Omniscient pov . . .
The streets were populated with young and old as they travel from bar to bar, from club to club. At night the streets were alive with the lights dim upon the blocks with cars filled with men honking to the girls for them to get in their car. There was this one car fill by two men and one female that parked along the rest of cars in front of this warehouse. The trio sat in the car talking with the radio lowly playing until it was time to deliver the money.
"Did y'all ever find this Tony?", Novanni ask looking at her friends.
"No. It's like this man disappear off the face of the earth", Taj exclaimed.
"Do y'all know what he even look like?", Novanni ask.
"Of course we know what he look like", Taj said.
"Do you know where he hang out majority of the time?", Novanni ask.
"Yes. He always goes to strip joint that Rio takes us a couple times around 10 at night every Thursday", Taj said and Novanni just rolled her eyes.
"Taj, you can be so stupid sometimes and Bruno where you at doing all over this?", Novanni ask putting her attention on the man with long dreads.
"I had to take care of my son", Bruno said.
"So you left Taj to do all the work and you know he ain't that bright", Novanni said. "No offense", she quickly added.
"My son needed me. I couldn't find any body to watch him", Bruno exclaimed wavering his hands around.
"You could've called me", Novanni pointed out.
"Aren't you busy with your hair salons and your furniture shop", Bruno said.
"The furniture is moving pretty slow right now and my hair salons are picking up customers fast but not too fast and none clients hit up lately", Novanni voiced.
"This Thursday coming up I'll watch your son and it will be a perfect time for me to meet him while y'all grab Tony. Y'all was supposed to report this last week and I don't even know how y'all getting pass Rio with this because y'all know he don't play about his money", Novanni voiced.
"We haven't. We haven't told him anything", Taj said.
"No you haven't told Rio anything", Bruno said then they both begin to argue like children.
Novanni just sat back and watch. It was little funny see the two argue then her attention turn to look into the streets. Her eyes wonder to the seven eleven she been to see the same young boys she saw when she was with Rio. She the same boy that was trying to sweet talk her, Trenton, he posted on the wall along with leg pent against. He wearing a black jumpsuit with a black NY hat. A black Mercedes car pulled up and brown hand waved out to the young boy. Trenton lean off the wall then dapped him then the car took off and he went to his original postion.
Novanni shook her head in disappointment watching the young boy waste his life away selling kush. Novanni thought she was a hypocrite because she was in the same position but she did it for a good reason. She wonder what was his? Was he doing it for the thrill of it? Or was he doing for a trouble cause?
Novanni felt her phone vibrate along with ping sound. It was text from her dad that said deliver, which her quickly straighten up.
"Aye y'all it's time", she spoke and the boys settle down.
Bruno pop the truck before they all exit out the car. The trio grabbed a bag out the truck with Taj shutting it since he was the last. Novanni walk up to the door and knock. They waited for a couple minutes before the door was open by a chubby Mexican men with a cigarette in his mouth. He inhale the death stick before blowing it into our faces. Novanni waved her hand in front of her face because she doesn't like the smell of cigarettes.
"What you won't?", the man ask with his deep accent very evident.
"Delivery", Novanni said showing the chubby man the money.
The chubby man move to the side to let three in and Novanni headed straight to Jones office, passing by all the man and some of the naked women that were working. Once Novanni got his door she heard a groan before knocking. There were multiple moans and groans that coil be heard and it was now what was happening that register to Novanni mind so she banged the door right before she heard a loud girlish moan.
She was disgusted.
A few minutes later the door was open by the same girl she saw earlier, Ginny, who was wiping the sides of her mouth before opening the door wider for Jones to see.
"Novanni! Back to tell me you love?", Jones grinned.
"Never", she said walking into his office along with her two friends.
"Ginny you may leave now", Jones told her and she shut the door behind her as she left.
"Here's your money", Novanni said as she dropped the bag on his desk almost knocking down his drink.
The guys dropped the bags onto the chairs he had in there then they turned around about to leave until Jones stop Novanni.
"What do you want?", Novanni said turning around with her arms folded.
"I wa hoping to chat...alone", Jones said and Bruno and Taj immediately got in front of her. "That is if you calm down your little hound dogs"
"Boy you know damn well you ain't 'gon talk to 'ha alone", Bruno spoke.
