Loyalty Over Royalty (9 page)

“When I look into your eyes then I realize, that all I need is you in my life, all I need is you in my life. Cuz I’ve never felt this way about loving, never felt so good. Never felt this way about loving, it feels so good.”

He sung with all his might as the newlyweds slow danced and enjoyed the moment. This was the happiest moment of their lives and they couldn’t wait to see what the future had to offer them. Life was good.

Chapter 13

12 Years Later

“I still can’t believe she’s gone,” Carmen cried as she, Whack, Kyra, and her brother sat in the living room of Grams’ house.

“I know right, and didn’t have a sick bone in her body. I guess it was just her time,” Notorious replied.

“Well at least she went peacefully; it was just so unexpected though,” Kyra chimed in.

“Grams made it to 92; she lived a full life. A good one at that. I know this might sound selfish but I wish I had more time with her; she was the only parent I had left! That lady treated me like her own,” Whack cried. He was taking the loss a little harder than everyone else. It had been two weeks since Grams’ passing. Whack was trying to reach her one morning and got no answer. After several attempts, he decided to just go over there. When he arrived, he knew something was wrong because he didn’t smell the aroma of food coming from underneath the front door. No matter what, Grams always cooked breakfast even if it was just only for her. When Whack walked in, the house was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. He called out for Grams a few times, only to get no reply. He ran up to her bedroom where she was in her bed laid on her back with her eyes shut. He thought she may have been sleep so he called out her name a couple more times, but she didn’t budge. When he reached out to touch her, she was as cold as ice. That broke Whack down in the worst way and he hadn’t been the same since. He had been with Grams since she had found him on her porch at the young age of 11, and she had been like his grandmother ever since.

“Yawl ready to start cleaning up and getting some of this stuff up out of here?” Notorious asked, breaking the moment of silence. His Uncle Steve was getting out the halfway house in a few days and he offered to let him stay in Grams’ house since he didn’t have a place to stay. He agreed but he didn’t want to live with all of his mother’s old memories; it would only make him sicker because he missed so much time with her being locked up 20 years. Notorious understood so he asked Whack, Carmen, and his wife to help him clean the house out. He was mad excited about his uncle coming home. He couldn’t wait to set him up real nice with clothes, shoes, and a nice ride. Plus, his uncle was a natural born hustler like him and his pops, so he had to put something in his hand so he could bounce back real quick.

Murder and Steve ran the streets back in the day, up until he got jammed for knocking a nigga who tried to rape Grams. He was only 19 when it happened, but he always said he never regretted what he did one bit and he would do it all over again if he had to.

“Yea, where you want us to start bruh?” Whack asked, as he stood up from the sofa.

“You can take the attic. Sis, you can take the second level, bae you do the first level, and I’ll do the basement. Is that cool?” Notorious asked curiously. Everyone nodded in agreement and went to their assignment.

✴✴✴✴✴

When Whack made it to the attic, he checked, making sure no one was behind him before removing a small glass tube of coke out of his pocket. He dabbed a small pile onto the back of his wrist and inhaled it through his right nostril. He repeated the same method and inhaled through his left one as well. He quickly placed the cap back on the tube and put it back in his pocket. He then thumbed his nose to make sure there wasn’t any residue on it.

Whack had been secretly snorting coke for the past few months. It started with him just testing product, but since finding Grams dead, it became an everyday thing. Whack began to go through all the boxes in the attic to see which ones were trash and which ones were worth keeping. In the process, he stumbled across a box with the words “Dorian’s High School Memories” written on it. Whack opened the box and it contained a host of trophies, books, ribbons, and pictures from when Murder was in high school.

He pulled out a high school year book and for some strange reason, the book looked familiar. As he began to turn the pages, his eyes widened and his chest tightened as if he was having a heart attack. He couldn’t believe what the fuck he was seeing. Whack was staring at a picture of Murder, some short fat dude, and his father Black, standing up against the cafeteria wall with their arms folded across their chest. When he turned the page, it was another picture of Murder and Black sitting on Grams’ front porch with his mother and another woman, who looked a lot like Carmen sitting in their laps. As he kept flipping, he noticed more pictures of Murder and his father and they seemed to have been real close. Whack’s blood began to boil as beads of sweat began to form on his forehead as the words of Rob played over and over in his head. “YOU RUNNING AROUND WITH THE NIGGA WHO KILLED YO DADDY!”

