Wrath of a Monster

by T J Edwards

  ***

  When I got back to my crib, I found Kalani laid out on the bed, butt naked with her legs wide open. She trailed her fingers through her gap and sucked on her bottom lip. “I been missing you like crazy, Showbiz. I don’t know why, but my pussy is purring like crazy.” She pulled them out of her gap and stuck them into her mouth. “What’s wrong with you?”

  I dropped the duffle bags on the floor. “My old man just died, but before he did he gave my brother the rights to his throne. I can’t let that shit ride.” I moved my dresser out of the way,so I could get to my safe. I needed to stuff them as much as possible before I drove out to my mother’s crib and filled my safes up that were there.

  “Your dad died. I’m so sorry to hear that, Showbiz. Are you okay?” I shrugged my shoulders.

  “It is what it is. I ain’t gon’ shed no tears over that shit. Life goes on. Nah’ mean? Oh, that nigga Miguel in the front room, so you might wanna throw some clothes on before he makes his way back here. I know you ain’t trying to be on display like that.” I started to load my safe. She stood up and slid her panties up her thick thighs and then her jeans. Her titties bounced on her chest as she fit her bra in place.

  “Do you want me to leave, Showbiz? If he see me back here, what is he gon’ say to Tristian?” she asked, buttoning her blouse.

  “I don’t give a fuck what he say. That nigga Tristian don’t hold no governance over me. We fucking, it is what it is. You acting like you’re afraid of that nigga. If that’s the case, you can get the fuck out. Word up.”

  She shook her head. “Baby, you don’t have to be so mean. I’m good where I’m at. I was just thinking of you and his relationship. I know that whatever takes place with me, it doesn’t matter because you guys are still blood. But forget I even said anything.”

  “Bitch, go get in the shower. Then come out here and clean this room up. I got some chicken in the refrigerator that I want you to cook, along with some white rice and pinto beans. Handle that for me. I’ll appreciate it. You hear me?” She unbuttoned her blouse and dropped her jeans, walking toward the bathroom with her panties all in her booty.

  “Yeah, I heard you and I got you. Let me hit this water first. Do you mind if I wear one of your long button ups when I’m out?”

  I shook my head. “N’all, just make sure you stay away from my Ferragamo and we good.”

  Miguel tapped on the door of my bedroom. “Blood, what’s good. You got me out here like a outcast waiting for yo’ ass. What’s on your mental, kid? My baby mother just got wind that my Pops died and she’s freaking out. They were close,” he hollered through the wooden door.

  “Yo, I’ll be out in a minute. Just wait for me in the living room while I’m putting this shit away.”

  “A’ight, son. I’m giving you ten minutes, then I’m back in my whip and headed to Queens. I’ma grab a pop out of this refrigerator, too. I’m thirsty as a muthafucka.”

  I was irritated and felt like snapping on his ass but instead, I bit my tongue and finished loading my safe. Ten minutes later, we were sitting in the living room watching Lebron’s debut with the Los Angeles Lakers. He tooted a thick line of Vega’s heroin and sat back.

  “I wanna smoke that nigga, B. I ain’t gon’ even lie. You know him and me ain’t never got along and never will. You know it had to be some dirty politics involved. Tristian ain’t even in the streets like that. Where the fuck he get fifteen million from?” he asked, pulling on his nose.

  “Not only that, but Pops said that in addition to the fifteen million, that we had to take over the Red Hook Housing Projects. That fool ain’t did that. I got my hittas out scouring the city right now looking for Wisin and Chulo. As soon as either one of them are located, they gon’ hit my phone. In order to take over the Red Hook Houses, we gotta go through them. Them niggas ain’t no pushovers. And Tristian ain’t about that life. Trust me, kid.” I looked up to the screen and watched LeBron cock back and dunk on a nigga from Golden State. I wished that he’d landed in New York. It was time for us to see another NBA title.

  “Yo, I see you got Kalani in the back. I been wanting to fuck her black ass since I was like nine. I don’t really like Black bitches, but I’ll fight through my disgust to fuck that bitch.”

