Gunz And Laci: Black Rose Mafia (15 page)

For the past month, the world didn’t exist to Gunz and I. We stayed in his house having a sex marathon. The only time we left out was when I needed to go to the store to grab some feminine products. I guess you could say we were making up for lost time. Neither one of us mentioned what happened at the wedding and that was fine with me. The guy that was at the wedding was my knight in shiny armor, but at the same time, he showed a side of him I never seen before. I loved the loving and caring Bryce; I wasn’t used to the ruthless Gunz just yet.

“Laci, come down here to the den; we need to have a talk!” Gunz called out. Since I held him hostage for the last fourteen days, I allowed him to go down to his den and do some work.

I got off the couch, turned the TV off, and went to the den. When I walked in, Gunz had a serious look on his face as he sat at the opposite end of the table. I went to sit next to him but he shook his head no and motioned for me to sit at the other end of the table. I made my way over there, trying to figure out what was going on.

“Laci, the faster you sit your ass down, the faster this conversation can start and the sooner it will be over with.”

“I’m moving as fast as I can. What’s up with the switch in attitude?”

“There is no switch in my attitude.”

“Don’t lie to me Gunz. For the past month, we have explored each other like no one has ever done before. We were in love and now it’s as though you got what you wanted, so you’re ready to drop me like a bad habit.”

“Lacianne, there is no we
were
in love because we are still in love or at least I am. I have to be stern with you because being with me comes with danger and I need to know that you are capable of standing beside me as the Queen you are.”

“What do you mean danger and risks?” I knew Gunz wasn’t into anything legal, but at the same time, I wanted him to specify what he was involved in.

“There is nothing legal about me and I’m sure you know that. I run the Black Rose Mafia. Now, I don’t know if you heard of us or not, but we are the major leagues baby. I dibble and dabble in a little bit of everything except drugs. I can kill anyone from at least three hundred away. I’m skilled to kill and so are the people on my team.”

“So, you’re a hit man?” I asked, trying to pinpoint exactly what he did.

“I guess you can call me that, along with a couple of other things. I’m a man of many hats. There are things you need to know and there are things you are going to want to know. It’s my job to only tell you what you need to know. The less you know the better.”

“Okay, I think I can handle that.”

“I don’t need you thinking you can handle that; I need you to know you can handle that. I need you to toughen up and stop acting like a scared bitch all the time. I know you grew up being sheltered and shit, but there is no place for that here. I need you to be able to handle your own because there are going to be females that will try you. I can’t have my woman backing down from no one.”

“I don’t know how to toughen up.” I was a little embarrassed because Gunz had basically called me a punk. I never thought as myself as a punk but I guess that’s what I was. I knew I was weak minded and naïve, but that was something I could fix over time.

“You will learn, trust and believe me. I will put you through different trainings to help you with everything you need to know.”

“Okay.”

“Laci, there is something else that I need to tell you.”

“Okay.”

“I had Jinx look into your family history. Do you remember what happened to your parents?”

“No,” I whispered. My real parents were a touchy subject for me because I had no memory of them at all. It was strange and, whenever I would ask Shirley about it, she would just try to change the subject.

“Well, back in the day, there were three crime families I guess you could say. There was the Ferragamo family, which is Brett’s family, then you have the Black Mafia, which was ran by my father, and last you had the Lewis Family. Now, the Lewis family was the most powerful family out of the three. My father and A.J. Lewis felt it would be best to join the families together by arranging a marriage between the Carter’s oldest son, which is me, and A.J.’s oldest daughter.

Everything was fine until someone had the A.J. family killed. The oldest daughter was only four and the youngest was one. My father believes it was the Ferragamo family that had the Lewis family murdered.”

“Okay, what does this have to do with anything?” I felt Gunz was talking in circles instead of giving it to me straight.

“I’m telling you this because you were the daughter I was supposed to marry.”

I sat there stunned, looking at Gunz as if this was a joke.  There was no way my parents were involved in illegal activities.

“Laci, say something.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say. You just told me the family I almost married into is the reason my parents are dead. Not to mention that I was going to married off for power.”

“I’m not telling you this to hurt you; I’m telling you this because you need to know. Now, I’m not exactly sure who is responsible for your family’s death, but what I do know is that I will find out the truth and, when I do, every party involved will be laid to rest.”

I nodded my head and got up, walking away from the table and out of the den. I couldn’t explain how I was feeling at that moment. I was filled with hatred and rage. I honestly felt stupid for going along with Shirley’s plan. I should have been smarter than that and listened to Nazi. Me being naïve almost caused me to make the biggest mistake of my life; I refused to let it define anymore of the choices I made.

