by King, Deja
“Don’t call my fuckin’ phone!” Semaj shouted forcefully, and almost hung up until she heard a different voice on the opposite end. “Is this Semaj Richardson?” a baritone male voice with a
distinguished accent asked in concern. “Hello!”
“Is this Semaj Richardson?”
“Who is this?” she asked in noticeable pain.
“Is everything alright? This is your grandfather…Gio… this is Giorgio Milano.”
“Grand… Poppa!” Semaj cried out in wails of horror and fear, but for some reason a sense of relief calmed her nerves.
Gio put in a request to one of his most trusted members of the Milano Family to pick up Semaj, and he stared out of the hospital window with eagerness nagging at his inner linings. He could not believe that he had finally located his granddaughter. It had been so long but even during the longest, most hectic times, Gio had never given up on his quest. Many battles had been fought and many wars had been won, but all of that meant nothing when his flesh and blood seemed to have been lost in the cruel world.
But as he had anticipated the day for so many years, Gio couldn’t have been any happier, and once he put Murder Mitch out of his misery, his days would be more relaxed and his nights would be well rested. It had been years since he had a good night’s sleep, but tonight that would sure change. The bags that had shaped around the skin beneath his eyes and the permanent stress lines that winkled his creased forehead was indication of the fifty plus years Gio had been involved in the streets. Even with the many losses and federal case dismissals surrounding his organization, Gio still wasn’t near retirement. He lived by the mob creed: Only way out of the mafia was by his death, and like his grandfather, Marriano Milano who would be turning 101 years old on his next birthday, he was never giving up drugs or illegal gambling.
Jarred from his thoughts, Gio turned around and approached Murder Mitch’s bedside. It had been a long time since Murder Mitch had worked for him, and as his henchmen stood to the right of him he knew that he was only seconds from having the worthless man’s life ended. He failed to protect his daughter and his men would put Murder Mitch out of his misery with a simple nod of the head. The only reason that he had allowed his heart to still pump mechanically was because of his attempt to get information concerning his granddaughter.
With Semaj found though there was no need for Gio to wait on Murder Mitch to come out of his coma. The shocking phone call he’d received from an associate linked to the drug trade, his granddaughter had turned up. His recovery no longer was a necessity.
Murder Mitch was barely holding on to his life, and with a mere pull of the life support cords, he would meet his maker, Lucifer Satan. There was nothing that he wanted more than to end his life. Gio had trusted him with his daughter’s life, and Murder Mitch had failed him terribly as Kasey’s protector. Murder Mitch killed many men on his behalf, kidnapped many children on his account and even fed mob wives who husbands had betrayed him to the alligators. But none of that mattered because breaking a promise was considered breaking his loyalty. To a man like Gio, besides being a rat, nothing was worse than a dishonorable man. Gio was from the old school and played by the rules of the mob. Murder Mitch definitely had to go.
As he delighted himself in the idea of Murder Mitch’s life coming to an end a look of uncertainty spread across his face. Allowing him to die peacefully will be too easy, Gio thought emotionless. He wanted Murder Mitch to see him once he awoke from his comatose state. That way Murder Mitch would know exactly who sent him to hell. Gio didn’t want him to die painless. He wanted his death to be painfully cruel, and torturing him to his last breath would give Gio some sort of satisfaction. He had to suffer and if Gio had to wait twenty years for him to come to, he would, and when Murder Mitch’s eyes opened the terrorizing and torment would begin instantly. Like it had stormed for forty days and forty nights during the days of Noah, Murder Mitch would thunderously endure the deadly workings of a Mafia Boss. For forty days and forty nights of brutality, he wanted him to die a painful, cruel death in the name of Giorgio Milano himself. He would burn to char and his remains would forever blend in with the dirt. Then, his daughter’s soul could finally rest in peace.
