Prologue
Lacy.
Loyal.
Chris AKA Danger
Big Al.
Jrue.
Jessica Uphill.
Domo.
K.C
Sasha.
Xzander AKA X.
Houston, Texas:
Loyal stood in between X and Chris, these were the two men Sasha had him working under since he started working for her. She seen something in Loyal, she wanted big things from him, so she was always hard on him. Her expectations for him were higher than anyone else his age in her crew. He was only 15 years old, and he was only doing this to provide for his mother and sister. He was now the man of the house, and men provided for their family by any means necessary. Loyal didn’t know what Sasha had planned for him, he just knew he didn’t want to let her down. He just watched Chris and X, the two were so similar, but different.
Chris was a city boy from Saint Louis, he grew up on the block he was honestly just another stereotype. His father was a gangster, so now he’s a gangster, his mother was a clean ex-drug addict, and he had a child and a girl he hid from the world. He terrorized cities, and states. He had not a care in the world, he reacted to everything as if there were no consequences for his actions. If you weren’t on his team? You would regret it in the end. He wasn’t a quiet person, and he backed up all his shit talk. He was only 3 years older than loyal, but he moved as if he were 30 years old. He carried pain and anger like it was money and he took it out on anyone he could. The only thing he never screwed up was business, all he ever knew how to do was be a gangster and that was one thing that would never change. Loyal watched him handle his business-like a pro, and people respected him. He knew when to put on a suit, Loyal had heard him go from using slang to speaking professionally around certain people. He had watched Chris adjust to the people around him, if he had to be hood then he had to be hood. If he had to put on a suit and sign a few contracts then that’s what he did, and he was amazing at it. Loyal knew that’s what he was supposed to pick up from Chris.
Xzander was a country boy from Saint Louis, he grew up on a farm. He lost the only parent that showed him love, and he was forced to hide all emotion. Xzander’s demeanor demanded respect. He didn’t do much talking, and everybody knew his silence meant more than any word spoken. While Chris was dangerous, Xzander was deadly. He was who you called if you wanted to get rid of a problem. Xzander had another side to him that intrigued everyone, who was this man who wore cowboy hats and cowboy boots? Who was this man who blasted country music on the ghetto part of town? Who was this man who never showed an ounce of emotion? You could never get the best of X; you could say what you want and do what you want he always seemed to be chill even in the worst moments. He carried himself like he didn’t care, and people knew he didn’t care. He had been running the streets since he was 15, and nothing had changed about him but his relationship status. Loyal knew Xzander wasn’t perfect, but he knew what he wanted he knew who he was, and he was content with that. Xzander was humble, he didn’t want more, more always came to him. He just wanted to be loyal to his team and be able to live a comfortable life. Xzander just mastered the fact that life ain’t fair, you get dealt shitty cards and you make the best of what you got because of that there was never anything anybody could hold over him he didn’t care for it. Loyal would watch Xzander go from a rap song to country to R&B to whatever. Loyal liked the songs he listened to, he didn’t laugh at his cowboy hat, he didn’t laugh at X at all, Loyal wanted to be at peace with himself like Xzander.
“So, what you bring Mrs. Abdul for?” Cheeto asked pointing at X.
“Yeah okay, I think you already know that right there is a bear you don’t even wanna poke.” Chris responded as Cheeto lifted the door to the back of the semi.
“Yeah, whatever ain’t nobody scared of X.”
“Says the nigga who got they ass beat the last time y’all had a run in. Look Cheeto, you keep talkin shit he might kill you. Then Lucky gone really be mad.” Chris says. “Sasha knows about whatever it is you and Lucky is up to.” Chris said lighting a cigarette before he put it in between his lips. “Loyal go checks the truck.” He instructed, Loyal nodded climbing into the back of the semi he continued watching and listening in.
“I don’t know what you talkin about.”
“Let me tell you something, she might be dating that lil cop but he on Sasha payroll. Nina not slick, Sasha knows, and you gone force her to force y’all out of everywhere.” Chris flicked the ash off his cigarette before taking another puff.
“Don’t threaten my sister.”
