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“What’s wrong?”

“Bitch, out of nowhere, I got the bubble guts. It feels like I’m about to shit on myself. That has never happened before a lick. Something’s not right.” She shot up in her seat and started looking around.

“Fuck you still sitting here for. Drive.” I pulled off without a second thought. The further I got away from the gas station, the more my stomach began to settle.

“And where the fuck is Peanut?”

“I don’t know, but we both dumb anyway.” I glanced over at her and she had the craziest look on her face.

“What?”

“We just sat there and agreed you was going to leave Peanut. I said I would have given him the money I had left and went home. Since you going back to Anton, why did we sit our dumb ass there to rob them people? We could have gone back to my place and did what I suggested.” I blinked a few times before falling out laughing. “Done included God in our shit for nothing.”

“I know. Just wasted a prayer.” We pulled up at her house and got out. Sometimes I wonder if I was touched in the head. Once we got inside, I grabbed my phone. I still wanted to know why this nigga left us hanging, and I still needed to give him the money. His phone rang, but it went to voicemail. Taffy’s phone rang. “Is that Peanut?” She shook her head no.

“It’s Lesha gossiping ass. Keep calling Peanut while I see what tea she got for me.” I laughed as I called him again. One thing Taffy wasn’t going to do was turn down hearing somebody else’s business.

“What’s up, girl?” I could hear her say. “Yeah, she still mess with Peanut, why?” Hearing her say that, I turned toward her.

“Put it on speaker,” I mouthed. Taffy put it on speaker, and we both sat down on the couch to see what was up.

“Bitch, Peanut just got killed on my block. I was in the house doing Fe’s hair, and you know how that bitch like to talk. She was-…” Taffy cut her off.

“Girl, get back to Peanut. How the fuck you know it was him?”

“Oh, my bad. We heard the gunshots. That’s normal, so we didn’t think anything of it. Then we heard all the sirens. Once I saw the lights was flashing outside, we went out there to see what was going on. Somebody shot his ass up in the car at the light.” Me and Taffy was stuck. Yeah, I was about to leave him, but that don’t mean I wanted him dead. Dialing his number again, I prayed he picked up. It went to voicemail again. The tears slowly began rolling down my face. This was insane. I left him a couple of hours ago, we were supposed to meet up, and now somebody was telling me he was dead.

“I can’t believe this.” Even Taffy started crying.

“I know, right? They even know who did it.” That caught my attention.

“Who?” Taffy asked.

“Tax.”

“TAXXX?” me and Taffy yelled at the same time.

“Yup. He left one of his receipts on him.”

“Let me call you back.” Taffy hung up and we both stared at each other in silence for a while. None of this made sense. You didn’t have to be in the streets to know about that nigga. He was the boogeyman, and nobody ever wanted to cross him. Everyone heard the stories and the type of people he killed. So, I was confused on why he would want to hurt Peanut. I kept wiping the tears that fell, but a new fear had unlocked. Was Tax coming after us? Anton said he handled the shit with the trap, but did they still decide to come for us? Was it Tax’s money? I couldn’t even grieve right because I was now worried about what could be coming our way.

“What if he coming after me too?” Taffy looked at me as if she had the same thoughts. Someone banged on the door, making both of us jump. Taffy slowly stood and walked towards the door. When she opened it, I was surprised to see Anton. I never told him where Taffy lived. Wait. No. As far as I knew, Anton was the only person that had a reason to want Peanut dead.

“Is she good?” I could faintly hear him asking Taffy. He told me he was in money management. He never really explained what that meant. I tried to think of anything else he said when my eyes landed on his chest. Anton’s chain. I’ve seen that shit a million times, but I never paid attention to the pendant. There was a letter T encrusted in diamonds. His name was Anton. Why wouldn’t he have an A? What the fuck that shit stand for, Ton Ton? I jumped up off the couch.

“Bubbles, are you okay?” Taffy asked, but I nodded reassuring her.

“Can I talk to you outside for a minute?” My voice was shaky as hell. He gave me a soft smile and guided me outside toward his truck. I was praying he didn’t feel my nervousness. Once I was inside, I sat as close as I could to the door. My ass cheek was against the panel, I was pushed so far on it.

“Stink, you okay?” I turned and looked at him. I could be wrong, but he’s never lied to me. So, it was only one way to know the truth.

“Did you kill Peanut?”

“Yes.” That nigga didn’t hesitate. Anton was Tax, and I had been sleeping with him. Oh my God, I had kidnapped this nigga. I held the boogeyman hostage. I sat there shocked when something about the stories of Tax hit me. Nobody knew who he was. If you knew, you got a receipt after. Pee slowly started to leak out of me, and I had to clench everything to try and keep it in. Lord, I know I came to you earlier about the robbery. Scratch all that. I don’t want no money, I just want to get out of this truck alive, and no receipts attached to my ass. Thank you. Amen “Stink-…”

“I need a minute to process all this. Please, just give me some space.” I reached for the handle and climbed out his truck. I prayed I didn’t leave a piss puddle behind me.

“Stink.” I turned around slowly. “You know you can talk to me, right? I’m here for you.” I smiled the ugliest, dumbest, fakest smile ever.