Monster
Chapter Four
August 8, 2012
The three brothers surrounded the table in the back of the crowded restaurant. It was one of their investments, and also where they could openly do business. No one looked their way in fear of having a target on their backs. The Carter boys didn't play when it came to their business. You had to mine your own. Cigar smoke filled their table as they watched the young brunette waitress come to deliver their drink requests, something they rarely did, in fear of being poisoned.
"Where this nigga at?" Michael spat, not caring that the waitress was in their vicinity with their drinks.
"Patience," Bryce scolded his youngest brother.
The waitress sat the drinks down with a sly smile at the three brothers. She knew who they were, and knew what their bank accounts looked like. She knew not to verbally flirt unless they started it, so using her body and facial expressions was enough.
"Patience?" Shawn questioned with attitude. "He fucks up and we're waiting on him? Since the fuck when, Bryce?" Today, they were to be meeting with Christopher King. He was the one responsible for the death of Kingston, but they were keeping that information sealed and making sure that no one knew what was happening between their camp. A war with G would never end up in their favor.
"Man, look, we not about to sit up here and make no scene for this nigga. He gone come in here and everythin' gone look like it's all good," Bryce informed him. He knew that his brothers were angry about the entire thing, but Bryce had everything under control. He'd already put out a word to the streets, and he was covering their empire from all circles.
The boys shook their heads and downed their drinks as Christopher walked into the restaurant, as if he hadn't kept the men waiting. He was on a high now that he'd killed an important figure on the streets. Whether Kingston had deservingly earned his stripes or not, it didn't matter. No one messed with G's children, and that was something that was known. G had the muscle and power to take out the entire city if he chose to. With policemen within his circle, you could be shot in broad daylight by one of them and have it justified.
"What's up?" Christopher greeted before sitting comfortably at the end of the table. He was all smiles whilst the brothers showcased their displeasure. There was nothing funny about the situation that they were in, and Christopher needed to be punished for what he'd done.
"What's up?" Michael asked. He sounded as though Christopher had insulted him with the greeting. "The sky up, nigga. The fuck yo-"
"Stop," Bryce stopped his brother. "Where you been, Chris?"
Christopher cut his eyes at the trigger happy brother before looking to the level headed one. Shawn was always the one that people overlooked. He never really made his presence known. Most people forgot that there was even a third brother. He didn't make any significant moves like his brothers did. Michael was known for several killings while Bryce was known for making big moves. Shawn, on the other hand, moved in silence.
"Handlin' business, man," Chris responded smoothly.
"What kind of business?" Bryce interrogated. "What's more important to you than this meeting? Some bitch?"
Nervously, Christopher laughed. He didn't like being in the hot seat, and the Carter boys were sweating him. He knew showing up late was a bad decision. "I apologize for my lateness."
Michael mean mugged the boy. "Have you been runnin' your mouth about what happened?"
"What? No!"
"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.
The doors opened and he checked around for a second. There was a stairway that always made him suspicious. Anyone could walk up it and run back down after gunning him down. It always amazed him how nothing happened when he lived across from the only Knowles girl in the game. Surely, someone was trying to take her down. Entering his condo, Clifford immediately knew that someone was inside. He never left his television on. The voice of Tony Montana blared throughout his condo. Cliff inched forward, and sighed once he realized exactly who it was.
"I won't ask how you got inside," Clifford started, "but did anyone see you?"
The man turned around with a smile on his face. Giovanni hadn't showed his face in New York in years. Everyone knew that he was around, but no one was smart enough to figure out where. He wasn't truly in hiding, but he didn't wish to be seen. He was like a thief in the night, but with recent events, he knew he had to shake things up a bit. "No," he answered.
Clifford nodded his head before going to the living room and sitting across from G. Clifford immediately saw G's gun sitting on the coffee table between the two men. In their organization, it was a sign of respect and peace. Cliff sighed before removing his weapon from his waistband and sitting it in front of him on the coffee. G and Clifford never had a problem with one another, so weapons weren't s huge fact. Clifford didn't have to tell the man to make himself at home. In G's eyes, everybody's home was his home. He broke into homes with ease and would wait for your arrival, not caring how long you took. "So, what's up, G? Haven't seen you in years."
