When a Gangsta Loves You (Currently Editing and Perfecting)

Chapter 35 Rome

Having my family back should mean that a nigga is doing lovely, but in truth I was feeling anything but. Shit was still quiet and I should probably be grateful for that but something was telling me some more bull shit was about to present itself. Not to mention Sha had been acting a little off lately. At first I'd chalked it up to the few women that had still been hitting me, including Camila. She had done a sweep on my phone and had seen a few things but no shit from my end. There was no need for me to respond when I had everything I needed and wanted right at home.

I was doing everything on my part to make her feel as comfortable as possible because I was the one who had fucked up and put those thoughts in her head. So, I had no issues with keeping settling her insecurities whenever they rose up.

With all the bull shit going on and me still getting accommodated to being back home, it had been a minute since I'd seen Tone. Not to mention, I was overdue for a cut. It was creeping up on closing time by the time the bell at the shop chimed to announce my arrival.

"Hey Rome!" Tone greeted, looking up from the edge up he'd been deeply concentrated on.

There were a few other niggas I knew from around the way waiting for the new barber to hook them up. Meech was his name, I think. Dude was young but was pretty nice when it came to the designs and shit niggas be on these days. That shit wasn't me but it brought a lot of traffic through. After dapping up the niggas I knew and giving a head nod to the ones that I didn't, I slapped hands with Tone then pulled him in for a quick hug.

"How you been black man? Ain't seen you in weeks. Head damn near looking like how it did when you came to me back when you first got released," Tone cracked.

"Shit...I got a lot going on." Smirking, I ran my hand over my napps.

That was an understatement and the fact that niggas had made an attempt on my life still had me stuck. Yeah, those mutha fuckas had been disposed of, but there was no doubt in my mind that they had just been fish. A shark was somewhere lurking and that was about to be my real problem.

"I figured as much." Tone went back to work on the man's head who was occupying his chair while I took a seat in a chair in the empty booth next to his.

Meech was the only other barber still working. He quickly finished off the two niggas he had waiting while Tone took his time with his one client. Normally, whenever I came through, anybody in Tone's chair had to step but today, I needed more than a haircut and Tone knew it.

"Aight, Tone! I'll see you Monday!" Meech called out as he headed for the door. "Stay up, Rome!" He chucked the deauces my way and I nodded in return.

"Alright, Meech!" Tone finished up with his customer who slid out behind Meech, leaving just me and Tone left in the shop.

Patting his chair, Tone signaled for me to have a seat just before he excused himself and disappeared into his office in the back. A few moments later, he returned with a bottle of Jack Daniels and two styrofoam cups. Without a word, he filled both then handed me one before taking a generous swig from his.

"Damn! Long day, Tone? Make sure your ass don't get drunk and fuck my shit up."

"Boy, kill all that noise. I've been cutting hair since you were swimming around in your daddy's nut sack. I got this." Setting down his cup, Tone picked up the clippers and started lining me up. "So, besides this fucked up head of yours? What brings you by to see me?"

"Shit, man."

After taking a gulp of my drink, I carefully reached in my pocket as not to disturb what Tone was doing and removed the pre-rolled blunt from the blunt wrap box in my pocket. Holding it up, I silently asked permission to spark it.