by Belleza
Yanking her by her arm, I continued up the block to the house I knew was his. It’s been a long time and I wasn’t sure if I remember if I could get in from the window if he upgraded everything.
It was just my luck that we go in through the window. The smallest guy made his way in and disabled the alarm where I told him it should be. Five minutes later he returned and let us in the door.
“Check everything,” I instructed them.
They dispersed and ransacked the entire basement. I wasn’t sure if Ern kept money in his home but it was worth a shot.
Tabitha stood in the corner watching us move around his home. We didn’t find anything, so we moved to the first floor and then the second where Shirley was snatched up from her bed.
Her mouth was covered before she could scream and one of my men placed the barrel of the gun to her head. When she saw me her eyes got as big as saucers.
They brought up a chair from downstairs and bound her to it. Her eyes were trained on Tabitha the entire time who was moving from one leg to the next. She may have been nervous, but she had nothing to worry about because Shirley wasn’t going to make it out alive.
“Look at me,” I told her smacking her face so she could stop having Tabitha acting like a smoker. “I need you to answer some questions. If you scream, I promise you I will put a bullet through your fucking head. You hear me.”
Shirley was fearless. She didn’t nod her head to say she agreed but shot me a deadly look. Too bad she was the one that was outnumbered at the moment.
I ripped the duct tape that was placed on her mouth and she drew up some saliva and spat my way. I smacked her so hard the chair fell over onto the floor.
“Get that bitch the fuck up!” I ordered them.
They lifted the chair back up and Shirley still had her face balled up.
“Where’s the money Shirley?”
“Fuck you.”
“I’m sure you want to, but I think I’ve done enough dipping and dabbling in the family,” I responded. “WHERE. IS. THE. MONEY?”
“Is that what you’re here for? You should know better, there’s no fucking money in here Ernestine.”
I snatched her chin up in my hand looked her in her dead in her face.
“I don’t give a fuck about the money for real for real bitch. I came to teach that husband of yours a lesson. He thinks he’s untouchable. The quicker I knock out everyone surrounded him, the quicker I can get what belongs to me.”
“Easy! You can’t kill her,” I heard Tabitha cry out causing me to focus on her. I stood up and faced her fully taking out the loaded nine that had a Silencer attached.
I knew I wasn’t going to kill her. Shirley was going to die, but it wasn’t going to be at my hands. Tabitha knew a little bit too much, and I had to make sure she remained loyal until I was done with her which was the reason why she was here.
“I’m not killing her. You are.”
She held her hands up in the air shaking her head from side to side.
“Easy… please… please don’t make me do this. I have money if you want it I can give it to you, but Shirley doesn’t have anything to do with your hate towards Ern,” she tried to reason with me.
I pulled the hammer back and she jumped and tears poured from her eyes as I now had the gun trained on her.
“I… I … I… can’t do this Easy. Please don’t make me do this,” she stammered.
“Either she dies or you both die. You pick.”
I expected Shirley to beg for her life but she ain’t say a word. She just stared at Tabitha who was crying hard.
She extended her shaking hand, and I passed her the gun. “I’m so sorry,” she mumbled still crying a river. She lifted the gun attempting to hold it both hands. She was shaking so much the gun was unsteady. Still, Shirley didn’t say anything. For a second I thought she wasn’t going to pull the trigger until I heard the whisper of the gun before the bullet pierced her skull.
Tabitha dropped the gun and collapsed onto her knees sobbing into her hands.
“Let’s go,” I demanded walking out of the room. I wanted Ernest to return and see his wife dead. Meanwhile, I was already prepared for a war.
***
“Can I go home please? What if my sons wake up and see that I’m gone?”
We were at a trap in southwest drinking and playing cards. I regretted not getting rid of Tabitha when I should’ve because she was annoying the hell out of me.
“Come on man,” I said dropping my hand of cards and finishing off my beer.
I dapped up my hittas and moved to the door where Tabitha hurried behind me. She was quiet for the time being, and I was thankful not to hear her voice.
“Why did you have to kill her?” she asked once we were in the car.
“You killed her,” I reminded her.
“Don’t say that!”
“You did! Who else pulled that fucking trigger?”
“You made me! You threatened to kill me!!”
I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose because she was annoying the fuck out of me.
“So what you think you’re going to do now? Run back to your husband? You need to realize who side you’re playing on and tonight was just a little reminder that your ass is stuck with me. I don’t trust you.”
“Are you serious? Easy this is getting way out of control. First, it was about money, and I’m sure if you talked to Ern he would give it to you.”
“You think you know my brother?”
“He’s your brother. Family is everything to y’all. At least that’s what I thought.”
I snickered because she thought fucking wrong. “Family? Family isn’t everything when he dropped me to care for two other kids that don’t belong to him.”
“You mean three.”
“I said exactly what I meant.”
She got quiet, and I told her to not to ask me no fucking questions about it either.
“So what do we do now? What if he finds out we killed her?”
