Manhattan, page 6
“Her birth father.” Roz’s voice shook when she spoke. “After he shot Boogie, he stole her from me.”
“And he’ll die for it,” Boogie growled.
“Boogie, you have to focus on getting some rest—” Morgan started, but Boogie interrupted her.
“I’ll rest when I’m dead. And I’m not. Y’all should already know how I’m about to get down. Between Adam and Louisa, they got us looking like some clowns in our own domain. I won’t stand for it. Not after we’ve come so far.”
“Well, you won’t be any good to us if you don’t let yourself get back to one hundred percent,” Nicky butted in.
“What part about ‘that nigga has my daughter’ don’t you understand?” Boogie growled.
“I understand every word. And if you think we aren’t scouring the city looking for any trace of them, then you’re a fool.”
Caesar cleared his throat before Boogie could say anything else, and everyone shifted their attention to him.
“I know there are a lot of emotions swirling around the room right now, but there are a few blind spots for me that I need filled in. I thought the situation with Marco’s sister was handled.”
“We thought so too. But apparently it isn’t. Louisa was madder than we thought at Lorenzo for turning down her offer. And from the looks of it, she recruited Adam in the process. She also . . .”
“What?”
“Daniella wasn’t as fortunate as me. Louisa killed her.” Boogie swallowed.
“No.” Caesar felt a genuine sadness for Christina, Marco’s wife.
“It was bad,” Nicky said, shaking his head, and Caesar sighed.
“How did she come to know Adam?”
“She was following us. She had to have been,” Boogie said like it was something he’d been pondering. “She used Adam’s hate for me to infiltrate our operation seamlessly.”
“All because Lorenzo told her no?” It wasn’t adding up to Caesar.
“Right before Boogie was shot, she basically said she blames all of us for Marco’s death,” Morgan explained. “She said he was the only thing she ever loved.”
Her words stung Caesar, mainly because he blamed himself for Marco dying. Although his old friend knew what their kind of lifestyle came with, he died because of his loyalty to Caesar. And if his death was what the new ring of chaos was stemming from, then Caesar figured he would have to be the one who put it right.
“She also said that none of us are competent enough to run a business and everybody would know it soon,” Nicky added. “And that’s just what we need right? Another motherfucka tryin’a blow up the spot.”
“All of this back-to-back feuding is reminding me of the old days when my father controlled Harlem,” Diana said to Caesar.
“Well, I refuse to lose anybody else before we find a common ground. Where’s Lorenzo? Is he here?” Caesar looked around.
“No.” Nicky shook his head. “If Louisa is somewhere still lurking around, he doesn’t want us in danger because of his presence. He feels like it’s his fault that Boogie got shot.”
“Nobody is at fault except the ones opposing us. Not working together is what has caused all this turmoil. One family is already missing from the fold, but we’re still here, and that’s going to count for something. Let me handle Louisa.”
“Her operation is strong, Caesar,” Diana reminded him.
“And ours is stronger. Marco may have allowed her to believe her position with us was higher than it actually was, but I won’t make that mistake. Before I go, Boogie, let me help you to bed.”
“I can do that, Caesar.” Roz hurried to her feet when Caesar got up.
“No, I insist.” Caesar raised his brows at her, and she nodded her understanding. “Everyone except Tazz needs to be out there trying to locate Adam and Amber. I want her brought home, and I want his head, understand?”
“Got it,” Nicky and Nathan said in unison.
“Understood. I am about to go meet with Bentley and see what he’s come up with,” Morgan said.
“I’ll go with you.” Diana stood up and grabbed her purse. “Caesar, call me later.”
When they left, Caesar and Boogie left Tazz and Roz in the sitting room. Caesar helped Boogie to the elevator at the end of a hallway, and he could tell that the short walk had taken a lot out of him. He was also trying to hide the pain in his shoulder. However, when he brushed it against the door when he stepped inside, Caesar saw him wince. The elevator took them to the second level of the house, and when they stepped off, there was a wheelchair a few steps away.
