by King, Deja
“Hey. I’m sorry I missed you yesterday. But I was so tired. When I got home as soon as I hit the bed I fell asleep.”
“Don’t apologize. You’ve been through a lot. How are you?”
“I’m feeling better. Just had a conversation with my dad and I’m a lot more optimistic.”
“Glad to hear that. I have some news that should make you feel even more optimistic.”
“What is it?” I didn’t even try to conceal the excitement in my voice because I needed="Tuse I n all the good news I could get.
“Justina’s condition is improving.”
“Is she out the coma?”
“When I came in this morning the doctor said she’s been opening her eyes and trying to talk.”
“This is just the sort of news I needed to hear!”
“Yeah, everybody including the doctor believes the worse is over.”
“This is great! Did you ask her about what happened?”
“She wasn’t awake that long. They really didn’t have a chance to talk to her because soon after she fell asleep.”
“When will she wake back up?”
“Aaliyah, I don’t know. See that’s why I really didn’t want to tell you because I knew you would have all these questions that I don’t know the answer to. But the important thing is Justina is out of her coma and soon she’ll be able to clear your name.”
“Thank you, Amir. At first I wasn’t sure if you believed me but I can hear it in your voice that you do.”
“I’ve always believed you. I know you’re not capable of what they’re charging you with. I’m going to stay here with Justina in case she wakes up again. But tomorrow morning before I head back to the hospital I’m going to come over and take you out for breakfast.”
“I don’t think I’m ready to go out yet.”
“You need to leave the house.”
“We’ll see. I would love your company though. If I’m not up for going out we can have breakfast out by the pool.”
“That works. I’ll call you later if there are any updates with Justina but regardless I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“Looking forward to it. Bye.” When I hung up with Amir I screamed out, “Yes!” In a short span of time, things were already turning around in my favor.
When I went in the bathroom and looked at mysr="ooked aelf in the mirror, I finally found life again. My sparkling green eyes that I inherited from my grandmother had seemed vacant once my pampered life was turned upside down. I wasn’t sure if that vivacity would ever appear again but after my phone call with Amir, now I was positive it would.
After a long hot shower I went downstairs and was pleasantly surprised to see my mother downstairs in the living room talking with my dad. I had no idea she was coming back over so soon but I was happy because I could now share the good news with them at the same time. I stood back and watched them interact for a second. I had never paid attention to it before but I could see there was so much love between them. It didn’t matter though because my mother was married to my dad and seemed to still be in love with Lorenzo.
“Aaliyah, why are you just standing there? Come give me a hug,” my mother said when she noticed me.
“I didn’t want to interrupt you and daddy.”
“I missed you,” my mother said giving me a hug. “I know I saw you yesterday but we didn’t spend that much time together because you went right to sleep.”
“Nico, told me your attorney is on his way over to discuss your case some more. But I was hoping when he’s done you can come home with me for a few days. Instead of staying at the apartment in the city we can stay at the house in Saddle River.”
“I can do that.”
“Really!”
“Yes,” I smiled.
“I’m so glad to hear you say that. I was telling Nico you were going to fight me on it. It’s a relief that you’re not.”
“But can it be tomorrow instead.”
“Sure, but why the wait?”
“Amir is coming over in the morning, and we’re going to have breakfast. He can drop me off when we’re done.”
“I think that’s great especially since you didn’t get a chance to see him yesterday. I know you’re down so hopefully he can cheer you up.”
“He already has.”
“How is that?” my dad stepped forward with a hint of inquisitiveness written /p>ess wrion his face.
“Justina is out of her coma. Can you believe it!”
“Are you sure? I spoke to Chantal yesterday and she didn’t mention it.”
“It happened this morning. But she’s trying to talk so the worse is over.”
“This is great news! No wonder you seem like a changed girl. I was so worried about my baby,” my mother admitted tearing up as she hugged me again.
“I told you it would all work out.” My dad stated as all three of us embraced each other.
