by Jahquel J.
“It’s alright, Mezzie. While you were avenging the death of your daughter, you were prepping for mine.” Moses walked out the room with Tyrisha on his heels.
I followed them out the house. Everyone that was at the BBQ had cleared out. Moses put MJ in his car seat and helped Tyrisha into the passenger seat. It was like it didn’t matter all the havoc this bitch caused, he still held her up to a pedestal. One minute he was screaming her head off and the next he was helping her into his car like precious cargo.
“I’ll come by your crib tomorrow and we’ll talk about this,” I held my hand out.
“Nah, the situation is a done deal. Just keep your bitch home and out of grown men business. We need to discuss getting money, together.” He released my hand.
“Together?” I asked confused.
Since I got money alone, I didn’t think Moses would ever want to go back to breaking bread together. We kept our business separate to avoid conflict. But, now he wanted to include me. I needed to know the catch.
“Yes, together. You know Big Nard right?”
“Hell yeah, I know Big Nard…. Where that nigga at anyway? Last I heard his cousin set his ass up.”
“I’ve been getting money with him for a couple months. Stop by the house tomorrow,” he ordered and got into the car. Tyrisha was soothing a screaming MJ and waved goodbye. I just looked at her and watched the car cruise out my driveway.
Chapter Seven
Mezzie
“Lay down, babies. I will come back and wake you for dinner,” I convinced my boys and Madison as I laid them in our master suite.
I hurried and put the TV on and left the room to help Tiffany. When I went into the guest suite, she was sitting in the chair, still in a daze. I offered her some water, but she declined the water and kept looking out the bay window. I sat on the bed across from her and looked on her face. I could tell she was shaken up, but she still wanted answers.
“Where’s Marquise?”
“In the back yard.”
“How the hell is she alive?”
“I don’t know but it makes me wonder what the hell else are they hiding?”
“What do you mean?” She asked. I didn’t want to elaborate on it. There was a time and place for everything.
“Nothing,” I sighed.
Tiffany touched my shoulder and got up to leave. She was a little unstable but made it out the door. We found Marquise sitting on the patio taking a blunt to the face. If someone had told me he was a hairstylist, I would have never believed it. His ass was far too sexy to be cutting and doing women hair.
“Babe, I’m not feeling too good,” she told Marquise. He got up with the spliff hanging from his lips.
“I’ll hit you back, matter fact, and come by the crib tomorrow.” He ended his call and went to retrieve Madison.
“Feel better, Tiff. I’ll call you tomorrow and we can take the kids to the mall,” I proposed as she was getting in the car.
“Call me. I need some retail therapy without the kids. I’ll drop Madison over here for Reshawn to watch.” I nodded my head and closed her car door. I opened Madison’s door and kissed her.
“Bye, Ti-ti Zee-zee,” Madison said.
I walked back into the house and cleaned up the mess. I expected my night to end with me riding Reshawn’s dick while drunk. The liquor hadn’t even been cracked open yet and the food was still filled to the top. I turned the music off, sat down, and picked up Marquise blunt. I pulled on it while sitting looking out at the pool and the view. I had a great life, my two sons and Reshawn. He was making more money than he knew what to do with. I didn’t have to strip, and I could raise my children without having to bust my ass working. My mind still was on how Tyrisha’s ass was even alive. She just showed up at my BBQ like we were supposed to welcome her with open arms. I was feeling fucked up about it, so I knew Tiffany was feeling worst.
Reshawn retired down to the basement and wasn’t talking to me. I didn’t tell him I killed Tone because I didn’t want him dictating shit. I did what I did to Tone because that was what had to be done. He put our family through hell and high water the last year. I wasn’t about to let him sit back with a blunt while living in the same city as me. I took care of him, and, yeah I didn’t think of Victor; I still wouldn’t change anything. Tone deserved to go and Kim too, her ass played both sides in the whole ordeal and thought she would walk away with her life, I think not. Lace had her murder planned for a while and I just let him execute it.
“Miranda, come downstairs when you get a chance,” Reshawn said over the intercom.
