In the gritty underbelly of New York City, Cartier Bennett, a hardened drug dealer's path intersects with that of Xyah Payne, a young, naive nurse. As their worlds collide, a dangerous love story unfolds, where manipulation becomes a twisted form of...
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THERE HE WAS, HIS LIMP BEING THE only thing to identify the man on this pitch black street. Filled with adrenaline, Cartier got out the car without a word while his friends followed closely behind him, all of them held a glock in their hands. The plan was to kill Dante and whoever he was seen with. He got out the car with one other person, so they set out to kill them too as they did not want to leave any witnesses.
Cartier swiftly made his way across the street, sneaking up to the car as Dante and his friend walked towards the building, their backs turned.
"Yo Dante!" Cartier called, making the two men turn around.
Dante didn't even get a word out before he was blasted by gunfire, him and the other man. The guns going off repeatedly without effort due to the switches on them. As the two dropped to the ground, TJ stood over them, delivering one shot to both of their heads before the trio ran off to their car, driving away without an issue.
Cartier woke up to the smell of cooked food filling the air, the room door slightly open to which he heard music coming from downstairs. He got up and put on the boxers that were thrown carelessly onto the floor and walked downstairs to the kitchen. Standing in front of the stove was a half naked Sadé, only in her bra and panties. She bounced to the music playing through the room.
"Morning, baby." Sadé called to the man softly, a smile playing on her lips.
"Morning," Cartier stood behind the girl, snaking his arms around her waist and resting his head in the crook of her neck, "Making my kitchen a mess?"
"Yeah. Felt like stressing you out today." The girl teased, well aware of the man's neat-freak tendencies.
The night of the funeral, Cartier found himself in bed with Sadé. He assumed they would've been over after the carnival incident but was proven wrong once she stopped by Boogie's grave to pay her respects. She showed the man much needed comfort.
"Here, take your plate." Sadé gave the man a plate full of food.
Cartier sat down in the dining room with his plate, Sadé sitting right next to him. The two ate, sharing small conversation.
"You know, your phone's been ringing off the hook all night." Sadé then brought up.
Cartier shrugged, not really caring and continued to eat his food, "Probably just the guys."
It wasn't. They both knew that very well.
"I don't think it was." Sadé muttered, getting up to wash her now empty plate.
Cartier knew what she was getting at. But he simply didn't have the energy to engage and have it be this big argument. He was ignoring Xyah, letting her phone calls go straight to voicemail. He just didn't have the energy to sit around and act like everything was okay, like he was okay. Nor did he have the energy to explain to her why he felt this way.
After he finished eating, Cartier cleaned up before making his way upstairs to take a shower and get dressed. Even though his friend had passed, doesn't mean he could stop working. Cartier was truly an addict for money. Plus, people were already blowing up his phone placing orders, not caring that it was barely nine in the morning.
Once he was fully dressed, he walked out of the bathroom to see Sadé on the bed, scrolling through his phone. He quickly made his way over to her, snatching it out of her grasps. The screen on his and Xyah's messages.
"The fuck is you doing, Dé?" Slightly annoyed by the girl's nosiness.
"No. What the fuck are you doing?" She spat, "How long have you been seeing her."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Cartier returned, proceeding to put his sneakers on.
"I'm done with the bullshit, Carti!" The girl snapped, her voice cracking, "Why am I never good enough for you?"
Cartier didn't have time for this, he didn't even respect the girl enough to give her an answer. He just walked out, leaving her sobbing in his room.
Cartier did a couple deliveries before making his way to the trap, Amaaj's car was the only one parked out front. Out of the three of them, TJ had took Boogies death the hardest, he's been rarely answering anyones texts or calls.
Walking inside the house, Amaaj sat on the couch. He was busy weighing and bagging different strains of weed in order to sell.
"Yo." Cartier greeted him, dapping him up.
"Wassup bro," Amaaj remarked, "I didn't expect to see you here."
"I didn't think anyone would be here honestly, I just needed to pick up some more weed."
"So you're delivering today?" Amaaj asked.
"I been," Carti answered, "I'm not doing too much though." To which Amaaj nodded.
The men sat and talked for hours. About Boogie, their business, their other friends and family. With everything that been going on, it was hard to find a moment to actually catch up with each other.
"How's things between you and Dé?" Amaaj inquired as he finished packing up all the weed.
"There's barely a me and Déanymore," Cartier explained, "Things been rocky."
"Would that have something to do with that one shawty?" Cartier only nodded, not being able to say anything more.
"I don't know what I want, man." Cartier replied with a loud sigh.
