Chapter Seventeen
Aries grew antsy as she thought of the danger that her family was in. Prince was in no way capable of handling himself against Case’s goons. He was a square—a marvelous and prestigious businessman, but a square nonetheless. He didn’t have an ounce of hood in him and was completely different than Aries. He was her opposite. His simplicity was what had attracted her to him. Prince had a gentle soul that made him the perfect man for her, but it also made him the perfect target for men like Case.
She paced back and forth in the basement, her body serving as a pendulum as she tried to call her husband. “Shit,” she mumbled when she noticed that her battery was dead. She desperately needed to hear from him. So far things were going as planned, but something felt wrong. Something was telling her that it was going a little too smoothly. She tried to power on the phone, pressing the on button repeatedly to no avail.
“You’re going to burn a hole in the floor you keep that up,” Macy stated as he leaned his head back to rest against the wooden chair. “Why are you doing this, ma? Whatever he has over you, I can help. You’re working for the wrong man.”
Aries stopped midstep and turned her attention to Macy. She walked slowly over to him, her sexy strut commanding his eyes. She made him look where she wanted him to look: from her hips to her thighs to her toned stomach, then finally to her eyes. Aries commanded him, and she shook her head as she thought, all niggas are the same.
She chuckled as she put her hands on top of his arms that were tied to the armrests. She leaned on them, putting pressure on his injured arm and causing him to wince in pain. Aries lowered her face to Macy’s and said, “I work for myself, and no matter how much those eyes wander, you’ll never be able to afford me, in any way. So keep your eyes off of me and save the bullshit-ass manipulation, before I make it to where you’re not seeing nothing or saying shit ever again.”
Aries stormed off. I have to get out of this house. I have to call Prince. I just need to hear his voice and make sure that they are okay, she thought. She was quickly growing overwhelmed, and it was at that moment that she realized that she had outgrown this lifestyle. Although Aries was an executioner by nature, she no longer wanted to be.
When she emerged from the basement, Harlo and Jordan stood to their feet, waiting to jump at her command.
“Watch him, but don’t touch him. I want him in the same condition when I get back. I need to step out for a minute. I won’t be gone long. Do not untie him,” she said as she pointed a warning finger at them.
“We got it,” Harlo spoke up as he held out his hand to reach for the gun that Aries held tightly in her hand.
She passed it to Harlo, and before she walked out of the house she said, “Don’t fuck this up.”
A worried Aries rushed to her car and skirted off to find the nearest phone. Something inside of her didn’t feel right. She felt as if something was wrong. Her intuition was nagging at her, pulling at her heartstrings, and she desperately needed to hear from her family. She pulled up recklessly to the first gas station she saw and hurried inside.
“I need to use a phone. Is there a pay phone?” she asked.
The clerk pointed her toward the back of the store, and Aries sighed in relief as she hurried toward it. The closer she got, the more anxiety attacked her, until finally her fingers dialed her home number. The phone seemed to ring forever before Prince finally answered it.
“Hello?”
“Prince, thank God,” she whispered.
“Thank God? Rachel, what’s wrong? Is everything okay?” Prince asked. She could hear the concern in his voice, and she immediately closed her eyes and sighed. She was alarming him, which was the last thing she needed right now. Get yourself together, Aries, she thought as she cleared her throat and gripped the phone with both hands as she looked around cautiously.
“Yeah, baby, everything’s just fine. It’s just so good to hear your voice. My mother is really fading out lately, and I’m just a little on the emotional side,” she lied.
“We can fly there if you need us, Rachel. You don’t have to go through this alone,” Prince said.
“But I do,” she said solemnly. “How’s my baby? How are you?”
“We miss you,” Prince replied.
Aries was so full of burden that she had to cover the phone to stifle her sob. “I miss you both too. It won’t be much longer. I’ll be home soon. I just need a little bit more time to settle things. I’ll be home in about a week or so.”
“We’ll be expecting you. We love you, Rachel.”
Aries wished that she could hear her husband call her by her real name just once, but she knew that it would never happen. Prince would never love her if he knew what she really was. He had fallen for the fictitious character that Aries had created. He had no clue the type of person he was sleeping next to or the ungodly things that she had done. He was supportive and loving. He was perfect for Rachel; Aries he would hate.
She was living a double life, and her two personalities were both strangers to her. She wasn’t the same killer she had once been. Becoming a family woman had made her vulnerable. It made her feel, and there was no room for emotions in her profession. She didn’t know where she fit, because as much as she wanted to be Rachel Coleman, that persona didn’t feel quite right either. Aries was lost. She had become misplaced in a world of lies, murder, and mayhem. In that world, money was the motivation and deception was the new truth.
She had tried to run from the monster that was chasing her, but she could never shake it. Aries was beginning to realize that she was running from herself. She desperately wanted to change the things that she had done, but she couldn’t. Instead, she had to be a new woman and change the things that she had yet to do. However, the forces of nature always pulled her back, and this time she felt as though she may not end up on top.
