Abruptly hanging up, I soon got another text, this one saying my brothers had survived and were out, currently being picked up by Javon. My mouth dropped and I screamed silently in my mouth. This was not going to be good. They should have been snuffed out quickly in jail. I tried to help them out, really I did, but now it was just going to get worse. Almir was missing, and soon . . .

  Elias would find out and, once that happened, his plan for Mama was going to extend to the whole family, me included. My pussy was good, but just not that good to continue manipulating Elias.

  Chapter 11

  Shanelle

  “I’m going to ask you one more time. I got all night. I ain’t got shit to do. Nobody knows where you at right now. I got all these toys to play with, too.”

  Uncle Snap had a sullen look on his face but it was mixed with something else, something akin to calm. He had been methodical in everything he had done and, yet, the man hadn’t talked. Uncle didn’t seem to be tired or annoyed, though. The place was eerily quiet. Not even the man’s whimpers could cut through the silence.

  Uncle had pulled a pair of jumper cables from the bag. They were attached to the man’s pinkish-brown nuts. Blood, sweat, and piss trickled down the golden attachments as the sharp ends cut into the sensitive skin of his testicles. Snap hadn’t even used them to the full extent yet. The sad part about the whole thing was that Uncle Snap would let the man rest and then, just when he thought it was over, Uncle would start up again. There was something similar to a car battery sitting on the rickety, old table that the other end of the jumper cables were attached to.

  “Now, who sent you and why?” Uncle asked again as he circled the man.

  Razor blades protruded from the man’s back. Sewing needles, big and small, had been stuck into his chest, hundreds of them. A needle prick by itself may have been something to sneeze at, but hundreds of needle pricks was something else altogether.

  I was tired, sweaty, and nauseous. Not to mention I wanted to get home and see my brothers. I had so much to tell Javon, too.

  “You may as well kill me,” the man barely managed to get out, his Brazilian accent heavy.

  “Y’all came all the way from Brazil to cut my woman down like a dog in the middle of the fucking street like she was nothing. Killing you would be all too easy.”

  Mucus-like slobber hung from the man’s bottom lip as he spoke. “Maybe, b . . . but ya won’t get shit else fra . . . from me.”

  A sinister smirk overtook Uncle’s features. “As you wish,” he said then turned to me. “Go home, baby girl. See about your brothers.”

  “But Ja—”

  “Go on home, Shanelle. I’ll be fine. Me and the hangman got lots to discuss. And, besides, I don’t want a lady to see me deep fry a man’s nuts. Go on. Javon and your brothers are going to need you.”

  For as much as I didn’t want to leave Uncle alone, I was no good to him in the state I was in. Not to mention my body was sore and tired. I was hoping like hell I hadn’t done too much to put my child in danger. I also noticed that the more the stuff with the Syndicate took over our lives, the less time Javon and I spent together. I missed him and had to wonder if we would ever be the same.

  I nodded then hugged the old man. “Call if you need me.”

  “I got some thieves in the front and out back. Go.”

  I headed out to a waiting car. I made sure I had ammo and plenty of guns before a lone Thief drove me home. I couldn’t wait to get in the house to see my brothers, more specifically Jojo. Since Mama had died, it seemed as if life had hit him the hardest.

  I could hear voices inside the house. All the lights were on and I could make out Javon’s shadow pacing back and forth in the window. Thieves were strategically placed around the house. Some pretended to be jogging. Some were even walking dogs, blending in so no one would suspect a thing. The sun had set and cast an orange and reddish glow across the sky. The temperature had dropped a bit more as well.

  I had just gotten out the car when Ms. Lily yelled across the street, “You gon’ tell Javon to get over here and take out my trash and help me move this stuff out my basement?”

  I put on a fake smile, turned, and waved. “Hi, Ms. Lily. I’ll remind him,” I said.

  “You do that, and tell him hurry up, too.”

  I gave a tight-lipped smile to keep from being disrespectful to the old lady. “Yes, ma’am.”

