The Conglomerate: A Luxorious Tale

by Santiago, Danielle

  Emerging from the car, Dawhar shouted, “Ain’t nobody try to rape you hoe. You was throwing that pussy at me.”

  Joey was flabbergasted by Dawhar. Prior to opening the Luxe she’d promoted events and parties for him over the last four years. In doing business she’d never picked up on his sociopathic traits.

  “You have to be the foulest nigga walking,” Joey seethed at Dawhar then said to Leska, “he’s lying about this rape, the same way he lies about those two little boys that he has by that young girl on the Southside.”

  Rumors of Dawhar’s illegitimate kids were an extreme sore spot for Leska, for the obvious reasons but even more because she was barren. The mere mention of those kids made her manic. Leska drew back and swung at Joey. Cee caught Leska’s arm mid-air, bent it behind her back, and whaled on her.

  “Oh hell no,” Leska’s friend stepped up to intervene.

  Joey scooped her up and slammed her down. Grabbing her back she rolled around crying, and groaning. Joey shook her head, this silly bitch running up and don't even want it.

  Dawhar marched over to rescue his wife. He froze when Evan pulled her gun and aimed it at him. “Don't even try it. I already want to put something in you for that shit you tried to pull on Joey.”

  Yes, he was bigger and stronger than all of them put together but he wasn’t made of teflon. “Just get your girl off of my wife that’s all I want. She doesn’t deserve that. She doesn’t have anything to do with this.”

  “Oh well she shouldn’t have brought her punk ass up here,” Evan said coolly keeping the gun aimed at him.

  The thrashing that Cee was doling out was cringe worthy. Growing up Joey, Cee, and Evan were known for their fist game. Among them, Cee was known to be the better fighter. Evan and Joey had seen Cee deliver some beat downs over the years but none this harsh. Leska’s efforts to fight back were futile. Cee’s punches were coming at Leska at what felt like one hundred miles per hour. Joey and Evan attributed Cee’s ruthlessness to pinned up frustrations stemming from Petey’s death. Little did they know the extra strength was from the powder she snorted during a trip to the restroom.

  “Cee that’s enough,” Joey wrapped her arms around Cee’s midsection and tried to tug her away. “Chill Cee,” using all her strength Joey yanked hard and pulled Cee off.

  Dawhar moved in fast to check on his wife as flashing blue lights lit the darkness. Sirens rang out as a black unmarked car followed by four squad cars converged on the parking lot and pulled right up on them. One of the detectives, a short black man sporting a pot belly in a cheap suit, went over to Dawhar.

  “What are you doing here? I told you to go straight home and we would handle this,” he fussed. “What happened to your wife?” He pointed at Leska’s freshly battered face.

  “That dumb ass black bitch,” Dawhar shouted nodding at Cee, “she beat her up.”

  “Dumb bitch?” Cee frowned. “You fucking faggot ass rapist.”

  “Do you wanna press charges?” the detective asked Dawhar and Leska.

  “They can’t press shit,” Cee rolled her neck. “This is our property. I was defending myself and my business partners.”

  “Hey,” a thin nosed white detective yelled. “Everybody be quiet.” He looked over at his partner, “Sanders we can handle that later.” The white detective was becoming annoyed by his partners’ blatant ass kissing of the NFL star. Through his wire frame glasses he scanned the faces before him. Pausing on Joey’s face, he said “Joell Tappens.”

  A raised brow and her anti-authority attitude in effect, Joey responded, “Yes?”

  “I’m Det. Blankenship and this is my partner, Det. Sanders. We’re going to need you and security team to come downtown.”

  “In regards to what?”

  “The attack on Dawhar Bradley.”

  “So he really went to five-o with that whack ass lie?” Joey chuckled softly in disbelief. “What if I told you that I had proof that he’s lying.”

  Blankenship’s ears perked up, he’d found Dawhar’s version account of the events hard to believe. He knew that the only reason his colleagues were so quick to gobble up Dawhar’s story was because of his celebrity status. A woman having a man beaten because he rebuffed her advances was too farfetched for the seasoned detective. Blankenship saw it exactly for what it was— a man trying to save face with his wife. Being that it was his job he had to investigate the allegations. Placing a hand on Joey’s upper arm, Blankenship eased her off to the side out of his partner and Dawhar’s earshot. “What kind of proof do you have?”

