“Nigga, chill out!” Kay was in my ear. “Let her go! You just said you needed to see her father. I want to go home to see my daughter. And I know you do too. We are almost there. Don’t let your temper fuck that up, nigga. Let her go.”

I did, and she fell back onto one of the seats, frantically gasping for air. I honestly was trying to kill her. A stupid play on my part.

“Set the meeting up, Charli.” I glanced at her. She started smiling and slowly stood up.

“Is that what Don Carlos ordered? I must admit, you are a very, very, valuable pawn right now. I hope you are prepared for the international stage. You need me more than ever.”

Four officers entered the plane and made their way to us. She was handed a folder as they held a conversation in their language. I stood there confused. What the fuck did she mean, is that what Don Carlos ordered? A pawn?”

“Yo, Trae. Let’s get on the next flight and get to where muthafuckas speak English. Talk to me, nigga! How can we get outta here sooner than later? And that’s Charli? How the fuck did she turn white?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s make-up. I need you to follow my lead, nigga.”

“Gentlemen, follow us,” one of the officials interrupted us.

We were led out of the airport to a private hanger, where we boarded a van with tinted windows. No one said a word as we drove for exactly three hours and twenty minutes. We pulled up to an office building and the driver and his partner got out, leaving me and Kay alone.

“Yo—”

I cut Kay off. “Charli was right. I am a pawn. Now, I’m the bait. I was supposed to get over here, turn Charli, and then get her to set up the meeting with Charles Li!”

“Now they want us to set up a meeting with the muthafucka who has a marker on our heads?” Spittle formed in the corners of Kaylin’s mouth; he was that angry.

“We got played my nigga.”

“You mean to tell me that bitch is the only thing standing between me getting home to my family? And you just fucking choked her.” He was now choking me. And I was fighting for air. I finally managed to get him off of me.

“Yo, what the fuck!”

“Nigga, I swear, you better get the fuck out of this van and fix this shit. I’ll be damned if I’ma let your temper get me killed. Nah, nigga. I ain’t going out like that. Take that fuckin’ temper, and that big ass ego of yours and do what you gotta do. You my brother and it’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. You better fix this shit and fix it fast.”

* * *