Chapter 24
Gio walked inside the workout room with the daily newspaper in hand. Nas and Damian Marley’s collaborated album “Distant Relative” was blaring from the speakers while Semaj ran high speed on the treadmill. She loathed running on the exercise equipment. She felt the old-fashioned calisthenics gave off better results. But Gio was extra protective of his granddaughter, and kept her secluded in one of his many vacation homes where she’d been since he contacted her for his personal reasons. She’d been laying low in the opulence of his lakefront estate outside of Connecticut.
Perspiration seeped from Semaj’s pores while her ponytail drenched in sweat. Gio knew his granddaughter’s intense workout behavior was due to the stress that was weighing down on her. She wanted to get back to work, but in the same breath, she wanted to stay away until they were sure that a doctor could reconstruct Vega’s burns. Turns out that he was one of the fortunate that was just exiting the building when the bomb had detonated, and although he had suffered severe third degree burns, he made it out alive.
Gio picked up the remote and turned the surround sound down. He walked over to her with a wide smile. The expression had been there since the first moment his henchman opened the limo doors and reunited him with his granddaughter. Gio stood directly in front of her where their eyes shared in the moment. The last eighteen years had been hard for him because he wasn’t able to locate his grandchild, but after all the time that had passed, and all the many attempts, Gio ironically received a phone call from one of his close business associates that informed him his quest in searching for his long lost granddaughter would finally come to an end.
May the Lord rest her soul Semaj silently thanked Aunt Pamela for helping her come in contact with her grandfather. She was one of the ones that hadn’t had a chance to make it out of the explosion alive. “Hey, sweetheart. I have some good and great news. Which do you want to hear first?”
Semaj looked at the aging man and beamed widely as she found him to be so amusing at times when it came to her. For the last five months, he’d been at her every beck and call, and believe it or not, in this short time her G-Poppa was damn near making up for all the years that he was absent from her life. She thought before that she’d been spoiled rotten, but nothing compared to the love a girl receives from her wealthy grandfather. Semaj thought for a moment how her life could’ve been completely different had her old man not hidden her from Gio. But then again, as he still never forgave Mitch, Semaj totally understood that her father wanted to love and be near his own daughter. She knew her father meant no harm, but she also knew that she would have grown up to be a different woman. She wondered if she would have even been exposed to the street life. “The good news,” she laughed as she slowed the treadmill down a bit to jog.
“Well, I’ve been able to get in contact with one of the best plastic surgeons in the world that specializes in intensified burns. He has done some of the best reconstructive surgeries around and he can start as early as Monday morning.”
“Are you serious?” she exclaimed, excitedly. “How much is this going to run us?”
“Serious as can be. And don’t worry about the bill, my dear. This is on me. It’s already paid in full.”
“Thanks, G-Poppa. You’re the best!”
“Only for my favorite girl in the world,” he winked pleasantly. “Now, are you ready for the great news?”
“What could be better than that news, Grand Poppa?”
He smiled slyly as he held out the newspaper for Semaj to grab. Pressing the downward button on the machine, Semaj brought the treadmill to a complete stop. “Oh my God! Poppa, you didn’t!” Semaj screamed in astonishment as she read the newspaper article headline with a huge picture of Paris’s face on the front page:
Tw
enty-four Year Old Girl Found Dead, And The Slain
Appears As A Gory Mafia Hit!
“I told you now that you are under my supervision a person will never be able to harm or touch you, ever. You’re not accessible, my darling. Know that you are in the company of great care from now on.”
Grabbing the small towel that draped the rail, Semaj wiped the sweat from her face. “Did you share this news with Nathan?”
“No. I thought you should be the one to tell him.”
“I don’t know how I will ever be able to repay you, grandfather!” Semaj stepped from the treadmill and hugged his neck tightly.
“Just continue to be my sweet granddaughter and that in itself is all the payback I need.” He gently cupped her chin and leaned in to kiss her right cheek, repeating the gesture and kissing her left cheek. “We are having a dinner party tonight, here, for your great grandfather, Marriano. It’s his birthday. It’s time you meet the rest of the family.”
