B00CD6BCB0 EBOK

by King, Joy Deja

  “Aaliyah, I’m so sorry. I had to come clean with you and it s not because we’re supposed to have dinner tomorrow. I could’ve come up with some excuse and got out of the dinner but I wanted you to know the truth because I am in love with your father. I never believed a man like him would ever want a woman like me.”

  “And normally he wouldn’t. You’re a fraud that was created by me. That’s the very reason Emory chose me to work with you. Who else would be better at creating the ideal woman for Nico Carter than he’s own fuckin’ daughter. Classic. I have to give Emory credit, he is a slick motherfucker.”

  “Everything you’re saying is true but Emory had me believing you were the enemy. It wasn’t until Nico and I became closer and he started sharing things with me about his life and business. That’s when I realized Emory was the one causing the problems not your dad and his people. Why else would I be coming to you confessing? I didn’t know you. The brothers introduced me to you. I’ve always worked for them. They were like family to me. They were the only people who treated me good until I met Nico.”

  “I believe you, Tori…I do. But you know I have to tell my father the truth.” Tori put her head down and started crying.

  “I know but I need you to give me time to get out of town. You know once Emory finds out I crossed him, he’s going to kill me.”

  “That never even entered my mind. Wow, you really do love my father.”

  “Yes I do and please let him know that.”

  “Why don’t you tell him yourself? I’ll go with

  you.”

  “I can’t, it’ll hurt too bad. I’ve already packed up my stuff and I got a one-way train ticket to I don’t know where. It will give me a lot of time to think and figure out how to get my life back on track.”

  “Tori, I’m sorry. I should’ve heard you out before trying to choke you to death.”

  “You don’t owe me an apology. But I have one

  more thing I need to tell you.”

  “What?”

  “I don’t know the exact details because Emory started holding back information from me. I think he picked up on the fact I was catching real feelings for Nico.”

  “Details about what?”

  “He was in New York about a week ago or so and we met up. After we finished talking he thought I left but I didn’t. I stuck around because I had a feeling he was up to something.”

  “What did you hear him say?”

  “He mentioned something was going down this weekend about a delivery. He was speaking in a lot of code terms and his voice was low so I couldn’t make much out but it’s definitely happening this weekend.”

  “I’ll call my dad and find out what’s going on. Are you sure you don’t want to come with me? There might be a chance you can make it right with him.”

  “Every inch of my heart wishes you were right but I can tell what type of man your father is and he will not forgive my deceit.”

  “That might be true but under the circumstances he could react differently. But listen I don’t have time to sit here and try and convince you of anything. I have to call my father and warn him that some shit is going down.”

  “Wait, Aaliyah,” Tori called out, as I was about to make my exit. I turned to face her to see what she wanted. “Here, please give this to Nico.” Tori placed the engagement ring my Father gave her in my hand. It was unbelievably beautiful. I was stunned Tori was willing to give it up.

  “Are you sure you want to give this back? This is one of the most beautiful rings I’ve ever seen in my life.”

  “It is but I don’t deserve it,” Tori cried, and ran off. If I had more time I would’ve went after her but I had to go. I quickly called my driver and told him to come swoop me up and then I hit up my Dad.

  “Fuck! Answer the phone!” I called back a few more times and when I didn’t get an answer I decided to call my Mother. Her phone was going straight to voicemail. “What in the hell.” I then called my Dad again and when I still didn’t get an answer I called Genesis. His phone was also going straight to voicemail. “Fuck it! Let me call Amir. Maybe he can tell me where the fuck everybody is,” I said, walking out when I saw my driver pull up.

  “You done.you ready for me to come to your hotel so we can talk, cause I’m right around the corner?”

  “No, I’m trying to get in touch with my dad. I can’t get him, my mom or your dad on the phone. Their phones are going straight to voicemail. Do you know where they could be?”

  “They’re dealing with some business right now.”

