She was gorgeous. I could see where Kevin got his good looks from. Not that I looked at him in that way. Kev and I had an understanding. I am his silent business partner. Nothing more. He told me about his sister and her husband Trae. He told me about Kaylin, Faheem, Jaz, Angel and Kyra. I felt like I knew them all but now to finally meet them, I was feeling like a groupie amongst rock stars. These people really exist. I sometimes thought that Kev was making the shit up and these people were just figments of his imagination. But here I was. And Tasha’s husband Trae! Faheem! And Kaylin! These ladies struck gold. Got me looking at Kevin in a whole new light. I felt totally relaxed, as if I was right at home. I felt such a relief to be able to talk to some adults. I had no close girlfriends, nothing even a little bit close to what these ladies shared, so it was refreshing just to be here.

FAHEEM

“Yo, that dro smells good. I see I’m in the right place,” Kevin said as he raced down the stairs.

As soon as he hit the bottom landing, I grabbed him, put him in a chokehold, and pressed the barrel against his temple. “Who sent you here?”

I loved the element of surprise.

“What? Why–why the fuck are you choking me, Unc? What? What I do? Trae? Trae!”

“Trae can’t help you. Who sent you here? Answer me, nigga!”

“No one. What do you mean? Angel called me! She said come see my sister.”

I could smell the fear. I cocked back the barrel. “Don’t make me get blood all over my shirt. My daughter gave me this for Father’s Day.”

“Trae!”

“I suggest you answer the man. Because look over there. He already got the carpet rolled and ready to take your body away,” Trae told him.

“I swear! Nobody sent me. C’mon, Fah! What the fuck y’all talking about?”

“Then who is the girl?”

“Seven, man. Her name is Seven.”

“What’s her real name? Her government name? You playin’ house with the chick, so don’t tell me you don’t know her personal shit. You ain’t stupid.”

“Lolita Calderon, man. C’mon, Unc! Why the fuck you have to hold a burner to my head, yo! You know me. I put in work for you! What is this about?” He had broken into a sweat.

“Let him go, Faheem,” Kaylin told me.

I removed the barrel, and then pushed him hard, sending him crashing toward the rugs he thought were to wrap up his dead body. Bo snatched him up and forced him into a chair.

“What the fuck is wrong with y’all? Angel invited me. Y’all know that. What is this about?” His eyes were wide with shock.

I enjoyed this type of shit.