Chapter 14

“Hey, can I get this in a six and a half please? Thank you!” Carmen asked the sales clerk at Nordstroms in the St. Louis Galleria mall, as she held up the nude color Jimmy Choo pump.

“How much is that ugly ass shoe? You know you love some ugly ass heels!” Whack asked with a screwed up face.

“They $1,500 and they ain’t ugly, they different! You know I can’t stand walkin around looking like the rest of these bitches!”

“Yea iight, you gone work for this $1,500 too!” he teased and began to chuckle.

“Nigga please! I work every damn day cooking, cleaning, fuckin, and taking care of you and your bad ass son! I swear it feel like I got two sons! You better be lucky I ain’t dipped and took a vacation on yawl ass, cuz a bitch shol could use it!” Carmen spat playfully.

“I can help you try them on!” the sales clerk said excitedly when she came back with the shoes and a stocking.

“That’s okay, I can manage.”

“Oh no, I insist; plus, it’s my job,” she said, as she knelt down and seductively removed the Tori Birch sandal from Carmen’s right foot. She then gave Carmen a lustful look in her eyes and began to caress her freshly pedicured feet before putting on the shoe.

Is this bitch flirting with me? I hope she know I like girls and she got the right one today,
Carmen thought to herself. It was clear ole babe wanted her and she had to admit, she was fine. She was about 5'10" with caramel, blemish free skin. Her relaxed hair was a sandy brown and she wore it in a wrap that flowed to her shoulders and it was cut to fit her face frame. She had doe shaped eyes that were a pretty dark brown, and were accented with fake eyelashes. Her black slacks fitted her thick thighs and round plum ass like spandex, and her full perfect C cup breast sat up nice in her black suit jacket. Her lips were big and juicy, and they were covered with a pretty red Matte lipstick.

“Looks good, I like!” The sales clerk stood up and admired Carmen’s foot.

“Thanks I like em too, and I have the perfect dress for these cold mufuckas too!” Carmen replied.

“I shol wouldn’t mind seeing you in it!” the sales clerk mumbled as Carmen switched back and forth pass the mirror, loving the way the heels looked on her feet.

“Girl, my bad, did you say something; I didn’t hear you, I was too busy feeling myself!” Carmen lied. She heard every word, she just wanted to see if the girl had the guts to repeat it.

“The name is Kim! And I said, I wish I could see you in the dress you got to go with them heels!” she repeated, aggressively but sexy. She even looked Carmen up and down like she wanted to feast on her right then and there.

“Well, I be damn, ain’t no type of shame in yo game huh lil momma!” Carmen purred, as she looked Kim up and down while seductively licking her lips. She looked over at Whack to see if he was paying them any attention, which he wasn’t. She then looked back over at Kim and whispered.

“You know we a package deal right?” Kim looked over at Whack and plastered a devilish grin on her face.

“I’m down with that! Everything’s better in threes any way!” She winked her eye and switched her thick hips and bubble butt to the cash register to check them out. Carmen went over to Whack to get the cash. Kim watched as he pulled out a fat knot of hundred dollar bills wrapped in rubber bands. Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. She wasn’t nothing but a gold digging hoe looking for her next come up, and she would do anything to get. Even if it involved fucking with a couple, she was all for it. “$1,534.07 is your total babe,” Kim said flirtatiously.

Carmen handed her the money. After bagging the shoes and handing Carmen her change, Kim snatched the receipt from the receipt printer, grabbed a pen, and wrote her number on the back of the receipt.

“Make sure you use it!” she said, winking her eye and handing it over to Carmen.

“Will do, Miss Kim!” Carmen replied with a grin, grabbing the receipt. Her and Whack then made their way to the nearest exit.

