With Black moving back to the island, and Aaron being killed by Leonard on Jada’s orders, Napoleon had taken over the day-to-day operation of their business. Even though technically he worked for Jada, under Black’s guidance, Napoleon was running things.
Upon arrival at Palais de Plaisir, Carter and Fantasy were escorted through the main building and then to the building where the office was located and asked to wait outside while Napoleon knocked and went in. Fantasy looked at Carter and was about to say something, but before she could get a word out, Napoleon came out of the office.
“Come. The boss will see you now, Mr. Garrison.”
Unlike Fantasy, Carter knew exactly what he was there for. He stood up and winked at Fantasy and she puckered her lips, each wishing the other the best in their own way. Then Napoleon showed Carter into the office and closed the door.
“What about me?” Fantasy asked as Napoleon walked past her.
“Don’t worry, my dear. Someone will come to collect you shortly,” he said and left Fantasy sitting alone.
When Carter entered the office, Black and Jada were standing in front of the desk. Black stepped forward and extended his hand. “Good to see you, Carter,” Black said and the two men shook hands.
“Good to see you too, Mike.”
“Carter this is my business partner here in the islands, Jada West.”
The name raised an eyebrow. In the short time that he’d been out, Carter had heard the name and a lot about Jada West. And that included the rumors of a messy love triangle, threats being exchanged and shots being fired between the ladies.
“Ms. West, this is Carter Garrison.”
“It’s an honor and a privilege to meet you, Mr. Garrison.”
“Believe me, Ms. West, the honor and privilege are all mine,” Carter said as Jada looped her arm in his and escorted him to a chair.
“Can I make you a cocktail, Mr. Garrison?”
“Thank you,” Carter said.
“The Coupe Shanghai, Ms. West,” Black said.
“And one for you as well, Mr. Black?”
“Please.”
Once Jada had fixed and gave the men their glasses, Jada gathered her things and said goodbye to Carter. “I’m sure we’ll see one another again, Mr. Garrison.”
Carter got to his feet. “I’ll look forward to it.”
Black escorted Jada to the door and she said goodbye with a promise to see him later that evening before she returned to Nassau.
When she left the office, Jada walked over to where Fantasy was sitting. She stood over her and looked disapprovingly at the lackadaisical way that Fantasy was sitting. “You must be Fantasy.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jada shook her head. “Well stand up, let me have a look at you,” Jada commanded.
Fantasy sighed, and then she slowly rose to her feet.
“Where are my manners? I haven’t even introduced myself. My name is Jada West.”
Fantasy’s eyes opened wide and she straightened up quickly. “Good afternoon, Ms. West.”
“Jada will do.”
“Yes, Jada.”
Jada shook her head again. “You’re with me now,” Jada said and started walking with Fantasy following two steps behind her.
Back in the office, Black closed the door behind Jada and went to sit across from Carter. He raised his glass.
“To you being a free man.”
“I’ll definitely drink to that,” Carter said and drained his glass.
Black stood up. “Come on; let me show you around.”
While Black and Carter took a tour of Palais de Plaisir, they talked. “How’s Geno?” Black asked.
“He’s getting better. I went to see him this morning.”
“I want you to know how sorry I am about that. Smoke…” Black paused, not wanting to speak ill of the dead. “And Reese both should have known better than to bring a civilian along.”
Black shook his head and then he led Carter into the spacious bar area to refresh their drinks and then they went outside and sat by the infinity edge pool, which was marked by the spectacular view of the Caribbean Sea with the late afternoon sun in the background.
Black and Carter sat there for almost two hours talking. About the old days for the most part, but they also talked in-depth about what was going on in The Family and then Black thanked him for what he did for him when Rain needed help. And then the conversation returned to the past and Black thanked Carter for the sacrifice that he made.
“I’m not going to go so far as to say that I was glad to do it or that I would gladly do it again,” Carter laughed. “But, you’re welcome, Mike. Anything I can ever do for you, all you ever gotta do is ask.”
“I’ve already asked a lot of you Carter. And you’ve always come through, always been there for me like a rock when I needed you. Always been there for me when I needed somebody I could trust.”
“Like I said, Mike, anything I can do,” Carter said the words again and wondered if he meant it.
