That was with the exception of Brad, who was looking out the window and smelling the fresh night air. He glanced at all of the buildings and at the ocean that had a reflection of the moon in the night waters. The scent reminded him of his arrival to Brazil, but then the flashbacks of his best friend being shot in the head came back to haunt him. It wasn’t the first time Brad had seen someone being killed, but that was his boy. He soon snapped out of the flashback and gazed at his friends and cousin, not knowing who they were anymore. Paco had really filled their heads up with bullshit, and Brad refused to be one of Paco’s puppets. He took a deep breath as he was preparing to make one of the biggest decisions of his life.
“Midnight, pull over,” Brad said in a soft tone.
Everyone shifted their heads to look at him.
“Bruh, what did you just say?” Swag said, frowning. “We gotta get outta here asap.”
Brad ignored Swag. To him, Swag was a perfect stranger, instead of the cousin who’d had his back growing up. All Brad had now was himself.
“Midnight, let me out now!” This time, he put a little more bass in his voice.
Paco sighed and shook his head. “You stupid fool. I figured you would change your mind, but go ahead and be an idiot. You won’t get far. You will be killed by morning. I’m not going to stop you from getting out, and with one down, there will be more freaking money for us.” Paco looked at Midnight. “Pull over and let this dumb-ass piece of shit out ’fore he get us all caught up.”
Midnight waited until he found a dark alley; then he parked.
“Cuz, are you crazy? What are you doin’? You tryin’ to get caught?” Swag asked.
“Nah, man, I just don’t think this is the way forward. I’m gon’ take my own route and see where it leads me.”
“There is no other way,” Travis said. “And I believe this is more about you trying to go back to that girl more than anything else.”
“Right. It’s a bad time for yo’ big ass to be thinking about some punany,” Tyler said. “There’s goin’ to be plenty of Costa Rican ass for you to bone.”
“Man, to hell with all that!” Brad shouted. “I just need to get out of here!”
“All y’all, shut the hell up!” Paco yelled as he looked at Brad. “Go, you fool. I can’t afford for you to slow us down. None of you will slow us down!”
Brad didn’t wait another minute. He got out of the van, barely having time to look at his crew and give his final good-bye. They all shook their heads, thinking that Brad had made a horrible mistake by not staying with them. Midnight sped off, leaving Brad in the alley, wondering if he had made the right decision as well.
Before Brad started to walk, he removed his bloody shirt, throwing it in a dumpster. A tear fell down his face as he thought about the betrayal of his friendship with Stan. He hated that things had to end this way, but considering what was going on, he didn’t have many options.
He proceeded on foot, but when he saw an apartment farther down the alley, with clothes hanging on a line to dry, he reached for a white hoodie to cover himself with. It was too tight for Brad, but for now, it would work. His plan was in motion, and he was on his way to see Diamond so they could figure out a way to help each other.
Chapter 23
The Quest
Diamond was outside, locking up her bakery that belonged to Armand. Once the doors were locked, she slowly walked to a black car, which picked her up every single night. The driver would often drive her from one hell to another, and even though he’d gotten out of the car to open the door for her, she knew what to expect.
Once she was inside, she quickly closed the door. The driver took off, moving at a slow pace that enabled her to look out the window and reminisce about the life she always wanted. More than anything, she wondered where her life was heading. She had dreamed of her freedom so many times, but at times she just gave up on life, love, and freedom.
The last time she was ever happy was at the age of nine, before her life went to hell. She hadn’t smiled that often, up until a few days ago. That was when she and Brad had spoken. He made her smile, and she didn’t know what it was about him that made her feel as if, one day, everything would be okay.
For years, she had been with Armand, a man who took her innocence, her hopes and dreams, and turned them all into nightmares. She trained her mind to hate all men and thought they were all the same, but Brad seemed a little different. That brief moment made her realize the good in some men. She wondered where Brad had gone, and as she imagined something bad happening to him, she closed her eyes to wash away the thoughts.
