Ricardo smirked at me and folded his hands.

"Yes. Its coke but it's a kilo of coke Eric", he replied to me.

"I'm saying. You just pulling out coke like it's nothing man in public too?", I questioned as I looked at him with suspicion. "How much this worth?"

Ricardo paused as he stared at me for a brief second.

"Twenty-five thousand"

My eyes got bigger as if my ears were deceiving me. Something that look so simple on this table could change my life in the blink of an eye.

"Damn", I whispered before scooting closer to the table. "But I'm saying man you pulling this shit out like it's not...well you know...coke"

"Look Eric. If you're worried about someone saying something you can forget about it" he insisted. "See, this here this restaurant is family owned so I do what I want in here and no one's going to do or say shit about it", he grinned slyly before running his hand across the plastic wrapped coke.

"Now" he continued. "This isn't just any coke. This is pure and not like that garbage that's on the street that's washed with acetone and carotene. But this right here Eric is the best product and you're gonna be the only one in the street holding this" Ricardo says as he waved his finger around.

I bit down on my bottom lip before turning to look at Monae quickly. She blinked at me and flared her nostrils before smiling. I slowly head nodded, turning my attention back to Ricardo who was now pulling out a cigar from his shirt pocket.

"Twenty-five thousand fucking dollars", I said in skepticism as I scratched the side of my face.

"I tell you this Eric", Ricardo said in his thick accent. "I feel that you can get the job done so I will put you to a job yea? Tonight, I want you to meet back at this location mmm bout 10pm. There will be a white van and I want you to follow that van. From there you'll get information about what I want you to do. Okay?"

I head nodded as I looked down at my plate of scallops. This shit is crazy, I went from dealing crack to possibly be moving coke? This is some deep shit. The money I could bring in would change everything in my life, including living with my parents still.

"Coo" I non chalantly spoke as I reached out my hand to shake Ricardo's.

He firmly grasped my hand and gave a small grin. We let each other hand go and shared a small laugh.

"Now like I said earlier bout not working with your kind is because I've tried before and they were disloyal. Disloyalty gets you killed and not to be trusted. But darling Monae spoke highly of you and I take that into consideration"

I licked my lips as I grabbed my baby girl hand as she slyly grinned. Her hand was so warm and soft, placing me at ease about the situation.

"Speaking of Monae, how you guys know each other"

Ricardo glanced over at Monae before looking back at me.

"Monae...she ah used to make drops for me once upon of time" he chuckled.

Shocked, I pressed my lips together and stared at Monae who giggled a little bit. Here I am, thinking this girl lives a normal life and she's a runner. It was a perfect scheme, since when you look at her you would never think she would be the type to get her hands dirty.

"Oh word...that's interesting" I muttered as I bit down on the inside of my cheek.

"Yeah" Monae smirked. "I used to do a little something to pay my way through medical encoding school which is now why I have that position as a medical biller" she grinned widely.

"Learn something new every day mmm", I say in a whispering tone.

From that point, we ate our lunch and shared a couple of laughs about regular people shit. TV shows, life and family. Ricardo seems like a real genuine dude...so far and umm I know I got to talk to Monae about what the fuck I just heard.

But it makes sense, she put me on the plug for some reason. Maybe she trying to get back on this wave too.

Maybe.

Later that Night...

I leaned back in my driver seat as my eyes diverted back and forth, watching the traffic lights change colors and the cars coming to a stop. I can't even lie, I'm nervous as hell but it aint no time to back down now.

I agreed to get this paper so now I gotta do what I gotta do. There were some homeless people walking passed the restaurant where we all ate lunch at earlier while some tourist walked and spoke excitedly through the streets.

"5 till", I said as I looked at the clock in my car before slightly turning up the volume on the radio.

"Hey this is Michael Basin and you're now listening to 98.7 Kiss FM. This station is all about grown folk's music, so I want you wine down and turn your speakers up as the smooth sound of Luther Vandross, So Amazing play through your speakers...Keep it sexy ya'll"

Love has truly been good to me
Not even one sad day
Or minute I had since you come my way
I hope you know I gladly go
Anywhere you take me

It's so amazing to be loved
I'd follow you to the moon in the sky above

"Sappy ass love song", I chuckled to myself as closed my eyes then opening them again.

My attention turned to my window as I watched a white van pull up to myside and turning their hazard lights on. I adjusted the gun on my hip as I watched a short, fat Spanish nigga with an all-black trench coat approach my window. He had stringy hair with a big mole on the side of his cheek.

