" I'm the boss! I'm not too fond of questions. " - Slim
Do Right ...
" Give me this shit ! You making me get my fucking hands dirty. Mark! " Slim yells breathing heavily as he snatches the button up shirt off of one of his block-boys that he just beat up. Sounds of the buttons pop in the quiet warehouse.
All his men stood around to watch as he commanded them to.
Most of them stood nonchalant while others shook their heads with pity.
This was a bad time.
Today is cash-in day and, it was always , always this one nigga that held everything up. If you haven't secured your chips its trouble. Slim usually wouldn't trip on him and would let dude breath but, he also warned him last month that he wanted his money on time; no excuses.
" You think this a mufuckin' arcade I'm running here,boy ?! You thought I was playin' when I told you I wanted my money on time, B ! " His voice bounces off the walls as he wiped his hands clean on the young man's shirt.
The block-boy groans in pain spitting blood on the concrete under him.
JoJo his young bull stood against the wall behind Slim like a soldier of steel ready.
He squeezes his glocks in each hand with the silencers attached.
You could hear the distinct sound of money machines flipping the guap in the distance upstairs ; that Monroe- his accountant is in charge of.
Today is payday as well but, that was slowed up by the boss. He had to make an example out of somebody every now and then.
A smile stretches across Slim's face as he laughs wickedly. " I warned you lil' nigga. " He calms pointing his whole hand at him like an arrow piercing its target.
" Now ya nuts in the ringer today muhfucka! Your dead out here ,B ! "
The battered man tried to oppose but before he could Slim clocks him in the jaw, one last time for good measure.
" I can't have no weak links in my organization, you understand me?! I'm not having that shit! " Slim fumes spit flying from his mouth as he throws the shirt at the block-boy's head. He turns away from everyone giving JoJo the signal that he knew all too well. 'Handle that.' JoJo nods in respect.
Slim walks away with a heavy mind his fist balled up. He pulls his black Kangol bucket-hat over his eyes in frustration.
"Any mufucka' that plan on getting paid today get back to fucking work!" He relays loudly as his office door slams.
~ ~ ~
"Man, who knew that shit would happen that fast ... A nigga just had to take a leak real quick." JoJo leans back in the black leather chair blowing out a breath tiredly letting it be known for the thousandth time this month in front of Pops' desk. Slim and JoJo sat in his red with gold trimming painted office. The boss rotates his brass silver stress-relief balls around in his right hand as his left held the projector remote. JoJo shook his head at the footage they managed to scrape up from the Tunnel Club a few weeks back.
" I know man , I know ... This one is on me. I should of never let her lil' ass come. Now I can't even look her in her face right now. " Slim states as he rubs his covered head as looks of regret and old stress fall upon him. " That's my baby man I'm suppose to keep her protected always, he blows out a breath of frustration, I fucked up. " JoJo listens with his head down watching his fists clench and release his mental getting emotional also but, his exterior stays hard. " It's fucked up G, because we don't even know who did this shit not a single fuckin' lead. This garbage ass foot we got ain't help nothing. " JoJo expresses getting hot again, his trigger finger itching. Pops pauses the video where the crowd gets glitchy and blurry. White lines run across the screen. He had watched it tirelessly many times before as, the shots ring out four times like firecrackers. It gets them tight because you can't even get a drop: no type of lead on the muhfucka who waged war.
Slim had simmered down drastically from how ballistic he was being a few weeks ago. Everyone had to walk around him on pins and needles. Now they were grateful. Slim chuckles with bitterness as he sips from his glass to take the edge off. " Nobody knows nothing! Not even any of my sources... Nobody?! Nobody running they fucking choppas. I'm not even gone hold you that shit is hard to believe,B. " JoJo sits up in his seat rubbing his chin and pulling his peach fuzz. " Well believe it G, I been through everybody man. Whoever did this calculated they moves just right like a professional or some shit. They slipped in and dipped out quick! " JoJo affirms. He never felt like this before. Somebody would always get a taste of his gat when it was mandatory. JoJo and Slim are both very vindictive and vengeful. That's one of the characteristics they have in common. They had no problem with pulling out the steel to lay a mark down.
Pops starts to get tight slightly. " Oh yeah, they ain't got knocked yet. They'll be back though they always do... I've washed my hands of it for now. Mufuckas always show up when you least expect it but I'll be ready for the mark! No more... I'm getting too old for this shit. " Slim admits using a remote to dim the lights on in the room. " Whoever it is gone get they mufuckin' cap peeled, no questions. " JoJo states seriously murder radiating from his hazel eyes. " Indeed. " Pops agrees nodding his head. " When you gone go check on Alijah? You know she miss you right? " JoJo asks genuinely concerned. Jody knows that Pops may still feel fucked up inside because he couldn't deliver good news. Slim looks at the framed photo of them together when Alijah was younger. His babygirl .. He knew he would have to pay her a visit soon. He felt like he failed her tremendously. He was caught at a vulnerable time. " Soon man, I got to get my mind right first. " He states looking away from the frame. Jody didn't feel like getting all sentimental he just wanted one answer.
