Chapter Thirty-one
The end of the weekend . . .
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Rome walked through the doorway of the local barbershop on the side of town where he was from. Ever since he and Jewels had gotten together, and he and Red had been getting more paper than they ever had before, he had minimized his trips to the hood. But when it came to getting piped out, there was no other place he could see himself going. This was a popular spot to get a cut, a shape-up, a shave, and whatever else kept a man looking on point.
He shook hands and nodded as everybody in the shop greeted him.
“Yo, how many you got?” he asked his barber.
The old head barber put up two fingers.
Rome scanned the room for familiar faces. Everybody knew who he was, but he had recognized only a few of them. “Who goes next?” he asked, referring to the person who stood in the way of him being a top priority.
A man who had a young boy sitting next to him spoke up. “Me and my li'l man,” he answered, pointing to his son.
“That's wassup.” Rome nodded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of money. “How about I treat you and your son to lunch or something while I get a cut? Kinda in a hurry,” he offered.
The man looked at the hundred-dollar bill, those in the room, and then up at Rome. “We straight, brâ” He was just about to decline kindly when his son nudged him. Anyone within earshot could hear what the boy said to his dad, despite him trying to whisper.
Rome went back into his pocket and pulled out another hundred-dollar bill. He had heard the son say that his father could now afford to get him the new Jordans he had been wanting, seeing as though Rome was offering the exact amount that the man was short.
The father looked at his son, then back at Rome, who now had two crisp hundred-dollar bills in his hand. Everybody stared in envy as the man struggled with his decision.
Rome fought back his smile when the man leaned forward and reached for the money.
“You got it, my man,” the father said. He dropped his head and grabbed the bills. He had an idea where the money had come from. It was no secret who Rome was. The last thing he wanted was to make it appear to his son that he was condoning what Rome stood for or represented. Still, he knew how long it would take for him to make the kind of money Rome was offering, and his son really deserved the name-brand sneakers he had been asking for, for weeks now. The fact that his son had maintained his spot on the honor roll and was a good kid appealed to the man's paternal side.
“Come on, son.” He stood.
Everyone in the barbershop watched as the man and his son headed for the door.
The little boy turned and said to Rome, “Thanks, mister.”
“No problem, li'l man. Stay in school,” Rome said in a booming voice. Just then his phone rang. When he pulled it from his hip clip, he shook his head and smiled. “I'll be right back. Don't give my spot away. I paid good money for that seat,” Rome joked to the others in the barbershop.
He made a beeline toward the door, following right behind the man and his son. When he stepped outside, he saw the Bentley GT parked illegally across the street with its hazard lights flashing. He jogged across the street to Jewels's car, looking both ways as he went. She loved seeing him and his dimples.
“Hey, cutie,” he greeted.
“Hey, handsome.” She blushed.
He hopped into her car to get out of the way of a bus that was quickly approaching. They exchanged kisses.
“So wassup? What brings you to the hood?” he joked.
“Whatever.” Jewels rolled her eyes. “You said you were meeting Red here, so I figured you'd be here,” she said, then continued, “Just wanted to see your face since you were gone when I woke up.”
Rome let out a light chuckle. “You know I be out early,” he said in his own defense.
“Uh-huh,” she replied.
Rome smiled. “But, yeah, Red slow ass ain't even get here yet.” He checked his watch. “I just paid two hundred so I can get in and out,” he told her.
“Okay. I'm on my way to get my hair done, and then I'm heading to the Cheesecake Factory. You wanna meet me there?” she said.
“Nah. I can't.” He grimaced. “Got too much to do. That's why I'm trying to be in and out of here.” He paused, then dug into his pocket, pulled five hundred dollars, and passed it to her. “But this should take care of your hair and everything else you get done today. Stuff like that you shouldn't have to pay for.”
Jewels presented the palm of her hand to accept the money. She wasn't about to tell him “No thank you.” “I'll see you tonight.” She winked.
