relate to. Needless to say, they hit it off quickly.
Murder took a shot of Patron and slammed the glass on the table. Mecca signaled the waiter to bring them another shot as they sat in the rear of a low-key bar that Mecca frequented. Murder’s trigger finger was itching, and he wanted so badly to pull of his.40 and blow Mecca’s head clean off, but he knew that he couldn’t show his card this early in the game. Murder’s hand began to sweat and he gritted his teeth, all while keeping on a smile in front of his enemy.
“You say you looking for a coke connect, right?” Mecca said as he leaned in closer to Murder so that no one could overhear him.
“Yeah, that shit in Atlanta is so stepped on, and when we do get a good batch in, they taxing up the ass,” Murder said.
“How about…” Mecca started, but stopped when the waitress came and set the two shots of Patron on the table. He continued when she left. “How about I show you how to make some real money?” Mecca said as he leaned back and took the shot with no chaser.
“How can I do that?” Murder asked as he sat back looking very interested, knowing that Mecca was playing into his little trap.
“I saw the way you reacted out there today. I need a nigga like that on my team. You feel me?”
“I’m listening,” Murder stated.
“I want you to be my enforcer, my bodyguard for a couple of months. I will also plug you in on some bricks when you go back to Atlanta. Unstepped on, raw,” Mecca offered.
“Word?” Murder asked as he took his shot and looked Mecca in the eyes.
“Word!” Mecca said as he extended his hand, waiting for Murder to seal the deal.
Murder shook Mecca’s hand, and thoughts of Miamor’s horrific murder scene popped in his head. Murder’s trigger finger began to itch again, and he gritted his teeth, feeling disgusted that he was shaking his own enemy’s hand. Nevertheless, Murder stayed calm and didn’t show his cards so soon. He knew that in due time, he would get his revenge in a major way.
Murder left that meeting feeling like in some way he had betrayed Miamor; however, he knew that to take down The Cartel correctly, he would have to play a role. Murder had just ordered the Murder Mamas to head back to L.A., and even though they were against leaving him there alone, Murder insisted. Murder had taught Miamor everything she knew about her profession, and off the strength of that, Robyn and Aries listened to him.
At that moment, Murder was on his way to meet Mecca at a warehouse, and the Murder Mamas were in the air headed home. On that day, Murder was supposed to meet Zyir and Carter for the first time. Murder questioned his willpower. He was not sure that he would be able to handle seeing Carter without reaching for his gun and going all out. Only time would tell.
Murder took a deep breath and whispered, “I love you, Miamor,” as if she were in the car with him. Deep in his heart, he was confident that she could hear him.
As Murder pulled into the warehouse where Mecca had directed him to meet them, he took a deep breath to prepare himself. It was an old steel factory on the outskirts of Miami. The Diamond family owned the property, so it looked as if it was a shut down establishment, but it was where the bricks were stored and shipments were dropped off.
Murder stepped out of the car, and moments later, a Lamborghini pulled up behind him, shining its lights on him. Murder blocked his eyes and tried to see who the driver was. It wasn’t until Mecca killed the lights and the butterfly-style door arose that Murder saw who it was.
“What’s up, fam?” Mecca asked as he approached Murder.
Murder instinctively clenched his jaws as his hatred for Mecca surfaced once again. Murder caught himself and calmed down before Mecca got close enough to read the expression on his face. Niggas like Mecca could sense larceny, so Murder had to be sure to keep his temper in check at all times.
“What’s good?” Murder said between clenched teeth. He shook Mecca’s hand and put on a fake smile just before Mecca led him into the warehouse.
Carter and Zyir were already there, counting money and loading duffel bags with the bricks so that they could be distributed to their blocks. They had been there for over an hour and had parked in the back out of sight.
As Murder walked in, he had to stop his mouth from hitting the floor. He had never seen so many kilos of cocaine in his life. It was then that he knew that The Cartel was much more than street legend. They were the real deal.
Having Carter, Zyir, and Mecca in one place at the same time, he thought about taking them out right there. But he quickly changed his tune when he saw the arsenal of automatic weapons sitting on the table near the money.
“What took you so long?”Carter asked as he thumbed through the hundred dollar bills without looking up.
Zyir frowned when he saw the man following Mecca. “Fuck is this new nigga?” Zyir asked, not one to hold his tongue.
“I had to make a stop, but check it. This is my man I was telling you about. This nigga is on some Jet Li type shit with the pistols. He’s nice,” Mecca bragged.
“Word?” Carter said as he stood from the table to shake Murder’s hand. Mecca had told Carter and Zyir about Murder, and they needed an enforcer, so they had wanted to meet him. But when Carter shook Murder’s hand, he felt that something was off. Call it a hustler’s intuition; the handshake wasn’t right, the eye contact was too stiff, and Murder’s body language didn’t match his facial expression.
“Murder, this is Carter. Carter, Murder,” Mecca said, introducing the two men that both loved Miamor to the bone.
“What’s up?” Carter said.
“‘Sup family?” Murder returned.
“And this is Zyir. He handles everything on the street level,” Mecca said. Zyir was so busy counting the money that he didn’t even properly greet Murder. Zyir just glanced at him briefly and nodded his head.
Carter didn’t say anything then, but he made a mental note to tell Mecca to ditch the new nigga. He didn’t get a good vibe from him, and rightfully so, because Murder wanted all of them dead.
“Yo, let’s wrap this up. I got to make a move,” Carter said, trying to cut the night short. He didn’t feel comfortable around Murder and wanted him gone.
Zyir picked up on Carter’s vibe and agreed. Mecca was slipping, and Carter was going to tell him about himself later.
The next day, Mecca had a talk with Carter, and he instantly cut off Murder. They also shut down that location as a dropoff and pick-up spot. Carter didn’t know if Murder was a fed or an enemy, but he knew one thing: he could never be a part of The Cartel
Chapter Fifteen
“The Cartel runs this city, not y’all. You work for us!”
Breeze paced the spacious room back and forth, trying not to think about the subject that overwhelmed her thoughts. She was battling her conscience, and also the pain that was in the pit of her stomach. Heroin was calling for her, and she was on the brink of answering.
