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He took a seat and tapped his lap for his wife to sit down on him. Despite his feminine and flirtatious ways, Roberto loved his wife. We all got settled in the front yard and talked shit and joked around. The women wanted to go for a swim and I told Era that I didn’t think it would be smart since it was already chilly out. Leave it up to Roberto to tell his house staff to turn on the pool warmer.

Since the women were gone, Roberto felt open enough to discuss business. If you got to see the transformation with Roberto when he talked about his cartel from how he acted in front of his family and friends a person would think he was crazy. He sat up and picked up a cigar and lit it. Instead of his voice sounding animated and soft, his voice grew deep with all seriousness.

“Mi hermano found out a lot of things when it comes to that ex-wife of yours, Soulful. I think it's enough to kill her after all.” He smiled wide at me. I couldn’t do shit but shrug. I cut Jocelyn off. I gave her a big amount of money, transferred the house that was in my name to hers and washed my hands with her. A couple of people told me she was back on drugs and I saw the proof of that as well.

I stayed off of social media once mutha fuckas got off of me and Era’s relationship. The attention that was placed on us from Joceyln running her mouth almost fucked up me and Era’s careers and image to the public’s eye. Now that they were oooing and ahhing over our relationship, I stayed off social media. I wasn’t a social media ass nigga anyway so I didn’t care to be on none of the apps. Whenever I did jump on there a blog page would pop up on my timeline, spotting Jocelyn out at a nightclub looking zoned the fuck out.

She was now Instagram famous, popping pussy and going on wild ass rants, bashing men like she wasn’t the problem. She was spiraling bad, I just couldn’t bring myself to feel sorry for her no more. I tried to get her help and continue to look out for her but now my full focus was on my girl and family. I didn’t have shit left for Jocelyn.

“I don’t care about shit that concern that girl man. Just make sure don’t shit lead back to me.” Roberto nodded his head just as Debo spoke.

“If I wasn’t trying to be on a good and new path, I’d kill my ex bitch Lakendra. I ran into her while I was out shopping for baby stuff with Praylah and she tried to be on some disrespectful shit. I’m not letting no bitch step to my girl ever, I just don’t want to trigger my mental and detour myself by killing that bitch. She starting to become a thorn in my fucking side though.” He shook his head and scratched at his dreads like the shit was really bothering him.

Wasn’t shit more fucked up than a delusional ex trying to get a spot that they thought was reserved for them. We weren’t normal niggas, we came from killing and anything that presented itself as a problem to us we got rid of quickly. I went from living the life of a thug street nigga to a NFL superstar. I had endorsements, speaking at kids school because a lot of young boys looked up to me. I had to keep my image positive and I understood why. I couldn’t just work off of my emotions and the way that I used to handle shit back in the day.

That’s how a lot of niggas fucked up after they become famous. They end up staying the same ignorant way forgetting that their in the public’s eyes. They forget that they are richer and have a lot to lose. I didn’t let my anger or old ways control and lead me at all. I know what it feels like to have nothing and come from nothing. So I embraced and remained humble at all times. That didn’t mean that I didn’t still have killers around me. People like Roberto, Sovereign and Inferno in the cut waiting to do what I can’t do.

“I consider you like family now so all you have to do is give me an address and the problem will disappear like my husband did months back.” Roberto chuckled, puffing on his cigar. Everybody shared a laugh when Debo openly recited his ex-Lakendra address out to Roberto, he then sat back in his lawn chair like he didn’t just give up his ex-information.

“Don’t worry bout her Berto, I got his lightweight.” Honor spoke up and slapped hands with Debo.

“Nah, you really need to sit down somewhere and heal a hundred percent. Yo tough acting ass running around doing shit when you need to let your legs heal to its full capacity. I’m sick of hearing my woman talk to your girl on speaker. All she talks about is yo ass not listening to her. You be skipping out on therapy and shit to hit the streets hard. You a big dog now, you your own boss. You really ain’t got to do much but show face and put mutha fucka’s in check if they get out of line.” Debo gave Honor a stern look.

“I don’t even be doing much. Ju’well just be acting spoiled. I’m sure she putting dubs on that shit when she talking to Praylah.” Honor sparked up a blunt and looked over at the pool like she was making sure Ju’well couldn’t hear her.

“Scary ass.” Debo chuckled. Honor flicked him off.

“I ain’t gone even lie, Honor. You be the center of all them women three-way calls. That’s all I hear with Era, if she ain’t talking bout music. It's us hearing Ju’well’s loud squeaking voice complaining about you being out. Roberto you too, you be having Honor out here acting single when you fly down. Popping big ass bottles at them gay clubs.” Roberto's mouth fell open and he clutched his chest like he was struggling to breathe.

“Wheeettt? We are grown and rich! We should be able to do as we please as long as we take care of home and show our mates some form of loyalty.” He rolled his eyes and Honor agreed with him.

