Passion for the Heist, page 36
“Wouldn’t you?” Mick asked. “I know if somebody pulled that shit with our nana, we’d kill them and anybody they ever cared about.”
“I agree,” Mike nodded. “The difference between us and him is, at least we’d have killed the right man. Only thing worse than having to kill your best friend for crossing you is finding out that he didn’t have anything to do with it.”
“You think the Queen is gonna be mad that Prophet sent us at Pain before she officially gave us the order?” Mick asked.
“No, because she’s never going to find out. As far as anyone is concerned the story stays as is; it was a simple robbery,” Mike said before slipping on his helmet. The twins hopped on their bikes and went to meet up with Prophet to tell him of their findings.
CHAPTER 28
Passion felt like she was walking through a dream when she left the hospital. She was so blown away by what Birdie had told her that she had dashed out without bothering to tell Pain she was leaving. He had called her, but she didn’t answer. It’s not that she didn’t want to. She just couldn’t. She didn’t trust herself enough to speak without breaking down. She felt bad about ghosting him like that, but she needed time alone to process what she had just learned. She would call him later to let him know that she was good and to see how his grandmother was doing, that would have to wait until her head was a little clearer. The story she had gotten from Birdie was so sickening that she had to stop and throw up. How could God let this happen to someone so innocent? She was a child with so much life, but that life would now be cut short.
She walked eighteen blocks from the hospital back to her block. It was late and there weren’t very many people outside, which was a good thing. This way she could weep in peace without anyone seeing her. By the time she’d reached her neighborhood, Passion’s tears had dried. She was all cried out. Seeing her building looming, she felt her sadness turn into white-hot rage. Mud and a few other jokers were in their usual spot, hanging out and drinking in the walkway on the side of her building. Mud said something slick as she passed. Normally Passion would’ve cursed him out, but that night she didn’t give him a second look. It’s like he wasn’t there. Only one person existed in Passion’s mind at that moment.
When she stepped off the elevator on her floor, she could hear the soft sounds of the Stylistics coming from her apartment. As she drew closer she could also smell weed. That meant that Uncle Joe was home, because he was the only one allowed to smoke bud in the house. She took a deep breath to compose herself before going inside. She wanted to tear through the house like a tornado, but she knew that she couldn’t. Her next moves would have to be calculated. Inside the lights were dim, and aside from the music the house was quiet. When she stepped into the living room she found Uncle Joe sitting on the couch, joint in one hand and a glass of scotch in the other. The old-school lava lamp that sat on the coffee table illuminated his face. His head was bowed and his eyes were closed as if he had a lot on his mind. He must’ve felt her standing there, because his eyes suddenly flickered open and landed on her.
“Hey, baby girl. How long you been standing there?” Uncle Joe asked, sipping his drink.
“Not long,” Passion replied. “Where’s everybody else at?”
“Bo had to work late. Something about some kids she has to remove from the house of the man abusing them. I told her to let somebody else handle it, but you know Bo don’t play when it comes to her job,” Uncle Joe told her.
“That’s a laugh,” Passion said. It always baffled her how Child Protective Services let a woman who moonlighted as a bottom-bitch for a pimp work for them. To her credit, Bo did her job well enough when it came to keeping those kids safe. Passion just wished she had kept that same energy when it came to the children being abused under her own roof. Bo had the power to stop Uncle Joe, she just chose not to use it.
“What was that?”
“I asked where the girls are,” Passion lied.
Uncle Joe shrugged. “Claire went down to the bus station to meet one of the new girls who will be staying with us. Gotta have someone to make up for the money Zeta was pulling in now that she isn’t here. I got no clue where Birdie is, but that ain’t nothing new. Lately she comes and goes as she pleases. Looks like it’s just us for the next few hours,” he smiled. His eyes were glassy. He had a good buzz going on from the weed and liquor. He noticed her staring at the bottle and held it up. “You want a taste?” Passion shook her head in the negative. “C’mon, it’s your birthday. Have a taste with your Uncle Joe.”
