Con's POV
I was on Malia duty, the reasoning was easy. She would still talk to me, and he was just too prideful to try and still communicate with her after their breakup. He'd also lost his God-given mind in the process.
He got back into the house after all the police came through, he had his own security find who hurt her and set up Lacey and descended into madness. I know because I watched, she broke him, he was just blood hungry now. And that was two months ago.
He didn't ease up, for months he didn't stop going after the Cenzos. He teamed up with Jodi and Lee to dismantle and divvy up their whole organization. The three of them were moving mad, slaughtering anyone in their way. They started with the lower levels and then adopted the entire Cenzo network into their own as their support system continued to apart. They picked which parts of the organizations they wanted in advance and now they just flipped lower levels.
"Where is he?"
"In the warehouse, both of them are and I think we should let Fin handle them."
"No," he said removing his cufflinks the look in his eye was something I had never seen before. Even when he was married he was never this far off the deep end. He looked at the knives displayed on the table, the basin filled with ice cold water and gun equipped with its silencer.
"Your services aren't needed here, I'd like to do this myself. Put them in separate rooms," he handed Fin the manila envelope.
"You're going to answer all my questions or I'm going to kill you," it was all he said no more threats or back and forth dialogue.
"You should let him handle this, I'm serious," I looked at him. He had to be hospitalized recently because he wasn't sleeping.
My phone rung, vibrating constantly, "Answer it," I knew who it was before taking the phone out of my pocket. I told her that I would give her an update on his condition, she was probably getting impatient waiting for my call.
He started going up the stairs Fin moved the second man out of the room, "It's her," he stopped on the stairs and just stood there.
"Hey," speaking lowly it was important to make sure that they didn't hear our conversation.
"How is he?" She mousy squeaked out, this must have been hard for them both. Being idiots caused a lot of issues when it got in the way of being together and loving each other.
"He's alright I'm actually busy right now, I just got to finish something right quick just hold on," I left my phone on the staircase and went over to the man strapped down to the metal chair.
"I just saved your life so you're going to do as I say."
"Oh really," he retorted, "you guys aren't going to stop them. I have a plan of my own in the works and you aren't going to get in the way of it."
"Your plan isn't going to work, you think they don't know about you? They know you're a rat," Fin unstrapped the second man he was supposed to be questioning.
"They know about your plan, I told them to pick you up so they wouldn't get to you and kill you before we did. You're working with us now or we could throw you back out their and leave you waiting for a bullet in between your eyes."
"How'd-"
"You've been too loud with your plans."
Madrid's POV
I could hear her breathing slowly on the other end, would she speak to me? Any other attempts to see her was blocked by my pride, Wins thinking he could swing on me, and confusion over how we ended-she ended things.
"Hello."
"Hey," I closed the door behind me hoping that she didn't overhear anything the guys had previously said beforehand. I knew she was shocked to hear my voice but I wanted to hear hers.
"How are you Madrid?"
"How are you feeling, what have the doctors been saying?" Why'd you leave me? Was I not good enough for you?
"They're releasing me soon hopefully."
"You're still there," that would mean she's been there since we broke up and that was a few weeks back. Anytime I showed up at her location she would refuse to see me and have people tell me she needed space hiding from me.
"Yeah," she tried to laugh off, "They kept me here longer for more observations." She was lying to me, she had something else going on and couldn't hold down her food so the doctors had her longer. That was all I could find out without committing another felony and bribing someone at the hospital for her medical records. I was already reading her records.
"Feel better Malia."
"How'd you know I was still in the hospital?"
"I have to go," I hung up the phone, she didn't deserve any answers if she was going to lie to me.
I went back downstairs to see Sparrow looking at the man strapped in the chair.
"You should thank him, he saved your life," Sparrow spoke, "if he didn't feel like picking you up today you would've been long gone. They put a hit out on you," Sparrow showed the man the phone.
"You're going to tell me what you know about the Cenzos or I'm going to kill you. You'll die in the same chair you're strapped to," I spoke not breaking eye contact, I could feel the thick vein in my forehead bulge.
"The Cenzos aren't coming for you, they're coming for your loved ones. With Jodi, they put the eldest daughter and with Lee they put the younger one as monitors. They have them in a tight spot holding them down completely they housed two takeovers. The girls were sent with a mission, like a coup if the girl was sent it was because someone sold your secrets. You're only different because they can't get intel on you or what you look like. They don't even know your actual name Drid just that you work alongside Taav and he's a problem so they're trying to flip you by attacking your girl. Attack the girls cause a rift in between you and Taav and you would flip eventually."
"Who did they have attacking the girls?"
"Minnow and some," I had heard the name before and that escalated the urgency of the situation, "with the other one they used some low life dealer to stir up some trouble. I don't know his name," the man divulged finally.
"Anything else you're leaving out?"
"Minnow is supposed to keep attacking until the job is done."
"What was Minnow's assignment exactly?"
"Take the girl out and get your attention."
