News anchor Don Lemon stated: “In Rio de Janeiro, drug lord Paco Hernandez and members of the Hernandez Cartel, along with fellow American traffickers—twin brothers Tyler and Travis Evans, and cousins Solomon and Brad Carter—managed to escape one of Rio’s deadliest prisons, The Bangu Penitentiary Complex, leaving behind thirty-four inmates, murdered from drinking what they thought was Kool-Aid. One inmate was shot in the head. The prison will be under investigation by the city of Rio de Janeiro to find out why this happened. They are also conducting a massive manhunt to find the escapees.”
Flashes of the mug shots of Brad, his friends, Paco, and members of the Hernandez Cartel came across the screen.
“If you know the whereabouts of these men, please call the police in your area. They may be armed and are very dangerous. We will resume this story soon.”
Brad turned off the television. He couldn’t believe any of this. How could he be in St. Louis one day, and many weeks later, he was a trafficker, a prison inmate, and now a fugitive? He had to get out of there fast. Going back to the U.S. would be difficult, and without identification, it was damn near impossible.
* * *
That evening, after Diamond got off work, she and Brad sat at the table, where Brad had sliced some tomatoes, cucumbers, and green grapes with ranch dressing on top. Even though Diamond was tired of veggies and fruits, Brad’s dish tasted so good that it was making her want to have seconds. Brad smiled at her as she ate. To him, she looked so miserable, and she deserved better. He had never met a woman like her, and he suspected that the feeling was mutual.
As he lifted a tomato to his mouth, there was a knock on the door. In panic mode, Diamond looked at Brad, but he placed his finger over his lips.
“Shhh,” he whispered. “Go open the door and I’ll go hide. Just stay calm.” Brad gave her a kiss on her cheek. He went in the coat closet and closed the door.
Diamond was a nervous wreck. She knew that it couldn’t be Armand. Who could it be this time? Maybe it’s the police looking for Brad. If Armand finds out Brad was here, he’ll kill me.
Diamond took a deep breath, went to the door, and slowly opened it. She couldn’t believe her eyes. It was none other than fashion icon and wife of her biggest nightmare, the one and only Taylor Monroe, at the door. Diamond was stunned and amazed at the same time. One thing she couldn’t deny was that Taylor was an extremely beautiful woman. Her makeup was flawless, and her long hair was in thick curls that flowed down her back. She wore Linda Farrow sunglasses, a red strapless dress, red satin Manolo pumps, and diamond studs in both ears. Diamond also noticed that Taylor wasn’t alone. She was accompanied by Milena, who looked even more gorgeous than the last time Diamond had seen her. Milena’s hair hung down in waves. Her makeup was done to perfection. She wore a sleeveless waterfall dress with matching heels.
“Hi, ladies,” Diamond said nervously.
“Mmmm.” Taylor didn’t think twice about walking into the apartment.
Milena walked in, smiling. “Hello, Diamond.”
Diamond nodded as she closed the door, wondering what they wanted. Both Taylor and Milena sat on the sofa. Diamond sat in a chair next to them, continuing to smile.
“Can I get you ladies something to drink? Tea or water?”
“No!” both ladies shouted.
“Darling, just relax. Shut up and listen,” Taylor demanded while looking at Diamond with coldness in her eyes.
Milena glanced at Taylor, knowing that she was being too hard on Diamond. “Taylor, stop it. This girl hasn’t done anything to you.” She looked over at Diamond, who had a blank look on her face. “Diamond, sweetheart, excuse my BFF. We just want to talk to you for a few minutes.”
Diamond faced the two women. “How did you find me? How did you get by Armand’s undercover stooges, who guard this place around the clock?”
Taylor flipped her hair back. “Honey, don’t worry about Armand’s goons for security. I paid the underground stooges way more than Armand pays them to take the night off. Plus, I added a bonus with my girls to keep them too busy to think about you. One thing about men, they always think with their dicks.”
Milena laughed.
