The Conglomerate: A Luxorious Tale

by Santiago, Danielle

  “He done.”

  “Done like what?”

  “He dead.”

  “You did ’em?” Tony quizzed.

  Zay looked his brother dead in the eye. ”Yeah.”

  “Didn’t know you had the heart for the murder game, I thought it was a situation you might want me to handle.”

  “You got a lot to learn about me big bruh, I don’t like killing. But, there is not a man walking these streets that can violate any member of my family like that and think they gone continue to breathe.”

  “Okay, okay, and what’s with this dude y’all looking for that robbed ya spots?”

  “That’s a long story and nothing that I want you to worry about. I’ll fill you in on that tomorrow. Right now it’s time to party.”

  “Damn right,” Rico announced entering the room, dapper in a white Versace tux with navy lapels and navy Mauri gators. His tieless shirt was unbuttoned down to the third button. “What’s that new shit they saying now? Time to get up.”

  “No,” Jason said following Rico into the room. “It’s turn up and I wouldn’t miss hearing that dumb ass term if no one ever said it again.”

  They were over joyed just by being able to be together the brothers burst into laughter as if Jason’s response was the funniest thing ever said.

  “Ayo,” Zay said. “We gotta go Joey’s texting me they ready to start the dinner at the L Room.”

  “What’s the L Room?” Rico asked. “I thought the party was at the Luxe.”

  “It’s all in the same place,” Zay answered. “Now get a glass I want to make a toast before we leave. He raised his glass, “You,” he motioned his snifter toward Tony and Rico, “you two stepped up as teenagers to fill the shoes of our deceased father. Because of your love, guidance, and discipline Jason and I stand here as men. I love you. I mean we love you. And, because you took such good care of us, even putting your life on the line to do so, it is now time for us to take care of you. Tonight, I toast to my big brothers, Tony and Rico the last of a dying breed.”

  * * *

  The brothers arrived at the Luxe Enclave in two different chauffeured vehicles; Jason and Rico were in an impressively beautiful white Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe with the top down. Zay and Tony traveled there in an equally extravagant white Rolls Royce Ghost. Getting out the car, Rico was visibly awe struck by the size and the magnificence of the Luxe Enclave, he looked at Tony who was walking up.

  “Y’all own all of this?”

  “This isn’t mines; this is my wife’s and her friends.”

  “Yeah,” Tony interjected. “But we all know that you made it happen.”

  “No, I didn’t have anything to do with it, this is all them. The money that my wife put in was money that she made from promoting.”

  “Wow, that’s crazy,” Rico said looking around at the three eloquent beige brick, marble, and stone buildings and the gorgeous greenery in the late spring sunset. “I thought this was going to be like one building. This place is like an upscale office park.”

  The Enclave grounds were flanked by additional security that was hired in case John Doe decided to strike. They were not the run of the mill security either. The firm that was hired dealt in high profile security and black ops.

  The L Room’s door’s opened and out walked Joey in a white Phillip Plein tight fitted, short-split sleeved, studded shoulder mini dress. The white Zanotti Cruel Summer six-inch heels on her feet elongated her slight bowed, but well-toned legs and gave her infinite curves. Joey’s red mane was laid for the gods in long wavy curls and M. Latrice had flown in from Miami and slayed her makeup. She was so striking that Zay, her own husband, had to do a double take.

  “Gat damn,” Rico whistled. “Who is this bad ass bitch?”

  Jason elbowed Rico in the side, “that’s Joey… Zay’s wife!”

  “Oh shit, my bad babe bro,” Rico said to Zay. “I knew she was pretty from the wedding pictures that you sent, but they didn’t do her any justice and her dress was white, but it wasn’t fitting like that one.”

  “You straight,” Zay said in a trance, staring at Joey as she came toward them. When she got near, he grabbed Joey by the waist, pulled her close, and spoke softly into her left ear.

  “Damn baby, what you trying to do catch tonight?”

  Blushing she replied, “I guess that means I look good in this dress.”

  “Yeah, you looking too good in this little ass dress, I think you might need to take it off.”

