CHAPTER NINE

MERCEDES

 

“This feels off.”

 

Yvette stood in the middle of the floor with her cell phone on speaker. We were on our way to the Trap to investigate the girls when Kliyo called and Yvette dug into him. “Nobody’s in here, ‘Vette,” Kliyo said. “I promise. Whoever told you that shit is straight lying.”

“That’s not what I’m hearing.” She paced in place. “I heard two bitches walked in the spot ‘bout a hour ago, Kliyo. I thought I was clear on no whores being in the trap.”

“On everything, ‘Vette, nobody’s here.” He continued. “If you want to come by you can but I’m being honest. It’s just me and Quinton. We ain’t opened the door since we been on duty.”

“First off I know I can come by and I will.” She glared. “And if I find out you lying to me, Kliyo. You gonna have a painful night.” Yvette hung up.

“I don’t know about this, Yvette,” I said as I held Ryan who was moving around nervously in my arm. “This feels off.”

“I agree with Mercedes,” Heavy said. “Maybe you should fall back for a second. If you want I can go check things out.”

Yvette frowned. “You never been involved in my business so you won’t start now.” She ran her hand down her face. “Listen, I just got my business back on. I’m not about to lose it all on some dumb shit. Right now I have to think things through. Just give me some time” She walked away.

 

 

 

 

I walked into the hall bathroom where Yvette stood washing her hands. We had bathrooms in our bedrooms so I thought that was odd.

“Why aren’t you in your room?”

“I needed to throw some water over my face real quick.”

I leaned against the doorframe. “Are you thinking what I am?” I asked as I watched her run a clean wet washcloth over her face.

She took a deep breath. “I’m thinking a lot of things, Mercedes. Be more specific and help me out.”

“You don’t think they could be tied up into this in some way do you?”

She took a deep breath, turned around to look at me. “Karen and Oscar led a sheltered life in the Black Water Klan. They stayed amongst themselves. Plus we swept Marjorie before taking it over. Nobody here was affiliated.”

“Then what is this about?” I asked in a hushed tone. “I’m so sick of being hunted and having to look over my shoulder. This can’t be how life really is. Do you realize it’s been years since I’ve had a good nights sleep.”

She laughed. “I’m not having them now.”

“I’m serious!”

She looked up at me. “Mercedes, I’ll take care of this, I always do. Just give me some time to sort all of this out.” She walked around me and out the door.

 

 

 

 

I was trying to put Ryan to sleep who was agitated by the noise and negative energy when Rocky walked inside the room. I looked back at her and grabbed the gun on the bed before aiming at her head. “Fuck you doing in here? You don’t just come in my room.”

Rocky threw her hands up. “I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to intrude. I was coming from the bathroom and it looked like you needed help.” She swallowed. “I can leave if—”

I know the girl was no threat since they were checked for weapons earlier so I placed my gun down where I could grab it if necessary. “No, you can come in,” I said cutting her off. “Maybe a face that doesn’t get on his nerves will calm him down.”

Rocky smiled, walked inside and sat on the edge of the bed. She looked over at Ryan who was still fussing, picked him up and placed him on her lap. Then she slowly massaged his temples in small circular motions.

Ryan wiggled for a few seconds and went silent.

I smiled. “Wow…I…it worked...” I took a deep breath since his screeching voice stopped. It always put me on edge when he was in a bad mood. “Usually I can get him to settle down but today he seems different.”

“He probably senses something’s wrong. Babies have a sixth sense.” She looked down at Ryan and back at me. “I’m sure he does know something is off. There’s a lot going on in Marjorie apparently.”

“I heard that too.” I focused on the technique she was using for future references. “I really can’t believe that’s working.”

“My grandmother use to do this to me all the time. And to all of her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren too. Even when we were older she’d do it if we had a headache and it always made it go away.”

I sighed. “Well tell her I said thank you when you see her again.”

Rocky’s disposition saddened as her shoulders hunched forward. “I would if her young boyfriend didn’t kill her when she stopped giving him money two years back.” She sighed. “And since my mother died three years before her murder, with liver cancer, we never recovered. I’m the only one who uses this technique on people.”

Wow. I wish I hadn’t said anything about her grandmother.

“I’m sorry to hear about your family,” I said as I watched Ryan drift into a deep sleep. “Can’t imagine what—”

“Fuck you doing back here?” 88 asked Rocky, causing Ryan’s eyes to fly open before he started crying again. To make shit more intense he had his weapon trained on her. That might not have been so bad if she wasn’t holding my blood relative.

“She’s fine,” I said turning toward him, placing my hands on his muscular chest, which moved up and down with heavy breaths. “Now put that shit away, you scaring Ryan!”

88’s eyes remained on Rocky although he tucked his weapon in the back of his jeans. Finally he looked down at me and stomped out the room.

“I’m sorry,” Rocky said massaging Ryan’s temples again, putting him at ease. “You want me to leave? I would go home but Yvette said she wanted us to stay here to keep an eye on us.”

“No…stay with him. I’ll go talk to 88.”

I rushed out of the room.

