by Eureka
“Not a problem. Anytime.”
* * *
When I reach Flex’s truck, I opened the passenger door in the back and climbed in.
“What! I’m your driver now?” Flex said, laughing.
I said nothing. I just sat there.
“Dutch, you good?”
“Yeah, I’m good for now. Let’s go to my house. I need to search that house better.”
I stood in the doorway of my den and stared out the window looking at nothing when I jumped out of my trance at the sound of Flex’s voice.
“Damn, I can’t believe this man I married was nothing but a stranger!”
“Man, Dutch, I don’t mean to sound insensitive and shit, but fuck that fool! Real talk, this shit seemed like he on some setup shit from day one. Now that we know his ass knew for the longest he ain’t my son’s father ain’t no telling how much this fool has done.”
I couldn’t argue with Flex at the moment. I got up and walked downstairs into Naheri’s home office. He called it his man cave. I rarely went inside there, but right then, I was about to see if he had left anything to lead me to where he was.
I had called his phone several times on the way over here, but I only got his voicemail. I even called the company to activate the tracking on it, and they told me it was not in range. I walked over to his desk. There was one of those sticky notes on the desk attached to a DVD case that read, “Elana, watch me.” What the fuck is this?
I picked it up, confused about what it could contain. “Flex, come here!” I yelled at him from the lower level of my house.
He came rushing inside the room, gun drawn and murder all over his face, “What the fuck? What happened?”
“Boy, put your gun down! I found something. Look at this.” I passed him the sticky note. “Put it in the player. Let’s see what this nigga has to say.”
I placed the DVD in the drive and waited for the prompt. I clicked play once it came on screen and watched on the video as Naheri took a seat in his chair with tequila in his hand. He began gulping down a full glass. “Elana, if you are watching this, then that means one of two things: I am either dead or have left the country. I wanted you to hear in my own words how much you and that no-good-ass so-called cousin-slash-lover of yours hurt my family and me. When I first came in contact with you, it was not a mistake or a chance meeting. I was sent to you. Do you remember the name, James? I’ll give you a second. The good Lord knows you have come across so many people in this lifetime. I’m quite sure your enemies’ list is as long as my dick, and we both know how long that is.” He busted out in laughter.
“Anyway, Lefette James is—or shall I say was—my grandfather. Then there was Garland James. He was my uncle. You and your little friend there, Flex . . . I’m sure he’s standing somewhere close to you like the lovesick bitch boy that he is. Yeah, homie, I had fun pounding your bitch all these years. Oh, sorry, my dear wife. I know your mouth is wide open right now, because how dare I disrespect you, the queen that you are,” he said it mockingly. His speech was slurred, and spit was flying everywhere. He wiped his mouth and started speaking again as tears came down his face.
“I loved you, Elana—or shall I say, Dutchtress? Didn’t think I knew that? While you were busy living this double life and shit, killing people and selling more dope than a muthafuckin’ hooker sells her pussy, I was busy setting your ass up. Yeah, yeah, I know all ’bout your secret love affair and your love child who bears my name. Why? Why would you hurt me like that? You lying bitch!” he angrily said as he faced the camera. He slumped in his seat and composed himself a little to deliver me another message “Look in the left drawer in the desk you’re sitting at and pull that black box out. I know you too well—better than you think. I have watched and studied your every move. I’m still watching your ass.
“In about fifteen minutes, the police will be all over our lovely home of lies that you built with drug-sniffing dogs and gathering fingerprints to tie you and your lover to a few murders in the city. You thought you wouldn’t get caught? Well, the joke’s on your ass. That bag you have in your hand . . . Go ahead and look in it.”
I slowly opened the box. The box was small enough to hold a watch. “What the fuck!” I quickly scooted the chair back from the desk and dropped the box. A severed finger rolled out of the box and on to the floor.
“This stupid-ass nigga! I see he wanna play games,” Flex said through clenched teeth.
