Chapter 10
The Big House that Boogie had built was a gigantic and beautiful property. It too was brick, but it had an old-world vibe about it. There were even gargoyle statues perched on the top of it. Caesar would have to take time another day to truly admire it and take it all in. But when he burst through the front doors, the only thing he cared to see was his godson. He didn’t have to search very far to find him. Together in the large sitting area on the first level of the home were Morgan, Roz, Nathan, and Tazz. They were all gathered around a very worn out–looking Boogie. His chest and shoulder were wrapped in white bandages, and he was obviously drained. However, his eyes lit up when he saw Diana rushing to him. She pushed Morgan, who’d been sitting next to him, out of the way and sat down.
“Oh, Boogie!” she exclaimed and touched his face softly. Warm tears fell down her cheekbones. “I thought we lost you.”
“I did too, but luckily for me, the man who shot me wasn’t a real shooter. One of the bullets he hit me with was a flesh wound and the other lodged in my shoulder. I lost a lot of blood waiting for the ambulance to come though. I thought it was over for me.”
Caesar took a seat across from them even though what he really wanted to do was pull Boogie into a tight embrace. However, when the two men connected eyes, his relief to see the young man was translated. He gave Boogie a small smile and was given a nod in response.
“I’m glad to see that you’re still here in the land of the living,” Caesar told him.
“It’s going to take more than something like this to take me out.”
“Well, either way you should be resting! Why isn’t he in bed?” Diana asked, and her piercing gaze went around the room.
“We have been telling him to lie down and get his strength back. But he won’t listen!” Morgan explained.
“I can’t lie down and rest. Not when that motherfucka has my daughter,” Boogie said through clenched teeth.
“Amber? Somebody took Amber?” Diana’s alarmed eyes turned to Roz, who tearfully nodded her head. “Who?”
“Her birth father.” Roz’s voice shook when she spoke. “After he shot Boogie, he stole her from me.”
“And he’ll die for it,” Boogie growled.
“Boogie, you have to focus on getting some rest—” Morgan started, but Boogie interrupted her.
“I’ll rest when I’m dead. And I’m not. Y’all should already know how I’m about to get down. Between Adam and Louisa, they got us looking like some clowns in our own domain. I won’t stand for it. Not after we’ve come so far.”
“Well, you won’t be any good to us if you don’t let yourself get back to one hundred percent,” Nicky butted in.
“What part about ‘that nigga has my daughter’ don’t you understand?” Boogie growled.
“I understand every word. And if you think we aren’t scouring the city looking for any trace of them, then you’re a fool.”
Caesar cleared his throat before Boogie could say anything else, and everyone shifted their attention to him.
“I know there are a lot of emotions swirling around the room right now, but there are a few blind spots for me that I need filled in. I thought the situation with Marco’s sister was handled.”
“We thought so too. But apparently it isn’t. Louisa was madder than we thought at Lorenzo for turning down her offer. And from the looks of it, she recruited Adam in the process. She also . . .”
“What?”
“Daniella wasn’t as fortunate as me. Louisa killed her.” Boogie swallowed.
“No.” Caesar felt a genuine sadness for Christina, Marco’s wife.
“It was bad,” Nicky said, shaking his head, and Caesar sighed.
“How did she come to know Adam?”
“She was following us. She had to have been,” Boogie said like it was something he’d been pondering. “She used Adam’s hate for me to infiltrate our operation seamlessly.”
“All because Lorenzo told her no?” It wasn’t adding up to Caesar.
“Right before Boogie was shot, she basically said she blames all of us for Marco’s death,” Morgan explained. “She said he was the only thing she ever loved.”
Her words stung Caesar, mainly because he blamed himself for Marco dying. Although his old friend knew what their kind of lifestyle came with, he died because of his loyalty to Caesar. And if his death was what the new ring of chaos was stemming from, then Caesar figured he would have to be the one who put it right.
“She also said that none of us are competent enough to run a business and everybody would know it soon,” Nicky added. “And that’s just what we need right? Another motherfucka tryin’a blow up the spot.”
“All of this back-to-back feuding is reminding me of the old days when my father controlled Harlem,” Diana said to Caesar.
