Hell House (17 page)

“Then, stop beating around the fuck—the bush and eliminate all this mumbo jumbo. Of course you like me, but I'm not interested in hearing all of that right now. Get to the point.”

Sylvia's tone went up a notch and she pointed her finger at me. “You are being played. I wasn't the one who went through your things, Prince was. I saw him searching through your stuff, but
he didn't see me. I saw him turning the combination to your safe, but he couldn't get it to open. And as for your letter, I saw him read it and throw it in the trashcan. It wasn't me, Jaylin, it was him. So you need to watch your back around here, instead of laughing and lollygagging with everybody. I thought you were much smarter than that, but then again, I've been known to be wrong about some things, especially when it comes to men.”

By now, locomotive steam was shooting from my ears and I was stroking my goatee hard. I couldn't believe these motherfuckers were trying to play me. I was sure Roc was in on it, too. I didn't have time to thank Sylvia for the information. I rushed out of the bedroom, looking for both of those fools to show them what happened to people who fucked with me.

I had gotten over the ordeal with the snake incident the other day. Chase and I were barely speaking to each other, and the last thing I wanted to do was bump heads with a bitch who didn't mind being in the wilderness. I mean, there was something eerie about a woman who could manhandle a snake. I kept my distance, but the door was still open for her to get her butt whooped again.

I was outside on the patio doing the bump with Roc, while the music was blasting. We were having so much fun. He couldn't believe how low I could go to the ground, but I had been there several times and was working my way back up. My fingers were in the air, and I was popping them to the beat of “Da' Butt.”

“Aww, shit,” Roc said, playfully smacking my ass, as I bent over and danced. We were clowning. Everybody else was drinking and laughing their butts off. Not to mention that a few of us were high. Me, Roc and Prince had fired up a joint in the bathroom about an hour ago and were blazing.

The song switched to Soulja Boy's “Crank That” and everybody was on their feet, especially Prince who knew the lyrics word for word. He was saying them out loudly, bobbing his head and dancing close to Chase. She was laughing her behind off and seemed to get a kick out of Prince's suave moves. I kept clowning and dancing so wildly that I twisted my damn ankle and stumbled
to break my fall. It was a good thing that Roc caught me, or else I would've been on my ass. I limped over to a chair, but before I could take a seat, a hurricane blew through the backyard. At least that was what I thought it was, but instead, it was Jaylin storming out of the sliding door and looking like a madman. He blew by me and his eyes moved across the patio until they came in contact with his target. He crept up on Prince like a thief in the night. Grabbed him by his shirt and slung him around. Within seconds, Prince was on the ground.

“Muthafucka, you've been going through my shit, haven't you? You want to steal something from me, huh? Is that what you trying to do?”

Jaylin shook Prince by the collar and drug him to the edge of the pool. He dunked Prince's face into the water as if he was water-boarding his ass like a terrorist. Prince was so high that he didn't know if he was coming or going. I suspected his body had to be hurting from hitting the ground so hard, and he was choking on the water because Jaylin kept dunking him.

“Stop it, Jaylin!” Sylvia yelled in a panic as she rushed outside. “You're going to kill him!”

That was when Roc ran over to pull Jaylin away from Prince. Now, what in the hell did he do that for? I don't know what had gotten into Jaylin, but I seriously thought the devil was upon us. He pushed Roc away from him and punched Prince in his midsection. Prince doubled over and rolled flat on his back.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, nigga?” Roc yelled, intervening again. But this time, Jaylin caught Roc in the face with a straight right hook—one that you would've thought only Muhammad Ali could deliver. I swear I heard Roc's jaw crack. The blow staggered him several inches backward, but from there, it was on. Roc lost it and went crazy. He charged at Jaylin, knocking
him to the ground. They were pounding the shit out of each other. Grunting and talking shit.

“You want some of me, nigga, is that what you want?” Roc said as he had Jaylin in a headlock.

Jaylin used his elbow to jab Roc in the gut. “Yeah, I want some, but give me more!”

This was getting scary, but all we could do was back up and move out of the way. Nobody dared to get in the middle of that squabble; if they did, they would've gotten knocked the hell out.

Jaylin picked Roc up by his legs, carrying him a few feet and dropping him back first on one of the tables. It came crashing down and the umbrella fell on top of them. Roc's fists were like solid bricks as they went into Jaylin's body, and after another punch to Jaylin's face, that was when Roc drew blood. We couldn't call the police or nothing, and there seemed to be no end to the madness. Chase's hand covered her mouth, Sylvia had tears cascading down her face, and I was shaking all over because I thought somebody was going to die in front of me.

“Cut the bullshit, please!” I yelled, but neither of them listened. By now, all of the patio furniture was scattered. Some was broken into pieces and some was floating in the pool. Jaylin had his hands around Roc's throat, squeezing so tight that as black as he was, his neck was turning red. Then all of a sudden, the producer, Jeff, and several big bodyguards came rushing outside. They did their best to separate Roc and Jaylin, but it was no easy task. It took all the manpower in sight to get some kind of order.

“Ladies, please go into the house,” Jeff ordered. “I don't want anybody else to get hurt.”

Without hesitating, me, Sylvia and Chase went inside. I was near speechless, only because I didn't want nothing like this to go down.

“I feel so bad,” Sylvia said, easing back on the couch. “I shouldn't have said anything to Jaylin. I should've left like I had planned to.”

“What did you say to him?” Chase said with an attitude.

“I told him the truth about who actually went through his things. It wasn't me; it was Prince. I saw him trying to steal from Jaylin, but I didn't tell him because I didn't want anything like this to happen. That's why I took the blame for it.”

