"Previously on Power..." "All that money I found in your place, Tommy, that's not from the club." "I'm a drug dealer." "This D.A. has a bunch of cases under judicial review." "That's why you're getting out fast." "When?" "Leave Isabel alone, Nomar." "Looks like you're cleaning house." "Well, you're eliminating the competition." "I saw Simon Stern today." "It went great." "Vegas, Miami." "Mm, I like Miami." "If Tasha ever found out, she'd blow up your family and our whole game." "I got you a little something myself." "I hope it makes you smile." "Celebrating my high holy day and this puta sticks me." "The hitter was a girl?" "We find this girl, we find out who's been hitting us." "Try to get yourself near Ruiz and his top guys when they're talking business." "Especially if they mention Lobos or the distributor." "Who's the blanquito in there with Ruiz?" "That's the guy who gets us the product, Distro." "Your party was over the top, "T."" "Sure was." "I'm still trying to work through that vodka hangover." "Oh, God." "What did your husband get you again?" "He got her that new Celine Tote, like Kanye got Kim, and then something a little more stimulating, if you know what I mean." "So your man delivers in accessories and in bed?" "Shit, Tasha, that's a goddamn fairy tale." "That's what I said." "It's just a life, y'all." "It's got its ups and downs like everybody else's." "I want to know how he proposed." "I'm taking notes." "All right, well, take notes, 'cause I'm gonna tell the story." "It's my favorite story." "You know, basically, she was still a kid." "And one day, they were driving down the New Jersey turnpike." "No, it was the BQE." "Okay, whatever." "And then the cops pulled them over." "So he leans in, and he's like, "yo, I got a piece in the car."" "Why did he have a gun?" "For protection." "You know how the hood was." "It was in the glove compartment." "As the cop's walking up," "I take it out, put it in my purse." "Cop searches him." "He searched the car, found nothing." "Cop walks up to me, eyeballs me." "I was never so scared in my life." "And then what happened?" "He just walks away." "I don't know why." "I still don't know why." "We drove away, didn't talk about it." "I didn't even cry until we got home." "Two days later, he gives me this ring." "You a stone cold bitch, "T."" "Ride or die." "Well, you know, he said he knew he could trust me." "He knew he had my complete loyalty." "And I said as long as he gave me the same, we'd be together forever." "I love that story." "It's like the first time, every time I hear that story." "Now we got to figure out how to get you a man and a house and a ring, 'cause you didn't even understand why he had a gun in the car." "I still don't understand why he needed that gun." "Thanks for meeting me here." "I couldn't make it all the way uptown." "I still wanted to see you." "I prefer my apartment, but being here has certain benefits, like room service." "Mm-hmm." "Mm." "God, I wish I could stay here all day." "I don't want to go out there, to the real world." "This, us, is real." "Woman." "You feel that way, too, right?" "Hmm?" "It's okay." "You can get it." "I'll call her back." "What's she like?" "Well, Tasha is..." "Not you." "Hmm?" "Oh, good, I'm glad you're here." "Do you mind if I borrow your black leather jacket?" "What?" "It's Tuesday, laundry day." "Should I have called first?" "Why start now?" "No smoking in it, okay?" "I'm still angry about the burn hole that was in my sweater." "I quit three months ago." "Where you been?" "Never mind, I guess I know." "Shit is so much hotter in hotels, right?" "Manny took me to the Marriott once, and let me..." "I'm just glad you finally found a way to get your fireworks with Greg." "I'm not with Greg anymore." "Y que?" "You got some new hot thing you didn't tell me about?" "I didn't know what it was for a while, so I didn't want to say anything." "What's his name?" "It's Jamie St. Patrick." "From the old neighborhood?" "I guess I never really let him go." "I guess not, no matter how many times papi chased him out of the house." "He was a punk." "_" "Playing lookout for those gangsters." "He's changed." "He's not like that anymore." "You got it bad, don't you?" "He's a good guy, Paz." "You'll see." "I sure will." "How about dinner?" "If he's as great as you say, it feels like I should re-meet my future cuñado." " You'll ask him, right?" " I'll ask him." "We are not competition." "We are only old friends." "It should not take you so long to come to friend for help." "Guns