“Did you hear a threat X? I didn’t hear a threat. I can’t threaten an employee, I’m letting you know what the next point of business gone be. She just found out y’all got a connection to Sluts 4 Sale. She said you tried to move in on Tyrone when she specifically said to stand down, she has a plan in play for him right now. She keeps cleaning up your messes because for some reason you a damn hit man who can’t clean up after himself, and let’s not fuckin mention the damn cops be on y’all asses every 3 months. Sasha wants this casino open within the next 3 years so if y’all continue to fuck up the drug money she gone cut you out of it, and we’ll take over everywhere. If she finds out y’all back in that trafficking shit, she will tear y’all apart from inside out. Again, all of Sasha’s people are loyal to her.” Chris said before he flicked the cigarette, it fell at Cheeto’s feet.
“Don’t underestimate my sister.”
“Far from it, in fact Sasha thinks your sister is smart. It’s you who’s the dummy, she just got rid of Lorenzo you don’t think she’ll get rid of you too. After all you are the reason, she owes Sasha anyways.” Chris said making X chuckle.
“Everything cool.” Loyal spoke up.
“Good. Listen to me and listen to me good.” Chris walked closer to Cheeto looking him in his eyes. “We make our money with drugs, and businesses not trafficking, Sasha said this is your last warning, Cheeto.” He added. “Fuck kinda corny ass name. Perfect name for a cheesy nigga.” He said as he and X laughed. X got in the semi starting it up. Loyal and Chris got into the Mustang they’d drove here. “Bye cheesy ass dude.” Chris shouted out the window at Cheeto as he pulled off following X in the Semi.
“If Sasha don’t like him, why don’t she just have X kill him?” Loyal asked
“Lucky and Sasha got a good understanding, Lucky ain’t the issue. Cheeto don’t listen so it’s Lucky’s fault, so let’s say you kept doing the opposite of what Sasha says, but you family so it’s hard to cut you lose. Sasha gotta swallow whatever L that comes with your decisions because she’s the boss and she’s the one that gotta answer for your fuck ups. Cheeto is a fuck up and sooner or later, Lucky’s relationship with Sasha ain’t gone save him too much longer, Sasha’s patience is wearing thin.” Chris explained, and Loyal nodded, taking in that information.
Loyal popped up the moment he heard Chris’ car door slam. Loyal read the sign on the front of a huge grocery store. He got out the car ‘Flynn’s Fresh Foods’. He had watched Chris shake someone’s hand. Loyal read the name on his name tag, ‘Mario, Store Manager’. Xzander had already backed the truck into the loading dock. “Yo you up, Mario this is Loyal he gone be bigger than me one day.” Chris said introducing Loyal. “Now look we still looking for some decent runners here in Saint Louis. I ain’t talkin about no nigga like me, but for now you stuck with me and this lil nigga.” Chris explained. “You gone hire Mike and Tito to work behind the meat counter. My customers gone order the Alaskan Salmon, got me?”
“I got you.” Mario replied.
“Security will be enforced them bitches gotta get the fuck on when they get they shit. Sasha don’t want no fuck ups, got me?”
“I got you.” Mario said.
“Good now unload y’all shit. We gotta get to the Illinois store by 5.” Chris added, and Mario nodded backing up.
“Alaskan Salmon, that’s the cocaine?” Loyal asked, Chris nodded lighting a cigarette. “I thought Sasha was about helpin people?”
“You see where this store is? We nowhere near the hood, there’s a white person everywhere you look. Sasha don’t do petty cash. The rich fucks go into Flynn’s Fresh Foods everywhere and spend a lot of money on all types of fish. The most expensive kind. We got everything on the menu, and the fish are really caught fresh.” Chris explained as he puffed his cigarette. “Sasha smart, you do what she says, and you can get away with murder. This right here is only one part of her operation. This generates her thirty million a month, and she trusts me and you with it.”
“Me?”
“She ain’t got you doin these runs with me for no reason. She sees something in you Loyal, this is only the beginning. You do right by her? She’ll make sure you get whatever you want in life.”
Present Day:
“What’s goin on with Kels?” Loyal asked Sasha as he let himself into the stash house.
“She not doin too good-”
“Where she at?” Loyal asked, not caring about anything else. “Sasha you was just tellin me how she wanted out, she was just cool.”
“Chill out L, listen up man.” Chris said and before Sasha could speak the front door opened and Kels came in, Loyal pulled her into a tight hug before she could close the door. She needed it, Loyal was always the one to force emotion on everybody. He wasn’t hard body; he was full of love, and he was the heart of everything. Kels couldn’t help but to cry as her head rested on his chest.
