by T. Styles
“Because she’s her and I’m me.”
She grew serious. “Tell me, Shadow, what kind of person is Farah?” Her eyes widened. “Why does the world seem to hate her and love her at the same time?”
Shadow sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at her pretty face. He eased a finger into her mouth, followed by a second and third enjoying the feeling as she sucked them all. Gripping his dick with his other hand he said, “Damn, the mouth feels as good as that pussy.”
She winked.
Abruptly, he removed his fingers and frowned. “The sex is great, Z. Some of the best I’ve ever had. But don’t ask me about my sister ‘cuz I don’t trust none of you niggas in this bitch. Good sex or not.”
CHAPTER SIX
AUDIO
“I’m A Grown Ass Killer.”
(Days Later)
Audio was draped over the dim bar at Morgan’s Night Club like his world had come to an end. Several empty glasses surrounded him and he looked as if he couldn’t stand up straight if propped against a wall.
As Audio was seated he contemplated life and how things turned for the worse since arriving in Washington DC. Back home everyone was warm and inviting but on the east coast things seemed so different.
He detested the looks he drew from DC niggas when they heard his heavy country accent. Without getting to know him they’d assume he was slow and so he hid his dialect in and effort to fit in.
But fit in with whom?
And where did his adaptations get him?
Nowhere!
He was growing hateful and like Slade would make a fool out of anyone if they challenged him. He desired to leave DC like yesterday but first he had to do two things. Avenge Knox’s death by killing Farah and second, raise enough money to get Slade out of prison.
****
Across from the bar, tucked in the corner was Lootz, a member of The Fold. Unlike other members he grew tired of sexing the same people in the organization and chose to search the world for fresh blood. Policy in The Fold was clear, hunting until the beef was over was forbidden. Bones changing policy didn’t take away his urge for blood.
So he decided to do something about it.
When Mercy, who was no more than 5’5 and 125 pounds, if she ate breakfast, sashayed up to him. Lootz handed her a stack of one hundred dollar bills. She opened the pile of cash and smiled. “Looks good to me.”
He smacked her flat ass. “The count is always right with us. Now go get that.” She winked and switched toward the back of the bar in case he was looking.
He wasn’t.
Attention redirected, he was about to entertain one of the three women surrounding him when he gazed ahead and peeped Audio hanging over the bar like a drunk. The recent beef at the church made Audio’s mug unforgettable and he was beyond excited.
Lootz reached for his cell phone, preparing to call 2nd in command, when he thought about it. I can handle this shit alone. Then maybe we can start Shikar together.
Making the decision not to call Bones was logical to him. He wanted things like they use to be and figured killing Audio, who he was certain was the ringleader in the hunt for Farah, would do the job.
When Mercy returned with the ecstasy pills Lootz paid for, he decided he wasn’t interested in making any new female friends for the night. Instead he would be devoted to Audio’s every move so he had to remain focused.
The moment Audio slammed a hundred dollar bill on the bar and pushed himself out of his seat, Lootz glided out of his chair also. There would be plenty time for fun and games later. First he had to handle business.
When Audio shoved out of the bar’s door and stumbled to the street, Lootz couldn’t believe his luck. It seemed too good to be true that Audio, a legendary Baker boy could move so carelessly in the night. Surely a man with such a large family would be protected but tonight that wasn’t the case and Lootz would assume full advantage.
The ironic part was that Lootz had no real beef with the Bakers. If the truth was whispered he didn’t want to be involved in frivolous matters pertaining to The Cottons. But Audio made things personal when he stepped to him at church and now Lootz considered himself fully invested in bringing the Bakers down.
Inside a half lit parking lot, Lootz was on Audio’s heels as he fumbled with the keys to his car. As soon as Lootz took a few more steps young Baker boy brain would be splattered on the concrete. The thought alone got his dick hard. Carefully Lootz removed a gun from his waist and aimed. He was about to pull the trigger when Audio turned around with a weapon pointed in Lootz’s direction.
Where was the drunkenness he exhibited earlier?
It was a façade.
He had eyes on him for days and now was reaping his payday.
Audio wasted no time firing and Lootz clutched his opened gut wound as he slammed to the cold ground. With watery eyes he reached up, his hand covered in his own blood. “Help me, p…please.”
Instead of assistance Audio spit in his face. “I’ve been following you for days, nigga. Thanks for making my job easier, fuck boy.”
Audio was about to fire again when suddenly two men yanked him from the murder scene. It wasn’t until he smelled the sweet vanilla odor from inside the truck that he realized he was in Killa’s pick up.
“What the fuck you doing, man?” Killa yelled as Major shook his head in irritation in the backseat, the truck speeding down the street. “Are you trying to give DC Homicide two Baker niggas to boot?”
Audio tucked his weapon in his waist; relieved he was staring at members of his bloodline instead of the Metropolitan police. “What it look like I was doing?” He leaned back, a smug look on his face. “Letting them niggas know we not playing.”
