Free The Block by Treasure Hernandez Page A

won’t let you down.”
    â€œToo risky. Plus, nobody’s gonna want to drop that off to your friend.” Lopez laughed, shaking his head.
    â€œThey can just drop it off to me, and I’ll give it to him. That way no one can get in trouble. If anybody gets in trouble, it’ll be me.”
    â€œYou must really love this guy,” Lopez said in deep thought. “I tell you what—I’ll deal with you and you only, but only on one condition.”
    â€œAnything!” Serena said, the biggest smile on her face.
    â€œIf your father finds out, you didn’t get this from me,” Lopez said seriously. “Even though I’m his brother, I know for a fact he’ll kill me.”
    â€œMy lips are sealed.”
    â€œOkay, when you get back to New York, call me, and I’ll have one of my partners get in touch with you and you only. If you ever bring someone else with you, the deal is off. Understand?”
    â€œUnderstood,” Serena said, and her and her uncle shook hands.
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    Monique sat on the couch watching re-runs of Martin when she heard the house phone ring. She quickly picked it up on the second. “Hello?”
    â€œHey, baby. What you doing?” Maine asked.
    â€œNothing. Just sitting here watching Martin , and missing you,” Monique told him. “When you coming home, daddy?”
    â€œOn my way now, baby. I should be there in about fifteen minutes.”
    â€œOkay, baby, hurry up ’cause I—”
    Before Monique could finish her sentence, she heard a loud BOOOOOM! then saw the front door swing open. Monique saw a man wearing a hoodie standing in the doorway, a smirk on his lips, and behind him was a rough-looking chick with a mean look on her face, both holding big guns.
    â€œOooh shit!” Monique screamed. She hopped up off the couch with quickness and flew up the steps. As she ran, she remembered that Maine always kept an emergency gun under the mattress.
    Gruff stood in the doorway with the same smirk on his face. He looked down at Tiger. “Go get her!” he commanded.
    Monique looked back when reached the middle of the steps, only to see a vicious pit bull making its way up the stairs. She panicked and tripped on the last step. She hopped up off the floor quickly but not quick enough. Tiger jumped on her back, tackling her to the floor, then bit down into her neck, growling. Gruff and Maxine just looked on as Tiger ripped Monique to pieces.
    Gruff lit up a Newport. “Check the bedroom for a safe.”
    â€œI got you,” Maxine replied as she headed toward the bedroom. She walked right past Tiger while she was still chewing Monique’s dead body.
    Five minutes later Maxine came back downstairs.
    â€œBum-ass nigga ain’t have no safe, but he did have twenty grand in his drawer,” she said, tapping her pocket.
    â€œVery good,” Gruff said, and him and Maxine exited the house. “Tiger, let’s go,” he yelled over his shoulder, and the dog ran to his master.
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    â€œHello!” Maine was still yelling into the phone since he’d heard a loud boom and Monique screaming to the top of her lungs. He continued to listen as he heard Monique hit the floor then heard the sound of some kind of animal or something.
    Immediately he dropped his phone as he put the pedal to the metal, weaving in and out of lanes, driving about 90 miles an hour. Nine minutes later, he came to a skidding stop in front of his house. He hopped out his car, his .380 already in his hand, and busted through the front door holding his gun with a two-handed grip.
    Straightaway, he spotted Monique’s body at the top of the steps. “Ah, hell naw,” he said out loud as he reached the top of the steps and looked down at Monique’s half-eaten body. “Muthafuckas!” he shouted as he turned his head away. He rushed downstairs and dialed 9-1-1 from the house phone. “I need an ambulance