Talk of the Town Page 15

  Together, they moved tons of cocaine and ecstasy through the borders of Florida and disturbed the products wholesale to dozens of dealers throughout the southeastern seaboard. I began to wonder if Mya knew about Scotie’s real job all along, and that’s why she’d sent me to set him up in the first place. It was just like her to be sneaky and conniving.

  An hour later, Scottie arrived back at home with a pleasant look on his face. I walked up to my man and greeted him with a hug and a passionate kiss.

  “Are you packed baby?” he asked.

  I held my head down like a sad little puppy. It took me a few seconds before I answered. “Yes.” “You sure you don’t want to stay a few more weeks with me?”

  “I really want to, but I need to get back home and handle some business,” I responded.

  “Well, when it comes to business, I understand.” He went in his pocket and pulled out a black, square box. I smiled and instantly thought of jewelry.

  “It’s my going away gift to you,” he said.

  “Scottie, you’re spoiling me.” I replied, trying to play it off. I actually enjoyed it.

  When I opened the box, I was stunned to see a platinum bangle with four rows of sparkling princess cut diamonds. “Oh my God, Scottie, you didn’t have to do this.” I lied. Inside, I was jumping up and down.

  “I wanted to get you something to match the necklace, but when I saw this I had to get it.”

  My hands shook slightly as I picked up the beautiful piece of bling and placed it around my wrist. “This is so beautiful, Scottie. I love it and I love you,” I replied giving him a huge kiss.

  After watching me admire my new gift for a moment, Scottie cleared his throat. “Are you ready to open up that hair salon when you get back to Atlanta?”

  I looked at him in shock. “Of course,” I replied.

  “Well, good because I’m gonna help you, but you’re gonna have to get a loan,” he stated.

  Is this dude crazy? Why should I get a loan when he’s paid? “A loan…I thought you just said you were gonna help me out.”

  “I am, but the money can’t come from me directly. I don’t want anything to be traced back to me, so it’s better if you go to the bank and apply for a loan,” he replied.

  “But I don’t have any collateral. A bank is not gonna give me a huge loan. Besides, I barely have any credit, and I just got out of school.”

  “Listen, the first thing you do when you get back home, is head down to Trust Bank and apply for a loan. When you get there I want you to ask for Mr. Jonathan Frazier,” he informed. He passed me a card with the man’s name and address. “You give him my name, and everything will be taken care of.”

  “But Scottie….”

  “Listen Dee, everything is under control. All you have to do is show up, sign the paperwork and play your part. You cool with that?”

  I nodded reluctantly.

  “Okay, Mr. Frazier will walk you through your application step by step, and tell you what to write down. All you have to do is listen. But here’s another thing I want you to do; I want you to put the loan in your mother’s name.”

  “My mother?” I looked at him like he was crazy.

  “I know you haven’t talked to her in years, but her name needs to be on the paperwork. We can make it happen, she’ll never even know,” he responded.

  “How do you know this?”

  “I just know,” he replied nonchalantly.

  I was shocked that he knew about my mother, but then again, Scottie always intrigued me with the information he was able to attain about people. He had all types of people on his payroll; from judges to cops, and even federal agents.

  “Are you surprised that I know about your mother, Diamond?”

  I was speechless and just stood there like a deer caught in headlights. He knew my real name and even information about my mother. If he’d found out all that then I was sure he knew about everything else.

  “Yes, I know your government name, Ms. Diamond Pierce. With every woman I meet, I always do my research. I like to know who I’m getting into bed with. And I like you, Diamond, that’s why I brought you down here to spend some time with me, and shower you with lavish gifts. You’re smart. You don’t get emotional, and you’re crafty, I love that in a woman,” he said. He went over to the bar and began fixing himself a drink. “An emotional woman can cause too many problems, Diamond, don’t you agree?”

  “What else do you know about me, Scottie?” I asked casually.

  He looked at me and flashed a sexy smile. Something told me that he knew a lot more than I thought. “Do you trust me, baby?”

  “It depends, do you trust me,” I returned.

