CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

DENIM

 

Helping Bambi place dinner plates on the large table in the dining room, my mind was flooded. The east coast bosses were coming and one from down south was also on the way.

Although important, I wasn’t feeling the meeting because Bradley and I were at odds but I knew there was a time and place for everything.

Bambi wore a huge smile on her face as she got things prepared and I wondered why she was so happy. “What’s on your mind?” I asked. “You awfully excited, considering our troubles.”

“Mellvue’s dead,” she grinned. “That bitch walked up in our house and now we put her out her misery right along with Larry.”

“Are you serious?” I asked hopefully.

“Yes! Roman is vicious! And the best part about it is it happened right before the meeting with the bosses. Now I can tell them that we’ve fired a shot at them in their honor. Considering they’ve all lost good men, this will be good news.”

With Roman on the streets, Bambi was successfully able to kill a few key members in each east coast boss’s organization and now they considered the Russians to be a threat.

With part one of her plan out of the way, Bambi sent cars to pick everyone up since the bunker was off the map and couldn’t be located in any other way. Now we were just waiting for them to trickle inside.

I smiled and focused back on the table. “That’s a relief.”

“That was extra dry,” Bambi responded.

“I’m sorry, Bambi. My head is all over the place.”

“What’s on your mind?” Bambi asked placing a fork next to a plate.

“Bambi, please.”

I continued to set the places but now Bambi’s hands were stuffed in her pockets and she was staring at me. Realizing she wouldn’t leave it alone, I leaned up against the wall and looked over at her. “I don’t think it’s going to work between me and Bradley.”

“Why?” She frowned. “I thought we’ve been through this already.”

“You know why, Bambi.” I paused. “Between what he represents and me having an abortion, things haven’t been the same.”

“I don’t like this for you two,” she said. When she saw Bradley approaching, she leaned in and whispered. “Your marriage is the last stable one in this family. Don’t let it go because of something that couldn’t be avoided.” Bambi walked away as Bradley approached me.

When she was gone he asked, “What was that about?” He looked in Bambi’s direction. “She telling you to leave your husband?”

“Nothing, Bradley. Why you always tripping when it comes to Bambi? Who, by the way, is always on your side.”

He rolled his eyes. “You and this secretive shit is driving me crazy.”

“You acting like a guilty man,” I said under my breath. “When the only thing I want to do is get this meeting over with. Tell me dear husband, do you have something to hide?”

“You disrespected me, Denim.”

“What? How you sound?”

“You disrespected me when you had an abortion and that fucks me up. You listened to your mother over me and I gotta wonder who else you listening to.”

After putting the last place setting down, he was about to walk back to the room to get dressed but I pulled his hand softly. “Bradley, how long are you going to be angry with me? I’m your wife. And no matter what we’ve gone through, I’ve always forgiven you. I’m asking for the same.”

He snatched away and looked down at me. I saw his teeth gritting and knew he was trying to hold back. “You made a decision without me.” He pointed in my face. “One that you knew would hurt. And I will never forgive you.”

I could feel my stomach pull because I knew he was being honest. He was right. I made the decision to get rid of the baby but it was for the both of us. As wrong as my mother was, in a lot of ways, she was right. Neither Bradley nor me knew why Jasmine was born autistic. How could we be sure that it wouldn’t happen again?

“Is there anything I can do to push us in the right direction?”

He took a deep breath and said, “You can start by getting your mother out of our house. Until that happens, I have nothing else to say to you.” He stomped away.

Frustrated, I took a seat at the table and Race walked into the dining room and sat next to me. I could tell by the look in her eyes that something was wrong. “What’s up?”

Race looked around her, leaned in and whispered, “Mellvue is still alive. Bambi been asking me if it’s taken care of and I lied.”

I put my hand over my head. Just seeing the look on Bambi’s face a minute ago, I knew this would not be good. “Bambi just told me the chick was gone,” I whispered. “She got plans to tell the bosses tonight and everything. You’ve got to tell her the truth.”

“I can’t.”

“Race, this is not a good time to be holding back from Bambi. If she tells them a lie, it will ruin her credibility. I mean I thought you said that Roman was sick with the murder game.”

“She is but something else is going on with her that she’s not telling me about. I keep asking this chick if I can do something and every time she’s like she’s cool.”

I frowned. “Well she took our money so she gotta do the job,” I said point blank.

“I know,” she sighed. “I just wish I knew what was up with her.” She slammed her fist on the table. “Fuck!” she screamed out. “If Bambi asks you if the chick is alive can you lie for me?” she asked in a low voice. “I don’t want her thinking I’ve been dropping the ball. I’m trying to get my own house and she talking about putting me out of the game because I’m slipping. You heard her the day Mellvue showed up.”

“I got you,” I said touching her hand. “But you gotta get over that shit with Carey. You killed her and now she’s gone. Moping about it won’t bring her back.”

“I don’t know if that’s what’s bothering me, Denim.”

“Then what is it?”

“I’m not sure if I’m making the right decision about divorcing Ramirez.”

“Then don’t,” I said excitedly. I wanted her to stay with him. “Give it some time. There’s no rush.”

“If only it was that easy.” She sighed and got up.

“Where you ‘bout to go?” I asked.

“To get dressed.”

“Remember, we’re wearing all black,” I reminded her.

“I know.”

“Where’s Scarlett?” I asked.

“Get this shit. So Roman asked for her help awhile back. Today she called me and said she needed Scarlett on that favor. It has something to do with her having to lie about having a real job so she wanted Scarlett to pretend like she was her boss.”

“Why Scarlett?” I frowned.

“Cause she’s white,” she laughed.

I shook my head and giggled too. “Old girl is wild,” I responded. “I just hope after this shit is done, she takes lives like she’s paid to do.”

“If she don’t then I’ll have her taken care of.”

“I already know,” I laughed.