The Cartel Deluxe Edition

by Ashley

  “Well, you didn’t come all the way out here for nothing, so what do you want to know?” Robyn asked.

  “Was I just another target to Miamor?” Carter asked.

  “Miamor wasn’t a dumb girl. She stayed in Miami to be with you, not get at you. She loved you even though we told her she was crossing the line,” Robyn admitted.

  “Our target was The Cartel. Mia did not know chu were a part of it until she saw you at your brother’s funeral. We came to shoot up the entire front row, but she called it off when she saw chu. We tried to get she to stop seeing you, Carter, but she wouldn’t,” Aries revealed.

  His relief could be felt around the table as he sighed deeply. He had flown three thousand miles just to hear those words.

  “She’s dead because of you. If she had come here with us, she would still be alive. Her death is on you. I hope you know that,” Robyn stated sadly.

  “I think about it every day,” he admitted.

  “Thinking about it don’t bring she back, Carter. What are chu going to do about it?” Aries asked. “We know who did this to she. Chu didn’t know before, but now you can’t play dumb. Chu know everything. Something has to be done.”

  Carter sat back in his chair. “He’s my brother,” Carter whispered in turmoil.

  “Well, he isn’t ours,” Robyn stated harshly.

  “No matter what happens from this point, she isn’t coming back,” Carter stated, heartbroken. “I loved Miamor. I had plans to have her in my life for a long time. I just want the two of you to know that. Nothing about what I felt for her was fake.” Carter stood and Robyn handed him his gun back. “Thank you for telling me what I needed to know,” he said.

  “Chu are welcome,” Aries stated.

  Robyn walked him to the door and came back to find Aries reaching for Carter’s plate of food.

  Out of nowhere, she slapped the fork out of her hand, sending it flying clear across the room.

  “Ow, bitch! What the fuck did chu do that for?” Aries asked, looking at Robyn as if she had lost her mind.

  “Okay, go ahead and eat it. You know how I get down. I don’t give a fuck if the nigga came over here to pour out his love for Miamor. You know what I put in that. The nigga was just too smart for his own damn good. He didn’t even touch his plate,” Robyn replied with a smirk.

  Aries burst out laughing as she pushed the plate away. “Thanks for the heads up.”

  Robyn cracked up too and playfully answered, “With your friendly ass. I don’t know what it is about that pretty-ass nigga. All my girls turn to mush around his ass. First Mia, now you! I swear I’m the only fucking professional out of the bunch.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  “When the Mexicans come, they’ll come with the army of an entire country behind them.”

  —Carter

  Breeze was finally adjusting to being back home, and although weaning her body off of heroin was an everyday struggle, with the help of Zyir, she finally felt a sense of belonging again.

  He was great for her in so many ways. Despite the time that had passed between them, they were able to pick up right where they left off. They were so close that it seemed as if they lived in a world by themselves. They rocked with one another and no one else. He was her best friend, and she loved him for not judging her.

  She was still very rough around the edges. The glamour and prestige of the young, spoiled Breeze Diamond no longer existed. Now she was simple, timid, and trying to find her new identity as a young woman who had lived a rough life. She had seen too many bad things to go back to the naïve princess she had once been. Life had grown her up, and now Zyir was helping to stabilize her.

  Most of her family was dead. The only people that she had left were her two brothers and Zyir. Those relationships meant everything to her. They were the only normalcy she knew, and everyone else was considered an outsider.

  As she lay in bed, Zyir knocked on the door and peeked his head inside.

  “You awake, ma?” he asked.

  Breeze sat up against the headboard and smiled as she fixed her frazzled ponytail. She patted the bed beside her, motioning for him to sit next to her.

  “Yeah, I’m up,” she replied as he crawled into her bed. He kissed her cheek.

  “You good?” he asked. “You need anything?”

  Breeze shook her head and replied, “Just you, Zyir. You’re so good to me. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

  “You don’t have to think about that, Breeze. You will never have to be without me. I’ma always be here for you,” he whispered.

