Chapter 10 Duke
Damn. I knew feeling her in my arms would change my perspective on some shit. But I didn’t expect to be replaying it like some teenager experiencing his first crush.
I released my hold on her, allowing her to take a few steps away from me.
“Let me see your phone.”
Her eyes widened, then she looked back and reached into her pocket to hand over her phone. I was able to easily get in and place my number inside. I texted myself, then handed her back the phone.
“I added my number and texted myself. I’m only a call or text away, and I mean that.”
She stood still, staring intently as if she was waiting for a tell sign that I was being dishonest. She smiled, letting me know, whatever she was looking for, she didn’t see.
“Thanks for tonight and I’ll hold you to it, Superman.” she responded, then turned to walk towards the door.
I stayed put watching her until she was inside with the doors locked. She gave me a smile and waved before walking further into the shop. I took that as my cue to leave.
The entire ride back to my place, all I could think about was how one kiss had me this damn distracted. Her new nickname matched her perfectly, even with the sweet taste of the tangy BBQ sauce from Big Moe’s.
She better be happy I was feeling her, the way she was tearing up my damn ribs.
The vibration from my phone paused my mind’s infatuation with everything that was Solana.
I pulled into the parking garage ramp to park my bike.
Once I was parked in my space, I pulled my phone from my pocket.
Two messages were on my screen, one from a number I didn’t have saved, and the other from Juelz.
I clicked the first message, knowing it had to be her. I didn’t hand out my number often, if not ever.
Unknown Number: Tonight was everything I needed. I hope you made it home safely.
I smirked and immediately save her number before replying.
Me: I’m glad I could do that for you. You know you fucked up though, right?
Sweets: “Shocked emoji” What did I do?
Me: Just be ready after closing tomorrow.
Sweets: I’ll see what I can do.
I backed out of our message thread and went to Juelz to see what information he had for me.
Juelz: We need to talk asap.
Me: I’m at my spot, pull up.
Juelz: Thumbs up emoji.
I grabbed the tarp I had folded behind my parking spot and covered my bike before heading for the elevator.
Once inside, I hit twelve to take me to the top floor.
I’d been renting in this building since I bought Chrome and started to make a profit.
The elevator dinged once I made it to my floor; I made my way to the end of the hall and let myself inside.
I stayed in an industrial-style two-bedroom loft. I kept the essentials here and nothing more. The only reason I had the extra room was in case one of the guys got too drunk or had a problem—but that wasn’t often.
I made a beeline for the kitchen to grab a bottle of water, then took a seat on the couch and closed my eyes for a few minutes.
I needed to get my head right before Juelz showed up. Solana was the last thing I needed on my mind—not when I had Black Thorn shit to handle. That woman was going to take me through it… and I damn sure didn’t mind.
Thirty minutes went by when the doorbell went off. I grabbed my phone from the coffee table and checked my cameras. Juelz held his hand up in front of the camera, flicking me off. I chuckled and stood from the couch, then stretched before heading for the door.
I pulled the door open, and Juelz was smirking. I waved him off and walked away, allowing him to close the door behind himself.
“Why every time I see you, you’re grumpy? I just knew being around shorty, who owns the shop, would have sweetened your ass up or something.” I stopped abruptly and glanced over my shoulder.
I lifted a brow in his direction, still no smile in sight.
“Worry about how thirsty you are being over a woman that’s damn sure not going to give you the time of day if you asked.”
“Yeah, aight. Why she give me her number then?” Juelz asked.
I tried to hold back my smirk when I turned to fully face him.
“She seems like the type who likes to help with charity and shit.”
Juelz lifted a brow and cracked up. I couldn’t help but to join in because this man didn’t have any sense.
“Fuck outta here.” he waved me off, then took a seat on the couch.
I crossed my arms over my chest, needing to get to business.
This situation with Rafe was starting to piss me off.
He was questioning the fuck out of my leadership, and I wasn’t in the mood to hear shit from the Crown, especially when they placed me in this position with the confidence that I would get shit in order around here.