Minnow was a mix of Sparrow and I. Similar to me he kept his real identity out of harm's way leaving a little fish insignia whenever he did something. He was a ruthless assassin and not many had seen his face and lived. Which meant he would attack Malia again when he got the chance.
Drawing my weapon the gun sang lodging a bullet in the between the man's eyes before I turned around.
"Con and Sparrow watch after Malia, I need to speak to Minnow," the urgency in my voice told more than it should have.
"We won't have to look far," Sparrow said before taking out his phone and making a call.
Con asked not picking up the cue as quickly as I had, "Do you know Minnow?"
"He's my twin," We watched him finish his call and plotted on what was next.
I'm going to finish this once and for all even if I have to put bullets in all of them or die trying to.
I turned to Con to delegate, "Go back and see her when you're done. I need to know she's alright," even if I was angry at her. She was still mine and I would be damned if I let anyone else harm her.
My phone buzzed with notifications from clients needing things to be moved and cleaned. "I have some flights to be on but I'll kill the Cenzos before I let them hurt anyone close to me. I want to end them before the summer is over."
I called Lacey, "What's happening you called me twice?"
"The boy is in the principal's office at school," I could tell she was worried it only took me a week to get them settled in.
"Get dressed I'm on my way to get you."
Con's POV
When the summer ended Malia would be gone moving on into her home and off to college.
I walked out of the building and into my car, This was going to be interesting.
Reaching her friend's house we were living cozy, "Is she still in the hospital?"
Winston opened his mouth, "She said they are letting her go."
I couldn't lie, this kid had a sexy ass mom and if she ever wanted some young thick-
"My mom went to go get her," I looked at him.
"Why is Lauren here," I asked already knowing the answer. I don't know why but that girl did not like Malia but we all felt it and because Minnow was the one who attacked it wasn't safe for any of them with her around.
"She's around here somewhere she said she wanted to be here for Malia's homecoming. My mom called and said Malia's bigger from the medication they put her on and to not stare at it too much," he spoke to me.
When they walked in I knew what they meant, her thighs were thicker than before. She wasn't tiny before but you could see her thighs were swollen.
"Con what are you doing here?"
I pulled her in close, "Had to come to see you and check on you," I smiled then whispered, "Plus Eve is a fox."
Eve walked in after her kissing her son on the cheek but I honest to god didn't care. She might as well stop playing and make me his stepdad already because for all I know my dick had her name on it. I couldn't help myself she smelled like mint every time she walked into a room.
Eve looked around, "Where are the girls handsome and where are your cousins? They've been postponing coming up for three weeks now."
"They said they've been sleeping at a friend's down that side, the girls are playing outside mom," he explained before turning to Malia.
He inhaled looking at her and she broke into tears, he pulled her upstairs.
I texted him.
C: The dove reached her perch
M: How is she?
C: Swollen
That's all it took for him to call me, "What do you mean she's swollen?"
Stepping outside, "I don't know what happened to her while she was in the hospital but I think the doctors put her on something and now she's swollen."
"Swollen where?"
"Her chest, her face and her thighs," I said plainly, the only place that didn't look different was her stomach region. It was still fat but normally fat it didn't look crazy and she was more slender there. Whatever the doctors gave her made everything else look thicker.
Eve walked outside toward me and if I was still in high school I'd have to rearrange my pants. She was definitely a wet dream.
"How can I help you gorgeous," blatantly flirting with this woman was the highlight of my days, I didn't care that she had three kids, I'd gladly give her more if she wanted.
"Is that Madrid?"
"Why," I was curious but I knew she was talking to him as well.
"Give me the phone Connor," even the way she said my name was- "Now please."
I licked my lips checking her out, older women were gorgeous. Other dudes always wanted younger girls but not me, older women just wanted to be satiated sexually and use you and for now, I was in a position to be used. I couldn't settle down like Madrid because there was no doubt in my mind that what happened to Malia would or could potentially happen to my lady.
Our line of work everybody had enemies and some people had no problem stabbing you in the back so we always kept our circle small.
She handed me my phone back and eyed me, "When are you going to stop playing with me and let me show you everything I'm-"
"You're too young for me," she turned around and walked away from me her hips swaying with each step. You wouldn't believe that slender woman gave birth to three kids, I just wished she would stop playing and let me give her mine.
Madrid's POV
When I finally got through to Lee he told me what was happening in the South.
"What happened to your girl?"
"They sent me one, told me if I went back to mine she'd get hurt and that they would send Minnow if they had to. She bounced immediately after I told her about another woman being in my life. I rather she stay safe away from me than be with me and in danger."
"What do you mean they sent you one?"
"I mean that they sent one of their daughters and all she does all day is eat my food and try to seduce me at home. When I go to work, she's with me tagging along, I don't know how or who did this but they got me by the balls. They got their people in my house, at my warehouses counting my product trying to get me to sell people." What the fu- "I'm black, I went to school and learned about slavery, there's no way in hell I'm selling people."