  “Answering a question with a question. You don’t like revealing too much about yourself, which is another fine quality that I like about you.”

  He finished fixing his drink and then walked back over to me. “I know you’re thinking that this is a set up, but I can assure you, that it’s not. One of my rules is, never get too involved with a woman because it can complicate things, and fuck shit up. You know throughout history, a woman has been the downfall for many great kings and leaders.”

  “Cut to the point, Scottie, where are you going with all this? I learned my history in high school. I don’t need for you to repeat it to me.”

  He smiled. I was more than sure that he knew the truth about me, and I wanted him to get it over with.

  “Back in Atlanta, you could’ve been my downfall, but you fell back on me, why is that?” he asked.

  “So you know.”

  “I’ve known since the night we met,” he admitted.

  I sighed. “So why did you continue to see me if you knew?”

  “Like I said, I wanted to test you.”

  “So is this relationship with us nothing but a test for you, a fuckin’ lie, or do you really feel something for me?” I asked. I needed to know the truth because I was in love with him.

  “Baby, I love you,” he said, staring dead into my eyes. “Are you sure you want the truth?”

  I shook my head. “Yeah, I can handle it.”

  “I could’ve had you and your wild ass girl, Mya killed a long time ago, but I held back. I was so intrigued by your boldness and how you came at me, that I wanted to know a little more about you. Plus it didn’t help that you were the most beautiful woman that I’ve ever seen. I wanted to see what you were truly about, so I played along. And I like you, Diamond. You get money by any means necessary, but don’t you feel it’s time for a change? First you were stripping in front of horny ass men, and then it got worse. I mean setting up men, and putting yourself out there is a bit too risky, don’t you agree?”

  “It’s what I do best,” I answered.

  He smiled. “And that’s why you’re the one for me. Listen, I have a proposition for you. It’s a chance for you to finally make some real money.”

  Scottie walked over to the pool and looked out into the ocean, holding his Rum and Coke. “You like this lifestyle that I live, right, baby?” he asked. “The money, the cars, the fly ass houses. Don’t you want this for yourself? You’re the kind of woman that wants to hold her own and you can. If you deal with me, I’ll make you a rich woman.”

  What in the hell is he talking about? “How?” I asked walking toward him.

  “Answer this one question, Diamond. You were obviously setting up dudes for one reason and that’s to get money, so how rich do you want to be?” he asked.

  I couldn’t believe he asked me that question, but I wasn’t gonna lie. I’d done enough of that already. “Very rich. Why do you think I went after you, Scottie?”

  He smiled. “Cool. So this is what I want you to do for me. When you open up your salon, I’ll supply you with ten kilos of cocaine and ten thousand ecstasy pills to push for me. Atlanta is a huge market and I need someone I can trust to operate a business for me in that city. I’ll become your connect. You can put together your own crew of people that you trust and before long, all of you
will make more money than you can count. If you ever run into any problems, then you call me, okay?”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I thought he was trying to help me become legit, not get me deeper in the game. If he knew me like he said, then he should’ve known that I didn’t fuck with drugs, especially since my brother got locked up for the very same thing.

  “Can I trust you, Diamond?” he asked interrupting my thoughts.

  After a few seconds, I finally nodded my head. Even though I was skeptical about Scottie’s plans, I knew I had to do it. I was willing to do anything to make him happy.

  “No, I need to hear you say it,” he ordered.

  “You can trust me, baby. I’m ready for this,” I replied.

  “Good, that’s what I need to hear from you.”

  “Can I ask you a question?” I said.

  He downed the rest of his drink. “What’s that?”

  “Are you really sure about this because I’ve never done anything on this scale before?”

  He turned to me and embraced me in his arms. “You need to ask yourself that, but I do believe in you. I see a woman that’s about her business, and together you and me, we’ll own these cities. Even move your girl, Mya and her weak ass crew to the side. Now you get on that plane, fly home, and do what you gotta do to make this money for the both of us. I got mine and I want you to get yours. Do you hear what I’m saying? Protect what’s yours, and when the time comes if you need to murder a man or woman, do it without hesitation. You need to be sharp, fair, and at the same time, ruthless. I look in your eyes and know that I got the right woman on my side. It’s your turn, Diamond, make it happen for yourself.”

