Cartel Dreams 2: A Love Story

by Nicety

  “Shit, back at the house. Where the fuck else am I gonna go until I sell it? Momma's insurance money should be coming through soon. Then I'm gonna sell the house and probably move to another state. I just need a new start away from all of this bullshit."

  The news that she would've getting her money soon was like music to my ears. I couldn’t wait until she got her hands on that money because I had a few plans for that shit of my own. Yeah, that shit didn’t belong to me but I was eager to get my hands on it just as much as she probably was.

  Ever since the day the doctor pronounced her mother dead, I had been thinking about what she was going to do with the money she got. Knowing Daisy, she would probably do some responsible shit with the fucking money. Some shit that an upstanding citizen, a pillar of the community would do like invest it in her 401k plan or some meaningless shit like that. Just thinking about it pissed me off.

  “Honestly, D. I didn’t call you over here just to chat it up. I did have an ulterior motive.” I snatched my oversized purple Birkin sliding it across the kitchen counter opening it up searching for the blunt I had rolled earlier.

  “I’m sure you did. What is it Embry?”

  “I was just wondering what you had planned on doing with all the money once the insurance company paid you for your mom.” I could only hope that greed didn’t read on my face.

  “Are you serious? Is this what you called me over here for?” Her face got stuck in a twisted expression.

  “Yes, I’m dead serious g. I figured if it’s enough we could for damn sure do something with it together to create a business for ourselves.” I pumped her head up just the way I knew she liked it. “I’m saying we’re two very smart, bright young women who are educated and have so many skills. Who says we need men to take care of us for the rest of our lives when we can do it together?”

  “I don’t know, Embry—“

  “I can understand your doubts about the shit thing especially with my track record but I promise you, Daisy, I’m a changed woman. I have bigger and better things on the horizon for us,” Pausing to let my words sink and gain a bit of sympathy from this bitch, I touched her shoulder. “But I need your help, sis.”

  “You mean you need my money.” Daisy crossed her hands in front of her shooting me a twisted lip like she wasn’t buying any of it.

  “Well, you do have the money but I have the knowhow. I can hustle my ass off. Hence, me ending up here after getting the boot from my dad. I’m still standing and bitch you can too.” I poked her chest a few times for encouragement. “So what do you say? You in or what?”

  “Wow, so daddy finally did it huh?”

  “Yeah, well…there are a lot of things you don’t know ‘cause you’ve been booed up too tight.” My eyes rolled to the back of my head and back again.

  Daisy side eyed me as if she was trying to figure out my angle. I was hoping she didn’t back out but I refused to let up on her until she gave in. I was relentless, used to getting what I wanted so I wasn’t going to take no for an answer right off the bat. Besides, Daisy was one of those bitches where everything simply fell into her lap by chance. She never really had to struggle or fight for anything because shit was basically handed to her. One might say that I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth but nobody knew what really happened behind the closed doors of my family’s home.

  “What am I agreeing to be in on, Embry?” She chuckled taking a few gulps of her water before plopping down on the leather couch in front of the large flat screen TV.

  “Moving weight.”

  “Excuse me? I was with you up until that bullshit you just said. I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Her expression was uncanny.

  “You’re a smart girl Ms. Daisy Faye.” I popped her left tit with the back of my hand. “We could really rock this shit, girl. I’m trying to tell you, we can make a killing in this shit.”

  “There are so many reasons why I wouldn’t do this shit, Embry.”

  “Yeah but there are so many other ones for you to get this on and poppin’. You can make enough money to never have to work or go to school again. I mean, what the fuck are you holding on to? The memory of your dead mother and father? Daisy they’re gone and we’re here. You now have to make it through life without them.” I hesitated watching to see just how she was contemplating my words. “You have to live for you and let the past go.”

  “What about law school, Embry? You have no intention on going to graduate school. But I’m not trying to fuck that up.” She stood snatching up her purse in anger as she stomped towards the back door. “You hadn’t even considered the future of my career when you brought that shit to me.”

