My Thug Got A Rider (7 page)

“Do you dance?” I had to ask. There was something about a nigga that could dance, that I found attractive. He looked up at me like I had lost my mind. I guess he wasn’t one of them.

“Hell naw, I don’t dance.” Shauna pushed Carter’s head away from her neck and stood up.

“Nigga, do you see all this ass?” She spun me around and pointed at my butt. My mouth flew open. “I know your eyebrows wasn’t the only thing to shoot up, now either take her down there, post your hardcore ass against the wall and let her twerk it on you, or watch from VIP while she popping it on another nigga. We know you all thugged out and gangsters don’t dance. We get it already. What happened to you telling Carter what you were going to do when you sa--”

“Aye. Chill, man, Carter get your girl.” Kenyon jumped up and grabbed my hand, interrupting Shauna. His face was red and I couldn’t tell whether he was mad or embarrassed about whatever tea Shauna was about to spill. I made a mental note to ask her about that later.

“Come on.” I watched Kenyon swagger down to the floor, holding my hand practically pulling me behind him. I mentally checked off two favors I owed Shauna.
Fuck up some commas, let’s fuck up some commas, yeah.
Future instantly got me hype. Yo Gotti had gone to the back to take a break and the DJ was bringing everybody out to the floor. I winded my hips along with the beat, and popped up against Kenyon who stood there, occasionally putting one hand on my hip. I dropped down to the floor while bouncing my ass up and down before making my way back up. I could tell he actually liked the song when I felt him pull me closer and push up against me.
I’m fucking with shawty, I’m loving the way that she fucking me, yeah.
Kenyon pulled me up so that I was looking back at him while he quoted Future word for word, pulling me closer and grinding like we were fucking right in the middle of the club. Evidently he was not the one to play with in the bedroom.

“I’ll be right back,” Kenyon whispered in my ear before walking off toward the bar. Three more songs played and I still hadn’t stopped. I had worked up a sweat and my feet were killing me.

“Aye, one more,” said some busted ass nigga, I had been unintentionally dancing with, as he grabbed my arm.

“Naw. I’m all twerked out.” The short dark skinned, heavyset man who looked to be in his mid-thirties grabbed my arm harder and tugged me in his direction. “Don’t act like a bitch,” he said catching me off guard. Before I could speak, a fist flew over my shoulder and knocked him clean out. I turned to see Kenyon looking mad as hell.

“Come on.” He said as I stood there in shock for a second with my hand covering my mouth, before I followed him back to the V.I.P section. I saw a bouncer picking the drunk man up from the ground and escorting him out. “You cool?” he asked me, clenching his jaw.

“Yeah. You?” He nodded and sat down.

“You going to sit down or not?” I did and tried my damnedest to strike up another conversation.

“What happened?” Carter asked, I guess he could tell something was wrong.

“Nothing,” Kenyon and I answered at the same time, not quite knowing how to explain what just happened.

***

Kenyon

The way she was throwing the ass at me, I couldn’t keep up. I didn’t even want to dance, but her nosey friend had a point. Seeing another nigga up on that ass pissed me off. I hated to start spazzing out in that mothafucka, but it is what it is, especially after I had some of that brown liquor up in me. We talked about everything, so I knew she had a good head on her shoulders. Just because I was hood, didn’t mean I didn’t talk. I was smart as hell and I needed somebody who could match me on all levels. If I didn’t ask I wouldn’t have even known that she was only 18. Dancing and talking was cool, but I knew I wanted to see what she was about for real. I mean, the rhythm, the song, the way she smelled. I don’t know if she put some voodoo on me or not, but her young ass had me open.

***

Ashanti

Engrossed in our conversation about Barack Obama and a second term, we both turned around sharply when we heard some loud, female voice calling his name.

“KEN-YON! I know you heard me, nigga. Where the fuck have you been? I have been calling you all night! It’s important! Why are you not return--”   I must’ve caught her off guard when we both looked up to see who I assumed was Neeka. “WHO THE FUCK IS SHE?” All that hollering was uncalled for. I hated a loud attention seeking, broad. “So you got a new bitch? Huh?”

Kenyon jumped up from the couch before I had a chance to.

