Chapter 12 Mekhi
The worst part of this shit was the waiting, especially when I had to wait in a room in a roach motel.
Dark and damp, the room smelled like mildew and unwashed ass.
I knew this nigga was on the run, but damn, he couldn’t have rented something better than this?
I sat in a chair, facing the door, waiting for him to walk in.
I was already pissed the fuck off because it had taken my guys three weeks to find his scared ass.
Jobs like this usually took no more than a week.
Targets always slipped up. They got desperate and used their credit card or called home or logged into e-mail.
Any of that shit would lead us straight to them.
He stayed off the grid longer than most.
But it still wasn’t enough.
Finally, I saw the door handle moving. I lay my gun in my lap and waited.
He opened the door quickly and the weak light from outside spilled into the room.
It was enough for him to see me. He turned around immediately, and I chuckled.
This nigga really thought I was going to chase him.
I shook my head as I sighed. Deep down, he had to know this was hopeless.
He had to know if I was here myself, it was too late.
But that didn’t stop his stupid ass from trying to run out the motel room door.
He gon’ pay for that, I thought as I settled back into the chair.
He only made it five steps outside the door before Luca’s Incredible Hulk-looking ass stepped into his path. I saw his shoulders slump before he turned around and slowly walked back into the room. Luca followed him and closed the door.
“Kevin,” I said, smirking at him. “I can’t believe you not happy to see me.”
“Y-you just caught me by surprise,” he stuttered.
“Why would you be surprised? You should’ve been expecting me.”
“I don’t usually deal with you—”
“You don’t usually try to fuck over me, either. Get on the fucking floor, on your knees,” I ordered.
He looked like he didn’t want to do it. Grabbing my gun, I stood up from the chair and began to walk across the filthy carpet toward him.
His hands shot up in the air like he was surrendering and he slowly kneeled.
I made a slow circle around him, not speaking at first. I knew that would make his weak ass even more anxious.
“Why am I here, Kevin?” I finally asked.
“I don’t—”
I smashed the butt of my gun against his temple. “Don’t fucking play with me. Why am I here?”
He swallowed hard as he looked up at me. I pulled my gun hand back again.
“Because… because I owe you,” he said hurriedly.
I nodded. “And?”
Another long pause. This nigga didn’t want to admit his guilt out loud. This time, I hit him in the back of the head. He cried out like a little bitch. I squatted down, bringing us almost eye to eye.
“I asked a question. When I ask a question, I expect an answer. Understand?”
He nodded quickly. “And I missed my last two payments.”
“So, instead of manning up and talking to me, ya bitch ass ran?” Standing, I shook my head. “That was stupid as fuck.”
“I know I owe you. If you give me a week, I can double it. I swear to God—”
I looked down at him, bored by his whining and ready to get this shit over with. Blood trickled down his face from where I had busted him across the head with my gun. He sniffed and I realized the little bitch had tears in his eyes. Frowning, I hit him again.
“Get up,” I demanded.
He shook his head. “No. I’m not gon’—”
Luca grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him up. I smiled.
“You want him to carry you, or you want to have some dignity and walk on your own?” I asked as I zip-tied his hands together.
He went limp. Luca looked at me.
“Carry him, it is.”
I walked out of the room first, making sure there was no one outside, not that this was the kind of spot where people would run and tell the police anything.
Luca loaded Kevin into the front passenger seat of the truck quickly, then walked around to the driver’s door.
I slid in the back seat to keep an eye on Kevin, ready to pop one in the back of his head if anything went wrong.
I was glad that we’d caught up with this nigga, but I couldn’t relax until we drove the seven hours back to Louisiana.
I should’ve gagged him. He begged for the first hour of the trip, until my gun crashed into his temple again and he passed out.
I didn’t have any more problems out that nigga when he woke up.
Luca drove straight to the location—an abandoned factory building.
It was four a.m., but I wanted my niggas to get their hands on Kevin ASAP.
Jarell and Will stood outside the building. They opened the doors for us, and Will said, “We set up in the back.”
I had to fight back a cough as I entered, the stale air full of dust. We walked past rusty old machines that probably hadn’t been used in thirty or forty years.
Finally, Seth and Cardo came into view. There was one empty chair in the middle of the room.
I watched as Luca slammed Kevin into it. Seth looked at him and cracked up.
“So, you caught this mothafucka,” he said.
I shrugged. “Nigga, I told you I would.”
He walked over to dap me up. “You did. Want me to handle this part?”
Nodding, I turned toward the door.
“You don’t want to know what’s gon’ happen to him?” he called after me.
I didn’t even turn around. “Just make it hurt,” I said.
I planned to go home, clean up, and catch up on my sleep.
But when I climbed out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist, I had one more thing to check.
Grabbing my personal phone, I turned it on.
I waited as the voicemail and text notifications appeared before opening my text app.
I didn’t want to admit it to myself, but I knew I was looking for one in particular.
I scrolled until I found the name “Little Thug.” Her message was short: “I’m home safe.
” I had been checking in on her since that day at the ballpark, but I hadn’t been able to last night.
Steel was watching her, but, for some reason, I felt the need to touch base myself.
I couldn’t explain the shit, just like I couldn’t explain why I agreed to look out for her worrisome ass in the first place.
Satisfied that she had reached out, I walked over to my dresser.
I pulled out a pair of basketball shorts and slipped them on.
Usually, I was a neat freak, but I was so tired that I let the towel just fall on the polished floor.
I slid into bed, and I swear I was sleep before my head hit the pillow.