" Ahite G well, he raises up to his feet stretching, I'm about to get back to work. I wanna get paid today too. " They chuckle in unison lightening up the mood in the room. " Ahite Jo, get somebody to guard my door... I don't want to be bothered. My mind heavy right now. " He commands lounging back in his office chair. " Ahite boss man! You the boss, you the boss! " Jody says goofily pointing at Pops. Slim's facial expression doesn't slip. " Get out ... stupid. " Jody is the type of man to always make jokes or silly remarks after a serious situation. That never changed about him it just carried over into adulthood.
" D'Wayne baby! " A familiar slight Jamaican accent rung in the men's ears before the body could follow. They both knew who that tone belongs to too well; Ava. " Oh shit. " The men grumble in unison. Jody looks at Slim shaking his head as D'Wayne shakes his as well in his hands.
It had slipped Slim's mind that he was suppose to be spending the evening with his lady. Ava was the only woman besides his deceased mother to call him by his government name. " I'm really about to get the fuck now.. Handle that boss! " JoJo remarks as they slap hands before he walks over to the heavy dark wooden door turning the golden doorknob he welcomes the presence of the young fair-skinned woman. Her light brown curls blew back as she smiles radiantly. " Hey JoJo, she smiles wider turning her head his way. " Sup! " He nods his head back. " Wassup, girl Ava. Excuse me. " He slid by her closing the door as she steps in. JoJo didn't pay her any attention because Ava never really spoke to him and her tone was shady.
" Hey baby!, Ava sashays over to her man dropping her Chanel purse in the chair JoJo reside in before, You ready to go? I'm famished! " She runs at the last moment to D'Wayne as he turns his chair the way she was approaching; in her all black fitted short strap Chanel dress with matching closed-toe suede heels. Ava hops in his lap with sparkles in her dark mahogany eyes. They wrap arms around each other into an embrace Ava squeezes his neck. " Ooo baby you smelling good for me. " D'Wayne whispers in her ear softly. Ava giggles leaning back some to set a kiss upon his juicy lips. " Hmm... thank you baby, Slim hummed squeezing her backside as she slid out of his lap and onto the desk in front of him, not yet Ava I got a few more situations to handle real quick. " He lets it be known with honesty rubbing her exposed legs with his warm hand. She kisses her teeth loudly in an irritated manner a scold upon her features.
D'Wayne's whole mood switches back to what it was before she kissed him. Ava knew he hated that shit. He thought it was very disrespectful especially to his hearing. " I know you not cancelling one me,D'Wayne!" She exclaims outdone pushing his hand away with her legs as she crosses them. " We haven't spent time together in a month almost four weeks. I want my time today D'Wayne. Tonight! " Ava commands in a shrill tone that's high pitched and unpleasant when she wants her way. Slim blinks his lids repeatedly with a straight face. " Come on now, don't start you know what I'm doing... I mean you act like you wasn't there when my babygirl got hit. All that fuckin' blood, Ava! " He puts his hand over his eyes to get rid of the images. " Don't start that shit Ava you of all people should know. I'm not flaking on you yo stop buggin'. " He states seriously looking her in the eyes sitting up. " Just give me an hour or two at the most. " Slim mumbles drinking the last of the brown liquor in the glass. " I know, I know , she sighs slightly rolling her eyes that could easily pass for looking another way.
"Why can't you come back to do whatever later? I set up reservations baby pleeaassse." Ava begs as she runs her fresh set of short french tipped nails through her curls to calm herself.
The vibe between the two was hot with frustration and not the sexual kind. "Reset them." D'Wayne utters carelessly as if he didn't care about her efforts. Ava kisses her teeth longer then before in disdain pursing her lips together. " Yo, stop that shit Ava forreal you doing too much. ( His eyes widen at her like: "Girl are you crazy!" ) You act like it's a problem. We can eat anywhere if you can't." " So its like that? My efforts mean shit to you, huh? " She snatched her being to her feet planting her hands on her hips with hostility. " Why you wanna play with me today baby, he chuckles dryly, did you use your efforts to do what I asked of you today? " He questions her as his mind clicks all of a sudden. " To do what? " Ava looks confused backing away from Slim in her heels backtracking. " Oh, to do what? , his brow raises, You was suppose to go check on my daughter today. " Ava's face and lips cringe as if to say: " Oops I forgot! "
Unbeknownst to her Ava's cheeks tints pink. Her ass is caught. " I was going to but, she clears her throat, I know she wouldn't of opened the door for me anyway trust me. D'Wayne its better if we stay out of each others way. " " I don't care!, he raises his voice slightly causing Ava to jump as his hand comes down on his desk, I asked you to do one thing!" Ava slaps her thigh pissed. " Why can't you just trust my word D'Wayne, damn?! I already told you-" " You still didn't go! I can't fucking trust you girl... After the shit you pulled and pull! The only reason I haven't snapped ya fucking neck is because... You lucky-you lucky girl! " He stumbles over his words fed up. She shook her head in sadness picking up her black Chanel purse. Ava didn't want to talk about her wrong doings at the moment. That's not what she was here for. She just wanted to go get some food, thats all. A romantic night out with the boyfriend. " Whatever nigga, you know what fuck you! I'll take myself out since you want to be on some bullshit. " Ava strides to the door quickly. " Shake my fucking spot then! " Slim throws his hands gesturing for her to go on. " Go, crazy ass! " He yells behind her outraged as she slams it.