Zophisa P.O.V

"Hello?" I said through the phone.

"Why haven't you been answering my phone calls?" The deep voice asked from the other side of the line.

"I've been busy," I said, nonchalantly.

He scoffed, "Busy my ass. You been ignoring me cause you over there in Italy playing house with that nigga."

"Don't talk to me like you're my man, bitch. Take that base out your fucking throat before I beat it out you," I threatened him.

"Who the fuck are you talking to like that? Don't make me do something I'll regret, Zophisa," he dared.

"Bitch you are in prison with your life in the palm of my fucking hand. You not tough, you living off me. All that little fame you have in there is mine, your protection answers to me. Don't push me bitch," I said through gritted teeth.

"You can have your little protection, cause when the canary starts singing, the tree will come down," he said, smugly.

"And when the dogs start barking, I'll let them out," I shot back.

"You have sixty seconds remaining," the automated voice said.

"Last chance Zophisa, what you want to do?" He asked, I could practically hear the smirk on his face.

"Woof woof bitch," I said, before hanging up. I sighed and threw my phone on the bed.

"What was that?" Luka asked, standing at the doorway. We were staring at each other the entire time I was on the phone. I held up my pointer finger, waiting for my phone to ring again.

I didn't let it ring for two seconds before picking it up. I quickly pressed 5 when the voice told me to. "Killer Z, what's up?" My worker answered.

"It's time for the dogs to eat," I said to him, looking into Luka's eyes.

"What's on the menu?" He asked.

"An old rat that should've died in extermination," I informed.

"Bet, how you been though?" He asked, he always had my back even from the inside.

"I should be asking you that, you good? Do you need anything?" I asked.

"I need stamps to write my little girl," He told me.

"Taken care of, how is she?" I asked.

"Good, she going to second grade and all that," he told me.

"That's what's up, if she need anything let me know. Tell her mom or your mom to hit me up I can still make noise from Italy," I said with a chuckle.

"I know that," he said with a chuckle, "listen, we locking in. Talk to you when the dogs come back from their walk." He said. We said our goodbyes and hung up.

"Are you alright?" Luka asked, sitting down on the foot bed.

"Sometimes I really hate this shit," I said, resting my head on the headboard.

"Why do you do it then?"

"I have to. If I don't feed these people, nobody will," I answered, looking up at the ceiling. "It just sucks, having to kill someone you thought you knew." I sighed and grabbed my cigarettes from the nightstand.

"Who was he?" Luka asked, "to you, I mean."

"Who the dude on the phone? He was my fiancee. Once upon a time," I answered, lighting the cigarette.

"You got your ex fiancee killed?" He asked in shock.

"I will never love anyone or anything as much as I love the streets. He knew that from the moment we met," I said in between puffs.

"Why not?" Luka asked, making me raise my eyebrow. "Why won't you love anyone or anything as much as you love gang life?" He corrected.

"I was reborn in the streets, I was raised in the streets. I owe the streets my life. It just sucks when you know you're the reason a son won't get to see his mother again. But shit happens," I said, honestly.

"I understand," Luka said with a slight nod. We just sat on the bed, not saying a word to each other, just listening to the sound of my cigarette burn as I smoked the tension away.

"Why do you smoke cigarettes? Don't most people in America smoke marijuana?" He asked as I put the cigarette butt in the ashtray.

"I smoke weed too," I said with a chuckle.

"What's so funny?" He asked with a smile on his face.

"I used to smoke every day in New York. I haven't had a blunt in almost a month, that's crazy," I said as I shook my head. He just chuckled.

"So um," he cleared his throat, "tomorrow we have the day off. I was wondering if you wanted to go out, maybe shop and get dinner or something?" He said, scratching the back of his neck bashfully. I just raised my eyebrows in amusement as he stuttered his words out.

"But I mean you don't have to if you don't-"

"Yeah," I cut him off, "let's do that." He nodded and stood up. "Where you going?"

"I was just about to order dinner," he answered, pointing to the door.

"Oh, maybe we could go grocery shopping tomorrow," I said, clearing my throat between words, "So, you know, you don't have to keep spending your money on-"

"Yeah," he cut me off, "let's do that." He walked out with a slight smile on his face. I stared at the door for a moment after he was gone before nodding and throwing myself down on the bed.

"Shit."

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I'm Baaacckkk ❤ and it feels good to be back! Anyway, did you see what I did there? Huh? Did you see? Did ya? Ah forget it, you didn't see. But you will 😉

Xox - NX