You’re still a businessman, aren’t you?”
“What do you want, Charli?”
“I have something that will be of interest to you.”
“You know I ain’t fucking with you like that. So stop calling my house. Don’t contact me, period.” I was tired of telling this woman the same thing over and over. Fucking with her was like hustling in the streets. At the same time you are throwing bricks at the penitentiary. It was lucrative and fun while it was happening. But when the smoke cleared, you were sitting in the cell, asking, was it all worth it? I hung up, and she called right back. This time, I didn’t answer; I let it ring. When she called the third time, I said, “Charli, don’t—”
“My father wants to see you as soon as possible.” She cut me off.
“Good-bye, Charli.” I hung up again. That fuckin’ bitch! She was a scheming and calculating ho and never ceased to amaze me! Her father? I thought about it, and it caused me to frown. What could her father, the infamous Mr. Charlie Li, want with me? Leave it to this thirsty bitch to pull out all the stops. She knew that mentioning her father would get my attention.
TASHA
I got suspicious and nervous when the phone rang back-to-back three times. I was thinking it was Kyron. And him calling with Trae back in the house had me panicking, so the next time the phone rang, I picked it up.
“Oh, so you decided to talk to me?”
“Who is this?” I knew the answer but didn’t think she had the audacity to call my house.
“This is Ms. Li. With whom am I speaking?” Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
“Bitch, whose house did you call? You know damn well with whom you are speaking! You must want me to fuck you up again! Call here one more time and I’ll come find you and bust you in your ass! Leave my husband the fuck alone.” That’s all I needed to hear was her voice to make me crazy. I hung up the phone and went to find Trae. He had me fucked up. With each step I took, the madder I got. By the time I reached the family room, it was on. I lunged for Trae, and he grabbed my arm, twisting it, pulling me down onto his lap.
“What is your problem?” He was frowned up.
“Get off me! Why the fuck is that bitch back to calling my house?” I was squirming, trying to get up. My heart or my pride could not take Trae fucking with that bitch again. “She’s calling you at home now? Are you still fucking with her?” I got all choked up, not really wanting to know the answer to my question.
“What do you think? Are you still fucking with Kyron?” he yelled at me.
“No, and you know it. Why would you even ask me something like that?”
“The same damn reasons you are asking me!”
I was in tears now. “Because she’s calling you.” I grabbed his face between my hands. “Why is she calling you?”
“Kyron is calling you, so what? Yeah, when were you gonna tell me that?” When I didn’t answer, he shouted, “When, Tasha? When? I’ve been waiting patiently. No more secrets, remember? No more lies.”
“I was scared, Trae.” I dropped most of the attitude that I had in my voice. I was busted.
“Scared of what? Scared that I would react the same way you reacted when that bitch called me?”
I thought about what he said and nodded.
“Tasha, baby, I need you to stay focused. You can’t be getting all emotional like this. We are a team, and we know that we have these outside forces threatening our union. You not telling me that the nigga is calling you lets me know that I can’t trust you. Do you feel me?”
“Why are they doing this to us?”
“Fuck them! We can’t let them tear down what we’ve built. Do you hear me, Tasha?”
I nodded again. “What are we going to do?” What am I going to do? If that bitch thought it was going to be business as usual, she had another thing coming.
“No secrets. No lies. It’s me and you. I will handle Kyron and Charli . . . she ain’t even an issue.”
Yeah, right. I wished I could believe some bullshit like that. I laid my head on Trae’s chest as he held me tight. I wanted to believe that everything was going to be okay, but my gut was telling me