TAKEN

Biting the Bullet

Kody

7 Days Later

"Kody, come downstairs! It's pole day for you, beautiful!" Amelia shouted to me from the hallway.

"Okay, I'll be down in a minute!"

A week had gone by since I'd been living with August. I'd soon come to find out that all of the girls didn't actually live under his roof. Dutch had her own place, along with a few other girls I'd met - Chanel, London and Sevyn. So, that left me, Amelia, a girl named Cyn, Danica, Racqui and Chyna's ass in the house. I mainly conversed with Sevyn, Cyn and Danica when it came to getting acquainted with all of the girls, aside from Dutch and Amelia. The others were either a bit standoff-ish or bitchy. I got all settled in, being assigned a room and officially began 'training' as a new member of the crew. It was way different from any and everything I'd ever experienced in all of my 21 years of life. I got a bit shaken up when I actually began handling the drugs, seeing all of the guns and drug money, and getting educated on all of the work they'd done and were going to do.

It was real shit, and I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't nervous... and even a bit scared. It was real life and I couldn't afford to screw up. There were consequences to that. My emotions were everywhere, as I struggled trying to adjust. Not to mention, a lot of my thoughts surrounded Ahmad. I was hurt, feeling guilty and an array of other things. The only thing that was keeping me sane was Dutchess and her continual advice. I also kept convincing myself that everything would be fine and to just suck it up. It was only the beginning. I needed to have my shit together and toughen up, or else I was just gonna make shit harder on myself. I was gonna have to bite that bullet.

I'd just gotten dressed in some black leggings and a white, short-sleeved, loose fitting crop top with the word 'Drugs' printed on the front. August knew a girl he considered family in the drug world, who provided all of his girls with custom made clothing.We pretty much had our own brand, and still were supplied with the big names, too. He had a sneaker connect as well, who kept him with all of the latest shoe releases. He had connects for everything.

I huffed, running my hand through my short edgy haircut as I made my way downstairs. It was the day August had set for me to practice working the pole. When I made it down I greeted Sev and Dutch, who'd finally made it to the house for the day.

"Hey, sweet thang." Sevyn replied, jokingly.

"What's up, Queen?" Dutchess responded, addressing me by the nickname she'd been calling me lately: Queen. She would say I acted like one, hence the way I carried myself. I smiled, making my way towards them where I took a seat on the floor beside Amelia who was stretching. "Where's everybody at?" I spread my legs as wide as I could, stretching as well. "Hopefully somewhere playing in traffic. Swear some of them heifers have been working my nerves." Sev said, looking at her freshly manicured nails. I laughed. She was such a character. Sevyn was the prettiest brown skinned girl. She wasn't thick nor skinny, but just right, standing around 5'6". She rocked a flawless bob haircut that flowed with every head movement.

"It's funny how we're all in the same crew and some of us don't even like each other. How are we supposed to have each other's backs like that?" I leaned forward, grabbing my feet.

"Easily. I see it like this..." Amelia slid into her right split. "I make sure no one on the outside hurts any of them, cause it'd be more fulfilling to do that shit myself." She smiled big, making us all laugh. "Fuckin' right!" Sev raised her hand in agreement. Dutch shook her head as she smiled, twirling one of her locs between her fingers. "Y'all gotta chill."

"Awwe, here comes the voice of reason." Sevyn teased. Dutch shook her head again. "Nah, for real. Y'all know when it all boils down to some hot shit, we gonna ride for each other. We're damn near family. Just dysfunctional as hell." They all nodded in a 'Yeah, that may be right' kind of way.