by D. Camille
“First of all, you’re not mad.” Liv told her. “Secondly, you’re halfway married and I wasn’t going to be a third wheel, and lastly...I want this time with Miles to see if anything can come of it.”
“You haven’t known him that long.” Taylor pointed out.
“You slept with Mathias the day you met him, and now you’re engaged after what, a month?” Liv questioned.
Taylor smirked. “You know it’s longer than a month.”
“I’m just saying. There’s no set time to fall for somebody.”
“You’ve fallen for Miles?”
“Completely.”
Studying her sister, Taylor asked, “And what about him?”
“I think he’s getting there.”
“So you’re going to live with him?”
“Vacation.”
“What’s the difference.”
Liv shrugged. “I’m a guest, not a wife.”
“Does he know the difference?” Taylor asked.
“If not, he’ll find out.”
Taylor smiled. “You know I only want the best for you.”
“I know.” Liv agreed. “And right now, I feel that’s Miles, especially after he took on the Colonel.”
“He took on the Colonel?” Taylor’s eyes widened.
“Oh, I didn’t tell you…”
Taylor leaned forward. “No, but tell me now.”
“The Colonel came to my apartment and Miles wouldn’t even let him in.”
“What?”
Liv nodded. “Yes, when I got to the door, Miles had him blocked. Then when the Colonel started talking crazy, Miles wasn’t having it.”
“Really?” Taylor asked.
“Yes, he said that he’ll beat the Colonel’s ass, in front of him...and meant it.”
“Wow, Miles is something.”
Smiling, Liv agreed. “He is. I’ve never felt so protected.” She paused. “I didn’t even know that I wanted to feel that way.”
Taylor looked at Liv. “You should feel that way, Liv...and I should’ve done a better job as a big sister.”
“You are a great big sister.” Liv said firmly.
“Miles is good for you.” Taylor said quietly. “I worried...because of his reputation with women.”
Liv laughed. “Me, too.”
“But, he’s moved you into his house, so he’s made quite a statement with that.”
“I was surprised.” Liv admitted. “Especially knowing how he shields his space.”
“He wants you there.”
“And I want to be with him…”
Taylor nodded. “I’m glad you’re here...with Miles. Now what do you want to do today?”
“Let’s go shopping.” Liv said with excitement.
“For what?”
“Some new items for my movies…”
Blinking, Taylor looked at her. “You’re still making those?”
“They get better and better…”
******
“Where the hell is Miles?” Gideon asked the Neo Negus who were all waiting at the basketball court.
“He said he’s on his way,” Mike replied.
“This dude…” Gideon shook his head.
“Why don’t you like Miles?” Mike asked.
“I don’t trust him.” Gideon replied.
The other Neo Negus looked at him.
“You don’t trust Miles?” Eric questioned. “Why not?”
“How this dude know everybody, got everybody scared of him and he a damn cameraman?” Gideon asked. “He ain’t even a Negus.”
Mike frowned. “Miles ain’t a cameraman, fool.”
“Miles got connects all over.” Tremaine told Gideon. “And didn’t he rescue you?”
“Yeah,” Mike agreed. “How did the twins hem you up like that?”
Gideon looked at the others.
“I got a text to meet her.” Gideon explained. “When I got there, she pulled a gun on me and sprayed some shit in my face. Next thing I knew, Miles was there. Hell, maybe he was working with the twins.”
Mike frowned. “Miles wasn’t working with them damn twins.”
“How do you know that?” Trey asked.
Tremaine, Mike and Eric looked at Trey.
“Because Miles is one hundred.” Mike said. “And he wouldn’t go against the Negus…”
“Like old girls had us doing.” Tremaine added.
Gideon rebutted, “That’s because The Mastermind hated the Negus.”
“You still sound loyal to them.” Mike accused.
“You sound like you in Miles’ ass.” Gideon replied.
Mike stepped to him. “Who the fuck you talking to?”
Trey stepped between the two young men.
“Hey, chill out!” He told them.
Miles pulled up and they all watched as he exited the car and walked over to them.
“What the hell y’all doing?” he asked.
They all looked at one another.
“Y’all can’t talk now?” Miles questioned. “Because when I pulled up, it looked like y’all had a lot to say.”
“We cool.” Gideon told him.
Miles looked at Tremaine.
“Y’all cool?” he inquired. “You’re the leader, right?”
“Yeah...we cool.”
Nodding, Miles held out his hands. “Let’s ball then.”
Gideon threw Miles the basketball, then the group split up into two teams of three.
“Give me Gideon and Trey,” Miles announced.
Tremaine nodded. “Cool. I’ll take Mike and Eric.”
“You good with that?” Miles asked Gideon.
“Yeah…” he replied.
The group went on to play two games, with each team winning one. Miles gathered Gideon and Trey in a huddle.
“Last game.” He told them. “Y’all wanna win or what?”
“Hell yeah,” Gideon replied and Trey agreed.
“If you wanna be the victor,” Miles told them. “You gotta be able to trust the people on your team, otherwise your opponents have the advantage and they’ll take you out.”
Both young men nodded and he continued.
