by D. Camille
“The wannabe next mayor…”
“Yeah...and he’s involved in buying up all that property where the Neo Negus were doing their work.”
“Let us know if you need any help.”
Smiling, Miles said, “I think I’ve got it.”
“I’m saying, we know you’re the man at documentaries. So leave the serious stuff to the pros.” Corvus warned.
“Like I said, I’ve got it.” Miles assured him.
Lance returned and took a seat.
“What’s up Miles?” He asked.
“I came to see my brother. Check up on you.” Miles returned. “Chop it up…”
Laughing, Lance said, “Yeah, Mama told me you’ve got cuffed.”
“Who got cuffed?” Corvus asked. “Not Miles…”
Miles looked at the pair, who’d been a pain in his side forever, but he loved these two men who were his true brothers.
“Miles,” Corvus said. “Who’d you let cuff you?”
“Taylor’s sister.” Lance answered.
“With the red hair?” Corvus clarified and Lance nodded.
Corvus nodded at Miles. “She’s bad...I’d let her cuff me, too.”
“I didn’t come to talk about her.” Miles told them firmly.
“So what did you want to talk about?” Lance asked.
Miles leaned forward.
“Y’all schooled me on how to maneuver with these women and not get caught slipping.”
“Oh shit!” Lance interrupted. “Who caught you?”
Corvus frowned. “You let somebody catch you?”
“No.” Miles told them. “I didn’t.”
Lance gave a sigh of relief.
“Man, don’t go out like that.” He preached. “Wait until you find the woman you want to be the mother of your kids. That’s nothing to play with.”
Miles agreed. “I’ve been thinking a lot about that, lately.”
Corvus laughed. “You had a scare, didn’t you?”
“We all have…” Lance shrugged. “It’s the chance you take when you’re in those streets.”
“I knew she was lying, but that shit shook me.” Miles admitted. “I’d never want her to be the mother of my child.”
“Yeah, if she would lie about it, she would’ve been a whole pain in the ass.” Corvus agreed.
“How do you know?” Miles asked.
“Know what?” Lance questioned.
Miles answered, “How to pick her.”
“You make a list of what you want.” Corvus replied.
“What?” Miles asked confused.
“Don’t listen to him.” Lance said, giving Corvus a look.
“Is that what you did?” Miles asked Corvus.
He nodded. “Hell yeah...and I got everything I wanted in my woman.”
“Don’t listen to that,” Lance told his brother again.
“What did you ask for?” Miles inquired.
“I wanted her to be able to cook, to sing…”
Miles frowned. “Why?”
“I was giving my life to one woman, so she had to be able to fulfill everything I loved, in all my women.”
Lance looked at Miles. “I told you don’t listen to him.”
“Even down to being a virgin,” Corvus continued. “I didn’t want my babies passing through any remnants of another dude.”
This caused both Lance and Miles to frown.
“I’m just saying.” Corvus sat back. “That’s what was important to me…”
Miles turned to his brother.
“What about you?” he asked Lance.
“It’s always been Khayla. I knew from a kid.”
“So neither of you are any help.” Miles told them.
They laughed as he glared at them.
“It’s the woman who moves your heart, man.” Lance told him. “It’s when you look at her and you can see your whole life.”
Corvus agreed. “Now that’s the truth.”
******
Miles left his brother’s home, then went to pick up Tremaine at is house on the West Side of Detroit. When the younger man climbed into his SUV, Miles looked at him.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
Tremaine nodded. “Let’s do it.”
“Go over the plan.” Miles instructed as he drove off.
“We go in. You talk about documenting his campaign and how he’s going to make the city great again.” Tremaine said frowning. “I’m your assistant and I’ll be taking notes and conducting interviews of the staff and volunteers, while your work is focused more on Campbell and his actions.”
“Good job.”
“Watch your back around that dude, Miles.”
Miles looked at him. “Watch yours, too. We don’t know who’s doing what in this camp.”
“I got it.”
There was silence for a moment, then Miles asked, “Why did you volunteer to do this?”
Tremaine answered, “I was the leader of the Neo Negus. I need to set the example.”
“The twins chose you to lead. What did you do for them?” Miles asked.
“Whatever they asked…basically.”
“They were working with Campbell?”
Tremaine nodded. “Yeah…”
“So, he might know who you are?”
“Nah, the twins never gave up our identities.”
Miles lifted a brow. “We’ll find out, won’t we?”
At the headquarters, Miles and Tremaine entered and were shown to John Campbell’s office. He stood and shook Miles’ hand.
“Mr. Johnson, welcome to my headquarters.”
“Thank you for having me.” Miles replied. “This is my assistant, Tremaine.”
Tremaine greeted Campbell before they all took a seat.
“Tell me more about your project,” Campbell requested.
