Below The Belt

XXIV|Hold Down The Fort & Defend The Palace?

"I'm well connected, I got wolves over there/And niggas that act like Pitbull's over here."-Jadakiss, What You So Mad At??

A loud banging at the door disturbed Teyana's flow of scrolling news reports while supervising Julian's long nap.

Teyana instantly went into protective mode. She got up and slowly crept to the door. She listened with the skill only a Brooklyn Bred Native could.

"Who is it?" she said in a voice that would give Lil' Kim's signature deep one a run for her money.

"Monica...Julian's mother."

Teyana stood dead in her tracks after hearing those names in the same sentence.

Monica? That was Tee Money's infamous baby mother who lived in Baltimore.

Were his injuries really that bad? Did he die? What was going to happen?

Teyana took a deep breath before looking through the peephole. Indeed, there was a high yellow black girl outside her door. She slowly opened it up.

"Monica...nice to meet you. I am Teyana," she said opening the door wide enough for Monica to step in.

They gave each other a once over. Monica was indeed a bad ass bitch. She resembled singer and wife of Waka Flocka Tammy Rivera but a little thicker. Her curves were so sharp, she did not need to carry a weapon. Teyana could not believe Tee Money had this one hidden down South.

"Nice to meet you too," Monica extended her hand, already doing a visual search of the apartment for her son.

"Let me show you, he's taking a nap on the blanket we laid out for movie time," Teyana said ushering her to the living room where Julian already started to stir.

"Bebé Juju," Monica said kneeling down waking him. Teyana watched in admiration. Monica had his attention easily. It was like he never fell asleep. He threw his arms around him mom.

"Moomm!" he shouted. He was an interesting two-year-old. You could tell he got his cute curls from his mom because Tee Money only contributed to his facial features. Julian was a light skin version of Tee Money who was dark skin.

They made the perfect spitting image between the two young parents. Monica kissed his chubby cheeks making him giggle and coo. Teyana rubbed her stomach yearning for that connection with her unborn. She really hoped for a girl, but she would be happy with whatever popped out of her.

The only thing that could break up a Lifetime moment was her phone.

"Hello Dame," Teyana said answering on the first ring.

"Is Monica there already?"

"Yes," she said, before stepping into her bedroom.

"Okay good," Dame said.

"What happened? Giselle told me that Tee Money was shot," Teyana said in a low voice.

"I'll explain when I get home..." she heard some shuffling on his end, "I don't want to say too much right now."

Teyana understood. They could not speak about street shit on the phone. After all, they were celebrities who came from that life their conversation could be monitored or leaked and maybe even both.

"I get it," she said, rubbing her stomach again.

"Daddy will be home soon...are you playing nice with Monica?" he asked.

"Yes, I love her already..." she stuck her head out to spy on Monica and Julian. Monica was sitting on the fur blanket speaking Spanish to him in her arms.

"You have not seen her fire yet," he chuckled.

"I like playing with fire," Teyana said, sitting on the bed.

"Oh yeah I know, I might have something else you could play with later," he chuckled again.

"Dame!" she shouted, trying to keep both their minds out of the gutter. He was such a Scorpio. He meshed well with her Cancer personality. Their relationship came easy just like the flow of water they were ruled by.

"Baby, you there? I said I can't have blue balls."

This time she was the one chuckling.

"I am serious...Mr.Hand don't treat me like you do."

"Dame," was all she said, shaking her head like he could see her.

"Okay, okay, I'm gone then."

"I love you," Teyana said.

"I love you too Teyana," he said before hanging up.

***

"Damn, why yo' man had to let her bum rush the door like that?" Tee Money said to his dad.

"Son, what did I tell you about cussing at or around me?" his father asked him with an eyebrow raised.

"My bad, but the woman...she just gets under my skin," he said. "She act like I would put my son in harm's way."

Dame just watched in silence. He knew not to get in the middle of a father and son spat. He loved them both, but would not get caught in the crossfire.

"That is the mother of your child you will respect her especially in my presence."

"Why do she want me to act disrespectful then?" He asked, throwing his good arm in the air.

"Women get riled up sometimes son," Big Sampson said.

"Riled up? She can be a real pain," Tee said through gritted teeth.

Big Sampson finally stopped looking out the window and gave his son a hard stare, "You better give Miss Monica her props, she takes care of your child full time...when she could be out in these streets..."

"I know, I know...I just wished she would step off sometimes," Tee ran his hand over his face.

"Be grateful for the help, some of us did not have any help," he went to his son's bedside.

"I do not need any reminders about that woman," Tee said referring to his absent mother. She had decided she was not cut out for motherhood and cut right after he was born. She left her newborn son after placing him in the arms of his father.

Big Sampson went back to the window without another word. Dame wanted to say something, but he just did not know what. He started thinking about his own mother. It would be time to pay her a visit especially since Teyana found out that she was expecting. He wanted them to go together to break the news of course.

"There's a bounty on your head apparently so I will be putting a bounty on their heads," Big Sampson said breaking the silence after a few minutes.

"A bounty?" Tee asked, urging his father to go on.

"20,000 stacks...I got 50,000 for them, why you think I sent Big Red with Monica?"

"Mmm..." Tee said, in deep thought.

"I am gonna get those little bastards they are gonna wish that they were dead already when I find them," Big Sampson looked back at his son. "You will all have security now...Dame your place will have 24/7 surveillance until this is solved yours will be through my security company free of charge."

"Thank you, Pa," Dame nodded.

"The wedding?" Big Sampson asked.

"We haven't discussed it...things been kinda crazy lately," Dame said, finally taking off his hat.

"Let me know what you need," Big Sampson said turning around with his arms folded.

The King of Brooklyn had returned. The streets would have to answer for this. This was not no Hollywood shit, everybody would need to run for cover because Big Sampson also known as Leatherface was sparing no prisoners.

Dame and Teyana would need heavy Public Relations to be shielded from any street beef.