by Deja King
"Sure, let me call one of my security guys so they can escort you."
"What about Devon? He's already here."
"That works. Here, take this," Supreme said pulling out a wad of cash.
"Supreme, no, I don't want your money."
"Take it. I want you and Aaliyah to enjoy yourselves." Supreme gently rubbed Aaliyah's cheek and kissed her forehead. "Devon, just the person I wanted to see."
"What can I do for you, Mr. Mills?"
"Maya is taking Aaliyah out, so please escort her wherever she wants to go."
"Will do, sir."
"Bye baby. Daddy will see you later on. And Maya, thanks."
"I told you before; you don't have to thank me."
As I walked behind Devon while holding Aaliyah, I couldn't help but crack a smile. Supreme was vulnerable and emotionally close to the edge. All I needed to do was give him a little push so then I would be the only person he could turn to. When I got to the door, I turned around and waved goodbye to Supreme. It was crazy that a man whose presence was so strong and powerful was about to be putty in my hands.
After Devon opened the car door for me I buckled Aaliyah in her car seat and instantly got to yapping off at the mouth. "That fucking Detective Moore is making my stomach nauseated. That white prick needs to be shut the fuck down."
"Do you really have to use that language in front of the baby?" Devon questioned as he drove off.
"Shut the hell up! It's not like Aaliyah can understand what the fuck I'm saying. You just fucking drive."
Devon shook his head as if I was doing some sort of developmental damage to the baby.
"Anyway, like I was saying, Detective Moore, is a fucking problem."
"Why do you say that?"
"He's digging awfully deep into the murders of that Nina chick and her brother. But what I'm trying to understand is how Donnell ended up using the same gun in that drive by with me and Precious. Because that link right there is what is fucking all this shit up."
"Who gave Donnell the gun?"
"It wasn't me and I know it wasn't you, so that could only leave Mike. What is that nigga up to?" I mumbled under my breath.
"But even if Mike did give Donnell the gun, why you so pressed about that Nina girl and her brother?"
"Because I have both of their blood on my hands. Ain't that many coincidences in the world, that the same gun used to kill Terrell's ass was used in that drive by. Soon Detective Moore is going to put that shit together and realize that I'm the one who is my brother's keeper."
"Yeah, that detective is going to be a problem."
"Exactly! That's why I need you to handle that."
Devon, hit the brake and turned around to stare at me.
"Nigga, you can't stop the car in the middle of the street. You gonna cause a fucking accident."
"I know you not insinuating what I think you are!" Devon wanted to clear things up as he pressed back down on the gas.
"Yes the fuck I am."
"He's a fucking police officer! Have you lost your mind?"
"I don't give a fuck who he is. That motherfucka is about to mess shit up. Keep in mind, if he puts the pieces together, not only am I going down, but so are you." Devon frowned up his face, but that was real talk. That nigga couldn't think I would be doing a bid solo if shit hit the fan.
"I don't know, Maya. Killing a police officer... that's the death penalty."
"Shit, if Supreme finds out you were behind the kidnapping of his daughter and wife, you dead anyway. Plus, the only way you gonna get the death penalty is if you get caught but you're not."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because we're going to make sure the shit is tight. But the sooner we get rid of Detective Moore the better off we'll be. Now, we need to head over to the stash house so I can have a conversation with my brother. But before that, take me to the mall so I can spend some of this loot my future husband hit me off with."
"You think you have Supreme all figured out, don't you, Maya?"
"For your sake you better hope I do. With the devastation of him losing his precious wife, I need for him to become a complete foolish fool."
Player's Prayer
I struggled to open my eyes, but the throbbing from my head kept me closing my eyelids shut. I tried to reach my hand over and rub the pain piercing from the back of my head, but quickly realized they were handcuffed to some shit. The energy I used to shift my arms gave me the willpower to open my eyes the fuck up to see exactly where I was. At first, shit was looking real blurry as my eyes were half opened and half closed. But although my vision was playing tricks on me, my hearing was in top form, because even though I couldn't see them, I could clearly hear the conversation going on between Maya and Mike.
