Cassius 'Cash' Mitchell
"Pack ya shit and get the fuck out!" Cairo fumed looking at Raiven. She had came in late, yet again. He was fed up, I was fed up. It's been 2 weeks since we got back from vacation, and shit was different around the shop. "If she ain't out in the next fifteen, escort her ass out." He looked to Pat, and walked to the back.
The whole dynamic had changed while we were gone, little miss I can do whatever I want decided to come in on her own terms. That disrupts business, holding back appointments and all that. We lost some clientele due to her behavior, but we was fixing it. Our guy Lenny had hired some new chick, Paulina or some shit, we were gon meet her today.
"Cassius, please." Raiven begged, her eyes watery. I scrunched my face up cause me and her were not close. I ain't like her ass either. "Imma fix it, just please don't fire me." She cried.
I almost felt bad. Almost.
"Girl bye, this the sixth time you been late. We don't have time for slackers, and that's bad for business ma." I shrugged, feeling my brows furrow. "You'll get a job somewhere else just fine." I turned on my feet and looked to Pat. "Watch her." I spoke lowly, dapping him up as I walked passed and to the back.
"Nah babygirl, I'm fine.... That shit just irritating." I heard Cairo say into his phone, Anahi on the other end. Them niggas were in love. "I hear you, aight.... I'll see you later.... Bet."
"You good?" I questioned, sitting on the chair in front of his desk. He shook his head, his frown on full display. He looked like an upset kid. I chuckled lowly, scratching underneath my chin. "Raiven had the nerve to cry."
"Mannnn," He sucked his teeth, "she better get the fuck on. No one hurt her feelings but her own self." He shook his head, swiping a hand down his face. "We tell everybody messin with our time is messin with money. She lucky she even got a full paycheck for the amount of days she came in late. Shittin me."
"I guess it ain't click with her." I shook my head, waving it off. "Fuck allat, wassup with the warehouse?" I questioned, leaning back in my seat. Ion know when everybody got lazy, but that shit was irksome.
"We gone for a couple weeks and muhfuckas don't know how to do their jobs." He chuckled bitterly, wiping a hand down his face. "Everybody finna get dealt with." I watched as his whole demeanor had changed.
Niggas were finna end up missing.
——————
I shook my head, niggas wanted the position but couldn't even fill it right. This shit was aggravating, we all lost money from our pockets.
East and I counted the money at least five times, and knew we had to pull a few strings. Connects are gon be pissed, cause now it looks like we schemin and that ain't even it. My thing is, is how do six niggas on different corners not make enough sales since we been gone? Niggas were slacking every where and it was an embarrassment to us.
"I should kill these bitches, but I got enough heat on my plate." East shook his head, pulling his gun out and slamming it down onto the table. "Nobody gettin paid, no food on the table, none of that." He shrugged, he was talking about our runners, all of us were set for the most part. "Let James and Santana know we gon be behind schedule, and to not drop the product off." I nodded my head, pulling my phone out as he went to put away the money.
That was risky for us all. If we had no product, we had no money coming in, but from the looks of it no one was selling shit no way so they was about to all put the work in.
"Them niggas real lucky right now." I shook my head sending a code in text, sliding my phone back in my pocket, I turned my attention towards the garage door as I heard a noise. A bright light beaming through, my brows furrowed. "What the fuck?"
"GET DOWN! GET DOWN ON THE FLOOR, NOW!" S.W.A.T team and the Feds running into the warehouse, guns drawn.
Cairo and I both put our hands up, getting down as told. Chest and chin to the floor. We both looked at each other, pissed the fuck off. Someone's been snitching, and I have an idea on who. Feeling cuffs go around my wrists, them pulling us up roughly, I clenched my jaw.
I hated how they handled us, like we some damn rag dolls or some shit.
I knew better than to speak, so I wasn't gon say shit. My only thoughts went to Royalty and Saniyah. I tuned what the pigs were saying out as they read the Miranda rights, putting us both in separate cars.