  “I did, Daisy. That’s the reason why I asked you. You’re missing the big picture bitch. And, little do you know, you’re already caught up in that life.” A smirk filled my lips as my hands rested on my hips.

  “You have no idea about anything I’m caught up in. Keep doing you, Embry. If you don’t wanna be shit that’s on you. But don’t bring the rest of us down with you.”

  “You’re in way deeper than you realize anyway chick. You just need to wake the fuck up.”

  “Whatever.” Daisy stormed out the door slamming it right behind her.

  “Damn,” I shouted picking up my Birkin and launching it at the door as it closed behind her. “That bitch worked my nerves. You can come out now Montana. She’s gone.”

  “Aye, what she say?” Montana bolted down the stairs with the quickness. “I couldn’t hear y’all too well.”

  “Man, that bitch ain’t even going. She’s trippin’.” I shook my head, disgusted that I had failed to persuade her into fronting us the money.

  “Okay then, it’s all good. We’re just gonna have to get that shit another way.” He rubbed his hands together hungrily before planting a sweet tiny peck on my forehead to ease my solemn expression.

  He knew just what to do to make me feel better. I appreciated everything he had done for me in these past few weeks. Knowing that I was ostracized from my family without any place to go made him feel like he was really doing something for me. Men liked to feel needed and so I made him like he was the only man in the world who could save me from myself. I pillow talked with him everything about me and agreed with everything he said like he was the boss that he should be. Fuck Q. Who was he to tell my man that he wasn’t capable enough to run this city?

  Chapter 19

  That Evening

  Quince

  The house was empty and quiet as fuck. Damn. Shawty left me like it was nothing to her. I figured she would be pissed at the fact that we needed to slow down but I couldn’t have her trying to tear me away from my business. This shit was too important and I had been working overtime to build some shit that I could be proud of. She meant everything to me though. She had to know that. I was stuck all in my feelings trying to figure out if I should go and get her back. For now, I would let her blow off some steam and give us some space. We both needed some time for each of us to miss each other and figure out if being together was where we wanted to be.

  A nigga felt soft when it came to her. Every time I even so much as thought about the sweet vanilla taste of her pussy, the soft warm silky touch of her hair and her skin, and the fullness of her lips against mine, my dick jumped and my heart pumped hard as fuck. I was going out of my mind thinking about her. I needed her back in my life a.s.a.p. especially since I had gotten used to coming home to her at night. How the fuck could I leave Daisy alone like that all those nights? My dumb ass. How could I slip and allow that shit to happen between Bunny and me?

  Since the other night Bunny had been texting me more often than usual. She was checking for a nigga but I needed some time to breathe to see where I wanted to be. This was all rushing through my head so fucking fast, it made a nigga’s head spin. Bunny and Daisy both possessed a certain set of qualities that I had to have. If I could mold them both into one woman I would. But since I had to choose only one, I needed to be able to ser
iously sit down and think to myself who I meant the most to me.

  Bunny was probably just using me as a rebound because she was salty that Montana pushed her to the left like she was nothing and now she was looking for the next nigga to fill that void. Still, only one female was able to infiltrate my soul, my spirit. Bunny had changed her life around thanks to me. She stopped stripping, left that whack ass nigga alone and now she was making a ton of money under my umbrella. She was grateful, no doubt, for me helping her out and wanted to extend her appreciation. I just wasn’t so sure anymore that I was able to accept it.

  What up bro? When you get this message, hit me as soon as possible. We need to talk man… My thumb quickly hit the delete button on the voicemail message Montana had left me last night.

  Q. you need to call me. I’m done fucking playing these games now. I want this Phantom nigga taking care of. I’m tired of fucking around with you. The fuck? First, you getting popped off and then you being nonchalant with me. I don’t like this shit not one bit. For real… For some reason, I played Mata’s message over and over again staring off into the distance out the bedroom window.