  One of the reasons I ain’t like Miguel being around me was because he was one of those racist Spanish muthafuckas that always had something slick to say about Blacks in general. Even though we were the same complexion as the caramel ones. If you didn’t hear us speaking Spanish, you would have never guessed we were anything other than Black.

  “Yo, don’t worry about what me and shorty got going on. Stay in yo’ lane before I buss yo’ brain, nigga. Word up. And you know I don’t like all that racist shit around me, so keep that shit to yourself.” I mugged him and looked back toward the television screen.

  “My bad, bruh. You know I ain’t mean nothin by it. But I get your drift. Anyway, why did you want me to follow you back here?”

  “Because you gon’ smoke that nigga, Tristian and then I’ma give you a slot under me. I’ma start my own chapter of Bloods and of our family. Put the both together and label us Vega Bloods. I want to bring up some of our family from Havana too after we take over the Red Hook Houses. But before any of that can occur, you gotta smoke, Tristian. The mission will bring you a hundred gees. Since your girl pregnant and all, I figure you gon’ need that money. Am I right?”

  I picked up my bottle of Moet and turned it up. In my opinion, Miguel wasn’t nothing but a send off. Just like Tristian, he ain’t have no real heart. Neither one of those niggas was meant to be king. I hated both of them and as far as I was concerned, the only blood I had was my mother. I had some love for Tori, but it wasn’t enough to cement her in my heart.

  “ o, for a hunnit gees, son, I’ll smoke him and whoever else you need me to hit. I’m hurting right now. I got like twenty gees in the bank and that ain’t shit. You already know it’s finna get hectic real fast for me.”

  “Then it’s settled then. We gon’ hit that nigga after we put pops in the ground. It might be smart to put his body right on top of the old mans since Pops was always kissing his ass anyway.” I couldn’t help laughing at my own joke. Miguel tooted a line of heroin and nodded.

  “Sound like a plan to me. Yo, you bringing Tori to our old man’s funeral? I was thinking about bringing Ariana, but I ain’t sure.”

  “Nigga, neither me or any of my bitches is gon’ be at that dead nigga’s funeral. Let Tristian fill it up with guests. Fuck him. I said what I said before his heart stopped beating. No more words are needed. Word is bond. Fuck him.” Kalani strolled out of the kitchen and stood in the doorway of the living room.

  “Showbiz, your food is done. Is there any thing in specific that you’d like to drink so I can have it ready for you?” she asked, looking like a sexy ass Goddess.

  I shook my head. “N’all, ma. I’ma sip on this Moet and eat my meal. You think you can put another plate together for Miguel.?” She scrunched her face and frowned.

  “I sure can’t. As many monkeys as he’s called me? That punk ass nigga can make his own plate.” She rolled her eyes and turned around, walking away as her shirt billowed around her. A glimpse of her purple panties all in the crack of her ass was seen. I couldn’t do nothing but shake my head.

  “Yo, fuck you then and I stand by what I said about yo’ ass in the past, gorilla bitch!” he yelled, standing up. I cringed and jumped up. Before I could think to stop myself, I hit his ass with a right hook and knocked him clean out.

  “Nigga I told you about that racist shit. You gon’ respect these sistas when you in my presence. Word up. Yo’ dumb ass got Black in you, too but you’re too stupid to know it.

  Kalani ran into the living room with a knife in her hand. When she saw Miguel laid out on the floor she stopped in her tracks.

  “Oh damn, baby. You already handled that nigga then, huh?”

  “Yo, go make my food and set my shit on the table. Don’t eve
r interrupt me when I got company again or I’ma put my foot up yo’ ass. You got that?”

  She nodded and blew a kiss at me. “I do and I’m sorry.”

  Chapter 13

  I loved having my two hit squads because it meant all I had to do was send out an order and wait for it to be carried out. Blackie’s squad located Chulo and Wisin a week after my father’s funeral. His crew had caught them slipping, fucking with a couple escorts out in Manhattan. By the time he contacted me, they’d already been bound and gagged. He waited for the order to execute, but instead of giving it to him, I had other things in mind. I waited an additional three days before I got in touch with Bruno Gomez. By the time I’d already fucked over Wisin’s inner family and hit his ass for ten million dollars, I’d taken Tristian along for the lick to throw him off of my scent and intentions to kill him.

