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  “You know this man?” Swan asked, nodding toward Kareem.

  “Yeah,” the fat kid said sheepishly.

  “This is my people,” Swan said, moving the gun from the fat kid's gut to his temple. “And being that he's my people, he falls under the protection of my family. The Clark family.” Swan noticed the fat kid began to sweat at the mention of the Clarks. “You’ve wronged this man, but you’re gonna make it right. Isn’t that so?”

  The kid nodded.

  “Good,” Swan said. “Now I want you to say something with me:When I come home, I’m gonna pay back every dollar I stole. Say it, mutha fucka!”

  “I’m gonna pay back every dollar I stole,” the fat kid repeated.

  “Nigga, say it right,” Swan barked, cocking the gun.

  “When I come home, I’m gonna pay back every dollar I stole.”

  “Good,” Swan said, backing up. “That wasn’t hard at all. You niggaz make this shit right. Any questions?”

  “Yeah,” the fat kid whispered. “Where am I going?”

  “Oh, shit.” Swan laughed and leaned against Shai. “I damn near forgot to tell you.” Swan shot the fat kid, once in each leg. “The hospital, pussy. Don’t fuck with my people!” Swan swept the kid's crew with the pistol. No one dared move. He smiled, knowing that his point had been made.

  Shai drove the car with both hands, casting a glare at Swan from time to time. He had gone to bat with Swan at his side more than once, but that was back in high school. With age came a coldness to Swan that Shai wasn’t quite used to. You had to be cold to play the game. If what Swan did was everyday life in the game, Shai was happy to be a square.

  The two men talked back and forth and continued to spin through Harlem. Swan took Shai to Land & Sea, where they stuffed themselves with seafood and sipped mixed drinks. It felt good to kick it with his man again after so long. Even though Shai made it home for just about every break, they rarely got to see each other during the school year. While Shai was away at school, Swan would be in the City. Then when Shai was in the City, Swan would be OT. That's why the summertime was so important to them; it was the only time of year that the two of them could really kick it.

  “Damn,” Shai said, stuffing another shrimp in his mouth. “This shit is good.”

  “You never been here?” Swan asked.

  “Nah. I heard of this place before, but I really was fucking with One Fish Two Fish. But this here is the jump-off. Plus the food ain’t as high.”

  “Shai, cut that shit out. You know you ain’t hardly pressed for no cake.”

  “Swan, I’m just as broke as every other college nigga.”

  “Please. Yo’ daddy is caked up, man.”

  “That's his paper, son. I don’t count that, ‘cause I ain’t make that.”

  “You serious?”

  “Yeah, man. I work at this fancy-ass hotel down there. Shit, them folks tip good too. I clear quite a few dollars in tips on the weekend.”

  “Damn, I need to come down there with you, Shai.”

  “Wish it was that simple.” Shai sighed. “Niggaz gave me the boot, kid.”

  “Shai, you let them backwards-ass crackers catch you slipping? I’m disappointed in you,” Swan said.

  “It wasn’t even like that. A mutha fucka told on me. Nigga lost some paper and got upset. It ain’t my fault he lost, but the bitch-ass nigga told on me. They started to bring me up on charges but Scotty dead’d that shit. Kicked my black ass smooth out though.”

  “What you gonna do, Shai?”

  “I dunno.” He shrugged. “Guess I’ll ride out the summer and see what comes up.”

  Shai's attention was temporarily diverted when he heard the restaurant door open to his rear. He watched as three gorgeous young ladies came into the establishment. They were three shades of brown and Shai wanted to taste them all. Before Swan could say anything, Shai was on his feet and headed in the direction of the ladies.

  “Excuse me,” Shai said, half bowing, “my name is Shai, and I will be your host for the evening. May I escort you to my table?”

  The girls looked at Shai and laughed. Shai had them grinning so he knew that all he had to do was choose. Blonde, redhead, or brunette? So many choices. The blond girl stepped forward and addressed Shai's comment.

