Page 5 of Grand Master
FEEL THE FEAR FIRST, THEN EMbrACE IT…
Later that night….
After the club emptied, I stayed in the VIP, watching her as she pulled on a black hoodie over her tank top. Her curls were tucked into the hood as she slipped out the side door into the rain. Tone looked at me, smirking.
“You want us to get her now?”
I shook my head and leaned forward elbows on my knees, my eyes sharp on the exit.
“Not yet.”
I wanted her to feel the fear first then embrace it. She needed to feel the shift in the air when I was near. It was imperative for her to understand that she was living on borrowed time, that her freedom was already gone. It belonged to me…
I stood, adjusting my Glock on my waist. I pulled my hood up and stepped out into the rain. I followed her, quietly and patiently. There was no need to rush shit, good things came to the best of us when we waited. Tonight, she took her first step onto my board. Playtime.
Rain on Fig hit different. It smelled like hot concrete, old piss mixed with used condoms, and gutter water. Ungodly things were done in this alley, a few men died by my hands when they didn’t comply here.
It felt like I was born in the rain, then baptized in the gutter water when my Pops bled out in that old trap house.
When I was young, it constantly felt like I got poured down on with rain, sorrow, and confusion.
I conquered that feeling, now the sound of the rain hitting the street was like music to my ears.
Tone finally got back to me with her name, the rest of her information, I planned on looking through later.
Tonight, the music was her. Mira Laurent. She didn’t know I was so close, if I wanted this short chase over with, I could have jogged slowly and snatched her myself.
By now, she was scared, fear probably shivered down her spine.
I knew she felt it because fear made people move faster without knowing why.
She clutched that violin case to her chest like it would save her.
Her hoodie was soaked, her jeans stuck to her thick thighs as her shoes slapped in puddles as she cut down the alley behind a liquor store.
Neon lights flickered multiple colors off the wet pavement; her reflection broke with every step.
She paused under a busted streetlight and looked over her shoulder.
Her curls stuck to her cheeks, lips parted, her breathing was uneven by sight.
She felt me, didn’t know me, but her body did.
I bet the fine hair on her neck is sticking up right now, I chuckled lowly, the thrill of it all had my dick rock hard.
I could have taken her right where she stood, but I waited.
I leaned against the bricks and took my eyes off of her to watch how rats scurried for cover from the water.
I wanted to let her fear bloom, let her think she made it.
She adjusted her grip on the violin case, and tucked it tighter, her eyes shined under the neon lights as she picked up her pace.
She started to whisper loudly to herself.
Loud enough for me to hear her desperate pointless pleas.
“Almost home, Mira. God protect me.” She said, over and over.
She wasn’t going home, not tonight or no time soon. She took another step and like clockwork, I counted down the seconds. Right on fuckin’ time.
Tone and Dre stepped out the shadows, black hoodies up, gloves on, moving in silence as the water pooled around their Timbs coming up behind her. She spun, eyes wide, as she clutched the violin case like a shield.
“Back the fuck up!” She yelled as loud as she could; her voice broke as her bottom lip trembled. Good girl, fight for your freedom. I chuckled at my deranged thoughts.
Dre’s dumb ass went for her violin case, she yanked it back and swung it at him, hitting him in the chest. Dre’s weight always made him move slower than he needed to.
He was big and bulky, with a gut that hung low to his thighs.
Tone moved fast, knowing not to disappoint me.
He grabbed her arms and pinned them at her sides.
Her scream tore through the alley, it sounded raw and desperate.
She kicked, tried to bite at them like a wild animal, her tears mixed with the rain as she sobbed out loudly.
All of it sounded like music to my ears, igniting my sunken soul. I started to feel more alive than I did in a long time.
“LET ME THE FUCK GO! OH MY GOD!!!! HELP ME PLEASE!! SOMEBODY HELP MEEEEE!!!!”
I chuckled because nobody was coming. These were my fucking streets, even the crackheads that weren’t supposed to be out right now would turn a deaf ear not to be seen by me.
I stifled my yawn and stepped forward. I purposely let my boots slap the water so she could hear me.
I wanted her to feel the weight of what was coming.
She froze when she saw me, her big innocent eyes locked on mine.
Her body shook so hard, Tone had to readjust his grip.
Three, two—one…
She tried to scream again but nothing came out. Her eyes pleaded with mine almost begging me with the words she couldn’t produce. I pulled my hood back, letting the rain hit my waves as I smiled at her.
“Stop fighting, it’s wasted energy.” I stated.
“Please, I’m not worth the time! I’m—” Her bottom lip trembled; her words must have got caught in her throat as I stepped close into her space. Not worth the time? You’re worth every second, Mira.
I let my knuckles slide down the side of her wet face and just eyed her for a couple of seconds.
Can she really be the one…this time? I asked myself then nodded answering my own question.
If there wasn’t anyone in the world to trust…
I had me, and myself never would lead me in the wrong direction.
The owl inside of me always backed any decisions that I made.
She’s the one, the others’ were just light work until the universe showed me her…
“You got a beautiful voice, baby.” I murmured lowly.
“I hate that you keep wasting your screams.” I continued, winking at her.
She whimpered, a soft broken sound that slipped past her lips before she could catch it, her eyes squeezed shut, as tears leaked through them. I nodded at Tone for him to continue to the next step.
He pulled a black rag from his pocket and pressed it over her mouth.
She screamed into it; her eyes grew wild, pointed my way.
I watched her use all of her strength to fight it, she tried to kick again, and Dre good for nothing ass finally thought logically enough to grab her legs and lift them off the ground.
Her sneakers fell into the water along with her violin case.
The latch popped open, her precious instrument slid out as it hit the concrete.
I cringed, watching it fall, I understood without her having to tell me that the old wooden violin was a part of her like the owls were a part of me.
Her eyes nearly popped out of its sockets as she desperately attempted to reach for it.
Her fingers clawed the air, her screams muffled as Tone and Dre dragged her toward the black SUV idling at the end of the alley.
I bent down and picked up the violin then shook the water off it.
I looked at the ground and froze when I seen a small baggie full of cocaine underneath it.
I bent down, opened the baggie up and let the powder melt against the wet concrete while some of it blew out into the wind.
Clutching the violin, I walked towards the truck.
“The last notes of freedom.” I chuckled looking over at her as they shoved her into the backseat.
Even from a distance, her eyes were on me, wide and terrified. I couldn’t stop the smile that deformed my face.
The Grand Master doesn’t rush the game…. it’s almost time to take a piece, so take it.
I took my time walking to the end of the alley.
I slid into the backseat next to her with her violin across my lap.
Her body pressed against the door, shaking.
She cried softly and whispered for us to please let her go.
If she was smart, she would shut the fuck up. I hate all that unnecessary noise.
Her tears, pain, and horror fed me delightfully.
I felt full and satisfied with the smell of her sweet perfume, fresh tears, and the smell of her wet hair right next to me.
They always screamed, begged, and cried…
wasted energy when I was doing them a fucking favor.
How ungrateful. I shook my head in disbelief.
She didn’t know it yet, but her new life had just begun. Once it was all said and done, she’d thank me…maybe even praise me. Her old life wasn’t worth the strife or struggle to keep pushing through.