The Cartel - Ashley Antoinette Snell [88]
“So that’s it? You gon’ choose him over us after all we’ve been through?”
“What do you want me to do, Robyn? This is it! This shit is a wrap! Aries, if you want to take it the same way, you can. It is what it is. I love you guys. You’re my sisters, but I’m in love with him, Aries. I didn’t mean for it to happen, and I didn’t want to give him my heart, but I did. Yes, his family is responsible for Anisa’s death, but how many people have we brought the same fate? We have to take responsibility for the role we played in this. We all knew it was possible. We just got caught slipping. That is something that I will regret for the rest of my life, but I won’t make him pay for it.”
Miamor stormed out of the house with a heavy heart. She knew that Aries would eventually forgive her, but Robyn would take it as a personal slap in the face. It was possible that their friendship may never be repaired, but it was a chance she was willing to take.
Miamor walked into her home and heard her shower running. She was glad that Carter was still there. After the morning she’d had, she needed him to prove to her that he was worth it. She walked into the bathroom. She pulled back the shower curtain and admired Carter’s toned body as he washed himself. She stepped inside of the shower in her clothes and all then held on to him tightly. She hoped that he wouldn’t make her regret her decision. She was taking a chance on him, trusting someone other than her immediate circle for the first time in her adult life.
“Hey, what’s wrong? You’re getting yourself soaked, ma,” he whispered in protest, yet he never let her go.
Miamor had no regrets. She knew that he was worth the risk. She could feel his love for her even in the way that he held her. Deep inside her heart she knew that he would never hurt her. She just hoped and prayed that she could keep herself from hurting him.
“I could fucking kill her!” Robyn yelled as she paced back and forth for the twentieth time, practically burning a hole in the floor.
“What has gotten into her?” Aries asked. “Love? She’s killed so many people, me didn’t even know she had a heart.”
“Fuck this! I’m about to call this bitch because she is not about to just bail out on the plan. I don’t care if I have to murder her little boyfriend myself—We are finishing this job! She can thank me later for getting rid of her distraction.”
Robyn grabbed the cordless phone off the wall and dialed Miamor’s number. The humming of a cell phone filled the room.
Aries walked over to the couch and picked up Miamor’s purse. She checked inside, retrieved the phone, and threw her hands up in exasperation. “So much for that. She left she damn bag here. We have to get it together because I was depending on the money from the bounty.”
A smirk came across Robyn’s face as she took Miamor’s phone from Aries’ hand. She flipped it open and searched her address book.
“What are you doing?” Aries questioned.
“Finding Ma’tee’s number. If Miamor wants out, that’s fine, but we are going to get this money. It doesn’t matter to me if she’s with it or not. We don’t need her.”
Robyn located Ma’tee’s number and pressed dial. She was determined to finish what they had started. By any means necessary, she was going to get paid and then get out of town.
Chapter Nineteen
“Why are you always acting like I don’t matter to you?”
—Breeze
Breeze walked beside Zyir as they headed to the bodega where a black-owned bookstore was located. They had grown quite fond of each other. Zyir was the only person that Breeze really talked to. Everybody only took her at face value, but Zyir saw through her. He knew her and took the time to actually listen when she talked.
Zyir slowly felt himself growing closer to Breeze. He didn’t want to because he knew that it could possibly cause conflict between him and Carter, but the more time he spent with Breeze, the more important she became to him. They were together twenty-four seven. Carter demanded that Zyir keep her safe,