Thug Luv 2 (4 page)

Ace slapped hands with his niggas then promised to get up with them later.

Chapter 5

Ace sat in his home office playing a game of chess by himself. He had mastered the game. Anyone who played against him, he could beat in five moves or less. It had been three weeks since he had killed The Grim Reaper and discovered his own brother had kidnapped his wife and had been holding her for three years. He still didn’t have a clue as to how he wanted to handle Adam. Every time he thought about having to kill his twin brother, it tore him up internally. On the other hand, if he didn’t kill Adam, Adam would one day kill him. Not to mention, he still had to find J’vion’s bitch ass and do him something dirty. Ace couldn’t wait to get his hands on him. He dreamed of tying him to the back of his car, hopping on the interstate, and then driving at 120 MPH until there was nothing left of him but muscle and bone. The memory of J’vion shooting up the restaurant as well as his home while his daughters were there remained perpetually fresh wounds, wounds that didn’t and wouldn’t heal until someone paid with their life.

Due to the fact that his girls were now a safe distance away and out of danger, he would be able to move the way he wanted and needed without worrying about someone harming them.

“What’s really good with you?” Jay asked as he walked into Ace’s home office with a blunt between his lips.

“Ready to put all this bullshit behind me and live a normal life,” answered Ace. “Now that my girls are out of harm’s way, I can maneuver the way I need to,” he declared.

Even now, Ace was enraged at the fact that J’vion’s pussy ass attacked Aaliyah. Ace felt it was a bitch move. Nevertheless, J’vion would get what was coming to him.

Jay took a seat across from Ace. Jay knew all too well how it felt to believe the world was against you. He had experienced it all his life. The only difference was Ace wasn’t alone. Ace had him, Boy, Boog, and any other nigga he had on his team when they were running wild in the streets.

“You already know we’re waiting on you to give the word to move,” Jay stated.

“I’m ready to move tonight. The sooner I can get this over with, the better I’ll feel,” Ace declared.

“I’m glad you said that because we can move tonight.” Jay said sitting up in the chair. “But let me ask you this,” he stated looking into Ace’s eyes. Jay knew he was trying to hide his feelings but they knew each other too well.

“What’s up?” Ace asked leaning back in his seat.

“Are you prepared to lose your life as well as Sunshine’s?” Jay inquired. Ace closed his eyes then took a deep breath. No matter how many times he said he would die to rescue the ones he loved, he felt bad because his daughters were the ones who would suffer the most. They didn’t have a clue as to what was going on or why they might lose both their parents.

“You of all people know the answer to that. I’m a man of my word. That’s all I have; it’s the only thing that means anything nowadays,” Ace answered.

“Enjoy this,” Jay said as he got up to hand Ace the rolled blunt he had just removed from behind his ear. “Let’s ride,” Jay instructed, leaving Ace’s home office. Ace followed closely behind him.

*

When Jay and Ace pulled up to Larry’s house, they were greeted by a host of niggas they trusted and who had been down from the beginning.

“Let’s go. It’s time we get Sunshine back home where she belongs,” Jay said smacking Ace on his back before climbing out of the car. Ace polished off the blunt he had been smoking, flicked the roach across the pavement, and also climbed out of the car.

When they stepped inside of crackhead Larry’s place, Ace was greeted by even more niggas he had grown to love over the years, along with a number of handguns, choppas, and any other necessities they might need to complete the mission at hand.

“Ace, let me holla at you,” Larry requested as he waved him in the opposite direction so that the two of them could speak in private.

“What’s up, Larry?” Ace asked as they slapped hands.

“I know you gotta do what you gotta do to save your wife,” Larry said looking Ace directly in his eyes. “I just hope you haven’t chewed off more than you can handle. I want you to be safe out there and think about those little girls,” he declared. “Is this battle really worth leaving them in this fucked up world with no guidance, no father figure, and no parents?” Larry queried, giving Ace something else to think about.

“Larry, believe me when I tell you, I’ve weighed the pros and cons of this crazy situation I’m in. To be honest, whether I walk away or fight to the end, I believe the outcome will be the same,” Ace confided.

“And what might that outcome be?” Larry asked.

“Me dying at the end,” Ace answered with no emotion. He had come to terms with that likelihood and felt there was no turning back now. His wife’s life depended on him as well as Aaliyah’s and his daughters’. If losing his life meant they could live theirs without a care in the world, so be it. At least he could say he gave his all. “Larry, you remember when you said some things aren’t meant to be understood and everyone copes with stress differently?” Ace asked; Larry nodded his head in the affirmative.

“I remember telling you that.”

“Well, I believe this situation isn’t meant to be understood. And this is how I cope with stress,” Ace professed, patting Larry on the shoulder before walking away.

Larry shook his head. He respected Ace’s decision to go out with a bang. However, he thought Ace could be his own worst enemy at times. He prayed all would end well for the young man he had grown to love. A man he had so much respect for, an individual who was too smart for his own good at times.

