She tried to look past his shoulder but Javon was much too tall for her to do so. “Fine then. Don’t take too long. I need it to be moved immediately.”

  Before Javon could respond, the old woman walked off. Ms. Lily may have looked like she was hours away from death, but she moved with the agility of a woman much younger.

  “Nobody got time for that crazy old woman,” Uncle Snap said. “Shit, she walked all the way across the street, past the trashcan to ask you to come take out her trash?” Uncle shook his head. “Don’t know why Mama was nice to the gotdamn Nazi,” he fussed while on his way up the stairs.

  Javon slowly closed the front door. I sighed. I was drained, tired, mentally and physically. I looked around at the mess that had been made and I shook my head. The Feds had torn Mama’s place to shreds. It would take me days to clean it. May as well start now, I thought while Javon paced the floor.

  Chapter 3

  Uncle Snap

  No one man should have all that power . . .

  I kept thinking that as I undressed. The day had been long. Javon was a made man. He had given the Commission a seat at the table of the Syndicate. Who in their right fucking minds would go up against Javon now? He had come in knowing nothing and, in a matter of days, turned the game on its head.

  Of course, the streets would be talking. Of course, men would want to know how a boy not even twenty-five yet had managed to do what no man had before. Mama would be proud. That I was sure of. But I had to wonder how much more the kids had to lose on the journey to greatness. Losing Cory and Inez was like a blow to the heart after losing Mama. I couldn’t afford to lose anyone else or my heart would give out on me. We had to get Jojo, Monty, and Navy up out of that jail.

  I plopped down on the bed in the room I had been sleeping in and picked up Mama’s picture. “Did you know what Jojo was doing, Claudette? I know shit like that wasn’t going down right under your nose and you didn’t know about it. You had been protecting that boy, hadn’t you?”

  I didn’t know why I was talking to her. She wouldn’t answer me, that I knew. But I still missed her like hell. I also knew my woman. I’d bet money she knew what her baby boy had been up to.

  Wasn’t no need in crying over spilled milk. We had work to do. I showered and dressed comfortably. By the time I made it back downstairs, Shanelle had made a dent in most of the mess left behind by the Feds.

  “Where is he?” I asked her.

  She nodded toward the fireplace, which meant he was in the secret bunker that they’d found out about the day of Mama’s funeral. It was where they had learned that Claudette was more than just their foster mother.

  I thanked her then made my way down. Javon was standing in front of the monitors, watching parts of the city like the leader he was. Nephew was deep in thought. Wide-legged stance with his hand up to his chin.

  “I know you ain’t in the mind frame to talk business right now, but we have to,” I said.

  He didn’t say anything. He simply nodded.

  “I think you’ve pretty much put the Irish in their place, but that doesn’t mean they won’t keep coming. Also, the Russians, the Romanians—”

  “Anybody who step to us wrong at this point will be met with violence like they’ve never seen. I no longer plan to coddle or negotiate with anyone. If you come for me, you will be dealt with,” he said.

  I couldn’t even argue with nephew there. Clearly, he wasn’t the boy he had been just weeks before. Life had come in that quickly and hardened him even more than he already was.

  I nodded. “All right, nephew.”

  Javon kept watching the cameras then turned to me. “I’m angry, Unc. No matter what I do, I can’t quell this anger, this rage, inside of me.”

  “You need to grieve, Javon. Ain’t seen you shed a tear since Mama died. Ain’t even seen your eyes water for Cory and Inez,” I said.

  “Ain’t gon’ be able to do that until I find out who killed Mama. Up to this point, I’ve done everything she wanted me to do. I’ve rearranged the Syndicate, solidified my place at the head of the table, and kept all pipelines clear with suppliers still in place. Now I’m doing me. I’m going to find out who pulled that trigger. After finding out who she was and the fact that she knew somebody was aiming at her, I need to know who did it and I need them to suffer.”

  Chapter 4

  Melissa

  “Oh, my God!” ripped from my lips as I clutched my cell, texting Uncle Snap an SOS while panicking.

