DOM: The Miami King

7. Dominic Royal

A fter I secured everything, I headed to my parents’ house for dinner daring not to respond to their request earlier. I needed us all to arrive at the same time so when O’Shynn and Dominique pulled up a little after I did, I sat in the truck and also waited for Carmen to arrive. I hadn’t heard much from her since I left her this mornin’ but like me, she was a busy woman and busy was good.

My parents’ estate in Pinecrest still felt surreal sometimes. It was like steppin' onto a movie set. From the outside, it looked perfect with tall iron gates, imported stone, and palm trees so green they damn near glowed under the scorching Miami sun. They had three-car garages, infinity pools, and designer dogs barkin’ in the backyard.

However, the foundation of the place was built from dirt, from blood, from moves made in alleyways and strip joints when we ain't have two dollars to rub together. We made this new life for them, and they lived it like they earned it, 'cause they did.

My pop, Marlon Royal, used to kick in doors with sawed-off shotguns and shit when he was seventeen. He hit drug houses, pawn shops, corner hustlers, and anybody who had somethin' he ain't have. Standin’ six-foot-three, his brown skin was dark as Cuban coffee, and his arms were still thick from liftin’ more than just weights. His full beard was now grayed out and trimmed sharp. He was a lil older now, so he moved slow but heavy, like a retired bull still ready to charge if he was provoked.

My ma, Delores Royal, was the queen before we ever had a throne. Standing five-foot-five, with thick thighs and caramel skin that still glowed, her long honey-brown weave laid to perfection. Back in her day, she owned the pole and dudes lined up for her and ran their pockets dry just for a glimpse. They used to call her "Candy D" when she danced at that old broke-down club off 8th Street. Now, she ran three boutique spas. Some businesses were under her name and some were under ours. She still used that sweet smile when cuttin' deals worth more than most rappers' advance checks. She learned that smile in the strip club.

The history was carved into the walls of this house whether guests knew it or not. We didn’t need pictures and shit ‘cause wewere the legacy. When we walked in, the air smelled like fried snapper, baked mac, collard greens slow cookin' with smoked turkey necks and more. It was real Sunday dinner type shit, the kind that stuck to yo’ ribs and you needed to take a good shit afterwards. Our parents knew that we stayed strapped so them seein’ our guns and shit on us didn’t bother them. Dique busted through first, loud and cocky as always, with his Louis Vuitton track suit flashin' under the lights along with his diamonds.

O’Shynn followed, with her heels clickin'. She was wearin’ latex exposing those long, toned legs. Her hair was laid, and her diamonds on her fingers flashed when she flipped her curls over her shoulder. O’Shynn was one cold ass bitch, and men didn’t stand a chance.

Carmen came next, and my fuckin’ pulse picked up speed just seein' her. I’d never say it though. She walked in slim waisted wrapped in a blood-red dress with her curves lookin’ dangerous. Her eyes were still sharp, her lips looked soft, and her mind was sharper than most dudes could handle.

Pop sat at the head of the table in the massive leather chair lookin’ like a throne. "Y’all look heavy," he said, pourin’ a drink. "Body here, mind somewhere else."

I shrugged outta my jacket and tossed it over a chair. "It’s been a long week."

Ma came in behind him, slappin’ him upside the head with a playful smirk. "Stop grillin’ the kids, Marlon. Let ‘em eat before you scare ‘em off. We barely get to see them as it is."

She kissed Carmen on the cheek, leavin’ a light print of lipstick that made Carmen blush. Ma still had that effect on people. She had that sweetness layered over steel. "You stressin’ my son, baby girl?" Ma teased, while reachin’ for a fresh plate of oxtails.

Carmen smiled playin’ her role exactly how she was supposed to. "I signed up for this life."

Pop grunted. "Good, ‘cause the streets I know don't come with no refund policy and that’ll never change."

O'Shynn plopped down at the table, fixin’ her plate without a second thought. "Ain’t nobody here stressin’ except Dom, ma. He walkin' round like he caught a body he ain't buried yet. Yeah, it’s heavy but he need to losin’ up."

Dique laughed, shovin' shrimp into his mouth. "If he did, that’s Tuesday for us."

