Chapter 23
A Few Nights Ago
“Wake yo’ bitch ass up,” I said, slapping the shit out of Patrick.
His eyes fluttered open, and he groaned in pain.
“Where am I?” he asked.
“A dungeon of sorts.” I motioned to the array of weapons behind me.
“Please, man! I’ll leave her alone. I’ll take my shit out of her shop and leave town. She’ll never have to worry about me again ? —”
“I know she won’t, because dead men can’t bother anybody.”
“You don’t have to do this! Please!”
I chuckled. “I like the way you beg, boy. I knew you had to be pussy. Doing all this shit to a woman … the mother of your child, but you’re begging me for your life? Go out like the gangsta you think you are.”
I walked over to the table and picked up the blowtorch and cauterizing tool. As I heated the tool up, I looked back at him.
“Not yet, though. I’m gonna let you hang out here for a little while.”
He was literally dangling from the ceiling, bound by his wrists.
“What are you about to do with that shit, man?” Steel asked, puffing on his blunt.
“Well, I don’t want the nigga to bleed out just yet. I’m cauterizing the bullet wounds.”
Jakobi frowned. “This shit is about to stink like a muthafucka.”
“Come hold his legs.”
They shook their heads as they moved to grab Patrick’s legs. He was already squirming and begging.
Jakobi punched him in the gut. “Be the fuck still.”
They secured his legs as I walked over with the hot piece of iron.
“This might hurt a little,” I said before pressing the tool into his flesh.
His screams echoed throughout the space. The smell was horrible, but fuck that. He deserved it.
“One more time.”
I cauterized the other wound, and his screams got louder.
“That wasn’t so bad,” I said, slapping the side of his face.
“You crazy as hell, man,” Jakobi said, shaking his head. You done here? ’Cause I got a lil’ baby waiting on me at her crib.”
“Y’all can go. I appreciate you coming through.”
I slapped hands with him and my brother before watching them leave. Patrick was hanging there, crying his eyes out, and I felt nothing but satisfaction. I stepped closer to him and grabbed his face.
“It didn’t have to come to this,” I said, lowly. “You wanted smoke, so you got Smoke. All you had to do was stop fucking with my lady and let her run her business in peace. You didn’t want to be a father, that’s cool. I’ma do you a solid and raise your little girl. You will never be a thought to her because she’s gonna know exactly who her daddy is, my nigga.” I mushed him, causing his body to sway a little. “Now, I’m gonna leave you here. Let you think about your actions for a few days. When I get back, you’re gonna meet the consequences.”
I walked out of the building, leaving him alone. After all, I had to get back to my lady.
Presently
I pulled up to the warehouse my family owned and put my car in park. Uncle Blake and Roux were already here, waiting and passing a blunt between them. I’d given each of them the lowdown on what had transpired since before I snatched Patrick’s ass up. Grabbing my gun, I exited the car and walked over to them.
“What up, nephew?” Uncle Blake asked, slapping my hand.
“Ain’t shit, Unc.” I pulled Roux into a hug. “How you doing, Roux?”
“I need to let off some steam. Why do you smell like a newborn?”
“I just left the hospital.”
Uncle Blake smirked. “Kaylynn told me how you’ve been acting with that girl.”
“I’m about to fire your daughter. She stays in my business.”
“Nigga, you ain’t exactly discreet about it. Throwing baby showers and shit.”
Roux slapped my arm. “You could have invited me.”
“Hell no. You would have made shit awkward as hell.”
Uncle Blake shook his head. “He didn’t invite me either.”
I waved him off. “I have to give her the family in doses because y’all niggas stay on one. Romi has never been mixed up in this life. Y’all are gonna scare her off.”
My uncle frowned. “The fuck! We ain’t that bad.”
Even Roux gave him a side eye. “Blake, please. I grew up around you with my daddy. Even I know y’all can be a lot.”
“Whatever. Look, can we head on in here? I got some shit to do today.”
“Let’s get to it then.”
I led them into the warehouse. It had been about four days since I’d been back to check on Patrick and a total of seven since I'd snatched him up. He’d been sitting here in the dark with no food or water. I was sure his arms were about to give out on him. I was about to put him out of his misery anyway. When we stepped into the space, we were hit with a foul stench. I covered my nose as I approached him.
“Nigga, did you shit on yourself?” I asked, slapping his face.
His head popped up, and he looked at me with tired red eyes. His gaze traveled to my uncle and Roux.
“Don’t look at them,” I said. “They aren’t here to help you.”
Uncle Blake stepped forward. “So you’re the lil’ nigga selling in my territory, huh? You know we can’t have that, right? I mean, it’s nothing personal. It’s just business.”
“Fuck that,” Roux said, pulling out her gun. “It’s personal to me. Didn’t I tell you to stand the fuck down when you asked about working for me years ago, nigga?” She hit him with the butt of the gun. “Didn’t I tell you what would happen if I caught you pushing product in my fucking city?”
“I’m… I’m sorry?—”
“You’re sorry? I should have ended your whole fucking bloodline when your bitch ass daddy got on the news talking about my father. You’re lucky I didn’t slit your fucking throat back then.”
“I didn’t have anything to do with that?—”
“Shut the fuck up when I’m talking.”
