The Viper and his Majesty

  The Viper and his Majesty

  Written by Tiana Laveen

  Edited by Natalie G. Owens

  Cover layout by Travis Pennington

  “Amor dey Rey!

  To all outsiders… I’m not your friend. I’m not your enemy. I don’t love you. I don’t hate you. Simply put, I don’t give a fuck about you. If by chance we should cross paths, and you decide to test me, see if the rumors are true about King Viper, then I’m going to pass your exam with flying colors of gold and black, and give you something to talk about. My name will be the last words you ever say, and they’ll be written in your own blood…”

  –Dominic ‘Viper’ Martinez

  BLURB

  Dominic ‘Viper’ Martinez knows nothing about walking the straight and narrow. As a notorious Miami-born Cuban gang member, his life has been rife with ups and downs, many of those years spent behind steel bars. Yet, he came out the other side dripping in gold and black, like his Latin King colors. Money and survival are all he has on his mind, until a sexy, headstrong woman moves into his neighborhood and causes ample distraction…

  Majesty Wilson is tired. She’s tired of lies. She’s tired of the disrespect at her job. She’s tired of no-good-men who see cheating as a way of life. Raising her nine-year-old son solo has been the most difficult job she’s ever had, but her love for her child drives her to make a better life for the two of them. After moving into her new home, she comes face to face with King Viper. Repulsion and fear surface, yet sparks fly between them. Fangs out, he threatens to sink them deep into Majesty but perhaps, for her only, his bark is louder than his bite.

  Dominic has never encountered a woman like Majesty, and her unexpected presence causes a storm to brew. He has one foot in Heaven and the other in Hell, but he can only serve one Master. Will that Master be love or hate?

  Immense obstacles, shocking secrets from the past, and devastating blows lay at the feet of the couple, demanding their attention, and testing their resolve.

  Majesty is tough, but Dominic melts the ice around her heart. Can she trust a man who has spent his days mostly doing the Devil’s work? Will he behave like his namesake, the snake that would strangle their love by winding his sins around it, thus snuffing it out, once and for all?

  Read “The Viper and his Majesty” to find out!

  COPYRIGHT

  Copyright © 2021 by Tiana Laveen

  Kindle Edition

  All rights reserved.

  The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 (five) years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Names, characters, and incidents depicted in this book are fictitious and products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. PIRACY IS AGAINST THE LAW.

  Please do not skip this section.

  The warning is here for your protection and to provide a heads up.

  This book is intended for mature eyes ONLY. As the author, I never wish for my readers to be blindsided. If any of the below-mentioned topics offend you or may be a trigger, please proceed with caution:

  1. Profanity

  2. Graphic sexual encounters

  3. Discussions and instances of racism, injustice, and prejudice, which include racial slurs

  4. Plentiful graphic violence, including gang activity.

  5. Discussions of abuse, mental illness, and neglect

  6. Drug usage, drinking alcohol as well as smoking cigarettes and cigars.

  7. Criminal behavior

  8. Loss of loved ones

  * Please note: This book goes into detail regarding the gang affiliation and related activities of the main character/hero: Dominic ‘King Viper’ Martinez. Creative license was exercised. However, extensive research was involved for the integrity and accuracy of this novel. That being said, it is merely a work of fiction, and any resemblance or likeness to any real-life person, place or thing, described or noted in this text, is purely coincidental.

  This book does not condone nor encourage any criminal activity associated with the gang in question, or any other group or organization. Thank you.

  Oh, one more thing: For those unfamiliar with my work, I purposefully write ‘goddamn’ as ‘gotdamn.’ It’s an intentional spelling error. Just personal preference.

  Let’s continue…

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to fresh air, great music, hot tea with honey, the art and science of falling in love, rainy days, stormy nights, burning candles, positive vibes, pretty potions, the excitement of a much-anticipated eBook, and the intoxicating scent of a new paperback book.

  “A room without books is like a body without a soul.” – Cicero

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Title Page

  About this Book

  Copyright

  Warning

  Dedication

  Love Letter to my Readers

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Epilogue

  The Viper and his Majesty Music Directory

  About the Author

  Love Letter to my Readers

  I want to first thank each and every person who purchased this book, “The Viper and his Majesty.’ This is a new journey you’ve agreed to venture on and explore, and I am grateful that you chose one of my written babies to take such a trip. A lot has transpired in the last year and a half or so, and I had made the decision to write from the heart, which I always do, but also to bring more broken people to your doorstep, with no excuses or apologies. What that means is, the men featured in this book are for me, what civilization deems perhaps physically appealing, but internally, less desirable. Broken men have been the protagonists of tales since the beginning of time.

