Raising Hope

One

|Victoria|

"You got to be fucking kidding me Victoria!" Kenneth massaged his temples as he sat across from me at Starbucks.

"Don't do that." I told him.

"What?" He said with an edge to his tone, but also confused.

"Look like I'm stressing you out." I told him. I hated when he did that.

His face contorted as he looked at me like I was crazy. "You are stressing me out. Don't make your consequences worse, so I advise you to watch your fucking mouth." He warned me.

Consequences? I'm not a child and he's not my father.

I didn't dare to speak my thoughts aloud. That'll only make things worse like he said.

Some men and women walked past us with looks of suspicion. They were probably wondering what everybody was wondering around here. What was Victoria, wife of Kingpin, Derrick doing with another man? On top of that, Kenneth.

"Wassup, Ken?" The man leading the group spoke to him. They dapped and other men and women began to speak.

None of them dared to question Ken's business with me. That's one thing he didn't like for sure. People all in his business and asking questions.

"Wassup, Dom." Ken said to the man, not interested in speaking to the rest. He kept his circle of people small due to trust issues. But, who didn't have those?

When they went in the opposite direction my attention turned back to Kenneth, but he avoided eye contact.

He pulled out a roll of money and handed it to me. "Handle that." He told me.

He has to be fucking joking me, I picked up the money and threw it at him. A few peoples heads turned in our direction.

"I'm not about to flush our child down the drain." I said sternly.

The look on his face was eery as he picked up the stack of money. He was angry.

He stood up and walked around the table to sit next to me. I didn't even turn to look at him. I was too afraid. Afraid was an understatement. I was terrified of this nigga.

He placed his huge hand on my thigh and squeezed it hard enough to crush my bones.

In my ear he spoke in an eery tone, "You gone take this motherfucking money and you are going to get rid of your child. Now, don't make me embarrass yo' ass up in here because I will do it." He said through clenched teeth. And there was no doubt that he would do it. His grip became tighter and I bit my bottom lip as tears came to my eyes.

"Okay, okay." I cried. My nails were digging into this hand wishing he would stop already.

He squeezed hard one last time and a gasp escaped my lips. He finally let go and I held my leg.

"Now get the fuck out of my face!" He snarled and the only thing holding me back from moving so fast was the throbbing pain in my leg.

I put the money in my purse and walked to my car. I could feel his eyes on me. I felt like he was burning holes in my back.

As I approached my car a man with all black on walked in my direction. Something told me to just get in the car and so I did. I turned my back and opened the door and next thing I know the man in all black fell onto my car with a bleeding face.

What the fuck? When I turned around Kenneth was standing a few feet away and he had blood on his hands. That's when I realized the man in all back must have been coming for me.

"Get in the car and leave, don't go home!" Kenneth yelled at me grabbing the man and beating him to a bloody pulp in front of everyone watching.

I didn't hesitate to get in my car and pull off, but I didn't have anywhere to go, so I just drove. After about ten minutes of driving and figuring out where I'm going to go my phone rang.

I answered it and it was connected to the car Bluetooth. It was Kenneth calling me and that was just the person I needed to talk to. I needed some answers.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Come to my place." He ordered me.

"Why can't I go home?" I asked him curiously and worried.

"Victoria just listen to me dammit!" He yelled at me through the phone.

His attitude was really pissing me off. "You don't have to fucking yell at me!"

"Man, Victoria-" I hung up on him. I knew he was about to be in my ass when I got to his house, but I didn't feel like hearing his threats.

As I drove to his place my cell began ringing again and I was going to ignore it assuming it was him, until I glanced at my phone and it read, Derrick's name.

I didn't want to answer it, but I did anyway because I didn't need another crazy nigga in my ass when I already had one.

"Where the fuck are you? You was supposed to be here to pick Hope up from school today." He asked angrily through the phone.

Shit! I forgot.

"Fuck! I forgot, I'm sorry Derrick." I apologized, but I know it ain't mean shit to him.

"Fuck that sorry shit. Play your part as a mother and start putting your child before the nigga you fucking!" He spat and although I didn't give a fuck about cheating on him, those words actually hurt.

I continued to drive to Kenneth's house. When I got there ten minutes later I got out of my car and knocked on the door.

As soon as the door opened I was yanked in. A slap went across my face and I fell to the floor. Kenneth stood over me with a grimace on his face.

"You like pissing me off! Hang up like that again," he said then walked over to the couch and sat down.

I went upstairs to his bedroom. I didn't know what I'd be doing here, but I couldn't stay here for long because I had to pick up my daughter tomorrow.

For the rest of the day all I did was cook for this nigga, clean up behind him then I finally decided to leave. The way he reacted when I was about to leave showed he was iffy about me leaving. I think it had something to do with what happened at Starbucks earlier. All I know is whoever was after him was now after me too and I wasn't trying to go down like that. Not with our baby in my stomach.

"Nah, I think you should stay here." He finally said when I already reached the door getting ready to leave.

"I can't Ken I have to go get my daughter." I told him.

"Just for a few days." He said. "I'm worried about your safety V and I want you to lay up with your nigga." He said almost in a pleading tone.

A smile formed on my face. I knew he'd come around. I closed the door and walked over to where he sat on the couch and straddled him. I couldn't wait until he was mine. I just had to get Derrick out of the way.

******************
What are y'all thoughts so far? This is my first book. I may write more depending on y'all votes and comments. PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS!! They help give me feedback and insight on what y'all like and don't like. AND VOTE bc that lets me know I need to KEEP GOING!! If you don't vote or comment I can't update. Sorry. But love y'all. Bye 👋🏽😘