Out a Order Read Online Free Page B

“What’s considered gold is different for every man, son.”
    â€œThat might be. But I’d prefer to see mine in gold bars.”
    Laughter erupted.
    There was a slight knock on the basement door. It was opened by a crew member to admit a short pretty young woman named Kesha. She was Rico’s lady. She came in carrying a chubby baby girl who was fifteen months old, named Ebony.
    Kesha scanned the room. The vibes made the hair on her arms bristle. She wasn’t big on Rico’s lifestyle. She was actually a nineteen-year-old straight-A student at Rutgers University, majoring in business.
    However, she loved roughneck thugs, and Rico fit the bill hands down. He’d talked his way into her pants and she’d gotten pregnant, so here she was.
    She knew he was a gangster, but she tried to turn a deaf ear and a blind eye while walking a thin line between both worlds. In the process she reaped the benefits of his ability to generate major paper.
    The truth be told, this was part of what had seduced her in the first place.
    She was a bright girl intellectually, but she liked to show off for her girlfriends. Rico kept her pockets stuffed with cash, bought her a Jeep to cruise in, and had her hair freshly styled in the top salons every week. She also received the latest in spa manicures and pedicures. So homegirl was sprung.
    She had it like that, and liked to flaunt it to all her friends. She knew they were jealous because she had snagged this ghetto player, and she liked to keep it like that. She wanted to be top dog and untouchable among them.
    The present atmosphere that was making the hair stand up on her arms was just part of the payment. She figured when she graduated from the university with her degree she’d get out and her real life could begin.
    A nigga couldn’t holla at her because he had paper, then because she’d be generating her own paper, and with her talent for business economics she’d be gracing the front pages of Business Week and Black Enterprise magazines and others like them in about six years.
    She walked up to Rico, managing a smile. “Ebony wanted to say good night to her daddy.”
    Rico chucked the little girl under her chin. He cooed at her.
    â€œDadda,” Ebony said. He took the baby girl in his arms. He held her high in the air, which she loved, so she kicked and squealed. Finally, he planted a kiss on one chubby cheek, then handed her back to her mother.
    â€œI’ll be up soon, Key. Okay?” he said, using his nickname for her. He was the only person who called her Key and he knew it always softened her up. Rico knew she was disturbed by the heavy gang presence in and around the house, as well as the presence covering the street, but it was necessary.
    Kesha nodded and headed back the way she had come. Rico watched her walk away.
    Ebony smiled. She reached out a hand for him. As soon as the door closed behind them Rico dropped the mask and paced the room agitatedly. He watched the pool game, not really seeing it, between Eight Ball and T-Bone.
    Temaine slouched back in a chair with a moody expression on his face. His long legs were stretched out in front of him. He sucked sullenly on his ever-present piece of licorice.
    A telephone rang. Rico reached into his pocket, placing the phone to his ear. “Yeah?” he said.
    Dickie’s voice floated over the wire. He too was a trusted member of Rico’s crew. In their world he was called Eyes and Ears. His job was similar to that of a newscaster. He gathered the facts. He reported, pure and simple.
    His profile was low, and no one knew who Eyes and Ears was accept a chosen few. In the present climate of the Central Ward the only person who knew who Dickie was was Rico.
    The created distance insured his life span. The information insured his cash flow.
    â€œWord’s in my, man. The little sister’s lights are out. She’s dead.”
    Rico continued pacing. He stopped in