December 20th

"Call me later ok? Alright I love you too." Ending the call with Keenan, Tamia put the phone down and jogged down the stairs to answer the door.

"I'm coming I'm coming!" She called running through the living room.

Once she approached the door, she looked out the window seeing Egypt standing there.

Shaking her head, she went and opened the door.

Placing her hands on her hips, she stared at her sister.

"Can I come in?" She asked nervously and Tamia just eyed her.

Sighing, Tamia walked away and headed into the living room.

"How are you?" She asked and Tamia just stared at her.

"What do you want?"

"I've been trying to get clean... I left Ahmed." She answered and Tamia look her over.

"He put his hands on you again huh?"

Nodding, Egypt rubbed her arms as if she were cold.

"You need a place to stay?" Tamia asked knowing that was the reason she popped up.

"I do... I've been staying in a shelter for a week now."

Shaking her head, Tamia ran her hands down her face and laughed.

"Can't believe this." She mumbled shaking her head.

"What else do you need huh? You need some clothes too?" She asked clearly annoyed.

"I do." Egypt replied and she laughed dryly.

"Bring yo ass man." Tamia stressed getting up and headed towards the stairs with Egypt following behind her.

July 1995

Walking through the door, Egypt put her purse and keys down and furrowed her brows hearing moaning.

Walking through the living room, Egypt headed around the corner to the bedroom.

The door was cracked open so she went ahead and pushed it open seeing Ahmed having sex with her old coworker Pauline.

"Are you serious?" She asked.

Pauline screamed covering her face and Ahmed laughed.

"What?" He asked pulling out of Pauline and sat down.

"Really bitch?" She asked glaring at Pauline.

Embarrassed, she grabbed her clothes and put them on quickly. Ahmed sat there naked and unbothered.

"Ain't you supposed to be at work?" He asked and she scoffed.

"I catch you cheating and that's your only concern?"

"Ain't like you never had threesomes with me before." He replied watching as Pauline rushed out the room.

Egypt stared her down then averted her eyes to him.

"I'm fucking pregnant and yo ass up in here fucking my old coworkers really?"

"You ain't giving me shit." He stated standing and walked into the bathroom to pee.

"You ain't shit. I can't believe I stayed with your stupid ass this long." She spoke walking out the room.

"Cause yo ass ditzy and thought I wouldn't find out that that baby ain't mine." He spoke and she froze.

"I'm mother fucking Ahmed, did you really think you would hide that shit from me?" He questioned grabbing her from behind.

"What are you talking about?" She asked trying to play it off.

"Don't play dat shit with me. You fucked that lame ass nigga Bryson didn't you?" He asked pushing her forward causing her to trip over her feet.

Falling on the sofa she turned around and stared at him.

"That's his daughter?" He asked lighting a cigarette and she just stared at him afraid to speak.

"Yes or no." He spoke blowing smoke into the air.

"I don't know." She answered and he laughed.

"You had raw sex with him and then came and fucked me to cover your tracks."

Looking down, she played with her fingers nervously.

"It was a mistake." She mumbled and he laughed loudly.

"Mistake?!" He laughed walking towards her.

"A mistake is forgetting to cut the lights off. Fucking another nigga is a choice!" He yelled grabbing her face roughly.

"Since you thought you could play me. When this baby drops, yo ass gonna go running to him and milk his ass for everything he has and if you don't I'll be sure to send my niggas to pay your sister a little visit." He threatened.

"What?!" She shrieked.

"I'm the only one that play games here bitch, you should know that by now." He spoke flicking the ashes on her face then walked away.

"Bring your dumb ass in here and suck my dick!" He ordered.

Sitting up, she wiped her face and stared at the floor.

"BRING YOUR ASS!" He shouted.

Slowly she rose to her feet and made her way to the bedroom.

She swore she was being careful about things.

**

Present day

"When are you supposed to be leaving?" Bryson asked Dajon once they got in the truck.

He just left from his physical therapy session and they gave him the ok to do sports.

"I think tomorrow afternoon." He answered putting his seatbelt on.

"Ok, I'm gonna send my gifts by you."

"What'd you get her?" He asked.

"One of those pandora charm bracelets, five hundred dollars and a book about Real Estate that she can study."

"Oh so you big ballin?" Dajon joked and he laughed.

"A little bit." He replied and Dajon laughed.

"What'd you get me?"

"It's a surprise." He replied. "I'll take that." Dajon replied sending a text to Renae and Kingston.

