“Tonight was amazing guys. I should really be heading home, though. I have to be at my shop bright and early tomorrow.”
“How you getting home?” Carmelo asked as if he drove his own car.
“I drove. You guys are here so I know Kierra good getting home.”
Shaq nodded. “Yea, she is, but won’t you drop Melo off? He rode with me but I would much rather head straight back to my crib.” He looked at Kierra and smirked.
“That’s fine with me. I don’t mind,” Dream said as she tossed two twenties on the table.
“Shorty, put your money away,” Carmelo said, slightly offended.
“No, Mr. Carmelo. Dream is a big girl. She can pay for her own meals. Meet me at my car though. The black Audi in front. Kierra, thanks for inviting me. Shaq, it was nice to meet you,” she said before getting up and leaving the table.
Carmelo looked at Shaq and shook his head.
“Really, my nigga?” he said.
“Nigga, ya’ll sat here and undressed each other with the bedroom eyes the entire night. Might as well let her drop you off. See where it might go.”
“Hold up, nigga! Dream not even that type of girl,” Kierra came to Dream’s defense.
“Let the man see for himself,” Shaq said.
Carmelo laughed at them and shook his head. It was funny because he wasn’t pressed for pussy at all so whether or not Dream was giving it up, he had the resources to get it whenever he wanted. That had never been a problematic department for him.
“Aight ya’ll, I’m up. Shaq, holla at me tomorrow.” He tossed a few fifties on the table and got up to meet Dream.
When he stepped outside, he spotted the Audi with Dream behind the wheel and walked over to the passenger window and tapped on it.
“You not going to get it?” Dream asked as she rolled the window down.
“Nah ma, it’s getting late. You just said you had to be at your spot in the morning. I live all the way in Queens. I can take a cab from here. In your words, ‘Carmelo is a big boy.’”
She laughed, “It’s really no problem, though.”
“Nah, but peep this. We can exchange numbers and at a later time, you can make up for me having to take a cab tonight,” he said.
Without hesitation, she handed him her phone and he did the same. After swapping numbers, they said their goodbyes and promised to be in touch before each going their separate ways.
Chapter Four
Melo sat back on the metal folding chair with his feet propped up on the small end table in front of him. He was in his thoughts heavy about Dream. Since that night at dinner, they had kept their promise to each other and been in contact. They texted damn near all day and spoke on the phone whenever their schedules permitted. Carmelo knew that she was the type of chick he could see himself getting close to. She wasn’t street at all which is what turned him on the most about her. She came from a good family and had her own. On top of all, that she respected his grind. While they were in the stages of still getting to know each other, Carmelo knew before things went any further he needed to wrap up the beef that was brewing in the street.
Shondrell was becoming more of a problem for Carmelo than he had anticipated. Since going after Caiden to send a message, Carmelo knew that Shondrell would find a rock and lay low underneath it till he was ready to make his next move. Melo just didn’t have an idea where that rock would be located. He had enough niggas spread throughout the five boroughs; so many that he should have been had the drop on Shondrell. Any move the nigga made should have been caught and reported to Carmelo. Since everyone on his team decided to play dumb, he knew that either some of them were working with the nigga, or were just confused as to who they should have been loyal to since at one point they were all niggas. Either way, neither type of dude was the type of nigga Carmelo wanted to be associated with. At the time where his crew needed to be the strongest, he knew he had to make the decision to start cutting off weak links.
“Yo Melo, you got a minute?” Andre asked, walking into the back room of the trap where Carmelo was sitting, gathering his thoughts.
“Depends on whether or not this some shit that’s going to be beneficial to me,” Carmelo spat.
“It is boss,” Andre said in shaky tone.
