began to think about what was going on and quickly pushed him away. Carmen backed up and stared at Trent strangely.
“Come on, baby, don’t do this to yo mans like that. I was just fucking off, Carmen, you know that. I don’t want them bitches.” He walked forward and took both of her hands into his. “I want you, Kira, and my baby.” He started to kiss her again, this time she didn’t try to stop him, she just let it happen. She felt no need to stop him because she wanted it just as much as he did. She missed his touch, the way he smelled, and the way he made her feel. “I want y’all to move in with me,” he broke his kiss and said.
The smile that crept up on Carmen’s face was priceless. She’d waited so long for Trent to get his act together, and finally it seemed as if he was coming around. Even if he wasn’t about to make a full turn around, at least this was a good starting place.
“How do I know you ain’t going to do this shit again, Trent?” Carmen locked eyes with his, searching for an answer. “You’ve lied to me too many times in the past already.”
Carmen shook her head from side to side. She could feel the tears trying to return to her eyes upon the thought of the rough past five years they’ve been playing this back and forth game. All she really wanted was to be happy with the man she’d loved since she met him that night in the club. She’d never been so damn crazy over a man, but Trent wasn’t just any ole nigga, he a was goon, and she’d do anything for his love.
“Because, I give you my word, baby.” He put on a cheesy smile, and just like that, Carmen let him slither his way back into her heart and her bedroom.
It was evident that he held the power in their relationship. He could easily talk her into anything.
*****
“Meek, answer your damn phone. You know I will blow this mother fucker up until you do!”
Meek listened to Moenisha’s fifth voicemail of the morning before he turned off his cell phone and put it away. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to talk to her, he just knew she’d try to talk him out of being in the projects on the block if she knew. He was sitting in the middle of the hood with a little over half a brick of soft. He had fronted the work from Trent in order to make some money for his wife. He wasn’t at all worried about himself, for he knew that if he made sure she was well taken care of before he went away, she would be able to take care of him in the long run.
He tucked his phone underneath his seat, grabbed his pistol, and got out of his car. It was bright and early and he was the only hustler out on the block, and you know what they say; the early bird gets the worms. For the next three hours straight he stood on the same corner swapping out his illegal goods for cash. Meek wasn’t worried about the police or the other hustlers who claimed they ran the block. Only one thing was on his mind, and that was money.
He knew the game well, so he always played to win. Ducking and dodging his haters in the hood and serving the fiends at the same time was a skill he’d picked up during his younger days in the game. He could move just about anything. Put it in his hands, and he’ll make it disappear.
Meek hopped back into his truck. It was twelve in the afternoon and he hadn’t eaten a thing. His stomach was aching, and all he wanted to do was eat and get back to the money, but the moment he reached underneath his seat and turned on his cell phone, all that changed. No sooner than the two minutes it took for his phone to load, Moe was calling. He sighed heavily, knowing she was about to blow on him. At first thought, he wasn’t going to answer, but he figured she was probably good and worried by now.
“Hey baby,” he answered then took the phone away from his ear to prevent her screaming in his ear. “Moe, stop all that damn screaming and hollering. I can’t understand a thing you’re saying.” He cracked a smile then set the phone
Sharon Kleve, Jennifer Conner, Danica Winters, Casey Dawes