Filthy Rich-Part 2 (15 page)

Chavez said nothing. He simply watched, pleased with himself that he'd shared such valuable information with a colleague he respected.

"That underhanded bitch," Chetti growled. She now knew Nessa's hooking up with Luke hadn't been a coincidence. It had been planned.

Piper and Nessa had been somehow plotting against her.

Without another word said, too infuriated to talk, Chetti stood quickly and stormed off. She couldn’t believe that a female would do all of that because their pussy wasn’t good enough to keep a man. She wanted Nessa's ass more than ever now.

Chapter 13

The prison infirmary was lined with two dozen beds, each dozen lining the length of two facing walls. Almost everything, including the walls, sheets, and medical machines were white. On one end of the room was a door, where a guard sat outside at a desk. On the opposite end was a window, which was now allowing sun to shine brightly through. The beds were empty except one...

The one Luke was lying in.

Obviously Luke had known the day of his visit with Cedrick something wasn't right. He'd known it as the Sargent walked him back to his cell. And he'd definitely known it when he'd discovered the CO who'd pulled his coattail had either been fired or transferred to another prison the very next day. Luke wasn't sure which. Either way, something wasn't right.

As Luke lay in his bed that night, his mind wandered. What did CO Flippen have to tell him? He’d been a great ally so far, but no one could be trusted. And why did the Sargent feel the need to interrupt him? What was going on? The next morning though, Luke's questions were finally answered. While taking a shower, his back turned to the entrance of the stall, a fellow inmate snuck up behind him and sent a shank through his back. Feeling the sharp pain jolt through his body, Luke turned around quickly, placed his back to the wall and fought hard for his life. Losing blood quickly and knowing he would black out soon, he sustained several cuts from the man's shank before finally being able to grab a hold of him, throw him in a headlock and snap his neck. Finally released, the man's body collapsed to the floor onto his stomach. Blood ran from his mouth into the drain along with the shower's cascading water. Moments later, Luke collapsed also.

Waking up in the infirmary a day later, his stab wound stitched, his cuts bandaged, Luke knew he'd been set up. He knew the Sargent had allowed the inmate into the shower with him. That's what the CO had been trying to tell him. His life was on the line.

Luke now lay on his back staring up at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep. He was absolutely
refusing
to sleep. Every time the doctor or nurse came into the room, he grew nervous. Everything in him and about him went on high alert. His eyes always darted to the door in anticipation of someone coming to finish him off. He knew the attempt on his life wasn't going to be the last.

The door opened.

Luke's eyes darted to it.

"Luke!" Pamela called as she was escorted into the infirmary. She quickly ran to his bed and hugged him.

Grimacing with pain, Luke found comfort in Pamela's arms. He hugged her tightly.

"Who did this to you?" she asked, releasing him and quickly letting her eyes worriedly survey his bandages.

"One of the damn inmates. I killed him."

She gasped.

"I had no choice."

"Well, why did he try to kill you?"

Luke didn't answer.

"Goddamn it, Luke!" she yelled. "You're always so fucking secretive. Talk to me!"

Luke still didn't answer. He just avoided eye contact with Pamela.

"Luke, look, I'm not naive. Just because I don't say anything doesn't mean I don't know. I know that you've been in business with some dangerous people. I know that you've done some horrible things. I know it, Luke. The Feds wouldn't be going through so much to convict you and your family if you were the damn Dalai Lama."

He sighed with disappointment.

"I'm not stupid, Luke. I know you have people who would want you killed now that they know you're testifying. Which one of them wants you dead?"

Shaking his head, he said, "Pamela, you don't understand. The less you know, the better off you are."

"Damn it, Luke, don't you see? I'm already a target. I'm your girl. Whoever wants you dead, don't you think they know that already?"

"Pamela…”

"Is it over drugs? Is it over business? Who are they? Maybe I can pay them off."

Luke honestly didn't know who was exactly behind the hit on his life. It could've been Chetti. It could've been Brandon. It could've been some of the people the family had done business with out of fear that he would roll over on them just like he was planning on doing to Chetti. He knew word was out that he was snitching.

Calming herself down, Pamela said, "Baby, I did some research."

"What do you mean?"

Looking uneasy, she said, "I wasn't trying to spy on you or anything. I just wanted to know more about the case so I looked into it carefully, especially the stuff regarding your mother. Luke, some of the stuff I saw terrified me."

She walked away from the bed and headed to the window. Staring out, she said, "Murder, kidnapping, extortion; she's heartless."

He stared at her back.

"But what scared me most was the fact that although I love you, Luke, I know the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree."

"What are you saying, Pamela?"

Turning to him and looking him directly in the eyes, she asked, "How much of that were you yourself involved in?"

He didn't utter a word. He was starting to become suspicious of Pamela’s motives. First, it was her knowing about Darien’s death before he caught wind of it and now this.

With a tear beginning to stream down her face, she asked, "How many men did you kill, Luke? How many did you kidnap?"

"Pamela!”

"Tell me!" she screamed angrily.

"I can't do that."

"Then how the Hell am I supposed to know who may possibly come after me because of my connection to you?"

