Hustling on the Down Low

by MT Pope

  “Corey!” I heard my father calling me from downstairs. I got up and walked down the stairs with an even face. Not happy or sad . . . just alive.

  “Yes, sir?”

  “We have to prepare for the worst. I’m going to be doing my own investigation. Fuck the police. I’m going to make a few calls and shut theirs down. Now, I need you to be in position. Trust no one.”

  “I already don’t,” I reassured him.

  Chapter 59

  Clayton

  Agreement

  Once again, we were sitting in the living room with the fireplace blazing. I was putting on the best performance of my life. My husband was sipping on a nice glass of Merlot while I just lingered in space.

  I don’t know what the hell I was waiting for. This love thing was complicated.

  “So, are we ready to get this over with?” My husband, Anthony, looked at me with a somber and glazed look.

  “What are you talking about?” I was confused.

  “You’re looking for my financier, aren’t you?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I needed more information before I was going to let on to my knowledge of anything.

  “You’re looking for the Ghost, right?”

  “It’s possible.” I continued with my stance.

  “Well, let’s cut this Sherlock Holmes shit out and get down to it. This whole marriage is a setup, and you have a choice to make.”

  “A setup?” I asked with legitimate shock on my face.

  “Yes. A fucking setup,” he said, and then laughed. “You were duped.”

  “What?” I was a smart person, but this was crazy.

  “I mean you are cute, and the dick was good, but you were supposed to be dead a long time ago. I convinced him to let you live for me. I like you, and you are easy. You some good arm candy. My friends love you. The Ghost, not so much.”

  “Dead?” I muttered to myself, but it was loud enough for him to hear it.

  “Yes, adios, muchacho,” he laughed.

  “Bullshit. Ain’t no way this is true,” I said, still shrouded in disbelief.

  “Dude, face it, you’re not as smart as you think. You got got.” He leaned back in his chair; then a smug smile covered his face.

  “Ain’t this a bitch.” I shook my head, and then lowered it in shame.

  “So the choice is yours. Join forces with me and help take over the city, or I can press one button on my cell phone and have some boys over here in seconds to scatter your body parts all over the city.”

  “Those are my choices?”

  “Yes, that’s it.” He looked me straight in my eyes.

  I looked back at him. He was such a fine brother and having all this luxury isn’t too bad, either.

  “This really isn’t a real hard choice. You get to keep all of this and Ghost is willing to hand over the other guy you are looking for too. For free.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really. He about to claim the whole city, and I’m here for the ride and the cash that goes with it. Aren’t you tired of working for pennies? Aren’t you tired of working—period?”

  I sat there dumbfounded and confused. I had ethics. I was the guy that vowed to stop this and help the kids on the streets get out of the grip of this madness. Here I am contemplating joining forces with the other side.

  “Fuck it. I am tired of struggling and scraping just to get by. I want to retire while I’m still young.”

  “Good. I was hoping that I didn’t have to kill you and waste all that good meat between your legs. We’ll continue to be a couple and be at our respective jobs until we get further instructions.”

  I nodded my head in agreement, but my mind was telling me to abort and run. I may have to play the double agent role and hope I make it out of this thing alive.

  “Just so you know, if I even feel like you’re lying, you will end up like my other walking Ken dolls around this city with only a flap and memories of a dick. I like my meat warm, so think twice about crossing me.”

  Chapter 60

  Avery

  Got ’Em

  I just got off the phone with Anthony, and he got the detective to come under my umbrella of crime and leadership. It was nice to add him to my roster. I didn’t trust him, though, as with most people, and for a minute, I didn’t trust Anthony with getting Clayton to be in a relationship with him. Turns out that Anthony was good at getting Clayton to go along with the setup, which furthered my plans.

  I was now on my way to the hospital to see poor Monica, who was unresponsive in a hospital bed. I had to go and play sympathetic when I was the reason she was there. If I wasn’t a kingpin, acting probably would have been another vocation I would have excelled in. There still may be a chance. You never know.

  I walked into the hospital with a sovereign attitude on the inside but a solemn look on the outside. I was feeling myself, and I was loving it as usual.

  I smiled at a few people as I made my way over to the nurses’ station to get Monica’s room number.

  “Good afternoon, beautiful. I’m here to visit a patient and need your expertise.” My voice was low, yet still hypnotizing to the ear. The white nurse gushed with a smile on her face and then spoke after a second or two. I guess she had to get herself together. I understood. I probably would do that same thing in my presence.

  “Patient’s name?” she asked as she focused on my face. It was almost like I was a snake charmer, and she was the snake.

  “Monica Grant.”

  “She’s in room 302. Would you like me to escort you to the room?”

  “No, that won’t be necessary. But thank you for offer,” I replied. I flashed my smile for her benefit before I turned on my heel and walked away.

