The Versace League

by Shan

  “Who the fuck is it?” Yamin yelled out. He cocked the pistol and walked to the door, peeping out of the hole to see who was on the other side. Manny and Emmanuel stood in front of the door having what looked to be a casual conversation. He unlocked the two locks on the door and then pulled it open. “Fuck is you niggas doing?”

  “Aye, we just pulled up and seen-“ Manny stopped mid-sentence and his lips curled up in disgust upon noticing Yamin standing in the doorway with not an article of clothing on. He frowned horrendously at Yamin and then turned to his side to look at his cousin. “Is this nigga serious?”

  Emmanuel shook his head and turned his back to Yamin while tugging on his square. He shrugged his shoulders and looked toward the street.

  “We just left Aucelie’s house. She said she pulled up in the driveway of her crib and two niggas was standing on the doorstep. They dropped this off-” Manny said holding a package out for Yamin.

  Yamin looked down at the package in Manny’s hands, but didn’t grab it at first. He surveyed the outside and the writing that was scribbled on top and addressed to him. He was confused. He felt like somebody was trying to fuck with him and began to look at Manny and Emmanuel suspiciously. Patrice was locked up and it obvious that she was the one that was responsible for all of the tragic events that had transpired. There hadn’t been any contact since her arrest and as far as he was concerned, it was over. Why were they going to Aucelie’s house? He didn’t tell them to do that.

  “I didn’t tell y’all to go and check on Aucelie. Fuck were you doing over there?” Yamin asked and snatched the package out of Manny’s hand. He turned to go inside so they he could see what was inside the package.

  “Nigga, she called and said them niggas was sitting outside her fuckin’ door and she was scared to get out of the car. By time we got there, her ass had already got out and them niggas was gone. She said they dropped that shit in front of her door,” Manny explained as he followed behind his boss, shaking his head at the attitude.

  “Does she know what they look like? What the hell is going on? Just got back in town this morning and I supposed to leave out again. Now somebody wanna fuck with me,” Yamin placed the DVD inside of the player. He walked out of the living room and took off upstairs to put some clothes on. He grabbed his wife beater from the floor and pulled it over his head while taking in a deep breath.

  “Is everything okay?” Who was at the door?” Jessica said as she sat up in bed. She smiled at her husband and reached for her quickly growing abdomen. She was a little over four months and it was already beginning to show on her petite body. Although these last few months were mainly about healing for Yamin, it had been some of the best moments of her life.

  She and Yamin had immediately gone back to the islands after Patrice’s arrest and spent a few weeks getting to know one another again. She was so in love and once again ended up hating that that she ever doubted her commitment to Yamin. He had been way more loving than he ever had. He had never been so gentle with her until their trip and she was for certain that she’d fallen in love way deeper than she had ever thought was possible.

  Yamin was a great man no matter what he did for a living. He took the time to take care of every part of her, starting with her mind all the way down to the feet that she walked with. She no longer felt insecure and she went to bed with a smile on her face, no longer worried that Yamin was out doing something wrong. This past week when he told her he had a job to handle, she didn’t question him or herself, she just believed him. Their relationship had grown stronger than ever before and she was glad to carry his last name and to be carrying his child.

  “Just Manny and Emmanuel. Go back to sleep,” Yamin said as she slipped into a pair of gym shorts. “I’ll be back up in a few.” Yamin climbed onto the bed and kissed Jessica on her lips. She had a glow that caused her dark skin to look radiant and smooth like it had been dipped in a coating of chocolate syrup. She was so beautiful to him. Pregnancy only added to her beauty and didn’t take away from it like some pregnant women he’d seen before. Not only did she have beautiful skin, but her hair was thicker and healthier, her breasts were fuller, and her ass was a little fatter.

  “Okay, don’t take long,” Jessica said. She climbed out of the bed and walked into the bathroom

  Yamin bolted down the stairs of his home and saw Manny and Emmanuel waiting for his return as they patiently sat on the sofa. He nodded at Manny, who then got up to press play on the DVD player. Yamin quickly grabbed a glass and bottle of Dom from the bar area and returned to his den. He didn’t know what he was about to see and wondered if this had been a package that had been lost in the process. Since everything had gone down, he’d purchased a new home, and suggested that Aucelie and Donica do the same, but they’d both refused. He didn’t want to leave Jessica at home alone when he left for work and always be concerned that someone was going to potentially harm her.

  He always knew that Patrice wasn’t working alone. The video of Cortez being killed proved that and the shooting that took place at his home, also confirmed it. He’d assumed that since she was arrested and that there hadn’t been any contact that whoever she’d hired was just going to go away, but as the video began to play he could see that he’d assumed wrong.

  Yamin could feel his insides boiling with each passing second. He poured himself a glass of alcohol and watched the screen, taking in every detail. It was video of the inside of Aucelie’s home and whoever was recording was watching her every move. The view went from her living room, her kitchen, her bedroom, and even to her bathroom. Yamin was distraught as he watched his younger sister being violated in a way that no woman should be violated.

