The Good Life

by Dorian Sykes

  When the C.O. called for the visitors to leave, Franko nodded at Wink’s dad for him to give Wink his instructions.

  Wink and his dad stood up and began saying their goodbyes. This would be a short visit, unlike the last one. Wink was to only stay for that day. His father and Franko had his next few days already mapped out for him.

  “I don’t know when I’ma get the chance to see you again, so you be careful out there and just remember everything we talked about.”

  “I got you,” said Wink.

  “When you leave here, you’ll be leaving with Franko’s wife. She’s got everything lined up. That’s what Franko’s been drilling her about this whole time. Follow her instruction, and everything will be fine.”

  Wink gave his dad a hug as the C.O. called again for the visitors to leave.

  “I’ll be out to see you soon as everything’s set up and in place,” said Wink.

  “Don’t worry about me. Just take your time. I’ll give you a call sometime next week.”

  Wink hit rocks with his father, then stepped to the back of the line of visitors. He nodded at ole Franko, who joined his father.

  “Hello.”

  Wink turned around, and it was Franko’s wife standing behind him. Wink returned the gesture. He waited until they were out of the visiting hall to introduce himself.

  “I know who you are, Wink,” the woman said. “My people have done a check on you, and I know all there is to know about you.”

  Wink followed the woman out of the prison into the parking lot, where a triple-black stretch Lincoln limo awaited them at the curb. He opened the door for her, then climbed in behind her.

  “Take us to the airport,” she said. She took out a pack of Virginia Slims from her purse. She stuck one of the long, skinny cigarettes in her mouth, then handed Wink her gold lighter. She was most definitely on her mad diva trip. She took a long pull on her square, then crossed her thick, tan legs.

  “You still haven’t told me your name,” said Wink.

  “My name is not important at this point in time.”

  Wink knew what he had to do before baby girl got too comfortable, thinking she could treat him like a lame. Wink tossed the lighter hard into her lap, then looked her dead in the eyes.

  “I don’t care if you’re Pablo Escobar’s wife. You ain’t gon’ be treating me like I’m some insignificant nigga. Now, if we’re going to be dealing with each other, I’d at least like to know your name; otherwise, we can go our separate ways when we get to the airport.” Wink held his poker face while he watched the woman exhale a cloud of smoke high above her head. Wink hoped he didn’t just blow his pipeline connect with the Cuban Godfather, Franko. But one thing Wink had never done before in his life was kiss ass, and he didn’t have a taste for it today, no matter what it might cost him.

  “I like you,” said the woman, pulling back a wide grin. “A lot of people who work for me are spineless, so that is how I treat them. But I’m glad to see you’re not easily bought. That goes a long way, because if I expect you to be loyal to my family, I must first expect you to be loyal to yourself.”

  “So, what’s your name?”

  “Susana, but you are to call me Nina.”

  There was a brief silence. Wink let his eyes touch every molecule of Nina’s frame. She was perfect, definitely wife material. But what was she doing heading a drug cartel? The way she talked, the only person above her was Franko.

  Nina reached forward and fixed herself a dry Scotch. “Can I fix you one?” she asked. Her accent was so sexy, and her eyes were so demanding.

  “No, I’m okay.” He wanted to be on his toes around this bitch at all times, ’cause he had a feeling she had a lot of shit with her. Nina sat back in her seat and promptly re-crossed her killer legs, this time even higher than the last. Her skirt hiked up to mid-thigh, where Wink’s eyes rested. When he finally looked up, Nina was looking at him with this devilish grin on her face. She unbuttoned the top two buttons on her blouse, then cracked the sunroof a little.

  “It’s warm in here, isn’t it?” she asked, using her freshly manicured hands to fan her chest.

  “Yeah, a little bit,” said Wink, enjoying the view.

  “So, tell me about this operation of yours. How many kilos can I expect for you to move in a month?” Nina liked to play hot and cold games. She’d use her beauty to get men to open up to her, then she’d get down to business, because while they were open, she was more likely to get the truth out of them. Franko had taught her well in the art of seduction, which was why she was running the operation and not one of his sons.