“Sit down,” Caesar instructed.
“I’m good. I can walk.”
“Where’s your room?”
“There,” Boogie said and pointed to double doors at the end of the hall.
“Boy, if you don’t get your ass in this chair. Stop being stubborn.”
Boogie grumbled a little bit, but he did as he was told. Caesar knew the strong exterior was due to the soldier in him. Boogie needed to know that it was okay to let the people around him take care of him. He didn’t always have to be the strongest in the room. When they got to the room, Caesar helped him onto the bed and placed a blanket over him.
“You should really have a nurse taking care of you,” Caesar told him.
“Nicky nabbed me some pain medication after I got out of surgery.”
“Surgery?”
“When they rushed me to the hospital, they did emergency surgery to remove the bullets. When I was stable enough, Nicky swapped me out with a body with similar wounds.”
“That was the smart thing to do, but you should still have a nurse here to make sure the entry points don’t get infected.”
“I’ll be my own nurse. Trust me when I say these aren’t the first bullet wounds I’ve tended to. I don’t need to remind you who my dad was.”
“You got me there,” Caesar chuckled and then grew serious again. “You know, when I . . . when I heard something had happened to you, I . . . can’t describe the sorrow I felt. It hit me then how much you mean to me. I wasn’t able to keep Barry alive, but I’ll be damned if you leave the same way as him. We may not be bound by blood, but you are a son to me.”
To his words Boogie had none. A silence fell over them, and Boogie turned away, pretending he had gotten something in his eye. Caesar would never say it out loud, but he saw the single tear Boogie wiped away. He himself had a ball in his throat that he had to swallow. He patted Boogie on the hand and made to leave, but a tight grip on his wrist stopped him.
“Wait, I wanted to ask you somethin’,” Boogie said, finally finding his voice. He let go of Caesar’s wrist when he sat back down.
“Anything.”
“I just feel like this chaos is becomin’ the new normal. I hate it. Every time I think shit is smooth sailing, some more bullshit comes out of the dark. It’s brought the people still standin’ closer, but it’s fuckin’ with business. And that’s what will draw us apart. I don’t know what to do.”
“So ask your question,” Caesar said, and Boogie looked befuddled.
“I just told you that I don’t know what to do!”
“That’s not a question.”
“How?”
“Because it was a statement.”
“No, not that. I’m askin’, how did you do it? How did you bring a peace that lasted so long?”
“I never have told you the story of how the pact came to be, have I?” Caesar sighed. “I guess we have some time now. It all started when my father died . . .”
Light will outshine all darkness.
Chapter 11
The Past
Caesar sat in the front pew of the church by himself, staring at his father’s golden casket. He had never before experienced a chest cave like that one, and although he was surrounded by family, he had never felt so alone. He now was an orphan. No mother and no father. His father had been found by a dock with ten bullets in his body. He had bled out, and the part that made Caesar the saddest was knowing that he had died alone.
As the reverend spoke to the congregation, Caesar felt hands squeezing his shoulder. He could feel the love in the pressure, but love wouldn’t bring Cassius back. He held back his tears and kept his eyes glued to the closed casket. Cassius’s body was actually suitable for viewing, being that it was his entire torso that had been shot up. However, Caesar wouldn’t allow anyone to see his father in death. He wanted their only memories of him to be of when he was alive. The Cassius King. Forever.
“Death is always a sad thing,” the reverend’s voice boomed. “But let me remind all of you that although Brother King had his ways, the light of God outshines all darkness. He forgives all sins, and only He has the say-so on who walks through those pearly gates. I know in my heart that Cassius King is walking with our Maker alongside his wife and looking down on his only son. Caesar, you are and forever will be covered, you hear? You don’t just have one guardian angel. Now you have two. I hope you find solace in that. I’m going to be praying on your healing.”