in the sauna." "You Serbians have an interesting way of defining friendship, Vladimir." "They are overprotective." "What can I say?" "Now, tell me, how can I help?" "I'm looking for a gun... actually a knife for hire, a woman." "A white girl, Spanish, or a black?" "Definitely Latin." "I do business with a Haitian from New Jersey." "You must have conversation with him." "But he is a little..." "Interesting." "You talking about Drift?" "I got work with that motherfucker." "If he knew something about this shit, he should've reached out." "When he and I worked together, he knew who to call to eliminate a problem." "If she's out there, he'll know about her." "You heard from Stern?" "No." "What, you getting nervous?" "Just want to know what time this dinner's gonna be." "Men like Stern are on a plane half the year." "I bet his wife can't get a hold of him." "Good point." "He was impressed, boss." "Don't worry, we got this." "I can get you two lovebirds a room." "I bet you'd like that." "Come on, get out of here." "We got grown man business to talk about." "I'll let you know if Stern calls." "Do that." "You see the triads?" "Yeah, and the Italians." "Hadn't heard of her." "But the Serb told me you should talk to Drift." "Aren't we supposed to meet with Drift as soon as we squash all this shit?" "I thought you two were cool, man." "Yeah." "You think he would've reached out if he knew something." "So either he doesn't know anything." " Or we're getting played." " Yeah." "And there's only one way to fucking find out, Tommy." "Yeah, we got to go visit him in his fucked-up house in Jersey." "Mmm." "Man, I hate going out there." "You're driving." "Come on." "I can't go with you, man." "I got a lot to do for this party." "Save it." "Look, go tomorrow." "Take Julito." "I know he's doing runs today." "Whatever, man." "Angela." "We've been waiting for you." "I'm sorry." "It's good to see you again, Mr. Collins." "Good morning." "How do you feel about Detroit?" "We're putting together a border drug unit there, want someone of your caliber on board." "I'm sorry." "I don't understand." "California appears to have made significant headway in the Lobos case." "An associate of his has been arrested and might sing." "If he does, they may be ready to arrest within the week." "They're shutting down our Lobos task force." "We're shifting funding to other departments." "My father isn't in good health." "It's not a good time for me to leave New York." "Frankie said you were ambitious." "I thought you'd jump at the chance for a successful prosecution." "All right, look." "Barring a huge development in your Lobos investigation," "I'm gonna need your answer about Detroit by the end of the week." "Yes, sir." "Is it wet?" "It is?" "Oh, how wet?" "Um, I got to go." "Don't even." "What the fuck?" "He was just about to kill the doctor." "Ouch." "Bitch, are you crazy?" "You could lose your job for this shit." "It's, like, police brutality." "I told you before." "Nobody cares what I do to you." "_" "You all right, bruja?" "Something's got you shook." "_" "All these white boys look the same to me." "Besides, these pendejos are small time." "The hijo de puta you're looking for ain't gonna be in here." "I gave you his name." " What more do you want?" " His picture." "So until you find him, you keep looking." "Mrs. St. Patrick." "Hey, I got here as quick as I could." "I told you." "When we're alone, you can call me Tasha." "So where do you need me to take you, Tasha?" " That's up to you." " What?" "Look, I've been thinking about what you said when you tried to give me those earrings, about Ghost, about loyalty." "No, no, I didn't mean anything by it." "Sure, you did." "And the way you said it, seems like my husband is seeing another woman." "And the way I see it, if he's stepping out on our marriage..." "Maybe I should, too." "Look, I know you said what you said because you care about me." "And I care about you too." "I mean, don't you think I deserve better than to be kept in the dark?" "You ever been to Detroit?" "A couple times." "Why?" "You trying to go?" "Not exactly a vacation spot this time of year." "What?" "No, nothing like that." "You okay?" "What's up?" "You think you can get out again this week, for dinner?" "Dinner time is tough, because of the kids, you know." "I know." "It's just..." "My sister found some hotel keys in one of my pockets." "She asked what was going on, so I..." "You told her." "About us." "She wants to have dinner, see how you turned out." "How is Paz?" "Is she still borrowing