Goon #2
It was the focal point of the room. The solid mahogany table was long enough to sit at least fifteen people comfortably. The gloss was so shiny that I could see my reflection as I took a seat.
I could only imagine the shit that was discussed around this table.
The amount of people’s lives that hung in the balance while these three men had to make decisions.
Ashtrays were scattered across the table, some with half-finished cigars sitting in them.
Leather chairs surrounded the table, some pushed back slightly, the others occupied by Ghost Davis and Rahmeek Vanducci.
Their half empty glasses of liquor let me know they had been here for a while. Guns casually resided beside them, as if they were cellphones. Ghost sat at the head of the table, and watched as we all filed into the room.
“How’s Chef?” he looked directly at me and questioned.
Did it surprise me that my uncle knew these men?
Nah.
Chef was around and had always been. While he was a lone wolf and didn’t per say belong to a said group, he was respected by men so that was how he was able to remain so plugged in.
“Whoever knows how Chef is?” I chuckled.
He returned the laugh and nodded. “Tell him Ghost said to check in.”
I nodded my head, making a mental note to get up with my uncle to relay the message. I could have just called him, but getting Chef on the phone was like getting the pope to watch The Wire.
Behind there, there were large shelves holding expensive liquor bottles, photos and books that were probably more storage than actual books. The room was quiet once everyone settled in, only the low hum of the air conditioning could be heard. I shifted in my seat waiting for what was to come next.
The tension in the room was thick, and it was mostly coming from Menace. He was tense, and he was rubbing his hands, cracking his knuckles and waiting to hear what everyone had to say.
“How are Stevie and the baby?”
“Well.”
“We’re not the enemies, Menace,” Rahmeek replied.
Menace leaned forward. “Seems like it. While we’re sitting here having this dramatic ass family meeting, I could be out there handling my business. Instead, I gotta ask like I’m a fucking child.”
“Maverick,” Kora hissed.
He leaned back in the chair while Ghost and Rahmeek didn’t seem phased by his words. They were probably used to the way Menace acted, so it didn’t offend them.
“Heard about Castello… didn’t seem like you needed permission for that.” Ghost messed with his beard and turned his attention to Menace.
Menace leaned up once again. “My parents are stinking in a grave.”
“Maverick, why the fuck would you say that?”
He ignored his sister. “I was forced to get married. I did that shit because it was asked of me… more like forced upon me. I check in like I should because you both are old and becoming senile.”
“I’m not fucking senile,” Rahmeek defended.
“Castello tried to fucking end me and he nearly fucking succeeded. Ending me by trying to take my heart out will never sit well with me. Would you be sitting here if Giovanna was put in that situation? What about you… if Free had bullets flying at her, would you be as calm?”
Neither of them could answer because they knew he had a point. They knew that if this was their wives, they would have been ready to end the world, too.
“Not debating that you shouldn’t get your get back. All I’m saying is that this can become messy… this could become dangerous. Castello’s death is all over the news and has everyone on edge.”
“Fucking good. It’s about time everyone’s on fucking edge. We were fucking slaves, having to carry this country on our fucking backs for those White pricks to decide our fate. Always having their hands in some shit that has nothing to do with them.” He jumped up from his seat, his eyes wide.
I started counting on my fingers, trying to decide when this became a lesson on Black history. I mean, he wasn’t wrong, but how the fuck did we end up here?
“Preston Vance is heavily connected, Menace. Heavily to the point where if we go this route… there’s no coming back,” Ghost warned him.
“I’m not asking for anybody to put their neck on the line for me and mines. It will get handled either way.
Rahmeek stood up. “The fuck you talking about? If you’re going that route, then we going, too. We’re here to make sure this is a conscious decision on your end.”
Menace sat back down. “I want to send a message. Can I have fucking permission to do that?”
Rahmeek slowly sat down and Ghost looked at him. “Send the message and then get ghost to let it die down. I have a feeling your message will be felt throughout the city.”
From the way he was massaging his hands together, I knew that this was going to get messy. The message Menace Caselli was planning to send would shock the city.
“Cut the fucking lights,” Kora smirked.
Don looked down at his phone, hit a few things and the lights dimmed. I looked out the window at the city view across the water and watched as the lights from the skyrise buildings went out. The entire New York City went dark, with only Jersey having lights.
“Get ghost once you done, Menace,” Rahmeek reminded him.
Corleon stood up. “Don’s jet is waiting for him soon as business is handled.”
As much as he was Menace’s best friend, he was his keeper. I had my own personal goal of keeping this man alive, but this is what Corleon lived for.
We made our way out the house and hopped back into our whips.
Menace held back, while allowing Kora and her peoples to roll out in front of us.
The moment we whipped out of those gates and merged onto the highway I could feel the vibration from the motorcycles.
I turned to look out the back window and like I expected, Quasim was leading the Inferno Gods, as they surrounded both Menace and Don’s Rezvani’s.
To the far right, I peeped Capone in his challenger, and on the far left Chubs in his Track hawk. Quasim whipped around until he was riding in front, leading the Rezvani down the highway.
Quameer had his right, while Capri held his left as they led us. As we inched closer to New York, it became darker. The tolls were no longer working, and the lights that usually illuminated the bridge were pitch black.
We floated through traffic with ease. Menace looked over at me, as I checked my phone to see a message from Boobie.
“Don’t die… she would blame me.”
He cared.
Cared enough about his sister that he didn’t want her to blame him if something happened to me. “Not really worried about me because she made me promise to bring yo’ ass back in one piece.”
He snorted, then smirked. “Then we both don’t die.”
“Fucking deal.” We bumped fists, and I think this was the first time I ever touched this nigga.
He looked out the window at the darkness that he created. Menace Caselli thrived in the darkness, so this was his element. I maneuvered in the shadows most of my life, so I was familiar.
“Luci called… need him?”
Before he answered Corleon, he looked out the window and nodded his head. “Yeah.”
I didn’t know who Luci was, but from the way Menace replied, he was important. I leaned back, knowing that whatever went down wouldn’t be quiet. They sent a direct hit on him, and his response wouldn’t be weak.
.