  “Right now, I’m set up to move no less than a hundred keys a month, but with the ticket you’re letting ’em go for, I can be on a thousand in no time.”

  “You have high aspiration. A thousand kilos is a lot to move in a month.”

  “I got my end. You just keep ’em wrapped and at the same ticket.”

  “We’ll see,” said Nina.

  They arrived at the airport, and instead of pulling into the terminal, the limo drove out onto the tarmac and parked beside a white private jet. Four large Cuban men stood outside the jet, wearing black suits and killa masks on their faces. Wink knew it was real at that moment. He was actually hooked up with the Mob, and all from some old nigga sitting in prison still calling the shots.

  One of the Cuban men opened the door and helped Nina out the limo. She said something in Spanish to all the men, who in turn all acknowledged Wink with a cold stare and nothing more.

  Wink followed Nina up the stairs onto the plush jet. He’d never flown in a private jet. His excitement and eagerness had to be held in check. He wanted to look at everything and gawk, but if he were to be taken seriously, he had to act cool, like flying private was nothing new to him.

  He took a seat in the back beside Nina and sank into the butter-leather. This definitely beat flying first class. The seat was one of the softest, most comfortable he’d ever sat in. The plane’s interior was shiny and clean.

  Wink watched as the four men took their seats at the front of the plane. Everybody was speaking Spanish, and Wink didn’t know what the fuck they were saying. He didn’t like not knowing what they were talking about. It made him nervous. Wink wanted to control every situation he was in, and because he didn’t know Spanish, he couldn’t control this situation.

  He asked Nina, “Where are we going?”

  “It’s a surprise. Just lay back and relax. Here,” she said, handing Wink the remote to the TV mounted above them.

  Nina kicked off her shoes, then curled up under Wink and closed her eyes. Within minutes, the plane was up in the air and on its way to wherever Nina had them going. Wink watched her sleep and wondered how long she’d been doing this. Was she setting him up? Would this be the last flight he ever took? If so, she seemed awfully relaxed. Wink was getting to the point of feeling the same relaxation before murdering someone. He got paranoid thinking this might be a setup.

  Chapter Thirty-four

  When the jet touched down, Wink could tell they were somewhere down south, because the weather was a beautiful sunny day, and the plane ride was too short for them to be on the West Coast. As the plane skidded across the tarmac and slowed down, Wink could see palm trees swishing in the breeze out in front of the terminal. He squinted at the license plate of a parked truck. Florida.

  “Hmm,” Nina moaned. She wiped her eyes, then sat up and leaned over Wink’s lap to look out the window. “We’re here,” she said while sliding into her heels. She began barking orders in Spanish to her workers.

  Nina wasted no time turning into the Cuban Don Diva. Wink watched her take charge of the group of men as they prepared to exit the jet, which was pulling alongside a small convoy consisting of two tinted-out Chevy Suburbans and a triple-black stretch Lincoln limo.

  Nina looked back at Wink and waved him to come on. They got off the jet, looking like some foreign embassy, with the exception of Wink. He climbed in the limo behind Nina and watched a
s her men loaded into their trucks and led them out of the airport. One truck rode in front of the limo, while the second tailed from behind. He’d grown up with niggas on the street who had money and would flaunt with their gold and diamonds, but this was another level. This wasn’t just rich; this was power.

  Wink looked at the airport sign. “Why are we in Miami?” he asked.

  Nina had lit one of her Virginia Slims and was fixing herself a drink from the mini bar. She took her sweet time in answering Wink. She lay back and kicked her shoes off and sighed. “We are here to relax. There will be much work ahead of us, so enjoy this time.”

  “But I need to get back to Detroit. I’ve got some people waiting on me, you know, so they can buy some more coke.”

  “Relax, Wink,” said Nina. She slid over to the bench seat across from Wink. “Here, massage my feet. I’ve been needing the attention of some strong hands.” Nina propped her feet in Wink’s lap and closed her eyes.

  Wink looked down at her pretty little feet and was tempted to do more than massage them. He had to shake the thought, stop thinking with his little head and start thinking with his big head.

