by T J Edwards
I ain’t feel like giving him a response, so I didn’t. I didn’t like no muthafucka hollering at me. I didn’t care who they were. Even though he was my father, I didn’t feel like he had the right to raise his voice at me. It was taking all of the will power deep within my soul for me not to go ballistic and suffer the consequences later.
“Yo, Pop, I feel you. But can you stop coming at me like I’m some fucking kid? No matter what that video showed, I lost my son that day. That shit is eating at me. So there is nothing that you’re going to say or do that will discipline me worse than life already has. Nah’ mean?” I pulled my nose and sniffed loudly.
Instead of giving me a response, he exhaled loudly and shook his head. “That brings me to the second part of our meeting today. I am saddened to inform you kids that I have pancreatic cancer. The doctors have given me a few more months to live. I may be able to get six at the most. Due to this unfortunate circumstance, I will be naming one of you as my successor.”
He sat in his chair and looked all of us over. The news was devastating enough. I mean I knew that my mother had confessed to me that she’d been poisoning his food for some time now, but to see that it actually worked was mind boggling.
She’d always said that whenever my father stepped down from our family’s business, I was supposed to step up on his throne. That it was my birthright, and as much as I felt I didn’t need him to become great, I agreed with what she’d spoken. I jumped up and shook my head.
“What do you mean one of us will be named your successor? I’m the oldest. It’s my birthright and you can’t take that away from me. No one can!” I snapped.
“Sit down, Juanito. Your actions with this past event have made me doubtful in your ability to rule this family once I am gone. I have very little faith in you. You’re much too impulsive. You could cause this family to crash fast and hard. So, I will not just hand you anything. I have a contest for the three of you.”
“Yo, nah. We ain’t doing no contest. It’s my birthright, Pops. You can’t do this shit.” I was getting more and more heated to the point I wanted to start shooting up in that piece. I saw myself knocking my pop’s head off, then murking his right hand man before having a major shoot out with his guards. I was feeling kamikaze as fuck.
“Sit down, Juanito! I will not tell you again!” my father snapped. He stood up and slammed his big hand down on the table. His face was beet red. I took my seat and looked across the table at my brother, Tristian. He had tears in his eyes. He wiped them away and frowned his face.
“Pop, when did you find this out? And why did you wait so long to tell us that you were dying?” he asked, getting up and giving our father a hug.
He was so soft to me. I wasn’t feeling any of those emotions he had. I don’t think that Miguel was either, but I wasn’t sure. I sat back in my seat and lowered my head. Now I’d have to compete with my brothers for my own birthright. It was insulting. I had visions of killing the both of them. Boom. Boom. Competition over with.
They hugged for what seemed like an eternity. “I told you kids once I was able to live with the results. I have been working over time to get this family into a stable position. Senator Jefferey Grant will take our family to the next level. With him in power as mayor, we will have a direct line to distribute our heroin and cocaine all throughout the United States from right here in New York City.
We’ll be able to move freely, sons. That means millions and millions of dollars for all of you.
The person that takes my throne must always make sure that our homeland is the first place that is always taken care of. Without Havana and our fields, there is no Vegas. Understand that.”
I lowered my head and curled my lip. I needed to get the fuck out of there. I was getting more and more angry.
“So, what is the competition?” I asked, trying to sound as calm as possible. The lights flipped back off and he flipped on the projector. This time there was an aerial view of the Red Hook Housing Projects out in South Brooklyn. It was a view of them from the past winter I surmised because there was snow everywhere.
“This is the destination for us Vegas to conquer. If we can fully take over these houses, even before Senator Grant comes into office as mayor of the city, we can look to make five million dollars a day from both our coke and heroin through these housing projects.
Right now as it stands, this area is the cocaine capitol of America. We want to make them also the heroin capitol, as well. The first one of you that can conquer this area and bring me fifteen million dollars to go towards Senator Grant’s campaign will step upon my throne to rule as king of the Vegas. You have three months to make this happen.”
