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“Muthafucka, y’all was posing for the cameras and fuckin’. You put a baby in her? Y’all bury a nigga together? What history do you have with the mother of my child other than playing dress-up on red carpets? Because you knew, and she knew, and I now know you couldn’t make that ass splat.” Jas’ tone was so low, it was menacing.
A tendril of fear spiraled down my spine, and I was speechless, utterly dumbfounded by Jas’ arrogance.
“Kin—can we just talked about this?” Austin, so scared, he stuttered as he pushed his palms out defensively. “We just agreed to be friends. Before y’all ran up in here, she said she just wanted to be friends, and I respect that, man. I swear I do.”
Jas’ tight gaze was on me again. “So, youdohave some sense? Because when I met your silly ass, this Hollywood nigga ain’t spend one dime protecting you. Even when you was with him, he ain’t cover you. This what your dense ass want?”
Dense?
With anger burning like acid in my belly, I jumped to my feet, “Jas!”
“Yo, whatever y’all two got going on is between y’all,” Jerry, Austin’s security, interjected. “All I want is to get the lil’ homie out of here with no problems.”
“Ain’t nobody talking to ya big ass, bitch,” Jug gritted, switching the angle of the gun.
Jerry’s face darkened. “Put down that gun, and let’s handle this like men.”
What in the fuck is going on?
“That’s what I’m saying,” Austin agreed. “Two Black men can’t handle business the old fashion way?”
“Your lil’ ass can’t fuck with me, bruh. And I’mma show you. I’m ‘bout to eat ya little ass up like I did your offenses…until now.” Jas glanced my way. “Tell your lil’ boo bye-bye for good, Shi-Shi.”
Shi-Shi?
Austin started removing his coat. “You eating a grown man’s ass sounding a little gay-ish. Your jail sentence showing, bruh.”
Jas turned to Juggy and the guys standing at the doorway, and all fell into a chorus of laughter. This was some mafia shit if I’d ever seen it on film. Austin was scared; it was evident no matter how tough he tried to act. His bodyguard was furious. And I was stuck. Just stuck.
“Fuck you know about me?” Jas took a step closer, cocking his head to the side. “The fuck you know about me except for staying the fuck away from her because you being with her means you being around my daughter. Now, whatever happened between you and Ashira—”
“It’s just like you said, bro,” Austin argued. “You don’t know shit about me andher—” His head reared, and his tall frame stumbled backward. Jas had hit him—punchedhim—hard as hell in the face. My pulse raced, and mouth soured. The ease and lightning speed of Jas’ blow made me wonder who this thug I’d been too comfortable around really was.
“Uhn-uhn.” The gun cocked first, then Juggy stepped closer to Jerry. Two guys at the door ambled into the room now.
“Jas, please!” I begged, my whole body trembling.
Why was this necessary?
“You sucker punched me?” Austin swiped his nose leaking crimson liquid. “You gotta sneak me to get one off in front of her. You’s a bitch, nigga.” His ire was evident, but delivery nowhere near as coarse as Jas and Juggy’s.
My heart bled for Austin. He was out of character. The man couldn’t portray thug energy if he had the entire city of Harlem coaching him. It wasn’t his nature or comfort, though it was clear to me he felt forced to rise to the occasion. I could only imagine the fear and pressure Jas conjured in male opponents. But Austin wasn’t about that life. This was an unfair fight.
“Let’s kick it in the bathroom for a minute.”
“Nah. Fight me out here, nigga!” Austin’s voice cracked.
Jas tossed his chin calmly. “I’ve terrified my daughter’s mother enough. No guns. Just one man and a boy.”
No… No. No!I silently begged with audible lungs. It was all happening too fast.
After a moment of consideration, Austin broke. “Fuck it. Let’s go!”
With lightning speed, Jas threw out his leg, clipping Austin as he walked backward, pulling on all the bravado he could toward the bathroom. Austin fell on an arm but smoothly pulled himself up and into a defensive posture. Jas, sporting a taunting expression, threw another short jab; this one only sent Austin’s head back. Finally, he thought to swing back with a weak punch Jas blocked as though pillow fighting with Chivon. Jas’ long reach grabbed Austin by the neck, dragging him toward the door. Austin tried forcefully to pry Jas’ grip from his neck with no success. Jas managed the door open, pulled Austin to his feet by the neck, and threw him into the room, dodging another punch from him.
The closing of the door triggered a response that had me jumping to my feet. I lunged their way but was yanked back into Juggy’s chest.
“Easy, Shi!”
