by A. G. Khaliq
MAFIA KINGPIN
Book 1
KILL OR BE KILLED
A. G. Khaliq
COPYRIGHT
MAFIA KINGPIN BOOK 1: KILL OR BE KILLED
ISBN: 9798663314756
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Text copyright © 2020 by A. G. Khaliq
Cover photograph purchased from stock website
The right of A. G. Khaliq to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1998.
Except the original material written by the author, all songs, song titles and lyrics contained in this book are the property of the respective songwriters and copyright holders.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author.
To contact the author, reach her through her website https://agkbooks.wixsite.com/agkhaliq or Instagram @agkbooks
CONTENTS
Reading Order
Notices
Dedication
Chapter 1: Not All Is What It Seems
Chapter 2: Not What We Planned
Chapter 3: Mistakes Were Made
Chapter 4: The Aftermath
Chapter 5: Dirty Little Secrets
Chapter 6: Hidden Truths
Chapter 7: Means To An End
Chapter 8: The Funeral
Chapter 9: Forgive Me… For I Have Sinned
Chapter 10: Bad Deeds
Chapter 11: Recovery
Chapter 12: Criminal Lifestyle
Sample of The Don
About the Author
More books by this author
READING ORDER
All books must be read in order, to understand the story correctly.
KILL OR BE KILLED
THE DON
SEX & DRUGS
LOVE, LUST & LIES
VENGEANCE IS MINE
THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
NOTICES
This story contains mature themes, sexual situations, strong language, graphic violence and explores sensitive topics which some readers may find upsetting or triggering. Viewer discretion is advised. Please do not read this series if you are easily offended. Opinions expressed by the characters are in no way opinions expressed by the author.
If you relate to any of the topics discussed, such as domestic abuse, mental health, blackmail, extortion or assault, please remember that you are not alone. Speak to somebody, or call the Samaritans, Childline, the police and so on.
Although the main character is Louis, this story uses alternating points of views. The person’s point of view that you are reading from is made clear with the use of sub-headings.
This story is a fictional crime thriller, and is set in Birmingham, a city in the United Kingdom. Therefore this story is written in British English and may have references to British slang and grime music. It is a story about a man’s battle to get out of the hood. Everything in this story happens for a reason, and the puzzle pieces fit together later on in the series of books.
Louis is eighteen years old at the beginning of the book, and when the story rewinds time back to four years earlier, he is fourteen years old. Steve is his stepdad, and Abid and Trex are Steve’s sidekicks. Trex is white, and Abid is black.
DEDICATION
Thank you to all of my readers.
Without your support, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Thank you to all of my family and friends. If I listed everybody, I would probably take up a few pages.
A special thank you to Yousuf Thahsin, Sarina, Rajan and Abdi for your encouragement and help with proofreading, which was the driving force of my progress.
CHAPTER 1
NOT ALL IS WHAT IT SEEMS
LOUIS
Punch after punch, I hit Thomas, letting out all of the anger and frustration that had built up in me after all this time. I'd been waiting for the perfect moment to kill him for so many years.
Blood gushed out of his body as I stabbed him. His groans of pain rang like bells through my ears.
“Don’t you ever come near me again, you filthy bastard. I’m teaching you a lesson. Stay the fuck out of my way,” I said coldly. As I was about to kick his head again, I watched the colour drain away from his face and his eyes close. I stepped back, contemplating what I had done.
What had I done? I withdrew my hands from the body, only to find them covered in blood. My head spun and I put my hand to my forehead, and fell to the ground.
“Please stop!” I cried. “Please.” The pain was overwhelming. I could barely breathe.
He scoffed. “It’s nothing more than you deserve. You’re a dirty little bastard and your family will face the consequences of what you did. I’ll never forget how you betrayed me.”
There was a brief moment of regret on his face. He pierced the knife into my flesh, cutting deep inside me. I began to scream. It was then that the sirens started.
As I started losing consciousness I noticed a girl in the background, watching me. She had a look of pure horror on her face.
“You over there…”
“Please … help me...” I tried to speak, but it just came out as a mumble. My eyes began to close, and blood was gushing out of my mouth. I never saw the girl again.
“Why did you do this?” a cop hovered over me. “Why did you attempt to kill this man?”
“It’s nothing more than he deserved. He’s a dirty little bastard and his family will face the consequences of what he did. I’ll never forget how he betrayed me.” I repeated the exact same words that Thomas had said to me when he attacked me all those years ago.
The cop stared at me, long and hard. He lifted me from the ground, took my hands behind my back and put them in handcuffs.
“You are under arrest for attempted murder,” he said.
“What the fuck?”
