16. Carmen Royal
I heard everything and the silence was worse than a fucking scream because it was the kind of silence that didn’t come unless somebody was trying too hard to pretend like shit didn’t just happen, like I was doing at the very moment. I sat on my couch in the dark with the phone still in my hand, as Dom’s voice was still echoing in my head and Victoria’s moans were just as loud. I ain't catch every word because he didn’t say much but hearing her moans, I’d heard enough. It was their breathing, the fucking timing, the fucking tone, just everything. I warned him…. I specially told Dom that Victoria was trouble. I told him not to cross that line and still, he did.
It wasn’t about the sex because it didn’t sound like he was fucking her but it damn sure sounded like she was topping him off the way she was slurping. I knew how powerful women were and although Dom was strategic himself, he still shouldn’t have let her in even if it was just for a second and a second was all it took to unravel everything. I leaned back against the leather, with my eyes burning with my heart feeling tight in my chest. I wanted to scream… I wanted to break something… but that wasn’t my style. That wasn’t Carmen Royal. Had I never fucked Dom, I probably wouldn’t have felt as strongly. I would’ve been upset because of who it was, but I couldn’t say I’d be upset that he did it. I knew Dom had plenty women and it simply wasn’t my place to question it but after we crossed the line, it felt different and the feelings in my heart that I tried to muffle were slowly emerging.
I wasn’t allowed to do certain things or move a certain way because as Carmen Royal, the powerful attorney, I had an image to maintain, however, for those who knew that I was indeed Dom’s wife, I had to conduct myself a certain way for the sake of disrespecting the image of The Miami King. I would always be loyal to Dom, but if he didn’t want to openly love me, he would soon enough. Although it was already after midnight, I decided not to stay inside. Instead, I stood up, walked to my closet, and reminded myself who the fuck I was deciding that I was going to go do something normal, something for Carmen.
The bar I chose wasn’t just any bar either. It wasOpus 305, a rooftop lounge tucked in Coral Gables where the money talked, and the players talked smoother. It was a lot of big money, black cards, and private chefs. I pulled up in an all-black two-piece, with my waist snatched, and the heels of my YSL’s stabbing the pavement. My hair was slicked back, and my lips were lined in a burgundy matte lipstick from MAC. My vibe somewhere betweendon’t touch me, but you might regret it if you don’t.
I knew eyes were always on me because the cartel watched everybody, especially me whenever they could, so I made it look casual. Like I was just outside, blowing off some steam. However, on the inside, I was looking for peace right now. Distraction, peace and fucking clarity that I still am and will always be ‘that bitch’. I slid into a corner booth with a view of the bar and the balcony. When the host came over, I ordered a Blueberry lemon drop topped with a lemon just how I liked it. The host asked for my name and I told her to call me “Miss C,” because I wasn’t giving out my real name tonight anyway.
I had just taken a sip whenhewalked in. He was tall, maybe 6’3” with deep brown skin and a smooth complexion like he stayed stress-free and was well moisturized. He wore a tailored navy colored suit with no tie, and a crisp white button-down open just enough to show a small diamond-studded Cuban link. He was damn near gliding like he owned the place. Black leather loafers graced his feet, and he had gold rings on two fingers. His presence was of the type of man who didn’t need to flex because the weight of who he was just did it for him. He almost instantly clocked me staring at him and not that he even stared back, it was just a glance that said, ‘I see you and I know you see me too’ He took his time, ordered his drink and then slid into the empty seat across from me like I had personally invited him.
“I didn’t wanna let a woman like you drink alone,” he said, in a smooth voice.
I smiled, with one brow raised. “A woman like me?”
“The kind that don’t need nobody but might let a real one stick around if he bring peace instead of pressure.” He replied like he’d been practicing a pick-up line on the way here.
I let out a quiet laugh. “And what do you bring?”
“I bring options,” he said. “I bring conversation and a break from whatever got you dressed like you trying to get revenge on a nigga and sittin’ here all by yourself.” He then sipped his drink. “I’m Dru, by the way. I own a few spots… some casinos down in Nassau that’s family owned, nothing too much, just rich nigga problems.”
