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Chapter 3
Neeky
I was still angry with Neo for what he said about my brother. But the truth was, I was angrier because he was right. I loved my brother to death, but sometimes I was ashamed of how he chose to live. Giannino loved Ryan, but Ryan loved money. That was a fact, and I could do nothing to change that.
I’d spent the last few days sulking in the countryside where my distant relatives lived. My cousins and I caught fish in the river, swam in the deep pools, and cooked our meals outside on wood fires. Cell phone service was lacking but I didn’t care. I needed time to think about how to deal with Neo’s hatred of my brother. I didn’t want to lose Neo, but I couldn’t be with a man who hated the only close relative I had left.
Returning to the city was a hard decision to make but I wasn’t ready to face anyone. I was at a friend’s house two blocks away when I heard the gunshots. I knew immediately where they were coming from. My heart did several backflips as I grabbed my bag and started to move off. But Miss Karen grabbed my arm.
“Whey yuh goin’?” she asked.
Miss Karen was like my mother, best friend, sister and was Papa Robert’s secret woman. She and Papa Robert were the only ones I trusted, and I would give up my life for those two. Around fifty-five years old, with hazelnut complexion, she radiated power and tenacity. Sometimes I was a little scared of her. She was tall, strapping, with fat ass and sturdy thighs. Her dark brown eyes bore into me as we looked at each other. I sighed, my shoulders slumping.
“Neo is new here, he doesn’t know how to handle himself yet.”
Miss Karen laughed. “Yuh listening to yuhself? The man is a mafia prince, him will handle himself in any situation. Come siddung (sit down) until things cool down. Yuh cyan walked into a war without knowing the enemy.”
“Yuh right, that’s why we cyan do without yuh.”
“Neeky, yuh know better than just to walk in there. Yuh don’t know how many gunmen, or who they are. Better to sit tight until things calm down and then yuh go over there. Now, how ‘bout a cool red stripe beer to cool yuh dung?”
Dropping my bag, I allowed her to lead me to the sofa where I took a seat. She rushed off to the kitchen, coming back a minute later with two beers in hand. The ice-cold red stripe beer went down smoothly as my mind wandered a couple of blocks away. I wondered if the Kings were with Papa Robert or if only Neo was with him. Did this have anything to do with the search for Rusty Cock?
I knew Neo was a formidable fighter, but this was Jamaica. These gunmen were blood thirsty and trigger hungry. They didn’t care who their target was so long as they collected some money. Nevertheless, Neo was far ahead when it came to planning and execution. Plus, he was a skilled marksman with a sharp wit and quick draw.
“The’ll be fine, stop worry yuh pretty little head,” Miss Karen reassured me.
“I’m not worried, I’m fine,” I lied.
Miss Karen threw her head back and laughed. “Yuh should see that forehead of yours. But Neeks, that Italian boy, he got a good dick?”
“Miss Karen!”
“What? Mi jus a ask yuh. Nothing no wrong wid dat. And mi tell yuh fi just call me Karen.”
“I not answering that, Karen.”
Karen sulked. “I tell yuh things. I thought we were friends.”
“Yes, but that too personal.”
She scooted closer to me on the sofa. “Den, him good inna bed?”
We carried on like that for a while, with Karen trying to get me to tell her how good Neo’s bedroom tactics were. I knew she was trying to get my mind off what was happening. We chatted about a few more things, as well as her relationship with Papa Robert. After a while we realized there was silence.
“Listen,” Karen said. “The shooting stop now.”
We sat for a while listening for any more gunshots, but after half an hour, we were certain it ended.
Standing to my feet, I grabbed my bag. “I have to go.”
Karen hugged me. “Just be careful, alright. Yuh don’t know what’s going on yet.”
