“Thank you, and no, she doesn’t. My intentions are not to cause you harm. One thing I do not understand is why you were in that car,” I said.
“It was a favor to someone. I’m assuming that is the person you expected to be in that car.” She spoke casually and flipped the channel again.
“I figured maybe he would have reached out about this whole thing.”
“If there is one thing I’ve learned about him, it’s that he will somehow or some way fuck something up. When I get out of here, I’ll find him,” She cracked her knuckles and stretched her fingers out.
“How do you know you are getting out of here?” Faraji asked.
“Black Ice is coming to get me. I’m sure you already left a calling card. It was your father’s style. You remind me of him a lot.”
“How do you know she is coming to get you? She does not know where you are. Unfortunately, she has not made contact.” I leaned forward to see her face—no need to tell her about the doppelganger.
“I know her. She’s coming for me. Well, if something happens to me, then she’ll be coming for you. If it was her, I’d be coming to get her too,” she said with more confidence than expected.
“Against this whole army, she is coming for you? You think so?” Faraji laughed hard.
“Nothing but death is how it is and always will be. But, she will make contact when the time is right,” Black Heart said with no hesitation and no doubt.
“That is a lot of confidence in one person. So you must trust her a lot?”
“With my life. One thing I know, Femi, is this: if you wanted me dead, you would have killed me by now. So you have an end game.”
“Everyone in our line of business has an end game,” I raised an eyebrow.
“We do. So what did he take from you?”
It shocked me a little. She had been thinking more than I realized.
“You do not know the people you have working for you? That does not seem like the type of businesswoman you are.”
“He doesn’t work for me. His friends work for you, though. I’m the woman that knows to watch her man and ex-man.” She smirked.
“Interesting. Until restitution is made, here is where you will stay.”
“Does he know what he took belongs to you?”
“There should have been two men in the car. If they were, you would not be here.”
“I won’t be here much longer, but if you do find him, tell him I said fuck him.”
“Is there anything else I can get for you, Black Heart?”
“Nope. I’ll wait on my wife. Thank you very much.” She finally cast her gaze at us, winked, and smiled.
I motioned for Faraji to follow me. He was confused.
“That is it? You are letting her off the hook?” he whispered in an angry tone once we got in the hallway.
“She is not on any hook. She simply provided information.”
“She needs to show more respect,” he said.
We walked back down the hallway and out of the building. The security detail stood posted, armed, and ready.
“You have to understand everyone is not like us. It does not mean they are disrespectful. She gave us what we needed to get who we should have gotten in the first place.”
“What are you talking about, Femi? Were we not in the same room a moment ago? Did we not hear the same thing?” he asked me when we got in the car.
I instructed the driver to take us back to the Opal.
“She was driving the car as a favor for the people we are searching for. Unfortunately, she did not know that at the time. I wonder what Zuberi knows about this?”
“If he knew anything, he would be rushing to tell you. The fact that you have not heard from him is a sign. This is Zuberi we are talking about,” He laughed.
“Baby brother has a lot of growing up to do. Father is gone, and he has to manage this on his own.”
“You are a good big brother. Too much heart, or maybe enough. You have more heart in a sense than I do.”
“Your heart is on the battlefield, my heart in the conference rooms. But, it is heart, all the same.”
“Are you not worried about Black Heart’s wife? She has single-handedly started a war. You heard her; she knows she is coming, and don’t give a damn about your army,” he said.
“I will be ready for her when she comes. You should be too.”
When we pulled up to the Opal, I got out and took the elevator upstairs to my mother’s suite. Faraji went to check on the security teams. I knocked on her door, and faintly she said, come in.
“Mother, you are as beautiful as ever today.”
I kissed her cheeks and sat across from her in the living room. She hugged me tightly.
“Femi, you sweet boy, like your father. I miss him.” She reached over and touched his picture sitting on the stand next to her chair.
“I miss him too. How have you been, mother?”
Her room attendant, Miriam, came in and brought in a tray of iced tea and cookies. I smiled and thanked her; she smiled then disappeared into the kitchen.
“What is going on? Your face betrays you today.” She sipped her tea.
“I hope I am doing him justice. I am not him, you know.” I studied my father’s picture.
“Your name is Femi, not Amare. You will be who you are and no one else,” she reassured me.
“There is so much going on. I don’t know how he handled it all. People always want or need you for something,” I said, sitting back.
“It is not the time to doubt yourself. I hear there is a war going. You have to figure out how to stop it. It will not bode well for international business if you can not control your own city.”
“I do not know who started the war. How can I stop it? Who would I go to first? I have so many other problems to deal with.”
“What else is going on, Femi? How’s Emmaline and the children?”
“They are fine. No one is in any trouble. The children are doing well in school. Faraji and Zaire are doing well at work.”
“And Zuberi? How is he doing? The business,” She eyed me as she waited for my answer.
“Being his normal self,” I sighed.
“He stays away when he is in trouble. So what has he done?”
“Has he spoken to you?”
“Only to lie to me and tell me he is fine. Are you going to lie to me to my face now?” She sat her cup down and stared at me.
