Priest


 
 
 
 PRIEST
 
 
 
 
 BRE SHARDAE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CONTENTS
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 3
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 4
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 5
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 6
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 7
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 8
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 9
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 10
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 11
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 12
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 13
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 14
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 15
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 16
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 17
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 18
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 19
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 20
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 21
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 22
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 23
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter 24
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Epilogue
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DEDICATION
 
 
 
 
 
 For Tori…..
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 
 PRIEST
 
 
 
 
 
 I
 t was still taking some getting used to having the suit and tie routine. I headed to the mirror to give myself a once-over. Nothing but a handsome nigga looked back at me. A nigga that was trying to take the necessary steps toward manhood. There were things in life you went through that put shit in perspective. Death was at the top of that list. The last few years I wish I had paid more attention. It may have left me more prepared for this day. I tightened my belt on my tailored black pants and adjusted my tie. I fetched my diamond cuff links from the nightstand because I didn’t give a fuck business or casual, I had to flash at least a little bit. Wasn’t no nigga gone treat me like I didn’t have it when I knew I did. How long depended on how the next move came out. Whatever happened it would require a big adjustment on my part. I had to be prepared to do that alone. I wasn’t a fool.
 
 Let the money change and you’ll see who they really are.
 Those were the truest words spoken by a man that I didn’t even share DNA with. He was more of a father than my actual one was. The money was changing at lightning speed and the unhappiness that surrounded me lately was plentiful. I was man enough to take that in stride too. It was time for long ball. Lifetime decisions.
 
 A man has to decide what type of life he wants before life decides for him.
 
 I had to master the God-given opportunity that lay before me. I slipped on my jacket and walked to the elevator in my condo, knowing that this would possibly be one of the last few times I would ever be able to do that here. I placed it on the market last week and offers were already flying in. I could say I had achieved more than a lot of people my age had. If you could call it an accomplishment considering the means in which I got it. The high of the fast life was addicting. I enjoyed being able to say I was able to get anything I wanted whenever I wanted. For a few years I had more money than I knew what to do with. dozens of dumb-ass purchases but when you have it and you aren’t focused on what comes next that’s what you do. I will be back for this type of shit soon. This next time though, it would be more purposeful. Better. I would be better and whoever I decided to share that with would be someone who could truly appreciate it.
 I smashed the button for the ground level. It gave me a private ride to the parking garage where a few of the dumb purchases I aforementioned lived.
 “What the fuck was I on?” I shook my head while I walked by a big ass motorcycle I couldn’t ride next to a car shaped like a spaceship. I was drunk as fuck one night and a nigga swore up and down he knew someone who sold spaceship cars. I told him I would buy one if he was for real and turned out he was. I was on one because I could be and now I was experiencing the type of buyer’s remorse you get when it’s time to make a legitimate purchase. Legitimate sold it short. This was something that could potentially set me up for life. Fuck potentially, I was banking on this shit and I had to cash out. I was selling everything I owned to make this happen.
 I settled on my choice from the five drivable vehicles I had and hopped in. I sat my phone in the center console and as soon as I cranked up a call came through on my dash. I mounted my phone.
 “Answer.”
 My mother’s face came through the FaceTime call. She was in her fifties so her face was so close to the phone I got a full view up both nostrils.
 “Ma damn, if you don’t back up from that phone some.”
 “Boy hush, look at you! You look so handsome. Let me see what you have on.”
 “Mama I’m driving.” I threw a smile on. I was a hard nigga, that couldn’t be disputed, but the fact that she thought