Rome leaned over and gave her one last kiss. “Yup,” he said, and then he bailed out of the luxury car.
He watched and shook his head as Jewels peeled out, doing at least sixty, with the hazards still on. He had just pulled his phone out to tell her to turn them off when they abruptly shut off, right before she vanished up the street. Rome made his way back into the barbershop.
“Oh, hell, naw!” he exclaimed. “Get yo' ass up outta that seat!” he barked.
Everybody was stone-faced and quiet. Everybody except for Red. He was doubled over in the barber's chair, with the barber's smock around his neck.
“Go 'head, bruh. You next,” Red stated.
“Nah, nigga. I'm now.” Rome had already walked over to the chair and had begun unsnapping the smock around Red's neck. He then channeled his energy at the barber. “I paid a lot of money for this spot. How you gonna let this fool come in and jump me?”
The barber shrugged his shoulders and threw his hands up. “Come on, Rome. Don't put me in the middle of this shit,” the barber said.
Red chuckled. “Nigga, you jumped the dude and his li'l man.” He could see Rome was surprised he knew. “Yeah, I heard how you was in here on some ole Deebo shit,” Red joked.
Rome let out a light chuckle. “Fuck all of that. Get yo' ass up 'fore I be your new barber.”
The threat was enough for Red to hop out of the chair. The entire barbershop broke into laughter at the scene between the two friends.
When Red got up, his body was replaced with Rome's. “Now, if you want next, you need to break somebody off so you can get in and get out like me. Besides, I ain't got all day to be waiting on you. From here I'm out,” Rome told Red.
“I'm good. Can't roll, anyway. Something came up. Gotta handle something else. We'll talk about it later,” Red shot back.
“Bet.”
The barber put the smock around Rome's neck and spun Rome around. “What we doing with you today?” the barber then asked.
“Just pipe me out,” Rome said, looking from side to side. “My joint lookin' type rough.”
“Got you.” The barber laughed.
Thirty-five minutes later, Rome was staring at a new man in the mirror. “Word.” He admired his fresh new cut. “This what I'm talking about.”
Seeing that he was pleased, the barber poured alcohol on some of the paper he used to put around customers' necks and wiped Rome's hairline and the back of his neck. Rome flinched from the burning sensation. He closed his eyes while his barber sprayed sheen on his head and brushed it. Once the barber was done, Rome stood and let him brush the hair residue off his back.
“This pretty-ass nigga,” Red teased.
He was met with a middle finger through the mirror as Rome brushed off the front of himself. Rome then pulled his money back out and handed the barber a hundred-dollar bill.
“Man, ain't nobody ballin',” the barber complained. “I can't break this. You ain't got nothing smaller?” he then said.
Rome laughed. “Nah, yo. Just keep it. I'ma pay for this joker cut, and the rest you can just pocket.”
The barber's face lit up. “Sounds like a good deal to me.”
Rome walked over to where Red sat. “Nigga, lift the fuck up. You sittin' on my hat.”
Red chuckled. “Oh, that's what that was.”
Rome joined him in the laughter.
“Yo, let me holla at you right quick outside,” Red requested.
Rome popped out the dent Red had made in his hat and smacked it on his head, tilting it to the side. “A'ight, everybody,” Rome called, saying his good-byes, and made his way toward the exit.
Red followed. When they reached the door, the man and his son were coming in. Rome nodded at the father, who did the same in return, only now he seemed to be in better spirits. Rome happened to look over and down at his son. Rome was sure the brand-new 12s the kid had on was the reason for the father's mood change.
“Remember what I said, li'l man. Stay in school.” Rome patted the boy on the head before stepping out of the barbershop.
“Oh, that was ole boy you gave the bread to?” Red asked once they were outside.
“Yeah,” Rome confirmed. “But, yo, what's good? What you gotta do that's so important you can't ride out with me?” Rome wanted to know.
“Damn, nigga!” Red laughed. “Impatient-ass nigga.”