  The sniveling little backstabbing motherfucka was still only thinking about his self. This entire time the nigga not once asked me was Montana or I straight on money. He didn’t give a fuck about nothing unless it was filling his pockets. We could have been homeless out here on the street and the nigga wouldn’t even so much as give us a single small ass closet to sleep in. All he cared about was his hand out. True, this shit was a business and nothing was personal. But ain’t no way in hell I’m about to keep busting my ass for him for chump change and can’t build no capital for my own personal gain.

  “Aye, boi. I know you up in there. Open up.” Montana echoed from the other side of my front door.

  “Shit,” I spat opening the door before heading back plopping down on the couch. “What up fool?”

  “I know it’s early but hell I thought you be on your vampire shit. Thought you said you don’t sleep nigga.” He shut the door behind him before plopping down on the opposite couch.

  “Naw, you know don’t shit come to a sleeper but a dream, boi. Now what the fucks up?” I asked.

  “Man, you up in here letting this chick twist you all out of socket,” Montana barked. “What’s good with you nigga? You falling off or something? Need me to step up to the plate for you or something?”

  There this nigga go again with all that stepping on my toes shit. He just wouldn’t let it go for shit and to top it all off it had been getting worst within the last few weeks. It was starting to get real old and tired with him steadily trying to ease his way into my seat. I didn’t know what this nigga was on but now was not the time for us to be losing our heads.

  “Aye, man. I told you. You continue to distribute the weight to the spots when needed and make sure all niggas stay in line. You’re the lieutenant of this shit. You’re basically running shit, so why do you need the title so fucking bad? Naw, I need you to hold down the fort. Now can you do that?” I replied, refusing to address that bullshit he had just asked me.

  “Dude, you sit here like you’re on a fucking pedestal running shit but all you really go and do is cop the weight. I’m in these streets everyday making sure shit get done. I’m out there putting my neck on the fucking line. You don’t do shit but dictate,” Montana yelled speaking aggressively with his hands in the process.

  “Lower your damn tone nigga. Now I said it’s like you’re the boss anyway. You make all the same calls I do. Some I don’t even care for,” I growled waving my hand at his ass as I slid past him towards the ringing doorbell.

  My eyes widened as I looked through the peephole before flinging open the door. I thought long and hard of what I would do when this situation presented itself. Refusing to turn my gaze from the front door, I tuned out Montana’s needless whining that was going on behind me. He didn’t even notice that I wasn’t paying attention to him. My mouth watered almost dribbling spit down the cracks of my lips as I stood anxiously wondering what the hell would come next.

  Chapter 20

  Seconds Later

  Daisy

  “I didn’t come here for small talk, Q. I just wanted to come and get the rest of my things.” My eyes searched him for any sign of distress or irritability but there was virtually none.

  There was no denying that my skintight all white bandage dress was worn to stop his heart from beating. It fit like a latex glove to every curve on my body. My curls were popping in my long hair and after watching a few videos on YouTube, my club inspired dark makeup was beat to the Gods and coupled with a dark blood shot red lipstick. My Manolo’s clicked on the floor as I entered his house damn near posing subtly every chance I got. The way Quince was eyeing me let me know that he was not willing to let me leave his sight for one second.

  “Uh, yeah. You know where everything is. Go on up there and help yourself.” Quince sighed heavily as he pointed at the staircase.

  “Hey, Daisy,” Montana snarled as he rose from the couch.

  “Hey,” I waved him off.

  “That’s all you’re gonna say to a nigga?” Montana called after but I ignored him continuing on.

  Montana studied me as I turned walking up the stairs into the bedroom Quince and I once formerly shared. If he thought that just because he helped me out of a bind that I was going to kiss his ass he was sadly mistaken. He was just as much apart of my situation as I was. I refused to be in a panic every time I saw him simply because he claimed I owed him a favor.

