“¿Por qué estás impresionado?” Zeek questioned in Spanish. (Why are you impressed?)
“I didn’t mean—”
“Just because I’m out for a little doesn’t mean my team is going to start slipping. If I didn’t trust Tariq to run my operation just as I would, I wouldn’t have given him the position of being second in command,” Zeek said very cockily to let José know that his team was good.
“I see, well business will continue as normal with us even with you being here.”
“As it should. Speaking of me being here, how much longer will that be? What exactly is being done to make sure that I will be able to return home with no problems?” Zeek asked.
At this point, he felt as if José had just brought him down here to sit on his ass. There was money to be made and Zeek was missing out on a lot of action by being in Cuba. He was never the type to just sit back and let people do things for him, he loved to be a part of the action and make things happen for himself so being down here was killing him slowly.
“I can tell you exactly what is not helping you, Ezekiel, and that would be you fornicating with my daughter. You have to know that I am not too pleased with your actions,” José told him.
“With all due respect, José, what does that have to do with anything? Nina is a grown woman just like I’m a grown man; I’m not making her do anything she doesn’t want to do. Our business is just that, ours.”
“That may be true for all the rest of those…females you are used to laying with but when it comes to mi hija, she will always be my business. If you have no plans of making a woman your wife then why lay with her?” José questioned.
“So, did you bring me here to question me about my personal affairs or did you bring me here to talk about getting these fucking pigs off my back so I can take my black ass home?” Zeek asked with an attitude and a little more bass in his voice than he intended to.
Right about now José was pissing him off and no matter how much he tried to hide it, he couldn’t. Where he put his dick and whom he chose to put it in was none of José’s concern. The only thing he should have been worried about was getting Elias off his back and making this bullshit ass case they built against him disappear.
“¡Cálmate!” José told his guard that aimed his gun at Zeek. (Calm down)
He felt as if Zeek was being disrespectful by speaking to José in that manner and if his boss gave him the signal, he would have no issues taking Zeek out.
“Yea, ese, you better calm down. I don’t think my friends out there appreciate you pointing that gun at me,” Zeek said without even turning around to look at him.
José and everybody else had to be a fool if they thought Zeek was going anywhere without any protection of his own, even if he didn’t need it. Sophia’s brothers and a few of her other family members agreed to guard Zeek while he was staying in Cuba and wherever he went, they went. They were specially trained to kill and would pull the trigger before you could even blink.
“Yo no veo a nadie,” José’s guard told Zeek.
“Exactly, but I can guarantee you that he sees you,” Zeek said just as a red dot appeared on the guard’s forehead.
“Really, Ezekiel? After all the business we have done and money we have made together, this is how you do me? You disrespect me by bringing back up to my house as if you don’t trust me?” José asked, offended.
“Don’t take it personal, José, but I don’t trust nobody after the shit I’ve been through. I’m the type of nigga that triple counts his money by hand because I don’t trust a machine to count my money for me. I have to protect my own ass just like you have to protect yours,” Zeek said.
José didn’t and couldn’t say anything. From the very first time he was introduced to Zeek when he was younger and Chico was still alive, he always knew he would be a cocky son of a bitch. He always had a certain air of arrogance about him but it was even worse now with the position he was in.
“Fair enough, let’s just end this here. I’ll call up my people in Detroit and see what they have for me and I’ll get back with you on the matter,” José told Zeek.
“You do that. Don’t keep me waiting too long,” Zeek said before he got up.
As he left the office, he made sure to hit the overzealous guard that was a little trigger happy with a wink as he strutted out.
“Hijo de puta arrogante,” José mumbled. (Cocky son of a bitch)
Chapter Fourteen
Coco walked through her sister’s house and was hit with a strong aroma of cigarettes that made her nauseous. She hadn’t spoken to Jayliah in three days but a surprise phone call from Tariq made her rush over to her house as soon as possible, especially since she wasn’t answering her phone.
