Authors: Shareef Jaudon
She looked over at me. “And nobody ever will…you jus’ remember that when you’re walkin’ down t
he aisle with what’s her face.”
Angelique looked in her rear view mirror after the made a right turn and sucked her teeth.
“Speakin’ of the devil. She’s following us.”
I whipped my head around to look out the back window and saw Dallas’s unmistakable xenon head lights on the front of her Audi coupe. I shook my head and sighed.
“Pull over.” I pointed to a grocery parking lot. “I told her not to follow me anymore. She listens like a deaf three year old.”
“Whatchu mean you told her not to follow you anymore?
She’s done this shit before?” Angelique turned into the lot.
“Yeah, she spied on us at Khari’s doctor’s appointment the other day.”
Angelique looked at me as she parked the car on the edge of the crowded lot. “Whoa whoa whoa, she did what? That’s some juvenile shit Tyce. I told you she was immature. The bitch is playin’ spy games now? What does she have to do in order for you to see how childish she is? She’s showing you loud and clear that she don’t trust you, can’t you see that?”
I shook my head back and forth as I thought about what my ex-girlfriend just said to me. I pulled my cell phone out and dialed Dallas’s number even though she followed us into the lot. She answered on the first ring.
“Hello.”
“Get in.” I said evenly.
She didn’t respond, she just hung up, parked her car next to Angelique’s ride, got out, and hopped in the back seat. Once she was inside the vehicle with us I took a moment to calm myself down. I tried to put myself in her shoes to understand why she was acting like this but I was having a hard time playing the role of an insecure female.
“Tyce, what the hell is goin’ on with you two? And don’t tell me nothin’ cuz I know better. I’m not slow.” Dallas rolled her neck
“I know you’re not slow cuz you rolled over to the restaurant lot like you were on a race track. I told you to go to Sabrina’s crib and wait for me there. What about that didn’t you understand? I told you I don’t like this spying shit. I got the holice following me and now you. I can’t deal with this shit.”
Dallas pointed at her breast. “If I feel like somethin’ is not right then I’m gonna find out what the fuck is up. You may not see it but I know she’s tryna reel you back in and I’m not about to stand around and let that shit happen. You may think I play games but what I do aint shit compared to her sneaky ass!”
Angelique sucked her teeth and chuckled lightly. “Dallas, aint shit goin’ on with me and Tyce so you need to jus’ chill out.”
“Bitch don’t try and play me. While you’re in the mood for confessionals and shit why don’t you fess up and tell him you’re still in love with him and you want him back? Giggle about that shit nigga, you still want him don’t you?”
The cigarette was still burning in my hand. I flicked the ashes from the tip out of the window and took a puff as a thick hush fell over the interior. Nobody said anything at all. I was waiting for Angelique to respond-but she was quiet.
“Speak up bitch! Tell me I’m crazy, tell your baby daddy that you’re not tryna get him back.” Dallas leaned in from the back seat to look Angelique in her face.
Angelique blinked her eyes slowly. “She’s right. I do want you back but that don’t mean shit. It only means somethin’ if you want the same thing. If that’s not the case then what I want doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, you’re engaged to her…not me.”
Dallas looked at me sternly. “See, I told you. But you wanna come down on me for trying to protect what’s mine. Yeah, I may have ignored what you said but I had a damn good reason. But you need to tell her right here in her own fuckin’ car that you don’t want her and that you wanna marry me.”
I looked back and forth between the two of them. And I thought back to when I first agreed to be with them both at the same time. Looking back on it, I never should have agreed to that…that was the biggest mistake I ever made. I was just about to set both of them straight when my phone rang letting me off the hook. I looked at the screen and my eyes lit up.
“Hold that thought, I gotta take this.” I put one finger up in the air.
The two of them showed obvious signs of frustration at the untimely interruption as I answered the phone.
“Wasup, where we at?” I asked the man on the other end of the line.