  The closet was just as I had left it, a couple of outfits hung on a few racks along with a great amount of my shoes that sat all along the top shelf as I had organized. He hadn’t been in there to touch a thing. I thought for sure he would have tagged and bagged my shit and had it waiting by the door. To be honest, I was a little glad that he hadn’t moved anything. It made me feel like the smallest part of him still gave a damn.

  “What the fuck you on man?” Montana yelled from downstairs.

  Their voices became louder and more aggressive the more I tried to ignore them. The severe conversation forced me to move closer to the door to get a good listen as to what the commotion was all about. I tossed the t-shirt in my hand onto the bed carelessly as I pressed my ear to the slit in the opening of the door. As my palms grew sweaty, all I could do was wonder if Montana was going to drop a dime on him and I and what I had done to Morgan in the middle of his home.

  “I ain’t on shit. If you quit smoking and snorting that shit long enough, you’ll see how fucked up in the head you’re becoming. You’re way off your square and you fucking know it nigga.”

  “I ain’t off shit. As a matter of fact I’ve never felt more alive. Maybe if you took your head out of that bitch’s ass upstairs long enough, you would see that.” Montana snapped back at him.

  “Hell, if you hadn’t have fucked up by being so damn hotheaded that day, maybe it you wouldn’t be thinking that stupid ass shit. You fucked up and you know it bro,” Quince snarled attempting to keep my voice as low as possible.

  “No, I didn’t fuck anything up. I was handling business like a real nigga should. If you had any balls my nigga maybe you would have done the same.”

  “You stupid motherfucka. You don’t think. How the fuck did you consider that shit handling business. You’re an asshole who wouldn’t know the first thing about running these damn streets. Leave that shit to some real niggas and stay in your lane, Montana.”

  Never before had I heard Quince get so frustrated and angry. He was snapping on Montana like he was his father or somebody. Growing bored of their bickering, I headed back towards the bed to continue my packing. It was damn hard for me; looking around the room reminiscing about all of the good times we had and could have had in this room. In a blink of an eye, all of my happiness, hopes, and dreams for a bright future with a great man were destroyed forever.

  My heart ached for him still though. But he lost sight of what he had in me and I wa
sn’t the type of female that waited around for a man to get his shit together. I refused to be the type of female that hung on a man’s every word. I was too strong for that shit. Fuck him. If he couldn’t see that we were meant for each other then it was his loss, not mine.

  “Stay in my lane? Nigga, it’s because of me that you even have a lane to drive in motherfucka. Them cops weren’t playing with your ass. They were ready to lock your bitch ass up—“

  “You don’t even know what the fuck you’re talking bout, Montana. Lower your damn voice.”

  “Your bitch ass would’ve been still sitting in the county somewhere waiting on that bitch to testify against your dumb ass, telling them all the shit she knew about you. But I handled business. I silenced that bitch forever. And this is the motherfucking thanks that I get?” Montana woofed, echoing his words throughout the house.

  “Aye, go home, bruh. You’ve obviously been dipping in too much of that shit. Gon’ and get the fuck out of here before we both say some shit we gon’ regret.” Quince remained calm.

  Tossing the last of my clothes in the Louis Vuitton bag Quince bought me a few weeks ago, I zipped it up and began working on the second bag for my shoes. It took everything I had in me to fight back the tears that threatened to fall from my eyes as I packed up my present in preparation for a different future than I originally anticipated.

  My happy ending was never going to come with Quince. It was something that I had to accept and as I zipped up my final bag, I realized just how much of a hold he truly had over my heart. I couldn’t shake him easily even if I wanted to. Getting over him was going to be rougher than I initially thought, rougher than any of the rest.

  “Naw, the only thing I regret was being loyal to bitch ass nigga like you. All this time you never wanted me to come up. You just wanted me up under your wing like ‘yes massa, no massa’. Well that shit stops today my nigga.”