I know this nigga got problems getting pussy with the mug he got, I thought to myself as he tapped on my window. I proceeded to press the window down button. Slightly cracking it.

"You Eric?", he questions in a thick Columbian accent.

"Whose asking?", I questioned back, placing my hand on my waistband.

"Ricardo said you'd be here. Follow me", he spat with a snarl.

I don't really like messing with these Columbians either, they got something against us blacks too. I'm getting antsy as fuck messing with all these fucking foreigners. I watched his hazard lights turn off, slowly creeping away from the side of my car.

I proceeded to put my car in drive as I followed behind this van, down dark backstreets. I should of took Quan or Monae with me to do this shit in case I needed to peel a nigga cap back. I'm smarter than this but that 25,000 dollars rang in my head like a beautiful sonnet.

Cruising through the backstreets of Harlem, I noticed that we were quickly in Washington Heights and approaching the cleaners like Ricardo said. I slowly decelerated the car as I pulled up to the driver side of the Van, facing dude.

I rolled down my passenger window, "We good?"

He nodded as he leaned on his window, "Ju go ahead and do what you gotta do... That alley right there" he pointed before looking back at me. My Name is Pablo" he said as he put the car in drive and pulled off.

I watched him make a right turn before completely disappearing. I sucked my teeth and parallel parked my Benz and killing the engine. Running my hand down my face, I closed my eyes and said a small prayer to myself.

Dear God, keep evil away from me
Watch people who hate on me
Those who out to harm me
Give me signs and at least warn me God
Make my trips safe when I leave make me return

Amen.

The sound of the dinging from opening my car door went off as I grabbed my keys out of the ignition and closing the door behind me. The sounds of the city traffic and people echoed behind me as I looked up at the dimly lit sign that said, "Express Cleaners"

I walked on the side of the cleaners where I see two guys loading something up in the back of a truck. I became a little anxious cause I didn't remember Ricardo saying I' ma have guest around. I proceeded to walk as my fresh pair of Timbs hit the semi-wet pavement from the rain we had earlier this evening.

The night sky stood cold and still as darkness seemed to close in on me as I walked briskly down this alley, passing what looks like a bread truck.

If this nigga setting me up, I swear Ima kill him, I thought to myself as I clenched my jaw. I jumped back as a black cat ran passed my feet, meowing and scurrying out the alleyway.

"Shit!', I shrieked as I watched that furry bastard take off running. "My nerves are too fucked up for this shit", I muttered as I continued to walk.

I looked behind me to see one of the guys peeking over at me, making me more alert. What if this is really a fucking set up and no one will hear me if something happens to me. All I know is I'm going out with a bang if niggas try me.

Maybe I'm on edge because I smoked two Blunts before coming out here. I continued to walk as I seen a black duffle bag resting against the silver tin trash can. I looked behind me again before picking up the bag, that was heavy as hell.

Cop sirens sounded off faintly a few blocks away from me, causing my heart to skip a beat. My palms became sweaty as I grasped the black straps of the duffle bag that was now resting on my shoulder.

As I walked quickly towards the bread truck, I heard the two guys in conversation before looking at me.

"Maybe we should go to him"

"How do you know if he got it?"

I heard one of them say as I walked passed the two. I looked over my shoulder as they both looked at me. I continued to keep looking over my shoulder in paranoia. I picked up my pace as I heard steps faintly trailing behind me.

Fuck, I knew this shit was a set up I thought to myself as I placed my finger on the trigger of my gun.

"HEY!", I heard the guy called out to me.

I quickly turned around and flared my nostrils widely, tightening the grip on my trigger. Any false move, I will blow his brains all over this pavement.

"We were wondering do you got the time man?" he shrugged.

I froze for a split second before heaving a sigh and chuckling to myself.

"Yeah man.... its 15 minutes after ten", I told him while looking down at my watch.

"Aye thanks man! Sorry if I startled you..." he nodded before turning on his heels and walking back to the bread truck. "We gotta finish loading this shit up before ten-thirty man"

I dropped my head down to my chest in relief as I swiftly rushed back to my car and throwing the duffle bag into the trunk. I looked around once again before closing my trunk and hopping into the driver seat.

Starting my ignition and pulling off, I flipped open my cell phone to make a call. It rang about 3 times before someone answered.

"Yo hello...yeah its Cas. I'm on the way over there", I say before flipping the phone closed and tossing it into my empty passenger seat.

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