  Joey hated that she was even talking to the police. She didn’t like the police and although she was the victim, Joey felt like she was snitching. Looking at Dawhar’s smug face she realized that the only way she could defend herself against his insulting lies was to share her proof with the law.

  “The security feed from my office.” Joey replied.

  “What’s on the footage?”

  Joey saw Dawhar and the other police aiding Leska to her feet like she was the one that had been violated. “How about we all go watch it together.”

  Cee, Joey, Evan, the two detectives, three uniform officers, Dawhar, Leska, and the other football wife all gathered in Joey’s spacious office. Holding the remote in her clammy hand, Joey was a little apprehensive about showing the footage in front of everyone. She was about to relive the pain, humiliation, and embarrassment in front of everyone. Joey knew that Dawhar should be the one wearing the shame so she released her anxiety and pressed play.

  Cold beads of sweat popped on his forehead as the footage began with him and Joey entering the office. While the situation unfolded on camera Joey kept her eyes locked on Dawhar. Leska gasped loudly when she saw the assault on Joey begin. Every officer glanced angrily at Dawhar then turned their attention back to the screen.

  As the worst moment of her Joey’s life continued to play out, Zay and Jason stepped into the room. Joey’s heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. Catching wind of what was circulating online; Zay came to confront his wife. The sight of Joey’s face horrified him, but not as much as what he saw on the screen. At first he thought that he had to be having a nightmare, this can’t be real. Frozen by shock, Zay stared watching his wife being brutally violated.

  Sickened by what she was witnessing Leska gagged hard, she covered her mouth to keep the vomit from rushing out. She bolted from the office with the football wife chasing behind her.

  Zay’s shock quickly thawed and his anger erupted as he barreled toward Dawhar with Jason right by his side. The police jumped between the men breaking up anything before it could even begin. “Cuff him,” Blankenship pointed at Dawhar. “Get him out of here.” One officer placed Dawhar under arrest while the other three blocked Jason and Zay’s access to him. Zay yelled at Dawhar.

  “You know what it is when I see you pussy ass nigga!”

  “Fuck you and that bitch,” Dawhar shot back.

  “You a dead man walking and that’s on my kids fuck nigga!”

  The arresting officer hurried Dawhar out the office. The remaining uniforms stood by the door to ensure that the brothers remained inside until Dawhar had been taken off the property. Zay went to his wife; lifting her chin with his finger he examined her bruised and swollen face. He had to bite down on the inside of his cheek to keep from exploding again.

  “I’m okay,” Joey said softly.

  “Don't lie to me.”

  “Mrs. Tappens,” Det. Blankenship said. “I need to get a copy of that footage and for you to come downtown to give a formal statement.”

  “I can download you a copy,” she replied. “But I don't want to press charges.”

  Completely taken aback, “Why not?” he asked. “After we all just saw.”

  “And you also saw me get him back. I’m good. If he hadn’t come to you with his lies, I would’ve never have told you.”

  “Well,” the detective sighed. “That footage alone is enough for the state to bring charges without your sta
tement.” He reached into his interior jacket pocket, “here’s my card if you change your mind.”

  “Okay,” Joey took the card with no intention of ever using it. “And one of my partners,” she thumbed over her shoulder at Evan and Cee, “can get that footage downloaded for you.”

  “We’ll go do it now,” Cee said walking out with Evan.

  Turning his attention to Zay, Blankenship said, “Sir I know that you are very upset, but please don't do anything stupid once this guy is freed on bond. If anything encourage your wife to press charges and let us do our job.”

  Zay responded with a nod, but the veteran detective knew that he only did it to appease him. The fire burning in Zay’s eyes told Blankenship that there was going to be some sort of retaliation. On the way out Blankenship said to a younger uniformed officer. “If I saw my wife on that tape I wouldn’t give a damn about this badge. I’d kill the scumbag with my bare hands.”