“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do may be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to consult a lawyer…”
As the cop said these words, I felt the world stop rotating around me. I could feel my head spinning; I was in a state of shock. It took me a few minutes to realise that this wasn’t a bad dream, this wasn’t a fucking nightmare. I’d screwed up so badly. I was supposed to kill this motherfucker and my mind started playing tricks on me, reminding me of the past.
No weakness… that was my fucking motto. So why the fuck didn’t I just stab him and get out of there? Why did I have to remember every brutal moment of Thomas double-crossing me at the wrong time?
All my memories, everything I’d worked for. It was all gone. It was all worthless now, and it all meant nothing. I was going to jail. What the fuck had I done?
“If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish.”
As I spun back to reality, the cop read me the last of my rights. I didn’t know what to do. I was desperate. I couldn’t go to jail… I couldn’t. I wouldn’t be able to cope in there. It would fuck me up mentally… put me over breaking point.
“This is all a misunderstanding. I’ve never been to jail before. I can’t do this to my mum, she’ll be at home worried…”
The cop rolled his eyes at me, folding his arms.
“Save the sob story
for when you’re behind bars,” he said angrily. “Come with me.”
He grabbed hold of me with force, throwing me into the backseat of the police car.
LATER THAT NIGHT
∆∆∆
The policeman led my mum to the cell.
“Your son was found late at night attacking a teenager in the alleyways,” the cop explained. My mum stared at me, white in shock. “I’ll leave you two to speak, before I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” The cop walked away.
Mum was trembling, taking deep breaths in and out. I could see the hurt and betrayal in her eyes.
I’d failed her. I’d failed my own fucking mother. After how hard she tried to raise me up right, to make sure the hood didn’t get the better of me.
This is what I gave her in return.
“How could you do this, Louis?” Tears welled up in her eyes. “All my life, I’ve just been trying to provide for you, to give you a good future. And you turn out like this.” Her voice was bitter, and she broke down into fresh sobs.
“Mum, I’m sorry,” I said, hanging my head, knowing I was a goddamn disappointment. “He deserved it, he-”
“Shut up Louis! I’m sick of your excuses!” Mum shouted. “Nobody deserves to get killed. Nobody. This man is fighting for his life in hospital, and here you are, feeling proud about it like a little bastard. I’m so ashamed of you.”
“Mum, you wouldn’t understand! You don't know what he did to me, he…”
“This is all my fault, for giving you too much freedom for your own good. Letting you roam around at 4 in the morning without asking where you were, letting you be friends with the bastard friends you have.”
“Don’t blame yourself Mum, I…”
I drew a deep breath. I could feel my heart shattering and tearing apart as the realisation hit me. My mum, who bore me in her womb for 9 months, watched me grow from a kid to an adult, raised me by herself when my dad wasn’t in the picture. I’d let her down. I let down the only woman who’s ever had my back in this cold world, in this world where your own friends wouldn’t think twice before stabbing you in the back. I let down the only woman who’s been there for me from the very beginning.
“I - I never meant to let you down, Mum.”
“But you did. You goddamn did.”
Mum turned away from me. She couldn’t even look me in the eye anymore.
“These past few years have been torture for me. When that man attacked you…”
I drew a deep breath, because I knew she was talking about Thomas.
“When that man tried to kill you…
“I really thought I'd lost you.
“I thought I'd lost my only son, my son who I'd do anything for. I thought you were gonna die.
“I spent weeks just lying down next to you in hospital, praying for you to recover. I was so relieved when the doctor told me you were going to survive. I swore to myself that I'd never let anything bad happen to you again, that I'd keep you close to me and make sure you never got into something like this again.
“I failed myself.”
“It’s not your fault, Mum,” I tried, but I knew it was no use.
Mum slapped me across the face. My hand sprung to my face. I was shocked, because she’d never laid hands on me before. I guess I deserved it. She gasped, not believing what she’d done.
“I don’t ever want to hear from you again,” she said quietly. “You deserve this time in prison.”
I felt a lump in my throat. I tried my best not to break down.
No Mum, you don’t mean that…” I tried putting my hand on her arm, and a tear rolled down my cheek. “I love you Mum, don’t do this to me…”
“The policeman is waiting outside the cell. I better not keep him waiting.”
Mum gave me a long and hard stare.
“I love you Mum,” I said, desperately trying to find some proper closure between us.
Mum shook her head, and turned on her heel, following the policeman out the cell. I was alone again.
“MUMMMMMM!”
I fell to the floor in anguish, screaming for my mum. I cried and cried out for her, but she didn't come back. I was going to be spending five years of my life with nobody here to look out for me.
REWINDING BACK TIME
FOUR YEARS EARLIER
WHEN ALL THE MADNESS BEGAN
I sat down in front of the TV, playing Crash Bandicoot as usual. My stepdad Steve was coming round today. Steve was black, in his 40s. I couldn’t wait to see him. He always came round to see me, and help Mum with money, because she was finding it hard to manage without Dad.
