"Let me help."

Jaylen POV

  My body felt like it would crumble at any minute. "Jay come on." Mario said as I stood there frozen. Reality and that scene was hitting me all at once. "Jay."  he repeated but it sounded as if he was far away. I shortly felt myself be hoisted in the air. I was mad quiet the entire time. Something told me that he was lying about setting him free but apart of me hoped he would've been a man of his word. Now that he has me here, he has no reason to. Shit, I swore I was doing something right. 

  "Jaylen." Mario said gently shaking me as I returned my focus towards him. "How long has this been happening?" I asked. "He just mentioned it today. Now I know why." he said looking at me. "I shouldn't have came here." I said looking at him as he gave me a 'you think' look in return. "Getting you out of here won't be that easy either." he added as I realized just how much worse I made things for myself. "I have to see him." I simply said. I want to see him, I need to. "It's gonna be impossible to do that today. Lemme think of something and I got you. For now, lay low and please don't try to kill anyone." he said as I faintly smiled. 

  As soon as he left the room, I broke down. 

A few days later. 

  "Now that your here, my money has never been better." Bryheem said smiling.  Nothing was the fuck funny tho. "You're a fucking liar. Why is he still here?" "Jaylen,  what are you talking about?" He said, obviously playing dumb. I was 2.5 seconds away from punching this nigga in his shit. "Oh you mean that? Well see I did move him from storage to here, so technically, I did deliver on my end." "Bryheem you know good fucking well that wasn't what I meant."

  He was really starting to piss me off. "Well you weren't specific." He shrugged as he roped his ashy ass arm around me. "What else could 'imma let him go' mean?" I said quoting him.  "Oh I don't know.  Imma let him go to the bathroom,  imma let him go to the store,  imma let him go for a walk, tomato, tomato" he said flagging me down.  I swear imma kill him. "Unharmed." "Oh about that, he decided to be a funny guy so I had to show him what I do to clowns. Then I just decided to make that a business all its own." He said shrugging.

  "Relax. I'll make sure they won't kill him.  Just beat him within an inch of his life that's all." He said that like I was supposed to be fucking thankful. "Hey, its only once a week. He'll be fine. Besides, I threw this party just for you. Instead of pissing me off worrying about him how about you enjoy yourself? You deserve it." He said dismissing me. How the fuck- you know what, going back and forth with him isn't going to solve anything. Shaking my head, I watched as everyone was enjoying themselves.

  In the last few days, the kid done got into 4 different fights with these random as people. Mario actually ended up beating one of them into a coma. What's weird about the whole situation was that I didn't say anything to these people. "I gotta go make a run. I'll be back beautiful." Bryheem said trying to kiss me on my cheek but I moved out of the way. He just laughed. "You'll be mine soon enough. How I'm gonna be yours when you're trying to pass me around to highest bidder? The dumb shit.

  As soon as I saw him leave, I got my ass up and searched for Mario. "Just who I was looking for." He said tapping me on my shoulder. "Come on." he said as I simply followed behind him. "you have about 30 minutes. Make it count." he said as he opened the door. "Bobby." I called out in the dimly lit room. "Heh, that's funny. I can hear you clear as day. I hope you're doing good." I squinted my eyes to see him facing the wall, which explains why he hasn't noticed me. "That's because I'm right here." I said as I made him face me. "Baby." he said as I took a clear look at him. My heart twisted in agony as I gazed at each and every area I could see. "I'm so so-" I croaked before he engulfed me into a hug.

  "I knew ya hardheaded ass wouldn't listen." he said as I cried before hugging him back. "Your bruises." "Fuck that. My heart is happy right now." I was silent after that. He pulled back a bit to kiss me. This was a long and passionate kiss. It was like everything he wanted to say, he said it with this. "My baby." he whispered, caressing my face afterwards. My face was still a bit frowned up after that just because of what just happened to him. Who knows what else Bryheem fucking did to him. "Stop it." he interjected. "No, tell me what he did. I need to know Bobby." I said as I looked at him with pleading eyes. He moved us closer to the source of light, pain striking him with each step, before speaking. 