  “Not,” she playfully pushed him away. Turning her attention to Tony and Rico, Joey said, “Welcome home!” She embraced them both. “I’ve heard so much about the two of you from your mother and brothers.”

  “We heard a lot about you too,” Rico scanned her up and down, “but we didn’t know it was like that.”

  “Ayo,” Zay said giving Rico the side eye. “That’s enough bruh.”

  Everyone laughed.

  After exchanging a few more pleasantries with her newly acquainted brother-in-laws, Joey said, “Well, welcome to Luxe Enclave before the party starts we have dinner waiting in the L Room. I wanted to fill your stomachs with food before you start filling them with liquor.” Hand in hand with Zay, Joey led the way inside to a small event room. When she opened the door a crowd around forty to fifty family members and friends yelled, “SURPRISE!”

  Tony and Rico were happily shocked and trilled to see so many aunts, uncles, cousins, and people from the past. For more than two hours the older Tappens’ brothers reminisced with the people that they grew up with. Their young adult cousins, who were children when they caught their time, fascinated them. Noticeably absent to Tony was their mother’s sister, Fran, and her son Isaac. Growing up Isaac often stayed with them while his mother worked third shift. Four years younger than Jason, Isaac was like a little brother to all of them.

  While walking Dorenda to her car after the dinner, Tony asked her, “Ma where is Auntie Fran and Isaac?”

  “You know Isaac in the hospital.”

  “For what?”

  “He got shot.”

  “When?”

  “Two weeks ago, he was in a coma for week. Didn’t Jason and Zay tell you?”

  “No. Who shot him?”

  “We don’t know. Some fool broke in and tried to rob him,” Dorenda replied, oblivious to the real reason behind her nephew’s shooting. “I’m on the way to the hospital to pick up Frannie now she’s going to stay over at my house tonight to get a break from the hospital. You and Rico should come over for brunch and then we can go to the hospital to see Isaac.”

  “Okay Ma.” Tony kissed Dorenda on the cheek and hugged her. “Get home safe and text somebody to let them know you made it. Don’t text my phone though; I’m still trying to figure out how to work that thing.”

  “I’ll send Zay a message when I get home and don’t you boys drink too much.”

  “We’ll try not to Ma.”

  “Goodnight baby,” Dorenda got into her navy Lexus LS 460 and backed out of the parking space.

  Tony watched his mother drive off into the night, when Dorenda’s taillights were out of sight he returned to the L Room. All of the older relatives had left. Only a few guests that were staying for the party at Luxe remained, and they were sitting at the table with Tony’s three brothers enjoying cold bottles of champagne. Tony leaned over to Zay.

  “Let me holla at you for a minute.”

  “Sure big bruh,” he got up and stepped a few feet from the table with the eldest Tappens.

  “Why didn’t you tell me about Isaac?”

  “We just wanted you and Rico to enjoy this night before we put all that in your head.”

  Tony knew that something was amiss with Zay. A light went off in his head and Tony asked, “Did he get shot during the robbery at ya spot?”

  “Yeah,” Zay replied reluctantly.

  “Why are you being so hush-hush about this robbery with me? What is really going on?”

  “Listen, that robber
y wasn’t just a simple lick by some local, it’s more to it. I haven’t told you because I know how you are. You’re going to try to step in and help. Besides, it’s something that I don’t even want you worrying about right now. The only thing that I want you to do tonight is have a ball, bag a few bitches, and get pussy from all of ’em if you can.”

  “Aight,” Tony responded. “But tomorrow I want to know everything. You been holding this family down solidly, and now that I’m home any niggas that even think about fucking with you or this family, I’ll put ’em in the ground personally.”

  Joey came over and interrupted before Zay could respond. “Excuse me baby,” she rubbed the small of Zay’s back. “But I need to borrow Tony over at the table for a second. Both men followed Joey over to the table where Rico and Jason were still sitting with a few guest.

