The Cartel Deluxe Edition

by Ashley

  They watched me and laughed as I cried my eyes out in agony. Joell had seen enough, and pulled me off of her. He grabbed me by my neck and stood me up against the wall. I was on my tip toes as I felt his strong hand wrap around my neck.

  “You think you can touch me?” Joell asked rhetorically. “You can’t kill me, bitch! You came barking up the wrong tree. I sniffed y’all out from day one. Since the day Beatrice approached me, I have been watching all of you. This game isn’t for rookies, and I am far from a rookie, Sunshine!” he said with passion as he squeezed my neck so hard I was unable to breathe. I stared into his bloodshot red eyes with no fear, even though inside I was terrified. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing that he had achieved such a feat.

  “Oh, okay. I see you are a tough one, huh?” Joell said as he unleashed his grip on me, letting me fall to the floor, panting for air. I held my neck as I tried to catch my breath, and I felt someone pick me up and toss me on the bed.

  “I’ma break you down. I’m going to show you not to fuck with me,” Joell said with a sinister look in his eyes.

  “Kill me and get it over with,” I said as I breathed heavily and sat up on the bed.

  “I’m not going to kill you. But you are going to wish you were dead when I am done with you.

  Joell’s goons grabbed me and pinned me down while ripping my clothes off, leaving me completely nude. I tried to stop them, but they were much more powerful than I was, and I couldn’t fight them off. I saw one goon pull down his pants, exposing his rock hard tool. I saw about twelve inches of nightmare. He straddled me while the other men held me down, and forcefully penetrated me, causing me to arch my back in complete anguish. No man had ever been inside of me, and my virginity was now being stripped from me in the worst way. I could feel my pussy being ripped open. It was so painful and so degrading, causing me to let out screams that were muffled by a hand. He went in and out of me violently. I could feel myself splitting, and the pain shot through my entire body. He was much too large for my rather small opening. I cried and yelled, but it was to no avail, as no one could hear me through the soundproofed rooms, and Joell and his crew had no intentions of stopping.

  Once he was finished, he squirted semen all over my upper torso and face. Just when I thought the chaos was over, he switched positions with another goon, and then he began to have his way with me. Joell just sat and watched in pleasure as he got his sweet revenge. Tears continued to run down my face, but the yelling stopped as I quit fighting back.

  The rape lasted for an entire hour, as his four goons took turns on me, leaving me bloody and sore. It reminded me of the torture that my stepfather used to put Anisa through, and I wished that my big sister was there to save me from this pain. They violated both holes, and left me in agonizing pain, curled up on the bed.

  Once they were finished, Joell put a gun to my head and whispered sternly, “Go tell whoever sent you that they shouldn’t have sent a woman to do a man’s job. If I ever see you or any of them other bitches, you’re going to end up like this bitch,” he said as he threw his head in the direction of Beatrice dead body. With that, he left me in the room alone and traumatized.

  I weakly looked over at Beatrice and whispered, “Sorry B! I am so sorry!” as the tears flowed.

  Things were never the same after Beatrice died. We all were shaken. It felt like everything was falling down around us. We didn’t feel safe in the Yitty anymore, so we all packed our shit and relocated to Miami. We all had aspirations of leaving the foul game alone. With Beatrice gone, we had a piece of us missing. Getting out of New York was mandatory. We had to worry about Joell retaliating even more, and also we had to worry about the Russians. We took their money without completing the job, so we knew that we had created another enemy; an enemy that we couldn’t stand up against. That botched hit taught us that we were not invincible, and at any time we could be gone. I hate that it took me being raped and Beatrice’s death to teach us that hard lesson, but nevertheless, it was taken in heed. We moved with precision and intelligence from that day forward. We buried our girl in the Bronx, her hometown, and never looked back.

