The Block Read Free Page A

turned and disappeared through the double doors.
    The two ate and talked for about an hour. As they sipped on their third Long Island ice tea, Tone asked, “So how long you in town for?” though he already knew the answer.
    â€œTwo weeks.”
    â€œDamn! So I don’t got much time then?”
    â€œMuch time for what?” she asked suspiciously.
    â€œTo try and convince you to stay,” Tone said with a smile.
    Serena chuckled. “I like New York, but that doesn’t mean I wanna live here.”
    â€œI can dig it.” Tone smiled. “So what you doing later on?”
    â€œNothing. Probably just gonna sit in my room and watch movies all night.”
    â€œFuck that!” Tone said, canceling her movie night. “I’m taking you out tonight. I’m not gonna let you spend your two weeks here just sitting up in a room.”
    Serena liked the way Tone was taking control, and the way he carried himself. “What did you have in mind?”
    â€œJust be ready around eight o’clock,” Tone said with a smile as him and Serena got up and exited the restaurant.
    â€œYo, what you doing?” Tone asked when he saw Serena trying to flag down a cab.
    â€œTrying to get a cab,” she said innocently.
    â€œDon’t disrespect me like that.” Tone smiled. “Wait right there.”
    Five minutes later Tone pulled up to the corner in his Benz. Once Serena got in, he quickly pulled off.
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    Maine double-parked his Denali in front of the projects. Now that he was in charge while Tone was on that other mission, he planned on letting it be known that he was moving up in the empire and wasn’t taking no shit. He walked up to a building, where about five local guys stood in front. “What’s good? How’s it looking out here?” Maine asked as he gave each man dap.
    â€œSlow motion,” a skinny cat named Calvin answered.
    â€œYo, any of y’all seen Gruff out here lately?” Maine asked.
    â€œI saw that cat the other day,” Calvin said, searching his memory.
    â€œWord? You know where I can catch up with him at?”
    â€œNah. You know Gruff moves like the wind. It’s hard to catch him in one spot,” Calvin reminded him. “Why? Something up?”
    â€œNah, we cool. I just got something I need to give him,” Maine said as he headed in the building.
    After waiting a few minutes for the elevator, Maine decided to take the stairs to the fifth floor. He walked down the hall until he found the door he was looking for. He knocked and waited for a reply. He heard somebody fiddling with the locks. A man with a messed-up Afro opened the door and stepped to the side for Maine to enter.
    â€œDamn, nigga! Why it always smell like ass when I come up in here?” Maine huffed, his nose wrinkled up.
    â€œFuck outta here! I ain’t smell shit until you got here,” Afro capped back.
    â€œMan, just gimme what you got for me, so I can get up outta here.” Maine covered his mouth and nose with his shirt as he watched Afro head toward the back.
    Afro returned with a book bag. “Take this and get the fuck out! Coming up in here, funking my shit all up with that cheap-ass cologne you got on.” He escorted Maine to the door. Every time him and Maine got together the two would go at it.
    â€œFuck outta here!” Maine said, walking out the apartment. “Nigga, you smell like a dead body,” he yelled over his shoulder and disappeared through the staircase door.
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    Maine slid back behind the wheel of his Denali when he heard his cell phone ringing. Instantly he recognized the number. “What’s good?”
    â€œGot a little problem I need you to solve for me,” Detective Abraham told him.
    â€œE-mail me the nigga résumé.”
    A minute later Maine checked the e-mail on his phone, and an address and profile picture came up of his target. He quickly punched the