Free The Legend of Johnny Hustle: Crown Me King by Zach Tate

I closed the door, and turned to Red. “I didn’t order you any coats cause I didn’t know if you were staying or not?”
    “Not a problem.  Clothes will be the least of my problems once I get my head together.  I still want to get high, because I like it.  No, correct that—I love it.  But things that are no good have to be left alone.  So who’s the sweat suits for?”
    I looked at both the women. “Four for each of you.  Six in the morning, we have work to do.”

12
     
     
     
    Joy
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    In November 1989, the impossible became possible.  A Black man was elected Mayor of the greatest city in the world.  In his hands was the power to send a pulse through the modern world.  He solidified a place in history, and an entire race felt like they finally arrived.  I identified with that man.  From that day forward, my name would be Dinkins to any law enforcement official I ran into.
    At the crack of dawn, I wanted to unleash the other part of my plan with Red.  I knew she could be greater than she was.  I wanted to help her be greater than she ever conceived.  I didn’t think I could pull the plan off.  Roxy was going to help me, so I woke her with a smack on her ass before sunrise.
    “What up?” she asked in her harsh ghetto tone.
    I sat on the side of the bed and leaned over to her ear.  I whispered, “Don’t talk. Just nod, if you can hear me.”
    She nodded.
    “You love me.  I know you do, but I don’t know what you willing to do for me.  If you willing to do anything —let me know.”
    Her head didn’t move from the pillow and she nodded, slow.
    “I want to cause you a lot of pain.  I’m gonna make you hurt.  If you don’t want to lose me, you have to take it.  I want you to handle it like a trooper, and then walk them streets when you done.  Can you handle it?”
    Tears rolled down her cheeks.  “You the only man who can hurt me,” Roxy whimpered, nodding her head like an abused child fearing rejection.
    Okay then baby, you gonna work Red for me.  You gonna show her to do what I tell you two to do.”  I slapped her on the ass. “Get dressed.”
    Roxy sat up to find her sweat suit, sports bra and gym shoes on the end of the bed.  When she was dressed and ready to go, we both walked into Red’s room and cut the lights on.  Red awoke.  Before I spoke, I noticed that she was gaining her weight back; she was heavier than when I first laid eyes on her.
    “What’s going on, is something wrong?” Red asked, wiping the sleep from her eyes.  Seeing seriousness in my eyes, she asked, “What happened?”
    “I need to know if you’re willing to do what I need for you to do over the next week.”
    “I already told you that I would.”
    “This is different.  Either you get up and get dressed and move with Roxy and me, or you get up and leave and go back to those streets.  Don’t agree if you’re gonna quit later.  Either get down all the way and be ready to do anything, or leave.”
    “What’s anything?” Red asked, now wide-awake.
    “Any-thing means anything that I say.  Roxy is ready and we need to know if you with us or not?”
    Roxy looked at her with enthusiasm, and said, “You gonna be all right,” without knowing what I had in mind.  I was proud of her.  I finally had a partner that was with me all the way.
    Red looked at both of us. “I’m in!  It’s time that I made some real money again.  Run the hustle down to me.  What do you want me to do?”
    It was hard to keep from grinning.  “You got to get dressed right now, and be out in the living room in five minutes.”
    She jumped out of the bed.  I handed her the clothes, and she hurried into the bathroom.  The beginning stages of my plan were working.  I had to get Red in shape.  I had to get the Crack out of her system for good.  I needed her to be mine.  Red, the queen of Times Square.
                  I walked over to the windows and opened them, allowing a