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I’m His Lady - CH. 3

Aᴀʟɪʏᴀʜ Cʀᴀᴡғᴏʀᴅ ɪꜱ ᴀ ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ-ғɪᴠᴇ ʏᴇᴀʀ ᴏʟᴅ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴀɴᴛꜱ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴇᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ ᴍᴀɴ Kᴇʏꜱʜᴀᴡɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ. Tʜᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ꜱᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ ɪɴ ʜᴇʀ ᴡᴀʏ ɪꜱ Kᴇʏꜱʜᴀᴡɴ'ꜱ ʀᴇᴄᴋʟᴇꜱꜱ ʟɪғᴇꜱᴛʏʟᴇ. Hᴇ'ꜱ ᴀ ʙɪɢ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴅʀᴜɢ ᴅᴇᴀʟᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ʙʀɪɴɢɪɴɢ ᴋɪᴅꜱ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴡᴀꜱɴ'ᴛ ᴀɴ ᴏᴘᴛɪᴏɴ ғᴏʀ Aᴀʟɪʏᴀʜ. Eᴠᴇɴ ꜱᴏ, Aᴀʟɪʏᴀʜ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ Kᴇʏꜱʜᴀᴡɴ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ᴏғ ʜᴏᴡ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ʜᴇʀ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ғᴏʀ ʜɪᴍ ʀᴀɴ. Tʜɪɴɢꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ Kᴇʏꜱʜᴀᴡɴ'ꜱ ʟɪғᴇꜱᴛʏʟᴇ ꜱᴏᴏɴ ɢᴇᴛꜱ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ʜᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇɴᴅꜱ ᴜᴘ ʟᴇᴀᴠɪɴɢ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪɴ Aᴀʟɪʏᴀʜ'ꜱ ʜᴀɴᴅꜱ. Sʜᴇ ϙᴜɪᴄᴋʟʏ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴢᴇꜱ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ꜱʜᴇ ᴍᴜꜱᴛ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴡ ᴀɴᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴏɴ ꜱʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇʟʏ ᴅᴇᴠᴏᴛᴇꜱ ʜᴇʀ ʟɪғᴇ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ʀᴇᴠᴇɴɢᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴄʀᴏꜱꜱᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ ᴍᴀɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ ɢᴇᴛ ᴍᴇꜱꜱʏ."Hᴏʟᴅɪɴɢ ɪᴛ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴀɪɴ'ᴛ ᴀꜱ ᴇᴀꜱʏ ᴀꜱ ɪᴛ ꜱᴇᴇᴍꜱ."

By Alicia LedellPublished 2 years ago 11 min read
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ʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ - ᴍᴀ

*Book contains; drugs/violence, sexual content, adult language*

- Reader’s Discretion is Advised -

Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ Tʜʀᴇᴇ: Gᴇᴛ Iᴛ Tᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ, Kᴇᴇᴘ Iᴛ Tᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ

"Aaliyah? Aaliyah!" His voice blared through the phone, but I couldn't hear anything. My heart was racing, my mind felt like it hit a stand still.

I slowly fell to the floor as tears started streaming out of my eyes uncontrollably. "Is he okay?" When I didn't get an immediate response I called out again, "Raylen! Is he ok? I got no response. I could only conclude that Raylen didn't respond because he himself had no idea because there was no way.

No absolute way that Keyshawn's dead.

I screamed at the top of my lungs. How could this be happening?

"Aye stay there. You hear me Ma? Stay there I'm on my way!"

The line went dead, but I could care less. I continued to scream, and cry. Without a mirror, I could tell my makeup was running down my face. "I can't lose him.... I can't-"

This is not how it was supposed to go. I don't even know if he's still alive. See this that shit, this is why I cried to Keyshawn begging him to let it all go.

Let it all go for me, for us, for our future. Now we may not even have one.

I just couldn't think about it anymore. I could barely breathe and my brain was too foggy to think. I couldn't bring myself to do anything at the moment. My body was shutting down on me as I felt myself distancing and disconnecting from the world.

Keyshawn... why? I took a deep breath as I ran a hand through my hair. Why couldn't you have stayed home with me, laid in bed cuddling. Oh no, you just had to go out there and make sure you completed this order. What's so important about this stupid order anyways? He usually lets his boys handle gathering up and making deliveries so what's so different now? Why was he the one to do this drop?

I brought my knees to my chest. These are the questions I should have been asking him in the first place, but I didn't ask because I knew he wouldn't tell me. He never wanted me mixed up in all of this. I am so worried, scared, and mad all at the same time. I've never felt so stressed out before.

