Mafia Princess

by King, Deja

  For a second, Quasim was at a loss of words but he managed to speak. “Funny thing, I was just thinking the same thing, man.”

  “I sent her back up there, Qua. You need to hear the truth, and know that girl never meant to hurt you by setting up Patrick.”

  “A’ight, man. I know we’ll never be nothing ‘cause that’s my father and if it was the other way around, Big Pat would never play me. But out of respect for Gio, she’s worth a sit down so we can discuss everything.”

  “That’s all I’m asking you to do, fam. Understand that she never purposely meant to cross you.”

  “I feel you. I’ma holla at you though,” Qua said about to disconnect the call.

  “Qua,” he heard his uncle call out. “Yeah?”

  “I love you, man.”

  Quasim stared at his phone and found it weird that his uncle had conveyed those three words. He was always hard on him and never showed affection, but today something was different and Quentin felt it was necessary to express himself. “I love you too, Uncle Quentin,” he said, pressing end on the touch screen.

  Quasim knew it was through the spirit that he was willing to gain the courage to see this through and it meant everything to him to just hold Semaj in his arms, even if it was just for one last time. Quasim looked at his phone and scrolled down to locate her number. He listened to the ring back tone just for him. It was Monica’s song, “Everything to Me.”

  “Hello,” she answered on the fifth ring.

  “I’m sorry everything had to come down to this.” Quasim’s voice was full of sadness.

  Semaj immediately burst into a fit of cries as she navigated through the city streets and headed towards the nightclub. Her hands were trembling and she could hardly see through her teary vision, but whipped the ride as if it was a racecar and she was in competition with the NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon. “I know it will probably never be the same, but I just want you to understand me. I’m sorry, and I promise I was never the culprit when it came down to you. I would die for you. I love you more than I love the air I breathe. But I understand if you don’t want to be with me. I just have to tell you my reasons for living that life. I’m fifteen minutes away. Will you please wait for me.”

  “Okay. I love you, Semaj. Hurry up.”

  “I love you too, Quasim. I’m hurrying. You just don’t know how much I love you.”

  “I love you, believe that.” Quasim hung up his phone and a feeling of closure overcame him. He knew they weren’t ready for the rebuilding process at this given moment, because there were a lot of things that had transpired. Deep down inside, he hoped once she arrived that he would be able to resist her. Just the mere sight of her smile sent chills down his spine and her natural scent always intoxicated him. But everything between them was a lie, so he had to let her go.

  ‘’I’m gonna love you forever though,’’ he muttered as he turned away to a room full of his loyal friends that were silent as if trying to read him. He walked over to Mike-Mike, whispered something in his ear and the two men exited the room.

  Chapter 20

  Block and his right-hand man, Drakey had been lurking across the street from Club Rich in Block’s triple black S550. The club was packed and people poured into the dual glass entrance looking their best. Block promised that he’d get Quasim Santana when shit cooled down and when he would have his guard down. Block had major pull and it just so happened one of his distant homies was the owner of the club that Quasim was renting for the night. He contacted his man, and due to the favor the owner owed him, he allowed him to bring in the club’s security for the night. Nonetheless, Block came up with a fabricated story indicating that he needed his own bouncers present for him to attend the party. The owner went for the okey-doke, not knowing that he was welcoming murder on his nightclub’s forefront.

  The security was a team full of Jamaicans and Block swore that the only way Quasim was leaving out of the club was in a body bag.

  “You ready?” Drakey asked, pulling from the cigar-inspired blunt and tried to pass it.

  “I’m cool. I gotta be alert and on point with this buster ass nigga. I’ma do this man in. Let’s do this shit, son,” he said as they made an exit from the vehicle and walked through the entrance strapped-up triple times with protection surrounding the club’s entirety.

  “Damn, that shit’s crazy. All that shit between you and Maj is buggin’ me the fuck out,” Mike-Mike said as they began walking down the wraparound stairs to meet Semaj before she came inside the overly crowded club.

