Pop Life: Volume 3

Chapter 24

As Marcus was holding me hostage at gunpoint I heard the sound of a soft click and another familiar voice.

"Let her go and drop the gun Marcus."

Marcus turned us around still holding the gun to my head to find Prince now standing in front of him with his gun drawn and at the ready. Prince had no fear. He was ready to put a bullet between his eyes but he didn't want to fire a single shot until he knew I was out of the way.

"Where the fuck you come from pretty boy?" Marcus said to him with a small chuckle in his throat.

"Don't worry about where I came from. Let Regan go and put the gun down." Prince snapped.

"Why you ain't gonna shoot me! You proved that before! You just a scared little boy!"

"All this little boy needs is one shot now I said let her go!"

"No! I'm taking her with me and ya better not try nothin. Cuz unlike you I will shoot her. And baby I won't miss."

"Prince! Help! Please!" I cried holding on to Marcus' arm as he pulled me backwards away from Prince.

Andre got out of the way and didn't Pursue us just in case Marcus decided to pull the trigger.

"Regan just hold on! We gotcha!" Andre said.

I gave him a small nod even thought I was scared I had another idea.

"Hey Marcus? Listen I know that you're doing this because you're mad but can you just let me go and we can talk about this huh?" I asked still trying to talk him off the ledge.

"Let me ask you something how'd the fuck they find us huh? What they followed you?" He asked still holding the gun up to my head but letting me go.

His arm dropped from around my neck as I spun around slowly to face him.

"I didn't know he was following me. I was coming to meet with you. I thought he didn't know." I pleaded.

"Yeah I bet you didn't!" Marcus shouted at me still waving his gun at me.

"No I didn't. Maybe he just saw us somehow. You know how Prince is. He's gonna do whatever to win me back. Just like you."

His face went blank and he didn't know what to say.

"Whatchu mean just like me?" He asked as he slowly put the gun down by his side.

"He's persistent. Won't take no for an answer. He'll do and say anything to have me back. Isn't that what you want? To have me back with you and not with him?" I said trying to seduce him.

"Yeah. Yeah. I still want you Regan. I know I've been a real fucked up person. But I've really changed. I'm a better man now. You made me that way."

Wait! What? I made you a better man? Please! You just had a gun to my head but somehow you're a better man? Right. I'm not impressed. I think he could tell my thoughts because his face changed.

"What? You don't believe me do you?" He asked confused.

I let out a sign and lowered my head.

"Marcus you know it would be a lot easier to believe you if......you left me with really bad memories. You know that. Horrible memories of us."

"I know but give me a chance to redeem myself! Please! What does he have that I don't huh? He has money and so do I? You need a ride? I got that too! Tell me what it is that made you go to him?"

"Marcus Prince genuinely cares for me. He's proven that to me. Something I know that no matter how hard you try you can't do. I'm sorry but it's just not in you. You know that it's not but I'll give you credit for trying. Unfortunately you're trying too late. I'm.....sorry."

We stood there for a moment and stared at each other. His eyes didn't look so cold but sad. It looked like he actually had a heart and it was breaking right in front of me. Did I feel bad? Hell no! He deserves every bit of that pain. I turned away from him and started to walk back towards Prince and Andre. Prince didn't give me any emotions because he knew that Marcus was watching. I got up to him and gave him a look to let him know that I was ok. I turned back to face Marcus as he stood there in disbelief.

"So that's really how it's gonna be huh Regan?" He asked.

"Yes. I'm sorry but until you change I can't be with you." I said to him in a faux sadden voice.

Marcus shook his head with a confusing smile and walked away. We watched as he got to the end of the block and rounded the corner. Just like that he was gone. We waited to see if he would come back and try something crazy but nothing. He left. Prince and I let out a sigh of relief as he embraced me.

"Good job mouse! You almost had me fooled." Prince said to me hugging me tighter.

"Thank you! I guess those two years of drama class in high school paid off huh?" I asked him jokingly as he let me go.

"Yeah they did girlfriend! Come here Mighty Mouse!" Andre shouted as he pulled me in and hugged me to the point of bear suffocation.

"Thanks.....Andre.....can't....breath!" I said gasping for air in his muscular arms.

"Ooh! Sorry kid!" He said quickly letting me go.

Andre took the shiny broach from my hair and spoke into it.

"Hey uncle Mo it's all good! Marcus is gone. We're clear!"

Soon after the black van pulled up and Morris, Dez, and Jerome hoped out of the back. Mo got out and came to check on us.

"Y'all cool?" Mo asked.

"Yeah. He's gone. He took it better than I thought. Which was odd." Andre said.

All of a sudden I felt like someone was watching us. I looked over my shoulder but I didn't see anybody. Most times if I do that I would shake that feeling but this time I didn't. Something about all of this felt....off. If I didn't know any better my gut was telling me that Marcus left too easily. This is not over yet and I could feel it.