Free Love/Fate by Tracy Brown

could do better than that. He told Born that he had a relationship with the judge who was presiding over his case.
    â€œHow do you think you got such a low bail?” he asked, smiling. “Give me a chance to go back and talk to him in his chambers, and I’ll see what I can do about the deal you’re being offered.” Seeing the look of relief on Born’s face, Grant decided not to let him get his hopes up. “Yo, Born, there’s a big probability that you’re gonna have to do
some
time. Hopefully, it won’t be nearly as much as Burnett said they’re offering you now. But he’s gotta give you some type of penalty because of the nature of the crime.”
    Born nodded and stuck his hands in his pocket. He looked at Grant. “Somebody ratted me out, didn’t they?” he asked.
    Grant nodded. “I’m told it was a confidential informant. They calledin an anonymous tip from a pay phone at the Staten Island Ferry terminal.”
    Born shook his head, knowing that if he saw Jamari or Wizz he would kill them for snitching. Fucking cowards! Seeing the fury on Born’s face, Grant put his hand on his shoulder reassuringly. “I’ll get back to you about your plea offer, but don’t get your hopes up too high. I’ll do the best I can.” Born shook his friend’s hand, grateful that Dorian had exposed him to such valuable connections.
    On the way home, Anisa was silent. She had greeted Ingrid stiffly, pissed that she had to meet Born’s mother under these circumstances. Anisa was angry, and she was near tears after spending the night in jail. She wasn’t prepared for shit like this. The lifestyle Born lived was one that she was enjoying, but prison—that was
never
supposed to be a factor, and Anisa was as mad as hell. She hadn’t called her family to tell them about her arrest, since doing so would have meant disgrace for her. She had the kind of family that would have shunned Born for leaving her so vulnerable, and she didn’t want that. She knew that Born was a smart man, who would always be successful. She had watched him move and could tell that he was an intelligent hustler—certainly more intelligent than his cohorts in the game. She didn’t want to blow what was turning out to be a pretty good thing, by complicating things with family drama. Anisa was getting used to living the life that Born led. She was growing accustomed to the fine linen and exquisite surroundings, the jewelry, the cash, and all the luxury he surrounded himself with. The last thing she wanted to do was become a headache for him. She figured that as long as she continued to play her cards right and be as opposite of Jada as she could, eventually Born would give her everything she wanted. She was counting on it. Born talked to his mother, and Anisa listened to their exchange.
    â€œYou should have known better than to have that shit in your house, Marquis.”
    â€œI know. Not now, Ma. Please.” Born shook his head, and looked out of the window.
    â€œNot now? When, then? You need to be more careful. I know that youknow better than that. You’re slipping. You know you gonna have to do some time for this, right?” Ingrid took her
eyes
off the road briefly and looked at her son. “Burnett said they wanna offer you a deal. I ain’t saying to take it, but you need to be ready for that possibility. How much money did they get when they raided your house?”
    Born had thought about this question, and knew that Ingrid would inevitably ask it. He already knew where this was going. “I had like seven thousand in cash, along with all the other stuff they seized.”
    Ingrid shook her head. “Well, you know they only turned in seven hundred dollars in cash, along with the drugs they found.”
    Born nodded that he did know that. “I expected that, though. They never turn in all of it.”
    â€œI just don’t