The King Of The South by Blake Karrington

Imani, and Mama pick her up and take her shopping today?” King said.
    “That would be fun!”
    King reached in his pocket and handed Khristian a stack of money.
    “Dang bro, she is only five . You want me to buy the entire mall? It’s like five racks here.”
    “Nah, that’s for all four of you. Have fun on me, sis.”
    Khristian squealed and hugged King. “Thank you, bro!”
    King loved seeing Khristian happy. When his mother married Carlton, she was only eight years old. Khristian followed him everywhere he went, and King loved having a little sister. He never knew or asked about her mother, he just remembered her coming to live with them when Carlton married Yogi. Khristian had an innocence that was rare with an OG’s daughter. She was always happy, smart, and giving. King and Carlton spoiled her as much as humanly possible, but she was far from being a brat. She was determined to make her own way in the world. She was in college, had a job at a lawyer’s office as a receptionist, and her own apartment.
    Occasionally, King would pay a utility bill for her. Not because she asked, but because he wanted to feel like he was helping. She had grown up so quickly, and much like Carlton, King just liked feeling needed by her sometimes.
    Everyone ate brunch and caught up on what was going on in their lives. Khristian and Imani laughed a lot, and Kareem stared at Imani the entire time. Watching how her nose crinkled when she was amused, and how she cut her food, he felt like he was seeing her for the first time. He wasn’t seeing her as the friend of King’s little sister, but as what she was, a beautiful woman.
     

Chapter 6
    King sighed as he listened to the women’s chatter. He had somehow been convinced to meet them at the house and drive them to the mall. Yessenia had dropped Malani off, and King was glad he had missed her before he arrived. He looked in the rear view mirror at his sister, Imani, and his daughter. His mother sat quietly in the passenger seat looking out the window. He pulled up to the front of the mall near the food court entrance.
    “All right ladies, curb side service. I will meet you inside after I find a space.” King said as he got out to open the doors for the women.
    Malani giggled and jumped down. “Thank you, Daddy,” she said. “Aunt Khristian said I can get a big sugar cookie!”
    “Oh she did?” King said, looking at Khristian. “Well, don’t eat too much, okay? You don’t want to ruin your appetite for dinner.”
    “Okay, Daddy,” she said with her infamous pout.
    Yogi laughed and held her hand out for her. “Come on, lady bug. Let’s go get you some new clothes!”
    King watched them walk into the mall, and then he turned to walk back to the driver side of the truck. As he opened the door, he noticed a black Monte Carlo slowly driving by. King felt his pulse quicken as he watched the car. He stepped inside the SUV, and watched as the car drove up an aisle, passing several empty parking spaces.
    King checked his console for his Smith & Wesson and pulled away from the curb, looking for the closest parking spot he could find. He found a space near the front door and backed into it, scanning the parking lot for the Monte Carlo the whole time. The car seemed to have disappeared from sight. King took out his phone and sent a text to Panama. He wanted to ensure that if something popped off, he had some extra heat behind him. He put the gun in his waist and pulled his shirt over it.
    “I can’t have a damn moment’s peace!” King said to himself as he opened the door of the SUV. He checked the lot once again and walked towards the entrance of the mall.
    As he reached the mall, he caught the reflection of the black Monte Carlo in the large glass doors. He turned around, and the car window on the passenger side began to come down. King could feel his blood flowing through his veins, and he placed his hand on the butt of his gun. The car stopped and King swallowed. The Monte