 

 

 

 

88 seemed draped in total whiteness as he paced the balcony, which was dusted lightly with snow due to being partially covered. I walked out to greet him with his jacket in my hand. The snow making scrunching noises under my fresh Timberland boots.

I was already wearing my chocolate fur coat to battle the brisk weather.

Closing the door I handed it to him and looked back into the apartment to be sure no one was watching us. When I didn’t see anyone I took a deep breath. “Now you know why I said we should’ve never started with each other.”

“Hold up, you mad at me?” He pointed at his chest. “She wasn’t supposed to even be back there. She said she had to go to the bathroom and the next thing I know she’s sitting on your bed. Can’t you see that girl is gay, Mercedes?” He put his coat on angrily. “You do have eyes don’t you?”

I laughed and held my stomach. “And what the fuck does her being gay have to do with me?” I frowned. “You know I don’t go that way and never will. You need to relax.” I paused and looked into the apartment again to be sure we weren’t being watched. “Now what’s this really about?”

“I’m sick of competing, Mercedes!” He walked a few feet away from me before approaching me again. “First Jackson and now this bitch.” He pointed into the apartment. “It seems like everybody can get a piece of your time but me.”

I looked into our crib and up at him again. “You’re coming undone and you need to keep your fucking voice down, 88. If they find out we been sliding off it may get back to C.” I moved closer so that he could see my eyes. “And trust me…neither one of us wants that to happen. He’ll never approve us being together. You know that.”

“I’m in love with you, Mercedes. Do you understand what I’m saying? I’m in love. And I’m sick of sneaking around, fucking you in your Bentley and public parks like you a whore.”

I smiled hoping to lighten the mood. “I thought you liked having sex that way, said you appreciated the excitement. Said it was refreshing to be with a boss who knew what she wanted.” He was glaring and I could tell he wasn’t there for my seduction game so I took a deep breath and changed my approach. “Come on, 88…you knew I had a man before we started. Why you changing now?”

He walked a few feet away from me and grabbed the sides of his head before dropping his hands at his sides. “You have to decide what you want, Mercedes. And you gotta decide now.” He pointed at the snow-covered balcony floor.

“What’s there to decide? Outside of Jackson and me living together I haven’t let him touch me in months. I’m not that kind of woman and I want you! I told you that already.”

“I’m not talking about fucking you. I’m talking about us making it official. Either you’re willing to be my woman or I’m done with all the games. Do you want that?”

What was it about me being attracted to men I was in charge of? First Derrick and now 88. Maybe I feel safer if I held their financial power in my hands. When I was with Cameron he owned me before we took over Emerald. I didn’t want to be vulnerable again.

I walked up to him. “Come on, 88, don’t do this to me. If you walk out I have nothing else. You are my excitement…don’t take that away from me right now.”

He pushed me away softly. “Are you not hearing me? I got feelings for you and I’m getting the impression that we’ll never move forward. Either you want me or you don’t. I told you how I feel. It’s your choice not mine.” He stormed off the balcony, leaving me alone.

From where I stood I could see Heavy leaving and I wondered where he was going. 88 walked over to Fresh who stood next to the door and they seemed to be talking about Heavy’s quick exit.

I didn’t see Yvette so I figured she was still trying to decide what to do. Should we go to the Trap house or not to investigate this whore situation? Personally I was apprehensive because even though we knew a lot of people in this building there were many more we didn’t know.

It could be a set up.

And what if Karen and Oscar were involved?

All the Trap thoughts went out the window because I had something else to deal with, when I stepped off the balcony Carissa was standing before me, grinning. I closed the door, tossed my fur coat on the back of the chair and looked at her. “Fuck’s so funny, bitch?”

“A lot.” She crossed her arms tighter over her chest. “For starters I wonder how Lil C will feel when he finds out you fuckin’ his friend. One of his good ones at that.”

I moved in closer, hoping to scare her into submission. It’s not like it worked in the past but it was at least worth a try. “Don’t fuck with me, Carissa. You don’t know what you’re talking about and I advise you to leave it right here and right now.”

“You mean how you did when you accused me of using drugs a little while ago?” She paused. “And what do you mean by don’t fuck with you? Huh? I’m not afraid of you, ‘Cedes. I’m not worried that you’ll do something to me. Your muscle is my muscle. Your soldiers my soldiers, so you can’t bully me into being quiet. So step the fuck off.”

“You see, that’s where you fuck up. You think so small.” I pointed at my head.

The smile wiped off of her face. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t you realize there are a number of ways I can get at you? And the best part is you’ll never see any of them coming.”

Her eyes widened before she glared. “Hold up…you threatening my kids? I know you not that crazy!”

“All I’m saying is this…I am not your enemy, Carissa, unless you make it so by telling my son a bunch of lies.” I moved closer. “Now stay the fuck out of my business, before I change your world in ways you can’t imagine.”

“Wow…that must be some really good dick to have you turn on me.” She shook her head.

“You made it this way remember? I did all I could to show you how much I appreciated you choosing Lil C over Persia. But I’m done kissing your ass, Carissa. Like I said, stay out of my fucking business or you won’t have a choice.”

I stomped away.