Lies You Tell (DE)

47.

Joseph powered his phone off, slipping it into his pants pocket as he approached Dre with a glass of Dusse in his hand, who stood at the front door of Icon talking with the bouncers.

" I want everyone down stairs now," Joseph said calmly, taking a sip from the crystal glass in his hand.

Dre paused his conversation looking at Joseph. " Down stairs?"

The building had a basement that was originally supposed to be used as underground parking but was never finished. It was a Saturday night and the club was at full capacity like it was every weekend.

" You heard me," Joseph said, placing his free hand in his pocket and turning on his heel to walk away before Dre stopped him.

" Aye, you seen that nigga Slug? He supposed to be working the front door tonight,"

Joseph paused, poking his bottom lip out shaking his head. " Na," He said simply before walking off.

Joseph finished his glass, setting the empty cup on the bar as he headed towards the back and went downstairs waiting for his crew to meet him down there. Dre, Tre, Ziggy, Ant and a few others finally made their way down into the dusty, insulated garage.

Dre clenched his jaw coming down the steps seeing a man zip tied to a chair on top of a tarp with a black duffel bag on the ground next to him. The man was slumped over with a bag over his head but Dre already knew who it was. Joseph stared at Dre with a menacing look. His eyes were dark and empty.

Everyone stood quietly waiting for Joseph to speak.

" You're excused Ant," Joseph said, nodding towards the young teen. Joseph didn't want him to see what was about to happen.

He nodded slowly before going back upstairs. After catching Slug on the phone with Unique, Joseph couldn't stop thinking about it. It filled him with rage and kept him up all night. He had zero toleration for rats and couldn't let this one slide— he had to set an example. Joseph lured Slug downstairs and knocked him out before fixing him to the wooden chair.

" I thought you hadn't seen him," Dre finally spoke up.

Joseph smirked. " I want you to do the honors, come take the bag off,"

Joseph and Dre stared at each other intensely. Dre saw the look in Joseph's eyes, one he hadn't seen in a while. When Joseph got like this it's as if HE wasn't there anymore, physically yes, but mentally it wasn't him. It was like he was possessed. Dre knew whatever was about to come was going to be bad and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Dre exhaled loudly, taking a few steps and snatched the bag of Slugs head. His mouth was tapped tightly with layers of grey duct tape wrapped around his head. Joseph immediately punched Slug in the nose with such force, you could hear his nose crack.

Dre kissed his teeth.

" I told you what I was gone do if I caught him snooping right," Joseph chuckled. " You know who this is??"

Joseph aggressively unwrapped the tape from his head. " Tell him who you are and if you scream I'll break your jaw next," He threatened.

Slug clenched his jaw, lifting his chin in an effort to show he wasn't scared. Joseph chuckled at the mans ego before fishing Slugs phone out of his pocket and tossing it at Dre which he almost dropped. Dre read through the messages before looking at Joseph with a look of shame.

" You said I was being paranoid," He chuckled to Dre. " Slug is one of Uniques right hand men," Joseph announced to everyone, pacing with his hands behind his back, stopping beside Slug and looking at him. " Aint that right?"