Charmed By A Steel City Hustler

Bash:

We drove in silence for about ten minutes before Kalvon opened his mouth. I knew what he was going to say and tried my best to keep a straight face.

"Bash you the real MVP fam! Yo ass is slick as fuck. Nigga how the hell you pull that shit off?"

I cracked a small smile and replied that I had no idea what he was talking about. Kalvon started laughing and pulled a blunt from his pocket. This fool stayed with a blunt on demand.

"Oh, so you are going sit there with a straight face. And deny ain't shit popping off between you, and that fine ass sister-in-law of yours. I saw the way you were checking her out when we first walked up in there. Baby girl looked white as a ghost when I came back down those steps. She had that 'caught up fucking' look plastered across her sweaty forehead."

I was not going to confirm his suspicions, but my smile gave it all away. Shit, he wasn't going tell anybody. Unlike Cease, he didn't think it was a bad thing. Kalvon continued to praise my actions and going off on a fantasy tangent. The truth was I didn't have Lois sprung; it was the other way around.

I wanted her in so many ways. Yet still had some form of love for Lola. This situation was going to end up hurting someone eventually. We pulled up to my warehouse, and something felt off. That neck hair standing on edge feeling wrong. "Von, you strapped?"

I asked pulling my strap from the centerpiece. I heard him load one into the chamber of his own gun. We both exited the truck and walked toward the front door. Huey, the doorman, was standing there, but something was off about his posture. The closure we got I realized that fool was dead.

TAT! TAT! TAT! TAT!

Gunfire rang out from all around us, and we both dove through the sliding door. I kicked it closed and ducked for cover behind a barrel. This shit was crazy as hell. I had not been in an all-out gun battle for a few years.

Kalvon had gotten behind some equipment and was firing in the opposite direction. This was a setup, but who and why? I had no beef in the past few years as I was scaling down and fading to the background. Did these fools want to off Kalvon? I know he would not set me up on no dummy mission.

I heard two bodies drop from behind me and the sliding door was starting to open. I grabbed for the spare gun that was on my ankle and stood up taking aim. I dropped two guys, and a bullet grazed my damn head. I ducked down breathing heavily. That shit was too close for comfort.

"Where dem fools at mane?"

I heard a male voice say in a thick accent that was not native to our country. Two other voices could be heard speaking. They used the native dialogue that I could not understand. I was glad that my policy stated the shipment not be delivered until after I gave a call in. These fools didn't know that shit.

They got here early to rob me and were sorely disappointed. That paranoia of mine just saved my life and a huge shipment of guns. We were outnumbered and outgunned. The only way we could survive was to get out the back door. Head for my getaway car I kept stashed two blocks away.

"Aye mane you, fools are going to kick up the guns okay. There is no other way out of this. Kalvon, you little bitch! I should skin you alive. You and Lethal thought that killing my kin was acceptable! No! I kill for fun motherfuckers, and this shit is personal."

What the fuck was this Bob Marley looking motherfucker talking about? God, if I make it out of this, I am fucking my little cousin up.

I pulled out my cell and sent a text and location ping to Caesar. Hopefully that fool was not deep in some pussy right now. I also sent it to Nise. Sis was a monster and could come through quicker than that fool. I peeked around and saw a total of eight men, all fully loaded with multiple weapons.

I looked to my left and saw Kalvon reloading his shit. He finally looked up and our eyes connected. I gave him the hand motion to bail out and pointed to the exit door. This fool shaking his head no. The run was twenty feet at least. There were bodies on the ground from some of my lower-level workers and those dreadlock fuckers.

"You punk bitches won't come out? Huh? Fine, I burn da building with you in it. Then go fuck your lady. I bet they got nice tight pussy, huh? They will holler for a real mane, yes."

This fool had me itching to put a bullet between his eyes standing there talking shit like that. Kalvon let off five shots, and I stood up back stepping toward the door. The barrage of bullets was powerful as hell. Then it hit me that they were coming from behind me.

"Bash run we got you covered."

The voice of my guardian angel, Nise. She was standing there with six guys laying down major fire. The dread head fools were shocked, and the leader had a pissed off expression plastered on his face. They backed out of the warehouse and retreated to their vehicles. Kalvon was still shooting long after they had driven off. I know he was mad, but nowhere near how steamed I was right now.

"Bash what are you doing getting mixed up with Kwame? That fool and his brother run the Los Pound Army out of New York. They steal what they can't buy via murder, kidnap, and rape."

My head hurt with what Nise said. I was about to reply when my phone started ringing like crazy. Caesar's unstable ass. I knew he was at the regular business warehouse mad as fuck. That fool was going to be running his mouth for the next hour.

