by J. L Rose
“Dante!” Rose called to her employer and the young man who she long ago considered her son.
“Yeah, Rose?” he answered as he sat down beside his friend. “You okay?”
“I’m wonderful, baby,” Rose answered as she patted Dante’s thigh and smiled at him. “I just wanted to speak with you about Dante Jr. and Mya a few minutes.”
“What happened?” he asked, with a concerned look on his face.
He glanced over to where both Dante Jr. and Mya were sitting with Natalie and playing with their brother, Damian.
“Those babies are wonderful, Dante!” Rose told him. “But I’ve helped raise those babies, and that Dante Jr. is an extremely bright boy, just as his sister is. I understand you may not want to put those babies in school because of the lifestyle you and Alinna live, but I think it would be good to at least give them home-schooling, Dante. They need it!”
Dante nodded his head after listening to what Rose had to tell him. He quickly agreed with her suggestion.
“I’ll get with Alinna and we’ll get right on it, Rose.”
“Thank you, sweety,” Rose told Dante, just as Mya and Dante Jr. came rushing over to him and Rose.
* * *
They landed at the airstrip in Miami a few hours later and were not surprised to see Greg Wilson already waiting for them with Dante’s Bentley and Alinna’s Phantom. There were three Cadillac Escalades waiting as well. Dante was the first one off the jet, along with James and Gage on each side of him.
“Welcome back!” Greg Wilson said with a smile as he shook hands with Dante.
“It’s actually good to be home!” Dante replied, just as Alinna, Yasmine, and Natalie all walked up.
“Hey, Wilson!” Alinna said, smiling at the sight of their family friend.
“How you feeling, Alinna?” he asked, smiling at her and seeing that she was looking much better than the way Dante had explained to him after the kidnapping and beating. “I’m happy you all decided to come home. I actually like you all!”
“Don’t let me know you’re getting soft on us, Wilson!” Dante jokingly said to his friend and personal private detective.
He then introduced his mother, Dwayne, and Melody to Greg.
“Hello, Greg,” Melody said with a smile.
“Wilson!” Dante called. “I need a favor.”
“I’m already expecting it!” Wilson admitted jokingly. “What’s up, Dante?”
Dante explained to Greg what he wanted him to do concerning finding a location and at least six to ten trucks to start up the business he and Dwayne were going to start up.
“I’ll get started right on that!” Wilson replied as he handed Dante the keys to the Escalade. “I also got a call from a Betty White about a Bugatti, a Rolls-Royce Wraith, and some other cars like a G-Wagen. I see you all bought new toys while out of town!”
“Blame Natalie and Alinna!” Dante told him as he handed Yasmine the keys to the Escalades for security.
Dante then led his mother, Dwayne, and Melody over to his Bentley and introduced them all to his armed chauffeur who was Alinna’s personal driver. However, Dante decided to assign him to his mother, her husband, and Melody for a while.
After saying their goodbyes to Greg Wilson, Dante waited until his wives were inside the Phantom and both Gage and James were in the front seat.
“Dante, where’s Rose and the kids?” Alinna asked as she leaned in against him.
“I sent them with my mom and Melody,” Dante answered as he dug out a box of Black & Milds.
“My husband!” Yasmine called to Dante, getting his attention. “Monica phoned before we left New York, and Harmony called the phone inside the jet while you were asleep. Monica wants you to call her as soon as possible.”
“She say what it’s about?” Dante asked as Natalie got comfortable against him on his other side.
“Just that you needed to call her soon because it was about Angela!” Yasmine told her husband, watching as he pulled out his cell phone from his pocket.
After finding the contact number he had for Monica in Puerto Rico, Dante listened to the phone ring and ring, until the voice mail picked up. He hung up the phone and tried calling again, only to receive Monica’s voice mail again.
* * *
Once they reached their mansion and parked out front, Dante and the girls climbed out of the Phantom as Brenda and the others got out of the Bentley.
“Oh my God, Dante! This is just as big as the one back in New York!” Brenda cried in amazement, looking around at her son’s home.
Alinna smiled at Dante’s mother and then looked over at him and said, “I’ll be happy to show them around.”
Dante nodded his head and smirked while looking over at his mother. He received kisses from Alinna, Natalie, and Yasmine as the three of them left his side and walked over to his mother, sister, and Dwayne and went inside.
“It’s actually good to be home!” James stated with a smile as he looked around the mansion’s front grounds.
“James!” Alinna called out as soon as he, Dante, and Gage entered the front door. “You’ve got a phone call!” she said as she handed him the phone.
“Who is it?” James asked, mouthing the question.
“Maxine!” Alinna replied, with a little laugh as James took the phone.
James shook his head, but saw Dante and Gage watching him and smirking. He then left the front of the mansion and walked into the kitchen area where Rose and the kids were all eating lunch.
“What’s up, Max?” James asked, after placing the phone to his ear.
“I’ll be there by 6:30 p.m. tonight. Pick me up from the airstrip, James.”
“You flying here?”
“Yes I am. Why?”
“What about Keisha? You’re not staying up there with her?”