“Jay!” Coco yelled as she stomped through the house in search of her sister.
When she didn’t get an answer, Coco headed straight for her bedroom. When she reached the room, Jayliah was standing at her bedroom window looking out with a cigarette in between her fingers.
“Is that bitch dead?” Jayliah asked dryly without even bothering to turn around.
“No she is not, the bullet went in and out. What the fuck is wrong with you, Jayliah? You could have killed that girl!” Coco exclaimed.
“Okay, and?” Jayliah said with much attitude as she spun around. “Look at me, Jacole, and tell me does it really look as if I give a fuck about that bitch!” she yelled.
“Slow ya roll, baby girl. I’m not the one you’re mad at. All that yelling isn’t necessary,” Coco said.
“Neither is your preaching. I’m a grown ass woman, Jacole; older than you, as a matter of fact. I’m very much aware of what I did and I’m not sorry at all so if you brought your little ass over here to tell me how wrong I am, you can save that shit and leave now.”
Coco just stood there shaking her head. Her sister had always had a little anger problem and she was aware of the fact that Jayliah carried a gun but she never thought she would see the day where she used it, especially on Tariq’s baby mother.
“What the fuck is wrong with you? Where the hell is my sister? You in here smoking cigarettes and shit. Since when did you start smoking, Jayliah?”
Instead of answering her, Jayliah just turned back around to look out her window again as she flicked the ashes from her cigarette in her ashtray. Coco placed her purse on Jayliah’s dresser and looked up just in time to see her sister’s shoulders shaking as she broke down crying. Coco rushed over to the window, grabbed Jayliah in a hug and hugged her tightly as she cried from the depths of her soul.
“Oh my gosh, Coco. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. One minute, I’m happy and up then the next, I’m mad and down. It’s like I can’t control it,” Jayliah cried.
“Shh, it’s okay. You just miss your son and that’s okay but you can’t go around unleashing that hurt and anger like that, Jayliah. That shit was stupid and it almost cost not only that girl her life but yours as well. What the hell would I do if my best friend had to spend the rest of her life behind bars?” Coco asked.
“I know but it’s like once I get mad, there’s no point of return and it’s so scary. Especially when she spoke on my son as if she really knew what the hell was going on. That really touched something deep in my soul.”
“I know but you have to learn to ignore people, Jay. You know she was just trying to get a reaction out of you. Obviously she got more than what she bargained for but did you not think of Tanae at all?” Coco asked, making Jayliah realize how foolish her decision really was.
“Oh my goodness,” Jayliah gasped. “The baby, how is she?” Jayliah asked, truly concerned. This whole time, she hadn’t even thought about Tanae and how she must feel in all this madness. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt her.
“Riq said she’s a little shaken up but she’ll be alright.”
Jayliah just shook her head in disappointment. “I really have to get my life together, Coco. I haven’t told anyone but I’ve been talking to a private investigator. I know I mig
ht sound crazy but if my son is still out there, I want to know where and I want to know exactly what the hell Quadir is into or what he’s hiding.”
“What? Jay, that doesn’t make you sound crazy at all. That’s very understandable and I can’t really say that I blame you. Now that you have that taken care of, it’s time to focus on you. You need some counseling, someone that can help you rid yourself of all that anger and hurt because keeping it bottled in isn’t going to do anything but get you into something you can’t get yourself out of,” Coco told her sister.
“Maybe you’re right, Co. I’ll look into.”
“Don’t just be saying that, Jayliah, really do it because it will help you out a lot. I did it after I was raped and it really helped me. If you want, I’ll even go with you. I just want you to get the help that you need to start your healing process.”
“I didn’t know you went to counseling, Co. What the hell is up with you keeping all these things from me?” Jayliah questioned.
“That was something that I vowed no one would ever know but if me telling you that will convince you to go also then I have no problem telling you. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. A lot of people seek counseling.” Coco told her sister.
