Commit To Violence

"What’s up, Nick?"

"I need you to do something with me."

"What you need?"

"I’ll tell about it when I see you. You remember that thing we talked about earlier?"

"Yeah," Bobby said and immediately had a good idea what Nick had in mind.

"Meet me outside."

"I’m on my way," Bobby told Nick.

"How long before you get there?"

"Give me thirty minutes."

"See you there."

Nick told the driver where to go and leaned back. He thought about his history with Bobby. Things have gotten better between him and Bobby, but Nick knew that he’d never forget that night. It should have never happened; but Nick was gone, too far gone. Her name was Camille Augustus.

Nick knew when he met her that she was with Bobby, but it didn’t matter. He had to have her. Nick had never met any woman like Camille. She was fascinating to be around and to talk to. The way she talked with that thick Barbados accent. And she was beautiful; her dark complexion, her flawless body, and those dark eyes.

Thoughts of that night used to haunt Nick like a bad dream that would never end. Bobby with his gun in Nick’s mouth, screaming that he was gonna kill both Nick and Camille. Black with his gun to Bobby’s head—"Bobby, please," he pleaded quietly. "Take the gun out of his mouth and put it down."

Nick and Bobby had made peace and put that all behind them. Now Bobby was the only one that Nick could depend on. Funny how things come around, Nick thought as the cab got to Fat Larry’s. He saw Bobby’s CLK350 Cabriolet car parked outside. "Pull over by that Benz," Nick told the cab driver.

He got in the car with Bobby and told him what had happened with Rain. "How you wanna play it?" Bobby asked.

"I just wanna talk," Nick answered.

"Your show," Bobby said and put on his gloves. Nick already had his on. They got out and went to the door. The restaurant was closed but Nick saw Stark’s car parked in the alley. They banged on the door and Moon came and let them in.

"What’s up, Bobby. What’s up, Nick," he said.

"Where’s Stark?" Bobby asked.

"He’s in the back. Come on," Moon said and they followed him to the back of the restaurant. When they got in to office, Stark got up and came from behind his desk.

"Bobby, Nick, what brings y’all down here?" Stark said and they shook hands.

"I need to talk to you about something," Nick said.

"What’s up?" Stark asked. Bobby looked at Moon. "Would you excuse us for a minute, Moon?"

"No problem," Moon said and left the office.

When Moon closed the door, Stark sat down on the edge of his desk. Nick stepped to him.

"You selling product to Rain?"

Stark looked at Nick and Bobby. "She tell you that?"

"No, she didn’t give you up. It was just something she said or didn’t say that made me think that you were."

Stark dropped his head and laughed a little. "Yeah, I—" but before he could finish his sentence, Bobby was on him.

He grabbed Stark by the throat and shoved his gun in Stark’s mouth. "Do you realize the position that puts Black in? The position it puts all of us in?" Bobby said softly.