I jumped up. “Is that all’?” I asked, looking down on him.
“Oh, so you think you can conquer so easily, Juanito? I’ll have you to know that currently they are ran by the enemies of the Vegas. Mr. Bruno Gomez himself and the Gomez family have stated their claim to these houses. Not only that, but these houses are flooded with the cocaine that comes directly from the Gomez’s cocaine fields in Havana. Bruno has had a lock on them for nearly five years now. The residents pledge their loyalties to him and his sons, Wisin and Chulo. I’d like for you to tell me how you’ll be able to take them over so easily?” he challenged me.
“The price is fifteen million and the Red Hook Houses. It’s all I need to know. My birthright is on the line right now. That’s what matters to me and nothing more at this juncture.”
“Alright then, Mijo. You’re dismissed. So are the rest of you. I am here for anyone of you that needs me to mentor him in this endeavor. I love all three of you and be safe out there.”
I made my way out of his house with my brothers calling my name. I ignored the both of them. That night, I grabbed me a bottle of Hornitos and found myself sitting with my back against Evelina’s grave.
Evelina had been my best friend, right hand woman, and the heart and soul of me for as long as I could remember. That was until she’d taken her life about a half of year ago right in front of me. I was missing her like crazy and needed her more than I could ever remember. I took the bottle of Hornitos and turned it all the way up, swallowing the liquor in big gulps, before holding it at my side with my eyes closed.
“I miss you, Eve. I wish I could hold yo’ lil’ fine ass right now. I hope you looking over Maine up there. Tell him that I’m sorry. That I should have been a better father. I should have protected him more. But I will not rest soundly until I bring his killer to justice. Street justice, that is.”
I took another swallow from the bottle, almost killing it. “Tell Punkin I said fuck her. I know she up there talking a bunch of shit about the way I cared for our son. But tell that bitch I said fuck her. I don’t feel like she could have done a better job. In fact, I’m sure of it.”
I opened my eyes as the wind began to blow in the night. The sounds of crickets were loud in my ears. The graveyard looked dreary and even a bit scary like something straight out of a horror movie. Eve’s grave was located directly in the middle of it, as well. I didn’t have any problem making it to her grave, but now that I was so drunk, I didn’t know how the fuck I was going to get up out of there. I turned the Hornitos up and drank as much as I could.
“This punk muthafucka got the nerve to put my birth right up for grabs like I’m some bitch or something. I’m the first born. That seat is supposed to be mine and not nobody else’s. I’d murder Tristian and Miguel’s bitch ass before I let them take my throne. Word is bond. They don’t wanna fuck wit’ the Showbiz kid. That’s on my mother!” I hollered, feeling myself get vexed.
I turned my head around and kissed her tombstone. “You were my only love, Eve. I ain’t never care about nobody outside of my mother like I did you. I wish you would have come to me before you made up your mind. You’d still be in this fight wit’ me right now. We’d have no problem taking over them Projects. I’m confident in that. You’re still my every thing, Boo. Word up.”
I kissed the tombstone again and
laid my head up against it. I could see her beautiful face in my mind. I wished that I could kiss her perfect lips again. Eve was my world. I saw that now. She was my better half and I felt like I needed her more than I’d ever have before. I don’t know how it happened, but I wound up passing out with my face against her tombstone, missing her like crazy. I didn’t awake until the next afternoon, and when I did, I had a thousand Army ants crawling all over me.
Chapter 4
It was a week after my father’s meeting. I sat across the table from Veeto, Eve’s uncle. I would hit licks for him. He would pay me twenty five thousand dollars apiece for each person that I slumped. He slammed a map down in front of me and said, “Son, I hate them punk ass Gomezes, kid. Word is bond. Here go all of the information you’ll need on Chulo and Wisin’s bitch ass. Yo, if you wind up whacking them fuck boys, I’ll throw you thirty gees just on the strength.