Jones just stared at Novanni with a grin until it morphed into a serious look.
"Leave"
"What! Come on 'na-
Taj begin to protest but Novanni cut him off. "The sooner, the better", the brown woman voiced.
"Rio said-
Novanni cut Bruno off. "I don't give a fuck what Rio said, I said leave", Novanni voiced, looking between her two best friends.
The guys sign before they left out slowly as they close the door on their way out. They stood posted on either side of the door just in case things go sideways, which mostly likely wasn't.
"Why you play so hard to get?", Jones asked as he reached over the money bag to grabbed his drink then took a sip from it.
"I don't.", Novanni answered with the shrugged of her shoulders her arms were still folded.
"Really? Then why won't you give me a try? Hmm", he said but he continue.
"I mean think about it I use to send you dozens of red roses to your office and brought a 30k diamond necklace", he added as he step a little closer.
"The gifts I happily gave back", Novanni said.
Jones use to send her 12 dozens roses to her office every Friday and one time surprised her with a 30k necklace. This man was simping hard for Novanni but she didn't accept the gifts and kept giving it back to him. He stopped sending her flowers and he thought Novanni wasn't a materialistic kind of a girl. She thought he was over her but he wasn't...clearly.
"Ooo that's cold Novanni", Jones smirk.
"Nothing new. Now talk", she voiced with her head cocked to the side.
"Tell me something Novanni...have you ever-
"Look if you gonna talk about me all night I'll just leave", Novanni said taking a step back then shift all her weight to her left leg.
"Why won't give men a try? I heard they can change your life", he grinned and Novanni rolled her eyes then was about to leave out but she was grip by her hand, which she quickly snatched back.
"Don't touch me", Novanni said with a stony face and Jones quickly release her hand.
"My bad", he said with the raised of his hands as he back up to his desk.
He put his hands on either side of the desk as he lean back and cross one foot over the other.
"Talk...now", Novanni demanded.
"Boy do I love a women who can be so dominant and your voice is just the cherry on top", he said then bit his lip.
Novanni release a frustrated breath before turning to leave.
"Ok wait. I'm just playing", the muscular mexican man said with playful grinned.
"Do you really have any business to discuss or are just playing with me", Novanni ask on the break of just wanting to storm out of small room.
"Somebody tried to burn down my cocaine workshop", he said.
"Tried?"
"He wasn't successful but he did get away...sadly", Jones said then sip his drink.
"My workers say that he was wearing a black mask so they couldn't identify him", he said and Novanni nodded.
"He pulled off in a black SUV", Jones said.
Novanni looked at Jones. It now dawn her of what he was going with this conversation.
"You think it was us", she said now unfolding her arm.
"Y'all are known for driving those type cars when y'all are on mission", he pointed out.
"That can be anybody", Novanni said and Jones just shrugged his shoulders while sipping more on his dark liquor as eye Novanni's big luscious lips.
Oh how much it he wanted a taste.
"Jones!", Novanni called out, snapping Jones out of his trance.
"Hm?"
"You are known for having the best security so how did he get past the guards? Unless he was already inside", Novanni voiced.
"Are you saying that I have a mole in my workshop? Who would dare try to go against me?", Jones ask but it was more to him self.
"I have no idea at the moment. Did you look in the cameras they you set up?", the brown skin women.
Jones eyes widen. Jones felt like the stupidest person right now and Novanni could tell he didn't check the cameras base off his body language.
Novanni pursed the bridge of her nose in frustration.
"Stupid", she mutter. "Call Rio and tell him this too and watch the cameras"
With that being said Novanni waltz out the room then started walking to exit with best friends following behind her.
"What he wanted?", Taj was the first to ask as they got to the door.
"Somebody tried to set the cocaine workshop on fire", Novanni answered as her eyes wonder over to the seven eleven to see Trenton and the few boys he was hanging with, not over there any more.
Novanni thought hopefully he went home since it's so late and he's still a child.
"OK and?", Taj ask sounding apathetic.
"You do know that half our profit comes from us selling cocaine right?", Novanni ask.
"You right, you right", he mutter scratching the back of his head while looking down as they made it out the door.
"Honestly I could less about his cocaine..but his weed is fire", Bruno said opening the front door of the car and the others got inside the vehicle.
"Bro for real though. That shit will have you rollin. Don't it vanni?!", Taj said and this cause Novanni smirk.
