The Streets Have No King

by JaQuavis Coleman

  * * *

  As the sun set, the faint light peeked from over the clouds, causing a hint of orange and red to illuminate the skies. The irony of witnessing something so gorgeous on the roof of one of the deadliest and ugliest places in the world was surreal. Moriah and Basil sat there staring at Mother Nature’s personal sky show for them. They had been there for hours just talking to one another about every possible aspect of life. They spoke about politics, love, music, and their future plans. They connected on a higher level and both of them impressed each other but for different reasons. Basil was surprised by her game. She wasn’t as innocent as one would think. She was gamed up and her street knowledge far exceeded Basil’s expectations. On the other hand, Moriah was impressed by Basil’s intellect and knowledge of things outside of the street realm. His intelligence intrigued her.

  “It’s crazy but this is my first time watching the sunset. It’s so beautiful,” Moriah stated as she looked over at Basil. Basil looked over to her and they locked eyes, and they were like deer caught in headlights. They seemed stuck to one another as the connection grew stronger with each second that passed.

  “You’re beautiful as well,” Basil said as he leaned in to kiss Moriah. Moriah closed her eyes and Basil did too. Just as their lips touched, it was as if shots went through both of their bodies simultaneously. Basil loved the way her thick, full lips felt against his. He slowly placed his right hand behind her neck and leaned in even closer as he continued to kiss her. Moriah couldn’t contain herself. A small moan came from the pit of her stomach as she melted into him. It all came to a halt when Basil’s phone began to buzz. He instantly grabbed the phone from his waist when he realized it was the “Bat phone.” The one that Kane had given him that was specifically for them to communicate.

  “Damn, it’s your pops. I have to take this,” Basil said as he looked down at the phone as it lit up. Moriah nodded her head in agreement while beginning to get butterflies in her stomach. She instantly got the feeling that her father knew that she was with Basil. He was stern about keeping her separated from the streets and would blow a fuse if he knew that she was entertaining a street guy, especially a guy that he was working with. In Kane’s eyes, Moriah was still his little girl and his being overprotective was an understatement, to say the least.

  Basil stood up and walked to the edge of the building so he could take the call. Moriah watched as Basil discussed something over the phone, but he was out of earshot so she didn’t hear what was going on. Moments later, Basil rushed back to her.

  “I have to go. We have to go,” he said as he hastily motioned to the ladder.

  “What’s wrong?” she said as she followed him to the fire escape that led down to the ground level. Moriah was confused but Basil didn’t have a chance to explain to her what was going on. Just like that … their special moment ended abruptly.

  * * *

  Kane and Basil approached the back door of the Irish pub. Kane had on a gray tailored suit with a perfect fit and was noticeably irate. Basil had a duffle bag in his hand as he walked right alongside Kane. Kane had called him and told him he needed him to roll with him to handle something. Basil had no idea what was going on, but agreed to accompany him. They approached the bouncer, and Kane stood front and center as he crossed both of his arms just in front of his belt buckle and stood with a firm stance.

  “My name is Kane Garrett. I’m here to see Landon,” Kane said without a hint of anger or impatience in his voice. Although Kane was irate, he always held his composure and acted as a gentleman. Basil watched the legend at work. He too knew that Kane was angered, but not from his actions. It was the way that Kane clenched his jaws tightly, displaying the muscles there. Basil stood directly behind Kane, also with his hand just over his belt buckle, where his chrome .45 was tucked into his waist. Kane had instructed Basil in the car ride over not to say anything, but just to watch his back. “The quietest person in the room is the most dangerous,” Kane had said just moments earlier to Basil. Basil replayed the quote in his mind over and over, taking notes. The bouncer stepped to the side, and Kane and Basil swiftly entered and made their way to the back. Landon was in the hallway waiting for Kane, standing with his arms crossed. Kane walked up to Landon and at the same time they extended their hands and shook. The two had known each other for years and had a mutual respect for each another. Both of them did time in the federal penitentiary together years back. Even though they had never done business together, they were colleagues in the black-market corporation known as the streets.