There was clapping, and a few amens were shouted from behind Caesar. But although the reverend’s words were heartfelt, they didn’t fill the void Caesar had in his soul. Thinking about his parents in heaven did nothing but remind him that they were gone. They were dead, and he was alone. He sat through the rest of the funeral service, and when it was time to leave, he helped the other pallbearers carry the casket to the hearse. Afterward, Caesar rode with Niles to the grave site.
“I’m not gonna ask you no stupid-ass questions about whether you’re okay,” Niles said, breaking the silence after a while of driving behind the hearse.
“It sounds a little like you’re asking,” Caesar said.
“Nah. Because I know you’re not okay. Shit, I’m not okay. This here fucked me up in the head, man.”
“I . . . I just don’t know what to do.”
“Well, I’ll tell you what you can’t do, and that’s show weakness. Anybody else would be able to shed a few tears for their daddy bein’ killed. But you? Nah. You just acquired the biggest drug operation in New York City. You have to be a shark. We still don’t know who did it?”
“No. And forensics confirmed yesterday that his body wasn’t moved from somewhere else. He died where he was found.”
“And there was nobody else around?” Niles asked.
“Nobody,” Caesar confirmed, and the two of them exchanged a look.
They didn’t speak another word inside the car. They’d reached the burial site, and it was time to say final goodbyes. Cassius had always been a meticulous man and had planned every detail of his own funeral after his wife died. The thing he had been most adamant about was being buried next to her. After they carried the casket to the freshly dug hole, they placed it on the lowering device. Everyone besides Caesar stepped back and waited for the last of the cars to come. Amira was among them, and he watched as she aided her grandmother up the hill. When she and Caesar connected eyes, she offered him an encouraging smile and blew him a kiss. He was glad she was there. When everyone had arrived, he looked around and let his eyes fall on Ed and Joseph, Cassius’s oldest friends and bodyguards. Their eyes were red, and Caesar knew it was because they’d been crying. His family comforted them with hugs and pats on the back. It was truly a sad occasion.
In the back of the crowd, Caesar’s eyes were surprised to fall on one face: Nasir’s. Not too far behind him were a few of his bodyguards, and when he saw Caesar’s eyes on him, he nodded respectfully. Caesar returned the gesture and waited until white roses were handed out to everyone before he began speaking.
“My father stated in his will that he would want a small gathering with only his family. But I think he forgot how big his family actually is.” Caesar smiled, and everyone around him shared a laugh. “I feel that the reverend said all the good stuff, so there isn’t much more to it. But what I will say is mostly everyone here knows what kind of man Cassius King was—cutthroat but loyal. And the one thing he loved most was family. What he built most men only dream about. I see many of you arrived today in nice cars, wearing designer clothes, and shining because of the jewels on your necks and wrists. Bellies so full that you might not even need to go to the repast. And it’s no secret that the reason behind you having all these things is my father, Cassius King. He created an empire with jobs and opportunity for all of you. As I said before, he loved you. And I hope that even now you never forget that. His death is what I would like to call untimely, but his legacy will live on through me.”
Caesar stopped addressing them and focused on the casket. He placed his single white rose on top of it, wanting to say his personal goodbye while Cassius was still above ground. But when it came time to speak, no words came out. He remembered the last conversation he had with his father and realized that he’d already said goodbye. So instead, he kissed three of his fingers and placed them on the casket before walking away back to Niles’s car.
As he stood and waited for Niles to finish mingling with the family, Amira approached him. She threw her arms around his shoulder and hugged him tightly before letting go. Staring up into his eyes, concern dripped from hers.
“I’ll be all right,” Caesar said, answering the question her lips had yet to ask.
“Caesar, your father just died. It’s okay to be sad.”
“Who said I’m not sad? I’m tormented. But these are the cards I was dealt, and I’m still in the game, so I have to play.”
“But this is your family. You can let your guard down around them.”
“That would be nice, but no, thank you.”