  “Where are they? It’s important I get in touch with my dad.”

  “Where they are you can’t really get in touch with them because the phone reception is shaky. That’s probably why the calls are going straight to voicemail.”

  “Amir, tell me where they are! I will have my driver take me there.”

  “I can’t give you the location. We’ve been having some problems so we keeping certain information amongst team members only”

  “Fuck yo’ team! I have every right to get in touch with my father and if my mother is with him she might be in danger too!”

  “What danger are you talking about?”

  “I don’t have time to give you the full fuckin’ story. All I know is that some shit is going down this weekend and my father could be in danger. I need to warn him so he’ll be on alert.”

  “Did you just get in the back of that black SUV?”

  “Yeah,” I said, turning around and seeing a white Range Rover behind me with Amir sitting in the driver’s seat. “Hold on one second,” I told my driver. When I got out, Amir was approaching and what I really wanted to do was punch him in the face for treating me like the enemy and not telling me where my parents were.

  “Get in the car,” Amir directed, like he had some authority over me.

  “I’m not going anywhere with you until you tell me where my father is.”

  “I’ll do you one better. I’ma take you to him.”

  “I have a driver. He can take me. All I need is the address.”

  “Do you want to get to your father, yes or no?” I nodded my head yes, fuming inside by how Amir was regulating shit. “Then get in the car.”

  I ran over to my driver and let him know I wouldn’t need him right now and then reluctantly got in the passenger seat of Amir’s Range. The shade Amir was showing about giving me a location on my Father was making it almost unbearable to be in the car with him. If I weren’t so desperate to talk to my parents I would tell the nigga to go suck a dick.

  “Tell me about this so called danger shit you heard about?”

  “It ain’t so called, it’s a fact. I just don’t know the details. But it’s something about a delivery this weekend. “

  “A delivery,” Amir said, in a solemn tone. “How do you know about the delivery?”

  “I don’t! The person who told me about it overheard a conversation.”

  “What person! Who is it!”

  “Why are you yelling at me! What the fuck is wrong with you and watch where the fuck you going!” I screamed out, fed up. Our argument was becoming so explosive that Amir almost rear-ended another car because he was too busy spitting at me instead of watching the road.

  “I got this! Now answer the question! Who is it!” Amir’s voice was loud and full of rage.

  “Why are you treating me like the fuckin’ enemy?”

  “As far as I’m concerned you are the enemy because you sleeping wit’ him.”

  “Excuse me? I’m sleeping with the enemy!” I barked ready to claw Amir’s eyes out. “Who might that be?”

  “You fuckin’ wit one of the brothers. Dale.” I thought my heart was going to jump out of my baby blue silk blouse.

  “How do you know about Dale?”

  “Because I almost blew your brains out behind that nigga. Until you showed your face and I realized it was you…that’s how.”

  “That was you that came into the bathroom with a gun to my head in Mi
ami, wearing the ski mask?”

  “Damn right and you lucky it was me that ran up on you instead of another shooter or you would be dead right now.”

  “It might look like I’m sleeping with the enemy but I had no idea the brothers had beef with my family.” “You livin’ in the same crib wit’ that nigga and you had no idea what the fuck was going on. Save that bullshit! ”

  “It’s not bullshit!”

  “I bet he was the one that was with you at that restaurant with Juan Alvarez.” Amir glanced over at me and the grave expression on my face gave him the answer he needed. “I knew it! How long you been

  fuckin’ around wit that nigga?”

  “That doesn’t matter. The point is I didn’t find out what the fuck was going on until today.”

  “How convenient.”

  “It’s true! Do you think I would ever knowingly be with a man who was trying to bring down my family? Word to my unborn children, that niggas blood would be on my hands right now if I had even slightly thought he was behind trying to bring down my family. That’s why I have to get in touch with my father because Emory is planning something that has to do with a delivery this weekend.”

  “Emory knows about the delivery?”

