Page 33 of Gang of Roses: Dice

We all liked looking good, but Oats? That nigga treated a grease stain like the shit could have him hemmed up if it was submitted into evidence. I remember our days running the streets, fam shot a nigga in a packed club just for stepping on his new J’s.

“Man, look at this dude,” Wallie groaned, shaking his head and pointing at Oats.

“Hater don’t look good on you, my guy,” Oats told Wallie, and he waved him off.

“Fuck allat, when Unk gon’ finish cooking?” Gwop said, climbing out the lawn chair while rubbing his stomach. “I’m damn near starving.”

“Bitch, yo’ big ass been starving since breakfast,” Wallie fussed.

“Bruh, fuck you. We been out here since one. It’s pushing four. What Unk doing in there? Pluckin’ the shit fo’ he put it on the grill?” Gwop asked Oats.

“Why don’t you waddle yo’ Glorilla-meets-Zoe-looking ass in there and ask?” Oats snapped.

Gwop shot Oats a look so intense you’d think he was about to swing. The rest of us couldn’t hold it in because, truth be told... That nigga really did favor Zoe.

Gwop kissed his teeth. “Laugh now. Soon as this food hit, don’t ask me bout doing shit.”

“I wasn’t gon’ ask yo’ fat ass anyway,” Wallie lied.

“Hold with the fat jokes, you ain’t far behind me,” Gwop said.

“Nigga, I’m big bone like Flintstone, fuck witcha heard,” Wallie clapped back.

Before another argument could get rolling, Oats clapped his hands together, cause these two could go all day. I hated when all them were at Monroe’s together. I never got shit done. I don’t know how they ran they businesses together. It was just as bad as watching Block and Burna, but unlike those two, these fools were on gunplay when shit popped off.

“Look, both of you niggas big as hell, so you muthafuckas can kill the Teletubby jokes. But listen, we gon’ eat first, then we hittin’ Naturals.”

Oats made it known, and I just looked at him because he knew exactly what he was doing, pushing Naturals on me on my day off. Club Naturals was a popular strip club here in Magnolia Valley. They were known for only hiring naturally curved women. I respect the twist in the industry because they would hire all sizes. I hated when folks thought a man was only attracted to flat stomachs and silicone asses.

“Ahh, hell yeah,” Gwop said, already grinning and rubbing his hands together like Birdman.

“Damn right,” Oats said. “Food first... titties after.”

Wallie rubbed his hands together. “Now that’s a schedule I can get behind.”

I smirked, and we walked toward the house, hoping Unk was about done. Lawd knows I wasn’t feeling the strip club, but I was with the crew tonight. I just had to keep my fingers crossed that a bum nigga didn’t push up with no bull tonight. One of us was enough, but the four of us together were like The Unhinged Avengers.

I felt my phone vibrate. Pulling it from my pocket, I saw Tom’s name flash across the screen.

Tom: I have some info.

I frowned.

Me: What you got?

Tom: Sending it to your email now.

I had Tom looking into a few different things for me, so I didn’t know what this was about. I just hoped Vegas wasn’t on no bullshit.

Me: Checking now.

As soon as I hit send, I opened the email.

At first, it wasn't registering because what the hell Tom’s ass had me looking at?

I blinked.

Read it again.