money?" "Never." "Exactly." "I remember her breaking your piggy bank, so she could buy some damn candies." "I want her to see how much you've changed." "When and where is this dinner, woman?" "Hmm?" "I will be there, I promise." "Day after tomorrow?" "You're lucky I like you." "You sure you want to do this?" "I deserve to know what I'm up against." "What are you gonna do?" "What you think I'm gonna do?" "No, that's not her." "That's not her." "Hmm." "You know her name?" "Angela." "Thank you." "Good night." "Come here." "Hey." "I've seen her before, at the club." "Ghost was talking to her." "He said it was just a friend from high school." "He told me..." "He told me not to trip." "I saw her, and he... have a good night." "Just take me home." "Look, Tasha..." "Just, please, take me home." "We need to start over from the beginning." "Consider Anibal." "Hermanos Tainos are well-connected and have a lot of territory." "Dead." "Soldado Nation's just as connected." "And even though Lobos told Ruiz to fuck off, he still made an attempt at the throne." "And his punishment was being aired out with a switchblade." "So Anibal is dead." "Ruiz is out." "Who's next?" "We know Hermanos Tainos and Soldado Nation are in Ghost's network." "So we need to revisit the geo-profile to see what other crews in different boroughs fit the same criteria." "There are over 200 criminal organizations in New York City that could apply." "It could take us days to narrow that list." "I'm sure you've heard the talk about breaking up this task force." "Frankie and Collins are out of their fucking minds if they think I'm leaving this bitch without getting Lobos." "Me too." "Not until we're done." "This voodoo zombie shit freaks me the fuck out." "As you're unfamiliar with our religion," "I will forgive your disrespect." "I was surprised to hear about your..." "Troubles." "You and Ghost run a respected network." "Word travels fast." "It made me reconsider our fledgling partnership." "We'll get this handled." "We'll be back on track to do our thing, if you're straight with me." "I have cousins in Miami." "A few years ago, they crossed paths with a female Spanish hitter." "She was good, put down five people in his crew." "Well, this crew that your cousins had a beef with, you got a name for me?" "Rock Street Killahz." "And they're very, very strong in Florida too." "Your friend Rolla, he has street brothers there." "Should I make an offering for you?" "I think you need it." "No, thanks." "Hey, yo, you gonna call Ghost?" "Nope." "No?" "Isabela, mi amor... _" "_" "_" "It's not a boy, is it?" "It's definitely not a boy, papi." "Jefe, you have a visitor." "Hey." "I wasn't expecting you." "I wasn't expecting to be here." "I got pressing business." "I got my crew on the streets, shaking trees." "We got nothing on that bitch who hit me." "That's what I came to talk about." "I got it on good authority the people responsible for hitting us and stabbing you could be the RSK's." "Could that be?" "Soldados and RSK always had beef." "Rolla's arrogant, headstrong." "I had eyes on him since all of this started." "He's just the kind of man that makes a move like this, looks you right in the face and points the finger in the other direction." "The question is, will ghost do what needs doing?" "He'll do it." "I just need to talk to him." "He doesn't know?" "You came to me first." "Ooh." "We are at a crossroads, hermano, not just for everything we've worked for, but for you." "Change is hard and sometimes necessary." "Maybe you should handle this yourself." "Either way..." "Needs to be put into the dirt." "And if you don't, there's gonna be a body dropping from RSK every day." "What about the triads in the Bronx?" "Too small." "Russians in Brooklyn?" "Russians working with Latinos?" "I doubt it." "Nancy Drew, you're quiet over there." "Take a look at this." "RSK in Queens?" "The guy running the crew is named Rolla." "He's got one serious rap sheet." "RSK has doubled in scope and influence over the last six months." "What can do that?" "Influx of cash, new product, both." "Lobos." "Suddenly, the RSK's are controlling a huge amount of territory." "Whoever Ghost is, Rolla could be our connect." "It makes perfect sense." "If Rolla is in the Ghost network, he's either Ghost's next target or at least knows who he is." "Either way, we need to talk to him." "We might just save his life." "I know who's been going after us." "Rolla." "That's what Drift told you." "Okay, all right." "Get the fuck out of here with that