The Corner III (No Way Out) (22 page)

Bone grabbed the bottle of Ciroc then said, “Let’s roll up out this joint, Dre. These niggas done blown my high.”

Bone and Dre headed up the stairs and halfway up he stopped, saying. “Reynard, make sure I get my money tomorrow from the streets. I need to have that Russian his money so we can get him paid and re-up.”

 Once Bone and Dre were gone, Wiz, a soldier who was loyal to Reynard, said, “Man, Reynard, ain’t no need for Bone to be trippin like that. Most of the money be going to him. Shit, I almost got shot when them niggas ran up in the spot when I was making a pickup.”

Reynard, who was in a daze as he stared up the stairs, said, “It be like that, my nigga. Bone know what’s good. Thing is, we are making lots of money dealing with the Russians, but I don’t trust ’em.”

Kenny shook his head and got into the conversation, “Yeah, but I don’t like teaming up with the crews we were banging with. I done lost a lot of homies to the hands of Slim’s people and to them Latin Kings. Now we all in the bed together?”

Wiz said, “For sho’, Reynard. This shit is getting trickier by the minute. When I see one of them Latin bitches, they ain’t wearing a sign that says
I’m with the Fuentes’
!”

Reynard said, “Y’all niggas calm down. I’m not feeling a lot of this shit like y’all. Shit, I’m still trying to get at whoever put the lead in my ass, for real.”

“Wiz said, “And from what I heard, that nigga Chavez ain’t giving a fuck about a partnership, truce or any of that shit when he finds out who killed his baby momma.”

With that statement, the wheels in Reynard’s head began to spin. He smiled and his demeanor changed. He then said, “Let’s hit the club, my niggas, and the shit’s on me. Y’all been making me mad loot, and I want to show my appreciation for that and your loyalty to me.” He held up his glass for a toast, and the men joined him.

*     *     *

It was late when Slim arrived home, and the man at the front desk told him that his guest was in his condo. Slim thanked him for letting her in as he asked, then headed for the elevators. As the elevator ascended, he thought about how he was glad that he stopped and talked to Ray instead of heading to Trish’s like he intended to. A bell chimed, and the nickel-colored doors opened. Slim stepped out on the fortieth floor and headed to his condo. He opened the door and when he walked in, he saw Trish sitting at the dining table wearing nothing but one of his ties. His manhood shifted at the sight of her beautiful body. The table was set for two, and the condo had a nice glow to it from the candles that were strategically placed throughout.

Trish stood at the sight of a smiling Slim. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Welcome home, Marcellus.” She tilted her head and kissed him.

Their tongues danced and Slim placed his hand on her waist pulling her to him. He held her tightly and kissed her hard. He kissed her neck breasts and stomach. He teased around her thighs with his lips and between kisses he said, “I know…all…about…Styles.”

“I know,” she said as she savored the kisses he planted between words.

Slim was on his knees. He turned her around so he could lick and kiss her heart-shaped ass. “It’s over with the two of…” he sucked on her ass cheeks and licked at the small of her back. “…you are my woman and I…don’t share,” he said then licked and kissed her ass feverously.

“Okay,” she whimpered. The pleasure Slim was giving her felt so good.

Trish looked down at Slim who was about to taste her wetness. She stopped him. Placed her hands on his cheeks and tilted his head up. He was on his knees looking up at her. She said, “I fell for you the first night I saw you in the diner. I told Ray not to tell you about Styles because I wanted the chance to show you what kind of true love I can give you.”

Slim held onto her legs as he hugged her like as if he never wanted to let her go. “I want you to be mine, and I refuse to share you, feel me?”

She guided him up. She was now looking up at him. “I feel you, Marcellus. I want to be yours. I want you to protect and provide for me, and I will love you, take care of you and be there for you in every way imaginable. I will treat you like a king,” she told him.

Slim scooped her in his arms and carried her to his bedroom. Once inside he told her, “And you will be my queen.

*     *     *

Trish’s back rested on Slim’s chest as they sat in the Jacuzzi tub. They had made passionate love twice and were spent. The feeling that flowed through their bodies was true love, and they relished the moment.

“Oh, this feels so good,” Trish said of the warm water Slim was sponging on her breasts.

 “Yes, it does. It feels so perfect with you,” Slim replied.

There was a silent pause for a moment.

“I want to tell you about what happened between me and Styles. I never loved him and he—”

“Don’t say a word,” Slim said cutting her words off as he put a wet finger to her lips. “I know all of what I need to know.”

“But I don’t want you to think that it was more than what it was. I didn’t want to go to jail. And I don’t want to go to jail.” She began to get excited at the thought of incarceration, saying,  “And he has those charges hanging over my head.”

The water swished as Slim brought his other arm up and through the bubbles that were as thick as cumulus clouds, and wrapped them around Trish’s thick warm body to calm her. He then ran his fingers down her hair several times as he spoke softly into her ear. “As of right now, don’t you worry about any charges. They were bullshit. I had it checked out earlier today. He bullshitted you into thinking that, then played on your emotions so that you would deal with him.”

