She made my heart feel good. Shanelle understood me the best. That’s why she would forever be at my side. I smiled then kissed her forehead. It was wild to me; through all of this madness we had made life. I intended to protect our child and Shanelle with my life, though I knew they would be my weakness in this criminal world. I accepted everything that came with that. My hand slid down against the curve of Shanelle’s belly and, for the first time since everything, I was able to let the gravity of the reality that we were going to have our own child sink in. A brotha felt misty-eyed about it. Mama wasn’t going to be here to see this, but at least her presence would be around us.

  “That’s where my mind was going with all of this as well. Outside of keeping an eye on Jojo and Navy, and Uncle Snap, we’ll have to start sorting out our baby.”

  “We’ll move in then. . . .” Shanelle said, trailing off. She rested her head against my chest and I closed my eyes.

  “So, I’ll keep working. Keep up appearances because we need some normalcy. My job is my normal, but I may flip some things and become my own boss with that. It’ll be easier, considering . . .”

  “Considering being head of the Syndicate?” Shanelle finished for me.

  “Yeah, exactly. Which leads to what I need to do next. Melissa—”

  Shanelle shot up so fast that I thought she might hit me in the face with her head. “Fuck her!” she spat out with tears lining her eyes.

  “Damn, baby, chill! Just listen!” My hand shot up and I tried to stop Shanelle from getting out of bed. Quickly, I ran down everything I planned to do. When I mentioned Brazil, that’s when Shanelle stopped her stubbornness and looked my way.

  “You want to take us to Brazil?” she asked, raising her eyebrow.

  I knew I had to sweeten the pot so I slid to the edge of the bed, licked my lips, and rubbed the side of my aching waist. “Yes. I mean, not only does a brother have to handle boss business and finish this shit off, but I also need to take care of family business and move us forward.”

  Reaching up, I ran my hand over my waves then looked into Shanelle’s eyes. “That would mean taking you to the Escadaria Selarón steps and making you my wife. You game?”

  Suffice it to say, she was game. My girl rushed me and we fell back into the bed. She kissed me and gave me the best head ever, not that she could ever give me wack head. I then returned the favor, pleasuring her and making her sing several of octaves with my gift of the tongue. After, we made love, reminisced about Mama and other things, and the night turned into day. Then the days turn into several. I privately took care of Melissa’s body. Shipping a head overseas could be difficult, let alone two heads and a mangled body, but the Syndicate helped me with that.

  We all headed to Brazil minus Uncle Snap, Jojo, Navy, Inez, and, of course, Dani. It was their duty to watch the house, along with Rize and a handful of the Forty Thieves. Inez couldn’t bring herself to go because of the damage the wreck had done, which was why I had her set up to go to a plastic surgeon while we were gone. I needed to take care of her and we would. Uncle Snap stayed specifically behind for Inez and our younger siblings, as well as to keep an eye on the Syndicate.

  I owed that old man a trip one day and I planned on bringing him here after everything chilled. Once we landed, of course the views were the typical ones we saw in movies, but it was so much more than that. Black, brown, and white were all around us, including other immigrant races. My mind reflected on family as we rode in a private car through the streets of Rio.

  Cory was on the fence about Inez being back home. He had wanted to stay by her side, but with Uncle Snap staying, we agreed that I’d be his anchor, while Uncle was Inez’s anchor, in keeping him grounded away from the drugs; and he with Monty would be my protection at my meeting. We all were dressed in our finest. Shanelle wore a light blue sheer, flowing dress with a large diamond on her left hand. Her hair was in twisted braids that rested over her shoulder, while I wore a light gray suit with a touch of blue that matched Shanelle.

  We all had just left the stairs of Escadaria Selarón. The memory of it made me feel mad good. Shanelle stood poised on the colorful mosaic stairway as if she were a straight-up model or queen. She flowed down those stairs coming toward me. By my side, watching with me were Cory and Monty. We looked like royal warriors in wait. Shanelle’s simple yet elegant dress flowed behind her, lightly lifting in the gentle breeze, as she was led down to me by Trey. Light washed over her, framing her as if she were an angel, and I felt Mama’s presence in that moment. Once she took my hand, we turned to stand in front of an older brotha with a white beard as we were married in front of half of our family. We decided after everything to hold a second ceremony back home once we returned.

  Shanelle’s peaceful smile and the way she looked in her dress basking in the sunlight danced across my mind in memory. It made me warmly smile. I briefly looked toward her, only to look away and return to my plans for the meeting. The location was set up by Jai, who rode in the front with Trey. We made sure to set the meeting up in several different locations around Rio, with only one true meeting place. Amen and Cintia Gallo would be brought to me, instead of me meeting them. Which was the case as we finally all sat in a glass modern-style house that overlooked the beautiful hills and mountains of Brazil.

  Amen and Cintia were lead in by Monty and Trey, along with two of our Forty Thieves. I glanced at Shanelle, who sat center with me, then at Cory, who lounged back with a glass of black liquid. I knew he was focused on protecting me, so I was good to fall into my role. Standing from my seat on a long white couch I then held out a hand, motioning for the couple to sit.

  “We welcome you to Brazil,” Amen said while walking up to me, grinning wide. Brotha strolled in like a king. His huge, fluffy ponytail fro bounced behind him. He wore a fly suit with an African motif in the colors of Brazil while his wife seemed to step from the pages of the Nigerian Vogue. Her beauty had me watching her hard, especially how she walked in like a queen herself. She smiled my way, as her husband took my hand then shook it. I watched him turn it to kiss my ring; then Cintia followed suit.