I tilted my head. “Married?” I asked eyeballing his ring.
He smirked. “Yeah. I been married ten years strong. My wife is cool though. She’s beautiful, busy, and blessed. We understand each other, if you get what I’m saying.”
I sipped slow and shook my head. I understood clearly. He was implying that she allowed him to do him. On the other hand, I was sure he probably didn’t allow her to do her because men had an ego. “Good, because I’m not looking for anything messy.”
His eyes flicked up and down my frame, but he was still respectful with it. “I’m not messy. I’m... relief.” He smiled.
I loved his personality, and he kept me laughing. Dru was definitely the distraction that I needed. We talked for a while too, about everything and yet still nothing at the same time. He told me how he came up from street dice to real estate, and how the money got clean, but the game stayed the same. He wasn’t trying to sell me a dream, he was trying to sell me a space in his life even if it were only for fun. He was selling me a space to breathe and simply just be and I needed that more than I wanted to admit it.
After talking to me all night, he finally asked, “So what do I call you?”
“C,” I replied with a smile. “It’s just C.”
He nodded like he already knew I wasn’t giving him the real name and he respected it. “Cool, let me take you out for real sometime,” he said, leaning back. “Not no club, not no show-off dinner either, you know, just a vibe. You deserve a vibe.”
I paused, then nodded. “Yeah. I do.”
“How about breakfast first?” He asked.
I raised a brow. “As in a few hours type of breakfast?”
He shrugged, “Shit why not? Let’s do the Rusty Pelican at 10.”
I thought about it, but not long enough because I said ‘yes’. There wasn’t anything wrong with simply having a casual breakfast with a guy friend just like it wasn’t anything wrong when Victoria stuffed Dom’s dick in her mouth.
“Cool beans… see you at 10.” I replied. I gave Dru a burner number and then I jotted his down on a napkin. I kissed that same napkin and stuffed it in his pocket. I walked away feeling confident and recharged knowing that he was watching me.
When I left, I didn’t go home feeling guilty. I actually went homewith a clear mind. I was still loyal to the Royals and still ride or die for the name, and for the business. ButDom, he had to choose, and I couldn’t keep sacrificing my heart just because I was trained to hold a pistol and paperwork at the same time.
I was just kicking my heels off back inside the sanctuary of my penthouse whenmy phone vibratedon the counter. O’Shynn’s name had my screen lit up with her name and that signature crown emoji she put next to it when she stored it. I read he time, it was 3:05AM so I knew she had to be at the club or was just leaving it. She rarely called unless it was important, but I knew O, and she didn’t do check-ins unless it came with something else behind it.
I took a deep breath and answered. “Yeah?”
“Where you at?” she asked, straight to the point.
“Home now,” I said, heading to the kitchen to grab a bottle of coconut water. “I needed some air.”
“You good?” she asked in an unsure tone.
I paused, grabbing the water from the fridge briefly thinking about how I wanted to answer. “I’m cool.”
“Mmm,” she muttered. “I spoke to Dom not too long ago and I know my brother, did something happen between you two that I should know about?”
Of course, she noticed when something was going on, because O’Shynn didn’t miss shit. However, I wasn’t giving her everything like I normally would… at least not tonight because as much as I loved O, she was stillhis sister and no matter how close we were... Dom came first.
“Nothing deep,” I said carefully answering. “Just been thinking and re-evaluating a few things. Trust me, it’s not that serious O.”
“You leaving the circle?” she asked catching me off guard.
That question hit hard, and it actually made me cringe just thinking about it. “No, you know I’m ten toes down and I always will be, please don’t ever question that.”
She got quiet for a minute. “I believe that,” she said. “Just… don’t forget who got your back too. Even when he don’t know how to show it,” she said as if she knew something, and it was more she wanted to say.
I didn’t answer because I truly couldn’t so instead, I just whispered, “Thanks, O. I’ll call you in a few hours.” I replied with a yawn and stretching my arms above my head.
