A LaLa Land Addiction by Ashley Antoinette

Iman’s mistress and the sad part was that she would rather accept that than lose him altogether.

 
    9
    Noah rode through the city, his city, sitting safely behind the tint of his luxury truck as he headed to meet Messiah. He didn’t know much about him. Only that he got money on the city’s south side. The fact that Khadafi had vouched for him gave Noah reassurance, but trust was earned. It would take more than the words of a third party for Noah to feel at ease. Time and consistent loyalty would prove whether or not Khadafi was right about Messiah. Too many niggas claimed friendships too quickly nowadays. Yeah, Messiah had let his cannon bark in the club on Noah’s behalf, but Noah wasn’t naïve. Messiah would have to prove loyalty to gain Noah’s trust before knocking off his mark as well. Real men moved in silence and Noah didn’t want to be caught lacking by calling Messiah a friend too quickly. He pulled into the car wash that Messiah owned and rolled down his window. It was a known hangout spot for made men around the city. When the wife was on your neck at home, you came to the wash. When you wanted to politic with other players in the city, you came to the wash. When you wanted to find out information, you came to the wash. Even if you wanted to dabble in a new flavor of pussy, you came to the wash. It was low-key and the hangout spot when the sun was sitting pretty, burning up the sky. With the pretty girls in their tiny shorts and bikini tops it was a black man’s Hooters. All the O.G.’s in the city hung out there.
    A pretty girl with short hair and even shorter shorts opened his door for him. “Hi, handsome. What can I get for you?”
    Before he could respond Messiah came walking out of the office. “His money is no good here. Hook him up. Detail the inside and out,” Messiah instructed as he slapped hands with Noah.
    â€œIs that all you need hooked up?” the girl asked flirtatiously as she bit her perfectly painted bottom lip. She wore red, the devil’s color, and the look in her eyes let Noah know she was game for anything.
    He scoffed. Thirsty women weren’t his type, so he declined. “I’m good.” He pulled a knotful of hundred-dollar bills out of his pocket and handed one to her. “Go buy yourself some class, shorty.”
    The girl sucked her teeth and snatched the money from his hands before taking his car to be cleaned.
    â€œYou selling pussy now, my g?” Noah asked with a chuckle as he followed Messiah into the office.
    Messiah laughed. “These hoes in here selling themselves, man. I just hire the pretty faces with the fat asses. What they do on the side is their business,” he said honestly.
    â€œI’ve got some news for you, though, fam. The nigga I laid flat in the club last night was from the south side. You know a nigga named Keon?” Messiah asked.
    The name registered with Noah. He would never forget the name of the first man he had killed. Bleu’s face popped into his mind. He had done it all for her and would do it again in a heartbeat. “Yeah, I blew the nigga head off,” Noah said frankly as he stared Messiah in the eyes without apology. Noah wanted Messiah to know that he would put his murder game down whenever necessary.
    Messiah smirked. “We about to be legends in these streets, my g,” Messiah said. “Follow me.”
    He unlocked a steel door that led to the basement and Noah followed him down the stairs. A single lightbulb barely lit up the underground space, but Noah saw the outline of a body hanging from the ceiling.
    â€œMy man that I left slumped in the club was Keon’s cousin. Apparently his people got a beef with you. I don’t know how they know it was you behind the trigger, but it’s a problem. Homeboy here is Keon’s little brother,” Messiah said. “I thought you would want to have a talk with him.”
    â€œWho saw