At fourteen, he was the youngest dude Carmelo had on payroll. He was young, but wasn’t dumb, and knew who his loyalty lied with. On many occasions, Andre put in work that wasn’t even asked of him just to prove that he was down with whatever. It wasn’t Melo’s plan to have the shorty on the block moving work. He wanted him in the trap with a piece making sure no one ran up in the spot. Something low key to do to line his pockets with some cash. Andre’s mom’s was coked out and paid zero attention to the little nigga. All Andre wanted to do was survive and Melo saw to it that he did.
“Aight let me hear it.”
Andre went on to explain how he found out Shondrell was laying low in the Bronx in the Endenwald Projects. He was out there chillin’ with some of his boys when he heard an older cat speaking to Shondrell on the phone.
“He was sitting in his car and had the nigga Shondrell on speaker. I was standing right there on the corner talking to Ron and them,” he said before he continued explaining his discovery.
Andre figured they were discussing strategy the way they were speaking in code and throwing Melo’s name around. He told Carmelo everything he heard Shondrell say. Shit about how he was determined to make Carmelo feel him and he was going feel him hard. His hatred for Carmelo started years ago when he was working for him. He and Carmelo always bumped heads because he was the only one who had the balls to speak up or question him about something if it didn't sound right him. He felt like he was better suited to run things instead of Carmelo. When he started making suggestions and wanting to change shit, that's when Carmelo panicked and set him up. He never would have took Melo for that type of nigga, but that was his fault for not calling his bluff a long time ago.
Now he was going to hit that nigga where it hurt by starting getting at everyone he loved.
“He was fucking mad, Melo. He kept saying how you were weak and that you fucked up by letting the world know who and what mattered to you the most.”
Carmelo knew exactly what he was talking about, and the thought alone put him in a worse mood than he was in at the beginning of the conversation. It wasn’t rocket science. Everybody knew that being in the game, you should know not to let niggas know where to hit you to cripple you, because that's the first thing niggas go after when they beefing. For Melo, that crippling spot was his brother and his niece. Shondrell had already got at Caiden, but that wasn't good enough for him. Melo was able to predict his next move. It was definitely going to be against Summer. Everybody who knew him knew that Summer was his heart.
"Last thing I heard before the ol head pulled off was Shondrell mention Summer,” Andre said, confirming what Carmelo already suspected.
“You did good Dre,” Melo said, pulling a stack of hundreds out his pocket. He counted off five hundred and handed it to Andre, before putting the rest back in his pocket.
“Nah, I don’t need that man. I’m doing what I’m supposed to do,” Andre replied.
“I know that. Take the money and take the rest of the day off. Go hit the mall with ya knuckle head ass crew. Be safe and don’t do nothing reckless while you chillin’ Dre.”
“Aight Melo, good looking,” Andre said before taking the money and disappearing from the room.
First thing Carmelo did was shoot Caiden a text.
Pick up Summer and take her to the spot in Staten Island.
Why? What happened?
Twin, can you just do that for me. I’m about to make a run. I’ll meet ya’ll out there as soon as I can.
Aight be safe man.
Carmelo slipped his phone into his front pocket and stood to his feet. He know had a location on Shondrell. So his first stop was going to be Edenwald. The location was pretty vague since Shondrell could have been h
iding anywhere in the projects, but that didn’t matter to Carmelo. He was ready to send a little message of his own. He walked out of the room he was in and into the living room where five of his workers sat making small talk.
“Yo, I got word that Shondrell is laying low in Edenwald. Shut this shit down for a few, we riding out there. I don’t know what building he in, but I really don’t give a fuck. We dropping whoever look like they can be associated with the nigga. Any corner boy and lookout, they can get it. Fuck every nigga that ain’t my nigga,” Carmelo said.
He had his squad riled up. One thing for sure was that Carmelo surrounded himself with shooters. He never had to question if his niggas would bust their guns for him cause the dudes he rolled with wouldn’t mind popping off just cause they didn’t like the weather on a particular day. They were all certified shooters. Hitters better suited them.