The driver reached her apartment building and opened the door for her to get out. She slowly walked to the building, figuring that Armand was probably inside waiting for her. So many times, she had tried to escape from Armand’s prison, but every time she did, she would always end up getting caught. Armand had goons all over Rio to catch Diamond if she ever tried to escape. That was unfortunate, and she didn’t know how long she would have to deal with this shitty lifestyle.
Once Diamond was inside her apartment, she was hungry, as usual. She hoped that something different was in the refrigerator, but as always, there were just vegetables and fruits. If the staff at the bakery weren’t so tight around her, she could sneak a cupcake home, or eat some at the job. Unfortunately, the staff was so good at following Armand’s orders because, to him, she was too valuable to get fat and ugly. So, like every night, to keep up her strength, she got two apples and a carrot.
She was glad to see that Armand wasn’t there waiting for her, and when she was done eating, she took a long, hot shower, washing the funky smell of the bakery and Armand off her body. While in the shower, her mind wandered to her parents and the good life she had as a little girl. She thought about a life of happiness and even a little romance. She just couldn’t let go of the thoughts of having a good life, and some way or somehow, she was determined to have it.
After she was done with her shower, she went into the living room, wearing a white robe. She sat on the sofa, turned on the TV, and started flipping channels. There was a note on the table, and when she picked it up, she saw it was written by Armand. He informed her that he wouldn’t be there that night. He would be out of town for a few days, and she wasn’t to eat anything that wasn’t in the fridge. He warned her about causing trouble, and said that upon his return, she needed to be ready to please him.
Diamond ripped up the note and let the shredded pieces fall on the floor. She was thankful that he was away, but she knew that he would be back soon to get what he considered his property. That made Diamond sad. Nonetheless, she stretched out on the sofa to enjoy the next few days of freedom from Armand’s sexual abuse. She still had to work at the bakery and have his stooges watch her every move, but as long as she didn’t have to see Armand’s face, Diamond was good.
A hard knock on the door interrupted Diamond’s thoughts. She was just starting to feel good, but now she figured that Armand had changed his mind about going out of town. Then again, he had his own key to unlock the door. There was no need for him to knock, so she got off the couch and slowly made her way to the door.
Diamond’s heart started to beat faster. She touched the knob and took a deep breath. When she opened the door, everything happened so fast. The next thing she knew, someone’s hands were over her mouth, telling her to shush. After that, she heard the door slam.
She thought it was someone trying to rape her, but the vibes from the stranger seemed innocent as he led her over to the sofa. He removed his hands from her mouth, and as she attempted to see who he was behind the hoodie, she squinted.
“Who are you? What do you want?”
The stranger removed the hoodie from his head. “It’s me, your knight in shining armor. I came to get you and me out of this hellhole, one way or another,” Brad said.
Diamond was so shocked. She couldn’t believe that Brad was that concerned about her and that he had come to get her out of there. She sa
t up and then reached out to touch his face. His face was smooth yet rough. Tears fell down her face.
“I . . . I can’t believe you’re here. I thought you were gone. Gone for good.”
She threw her arms around Brad, holding him tight. He squeezed her tightly but made it clear that they needed to discuss a plan and get out of there—fast.
Chapter 24
King
Finally, after several hours of driving, Midnight arrived on the Port of Santos in the city of São Paulo. He nudged Paco, who was knocked out in the passenger’s seat.
“Boss, boss, wake up. We here.”
Paco slowly opened his eyes, still a little tipsy from the beer and blinded by the bright lights from the boats. Once he realized he was at the port, his eyes grew wide. Yes, yes, yes, he thought. We made it with no distractions, except for that fat-ass fool Brad.
Paco looked back at the backseat to see his boys, Swag, Tyler, and Travis were all out like lights from celebrating their escape from prison. Paco quickly got into boss mode.
“Wake up!” He clapped his hands. “Hurry up. We here now, and we need to go.”