  I closed the door of the truck then headed inside. I couldn’t front like my paranoia didn’t have me looking over my shoulders, even with the added protection around. Before I could push the door open, Navy snatched it wide. My eyes watered and it was as if I hadn’t seen him in years as opposed to days. I hugged him so tight I was sure I damn near lifted him from the floor.

  “Oh, my God,” I whispered. I had more to say but couldn’t, not at that moment. I pulled back and looked at Navy. My smile and elation faded. “What the hell happened to your face?” I asked.

  He didn’t have time to answer because I saw Monty and then I rushed to him. He actually lifted me from the floor with his big, beefy ass. I laughed and cried at the same time. When he finally let me go, I took in the bruises on his face as well. He, too, looked as if he had been in a fight.

  “Where’s Jojo?” I asked, looking around.

  Javon had a despondent look on his face. “He’s in his room. Let him be,” Javon said.

  “Why? What happened? Somebody do something to him?” I asked. There was panic in my voice. If something had happened to Jojo while he was in jail, I wouldn’t be able to take it.

  “Tried to. But he killed two people before they could,” Navy said.

  The wild-eyed, doe-in-headlights look told of the sheer horror I felt. “He killed two people?” I asked. “Jojo?”

  “He ain’t have a choice, sis. I got attacked in the shower. By the time I’d taken those niggas down, I heard a ruckus in the dining hall, so I rushed in. Naked as fuck, but it was whatever. My brothers needed me. We handled business,” Monty said.

  “It was a setup. Wasn’t no guards or nothing,” Navy added. “One nigga had a shank but he dropped it. So Jojo picked it up. He put his back against the wall like we told him—”

  “Next thing we know, he was screaming and yelling, blood all over him and two bodies bleeding out at his feet. Guards came running then,” Monty said.

  Javon was shaking his head. “They released him, but he has to wear an ankle monitor. And that’s only because Jai was able to call in some favors. He murdered two people on camera, so in reality, he shouldn’t even be allowed to piss on his own.”

  “Didn’t Mama have people in the department?” I asked. “Can’t we do something to make this go away?”

  “Jai’s working on it,” he said. “But, for now, I’m glad they’re home. Glad Jojo’s safe.”

  “Anybody heard from Melissa?” Navy asked.

  “Yeah, I tried reaching her, but couldn’t. She didn’t pick up,” Monty said.

  “She texted me that she was stuck in traffic when I texted earlier. Told her you needed help. She said she couldn’t get to you,” Javon said.

  I gave Javon a look that told him I didn’t believe it, and I wouldn’t believe it until we talked to Melissa. Fate must have heard my thoughts because Melissa came rushing into the house. Her hair was wild and her eyes red. She was dressed in red leather pants. A sheer white top with a black bra underneath, thigh-high boots that sat four inches high, and a black leather jacket finished her ensemble.

  “I came as quick as I could,” she blurted out. “Oh, gosh! Navy! Monty! You’re home. Where’s Jojo?”

  “Where the fuck have you been?” I asked before anyone could answer her.

  “I’ve been . . . I was taking care of the club,” she answered.

  “Taking care of the club? Did you not know the family was in peril?”

  “I did, but I thought it would be a good idea not to let one of the top legal moneymaking businesses go to hell while trying to sort the other shit out.”

  “Are you out of your fucking mind?” I yelled. My anger wasn’t really about her not being around. Not all of it. It was more about the nagging voice in the back of my mind telling me my sister couldn’t be trusted. To think that hurt like hell. Melissa was my sister. Even though we had no blood relation, I loved her and Inez more than my words could ever tell. I didn’t like the feeling that my intuition was giving me.

  “Don’t talk to me like that, Nelle,” she said. She was blinking rapidly, rubbing the back of her neck like she was nervous.

  “Calm down, Shanelle,” Javon said.

  “Calm down my ass. Tell me why and how you disappeared so fast when the Feds got here,” I blurted out, completely forgetting that Javon had asked me not to go there.

  Melissa cleared her throat then started pacing a bit. “For your information, I was so damn scared when the doors came flying off the hinges that I rushed out of here through one of the secret passages. I figured one of us needed to make it out of here just in case so we could tell what happened.”

