My Bestfriend's Man (12 page)

Roxie

Tears
clouded
my vision and I could barely see. The Lord must have been
with me because I don’t know how I made it home. My heart ached after Vee
basically threw me away like yesterday’s trash. I pulled into my driveway and
abruptly put my car in park.

I placed my head on the steering
wheel and allowed my anguish to be released through my tears. I moaned and
slowly rocked myself back and forth. I tried to coach myself. This thing
between me and Vee is only temporary. If she were to ever permanently walk out
of my
life,
I couldn’t handle it. I would
go stone cold crazy. If I couldn’t
have,
her nobody could.

My phone began to ring and I
immediately sat up. I prayed it was Vee calling to apologize. I dumped the
contents of the
purse
out on the
passenger seat and grabbed my phone. My heart dropped to my stomach when an
unknown number flashed across my screen.

More tears leaked from my eyes as
disappointment began to set in. I clutched my phone in my hand as I got out of
the car and made my way to the front door. I needed something, anything to take
away what I was feeling right now. It still seemed so unreal to me. I can still
see the nonchalant look on Vee’s face when she slammed the door on me. She
acted like I didn’t mean shit to her.

I’ve been by her side since day
one. I was there through everything. Whenever she needed
me,
I was front and center. Now she treats me
like shit stuck on the bottom of her shoe. This was too much for me. I wiped at
my tears, but that didn’t do any good because as soon as I wiped away the old
tears fresh ones would appear. I paused at my front door as I dialed Prince’s
number.

“Hey baby girl.”

“Prince,” I sniffled into the
phone, laying it on thick.

“Roxie, what’s wrong? Are you
okay?”

“No, I’m not okay. I need you.”

“Give me a minute, I’m on my
way.”

“Thank
you,
baby,” I whispered before hanging up.

I walked into the house greeted
by darkness. Bri was probably working a shift down at Crazy 8’s. Thank goodness
for small favors because I needed this moment of peace to gather my thoughts. I
walked into the kitchen and ransacked my cupboard in search of something strong
to drink.

A bottle of gin caught my eye and
I quickly grabbed it. I took off the cap and took a huge gulp. That shit burned
the hell out of my chest and I couldn’t handle it. I gagged and coughed for
what seemed like hours. I dry heaved for a couple of minutes, but that
eventually subsided. That was a bad idea. I ain’t built like that.

I searched my refrigerator and
grabbed a bottle of orange juice to mix with my gin. With my bottle of gin and
orange juice in
hand,
I walked into to
the living room and sat on the couch. This emotional shit isn’t me and I knew I
had to get it together. After a couple more
drinks,
my nerves had finally settled down. A knock came at my door and I knew who it
was.

“You aight baby girl?” He asked
me as soon as I opened the door.

Brian

I walked into my office feeling
like a new man. Things between Savannah and I are finally on the right track. I
think for the first time we
see
things
eye to eye. Well, except for us moving in together. She still seems a little
hesitant about it. Other than that we are making progress. We still haven’t set
an official date for me to meet her parent’s yet, but I know
its
coming.

“What’s up fellas?” I asked both
Ace and Prince as I sat down in my office chair. I loosened the tie I had
around my neck and unbuttoned the first three buttons on my shirt.

“Ain’t shit,” Ace replied with a
toothpick dangling out of his mouth. “What’s up with that goofy ass grin you
got plastered on your face? Savannah finally gave you some didn’t she?”

I couldn’t help, but to chuckle.
That was one of the reasons, but a nigga is just feeling good. I had my lady,
money was flowing, shit is just kosher.

“None of your
muthafuckin
business,” I said answering his
question.

“Since when did you not kiss and
tell? She got ya fuckin’ ass whipped,” Ace said shaking his head.

“I’m not saying all that. It’s
just that it comes a certain point in a man’s life when you meet that special
someone that make you change your ways.”

“Like I said pussy whipped,” Ace
said laughing.

“Whateva nigga. How the money
looking? Talk to me.”

“Honestly, in my opinion, shit
isn’t moving fast enough for me. You know when I was out on the block I worked
that shit like it was nothing. These young cats, man I’m telling you. They
don’t nothing bout hard work. They think everything is supposed to be handed to
them,” Ace said, looking over at Prince.

Prince’s top lip curled up as he
frowned. “What the fuck you look at me for?”

