Streets of New York. Mark Anthony

up, luv,” Squeeze said in a deep toned voice.

      Promise stared at Audrey and complimented her, “God, you’re beautiful. You look nice.” He bent down to kiss her on the cheek, inhaling her scent.

      “Thank you. You’re looking mighty fine yourself too and you smell so good. I like that cologne you have on.”

      “I can’t come to your crib stinking and shit. Gotta smell nice.”

      Audrey liked that. A nigga thugging like him, looking the way he was and smelling sexy. He was fine.

      Audrey had on a denim miniskirt with the shin high boots, a tight white shirt, and her breasts protruded out something lovely. Before they headed out, she threw on her denim jacket. Her sinuous hair fell gracefully down her shoulders. Her beautiful presence lit up the room.

      “Where’s your friend?” Promise asked.

      “Oh, she’s in the bathroom. Y’all want something to drink, a snack maybe, while we wait for her?”

      “Nah, I’m good,” Promise said.

      “What about your friend?”

      “Nah, I’m good, luv…thanks anyway.”

      “Well, y’all chill out and give me a minute. Let me go get my friend. She be taking forever sometimes,” Audrey said leaving the room.

      “Damn, nigga…dats you?” Squeeze asked soon as Audrey was out of their sight.

      Promise smiled. “She fine, right?”

      “You fucked her yet?”

      “Nigga…chill…it ain’t even like that.”

      “Whatever, nigga…you know you want dat. All I know is her friend better be just as fine or I’m gonna embarrass the bitch. I tell you Promise, she better not be coming back out here wit’ a fuckin’ baboon leaching on her back.”

      “Nah, she told me her friend is cute. She vouched for her.”

      “Ahight, nigga…we’ll see. I’ll be the judge of dat.”

      They sat and waited for about ten minutes until Audrey stepped back in the room with her friend following right behind her.

      “Everyone, this is Camille,” Audrey introduced.

      Damn! Both men thought at the sight of Camille. Audrey was right she was definitely a cutie. Camille was light-skinned with a slender sexy figure, brown eyes just like her friend, and her breasts a lil’ plump, not a handful like Audrey but they were right enough.

      She had long braids, freshly done, and they went down her back. She was dressed in a white mock neck and pleated skirt, white stilettos that made the structure of her legs definitely stand out, and her sweet lips were glossed out.

      Squeeze was unquestionably impressed by her looks and the way she stared back at him. It was on and poppin’. No regrets here for either of ‘em.

      They piled into Promise s X5. Audrey rode shotgun and Camille hopped in the back with Squeeze. Promise drove out to Jimmy’s Bronx Café, out in the Bronx. The four of ‘em talked, laughed, and cliqued lovely; everyone was feeling everyone.

      The ride ended in front of Jimmy’s Bronx Cafe around ten thirty. It took Promise ten minutes to find a decent parking spot. Afterwards, the four of ‘em strutted into the place looking like two million dollar couples. Audrey walked close to Promise and Camille was next to Squeeze. The host of the restaurant sat the four near the oversized window overlooking the Deegan Expressway. Being the gentlemen that they seemed to be, both men pulled out the chairs for their ladies.

      “Thank you,” both ladies uttered simultaneously taking a seat.

      “This is nice. I never been here before,” Camille said glancing around.

      Promise and Squeeze sat opposite of each other. Both men looked like true ballers sitting with their attractive dates for the night.

      “So, gentlemen, I’m curious. Why do y’all call y’all selves Squeeze and Promise? I know y’all mammas ain’t give y’all them names,” Camille inquired.

      Promise smiled. “Actually, Promise is my middle name. I don’t care to disclose my first name at dis time.”

      “Why, state secret or your mamma gave you a geeky name?”

      “Nah, I just don’t like a whole lot of folks knowing my government like dat,” he explained.

      “What about you, Squeeze? I mean, what’s that about?”

      Squeeze let out a slight chuckle. “I’m wit’ my nigga Promise here. Squeeze is what every nigga out there on dem streets know me by and they don’t know me by no other name. Dats how I like it and dats how I keep it.”

      “So, y’all some two gangsta ass niggas, huh?” Audrey joked.

      “Nah, we just keep it real,” Squeeze said.

      The waiter came over and asked if they were ready to order. Promise told him to give ‘em a few more minutes. Everyone looked at their menus and tried to decide on what to order. Everything flowed smoothly. Squeeze was behaving and the night looked good.

      After everyone gave their orders, the ladies got up to use the restroom. When they were out of sight, Squeeze joked, “Damn, nigga…Audrey gotta pair of balloons stashed under her shirt. You sure you can handle dat by yourself. Her friend Camille is fine though. You know a nigga gotta ease up in dat sometime tonight.”

      “Behave yourself, Squeeze…don’t fuck dis shit up for me,” Promise said to him.

      “Damn nigga, you really like dat bitch?”

      “She’s cool people.”

      “Yeah, whatever. Man, you’re just trying to get some pussy. I ain’t hating nigga. She a bad ass bitch, though.”

      Promise smiled. “Chill nigga.”

      “Nah. I’m cool. I ain’t gonna fuck your game up tonight. I’m trying to do me, too.” Squeeze glanced back at the restroom to see if the ladies were coming out. When he didn’t see ‘em; he turned back to Promise and said, “Yo, Promise, let me pull your coat to sump’n.”

      “What’s up, nigga?”

      “I’m working on dis deal right now…major money, yo.” Squeeze enlightened quietly.

      “What you talking about, Squeeze?”

      “Look, you my nigga but this stick-up shit we doing, it ain’t kicking it anymore. Shit getting too risky for us out there. I’ve been thinking… I established this connect, right? He got the product but he ain’t got the muscle out there to push his shit for him. He needs workers. He need niggas dat know how to handle the streets. He wanna work wit’ us, cut us in. Move his weight out there for him and we get dat percentage.”

      “What you talking about? What kinda weight do he wanna move?”

      “Mostly trees and white powder.”

      “Damn, Squeeze, dats some serious shit.”

      “Yeah but check dis out. We move in on dem Tompkins Ave niggas and take dey shit over. Dem niggas is weak out there, they can’t hold down fort like dat…fuck dat nigga, Nine. We get dat territory poppin’ and let niggas know we ain’t playin’, dat we in charge…and you just watch dat money pour in. I need this long-term money, nigga.”

      The girls came out the bathroom laughing and headed back to the table.

      “What y’all fellas over here talking about?” Audrey asked smiling down at Promise.

      “Nuthin’, just missing y’all, dats all,” Promise said.

      “Umm hum, whatever. They probably discussing about our bodies. You know how niggas do, Audrey,” Camille said. “You