<><><><>
It wasn’t long before Carmelo and his squad found themselves riding aimlessly around the blocks that surrounded Edenwald Projects. Even though Melo’s initial plan was to shoot anything moving, after thinking it through during the ride to Bronx, he came to the conclusion that that really wouldn’t do any of them good. Even if he bodied five or six niggas, who’s to say any of them niggas had any type of connection to Shondrell? They knew some of the cats Drell ran with, so if they couldn’t catch up with the man himself, they were gunning for one of his boys.
“Yo, that’s that nigga Maino and some of them other bitch ass niggas Drell run with,” one of Melo’s boys called out.
That was all that needed to be said. Melo gave the signal and Omar, the driver, slowed the truck and rolled the windows down. Melo and his shooters aimed in the direction of the dudes that were congregating on the corner and lit them up like the Fourth of July.
Tat, Tat, Tat, Tat
They saw a few bodies drop before Omar floored the gas and got them the fuck up out of there.
“If those niggas didn’t have an idea who they was fucking with, they know now, Melo. Believe that,” Charlie said, amped about the work they just put in.
Melo nodded. He wasn’t one of many words. He did what he needed to do and moved on. Carmelo never had been one to dwell on shit, so he wasn’t going to start now. He had made his move so now he would sit back, live life, and be prepared when it was time to make another.
They made it back to their block in Brooklyn safe and undetected. While the team headed back into the trap to continue their workday, Carmelo hopped in his truck and headed to his second house out in Staten Island. The only people who knew about the house were Summer, Caiden and himself. For the safety of his family, he planned on keeping it that way.
Chapter Five
Melo walked into his Staten Island house to find his brother sprawled across the couch watch Sports Center.
“Get ya kicks off my couch, nigga. Fuck you think this is?” Carmelo joked.
“What up? About time your ass made your way here. What’s going on?”
“Nothing that I can’t handle. Where Sum?”
“Her ass went upstairs to take a nap. Had me down here, talking me to death about this fucking party,” Caiden complained
“Oh word? What she said now? She wanna add ponies and shit?”
Caiden filled Melo in on the plans Summer had for her birthday party. Whatever Caiden said she wanted, Melo made a mental note to make it happen. He wanted it to be a birthday she would never forget. He didn't have any kids, so he found joy in spoiling his only niece.
"You know your crazy ass daughter set a damn dress code for us." Carmelo laughed.
"Yea, she told me I wasn't allowed to wear tennis shoes and I at least had to wear a button up if I wasn't going to wear a suit." Caiden shook his head.
He couldn't deny the fact that his daughter is a mess. She had no problems speaking her mind and telling you how she felt.
"That ain't nothing. Her little ass wrote down exactly what she wants me to wear. I don't know what she was thinking, but I am not wearing no damn pink. What make it so bad is she wants it to be flamingo pink!" Carmelo huffed.
He was the type of nigga that looked fly in whatever he wore, but Summer was pushing it with the colors and dress code.
"Enough about the party," Caiden said as he adjusted his position on the couch. "I hope you're not thinking about retaliating against Shondrell. You know that nigga is crazy as fuck and ain't got it all, and I don't want you ending up like me or worse."
"C'mon now Cai." Carmelo waved him off. "What type of nigga would I be if I let him get away with some shit like this? The part that pisses me off the most is you ain't have nothing to do with what we had going on so he should have left you out if it."
"Chill Melo, I'm still here and breathing and that's all that matters."
"It's the principle of the thing. He playing grimy and that shit ain't cool. What if Summer had been with you and she got caught in the crossfire?"
Just the thought of something happening to his niece was burning him up. He had no doubts that Shondrell had, by then, heard about his boys getting wet and was somewhere hiding and plotting so when he did hit again, he would have something waiting on his ass.
"Just be careful yo, I know we're not as close as we should be, but you're still my damn twin and I love your knucklehead ass." Caiden smiled as he put his brother in a headlock.