“He won’t unless you say something. The cameras in his house were disabled due to the power outage. Police weren’t called, and a dead body can’t talk. The only way he would know is if you say something, but I’m sure you won’t say anything since you pulled the trigger.”
“You set me up.”
“No, what I’m doing is making sure we’re on the same page. You don’t think I realized the shift in the way you’ve been moving since Johan gave you those papers. We’re in too deep that I can’t have you backing out on me.”
Tabitha dropped her head in the palm of hands and cried. That’s all she’s been doing this evening, and quite frankly it was annoying as fuck.
“I thought you loved me Easy.”
“I do,” I responded. “My life is like chess. I used everyone around me to protect me.”
She lifted her head and stared at me. I could see her tears running down her face from the streetlights as I drove through the streets.
“That’s not love, Easy. I would never sacrifice you for some money! Do you know what I gave up for you? For us?”
“I do know, and I appreciate it. Like I said it’s expected. You serve no purpose in my life if you have nothing to offer.”
Tabitha continued to cry asking herself what had she gotten herself into. She should’ve known by now. Cash and power ruled everything around me. I had a gang of young niggas that were hungry and ready to move when I said so.
When I pulled up to the condo, she tried to rush and get out, but I grabbed her arm to stop.
“Don’t you think about saying shit about this. Do you hear me? They will kill you because you’re the one that pulled the trigger. Remember that.”
Tabitha cut her eyes at me, and I tightened the grip I had on her wrist.
“Do you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Have a blessed night,” I told her, and she got out slamming the door hard behind her making the car rock.
All I could do was laugh b
ecause there wasn’t shit she could do about it. No matter what she did her time was limited. If I didn’t kill her, Johan and his brothers would.
JOHAN
The meeting in Florida was successful. Unc had a Columbian distributor that he’s been doing business with for years. I met him almost five years ago, and he was very pleased to be doing business with my brothers.
We met up at my club in Florida and had a quick meet and greet over a few drinks and a meal and then we were on our way back home.
Once we landed, I powered my phone back on a ton of notifications highlighted my screen from text messages to voicemails.
“Damn, my phone popping,” Asahd said looking at his screen.
“Shit mine is too,” I added wondering what was going on. The first thing that came to mind was my sons, and I didn’t bother to check the messages dialing up Tabitha to make sure everything was fine.
Her phone was just ringing and going to voicemail which gave me an uneasy feeling. Just as I was about to call again, someone approached us out of breath.
“Ern! Shirley is in the hospital. Someone broke into the house and shot her. She’s at Presbyterian Hospital.”
“Wait, what?!” I exclaimed.
Unc didn’t waste no time asking questions. He went to his car, and we all rushed to ours to follow wherever he was going. We drove like bats out of hell to the hosptial.
Usually, the calm one Unc was going crazy yelling and demanding he was taken upstairs to see his wife. They had to get security to try and calm him down, but we all shut that down real fucking quick. Them fat ass rent-a-cops stood no chance against my brothers and I.
I was able to get everything under control, and we were allowed to go up to her room. The Doctor gave us a run-down of her condition. She was shot in the head and it passed through noncritical parts of her brain, but they're just worried about the swelling and damage that gave her a greater chance of passing. Part of her skull was removed so her brain wouldn’t be confined as it expanded. My body ached just thinking about that shit.
After convincing us they did the best they could do to make sure she survived, we walked to the glass where she was in a bed hooked up to all these machines. Her head had a covering so whatever they did as part of the procedure wasn’t visible.
My heart broke, and for the first time in my life, I witnessed my uncle cry. It was a silent cry, and I brought him into me so he could get the release he needed. I know how he felt about my aunt. Shit, she was our Queen. Fuck being an aunt she more like a mother to us.
It was crazy he couldn’t even touch her because she was quarantined in a room. We were all quiet and sat in the chairs more than likely thinking about what we were going to do next.
Zayne and Asahd eventually left, and it was only Unc and I. My boys were with their mother, and I didn’t want to leave him at his weakest moment.
I didn’t remember falling asleep, but I got up from the hard as chairs and stretched my limbs. I looked at the clock and saw it was eight in the morning. The nurse assistants were in the room cleaning my aunt's body as she lay there, still unconscious. Unc was standing in the same spot with his arms crossed gazing into the window. I honestly didn’t think he moved all night.
“Were you able to get some rest?”
He shook his head and turned his gaze on me. “Go home and get your sons.”
“They’re with their mother, Unc. I’m worried about you.”
“And I’m worried about you. I can’t lose anyone else. Not me, you, your brothers or the boys and Za’naa. I’m here watching over Shirley but who’s protecting your family?”
I gritted my teeth thinking about any one of us being laid up in the hospital. Shirley didn’t belong there and whoever did this made it very personal. Right then I made my mind up that I wasn’t pulling out of this shit. My brothers and Unc needed me now more than ever. My clubs would thrive without my being there 100% because it made money with me being here in Philly majority of the time. Someone was going to pay for this shit.
***
“Thanks for keeping them home from school,” I told Tabitha once our sons were in the house.