  Broken means different things to different people. For some, it can mean someone not in tune with their feelings. For others, it can mean someone who is very much in tune with their feelings, but still chooses to express themselves in a socially unacceptable way. For others it can correlate with a sense of unrequited love, as in being heartbroken; and for many, it simply means a person who fell down and has not yet gotten back up.

  I believe most adults would classify themselves as broken at some point in their life. We would not necessarily need to be drug addicted, incarcerated, or violent by nature to be deemed as such. It could be a case of losing a job and not knowing how we will pay our bills so panic sets in. Or perhaps, a painful divorce. There comes a time in all of our li
ves when we are dealt a blow. Sometimes, that blow is a consequence of our own behaviors; other times, it comes from something we had absolutely no control over. We accumulate these blows year after year, to varying degrees. The magic in being broken is the promise of being whole again. I want you to meet these shattered individuals and see them pull themselves together – one cracked piece at a time.

  Being whole again is not initially on our hero’s radar in his early years. The concept of mending himself is a foreign, abstract state of mind for the Viper. If we are not acknowledging that we’re fractured in the first place, then there is no call to action to mend those cracks, correct? Why would we call a repairman for a HVAC unit we deem in perfect working condition? Or perhaps we do know it is broken, but we would rather pretend it is not in order to avoid the bill. There are consequences to ignoring our flaws and faults, especially when they negatively impact us, as well as those that we care about. Dealing with our issues always requires a payment of sorts. This can come in a sum of tears, it can come in disbursement of shame, but it must first be paid with admission of the truth. With that, oftentimes, comes pain.

  Dominic has suffered a great deal of pain in his life due to his environment, life choices, wayward friends, and corrupt family members. These trials and tribulations were to be expected, and he must navigate them to the best of his ability. Sometimes, these routings take him circles, such as, entering the prison pipeline. Showing bravado and machismo is far more important than admitting a hard fact which requires self-analysis, honesty, and a plan of action for self-correction and healing. Ironically, Dominic AKA King Viper has attempted to begin that process—but he is a fledgling. However, at the moment that you meet him, he is ripe for intervention. He simply doesn’t know it yet.

  That ‘yet’ is a door to be opened. And that door is across the street.

  Now in walks Majesty Wilson… Majesty is the type of woman who is quite aware of herself and calls things as she sees them. She’s a single mother raising a son and trying to keep him safe and secure, while keeping herself together. Majesty is dealing with her own demons, but like Dominic, she avoids delving too deeply in past traumas that were out of her control.

  Both are trying to get a new start on their lives, and at first, they fail to understand that their meeting at the right place and the right time was almost like divine intervention. This is not necessarily a case of opposites attract, for Viper and Majesty have obvious differences, one being that Viper is Cuban American and Majesty is Black/African American. Still, they have a fair share in common. They’re resourceful. Intelligent. Funny. Serious. And in need of more… More time. More understanding. More love.

  So, without further ado, let’s see what happens between these two people who meet one another and never knew what hit them. Get yourself something delicious to drink, perhaps a snack or two, curl up in your favorite chair or the comfort of your bed, and let’s lie low in the grass, looking for the Viper slithering in the night.

  Viper and his Majesty have been expecting you. Come right in…

  CHAPTER ONE

  Party Crasher

  Dominic stood in his long backyard as the Miami sun set behind wispy clouds. Sylvan Lacue’s, ‘Clam Chowda’ blared from two towering speakers set on the cobblestone patio about twenty feet away, with lights flashing in tune with the cold, hard beat. The woofers pulsed and vibrated; he could feel the music crawl within and strangle the depths of his soul. Smoke eddied from his cigar and the lingering taste of Don Julio clung on his palette as he bobbed his head, enjoying the music, while the cool grass tickled his bare feet. He watched the people in the near distance, milling under a canopy of black and gold balloons and colorful flags and banners. Three of his Pit Bulls, Chance, Sarge and Belleza, played in the yard and lazily rolled about around him, their glistening royal blue rhinestone and studded collars glinting in the light. Their wagging pink tongues lopped off to the sides of their wide-open mouths.