Chapter 15

Notorious stood in the foyer of his mansion as he called Whack’s phone twice and got no answer. He then decided to shoot him a text and let him know they needed to get up ASAP.

NOTORIOUS: Aye nigga hit me up ASAP… We got business to tend to
. (Send)

He didn’t know what was up with his best friend but he knew it was something. Whack had all of a sudden became a little distant since they all parted ways three days ago after cleaning out Grams house. Last night, he asked Whack to go on the Eastside with him to hit up a lil night club called The Mansion that he had been hearing about, and he declined. He said he was staying in to watch movies with Carmen and their son. Notorious found that odd. He wasn’t knocking the fact that he was spending time with his family, but Whack never passed up a chance to turn up at the club. Stunting and popping bottles in the club was what that nigga lived for. Notorious was about to call his sister to see if her and Whack were together. As soon as he was about to click on her name, Whack replied.

WHACK: I’m in the hood… pull up.

Notorious snatched his keys off of the round marble table in his foyer and headed out the door.

✴✴✴✴✴

Whack and Manny sat on the front porch of the spot smoking a blunt the size of a Chico stick as they waited on Notorious to pull up. Whack hadn’t seen Notorious since him and Carmen left Grams house a few days ago, so he knew Notorious was coming with some questions. After finding the year book with the pictures of his father, Murder, and his mom in it, his head was all fucked up. He couldn’t believe that the nigga that was possibly responsible for his father’s death was his best friend/brother-in-law.

Notorious and his family was all he knew after losing his family, and if it wasn’t for them, he would probably be in jail or dead out there trying to survive on his own. But then again, if it wasn’t for Murder and Notorious killing his father, his mother would still be living and he wouldn’t be out here in the streets selling dope with multiple bodies under his belt. At the rate he was going, he probably would’ve been one of the biggest lawyers, doctors, or athletes out of St. Louis. He blamed them for his fucked up life, and no matter how good Notorious and Grams were to him, he thought of his parents every day.

He promised himself that if he ever found out who killed his father, he would make them pay in the worst way, even if it was his A1. Notorious had never been anything but loyal to him, but his loyalty to his father meant much more. He was going to find out if Notorious killed his father, and when he did they would never see his revenge coming.

“I wonder what that nigga gotta talk to us about that’s so damn important! That nigga been blowing me up all fuckin day talkin bout we need to get up ASAP,” Manny said, interrupting Whack’s thoughts as he inhaled a big cloud of smoke into his lungs.

“Shit, I don’t know; that nigga been blowing me up too. This shit better be good the way he been acting.”

“I hope that nigga say he ready to relocate shit cuz I’m bout ready to pack up and move away from this bitch!” Manny shook his head in frustration.

“Nigga, where you tryna go?!” Whack looked at Manny, noticing he had a serious look on his face.

“Shit, anywhere but here. I’m tired of the fucking Lou! Ain’t shit here for me no mo. I done made all the money I’ma make in this hating ass city. I’m ready for something different. I told Notorious’ ass we need to go to Atlanta, it’s mo money to be made there but that nigga ain’t tryna hear me.”

“Why the fuck everybody wanna move to Atlanta? That’s where that bitch ass nigga Rob fled to when he robbed our ass years ago. I guess he did come up doe cuz I ain’t gon lie, I followed that nigga to a phat ass crib right before I murked his ass doe!” Whack bragged as he chuckled.

“He was driving a phat ass whip too, so shit, you may be right.”

“Nigga, I know I’m right; I’m telling you we can go to that bitch and take over!” Hearing that shit was like music to Whack’s ears. He was down for extortion any day. He was feeling the same way as Manny, he was over St. Louis. As soon as he thought of a master plan him, Carmen, and baby Shad were shaking that muthafucka.

“Here go this nigga right here,” Manny said, as Notorious was pulling up in his black on black 2010 BMW 750. He stepped out of his ride looking like he just left a photo shoot for an album cover. He had on a pair of black Robin Jeans, with a pair of high top black patent leather Prada tennis shoes. His t-shirt was a black Burberry v neck with the Burberry plaid on the top of the shoulder blades. He sported a black Salvatore Ferragamo belt with the large gold buckle on the front, and his diamond earrings and Cuban link chain and bracelet shined like a chandelier.

