|Recap|

As soon as we made it inside, she met with Steve.

"You made it! You also have a new makeup artist and script."

"Great," she smiled "I also signed up to volunteer at a high school in Compton. I want to speak with the male students about gang violence, prison, death row."

"Perfect. Now I'm not gonna say it won't be a challenge. They're good kids."

I paged Jerry and told him that we're going to postpone the video shoot. Just as I was about to slide my pager back into my pocket, Lucky pages me and says he wants me to meet somebody.

I mentally responded and grabbed Tomica by her waist.

"I gotta go. See you later," I said before giving her a kiss.

Bestia Italian Restaurant
Los Angeles, CA

I arrived at a fancy Italian restaurant named "Bestia." According to the message Lucky sent me, he wants me to meet somebody. Someone important I guess.

This is just what I needed, running into Scooter's crazy ass. Whenever he's around or involved in something, shit hits the fan.

We had a fallout years ago for a reason.

"So why did you ask me to meet you here?" I asked before taking a seat.

I don't have a problem with Lucky but in all honesty, I really don't want to be here.

"Hey Eric this is someone I want you to meet. He's a very powerful and intelligent man. His name is Henry Mason. Henry, this is Eric, an old friend."

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Mason," I said with a straight face.

"No need to be so formal Eric. You're making me feel older than what I already am. You can just call me Henry."

A few seconds later, a waiter approaches our table. "What can I get for you?" he asks with a notepad in his hand.

"Give him the same thing I have," said Henry "and hurry it up will ya?"

Before he left, I stopped him in his tracks.

"Oh that's okay. I'm not hungry to be honest with ya."

"Well Eric you can't just sit there without eating anything. And I wouldn't feel right if the three of us are eating while you on the other hand isn't."

"No thanks. I'm fine, trust me."

"Well let me know if you change your mind," he said before walking away.

"Once again it's nice to meet you Henry. Now I'm not trying to sound rude or anything but I did have plans today, such as working on an album and music video. So can you tell me why-"

He interrupted. "So I heard about your run-in with Suge Knight and a couple of Bompton Bloods the other day. And I heard about the robbery you committed at California National Bank as well as the robbery you recently committed at a jewelry store."

I raised a brow. "You heard? Wait, how do you know all of this?"

He took a bite of his pasta and smirked. "I have my sources. Just know that I'm a very powerful man Eric."

"And you're lucky to even be in his presence," Scooter smiled.

"Okay," I chuckled "but how do you know that I committed those crimes? It could easily be anybody. Why is the finger always pointed at me?"

"Eric you ask too many questions. But I just want to say job well done. You guys did a hell of a job. And let me tell you something, there isn't too many guys that can handle that lifestyle. The.. gangster life."

"Yeah. But I promised myself that I wouldn't end up like my cousin," I sighed "I'm out the game. Well, I'm trying to get out of it. As of now, I'm only gonna focus on my music."

"So why aren't you out the game Eric? Why are you still committing crimes? Why are you still trigger happy? And you was even arrested the other day, it made headlining news."

I glanced at Scooter. "Loyalty."

"And of course I'm sorry to hear about the death of your teenage friend, Scooter."

He nodded. "Thank you. At least someone is showing some sympathy."

"What do you mean?"

"Long story short..."

| Flashback |

"It's Kevin. He's dead."

"What? O-okay now what about the money? Did you wipe the bank out?"

"See what I mean Henry? He showed no type of sympathy whatsoever. Some people can be so damn selfish."

"And the kid didn't have to go out that way."

"These fucking Bloods. I swear to God before I die, I'm going to make sure there is an actual blood bath in Bompton."

"Done nigga it's done."

"Great. Don't forget to pay your crew twenty percent of what you stole. And come by tomorrow with my cut. Oh and forget about the kid. This city is dangerous and he was just a small price to pay. Don't sweat it."

"And this is when I started to lose my temper. Kevin was a small price to pay? Is he serious? And he was only seventeen damn years old."

"S-small price to pay?! The kid was seventeen and he was my friend you piece of shit!"

"Aye man don't fucking take it out on me okay? It was your idea to bring his ass. No one forced you to do it. Calm down, it's done. Shit happens right? Death is a part of life right?"

"Of course death is a part of life. But he did not deserve to get killed. He had his whole life ahead of him."

"And Scooter we begged you not to bring him but you did anyway. That's yo problem, you're always fucking shit up and you play too damn much."

"Eric stay in yo lane and stop talking please."

"Whatever."

"Look I'm sorry about the kid, I really am. Just be careful next time. The main thing is you got the money. Talk to you tomorrow."

"Yeah."

| End of flashback |

"Once again Scooter, I'm sorry for your lost. And you three shouldn't spend the rest of your life robbing," he said before taking a sip of wine.

"You know me well," I smirked "I'm out the game. I quit."

Scooter sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Eric I'm sorry to bust your bubble but, let me tell you why I wanted to meet you."

I licked my lips. "I'm listening."

