Knowledge

I had been trying to get in contact with Stacy for over a day now, but all she does is reject my calls. I called as soon as I woke up today and found out that she blocked me.

I don't know if she's truly done with me or she just needs some time to think shit over. As for
me, I don't need anymore time to think, I'm ready to come clean and I won't leave her alone until she explains why she lied to me.

Even though all of that was weighing in on my brain, my first thought this morning was to go see Tahj again.

When I got dressed I called my mother to see if she would like to go with me to the hospital. Instead I got the same thing I've been getting for weeks now — the voicemail.

It's very unlikely that my mother is always out because she's out partying. She's never been the party girl and she barely has friends.  It's like she's purposely avoiding being around.

I pushed all the negative thoughts to the back of my mind as I got to Tahj's room. To my surprise, Amber was walking down the hallway from the elevator.

"Hey sis." I stretched out my arms for a hug

"Hey big head. Where you coming from?"

"Home. It's been a crazy few days."

"Tuh, who you telling. Lilly has been driving me crazy about when Tahj was coming home. I can't wait til he wakes up."

"You and me both. But that brings me to something, have you seen or talked to Stacy? I haven't heard from her since the last time we were all here."

"She's been staying with me. But she asked me not to bring you up around her or vice versa."

"Is she ok?"

"She's fine. Just tryna figure things out."

I sighed and gave Amber another hug for keeping it real with me.

"Ready to go in here?" I asked her

"Let's do it."

When we walked into the room, my heart almost jumped out of my chest when I saw Tahj, awake, sitting up and talking to my mother.

Me and Amber both ran up to him and bombarded him with hugs and kisses.

"Be gentle got dammit!" He fussed

"I'm sorry baby but I missed you." Amber whined.

"I missed you too baby." He smiled.

"My nigga!" I smiled even harder when he looked at me. "You looking good lil bro."

"Yea, I know. But you still look terrible as always."

We laughed together but I could still feel my mother eyes on me. She was waiting for us to speak to her but she was unusually quiet today.

"Hey Son." She walked up to me calmly and hugged me then Amber.

"Ma, why didn't you tell me that he was awake? You could've called me. I've been blowing your phone up."

"I have a lot on my mind ok?"

"I don't give a damn about none of that. This is my brother. Not to mention how I've been meaning to ask you, where have you been lately . You haven't been home, you haven't answered your phone."

"I'm a grown ass woman Kai! Don't question me. It's that bitch Stacy you need to be questioning."

She waved her hand at me and pushed me out the way. "Tahj, we'll talk later." She rolled her eyes at me and left out.

"That was weird as fuck." Said Amber.

"Thought I was the only one that noticed."

"Man y'all know how Ma is, she always in her feelings. Let's talk about what's been going on." Said Tahj

Amber pulled up a seat next to me at the bed side.

"Shit is getting crazy out here." I started

"Why?"

"Found out Roos was stealing money from us. I had to put him down. Then some goons ran up on us while we were unloading at the dock."

"Sound like I need to make a swift recovery." Said Tahj

"Don't worry about all that. I need you to rest so when you do come out you'll be %100, not 25%. Now what you, we'll what y'all can help me with is this relationship advice. Y'all seem to have it down pack."

"Why what's going on?"

"Right after you get in here, Ma shows up with Diamond. Stacy come up here after that, then Ma and Diamond start lying about me wanting to be with Diamond and how we gotta kid together.  And the worst part is, Stacy believed it. Now Ima tryna make up with her. But this whole time she lied to me about the reason why she got the price on her head. Now I don't know what to do. Should I confess that I slept with Diamond and leave her alone, or forgive her and try to work things out?"

"If you don't try everything in your power to get her back, you're a fool. Diamond lied to you." Amber started. "That bitch has been tricking people for years now."

"Baby, don't."

"No Tahj, Knowledge needs to know the truth before this bitch ruins another family."

"What truth?"

"The truth that Tahj and Diamond slept together way before y'all broke up."

"You did what!"

I jumped up from my seat and stared straight at Tahj. He laid there with a guilty expression on his face which told me she wasn't lying.

"Wait a minute Knowledge, that's not all." Said Amber

"I can't take no more of this shit!"

I pulled the gun from my waist and put it to my head. I was at my breaking point!

"Woah woah woah, brother what the hell are you doing! Put the gun down, you don't wanna do that!"

"Fuck you! Everything is spinning out of control and I'm sick of this shit! It's one thing after another, I should just end my shit right now!"

"Give me the gun." Amber stepped to me. "We all know you're not suicidal Kai, just give me the gun. This isn't something you want. You're just a little overwhelmed." She stepped closer. "Think about your mom, think about Stacy, think about me and your brother, think about Lilly. Don't bring that trauma to her at a early age."

