Animal 2 by K'wan Read Free Book Online Page B

“You wanna break bad, lil’ one? Go ahead, pop off. I would like nothing more than to put your brains on the hood of this car. Say something!”
    Ashanti remained silent.
    â€œThis one is clean, partner,” Detective Brown said to break the tension.
    â€œSee? We ain’t got nothing, so why don’t you let us go?” Ashanti said to Alvarez.
    Alvarez was pissed. He just knew that Ashanti would have his gun on him like always, and he’d be able to start building a solid case against him. Frustrated, he made one more search of Ashanti’s pocket and found something. “Well, look what we got here.” He held up the hundred-dollar bag of weed. “Looks like you’re going downtown after all.”
    Ashanti was shocked. “What? You gonna take me in for a bag of weed? Come on, Detective Alvarez, we supposed to be better than that.”
    â€œThe law is the law, shit bird,” Alvarez said gleefully.
    â€œWhat about this one?” Brown asked, nodding to Cain.
    Alvarez thought on it for a moment. “Fuck it, we’ll split thebag of weed up between them when we get in the car and book them both for possession.”
    â€œThis is some bullshit,” Cain said while being handcuffed.
    â€œThank your mentor, Ashanti, for the heat you guys are catching,” Brown whispered to Cain as he shoved him into the car.
    â€œAlvarez, I used to have some respect for you, but this is some low shit. You know collaring me for anything less than a murder is a discredit to both our reputations,” Ashanti said.
    â€œI’ll take my victories where I can get them. You have the right to remain silent . . .”

PART II
SURVIVAL OF THE FIT
    â€œI’m trying to kill him, and he’s trying to stop me from killing him. That ain’t beef, that’s fact.”
    â€”Animal

SIX
    â€œW HERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?” Animal asked, noticing the signs welcoming them to Rye, New York.
    â€œI told you, to a funeral. I figured on the way, we could have some time to talk,” Priest told him, watching the road.
    Animal gave him a comical look. “What do we possibly have to talk about?”
    â€œAnimal, beneath all that Buster Bad Ass shit you keep kicking, I’m sure you’re at least curious about our history,” Priest said.
    â€œOur history is pretty clear. You fucked my crackhead mother and then cut out, same as every other nigga she ever brought in the house,” Animal said venomously.
    â€œWhy don’t you watch your fucking mouth? Marie had her hang-ups, but she still brought you into the world. If your little ass can’t show some appreciation, at least show some damn respect.”
    â€œYes, Father ,” Animal said sarcastically.
    Priest took his eye off the road to shoot Animal a look. “You make it really hard to like you, kid.”
    â€œObviously, since not even the two people who brought me into the world wanted anything to do with me.”
    â€œYou really think it was just that simple, don’t you?”
    Animal shrugged. “Unless you plan to convince me differently during our little outing.”
    Priest sighed. “Listen, Tayshawn, I know you think me and ya mom were just two fucked-up kids who brought a baby in the world that they couldn’t raise, but it wasn’t like that. You weren’t just some popped condom or result of me forgetting to pull out. We wanted you. Your mom and I had a whole game plan.”
    His unexpected admission got him Animal’s undivided attention.
    â€œYour mom turned into a different person when that shit took hold of her, but she wasn’t always like that. She used to be the finest thing in New York, and whenever we’d walk into a spot together, she’d turn every head in the joint,” Priest reminisced. “Back then, Poppa Clark had just become boss, and I was his right-hand man. Me, him, ya mama, and his wife, June, used to run