"Now don't you go down to New Orleans and call me saying you ain't coming back."

Laughing Dajon, rolled his window down some.

"Nah, I like it here too much plus I got school." He reminded. "Good." Bryson replied making a left at the light.

"You need me to stop somewhere for food?"

"Uh... McDonald's." He answered.

"Don't you ever get tired of that place?" Bryson asked and he chuckled.

"Nah, I love their Mc chickens and milkshakes." He answered and Bryson turned his nose up.

"That ain't nothing but a stomachache."

**

"You excited for Christmas?" King asked Renae as they had lunch in the soul food diner.

"Actually I am.. are you?" She replied pouring hot sauce over her fish.

"If I were single I wouldn't see much of an excitement about it. But since I got a lil lady to spoil I am." He admitted and she smiled.

"That's tilapia?" He asked nodding towards her fish. "Yeah."

"Should've tried that with da tartar sauce." He added pouring the gravy over his pork chops and mashed potatoes.

"I don't really like that sauce." She announced feeding him some of the fish.

"How you feel about moving after da new year?" He asked after he finished chewing.

"What am I gonna do about my dance room?"

"You'll have a bigger one in da new house." He assured cutting up his pork chops and she blushed looking down.

"What about your man cave?" She asked jokingly.

"Da house is big enough ma, I'll still have it." He replied before eating his food.

"Wanna go jogging tomorrow?"

"It's gonna be cold tomorrow." He informed. "Best time to jog can't run in the heat I'll pass out." She announced and he laughed.

"Aight, I'm down with that." He replied then sipped from his straw.

"Don't try to run dat ass off." He joked and she giggled softly.

"I won't, I like my lil booty." She spoke and he smirked.

"Mhm." Was the only thing he could say to keep from saying what he was thinking.

"Nasty." She teased and he chuckled then winked at her.

"I gotta be nasty, I like being nasty."

Flustered, Renae looked out the window and he laughed to himself.

"I don't get how you can be so shy but a whole freak in da sheets." He stated and she stared at him funny.

"I'm not a freak."

"Oh yes da hell you are. You're one of those undercover ones tho. Y'all always da best." He said pouring more gravy over his pork chops and she pursed her lips slightly offended.

"What do you consider yourself?" She questioned and he shrugged.

"I'm nasty, you ain't gotta tell me dat. I like it, and you can be nasty when you wanna be, it depends on yo mood though." He told her.

"Yeah, you are nasty." She giggled offering him some of her collard greens.

"But you like it though yes or no?"

"Mhm... I like that tongue trick you do." She answered then laughed covering her face when he did it.

"Stop!" She squealed covering his mouth and looked around the diner.

"Pretty ass."

"Mhm, I know." She replied grinning and he smirked.

"Conceited too."

"I am not." She argued eating her food. "What you call it then?" He asked raising a brow.

"Self love." She answered confidently.

"Is that right?"

"Mhm." She hummed placing her straw inside her can of sprite.

"How long do you plan on doing this "business" stuff?" She asked feeding him more greens.

"Few years, I wanna turn the community into something positive." He answered and she smiled.

"Like what?"

"Buy out a few shopping centers and hire black folks, open up a few barbershops, make some good investments and buy some land." He told her.

"I like that plan." She replied picking up her cornbread.

"Am I in that plan?" She quizzed grinning.

"Of course." He answered and she winked at him.

"You know I'ma marry you right?" He asked in all seriousness.

"You know I'ma say "yes" right?"

**

"Aight come on lil elf." King teased after taking the picture of Renae.

Laughing, she struck a pose before she ran over towards him to check out the picture. "Oooo I'm getting thick!" She boasted sticking her tongue out and he laughed shaking his head as he picked up their gift bags.

"Don't let it get to yo head, I'ma have to knock one of these lil niggas out." He warned as they walked out the shopping center.

They were supposed to meet up at Jamel's house to wrap up presents.

"I wouldn't let you do that." She replied taking ahold of his hand as they walked the parking lot.

"You wouldn't have no choice, I don't mind breaking somebody's jaw." He spoke and she laughed spinning around then placed a kiss on his lips.

"So protective." She cooed kissing him again then licked his cheek and he laughed.

"Don't start nothing in dis parking lot." He advised as they got to the car garage.

"Why? We're the only ones here." She taunted grabbing his dick and he jumped.

"Aight now." He spoke giving her a look, laughing she moved her hand and walked in front of him.