bullshit." "You're fucking with me, right?" "Cousins of Drift's in Miami were iced by a Latin girl hitter a few years back." "The crew that hired her was a Miami set of RSK's." "Pretty straight line to Rolla from there." "That's not proof, Tommy." "Ruiz thinks it is." "He's threatened to go to war with the RSK's unless we fix this." "First of all, fuck Ruiz." "I ain't never taken orders from his snake ass, and I ain't gonna start now." "And secondly, why would Rolla do it?" "We've known him for years." "Come on, man." "Same reason two former corner boys looked Breeze in the face and shot him in the fucking head." "When you want that top spot, you're willing to do whatever it takes to get it." "Everything we've been through, this is the only thing that makes sense now." "I'm telling you, it's Rolla." "We're supposed to be partners in this shit, 50-50." "You trust me, right?" "You and me were sure it was Anibal." "And then you and me were sure it was Ruiz." "See, Tommy, the problem is, we can't be wrong again." "I'm not wrong." "This is the priority now." "Not this fucking club or any other bullshit that's been a distraction from what we're doing." "This is gonna happen, one way or another." "One way or another." "If you don't want a war, there's only one way to stop it." "I'm not pulling that trigger without proof, Tommy, no fucking way." "You don't believe me." "Fine." "Get all the fucking proof you need, if you can, by tomorrow." "Kill Rolla..." "Or I will." "Can't sleep, baby?" "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." "Something on your mind?" "Always." "You want to talk about it?" "I got a big decision to make, Tasha." "What does Tommy think?" "You know Tommy." "He doesn't think." "He wants me to trust him, you know." "You got to trust the people who've always been loyal to you." "Tommy's always been loyal." "Always has been, up until now." "Is there anyone whose judgment you trust as much?" "Anyone who's been on your side all this time?" "Big J, I need to send a package upstate." "Hey, yo, man, lights out is gonna be at 9:00 tonight." "Whatever, man." "I turn them off when I turn them off." "What's up, K?" "Must be real shit if you're reaching out this way." "Shit, I ain't get no message like this since... the Trenton Beef." "Well, you guided me right then, man, and I need your ear now." "So what you need?" "Well, look, man, I don't know if you heard." "Someone's been hitting our crew, dropping motherfuckers left and right." "Now I heard rsk might be involved." "Hard to believe, though, you know?" "Rolla a loyal motherfucker, man." "You made him what he is." "He wouldn't move against us." "Yeah, that's what I think." "But, you know, I trusted people before and been burned." "I hear that." "Well, word's out." "I got to move on this shit today, or I got a war on my hands, bro." "Say no more." "Keep the phone close, all right?" "All right." "One." "James St. Patrick here." "Mr. St. Patrick, this is Simon Stern." "Oh, hello." "How does tonight work for you, 6:00 P.M.?" "6:00 P.M. tonight is great." "Good." "I'll have my assistant send you the address." "I look forward to seeing you and your wife in a few hours." "Oh, and leave that sycophantic boy wonder, Kantos, at home, will you?" "Tonight is adults only." "Absolutely." "You look like you just saw a ghost." "That was Simon Stern." "Dinner's tonight." "What did I tell you?" "He wants to partner." "What time should we be there?" "Not you, just me and my wife at 6:00 P.M." "Oh, shit, at 6:00." "I got to go make a call, now." "Well, have a good time." "I guess." "_" "Dos." "Thank you for doing this." "I want you to like him." "He makes me happy." "I know." "You cooking, it says a lot." "Angie, how you doing?" "I'm covered in flour." " What's up?" " Stern called." "See?" "You were all worried for nothing." "You're right, always are." "He invited me to dinner at their house." "It's tonight, Angie." "I know." "I'm sorry." "Look, I'll make it up to you." "I need to swing by the house on my way back." "But I can come by after, you know." "It's okay." "Don't worry about it." "Focus on Stern tonight." "Yeah?" "Yeah." "Go kill it." "All right, thanks." "So it was a meeting?" "That's why he cancelled?" "A business meeting, yeah." "Pretty last-minute for a business thing, don't you think?" "Don't, okay." "I'm just saying, doesn't it sound a little sketchy to you?" "I know what business happens last-minute at night, and it ain't the kind in boardrooms." "If he wants to make you happy, he has to get off the streets." "I