  I met up with Bruno Gomez on a Thursday night at Trump Towers. When I stepped into his penthouse suite, the first thing I saw was that every armed bodyguard in his circle was female. They had black masks over their faces and guns in their holsters. Their eyes were low. Their lashes were nice and long. He greeted me with a handshake.

  “Juanito Vega, what an honor it is to meet you. I’ve heard about the decision Chico made to give his throne to his second born instead of his first. That’s a pity. Something like that would never happen in the Gomez family. Please have a seat.”

  The only soldier I had roll out with me was Blackie. After he’d turned over two big scores without dipping into the pots, I felt like I could trust him a little bit. I was ready to give him a slot in the Vega Bloods.

  “I hear what you saying Bruno, but the way shit looking right now, if you don’t play your cards right, you won’t have a son to pass your throne down to.”

  I grabbed a bottle of Champagne out of the bucket of ice on my way to the leather couch where two of his bodyguards stood behind it with their guns out. Bruno sat across from me and Blackie. He was a sharply dressed man in a tailor made suit. He was clean shaven, had thick, wavy gray and black hair with thick eye brows and golden skin.

  “I assume that means you know where my children are? You should also know that I’ve placed a one million dollar reward on them. If you’ve called this meeting for the money, just tell me where they are and you can walk away with a million dollars in cash tonight.”

  I sat back on the leather couch and took a long swallow from the champagne. “Don’t insult my intelligence with such a small figure. I know that your children, especially your sons, mean everything to you. Without them, you have no one to leave your dynasty too. I mean we all respect women. Of course you could easily leave the Gomez’s throne to one of your little girls, but that wouldn’t sit right with you, now would it, Bruno?”

  He took a cigar from a box of Cuban cigars and one of the female bodyguards came and lit the tip. He puffed on it a few times until smoke wafted into the air. He inhaled a puff of it, before blowing it to the ceiling. “If you got something on your mind, why don’t you say it, Juanito?”

  “Not only do I know where both of your children are, but I know whose taken them and for what purpose.” He sat on the edge of the couch.

  “I’ll give you five million for the information right here and right now. Let’s not play any more games. You help me get my sons back and you’re a rich man.”

  I smiled. “I’m already rich, Bruno. And once again, you insult my character with such small offers. I’ll tell you what, why don’t you dismiss your guards to the adjoining room and I’ll do the same here to Blackie. When they leave the room then, you and me will be able to talk some serious business. How does that sound?” I grabbed one of the Cuban cigars out of the box and sniffed along the length of it. It reminded me of the ghettos of Havana. I missed them and had not been in a few summers.

  Bruno held up his hand. “Listen up, ladies. Take this man right here into the next room so Juanito and I can discuss some serious business. Show Blackie here a good time. Let’s go.” He clapped his hands together after saying all of that in Spanish. He waited until all of them left the room before he got up pacing back and forth with his right hand in his pocket. “For over thirty years, the Vegas and the Gomezes have been at each other’s throats. The war started over fifteen acres of sugar cane land. My grandfather and your great grandfather were given thirty acres of land that were forced to share. Only the soil in fifteen acres of the land was rich enough to produce a steady flow of sugar cane.

  Well, you can imagine that two poor, headstrong workers would fight for the rights of the rich soil. So the war has carried on and on over thirty years. When your father Chico and I was old enough to step out into the real world, we left Havana and came to New York where we dove head first into the drug trade. I used a few plugs from Honduras to get my operations up and running right there in the Red Hook Housing Projects.

  Chico used Debra’s connections in Chicago that had strong ties to the many cartels in Mexico. Both of us were able to generate enough money to purchase more and more of the sugar cane fields out in Cuba until we accrued enough land to present before our families. The sugar industry had fed our families, both yours and mine, for over twenty years until Chico found a way to convert the soil to process the plants that we use to make our heroin and cocaine. He’s quite the genius I must admit.