My whole thought process was making sure my daughter was good. Maya been a bitch and would probably take it upon herself to get full custody but the bitch don't work, so that's a bust. This ain't bout to be held over my head, I have a legitimate business under my belt alongside Cairo.
The pigs can try and raid both mine and Cairo's homes, but they not gon find nothing and they couldn't if they wanted to. It was under our mom's names if shit like this were to ever happen, and it's happening. I tried to keep my cool, but the ride was taking longer than usual. If they thought I was gon fold on my bro, then they got me fucked up.
"Let's go." I looked to the side of me as the back door was open, the officer pulling me out roughly. I sucked my teeth as he walked us towards the station. "You have something to say?" The officer questioned, I clenched my jaw trying my best to keep my anger down.
Looking over my shoulder, Cairo not too far behind we made brief eye contact and nodded.
Cairo 'East' Brewster
These muhfuckas think they got the upper hand, but they don't. I wasn't no snitch. Cassius and I made a pledge a long time ago if we go down in some shit, it's us both. It's fuck the opps! What ever they wanted to know, I wasn't gon say shit.
I watched the door as the detective walked into the room, a brown suit on. He was the type of man who smoked cigarettes and drank coffee while looking into a case, there was a heavy stench on him. He had a wife who stressed him, a bitch on the side to relieve his frustrations. That's how these detective niggas were. I chuckled lowly as he looked at me, leaning back into the seat as my hands were still cuffed, this time in front of me as I sat at this small ass interrogation table.
"Mr. Brewster, I'm detective Maloney." He dropped the Manila folders on the table, I kept a straight face the whole time. "We have a proposition for you. Give us intel on who your team is, distro, connections, and serve no time, and get the option of being on house arrest for 18 months." He looked to me.
I wasn't finna fold.
"You think I'm stupid, don't you?" I inquired, licking my lips, a low bitter chuckle parting my lips. "Even if I were to say shit, that deal is off the table. I know how the system works, Carson." He looked at me with raised brows. "Your tag." I lied.
Of course I knew his name. The same muhfucka whose been watching us for years, I was watching him too. He doesn't need to know that though.
"You're a smart man, Cairo." Carson looked at me, a sly smirk on his face. "You think your friend next door is going to keep his loyalty to you? Everyone turns at some point."
I shrugged loosely, Cassius wasn't gon fold. The pigs think they know it all, but they couldn't even be loyal to their own team. They had snakes in their whole facility and still didn't know. Just sorry and pathetic.
"Can I make my phone call." I knew I wasn't gon get out anytime soon, they'd either hold us for a couple days, set a trial date and we'll see what the verdict says by then.
Detective Maloney signaled for one of the guards to come in, and uncuff my hands from the table. Standing up, I towered them both and shook my head as I walked out the room and down the hall with the guard on my tail.
If this little nigga don't back up!
Reaching the phone, I leaned against the wall and called the first person that came to mind. I already knew I was gon hear her mouth, but fuck all of that, I needed to hear her voice and make sure my daughter was gon be good.
"Boy! The hell happened?!" My mama's voice shouted through the receiver, causing me to chuckle. It wasn't funny, but when she got mad it was comical. "Are you alright, baby?"
"I'm fine mama. I just wanna rap with you real quick." I paused, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Can you check in on Kairi for me, make sure she's straight." I sighed, already knowing how Nicole was gon react. The bitch needed a job with her bored ass.
"Of course, you know I got my grand baby." She smiled through the line, and I nodded my head as if she could see me. "Did you talk to my daughter-in-law?"
"Nah, I wanted to talk to you first. Ion wanna stress out Nini with this shit." I scratched the back of my neck, I honestly didn't even know how she was gon take it. Almost a month in together and this bullshit happens. "Don't tell her, aight? I'll call her."
"You better Cai, cause that girl doesn't deserve to be left in the dark." Her tone stern, I rolled my eyes, she knew I wouldn't. "You hear me?"
