The Golden Hustla Read online

  Nina pulled him close. “I’m sorry.”

  He kissed her forehead. They jumped into the backseat and before they could slam the doors, the driver pulled off. Only in New York.

  “Where to?” the cabbie asked, looking at them through his rearview mirror and driving at the same time.

  “Are you hungry?” Rick looked over at Nina.

  “Wow” was all Nina could say as she admired the brother who was sitting next to her. “I’m speechless.”

  “Well, I’m hungry. What do you have a taste for?” When he saw that food was the last thing on Nina’s mind he told the driver to take them to the nearest Dallas BBQ’s. A stop he made ritually every time he came into the city.

  “What am I supposed to say?” Nina asked him as she snuggled up to him.

  “It’s too late now. You had your chance. I already picked the spot. My favorite spot.”

  “I’m not talking about food, silly. I’m talking about her… me… and the flames.” Nina couldn’t even hide it. She was floored at this point. Totally blown away. “First of all, I was shocked when she introduced ‘Fiyah’ and you got up and went on the stage. I was saying to myself, ‘A thug detective doing poetry? And with so much passion?’ ” She squeezed his hand. “But when you said my name, I couldn’t move. No one had ever done that to me before. You know, put me on the spot like that. And when you started talking about her, I got a little jealous. I asked myself, ‘How can I compete with her?’ But then you said the part about ‘You remind me of a perfect replica of her, and don’t mistake the gaze, I’m not trying to replace you for her, just trying to find someone who can be adjacent to her,’ ” Nina recited word for word. Then she whispered, “You had me.”

  Nina was talking nonstop. But Rick was listening to his own thoughts. He hadn’t planned to get up there and recite “Flames.” His plan was to recite a piece he had been working on called “Justify.” “Flames” wasn’t even finished yet. But from the very first time Nina was in his presence, it was as if Kyra was back. And that scared the shit out of him. He hadn’t been able to shake the feeling. Hell, shake California. He always thought about Kyra, Trae and Tasha. He was hoping that Georgia would make him forget, turn him into a different Rick. A plain regular-joe Rick. But when he thought about Cali, Marvin and how he destroyed Kyra’s life… King Rick fought to come out. The bureau was even trying to make him go to counseling for that shit.

  “Are you all right?” Nina nudged him. “You look like you are visiting some real dark place.”

  He looked over at her and thought to himself, I couldn’t save Kyra, but I’m going to save you and at the same time save myself. “I’m good.”

  The taxi stopped on Amsterdam. “Fourteen dollars please.”

  Rick paid the driver. “C’mon. Let’s get something to eat.” He grabbed Nina’s hand.

  New York. Nina could hear Alicia Keys singing the hook as she looked around at all the bright lights. Even though it was late, people were moving about as if it was twelve noon. Even the Laundromat was open. Nina looked around in amazement. Damn, I need to get out more often.

  They stepped inside of Dallas BBQ’s and it was a nice crowd. She had never been there but could smell the burgers and saw a few of the patrons chowing down on some of the biggest, juiciest burgers and chicken wings she had ever seen. Up until now she wasn’t hungry. Now her mouth was watering.

  As if Rick could read her mind he said, “Oh, now it ain’t all about me anymore. It’s all about the double burgers and big wangs you lusting after. I see you slobbing over there,” Rick joked.

  Nina punched him playfully on the arm. She couldn’t help but laugh. Something she did often around him.

  After about forty minutes, they were seated at their table and had ordered double turkey cheeseburgers with everything on them, fries, a tray of Hennessy chicken wings and margaritas. They were enjoying themselves, talking as if they had been the best of friends for the last ten years.

  Rick leaned over and wiped some ketchup off Nina’s cheek. She almost had a heart attack when he told her that since they were up this way, she needed to stop by and check on her children. Nina got quiet and now Rick was having a one-sided conversation.

  “Talk to me, Nina. Ever since I mentioned going to Jersey, you became distant. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. We’ll go, see the kids and then leave.”

  “I’m scared and not really sure why. I left the same day my best friend and brother got shot down, and days after my brother died.”