“I love you too,” she replied before hanging up the phone.
Harlo and Jordan had been holed up in the stash spot for so long that they felt as if they were the ones being held hostage. They had played the back to Aries, but now that she had stepped out, Harlo took the lead. He was tired of taking orders from Aries. Bitch is too fucking bossy for real, he thought.
“I’m about to go get some food while that bitch is gone, cuz. I’m tired of staring at these four walls, and I’m hungry than a mu’fucka,” Harlo stated.
Macy noticed the look of uncertainty that crossed Jordan’s face. He was shook by the thought of being alone with Macy. He wasn’t trying to have the entire setup on his shoulders. He was an accomplice—nothing more, nothing less. “Just wait until Aries get back,” Jordan replied.
“Wait for what? When she gets back she gonna be talking that bullshit about me leaving. I can leave and be back before she even gets here. She’ll never know I stepped out,” Harlo reasoned.
Macy silently hoped that Harlo did indeed leave. Harlo was the smarter of the two. Macy had pegged his grimey character as soon as he opened his mouth. Macy would never try to run game on Aries, and Harlo was too hardheaded to think of the consequences to his actions. Jordan, on the other hand, was vulnerable. He was scared and unprepared for what was going down. Macy was positive that if he could get Jordan alone, he could get himself free.
“That’s not a good idea,” Jordan disagreed.
“Man, quit being a bitch! You fucking pussy!” Harlo shouted, demeaning Jordan. “You scared of this nigga. I don’t give a damn if he’s the mayor. He bleed just like you. All you got to do is hold shit down until I get back. Consider it babysitting.”
“I ain’t scared of nothing. I just think we should stay put,” Jordan defended despite the fact that his voice wavered a bit. He knew exactly who Macy Sigel was and how he got down. Silently, Jordan respected the retired gangster, but things were already out of his control. He was fourth in command behind three heartless killers. There was no way he could speak up on Macy’s behalf. Case, Aries, Harlo, Jordan: That was his rank in the grand scheme of things, so he kept his mouth shut and hoped that the situation played itself out peacefully. Sigel had put in work and was respected in Cali, so Jordan was realistic about the repercussions of his actions. He knew that even if Macy did end up dead, his legacy would live on, and if Jordan’s name was involved, the Grim Reaper would be knocking on his door in due time.
Harlo passed Jordan the gun and threw on his hoodie. “Well, you stay put, and I’m going to go grab some food. Don’t do anything stupid! I might bring your bitch ass back something,” he stated with laughter as he walked out.
Jordan pulled the spare chair away from Macy and sat down in it as he tried to avoid eye contact.
“Can I get some food or something?” Macy asked, seeing how difficult it would be to get Jordan to jump at his request. Macy could sense fear. Like a true predator, he sniffed that shit right out of the air whenever Jordan was around.
Jordan pretended as if he didn’t hear him. The young hustler wasn’t trying to converse with Macy. He was oblivious to the bouncing of his leg, but little did he know he was giving himself away. It was a sure sign of his nervousness. It was obvious that he feared Macy.
Jordan was drowning in the streets. He wanted to be a part of the lifestyle, but when it was time to put in major work, he froze. He didn’t look at Macy as the mayor. He had heard the stories of how Macy used to get down, and he was intimidated by the street legend. The way Jordan saw it, he was in a lose-lose situation. If things went badly and they were caught, they would receive football numbers for kidnapping a public official. But if things were kept in the street, then Macy’s goons would undoubtedly get at them for the disrespect. There was no way Jordan would have had any part in this scheme had he been given the full details. He had just been trying to make a quick dollar, but not at the expense of crossing a man like Macy.
“I’m not going to bite you, li’l nigga. I just need some food. I can’t get no money delivered if I’m passed out from hunger,” Macy said, breaking the tension in the air.
Jordan looked at Macy. He tried to play tough, but the creases of worry in his forehead betrayed him. Macy could see the fear in him. “Ain’t no food here.”
Macy countered, “Can I get some water then?” He was testing the young kid, trying to see how much he would budge and measuring his gangster. A true goon wouldn’t give a damn about what Macy needed and definitely wouldn’t bend to Macy’s requests.
Macy could see the unsure look in the kid’s eyes. “Yeah. I guess that’s cool. I’ll be right back.” Jordan disappeared up the stairs and returned a few moments later with a plastic cup filled with water.
He held the cup to Macy’s lips and allowed him to take a couple sips. Macy accepted the much-needed fluid and then sat back in the chair as Jordan went back to his own.
“What’s your name?” Macy asked.
“Look, man, I’m not for the talking. I’m just sitting here until Harlo get back,” Jordan stated.
