The Streets Have No King

by JaQuavis Coleman

  Begin Reading

  Table of Contents

  About the Author

  Copyright Page

  Thank you for buying this

  St. Martin’s Press ebook.

  To receive special offers, bonus content,

  and info on new releases and other great reads,

  sign up for our newsletters.

  Or visit us online at

  us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup

  For email updates on the author, click here.

  The author and publisher have provided this e-book to you for your personal use only. You may not make this e-book publicly available in any way. Copyright infringement is against the law. If you believe the copy of this e-book you are reading infringes on the author’s copyright, please notify the publisher at: us.macmillanusa.com/piracy.

  This book is dedicated to BMF juice. You taught me so much and I will use those lessons to navigate through this thing called life. Rest in Peace and I will always love you.

  Love,

  Coleman

  PROLOGUE

  The stars never shined so bright. Well, that’s what it seemed like on that cool summer night. A couple sat on top of the rooftop admiring the beautiful night’s sky. They sat on a picnic blanket while bottles of bubbly and fruits accompanied them. The smell of a sour sweetness filled the air as the young lady took another pull of her tightly rolled joint. As the beauty inhaled the smoke, she glanced over at the man, who stared at her with a slight grin.

  “Why are you staring?” Moriah asked as the weed smoke filled her lungs. She smiled and blew a smoke stream out of the corner of her mouth. Her full lips made the simple act of blowing smoke seem so seductive, so sexy. Everything about her screamed sensual. She never rushed … always smooth. Her cat-like hazel eyes and her neat hair wrap looked natural and pure. The way she let a couple of strands of her neatly twisted dreads hang out of the sides of her wrap got him every time. Her soft baby hairs, which rested perfectly on the edges of her scarf … Basil absolutely loved Moriah. He loved her in the purest form, because he was in love with her spirit. His deep love was reciprocated; she’d fallen in love with his soul as well. See, that’s the thing … they had a different kind of connection. He was mesmerized by her inner beauty, and her natural outer beauty was only a plus. She had him at hello and vice versa.

  “Because I love you … I’m staring at you because I love you,” Basil said confidently, half smiling as he reached over and swept the dreads from over her left eye. Basil then gently cupped her face and stared into her eyes.

  “I love you more,” she replied as a huge smile spread across her face, displaying her perfect white teeth. They said nothing, but their eyes told each other that they were looking at the person who completed them. They were soul mates. They burst into laughter when they both made a funny face at the same exact time and Basil leaned in for a deep but tender kiss that ended with a soft peck on the lips. Basil stood up and then walked to the ledge, picking up a bottle of champagne in his hand and popping the cork, causing a small volcano-like eruption as the sound of the popped cork echoed through the air. He held the bottle up and looked back at Moriah, offering some to her.

  “Not in the mood to drink tonight,” Moriah said smiling.

  They were on top of the roof of the Regency projects on the south side of Flint, Michigan. The Regency was in one of the worst parts of the city. However, you couldn’t tell them that; not at the moment, anyway. This was their secret place, the place where they had their first date. They were also standing on top of the most lucrative drug operation in the city. While so many bad things were going on underneath them, so many good things were going on, on top of that roof. But today, they were celebrating their two-year anniversary as lovers. As Basil looked out over the skyline, Moriah looked her man over in admiration. His Italian-cut suit and thousand-dollar pair of Prada loafers made her grin. His slightly loosened tie and the way he stood reminded her of her father so much. Basil had the bottle of champagne in one hand and the other hand slyly had slid into his left pocket. She had witnessed his transformation over the last two years. The projects that he was overlooking were his. He ran Regency with an iron fist; the smooth operation didn’t run like a typical trap. He ran that motherfucker like a Wall Street stock exchange. However, instead of stocks and bonds, heroin, pills, and crack cocaine were his commodities. His structured way of moving work was comparable to that of a Fortune 500 company. The streets had crowned him king and at that moment, Moriah knew it was true. She stood up, took one last drag of her joint and then tossed it. Walking up behind him, she hugged him from behind, while resting her head on his muscular back. She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of his cologne. The expensive fabric of his suit felt soft beneath her cheek and she wanted to stay like this forever, but she could tell he was in deep thought.