  When we moved down to Miami, we tried our best to stay straight, but the allure of the game called for us, and when the money was low, we went back into business. We hooked up with a Haitian named Ma’tee, a powerful drug trafficker in Miami, and the rest is history. We never had any problems, except for the day we took on our biggest hit . . . The Cartel.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The Cartel

  “Have chu heard from Miamor?” Aries asked as she handed Robyn a moving box to carry into their new apartment. They were in L.A., living the life, and after months of functioning out of hotels, they finally decided to move into their first West Coast spot. Their apartment overlooked Santa Monica Beach. They had made sure to get a three bedroom, just in case Miamor decided to join them one day.

  “Nah, I haven’t heard from her since we left. She’s too wrapped up in that mu’fucka, Carter. I can’t believe she chose him over us. That’s been our rule since the very beginning; Fuck a nigga! Get your paper! I guess she forgot about all of that,” Robyn stated with a shoulder shrug as they made their way inside.

  Aries placed the box she held in her hands on the floor and sat down to go through its contents. She frowned when she opened it to find it full of envelopes that were addressed to Miamor. “Me think chu made a mistake and took some of Miamor’s stuff out of storage. This box is full of old letters to she,” she stated.

  “It’s probably just old letters from Murder,” Robyn said. “I probably grabbed them by mistake. She stayed writing that nigga back in the day. You would have thought he was her man instead of Anisa’s.”

  Aries had never met Murder, but she had heard a lot about him. “Miamor used to talk about he all de time,” she recalled.

  Robyn nodded her head as she continued to unpack boxes and rearrange their place. “Uh-huh. Between me and you, I think they had a little thing for each other. It was like after that shit happened to her and Beatrice, she wasn’t really worried about no dudes. I think that rape fucked her head up more than anything. Then, when she met that nigga, Carter, she was on some other shit; talking that love bullshit.”

  “Me don’t trust de’ nigga, Carter. Me think Miamor is in over she head,” Aries stated. “She might need us.”

  Robyn waved her hand in dismissal. “I ain’t worried about Miamor. She made her decision. Nobody forced her to stay back in Miami. She can take care of herself.”

  Aries opened up one of the letters and read the intimate words that Murder had written Miamor. It was obvious to her that Miamor and Murder had been close. In his letter, he expressed his concern for her, and also expressed how he wished he could take care of both Miamor and Anisa. It seemed like he was the only other male attachment Miamor had ever had.

  Aries went into her room and pulled out a piece of paper. Robyn appeared in her doorway and asked, “What are you doing, girl? We still have so much stuff to unpack out of the car,” she came in and flopped down on Aries’ bed.

  “Don’t chu think it’s strange that she hasn’t even called us? We haven’t gone one day without talking since de’ day we met. Now all of a sudden, Mia just falls off the map. Me gut tells me something is wrong,” Aries said.

  “You’re right,” Robyn stated.

  “Me think me’s going to write Murder and let he know what’s up with she,” Aries said.

  “What is he going to do? He’s locked up,” Robyn replied.

  Aries showed Robyn the letter she had just read from

  Murder. “According to this, he will be out soon. Maybe he can talk some sense into she.” “A’ight, girl, go for what you know,” Robyn stated. She hugged Aries and left her to write her letter.

  * * *

  Murder walked on the platform of his tier, his khaki jail pants hanging slightly off of his behind as he strolled toward his cell. He received much love from the other inmates, but he did
n’t deal with many. His business was still popping in prison. He survived in the joint by murking niggas who stepped out of line. He was paid with cigarettes, drugs, shoes, clothes, books, and basically whatever else an inmate had to offer. It was far less than what he had killed for while he was on the outside, but behind the walls was a completely different world. Something as simple as a pack of cigarettes could be as worthy as gold in prison. He entered his cell just as the bars began to close.

  A CO walked by. “Brown, you’ve got some mail,” the fat white guard said as he stuck a single envelope through the bars of his cell.

  A look of surprise crossed Murder’s face. He only received mail from one person, but he hadn’t heard from her in years. Miamor was the only person who had ever contacted him while he was locked up. He opened the letter and read:

  Hey Murder:

  Chu’ don’t know me, but I’m a friend of Miamor’s. Me know chu know all about the Murder Mamas and what we are about. Anisa used to tell us stories about chu, so me know what chu about and how chu get down.

