Theodore III

I sat in the passenger seat of my car as Donny drove to Savannah. I was feeling bad, more so guilty about Mocha. I usually never feel bad about killing someone that's crossed me but something about killing Mocha was really sitting with me. And it wasn't helping that I was seeing her as a missing person all over social media. I was constantly being reminded of what I did to her, but I'm gonna have to live with it now. The deed is done and I gotta stay low key until all of this blows over.

I just can't help but to feel guilty since she was trying to get her life back on track, but on the other hand, she knew too much. I regret killing her the way I did. I probably shouldn't have killed her, maybe just paid her off and had her disappear but she's a teacher and a well known ex-stripper around the city, so people are going to be looking for her. I guess I wasn't thinking with my head. I was more so acting off anger for how she treated Princess, and my encounter with Jazmine's parents didn't diffuse the situation either. Damn. I don't know how I should feel about this, but one thing I do know is that I feel bad for doing it.

Donny looked over at me as we passed by the signed that welcomed us to Savannah. "You good over there? You've been quiet the entire ride."

I nodded my head. "Yeah, I'm good, just ready to find this kid," I said as I looked back at Trent. "Quis give you any word on where Banga's at?"

"He said Banga's at Lake Storm Thurmond. I don't know what his ass could be doing there though."

Bang's sneaky, so I can't put nothing past him. There's no telling what he's doing there but my family and I were on that same lake last weekend during our yacht trip. I already know his ass is up to no good, and with my family just being there a few days ago, something's telling me he's meddling in some shit he has no business looking into.

Even though he and Goldie supposedly aren't messing around anymore, I know I can get some information out of her about where he's at since she probably knows. I used my burner phone to call Goldie, like I usually do. I don't need my calls getting traced back, especially since I know how crazy Banga can be. I scrunched up my face when her phone continuously rang. Usually, she picks up after the third or fourth ring. Her phone eventually went to voicemail, but it wasn't long before I got a text from her number:

Goldie: Who's this?

Damn. Banga's stealing her phone now, too? I always use this number to call Goldie, so she knows my number. I made sure she didn't save my number, so this can't be Goldie I'm talking to. It's somebody else, and Banga's so insecure that he probably took her phone. It's gotta be him I'm talking to.

Theodore: You know who it is.

Goldie: I don't. Who are you?

Theodore: I'll leave that for you to figure out.

Goldie: Alright, you the one that called my girl's phone. Who is this?

Theodore: lol Don't worry about it.

Banga sure can't handle not knowing what his girl is doing. If he isn't following up behind her, he's taking her phone and pretending to be her on some high school sh*t. I ain't know n*ggas still did that sh*t as grown men.

It was dark by the time we made it to the lake but people were still out, populating around the lake as if it wasn't the middle of the night, so we joined in on everybody walking around the lake. I didn't know exactly where to start while looking for Banga, but Quis did say he saw Banga and his crew talking to people around here. We don't know what they were talking to people about or where they went but they just disappeared, probably still creeping around.

"So where we gon' start?" Donny asked. "It's so many people around here, it's no telling who he talked to."

"Let's start out at the dock where they keep the boats at. I'm sure that's one of the first places he went. And if we don't get any information from the people at the dock, then we're gonna have to split up and do some investigating on our own."

Donny nodded his head and walked beside me as we made our way to the dock. Boats and yacht's were lined up along the dock, as well as a few sailors who I had seen from over the weekend. My best bet is that Banga started questioning them about my family and I since they know everything that's going on around here. They're the ticket to everything that's going on around here.

We got stares from the sailors as soon as they saw us approaching them, but I didn't care. I was determined to find out more about what Banga has been up to here, so I went right up to the sailor that was driving my Dad's yacht over the weekend. I'm sure Banga went up to everybody questioning them, but the only one that knows everything about me and my family was the sailor from this weekend.

"Prince, you're back so soon," Lenore smiled as soon as I walked up to him. "You and your family coming back here?"

I smiled. "No, not this weekend Lenore. I actually needed your help with something really important."

"Well, if it has anything to do with that kid that just came around here asking about you, just know I didn't tell him anything."

Damn. It's a good thing I came to speak to Lenore. I know he'll keep it real with me, and we're paying him enough that he'll keep his mouth closed. I trust he wouldn't say anything. I played along though, as if I didn't know who he was talking about. "Really? What did the guy look like?"

He rubbed his chin hair. "Uhm, he was actually a few inches taller than you, brown skinned, long blonde dreads and a deep, raspy voice. That kid sound familiar to you?"

