This Love We Built

By CoCo J.

Mizani had it all, but in one swift motion, it all comes tumbling down on her.

She and her fiancé Jahziel had the perfect life; aside from his street dealings. They were planning their wedding, but someone was planning to take them down. While he was trying to secure the bag for he and his family's future, some unforeseen obstacles get in his way.

Tootie and Killa isn't your ordinary couple. Tootie has held Killa down through everything, but one night and two females cost him the love of his life. Tootie decides she finally has had enough and leaves Killa. She finds comfort in someone else, but she will soon learn that she's made a mistake.

Love, peace, and happiness are all these couples want, but will they be able to get it? Will the love they've worked so hard to build come crashing down on them?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leo Sullivan Presents
• Release date: Aug 19, 2017
• ISBN: 9781648543524

Book preview

1

Zani

Here it was, the middle of the night, three in the morning to be exact, and I was waiting for my husband, well not my husband just yet, but my fiancée, Jahzeil, to bring his ass home. For the life of me, I couldn’t think of why he would think it was going to be okay to stay out all night partying with his friends. It wasn’t that I had a problem with him partying with his friends. It was the fact that it was three in the morning and he wasn’t home, or had yet to call or text me to let me know that he was okay.

Before I go all in about his ass, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mizani Zane. I’m the daughter of the most notorious kingpin Florida has ever seen, Mike Zane. While my dad was busy being a kingpin, my mom was working as a high school teacher. Well, that was before she was killed two years prior due to somebody wanting revenge for a murder my father committed years ago.

When my mama was killed, my father went on the war path. He damn near tore the state of Florida up trying to find out who was behind killing my mama. Let’s just say when he found out, he made them and their whole family suffer. I was there. After my father told me he found the man responsible for taking my best friend away from me, I was there. I asked him could I be there when he ended the man’s life.

When I asked my father if I could be there, I thought for sure he was going to tell me no, that he didn’t want me to be around that kind of stuff. But I was surprised when he told me I could. Never in a million years did I think he would agree to let me be there. After all, I was his princess. His one and only child.

For as long as I could remember, I was spoiled by both of my parents. Hell, even now that I was thirty-one years old, I was still spoiled by my daddy. But now, not only am I spoiled by my father, I’m also spoiled by the love of my life, Jahzeil. To me, he’s known as Jahzeil, but to the streets he’s known as the infamous Zeil.

After my father killed my mother’s killer, he stepped down and retired from the street life. The moment my father stepped down, Jahzeil stepped up and became the man of the streets. At first, I was pissed off. Jahzeil wasn’t the ordinary street nigga. He actually had a lot going for himself. He owned quite a few barber shops, a restaurant, and a community center for teens.

When he first stepped up to the plate and took over where my father left off, I was pissed to say the least. But after a while, I finally got used to it. It wasn’t like he was standing on the corners selling drugs. He was behind the scenes, being the boss. Hell, most people didn’t even know what he looked like, and I loved that.

When the clock hit three-thirty, I grabbed my phone and dialed his number. I hadn’t called him yet, but he had me fucked up. Usually, his ass would be home before two, but tonight, I guess he thought it was cool for him to be out all night. After dialing his number, I put my phone to my ear and waited for him to answer. After the third ring, he picked up.

Hello, I said into the phone.

I waited a few seconds for him to respond to me, but he had yet to. In the background, I could hear music playing, so I knew he was still out partying with his friends. Hanging up the phone, I shook my head. Now when he walked through the door, he had to hear my mouth.

I went straight to the find my iPhone app and searched for his phone. After getting a location, I went to my contacts and searched for my best friend, Tootie’s number. I knew she was up, because just like me, she was waiting for her boyfriend, Killa, to come home.

Girl, I swear to you, I’ma fucking kill this nigga, she said the moment she picked up.

You already know I’m thinking the same thing as you. You want to pull up on them? Tootie was always down to do a pull up with me, that’s why she was my best friend.

So, I’m guessing you know where they at? she asked me.

From the movements that were going on in her background, I knew she was already getting up to get dressed, if she wasn’t dressed already.

You know I do. So, what’s up?

Come pick me up, I’ll be ready, she simply said before we hung up the phone.

I got out my bed and quickly threw on some sweats, a hoodie, and my Jordan 12’s. After putting my long hair in a ponytail on top of my head, I grabbed my phone and keys before heading out the door. This wouldn’t be the first time I had to pull up to where Jahzeil’s ass was at, And I’m sure it won’t be the last time.

