S6

- Chapter 67 -
Exodus 23:1

Popping my head out of the bathroom of my New Jersey home, I look at the tv hanging on my bedroom wall. It's on the news and I hear a familiar voice catching my attention. Sure enough it's Apollo's half-sister, Nina.

She's standing at a podium wearing a DEA jacket explaining the death, rather killing, of Ar'mon De Carlo. During the press conference you can't even tell Nina's the one who planned this whole thing. Her cold voice doesn't even give you a hint she's related to Ar'mon. She painted it as a drug bust gone wrong.

"Ar'mon De Carlo was released from prison after serving a more than ten year sentence for drug trafficking and running an organization. His sentence was overturned like many drug convictions made during the war on drugs that were deemed excessive. Ar'mon was given the perfect opportunity for a second chance at life. Instead he fell back into his old ways rather than starting fresh."

I take the towel in my hand going back to washing my face, while also still listening. "The drug ring he ran while in prison extended back into the outside world with him starting a new organization. We had plans to do a drug bust and arrest De Carlo. Despite me announcing I'm law enforcement he pulled a gun and began shooting. A shootout ensued ultimately taking Ar'mon's life. I'm not proud to say I had to kill my own father, but I also have a job to do. I've dedicated my life to fighting against drugs and my father doesn't get a pass. Ar'mon De Carlo participated in the distribution of illegal substances for decades and now his reign ends. Thank you."

I shake my head to myself when I can hear the timer I set on my phone go off. I yank my eyes from the tv walking back into the connected bathroom. I stop the timer on my phone that's on the sink counter rinsing my towel under water. Glancing at the Pregnancy test not too far from my phone I let out a deep sigh. I'm too scared to even look at it.

Instead of yanking it off like a wax strip to get it over with, I continue to get ready not looking at it. I do my makeup and hair for tonight's dinner then change into my gown.

While sitting at my vanity putting on my heels I pause deciding to just do it. I grab it then look at the box it came in.

"You ready?" I hear making me look over my shoulder. Standing in the doorway is Draco who's seemingly dressed and ready to go. "What's that?" he points noticing the test in my hand.

"Um, a pregnancy test," I admit holding it up.

"Why do you have that?" he asks stepping further into the bathroom.

"Because I thought I was pregnant," I answer the obvious question. "But I'm not," I try to brush it off quickly throwing it into the nearby trashcan. It was negative...

"Do you want to be pregnant?" Draco asks after staring at me for a few seconds. I shrug in response and he rubs his hand over his head as if stressed.

"I just don't understand why it can't be me?" I admit feeling a rising tremble in my voice with tears welling up in my eyes. I try to suck it up, but it's too late.

"What do you mean, Des?"

"Why is Diamonté pregnant and I'm not? You married me," I motion to myself.

"This isn't a competition. Nobody needs to be having a baby or getting pregnant right now, to be honest. What can we do about it now? Just because I'm out on bail doesn't mean this is all over. I still have a case looming over my head. A serious one at that."

"You have Nina on your side now. You're going to beat this. She said she has it handled," I sniffle wiping my face prepared to fix my makeup.

He groans. "It's not that simple. I talked to my lawyer... Glock's going to take a plea deal for the Louise murder and carjacking. I'm also going to take a deal. The deal is I'll take a couple years to shed some time off whatever Glock gets. I'm going to confess to my part in it..."

I blink trying to process what he just said. "What?! Why would you do that? They don't even know you're involved with that?!"

"I can't let Glock go down for this by himself when I'm the one who murdered that guy. What kind of brother would I be?"

I immediately cover my ears. "Don't say that. I don't want to hear that. Don't admit anything to me!" I remove my fingers from pressing my ears closed looking at him with shock. "What're you doing?"

"It's the truth. I killed him. Glock had a part, but it was minuscule compared to mine. I pulled the trigger that took that man's last breath. I have to pay for that. I can't let Glock take my time when he has a new baby and a wife."

"YOU have a wife and someone pregnant!" I shout.

"It's not the same," he shakes his head.

