Fast Money and Cold Hearts

by Ghost

  I squeezed my eyelids together, and allowed the water to slide down my face. I felt sicker than a dog. I knew there was a way to use Kamya against that nigga. I saw the way he’d been looking at her every since she was thirteen years old. He wanted her. I had to figure out a way to hook him onto her line, once that happened I would be able to penetrate his pussy ass. “Aiight baby. I’ma show you what it do. I need you right now. I just need to hold you for a minute until I can gather myself. I feel like doing a bunch of way out shit right now that I can’t do. So come on, let’s go back here and lay up. Put that big ass in my lap and all of that.”

  Kamya took my hand. “Come on. You know I got you. I can definitely do all of that.” She kept holding my hand and I watched her fluffy ass cheeks jiggle, while she walked in front of me all the way to her bedroom. I wound up holding her the whole night through, with nothing but hatred in my heart for Mikey.

  Chapter 5

  The following morning I put ten bricks of the Rebirth in Smoke’s hands. Before twelve o’clock that afternoon he and his young hittas had Orange Mound jumping like a pogo stick. Instead of there being just one line coming from one of the trap houses, there were now four of them coming from four different spots. They were so long that they looked like the lines in Great America when a bunch of people were waiting to get on a rollercoaster. He and I sat in one of the money houses in the Mound.

  A money house was where the workers brought the bags of money they'd accrued after a certain number of sales. They weren’t allowed to have more than a specific amount of cash them at a time. For Duffle Bag Cartel, that was ten thousand. Every time they got ten thousand dollars on them they brought the money over to the money house. Inside the house was me, and Smoke, and six armed men. Two faced the door, that had a two by four across it, with guns out. two more were in charge of guarding the back door. It also had a two by four across it, and they kept their guns out. The other two roamed the interiors of the trap looking for anything suspicious, that including noises, or whatever. All of them were given the green light to murder on sight. This house kept my livelihood in store until I came over and helped Smoke count the profits before I duffle bagged it, and took my share away.

  Smoke had a big blunt in his mouth, and a stack of ten dollar bills in his hand counting them fast as a bank teller. Since the smoke was drifting upward toward his forehead, he had his right eye squinted. “Mane, I don’t know what the fuck you put on that dope, homeboy, but that shit be having these feens going crazy. I ain’t never made so much money in such a short amount of time in my life. I’ve got my rent paid up for six months in advance, my shawties rocking everything fresh and new, and I’ma cop me this lil Lexus truck from down the way later on today. All I gotta drop is fifteen for it, and he want five zips of this Rebirth. That bitch ain’t even got two thousand miles on it. You know I gotta have that.” He placed the stack of money in a neat pile in front of him, stood up. and took the blunt out of his mouth. “Say Mane, when we gon move on that Dragon nigga. I hear he over there making waves in Black Haven. They getting money hand over fist. If we don’t do something soon they gon get so big that they’re going to wind up being a serious problem. We gotta strike soon.”

  I finished counting my bundle. It totaled twenty eight thousand dollars in ones, tens, and twenties. My head hurt, and my finger tips felt numb. “Soon as I get back lil Potna. Let me handle this shit with this snow sunny, and when I get back we gon take a good look at them. In the mean time, you just keep getting money wit the crew. When I come back you should be every bit over a hundred gees. You feel me?”

  He nodded, and sat back on the couch, picked up another wad of cash and started counting it. “You the boss Mane. I will tell you what tho. Them Black Haven boys fuckin with them Asians getting all kinds of artillery. Whenever we do go at Dragon we better be ready. They got that shit that spit rapidly. We need to step our firepower game up. I know a few niggas that a get us right.” Smoke took the blunt out of his mouth, and dumped the ashes in the ashtray.

  “Set that shit up and see what they got. Check them prices and if it sound good we’ll fuck wit ‘em. Don’t let that be your primary focus though. I need you to focus on the money. We gon handle that war shit at the right time. Trust me on this.” The Rebirth was rocking. I wanted and needed for us to capitalize off of its success. The more money we made in a hurry was the more I could stash. I didn’t know what I would use it for off the top, but I was sure that would come to me.