“Well, I refuse to lose anybody else before we find a common ground. Where’s Lorenzo? Is he here?” Caesar looked around.
“No.” Nicky shook his head. “If Louisa is somewhere still lurking around, he doesn’t want us in danger because of his presence. He feels like it’s his fault that Boogie got shot.”
“Nobody is at fault except the ones opposing us. Not working together is what has caused all this turmoil. One family is already missing from the fold, but we’re still here, and that’s going to count for something. Let me handle Louisa.”
“Her operation is strong, Caesar,” Diana reminded him.
“And ours is stronger. Marco may have allowed her to believe her position with us was higher than it actually was, but I won’t make that mistake. Before I go, Boogie, let me help you to bed.”
“I can do that, Caesar.” Roz hurried to her feet when Caesar got up.
“No, I insist.” Caesar raised his brows at her, and she nodded her understanding. “Everyone except Tazz needs to be out there trying to locate Adam and Amber. I want her brought home, and I want his head, understand?”
“Got it,” Nicky and Nathan said in unison.
“Understood. I am about to go meet with Bentley and see what he’s come up with,” Morgan said.
“I’ll go with you.” Diana stood up and grabbed her purse. “Caesar, call me later.”
When they left, Caesar and Boogie left Tazz and Roz in the sitting room. Caesar helped Boogie to the elevator at the end of a hallway, and he could tell that the short walk had taken a lot out of him. He was also trying to hide the pain in his shoulder. However, when he brushed it against the door when he stepped inside, Caesar saw him wince. The elevator took them to the second level of the house, and when they stepped off, there was a wheelchair a few steps away.
“Sit down,” Caesar instructed.
“I’m good. I can walk.”
“Where’s your room?”
“There,” Boogie said and pointed to double doors at the end of the hall.
“Boy, if you don’t get your ass in this chair. Stop being stubborn.”
Boogie grumbled a little bit, but he did as he was told. Caesar knew the strong exterior was due to the soldier in him. Boogie needed to know that it was okay to let the people around him take care of him. He didn’t always have to be the strongest in the room. When they got to the room, Caesar helped him onto the bed and placed a blanket over him.
“You should really have a nurse taking care of you,” Caesar told him.
“Nicky nabbed me some pain medication after I got out of surgery.”
“Surgery?”
“When they rushed me to the hospital, they did emergency surgery to remove the bullets. When I was stable enough, Nicky swapped me out with a body with similar wounds.”
“That was the smart thing to do, but you should still have a nurse here to make sure the entry points don’t get infected.”
“I’ll be my own nurse. Trust me when I say these aren’t the first bullet wounds I’ve tended to. I don’t need to remind you who my dad was.”
“You got me there,” Caesar chuckled and then grew serious again. “You know, when I . . . when I heard something had happened to you, I . . . can’t describe the sorrow I felt. It hit me then how much you mean to me. I wasn’t able to keep Barry alive, but I’ll be damned if you leave the same way as him. We may not be bound by blood, but you are a son to me.”
To his words Boogie had none. A silence fell over them, and Boogie turned away, pretending he had gotten something in his eye. Caesar would never say it out loud, but he saw the single tear Boogie wiped away. He himself had a ball in his throat that he had to swallow. He patted Boogie on the hand and made to leave, but a tight grip on his wrist stopped him.
“Wait, I wanted to ask you somethin’,” Boogie said, finally finding his voice. He let go of Caesar’s wrist when he sat back down.
“Anything.”
“I just feel like this chaos is becomin’ the new normal. I hate it. Every time I think shit is smooth sailing, some more bullshit comes out of the dark. It’s brought the people still standin’ closer, but it’s fuckin’ with business. And that’s what will draw us apart. I don’t know what to do.”
“So ask your question,” Caesar said, and Boogie looked befuddled.
“I just told you that I don’t know what to do!”
“That’s not a question.”
“How?”
“Because it was a statement.”
“No, not that. I’m askin’, how did you do it? How did you bring a peace that lasted so long?”
“I never have told you the story of how the pact came to be, have I?” Caesar sighed. “I guess we have some time now. It all started when my father died . . .”
Light will outshine all darkness.