Welp, that sounds exactly like Banga. He's the only nigga I know with blonde dreads. I sighed and nodded my head. "Yeah, I know the guy. What was he doing down here Lenore?"

"Just being too nosy for his own damn good. I could tell he was up to no good the moment I saw him on my deck, so I kept my guard up for him. He went around to almost everybody out here showing them a picture of you and the girl you had on the trip this weekend. He was walking around with a pink phone, you know, one of those iPhones. I know it ain't his unless he just likes pink," he told me, confirming my thoughts that he took Goldie's phone. "But he was asking everybody what they knew about you."

"Did anybody tell him anything?"

He shook his head. "No, not that I know if. Nobody's allowed to speak about the people we drive around with. But it's not like it would matter anyways. None of them know you or your family since I'm the only one that drives you all around. At best, they probably said they saw your family but can't recount any details about you all."

"You sure?"

Lenore nodded his head. "Yes."

"Do you know where the guy went?"

"I went in the direction away from the lake. He's gone and he's been gone for almost an hour now. What should I do if he comes back?"

"Talk to him, get some information out of him but don't tell him anything about me or my family. And the next time he comes, call me immediately and don't let him leave until I show up. You understand?"

"Yes sir, will do Prince."

"Alright, thanks man," I said as I pulled my wallet out of my pocket. I pulled out a crisp hundred dollar bill and handed it to him. "Thanks for not saying anything to him."

"No problem. You know how I feel about your family. I wouldn't out you guys' business. But can I ask you something before you leave?"

"What's up?"

"Should I be worried about that guy? When he stopped by, he seemed really upset about something. Should I be concerned?"

I quickly shook my head. "No, you don't have to be worried," I warned him. Banga wouldn't hurt a fly. He talks a lot of shit, rolls around with his crew to try to harm people and totes his gun just to show that he has one but he wouldn't do shit to anybody, especially me. The nigga is too afraid to do anything to me, and I know that for a fact since I took his girl. He just let me take his girl and hasn't done shit about it because he's weak. "Just do like I said and call me if he comes by here again. Alright?"

"Alright."

I shook Lenore's hand before I turned and walked off with Adonis and Trent. "Banga was here," I said as we walked back to my car.

"What was his annoying ass doing here anyways?" Donny asked.

"Looking into shit that's gonna get his ass in trouble," I told them. "The next time y'all see that nigga, bring him to me alive. I don't know what he was doing meddling around here but he was looking into me and my family and I don't like that shit. So, I need to speak to him the next time I see him so somebody needs to find him."

Jazmine



I sat outside of me and Theodore's house with tears streaming down my face. Theodore had come back hours ago to pick up Princess and take her out to eat while I've been here by myself, just thinking about what happened earlier. I know my father is a horrible person but I can't believe he had a heart attack. I tried calling my Mom to see which hospital they're at so I can see my father but she won't even answer my calls. No one will answer my calls, so I'm just sitting on the porch alone.

I took a deep breath as I looked up at the black Escalade pulling into my driveway. It was my mother. She climbed out of the car with a smile on her face and a bag from the Gucci store in her hands. What the hell? Did she go shopping?

"Mom," I stood up as soon as she approached the porch. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the hospital with Daddy?"

Mama shook her head as she extended her hand with the Gucci bag. "Actually, I already went to the hospital and dropped my rings off to him. He's doing fine. He's had high blood pressure for years and I warned him about coming down here and raising his blood pressure but he didn't listen to me. He flipped out earlier, per usual, and is in the hospital on account of his own ignorant actions. I didn't need to suffer with him in the hospital. His wife can do that. So while he was in the hospital, I did a little shopping for the two of us."

I scrunched up my face. Maybe my father's finally rubbed off on her because she sounds so delusional. She's his wife. She's been his wife for years, and if I'm not mistaken, I haven't heard anything about a divorce or another woman, so what the hell is she talking about? She's his wife and has been for years.

"Wait, what? Mama, what are you talking about?"

She smiled. "I did a little shopping for us. The rest of the bags are in the car but I found the cutest bag when I went shopping today and I knew you'd love it. Are you going to take it?"

"Mama! What the hell is going on? Why are you acting like Daddy has another wife and why did you give him your rings? Aren't you two married?"

Mama placed the bag on the ground as she sighed. "Look, Jazzy, that's why your Dad and I came down here. We didn't just pop up just to come and see you, well I wanted to see you. We planned on coming down here to talk to you about our divorce. Our divorce has been in the works for almost a year now, and it was just finalized a few weeks ago. All of your brothers and sisters know and we wanted to come down here and tell you in person just like we told them."