“What you find out?”
Juelz leaned forward from the couch, resting his forearms across his knees.
“Rafe is out here using the Thorns’ name to get all types of shit, man. They’re giving him the shit off the strength of you essentially. I don’t know why they haven’t been double checking with you. But these muthafuckas’ don’t care as long as they get paid.”
I released a breath.
I knew exactly where this shit was going—and how I’d have to handle it.
“What kind of shit? I need you to be specific about who we are dealing with.”
“Guns, gas, pills, even the white shit man. He got his hands in some of everything and, according to a few of the dudes on the block. It’s all the old heads outside of a few who’ve been doing the shit right along with him.”
I nodded and walked over to the large glass windows overlooking downtown Rose Haven.
I hated going back there—back to the version of me that handled shit differently—but if I didn’t get rid of Rafe and his boys, shit wasn’t going to be good for the town. It had been a while since Rose Haven had a drug problem.
I’m not saying none was being sold, but we’d taken that shit out of the Black Thorns’ hands and kept it from overrunning the town. The local crews were in agreement with that. There were plenty of neighboring towns for them to move that shit.
I turned to face Juelz with a stone glare.
“I think I’ve been too cool with these muthafuckas’.
I guess it’s time to introduce them to the other side of me that demands order and respect.
I’m gone need you to call up Benny, Rico, Money, and Ace.
Tell them we need to chop it up tomorrow at the spot.
It’s gone have to be before 7pm though. I got shit to do.
But, I need to get some things in place and I need you to figure out exactly who he is getting supply from.
We cutting that shit off before we cut him down. I’ll handle the Crown.”
Juelz stood, gave me a nod, then came over to dap me up before heading out. I locked up behind him and made my way back to the window. Rose Haven was mine, and Rafe’s greed wasn’t about to fuck it up.
PRIVATE THORN MEETING
I pulled my bike into the warehouse and parked it along the wall. Juelz, Money, Ace, Rico, and Benny stood in the center of the room in all black. Each of them knowing what was up if I told them to meet me here. Not every Thorn knew of this place.
This was why I kept everyone out of it. Otherwise, we’d have a bigger problem on our hands. I set my helmet on the seat and walked toward the group, dapping everyone up before settling against the steel table in the center of the room. The rest of them stayed on their feet, waiting for me to speak.
“Aight. We got a problem. Which you know if I called y’all here and not the club.” I pointed out the obvious.
I nodded in Juelz’s direction so he could tell them all the details he had shared with me.
I sat quietly, watching their expressions change from confusion to disgust, then anger in seconds.
Once Juelz finished, they turned to face me with a ton of questions.
I held my hand up to stop them from talking at the same time.
“My thoughts exactly. These old heads stuck in their glory days, and it’s only going to bring chaos to the town and the club. We don’t need a visit from the fucking Crown unless it’s to tell us we’re on our shit. This won’t be going on much longer.”
“Shit like this is why my daughter can’t have contact with her birth mom,” Benny chimed in.
I knew hearing this would hit home for him after dealing with Tierra’s crazy ass.
I’d be in the same place if I heard about people flooding these streets again—streets that had been clean because of the pact we made.
If the others in the area found out the Thorns had broken that treaty, it would be a field day.
Which was exactly why that shit pissed me off—moving on impulse with only one thing in mind. Money.
“I hear you. This can cause a street war that’s unnecessary because other folks think we cornered the market so we could be the only ones selling in the area.
We plan to cut off their supply, then Rafe, bitch ass gone have to see me.
I also have to make the ride to the Crown before his final resting place is established. ”
Ace stepped up with a nod. “What you need us to do?” he asked.
“I need y’all to handle rumors and shit.
We riding out to talk with the Crown this weekend.
Benny, I need you to stay behind at the club and watch the spot.
Make sure those muthafuckas’ ain’t selling in my spot while I’m gone.
Money and Ace, I need y’all to have his back.
We all got things and people to live for.
But this man got a baby on the way, a kid at home, and a fiancé. ”
Money and ace nodded.
