A Rose by Any Other Name

Chapter 16

Marshall's POV

I've been running under Seven since I was thirteen. I met him around the same time him and Neal linked up. At the time he was just managing shit for Mr. Rayford. After OG died, Seven took over, and we continued under him.

Now he got me running solo up here in New York. I didn't care though. I didn't have any family left here in the States. I ran away from group home when I was twelve, and left my li'l brother and sister behind. He made it out safely and moved to the Virgin Islands. I don't know where my sister is. But me, I had to survive on my own. That's how I met Seven.

When he asked me to come up to New York, I said yes with the quickness. Here in New York, they know me as Ghost. I keep the streets on their toes. These muthafuckas don't know who the fuck I am. I be hiding in plain sight, and they don't even know it.

Seven was headed to New York this weekend. Since he's been down in Miami with Lady Seven, he makes a trip here every other weekend. He usually send Hakeem or Devin, but since they running Atlanta, he gotta do his own check up.

He was a cool as dude though. And Lady Seven? She so got damn fine. He stupid as hell playing my sister like that, but that's their business. I gotta let him know though that niggas real deal checking for shawty. If he don't get right, somebody gone snatch her li'l ass. He better hope it ain't one of his own boys. Because I sholl been checking for li'l mama.

"Ghost, we got a problem," my nigga, Bonez, came in my office.

"What's up, Bonez?"

"Jacks hit us downtown. They stole $275 thousand."

"How the fuck they steal cash from us? I told y'all don't ever keep money in the fucking traps!"

"Did I just hear one of our traps got hit?" I looked back and saw Seven standing in my office. "Why is there money in the traps anyway?"

"That's what I wanna know," I said. "I told them from the jump, Seven, not to keep money at any of the traps."

"Who's behind it?" he asked.

"This nigga name Jacks," I said to him.

"Dom, is everything okay?" I turned back and saw Lady Seven standing behind us.

"My bad, baby. I'll be out in a second."

I bowed with respect. "Lady Seven," I said.

"Hey, Ghost," she said coming over to hug me. She smelled so damn good. She smelled like vanilla and lavender. "Dom, I'll be downstairs."

"Okay, baby."

After she left, me and Seven started talking. "So y'all good?" I asked him.

"Yeah, why you ask that?"

"Because history seems to be repeating itself. Y'all start out good, and then you fuck up. You still fucking Stacy?"

"Yeah, I am, but Rose doesn't need to know that."

As of on cue, Stacy walked in. "Hey, Gunz," she said.

"Hey, Bae. I need details on this nigga, Jacks," he said to her.

"I'm way ahead of you, baby," she said handing him an envelope.

"G, step out for a second. Go check on Rose and keep an eye on her."

I just shook my head and left. They don't call this mane Gunz for no reason. I walked over to the spare room we kept for Lady Seven. She was laying in bed staring at the ceiling. I walked in and locked the door.

"Lady, are you okay?" I asked her.

"He's still cheating, isn't he?" she asked. "In the same fucking building I'm in? I saw Stacy go up there in that li'l skimpy shit she had on."

"If you know that, then why do you stay? You could do so much better than him. You know that; he knows that; we all know that. Why stay, Lady?"

"Because the only men I trust are my daddy, Dominic, and you guys. I'm afraid to be with anyone else after what happened to me. And I sure as hell can't be with any of y'all because that would put your lives in danger if he found out."

"I'm sorry, Lady," I said to her. I felt her pain.

I watched my sister go through the same thing when we were younger. Our Mom's boyfriend used to rape her all the time. When they got convicted that's how we ended up in foster care. They separated us. I haven't seen my sister or brother in ten years.

I don't know what made me do it, but I leaned in and kissed her. When she kissed me back, I took that chance and caressed her body. We were getting hot and steamy, but she stopped before we could go beyond making out.

"We can't do this, Marshall. Dominic would kill us. And let's face it, I love that man too much to cheat on him. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," I said. "It's okay."

"I better go check on him," She's said. She got up and walked towards my office.

A sock was tied to the doorknob. She ignored it. This whole time I didn't know she had a gun tucked in her pants.

"Get the fuck out, Stacy," she said pointing the gun.

Stacy stood up and started laughing. "Bitch, you pull that shit and you better be ready to shoot it."

"Don't test me, hoe. Dominic, put this bitch in her place."

Seven sat there quietly. "Oh, trust me, he already did."

"Dominic?" she cried out.

"Rose, put the gun down," Seven said. He got up and stood in front of Stacy.

"Really, Dominic? Really?" Lady cried.

I walked up behind her and wrapped my arm around her waist. I whispered in her ear, "Lower the gun, baby girl. I gotchu."

"I'm so sick of being your fool, Dominic," she said.

"Rose, don't do this. You're overreacting."

"Nawl, this is overreacting," she said and pulled the trigger. POW!

She shot him in his shoulder. She broke from my embrace. She walked over and punched Stacy and knocked her out.

"I'm taking the kids, and we're leaving. You can have these hoes. Bye, Marshall."

She walked out. I walked over and took care of the wound on his shoulder. "You gone lose your wife and kids, man. You better get your shit together. I'm telling you this because you're by best friend and my big brother. She's fed up with you shit."

After he was patched up, I left. I sent Lady a text telling her to send me her location once she leaves. I'm gonna have her one way or another.