  I was shaking. My heart was slamming in my chest, rising in my throat, making it hard to swallow or breathe. That was how out of sorts I was. Tears rimmed my eyes, and it felt entirely too hot for me; but that was the point. I had to keep the heat off me. That’s the least that I could do in a fucked-up situation that had to happen.

  There was no regret; though, there was shame for what I had just done. I slowly stood up then caught my reflection in the full-length mirror in front of me. Smoothing the flyaway hair sticking to my plump lower lip, I licked my lips and took in my looks as I heard Mama’s comforting voice in my mind.

  “Don’t you ever let others take what is yours to give freely.”

  Five ten with a body slim yet thick and curvy thanks to growing up in a home that fed me right, I had a figure that made many of the bad bitches in Atlanta and in my neighborhood envy me. Running my hand over the black sweater jacket I wore, I unzipped it and glanced at my perfect, perky breasts. I was cream and honey, so I was told many times by the niggas I fucked and let pay me how I was taught to do. Turning, I glanced at my plump ass, never knowing where I really got that shit from, but thankful for the squat practices Shanelle taught me.

  No matter where I went, I profited off the privilege of my beauty. Naturally, I had black hair, and dark features for a white girl. But once I dyed it blond, it was like if I wanted the world, it would fall in my hands. Niggas called me Amber Rose because of my physique, and at one time I almost took this gift of mine to the club to dance for Magic City. But, I opted not to once I met a rich African motherfucker who liked to lick me from my lips to my pussy and ass. He loved the sex I could give him, which kept me decked out in money, and which allowed me to take my gifts for manipulating money and numbers to school for accounting.

  Money was my addiction and living the good life my cocaine. That’s why I ran. I couldn’t risk being caught up in the bullshit of my family. Well, not the getting locked up part. I was too pretty for all of that and I had sugar daddies to think of, because had I gotten snatched up, it could have messed up my whole game.

  Walking around the club I was now an owner of, thanks to my big brother Javon’s quick thinking since Mama initiated us all in the crime world, I undressed quickly, feeling disgusted in the quiet corners of my mind. Silencing my conscience, I showered in my office, oiled up, pulled on a flesh-tone bandage dress and gold stilettos, and fixed my silky hair.

  Once I flipped on the power to the club for my staff coming in soon, automatic music began thumping, as I heard, “‘Smoke a li’l bit/Pop a li’l bit/Aye get fucked up.’”

  My cell vibrated in my hand, while I made sure my Glock and blade were hidden in my purse; and I grabbed the keys to my cherry red Lexus. I couldn’t let none of the family find me off bat. I didn’t have time for the drama. First there was Mama, then stupid-ass Inez and Cory still playing the “needing attention” card to the point that they both were killed. Pausing in my thoughts, I fixed my face with my makeup, then posed for my camera, posting it on IG. I loved them both, don’t get me wrong, but it hurt too much to think that they were dead now because they had to be so chaotic.

  Then there was Jojo. I had no words on that except that, like Mama said, “Sometimes, it takes being bitten for you not to mess with a garden snake.”

  Either way, I could only do what I could in that moment: leave Uncle Snap a message, and run. Besides, I had an appointment to keep. This pussy was hot. I had a meeting with a Brazilian and I had money to cop. Family could wait until later.

  Swiping right on my cell, I gave a light, flirty answer in Brazilian Portuguese, “Foi mal xodó! I’m sorry, boo. I’m a little late, but I’m on my way . . . and, yes, it was handled as promised.”

  Chapter 5

  Javon

  A cool breeze kissed my face while I watched Melissa’s club from across the street through my cracked tinted window. Knuckles to my chin and lips, I kept watch while my Forty Thieves also did what they did: stay hidden and observe from their own posts. Shanelle had explained that Melissa was acting shady and had run off as soon as the heat came. How that went down, it didn’t sit well in my stomach. I knew Melissa was a different breed even as kids, due to her addiction to sex and using her body to get whatever she wanted when she needed it.