I should have known that something wasn't right. How could I have not? To think that I call myself his girlfriend, no his lady. I shook my head to myself. No, that's negative thinking that I didn't need right now. I wouldn't blame myself, I wouldn't blame anyone except the bitch responsible.

I hope Keyshawn is alright. I wanted to go do something, go get answers from someone. Surely someone saw it! Someone saw something. However, Keyshawn never tells me much about the business therefore I don't know what to do, where to go, who to see. I wish that I had the knowledge about the game that it took to be by his side in these streets, but I knew nothing about the drug game.

As his lady I should've been right there by his side trapping too. Instead, I'm the type who’s weak and needed to be sheltered away from that lifestyle, well at least that's what I believe Keyshawn thinks. He's always pushing me to finish school and chase my dreams of becoming a fashion designer. Damn, I love him for that.

I took a deep breath. If he is alive then he's in police custody. He's going to need a lawyer, and a damn good one at that.

There was a loud knock on the door. "Aaliyah, it's me!"

I couldn't move. I was frozen in place stuck in my thoughts.

Even if I somehow did get the best lawyer around if he couldn't win, Keyshawn was going to do some serious jail time. Raylen already warned me about the risk. Keyshawn had so much drugs on him. My whole dream of having a family and spending the rest of my life with him was distant now.

The door flung open and closed shut before Raylen stormed into the living room calling my name. "Aaliyah!"

My man is in serious trouble and all I could do is think about my own hopes and dreams.

"Aaliyah, where are you?" He yelled out.

My mind was in jitters and words were forming, but not a single sound came out. It was so frustrating! Words were everywhere, but none would come together to form a sentence.

What was I going to do without Keyshawn? He's my rock, my protector, my very reason for loving somebody again. I have nobody else with the same kind of loyalty.

Finally, Raylen came into the kitchen. He probably smelled the food I was cooking and figured this is where I must be.

Tears still managed to find their way down my face and into my lap. I didn't know what to do. I wanted all of this to be a nightmare or some sick prank, but nothing was an illusion in these streets. Everything was reality, straight up real no joke.

"Aaliyah, please... say- say something." He pleaded as he saw my balled up figure against the kitchen island on the cold tiled floor.

I wanted to run and hide. I was such a strong person, but when it came to Keyshawn my feelings were on the table for everyone to see my hand. Even so, only Keyshawn was allowed to see me this way, and no one else.

No one else... until today.

I cried softly. What was there left to say? Where was there left to go? My everything was unbelievably taken away from me in an instant maybe forever or for years.

Either way...

Either way, I lose him. I lose the only man that I have ever truly loved, sometimes more than myself.

I felt an arm go around my shoulders and in an instant I was pulled up off the floor and into soft cotton covering a solid figure. I soon realized I was pressed against Raylen's chest, which was covered by a white-tee.

I fought hard, but it was a battle I ended up losing. I broke down even more placing a hand on his chest as he held me tighter.

There were no words, but I would always remember the warmth he radiated around us.

-

"Aaliyah, we gotta talk about Key."

At this moment, my eyes stopped producing tears but I was still in the middle of trying to calm myself down. I sat on the kitchen floor with my back up against the island cabinets and Raylen sat down next to me.

"First of all, you got to get it together. How you gone hold Key down like this?" He motioned to my current state.

Ok maybe he was right I am a huge mess right now. Keyshawn needs me, how am I going to help him like this? My hair is everywhere and I'm sure there's makeup smudged all over my face.

"Ok, so this is what it is. My boy Lil Dre told me that he seen the police arrest Key, and that Key was already shot prior to them arresting him."

"Are you trying to tell me that someone other than the police shot Keyshawn?" My voice came out really hoarse as I tried to maintain my cool.

"Exactly. I'm still trying to figure out who, but I'm afraid there may be a snake in the grass and I don't wanna fuck around and let the shooter know I'm poking around for information." Raylen rubbed his face with his hand. He seemed stressed out about this whole situation as well.

"Is he dead?" It came out barely audible, but I knew he heard me. If he was already shot before going into police custody it was very well a possibility.

"I know my nigga Key ain't getting knocked down from something as weak as this shit. Naw, we been through way worse. What we need to do is come up with some sort of plan." I only nodded in response.

He was right about Keyshawn though. He is very tough and has been in worse predicaments before. Although, knowing this still didn't keep the fear that I felt creeping up on me out of my heart.