Harlo, huh? Macy thought as he made a mental note of the other kid’s name. Jordan didn’t even realize that he had dropped a valuable jewel in Macy’s lap, one that Macy would surely cash in later. Macy was taking that chip straight to the bank as soon as an opportunity presented itself. Harlo’s mother would be planning his funeral. Macy knew that the more he kept Jordan talking the easier it would be to get inside of his head.
“Fair enough,” Macy stated. “I’ve just been sitting back watching the entire situation. You’ve gotten yourself in quite the predicament. The bitch and your homeboy seem like they’re running the show. Seems like you want out. This isn’t what you bargained for, eh?”
Jordan shook his head but didn’t respond. He was edgy and nervous. “When they were talking about a kidnapping, all I thought about was the paper. I had no idea it was going to be you,” he stammered.
“I can’t fault you for what you didn’t know ... but now you know. It’s what you do from this point that determines how things end for you. You and your peoples don’t know who you’re fucking with,” Macy said. The statement was arrogant but true. Harlo and Jordan were clearly out of their league.
“Man, I just want out of this shit,” Jordan stated, overwhelmed, as he rubbed his head and stood to his feet.
“Just let me go. Untie these ropes and my beef with you goes no further. You think my people not gonna know who did this? It’s only gonna be a matter of time before my shooters come running through that door. Why you think I haven’t come off of that cash yet? If I really thought my life was in danger, don’t you think I would have paid up by now?” Macy asked. “I’m the only mu’fucka in this house with nothing to worry about.”
Jordan’s anxiety turned to panic as he kicked his chair over in frustration. “Fuck, man! Fuck! This nigga always dragging me into some bullshit,” he uttered.
“He dragged you into it; now I’m offering you an out. Let me go and walk away,” Macy stated.
“I can’t just walk away. If Case or Harlo find out I just let you go, I’m dead anyway,” Jordan said. “Ain’t no running from a nigga like Case. If I just disappear, I’m gonna look hot and he’s gonna come after me. If I cross you or I cross Case ... either way I’m still fucked. I need your help, man. I want to let you go, but I can’t make it look like I went against the grain.”
“The game is called self-preservation. Your homeboy and homegirl ... they’re dead. These ropes can only hold one man. I’ve got goons for days,” Macy stated. “Look, you make it look however you need to, as long as I’m walking out of here,” Macy replied.
“Nobody’s gonna blame you for playing it smart and saving yourself. You don’t have much time to decide. When my shooters come through, they’re not gonna be asking questions, and my offer for your safety will expire.”
Jordan went to the stairs and looked up to make sure that no one had come back into the house. “Look, I’m going to let you go, but I need your word that you won’t send nobody after me. I didn’t want shit to do with this.”
Macy nodded his head. “You have my word. As a matter of fact, you need to be working for me anyway. With Case you’ll get nowhere fast. Untying these ropes and coming to play on my team will be the smartest decision you ever make.”
“Okay, okay,” Jordan mumbled as he thought of a plan that would make him look innocent on both sides. “Look, I’m going to untie you, but I need you to help me make it look like you got loose on your own.” Jordan took the clip out of the 9 mm gun he held. “I want you to hit me with the gun and rough me up a little bit so that they will think you overpowered me,” he explained.
Macy nodded and said, “I got it. Just hurry up and untie me before they get back. I’m gonna remember this, fam.”
Jordan hurried and bent down to free Macy. He placed the empty pistol in Macy’s lap as he feverishly freed Macy’s injured hand from the tight binds. “You’re losing a lot of blood. You’re going to need to go to the hospital,” Jordan observed as he worked as quickly as possible. He continued to check over his shoulder to make sure that Aries and Harlo had not returned.
As soon as Jordan released his good hand, Macy grabbed the gun off of his lap and smashed it into Jordan’s head. Stunned, Jordan fell backward to the ground. Macy pulled the other ropes from his hand and attacked Jordan mercilessly, breaking his face with the steel of the pistol. He hit him repeatedly, until he was defenseless, and then reached into Jordan’s pocket for the clip. He popped it into the gun, cocked it back and ...
BOOM!
Without hesitation, he blew a hole in Jordan’s head.
BOOM! BOOM!
And he put two in his chest just because.
Macy never had any intentions of putting Jordan down with him. He was willing to say anything to get himself out of the predicament. Not only did Jordan disgust him for participating in his kidnapping, but the young thug was weak-minded and didn’t stand behind his own decisions. Jordan was disloyal and was willing to jump ship as soon as trouble presented itself. He was the worst kind of street nigga there was—indecisive, incompetent, and easily shaken. Macy could never invite someone like him on his team. He only surrounded himself with thorough individuals, and Jordan was weak.
Macy felt no guilt about ending the young boy’s life. I did him a favor by killing him quick. Once Case found out I was free, he would have done much worse, Macy thought, knowing exactly how his old comrade got down. He dug into Jordan’s pockets and removed a set of keys and a cell phone before creeping up the stairs. He let the gun lead the way as he made his way out of the house.