"Mike, why in the fuck do you have this bitch in the bedroom? Her ass is supposed to be chained up in the basement."
"Listen, let me handle Precious. You just tend to Supreme."
"Let you handle Precious? Dear brother, this is a joint venture. If anything, we handle shit together."
"Did you come all the way over here to drill me about where I'm keeping Precious, or do you have something to say that's important?"
"As a matter of fact I do."
"Okay, then say it."
"Detective Moore has become a major problem. He's linked the gun that was used in Terrell's murder to the gun used in the drive by. And by the vacant stare on your face, you don't seem too surprised."
"I'm not."
"Then I guess you were the one who gave Donnell the gun."
"You guessed right."
"I thought you got rid of that gun a long time ago."
"It seems that I never got around to it."
"Why would you give that gun to Donnell to use in the drive by?"
"Insurance."
"Insurance on what?"
"You're a smart girl, Maya. Insurance on you. Just a minute ago you made the point that we're in this together, and you're right. With that gun being linked to both incidents, I've given Detective Moore enough ammunition to make you a suspect, but not enough to convict."
"Why would you do something so stupid?"
"Maya, you're my sister and I love you, but you can be rather impulsive. After you feel I'm no longer useful, you may get the stupid idea to hang me out to dry and claim that I was behind the kidnapping of Aaliyah, Precious and the murders of Clip, Destiny... oh yeah, and Donnell."
"I would never turn on you."
"I want to believe you and I hope you're telling me the truth, but in case you're not, like I said, I need some insurance."
"You ungrateful sonofabitch, I got you out of jail! You owe me!"
"And I've paid up. Look at you. You're living in the big house with Supreme, and I'm sure, plotting each day to go from houseguest to permanent bedmate. None of that would be possible without my help."
"We're blood, Mike? How can you treat me like your enemy?"
"If I was treating you like my enemy you would be dead. My beautiful little sister, if you play fair, you have nothing to worry about. You'll be able to live happily ever after with Supreme and I'll be able to live my life as a free man on an island somewhere. We'll both come out as winners."
"And what about Precious? When are you going to get rid of her?"
"Like I said, let me handle Precious."
"After all this time, you're still not over that bitch. Let it go, Mike, she'll never want you."
"Oh, you mean just like Supreme will never want you?"
"Speaking of Supreme, I'll be right back. I need to go to the car and check on Aaliyah."
"You left Aaliyah in the car? Are you crazy? It's hot out there!"
"Calm down! Devon is in the car and he has the A/C on. She was sleep when we got here and I want to make sure she didn't wake up."
"Let me find out your motherly instincts are kicking in.,,
"That little baby is the most valuable possession I'm working with. If I take excellent care of her, then Sup
reme will be all mine. I'm sure you've heard the saying, The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."
"Indeed. Well I'ma go out there with you. I've missed seeing her face."
"Well don't get too attached. She's Supreme's daughter."
"Until we get that blood test, there is a very good chance she could be mines too!"
I heard the footsteps on the floor as Maya and Mike walked away. By this time my eyes were fully open and my lips were trembling from being so angry. The thought of my daughter being so close and not being able to see her, touch her, hold her, was about to make me insane. I also wanted to fucking know who this Terrell cat was and how was he connected to Maya. Being helpless was killing me.
Here I was, handcuffed to a steel framed canopy bed unable to move. The slick white, black and silver decor was much more appealing than the dreary basement I had been held captive in for weeks, but it didn't change my miserable circumstances. I then eyed the soaring ceiling and began recalling the last things I remembered before awakening to this room.
"Damn! I remember feeling this close to freedom, and then a sharp excruciating pain took me out cold. That must be where that throbbing on the back of my head came from. Mike hit the shit out of me with some sort of blunt object. But I wonder why he put me in this room instead of the basement?"