“You sure ‘bout that?” Killa asked. “Seems like you trying to get locked up to me. All out in public and shit?” He knocked on Audio’s head with his knuckles. “Why you not thinking?”
“You going back to Mississippi tomorrow,” Major continued pointing at him. “Fuck the dumb shit.”
Audio shot a glare in his direction. “I’m telling you right now, ya’ll not putting me back on no plane. I let ya’ll do that before and everything went to shit when I left. I’m not the little kid ya’ll use to know. I’m a grown ass killer. So get use to it.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
BONES
“You Sicker Than All Of Us.”
Bones was growing irritated at Zashay’s fingers, which caroused his biceps as they lay on his bed. He knew when she begged him to let her suck his dick for “Old Times Sake”, and he allowed her, that it would be a problem.
He was right.
Despite her lies that she could separate pleasure from love. At first he stood strong and denied her request but after being with him many times sexually she knew his hot points and activated them appropriately.
As a result he relented.
“It’s time for you to leave, Zashay. I appreciate the top off but Farah is going to be done with her massage soon.” He grabbed the remote off the nightstand and turned on the TV.
She shrugged. “She doesn’t mind us fucking. Told me at our bar that both of you are just friends. Not to mention we fucked many times together.”
He sat up and rubbed the back of his neck. “That ain’t the point.” He gazed at her. “I don’t want her to see you in here so dip.”
She forced a laugh. “Why you tripping so hard? It’s not like—”
“Fuck! What’s wrong with you?” he tossed the remote on the bed, stood up, and stomped across the room. “That’s why I never summon you because you don’t know how to leave.”
“That’s why you never summon me?” She frowned.
“Bounce!”
Zashay stared at him, body trembling. “You hate me.” Her face flushed. “Why, Bones? Why? Before Farah I—”
“Before Farah this, before Farah that! When are you going to realize you not her? And that talking about her won’t make shit change? I don’t love you no more, Zashay. We’re fam
ily. That means The Fold, but even that can change if you continue to push.”
Her hands gripped her elbows. “After all this time you still haven’t forgiven me. Have you?”
He shook his head and ran his fingers through his dreads. “This isn’t about that, Zashay.”
“Of course it is. Everything’s about that. Why else would you choose a woman with no history over me? Huh? You don’t even know if she loves you. I mean…is she…is she prettier than me? Because I can change into whatever you need.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say, Zashay. I…I can’t tell you more than what I already have.”
“Say you forgive me.” She paused. “Say…say you forgive me for killing our…our baby.”
Bones felt anger raging through his body and his jaw twitched. “You want me to hurt you don’t you? You want me to make you cry so you can play the victim.”
“No!”
“If it’s not that then you want me to feel what you do…pain. Well I put our time together behind me, Zashay. I’m done with that. You can’t fuck with me no more.”
She scooted off the bed and walked toward him, leaving five feet between them for tension sake. “Why would I want that? All I want is for you to look at me with some love, Bones. Just an ounce. And I want you to realize that what happened to our little girl was a mistake.”
“You choked her to death, Zashay.” His words were calm but his breath was heavy. “You strangled her because I wouldn’t spend time with you. Because Dr. Weil had me on a job that meant I wasn’t home for days at a time. You got jealous of my relationship with Denny and the other women of The Fold and you lost it. All because you were a new mother and couldn’t handle it.”
“That’s not true! She had Sudden Infant Syn—”
“Dr. Weil saw the bruises. All over her little neck.”
Zashay stomped away. “Well even the doctor makes mistakes.”
“What about the first baby?” His question was firm, his eyes intense. “Huh? What happened that time?”
“Bones, that’s not fair because she wasn’t even born.” She cried. “She was in my belly and I fell down the steps! In this fuckin’ house! Accidents happen you know?”
“And nobody saw it but you,” he laughed. “Ironically that time I was also gone away on business. You sicker than all of us, Zashay. And you will never get pregnant with one of my children again. That’s why all you can do is suck my dick.” He gripped it and squeezed.
Silence.
“I bet you that felt good hurting me didn’t it?” She frowned.
“I asked you to leave. You chose to stay. And this is the result.”
“I don’t deserve to be treated like this!” she screamed. “I don’t—”
“Cut the fucking tears. You can’t get to me anymore.”
“I hope she breaks your heart.” She pointed at him. “I hope she causes you as much pain as you’re causing me right now.”
“She’s not like you. Nobody is. Which is why you’re alone.”
“Hey, man,” Carlton said entering the room. He felt the edginess and looked at Zashay whose face was beat red before focusing on Bones. “Uh…Lootz didn’t come home last night. We think something’s up. You heard from him yet?”
CHAPTER EIGHT
FARAH
“They’re Too Broke To Be Worth Your Time Or Effort.”
George Leach sat on his couch, body dripping in sweat despite the air conditioner being on arctic blast. In front of him were members of The Fold— Bones, Farah, Mayoni, Carlton, Zashay, Phoenix and Wesley.
“I know you think I’m dumb but I’m a very intelligent man,” George announced to Bones.” I’m brighter than most because I have the smarts to know when I need help and when to seek it.” He wiped sweat off his brow with a soggy piece of tissue on his lap. “That’s where you all come in.”
