by W. S. Greer
“You set Uncle Mikey up to be arrested. How could you do that?” Kelvin snapped.
“You all just don’t understand,” Senior responded. “You’re so focused on little petty shit. Look at you, sitting there on the floor, trying so hard to be in love. You end up losing sight of the big picture. This isn’t about anything other than power and control, and I did what I had to do to make sure that this thing goes according to the plan. I won’t let Mikey, or Ant, or you, or anybody else stand in the way of the shit that I’ve hooked up, because in the end, whether you’re a part of it or not, the Carters will have control over everything. I will run this city, and everyone else can have whatever scraps are left over, but all the big shit will belong to me. This dope deal is gonna make The Family the most powerful, richest family in the entire Midwest. How can you not see that?”
Kelvin stood up, leaving the bag of drugs lying on the ground in front of him.
“Oh, I see it. I just don’t want any part of it. That’s entirely too much heat, and not even you can handle all of that.”
“Oh, I beg to differ, Son. You see, that’s where you and I are different. You think so small. You look at life like this casino is the ultimate accomplishment. Like this is something big. Let me tell you, Junior, this is shit! I have plans on doing much bigger things than owning casinos. I’m talking about owning Soldier Field. I’m talking about owning a piece of the United Center. That’s how big I’m thinking. I’m thinking the Carters can buy a piece of the Blackhawks. I don’t plan on just owning a casino in the city. I plan on owning the entire city!”
You’re out of your mind,” Kelvin snapped. “You wouldn’t be owning anything. You’d be sharing it with the same family that killed your son and your brother, you selfish son of a bitch! Are you that blinded by your greed that you can’t see that?”
“You call it greed, Junior, I call it ambition.”
“Fine. You want to own the whole city, great, but leave me the Red Chip. Sign it over to me, and let me live my life without all this shit you’ve got going on. I don’t want any part of that. I just want the Red Chip Hotel & Casino. Give me that, and we can just move on down our separate paths. You do your thing and I’ll do mine.”
Senior cracked a sly smile. “You know, I had a feeling you’d ask me for that. Which is why I have a deal for you, Son. You want my casino? Fine. I’ll sign it over to you, but only after you’ve proven your loyalty to me. You see, Mikey had a loyalty problem, and seeing as how my partnership with Ilia has given me extensive connections in Chicago PD, I had to make an example out of him. You, on the other hand, have an opportunity to show me that you’re loyal to The Family. Would you like to know how you do that, or would you rather tell me that you’re ashamed that I’m your father, and then pack your shit and get the fuck out of my casino?”
Kelvin looked over at me with a look of regret in his eyes, and I knew that he was about to make the hardest decision of his life. My heart ached for him as the pain and frustration spread across his face. He looked at me like he was asking me for permission, so I nodded, and he turned back to his father.
“What do you want me to do?” he asked.
Senior smiled at him once again, then removed his cigar so that he could speak clearly. “You’re gonna do exactly as I told you. You’re gonna be a part of this new business we have, and you’re gonna help me make it work. When we get a new shipment of dope in, and we need a stash house until we sell it, you’ll allow me access to the Red Chip. No questions asked. When I call you to pick up a shipment, your ass will be there at the time and place that I say. You’ll make this money for us, and you’ll get to spend it too. What you’ll do, Junior, is work for me, and when I feel like you’ve proven your loyalty to me, and earned your spot, then I’ll sign over the Red Chip to you. It’s either that, or you and little Lily over there can get the fuck out right now. It’s really that simple.”
Kelvin tightened his jaw, and then took a deep breath and relaxed. “Well, if it’s either that or be out on the streets tonight, I don’t see how I really have a choice.”
Senior smiled at Kelvin, then glanced over at me and winked before turning his attention back to his son, and sticking his cigar back in his mouth. “No, Junior, you don’t have a choice.”
The elevator doors slid closed, and Senior was gone. When he was no longer in my view, I finally let my head drop and my chin nearly hit my chest as I realized the predicament Kelvin and I were now in.
