Charmed By A Steel City Hustler
Chapter 18 — Man to Man

Caesar:

"Damn Cease that shit is crazy Bruh. Nothing but net watch this." SWISH!

Bash sank the ball into the hoop for the game-winning points. I gave him a brief clap then flipped him off. We had been shooting hoops for the past hour to blow off steam.

I had just filled him in on Nise and Darryl. Bash shook his head and muttered that Darryl should have been murked. He would get no arguments from me on that. We walked over to the benches to towel off and hydrate.

I told Nise that I would fall back on this one to appease her. These past few weeks having her back was amazing. We were reconnecting on a different level now that we were mature adults.

The pussy was still fire, and she was no longer naïve either. I know she loved a fool, but she was not ready to jump back into a relationship with me. I had to show her that she was what I wanted, job occupation and all.

"So, where you trying to go eat at Bruh. I need some wings and a beer," Bash said as we got situated in his truck. The waterfront was right across the bridge. Damn them wings I wanted some steak and potatoes. I told him Bar Louie, and he turned the engine over and pulled off. The drive was silent, and I was waiting for him to speak.

Bash invited me out for hoops and lunch. The last time this happened, he was going to propose to Lola. I was curious as hell to what the news was this time. We pulled up to red light and Bash blew out a forced breath. "I cheated on Lola." "Say what now?"

I said with my ears now perked up. Bash was not the type of dude to creep out on his wife. Even in our younger years, he didn't cheat while in a relationship.

"I fucked her sister on some drunk shit one night. The situation got out of hand and turned into an affair. The crazy part is I think I am in love with Lois."

I choked on the blunt that I was puffing on, and tears ran down my face. This shit was a mouth full. We pulled off and got onto the bridge. Bash rubbed his right hand over his head which was a signal that he was withholding. "Lois? Yo, is she Nise's friend?"

"Nigga I don't know. We don't exactly go on dates and get to know each other. Lois is also Donnie's wife."

"Sebastian, you still fucking with that fool Bruh!"

I pounded my fist into the dashboard out of anger. Donnie was a fuck fool from the other side of town. He hid behind that law firm and his dad's reputation. When he first started coming around years ago, I told Bash it was a bad idea. I understood family and all that shit, but Donnie was just like his old man.

My father always said that there is always a set of family members. That will bring you down quicker than a stranger. They embrace you only to stab the knife in your back at the perfect opportunity. Donnie was that family member, and I could not understand why Bash did not see it.

Bash was doing more than just playing with fire right now. I had his back on everything and wanted him to go straight, period. Donnie was bad news and could not be trusted. This tryst with his wife did not help make this situation any less complicated. I scratched at my head and blew out hot air. I really needed a few shots of that Henny to ease my mind.

"Cease say something damn you all stoic and shit," Bash said staring at me as he pulled into the parking lot area of the restaurant.

"What the fuck am I supposed to say. How was the pussy? Have you lost your mind?"

I really was at a loss for words on these revelations. My head started to slightly pound. I was going to need some damn aspirin on top of alcohol. We exited the vehicle and headed to the entrance.

Bash was lightly chuckling and staring at me. He didn't answer either question, so there was my answer. The line at the hostess podium had two people in front of us. I shot a quick text to Nise asking her to dinner tonight. I did owe her a date, but I also wanted to talk to her.

"Caesar and Bash funny running into you guys here."

That voice solidified my funky mood. We both turned our heads to see Darryl and some random. She had some platinum blonde tracks, long ass tacky nails. A pair of shoes were too damn small.

This fool basically fucked with anything that would give his whack ass a second glance. This bitch was eye fucking Bash and myself, gat damn shame. I bet if I tried to fuck right now, she would drop that fool in a hot second.

"I don't see shit funny about this Darryl. Other than that fake ass Nicki Minaj on your arm," Bash said, and the girl frowned her face up. Her mouth opened, and Mr. Yuk was staring back at us. This bitch had missing teeth, rotted teeth, ugh throw the whole grill piece away.

I turned my face to the side until she closed her mouth back. Darryl didn't even attempt to defend her, that is some pussy ass shit. I would never let another fool disrespect any of my lady companions in their face.

"Well, then you have no sense of humor. I just completed business with Nise. We had a nice long discussion. She is going to be my supplier now permanently. Thanks for connecting me to her guys. She is the best if you know what I mean. Whoo does that woman know how to close a deal."

THUNK!

I punched Darryl right in his smug ass face. This fool was throwing shade about fucking with Nise. I knew he was lying, but it's the principal of the matter. The yuk mouth bitch put her hand to her mouth and looked away.

I bet she felt stupid for being on the arm of a punk bitch. Darryl stumbled back and begin to laugh. He thought everything was a game and joke since his Pops had money.

"Excuse me we do not tolerate any actions that will disrupt our atmosphere. I am going to have to ask all of you to vacate the premises immediately."

A tall white guy in a suit stated. He was standing next to the hostess podium.

"Why do we have to leave? He hit me?"

Darryl sounded like a twelve-year-old boy having a tantrum. My desire to eat here had gone away. Now I wanted to visit Nise. See what she had to say about her meeting with him. I trusted her without question.