  “Where is he?” Kane asked.

  “Downstairs,” Landon answered as he threw his head in the direction just to the right of him, where a staircase led to the basement of the pub. Landon led the way as they all went down the damp, dark stairwell. When they reached the basement it was a wide-open space with beer and liquor boxes lining the walls. As they got deeper into the spacious room, they saw a single lightbulb swinging from the low ceiling and just beneath it was a man in a chair, bound and bloody. Kane instantly became infuriated.

  “Release my man, now!” Kane screamed as he stood before Fat Rat. Face and veins began to protrude from his neck. Basil instantly placed his hand on his gun strap and waited for the scene to unfold.

  Landon nodded to L.J., signaling him to release Fat Rat. L.J. frowned and reluctantly began to untie Fat Rat’s hands.

  “How much?” Kane said as he regained his composure, but his eyes couldn’t hide the fury.

  “A bean,” Landon said, using a slang term meaning one hundred thousand dollars.

  “It’s seventy-five grand in the bag. We can call it even. You guys took twenty-five of it in my brother’s blood. Fair enough?” Kane said as he turned, staring Landon directly in the eyes. Even though Kane’s voice was calm, there was an obvious tension in the room. Kane knew that he had no space to act in any other manner than respectful. Fat Rat was dead wrong and Kane understood that.

  “Fair enough,” Landon said. As he gave his son another signal, L.J. walked over to Basil and grabbed the bag. However, Basil didn’t let go of the bag. He didn’t like the fact that they had beaten Fat Rat so brutally. His pride wouldn’t let him act in the same manner that his mentor Kane was. His willpower and discipline over his emotions weren’t as developed yet. Those were vital traits that only experience could groom. L.J. yanked the bag again and Basil still didn’t release it. Basil and L.J. had an intense stare-down, neither conceding to the other.

  “Let it go, Youngblood. It’s not the time for that,” Kane said, understanding the game. They were on enemy turf and the wrong side of the potential argument. Basil reluctantly let the bag go.

  “Nigger,” L.J. whispered as he snatched the bag from Basil.

  “What the fuck you say?” Basil hissed as he stepped directly into the face of L.J. They were so close, Basil’s nose touched L.J.’s. He reeked of whisky and tobacco. L.J. said nothing. He just smiled while staring down Basil. He wasn’t backing down in any form or fashion. He stood toe to toe with Basil as the tense engagement drew on.

  “Let’s go,” Kane yelled, breaking up the showdown. He then walked over to Fat Rat as he sat there, disoriented. Kane helped Fat Rat up and acted as a crutch for his best friend. Fat Rat held his aching side with one hand and threw his free arm around Kane’s shoulder, and they made their way up the stairs. Just before Kane exited the room, he yelled out.

  “Landon!”

  “Yeah,” Landon answered as he thumbed through the bag as his son held it for him.

  “Next time … when it comes to my family, I might not be so diplomatic. Have a great evening,” Kane said, a fair warning. He then focused back on Fat Rat and whispered, “I got ya, bruh,” as Fat Rat almost lost his balance. Basil quickly grabbed Fat’s other side. They exited the building and climbed into the car outside. Basil remained silent as they rode back to their neck of the woods, wondering how Kane could stay so calm during the heated ordeal. Kane was teaching him a vital lesson. Power wasn’t
what you did in the time of adversity … sometimes it’s what you didn’t do during that time.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  This girl is a savage.

  —BASIL

  Kane lit his cigar as he watched Basil stare at the chess board, his index fingers slowly massaging his temples. Kane had finally found a worthy opponent and it was nothing like an easy Sunday morning slow game with cigars and family. Although Fat Rat had had a rough week, he was still there. They hadn’t missed a Sunday together since Kane had been out of prison. Fat Rat sat in the corner sipping cognac as he watched along. He still was sore from a few days before, but there was no way he was going to miss the Sunday dinner. Basil made his move and then sat back and relaxed. He took a sip of the scotch that was in front of him and then glanced at Kane. Stevie D was there as well, and Kane felt comfortable because it felt like old times, when he was knee deep in the game with his crew. Curtis Mayfield played faintly in the background as the fellas congregated.