Amber was right. I wasn't suicidal but all this bull shit back to back was too much. But maybe I was just overreacting.

"Don't be mad at Tahj," she reached for the gun and took it out my hand. "Diamond is the one to be mad at. She put a pill in his drink and took advantage of him. I don't know what kinda pill it is but I'm pretty sure she gave you the same one."

I looked at Tahj and he couldn't even make eye contact with me.

"I'm outta here."

I turned my back on them and walked away. This was the fucking icing on the mother fucking cake. It's bad enough my partners are stealing money, my girl lied to me AND mad at me, my mother acting weird and now I found out my own brother smashed my ex. I was about done with everybody. At this point I'm ready to crawl up under a rock and die.

•



Stacy

I really didn't care to go to work tonight but at the same time, Travis the Tease was back and he would perform last.

I'm still pissed about how things played out between Knowledge and I. And if I ever see that bitch Diamond again, I'll split her head wife open!

More importantly, I've been waiting to see or hear from Raven and I haven't been successful yet.

I was behind the bar at Ravens station when I saw something weird. I reached under the counter top where her tip jar was and pulled out a napkin that was covered in dried blood.

Instantly my stomach got upset. I dropped the napkin on the floor and ran to the bathroom to wash my hands. When I came back out I saw Raven walking in.

"You look very familiar." I smiled and welcomed her with hug. "Where the hell have you been and why are you wearing sunglasses?"

"Oh, you know.... I've been around."

"You've been every where but here. Lucky the boss hasn't fired you yet."

"Yea it's a lil complicated that's all. I don't really wanna go into details."

"Ok, that's fair. But can u tell me why you're wearing sunglasses inside the building?"

"Cause I like wearing sunglasses."

I looked at her suspiciously. Since I've known her I've barely seen her in sunglasses, especially at work.

So as soon as she reached for her tip jar, I snatched the glasses off her face.

"Hey!"

"I knew it! What is that?"
I pointed to the large black bruise that circled her right eye. "Who hit you?"

She dropped her head as if she was ashamed.
"It was Richard."

"Who the hell is Richard?"

"My boyfriend."

I saw tears rolling down her cheek so I embraced her into my arms.

"I never knew you had a boyfriend."

"I don't tell anybody about him because he does this to me."

"Look at me," I lifted her face to mine. " you don't need any man around who's going to treat you like that. He doesn't love you if he hurts you."

"He's just going through a lot right now, I have to be there to support him. He just doesn't know how to control his anger."

"Then he doesn't need to be in a relationship. If you need somewhere to stay, you can stay with me. But you need to leave him before it's too late."

"What about Knowledge though, do you think he'll let me stay there?"

"Don't worry about him. I'm not staying with him right now anyway."

"Why what happened?"

"Girl, long story."

I hugged her again as the boss came out to the stage to announce that she show was about to start. Raven put her glasses back on and sets her tip jar on the counter. The women flooded the bar while the men performed.

And then finally it was time for Travis to come out.

"Ok ladies, as you know we've set the best for last. He's been gone for a while but he's back tonight with a special performance just for y'all. So get your money ready and let's welcome Travis the Tease to the stage!"

As always Travis came out to some slow music. This time he wore nothing but a sling to hold his dick. My eyes widened as he came to the front of the stage, twirling his hips around in a circle. Money started flying all around the room. Some of the women missed Travis so
much that they started jumping up and down to get his attention. One lady even tried to get on the stage but her drunk ass couldn't hold her balance. Me and Raven burst out laughing at her desperate ass!

He took her hand and pulled her up on the stage where he performed his most sexual performance yet. Even I was amazed at the new moves he was doing.

For some odd reason, my eyes caught the attention of another lady and her friend that came walking in. They weren't dressed in club attire and their body language suggested that they didn't come to party either.

I watched them walk up to the stage and stare at Travis. He was all over the lady, humping and kissing her on the neck. When he got up from the floor, he did some more twirls and hip thrusts.

"Travis!" The lady in red called out.

Travis looked up at her and I could see his whole mood change. His smile disappeared and he stopped dancing completely, turning everyone's attention to lady and her friend.

"Are you fucking serious Travis!" She screamed at him. "This is where you are when you go to "work"?"

"Stephanie, baby, please just listen to me."

He jumped down from the stage to talk to her but he was no match when her friend started mouthing off too.

"Nah fuck that! I'm your fucking wife and this is how you treat me? After everything I did for you!"     Stephanie stepped back from him and calmed herself down.  "You know what Travis, you can have it all, the money, the cars, the bitches. I'm done with you!"

