Read Carl Weber's Kingpins Online
Authors: Keisha Ervin
Carl Weber's Kingpins (2 page)
“Is there some foil, Ma?” David Jr. interrupted her thoughts.
She looked up and saw him standing in front of her holding his plate, looking very much like his father. The only difference was that at his age King David dressed like a gangster right off the streets. David Jr. was much cleaner. He stood wearing a light blue Ralph Lauren button-up with a navy blue vest over it. The tan slacks and the Stacy Adams on his feet added to his very sophisticated college-boy image.
“Give me that plate.” Angela stood up from the stool she’d been sitting on. She took the foil out of the drawer next to the refrigerator and neatly wrapped her son’s plate. “Here.”
“Thanks, Ma.” David took his plate. “I’m about to go. I love you.”
“Bye, baby,” Angela kissed his cheek. “I love you too.”
David turned to walk away but before he was completely over the threshold of the kitchen he turned back to her. “When Dad gets home tell him I said that he ain’t shit for doing this again.” He didn’t wait for her to respond; he just kept walking.
Looking down at the large diamond on her ring finger Angela couldn’t help but to agree. She sighed and instead of going to clean up the kitchen she decided to waltz upstairs to where her other cell phone was hidden. She kept it in David Jr.’s old room simply because nobody ever thought to go in there, and he certainly didn’t stay the night there.
Once there she reached under the mattress and wrapped her fingers around the device and smiled when she saw that she had three missed calls and two unread text messages. While her husband was dedicating his time to his work she had begun to feel neglected. Money could only be so much company so she used it and did something else with it. She hired an escort, but not in East St. Louis. No, everyone knew who she was there. One weekend, a year prior when King David was out of town, she took the opportunity to take her own little trip.
The man’s name was Aman Grayson. He was a tall dark-skinned piece of heaven with a body to die for. He rocked the “bald by choice” look and kept his face shaved clean as well. His lips were full and his smile was perfect and straight. She had seen him with an escort service online that was based out of Atlanta and she almost creamed in her panties. One night with him was all both of them needed to be hooked. He was only a few years younger than her but he kept her feeling younger than the both of them. The things he did to her body made her second-guess her own marriage.
She quickly dialed his number and listened to the ring on the other end until he picked up after the third one.
“Hey, baby,” his deep voice came through from the other end.
“Hey, you,” she said in a low, flirtatious voice. “I’m sorry I missed your call.”
“It’s cool, baby. How did the dinner go?” Aman inquired.
“He didn’t show, as always. So, the kids just left so now it’s just me, myself, and I.”
“Mmmm,” he said sexily. “I wish I were there. I’ve never had a foursome.”
Angela giggled like a schoolgirl. “I can’t wait to see you again, baby,” she purred.
“I don’t understand why you don’t just leave him and come down here with me.”
The two of them had had the conversation many times and each time Angela had to tell him why she couldn’t. He didn’t know who her husband was and what he was capable of. The last thing she wanted David to find out was that she was having an affair. There was no place on the earth she could go that he wouldn’t eventually find her. She decided to take a different course with the conversation.
“I got the earrings you sent me. The diamonds are beautiful! They go perfectly with the bracelet you got me a little while back. You are the best, daddy.” She stroked his ego, knowing that he liked to be called that.
“Say it again.”
“Daddy. Daddy. Daddy.” She giggled again. Below her she heard a door open and shut and she whispered, “I have to go. I will call you tomorrow.”
She made a kiss sound into the phone and hung up. She slid the device back into its hiding spot and stood to her feet. She hurried and exited the room, closing the door once more, and then bounded down the stairs to greet her husband.
She met him in the dining room where he was piling his plate with food. She couldn’t deny the fact that he looked good standing before her in his designer suit. He was a businessman and she loved when he dressed the part. Silently she began to undress him all the way to his . . . She quickly snapped out of her momentary lustful moment.
“Where are the kids?” he asked, looking at her on the steps.
“They left because they figured you would be a no-show like always.”
“That might have been the reason for David Jr., but Davita wouldn’t have left unless you pissed her off,” he said knowingly.