“So dad, do you think we can cancel with Pete Anderson today? I want to go for a swim and forget about the case for at least the rest of the day.”
“Under the circumstances I think that’s a good idea. I’ll also inform him about the change in Justina’s condition.”
“Great. Now all I want is for Justina to make a full recovery. Whoever did this to her and Sway need to pay.”
“They will.”
“I hope so, daddy, because they didn’t deserve that especially Justina. Plus I want this spotlight taken off of me. I don’t want fame, especially not this type.”
“It’ll be over soon. Now go enjoy your swim. I’ll see you at the house tomorrow.”
“Okay, mom, love you.”
“Love you more.” We blew each other kisses and I left my mom and dad to say their goodbyes. I couldn’t wait to dive into the pool so I could baptize myself and come out with a new beginning.
***
Unlike yesterday, when I woke up I was beaming. I couldn’t contain the smile on my face and I didn’t want to. It seemed like forever since I had anything to smile about. I opened up the drapes on the huge floor length windows and let the sun shine in. After taking a shower I decided to put on an outfit that reflected the awesome born again feeling I had. I opted for a white colored Grecian wrap dress. It had an asymmetric ruffle skirt that fell right above my knees. I accentuated my tiny waist and highlighted my shapely lower body by tightening the self-tie wrap belt. I added my diamond studs and some soft pink shimmery gloss on my lI dloss onips to finish off my look. I stood in front of the full length mirror to get a full view and I was a vision. As if I was an angel walking right here on earth, which was the exact look I was going for. Since I decided that Amir and I would go out to eat for breakfast, if anybody recognized me, I wanted them to remember me as being the girl who looked like she couldn’t hurt a fly. I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs.
As I was walking down the curved staircase my dad was opening the door to let Amir and Genesis in. Amir saw me first and the biggest smile came across his face. I wasn’t sure if he would ever look at me that way again but there he was doing just that. “Aaliyah, you look beautiful,” Amir grinned as if he couldn’t stop himself from saying that even if he wanted to.
“Thank you. I feel amazing this morning.”
“I can tell,” my dad remarked. “It’s wonderful to see my daughter getting back to herself again.”
“With that dress on, I guess you decided we won’t be eating by the pool.”
“I guess,” Amir and I both burst out laughing.
“You two enjoy yourselves.”
“We will. Bye dad, bye Uncle Genesis,” I said giving them both a hug. Amir reached out his hand and I took it as we left.
When Amir opened the front door, it was like we went from one stage of a movie set and was about to step into an entirely different one. The serene morning air was no longer filled with birds chirping and a cool breeze refreshing my face instead there were flashing lights and loud sirens. It seemed like the entire police station had showed up at our front door. Amir
held my hand tightly and both my dad and Genesis stood in front of me as if a shield of human protection.
“What do you want?” my dad questioned calmly but his facial expression spoke a different language. It resembled a father who was ready to go to war and had his partner in crime Genesis by his side for the battle.
“This is a warrant to bring Aaliyah Mills Carter back into custody. Her bail has been revoked.”
“What!” my voice cracked as the tears began to swell up in my eyes.
“Everything will be fine,” Amir whispered in my ear, not letting my hand go.
“Yes, the victim is out of her coma and she has identified Aaliyah Mills as the shooter. Aaliyah Me="r. Aaliills please turn around,” the police officer ordered pulling out his handcuffs.
“You’re lying! Justina would never say that. I didn’t shoot her or Sway. This has to be some misunderstanding.”
“Please turn around,” the officer repeated again completely ignoring my pleas. “Daddy, do something!” I begged as the officer practically ripped my hand away from Amir’s to handcuff me.
“I’m calling your attorney right now! Sweetheart, stay strong. I’ll fix this.” I just shook my head in disbelief. I couldn’t believe this was happening to me again. As the officers hauled me off my eyes connected with Amir’s. He was completely silent.
“Amir, I didn’t do this, please believe me. Pleaaaase.” The tears were now pouring down my face. “I love you,” I cried out before the officer put me in the back of the squad car and drove off. But my gaze never broke from Amir’s until he was completely out of sight.