Ace stopped then called out, “Larry!”

“Talk to me,” Larry replied looking up to hear what Ace had on his mind.

“When I stood in front of that priest and said ‘till death do us part’, I meant that shit,” Ace avowed as he turned to walk away.

*

When Ace walked into the kitchen, all his day-one niggas were waiting on him. The room fell silent as they anticipated what Ace would say.

“I just wanna thank you all because this is a battle you have nothing to do with. Yet and still, y’all are standing here waiting to put in work for me,” Ace said looking around the room.

“You already know, if one of us has beef, we all have beef,” Boog declared.

“Remember, love and loyalty is what we have for each other,” Jay stated. “Enough of this mushy shit, let’s go handle this business,” he concluded. Jay wasn’t the type to spill his feelings about anything. Doing so caused him to feel as if he was weak and weakness was something he couldn’t accept.

Ace was a true leader. When he spoke, everyone listened. Most importantly, Ace treated everyone with respect and love. From niggas who formerly worked with him, down to the local fiends he previously served on a daily basis. You had no other choice but to respect him and the way he moved. There weren’t too many men left like Ace. He was definitely a one-of-a-kind type of guy.

“Let’s ride out. I got the drop on where this nigga, J’vion is,” Jay instructed as he led the way out.

Everyone fell in line and followed him out the front door, holding hand guns and automatic choppas that held thirty rounds or better. Hampton city was about to be lit up like the fourth of July.

*

J’vion was tired of being in hiding. With a complete plan in motion, he was ready for war. With his niggas coming from Norfolk and having one up on Ace, he felt he would soon be crowned the king of the seven cities. Looking over his shoulders and walking with his head held low was something he never had to do. It pissed him off and caused his blood to boil. Just a few years ago, J’vion was making major moves and clocking major paper. Street fame came with a lot: hoes, haters, enemies, fake friends, and more. He loved everything the life had to offer. J’vion took the good with the bad and made it work for him. Conversely, spending time in jail quickly immobilized his strategy as well as the life he had become accustomed to. He had worked too hard to create a name for himself in the streets of Norfolk for it to be taken away.

J’vion didn’t realize how much he was underestimating Ace. A war was something he didn’t want or could afford. Ace was like a bad storm that the weather man warns you about. They knew it was coming but didn’t know when or how bad the damage would be after it was over. Nevertheless, he would indeed find out.

J’vion looked around the room to notice all eyes on him. He had been in deep contemplation, attempting to collect his thoughts. The young men standing before him had enough heart to get the job done. What he respected the most was they had no reservations about losing their lives’ to save his. They were loyal, which was all that mattered to him.

J’vion talked a good game. On the contrary, he didn’t give a fuck about anyone but himself. He had never preached about loyalty because he didn’t have any to anyone other than himself.

The only nigga he had devotion to was Meek and he was dead and gone. J’vion felt he owed Meek that much. Therefore, killing Ace was a must.

“I really don’t have to explain much to you niggas,” J’vion stated. “Everything is self-explanatory. We have one goal, which is to take Ace out,” he said while holding up a picture of Ace.

J’vion reached into his pocket for his ringing phone. “Yo?” He answered as he turned his back on everyone.

“I thought you were making a move soon?” Adam asked. J’vion could hear the nervousness in his voice.

“Trust me, I’m doing just what I said I would do,” J’vion spoke into the phone. Adam laughed.

“Nigga, I don’t trust anyone. The longer you wait to move on Ace, the more you open yourself up to being a deer caught in headlights,” Adam enlightened him.

“Let me do what I do; you worry about what we talked about,” J’vion said before disconnecting the call.

*

Adam looked at the phone to be sure J’vion had hung up on him. He shook his head at how hardheaded he was being. Ace was extremely unpredictable. You never knew what he was planning until it was too late.

Adam shook off any thoughts of Ace and J’vion, walked into the room, and stood over a beaten and battered Sunshine. He didn’t have an authentic explanation as to why he was taking his anger out on her, but it helped him get through his days. Lately, Adam had been doing nothing but stressing. Just the thought of what Ace would do to him produced tremors up and down his spine.

Adam stood over Sunshine and simply stared at her. “You’re just another snake in the grass,” he said as he admired how strong she was. Her body had taken so many beatings over the years. Where most females would have given up, she persistently fought and held on. Sunshine was damn near unrecognizable, both eyes were swollen shut, her lip was busted and inflated as well. She looked like she had, had an allergic reaction to something.

“ADAM!” Brenda called out. Adam could hear the panic in her voice. He turned and left the room. “Whew, I thought something bad had happened to you,” she admitted as she ran to him then wrapped her arms around him tightly. “What’s so important that you needed me to get here so soon?” She asked looking into his face.

“There’s been a change of plans,” he answered.

“Change of plans? Why, what happened?” She asked confused.