The Doll Gang

19

"Really, Akil?" Carmen asked as she sat across from Gutter and his lawyer. Her parents left town three days ago. Valentino urged Carmen to fly back home to the West Coast with them, but of course she had to do things her way.

Gutter sat stoned faced.

All Carmen got was a blank stare. There was no way she expected Gutter to stay married to her after all the bullshit she pulled with her father.

"Hello," Carmen spat impatiently. She deserved a fair shot, at the very least an explanation. It was Gutter living the double life, not her.

"Man sign the papers," Gutter spat in annoyance. "I'm not about to play stupid games with you, you already know where that leads." He warned. Reminding Carmen of the deal her father made with the Diego brothers.

Gutter and his camp were off limits.

If anything was to happen to any of them, that was to be taken as an act of war and would be handled as such. The scary thing about it, Omar and Josiah had reach on the East and West coasts. To Valentino, this wasn't worth losing money or lives. He never believed Gutter was good enough for Carmen anyhow.

Tears welled up in Carmen's eyes as she eyed Gutter in contempt. In this moment, she hated him. This was not the man she married. How dare he treat her like nothing, like she isn't the reason he's the man he is today?  If Gutter thought it would be that easy, he didn't know Carmen at all.

"I'll tell you what I know, Gutter," Carmen spoke, tone laced with venom. "You have me fucked up on so many levels if you think this is going down like this. I have sacrificed for you! Went against my father, lied, stole, you name it! And this is where we are?"

Gutter huffed in frustration. This was the shit he hated. Carmen never stopped reminding Gutter that she put him in position to deal directly with Valentino. It's like she got off on thinking that would keep him around.

Carmen was sadly mistaken.

"Anything you've done, was some shit you wanted to do. I never asked you to do shit! That was your way of thinking you could keep me in your pocket. Didn't work too well for you now, did it? The worst thing you can do is beg someone to stay when they're telling you they want to leave. It looks desperate on your part. You and your father are always giving the little speech on who you are, show me. Cause if you were as bossed up as you say you are, what's the deal? You can't hold me hostage in a dead marriage." Gutter sat back in his seat, folding his arms across his chest. He didn't give a damn what Carmen was talking about.

Their relationship was dead long before Shyara stepped into the picture. They had nothing in common other than good sex. The reality of the situation was that Carmen trapped Gutter. She knew exactly what she was doing proposing when she did, in front of the crowd she did. She knew Gutter wouldn't embarrass her in front of her family.

"You never gave this marriage a chance!" Carmen's voice boomed as the floodgates opened. Mascara stained her cheeks as she made one last attempt at saving her marriage. "I'm just asking for a fair chance Akil, please?"

Gutter rolled his eyes up in his head in annoyance as he fought to contain his growing anger.

Looking over at his lawyer, Gutter spoke, "I'm done with this shit. My name is on the dotted line, whatever she does is on her." With that he exited the room.

Gutter had no time for the dumb shit. He wanted to close the chapter of his life that included Carmen and Valentino, and move on. No bad blood, no constant looking over his shoulder, Gutter just wanted to be done.

                             _____________

Serenity's heart thumped with anticipation as she held the envelope in her shaky hands. Anxiety crippled her as she began to fear what the results may read. Of course Jay constantly assured Serenity that no matter what the results read, he would raise the child as his own, but it was different to actually know. Serenity wouldn't fault Jay for walking away.