Page 28 of When It’s All Said And Done

“All he gotta do is get out the way and let me and Chance handle this.”

“Nas, just let him help. Please, for me.”

“Fuck. Fine but he better watch his mouth today or I’ma slide his fuck ass.”

“Ok, ok.”

It took us maybe twenty minutes to load up everything. A part of me was sad that I’d be leaving the only place that I’d call my own for the past two years. The new house was more than I could ever dream of, and I was thankful for Nas dropping a bag on it. I just couldn’t help thinking that the house could be snatched away from me like Nas. If he’d acquired this with illegal funds and it could be traced back to it then would be the first thing seized.

“Alright, bae, I gotta head out so I’m not late,” Desmond announced. “I’ll come over when I get off to help you get settled in.”

“Ok,” I nodded before giving him a quick peck since Nas and Chance were standing right there. “I’ll see you later.”

He walked off the porch as the three of us remained there watching him leave. Once he was out of sight, Nas cleared his throat to grab my attention. With Desmond there I’d done everything I could do to avoid Nas. We’d never spoken on us fucking his first day out, and God willing I hoped to take it to my grave. After he’d cleared his throat five times, I kept my head down until his feet stepped into my view.

“Yessssss, Nas,” I dragged as I looked up at him. “What do you want?”

“I want you but that gotta wait for now,” he confessed with a smirk. “But on the real you know that nigga ain’t allowed to the house, right?”

“You can’t be fuckin’ serious?!”

“Dead serious. I told you this house is for just you and Nyla and I meant that. It’s to keep y’all safe.”

“He’s my boyfriend how the fuck am I supposed to explain that he’s not allowed to my house?”

“I mean you could dump his ass then you wouldn’t have to explain shit, but since you wanna be hardheaded y’all welcome to kick it here.”

“You’re jokin’ right?”

“Nope,” he answered before walking away. “Chance let’s go. Nessa follow me.”

“Chance, talk to your boy,” I pleaded as we walked towards the vehicles.

“Man, Nessa you know he don’t play when it comes to you and Nyla,” Chance acknowledged. “I can’t tell a grown man how to protect his family. I’ll pick his brain ‘bout it but no promises that it’ll change anything.”

“Fine.”

Chapter 10

Nas

“How many of them came?” I questioned Chance as I stepped out of the car.

“All of them,” he answered as we made our way towards the warehouse.

“Damn. I didn’t expect them all to come on such short notice.”

“I mean when you’re offerin’ pure product at a fraction of the price that it’s goin’ for everybody gonna try and be down with that.”

“That’s true. Let’s get to the money.”

“Wait a second. Let me holla at you before we go in there.”

“Wassup cous?”

“Look I know you’re on yo’ grown man shit when it comes to how you conduct yo’self and I’m proud of you. However, I need you to let that muthafuckin’ dog out if need be today. Don’t fuckin’ hold back because we need these niggas to know that disrespect isn’t tolerated and we are not to be fucked with or fucked over. Ya feel me?”

“I feel ya. Trust me I got this.”