A Hood Dilemma is Still Bittersweet: A Naptown Triangle (A Bittersweet Hood Dilemma Book 3) Read online

  “I wasn’t that bad,” I said.

  “Oh, bitch, please. You was an evil bitch,” she said.

  “And you are a ghetto bitch, but I love it,” I said then she laughed into the phone.

  “Oh, hoe, please. You are ghetto too. You just bougie with the shit. You got to be a hood bitch to tolerate Osari’s simple ass. That lil’ nigga’s mouth is a handful and he is always looking evil,” she laughed. After Tokyo and I talked for a few minutes we hung up. Tokyo and I have a ways to go, but I will not rush it. Everything is on her time because I hurt her. The fact that she called means a lot to me. I don’t even expect anything else from her.

  After I bathed I got dressed in a black mid-sleeve romper and a pair of nude pumps. I added my gold accessories then applied my make-up naturally. I grabbed my blazer then headed into my kitchen to have a drink until Kanae arrived.

  “I cannot believe I let you talk me into coming here,” I said to Kanae, walking through the rowdy crowd. I was never into this kind of scene. I’d rather sit at a lounge listening to music. Having to stand up on my feet all night was a headache.

  “Oh, bitch, hush. Turn up, why don’t you. You are young, beautiful, and single, enjoy this damn night,” she said, tossing her drink back. I was really a wine drinker, but Kanae talked me into drinking Remy. Thank God I wasn’t driving home.

  The song “All Eyes on You” blasted throughout the club. I swayed my hips to the beat, singing along to the lyrics. I felt a pair of strong hands on my waist, and the smell of cologne hit me. “I’m not the type of nigga that dances but I just had to,” his deep baritone voice said into my ear. When I turned around there was a dark-skinned tall guy standing over me. He looked to be in his late twenties to early thirties. He was cute in the face and somewhat on the thick side. He wasn’t sloppy, just real solid in weight. His hair was dreaded up into a braid going down the middle of his head. The diamonds in his ear and around his wrist must have cost a fortune.

  “So, you just come up to me, putting your hands around me? Nigga, my man could’ve been in here,” I said, then he chuckled, showing his diamond gold teeth.

  “Zas don’t care about that, sweetheart. If your man was in here he wouldn’t let a nigga like me get this close to you,” he said.

  I rolled my eyes then walked to the bar with Kanae following behind me. “You know who that is?” she asked me.

  “Let me guess, the city’s Kingpin?” I asked.

  “No, silly. He is the owner of this club. He is also a bail bondsman. He has a lot of positive things going on with him. He is about to open up another club that’s more upscale,” she said, but for some reason I wasn’t interested in him or any other man. I wanted Osari to appreciate me.

  “Okay, Kanae, that’s really nice, a black man that has something going for himself. I can dig that but I’m not interested,” I said to her. A guy approached Kanae with run-down tennis shoes on, a wrinkled t-shirt, and a fake chain around his neck. The club lights shined on him and I wanted to burst into a fit of laughter. His hair was brushed to the side with a part going down the middle. He had white stuff caked on the inside of his mouth and I wanted to puke. Kanae blushed when he grabbed her hand and I wanted to die for her.

  Kanae is a very pretty girl but her butt is pancake flat. She is light-skin with reddish-brown hair. She has small freckles on her cheeks and also wears glasses. She is a sweet girl, but the men she chooses are always bums. Kanae is a college graduate with a good job working for the government. I still don’t understand her choices in men.

  “Hey, miss pretty lady, what’s your name? My name is Jeff,” he said, with spit flying everywhere and his breath was horrible. Even that didn’t stop Kanae for gazing lovingly at him.

  “Kanae, are you okay?” I asked her.

  “Yes, I’m fine. Don’t you see me getting my swerve on?” she whispered. Jeff looked at me then smiled as he dug up his nose.

  “I’m sorry, my nose itches, I have allergies!” he shouted just loud enough to be heard over the music, while wiping his finger on his shirt. I almost lost my balance, my head began to spin. That was the nastiest shit I had ever seen. Even in my thirsty days, money wouldn’t have been enough for me to even try that.

