Chapter 6
Cassidy:Â
Looking down at my phone I rolled my eyes in annoyance at the 17 missed calls and 32 messages from Chris. Shoving my phone into the pocket of my sweatpants I motioned for Stephanie to pass me the blunt.
“What’s going on with you?” Chanel asked taking a sip of her drink.
“Chris is getting on my god damn nerves” I replied bringing the blunt to my lips and taking a long pull.
“How is that going? Y'all been together for what three years now ?” Aria asked
“Yeah, but I don’t know how much longer it’s going to last”
“Your just upset right now, you just need to calm down” Chanel said.
“Yeah” I replied but I knew the truth.
Chris was a great person and I knew he loved me, but I wasn't in love with him anymore. I hadn't been for a while now, I was just going through the motions. I didn't want to hurt him, I couldn't he didn't deserve it. Plus who left a man who loved them and treated them like a queen for no good reason. I just kept telling myself I was going through a faze and I was going to find that spark with Chris again. I mean I had to right?
“Cass” Chanel yelled
“Huh” I said snapping out of my thoughts.
“This is Cash, Meek’s cousin” she said pointing to the man who was now sitting next to me.
When my eyes locked on his my breath caught in my throat. Hazel eyes bore into mine, and I couldn't seem to speak. He's gorgeous, no men weren't gorgeous were they? I thought.
“Nice to meet you beautiful” he said smiling at me.
“You too ” I said but my voice came out hoarse.
Cash smirked at me and my entire body ignited like someone had set me on fire. This man was fine as hell and I didn't realize that we'd been having a staring contest until  Chanel cleared her throat breaking my trance.
When I looked up at her she was smirking at me and shaking her head. Looking away from her I picked up the bag of weed off the table and the rolling tray and stated rolling up. I needed to distract myself from looking at him and I could feel Cash's eyes on me.
“Yo Cash I’m coming to the shop this week I need a new tat” Wayne said.
“What you getting ?” Steph asked.
“You’ll see when it’s done” he replied.
“Just lemme know when, so I can squeeze you in” Cash replied.
“Where’s the lighter” I asked
“Here” Cash said pulling one out of his pocket.
Looking at him I took the lighter out of his hand and lit the blunt. "Thanks" I said taking a pull, I let the weed fill my lungs and rested my head back against the chair blowing the smoke out of my mouth.
I felt Cash's eyes boring into the side of my face “You wanna pull?” I asked.
Cash smirked and took the blunt from my hand. When his finger’s grazed against mine I felt like i'd been shocked. It must be the weed she thought.
We spent the next two hours smoking and talking. I felt a sense of comfort talking to Cash as if I’d known him my entire life. He was easy to talk to and he made me laugh. We were in their own bubble tuning out the rest of the group around us.
“Yo I’m so smacked, I feel like I’m talking too much” I said laughing.
“Nah you not, I like talking to you” Cash said leaning his head back against the chair and staring at me.
I felt hot all over again, the more he stared at me the hotter I got. And when he licked his lips I felt my center pulse. Oh no please no !!
“I should probably get going I got an early day tomorrow” I said sitting up.
“You good to drive ?” Cash asked
“Nah I came with Coco but I’ll take an Uber home I don’t look like she’s ready to go” I said looking at Chanel who was snuggled into Meek's lap.
“Nah I can take you home I’m bouta head out too” he said
“No that’s ok I don’t want to take you out of your way"
“Your not I offered Ma, come on” Cash said standing up.
Standing up I said my goodbye's and waited for Cash. “You ready?“ he asked.
“Yeah”
“Aye Cash tread light nigga that’s family” Meek called out to him but I saw the smirk on his face.
Cash chuckled and shook his head “Nigga I’m family” he replied as he lead me out of the backyard.
When we got to the driveway Cash opened the passenger door to a cherry red Ferrari.
“Aren’t you a gentlemen” I said as I slid into the buttery seats.
“Only for you” Cash said closing the door and getting into the driver’s side.
“Alright where we off to?” Cash asked when he was behind the wheel.
Telling him my address I rested my head against the window. The weed in my system had me super relaxed and it was only a matter of time before I fell asleep.
When we pulled onto the highway, Cash broke the silence. “You sleeping over their lil mama?“
“No I was about to but your loud ass interrupted me"
Cash laughed and I couldn’t help but smile at the sound of his deep laugh.
