Scarlett 3 Read online

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  Nina was just anxious to see if Stephen would bring his girlfriend back to her house like he’d done the past three times that he’d been there to get the kids. This time she was looking fly, chilling outside in her rocking chair wearing a rainbow colored Maxi Sundress, with her jet black Remy weave hanging straight down past her shoulders. She had the straight cut bangs that almost made her look like a caramel skinned Chinese chick. Her sterling silver SexyMe hoop earrings dangling back and forth gave her a grown and sexy look. She purposely didn’t wear panties so her ass would shake tremendously as she would make it her business for Stephen to get an eye full.

  No sooner than Nina could hang up the phone good, Stephen’s brand new white Ford F150 could be seen coming down the street toward her house. She took in a deep breath, looking her attire over. She wanted to make sure that she was on point just in case Stephen’s new bitch was with him.

  Stephen pulled in the driveway, parked his truck then proceeded to get out. He opened the back door up and unbuckled Mya out of her car seat and O’Mari from his seatbelt. The kids got out as Stephen grabbed their overnight bags.

  Nina stood up and waved, noticing that his new bitch was with him. She didn’t want to seem like she hated on her so what better way to show her that she was sweeter than she actually was than by speaking with a very fake smile like she was on her grown woman shit. She could see the shadow behind the tinted windows as the woman threw up her hand, speaking back.

  She headed down the porch steps to meet Stephen with the kids. As they met up in the yard, she hugged and kissed her babies then sent them inside the house to let their older siblings, Marc and Macy, know that they were home. Stephen handed her their overnight bags as Nina cautiously smiled at him. He was tall, dark, and very handsome. The diamond earrings he wore in both ears enhanced his chocolate covered skin giving him mad sex appeal, along with his deep waved temple cut. He was looking good as always. The thoughts of kicking herself in the ass for not realizing a good man when she saw one gnawed at her conscious.

  “So, I see you have your lil girlfriend with you once again.” She stated, trying to peek around him to get a better look at the witch. “Y’all are getting quite serious, huh?”

  “Well, I told you that I’ve known her for about year, but we’ve been seeing each other for the past few months now. She’s cool people. She started working at the job as a Manager getting the plant back in order, and then she stepped in to train me to become a supervisor. That’s how we connected. And, about her coming with me when I come over; it’s only because she likes to ride.” He admitted as if that made him feel good inside.

  She likes to ride, huh? “Is she intimidated by me?” She grinned. “She better be.” Nina meant that, because she was going to do whatever she could to get back in Stephen’s good graces.

  “Okay, be good,” he commented while looking his baby mama over. She looked good as hell. The truth was that his new lover had nothing on her. In fact, Nina could easily run circles around her for the simple fact that she still had his heart, but it was a must that he held his composure. Nina had a venomous bite that damn near killed him the last time she left him for Rick. The scar was still there and it certainly still hurt from time to time.

  “Well, you look good.” He complimented her with a slight smile.

  “Thanks,” she blushed, feeling very happy that he’d noticed her this time, and then as quickly as he complimented her, he said.

  “I guess I’ll be going. Plus, she’s waiting on me, but I’ll stop by to see the kids as I always do some time during the week and take them out to eat.” What he didn’t know was that Nina wasn’t letting him leave that quickly.

  “Uh, I’d like to meet your lady friend since I’m already out here. You know I’m not going to keep letting my kids go with you and I not know the woman who they’re hanging around. That’s just not me and you know it.”

  “I know Nina, but I just didn’t think you were ready for that. Plus, she’s good to them. You know I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Nina chuckled a little. “Are you serious? I’m always ready to see who, besides you, looks after my kids. Regardless of what you may say, I think that’s more than fair don’t you?”

  “Okay cool,” Stephen hesitantly responded, leading the way back toward his truck. Nina anxiously followed, ready to size up her opponent. He opened up the truck door and from there things seemed like a total blur. All she heard was…

  “Hey babe, Nina wants to meet you.” He stepped to the side so that Nina could meet his new woman. “This is Faye. Faye this is Nina, the mother of my kids.” Nina’s heart seemed to have stopped beating at the moment, immediately realizing that she was standing face to face with Phaedra. The conniving bitch who’d set up Scarlett and ruined her life. Not only that, but the conniving bitch that had been hanging around her kids, playing mommy dearest and fucking the hell out of her baby’s daddy like she knew nothing about who she was and how close they used to be.

  Faye smirked at the surprised expression on her face like the shit was funny. “Nice to meet you Nina,” she spoke with sarcasm. Stephen smiled, unbeknownst to what was about to occur and before he could say something, Nina had dropped the kids overnight bags, grabbing a handful of Faye’s quick weave and snatched her down out of the truck. Faye fought back, but Nina was too powerful for her. There was too much anger built up that needed to be released and on the right person as Nina hammered away at her face, one hard blow after another.