  “I dunno,” she said, eyeballing him. “You don’t look like no waiter to me, shorty.” She stood there looking like something straight out of Black Tail. Shorty had a butterscotch complexion, with caramel eyes. Her hair was dyed blond and cut into a style that the girls weren’t wearing up that way just yet. Her black low-rise jeans exposed her round ass and washboard stomach.

  “Baby,” Shai said, taking her hand. “Service is in my blood. What's your pleasure? What you need?”

  “You hear this nigga?” the blonde asked, looking to her crew. “Look shorty, you’re cute as hell, and witty on top of it, but this ain’t a good time.”

  “What, you up here wit’ somebody, ma?”

  “Something like that, shorty.”

  “My name ain’t shorty. It's Shai.”

  “And my name ain’t ma. It's Honey.”

  “Honey,” Shai said out loud. It made sense. This lady was definitely sweet paradise. Shai looked at her round breasts and made up his mind. He needed to have her. “So,” Shai picked up. “Now that we know each other, can we exchange numbers?”

  “Are you serious?” Honey asked. “I told you I was in here with somebody.”

  “It's all good, Honey. I respect everything you saying right now, that's why I ain’t just snatch you up and bounce. Homey can have his fifteen minutes of fame, I just want my chance to find out what makes you shine the way you do. Is it wrong for a man to be curious about why the Lord creates such miracles?”

  Honey tried to hold it, but a smile burst onto her face. This cat knew all the right things to say to a chick and he was handsome as hell. When she looked at the way he wore his sweatpants, only exposing a touch of his colorful boxers, she was open. There was something about this kid's style that made her wet. She didn’t know if it was his confidence or the James Dean-like sneer that he wore, but something about the young man made her wanna take a chance. Only not at that moment.

  “Like I said,” Honey continued, “I’m here with somebody, so I can’t even holla at you like that. Thank you for the kind words though.” Honey allowed the real waiter to lead her and her team to their table, while all Shai could do was watch her switch away.

  Shai's fantasy was broken up when someone bumped him from behind. Shai stumbled forward a few paces, but managed to keep his cool. He turned around and found himself confronted by a dark- skinned kid. He was a skinny dude, who walked with a bop. He wore a leather jacket when the weather was pretty nice outside. Shai knew what that was about. The kid glared at Shai with his veined, red eyes and searched for a reason. Shai was about to get crazy, when Swan tapped his arm.

  “ ‘Sup, Bone?” Swan said to the dark-skinned cat.

  “Young Swan,” Bone said, still not smiling. “What you doing this far north?”

  “Came to get something to eat with my peoples.”

  “Oh, you know this nigga?” Bone nodded toward Shai.

  “Yeah, this Shai. You don’t remember him?”

  “Nah. Fuck is he?”

  “This is Poppa's son.”

  “What Poppa?”

  “Only one Poppa, dawg.”

  “I thought Tommy was his only son?”

  “Nah. Shai is the youngest. He went to junior high with us.”

  “I don’t know this cat, but he looking at me all crazy and shit. I thought he had a problem or something.”

  “Nah, Bone. Shai is a civilian.”

  “Well, you better teach him to be careful where he's standing.” Without another word Bone and his peoples went to join Honey and her girls at their table. Shai just stood there staring at Bone's back.

  “ ‘Sup wit’ that dude?” Shai asked. “He acting like I did something to him.”

/>   “Nah,” Swan said. “Ain’t you, it's Tommy he's salty with.”

  “Fuck he do?”

  “Bone used to work with Poppa. Tommy caught him stealing and slapped him around. Banned him from the block. Only place Bone can get money now is way up here. Got his own little team up here. Ain’t many of them, but they’re some mean sons of bitches. Steer clear of them cats, Shai.”

  Shai shot one more glance in Bone's direction, before returning to the table with Swan. Now Shai understood why Honey didn’t want to holla; she was rolling with that fake-ass gangsta Bone. He didn’t look so tough, but if Swan was leery of him, then there must’ve been something to him. Swan didn’t scare easily.

  Honey strolled back to where her friends were piling into one of the booths. She had gotten a kick out of exchanging words with Shai.He was cocky as all hell, but there was something about him that turned Honey on. Also, there was something very familiar about his name.