"I hear you mama. I'll call you when I can. Love you." I said through the line, her returning it and us bidding our bye. One phone call down, the other would wait. I needed to call my lawyer.
—————
"You know this isn't going to be easy to get out of, right Cairo?" My lawyer, Joe Steinberg, informed. I nodded my head, we were in too deep. "The max they'll give is 5-10 years, and I know you're not trying to be locked away for that long."
"I'm not." I shook my head, licking the corner of my lip. "Reduce it to two with parole, because I'm not the only man they want." I shrugged, they wanted Cruz if I'm being honest, but even then I still wasn't gon snitch on that bitch. And have everybody watching me? Hell no, I ain't that tekashi kid. "What's the trial gon look like?"
"Private hearing. You and Cassius both are going to be in the court room together." I nodded my head at that, "You both are strong young men, I applaud the loyalty because most people in your position are dropping names." He chuckled lowly, shaking his head. "Keep your head up, Cairo. We'll do our best to give you both the minimum."
I swiped a hand down my face. Two or more years without my woman and my kid by side, this shit was tough and I didn't want to put Anahi through this. I know she has her life to live, and she doesn't need to be stuck while I'm locked inside. I didn't want to let her go though.
I couldn't.
2 MONTHS LATER
January 2019
Anahi Santiago
I sat in the holding room, Kairi with me. One of the officers gave her a piece of paper and a 5 pack of crayons so she could color. I rubbed a hand over her curls, causing her to look up at me and smile then down at my belly and placed her small hand there, rubbing my tummy. I sent her a faint smile. I was 3 and a half months pregnant, and I have yet to tell Cairo.
That's why we're here now, all of the phone calls and other visits I couldn't find myself to say anything, but he deserves the right to know.
On top of that, Nicole wasn't shit, never would be shit. She had the audacity to come to my door a couple months ago during Cairo's hearings, asking if I can be Kairi's legal guardian. It's like she had it all planned out because the papers were already signed. Nicole didn't like me, so I was confused on why but I didn't mind being Kai's guardian because I love that little girl as if she was my own. Nicole's reasoning behind it was so she can travel the world with her new man, no distractions in the way. I gathered all the strength in me not to deck her in the face that night. I hated how Nicole handled it because she really chose a nigga over her own daughter and I can't respect a woman like that.
Stupid is what she is. Her ass is really stuck on temporary dick, and that's sad.
"When is daddy comin?" Kairi asked, kicking her little legs back and forth, growing antsy.
"Soon baby, just a couple more minutes." I bit the corner of my lip, looking around the room. At least a couple more families in here, I spotted Saniyah on the other side. I'll hit her up later. "He's coming out." I smiled softly, after the buzzer went off, inmates walking through the corridor.
Our eyes connecting, his face brightened once he saw us. He looked soooo good, his weight was up than last, looking more buff than usual. I see where he spent his time while out on the yard. I licked my lips at the sight of my man. Standing to my feet as he neared, Cairo engulfed me into a big hug.
"I miss y'all." He spoke into my neck, taking in a deep breath as he inhaled my scent. Kissing a spot as he did so, I smiled wide. "I'm sorry for putting you through this." He apologized, still holding onto me tight. Us both not wanting to let go.
"That's enough!" One of the guards called out, us both smacking our teeth and taking our seats once we pulled away.
"What did we promise each other?" I looked at him as his focus went onto Kairi. I know he was upset that his child had to see him like this, but he'd rather it be this way than Nicole dipping out with her. "I got you, like you got me."
"I know baby," Cairo looked at me, his eyes blank. "What's going on, on the outside?" He quizzed, placing his hands in front of him, signaling me to take hold of one.
"Jaron and them are holding it down." I started off, the only reason they weren't locked up was because Cairo and Cassius didn't rat them out, they took the fall for most of the charges. "Business is still good, more clientele coming in." I smiled softly, biting the corner of my lip. I was talking about the legitimate side of business. "How are you mentally?"
