“Yeah,” I growl. “Mi remember dem.” She starts crawling backwards, panicked now. But I’m done with patience.
I grab her by the throat and shove her back against the wall, squeezing harder as she claws at my wrist. “You come in my house, touch my woman… threaten mi daughter?” I grit through my teeth. She struggles, gasping. Zara is behind me, still watching. Still silent. But I don’t let go. Because she didn’t come here to scare anyone. She came to kill. Gutta storms through the door, gun drawn, eyes blazing. The moment he sees me with Juaqína pinned to the wall, he lowers the weapon.
“Glad mi reach in time… Zara good?” he asks, already scanning the space. I nod once, my grip still firm on her throat.
“She good.”
Zara glances at Gutta. “Come, help me with Joe and Lizzy…. dem in the kitchen.” Her voice shaking but steady, and the two of them disappear down the hallway. That leaves me and this traitor alone. Juaqína’s eyes lock with mine, blood dripping from her busted lip. She struggles to speak through the pressure on her throat.
“Wah… wah you a go do?” she chokes out.
“Trust me,” I say, my tone deadly calm. “You nuh wah know.” Because I’m going to kill her. Just like the rest of them. The ones who thought they could cross me and live to tell the story. She gives me a bitter, bleeding smile.
“Mi nuh know how yuh know mi deh ya… and a the meeting yo go.” My jaw clenches. How she know that? She was here from long time. Jah Jah… how!? But this is Juaqína. Former top worker. One of the best in the game. She nuh ordinary. Clearly, she was watching. Plotting. Even Joe didn’t catch her. No alarm went off.
She’s skilled. Twisted… but skilled.
“Yuh did deh ya long time,” I murmur, staring straight through her. And she smirks like it’s a badge of honor.
“Mi neva stay cause I was too close to killing you. But mi learn from the best. Mi affi move with the plan.”Click.I slam the barrel of the Glock across her face again. Her head jerks, blood sprays the cream wall behind her.
“Traitor,” I snarl. That word feels too small for what she is.
Gutta comes back in.
“Like yuh chloroform never strong enough, snitch.” Juaqína rolls her eyes like this is some joke to her. Really a mad gyal this eno.
“That she do the people dem?” I ask.
Gutta nods. “Cyaa wait fi see yuh put a hole in her head.”
“Shut up, Gutta!” she snaps, but her voice cracks.
He laughs. “Yuh know how long deh gyal ya a carry feelings, bredda? She a drown in her own madness. Man clown.” I just look at her. A long, heavy silence. Then I speak. “Gutta… go a the breaker. Most likely that she mess round.”
He heads off, flicks the switches. The house hums, then the lights return.
And now I can see her clearly. The damage. The rage. The woman I once trusted, unrecognizable.
“You did mean business snitch,” Gutta mutters, arms folded at the door.
She looks back at me. “Nick… yuh know seh yuh nuh hurt woman. That’s why mi never fraid. That’s why mi do this.” I stare at her, disgust crawling through my skin.
“Mi used to rate yuh,” I say, voice low. “And mi been have ratings fi yuh enuh but mi naav none no more. Right now mi a wonder why yuh mek man reach the point weh mi tired of you and feel fi hurt yuh.”
Mi feel fi kill har dawg, just a head shot.That too easy.She moves her lips. One more excuse. One more lie.
“Because yuh pu—”
“Shut up!” I snap, rage curling in my throat. “Mi seh why yuh mek mi feel like it alright fi hurt yuh?!” Mi heart not even feel conflicted and that’s how mi know mi done with her.
“Mi did about fi tell yuh seh the gyal a move like a traitor, mi G,” Gutta chimes in, stepping closer. “Mi hear seh she round Lennox. And a dawg link mi and say a she help the bwoy get to Wayne. But mi did a wait fi get proof. Well… seet deh ya now.” Proof in human form. She nuh even flinch when he say it. Dat she do? Mi never feel so bout a woman yet. Is like mi soul reject har.
“Juaqína…” I mutter, my tone venomous. “Yuh mek mi hate yuh.” She scoffs, eyes narrow.
“Really?” She tries to talk again but I cover her mouth with my hand.
“Not even yuh voice mi nuh wah hear.” I turn to Gutta. “Get the tape.” Gutta disappears and comes back with the duct tape. I tear a strip and slap it across her mouth, silencing whatever lie she was about to tell. My eyes flick to Zara. She looks okay, lip swollen, but she’s standing.
