Free No Justice No Peace by Brenda Hampton

something?”
                “Maybe so.  Some fellas got to fighting at Al’s place and I tried to break the shit up.”
                “You need to be careful.  Let them niggas bust each other damn heads and stay out of it.”
                I took a hit from the joint and passed it back to Ginger. Just so she wouldn’t question me again, I went to the bathroom and thoroughly washed my face.  I wanted to take a shower, but I decided to wait until later. 
    Since Ginger was occupied with her girlfriend, I went back into the bedroom and locked the door.  I pulled the suitcase out and tightly held the money in my hands.  It had been a long time since I’d seen this kind of money and it surely felt good.    Soon, I started to count it.  After getting mid-way there, I reached for the phone to call Rufus. He quickly answered.
                “All I have to say is you are one psycho muthafucka, Kiley!”
                I laughed. “What in the hell are you talking about?”
                “That nigga Marc called me whining like a bitch.  He told me what you said and I couldn’t do nothing but crack the fuck up.  ‘Cause, you still my nigga.  That’s why I need you here with me.”
                “No can do, Rufus.  I got plans, man.  Plans that do not include moving back to LA.”
                “So, it’s like that, huh?”
                “I’m afraid so.  Quincy will be out in a few and we gon get ourselves a nice place to chill, find us some everyday-pussy-giving-ass women, possibly have some more babies, take good care of my son and live until I’m a hundred years old.”
                “What a boring life?  But, it’s yours.  I ain’t mad at cha, but the Kiley Jacoby Abrams I know, can’t have a simple life like that.”
                “That’s the one you used to know.  I’m trying to change Rufus. In a few more months, you’ll see how much I’ve changed.”
                “Nigga, tell that to the fool you just blew away a few hours ago.  You don’t have it in you, man.  And as soon as you realize that, I hope you’ll make your way back to me.”
                “Whatever you say, Killer.  I’ll get at you in a few days, alright?”
                “Thanks for handlin’ my bit-ness. In a minute.”
                Rufus hung up and I put several hundred dollars in my wallet. I placed the suitcase back underneath the bed and felt like a new man.  When I came out of the room, Ginger said that her and Allison were going over to Allison’s house to play cards.  She asked if I wanted to come along, but I declined.
                After they left, I got comfortable in my boxers and stretched out on the couch.  I placed a thick pillow on my lap and slowly faded. 
               
    I was in a deep sleep, when Desmon and Antonio came busting through the door.  I’d already reached for my piece, and when I saw that it was them, I laid the gun back down on the floor. 
                “Say, man,” Desmon said to me. “You got any mojo on ya?”
    Immediately, I could tell him and Antonio were fucked up.  Trying to have one peaceful night, I realized that I couldn’t.  I slowly got up and tripped his ass to the floor.  He fell hard and hit his head.  I kneeled over him and grabbed him by his collar.
     “Didn’t I tell you I was gon fuck you up if you kept disrespecting me?” I yelled.  He gathered spit in his mouth and let it out in my face.  I took my fist, slamming it hard in his face.  The tough lil muthafucka hit me back, and I’ll be damned if I didn’t grab his ass off the floor and throw him into the wall in front of me.  Ginger’s whole entertainment center came crashing down and the glass cracked as it hit the floor.  Blood dripped from Desmon’s mouth and he roared like a tiger as he