  “That’s what I said. Man, my mind so fucked up behind this shit

  I don’t know what the fuck is what.”

  “I know you love that chick. Fo’real that’s why I stopped you

  ‘cause I knew later on you would’ve regretted that shit.”

  “Shit wild and crazy and I do still love her,” Quasim admitted as they made their way to the exit of the club.

  In a million years neither of the friends would have imagined what they were walking smack dead into. It was as if Quasim had seen a ghost as Block made his way through the metal detector, which he figured the dread-headed bouncer had disarmed as an insider had did for him and his entourage through the rear entrance.

  Sensing a person staring, Block surveyed his surroundings and about one yard away his eyes fell on Quasim. He and Quasim locked eyes as if a lightning strike had shocked a cable wire. Electrocution energy flowed through both of their veins. Death sat within both of their eyes and they already knew what was coming next, Mike-Mike sneakily pulled out his gun as Block implied through his eyes for his goons nearby to get ready for the gunfight. But to him and the naked eyes, Quasim and Mike-Mike were outnumbered and the people that they did have weren’t aware of the current situation. What Block didn’t know was that Quasim never felt comfortable in a room full of snakes, making him always well prepared for any situation that was presented to him.

  “BOOM!”

  The sounds of gunfire filled the interior of the club. There was pandemonium in the crowd and innocent bystanders scampered for the exit as others became aware of what was going on. Dozens upon dozens of bullets were flying through the club hitting the innocent, as the assailants took cover scuffling their way behind protective shields. Some even grabbing bystanders using them as human shields.

  Block and his crew knew what they were coming for giving them an instant advantage over Quasim‘s squad, but it didn’t take too long for his crew to catch on.

  While their advantage was in the beginning having a club full of goons with glocks and nines, Quasim had some goons out of this world that had been hired for circumstances alike. His female shooters were like a sniper at its prey. The crazed murderesses were on point and within a matter of seconds, the Dominican women ripped open their trench coats and went out gun blasting with army assault rifles and machine guns, making this an instant war zone. Quasim’s crew up top ran down the wrapped around stairs on cue, and before it was all said and done, both crews were dropping dead with the exchange of bullets.

  Everyone was trying to protect the boss, and traded shots with the many Jamaicans that were targeting Quasim. Instead of scuffling for an exit, the many goons that knew Santana went out guns blazing also, and his henchman too were trying to save him, and shoot him out to safety. Everyone in the building was on some straight gangster shit, and the scene looked like something snatched right out of a street mafia movie.

  When the shooting finally came to a halt, it was only a few members on each side left and nearly everyone was out of ammunition. Quasim looked around and noticed that the female shooters were all left standing, but his man Mike-Mike wasn’t so lucky. He lay dead pooled in his own blood with a chopper in his hand and his eyes staring up to the skylight ceiling.

  The main floor was covered with so many bodies it was a horror scene, but Quasim knew he couldn’t dwell on it. He had to bounce before the cops showed up. With the Dominican ladies shooting him toward the exit, two in front, gu
ns drawn, and two behind him backpedaling, the five headed for the exit.

  But what they didn’t know was that Block was hiding behind the booth where the money had been collected for admission. As they made way for the entryway to exit, Block peeked over the booth and watched as they approached. He quickly took out his clip and with the heart of a lion, he knew with the two bullets left in his .357 what option he had to make. He would use his shooter’s ability to take Santana out. He didn’t care if the women took his life in the process. Many niggas would bitch up in this predicament. But as long as he officially erased Quasim Santana from the map was all his heart longed for. He would be content.

  Without warning he fired two shots. They ripped through Quasim’s chest and before he dropped, the two men locked eyes. As blood leaked from the side of his mouth, Quasim’s body hastily dropped to the ground and violently jerked.

