“Why are you so nervous? You know he would never bring harm to you,” Jayde assured.
Ree in fact wanted to let her know that he wasn’t even sure if he existed. A large part of him was in skepticism to her revelation.
“Sweetheart, your bullshit choice of words insult me. I’m cautious, not nervous.”
“My apologies,” Jayde grinned still strutting ahead of him.
Finally stepping into the dim basement of stone covered walls, Ree could see a round table in the distance, a frail man’s silhouette in one of the chairs.
This shit is wild.
Approaching, Ree would hate to admit that he actually felt some type of emotion. He was happy, happy that it was true. He knew it before he could see his features, he felt his presence.
“And time has brought us here. This is a moment of champions.”
Jayde smiled wide, all of her tough exterior evaporating into the damp basement air. She walked hastily to him as he enveloped her in a warm hug.
“Daddy!”
“Jayde…,” he replied. “…and Respect.” He extended his hand to Ree as Jayde stepped to the side and he and Ree shared a manly embrace, both with a mutual amount of love for each other that you could sense.
“You were so right, daddy. He’s very cautious. I don’t think he believed you were here,” Jayde perceived.
Mickel grinned as his aged and handsome features became more visible. He looked unto Ree with an unspoken understanding.
“Well, it’s a creed of great men, Jayde. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you-”
“To what virtue there is,” Ree finished for him.
Jayde looked on back and forth between what she felt were two of the greatest men to walk the earth. Her daddy…and the man designed for her.
“What is this, that Desiderata stuff?”
“Oh Jayde, please. Don’t disrespect the creed,” Mickel warned. It was a doctrine, almost an oath that Mickel had lived by and also instilled in Respect when they had worked closely together. Ree had it tattooed onto him as a daily reminder.
Mickel Dupree, Jayde’s father was one of the most prominent gangsters of Respect’s generation. He ran a large and lucrative empire and was someone who Ree had learned from and respected. He was also supposed to be dead.
“Those simple words will guide you into a life of peace and prosperity,” Mickel added.
Ree silently agreed. So far it had worked for him.
“You look well, old man,” Ree spoke with a smirk examining him. Mickel wore linen pants and a linen shirt over his slim frame, his curly black hair was cropped short and his tanned Trinidadian skin was wrinkle free. Ree thought of Tatum being that she also had family from Trinidad.
“And you look rich,” Mickel shot back. “But oh, I’m going to make you so much richer.” A surge of electricity went through Ree as if someone had plugged him into a socket. To have once known Mickel’s master plan was one thing. To learn that he was still alive and it was about to unfold was another. He and Tatum, and their kids, and their kids’ kids, and their kids’ kids’ kids, would never have to worry about money…ever. The same with Chauncey and Jayde. He would no longer be rich, he would be wealthy.
“And you owe it all to me,” Jayde intervened shooting Ree a glance. Ree darted his eyes to her and then back to Mickel.
“Yes my beautiful daughter, I am so glad you were able to come in contact with him. And to think, it all happened in coincidence, no? Jayde was friends with your fiancé. Speaking of which!”
Ree knew it was coming.
“There is a woman you are going to marry? Just one?” Mickel joked as he took a seat at the table. Ree and Jayde followed suit.
“I hope she is worthy of your lifelong commitment,” Mickel added more seriously. Ree would never know, but he held him close to his heart, almost like a son.
“I hope I’m worthy of hers,” Ree responded.
“I see, I see,” Mickel smiled. “Well in that case, congratulations. I can’t wait to meet her. I bet the stars fight her to shine.”
“Most definitely,” Ree assured.
“I knew a woman like her once, but it never worked out.”
Jayde became secretly infuriated because she knew just who he was speaking of, and it wasn’t her mother.
“Shall we get down to business,” she intervened.
“My daughter gets envious if the topic strays away from her or money for too long. Her green eyes become even greener,” Mickel stated with a raised brow. He knew Jayde inside out.
“I see,” Ree observed as if taking note.
“Okay so the business. Everything is in order. It is your job to execute it. Make sure everyone does everything with perfection, Respect. If they don’t, kill them.” Ree nodded but found it interesting that Mickel spoke the words so freely, especially being that his daughter was one of the people that he would be executing orders to.
“Use your judgment. If anyone seems scared or wary, kill them. If they talk too much or deviate, kill them. If they bring any type of attention to us during this short time of the operation…”
“Yeah,” Ree responded, already knowing what he would have to and most definitely would do.