“Meet me at the spot in 45 minutes.” He said.
“I’ll be there.” I hung the phone up and tossed my cigarette out of the window.
No sooner had I ended the brief call did my phone start ringing again.
“Who’s that calling this time?” Dallas looked at the bright screen.
“It’s Quiana.” I answered quickly.
Dallas rolled her eyes when she heard her name. “I can’t stand that bitch either.”
I put the phone to my ear and took a deep breath. I knew she was calling about the diamonds and the botched robbery, and I knew I had some explaining to do. The fact that she was talking openly on my phone let me know she was extremely worried and unhappy with how today’s crazy events unfolded.
“What the hell went wrong Tyce? I just got word that Jax stole the diamonds. I thought you had it under control. I want those stones!”
“I have no idea what you’re talkin’ about. I don’t know anything about Jax, a robbery, or any diamonds. I’m on my way to Brown Ranch Airfield now for a meeting. I’ll be at an abandoned airplane hangar in 45 minutes to pick up a Mack truck so I don’t have time to talk…I gotta go.” I hung up the phone before she could respond.
She knew I just told her where to meet me. She also knew why I dodged her question on an open line. What the hell was she thinking by calling me on a cell phone talking about our business like that?
“We gotta go to the air strip now.” I said evenly.
“Well, I guess we’re all goin’ cuz I’m not gettin’ out the car.” Dallas sat back and put her seat belt on. “And don’t think this conversation is over Tyce. I plan to pick up right where we left off after we take care of this Quiana situation.”
“Yeah, and I wanna hear what you were about to say but I’ll put shit on pause to handle our business first.” Angelique put the car in gear and pulled off smoothly.
We were on our way to a very important meeting. A very dangerous meeting and we needed to focus and discuss the next phase of my plan. Now was not the time to talk about a sticky love triangle…I had a case of diamonds to get back.
We pulled up and parked in the back of the huge hangar. The party was already started so I had to move fast. I knew Mack was there and I saw Jax’s Hummer parked out front from a distance. Angelique took a back road to the hangar so no one seen us when we pulled up.
“I want you two to stay here and be ready to roll out.” I scanned the area through the dark tinted glass.
“Why can’t I come with you? You can’t go there alone. What if you need back up?” Angelique’s face twisted up.
“I got this. Jus’ sit tight and try not to k
ill each other while I’m gone.”
Dallas took her gun out and laid it on the seat next to her. Angelique put hers on the dash board.
“Will you at least turn your earpiece on so we can hear what’s goin’ on jus’ in case somethin’ goes wrong?” Dallas pushed her device into her ear.
“Yeah I will. I should be in and out though…sit tight.”
I got out of the car and left the girls. I chose to take the long way around the building with my gun at my side. I was not in the mood for any more surprises.
My thick soled boots didn’t make a sound as I walked cautiously through the loose dirt. I stayed close to the
structure as I made my way to the front. I heard Dallas ask Angelique to open the sun roof to let some air in through my ear bud. I was pleasantly astonished when Angelique didn’t say anything smart to her request and just obliged her without any hassle. I stopped short when I heard Jax and Mack talking to each other. They didn’t know I was there so I stayed out of sight.
“You want to count the money?” Mack asked Jax.
“Do I need to count the money?” Jax snorted.
“No, it’s all there; I double checked it before I left the store this morning. So you’re officially paid in full for a job well done. I never doubted you for a second.”
“Yeah right.” Jax huffed as he zipped the duffle bag full of money closed.
“So now it’s time for me to sell these diamonds- and here comes the buyer now.” Mack sounded happy.
I looked out toward the dusty road and seen three cars driving up in a row. I smiled to myself as I watched the caravan of vehicles approach the hangar from the front side.
“Damn, he rolls deep. Were you expecting so many people?” I heard Jax cock his gun.
“No.” Mack’s voice was seasoned with concern.
I stood back and witnessed the drama unfold from my
concealed vantage point.