  But even with all of his smarts, he’s a very stubborn man. This war between the Vegas and Gomezes could of ended a long time ago had he agreed to a sit down where our families. We could have come together to overpower the Castros, but I digress. Let’s stay in the moment. “ What are you seeking for the safe return of my children? I am willing to go as high as fifty million a piece.” He turned around to face me.

  I shook my head. “It ain’t about the money, Bruno. It’s about the partnership. I want to extend to you something that my father never had the commonsense to extend.”

  Bruno laughed. “What partnership can you possibly render unto me? You’re not even moving into Chico’s seat. Tristian is, the son of Debra, though I can’t really say that was a blind side. He’s always had a soft spot for that boy because of his mother. But if I was looking to mend fences between the Gomezes and the Vegas, I would request a sit down between him and I.”

  “I don’t give a fuck about Tristian. I, Juanito Showbiz Vega, am going to be king of the Vegas. Not Tristian! Now it is in your best interest to hear me out, Bruno.” My heart was beating fast inside my chest. My vision was going hazy. I was ready to snap the fuck out.

  Bruno nodded and held up a hand. “Alright, alright, Juanito. Calm down. Everything is going to be okay. I didn’t mean any disrespect by it.” He sat across from me and crossed his legs. “Proceed and let me hear you out.”

  “Tristian, for the time being has taken over my father’s throne, and his first order of business is to wipe out the Gomezes which are, as you know, our closest rivals, both here,] and back home in Havana. To start to his rule off on the right foot, he snatched up both of your sons. Being that I am insubordinate to him, I had to go along with it. However, when he was ready to murder them in a bloody fashion, I stopped it. I stopped it because I see this as a opportunity for me to rise up in the ranks of the Vegas and in the underworld where the Vegas and the Gomezes are neck and neck. I am looking to take over the throne and to reclaim my birthright. In doing so, I ‘d like for us to be partners on a respectful level.”

  “That son of a bitch put his filthy hands on my boys. Where the fuck are they? Tell me! Tell me right this instant! I can’t take anymore of the suspense.”

  “Your children are safe and sound, Bruno. I know what you want. Now you need to listen to what I want so we can come to an understanding. You get that?”

  He stood up and flared his nostrils. “Well, go ahead, Juanito. What do you want?”

  “I need you to help me burn the surface of the Vega’s fields. Not the actual crops, but I need it to look that way. You see, my father did a lot of shady business with a Russian by the name of Kosov. A
re you familiar with him?

  “Putin’s nephew. A cold hearted son of a bitch that likes to take advantage of the Spanish. He thinks we’re dumb and incapable of maintaining our productive land. He’s tried numerous times to buy into the Gomez’s fields and I’ve rejected him every time. Your father was into him for fifty million, but I’ve heard that Tristian has been settling that debt. Why do you want to burn the fields?”

  “I don’t want to burn them completely, just the surface. I need for my family and the Russians to think that the fields are destroyed. They will begin to panic and think that they will be forced to starve and go without in a short amount of time. And that’s when I will step in as the savior and they will beg me to lead. By this point, I will be looking for the Russians to have moved on to greener pastures. You understand?”

  He pulled at the hairs on his chin and nodded his head. “Yeah, I guess I do. But what about Tristian? He has to pay. I can’t sit back and know what he’s done without making him pay.”

  “I’ll take care of Tristian. There is already a plan in place. If it is not carried out the right way, I’ll see to it myself that it is. But since harm was brought to your family, I feel that I owe you an eye for an eye. I will give you full permission to attack and destroy the Vega’s mansion and all of the occupants up in it. Murder everybody.”

  Bruno raised his eyebrow. “What are you looking to gain by this act? Those are suppose to be your loved ones.” He sat back on the couch and crossed his legs.

  “We gon’ start the Vegas from scratch. All of them muthafuckas love my brother more than me. They need to be vanquished. I am the new head and anybody that refuses to fall in line under me or doesn’t honor me as king, will meet their bloody end. That’s the way it’s going to go. After all of these acts are taken care of, you and I will sit down and discuss how we’ll work cohesively to conquer the narcotics world of the United States and abroad. Now what you think about that?”