Chapter 14 #4
Sitting comfortably inside the window nook of her bedroom, Macie sipped her signature mix of Jameson and ginger ale while overlooking the city she'd once believed she owned.
She loathed being regular because for years, not only had she thrived in leadership; she walked in power, and had earned the respect of both men and women all over the world.
Power had never been something she'd borrowed.
She'd built it. Protected it. Weaponized it. Now, for the first time in decades, she found herself on the outside looking in, and reduced to a new normal that was so foreign it disrupted her peace. As she gazed out of her window, countless scenarios flooded her mind, but she didn’t need another bright idea.
She needed a flawless strategy to execute before she ran out of time.
One that would make her enemies destroy themselves before they ever realized she'd lit the match.
The Great Divide & Conquer techniques that her late husband had instilled in her before he transitioned came to mind when suddenly she figured out her next move.
The Chicago connect instantly came to mind since it was a new partnership The Black Family Empire had made to expand business-wise.
Up until this point. Mitch and Monroe had been under the impression that their research had landed them the opportunity to expand, when really it was because Macie had popped her pussy for Samson, the CEO of Session 44.
It was a well-known organization that was similar to The Black Family.
She had also done Samson a huge favor about eight years prior, by giving him some information he needed that ended up saving his daughter from being sex trafficked.
Attraction had opened the door. Gratitude had locked it.
Samson owed her, and tonight she intended to collect.
Time to cash in on that favor, she thought, grabbing the burner phone that sat beside her.
“Macie Black,” Samson greeted by the third ring. “Long time no hear.”
Macie smiled. “You’re right. Perhaps we need to double back soon?” She shot back.
“You know I can make it happen. Just say the word, and it’s done,” Samson said, remembering that good snatch Macie was walking around with. “What’s on yo’ mind though?”
“It’s trouble in paradise, and I need a favor,” Macie got straight to it.
Samson listened, but didn’t respond.
"I need you to create a problem,” Macie paused for a beat. “I need you to back out of the partnership with The Black Family until further notice, business has shifted.
“Walk away?” Samson quizzed.
“Not completely…Just enough to make Mitch question it,” she clarified.
“Macie, you’re not making sense. What the hell you got goin’ on?” Samson was losing patience.
"I need you to delay your responses. Push back the meeting that’s coming up next month.
Make him question whether Chicago is really committed.
Tell him your people been hearing things, and money ain't moving the way you thought it would.
I don't really give a damn what you tell him, just make him believe something inside that partnership ain't right. " Macie concluded.
Samson leaned back in his chair. "That's a dangerous game."
"Don’t overthink it," Macie dismissed.
"It is when millions are on the table," Samson corrected, pissed that she’d ask him something like that. He didn’t give a damn about that good snatch she was carrying around, he wasn’t willing to risk it all for Macie. “I’on play games with my bag.”
"You had a daughter tied up once too," Macie reminded coldly. "Let's not forget who made sure she came home."
Samson closed his eyes because Macie had backed him up in a corner with her hands around his neck. "I ain't forgot."
"Oh, I know damn well you haven't," Macie snapped. “You have twenty-four hours to make good on your word. If you leave me hanging on this, I promise you’ll regret it for a long time,” Macie threatened.
Samson exhaled through his nose. Samson laughed. “Ain’t no bitch in me, Macie. I can give a fuck ‘bout’cha threats. A nigga like me ain’t never gon’ back down from that shit,” he let her know. “Consider it done, and lose my number after this shit.”
"If that's how you wanna play it–"
"It is," Samson spat without thinking twice about it.
Macie smiled. "After this, consider your debt paid in full."
Samson nodded to himself.
Macie lowered the burner onto the table before finishing the last of her drink.
She didn’t give a damn how anyone felt as long as she got what she wanted.
Everything was moving exactly as she'd planned, or at least that’s what she had believed.
Macie wasn’t privy to the financial dilemma Samson was faced with, and that Samson had no intention of jeopardizing the most profitable business relationship Session 44 had entered in years.
The Black Family Empire had already begun producing returns too substantial to abandon over an old debt, and while he intended to honor the favor she'd called in, he planned to do so on his own terms.
Samson grabbed another phone and scrolled to Mitch’s contact. "Time to protect my business," he muttered.
Meanwhile, Macie continued glancing at her nails, and made a mental note to set an appointment with her nail tech, Gigi. “One piece at a time. I’m bringing all this shit down,” Macie murmured, refilling her glass, and turning the music up that played through her Apple Playlist.