The Mike Black Saga; Payback Read Free Page B

and Wanda told me that you were with him last night and that you could tell me what Freeze had to go handle."
    "There were some guys posted up, tryin’ to roll at Doc’s place last night. Freeze thinks they work for Derrick Washington, calls himself D-train. He used to be Chilly’s lieutenant."
    "Curl? That bitch nigga ain’t got the heart to take Freeze on," Mike said, thinking that somebody must be backing D-Train up.
    Jamaica sat in the front seat and talked on his cell phone while one of his men drove. Nick sat quietly behind the driver while Mike stared out the window. Naturally, his mind was on Shy, hoping that she was at least unharmed, if not safe. But there was something, a few things, actually, about this that werewas bothering him. First off, why would somebody plan a drug deal in his place? Anybody who was anybody who was connected to the game knew who he was and knew that Black’s Paradise was his place, and the one thing Mike Black didn’t tolerate was drug dealing. Then he couldn’t get past the DEA agent being in there with no backup.
    Mike looked over at Nick and he leaned toward him. "I’m sorry, Black. This is all my fault. I was too slow taking the shot."
    "Don’t worry about it. What’s done is done. Besides, I should have been there. Something I wanna ask you, Nick. This DEA agent, what was his name?"
    "Roman Patterson."
    "This guy, this Roman Patterson, how well did you know him?"
    "I knew him pretty well. We were in the same unit for two years when I was in the Army."
    "What kind of guy was he?" Mike asked. "Was he a team player or a cowboy?"
    "Team player, no doubt. Always about procedure, everything by the book."
    "See, Nick, that’s what’s bothering me. Cowboys go in alone, without any backup, ’cause a cowboy always thinks that he can shoot or fight his way out of anything. Like you, Nick."
    "Me?"
    "Yes, you." Mike laughed. "I heard you rolled up in Rocky’s place by yourself," he said, noting that Nick had rolled up in a den of drug dealers and killers by himself.
    "Twice."
    "Risky business."
    "I seem to remember you fallin ’ up in a bunch of places by yourself. So, if I am a cowboy, I learned that shit from you," Nick said.
    "I only did that shit when I knew I would be all right. If I thought there was a possibility that shit would get wild, either you or Freeze or Bobby was coming with me."
    "You knew that we had your back," Nick said, now proud of the life that he ran away from for years.
    "That’s what I can’t get past. What was your boy doin’ up in there without backup?"
    "We’ll find her, Black," Nick said, trying to sound reassuring.
    "I hope so, Nick. I hope so," Mike said and looked out the window. "It’s still good to see you, Nick."
    "It’s good to see you too, Black." Good to be home, Nick thought.
    While Mike stared out the window, he recalled the argument he had with Shy the night before. Thinking back on it now, it wasn’t worth it. He knew that all that shit Shy was talking about him and other women was just a smoke screen to mask what was really bothering her. But if he really wanted to be honest with himself, Shy did have a point. If he wanted to, he could do something to discourage women from literally throwing themselves at him. In his mind, he wasn’t doing anything, so there wasn’t a problem. But apparently, Shy had a different perception of what was going on, and after all, perception is reality.
    Shy felt like women openly showing their affection for her husband was disrespectful. But to Mike, it was all business, making sure his customers, especially the women, were having a good time. Happy women come back, stay longer, and make men spend more money. Strictly business. Nothing more. Mike loved Shy, and nothing any of those women had to offer was of any interest to him. He knew that, and believed that Shy should know it too. Mike felt like Shy should trust him.
    Even though that wasn’t her real issue, Shy raised it so strongly that Mike let it