THE SET UP

Chapter 20

Yanira

It had been four months since I left Virginia, and dodging a bullet. I knew deep down in my heart that Maya was dead. I crossed her for the love of my life Deon. As I set sun bathing on the beach I thought about my life. I had a good life, but it was so ordinary. I couldn't stand it any more. Deon made my life so complete. I rolled over and lay my head on his lap.

Deon kissed my forhead, and I smiled up at him. "Baby do you really think Miami is a safe place for us? We're still on the east coast."

"Yeah baby, for now anyway. I just need to sell these bricks off, and we can get the hell of the East coast. We've been careful this long."

I agreed and placed the sunglasses over my eyes. "I'm going back to the hotel, you want to join me?"

"I'll be up in a few. I have some calls to make." Deon kissed my lips, and I headed back in.

I walked back to the hotel, through the double doors toward our room. We had a suite on the twelfth floor. I stepped inside and went to the bathroom to run a bubble bath. While I waited I set on the toilet and flipped through my old phone at pictures of Maya and I. What if she's still alive? I asked myself. I doubted it. Jerz and his boys were ruthless. Some times I thought about turning myself in just to get this over with.

"Baby!" I heard Deon run into the suite.

"I'm in the bathroom!" I called out turning the water off to the tub. I walked to the living room and set next to him on the sofa. "Is everything okay?"

Deon was sweating and nervous as ever. "We got to go."

"Go? Go where?" I became nervous. Had they found us?

Deon walked to the bedroom ignoring my question. I followed him watching him get our suitcases out of the closet and pack up.

"Talk to me!"

Deon turned towards me placing both hands on my shoulders. "I made a phone call today to one of my homies back North. He says that Jerz is closing in on us, and we need to get the fuck out of Dodge."

"Wait, why would you call anybody back home? You know it wasn't safe. You knew Jerz has ways of finding people. What crossed your mind." I pulled away from Deon. He may have been the stupidest fucker on the planet.

"I needed to sell these bricks."

"You have lost your mind Deon!" I pushed him away from me. "I'm going to take a bath, do not follow me."

I undressed and headed to my bath. Everything was working out in our favor until Deon had to call back North. How dumb was this man. I had to think of a plan and fast, before I got hurt. I lay my back against the back of the tub closing my eyes, and all I could think about was Maya.

(Thought)

We held on to each other sitting on the porch. We we're staring up at the moon. "If you could go anywhere on this planet where would it be?" Maya asked me.

I giggled, "don't laugh okay?"

Maya nodded still staring up at the moon.

"Miami, Florida."

Maya looked at me and smiled. "You would go to Florida of all places on this Earth? Girl your typical." She laughed.

"Really! I love the Ocean. I love the beach, and it's always a party down there!"

"We'll, I would go to Dubai." She stated. "It looks like a beautiful country."

"But it's so far away from home, Maya."

Maya shrugged. "That's the point. I hate it here. I hate my boring life here. Maybe I'll find a good man in Dubai, he'll sweep me off my feet and marry me."

I laughed. "Well first let's just head to Miami."

"Deal."

"She's alive!" I yelled.

Deon rushed into the bathroom. "Are you alright baby?"

I nodded grabbing a towel from the rack before stepping out of the tub. "I think Maya is still alive."

"What?" Deon asked following me out into the bedroom. "How do you know?"

"Did they say that he thought we were in Miami?"

"In little words, yeah."

"Then she's alive. I know it. And if she's alive, they will definitely follow her here. You have to go." I stated slipping on a pair of shorts and a sports bra. "Trust me on this Deon."

Deon looked at me probably studying me. "What about you?"

"I'll be okay."

"I'm not leaving you YaYa." He said holding on to my hands. "I can't lose you again."

"Please." A single tear fell from my eyes. "I'll find you okay?"

Deon sighed and let go of my hands. He set on the bed with his head in his hands. "Don't do this Yanira we can get away."

"Trust me baby."

"Then I'm staying with you. I love you girl."

I set next to him and lay my head on his shoulders. "If you love me you'll head to Dubai."

Deon looked at me with confusion on his face. "What the fuck?"

"How about Jamaica." I stated. "We can meet in Jamaica then head to Dubai. We have to get these sold to a local nigga, collect the money and head to Jamaica, then we'll go to Dubai together."

Deon sighed. "Alright." He kissed my lips for the longest time before letting me go. I watched him get dress and pack up his belongings. "Two weeks Yanira. Or I'm coming back. I still have my phone, use it if you need anything."

I nodded. "I love you Deon."

"I love you more, ma."

***************

Maya

"So where do you think she is?" Shawn asked me in the driver's side. He had allowed me to take a nice hot shower, and brought me some clothes. He passed me a blunt and I inhaled slowly letting it take control of me.

"Florida." I said while exhaling. "She always dreamed of running away to Florida."

Shawn laughed. "You're kidding right?"

"Nope. So let's go." I said. I watched Shawn start up the car.

"If you're lying about this I will kill you. Don't let me cross my boy."

I passed him back the blunt. "I won't Yanira dead just as much as you guys."

Shawn nodded. "Florida here we come"

I set back in my seat wondering just how she would have Yanira begging for her life. She wanted to be the one to kill her, she wanted to look her in her eyes and make sure Yanira knew who was responsible for killing her.

"What about Deon?" I asked him.

"Don't worry about him, I'll get his ass." Shawn said.