Passion sat on the couch with him, keeping a safe distance. Uncle Joe poured her two fingers of scotch into a plastic cup from a pack that was on the table and handed it to her. She was glad that it was dark, so he couldn’t see the murderous look she was giving him. If she had a knife she would’ve stuck it through his heart. On the way there she had gone over the things that she would do and say when she saw Uncle Joe, but now that she was in his presence all she could do was glare and loathe him.
“Happy birthday.” Uncle Joe raised his glass. Passion wordlessly toasted him. Joe threw his drink back, but Passion sipped hers. A silence lingered between them. Uncle Joe stared at Passion like he had something to say, but couldn’t find the words. “I know it ain’t been easy on you, living here amongst all this craziness. I thought when you came to stay with me after your parents were killed that my life had no place for an impressionable young girl.”
“Then why take me in?” Passion asked. The question caught Uncle Joe off guard and he didn’t answer right away.
“Because I loved your mother,” Uncle Joe finally said. “Jessie was always there for me when we were growing up. Whether I was right or wrong, she always had my back when nobody else did. I didn’t always do right by her, so I saw you as my chance to make up for it.”
“That’s what you call the way I’ve been forced to live? Making up for it?” Passion asked coldly.
“Hey, I know these aren’t the most ideal living conditions, but I did as best I could with what I had to work with. I always made sure you had nice clothes, you never went to bed hungry, and never had to earn your keep like the other girls.”
“You mean sell my pussy?” she shot back.
When Uncle Joe looked at her there was hurt in his eyes. “Baby girl, I ain’t no saint, but I ain’t put a gun to nobody’s head to make them do what they do. My girls get to the money of their own free will.”
“Even Birdie? Is that what I should tell her when she gets out of the hospital? That you and your nasty friend gangbanging her was of her own free will?” Passion asked heatedly.
“Hospital? What is Birdie in the hospital for?” Uncle Joe seemed genuinely concerned.
“Because she tried to kill herself!” Passion shouted.
“What? Why would that girl go and do a fool thing like that?”
“Because she’s HIV positive!” Passion roared. “She had been complaining about not feeling well so I made her go to the clinic for a checkup. When the results came back she found out that she had been infected. She tried to throw herself in front of a moving train because she couldn’t bear to live with herself after what you did. The only reason she’s still alive is because someone grabbed her when she stepped off the platform. She’s came out of it with a broken leg for her troubles, and I thought I heard one of them say something about a concussion? That was about all I could tell from what I saw. Won’t know more until someone speaks with the doctors, but I don’t need a medical degree to know that girl was fucked up.”
“God. No…” Uncle Joe fell back on the couch, head in his hands. He’d made it a point to get himself tested every six months because he slept with whores and didn’t always use protection. It was more than likely Teddy who had given her the bug, but they had both run in her and his condom had broken. Was he now infected, too? “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“You destroyed that girl’s whole life and the best you got is ‘sorry’? Joe, you’re fucking pathetic!”
“Passion, let me explain.” He reached for her, but Passion jumped up and out of his reach.
“Don’t touch me, you diseased pervert. I can’t even stand the sight of you right now!” Passion threw her glass of scotch in his face.
Uncle Joe leapt to his feet and his hand instinctively drew back to slap her. If he expected Passion to cower, or even flinch, he was disappointed. She stood there defiantly with murder in her eyes. Joe calmed himself and took a step back. “I guess I deserved that.”
“Don’t even get me started on what you deserve, Uncle Joe. I fucking hate you!”
Uncle Joe’s eyes misted. Her words cut into him like a knife. “Don’t say that, Passion. Please, I know you think I’m an evil man, but everything I’ve ever done for you has been out of love.” He moved closer to her.
“Nigga, you sound crazy! You don’t love me. I’d have rather have gone into foster care than to have suffered through this bullshit over the last couple of years.” Passion was crying freely. All of her anger and frustration were in those tears. Joe wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug. She tried to push him away, but he held fast. “Leave me alone!”
“I can’t, Passion. Can’t you see that? It’s like with you I have a second chance. To do the things for you that I failed to do for your mother. I love you, child,” Uncle Joe said passionately, and then quite unexpectedly tried to kiss her.