“You can’t fall asleep on me, I need you to entertain me” He said
“I look like a clown to you? Plus I’m losing beauty sleep right now"
“Nah you not a clown lil mama, and I'on think you need beauty sleep"
"And why is that?"
"Because you're already so beautiful” he replied.
I bit my lip trying to hide the smile that threatened to spread on my face. "You're real smooth, you say that to all the girls?"
"Nah only the one’s I’m really interested in” he replied.
“So your interested in me?"
"Hell yeah I’m tryna be invested though if you let me "
I couldn’t find the right words to say so I nodded my head and looked outside the window. I heard Cash laugh.
Pulling in front of my apartment I sighed and looked up at the tall building. "Thank you for the ride Cash” I said unbuckling my seat belt.
“Wait” Cash said putting his hand on my thigh.  “I was wondering if you could do something for me in return" he said.
"What?” I asked glaring at him. Â
Cash smiled “Noting like that lil mama. Can I have your number? You know to work on my investment?” he asked.
I playfully rolled my eyes “Who said I was available?"
"Nobody but if you are he obviously ain’t doing his job right"
"Why would you say that?"
Cash leaned into me, his lips only inches away from mine. "Because I wouldn’t let your fine ass out of my sight if you were mine."
"Oh” I said feeling my pulse quicken.
Cash bit his lip and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. “So them digit’s? You might as well give them to me cause I ain’t gone stop till I get them. All I gotta do is text Meek and they’re mine” he said.
“He wouldn’t"
"Oh but I’m very persuasive” Cash said.
I knew he was telling the truth because he was finessing me right now. I knew this was a bad idea but I took his phone and typed in my number. When I handed it back to him his smile was so cocky I rolled my eyes.
“Good night lil mama” Cash said cupping my chin in his hand and kissing my forehead.
"Goodnight Cash ” I said getting out of the car.
I quickly walked into my building fighting with myself not to turn back and look at him. When I got on the elevator I rested my head against the cold metal trying to calm myself down. My heart was pounding against my chest. What the fuck was that? I thought.
I went to sleep that night next to Chris but dreaming of Cash. And I knew I was in trouble.
Chanel:Â
Stepping out of my Louboutin's I sighed feeling my feet hit the bare wood floor. My feet were killing me and I desperately wanted to take a hot bath and climb into bed with my man. Unfortunately for me I was the girlfriend of a gangster which meant most nights I went to bed alone.
Walking into my bedroom, I dropped my Birkin bag on the dresser. Noticing the balcony door opened I stepped out onto the patio. When I saw Robert standing on my balcony I paused.
"What the fuck are you doing here?” I asked
“I’ve been trying to talk to you for a while. You have me blocked on everything and I’ve tried to get to you at work but Stephanie hasn’t let me talk to you. I got lucky that there’s a new guard downstairs and he let me up” Robert said.
“You wanna talk to me? You have 30 seconds make it fast” I said.
“Chanel I love you I know I fucked up believe me I know and I’m sorry about that if I could take it all back I would. But you not really with this nigga Chanel if you think I was bad what do you think a nigga like that is gonna do?” Rob said.
“He’s never given me a reason to think other wise Rob I can’t say the same for you though. And your thirty-seconds are up” I said.
“Just tell me do you love him more than me ?"
Rolling my eyes I shook my head. "You really want this answer?"
"Yes, if you do I promise I’ll leave you alone"
"Robert I loved you since I was 18 years old, you were my first real love. But I’ve never loved anyone the way that I love Meek” I said.
Robert looked at me stunned by my confession. “Oh okay then. I’ve only ever wanted you to be happy Nel and if he makes you happy then I’ll fall back"
"Thank you"
"I just hope he realizes what he has and holds onto it before it’s too late”
“He knows” I replied.
Nodding his head Rob walked over to me and planted a kiss on my forehead. “Take care Chanel” he said before walking out.
When I heard the elevator doors close I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Stepping off the balcony I walking into my ensuite and set myself  a bath. Pulling my hair into a high bun on top of my head I connected my phone to my beats pill. Kehlani’s voice poured through the speaker as I sank into the tub.