“Okay, so the world tour. The Gonzales family is ready to come on board with you. I met with them, I gave the okay. As soon as everything is set up with all cartels, they are ready to move the black tar by naval ships.” Black tar was a very addictive form of heroin that was slowly being pumped into the U.S. from Mexico. With Mickel’s connections, and him being alive, he was able to plug Ree into this.
“You will have to handle the Segovias from Ecuador. They are wary, I cannot lie. They want to meet with you in person. I will be there, we’ll get it squared. Once that is done, they will be ready to move the cocaine wherever you need it. They are the most strategic. They have man built submarines that transport between their border with Columbia. You will have very easy and plentiful access to quality product. This is also the way the marijuana will come from Columbia. Have you decided how all of this will be run being that you are…departing?” Mickel smirked in his question almost as if he couldn’t believe it. However, he understood.
“Yes, once I do the initial deal, I will purchase enough for my people to supply the five major cities. Instead of breaking off cities, we decided to delegate with product. My man C has people that will handle the heroin; Jayde will be in charge of distributing the coke and cannabis. Once I’m paid, the operation will be handled by them. Chaunc will deal with Mr. Gonzales; Jayde will deal with the Segovias.”
Mickel nodded.
“Sounds good. I promise you Respect, your first billion will be made very shortly, and as quick as it comes, you will be tempted to stay and make another,” he warned.
“I’m sure,” Ree agreed. “But a billion will do me solid. I can’t get greedy, I’m already rocking the boat. Besides, I have a wife now.”
“And a son? Jayde tells me of your child here in Jamaica.” Ree glanced at Jayde and then answered.
“No. That was a misunderstanding.”
Mickel shook his head.
“Women,” he answered. “One minute it’s yours, the next, it’s not.” Jayde once again knew what he was talking about and chose to change the subject.
“I’m so glad that we were able to convince you, Respect, to come on board with this.” Jayde knew that Ree was the only man that could execute the drug empire version of the money pyramid. Mickel was unable to operate due to his low almost non-existent status, plus he had no connection to the city heads, the smaller people. Jayde had some connection to the smaller folks, but she also had static with many. Plus she was comfortable with money, but not as comfortable as Ree. She also didn’t have the character and skill to deal with people on such a large scale, she was best at running the lower end and Mickel knew that.
Respect had the money, the power, and the respect to literally be the guy, t
he sole guy to supply the three most profiting drugs into the five star points of America – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, and Miami. But he would only do it for a limited amount of time and then break up his role and divide it amongst Jayde and Chauncey. He hoped they could handle it, but once he was out, he would be out. And whether they sunk or not, would not fall on his shoulders.
“You got any questions for me?” Mickel asked as Ree leaned back in his chair, seeming to be deep in thought.
Ree stared at him and then gave a quick nod.
“Yeah, I do. What happened with the explosion? I thought you were gone…everyone did. How’d you get out? You set it up?”
Mickel raised his eyebrows and let out a chuckle. He looked at Jayde and seemed to be biting his tongue in her presence.
“That’s a story for another time, my friend. But I will say, no. I did not set it up. I was meant to be killed. Someone wanted me dead.”
Ree thought for a second of the people that could want him dead. He thought of the ones that would want him dead once this operation went into play and if they ever caught wind of the man behind it.
“The way I escaped those circumstances is the same way you will escape your current ones. That is also set up. Once that is cleared you will be able to move freely country to country. No more looking over your shoulder.”
Ree was glad to hear that part. No more fugitive status, no more laying low in his condo while he and Tatum were in Atlanta, back to living a normal life.
He thought back to the day all of this came into play. That day in Chauncey’s basement when he realized he would be stepping back into the game briefly. He knew Tatum would be angry, and she had given him hell for it for months, almost to the point of threatening to leave. But he swore to her on him and Trinity’s unborn child that this was it, and her being the woman she was somehow understood he had to get this out of his blood. He knew she secretly blamed Jayde for it, and in a way, she had a right to. Because Ree had gotten sucked in the moment Jayde leaned into him that day in the basement and whispered those four little words. “The rumors are true,” she had teased.
And he knew what it meant. He knew that her father, Mickel Dupree, was alive.
“Why don’t you be a gentleman and get the door for us?” Sasha asked in a true Southern Belle fashion.
Bleek smirked and assisted Tatum with her roll away luggage, pausing to grab the handle and pull the door open.
“See, that wasn’t so bad. You’re learning,” Sasha joked.
Tatum chuckled as she slid inside.
“Hey, Bleek.”
“What’s up, Tatum?” He popped the trunk on Sasha’s new Benz and glided the luggage inside.
As Sasha slid in the back with her, Tatum took the time to feed her curiosity.
“Um, why is Bleek driving your car?”
