Chapter Fifteen

Aries walked into the trap spot and shook her head when she saw Jordan and Harlo playing video games.

“This is all you niggas do. I thought I told y’all that somebody needs to be watching him at all times,” Aries shouted. She was tired of their mediocrity. Working with them was like babysitting. It wasn’t what she was accustomed to, and she couldn’t wait for the job to be over.

“Has he eaten?” she asked.

“Man, I’m not untying that mu’fucka,” Harlo stated. “If you want him to eat, you feed him. And I don’t work for you, so watch who the fuck you’re talking to.”

Aries stopped mid-step and turned on her heels. She walked over to Harlo and stood directly between his legs. She bent over, putting her hands on his hands and getting eye level with him. Jordan sat back and watched, unsure of what was about to pop off. He could see the fiery rage in Aries’ eyes.

“Let me make one thing clear. I will body you in this bitch,” Aries stated. “You better check my resume. The only reason your amateur ass is even breathing the same air as me is because Case recommended you to me. Don’t test me.”

Harlo gritted his teeth because he wanted to pop off, but he knew his place and remained silent, despite the fact that his pride was urging him to go toe to toe with Aries.

“Do we understand each other?”

Harlo nodded. “Yeah, we understand each other.”

Aries could see the malice in his heart, and she addressed it quickly. “Don’t let your ego get you murked. Your eyes are giving away your true intentions.” She stood and went into the kitchen, all the while ready to put two in Harlo’s head if she even heard his feet shuffle behind her.

She went into the cabinets and pulled out a loaf of bread and some peanut butter before making a quick sandwich. Aries walked down the basement steps and walked over to Macy. He watched her silently as she untied his uninjured hand, leaving the other one tied down.

“It’s not a gourmet meal, but it’ll keep you from starving down here,” she said as she placed the plate on his lap.

She sat down on the bottom step and watched him. Macy made no move to touch the sandwich. Aries inventoried Macy’s designer suit and platinum cufflinks. Everything he wore was high end, and his demeanor exemplified dignity, power, and prestige. He was not her usual mark. A man like Macy was usually the one who hired her. She found it odd that he had fallen victim and had been put on the flipside of her murder game.

“It’s not personal,” she said. “I don’t have anything against you. It’s just business.”

Macy scoffed as he stared Aries directly in her eyes. “If it’s business, then you should be willing to consider a better proposition. Whatever Case is paying you, I’ll double it.”

“Just like that, huh?” she asked.

“Just like that,” he answered.

Back in the day, Aries would have jumped at the opportunity. She was loyal to the money, and whoever was paying the most was who retained her services, but this time she had other interests involved—her family. No amount of money was worth risking their wellbeing.

“Tempting, but I have to pass,” Aries stated. “You can’t double nothing. I’m not being paid for this.”

“I’ve never known a Murder Mama to do anything for free,” Macy shot back. His statement caught Aries off guard, and she noticed the smug expression on his face. Even bleeding and strapped to a wooden chair, Macy maintained a certain superior swagger.

“You’ve known who I am all along?”

Macy shook his head and replied, “No, not at first. It took me a while to put the pieces together. I couldn’t believe that someone like you had caught me slipping.”

Aries chuckled. “Someone like me, huh?”

“I don’t know too many bitches that are capable of this. It only made sense. No regular woman could pull off what you did. Murder Mamas have a reputation for being beautiful. Beautiful but deadly,” Macy replied. “I’ve heard the stories.”

“Then you should know exactly how this one will end,” she replied.

“I do,” Macy answered with a nod. “I know how you get down. I also know that my paper is long enough to buy me out of this situation. I met one of your girls years ago. Miamor. I had a job for her, but the price she was asking was too steep for me at the time. Now, no price is too steep, so what is yours? Money makes the world go ’round.”

“Under normal circumstances it does, but this time is different. I’m in for a different reason. I had left this life alone. I had lost too many loved ones to continue living my life in the fast lane. Miamor died a while ago, and before her was my girl Anisa, and before her our friend Beatrice. Then I watched this city, your city, sentence Robyn to death. I sat there helpless as they put the needle in her arm. So, despite what you may think you know about me, this isn’t who I am anymore. Killing isn’t fun for me anymore. I was done with all of this shit until Case came knocking at my door.”

