--------- AUGUST
I watched Mallorie wit hooded eyes while she wound ha hips around, focusin on me. Afta the shit wit Camille, I needed somethin to put me back on neutral. And shit, if Mal was throwin, I wasn't gon hesitate to catch.
It's funny cause I was actually tryin that commitment shit fa Camille, and I wasn't one fa relationships. I always lived by that fbgp shit. I was keepin my distance from ha, cause at this point, I wouldn't hesitate to choke the shit out ha. Despite the fact I could probably lay hands on ha ass, the thought of puttin a hit out on Camille hadn't even crossed my mind. I knew every nigga in this house was waitin on me to blow some shit up, or have some bitches cut, but I jus wasn't. Even through all this shit, I was still managin to hold my composure. I had too much business to handle to be worried bout some petty shit wit a petty ass female.
I ain't neva been the one to treat niggas how they did me. But as fa Mack...that nigga disrespected me in the worst way possible. He gained my trust, and then abused that shit. To me, that was one of the worst forms of disrespect.
I let smoke billow out my nose while Mallorie climbed on my lap.
I neva understood why niggas underestimated my abilities. I had eyes everywhere. If I ain't know, I was gon find out. I was tryna remain calm, but the shit was eatin me up.
I looked at Mallorie, who had stopped dancin, and was just posted on my lap.
"What's wrong, daddy?"
I let my hands rest on ha hips, and tilted my head back.
"I'm straight."
She sucked ha teeth and placed ha arms on my shouldas.
"You ain't even into it. Is it me?"
I sighed before pushin ha off, cause all that questionin nonsense was startin to piss me off.
"Nah. I just ain't in the mood."
She sat down beside me.
"It's cause of that Camille bitch, ain't it?"
Even though Camille was no where on my good side, I wasn't gon let nobody call ha out ha name.
"Aye, watch yo fuckin tongue."
She sat back, quiet fa a minute.
"You real caught up, Ant."
She stood up, about to walk off. I grabbed ha arm roughly, makin ha face me.
"What the fuck that's sposed to mean?"
She shook ha head at me and I glared at ha. She had more privileges than some of these broads that flounced through here, but she knew betta than to raise ha voice or come at me wit some authoritative shit.
"Nah, don't play dat silent shit now. You was just talkin like you was somebody, Finish dat shit."
She hesitated before gently pullin away from me.
"All I'm sayin is....you worried bout a female that can't even practice what she preach. You ain't ever act like this before...all whipped and shit."
I had the urge to reach back and jack ha ass, but I let it slide.
"Whipped?"
She nodded and I stroked my chin hair. She looked at me before sittin back on my lap.
"Just let me-"
I knocked ha hand from my belt buckle and rubbed down my face.
"Aye, what I said? I ain't in the mood. Go get back to work, man."
She sucked ha teeth before standin and makin ha way out the lounge room and down the hall. I sat wit my legs open, lettin my thoughts take ova.
I looked up when Trim entered.
"Wassup nigga."
I nodded at him and he sat next to me, takin the blunt from my fingers.
"What you did to Mallorie?"
I shook my head before glancin at him sideways.
"Why you think I did somethin to ha?"
He chuckled. "Ha ass walkin down the hall lookin mad as fuck, still tryna put her clothes on."
I shrugged, takin the blunt back from him. "I wasn't feelin it."
He looked at me in surprise. "Since when, nigga?"
He exhaled and looked at me. I closed my eyes and then opened them again. I stood up, avoidin the question, and dustin off my pants.
"Aye, tell Gio to check up on shit at the warehouse, aight?"
He nodded and I made my way out the lounge.
"Ant, there's a phone call for you."
I nodded at Asia ,and she called my name again, makin me turn around.
"I need to talk to you..."
I looked down at ha and she looked away, all suspicious and shit. I rubbed at my chin hairs before clearin my throat and noddin.
"Aight. Go upstairs."
She followed my orders, turnin to go up the spiraled staircase. I sighed when I heard my name bein called again. I turned around, where Black was standin. I lifted my eyebrow at him, waitin fa him to speak.
"Aye, man, Chino jus called. He tryna do business. We pushin?"
