“Don’t fuck with trick niggas.”

“That’s good,” Travis said.

“I got one,” Jackie offered. “Snitches get dealt with.”

“Right. ’Cause y’all know we gonna meet up with some of them, even if we are headed for corporate America,” Travis said as he continued to write.

Jackie stood and walked over to the window. “I don’t want y’all to take this the wrong way, but I love you two. I mean, I love y’all like y’all were my blood. Shit, I love y’all more than I do them two lazy muthafuckas that call themselves my brothers. They only know me when they think I got money. I love you two. Y’all my family. So I got another one.” Jackie turned around and raised her glass. “Let no one come between us.”

Travis and Ronnie both stood up and joined Jackie at the window. Ronnie poured everybody another glass full of Hennessey. They all raised their glasses and repeated the words together. “Let no one come between us.” They turned up their glasses and they came down empty.

Ronnie poured himself another, “That’s word, for real. I would die for you niggas,” he said and passed the bottle to Jackie.

“That’s how it is for me, too,” Jackie said as she drained her glass. She passed the bottle to Travis.

Travis poured and quickly emptied his glass. “Shit, y’all can die if you want to. I plan on livin’ forever.” They all laughed.

“So, that’s only nine. Come on now, we need one more rule to make ten,” Jackie said.

“I know what number ten should be,” Travis said.

“What’s that?” Ronnie asked as he filled each of their glasses again.

“Even though it isn’t exactly a rule, number ten should be ‘Bless me please, Father.’ ”

Chapter Three

Ronnie paced back and forth, trying to contain his thoughts. He took a deep breath and continued to pace until he could no longer hold it. “Travis, look man, I’m sorry. I fucked up. I let myself get distracted and tripped the alarm. I got careless.”