Page 168 of Own It

“Regardless, get the procedure, the pill, whatever the fuck they do. I don’t want this fucking baby,” I reiterated, not in the mood to address me losing my girl. “You mention being pregnant either time to Day?”

“No.” She sniffled, eyes glassy. “I didn’t, but I should’ve⁠—”

As soon as the words left her lips, I gripped the front of her neck and squeezed on that tiny shit with all my might, making Morgin’s eyes bulge as she fought for air. Something told me she was lying and had mentioned it, but I had to will that thought away.

“You’d better not say shit, bitch, even now. And keeping shit a buck, I know damn well I’m not the only nigga running up in you raw. Ain’t no telling who you pregnant by. Only reason I’m paying up and paid up the last time is ’cause it’s a possibility I’m the father, and that’s enough for a nigga to want that shit gone.” I tossed her to the floor, and she gasped, taking in a lungful of air before coughing. “Stupid bitch.”

“He doesn’t want the baby either.” She whimpered, on the verge of tears.

“Who, bitch?”

“Ayan.” She ran her hand under her nose. “The last pregnancy was only yours, by the way. I ain’t a ho like that. This is the first and last time I have no idea who my baby’s father is.”

“It ain’t no fucking baby! It’s just some cells you ’bout to get rid of, right?” I gripped her jaw, and she nodded profusely. Letting her go, I stood up straight and pondered. “Ayan. Ayan. I heard that name before. Fuck is Ayan?”

“Ayan Godfrey.” She stood to her feet gingerly. “The boxer.”

“Godfrey? He got a brother named Rakim?”

“Yes. That’s who Daylin is with.”

“I know that, dummy.” I shook my head, thinking on how crazy this shit was. “I thought he was married or some shit?”

“No.” She shook her head, barely audible and making me want to slap the shit out of her. “Just his baby mama but like . . . he’s not with her anymore.”

“Aight, well um. Clean up and dip. Don’t hit me up until you got proof of that womb being empty.” I peeled off some cash and handed it over to a desolate looking ass Morgin once she staggered to her feet.

She didn’t say a word, just snatched the money to shove into her purse before gathering her clothes to leave.

Once Morgin was gone and out of my fucking hair, I hit Morris up to come scoop me. I wasn’t in the mood to drive at the moment, plus I would be hopping out the car a lot to get this money, and it was the least the dirty muthafucka could do.

Mo Money: Aight

I showered quickly since I had Morgin’s secretions all over me, then slipped on some clothes before pocketing my hotel key card and leaving out.

“Sup. Where we headed?”

“To Paco’s Grocery in Lynwood,” I replied, reading the address off my phone.

I put shit together with Rakim by seeing who carried his bread products and in the hood. Since Nate told me he was a drug dealer, I was able to surmise he was using the bread company and boxing gym as a front, but also most likely selling through the smaller, hood grocers.

I had nothing concrete, but I would stop by each store, make them an offer, and if they didn’t know what the fuck I was talking about, I would let it ride. If they did know, I would have to hope they’d jump ship.

Morris turned up “U See Us” by Nipsey Hussle before peeling off into traffic.

It took a minute since Paco’s was all the way in the hood. We finally made it after almost forty-five minutes, and per usual in LA, there were no available parks, so I told Morris to just hit the block a few times and be back within fifteen minutes. He agreed, stating he needed to go check on a bitch nearby.

“I won’t be long, so don’t even start,” he said, knowing I didn’t have time to be hanging around outside ’cause he was deep in some pussy.

Entering the store, the clerk behind the glass immediately zoned in on me, trying to read my energy.

“Sup, where is the owner?” I queried.

“Why?” the Mexican nigga inquired, accent thick.

“Business talk. Is he here?”

The man stared me down, studying me for a bit before walking off. I didn’t know what he left to do, but I couldn’t exactly just leave since my ride was chasing pussy.