by Tya Marie
Amos nodded his head at each demand. “Anything else you want to add?”
“In one year I'm out and I start working for myself.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “You saying you don’t want anything to do with my family I have welcomed you into with open arms? The Winthrop dynasty ain't good enough for you?”
“No,” I said with a vehement shake of my head. “What I mean is that I want to get back to playing ball. That’s where my heart is. Let me build this for you, take LaKeith under my wing—”
“Don’t nobody need to be under your wing,” LaKeith warned.
“In a year’s time I’ll have a cushion set up to take care of Drea and the baby. You’ll have Brooklyn in the palm of your hand. Everyone wins. How does that sound?”
The room was silent. All eyes were on Amos, waiting for his reaction. Our eyes remained locked on each other. I refused to back down; he knew he needed me more than I needed him at this point. Delivering the heads of the Veracruz Cartel made me an asset instead of the liability he thought he was stuck with.
“It sounds like you have a deal, William,” Amos said, cracking a smile. He rose from his seat, the entire table doing the same. “Let’s shake on it.”
I felt all eyes on me as I walked up to Amos. He held his hand out to me, which I shook, jumping as he pulled me in for a hug. From the corner of my eye, I could see Bull and LaKeith seething at my power move. They wouldn’t make a move without Amos’s approval, something I wouldn’t have to worry about for another 364 days. With promises to keep Amos posted on our next moves, Eric and I left the We Work office space. Amos had rented out the entire floor for the day, giving us complete privacy. On the way out, I saw Drea standing in the kitchen chugging down a bottled water. Our eyes met and she stormed out of the kitchenette, her face contorted with rage.
“How?” she said, hands on her hips. “Those aren't some fucking corner boys. I know cartel niggas when I see them. You couldn't have done it with just this scrawny ass nigga by your side. None of my father’s people knew about his. How the fuck did you do it? Who else do you have working with you?”
“Drea, your daddy ain't the only person out here with connections,” I said, stepping around her and continuing to the elevator.
Eric fell into step next to me, shaking with laughter at Drea, who stood there red-faced as she ran down a mental list of people in her head who could have helped me. I joined in as the elevator doors closed, dapping my boy up for having my back in that boardroom.
“Quill, you just pissed off a room full of niggas who want nothing more than to be where you are. You know what this means, right?”
I thought of Kelsey, who I promised a life of no drama. “We got one year to own this shit.”
15
Drea
I stormed into the conference room as everyone was gathering their stuff to leave, punching the duffle bag sitting in front of my seat and sending it flying into the other head where my brother sat. My father made a motion for everyone to sit back down. I had some shit to get off my chest and I wasn’t going anywhere until people listened. All eyes were on me save for Bull, who thought because he knew how to sling his shit right that he could embarrass me in front of people. I was a Winthrop, my father’s daughter, and I wasn’t going to tolerate disrespect in front of my family. Taking my shoe off, I threw it at Bull, the tip of the heel hitting him square in the forehead. Blood poured from the tiny hole, dripping onto his crisp white tee. There was a scramble to hand him a napkin, one I stopped with one pointed look.
“You don’t have to listen to the words coming out of your brother’s mouth, but you better look at me when I'm talking,” I barked, slamming my hand against the table. Whether they were scared or not, niggas jumped, their eyes finding mine. I turned my attention to my father. “Daddy, where is Quill going and why does he look so damn happy?”
Amos sat back in his chair, staring at me with approval in his eyes. “You would know if you were able to control your stomach contents better.”
“Daddy…”
“William and I made a deal, Drea. He made a compelling argument with many valid points, and because of that we were able to work toward a solution that benefits the both of us,” he replied with a shrug of his shoulders. “Unless you know something I don’t…”
“Quill didn’t kill those people,” I said, shaking my head. “He couldn’t have. You think two bird-chested motherfuckers like them can get to some old ass cartel niggas? Quill had help.”
Shoulder shrug. “Baby girl, in this game you get your hands dirty as little as possible. I don’t care how he got it done; if these are the men who murdered your brother I'm happy to have their heads regardless of how it came about.”
“What if it was through your competitor?” I countered.
“Now you have my attention,” Amos said, inclining his head. “Continue.”
“This has the work of Kelsey all over it, Daddy. They're working together. He's going to use her family and resources to undercut you so he can take over. I know it.”
LaKeith rolled his eyes. “But can you prove it? I don’t like the little bitch ass nigga, but he ain't give me that vibe. He wants to get back into ball and take care of you. Wasn’t it your dream to be a baller’s wife?”
“If you think Quill is going to get out the game and take me with him, you don’t deserve to run a motherfucking thing,” I spat.
“Drea, get to the fucking point!” Amos shouted, scaring both of us.
“Quill has been acting weird lately. Him and Kelsey are probably back together, fucking around behind my back. He probably went to her with some sob story about how he feels like he has a target on his back dealing with us and he wants out,” I said, dabbing at my eyes. My hands were shaking so bad I almost poked one of them out with my nails. “Her family runs this city. You think her sprung ass won't whisper in her daddy’s ear to have us taken out? Because that’s what I would do.”