I stretch my neck back. "What? Why isn't it? Just because we haven't been together as long as him and Athena? Because the baby was an accident with an ex? You still have responsibilities." I pause to look at Draco seeing how defeated he looks. "The American judicial system is literally built on plea deals. They know people rather take an offer instead of risk going to trial. People plead guilty to shit they didn't do and serve a couple years rather than ballpark numbers. You're giving them what they want. You plea to this it'll be hard for Nina to wipe away the Kingpin case."

"No, it won't. I'll serve a couple years for the murder and I'm done."

"Mr. Lindo, why did you kill Louise Cantrell?" I ask like I'm a lawyer. Draco knows the answer leads back to drugs, so he blows out air turning his head to the side.

"For a plea deal you're admitting the state has sufficient evidence to find you guilty, if a case goes to trial. Why would you tell them you did the murder when you haven't been arrested for it nor do you have a case tied to it?"

"My brother!" he shouts like it's obvious.

I cover my mouth before saying, "Not to be a bitch, but Glock will be okay. He can take a plea deal for a couple years without you having to go down too. Athena and I can't be out here alone. We need at least one of you. We damn sure won't be able to count on Apollo."

"What the fuck do you want me to do? Glock's hands are tied. Because they have a state witness, Nina can't find a way out for him. She can help get rid of the Kingpin case, but that one's going to stick."

"Clearly your mind is made up," I turn putting my lipstick on over the conversation.

"The prosecutor's still waiting to hear back from the judge to see if it'll be approved."

I stand up smoothing my dress out. "I hope it's not," I give a petty smile walking out of the bathroom. Draco follows me sitting on the bed as I spray perfume over my body.

"Also, I got this from Ar'mon's last will and testament reading." He holds up an envelope with his name written on it making me look at him with a raised eyebrow.

After Ar'mon was pronounced dead there was no funeral or ceremony. Who would've showed up anyway? He made enemies out of everyone, including his own kid. Apollo simply had him cremated and called it a day.

"He left you something? That's surprising."

"That's what I said. He didn't leave me any money or nothing. What he had left went to Apollo and Nina," he shakes his head because they're the reason he's dead. "This is all he left me."

"Have you opened it?"

"Nah, I was waiting." I motion for him to do it, so he rips it open. Pulling out the paper it's a letter written by Ar'mon to Draco.

His eyes scan over it as he reads it aloud. Ar'mon's apologizing for everything he put Draco and his siblings through and everything they had to see. That's all Draco ever wanted even if it doesn't heal all the trauma.

He also explains once again that he had nothing to do with Ajax's murder. Reading it, Draco still can't bring himself to believe it. Ar'mon had all the motive even if he was in prison. Ajax was sleeping with his wife and had two illegitimate kids with her when they were raised together as family. That's the ultimate betrayal. Even if Ar'mon had his other women and had his own outside baby in Nina, men can't handle when women do the same thing.

I can tell Draco doesn't believe it until he opens the other page in the envelope. It's another letter but it's dated in the early 2000's, written to Ar'mon, and addressed to Riker's island. It says it's from someone named Felix De la Cruz.

Lowering the letter Draco thinks for a second because the name sounds familiar. "Felix," he mumbles to himself.

"Who's that?" I ask now sitting next to him looking at the letter in his hand.

Finally it dawns on Draco. "Oh, it's the government name of a guy they called Lucky. I remember now. He was in the De Carlo organization and close to Ar'mon. Anytime Ar'mon was in prison he would look out for the family, especially us kids. He would bring us toys and games, pick us up from school, give our moms money when she needed. He got killed when I was like 9 or some shit."

He continues reading the letter from Lucky that explains in coded language that they 'took out the trash' for Apollo. They're talking about his father's murder because Ajax's body was found in a dumpster.

It's quiet as Draco tries to process this. Finally, he says, "Apollo told me at Ares' baby shower that he's the one who made the call for my father to be murdered out of his own mouth. I was so set on hating Ar'mon, I just knew he had something to do with it and probably told Apollo to make that call. This whole time Apollo did it on his own accord."

How can a child be that vindictive, sneaky, and violent? You have to be those things to have the father of your siblings killed then go your whole life acting like you didn't.

