New York's Finest (12 page)

“
Damn Naomi, this is some good ass food, girl,” Damian said between bites. “I forgot you cooked like your momma.” When we were growing up, Damian would come over to the house at least four days a week, and my mom was known for whipping up a pot of this or skillet of that. Both Reggie and I were miles different than our mother. But if I learned anything from moms, it was how to rule a kitchen.

Damian and I made small talk while he ate. I finished getting dress and we headed out to do some shopping. I had planned on making this a long but fulfilling day with Damian. For whatever reason, I was in a Damian mood today.

We hit all my favorite department stores in Manhattan like Barney’s and Neiman Marcus and besides the occasional phone calls or texts, or Damian checking on business, I had his complete attention. While we were in Neiman Marcus he pulled out a bankroll and bought me a fifteen hundred dollar dress by Chanel. It was absolutely gorgeous. I believed I thanked him about ten times. We were friends but today I felt closer to Damian. More close to him than any man I had jumped in the sack with. I couldn’t explain it. We were gelling today as if we were one—as in a couple, together.

I didn’t understand it. Nor did I want to understand it. We were having a good time and I wanted to enjoy the day. This wasn’t business, just two very good friends enjoying each other’s company. We were living in the moment
,
and forgetting about the craziness that consumed our lives every fucking day.

Damian, Reggie and I had made some serious money in the business of selling coke, but I don’t think any of us knew how much this shit would consume our lives. We lived this shit every single day of our fucking lives. So it was more than gratifying to just be enjoying the moment, the few hours we had together today. We didn’t talk business. Occasionally, Damian would say something about the phone calls or texts he would receive, but I could tell he wanted so badly to just turn off his fucking phone. But he was the second in charge, and he didn’t have that luxury.

After every phone call or text, he would apologize, even though I told him it was alright. I was trying to keep my mind off Damian and all of the rumors I had heard of his sexual escapades, but it was hard to do. The man really was hot too death. All the bitches in Harlem loved his black ass. He stood all of six feet tall, with a body chiseled from granite stone. The clothes he wore were always fly and accentuated his body well. He and Reggie had been inseparable since they were four years old, but I still didn’t understand why he never went to college. The man graduated high school with a three point seven grade point average and had colleges falling over themselves for his service. Not only was he smart, but he was a three letter athlete, excelling in football, basketball and track. Plus, even in school, he was every young woman’s dream.

While we were walking in the parking garage to get back to the car, Damian grabbed me and we ducked behind an oversized Hummer. He put his finger over his lips, meaning I needed to be quiet. I didn’t have a clue what was going on. Then I heard someone say, “Where they go?”

Hearing someone ask another person about Damian and my whereabouts threw me for a loop. In my mind, I was like, what the fuck? Was someone following us? And when I looked at Damian and saw how serious his facial expression was, I damn near freaked out and I became more afraid. I wanted to open my mouth and ask him what was going on, but my mouth wouldn’t move. When I realized he had a Sig Sauer in his hand, I knew the complete seriousness of this situation. It was a gold-plated Sig P226, specially made for him. I thought he was crazy when he told me he paid fifteen grand for that gun months ago.

“
You two go that way, and me and Rob will go this way,” I heard the leader of our followers say. Then we heard footsteps running away. I couldn’t tell, but they sounded like they were only a few feet from us. Damian was in front of me as we continued to squat on the passenger side of the huge Hummer. Then we heard footsteps again but they began to walk our way.

Suddenly, and without a word to me, Damian stood up quickly and in one motion, fired off three shots. Then he grabbed me by the arm and told me to go get the car. “Hurry up and get the fuck out of here,” he instructed me. I gripped my shopping bags tightly in the palm of my hands and scrambled behind one car after the next until I got to the car. It sounded like the fucking wild-wild west in the parking garage with bullets being fired back and forth and ricocheting off the walls. I didn’t know which way to go but I knew I couldn’t stay here, so I started up the ignition and bolted towards the exit of the parking garage like a mad woman. When Damian heard me coming, he ran out in front of the car and instead of diving through the passenger side window, he dove on top of the roof and yelled for me to keep driving. I swear, I felt like a stunt driver when I bailed out into the street. Behind us, I still heard shots being fired but I couldn’t worry about that. I made sure I kept my head down and kept my feet on the accelerator and doing that I knew I had a half a chance of living.

I drove a half a block up the street and that’s when Damian hopped off the hood of the car and instructed me to hurry up and pull over so he could get inside the car. After he climbed inside, he told me to be cool and don’t drive like I was a fucking maniac. So once again, I did as I was told.

During the first two minutes of the drive I tried to calm myself down, but it was impossible. I had questions for Damian that I needed answered. “Who were those guys?”

“
I’m not sure.”

“
Did you see their faces at all?”

“
Yeah, I did. But I swear I’ve never seen them before.”

“
How did you know they were following us?

“
I noticed them right before we went into Neiman Marcus.”

“
Really? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“
Because I knew you wouldn’t have been able to handle it. You would’ve freaked out like you are now.”

“
But—” I started to say, before Damian cut me off.

“
But nothing. I did what I thought was best. While you’re with me, I’m gonna protect you to my last breath. You are my responsibility. So let’s drop it,” he replied, sounding a bit agitated. Even though I still believed I should had been forewarned about those fucking goons, I left well enough alone. Being the only woman in a male dominated drug operation, I knew my power had limits. The only power I did have was that I was in charge of my people at the airlines. But other than that, I was like third in command. I guess that’s what happens when you let the men have too much fucking control.

A few minutes after Damian explained why he kept me in the dark about those goons, he pulled out his Blackberry and dialed a number. “Are you calling Reggie to tell him what happened?” I wanted to know.

“
He already knew about it.”

