Payback With Ya Life Read Free

bathroom.”
    A few minutes later Briggen pulled into a Waffle House on Raleigh Street in Lagrange.
    “I need my cell phone.”
    “Where is it?”
    “In my car.”
    “I’ll get that while you use the restroom.”
    She sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes at him. “I’m sure you will.” She got out and slammed the door.
    When she came out of the bathroom, Briggen was standing at her car talking to Woo. He passed her the cell phone.
    “Glad you rejoined us. I was wondering if you were going to jump out the back window and try to escape. What happened? They got bars on the window? And you look like you saw a ghost.” Woo was trying not to laugh at Briggen’s wisecracks.
    Shan ignored him and headed to the Denali. As soon as she got in she called Peanut.
    “Yo, Shan. Where the fuck are you?” Peanut barked into the phone. “You need to stop bullshittin’ around. I’m worried about you, maine.”
    “Peanut, I’m bleeding. It’s coming out in clots,” she whispered as she looked out the side view mirror for Briggen. “Meet me at the emergency room. I think I lost the baby.”
    “What baby?”
    “I’m pregnant, Peanut.”
    “Pregnant? By who? How? When the fuck was you gonna tell your brother? And don’t say it’s by that nigga at the prison!” he screamed on her.
    “Okay . . . I won’t say it then.”
    “I’ma kill that nigga and all of his family!”
    “Peanut, stop it. Just meet me at the hospital.” Briggen jumped in the ride just as she ended the call. “I need you to take me to the hospital. I still have to make my doctor’s appointment.”
    “Hospital? What’s wrong?”
    “I’m scheduled for a physical. My job requires it before I transfer.”
    “Why at the hospital?” Briggen was skeptical.
    “My doctor’s office is on Med Place, Briggen. That’s why. Now do you need any more info? If not then drop me off and I’ll call you when I’m finished. It’ll give me some time to clear my head.”
    “You don’t want me to stay? Why do I feel like this is a trick?”
    “Don’t worry, it’s not.” Her stomach was cramping. “You got my car, and here, take my cell. I’ll call you when I’m ready.” She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, trying to hide the fact that she was in pain.

CHAPTER TWO
     
    J anay was livid as she headed to see her dad, Big Choppa, the number one dope runner in Memphis and the one who had groomed her for the game. His bodyguard, Boomer, was sitting on the porch when she pulled up. Boomer stood six feet three inches, at three hundred forty pounds with no neck, and was black as tar. The whitest thing on him was his eyeballs and the prettiest was his teeth. He had been Choppa’s bodyguard and right-hand man ever since she could remember.
    “Boomer,” Janay spoke as she climbed the front porch. He grunted, but the way he looked at her always made her feel exposed. Those eyes . . . his eyes seemed as if they were piercing her mind, reading her innermost thoughts. Other than that she loved him to death. When everyone else feared him, he was like her second father. Yes, his bite was most definitely meaner than his bark but he had nothing but love and loyalty for Big Choppa and his family. She quickly turned her head and eased the front door open. She took a deep breath before stepping inside.
    She found Big Choppa relaxing in his La-Z-Boy, chin on his chest, appearing to be sound asleep. She knew he wasn’t because he always slept very lightly. His bald head was shining in the dimly lit room. Old age and liver cancer were definitely taking their toll on her father. He had gone from a robust and healthy two hundred sixty pounds to a sickly one hundred seventy in less than six months.
    He ignored old age and the liver cancer, continuing to hustle as if the hands of time were standing still or even pushed back to twenty years ago. Big Choppa wasn’t hearing of getting out of the game. As a matter of fact, every time Janay would bring up the subject of