Draco folds the letter back smacking his lips. "Apollo has seen both Glock and I have outbursts wondering where our father was because we were so young when he was killed. He's seen us act out and our mother not know what it was when deep down it's because we needed a father figure. He's consoled us when our mother passed and reality set in for Glock and I that we have no parents. And not once did I question it could be him."

He shakes his head and I rub his back. "Why would you? He's your brother."

"Ar'mon told me Apollo did it, but it was in such a messy fashion I couldn't believe him. Apollo killed Kohh. Apollo's partly to blame for Ares' death. We all played a part in that, including me. Now I know he's the reason behind my father's death. He contributed to his own father's death. A man like that can't be trusted. I could very well be next on his list..."

I can only nod my head. As much as I dislike Apollo, I would never get in family issues or contribute to pitting them against each other. From Ares' death we all know how bad things can turn if they have bad blood.

Draco only dwells on it for a second before it's time for us to go. Tonight we're going to a dinner hosted by Nina. It almost feels like a celebration to Ar'mon's death which is kinda fucked up regardless of how grimy he was in life.

Pulling up to Nobu in Downtown, Draco's Maserati waits in the line for valet. He hands the keys over to a man coming around the car helping me out. I gather the bottom of my gown making sure it doesn't drag holding onto my husband's hand.

As we walk I look over seeing Casanova who just arrived as well...

He gives a head nod to me and Draco making him blow out air. "This is crazy," Draco mumbles.

He probably can't wrap his head around the fact a year ago their organizations were beefing heavy. They killed his blood brother and in turn they tried to kidnap me. Somehow that was water under the bridge because of Nina. They all have to play nice if they want her help. Nina's the reason Casanova's out of jail as well.

Honestly, this whole time they thought Ar'mon was playing them like fiddles when it's really been Nina. She's been the mastermind of this puppet show.

While walking towards the entrance my attention's grabbed again, but this time when I see Rhea...

I smile as we exchange a hug before taking a step back to compliment her. "How do you look this good after just having a baby?" Within the couple of weeks that went by after Ar'mon's death, Rhea also gave birth to a healthy baby girl that they named Halo Damaris De Carlo.

"Don't be fooled. There's some contraptions underneath this dress keeping it all in place. My titties are engorged as fuck too," she admits bluntly.

"Why am I hearing about your boobs?" Draco questions before walking off to leave them alone making them laugh.

"Is Athena coming?" Rhea asks immediately making me sigh.

"I called her earlier and she said no. I don't think she's dealing with Glock still going to trial well at all, especially now that they moved him to another state. Everyone's free except him."

"I mean, none of them are truly free 'til the case disappears for good. I got lucky to have Apollo out in time for the baby's birth. As soon as Athena had Gunnar, Glock gets locked up again. It's gotta be hard."

"Yeah, that's why I go by everyday to see what she needs help with. Whether it's the baby, cooking, cleaning, or just needing company."

"That's all we can do. We need to get her something to-go and bring it to her." I nod my head when I feel a hand on my arm. I look over to see Nina who just arrived with my father on my arm.

I look them up and down seeing them dressed to the nines. When Draco told me he saw them kiss with his own two eyes I didn't believe it until I asked my father. Apparently, them dating is a new thing. They've been working together so closely with him being an informant, so it eventually crossed a line. Outside of her being D.E.A., it's still weird. Nina's half my father's age and younger than me.

"I'll see you two inside?" Nina asks with a smile. Rhea and I nod. I give my father a wave watching them enter holding each other's hand.

When they're inside the building I point saying, "Athena also doesn't trust her, so I'm sure that plays a part in her absence tonight."

"I don't either," Rhea admits. "Apollo trusts her, but I don't. How can he be so sure she's not using them and won't actually get rid of the Kingpin case? I wouldn't have done shit for her until all charges were officially dropped."

"Me either," I shake my head. "Maybe we should get inside."

In the bathroom of Nobu, I wash my hands before looking at myself in the mirror. I try to give myself a pep talk for this dinner with Nina. Even though I agreed to cooperate with her it's definitely been an internal struggle. This goes against everything I know in the streets.

The truth is I'm tired and ready to walk away from that life. I was against it for so long after Draco presented the idea. Now I have three kids to think about. With a new addition at the same time all this is happening puts everything in perspective.