  "He punched me in the face once because I got played em. Waterboarded me and when that didn't work, he tried to straight up drown me. Said he'd kill me if you didn't come soon and then kill you for falling in love with me." he said as rage once again took over my body. Definitely killing this motherfucker. "Aye. Can you focus on me?" he said as I somehow calmed down. "I've definitely missed you. You don't how much." I said as I hugged and kissed him. "That told me right there. I'm guessing you and Prince got into when he found out?" he asked. See this is what I love/hate about him, he always puts me first, even though he's the one in a tougher spot. "Yeah, he blamed me for this and almost got jumped by Dion, Roman and Benji." I said as he laughed. 

  "He can be a hothead sometimes." "Trust ME, I know but they didn't." I said as he nodded. "He asked me if I knowingly got you caught up in everything. I explained to him that I told you that you could leave at anytime." "You were adamant that I did but I couldn't. You knew that. That's why you stopped arguing with me after a while. No matter how much you wanted me to go, you loved when I was around. I know because I felt the same way. That's why I knew you would come." he smiled. Even in times like these, he can still make me smile. "I'm not sure if they told your mom yet, though they probably did now." I said as realization and fear washed over him. "Shit. Now I know she gonna raise hell." he said as he pulled me closer. I didn't think I could be any closer to him than I already was. 

  "What about your family? I know they weren't happy that this was your proposition." "That's the thing, they spent those 4 days looking for you. They had me confined to the house while they searched for fear of him finding me. They didn't even notice that I snuck out of there." "Jaylen, you did what?" "I snuck out to come here." his facial expression changed to a dissapointed one. "Jay, you know better. Anything happens to you, I wouldn't be able to live with myself." "Bobby I felt the same way! Each day you weren't around, guilt ate me the fuck up. I couldn't just sit in the house like Rapunzel when I knew something was happening to you. I just couldn't." I said as more tears streamed down my face. "Hey, hey, hey. I'm sorry baby. Stop crying. Stop." he said wiping my eyes to no avail. 

  I looked up at him through watery eyes. "I don't need to ask if you saw what happened a few days ago." "Bobby that killed me. With each blow, I felt like I was getting hit in the process. Mario told me that if I intervened, I would've got shot. I never felt so fucking powerless in my life until that day. I would've gladly took a bullet for you." "Shorty." He said with tears in his eyes.

  "Don't talk like that ever again." He said in a dead serious tone. "A few moments of pain I can take but losing you, I don't think I'll ever come back from that. So please don't say shit like that." He said as I nodded. It was silent for a few minutes. "Jay, you got 10 minutes." Mario popped in and said. "So I take it, it's up to us to get outta here?" He asked me, ignoring what he just said.

  "Looks like it and I've yet to learn the building. I gotta learn fast." I said as he nodded. "On another topic, what has he had you doing?" "What you think?" I said as he slowly backed away from. "Get the fuck out." He said as I looked at him in confusion. "No." "Jaylen leave. I can't even look at you right now." He said as I started to get pissed off. I smacked him. "Don't be fucking stupid. I risked my life coming here, don't think for a second I'm just gonna willingly do what he says."

  "Each and every day has been a struggle. Not only have I gotten into it with 'clients', I've also had to defend myself against these jealous weirdos here ass well. I wouldn't do you like that" as said as I choked. He reached out for me as I slapped his hand away. "Mr.Maio, I'm sorry for how I just acted. I've made an ass outta myself. It's just that I can't see you with no one else but me so the thought of that happening trips me out. Please forgive me" he said as I glared at him.

  "Please." He croaked. I can never stay mad at him. "We only have each other right now and I can't afford to have you mad at me." He said as I walked over to him. "You should know that I'd never give away something that yours." I said in a serious tone. "I know and I'm sorry bae. Seriously." He said as he kissed me. I honestly miss these. " I don't want to be here anymore than you do, so I'm trying to find a way out. Its harder now than it was then because I have no friends here whatsoever to help."

  "I apologize again for not understanding your proposition. I'm just want to go home with you." He said as my heart panged. Here I am making shit about me when he's in a worse position. "I'm gonna get you outta here. I have to figure something out quickly tho." "Jay, times up. Gotta go" Mario said as I nodded, though I doubt he could see me like that. "You heard em, I'll see you around baby." "Don't you give up on me." I said giving him one last meaningful kiss. "You know I won't. I love you."