It's 4 AM and my lover won't answer

He's probably somewhere with a dancer

Sippin' champagne while I'm in his bed

---

It's 4 AM and I think I might lose it

This motherfucker thinking I'm stupid

He must have bumped his head

---

The irony of this song to be playing at this moment. I turned the radio down and proceeded to Tootie and Killa’s house. When I made it to their house, Tootie was already walking out the door with her big ass purse. The moment I saw that purse, I already knew what time of day it was. She was going to fuck some shit up.

I shook my head as she got in the car. Her ass looked at me for a few seconds before she laughed. I swear, her ass wasn’t playing with a full deck.

Tootie, please, when we get there don’t start shooting up the damn place. I don’t have time to be sitting in jail, I told her as I pulled off.

I won’t. Well, not unless I have to, she said with the biggest smile on her face.

Again, I shook my head. Tootie knew just like I knew that she was crazy, certified crazy. Sometimes I had to ask myself how the hell we were best friends.

Tootie and I were literally like night and day. While I was quiet and laid back, she was the rowdy type. It didn’t take much to piss her off, and when she was pissed off, it was only two people that could calm her crazy ass down. Besides myself, the other person was Killa. I don’t know how he could calm her down when he was the reason her ass was the way she was right now.

When I pulled up to Lace Night club in downtown Miami, I saw Zeil and Killa in the parking lot with some hoes surrounding them. See, this was the type of shit I didn’t like. Before I could even cut my car off, Tootie hopped out and damn near ran to where Zeil and Kill were standing. I quickly turned the car off and ran after her. I had to be there before one of the lil’ hoes said some slick shit to Tootie.

So, this the type of shit you do, Kahlil? she asked, calling Killa by his real name.

Killa’s head turned toward where Tootie’s voice came from, and his eyes damn near popped out of his head when he saw her standing there with her purse. Even he knew what type of night it was about to be.

Come on, let’s go talk somewhere, Killa said, trying to get Tootie’s crazy ass away from the females.

No, I’m not going no muthafucking where. Tell me why in the hell you’re standing here with these hoes? Tootie asked, pointing to the females.

Who the fuck is you calling a hoe? Killa, who is this bitch? one of the females asked.

Yo, watch yo’ fucking mouth.

Nah, don’t tell the bitch to watch her mouth, I got something for her ass. Tootie was about to go in her purse, but Killa quickly grabbed her and took the purse from her.

Move, give me my shit back! I swear, I’m not playing with yo’ dumb ass! Tootie yelled at Killa.

You need to handle that, Killa, the other female said.

I shook my head because them females couldn’t keep their mouths closed to save their lives.

Before either one of them knew what was happening, Tootie reached around Killa and grabbed one of them by their hair. She quickly slung the girl down before she got on top of her and started beating the girl in the face. The other chick moved like she was about to jump in, but I quickly let her know it wasn’t gon’ happen.

If you don’t want the same thing to happen to you, I’d suggest you back the hell up, I let her know.

She threw her hands up in surrender and backed the hell up. That was her best bet. By far I was not a fighter, but when it came down to my best friend, if need be, the beast would always come out the cage.

I guess Killa got enough of Tootie beating the girl’s ass, because he grabbed her and pulled her off the girl.

Get the fuck off me, Killa! Tootie yelled.

Girl, if you don’t calm the fuck down.

Give me back my purse and I’ll calm down.

I’m not giving you shit. Now come on before I start acting an ass out here. Killa grabbed Tootie and dragged her over to the side. They were still arguing, so I shook my head.

While they were going back and forth with each other, my eyes were on Zeil. He was looking at me with nothing but lust in his eyes. When I first pulled up and saw him standing there entertaining some hoes, I was pissed. But seeing the way this nigga was looking at me, I’m not even gon’ front. He had me wanting to forget all about why I came there in the first place. I wanted to do nothing more than to take his ass home and ride the shit out of his big, black dick. But I wasn’t about to take it there with him tonight. I was pissed off, and he was gon’ know it too.

Jahzeil was a brown skinned, 6’1" sexy nigga. He had his long hair braided in four big braids, and he had the darkest set of eyes I’ve ever seen in my life. And some big ass lips that he knew how to work. My kitty kat tingled just from thinking about the way he worked those lips.

What you doing out here? Zeil asked as he walked up to me. I looked behind me, to see Tootie and Killa gone. I shook my head. Nine times out of ten, they were on their way home to fuck each other’s brains out.

"I came to see what the hell you were still doing out at three