The Plug's Daughter

❁˖⁺‧₊˚❁˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚❁˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚❁˚₊‧⁺˖❁

The Plug's Daughter
Chapter 14: My Rules
June 12th,2023

Alazhá's POV:

After Alazhá's last interaction with Kemo she thought it would be best to just tell her dad instead of trying to sort the problem out herself.

With a deep breath, she hit her dad's number and waited. The phone rang twice before she heard his gruff voice on the other end.

"Yeah?"

"Daddy, it's me," she said, her voice steady but urgent.

"I know who it is. What's up?"

She paused, glancing at her closed bedroom door like someone might be listening. "We need to talk. It's 'bout Kemo."

The line went quiet for a second, but when Demario spoke again, his voice was sharper. "What about Kemo?"

"Keisha told me he been out here doin' too much," she said, lowering her voice. "Like, he tryna take over. Pushin' weight on yo' side without permission."

Demario let out a slow breath, the kind that made her stomach twist. She knew that sound. It was the calm before the storm.

"Alright," he said after a moment. "Where you at?"

"At the crib."

"Stay there. I'ma come through."

Demario's POV

Demario hung up the phone and tossed it on the passenger seat of his Trackhawk, his jaw tight as he gripped the steering wheel.

"Kemo, huh?" he muttered to himself, his mind already running through the possibilities.

He didn't wanna believe it. Kemo had been in the game long enough to know better than to cross him. But at the same time, Demario wasn't blind. He'd been peeping the little slick moves for weeks now—Kemo's boys pushing product in areas they ain't got no business in, acting like Demario wouldn't notice.

"Man, these lil' dudes don't respect the rules no more," he said under his breath as he pulled into his driveway.

Inside the house, O'Mari was already waiting for him, posted up on the leather couch with a blunt in hand.

"What's good, D?" O'Mari asked, blowing out a cloud of smoke.

Demario didn't answer right away, just grabbed a glass of Hennessy from the counter and sat down across from him.

"It's Kemo," Demario said finally, his tone clipped. "Lil' fool out here actin' like he forgot who run this sh*t."

O'Mari smirked, shaking his head. "I been tellin' you, bruh. Kemo always had that sneaky vibe. You gave him too much rope, now he tryna hang you with it."

Demario sipped his drink, his expression unreadable. "What you think I should do?"

O'Mari leaned back, his gold chain catching the light. "Send a message. Quick. Before he get too comfortable. You already know how this go, D. Ain't no room for hesitation."

Demario nodded slowly. He'd built his empire off making the hard calls, and this wasn't gonna be no different. "Yeah, you right."

"Want me to handle it?" O'Mari offered, his voice calm but deadly.

"Nah," Demario said, setting his glass down with a thud. "Not yet. First, I'ma let him know I know what's up. Give him a chance to fix his face. But if he play me..." He let the sentence hang in the air.

O'Mari nodded. "Bet. Just say the word."

Back to Alazhá

When Demario showed up at the house, Alazhá was sitting on the couch, pretending to scroll through Instagram but really waiting on him.

"You got somethin' else you need to tell me?" he asked as soon as he stepped inside.

"Nah, I told you everything Keisha said," she replied, looking up at him. "But Daddy...you gotta be careful. Kemo ain't dumb. If he tryna cross you, he probably got somethin' planned."

Demario's face softened just a little. "You don't worry 'bout me, Zhá. I been doin' this longer than you been alive."

"I know," she said, her voice dropping. "But still."

Demario walked over and kissed the top of her head. "I'ma handle it. You just keep doin' what you doin'. And if you hear anything else from Keisha, you let me know."

"Aight," she said, watching as he turned and headed back out the door to go handle business.

As the sound of his Trackhawk faded down the street, she sat back and exhaled. She didn't know what her dad was gonna do, but she knew one thing for sure—Kemo had no idea what he'd just started.