  “Yes! When is the delivery?”

  “Today. That s where everybody is. At our new warehouse getting the delivery”

  “I have to talk to my father!” I frantically kept calling all their numbers and sending text messages but I wasn’t getting any response. How far away are we?”

  “Our new spot is in Jersey so with this traffic, maybe forty-five minutes to an hour away.”

  “That’s too long! Please don’t let anything happen. My mother there too…oh fuck!”

  “She is but calm down. We’re not sure they’re in any danger right now. Everything could be fine and you’re overreacting.”

  “No…I have a bad feeling about this,” I sighed, feeling as if a dark cloud was looming over me. As sadness began eating me up I felt my cell vibrating. “It’s my dad!”

  “See, I told you everything is fine.”

  “Not Nico, it’s Supreme,” I clarified, before I answered. “Daddy, I’m so glad it’s you!”

  “What’s wrong? You sound like you’re crying.”

  “Daddy, I think something bad is gonna happen to mom.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “She might be in danger and I can’t get in touch with her because she’s at some warehouse in Jersey that doesn’t have good phone reception and I need to warn her but we’re stuck in traffic and…” I was rambling on not pausing for a second before I heard my Father yell out to stop.

  “Where in Jersey is she because I just dropped Xavier off at the house here. I can go to the warehouse.”

  “Daddy that would be great! Amir, give me the address. My dad is at the house in Jersey and said he can drive over to the warehouse.” Amir gave me the address and I passed the information over to my Dad and a sense of relief came over me.

  “I’ll call you as soon as I get there. Aaliyah, it’ll be okay…don’t worry.”

  “Thank you, daddy!”

  “That worked out good because Supreme is a lot closer. Traffic isn’t as bad as I thought so we’ll get there much sooner than I expected but we won’t make it before your dad.”

  “Please let everybody be okay. If something happens to my mother and father I don’t know what I would do.”

  “Relax, Aaliyah. My dad is with them too, everything will be fine.” Amir placed his hand on my shoulder but his touch did nothing to calm my nerves. Gloom continued to consume me but I prayed I was simply letting my emotions get the best of me.

  “We’re almost there,” Amir said, giving me the fifth update within the last ten minutes. I knew he was only trying to make me feel better but that wouldn’t happen until I had my parents standing in front of my face. It also didn’t help that I hadn’t heard back from my Dad. He should’ve made it to the warehouse a while ago but he wasn’t answering his phone. nobody was. “Less than two minutes away,” Amir informed me, as he turned down a long winding street.

  The moment Amir turned that corner the gloom that had been consuming me, turned into an all out dark storm. It was as if hail, thunder and lightning was ripping through the sky with a rapid tumultuous speed. But to the naked eye there wasn’t a cloud in sight just the beautiful sun shining bright. Like my Grandfather used to always tell me though, the most beautiful things can easily be a distraction for the ugliness that is soon to follow.

  “What the fuck!” I heard Amir bark, shaking me out of my menacing thoughts. There was like a half dozen cars speeding recklessly on the opposite side of us. With the way the street curved, I was afraid that any one of those cars would come over into our lane and we would have a head on collision.

  “Are they coming from the warehouse?” I asked in a panicked voice.

  “They must’ve. There’s nothing on this entire street but our warehouse. That’s one of the reasons we got the spot because unless you were coming to see us you had no business to be anywhere near this block.”

  “Go faster! Something is wrong. Do you have a gun in here?”

  “Huh?”

  “Do you have a fuckin’ gun?”

  “Why?

  “Why do you think? Those cars are rushing off for a reason. Something went down and it can still be happening right now. If we’re walking into danger we need to be prepared. So do you have a fuckin’ gun or not?”

  “Yeah,” Amir popped some button and a secret compartment opened underneath my seat. “Two Glocks are in there. You take one and give me the other. They already loaded.”

  “Here,” I said, giving the gun to Amir. My heart was racing as I prepared myself for war.