  “I know why you left, Nina.”

  “I just up and left my kids, Rick. And what if they don’t know who I am?” Her eyes were getting watery. “What do I say when they ask me why did I leave them? That is, if they even know me. Then I have to face my mother. She always said I shouldn’t have brought any children into this world. And ever since I’ve been gone, I’ve been starting to believe that.”

  “Well, I suggest that you look at it like this: It’s never too late to make a thing right. The longer you wait the harder it’s going to be.”

  “I know. But at least allow me to plan for it. And when I do go to see them it won’t be just for that day. I’m bringing them back with me. And that’s where you come in. I need your help.”

  “Nina, I’m here for you,” Rick assured her.

  “I know, but still, think about it… think about it while I go to the bathroom.”

  Nina excused herself, loving how exhilarated she felt being around Rick.

  When she walked into the bathroom she heard someone in one of the stalls ask, “Can someone pass me some tissue please?”

  One lady barged by Nina and left the restroom, slamming the door. Two other ladies were looking at the stall and giggling. They left as well.

  “Helllooo,” the voice sang. “Can someone please pass me some tissue?”

  “Girl, bitches can be so petty,” Nina said as she went into a stall to get some tissue.

  One lady was standing in front of the mirror acting as if she didn’t have a clue.

  “Here you go.” Nina passed the tissue under the stall.

  “Thank you. I appreciate it. I can’t believe them bitches wouldn’t pass me any fuckin’ tissue. Like they had to put a quarter in the machine and fuckin’ pay for it.”

  “I know. Bitches are a trip and it’s still one out here that act like she got a stick up her ass.”

  “The ho better be gone when I come out of this stall,” the voice threatened.

  “You want me to hold her?” Nina looked over at the woman.

  The lady in the mirror heard the threats loud and clear. “I know y’all ain’t talkin’ about me. I don’t work in this bathroom.” She threw her makeup in her purse and sashayed out.

  Nina started laughing. “Only in New York.”

  The bathroom stall flew open; the sister took one step forward, stopped and said, “Oh shit.” She turned around and started hurling into the toilet bowl.

  Nina frowned as she grabbed a few paper towels and wet them. The sister sounded as if she was emptying her guts out and it was beginning to make Nina queasy.

  “Oh God,” she heard the sister say as she flushed the toilet. “Oh my God.” She groaned.

  Nina went over to the stall. “Here’s a couple of wet paper towels.” The sister turned around and grabbed them, then patted her face.

  “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

  “No problem. I was all caught up in your shit, I didn’t do what I came in here to do and that’s use the bathroom.” Nina’s bladder felt like it was about to burst, so she rushed into one of the stalls.

  “You got tissue in there?” the sister teased.

  Nina laughed. “Yeah, I got some.”

  When she came out of the stall the sister was brushing her teeth. Nina checked her out from head to toe. She reeked of money. She either was the wife of a major hustler, a hustler herself or just flat-out rich. Nina could smell it and wanted to know which one she was.

  “Are
you okay? Was it something you ate out there?”

  “I wish that’s all it was. I’m a few weeks pregnant.”

  “Oh!” Nina squealed. “Congratulations. Is this your first one? Are you excited?”

  The sister started smiling. “Girl, this is baby number four.”

  “Four?” Nina gasped. “Oh shit.”

  “My sentiments exactly. I have three boys, that includes a set of twins.”

  “Twins?”

  “Yes, twins. What about you?”

  “I have three also. Two girls and a boy.” Nina beamed.

  “Let me see your little ones and I’ll let you see mines.” Tasha said as she pulled out a diamond-studded GoldVish cell phone.

  Nina’s eyes almost popped out of her head. The only place she had seen one of those was in a Robb Report in Rinaldo’s office. Those muthafuckas started at twenty-five g’s. She was so intrigued by the diamonds she was barely looking at the pictures.

  “These are my twins, Shaheem and Kareem. And this is my baby, Caliph,” she cooed.

  Nina drooled over the three handsome boys. “I can tell that’s your baby. He looks just like you. And the twins must look just like their father. All you did was carry them.”

