17. Juelz
I was on my way to my penthouse, and Ciera was on my mind.
I hope she enjoyed my gifts, but I also wanted her to know that I wasn’t playing with her.
She had some decisions to make. I really fucked things up with her, and I was trying to do right by her.
I was so damn stupid. I did what I did because of the love I had for Kenya, and when she showed back up.
I didn't ask enough questions. I didn't investigate her story. I just accepted what she told me because I wanted to believe it so badly. Now I knew the truth. She had orchestrated this entire thing, and all I keep thinking about is the night I went home, and Kari was screaming at the top of her lungs. Like bitch you deliberately left your daughter there. Kari was there for fucking hours by herself! The shit was hard as hell to wrap my mind around it. How the fuck do you fake your death, come back years later, manipulate everybody around you, and make me believe every damn word that came out of your mouth? I still had some shit to look into, but I was on to her ass. The more I thought about what I’d done to Ciera, the more fucked up I felt.
She didn't deserve any of this, she was all in with me if that’s what I wanted.
Her heart was pure, and she trusted me. To know that she was carrying my kids fucked with me even more.
I didn't know how I was going to fix it, but I knew one thing I wasn’t gonna let her go without a fight.
My phone ringing through the truck's Bluetooth pulled me from my thoughts. It was
Zelan calling. I pressed the answer button on my steering wheel.
“Yeah.”
“Ju, get to the warehouse now. We got a code red and muthafuckin blue.”
Before I could ask him why, the call dropped.
I knew something was wrong. Zelan wasn’t the type to do a lot of talking when trouble was in our camp, and that’s what it sounded like.
If he reacted without saying too much, it was serious.
I hit the gas and whipped the truck around in the middle of the street.
Thankfully, I'd decided to drive myself tonight instead of having one of the drivers take me.
My security detail was right behind me, and the second they saw me make that U-turn, they stayed glued to my bumper.
Them niggas already knew, when me and Zel moved like this something had gone wrong.
Twenty minutes later, I pulled up to the warehouse.
I hopped out of my truck and my security team was right behind me.
The moment I stepped through the doors, bullshit greeted me. Rock was laid out on one of the tables, screaming in pain.
Blood was everywhere but Doc worked overtime to get the bullet out of his arm.
“What the hell happened?” I questioned.
“It's bigger than just the gunshot,” Zelan answered.
I looked over at him, confused.
“What the fuck that supposed to mean?”
He rubbed a hand over his face before taking a sip from the glass of liquor in his hand.
The look on his face told me whatever he was about to say wasn't good.
I looked around the room, and everybody looked tense as fuck. Nobody was talking or moving. The only sounds were Rock cursing every few seconds and Doc barking orders. My patience was thin and
“So, is somebody gon' tell me what the fuck happened?” I snapped. “Or am I supposed to play twenty-one questions with you niggas?”
Everybody was still sitting there looking like the cat pulled their muthafuckin’ tongues out they mouth. Zelan finally spoke.
"Rock is mixed up in some bigger shit."
I folded my arms.
"And."
"The Mazio Cartel." He shook his head, and I raised a brow.
"What about them?"
Zel looked over at Rock before looking back at me.
"Rock's name isn’t Anthony Bash. His real name is Johnathan Velaro."
I stared at him for a long minute because what the fuck he mean that’s not his real name!
“What, nigga?”
“His father is Rasul Velaro,” he said looking up at me.
That name alone made my damn stomach hurt.
"Rasul Velaro?" I repeated. “Theee Rasul Velaro?"
“The one and only.”
I shook my head in disbelief cause hell nawl!
"Nah, hell nawl!"
"Yeah. Believe it cause it’s true, bro. Jeff checked it out, and this nigga is his son.” Zelan sighed.
“The Velaro Cartel?”
“Niggaaaa, yes. Them niggas."
I leaned against the table trying to process what the fuck I was hearing.
"I remember that war." Hell, everybody did. That shit was legendary, the way the cartels were going back and forth.
“The Mazio Cartel and the Velaros damn near wiped each other off the map.”
Zel and Meek nodded in agreement.
“Mazio's people killed Rasul's wife and daughter,” I said.
“I remember that,” Meek added.
“And Rasul retaliated in a big way.” I exhaled.
“He killed Mazio's wife, daughter, and his mom.”
“The whole damn family,” Zel said. "That shit was crazy."
“There wasn't a damn thing the police or the Feds could do,” I said taking a seat.
Those cartels were too powerful, and way too connected. Their reach stretched across countries.
Compared to what they had going on, our organization look like we were beginners on the block.
“But this shit it gets crazier,” Zel spoke standing from his seat. I looked over at him.