That naïve girl was no longer here; that naïve, gullible girl was known as Lacianne Bentley. I refused to be that person anymore. I was going to reinvent myself and get revenge for the people who preyed on my weaknesses. From here on out, I was going to be Laci Lewis or Laci Carter, whichever one was fine with me, as long as I no longer had to go by the name that brought me so much shame and embarrassment.

After getting what I knew about Laci’s parents off my chest, I felt as though we actually had a chance to be together. Laci didn’t really have a choice other than to be with me, but it felt good knowing I didn’t have to force her to be with me. Today, I was meeting up with Jiselle to talk to her about Laci’s training. The two of them weren’t the best of friends but I needed Laci to be up on game. I needed her to be able to handle herself whenever I was around. I was intentionally going to put her through the training but I felt it would be best if Jiselle do it. Jiselle could teach Laci things I couldn’t because Jiselle was a female. Not to mention, Laci was going to be family, and I needed her and Jiselle to get along.

I pulled up to the Cold Stones out in Howard Beach where Jiselle wanted to meet. It was winter and Jiselle wanted to eat ice cream. I got out my car and swaggered into the shop.

“Bryce!” She smiled, as if she hadn’t seen me in a while.

“You ight?” I asked her, pulling away from out hug.

“Yeah, I’m cool why?”

“I just never seen your ass this happy before.”

“Shut up. I’m happy the majority of the time. You want some ice cream or something?”

“Nah, I’m straight. I need to talk to you right quick tho.”

“Okay, just let me order my cookies and cream smoothie.”

I admired my sister’s beauty as she walked away. I didn’t understand why she was so cold hearted. Jiselle was a unique family that any dude would be quick to wife up. She just never let anyone get close to her and she damn sure wasn’t letting no one get close to her brothers either.

“Okay wassup, what you want to talk about?”

“I need you to train Laci for me.”

“You want me to train Laci?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“That’s what I said, right.”

She laughed a little, then drank her milk shake. I didn’t find a thing funny and I wasn’t here for her games either.

“Jiselle, you can laugh all you want; this is something you’re going to do.”

“Gunz, you are my brother, not my father. There is a difference and the difference is that you can’t tell me what to do.”

“I don’t know where you got the idea I can’t tell you what to do. When mom and dad were out hustling and shit, I was the one raising you. You may not have come from my ball sack, but Jiselle, I’m the closest thing to a father you have.”

“Yeah, ight Gunz,” she smirked.

“You don’t even have a real reason as to why you don’t like Laci. She has never done nothing to your ass.”

“She doesn’t have to do anything to make me not like her. I don’t like her because she is a fucking liability. There is nothing that she can do for you that enhances your character. She can’t offer you shit and she damn sure ain’t bringing nothing to the table. Laci, as you call her, isn’t even on your fucking level. You need an equal, not a chick that’s only one fourth.” I nodded my head at everything Jiselle said because she had a point.

There was nothing about Laci that she could bring to the table. Laci was average as hell, so I could see where Jiselle was coming from. What Jiselle didn’t understand was that I didn’t want someone that was into the same type of shit I was into. Laci was perfect for me because she was average. She balanced me out in a weird type of way. She was the calm, while a nigga like me was the storm.

“The fact that you’re quiet and that you’re just nodding lets me know that you agree with me. You need to get back with Milani; she was more up to your speed.”

“Milani was more up to my speed,” I chuckled. “Milani wasn’t shit. I was willing to give her nasty ass the world and she couldn’t keep her pussy still. The bitch was pussy popping on any dick she could find. I’m sure you already know that though.”

“Just because Milani is my friend doesn’t mean I knew what she is doing with her pussy. Anything she did with what’s in between her legs is her business. All I know is that she loves you and she will understand the life you live better than any other chick.”

“Milani can’t understand shit. I already told her that the two of us will never be together. You claim you want the best for me and shit, but you’re trying to push your friend on me. Milani is too weak minded to deal with a nigga like me. Her ass was begging me in the car to give her another chance after I told her I was in love with another woman. Laci might be weak minded when it comes to confrontation, but when it comes to me, she is as strong as she needs to be. I don’t even know why I’m explaining this to you. You don’t know shit about love because your ass is bitter and cold for some reason. You really need to let that shit go because yo ass going to end up dying a bitter bitch.”

“Damn Gunz, tell me how you really feel. I understand everything you’re saying. Milani may not be the one for you, but Laci isn’t either. I just don’t see her worthy enough of carrying the Carter name. Shit, I would train Nazi before I train Laci. Nazi has some balls.”

“We aren’t talking about Nazi right now; we are talking about Laci.”

“Okay, I’ll make a deal with you. If mom and dad approves of her when you bring her to Sunday dinner, then I’ll train her.”