“Because I’m talking about you,
nigga. That’s why.”

“Yo’ B I think you need to check
ya brother.”

“He ain’t got to check shit. You
can check me if you man enough. It really ain’t that serious we just having a
general conversation, but when you step in the ring with
me,
nigga take that ass whoopin’ like a grown
man. Feel me?”

“Aight now that we have gotten
that out of the way,” I said, interrupting the conversation to leave Prince
some of his manhood. He talked a good game, but I knew he wasn’t ready for Ace.
The fight would be over before it started. Before I could carry on with the
rest of the
meeting,
Prince got a phone
call.

“Hold up B,” Prince said holding
a finger up.

I frowned as I looked over at
Ace. Ace simply shook his head and gave me that I told you so look. I decided
to give Prince the benefit of the
doubt
.
Maybe it was an important phone call. Mom might be trying to reach him or
something.

“Hey baby girl,” Prince said
oblivious
to the look I had on my face. I
watched as his face retorted into a frown. “Roxie, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

I almost jumped out of my damn
chair and smacked the shit out of his ass when that bitches name rolled off his
damn tongue. I can’t believe he actually interrupted this meeting to take a
phone call from that psychotic bitch. That bitch got under my skin. Maybe I
felt threatened a little because we both wanted Savannah. They have a
history
. Savannah said she didn’t get down like
that, but the women of today changed like the seasons.

As soon as Prince got off the
phone he jumped up. “I gotta go.”

“What? Man, I know you not about
to diss us for some bitch you just met,” Ace said looking at Prince sideways.

“You need to watch ya mouth.
She’s not a bitch,” Prince said through gritted teeth.

Ace wasn’t fazed at all by Prince’s
hostile demeanor. He simply shrugged his shoulders. “I call ‘em like I see ‘em.”

“You gone sit up here and let him
talk to me like that, B?” Prince asked.

“You a grown ass man now. If you
got a problem address that shit. Brian can’t control how I feel. I’m trying to
help ya black ass out. It’s not my fault you can’t handle how the information
is presented. Not everybody gone sugarcoat shit for ya ass,” Ace barked.

I could tell by the tone of Ace’s
voice that some shit was about to go down. I loved both of my brothers and I
hated to be put in the middle of this shit. Ace had a point though. Prince
is used
to me being his protector. At some
point in time in his
life,
he was going
to have to stand on his own two feet, but if we were going to work
together,
we had to squash the beef and just do
business.

“Look, both of you calm the fuck
down. Am I in the room with two bitches right now? Men don’t act like this. Can
we move on from this shit so we can do business? I want the both of you on my
team so we all can break bread. Feel me?” I asked looking at them both.

“I got you Brian,” Ace finally
answered.

“Prince,” I said waiting for a
response.

“You don’t ever stick up for me
B. You sit up here and let this nigga disrespect me and my woman.”

You should have seen the look on
my face as I looked at this nigga. I’m trying to remain calm, but Prince is
sounding like a weak ass nigga. I’m trying to keep the fucking peace and he
still running off at the mouth about this shit. He sounded like a straight up
bitch. Ace shook his head and laughed.

“Something funny?” Prince asked
as he stared Ace down.

“Yo’ what the fuck is your
problem Prince? I just asked the two of you to squash this shit and you up here
carrying on like some damn female.”

“He disrespected me B.”

“Look man, I apologize. Ain’t no
hard feelings between us,” Ace said as he touched the bridge of his nose. I
could
tell, by the way,
the veins bulged
out of his neck he was pissed, but he was trying to keep his cool. “So can we
get down to business or what?”

“You good now?” I asked Prince.

“I gotta go,” Prince finally said
after a moment of silence.

I frowned at his ass. “What?”

“That was Roxie. She needs me B.”

“I know who the fuck it was. Are
you serious right now Prince? Please tell me this is a joke. Am I being
punked?” I asked looking over at Ace, but he looked the other way. I’m up here
trying to let him in on some important shit and he let this bitch come in and
cloud his mind.

“She needs me B. She didn’t sound
good. You would do the same for Savannah.”

“Yeah, because Savannah is my
woman. We are in a relationship. I wouldn’t do it for some random bitch. I bet
you don’t even know what the pussy smell like?”

“No, but I’m sure I won’t have to
wait six months to find out either,” he said turning to leave.