This shit was stressful. I was used to it by now, but that ain't chanage the fact that I was constantly on the grind. People comin at me from all different angles and directions. If it ain't one thing, it's some other shit.
I though to myself fa a minute. Chino was throwin fa one of the largest Cartel rings in Mexico. We did a lil business wit them a couple months ago. Nothin much, just a few heavy shipments of white.
"Get him on the phone and hol' em."
Black nodded and walked off, already takin out his cell phone. Before I could even turn around, anotha muthafucka was tryna get my attention. I wanted to keep walkin like I ain't hear shit, but I turned around, makin sure my face held my aggravation. Gio squinted at me.
"Damn, nigga who fucked yo shit up?"
I huffed and smacked my teeth. "Shit crazy round hea. What you need, sis?"
She furrowed ha eyebrows together, ignorin my question. I knew she was bouta start questionin me. One thing bout Gio was that she looked out fa me, regardless of what was goin on wit ha own shit.
"What's goin on?"
I gestured fa ha to follow me upstairs to my office, and she ordered one of the females to go check on some shit she had been cookin up before followin me. I made my way upstairs and to my office, tired as shit.
"Aye, hol' on, lemme take this shit."
She nodded and sat down in one of the chairs across from me, slouchin like a straight nigga. I couldn't help but to chuckle before placin the reciever to my ear.
"Speak." I heard shufflin on the otha side before a voice came across the line.
"Yungin', what's good man?" A thick New York accent spoke, and I immediately knew it as Meech, one of east coast connections.
I sat down before speakin'. "Wassam, nigga?"
"Look, I got an event comin round next month, and I'd really appreciate if you let a few of ya merchandise slide through."
I nodded as if he could see me. "Of cou'se. When we talkin'?"
"No set date right now. I'll call some of ya people in a couple days wit some legit shit."
Within a couple minutes, our conversation ended. I leaned back, closin my eyes.
"What's wrong, Aug?"
I opened my eyes and looked at Gio, who was givin' me a look of concern.
"I'm stressed, man. I'm worried bout shit that ain't even happened yet, and on top of all that-"
Gio cut me off, sittin up straight. "You sure this ain't bout Camille?"
I rubbed my left hand down my face and leaned up, puttin my elbows on my desk.
"I don' handled dat shit."
She rose ha eyebrow at me, before shakin ha head. "Killin off Mack, ain't handlin shit, Aug. It's okay to admit that it hurt."
I shook my head at ha and stood, not wantin to hea shit else. "Man, i'm chillin. What you needed?"
She sighed, not pushin the subject any further, knowin I ain't wanna talk about it. "Where Trim at? I been callin his ass all day. I had to drop T.J. off at my mom's since he wasn't answerin."
I knew she wasn't bouta bring lil man to the house. She ain't want him round this shit, and I ain't blame ha.
"He in the lounge."
By the look on ha face, I knew Trim ass was bouta get handled. I chuckled. "Aye, go easy on him."
She scoffed before walkin out the office. I stood up, rememberin that Asia wanted to talk to me. Afta Mallorie, she was one of the best dancers on my team. She was one of the highest requested private dancers, and brought in a lotta profit. Them east coast niggas was gon latha ha in money.
I made my way to ha room and pushed the door open, not botherin to knock. She was sittin on ha bed, wit ha head in ha hands. I ain't neva been one fa the sentimental shit, so I just stood there and looked at ha fa a couple minutes, till I realized I had shit to do. I cleared my throat awkwardly before speakin.
"Wassup, ma?"
She sniffed and looked at me. "I'm pregnant."
I rose my eyebrow at ha and sat down on ha bed.
"And how that happened?"
She sighed and shrugged. "I missed a couple shots."
I mocked ha. "You missed a couple shots?"
She nodded and I ran my hand down my face. "You know who the daddy is?"
I knew whoever it was had to be some nigga that'd convinced ha to go raw. I made sure all my girls got they birth control shots every month, along wit a yearly every time it came around. I even kept condoms in the private rooms in the club to prevent shit like this. She sighed and nodded, pushin ha hair from ha face.
"Look, ion know what ya plan is, ma, but I ain't runnin no daycare center up in hea."
I wasn't bouta have that shit on my conscious; lettin no child be raised in this enviroment.
