"I ain't coming home tonight." Tae said dryly over the phone. The wind outside could be heard through the call as Ni held the phone up to her ear.
"You outside?" She asked, standing up from the table and looking out the apartment blinds.
"I came outside to talk to you, it's loud in the studio." Tae lied over the phone and licked his lips.
"Ok, be safe. I love you." Ni let down the blinds and sat down on the couch.
"Luh you too." Tae said, hanging up.
He looked up from his phone and turned around to go back into his babymama's house.
"Who was that?" Maya asked, feeding the baby in her arms.
"Ma dukes." Tae replied twisting his hair.
"Mmm." Maya hummed and looked back down at her baby. She knew he was lying but she didn't mention it.
"Put her to sleep and spend some time with me. You know I missed you." He walked up behind her, draping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck.
Maya moved away in irritation and rolled her eyes. "I'm only putting up with you because we have a kid, other than that I don't want to be around you." She mugged him.
His whole demeanor changed once he was rejected and his eyes turned cold.
"What you say to me?" He tilted his head making sure he heard her right, and began to crack his knuckles.
"Listen, Deontae. I love you but—"
"But, what?" His hand slithered over her throat as he began to choke her. She pleaded with her eyes to let her go and mouthed 'your daughter.'
He tightened his grip, making sure he got his point across before he let her go.
"Try again." Tae stared over her as she coughed, trying to catch her breath.
"Okay, OKAY!" She gave in and looked at him, holding her neck.
She walked upstairs and put the baby down in the crib and turned on the baby monitor.
"Bring yo ass on." He demanded, pulling her over to the chair that sat in the corner of the baby's room.
"Suck me up." He pulled her sweats down, showing his bulging print through his boxers.
"Tae?! The baby!" Maya said confused as she looked back.
He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him.
"You said she the only reason you with me, right?" He said, pulling out his dick and pushing her head down.
He leaned back into the chair as she wrapped her lips around the tip and started sucking, blinking away the hot tears.
...
"What's the gate code?" Darius asked over the phone.
"Umm." Tanija tried to remember when they first came. "Try 6731." She said, getting out of the bed and sliding her crocs on.
"Unlock the door." He said before hanging up.
"Rude ass." Ni rolled her eyes and walked over the door, turning the top lock to the left.
"Alexa, play 'turned your back' by Gunna."
"I been this fucked up, you up and leave, gave you everything you need, then you turned your back on me, you don't know, ohhhh" She sung along to the lyrics and ran hot water in the sink to wash dishes.
"You in here washing a nigga dishes but ion see no ring." Darius said closing the front door behind him and shaking his head.
Tanija laughed at her brother while she added dawn dish soap under the running water.
"What's next, you finna cook for dude?" Darius asked sitting at the bar of the island counter.
"Actually, I am making pasta for meeeeee." Tanija mugged him.
"I know he left you some money, he does everytime he finna cheat." Darius scoffed in disbelief that his sister actually put up with a nigga like him.
"His ass not cheating, he prolly just out with his niggas." Ni shrugged, scrubbing the pan she was going to use to make her food.
Meanwhile...
"Did you pull out?" Maya looked back at Tae still bent over in back shots.
"Nah." He shook his head and grinned sneakily.
"Deontae, what the fuck! I don't want to go through another pregnancy alone!" Maya whined, scuffling out of bed and putting her clothes back on.
"Hell you mean? I'm right here." Tae stood up, threw his arms up in confusion.
"Mentally, Tae. The only time you come around me is when you wanna fuck and you know ima fold every single time. I'm so sick of this shit, i put up with too much." Maya covered her face in her palms.
"Ma, cmon you know that's not true." He tilted his head and grabbed her, pulling her closer into a hug.
"You are so disrespectful towards me, you literally made me give you head in front of my baby! Do you understand how weird and fucked up that is?!" Maya snapped, pulling away from him and pointing in his face.
"Mmcht, she young she not gon remember that shit." Tae smacked his lips.
"THATS NOT THE POINT, ITS THE PRINCIPLE, DEONTAE!" Maya yelled at him, causing the baby to wake up and cry.
"See—" Maya huffed and shook her head, going to the nursery.
He grabbed his shirt and pulled it over his head before grabbing his stuff and slamming the door behind him.
...
"Ni?" Tae called out as he walked through the door.
Darius popped up from the couch as he heard the sound of his voice. "She in the back sleep." He said, standing up and stretching.
"Oh, word." Tae tilted his head and slowly closed the door behind him.
"I'm bout to dip, she thought you wasn't coming home." Darius scoffed, grabbing his phone and walking towards the door.
"So, you came over to babysit her in my crib?" Tae mugged him and stepped closer.
"Nigga she called ME cause you left her by herself to see a bitch." Darius said, sizing him up.
Tae chuckled sarcastically and lifted his shirt up, showing his gun tucked in his jeans.
"You pussy." Darius laughed in his face and brushed past him. Before he could reach for the door handle, Tae swiftly pulled out his loaded gun, cocked it back, and shot him 3 times in his back.
Tanija jumped up to the loud pops and immediately thought the worst.
"No, no, no!" She yelled frantically as she ran out of the room and into the kitchen.
"DARIUS." Ni fell down beside him as he tried to gasp for air,
"Shit... MOVE." Tae yelled at her as he carelessly pushed Darius's body with the door and ran out.
Tanija reached for his phone and dialed 911.
"911, what's your em-"
"HELP PLEASE, MY BROTHER WAS SHOT!"
...