“Alright… and Carmen?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t let these men, including Dom, make you forget who you are. They need us more than they know.”
Before I could say anything else, she was off the line before I could respond. I stood in my kitchen, as O’s words echoed louder than the earful Dom had given me earlier, and just like that... my clarity was solidified. I wasn’t gonna fold, not for love, not for loyalty, not for nobody, but Carmen was going to find happiness outside of the underworld.
Within the next thirty minutes I had showered and was in bed barely sleeping but enough to say I rested my eyes. A few hours later the morning light pushed through the blinds like it was intruding my space. I had a high-profile case coming up that I needed to start prepping for one of my top paying clients, and I would later on, but first I wasn’t going to miss my breakfast date. I sat at the edge of the bed finishing the rest of my coconut water that really didn’t do shit for the lump in my throat. I hadn’t been crying because I didn’t do that. However, my chest did still feel heavy.
I still hadn’t received a call from Dom, and still no explanation but then again, he probably still didn’t think I heard anything since I played it so cool when he did call back. He didn’t even know that I heard it clear as day and while I truly had no right to be upset, I couldn’t help it. My feelings were hurt. I finally stood up and waltzed to the double master bathroom to gather myself. When I was finished, I slipped into my mocha-colored body-con dress with soft fabric, and a high split with a ribbed texture that hugged me curves just right. I wasn’t dressed for attention, I was more so dressed for control.
I pulledmy hair intoasleekhighponytail,applied some mascara on my already long lashes and then applied a nude gloss. I was tired of being the quiet weapon in Dom’s arsenal… nothing besides the legal cleanup. I knew he thought more of me than that, I just simply wanted him to show it. I probably shouldn’t have been going out with Dru, but it was just breakfast. I grabbed my keys, my phones, and my Chanel shades before stepping into the private elevator that led to the penthouse garage beneath the penthouse. My Louboutin’s clicked across the polished concrete and echoed off the walls.
I had just reached for the handle on my G-Wagon when my encrypted cartel line buzzed; a phone that was meant for the Royals only. I used my thumbprint scan for the facial recognition as the message opened:
Warstatus:ACTIVE. AllRoyalCartelmembersarenowonHIGHALERT. Secureallfronts and assumeallmovementsarehostile. CodeRedprotocol.Effectiveimmediately.
My thumb froze on the screen and my heart briefly skipped. Dom went ahead and called the strike against El Blanca, and I had no clue if it was last night or this morning, but we had to be on high alert just in case El Blanca figured it out. El Blanca and the Morenos would now be at each other’s throat and somewhere in there, I was almost positive that El Blanca would want Dom to strike for him first since the Morenos has a direct headquarter in Miami. This was real now.
I stood in the middle of the garage debating if I should cancel the entire morning… just drop everything including Dru and slide into crisis mode catching everything ahead of time while staying sharp, exactly why Dom chose me. I said fuck it; I was canceling Dru for the moment because I had bigger fish to fry. Just as my thumb hovered over Dru’s number, a darkness covered my head and my eyes. It felt like my entire body was seizing as I was grabbed from behind and yanked back with such a force it almost took my breath away.
“What the fuck!” I blurted as my voice echoed bouncing off of the garage walls. My scream was muffled by the fabric on my head as a strong arm looped around my waist lifting me from the ground. My phone crashed on the floor, and I could hear the screen shatter. I kicked, I fought, and fussed as my heels flew off while I was kicking.
Iwastossedinsidea vehicle, and I heard the door slam behind me still disguised by the darkness. I could’ve slapped myself for getting caught slipping. It wasn’t one person in their right mind who would be bold enough to kidnap Carmen Royal, so this had to be an inside job, and we had a snake in our camp. I felt like I was closed in and trapped as the sweat started to perspire on my forehead and the palms of my hands. It was silent, and this silence was different than any I’d ever experienced because I had just become someone’s move on their chessboard. The scent of fresh leather hit me, as my chest heaved up and down and then… there was something very familiar and distinctive… it was…. Baccarat.
To be continued!
Episode 2 of ‘The Miami King’ coming SOON!