  Anisa was killed down in Miami, and me think de’ same people who killed she may have hurt Miamor too. She started fucking with one of our marks, and me thinks she is in trouble. Chu’ are de only person who she might listen to. Please call me so that me can put her on three-way. Maybe chu can talk some sense into she. 852-444-9683. Me put some money on de’ commissary for chu. Call soon.

  Aries

  Murder knew exactly who Aries and Robyn were. Miamor had told him all about them in some of her letters. He was now worried about Miamor. He didn’t know what was going on, but he fully intended on finding out. He was up for parole, and would be out the joint in a couple of weeks. He wrote Aries back and asked her and Robyn to meet him in Miami. He had done five years easily, but now that he knew Miamor was in danger, the next two weeks were going to creep by torturously slow. I know li’l mama better be a’ight, or niggas in Miami gon’ bleed!

  Chapter Sixteen

  The Cartel

  Mecca stood over Miamor and looked at her with pure hatred. He had finally gotten a chance to be alone with her without any supervision, and he was going to make the most out of that opportunity. It was in between the nurse’s shift, and his heart was racing as he looked down at his worst enemy. He wanted to tell Carter about Miamor, but he didn’t want to take the chance of Carter siding with her. He saw how much Carter loved Miamor, and it enraged him, knowing that Carter loved the same woman that he hated so much. The last thing he wanted was to be in a beef with his only remaining blood brother over a female. He figured that what Carter didn’t know, couldn’t hurt him. This bitch got his head gone, but I’m about to end this game and send her to her Maker, he thought as he stared at her, clenching his jaws.

  Mecca looked over his shoulder and made sure no one was coming just before he focused his attention back on his worst enemy. He bent down and began to whisper in Miamor’s ear, hoping to God that she could hear him. He was unaware that she had come out of her coma earlier that day, so when she opened her eyes, it startled him. He saw the lazy look in her eyes and knew that she was weak. He was glad that she was conscious. Now she would know who was taking her life. Mecca was about to gain his sweet revenge.

  “I hate you, bitch!” Mecca whispered as he began to pinch her oxygen supply. “I want you to die a slow death. I’ma finish what Fabian couldn’t do,” he whispered and he smirked as he heard her heart monitor begin to beep faster.

  Miamor wanted to return the gesture by saying, “Fuck you!” but she was too weak to even open her mouth. The only thing she could move was her fingers.

  Mecca looked down at her hand and noticed that she managed to stick her middle finger out. He chuckled as he pulled the pillow from under her head. Stopping her oxygen flow wasn’t quick enough for him. He wanted her dead. He held the pillow up and prepared to suffocate her to death.

  Miamor tried again to say something, tried to call for Carter, but only a low raspy grunt came out.

  “Nobody can save you now, bitch!” Mecca whispered.

  “What’s going on?” Carter asked as he walked into the room.

  “I was just fluffing her pillow, bro. Your sleeping beauty looked uncomfortable,” Mecca said as he began to fluff the pillow, hoping that Carter didn’t see what he was really trying to do.

  Carter smiled and walked over to Mecca and put his hand on his shoulder. “I’ll take it from here,” he said, not knowing that Mecca was just about to murder his only true love. “I have to talk to you and Zyir when I finish up in here,” Carter added, thinking about the plan that he was putting together for their relocation.

  “Cool. I’ll be downstairs,” Mecca said just before he shot Miamor a cold stare.

  Miamor matched his stare, and she wished that she could say something. Mecca and Miamor both despised each other with equal passion, and it was obvious that neither of them wanted to tell Carter the truth. Both of them wanted to kill one another and still keep a bond with an unknowing Carter.

  Mecca exited, and Carter focused his attention on Miamor. He pulled up a chair to her bed and began to stroke her hair and look into her eyes. “Hey, beautiful,” he said just before he leaned over and kissed her cheeks. He heard Miamor grunt while moving her lips, trying to talk.

  “Shhh. Save your energy, baby,” he said as he put his finger over her lips. “The nurse said it will take a couple of days before you will be able to talk or sit up. You just have to rest,” he explained.

