Lies You Tell (DE)

43.

" Where yo ass at boa, I been callin you," Dre said to Joseph.

" I'm handling some shit right quick," Joseph said looking across the street at Aunt Cindy's Soul Food restaurant from where he sat in his truck. " I'll call you back,"

Dre smacked his lips. " Ight,"

Joseph grabbed his Glock from the glove compartment of his truck and tucked it into the waistband of his pants, pulling his white tee over it and grabbing the tightly rubber-banded stack of cash from the passenger seat, getting out.

Walking into the packed restaurant, he spotted Unique sitting in the corner with a few members of his crew enjoying a hot meal. After learning that Antonio was serving for Unique he had to put an end to it before Antonio got in too deep over his head.

Joseph learned that Unique spent most of his time at his grandmothers restaurant and got the drop on the location to pay him a visit and buy Antonio's way out. Stopping just a few feet away from where they were eating, Joseph tossed the heavy stack of cash onto the table watching it tumble in front of him.

Unique furrowed his brows, looking up to see who would be bold enough to do such a thing.

" That was real disrespectful," He said, surprised to see Joseph standing before him.

The same person he'd been looking for but couldn't find. Joseph was like a shadow in the night— he knew how to stay out of the way and low key. Max was right though, when Joseph wanted to be present, he'd present himself to you.

" Antonio not workin for you no more," Joseph said sternly.

Unique grinned a devilish grin. " That ain't how it work Joey boy, you and I both know that,"

" Well it do today. I said what I said, he done,"

" You got some balls comin up in my shit like this," Unique said, rising from his seat.

Joseph chuckled looking Unique up and down before turning on his heel to walk out. Joseph's nonchalant demeanor infuriated Unique.

The sound of a gun being cocked stopped Joseph in his tracks. He smirked, turning around slowly to see Unique with his gun aimed at him. Joseph tilted his head to the side, stuffing his hands into his pockets as Unique and him stared at each other intensely.

Everyone eating in the restaurant froze in fear, unsure of what to do.

" You not gone shoot me," Joseph chuckled. " If you was gone do it, you would've done it. Look at you, you scared," He taunted.

Unique clenched his jaw, holding his pistol tightly in his left hand with his finger hovering over the trigger.

" Gone head, and you better make sure you kill me too cause if not you know what's gone happen to you," He threatened.

" Look at all these people lookin at you, you gone go right to jail. Your poor granny gone lose her business. That wasn't real smart what you just did," Joseph teased, taking small steps towards him as he spoke. " You too busy tryna look tough,"

" Fuck you Joseph! You don't think I don't know what y'all did to my little brother?" He yelled using the gun to point at him with each pain staking word.

" I know what you didn't do, and that's get get back for him! If one of mine die I'm spinning the same night! You don't want war wit me, you know you gone lose," Joseph said with venom in his voice.

" Unique baby, what are you doing?" His granny asked holding onto the counter as she came out of the kitchen to see what the commotion was about. " What in heavens name are you doing have you lost your mind?"

Joseph and Unique continued to stare at one another. Joseph's words infiltrated Uniques mind as he looked around at all the eyes on him while still aiming his gun at Joseph. He wouldn't be able to get away with pulling the trigger if he pulled it now, not with that many people around.

Clenching his jaw he dropped his arm to his side making Joseph chuckle before walking out.

" Why didn't you take me wit you?" Dre asked pacing his living room. " What if that nigga smoked you Jo?"

After leaving the restaurant, Joseph went straight to Dre and Pries to tell him what had just happened.

Joseph kissed his teeth. " He wasn't on a crumb. I would've lit up that whole restaurant with everyone in it,"

Dre just shook his head. " How Antonio even get mixed up wit that nigga,"

" He said one of his little homies at school was slangin rock for him and he wanted parts," Joseph explained.

" He should've came to us if he wanted to get paid, shit, I'll pay the little nigga!" Dre exclaimed.

Joseph kissed his teeth. " That's dead. He not cut for this life, he need to keep his head in them books like I told him,"

" So what you tryna do about this Unique nigga?" Dre asked.

" His time up. I been playin coo just tryna focus on our business and gettin this money but muthafuckas tryna play me for a joke and I ain't laughin,"

Unique sealed his own fate pointing his gun at Joseph and not squeezing the trigger because now Joseph was after him. Rule number one of carrying a strap, don't pull it if you not gone use it.

Younger Joseph would've killed him where he stood, not caring about the witnesses and bystanders, but older Joseph has things to lose and can't move like that anymore so he let Unique have it this time.

Real gangsters move in silence— there's no place in the state of New York Unique would be able to hide now and he knew it.

" You ain't said nothin but a word," Dre said, dapping his cousin up.