Giovanni smiled proudly. He had trained Clifford during a stint in Atlanta, Georgia. When Clifford called him to inform him that his mother was removing him from the city and bringing him to New York, G knew that it was the perfect move for the both of them. With his help, Clifford was able to become the fourth most feared man in New York. Once G was sure that Clifford could sustain his takeover, he disappeared, but kept in touch with the boy. He was heard, but never seen. No one knew about Clifford and G working together.
"Have you heard the news?" Giovanni questioned him. His voice was menacing, and you could tell that his agenda was nothing but revenge.
Cliff sighed. "Yeah. I'm sorry about what happened."
G smirked. "Yeah. Me too. His sister is taking it harder than his mother," Giovanni went on. Giovanni had two children by a woman named Carla – Kingston and Kelia. Carla wasn't your average woman or mother. In her prime, she was the most beautiful woman on the block. The difference between her and other chicks with beauty was that she didn't flaunt it. She never wanted the attention, but Giovanni gave it to her. He handpicked her out of hundreds of women to father his children. Out of all the women that he'd slept with, Carla was the only one that could say that she had the children of Giovanni "G" White. Sadly for her, Giovanni wasn't in the children's lives, making Carla the laughing stock of the town. She couldn't boast about anything whilst she was struggling to raise two children on her own.
"They were close," Clifford told him. He'd seen King in passing, but never really spoke to him.
Giovanni nodded his head. "The streets are saying mixed things," he spoke. "I don't want to get the wrong person."
Cliff's ears perked up at that. He knew exactly what Giovanni was speaking of. G was known for being the precise in his targets. He'd get the shooters and leave everyone else alone. He didn't bother with family members. "Who have you heard?"
G shrugged. "Some are saying that King boy had something to do with it, but a name I'd never heard of keeps ringing out. All I know is that he's a part of the Knowles family."
"Whoa! What?"
"The little light skinned, trigger happy lil nigga. I heard about his dealings with King, and I knew it was bad news from the start. King wasn't equip to handle someone as powerful as him, and that Knowles boy knew that."
Clifford couldn't say whether or not Jermaine had anything to do with this. He had never spoken to the boy, but he did have a meeting with the Knowles family very soon. Out of everyone that was trying to get into his business, he was interested in Mathew's plan. The plan of protection didn't amuse Clifford, it was the loyalty and money that did. "How sure are you of this, G? I have a meeting with this family and I don't wanna step on no toes, especially yours."
"We have separate businesses," Giovanni assured him. He didn't wish to intrude on Clifford's business. When it came to this venture, he sought to do it on his own. It was his son that a funeral was being arranged for.
Clifford wearily looked to his mentor, hoping that he was making the right decision. Invading in G's business wasn't something anyone would dare to do. G wouldn't make a decision until he was absolutely sure that he was right about it.
"And you raced him?" Kelly asked her best friend as she tried to hold in her laughter. Beyoncé was telling her about the story of her and Shawn racing. They were in her office to work overtime on the line. It wasn't something that the two friends were shy of doing. When it came to business, these two worked fairly well together. If Bey couldn't count on anyone else, she knew that Kelly always had her back when it came to work. When it came to their friendship, Bey didn't give it her all, in fear that something would happen to Kelly.
"Hell yeah!" Bey practically yelled at her. "I don't back down from shiiit!"
"That's your problem," Kelly told her. "You need to start backing down from shit. You the type to whoop a nigga's ass cause he dared you."
"Sure would," Bey replied. She looked down to the designs that she had planned out on her desk. They were planning for to finally release the line in time for Bey's birthday, which meant that they really needed to stop playing and actually work. This line was something that Bey was banking on to get her out of the lifestyle that she was currently. The two friends fell into a comfortable silence, allowing Beyoncé to get into her thoughts. She wanted the friendship to be closer with Kelly, but she couldn't have that happen.
After her last friendship with Arlenis, Bey couldn't put anyone else or their families through that. Arlenis had been the only name on her profile, and when one of their missions backfired, Arlenis had been the target from their enemy, at the time. Bey remembered waking up in the middle night to several phone calls from Arlenis's mother. She was in tears, because she couldn't get in touch with Arlenis. At the time, Arlenis was busy working on her modeling, so Bey didn't immediately panic, but when several calls went unanswered, Bey made a visit to her house to find that she had, indeed, been taken. For several days, Bey had people looking out for her best friend. The streets were silent as far as the incident went, in fear that they could be the next target.
