by Kelly, Marie
“My fault,” the person said, and when I caught sight of his face, I almost pulled my gun.
“Detective pussy,” I growled at him, and he just laughed.
I hated this fucking nigga; it wasn’t a joke. He spent his whole fucking spare time fucking with me and my family.
“Nice to see you too, Wrath. I’ll see you soon.” He smiled, winked, and walked away while whistling.
I watched until he disappeared down the street.
Soon, motherfucker.
Guns told me that he had a son and daughter, but I was waiting for the right time to get at him. Luckily for him, now wasn’t it—yet.
Walking into the Lotte New York Palace hotel on Madison Avenue, I locked eyes with the girl at the reception desk. She gave me a subtle head nod to let me know that the person I was meeting with was already there.
This was a spot I often used for certain meetings, so she was familiar with me, and I always made sure she was on duty when I set up my meetings.
As I walked toward the room, I loosened my suit jacket and took off my tie. After working all day at my businesses, I was ready to take this suit off and go home to eat and sleep. I already knew that Ma threw it down in the kitchen and left me a plate, so I couldn’t wait to get home.
After I check on my parents, I’m going the fuck home, I thought, wanting my night to end.
When I reached the room, I opened the door to step inside.
Detective Baker immediately stood to his feet to greet me with his right hand while his left held a glass of Henny with ice.
“Thank you for meeting with me,” I said as I shook his hand.
“No problem.”
Detective Baker had been on our payroll since my dad first took over the streets over thirty years ago. He was extremely good at what he did and always made sure to get what we needed from him in a timely manner. Because there were a few cops who were not our biggest fans, meeting him at his office or one of my many businesses was not a good idea. The last thing I wanted was a cop to be spotted leaving one of my establishments.
So, I set it up for us to meet in the conference room of this hotel that I had ties to because the owner was one of my biggest clients. For a cut on the usual price for product, he allowed me to use the hotel whenever I needed to.
It was a big hotel with many exits, so the likelihood of being seen leaving or arriving with Detective Baker would be slim. Which was another reason why I arrived twenty minutes after our scheduled time to meet.
Taking a seat, I rested my tie across my thigh and leaned forward to hear what he had to tell me.
“Okay, the men you found in that house arrived from Monserrat two days prior. Here is their flight information,” he said and handed me a piece of paper that I looked over.
None of the names were familiar, and it was still bugging me that they were from a country that I didn’t know a single person from.
“I ran their names through the system, and one of them had bought a phone. Four calls were made to the same number. Once on the day they arrived, two the next day, and two on the day you found them. I checked the number, and it was a dead end. It went dead the night we took care of the men. Literally, within that same hour.”
That made me frown and look at him.
“That means someone knew what we did and warned whoever sent them.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
I sighed. “Did you find out anything else?”
“No, unfortunately I didn’t, Wrath. Whoever this was is laying low, but I don’t believe it’s over.”
I nodded to let him know I didn’t either.
“What about Trojan?”
“Word on the street is that he’s gotten wind of this attempted hit on you, and he’s basically watching and waiting.”
That confirmed my first thoughts and what I was hoping wasn’t true; there were two groups.
“Shit.”
Now I needed to figure out how to keep an eye on two motherfuckers at the same damn time. One I knew and one who had yet to reveal themselves. Plus, that damn detective was back fucking with us.
“Trojan is waiting for the first sign of weakness in your camp, and he will come in when the dust settles—”
“Or hit us simultaneously.”
I stood to my feet and paced the floor as I thought.
“They may not be working together, but I can guarantee they will use each other,” I voiced and sighed.
“Wrath, Trojan is a threat, but he’s not the one I’m most worried about. The men from Monserrat knew you all and had way too much information on you. After all these years, Trojan had never gotten that close. I’m sorry to say it, but I think you have a snake in your camp, Wrath.”
That was something I had felt from the second I saw our pictures up on the wall.
Like I said, they were not photos of us surrounding our empire—which would have made sense—like pictures of us coming out of our warehouse, trap houses, collecting money, or anything of that nature. They were pictures of us in our natural environments; in the supermarkets with our parents or my daughter. Things of a sensitive nature that had me feeling deep down inside that there was a snake.
“I will keep my ears to the streets, Wrath, but I suggest you find the snake.”
I turned to look at him and nodded.
“You know where to find me.” He walked over, and we shook hands.
“I appreciate it, Paul.”
“Anytime.”
After shaking hands, I walked out to take my tired ass home. Detective Baker left out of the main entrance, while I took the back since my car was parked back there. I didn’t mind people seeing me arrive; I just never allowed them to see me leave.
As I walked to my car, my cell beeped, and I pulled it from my pocket.
Britt: Wrath, when are you coming over? And why haven’t I seen you?
Sighing, I ran a hand down my face.