True, thought Diamond, nodding her head. She felt a breath of fresh air thinking all the security watching her was gone for the night. She thought it was a great time to get out. Forgetting Brad was even in the closet, Diamond wanted to burst right out from her seat and run out of the apartment building.
Taylor could see the pleasure on Diamond’s face, but Taylor wanted Diamond to see she was still the captain of this ship. “Uh, little girl, don’t get any ideas.” Taylor patted her new Michael Kors purse where her “baby” was.
Diamond’s thoughts of freedom were short lived, seeing that Taylor would kill her in a heartbeat.
“Well, what do you want with me?” asked Diamond in a worried tone. Maybe Taylor was one of those crazy wives who wanted to beat up her husband’s mistress. She didn’t know, but she did know that she wasn’t his mistress. She was more like his sex slave.
Taylor looked over at Milena for a moment before going into her bag. She removed a cigarette and lit it, blowing smoke in Diamond’s face. “For the sake of my best friend and sister, I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt. What are you to my husband, besides a trophy whore?”
“What?” asked Diamond in confusion.
“Little girl, I am a woman who doesn’t like to repeat herself. When I ask a question, I demand an answer. So if you don’t want to be dead when my husband comes back, I suggest you give me the answer I want,” said Taylor in a rude tone. “Now, for the last time, how are you and Armand connected?”
“First off, I’m not a whore.” Diamond was still in fear of what Taylor was going to do, but she still stood her ground. She was tired of being called Armand’s whore. No one knew the whole story of her struggle. “I am just property, payback for a debt. When I was a little girl, I was taken from everything I ever knew or loved.” Diamond breathed heavily, trying to hold back tears. “For the past ten years of my life, I’ve been physically abused and sexually abused by Armand. I was forced to work like a slave at the bakery and eat nothing but veggies and fruit.” Tears came down her face. “He took me away from my family and my home. I hate him with every fiber of my soul. Every day I just wished that bastard would burn in hell for his deeds of evil.” She cried unstoppably.
Taylor’s icy heart, hatred, and ugly thoughts toward Diamond melted away. She no longer saw Diamond as the whore she had painted in her mind for years. Taylor now just saw a scared, lost little girl.
“So if you come here to kill me, then do it. Shit, I have nothing or no one to live for,” Diamond said. But then Diamond regretted saying it.
Brad. She looked back at the closet for a moment and then went back to eye contact with Taylor, though still teary eyed.
Milena went in her bag, getting out a tissue and handing it to Diamond.
“Thank you,” said Diamond, wiping her face.
“Armand has been touching and keeping you prisoner here since you were a child?” asked a still disbelieving Taylor.
Diamond nodded. “Yes.”
“That man is sick, Taylor,” said Milena with a twisted look on her face.
“I knew Armand was a freak that’ll fuck anything that had a hole, but a child? A baby? That bastard. That . . . child molester!” shouted Taylor. Just thinking of Armand and the ordeal of him touching Diamond as a child made Taylor heated. Taylor had to get another cigarette to calm her nerves.
“Diamond, I don’t say this to many people: I’m truly sorry.” Just saying the word “sorry” was hard for Taylor, but this situation was too much. Taylor’s heart softened for Diamond at that moment. “I’m so sorry for calling you a whore all these years without knowing your truth. No child should ever go through what you went through, especially with a nasty pig like Armand.”
“I’m sorry for you too,” said a misty-eyed Milena.
For Taylor
, it was getting too emotional. She needed to get focused, immediately going back to bad boss-bitch mode. She took a puff of her cigarette and blew smoke in Diamond’s face.
Diamond coughed.
Taylor took another puff. “Darling, you can’t change the past. The best thing to do is to move forward. And that’s why I’m here to give you a gift.”
Diamond was stunned. “And what is that?”
“My dear, I am going to help you get your freedom,” Taylor said, putting out her cigarette.
Diamond’s eyes grew wide. Those were the most beautiful words she’d heard in a long time. “Excuse me, ma’am?”
“Babe, you heard her. We are going to help you get your freedom,” said Milena.