  “I know.” She beamed with pride. “The twins belong to their father. They look just like him and act just like him.”

  “You have a beautiful family.” Nina was now ashamed to pull out her wack-ass BlackBerry, but she did and pulled up a few pictures.

  “Awww, they are adorable. Now, they all look like you. I wish I had at least one daughter.”

  Nina pointed to her stomach. “That could be your daughter right there.”

  “Girl, please, I don’t even know if I’ma keep this one.”

  Nina gasped. “For real?”

  “Girl, it’s a long story.”

  “Well, it’s your body. It’s your choice. I ain’t judging.”

  “I like you. You cool as hell. What is your name?”

  Nina started laughing. “I’m Nina. And yours?”

  “I’m Tasha. And if you are ever in California look me up. Let’s exchange numbers, give me your phone.” Nina handed over her cell. “Cool.” Tasha locked her number in. “Promise you’ll look me up.”

  “Hell yeah. As a matter of fact, I’m looking forward to it. Rodeo Drive, here I come!” Both of the ladies started laughing.

  Rick looked at his watch. Nina had been gone for almost twenty minutes. Way too long for someone to have to freshen up. What the hell they got in there? A shower? He stood up and headed for the restrooms. When he got there another brother was standing there knocking on the door.

  “Shorty, you all right in there?” he yelled out.

  “Be right out.” The voice came from the other side of the door.

  He sighed and stepped to the side. Rick cracked the door. “Nina, what’s up?”

  “Here I come.”

  Rick heard the ladies giggling. “Man, they in there socializing.”

  “I see. They been in there for almost a half hour,” the dude waiting for Tasha said.

  Rick looked at him closely. He looked familiar to him, but then he quickly nixed it off when the bathroom door came open and both ladies stepped out.

  “Shorty, you aiight? I was getting worried.”

  Rick watched as the dude asked his boy’s wife lovingly, and then took her by the hand as if she was his most prized possession.

  “I threw up… again,” Tasha whined. Then she looked over at Nina. “Nina here was making sure I was all right. Nina, this is Kyron. Kyron, this is Nina.” She then looked at the dude that was standing next to Kyron. She squinted. When they locked gazes, she gasped as if she had just seen a ghost. Her hand flew over her mouth as she slowly backed into the bathroom.

  Rick followed her.

  Kyron was right behind Rick.

  Nina was behind Kyron.

  “Tasha, what’s the matter?” Kyron had eased his hand over his burner. “Is there a problem?”

  Tasha couldn’t speak.

  Kyron went around Rick and stood between him and Tasha. He placed his hand up to Rick’s chest and pushed him back. “Man, step out for a minute. Let me talk to my shorty.”

  Rick slapped his arm away. “Hold up, my man. Tash, what the fuck is you doin’ with this nigga?” He tried to step around Kyron but Kyron kept Tasha blocked.

  “I’m not going to ask you again. Step out of the bathroom, yo,” Kyron gritted. He turned to Tasha. “Shorty, who is this nigga?”

  “I’m just a friend of the family,” Rick said, hoping to relax Kyron. “Tasha, tell him.”

  Tasha remained in shock and hiding behind Kyron. Rick’s attempt at peace obviously didn’t work because Kyron pushed Rick back again. Nina grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the bathroom.

  Kyron turned around and faced Tasha, who was visibly shaken. “Who is that nigga, Tasha? You used to fuck with him or something?”

  “He’s dead. A dead cop,” she mumbled.

  “A dead cop? What the fuck are you talking about?” Kyron grabbed her by the shoulders but she was still mumbling. “Let me get you the fuck outta here so you can tell me what the fuck is going on.” He grabbed her hand and they barged out of the bathroom.

  They almost knocked over Rick, who was pacing back and forth. “Tasha, let me explain,” he pleaded as he went after them.

  “You need to back the fuck up. Can’t you see she don’t want to be bothered?” Kyron barked as he waved his burner.

  “Don’t wave that if you don’t plan on using it.” Rick regretted those words as soon as they came out.

  Kyron stopped dead in his tracks. He cocked his hammer and gritted, “You don’t know me, muthafucka.”

