No More Tears In The End

“What you gonna do about him?”

“What you think I’m gonna do? I’m gonna kill him.”

“You sure that’s the best idea right now?”

“What do you mean? This is the muthafucka that arranged Cassandra’s murder. He gotta die.” I drained my glass and stood up. I was a little shaky, but I kept my balance.

“Where you goin’, Mikey? Sit down and have another drink.”

“I’m out, Angee.”

“Well sit down anyway and think about this.”

I sat down and Angee poured scotch in my glass. “Think about what?”

“You shouldn’t push your luck. You got away with killin’ those other two assholes ’cause they couldn’t tie them to you, but Vinnelli, that might not go away that easy.”

I started to argue with him but was too buzzed, and besides, I knew he was right.

“All I’m sayin’ is that just ’cause you don’t see them, don’t mean they ain’t coming.”

“You right about that.”

“If you want my advice-and I notice that you ain’t askin’-but if you want my advice-you’ll back off this thing and go back to doin’ business.”

“You’re right, Angee.”

“I know I’m right. So you gonna back off this shit, right, Mikey?”

“I’ll leave it alone, Angee.” I wasn’t sure if I meant it or if I was just tellin’ him that shit.

“And I got your word on this? You’re gonna leave that shit alone and get back to business.”

“You have my word.” But now I had given my word.

Chapter 3

Nick Simmons

“That’s it, Nick. That’s it, baby. Fuck this pussy, Nick!” Wanda yelled as I took her from behind.

Under that business-like appearance and that cool, calculating demeanor, Wanda was allwoman.

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; Wanda and I had been friends since we were kids. She was the first person that I met when I was sent to live with my grandmother after my parents disappeared. I guess you could say that our relationship began when I was a suspect in four drug-related murders.

Since that night the two of us began spending time together, you know; just two friends that like to hang out together. But we were feelin’ each other. We finally got together while Black was in jail, accused of his wife’s murder. Not exactly the best of circumstances for us to get together, but it is what it is.

Being the private person that she is, Wanda insisted that we keep our relationship on the low. She didn’t want anybody to know about it; especially Mike Black, but I ended up telling him about it anyway. I thought that it was better coming from me.

I held her hips in place and pushed myself deeper inside her, but my mind wasn’t on Wanda, sex, or anything close to it.

There was a song by The O’Jays back in the day that went something like: Your body’s here with me, but your mind is on the other side of town.

Well that’s exactly what and how I was feeling, and it wasn’t ’cause of some other woman on the other side of town that I was messin’ around with.

My mind was on 35th Street in Manhattan. In my mind’s eye, one of my closest friends is dying in my arms and there is nothing I can do to help him.