I rolled my eyes because I knew his ass was about to have some shit to say. Once I made it downstairs, his ass was sitting behind his desk, smoking a blunt. He looked me up and down as I walked and took a seat in one of the empty chairs in front his desk. I wanted to laugh and ask him why the hell he had his office set up like the godfather, yet I kept my mouth closed and focused at the task at hand. Composing myself because I knew he was about to piss me off.
“Why couldn’t you leave well enough alone? Not only do you go behind my back, but you bring that crazy ass nigga Lace along!” He yelled slamming his hands on the desk. All I could do was jump each time his fist struck the wooden desk.
“I…di…didn’t know that would happen,” I stuttered, he chuckled and continued.
“You’re lucky Epiphany and Promise could handle it. We have two sons that you need to be worried about, not fucking being a nigga. I don’t ever want you involved in no shit like this again, you hear?”
I looked down at my sandals. I felt like a complete idiot. If the twins didn’t handle this, Moses ass would be dead.
“I hear you, baby.”
“Go change and feed my kids and make sure you’re upstairs naked on the stripper pole when I come upstairs,” he necessitated. I rushed to go fulfill his obligations. Damn, I loved when that nigga took control.
Chapter Eight
Dalia
I fixed my lip-gloss and finished skimming the racks in Barneys. I was stuck on a nice red strapless dress and a white long dress with the back exposed. Both costs about six racks, but money wasn’t a problem. I shrugged my shoulder, grabbed both the items, and proceeded to the counter. The lady did the usual and processed my cards. I was out the door ten minutes later. I hopped into my all white Ashton Martin and pulled off.
The last six months had been nothing but perfect. Like promised Nard and I moved back up the ropes. We moved into a nice gated community with a house totaling more than 2 million dollars. The money I earned for helping set up Victor was gone in the first two months. Nard was hustling more and even walking, with the help of crutches. Physical therapy had been incredible to him. He was back to the old Nard and holding shit down. There wasn’t a moment where he didn’t have a cellphone attached to his ear. That was the Nard I loved. He was always about business and made sure to spoil our son and me with whatever we wanted.
I arrived home from a long day of shopping and spending money. I couldn’t lie and say it didn’t feel great wearing expensive clothes and having money at my fingertips. The one thing I made sure I had time for was my son. All the money was nice, but he was worth way more than all of this. I made my way into the house, and he came running straight into my arms. His father wasn’t too far behind him. I noticed he was walking without his crutches. He had a slight limp. I found it sexy though.
“Aye, Ma. Where you been?” He questioned, fumbling with the toothpick in his mouth.
“Retail therapy.” I kissed my son and continued into the kitchen.
“We have a dinner reservation at Prime 112 tonight,” he announced.
I loved their food and any reason to dress up to be with my man. It wasn’t often since he been back hustling that he took me out. Hell, we barely even fucked anymore. Whenever we did, I made sure it was top notch and would keep him coming back. Not even for a second did I think he was cheating. Nard wasn’t stupid; he knew just as easy as this came, it could be all take
n away. Especially since I was the woman who stayed with his broke crippled ass.
“What did I do to deserve a night out,” I flirted.
“You’re the bomb. You cook, clean and take care of my seed. You didn’t let this money shit get to your head. We are meeting Moses and his brother, they’re bringing their wives, girlfriend or whatever,” he said and picked our son up.
“Cool. I’ll make sure to call the babysitter. Let me go feed him so I can get dressed,” I dismissed him to put on my mommy hat. I loved being a mother.
*
We arrived at Prime 112 and were seated immediately. They treated us like royalty, and I was soaking up every moment of it. Moses and Reshawn was already seated at the table with their women. I immediately recognized Mezzie. I greeted everyone and took a seat. I was dressed in a white pants suit and red snakeskin Prada shoes. I had the matching bag as well.
“Nice to finally meet you, Dalia,” Moses said and extended his hand.