  “Turn it off,” Yamin ordered unable to take anymore. He took a sip of his drink and sat down on the sofa pulling out the small little note that had come with the DVD. He was hot as a firecracker and popped his neck from side to side as heat steamed from his ears.

  Patrice was only a pawn in this little game I’ve been playing with you. Did you really think I would send a bird to do an Eagle’s job? Did you think that you had gotten away with what you’ve done to me years ago? You took what’s mine and I want it back. I’ve been watching Aucelie for months now and no one has noticed. What kind of League is this? I will continue to take what’s yours until you give me my shit back. You started this and now I will finish it. I’m done with the games. My patience is wearing thin. You have 3 days or else I will take away someone else close to you starting with Jessica, Aucelie, Donica…and so on. The note read.

  “Who the fuck are you?” Yamin yelled and jumped to his feet. He downed the remainder of his drink and heaved out a ragged breath. How could he return something when he didn't know what it was he'd taken. Mostly every job he did evolved around stealing something. This note like all the others wasn't helping him at all.

  "Where is Aucelie now?" Yamin asked and looked up to see Jessica stepping off the last step.

  "She's at the crib. Said her and Donica went out for drinks right before she came home and found them standing there," Emmanuel answered.

  "I need her and Donica placed somewhere safe. Take Jessica with you. I'm gonna call up a few of The League members and see if I can figure this shit out."

  "Yamin, baby, what's going on?" Jessica asked as she neared him.

  "Nothing. I just need you to go with them until I can clear some shit up," Yamin said as he wrapped his arms tightly around her. He kissed her forehead and felt a feeling of intensity rush through his body. As he pulled away from her a weird feeling crept within and caused his heart to slow. He looked at his wife and for some reason felt like this was the last time he would see her. He wondered if Cortez felt like this when he'd said goodbye to Donica for the last time.

  "Everything is cool. Just get dressed and Manny and Emmanuel will take you to be with Aucelie and Donica. I got some shit I need to handle and I don't want you by yourself."
>
  Yamin stepped away and went back to his drink. Just when he thought everything was over it oddly seemed as if it was just beginning.

  THE TRUTH WON'T SET YOU FREE

  Yamin poured into the line of visitors and began removing all of his personal belongings. After Emmanuel and Manny safely secured the most important women in his life, he'd met with a few valuable league members. They all agreed that the whole scheme of events seemed solely personal rather than something involving The League. He figured it was best to start putting the pieces of the puzzle together with the only piece he had. Patrice.

  He removed his belt and then pulled his wallet and car keys from his pocket. He'd been in and out of the prison doors plenty of times to visit his uncle and was thankful he had never been the one on the other side. He imagined it was hard being the outside world was always in control. They got to say when and if ever they would visit. It was up to the free world if they wanted to take the time out to write a letter and keep some type of contact with the imprisoned. That was a lot of control for someone to have over a person's life and Yamin prayed that he was never put into that position.

  Yamin placed all of his belongings in a tray and walked through the metal detector. He held his hands high as the correctional officer ran his hands swiftly across his body, searching for anything that the metal detector might have missed. Once he was thoroughly searched, he winked his eye at the correctional officer and followed behind the visitors that were there for the same reasons that he was.

  After walking the length of the hall, they were all directed to enter into a huge room that resembled a high school cafeteria. Yamin took to the back of the room where he spotted a table off in the corner that he wanted to sit at. Before he could make it, he bumped into another correctional officer and was almost knocked off of his feet. He looked up at the officer masking the disgust he felt and kept towards his destination. He took a seat with his back against the wall and patiently waited for the inmates to be escorted into the room. A few moments later, the visiting area was filled with all different types of women dressed in the same colors. There was a range of women from young to old, from black to white, from tall to short.

  “What are you doing here?” Patrice asked as she approached Yamin’s table. He hadn’t been looking when she walked up due to the fact that he was thoroughly amazed with all the women that were locked down. He hadn’t been around so many women criminals in his life and he was impressed to the point that he actually wanted to do some recruiting for The Versace League.

  “Sit your ass down. I got some questions for you,” Yamin said. This was one criminal that he was not impressed with though. He was absolutely disgusted with her presence and had he not needed to get some information out of her, he probably would have strangled her with his bare hands the minute he saw her.

  Patrice sucked her teeth and took a seat across the table from Yamin. She looked around the room a few seconds before planting her full attention on his face. She tried her hardest to stare at him with a hard face, but the longer she looked at him, the softer her insides became. She had a few months to think about her actions and what she had done and she felt horrible. Cortez had been nothing but a king to her and she allowed misplaced feelings to get in the way of her finally having a good man on her arm.

  “What’s up Trice? What happened? What made you kill my brother and then turn around and kill my niece?” Yamin asked. He sat back in his seat and folded his arms across his chest. He shook his head as he stared Patrice over. She looked more like the mugshot he caught a glimpse of on Cortez’s computer screen. She looked like a black chick from the hood and not the Puerto Rican princess she’d been portraying herself as.