“Man, TaNeeka I told yo’ lying ass I wasn’t fuckin’ with you no more. You need to chill with all that crazy ass stalker shit. Aight? Chill the fuck out. So what if she is? I don’t have to answer to no mothafuckin’ body.” Usually that’s when bitches felt like they had a point to prove, so I stood up just as her first swing missed my face by an inch. I mushed her and pushed her back. My skirt was too short to be trying to fight, plus I didn’t know how I’d do in these heels. She came rushing at me, knocking us both over onto the table, spilling all our drinks. She had me by a few pounds, but I knew I could take her. I didn’t know whether the liquor was on her breath or if it was just all over the both of us. I rolled over on top of her, pinning her down with my legs and delivered a few solid blows to her face and head before she cowered and I felt someone grabbing me from behind.

“You don’t have nothing to hide though, right? Help yo’ bitch up off the floor.” I said as I pulled Kenyon’s strong hands from around my waist, grabbed my shit and hit the door.

“I told you to handle that broad. Now you know what needs to be done.” I heard Carter say calmly to Kenyon as I brushed past. I texted Shauna to make sure she was staying with Carter and once I got the confirmation I needed, I was out of there. Now I remembered why I hadn’t gotten any in so long; good D came with a fine ass face and with a fine ass face came a lying ass mouth. I switched my CD from Future to Gotti and rode off blasting, “Fuck Em”, feeling every word.

Ashanti

Kenyon pinned me against the wall, his skin glistening in the dim light coming from the TV playing in the background. I ran my fingertips all over the tattoos on his chest, thinking of how they would feel under my tongue. He kissed me, pressing his soft lips roughly against mine, teeth raking my bottom lip and pulled it into his mouth. I felt my knees going weak because of how his thug ass was being so gentle, played with my mind. Letting the wall go, with one hand, he grabbed the back of my thigh and wrapped it around his waist. His rough calloused hand trailed up the inside of my thigh and his strong fingers played against the damp crotch of my panties. I kissed him back, feverishly, hungrily so ready to feel him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Letting go of the wall completely, he held my thighs in his arms and grinded his hardness closer to me. I felt him growing and pulsing between my thighs, so I tightened my grip around his waist. Kenyon kissed my neck, his rough stubble and soft lips drove me crazy, along with his warm, wet tongue. I moaned when I felt his hands under the thin fabric of my shirt. His thumbs brushed back and forth across my hard nipples. Before I had a chance to say anything, my tank top and bra hit the floor and I was naked in front of him from the waist up. With my eyes closed, I felt his warm breath inching closer to my breasts until his lips pulled at my nipple. His tongue moved in slow circles around the areola, making me throb. I couldn’t take much more of his teasing. When he finished leaving a light trail of saliva from my breasts up to my neck, he put his lips to my ear. “I knew you just needed some act right. But now, I need to know how you want it? I want to hear you say that shit. Tell Daddy what you want.” I knew that sexy aggressive attitude would come out eventually and I was more than ready to tell him exactly how and what I wanted.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK
.

Kenyon looked at me with confusion and sat me on the bed. I covered up with the sheet as he opened the door. A policeman stood there. “Man, what the fuck?” He looked at me and motioned towards the table. I slid across the bed and grabbed the silver .40 caliber glock. I raised it in the direction of the door and pulled the
trigger.

BOOM
.

I shot up in bed, confused as hell as to why I was naked and why the bed was a mess.

The night before was a complete blur. Blame it on the alcohol, but I didn’t recognize my surroundings and that scared me. Never mind the dream that kept replaying in my head. My hotel key and car keys were sitting on the table next to the queen sized bed and my clothes were neatly folded on the chair in the corner, along with my shoes and purse. I didn't want to go home drunk so I made reservation weeks in advance. I looked around for a second pair of clothes, shoes or something that would indicate that I was not alone. Not seeing anything, I laid back down and took a deep breath.

My phone buzzed across the room in my purse. Completely naked and a bit hungover, I walked slowly to the chair and sat down.

“Hello?” I didn’t even bother to check the caller ID.

“Ashanti? Honey please tell me that you and Shauna are okay,” Denise, Shauna’s mother was on the other line sounding like she had been crying. I lied through my teeth, instantly putting her on speakerphone and texting Shauna.