  “Aiight, Playboy. I’ma do just that. But I’m letting you know that if them niggas come over here on that dumb shit that me and this cartel ain’t gon hesitate to wreck some shit. They don’t call me Smoke for nothin. I can’t wait until we wetting some shit up. I wanna see some niggas bleed man. I hate them Black Haven niggas, especially Dragon's ass.” He scrunched his face, and lowered his eyes. “You heard any word about your daughter? Mikey still playing them bitch ass reindeer games?”

  At the mention of Mikey’s name it made me cringe. My heart started pounding fast. “That’s gon be the first nigga I torture worse than I ever have before. I hate that nigga with all of my soul.” I grabbed the black duffle bag from the side of the couch, and stuffed it with cash. “How much is on that table in front of you?”

  “That’s fifty thousand. Once I take my fifteen, it’ll be thirty five.” He began to separate his stash from mine. “You want me to smoke that nigga? On everythang, Mane, I’d love to do that shit, bruh.”

  I was grabbing the stacks of cash he pushed toward me, stuffing them inside of the bag along with the other money. “N’all, l don’t know what’s the specifics wit my daughter just yet. If we murk his ass that could be a major downfall for my baby girl. I can’t risk that shit so we gon hold fast.” I kept grabbing cash and stuffing it. “It’s good to know that you got my back like you do though lil Homie. That’s why I gotta keep you eating.”

  “Say Boss.” One of Smoke’s men said, as he looked out of the curtain toward the parking lot.

  Smoke stood up. ‘‘What it do, bruh?”

  “I think that’s that fuck nigga Mikey truck that just pulled up across the parking lot. You want me to spray that bitch down like a can of Raid?” He asked, taking his nine millimeter off of his waist, and cocking it.

  Smoke looked over to me. “Its up to you, Phoenix. We can fan this nigga down right now. I’m talking a hunnit shots. All you gotta do is say the word.”

  I was so close to having my lil niggas sweat him. I wanted this Nigga’s life over and done with. I wanted my baby back. I wish I had known where he was keeping her. If I had, I would have killed his ass right away.

  “Aw Mane, that ain’t no nigga rolling that truck. That’s some pregnant Bitch.” He put his gun back in his hip, and allowed the curtains to fall back in place.

  My phone vibrated with a text from Alicia saying that she was outside, and she needed to talk to me. She said that it was an emergency. To please not ghost her as I had been doing for the past week.

  Alicia, was Mikey’s wife. Prior to her marrying him, she and I had been getting down every chance we got behind his back, and even once while they were married. As cool as I was with Mikey I had a hard time staying away from his bitch because her pussy was so good, and she was so bad. After he found out about us being together on the low, and her possibly carrying my child, we fell out, and he snatched my daughter, Shanté in a act of his waging war.

  I read the message on my phone, and shook my head. I really didn’t feel like dealing with Alicia. There was so much other shit on my mind, already. Then again, she was pregnant with my child. I had to see what was was so urgent. I had to be there for her if she needed me.

  Smoke walked to the curtains, and opened them. “That’s Alicia’s truck, bruh. I know she ain’t over here to cop nothin. The only person she can be looking for is you.” He closed the curtain back. “You finna go fuck wit her?”

  I finished packing the duffle bag with my cash, and stood up. “Yeah, I’ma fu
ck wit you in a few weeks. You should have more than enough work to do your thing with. If there is any serious problems you make sure you hit me up like ASAP. Aiight?”

  Smoke gave me a half hug. “Bruh, I got this. Gon handle yo bidness.”

  ***

  Alicia pulled the Escalade into the parking space, and turned off the gas, but left the radio playing. Tori Kelly serenaded the interior, singing about her first love. Alicia took a deep breath and turned to me. “Phoenix why haven’t you been hitting me back? I done tried to contact you on every social media platform that you got. Been hitting your phone. You just ain’t fucking wit me at all huh?”