All the anger I could feel was coursing through me at that point. Every thought in me was about getting my hands on Naheri and cutting his fucking head clean off his shoulders. “This lying snake—” I began to say until something else on the screen grabbed my attention.
I watched Naheri get up from his seat, and when he reappeared, he had Junior cradled in his arms as if he were a newborn. I looked at the bruises on Junior’s little face and reached toward the screen as if I could feel him. My heart went out to my son. I missed him so much! He was the only one besides his father who could weaken me. I would kill anyone for them. I could see he was sleeping or semiconscious.
Naheri leaned in closer, and in just above a whisper, he said, “Listen, I will hold to the promise I made to this little dude right here the day I held him in my arms in the hospital and accepted the role you gave me as his father. I played my part well, wouldn’t you say? I got him back a little bruised, but don’t worry; Daddy is taking care of him,” he said with a smug smirk on his face. “The promise I made to him was to protect him from any hurt, harm, or danger—even if that is you.” He looked right into the camera again, this time as if he were staring right into my soul. Through gritted teeth, he said, “With that, say goodbye to my son! I will be sure to tell him you died a champ. Oh, and don’t bother destroying this DVD, because I have a little surprise in store for you.” He started laughing and doing a countdown like a rocket launch. I was confused. It looked like he had lost his mind. I had to find him and get my son away from his crazy ass. But I couldn’t figure out what he meant until I heard what sounded like sirens—and then a loud, thunderous boom.
“Dutch, watch out!” Flex said as he dove and threw his body on top of me to cover me from flying debris.
I saw smoke and fire coming from the laptop we had just watched the DVD on. “Flex, Flex!” I screamed his name. I heard sirens as smoke filled the room. Gingerly, I eased from under Flex and was a bit dazed, “Flex! Flex! Get up!” I shook him as his body lay there motionless on the floor. I regained some of my composure and tried tugging and pulling on his arm.
“Come on, Flex. Kajaun, don’t you do this to me! Come on! Get up!”
He still didn’t move. I slipped on something on the floor as I tried pulling him one more time. Then I heard another loud boom.
“Oh my God, no!”
Chapter 20
All Hail the Queen
I could hear sirens all around me as I desperately tried to move. The smell of smoke was filling my nostrils. My legs felt as if sandbags were tied around them. I struggled to move, and now I felt pain intensified throughout my entire body. I remembered trying to wake; then an explosion rocked my entire house.
“Flex, Flex! Oh my God, Flex, where are you?” I tried screaming, but my mouth didn’t feel right. It felt as if my jaw was hanging. I tried opening my lips to call out his name again, but no sound came out. My body wracked with pain as I lay underneath a piece of the desk that had fallen on top of me after the explosion. Suddenly footsteps, followed by unknown voices, filled the room. I wanted to get up.
“Damn, Doug, this looks bad. Looks like we have two bodies over here!” I heard one of the voices yell across the room. I felt whatever was pinning me down being lifted up from on top of me. “We have secured the structure. Send in the medical examiner. Looks like we have one fatality,” the man said as he pushed a button down on what sounded like a two-way radio. I knew I had to make a move, a sound, something to get their attention. I felt someone kneeling over me.
“Mmm, mmm,” I
faintly moaned.
“Did you hear that?”
“Yeah, sounds like it came from one of the victims over there.” I could hear footsteps rushing toward me. One of them lifted my wrist.
“Send in the EMT. We have one with a faint pulse,” he spoke again.
“Hey, Doug, check that other one over there.” I heard footsteps stepping over the debris on the floor. I assumed that was this Doug person. “No, this one is DOA,” he loudly said across the room.
My heart felt as if it were snatched from inside of my chest. He had to be talking about Flex. “No! No!” I screamed, but no sound parted my lips. I tried once more to move, but my body wouldn’t allow me to. I lay there in pain. My heart and body ached. I couldn’t believe the love of my life, my friend, my lover, my son’s father . . . Flex was dead. At that moment, I wanted to die, but before I take that final nap, Naheri will pay for this.