Amos took a sip from his mug of tea, mulling over my words. “Why not do it now?”
“When have you known Quill to be irrational? He's playing the long game. He's going to use your men, your connections, everything you're giving him to build here, and once he has what he wants, he’ll take us all out.”
“What do you suggest we do?” he replied with a flourish of his free hand.
I took a seat on the edge of the table. “Humble that bitch, Daddy. Let me take care of it.”
16
Briana
My eyes popped open at ten o'clock on the dot, staring at the stark white ceiling. I looked to my left at the unpacked boxes I stacked in front of my walk-in closet, and to my right at the ceiling-to-floor windows leading to a balcony with a view of Manhattan. Sliding out of my king sized bed, I padded over to the window, opening the door and stepping outside. A gust of cold air woke me up, ruffling my pajama shorts. The sun was shining bright, reflecting off of the ocean water, creating sparkly waves. In the distance I could hear the trains from the JMZ line crossing the Williamsburg Bridge in both directions, the sound washed out by construction work going on down the block at the historical Domino Sugar factory. Other than that, it was silent. No shootings, crackheads fighting outside of my window, no annoying ass Chastity. I was officially out the hood, and it felt good.
“Good morning,” I heard a voice say a few feet over.
Kelsey stood on the opposite side of the balcony where her bedroom was located. She was dressed in her pajamas, her headscarf askew. In her hand was a steaming mug of something that smelled like ginger as the wind blew it in my direction. We met in the middle of the balcony, right in front of the living room.
“Good morning. How was your night?” I asked, giving her a knowing look. “I heard you come in. You haven’t even been to sleep, have you?”
She shook her head. “Nah, I tried to get some rest but my adrenaline is pumping.”
“What's his name?”
“This had nothing to do with a guy, and more with me
closing a chapter in my life. I feel like I can move on, make things right with the people I've wronged…starting with you,” she said, giving me a playful nudge. “I haven’t checked up on you as much as I should have, Bri. We all took a loss that weekend. The relationship I have with your father should have nothing to do with the one I have with you. I'm sorry for being such a bad cousin.”
I was at a loss for words; never would I have thought Kelsey would evolve to this point. My beef with her didn’t have to do with my father as much as it had to do with feeling like she abandoned me during my time of need. Having her admit her faults gave me the courage to admit my own.
“I apologize for not being there for you either, Kelsey. My father wasn’t perfect, but he was the man who helped to raise me. I can't turn off my love for him. He’ll always be part of me, something I’ll never deny, and making that decision has alienated me from our entire family,” I said, summing up the last five years. “I should've been able to put my feelings aside to make sure you were good.”
We shared a hug, and for the first time since Kelsey returned home, I felt like I had my cousin back. My phone started buzzing from inside of my bra, giving us both a little scare. I pulled it out to see who was FaceTiming me, and felt my stomach flip flop. Morris. Mistaking my reaction for being shy, Kelsey excused herself to order us breakfast. I leaned against the balcony, connecting the FaceTime. Morris was laid up in bed, surrounded by body pillows looking like he just woke up. It shouldn’t mean shit to me, but I liked that I was his first thought as soon as he woke up.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he said, cracking a warm smile. “Nice background. The change of scenery looks good on you. You're glowing.”
“Nigga, please…” I said with an eyeroll, although the smile fighting to split my face said otherwise. “I bet you say that to all your hoes.”
“Only to the ones that have my heart.”
I damn near dropped my phone. “Why do you have to do that?”
“Do what?”
“Turn a simple situation into something that it can't be?”
Morris sat up. “What can't it be?”
“Do I have to spell it out to you?” I flipped my camera to Kelsey on the phone with someone as she set the kitchen table. “When we got together I wasn’t on the best terms with my cousin. We’re doing better now, and fucking with you means ruining the progress we’ve made.”
He shook his head. “You think Kelsey gives a fuck about me? Go ask her right now if she would be willing to give me another chance? I bet her answer is hell no. You wanna know why?”
“Because you were fucking around on her!”
“Because it was never about me! Kelsey's heart never belonged to me!” Morris shouted over me. “I was a placeholder for her, someone to keep her occupied until better came along. In return, she was the same to me. You want to know how I figured that out?”
I batted my lashes to keep from crying. “How?”
“I've never felt with her what I feel with you. On the inside of that hard exterior is a woman who’s ready to build as much as I am.” I placed the phone on my chest to keep him from seeing me wipe away these tears. He was patiently waiting when I placed it back to my face. “The circumstances under which we met aren't the best, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to be with you, Briana. I'm willing to take the entire blame. What do you say?”
There was a thud from inside of the apartment, stealing my attention away from Morris. Kelsey dropped the utensils in her hand, racing to her bedroom. I had my hand on the balcony door, ready to pull it open to see what was going on when the door busted open, nearly coming off the hinges. Morris became a faraway thought as I ran back to my bedroom, leaping onto my bed and rummaging underneath my pillows for my piece. I left Mott Haven, but the hood would always be in me. Creeping to the door, I cracked it an inch, jumping at the sounds of shots being fired.