"Where do we start?" I questioned.

"I'ma need you to get Key the best lawyer you can find meanwhile wait until Key calls you from jail, and he will because he's still alive." He shot me a look emphasizing the end of that sentence. "He won't give you any information because it's a recorded line. Just make sure he good and let him know you good. You with me. Nothing else. Got it?"

"Wait, if he doesn't remember who shot him shouldn't I tell him it was someone he trusts? What if that person connects with him while he's in there?"

Raylen turned to look me straight in the eyes. "No Aaliyah, I doubt the person would be dumb enough to get mixed up with Key while he's in police custody, that would be like turning yourself in. Look, just don't mention anything about what happened."

I nodded with a sniffle from my previous tears. "Ok. I got it."

Raylen looked at me with sadness in his eyes. "Aaliyah man, Key never wanted you involved in this kind of shit! In fact, he didn't even want you to know what it was he did for a living at first. You, of course found out due to his constant sneaking and terrible lying." We both burst into laughter simultaneously.

"He's a horrible liar." I commented.

"So bad." He agreed and we laughed a bit more.

"If he finds out you know too much he will shut down and he needs us right now. Especially you, so we can't let him shut us out." Raylen explained shifting his composure back to seriousness.

I quietly nodded. Raylen was being straight-up with me, Keyshawn never wanted me involved in any of this. It was the reason I was so clueless to begin with. I took a deep breath.

"Also, don't push him. If he doesn't want to tell you something, let it go. While you are handling that I'm going to go around and try to find out who the snake is without niggas getting suspicious. Then when I find that slick bitch it's gonna be a bloody day."

My eyes widened a bit hearing Raylen talk this way. I looked at the darkness that masked his eyes for a second. How scary this was, his blood lust was displayed with nothing left to the imagination.

"Anyways, I'll be here to check up on you often. Don't go running your mouth like you girls do and most importantly, if someone asks you what happened to Key tell them you don't know, you haven't heard from him. Like I said, there's a snake."

The house got quiet after that.

"Aye Raylen." I called out after a moment. "If you had to guess, how much time do you think Keyshawn's facing?" I was curious to see what his mind was thinking.

"Hopefully, not long but realistically if he had as many drugs on him as I think he did including his already long criminal record, then anywhere from... seven years to life."

My breath hitched in my chest as I swallowed a huge lump that felt like a frog was in my throat.

Seven years to life?

"Key was driving a truck full of Class A drugs. On top of that he has all of his prior drug charges on record. Then Key already had a warrant out for his arrest for who knows what to be honest with you."

Raylen shook his head. "I told that nigga to be careful. He had to have been set up, but by who though? By who?"

Raylen got up as frustration was clearly written all over his face. "Aaliyah don't leave this house unless it's an emergency. If you need anything, no matter what it is you call me."

I stood up after him. "So you want me to sit around in the house after my man got locked up? I wanna go see him, make sure that he's ok." Water filled my eyes and tears threatened to spill over, but this time I refused to let them fall.

"No, you have to stay inside! Whoever shot Key might be after you too, plus without Key you never know who might come around looking for you."

"Huh?" Apparently, nothing was registering right now.

"With Key being one of the biggest dealers in three states and you being his girl, while he's locked up you got a big ass target on your back. So I'm telling you for your own good. Stay put!" He repeated with authority seeking in.

Raylen didn't say another word just gave me a head nod and walked out. I locked the door up behind him with a dreadful sinking filling in my gut.

Therefore, not only do I have to worry about my man being locked up or possibly dead we're not 100% sure about anything yet, and now I have to be concerned for my own safety.

Great, just fucking amazing!

I walked back into the kitchen to clean up the mess and the wasted food that no one will be eating tonight. Keyshawn's gone, and I have completely lost my appetite.

After cleaning everything up I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and got ready for bed.

I prayed to God several times to save Keyshawn's life, and help us get over this conflict. I closed my eyes and tried to go to sleep.

"Keyshawn..." I muttered to myself as I curled up with the cruel realization that I'd be sleeping alone the entire night and many more nights to come.

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About the Creator

Alicia Ledell

♡ʙᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏғ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪғᴜʟ!♡

ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʟɪᴠᴇ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ...

ʜɪ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ! мy naмe ιѕ alιcιa ledell.

ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴀ ʏᴏᴜɴɢ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ ᴡʜᴏ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏs ᴛʜᴇ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛɪᴠɪᴛʏ ᴏғ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ.

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