  Breeze shook her head and replied, “How long do you think your little girlfriend is going to let me stick around? She don’t want me here, Zyir. You say you will be here now, but when she makes you choose . . .”

  “I’ma choose you,” he replied. “You know me, ma. I’m not into knockoffs. I need the real thing, and now that you’re back, it’s a wrap for everyone else.”

  Breeze blushed as she lowered her chin to her chest. “Compared to Illiana I’m the knockoff. She’s beautiful, Zyir. I can’t compete with that . . . not anymore.”

  Zyir could hear the insecurity in her voice, and it bruised him deeply because no other woman could hold a candle to Breeze. She was in a league all her own. She used to know this, but her self-esteem had been beaten into the ground, and now she felt threatened.

  He had already stopped sleeping with Illiana. Out of respect for Breeze, he slept on the couch, but he could see that the better Breeze’s health became, the more she felt second rate to Illiana. Balancing the personalities of the two women was hard for Zyir, and although he wanted to cut Illiana off completely, he knew that he would have to do it slowly. The last thing he wanted to do was create a riff between the Garza Cartel and Carter’s operation, because he had made the mistake of becoming sexual with Illiana.

  “You don’t have to compete, Breeze. She doesn’t mean anything to me. I’m only worried about you right now,” he said. “Okay?”

  She nodded her head. “Okay.”

  “I know what you need, ma. You need to get out of the house. Is shopping still your favorite pastime?” he asked playfully.

  “I haven’t been in so long I might not remember how to do it,” she replied with a laugh.

  Zyir reached into his pocket and began to pull out a knot of cash, but he stopped himself. He didn’t want to put any money in Breeze’s hand. Although she had shaken off her addiction, her sobriety was important to Zyir, and he did not think she was ready to have cash in her hands.

  It might be too much temptation for her, he thought.

  “I’m going to arrange for a driver to take you and Illiana shopping today. I’ll leave some money with her, and you can go relax. Enjoy a day out on me. The sky is the limit, so get whatever you want,” he said.

  Breeze nodded and closed her eyes as Zyir kissed her forehead before walking out of the room.

  * * *

  The limousine was silent as Illiana and Breeze were escorted to Bal Harbour’s elite shopping boutiques. It was obvious that the girls did not care for one another. Their only connection was Zyir, and each felt like her position in his life was threatened as long as the other was around.

  Illiana sipped on champagne as she looked Breeze up and down from behind the tint of her Chanel shades. As the limo pulled curbside, Illiana stepped out of the car and did not wait for Breeze before she strutted into the boutique. Expecting to be catered to, she was taken aback when the salespeople bypassed her to service Breeze. The Diamond family’s legacy was known throughout the city, and as much as Breeze used to frequent the shops, her face had not been forgotten. The salespeople waited on her hand and foot, while Illiana shopped alone, heated.

  Breeze was overwhelmed by all of the attention, but it felt good to knock Illiana off of her high horse. For the first time since her return, she was receiving the type of respect that her last name demanded, and it felt good. She could feel Illiana’s envy all the way across the roo
m. Soon Breeze was back in her element, and she found herself buying up everything in sight as she went from designer shop to designer shop. Before she knew it, the day had passed by and they were back in the limousine headed home.

  Illiana was steaming, and she was determined to knock Breeze off of her high horse. She rolled down the window that separated them from the driver and said, “I need to make a detour to Sixty-third Street.” She was about to take Breeze to the infamous Pork ’n Beans Projects in Liberty City. Tired of playing nice, Illiana had something sinister in store for Breeze that would be sure to banish her from Zyir’s life forever.

  The luxury Chrysler limousine seemed out of place in the dilapidated housing community, and the weary corner boys looked on curiously as it rolled to a stop.

  “What are we doing here?” Breeze asked Illiana as she peered out of the tinted windows.

  “I just need to cop a little something to take the edge off,” Illiana replied devilishly as she saw a familiar spark go off inside of Breeze. “You need anything, or you good?”

  Breeze shook her head as she felt the familiar tingle of anticipation fill her loins. All of a sudden, her craving came back full force. “No, I . . . I’m good,” she replied.