“Fuck all of that,” Rome shot back. “What's up?” He was not in the mood to be joking. He and Red had planned to shoot out to Detroit to meet with some dudes who were interested in copping big. Red always had his back whenever they were breaking ground with new buyers.
Red shook his head and took a deep breath. “Remember that li'l nigga we pushed over baby girl?” he asked.
“Baby girl? Jewels?”
Red let out a laugh. “Yeah, nigga. How many shorties you killed a nigga over and for?”
“True.” Rome chuckled. “Who you talkin' about? That nigga Los?”
“Yeah,” Red confirmed.
“What about him? I know his ass ain't come back from the dead,” he joked.
“Nah, but I hear his man that we never tracked down resurfaced and been inquiring about us.”
“Word?” It was news to Rome's ears.
“Word!” Red backed him up. “But I'm on top of it,” he assured his partner. “Trying to have this shit over and done with before the week out.”
Rome nodded in agreement. “No question. Do that. I can handle that shit in the D.”
“I'm on it, and I know you can.”
“Absolutely.”
They embraced each other.
“Love you, my G.” Red saluted his partner.
“Love you too, my boy.” Rome returned his salute, then made his way across to the street to his truck.
Chapter Thirty-two
Later that day . . .
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On the other side of town, Jewels took her time exiting her car to enter the upscale penthouse she and Rome now shared on the outskirts of the city. She was getting used to driving and not having a driver, but she still hadn't gotten used to carrying all the bags she normally returned home with from her daily shopping sprees. That was why she liked when Rome went with her: it felt like she was being chauffeured around and she had her own personal bag carrier. Jewels smiled at the thought. Aside from that, she was in a zone. She sat behind the wheel, vibin' out to the latest Nicki Minaj CD. She let her head fall back against the headrest and listened to one of her favorite tracks playing on the car's system. She closed her eyes in a desperate attempt to relax her mind after making it through yet another stressful day.
The life she was living was one a woman always dreamt of as a young girl. She was living what they called the American hustler's dream. She had been managing all the properties she had set up for her and Rome's company, which was becoming more than a headache. She also washed the money he pulled in from the streets. He had made her his partner, and she in return made sure they were able to live the way they had both grown accustomed to in recent months. Rome and Red were growing stronger and stronger not only in St. Louis, but out in Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York, as well, thanks to the plugs her mother had mailed to her before she died from pneumonia.
Jewels had rearranged her entire life since the night she conspired to kill Kareem with Rome. She had known that if she was going to be a part of his life, there were much-needed changes to be made. It was either continue on with the life of independence she had created for herself or give up mostly everything she had ever known to partner and be with him, including the hustle she had grown to love. Knowing that some of the benefits of becoming his woman were that he would never leave her wanting for or needing anything, she had chosen the latter. And in return, she was pushing a brand-new Bentley GT, lived lavishly in a three-thousand-square-foot condo overlooking the river, owned a hell of a wardrobe, and had access to more money than she could handle.
Who could be mad at that?
Jewels thought.
The song ended. Jewels killed her engine, snatched up her pocketbook from out of the passenger's seat, then opened her car door. She hit the button on her car alarm to pop her trunk. She sighed, then chuckled at the two dozen bags filled with shoes, dresses, and handbags in nearly every size, jewelry, and a few things for Rome.
You bought the shit. Now carry it
, she told herself, trying to psyche herself up. “Fuck that!” she cursed aloud. She snatched up four of the twenty-four bags and slammed the trunk shut.
Rome can get the rest of this stuff.
She smiled.
Jewels activated her car alarm and made her way over to the garage elevator. As she sashayed through the garage, all of a sudden, an eerie feeling overcame her. Her eyes opened wide as she leaned forward quickly and scanned the area twice. Nothing looked out of place or out of the ordinary. Rome had schooled her on the importance of being aware of her surroundings at all times. He had her watching everything and everybody, and for good reason. With the type of money they were getting and the status he and Red had in the streets, somebody was always looking for a come up or was trying to come for the top spot. Jewels's eyes stopped and locked on a man and a woman heading in the same direction that she was, toward the elevator. They were all over one another.