“Rico, you and Juelz are with me.” I laid down the plan.
Once I finished, each of them left the warehouse, until it was just Benny and I.
“You know I can still handle shit if necessary,” he pointed out.
“Nah, you good. You got more to live for than the rest of us. I don’t even like bringing you in on this kind of shit.
You are in the limelight and shit because of Jordan.
Not to mention, you Tat majority of the league.
You’re a household name and we not allowing Black Thorn business to tarnish that. ”
Benny stopped, gave me a nod, then reached out to dap me up. He pulled his bike out of the warehouse and took off. I followed, pulling mine out before locking up and heading to my grandparents’ place. Anytime dark thoughts crept in, that’s where I went to quiet them.
I didn’t need to think twice about what came next, but I needed a moment where the thoughts didn’t sit heavy on me. I pulled into the driveway behind my granddad’s truck. After hopping off my bike, I jogged up the steps and let myself inside.
The clanking of pans told me everything I needed to know. My grandma was in the kitchen cooking. I stepped in quietly, and before I could reach for her, she called out my name.
“Is that my little baby trying to creep up on me?”
I stopped my pursuit and chuckled.
“How you know it was me? And not some other person trying to break into your house.”
She turned around to face me and swatted me with her dish towel she was holding.
“Honey, you have your own brand of cologne when you walk through that door. Not to mention, ain’t nobody just walking in here if they aren’t supposed to be if they want to live.”
I shook my head and chuckled. I grabbed an apple from the dish of fruit she had on the counter, then leaned against it.
“Alright now, gangsta. I have a question, though.”
She wiped her hands and turned to give me her undivided attention.
“I’m taking this girl on a date tonight. I want to make a good impression—”
“Oh, when can we meet her?” she asked with a big smile.
I shook my head. “I don’t know, but I definitely need to make this date worth remembering or you not gone get a chance to meet her at all.”
My grandma gripped her hips and tilted her head to the side with a soft smile.
“I highly doubt that. Let me think. Isn’t movie in the square tonight?” she asked.
I’d thought about that, but I wasn’t sure if she wanted to go Rose Haven official. Once we went anywhere within the community together, it was over.
“Nah, can’t take her there on a first date. All your little friends gone have my name up and through the street.”
She rolled her eyes and laughed, knowing I was right about her home girls.
“Those hussies do know how to spread a little gossip. Yeah, that might not work.”
Before she could say another word, Heiress came bouncing into the kitchen in small pajama shorts and a cutoff top. She slowed up her steps when she saw me, then walked over to hug me. I obliged, then returned my attention back to my grandma, waiting for her response.
“What y’all in here talking about?” Heiress asked.
I groaned, then bit into my apple.
“Duke is trying to figure out where to take this little girl on a date.”
Heiress lifted a brow in my direction and crossed her arms against her chest.
“Wait, so you’re dating? You didn’t tell me anything about this.”
I shrugged, biting back what I really wanted to say. Heiress was acting like we talked like that sometimes—and we didn’t. And I damn sure wasn’t trying to hear my grandma go on about how disrespectful I was being.
“Yeah.” I replied.
Her smile dropped. I knew she expected me to say more, but I didn’t have much else to say.
“I was telling him to take her to movies in the square, but he doesn’t want the girls gossiping.”
Heiress shrugged and hopped up onto the counter, then grabbed an apple from the basket.
“He’s right. Just take her to that karaoke bar on the outskirts of town. It’s private and you don’t have to worry about folks being in your business. Oh, and you get to laugh at folks sounding terrible.”
I hated to admit she was onto something. I stood from where I’d been leaning and walked towards the door to the kitchen.
“Uh, so are you going?” Heiress asked.
I glanced over my shoulder. My grandma was also waiting for a response as well. I shrugged with a smile, then nodded.
“If she doesn’t call me back after this. I’m blaming you.” I told her jokingly.
“What’s new?” Heiress asked under her breath.
I chose not to comment because this conversation would only fuck up my night, and I had plans to show Solana I could give her everything she needed.