  "I love you too." I said as tears started to fall down my face as I left. "Jay you gotta fix ya face before he sees you." Mario said as I nodded my head. I quickly wiped my faced and adjusted my attitude to a more cheerful one. "Okay let's go" I said as he slung his arm over my shoulder as we walked. "You enjoying yourself? My boy taking care of you?" Bryheem asked as I treied my damnest to hold in my disgust for his breath.

  Shit smelled like weed and throw up. "Yeah, I'm really enjoying myself. Thanks so much!" I said in the most cheerful tone. "Good, good. Thanks for taking care of him Rio, I got it from here." He said as Mario took his arm off me and Bryheem replaced it with his. "Come here. I got some people I want you to meet." He said dragging me to said area. Dawg, these people looked like straight pervs and weirdos. "Bry, this you?" One of them asked as he beamed a toothy grin.

  "Yeah this all me." Now who the fuck said this shit?! "Lucky you because I would've been wifed that." The other said as he rubbed his ashy ass hands together. Could've started a fire with the dead skin flakes. "You letting other niggas hit?" "Fuck no. When I say this is mine, I mean mine alone." That wasn't what he said when I was almost- never mind. "Imma get up with you niggas later. Come on baby." He said we started to walk.  Out the corner of my eye, I could see Mr. Ashy hands still doing said gesture as he watched me leave. That's gonna be a problem.

  I turned around to see Mario staring at him. That's weird. "Hey gimme a kiss." Bryheem said as I looked at him like he lost his damn mind. "Nice joke." I said as he laughed. "You playing but you'll fall for me soon enough." He said as I shook my head. "Go dance with your friends of something. You're blowing my high." He said pushing me away from him. I disappeared into the crowd only to go upstairs to my room. I was honestly over today.

  I quickly hopped in the shower before laying down. "I love you." "I love you too" I smiled as the last words between me and Bobby replayed in my head. "So fucking much." I cried as I cuddled up with my pillow.

The Next Day

  "Damn they got Damon!" Was the phrase that echoed throughout the whole house. First things first, who the fuck was that. "You know Damon right?" A random asked me as I looked at him confused. "He was at the party. He had ashy hands." Hd said as I nodded in remembrance. "Oh yeah him. Wasn't formally introduced to him but I met him last night." I said as he nonchalantly nodded. "They said they torched him in his car." "That's wild." "Aye who gives a fuck about Damon?! Get back to y'all rooms and back to work!" Mario roared as they scattered like roaches.

  He sent me a knowing look that I kinda shrugged off before going into the room. "Hey." Some random said, scaring the hell outta me. "I'm your client for today." He said as I blankly stared at him. "Whoa whoa whoa, I don't want any trouble, I just want to talk." He said with his hangs up. "I'm gonna close the door now if that's OK with you." He said as I nodded.

  "Speak." "Uhh... where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?" Thats a random ass question. I decided to play it safe with my answer. "There is no vision. I always be here." "That's depressing." "I mean its not depressing when you already know there's no hope for your future while you here. The moment you come here, you might as well abandon all hope." I said as he nodded. "Sounds like you kinda already knew what to expect."

  "Been here before." I shrugged. I knew he wanted to ask what I meant by that but stopped once he saw my facial expression. He then continued on with his life story and allat jazz. Wasn't really paying that much attention. "Thanks for talking with me Jaylen. I really needed that." He said as he left a nice lil pile of money on the table before leaving. All this just for talking? Call me Dr. Phil. "Aye get down here!" I geard Bryheem yell.

  "My nigga Jamir. How's things treating you?" He said as he dapped up the guy who was just in my room. See this is why I had to watch what I said. Never know who is close to this bastard. "Good,  good. Can't complain. You got a nice selection here." He grinned as he looked at me. I immediately felt sick. "Glad you enjoyed them. I have a newer one to add to the collection."  He said motioning for the guys to move out of the way. A woman with a bag over her head was brought up. "Everyone meet Angel." He said as my jaw dropped

Malika?!

Purposely mad this chapter short. The next one is the best one.

If you haven't signed the petitions for George Floyd and other countless victims of police brutality, here's a link that should help you out (I'll post it on my profile as well):

https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co

Thoughts?

Bryheem?

Mario?

Jaylen?

Bobby?

Love and light,

Kid