  I let the seat all the way back, and closed my eyes for a second. “Shawty it ain’t nothing personal. I’m just trying to get my head together. I miss my daughter like crazy. Fuckin tired of playing these games wit yo weak ass husband. Then there is Dragon laying in the weeds. Shit just been real wild for me, that’s all.”

  “So you take it out on me? How fair is that?” She asked taking off her seat belt, and turning all the way so she could face me.

  I sighed, and opened my eyes. “I should of been able to turn that pussy down. Had I been able to do that I would never be in this position. Damn I fucked up. But I’ma get I right though. Trust me on that.”

  Alicia was silent for a moment, taking a strand of her natural hair, and putting it behind her ears. “Phoenix, I need you. Mikey has kicked me out into the streets. He cleared out my bank accounts, burned my clothes, and is filing for an annulment due to infidelity. He said the only reason he isn’t killing me is because as much as he hates me, he hated you even more, and he’s going to make you suffer. He's been beating me across the back every since you left. I want to show you my scars so bad but I’m afraid how you will react. They’re horrible.” She dropped her head into her lap. “I should of been strong enough to say no to you, Phoenix. I should have turned you down but I love you so much. I always have. Even before I married him.”

  Those were words that I didn’t want to hear in that instant. All I could think about was my daughter. I missed her so bad that I was on the verge of losing my top. Alicia was a constant reminder of where my daughter was, and the price that she was paying because of me. I felt sicker than somebody struggling with food poisoning. “So what do you what from me Alicia. Huh?”

  She kept her head bowed and shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. I’m scared, broke, and alone and a few months from giving birth to your child. I guess I just need your assistance. I need you to protect me from this cold world.”

  “I can’t even protect my daughter. How in the fuck am I going to protect you?” I imagined my baby somewhere tied up, starving, and cold. Begging for me. The mental image was killing my soul. This shit was breaking me down like a fraction.

  “Just put me up for a few weeks. I’ll find my way. My parents aren’t messing wit me because Mikey has turned them against me. He made me seem so dirty to them, and you already know how religious they are. My father hasn’t looked me in the face every since he found out that I was carrying your child. He says that I am disgrace. My mother only says that she has failed as a mother. I’m just tired of hearing all of that. She put me up for a few weeks. It shouldn’t take me that long to find my next move. Whatever you give me I’ll make sure I pay it back to you when I get on my feet.” Alicia mumbled all of this. From the tone of her voice I could tell that she was hurt, and broken.

  “Damn man.” I slid out of the passenger’s seat, and pulled her to the back of the truck, and held her in my arms, kissing the side of her forehead.

  “You know you ain’t gotta pay me back nothing. I’m just bugging right now. I got you. Whatever you need. Wherever you wanna stay, I’ll take care of it. Just don’t stress your pretty little heart.”

  She placed her face into my chest, and started to cry. “Why are you being so mean to me Phoenix? I thought you cared about me the way that I do you. I am carrying your child inside of me and its like it doesn’t even matter. Its not fair.” She sobbed loudly.

  “Alicia, its not that I don’t care. I do care about you. I have always cared about you, and that will never stop. Like I said, I just got so much on my mind that its screwing me up. You should already know I’ma hold you down though. How could I not? I know this is my fault.”

  Alicia held me tighter and sobbed louder. “I might know where he’s keeping Shanté. In fact I am sure I do.” She wiped her tears from her face.

  I tensed up. “Don’t play wit me Alicia. If you know where he’s keeping my baby you better tell me right now.”

  “I think he’s keeping her at the old Juke Joint on the east side of turtle creek. There is a big shack out there. Its surrounded by a big creek, and the Alligators surrounding it are big and stay hungry. I can’t confirm or deny if she’s really there but it won’t be the first victim that he has taken there. It wasn’t my business before, but it is now.”

  I pulled her to my chest, and held her more firmly. “I got you Alicia. I swear I do.”

  That night I put her up in a penthouse suite in the Hilton. I didn’t know for sure what my game plan was gong to be with her, all I knew is that I couldn’t leave her out on a limb. After all she was more then likely the mother of my child.