“What the fuck?” Passion shoved him away, causing Joe to fall on the couch. “What kind of sick shit you on? You trying to fuck your sister’s kid?” she asked in disgust.
“Stepsister,” Uncle Joe said to her shock. “Me and your mom don’t share blood. My daddy got involved with her mother, so we came up around each other. I loved your mother from the first day my dad introduced me to her and your grandma, and she loved me, too.”
“What are you saying to me, Joe?” Passion’s head felt like it was spinning.
“I’m giving you my truth. We never intended to be together in that way. It’s just something that kind of happened. We were able to keep our relationship a secret for years, and by the time it came out into the open we were both old enough to where nobody could stop us. I got into some shit and had to get out of New York for a while, and by the time I came back your mom was already with your dad and they had you. Your daddy was a good dude, but even he knew that deep down her heart belonged to me and mine to her.”
“You’re lying. I know you are.” Passion shook her head from side to side. What Uncle Joe was trying to tell her was impossible, or was it? Then she remembered what Zeta had said. “It was you who told Zeta about the argument, wasn’t it? You were the man I found out my mother was creeping with, and that’s how you knew her secret was out.”
“I was so lost when your mother was killed. I carried a lot of guilt behind it, because I knew I had been partially to blame. I should’ve just left her alone, but I was like a bee drawn to her honey. It was a cruel trick that God had played on me, making me fall so in love with your mother and then taking her away, but he made up for it when he sent me you. You’ve grown up to look so much like her. Even the way your eyes go all wild when you’re mad. In you, my one true love has been returned to me.” Uncle Joe stumbled toward her. She could smell the liquor coming off him.
“You are drunk and out of your mind.” Passion shoved him back.
“Don’t reject me, Passion. I couldn’t live with being denied love twice in a lifetime.” Uncle Joe pulled her close. His grip on her arms was like steel. “You’re eighteen now, so we can be together, and there is nothing anyone can say or do about it. Be with me.”
Passion looked Uncle Joe in the eyes. There was a hint of madness dancing in them. He truly believed what he was saying. He wanted her with more than just his body. His soul craved hers. This is why she took such joy in her response. “Sick-ass old man, I wouldn’t piss on you if you were on fire. The only thing I wish for in this world is that one of these dope men you’re dealing with finds out who your two-faced ass really is and takes your life like you took my parents’,” she said venomously before spitting in his face. She wanted to hurt him as much as he had hurt her, and she did.
Uncle Joe stood there wearing the expression of a child who had just found out that there was no such thing as Santa Claus. Her spit ran down his face, mingling with his tears. He wiped his cheek with the back of his hand, and when he next looked at her there was no compassion in his eyes, only madness and hate. Before Passion could get out of the way, Uncle Joe hauled off and slapped the fire out of her. She flipped over the coffee table and landed in the same spot she had deposited Zeta during their fight.
“You ungrateful little bitch!” Uncle Joe was standing over her and shouting like a madman. “I try to give you a good life, keep you off the streets, and show you how it feels to have nice shit, and this is how you repay me?” He grabbed a fistful of her dreads and dragged her to the couch, which he tossed her onto roughly. “Is it another nigga? You don’t want me because you’ve found someone else like your mother did?”
“Uncle Joe, you better fall back. Put your hands on me again and I’m going the police,” Passion threatened.
Uncle Joe threw his head back and laughed like it was the funniest thing he had ever heard. “You go right ahead. What do you think they’re going to say when they find out who you’re trying to get locked up? Bitch, there’s nobody short of God who you can call on that can keep me from you. I wanted our first time to be special, but I see you wanna play it different.”
Passion tried to get off the couch, but Uncle Joe was on her. He forced her down and began snatching at her clothes. “Get off me!” she yelled, but Uncle Joe had tuned her out. He ripped the font of her shirt, exposing one of her breasts that had popped from her bra. She wanted to die when she felt Uncle Joe’s dry lips clamp down on it and start suckling.