  Stephen didn’t see it coming, but he did see Nina beat the shit out of his girlfriend as he so desperately tried to pull his baby mama off of her. Nina was going ham and cheese while talking shit to her at the same time.

  Once Stephen broke it up, he didn’t have time to find out why Nina had gone crazy in just a split second of the moment. All he wanted to do was get a bloody nosed Faye out of there before she killed her. Once he’d gotten her inside the truck he locked her door then quickly jumped in on the driver side, and then backed out of the driveway in a hurry. He was in total shock and outdone with Nina, but he would surely be back to get some answers once things had cooled off.

  Chapter 2

  Scarlett headed home with all types of thoughts going on in her head. Meeting Troy was strange within itself, but now she had to figure out her next move. He seemed like a genuine kind of guy that was hurt, and a part of her wanted to help heal his wounds. She felt partly to blame for it and didn’t know how she could make the situation right again. Somehow, she was going to have to do something that would clear her brother and the mess that he’d gotten himself caught up in.

  She looked down at her cell phone hearing the ringtone, Breathe Again by Toni Braxton already confirmed who it was. She smiled, but still felt conflicted about her feelings.

  “Hello,” she answered.

  “What’s up, baby?” Luke spoke.

  “Nothing much,” Scarlett responded. His voice just did something to her. He definitely had a part of her heart, but at this point she wasn’t interested in showing him how much.

  “Are you out and about?” he asked hearing the radio play in the background.

  “Yeah, I just left the grocery store.” She said.

  “Can you come by here right quick?” he asked. He hadn’t seen her in over a week and he missed her like crazy. Scarlett hadn’t made getting back together easy at all and he wasn’t expecting her to come now just because he had asked.

  Scarlett took in a deep breath. The only reason why she’d stayed away was because she loved him and she didn’t want to be hurt by him again. “Uh, I don’t know,” she said with hesitation in her voice.

  “Please baby,” he begged. “You won’t let me come see you. You hardly answer your phone and it’s starting to drive me nuts around here. Even my parent’s know that it’s something going on.”

  “Something going on like what?” Scarlett defensively spoke.

  “Baby, I’m not talking abou
t anything dealing with you and your past. I’m speaking of them knowing about the baby and you not coming around, anymore. They’re not crazy. They’ve put two and two together.”

  “I see,” Scarlett said, relaxing a little. She drove in silence then made a U-turn at the light.

  “So, will you please stop by for a moment? I’ll put gas in your car and some.” He pitifully said.

  “Are your parent’s home?” She quickly asked, not wanting to make a trip there and have to see them. Even though Luke hadn’t told them about the video or their break-up she still was a bit embarrassed by the whole thing.

  “No, my Dad is working a double shift at the hospital and my mama just left to go make a few deposits. She won’t be back for a few hours.”

  “Okay, well I’ll be there in like ten minutes,” she said.

  “Good,” Luke cheerfully stated as Scarlett ended their call. He missed her so much and at that moment all he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her so she would know how he felt.

  ____________________

  Meanwhile, over on the other side of town, Troy was just unlocking the door to his house and walking in with a bag of groceries.

  “Unc,” he yelled out, but no one answered. He peeked upstairs and heard the shower water running then headed into the kitchen to put the groceries up. After he’d put the ribs in the refrigerator for them to grill later, he grabbed a cold Corona and popped the top with a bottle opener.

  He walked into the living room and sat down on the couch to take a breather. He was sad about his cousin’s untimely death and the fact that someone had underhandedly robbed him blind. He looked at his expensive Cartier watch to check the time since he was expecting company. He had business to take care of and it came with price; a big price. No sooner than he could grab the remote and turn the power on the TV, his doorbell rang.

  “Like clockwork,” he said and got up off of the couch to go open the front door. “What’s up, Dmitri?” he asked, giving him dap with and a slight hug. “Damn, I just bought a Versace shirt just like that the other day.”

  Dmitri laughed, because Troy always teased him about wearing Versace this, Versace that. “What’s up, T?” Dmitri asked as he walked inside the house. “I’m sorry to hear about Slim.” He sincerely said.

  “Yeah, that whole situation is fucked up, but I appreciate it.” Troy stated. “That’s why I needed to see you on such short notice. Have a seat, man. I’ll grab you a cold one.”

  Dmitri sat down and nodded his head. He’d had a long day himself, so he definitely needed that cold one. Troy walked into the kitchen and came back out with a cold Corona then handed it to his partner in crime.

  “Listen, T,” Dmitri said, already sensing that Troy had a lot on his mind. “We’ve been boys for over seven years. We keep business light and tight. You already know how we roll. So, what’s up?”

  Troy didn’t want to waste any time as he sat down on the recliner across from Dmitri. “I need you to find out who did this to me and Slim and to kill him when you do.”

  “I’ll do anything for you, but you know I only make moves like that for Dom.” He said, speaking of the, HNIC, Head Nigga in Charge.