“Get a room,” she smirked, not intending for them to hear her. With her heels clicking rapidly against the concrete, she scanned the area a third time while heading for the elevator.
This was not the first time she had felt like someone was watching her. It had been a few months since everything had transpired, and Jewels had yet to find peace within. She had battled with herself as she wondered over and over if she'd made the right decision, but with Rome riding with her every step of the way, all her doubts had been put to rest.
Jewels searched through the clutter in her pocketbook, anxious to find her ringing cell phone. After reading the caller ID, she smiled and answered, “Hey, babe.”
“Hey, love. I just left the restaurant. I'll be home shortly, all right?” said Rome.
She sighed. “I knew you weren't home yet,” she whined. “What's taking you so long?”
“I was tryin'a beat you there, but something came up, so I'll be there in a few.”
Jewels gave him attitude. “Whateverâ”
“I ain't got time for all that, Jewels,” he interrupted. “I'll see you as soon as I finish . . . up here.... Try . . . to wait up forâ”
The phone reception began to fade in and out now that she had stepped on the elevator. She looked down at the screen, which now read call failed. Just before the elevator doors closed, she looked up and locked eyes with a man standing in the shadows among dozens of parked cars in the middle of the garage. For some reason, he seemed so familiar, but she knew she hadn't seen him anywhere before. Every nerve in her body tensed up as she watched him walk toward the elevator. The closer he got, the more anxious she became. As if on cue, the doors slammed shut just before the man had a chance to step into the light.
Jewels pounded every button on the control panel in an attempt to get the elevator doors back open, but instead the elevator ascended. She fell backward, allowing her body to rest against the wall, as her heart beat well above the normal rate. She was already strategizing her defense in her mind if he tried to attack her.
The elevator chimed when the doors opened on the second level. There were a few people waiting, and they took their time getting on. Jewels would have dragged them on quicker if she could have. The ride back down to the garage level was agonizing. The strangers beside her stared as she pushed the G button repeatedly, like it was going to get her there faster. When the elevator finally reached the ground floor, Jewels rushed out ahead of them. Her head rotated back and forth several times in an attempt to capture every angle of the lot, but the figure who had been there just minutes ago was no longer there.
Am I losing my damn mind?
“Are you okay?” asked a stranger who had walked up.
Jewels nodded her head yes.
“Are you getting on?”
Jewels ignored the woman's question and stepped onto the elevator. “Shit!” she cursed as she placed her arm in between the elevator doors. She had realized she had left her leftovers in the car. The last thing she wanted was to come out the next day to a whip smelling of salmon.
She rapidly got off the elevator and turned around. Standing in the same position she had assumed just moments ago, she looked out into the garage without thinking, blinking, or swallowing, only this time there wasn't anyone staring back at her. She contemplated leaving her bags propped up by the elevator while she ran back over to the car to retrieve the to-go box on her backseat. She decided against it, though.
Just my luck, some thirsty-ass white bitch or one of those flaming gay guys steal my shit
, she thought.
She headed back toward her vehicle. She hit the alarm button. Her lights, horn, and locks sang in unison as she approached the car. Jewels grabbed the door handle with her bags in hand, then sat them down. She didn't bother to pull the driver's seat back this time. Instead, she leaned in and over to grab the brown Cheesecake Factory paper bag. The sound of tearing could be heard as the side of her shirt got caught on the lever to lift the seat up.
“Damn it!” she swore when she saw the tear.
That's what the fuck you get for being lazy,
she told herself as she backed out of her car with her food in hand. She shook her head at the mishap of the three-hundred-dollar blouse. She knew she would be going back to the store first thing in the morning to replace it. It was actually the last thought that crossed her mind right before darkness fell upon her.