  I excused myself, heading to the ladies bathroom to freshen up my make-up. I pulled my cell phone out of my clutch and noticed I had a missed call from Osari. I hurriedly called him back. He answered on the fourth ring.

  “Is everything okay? You need me to meet you?” I asked ready to panic.

  “No, damn. You forgot to pack his butt cream and I wanted to know what kind you use,” he spat.

  “Oh, okay. Just use the baby powder scented Vaseline that’s in his baby bag,” I said, wiping off my hands.

  “Ay, yo, where you at?” he asked me.

  “At this club,” I responded.

  “Oh, alright then. I’ll let you go and have your get-back-at-a-nigga fun,” he said.

  “You really don’t get it, do you?” I asked him.

  “Get what? You are still mad at me because I cheated. I get that, Tassana. You bring that shit up every time I talk to your simple ass. A nigga can’t even have a conversation with you without you cursing me out. I almost slapped the fuck out of you earlier for getting real fly at the mouth. What do you want me to do, sit around and wait for you to make up your mind about me? I’m not doing that shit. I apologized and that should be it,” he responded, with bass in his voice. Osari was angry and so was I.

  “Apologies don’t mean shit when you keep doing it!” I yelled at him.

  “You must’ve really forgot about all that fucked up shit you did, but let me remind your dumb ass. You ain’t fucking perfect. I made a mistake and you made plenty of them, but I guess you think since you sat your retarded ass in church singing gospel music that you are perfect now. Well, shit fucking happens and it just so happens my dick ended up somewhere it shouldn’t have been,” he spat.

  “Are we finished?” I asked, walking outside the back of the club to get some cool air. There was also a lounging area outside out back. The place was really designed nicely although it could do without the rowdy crowd.

  “You looking for me, beautiful?” Zas asked, grabbing me by the hand.

  “Bitch, I will body you. You hear me. Who the fuck is that nigga? Oh, that’s why you tripping on me?” Osari fired off into the phone.

  “Hang up on that nigga, I need your attention,” Zas said, listening to Osari’s deep voice blaring into the phone.

  “Real nigga shit, Tassana don’t even do it to yourself, shorty!” he barked out, sending chills up my spine.

  “I’ll call you when I get home,” I said to him, hanging up.

  “Look, here, muthafucka. I don’t know you and, quite frankly, I don’t want to get to know you. I’m not impressed by you, nigga,” I spat and he smiled at me.

  “I’m intrigued, shorty. There’s something about you. Like I stated before, if you had a man you wouldn’t be here,” he said, eyeing me up and down lustfully.

  “You are absolutely right,” I said, walking out of his face and back into the club. I searched the crowd for Kanae. When I finally spotted her I couldn’t believe my eyes. Kanae and Jeff were on the dance floor kissing. I wanted to throw up. I couldn’t take it anymore. I went to the dance floor then pulled Kanae away from him.

  I dragged Kanae out of the club. “What is your problem?” she asked me.

  “Have you lost your fucking mind? Did you not see the white shit on his lip? That could’ve been nut! Then the nigga dug up his nose!” I yelled at her.

  “He is so sweet, Tassana, and he has a job,” she beamed. I wanted to take my clutch and pop her upside the head with it. Jeff came out of the club seething. “What is your problem?” he asked me.

  “Sweetie, you are the problem. You stink,” I said to him.

  “Oh, no you didn’t, bitch,” he said, pulling mace out of his pocket. I wanted to kick my heels off, but being as though we were on Baltimore streets, I
decided not to.

  “Are you serious right now?” I asked ,not believing this.

  “Jeff, calm down. Let’s all think rational here,” Kanae said to him. I should’ve stayed home, sipping my wine, browsing through my old pics of Osari and me. I’d rather be home and depressed then having to deal with this mess.

  “This is a joke,” I said giggling. Jeff tried to charge into me but ended up on the ground. He tripped over his shoe laces. Not only did he trip, his tennis shoe ripped open. Kanae beat him with her purse, “You son of a bitch!” she yelled, fighting Jeff. He grabbed his mace then started spraying her.