  Even as a kid, I understood that either Melissa had had something bad happen to her or she had seen some shit that triggered her behavior and desire. But, I never judged her for that or saw her differently, because if you were a kid in the street and from the hood like me, nine times out of ten every young girl in the area had something sexual attempted, done to them, or they’d seen it too many times to count. Fucked up as it was, that’s just how it was and no one was protecting us from that reality so we just lived through it. Melissa was that type of case, until Mama fostered her at ten.

  When she hit puberty hard, Cory and I had to deal with her walking naked from time to time around the house when she was sixteen, until Mama and Shanelle got in her ass about it, thankfully. After that, there were the little niggas of all races trying to run up and through her; then Mama had to set her right on that shit, too, and help her gauge her sexuality in a healthy way. I tried not to get too involved in hearing what was taught, but Mama always made sure that what she taught the girls she also taught us boys.

  Mama and the girls had a close relationship. When she died, I tried my best to keep an eye on all of them but, of course, I failed at that.

  Sharply exhaling, I rapped my knuckle on the window of my ride. “She’s not here. Head to Southlake.”

  Cars zipped past on the highway. I quietly sat with my legs wide while smoke curled from my lips as I took hits from my cigar in thought. Uncle Snap was to the right of me with Shanelle next to him.. She originally had to work, but she called off due to our brothers being jailed. I studied her: legs crossed, showing her bare thigh from the white dress shorts she wore. In her hand was her cell, which she was clicking on with her dark purple abstract-tipped nails. Her hair was smoothed back into a big pillow bun at her nape, and her hooped diamond earrings danced against the curve of her baby face.

  “What is she saying?” I asked Shanelle in reference to Jai, our family lawyer.

  “She said it was difficult, but she managed to get what we needed,” Shanelle explained.

  “Did she make a copy?” Uncle Snap questioned from the rim of his mason glass, finishing off the liquid in it, then setting it to the side. He smoothed his hand down his vest then glanced our way with questions in his eyes.

  “Yes, sir, like you suggested. Do you think we’ll find anything extra?” she asked.

  Exhaling, Uncle Snap slumped his shoulders. “I do hope so. Worked hard to get it—”

  “Most importantly, how is expanding our hold on the cops going?” I asked, interrupting.

  “Inside is my connect. He is carefully rising through the ranks as best he can, considering how busy it is in there and the fact that all eyes are on us,” Uncle Snap explained, watching me. “I’m also extending our pull to the upper rungs, and working carefully in recruiting the big hitters, like at least a couple in the Feds to cover our asses, nephew.”

  This was good. Uncle Snap upheld his part and we were making moves in trying to make sure that we were never surprised again by another raid.

  “Whatever you can do is what’s important. If it’s going to take time just to smoothly get our footing, then do that, but don’t sleep on it.”

  I looked up to hear Shanelle say, “I suggest you pull money from any cop departments that we’re paying and let them feel that sting. Once they understand the power we are pulling, they’ll get in line and pull in ranks, while effectively recruiting people who will do whatever we ask of them. It’s simple supply and demand, and HR tactile results.” Baby girl shrugged her shoulders as if what she said was simple logic; then she put her cell up to her ear.

  “What she said makes sense, nephew. Don’t want the pigs to continue to get too fat, then they’ll stop being compliant and become sloppy.”

  Glancing at Uncle Snap, who sat chuckling, I gave a head nod while our driver parked our ride.

  Chilling in our ride, we all sat in a partially full parking lot of a mall. Behind us were empty restaurant buildings, some being renovated for new businesses, and others empty thanks to the lack of patrons. Minimal cars drove past, which was nothing to worry about in our case of why we were here, because it kept what we doing low-key and without awareness.

  “All right, do that, and monitor it, Uncle. Let them understand that this is also punishment for not giving suitable warning about the raid.” I leaned then pushed open the door of our ride. “Mama never had work cross with the home life and we need to keep that going; otherwise, our image will only become worse.”

  Shanelle popped up then slid over and moved to my side.

  “Don’t know why you telling me that, nephew. I already know. It’s now up to you and the kids to remember that.” Snap chuckled. He leaned out and held his hand to the outside. Several plastic bags rustled around and I noticed that there were piles of books within.