The hot water eased my tense muscles.Closing my eyes I let out a deep breath and sank deeper into the tub. My mind replayed the last few minutes over and over again. I had finally closed the door on my relationship with Rob, he was my first so I knew I would always have love for him. But the love I felt for Ahmeek was different it was borderline obsessive, dangerous. Someone had already lost their life over it. And I wondered what or who else would pay the price of our love.
Then there was the detective who was looking into Jennifer’s disappearance. You mean murder.
Meek promised me that it was all taken care of but I still feared the worst.
That wasn’t the only thing that bothered me though. I knew that if the detective hadn’t told me; Meek wouldn’t have and that bothered me. He was so good at hiding it from me he didn’t even seem fazed by it. If he could hide that from me then what else would he hide from me?
I wanted to trust him but something told me that there was more to Ahmeek Brown than I knew and I wasn't sure how much I really know the man I slept next to every night.
I sat in the tub for almost an hour deep in thought and when the water got cold I quickly washed my body off and stepped out of the tub.
Throwing on some boy shorts and one of Meek’s shirt’s I climbed into bed. Glancing at my phone it was already 3 am. I was exhausted but my body fought to stay awake. I just needed to see him before I closed my eyes. Rolling over to his side of the bed I hugged his pillow. His scent still lingered on it and my body relaxed deeper into the mattress.
I was addicted to this man I needed him I craved him and on night’s like this when I couldn’t have him I felt uneasy.
Picking up my phone I sent him a quick text message.
Chanel: I love you, be safe and I’ll be waiting for you at home.
I didn’t wait for an answer because I knew he’d be busy. Gripping the pillow tighter I fell asleep.
                           ___________ Â
It’d been two days since I had heard or seen Meek and I was going crazy. I’d reached out to Dre and Wayne and they assured me that he was fine. Which turned my worry into rage, because it meant he was purposely avoiding me but I wasn’t sure why.
Sitting on the edge of my bed I fastened the straps of my Tom Ford heels. The girls were dragging me out of the house to get my mind off of Ahmeek. But there was no use my mind was constantly on Ahmeek he had infected my entire body and mind. Days without him had been torture for me.
Sighing I stood up from the bed and walked to my mirror. The distressed jeans and crop top I wore weren’t my normal club attire but I wasn’t in the mood to put any effort into my outfit.
Pulling my hair into a high ponytail I grabbed my wristlet and headed for the elevator. Reaching for my car keys, I noticed the keys for Meek’s Ferrari on the hook. Smirking I picked them up and stepped onto the elevator.
Pulling up in front of the club I noticed my friends waiting for me. Putting the car in park I stepped out of it and walked over to my friends.
“You wanna start a war tonight I see” Aria said.
“What are you talking about?” I asked smugly, I knew exactly what I was doing.
“You know someone’s gonna spot his car and snitch on your ass right?” Aria asked pointing to the custom car.
Shrugging my shoulders I walked into the club with Steph and Aria close behind.
I had plans to make a scene tonight, if Meek wasn’t gonna answer me. I was just going to have to get his attention another way.
Meek:
I clenched my jaw as Wayne pulled up in front of the club. When I saw my Ferrari parked on the corner my blood boiled. Wayne hadn’t even fully put the car in park before I hopped out.
“Where is she?” I asked the bouncer.
“Last time we had eyes on her she was by the bar” he said.
Nodding my head I stepped into the crowded club with Wayne and Dre on each side of him. I scanned the bar looking for Chanel.
"Aye we got action” Wayne motioned towards the end of the bar where Chanel, Aria and Steph were doing shots. My jaw clenched when I saw the man standing behind Chanel wrap his arm around her waist.
"Ah shit” Dre said shaking his head because he already knew what was going to happen next.
Pushing through the crowd I got to them so fast that Steph and Aria didn’t have a chance to warn her.
“If you like having your hand I would move it” I barked out.
I noticed how Chanel’s body stiffened when she heard my voice. When she turned to face me her eyes were red and low. She was high and from the empty shot glasses on the counter she was drunk as well.
“Oh now you care” she asked, leaning closer into the man’s arm with a smirk on her face.
Chanel was definitely drunk and she was testing my patience.
“Chanel let’s go” I said.
It was taking everything in me not to knock this man’s head off his shoulder’s and fling Chanel over my shoulder to my car.
“No, you ain’t speak to me for fucking day’s didn’t even check on me. For no reason now you think I’m just going to leave with you? No fuck you” Chanel spat. She was fuming, her eyes were wild and her breathing had picked up.
