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“Wait...didn’t you just marry Gavin DeLuca? Why are you asking me to help against the mob when you married to one of them?”
“We need an ally outside the commission, and you fit the bill quite nicely. All the perks you had with my family remain. We’ll continue to rig the votes in your favor in Harlem and keep the neighborhoods around Columbia University safe. We will continue to clean your money from those illegal real estate deals.”
He sighed. “Fine.”
“If you change your mind or try to double-cross me, the video still goes out in the world, and when it does, guarantee it’s going viral. You won’t hear from me again unless I need something, and if you need to reach me, continue through the channels you reached Xavier.” My voice still caught when I said his name. I breathed in strength and blew out weakness. “Clear?”
“Understood.” He then cleared his throat. “I am sorry for your loss. I respected Xavier, and I hope you get whoever took him down.”
“Thank you.” I hung up the phone and took more settling breaths before I made my next call. “Sunny D?”
“Storm, is that you?” Sunny D was Xavier’s top soldier under Pierre. No one under St. James would fight harder than he would to stay on top.
“It’s me.”
“Are you back?”
“Yes. Have you heard from Pierre?”
“Four days ago. He’s trying to get back into the States. Told me to hold it down as much as possible. Pretend that he’s still here. Shit...these dudes know that Pierre isn’t here, and I’m struggling to maintain them.”
“Call a meeting. I’m taking over. I don’t know if Pierre will make it back, but I’m not letting go of Harlem without a war.”
He chuckled. “Xavier always said you were badass. You know I’m a rock with you until my last breath.”
“We got to get them back in line. If not, the mafia will take over. Harlem needs to remain black. Madame Queen and Bumpy Johnson will roll over in their graves if we allow Italians to take over again. Call a meeting tonight at my new Brownstone for eight. I’ll send you an address.”
This time, I relaxed in my chair. I swiveled in my chair, watching the people below. This would be my new headquarters, and I would resume managing my hotel when the time was right. I smiled at my finesse with Mayor Logan. I was also thrilled about Sunny D’s immediate acceptance of me as his new leader. Gavin would be proud, and I couldn’t wait to see him later tonight and compare notes. We decided not to call each other throughout the day. A call meant trouble or an emergency. No call meant everything was going as planned, and we would see each other at our condo in Queens.
TWENTY-FOUR MEN AND two women gathered around me in a circle as I re-introduced myself in the large basement of my Brownstone. Five soldiers secured the perimeter, and Sunny D positioned behind me as my enforcer. “As you know, we were ambushed, and Xavier was killed. The police or we suspect the mafia have his remains and won’t release them until further investigation. We will have a party and celebrate his life on Saturday as he would’ve wanted. I’ll have a memorial plaque in the backyard of our family home.
Pierre is wanted for Brazino’s murder and can’t return to the States. He’ll work on establishing new connects from various ports around the world. Now that Manhattan is wide open, there’s a chance the mafia wants Harlem, too. While we rebuild, I can hold them off. Once we’re strong, then they can’t encroach on us without a fucking war.”
Butch, an attractive man with a bald head and a long beard, scoffed, “What? You’re supposed to be in charge now?”
Sunny D stepped in his direction, and I raised my hand, stopping him. I walked to Butch with a flirty smile. “Yeah, handsome. I’m the new Boss. My brothers are gone, and no one’s left but me to run it.”
Before he could open his mouth again, I opened my Swiss knife and sliced the side of his face like butter. He howled, holding his face as blood gushed, and I grabbed his ear, brandishing the bloody knife. “Say one more word out of your fucking mouth, and I’ll van Gogh your ass.”
Butch quieted down and closed his eyes.
I wiped the blood off the knife with his shirt and scanned the room. “Anyone else wants to doubt me?”
The room was deadly silent.
“We chose this life, and it isn’t always pretty. If there’s no leadership or head, there’s no order. No order means chaos. Chaos means money and lives lost. We didn’t choose this life to struggle. If we don’t get our shit together, we’ll start fighting each other to eat. My brothers ran a tight ship, and that doesn’t end because I’m a fucking female. I am that bitch who doesn’t give a fuck if you cross me.” People straightened, and I looked at their earnest, serious expressions. “Stick with me, and I’ll continue to take care of you even better than my brother did. I have resources that he didn’t have, and we will survive and thrive. If you’re in here right now, it’s because Sunny D knows that you are some loyal motherfuckers, and we want you to remain that way. Well...”I looked at the man I’d just sliced. “Most of you are loyal.”
Butch still held his face but nodded at me with his shoulders taller. “Naw, I’m loyal, Queen. My bad.”
I grinned. “I like that. Queen.” I signaled to Sunny D. He took off his backpack and opened it. He tossed each person a stack of bills. “Five thousand apiece so you can eat.”
Once everyone received their money, laughter, chatter, and smiles abounded as they relaxed and began to accept me as the head of the St. James Crew. I reached into the bag that Sunny D still held and gave him three stacks. “Your loyalty is priceless and you’ll remain our eyes and ears on the streets.” He nodded and beamed with pride. Sunny D was now the closest thing to a brother. “For everyone else, some of your positions will shift. I need some of you at the hotel. Some will remain in the streets. The new bonus structure for putting in the work will be explained and implemented. Harlem will forever remain ours.”
They cheered, and Sunny D smiled. The St. James Crew was back.
Chapter 13
Gavin