"Yeeaaaa I see that itty-bitty smirk", Taj exclaimed.
Novanni remember the first time she got high and it was during her twenty third birthday. It was a cute small gather of friends and her sister. All Novanni did was sip on her little Hennessy but Taj was planning to get her fuck up that day and he did.
"Why is the ground moving? Why is the ground moving?", Taj said in Novanni's voice.
"Leave me alone. It was my first time okay! My vision saw everything swirling down into a circle", Novanni exclaimed.
Both Taj and Bruno busted out in laughter as they remember that night of Novanni's birthday while the brown women just had a smiled to her face.
"Yo her ass was walking like bambi when we tried to get her to bed", Bruno laugh out and Taj was already laughing.
"Drive Bruno", she demanded playfully, laughing a little.
Bruno was still laughing as he started the car then put shift into drive then pulled off. The lights on the building shed a little light to the streets but it was still dim. They drove past many bars and clubs, girls laughing with each other and boys catcalling to the fine women who only gave them a little smirk. They stop a red light with many cars in front of them.
"Next on my bucket list is to get Novanni drunk or cross faded", Taj said and Novanni looked at him like he crazy.
"Boy I'm fine with just being tipsy", Novanni said before turning back to the front.
"You have to get drunk at least one time", Taj said.
"And risk getting a migraine. I think the fuck not. I seen y'all hangovers and it seems painful and pain is something that I'm not willing to go through", she voice.
"V when you smoke you actually turn into a real comedian so we were thinking what be like to see if you were drunk"
"So that's why y'all want to see me drunk?", she asked.
"Pretty much", they said in sync and that cause her to chuckle.
After while Novanni thought this light is really long. It felt like she had been sitting her for five minutes. She was just looking around then she seen these two young boys running out of alley in what it look like to her in fear, causing her to raise her eyebrows slightly.
She was curious so she kept her eyes on the alley they came from until she felt the car moving again and when came closer to the alley it felt like everything went slow. She saw two grown men holding a young boy up against the wall and to her that looked like Trenton. She kept watching until she could no longer see them.
"Stop the car"
"What?"
"Stop the car"
"I can't just stop in the middle of on going traffic V"
"I said stop the stop the car!
Bruno immediately stop the car and Novanni got out the in a flash. She immediately begin to jog to small dark alley until she heard vices and that's what made her slow down until she peak around the corner to see Trenton bleeding from the side of his face with a bloody a nose, a busted lip with tears escaping his eyes. There's was a gun pointed underneath his chin from a guy who had mustache a diamond earring with sliver Rolex on his left hand. The other guy besides had a little build to him and he was bald with a long scar coming down his face.
"Please don't kill me", Trenton beg, his hands already grasped hold of the other man's wrist.
"Why shouldn't I?", the man with the mustache said pushing the gun deeper into the young boy chin.
Trenton was scared for his life. He never felt so close to death before this moment. He never had a gun pointed at him or be within three feet of a gun.
"I will have yo money by next week", the young boy said looking frantically between the two men.
Then men only laugh and this cause Trenton to be more afraid.
"Funny thing is you said that last week and week before that", the man with a mustache said.
He pulled Trenton off the wall just to slammed him back into the wall, which made in groan pain and cough some.
"Nigga we want our money now", the man gritted.
"Please I have a sister", he pleaded and the two men chuckle.
"Lil boy I don't give a fuck about your sister", he stated.
Novanni decided this will be the time to introduce herself to the conversation.
"How much does he owe you?", she asked with her hands in her pocket.
"Imma a little busy at the moment get the steppin", the man with the mustache said with both of the men not looking at her.
Trenton look to see who's talking and little relief washed over him. The two made eye contact for a split second before he broke it, feeling embarrassed and ashamed for some reason.
"And I ask how much does he owe you?", Novanni said stepping more into the alley and he two men looked to her. She seen a small smile come to their face.
Before they could answer Novanni heard her name being shouted by what it sounded like her friends. She walk backwards out the alley, keeping her eye on the men. Soon she heard multiple foot steps of running coming towards her.
"Hey you alright", Bruno ask once he was right beside her along with Taj.
"All good", she said before stepping back into the alley along her friends.
"What's this gots to with you?", the man that had a little built to his body.
"How much does he owe you", she repeated.