"Why? What happened? I know we haven't seen or talked to you in awhile and that's all because of your father. Trust me Jazmine, I wanted to come down here and see you years ago. Honestly, I didn't want you to come down to Atlanta without your family but I was being naive and I listened to your father and I've been listening to your father for years. I let that damn man convince me how horrible of a person you were for having a boyfriend. You were young, so we should've respected that you'd have a boyfriend. He was just so caught up on Aubrey not coming from money, but he could never use that as an excuse. So when he caught the two of you in the car, he was able to keep the two of you away from each other because he was pissed about you not being with a young man with money."

I sighed. "And if took you five years to finally tell me the truth? And while all of this went on, you were trying to coach me to lie on Aubrey and say he r*ped me. You can blame Daddy all you want but you're a grown woman and you tried to get me to lie on Aubrey and you pressured me into dating Theodore when you knew the two of us were friends. Daddy might have been the mastermind behind all of this but you, a grown woman, followed behind him and let him call me a bitch, a whore, a slut, any kind of fowl name because you were 'naive'. I don't wanna hear that as an excuse because it's a weak excuse."

"You know how your father is. I wanted to leave years ago."

"Yes and I know how you are as well. You and Daddy say it all the time that you're the best lawyers in the state, so if you wanted to leave, you'd be financially set."

"Regardless of the money, how do you think the country club would have felt about our divorce? You see how they dogged Theodore's parents when they divorced a few years ago. With our reputations, we would've been the laughing stock of the country club and our gated community. You know how people talk."

"So, you were too concerned about what everybody else would think instead of your own daughter? You two abandoned me and turned your backs on me. I've been living on my own with hardly any money for almost five years, all because you were afraid of what people would think."

"I've been wanting to leave your father for years Jazmine but I couldn't. I've been trying to send you money but somehow, your father always found out about the checks I was writing you or the money I tried to mail you and he always stopped me from sending them. Trust me, I've been trying to help you out for years but he always stopped me."

"Why are you acting like you're afraid of him?"

"Because at the time, I was. I saw how he did you and anybody else that got in his way and I didn't want to be on his bad side. I was more so afraid of what the consequences would be for divorcing him."

I folded my arms. "So what changed your mind? Why'd you suddenly divorce him? And if you two have been in the process of a divorce for years, why haven't you sent me anything from your personal bank accounts, called me or come to visit me without him?"

"Because I found out about two years ago that he had another woman that he had been seeing for years. I knew with the divorce, I'd be able to use that against him. And I wasn't going to sit back and allow him to have another woman when I've stuck by his side through thick and thin. He got some skinny white bitch and bought her into my home with a wedding ring on her finger, so that's when I decided it was time to leave him. I left everything at the house and walked out with my purse and my dignity and I've been living by myself for about a year and a half now. And you know the funny thing?"

"What?" I asked.

"I even saw his new bitch walking around in my clothes," she chuckled. "Isn't that pathetic?"

I nodded my head. "Very pathetic, but not as pathetic as you staying with him even after everything he did to me. You let him hurt me. Look what he did to Aubrey and I. Aubrey went to jail because of what you two did to us. If you two wouldn't have separated us, he wouldn't have went to prison."

"That's not my fault he went to prison but it is my fault what happened to you and I apologize about everything your father and I did to you. But I really apologize about never stopping your father for hurting you. I shouldn't have allowed it to happen because he was wrong and he took your punishment way too far. I even apologize about everything I said about you and Aubrey. I know he never tried to hurt you and I shouldn't be pushing for you and Theodore to be together. I just want to see you happy Jazmine."

I sighed. "And I am Mama."

"How? You don't look too happy here. You look miserable. What's going on with you and Theodore?"

I rolled my eyes. As if I'd tell her what's going on with me. I understand she's trying to apologize and fix our relationship but it's going to take some time to do. She just can't pop back up in my life and expect everything to be all right. It took time for our relationship to be this way, and this Gucci bag isn't going to make me any happier.

"Mama, look, I'm not miserable. There's nothing going on between Theodore and I except for our friendship. I really don't care about him right now. All I care about is my family. Who's Daddy's new wife?"

Mama sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "The broads' name is Emily. I don't know what he sees in her but if I were you I'd stay away from her and your father. I don't know what's wrong with him but he's lost his mind. Avoid him as much as you can."

"Alright, so should I do the same for you too?"

Mama sighed again. "Jazmine, I'm really trying to make things better between the two of us. I know it'll take some time but trust me. I love you so much Jazzy and I'm sorry. You're my youngest child and my only child that doesn't speak to me and I want to change that. I let your father control me and make me believe you were so bad person just because you did something most teenagers your age do. I don't agree with your past pregnancies but they're in the past and I'm willing to leave them there."