“I own a studio in the city where I produce documentaries,” Miles began. “I highlight the good and the not so good happening within our boundaries. The next Mayoral race will surround issues of gentrification and economic success for the residents. You’ve come out with some bold accusations against Mayor Williams as his challenger, so I’d like to follow your campaign and document how successful it will be…”
“Mayor Williams was elected in a race that held a convicted felon.” Campbell pointed out.
“Patrice Dansby wasn’t a felon at the time of the race.” Miles corrected.
“He also happened to be dating the Police Chief at that time,”
Miles rebutted, “Which had no bearing on the race…”
“Everybody doesn’t think so.”
“Who is everybody?” Miles asked.
Campbell shrugged. “Let’s just say that now the Mayor will have a real challenger.”
“Are you open to me documenting your run?”
Light blue eyes met Miles’ brown ones.
“Sure, why not?” Campbell agreed. “It’ll be great to show at my inauguration.”
“You’re confident that you can beat Mayor Wiliams?” Miles questioned.
“Yes.”
Miles nodded. “His approval rating with the citizens is at almost ninety percent.”
“Those are current citizens.”
“Are you planning for an influx of new residents?” Miles asked.
“I think we’re already seeing that with the new development of Downtown.”
“You mean the gentrifying of Downtown and other areas around the city?”
Campbell smiled. “Why do people use gentrification like it’s a bad word? It shows progress.”
“Not for the people being displaced.” Miles returned.
“Why do you want to follow my campaign, if you think I’m going to lose?”
“I never said that.” Miles responded. “And my job isn’t to determine a winner…”
“Isn’t your brother a close friend of Mayor Williams?”
Miles answered, “Yes.”
“So will this documentary be biased?”
/> “I’m a professional.” Miles told him.
“Let’s find out.”
The men discussed some further details and once the agreement was made, Miles and Tremaine headed back out to his vehicle.
“I want you to watch everything going on around there.” Miles ordered.
“I think he suspects that you’re up to something.” Tremaine told him.
“Good. That means he’ll go out of his way to hide it.” He replied. “Which means he’ll fuck up.”
“You should’ve led the Neo Negus.”
Miles frowned. “I’m my own damn Negus.”
“I heard about you.”
“I’m sure you have.”
Tremaine asked, “How do you keep your stuff on the low like that?”
“I know what I’m doing and I learned from the best there is…”
“That’s why you should be the leader.” Tremaine pressed.
“I’m not trying to deal with y’all asses.”
“I mean, we can trust you...and from what I know, you not the dude to fuck with out here.”
Miles kept driving. “Aren’t you the leader?”
“Yeah, but like you said...the twins just put me in that position.” Tremaine answered.
“Do you trust your group?” Miles questioned.
“Yeah.”
“All of them?”
Tremaine frowned. “Is there somebody I shouldn’t trust?”
“I’m going to need you to answer that for both of us.”
“Who do you think it is?”
Miles shrugged. “Who do you think it is? These your dudes…”
“Nah, we loyal…”
“You sure about that?” Miles asked. “Because if I was the leader, I’d be damned sure I could trust the people around me, or I’d be eliminating them.”
Chapter 15
Later that night, Liv got the evening call from Miles. Seeing his face made her smile which prompted his own smile in return.
“Hi, Miles…”
“Hey, Liv.”
“What are you doing?”
He held up a plate of food. “Eating dinner.”
“It’s late,” Liv told him.
“Yeah...another busy day.”
“I never knew a documentarian who stayed so busy.” She commented.
Miles laughed. “You don’t know another documentarian.”
“No. I don’t.”
“See…”
“You need some home-cooked meals. You eat out every night.” Liv complained.
“Are you going to come cook for me?”
She gave him a look. “I didn’t say that.”
“Then stop talking.” He teased.
“If I did come cook for you, you’d never want me to leave…” Liv boasted.
Miles continued to eat. “Hmm...when you were here I didn’t even think you knew I had a kitchen.”
“I wasn’t there to be in your kitchen.”
He looked at her face.
“It wasn’t a problem, though.” Miles told her.
“I didn’t think so.”
Still eating, Miles asked, “So how was school?”
“It was good. One more full week, then I’m a free woman.” Liv joked.
“You still thinking about your summer plans?”
She paused. “Yeah...why?”
“Just asking.”
When he didn’t elaborate, Liv asked, “What did you do today?”
“Saw my brother, started on a new project.”
“Another one?”
“Yeah.”
“You really do stay busy.”
“I told you.”
She smirked. “Tell me how you became a documentarian, since I seem to have done all the talking when we were together.”
“I didn’t mind. I love your country accent.”
“Thanks.”
Miles laughed, then answered her request.
“When Lance finally told me to get my shit together or get out, I decided to go to film school, here in Southfield, Michigan.”
“What made you choose film?” Liv asked softly.
“I thought I was going to be the next John Singleton.”