"You three gentlemen are way too smart for bank robbing. Leave that to Bonnie and Clyde."

"Yeah. And you see what happened to them right?" I spat.

"Eric let him finish," said Scooter.

"So now.. I want to know if you're ready for the uh.. next step."

"And what is the next step?"

"Hmm. I'm talking about taking somebody out. And I'm not talking about a basic Crip versus Blood homicide, no.. I'm talking mafia style."

[A/N: "Eazy-E: American Gangster" reference, coming soon ⚡️ Eazy in a mafia book is going to be lit I promise]

"So you want us to..." I trailed off.

"I want you to take somebody out. Just because someone points his finger at them and tells you to do it."

I just met Henry and I'm already having bad vibes about him. There's something strange about him, but right now I just can't put my finger on it.

"So.. you want us to kill somebody," I muttered.

Scooter interrupted. "Aye Eric if it's too much for you or if you can't handle it, Lucky and I can take this person out without you. Because to be real, you're nothing but dead weight."

I scoffed. "Really? That's how it is? After everything I went through for you. I got arrested and even lied for you at a police questioning, and this is how you repay me?"

"Aye E I appreciate your loyalty and I respect that. But when it comes to this gangsta shit, you seem brand new. Is it that Tomica bitch? What, is the pussy that damn good?"

"Guys," Henry muttered.

"What, you think Tomica is the reason why I want to turn my life around? She has nothing to do with it and I'm far from in love if that's what you're thinking."

"Well if it's not love then you need to let her go because she's just holding you back."

"Nah. I'ma stick with her for now. We're just friends and I prefer it that way."

"Man that's some bullshit!" he spat "you're putting some groupie bitch over us."

"This ain't the time for that."

"Yeah. Oh and what's her name again? Tamia or something?"

"You petty. You know her name is Trisha," Lucky laughed.

"Nah nah nah, I'm pretty certain her name is Time Warp."

"But you just called her Tamia," I scoffed.

"Aight. I'll leave Tinker Bell alone."

"What is her name?" Henry asked.

"Tomica," I corrected "and she's the only thing that's keeping me sane right now. I think about her too much."

"Well. You know in the mafia, a made man isn't allowed to have mistresses. So if you was in the mafia, you would have to kill her. Otherwise, they would kill her," he spat while glaring at me.

I don't know if that was a warning or a threat, all I know is they better stay the hell away from her. She has nothing to do with this.

And as of today, I should hate myself for allowing Scooter back into my life. This nigga is nothing but trouble, nothing but trouble.

I nodded. "Yeah I understand. But like I said, we're just friends. Nothing is going on between us."

"So.. you think you can handle this job? Oh and I'll pay you. And Scooter, you better not fuck around because you know you're in a lot of debt."

"Yeah. But I'm paying some of it off," he mumbled.

"Eric.. I need guys like you. Guys who will kill someone when someone else tells them to. Someone who is willing to follow orders without asking questions."

"This doesn't seem right," I said.

"Listen Eric, the pay is good. You'll even earn my trust and respect, after this guy is pronounced dead."

"Who's the lucky guy?" Scooter questioned.

"Ah just someone who owes me a lot of money."

"And how much does the job pay?"

"If you do the job correctly, each of you will walk away with sixty grand a piece. But that's only if it's done correctly. If you mess anything up, your cut drops thirty percent."

Scooter choked on his meal. "S-sixty grand a piece?! That's a fucking fortune, just to kill some damn body!"

"Just tell the whole fucking world," I spat.

"What? Is it too much for you?" he laughed.

"No. I'm just saying. That's a lot of damn money just to commit homicide. But you can count on us. All of us."

"Back to you Eric. Now, I know that you're trying to let this life go. But listen, this is good money."

"I don't need your money," I snapped.

"We need you," Scooter mumbled "man we can't do this without you. It's sixty grand E."

"Nah," I shook my head "I'm already in a lot of shit because of yo ass anyway. And now you expect me to kill somebody?"

Henry laughed. "Hey I know how you feel. I'm against killing humans as well, but only if it's not for a good reason."

He took another bite of pasta and I stared at him. I feel like I've seen him somewhere but everything is a blur.

Yeah, there's something fishy about Henry. Too bad I can't put my finger on it and this whole situation, but the truth will come out sooner or later.

"So what about you Eric? Don't throw sixty grand down the drain. That's a lot of money for an easy job. Are you against killing? Well.. are you against killing humans that is?"

I shook my head. "Whatever man. You can stop giving me advice as of now. I'm not doing it so you're gonna have to find somebody to replace me. I'm out, thanks for wasting my time."

"Eric I am a very powerful man. I would hate to make a few phone calls."

I stopped in my tracks. "What? You trying to threaten me?"

"Remember this; you better watch your back. Because you never know..."

---
Damn I'm petty as hell for that cliffhanger 😐

But just fyi, this person is not going to be the reason why E will end up on death row.

Is he going to kill him or nah? Find it in the next episode of Dragon Ball Z 😂 let me stop.