Oh, and here go that info you needed on Flex, too. I got the low down on where his sister stays. They supposed to be throwing a party for his birthday out in Brooklyn. I guess them Harlem niggas finally ran him out of their borough. Anyway, it’s already a fifty thousand dollar bounty on his head from the gods out in Harlem. I know it ain’t about the money for you, but once you whack his punk ass, l’ma collect the money and make sure you get it anyway.” He leaned across the table and we hugged.
“I’m sorry to hear about your kid too, boss. If there is anything the god can do, just let me know.”
I nodded my head and left from his crib, feeling like I’d made some progress. It took me a minute to drive away from in front of his spot because my head was spinning like crazy. Anytime I dealt with anybody that me and Eve were accustomed to dealing with, it made me miss her like crazy.
I got to hearing her voice and laughter in my head. It was getting to the point that it was driving me crazy. I pulled the aluminum-foiled package of heroin out of my pocket and opened it. I lowered my head and tooted about a gram up each nostril. I waited for the effects of the drug to take over me, but it was to the point where it wasn’t hitting me like it once had.
The tooting thing was getting old. I needed to ingest the drug through my veins. I knew it would be the only way it would do anything for me. I was just kind of scared of what that meant for the future. I couldn’t see myself sticking a syringe in my veins. It just wasn’t me.
So I tooted another gram before I pulled from in front of Veeto’s crib, feeling the slight effects of the Vega’s heroin that was more than ninety five percent pure.
* * *
Ten minutes later, I was beating on Tristian’s door to his crib out in Brooklyn. I just needed to pick his brain to see how much he really wanted our father’s throne. He’d always been one of those niggas that couldn’t see himself staying in the hood. He wanted to venture out to do bigger and better things. He was a college boy.
I didn’t think that our father’s drug empire lined up with what he saw for his future. If that was the case, then I was cool with that. But if he was thinking of actually going for the throne, then I had thoughts of putting two in his melon and tossing him over the Brooklyn bridge with no mercy or remorse.
This shit was real to me. I didn’t give a fuck if he was my paternal brother or not. I was born to be king. So I beat on his door harder and waited for him to answer it. About thirty seconds later, he did and with a crazy look on his face.
“Damn nigga, why the fuck you beating on my door like you Twelve or something?” he asked, stepping to the side.
I walked past him and into the house. The heat hit me at once and boosted the high the heroin had given me. “Yo, I come to fuck wit’ you for a minute. I want you to rollout wit’ me so we can handle some bitness together, too.”
I looked around his pad and saw Kalani looking at us from the kitchen. She smiled at me and waved. Tristian closed the door and scratched his head. “Yo, what you talking about, kid? About a week ago after Pops ended the meeting, you acted like you ain’t wanna fuck with the god. Now you’re back up and talking and shit.” He shook his head. “Yo, you gotta get on some kind of Lithium or something. Word up.”
He sat on the love seat and pointed to the couch across from him. “Have a seat, son.”
I sat down and pulled my nose. I needed another fix already. I felt my high going down for some reason. My head began to hurt. I think it was the heat. First, it had boosted my high and then it felt like it was taking it away. Maybe I did need Lithium.
“Nah son, peep. I got the four one one on where that fuck nigga Flex gon’ be tonight. I wanna roll over there and knock his brains out of his head, then kill whoever in the house along with him in honor of my son. I aint been able to sleep every since he killed Maine. It’s fucking me up, Dunn.” I ran my hand I over my face in mounting frustration. “So you gon’ fuck wit me or not?” I asked ready to get up and walk out of his crib.
Had he said n’aIl, I was gon’ come back and murder him in cold blood. I was already irritated that he and my father acted like I didn’t have a reason to be heated over what had taken place with my son and my birthright. He nodded his head.
“Let me grab a shower real fast and I’ll be right out to fuck wit’ you. Just chill here. You want something to eat or snack on?” he asked, stopping in the doorway.
“Yeah, let me get one of them Tahitian Treats you keep in your fridge and some cookies or something. I got a sweet tooth.”