He kissed the top of her head, “I knew you wasn’t okay; I could feel that shit man.” Loyal himself teared up a bit. “What happened?” Loyal asked her.
“I was stupid, I fell in love, and they took her from me.” She had faulted herself. Why didn’t she stay with Ro? Why didn’t she hold her one last time? Why didn’t she just tell her she loved her. “Her sister said she fought to keep breathing until I came back I-I didn’t get to tell her I loved her.” She broke down in his arms, she could barely stand, she had never had her heart broke before. She couldn’t breathe, she was weak, and stuck. X wiped the tears that fell down Sasha’s cheeks, her heart hurt for Kelsie. Kels was the best thing anybody could ask for; she was a loyal soldier and she never asked for anything. Sasha hated seeing her best friend like this, Kels deserved what she wanted, and it was snatched away from her.
“Ain’t nothin wrong with fallin in love Kels-”
“Nah but it is when you let yo guard down. I’ve killed thousands and ain’t flinched I am one of the deadliest people in the world and somebody got to me, nobody has ever got to me before and I wasn’t there to protect her.” Kels said Chris rubbed her back.
“This why nobody knows my mama, kid, and baby mama exist. Shit hit hard, it’s gone take you a while to get over this Kels, but we here.” Chris reassured her.
Loyal wiped Kels tears, “She was so different, you don’t understand. I don’t think I’ll ever find anybody like that again, she just understood me...” She started tearing up again.
“Then you are lucky...” Sasha spoke up after her tears were wiped away, “I know I may not have much room to talk because the man I love is standing right here, but I am lucky, you are lucky and if anybody else in this room had anybody that was literally a safe place then you too are lucky. Look at this life we live, we lucky if we can find people we can trust, but to find love? Comfort? A real home in a person? Man...” Sasha said with a small smile. “I wish we could’ve got to know her Kels, because if she made you fall in love with her, I know we all would have too. What do you need me to do?” Sasha asked.
“Her sister and mom need to be taken care of.” Kels replied. “That’s all I want.”
“Done.” Sasha responded.
“And I ain’t out no more, imma go wrap this crying shit up and imma be ready for the next assignment tomorrow.” She added and Sasha nodded.
“Kels you need a break; you need to deal with this.” Loyal expressed
“And what get a therapist?” Kels asked chuckling as if it were a joke. She walked out of the house, closing the door behind her and Loyal turned to look at Sasha.
“Chris go make sure she gets home safely, X baby let me talk to Loyal.” Sasha instructed, and the two of them walked out of the house. “Go ahead...”
“What?” Loyal says, and Sasha sat down on the couch.
“I can see that you angry, and I know you mad at me.” Sasha said.
“Sasha, you care about all of us, and shit and I know you do but throwin more money at us ain’t gone make shit better. We all fucked up, mentally one of us gone end up offing our damn selves. You need to get some damn help for niggas around this bitch how could you sit here and watch us all deteriorate?!” Loyal shouted.
“So, this is my fault” Sasha asked.
“Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and if you don’t wanna wear the fuckin crown no more take it off. Chris is terrorizing the new girl he is seeing, Kels damn near broken, Cali over there pregnant by Tyrone trying to impress you, fuck Sasha I have nightmares at night about the shit that I fuckin did! I sleep with my girl and my damn gun in my hand paranoid I’m fuckin 18 Sasha! 18! You won’t even face all the shit you been through you are straight up just satisfied with being in pain, how?! Just fuckin fix it Sasha!” Loyal yelled. “You are at fault automatically rather you had something to do with it or not, get yo people some help before people start offing, they damn self around here.”
“Alright Loyal, I will figure out a way to get people who want help the help they need.” Sasha caved in, and Loyal nodded.
“Lacy said yes to going back undercover to Sluts 4 Sale, but imma be real with you right now Sasha.” Loyal sat next to her looking her in her eyes so she could see how serious he was. “I just got her to let all these walls down. She is fucked up Sasha, so the moment she tells me she wants out I am getting her out. I don’t care if it ain’t part of no plan or anything like that. I love that girl with everything I got so if she so much as gets hit I am not going to be okay.”
“Loyal, it’ll be a few years before I send her in undercover. In the meantime, I am going to get everybody help, it’ll take me some time because I need someone who I know genuinely wants to help and not just want my money.”