Sasha rolled her eyes briefly before speaking.
“Oh gosh, girl. Chauncey had Bleek take me to the dealership to get my car because something came up…” Tatum briefly thought of Ree’s note about something coming up and related. “Anyway, I took him for a ride once we got it, we went to get a bite to eat, and before I knew it, it was time to come and get you.”
Tatum wondered if Chauncey had asked Bleek to go for a ride with Sasha and take her to get a bite to eat as well, but she left it alone… for now.
“Anyway, do you like it? Ain’t she a dream?”
Tatum looked around and nodded.
“Yeah, it’s nice, Sash. And…pink.”
Sasha playfully punched her and laughed.
“It’s just the inside. You know I love pink, girl.” Just then Bleek leaned his head in.
“Oh hell no, I ain’t no muhfuckin’ chauffeur, my dear. This ain’t Driving Miss Daisy,” he teased to Sasha who seemed comfortable in the back with Tatum.
“Please Bleek,” she pouted with Bambi eyes. “We need to have girl talk, wedding talk!”
Bleek closed their door in response and slid in the driver’s seat and Sasha winked at Tatum and giggled.
Tatum stared at her with a plastered smile and a confused mind. Sasha’s pout and baby voice was always used on men to get her way, especially Chauncey. Now she was using it on this poor kid?
Sure, Bleek was a grown man and Tatum knew he was heavy in the streets and known for being a wild one, like Chauncey. But he was also a smooth baby faced young boy who Tatum was sure Sasha could work magic on. Tatum knew Sasha loved Chauncey dearly; she had gone through a lot to be with him. She knew Chauncey had also not been the perfect man to Sasha, breaking up with her with no explanation at one time, cheating on her with her friend, and now neglecting her for the streets. Sasha needed attention, and just like when Mike didn’t deliver what Sasha needed, she found a way to get it elsewhere. Tatum just hoped, no prayed, Sasha didn’t get herself into any shit.
“So, where’s Chauncey now?” Tatum asked aloud, sort of to both Sasha and Bleek.
Sasha shrugged.
“Girl, I don’t know. He came by the dealership to see me and said he had to go.”
“Oh, so he did come by the dealership?” Tatum asked. “Well, that was nice. At least he tried to squeeze some time in.”
“Yeah, but he couldn’t stay. He had to handle something,” Sasha mocked and Tatum nodded.
“You know how it goes, Sash. You always knew how it went.” She was reminding her that just like herself, they knew they hadn’t gotten with corporate 9-5 guys. Faulting Chauncey for being in the streets would be like faulting a fish for being in water. Where else could they survive?
“I know, Tay. I just don’t know when things are ever gonna be perfect for us. It’s like one minute it’s something, then when that’s over, another hurdle. He’s never been in the streets this much and it’s all because of this master plan.”
Tatum shifted in her seat because the last thing she wanted was to talk about the master plan. Plus Ree had been so adamant on her never discussing it. She would honor his wishes.
“What do you think about it? I know Ree is all wrapped up in it, how do you deal with it?”
“It is what it is,” Tatum replied blasé.
Sasha dropped her head.
“Yeah, you’re right. At least Ree has a plan, though. At least he’s not staying in it…at least you’re worth him giving it up. And that’s just for you,” Sasha smiled. “He doesn’t even know,” she added, placing her hand on Tatum’s stomach.
Tatum smiled lightly because she did feel bad for Sasha. But Sasha knew what type of man Chauncey was before she got pregnant by him, before she decided to have the baby, before she decided to get married to and then cheat on Mike with him, and before she decided to get back with him this final time.
“Chauncey won’t even make a plan of when he will give it up, for me or Aubrey.”
On that cue, Bleek turned up the music, no longer wanting to hear anymore.
“You know, I really thought he was considering it after the cops questioned him when Neli died. I guess since he had beaten her in that hotel room, he was one of the first people they wanted to talk to when she got murdered. Then with the disappearance of Mike and all of that drama, I thought he was considering laying low. But as soon as the heat died down, he was right back out there,” Sasha said, lips pursed with her southern drawl.
“It’ll be okay,” Tatum assured her. “No matter what… you just gotta see what you can deal with.”
Tatum changed the subject.
“So, what time do we have to be to Monique?”
“Oh my goddd!” Sasha squealed with a big grin on her face. “We have to be there at eight in the morning.”
She smiled at her best friend with tears of joy in her eyes and Tatum returned it. The love between them was so genuine.
“Tay!” She yelled excitedly, clapping her hands together. “Bitch! You’re getting married!”
“APD, please hold.”
TTW 3 ( Thicker Than Water 3 ) Page 7