I knew that the only reason Senior said all of that stuff to Kelvin about what he’d have to do if he wanted the casino, was because he wanted to see what I was going to do. He wanted me to know that Kelvin was going to be involved in things that I should certainly be afraid off—things that I knew that I had no business being involved in. He was trying to trap Kelvin, and at the same time, he was trying to scare me away. So, as I made my way down the hallway towards the bedroom, I let out a loud, exhausted sigh, knowing full well what I was going to do. Now, I just needed to make Kelvin understand.
When I entered the room, Kelvin was sitting on the floor with his back leaning against the mattress that had been flipped over. When he looked up at me, I could tell that he knew what I was going to say—he just needed to hear me say it—but, I wasn’t sure if he was really ready or willing to hear it. It didn’t matter, though. This conversation was a long time coming.
“Are you okay?” I asked as I sat down on the floor next to him. “Talk to me, Kelvin. What are you thinking?”
Kelvin let out an exasperated sigh of his own, then looked at me with frustration in his eyes. “I’m thinking that it’s always gonna be this way. I’m thinking that my father will always do this kind of shit, and the minute I decided that I’d be involved with this family, I locked myself in for life, and there’s no turning back now. I’m stuck in this forever, Lilliana. There’s no escape for me. He’ll always do anything to get ahead, and he doesn’t give a fuck who he steps on to get his way. My Uncle Mikey is sitting in jail right now because his own brother planted heroin in his backyard, and then called the cops on him. He snitched on his own brother. Who the fuck would do that? What kind of person would do that to his brother?”
Kelvin shook his head like he still couldn’t fully believe everything that had happened over the past couple of weeks. I could see it in his eyes that he was fed up. He was so tired of all the drama. He was tired of worrying, and tired of being afraid. No matter how tough a person is, after a while, shit will start to get to you. Eventually you will be affected by all the shit going on around you. All it takes is time, and Kelvin had finally reached his breaking point.
“I don’t have a choice now, Lilliana,” Kelvin continued, looking down at the floor as he spoke. “I’m gonna have to do this shit with him. This drug thing is gonna become a part of my life until he lets me go. I think I’m just now realizing that he’s the one who’s in control. Until he says I’m free, it’s like I belong to him. All of us do. Everyone in The Family. We all belong to him. But not you.
You don’t have to be a part of this lifestyle, Lilliana. Things are about to become more dangerous than they ever have been. The Carters have stayed away from drugs for a reason, and now that we’re involved, we’re gonna get a big reminder why The Family vowed never to touch this stuff. It’s because the heat turns up tremendously. Everybody’s after you when you get in this game—other dealers, addicts, other families, jealous people who would gladly rob and kill you just to make a quick come up, and of course the cops. Everything you and I have been through will pale in comparison to how hot things are about to become. My dad’s not ready for this, he just doesn’t know it yet. The Family is about to be living in dangerous territory.
I believe him when he says that we’ll be making more money than ever, but we’ll also be being watched more than ever, and we’ll be in more danger than ever also. But, you don’t have to be. You can walk away from all of this, and never have to worry about any of the shit I’m about to have to worry a
bout. All I want is for you to be safe and happy. How could I go on if anything ever happened to you? If you got hurt because of this shit, I’d kill him. I really don’t want to have to take it there, but I would if it came down to you. I’ll do anything for you. I’ll do anything to keep you safe.”
A small tear rolled down each of Kelvin’s cheeks as he put his head down. He looked like a shell of himself, and I couldn’t stand to see him this way. So, I reached over and grabbed his hand, pulling it over into my lap and cupping it in my hands.
“Kelvin, look at me,” I began. “Everything you just said to me, I already know. Your father is a terrible person, and I know he’d do anything to get ahead. He doesn’t care about you, and he damn sure doesn’t care about me. But, you know what? It doesn’t matter, because I don’t give a fuck about him either. All I care about is you.
