“When we go inside let me do the talking. No lashing out no sly remarks iight?” Carter’s voice hit the ears of everyone seated in the truck but his words were directed toward Banko. He and Tahj were on the same page, Luther was a naturally quiet man and Nate knew his place. Banko on the other hand acted as if being Carters best friend automatically made him a partner. He spoke out of turn, barked orders and was slick with his tongue.
“They could be setting us up. It’s been weeks since you last spoke to Alic and now out the blue these snakes want to call the meeting.” Banko spoke loudly before running his shaky hands over his nose.
“you are free to stay your ass in the car!” Carter snapped. He had really been meaning to get on Banko about his mouth. Anybody else would have lost a few teeth by now. “And what you so shaky for?” Banko’s inability to keep still was becoming irritating.
“This shit just don't feel right that’s all.” Banko knew snorting that line before he left his home was a mistake.
“let’s just get this over with.” Tahj spoke up. “I told Sasha I…shut up Nate.” He just knew Nate was gonna crack a joke about him being whipped.
“I ain't even say nothing.” Nate bit the inside of his cheek trying his best not to laugh. Tahj couldn't wait until that fool found himself somebody because he was never going to let him hear the end of it.
Minutes later they were in front of the russian’s. Hands out, legs spread prepared to be searched. All the guys felt uneasy about this. They were hand searched removed all their weapons placing them into lock boxes, passed through metal detectors and hand searched all over again. Luther was almost sure this was a set up and if it was as much as he loved Tahj and Carter as if they were his own he’d kill them himself if this deal went south.
“Our sides never attempted to such terms so I’m sure you understand the frisk. My pa is a very….cautious man.” more like paranoid. You would have thought they were in a maximum security prison. But Alic Sokoloff would never openly say that his father Maximus was losing his mind. The old man was now wheelchair ridden his mind slowly deteriorating he couldn't remember his first meal that morning. But he was a stubborn man he still demanded that Alic let him in on every move that was made. Maximus still felt his son had much more to prove.
“No problem at all. I just hope we can come to a mutual understanding that eventually will make us all very wealthy men” Carter took a seat. He wanted to get right down to it. He wasn't interested in having this meeting drag out.
Alic smirked. He liked Carter . They were kind of in the same position. only difference was DeAngelo lost everything Maximus on the other hand was at risk of losing it all. Alic was stepping up to stop it before it happened.
“I can defi-”Alic started only to get interrupted by his father
“your Pa was a foolish man a cancer to his own empire that nigger should have never made it out the cotton fields ” Maximus took that cheap shot to see how Carter would react. He remembered DeAngelo as a very impulsive man. He wanted Carter or even Tahj to make a move just one and his men would end this meeting with bloodshed.
Carter shrugged. “I assure you. I am not my father.” He wanted to choke the old man DeAngelo was a questionable man but he was still his father. He could bad mouth him but he didn't take kindly to anyone else doing so. But Carter kept calm. Besides he wasn't going to die for trying to kill a man who was dying anyway.
“father we didn't call this meeting to give insults.” Alic knew his father and DeAngelo had a not so pretty past but he was dead and Alic’s mind was on the money. “We can offer you access to the water fronts that means more ways to ship your product I can even offer you some upscale customers from the corporate world that would be sure to bring your sales up.”
“Whats in it for you!”
Carter squeezed his hand into a tight fist. What part of leave the talking to me didn't Banko understand?
Alic looked at the jittery man standing in the corner. His hands were unsteady and he kept rubbing his nose. He tried to cover it up but Alic knew Banko was high. if this was the company Carter kept that might be something they needed to discuss but not tonight. Not in front of his father.
“Same thing that's in it for you. Money. I want in on the drug trade. What ever product is brought in through my waterfronts I want a percentage of. We’d have time to talk about that on a later date.” Alic didn't feel comfortable discussing this any further with a junkie in the room.
____________________________________________________________________________
Viola paced back and forth. She was worried and nervous. And the thunderstorm that was forming wasn't helping her keep calm at all. When she learned of Carter's meeting with the Russians she immediately called Luther and begged him to go with her boys. He was always there when she needed him. When DeAngelo had broken her trust it was confirmed that Luther was the only man who would never disappoint or hurt her.
**********
Viola wrapped the sheet around her body. Running her hands through her hair she looked over at the man laying beside her. The toughest men ran in the other direction when they saw him coming he was a cold blooded killer, everyone knew it. But some how this killer touched Viola in ways she never thought possible. Finally looking at the time she saw it was getting late. She stormed out after fighting with DeAngelo but she knew soon he’d be tearing the streets up turning shit upside down until he found her. Viola frowned creeping out the bed she didn't want to wake him.
“Where you goin?” He felt her the moment she sat up. He was always alert.
“I have to go.” She looked down at the clothes on the floor. “DeAngelo is waiting.”
“You're going back to him.” He should have known that after she called him and they fucked she would leave. she always did. Viola went back to her huge house with her husband and her sons everytime. And he’d be left alone with the reality that he was just ‘the other man’. Its been this way for years.
“Luther he is never going to just let me go.” She began to pull up her jeans. “You know that.” She continued to get dress without turning to look at him. But she could feel his eye on her she bit down on her bottom lip trying not to blush. Even after DeAngelo beat her. Bruised her skin, busted her lip and pulled patches of her hair out Luther still had a way of making her feel beautiful.
“I’ll protect you.” Luther finally spoke again. “Pack up get the boys and come stay with me. I can take care of you.” He never wanted a ‘family’ but if that meant he and Viola could finally be together he’d give it a shot. DeAngelo didn't deserve them anyway not anymore.
“Luther you are his enforcer his right hand man his best friend I leave him for you that's the ultimate betrayal he’ll have our heads.”
Luther’s face turned to stone. “I’m not afraid of DeAngelo.” he feared no man. DeAngelo bleeds just like he bleeds.
“I know that baby.” She walked back to the bed placing her hands on the sides of his face. “But he’d try to hurt us. the only way for us to really be together is if he was gone.”
“Gone?” Luther asked. Was she saying what he thought she was saying?
Viola nodded finally she was going to let him in on the idea she had in her mind for months now “Kill him Luther. Kill DeAngelo.”
**************
Viola jumped at the sound of her doorbell. She placed her hand over her heart it was almost beating out of her chest. She shook her head looking down at her glass and the half empty wine bottle. ‘This will be my last drink’ She thought to herself before she went to answer the door. And there he was. Luther in the flesh.
“The meetings done. Your boy did good.” Thats all he said before he turned to walk away.
“Wait…. its raining you shouldn’t drive home like that come inside until it stops.” She hoped he would say yes. That he’d come inside and they’d talk like old times. He’d tell her she was beautiful and they’d make love. But she knew better.
“I’m good,”
It was her fault really. Her fault Luther refused to say more than five words to her. After she talked him into killing DeAngelo using him to do her dirty work. She convinced him to keep them on the low for a few more months. But in between that time she met Maxwell the first of many rich attractive men that came into her life. And from that moment on Luther was out. Gone…..well not completely she saw a part of him every time she looked at her youngest son. Carter was a piece of Luther just like he was a piece of her. Luther didn't know it he didn't have to because she did