know you said that he's different now, Angela." "_" "_" "He's married." "He's a businessman, legit, aboveboard, real." "I told you, he's changed since we were kids." "He's just..." "Married." "The hotel keys." "Now I get it." "And you're supposed to be the smart one." "_" "_" "I know." "I can tell." "But it's not enough." "It never is." "This isn't gonna be a happily ever after." "You look great." "Well, I'd hope you'd like it, since you picked out everything for me to wear." "It's an important night, Tasha." "We got to be on our A-game, all right?" "We got to handle tonight, so we earn a tomorrow." "So go easy on the drinking." "I don't need these people seeing you tipsy." "And if the wife wants to get chatty, just play along with it." "I won't embarrass you." "Okay, Ghost?" "Ah, I take it this is the lovely" "Mrs. St. Patrick." "James didn't mention your beauty." "This is my wife, Madeline." "Oh, hello." "Your home is beautiful." "Oh, thank you." "The place in Boca feels more like home, but here we are." "Mrs. Stern, pleasure." "Likewise." "Darling, why don't you take Mrs. St. Patrick on the tour?" "James and I have some business to talk about." "Trust me, you do not want to be here when they talk about business." "You will fall asleep." "My wife is beautiful, isn't she?" "Yes, sir." "It's expected, you know." "We have to play the part." "They have to look the part." "It all gets so goddamn boring after a while." "Ah, Perrier-Jouet, 1825." "Oh, no thank you." "A club owner who doesn't drink." "How curious." "You are full of surprises, Mr. St. Patrick." "I've invited another couple to join us, one of my lieutenants and his wife." "Todd and..." " Sandra." " Sandra." "This is James St. Patrick." " Todd, Sandra." " Pleasure." "The pleasure's mine." "This is the young upstart who stole our Cynthia Sheridan parties." "That is me." "It certainly is." "Dinner." "How about food?" "Let's eat." "_" "I need you to meet me in 30 minutes." "So then he asked, "do yachts like to sink?"" "Oh, God, it's so much better once they leave." "God knows they don't want to talk to us." "And we do not want to talk to them." "Sweetie, those are so pretty." "Are they new?" "$15,000." "Didn't bat an eye." "You should've got him for at least 30." "Price they pay for the time away." "Should've been 50 for that new club location he's been investigating on the side." "It's so funny how they think you don't know." "Oh, no, they know you know." "They just don't care." "Mm." "That's the spirit." "The only way to get through these things is to stay drunk." "Cheers." "Can I ask you something?" "Can I touch your hair?" "I just think it's fascinating." "Excuse me for a second." " So pretty." " So cute." "Darling." "Back when I was still in the clubs day-to-day, the ideal mix was models, actors, the musicians, of course, politicians hoping not to get caught, gays, drag queens, those smooth, hairless young men." "Anything went." "A buffet of pleasures, really." "That was before aids came in and ruined everything." "I digress." "My point is, times have changed." "A truly successful mix now involves a certain element that I admit I am less familiar with." "African-Americans and Latinos have begun to have real purchasing power." "They're dictating the marketplace, not just influencing it." "How do you get the blacks and the Latins to show up night after night and behave?" "Mixing with the club kids and the socialites." "And on top of that, take my Cynthia Sheridan business." "Guys with your background usually open clubs uptown or in Brooklyn and open and close within a week, but not you." "What's your secret?" "No details, just your philosophy." "There is no secret, just me." "I don't follow." "Well, I'm a black man from the hood." "Most of the guys I came up with are either dead or in jail." "I live in the penthouse of my building, above the lawyers and doctors trying to get into my club." "See, people take you at face value, Simon." "Me, well, I have to transform to meet everyone's expectations constantly." "Truth isn't one thing, because I'm not one thing." "You understand?" "I take all my experiences and use them to cater to all different kinds of people, under one roof." "Whether it's the black professional athlete, ordering his next bottle of Ciroc, or whether it's the wall street motherfucker getting blackout drunk on the company's dime," "I understand him." "I get him." "And because I get him..." "I get him." "And because I get him, I get rich." "Okay, I want to hear details." "I want your