Page 4 of Welcome to the Heart Of A Maniac
I strolled toward the entrance of Elmore Correctional Center. Entering the building, I remove my keys from my pocket and placed them on the counter before stepping through the metal detector. The guard hit me with a head nod after handing over my keys. I tread to the counter and grabbed the Sharpie pen and signed in like I normally did and stepped back, waiting for them to call my name.
“Saint-Mercier!” one of the guards called out and his eyes landed on me. I’d been here so much that everyone in this mufucka knew me by face and name. Shit, everyone in the city knew who the Saint-Mercier’s were. We ran this city and the surrounding areas. Nothing around here moves without our say so.
I trudge through the door and followed him down the hallway toward a green door. Gripping the doorknob, he pushed it in, gaining me entrance. I stepped over the threshold and took one of the seats at the rectangular table. The door shut and my eyes bounced around the paint chipping room.
Not long after, the door pushed in again and Wicked stepped through with the cuffs on his wrists. He turned and faced the guard. He immediately removed them and Wicked rubbed his wrists. “Next time, not too tight,” left his lips as he came over to the table and took the other chair in front of me.
The door shut behind him. His dark eyes shifted to mine and the corner of his mouth quirked. His black and white tattoos sprouted from underneath the orange jumpsuit he wore. The one on the right side of his neck has fresh ink. Relaxing back in the chair, he said, “A’ight,” giving me the go head to speak.
“The wedding was straight. She was beautiful. You should’ve been there to see her.”
The smile on his face spread wider. “I bet she was. I made sure to send some to the house for her. And what ’bout business?”
“Everything’s running smoothly. The new cognac is ’bout ready to hit the shelves now.” Technically, it wasn’t really new. It’s a cognac that we’ve been sitting on for some years, trying our best to perfect. Finally, I feel like it’s time to put it out there. “We have a party scheduled next month to see how everyone reacts to it before placing it on shelves.”
“A’ight, anything else?”
“Your shipment is coming through the doors as we speak.”
Wicked rubbed his hands together. This man has been behind bars for the last twelve years for murder. They ain’t want to let him out of this mufucka. Most of his time was served up in New York. Since he was at the end of his sentence, they moved him down here to serve the rest of his time.
The feds had been on Wicked’s ass for so long, that when they finally got their hands on him, they tried to send him as far away from home to punish him as if that was gon’ stop anything. Even up there in New York, we were still pushing weight behind bars. Ma made her way up there every other month on the private jet to visit him even though he told her not to. One thing about Ma, she wasn’t about to turn her back on her kids. That woman was the most loyal person I’ve ever seen. Pops was lucky as shit to have someone like her in his corner, even sometimes I felt like he ain’t deserve her.
“I been waiting on this shit. Everybody in here looking for it to hit.”
“And you sure you got these mufuckas in yo’ pocket?”
“I got shit under control in here. You just handle out there ’til it’s time for me to come home.” There was a knock at the door, grasping our attention. Wicked lifted to his feet, knowing that his time was up. “Keep my throne warm ’til I get outta here.”
I nodded as the guard opened the door and stepped inside. Wicked lifted his wrists in his direction and he slapped the cuffs back on him. He was removed from the room and I got up from my seat.
Wicked is my oldest brother. He was the rightful leader of this family. After he was taken away to prison, I was left having to step up and run shit. I was far from ready to take over, but I’ve been doing one hell of a job while he’s been locked up with the help of my younger brother Grim and my best friend Murda. Heavy disappeared into the shadows after Wicked got locked up. He was still around to help out when needed, but I got a feeling that nigga wasn’t coming back out ’til Wicked touched back down.
That was his main-man. They’d been through everything together. They started from the bottom of the family and worked their ways to the top. If I’m being honest, Heavy supposed to belocked up with his ass. In fact, he tried to take the charge, but Wicked wouldn’t let him. I don’t know what all that was about, but I left it alone. Maybe it had something to do with him having a whole family at home and Wicked didn’t have anyone. Either way, we were almost at the end of this road, and I couldn’t wait ’til it was all over.
I exited the room and headed back toward the exit. As I neared the door, I noticed the crowd of women that were standing in the waiting area. My eyes zoomed in on one of them. She stood there in these gray sweats and a white t-shirt. I just knew she was walking around with drugs shoved up her pussy just like the rest of them that were paid to come in. They understood the risks and if they were caught, the shit was on them.
Maneuvering through the sea of women, I exited the building and crossed the parking lot to my car. Hitting the fob, I climbed inside and started it up. It purred, music to my ears. Throwing it in drive, I sped out the parking lot.
My parents’ estate is my next stop, but before I can head there, I needed to stop by The Velvet Garden to grab my mama some flowers. Whenever I showed up to her house, I never wanted to go there empty handed. Between me, my brothers, and Pops, that woman is spoiled beyond measure.
Despite their differences, my Pops treated Ma exceptionally well and showed us how a woman is supposed to be treated. Me and my siblings were taking notes.
I pulled to the curb in front of the flower shop and cut the engine. Grabbing my phone from my cupholder, I checked my notifications. Since I couldn’t have my phone inside the prison, I’d left it outside in the car. I had a few emails and some messages from this chick named Nylah that I’d been messing with here and there. We had this arrangement—I’d blow her back out from time to time and toss her something on the side. Iliked to keep that shit that way—no attachments. That way when I came across some that I actually wanted, I’d be able to cut her off with no issues.
I’d been single for the last five years. After my last relationship, the bitch had my mind gone. I thought I was so in love. Karmyn had come all around my family. Was calling Ma her ma and shit just for her to be a fucking snake. Bitch had ill intentions from the door. Her mission was to set me up for her brothers to rob blind. Ho had been cleaning out my jewelry, having me thinking that I was going crazy. All my cash, she was stacking at her house for when they finally did the huge heist on my ass. I caught the bitch red handed one day and went through her phone. I’m not even gon’ lie, I tried to knock that bitch’s head clean off her shoulders. Her and her brothers went for a permanent sleep and I ain’t been right ever since.
It's been fuck love for me, but deep down, I craved that shit. I just don’t want to get mixed up in no bullshit anymore. Every chick that approached me, I felt like had ill intentions, and I wouldn’t allow them to get too close. The next ho that snags my heart better have genuine intentions or else she gon’ be hanging from the mantel in my living room.
Nylah: Babe, are you busy?
Nylah: Come on daddy. I know you see me texting you.
Nylah: 3 attachments.
Nylah: This pussy purring for you.
Nylah: Come on. I’m ovulating and I’m horny as fuck. If you don’t answer me within the next ten minutes, I’m gon make someone else come handle the job.