  “First let me just say that I am a con artist. I have been one all my life. When I met Cortez, I was only there to con him out of whatever I could for however long I could and then move on before I got busted. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way. I fucked around and fell in love with your brother and he actually loved me back. Even after he found out I had been stealing from him, he was still gonna stick with me. Can you believe that shit?

  I came from a fucked up place Ya. My mama was a dope dealer that got pregnant by her Puerto Rican supplier, they both were killed on the streets and they left me with my grandmother. My grandmother did her best to take care of me, but when she got sick with cancer, I lost my way. She was the only thing I had left to live for, but she died when I was seventeen and after that I no longer cared about anything.

  I started committing every damn crime known to man. I had done so much dirt back in Philly that I had no choice but to get the fuck out of dodge and change my name. That’s when I became Patrice Santiago-which is not a stretch because it was my father’s last name. My mother’s name was Givens….anyway, when I came here I needed to get as much cheddar as possible to be able to pay for my car and to be able to pay for my crib. My stash was low and I was about to get back on the grind, but I ran into Cort,” Patrice laughed nervously.

  She held her head down as she thought about the first time she’d ran into Cortez. She thought about how handsome he was, how charming he was, and how respectable he was to her. She remember thinking how she hated to do him dirty because he was one of the very few men that she’d encountered that actually treated her with respect.

  “Cort was great,” she continued. “We started dating, I told him a few lies, he fell for them and that’s when it all began. He started giving me a monthly allowance after just a few months and it was enough for me to take care of the things I had to take care of. I did my best with him, I really did. He slipped up and left his bank info lying around one day and I just couldn’t help myself. I started taking small amounts and started piling it into my account.

  I always felt like he knew what I was doing, but he never said anything. I only got bigger and bolder with what I took when he said something about it. I lied and told him that it was for my grandma and he just handed me a hundred thousand dollars and told me that I didn’t have to steal from him and that all I had to do was ask. It was then that I knew that Cort loved me and I allowed myself to love him too Ya-I stopped stealing from him. I stopped looking at him as a target and looked at him as my man. I really did that Ya. I was happy for all of about 4 weeks and then I found out-” Patrice shook her head and tears began to fall from her eyes. She thought about the pain she felt in the weeks leading up to Cortez’s death. She had never been so hurt in her life.

  “Found out what?” Yamin asked as he sat forward. He pulled his seat closer to the table in an effort to be sure that he was going to hear everything that was being said to him.

  “I found out that he started back messing around with that bitch Donica. I found out that he had really never stopped messing around with her and that it was even possible that he had never stopped sleeping with her,” Patrice cried. “I was so hurt when I found out. He would lie to me every day and tell me that he loved me, that he wanted to marry me, and that he wanted me to have his child, but he would sneak behind my back and sleep with that fat ass hoe. So I started my shit back up. I was gonna drain his ass. Take everything he had especially when I found out that he was part of that League shit y’all got going on.”

  “He told you about that?” Yamin asked with his brow raised surprised that she knew.

  “No, he didn’t tell me. I found out from this Haitian dude Roscoe,” Patrice said.

  Roscoe? It bet not be the same muthafucka from Ashley’s funeral. Yamin thought.

  “One evening, me and Jessica had been doing a little shopping I ran into him. Jessica was inside the dressing room trying on a few fits that she had found so she didn’t see him. He told me all about The Versace League, how he wanted to bring The League down, and how The League had taken something precious from him,” Patrice continued. “He said if I helped him it would be pay back towards Cort for betraying me and that he would help me out and g
ive me enough money to disappear if that’s what I wanted after it was all said and done. I don’t know how he knew about Cortez betraying me and I didn’t ask. It just sounded good to me since I was truly fucked up over it. He said the only thing I needed to do was look after Ashley. Somebody was gonna bring her to me and that all I had to do was keep an eye on her.

  I promise you, I never knew that they were going to kill Cort. Just like it was a shock and surprise to everyone else, it was to me as well. He never told me that he was going to do that to Cort, although in the beginning I didn’t care one way or the other. I was so hurt that I really didn’t care, but after I got the news I broke the fuck down. I cried for so long. I cried hard Ya. I was so fucked up behind that shit.”

  “Why did you kill Ashley, Trice? She was innocent.”

  “I didn’t mean to. After Aasir told me that you had found out everything about me, I was about to run, but first I wanted to drop Ashley back with her mama. I went to untie Ashley from the bed where I had been holding her and she bit me and took off running. I chased after her and she ended up tripping on the steps and falling. By time she had made it to the bottom step, I knew that she was dead. Her eyes were rolled behind her head and she just didn’t look right.

  I picked her up and just screamed her name over and over again, but she never answered me. I promise I would have never hurt that little girl. I took care of her when I had her, I combed her hair every day, I fed her, and I kept her entertained. I didn’t want anything to happen to her and I wasn’t gonna let them do anything to her if they had tried. Her death was an accident. That’s why I confessed to that shit because I truly felt bad. I might be a con artist, but I’m not a fucking monster.”