  “I’m tired of sneaking around with you like we are teenagers. I’m tired of hiding,” Basil said, referring to their secret relationship. He looked again at the city’s skyline and took a sip of his drink, then sat the empty glass on the rooftop’s edge. Basil turned around and placed both of his hands on her cheeks. Moriah felt the exact same way, even though she knew that their love was forbidden. Her father was Basil’s mentor and business partner. They had crossed that line and were at a point of no return. They were made for each other and so deep in love, so deep that it hurt. However, it hurt so good. Kane had always explained to him that family was off limits in any business relationship. Kane understood how love clouds the brain, which in return could cause a problem in business; especially street business. However, Basil fell victim to his own heart.

  “We have to tell him,” Moriah said.

  “Let’s tell him tonight,” Basil demanded. “I can’t wait any lo—”

  Moriah placed her finger on his lip, stopping him from saying another word. “First … I have to tell you something.” She looked deep into Basil’s eyes and her own eyes began to water. Basil frowned at the sight.

  “I’m pregnant,” she whispered as the first tear skipped down her face. “We are having a baby.”

  “Wh … what?” Basil asked, his eyes instantly dropping to her belly. He then carefully placed his hand on her midsection.

  “I said, we are pregnant,” she repeated as she placed her hand on top of his. All of a sudden, Basil smiled and scooped Moriah off of her feet. He spun her around once, causing her to laugh out loud. Basil was smiling from ear to ear, beyond excited. He gently placed her back on the ground then kissed her passionately. Moriah continued to cry as she smiled as well. It was one of the happiest days of her life. She hadn’t been sure how Basil would take the news, but by the expression on his face, it was clear she didn’t have to worry.

  “Oh my God. How?” Basil asked while rubbing her stomach in a circular motion. “Well, I know how but…,” he said, at a loss for words. They kissed passionately and Basil hugged her tightly. He was so overcome with joy and warmth; a warmth that he had never experienced before. Something was happening that hadn’t happened since he was a little boy. Basil dropped a tear. They cried together while smiling at each other. It was beautiful … it was pure.

  Basil looked down at his watch and noticed that it was a couple of ticks before 9:00 P.M. They still had time to catch Kane Garrett, Moriah’s father. He was being honored at the mayor’s ball and Basil wanted to tell him their big secret. It was a perfect time to do it, on the day that he was being honored by the city. Basil was tired of hiding his love affair and was ready to step up to Moriah’s father with the news. Basil knew that Kane would disapprove; however, he also knew that Kane would respect him. They had a father-son relationship. The new news would only make that official, so
Basil was more confident than ever on this night.

  “Come on, let’s catch Kane at the ball and tell him the good news,” Basil said.

  Moriah smiled and nodded her head in agreement. Basil scooped Moriah off of her feet and carried her to the rooftop exit. They smiled and giggled all the way down the stairs as they were on mental highs. Although Basil was known to be calm and collected by everyone else, tonight he was ecstatic. He was ready to get the weight off of his chest of sneaking around with Moriah, and that added to the fact that he would be a father would make this night legendary.

  When they reached the outside exit, Basil gently set Moriah’s feet on the ground after walking her down eighty flights of steps. He was winded, but didn’t care. Moriah chuckled, seeing the small beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead. She took her palm and wiped off his perspiration as she looked into his eyes and grinned in admiration. They hopped in his all-black Range Rover, which was parked in the rear of the building, in the alley. Basil started up the car and looked over at Moriah, who was smiling. But her smile quickly turned upside down and it seemed as if she had seen a ghost.

