Gangsta Twist 3 (21 page)

Piper cleared her throat and said, “I have a question, Taz: why didn't you expose Malcolm Brown to us when you first found out about his treason?”

Taz stared at Saint Tramon as he spoke. “For a couple of reasons. One, because I wanted him to continue to feed information to Mr. Suarez in hopes that he would be able to tell me via Mr. Suarez some plots being planned against me. What better way to do that than to keep my knowledge of his treason to myself for the time being? I don't expose my hand totally until I'm ready to make a point or a very strong move. And, second, I was waiting so I could bring everything to an end all at once. This infighting is a waste of time and will only serve to cost us time and money. I don't have time for any losses so it's time to tighten everything up and move forward one way or the other.”

“By telling Danny Orumutto to make his next move his best move you've basically called him out for a war. War is never good for business,” Chinaman said seriously.

“I agree. Before I let that man get in the way of our money I will do what needs to be done. Trust me if a war is what he wants I'll give him that and some and my word it won't last long at all.”

“Don't we have a say-so in this decision, Taz? Or is this all about how you rocking now?” asked Snack.

“Yeah, my brother, it seems as of lately you have been making all of the decisions and we have little or no input in anything,” said G.R. “It's on record how I get down. I support you fully. At the same time we need to be on the same accord on all facets of this business. A war involves us all as well as our well-being. You must consult with us before making strong moves like that, Taz.”

Not wanting to offend any of his supporters on the council Taz gave a nod to G.R. and said, “I apologize for my brashness but I let him get under my skin because no man can challenge me without me stepping to the plate and face that challenge head-on. You're right, G.R., and that will not happen again. My word. This business isn't about me and what I want. It's about all of us and the better good of the Network for the long run. I apologize to every member in this room for my over aggressiveness of late. But I must stand on what I have said about treason being committed against me or the Network. Cross either and you die.”

While Taz was busy with his impromptu meeting with the council Tari was downstairs at the bar having a drink with Damon, Saint Tramon's personal assistant. Taz had been right on the money when he told Tari that odds would be high that Damon would be downstairs waiting for Saint Tramon to finish up with the meeting since she rarely went anywhere without Damon being close by.

Tari, looking good as always, knew she would be able to work Damon as soon as she stepped into the restaurant and headed toward the bar. His eyes bulged as he watched as she approached him. She was an intoxicating combination of simple and stunning at the same time with her long blond hair hanging freely past her shoulders and her sparkling blue eyes complementing her Amazon-like features perfectly. This is going to be too easy. She was ready to work him whichever way she had to but for some reason her gut told her that the direct approach would be best. If she had to get extra with it and use what God blessed her with she would. Shit, it had been a real long time since she had some anyway, she thought as she sat down at the bar next to Damon and smiled.

“Mind if I join you?”

“Sure, especially since I don't have a clue as to how long I'll be here. Do you have any idea what that meeting is for?”

Shaking her head no, Tari said, “Just as clueless as you are, buddy. Damon right?”

“Yeah. Tari?”

“Yep. So tell me, Damon, what are you drinking there? Looks pretty good.”

“Just a margarita with Patrón. Have one?”

“Sure.”

Damon waved the bartender over and pointed toward his drink and held up a finger signaling for another drink and then turned on his stool and asked, “Would you be offended if I asked were you single?”

Laughing, Tari answered, “Not at all.”

Smiling, he asked, “Are you?”

“Yes.”

“Mmm.”

“What does mmm mean?”

“Means I'm interested in getting to know you better. What are the chances of that happening?”

She smiled sweetly at him and said, “You got a sixty-forty shot.”

“I like those kinds of odds; at least they're in my favor.”

“Well, let's see what you can do to impress me to raise those odds even higher in your favor,” Tari flirted as she accepted the drink from the bartender and raised it in a toast with Damon. After they clinked glasses and each sipped their drinks Tari asked him, “So, tell me, how long have you been working for Saint Tramon?”

