Sixteen
Thomas Ellison read the internet reaction of Ricardo’s fall from grace. Almost everyone expressed disgust, shock, and flat-out bewilderment at Ricardo. Many in the Latino community were disappointed, while the conservatives finally cheered about his demise, not withstanding scandals of their own.
Thomas shook his head and declined to comment when approached by members of the press. He knew Ricardo was a philanderer just like many others in politics, but he’d crossed a line Thomas couldn’t defend nor did he want to offer any disgust. He kept silent and plotted his next move.
Thomas thought about his own affairs and various infidelities but he’d never drugged or raped anyone. He didn’t have to. Either a woman fucked him or she left him alone. He approached her the same way he did with the others and it was always her that made the first move.
He wished never met Maria that night.
They hired Maria from a brothel and she flew in. He remembered her name was Maria because he’d never met a black woman named Maria. It didn’t matter. Maria could suck his dick like a vacuum cleaner and licked Starr into several orgasms.
He offered to take Maria back to the hotel himself, instead of sending her off in a cab. They continued their tryst in the car and when Thomas looked up, it was too late to break. They slammed into the tree. He survived because he wore a seat belt. Maria was dead on arrival.
Aaliyah reminded him of Maria.
It was like the ghost of Maria came back in the form of Aaliyah and Thomas didn’t want the same thing to happen to Ocean. The press still brought up the affair, and the conspiracy theorists long-believed Thomas intentionally killed Maria. When he received the dossier about Aaliyah, Thomas knew she was not good for Ocean or the family as a collective.
He hoped Aaliyah got the message at Briana’s fundraiser. She wasn’t built for D.C. life and Ocean wasn’t going to amend his to hers. It wasn’t going to work no matter how much the pair believed it would.
Lyric cooed on his shoulder and Thomas rubbed her back. “We gotta do something about your uncle, baby girl.” He whispered. “I need to try harder.”
“Thomas,” his secretary said through his speakerphone, “you have Jacob Edwards on the line.”
Thomas rolled his eyes. Jay was the last person he wanted to talk to and given the man gave him a threat in their last phone call, Thomas did not intend to speak with him. He also knew he couldn’t avoid Jay forever. “Put him through.” Thomas put Lyric inside her bassinet and gently rocked it.
He picked up the phone and spoke. “Jay. How are you doing, old friend?”
“I’m doing fabulous,” Jay replied, “how are you, Thomas?”
“I’m doing great. Just spending some great quality time with my grandbaby here.” Thomas replied. “What brings this phone call, Jacob?”
“I’ll keep this short and sweet. Today’s news about your friend was a warning shot to you,” Jay watched Aileen suck his cock, “the next time, you’ll have the killshot.”
“You keep making these empty threats to me, Jacob, and honestly, it’s old and tiring.” Thomas called his bluff. “Either you have something on me or you don’t.”
“The media thinks your little car accident from some 20 years ago was a horrible accident. What the media doesn’t know you intentionally killed her because she was about to write a tell-all about you and Starr and if that got out, it would ruin the Ellison brand. So you killed the whore and made it look like a horrible car accident.” Jay caressed Aileen’s cheek as she kept sucking him off. “I always wondered how was it that you didn’t have a single scratch on you yet Maria was mangled.”
“That doesn’t prove anything…” Thomas interrupted.
“But no one questioned why Starr wasn’t seen in public for months after the accident?” Jay replied. “The media thought she went into seclusion because she didn’t want to be embarrassed but we both know the real reason why she wasn’t seen, isn’t that right, Tommy? She wasn’t seen because she was healing from her wounds. She was the one driving the car that night and she intentionally ran into the tree. You were in a car following her and you two switched places. You pulled down your pants and created the myth that you were getting head and lost control of the car, when really, it was your wife who intentionally killed that prostitute.”
Thomas chuckled. “That’s a cute theory except you have absolutely no proof.”
“Oh, but I do. Bitch, don’t you know I’m the CIA?” Jay smiled and stroked Aileen’s hair. “That other driver? Who was that person, Thomas? It wasn’t the usual drivers you guys had because you sent them away that night. But it was an urgent situation and it called for desperate measures so you had to get the one person who was available. You had to get Ocean.
“After Ocean came back home, you two promptly sent him away to visit his grandparents for the summer so no one would ask him questions and it gave him an alibi. Your other two sons were too young to remember and believe the story the press told so they were never questioned about anything. Starr was never interviewed and you took the heat. Your family had gotten away with murder – quite literally – and no one thought the wiser. It would’ve been perfect if it wasn’t for the fact you started to meddle with Aaliyah and that was the line Ocean didn’t want to cross. When you potentially mess with what I’m doing, then you and me have issues.” Jay emptied in Aileen’s willing mouth and he let out a breath. “Again, what happened with Ricardo was a warning shot. You meddle with Ocean’s affairs again and I’ll kill you on sight. Have a beautiful day, Tommy.” Jay hung up.
~~~~~~
Ricardo Montez didn’t even want to look at the media frenzy.
He stayed away from social media and kept himself busy. People had begun distancing themselves from him and Ricardo didn’t get any return phone calls. His world came crashing down in just a matter of hours.
The girl told him she needed to take an Alka-Seltzer before she had sex because she felt stuffy and clogged up. Ricardo obliged her request. She was active throughout their lovemaking but the video only showed when she was still.
It didn’t matter. There was no proof the drug wasn’t a roofie and the girl seemingly disappeared into thin air. If the police find the girl, he’ll be charged. The video was more than damning evidence.
The only person who stood by Ricardo’s side was his only daughter, who swore she would find the underlying cause of the scandal and clear his name. He was thankful for her. Even his wife remained quiet and distant. Ricardo smirked at the thought; she was more concerned about her social standing than anything else.
Ricardo shook his head and thought about the future. He could fight this and win. If he could prove he was tricked, he was golden. He just needed to find the right legal team to represent him. And that PR genius in California? What was his name? Scott Reed? He’ll clean this all up for him.
“Mr. Montez,” his maid came into the study, “you have a package, sir.”
“Set it down.” He instructed and she placed the small box on his desk. “Thank you, Alicia.”
“You’re welcome, sir.” She smiled and exited his office.
Ricardo opened his box and felt his heart sank to the pit of his stomach. It was full of matches.
