The Syndicate by Brick Page A

call first,” Javon snapped.
    He picked up his briefcase then swung it, knocking the man back up against the Hummer. Blood flew from the man’s mouth and nose as he went down. Javon then glanced around. I had no idea where Lamont or Cory had come from, but I was damn glad they were there.
    â€œPut it away, baby,” Javon told me.
    I knew he was talking about my gun. I slipped it back in my purse and followed my brothers as we made haste to get the hell out of dodge.

Chapter 4
    Javon
    It took years of dedicated work for my MBA while taking a dual degree route. I graduated not only on time but a year early from the University of Georgia’s School of Business at the top of my class. On top of that, I ended up securing a job with Atlanta’s top financial advising firm, Reed and Haswell, as an information security analyst, and now it was boiling down to not meaning a gotdamn thing? It had taken everything I’d worked for to get out of the streets and gutter and to not be looked at as that foster kid; to now have it all thrown by the wayside thanks to the truth behind who my foster mother was?
    Silently watching the road in front of me as I drove Shanelle and me away from the supposed Syndicate, I was heavy in my thoughts as I chuckled to myself. On top of that, my professional business reputation is now cast aside in public thanks to being approached by motherfuckers who shouldn’t even know who the hell I am? What fuck shit is this huh?
    Yeah, suffice to say I was pissed the hell off.
    Since learning the truth about Claudette, the disrespect seemed to only have gotten worse and piled up on my shoulders. All around me, everyone watched me waiting for me to tell them what to do and where to go in all of this bullshit. The audacity to accept stepping into a criminal world was in everyone’s eyes except for my own. How could my family be so brainwashed to even entertain the thought of being a part of some illegal shit? For the life of me I couldn’t understand it. Which was why these past weeks had been the hardest on me.
    Now, the pressure had been amplified and I was being forced to meet with people I’d rather have nothing to do with or entertain by speaking with them. However, with Cory and Lamont appearing like smoke in the wind and going toe to toe, along with Shanelle pulling out her gun, I had more shit on my lap to deal with now. Gripping the steering wheel to the point of my knuckles turning white, I realized that Shanelle had been talking to me.
    When she touched my hand, her words seemed to seep through the roaring of my thoughts. “Javon, slow the car down, baby,” she urged.
    My jaw clenched tight, the nerve in it bounced, and I whipped the car off the highway until pulling into an empty parking lot. “What the fuck was that?” I shouted turning in the driver’s seat.
    â€œBaby, what was what? They were about to hurt you, and us,” Shanelle said wide-eyed leaning back from me while looking around. I guess it was to make sure we hadn’t been trailed. I knew we hadn’t though; that was my own paranoia seeping through my anger. From the corner of my eye, I saw Cory’s ride reach us and park beside us. Both of my brothers climbed out and I followed suit, glaring.
    â€œSo we all don’t know what it is to be normal anymore? You all are now eager to live a criminal life and brandishing guns and shit like bustin’ heads open is an everyday thing for us?” I shouted at my family.
    â€œVon, we were covering your back,” I heard Lamont say as he pushed back his hoodie.
    Wide-eyed, I shook my head at his tone. “Nigga, you’re only eighteen years old! You graduated high school last fucking year and your life has been about fighting in the ring. Now you’re good on turning into the real Rick Ross? Monty, you should be at the gym right now working on getting that belt!”
    I was so angry that I pulled off my jacket. I