“No problem. You know I wasn’t doing anything but is everything ok? You look like something happened.”
I stared at her wondering if I should break the news to her. Despite our differences, she was very much a part of my life and was close to Shirley.
I stepped to the side and allowed her into the house we use to share.
“Come in so I can talk to you.”
Tabitha stood still as a statue as if she didn’t hear the words that came out of my mouth. She eventually walked over and came inside following me to the kitchen after I locked the doors and set the Alarm.
“What’s going on Johan? You’re scaring me.”
“Shirley was shot last night in the head. She’s currently in a coma. We found out as soon as we got off the Jet.”
Tabitha’s hand covered her mouth in shock, and I dropped my head down not wanting to see her cry. The shit broke me down enough, and I couldn’t stand to see her cry either.
“Oh my God, please tell me you’re lying.”
“I wish I was.”
“This is ridiculous,” she sobbed. “I’m so sorry. I am so so so sorry Johan.”
“It ain’t your fault,” I told her. “Just make sure you’re safe. Together or not you may still be a target, so if you feel like you’re in danger, I can get security for you for the time being. I know for a fact when you’re with our sons you will have them with you. I can’t risk losing them.”
“That very generous of you. I’m so scared I might be next,” she cried harder.
I rounded the counter and enclosed her in my arms allowing her to cry. This is the most devastating event that happened in the family. I honestly expected one of us to be laid up hanging onto our lives, but it was the woman that wasn’t involved in anything we had going on.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Stop saying that. You don’t have shit to do with why she’s in that fucking hospital with her head cut open,” I yelled.
Tabitha stopped crying and stared at me blankly. I sighed and massaged my temples knowing I needed to get a grip on myself. I was spazzing out. I probably needed some rest but how can I sleep knowing my family was in danger?
“You hungry?” I questioned her walking over to the fridge.
“I can’t eat,” she mumbled. “Not after all of this.”
I took a bottle of water out of the fridge, opened it and turned it up. I then returned to the island where Tabitha sat with her head in her hands.
“I feel so bad for convincing you to stay in the streets. It’s too fucking dangerous.”
“It ain’t nothing I can’t handle.”
“I know but still, Johan! You’re not Superman. What if that was you lying in bed instead of Shirley.”
“I’d rather it be me than her,” I responded honestly because she didn’t deserve that shit. “The police have no clues as to who done it. Whoever broke into the house planned this to a T. We gotta take matters into our own hand. Someone will talk eventually, and I will make sure I kill them when I do find out.”
She shuddered when I said that and I meant every word too.
“Instead of getting security what you think about me staying here with you and the boys. I promise you I won’t be in the way. I’m scared to be out there alone, and I know you will protect me.”
“Honestly, Tabitha, you're not my responsibility. I only offered off the strength of you being the mother of my kids, but you don’t have to stay here to feel protected. I will hire people that will risk their lives to make sure you’re safe wherever you’re living.”
She balled her face up at me. “Is it another bitch? You moved on just that fucking quick that you don’t want me around?”
“You checked out of the marriage a long time ago, unless you forgot?”
“How long are you going to hold that against me? You’re acting as i
f you never loved me.”
“I know I loved you, but I’m not trying to cross that line with you. You’re lucky you’re even alive, to be honest. I always told myself I would kill your ass if you cheated and then it was my aunt you were fucking with. That shit is crazy.”
“I realized it was a mistake.”
“How you figure that now?”
“Because I miss my family and everything is spiraling out of control. Easy was a big fucking mistake!”
“I’m glad you recognize it. Maybe your next marriage you will take it seriously. I’m about to go get some rest though. Hit me up later and let me know when you want to see the boys and if you want the security, I got you.”
Tabitha pushed her stool back and stormed out of the house slamming the door behind her. I don’t know why she even thought about being close to me after what she did. It wasn’t happening. She proved to be disloyal, and she was still on my radar to be truthful. I was only keeping her close enough to keep an eye on her, but she wasn’t going to be close enough to bring her ass back up in here.
ZAYNE
“You can come with me if you want.”
“Nah, I’ll just chill out here. I can’t risk killing your baby mama if she gets out of line. We have enough going on.”
“I think she knows better.”
“Doubt it,” Keira added. “She’s retarded.”
I chuckled and then wrapped my arms around her. “Remember to let me know when you’re going somewhere.”
“Trust me, I know. Them big ass niggas sitting in the suburban in front of the door won’t let me go anywhere,” she reminded me.
“As they should. I pay them good money to do their job.”
“So if I have them protecting me, who’s protecting you?”
“I got me covered. It’s my job to worry about you and my kids. How many times I gotta remind you?”
“Still Zayne.”
“I’m ready!” Za’naa sang stopping our conversation and joining us in the kitchen.
“Just do as I say. Let’s go baby girl. Give KeKe a kiss so we can roll.”
Keira cut her eyes at me and then leaned over to hug and kiss Za’naa. I kissed her as well and then got Za’naa bundled up in her coat before we left out the house.
