Page 10

Tayla

T he overcast sky wasn’t doing anything to help my mood.

I hated the days when the sun only peeked through the clouds.

I needed the Sun’s full rays to reinvigorate me each day.

I could stay outside all day if the weather were right.

It didn’t help that it was so dark that it looked like it would storm any minute.

I was driving my Mercedes EV today because I didn’t want the roar of my Chevelle SS’s engine to alert anyone I’d arrived.

I’d taken another lunch hour trying to pin down Nina.

After the scare last week with Drue, I walked around on eggshells at A Child’s Haven.

My first month had gone smoothly, except for that incident.

I didn’t want to do anything that could jeopardize everything that I had in play, which is why I was adamant about finding her.

The docks had put me one step closer. I couldn’t believe that the man wearing a mask was Brice.

I wasn’t one hundred percent sure until his distinctive deep baritone belted out fuck into the small walls of that container.

Back in California, he never wore a mask when he conducted street business.

That was reserved for the Tops. Once The Cartel saw the success of One, Two, and Three remaining unknown, anonymity was a requirement.

I stood back in the shadows and watched him open two crates that contained military-grade artillery.

I knew Brice didn’t tell me everything he did in the streets because he didn’t trust me.

It was another fact that cut deep whenever I thought about it.

Even so, I knew they would never deal with guns. Finding them had pissed him off.

After he closed the container and jogged off, I finally entered the warehouse.

If I could help him with this problem, it would give me an in.

All I needed was the opportunity to tell him everything I needed to say.

With that newfound encouragement, I walked down several corridors until a name on a door stopped me.

Sincere Wright. I remembered that he used to work for Brice in Cali before he asked for a transfer.

His name was listed on the door as the dock manager.

I slipped inside the office unnoticed and began my search.

I looked through the false bottom in the desk, the file cabinets, and under the actual drawers of each.

I was sure Brice had seen all the information I found earlier when he was here.

That was until I ran across an address Sincere scribbled on a sticky note.

I hadn’t left an inch of that office untouched, which is how I found it balled up and thrown inside the trash.

Along with the address, the word ‘meeting’ was there, along with a time.

I took the piece of crumpled paper and left the docks.

“Now, arriving at your destination,” the robotic female voice said, interrupting my thoughts.

I glanced at the clock to see that I had twenty minutes before the time of the meeting.

I’d never been to this part of town. It was primarily industrial brick buildings that looked like warehouses.

Their facades were each fitted with old metal doors and tattered wood-framed windows.

As I drove, I saw two men loading a work van.

A couple more lined the street, but they were empty.

I went around the block twice to ensure that Sin and whoever he was meeting with hadn’t arrived early.

Once satisfied that I was the first here, I parked a block away.

I picked up my phone from inside the cup holder. Unlocking it, I searched my short list of contacts until I found his name. I clicked on it, staring at the impersonal profile picture I’d pulled from his company website months ago.

Just do it, Tayla. Call him.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I’d pressed my finger down on the button. My heart raced a mile a minute until he picked up.

“Yerr!” I froze. We both silently held the line until I heard him shuffling the phone.

“Stephon, please, don’t hang up! It’s Tayla,” I gently begged into the phone.

“I’m sorry that the first time you’ve heard from me is under these circumstances.

I know you don’t believe I didn’t have anything to do with Nina, but I didn’t.

I didn’t even know who that man was, and had never heard of him.

I want you to know that I’m going to fix it.

If something happens to me, promise you’ll take care of him.

“We need to talk,” Stephon finally spoke .

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have called. I have to go,” I rushed out, quickly taking the phone from my ear and ending the call.

I placed the phone on silent mode, then reached inside my glove box for my gun and pocket knife.

Brice had given it to me under the stipulation that I’d never know when I needed it until I needed it.

That man swore he was Suge Knight from Straight Outta Compton.

I leaned forward, tucking my gun into my slacks and the knife into my pocket before exiting.

