5 | The Lies Raydene
Past ~ 1 ⒈／⒉ months prior
I t’s been almost twenty-four hours since Dexter pulled me from Club Spin. Twenty-four hours since he completely humiliated me with his verbal abuse and manhandling.
When we left, I played my part and acted the stupid dumb blonde for all eyes to see. I obeyed him, letting his ‘friends’ think he controlled our relationship.
After we got to his hotel room, I locked myself in the bathroom for hours. Text messages kept coming in, and I wanted to reply, but I knew I couldn’t. Instead, I came up with a plan to get away from Dexter. I’m done being a puppet.
I’ve kept my mouth shut for years, but it’s way out of control.
I sent one text.
Raydene: Steve I need to see you tomorrow. ASAP.
Now that we’re back in Chicago and in my apartment, I can lose the mask, and I snap, “I want out. I don’t want to be in this fucked up, non-existing relationship anymore.”
“Fuck you,” he grumbles, hungover and probably coming down from all the drugs he’d been on.
I stand my ground, folding my arms across my chest. “I texted your uncle and am going to meet him today.”
This gets Dexter’s attention because I never talk to his uncle. The deal was for me to have little to no contact with him, but Dexter was always in communication.
“What the fuck did you just say?” he says, moving toward me.
“I’m meeting your uncle and getting out. This is your thing, not mine. I’m done being your rag doll. It was okay when we were together, but we haven’t been for a very long time. I’m out,” I say, throwing my hand in the air.
He charges me, grabbing my arms forcefully and shoving me up against the door. “Bitch, you have no idea what you’re saying. You can’t get out. We protect you both.”
Rage flares inside me, and I fire back, “I’ve done what I said I would do and then some. I’ve gone along with all your fucked up shit. I’ve played along with you, acting like you know how to DJ. I’ve let you control where and when I DJ, but I’m done. I can’t do it anymore. What you’re doing now has nothing to do with me.”
“What will you do if you don’t have our protection anymore? You can’t leave me.” He laughs. Releasing my arms, shoving me.
Hitting the wall behind me, I laugh.
“Your protection? It’s both of our families who’ve done the protecting. You haven’t done anything but humiliate me. Plus…” I motion a finger between the two of us. “ We did this for Cindy and Molly, not anyone else. We signed up for this fucking shit, and I did my part. I’m done.”
“You can’t leave me. I won’t let you,” he says over his shoulder as he strolls into the kitchen.
Frustrated, I grab my phone to call his uncle but notice I have a missed text message. I look to see if it’s his uncle texting me back, but it’s Mac.
My heart drops. I wanted to stay with him. He was giving me a way out, but I couldn’t. Not yet anyway. Seeing them protect their women made me feel like I could leave Dexter and have the protection I needed.
MAC: So, you know your boy? You know he is trafficking women, drugs, and guns.
MAC: You know he’s working with the Russians, two big dealers in Chicago, two of our rival clubs in NY, and Ronny?
MAC: Yes, I said Ronny. I hope you didn’t know. If you did, I guess this is goodbye. If not, text me. I can help.
Ronny? Oh my God.
Dexter walks back into the living room with a beer in his hand.
I look up, frantic.
“What have you gotten yourself into? Does Steve even know what you’re doing? Are these his orders, or are you just doing your own thing?” I ask.
“I know what I’m doing. I’m connected to them all now. I run the show,” he rambles like a crazed man.
“What the fuck? You are dealing with Ronny and the Russians! You can’t control them! What if they put two and two together?” I practically scream.
Shock crosses his face for an instant, but he recovers quickly, snapping, “Who fucking told you? How do you know? What do you mean put two and two…”
“Me, you dumb fuck! Are they going to want me?” I scream.
He throws his hand out toward me. “Fuck no. It has nothing to do with you.”
I look at the text, reread it, and ask, “Are you still involved with JJ and King? I thought that shit was over! What the fuck, Dex?”
“They contacted me. I’m not letting it go. I’ve got them. We’re making deals,” Dex says it like it’s not a big deal.