Chapter Twenty
-
nine

In Oklahoma City Lyla was at home busy getting herself organized. Even though it had been almost three months now she had finally gotten all of her stuff moved into her new home with Tazneema. Now that she was situated she felt like Keno's home was really theirs and that felt good.

She saw a few small boxes that she'd forgotten to take and put up in the attic, so she grabbed them and headed to the attic. When she was inside of the attic she saw that she was going to have to do some rearranging in order to make some space for her stuff. She grabbed a couple of bigger boxes she had put there earlier and started to move them aside to make the space needed. After she had the space she needed she noticed a small DVD player plugged into a socket that she hadn't noticed when she brought her stuff up there before. Curious, she hit the eject button and watched as a DVD slid out of the DVD player.

Now why would a DVD player be hooked up here in the attic?
she asked herself. She quickly grabbed the DVD out of the player, grabbed the boxes and arranged everything how she wanted. She left the attic so she could go see what was on the DVD she retrieved from the player. After taking a shower and getting herself fresh, Lyla sat in front of the TV in her bedroom. She inserted the DVD she found in the attic into her DVD player. She grabbed the remote, sat back on her bed and got ready to turn on the TV when her cell phone started to ring. She set the remote down and answered the phone.

After a steamy ten-minute conversation with a guy she had met at a club a few weeks back she got off the phone smiling and fanning herself with her right hand. She ran to her closet so she could pick something cute to wear on her dinner date. Her mind was so totally on choosing the perfect outfit and getting dressed that she forgot all about the DVD she was about to watch. She was more focused on the cute guy Kirk and hoping he would be worth her time.
I wonder if he's packing a big tool in them jeans,
she thought as she reached and grabbed a pretty pastel dress by Zuhair Murad and some Jimmy Choo heels she felt would complement her dress perfectly. The dress showed just enough leg and cleavage for her taste.
Yes, tonight is going to be a good night,
she said to herself and smiled.

 

 

Once everyone was on board of Taz's G5 and the captain told them that they were cleared for takeoff Taz asked Tari how things went with her and Damon.

“He's with it.”

“Huh?” asked Wild Bill.

“Damn, Tee, what you do to that fool?” asked Red.

“Wait! I'm not sure we need to hear those details; you're like a sister to us!” joked Bob.

Frowning, Taz said, “I know you didn't go there with that fool, Tari.”

“Calm down, you jerks. You are some of the dirtiest men I have ever met in my life! Ugh! If I would have had to fuck him to get that information and to get him on the team then I would have. It would have been strictly business, and I am with this business all the way. I'm all in just like y'all.”

Each male member of the crew placed their right palm flat against their chest and gave her a nod of respect.

She continued. “But none of that was necessary. As I walked up to him something inside of me told me that I could get at him directly and he would be with it. Call it female intuition if you want, but I was right. After a few strawberry margaritas with Patrón we got to flirting back and forth, having a good time. I asked him was he happy working for Saint Tramon and he was like yes and no. He loves the money but he doesn't see himself doing this job for her for the rest of his life. That gave me the opening I was looking for and I got at him with the real. I asked him straight up how would he like a position on the council of the Network.”

“What did that fool say?” asked Wild Bill.

“At first he just stared at me like I was stupid. Then he grinned and asked me was I playing with him. I told him what you said and that you were a man of your word. As long as he did what he was supposed to do then he would not only be appointed to the council, he would inherit all of Saint Tramon's territory. No one else could run it as good as he could since he knew all of the ins and outs by being Saint Tramon's longtime personal assistant. He sat there stunned and ran everything I told him through his head for a few minutes and then said he was with it.”

Taz sat there for a moment and processed what Tari just told them and then said, “There's always a ‘but.' What was his ‘but,' Tee?”