“That creates unhappiness and second-guessing though. If y’all want respect you got to give that shit.” Debo reasoned as Honor looked around wildly, acting just like Roberto, clutching her chest.

“This big hulk ass nigga on some newwwww shit!” Debo smiled at Honor’s revelation.

“I’m just saying man. You got a good girl seem like it, I can tell that you love her and all that. Get yo money and get better at the same time. Don’t be making unnecessary problems. Ain’t shit wrong with going out either and having a lil bit of fun but just give her the same respect that you would want when you ain’t around.” I nodded my head in agreement, Debo was spitting some real facts right now.

“If you listen to this nigga, he will have y’all single and out here lonely.” I looked to my left and Inferno stood to the side of us with his normal blank expression. He held a case of beers, moving closer and sitting them down in front of us. I opened the case and took a beer out for myself. He greeted everyone with a head nod, making his way close to Roberto, he picked up a cigar then took a seat. Using his torch lighter, he lit up the tip of the cigar, taking a long drag from it. I looked towards the pool and smiled seeing Sovereign talking to the women with a smile on her face. Whenever I saw Sovereign, Inferno wasn’t too far behind, that’s how I knew she was here.

Sovereign didn’t have friends; she had her family which was us and her kids. She warmed up to Era, Praylah, and Ju’well at the baby shower and Inferno and Debo had made amends. Debo wasn’t tripping off Inferno popping up on him the way he did because he kept saying that he would’ve did the same thing if it was his brother.

“You got to have structure with money. No matter how much of that shit you have. You not just gone keep finding soul mates or solid ass people to trust to keep in your life. You can have all the money in the world, to do whatever it is you want or get anybody that you want to get. Without structure, control and loyalty. You end up losing some authentic, raw uncut shit like love. That’s if you want love in your life. I didn’t want love until I laid eyes on my wife, Sovereign. Money doesn’t control my marriage, its not used as a tool to get my way with my woman. It’s for us to live comfortably and save enough of that shit for our kids to live as comfortably as they do now.” Inferno talked and looked at us then across the yard to make sure Sovereign was good.

“I have structure, I’m just not about to live like I got a needle stuck up my ass like you.” Roberto gave Inferno the finger.

“I have so much money saved that its sickening. I find myself spending the money that I do have for spending on the people I love, even though the people I love is already rich. Sharing is caring you know? Anyways Soulful, do you want to know what I found out about Jocelyn?” he raised his brows at me. I already knew that he was ready to stir the conversation elsewhere. If Inferno was in the mood to drop dimes, he would do it and direct it towards Roberto. He worried about Roberto because of how free spirited and nice he was.

“To be honest, I don’t want to know. If she did some foul shit, then handle it however you see fit. I just don’t want my name involved in none of it. I finally got out of these blogs mouths, Era and I. I want to keep it that way, so Era can focus on her number one album that’s thriving and I can focus on my football shit.” I didn’t give a damn about Joecelyn. I no longer thought about her or reached out to see how she was doing.

If Roberto was pressing the line so hard about her today, then that means she moved shady as fuck. If I would’ve told him to back off then he would have. In this case it was different.

“Well handle it Berto, she has to go.” Inferno gave an emotionless expression and that’s all I needed to know. Jocelyn had done some more shady shit that they found out about. I still couldn’t believe that Praylah’s baby daddy was able to get enough men to take out the security that Debo had placed on Praylah and the security that Roberto had was like the secret service. He had to plan the shit and do it thoroughly.

Like I said, everything was becoming back to normal. Roberto had to explain things and reassure his men as well as his golden triangle that there wasn’t any bad blood between Mexico and Cali. He had to bury the men that guarded him and pay their families a nice chunk of money since they were there guarding him with their lives. Inferno was still pissed that he didn’t get the revenge that he wanted by burning Sosa alive for almost killing his brother.

Roberto and Inferno bumped heads but they rode hard for one another. Inferno was just a serious ass nigga twenty four seven. The only time we really got to see him act normal and chill was days like today or if he was with his kids or around Sovereign. We end up talking some more then going out taking the women on a nice tour of Mexico. Era, Ju’well and Praylah had shocked expressions on their faces seeing how everywhere we went people treated Roberto like he was a god. Some had the look of fear sketched on their faces while others walked up and showed their respect to him. Roberto took care of his state, he took pride in that too. He constantly gave back and created opportunities for the poor to eat and not starve. Here in Mexico the cartel had just as much power as the government. Roberto might’ve had a lot of fun and traveled a lot to be in Cali with us, but he made big decisions when it came to Mexico.

He wouldn’t tell us unless we asked him about what all was going on. As the night went on, I made the decision to head back to Roberto’s mansion. Era looked flushed in the face, even though she was having a good time, her feet were swollen. I took the master suite that was on the east wing of Roberto’s big home, and ran my girl a hot bubble bath so she could relax.