Basement Level 5: Never Scared (25 page)

“
What is wrong with you and Lei?” Dro asked. “Who do you think I am to you?”

“
Not my boyfriend,” she repeated.

“
Would you say I was her boyfriend?” Dro asked Chase.

Chase shrugged. “Sort of. I mean, you act like you are.”

“
See,” she stated. “The key word is ‘act.’ You act like you’re my boyfriend. But that doesn’t make it a fact, right Chase?”

Chase threw his hands up in frustration. “Actually, I don’t care. I don’t even want to be having this conversation right now. What difference does it make anyway?”

Alexa frowned at his answer and he immediately felt stupid—again.

“
I need to talk to Alexa alone?” Dro glared at Jon, who quickly scurried back into the pool house. “Chase, give me a minute.”

“
No, Chase, don’t leave,” she said, giving Dro the evil eye. “Dro may be
jefe
, but he’s not the boss of you or me.”

Dro cursed. “Listen, I’m not going to argue about this anymore. You’re my girlfriend, okay? I don’t want you seeing anyone else at all. I thought we already went over this?”

“
Like hell we did. We agreed that neither of us would see anyone else when you were in town or vice versa. We never agreed that I couldn’t see anyone at all. And why don’t you just clock me over the head and drag me to your room by my hair?”

Dro stepped closer to her. “Ha Ha. I guess I’m just having a hard time understanding why this is even a problem. You told me you didn’t particularly want to see anyone else. So why are you getting so mad?”

“
Why do you want to change things now?”

Dro rolled his eyes and let out some sort of growl before he pulled her in for a kiss. She flung her arms around his neck. When Dro pulled away, he rested his forehead on hers.

“
Because I love you and the thought of another guy experiencing you the way I do makes me want to kill somebody.”

She stepped back. “What?”

“
You heard me. I’m in love with you, and I need to know that you’re with me. I don’t want to see anyone else, and I don’t want you to see anyone else.”

“
Oh my God!” she squealed. “You’re in love with me? I knew that.”

She kissed him.

“
I bet you did. You should have said something and put me out of my misery.”

She burst out in a fit of giggles. “Nope, it was yours to tell. Now I’m going to have to get rid of Jon.”

“
I’m thinking that’s a pretty good idea.”

“
Give me five minutes,” she said, holding up her hand. Turning on her heel, she bolted toward the pool house.

Chase watched her sprint to the pool house and sighed. He really was stupid.

***

November 6, 2011, Safe House
:

Chase addressed the group. “Lei, have you had any luck with Pop’s contacts?”

“
No.” Lei plopped down on the old, dingy couch. “There’s no information on Pop anywhere.”

Chase slammed a fist on the table. “Well, we just continue like we have been. End this and then focus on finding them.”

“
He’s right,” Kendrick agreed. “We don’t even know whose blood it is. We can’t assume it’s one of us.”

Melissa moaned from the other room.

Alexa pulled her gun out of her holster. “Well, let’s break this bitch so I can find my kids.”

Chase followed Alexa and the others into the bedroom.

Melissa peered up at them through hooded eyes. Her eyes widened and she sat up. She opened her mouth to say something. Too late. Alexa backhanded her.

“
You better start talking, bitch,” she warned. “I’m not in a good mood.”

Chase wrapped a piece of Melissa’s hair around his fist. “And she’s not the only one in a bad mood.”

CHAPTER 25

May 2, 1999
:

The party was in full
swing
. Melissa felt on top of the world. It was graduation and she was ready to start her life. Dro had rented out the entire club on Fifth Street and thrown a graduation party on campus instead of in his home town. It was the event that everyone was dying to get to.

Melissa had put on her slinkiest dress. It was a halter dress, no straps, and it fell an inch above her knee. She was hoping to lure Dro into her bed. Melissa wasn’t fazed by Dro’s “girlfriend.” She knew that she had more sex appeal in her pinky finger than Alexa had in her whole body. Dro would be begging for her company before she was done.

She breezed into the party feeling cool and sexy. The base in the music was pumping, and the dance floor was packed as Juvenile’s “Back That Ass Up” started playing. The VIP section was above the dance floor.
I
t was crowded with those closest to Dro and Chase. Although, she wasn’t invited to the VIP, she was going up anyway because one of her girls was cool with Chase.

As they walked up the stairs, she was excited. She could feel it. This was going to be her night.

Chase greeted Melissa’s friend with a hug. “Licia, glad you could come. I saved you a table over by the bar.” Licia and Chase had been kicking it for a few weeks. Licia nodded and Chase led them over to their table.

Melissa waved. “Hi Chase.”

He looked her up and down, his dislike of her obvious. “What’s up, Melissa? I didn’t think you were coming.”

She didn’t care that didn’t like her. She wasn’t going to let anyone ruin her mood. “I graduated, too. Can’t I get out and party like everyone else?”

“
Don’t start anything,” he warned. “I want a peaceful night. The best thing you can do is stay away from Dro.”

“
Where is Dro?” Licia asked.

He tilted his head in the direction of the VIP dance floor. “Over there on the floor.”

Melissa looked on the dance floor and narrowed her eyes at the sight of Dro and Alexa. They were dancing very intimately. She was in front of him, and his hands were wrapped around her from the back. The worst part was that it appeared he only had eyes for her.

When the song ended, an old school slow jam oozed from the speakers. Melissa watched Alexa turn around and wrapped her arms around Dro’s neck. He slid his arms around her waist, resting his hands on her butt. She saw him bend lower and kiss her, slowly and thoroughly, as if there were no one else in the room. A pang of jealousy shot through Melissa’s entire body.