He walked up with a lit blunt hanging from his lips. “Wassup fools,” he said, slapping fives with them when he got up onto the porch.

“Shit, we should be asking you that, nigga; you the one blowin niggas up like somethin wrong and shit! You tell us wassup!” Whack hissed, as if he was aggravated by the sight of Notorious. He wasn’t feeling him at all at the moment. Notorious ignored his attitude and signaled for them to come into the house. He didn’t know what Whack’s problem was and he didn’t care to find out at the moment. He came to discuss business, everything else was irrelevant.

When the trio got inside of the house, they all took a seat at the round table. Notorious pulled from the blunt and passed it to Manny and began speaking. “As yawl know, a couple weeks ago our connect was ambushed and killed. Yawl also know I been lookin high and low for a new connect with some good product and sweet prices. Well, I finally found one. His name Pablo, and he from Miami. He supposed to have some of the best dope Florida has ever touched. We takin a trip to go meet up with him Friday so be ready,” Notorious told them.

“That shit sound good and all, but how you know this cat? Have you even met him yet?” Whack asked with his face screwed up. Notorious was beginning to boil on the inside. This nigga Whack was really testing his patience and he was tired of letting that shit ride. “Nigga, ion appreciate this sour ass attitude you got wit me, and I ain’t did shit to yo ass, so whatever personal vendetta you got with me speak up like a man or eat the fuckin chip you got on yo shoulder nigga!” Notorious seethed.

Whack shot him a cold look and shifted in his seat. Manny sat with a confused look on his face. He was trying to figure out where all the animosity was coming from and why.

“Now our flights leave at 9 Friday morning. Yawl can meet me at the airport at 8, no later than 8:15. That’s only if you wanna get to business!” he said, shooting a look at Whack letting him know that part was meant for him. “Anyway, that’s all I wanted. I’m out, I got shit to do,” Notorious said before storming out of the spot to his whip.

Whack was really acting like a bitch, and it took everything in him not to put hands on his ass. Him and Whack had never had any problems or disagreements; everything was always one hundred. But all of a sudden, Whack had just become real disrespectful, and it was out of the blue. One thing Notorious didn’t take kindly to was disrespect, no matter who you were. Notorious wasn’t the type to just over look an issue either. If he had a problem with someone, he addressed it, and he expected the same. Him and Whack were not just friends, they were brothers and their bond was like no other. Notorious decided to reach out one more time.

NOTORIOUS: Aye nigga we need to rap 1 on 1. Come by the house soon as u get time.
(send)

✴✴✴✴✴

Whack sat in the driver’s seat of Carmen’s red 2009 Audi A4 as he did a couple lines. His coke habit was becoming heavier by the day. His phone vibrated in his lap as the text from Notorious came through. He picked it up, looked at the content, and threw it in the passenger seat. He wasn’t trying to hear shit Notorious had to say right now. Until he found out what he needed to know, Notorious was dead to him. He was going to go meet the new connect with him though. He wanted to know who this cat was and what kind of supply he had, so when he decided to build his own empire, he would already be plugged in. Whack was really thinking about what Manny was saying when he said they should relocate. He really didn’t give a fuck about how Notorious felt. If he wasn’t down, it was nothing for him to take his wife and son and move on his own. Shit, he would even convince Manny to go with him, which wouldn’t be hard. After engulfing the dope up his nose, Whack started up his car and headed to his residence. He hopped on interstate 40 and drove towards Brentwood exit.

After about a 17-minute drive, Whack pulled up to the big, beautiful, brick 5 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom house him and Carmen shared, along with their son. He pulled up to one of the doors of the four car garage, and the door automatically opened. He drove in and the door automatically closed behind him. After putting the car in park, he turned it off, hopped out, and headed for the door…forgetting his tube of dope in Carmen’s cup holder.