He was a handsome man and I could tell the way his wife was clinging to him, she thought so too. Mezzie extended her hand out and Reshawn did the same. After we were all acquainted we ordered and made small talk over drinks. The men were in a deep conversation, so I was stuck with having to speak to their women.
“Do you have any children?” I broke the ice.
“I have two sons. AJ and Ray,” Mezzie said showing me a picture of the cute boys.
“Just one, MJ,” Tyrisha said and didn’t bother to show me a picture. I could tell she would be hard to get along with.
Our food arrived and Nard kept rubbing my thighs under the table. If he didn’t stop, we were about to give these people a show. Moses cleared his throat, everyone stopped eating, and all eyes were on him.
“We will be taking a trip in a couple days. I’m sure it will be a vacation for you ladies, but work for us,” he snickered.
“Where?” Mezzie questioned.
“It’s a surprise,” Reshawn answered her and bit his bottom lip.
“I need to know where and when. That Ebola is spreading and I’m not trying to catch it,” I spoke up and the table roared in laughter.
“I hear you girl. I got to get a bedazzled mask,” Tyrisha held her hand out to slap hands.
After finishing dinner, the men talked among themselves, while the women excused ourselves to the bathroom. While I was fixing my hair, I looked over at Tyrisha fixing her makeup. I saw a couple scars that were healed and wondered where they were from. Moses didn’t look like a women beater. I just met him a today, so I didn’t really know his life story. Nard liked to keep me in the dark about certain stuff.
“I see you staring,” she scared me. I put my head down and fiddled with my tennis bracelet.
“That was rude of me. I apologize.”
“It’s alright,” she replied and left the bathroom.
Mezzie came out the stall and looked me in the eyes while rinsing her hands.
“She cheated on Moses, you never cheat on Moses,” she said. I felt a chill go down my back.
“He did that to her?”
“Nah, but had people do it to her.” She turned and walked out the bathroom leaving me feeling uneasy.
Chapter Nine
Tyrisha
We all boarded the plane. I held on to my son as I stepped inside. We got settled in our seats and before I could say anything, we were already about to take flight. The men sat towards the front of the jet while the women sat in the back. My son snuggled in my chest to finish his nap I had disturbed earlier. I unwrapped my sweater from around me and covered him up. I hoped this trip would loosen some of the tension that was around the house. It was like walking on pins and needles around Moses. If I coughed too loud, he would get mad. I knew coming to Miami would stir some shit, but I was tired of being hidden from my family.
“Babe, where are we really going?” I called out.
“You will see when we get there, Tee,” he said and winked at me. I smiled; at least his mood was lightened, some.
I looked over at the new chick, Dalia. She laughed and tickled her son. She had a trashcan near her chair; she told us he got motion sickness. I looked over at Mezzie and she was cuddling her sons. Called us what you wanted, but we took care of our children. I planned to be better to Mezzie. She had proven her loyalty about ten times over. I was the one who had to prove mine now. She took care of her children and loved her Reshawn. I was feeling salty about her and Reshawn’s relationship, when Tiffany wasn’t tripping off of it. I planned to spend this little vacation together and chilling with her and this new chick Dalia.
We sat on the jet sipping Mimosas while the children played together. It was great that our sons were all around the same age. I was a little sad Tiffany wasn’t here with Madison, but I shook it off. Whenever we got back, I would sit down and have a talk with her. She needed to hear me out. A lot of stuff had changed about me and I didn’t expect us to ever go back to being best friends. I at least wanted to be in Madison’s life. She was my goddaughter and I wanted to present in her life.
Trinidad
Not in a million years, would I have ever thought Moses was Trinidadian. He never discussed it and that was weird. I should have known by the Mandingo in his pants. I know that’s Jamaican, but hell it should have applied for Trinidadians too. I thought his ass was Jamaican this entire time. When I say they rolled out the red carpet for us, that’s exactly what they did. They acted like we were royalty and they were the peasants. Soon as I stepped off the jet, we were handed liquor and a Maybach with the ‘ceiling missing’ was waiting for us. It was all white and the interior had ‘Ellis’ engraved into it. Now, I was really confused. How the hell they get that done if this was a last minute trip? Dalia, Nard, Reshawn, and Mezzie followed behind us in a Bentley limo. I was trying to piece together why we weren’t riding together.