“I got you. I’ma have Kalani get you right while I jump in the shower.” He left from the doorway and I pulled out my phone to look over my messages. I had three from Wetto with dollar signs attached to them. I was guessing the homey was in need of more product.
I had intentions on getting up with him as soon as I finished handling Flex’s bitch ass. There was also another message from Veeto telling me to call him urgently. This one I responded to right away. He picked up on the first ring.
“Kid, I got you all set up. The lil’ bitch Mandy gon’ meet you at the front door. Y’all went to school together. She familiar with you and she know what’s good. However, she can’t leave away from that situation, so make sure you handle that. Nah’ mean?”
“Got you, Blood. I’ll catch you later. Love you, kid.” I ended the call and put my phone back up. My brother’s bitch, Kalani, stepped into the room with a plate full of chocolate chip cookies and a bottle of Fruit Punch Tahitian Treat. She sat them on the table.
“Tristian told me to bring you these. How are you holding up?” She was dressed in a short pink Fendi skirt and belly shirt that showcased her belly button ring.
“Where my brother at?” I asked, ignoring her question.
“He just got into the shower. He said he’ll be out in ten minutes. Now, how are you doing?” She looked down at me with her big brown eyes, concerned.
I grabbed her by the wrist and slid my hand between her thick thighs. I ran it all the way up until my fingers brushed her panty front. “Damn, that go there that fat thang right there.” I squeezed the lips together through the panties and bit into my bottom lip. This woman was so fucking bad. She moaned and tried to yank her wrist away from me.
“Stop, Showbiz. You said we wasn’t gon’ do nothing like this no more. I believed you. You know I love your brother.”
I reached both of my hands under her skirt and pulled her to me, using of her ass cheeks. Once in front of my face, I slipped my head under her skirt and licked the crotch of her panties, searching for her taste. I licked up and down her material, before kissing all over her thick thighs.
“Stop, Showbiz. You gon’ get us in trouble. Damn,” she whimpered, looking over my shoulder in the direction of the back of the house where Tristian was showering. I pulled her crotch band all the way to the side and exposed her pussy lips, before sucking them into my mouth. I slobbered all over them in a hunger-like way.
She humped into my face. Threw her head back. “Aww, fuck. You ain’t right. I swear you ain’t right.”
I had her lips wide open, sliding
my tongue in and out of her at full speed. I loved making a bitch do what she knew she shouldn’t be doing. I knew she loved my brother with all of her heart, but I didn’t give a fuck. She was too bad. I wanted to fuck and touch all over her whenever I wanted to. I didn’t give a fuck how Tristian or nobody else felt about it either. I thought as her juices spilled onto my tongue. I slipped a finger inside of her and gripped her ass. The bathroom door opened. She pushed me away and pulled her skirt down, rushing out of the room on weak legs.
“Damn, Showbiz. You gotta stay away from me.” She disappeared to the back of the house. I sucked my fingers and laughed to myself. I picked up one of the cookies and ate it.
* * *
I handed Tristian a pistol and watched him tuck it under his shirt in the small of his back. He had his ski mask on top of his head ready to be pulled down.
“Let’s handle this bitness, nigga. Fuck is you waiting on?” he asked, looking me over closely. I’d paused for a minute because my heart was beating super fast. I was having a hard time breathing and I almost panicked. I wasn’t trying to go back to the hospital from another overdose.
The last one had taken so much out of me that I thought I was going to die. Just imagining me going through that shit again was enough to freak me out. I couldn’t let my brother see no weakness in me, so I played it off. I screwed the silencer into my .40 Glock and slid it into my pants. I pulled my mask down over my face and stepped into the cool night air. The entire block was completely darkened as if somebody had shot out the street lights.
“Come on, lets go.” We ran down the alley and through the back yard of the brownstone. Once there, I found the number for Mandy that Veeto had texted to me. I texted her and told her to bring her ass down stairs before I deleted her number from my phone.
I could hear the music coming from upstairs. They were banging Pusha T’s album. I heard lots of I laughter. I could tell that they were enjoying themselves. For some reason, I took offense to that.