by T. Styles
“Nah, fuck that!” He yelled standing up while looking down at her. “You were the one who pursued me remember?” He banged his fist in his palm. She jumped, thinking he would strike her instead. “You were the one who pushed into my life. I was minding my fucking business! And do you remember what I said, the day you came back and said you wanted to be with me?”
SILENCE.
“DO YOU FUCKING REMEMBER?” He yelled louder.
She wiped her tears, walked away and flopped on the sofa. “I don’t care. And I don’t remember.”
He rushed around his desk and raised her chin. “I told you that niggas would try to kill you just because you mine. And that I had to hold you here to protect you.” He pointed at the floor. “To make sure you safe.”
She sobbed quietly.
“I also told you if you gonna be mine, you gotta be all mine. No work. No life outside of me. Ever. You thought that was a game?” His breath rose and fell heavily inside his chest.
“So I made a deal with the devil.”
“Call it what you want. I stamped that pussy.” He winked. “You mine.”
She looked up at him. “What you gonna do with Derrick, Banks? Please don’t hurt him.”
“I’ll do with him whatever I please.” He walked to the door and opened it wide. Two men walked inside. “Keep your eyes on my wife. You lose her, you die.”
He stormed out.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
5:48 PM
Harris walked toward a room within the guesthouse of the Wales Estate. Knocking on the door once, he looked behind himself several times, before knocking again. Within seconds the door flew open and a cute brown skin girl with red lemonade braids opened it wide.
She was Stretch’s daughter.
Jumping into his arms, her legs dangled along the sides of his body as she kissed his lips rapidly. Once inside, she kicked it closed with the sole of her foot before he dropped her on the bed, next to her college books and Mac laptop.
“Fuck wrong with you?” She asked looking up at him.
He stood over top of her. “You ain’t hear what’s going on?”
“Nah, I mean, daddy told mama that we moving to Wales Island but—”
“He ain’t say nothing else to you, Shay?”
She smiled.
Taking a deep breath, he sat next to her. “Did he tell you anything else or not?”
“No,” she replied. “I mean, what’s going on?” She stood up and straddled him, looking down into his eyes. “Talk to me.”
“Where Stretch at?”
“Daddy’s with Banks I think,” she shrugged. For real all she wanted was to fuck but he was blowing her with the Jeopardy. “They been gone all day. And mama in the gym downstairs. Why?”
He took a deep breath. “I ain’t gonna be able to fuck with you no more.”
She stood up, took one step back and slapped his face. With both hands on her hips she glared down at him. “You said you wouldn’t do this no more. Promised to stop breaking my heart.” She cried.
“This ain’t about breaking your heart!” He yelled. “We can’t…I mean…”
“Fucking talk to me!”
He took a deep breath. “I found out…the other day…that you my…that your father is…I mean…”
She sat on his lap sideways. “Kirk, please tell me something.” She kissed the side of his face where she just whacked him. She was the only one who called him by his middle name. “I love you.”
“I can’t fuck with you because you my sister.”
She frowned.
Then she giggled.
He was telling jokes.
He picked her up and sat her on the bed. Standing up he said, “This ain’t funny. I’m all the way serious.”
“My nigga, you ain’t hardly my brother. I licked your dick for dinner last night” She waved her hand. “So you can go on ahead with that shit.”
“Shay, I promise to God I’m not fucking around.”
Slowly the smile disappeared from his face. “So my daddy fucking your mama?”
He took a deep breath. “I love you and I mean…we done.” He walked out the door and could hear her crying heavily in the background.
****
Tops was driving Mason and Linden in Mason’s Porsche truck. Tops had one hand on the steering wheel and the other on his cell phone. He was heavy in conversation.
Mason on the other hand was in the back, nursing a bottle of liquor. After every word he spoke, he washed his mouth out with whiskey. And since he had been talking a lot he was busted.
Normally he could keep things together, and by all accounts he still was, but having Derrick in Banks’ custody and beefing with Jersey put him on edge. Forcing him to realize something he never considered.
That he really loved his wife.
And that he really lost his best friend.
When Tops’ call was over, he placed the phone down and looked at them both.
Linden was in the passenger’s seat.
“It’s confirmed,” Tops said. “He gonna try and use Vanguard’s plane.”
“Try?” Linden repeated. “He gonna give it to him or not?”
“Nothing is certain but my niggas interviewed a few of Vanguard’s neighbors by holding barrels to their faces like mics.” He chuckled. “To see if they remember seeing Banks. They all said yes.”
Mason nodded. “He really think he getting on a plane.” He drank some more. “After all this.”
“I heard the plane he trying to get worth a few million,” Linden said.
“Yeah, better than the one we fucked up,” Tops said.
Mason looked out the window and then at the Rolex Banks bought him on his arm. He was running out of time. Taking a deep breath he said, “Take out the pilot.”
“You mean kill him?” Tops asked.
Silence.
“Done,” Tops rubbed his hands together. “I’ll take care of it myself.”