Shocked, I say, “Oh. My. God. It is true. Why in the world would you be working with Ronny? Are you trying to take him down? What I saw last night with that Russian woman…” I pause, taking a deep breath. I don’t want him to think I’m jealous. “I think you’re getting in over your head. Why would Steve send you in knowing what’s happened in the past? Why?” I demand.
“I can handle it. I’m going to bring them all down. For you, Cindy, and Molly. You watch!” Dexter roars, chucking his beer across the room, shattering it.
I shake my head. He’s lost his fucking mind.
I raise my hands, shaking them, panicking. “Do not use them as an excuse. I don’t want anything to do with this. You’re going to get all of us killed.”
I knew he’d been partying more and staying out with sketchy people, but I thought it was something Steve needed him to do. I haven’t heard from Steve since I did what I was supposed to do. I finished my part and didn’t want anything to do with Steve or Dexter. That’s if Steve even knows what Dexter is up to.
I’ve stayed with Dexter out of obligation and concern for my first love, who I’ve been with, off and on, since I was a teenager. But I’m done.
“Fuck you! I’ve got shit to do,” he yells over his shoulder as he leaves my apartment, slamming the door behind him.
I sit down, pull out my phone, and look over all the text messages from last night. They all make sense now. Lee was asking if I knew about Ronny, not Dexter. I thought everyone was flipping out wondering if I knew about Dexter being there, but they wanted to see if I knew about Ronny working with Dexter.
Panicking, I send out a text to Vi and Lee.
Raydene: I’m sorry. I’m back home. NO! I had no idea about Ronny. Dex and I are fighting. I’ll be in touch.
I don’t want to say too much since I don’t know what’s happening. I knew he was getting into something bad. I’ve asked him several times to quit partying, but it’s always the same. He’s got it under control.
I know he can’t give up the lifestyle. He loves the attention that DJing brings. The parties, drugs, the clubs, and most of all, the women…he loves it all.
I found that out the hard way. He started cheating on me while I was DJing a few years back. Dexter said he’d stop, but the more he dove into drugs, the more he strayed. Everyone thinks we DJ together, but we don’t. I do it all. It’s all lies—a cover.
When I opened my contacts to call Steve, my phone suddenly rang, and it was Mac.
My heart drops, and I panic.
“Hello?” I answer softly.
“Ronny took my cousin and Doc. If you fucking know anything about this, you better fucking come clean now.” He seethes through the phone.
Chills race across my body as my heart explodes.
“What the fuck? How? When?” I yell.
“Did you fucking know?” Mac roars into the phone.
“Fuck no! Are you fucking kidding me? I hate that motherfucker!” I exclaim, pissed he would even think that.
“You better talk to your fucking boyfriend and find out what he knows,” Mac growls.
“He’s not here, but I’ll find out what he knows. I’ll come back,” I say, heading to my room to repack.
“Fucking find out,” he barks into the phone before hanging up.
My heart races.
Ronny took Lee and Ginger. Please, God, let them be okay.
My phone rings from a blocked number, and I answer immediately.
“Hello?” I rush out.
“ Dey got her. Dese motherfuckers got our girl,” Vi says, breathing heavily into the phone.
Tears well up in my eyes.
“Did you know?” Vi asks.
“Are you fucking serious? Fuck no! You know I hate that motherfucker. I promise you I didn’t know,” I say emotionally.
I hear a long pause and then a deep breath, exhaling.
“Ya need to talk to Dex. Find out what he knows. Dis bad, Ray.” Vi’s voice is low.
“I will. I’m coming back,” I declare.
“Naw, it’s not good here. I’ll be in touch,” Vi announces.
“Fuck that,” I demand.
“We need you with Dex. Find out what’s going on,” Vi pleads.
Knowing she’s right, I need to find out what the fuck’s going on with Dex and all these people.
“Okay. I’ll talk to Dex,” I reply.
“ Gotsta go. Love ya,” Vi says, hanging up before I can reply.