Jayliah had never considered seeking professional help until Coco brought it up. If that was what she needed to stop feeling the way she had been lately and to help her get a handle on her emotions then she would definitely do it.
___
Tariq stood posted up on the wall of the hospital room as the nurse changed Shanae’s bandage. Between her and Jayliah, he was stressed out to the max. He was so tired of going through the motions with the both of them that he didn’t know what to do. It seemed as if the only time Shanae wanted to act a fool or be on some bullshit is when Tariq wasn’t giving her his full attention. As long as there was no other woman on the picture, she was like the perfect baby mama.
On the other hand, he had Jayliah and her issues. He was trying his best to be the understanding and loving man that he knew he could be and stay by her side but it seemed as if she just kept finding ways to push him away. That shit she pulled the other day was unacceptable. By no means was he taking up for Shanae because he knew firsthand how her mouth could be but he needed for Jayliah to learn some self-control if she expected to be around him and his daughter.
“For the three days that I’ve been in here, you don’t do anything but stand on the other side of the room like you’re mad or something,” Shanae said. “If anybody should be mad, it’s me. I’m the one laying here with a bullet wound.”
“Maye you should have thought about that before you opened that big ass mouth of yours,” Tariq spat.
“Excuse me? Are you saying that it’s my fault that bitch shot me?” Shanae asked indignantly.
“Yo, you better chill the fuck out and lower your tone. What the hell is wrong with you?” he said through gritted teeth.
Since hospitals have to call the people whenever a gunshot victim is brought in, Shanae told the police that her house was broken into and she didn’t know who had shot her. Even though she wanted so badly to tell them exactly who it was that was responsible, she knew better. Tariq probably would have finished her off himself if she would have dared to open her mouth. In his eyes, that would have been snitching and he didn’t play that; he hated the fact that she had to talk to the police in the first place.
“Calm down, Tariq. Nobody is going to know your little bitch shot me.” Shanae rolled her eyes.
“That’s why you’re laid up in that hospital bed now, you talk too fucking much. I hoped you would have learned your lesson but I guess not. Learn to shut the fuck up sometimes, Shanae. You’re not going to be able to run everybody off with your bark because there’s some bitches out here that actually bite; as you can see. I’m not saying what she did was okay but you bringing up her son wasn’t either. That shit was lower than low and I hope you feel like shit for even doing it,” Tariq chastised her.
If looks could kill, Tariq definitely would have dropped dead from the nasty look he was receiving from Shanae at the moment.
“You know what? I hope you feel like shit for putting her before your family. The ones who matter the most. I was there before the money and the hood fame. Don’t forget that, Tariq. She almost killed the mother of your child…children. Yet you act like she’s the victim. If you go back to her after this, it definitely says a lot about you and I’ll know I never meant shit to you. It’s too bad you’ll never be able to see your daughter again because I refuse to have her around that bitch.”
“Alright, I’m gone because now you’re talking crazy. You were trying to pull that bullshit in the first place, that’s why Tanae called me crying but I just want you to know it’ll be a cold day in hell before you keep me away from my daughter. Try me,” Tariq said before leaving the room.
Shanae sat there with smoke coming from her ears. Here she was the one laid up in the hospital but Tariq was treating her as if she was the one who had pulled the trigger. She had something for Jayliah though, there was no way on God’s green earth she was going to let her get away with shooting her. She didn’t care what Tariq had to say about it.
Chapter Fifteen
“Santiago, my office, now!”
Elias sighed in irritation as the captain called him to his office. Ever since he slipped up and let Zeek get away the captain had been on his ass and coming down hard on him. If he wasn’t so hell-bent on taking Zeek down and being the one to bring him in, Elias would have told him he could kiss his ass and go to hell but he was on this job for a reason.
“Yes sir?”
“When was the last time you spoke with Chanel Willis?” Captain Turner questioned.
“I haven’t spoken to her in a few weeks sir. Not since I asked her about Ezekiel Clay’s whereabouts. May I ask why?”
