by Mikal Malone
“It ain’t, man. Trust me.”
Humiliated, he cut Jona off without notice and never called her again. It took weeks and a death threat from Tamir’s girl cousins to finally get her to stop calling.
“I found out who he really be wit’,” the same dude said a few days later. “She a twin. My cousin hang out wit’ her sometimes in Emerald. I’ll find out more info for you.”
Tamir learned where Lani got her hair done and arranged for one of his sisters’s to get her hair done that same day.
“Damn…you fine as shit,” he told Lani as she sat in a chair waiting to get her hair done. Even with her hair undone she ran rings around everybody in there.
“Can we exchange…,”
“Let me stop you there. My boyfriend’s a boss and I don’t fuck around wit’ nothin’ less. You cute and everything…but I’m taken.”
The entire beauty salon laughed at the way she shut him down. What she didn’t know was that Tamir was relentless, and he didn’t have plans to stop until he got what he wanted.
And at that time, what he wanted was her.
Carissa
“I just don’t know how to tell them.”
I was on my fourth cup of liquor and trust me when I say I hadn’t drank this much in years. I don’t feel safe in Emerald anymore. And I can’t wait ‘til it was my time to go home for a week.
We were sitting on the steps at night looking at our surroundings when Mercedes runs upstairs. I was surprised because she wasn’t due back until tomorrow. And then I remember, Yvette was on the phone trying to see if Chris would come out and officially meet us tonight. It would be a mess if Mercedes ran into her.
“Hey! We all gotta talk. Now!” she says the moment she reaches the top.
“Can it wait for a minute, Mercedes?” Yvette says holding the phone. “I was about to end this call anyway.”
“No you gotta hear this shit now.”
“Just give me a second to get off this call. I’ll make it quick,” Yvette continues.
“What’s up?” I ask, my voice slurring out of my control.
“Carissa, I think you need to take it easy on the liquor. You drinking nonstop. And you need to be sober for what I’m ‘bout to say cause it involves you too.”
“Go ahead, Mercedes,” Kenyetta adds. “You making me nervous. We’ll brief Yvette later when she gets off the phone.”
“I think Cameron and Lavelle planning to take back Emerald wit’ Black Water from Tyland Towers.”
“Damn! It’s my phone again,” Yvette says after the phone rings a second time.
They ignore her.
“My Lavelle?” I ask.
“Yes…your Lavelle, my ex Cameron and Black Water’s ugly ass from Tyland.”
When she says that, I notice the look on Kenyetta’s face turns to horror while Yvette steps further away to finish her call.
“Why you say that? Lavelle wouldn’t do anything hurt me!”
“I was just at Cameron’s tellin’ him it was over, when I walked downstairs and saw Lavelle and Black Water in his basement. This not a joke, Carissa! They up to something. All of them.”
“Wait a minute, I don’t know where to start. The fact that you had to tell Cameron it was over or that Black was in his house. He hate that nigga’s guts,” I respond.
“Hold on, Mercedes. I think Yvette on the phone wit’-,” Kenyetta is interrupted before she can finish.
“Let me get it out in the open. A day after I got shot, Cameron licked my pussy and fucked me in my house. So now that that’s out way, can I please finish what I really came up here about?”
“Mercedes!” Yvette grips the receiver on the phone and places it behind her back.
“What?! This is serious, Yvette! It couldn’t wait.”
“It’s Derrick,” she responds. “He on the phone.”
I was so drunk…I had forgotten he called moments earlier to update Yvette about the unit. Yvette, Kenyetta and Mercedes shoot me an evil glare. This is not good. It can’t be.
“Lavelle, what’s goin’ on?” I ask him on my cell phone in the hallway. I watch my friends and know they’re still mad at me. “Why you dealin’ wit’ Black?”
“I knew Mercedes ass was gonna start some shit. First off…you know I can’t stand that nigga. That’s Cam’s man.”
“So why were you there then?”