  Even though I’d always told myself that I would never get involved with drugs, I knew I couldn’t let my man down, and just like with Mya, I wanted his respect. “I’m in.”

  Three hours later I was walking through the terminal getting ready to board my flight back to Atlanta. When I stopped off at a store to pick up something to read, I noticed the news paper that read, THREE BODIES FOUND BUTCHERED AND MURDERED IN THE PALMETTO BAY AREA OF MIAMI.

  I was shocked to see Carlos’ name and picture under the headline. And I knew the other two bodies that were found were the two high looking white women he was with. Scottie instantly came to my mind. I put the paper back down and walked to my gate. Like my brother, I’d entered a dangerous world where it was easy to get rich, and just as easy to die in the process. Damn, just when I thought I was getting out of the game, now I’m being pulled right back in.

  Chapter 15

  Mya

  The murders of two New York dudes were heard throughout the city. Apparently both men worked for a drug Cartel out of the Bronx, and were huge money makers for the organization. The loud mouth was supposed to be Donte’s new connect, but I’d cut that deal real short. Now word was on the street was that several people from the Cartel were lookin’ for the person responsible for their deaths.

  I knew the only way for me to step up in the game was to take the responsibility for the deaths of the two men. It was risky, but I had a plan. I told Ace to put the word out that I wanted to meet the people in the Bronx, who loud mouth worked for. Even though I’d killed off two of their lieutenants, I saw a big business opportunity ahead of me.

  Several days later, Ace told me that one of the men in the Cartel, named Mr. G. was flyin’ into Atlanta in a few days, and he wanted to meet up with us. I was ready for him, but knew it could be a life or death situation. I’d murdered two on his top earners, so the meeting could very well be a set up, but that was the chance I was willin’ to take. Money moved me, and if it was a set-up, then whatever way the chips fell, I was ready.

  Since the murders, Donte hadn’t been seen out in the street, which I knew was a problem. He was a serious risk. If I didn’t know any better he was probably somewhere gettin’ high and tryin’ to figure out a way to kill me and Ace, since he didn’t carry out the hit. Donte needed to go, before he had a chance to get to me first.

  Donte was a fuck up and had only stepped up as boss of the crew because he was O.C.’s cousin, not because he was puttin’ in work. I’d always thought that Ace should’ve filled that position a long time ago, but now with a plan in place, new management was on the way. There was tension within the ranks, but that problem would soon be solved.

  Two days before my meetin’ with Mr. G., I decided to pay a visit to O.C. I needed to talk to him about the crew and see how he felt about a new chief, even though I knew he was always gonna be on my side. It was early on a Thursday mornin’ when O.C. walked into the visitin’ room escorted by two muscular Correction Officers. He looked fine as always, even though his braids needed to be touched up a bit.

  O.C. stared at me, but he wasn’t smilin’ like he usually did when I went to visit him. I still knew he was happy to see me. Maybe he got into a fight wit’ another inmate or somethin’, I thought. I sat in front of him in a short denim jean skirt, and a pink sheer top that made my breasts look delicious.

  O.C.’s presence always excited me; even behind bars, he was sexy. But I was here to see him on business, and to talk about the crew’s future. I picked up the phone and used my sexiest voice. “Hey, boo? You look good.”

  “What’s good, Mya? What brings you back down here?” he asked, being straight up.

  “I know you’ve been hearin’ things, baby, but…”

  “Things like what?” he asked interrupting me.

  I sighed, with the phone still to my ear. I leaned forward with my elbows on the table, and stared at him through the thick partition. “I know you heard that things ain’t been going so well between me and Donte. Can you believe he tried to have me killed?”

  “Well, I heard you makin’ plans of your own. I heard that you cut down two weeds that didn’t belong in the garden,” he stated.

