The Kiss of Death [Dave East]

11

DAVE WALKED INTO THE LIVING ROOM, rubbing the floral towel against the back of his neck. He was freshly out of the shower, smelling clean. His eyes wandered around the room, eyeing Spades. Dave didn't now Spades that well, all he's noticed was his undying loyalty to Anissa. He had no other choice, he had absolutely nothing to lose. Spades sat on the couch, also clean and bandaged up. Dee was in the kitchen, on the phone with Cesar. "She's giving him directions." Spades answered to Dave's curiousness. The right hand man slouched over in the couch, the bottle of painkillers and percs sat on the table. "You good?" Dave asked, taking a seat on the edge of the table.

"Anissa's gonna be out, I'm straight."

"I'm talking about your arm, stupid."

"Shit just stings a little."

Dave chuckled at his bluntness patting Spades dramatically on the shoulders. "He's close!" Dee cheerfully screamed from the kitchen, making Dave and Spades flinch at her sudden outbursts. They forgot that she was still even breathing in the kitchen. "My mans can you grab yo' shit? We pickin' up Anissa as soon as she out." Dave nodded and charged up the steps. Spades sighed, leaning his head against the couch rest. "You're good for her." Dee stood in front of Spades, between his legs. "Yea. She a handful sometimes." He pinched the bride of his nose in a frenzy of stress. "But you're there for her. People talk. Say she's gone insane. But I think, with you by her side. You're her only sanity." Spades snorted, licking his lips slowly in amusement.

He wasn't sure why Dee was so interested in his life. This was the first time he's ever met her. He was slowly taking in Dee's words, wondering if there was even truth to it. "You talk too much." His voice was deep, and music to Dee's ear. She was annoyed however, Spades was so dry and boring. For a man this fine, he lacked personality. "Sorry for breathing." She grumbled with an attitude, she walked past the kitchen island but while she was doing that she had to walk through the living room past the table that he sat across. She stealthy moved between him and the table when he randomly stuck his leg out, blocking her path.

She looked up at him confusingly, he still had his hand over his face but she could see a tiny smile on his face. She sucked her teeth playfully, shoving past his legs, a blush on her face. Spades let out a short chuckle, turning his neck around, looking past the couch and down the hall at her but suddenly two loud knocks rang through the building, Dee glanced at the door while Spades reached for the table to grab her hand gun.

They both moved to the door and Dee reached for the knob but Spades gently touched her hand and dragged her behind his body. Whoever was on the other end of the door knocked twice more. Dee backed away from the door and hid behind Spades body. "Yo who the fu—" Dave quickly stopped talking, crouching at the top of the stairs. Spades counted mentally, yanking the door open, holding the gun up.

"Happy Sunday to you too.." Lucks swatted at the mouth piece. Spades calmed down, smiling at the sight of Cesar and Lucks. "What up Dee?" Cesar gave her a nod of acknowledgement. She peeked out from behind Spades, returning a smile. "The money's all there." Cesar threw the duffel bag onto the floor, it the oak floorboards with a loud thumping sound. The bag was filled for sure. Dave smiled like a mad man, retreating up the stairs to collect the rest of their things. "Aye where the fuck these long ass stairs lead to? In this small ass house, shit." Lucks said dramatically, following Dave up the stairs with a hysteric laugh. Dave could be heard protesting annoyingly with Lucks. Dee let out an annoyed sigh, following the two grown children to stop their bickering. "Spades." Cesar interrupted the right hand who was too busy on his knees to count every dollar.