  “I know, but I need this problem taken care of and I need it done quietly and quickly. I can’t have nigga’s ‘round here thinking that they can just come up in my spot and take my shit and I be cool with it. Not only that, but a nigga shot and killed my cousin.” Just to say the words almost choked him up, but he held his composure while speaking to his partner.

  Dmitri felt his pain, being that he’d just witnessed another good friend of his go through a similar situation involving his girlfriend being senselessly murdered. “Are you sure that you want to do this? I have no problem with putting somebody on the job for you. Of course, my right hand man is out of the state for a while.”

  “Damn, Ronnie left you behind? What’s up with that?” Troy pondered, knowing all too well that Dmitri’s right hand man was always close by just in case Dmitri needed him.

  “Nothing for you to worry about,” Dmitri assured him. “We’re working on a few things ourselves and that included him taking a lil break for a minute.”

  Troy nodded. “I feel you,” he understandably said. “But, I need to find out who was behind this shit.”

  Dmitri sat quiet for a moment as he drank his Corona. “On the phone you said that there was no forced entry, right?”

  “Right,” Troy answered.

  “Which can only mean that you left a door unlocked or someone had a key,” he said.

  Troy sat in silence. “I never leave my doors unlocked.” He was sure of that. “No one had a key to my crib except for Slim.” He said. “And he was shot outside which means that either they shot him first and took his key or.”

  “Or they already had a key,” Dmitri cut in. “Who was around you in the weeks leading up to this shit happening?”

  “I don’t know, man.” He responded trying to think back. “I don’t fuck with no nigga’s like that period, but I do kick it with a couple of women. I don’t know of any that would wanna stick me that bad, though.”

  “Had anything unusual happen leading up to this incident?” Dmitri asked. He was trying to get to some kind of information that would tell him something. Troy sat silently, still thinking. “What women have you been around like that? You gotta give me something.”

  “I’ve been lying low lately, but I did have a lil hottie named Ash who I kicked it with at my crib. The other two broads I took to a hotel. They didn’t even come to my house.”

  “So, this chick Ash is the one who came here?”

  “Yeah, as a matter of fact, the last time that she was here chilling, her homegirl Bree came with her.”

  “Was that unusual?” Dmitri probed as he took another swallow from his beer.

  “Come to think of it, yeah it was.” Troy said, thinking back at how Ash came over, bringing her homegirl. She had never done that before, even though he had met Breanne twice, just in meeting up with Ash to give her some money. The strange thing that stuck out about the night of their visit was that Breanne had left to go get some liquor and chaser then came back. In his mind, at that moment, he sensed that Ash was acting strange that night, but he never thought anything of it. Now, he was.

  “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Dmitri asked.

  “Yeah, I hope that bitch ain’t played me and got my cousin fucked up. I’ll kill that bitch myself.” Troy immediately said.

  “You might have too, if that’s the case, because I certainly don’t fuck with women.”

  “Me and this broad was so close, though. I mean, I actually liked her a little bit.” He admitted.

  “Them be the ones that’ll get you,” Dmitri stated.

  “Just find out what you can. Can you do that?” Troy asked.

  Dmitri nodded his head. “All I needed was a name. I’ll send my other partner to shake her up and see what he can get out of her. This dude doesn’t mind knocking off a woman. He just wants that bread.” He said with a serious look on his face. “If she did have something to do with it then what do you want him to do?”

  Troy sat quietly, because the honest truth was that he did like Ash a lot. She was cool and fun to hang around. Plus, the sex was pretty good, but her head game was even better. He then thought about having to bury his cousin. That hurt more than anything. If they would’ve just taken his stash and let his cousin live, he could’ve forgiven that, but now his feelings was overriding any clear decisions that he may have had.

  “Tell him to kill her, and then go get the nigga who was behind my cousin’s murder.” Troy coldly answered.

  Dmitri raised a concerned eyebrow. He knew that Troy wasn’t a punk, but he wasn’t a woman killer, either. “Are you sure you want to do that? I’m just asking; because once someone is dead you can’t bring them back.”

  Troy thought about it some more. “Just find out what you can, and then call me and I’ll tell you what to do after that
.”

  “Okay,” Dmitri said, standing to his feet while drinking the corner of beer left inside the Corona bottle. “You know that’s gonna cost you about twenty-grand.”

  “The money ain’t a problem. Hell, what they took wasn’t shit compared to what I got stashed somewhere else. I’m just mad that my cousin is gone over some petty ass drugs and money.”

  “I understand exactly where you’re coming from,” Dmitri said. “Well, I have to be going now, but you need to get your mind off of this. You have to bury your cousin, man.”

  Troy shook his head with a sad sigh. “I know.”

  “I know you don’t wanna fuck around with another woman right now, but you need to be in the company of somebody that can take your mind off of this if just for the moment.”

  “You might be right,” Troy said, immediately thinking about the sexy woman he’d met in the grocery store. “I think I might know who that person can be. I don’t know if she’ll come over, being that I just met her, but it could be a good distraction.”