  “I have to head over to the Luxe now and judging by the line outside its going to be insane tonight, so I wanted to introduce you two,” Joey pointed to Tony and Rico, “to a few people who will be taking care of anything you need.” Joey waved the Luxe staff over. “Guys,” she addressed the staff, “this is Tony and Rico. Tonight is their night and we’re going to give them the five star treatment. Familiarize yourselves with all the faces at this table with the exception of the ones that you already know of course,” she smiled. “Everyone right here will be in Tony and Rico’s VIP section,” Joy said addressing the table. Joey began introducing the staff, starting with two pretty, sexy women dressed in metallic silver bra tops, matching hot pants, five inch platform pumps and white bunny ears.

  “This is Nicole and Sicily, your bottle waitresses. They are assigned to your booth only. Whatever you need they will be at your beck and call.”

  “Anything?” Rico asked, eyeing Sicily’s thick brown thighs then winking at her. Sicily didn’t mind the overt flirting, he was a possible come up in her mind. The older females on staff had been talking about Tony and Rico’s history in the city, even mentioning that the elder Tappens probably still had money.

  Shaking her head Joey continued, “This is Bev, my right hand she is over all operations at The Luxe. Any problems and you can’t find me, Bev will take care of you.”

  Strutting meanly in a white on white David Koma sleeveless body con print dress and purple Brian Atwood strappy six-inch heels, Isadora entered the room. A few steps behind Isadora, Cee and Evan walked in. Cee dazzled in a white curve hugging Jean Paul Gautier long sleeve knit dress, gray and white Lanvin Platform pumps. Her short hair was in a sleek sophisticated slicked back style and her face had been wonderfully beaten by M. Latrice also. A large silver chunky chain link necklace lying close to her neck made the outfit perfect.

  “And this is my left hand,” Joey beamed. “Isadora, she is second in command to Bev, as well as, over all of the VIP hostesses and waitresses.”

  “Hello,” Isadora waved flashing a brilliant smile.

  “What’s up chocolate,” Rico swooned forgetting about the waitress that he was exchanging googly eye with seconds earlier.

  “You,” Isadora flirted back.

  He is definitely a Tappen’s man, Joey thought. “Okay y’all can do all that later. These ladies have a lot to do.” Bev, Isadora, and the waitresses exited to go back to the Luxe.

  “Last but not least,” Joey said, “I would like for you to meet my two best friends and business partners— Evan and Cee this is Tony and Rico.”

  The four exchanged handshake, nice to meet you, and how are you.

  “I hate to rush, but I have to get over here and make sure everything is in order. See you guys soon and once the party gets going I’ll come to your section and pop a few bottles with you!”

  “Yo what’s up with blondie?” Tony asked, eyeing Evan hard as she walked away.

  “She ain’t shit.” Zay replied dryly. “Stay the fuck from round her at all times.”

  “Damn I didn’t say I want to marry the girl, you just told me a few minutes ago to get as much pussy as I can.”

  “Yeah, but my nigga, not that pussy.”

  “She that awful?”

  “The robbery you keep asking me about… happened because of some bullshit she did.”

  “Well I be damned.”

  Immersing himself in the conversation, Rico asked, “what about the pretty lil one with the short hair?”

  Zay looked at Jason and smiled, then replied, “That’s Cee, she’s the one whose husband got killed here. You better refer all questions to Jason about her though. He says they’re just friends, but…”

  “What’s good with her Jason?”

  Side eyeing Rico, Jason replied, “Cee is completely off limits.”

  ***

  Drake’s Started From The Bottom, blasted through The Luxe’s high tech sound system as the DJ yelled into the mic. “If you started at the bottom, let me see ya fucking hands in the air!” The three thousand-plus crowd of people dressed in all white was enthralled in a good time of drinks, dancing, and shining when the DJ made his next announcement. “Ah Shit I just got the word the men of the hour are in the buildiiiiiiiiinnnnnngggggg! Welcome home Tony and Rico. Ladies show my dudes some love and twerk something for them.” He dropped Busta Rhyme’s “Twerk” song remix, and the crowd went crazy.

  Rico and Tony were greeted with hugs and kisses from females that they’d known before going away, females that they didn’t know, and skimpy dressed females that were young enough to be their daughters. Dudes gave them pounds and embraced them as they made their way through the club and up to their VIP section on the second level. The club was filled with people who actually knew the brothers, knew of them, and people who knew that it was going to be a banging party.

