Chapter 8 #3
Bo burst out laughing, shaking his head. “Before you leave, I’ll get it together for you.”
“My nigga,” Duke said, grinning.
Bo pulled his phone out, turning it sideways. It was a map with a tracker and coordinates.
“This is where we are, and this is where Shadow has a small compound. Maybe three acres, fifty guards, and ten dogs. His first wife lives there, but she’s away visiting her mother.
There are no children on the property either,” he said, glancing at me.
“I know your rules. No women or children. It’s about an hour's drive from here. I have a chopper to get you closer, and I can arrange vehicles once you arrive.”
“For sure.” I nodded, mapping out our route. “We’ll be ready whenever the chopper is.”
Bo sat up and pressed a button on the table. “Got enough time to put something in the air?” he asked, sitting back.
“Hell yeah,” I said, reaching into my pocket for my phone. It buzzed twice.
Bratty Baby: I love you too.
Bratty Baby: Thank you for sending the contractor.
Me: You’re welcome. Am I gonna see you when I get back?
Bratty Baby: Maybe…
‘Maybe’ was better than no. I stuck my phone back in my pocket and focused on what I needed to do. We needed to hit as many places as possible while we were here. Any businesses he had, homes, hangout spots. I was leaving Africa with a bang.
It would bring Shadow out of hiding. Give me just enough to weed him out to make sure the job was finished. We wouldn’t get him today, but it would weaken him.
A few seconds later, the door swung open, and the butler came inside.
“Master,” he said to Bo.
“Bring some weed, rolling trays, and wraps from my stash.”
The butler nodded and walked out. We fell into regular conversation. Duke was in the corner, talking to his daughter, loud as shit.
“Halani, why you giving Mommy a hard time, babygirl?” he said, looking soft as shit.
“Papa, I’m not. Cari broke the laces on my boxing gloves. So, I pinched him… Hard.”
He chuckled, leaning against the wall. “That’s your baby brother, Lani. You can correct him without hurting him, okay?”
“Okay, Papa. When are you coming home?” I could hear her pouting through the phone.
“Tomorrow, baby. When I get home, I’ll wake you up so we can kick it. I love you. Put Mommy on the phone.”
“I love you too, Papa.”
Damn… I envy that—hopefully, one day.
I heard rustling, then Duch’s voice popped on the phone. “Baby, she’s lying. She punched him in his arm hard as hell. She gets on the phone, tryna play innocent.” She huffed. “And Cari… he’s so damn bad, Duke. Come home and get your two gremlins.”
“Bun, just let them fight sometimes. Shit, I do. I know they bad. Don’t be too hard on my babies. I’ll be home tomorrow. I love you,” he said, smiling hard as fuck.
“I love you too. And, uhm, when you get home, pull that dick out as soon as you step through the door. You've been gone for three fuckin’ days. Bypass the kids and come straight to the room. I miss you.”
Duke’s eyes moved around the room. We were all looking at him and burst out laughing.
“Bun, baby, you on speaker.” He gritted at us, mad as hell.
“Well, shit, you should have said something. Hey, y’all,” Duch said through the phone.
“I love you. Ima call you when I’m on my way home.”
“Hurry up, Duke. Your kids gon’ be outside if you’re not home by tomorrow—STOP JUMPIN’ ON MY COUCH, LANI!” she screamed. “I can promise you that.”
She hung up in his ear. Duke looked at the phone, then back at us. He dropped in the chair, rubbing his hand down his face.
“Yeah, bring the weed. As soon as I get home, I gotta get my kids in order. I told Bun six kids, but it’s looking like four is enough,” he said, shaking his head.
“Nigga, you got four kids?!” Trey said, eyes bugged out.
“Yeah, that nigga got four. They bad as hell, too,” Reaper said, laughing.
“Fuck you, Reaper. My babies are misunderstood.” He smirked, leaning back.
I blocked out everything, thinking about how Zariah would have been—my baby. I never got to see her, hold her, or kiss her. I was robbed of being a father. Just the thought of her made my chest tight. I stared at the wall in front of me, tryna get my mind right for this mission.
“You good, Stone?” Duke asked.
“Yeah.” I nodded, sitting up straight. “I’m good.”
He looked at me for a second longer, then just nodded. He probably knew my mind was somewhere else, but he wouldn’t speak on it. If anything, he’d let me come to him. When the door swung open, everybody turned around.
The butler came in with a tray of freshly rolled blunts.
Them thirsty ass niggas jumped up, grabbing at the shit like kids in a candy store.
Bo passed me one and a lighter. The first inhale always hit the best. Once the smoke touched my lungs, I held it, then blew the smoke out, watching it swirl into the air.
Get your mind right. Finish the mission, then go back home to Dev.
After a few minutes, everybody relaxed. We were all locked in, calm, and ready to lay some shit down. It was time to get this shit in motion. I needed Shadow dead as soon as possible.