“My man is in Miami, so I’m flying to Miami to be with you, unless you’ve changed your mind about being with me. Is that it, James?”
“I’ll be out at the airstrip, Max.”
“I love you!”
“Love you too, Max!” James told her, sighing and shaking his head.
“So I guess you’re letting Mari go?” Dante said to him from behind.
James jumped up and spun around to see both Dante and Gage standing a few feet behind him still smirking.
“Mari decided she just wanted to go back to Phoenix,” James answered, but then added, “I care about Mari, but for some crazy reason, I’m in love with Maxine’s crazy ass!”
“So she’s coming here?” Gage asked him.
James nodded his head in response to Gage’s question.
“Maxine’s also pregnant!” James added.
“Who’s pregnant?” Alinna asked as she and Melody walked into the kitchen, catching the ending of what James was saying.
“James and Maxine!” Dante told her, cutting his eyes back to James and still smirking at his boy.
“Oh my God! James!” Alinna cried happily as she rushed over to him and threw her arms around him in a hug. “I’m so happy for you and Maxine. But why didn’t she come back with us if she’s having your baby?”
“She’s flying out here now!” James informed Alinna.
“We have to throw her a baby shower!” Melody excitedly jumped in.
“That sounds like a good idea,” Alinna said in agreement. “What’s Maxine’s new number, James?”
James gave Alinna her new cell phone number and then shook his head. He looked over and watched as she and Melody walked off talking to each other. He then looked back at Dante and Gage and saw them both smirking, which soon turned into them laughing at him.
FOURTEEN
Monica sat across the street from the mini-mansion where Angela and her new husband lived. She sat and waited for Angela to leave the house and drive her S63 Mercedes-Benz, which was parked in front and still running, with the driver’s door wide open. Monica patiently waited until the front door swung open and Angela walked outside, followed by her husband
who remained at the door watching his wife rush off.
“I’m impressed!” Monica said, looking from Angela’s husband to Angela as she was climbing inside of the Benz. “Follow the Mercedes, Harry!” she told the chauffeur while she continued to stare at the Benz as Angela pulled off.
Monica insisted that the chauffeur not get too close to the Benz as she began forming a simple plan when the Benz pulled up to a red light.
“Pull up beside the Mercedes,” she told her driver. “Wait for me!” she added, once the Maybach was beside the Benz.
Monica climbed out of the back of the Maybach while pulling her Glock 19 from her side holster hidden behind her leather jacket. She walked right up to the driver’s door of the Benz and tapped on the glass.
“Open the door!” Monica told Angela, who turned and looked out the window.
Monica ignored the look that appeared on Angela’s face.
“Get out!” Monica yelled, after snatching open the car door once Angela didn’t move to open the door herself.
She just sat in the car in complete shock and surprise. Monica then forcefully grabbed her and then pushed Angela toward the Maybach.
“Wh-What are you doing here?” Angela asked once she got control of herself.
She stopped at the back door of the Maybach, only to spin around to face Monica and the Glock 19 that was now pointing directly at her face.
“You ask one more question or do anything other than what I’ve told you to do, and I will kill you. Now get into the car. Now!”
Angela did as she was told and turned to climb into the back of the Maybach, only to feel herself get pushed up against the car and handcuffed.
“What the hell?” Angela began, but quickly stopped at the press of Monica’s gun to the side of her ribs.
“Get the hell inside the car, Angela!” Monica demanded.
* * *
Dante stood outside the front of the mansion with James, Gage, and Dwayne. They were all waiting for Alinna and the rest of the women to come outside. They were going to go out to eat dinner as a family. Dante stood listening with both James and Gage as Dwayne told them the story about how he met Brenda. Dante heard his cell phone wake up, ringing from inside his pocket, just as the front door opened and Alinna and the other women walked out the door. Dante dug out his phone as he walked up and shut and locked the front door.
“What’s up, Mon—?”
“Dante, where are you?” Monica asked, cutting him off once he answered the phone.
“Monica, what’s up?” Dante asked, stopping in mid-step, with his face balled up from the tone of Monica’s voice.
“Dante, just tell me where the hell you are!” Monica demanded, almost close to yelling into the phone.
“Monica, I’m back in Miami!” Dante answered calmly. “What’s going on?”
“Dante, I’m on my way to the airstrip. Have someone there for me when I get there. I’m bringing gifts!”
* * *
Monica climbed into the G-4 that belonged to Dante and his wives as she hung up with Dante. She escorted both Angela and her first husband, Geno, onto the jet. She sat them both down a few seats apart and handcuffed them to their seats.
Monica then took a seat and sighed as she sat back. She shut her eyes for a moment, only to re-open them and look at Angela, who asked Monica if she was now working for Dante.
“My advice, Angela: Don’t talk to me or you won’t make it to Miami!” Monica told the ex-captain in a calm but serious-toned voice.
Angela decided to ignore Monica before she ended up killing her then and there. Instead, she shut her eyes and once again relaxed her mind.
* * *
The plane landed at the airstrip in Miami a couple hours later, waking up Monica from her light sleep when she felt the plane landing. She then uncuffed Angela and Geno from the seats and re-cuffed their hands behind their backs. Monica then escorted the two to the G-4’s hatch as the pilot opened up the door.