“If you’re not sold out for the team win, then you’re on the other side…”
Gideon, Trey and Miles won the last game by a landslide and Tremaine turned to Miles.
“Where’d that come from?”
“Motivation.” Miles answered. “It’s what a leader does.”
All the men went and sat on the bleachers, drinking from water bottles.
“How’s the training with Malachi and Ethan?” Miles asked.
“It’s good.” Tremaine answered. “We’re learning how to do stuff right.”
Miles looked at them.
“Is this what y’all still want to do?” he asked. “It’s not as glamorous as the twins made it.”
“Nah, it’s not.” Eric agreed.
“Everybody ain’t cut from this cloth.” Miles told him. “And that’s cool…”
They all looked at each other.
“What y’all know about that bookstore you were meeting at?” Miles asked.
“We already told the Negus.” Trey answered.
Nodding, Miles said, “Now tell me.”
“It was an old bookstore.” Tremaine answered. “We’d meet in the outer part. The Mastermind had a room in the back, where we didn’t go.”
“Did you meet with anybody else there?” Miles questioned.
“We didn’t.” Gideon answered.
Miles lifted a brow.
“Who did?” he asked.
“The Masterminds kept us hidden…” Gideon began.
“But?” Miles prompted.
He shrugged. “I saw somebody leaving there one time.”
The others looked at Gideon.
“Who?” Miles asked.
“Yeah, who?” Mike questioned.
“I didn’t know who he was at first.” Gideon hedged. “But I did some digging on my own…”<
br />
Miles waited for him to tell the name.
“I still don’t know why she was meeting with him.”
“Who the hell is it?” Miles asked getting frustrated.
“Your boy,” Gideon told him.
Frowning, Miles said, “My boy?”
“Yeah...which is why I don’t trust you.”
“What are you talking about, boy?”
“Your boy, Dre…” Gideon told him. “I asked my cousin Steve about him.”
“So Dre was at that bookstore?” Miles questioned.
Gideon nodded. “I saw him leaving.”
“Anybody else see him?” Miles looked at the group, and the others shook their heads.
“Why do you think Dre was there?” Miles questioned Gideon.
“I don’t know. Maybe you should ask him?”
“I will.” Miles promised. “In the meantime, keep your mouths shut.”
They all agreed and Miles headed to his truck. After starting the engine, he called Dre.
“Miles, what up doe?”
“You at the crib?” Miles asked.
“Yeah, you uh, coming through?” Dre asked hesitantly.
Miles began driving.
“Who all there?” Miles questioned.
“Me and Shannon...that’s all.” He answered.
“I’ll be there in an hour.” Miles told him.
“Cool…”
Miles ended the call, then headed straight to Dre’s place.
Chapter 19
Miles arrived on Dre’s block and parked down the street. Grabbing his weapon from underneath the seat, he climbed out still wearing his T-Shirt, sweatpants and gym shoes. Quickly, he made his way down the street and took the stairs two at a time onto the porch.
With a loud knock, he prepared his pistol as a startled Shannon answered.
“Open the screen and don’t say nothing.” He warned, showing her the gun.
She let him inside warily, then he walked in on a few startled men.
“Miles...what up doe?” Dre asked. “I thought you was coming by later?”
“I know.” Miles looked around the room.
One of the men went to stand, and Miles quickly pulled his weapon.
“Sit down.” He told him. “We’re not going anywhere now. Looks like I’m just joining the party.”
He glanced at Shannon. “Get over there with them.”
“Whoa, Miles...chill man.” Dre said, putting his hands up as Shannon came to sit next to him.
Miles turned his attention to the stranger in the room.
“Introduce yourself.” Miles told him.
“A friend…”
“Who’s friend?”
The man looked at Dre.
Miles glanced at the money sitting on the table, then back at the men.
“Take the money,” Dre told him.
“I didn’t come here for no damn money,” Miles replied. “Somebody better start talking before I start shooting up this bitch.”
“What you want to know Miles?” Dre cried.
“What were you doing with those twins?” Miles questioned.
“What twins?”
“There’s already one in the chamber,” Miles warned. “I don’t even got a cock…”
Dre looked nervous right before the front door was kicked in. Miles turned ready to fire, when he recognized the men.
“Don’t shoot.” Gideon yelled, with his weapon out.
“What are you doing here?” Miles shouted.
“We’re a team right?” Trey said. “You said that If you not sold out for the team, then you with the other side. We came because we’re not with the other side.”
Miles nodded, then all three turned their attention to the other men still sitting on the sofa.
“What’s up Dre?” Gideon asked.
“Let’s get this shit done.” Miles announced. “Dre you called me up to tell me that one of the Neo Negus was dirty. Now, I see you’re the dirty one in this scenario.”
“Me?” Dre questioned.
Miles looked at Gideon.
“I saw you leaving the old bookstore, where the twins met.” Gideon told Dre.
Miles watched the guilt cross Dre’s face although he still tried to deny it.
“I don’t know what you talking about.”
Trey stood back studying the men in the room. Miles watched as Trey walked up to the mystery man and put his gun to the man’s head.
“Trey!” Miles yelled.