I sighed. "Okay Mama."

"Will you accept my apology?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know, it's going to take some time but I'm willing to make things better with you as long as you aren't being naive and let other people control you because you're so weak. I want things to go back to normal."

She took a deep breath, slightly smiling. "Alright, I can do that Jazzy," she said as she pulled me into a hug. "I love you so much Jazmine."

"I love you too Mama."

She quickly pulled away from me and picked the Gucci bag up from off of the ground. "Well, if it means anything to you, I still bought you this bag and a few other things today if you want them. Do you?"

I haven't gone shopping in awhile and I can't turn down a Gucci bag so I nodded my head. "Yeah, I want them," I smiled, making her smile even wider.

"Great, help me get everything out of the car."

I took the Gucci bag out of Mama's hand and looked down at the large brown bag. If there's one thing Mama can do, it's shop, so I knew she'd have a lot in her car. I followed behind her and helped her take everything out of the car and bought it into the house. At this point, I didn't feel bad about my Dad being in the hospital. If he could cheat on Mama, after everything she's done for him, and treat her and his children horribly, then he doesn't deserve any respect from me. He can stay in that hospital forever with his new wife. And if their divorce means my Mom will stop being influenced by him then I'm here for it, and I'm willing to repair my relationship with her.

Lindsey



"Just a second!" I yelled as I walked up to my door.

I had been back from my date with Aubrey for hours and I had a great time, besides Milan's little outburst with my parents. If she wouldn't have acted a fool, we would've had an even better night but regardless, the night still ended on a positive note. Aubrey has changed a lot since we lived in California, and the time I spent with him tonight proved that to me. That's why I'm willing to give him a change and try to completely end things with Cashmere.

I walked up to my door and looked out of my peephole before sighing. Damn. What the hell is Cashmere doing here? The two of us agreed to give each other space days ago because we know we aren't good for each other. Maybe he just doesn't understand what space means, but I'm not up to argue with him tonight about our failing relationship.

I snatched my door open and folded my arms. "What Cashmere? I thought we were supposed to be giving each other space."

"Damn. I can't come see you?" he asked, keeping a permanent frown on his face.

"No, actually you can't. The two of us agreed that we needed some space from each other to work on ourselves, and here you are a few days later, just popping up at my house uninvited. Do you have a reason for being here?"

"Yes, actually I do," he mocked me as he pushed himself into my house. "If we supposed to be working on ourselves, why the fuck you going out with some other nigga? And you going out with a kid that's younger than you at that. Do you know where he's been the past five years?"

I rolled my eyes. "Actually, yes I do know where he's been the past five years and why is it any of your concern? We aren't together."

"But we're supposed to be working on each other, not seeing other people. If I can't fuck with no other bitches, you can't fuck with no other niggas. Work on yourself, not another nigga Lindsey."

"Yeah, as if you aren't parading around the city fucking every bitch you see," I scoffed. "Give me a break Cashmere. It was one date and I can do whatever the hell I want. And for your information, I didn't have sex with him. He, unlike you, is a real man and can take a woman out to dinner without her having to repay him by having sex with him at the end of the night. It's not always about sex."

"So why the fuck you with him then?"

"Because I want to be Cashmere, alright? How come I can't go out with an old friend?"

"Because he's not an old friend if the kid wants to fuck you. I'm supposed to be your nigga, not him!"

"But you don't act like it! We took a break because you can't be a man and stop cheating on me like a little ass boy. You see Cashmere, unlike you, there are real men out there who don't need to cheat on a woman they claim to love. You don't love me because if you did, you wouldn't be doing half the shit you're doing now. We wouldn't be in this situation if you'd just be a man and stop cheating on me and disrespecting me like a little ass boy."

"We're taking a break because you're insecure as fuck!"

"And that's all because of the shit you've done to me!" I yelled, pushing him back. "You did this to me Cashmere! The last five years of my life have been pure and utter hell because I've been with you. How come I can't be happy? Don't I deserve happiness? Why is it that when I try to move on from you, you pop back up on your same stupid shit? Can't you see I just want space?"

"Nah, it looks like you looking from attention from a nigga and that's exactly what got you into this situation with me. I don't give a damn about none of the shit you talking Lindsey, 'cause it's not true. One day you're yelling 'Fuck Cashmere' and the next you'll be yelling 'Fuck me Cashmere'. You don't know what you want, but I'mma make it clear to you; the two of us are in it for the long haul baby and we're gonna be together. I don't want you fucking with other niggas."