“You taste even sweeter than she did,” Uncle Joe gasped. He pinned both her hands over her head in one of his and began roughly yanking her pants down. “Stop fighting me, Passion. Your mom was a little rigid at first too, but she learned to love the way I throw dick. Just like you will.”
Passion continued to struggle, but Joe was far stronger than she was and the fact that he was drunk didn’t help. Joe attacked her like a wild animal. He had managed to work her uniform slacks down to her hips by then. Her only saving grace was that she was thick and lying on her back, so he was having trouble getting them all the way down. She knew that once those pants cleared her hips it would be over for her. Not even the darkness would be able to wash this stain from her mind. Her strength was failing her, so she used her brain. “Okay, baby, okay,” she said, relaxing herself. “I’ll admit. I’m into you, Uncle Joe. I know you see me watching you pimp on the girls when they’re acting up. That shit turns me on, but I never wanted to embarrass myself by saying anything. I just knew there was nothing you would see in a young square bitch like me.”
Joe’s eyes lit up. “Baby, girl. Ain’t you been listening to nothing I’ve said? You are my gift from God. I’d cut all these whores off today and run away with you if that’s what you wanted. I’d do anything for you, Passion. Just give me a chance to prove it.”
“I will, Joe. We can do something. Just try not to be so rough. I don’t want my pussy all beat up for my birthday,” Passion cooed.
“Okay, I’ll be gentle. I promise.” Uncle Joe released her arms so he could take his shirt off and that was her window of opportunity.
Passion grabbed the lava lamp from the coffee table and cracked Joe with it. The glass didn’t break on the first hit, but it did on the second. Colorful paraffin wax splashed all over the living room. Uncle Joe rolled off of Passion and was crawling away, clutching his bleeding head. She had neutralized the threat and was out of harm’s way, but Passion was no longer in control of her body. The darkness had her and she was a helpless surfer on the wave. “Where you going, baby? Don’t you wanna see what my goodies taste like no more?” She kicked Joe in his ass and sent him sprawling onto his stomach. Passion climbed on his back. “Dirty dick nigga! I hate you … I hate you!” She hit him several more times while ranting. By the time the darkness had finally released its hold on Passion, Joe was lying on the living room floor with his head busted open and she was covered in his blood.
“Dear God, what have I done?” Passion’s hands flew to her mouth. She scurried as far away from Uncle Joe’s body as she could, but couldn’t tear her eyes from it. She had envisioned killing Uncle Joe hundreds of times in her head, but she never imagined she would actually go through with it. Life as she knew it was now over. All her hopes and dreams of finishing college and the life she wanted to build for herself on the West Coast had died with Joe. Bo would kill her, if the police didn’t get to her first and lock her up until the end of her days. Neither option seemed appealing. If she had any hopes of getting out of this, she would need a miracle. No sooner than she had the thought, she heard someone knocking on the door.
CHAPTER 29
It was raining by the time Pain exited the building. He welcomed it. He lifted his face to the heavens and let the water wash away the tears that were rolling down his cheeks. It had been a long time since Pain had cried. The last time was after the death of his mother, if he recalled correctly. That had been the most devastating loss he had ever suffered, but what he had been forced to do in that apartment came in at a close second.
Pain looked down at his hands—hands that had just slaughtered an apartment full of people. He had killed before, in the heat of battle or when his life had been put at risk, but this had been an execution. Pain didn’t know most of the men in that house, and as far as he knew they had never wronged him. Their only crime was being in Case’s company when death came calling. Case’s betrayal inflicted a type of pain on him that he wouldn’t have wished on his worst enemy, let alone a friend. He had done everything right, been loyal to the crew, fair with soldiers, and honorable. Yet it wasn’t enough. For all he had given there were still those wishing on his downfall. That was to be expected. Haters were a part of the game, but when it came from someone who he considered a brother it just didn’t make sense. Had this hatred been living in Case’s heart all along and Pain was blind to it? Or had it been as his friend had accused, and Pain had brought this upon himself because of his ambitious nature? These were questions which Pain would never have the answers to. He had brought about the end of a once-great era.