“Yes ma’am, I’m just waking up and Shauna’s still sleeping. Is everything okay?” She breathed a deep sigh of relief, “I just got finished watching the news at work and some young girl got killed last night.” My eyes bucked out of my head and I fumbled around the room for the remote control. “I know how you girls like to go out with your friends and things and I just got so worried. The coroners didn’t release any names yet all they showed was the car that the body was found in. I just saw a black car.” I closed my eyes tightly, thanking God it hadn’t been me and still scared as hell that I knew who it could be. When I finally got the channel to FOX 59, I saw the car sitting on the side of West 38
th
Street. As soon as her face appeared on the screen, I dropped the remote and hung up the phone just as somebody knocked on the door.

“Ti-Ti, open the door!” Shauna was the only one who still called me by my childhood name, so I ran to let her in. “Um. Next time just tell me that you’re busy.” She turned to walk away before I realized that I was still naked.

“Girl, I’m still messed up from last night. Come in here it’s important.” I grabbed her arm.

She was being so childish standing there in the hall with her eyes closed. “Not until you put some clothes on.”

“Alright. Just get in here and stop drawing attention. Damn!” Finally convincing her to come in, I ran to the bathroom and grabbed a white terry-cloth robe hanging on the hook by the shower. Tying it around my waist, I walked back into the room to see Shauna standing there covering her mouth with her neatly manicured hands. Leave it to her to get a fill-in this early in the morning.

“Ain’t that----?” She couldn’t finish the name and I didn’t want her to.

“Yeah. I didn’t see this until Ms. Denise called and asked me where we were and if we were okay. Make sure you call her. Try to sound like you just woke up too, since I had to lie for your ass.” I yelled at her as she walked in the bathroom to talk in private. I turned the volume down on the TV and watched in silence while Brian Wilkes told me the obvious about the wishy-washy Indiana weather. Last night it was freezing outside, but today it was in the high 70’s. I know Shauna was happy about it but I wasn’t. I noticed her white, T-shirt mini-dress and thigh-high peep-toe gladiator sandals as she walked out of the bathroom.

“What’d she say?” Ms. Denise was almost clueless when it came to her precious daughter. Shauna had her mom and dad wrapped around her little finger and I had to admit, I was a bit jealous.

“Girl, nothing at all. Being dramatic as usual, until my dad called and she had to get off the phone. I told her we’d be home in a little bit.” Shauna pointed to the TV and held out her hand for the remote.

“Look!” The Monica chick from last night was standing there crying and rubbing her stomach. Shauna turned up the volume and sat on the end of the bed, pushing a half-eaten chicken sandwich from McDonalds, back into its bag. “That was my sister. I left her there last night and now she’s gone. We had just finished planning my baby shower and it just hurts so much. All I ask is that whoever is responsible, would you please come forward, it’s tearing our family apart.” Again she rubbed her stomach for good measure and broke down crying. I couldn’t take any more so I turned off the TV.

Shauna rolled her eyes. “Ugh. I wish I knew they were sisters last night. I would’ve slapped that hoe while you dragged her sister.”

I shook my head, “And your ass would’ve went to jail for assaulting a pregnant woman. Isn’t that child endangerment?” I didn’t know all the charges in the law books, but I was sure she would go down for something like that.

“Her stomach is pregnant, not her face. Anyway, I brought you something to wear and forgot it in the car. I’ll be right back.” She changed the subject like she always did and pulled out a set of car keys with a remote control starter.

“Whose car?” I knew for sure Carter didn’t buy her a car. He was tricking, but he wasn’t tricking that hard or that soon. He was that nigga but he seemed like he had common sense. Not to say that my best friend was a gold digger, but she for sure wasn’t fucking with any kind of broke niggas. I also knew she was feeling him for more than his bank account and street status. She smiled and pointed to the monogrammed car starter with the letters C.J.H. engraved on it in gold. I was impressed. “I’m guessing he took the time to teach you how to drive too, huh?” She rolled her eyes at me and cracked a smile.

“See, that’s why I can’t stand you now.” As Shauna let herself out, I went to the bathroom to get my day started officially.