  Once the police cleared out, Zay asked Joey, “What was Dawhar doing in your office?”

  Tearfully she responded. “Baby I swear to you nothing shady was going on at all. I promise I’ll explain to you, I just want to get out here.” Although Zay was a little suspicious on why his wife was alone with Dawhar, it pained Zay deeply to see her in this condition. He tossed his keys to his brother. “Take my car.” he wrapped his arms around his wife’s shoulder. “Let’s go home.”

  At the house Joey watched as Zay paced the floor furiously expressing his anger. “I should’ve been got at his disrespectful ass a long time ago when I saw that he was checking for you. The way he looked at you, I told you to watch yourself around him. Now look what happened.”

  “You’re blaming me?” Joey squealed then sobbed uncontrollably.

  “No, not at all,” Zay sat next to her on the couch and pulled her head into his chest. She curled up and rested her body against his. “Stop crying Joey, I didn’t mean it like that,” he kissed the top of her head. “Dawhar always had lust in his eyes when he looked at you. I knew if given the chance he would try you. I didn’t think he would rape you, but he is one of those entitled niggas. That’s okay I just hope he feels entitled to the bullets that I’m going to put in him.”

  Joey sat up and faced him. “You can’t kill him.”

  “Why not? He bleeds just like the next nigga.”

  “If you thought the shooting at the L Room brought heat your way, imagine if Dawhar ends up dead. Our lives will be under a microscope.”

  “I can handle whatever comes my way and he is going to get dealt with though, just to let the next nigga know ain’t shit sweet over here.”

  “Is killing him about him hurting me or protecting your rep?”

  “It is all about you,” Zay raised his voice. “And our family. If I let this shit slide some young robber on the come up may think he can get some cash from me by grabbing you or the kids and I won’t do nothing. That’s why I’m going to shut that shit down right now.”

  Aware that her husband’s anger was too fresh for compromise, Joey decided to fall back. She picked up the remote and powered on the TV to watch the six a.m. news that she watched every morning. “Oh my God,” her mouth fell wide open from the shock of seeing an eyewitness news reporter standing in front of the Luxe Enclave. The border across the bottom of the screen read: NFL Star Charged with Sexual Assault.

  Joey turned the volume up as the reporter began to speak, “Good morning this is Natalie Ramon reporting live from the Luxe Enclave where the upscale Penthouse Sports Bar is located. It is at this exclusive member’s only club that alleged Tiger’s star cornerback, Dawhar Bradley, sexually assaulted a female employee. Due to the nature of the crime, police are not releasing her name or position. CMPD did release this fifteen second snippet of the assault. The victim’s image has been completely blurred out. I must warn you the footage is very graphic.”

  Joey winced when the most horrific incident of her life flashed across the screen. Zay snatched the remote from her and cut the TV off.

  Shaking her head Joey mumbled.

  “This is getting worse and worse.”

  “The local news is nothing; ESPN will have Rachel Nichols out there by lunch time today.”

  “Ugggggggggh,” Joey groaned. “I can’t deal with this shit right now. I wish I could just get away.”

  “That’s exactly what you should do. You know what that is what you’re going to do.”

  “I can’t just up and leave who’s going to run the clubs?”

  “Bev and Isadora,” he answered. “Your managers have been doing a great job. It’s a perfect time to get away. The kids’ spring break starts Friday.”

  “Yes it would be nice to spend some quality time with the kids.”

  “We’ll take them to Atlantis, bring them back home, and then go to Miami for a few days before the gala and chill on one of the yachts; just me and you.”

  “I’m cool with that, but our last trip with the kids was in the Bahamas.”

  “I didn’t say the Bahamas.”

  “You just said Atlantis.”

  “Yeah, Atlantis in Dubai.”

  Chapter Six

  “Mom, who is that you’re texting with?” Taleah asked.

  “None of ya bizness little girl,” Cee smirked sitting at the table in Del Frisco’s Double Eagle steakhouse with her triplets. Cee’s younger children were in Dubai with Joey and her family. To show her appreciation for the terrific help that the triplets have been with the younger kids, Cee had treated them to a shopping spree earlier in the day.

