Naomi's Savior

XV.

Raymond

I left out the house and quickly drove over to Terror's crib. Today was the day that I would finally see Monty/Blue.

When I was outside Trey's house, I texted him to come outside. He came out quickly and got into the passenger's side. "You finally ready to find out some answers?" Terror asked.

"Hell yeah. This nigga better have a good excuse too." I replied.

It was about a thirty minute drive, but I got there in fifteen. The building looked like an abandoned warehouse, and at first we thought it was a set up. However, once we pulled into the parking lot, Blue came out of the building.

We stepped out the car, and Blue walked back in. We followed behind him. After walking past a bunch of rooms, we finally reached Blue's office.

Inside, there was a table filled with cash on top. The office was nicely decorated with a trophy case displaying multiple guns. Anthony stood next to the empty office chair that belonged to Blue. When our eyes met, I scoffed at him. This nigga got the nerve to work for this nigga and be all up in my house. I ignored him, though, because I have more important matters to take care of.

Blue sat in his chair. "So what brings y'all two by?"

"Cut the bullshit, Monty...or should I say Blue? That's ya new name right? What happened to loyalty?" I asked.

"You see this office....this cash? This all mine. I'm yo' equal now. I ain't never give a fuck about Terror or Haze. I was only selling with them niggas 'cuz I knew you had loyalty with them. You got busted and Haze got killed; I started worrying about myself." He shrugged his shoulders.

I glared at him. "Why'd you leave the game then?"

"To be honest, I thought this shit wasn't for me. After Haze got killed, I thought them niggas was gonna come after me. I had to lay low...come back on a sneak tip."

"They can still come after you now nigga. As easy as I found out who you really was, they can too." I scrunched up my face. This nigga feeding me bullshit.

"I ain't worried bout no niggas now." Blue got angry. "Man, we ain't here to talk about the past. We here for business."

I nodded, agreeing that we should talk about the issue at hand. "Yeah, we here to talk about how you stealing my corners. Nigga you know that's my territory."

"Okay, well set a boundary then. You don't need this whole damn city, especially when you ignoring have the blocks, anyways." Blue said.

I thought for a moment. "Aight, you got the East side. East 42nd and up." I gave Blue the section we made the least dough from. This nigga wasn't gonna get a 50/50 cut from me.

"Aight. That works. I stay on my side and you stay on yours." Blue extended his hand.

"Aight." I shook his hand and stood up to leave with Terror.

"Smart deal." Terror said once we was in the car.

"Yeah, I still can't believe that nigga had the audacity to try to take our corners. He lucky he used to be my nigga." I said as I drove.

"I don't know, but it don't even matter. I'm just glad we ain't working with that nigga no more. Ol' conceited ass needy ass nigga.

I drove Terror home, and all I could think about was seeing Anthony at the meeting. This nigga knew this whole time he was disrespecting me yet comes up in my house and sweet talks my sister? Hell no, that shit ain't acceptable.

I drove to McDonald's and ordered three McChicken's. Two for me and one for Naomi. I ordered two large fries and Iced Teas before heading home. When I got in the house, I could hear the music blasting in Naomi's door. I knocked on the door loudly to overpower her music.

"Come in!" She yelled. I opened the door and she was painting.

I put her bag of McDonald's and Ice Tea on her dresser. "Na, I gotta talk to you!" I yelled over the music.

"Wassup?" She asked after she placed her paintbrush in the water and paused her music.

"Did you know that Anthony's in the game?"

AN: Instead of making these two short chapters, I combined them into one. So consider this a part 2, from Naomi's point of view.

Naomi

"Did you know that Anthony's in the game?"

I scrunched up my face. No, this can't be. "No...how do you know that he's in the game?"

"I just seen him at the meeting with Lamont. He works for him, Na. I don't want you around him anymore." Ray said sternly.

I cocked my head sideways. "And why not? You're a drug dealer...and I live with you."

Ray raised his voice. "You shouldn't be around a nigga like that. Plus if it wasn't for me,yo ass still wouldn't even know. I'm just trying to be there for you, Na. But yo ass don't see that."

I raised my voice too. "You can't be mad at me for wanting to date a nigga who does the same thing as you. And as far as him not telling me, that's a conversation between me and him." I paused. "You're always trying to 'be there for me' but where were you when I really needed you, huh?" Hot tears fell from my eyes. "A whole year you were gone!"

Ray's face softened, and he sat on my bed and rubbed my back. "Na, what are you talking about? What happened when I was gone?"

The tears flowed freely as I gasped for breaths. "Mom..." I paused to try and calm myself down. "Sh-she let a man r-rape me. So she could pay the bills." I wiped my face and sniffled.

Ray sat there stunned. "I-I'm soo sorry I wasn't here for you." He wiped a tear from his eye.

I looked up at him. "Where were you?" I asked sadly.

He sighed. "Na, you were right. You told me that if I kept being in the game that one day I'd get caught. I was in jail...I got caught for selling. Now, I'm not on the corner anymore. You don't have to worry about me leaving you ever again."

"Ray, as long as you're still in the game, you can still get caught again."

"Yeah, but the chances of that is slim, Na. I'll be okay."