The Last Kings (22 page)

“Sadie?” I stared at the woman I'd believed was dead for a year in disbelief.

The eyes of my former best friend had changed. There was emptiness there. Although my gun was in my hand, I was too petrified to pull it on her. I felt like I was looking into the eyes of a ghost.

“H-How?” I saw her die. I
saw
Khiron kill her!

“What?” Sadie said her voice soft and cold as she cocked her head slightly at me. “You want a fuckin' hug? What's the matter, Mo? You look like you just saw a ghost!”

There was something different in her demeanor. The golden pharaoh on her forearm glistened in the night, indicating who her allegiance was still to and would forever be with.

“Sadie, I'm so sorry.” I spoke the same words to her flesh right then and there that I thought her spirit was hearing every night. “I never wanted any of that to happen. It wasn't supposed to be like that.”

I felt tears welling up in my eyes as I stared into the blankness in hers. The expression on her face let me know that she could care less about my words. They meant nothing to her. I noticed the black gloves on her hands and instantly knew why she was there. I let my grip loosen on Lucy. The remorse I felt for the fall of The Last Kings was unbearable. It was six cartels in one, and because of me, it was over. Instead, the only work that was seen in Detroit was the weak shit Khiron had going. Sadie's gaze wavered, and for a split second, I saw the rage that was held inside.

“You want to know how I survived, huh?” Sadie chuckled. “You should have paid more attention to Grandma Rae. I have a special heart, Mocha . . . You remember her saying that?”

I nodded my head. She said it every day, but I didn't see how it was relevant.

“The bullet Khiron put in my chest didn't penetrate it. My heart is on the
opposite
side of my chest, unlike the common person. That's what she meant by saying my heart was special. I found that out after being shot. If Khiron was smart, he would have put more than three bullets in my body; his mistake. But then again, if it hadn't been for Adrianna and Devynn showing up when they did, I would have been dead—no question. It took six months of physical therapy and being connected to fuckin' tubes to fully function again.”

Distantly, I remembered Ray's last words:

“May God have mercy on ya' fucking souls . . . because I won't. And I
know
she won't.”

“Did it make you happy?” Sadie asked me calmly. “Watching Ray die?”

All I could do was let the tears roll down my face and shake my head.

“We took you in, Mocha!” Sadie's eyes ripped me into shreds. “Bitch, you didn't have one person to live for, and we gave you that! But then, you choose a nigga over us? Over
family
? I don't have anybody now, Mocha. Not Grandma Rae, not Ray. Nobody!” Sadie began walking toward me, a fire burning in her eyes. “My cousin couldn't even receive a proper burial because there was
nothing
left to bury. And for what? For
this?
”

Sadie waved her arms around the neighborhood as her heels stabbed the ground with each step she took.

“Bitch, this nigga got you living out of a fuckin' shoe box ho'ing on the low.” Sadie shook her head in pity. “I could dead your ass, and trust me, it's
so
tempting, but I'm not going to.”

My mouth opened, not understanding. If I was her, I wouldn't even be having a conversation with me at all. I would have just put a bullet in my brain.

“I can't kill you, actually,” Sadie smirked at me. “Just like Khiron used you as his key,
I'm
using you as mine. And I need you to lead me to someone.”

“Y-your key to what? And lead you to who?” I found my voice again.

“Kings don't fucking die, remember, Mocha?” Sadie was directly in front of my face. “And there's a peasant running my fucking city. I need it back. Marie's missing. I know she's not dead. Tyler isn't going to rest until he finds her.”

She nodded down the street, and I noticed an all-black Hummer. Ray's bulletproof Hummer posted.

“Tyler's alive?” I breathed, not believing it. I'd seen his obituary in the newspaper.

“You're not stupid, Mocha. You know what's up. We had to keep a low profile. But now, it's time to take back what's ours, and
you're
going to help.” Sadie turned her back on me and began to walk away, but then stopped and turned her head slightly. “This meeting? It never happened. The
real
war starts tomorrow. Play your role. You'll be hearing from me soon. Oh, and don't worry, if this doesn't work, I
will
kill you, then shoot Khiron's mother's house up and make him come look for me.”

With that, I watched Sadie switch back to the Hummer and pull off into the night. Although she'd just threatened my life, just the mere sight of her gave me hope. I knew I was going to do everything in my power to help her claim back the city: for Ray.

“Kings don't fucking die,”
I whispered up to the stars before I went inside of my shoe box to prepare for the street war to come.