Even though he wanted to get out, would he do anything Black asked of him? His mind was made up the day that he talked to Mileena about it, and all it took was a call from Black, and Carter left Mileena standing there and went with Rain, no questions asked, like the loyal soldier he’d always been. Now, he wasn’t sure.
“Tell me about your plans for the future?” Black asked.
“To be honest with you, Mike, I was thinking about getting out,” Carter said.
“What were you thinking about doing?”
“Me and Mileena had talked about starting a business together.”
Black smiled. “How is Mileena? I haven’t seen her since she started working at J.R.’s.”
“She’s great.”
“I am glad you two made it back. I know how much you loved her.”
“How much I still love her, Mike,” Carter said. “I never stopped loving her.”
“I know what that feels like.”
“I know you do. I was glad to hear that you found your wife alive and well.”
“Even when I thought she was dead, I never stopped loving her,” Black said and thought about the years that he endured without her.
Carter laughed. “Who woulda thought it; a couple of tough guys like us, weak for the women in our lives.”
“Yeah, and on top of that, I have a couple of kids.”
“Girl and boy now, right?”
“Right.”
“What’s it like, Mike, being a husband and a father?”
“It is the greatest feeling in the world, Carter. To be home with your family. I never imagined how…how fulfilling it is being Cassandra’s husband and my children’s father. To know and understand that it’s not all about me anymore. And I used to be such a selfish fuck. A beast, living life like a hog, taking whatever the fuck I wanted, doing whatever the fuck I wanted with it, and throwing it away when I was done with it.”
“And then one day she walks into your life and everything changes,” Carter said. “And everything you thought was important just isn’t anymore.”
“That’s when you find out what kind of man you are,” Black said as they got up and returned to his office.
“So what do you think of the place?” Black asked after he refreshed Carter’s drink.
“This place is amazing. I thought La Chatte was nice, but this place, Mike, makes it look like a dump.”
“Wait until you see Paraíso.”
“Mercedes mentioned something about that place and a couple of others.” Carter laughed. “And what did you do to Mercedes?”
“Not me, Carter. I had very little to do with it,” Black laughed. “All I did was ask Ms. West to teach her how to run an upscale spot and how to recruit and manage the ladies. She is totally responsible for the new Mercedes,” he said and looked at Carter. “Damn it’s good to see you, Carter.”
“Same here, Mike,” Carter said and drained his glass.
Black got up, went to the bar to get the bottle and then he refilled both of their glasses. “You hungry? I could have chef make something for you.”
“No, thanks Mike, I’m fine.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Carter said and noticed that the look on Black’s face had changed.
“Let me stop fucking around and tell you why I flew you down here.”
“Okay, let’s.”
“I know that you’re thinking about getting out and going legit. It’s what Mileena’s always wanted.”
“It is.”
“And if that is what you want, I wish the two of you all the best. And I will do everything that I can to make sure that you and Mileena are successful in whatever you decide to do. I owe you that.” Black paused. “That and so much more. You are a man of honor and loyalty. The type of honor and loyalty that is lacking in men these days. Men in this Family; no honor, no loyalty to anything but money.”
“It’s a shame to say it, Mike, but you’re right. The joint was filled with guys like that, no honor, no loyalty to anything.”
“And I don’t blame you for wanting to get away from all this.” Black laughed. “I moved my wife and children to another country to shield them from all that. But I need you, Carter.”
Now Carter was sure. “Tell me what you need?”
“I’d like you to consider something, and I would consider it a personal favor if you were to do this for me.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“I want you to take Howard Owens’ place as captain of his crew.”
“Captain … of Howard’s crew,” Carter said, taken totally off guard by the offer. He knew that he had come to Freeport for Black to convince him to get back in, but Carter never expected Black to offer him the captain’s chair.
“You’re the only one that I can trust.”
Right then and there, Carter knew that his answer would be yes. He had told Mileena that was the reason that only he could have gone with Rain that night.
Because Black trusted me.
“Whatever business you start with Mileena with being completely yours and completely legit, just like Howard’s dry cleaners are, you just be one of my captain’s and his crew will kick up to you.”
“I’m honored, Mike…” Carter paused. “I don’t know what to say,” he said and Black held up his hand.
“Don’t say anything. Don’t give me your answer now. Take your time and give it some thought. Talk it over with Mileena. I’ll be in the city in a couple of days and we can talk about it then.”