kept a tab running at the bar, so JD could get more comfortable with him. The plan was to get him drunk enough so that Trent could lure him to the back and peal his cap. So far, everything was going as planned.
Thirty minutes later, Trent walked into the bar. He was wearing his hoodie and a cap so low that his eyes were covered. You would have thought he was Jay-Z or somebody, but the camouflage was necessary because no one could know who he was. Trent moved in, swiftly approaching his protégé like he was interested in copping some ya-yo. Trent’s protégé Marquise went back over to where JD was sitting and said, “Aye, my man behind us wants a quarter pack. I need to hit up Trent, so he can bring it to me.”
“Fuck that Trent nigga. I’m the muthafuckin’ man ‘round here. You ain’t heard? I ran that nigga outta business,” JD said with a drunken slur.
Marquise was just as eager for JD to meet his maker. He wanted to pop his wig right then and there, but he knew he had to stick to the plan. Trent kept his finger on the trigger, anxious to get JD out back.
JD rose from his seat and yelled to Trent, “Only bitches need a nigga to speak for them.”
JD chuckled, thinking what he said was funny. Trent just nodded his head, walking out the door. Trent walked around the block to a small alley located between two hotels. He bent down behind his car and acted like he was fixing his shoe. He could hear Marquise and JD walking towards the car.
“Fuck this nigga doing?” JD spat.
When JD finally realized what was going on, it was too late. Trent cocked his.38 at JD’s head, scaring JD so much that he pissed on himself.
“Yeah, nigga. I don’t hear you wolfing that big shit now,” Trent spoke heatedly. “Any last words before I send you to the place of no return.”
“Aye. C’mon, Trent. I was just bullshitting. I have your money in my car. Just don’t shoot. We can work this out,” JD said, trying to compromise, holding out the keys to his car. Marquise snatched them out of his hands. Trent laughed.
“Look at this pussy-ass nigga. Trent, he deserves to die,” Marquise said.
Trent didn’t have the time or the patience to hear a pathetic excuse. He figured JD had just written a check his ass couldn’t cash, and it was time for him to pay the piper. Trent pressed the gun against JD’s temple and squeezed the trigger. Trent watched JD’s lifeless body hit the pavement. Afterwards, he tucked his gun away. Then, he got into his work car with Marquise in tow and drove away. He continued his day like nothing had happened. When he dropped Marquise off around the corner from the park, he said, “Make sure to get the whip and meet me back at the spot in twenty minutes.”
More than twenty minutes later, Trent, along with Marcos, was anticipating Marquise’s arrival, and Trent was getting annoyed. Fuck this nigga taking so long for? I don’t want to have to body this nigga, too, he thought. At that moment, the door to the spot opened up, and Marquise stepped in, wearing a grin on his face.
“Nigga, we ‘bout to be on,” Marquise said.
Trent looked on with a confused expression. Marquise picked up on the expression that Trent wore. Then, he started to explain what he had found in the trunk of car.
“I drove the car to a strip mall down by Trade Tech College. When I found a parking space, I popped the trunk to make sure shit was kosher. I stumbled on more than what my eyes planned to see,’’ Marquise said, grinning from ear to ear.
“Fuck this nigga on?” Marcos asked.
Trent gave him the low down on the events that had taken place earlier.
“So, what did you find?” Trent asked, raising a brow.
Trent sat on the stool across from Marquise. He liked the young dude, but he would bust a slug in him without warning if he didn’t like what Marquise had to say.
“I’mma need help with these duffle bags,” Marquise said as he walked out the door.
Once at the car, Marquise popped the trunk. Trent’s and Marcos’s eyes lit up. Each one carried a duffle bag back inside. One was filled with money. The money was thrown around everywhere inside the bag. The other two smaller duffle bags contained all kinds of drugs, from crack cocaine to ecstasy.
Trent dumped the money and drugs on the floor. There was so much money that he didn’t even want to count it. He could look and tell there was way more than a hundred grand. He took out ten stacks and passed them to Marquise. Then, he stashed the dope and money in tiny compartments in the bedroom.
“Take the car down to Jorge’s Garage on Figueroa and Ninety-Fifth. Tell him I sent you. He will know what to do. He owes me big time,” Trent said to Marquise. “Make sure you have someone to meet you down there.”
Once Marquise was gone, Marcos lit a blunt and asked, “What’s up with you and Kendra. What you going to do?”
“Shit! She will be back at home on Friday. Don’t even trip, my nigga,” Trent said with a smile and confidence in his voice. “I’m gonna catch up with you later. I was handling shit before I was interrupted.”
Trent laughed. Then, he gave Marcos dap and left the house. Trent decided to wait before telling Nicole she had to bounce. He just wanted to have his dick sucked, smoke a blunt, and chill. When he arrived home, Nicole’s bags were sitting by the door. He looked around for her, but she was nowhere to be found. Trent was glad that she was leaving on her own instead of him making her go. She had made the job much easier for him. Trent rolled himself a fat blunt and turned on the TV. In less than ten minutes, he was out, exhausted from everything and everybody.
Hours later, he was rudely awakened by someone banging on the door. He could hear Nicole screaming, “Trent, I know you’re in there! Now, open the door!”
Furious, he snatched the door open and asked, “Bitch, why the fuck you banging like you the police?”
“Well, I’ve been knocking for fifteen minutes, and I have to pee,” Nicole answered in a whiny voice.
Nicole looked Trent up and down. She could tell something was wrong, but she didn’t want to ask him because that would have been another argument. So far, she had dodged the bullet of getting her ass beat.
“What’s up? Why are your clothes by the door, and where the fuck you coming from?” Trent questioned, already knowing the answer. He just wanted to hear her tell him why.
“I want to be in a relationship, not just here for your convenience,” Nicole stated, sounding sad. She was hoping by telling him her reasons that it would change his mind.
Trent said, “Nicole, I don’t know how many times I have to say-”
“I have a wife, ma,” she said sarcastically, cutting him off and completing his sentence. Then, she said, “I went out with Treniyah. Don’t worry. I had her pick me up and drop me off by the shopping mall, so your secret is safe.”
Trent grabbed his keys and yelled out, “Let’s roll.”
They rode in complete silence. Neither one wanted to say good-bye. In Trent’s mind, he still wanted to fuck her from time to time and have her on his team, but he yearned for the love and the warmth of Kendra. She had been down with him for six years, and it was still going strong. Even though he had wifed her up and made it so she wouldn’t have to want for nothing, she still went out and got a job. She knew about his hustle, but she wasn’t interested in the streets. After he dropped Nicole off at her house, he returned home and, immediately, went to work cleaning up.
Damn! Time flies when you’re not paying attention, Trent thought after he’d been tidying up for two hours, making sure everything was in order before Kendra came home. He had bought some new thousand count bed sheets and a quilt from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. He, then, made sure that Nicole hadn’t left anything behind. He knew how women liked to operate, to make their presence known. Just as he had suspected, Nicole had left a Dear Jane letter in the nightstand on Kendra’s side, but Trent was two steps ahead of the game.
“Ha! The games bitches play, but they are no match for the Don Juan,” Trent yelled out.