You keep saying that you just want to see me safe and happy. But, if being safe means being without you, then I wouldn’t be happy. I can’t be happy without you, Kelvin. Since the day we met, I’ve never been the same, and I’ll never be the same ever again, and I don’t want to be. The person I’ve become with you may be a little rougher around the edges. I may be harsher, and I may be a little meaner, and maybe even a little kinkier, but I love that person. I’m the person that I want to be, because I’m with the person that I want to be with. So, all this shit about the drugs and the danger, you can save your breath. You’re not getting rid of me. I’m here to stay. Forever. So, what we’re gonna do is we’re gonna get up and stop letting your father win. We’re gonna put our heads together, and we’re gonna figure this shit out. Your dad wants you to work for him. Fine. Let that be where our path to getting away from him begins. We’ll do what we have to do to keep him in the dark—to keep him thinking that everything is how he wants it to be. We’ll bide our time, and when the time comes, we’ll make a break from him.
You’re always telling me that you got me. Always saying how you’re gonna protect me and make sure that nothing happens to me. Well, this time I got you, Baby. We’re gonna figure out how to get away from him, and we’re gonna do it together, because you and me together is stronger than anything and anybody.”
Kelvin’s eyes filled with tears as he stared at me with a smile tugging at the side of his mouth.
“I love you so fucking much, Lilliana,” he said, still smiling and shaking his head.
“I love you, Kelvin, and it doesn’t matter what he says or what he does, we’re not gonna let him break us. We’ll destroy him before we ever let him destroy us. You with me?”
Kelvin looked up at me with his deep, dark brown eyes, and I could see his confidence coming back to him as he smiled a broad smile once again.
“Of course I’m with you,” he said. “I got you.”
“So, what did he give you?”
“He’s still a little out of it from the surgery, but he was surprisingly candid given the circumstances.”
“Okay, so spill it. Was he willing to give you anything or not?”
“The man was shot in both of his knees and had to undergo reconstructive surgery, Captain. He was more than willing to give me everything that he knew. But, you know it wasn’t enough to do what we need to do, which is why we’re still going through with this.”
“I understand that, Agent Jenkins, but I need to know the details of Officer Gavlik’s statement. If we’re gonna go through with this, we need every detail out on the table, and I need to be in the loop one hundred percent about absolutely everything. I’m the only one who’s gonna be able to protect your ass if shit goes haywire. So, close the door and let’s put this thing into action.”
“Alright, Captain Perez, this is what we’ve got. Officer Viktor Gavlik informed me that Ivan Baskov may have been killed by his own brother, Ilia Baskov. Ilia had been talking to other members of the family about offing Ivan so that he could become the boss himself. However, when the hit actually took place, Officer Gavlik was in the hospital, so he isn’t sure exactly who killed Ivan.”
“Okay, so we’re still at square one with that. What else?”
“Officer Gavlik also told me that he believes that now that Ivan is out of the picture, the Baskovs and the Carters are planning to start smuggling heroin, and of course distributing it in our fair city of Chicago. Apparently one shipment has already come in, but no eyes have been put on it, so we don’t have any assurances. We have no idea when, and we have no idea where. There’s nothing solid, Captain. At this point in time, we’ve got absolutely nothing but a bunch of hearsay and assumptions and suspicions. We need something solid if we’re gonna do this. If we try to bust him on any of this weak shit, you know he’ll walk. This shit will never stick.”
“You’re exactly right, Russell. If we’re gonna try to take him down, we need everything. I want hard evidence of the extortion, the money laundering, the prostitution, the guns, the drugs, and the murders. I want it all, so that when we go in and bust this son of a bitch, there isn’t a chance in hell he’ll get off. So, if Viktor says that it’s all happening, I want proof.”
“What about the fact that Officer Gavlik is taking a deal to minimize his own sentence, due to his own involvement with the Baskovs?”