“Seems like murder is an itch that you just can’t scratch. If this isn’t you no more, why didn’t you turn him down?” Macy asked.

“I owe Case. A few years ago we messed up an important job of his. If I finish this thing with you, he’s forgiving all debts. If I don’t, my family is the cost that I pay,” Aries revealed.

It was at that moment that Macy realized just how serious this was for Aries, and despite the fact that she was his adversary, he felt a bit of empathy for her.

“Sound to me like Case forced your hand,” Macy stated. “He’s selling you a dream, ma. How much did Case pay you for the job you botched?” he asked.

“A million,” she answered.

Macy shook his head because he knew Case would never forgive a debt so large, no matter what Aries did. He would use that to keep her in his pocket. “You’re being naïve, ma. Case ain’t dismissing that debt until it’s paid—in cash. No matter what he says or what type of work you put in on his behalf, I know Case, and he’s going to hold that shit over your head forever.”

Aries didn’t show Macy her indecision, but he had planted a seed of truth that made her question her decision.

“Only way you’re going to relieve yourself of Case’s debt is to relieve yourself of Case. That million that he paid you was street money. It takes years for a man in Case’s position to accumulate that much dough. He’s not just going to let bygones be bygones. You’re eventually going to have to kill him anyway. You may as well take me up on my offer and get paid for it,” Macy stated matter-of-factly. “If there’s one thing that I know, it’s that Case doesn’t forget anything. You burned him once, as did I. You see where I’m sitting right now. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had your family strung up from a telephone pole by now.”

Aries cut her eyes sharply at him as she stood abruptly to her feet. Macy had hit a nerve within her and he knew it. She walked over to him and removed the uneaten sandwich from Macy’s lap. She retied his arm, handling it roughly as she snatched the rope and tied a knot around his hand.

“We are more alike than different, ma,” Macy stated.

“That we are,” Aries replied with a soft smile, giving him a tiny glimpse of the delicate woman behind the vicious murderer-for-hire.

“Just think about what I’ve said. Let me go and I’ll have a million dollars wired into a foreign, untraceable account,” Macy stated.

Aries smirked. “Stop trying to work me, Macy Sigel. I’m not easily manipulated. I’ve seen more money than my two hands could count. I’m not infatuated by it. It doesn’t make me cum,” she stated.

“Then what does?” Macy asked, unable to help himself as he gave her a crooked, sly, seductive grin.

Aries shook her head and rolled her eyes, knowing that it was that same look that had gotten him in his current predicament.

“See, that’s what got you into this, fucking your best friend’s girl all those years ago,” Aries revealed. “Case is bitter over that.”

“Is that right?” Macy asked.

“Come on, Macy. You should know that this was about more than the money,” Aries shot back.

Macy raised an eyebrow as he replied, “So should you. Case is going to burn you in the end. You should get him before he gets to you ... or better yet, your family.”

Aries walked back over to the stairs and sat back down. On the outside she appeared unfazed by Macy’s rant, but inside she was in turmoil. She hadn’t taken the time out to check in with Prince because she wanted to stay focused. Aries couldn’t allow her other persona to cause her to go soft, which was why she had made no attempts to contact Prince since touching down in L.A. Now insecurities crept in her mind.

He’s right. I’m underestimating Case, she thought. What if he doesn’t hold up his end of the bargain? My family could be in danger right now and I wouldn’t even know it. Prince hasn’t called me either, and that’s not like him. She played a thousand scenarios out in her head, but Macy had planted the seed of doubt, and now it was starting to grow. Anxiety manifested itself and concern plagued her.

Macy smiled in satisfaction. Although he was the one tied up, he felt as if he were in control. With three people holding him hostage, there was no way that he could get himself out of the situation by force. He would have to get inside of their heads, and although Aries had been the hardest to break, he was now mind-fucking her nice and slow.

He had always been a thinker. The ability to outsmart his enemy had always been one of his greatest assets. Macy had discovered Aries’ weakness—her family—and now her concentration had shifted.

As long as she’s thinking about them, she won’t be thinking about me, and I’ll be able to talk one of her li’l workers into setting me free.