  Rick held up his two hands in the form of surrender. “I don’t want no trouble, man. It’s all good. I come in peace. I told you I’m just a friend of the family. Trae was like a brother to me and I was just wondering, what the fuck are you doing with my man’s wife? You know how that is.”

  “Don’t worry about what the fuck I’m doing and who I’m doing it with.” Kyron spat as he put the safety back on his burner, tucked it into his waist and proceeded to take Tasha out of the restaurant.

  Rick paused. This muthafucka must be crazy. Do he know who the fuck I am? Rick was right on their heels. Nina could barely keep up and she was confused as hell. “Tasha, what are you doing with this nigga?” Rick yelled after them. “And where is Trae? Let me talk to you. Just give me a couple of minutes. Fuck that nigga,” Rick ranted as he followed them outside.

  Kyron once again stopped dead in his tracks. He was torn between the idea of killing this nigga in front of everybody with Tasha with him or just walking away. He then turned to Rick and said, “Another place, another time.” They jumped into a taxi and pulled off.

  “Shit!” Rick ranted as he pounded the hood of someone’s car.

  “Rick, why are you stressing? I have her phone number,” Nina said soothingly.

  “What I need to say can’t be said over no telephone, Nina.”

  “So what do you have to say? Enlighten me, Rick. Because I don’t know what the fuck just happened.”

  “Not now, Nina. Let’s get out of here.”

  By three o’clock that morning Rick couldn’t believe how such a perfect evening turned into shit. Everything was perfect except for that run-in with Tasha. That freaked him out and he was sure it freaked her out as well. Never in a million years did he see that coming. That was something that he would have to handle, first chance he got. He gave Nina a partial story about Trae and Tasha and was glad that she didn’t press the issue any further. But the run-in really opened up some old wounds for him.

  Even though he had a lot of feelings for Nina, his heart was still with Kyra. He was also now glad that they made him transfer to Georgia. Maybe he would cancel the lawsuit against them… Nah, fuck that! Them muthafuckas ain’t gettin’ off that easy, forcing me to leave the state, he said to himself. He just wished tha
t Nina wasn’t caught up in the web of WMM, especially since his new partner, Rhodes, was determined to put everyone at WMM away for life.

  Rick glided the Escalade into Nina’s driveway and turned off the ignition. They had driven the majority of the way from the airport in silence.

  God, I don’t want this moment to end. Nina looked over at Rick, who was looking at her. “So, now what?” she asked him. “Ever since you ran into the girl, you been trippin.’ Can you leave New York behind?”

  “I’ll do my best.” He placed his hand gently behind her neck and pulled her towards him. Nina took over from there. She placed her hand behind his head and began teasing his lips with her tongue. Rick closed his eyes and savored her sweet taste.

  “Don’t leave. I need you to stay with me,” she pleaded. Nina’s breathing was heavy, which only made his dick hard.

  “Are you sure about that?” He was now kissing her neck and rubbing the inside of her thigh.

  “I’m sure.” I ain’t never been so sure in my life. Nina kissed him one more time before getting out of the truck. Rick didn’t waste a second getting out behind her.

  Nina fumbled with the lock before remembering that they were changed. She went to the mailbox and felt underneath it and unraveled a taped envelope. She and the locksmith had done this many times before. Rick waited anxiously as she came back up the stairs. When they stepped inside the house, Nina told Rick to make himself at home. “I’m going to take a shower and slip into something comfortable.”

  “What about me? Can I shower and slip into something comfortable?”

  Nina turned around and said, “I’m not going to be long. Make yourself comfortable. I got something special planned for you.” She disappeared up the staircase.

  Rick took off his jacket, felt inside for his burner and laid it across the couch. He never really took the time to check her place out. He was always in her bedroom and out. He sat down and scanned her living room. Her home décor was very modern. She had great taste. The sofa was split suede and leather in a rich chocolate brown. The plasma TV was encased by a mirror. When the TV wasn’t on it looked like a mirror. The end tables had marble throughout the smoked-glass tops. The paintings on the walls were bright, colorful and abstract. He nodded his head in approval.