  “So you left the rest of us to fend for ourselves?” I yelled. “No matter what is going down, Melissa, we always, always have the family’s back. That’s the way it’s always been.”

  Her face turned red and she balled her lips. “Yeah, well, shit is different now, Nelle! We ain’t those same everyday kids no more. Mama’s gone and I’m scared as fuck that somebody is going to come back and finish us off because of who she was. Look at what happened to Cory and Inez,” she yelled. “Not everybody is bad ass like you so forgive the fuck out of me for being human.”

  I got in her face. “You think the rest of us aren’t scared? We lost Mama, Cory, and Inez in a matter of fucking days! Days, Melissa.” I slapped tears away from my eyes. “And we almost lost three more brothers because someone wants to take us out. You think your hurt and pain is more important than ours? Think your fear is more important than our lives? We’re all fucking scared.”

  “Don’t get in my face like that, Shanelle,” she warned me, then backed away. “I’m not scared of you.”

  “This ain’t about you being scared of me. You abandoned us.”

  “I looked out for us.”

  “Girl, bye. You looked out for yourself.”

  “Like you do?” she asked sassily. “Inez was right,” she said, shaking her head. “Her and Cory. If it isn’t about you or Javon, you don’t give a shit,” she spat, stepping closer to me.

  Although a part of me knew there was little truth to what she said, being that three of my siblings had voiced that opinion it was starting to weigh on me. Was it possible that I was the selfish, uncaring bitch they saw me as?

  “That’s enough,” Javon said. “Melissa, your absence has been felt. We had a crisis and you were nowhere to be found.”

  Melissa sighed and shook her head. “Should have known you would side with her, but anyway. Like I said, I was taking care of the club and I was scared. But I knew you and Uncle Snap would take care of it. I didn’t know I was needed until you texted me today.”

  Javon’s brows furrowed. “This isn’t about me taking anyone’s side. I’m worried for all of us and I’m trying like hell to make sure we don’t lose nobody else. I know shit has been hectic around here, but we all need to stay close, understand?”

  Melissa’s face was set in a tight scowl when she mumbled, “Understood.”

  For a moment, no one said anything, everyone lost in their own thoughts. Navy stood, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He was dressed in his wheat-colored Tims, some baggy black jeans, and a V-neck tan sweater. Monty had on a thick white T-shirt, some gray sweats, and a fresh pair of white Nike Air Force Ones. He stood with his hands in his pockets, watching me and Javon. His eyes lingered on Melissa like he knew something wasn’t right with her, too.

  “Tell me what you need me to do,” Monty said to Javon.

  “Yeah, me too,” Navy chimed in. He shrugged. “Shit got me anxious.”

  “For tonight, just chill. Get some rest. Uncle Snap is working on something right now that will help get us closer to who killed Mama and who’s gunning for us now. Tomorrow, we start anew. Start fresh.”

  “Can I go see my girl?” Monty asked.

  Javon shook his head. “No. Have her come here.”

  “That works,” Monty said with a wide grin as he took the stairs two at a time up to his room.

  “I’ll be in the bunker,” Navy said.

  “I need to get back to the club,” Melissa spat.

  She cut her eyes at me before looking back at Javon. I rolled my eyes and moved away from her. Javon nodded, giving her the okay.

  Once we were alone, Javon turned to face the wall. His eyes were on Mama’s smiling face above the fireplace mantel.

  “Uncle Snap is still working on ol’ boy. He’s fucking him up badly,” I said.

  “As he should,” Javon responded.

  “I went to Georgia State today. That’s where all the leads led me. Jojo’s biggest clientele is out that way,” I said.

  Javon grunted. “And?”

  “Jojo has . . . Javon, Jojo has some grown-ass college bitch pregnant,” I blurted out.

  Javon got statue still. He turned around so slowly you would have thought he was a mannequin. His eyes were wide and he didn’t blink. “Say what?” he said, his voice low and thick with tension.

  I repeated my original statement. “And, on top of that, apparently Melissa told her not to talk to me.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know. And she mentioned some black lady came around asking about Jojo right before he got arrested.”