  She had seen the youngest Clark boy around, but had no idea who he was or what he was about. Unlike Tommy, Shai didn’t make his name on the streets. Honey thought the kid was cute, but her mind really wasn’t on socializing at that moment. She was thinking about her life.

  It seemed like she was running in place. Between her “job” and the men she had taking care of her, she lived pretty comfortably. Her rent was paid, and she stayed fly, but there was a serious lack of stability. Men came and went like clockwork, but none of them could be taken seriously. All they wanted was a piece of ass or a pretty face on their arm. Sometimes she felt like the whore her mother always said she would turn out to be. More often than not, Honey wanted to give up, but she had to be strong for Star.

  “Damn, girl,” Honey's friend Paula said. “Don’t you hear me talking to you?”

  “Huh?” Honey asked, snapping out of her daydream.

  “I was asking you if you were working tonight?”

  “Sorry, Paula. My mind was somewhere else.”

  “Um-hm,” Stacy butt in. “Probably thinking about shorty over there.”

  “Please.” Honey blushed. “Ain’t nobody thinking about that lil’ boy.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Paula spoke up. “The kid is fine.”

  “He a’ight,” Honey said nonchalantly.

  “Bitch, stop fronting,” Paula remarked. “Anyway, I was asking if you were working the club tonight. I could’ve picked you up and we could’ve split the cab.”

  “I don’t know, Paula. I get tired of shaking my ass for these crab-ass niggaz. Always talking that Willie shit, but you gotta damn near beg a nigga for a tip. That shit is wack.”

  “Better get in where you fit in,” Stacy said.

  “Easy for you to say.” Honey snaked her neck. “I don’t see yo’ ass gerting thigh burns on no fucking poles. That shit is a headache.”

  “You know work ain’t Stacy's style.” Paula nudged her. “She's one of those flat-back hoes!” They all had a good laugh, then Paula went back to the original topic. “So, you gonna push up on shorty or not?”

  “You still wit’ that shit?” Honey sucked her teeth.

  “You better act like you know,” Paula said. “That nigga is connected to paper. Money and handsome .. . that's a winning combo, bitch.”

  “Whatever.” Honey waved her off, wondering what the hell her friend was so excited about. “Anyway, what am I supposed to do with that nigga Bone up in here? Y’all know how he do.”

  “Don’t remind us,” Paula said. “That boy don’t hardly know how to act. 1 don’t even know why you mess with that nigga.”

  “Me either,” Stacy added, “That boy's got a face that only a mother could love.”

  “Fuck you, bitch,” Honey said, laughing. “Bone's got money and his dick is a’ight.”

  “Fuck Bone,” Paula said, looking around to make sure that Bone wasn’t within earshot. “I’m giving Shai your number.”

  “No the hell you aren’t,” Honey protested.

  “Baby girl, stop acting like that. Bone ain’t your man or nothing, so why not?”

  “He isn’t my man, but I’m here with him. Besides, he's on his way over here. How do you plan on getting Shai the number without Bone peeping it?”

  “Honey,” Paula said, scribbling on a napkin, “watch your girl work.”

  Frost sat on the leather couch he had just purchased for his mother, rolling a blunt. The latest videos were playing on the fifty-three-inch television that took up nearly one entire wall. The deep white carpet that lined the living room floor felt good to his bare feet. Frost smiled with pride.

  Frost was a small-time hustler who Tommy had fired for being incompetent. He was one of those cats that thought they knew the game inside and out, but really didn’t have a clue.

  When Tommy fired him, Frost scrounged up a few dollars and bought some grams. He eventually flipped those to an ounce and so on. He hadn’t reached bird status, but he was determined to get there. There were quite a few crews in the hood that wanted to get at Frost or get with him. He didn’t care either way because he figured that he was the smartest nigga in the hood.

  Swan had caught him hustling on the block and whipped his ass for it. Tommy had decreed that Frost had to be cast out, much like Bone. But instead of doing what Bone did and relocate to another hood, Frost did it the lazy way: He took his show on the road.

