A Kingpin's Obsession: Ajoni's Story Read Free Page A

should fear the Blue Kings too.
    “What are the Kings planning for my jump in?” I ask again.
    He takes a deep breath, blows it out through his thin lips which are unnaturally dark from smoking weed, and begins to grin.
    “What we promised we’d do, make you a part of our family just like your father is, but I have to confess. Since you’ll be the first female King makes a member, he is doing it another way. That says nothing about you. King knows you’ll be loyal to us like your father is. It doesn’t hurt that your father taught you how to protect yourself and is already in with us. But when you came to the house a week ago and asked about getting your colors for your birthday, King was impressed.” Leek’s smile widens before he adds, “So were the rest of the goons.”
    He seems proud of me, but something still feels off about this jump in. I turn in my seat, putting my back against the door.
    “Listen, Leek. I just want to take care of Seeri. I don’t know how long we have before we lose everything because of her habit,” I explain, hoping to manipulate his compassion and him. I will need his guns on my side if something goes left at King’s warehouse.
    Leek nods his understanding. The smirk on his lips widens.
    “I respect you for that Ajoni, and King will too. He takes care of his people and will take care of Seeri too… if you take care of him, do what he says, and keep your mouth shut.”
    I swallow anxiously, not feeling any comfort in his words that make joining King’s crew sound like a one-sided contract that requires a lot more of me than King.
    “I can handle that, Leek, as long as what he wants me to do is within reason and he pays me on time, but killing someone for the family is not going to happen.” I know enough about other crews to know some new recruits have to carry out a senseless murder to join. I have never heard of King making anyone do that, but that does not mean he will not want me to do it, and there is every chance that he will if he and his soldiers are not going to jump me in the old-fashion way. I start to feel as if I may have just gotten in over my head.
    “Leek, be honest with me. What is about to happen in the county?”
    The small smile on his face morphs to completely disturbing.
    “You’ll see,” he says evasively. Pure dread rolls through me. I realize trusting the Kings is a mistake and my plans for helping my mother already feel like they are going left. All I want to do now is get out of this car — petrified of what will happen if I don’t.
    I start to tremble in my seat and fumble beside it with my hands, to find the catch for my seatbelt. Leek’s hand flies off the wheel and lands on my nerveless fingers making it hard to feel anything.
    I look up, worried that he is not going to let me go.
    “I’ve changed my mind, Leek. Stop the car. I’ll get out and walk back home from here.”
    He crushes my fingers together in his. The sensation comes back in mine, just in time to feel the massive amount of pressure that he is applying to them.
    “You’re hurting me. Let me fucking go,” I hiss, trying to come off as hard like my father taught me to when I am scared out of my mind. Usually, it is enough to make most people back down, but I am not sure if that will work with a grown man that has me trapped in a car with him.
    “I’ll hurt you even more, Ajoni, if you don’t sit back and shut the hell up,” he says between clenched teeth. “Nobody goes back on their word to us.”
    “I haven’t committed to the Kings yet. You can still take me back home and tell King I couldn’t get out of the house,” I plead as my fingers begin to throb, making my eyes burn with unshed tears. I try yanking my fingers out of his hold. He squeezes them even harder.
    “It’s too late to change your mind, Ajoni. Every one of the Kings has waited for this day. Now are you going to sit back and shut up?”
    I nod my head, hoping he will loosen his grip if I say I will