Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 148949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 745(@200wpm)___ 596(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 745(@200wpm)___ 596(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
David pointed to it on the ground, near his lighter.
“Thanks, bitch ass puppet.” Maxwell stomped that way. “You need to get the Lion’s hand out your ass!”
David ran his fingers through his hair. “To send a message. We can place the bodies for viewing to let—”
“I want them to be scared.” I shook my head. “A viewing sounds like we are giving Harlem Crew the opportunity to mourn the men. I want them terrified and disgusted.”
“Sick motherfucker, everyone is already scared of you.” Maxwell reached down and picked up his joint and lighter. “Except me.”
I rolled my eyes and turned back to David. “Whatever you do with the guards do it tonight, before my Mouse gets up in the morning and shuts it down.”
“Shiiit.” Maxwell placed the dirty joint in his mouth and lit it. “I’m going to shut shit down tonight.”
“Are you done?”
“Never that, partner.” Maxwell took a hit from the joint and blew out smoke. “Keep that shit up, Kazimir. You don’t know me, but you’re about to.”
I blinked. “But, I do know you.”
“You don’t know me, motherfucker!”
“But, I do.”
“Naw, man. Your dumbass doesn’t understand.”
“I understand quiet enough—”
“You don’t know me is the phrase a brother says right before you die, motherfucker. Threat level 100.” Maxwell raised his hand in the air. “This is the most dangerous phrase you could ever hear from a brother.”
I frowned at him.
“It’s the ultimate statement of aggression, dispensing with any presuppositions of acquaintance and assumption.”
I looked at David. “Give me the gun so I can shoot Maxwell in the head.”
David didn’t make a move.
Maxwell wiped the dirt smudged on his forehead. “You don’t know me is when you see the thing that hides behind the mask.”
“Then, take off the mask and show it.” I sneered. “Or shut the fuck up!”
“Aww.” Maxwell glared and smoked more of the joint. “You mad-mad now?”
“Maxwell, get your men out of here and send a damn message. If you do not want the rope and tree, then fine. Put them in chairs with a flower arrangement surrounding them or whatever you need. Fucking hats on their heads.” Tension gathered in my shoulders. “Just make sure that Harlem Crew understands that if they fuck up, I will kill them.”
“You think I’m your errand boy, man?” Maxwell spit on the ground. “I run Italy, motherfucker.”
“You run Italy because of me—”
“You got me fucked up—”
“No!” I pointed at him. “You got me fucked up!”
Whatever that means!
I glared.
Maxwell sucked his teeth. “Just kill your gardener and then tell your men to leave so you can catch these hands.”
“I would love to catch those hands, Maxwell. Catch and cut them up!”
“Whatever.” Maxwell turned to his men. “Get our guys out of here. Find out about their family, and let’s do the usual shit we do when the Lion gets psycho and starts killing innocent people.”
“What. Ever.” I put my view back on the gardener who was still sniveling in the dirt.
You can’t even die like a man?
I held my hand out. “Give me the blow torch.”
David cleared his throat.
One of my men rushed to get the blow torch and hurried with bringing it over to me.
The torch was heavy, with a cold silver handle and black casing. “Hold him down and make sure his legs are open.”
“Damn.” Maxwell whistled from the side. “You really got anger issues, man. You need to see someone about this.”
“My mouse was violated—”
“Naw. My understanding is that Lunita wanted some dick and went to the gardener.”
“Shut up!” I stormed forward.
The gardener saw me approaching with the blow torch. With his jaw hung open, he shot up to his feet and began running around the garden, stumbling through rows of daisies and lilies. Mounds of dirt and upturned soil were scattered around him.
My men chased after him.
“You are a hypocrite.” I turned to Maxwell. “You think I don’t know what happened in Nigeria and even Italy—”
“You don’t know me—”
“If you were in this situation, you would have killed him.”
“Of course, but I’m not going to sit there and barbecue a motherfucker’s dick. I would have just shot him in the head or sliced his neck. You’re about to flambé dude’s penis. What kind of psychotic shit is that?”
I glanced at his joint. “Give me some of that—”
“Fuck you. I’m not giving you shit. Killed my dudes—Ilya and Leo for no reason.”
“They let Lunita walk around at night for weeks. She was fucking dating and enjoying herself!” I glared at him. “You do not think that is dangerous? Think of your nephew!”
Maxwell pursed his lips. “Em is going to take their deaths hard.”
My heart ached.
I looked away.
My men dragged the gardener back to me and held him on the ground.
The gardener sobbed. “Love is not a choice, it is a force that chooses you!”
I switched it on. The torch blazed to life, bright orange flaming tongues licked the air. Gas hissed around it.