Taken aback by his reply, I looked at Damian. “When did you tell him? Where the fuck was I? I mean, damn! How come I’m the last one to know every fucking thing?” I griped.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t answer my question because whomever he’d called had answered their phone. I heard their voice on the other end and quickly recognized that it was my dad, Foxx. “Tell Reggie we’re okay and that we’re gonna meet him at his place after I get the word that y’all have gotten there,” he said and then he fell silent. I heard Foxx mumble a few words but I couldn’t understand it. But then when Damian told him he’d wait for their call, I kind of figured it out. And to be sure, I put Damian’s ass back on the hot seat.

“
Are you going to answer my question or am I going to have to figure this shit out on my own?”

“
Naomi, what do you want me to say?”

“
I wanna hear the truth Damian. When did you get the chance to call and tell Reggie? And why am I always the last one to know what’s going on?”

It was very obvious that Damian didn’t like being questioned. He had already endured days of it from Reggie and Foxx. So to have me go in hard on him, he completely snapped. “Look, what the fuck you want me to do? Tell you a lie! Nah, I’m not that type of nigga. I’m a nigga whose suppose to protect everything and everyone around him. And remember, while you were trying on those Chanel shoes and I stepped away?”

I nodded.

“
Well, that’s when I called him. And from there I was given instructions to do exactly what I did. You weren’t supposed to know. And if it were up to me, you wouldn’t be as deep as you are in this shit now. You’re a woman, Naomi. You ain’t supposed to be caught up in the game like this. And if you were my wife, I would’ve taken you out of this shit a long time ago and put you somewhere safe so no one could ever touch you,” he stated, and then he looked away from me.

Still shocked by his heartfelt openness, I honestly did not know how to react to it. This was unfamiliar territory for me. I just heard him confess his most sincere feelings for me. If we were in a less intense situation I would have laughed and dismissed his advances like all the other times when he’d confide his feelings to me. I never took him seriously. But today, something told me to stand up and take notice. I sat there with my mind going in circles as my heart sputtered, trying to discern what type of feelings I had for him.

As I tried to gather my thoughts, Damian chimed back in and said, “I haven’t told Reggie this yet, but after we settle the score with the niggas who killed Lucky and finish working off this last shipment you just brought in, I’m gonna take my money and retire early.”

I couldn’t stay quiet any longer. My heart wouldn’t let me. “What do you mean, you’re retiring?” I asked.

“
Naomi, I’ve been hustling with your brother since we were kids. Now I’m almost thirty-five, so don’t you think it’s time for me to retire? Settle down and start a family.”

“
Come on, Damian, you love the streets. So how is that going to work?” I wanted to know.

“
Easy. Be my wife and I’ll show you,” he said.

Caught off guard once again, I was at a loss for words. I wanted to take him up on his offer but my mouth would not move. And even though I had no doubt in my mind that Damian would be the one who’d love me unconditionally and let me be me, now wasn’t the time for he and I together. We had too much shit going on and too much shit to handle. So I turned my head and tried to act like he hadn’t made that proposal to me. Unfortunately for me, my actions didn’t work.

“
Don’t look away,” he said as he massaged my shoulder. “You know I’ve wanted you for the longest. And if you give me a chance to show you how happy I can make you, I promise you won’t regret it.”

“
Damian, you know Reggie wouldn’t approve of it.”

“
Who cares what he thinks? What do you want?” he pressed the issue.

“
Can we talk about this some other time? My mind is going haywire right now.”

“
Yeah, a’ight. No problem,” he replied and then he turned his attention to the people we passed by as we drove.

New York’s Finest Kiki Swinson

After five minutes of deafening silence, my Blackberry rang. It was Reggie again, but this time he called my phone. I answered on the second ring and he told me to put it on speaker.

“
You a’ight?” Reggie asked.

“
I’ve been better, but I’m good,” Damian responded.

“
Well, I called to let y’all know that there’s been a change of plans. Marco is sending Miguel by the house in the next hour, so instead of meeting me at our spot, meet me at the house,” Reggie instructed us, so I made a left at the next traffic light so I could switch up the route.

“
Have you left the hospital yet?” I asked.

“
Yeah, I’m in the car with Foxx and Stone now. I’m gonna send Vanessa out to fill my prescriptions before Miguel gets there.”

“
Okay, well we’re on our way there now.”

“
A’ight. Cool. But first, I’m gonna need y’all to make a quick stop to this spot in Harlem,” he said.

“
Sure, where?”

Reggie laid out everything concerning this endeavor. Damian and I had to check on these cats and it was very imperative that it got done today. “We’re on it. So answer your phone, because as soon as we get out there, be on alert ‘cause we’re gonna call you right back.”

“
I’ll be waiting,” he stated.

After I stuck my phone back into my handbag, we changed our direction and headed to Harlem like Reggie had instructed us to do. We rode in complete silence, even though my heart wanted to let down my guard and give in to Damian. I knew I was being a fool. But I wasn’t the first and nor would I be the last who failed to jump on true love when it was presented to me—in the right package with the right man. But like all fools, I hope I wouldn’t regret my decision one day.

Ben and Dre lived together in the Polo Grounds. I picked up my speed but made it a point not to go more than eight or nine miles pass the speed limit. Besides the phone call, the SUV had been quiet. I couldn’t tell you why we weren’t talking, but Damian’s mind was elsewhere. I could only assume it was on the punk ass niggas who tried to kill us earlier. That’s what I told myself. But I knew he was probably thinking about me—about us. I hope he wasn’t thinking about the future—without the streets, without me.

“
Thanks for saving my ass in the parking garage, Damian,” I said to break the silence. I was appreciative and thankful for Damian being there. “Were they out to kill or kidnap me?”