  Thank goodness I was from the street and knew what he was talkin’ about. “I did what I had to do. Donte’s fuckin’ up. That niggah’s gettin’ high and sloppy.”

  “He’s my cousin, Mya and runs the show while I’m in here. You, you’re just our head bitch.”

  I was speechless and looked at him in shock.

  “I like you, Mya, and looked out for you, but you need to do as you’re told. I tolerated you these past few months, cuz you always bring in good money. But Donte’s my fuckin’ cousin, and I don’t want anything happening to him,” O.C. instructed.

  “You’re makin’ a mistake. With Donte still in charge, it’s a risk. I told you he’s gettin’ high,” I responded agitated by his request.

  “It’s a risk that I’m willin’ to take. If you and Ace are promoted, how is it gonna look if I put down family for some hoe and a niggah that acts like a fuckin’ mute most of the time,” he said, in a stern tone. “No matter what you say, Donte has respect on the street, he gets shit done. I might not approve of some of his methods, but that’s him and his ways.”

  I couldn’t believe he was talkin’ to me like that. After all this time, I’d been messin’ with him, he never called me out of my name. “So what about me, O.C.? I’ve been loyal to you since we met. Am I supposed to let Donte disrespect me and let it be? He tried to have me killed.”

  “You’ll get over it.”

  “Excuse me.” I replied.

  “Look, I’ll talk to him, but you need to stay out the politics of the game and do what you do best, being our bitch and doing what you’re told. Just go fuck a few niggahs tonight like you normally do, and forget all about it,” he responded.

  I’d never felt so insulted. Hate began to brew inside me, as I sat there and listened to O.C. disrespect me in a way he’d never done before. My expression toward him changed. I didn’t see the man that I was in love wit’ anymore. I saw a man that was against me and my rise to power. But it was all good, because he wasn’t understandin’ me, and not understandin’ me could become a fatal mistake.

  “I set up a meetin’ wit’, Mr. G. from New York,” I informed hi
m.

  He looked shocked. “You did what?”

  “You heard me, niggah. I meet with him in two days.”

  “Mya, are you fuckin’ crazy! You’re gonna meet with the man after you took out two of his weeds?”

  At that moment, the same heavy Correctional Officer that escorted him in walked over to show his authority. “You need to calm down, inmate!” the officer demanded.

  O.C. looked back at him, and then sucked his teeth. I waited for the officer to leave before I continued.

  “It’s a risk that I’m willin’ to take,” I said, being sarcastic with him.

  “Do you think you’re fuckin’ funny? I made you. I protected you, and now you wanna go behind my back and do that? Don’t get it twisted, just because I’m in here; don’t think I can’t catch up wit’ you. I still have plenty of pull in the street. You of all people should know this, Mya!” he snarled at me through clenched teeth.

  I shook my head. “I love you, O.C., but you’re not understanding me.”

  “Understand this, Mya, if anything jumps off, you’re gonna pay for it wit’ somethin’ that you cherish the most.” He looked at me and mouthed the words, YOUR LIFE, just in case the prison was tappin’ his conversation. “I fuckin’ made you in this city, so don’t cross me, because you’ll be sorry,” he warned.

  I wasn’t the least but scared of his threats. Things were already happenin’ and O.C. was losin’ control. He called the shots behind bars because he still thought that he had Ace under his wing, but now his boy was fuckin’ me. Ace had my back and no one else’s. He was pure muscle in this town and O.C., Donte and the entire crew knew that.

  I kept my affair with Ace quiet. I didn’t need niggahs knowing what was going on between us. Ace had told Donte that I wasn’t at my apartment the day he was supposed to kill me and that I’d disappeared. Luckily, his pipe-head ass believed it. That gave me some time to think, but now playtime was over. This city was gonna become my playground.

  “Fuck your threats, O.C., I’m my own woman, and more gangsta than any niggah you ever had in your bitch ass crew. I can handle mine, so if you get a niggah to come at me, then he better come hard. If he don’t, then when I’m done with him, best believe I’ll be comin’ for you,” I warned.