In a week's time, Bey woke up one morning to find out that her dead body had been found in a sewer hole. Her body had been abused and damaged. Police said that she'd been raped before she was killed. Bey felt like taking the city by a storm after that, but her father immediately dismissed that. "We're a family, and the family isn't affected by this," he told her. Those words had always haunted Bey. The family wasn't affected by Arlenis's murder, she was, and it would have been the same way if something happened to Kelly. Arlenis's mother never looked at Bey the same way because she didn't avenge her daughter's killers. In her eyes, they'd gotten off scot-free.
Arlenis's death sent a clear message to Beyoncé, but it wasn't the message that her enemies probably meant to send. It was clear to her – keep people off of her profile.
Her phone ringing erased all of her thoughts, and turn her attention to her caller ID. She didn't know the number by heart, but she'd recognized it due to it calling before. Frowning, Bey stood to her feet, excusing herself from the room. "Hello?"
"Bey?" The man's voice spoke through the phone.
"Who is this?" Bey questioned, before revealing her identity to the stranger on the other end of the phone. She'd heard the voice before, but she couldn't put a finger on it.
"Shawn from the car lot. You purchase –"
"Oh! Yeah," Bey interrupted. She knew what she had recently purchased, and she didn't need him speaking it over the phone. "Is there a problem?"
Shawn paused for a moment. "Not a problem, just calling to check up to make sure she's running well for you."
Bey smiled, knowing that there had to be another reason that he was calling. Normally, dealerships would send an automated email to ask how the car was holding up, not personally call at this time of night. "She's running well, Shawn."
"I also called to ask you out."
Bey laughed. "I figured."
"Is that a yes?" Shawn asked. When it came to a woman like Bey, he knew that they would make a good look. She walked into his dealership like a true boss would, and didn't leave without purchasing something expensive. When she came to pick up the car, she inspected it like she knew exactly what she was looking for. She wasn't the overly prissy woman, and he could tell that. It was something about the way that she carried herself in the moments that he saw her that let him know that she was a force to be reckoned with.
Bey thought for a moment. Would she be caught dead running around the streets with a car salesman? It was to her understanding that Shawn was the owner of the lot, but that didn't mean much to her. When she went to pick her car up, he made it a point to let her know that he was driving a black Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. The only way that he could have such a car was that something else was going on with him. Bey hadn't had the time to investigate the situation and with Kelly in her ear about being a normal person, she knew she shouldn't call someone to have them look into Shawn.
A part of their agreement from the race was a date. Shawn had to be the one to set it up, because Bey wasn't the one fazed about going out with him. To her, she felt that she was doing the man a favor. Being with him would upgrade whatever status he had in New York. "You won the race, of course it's a yes. I'm a woman of my word."
"Good. Thought you'd punk out."
"Never that, Shawn. Tell me about this date."
Bey listened attentively as Shawn talked about taking her out to a very nice restaurant in New York. It was neutral territory for her, so she was fine with that. They had it scheduled for tomorrow night, giving Bey time to plan whatever she needed to plan.
"Who was that?" Kelly nosily questioned her best friend when she entered back into the office.
"Shawn. We're going out tomorrow night."
"Ohh, where?"
"That's for me to know," Bey told with her a soft laugh.
Kelly shook her head. Bey was offered to go on several dates, but it was usually her choice whether she went on them or not. Kelly didn't understand how the twenty four year old was still single, especially since she was a great looking woman with her shit together. Granted, her family business made it hard for men to get to her, but her brothers had women easily, it was Bey that was usually stuck.
"Have you heard from Stephen lately?"
Bey immediately rolled her eyes at the name. "You know that fool had the audacity to wait for me in my garage?"
"Are you serious?"
"Yes! Talking about he just wanted to talk. What do we have to talk about, Kelly?"
"Not a damn thing," Kelly answered with a hint of anger. She hated Stephen with a passion. She'd seen how her best friend was so weak for that man, and for him to turn out fraudulent was a slap in the face. It was the first time Bey let anyone in, and he royally fucked that up for her. What man with kids and a wife had that much time on his hands that he could wine, dine, and fuck another woman out in the open? Where the hell was his wife?
"But the biggest problem was him putting his hands on me."
Kelly's eyes widened. No one dared.
"Like, really? I know you hate when I talk about this, but I was so ready to send that nigga to his maker."
Kelly hated whenever Bey began talking about her street life. Kelly knew what her friend did, but she didn't know the specifics, and didn't desire to know it. Bey kept her away from that lifestyle as much as possible, but sometimes, paths crossed.