“Because Cam invited me on some other shit.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Well you should. I love you, Carissa. And I think it’s time you left Emerald cause things ain’t the same, baby. You got enough cash stashed away to be good and you know I got stacks. Just walk away. I’m beggin’ you.”
“Why though? Is somethin’ ‘bout to happen?”
“Baby, I been screamin’ at you to leave Emerald. So don’t act like what I’m sayin’ to you is new.”
My head drops and I say, “I have been thinkin’ about leaving, Lavelle. I just don’t know how to tell them.” I look through the glass door at my friends. Mercedes is crying on Kenyetta’s shoulder while Yvette rubs her back.
“For real Carissa?” he says excitedly. “You serious about leaving?”
“Yeah…I don’t think I’m wanted around here no more anyway.”
“Well you wanted here. I got you, Car. Come home.”
“Okay. I’m ready.”
“You don’t know how good it feels to hear you say that shit. Don’t worry about the girls. We’ll think of somethin’ together to tell them. I’ma call you later. I love you.”
“I love you too. Bye.
I felt like a phony but I cant deny how I feel inside. I just want to be home with my man and raise our little girls, even if I means losing friends.
Yvette
“I would need more than her strength to get me through.”
I hate leaving Mercedes while she’s going through a breakup but when I called my house to invite Chris to Emerald to meet the girls, my maid told me she was busy getting the last of her things. I have to catch her before she leaves.
“Hola, Yvette. I didn’t know you’d be here so early. Would you like me to prepare a meal?” Rosa, my maid asks.
“I’m fine, Rosa. Where’s Chris?”
“She in the bedroom.”
Rosa takes my purse and I walk briskly down the hallway to our bedroom. Her cologne freshens the halls and makes me lightheaded because I miss her so much. I slowly open the door and notice everything on the left side of the room is gone. And in our walk in closet, Chris is collecting her clothes.
“Chris,” I say softly interrupting her busy body motion. She’s wearing a new black Gucci sweat suit with a pair of Gucci sneaks. Damn she looks good.
She turns around and smiles, “Hey...I was just gettin’ the rest of my things. I’ll be out your way in a minute.”
“Chris…can we talk?”
“Not right now, Yvette. I’m meetin’ somebody later to let me in my apartment.”
My heart drops when she says, my because it no longer means ours.
“Please. It’ll only take a minute.”
“There’s not a lot to say,” she says sitting a blue duffel bag on the bed. “I can’t be who you want me to so I gotta bounce.”
“I don’t want us to move on without each other, Chris. I made a mistake. People make mistakes,” I say walking up to her. “But you were right about me being ashamed of you and I was wrong to hide you from my friends.”
“You say that but it’s always the same shit.” The sun hits her eyes and turns them hazel. “I’m just tired of it,” she continues throwing her clothes in the bag on the bed.
“I told them about us.” She doesn’t stop moving. “I said I told them about us. They know everything, Chris. I told them that we live together and you’re my world. There’s no need in me hidin’ you, anymore. I love you.” My expression turns serious.
“Don’t play wit’ me, shawty. That shit ain’t cool.”
“I’m serious. They kn
ow.”
“All of ‘em?” she asks.
“Yes,” I lie.
“Damn,” she sits down. “I never thought you’d tell them.”
“I did. I was a fool, but not anymore.”
“What changed?”
“You left. And I’m askin’ you, to please, stay wit’ me. Don’t leave me, Chris.”
She pushes her bag out the way and sits all the way on the edge of the bed. I sit next to her needing her strength right now. Placing her hand on my knee she softly says, “Aight. I’ma give this thing another try. But if you deny me again, I’m done, Yvette.”
“It’ll never happen again. I’m mad it happened the first time. I love you.”
We made love until the morning. With her by my side, I can conquer the world. Little did I know, the next day I would need more than her strength to get me through.
Kenyetta
“I’m gonna ruin his life for a change.”