"I know, and that's why i'm moving out next week. I just wanted you to know. You'll have to find a replacement."
It was gon be hard....damn near impossible to find somebody that brought in as much clientele as Asia. I gave ha a lil head nod and stood.
"Aight. Don't be goin round the kitchen when they cookin. Ion need you inhalin no fumes and shit. And don't worry bout no upcomin events."
She nodded and watched me while I walked out the door, closin it behind me. I was a lil pissed at the fact that she was fuckin up my business, but I just brushed it off. Everybody in the house was family, cause niggas can't prosper wit snakes around. Nobody wasn't creepin or disrespectin on my watch, and I planned on keepin it that way. That included makin sure all my girls was taken care of. Asia had been in the game fa a while, and I wasn't gon blow ha head off fa some shit like lettin a nigga nut in ha, even if it meant she was fuckin up my peace of mind.
I had to find a girl to take ha spot within the next two weeks or so, and I was already stressin. Outta the thirty or so girls I had, I wasn't wantin to risk puttin none of em in ha spot. Don't get me wrong....all of em got shit goin fa theyselves and could work they shit, but not on ha and Mal's level. They been doin this shit well enough to make a name fa theyselves. I ain't no what I was gon do, but some shit was gon have to give soon.
-------------------------------------------------------- GIO
I knew August's ass was hurtin. He'd always had that hood nigga mentality...never wantin to reveal his inner most feelings. He'd walk around, with a straight face, as if shit wasn't crumbling around him. It was obvious to me that the entire situation with Camille was gettin to him. His eyes carried more bags than usual, and he looked like he'd missed out on a few haircuts. I'd known him for so long, I saw straight through the emotional guise he'd try and put up.
I loved Camille to death, and as badly as I wanted to jump in the middle of her and August's situation, I was gonna sit my ass on the sideline. Both of them were in the wrong, in more ways than one, and I was gonna let them come to the conclusion on their own. One thing I ain't do was get in some body else's relationship. Especially when I was ready to drop my own.
I pushed the door to to the lounge area open, shakin my head at the sight of Trim's high ass on the couch.
"What the fuck, man? What you doin?"
He glanced at me before focusing on the blunt he was rolling. "Aye, bring ya voice down."
It was takin literally my everything to not fight his ass. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes, before openin them and speaking again, this time in a calmer tone. I wasn't in the mood for none of his shit.
"Did you forget that you were supposed to be spending some quality time with your son today? While you in here chillin, he's at my mama house, cryin his self to sleep. You know he rarely sees your ass cause of shit that's goin on over here. You'd think you'd atleast have the decency to remember simple shit like this."
He stood up, abandonin the rollin papers on the couch. "Shit, I forgot. Imma go get him now."
I shook my head, sighing. "Don't even worry about it, Terrence."
He raised an eyebrow at me. The only time I ever called him by his real name was when I was ready to have it printed into an obituary. He put out the blunt that he had been smoking when I walked in, before making his way over to me. I rolled my eyes and huffed when he wrapped his arms around my waist and started to trail kisses on my neck.
"Get away from me. I'm not in the mood for none of your 'sex heals all' sessions."
He stood up straight, staring at me before smacking his teeth and backing up.
"Man, whatever. You stay on some shit."
I scoffed, letting out a fake chuckle. "Fuck you. You need to learn how to balance your work and home life. I'm tired of this shit. Before long, TJ ain't gonna want nothin to do with your ass. Family before work. Learn how to place your values."
Before he could say anything, I turned around and made my way out of the room, already debating with myself.
A/N: Give me a little feed back, y'all. How was it? I take anything...don't just tell me it was good haha. I'm a firm believer in constructive criticism, so let it fly.
Are you surprised Aug was so calm? Do you think he's gonna remain that way?
Was he wrong for killing Mack?
What about Mal? What're your thoughts on her, and the little comment she made about August basically being whipped? You think it was true, or was it her jealousy speaking?
August is stressed, huh? And what about Asia...? What do you think about Aug having to find a replacement within a short amount of time?
Gio and Trim? Who's in the wrong, and do you think they'll last? I decided to add both Aug and Gio's perspectives in to spice things up a bit lol.
Gio in MM.