"Pamela, I would never put you in harm's way."

"Luke, I'm guilty by association."

The room went silent.

Moments went by.

"Talk to me, Luke. Let me in, please."

Luke wanted so badly to open up to Pamela. He wanted to confess to her like a sinner to a priest. He was truly beginning to realize she loved him and was on his side. Still though, he just couldn't. He couldn't tell her the secrets she wanted to hear.

"I can't, Pamela. I'm sorry but I can't."

Shaking her head and wiping her tears away, she said, "Baby, I love you but you're making it hard for me to
stay
in love with you."

The two stared at each other.

A full minute passed.

Finally, Pamela told him, "I've got a meeting to get to. I've got to go." She then headed for the door.

Luke wanted to call out for her realizing she hadn't kissed him before ending the visit. He knew she was hurting. He knew she felt somewhat betrayed. Sighing, he opened his mouth to call her but not a word came out. A moment later, he could only watch her back as she walked out and headed down the hall.

* * *

Trinity sat at the living room table staring at the cell phone in front of her. Along with it, she stared at the gun beside it. In her mind, she couldn't get the images of her father's murder to stop playing over and over. She could see and smell the blood spilling from his throat soiling his chest. She could see his eyes widening as the blade of the knife sliced from one end of his throat to the other. She could hear the gurgling sounds coming from his mouth. It was all so sickening and heartbreaking. She couldn't even sleep behind it.

Trinity wanted Nessa's head on a platter. She wanted to do to her what she'd done to her father. She wanted to see her blood spill. Everything inside Trinity yearned for it like food, water and air. She now had just as much hatred in her heart for Nessa as she had for Chetti. Up until she'd seen that video, she'd thought that was impossible.

Grabbing the phone, Trinity dialed Nessa's number. Placing the phone to her ear and listening to it ring three times, she once again saw the brutal images of her father dying in her head.

"Yeah," Nessa's voice said answering the call.

"Nessa?" Trinity asked.

"Yeah, who's this?"

"Trinity."

With excitement in her voice, Nessa almost yelled, "Trinity, is this really you?"

"It's me."

"Girl, I thought you were dead. I thought Chetti had done something to you."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because of what I found out. She thought I was going to tell you."

"What did you find out?"

"We need to talk."

"Can you meet with me today?"

"Yes."

The two set up a meeting place and ended their call. Afterward, once again Trinity sat there in silence. This time though, she took the gun into her hands and held the grip tightly. Wanting revenge, she placed her finger around the trigger and anticipated what it would be like to squeeze off a shot directly into Nessa's face. However it would feel, she was about to find out.

* * *

Music played at a low volume from hidden overhanging speakers as Trinity walked into the sports bar. She saw Nessa sitting on a stool at the far end of the bar and headed towards her.

Seeing Trinity, Nessa immediately stood and hugged her. "God, I swear I thought she'd killed you."

Trinity grew almost nauseous at the feel of Nessa's murdering arms around her. It took everything inside her to hug Nessa back.

Both ladies finally sat down.

Trinity ordered a drink.

Because of the pregnancy, Nessa didn't. Instead, she drank a glass of Ginger Ale.

"Where have you been?" Nessa asked.

Trinity wanted to slap Nessa off her stool right then and there but fought through it. Every moment was a struggle. "Had to lay low for a while," she said. "Everything's been so hectic lately."

"Shit, you got that right."

"Can't trust anyone."

"What do you mean?"

"My own fuckin' mom tried to have me killed."

"Trinity, about that, I never meant for that to happen. I just thought you should know."

"Know what?"

"About Cedrick?"

"Cedrick?"

"Yeah."

"What about him?"

Nessa looked at Trinity with disbelief. "You don't know?"

Of course Trinity knew. She just wanted to keep Nessa as much off guard as possible. "Know what?"

Nessa paused.

"Well?"

"Trinity, Cedrick, is alive."

"What are you talking about?"

"Trinity, I saw him with my own two eyes. He was in one of the rooms of the mansion. Chetti was holding him there against his will. Luke knew about it. And I'm sure Darien knew about it."

Acting dismayed, Trinity said, "Nessa, don't play with me like that."

"Trinity, I would never play those types of games. I would never lie about something like that."

Lying, hypocritical bitch
, Trinity thought to herself. The bitch had the nerve to look her in the face and pretend they were cool when she knew she'd murdered her father. Now she's talking about she would never play
those
types of games? Trinity wanted to reach in her purse at that moment, grab the gun and blow her face off. If the bar had been empty, no witnesses, no doubt she would've.

"I...I...I," Trinity stuttered, acting like she was speechless.

"I know it's crazy, Trinity. But I swear on everything I love, I saw him."

"Then where is he?"

"I don't know."

Trinity sat in silence as in deep thought. Then slamming her fist on the table, she said through gritted teeth, "Those evil bastards," speaking of her family. "Those muthafuckas."

"I'm sorry."

"They wanted his power. They wanted to run the family." A ferocious anger was all over her face.

"We can get them back, Trinity."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been making moves out here since I got out. In all honesty, your brother Luke tried to cross me. I had no choice but to do what I had to do to survive."