Cedric takes a deep breath,“Obviously you've seen the scars and the bruises. But it's more the fear that they put in me. They thought that the temptation of wanting money or power was going to subdue me but they figured out my true weakness. Between the kids and running away from something that society tells me that I should be.” He exhales with a staggered breath. “I was shown that no matter what somebody's always willing to beat you down and even leave you to pieces.”
“No one should have to go through that,” Topaz comments.
The kid has dreams or should I say had dreams. I can only imagine what the Falcons did to him. Cedric taps the pen on the pad counting out the businesses that he had listed.
“I think that's all of them,” he says, handing the list over to Jackson.
Memphis leaned over the couch gawking at the list with Jackson. Jackson extends out his arm waving the list, “You might want to check this out brother.” I grabbed the list from him, taking a look at the transcription.
Those dirty motherfuckers.
“I should have seen this coming,” I say. Half of the lists are our businesses that we've done business with. Ones that we thought were loyal.
I guess loyalty can only go so far and apparently for the right price. We got screwed over. It's not the Falcons rug that we were pulling from underneath, it was the rug being pulled out from underneath us.
“Memphis, any brilliant idea,.” Coda asks.
“Sounds like we need to take down the businesses. Get them in trouble to where either we fucking taking their store or they close down the business or we give a little tip to the cops next door.”
“Damn I was really hoping for some spilled blood,” Jackson jokes.
“That’s not completely off the table,” I say, adding to Jackson's joke.
“Look I’m all for a fight or two but we have to be smart about this,” Memphis tries to reassure us. “ Lets just approach the businesses and get them shut down and any matter that we need to. Then that would prevent any of the kids having to do any runs. Lord knows that since Cedric was gone the kids haven't had a safe moment.”
Cedric mumbles something.
“Speak up kid, we can't hear you. you have a voice, use it,” D.R instructs him.
“What about the kids then?” Cedric asks.
All of us freeze, damn we didn't think about the kids right away. My heart sinks like dead weight in the ocean. When I say the past year has screwed with our minds I'm not lying. Cedric brings up a good point about the kids, cuz nobody has been looking out for them.
“Could you offer them the same protection you're giving me?” Cedric asks.
We return back to Rawlings.
We all knew that we didn’t have enough room for everyone, but we could use the safe houses temporarily.
“It doesn’t hurt to try,” Jackson throws out his approval.
“And who’s going to do all of that Jacky boy?” Rawlings asks.
“I will,” Topaz speaks up. Oh hell no, it’s one thing that Charlotte wanted to use herself as bait, not Topaz.
“No way! Johnny isn’t going to let me. Your old man will pop before he lets you into the business or any run,” Rawlings protested.
Topaz scrunches her nose, “And since when did you let anyone tell you otherwise? Look, the Falcons don’t know me. It’s easier for me to slip in and out than any one of you.” She stands up, tossing her hand on her hip.
She has a point. She’s not a member, but by association, no matter how many times she says she wants to be patched in, which is not common. Other than the clean up crew, Topaz stays in the shadows and most think she’s just one of the waitresses at Devil’s Whiskey.
“I think it’s kind of brilliant to be honest,” I add in my support.
Rawlings keeps shaking his head, the internal fight must be unbearable.
Topaz tosses her hips, her eyes glare at Rawlings with intensity. “With all due respect, I’m going to do it whether you approve or not. The club needs help and so do those kids,” her voice rages.
Rawlings lets out a deep groan, almost into a deep growl. “Fine,” he says, “But you’re telling your pops. Not me, nor anyone else.”