She aimed the gun at his crotch and fired. Patrick screamed bloody murder. Both Uncle Blake and I jumped as blood seeped through the front of his pants. I knew Roux was crazy, but damn.
“You niggas always make me have to show my ass to get some respect. Stop all that damn crying.”
“Roux, you just shot that man in the dick,” I reminded her.
“And? The only thing he was doing with it was fucking hos and getting bitches pregnant with no intention of taking care of his kid. No offense to your girl. If there are two things I can’t stand, it’s a nigga that puts his hands on women and a nigga who doesn’t take care of his responsibilities.”
“I’ma let you have your fun with him in a minute,” I promised.
Patrick was snotty nosed crying at this point. “Please, man… I don’t wanna die.”
“It’s a little too late for that,” Uncle Blake said, lighting another blunt. “Who is your supplier?”
“I don’t know?—”
“The fuck you mean you don’t know? You don’t know who you’re buying from?”
“I’m just the middleman.”
“Who’s in charge?”
“My…” He started crying again, and my uncle slapped him.
“Stop fucking crying and talk!”
“My dad.”
Now that shit was news to me. I guess I would be making a visit to Mr. Mathis sooner rather than later.
“Why does he need Romi’s place? Of all the places in the city, why hers?”
Patrick was still crying like a bitch. Snot and slob dripped from his nose and lips as he tried to get it together.
“The tunnels… the ones that run under the city. Her shop sits right on top of one. That’s what’s beneath the floor behind the steel door. He… he wants to smuggle product in through the tunnels.”
“Then I guess we know who will be joining you,” I said, reaching into my pocket.
I pulled out a laser and handed it to Roux.
“What’s this for?” she asked.
“Target practice, baby.”
She grinned as she took it from me. Uncle Blake shook his head.
“Two crazy muthafuckas together. I’m outta here. I’m gonna check into this shit.”
“A’ight, Unc.”
“Be easy, Roux.”
“We need to link up and discuss what you find,” she called over her shoulder.
“Bet.”
He left the building, and we focused our attention on Patrick, who was busy trying to shake himself free.
“Please! Don’t do this shit, man! The fuck is wrong with y’all!”
“I’m a little sad I don’t get to play my game,” Roux said, pouting as she ignored his pleas. “You’re having all the fun.”
“Fucking psycho, man,” I mumbled, ensuring I had a full clip. “Point the damn laser.”
She kissed her teeth. “I guess we’ll make him suffer a little first.”
She pointed the laser at his foot. Aiming the gun, I pulled the trigger, and again, his screams echoed in the room.
“That’s one.”
She pointed the laser at his side, and again, I pulled the trigger.
“That’s two.”
This time, she pointed the laser at his chest.
“Kill me…” he begged. “Just kill me!”
I raised my gun. “Like I said, it didn’t have to come to this. You threatened the wrong person. Romi was innocent. The family you threatened were innocent. Your child was innocent. Now I gotta kill you because you wanna be a threat to my lady, her family, and my babies.”
Roux cooed. “Awww! Look at you in love and shit.”
I chuckled. “Go ’head, man. I’m not in love just yet, but imagine how much worse this would have been for you if I was. One thing I’ve never done is fuck around about the people closest to my heart. It’s in your best interest if I dead you before you really have to see me act like a fucking lunatic.”
I pulled the trigger, hitting Patrick right in the chest. His eyes widened, and his breathing was choppy as blood spilled from his mouth. I watched him choke on it with no remorse. Beside me, Roux raised her gun and put a bullet right between his eyes. His head dropped, and his body fell limp.
“What are you about to do with him?” Roux asked.
I stared at him for a moment before shooting the cleanup crew a message.
“Send him to his fucking daddy so he knows he’s next.”
Roux fanned herself. “I have to get from around you,” she said, tucking her gun.
I chuckled. “Why?”
“Because I’m gonna fuck you if I don’t. You know action gets me hot and bothered. You have a lil’ family I see you trying to make happen, so I’m gonna leave you and that demon dick be before I have to show you I’m just as crazy as you remember.”
I laughed. “I never doubted you were still crazy, Roux. I hear shit about you all the time.”
She sighed. “I love when my reputation precedes me. I’m gonna head out, though. I have to go see my old man.”
“Tell him I asked about him.”
“I will. Oh, I have something for you. Come outside with me right quick.”
I followed her out of the building and to her car. She opened the door and reached inside, pulling out a manila envelope and handing it to me.
“I told you I’d keep an ear to the streets for you about that nigga. I had my private investigator following him since you told me about him. I’m not sure what’s in here ’cause I didn’t care to look, but she said it’s very telling.”
“I appreciate your help, Roux.”
“Don’t thank me just yet. You owe me one now. Be ready when I call to collect.”
She winked as she gave me a hug and kissed my cheek before dipping out. I climbed into my car and opened the envelope. My brows furrowed as I examined the contents.
“This muthafucka,” I mumbled.
Yeah, Derrick Mathis was next on my list.
I waited around for the cleanup crew to get here before leaving. I needed a hot shower so I could head back to the hospital. I decided I would check in with Jaeda while I was on the compound. I needed whatever she had on Patrick’s father so I could plot my next move.
I shook my head.
Here I was, trying to be cool, and they brought out the Grim Reaper.