  Illiana shrugged her shoulders and got out of the car, taking only a hundred dollar bill with her. She quickly copped Breeze’s drug of choice and hurried back to the limo.

  “I got you a little something just in case,” Illiana said as soon as she stepped back inside. She opened her hand to reveal the tiny packs of dope that she had inside. Breeze’s eyes widened eagerly as she reached out her hand to grab them, but she resisted and snatched her hand back as if it were on fire.

  “I can’t. I promised him,” Breeze said as she tried to convince herself to do the right thing.

  “Who said anybody besides you and me has to know?” Illiana replied. Breeze didn’t respond, but Illiana already knew that Breeze was going to indulge.

  Once a junkie, always a junkie, Illiana thought. She placed the packs on the seat beside Breeze and watched in amusement as Breeze slowly but surely picked them up and tucked them inside her jean pocket.

  She could not wait to get back to Zyir’s place and get high. She was so anxious that she began to fidget in her seat.

  Illiana had just sent Breeze spiraling back down into the abyss, hindering her recovery. There was no remorse to be felt by her, however. Life was a game of chess, not checkers, and Illiana didn’t care how many queens she had to destroy in order to win.

  * * *

  Zyir walked into his place, exhausted from a long day of hustling. His home was unusually quiet, and an eerie feeling passed over him as he entered. It was two a.m., and he knew that Breeze and Illiana were probably asleep. He knocked on the guest bedroom door. He didn’t want to disturb her, but he had to see her face before he went to bed. Ever since Breeze had been back, seeing her face had been like a blessing to him. Her smile made him smile, and he wanted to see how her day had gone before he retired for the night.

  When she didn’t respond, he opened the door and eased inside. Her bed was perfectly made, and he frowned when he saw her sitting on the floor in the dark with her back leaned lazily against the bed.

  “B, you a’ight in here?” he asked as he stepped inside.

  He turned on the light, and what he saw enraged him. Breeze was on the floor, in a deep nod, as drool ran out of the side of her lip. The belt she had used to produce a vein was still tied around her arm, and the empty packs of heroin littered the bedroom floor.

  Zyir bit into his bottom lip to stop himself from screaming out loud as he rushed over to her side. “I told them niggas. I told ’em,” he mumbled as he saw red. The burner on his hip was calling his name. There was no doubt that he was going to murder a nigga tonight.

  “Breeze, wake up, ma. Wake up,” he said as he picked up her frail body from the floor. “Breeze!” he shouted as he slapped her face gently to stir her from the nod.

  He carried her wildly into the adjoining bathroom as he placed her in the bathtub and turned on the shower. The shock of the cold water woke her up.

  “You promised me, ma,” he said in defeat as he got on his knees to stare her in the eyes. He gripped the sides of her head tightly. He was so angry with her, so disappointed in her. “You were doing so good. Fuck was you thinking, Breeze?” he shouted.

  “I’m sorry,” she replied, her eyelids still low. “I can’t stop.”

  “Who gave you this shit?” Zyir screamed like a maniac. He was so livid that he thought about striking her, but he could not bring himself to do it.

  She can’t help it. It’s not her fault, he kept telling himself.

  “Who served you?” he asked.

  A slight smile spread across her lips as Breeze whispered, “Your fucking girlfriend did, okay! I was trying, but I’m not strong enough to kick this, Zyir. Illiana gave it to me. I could have said no, but I took it. I wanted it.”

  Before Breeze could finish her sentence, Zyir was up and out of the room with a flash. He was so out of his mind that he didn’t stop to think before he burst into his bedroom. A sleeping Illiana was caught by surprise when Zyir pulled her out of his bed by her legs.

  “Bitch, you gave that shit to her?” he asked. Not waiting for an answer, he smacked fire from Illiana.

  “No! Zyir, she’s lying!” Illiana screamed as Zyir’s open hand closed and came barreling across her face. She saw stars as he attacked her relentlessly. “No! Please stop!” she hollered, but the soundproof walls intercepted all of her pleas. She had no choice but to take this ass-whooping.