  Chapter 6

  Two days later, Nastia slid her hand into my lap, and interlocked her fingers inside of mine , as we flew to Moscow, Russia. Mikey sat a row in front of us drinking from a bottle of Moët, and tooting line after line of the Rebirth. The sight of this shocked the shit out of me because prior to this day I had only known him to fuck wit them Percocets, and maybe even a few Oxys from time to time, but nothing hard.

  Nastia leaned into me, and rubbed her cheek against mine. “You’ve been so quiet baby. What’s the matter?” Her blue eyes peered into my brown ones.

  I was mugging the back of Mikey’s head. Imagining what it would look like if I put a bullet through it. I hated that nigga worse than the Devil hated a Christian, but I was gon get his ass. I knew that without a shadow of a doubt, and when I did it was going to be lovely.

  “I’m good shawty. Just sitting here taking it all in that’s all.” I continued to look out of the Jet’s window. Images of Shanté’s face roaming through my mind.

  Nastia grabbed my thigh and squeezed it. “Baby, one of the main reasons I wanted you to come with me is so I could show you the other side of things. There is more to this world then just the Orange Mound. Sometimes you have to venture out into foreign lands and waters. Do you understand me? I can’t stress that to you enough.” She kissed the side of my neck, and licked up and down it. “I just want you to be happy baby. Trust me, there will be plenty time for you to show your anger during this trip. I have a few things in mind for you, and for Mikey that will help you gain further standings. So cheer up baby. Everything is going to be all right.” She tightened her grip.

  Mikey picked up his head from tooting, pulled his nose. And downed half the bottle of champagne, and laid back in the cream colored leather seat. “Can’t wait until we get here, Nastia. I’m ready to cut some shit up. I always wanted to murder one of them Russian mafuckas. I don’t know why, but I just do.” He leaned his head down again.

  “Remember Phoenix, while I am hobnobbing it will be your responsibility to make sure that Natalia is safe and sound. Watch her for me. Moscow can be a tricky place. No one can be trusted, and because of my father, and his vast enemies, I have to be sure that my daughter is in the best of hands.”

  “I got her. I already told you that. I ain’t got no problem wetting some shit over your kid. You do what you gotta do, and I’ll do the same.” I went back to mugging the back of Mikey’s head.

  “I don’t like when you’re like this Phoenix. I’m already stressed enough. I’m praying that by the time we land you’re in a better space. I have a lot of things planned and your attitude shouldn’t be the cause of their ruin.” She got up and went sat beside Mikey. They began to converse. Every now and them Mikey
would look back at me with a sneer on his punk ass face.

  I sat there trying to put things together in my mind. I knew that I was a long way from home. Forced to work with a mortal enemy who held the life of my daughter in the palms of his hands. This was going to be difficult for me. Nothing in my life had been easy. I would figure shit out, and prevail. I had no other choice . Shanté s life depended on it. Whatever role I had to play I would play it.

  ***

  Natalia opened the door to the two story mansion, that was located on the east side of Moscow. Saying that my mind was blown was an understatement. She was five feet six inches tall. Light skinned, with piercing blue eyes, and long curly black hair that fell to the back of her thighs. Her lips were luscious. There was a earring on the right side of her nose. Natalia was slim up top, and down low she was built like a sista. The aroma of her perfume was heavy as the big doors swung open.

  Nastia, frowned. “Didn’t I tell you to never answer these fuckin doors as long as you’re here? You have no idea how crazy the people that share this part of your bloodline is.” Nastia snapped, and brushed past her along with her entourage of security.

  Natalia rolled her eyes, and stepped to the side. “Well I told you that I didn’t want to come. You insisted that I did, and because you did you should already know that I’m not going to sit around in fear. Life is too short for that.” She stopped, and looked me in the eyes. “Don’t I know you?”

  I was the last person to step through the door. Her scent was doing some thing to me. The last time I’d seen her was in high school, and she didn’t look half as good as she did right now. This girl was gorgeous. “Yeah, I think we went to school together back in the day. You were in one of the lower grades though. My name is Phoenix.” I held out my hand for her.