With all that was going on, I hadn’t spent time with Britt or KeKe like I wanted to. Other than a text or call here and there, I hadn’t been back to the house. I was too busy dealing with that crew, changing shit up, avoiding that fucking detective, and getting protection for my family.
Knowing I would have a lot of kissing up to do, I sent Brittany a response.
Me: I’m sorry, B, just been busy with work, but I got y’all this weekend, I promise. I’m going to pick y’all up early on Saturday, and we going to spend the whole day together.
Today was Wednesday, so that would give me enough time to do what I needed to do until then.
She immediately texted back to say I better not break it, and after telling her that I wouldn’t, I put my phone away and took my keys out to unlock my car door.
Like I always did, I took a look around first, and when I did, I noticed that a car was parked a little further up from where I was parked.
It was there when I first arrived, and it wouldn’t have caught my attention again if it wasn’t for the fact that I saw a little boy inside. He was looking around and clearly distressed.
I looked around to see if there was anyone around—perhaps his parents or whoever he was with, but the alley was completely empty except for us and the cars.
Frowning, I pulled my gun but held it behind my back just in case.
I could clearly see the child inside the car, and I wasn’t trying to scare him, but I had no idea if anyone else was in the car with him or who may be watching the car, so I couldn’t take any chances. Hopefully, I wouldn’t have to use it because the last thing I wanted to do was fire my gun in front of a kid.
Whenever my daughter was in my house, I kept my guns locked away. There were armed guards on my property, so if something popped off, I knew they would deal with it, but I didn’t carry my weapon when my daughter was around me. I never wanted her to see it or any child for that matter.
Slowly, I walked toward the car, making sure to keep looking around and my finger on the trigger.
When I made it to the ca
r, I could hear the little boy crying out for his mama.
Again, I surveyed the dark alley to see if maybe I could see this little boy’s mother, and still, there was no one around. Putting my gun up, I tapped the window to get his attention.
“Hey, little man. It’s okay.”
The window was slightly down, so I knew he could hear me.
He immediately looked up at me with his big, wild curls framing his brown-skinned face. Looking at him made me think of Keke, and anger started to rise inside of me at the thought of this little boy being left alone in a car.
He just sat there looking at me with his big brown eyes that instantly pulled at my heart strings.
“Can you do me a favor?” I asked him, and he nodded.
“Open the door for me.”
He looked scared by what I had asked him to do, and I could understand that. The little boy looked to be around my daughter’s age—no more than four years old—so I was sure hearing a stranger tell him to open the door would frighten him.
But, I couldn’t see him and leave him. My love for my daughter wouldn’t allow me to. I could only hope that if she ever found herself alone and scared that someone would help too.
I crouched down a little so that our faces were almost level.
“My name is Alvaro, and I promise I’m not going to hurt you. Okay? I just need you to open the door for me. Can you do that, big man?”
Sniveling, he wiped his eyes with the back of his hands and nodded. I watched as he pushed the blanket off his body, climbed into the front seat, and opened the door for me.
“Thank you,” I said and scooped him out. “What’s your name?”
“TJ.”
“And how old are you, TJ?”
“Three… but I will be four soon.”
“What are you doing out here?”
“My mommy went somewhere.”
My brows knitted. Some bitch really left their son in the car alone?
Since I found out that I was having a daughter, I stopped using that word bitch. However, the person who did this wasn’t no damn female or chick. She was a bitch, and a whole lot more.
I walked toward the back of the car with him still in my arms and looked down at the car tags.
Massachusetts?
“What are you doing?!”
I looked up to see a woman running toward me.
My eyes turned into slits as thoughts of choking her ass out for the shit she did invaded my mind.
“Give me my son!” she said and reached for him as soon as she was close enough to me.
“How the fuck you going to leave a fucking kid alone in the car?”
I didn’t know this bitch from anywhere, and quite honestly, I didn’t fucking want to. Seeing the fuck shit she did pissed me off like he was my son or something. New York wasn’t a city to play around with. What if a motherfucker broke into the car to steal it, not knowing a fucking kid was in the back? Or a couple of niggas started shooting up the place? Too many fucking things could have happened for this bitch to take a chance with her kid’s life like that.
Feeling her reach for him again, I pulled back and pushed her.
“Give me my son, now!”
“Your son? Your son? I should call the cops on your ass! You don’t deserve to call yourself a mother!”
Tears flowed down her face, and I wished I would give a fuck.
Was this bitch crying when she left her fucking son alone?
“Please! Give him to me!” she reached again for him, and I moved.
“Mommy!” TJ cried out for his mother, and I looked at him.
The last thing I wanted to do was hand him over to this sad excuse for a mother, but from his face, I could tell that I was stressing him out more than he already was, and that wasn’t my intention. He clearly wanted to go to her, unaware of what was going on, so, reluctantly, I let her take him from my arms. I stepped back and watched as she put him into his car seat, climbed in, and peeled away, making her tires screech.
Even after she turned the corner, I stood there just staring in total disbelief.