Kelsey was in the middle of serious gunplay with whoever broke in. Peeking through the crack, I saw that whoever these men were, they were from the hood. I thought back to the elevator attack, and realized these men were likely looking for me. Slipping through the door, I took aim down the hall, taking out one of the three gunmen facing off with Kelsey. I ducked back as they unloaded a clip in my door.
“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath as I realized that I couldn’t guard both my bedroom and balcony doors.
Gunfire from the hallway snapped me out of my trance. Kelsey had taken out one of the gunmen on her end, leaving us down one that was nowhere to be found. There was a flicker of black in my peripheral, warning me that the enemy was near. I ducked to the side of my bed the same time the balcony door slid open. I took aim from underneath the bed, shooting the gunman in his ankle. He crumbled to the floor, his gun pointing in my direction. I rolled to the closet in time to miss the barrage of bullets tearing up my nightstand. Sitting up, I shot him in the head and once in the chest. He laid back, his gun falling out of his grip. Climbing to my feet, I bolted out of my bedroom at the same time Kelsey was dragged from her bedroom by a lone gunman, his mask pulled low.
“Let her go,” I said, keeping my gun trained on him.
Kelsey struggled to break free. “Bri, don’t worry about me. Get the fuck out of here.”
“Fuck that,” I barked, closing one eye to get good aim. “I'm not letting anything happen to you.”
The gunman turned his gun from underneath Kelsey's throat to me, pulling the trigger. I was thrown to the floor by the force of the bullet.
“Bri!!!” Kelsey screamed as she was dragged from the apartment.
I tried calling out to her, stopped by the burning in my chest. Falling back, I stared at the ceiling, listening to a buzzing in my ear. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my phone, finding a frantic Morris on my screen. He was screaming my name, demanding an address to call the police. The phone fell from my hands with a clatter and the last thing I recalled before closing my eyes was seeing Ayanna’s face. I couldn't say it out loud, but I could feel it.
I was coming home.
17
Quill
I sat in the center of my bed, rubbing my hand over Legacy’s back, smiling at the vibrating sensation that came from his little grunts. We had been chilling like this since I arrived home to an irate Drea. The begging she did last night must have died as the sun came up, replaced by a monster whose only way of getting their point across was by throwing bottles, rattles, the liquor bottle that had been keeping her placated during my absence, and possibly Legacy, if I hadn’t snatched him from her grip. She hurled insults at my back, beating on it with her tiny fists that packed a surprising punch. I ate each one, reassuring Legacy that his responsible parent was here now. Since her temper tantrum didn’t work, Drea resolved to thinly veiled threats.
“You really think niggas fuck with you?” she shouted, her cheeks puffed up and red with rage. “Everything you have is because of me. That car, this house, your territory—everything you use to impress that bitch. Keep fucking with me, Quill, and I’ll take it all away.”
I stepped up in Drea’s face, rubbing Legacy with a featherlight touch, although my words were the exact opposite. “You're not the only one with the ability to take, Drea. The money, cars, and other shit I can get back with little trouble. But if I start running my mouth to Amos, or even LaKeith, telling them that the math on your pregnancy doesn’t add up…or maybe even that Legacy looks a little too much like me…I can take away your happy family. ‘Cause what I've learned is that niggas don’t really fuck with me; they fuck with my vision, what I can do for them, and they’ll listen to me in order to remain privy to it.”
“It’s like that?” Drea countered, her nostrils flaring like a bull ready to charge. “You wanna get nasty with the coldest Winthrop?”
I leaned in so close I could feel the hot air expelling from her nostrils. “Coldest? You ain't nothing but my brother’s lap dog. You do tricks for dick. Now get the fuck out of my face before you find out why t
he fuck they call me Quill.”
Drea's mouth flapped open and shut; it was one thing for me to speculate. With the knowledge that I knew her secret, she would move different from here on out. My days were numbered. If I knew my brother well enough, at the news of their secret being exposed Bull would up the timeline on my demise. I should be frightened at the idea, or at least working to make a move to counter whatever they had in store for me. Instead, I was lying in bed, spending time with one of my favorite people, thinking about the most favorite one of them all. I could die a happy man knowing I had one night with Kelsey. She would make sure my family was good, that even in death I was taken care of because she knew I would do the same for her.
“Quill,” Drea said from the other side of my bedroom door. “Quill…open up the door.”
“Drea, fuck outta here with all that bullshit. We said what the fuck we said and—”
“Quill, there's someone here to see you,” she said, and I could tell by the tone she was scared out of her ass.
I climbed out of bed holding Legacy, hoping his mother would see him and remember why it was better for us to be friends rather than enemies. Swinging the door open, I had my mouth fixed to tell her as much, and was stopped at the sight of two bodyguards standing behind her. They were formidable, with hands that could snap your neck in two with little trouble. They were also familiar. I had seen them on quite a few occasions, the most recent one being last night on my date with Kelsey.
