“That tone you keep with that broad while you spit… what you call game; don’t forget the game we in… make sure you maintain that same tone with me from now on. I’m way closer to you than the sheets you sleep with. You sitting next to a nigga you know personally is a killa… but I’m ya man. Feel me.” He stuck his toothpick back in his mouth, and his jaw begin popping the chewing gum in his mouth. He sat up in the seat and pulled the toothpick from his mouth, pointing out the window with it. “Yo pull up right there, dat nigga right there in front of the grocery store.”

Marcus just looked at him for a moment before easing the steering wheel to the right. He was absorbed in the words Lucks had spoke before he spotted Craig. His eyes were on Craig and the brown skin girl he was talking to in front of the supermarket. As he pulled up alongside them he reached for the strap on his waistband. Lucks cautioned him with a hand to the chest. “Stay in the car.” Lucks opened the door as the car came to a stop where the couple stood. He smiled at the obvious look of shock on Craig’s face. His smile broaden as he saw the little chicken head checking him out. He barely glanced at her. He was more appreciative of the fact that she was the pawn that had this dumb nigga out in the open. He removed the shades from his face. “What’s good C? Damn my nigga I thought you said you was goin' to holla at me… But fuck all that. Who this ya shorty?”

Craig looked past Lucks inside the car. He was sure it was Marcus sitting behind the wheel. He had a few stacks he could throw them until he could duck off. Shit he’d just give them ten grand from that lick the other night. That will still leave him with forty. Damn he knew he had fucked up. “Yo Lucks man… I fucked up. I had a situation, but I know you told me my situations ain’t chures…I was scared man. But I got some paper for you man, and I’m talking now.”

Lucks stop smiling. He actually admired the way this cat came across. The way that he understood Lucks was death in the flesh, calling upon him. That’s what he was trying to make Marcus understand. You wanted people to respect you through fear. You don’t want to be wild cowboy, shooting niggas down in the street all your life. “A’ight C let’s go get it.”

A look of relief swept over Craig’s face.. “”A’ight Shonda I gotta go. Yo I’m right here in this.” Craig pointed to a burgundy Mercedes Benz C CLASS. “Just follow me.”

Luxury sedans were in this year. Lucks pushed the shades back on his face, smiled and turned to jump back in the rental. He saw Shonda in the tints reflection standing there with a confused look on her face as Craig stepped toward his car. “Yo follow the Benz.” He said as he slid back in the passenger seat. He noticed the revolver on Marcus’s lap. Pretty piece. The 310 Night Guard series from Smith & Wesson .44 caliber. He remembered giving it to him. He studied the piece a moment more, stuck his toothpick in his mouth and leaned back in his seat. “Put dat shit away. This nigga got some paper. We gonna get dat first.”

Marcus looked over at him. “Paper. What he holding.” Marcus quickly started thinking about giving Gina a few stacks to get lost with her kid. Their kid. He didn’t know that boy. Gina was just something to do at the time. Now he had Trina and this bitch was trying to fuck that up.

Lucks sat up in his seat and tipped the front of his shades down. “Yo. Put da joint away. Stop askin so many questions. Just roll.?”

Marcus stuffed the revolver back in his waistband as he pulled out into traffic behind the Benz. He loved Lucks but lately it seemed like Lucks had been treating him like a little nigga. He hoped he didn’t have to kill his mentor. He glanced over at Lucks leaning back all relaxed in the seat, with that stupid toothpick stuck in his mouth; chewing that damn gum. He would if it came to that.