“You think, G-Poppa?” She loved to call him that. “I don’t know if I’m ready to meet everyone just yet.”
“I think the time is perfect, beautiful.” His Dominican accent came off in a heavy convincing tone. “They’ve all been dying to meet you. But if you still don’t feel comfortable just yet, I’ll postpone it.”
“Oh no, G-Poppa. You’ve convinced me. I do want to get to know them. Tonight it is.”
“Wonderful!” he replied.
“I’ll be there. But let me go check on Vega and the baby. I’ll also fill Vega in on what happened to Paris. ” Semaj hugged her grandfather one more time, “Thanks again, for everything,” she said with a smile of gratification.
“You are family and there’s no need for thanks, Semaj. You are the Mafia Princess, which makes you privileged.”
Semaj smiled to herself as she walked down the long corridor. She made her way through the kitchen, and out of the sliding glass door and onto the deck. But in actuality, Semaj still wasn’t aware of the massive power and authority that stood behind her family’s name. There was a lot that she would have to learn about her heritage.
It was a beautiful, July sundown evening with a windy breeze and an unusual chill for the summer weather. A light draft kissed Semaj’s face as she made her way over to her family on the patio. Their newborn baby, Niran squirmed around in his father’s arms as Vega patted him back to his peaceful slumber and Semaj sat in the wooden chair beside him. Their son was the reason she smiled every day and with Vega in their lives, Semaj felt that everything that she’d been through was worth what stood before her today, and she’d won at the game of life. Before her child, Semaj never knew a love like this existed, and no feeling in the world could ever compare to the way she felt inside and Vega made it clear that no matter what he’d be there until the end of time.
Semaj felt like this was her payday. Her nemesis had finally been defeated. She felt on top of the world and untouchable. She had it all—her man, their son, and now finally a family. A big family. A Mafia family. Her grandfather treated his great grandchild as if he was his favorite little man in the world. Semaj promised Tala in prayer that she’d allow their sons to grow up together. She was going to make certain of that. She loved what her life represented now. She had never known that she was a part of something so superior. And after all the years of the struggle, at the end of the day, Semaj Richardson was the princess of her own royal family. She was street royalty!
“Vega, I wonder where would I be had you not saved me.” “There’s no need to wonder about that. ‘Member nothing happens by chance. So if it wasn’t that way, trust it would’ve been another way, baby.”
“Great way to put it. We was gon’ be back together regardless, somehow, someway!” she blushed, feeling thankful for all she had been given in life.
“No doubt, baby.”
“No doubt, huh?” Semaj laughed as they stood watching dusk set upon the gloomy sky where a rainstorm seemed to be approaching. “Let’s go get ready for tonight. It looks like rain is coming. It’s time to finally meet the prestigious, fam!” Semaj excitedly boasted. “And I gotta tell you all about the good news!”
The sky was pitch black with a dark gray thundercloud amidst the sky, which was distinguishable even through the darkness of the late night, but not even the rain pouring from the darkened sky would will Paris to perch up from sitting Indian-style in front of her sister’s tombstone. A stream of tears gushed from her eyes. Her identical twin sister was dead, and it was all because of her. Egypt was a good girl… the good twin that hadn’t fallen victim to the streets. She was in college working on her degree and she’d been robbed of her innocent life.
Somehow, Egypt had been identified as her in life and in death, because her death certificate had Paris’s government name printed across it and not her sister’s. It hurt her like hell that innocent Egypt was a casualty for the life she led in the streets. She was her better half, and the one that was supposed to make something out of herself. Egypt was the only one, besides their big brother that hadn’t turned their back on her when the other family said she was responsible for her parents’ killing. With the family not taking her in, Egypt still snuck and talked to her every chance she got while Paris went from group home to foster care and back again.
Why did this have to happen to you? Paris continued to cry out as she felt the moisture of the grass from the morning dew. It caused her to slightly shiver from the coldness pressing against her skin.