“Because her body was just found, that’s why. Johnston and Kemp got a call about a body found in a dumpster and lo and behold, when they respond to the call, it’s Ms. Willis,” Captain said as if he was frustrated as he slid the crime scene photos over to Elias so he could see them.
Elias had to swallow hard to keep from lashing out. He couldn’t believe this shit. There was no doubt in his mind that Zeek was responsible for this shit, he just knew he had to be. There was no one else who could have been behind this. He didn’t know how he had let Zeek sneak back under his nose but he was even more determined to take that black bastard down now more than before.
“He did this,” Elias said.
“He who?”
“Ezekiel Clay, I know he did,” Elias said as he slid the pictures back to the Captain.
“Oh really? And how do you know for sure that a man that no one has seen or heard from in almost two months is responsible for killing Ms. Willis?”
“Because I…I just have this feeling,” Elias said.
“Santiago, why do I get the feeling that you have a personal vendetta against Clay?”
Unlike Chief Liep who had retired last month, Captain Turner wasn’t with all the corruption that was taking pace in the department, which is a reason why Elias really didn’t care for him.
“Captain, I—”
“I feel like you need to sit this one out. You have been building this case against him since the beginning of time and barely got anywhere, then you lost him when you were supposed to have surveillance on him and someone watching him, and now you’re telling me that after he just disappeared in thin air he reappeared just to kill our informant and key witness?”
“So what are you saying, Capta—”
“I’m saying I’m taking you off this case and you’re not allowed to deal with anything that has anything to do with Ezekiel Clay. As a matter of fact, I’m putting you on desk duty; you are not to go out in the field. Do I make myself clear?” Captain Turner said with authority in his voice.
Elias had to quickly count to ten in his head to help keep himself calm. He was so pissed that he didn’t know what to do.
It was taking everything in him not to take his gun out of his holster and blow his brains out. He must have forgotten if it wasn’t for him, they never would have taken Orlondo ‘Chico’ Santiago down. He was the one who put those bullets in Chico. Him, not anyone else and he was trying to do the same to Zeek and he didn’t need this punk ass do right captain getting in his way.
“You are very clear, Captain,” Elias said.
“Good, now get out of my office.”
Elias quickly left the office before he said something that he wouldn’t regret. He didn’t care what Captain Turner or anyone else had to say; he wasn’t leaving shit alone until Ezekiel Clay was either behind bars or six feet under.
___
Sophia opened her door with a big smile as she pulled Zeek in for a hug. Today was sort of a celebration for them. It was the first time they would be together as a family again on Chico’s birthday since before his death. Even though Zeek hadn’t really celebrated Chico’s birthday since his passing, there was no way in hell he was going to turn down his Mamita’s invitation to come over and celebrate with the family.
“Zeeky, mi hijo,” Sophia gushed as she kissed his cheek.
Sophia truly did love Zeek like a son because he reminded her so much of her late husband that it was crazy. You couldn’t deny that everything that Zeek picked up, he’d learned from Orlondo Santiago.
“Mamita, this is Nina,” Zeek introduced Sophia to Nina.
“Hola,” Sophia said with a fake smile on her face and tone in her face that didn’t go undetected by Zeek.
“This is a beautiful home you have,” Nina told Sophia.
“Mhm, thank you.” Sophia smirked. “Hijo, show your guest to the other room then come talk to me,” she told Zeek.
Zeek nodded his head as he did what he was told. By the tone in her voice, he could tell that whatever Sophia wanted to talk to him about wasn’t going to be good. Zeek led Nina to another room where Sophia’s brothers were. It seemed as if all conversation ceased when she walked in a room. The only thing that was heard was everyone speaking to Zeek but everyone gave her ice stares as she sat on the couch. Shrugging, Zeek left the room after he made sure she was good.
The Wrong Side Of Love 2: A Hood Love Story Page 7