Swag woke up, wiping his nose and the corner of his mouth. He gazed out of the window, seeing all kinds of boats, from fishing boats and light boats to a huge, brightly lit cruise ship with weird foreign writing on it.
“Paco, what’s going on? I thought we were getting out of Brazil,” he said.
“What are you talking about, fool? We are getting out of Brazil.” He was clearly irritated. All he wanted was some coffee and weed.
“But what’s up with the boats?” Travis asked.
“Yeah, where’s a getaway plane that’ll get us outta here a little faster?” Tyler questioned.
“You fellas are some damn idiots. I can’t afford for all of us to get on a plane. Y’all watch too many movies. The best way to get out this country is through a ship. It’s the last thing the authorities will expect.”
Paco removed a cigar from the glove compartment. He lit it and took a puff before whistling the thick smoke into the air. The fellas waved their hands in front of their faces to clear the air. With Paco’s nasty tone, they were now starting to see the asshole he really was, not to mention how he had spoken to Brad. But the fellas had to remain cool. They owed him a lot for getting them out of prison.
“A ship is less conspicuous, and before long, the FBI and feds will be looking for us. We all can’t look like targets. As I said earlier, my friend in Costa Rica got us, and once we get there, we’ll be living like kings.” And I will bring my father’s operation down and kill that bastard for what he did to my mother, he thought.
“P, is that the boat that says Malo La Perra El Rey?” Midnight asked.
Paco looked at it. It was a big, beautiful cruise ship with numerous levels and a top deck that people could live on for the rest of their lives, sailing the ocean. Paco smiled. “Yes, that’s the one. Park this van out of sight and let’s go.”
Once the coast was clear, they got out of the van and headed toward the ship. Paco reminded everyone to stay cool and not look suspicious. By making conversation with each other and laughing, they looked to be friends who were about to go on vacation.
Once they got closer to the ship, the guys were stopped by a husky man wearing a black suit. His face was full of pockmarks, and his devilish eyes made him look wicked.
Paco and the man spoke in Spanish for a moment, and then he spoke into his headset. Once the conversion ended, he looked at Paco and the guys with him. “Go up. The boss is waiting for you all.”
Paco grinned as he and his men made their way up to the ship with smiles on their faces.
“Thank God,” Swag said, taking a deep breath. “It’s finally on and popping.”
The others agreed, and they stood for a moment in disbelief. They were grateful for their newfound freedom, but they knew once they got on that ship, there was no turning back. They had to say good-bye to their families, St. Louis, their dreams, and goals. But as Paco said, they would live like kings, and to them, losing some to gain a lot seemed like the right plan.
Paco shouted as they stood in thought, “Y’all coming or what?”
Tyler and Travis rushed on the ship like there was no tomorrow. Swag slowly walked up the ship. He was thinking of the wise words of his cousin, Brad, who he was sure he would never see again.
“Man, you gon’ get yo’ ass caught up one of these days. You got your girl and your boys to think about.”
While that may have been true for Swag, he also had to think about himself. Still, Brad’s words wouldn’t depart from his head. He thought about his sons and what life would have been like with Zaria if he had done right by her. He thought about his life, mainly being a high school dropout. Swag was thinking about how he should have been in college by now or in the NBA, because back in Swag’s teen years, he was a great basketball player on the courts. One of his regrets was not telling Brad about his surprise. He wanted to let Brad know that after this drop, he was going to stop working for Armand and being a stickup guy altogether. He was going to return to St. Louis, study for his GED, and open up a business with the money he had been saving. Now, it was all too late to make things right. Now he was a fugitive, or whatever Paco and this new partner wanted him to be in Costa Rica.
Once on the ship, all the guys saw how amazing it was. The main attraction was the numerous sexy, topless women walking around and conversing with other men on board. Swag, Tyler, and Travis wanted to forget about their dealings with Paco. They stood with lust in their eyes, hoping that they would be given an opportunity to entertain with the women soon.