Being in jail without bail made everything real. I had no control over what's happening with my kids, wife, family, money, and business. You just sit hearing about everything and can't do anything to change it. It was a fucked up feeling. I felt like less of a man in that cell. It didn't give me any type of credibility or badge of honor to be labeled a Kingpin facing life or death.

At this point, I'll do anything to ensure I'll be home with my wife and kids...

Despite that thought my mind wanders to Exodus 23, the laws of justice and mercy.

You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.

I'm doing it.

You must not cooperate with evil people by lying on the witness stand.

I'm doing it.

Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit.

If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.

Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.

I'm doing it...

I shake off whatever thoughts I have exiting the bathroom. While walking down a hall I see Draco about to cross my path. "We need to talk," is the first thing he says despite me holding up my hand for a dap.

"Well, okay."

He looks around the empty hallway before saying, "I don't trust Nina. If we agree to work with her we'll end up just like Desmond."

I rub over my head knowing it's about to be a disagreement. Draco's always been a disagreeable mutha fucka.

"What's so bad about that? He's a billionaire who made it out of the drug game. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Anytime they need us we'll be used to trap and bust more drug dealers. Criminal informants for the rest of our lives. Professional snitches. At what cost will our freedom come?"

I groan pacing in a circle. "I don't get you. For a year you went on and on about getting out. Set a timeline and everything. You weren't going to let anyone stand in the way of your plans, not even me or any of our brothers. Now we have the chance and you don't want to take it?"

"We're working with a Fed bitch!"

"Who's my sister. It's not the same. Family's supposed to help you if they can. It's basically a form of nepotism. She's using her position and connections to get us out. It's no different then the son of a judge using his pull to get someone arrested in the first place. The white people do it, so why can't we?"

Draco smacks his lips. "Nepotism? You hear yourself, yo? You just found out the hoe is your sister two seconds ago. How'd we get the case in the first place if that's the case?"

"Who are we snitching on, Draco? We haven't named any names or pointed fingers. The only weak link in our crew was Haze. Once Nina finds out where WITSEC is hiding him, he'll be handled. Us on the other hand? We're saving ourselves by cooperating. It's a partnership of sorts. It's not the same. We made a deal that she'll get all of us off this kingpin charge if we sell the D.E.A.'s drugs. That's not bad at all."

Draco's quiet probably thinking I may have a point. A rat is only a rat when they tell on someone they owe loyalty to. Right now we're being loyal to ourselves and still being loyal to each other.

"We're not Desmond. He actually ratted on some folks, his own family." I pause looking at Draco who still seems conflicted. "You've been told you were the smartest out of all us for so long you believed it. You are smart, Draco. Sometimes you're just not smart enough. There's a reason Desdemona's in our life...even Desmond."

He furrows his eyebrows. "What're you saying? That she came just to do this? That she knew her father used to be a drug dealer and he's an informant? You forget I'm the one who approached Desdemona. I sought out her services, not the other way around," he says already on the defense.

"That's why I said you're smart, but not smart enough," I point at his head. "A month before you went to Desdemona's office seeking her out I mentioned Rhea styling her. I immediately saw the wheels turning. I knew you'd look her up. When you did, you saw someone who could help you finally get out. I planted that seed in your head and you didn't even know it."

"There's no way. No," he repeats. "There's no way you planned this years ahead and everything perfectly fell into place."

"Of course their were mishaps, but I figured it all out. The whole entire time I acted like I was against it I knew Nina was alive and we were working together. You think you're the reason we were working with Sanjay Ambani. Nope. I knew he was selling D.E.A. drugs the entire time."

Draco grinds his teeth, while the wheels in his head turn. He hate being made to look stupid, so he's finding a reason why it was his plan and not mine. "I killed him and C.A.S. killed his daughter. That couldn't have been the plan. Your plan..."

"It was. For us to become the NYC distro we had to get rid of them. Mainly, Sanjay but Saanvi was collateral damage."

"Me falling in love with Des? That damn sure couldn't have been the plan."

"We all know you've had Mommy issues since she died. Desdemona fit everything you wanted and needed in a woman on top of her being Desmond's daughter. You falling in love wouldn't hurt. Honestly, it helped."