"You his sister?", the man with Diamond earring ask.
"It doesn't matter who I am to him. What's the price?", she asked again.
"Who you think is? Some leader or sum'tin? Demanding shit like you rule this shit", he said letting Trenton go just to grab his jacket roughly.
Novanni didn't pay any mind to what he said she just want Trenton safe in her hands. She didn't know what it is about this boy but something was telling her to save him from this life style.
"What does he owe?", Novanni voiced.
"Lady I don't know what you think this is but you need to go"
"I'm willing to pay this young man what he owe y'all and you guys are complaining", she sated.
"Who you getting smart with because it ain't me", the man said.
Novanni was so confused of what was happening and with the way he talking to her right now it was slowly starting set her off.
"My boy it's best that you watch your tone talking to her", Bruno said.
"Oh you her follower and I'm guessing you is too", the man said wavering the gun to Novanni and her friends.
Novanni felt her left eyebrow twitch out annoyance.
"Do you want your money or not?", Novanni ask, her attitude very evident in her voice.
"Three thousand is what he owe"
"I will have two year by noon tomorrow same spot also he will no longer be working with y'all", she voiced.
"Oh I can't just give him to you he's our best seller...unless you willing to pay extra ", the bald head man said with a smirk.
"Name your price?", she asked
"Since you're willing buy him off its now ten thousand", the man with the scar down his face said.
"Done. Now hand him over", she said.
Then men roughly push Trenton making him fall to the ground and painful groan was sounded out his mouth. He gather up the blood that oozing into his mouth before spitting it out on the pavement. Trenton slowly got up, groaning in pain before putting his hand to his side. He was slowly walking with a little limp.
"Bruno can you help him please", she asked nodding her head to Trenton.
Bruno hummed in approval before going to the young man side to lift his arm and put on his shoulder then wrap Bruno wrap his around Trenton to help him to Novanni.
"If you are late with my money or don't show up at all. I will hunt you and that little boy down", the man gritted and it was now Novanni's turn to grinned.
Ten thousand dollars was like pocket change to Novanni. She's sitting upon millions and millions of dollars. In the beginning, her only income was from the gang but now that she had built her own company and hair salon stores along other company's that she built by herself has been beneficial to her. Her companies income is now half of the income of what she earns from the gang.
"Okay boys. See you tomorrow noon same spot and don't be late. I hate hate tardiness", Novanni said before turning to leave with her friends and Trenton.
They all wall back to the car which was around the corner. Bruno safely sat Trenton in the backseat with Novanni now backseat while Taj got in front.
"Where do you live?", Novanni ask Trenton.
"10-1062 James ave", Trenton said lowly.
Novanni told Bruno the address and since they are not from here he put into the gps before getting back on the road.
"You okay?", Novanni ask Trenton.
"Yea. I-It's not the first I've been beaten b-but this is first time I had gun pointed at me", Trenton said then did a big exhale.
The ride was fifteen minutes, soon they all pulled up to a broken down apartment to complex. There was spray graffiti on the walls, broken glass on the concrete, trash every where on the lawn and few blocks down you could hear police sirens. There were people still out walking and chatting but at the entrance there three old heads smoking and laughing out at the sound doors. Bruno got out the car to help Trenton but he insisted that he can walk and Novanni was tagging along with him.
"Y'all two stay in the car", Novanni said and she heard the sound of lip smacking.
"Now Novanni you know I'm not finna stay in this car", Taj said about to get out.
"Why?", she asked.
"You don't see all them men up there", Bruno exclaim.
"So you guys think I can't handle myself?", Novanni said tilting to her head a little with her left eyebrow raising.
She was giving them a very unpleasant look that made them very uncomfortable.
"N-no it's not that. It's just th-
"Over protective", Novanni called out on both of them and they nodded their heads.
She blew out a breath before telling them to come on. The group walk up to the entrance and thankfully nobody bother them. Once they got through the second double doors them smell of urine and cigarettes hit their faces like a fan. Novanni felt like she was going to gag every time she breath in the toxic air as Trenton led to them to the stair well.
"Why we not taking the elevator?", Bruno asked.
"Because the elevator doesn't work", Trenton said as they walk the first flight of stairs.
They kept walking up the stairs until they got to the sixth floor. After walking through the door you could hear a lot of arguing going on between female and a male, loud music, loud sex in this hallway.