"Have you heard from Jodi or Void about what was happening on their side?" We all had a piece of the tristate area, I had New York, Lee had New Jersey and Jodi and Void had Pennsylvania. We stayed out of each other's way and expanded outward and never inward.
"I haven't even reached out to him, I know they're listening on my phones."
Calling Jodi and Void when it finally went through I was more than happy, we needed to link if we wanted to cut those bastards out.
"Jodi?"
"This is he who is this?"
"Drid, I have Lee on the other line. What's happening over there?"
His voice got low and we could hear him walking through other rooms, "A hostile fucking take over," hearing a door shut, "I don't know how these motherfuckers got here but they showed up in my warehouse sent they thot daughter to violate me talking about some meeting. I go to the meeting they out here talking about everything you owned is mine and one false move and I'll end you and your bitch. Talking about sending Minnow this side if I didn't comply," they already sent Minnow to me so was I supposed to be there example.
"They sent Minnow my side," I admitted, "Is your girl safe?"
"I don't know she won't even talk to me, she's in another country right now in the east."
Lee spoke up, "Mine is with another man, I got word he's about to propose to her. They little informant is over here stalking her social media accounts and shit like that."
We overheard a knocking on the door, "Lee you know what I said about locking doors so you better unlock them now."
"Fuck me bruh," Lee spat.
"Destroy the phones I'll deliver new ones on Wednesday," leaving them I told them both, "Be easy."
"Be easy," Jodi said whispering.
"Be easy," Lee hung up after.
This what a shit show. I had to keep Malia safe and stay away but I also had to know what she was doing every second of every passing day.
Dialing Sparrow, I needed to move this meeting up and meet Minnow tonight.
Lauren's POV
Slipping into her room, I grabbed her phone typing in two passwords I thought she would use.
Both were incorrect, my palms began to get sweaty and I fixed my smocked white crop top and denim medium washed jeans.
I didn't know if she wanted the cable too because it wasn't fully charged and she'd only been here for around forty minutes. The brandy colored hickory flooring was cold to my bare feet and I tried to think of possible passwords to get inn her phone.
I had to know what she and Winston kept whispering about because whatever it was it had to be important.
My pink slides were thick and fluffy and placed by the door, Eve still didn't like me and their new friend Connor decided to hang around now. They all sat around at the table with her in my seat.
"Oh, my god what happened to you?"
I said taking in her appearance as she stood to reach for her phone, her thighs were huge and her chest got bigger as did her cheeks. I tried to hide my seething but it was unfair, she was two or three inches taller than me with chubby cheeks which men adored. She was already curvaceous with a big chest and thick thighs. Why was I being punished?! I barely had one and she was blessed with both. Wins wrapped his arm around her and whispered to her as if I wasn't standing right there waiting for my boyfriend to acknowledge me.
"I'm fine," she told him taking her phone from me and putting her password in proximity to me that I could peak over her shoulder and see it.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No it's fine," she brushed me off.
"Can we watch a movie now," everyone got up from the table and moved to sit around one another, "Babe come and sit next to me?"
"I'm actually about to head out and pick up my cousins before they touch down," he responded.
Eve spoke up, "Baby stay here with Malia I'll get them. When I get back we'll go out to eat, how does that sound?"
Con opened his mouth, he had a crap ton of tattoos. Full sleeves on both arms and his chest area, he had a shaped up beard with tapered sides and his curly hair on top. "Do you need some company?"
"I like to drive alone," she replied smirking at him.
"Mom go with him so you don't have to complain about the lifting all of their luggage with your small back," Winston spoke up.
"Winston do me a favor handsome and go find your siblings Connor let's go," Eve said as he trailed behind her with his tongue out ready to begin drooling.
We heard the door shut before Alani shot up, "Wins you can stay here I'll go get the girls from MoatMania," she offered halfway out the door so he couldn't argue with her or stop her from leaving.
"Sit down Lauren let me talk to you really quick babe," he guided me to the couch.
"Yes, babe?"
"We've been at this for a few weeks and I get that you don't like the idea of me having a best friend of the opposite sex but that is what Malia is to me so I need you to get on board and quickly."
"Wha-"
"Look Malia and- my relationship with Malia is more sibling-like than romantic. She knows a lot about me because she's been around to witness me grow and change."
"Where is this coming from?"
"Your comment when you walked down here and I'm not blind and neither is my mom I catch you glaring at her."
"Your mom still doesn't like me," I sighed.
"That's because she found out I was having sex in her house without her prior knowledge," he explained, "I talked to her about it and since my cousins are coming up my sisters are staying where they're at and I'm moving into the basement so we'll be able to be alone more often. Malia is going to a rough time right now and her adjustment after the whole hospital stay is something serious and she'll be moving in here."
"Does she have nowhere else to go?"
"It doesn't matter, what matters is she's moving in and she'll have one of the guest rooms," he spoke to me. I wasn't happy about this but I had a right to be cautious. The whole "that's just my best friend" thing never worked out because someone usually leans toward trying to have sex or catching feelings and I didn't trust her.