Her sister was the only human on earth that she cared for more than she cared for herself, and with her gone it had struck a nerve that couldn’t be fixed. Nothing could ever take away the pain she was enduring and the obsession she had to make Semaj suffer. Before Paris didn’t have all of her marbles, but now the girl was mental patient insane, and the only place for her was the crazy hospital.
“Beep! Beep!”
The sounds of the horn snapped her back into reality. Paris hadn’t even realized it, but the rain had picked up tremendously and it was now storming and the winds were blustering. With minimum lighting at the cemetery, Paris still managed to see the window rolling down from the Yukon truck. “C’mon, Paris. It’s pouring down out here, little sis.”
As she rose, Paris ignored her brother who had already made it back to the truck. She leaned forward and kissed her sister’s tombstone. She had paid significantly by losing her sister, but one thing for sure and two things for certain, Semaj Richardson would pay for all the pain she brought to her life. “E, on everything, Semaj and her family is gonna pay someday for your death. I won’t stop until my heart stops and the casket drops, sis!”
“Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!”
“I’m coming, damn!” Paris yelled irritably. Her hair stuck to her face as she jogged to the car, while all she could contemplate was the day that Semaj would see her in the flesh, alive and healthy. She hopped in the car, slammed the door like a crazed madwoman and turned to her brother. “Muthafuck, Gabe! Can a bitch grieve in muthafuckin’ peace! Nigga, gotdamn!”
One Year Later
The man stood outside on the balcony of his villa overlooking three miles of white sand and crystal clear water. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks had become a source of serenity in a world full of chaos. He picked up a magazine that had been sitting on top of the glass table for the last week. Everyday he spent hours looking at one particular image. It was the wedding picture of Nathan “Vega” Giles and Semaj Richardson. The magazine had done a feature on the newlywed couple and the bride dressed in all white was a vision of perfection. The man stared at the photo for a few minutes longer and as if unable to control his disgust any longer he ripped out the picture, balled it up and tossed it into the deep sea. I’ll be back to claim what’s mine he thought before turning around and going back inside his home.
Prologue
Present Day
The turbulence from the severe thunderstorm caused the private jet to dip wildly as Semaj and Vega flew into New Y
ork City on the Learjet 60. Semaj gazed out of the small window, the scattering sounds roared thunderously as the lightning lit up the night sky. Her adrenaline pumped with anxiousness, but it wasn’t because of the striking rain clouds or the shaky aircraft. The average person would’ve been shook, but the severe downpour was the last thing on Semaj’s mind. There were three oversized crates full of all white bricks aboard, and she knew the shit was straight up federal. No matter how many times she jet-set pure coke, Semaj never got used to transporting cocaine across U.S borders from the Dominican Republic.
“Fucking wit’ you and yo’ peoples I done flooded East and West Baltimore with keys,” Vega said as he lay his head atop her lap, a U-shaped plush pillow tucked underneath his neck. “Went from copping twenty kilos to flying out to foreign places to pick up five hundred bricks, plus… e’ry trip, ma.”
“Yeah, and now that I introduced you to my Uncle Ortiz, shit gon’ be even better for you bay,” Semaj said, rubbing his Caesared-cut head as she smiled slightly at him. It seemed as if she was staring down at a virtually perfect man. Most of Vega’s face was flawless, but the scar that ran from his wrist to the right side of his mouth was scarred badly. His right arm, shoulder and neck was burnt from the explosion, but the thought of Paris’s death caused her smile to broaden. Snake ass bitch, Semaj thought as she noticed them approaching the small private airport.
The captain made an announcement that the private passenger plane was about to descend and to prepare for their arrival at the landing strip. Once the aircraft was on the ground safely, the Milano’s family head henchman exited the awaiting limousine, large umbrella in hand, and made his way to stand to service them. The exhausted, chiming sound of the unfolding plane’s door urged Semaj and Vega from their perch and they walked towards the exit to get off of the private international flight.