  “So when did you learn to shoot a gun?”

  “Amir, I’m not in the mood for questions.just drive.” I had one hand on the trigger and the other on the door handle ready to jump out. As Amir drove up, from a distance I could see everything playing out before me, like I was sitting in a movie theater watching the action unfold. But the people I was watching weren’t Hollywood actors, they were my family, at least two of them were. Before Amir could even stop the car, I had jumped out running towards what in my mind was a real life movie scene. Tears were raining down my face to the point they were almost blinding me.

  “Daddy, look out,” I wailed, but it was too late. He didn’t see the man lurking by the side entrance of the warehouse but my Mother did. She busted off multiple shots in the man’s direction as she leaped in front of my Father but it was too little too late. Her slugs did hit the target and he collapsed to the ground but not before he was able to release his own barrage of bullets. By the time I reached them, my Father was cradling my Mother in his arms. She had taken the bullet trying to save his life.

  “Get a mothefuckin’ ambulance out here! We need some help!” my Dad roared. “Precious, please hold on, Baby.please,” he begged. “Why did you do this,” he cried out.

  “Because I love you. I’ve always loved you, Supreme, and I always will. You’re the love of my life,” my Mother gasped, as she lay in a pool of her own blood.

  “Baby, I’m so sorry. I should’ve never left you. I love you more than anything in this world.”

  “I know you do.I never doubted your love.”

  “Baby, hold on.help is coming. Remember all those years ago when I held you in my arms just like this.”

  “Yes, and I loss our baby.”

  “We did lose our baby but you survived and you’ll survive this because you’re the strongest person I know.” My Mother seemed to be struggling to hold on and her body began shaking and then her eyes closed.

  “Mommy…Mommy…wake up! Pleaaaaase, Mommy wake up! You can’t die. Dear God, I beg you, please don’t let my mother die!”

  Diamond

  “Bitch, you ain’t shit!” When my baby daddy stood in front of me screaming that bullshit with spit flying everywhere, I kept
putting the clear coat of polish on my nails ignoring his ass. “Did you hear what the fuck I said?” he belted as the vein in the middle of his forehead started pulsating.

  “Mutherfucka, everybody in the damn building can hear what the fuck you just said. Are you done ranting ‘cause I got shit to do?”

  “That’s what’s wrong wit yo’ ass, yo’ mouth too fuckin’

  slick.”

  “Umm this shit gettin’ repetitive. Ain’t but so many ways you can call me a bitch and tell me I ain’t shit. I get it, you think I’m foul. So either come up with some new descriptions or move on to something else.”

  “I can’t believe I got a baby wit’ yo’ stupid ass. You don’t give a fuck about nobody but yourself. One day I promise I’ma take our daughter away from you because I refuse to let her grow up and end up like you.”

  I put my polish down and eyeballed Rico because I wanted him to know what I was about to say wasn’t a game. “Nigga, the day you start plotting to take my daughter away from me is the day you better tell yo’ mama to start making your funeral arrangements. You can call me every ho, dick sucker, no good bitch all mutherfuckin’ day but when you bring Destiny into the mix we have a problem. Now please get the fuck out my crib and take that noise you spewing someplace else.”

  “Diamond, this shit ain’t over. I’ll be back tomorrow to pick up my daughter for the weekend and she better be here and not at your mother’s house.”

  “I tell you what. Why don’t you pick Destiny up from my mother’s house tomorrow because I can’t take having to see yo’ ass two days in a row.”

  “No, I’ll pick Destiny up from here tomorrow. So whatever partying and fucking you planning on doing tonight make sure you have yo’ ass up in time to get my daughter in the morning.”

  “That’s what your problem is now. So busy worrying about what the fuck I’m doing,” I huffed under my breath not wanting to reignite the argument because I was ready for Rico to bounce. “Bye,” I said keeping my head down, until I heard the door shut.