Plaything

Deal Gone Wrong

Jabari

I glanced at the clock on the wall again the ticking sound echoed inside my head. It was just past nine-thirty, and the sky outside my shop had darkened into a heavy navy-blue. The chop shop was silent except for the sound of the radio. I closed the shop early because I knew that Kamal was coming so we could finish up the deal with what he needed.

He was a drug dealer in Sunderland and was well known. His name had been tied to a series of crimes—carjacking, theft, armed robbery, possession of drugs, and others, but he was never found guilty. I knew he had some of the officers in his pocket. Many people feared him, but I didn't. My father taught me as a child not to fear anything or being except God.

Two weeks had gone by since I'd shown Nik the real nature of what funded my life. Two weeks of waiting for something to change between us. She had reacted just how I expected, with shock and intrigue, a little judgment—but she didn't run. I hadn't heard from her in the last couple of days, and though I tried to tell myself I didn’t care, the tightness in my chest said otherwise. But tonight, I couldn't afford distractions, not even her. We've been writing and commenting on each other social media page, but that was pretty much it.

“Yo, Jay,” Adrian called out from across the garage, his deep voice pulling me out of my thoughts. “They just pulled up outside.”

“Bring ‘em in,” I said calmly, brushing off the sleeves of my black hoodie and straightening my posture. It was time to switch back to business mode.

Darius, my best bodyman, shot me a look as the overhead door rattled upward, letting a gust of cool air sweep through the space. I stood firm, expression stone-cold, as the black Escalade rolled into my shop. We all knew who it was. Kamal had weight, respect, and money, but he also had a habit of making demands I wasn’t comfortable with.

As he stepped out, his eyes shifted around the room. He was tall, lean-built, dressed head-to-toe in designer s**t like Versace jeans and Gucci jacket. The diamonds in his ears glistened as he nodded toward me. Honestly, I had those same designs in my closet but I don't really wear them.

“Jay, what's good, my boy?” His voice was casual, but there was nothing casual about Kamal.

“Same ol’ s**t, different day,” I replied evenly. “We good to get this handled or what?”

He chuckled, rubbing his hands together slowly. “Always straight to business, huh? Aight, let’s get into it.”

We walked deeper into the shop. Kamal’s crew hung back near the Escalade, their demeanor tense. Dudes like Kamal didn’t come here to make friends. They came for one reason—to move product, and do it fast.

“So you said four whips, all high-end, all clean, right?” Kamal asked, his eyes scanning the line-up of freshly chopped luxury cars hidden under heavy canvas tarps. The smell of oil, metal, and money lingered heavily in the air.

I nodded, arms crossed over my chest. “You know my work. Everything clean, VIN scrubbed, new tags. They ready to roll out. What’s your move?”

Kamal sucked his teeth, moving closer to one of the vehicles. “You always come through. I gotta give you that.”

I watched as he circled the car slowly, evaluating it. I didn’t speak. The less said, the better, especially when business was shady. Kamal finally stopped walking and turned toward me, his jaw tight.

“But prices a little steep lately, ain’t they?”

A frown creased my forehead. “Same price as always, Kamal. You know I don’t inflate shit.”

He sucked his teeth again, shaking his head. “Nah, bruh. Streets been hot lately. Cops sniffin’ round, feds gettin’ bolder. I’m out here taking all the heat. I think you can do better.”

I leaned forward, voice steady but ice-cold. “I gave you a number already, Kamal. That s**t isn't negotiable. Take it or leave it.”

He chuckled bitterly, stepping closer to me. “See, this that s**t I don’t like. This ain’t your first time dealing with me. You know how I move. Yet you're standin' here talkin' reckless.”

“I said what I said,” I repeated, calmly, evenly. I wouldn’t budge—not an inch.

Kamal moved closer. We stood inches apart now. Close enough for me to see the hard gleam in his dark eyes, the barely restrained threat behind his easy smile. “Listen, Jay, you got a real smooth operation running here. Be a shame if someone came through and wrecked all this shit.”

I chuckled humorlessly, shaking my head. “You really think your threats scare me?”

His eyes narrowed. “It ain't a threat, man. It’s just the reality. Bad s**t happens, you feel me?”

“I hear you loud and clear, Kamal.” I met his stare without flinching. “But I don’t do business on threats.”

I felt Darius step closer behind me, his presence solidifying my stance. Neither of us blinked. I wasn't backing down, not today.

Kamal exhaled heavily, backing away slowly as his face hardened into a mask of irritation. “All right then. Have it your way. But remember—everyone out here got somethin’ to lose.”

He motioned to his crew, and they moved back toward the vehicle, muttering under their breaths as they got ready to leave. But then Kamal stopped again, glancing back at me.

“Oh, by the way, tell ol' girl I said hello.”