“When Rasul went after the Mazio bloodline, he forgot one person. His son, Juan Mazio. He was young back then, and everybody underestimated him."
I already had a feeling that this story was gonna go left.
“That little nigga grew up, huh?” I questioned.
“Yep, and ten times worse than his damn pappy.” Zel poured himself another drink. “He made a promise to wipe out every single member of the Velaro bloodline." Zel rubbed his hand over his face.
“I remember hearing that but didn’t know it came from the kid they say he had.”
“He swore he'd kill them one by one, on his family’s birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, shidd he said whatever day fucked with him the most. His ass has been keeping that promise. As you already know, Juan eventually got Rasul.” Hearing Zelan tell the story had me thinking back to when everybody in the city was talking about that shit.
I was still in my teens when that shit popped off.
“Yeah that shit was all over the news,” I said to him.
“But, just as Valero missed Mazio's son, they missed Valero’s.” He pointed over at Rock.
“Lil Anthony here, is the son of Rasul Velaro.
Velaro had an affair on his wife and had another kid.
He kept it on the hush, but Juan Mazio found out about him and ran up in they crib some years ago killing Rock's mama, when Rock was eighteen.
He hid and ended up getting away and came to New York.
He laid low for a couple of years, and transformed his entire look, the way he moved, and studied the streets.
That night when we met him, he had been watching us for months and wanted to get down with us.
But he knew he had to prove himself, so when he helped us in that shootout and talked to you later about wanting to be down with us.
That wasn't by design, that was planned.
Of course, he didn't cause the trouble we were in, but let's just say wherever we hung out, so did he.
New York is the concrete jungle, so of course a nigga could get lost here.
But yeah, today is a new muthafuckin day, and they done found his ass.
" Zelan shrugged and shook his head as he sipped on his drink.
Shit, after hearing all of that, I needed a drink, and he must've felt my energy cause his dumb ass was holding a glass out for me to drink.
I downed that shit and then turned to Rock.
I'd become close to this dude over the years; I considered him to be one of my closest friends.
We were tight, had dinner together often, and he's been on my detail for a long ass time.
He just asked that he worked solely in New York, I could never get him to travel, and every time I tried, he just said he was terrified to fly. Now I know why.
“Rock, what's up, man? You could've come to me about your issues.
I thought we were close enough that you could've trusted me.
Not to mention you've been around my family, what if this shit would've landed on my family's doorstep? When it concerns them, everything goes out the window!” I snapped getting pissed. Because this nigga fooled all of us.
“Juelz I’m sorry man; I did everything to walk away from that life. I would always protect you and your family from my past. I didn't want to be a part of it, but I can't help who my father is.” He grimaced from the pain.
“I think I got it. but take these antibiotics, and here are some pills for pain,” Doc told him and left out. We trusted Doc so we know he wouldn't repeat what he heard.
“I was leaving the club; I had been chilling with Z and Meek.
But my girl called me saying my son wasn't feeling well, so I left out and headed to the twenty-four-hour Walgreens.
I had to park on the streets because there was no parking left in the lot.
When I got out my car a truck circled int he streets and came back up and let off on me.
I was able to dip out, but they hit me on the arm.
didn't know who they were at first until I got home man, Arman was in our safe room and my girl was dead.
She's dead Ju! This nigga left a note.” He passed the note to Zelan then Z passed it to me.
You missed your death sentence tonight. So, I took your bitch for good measure. I'll be back for you and your son.
Juan
I needed to off this muthafucka but he was always underground.
No one knew how to get at him. He only came out when it's time to live up to his promise.
I gotta get my son to a safe spot, and I gotta get this nigga before he gets me and my kid.
I shouldn't have to pay for what my Pop did, that wasn't my life!” He cried.
“Damn! Let me get another drink because this some heavy shit. But trust we got you bro,” Zelan said, cocking his damn gun back.
“I’m with Zelan, you’re not in this alone.
We don’t have the reach that Mazio does, but ain’t nothing pussy about us.
If Juan Mazio wants a war, then that’s what the fuck he’ll get.
Rock I’ma help you get somewhere safe but nigga you know you could’ve come talk to me.
I promise you, I will take care of you and protect your bloodline the same way you protect mine.
We brothers, and blood don’t have to run through our veins to prove that.
I got you for life.” I dapped his good hand up because this nigga arm was fucked up.
“Yeah, just in case he gets you, we got you even from your grave. The fuck this nigga thought,” Zelan’s dumb ass said still drinking.
I had Rock moved to one of my safe houses, and that was where he and his son would stay until I could get to the bottom of this shit. Tonight, I was staying the penthouse because I had to handle some business.