  “AHHHHHHHHH!” she screamed, rubbing her eyes.

  “Y’all fucking with the wrong nigga!” Jeff screamed, trying to get up. I kicked him between the legs as hard as I could then slammed my fist into his face.

  “You want to fight women?” I yelled, swinging on him again. I had a lot of anger built up inside of me. I let it all out with every punch that I connected to Jeff’s head.

  “Aww shit, shorty fucking that nigga up,” someone said in the crowd that started to form around us. Jeff caught my leg when I kicked him, pulling me down onto the ground with him. He slapped my face then I punched him. He and I rolled around on the ground like two women. I dug my nails into his cheek and neck, kicking him off of me.

  Zas picked up Jeff then slammed him onto a car that was on the side of the street. “You want to fight women outside of my club?” Zas said, slamming him again. The police bum-rushed through the crowd, taking us all downtown for booking.

  “Justice for Freddy Gray,” the crowd yelled, throwing things at the police officers while they pulled me into a police car. A few people had their phones out, recording. Kanae was kicking and screaming that her eyes burned but they ignored her as they manhandled her.

  This is going to be a long night, I thought to myself. The police car pulled off just as I noticed the officers slamming Zas onto the ground, handcuffing him.

  Osari

  Tokyo came over to my house to watch my son, so that I could pick up his mother from downtown. She needed someone to get her from the police station.

  “I apologize for calling you so late. I didn’t want to ride through Baltimore City with him,” I said to Tokyo.

  “You’re okay. You lucky my man is sleep. He wouldn’t let me leave the house at this time of night,” she said yawning.

  “He is in his crib sleep. His room is down the hall on the left. I just fed him so he good,” I told Tokyo. She nodded her head then walked down the hall. As I was heading out Kyree was walking up the sidewalk.

  “What are you doing, Kyree?” I asked her.

  “Keeping Tokyo company, what else would I be doing here?” she asked.

  “Seriously?” I asked, not wanting to get into it with her. Lately all Kyree and I have been doing is fussing and fucking. I went a week without talking to her, then one night she popped up at my crib. We were at the same club that night and we were just avoiding each other. Anyways, shorty popped up on me then one thing led to another. I’m not going to lie, it’s hard resisting her at times. She is beautiful to me and her body is off the charts, but deep down I know she still loves another man and I love another woman. Our hearts belong to different people, yet we’re still fucking around with each other.

  “So what, I can’t come into your home now? Nigga, I was just in there the other night,” she said to me.

  “My son is in there and it’s late,” I said.

  “I can’t be around him? I still have yet to see him, Osari,” she said.

  “See him for what? So you can determine if he is mine or not? My son ain’t got shit to do with you. Why the fuck do you keep worrying about him for?” I asked.

  “I’m past that, I get that you accept that hoe’s baby, Osari,” she said. My blood boiled as images of me choking Kyree until she turned blue flashed inside my head. Kyree has been on a Tassana rampage. Not a day goes by that she doesn’t talk about her.

  “Look, shorty. You ain’t coming into my crib. Now, what you can do is take your dumb ass home and call that nigga, No Hands, up. I think you got me and that nigga mixed up. Whatever problem you got with him is with him. All you and I do is fuck, and as good of a woman as you are, you are really starting to make me treat you like some random bitch. Now, take your ass home ‘cause you ain’t coming around my fucking son,” I told her.

  I walked away from her when all of a sudden she started fighting me. This broad is really treating me like I’m her ex nigga. She was scratching my face with her sharp nails. I slapped her to calm her down.

  “You must forget I got hands,” I said, as she held her face in shock. Tokyo walked out of the building.

  “What the fuck, Osari, did you hit her?” Tokyo asked, examining Tassana’s face.

  “You damn right I slapped that bitch. She got my face bleeding and shit. Non-fighting bitch. You could’ve at least swung on me. You got me out here looking like I was fighting a cat,” I said, as the wind blew, stinging my face.