Entering Tyland, I locate Black’s building and walk upstairs to his door without altercation. Little did he know, many of his men would kill to work for us at Emerald. Black would never be able to come into Emerald city without problems but I could.
“Who is it!?” a female calls from behind the other side of his door. I hesitate, back up and double check the apartment number. It says 316.
“Is Black here?”
A light skin female with green eyes opens the door and looks me up and down. Although pretty, she seems homely and doesn’t look like the exotic types of women that Black goes for. Then again, I really don’t know Black.
“How can I help you?”
“You can’t help me. Does Black live here or not?”
“Yes, he lives here. Is that all you wanna know?”
Frowning I say, “Who are you?”
“I’m his wife.”
Did she just say his wife? I can’t believe he’s married! She slams the door shut before I can say another word. Angry…I decide that Black has played so many games, that I’m gonna ruin his life for a change. Banging on the door, seconds pass before she flings it open again.
“What?!” she screams.
“Just so you know, your husband has been with other women. I just want you to know in case you think you livin’ happily ever after. If I was you I’d leave his bum ass while you still can.”
She laughs like she’s crazy. “Shade and Shannon, come here for a minute,” She holds the door open. I reach in my Gucci purse and place my hand on my Glock.
When the door widens, I see clearly inside. Although they lived in the projects, from what I could see, the inside of his apartment it was laid with expensive furniture
“Yeah, what’s up?” a girl with dreads asks. The other girl stood next to her, her hair as long and silky as mine. I had to admit, they were both beautiful.
“This chick says Black been fuckin’ other woman,” the light skin girl says.
“Now is that so?” the one with dreads says. “By other women do you mean you?”
I remain as calm as they are and say, “Yes. I mean me.”
“You must be Kenyetta,” the one with the long silky hair investigates. “He told me you were a sexy little thing and I must agree with him.”
She tries to touch me and I smack her hand, “You know about me?”
They laugh.
“Honey, we know everything,” the other one says. “Black has ten wives.”
“Are you bitches crazy or somethin’?”
“We taken care of,” the light skin girl remarks. “Every bitch has a cheatin’ man. Ours just tells us up front. It’s all good.”
The hallway seemed to spin. I never heard anything like this in all my life. In my confusion, I’m not surprised when Black appears from behind the women.
“I got it from here,” he said taking the time to kiss all three of them in the mouth before they leave without another word. “Come in, Kenyetta. I’ve been expecting you. We got a lot to discuss.”
Cameron
The Set-Up for the Finale
“I just want a piece of the pie when it’s cut.”
In the VIP section at LUX Lounge in Washington D.C., sat Black Water, Lavelle and Cameron on large plush burgundy sofas. Opened bottles of Ace of Spade and Ciroc sat on the table in front of them while women danced sexily hoping to gain their attentions.
“Cameron, my men been in that apartment going on two weeks now.” Black sips on vodka. “They got two niggas guardin’ every floor makin’ it hard for us to move. I keep tellin’ you, we gotta push on this shit now.”
“I’m ready,” he says confidently. “But you never got back with me on the info about the shootin’. I tried to find out somethin’ myself but came up blank.”
“One of my niggas told me them dudes were from Clifton Terrace, uptown.”
Lavelle shakes his head, and clears his throat at the mention of Cliffton Terrace.
“Cliffton?” Cameron repeats looking at Lavelle. “That’s your territory ain’t it?”
Lavelle takes a deep breath and says, “Yeah. But what happened was not my plan. Shit got fucked up.”
“Damn! I gotta give you credit after all,” Black Water responds with a smirk on his face. “Here I thought you was a bitch ass nigga all this time.”
“I’m five seconds from breakin’ your jaw,” Lavelle promises.
“Whenever you get ready…I am too, lil’ man,” Black raises his cup.
“What you mean your plan got fucked up?” Cameron interrupts.
“I was tryin’ to scare Carissa outta Emerald. I need her home wit’ our daughters. So I paid these dumb ass niggas to scare her but they started shootin’ for survival.”