“I know who you are.” Trey told the man.
Gideon glanced at Miles.
“Ain’t you the leader?” he asked. “Get your team.”
Miles frowned. “I’m not y’all damn leader.” He walked over to where Trey stood.
“What’s up Trey? Who is this dude?”
“I know him from the casino.” Trey replied and watched the man squirm. “Tell them who you are.”
The man remained silent glaring at Trey, then said, “I know who you are, too. All of you.”
Trey looked at Miles.
“This is one of Campbell’s bodyguards.” He told him.
Miles turned to Dre. “Damn...you fucked up.”
******
Liv ended the third call to Miles without leaving another message.
“No answer?” Taylor asked.
Checking her watch, Liv shook her head. “No.”
“It’s late, why don’t you just stay here tonight?”
“I came to stay with Miles.” Liv told her, starting to get angry. “I mean I know he said that he had some work to do, but to not even respond at all, and he’s the one who asked me to wait for him to pick me up?”
“Liv...calm down.”
“I am calm, but I didn’t come all the way to Detroit for some bullshit.” Liv snapped. “And if he’s out with some damn woman, I’m not doing that!”
“He said he was working.”
“He’s a damn documentarian! What are you doing so important that you can’t answer your damn phone or leave a message?” Liv told her, standing to her feet.
Taylor didn’t have an answer.
“Why would he do this?” Liv asked, pacing.
“I’m sure he has a good reason.”
Liv looked at her. “No you don’t.”
“I want to think so…” Taylor shrugged.
“I’m just going to wait at his place.” Liv said, reaching for her purse and bags. “I can’t believe I actually bought some lingerie for that Negro.”
Taylor stood. “I’ll drop you off.”
“Thanks.” Liv said. “If I’m still here tomorrow, I’m definitely getting a car.”
On the ride to Miles’ house, Taylor looked at Liv.
“What if he’s already there?” Taylor asked. “Like with someone…”
“I’ve thought about that.”
“And?”
“You’re the FBI. You can get me out of these charges.”
Taylor glanced at her.
“No I cannot, and at this point it’s clearly premeditated.”
Liv laughed. “Okay...I’m not going to hurt Miles, or anybody else. I’ll get my shit and bounce.”
“Do you want to get your things now, and we can take them to my place?”
“No. I want to see his face when he tells me where the fuck he’s been.” Liv’s eyes narrowed.
“But, you promise no violence?”
Looking out the window, Liv said, “I’m not planning any...let’s leave it at that.”
At Miles’ house, Taylor parked in front.
“This is a nice place.” She commented.
“It’s beautiful.” Liv agreed.
“Don’t tear it up.” Taylor warned.
Laughing, Liv said, “I’m not about to tear this man’s house up. I’m not stupid.”
She kissed her sister’s cheek, then opened the door. Grabbing her bags, Liv exited the car and walked to the door. Using the key that Miles gave her, she opened the door, and with a wave
at Taylor, she was inside.
Reaching for the lights, Liv began to bring the home to life. Upstairs, she put her bags in the closet, then went back down and turned the television on. The local news came on and a story caught her attention.
On Detroit’s Eastside, a house fire has claimed the lives of multiple victims. Police and firefighters are on the scene. At this time, the cause of the blaze is unknown as well as the names of the people inside. Neighbors tell us, this was a known drug house, and gunshots were heard before the fire started, so police are also investigating those leads.
Liv blinked. “Wow...Detroit is no joke. Who needs true crime shows?”
Heading to the kitchen, Liv poked her head into the refrigerator and was impressed by Miles’ grocery shopping. Taking out some items, she began making a meal.
******
Miles sat in the basement of the African bookstore, along with the Neo Negus, Malachi, Ethan and Mathias.
“Seems like we have a situation.” George told them.
Malachi looked at Miles.
“We did.” Miles agreed.
“I see the Neo Negus are back up to their old tricks.” George looked at the group.
“It was necessary.” Tremaine replied.
George sat back. “What happened over there?”
“I found out that none of the Neo Negus were working with Campbell.” Miles relayed. “It was Dre.”
“Dre?” Malachi asked.
“He was feeding information to Campbell’s bodyguard for cash and the promise of keeping his trap house off the list for the twins. Gideon saw him leaving the old bookstore and when I caught up with him, he was meeting with the guard, who Trey recognized.” Miles explained.
“So he was feeding you info to throw you off of him?” Malachi surmised.
“Exactly.” Miles agreed. “Then, Steve the rapper, tried to protect his cousin, Gideon. So he lied to me, too.”
Gideon nodded. “He didn’t want Miles looking at me. And, I thought Miles was dirty because he was cool with Dre.”
“And I thought Gideon was the snitch because of Dre…”
Malachi sighed. “So what the hell happened over there?”
“I had it under control, until…” Miles began.
“Until what?” George asked.
Gideon spoke up. “Until my cousins got word that I was at Dre’s with Miles.”
“Steve and his crew broke in and shot up the place.” Miles explained. “Dre had given Steve some bad weed and shorted him on some money. Plus, Dre had been putting Gideon in danger by putting it out there that he was a snitch.”