Two of Nise' men came around the back said the front was all clear. My whip was shot the fuck up. Those fools busted out all windows and flattened the tires. What type of pussy ass man would fuck up a car? That is bitch tendencies like a mufucka. Demolishing my car was another strike against these fools.

"Shorty, you know how to handle a gun. I like a woman that's a little dangerous, and you fine as hell. What's your name gorgeous?"

"Uninterested youngster. A man must be able to handle business to excite a woman of my caliber. Bash y'all straight or you want me to get a few guys to follow y'all back to the spot."

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"How the hell did you get here so fast Nise?"

Kalvon's attempt to flirt fell on deaf ears. I really did not need him and Cease at one another's throats over Nise. Her crazy ass would entertain him just to fuck with my fools head.

"I was a few blocks down securing my own deal. We heard gunfire and thought nothing of it until my phone went off. Escort service yay or nay fool."

I waved Nise off and thanked her for the quick back up. The fact she didn't want to come with us was weird. Caesar must have pissed her off about something. This was going to be along ass night.

****

"This is why we don't do business with out-of-town people! Those fools could have wired that building to blow soon as y'all stepped a pinky toe in that bitch!"

Caesar was venting his frustration. I returned some emails and text messages to my staff regarding Lola's party. I let that shit go in one ear and out the other. He was free to voice his opinion. I damn sure did not have to entertain it. Kalvon and Cease, surprisingly did not argue. Kalvon was on the line with someone up in New York yelling and making threats. They were blowing my concentration right now. I wanted all the information possible on this fool Kwame. I had already put the word out while on the way here.

"ENOUGH DAMN!"

I yelled standing up and slamming my palms on to the desk.

"Caesar, I get you are mad but ain't nobody up in here your fucking child Bruh. Kalvon step out to a private area and conduct that business. You and I can talk later. The rest of y'all get the fuck out my office. Make sure the other warehouse is muthafuckin secured. I would like to know how five members were murdered before I arrived, and nobody knew."

No one spoke just all followed my instructions and left out. Cease closed the door behind Kalvon and took the seat across from my desk.

"Bash-"

"I know. I know Bruh. This shit could have been way worse. You are not going to be beefing with my little cousin. This shit does not fall on you. It's on me. I got people out contacting the families of our fallen soldiers now."

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Cease shook his head and chuckled while speaking.

"Nigga this ain't about delivering bad news. Or even Kalvon's bad choice in business partners. This is about you."

"Come again?"

I was not following where he was going with this rant. I sat up in my seat preparing for what was to come next. Cease rubbed at his chin and sat up as well. We barely had disagreements about anything business or personal. I got the feeling this was going be a big fall out.

"You have been off for months now. Moving differently, up to some fuck shit with Donnie. Your marriage is on its last wheel given recent conversation. The leave it to beaver shit is not the reason you want out. The Bash I know would have never signed off on this deal today. The old you would have at least done his research and not have gone off hearsay. What is really going on with you?"

This fool was questioning my judgment and leadership. He was also paying way too damn much attention to my routine. Had I been that blindsided by my situation with Donnie and Lois? I saw the shit with Donnie as revenge that was family business. That was nobody's damn business not even Cease.

Cease didn't like any of my relatives no way. Lois was a distraction but so the fuck what. I wanted my cake and to eat it too. The shit sounded selfish, but everyone had their vices and family pussy was mine.

I was over playing the good guy who took everything into consideration. I was always over thinking shit before I moved. This shoot out was a sign that maybe falling back was not the best decision to make right now.

"Bruh you are absolutely right. I have been off my game too busy trying to be a square ass fool. I am not built for the nine to five and a white picket fence. I'm not stepping back from the empire I built. Niggas need to know that I will make the streets bleed for disrespecting and coming for my product and life."

"Bash that's not what I-"

"There will be no further discussion about this. See your way out my office Cease. I gotta get this shit for Lola's upcoming party ordered. Life goes on right."

Caesar reluctantly left my office with the mean mug on. I didn't give a shit about his feelings or goddamn opinions right about now. He wanted to jump down my throat and got the response he was looking for. I sent a massive text message out to my entire street crew that I was the HNIC again. I sent new drop and delivery schedules as well.

All of that took about ten minutes and I began surfing websites to get Lola a gift. The responses to my emails began to pour in. My crew was loyal to a fault and were happy to know that I was not leaving. No disrespect to Cease as he did great work.

An original king was irreplaceable in his own kingdom. I patted my pockets for a lighter and no dice. I probably drop that shit in the warehouse earlier. I opened my bottom drawer and a lighter, a blunt, along with a sack of that Guerilla Glue was waiting on me.