Chapter 21
Cold Hard Facts
“Look, I’m going to make the best of this. I don’t want to hear any more about it. Just accept the fact we cannot go back there,” I said to my mother for the one-hundred-thousandth time. By now, I knew Elana was dead. I had to break the news to Junior when he felt better. I knew my actions would bring about the destruction of my unhappy home. After being played for a fool for years, then to the downright disrespect, I’d had enough. She was the reason my brother was killed, and her lover was the one who delivered that fatal bullet. The first time I laid eyes on her, I wanted to look past her beauty and curves and place a bullet right in her dome, right there on campus, but I didn’t. Instead, I made the stupid mistake of falling in love with her. Damn! If only I would have stuck to the plan and finished her off, but her smile and warm eyes captivated me. I got lost in her smile. There was something about her and the way she would look at me as if she were looking right through to my soul. How could I have fallen for the person who was a part of taking my family member’s life and our demise? I must somehow get past all of this and make life better for my son, the only good thing from my union with her.
I looked over some pictures and papers I’d stolen from her private desk in her penthouse office. She didn’t know I knew almost everything she has done. I am using every piece of this to take back what is rightfully mine, for my son and me. “At the very least, she owes me that much,” I said aloud as I looked over the bank statement I found inside of the papers.
Chapter 22
Time to Hit ’Em with the Switch Up
I lay in this bed for what seemed to be an eternity. I heard different voices on a daily basis, but the one voice I long to hear is gone. I can’t believe I lost the two people I love the most in this world, my son Naheri Jr. and his biological father, Flex. My husband Naheri took my son and left to punish me. I knew one day my lies would catch up to me. The way I felt about Flex and our lives, I should never have married Naheri. What I wouldn’t do or give to have them back. So many things I would do differently. It would have been just Flex and me. We would have Junior right now, and Flex wouldn’t be dead. I would have never gotten mixed up with the cartel. Our lives would have been so different.
“Aw, Mrs. Dolvan, how are we feeling today? I see your temperature is up a little,” I heard what sounded like my doctor say as she examined me. I wanted to move, say something to let them know I was ready to get out of here. I want to find Naheri and take great pleasure in making him pay for causing me all of this pain. Most importantly, I wanted my son.
“Well, we’re going to make sure you get better; you are too beautiful to lie here,” she said in a lustful tone. I found that odd that someone who is supposed to be nursing me back to health is lusting over me.
I tried moving my arm. It felt as if a sandbag or heavy object were tied around my wrist. I couldn’t move. Damn! I need to get out of here. Flex, I need you, I cried on the inside. I knew that would never happen again. I will never forget the last thing I heard before they took me from the shambles and debris that I used to call home. “This one right here is DOA.” The words of the EMT have permanently been set on replay when I’m awake. I refuse to believe he is gone. He grabbed me to shield me from the blast. I must admit I have truly underestimated my unseen enemy. As soon as I get my chance, I’m out of here.
“Hello, Dr. McKinley, is it?” I heard an unfamiliar voice.
“Yes, I am. How may I help you?”
“I’m Detective Hudson. Here’s my card. I’m here again to question Mrs. Dolvan. Is she awake? We need to hear what happened in her home last month.”
“No, she is not. Unfortunately, her injuries were so severe we had to place her in a medically induced coma. As of today, there is no change in her condition,” I heard the doctor as she lied.
The fact that I could hear every word from two weeks ago had me even more curious about why this doctor would lie. I lay still as I heard the detective firmly state once again that it’s important that he speaks with me when I regain consciousness.
“Never mind him, my sweet Elana. I’m gonna take good care of you. I won’t let anyone touch you,” I heard the doctor whisper in my ear as she planted a sloppy kiss on my lips. I was so shocked and surprised. I didn’t know her from a hole in the wall, and it seemed she was feeling me in ways I have never asked for or even wanted. I wanted to open my eyes as she gave my lips a sloppy and wet assault, but I couldn’t. Soon, she will be a major part of me getting out of here and out of the trouble I was in.