If anyone could put the screws on me, it was my mother. How could I lie to her face?
“He has found himself in a situation that he has to get out of hand. That mother is not a lie,” I stood up to leave and grabbed a cookie.
“I expect you to handle this situation. But, don’t forget: I am your mother, and there is nothing I can not find out,” She eyed me hard as I left her suite.
-Zuberi-
“Ci, do you see what the fuck I see on TV right now!? It is on every fucking news channel!”
“I told you some bodies were going to have to drop to get this solved. Here is a mil; put it on your missing five.” He tossed a bag on my desk.
“How you manage to make money now?” I put the bag under the desk.
“My business is my business. I do not do business with any of these people. You do not shit this close to home.” He smiled at me.
Something in his eyes was off.
“No one is coming up suspicious.”
“My people in the streets are listening out for any info. You talked to your brothers or anybody?”
“No. I refuse to go back empty-handed. I’m going to prove to them I can do this.” I pounded my fist in my hand.
“Add that to whatever you have. Don’t worry; we will figure this out. Maybe you are too close. You should take a step back. You know, take the rose-colored glasses off. The crew is not like family. They are criminals and slicker than oil,” he offered.
“Maybe you are right. Some shit is not adding up.”
“I will keep working
the streets, and you stay focused on the crew. Someone is bound to pop out.” He stood to leave.
“I wonder what Femi is going to do about this war?”
“What do you mean, Femi? Why are not you handling this issue?” he asked.
“Something like this has not happened in 40 years. But then, my father would have taken over and handled it. I know that is what Femi and Faraji are doing,” I told him.
“But these are your streets. Femi is global operations; he does not know the streets. Faraji is an army head. Mr. Yes Sir, all the time. I thought you were the King of Jewel City!” He poked me in the chest.
“These are my streets! I run this shit. I will get to the bottom of this and prove to Femi, I know what I am doing!” I jumped up.
“We will show them you deserve to sit at the table. Now that they are at war, our profits skyrocket. Everyone will be coming to your crew now,” he whispered to me.
I could count on Cian to get me through this shit. It was good to have a friend that believed in me and went out and actually helped. Men like him are rare and need to be kept close.
“You are the best, a brother from another mother,” I laughed.
“We need at least one friend in this world. You need to at least talk to your brothers. Settle their nerves and let them know you are working hard. We will figure out a way to stop this war, and then you really will be the man. They will have to respect the king in you.” He patted me on the back.
“How do you stop a gang war? I wish my father was here. He would help me figure out what to do. I miss his advice and wisdom. There is no one like him.”
His and my mother’s picture on the wall caught my eye. He was a regal, quiet man and seemed larger than life. He did not seem like he had a temper. When things went wrong, he was more like Faraji than Faraji. He would probably want to kill me by now. I had to get my shit together to make him proud of me.
“You have to talk to the leaders and get them to agree on a peace treaty. They lost a lot of money. It is going to be hard for them to recover. You have to think like a leader, a boss, Zu. Life is not always about women and cars. If I was….”
“If you were, what!? Me? What, in my shoes!? You want to be in my shoes? You could not handle my family. You have no idea.”
“I could never take your place. You are stressing, my brother, you need some rest. You have bags under your eyes.”
“You are right; I do need to rest. I have not been sleeping lately. Crazy dreams and everything.”
“I have some business to handle. I have to go. Get you some dinner and some rest.”
“Dinner is a must. I am starving. I have a party to go to later on. You should come,” I asked him.
“Pass this time. Enjoy the party, but seriously brother, get you some sleep. You are going to drive yourself crazy.” He disappeared out of the door.
I poured myself a shot. The liquid warmed my chest and then my stomach; he was right. I had to start thinking like a leader. Jewel City was my city. I should be able to fix this shit. There was a party full of fine women calling my name. Like he said, do not let this drive me crazy. He would help me figure it out.
I went home, showered, and dressed for the party. Stopped by a local spot and picked up a plate. By the time I got to the party, it was already in full swing. I was ready to dance my troubles away. Inside, the vibrations and rhythms thumped in my chest. The women inside were beautiful, and the atmosphere was right. The hookah cast a smoky haze. The DJ had the party jumping. Which one of these lovely ladies would go home with me tonight? Then, out on the dance floor, the music and my drink moved me.
I was going with the vibe of the people. We bumped into each other in rhythm. The lights combined with the smoke cast a blue hue over the faces of people. I was lost in the ambiance. In the middle, a beautiful cocoa-colored woman was winding away to the music. She locked eyes with me, and I danced my way to her. We danced for a few songs without speaking. We flowed with each song. She twirled around me, and I pulled her to me and rode her hips. A few other women danced with me, but she muscled them away. Finally, we migrated over to one of the bars against the wall. It wasn’t as noisy as the dance floor. I ordered rum and Cokes for us. I could not take my eyes off of her as she sipped her drink. She was the one I was leaving with. I hoped she wanted to go with me.
“Where did you learn to dance like that?”