  Miamor looked into Carter’s brown eyes and knew that he was the man that she wanted to spend her life with. However, she knew that Mecca was trying to kill her. I wish I could just tell him. Come on, Miamor, move your lips. Talk! she thought as she tried to say something. But it was to no avail. I have to tell him the truth. Will he still love me? Will he understand and pick me over Mecca.

  Carter picked up Miamor’s hand and kissed it softly. “I am going to kill whoever did this to you, I swear. I know it’s all my fault. I was in the middle of a war and never thought about my enemy coming for you,” he said, feeling guiltier with every word.

  Your brother is the one trying to kill me! Miamor thought as she heard the sincerity in his voice. She promised herself that if Mecca didn’t kill her, she would tell Carter the truth as soon as she was able to. She was tired of running from herself. She was looking into the eyes of the future. Her future was in Carter Jones.

  “Just listen,” Carter said slowly and sternly. “After you get well, we are moving from Miami. No more wars no more of the fast life. We can work on us and become one,” he said, meaning every word of what he was saying. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with Miamor, and he was willing to give up the dope game for good just to make that happen.

  Carter couldn’t take Miami’s ills anymore. Breeze’s death was the last straw. It was as if Breeze had died twice, because just when they were coming to terms that she was gone, she reappeared, but only to commit suicide when they were only seconds away from saving her. Carter was tired of everything . . . everything except for Miamor. She is the only thing good in my life, he thought as he clenched his jaw, thinking about his deep love for her. Just to see her lying in that bed helpless almost brought a tear to his eye. He was ready to make her a happy woman, and eventually, his wife.

  A tear slipped down Miamor’s cheek, and Carter believed it was tears of joy. But in actuality, it was a tear of pain. It pained Miamor to think about how she would have to tell him that she was connected to the man that killed most of his family, that she gave the drink to Taryn that killed her, and that she was a killer—a cold killer.

  The nurse had just arrived, and Carter looked back, greeted her with a smile and stood up. “Get some rest. I will be back to check on you in a while,” he said as he pecked her on the forehead and exited the room gracefully.

  “Man, what the fuck is wrong with you?” Zyir asked half jokingly as he watched Mecca take a shot of Patrón.

  Mecca was noticeably angry and
irritated. “Nothing. I’m good, Zy,” he said, thinking about how he couldn’t get to Miamor. I’ma kill that bitch tonight. I don’t give a fuck. She’s got to die, he thought as he tried to conceal his feelings from Zyir, who was staring at him like he was crazy.

  “You sweating and shit. I’m just saying, you look like you got something on your mind,” Zyir said as he sat on the couch.

  Before Mecca could respond, Carter entered the room. “Yo fam, I need to talk to y’all for a minute,” Carter said as he sat on the Italian leather couch next to Zyir. Mecca sat across from them and wanted to hear what Carter had to say.

  “Our time has passed with this organization. We have to clean our money and get out of the game. I have been talking to a couple of business associates, and I’m putting something together for us in Phoenix. We can wash our money and get into the casino business.”

  “A casino?” Zyir asked as he sat up, not expecting to hear what was coming out of Carter’s mouth.

  “That’s right, Zy. We have to get out of the dope game and go legit. Some business partners of mine are willing to sell us a small share of a new casino that’s being built there. It’s the only way that we are going to ever prosper. The Feds are on me, and the connect ain’t fucking with me because of the indictment. We are in a lose-lose situation. It’s only a matter of time before The Cartel goes under, feel me?”

  “What you talking about? Diamonds move dope! We run these streets, and I’m going to run these mu’fuckas until I die. Just like Poppa did,” Mecca said, sounding more ignorant with every word.

  “That’s the mentality that’s going to land us all in jail. Think about it, Mecca,” Carter said as he emphasized his words with subtle hand gestures. “If snitch-ass Ace would not have had a baby mama, I would be serving a life sentence right now. We just barely got out of that situation, Mecca. We are under a microscope, and next time, I might not be so lucky!” Carter said, breaking down the truth to his younger brother.