Filthy Rich-Part 2 (5 page)

"Nessa, I'm just saying that's a lot of work you left with him to cook up."

"And?"

With more skepticism than before, he said, "I'm just saying.”

"Brandon, don't worry about that. He’s good. There's no way I would've given him that much work if he couldn’t handle it."

Brandon wasn't quite assured. “How’s he doing so far?”

“That shit’s selling like crack in the 80’s already.”

“Oh, and what about Luke?"

"What about him?"

"Has he called?"

"Of course."

"What'd you tell him?"

"That I'm getting the money together."

"That's it?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Have you told anyone else about the money and drugs."

"No, just NaNa and Sidra."

"Are you sure?"

"Are you sure Sidra can be trusted? Maybe I should hold onto that five hundred that's left. Where'd you stash it?"

"Look, Brandon, what's with the million and one questions?"

"I've got to know everything. This is real big. Can't be any slip-ups. Folks get robbed or killed in situations like this one if they're not careful."

"And you think I don't know that?"

"I didn't say you didn't. I’m just being cautious.”

Nessa could feel a headache coming on. Beginning to grow annoyed, she said, "There's nothing slow about me. In case you've forgotten, my father raised me on this shit."

"I know but…”

"There are no fuckin' buts, Brandon. I know how damn serious this situation is. I know what I have to do and who I have to watch. I don't need you to hold my fuckin' hand."

With that said she slid out of bed and headed across the room to the window angrily. She gave Brandon another reason to get hard again as he surveyed her plump ass. Looking down at the street, her headache began to grow worse. Over the past few days the headaches would come and go along with emotional mood swings.

Walking over to Nessa, Brandon said, "Nessa, I wasn't trying to imply you don't know what you're doing. I just need to be sure we're on the same page." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Where's the five hundred?"

Snatching away, she said, "Just don't touch me right now."

"Why?"

"Because I don't like the way you just came at me."

"What, you don't think it's fair that your partner in this thing should know everything that's going on at all times?"

"Fair has nothing to do with it. You came at me like I was a kid or something."

"Nessa, c’mon baby.”

"Do you think I'm lying to you? Do you think I'm going to turn on you or something? Do you think I'm going to do something sneaky with the five hundred thousand?"

"No, of course not."

"Then stop asking me all these fuckin' questions. I know my damn position. You just focus on playing yours."

Nessa was stressed. Obviously she had a whole lot on her plate. Now along with all those things, the pregnancy was making her very emotional. It was causing her to snap uncontrollably just like right now.

Nessa's phone rang.

Both Brandon and Nessa looked at it recognizing the ring tone. It belonged to Nessa’s father, Byron.

Pausing before answering, Nessa stressfully ran her hand through her hair.

"Want me to answer?" Brandon asked.

"No."

"You sure?"

"I said no, didn't I?" she snapped.

He threw his hands up in defeat.

Seconds passed.

The phone continued ringing.

Nessa finally answered.

"Your seventy-two hours are up," Byron said. "Where's my money?"

Brandon shook his head. He then headed back to the table, snorted another line of Coke and folded his arms across his chest as he stared at Nessa. He could hear Byron's voice through the phone due to the loud volume.

"Byron, I'm getting the money together right now. You've got to understand that getting two hundred fifty thousand dollars together this quickly is next to impossible. It takes time."

"Damn that!" he yelled. "I've been giving yo' ass too much time. You're always asking for more time. I'm sick of it. You sound like a damn broken record. You think I don't know when I'm getting the fuckin' runaround?"

"I'm not giving you the runaround."

"You must really want me to give the cops this video, huh?"

"Of course not."

"Evidently you do."

"How can you be so damned cold, huh? How can you be so heartless? I'm your daughter."

"This is a cold world, Baby Girl."

Hearing him call her Baby Girl made her close her eyes tightly and cringe. She could remember how proud she felt each time he called her that as a child. Now it made her nauseous.

"A cold,
cold
world," he continued. "A dog eat dog one, too. If yo' ass have only learned only one thing in life from me, it should've been that."

Nessa wasn't surprised by his selfishness. It wasn't anything new. What had her heart enveloped in a little bit of sadness was the fact she was pregnant with Byron's grandchild. And she knew that even if she were to tell him, he'd still be just as cruel and evil. It would make no difference. The realization hurt her because it enforced the fact that she truly didn't have anyone. Pretty much everyone in her life at the moment was only there because they wanted something from her. It tugged at her heart but she refused to cry.

Brandon was still watching and listening.

"Now I'm done playin' wit' yo' ass, Nessa. I want my money by twelve thirty tonight. If I don't get it, get ready for prison life, bitch."

The phone went dead.

Gripping the phone angrily, Nessa wanted to sling it against a wall. She wanted to spaz out. She wanted to hurt her father.

Seeing Nessa's pain, Brandon once again tried to take her in his arms.

"No!" Nessa yelled, snatching away again. Although she was hurting, she had to watch how and who she showed her emotions to; it was something her father taught her.

