Honor Thy Thug

19




TRAE

My meeting with Mr. Li was bittersweet. Bitter because he said he was standing firm on the fact that he was going to hold me responsible for what happened to his daughter, despite what I told him about her telling me he wanted the meeting. Our business deal was off the table. I thought it was some bullshit, but what could I say? It was sweet for two reasons: first, he hadn’t linked the dogs to me, and second, he gave me his word that there was not going to be any retribution against me or my family. That was the number one reason I’d wanted a face-to-face. I needed to look into his eyes.

When I went home and Tasha wasn’t there, I checked with my aunt, and she had Tasha’s travel itinerary. “So she’s not coming back until tomorrow?” I asked her, not wanting to believe that Tasha had taken her ass to Vegas anyway.

“That’s what the travel plans say. Don’t tell me you’re going out there? She’s only on a relaxing trip, boy. Damn. Let her be.”

“No. She’s with her sister, and I haven’t heard from her. Something’s not right. I can feel it.”

“Okay, then. Suit yourself.”

I showered, dressed, and headed to Vegas.

• • •

As we drove to the hotel, I could only think about how Tasha always had to try me. It was like she got off on that shit.

When the driver pulled up in front of the Bellagio, I spotted Trina strutting in her stilettos going inside. I barely gave the limo time to stop. I jumped out and rushed to reach her. You talking about perfect timing? I had it today.

“Trina!” I called out. When she turned around and saw me, it looked as if she shit on herself and the color drained from her face.

“Trae?”

“That’s my name. Why are you looking at me as if you just saw a ghost? What did you do with my wife?”

“I left her in the room. What brings you out here?” She asked me that shit as if I’d bumped into her at the park or the mall.

“My wife. What do you think?” Placing my hand on her shoulder, I led her to get on the elevator. “Take me to Tasha.”

“We are not in the main hotel, we are in the villas. Follow me.”

“Lead the way.” I released her so she could do just that.

Trina was walking, but the bitch wasn’t moving fast enough for me. It was if she was stalling. “I know Tasha told you that I didn’t want her ass out here. However, once again, I see that you managed to get her tied up in some bullshit. So what y’all been doing?”

“Trae, for your information, it was Stephon’s birthday, and your wife hasn’t even been out of the room. She’s been gettin’ her chill on. Me? I’ve indulged in a little bit of gambling, shopping, and partying. You know how I do.”

I didn’t respond, because I knew the bitch was lying. I followed Trina, and she stopped at villa number 1711. She fumbled around in her purse for a few seconds and then pulled out her key card and opened the door. “I’ll let y’all have a few minutes. I’ma go and check out this little shop that I saw.”

Whatever, I thought to myself as I stepped into what looked like a town house. My Berluti’s sank into the plush carpet. My eyes darted around as I made my way toward the kitchen. I saw the two empty wine glasses lying on the table. There was a tray of food on the floor, towels on the table. What the f*ck is going on in here?

I pulled out my hammer as I inspected the rest of the suite. No one seemed to be there. One bedroom door was open, and the other one was closed. I put my ear to the door and didn’t hear anything. I eased it open inch by inch as I peered in. The bed was unmade, covers on the floor. I heard sniffling. Tasha? The drapes were closed, so I reached for the light switch. What I saw caused my heart to sink and made my knees weak. I slid my hammer back into my waist. Tasha was crouched in a corner, naked. She was twisting her hair with her finger and was mumbling incoherently. She acted as if I wasn’t standing there.

“Tasha, why are you down there?” She didn’t say anything. I looked closely at the bed, and it was obvious that somebody had been f*cking. My stomach flipped.

“Tasha!” I yelled. “Why are you down there?”

“No. No, I didn’t.” She kept mumbling as her eyes opened and closed.

I opened the closet, and there was fresh linen on the top shelf. I didn’t want to touch anything in the room. I grabbed a blanket and snapped it open. I went over to Tasha, who was shivering, and went to put the blanket around her. She started swinging at me.

“I said no, Kyron! I want you to leave, you said you would leave. Who do you think you are? Get away from me! I hate you! I’m a ho, remember?”

I grabbed her hand and then went for my phone. I dialed 911; I told them where I was, what room, and that my wife had been . . . raped. I dropped the phone and bent down in front of Tasha.

“Tasha, it’s me, Trae. Look at me.” I tried to hold her face as her head kept falling to the side. “I love you, baby. You’re shivering. Let me wrap this blanket around you. It’s okay, baby. It’s me, Trae.”

“Trae?” She cocked her head and looked at me as if it finally registered who I was.

“It’s me, Trae. Your husband. I’m here, baby.”

“Trae?” She started to cry. “You gotta keep loving me. I didn’t do anything,” she said as she started to drift. She closed her eyes and then reopened them. “I didn’t. I didn’t let him kiss me. I told him . . . no.”

“It’s okay, baby. I love you. I love you more than anything. Stay with me, baby.” I patted her face, and her eyes began to flutter.

“I didn’t. I swear to God. Do you believe me?”

“I believe you, baby.”

“I want to go home,” she said as the tears streamed down her face.

“I’ma take you home. Let me get you off the floor, baby.” I wrapped the blanket around her and pulled her onto my lap, but she wouldn’t stop crying. I held her in my arms, and we sat in the corner until I heard the knock at the door. That muthaf*cka is going to feel my wrath. I couldn’t get it through my thick skull that the nigga would stoop this low.