As I rode in the police car on my way back to being locked up again, this burning sensation that started in the pit of my stomach and shot up to my brain overcame me. The tears instantly stopped flowing from my eyes and I lifted my head up so I was looking straight ahead. I was done with feeling sorry for myself. If it was true that Justina lied to detectives and said I shot her then I vowed to myself to do whatever it took to clear my name even if it meant bringing down my best friend. I wouldn’t spend the rest of my life in jail for a crime I didn’t commit that I promised myself.
Coming Soon
Boss Bitch
mesn >K. El
Rich
or
Famous
Rich Because You Can Buy Fame
a novel
Deja King
Lorenzo
Welcome To My World
Before I die, if you don’t remember anything else I ever taught you, know this. A man will be judged, not on what he has but how much of it. So you find a way to make money and when you theigink you’ve made enough, make some more, because you’ll need it to survive in this cruel world. Money will be the only thing to save you. As I sat across from Darnell those words my father said to me on his deathbed played in my head.
“Yo, Lorenzo, are you listening to me, did you hear anything I said?”
“I heard everything you said. The problem for you is I don’t give a fuck.” I responded, giving a casual shoulder shrug as I rested my thumb under my chin with my index finger above my mouth.
“What you mean, you don’t give a fuck? We been doing business for over three years now and that’s the best you got for me?”
“Here’s the thing, Darnell, I got informants all over these streets. As a matter of fact that broad you’ve had in your back pocket for the last few weeks is one of them.”
“I don’t understand what you saying,” Darnell said swallowing hard. He tried to keep the tone of his voice calm, but his body composure was speaking something different.
“Alexus, has earned every dollar I’ve paid her to fuck wit’ yo’ blood suckin’ ass. You a fake fuck wit’ no fangs. You wanna play wit’ my 100 g’s like you at the casino. That’s a real dummy move, Darnell.” I could see the sweat beads gathering, resting in the creases of Darnell’s forehead.
“Lorenzo, man, I don’t know what that bitch told you but none of it is true! I swear ‘bout four niggas ran up in my crib last night and took all my shit. Now that I think about it, that trifling ho Alexus probably had me set up! She fucked us both over!”
I shook my head for a few seconds not believing this muthafucker was saying that shit with a straight face. “I thought you said it was two niggas that ran up in your crib now that shit done doubled. Next thing you gon’ spit is that all of Marcy projects was in on the stickup.”
“Man, I can get your money. I can have it to you first thing tomorrow. I swear!”
“The thing is I need my money right now.” I casually stood up from my seat and walked towards Darnell who now looked like he had been dipped in water. Watching him fall apart in front of my eyes made up for the fact that I would never get back a dime of the money he owed me.
“Zo, you so paid, this shit ain’t gon’ even faze you. All I’m asking for is less than twenty-four hours. You can at least give me that,” Darnell pleaded.
“See, that’s your first mistake, countind iake, cog my pockets. My money is my money, so yes this shit do faze me.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. I wasn’t tryna disrespect you. By this time tomorrow you will have your money and we can put this shit behind us.” Darnell’s eyes darted around in every direction instead of looking directly at me. A good liar, he was not.
“Since you were robbed of the money you owe me and the rest of my drugs, how you gon’ get me my dough? I mean the way you tell it, they didn’t leave you wit’ nothin’ but yo’ dirty draws.”
“I’ll work it out. Don’t even stress yourself, I got you, man.”
“What you saying is that the nigga you so called aligned yourself with, by using my money and my product, is going to hand it back over to you?”
“Zo, what you talking ‘bout? I ain’t aligned myself wit’ nobody. That slaw ass bitch Alexus feeding you lies.”
“No, that’s you feeding me lies. Why don’t you admit you no longer wanted to work for me? You felt you was big shit and could be your own boss. So you used my money and product to buy your way in with this other nigga to step in my territory. But you ain’t no boss you a poser. And your need to perpetrate a fraud is going to cost you your life.”