"Nessa, two hundred fifty thousand is going to leave us with only half of the five hundred thousand," Brandon told her.

"Do you think I'm retarded? I know that. I can count."

"And even if you give it to him, he'll never be satisfied. He'll just keep on coming back for more. That's the way guys like him are. I've seen it countless times. They bleed people dry."

Nessa rubbed her hand through her hair nervously. "Mo' money, mo' problems," she whispered to herself.

"So, what do you want to do?"

"We've got to set him up somehow like we intended to do in the first place."

"How, Nessa? You said yourself he taught you about this life. I highly doubt he'll be easy to set up."

Nessa knew he was right.

"Nessa, there's only one option."

"What?"

"We kill him."

"No."

"Nessa, why not?”

"No, I said."

"Nessa, it's the only way."

"Brandon, what part of the damn word
no
do you not understand? I said
no
."

Nessa wanted her father dealt with. She wanted him punished. She wanted revenge but she couldn't bring herself to kill him. She didn't love him a whole lot but there was love there. Although only a morsel, it was there none the less. And it wouldn't allow her to be as cruel to him as he was being to her.

Shaking his head, Brandon asked, "Well, what do you suggest? What do you want to do? Obviously you don't have two hundred fifty thousand for him right now."

Beginning to pace the floor, Nessa thought. Several moments later, she said, "Fuck it. We're going to meet him at twelve thirty."

"But you don't have the money."

"I know. He doesn't know that though. When we get there, we're going to kidnap him."

"Then what?"

"We'll hold him until I can figure out what to do next. Maybe we can beat some sense into him. Maybe get him to leave town."

That was music to Brandon's ears. Besides killing Byron, he could think of nothing more he wanted to do to him than breaking a couple bones.

Nessa put on her robe and grabbed her phone. She dialed Piper’s number again for the fifth time within the last couple of hours. All of her calls had been sent straight to voice mail. The fact that her mother wasn’t answering her calls was beginning to worry her. Had Piper’s years of deceitfulness caught up with her?

“Who are you calling?” Brandon asked.

Nessa shot him a crazy look. She didn’t want Brandon thinking he had any control over her.

“I asked you a question,” he stated wildly.

“And I ignored you, didn’t I?” she said, setting the phone down.

"Look Nessa, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but we've got another problem," Brandon told her.

"What problem?"

"The guys who shot up Gavin's funeral. Londo’s crew."

"What about them?"

"The deal you and I made them. They still expect us to come through on it."

Looking at him like he'd gone crazy, she asked, "The deal
you
and
I
made them? I didn't make a deal with them.
You
made a deal with them."

"Where's the other five hundred thousand?"

"In safe keeping."

"I'm serious, Nessa. These guys aren't to be played with. Where's the five hundred thousand?"

"I told you it's in safe keeping."

Nessa didn't like where this was going. She definitely didn't like being included in Brandon's bullshit. "Why do you want to know where it is? You've asked me that question a million damn times."

"Because I told them you would pay them off until I can make good on the deal."

"
Me
?!" she screamed.

"Shit, you're the one with the money. You're the one taking over the family."

"Brandon, what the fuck?"

Grabbing her by the arms, he said assuring her, "Just fifty thousand, Nessa. That's all. That's all we need to keep them off our asses."

Pissed, Nessa said, "I can't believe you. You put me in your damn mess?"

"Nessa, I had to. They would've killed me if I didn't have anything to offer."

"So, to take the heat off
your
ass, you decided to put it on
mine
?"

"Relax."

"Fuck that!"

Nessa was seeing red. She felt like she was being pimped and played.

"Don't worry," he told her as he turned to get dressed. "Just get the fifty thousand and everything will be cool."

Eyeing him, he no longer looked sexy or attractive to Nessa. He looked like a snake, a snake whom she definitely wasn’t going to let know where the remaining five hundred thousand dollars was, and a snake she would be watching very closely from here on out.

"I've got to go make a quick run," he said after getting dressed.

"Where you going?"

"Gotta do something real quick. I'll be back by twelve so we can meet your father." He kissed her on the cheek and headed for the door.

As Nessa watched Brandon leave, she had an uneasy feeling about him, a feeling she'd never had about him until tonight. To put it plain and simple...

She didn't trust him. Fucking cokehead.

                      * * *

The interior of the car was dark and silent. No music played from the radio. No conversation between the inhabitants. Everything and everyone was totally still as two cigarettes were puffed on and passed, their smoke filling the car.

Across the street the brightly lit entrance of the Ritz Carlton was in clear sight. Staring across passing traffic, the men in the car had been parked at the curb for the past few hours watching the entrance like a hawk. None of them had gotten out to even piss or stretch their legs. They wanted to be ready to move as soon as Brandon's face appeared.

Finally, Brandon walked out..

Each man in the car arose in their seats, their eyes locked on Brandon.

Brandon jogged across the street to his car oblivious to the fact he was being watched. Slipping into the driver's seat and pulling out into traffic, he headed up the street. As he did, the car he was being watched from pulled into traffic also. Inside it...guns were being cocked.