"If you're not scared, I wanna shoot for a quickie."

"Quickie? Don't disrespect my dick like dat." He laughed pulling the keys out his pocket.

"What do you want me to call it then?" She asked.

"A round." He answered hitting the locks on the key.

"Ok, well let's go a "round" She suggested opening the trunk and took the bags from him.

"Not in dis garage, I definitely don't wanna start fucking you in'a car das disrespectful on so many levels." He informed as he went to start the engine.

"How?" She asked placing the bags in the trunk in order by color and size.

"You only fuck a random in'a car. You ain't supposed to fuck yo girl in'a car especially when you got a place. Das disrespectful to da girl, but niggas don't see it like dat." He told her as he hooked his phone up to the aux.

"I normally hear guys AND girls brag about doing that." She replied bending down to pick up her earring.

"Nah, don't believe da hype. It's disrespectful, at least to me for YOU it is." He replied looking for a song to play.

"Nae?"

"What you doing?" He asked looking in the rear view then side mirrors.

Not getting a response, he got out the car locking eyes with a frightened Renae and masked man holding a gun to her head as he covered her mouth.

Reaching for his gun, his actions came to an halt feeling the cold barrel of another gun at the back of his head.

"Move and I'll shoot you." The second masked man spoke pressing the gun deeper.

Not wanting to do anything that would risk Renae's life, he held his hands up and shook his head disappointed in himself.

The tears that were rolling down her face only fueled his anger more.

"Where's the money?" The first guy asked as he cocked the gun back and placed it under Renae's chin.

"Whatever issue you got with me leave my girl out of it." King spoke taking a step forward only to be knocked down to his knees.

Renae tried to run but the guy gripped a fistful of her hair and pressed the gun into her chin more.

She was afraid but tried to keep it together.

"Where's the money nigga?" The second guy asked cocking the gun back.

"I don't keep cash on me nigga." King replied keeping his eyes on Renae trying to tell her to stay calm.

"So you move weight but don't keep cash on you?" He asked then laughed.

"So you know who I am?" King questioned.

"Yeah nigga we heard about you. The name Ahmed sound familiar?" They asked and Renae's heart dropped.

Her nightmare was happening right in front of her eyes.

"He sent y'all here to rob his own daughter?" King asked rising up slowly.

"Don't worry about that bitch, where's the money!" The second guy snapped.

"Right... here!" King spoke grabbing the guy's arms and flipped him over.

Slamming the car door on his head he picked up the gun and aimed it at the first guy and he laughed as he moved with Renae some.

"He said you could fight."

"He also said to send you a message." He added shoving Renae forward pressing on the trigger.

As she tried to run towards King the guy let off shots at the same time King did.

When he dropped, King eyes left the guy's and landed on Renae.

Looking down at the blood covering her sweater, she looked up at him stumbling forward.

She wasn't sure if it were her adrenaline or heat from the bullets but whichever it was had her body scorching.

Trying to speak, blood spilled out her mouth and she dropped to her knees and King's heart dropped.

"No... no.. no no NAE NO!" He yelled catching her before she fell.

The tears rolled down her face as her body shook.

Her hands were shaky and each time she opened her mouth to speak she choked on her blood.

King tried to apply pressure to her chest but his mind was racing a mile a second.

It wasn't easy to stay calm when the love of his life was laying here dying.

"Renae? Don't you dare.... SOMEBODY HELP!" He hollered turning her on her side giving him a view of the 3 shots she had in her back.

"Fuck!" He cursed getting up and snatched his phone from the cord.

Rushing back to her side, he grabbed her hand as he tried to call for help but his vision became blurry.

"I'm so sorry." He apologized over and over.

"Nine one one what's yo— MY GIRLFRIEND HAS BEEN SHOT!" He shouted cutting the operator off.

"Ok sir stay calm, what is your location is she breathing? How bad is it?"

Question after question that he didn't have time for.

Dropping his phone, he pulled Renae's body into his resting his forehead against hers as her grip on his hand began to loosen.

"Please don't leave me." He begged.

Hearing people coming his way, he looked down at Renae and smiled weakly as he wiped the tears from under her eyes.

"I got you... you gon be straight." He told her as a tear rolled down his cheek.

Her eyes began to close and he shook his head frantically.

"No! Don't you dare! Open your eyes!"

"SOMEBODY HELP!!"

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😩🤧

We have reached the end my loves, any questions?

Oh yeah and book 2 is already being worked on💛