I didn't know the full details of their past relationship. Bash was shaking his head and walked out ahead of me. Darryl started to go in on the manager as I let the door close behind me. Showing my ass in public was not how I got down. The police would be here in a hot second once the caller said, 'irate black male.'

We got back into Bash's vehicle, and I sent another text to Nise, requesting to meet at her house asap. We could do lunch and dinner today as far as I was concerned. The scene briefly pulled me away from my intended goal to eat steak and potatoes. Nise threw down in the kitchen so she could hook up lunch for us now. I could pay for dinner later tonight. The bubbles appeared and no response, she was being funny. I was not in the mood for any funny business after all the drama that just happened.

"Cease I know you ain't letting that fool get in your head?"

"Fuck no! That fool is dumb. He was fishing for a reaction and got it. Drop me at Nise's crib, Bruh."

Bash did not say another word to me. I never thought the day would come where either of us had lady troubles. Wait how the fuck did I even have troubles, and I was single. The ride was a quick thirty minutes seeing as how he was speeding, and his phone kept going off.

Normally I would joke with him about that being his jump off, but not now. He pulled up on the street where Nise lived, and I told him we would speak later. Bash nodded his head as he was busy returning text messages. I assumed he had some extracurricular shit to handle as well.

Nise was staying at her city condo and not the estate out in the sticks. That house was fly as hell. She bought it and renovated every detail about it. Nise had a refined taste that was a mix of old colonial times and modern architecture. I got on the elevator and rode up to the top floor.

My stomach growled, and I took a swig of my water bottle. I stepped off and ran into a fine ass caramel beauty. Her titties bounced off my chest, and she apologized in that giggly flirtatious way women did.

"The pleasure was all mine beautiful." I replied getting a look at her firm behind before the elevator doors closed.

"Damn put your tongue back into your mouth. She plays for the home team Cease."

I looked down the hall and saw Nise in her doorway. Baby had nothing but a pair of little shorts and a sports bra on. Jealous was something she never displayed so this scene was comical. Well, it would be if I wasn't here about her fuck boy ex. I walked up on her pushing that small body into the condo and shutting the door behind me.

"What is wrong with you?"

"You are what's wrong with me. I just saw that punk ass fool Darryl. He said y'all going to be doing more business together. What the fuck is up with that?

That motherfucker hollering about how you are a good deal closer and what not. Why the fuck haven't you killed him yet? You still fucking that fool? All while smiling in my damn face Denise!"

Nise kept her game face on and didn't blink. She was not the type to easily fly off the handle. I was ready for her little ass to pounce on me. She looked at me for a few more minutes than busted out laughing. Did she think this was a fucking joke?

Nise left me standing there near the front door and walked over to the mini bar. She pulled a bottle of Grey Goose cracking it open pouring a double shot. She threw it back quickly and then burped loudly. That shit was so un-lady like and a major turn off.

"The little girls you been sleeping with the past few years have turned you into something else. Those hoes obviously let you run shit. That stops right the fuck now Caesar. Have you lost your mind talking to me like that? I have killed enemies for less disrespectful behavior. This is my god damn house. I don't owe you any form of explanation. I am not your woman remember. You couldn't handle a lady that was your equal or possibly above you. We talked about this, and you said that you trusted me to handle it myself." "Denise

"

"Shut up! You had your chance to speak. I don't care about a public pissing match between you and Darryl. I only did that deal as a favor to you and Bash. You know me better than I know myself at times. For you to have the audacity to come up here talking to me like that is unacceptable. The other night was all bullshit. You don't see me as an equal at all. You needed an excuse to off Darryl. Your pride and ego are bruised because you are no longer my one and only? Tough shit!" "Yo you are really-"

"I AM NOT DONE! You walked away from us and you know what? Fuck it. I am done trying with your conceited caveman ass Caesar. Do you even know what clients are in my rolodex? Do You? I cannot just kill Darryl in broad daylight, and not suffer backlash. Did you even think about my business? No of course not because King Caesar is only concerned with himself. Your food is in the microwave, take it and get the fuck out. The next time you want to do business tell Bash to reach out to me. Your ass is on my block list."

Just like that Nise ended the conversation. Walking off toward her bedroom slamming the door. I wasn't about to go after her for several reasons. The main one being she kept a gun in every room of her house.

This was not how I saw this day going, but it is what it is. I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. Nise had a chicken breast sandwich with the fixings, side of coleslaw and a bag of chips. Not what I had a taste for, but this shit was homemade and guaranteed to be fire.

I could hear Nise in her bedroom talking loudly on the phone. By the shit she was saying it was probably her friend Lois. That had to be Bash's mistress, but that was for another time. I grabbed her bottle of Grey Goose on my way out just to piss her ass off. We were not done by far.

I don't give a damn about this little tantrum she just had. Darryl had better be gone soon, or he was going to die by my own hands, best believe that. Damn, I didn't drive here. How the fuck was I getting home? I pulled my phone out and clicked on the Uber app. I probably used this shit twice since I set up the account.