  What if it’s a test from Franko? She’s setting me up to test my loyalty. Wink shoved Nina’s feet out of his lap and slid all the way over to the door, far away from her.

  “What’s the matter, Wink? Is it my feet? They don’t smell, do they?”

  “Nah, that’s not it.”

  “Then what’s the problem?” Nina set her drink down, then slid next to Wink. She got as close as close gets. “What’s wrong? You don’t like me, Wink?” Nina was now probing Wink’s entire physique. She let her hand rest on his dick and began massaging it.

  “I’m not with this, so stop,” ordered Wink. He had to remove Nina’s hands, but they kept coming back for more.

  Nina was starting to get bold. She was kissing at Wink’s neck like they were avid lovers.

  “Stop!” yelled Wink.

  Nina smiled as she looked into Wink’s eyes. “You don’t mean what you say.”

  “Why are you doing this? What, you call yourself testing me? I’m as loyal as they come.”

  The car phone in the console started ringing. Nina snatched the phone to her ear after the third ring.

  “Hey, papi.” She smiled.

  Wink looked at Nina while she talked on the phone. Scandalous-ass bitch, he thought. She was probably on the phone with one of her boy-toys. Franko gon’ kill this bitch. He got his ho on some mega-boss bitch shit, and she playing games. Wink knew Franko would find out eventually, but he wasn’t gon’ be the one to tell that man about his wife, nor was he going to be caught up fucking around with her.

  Nina laughed, then said, “Hold on.” She held the phone out to Wink. “It’s for you.”

  Wink looked at the phone for a second before taking it. “Hello,” he said, sounding a bit confused.

  “Wink, how ya doin’ kid? This is Franko.”

  “Oh, I’m good.” Wink tried pushing Nina off him. She was attacking his neck with kisses.

  “I’m sorry we couldn’t talk on the visit, so I’ll try and touch base the best I can with you now.” Franko was kicked back in his counselor’s office, pretending to be conducting a legal call with his attorney. “Wink, I’ve known your dad for years, and we have a great deal of respect for one another, which is why I am accepting you into our family with open arms. You stick with me kid, and I’m going to make you richer than your wildest dreams. The money is the easy part. Being in here is when it counts. I trust that your father has already, should I say, explained this to you?”

  “Yes, and I understand.” Wink’s heart was beating a million miles an hour, and his dick was harder than a mothafucka ’cause Nina was relentless.

  “Good. And Wink, I am glad to know you’re not an easily persuaded man when it comes to loyalty. But concerning Nina—she’s my wife, but there’s nothing I can do to satisfy her from in here. So, if she wants you, you have my blessing. I know Nina can be persistent, and she always gets what she wants.”

  At that moment, Wink relaxed and stopped shoving Nina’s frisky hands away from his zipper. He allowed her to unzip his pants and free his wood-hard dick. “Yes... I hear... you,” Wink stuttered as Nina inhaled the head of his dick.

  “Wink, my only concern is loyalty to me, and good business. You keep those two in check, and I am going to make you very rich.”

  “I understand, and thanks, Franko.”

  “No problem, kid. Tell Nina I’ll call her later. Enjoy.” Franko hung up like he knew what was going down in the back of the limo. Maybe he did. Nina was his wife.

  Wink found the receiver to the phone and hung it up. He couldn’t believe Franko was such a real mothafucka. He really didn’t care that Nina had her pretty face in his lap, making love to his long, black dick. Nina was so beautiful; flawless, to be exact.

  Wink could feel his stomach churning as a nut manifested and exploded in Nina’s mouth. She sucked him with her eyes closed and moaned at the taste of his hot cum skeeting violently at the back of her throat.

  “Shit,” sighed Wink. He couldn’t take it anymore. He had to pull Nina off him, because the sensation of her sucking his tender, limp dick was enough to drive any man insane.

  Nina got up and fixed herself another drink and lit another cigarette. She blew a cloud of smoke through the crack of the sunroof, then gave Wink a seductive stare as he fastened his jeans.

  “Did Franko tell you?”

  “Tell me what?”

  “That I always get what I want, and that you can have me.”