“And I need to find a way to get Derrick out,” Mason ran his hand down his face and poured more whiskey down his throat. “I can’t see Banks hurting him, but I can’t be sure either.”
“Banks got his house covered so that’s gonna be tough.” Linden paused. “I ain’t telling you nothing you don’t know already, but I’ll see what I can do. Give me a few hours.”
“Did Garret find out who got Minnie yet?” Mason continued.
“Still no word,” Linden said.
Mason nodded and slid out. For the moment he was done with it all.
Linden took a deep breath.
“You still want to kill your brother after all is said and done?” Tops asked.
Linden sat back into the butter colored leather seat and looked ahead. “I’ma see how this pans out, but if I get any impression he on his old shit, I want you to hit his head.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
It was a motel room and it was the nastiest thing she’d ever seen.
Sitting on a twin bed, she was trying to figure her kidnappers out. But the chore was annoying because they talked about stupid matters and gave no clue on what they wanted from her.
Did they even request ransom?
The mother and daughter duo, that she now knew as Joanie (daughter) and Hutch (mother), sat on the edge of the other bed watching a small television set that still worked, despite the bullet hole through the center.
Using the skills Banks taught her, that she never knew would come in handy, she looked around slowly, observing all details…small and large. Her plan was to get as much information as possible and she was on her job. She even saw the words SWEETHEART INN on a stationary pad and finally knew where she was.
A trashy motel.
As they continued to look at an old episode of Martin on TVONE, she grabbed the pad and pen and stuck it under her shirt. Her plan was to get a hold of her parents and tell them where she was, if she ever got free.
After tucking the pad in her panties she said, “Can ya’ll tell me what I’m doi
ng here?”
Joanie turned around and looked at her before rolling her eyes. “You want us to put you out again, Rich Girl?” She asked, raising the needle filled with general anesthesia, the same drug the doctors gave patients for surgery.
“Nah, I just wanna—”
“Then shut the fuck—”
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
Minnie jumped when someone banged at the door.
Did her parents find her?
Joanie turned the TV off and slammed her hand over Minnie’s mouth. While Hutch walked toward the door, looking out the peephole. “They here.”
“Let ‘em in, mama.”
Joanie grabbed Minnie by her arm and pushed her toward the door.
“Where are you taking me?” Minnie cried.
Once out the room, Minnie immediately noticed Rev, one of her father’s soldiers. A smile spread across her face and she could breathe. “Ya’ll gonna get it now!” She said arrogantly in only the child of a rich family could. “You fucking with the wrong one. My daddy gonna kill both you white bitches.”
Joanie and Hutch laughed as they all walked to the truck.
They didn’t respond, as she wanted. Something was off. “Wait…dad knows I’m here?” She asked seriously.
Rev looked at her, shook his head and opened the back door. Minnie crawled inside. Hutch got in on the right of her and Joanie on the left. When everyone was loaded, Rev drove down the street.
Confused, Minnie sat up to talk to Rev. “Can you tell me what—”
Joanie hit her in the side of the stomach, forcing her back in her seat. “Don’t move!” She said pointing at her with a soiled nail. “You getting on my fucking nerves.”
Now they did it! She thought.
Minnie quickly looked at Rev who eyed her from the rearview mirror. She was expecting him to unleash. After all, she was a princess. An heir to a multi-million dollar drug empire. Surely she deserved more respect than what the women were giving her.
“Rev, she just hit me!” Minnie cried. “Ain’t you gonna do something?”
Rev smiled and continued to drive.
Why wasn’t he responding?
Why didn’t he hit her back?
At that time it became painfully obvious, that not only did he not care, but that Banks, once again, showcased the lengths he was willing to go to keep her in line.
Livid as fuck at the recollection, she was about to start hitting everyone she could reach with tight fists in the neck, until she glanced down and noticed that Hutch’s phone had slid out of her pocket and rested on the seat next to Minnie’s thigh.
Since they had taken her phone and dumped it in a toilet when they first snatched her, she made a quick movement by fake coughing, which allowed her to cover the phone with her ass cheek.
When she felt the phone under her leg, she smiled to herself. At that moment she vowed that things would be different.
And so as she sat back quietly in her seat, she enacted sweet thoughts of revenge. That she was sure would put the Wales Empire on it’s ass.
And it would all start with a pen and paper.
****
When Minnie walked into the basement, she saw every member of her family sitting on sofas.
They all had fear in their eyes.
What was going on?
Banks soldiers outlined the premises, and it appeared that they were taken hostage.
Also in attendance was Stretch, his wife Ericka who most called, Silent-icka because she never spoke to anyone outside of her husband and daughter. At the end of the day she despised the Wales family and everything they stood for.
Banks stood in front of them all, hands behind his back, a look of evil on his face.
The moment Bet saw her daughter enter, she got up and hugged her tightly. Holding her face in her hands she kissed her only daughter repeatedly on the cheeks. “Are you okay?” Bet looked her over. “Are you hurt?” Her relief was profound.
“No, I’m fine, mommy,” she hugged her again. “I was so scared. I was so scared something would happen to me.”
