Page 40 of Heart Of A Goon II

Nah.

Chef was around and had always been. While he was a lone wolf and didn’t per say belong to a said group, he was respected by men so that was how he was able to remain so plugged in.

“Whoever knows how Chef is?” I chuckled.

He returned the laugh and nodded. “Tell him Ghost said to check in.”

I nodded my head, making a mental note to get up with my uncle to relay the message. I could have just called him, but getting Chef on the phone was like getting the pope to watch The Wire.

Behind there, there were large shelves holding expensive liquor bottles, photos and books that were probably more storage than actual books. The room was quiet once everyone settled in, only the low hum of the air conditioning could be heard. I shifted in my seat waiting for what was to come next.

The tension in the room was thick, and it was mostly coming from Menace. He was tense, and he was rubbing his hands, cracking his knuckles and waiting to hear what everyone had to say.

“How are Stevie and the baby?”

“Well.”

“We’re not the enemies, Menace,” Rahmeek replied.

Menace leaned forward. “Seems like it. While we’re sitting here having this dramatic ass family meeting, I could be out there handling my business. Instead, I gotta ask like I’m a fucking child.”

“Maverick,” Kora hissed.

He leaned back in the chair while Ghost and Rahmeek didn’t seem phased by his words. They were probably used to the way Menace acted, so it didn’t offend them.

“Heard about Castello… didn’t seem like you needed permission for that.” Ghost messed with his beard and turned his attention to Menace.

Menace leaned up once again. “My parents are stinking in a grave.”

“Maverick, why the fuck would you say that?”

He ignored his sister. “I was forced to get married. I did that shit because it was asked of me… more like forced upon me. I check in like I should because you both are old and becoming senile.”

“I’m not fucking senile,” Rahmeek defended.

“Castello tried to fucking end me and he nearly fucking succeeded. Ending me by trying to take my heart out will never sit well with me. Would you be sitting here if Giovanna was put in that situation? What about you… if Free had bullets flying at her, would you be as calm?”

Neither of them could answer because they knew he had a point. They knew that if this was their wives, they would have been ready to end the world, too.

“Not debating that you shouldn’t get your get back. All I’m saying is that this can become messy… this could become dangerous. Castello’s death is all over the news and has everyone on edge.”

“Fucking good. It’s about time everyone’s on fucking edge. We were fucking slaves, having to carry this country on our fucking backs for those White pricks to decide our fate. Always having their hands in some shit that has nothing to do with them.” He jumped up from his seat, his eyes wide.

I started counting on my fingers, trying to decide when this became a lesson on Black history. I mean, he wasn’t wrong, but how the fuck did we end up here?

“Preston Vance is heavily connected, Menace. Heavily to the point where if we go this route… there’s no coming back,” Ghost warned him.

“I’m not asking for anybody to put their neck on the line for me and mines. It will get handled either way.

Rahmeek stood up. “The fuck you talking about? If you’re going that route, then we going, too. We’re here to make sure this is a conscious decision on your end.”

Menace sat back down. “I want to send a message. Can I have fucking permission to do that?”

Rahmeek slowly sat down and Ghost looked at him. “Send the message and then get ghost to let it die down. I have a feeling your message will be felt throughout the city.”

From the way he was massaging his hands together, I knew that this was going to get messy. The message Menace Caselli was planning to send would shock the city.

“Cut the fucking lights,” Kora smirked.