Page 90 of Smoke

I led them into the warehouse. It had been about four days since I’d been back to check on Patrick and a total of seven since I'd snatched him up. He’d been sitting here in the dark with no food or water. I was sure his arms were about to give out on him. I was about to put him out of his misery anyway. When we stepped into the space, we were hit with a foul stench. I covered my nose as I approached him.

“Nigga, did you shit on yourself?” I asked, slapping his face.

His head popped up, and he looked at me with tired red eyes. His gaze traveled to my uncle and Roux.

“Don’t look at them,” I said. “They aren’t here to help you.”

Uncle Blake stepped forward. “So you’re the lil’ nigga selling in my territory, huh? You know we can’t have that, right? I mean, it’s nothing personal. It’s just business.”

“Fuck that,” Roux said, pulling out her gun. “It’s personal to me. Didn’t I tell you to stand the fuck down when you asked about working for me years ago, nigga?” She hit him with the butt of the gun. “Didn’t I tell you what would happen if I caught you pushing product in my fucking city?”

“I’m… I’m sorry?—”

“You’re sorry? I should have ended your whole fucking bloodline when your bitch ass daddy got on the news talking about my father. You’re lucky I didn’t slit your fucking throat back then.”

“I didn’t have anything to do with that?—”

“Shut the fuck up when I’m talking.”

She aimed the gun at his crotch and fired. Patrick screamed bloody murder. Both Uncle Blake and I jumped as blood seeped through the front of his pants. I knew Roux was crazy, but damn.

“You niggas always make me have to show my ass to get some respect. Stop all that damn crying.”

“Roux, you just shot that man in the dick,” I reminded her.

“And? The only thing he was doing with it was fucking hos and getting bitches pregnant with no intention of taking care of his kid. No offense to your girl. If there are two things I can’t stand, it’s a nigga that puts his hands on women and a nigga who doesn’t take care of his responsibilities.”

“I’ma let you have your fun with him in a minute,” I promised.

Patrick was snotty nosed crying at this point. “Please, man… I don’t wanna die.”

“It’s a little too late for that,” Uncle Blake said, lighting another blunt. “Who is your supplier?”

“I don’t know?—”

“The fuck you mean you don’t know? You don’t know who you’re buying from?”

“I’m just the middleman.”

“Who’s in charge?”

“My…” He started crying again, and my uncle slapped him.

“Stop fucking crying and talk!”

“My dad.”

Now that shit was news to me. I guess I would be making a visit to Mr. Mathis sooner rather than later.

“Why does he need Romi’s place? Of all the places in the city, why hers?”

Patrick was still crying like a bitch. Snot and slob dripped from his nose and lips as he tried to get it together.

“The tunnels… the ones that run under the city. Her shop sits right on top of one. That’s what’s beneath the floor behind the steel door. He… he wants to smuggle product in through the tunnels.”

“Then I guess we know who will be joining you,” I said, reaching into my pocket.

I pulled out a laser and handed it to Roux.

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