Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
GONE TOO FAR
“Look, Kong, don’t do anything stupid,” Inari warned, turning to him when he pulled in front of her house.
The day was cold and dreary, exactly how she felt inside. A world without Ayla was one where nothing seemed right anymore.
“Ayla is gone, but you still have two kids who need you. Think about Kara and Kyro.”
One hand gripping the steering wheel, the other stroking his beard, Kong kept his eyes ahead.
Checking his rearview, he listened to the sound of the motorcycle engine speeding down the block.
Inari checked her rearview mirror, and her nostrils flared when she saw Moose pull up behind them.
He parked, took off his helmet, and rested it on the handlebars before kicking the stand out and lifting himself from the bike.
“Why is he here?”
“Because we have some shit to handle. I don’t think you should be here by yourself either.” Kong finally looked at her.
“I don’t take orders from either one of you.” She grabbed the handle and yanked on it, pushing her door open as Moose approached from the sidewalk.
Shaking his head, Kong reclined in his seat, deciding to give them a minute. Inari brushed right past Moose, but he strolled behind her in a slow stride.
“Nari, we need to talk, mama.”
“I don’t talk to strangers,” she rebutted, keeping her back to him.
“Listen,” Moose grabbed her wrist before she could climb the steps to her porch.
“Did I not tell you to not fucking touch me?” She yanked out of his grip and spun on him.
“I’m saying, you ain’t gon’ give a nigga a chance to explain?”
“Explain what, Moose? My sister is fucking dead! I just got the full fucking report.” She waved the file in his face.
“All because I listened to you when you said that you would handle Danilo and Mira. Now it’s too fucking late.
I can’t trust you. Not after what you pulled.
” She shook her head. “I almost lost my job, you drugged me, and then you sat in my face all these months, lying to me! Fuck you, nigga!” She shoved him off, nudging him back a few steps, but Moose wasn’t having it.
“I get that you mad, but what you not about to do is act like you don’t know how the fuck I feel about you.
The last thing I been doing is playing in your fucking face.
The shit at your job was just that. Strictly fucking business.
I didn’t know that was even your spot until the night I got the intel.
I couldn’t stop it when it was already set in motion, but I made sure nobody fucking hurt you! Give me some fucking credit for that.”
“I ain’t giving you credit for shit!” she spat, climbing the porch steps before spinning to face him again.
“Go get some fucking help, Moose, because clearly you need it. You’re damaged, probably beyond repair, and I don’t need that shit in my fucking life right now.
” Inari used her key to let herself into her home and slammed the door shut behind her.
Moose could only stand there staring, scoping her neighborhood to see if anyone had witnessed the altercation.
A couple of her neighbors were peeking through curtains, being nosy.
He studied the door a bit longer. A big part of him wanted to go kick it down and make her understand, but the logical side knew she meant what she said.
If he was keeping it real with himself, he knew he didn’t deserve her.
Kong blew his horn, and Moose swung around to meet up with him at his car.
Popping the passenger door open, he climbed onto the leather seat and leaned back with a frustrated scowl.
“You get in touch with your inside man?” Kong didn’t look at him as he tapped his finger against his upper lip.
“Yeah.” Moose dug his phone out of his jacket pocket and flicked the tip of his nose. “I got an address for one of Mira’s brothels.”
“You good with this?” Kong queried, not wondering if he was cool, but if he was sober.
Moose stared straight ahead, jittery as fuck. He’d had two cups of espresso and smoked a blunt, but he was wired as fuck and itching for something stronger.
“I’m straight.”
“Then follow me. Hit Brim and give him the information. Tell him to meet us there. I got one more person I need to link with. We move tonight, around eight.”
“Bet.” Moose reached for the door.
“Moose.” Kong’s voice stopped him. “Don’t fuck this up.”
Scoffing, Moose put his feet on the ground and slammed the door to the truck shut.
With one last glance at Inari’s house, he started toward his bike to leave.
Kong whipped his car away from the curb and into traffic.
His phone buzzed against the phone holder clipped to his heating vent, and he watched Audiemar’s name flash across the screen.
Right now wasn’t the time. The news had surely hit the streets, especially since Inari, Ayla’s closest of kin, had already been notified.
He expected to hear from him sooner than later but wasn’t in the mood to talk.