“What the fuck does that have to do with anything? We get a lot of dirty cops who turn snitch to save their own asses. This is nothing new. So, we’re gonna take the information Officer Gavlik provided to us, and we’re gonna use it to our advantage, and bring down one of the most notorious families in this city. Don’t start getting cold feet on me, Agent Jenkins.”
“I’m not getting cold feet. I just want to make sure that we can use everything we’ve been given. I don’t want this shit coming back to bite us in the ass. If he says it’s there, it better be there, or we’re gonna hang Viktor out to dry.”
“Viktor knows better than to be lying to us now. So, here’s your file. Make sure you study the shit out of this. You can’t afford to make any mistakes, Russell. You need to know this thing front and back, every single detail.”
“Geez, Captain. You couldn’t have given me a better name?”
“Who gives a fuck about the name? It’s an undercover identity, Russell. Fuck the name. Just make sure that you know those details inside and out.”
“This shit is deep, Captain. How the hell am I supposed to remember all this?”
“Of course it’s deep, and you damn well better remember it. You don’t send an undercover agent to infiltrate the Carter crime family without covering all your bases. So, you better memorize it, Russell. All of it.”
“I got it, Captain. I won’t slip up.”
“You better not. You can’t. This is Kelvin Carter we’re talking about, Agent Jenkins. If he finds out you’re a cop, you know he’ll kill you.”
“He won’t find out until I want him to find out. And, that won’t be until the moment he realizes that I’m the one taking him and his entire family down. Every single one of them, Captain. We’re gonna get them all.”
To be continued…
Before I say anything, I first have to acknowledge the one person who has been there for me way before I ever had any aspirations of being an author—my wife. Without you, I don’t know where I would be in this life. I think about how far we’ve come over the course of our fifteen year relationship, and I’m so proud to be able to call you my wife and my partner. I cherish every moment that I get to spend with you, and I’m so proud of your success, and how you’ve been able to turn your love of literature into your job. You’re an amazing woman and I’m so proud to be your husband. You’re my best friend, and I’m so thankful that I get to share this wonderful journey with you by my side. We’re just getting started, babe! Imagine where we’ll be in a few years! There’s no stopping us as long as we’re together.
Next, I have to thank my incredible support team—Greer Street. There are a few ladies who I’ve met over the course of writing Becoming Carter, who’ve grown into great friends of mine, and you’ve all done
such an amazing job with promoting me and my work, and I am forever grateful.
Tonya Nichols, you’ve been a soldier for us all year long, and me and the wife just love you to death! Thank you so much for everything that you do for us, and for being such a good friend. Even after we went through our little drama with some “disturbed” people, you stuck around and had faith in us, and your support never wavered, and we won’t forget that. Thank you!
Also, I have to shout out Alisha May, Kizeeta Williams, Carrie Sutton, Melissa Stevens-Kulis, Iris Rodriguez, Holly Morales, and Lyndsey Wharton. You ladies, in particular, did such an amazing job with promotion for this book, plus you beta read it and helped me to stay confident in this story, which was exactly what I needed after everything I went through with the release of Claiming Carter. I needed to feel like I hit a homerun with this book, and all your support and push helped me tremendously, and I am very thankful.
I also have to thank my parents, and my brother for their continuous support. I know it’s hard being away from us all the time, and I appreciate you being so supportive of my military career and the decisions I’ve made in it. These books look like they just might be my ticket out, and I hope to be back in the states with you all in the very near future. I love you, and miss you all very much.
Last, but not least, I have to thank the most important people in any author’s life—the fans. Although I felt like I could’ve written a better story when I wrote Claiming Carter, it still ushered in a whole new group of fans for me, and I absolutely adore you all. Every single one of you who has talked to me, and have started following my blog, and telling your friends about this series, THANK YOU SO MUCH! I’m so glad you loved book 1, and I hope you are pulled even deeper into this story with book 2. Without your love and support, I’m nothing, and I will never take that for granted. Thank you for supporting me and being my fans. I still can’t believe I actually have fans.