Page 5 of DOM: The Miami King

“It do mean somethin’,” I replied. “You think I’m out here lettin’ these lames look at you with yo skin all out and not feel a way? I’ll fuck somebody up ‘bout you, Carmen.”

She slowed the machine, coming to a full stop this time with the towel now draped over her shoulder. “So, you jealous now?”

“Ibeen jealous, I don’t fuck off about what’s mine.” I admitted. “I’m just usually better at hidin’ it. Cover all that shit up next time.”

She stepped off and leaned against the wall with one leg bent as she twisted the cap off the water bottle in her hand. She was still calm. “You ever gon’ act like I’m more than just your visa?” she asked in a soft tone.

I licked my lips, and my jaws flexed hard. “Carmen... I’m not even ‘bout to get into all that wit’ you. If I ever catch you actin’ like you belong to somebody else, even for a second, I’ll burn every muhfuckin’ bridge you think you can walk across.”

She smirked and not ‘cause she liked what I said, but because she knew I meant every fuckin’ word. “Then act like it,” she said. “Cause if I ever feel like I’m taking second place to a cartel princess tryna play mysterious in your kitchen one day, I won’t look back.”

I leaned in close, lettin’ the camera catch all the danger in my tone. “I got paperwork on you for life ma, you walk away from me Carmen… I swear to God; I’ll turn Miami into ashes.”

That silence after was an unspoken love in its rawest form. I didn’t even play with toys when I was little, so I damn sho’ wasn’t about to play with no bitch as an adult, not even Carmen. I never had to hide who I am. Did I have love for Carmen? Of course I did, and she had love for me. In reality I was everything she wanted, but I had one rule. Just don’t fall in love with me ‘cause no matter how much love I had for any woman, I wasn’t sure I could fall in love with them.

She nodded once. “I gotta finish my run, Dom,” and then she hung up. She didn’t have to scream and nag to shut me up, and she ain’t have to cry to be heard. She said what she meant. I slipped the phone back into my pocket as my mind shifted back to the job.

I’d never seen Victoria in person, and I knew her presence couldn’t shake a man like me. I had bitches in every area code ready to drop down on their knees and suck my dick without thinking twice. I had females waiting in line thinkin’ they had a chance to one day wear the Royal last name behind their own, but it wasn’t happening. Carmen Royal would forever be the one and only Mrs. Dominic Royal. However, when I fucked women, it was never considered cheatin’ because Carmen was simply an arrangement although she wanted more, deep down inside maybe I did too, just not now.

"The shipment touched down smooth." Tone said snapping me from my thoughts, as his eyes flickered between the streets and me. "No tails, no Fed taps. This mornin’ Dominique said his boy ran surveillance, clean as a whistle." He formed his lips in an oval and demonstrated a light whistle for emphases.

"Tell Dominique I said good work... but if his 'boy' so much as sneezes wrong, I’ll put a bullet in his sinus."

Tone chuckled. "I’ll let him know."

Islid into Brickell in the Maybach, ridin' low and lookin’ like money with murder in my eyes. The city was glowing around me so were the glass towers, and neon signs. Miami always had a vibrant beat, and tonight was beatin’ like somethin’ was fasho ‘bout to break, I felt it. My phone buzzed once with a text message that read:Lobby. She’s coming down.

I flicked the ashes from my blunt out the cracked window, with my eyes fixated on the mirrored entrance of the high-rise. Wasn’t no guards I trusted, just a bunch of rent-a-cops with fake ass badges and no real training. Just fuckin’ soft and already paid off.

“Tone,” I said, without lookin’ back. “Peep that Escalade sittin’ across the street tinted up like they hidin’ bodies.”

Tone already clocked it. “Ain’t moved since we parked. Ain’t smoked no cigs, no nothin’, that’s a stakeout, fam.”

“Ready?” I asked unfazed.

He popped the clip out, checked it, and then slid it back in with a click. “Always.”

I adjusted my chain and stepped out the whip. My Cuban link chain was heavy on my chest. I wore a black tee, Balmain jeans, and clean black Timbs. My watch was glistenin’. My Glock was gripped and tucked behind my hip as I walked like I owned the block because I did. As I reach the front of the building, the doors parted like they knew who I was… and there she was... Victoria fuckin’ Blanca. The Cartel princess with the bloodline of royalty. Just trouble in fuckin’ heels.

She strutted out like she’d just walked off the cover of a Vogue magazine if Vogue featured women who grew up around gunfire and shit. Her heels hit the marble floor like drums. Gold hoops graced her ears, her hair was slicked back into a ponytail, and her face was beat to the Gods; her perfect heart shaped lips were painted crimson. She instantly spotted me, and we locked eyes without hesitation. It was that same entitled gaze I’d seen from too many muhfuckas born into power.

“You Dominic Royal?” she asked like she was halfway bored and unimpressed.

I knew she knew who the fuck I was, but I kept a hard, unreadable look on my face, and slightly tilted my head. “Yeah, you must be the one I gotta keep from gettin’ her head blown off.”

She rolled her eyes and adjusted her purse. “That’s cute, and I don’t need protection. I just need transportation. Don’t talk, and don’t ask questions.”

I took one step closer feeling the energy shift. The people around us were extremely quiet as everyone locked into their own world minding their business. “You listenin’ real close?” I said in a low deep voice full of warning lingering. “This ain’t no luxury escort gig. This city ain’t safe for you. You on borrowed time the moment your pretty lil heels hit that jet bridge. You might be El Blanca’s niece, but out here you ain’t shit; being his niece don’t mean shit. In Miami?I’m God.”

She crossed her arms across her chest with a smirk. “Then act like it and drive, God.”

BLAP! BLAP! BLAP!

Before I could respond, gunfire ripped through the block. My instincts immediately kicked in. I grabbed her, shoving her behind the nearest marble pillar. “Stay down!” I barked, already drawing my Glock. Across the street, the Escalade that was previously dead, all of a sudden exploded with motion. Two masked hittas’ hopped out strapped and movin’ fast. They weren’t amateurs either. I dropped the first one with no hesitation. “Tone! Flank left!” I shouted.

The second one ducked behind the SUV, firing wild. The bullets ricocheted off the pavement and slammed into a parked Civic. People were screaming and scattering. The Miami chaos was in full force now. Victoria crouched low behind the pillar, breathing heavy but her eyes were locked in. She was scared, but not frozen and that was important. Tone cut wide and popped the second hitta in the shoulder. He stumbled back just enough for me to finish him off putting one clean in the chest and one in the head. Suddenly everything fell silent. The bodies hit the concrete as smoke lingered in the air. Victoria slowly stood up brushing dust off her tight ass jeans.

“You still don’t need protection?” I asked, walking up with my adrenaline pumpin’ hot. This the shit I be talkin’ ‘bout dealin’ with fuckin’ women. If I didn’t want to deal with a war with El Blanca, I shouldn’t let a hot one graze her ass since she thought she was tough.

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