After going over my thoughts out loud, I then looked down at my clothes, and at first I was confused. I was expecting to see the dingy white outfit I had been wearing for what seemed to be forever, but instead I had on a fresh clean pink sweat suit and smelled of Glowing Touch body wash. "That's right, I did get to take a shower and wash my ass!"
So many things had changed since waking up from my mini coma and so many things had remained the fucking same. I could now take a sniff of my body without the odor making my stomach turn, but I was still a prisoner in this nightmare.
"I see you're awake," Mike said, entering the bedroom and startling me out of my thoughts.
"Barely. Whatever you hit me with really did a number on me. Do you mind telling me what it is you hit me with?"
"We can discuss that later. But listen. Maya's on her way back in here and don't mention that you tried to make an escape-we clear?"
"We're clear." Of course now my brain was in overdrive. Maybe what Maya said had some truth to it. Could Mike have unresolved feelings for me? If so, then I had to use that to my advantage. I detested that motherfucker, but now that I was back looking halfway decent it was time to exercise my female prowess on that nigga.
"Clear on what?" Maya said, sauntering her trifling ass pass her brother.
"I told Precious that because I now have her in the bedroom don't mean shit has changed."
"I don't understand why you put her up in here anyway. You need to take her ass back to the basement where she belongs, but I'ma leave that shit on you. Aaliyah is waiting for me, so I have to get done what I need and be the fuck out."
"Aaliyah is waiting for you where?" I asked, not wanting Maya to know that I overheard her conversation with Mike.
"She's in the car."
"Can I see her?"
"Bitch, you really have been locked up too long `cause your ass delusional."
"It's not like she can go back and tell Supreme that she saw me."
"Precious, I'm not even entertaining your question. Here, I need for you to write something for me," Maya directed, completely brushing off my request.
"Write what?"
"A letter to your soon to be ex-husband."
"What type of letter?"
"Basically, that you've decided to leave him. You have some unresolved issues you need to work out and you don't know when or if you're coming back."
"You're fucking crazy! Supreme would never believe I would leave him, and especially my daughter."
"Look here. Detective Moore informed Supreme that the last person you spoke to on your cell was Nico. I had no idea Nico was such a sore spot for Supreme. Hell, maybe that'll be the unresolved issue you hint to in your letter."
"It'll never work."
"You better make it work. I don't give a damn what you think. Write this letter! And get it right the first time or not only will you be going back to the basement, but I'll also let my brother have his way with you," Maya said with a sinister chuckle.
"Maya, that's enough," Mike snarled, grabbing the paper and pen out of Maya's hand. "Precious, just write the letter so Maya can go."
I wanted to snatch the pen and stab both Maya and Mike in their eyeballs but thought it was time for me to start playing the game with Mike. "Fine, but can you take these handcuffs off of me so I can write it?"
Mike took the key out of his pocket and unlocked the cuffs. Maya stood smug faced, eating every second up. "Wait a minute, here's a clean piece of paper."
"What's wrong with the paper I already gave her?"
"Don't you see I'm wearing gloves? It's hot outside so it's not for weather purposes. When Supreme gets this letter, trust me, he and Detective Moore will have it tested for all fingerprint traces."
"You think you are so slick," I said.
"I learned from the best. Well, you used to be the best."
As I wrote the letter I knew Maya was probably damn near having an orgasm thinking she was that much closer to stealing my life. I wanted to shed a tear at the heartache I would cause Supreme when he read this bullshit, but wouldn't give Mike and Maya the pleasure of seeing my grief. When I was finished I put the pen down and Maya came over ready to run off, but read over several times what I wrote. Mike was right behind her securing my wrist with the handcuffs.
"This is perfect!" she said with a smile lighting up her face. "Oh, and I need for you to address this envelope also. Just in case you forgot, I wrote down your previous address, and at the top that's the sender address for you to use."