We glared at each other, the tension between us was  thick. Each one of us daring the other to do something.
“I'on think she wanna go with you my man” the man who lingered on Chanel said.
Breaking my eye contact with Chanel I glared at him. “What the fuck you just say to me ?” I asked taking a step closer to him.
Dre and Wayne watched on ready for whatever. That’s just how we rolled, if one bussed we all bussed.
“Yo I don’t mean no disrespect but she don’t seem like she wanna leave with you. Maybe you should just fall back” he said.
I let out a throaty chuckle, danger flashed in my eyes. As he locked one hand over the opposite wrist. I stared my opponent dead in the eyes.
“You see you’re trying to keep me from my girl and that is what I take as disrespect. Look around you, think about what you doing before you have your mama crying in all black ” I stated.
I didn’t want it to come to this because the clubbed was packed and I wasn’t one who believed in leaving witnesses. But if it came to it, I would handle it.
The man glanced around the club, he hadn’t noticed before the two men that sat on either end of the bar. Or that the guards all seemed to be staring at him. He was out numbered, this wasn’t a fight he wanted.
Nodding his head he glanced down at Chanel “take care of yourself” he said before walking away.
Chanel rolled her eyes at looked back at me. “You happy now? You ruined my fun” Chanel said.
“Let’s go now” I said reaching for her hand but Chanel snatched it back. “Don’t touch me” Chanel said pointing her finger in my face.
I had enough of Chanel’s attitude. Groaning I scooped her up and threw her over my shoulder.
“Pass me her bag?” I said while fighting to hold Chanel still.
Aria smirked and handed him Chanel’s bag. “Thank’s. I'mma hit y'all later” I said walking out of the club with Chanel screaming and punching at my back for me to put her down.
When they reached my car, I finally put her down. Opening the door I motioned for her to get in. Chanel stood still with her hand crossed against her chest.
“Chanel stop fucking playing with me and get in the fucking car” I barked at her.
Chanel rolled her eyes and slid into the passenger’s seat. Slamming the car door I got in on the driver’s side.
                           ___________________
“You gonna talk to me now, or you gonna keep acting like I don’t fucking exist” I asked.
“You wanna talk now? You been gone for two fucking days and now you wanna talk to me? I had to go to the club and make a scene to get your fucking attention ? My own boyfriend. So I don’t have shit else to say to you Ahmeek.” Chanel yelled.
“I needed to handle some stuff” I said
“So you didn’t think to let me know that?” Chanel asked.
“I needed to calm down before I came to you”
“Calm down for what?"
"I know you had him here” I said my jaw twitching.
“Who?"
"Bitch ass Rob"
Chanel looked at me for a few minutes and then started laughing. "This was because of Rob? Are you serious right now? He was here when I got home, I’ve been avoiding him for months and there’s a new guard downstairs who obviously didn’t know not to let his ass upstairs. But I told him that we were done and that I loved your dumb ass. He respected it and left he wasn’t even here for five fucking minutes"
"He shouldn’t have been here"
"No shit I just said he was here when I got home. So that’s why you been ignoring me? Instead of opening your fucking mouth and actually talking to me” Chanel shook her head and walked out of her room.
I followed behind her. “I’m trying to handle you differently. I don’t wanna be barking at you and fighting with you so I needed a couple days. And then you pull this shit tonight, you testing me Chanel on god you testing a nigga. I was so close to turning that nigga lights out” I said running a hand through my waves.
“You can’t be hurting people because of me” Chanel said.
“I don’t know how else to get this anger out. Two nigga’s already lost they lives cause I was in a bad mood because of you” I said.
Chanel sighed and shook her head. “Talk to me first, if it’s not needed and it’s just because your mood is sour talk to me Ahmeek. I’m not here just to lay down with you I’m here to be your sounding board, if there’s something on your mind or something that’s bothering you tell me I’m here. But please don’t shut me out again. Because I’m gonna be petty and you’re gonna be mad. It’s a dangerous cycle"
"Loving you is dangerous ma. Because for you I’ll do anything” I said.
Chanel’s anger softened. Walking over to me she wrapped her arms around my waist. “25 to life with you pa. I love you” Chanel said.
I sighed and planted a kiss on her forehead. “25 to life” I said.