  It didn’t take long for me to get to the room and open the door. The enemy was sitting in the seat next to her bed. He had his hand in hers.

  Monica’s body lay in the bed covered to the waist with a hospital sheet, but her upper torso was dressed very nicely. I assumed that Leroy had commissioned her to be that way.

  “How are you holding up?” I greeted the faggot-hating drug supplier with a smile that said I’m sorry you are here in this situation, continuing my charade.

  “As best as one can, given the situation.” He looked a little worn, like he needed some rest.

  “Any progress?”

  “Nothing new. She’s in the same state that she was in when she first arrived.”

  “Did they give you any indication of what might have caused this?” I already knew, but I wanted to see if he did as well.

  “They’re still running tests,” he said, and then looked back at her. “She’s a fighter, and this is just a test for both of us.”

  “Indeed, it is. I’m sure you all will be all right.”

  “I appreciate the encouragement. I’m worried about my son in all of this. He’s close to his mother, and I don’t know how he’ll respond to this if it turns for the worst.”

  “Corey is a soldier. He’ll be a trooper in all of this, I’m sure of it.”

  “I would agree to that as well.”

  Corey made his way into the room, and our attention was now focused on him and his presence.

  “Good evening, Corey,” I greeted him with my hand out ready for a handshake.

  “Hey, Coach.” He shook my hand, but there was some hesitancy there. He was probably still upset or disgruntled with the deal that I gave him, but I’ll address it later.

  “How are you holding up?” I asked, still pretending that I cared.

  “I’m good.” He let a smirk, which looked like a light smile, cover his face. He was acting as well.

  Not too long after he came in, another person came in the room after him. It was his boyfriend, Dre. I had to admit that he was quite the looker, and he had a New York type swagger to him. He looked me up and down; then he went to stand beside Leroy. He was a threat to me, and I had no qualms with him. He was being loyal to his boss and doing what he was ex
pected to do. I respected that.

  Then a shocker walked through the door after that. The pretty chick that was playing the role of Corey’s girlfriend walked in with a bright smile on her face and bouquet of flowers in her hand.

  “Hello, everyone.” She greeted us with a light and young voice.

  Everyone spoke; then she made her way over beside Corey. She kissed him on the cheek, and then made her way to a chair not far from him.

  I had to admit that Corey had this thing set up. I was impressed. He was fooling the masses with such ease. It made me proud.

  I didn’t stay long after the arrival of the extra people because I had other things to do and personas to be.

  Chapter 61

  Leroy

  Fate

  I couldn’t bear the thought of losing my wife. She was the reason why I lived the life that I did. I played it strong in the head and on the outer, but my heart was breaking on the inside. I didn’t want to lose my rib. Yes, I was tough and downright cruel to others, but I was a human, nonetheless.

  My family is my world, especially my wife. I couldn’t help but think that this is payback for all the wrong that I had done. But, even with all of that, I didn’t think that I deserved this.

  Losing my wife would be like losing my life. What would I live for? They say it takes drastic situations to change you, and I guess this is my turn. My fate. I don’t want to bury my wife. I’m living the life running these streets.

  It’s supposed to be me in the bed not her. I did all the stickups, robberies, and murders to burn me in hell for eternity, and now I must sit here and bear this. It was torture, for sure. It’s worse than anything my enemy could ever give to me.

  Monica’s brothers had been here and vowed to avenge her, and I was grateful. They were all loyal to me because of her and the great men in my army. Corey went to get something to eat. I, on the other hand, had no appetite. For food, that is.

  I was alone in a room with just us two. I wanted to feel the warmth of her body wrapped around my own like when we slept in bed together. I was her protector, and she treated me as such. Now look at her.

  I neglected her to build a kingdom for her, not knowing that she was my kingdom. All the stuff that I bought her and got for her wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted me to spend time with her. She just wanted me. She turned to drinking for comfort, and now look at her.

  Did it have to come to this to get my attention or the attention she needed and craved?

  “Monica,” I grabbed her hand and rubbed it. It was warm and soft as always. I lifted it up and put it to my nose. I could smell her sweet smell. It was the same smell from all those years ago when I met her. She was feisty and fiery when I met her. She was my soul mate, and we meshed from day one. And when she had our son, it solidified that love and admiration I had for her. She is stronger than I ever could be, and I needed her strength right now.

  “Please don’t leave me, girl. I love you, girl!” I moaned. Tears flowed freely from my eyes, and I didn’t care about anything but her at the moment. I would give all the money I had just to hear her call my name, squeeze my hand, or anything that let me know she was still fighting for me—for us.

  “Our son needs both his parents. We need you to come back. We’re sorry we neglected you.”

  I held her hand in my own and let loose all the pain I was feeling on her shoulder.