"Bitches? Don't be mad cause your man in here freaking on me and not you." The lady on stage shouted out. "Obviously you ain't doing something right."

"Baby, let's just go ok. Let's get out of here and then we can talk." Said Travis, trying to ease Stephanie out the building.

"Get your fucking hands off me! I'm not going nowhere with you."  She screamed.   Next thing we knew, Stephanie was dragging the lady off the stage and kicking her ass while her friend watched her back.

Security rushed over as the music stopped and the whole party was on pause. Raven and I both sat there laughing at Travis dumb ass trying to pry his wife off the lady. Stephanie was going crazy! All I could do was shake my head.

To make matters worse for Travis, The boss came out yelling at him for the disruption. Time was money and Travis was stopping the cash flow.

Once they got Stephanie away from the lady, she smacked Travis in the face before walking out with her friend.

"I'll be back. Gotta go check something." I told Raven. She nodded and continued laughing at Travis.

I went to the locker room to check my phone. Amber was supposed to be letting me know if she needed me to pick up Lilly but I haven't heard from her.

I sent her another text and waited for her to reply while the boss took care of all the craziness in the main room.

"Fuck!"
Travis came storming into the locker room punching the walls and cursing angrily.

I sat there and acted like I didn't even see him.

"Please don't be mad at me Stacy."

"Why would I be mad at you? You're not my man."

"I know but I promised you that I would give you some special treatment when I got back. I just hope that little scene out there didn't change that."

I snapped my head in his direction and gave him the craziest look. "You can't be serious right now? You're WIFE just came in here and caught you doing this shit. You can't  honestly think I'm still going to sleep with you after that."

"Look, it's all a big misunderstanding. She's not my real wife." He wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Travis get out of my face. I'm really not interested anymore."

I used my hands to push him away but he wouldn't budge. I pushed harder and he still wouldn't move.

"I'm going to have some of that pussy whether you want me to or not. The party is back on so you can scream as loud as you want." He snickered.

Before I could do anything else, he bent me over on the table and held my head down so I couldn't move! I screamed and thrashed around but I couldn't go anywhere.

"Please don't." I cried, feeling him yank at my pants.

"Shut that shit up. I'm already half way there and I won't stop now."

I cried harder knowing he was about to take advantage of me. The music was bumping through the walls and I knew nobody would hear me scream.

Suddenly, I heard the door open and when I looked up I saw Knowledge there with a gun pointed at Travis.

"Get the fuck away from my girl." He said calmly.

"Hold up man, you don't have to do this." Said Travis. He got off me and backed up with his hands in the air.

"He tried to rape you?"

I looked at him and nodded; too traumatized to say anything.

In an instant I heard the shot go off and Travis' body fell to the floor. I got up slowly, big eyed, wide mouthed, staring at Travis dead on the floor.

"We need to go." He grabbed my hand and lead me out the club to where his car was parked.
"Get in the car."

"I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"Stacy, now is not the time to play around. I just shot somebody in there."

"Nobody told you to do that."

"Nobody had to tell me, that's what you do when you love someone. Can you just please get in the car it's really important."

I hesitantly got into his car and sat there with my arms folded.

"Now, before you say anything, let me explain. I know you're still upset over the whole Diamond thing but I promise you it's not my fault."

"What's not your fault?"

He took a deep breath before he answered me.
"I accidentally slept with her."

"You did WHAT?" I went the fuck off! I started hitting him with my fist and going crazy like a mad woman. He blocked my punches at first and then grabbed my wrist. "How did you accidentally stick your dick into her?"

"It's not my fault. She put something in my drink. I just found out she did the same thing to Tahj. That bitch is a snake so please don't believe her."

I sat there quiet , thinking back to the conversation I had with Amber. I already knew she was a snake. I just didn't think he would be dumb enough to get caught up.

"That's not all I came to talk to you about. You lied to me."

"I've never lied to you!"

"Then tell me the real reason you have that price on your head."

"Cyrus is a money hungry mother fucker. That's why! My father didn't want to work for him anymore and once you're in you can't get out. My father left anyway and that's why we were both a target."

"Lies! You're father stole thousands from Cyrus and tried to run. The price on your head was a punishment for him."

"What? How do you know that?"

"I have inside sources. None of that matters right now. The point is, you lied to me. I left everything I was building in my life to protect you! I risked being disowned by my own mother to keep you alive. Why the fuck would you do that?"

"I would never lie about something like that!" I could feel the emotion building up in me and I couldn't hold it in. "The fact that you think I would lie about that proves to me that you ain't shit! My father lied to me too ok. Not just you!"

I looked out the window and saw Raven walking to the car. I gave him the middle finger and got out; slamming the door behind me.

The nerve of this nigga to call me a liar!