  After Petey’s passing the girls moved back home, commuting an hour each way daily to Winston Salem for their classes at Wake Forest. The trips helped their younger siblings with homework, cooked for them, and drove them to their extra-curricular activities.

  “Let me find out Mommy got a boyfriend,” Talia teased.

  “Chiiiild boo,” Cee rolled her eyes. “That ain’t even happening.

  The girls laughed then Tanine said, “Mom you do plan to date again? I’m not talking about in the near future or even the next six months.”

  “Tanine,” Cee sighed. “I don't know. That’s not something that even crosses my mind.”

  “I know that Dad wouldn’t want you to be lonely or alone for the rest of your life.”

  “Note taken,” Cee winked. “I’m more concerned with your little brother and sister for the next five years then some affairs of the heart.”

  “Speaking of P.J and Shelby,” Talia chimed in. “We’ve decided to move home and transfer to Davidson this coming fall to help with them.”

  “No you will not,” Cee placed her phone flat on the table. “I can handle them and when I need help I can call on your grandmothers.”

  “We know that Mommy,” Taleah responded, “but they’re our brother and sister. I believe that they will much rather have us around.”

  “Listen girls, you have helped in ways beyond what I could’ve hoped for and I’m so grateful. I know that you were grieving too.”

  “Yes,” Tanine interrupted, “but being here with you and them has helped with our grieving process.”

  “I understand that, I just cannot allow you girls to leave the school that you love. Besides in a few weeks you’ll be on summer break and by the time the fall semester starts I will have a system in place.”

  “Dang Mom,” Talia spouted. “We thought that you’d be happy.

  “I know right,” Taleah frowned.

  “Sorry Mommy,” Tanine added. “You’re going to be mad because it’s a done deal. We’ve already been accepted at Davidson and signed the transfer papers.”

  “What?” Cee squawked. Before the girls could respond, Cee’s phone went off. She read the text, stood up, and said, “I’m going outside for a minute. We’ll finish this when I come back.”

  Exiting the restaurant Cee spotted a white 2013 Lexus GS sitting on twenty-two inch chrome wheels, black tinted limousine windows and Jeezy blasting not far from the valet stand. This nigga migh
t as well have drug dealer stamped on his plates, Cee thought walking toward the car. Sitting behind the wheel Stacey watched Cee lasciviously as she made her way down the concrete steps. He couldn’t take his eyes off her thighs that were tightly wrapped in a pair of gray J-Brand wax jeans.

  “This bitch is sexy as shit,” he said aloud checking Cee out from her exquisitely cut her hair to her five inch heels. “Looking real good this evening,” he greeted Cee as she slid into the passenger seat.”

  “Um thanks,” Cee replied with a half-smile immediately blinded by all the sparkling diamonds from his grill to his wrist.

  “You know that you don't have to pay for this,” he waved a clear baggie of cocaine in front of her face. “If you hang out with me,” his eyes coated in carnality.

  Rolling her eyes Cee replied, “Try being more respectful of my husband that passed not too long ago. I do not whore myself out for coke.”

  She hated having to deal with Stacey, his flirting disgusted her but he had the best nose candy in the city. Therefore, dealing with his crudeness for five minutes was well worth it. Stacey didn’t miss the shade, he dismissed it. He’d seen plenty of arrogant rich bitches talk fly to him while their paper was stacked. Then after their money dried up he’d have them snorting lines off his dick.

  Cee counted out nine crisp one-hundred dollar bills and five tens. “Here,” she handed him the money, “nine-fifty.”

  “You got two hundred more?” he asked.

  “For what? You said 950 for ten grams.”

  “When you called I was out already. I had this half ounce made up for somebody else. Folks didn’t meet me when they said they would so I bounced on ’em. I don't have a scale with me to take out the extra four grams. Look just give me 150 and you can have it.”

  “Aight,” she pulled out eight twenties. “Here’s 160 I don't have any change.”

  A black Denali pulled ahead of Stacey’s car. The valet attendant ran out, opened the door, and the driver stepped out. When Cee recognized him she snatched the cocaine, shoved it in her bra.