“I’ve been dancing most of my life. My mama says I came out of her womb dancing.” She spoke with a sweet Texas accent that was unmistakable.
“You sound so sweet. What’s your name?” I caressed her cheek slightly.
“Fantelle, but my friends call me Telle. What’s your name?”
I was shocked she did not already know who I was. It did not matter, though. For a moment, the club faded away, and it was her and me.
“Fantelle is a beautiful name. A beautiful name for the coco beauty. You are a perfect dancer, Telle. I could dance with you the rest of the night.” I winked.
She blushed and shied away from me. I took her chin in my hand and turned her face back to me.
“Thank you. And yours?”
“They call me Zu. Where is your boyfriend, Telle?”
“What makes you think I have a boyfriend, Zu?”
“A woman like you is too beautiful to not have a boyfriend. Besides, I do not want to run into your man tonight.”
“Oh, what are you going to beat him up or something?” She chuckled.
“Fist fightin’ is not my style,” I replied.
“You don’t have to worry. I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“I am never worried. I am more relaxed than ever with you.”
“I do have that effect on people. You know, relaxing and comforting. I like to have a good time, nothing wrong with that.” she batted those big brown eyes at me.
“Your energy and vibe are amazing. So you go out a lot?”
“No, this is my first time at this place. I like it, and the music is bumping.”
“What does a girl like you know about this kind of music?” I sipped my drink and ordered another round.
“I like different kinds of music. So don’t put me in some hillbilly corner,” she laughed.
“I didn’t mean to do that. I thought you would like rap more.”
“I like some of it. I like music. You have a girlfriend?”
“No, she would not let me in a place like this alone with a woman like you roaming around.” I smiled that sly smile and ate the cherry from my drink.
She took a step closer to me and filled the gap. We stood chest to chest.
“Is that right? Like me, huh? What about a woman like me?” she asked, inhaling my scent.
“You are beautiful. I could not resist talking to you. We are connecting right now, eh.” I winked.
She finished her second drink and pulled me back on the floor. Telle ground her body all over me. I kept in step with her. Again we were caught up in the rhythm of the music. She turned and faced me and continued to grind on me. She reached up and grabbed me by the back of my neck, and pulled me close to her. She bit the tip of my ear slightly, and it sent a shock straight to my dick. I had no idea something like that could happen. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pressed her close to me. She could feel me throbbing against her leg. She pushed back against me. She slipped one of her hands between us and massaged him as we danced. She never took her eyes away from mine as she groped me on the dance floor. I did not know if anyone could see us, but I did not care. It felt like we danced forever, but it was a couple of hours.
“Telle, you want to get out of here? Maybe go get something to eat?” We walked off the dance floor hand in hand.
“Sure, let’s go. I’m pretty hungry anyway.”
I squeezed her hand and led her outside to my car. We drove to an all-night diner out by the airport. We talked, laughed, and ate. I enjoyed her company.
“There is a store over there. Let’s get some beer and a room.”
“I was going to take you home. I did not want you to think I was taking advantage of you.”
“Maybe I want you to take advantage of me.” a fiendish grin slid across her lips.
This cocoa beauty would be mine. She would take my mind off the bullshit going on. I paid for the meal and was surprised when she left a tip. She was something different. We went across the street and got beer. The hotel was about a block up the road. I got us a room with a king-sized bed. We fell into the room laughing at the clerk at the store.
“I have to go check my contacts and freshen up. I’ll be right back. Open a beer for me,” she said as she disappeared into the bathroom.
I took off my shoes, opened a couple of beers, and waited for her to come out of the bathroom. I text Ci to let him know I would see him tomorrow and put my phone under the pillow. I put my jewelry and watch on the dresser and tossed my pants over the chair. She came out of the bathroom and was half-dressed herself. She grabbed the beer off the dresser and fell into bed with me. We drank, kissed, and fooled around. I went to the bathroom, and when I came back, Telle started to suck my dick. I downed my beer, closed my eyes, and let my head fall back. She was about ten minutes in when I felt like I would vomit on the back of her neck. I pushed her away, jumped up, and ran to the bathroom. I barely made it to the toilet before I vomited. I emptied my soul. She was right there rubbing my back and telling me it was ok. I could not stop even when there was nothing left. Telle helped me back to bed and put the trash can by my head. I kept apologizing about messing up our night. The last thing I remembered before I passed out was her sliding the covers up over my shoulders and the coolness of the sheets.
When I woke up, my head pounded. It felt like I had been asleep forever. The room was eerily silent; the air conditioner hummed. I reached behind me and felt for Telle. She wasn’t there. My eyes shot open, my heart panicked. I jumped out of bed, and my head immediately started spinning. I sat back down and looked at the dresser; it was empty. My stomach sank as my heart beat faster. I made my way to my pants, still slung over the chair. My wallet, keys, credit cards, and ID were still there; she took the two grand. I slumped down on the edge of the bed. It was right before noon. I would have to get out of here soon. Pulled my clothes on and realized she took my shoes.
Tears of an African violet Page 13