“Whatever.” Angela rolled her eyes. “You got that girl spoiled.”
“And you have my son brainwashed.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Got him in school with them white folks like he don’t come from drug money.”
“I just want the best for my son.”
“Look around you, Angela.” King David put his hands in the air. “We are rich. As fuck. What more does he need?”
“Something legitimate!”
“I have businesses that he could run.”
“Ha!” Angela scoffed. “We all know what you use your businesses for: so you don’t get caught up with them taxes! Don’t play with me, David.”
David set his plate down on the table and walked to where his wife was standing. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her on her forehead. “Listen, baby, I’m sorry for missing dinner. I’ll make it up to you, I promise. Let’s have a redo?”
There was something about the way his Acqua di Gio cologne hit her that made her melt into his arms. “But you always say tha—”
She stumbled over her speech when his lips found their way to her neck and began to plant soft kisses there. When he started to trace his name with his tongue there she knew she was a goner. On top of the fact that Aman had just gotten her hot and bothered, she needed something to scratch her kitty.
“Let’s go to the bedroom,” King David whispered seductively in her ear.
“But you were about to eat dinner.”
“You got something I want to taste first.” He grinned devilishly down at her and picked her up so that he could take her upstairs.
Chapter 2
A few days had passed since the failed dinner at his parents’ house and David Jr. needed to clear his head. He tried to escape his thoughts by going to the computer lab of the university that he attended. He was in his senior year of school, and usually focusing on his studies brought his mind off of the chaotic world around him. Growing up David Jr. was always in his father’s shadow. Everyone expected him to be just like his old man because one day he would be head of the family business. There was only one problem with that: he wasn’t sure if that was what he wanted for himself. He wanted a fresh start. He wanted to start something that was his and that he could build from scratch.
David Jr. truly believed that a man should have power over his own destiny, which was why he decided to go to college right after he graduated, unlike his sister. He majored in criminal justice and kept high marks in all of his courses. If all worked out in his favor he hoped to one day own his own law firm. At first his father was angered by the decision because he expected to have David Jr., by age eighteen, working by his side. David Jr. popped in here and there but it wasn’t enough to satisfy King David’s selfishness. To show his disapproval he refused to pay for his son’s college education in hopes that it would sway him to come join the family business 100 percent of the time. David Jr., however, proved that he didn’t need his father’s money by getting a full-ride scholarship.
After seeing that his son didn’t need him King David still didn’t understand why his son didn’t want to jump on board. Yet, he looked on the brighter side of things and knew that there was a time for everything. In fact, his son’s career choice could prove to be beneficial to him in the future. David Jr., on the other hand, was torn between his loyalty to his father and his loyalty to himself. He didn’t fear his father but he did respect him beyond measure. He knew what kind of pull King David had in the city and exactly what happened to anyone who crossed him.
Lately though, he had been giving his own future more and more thought. He wanted more than just fast and dirty money. When his name was said aloud he didn’t want people shaking in their shoes; he wanted his name to hold honor and prestige. His family didn’t understand that, not even his mother. He didn’t want to be in his father’s shadow and there weren’t enough words in the dictionary to stress that. He remembered the day he vowed to never be like his father. It was the day that he finally understood why all of St. Louis feared him. It was because King David had no soul.
“Dad, can I get some Skittles?” nine-year-old David Jr. said from the back seat of his father’s black-on-black Range Rover. He sat behind the passenger seat of the vehicle, pulling at the tie of the designer suit his mother forced him to put on that morning.
All of the kids in his class were to go to work with their parents. Since their mother was a stay-at-home mom both he and Day had to tag along with their father for the day. King David had a slew of businesses but so far they had only stopped at the salon that also had a barbershop next door, and the day spa. Day had been intrigued but David was excited to get to the night club that his father owned. Many rumors of what went on there floated around through the grapevine but he wanted to see it all firsthand. He had heard about the topless women who walked around with drink platters and the ones who danced on posts. Whenever any entertainer was in St. Louis, Club Low would be their first venue choice for their after parties. In other words, Club Low was the place to be.
“Why didn’t you get none when we was just at the gas station, stupid?” Day chimed up.