“Take your time and thank you...” Loyal placed a kiss on Sasha’s forehead. “I need to go be with Lacy right now...”
“What about Jessica?”
“She’s amazing Sasha, but she not Lacy. Lacy and I don’t wanna mess up whatever it is we got going on and I honestly ain’t lying to nobody about anything. I just know when I heard what happened to Kels all I wanted was to be with Lacy. Sash…” Loyal said turning to look at her. “If anything were to ever happen to me you make sure everything goes to Lacy and I want her far away from everything.”
“What about yo mama and Dia-”
“Diamond is my sister; you watch her long enough and you’ll wanna hire her. Diamond gone make sure they straight, just make sure they safe. I don’t want them to meet, or anything like that, I don’t want anybody to ever connect them to me in
anyway.”
“But Lacy has met your mom and sister.”
“Yeah, but we don’t sit around like a big happy family and Diamond not gone remember Lacy.”
“Alright. I can do that, but ain’t nothin gone happen to you Loyal.” Sasha reassured him.
1 Year Earlier...
“I didn’t tell yo frog face ass to stop yet, I wanted some damn imos.” Chris said to Loyal, Loyal had completely disregarded what Chris said, he had put his hand up hushing Chris before he could say anything else.
“Is that Avery Wilson? Fuck he doin in Saint Louis?” Loyal asked, the situation that was unfolding now caught Chris’ attention. They’d both watched for a moment and listened.
“You thought you was off the hook?” Avery asked and just as he walked up to Lacy, she pulled her gun out, aiming it at him. The other two guys he was with pulled their guns aiming them at her.
“What you gone do Avery? You know ion go down without a fight. I ain’t bouta keep doin this shit with you and yo sister every time we break up. So wassup?”
“Bitch I-”
“Yo is it a problem or some?” Loyal asked, he got out the 18-wheeler that Lacy parked next to, Chris got out as well.
“Chris! Nigga I ain’t even know you was in town!” Nigel, who was with Avery, said.
“Cause I’m not, my lil nigga asked y’all is it a problem. This my boss place of business and it look like you niggas was about to shoot this shit up. I coulda swore I put the word on the street Sasha’s businesses off limits what y’all doing meetin up here?” Chris replied, besides Xzander Flynn, Chris was known, feared, and respected in his hometown. What he said goes, and he is over Sasha’s Street crews, and his right-hand man was Loyal. A child Sasha took in as if he were her own, everybody knew not to touch him.
“My bad man I do some side work for Avery an-”
“He told you come put a gun to a woman’s face with a lil girl next to her?” Loyal asked and Avery laughed.
“Aye ion give a fuck about these light skin niggas I don’t live here I don’t know you-”
“But you know who Sasha is.” Chris spoke up and Avery remained quiet. “Get the fuck on before it be some problems and yo lil partnership you got with Sasha not gone save you bruh.” Chris threatened and Avery looked at him for a minute. He didn’t have the manpower to go to war with Sasha right now, so he chose to get back in his truck and drive off.
“You good?” Loyal asked looking at Lacy, he couldn’t help the way he felt looking at her. She was the prettiest woman he had ever laid eyes on. His smile was flirtatious.
“Yeah, I had it but thank you.” Lacy replied putting her gun back on her waist.
“I’m Loyal, this my big bro Chris.”
“I’m Lacy this my little sister Maleana.” Lacy replied.
“You got a number or something-”
“You are not my cup of tea bro; I like what you like.” Lacy shut him down immediately.
“Who says it gotta be to fuck with each other? Everybody needs somebody, you must get a lot of friends already.”
“No, she only got me, and I be tired of her sometime give me your phone.” Maleana said holding her hand out for Loyal’s phone.
“Don’t give that man my number Maleana.” Lacy says, Maleana ignored her typing the number into Loyal’s phone.
“Right on lil one imma text her and be her new friend to give you a break.” He chuckled, making Maleana smile. “It was nice to meet you Lacy maybe I’ll see you around...”
“Maybe.” Was all Lacy said before she grabbed Maleana’s hand heading inside the store. “I said do not give that man my number.”
Loyal chuckled watching her walk into the store. Chris pushed him as he laughed, “I see you. Now you know Avery ass ain’t finna chill out, don’t you?”
“I’m not worried about Avery.” Loyal shrugged.
