“Shut the fuck up, or I’ll blow your fucking brains over the sidewalk,” he said to me, gritting his teeth together tightly.
Alba’s hands went up when he aimed toward her. Immediate terror filled her big, round irises. She was also planted into the concrete where she stood. The smell of his cologne was intoxicating as he pulled me back to where the van was parked.
“Make a sound or fucking try to play hero, and I’ll lay yo’ ass down too,” he grumbled at her.
His partner was quiet and stealthy. He stood on the curb making sure that Alba didn’t budge as his boy shoved me inside the van. I fell forward onto my knees, getting burned by the carpet inside the compact space. Wincing, they both hopped inside with me. The guy that grabbed me hopped in beside me, and his friend dove into the driver’s seat. Fear paralyzed me as I pressed my back against the cold, steel wall of the van. My eyes darted around as I searched for a weapon or an escape. It was dark, but the light in the ceiling allowed me to barely see the man’s face across from me. Bent down with his gun dangling between his legs, his eyes surveyed me. I couldn’t quite read or interpret the cold gleam he fixed on me, and that only further alarmed me as he raised his gun to my head.
“Drive,” he said firmly to his friend.
He shifted the van, and surprisingly it pulled off pretty smoothly down the busy street. I could hear the noise from the party as we drove away, and he pressed his foot all the way down on the gas. We accelerated down the street until nothing could be heard by the sound of the engine as we revved along.
“Who are you? What do you want? And where are you taking me?” I demanded, trying not to show how scared I actually was.
The man in front of me smirked, and it actually wasn’t bad to look at as his eyes continue to rake over me. I suddenly felt self-conscious and crossed my legs to avoid feeling like I was on display. He didn’t answer. Instead, he reached inside his jacket pocket and retrieved a syringe that made my eyes buck. Eventhough there was nowhere else for me to go, I found myself scrambling against the wall trying to get away from him.
“What are you doing? No!” I screamed as he inched closer to me. Lifting my leg, I kicked him, right against his upper torso, sending him falling into the wall opposite me.
The look in his eyes when he recovered from the blow had me shook. That iciness was enough to turn me into a statue. If looks could kill, I would have been DOA. I knew I had fucked up when he drew his gun again. His jaw was tight with anger while his piercing gaze struck me.
“Move again, and I’ll leave your DNA all in the back of this bitch. Try me,” he growled with a menacing tone.
He stood and snatched the syringe off the ground. Hunched over, since he was so tall in the little ass space, he inched closer to me. I shut my eyes as tight as they would go and felt a prick on my arm before something warm filled my veins. When I opened my eyes, everything around me was blurry, and he was taking a step back as he watched the drug take over.
“Now, take a fucking nap. Your new destination awaits you.” His voice didn’t sound close anymore.
All the noise around me began to fade just like the end of a song. My head dropped to the side, and darkness began to come for me. It held me tight, almost comforting.
“Trials and tribulations are a burden but it’s part of the game, yes.”
FREQUENCY ROTH
One year later…
I hadn’t metsleep for the last forty-eight hours. After touching back down by plane in my city, it felt good to be back on home soil. Sitting back in the Maybach that drove me through the hills of Edgerton Falls, Virginia, I scrolled through my call log until I came across the number I needed. There was nothing but fall trees surrounding me. Bright-red and orange leaves gave it a picturesque feel, right out of a canvas painting or some shit. I had been in the Cayman Islands for the last two weeks trying toget a few things in order with my finances. The atmosphere of home was just something that couldn’t be duplicated, and I was glad to be back.
“What is it?” Lyra’s sharp tone picked up the phone, and she huffed.
“Check ya tone, ma, before I snatch your tongue out ya mouth when I see you,” I barked, although that attitude in her voice had a nigga bricking up in my Armani slacks.
“What do you want? I’m busy,” she said.
“A’ight, bet that. I’ll find another bitch to help then.” I hung up.
I didn’t have time for that shit right now. My business trip wasn’t as successful as I wanted it to be. My connects weren’t able to wash my money the way that I needed them to, so I was going to have to find another route. Cryptocurrency was the new thing, but there was still other outlets to move shit around. Pensive, I brought my hand to my chin and let the scenery take me away as my driver wheeled up to the mansion behind a concrete wall with an iron gate. The only car parked outside was my partner, Knowledge’s black Lamborghini. That nigga practically lived at my house. I wasn’t surprised to find him there. He’d probably been there the entire time I was away. I allowed my driver to get out and grab my bags before he opened my door, and planted one of my Ferragamo loafers on the red brick driveway.
“Welcome back, boss,” Deviance, my driver, said with a nod.
“Thanks.” I nodded and grabbed my carry-on bag while approaching the double doors to my home.
Before I could even reach them, one swung open. That nigga Ledge was standing there looking fresh off the block in some joggers, a pair of Nike slides over some fresh white socks, and a wife beater with his pistol tucked in his waistband. His chain hung to his stomach, and the diamonds in the pendant attachedgleamed in the morning sunlight. His ass was comfortable as fuck around there.
“My nigga,” he greeted me with open arms while stuffing his face with a sandwich.
We slapped hands, and I stepped into my front entryway. After setting my bag on the ground, I closed the door behind me and watched that fool take another bite from his food.
“How was the trip?” Ledge queried, noticing my solemn mood.
“Not as productive as I would like. We gotta figure out a way to move this cash and make it all clean,” I informed him, reaching up to pull my blazer off my shoulders. “How were things here?”