“I knew that slick, sticky-fingers fool was up to no good!” I said, referring to Prince. “I've been hidin' my stuff. If it were me, I probably would've clowned on his ass, too. All these niggas out here do is take, take, take. I don't understand what Roc had to do with it, though.”

“I'm not sure,” Sylvia said. “But I didn't tell Jaylin anything about Roc. He assumed that Roc and Prince were conspiring against him.”

“They probably were,” Chase said. “But here's what you ladies need to know, so wake up and pay attention. I overheard them talking. They've been plotting and scheming against us since we walked into this house. The objective was to get us out of here, so the three of them could be here together. They talked about who they believe the weakest link is, and unfortunately, Sylvia, that title belongs to you. Jada, you're good for cooking, so they want to keep you around. They believe that if we keep arguing and fighting with each other, that's how one of them will win. I say we come up with a plan that will send them packing before we do.”

My jaw dropped as Chase spoke. I couldn't believe they would do something so sneaky. Then again, it made sense. Men always stuck together, but they weren't representing that today.

“I guess that explains why Jaylin treated me like crap. He was pretty much delighted when I told him I was leaving earlier.”
Sylvia folded her arms and moved back on the couch. “I'm all for what you ladies want to do. Please count me in because I'm not going anywhere.”

“Neither am I,” I said, adding my two cents. “And I wish those bastards would've killed each other out there. Maybe they'll get kicked out of here. If so, then all I'll have to deal with are the two of you.”

“One person at a time,” Chase said. “Keep quiet. They're coming inside.”

Jaylin walked in first with fresh bloodstains on his deep purple polo shirt. I didn't know who the blood belonged to, probably both of them. His cargo shorts were ripped and his knuckles were bruised. His face didn't look too bad, other than his nose that was still dripping some blood. Two bodyguards came in after him, and then Prince came in next. Jeff and another dude were holding him up. Prince looked dazed as ever.

“Wha…where in the fuck am I?” Prince said, barely able to stand. I didn't know if the fool was playing games or not, especially since it was now revealed that they had been doing so all along.

Jeff helped Prince to the couch and he fell back on it. He closed his eyes and dropped his limp arm on his forehead. Roc came in next. His face looked a little puffy on the left, but it was hard to see any bruising because he was so damn black. His face was twisted with anger and he was still taking deep breaths.

Jeff addressed all of us at once. “This is an example of taking things too far. Let me know if we need to end this right now, or if all of you can somehow figure out a way to get along. If you can't, go ahead and leave now. The door is open for anyone who wants to leave and nobody will be held here against their will. If you decide to stay, there can't be a repeat of what happened here
today. I'm not going to be responsible for anybody getting killed in here, and anyone who crosses the line again will be arrested. Do you hear me on that, Jaylin? You will be arrested.”

“Do what you must do.” Jaylin spoke in a calm manner, massaging his hands together. He seemed unfazed by all that had happened. Roc appeared way angrier than him. “I'm not going anywhere, and nobody in here is going to make me leave. If you don't wish to witness a repeat of what happened here, please remind these assholes that trying to take from another man will bring about trouble.”

“Take what?” Roc said, holding out his hands and moving forward. One of the bodyguards stood in front of him. “Nigga, you ain't got a damn thing that I want, or for that matter, can't get. That's on a for real tip right there, so stop talkin' that madness about the next man tryin' to take somethin' from you, other than a stupid-ass love letter from yo bitch that got you all choked up around here.”

Jaylin rubbed his goatee and looked at Roc with a smirk. “Go sit the fuck down or go learn how to throw some punches that sting. You hit like a bitch, and if I didn't know any better, I'd think you had a pussy.”

“Gentlemen, please,” Jeff said, looking at Roc. “Is this over for you? Are you done here?”

“Fuck naw, I'm not done. Come see me in three months. This is where I will be.”

Roc walked off and Jaylin sat back on the couch with his arms resting on top of it. It looked like we were in for a long three months; at this point, nobody was budging. I hated to see black men go at each other like this and Lord knows I witnessed this time and time again with Kiley and his friends. There were plenty of times where I was caught in the middle and there were times
that I regretted not having Kiley's back like I should've. For the moment, I changed my mind about plotting with Sylvia and Chase; them hoes couldn't be trusted either. I had Jaylin's back, even though the men had been plotting. I would've had Roc's back, too, if he had not gone into the other room.

“What'cha need, baby?” I said sitting next to Jaylin on the couch, trying to get a smile out of him. “You want me to get you a clean shirt or fix you somethin' good to eat?”

Jaylin glanced at the bloodstain on his shirt and then he pulled it over his head. He laid the shirt on his lap and eyeballed Jeff and his bodyguards as they went outside to talk. Sylvia and Chase walked away as well.

“Nah, sweetheart, I don't need anything from you. I had some frustrations that I needed to let out, so I did. Unfortunately, it's hard for me to do backstabbing people, and I regret that you ladies had to witness me getting down like that.” Jaylin looked over at Prince on the couch. His eyes were still closed.

“No need to apologize, but I don't like to see brothas go at it like that. Y'all were gettin' it in. I thought y'all would kill each other.”

“It could've come to that, but thankfully, it didn't. But I don't want to talk about what happened. It's a done deal and both of those fools now know where I stand. My question to you is, what can I do for you? You've been real sweet to me, with the exception of farting on me and cooking me fatty foods.”

I couldn't help but laugh and blush at the same time. “That fart slipped, Jaylin. I didn't try to do that, and you know darn well that you like my food. As for what you can do for me…I can think of a whole lot of things, but I don't know if you'll be able to handle my requests.”