  Zyir went bananas on Illiana. Beating a woman was so out of his character, but he had snapped. All he could see was an addicted Breeze as he punished Illiana.

  She curled up in a fetal position and tried to cover her face as Zyir loomed over her, raining punches down over her.

  “You dirty bitch,” Zyir raged. He straddled her and wrapped his hands around her neck as he squeezed the life out of her. Zyir didn’t come back to reality until he felt someone’s hands pulling him off of her. He heard Breeze sobbing by the doorway.

  “Zyir!” Carter yelled as he hemmed him up. “Chill out!”

  Sweating profusely and breathing erratically, Zyir was an emotional mess.

  “Is she dead?” he asked as his rage subsided. He noticed that Illiana wasn’t moving. “Fuck!” he yelled.

  Carter kneeled over her still body to check her pulse and answered, “She’s alive, but I’ve got to get her to a doctor. This is bad, Zyir. You know who she’s connected to. Fuck was you thinking?” Carter knew that if Breeze had not called him, then Zyir probably would have killed Illiana.

  “I wasn’t. She gave Breeze dope and I lost it!” he whispered as he looked back at a fearful Breeze. He quickly turned his head. He couldn’t even look at her right now.

  “You know what this means, right?” Carter asked.

  Zyir nodded. “I’m sorry, bro. I spazzed.” Wearing his heart on his sleeve was so uncharacteristic for Zyir, but Breeze was his weak spot. Ever since she came home, he had been a loose cannon, acting without thinking about the repercussions.

  “As long as you’re prepared to deal with the consequences. This is the beginning of another war, and this time, we can’t afford to lose.”

  “What about her? What are we going to do about her?” Zyir asked.

  “I’m going to get her admitted into the hospital. When she wakes up, she’ll call for her family without a doubt. We just have to be prepared, because when the Mexicans come, they’ll come with the army of an entire country behind them.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Don’t know, but I’m ready for whatever.”

  —Zyir

  Murder forcefully flipped down his phone after he got a disconnection message when he tried to call Mecca. He knew something was up because Mecca had gotten his number changed and hadn’t called him back. Murder kept regretting the fact that he had Carter, Zyir, and Mecca in
a room all together and didn’t pop off.

  “Damn it!” Murder yelled as he began to pace the room. He was determined to kill The Cartel. He was done playing around and trying to sneak his way in. He was about to blow heads off and play it how it went.

  Murder loaded up some explosives that he had purchased from one of Aries and Robyn’s weapons connect. He gently placed them in a duffel bag and prepared to take them to the warehouse that Mecca had taken him to. He knew eventually that they would meet there again, and when that time came, he was going to light that warehouse up like the Fourth of July. Murder loaded up and headed out, seeking blood.

  * * *

  Carter and Zyir made it to the hotel where Breeze and Mecca were staying. They were about to have a small meeting and decide on what to do about the new problem with the Garza Cartel.

  Carter had switched cars, and his paranoia was at an all-time high. He knew that his team was no match for Felipe and his organization. Felipe had a whole country behind him, so no matter how many goons Carter killed, Felipe would just keep sending crews until The Cartel was completely dead.

  Carter tried to call Mecca, but his phone kept going straight to voice mail. Carter noticed when he was pulling up to the hotel’s entrance that the door was blocked off and an UNDER CONSTRUCTION sign was put up.

  “We probably have to go through the back,” Zyir said as he took a look at the blocked off door.

  * * *

  It was something like no other. Twenty-two bodies lay sprawled out on the block at ten o’clock in the morning. The same block where Zyir had blown off the hustler’s head now looked like a battleground after combat. All of the hustlers and some of the drug users were dead at the hands of automatic assault rifles. More than five hundred shell casings were scattered over the block, and the Garza Cartel was the cause of this melee.

  Felipe had declared war and sent his hoodlums to kill anything moving. Anyone who had anything to do with The Cartel was a target. It was something that Miami had never seen before, and it was only the beginning.