  Javon said nothing. He ran a hand down his face then took a seat in the chair across from the fireplace. For a long while, he just sat there, stoic, hands clasped in his lap. I actually thought he had forgotten I was in the room.

  “Baby—”

  He held up his hand to cut me off. “Not right now, Shanelle. Let me think.”

  I wanted to tell him that we needed to keep moving. Tell him we didn’t have time to think. Tell him that we needed to keep combing the streets because I could guarantee our enemies weren’t sleeping. But I didn’t. He looked as tired as I felt. So I left him in his thoughts. I headed upstairs to Mama’s room.

  As soon as I walked into the warmth of her room, it was almost as if Mama were there. I swore I could smell that sweet, flowery scent that she always wore. I took a seat on the side of the bed and held my head in my hands. It seemed as if the hits would never stop coming. I had a good mind to tell Javon to fuck all this shit. We could just take all the money, grab the rest of our siblings, and just run the fuck away.

  But I knew we couldn’t do that. Now that Javon had taken over the Syndicate, there was nowhere we could run and hide peacefully. I stood so I could take my clothes off, and I felt sick. I rushed into the bathroom and emptied my stomach. Not a lot came up since I hadn’t eaten much. After a while, only green bile came up. By the time I was done, I had to sit on the floor to pull my clothes off, then crawl to the tub to get in the shower.

  The hot water felt so good against my sore muscles. I sat there for I didn’t know how long. So much was on my mind that I wasn’t sure if I was going or coming. What the fuck else could come at us? Life was coming like a freight train. There was no more corporate Shanelle and Javon. No more med student Inez. No more law student Cory. I wasn’t even sure if Jojo could go back to school. He was still a senior and Mama would cry in her grave if she knew he didn’t finish high school.

  She went out of her way to make sure we all got good educations. Something had to be done. There was no way we could allow all Mama had worked for to go down the drain.

  Chapter 12

  Elias

  I was pretty much sick of dealing with the fuckups. Melissa was working my fucking nerves, eh. I used to be a part of the São Africana faction out of Brazil. But shit happens, eh? Sim, yeah, shit happened. A year ago I met a beautiful white American bitch who had a thing for black cock, no matter what diaspora it came from.

  I hadn’t been in beautiful pink pussy in so long, e estou morrendo de saudades. I was dying of that longing feeling. I chuckled at my own bullshit. Nah. I’d picked her out. She was easy prey. I knew I had no chance with the two black bitches Claudette had for daughters. During my time studying them, they always walked around like the world belonged to them, sim. Typical black American bitch shit. Most of the dark-skinned bitches back home knew how to remain humble. Those bitches were at the bottom of the totem pole and they knew it. It was nothing to get them to do shit because of that.

  It was opposite with Melissa and her sisters. I mean, don’t get me wrong, Melissa was confident, but in the wrong shit. She was confident that as a darker-skinned black man I’d be falling all over myself to have a piece of her. She was right in a sense. Que lindeza! What prettiness she was with her big, round ass like a black woman with hips, and tits to match. I guessed growing up around all that color had rubbed off on her.

  That was neither here nor there. Getting into her head was easy, especially since she was a little jealous of her sisters and money hungry. So much so that she had gotten herself into debt with me. I smiled while looking at my nakedness in the floor-to-ceiling mirror in my Buckhead mansion. Standing at six foot four inches—I was tall and lean with muscles in places there shouldn’t be muscles—I looked like the Afro-Brazilian god I was. My thighs were powerful. I flexed them and watched the muscles coil underneath my skin. Thick black wavy hair fell down to my shoulders. My light brown eyes made most women fall under my spell in no time. My abs constricted as I stroked my thick dick. I loved me. I couldn’t help it.

  The door to my bedroom suite opened. My love affair with my looks was placed on hold as I turned to face my intruder. “You find Almir?” I asked her.

  “I think my uncle has him,” Melissa answered.

  “How do you know?”

  “When I was leaving, I heard Shanelle tell Javon Uncle had someone, working them over.”

  I gave her a slow blink, a blank look. “He’s of no more use to us. Do you know where your uncle is holding him?”