I stepped into the shower, thinking about everything that happened last night and how maybe I should have listened to Ms. B. when she told me, my attitude needed a readjustment. I was always popping off at the drop of a dime and that shit was getting old. I was tired of fighting and it seemed like I had little to no control. Lord knows I felt bad about snapping on ol’ girl like that, but I felt like I had to defend myself all the time. I was all I had left and I knew that nobody was more down for me than I was.

Shauna walked back into the room. “You alright?” I nodded, “Yeah. Go ahead.” Shauna raised one of her perfectly arched eyebrows at me like she always did when she knew I was lying.

“What’s wrong Ti?” Her face lit up. “You fucked Kenyon?! All that corny ass arguing and shit y’all did last night and you fucked him? I knew it!” I looked at her like she was crazy, but as real as that dream felt last night, she wasn’t too far off.

“No, bitch. I had a dream that I did though.” She cut me off like she usually did. “Dreamed about it? Bitch, if you don’t bust it open for that fine ass nigga, I swear I will.” I rolled my eyes. “That’s not even the crazy part.”

“Well, how about you give me the short version so that I can relay it to him and he can make that shit a reality since you can’t. Carter needs the car to go pick your boy up anyway. I’ll tell him you been dreaming about him.” I didn’t want her to run her mouth and put herself in danger, so the dream and the reality of everything I knew, would have to stay quiet until shit cooled down.

“Never mind, and bitch, you better not.”

“A’ight. I’ll call you when I get home.” She tossed me the pair of yoga pants and cropped T-shirt that still had the tags on them, blew me a air kiss and left. I took a quick shower, got dressed, and turned in my key at the front desk.

***

Kenyon

After I dropped my car off with Triston, I made my way over to McDonald’s. It felt warm outside so I got an Oreo McFlurry and sat at the outside table, when I saw that I had got a text from TaNeeka apologizing for last night. What the fuck really happened last night? The Hennessey had me on one.  My phone buzzed again, this time, with a text from a Carter. He asked if I still needed a ride back home from the shop. I told him yeah and he had the nerve to say Shauna would be picking me up. That nigga was crazy and I couldn’t help but laugh. Yeah, my boy Carter was gone off the young buck. I didn’t laugh too hard though because if Ashanti gave me the time of the day, I’d gladly get chocolate wasted off her sexy ass.

***

Ashanti

The house was quiet when I finally got in. I wondered if everyone was out and about, enjoying the weather. I wished I could, but I had work the next day and the raffle tickets for the new J’s just went on sale, so I knew we were going to be busy.  As soon as I got in my room, ready to take a nap my phone rang and I saw Shauna’s picture from last night on my screen.

“Aye, what’s up?” I answered.

“Bitch, you’re what’s up. Carter took me with him to go pick up Kenyon and that nigga wouldn’t shut the fuck up talking about you.” I snickered in the phone. “Don’t laugh. I’m serious.” That reminded me of what I wanted to ask her.

“What were you about to bust him up about yesterday at the club?” Shauna cracked up laughing.

“He told Daddy that you were stuck up and mean, but he was going to change all of that last night. He said that when he saw you the first time that you were going to be his girl. He just had to get rid of whatever her name is.” As soon as she said that, I didn’t feel like talking anymore.

“Let me call you right back. I got to go.” I hung up without waiting for a response. I knew it all along. He was the reason behind that girl’s death and I was the perfect cover up for when the police started investigating shit. Why else would they be picking him up? Didn’t he drive himself to the club last night?

“Ashanti?” Ms. B. stuck her head in my room.

“Yes?” I jumped up out of my bed. I knew by the way she was dressed that she had just got in. I got up and walked to her room. She sat down on the floor in her circle and I knew another lesson was coming.

“The future manifests itself in our dreams. You have a gift of sight, chile. Use it to your advantage.” I watched her draw a few pictures with chalk. “Even nightmares are a realization of something. Be careful. With love comes sacrifice.” With that last remark she gave me a cup and told me to drink some. I gave her the side-eye. “It’s just a new tea I’m working on for cramps. Tell me what you think.”

I took a sip. “Good.” I handed her the cup back and went back to bed. There must have been some lavender in it because I felt myself falling into a deep dreamless sleep.