“The buyer is here ladies, stay sharp.” I whi
spered to Angelique and Dallas.
“We go it.” Angelique’s light voice was clear in my ear.
Three cars came to a smooth stop in front of the entrance to the hangar and everybody got out…including the buyer. Mack and Jax looked at each other, and then they looked at the crowd of heavily armed men.
“Hey Fah, it’s good to finally meet you in person. However, I didn’t expect you to bring all of China town with you. I expected a few people for security purposes but bringing an army wasn’t a part of the deal.” Mack licked his lips.
Fah spread his arms wide. He had a black silk V-neck shirt on and a 24 carat gold chain with a circular medallion hanging from it. He smiled as he looked at the people surrounding him.
“Oh, they’re not Chinese, they’re Vietnamese. ABZ gang. Stand for Asian Boyz. And the deal not good no more. I make a new deal with someone else.”
“You slant eyed motherfucker! A new deal? With who?!” Mack yelled.
I stepped forward in full view with my gun pointed at Jax and his boss. “With me.”
The both of them whirled around when they heard my voice. The look on their faces was priceless.
“Hey Michael, Fah come through for you again.”
He grinned at me showing his dingy teeth.
“Yes you did, and Jax has your money in that big ass duffle bag he’s holdin’. Aint that right Jax? So
Mack, you better tell your dog to drop his gun and I suggest you toss me the diamonds before I tell the ABZ gang to light you up like a Chinese New Year.”
Mack shook his head in disbelief. “Fuck me. How the fuck did this happen Jax?! I can’t believe this shit! I’m paying someone to fucking rob me!” Mack smiled. “I guess I hired the wrong man…I should have did what Quiana did and hire you. Drop your gun before you get us both killed Jax.”
“Fuck that, and fuck you Tyce! If you want my money you’re gonna have to snatch it from my cold dead fingers! I don’t give a fuck!” He squared his shoulders.
“Fah, you heard the man. You’re gonna have to kill him to get paid.” I stepped back a little.
Mack recognized the pending danger and followed my lead. He walked away several feet from Jax as the Asian Boyz opened fire and hit Jax’s body with a barrage of hot bullets. The bag dropped and so did Jax’s bloody body. Fah casually strolled over toward the holey man and picked up the bag of money and smiled at Mack.
“Are you next?” He looked at Mack.
“No, I don’t want any trouble.” He put his hands up in defense mode.
I grinned to myself as I walked over and took the case
from Mack. He was oddly serene about the whole hostile transaction.
“I gotta hand it to you Tyce, you really turned the tables on me. And look at Jax, he underestimated
you and he paid for it with his miserable life.” He laughed to himself. “You set me and Jax up. You used Jax to steal the case for you, and you put me in line with a buyer who was working with you the whole time. And just to make sure I sold the case to him…you made the offer to good resist. You’re a clever boy.”
I flipped open the case and looked at the thousands of sparkling diamonds winking and blinking back at me.
“I’ve been underestimated since birth…I’m used to it. It gives me an advantage cuz people like you never see me comin’. Now get the hell outta here before I kick your ass like you stole somethin’.”
Mack didn’t hesitate to leave the hangar. He actually ran to his car and sped away leaving a cloud of dust behind him.
“He was scared. I never seen a white man run so fast.” Fah hit my shoulder playfully. “Thank you for the 20 million, and remember, if you need anything else call me and Fah do for you no problem. And I won’t tell anyone your real name Tyce…Michael.”
“I got it, and thanks again for comin’ thru for me. It was a pleasure workin’ with you and the ABZ gang.” I nodded to the10 thugged out dudes. “Ay feel free to take that Hummer too.”
“Thanks cuz.” The leader of the small troop nodded at me showing his appreciation.
In a matter of minutes Fah and the short tattooed gang members were gone. And right on time Angelique walked into the hangar with a big smile on her face. She had heard everything of course and she was coming to congratulate me.