In the meantime, one of the security guards led the guys to the ship’s dining room. It was so large that it could fit at least six thousand people. Gold and diamond chandeliers hung from the ceiling. All the tables were covered with white silk tablecloths, solid gold plates, solid gold silverware, and crystal champagne glasses. Swag couldn’t believe his eyes. Money always excited him, and he loved this type of atmosphere.
The men sat down. Once everyone was seated, there was a loud horn, and the ship started to sail. Relief came over the fellas, and they were eager to make it to their final destination.
After the ship had sailed for about an hour, the guys were served a breakfast feast fit for kings, thanks to their new boss. They ate French toast, bacon, eggs, and biscuits with gravy. Also, there were Costa Rican dishes such as gallo pinto and fried plantains. Champagne was available as well. From Cristal to Dom Perignon, they were served it all. That included shoulder and dick rubs from the topless ladies. They felt as if they were in heaven, and compared to where they had come from, it was.
As they were eating, a bell rang. The guys looked up, and it was the large guy who had blocked them from entering the ship earlier.
“Gentlemen and ladies, may I have your attention please,” he said. All eyes were on him. “It gives me great pleasure to introduce you to my boss and the king of all bosses. Give it up for King!”
The man stepped aside, and everyone’s eyes shifted to the grand staircase.
Swag, Tyler, and Travis were expecting a Marlon Brando–type Godfather mob boss to come down, but all the guys were amazed by a five-foot-seven Costa Rican chick, who looked to be no more than twenty-one years old. She appeared to be mixed with Italian ancestry, and she cascaded down the stairs with the vision of billions of dollars blowing around her. She had long, curly, honey-blond hair that went pass her shoulders. Her makeup was flawless, but her natural beauty didn’t require her to need much at all. She had a body that would put many video girls out of work. It showed well in a black lace teddy that left nothing to the imagination. Her black heels were at least seven inches, and her arms and legs were toned. On her left arm she had a tattoo of a leopard, and on the right of her 32DDDs was a tattoo that read: Femme Fatale, with a crown on top.
After her foot touched the dining room floor, she sauntered over to the table where Paco, Midnight, Swag, Tyler,
and Travis were sitting. Going over to Paco first, she passionately kissed him while rubbing his face. “Hello, Paco.” She sat on his lap then snapped her fingers. One of the topless girls gave her a glass with champagne.
Paco smiled.
“Fellas, this is our new business partner, who is going to make us all very rich. Meet King Kia Costello.”
She smiled. King had the most beautiful, pearly white teeth, and her green eyes sparkled with excitement.
Swag was in total shock and disbelief. He sensed something very wrong, and he didn’t like doing business with women. Oh, shit! Now me and my boys are doing business with an even deadlier mofo.
Swag remembered seeing something about her. It was on Gangland, on the History Channel. The episode was titled “The Green-Eyed Beauty King—Not Beauty Queen: The Rise of a Costa Rican Gangstress.”
King Kia Costello, aka King K, aka K.K., aka K.C., was an international female don of the Leopard Clit. The Leopard Clit was a crime organization that specialized in smuggling diamonds, gold, and military machine guns all cross the globe. She was also a madam running a very powerful prostitution ring that ran from Costa Rica, Japan, and Puerto Rico. Also, she was a very deadly female assassin, who would kill you without even blinking twice. She was even offered two million dollars from the Ku Klux Klan to assassinate President Barack Obama when he first got into the presidential office, but two million was chump change to a femme fatale that was worth $150 billion.
King was born to an Afro-Costa Rican prostitute, Ivy. Her father was believed to be notorious Italian mobster Bruno Bello, head of the Bello Family, an American Mafia crime organization. In interviews, Bruno denied King being his child and said that Ivy was a liar, but Ivy knew the truth. That family didn’t want any Negro or Hispanic biracial bastard child’s blood messing up their perfect Italian, pasta-eating bloodline. To them, all women of color like her were good for was a good time.
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