TRINA

As soon as I left Trae, I called Kendrick. I had been hanging out with him ever since I left Kyron in the room. I didn’t know and didn’t want to know if Kyron was in there, and I definitely wasn’t going to stick around to find out.

“Kendrick!”

“What’s up?”

“Trae just got here.”

“Trae just got where?”

“Here at the hotel. Is Kyron with you, or is he still with Tasha?” I held my breath.

“Nah, he went back to get Mari from the hotel room.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “Mari? You mean he had his bitch with him the whole time? Then what did he want with Tasha?” When he didn’t say anything, I said, “Y’all niggas ain’t shit!” I hung up. I had lost my appetite and decided to head back to the villa and face the music. If I was lucky enough, they would be in the room with the door shut, f*cking, and I could pack my shit and sneak off to the airport.

When I saw the EMS workers, a stretcher, and then Five-O rush through the lobby, I knew something had gone down. I waited for everybody to pass me before I trudged over to the villa.

When I turned the corner, all of the workers were by my door. As I got closer, I saw that they were, in fact, at our spot. “What happened?” I asked no one in particular. I pushed my way through the workers but was stopped by one of the police officers.

“You can’t come in here, ma’am.”

“I’m staying here. My sister is in there!” I proceeded to move forward.

“Parker, this is the other guest right here,” he yelled out.

“Let her in,” Parker said.

“Oh, my God! What happened? Tasha?” They were laying my sister on a stretcher.

I looked at Trae, and he mouthed the words, You are going to pay. I knew at that moment I was f*cked.

“Ma’am, we need to talk to you,” one of the officers said. I was immediately whisked into the extra bedroom.


TASHA

The past few days, weeks, months . . . I didn’t know time anymore. Everything was a blur. I swear, if it wasn’t for Trae being the man I fell in love with, I would be in the loony bin. He got me through this. Kyron had put a date-rape drug into my glass of wine. The after effects seemed more harmful than anything. I could hardly remember shit. I was having cold and hot flashes and constant headaches. I did know that they issued a warrant for Kyron’s arrest. Trae wouldn’t allow me to press charges against Trina, because he said he had plans for her. Just the thought of him doing something to my sister sank my stomach.

Back at home, when the limo turned onto our street, Trae and I both noticed the unmarked black-tinted Chevys. I snuggled up closer to Trae, not wanting to get out of the car. “They must be here to question me about Vegas,” I remarked.

“Nah, that’s not Vegas police. And Cali police don’t have jurisdiction over Vegas. I believe they are here for me. Remember, I lost the protection of the Li organization.”

I leaned away from him and shot him daggers. “I know you’re not saying what I think you’re saying?”

“I’m sure that they’re not here for a social visit.”

“Baby, don’t let them take you away. Can’t you call the Dons? Somebody? Trae, I need you here with me.” I felt as if I was having a panic attack, and I grabbed onto him.

“I’ll be home as soon as I can.” He tried to reassure me, but I wasn’t going for it. I held him tighter.

I broke down and cried. “Please, baby. Do something. Don’t let them take you.” I pleaded with him. This couldn’t be happening.

“Tasha, I wish I had that power.” We pulled into the driveway, and Angel was coming down the stairs, followed by Kyra and then Kay. “See, you won’t be by yourself. Angel and Kyra will be here with you. Tasha, pull yourself together. You know I can’t do what I’ve got to do if I’m worrying about you.”

I swear, I was trying to get myself together, but I couldn’t. I did not want Trae to leave me. He rolled down the window, and Angel stuck her hand out.

“Tasha, come on. The kids are out back, and Kaylin needs to talk to Trae.”

This was real. I f*cked up. If I lose Trae, Charli will have gotten the last laugh.


ANGEL

My girls’ lives seemed to be crumbling all around me. Kaylin and I traveled from New York to Georgia, Georgia to Cali, back to New York, back to Cali, handling one crisis after the next. Trae called, and I was thankful that Kaylin and I could be there to offer support. The only bright spot was my excitement for Kyra, who was now pregnant by Rick. She actually seemed happy. And no one has seen her out preaching with her Bible. But now this.

In regards to Jaz and Faheem, since Jaz went out on some rah-rah shit killing spree, they now had to up and move. Faheem said that she had to find a new house, a new school, the whole nine. But come to find out, she wasn’t the hitman she thought she was. Faheem was like the puppet master, handling his business, using Jaz to set it all up. She was high up there with her drama, but I still thought Tasha and Trae outdid everyone else. Tasha putting the pit bulls on Trae’s Chinese mistress. Now that shit was . . . priceless. And those unmarked cars that were out there all day parked in front of Trae’s house, they were for him. I believed that he was about to do some real time. From what I was able to gather, he wanted Don Carlos to step in, but since he switched teams, I didn’t know if that was going to happen.

And Kyron committing rape? He had lost his f*ckin’ mind. But I could say this, it was good that they were picking Trae up, because according to Kaylin, he was at the point of no return. He was going to get Kyron. Hell, I wanted to get him my damn self.

“Baby, we’re gonna be all right. Trust me,” Trae was telling Tasha. I had to make her get out of the car, because Trae and Kaylin still had to talk while they had the chance. Even though it was almost eighty degrees, she was shivering.

After about twenty minutes, the detectives were getting out of their cars, with their guns and badges drawn.