Sutton

04. Monster

"Good," Bryce answered. "We're handling this situation for you, but this is it."

"What do you mean this is it?" Chris asked.

Shawn smirked at the boy. He couldn't be that dense. "Seriously? You've potentially caused a war with the untouchable, and we don't have the power to protect ourselves and our men from him. You thought you were going to come up with this situation, but you're only putting a target on the wrong people. Luckily for you, you told us before news got out. We're handling that part, but after this? Our business is done. We'll forever protect this secret, but we can't protect you from anything to come after this. You're on your own."

Angrily, Chris laughed. Never in his life did he think he'd have a meeting where he was basically being dropped from the team that his father worked hard to secure. His father sought out the protection and partnership from Carter, and for his sons to come along and destroy that was bullshit. "Are you fuckin' kiddin' me?"

"Nah," Shawn responded. "We're not." He didn't care for the boy's attitude. In his eyes, the boy made a big mistake and ruined everything that his father ever worked hard for. It was something that his father always told them – one little mistake could cost you everything. Christopher made the worst mistake of the streets by killing G's only son.

"So y'all just gone leave me out to dry? What about my product? Y'all my connect!"

"Not anymore, young blood," Bryce answered without a hint of emotion in his voice. "Look at it from our point of view. Your reckless behavior caused something that could possibly knock out our whole operation. Use this as a lesson, aight?"

Angrily, Chris left the table. The three brothers watched as he stormed out, but neither of them bothered to move from their positions. They didn't have to do so. Chris had made the mistake, not them.

"Y'all talked to Pops?" Michael asked.

Shawn shook his head. He rarely talked to his father unless it had something to do with business. They never had that father and son relationship that he longed for, so he never bothered. Bryce, on the other hand, was lucky enough to have those talks with their father. The two of them grew closer and the family business only brought them closer. Michael was the same way. They had things in common, and with Carter wanting to make sure that Michael remained out of jail, they had several sit downs.

"I'll go by and talk to him. But I gotta go," Bryce announced. He left a wad on the table and left the restaurant. Shawn laughed a bit and followed his brother, knowing that Michael was close behind him.

"What you finna do, man?" Michael asked Shawn once they made it outside. Shawn thought about the question for a moment. He really didn't know.

It wasn't until he remembered the girl from the dealership. "I'm gonna go talk to this girl."

"A girl?" His brother's amusement caused him to laugh.

"Yes, a girl. We'll see how everything goes. You stay outta trouble, though."

Michael nodded before walking off to his vehicle. Shawn did the same and headed to his house. He needed to get the woman's number from his receptionist.

Restless, Clifford pulled himself away from his car and headed up to his three bedroom condo. He'd been out all night handling his business. The street life for a kingpin was much different from that of someone in the mafia, like the Knowles and the Carters. Yes, they dabbled into his work, but there was never a threat of him losing business. With his dealings outside of illicit business, Clifford was making well enough money to suffice without the drug world. Pressing the top floor's button on the elevator, he watched it close shut. Nothing ever happened in his residence, and he was thankful for that. The rule of the streets was to never let them know where you rested your head or who you rested with. Because of this, Clifford showed no attachment to no one. He didn't frequent his mother's house like he used to, because if anyone ever put a target on her, it was to be a war that wouldn't cease until he was satisfied.