I stayed quiet, stabbin’ my fork into the collards. Carmen leaned in closer while the others talked, with a voice low enough only I could catch, she spoke. "You really want me to take care of my assistant?" She asked, confirmin’ that she indeed heard me when I thought she was asleep.

I nodded once ‘cause what was understood ain’t have to be explained. "She knows too much. She can’t walk around breathin’ uncertainty into this world. If the Feds connect her to you and start pressin’, I’m tellin’ you she gon’ fold like a pretzel. Muhfuckas who ain’t built for this life gotta stay out of it."

Carmen wiped her mouth, still lookin’ calm. "I’ll handle it," she said. I gave her a curious look. She caught it and smiled. "I’ll make sure she gets scared enough to run far away; hell, even change her name and disappear herself. If she don’t listen?" She shrugged pickin’ up her wine glass. "I’ll let you step in; accidents happen every day in Miami."

She always reminded me of exactly why I married her. At first it was ‘cause she was beautiful, smart, and needed a friend, but she also learned the code, respected the code, and lived by the code. We focused back on dinner.

Dique was grinnin’ with a half mouth full of food. "Aye Ma, I don't know what you put in this mac and cheese, but if you was cookin’ like this back when you was dancin’, Pop wouldn’t had to rob nobody. He woulda just stayed home fat as hell!"

Pop chuckled. "Boy, you lucky I’m too full to smack the taste out ya mouth."

Dique leaned back in laughin’. "I’m just sayin’, Pops! You was doin' armed robberies when you coulda been doin' armed fork lifts."

Everybody fell out laughin’. I knew Dique was about to start fuckin’ with everybody ‘cause it wouldn’t be like him if he didn’t. "Man, we sittin' here eatin' like kings and queens... meanwhile the opps somewhere sharin' a family-size fry and a half a blunt. No bullshit, I remember the struggle."

Ma laughed. "Dominique! Watch your mouth!"

Dique held his hands up to his chest with a fake gasp. When he was in a good mood, that was a good thing ‘cause the streets always got the wild, ruthless muhfucka inside of him. "Aw Ma, I’m just appreciatin' the blessings! We blessed and boujee now, gotta acknowledge it!"

Pop had a serious look on his face. "We keep this house clean. No slip-ups, no paperwork trails lead here."

Dique nodded respectfully. "Don't worry, Pop. We movin' so clean, they gon' need Jesus himself to find dirt on us."

O'Shynn hissed. "Yeah, until you start postin’ selfies at the trap with a caption that says, 'just made a lil somethin’ shake’.”

Dique chuckled. “Aye, chill… that was years ago, I been off that. I only post pictures with my dogs now, them muhfuckas can’t testify." Dique then focused on me while tellin’ everybody, "Dom sittin' so stiff at this table, you’d think he got a wire on. Somebody need to loosen bro up. Maybe you, sis." He old Carmen.

"Keep talkin', Dique. You gon' be eatin' hospital food next time we meet." I replied.

Dique laughed. "Ain't no loyalty in this family, I swear to God it ain’t."

Halfway through dessert, I slowly stood up breathin’ all shallow and shit. That familiar itch crawled under my skin too… the one I needed Carmen to scratch again. I could go get pussy from anywhere, but I wanted it from her again, I needed some more of that.

I cleared my throat. "I’ma hit the bathroom." I didn’t even glance back. Carmen followed two minutes later with her heels clickin’ soft on the marble floors.

I led her to the powder room next to the wine cellar, dark wood walls, and gold faucets with mirror ceilings. It not only looked like money, but it also smelled like it. I locked the door behind us. Before she could say a word, I had her ass pressed against the counter. She gasped as her heart pounded against my hard body.

"You know we shouldn’t," she whispered runnin’ her palms against my chest.

"I don’t care," I growled, slidin’ my hand up her thigh, until it landed on her wet pussy already soakin’ her lace.

