I’d sent a pretty, thick light skin bitch with a little corporate swag on the outside, but wild underneath to City Hall. Reesha knew how to play her part and bumped into Don “by accident,” started dropping compliments, laughing at corny jokes, and asking all the right questions. She told him she admired his work and passion for changing the city.
One drink turned to three. Then came the coke. Then came the pussy. By the time everything caught up to him, he was lit, his heart racing and his head gone. She got him right where I needed him with powder on his nose and the city seal still pinned to his blazer on the floor. She snapped pictures and quickly sent them to me before my niggas moved in, snatching him up.
Pointer was leaning up against the wall near the bleedout room with his arms crossed and a Glock tucked. That scar on his face caught the light when he nodded at me. “This nigga done pissed himself and shit,” he laughed, and I just dapped him up, shaking my head.
“Wait out here,” I instructed Crook before unlocking the door. I stepped inside, and my eyes locked on the man in the chair.
Don groaned when I got close and tried to lift his head like it didn’t weigh more than his own guilt. “You got some fucking nerve,” he rasped, spit and blood slicking his chin. “You don’t walk away from this. Not with her. Not with anything.”
I chuckled, leaning on the edge of the desk. I took a deep pull from the blunt and blew smoke his way. “You’ve always been the type to hide behind cameras and clean suits, thinking power comes from votes and speeches. But real power isn’t something you campaign for.”
He clenched his jaw. “You think taking Princess makes you a man, nigga? You think you win ‘cause you stole what ain’t yours?”
I let out a breath through my nose. “She was neveryoursto take.”
He coughed, hard, shoulder jerking against the rope. “I bought her a muthafucking ring.”
I tilted my head, inhaling the weed. “So?” His breathing was shaky now. That panic was setting in. “That ring was a leash,” I murmured. “You tried to buy obedience and put a priceon her loyalty. You thought because you gave her a title, she was yours.”
“Sheismine,” he spat, voice ragged.
I stood up. “No,” I said. “She was scared. Trapped. Suffocating. And the moment she saw a door crack open, she ran straight through it to me.” I paused. “That pussy wasgood, too.”
He struggled like he wanted to lunge, but the ropes did what they were supposed to.
I walked a slow circle around him, voice even as I smoked. “See, the problem with muthafuckas like you is that y’all confuse ownership with love. You confuse control with respect. But Princess?” I shook my head. “She doesn’t belong to no man. She chooses who she stands beside, and she chooses me.”
He laughed.“And what? You think she’s safer with your thug ass? Please! She’s just confused. What’s that shit called? Stockholm syndrome!”
I stopped behind him, close enough for him to feel me there. “Fuck all that,” I said, voice low, “she’s free.” Don’s silence told me he finally understood. I came back around to face him. “Now. Here’s how this plays out.” He glared up at me. “You’re gonna stop campaigning for reelection. You’re gonna hold a press conference announcing your leave of office and announce a massive multi-million-dollar urban development initiative.”
He blinked slowly. “What?”
“On the Northside,” I said, taking another pull and exhaling. “Gated community. Groundbreaking this fall. Allcontracts run through my shell company, and you’ll sign off on it live in City Hall.”
“Fuck. You.”
I pulled the Glock from my waistband and pressed it to the side of his temple. The metal kissed his skin, and he jumped like it bit him. “You got three seconds to change that tone,” I said, pausing for just a second. “Three.”
“Wait,” he panted, his good eye wild. “Wait… don’t! I’ll do it. I’ll do it.”
I pulled the gun back. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
He sagged, chest heaving. The suit looked even smaller on him now. “What about Princess?” he asked, breath hitching.
I stilled. “What about her?” I asked flatly, ashing the blunt on the desk.
“You… are you gonna give her back? Please, Nyce. Just give her back, man.”
I stepped forward, slowly. The heat in my chest didn’t show in my voice. “You don’t speak her name. You don’t ask about her. You don’t even fuckingthinkabout her.” He opened his mouth. I raised the gun again, this time under his chin. “You lost that right when a real nigga slid up inside her.”
If looks could kill, I would’ve been dead, but thankfully, I was the only killer in the room. I lowered the gun and walked towards the door, opening it.
Nodding at Crook and Pointer, I said, “Make sure he gets home in one piece. I want him patched up, clean-shaved,camera-ready, and well-rested for his speech in a couple of days. Security posted.”
Pointer smirked. “You got it. I’ll even fluff his fucking pillow.”
Laughing, I walked away as my phone buzzed in my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw a text from Cruz asking if I’d seen the news. Lately, I hadn’t had time to watch much TV, but for him to be asking me, there must’ve been something of interest to me. Then came another text with a link to a news clipping. Tapping it, my eyes narrowed as I read it.