King David looked back at his children in the rearview mirror and shook his head. Most twins got along well and were inseparable. His twins, on the other hand, were the exact opposite. In fact, most times he was almost certain that they couldn’t stand each other. They fought like an old married couple the majority of the time.
“I wish the two of you could just get along.” David sighed. “But your sister is right, David Jr. You should have gotten some at the gas station. We’re about to pull up to Club Low now.”
Not happy, David leaned back into the leather seat and crossed his arms. He looked at his sister with a look of annoyance on his young face and she returned it by sticking her tongue out at him. He knew she felt as if she won and he wanted to sock her in the arm.
“I hate you,” he whispered so their father couldn’t hear him and she responded with a smug look and a shrug of her shoulders.
King David pulled his car to the front of the luxurious building so that he could have the valet park his vehicle. Club Low was his favorite piece of property particularly because he had always wanted to own a night club when he was younger. He had even designed the entire building himself. The entire exterior was made of a dark, tinted bulletproof glass and the interior had a classy old-school feel full of tall ceilings and tan, black, or white walls. In order to get inside the guests would have to walk on the red carpet and the bouncers who stood at the doors were no joke. They had metal detectors and if you were opposed to a gun and weapon check then you instantly got the boot.
During the daytime the club served as a dine-in restaurant with a popular menu. King David figured it would be the perfect way to end the day with the twins.
“Come on, Annoying One and Annoying Two,” he said, stepping out of the vehicle the moment the valet appeared and opened his door.
Day giggled and hopped out of the car. David, too, got out, not able to hide his excitement.
“Daddy, do you and Mommy ever come and party here?” Day asked in awe of the vast building.
“No, sweetheart, your mother is usually too busy shopping and doesn’t have much time for anything else.” He tried to hide the bitterness in his voice but David Jr. caught on to it.
“Well, when I’m a grown-up my husband better take me to places like this. I like the finer things in life!” The smug look once again returned to Day’s face as she grabbed her father’s hand.
“Well, hopefully your husband keeps you as far away from me as possible,” David Jr. mumbled under his breath, grasping hold of his father’s other hand.
Together the three walked the red carpet, and when they got to the door the bouncers nodded their heads respectfully toward the family.
“Good afternoon, King.”
“Looking sharp, sir.”
They held the double doors open and when the three had made it safely through they shut them and resumed their posts.
“Whoa,” David Jr. said, looking around at the décor of the place. “Dad, this is all yours?”
“Yes, and one day it will be yours.” King David smiled watching his kids’ eyes almost pop out of their sockets as they looked around. “In this building there is a restaurant and also multiple dance floors that serve the different music tastes of the world. I want my guests to have a good time for the money they spend at the door. I also have an office upstairs for when I have to oversee business. Go ahead, have a look around. I’ll have the chef whip us up something to eat.”
The twins didn’t need to be told twice. They snatched their hands away quickly and happily ran off to explore the huge building.
“Look at the ceilings, David Jr.!” Day squealed, gripping the bottom of her pink poofy Dior skirt in excit
e
ment. She threw her head back and twirled around, never taking her eyes off of the tall ceiling. “It looks like a night sky!”
e
ment. She threw her head back and twirled around, never taking her eyes off of the tall ceiling. “It looks like a night sky!”
David Jr. looked up and was instantly impressed as well. “I wonder how the people who did that even got so high,” David Jr. wondered aloud.
“A ladder, stupid,” Day responded in a “duh” fashion.
“Why you gotta talk stuff all the time, Day? Dang!”
David was tired of her already so when she went into a room that looked like a dance floor he pretended to follow her. The moment she wasn’t paying attention he ran back out of the room and didn’t stop until he reached an elevator at the end of the hall. Curious to see where it went he pressed the UP button and waited for it to come down to the floor that he was on. He kept looking back to make sure his nosey sister wasn’t trying to follow him. When finally the doors slid open in front of him he jumped on the elevator and pressed the “close doors” button repeatedly until they did as he wanted.
“‘Hasta la vista, baby.’” David Jr. grinned to himself, happy to finally be alone.