Dad left me when I was ten. I hadn’t really given it a second thought. I didn’t need him, and Mum was strong without him.
Dad is Caribbean and Mum is white. I was half black, and half white. Dad’s parents disowned him when they found out that he secretly got married to Mum, because they didn’t like her. After staying with us for a long time, Dad finally realised he’d had enough. When Dad left, Steve came along.
My phone started ringing, and I jumped to answer it straight away.
“I’ll be there in 5 minutes, little man,” Steve said on the other end of the line.
“Can’t wait! I’ll go tell Mum to get the table ready,” I replied excitedly.
“That’s live, son, I’ll let you know when I’m here.”
I hung up the phone and made my way to the kitchen. Mum was standing there washing the dishes, with her back turned to me.
“Mum, we need to put the food out. Steve’s gonna be here any minute!” I said, with my hands on my hips.
Mum looked startled. “That was fast. I haven’t had time to make him anything.” Mum held her hands against her face, trembling. I didn’t know why she was panicking so much, or why she looked so scared and nervous, but I decided to shrug it off.
“Why am I so stupid?!” Mum screamed.
I laughed awkwardly, furrowing my eyebrows, and then put my hands up to stop Mum from rummaging through the cupboards. “Mum, it’s calm! We have tuna and bread, we’ll make him some sandwiches.”
“I guess that’ll have to do,” Mum replied, unsure. She blew a small sigh of relief and then started preparing the food.
The doorbell sounded. “Steve’s here!” I said excitedly.
I ran to the door and opened it. Steve came in and gave me a massive hug. “You alright, little man?” he chuckled.
“I’m good, man!” I said happily. He walked into the living room where Mum was standing, scratching her arm uneasily. She straightened out her hair and clothes, and Steve’s arms folded angrily; it was like his blood was boiling just by looking at Mum. He raised an eyebrow at her outfit.
“Linda, a word?” Steve hissed, gently moving me aside.
“Okay,” Mum said, afraid.
“Sorry,” I said awkwardly. “I’ll get out of your way.”
He took Mum into his arms, smiling over me at his shoulder. I smiled back, reassured.
STEVE
“What the fuck are you wearing?” I hissed angrily at Linda, grabbing her hair, so that Louis couldn’t hear me.
“I… erm…” Linda took deep breaths in and out, jumping up, looking frightened. I knew she was trying to remain calm for Louis’s sake.
I rolled my eyes angrily, walking away from her. I was pissed off, and I couldn’t be arsed to deal with her bullshit today.
“Come on, Louis,” I said. Linda adjusted her clothing so her cleavage couldn’t be seen. Louis nodded happily and we both walked towards the television.
LOUIS
“You still play Crash Bandicoot?” Steve laughed, as he looked at the television screen. He reached for the bag next to him and pulled out some games, ‘Grand Theft Auto’, ‘Assassin’s Creed’ and ‘Fifa’.
I gasped. “Steve, you’re the best!” I opened up the CD’s, unable to believe my eyes. “These must have cost you a fortune!”
“It’s been a while since I got you something nice and you’re al
ways playing the same old stuff, it’s time to play suttin’ new!” he said cheerfully, ruffling my hair.
Mum came into the lounge from the kitchen. She gasped as she saw the games. “Steve, you shouldn't have! You spoil him rotten! And you know I'm struggling with money…”
I rolled my eyes, suddenly pissed off. “Mum, will you stop going on about money and let us have fun for once? Jheeze.”
“He's right Linda, he deserves it. Let the kid breathe for God's sake,” Steve said, folding his arms.
“But I've got bills due soon that I need to pay…” Mum said timidly.
“You know I'll pay your goddamn bills so what's the problem? Let me do some nice stuff for the kid, I don't even see him that much anymore.”
“I - I…”
“That's enough Linda.” Steve rolled his eyes and I did the same. It was annoying how fucking over-bearing my mum was sometimes.
I opened up Assassin’s Creed and started playing it on my console.
STEVE
I chuckled happily as I watched Louis play Assassin’s Creed, and then looked around the room to see Linda crying at the other side of the room. I sighed, walking towards her.
“Hey, cheer up babe. I’m sorry for being a moody prick, I’ve just had a long day.” I gave her a hug to shut her up, and she sighed underneath my touch uncomfortably, feeling obliged to hug me back. This just pissed me off more. I kissed her on the cheek, desperate to get a normal reaction out of her, and she drew a deep breath in nervously.
“It’s okay,” Linda mumbled.
“That smile is what I like to see, baby girl!” I grabbed hold of her face, kissing her forcefully, not giving a fuck whether she liked it or not.