"You didn't forget shit, did you?" I said sarcastically.
"Just write." Maya stood over me making sure I dotted every `i' and crossed every T. "As always, it was a pleasure seeing you, dear brother, but of course I must be going," Maya said, taking the envelope from my hand. "I know Supreme must be ready for me to come home and I don't want Aaliyah to wait any longer. With her mother gone and poor Anna deceased, me and her father is all she has."
"Anna is dead! What happened?"
"Oh, Precious. I'm so sorry but Anna had a tragic accident. It's such a shame. Poor thing tripped over Aaliyah's baby bottle and fell down the stairs."
"Would you please stop with that ridiculous, sarcastic sugary tone of yours? That was no accident! Your demonic ass killed Anna, but why?"
"If you must know, her nosey ass came across the necklace I ripped off your neck and she started drilling me. Then the silly fool said she wanted to give the necklace to Supreme. . .well you know I couldn't let that happen."
"It's never gonna stop with you. You'll kill anybody that gets in your way."
"True indeed! Gotta go!" Maya breezed out of the room taking her dark cloud with her.
"Mike, I think you're scum, but I also know you're a very smart man."
"Your point?"
"The point is you know how this game works. Sooner or later you're going to be on that list of people who are in Maya's way. And the same way she had Clip taken out she'll do the same to you."
"I know how to handle my sister. She knows it won't be beneficial for her to cross me."
"Your sister is out of control. Don't you get it? She can't be handled! Soon you'll no longer be an asset to her, just a liability, and when that happens then it's lights out for you."
Mike wasn't saying shit but I knew the logic I was kicking was eating him up. From the conversation I overheard between him and Maya he had already come up with a backup plan in case Maya got outta pocket. So what I was spitting was only adding to his paranoia.
"Listen, Mike. I'm not tryna come between you and your sister. But after I'm dead I want to make sure that my daughter is safe. With Anna gone, there is no way Aaliyah will be safe with Ma
ya. And although I never wanted to believe it, Aaliyah could very well be your daughter. Right now Maya is playing the sweet role because she needs Aaliyah to win over Supreme, but once that happens and she feels Aaliyah is in the way...need I say more? We both know what your sister is capable of."
Mike put his head down. He was trying to remain calm but I could feel his anger building up. "Look, like I said, I'll handle Maya. And don't you worry about Aaliyah, she's straight. Now I have some things to take care of. I'll check up on you later."
When Mike got to the door he turned to me one last time before leaving. "That shit wasn't cool, tryna escape today, but then I wouldn't expect anything less from you," he said, before storming out.
I hoped that I pushed Mike's buttons enough to begin my process of divide and conquer. Maya was truly twisted, and being held captive gave me limited options so it would take all of my mental savvy to bring her down-that and a player's prayer.
"Devon, I want to move on this Detective Moore situation immediately," I said, the moment I got in the backseat of the Bentley.
"What was Mike's opinion on how we should move?"
"I didn't ask for it, nor do I care too, and neither should you."
"But this is a team effort."
"Devon, I brought you in this team, not my brother. So you follow my orders. I don't want you discussing our plan for Detective Moore with Mike or anyone else."
"All I'm saying..."
"Fuck what you're saying!" I screamed, cutting Devon off. Aaliyah began wailing from the loudness of my voice. "It's okay, baby," I said, stroking her hair trying to soothe her.
"I told you to stop all that cursing in front of her. Now you've made Aaliyah upset."
"Save your parental guidance lecture. There would be no need for me to curse if you would shut the fuck up and do what I say."
"You know what, Maya? I'm getting tired of you speaking to me like I'm some five dollar flunky," Devon growled, pounding his fist on the steering wheel.
I took a deep breath and changed up my approach since taking a hard line with him was defeating the cause. What would Precious do under these circumstances?
"Devon, I apologize for being so abrupt with you. I'm under a lot of pressure and I'm not only looking out for myself, but I'm looking out for you too."
