fuck up. I have to be smart with this shit.”
“Smart man,” he said, dapping me up.
“Come here mama, I missed you,” I said, taking Ahleya out of my mother’s hands and kissing her cheeks.
“Hey Ma,” I said to my mom, kissing her forehead. A while later, everybody started arriving at my house, all my workers and security. Rico was sitting front and center.
“So, I’m sure you guys have heard by now that somebody snatched Rayna. I don’t know who did it, but I have a feeling who it may be. I believe Mark is still out there, so I need all of you to keep ya’ll eyes and ears open and your mouths shut. Anything suspicious you see, you will report it to me so I can work with my security to try and get her back. I need everybody to come together right now. That is all. Ya’ll can go now, but remember what I said.” They all shook their heads and walked out. Rico walked up to me with a certain look on his face.
“Wassup. I can tell it’s something.”
“I just don’t think it’s Mark. That’s all.”
“It has to be though. He’s the only person we really have a problem with; I could be wrong though. It is the streets that we’re talking about, and everybody is envious. I’m gon’ keep an open mind and do some research. You’re right though. It could be anybody. Nobody is to be trusted right now.”
“Damn right. I’m gon’ help you get her back though. I used to specialize in shit like this. It’s crazy, but I’m going to make sure we get her back. Did Rayna tell you a woman named Karen came here about two weeks ago?”
“Hell no, she didn’t say anything about it, what happened?” I said, a little upset that I was just hearing about this.
“The lady came here talking reckless about how you needed to take care of her son, and Rayna told her to get a DNA test, in which she declined. Then she said something about Ahleya, and it was hell from there. Rayna beat her ass. I had to snatch her up and get her back in the house before she knocked the girl out.” Slick and Gena came walking in the room with Ahleya in Slick’s arms and Kenyah in Gena’s, both knocked out.
“Bruh you remember Karen from high school? A grade older than us?” I asked. Slick.
“Yeah, what about her?”
“She’s claiming her baby is mine. She came here talking sideways the other day, and Rico said Rayna beat her ass. You think she could have something to do with this?”
“I know Karen,” Gena interrupted, “she’s crazy as bat shit. Her and my brother Chris were in a serious relationship, and still messed around a lot when he came home from college. I thought her baby was his, but he never said anything about it so I let go of the idea.”
“Wait. Her and Chris used to be an item? They still mess around?” I asked.
“As far as I know. I haven’t talked to Chris in a while. Why?”
“Y’all don’t think that it’s weird that the same week Rayna gets in a fight with Karen that she comes up missing? And the fact that Slick and I whooped his ass so bad has me a lot more suspicious.” Gena sat down and cried in her hands.
“I hope Chris had nothing to do with this. He used to be such a sweet and gentle person until he got with that bitch Karen. She turned him into a different person.” Slick walked over trying console Gena while me and Rico tried to start coming up with a plan.
Chapter 8:
3 days later...
Rayna
It had been a couple day since I’d been locked in this room. The only way I knew was because I could see day turn into night. I hadn’t slept. Hadn’t eaten. The only thing he gave me was water, and I was starving.
What could I have done so wrong? I sat thinking to myself. Just then, the door opened and a familiar face walked in, causing my stomach to turn.
“Yea bitch, remember me?” she said, slapping me in the face. I stayed quiet and let her have her moment. She was clearly embarrassed at how badly I had beaten her ass the other day.
“Kayro or some shit,” I answered
Sheri S. Tepper
J.S. Strange
Darlene Mindrup
Jennifer Culbreth
Anne Stuart
Giles Foden
Declan Conner
Kelly Jameson
Elisabeth Barrett
Lara Hays