For the first time ever, she felt like a second class citizen in her town. That fact infuriated her. She was raised like a princess. Her father told her he ran this town, and everyone would have to show her respect. That was the reason why she had so many friends. That was the reason why everyone knew not to cross her. Yet Dro and his family didn’t seem to care about her family’s reputation. By the time the song ended, she was downright livid. Before she could talk herself out of it, she stalked over to them.

Dro must have seen her coming because he stopped dancing and stepped in front of Alexa. Melissa looked around and realized others had stopped as well.

Dro’s graphite eyes bore into her. “Melissa, don’t start.”

She heard Licia beside her begging her to return to the table, but she wasn’t budging. She just knew she couldn’t sit there any longer, watching the happy couple fall all over each other. She wanted to let it be known that she thought this whole thing was bullshit. “I’m not starting anything. I just want to talk to her.”

Dro opened his mouth to speak, but Alexa peeked around him. “How can I help you?” she asked stepping out from behind him.

He placed a hand on Alexa’s shoulder and Melissa’s irritation rose to new heights. “I can’t stand you, little girl.”

“
Really?” Alexa asked, sarcasm evident. “Thanks for sharing.” And then she turned her back on Melissa and pulled Dro back to their table.

As the music played on, the other people started dancing again. But Melissa could barely control her anger. She stalked back over to her table, picked up her cell phone, and placed a call.

About an hour later, after witnessing countless dances, Melissa perked up at the sight of her cousins strolling into VIP. The Calvary had arrived, and Alexa was going to stop disrespecting her in
her
town. She stood up and pointed her family in the direction of Alexa and Dro on the dance floor. She instructed her cousins to follow her lead and led them over to where they were. Once again, activity on the dance floor ground to a halt. Dro must have spotted her again because he was flanked by his family before Melissa made it over to them.

She stopped in front of them and wondered if she had just brought her family into a bad situation.

Alexa arched a brow at her,
obviously
not paying attention to Melissa’s posse. “Are you here to tell me that you can’t stand me again?”

“
No, I’m here to kick your ass. You think you’re so tough, but like I told you before, this is my town.
You’re not going to come here and disrespect me like this.”

Alexa placed a hand on her hips. “I wouldn’t have to disrespect you if you didn’t keep coming all up in my face. Why are you here?” She eyed Melissa’s entourage. “What? Did you bring your posse to handle me?”

“
I wanted you to see who runs this town.”

“
I don’t need to see shit. It doesn’t matter anyway. You’re at my boyfriend’s party acting like a spoiled, petulant child. Are you so desperate that you still want to fight me over
my
man?”

“
This isn’t even about Dro,” Melissa argued. “This is about your smug attitude.”

“
My smug attitude?” Alexa asked, bringing a hand to her chest. “You brought your family here to intimidate me. I was simply trying to enjoy my boyfriend’s graduation party. I could go all night and not even look at you.
Yet
I bet you were watching me the whole time. It really is unhealthy.”

“
Ugh,” Melissa growled. “I can’t stand you. I can’t wait to kick your ass out of my town.”

“
You’re going to be waiting forever. I don’t fight girls.”

“
What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“
It means I don’t fight girls. I train daily and I’m not going to waste my efforts fighting you or any other girl. Besides, it really isn’t a fair fight. I could mop the floor with your messed up weave and not even break a sweat. That’s why I don’t fight girls. I beat bitch ass men down—like your boy behind you—not stupid, insecure bitches. Why don’t you take your family and get the hell out of here? I’m tired of embarrassing you in
your
town.”

Melissa took swing at her, and missed, almost falling back. She advanced again. Alexa sidestepped her and somehow Melissa’s hair ended up in Alexa’s fist. She screamed as Alexa ripped her hair out by the roots and shoved her to the ground.

“
I don’t know what Melissa has told you,” Alexa told the posse. “But unless you want some serious problems, I suggest you get the hell out of this party and take your girl with you.” She dropped the hair to the ground. “Aren’t you tired of trying to play me, Melissa? When are you going to learn that I don’t take shit from anyone? Next time, you may end up with something else missing besides your hair.”

And with that, Alexa walked away from Melissa and her family.

***

November 6, 2011
,
Safe House
:

Melissa was facing five angry killers and she was all alone. She wanted to scream, but she doubted she would be able to get it out before Chase snapped her neck or Alexa slit her throat.

The Martinez clan was dangerous. After countless run-ins with Alexa in the past, Melissa knew she was a very cold individual. Melissa didn’t care, though, because she was dangerous in her own right. And she was chomping at the bit to get even.

Dro stepped into view. “Melissa, it looks like you’ve been busy planning elaborate revenge schemes.”

Melissa noted that Dro still look
ed good
. “Where am I? If you don’t let me go, you’re going to regret it.”

“
No,” Alexa said. “You’re going to regret ever meeting me in about five minutes if you don’t tell me what I want to know. So far I know you hired clueless Tommy and others to infiltrate the safe house where I was staying. Before that, you and Janine conspired to get her into Martinez, using her connection to Nicholas to get her past security. In speaking to Tommy, Janine, and Adam, we know that you are working with someone. Who is it?”

“
Do you think I’m just going to tell you who that is?”

“
Oh I know you’re going to tell me. See, I have a few surprises of my own for you—Tommy, Janine, and Adam are no longer in the land of the living. What’s to stop me from making you join them?” Alexa held up a cell phone.

“
What is that for?” Melissa asked, afraid of the answer.

“
Well my buddy, Chase, gave this to me. You see, if I push this button, your Daddy’s house will become a bonfire—with him and your mother in it.”