She smiled. “Boyz in the Hood?”
“Something like that.” He agreed. “But I found that I preferred telling actual true stories that were compelling...because we have so many that get overlooked.”
“I agree with that.”
“So since I wasn’t into dramatizing, I went for documentaries.” Miles explained.
“How’d you get noticed enough to win awards?”
He answered, “I was picked up by a black-owned studio out in California. Whitlock Studios. They heard about my work and packaged it for distribution.”
Liv blinked, then said, “They are really good.”
“You’ve watched?”
“All of them.”
He looked surprised. “You didn’t.”
“Did to…” She rebutted. “And guess what?”
“What?”
“You’re even more amazing than I ever thought.”
Miles shied away. “You like to stroke my ego.”
“Not your ego, baby…” she said naughtily. “And don’t try to be shy...you know your work is damn good.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m excited about your project with the school system. I can’t wait to hear more about it.” Liv said excitedly.
“Can I use you for some commentary?” He asked.
“Me?”
He nodded. “Yeah...you’re a teacher.”
“I’m sure you know teachers in Detroit.”
“I do.”
She looked at him. “So why do you want to use me?”
“You’re passionate, articulate, you enjoy your students, you’re honest and...you film well.” He finished with a grin.
“See, you almost had me until that ending.”
“Seriously, I’d love to have your viewpoint coming from a different part of the country.” Miles told her. “A different educational system.”
“I can see that.” Liv agreed.
“I could pay you a standard rate,” he added. “And get you IMDb credits for future gigs...”
“I don’t want either one…”
Miles stared at her. “Then what do you want?”
“I just want to help you do something incredible.” Liv told him.
“That’s...cool.” He said slowly, reacting to her words.
“Besides, you helped me out with Ty.”
Now, he frowned.
“Has he contacted you?” Miles asked harshly.
“Not a peep.”
“Okay.” He nodded. “He got the message.”
Liv studied him.
“How’d you get a message to him all the way from Detroit?” she questioned.
“Technology.”
“Okay, Miles...but thank you,”
“You don’t have to thank me, baby.” Miles replied. “I’m not going to let some dude harass you.”
Smiling, Liv said, “I really didn’t know that you cared.”
“I need to fix that.”
“How?”
“Not sure yet...and I have to be confident that it’s reciprocated.”
Liv leaned back on her sofa.
“You don’t know if I care?” she asked.
He shrugged. “You could just want the tap outs…”
“The tap outs are very noteworthy, I must say…”
“But?” Miles prompted.
She looked serious. “But, there’s more…”
Miles put his plate aside and asked, “Is there?”
“A lot more, Miles.” Liv assured him.
“Enough to get a live viewing tonight?”
Her eyes widened.
“A live viewing?” she said slowly.
“Yes.”
“You want to see me naked?”
He nodded slowly. “Butt ass naked.”
�
��Then I want the same.”
“Done.” Miles said quickly. “You first.”
“Are you recording this?”
“Just in my mind.”
Liv grinned. “Okay…”
Miles waited while she placed the phone where the camera could catch her.
“To the left.” He directed. “Higher...now lower. Perfect.”
“You can see me?” Liv waved at the screen.
“Yeah…”
For the next ten minutes, Miles watched her undress then give him a myriad of sensual visuals to etch into his brain.
“You’re so beautiful, Liv.”
She pursed her lips and blew him a kiss.
“My turn.” She said in anticipation.
Like Liv, Miles positioned his camera for her viewing.
“Is that good?” he asked.
“You’re a natural at this.” Liv teased. “I can see all of you.”
Watching him undress, Liv bit her lip. Miles was so handsome and sexy it made her wet just looking at him. When he grabbed the rigid part of him that made her scream, she wanted to touch and taste it.
Miles saw her frown and stopped his show to ask, “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t like this game.” Liv told him.
“Why?”
She looked into the camera.
“Because this just makes me want you more…”
He sat back naked.
“What do you want to do?” Miles asked softly.
“You told me, when I missed you...all I had to do was call.” Liv reminded him. “And I told you, that when you missed me, I wanted more than a call.”
“Okay, baby...I hear you.”
Miles began to reach for his clothes.
“What are you doing?” Liv questioned.
“Putting my clothes back on.”
She picked up her phone and brought it closer. “Hold on now. I said I didn’t like the game. Not that it was over…”
******
The next morning, Miles was back at the old bookstore meeting with Mr. Shaw.
“You still think there’s something here?” Miles asked.
“I do.”
“What are we looking for?”
George’s eyes narrowed as he looked around the room.
“The reason they chose this place,” he answered.
“Because it was a bookstore, just like the one you own,” Miles explained. “And they wanted to replicate everything you did.”
George shook his head.
“Everything they did had a reason.”
“I guess if the little Neo Negus hadn’t taken out one of them, we could’ve asked these questions.” Miles commented.
