Page 121 of Lau Ahi
That was interrupted by someone bursting through the door and we both stood in tandem guns in hand, aiming at the intruder. When I saw Theo come through the door with some thick-necked fuck walking next to him like he was muscle I pulled out my second gun keeping it trained on them both.
Theo didn’t break his stride as he walked into the office either out of stupidity or out of the misguided notion that I wouldn’t end his life.
“What’s this fake nigga doing here?” He was talking to Hakeem but had his finger pointing toward me. The lack of eye contact was disrespectful but I tucked it away for later.
“Fake?”
Theo’s eyes flickered to me, the hatred burning bright in them. He was dressed like money in designer from head to toe with too much jewelry. “Yeah. You were out there eating poi and shit, ain’t no real nigga in your blood.”
“I guess you're talking about the fact that I had a daddy who was only quarter Black.”
“That’s right.”
“Ain’t your mama white though?”
Theo rolled his shoulders back like that was some information I shouldn’t have known. Like his being biracial was less of a factor than mine. “Shit don’t matter. Her ass wasn’t around and I was raised by my father.”
“And I was raised by my mother. Your mother is who you learn your culture from.”
“At least until she dipped on your ass.” He turned to face me and I tucked one gun back into its holster but kept the other in my hand. I wanted to keep it in my hand so I could feel the satisfaction of knocking it him across the head.
“Aye, we aren’t doing that. The last person you’re gone talk shit about in my presence is Faith. She sacrificed too much for the fucking family for you to have anything bad to say about her. Whatever beef y’all niggas got, keep it between the two of you but that one you're not about to disrespect.” I glanced back at Hakeem and noticed he had his gun trained on Theo’s muscle.
Theo threw his hands up laughing like everything was just jokes his words only a test. “And that’s how I know you ain’t Black. Nobody could say shit about my mama without me putting them on their ass.”
My eyes narrowed as I watched him feeling the predator in me rise. “Look at your chest.”
He did what I said his eyes growing wide. “The fuck—”
“That dot is a reminder that you might think you’re untouchable but you have no clue who is lurking at any time toend you. You can take all that entitlement your mama’s people have embedded in your DNA and get the fuck outta my face. Whatever business you had with Hakeem can be conducted some other time. The adults are having a conversation.”
“It’s like that, Keem?” Theo was looking at Hakeem like they had some type of bond that should outweigh the business we had.
“Nigga, you waltzed your ass in here I ain’t invite you. The fuck I look like stopping what I’m doing to accommodate you?” Hakeem was angry. Not the normal kind, but the kind I felt whenever I had to deal with Theo and his daddy. He was disgusted.
“Oh, so you putting on for this nigga?” Theo’s hands went into his pockets but his muscle came closer, which made a second dot appear in the room. He didn’t notice it but his life was on borrowed time.
“Ain’t got a reason to put on. He and I had business today and he asked to come through. Not you. You do too fucking much and you always have. I’m not understanding why you keep wanting to make your life hard but that’s on you. This man ain’t ever done shit to me so I have no reason to feel any kinda way toward him.”
Theo sucked his teeth waving off Hakeem’s logic like it was communicable. “You a bitch sucking up to this nigga just cause. Sitting here thinking that a woman should have a seat at the table when it’s clear she couldn’t handle the pressure. That’s how this outside muthafucka got his chance. It should’ve went to one of us.” He pounded his chest angrily and I found his performance amusing. “You still on that? Your daddy fucked you up in the head but that’s cool. You can keep tempting fate by fucking with him if you want. My conscience is clear because I warned you. Play with your life if you want.”
“So that’s what this is about? You want my seat at the table.” I stroked my chin with my now free hand as he looked at me with hatred-filled eyes.
“It’s my birthright.”
I smirked at the entitlement he displayed. He couldn’t even run the piece of business he had without my help but he thought he was the one who needed to run things. “And it ain’t mine?”
“Your mama was too fucking weak to secure this shit on her own—”
“Nah, good ol’ Grandpa James’ ass was too fucking stupid to secure his family’s future on his own. He got bitter instead of reinventing himself or taking advice. How long did he think counterfeiting and scamming were going to last the family? Ain’t but so manyNigerian Princescams you can run before folks catch on. Instead of being a man and standing on his own two feet he used his daughter to secure his future. And your punk ass daddy stood by and let him because he saw it as a way to make an easy come up. Ain’t no bitch in my blood but it’s plenty in yours. I would never use my family to eat while I sat on my ass but that’s exactly what your father did. And bitched moaned and complained the entire time while collecting handouts. It’s clear that entitlement was ingrained in you from both sides of your bloodline.”
“Real big talk from a muhfucka who got back up.”
I motioned in the air so fast I knew neither caught the symbol I made. Immediately the red dot was gone from his chest and I started to remove my jacket.
“Damn cuz you let this nigga walk up in here with an arsenal but I gotta check my shit at the door?” He was worried now seeing that I was ready to get my hands dirty. Pleading to Hakeem wasn’t gone do shit because I’d beat his ass too if he tried to stop me.
“Him I trust. You, on the other hand, are grimy as fuck. You act like I forgot the twenty thousand dollar tab you ran up and then dipped out on. You owe me a grip this nigga don’t owe me shit. So who is the real enemy here?” Hakeem’s arms folded across his chest and I knew the past wasn’t the only reason why he couldn’t stand Theo.
