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“Tahanee. … Is that really even your name?”
“Yes, Barbara, Tahanee is really my name.”
“What happened to Ram?”
“I killed him …” Tahanee snickered and she tapped the steering wheel, “and then I took his car.”
“And you’re my bodyguard.”
“Yes, Barbara. I was hired by your brother to protect you while you’re at school and when you’re out with your girls or on dates and stuff.”
When Barbara thought about it, she realized that she did see Tahanee a lot when she’d be out. I’d see her everywhere, Barbara thought, but like everything else, she didn’t think too much about it. To Barbara, Tahanee was cool; they kind of hung in the same circle, so it was no big deal. She gets arounds, she remembered thinking.
“So, do you tell RJ everything I do?” Barbara needed to know.
“No, Barbara, that’s not how it works. I don’t make a report to RJ about what you were doing,” Tahanee said and Barbara breathed a sigh of relief. “My job was just to keep you safe.”
“So, nobody knows about me and Ram?”
“No. The only report I make is to my supervisor, Jack Trevor, and all that is verbal confirmation that you’re safe,” Tahanee assured. “But since it involved shooting, I have to make a complete report to my supervisor and Mr. Black,” Tahanee told her as they arrived.
“Uncle Mike?” Barbara frowned. “Why you gotta tell Uncle Mike?”
“He’s the boss, isn’t he?”
“Shit. And the first person he’s gonna tell is Daddy.”
Despite what Bobby and RJ said, Barbara could tell that they were both mad at Tenikka for taking her out that day.
The day she introduced me to Ram. It wasn’t her fault, Barbara thought. In fact, when she saw Ram was on me, Tenikka hurried up and got me out of there.
“I saw the way you were lookin’ at Ram, and all I’m sayin’ is nothing good will ever come from fuckin’ with a nigga like that.”
“I know,” Barbara may have said, but she still went back there to see him in spite of the warning.
“Please don’t tell anybody Tenikka brought me over there,” Barbara pleaded. “She couldn’t have known that Ram would do something like this.”
Tahanee looked at Barbara and understood her need to protect her sister. She had heard stories about the people that she worked for and what they were capable of, so she promised Barbara that Tenikka’s involvement would remain their secret.
“Thank you, Tahanee.”
“You’re welcome.”
They quickly came up with a story to tell that didn’t mention Tenikka before they got out of the car.
When Barbara and Tahanee went in The Four Kings, RJ and Marvin were already there waiting for them. Barbara explained what happened and then told them who Ram was and how she got involved with him. While she was talking, Marvin leaned close to RJ.
“She’s too calm.”
“I know,” he said.
RJ had seen that look before. It was the same look that his mother used to have. It was as if there was nothing behind her eyes.
“I need to call Mr. Black,” Tahanee said when she and Barbara finished telling their story.
RJ’s eyes opened wide. “Why you gotta call Uncle Mike?” RJ questioned, and Barbara covered her mouth to laugh.
“’Cause he is the boss of this family,” Barbara said to her brother. RJ gave her a look, really, Barbara, but he knew that she was right.