Kanada Alton
With wide, fear filled eyes, I looked up at the rear-view mirror to see if that strange man was following me. I had no idea what he was doing at my car. When I left the hotel and saw him holding my son, I almost died from fear, and when he said that he would call the cops on me, all I kept thinking was that they would take TJ away from me without a doubt.
Those were the only words from his mouth that struck me and put a fear in me like I’ve never felt before, even if I deserved it.
I dropped my eyes to TJ and broke down as I looked at his innocent face that was oblivious to the danger I had put him in.
“I’m so sorry, baby! Mommy is sorry! I promise to never do anything like that ever again!” I sobbed as he looked at me.
Confusion displayed on his tiny face that did nothing but fuel the disgrace that I already felt. I wiped my face with the back of my hand and focused back on the road.
What if I had left just a few seconds later? Would that man have taken him? Called the cops?
“What was I thinking?”
Or wasn’t for that matter.
I couldn’t believe that I had left him alone, and not only that, I knew he must have woken up and was scared. I pictured my baby crying out for me while I was away from him doing something I had no business doing.
“God! Please forgive me, forgive me!” I breathlessly cried out.
Anything could have happened to my son, all over something that wasn’t even worth it.
My mind brought me back to what happened in the hotel room.
I nervously stood outside the hotel room, not knowing what to do. My gut was telling me not to go inside, but my mind kept asking me, if not, what else could I do for money? Knowing I needed this more than I was willing to admit, I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
A few seconds later, it was pulled open by Nigel. A look of satisfaction upon seeing me flooded his face, giving him a creepy, Grinch look. Still, I brushed that off and entered when he stepped back and allowed me to.
The room was decent, and I noticed he had a few drinks out as well as telltale signs of weed.
“Do you want a drink?” Nigel asked as he walked past me, and I silently shook my head.
He then took my hand and led me over to the bed. Then he climbed on to it, laid back, and watched me with his arms rested behind his head.
Just like he did earlier, his eyes roamed my frame. Since I was in that coat and panties set, I didn’t have on much to cover myself.
“I’m glad you took me up on my offer,” he said with a smirk on his face.
A long tongue poked from his blackened lips before slowly sweeping over them, and my skin crawled.
“How much?”
His question let me know that he was ready to get this over with. Although I was squirming under his lustful gaze, I wanted him to continue doing that if it meant prolonging the inevitable.
“Five hundred dollars.” I gave him my usual fee from when I first started this.
He watched me before chuckling and shaking his head.
“Two hundred… if the pussy is good.”
“No way,” I rebutted, and he chuckled.
I watched as he slid down the bed and planted his feet on the carpet. He leaned forward and rested his chin on his hands. I took two steps back, not knowing what he planned to say or do next.
“Do you know why I stopped you in the mall?” he quizzed.
I shook my head, but it was definitely a question I wanted to know the answer to.
After he approached me, he had me wondering if I had some type of invisible sign hanging from my body that said hoe.
“It wasn’t because you were the baddest bitch there, because you weren’t.”
I felt no offense from his words because I knew I used to look good, but I wasn’t big headed enough to believe I was the best out there. Whatever pride I felt about myself b
efore dissipated the night Terrence threw me out of his house.
“I approached you because after seeing you go into the restrooms dressed one way and leaving out dressed another, I knew you were desperate, probably homeless and willing to do anything for that little boy.”
Tears pooled in my eyes upon hearing and knowing that he targeted me because he knew I was in need. Although it should have made me feel better to know it wasn’t because my appearance screamed prostitute, it didn’t. In fact, it hurt more to know he saw my struggles and used it against me.
“I knew from that moment you would be willing to give your soul for a dollar to feed your kid. So, I say it again, I will give you two hundred dollars, but only if the pussy is good. Now, the bathroom is behind you. Go and take a shower since I’m sure this one will be the first one you’ve been able to use in a minute. And don’t keep me waiting too long, or I will deduct money.”
He winked at me and went back to lying on the bed resting on his arms.
I quickly turned and went into the bathroom, so he wouldn’t see the tears that were rushing down my face.
Now knowing why he approached me made me not want to go through with it even more, but just like he said and knew, I was desperate.
I stepped into the shower and washed my body as tears fell from my eyes.
Ten minutes later, I was back in the room with him. He gestured with his hand for me to join him on the bed, and I did.
As soon as my back connected with the mattress, he was all over me. Hands roaming my body and squeezing different areas.
His tongue brushed up and down my neck.
My body stiffened when he went to remove my panties, and I quickly stopped his hand.
He pulled his face from my neck and looked at me.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do this,” I said, and his brows knitted together.
“What?”
“I can’t. I need to go.”
The look he gave me sent chills down my spine.
“And what about your son? How you going to look after him?” he taunted me, and I froze from his question.
“Mommy, I’m thirsty.”
Hearing TJ’s voice brought me back to reality.