She smiled and said, “Actually he has two ‘buts.' The first is that he will not have to physically hurt Saint Tramon or anyone. I assured him that when it was time for any violence if there would be any he wouldn't be asked to participate physically. He was needed primarily for internal only.”

“Very good, Tee, real damn good,” said Bob.

“And the last ‘but'?” asked Taz.

Laughing, she said, “He wants the opportunity to get with me. He figures if he's about to up his status to boss level he needs a gorgeous woman by his side.” She shrugged and said, “His words not mine.”

“Your answer to that was?” Taz asked with raised eyebrows.

Tari winked and answered, “That's between Damon and myself, big boy.” Changing the subject she asked, “Now that we got him in our pocket what your next move, Taz?”

Taz smiled and said, “My next move is my best move. We're about to bring closure to all of this nonsense. First I want you to get at Damon and get some confirmation on a few things for me. Is Saint Tramon linked up with Danny Orumutto? Did she have Malcolm Brown hit and why? What are her plans? Get me that info and then when we have the council meeting next month everything will be taken care of.”

“Where are we having the meeting this time? I hope somewhere like Cabo or Jamaica. I'm trying to see some island life for a long week,” said Wild Bill.

Shaking his head no, Taz said, “Sorry, my nigga, this is a simple one; we're playing this close to home this time.”

“How close?” asked Red.

“The closest. We're having the next quarterly meeting here in the city. I'm going to reserve suites for the entire council at the Skirvin and we will have the meeting in a suite of our own. So once everything is everything we will be able to make our move and address the council with the facts necessary to terminate Saint Tramon's ass.”

“The end game huh?” asked Bob.

Taz looked at each crew member and gave a nod of his head yes and said, “Exactly.”

By the time Saint Tramon made it back to her hotel suite she was still fuming from Taz's direct threats to her. She couldn't believe that that young bastard had the audacity to come at her as if she was some petty underling from the streets. She was a respected leader in her own right and would be damned if she let that so-called leader get the best of her. She knew that she had to move fast because odds were he would get the information needed to move against her.
The fool, he actually gave me the time I need to have his ass dealt with first. That's the difference between a leader and a woman who knows how to lead. I give no warnings. I make the most aggressive moves needed in order to win,
she said to herself as she grabbed her cell and sent a text to Damon summoning him to her suite. Five minutes later Damon was standing in front of Saint Tramon awaiting her instructions.

“I need you to get in contact with Ninth Ward Twine. Have him meet us at the house tomorrow evening.”

“Am I to give him any specifics, ma'am?”

“Yes, tell him what I have lined up for him will make him a half a million dollars.”

Damon raised his eyebrows and asked, “Who's worth paying a half of a million dollars to eliminate, if you don't mind me asking, ma'am?”

She stared a Damon for a few seconds and then gave him a one-word answer. “Taz.”

 

 

It was well after two in the morning when Lyla made it back home. She was exhausted and all she wanted to do was crawl into her bed and get some sleep. She never intended to spend the entire evening with Kirk, especially when she knew she had to get up early for some deliveries that were due to arrive at the boutique at eight a.m. She went into the bathroom, removed her makeup, and smiled as she thought about how close she had come to giving in and letting Kirk have his way with her. She stood strong and resisted the temptation to have sex with him but chose to give him some mind-blowing head instead. He reciprocated the favor and it got really hot and heavy in there after her orgasm rocked her entire body. She didn't know where she found the resolve to make the decision to leave but she was glad she did it.
Give him something to look forward to. I'm sure he will be calling for another date real soon,
she thought as she went and sat on the bed.

She grabbed the remote control and turned on the TV and before going to bed decided to watch the DVD she found earlier in the attic. She pressed the play button on the remote and began to watch the DVD. She was confused because it looked as if she was watching the front of the house. Then her eyes grew wide when she saw Keno come into view and walk toward the front door. What she saw next made tears start falling from her eyes as she watched in horror as Sacha pulled a gun out of her purse and shot Keno in the back of his head.
Oh! My! God!