offer." "$6 million dollars." "$6 million dollars." "To open the next club?" "No, to own it outright, to add it to my brand." "Truth is not for sale, Simon." "James, once you get started, you won't even have time for Truth." "You're gonna be seeing so much of this world, working for me." "You're gonna forget all about that club." "Working for you?" "As one of my executives in training." "I'll bring you into management." "Maybe you'll replace Todd here as my right hand." "Maybe." "I told you, I'm "the secret" to Truth's success." "I don't need training to be myself." "I came here to discuss a partnership." "Partnership with you?" "No." "You may be talented, but you're not ready." "But since you are so unique, you come on," "I'll let you report directly to me." "My husband doesn't report to anyone." "Oh." "Is that how you feel, James?" "Simon, I didn't get where I amby following." "I lead." "I urge you to reconsider partnership, because if I walk out of that door," "I turn from potential ally back to competitor, and I don't think you want that." "I don't think you want that, either." "I'll take my chances." "Thank you for your hospitality." "May the best man win." "I will." "Todd." "Mrs. St. Patrick, you're a feisty one." "I like that." "Mm-hmm." "Don't worry, baby." "You did the right thing." "It wasn't your call to speak for me, Tasha." "It's my decision to make." "There was no decision." "You're nobody's fucking number two, are you?" "I mean, I don't even know why the hell we went up there in the first place." "You know that white man wasn't gonna see you as no partner." "The fuck you want from me, Tasha?" "What you want me to do?" "You want me to stay the same and never change?" "It ever occur to you I ain't the same street nigger you married anymore?" "Who's that?" "Kanan." "Hmph." "Seems like the same old Ghost to me." "What's up, man?" "You ain't gonna like what I got to say, G." "You was right about Rolla." "Little nigger put up 100 thou for anybody who could help link him with an out-of-town hitter." "Said he wanted top of the line, no mistakes, to take down your whole network." "$100,000." "Yeah, that's what they're saying." "Damn." "Some of my niggers in here got connections down in Miami." "They said Rolla took a trip down there about a month ago, met up with his brothers down there." "They introduced him to a Latin girl, hot piece of ass they said knows her way around a knife." "Bitch wear these crazy-ass pink sneakers everywhere she goes, don't even take them off to fuck, man." "That's the chick we've been looking for, man." "Rolla know he in trouble, so he already moving around a little different." "He's hiding out on Long Island, some bitch's place." "I know exactly where it is." "Look, k, good looking out, man." "Keep your head up, all right?" "All right." "I'm sorry it turned out like this, G." "One." "Shawn, I need you to take Tasha home." "I got to make a stop." "I said 30 minutes, Nomar." "Couldn't wait, huh?" "I'm beginning to think you get lonely without me." "Who's this?" "_" "Rolla, boss of the Rock Street Assholes." "Is he involved with Lobos?" "There's no way he's got a blanquito in his crew who might go by Ghost?" "No." "No white guys in the RSK's." "As for Lobos, I know Rolla has history with Ruiz, long-standing shit." "But we're under strict instructions not to mess with the RSK's if we see them on the streets." "Like a professional courtesy?" "Don't antagonize the other dealers in the network?" "I can't see another reason why Ruiz would keep us from stomping these motherfuckers out." "Where can I find this guy?" "We went to his last known, and he wasn't there." "I can find out where he is." "He's got Poncho keeping tabs on everybody he's pissed at, just in case." "I'll call him." "Don't ask too much." "I won't." "Gracias, Nomar." "_" "Make the call." "Try calling my cell." "What?" "Call my cell." "You're scaring me, Tommy." "What's going on?" "You can tell me." "James was supposed to do something for me tonight." "Son of a bitch better do it tonight." "Do you think he's gonna do it?" "No." "We used to do everything together, side-by-side." "Something's changed." "He ain't the same." "You ever think you don't need him anymore?" "I mean, if you don't trust him to do this thing tonight... if I can't trust him?" "Then I don't know." "I don't fucking know." "If you can't trust him, baby, you can trust me." "Come here." "As soon as you get back with my food," "I'll put this long nine on you." " Yeah?" " Mm-hmm." "Better hurry up with my