  Attached to those bags was Jai. She glanced around the car, and pointed ahead of her. “Open the door on the other side too, please,” she said.

  I watched her climb in, while I reached behind me to open the door. My brow rose as I assessed Jai. She was dressed casually in dark jeans, and a white blazer. Jai, I could tell, was close to our age but older. Part of me was interested in learning how Mama knew her, but I put that on hold to look at the brotha with the streamlined goatee and bald head climbing in after her.

  Immediately, my Glock rested against his temple as he got his bearings. Reassessing my surroundings, I realized that he had been on the bike parked near a car covered in advertising by one of the shops on the strip. He was dressed in a leather jacket.

  Uncle Snap immediately checked his body, and ran a bug machine over the brother. He reached down to pull the dude’s boots off, then continued his check before sitting back.

  “He’s with me, Javon. You can put the gun away,” Jai quickly spat out, holding her hands up.

  I gave her a cold glance then slowly put my Glock away while my uncle continued his search.

  “Clear, like he had better be,” Uncle Snap said, giving the brother a look before flashing a smile. “How you doing, nephew? Glad you made it.”

  Jai gave a gentle chuckle then set her bags down. “Trey, I can’t believe you let him take your boots off.”

  I watched in clear confusion; then it hit me who Trey was. “Oh, shit! Cousin Tremaine?” I queried.

  “Wondered if you’d recall my face, fam. It has been a long time.” Trey extended a hand and we shook like back in the day with a flick of our hands, thumbs locking and fingers extending like wings as we slid them up and down, then pulled each other in for a shoulder bump.

  “Damn, it has been. Never thought you’d turn into a cop,” I said.

  At that moment, Shanelle set her cell down and flew across the car to hug Trey with a huge smile. “Where have you been?” she asked.

  Settling back, Trey gave Shanelle a fist dap, like they used to do when we were younger, before speaking up. “Undercover working and making sure nothing I did ever linked back to my involvement with the family,” he explained, showing us his badge. “As you see, I’m one of your inside men at the district.”

  See, Tremaine was Uncle Snap’s only surviving relative. For a brief time, he stayed with us at Mama’s until he was sixteen. That was, until he mysteriously moved to Memphis then Chicago. None of us kids had heard from him after, but I was sure Mama and Uncle Snap did. Damn, I never knew that he turned into the law.

  “Did you bring it?” Uncle Snap asked, his tone turning solemn.

  “That I did.” Reaching in his jacket, he pulled out a flash drive and held it out. “Jai used her pull to get a hold of the surveillance video of Mama’s murder to view it, then passed it to me.”

  Jai gave a slick smile then rested her hands over her crossed legs. “If there’s information, I’ll find it and lay out the facts as best I can, by any means necessary. Bastards were trying all types of means to block me from viewing it, but thanks to young Jojo’s case, I was able to argue that it was important to his case.”

  “Is he okay, by the way?” Shanelle asked. “He’s too young being in there.”

  “Naveen and Monty are both protecting him for the time being,” Jai said, looking toward Shanelle. “I was able to use our resources to move them together. So, for now he’s safe and untouched by the cops and others.”

  “Oh, thank God,” Shanelle whispered then sat back.

  Jai gave a light nod. “Agreed. I want them all out of there, but for now they are safe. Now, to some unrelated news. We have an issue that needs to be addressed with the Syndicate.”

  “Which is?”

  Glancing at me, Jai reached in her bags and pulled out a black zipper folder, then pulled out pictures and paperwork. “Apparently, we had rights to a new drug coming out of Brazil.”

  “Ah, yeah, Ink. The black cocaine pipeline is compromised?”

  Jai frowned and nodded. “I received your requests for them to change out the shipment and place it in dry erase markers with usable marker tips, but as we made moves to do so, the product was seized by a rival, which has caused us to stop production.”

  Shit!

  A frown creased my face and I sat back in thought. Part of this new product had been in Mama’s notes. She had explained that the demand for black cocaine had been something she was carefully working on. However, it had been difficult to manage since her informants in Brazil all said that it was being carefully controlled by another who really wanted nothing to do with the Syndicate.