Her nails dug into my shoulders as I picked her up onto the marble counter, pullin’ her thong to the side, gently slidin' inside her slippery opening with a low groan. It’s like we were desperate tryin’ to fuck our way into each other’s soul, as quiet moans filled the air through our rough kisses. She was already bruised up from earlier and my back was still on fire from the scratches she placed there but neither one of us gave a fuck. I gripped her thighs tighter, fuckin’ her slow and deep, lettin’ her feel every inch of what she did to me.

“Shitttttt,” she cooed.

"Shhh, keep quiet baby," I mumbled against her ear. "Or they gon' hear you."

She bit her lip, tryin’ to obey as her body trembled against mine. Every stroke I gave was somewhat a punishment for crossin’ the line while every kiss was an apology. Even if we wanted to stop, we couldn’t. Carmen had the best, purest pussy I ever had in my life. Before I knew it, I was shootin’ my seeds inside of her as her pussy walls contracted around my dick wettin’ my shit up like a slip-n-slide.

Carmen was breathin’ hard as fuck and her legs were like noodles when I gripped her ass cheeks to lift her down. We only had a few minutes to get ourselves together and we tried the best we could. She tilt her head to the side and smiled. “Finally treatin’ me like I’m not just a visa, even if it’s for the moment.”

I slowly licked my lips and glared at her. “Always been more than that, let’s stay focused… let’s go.”

When we got back to the table, the laughter inside was still goin’ strong while O’Shynn was still snappin’ at Dique for tryin’ to take the last piece of garlic bread, and mama was talkin’ 'bout her next cruise that she swore she wasn’t paying for cause she knew we’d do it anyway. Meanwhile, Carmen quietly sat back down and took a sip of her drink. Ma gave me a look. It was that knowing smirk that mothers gave that said she heard everything and wouldn’t say a word and I respected it.

After a while, I stepped outside to breathe. The backyard smelled like charcoal and citrus ‘cause Ma had fresh lemon trees she planted years ago, and Pops’ had an old ass grill he refused to retire. He would just find somethin’ to grill on that old rusty muhfucka everyday even if it was just a smoked Georgia sausage. I had offered him a new one multiple times, and he always declined, but sooner or later, I was just gon’ show up with one.

I heard the door open behind me and the familiar heavy footsteps I’d recognize anywhere approached me. “Boy, you think you slick, steppin’ out here like I wasn’t gon’ come talk to you.”

I smirked without lookin’ at him and lit a blunt. “I don’t know what you talkin’ bout Pop, I just needed some air.”

“Nah,” he said, lightin’ a cigar. “You needed space before somebody… and mainly O’Shynn clocked that you and Carmen been moving funny.”

I turned and finally looked at him and he gave me that look. The same one he used to give me when I was twelve and trying to hide weed and shit in the lining of my jacket. I used to do all kind of shit out there and Pop was hip to it every single time.

He shook his head and held his hand up to hush me up. “Don’t say nothing,” he said, puffin’ slow on his fat cigar. “Just listen.”

I leaned against the brick column and allowed a thick cloud of smoke to escape my lips before pulling the brim of my hat down to focus on him and give him my undivided attention.

He blew out a long drag before he spoke. “Carmen’s a good woman and I know I ain’t telling you nothing new, but she done held this family down in ways that ain’t even her responsibility. She’s put her law license on the line for y’all…. for you.” He preached. I stayed silent, with my jaws tight and let him continue. “She loyal, but she ain't blind,” he continued. “I see how she looks at you and I see how you try not to look back.”

I chuckled real dry. “You tryna be a therapist now Pop?”

“Nah,” he said, grinning through his teeth. “I’m tryna be a grandfather.”

That made me pause, ‘cause kids weren’t nowhere on my radar no time soon. What the fuck was I gon’ do with some kids besides kill somebody if they even looked at them the wrong way. This was a dog-eat-dog world out here and a muhfucka would use yo’ kids if they can’t get to you. The same way it was mo’ money mo’ problems, it was the same shit for kids in my opinion. I kept my thoughts to myself and let Pop have this one. I wasn’t sure why he was sweatin’ me like Dique didn’t have a dick and O’Synn didn’t have a uterus. He had two other seeds inside the house who were very capable of producing. If he got lucky enough, let Keondra tell it, Dique just may have had a grandkid for him and then he could get off my back and I bet she wasn’t the only one. Many bitches runnin’ round here over the years sayin’ ‘Dique the pappy’ that’s the one he should’ve been talkin’ to.