“Why do you have to be so tough all the time?” Amira asked, kissing his chin.
“Because my father raised me to be strong even in a time of weakness. The family you’re telling me to let my guard down in front of are the same ones who never wanted me running any kind of business. And now I’m the one in charge of all these motherfuckas.”
“I get it, I really do. You have to mourn in your own way, but make sure you do. Or else it will come out in the worst ways.”
“I hear you,” Caesar told her.
Niles had come back to the car by then, and he had Pricilla holding on to his elbow. The black veil connected to her hat covered most of her face, but Caesar could still see the tear streaks on the bottoms of her cheeks.
“Come on, Amira,” Pricilla said, switching from Niles’s arm to Amira’s. “I want to make it back to the mansion and make sure everything is in order before all these people get there.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about any of that, Ms. Pricilla. Martina and the others have it all covered,” Caesar tried to tell her.
“Martina?” Pricilla scoffed. “That woman couldn’t find her left shoe if it was on her foot! Now I won’t let Mr. King’s homegoing be a mess now. Oh no. Not Mr. King’s homegoing. That man liked everything a certain way, and I’m going to make sure it’s his way, understand? Now come on, Amira! Before Martina pulls out the wrong glasses. Mr. King would turn over in that nice casket if he knew these people were drinking out of the glasses he imported from France!”
“Okay, Grandma,” Amira said and grabbed her hand. She turned back to Caesar and blew him another kiss. “I’ll see you there.”
When they were gone, Caesar and Niles leaned on the car and watched as one by one people cleared out of the burial site. When only a handful of people were left, Ed and Joseph included, Caesar watched them in silence.
“You ready to head back to the house?” Niles asked. When Caesar didn’t answer, he studied the thoughtful expression on his face. “Hey, Caesar, you good?”
“I need you to set up a meeting for me tomorrow.”
“Caesar, we just buried Cassius. Take a second to—”
“It’s important, Niles,” Caesar said seriously, finally breaking his gaze from the two men.
“Fine.” Niles sighed reluctantly. “Who do you need to see?”
“Damián Alverez.”
Never underestimate your enemy.
Chapter 12
It was midday when Caesar got to Sugar Land, the candy store he now owned along with everything else that was once his father’s. He got out of his car, chewing a piece of gum, and took a look at the old building. When he was just a boy, Sugar Land was the business that he couldn’t wait to own one day. The thought of being able to eat all the candy in the world was the most appealing thing to him. Things were simple back then. He looked around and noticed there was an Oldsmobile Cutlass parked outside despite the CLOSED sign in the window.
“Someone here?” Niles’s voice sounded when he got out of Caesar’s passenger seat.
“Should be. Come on,” Caesar answered and spit his gum out.
With Niles close behind, he stepped into the store and headed toward the back office. Although he was supposed to be meeting Damián that day, there were a few people he needed to talk to first. He opened the door to the office to see Ed and Joseph waiting impatiently for him. They were seated against the wall on the lime green sofa that Cassius had seemed to love so much.
“Ed, Joseph! I wasn’t expectin’ to see you two here,” Niles stated, genuinely taken aback.
“Well, I for one wasn’t expectin’ to be here. I have important business to tend to, so I hope you plan on makin’ this snappy, Caesar.”
Joseph didn’t try to hide the irritation in his tone, and Caesar didn’t like that. The way he spoke was in a way he would never dare to speak to Cassius. Caesar inhaled an even breath and offered them a smile. He took a seat at his father’s desk, and Niles stood beside it.
“I called you two here today because I know you two used to be my father’s closest friends. I just wanted to ask you if you know anything about who might have done this to him.”
“Instead of askin’ us, you should be out there tryin’ to find his killers yourself,” Ed said in the same kind of condescending tone as Joseph.
“That’s what I’m trying to do right now. Since the two of you were his friends and bodyguards, I figured I would start with you. What were his moves the day he was killed?”