I got out and pushed the door closed enough for the soft-close feature to take over.

I didn’t want to make a sound. I glanced around again before starting the quick walk to the warehouse.

I noticed how quiet the area was. No one would help me if I found myself in some shit.

I need to be careful. It’s not just me anymore.

Once I arrived, I stood out of sight at the edge of the adjacent building and scanned the side and roof of the other for cameras. There were none. I looked further until I found a point of entry. There was a window at the top of the fire escape; I would go that way.

I ran over to the escape, grabbed the ladder, and quietly pulled it down to the ground. I swiftly made my way up. Once I reached the window, I tried to push it open, but could not. The tattered window was covered in years of paint and sealed shut. I mocked Brice’s deep voice silently in my head.

You don’t know what you’ll need until you need it! Ugh, I hate it when he’s right.

I took out the knife, flipped it open, and began to slide it around the perimeter of the window until the seal was broken.

I grunted as I used all my force to push the window open enough for me to enter.

The building was currently dark. What little light I had was coming through the small windows that wrapped around the building like the one I’d crawled through.

I let my eyes adjust and looked around. I was on what appeared to be a mezzanine.

It was full of crates stacked to the ceiling.

They were the same crates I’d seen Brice open inside the shipping container.

Suddenly, the lights came on. Fluorescent lights lit up the room, and I heard a familiar voice. It was Nina. I maneuvered through the empty crates until I was close enough to see and listen to what was happening below without being seen.

When I got a clear view, I saw Nina and Sincere.

“How is it coming with your link? Is she making any headway?” Nina asked Sincere and snickered.

“She’s doing her best but says he won’t give her an in.”

“Tell her to try harder because if she succeeds, she will be our leverage against both sides. Keep her close and keep your head in the game, and I’m not talking about that one in your pants.”

Both sides?

“ Hmph, I can’t tell your dumb ass what to do with your dick.

Just make sure your ass doesn’t catch feelings.

Otherwise, you’ll learn, I’ll be the one to teach you,” Nina ordered.

Just as they were finishing their private conversation, the rear door opened.

A man walked inside with two men flanking his rear.

“Costa,” Nina said snidely .

“Nina, Cara,” the man I now knew as Costa spoke in a heavy accent. He was Italian, likely an extension of the Five Families. He would have been low-level if he hadn’t operated out of NY.

“What’s this meeting about, Costa? Get on with it. I have better things to do,” Nina said.

“We need more drugs,” he flatly stated.

“That’s impossible. We’re doing everything we can to stay under the radar of The Cartel, One and Two.”

“Nina, you and everyone else think we’re low-level compared to them.

Fuck them. The Costa family is going to take over every fucking thing, starting right here in Cypress.

I suggest you prepare if you want to remain at the top.

Now do what needs to be done,” Costa said before he abruptly turned to leave.

Mafia? What in the hell is going on? And you are low-level!

Once the doors closed, Sincere, who hadn’t said anything during the meeting, finally spoke up.

“Nina, what in the fuck are we going to do?”

“We? Never think that we are in the same position. I’m going to move some shit around and give him what he wants.

They’ll all kill each other if I’m lucky, leaving me at the top.

You play your position correctly; I’ll bring you along.

Now go down to the docks and figure the shit out,” she said.

I knew precisely how Sincere felt. He had given her the same face I had countless times when she spoke down on me.

He didn’t say a word. Sincere turned to leave, I’m assuming, to carry out his command.

More and more, Nina Nine showed me that she only had love for herself .

Nina stood after everyone had left, staring down at her phone.

I quickly and quietly made my exit. Before I descended the fire escape, I used my vantage point to ensure no one was near or on the ground below.

Then, I quickly hurried down the escape to the rear door and stood where I could easily shoot or attack.

I was sure she’d exit from it. I checked the time on my phone to see if I had enough time before returning to the center.

I had twenty minutes to spare. The door creaked open, and I haphazardly stuffed my phone into my pocket and readied my gun.

Let’s get this shit over with!