  Both brothers were beyond amazed at how nice their sister-in-law’s club was. When they’d went away clubs were not tricked out in such a luxurious manner, especially not in Charlotte. Not only had the city come a long way, so had the nightlife. Rico was completely blown away by what the chicks were wearing or lack thereof. Pointing at different women dressed in sheer or teeny-tiny ensembles with no bra or panties beneath them, Rico told his brothers.

  “I thought them bitches at the airport had little hoe outfits on, these bitches in here is damn naked.”

  “Wait ‘til we take you to the strip club after this,” Jason cheesed, “that shit is totally different now. Them hoes don’t be having on nothing but a string between they ass, if that.”

  Proud of the job that Joey had done thus far, Zay looked around with a big grin on his face. He couldn’t wait for Tony and Rico to see the rap acts that were about to take the stage. Joey had brought in the brother’s two favorite rappers from the era before they went to prison. Following their performances the two hottest rappers presently at the top of the billboard charts were set to perform a medley of hits. As with every big event at The Luxe, Joey moved around the venue making sure that everything was as close to perfect as possible, especially for the celebrity performers. Because of Joey’s hospitality, special attention to detail, and prompt payments, celebs loved to work her events even before she opened her own club.

  A small room behind the second level VIP area served as a food station for Tony and Rico’s VIP guest and the performers. The L Room staff set the room up like a classic 1950 burger joint, complete with authentic decor. Those who were allowed to access the exclusive food room had the choice of: gourmet chicken, beef, turkey burger, jumbo-sized onion rings, and steakhouse fries. Although the staff had the pop up burger shop running smoothly, Evan played the room close. She didn’t want to interact too much with Zay and she surely wasn’t in a partying mood. In addition to the stress that John Doe was causing her, Evan’s stomach had been cramping badly for the last few days, and if she stood on her feet too long she became woozy. The night wasn’t all bad for Evan though she had Reza. He stayed by her side for the better part of the night. The only time he strayed was when he went to chill in the VIP with Zay.

  The club was a movie and Tony and Rico felt like the st
ars of a real live motion picture. They went ballistic with excitement when the rappers performed. Tony and Rico were even more geeked when all four of the rappers wanted to party in their VIP sections. The entertainers were familiar with the elder Tappen’s boys from articles that had been written about them in Street Dons magazine. When the brothers got busted eighteen years earlier, Tony and Rico were the youngest amongst twenty-eight people indicted in a multi-state cocaine trafficking ring. The streets praised them for being the only two on the case that didn’t rat.

  With the performances over and all of the VIP guest and celebs enjoying themselves, Joey decided that it was time for her to kick back a little. On her way up to the second level she literally bumped into Kisa. Happy to see her, Joey smiled and gave Kisa a once over. Kisa was stunting hard in a really short white Balenciaga short-shorts, a white long sleeve backless blouse, gold Tom Ford six inch knee high Grecian gladiator heels and a big brown and gold python clutch by Gucci.

  “Yo bitch, I can’t stand your fly ass,” Joey said. “You smashing every chick in here right now.”

  “I try-I try,” Kisa jokingly replied. “You look like a bag of money though in that Phillip Plein.”

  “Thanks. Did you just get here?”

  “No, I’ve been here for a little while.”

  “Why you didn’t find me when you got here?” Joey questioned.

  “I knew you were busy, and we were straight any way.”

  “We?”

  Kisa stepped to the side revealing a gorgeous milk chocolate complexion young woman, with a bounty soft light brown curls reminiscent of seventies disco hair crowning her heart shape face. She was casket sharp in a sexy white fitted skinny pant Moschino suit and Jimmy Choo crystal jeweled platform pump sandals.

  “This is Mish,” Kisa introduced.

  “This is Mish?” Joey asked, surprised with raised brows. Damn I didn’t know killers came this beautiful she doesn’t look anything like she sounds, Joey thought.

  “Yes I’m Mish,” she extended her hand.

  “Nice to meet you in person,” Joey shook her hand. “I didn’t expect to see you until tomorrow, I’m glad you’re here now though. With the way this shit been going down you being here early don’t hurt nothing.”