food, yo." "I'd offer you a drink, but we both know you won't take it." "They say we're gonna get ten inches tonight." "That what they say, huh?" "Well, then we should probably get to it then." "You don't want to know why?" "We here now." "Knowing why ain't gonna make no nevermind." "I know it's been you hitting us from the inside, Rolla, smiling in my face the whole fucking time, man." "You actually said that shit like you truly believe it." "I do." "No, you don't." "'Cause if you did, my black ass wouldn't even got a chance to sit down." "I'm offering you a chance to come clean." "No, that ain't it." "You're offering me a chance to convince you." "Okay, I'll play along." "So you're saying I hit your shipment." "I killed fat ass Anibal." "I stabbed Ruiz." "And what else I do?" "A few weeks ago, you had a courier of mine jumped, a woman." "Oh, damn." "I've been a busy motherfucker." "And we know about the hitter you hired, a female, Latina." "A bitch?" "Me?" "That's a tall tale, G." "Don't fuck with me, boy." "Ruiz is down to go to war." "Tommy is convinced." "Don't fuck with me." "Heard you went through your brothers in Miami to hire the chick." "Yeah, I went to Miami, sure, and got a goddamn tan." "I didn't get no hitter in a skirt." "Look me in the eyes like a man." "Tell me you did it." "Just own the shit." "I can't do it, Captain." "I get Ruiz." "Yeah, his bitch ass go bye-bye," "I'm gonna be on them corners, no doubt." "And Eminem, well, shit, we both know he ain't never liked me." "But neither of them bring you to shooting a boy you raised from the streets, do they?" "It's Kanan, right?" "You and that crazy motherfucker still tight after all these years." "Shit, you trust him more than anybody, even Tommy." "The question is, G, what the fuck do he gain from pointing you in my direction?" "He don't gain a motherfucking anything." "He's my friend." "I'm your friend." "I am your friend." "Said we're supposed to get ten inches tonight, huh?" "Still pretty warm." " Carajo." " Yeah." "I'll call NYPD." "Maybe the killer's still in the area." "Thanks, girl." "So he wasn't prince charming after all." "Unless princey was a two-timing nigger." "Have you confronted his worthless ass?" "Keisha, you don't... he's the one who married you, put your name on every bill, on every paper." "You have his kids, this fancy penthouse, his bank accounts." "Take it all, "T."" "Divorce his ass and take every last bit of it." "She ain't white, is she?" "'Cause I could see a brother like Ghost going that way." "No, she ain't white." "Ain't black, either." "Nothing like me at all." "Sorry you're going through this, "T."" "But you got to take care of yourself." "Ghost took back his loyalty." "So now it's time for you to do the same." "All hail the goddamn conquering hero." "The redhead lives here now?" "Don't worry about her." "She's out cold." "So can we scratch our friend off the Christmas list?" "You did what needed to be done, G." "I'm going home, man." "It's a good day's work, brother." "Yeah." "How long have you been here?" "I was supposed to go home." "The truth is, my place doesn't feel much like home anymore." "Sorry I stood you up." "How was Stern's?" "I should've taken you." "Don't say that." "We're not dating." "We're not a couple." "We're just two stupid kids playing house, trying to wrap our hands around a fantasy." "I missed one night, Angie." "You miss every night." "I need you to hear me." "I want to change my life for you." "I don't want to break up your marriage." "That's not the person I ever thought I would be." "So this is on you now, Jamie." "If you are telling me that this, us, is gonna happen, then it has to happen, because I don't know what I'm gonna do if you don't come through." "I'll make it happen." "Just say you love me." "Jamie." "Say it." "I love you, okay?" "Rolla's dead." "Ghost, you dumb motherfucker." "Anybody know he did it?" "Not yet." "Well, we know two things." "One, Ghost trusts me." "And two, he's all alone now, just got Tommy." "And that boy way too dumb to see what's coming." "It's so much better that you fucked up, and Ruiz lived." "He gonna come looking for protection when I come calling." "You owe me money." "100K." "And you owe me bodies." "But I'm gonna give you another chance to get it done." "I'll pay full freight." "Oh, and, honey, you're gonna need to get you some new shoes." "Look." "You make sure my son ain't there when you do it, neither, right?" "Right." " When?" " I'll give you the signal." "I want Ghost dead before I get out." "Mm."