  “Your move,” Basil said as he looked over at Kane.

  “Indeed,” Kane responded as he sat up and examined the board. “Are we all set on that other thing?”

  “Yeah, everything is set up and all the product is in the streets. They loving that shit. Never seen anything like it. The way things are looking, we might need to re-up,” Basil said nonchalantly.

  “Re-up?” Kane said as he frowned in disbelief. Basil calmly nodded his head in agreement, knowing that he was pulling off the unbelievable.

  “That’s amazing. We are three weeks ahead of schedule,” Kane added.

  “That’s right. The Detroit niggas are in love with that new pack. They can step on it a few times and it’s so strong, they customers don’t even feel the effect. This new shit that the Cartel got is like no other. You really plugged me with a gold mine,” Basil said.

  “Very impressive,” Kane said, proud of the young man sitting before him. He knew that he was making the newest version of himself through his protégé. Kane looked at the Italian slacks and loafers that Basil wore and couldn’t help but smile. Basil had taken his advice and begun to look the part of a boss. Basil’s aura was changing and Kane was loving every bit of it. Fat Rat could see the change as well and the green-eyed monster began to slowly creep into the room. Fat Rat took a mental note to begin changing his ways or he might lose his position as Kane’s right hand. Fat Rat didn’t look at Basil in malice; he was more like a reminder to tighten up.

  Kane never said a word to Fat Rat about what happened in the Irish district, not wanting to cause any more embarrassment than he already was going through.

  “Dinner is done,” Moriah yelled from the kitchen.

  “Okay, baby girl. Here we come,” Kane yelled back as he stood up and began to rub his hands together. He absolutely loved his daughter’s cooking and it always reminded him of her late mother. Everyone followed the smells into the dining room and there was a magnificent spread of food waiting on the long marble table.

  “Dig in, guys,” Moriah said as the assortment of lamb chops, fresh mixed vegetables, chicken marsala, and salad awaited them. The chairs were already pulled out. Moriah had the perfect setup for them.

  “This is amazing,” Basil said as he took his seat, directly across from Moriah.

  “Why, thank you…,” Moriah said as she squinted her eyes. “Uh, what was your name again?” she added, not wanting to tip her father off.

  “Basil,” he answered, playing along with her and giving her a smile. He couldn’t help but smile. Mo was so witty in his eyes and this only heightened the intrigue he had for her.

  “Yeah, that’s right. Thanks, Basil,” Moriah responded.

  Fat Rat looked on in disgust, as he knew that she was putting on her father. They all began to place the food on their plates and small talk began.

  Kane, Fat Rat, and Stevie D were immersed in conversation; however, Basil and Moriah seemed zoned into each other, exchanging extended stares. Basil couldn’t help but stare at the gorgeous woman in front of him. Midway through the dinner, Basil felt a foot creep into his crotch area. He jumped at the touch but quickly realized what was going on. He looked at Moriah and she was focused on him with a slight smirk. She winked at him, letting him know that the games had begun.

  This girl is a savage, he thought to himself as she tried to look normal and engaged in the talk with Kane and his crew. They were in discussion about connecting with some of the hustlers outside the city limits to expand their distribution network. However, Basil’s mind was totally somewhere else. It seemed like all the blood had left his brain and headed down to the area in between his legs. Basil enjoyed the massage as she used her foot to fondle his tool. She switched from his sack to his rod as if she were using her hands. Basil was growing with each touch and it was driving him wild as her toes began to curl. He repositioned himself in the seat as he spread his legs apart a tad bit more so that she had better access to his crotch. This silent game that they were playing was giving both of them a rush that they had never experienced before. Basil tried his best to pretend that he was engaged in the conversation with the men, but it was hard to do with his growing member under the table. He was at his capacity and rock solid.