After Slim met with Ray and found out about the charges, he figured they were bullshit so he called Lucky and advised him of everything Ray had told him. Lucky said that he’d call a friend he had at the department and see what charges were on Trish. It didn’t take long for the officer to come back with the information, which was nothing. Only an old police report stating that the car was seized, and after an arrest of the owner later in the day by the DEA, he admitted to the drugs in the vehicle after agreeing to cooperate with the government.

Trish shook her head. “I’m a damn fool!”

“No, you didn’t know. Let me tell you something. Fear is an emotion that is stronger than any. It will cause you to do things you normally wouldn’t do. It can also give you strength like you’ve never known. You were scared of going to jail, and he came to you as a savior. No need to beat yourself up about it.”

“I should have known,” she whined.

“Well, know one thing. I’m feeling you and to keep you out of harm’s way, I want you to stay here with me.”

A smile warmed her face. “After the way I made love to you, I would have figured I was staying the night.” She jokingly pinched his forearm.

“I mean, for good. Tomorrow I’ll send someone with you, and you get all of your personal stuff. Don’t worry about any furniture or a bunch of clothes or your old car. I got you.” Slim kissed her on her forehead as he began stroking her soft jet-black hair again.

Trish tilted her head, and they kissed deeply. She thanked Slim and promised to be the best woman she could be. He didn’t say anything. He simply kissed her again, then relaxed as he held her and hoped he was making a sound decision.

*     *     *

Slim and Anthony were killing time by looking at television and talking. They were in a two bedroom apartment of an older woman who Slim paid the rent for. It was a place he could go when he had meetings with his crew. The apartment was in Calumet City, a suburb of Chicago. Slim sat on the sofa as he looked at Eyewitness News on channel seven, ABC. The reporter was telling the story of a killing on the north side of the city. Slim looked at Anthony and said, “See, Ant. That’s what we as blacks fail to realize. You can kill all you want in the hood when the victim is a nameless, faceless person that no one gives a fuck about. Take your ass up north and kill a white person who means something to someone, and it’ll make headline news.”

Anthony said, “Everyone means something to someone.

Slim took a swallow of his RC cola. “You’re right about that. Everyone has a momma so everyone has someone who gives a fuck about them, but who gives a fuck about some sista in the hood who ain’t doing shit? On drugs, whoring or simply sitting on her ass taking up space in life. Or a man who is running around making babies on every block of the hood. The nigga hasn’t worked or made decent money in years. Swearing he’s on his shit when he’s really a sorry broke mothafucka. They don’t count as someone who gives a fuck about someone. Those white folks up north are connected to someone who means something.”

“I feel you,” Anthony said wondering where Slim was going with what he was saying.

“Straight up, Ant, I was in the gym in my building working out. These two men, one a big time real estate investor and the other a stock broker, were talking. They’ve seen me plenty of times and have never spoken to me, but when they saw me talking and working out with the same financial advisor they used, they wanted to get to know me.”

Anthony noticed the grin on his friend’s face. “I know you said fuck their asses.”

“Hell, nawl! I rubbed elbows with them honkeys like I was supposed to. Shit, the real estate fucker has come in handy by plugging me with people who could help me find the property I’ve been looking for, property all over the states.”

“Making your money work for you the legit way, huh?” Anthony asked.

“A person doesn’t last in the game forever, homey, so from my mouth to your ears, I’m putting things in the works to get us all out and paid. It won’t be long, either.”

There was a knock on the door, and Anthony got up to answer. In walked Reese, Shaun and Noonie. They all showed each other love by giving dap. Once their signature handshakes were done, Slim told everyone to help themselves to a drink.

Slim let the men mingle, and they talked about two things—women and money. It was that way with hustlers, it was what fueled them to do what they do, sometimes one more than the other.

They were all on their second drink when Slim brought them to order. The men sat on the sofa and loveseat, and Reese on the lounge chair as Slim stood.

“I brought all of you here because we need to tighten up on our business. We’ve been hit for our drugs and not just some small amounts. It’s enough to put a dent in our operations.”

Reese interjected, “Ain’t much we can do when it’s the police hitting our shit.”

Slim replied, “Yes, it is. We had a snitch in our camp, and that is what brings crews down. Police can’t do their job without the help of the streets.”

Shaun said, “That’s my bad, Slim. Even though that nigga had been around our people for years, Feet, may that lil’ nigga rest in peace, was telling me that it was something funny about Parker. I should have been up on that.”

“Yeah, you should have,” Slim told him in an even tone. “Look, I didn’t call you men here to pass any blame or judgment. We are all a chain and a chain is only as strong as the weakest link. So with that said, everyone needs to be strong. Before I continue, I want to know if anyone has any complaints or gripes of the way things are going. Open floor, my niggas. If anyone has anything to get off their chest, let it be known.”

Noonie said, “How long is Antwan going to be in Detroit, and what if the Russians find out about us making money on that end?”

Slim said, “Ain’t no need to worry about that. He’s running shit there making money for us. Money that is going toward a retirement fund for all of us.”

The men let out a slight laugh. It didn’t bother Slim because that’s the way they were. They were all brothers in a sense, and Slim knew the words, retirement fund, sounded funny, so he explained. “The game don’t last forever, so I’m preparing for that end. The money he’s making us is for all of you. Reese and Antwan, being a captains, gets a slightly higher percentage and all of you lieutenants get the rest.”