Page 97 of For the Love of City
“Man, fuck you!”
“Nah, my dick ain’t entering a nigga’s ass. Not even if I had a gun to my head. But if that’s your truth, live that shit. But snitching? You fucked up with that because you were stupid enough to snitch on some important fucking people. And now they facing a case when nobody should even know their proximity to the game. But you’re the only thing standing between them and walking free.” I shrugged my shoulders because his testifying was never going to happen.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The beads of sweat on his forehead told an entirely different story.
“Man, this nigga says he’s clueless. You think we need to fill him in?”
“I just want to whoop his ass real quick for how he tried to play in my sister’s face but life fucked him up enough for me. Besides, I don’t know what that nigga might’ve caught when he was inside. I won’t even sully the floors of this place with his blood. But what you think we should do, bruh?”
“Oh, that’s your bruh now? Why, cause he’s the one fucking with Porsha? Where’s the loyalty?” Me and Man looked at Link like he’d lost his damn mind.
“Nah. My sister grown as hell so you trying to take them lil cheap shots ain’t moving me. The shit that makes me hate you is that you’re weak. See City saw my sister and respected her hustle. You saw her and exploited that shit. I made sure that Porsha was gone be good and attempted to do the same for you off the strength of her. But this nigga here hasn’t done shit but come in the family and be himself. He got Toots eating out of his hand ‘cause she recognize a real nigga when she sees one. Which is why she always hated your ass, weak muthafucka.”
“But that’s enough talking. Man was able to help me out with this task since you wanted to be ducking and dodging your responsibilities. You're real good for that. It’s time for you to face your judgement like a man.”
He looked between the two of us as though he thought walking out of here was an option. Link was still dressed in his clothes from work because he got snatched up as soon as he got dismissed.
“What you mean?”
I smiled watching him squirm but not wanting to draw this out since I had a future to get back to. “You ain’t know? The Ortegas wanted to have a word with you.”
All the color left his face when I said that because he knew what that meant for him. He started to back up but since there was no way out for him and the shooters were all around the building, there was nowhere for him to run. Link’s back hitthe concrete wall and he shook his head. His eyes were darting around the room like they were finna jump his ass from the shadows.
“Nah, ain’t no way you got me out here for them. What the fuck is that about? Niggas supposed to stick together but you letting some Mexicans come between us?”
“They’re Afro-Cuban and real men. I wouldn’t tether myself to you for all the money in the world. You stink. Your work ethic sucks and you’d rather bend over and take it like a bitch than grind like a hustla. Miss me with the pleas, ain’t no saving you.”
“Camilo, Emiliano, venga aqui.Tenemos tu rata!” Man said that shit with so much joy it brought a smile to my face. He’d been waiting years for this get back and I was happy to help him deliver it.
“Wait, wait, wait. We can talk about this.” He held his hands up as though he could stop anything from happening.
Two men strolled out one with deep brown skin the color of bronze and the other slightly lighter. Both had tightly curled hair that hung to their shoulders and were dressed casually. They blended in easily, not looking like the Cuban cartel.
“Talk about what, my friend? That you spoke our name to people that you never should’ve?” Emiliano stood with his hands behind his back unbothered because he knew his shooters had their guns trained on him.
“If it weren’t for our having a cousin who’s a Fed, there’s no telling where we would be. Thankfully, we got the heads up on the little raid you tipped them off about and could move that shit undetected.” Camilo was glaring at Link and I knew he was pissed; he wasn’t going to put a bullet in his head.
“Don’t you know not to fuck with the cartel? Especially the Cubans. You must’ve had a death wish or some shit, Link.” Man gleefully toyed with Link who by now had shit himself.
“Damn, that’s what you get for having a loose booty. Shitting yourself at the slightest hint of fear. Damn shame you gotta make that trip smelling like shit.” I shook my head because I didn’t envy having to fly with him smelling like that.
“Let’s go, Link.” Camilo sneered his name with disgust and I knew it was more from the snitching than the shitting. Personally, it was both for me because he was loud.
“Where am I going?”
Why this man sounded hopeful was beyond me. Anyone knows that when you’re moved from one location to another you’re guaranteed to die.How you a criminal and don’t know shit about crime?
Emiliano waved to some of the shooters that were lining the walls and they came over with guns drawn to circle Link. “To Cuba. It’s time for you to disappear into the fields whose production you were trying to stop.” Emiliano smiled sinisterly as he watched Link get hit in the back of the head with the butt of a rifle.
We watched him get drug, shitty pants and all, into the waiting delivery van that was stationed behind the building.
“‘Thank you for grabbing him up for us.” Camilo and Emiliano dapped us up while their eyes were still on their workers dragging out Link.
“No problem. Your hands stay clean, and Alejandro can continue to play his police games. His information is too good for us not to lend a hand when necessary. Y’all got what you needed and this bitch is going to be miserable the rest of his life. It’s all a win to me.”
“You’ll be hearing from us, Man. Your being out of the game means we can’t assist you in our usual way. But that does not mean that we won’t extend our gratitude.” Emiliano nodded toward Man and he didn’t say anything just gave them a nod.
“And you, Corey? What are you about to do?”
