Page 226 of The Ninth

He didn’t seem like no dummy. I bet he never liked Juan’s ass for his niece. For that nigga to land with a family like theirs appear, he had to have put on a front. Now gang goofy ass standing here realizing not only is Juan a fraud in the streets, he in love with a whole other girl.

“Call me soft, I don’t give a fuck. My girl is my entire world. I treat her with a certain level of care and respect. I keep her out of the streets like her dead father would want me to. He got ahold of her and mishandled her. I can’t live out my life knowing he alive after what he did with her. Ain’t no way.”

“Believe it or not...I feel you.”

“You don’t feel me.”

“You don’t know me, bitch.”

A heavy silence hung in the air. K3 was breathing harder, letting the conversation re-piss him off about Juan. Cassie his wife, folks. Now the mother of his child. It’s about the principle and what the fuck he look like letting Juan get on with that shit?

“I done been married to my wife for twenty years, juvie. You don’t know the shit her and other niggas put me through. All them niggas is fucking dead, right now. This nigga, that nigga, the other niggas? Dead. Niggas I cared about? Dead—”

“Oh, well Cassie just fucked off with Juan. It seems like your lil shit was trying to get five in a row for a bingo or something.”

I chuckled as the nigga Ben stepped forward.

“Be coo, youngin,” he warned.

“It’s too many threats!” Micah groaned. “We can line up and see who can draw the fastest and shoot.”

“If you killed all them niggas behind your wife then you must understand Juan gotta die. Yeah, I killed them Ninth Ward niggas, woopty woo. I don’t really give a fuck and I don’t care you’re mad. I’m not finna let yo goofahh come to my city thinking you killing shit either just for get back. Clearly you want something or you wouldn’t be here talking the shit out.”

Silence again. The nigga Zay folded his arms behind his back and nodded his head. K3 a real killer, but I could tell OG had ghosts around him. Every word K3 said made him clench his jaw more. There was a reason he ain’t snapped yet. One of the big ones being I know he’s peeped this big ass pistol I got pointed at Liv.

“I do understand how you feel about your girl. And I don’t care if you kill Juan. I actually want him dead. You killing the nigga will just make it better for me because they already gon think I did the shit. I could’ve came through the vents and took your life, but I didn’t. Because I know it would start a war and I don’t want that for my city. I also don’t have time to go back and forth with you right now. I got personal shit going on.”

K3’s face fell briefly. I knew he was thinking about the Kenan beef.

“The only reason I haven’t started shit with y’all is because I have personal shit I gotta handle too. I also don’t have smoke for any of you. I just want Juan.”

Zay groaned, “You don’t want him dead more than me, twin. I’m telling you. It’s just...my niece. I love her to death; she means the world to me. I can’t see her upset. She would hate me if I allowed it. I can’t live with that.”

K3 always said the reason he spared Micah was because he saw potential in him. And maybe he did. I knew the real reason was even with Tevin’s death; he made Piper happy. She talked our fucking heads off about this ugly ass nigga. I watched K3 and Zay realize in real time that they were exactly alike.

“You want me to leave NOLA out of it and I will. I want you to leave Chicago out of it, which you will. The only thing is Juan. I can’t let that go.”

“I’ll make sure he never comes back to the city and I mean the entire state. You’ll never see that nigga again. Hear his name. His shit will most definitely dry up out here. He’ll be out of your hair and away from your shorty.”

“I’m not worried about my shorty, don’t ever think that. Would that be good enough for you?”

“No. But what I can promise you is this...When they break up? Because I got a good understanding of the type of nigga he is and he don’t fit the bill for the type of women we raise. They will definitely break up. When they do, you have my word that I will give you that nigga’s social, addresses, phone numbers, everything. Just let my niece come to the realization on her own. I give it three to six years, tops.”

K3 kissed his teeth, “Will yo old ass even be alive then?!”

“Mmcht! Shut yo hoe ass up, juvie! That’s the only peaceful way you getting the nigga. I’ll look out if you leave him alive for now and don’t spin in New Orleans again.”

“And he can’t come back to Illinois.”

“He won’t come back to Illinois. You have my word.”

“And I want some get out of jail free cards like he got.”

“Slow down, bitch. Plus...you a crazy ass nigga, woadie.”

“Takes one to know one. And don’t think I’ma slap your hand. Me and my niggas out. Keep yo word or that’s her ass.”

“Let you tell it.”