  “Excuse me. I have to take a leak,” Basil said. The way Moriah was working her foot, he felt as if he would be exploding at any moment. Basil hastily made his way to the restroom and took a deep breath.

  “What the fuck is she doing here?” he whispered to himself as he rested both of his hands on the sink while he looked at himself in the mirror. He turned on the faucet and then splashed water onto his face. He had to gain his composure and re-enter the dining room. He knew that he was playing with fire by playing games with Moriah in Kane’s presence. He exited the bathroom and went into the kitchen to grab something to drink. He needed to cool down and make sure that his rod wasn’t sticking out of the slacks that he wore. He walked into the kitchen and was startled to see Moriah there, putting her plate in the sink. He was frozen and didn’t know what to say to her. She looked at him and smiled. She walked over to him and they instantly began to kiss. Moriah had never felt a thrill like that in her entire life. She was so used to being this daughter of a kingpin and not being able to let loose, but Basil provided a new feeling for her. She reached down and began to rub him through his pants once again. She absolutely was impressed by his thickness and wondered what the real thing looked and felt like.

  Basil pulled away from her after he realized how close they were to someone walking in and catching them. “What are you doing?” he whispered as he grabbed her by her shoulder blades and held her away from him.

  “Stop being a wuss. You supposed to be a G, right? Stop acting like a pus—” Moriah smirked and said just before Basil interrupted.

  “I’m not scared of anything, ma. Trust that,” Basil said with confidence. He looked back and made sure that no one was coming. “You’re crazy, you know that?” he said playfully as he looked into her eyes. They both were having the time of their lives.

  “I’m out of here,” Basil said lightheartedly.

  “Scaredy cat,” Moriah said as Basil started to walk out of the kitchen. He looked back and stuck his tongue out at her, which made her burst out into laughter. She covered her mouth to suppress the sound. Basil shook his head and faded into the hallway.

  Basil entered the dining room and the men were still talking. He felt uncomfortable and decided to leave early. Moriah was putting him in a tight spot and he wanted to get the hell out of there because it was getting too heated.

  “I have a headache, OG,” Basil said as he extended his hand to Kane. “I’m going to call it a night.” He slapped five with Kane.

  “Young nigga can’t hang,” Stevie D said just before he downed a shot of scotch. They all burst into laughter.

  “Cool. Have a good night, Youngblood,” Kane said as he began to pour himself another drink. Basil slapped hands with his other two old heads. He kept thinking about what Moriah had ca
lled him and shook his head in disbelief at her boldness. Basil walked out of the house with Moriah heavy on his mind.

  * * *

  Moriah had just finished with the dishes and made her way up to her room to prepare for bed. She still heard the music playing downstairs and the laughter of the fellas on the main floor. She couldn’t get Basil off of her mind and was feeling his whole vibe. She reached her room and began to take off her clothes. She walked into her bathroom and started the shower. Just as she was about to step in, she felt a strong hand grab her from behind. She tried to scream but the man placed his hand over her mouth, muffling any sound that she could attempt. Moriah’s heart began to beat so rapidly, it felt as if her heart was trying to jump out of her chest. Fear overcame her body as she tried to get away, but the man was too strong.

  “Don’t move,” the man whispered in her ear, as he gripped her tightly against his own body. “Who’s the scaredy cat now?” the voice said as he released her. Moriah swiftly turned around and saw Basil, smiling at her. She couldn’t believe it. He had snuck up to her room and waited for her.

  “Basil. Oh my God,” she said as she playfully hit him in the chest. “You have to get out of here.” She crossed her arms, covering her exposed breasts.

  “Do you really want me to leave?” Basil asked in an undertone. They stared into each other’s eyes and the sexual tension dominated the room. Basil impressed himself with his level of slyness and brazenness. He knew that Moriah was worth the risk. All his bases were covered and he was ready to see if she was as good as advertised. He parked around the corner and walked back to the house to avoid any suspicion from Kane. He was all in. Moriah was speechless as she gazed into Basil’s eyes. “Do you want me to leave?” he asked again.