"Just let him know that if he brings his ass around you again, you're letting his wife know. That'll scare his dumbass. Hate men like him," she mumbled. Kelly was a single, yet independent woman. She carried herself with confidence like no other. She was a classy woman. She knew what she wanted out of man and wouldn't settle for anything less. Kelly had turned down several men simply because of one problem, and she didn't care. When one man left, she knew another was right around the corner. Kelly had the mentality that Bey wished most women had – get your money before your men.
After leaving the office, Beyoncé went home. She needed to make sure that her mind was right for the next day's events. Before she got out of her car, she received a call from one of their men. She knew exactly what he was calling. Sighing, Bey answered the call.
"Where is he?" She asked the man on the other end of the receiver.
"Mama's," the man answered. Mama's was a small soul food restaurant in the heart of New York City. It was a place that you went to when you wanted to just chill. Everyone was like family there. The owner, Mama Jones, didn't play when it came to her place. You didn't bring your street beefs into her place. She was like the streets' mother, and no one dared to disrespect the elderly lady. Being in neutral territory, she was exempt from a lot, but her southern hospitality had won everyone over, daring anyone to mistreat the woman. Three months ago, she received her liquor license, and added it to her menu. Ever since then, Jermaine had been spending his nights there.
Often times, Bey would be the one to receive the call to pick him up, fearing that if her father found out, he'd have Jermaine's head. With Jasmine gone, there was no one to keep a watchful eye on Jermaine and the bottle. When things got too tough, liquor and weed consumed him. It wasn't anything to be wary about or the scream "rehab" over, but in these streets, you couldn't be vulnerable. Getting him out of the restaurant before closing was a mission Bey was willing to take.
With the location, she drove straight to it. Looking around the small, low income diner, she sighed heavily. He was sitting in the corner booth of the restaurant lighting a blunt while bottles of Corona were sprawled all over the table.
"Get up," Bey demanded sternly.
Jermaine looked at her and laughed a bit. "What'chu doin' here, Bey?"
Bey rolled her eyes at his drunken state. "To get you. Now, come on, Jermaine. I'm tired and you need to go."
Jermaine wasn't drunk to the point where he couldn't understand his sister. He knew what she'd come for and why. It wouldn't take an enemy long to get to him, especially if they studied his habits. It was Bey that told him numerous times to switch up his habits. "Niggas always schemin'," she spat at him.
The siblings exited the restaurant with Jermaine leaning on Bey. They had backup for the moment, so they were good to go. Bey practically threw him into the passenger and sped off. Her eyes scanned her rearview mirror several times to make sure that no one was following her. New York boys had a habit of waiting until you hit a traffic light to start blasting.
"I love you, Bey," Jermaine said once they were inside of Bey's house. She rolled her eyes and looked down to him. She hated that he couldn't just socially drink. He had to have his cake and eat it too.
Bey shook her head at him. "I love you, too, Jermaine. Now, can you please get out of those clothes and go to bed?" In her guest bedroom, he had clothes for the many times that he'd stay over whenever things got tough either in the streets or in his home. Bey never minded, as long as he cleaned after himself. She couldn't stand a dirty home.
"I'm not that drunk. Let's talk."
Bey rolled her eyes. "Talk about what?"
"Us being friends."
Bey laughed out. "We're not friends."
"Ohhh? You're denying me? Is it because I'm lighter than you? Are you hating?"
"Chile please! Your light skin is a problem!"
"How?!"
"Remember that girl you snuck in the house that time?!"
Jermaine thought about it for a second. "Amber?"
"Yes!" While they were in high school, so many girls flocked Jermaine. He was cute and played sports. That was enough for them to want to be closer to him. One girl, Amber, was so thirsty for him that she made it be known that she'd do whatever to be closer to him. Jermaine thought it was funny, yet cute, so he asked her to sneak over to his house. Amber was caught in the kitchen and if it weren't for Bey saving him, he would've been dead that night.
"You need to continue to thank me for saying she was my friend."
Jermaine shook his head. "Man, I don't even know who told her dumb ass to wander off. Mama was about to whoop that girl's ass herself."
Remembering their mother's eye gaze as she looked from the strange girl to her children, they both laughed. To this day, Bey still doesn't think her mother believed her. Everyone knew that Jermaine was a little flirt when it came to the girls at his school, but he was harmless.
The two stayed up and talked about everything under the sun before falling asleep on the couch together.