While in the closet, Brad could hear the ladies’ conversation. It was his chance to get the hell out of Brazil and start a new life. Then he sneezed.
Diamond looked at the closet, and her heart dropped to her stomach. She wondered why Brad had to sneeze at that moment.
“We’re sorry for intruding,” Taylor said, touching her chest, smiling. “Well, Ms. Diamond, I see there’s another rooster in the hen house. If so, come out, come out, whoever you are in the closet.”
Brad stood still, wondering what would happen if he did come out of the closet. Maybe this was a trick. Maybe Armand’s ass was out there ready to kill him for not completing the job. He wasn’t going to budge.
“For the last time, come out of the closet!” Taylor reached in her purse, pulling out a 9 mm. She pointed it at the closet.
“Noooo!” Diamond screamed and ran over to the closet.
“Don’t move!” Taylor stood and pointed the gun at Diamond.
Diamond stood there, frozen.
“Come out now or Diamond gets it!” Taylor pointed the gun at the lamp, shooting it.
The loud bang caused Diamond to scream. Brad burst out of the closet with a coat hanger as his only weapon.
“Diamond!” He looked at her to see if she was okay. She confirmed that she was when she wrapped her arms around his waist.
A quick soft spot came over Taylor. She could tell this couple had an interesting connection, but she quickly went back into bitch mode with a wicked grin. “I knew that would get you out.”
Brad was heated. “Lady, are you crazy? Someone in this building could’ve heard that!”
Taylor just laughed. “Little boy, or should I say big boy, this little penthouse is completely soundproof, just the way Armand wanted it. If I wanted to kill her, no one would’ve heard it.”
Brad looked at Taylor. He knew exactly who she was. He remembered his dad having magazines with her pictures on them in the bathroom that he would jerked off to. Now that he was face to face with the supermodel, all he thought was how crazy she looked with the gun in her hand. He looked at the broken lamp.
“You could’ve hurt someone up in here,” he said.
Taylor put the gun back in her purse then walked back over to the couch to sit. “Now, both of you come here. Sit down.” She patted the spot next to her.
Diamond sat back down, but Brad looked to his right. “Milena?”
Milena cocked her head back. “Brad?”
Taylor looked at them both. “You know him?”
“Yes. He was the one who was helping Armand with the drug thing here.”
Milena was amazed that he was still in Brazil, but deep down she’d had a feeling that he would be right here with Diamond. Her intuition was correct.
“I thought you were with your cousin and friends. It’s not safe for you here.”
“I had to come for Diamond so we could figure out a way to get out of here together.” He looked back at Diamond and then looked at both Taylor and Milena. “Now, tell us more about how we can get our freedom and get the hell out of Brazil for good.” Brad sat next to Diamond and put his arm around her shoulders.
Taylor looked at the two lovebirds, whose love seemed so pure, innocent, and risky. She didn’t want to separate them, so she came up with a new plan.
“Diamond, tomorrow there will be a big surprise at your bakery. I mean, at my husband Armand’s bakery.”
Armand’s wife? Oh my God, thought Brad. Should we even trust her ass?
Taylor continued. “When you get your surprise, go out of the back door and the rest will be taken care of.”
“What about me? I want me and Diamond to get out of Brazil together.” Brad was frustrated, and he damn sure didn’t want to be left out.
“Hold on, okay? I have plans for you too.” Taylor removed a key from her purse then tossed it to Brad.
He looked at the key then back at Taylor. “What is this?”
“A key, silly,” Taylor answered.
“I know that, but to what? How is this gon’ help me?”
“Well, smart guy, you know that basement you and your little friends were in?”
Brad had to think back, but he did remember going to the basement of the apartment building, with all the drugs and money inside. “Oh, yeah, I remember. What about it?”
This man must have a few brain cells missing, Taylor thought, shaking her head.
“Genius, that is the key to your chance at a fortune. Later this evening, go downstairs to the basement and get all the money you want.”
Brad looked at the key, but reality quickly set in. Greed was what got him there, and he didn’t want to travel down that road again. All he wanted was for him and Diamond to get out of there without dealing with anymore bullshit. Besides, bad thoughts came to mind about the dangers that came with getting the money. He had to reject Taylor’s offer.