Bet hugged her again and when they were done, Minnie looked back at her father before walking over to him slowly. “Daddy, I’m so sorry,” she hugged him tightly around his waist, weeping into his stomach. “Please forgive me.” She looked up at him.
Shocked at her mood change, he looked down at her, although slightly suspicious. After all, now it was obvious that she knew that he was apart of the kidnap.
Shouldn’t she be angrier?
But his vicious move, in his mind, wasn’t his fault. She chose to run. And after Banks learned she was out on the streets, he put word out that anyone who brought her alive, would be paid handsomely. Within seconds of the call going out, every dopehead in Baltimore became his friend instead of his foe. Within an hour, it didn’t take long for the mother and daughter duo to find her while purchasing weed. In the end Joanie and Hutch secured the bag.
He looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry I had to do that to you, Minnie but—”
“You don’t have to be sorry, daddy. I’m so stupid.” She sniffled. “So dumb for believing I could do things on my own.”
“Soon everything you fear will be a memory.” He paused, combing her hair behind her ear. “Now I hope you know that I have to keep someone with you at all times. Until we can restore trust.”
“I understand, daddy. I really do.”
“And Natty will be okay. She’s in the hospital but they stopped the bleeding.” She figured Natty got shot but didn’t realize it was that bad. It made her angrier. “We paying for her surgery.”
“Okay,” she sniffled.
Banks nodded. “Good. You need anything?”
“This gonna seem crazy but I’ve been craving hot dogs.”
He laughed. “I’ll make it happen.”
As Minnie did her best to wrap her father’s mind, Harris sat in the corner of the sofa grinning, believing it all to be a show.
He was right.
“Take your seat,” he told her. “I have something to talk to you about.”
After the chivalries were over, Banks addressed the crowd.
“A lot is going on. People we once fucked with are targeting us.” He paused. “And I know it may look like I don’t care about you, but it’s not true. At the same time, I can’t risk anything happening. Therefore I’m instituting a policy. You’re on house lockdown.” He looked at his men. “Take their phones.”
Joanie and Hutch gave them Minnie’s ruined phone earlier.
One by one he unearthed his other children’s phones as they all griped.
“Banks, please don’t do this,” Bet begged.
“Don’t do what?” He paused. “Make sure my family gets on that plane?” He laughed.
“What plane?” She said. “You don’t have one remember?”
He thought she was funny. “Don’t worry. I’m taking care of everything. Starting with making sure no one else leaves this house.”
“Wow,” Spacey said shaking his head. “Pops going too far this time.” He whispered to Harris.
“Any questions?” Banks asked his family.
Silence.
“Good, then I take it that my wishes will be carried out. Trust me, this is best.”
He turned and walked away. His men remained.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
6:30 PM
Tops pulled up in an unassuming navy blue Honda Accord in front of Vanguard’s house. Wearing a Postal Service Uniform, he grabbed a sealed box where a picture of Vanguard sat on top.
Once he took a good look at the photo, and had the features of his face in his memory, he stuffed the photo in the glove compartment and took the box up to the front door. Taking a deep breath, he rung the doorbell once and a man matching the photo appeared. He was wearing an apron and his hands were covered in white powder.
Tops cleared his throat. “I have a package for you, sir.”
He smiled. “Please, come inside,” he laughed. �
��I have my hands full.”
Frowning, Tops walked into the house and into the kitchen, where the man was making a cake from scratch. The plan was to hand him the package do the do and bounce. But he was invited inside so naturally he had to accept the offer. From a distance he could hear children playing and he hoped, for their sake, that they would stay where they were.
After he washed his hands he walked over to Tops.
“Okay, I’ll take it now.”
Tops gave him the package and the moment his hands were full, Tops removed his gun and fired a bullet into his chest. Blood splattered on the refrigerator and in Tops’ face and he wiped it away to see better.
But he was still breathing.
When the man dropped, he shot him again, until his cavities filled with blood.
As fast as he came he exited.
Back in the car and halfway down the road, Tops made an appointment with his tattoo artist to get his skin marked with another dot. Every time he murdered a man, he had it memorialized with period shaped spots on his arm. And since he killed again, he saw no reason for that to change.
After making his appointment, the next person he called was Mason to tell him the news. Normally he would reach out to Linden, since the relationship with Mason was still new, but he decided to hit the boss himself, in an attempt to get closer.
“It’s done.”
Mason sighed deeply. “Good, let’s see him try to fly now.”
****
Minnie sat in her room, on her bed, eating hotdogs with extra ketchup, on a trey. The container sat on her table and she squeezed it several times when he wasn’t looking, putting huge globs in her hand. She didn’t want food but it was all a part of her plan. The truth was that the only thing on her mind was Natty and Arlyndo. But what could she do?
She would’ve killed for a little privacy but Banks had security looking directly over her and everything she did, especially since she ran away once.
She looked up at him. “You know you don’t have to stare me down right?”
Silence.
He was told not to engage, so he watched her but kept his words to himself.