EPILOGUE

SIX MONTHS LATER

 

 

Dipped in a black Versace jumpsuit, Yvette stood on her veranda and looked at the small lake she built on her private property in Virginia. She hadn’t owned it long but there was something about the way the water sloshed against the rocks quietly that put her at ease. She had just taken another sip of wine when Mercedes and Carissa stepped out to join her, standing on opposite sides of her small frame.

Earlier they had lunch but something felt off and she needed fresh air.

She looked back at them and smiled, before focusing on the water again. For a while no one said a word, each allowing the other to take in the calmness of nature, a blessing hard to come by in Washington DC.

Finally Mercedes spoke, the diamonds in her ears shining like stars. Looking at the water she took a deep breath. “Lil C moved the Trap out of Marjorie. To stay on the safer side.”

Carissa frowned. “Why? We stopped using #745. Even moved the Trap to the building over. We’re good now.” She hadn’t touched coke personally since Marjorie. And her frame was thicker and she never felt better.

Mercedes shrugged, feeling slight pain in her arm from being shot. “I know. But he feels after what happened last winter you both shouldn’t take any more chances.”

Yvette exhaled. “I agree. Things aren’t how they use to be in Emerald. Where we knew everyone and they looked out for us. People in Marjorie are looking for a way to come up and if they can make it on us that’s exactly what they’ll do. Over their bloody bodies of course. We just aren’t safe.”

Carissa frowned. “We’ve done more for the Gardens in the short time we ran them than any drug lord before us. And they still have no love for us? Disrespectful ass niggas!”

Yvette shrugged. “They are not our people, Carissa.” She paused before looking at Mercedes. “But what I want to know is why Mercedes keeps using the word you both lately. What’s up with that, friend? You trying to tell us something?”

Mercedes looked at her, walked to the comfortable burgundy lounge chair behind them and sat down. “I’m out the game.”

Yvette’s jaw dropped and her heart broke.

Instantly.

She’d experienced pain before but for some reason she was taking this the hardest. Never had she dreamed of moving dope in any fashion without Mercedes at her side. “What you mean you out the game? You fucking crazy?”

“I can’t do this no more, ‘Vette. We have Ryan now and I want to make sure that he comes up in the best way possible. I don’t want him being involved in the drug world like Lil C and Chante. Or having to fear for his life all the time. I want him to have a fighting chance and to do that I have to keep him from around it all.”

“And how you plan on doing that without money?” Carissa yelled moving closer to her. “I don’t know if you realize it but the future you describing can’t be done without cold hard cash. College cost money. Living cost money. You better think things through, old friend.”

“I’ve thought it through already. I was going to tell you both before the takedown at Marjorie but we found ourselves at war. And with me shot there was no time. Keep in mind this all happened while Ryan was in the building at that. What would’ve happened if someone charged our apartment? I can’t risk something happening to him.”

Yvette was so angry her nostrils flared. “You promised that this life was to the death.” She pointed to the ground. “You said that to me when we bought our first pack from Dreyfus. When we took over Emerald City. If I even thought there was a chance that you would not be here I would’ve never taken it.”

Mercedes leapt up and grabbed both of their hands. “Then come with me.” She grinned. “We have enough money to walk away from all of this shit and be good forever. Let’s be for real, how far can you go in life when your sole purpose is selling drugs? Let’s get out while we still can, with our freedom.”

Yvette snatched away from her. “Bitch, you sound crazy!”

“Yvette!” Mercedes yelled. “Why you coming at me like that?”

“If you walk away from the dope, you walk away from me,” Yvette continued. “So decide. What you wanna do? Live in fake peace with 88, while C still doesn’t know? Or us?”

“Wait…so…so you’re giving me an ultimatum.” Mercedes’ lips trembled.

“Me or the world out there, Mercedes!” Yvette yelled pointing at nature. “I’m your sister.” She looked at Carissa. “We both are. But if you walk away from the game we will disown you.”

Mercedes stared into Carissa’s eyes and then Yvette’s before a single tear trailed down her face. “I…I…I’m out of the game.” She took a deep breath. “I love you both and I’m so sorry. I’ll be taking some time with 88 to clear my mind, please don’t come looking for me.” She stomped away.

Carissa paced the veranda before approaching Yvette. “Are you sure that was the right thing to do? Threatening her? What if we lose her forever?”

Yvette held her stomach and sat down. She felt as if she wanted to throw up. It was then that she realized when she killed Thick and even Heavy it was because in her dreams she’d seen all four of them growing old together.

Her, Mercedes, Kenyetta and Carissa.

Who needed a man when you had sisters?

But now all of that was changed.

“Mercedes, is cocaine,” Yvette said slowly. “It’s in her blood. There’s no way she can walk away from the game without feeling the pain of withdrawals. I’m just helping her out that’s all. She’ll be back.”

 

 

 

 

Mercedes drove down the street in her Bentley on the way to her mansion in Mitchellville, Maryland. Yvette’s painful words caused her immediate flu like symptoms but she was sticking by her plan to leave the game once and for all.

It wasn’t in her heart anymore.

The thing is Karen and Oscar from the Black Water Klan were trailing behind her with a purpose of their own.

Revenge.