He remembered his father saying something about his office being at the top of the building. Curiosity got the best of him and he pressed the third floor button wanting to see what the office looked like. It didn’t take long to travel up and when the elevator stopped David Jr. felt a dip in his stomach and a nauseous feeling come up to his throat. He couldn’t get off that elevator fast enough. It wasn’t hard to find the office simply because there was only one door and it was straight ahead. Although he knew he was up there alone David Jr. still treaded lightly, checking over his shoulder every couple of steps until he reached the door.
“Please be unlocked. Please be
. . .
Yes!”
. . .
Yes!”
David Jr. twisted the doorknob and it turned easily in the grip of his hand. Pushing the door open, David. Jr flipped the light switch on and grinned at the office. His dad’s office was one of the coolest rooms he’d ever seen. It was huge, for one, and not professional at all. There was a huge desk and a big chair behind it but that wasn’t what caught David Jr.’s eyes. On the wall there was a huge flat-screen television and to the far left corner there was a basketball hoop with crumpled-up paper on the floor around it on the floor.
“Cool!”
David Jr. scooped up one of the crumpled papers on the ground and pretended that somebody was guarding him. He tossed the paper back and forth between his legs, did his signature twist move, and ended with a fade away. Once the ball was released from his hands toward the hoop he already knew he was going to hit nothing but net before he even heard the small swoosh.
“And the crowd goes wild! David Mason has scored another three points!”
He put his hands up in the air as if he really had an audience, and he took a bow. As he was coming back up to a standing position he was startled by the chime of the elevator behind him. He panicked, knowing he wasn’t supposed to be in his father’s office. Quickly he shut the door and looked around for somewhere to hide. Seeing a closet he turned the light back off and ran and hopped inside his temporary refuge and hoped no one would open the wooden doors and see him hiding behind one of his father’s designer suits. He didn’t have time to shut the closet door all the way before the office door burst open. He saw his father enter the office with two men in tow behind him; and David Jr. couldn’t read his father’s face but he could tell the men behind him weren’t very happy.
King David took a seat behind his desk and motioned for the other men to have a seat in the two chairs on the opposite side. “Now how may I assist you two today? Please make it quick, Marcus and Juan. I have other obligations at the moment.” King David cut right to the chase as soon as the men took their seats.
David Jr. peeked out and saw that the men looked to be of Mexican descent. Both were clenching their jaws as if trying to think of the right thing to say before their mouths spat out something they couldn’t take back.
“You have not come through on your end of the bargain,” one of the men started. “We have done everything you have asked of us.”
“Yeah, so where is our money, David?” the bigger of the two said, purposely not calling him King.
King David took notice and instead of letting them see him sweat he just continued to stare at them until they were done speaking. “Before you continue speaking, Juan, I would like to ask you if you really feel that your attitudes in this manner are truly justified?”
“You said you would pay us the money as soon as we delivered the packages to your man in New York!”
“Hmmm. I did say that, didn’t I?”
Suddenly the one named Juan brought his fist down on King David’s desk with such force that David Jr. jumped from where he was in the closet. He was worried about his father’s safety. Anyone with eyes could see that he was outnumbered and the two men before him looked like they hurt people for fun.
“Dad,” David Jr. whispered, hoping he was not about to witness his father’s murder.
“You son of a bitch! Where is our money! You owe us twenty grand!” Juan jumped up and pointed his finger in King David’s face. “You black motherfucker! Where”
—
he banged on the desk again
—
“is”
—
bang
—
“my”
—
bang
—
“money?”
—
he banged on the desk again
—
“is”
—
bang
—
“my”
—
bang
—
“money?”
King David sat there unmoved the whole time, looking at the bumbling fools before him. Seeing Juan’s face turning red, he chuckled.
“Sit down, Juan, before your face is bloodshot. Let’s talk business.” He waited for Juan to reluctantly take his seat once more before continuing. Suddenly the smile was gone from his face and his eyes turned cold. “Now I don’t know what kind of business you boys are used to running, but I guess I have to set some things straight. You come in here screaming like children making demands like I’m not the man holding all the cards. Now since you didn’t answer my question I will answer it. The answer is no. Your little temper tantrum isn’t justified.”
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