“You funny but I’ll take that deal. When mom and pops fall in love with her, I’m going to make sure to rub that shit in your face. The only person who has a problem with Laci is you and you need to get over that shit, sis. Laci is going to be your sister in law soon.”

“Yeah whatever, if you say so.”

“And I do say so. How is running things at Black Mafia going?”

“I only been running it for like a week or two, but everything is smooth. Did you know daddy has a whole kidnapping team? The nigga that runs it goes by the name Ransom. I think he takes his job a little too seriously.”

“Nah, you know I don’t get all into pop’s business. Stay away from that nigga, Ransom; I heard that nigga wasn’t stable.”

“Neither am I; we just make a perfect fit.”

“Jiselle, I’m not playing with yo ass.”

“So, you can tell me who to date but I can’t do the same with you. If it makes you feel better, I’m not worried about Ransom, and I’m sure he isn’t worried about me either. That nigga keeps trying to test me.”

“If that nigga goes too far, let me know, and I’ll handle him.”

“I don’t need you to handle anyone for me. Ransom not stupid; he tests me but he knows not to go the extra mile.”

“The nigga might even like you. Bring him to Sunday dinner,” I joked.

“We can’t stand each other.”

“That’s how that shit starts. Y’all act like y’all can’t stand each other, then shit takes off from there. Laci thought she couldn’t stand my ass and now she calls out my name  whenever-,”

“Hol up, I don’t need to hear all of that,” Jiselle said, cutting me off.

“You right; you don’t need to hear it because you don’t know shit about that anyway.”

“Shut up Bryce,” she said, pushing me away.

“Let’s go to the range,” I suggested.

“Okay,” Jiselle agreed.

I pulled out my phone to send Laci a text, letting her know I would be out for a while. I was thinking about doing something nice for Laci since I kind of fucked up her life. She was no longer working at the law firm, which left her to have a lot of free time on her hands. Her only friend was her sister and Nazi was in Atlanta. Laci needed something to do with all her free time, which is why I wanted Jiselle to train Laci. By the time Jiselle got done with Laci, she was going to be a brand new person. She was going to be Queen; she was always destined to be. The shit was in her blood.

* * * *

“You don’t think it’s too soon to be meeting your mother and father?” Laci asked, as we laid in bed with each other. Ever since I told her I was taking her to meet my parents, she would ask me this same question every morning.

“I had you laid up in my bed a week after I met you, was that too soon?”

“That’s different Gunz,” she sighed.

“That isn’t any different from you meeting my parents.”

“This is all the way different. What if they don’t like me? Your sister don’t even like me and you see how crazy that gets whenever we are around each other.”

“I don’t give a fuck if my parents don’t like you. I love your annoying ass and that’s all that matters. You going to meet them is just so they can stop asking about the shit and so Jiselle can train you.”

“Train me for what? I thought you were going to train me.”

“No, Jiselle is going to train you because she can teach you things I can’t. She can teach you how to maneuver your body to get out of certain situations.”

“She don’t even like me and you want her to train me. What if she tries to kill me?” Laci whined.

“Laci, shut up with that whining shit. You can’t be that same scared little girl anymore. You are above that. Stop letting people walk all over you like you’re not shit. You are THE SHIT and you need to start acting like it. You are a queen and the only way people are going to treat you as such is if you demand the respect you deserve.”

“Fine Bryce. I will allow Jiselle to train me but if I accidentally shoot her or something, then just know it was on purpose.” She giggled and got out the bed.

“That’s shit not funny. You shoot her, she might kill you, and then I’ma have to kill her and buy my moms a black dress. So, do me a favor and make sure you don’t accidentally shoot her.”

“Whatever Gunz. I have to get ready to meet my future in-laws.”

“Make sure you don’t wear anything revealing. I don’t need my mother thinking you a hoe.”

“Gunz,” Laci whined, standing in the middle of the floor with her arms crossed.

“Fix your face; I was only playing.”

“Yeah okay.”

I laughed, got out of bed, and wrapped my arms around Laci. I guided her to the walk in closet, where all her new clothes hung. She wanted to go back to her old crib and grab all her stuff, but I wasn’t with it. She was now my woman, which meant she was going to be treated as such. I pulled out a pair of olive green form fitting jeans, with an olive green tank top. Looking deeper into her closet, I found a ¾ sleeve blazer.

“You’re good at this you know.”

“Nah, I just know what I would like to see you in. You can pick out the shoes when you get out; now hurry up before we late and I have to hear my mother’s bitchin’.”

She leaned up and kissed me, then walked into the bathroom stripping out of her clothes. I followed her into the bathroom with plans of my own.