  Frost would post up on different blocks and sling his work. Then he would get up off the block before anyone noticed what he was doing. Being that he had a few workers under him to hold him down, he was able to be everywhere at once. He figured that if he kept doing it like this, he wouldn’t get caught.

  The two men ate the rest of their meal and called for the check. When the little Mexican waiter brought the bill, there was a folded piece of paper with it. Shai unfolded the paper and eyed the phone number on it. When he looked up, Honey was staring at him. She shot a quick wink and went back to her conversation with Bone. Shai smiled to himself as he put the number into his pocket. Bone might’ve talked a good game, but Shai was the true player.

  After gorging on seafood, Shai convinced Swan to go with him to the gym. Swan protested, ‘cause sports weren’t his thing, but Shai insisted. Even though Shai wasn’t in school, he still had to take care of himself. Just because he had gotten expelled didn’t mean that he was going to give up on his dream. Shai was determined to make it to the League.

  At first Shai and Swan were just shooting around, but soon people started coming in. The guys decided to run a full, but Swanopted to sit it out. Instead he just watched Shai do his thing. Swan was thoroughly impressed by his friend's skills. Shai was hitting the cats on the court with all kinds of moves. Shai hit his opponents with everything from crossovers to jump shots. To add insult to in

  jury, he dunked on a loudmouthed kid, who thought he was nice. Swan always knew that Shai had skills, but watching him was some

  thing out of this world. It was like poetry in motion.

  CHAPTER 3

  AFTER DROPPING HONEY AND her peoples off, Bone hit the hood to handle his business. He sat on a wooden chair in his apart

  ment, sifting through a pile of cocaine with a playing card. Everything that needed to be put on the streets was bagged and ready to go. The overs were for Bone to do with how he saw fit. A good portion would go into his nose and the rest would be used for entertainment.

  Bone scooped a pinky nail full of the powder and inhaled it. There was a tingling in the back of his nose that quickly spread to his skull. Soon his face and nose were numb. Bone smiled, knowing that the coke would be moved quickly on the streets. He pushed back from the small table and walked to the window.

  From the view of his apartment on 204th and Broadway, there wasn’t much to see. Traffic, commotion, and the grit of the city. There was no beauty, only shades of gray. It wasn’t much to look at, but it was Bone's domain: the section of the city that Tommy had banished him to.

  The slight by his onetime friend still stung when he thought abou
t it. He was younger than Tommy, but his ambition and hustle easily matched that of his elder. Tommy was Poppa's heir, so by right of birth the City would come to him. Bone was to be one of his lieutenants. That was, until their falling out.

  Bone knew he was wrong for skimming, but he had to eat. He was getting money under Tommy, but he would never be truly allowed to know his worth. He would always be second to Poppa's boy. Bone's greed got the best of him and he lost his position. He should’ve been thankful that he was allowed to live, but Bone didn’t see it that way.

  Tommy thought he was being slick by letting Bone live and banishing him as an embarrassment. He wanted to show that he could play God with people's lives. He was always an overconfident mutha fucka and that would be his downfall.

  Money was slow going for Bone and his followers at first. Every dope man in the City knew that Bone had been cast from the promised land and would be desperate. They either wouldn’t deal with him, or would double the price. Bone had no choice but to suffer the losses if he wanted to continue to eat. When Fat Mike had agreed to hit him off, things had started to look up. The only problem was, Mike would only give Bone the runoff from Tommy's shipments. It was either too weak, or not enough to really get right. It allowed Bone and his team to keep their heads above water, but something had to give.

  Time was ticking on the streets of New York. The reigning king was getting on in years and there were quite a few crews who were uncomfortable with Tommy taking over. If Bone played it right, he could come across as the lesser of two evils and gain support. In order to do this, he would have to prove his worth to Mike. With the Italians behind him, it would be a whole lot simpler to step up.

  Bone took one last look out over the City and returned to his little wooden chair and his pile of cocaine. The wheels in Bone's mind began to spin as he thought on what he had to do next. He continued to shovel coke into his nose, letting his wicked thoughts roam.