Draco shakes his head letting out a breathy chuckle in disbelief. "I don't even know what to think right now."

"Look, Draco. For you to think we would get out of selling drugs scott-free and it never coming back to bite us is a fairytale. You either go to jail or the grave. Those that 'retire' did so with the help of the Feds. This is our only option. Take it or leave it. I know one thing for sure, I'm taking it..."

"Do you just go through life manipulating and using people to get what you want?" He looks up with anger in his eyes that I can't place. "The same way you got my father killed," he pushes me hard catching me off-guard.

I catch myself while stumbling. "We're back on this shit?!"

"Ar'mon left me a letter and proof that you ordered the hit for my father's killing."

"And?!" I puff up my chest standing my ground. "Get over that shit, Dray! You're not a little boy anymore. You didn't know that man. You were a baby when he was killed. I did know Ajax though and he was unloyal. A nigga who will fuck yo bitch while you're in jail will do about anything. They'll work with the opps, snitch, and some mo' shit. Ajax couldn't be trusted."

"YOU can't be trusted!" He pokes my chest.

"You wanna know the truth?!" I hold up my arms. "There was talk they were going to let Ajax take over the De Carlo organization. All the blood De Carlo's were dead or in jail and I was too young. I couldn't let that happen. He already got ma pregnant, what else was he going to take? He was always jealous of Ar'mon and wanted his life. I couldn't let him think he was successful at taking Ar'mon's place while he was in prison."

"You always thought you ran shit even as a little nigga. Never knew a child's got damn place!" He says with strife in his voice clapping his hand. "So, so you had him killed over a drug organization you couldn't run until you got older any damn way?"

"Forethinking. Ajax wasn't a De Carlo and there's no way I could let him have all that power."

"I'm not a De Carlo!" Draco yells so loud it echoes while hitting his chest. "Me and Glock are Lindo's. You viewed my father as dispensable over a last name, so you possibly can't think much of your 'brothers'. His sons.."

"You're so stuck on him being your father, you're not looking at the big picture."

"Please, paint that for me, Picasso. I ain't seeing it right now. The big picture is after my father was killed our mother got addicted to drugs. We were abandoned and had to fend for ourselves. We went broke and ended up back in the projects. She overdosed and died leaving four helpless and parentless boys. We got separated. When we did come back together it was to continue a family cycle of men selling drugs and perpetuating violent crime. All of that from your selfish decision."

My eyes flicker as I look at him. He's right...

Draco laughs in disbelief wiping over his mouth. "You've always been selfish. It's what you want. Even cooperating with Nina is about you. What about Glock? He's still in jail. If he gets a plea deal to give him less time will you turn yourself in and serve some of it for your part like me?"

I furrow my eyebrows. "He's taking a plea?"

"Answer the fuckin' question... The answer's no. You wouldn't."

I stare at him blankly. I honestly don't know if I would.

The silence speaks for itself and Draco shakes his head. "Unbelievable."

We're interrupted when Rhea pops from around the corner informing us, "Everyone has arrived. Dinner's about to start."

"We're coming," Draco says coldly walking around me.

When I walk into the private room for our dinner the table is filled with people including, Nina, Desmond, Rhea, Desdemona, Casanova, his wife, Miranda, Dayanara, and her crew. Everyone who played a part in where we're at now.

I take my place in the seat next to Rhea who asks, "Everything okay?"

"I don't know," I mumble. I look at Draco who looks to have fire in his eyes. I know it's not over with him. He might be sitting here at the table, but his mind is on something else.

My attention's grabbed when I hear a pop. My eyes quickly shift to Desmond who pops a bottle of champagne. It's poured in each glass before Nina stands holding up hers prompting everyone else to. "Here's to a new beginning," she smiles.

I hold my glass up giving an extra nod to Draco who hesitantly lifts his. I see him lick over his teeth as if annoyed being the last person to raise his glass. We all tap glasses saying, "Salute!"

Desdemona wanting to be pregnant?

Draco taking a plea along with Glock?

The letter Ar'mon left Draco?

Should Draco still work with Nina and Apollo?

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