  “What’s wrong, Mo?” Basil asked, still grinning. He had never seen Moriah make the face she was making. Her eyes grew big as a man with a ski mask crept up on the driver’s side. She let out a bloodcurdling scream and it all happened so fast, Basil had no time to react. Gunshots rang out as the gunman dumped his entire clip into the vehicle. The sound of shattering glass filled the air. Bullets flew into Basil’s chest … six, to be exact. He still had the awareness to pull off in the car. The tires screeched and his Range Rover scraped the sides of the alley’s buildings. He sped off as his truck fishtailed through the project’s parking lot. Pains in his chest began to form and he breathed heavily while gripping his chest with his free hand. He sped out of the projects, away from the brutal scene and the pandemonium. He ripped open his shirt, displaying his smoking Teflon vest, and noticed that no bullet had passed through it. He raced around a few blocks, then parked to gather himself. His heart was pumping rapidly but he thanked God that no bullet had penetrated him. Thank God … thank God…, he thought as he realized how close to death he had come. Basil took a deep breath and looked over at Moriah. He saw her leaning against the window as she struggled for air. Blood was oozing from the corner of her mouth and pure terror was written all over her face. He then looked down at the maroon-colored circle spreading over her stomach. Her hand covered a bloody wound, and that’s when he realized that a bullet had struck her.

  “No! No, God, please!” he yelled as he instantly placed his hand over her wound, trying to apply pressure to stop the gushing blood.

  “I’m okay … I’m okay,” she whispered as she breathed slowly and deeply. “The baby … the baby.” She began to cry.

  “Oh my God. I have to get you to the hospital.” Basil’s heart dropped at the sight of the blood spilling from Mo’s midsection. “Don’t worry. It’s going to be okay!” Basil said as his voice cracked and his bottom lip began to quiver. He sped toward the nearest hospital. He was shaking as he navigated the car through the streets, going north of one hundred miles per hour. Mo continued to breathe heavily as she cried, thinking only about her unborn baby. Basil clenched his jaws together tightly as he tried to keep his composure. He felt tears forming but had to stay calm for Moriah. He couldn’t let her see him rattled. He knew he had to keep her calm, so in return he had to keep a cool head.

  “Remember the first day I met you?” Basil said as he looked forward, trying not to let Mo see the tears welling up in his eyes.

  “Yeah, you were at my dad’s barbecue,” Moriah said in between grimaces.

  “That’s right. You were sitting with your girls, looking like a bag of money,” Basil said, smiling while a tear slid down his cheek. “You know what? I knew you were my girl the minute I laid my eyes on you. I already knew. It was something about you, Mo. I don’t know exactly what it was, but I knew I wanted to be a part of it.” Basil let out a nervous laugh. He wiped a tear from his eye. “Remember those big earrings you had on?” he asked.

  There was a silence in the car. An eerie silence that Basil would never forget …

  * * *

  The double doors that led to Hurley Medical Center’s emergency room unit flew open. In came a well-dressed, tall, dark man. He had a shiny bald head and a salt-and-pepper goatee that displayed his maturity. A look of concern and uncertainty was on his face. His gator-skinned Stacy Adams shoes clicked along the hospital’s floor rapidly, echoing through the hall’s corridor. He was accompanied by two other men, well-built and wearing expensive suits. The man leading the way was none other than Kane Garrett, the man who had controlled the city for years. He also was Basil’s mentor and supplier for the streets … the place that had no king, only a position that was always available for the taking.

  Kane had gotten a call from Basil telling him to hurry to the hospital. Basil told him that Mo had been in an accident. He didn’t mention that she had been shot. Instantly, Kane assumed that Mo had been in some type of car wreck. He’d worked so hard to keep his only child from the streets that he was sure she would never feel the wrath of his sins or past demons.

  Kane looked toward the waiting room and saw Basil sitting there with his face buried in his palms. As soon as Basil heard the footsteps, he looked up and saw his mentor. Basil instantly rose and walked over to Kane. Kane saw the pain in Basil’s face and the water in his eyes.

  “What’s going on, Youngblood? Where’s my baby?” Kane asked as he embraced his protégé. Basil buried his head in Kane’s chest, trying to find the words to explain that Moriah had been shot. She was in the back fighting for her life and Basil felt that it was his fault. Basil was a broken man.

  “The baby…,” Basil whispered as he shook his head in anguish. He was so confused and lost in the moment that he didn’t think of the fact of the matter: he had never told Kane that he had a relationship with his only daughter.