  Block pointed his empty gun at the women and made a threat through his eyes. Being that they were trained murderers—born assassins—the ringleader looked at him. She noticed the seemingly obvious also: if any ammo was left he’d undoubtedly pop off without hesitation, as they would have returned the same exchange.

  “I give you credit. You won this one, but not for long,” she said in a thick accent, and they departed, hating that they weren’t able to save Quasim. The murderess knew that Gio was going to be devastated once they reported the news to their head boss who hired the guns to inconspicuously protect him. They had been there to protect his every move and had succeeded until now. Somehow, the contract killers slipped into the fretting crowd and disappeared into the night invisibly.

  Semaj was crying tears of joy at the idea of having a second chance with Quasim as she pressed down on the accelerator. She didn’t know what was next in her life. She didn’t know what this moment would bring, but just to have Quasim understand what her predicament had been was a start in the right direction. It would be hard for her to move on without him as her other half, but as long as they would remain friends, she couldn’t complain.

  Her happiness in an instant turned into devastation as she bent the corner and noticed that uniformed cops were everywhere. The glass facade of the club had been shattered and the crime scene had been roped off with yellow crime scene tape. Officers were trying to corral as many witnesses as possible. While paramedics were bringing people out on gurneys, the coroner personnel were bringing fresh corpses out in body bags.

  “Oh, God, please, no! Let him be okay!” With a hollow feeling at the pit of her stomach, her heartbeat became erratic. Semaj pulled over. She couldn’t drive any further. After parking her car incorrectly, she hopped out and ran full speed toward the crime scene. She felt deep down inside her that Quasim was gone.

  To confirm her assumptions, she ran past the tape. The next body bag that had been brought out made vomit escape from her mouth. Semaj sensed that Quasim was inside the black plastic. Having to see for herself, she ran through the yellow tape and begged to see the face. What she discovered would forever haunt her mind. It was Quasim lifeless body, and in total shock, she didn’t cry, scream, or act out in mockery of her grief. All she did was move backwards and returned to her car in slow strides.

  When Semaj finally slid inside the car, she couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. She pulled the gear in reverse, her hands trembling and placed them onto the steering wheel. She gunned it, hitting ninety miles per hour on the expressway to deliver the devastating news to Quentin. It was crazy how a person‘s whole life could change in a matter of seconds, and now her love was dead, and again she was at square one. She didn’t have anybody left. No Tala…No Daddy…No Qua. It pained her heart that she was robbed of the chance of seeing Quasim one last time. Now she’d never know if he‘d forgiven her completely. She felt like she’d been cheated. She had been stripped of everyone that she had ever loved. Semaj felt deep down inside this was God’s punishment for living life as the devil’s advocate.

  Semaj was driving through the traffic lights like a bat out of hell, cutting corners at illegal speeds. Finally pulling through the gate, she parked in the front of the house. She got out and bolted to the door. The door was locked so she opened it using her key. When she walked inside a cold chill ran down her spine. Shaking her paranoia off, Semaj proceeded to search the house for Quentin while calling his name.

  She found it odd that he wasn’t answering since he said he’d be there once she returned. When she walked inside the sunken living room, she screamed frightened at the gruesome sight that lay before her. It was Quentin lying in a puddle of his own blood. “Oh, my God!” Semaj covered her mouth, hoping to prevent the vomit from spilling out. Needing to escape, she quickly turned away, and to her surprise, a hard shove knocked her to the ground.

  Suddenly Semaj was yanked up by her hair and tossed to the couch to be met with they eyes of a man that had death etched on his face. She knew she was in deep shit and there was no way of getting around it. Her fate rested in his hands. He didn’t care about his child’s mother so why would he give a shit about her? She had encouraged Tala to steal his money and as Tala had met her unwanted fate, it was now Semaj’s turn.

  At that moment, another man’s face became visible and his stare was even more menacing. “You thought you got away with taking my money, huh? You thought I’d never guess that it was you. But check, that act you pulled didn’t work with me, shorty. I’ma have a ball killing you.”

