Page 124 of Maceo

I shook my head as I playfully pushed her out of my way to get to my wife and niece.

“Yo’ bald mouth mama gets on my nerve, DD,” I said, kissing her cheeks. I leaned in and pecked Shar on the lips. “Have a good time. I’ll be back later.”

“Okay.”

I kissed her again, this time a little longer. Well, that was until Darlyn pushed my head away.

“So I can’t kiss your godmother, DD?”

She gave me that same scowl her bighead ass daddy did.

“Mean ass.”

I stole another kiss from my wife before leaving the room. The smile dropped from my face the moment I stepped foot outside. I looked toward the direction of the underground room.

It was time to handle this shit.

“You ready to do this shit?”Deuce asked as we approached the bunker.

I’d asked him to come with me because he was the only person who knew the rage I felt right now. When Salima was taken, my brother wasn’t himself. For three days, he was on a rampage. Unbeknownst to most, several lives were taken in that time period.

Anybody who knew Councilman Hayes and his possible whereabouts weren’t here to tell the story anymore. We spent many late nights touring the city and spots he frequented. For the first time since we were kids, I saw that man show genuine emotion that wasn’t directed toward family. So yeah, he was the only person I needed with me right now.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

I looked down at the small black case in my hand that Smoke had given me. Not only was my brother a beast with getting his hands on any weapon. He had that chemical warfare on lock too. The vial I was carrying was sure to take Charity out, but it would also ensure that she suffered beforehand.

“Nah, you gotta feel that shit in your chest, my nigga. She took your wife, killed people you cared for, and tried to kill you.The bitch has to feel you. We’re tossing her ass in the incinerator when this is over. No need to leave a trace.”

I nodded.

Charity had this shit coming. For everything she’d done to Shar and me and the part she played in trafficking all those people. There was no second chance or redemption for her.

I opened the cellar door, allowing the sunlight to shine down on Charity. She squinted as she looked up at me. Her face was bruised and swollen from the whupping Jaeda and Mia put on her. The smell coming from below was putrid and almost made me gag.

“You stink,” I said, fanning my hand.

“Fuck you,” she mumbled, rattling the chains that bound her.

I descended the stairs while Deuce waited at the top.

“I hope you’ve had time to pray and ask forgiveness for your transgressions,” I said with a chuckle.

Deuce laughed. “I’m sure we’re past the point of forgiveness.”

“You know what our family motto is, Charity?‘Revenge is an act of passion; vengeance is an act of justice.’Today, justice is mine.”

“Save me the speeches…” she said hoarsely. She cleared her throat and glared at me. “I should have killed your bitch when I had the chance. Gut her like a fucking fish and left the innards for you to find. I should have taken her body and mailed her to you piece by fucking piece! Then again, maybe I should have sold her. Nah, I should have pimped her out. Pretty thing like that, I knew people would have paid big bucks to fuck her.”

I crossed the small room and grabbed her up by her throat.

“I don’t typically put my hands on women, but I’ll choke the shit out of a bitch like you. I should snap your fucking neck right now.”

“D-do it…” she choked out.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? You’d like me to put you out of your misery? You don’t think you deserve to suffer? You took my fucking wife, and you thought you were going to get away with that shit? What were you gonna do? Kill us both, dip out of town, and start over? Nah, baby. That ain’t happening. The only way you get to leave this city is in a body bag or a blaze of glory.”

I let her back to the floor. She groaned as I stood over her. Days of no food and water combined with the ass whupping she took had her a little weak. I pulled the gloves from my pocket and slipped them on before opening the black case, pulling out the syringe.

---