  “Baby? What baby? And where is my daughter?” Kane said in confusion as his eyes scanned the room frantically, trying to grasp the situation. Everything was happening so fast and chaos was in the air. He didn’t know what was going on, except that something was wrong with Mo. He needed answers. All the while, a grown man was crying on his chest. Who happened to be one of the strongest, stand-up guys he knew. Kane knew it had to be bad. Just as he was about to open his mouth and say something, the doctor came from the surgery room. Basil turned around and stood next to Kane as he waited for an update on Mo.

  The doctor was a middle-aged white man with a slim build. He wore a mask and his scrubs were covered in maroon-colored spatter. Blood was everywhere. He had bloody gloves on and was slowly removing them as he approached the men. He shook his head from side to side in disappointment as he stood in front of Kane and Basil.

  The look in the doctor’s eyes told it all before he could even open his mouth. Kane looked at the doctor move his lips, but it seemed as if the room were completely silent.

  “Sir … sir,” the doctor said, snapping Kane out of his brief mental hiatus. “I’m sorry, there is nothing I could do to save her.”

  Basil dropped to his knees and stared into space as if he had zoned out. He had just lost the only woman whom he had ever loved. Kane, on the other hand, couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

  “Wait. What? Where is my baby?” he asked as his voice began to crack.

  “I’m sorry, the bullet struck her liver…” The doctor calmly explained what had happened, as he could feel the father’s pain.

  “Bullet?” Kane asked as his shoulders sunk in and his perfect posture began to crumble. His eyes instantly began to water, as the news was like a dart through his heart. “Wait. What bullet?” Kane looked around, trying to find the answers from someone. His two henchmen just bowed their heads, trying to avoid eye contact with their boss. They couldn’t relate to his pain and didn’t know what to say. He placed his hand on Basil’s shoulder and
looked down at him.

  “Basil? Tell me something. My … my baby was shot?” he asked as a tear slipped down his face and landed in his salt-and-pepper beard. Basil slowly stood up, his shoulder shaking with the force of his tears.

  “I’m sorry for your loss,” the doctor said quickly, just before he turned around and exited the waiting room.

  Kane’s eyes never left Basil. He didn’t understand. He was totally lost. The love of his life, the seed of his loins … she was gone. “What happened to my daughter!” Kane cried out so loudly that the words echoed through the entire first floor of the hospital. Basil just cried, not knowing what to say.

  “Tell me!” Kane roared as he grabbed Basil around his neck and squeezed with all his might. Basil couldn’t do anything but cry. Kane eyes were bloodshot, and he was full of rage and sadness. Basil didn’t fight back; he felt as if it was his fault as well. Kane’s grip was so tight and firm, it was cutting off Basil’s air supply. Kane’s tears flowed as the two men stared into each other’s eyes. Both were lost … both of their worlds had been shaken. They had lost their girl. Kane’s head henchman, Fat Rat, grabbed Kane by the arm. He had earned the nickname because of his short stature and stocky build. Fat Rat clenched Kane’s arm and whispered to his friend.

  “Come on, let him go, Kane … let him go,” he said calmly, as he knew that Kane was about to kill Basil. Basil acted as if he wanted to die and didn’t put up a fight. He was younger than Kane by twenty years and also much stronger and taller. However, the guilt paralyzed Basil and he took the disrespect. The only thing he could think about was Mo lying slumped in his passenger seat.

  Kane clenched his jaws together and looked into Basil’s eyes, the whites of which were slowing turning red. He released Basil, and he dropped to the floor, coughing and gasping. Kane thought about his daughter and the blood on the doctor; was that of his own bloodline? Fury and grief swept over Kane. He grabbed the gun from Fat Rat’s waist and pointed it at Basil’s head. Boom! A single shot rang out, sounding like an explosion from a cannon. Basil’s entire life flashed before his eyes and he went back to his earliest memory. I guess what they say is true, he thought; before death, you witness your entire life in a flash. Basil’s life had begun in the same place that he had conquered. Inside of the Regency projects … the most deadly place in Flint, Michigan.