  Semaj stared speechless, because she wouldn’t have ever guessed that he’d find out that it was her behind the robbery. He looked scary and evil. His face was grossly unshaven and he held revenge within his eyes. But it was him. He finally caught up with her. It was Gabe and he knew everything.

  “This can’t be real!” Semaj muttered in shock.

  “This is definitely real and I’m going to fuckin’ make you a believer,” D-Boy threatened through clenched teeth. “You’re the reason that me and Ta broke up. You’re the reason that she stole my money.

  You’re the reason that she’s dead.” He drew his leg back and forcefully kicked Semaj in the stomach.

  She cringed in pain as she spat up blood violently. “No, you’re the reason. You tried to kill Ta and probably was the one responsible for the shooting at the venue, clown ass nigga!” Semaj knew her life was on countdown so there was no need to bitch up. If she had to die, she was going out like the gangster bitch her father groomed her to be. “Nigga, man up to what the fuck you did.”

  “And you and your father killed my sister,” D-Boy stated matter- of-factly.

  “Let me guess. Paris told you that too.” A chuckle managed to escape her lips. “But I bet she didn’t tell you that it was actually her and my father who killed Mercedes and Dean-Bean. You niggas letting this bitch stretch the truth a bit too long now.”

  “Just like a coward to lie when their life in the hands of another man,” he replied.

  “Fuck you and your sister, nigga! I ain’t gotta lie for shit. Do what you gon’ do, my nigga.” Semaj was scared to death, but she would not give him the satisfaction to expose her fear.

  “Fuck me and my sister!” D-Boy roared in anger and charged her, hitting her dead in her mouth.

  Semaj didn’t have much energy in her, but the strength she had left she fought back, and cracked him dead in his eye as hard as she could.

  Though the punch indeed hurt, he shook it off and became even more infuriated at her attempt to fight him. He grabbed her neck and battered her face with one blow after another. He taunted and bruised her up badly for the next couple minutes, blaming her for his and Tala’s problems, and the murders of his family members. Heaving heavily with bloody knuckles, he never saw what was coming next.

  “BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!”

  The sound of rapid gunfire filled the living room. Three bullets ripped through D-Boy’s head and his brains splattered as his body fell to the ground.

  Semaj sat frozen and couldn’t believe that Gabe had just squeezed the lever and ended D-Boy fore
ver. She was totally shocked at this point. She didn’t quite understand why he killed D-Boy, since it seemed they were both there to extinguish her but Gabe was showing different.

  “You just don’t know how long I been waiting on this day to come. You were off when that robbery happened at my house. But me being dumb I still didn’t think shit of it ‘cause I trusted you. Then you turn shade when I get locked up. Imagine how I felt when D-Boy told me that you was a dirty grimy bitch. When he called home and Tala told him that some niggas kicked in the door was the only clarity that I needed. Only to add that Big Pat had gotten killed shortly after I heard he was all up on you in the club. After that there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that you bitches were low down and I been out to get you ever since.”

  “So, it was you responsible for all the shit in my life?” Semaj managed to spew the words out.

  “Majority of it. Now the one with your pops was on some mafia shit, and I don’t get with all that extra shit. It’s only gunplay my way, and I’d leave your body whole with your soul left to burn in hell,” he laughed, menacingly. “I must admit, ma, you got alotta love out here in these streets. Muthafucka’s protect you to the end and it’s very hard to catch you alone. But with me knowing what was going down at the club tonight, if you didn’t die there, it was surely going to happen soon after.”

  “So you had something to do with the club shooting?” Semaj asked slyly trying to buy time.

  “Not at all. That was D-Boy’s peoples. All I ever wanted was to get back at you. Even when I tried to have Tala tell me where you were, she was so fuckin’ high on that shit I couldn’t get nothing out of her but she got something from me—that bullet in her head.”