“Why am I not surprised!” Angela stated as soon as she stepped off the jet and saw Dante himself along with Alinna and friends.
Angela made her way down the stairs behind her ex-husband, to whom she was actually still legally married. She couldn’t help but stare at Dante in his silk Armani suit. She was unable to deny how handsome he was.
“Monica, you alright?” Dante asked as she, Angela, and Geno walked up to him and the others.
“I’m fine!” Monica responded as she hugged Dante’s neck. “I know you said to watch her, but she was about to leave Puerto Rico, so I went ahead and—”
“It’s cool, Monica,” Dante told her calmly before he shifted his eyes toward Angela for a moment.
“Well, I see you’re still doing good, Dante. How’s our daughter doing?” Angela spoke up first.
“The smart thing to do right now is shut the fuck up, Angela!” Dante calmly told her, but with a tone that would have spooked anyone else.
“So, you’re upset with—!”
“Bitch, you need to shut the fuck up!” Alinna spoke up, cutting off Angela while she stared nastily at her.
“Hello to you, too, Alinna!” Angela said sarcastically before she continued, “Nice black eye!”
Before anyone realized what she was doing, Alinna punched Angela directly in the eye, knocking her straight to the ground.
“Damn!” Maxine said, laughing as she stood looking down at Angela. “I bet you’ll be having a better black eye than my girl Alinna now, bitch!”
“Get the fuck up!” Dante told Angela in all seriousness.
James and Monica then snatched her up from the ground.
“Monica, take her to the Range Rover. Greg Wilson will be by the mansion to pick up her and Geno. We’ll deal with them later!”
“Dante!” Angela yelled as he turned and escorted Alinna and Yasmine into the back of the Rolls-Royce Phantom.
“Let’s go!” Monica said, pushing Angela and Geno toward the escorting security that stood waiting at the Range Rover.
Once they were all inside and pulled off, Angela called up to Monica.
“So, who’s the new Asian woman and where’s Natalie, or did she get smart and leave Dante’s ass too?”
Monica just turned and gave Angela a nasty look, shaking her head.
“Third wife?” Angela asked, only for Monica to turn back around and ignore her.
* * *
“So what are you planning on doing with Angela, Dante?” Alinna asked him as she sat staring at him as they drove to meet up with his mother, sister, and Dwayne.
Dante remained quiet a moment while he stared out the car window in deep thought.
But after Alinna said his name again, he looked over at her and said, “I don’t know yet, Alinna.”
“What the hell you mean you don’t know?”
“Just that! I don’t know!”
“Dante, you playing, right?” Alinna asked while staring at him with a questioning stare.
“Alinna, I know what you want, but this is the mother of my—!”
“I know who the hell she is, Dante!” Alinna yelled, interrupting him. “But I also remember that this is the same bitch who tried to get you the life or death sentence for bullshit! What’s not to know, Dante?”
“I tell you what. You deal with her, Alinna! I don’t give a fuck what you do to her. I’m just thinking about Mya. Period!” Dante told Alinna as he turned back and stared out the window again.
Alinna stared back at Dante and was unsure whether to be upset with his ass or understand what he was telling her. She was having a hard time because she could only see one ending for the woman who had caused them so many problems.
Once they pulled up to the restaurant with Dante’s mother, sister, and Dwayne, Dante was the first one out of the Rolls-Royce. He waited until Yasmine and Alinna got out. James, Gage, and Maxine walked over after climbing out of James’s McLaren 650S Spider that was gifted to him by Dante. Dante then led his family into the restaurant and let the hostes
s know who they were, only to be instantly shown to their table where his mother, sister, and Dwayne were seated. Dante kissed his mother’s cheek, earning himself a smile from her.
“Everything okay, sweety?” Brenda asked Dante as the seven of them all sat down.
“Yeah, Momma!” he replied.
“Dante, what’s the matter, baby?” Brenda asked again.
“Nothing!” he lied as he picked up a menu.
“Momma Blackwell,” Alinna spoke up. “Dante’s upset because his daughter’s mother is back in Miami and we got into it about a decision he should make but doesn’t want to make.”
“Let me guess!” Brenda said as she looked at her son. “You’re having second thoughts about what you want to do with her now, aren’t you, Dante?”
“Yes, ma’am!” Dante answered respectfully. “That’s why I told Alinna to deal with her instead of me.”
“I think that’s a good idea,” Brenda stated, looking from Dante to Alinna and asking, “So, what have you decided, Alinna?”
FIFTEEN
Three weeks after returning to Miami, Dante focused his attention on getting business started with Dwayne and the trucking business while Alinna got back to business connecting with the other friends and associates. Dante took a two-day trip out to Orlando to meet with a guy who was selling semi-trucks. He bought tent trucks from the man to go along with the new building that he and Dwayne had picked out.
On the fourth week back home, after getting through the second day of hiring new employees, Dante walked out to his G-Wagen where James and Gage were waiting while Dwayne was walking over to the E-Class Mercedes that was a gift from Dante and Alinna. He climbed in the back of the G-Wagen just as his cell phone went off.