“You know they vicious wit’ their aim, Lavelle. Fuck was you thinkin’ ‘bout by instructin’ them niggas to go into Emerald? You led your soldiers astray.”
“I know. It was stupid on my part.”
“You know they shot my baby mother right?” Cameron holds an evil glare.
“I’m sorry, Cam. That shit fucked me up when I heard Mercedes got hit.”
“Ain’t you gonna have Mercedes killed anyway?” Black asks Cameron slyly.
“Naw, I just want a piece of the pie when it’s cut.”
“You wanted Mercedes killed?” Lavelle interrogates.
“Yeah…I mean no… I realize I was trippin’.”
“Look…I don’t care who lives and who dies at this point. Right now I have a vested interest in Emerald. And I need to know what we gonna do.”
“I got at least twenty men who waitin’ for me to take back Emerald. We ready.” Cameron says.
“What ‘bout you, Lavelle? How many men you got?” Black asks.
“’Bout ten.”
“Well wit’ the twenty men I have it brings us to about fifty.”
“Okay so what’s this plan?” Cameron queries as Jeezy’s “Vacation” song blasts on the club’s speakers.
“I say we take over Unit B first. That’ll be easy because my men are already there. When I run operation “Finale”, your men will leave their posts wherever they are even if they in Unit C. When we call, they will head to Unit B. When everybody gets there, my men will come out and flood the building. I’m not gonna lie, there’s gonna be some bloodshed but after it’s all said and done, we’ll have what we want.”
“What about the girls?” Lavelle asks.
“I suggest you find a reason to keep them away that night,” Black advises. “I can’t be responsible for what might happen.” Although he advised them to get them out, he had plans to kill them anyway. Alive he knew they were more trouble than they were worth.
“I’ll deal wit’ Mercedes. She won’t be there if I have to kidnap her myself.”
“And I think I got, Carissa.”
“I’ma give Kenyetta a warning but she might get caught up in this shit.”
“Kenyetta? What you mean?” Cameron asks.
“Oh…you ain’t know? I been fuckin’ shawty for a minute,” he laughs.
Cameron and Lavelle can’t believe what they’re hearing. To think that their man’s Dyson ex-girl was fucking with Black, was sick.
“She didn’t know who I was when we first got together, but when she found out, by that time it was too late.”
“Damn…I bet the girls don’t know that shit,” Cameron chuckles.
“Prolly not, we might be able to use that shit to our advantage too,” Black offers.
“You got this all worked out don’t you?” Cameron says.
“I planned it the moment you told me what you wanted done.”
“I bet,” Cameron says.
“This was your idea not mine,” Black reminds him.
“Once we get the building then what?” Lavelle jumps back on topic.
“When everyone takes over Unit B, Harold and Ed will let four vans inside that’ll be holding twenty niggas each. They’ll raid the stronger Units C and A. I hear that’s where they hold the cash and product. Once we got the main units, it’s a wrap.”
“Unit C’s security is tight. You not gonna be able to get in easy.” Lavelle adds.
“I got a plan before the vans come that will help us get in. I guarantee it. I say two weeks from now we move. That’ll give us enough time to brief everybody.”
“What about Dreyfus?” Lavelle brings up. “I know he let you buy out Tyland but the girls turned Emerald into a goldmine. He not lettin’ that shit go so easy.”
“Dreyfus thinks money. If we present him with enough, he’ll be fine.”
“You sure about that?” Lavelle responds.
“Positive,” he says. “So get ready cause ya’ll about to be two of the richest niggas on earth!”
Mercedes
“I just need to get away now!”
“You want some of this?” Carissa asks holding her cup out filled with liquor.
I ignore her ass like I had the past few days.
“Mercedes, how long you gonna be mad at me?”
“This has gone on too long. You should at least hear her out,” Kenyetta advises.
“There’s nothin’ to hear out. My life is some shit now and it’s all her fault.”