"Alright, nigga, damn," Carmelo laughed as he tried to break free.
No matter how different they were because of the routes they chose to take in life, the love between the two was undeniable. Carmelo would lay down his life for Caiden and Caiden would do the same for Carmelo.
After Carmelo was free, he decided to put his brother up on game. "Yo, but back to the party. I might even introduce you to this little female I'm feeling."
"What? You?" Caiden asked, playing like he was shocked.
"So what you saying?" Carmelo laughed.
"She must be truly something if you wanna actually introduce her to some damn body. Usually I run into one of your females by accident and that's the first and last time I ever see them."
Caiden shook his head. His brother thought he was the damn Casanova of New York.
"Shut up nigga, just make sure you're on your best behavior," Carmelo said as he got up.
He fell for Dream a little harder on the little date they had the other night. There was something about a woman that can hold a conversation that did something to him. Not only was she beautiful, she was intelligent. It was rare when you could find a woman to stimulate your mind rather than jumping on your dick or in your pockets.
“I’m about to get up out of here. You and Sum kick it here for the night. I’ll come through in the morning,” Melo said.
“Yea, we was staying here tonight anyway. A nigga kinda tired and I don’t feel like hearing the queen mouth. You know how she is when she woke up out her sleep.”
“Do I? Yea, you making the right decision,” Melo said over his shoulder as he made his way to the front door.
He knew Caiden and Summer were straight staying at the Staten Island house, so he would be able to get through the night without worrying about them. Now, all he wanted to do was go home and talk to Dream.
<><><><>
Carmelo pulled up to his crib and instantly spotted the white Beamer blocking his driveway. His neighbors knew him, not for the ruthless nigga he was, but for the respectful neighbor he was, and they never did dumb shit like park in his driveway or even the space in front of his house. People on his block was courteous like that. The Beamer also stood out cause it wasn’t a car he was used to seeing on his block. Taking necessary precautions, he pulled his nine out his waist and took the safety off before stepping out of the truck. As he walked around his whip, the driver side door to the Beamer opened and out stepped a chick. Her back was to him so he couldn’t say if he knew who she was or not, but her body was banging and had definitely gripped his attention.
He walked cautiously in her direction and was stopped
dead in his tracks when the mystery woman turned and revealed herself.
“Alexandria, what the fuck is you doing here?” Carmelo asked, annoyed.
“Hello to you too, Melo,” she said, placing her hand on her hip.
“I really don’t have time for the bullshit. It’s been a long day,” he said, stepping around her and walking to his front door.
Alex wasn’t deterred, she was right on his heels. She showed up at his house for a reason and he was going to hear her out whether he liked it or not.
“Melo, I know you don’t want your neighbors all up in your business so you might as well let me in your house so we can talk.”
Carmelo let out a hard breath before stepping to the side and granting Alexandria entry into his home.
“Ready to tell me why you showed up here after what? Four years?”
“I want to see her Melo. She’s about to be sixteen and I…I just wanted to know my daughter. It’s time that I know her, time for her to know her mother.”
“Fuck out of here with that, Alex. The time for you to know your daughter was when she came out your fucking pussy. Aight, granted, you were young and scared whatever, but even after you dipped to live with your grandparents, you came back to New York and didn’t think about seeing Sum. Do me a favor and miss me with that you want to know your daughter shit. You and I both know you don’t give a fuck about Summer,” Melo barked.
He hated that Alexandria showed up at his crib with the bullshit. She didn’t want to be a mother to Summer back when she was born, so if it was up to Melo, she wouldn’t get the chance to be one then. She missed that chance a long time ago. Summer was good, and didn’t need an undependable ass chick in her life making shit bad.
“You really wouldn’t understand,” Alex said.
“What’s there to understand about a female abandoning their child? You had help, Alex. My parents was willing to do whatever for you and Summer. Caiden did the best he could and so did I.”
A Gangster's Dream Page 3