“Lorenzo, don’t do this man! This is all a big misunderstanding. I swear on my daughter I will have your money tomorrow. Fuck, if you let me leave right now I’ll have that shit to you tonight!” I listened to Darnell stutter his words.
My men, who had been patiently waiting in each corner of the warehouse, dressed in all black, loaded with nothing but artillery, stepped out of the darkness ready to obliterate the enemy I had once considered my best worker. Darnell’s eyes widened as he witnessed the men who had saved and protected him on numerous occasions, as he dealt with the vultures he encountered in the street life, now ready to end his.
“Don’t do this, Zo! Pleeease,” Darnell was now on his knees begging.
“Damn, nigga, you already a thief and a backstabber. Don’t add, going out crying like a bitch to that too. Man the fuck up. At least take this bullet like a soldier.”
“I’m sorry, Zo. Please don’t do this. I gotta daughter that need me. Pleeease man, I’ll do anything. Just don’t kill me.” The tears were pouring down Darnell’s face and instead of softening me up it just made me even more pissed at his punk ass.
“Save your fuckin’ tears. You shoulda At You sh thought about your daughter before you stole from me. You’re the worse sort of thief. I invite you into my home, I make you a part of my family and you steal from me, you plot against me. Your daughter doesn’t need you. You have nothing to teach her.”
My men each pulled out their gat ready to attack and I put my hand up motioning them to stop. For the first time since Darnell arrived, a calm gaze spread across his face.
“I knew you didn’t have the heart to let them kill me, Zo. We’ve been through so much together. I mean you Tania’s God Father. We bigger than this and we will get through it,” Darnell said, halfway smiling as he began ge
tting off his knees and standing up.
“You’re right, I don’t have the heart to let them kill you, I’ma do that shit myself.” Darnell didn’t even have a chance to let what I said resonate with him because I just sprayed that muthafucker like the piece of shit he was. “Clean this shit up,” I said, stepping over Darnell’s bullet ridden body as I made my exit.my exit.
Mafia
Princess
a novel
Michelle Monay
Chapter 1
The set up
In the ghetto there are two kinds of street chicks: slut chicks and gutta chicks. If labeled the latter that meant you were on your A-game in the ‘hood, fitting Semaj’s guise naturally. As she lay snuggled in Gabe’s strong arms on the king-sized bed, Semaj smiled inwardly. Gabe was knocked out from the pussy she’d put on him. She glanced at the digital clock atop the nightstand. For the last hour she’d slyly observed the red illuminating numbers change on the dial in anticipation of what was to come.
Just as midnight turned into the one ‘o clock hour the sounds of CLICK-CLACK startled the light sleeper and for dramatic effect, Semaj screamed fearfully. Instinctively, Gabe went underneath his pillow, and frantically began to search for his weapon. It was an empty space, which he found rather odd. He always slept with his ratchet within reach, but he had realized that he’d left it inside the dresser drawer due to Semaj’s persistent request.
“You already know what time it is, fam! Where?” the intruder said calmly as he pointed the barrel of the AK-47 in between the two.
“Where what, man?” Gabe’s eyes bugged wide in shock.
“Don’t play with me, son. Fuck is the cash at, my man?”
“I don’t keep nothing here, B. Shit’s at another spot.”
“Now this nigga playing games. It’s at another spot, huh?” Mitchell Richardson or Murder Mitch as he was affectionately known in the streets said disbelievingly. “So you gon’ keep playin’ wit me, nigga?”
“On some real shit, I don’t keep shit here, fam.” Gabe shrugged his shoulders. “There’s nothing in the house, fam.”
Mitch’s patience was running thin and he was not there to play games. Abruptly the sound of a gun’s blast erupted. Mitch had sent a bullet an inch above his head, causing the wood to splinter down the middle. “Don’t think you wanna keep playin’ around with me, playboy. Take me to the stash.” he pressed the hot barrel to Gabe’s chest.