"Is it always this noisy?", Bruno asked as they kept walking past the apartment doors.
"Every single night", the young boy answer then stop at a apartment number 36.
Trenton got his key out and unlock the door then they all walk through the door. The apartment was really small. This distance from the living to dining was one step away. The smell of the apartment wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. It smelt like cigarettes and alcohol.
"Do somebody else live here with you? Like parents?", Bruno ask looking around the place.
There were cigarettes buds in a gray ashtray and couple of beer bottles on the table and the TV was left on.
"My dad does but who knows where he is and my mom died giving birth to my little sister", Trenton said as he picked up the beer bottles then put them in the trash.
Novanni thought this boy situation only got worse and worse and not only her was feeling bad for him but her friends as well. Trenton's heart beat began to speed up once he notice that his dad was here and that brought him worry not only for him but for his sister. He was just about to call her name until he saw blue bonnet peaking around the corner.
"Nia it's okay. You can come out now. It's safe", Trenton said while doing this weird motion with his hands.
Novanni was slight confused at what Trenton is doing because she didn't see anyone else. The light from the TV didn't really give much light until she strained her eyes more to where Trenton was looking at, which appears a not so dark corner rather dim but she saw something blue on it and it was really small.
A child. A very small child.
The little girl, Nia, shook her head in a no-no way, frightened by the new guests. She pointed her small finger at what was behind Trenton and he look back before looking at his little sister giving her a small smile.
"They are good people. They are not gonna hurt me. They saved me from very bad people", Trenton said doing that weird motion with his hands again.
The little girl was doing the same thing back to Trenton.
"I promise", he said before getting down on one knee with open arms.
The little girl slowly walk to her brother open arms as she kept looking from her brother to the people behind him but once her eyes landed on the tall women, it was like she couldn't take her eyes off her. The same with Novanni, it felt like she was connected to the girl but she wasn't so sure. The closer the little girl got to her brother, the more the light from TV reveal somewhat of how she look. Trenton wanted to cry when he seen his baby sister face, there was purple bruise on her right cheek and this heated Novanni up inside. Novanni thought who would dare hit a little girl.
Nia had on her unicorn pajamas with a blue bonnet as she got pulled into her brother's soft embrace. He picked her up and hug her gracefully like he wasn't going to see her again.
"You guys wait outside the door. I'll be out in seven minutes", Novanni whispered lowly to her friends and they hum in approval before leaving out.
These walls were so thin that you could hear the argument and the loud sex in here and those people live a little farther down the hall. This is no place a child should be living in and clearly the dad does give a fuck since it's going on three in the morning, Novanni thought to herself.
"Pack her and your clothes. Y'all are staying with me", Novanni voiced.
"No. I don't wanna become a burden to you", Trenton said while still holding his sister, who's face was buried inside Trenton neck and arms wrap tightly.
"I want to take care of you, the both of you", the brown woman said looking in between the little girl and the teenage boy.
Novanni didn't know what it was but something inside her, her gut it was telling her to do something with these children and she like to think that she did the right thing.
"Why?"
"We can't have this conversation right now but tomorrow we can but for now pack everything you and her need and be ready by 1 in the afternoon", she voiced then left out the apartment with her boys waiting on either side of the door.
"Let's go", she said heading towards the stair well.
"What happen in there?", Taj asked while going down the stairs.
"Nothing", Novanni quickly answered.
"Why were they moving their hands like they making signs?", Taj ask.
"The little girl is deaf", Novanni answered.
"So was she like born that way or...?", Taj asked.
Novanni just sign.
"Can we not ask question right now. It's late and I'm tired. We can talk later on the day since it's currently the next day already", Novanni stated going down the last flight of stairs then out the door.
The trio walked out the double doors and then past through another set of double doors, walking past the chatting loud old heads before heading to their car. The car ride was silent and mostly hungry stomachs. Novanni was stuck in her head, her thoughts were being very intrusive. She was constantly questioning her self why did she do that but the feeling that she receiving was powerful and strong that she just can't ignore it. Something inside was telling her to that but what? She decided to go with her gut feeling and ever since that decision she's made she has been anxious.
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Novanni decision?
Trenton?
Taj?
Bruno?
Jones?
Thoughts?
Bye mangos✌