He nodded his head, lifting a shoulder. "Imma be straight. I'm keepin myself busy." He licked his lips, then looked at Kairi as she continued to draw. "What you drawing little butt?" He questioned, and I let them have their moment. They needed it.
"Us." She cheesed, holding up the drawing of stick figures. It was Cairo, me, her and the baby, a small little figure. I looked down at the table, biting the corner of my lip. "You come home?"
"Not yet lil mama, daddy gotta be here for awhile." He sighed, scratching the back of his neck. It was hard to explain to an almost 3 year old, but Kairi caught onto things. "Your picture is beautiful baby, who's that?" He questioned, pointing at the last figure. Kai let him know it was her sister or brother. "Word? Imma hang it up on my wall ok?" She nodded happily and he turned his attention back onto me.
I felt him staring holes into my head, already knowing his jaw was clenched. He didn't like when secrets were kept, but it's not like I intentionally hid it, I just didn't know how to tell him. I was scared.
"Anahi, look at me." I gulped hard, lifting my head up as tears brimmed my eyes. "You have sumn to tell me?"
"Don't be mad at me." I chewed on my bottom lip, feeling my emotions build up. "I'm pregnant...almost 4 months." I kept my stare on him, tightening my hold around his hand as he just stared at me, no emotion on his face. "Cai..." I felt a tear slip as he moved his hand out my grasp.
"I'm not mad, just disappointed." He licked the corner of his lip, scratching his cheek, "Why you kept that news from me? I call you three times a week, and you couldn't say shit?"
"Daddy, no bad words." Kairi looked at him, a mug on her face. She's his twin forreal.
"Little girl, color yo picture." Cairo chuckled, flicking her hand, she popped his hand back. "It ain't funny Nini."
It was good to see him laugh and smile. I missed it, especially at our homes, his voice echoing throughout the halls.
"I'm sorry." I poked out my bottom lip, moving a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "I didn't mean to keep the pregnancy away from you, I promise. After I had scarring on my uterine line from my previous miscarriages, it was a risk...but my new doctor said I healed just fine, so I was just being cautious. I didn't want to get our hopes up."
"Damn." His eyes widened, then hooded over. "I wish I was home during all this, forreal."
"I'll still make the visits babe, stop acting like I won't come and see you." I furrowed my brows, as I thought back on our tiny arguments. He thought I wouldn't answer his calls or see him. The man was paranoid, and he's been sober for some time so his conscious was clearer than ever. "Stop letting your thoughts control your mind."
"I'm trapped in four tiny ass walls Anahi, this shit fuck with my mental every day! I have to watch my back and make sure ion get hit, me and Cass both." He huffed, leaning into the table and looking at me, licking his lips. "Come here."
I leaned forward, keeping my eyes on him. He grabbed onto my hands, rubbing his thumbs over the back of them. Before planting a single kiss against my lips. I missed it.
We both groaned as a guard spoke. Wasn't no one swapping spit to transfer drugs.
"I'll be home in a year, year and a half tops. I know you ain't want a relationship like this and if you decide to walk away, then do it. I want you to live your life and I feel like I'm holdin you back." I screwed my mouth to the side, he was giving up? "Don't look at me like that, baby."
"No." I shook my head, sitting up, snatching my hands away and wiping the tears that fell. "You don't get to call me baby and make that kind of decision for me. The thought that you really think I would leave?" My jaw clenched, feeling myself heat up. "Then you don't know me at all."
We've been through too much already, before our relationship up until now.
Before he could say something the buzzer went off indicating that visitation was over. I told Kairi to give her dad a hug, and she gave him the drawing she had drew. Wiping the remaining of my tears, I rubbed my stomach. I gave him news that I'm pregnant with his child, and he was mad I didn't say nothing, then wants to drop that bomb on me?
He had us both fucked up.
I wasn't leaving, and I wish he knew that.
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Welp there it is folks 😬
Lmao i had forgot they were in 2018 still, so now they're in January 2019, but best believe there will be some time jumps cause 2019 is almost over .. bear with me 😘
Thoughts?