That nigga hit me below the belt.
Ace didn’t even look at me. He just continued to stare straight ahead like he
wasn’t trying to get in the middle of it. Prince is young. Right
now,
he was thinking with his little head
instead of his big head. He couldn’t see Roxie for the type of woman she really
is. She’s high maintenance. She really doesn’t want Prince. She only wanted what
he could do for her, but his dumb ass was too blind to see it. I took a deep
breath and tried to take a different approach.

“Look, I know you
not use
to bagging bitches like Roxie,
but.
. . ,”

“So what you saying I can’t bag
bitches?”

“Will you just shut the fuck up
and listen? Got dayum,” I snapped.

I’m doing my best to be patient,
but like always Prince had a way of testing it. As I looked at his dumb ass
all,
I could do was shake my head. He’s not
ready. I called this meeting with good intentions. After talking with my mother,
I decided it may not be such a bad idea to give Prince a small portion of the
club. I’m not so sure about it now.

“He’s not saying that. We’ve been
around way longer than you Prince. We know Roxie’s type. She’s a gold digger.
She has a reputation. She’s known to fuck nigga’s for money. You’re his little
brother. He is only trying to look out for ya ass, but you up here looking all
starry-eyed
over this bitch and she probably
sucked more dicks than super head.”

“I’m tired of you disrespecting
my girl,” Prince snapped.

He never saw me come around my
desk. I grabbed him by the collar and backed him against the wall. I couldn’t
take it anymore. He sounded like a bitch plain and simple.

“Hey B, what the fuck is wrong
with you? Get the fuck off me,” Prince yelled.

The fear in his voice pissed me off
even more. I wanted him to respect me not fear me. Ace and I had that
understanding. He respected me, but he wasn’t afraid of me. We’ve come to blows
on several occasions, but we held enough love and respect for each other to let
the bullshit ride and keep the family ties together.

“Come on Brian,” Ace said
grabbing me.

“You sound like one of those
fucking thirsty, lurking ass nigga that be on
Facebook
.
I’m up here trying to bat for your ass and you up here sounding like a bitch. I
know what type of bitch Roxie is, but you so desperate to get ya damn dick wet
you can’t see the fucking obvious. It’s okay to get pussy just don’t let the
pussy get you.”

I wanted to go on, but as I
looked into his
eyes,
I knew I would be
wasting my time. He was like the rest of my siblings, looking for something for
nothing. When my father handed the club over to me I got a lot of slack from
his other kids, but I didn’t fold when they tried to pressure me into giving
them half of what I was owed.

Yes, I said owed. I worked day in
and day out for my father. I was transporting packages and making deals for my
father. He didn’t care that I could end up in jail. I remember the late night
and early morning runs. I hustled hard and paid my dues to the game now it was
time to reap the benefits.

I wanted to give Prince the
benefit of the doubt. But I could see his priorities were all fucked up. He was
all about himself and it made me question his loyalty. A man of my status
I have
niggas gunning for me
every day
. I don’t need someone of my own
bloodline
being one of them.

I’ve always tried to look out for
Prince because he’s my baby brother, but there comes
a time
in life when you just have to let go. As I looked into his
eyes, I had a feeling now was that time. I knew he would look at it as me
taking Ace’s side instead of his. I made him look soft and he would never
forgive me for that.

“Brian,” Ace said, again rocking
me out of my thoughts.

“If Roxie needs you just go,” I
told Prince releasing him from my grip.

“Thanks B,” he mumbled,
straightening his collar.

I think it scared him to see me
react like that. I haven’t had to put my hands on him in a while. He walked out
of the office without saying anything else. Ace cracked his
knuckles
but remained silent. I knew it was on
the tip of his tongue, but I wasn’t in the mood to admit he was right.

“Not now Ace,” I said.

“Might as well add that nigga to
the list.”

“What list?” I asked walking
around to my desk.

“You made that nigga ya enemy.
How much you want to bet he gone go back and tell her everything that went
down? I know her type she is persuasive and I guarantee it won’t take long
before he comes for ya ass.”

A strange feeling entered the pit
of my stomach. Something told me Ace was right, but I loved my little brother
to no end. I didn’t want to believe he would throw away all I’ve done for him
over a bitch, but as I sat and stared at my computer screen, I wasn’t so sure.