Instead, he sent him to voicemail and sped through the slick Ree Heights streets to his destination.
Heritage Hotel wasn’t a rent by the hour type place.
Most rooms went for two hundred and up, and the dining room was frequented by anyone looking for one of the best surf and turf meals in Ree Heights.
Kong parked on the curb and hopped out, passing his key to the valet and marching inside.
He’d agreed to this meeting for one reason only: to find answers about what happened to Ayla.
“Kong Blackmoor,” Riddle announced when he stepped into the dining room and appeared beside his table.
He’d already ordered his entree and sat with a glass of merlot beside his plate when Kong joined him in an empty chair.
Riddle and Audiemar went back decades with one another.
The official story was that they grew up in the same group home, much like Nickel and Mozzi did.
Audiemar would never claim a friendship, but there was a mutual understanding with Riddle when he got there.
Although older and more experienced being in state custody, Riddle respected Audiemar when he came in because he didn’t take any shit from the other kids just because he was new.
“What can I do for you? You ready to take me up on my offer and join my team?” Riddle asked, picking up his wine glass and taking a sip.
Kong leaned forward, eyes fixed on the finely dressed gangster in front of him.
Riddle exuded power. From his Brooks Brother’s suit to his Ferragamo loafers, he was that nigga.
Seated across from him, the two shared a mirrored stare.
Riddle had always been more of a ghost. Only a select few knew that Rembrandt Stockton was really a gangster hiding behind real estate, brokerage firms, and more shell companies.
“I’m here with a warning.”
“Hmm, what type of warning?” Riddle swallowed, then picked up his fork and knife to cut into his steak.
“Mira Jones,” Kong stated.
A slight frown marred his features, and he brought a piece of his medium-rare steak to his lips for a bite. Chewing slowly, Riddle aimed his fork at him.
“What about her?”
“I understand she has an arrangement with Donahue, but that bitch is about to answer for what she did.”
Riddle clearly had no idea what Kong was referring to. Shaking his head, he cut another piece of steak.
“I’m lost. What is it that you think she did?”
“It’s not what I think. It’s what I know. She and her bitch ass nephew, Danilo. You been watching the news? There was an explosion, a woman was killed—”
“Yeah, yeah.” Riddle nodded. “I heard about that. Unfortunate for that young lady and her family. What does that have to do with you or Mira?”
“That woman meant something to me,” Kong growled, eyes cold while staring into his. “So did that baby she was carrying.”
“You mean a woman who wasn’t your wife?” Riddle nonchalantly picked up his wine glass and took another sip, peering at Kong over the rim.
Kong’s menacing glare made Riddle chuckle before setting his glass back on the table. Clearly, he’d pushed a button, and Kong’s patience was running thin.
“Look, I’m not trying to ruffle your feathers, but for months, there has been this back and forth with Donahue, Mozzi, Fire, and Nickel.
I’d say both of our organizations have taken a hit.
Mozzi broke the truce the minute he went after Nickel.
Now you’re here threatening another part of Donahue’s operation, which in turn will affect me and my men.
So, tell me what kind of warning you have for me, Kong?
” Grabbing a napkin from his lap, he wiped the corners of his mouth and set it on the table.
“Ain’t a rock that bitch or Danilo can hide under. I don’t give a fuck who don’t like it. If anybody has a problem with it, don’t hide behind women and children. Step to me,” Kong announced.
“You don’t want to go around making enemies, Kong. You never know when you might need someone. Donahue is not just a nigga on payroll for me either. He’s my nephew.”
“I don’t need you, Riddle, and I don’t give a fuck if that nigga was your first born.”
“Maybe not now, but you never know. I’ve been trying to get you to see where you belong all these years. How are things at Blackmoor Industries?” Riddle queried.
“We’re not friends. Never have been. I keep it respectable for the sake of business and the people I care about in Ree Heights. The truce was put in place by you and Audiemar, and if your people can’t respect it, why should mine?”
“The shit between Mozzi and Nickel was juvenile. Let’s not forget who started that.”
“Mozzi might have started it, but Nickel had no problem provoking him every chance he got,” Kong replied.
“Fair enough. You move on Mira, and I won’t be able to stop Donahue. So, why don’t we see about making a deal?” Riddle rested his arms on the table and leaned forward, his dark eyes bouncing around Kong’s.
“What kind of deal?”