My blood froze. Something in his voice sent a chill down my spine. “What girl?”

He tilted his head slightly, smirking. “Don’t play dumb, Jay. Pretty lil' thing with a mouth on her. Been around town all over your social media feed lately. Funny—you been all quiet 'bout her. She must be special.”

I stared him down, jaw clenched. “You better say what you gotta say clear, Kamal.”

He chuckled, holding his hands up defensively. “Relax, bro. I’m just sayin', you might wanna watch who you let in."

I stepped toward him quickly, temper flashing hot. “She ain’t got s**t to do with this. She's no one special, she's just my friend.” I lied. Nik was special.

Kamal laughed darkly, shaking his head as he retreated. “Nah, she don’t got anything to do with it...unless you made her a part of your little business.”

His gaze was cold and cocky, like he was untouchable. He believed he was, but I didn't give a damn. He’d been watching me, keeping tabs, trying to get under my skin. And damn it, he had succeeded. I didn’t speak. He’d seen enough to know he’d hit a nerve.

“I’ll be in touch. Think about what I said,” Kamal called over his shoulder, climbing back into his Escalade.

I stood rooted to the concrete floor as his car pulled out, my jaw clenched so tight I thought my teeth might crack. Duke was beside me in an instant, voice hushed.

“You good, man?”

I shook my head slowly. “Yeah. I’m straight. Just pissed.”

Darius raised an eyebrow. “So he talkin' bout the girl you brought here two weeks ago?”

“Who else, man?” I rubbed a hand over my jaw, frustration building. “This is exactly what I didn’t want.”

“You warned her what the deal was. She decided to stick around. Girl seems tougher than you give her credit for.”

I frowned at him. “She ain’t built for this life, D. You and me, we chose it. We knew what we were getting into. But her? She got problems enough without getting dragged into my bullshit.”

Darius shook his head slowly. “You sure that’s what it is? Or are you just pissed cause someone noticed your soft spot?”

“I don't have any soft spots,” I growled.

Darius chuckled, shaking his head. “Sure, man. Whatever you say.”

I shot him a glare as he walked away laughing under his breath. Annoyed, I retreated into my office, shutting the door behind me with a rough bang. Alone, I collapsed into my chair, breathing heavily. I could hear my heartbeat drumming loud in the silence.

Kamal’s words lingered like poison in my thoughts, souring every memory of Nik's bright smile, that infectious laughter that had snuck under my skin. She was trouble from the jump, in her way, but damn if I didn’t enjoy that trouble. I'd shown her everything, given her access to the side of me nobody else got to see, and now Kamal—of all people—had to ruin it.

My phone buzzed suddenly on the desk, jolting me from my thoughts. I grabbed it, half expecting more threats from Kamal, but instead, it was a text from her.

Hey stranger. I been thinking bout you. You good?

My chest tightened. I stared at her message, thumb hovering over the screen. I knew the smart choice—walk away now before it got even messier—but nothing ever felt simple when it came to Nikole.

I typed back quickly: You shouldn't text me right now.

The dots appeared immediately. My stomach knotted as her response appeared: Why? What happened?

I hesitated. How could I tell her that Kamal had her name, her face, her very presence lingering on his lips as a threat?

Just trust me on this.

Her reply was swift, bold, pure Nik:

That works both ways, Jabari. Just talk to me.

I stared at the screen. She was persistent, I had to give her that. In the end, I typed back reluctantly:

I'm fine. Just lay low for now.

There was a pause. Then finally, her short, blunt reply appeared:

Yeah, okay.

I tossed my phone down with a frustrated sigh, running my fingers through my hair. Nik was tough, brave, and I respected the hell out of that. But now her stubbornness may put her in harm’s way. Kamal’s threats rang in my ears, and it made me angry that I cared this much. But as I sat in my office, the quiet settling heavy around me, I knew Kamal was right about one thing: Desperate people do desperate things and now, because of me, Nik could be caught in the crossfire.

I stood up, pacing around the small office, trying to figure out my next move. This was messy enough without dragging her deeper into it. But maybe it was already too late for regrets. She knew my secret. She’d already seen me for what I was. And despite all of that—she hadn't run. So maybe Nik could handle herself better than I gave her credit for. But I still had a feeling that I’d just dragged her into a world neither of us could easily escape. I stared at my phone screen one last time. No new messages. Just silence. She was mad. I clenched my jaw and opened the door, stepping back into the chop shop. The tension had quieted down, but I still felt the weight on my shoulders. Kamal had fired a warning shot loud and clear, and it was my job to make sure Nik wasn’t hit. I would protect her, even if it cost me everything. Because the truth—the bitter, dangerous truth—was that Nik wasn’t just a plaything, fling, or a complication. She had become a part of me, and losing her wasn’t an option. Not anymore.