“Dr. McKinley, you have a patient in th—” I heard the nurse say as she entered the room.
“Ye-yes, Nurse Cole. I’ll be there shortly,” she responded nervously. “Okay, I’ll let the attendant know that you will be in shortly,” she said with an inquisitive tone in her voice. I heard the nurse’s heavy feet as they hit every tile on the floor until she was out of the room.
“I’ll be back, and when I do, we’ll finish where we left off from,” she softly whispered in my ear.
This doctor has been coming at me for the last week. The first week she seemed so caring in a doctor-type way. Now, every day this week, she’s been getting touchier and touchier. What the fuck is going on here? Where exactly am I? Why can’t I wake up? It was all exhausting to try to remember each moment before the blast.
I knew one thing was for sure and two things that were certain . . . I was going to get my son and place a well-deserved bullet right in between Naheri’s eyes.
Chapter 23
A Deadly Dick
I arrived at the hotel dressed to a tee. I looked like a million bucks. I picked one of the best hotels with the prettiest views. I only carried a small bag because I wasn’t staying long. It was just a quick stop before heading into a life of no mess or drama or craziness.
“Hello, may I help you?”
“Yes, you sure can. I would like a room with an ocean view. And send some of your finest . . . As a matter of fact, I would like a bottle of Dom Pérignon. Nothing but the best for my lady,” I laughed and placed a Black Card on the counter.
“Ah, Mr. Bastion, is it? How long will you be staying with us?” the hotel clerk asked eagerly as he examined the card. To say that I was living it up was putting it mildly. “For the night. I’m here on business, and I want the best wherever I lay my head,” I said in a cocky tone.
When I got to Kingston, I searched through the briefcase I’d taken before I left the house. I was curious to see just how much of Elana’s little double life that she was leading had she put away. There was no way if she survived that she would live the lavish lifestyle I helped her lying, conniving, deceitful ass build. I felt she owed me that much. When I searched through the papers in the case, I discovered she had several bank accounts. Each had over $10 million apiece. Some were in the States, and others were overseas in the Cayman Islands. When I tallied up all of them, she had managed to hide close to a hundred million dollars in there. I was in shock, and when I proved she was my wife, the bank was more than willing to allow me access. It had been months now, and I still h
adn’t received news if she was dead or alive. But what I do know is that I am gonna party and live off of her ill-gotten fortune.
“How ya wan me, daddy? Dem wan face up or down?” I looked over at my lovely choice of the evening. A medium-built, dark-skinned, Jamaican goddess draped across my arm. “Yes, you can have whatever you like,” she playfully cooed as I lightly slapped her across her bottom. I was in the mood to have some fun tonight, and she was going to be my freak. Money, I have learned, has a way of making the strongest person weak, and the sexiest, prettiest woman lose herself in every sense of the word.
“I’ma tear that ass up. I want that porn star treatment,” I said to her as I slid the key card in the door of this five-star hotel. When I opened the door, she looked around the room. The expression on her face showed she was past impressed with the layout of the room.
I watched her sashay over toward the king-sized bed that was adorned with plush blankets and pillows. She plopped her body on the bed with her hands over her head and ass jiggling as she landed on top of the blanket that was fit for a king.
“Come here, girl, I want to taste you,” I said as I kneeled by the bed. I placed my face close to her stomach. The smell of strawberry and cream was a welcoming smell to my nostrils. Her skin was even more perfect as I got to touch it. The smoothness of her skin, the heart-shaped beauty mark reminded me so much of Elana.
I wanted to feel her, taste her. I missed my wife. After all she had done, I still loved her. I thought of the last night we shared. How her body responded to my touch and how she threw it back at me. I knew she had to have loved me. The way her pussy purred when I stroked her . . . I stood up. It was like a mirage; I could have sworn Elana was standing in front of me. Welcoming me to touch her hard nipples and gently stroke her round, tight ass. Was I dreaming?