He slapped a hand on my shoulder. “You running the world right now, and I get it. You sharper than I ever was, and your empire’s bigger than mine ever could be but legacy don’t mean shit if you don’t got nobody real standing next to you at the end.”

Now despite how I felt, Pop had just said some real shit and I felt that in the pit of my soul, but still, now wasn’t the time. I looked down at my shoes for a second and he leaned in a little.

“Don’t wait too long, Dom. That woman… she’s worth slowing down for.” He let that hang in the air, ashed his cigar, and then walked back inside like he ain’t just drop a bomb on my chest. I stood off to myself for another few minutes and wasn’t surprised when Ma came outside shortly after.

“You okay?” She asked.

“I turned around and saw a Bible in her hand. I didn’t know what kind of weed they had been smokin’ tonight, but it was time for me to go. “Ma, what’s with the Bible? Don’t tell me you ‘bout to come out here preachin’ and readin’ scriptures and shit.”

With a smirk on her face, she shoved the Bible to my chest. “No son, I just gave your sister and brother one too. Hell, I’m not a pastor and I’m not about to be preaching like I’m one but I do know when I was in those streets, I still built a relationship with God.”

I raised a brow lookin’ from her to the Bible. “Ma, yo’ kids the biggest sinners walkin’ this earth… you serious right now?”

“Dominic Royal, I’m as serious as a heart attack. All I’m saying is build that relationship because you won’t be wild and young forever and just one day… you too shall have to repent. Love ya son, see you back inside.”

I let both of their words linger before I joined them again. As the night settled down, I eventually walked Carmen out to her car and made sure that she had a security detail before sending her away. She was cool for the most part. I liked how she ain’t let whatever we had goin’ on change her demeanor. People could do whatever they wanted, hell that didn’t mean that we had to tell them our every move.

“You good?” she asked lookin’ up at me staring in my dark eyes. I was more than good. My stomach was full, pockets were straight, my nut sacks were empty, and for a brief moment, shit just felt normal. That underworld shit would tear you up if you let it.

“I’m good, I’m always good even when I ain’t.” I said slightly brushin’ my hand across her ass soft ass cheek.

She smirked. “Bye Dom.”

After she was secured in her whip, I walked back inside just as O’Shynn and Dique left to venture into whatever they had goin’ on for the night. About twenty minutes later, I slid behind the wheel of my Range as my burner phone started buzzin’ in my pocket with a private number. I answered when I realized who it was. "Yo." I answered.

The low voice was clear, but I could tell somethin’ was wrong just by his tone. "Boss… the safe house… shit might be compromised." One of my lieutenants Kro informed me.

I froze for a second as my blood immediately started boiling. "What the fuck you meanmight?"

"We picked up an unmarked SUV’s circlin' and a possible drone feed watchin'. It ain’t no breach yet, but it’s hot though."

The silence let me know it was somethin’ else he was holdin’ out from. I felt the shit in the depths of my gut. "And?"

"El Blanca’s been meetin’ with El Dorado leadership. Word is… he makin’ side moves boss. I don’t think ole girl is here by mistake. He needs a reason for you to slip and she’s the reason whether she knows it or not."

I felt like Kro was goin’ in the right direction with his theory, but I didn’t feel that was quite the reason, and I was damn sho’ goin’ to find out the truth. I squeezed the phone so tight it creaked in my fuckin’ hand as my heart started poundin’ and my vision became blurred. Everything ‘round me smelled like death now. I ended the call, tossin’ the phone onto the dashboard. My hands flexed on the wheel and my chest felt like it was being wrapped in steel.

“El Blanca…” I mumbled, low with a growl. "You lyin’ muhfucka you…."

If it was true and El Blanca flipped sides, it wasn’t just Victoria in danger. It was all of us. The Royals, our bloodlines, and our empire. I’d be damned if I let a snake take what we built. Fuck all that shit, it was time to play chess… the Dom way, the Miami King way… fuck them taco eatin’ muhfuckas.