  “Why did you invite her over here, Tokyo?” I asked her.

  “I thought y’all was seeing each other,” Tokyo said.

  “Osari’s mother doesn’t want Kyree around him,” I said. Kyree looked at me with hurt in her eyes. “This is all about Tassana? Is that who you are going to? You got my friend watching your child while you go and fuck that hoe?” Kyree asked me.

  “Tokyo, get your home girl,” I said getting inside the whip, pulling off. Now I had to explain why my face was fucked up to Tassana.

  I arrived at the station almost an hour later. Tassana got inside my whip, slamming the door. I noticed she had a bruise on her face. “Who were you fighting?” I asked her.

  “No, nigga, the question is what bitch was fighting you?” she asked, looking into my face, then she burst into a fit of laughter. “Kyree got your lying, no-good ass good, didn’t she? She stayed putting her hands on No Hands. Looks like you got yourself a feisty one,” she laughed, checking her face in the mirror.

  “I can’t believe that nigga hit me,” Tassana mumbled.

  “What nigga?” I asked, slamming down on breaks.

  “None of your business, I just need to get a room,” she spat. I jacked her up by her blazer. “Who was that nigga in the background?” I asked, then she rolled her eyes.

  “I honestly don’t know,” she said calmly.

  “What’s the nigga’s name?” I asked her.

  “Let it go. He already got his ass handed to him. You can drop me off at the Marriot. It will be a cold day in hell before I let you see where I live,” she said.

  “You should’ve taken a fucking cab then. What the hell you got me out here for? There’s a hotel right around the corner,” I said to her.

  “I thought maybe we could talk, but being as though someone beat me to it, I changed my mind, so feel free to do your thing, Osari. I’m not mad at you,” she said without emotion. I didn’t know who this was.

  “I love you so much, even if it means letting you go,” she said. I wanted to choke her.

  “You ain’t letting shit go. I’m tired of this mushy shit with your crazy ass,” I said then relaxed. “I’m not trying to do that, Tassana. I went against everything I stand for to be with you,” I admitted.

  “Your actions tell me otherwise. Maybe you aren’t ready. I’m not going to stick it out and find out, either. Every time I try to just say forget everything and move on, I can’t. I’m constantly being reminded that there is another woman that you will not leave alone,” she said.

  “Okay, fuck it. I have still been sleeping with Kyree. She scratched me up tonight because I wouldn’t allow her to come inside of my crib to see our son and I told her why she couldn’t. I slept with her a few nights ago. Do I love her? No. Do I like fucking her? Yes, I do, but that’s all it was between us. I’m telling you everything because I’m tired of all of this emotional shit,” I said, to her then she burst into tears.

  “I have never been hu
rt like this before,” she said, wiping her eyes.

  I pulled up to the hotel Tassana wanted to stay at. She got out, slamming my door after I parked. I texted Tokyo telling her she could take Osari with her when she left since he was supposed to go with her anyway. I also told her to lock up my crib when she left.

  “What are you doing? Shouldn’t you be getting home to our baby?” she asked.

  “He is with his aunt,” I told her. I paid for the room then headed to the elevator. Tassana was walking in front of me with her ass bouncing in her silk romper. Tassana is the only plus-size broad that I had been with sexually. She thinks I don’t like it but I loved her thick, soft body underneath mine. When I’m pounding into her, it made me go inside of her deeper. Once we got on the elevator she didn’t say anything.

  “Why are you so quiet?” I asked her.

  “I’m just worried about Kanae. She was taken to the hospital because she was sprayed with mace. Her cell phone is dead. Hopefully she calls me back as soon as possible,” she said.

  When we got to the suite I headed straight to the liquor counter. Tassana headed to the bathroom. My cell phone beeped and it was Kyree texting me. She was apologizing for getting out of hand and saying that she needed to work on her personal problems. Kyree is a cool down-to-earth chick, but I really do believe she treats me the way she does to make herself feel better about getting dogged out by her ex. I took my shirt off then kicked my tennis shoes off. I sat on the couch flicking through the channels.