“Mrs. . . .”
“No need for the Mrs.,” Taylor said, cutting him off.
“Taylor will do.”
“Well, Taylor, what about those guards Armand have guarding that shit? How am I supposed to get past them without getting killed? I’m not interested in going that route. Thanks, but no thanks.”
Taylor laughed sinisterly. “First of all, darling, you need not worry about them. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. And think hard before you speak. When you come to the right conclusion, I’m sure you’ll be in the basement by midnight. You’ll be granted only a few minutes to get enough money to last you and Diamond for the rest of your lives.”
Brad hated to admit it, but that did sound pretty good. He wasn’t sure why Taylor had made this offer, but he asked her something else. “May I ask you for another favor?”
Taylor shrugged her shoulders. “Depends.”
“Is there any way you can get a private plane to fly me and Diamond out of Brazil to somewhere safe where no one will recognize us, especially me? Can you arrange that for us?”
Taylor smiled, loving Brad’s determination. “I may be able to help you with that one, my dear, but in the meantime, get that money!”
Brad didn’t reply, and he wouldn’t until he talked this over with Diamond. He just wanted to make sure this was the right move to make.
“I just have one more question for you, Taylor. Who are you? Really?” asked Brad.
Taylor laughed, knowing he would never get that answer. “Besides being a powerful woman, I am many things, including deadly.”
Taylor’s cell phone alarm went off. She didn’t answer, but she stood to leave. “Please forgive me, but Milena and I have another engagement.”
Milena stood and headed to the door behind Taylor.
Before Taylor left, she looked at Brad and Diamond again. “Diamond, don’t forget about the surprise, and Brad, don’t forget your money. After Diamond leaves for work in the morning, I’ll have a car pick you up, and my friends will take care of the rest.”
Taylor and Milena left the apartment.
Brad and Diamond stood in awe. They couldn’t believe what had just happened. After a long, thoughtful discussion, they came to a conclusion that would make them rich and get them out of Brazil.
* * *
Outside, Taylor and Milena kissed each other on the cheek. Milena got
into a cab and left. Taylor walked over to a black limousine, got in, and it pulled off. Things stayed quiet in the limousine, until a deep male voice with a thick Spanish accent spoke.
“Is it done?” he asked.
Taylor smiled. “Yes. Once I destroy my husband’s reputation, businesses, and fortune, the Colombian Mob will reign over South America once again.”
The man rubbed his hands together. “Excellent. South America will be mine. Desmond will be officially yours once I see your husband’s blood flow.”
Taylor smiled and leaned over to kiss the man. “Uncle Sandino, we are the baddest sons of bitches on this earth. It’s no wonder why my daddy left you his operation.”
Sandino smiled at his niece. “Yeah, baby girl, he is a very smart man.”
Taylor smiled because she knew that it was about to go down in Brazil.
Desmond, baby, I’m almost there.
* * *
It was two minutes until midnight, and Brad had the big duffle bag ready to go. Before he left, he and Diamond shared a passionate kiss like it was their last.
“I need to say this before you go,” she said tearfully. “Thank you for everything, Brad. Thank you so much, and please be careful. Come back to me, okay?”
“I promise,” he said, giving her another kiss on her sweet lips. “I will be back.”
With the hoodie thrown over his head, Brad went downstairs to the lobby. To his surprise, there were only a few people browsing around, many who were conversing with each other and paying him no mind. The two guards who usually guarded the basement door were outside being distracted by two beautiful women. One was Latina, and the other one was Japanese. They looked familiar to Brad. Then he realized the Latina chick was Sasha, and the Japanese chick was Aoki. He remembered hanging out with them and his boys during their good times in Brazil. Stan had been talking to Sasha, and one of the twins had been talking to Aoki, who also had a twin. Brad hated to think of Stan at a time like this. He knew he was wrong for fucking over his friend, but that was a cross he had to bear.
Beating the Odds Page 16