  Suddenly, I heard the door to the room open. I looked up and saw my son come in with some food in his hand. His little girlfriend was with him along with my boy Dre. They all saw my tearstained face. I didn’t care, though. It was what it was. I was not ashamed of the tears. I was ashamed of my actions before the tears.

  Corey joined me at his mother’s side while the others stood back and watched a family have its time together.

  Chapter 62

  Monica

  Dreaming?

  I can’t feel nothing. But I can hear everything around me. Machines beeping and I know that my husband and son are in the room with me. I will my eyes to open, but nothing is happening. I can’t feel anything. My body isn’t responding to my begging and pleading.

  Corey and Leroy are begging me to wake up, and I want to so badly, but it’s not happening.

  Please, God!

  Please, God!

  Am I dying?

  Am I dead?

  Is this a dream?

  What’s going on?

  All I remember is drinking wine and sitting in the tub drifting and floating.

  Now I’m here. Wherever here is.

  All I wanted to do was ease the pain that I was in. I was lonely. The wine was my friend and companion. It made me not feel. Left me limp.

  Where did I go wrong, God?

  I was lost.

  I was hurt.

  Most of all, I was alone.

  I was selfish too.

  My husband and son were out there trying to provide a life for me, and I couldn’t hold it together long enough to see it to the end. It wasn’t going to be the way it was always.

  Please, God, give me another chance!

  I want my family.

  I want to live.

  I want to live.

  I need to live.

  Not for me but for them. They need me, and I need them.

  Please, God!

  Chapter 63

  Corey

  Drink Up

  Seeing my father in the vulnerable state that he was in earlier was new for me. My mother was his everything, and you could tell by his tearstained face.

  I came home while my father stayed at my mother’s bedside. He told me to come home and make sure that business was being taken care of to his liking. Things happened so fast that it was unbelievable. He said that he would do everything to keep my mother here with us, but he wanted me to continue to lead the empire with the help of Dre.

  I wasn’t excited, but I held my first meeting in my father’s absence, and it went better than I thought it would. They listened to me. I think that my father may have threatened them or something like that. I didn’t think that I had that type of power, at least not yet. But Dre told me otherwise. He said that the power of my presence was there all along. I was an heir, and they treated me as such. My uncles were there as well, and that did help. I was running things in my father’s absence, and I didn’t want to fuck it up.

  In the back of my mind, I still had the coach’s plans too. He wanted me to hand over information as I got it. I didn’t want to, but I did.

  I dialed his number from my phone.

  “Hello,” he answered. His deep voice was a bit intimidating, but I moved past it because it was normal to me now.

  “Hey, Coach.” My voice was without enthusiasm or zeal.

  “So I take it you have some information for me.” Coach got right to the point. It’s not like that wasn’t normal for him.

  “Yes, I do.” I kept it short too. I wasn’t in the mood for talking anyway. This was now a business relationship and no other. My respect for him was gone, and so was the trust.

  I filled him in on the things I knew so far and felt a great bit of shame for turning over information to keep my secret safe. I felt like a bitch, and I didn’t like that feeling at all.

  “You’ve done good, Grasshopper. Talk to you soon,” he said with a laugh and hung up the phone.

  I was pissed at his happiness in a time when my family was suffering. This world was cruel and uncaring. I was starting to see that now. No one gave a fuck about anyone anymore. It’s all about self-preservation.

  I looked over to my nightstand and then went to pick up my mother’s phone. I was amazed that it still powered on. I admired the picture she had on her screen. She is beautiful. She’s sitting in a chair with one of her legs crossed with a flowered sundress on. It was outside on the gazebo, and the sun was shining on her in the right place. It was a perfect picture.

  I didn’t want to lose her.

  I scrolled through her phone and looked at her phone log, and I
saw nothing but Coach’s number on the log the most except for me and my father and few others sprinkled throughout the list. This piqued my interest even more.

  Then I scrolled through her messages to find the same thing. I was startled to see how many times she got a “treat” or a “gift” from Coach.

  My antennae went up.

  I called Dre.

  “Dre, I need you at my house ASAP.” I spoke with urgency.

  “I got you. Give me a few. I’m with your pops right now. Be there in about a half.”

  “Cool.” I hung up the phone and grabbed the bottle of wine that was left over from the other day.

  I put it to my nose and began to sniff it. I didn’t drink so I didn’t know what I was looking for. I just knew that something wasn’t right. My mother was a light drinker. Those text messages had addicted all over them.

  It didn’t take long for Dre to come over and talk. As soon as he came through the door, I said, “Coach has been supplying all the wine Mother drank, and from the text messages on her phone, there was a lot of drinking going on.”

  “So what do you want to do?” he asked, ready to do whatever for me. He was so fucking hot right now that I almost lost focus on the task at hand.

  “I need to have one of our chemists break down this wine and see what’s going on with it. It’s not just a simple wine. My mother was an undercover fiend, and it’s his fault. I know it. I just need proof.”