I got in the car still clutching my son and my drink. I wasn’t letting neither of them go. Moses smiled and waved to the people who were standing around. These people were really going crazy for his ass. I felt like Beyoncé and his ass was Jay-z. I looked at my son and nodded my head. He had too good of hair to be Blu Ivy. Moses handed him the Sippy cup, and he greedily snatched it from his father. I noticed Moses smiled and soaked all this attention up.
“Why are they yelling and screaming at you, Moses?” I asked him and he rolled up his window. I don’t know why? The damn car had no roof.
“The prince is home,” he said as he answered his phone and got back to business.
The prince is home? What the hell did that mean? If my hands were free, I would be scratching my damn head cause’ I was stumped. He knew I was confused because his black ass was smiling revealing those pearly whites I loved so much. I sat back and sipped the drink they handed me. MJ reached for his father, and I could enjoy the car ride. We were speeding down the highway in a damn Maybach. It wasn’t until I looked out the window at the scenery, when I saw black Cadillac Escalades boxing us in with guns hanging out the window. I sat the fuck up and grabbed my baby for cover.
“Relax, Tee. They are here to protect us,” he assured me.
“Protect us? What the hell?” I panicked and he chucked deuces out the roof and the gunmen nodded at us.
I couldn’t even enjoy my damn drink so I sat it in the cup holder. I sat back with my arms crossed upset because he was withholding information I needed to know. Why the hell was we in another country and why did he say that the Prince was home? Who the fuck was the king? Did this nigga think he was Prince Akeem?
My questions got ten times worst when we pulled into an estate that was bigger than both malls in Miami. We had to go pass a security desk before we went into the gates. Moses smiled at the security desk and he nodded back. This nigga was smiling a little too much. I couldn’t take this shit. Me not knowing anything was driving me insane. We had driven for about three miles before we pulled in front of the house. Whoever lived here could have had a bus stop from the security desk to the main house. I
say main because it was a lot of different parts of this estate. Once again, the doors were opened for us and we were helped out. My son didn’t want to be held, but he didn’t have any problem reaching for the lady who held the door with open hands.
“Ah, cutie, eh?” She said in her thick Trinidadian twang.
“Thank you,” I said.
Moses grabbed my hands and we were welcomed into the house. Servants stood around smiling and waving at MJ. He was so used to getting all the attention so he ate it all up like the spoiled brat he was. I smiled and stood around still wanting my damn answers.
“Mohammad. You’re here, come, come.” The short man ushered us across the room and into the sunroom.
“Mohammad?” I whispered to Moses and he nudged me to stop.
I swear if I didn’t get some answers, I would lose my damn mind, then crawl up, and die. This suspense killed me and I was getting pissed with each second that I was stalled. We sat in the sunroom and looked at the beautiful view with the pool sitting in front of it. A man came in the room that was the spitting image of Moses.
“Pops, I’m here.”
Pops? Wasn’t his father fucking dead? Before I passed out, I plopped on the couch and looked in dismay at the older version of Moses. What the hell was going on?
Chapter Ten
Mohammad Nadir Ellis Jr.
Tyrisha plopped on the couch and looked at Pops and me in shock. My father stood with his arms folded. I knew her first impression with him was as good as gone. The whole flight she asked a million damn questions up until we walked into this house. Maybe I should clear up some things, because as far as everyone knew my father was dead.
Mohammad Nadir Ellis Sr. was one of the biggest kingpins to ever grace the state of Florida. He had bricks of cocaine and heroin being flown in from all over the country. The state didn’t move if it wasn’t his product being shoved up people’s nose or put into their veins. He had everything thing from pills to heroin. He had the houses, cars, and businesses, which he used to clean his dirty money. As the saying goes, money breeds’ envy and that caused his demise. He had the feds looking into him along with a couple million put on his head. He did the best thing someone in his position could do: fake his death.