"Fuck you if you think I'm taking orders from you," I spat. "You can fuck with other bitches but I can't go on a date with a guy I know?"

His eyes widened. "What other bitches are you talking about? I don't have any!"

"Yeah, whatever," I rolled my eyes, not believing him.

"Look, I didn't come over here to start no shit with you."

"Well, you already did and you should've known it was going to be an argument."

"Well I'm sick of arguing with you, that's why I got you something."

"I don't want anything from you."

"Well, you gon' take it," he said as he got down on one knee and pulled a ring box out of his pocket before opening the box but I wasn't impressed. Cashmere's proposed twice before, and I've turned him down each time. Marriage won't fix our relationship, it'll just make it worse. And I know he's only doing this pathetic gesture because he's jealous that I was with another man tonight. "I know we ain't on the best of terms right now but I'm tryna make things work between us. I've tried this twice before and they say the third time is the charm, so will you marry me?"

"You've gotta be joking, right?" I asked, laughing. "You're pathetic as hell."

He frowned. "Seriously Lindsey?"

"I'm serious. I don't know why'd think marriage is the answer when you can't even keep your d*ck to yourself. You're pathetic and so is this cheap ass proposal. I don't want to marry an unfaithful nigga that doesn't respect me, so you can get up off of the floor now because we're not getting married. Not now, and probably not ever."

"I fucking hate you," he spat as he stood up.

"I hate you too."

"And you're a rude ass bitch. After all the nice shit I've done for you, and this is how you do me? I can't believe you."

I smirked. "Well, believe it. You should've known I was gonna turn you down for the third time. Expect to be turned down a fourth time."

"I won't even give you the satisfaction of there being a fourth time. Fuck you."

"Fuck you too."

"And you can keep this pathetic ass ring," he said as he threw the ring box down at my feet. "That'll be the last thing you'll ever get from me because I'm done with you."

"You should've been done days ago when we decided to give each other space. Goodbye."

"Yo ass better be glad I'm tryna keep my job and stay on your brother's good side or I would've whooped your ass Lindsey, on some real shit. You keep talking like that and you gon' make me lose my fuckin' mind on you."

I smiled. "Alright, whatever you say Cashmere. Will you just get out of my house? I'm done with you."

He frowned as he walked out but he made sure to push past me and leave my door standing wide open. I rolled my eyes. I can't stand Cashmere, and it seems like the more I'm around him here lately, the more I can't stomach to be around him. I picked up the ring box off of the floor and walked up to the front door. Since he wants to be immature, I'll be immature too. I took the ring box and threw it as hard as I could at his car. The box busted the side window and I could see Cashmere frowned from inside of his car.

"And you can take that pathetic ass ring with you!" I yelled before closing and locking the door before he got a chance to get out of the car.

Fuck Cashmere. I'm done with him for good this time.

Banga

My plan to go to Savannah and gather information on Prince was a failure. Once me and my crew got to Savannah, we started questioning people about him and his family and nobody could give us any information. I'm sure he's paid them off, but damn. I was expecting at least one person to fold and give me some information but no one would budge.

I think I might've fucked up too. One of my boys stayed back in Savannah and told me about an hour after we left, Prince and Donny came through for awhile and talked to one of the sailors. I'm sure he told them about me looking for Prince, so I just gotta lay low for awhile and let things blow over.

I stepped off of the elevator on to the floor where me and Goldie's apartment was with Beauty on my arm. Beauty was one of the strippers from Prince's club, one of Goldie's coworkers but I didn't give a damn. As long as I've been gone, Goldie probably ain't even here. She probably left and went somewhere with Prince so I'll be in the clear when I get back.

"I can't wait to get you in my bed," I smirked as I looked Beauty up and down. Hands down, she's gotta be the baddest chick at the club. It's no wonder Prince has kept her around for so long.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my key. I unlocked my door and was met with darkness. Either Goldie's asleep or she's gone since it's so dark and quiet. But as quiet as it is, she has to be gone. I pulled Beauty closer to me and as soon as I stepped foot in my apartment, something hit me on the side of my head and I blacked out.

~~~

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300+ Comments.

How do you guys feel about this chapter? How do you guys feel about Theodore feeling bad about killing Mocha? Will somebody in Savannah eventually tell Theodore and his family's business? How do you guys feel about Jazmine's mother? Should Jazmine forgive her? How do you guys feel about Lindsey and Cashmere? Should they see other people? Was Lindsey wrong for turning him down? What and who hit Banga?

Banga's in the MM.