“We don’t pass judgment. We just get the job done,” Bones responded.
George leaned back deeper into the sofa, leaving a damp imprint the shape of his huge body. “You must be in charge.” He pointed at him.
“Nah, man. You’re the boss,” Bones replied with a grin. “I’m just managing my squad.” He nodded to The Fold. “Now what you need from us?”
George crossed his arms over his beefy chest. “When he comes in I’ll do all the talking. The rest of you can keep your eyes on him to make sure he doesn’t make any sudden movements.” He pointed at them individually. “The women just do your best to look intimidating and stay out the way.”
Farah smirked and George focused on her.
“Something funny?” George asked.
“Not a thing,” she responded.
“Now I’m not trying to offend anyone but it’s a norm that most women aren’t use to violence or seeing blood of any kind. So I just want you to fall back a little and try not to get rattled. The men have it.”
“The ladies wouldn’t be here if they weren’t ready to protect,” Bones said. “And whatever comes with it.”
“Fair enough.”
Farah remained quiet although she had seen and continued to see her share of blood and gore. She also figured whatever business he was about to have wouldn’t end well because he was obviously in over his head.
Fifteen minutes later George’s guest arrived at the front gate and the group retired to George’s office. The visitor’s men were not granted access to the premises and were told to stay out front as Bones and Wesley brought in the visitant.
But the moment Farah saw the visitant, Willie; she grew sick to her stomach and tried to step out of his line of sight. Although her direct dealings with him were few and far between, their last meeting ended with his son being killed.
Randy Gregory, Willie’s only offspring, was a local drug dealer who ran a successful operation that belonged to Willie before he was incarcerated. Six years Farah’s senior, Randy spoiled her rotten even purchasing her first luxury vehicle. Things were going smoothly until Willie returned home and wanted his operation back, which Randy wasn’t willing to relinquish. In the end Willie connected with the Baker Boys and orchestrated the murder of his own son. And Farah, who belonged to Slade at that time, assisted in the slaying.
Willie Gregory walked further into the office after being relieved of his weapons. Taking a seat he almost stumbled when he saw Farah’s beautiful face. However, the look in her eyes told him she wanted to avoid all salutations and he picked up on the notion. Instead Willie took a seat in front of George, glancing back at Farah every so often. “You have a full house don’t you?” Willie asked him.
“Can’t be too safe when dealing with you.” He clasped his fingers together on his desk.
Willie laughed. “If you distrust me so much why invite me over?” He paused. “Surely a prestigious councilman like yourself could find something better to get into then the game.”
“Wrong again,” George said rubbing the sweat off of his face with a paper towel, leaving little white balls on his clammy skin. “This is it for me. In a few months I’ll be voted out of office and I need my pension set when I do. The way things are going now they’ll take it from me. This is where you come in.”
“So you’re trusting me with your future.” Willie lowered his brows. “Because even with the dope you want to grip doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed profit.”
“It means exactly that.”
“And how do you figure?”
George laughed. “Not sure what any of this has to do with the product but I’ll humor you.” He sat back in his seat and rested his hands on his belly as the chair squeaked. “I have a few men on the street who will triple my profit from the dope. My nephew’s friends. With the money I make from my moves I’ll obtain more cash than all my years in public service.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Positive.”
Willie shook his head. “What’s to stop the men you claim are with your nephew from snatching the pack from you?” He lowered his brow. “It happens
to the best of us. And with all due respect you may be successful in politics but I’ve seen things that would make a nigga with a harder stomach shudder.”
George, who grew cranky upon witnessing the disrespect Willie was exhibiting, decided to shoot for the roots. “I may not be able to have my own son killed but I do have the stomach for the dope business.” He slapped his belly, disgusting the hell out of everyone. “Now you’re here because you want my money. And I am here because I need coke. Let me worry about the rest. Deal?”
Willie’s neck corded and his eye twitched. “Yeah, aight.”
****
The meeting was over and Bones and the others were headed toward the car when Willie grabbed Farah’s hand softly. She pulled away from him as Bones and the others were ready to pounce. Farah extended her hand and said, “Five minutes, Bones.” She didn’t want him knowing all her secrets and needed the privacy.
“I’m not about to leave you with this nigga!” He pointed at him.
“Please. You can see me inside from the van.”
Bones’ nostrils flared. “Two minutes tops.” He stomped away.
When he was out of earshot Willie said, “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t snatch you up and take you out of here?” He paused. “After all, the Bakers would pay plenty for you.”
Farah laughed although quietly afraid of his threat. “Keep it original, Willie. You and I both know they’re too broke to be worth your time or effort.” She paused. “And if you tried to take me anywhere you’d have problems of another kind.” She nodded toward the van in the front of the house where Bones was waiting and gaping in their direction. “You know that already.”
Willie’s smile wiped off of his face. “You love having a nigga in charge don’t you?”
“I think it’s the other way around.” She winked. “They always want a bitch like me.”