  Wink finished straightening himself, then looked Nina square in the face. “Yeah, he told me.” Wink could understand Franko’s position, knowing that Nina was going to cheat anyway, so why not let her? That way, he still felt somewhat in control. But Wink couldn’t put his finger on Nina. What was her trip?

  “I know you must think I’m a whore, don’t you?”

  Wink held her stare. “Nah, that’s not what I think,” he lied.

  “Good, because I’m not. I am no more of a whore than a man who cheats on his wife. It just so happens that I am a woman in a man’s position. I love the money, power, and respect just as much as men do.” Nina sipped her Scotch and puffed her cigarette.

  Wink could respect where she was coming from. Her trip was obviously power. He really didn’t give a fuck about her reasoning. She had that platinum head, and Franko just green-lighted the pussy.

  Wink scooted over to the bench beside Nina and went to go for his, but she smacked his hand away and said, “You’ve had enough for one day.” Nina left him hanging. She wanted to be the aggressor, the predator, the one in control. Nina wanted to treat men just how they treated women. That’s how she got hers off.

  Wink said fuck it, he’d let her have her way on everything. It seemed to be the only way he could win with her. Wink could hear Franko’s voice: She always gets what she wants.

  Wink was right where Nina wanted him, open as a window on a hot summer day. What was a little head? She’d done a lot more for a lot less in her life. She had a lock on Wink ’cause now he was thirsty to taste the pussy. But she’d leave something for the imagination to drive itself crazy with.

  And all the while, from behind the eighteen-foot walls of USP Leavenworth, Franko was pulling everyone’s strings. He had four other women living across America, each calling herself his wife and running similar operations. Wink was just Franko’s latest project and addition to his billion-dollar drug empire.

  * * *

  Wink spent three days at Nina’s exclusive estate located on Starr Island right next to downtown Miami. Mainly, he was learning Franko’s blueprint on how he wanted his money shipped to him and how Wink was to receive the kilos. It was like Wink was buying into a franchise, and he was away at one of the company’s training facilities. Franko had everything figured down to a science, and Nina stressed the importance of not ever improvising. J-Bo had his game, and Wink had learned
a lot from him, but this was how real playas operated. Wink couldn’t believe he was graduating to this level so soon.

  “We have been doing it this way for years, and will continue to do so,” she told Wink, as if to say, “Don’t change a thing.”

  It was all business for the most part. The down time that they did have, Wink spent it sweatin’ Nina out by the pool. She was still playing high post on him, though, not budging with the fortune between her legs.

  Wink left by himself on one of Franko’s private jets, stuffed with kilos of Cuban flake. Nina waved him off from the back seat of her limo and blew him a kiss.

  Damn, Wink thought. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t got that pussy. Next time, he told himself as the plane prepared for takeoff. And that’s exactly what Nina wanted him to look forward to—next time.

  Wink tried to clear his mind of Nina and think about how he was going to lock the city down when he got back. He stared at the wood grain panels on the walls of the plane, where the bricks were secretly hidden. Franko had fronted him a hundred kilos, and he had one month to push ’em and have a steady clientele set up. Wink had plans to be moving nothing less than a thousand kilos in a year’s time. Franko was gon’ need a 747 to move all the work he would be pushing.

  Chapter Thirty-five

  While Wink was jet-setting, Trey had plugged in with the Mexican Mafia he met in Dallas. He took a hundred thousand dollars down with him, and they blessed him with twelve kilos of some primo. His connect told him if he stayed copping from them, they’d start fronting him whatever he bought, so he could build up a lot quicker. They even provided him with transportation on moving the coke back to Detroit. His connect sent two cargo vans each holding six bricks in secret compartments underneath the frame of the vans. They were willing to do whatever it took in order to make the operation work, and for them to get a stake in Detroit’s drug trade.

  Trey beat Wink back to the city by a day, and he was already networking and politicking with the hustlas of Detroit. Trey didn’t know what he had in his possession. He was letting bricks go for eighteen hundred dollars. That was four thousand cheaper than the regular price of a key even when it wasn’t a drought. He didn’t have all the game Wink picked up from Gary, Fatts, and his dad. All Trey knew was that he was making a quick flip.