  Both greeted everyone who watched them. To the far left of me sat Jai, along with Lucky as a second representative of the Syndicate. To the far right sat Nighthawk. Both had covered my ass out there in the battle and this was my way of giving thanks, and proof that I could handle leading the Syndicate. Amen and Cintia then elegantly took their seats, and I stepped back to take mine. Once I sat, I nodded. Monty and Trey disappeared then came back with large sheet-covered steel drums. They set them down in front of the couple with their gloved hands, removed the sheet, reached in, and pulled out two Plexiglas jars. They then stepped back.

  Cintia gasped and looked away. “I can’t.”

  “Forgive my wife. She has a soft constitution with this nature of the business,” Amen said while glancing at the floating heads in the jars. “So here he is and his accomplice.”

  “Fair exchange has been held. At this point, I now want something from you,” I calmly stated, then sat forward.

  “But of course. I’m listening,” Amen said, looking my way.

  Hand sliding in my pocket, I pulled out my cell, flipping it against my palm while holding it. “It’s come to my attention that, in this battle, both of our families made our business affairs difficult. Betrayals ran on both sides of the fence; however, yours ran just a little deeper.”

  As soon as those words left my mouth, both Amen and Cintia were snatched by their hair, necks exposed, with blades pressing to them.

  Leisurely, brushing my pants off as I rose up to stand, I played with my cell, flipping it with one hand then hitting play. Anticipation was everything. Voices immediately started and my conversation with Elias played back for Amen and Cintia to hear. In it was his reveal of his mother aiming to take over the Syndicate and him following in on the plan.

  “Wait! We have no part in that. On my life, and on my bloods’ blood.” Amen held his hands up.

  “My husband came in to stop the corruption that was flowing through the family business. Like you, Javon, he was tired of the blind egos that were destroying the positive in the old ways. He is fresh blood. We are the new age. Please. We aren’t here to take from you, but we are here to build with you,” Cintia spoke up, pleading.

  Amen held his hands up and locked his gaze on me. Brotha showed slight fear but he also showed the steely look of someone not to fuck with but who was also honorable. I respected that. So I listened as he spoke.

  “She is right. We are here to keep the São Africana intact and at the table that honored us in giving us our mother’s seat. Our city is at war because of her machinations. This has made us lose too much equity, and too many allies. Let us prove our worth,” he continued. “We are not Elias. We pride ourselves in being honorable and dependable. We don’t roll around in bullshit.”

  I rubbed my jaw, then sat back down. I leaned to listen to my brother whisper in my ear; then I flashed a smile. He really didn’t say shit. It was just an intimidation move on his part that I played along with. Resting my arm against the back of the couch, I laid my finger against my temple then glanced at them.

  “This is what you owe then. Fifty percent of your shares with the Japanese Yakuzas in distributing Ink in Japan is now cut in half, to fifteen percent profit of anything they do in Brazil. They now do business with me.”

  Amen’s hands fisted then he gave a nod.

  “This is for an intermediary period and I’ll be up front with you. This is just a slap on the hand. I’ll revert it once your people can all be trusted.”

  Keeping a steady gaze on the couple, I continued, “As a result, your distribution shares to France, Spain, Portugal, and the Islands, all of those stocks will be divvied up to each of the members in the Syndicate. Once this penalty expires, you’ll have your shares and your voting rights back.”

  Cintia looked my way in shock. “This will break us!”

  Amen laid a hand on his wife’s lap, took her hand, and kissed the back of it. He shook his head and spoke softly to her. “No. This is how it goes. If we are good, then we will buffer this and not break.”

  “Exactly,” was all I said.

  “How long will this be?” Amen asked, returning his attention to me. Brotha was angry, but I could see that he understood it. Even if he didn’t, I’d kill him if he fought against this.

  “Don’t worry about the length. This is about what you all can do as my pipeline. If this helps you all shape up, then focus on that. You’ll know with the ban is lifted and when you have the right to offer any suggestions to the table.”

  The couple sat in silence as I stood. “We can give you time to think. I’m not fond of ultimatums and the fact that you told me to bring you the head of my sister disgusts me. However, I tolerated it. Respect at the table is earned and this is me showing that; however, I’m not a motherfucker to be played with. So, I chose to be diplomatic and show you that in the nicest of ways. I mean, I could just wipe you all out and end it here, but I picked you both for a reason to take over.”

  Stepping in front of them, I offered my hand. “We believe in reviving the Syndicate. If you can do that, and keep it one hundred percent with me at all times, then we all will gain and grow. Understand?”

  Amen took my hand in a business grasp and nodded. “Fair exchange.”

  “And strong unity,” Cintia added as she stood and smoothed a hand down her dress.

  “Exactly,” I said while shaking Amen’s hand.

  “Then, my friend,” Amen added, “we’ll accept this punishment as is and take the heads of our enemies as trophies. Now we’ll show you all our city and move on from this unfortunate issue.”

  Our time in Brazil was good. We learned who killed our mother and we watched as Amen and Cintia burned our adversaries’ heads like coal. The spirit of loss, love, and family was tested greatly, but in the end, we became what Mama wanted us to be: our own Syndicate. Our own unit. Even though we were still healing up from the fractures, we learned to never ever stay broken. Or, life would shoot us in the pinky toe, as Mama would always say.

 

 

  Brick, The Syndicate 2

 

 

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