  Chance’s eyes were glossy as wet, onyx jewels. Bending down, he gave a good belly rub to the blue Pit Bull in a playful mood, then stood to continue surveying the scene. A breeze caught his hair, and it felt good massaging his skin and hitting his sweaty T-shirt. He felt the buzz of his iPhone in his pocket but didn’t bother to check who was texting him. He’d been on the phone for most of the day, including an important call a few minutes earlier for which he’d needed the privacy of his backyard, so now he just wanted some peace.

  His thoughts wandered like nomads. Sometimes it’s a good idea to step away, get a better perspective. He was always watching. Always on the lookout. Even at home. Viper’s guard was always up, like a teenage boy’s cock in the wee hours of the morning. He figured his behavior bordered on paranoia, but one could never be too careful. Everyone was a suspect; everyone could be paid to turn their back and do the unthinkable.

  The world around him was usually loud, in stereo. Music, laughter, cursing and fighting. But he’d gotten used to the quiet lately. Still, it felt just fine to have the Kings and Queens close by after such a long time away. It almost felt normal.

  His phone buzzed again. He pulled it out of his pocket, hit the red decline call icon, and put it back. I told her to stop calling me. I told her what the deal was when we met. Janet was a strange woman. Cute, overly bubbly, far too idealistic and totally not his type personality wise, yet the bar waitress had an incredible set of tits he couldn’t resist. He’d fucked her a couple of times a month ago and hadn’t spoken to her since.

  His phone vibrated a third time. Now she seemed to be leaving a voicemail. He’d delete that later without listening to it. He’d made himself clear. It wasn’t his fault she didn’t want to listen.

  He sniffed the air and smiled. The pungent smells of gun smoke and residual firecrackers, grilled barbecue ribs, a whole pig on a drum, roasted corn, and tender chicken filled the air. He’d eaten a hamburger and a couple of hot sausages on warmed buns earlier, but now the feast was really about to begin. His Reye, Jose, also known as King Brick, was cooking. Jose was sometimes called Chef because he could really throw down on the grill. He was stout, solid, and bald. Dark, bushy eyebrows hovered above slanted dark brown eyes. A thick black mustache covered the guy’s upper lip, making him appear permanently frowning, and his signature diamond stud earring caught the sunlight and sparkled just right. As if knowing he was looking at him, Jose waved his fist in the air and laughed. He was the man on the grill. Viper offered a smile and chuckle, and waved right back.

  Jose’s prominent sun-braised gut was covered in prison tattoos and the depressed and reddened scar of an old stab wound. Dominic took a drag of his cigar, watching as his amigo slowly turned the meat on one of two bulky grills, all while keeping a steady grip on a chilled bottle of beer and a cigarette dangling from his lips. The swine kept on cooking, flavoring the air, until it was soon falling off the bone. The boisterous crowd of friends was clearly enjoying the ‘Welcome Home’ party of their recently released brother, King Stacks—birth name: Pedro—one of Dominic’s closest friends.

  “Hey, Ashley. Relax. Chill,” Stacks called out to one of the women that most of them in attendance barely knew. The lady was clearly intoxicated, picking fights with some of the other women over her man, Pedro. A short, scrappy woman with dark brows and a red skunk streak down the side of her hair, she didn’t seem to realize she was playing with fire by getting mouthy with the queens. Stacks’ ex-girl, Gia, was there, and was no stranger to slicing a throat or beating someone into their next lifetime. Gia had served five years for drug trafficking and aggravated assault, but the crimes she hadn’t served time for were the ones that would make most strait-laced civilians’ blood curdle. He smirked as he watched the show. Craziness. The strange woman kept going off, saying reckless things… things that would promise her an ass-kicking, if not a trip to the E.R. or perhaps the morgue.

  She speaks like she’s stupid. She’s gotta be an idiot to let her jealousy make her speak to these women this way. She’s not e
ven that attractive. What the fuck is Pedro thinking bringing her here? She’s going to get killed if she doesn’t shut up.

  “I saw you! And you pulled his elbow, trying to get him to kiss you!” the woman railed, her voice carrying louder and louder. The crowd had thickened around them, making it hard for him to make out what transpired from such a distance.

  Stacks had been talking to Ashley while in prison, and now, she wanted to piss on her property and mark her territory – let everyone know that Stacks belonged to her, and her alone.

  Things began to die down, and the crowd dispersed. The lady wrapped her arm possessively around Stacks’ long, tattooed arm, her dark eyes darting back and forth, and held him close, as if on the lookout to beat up any woman who dared to even glance in his general direction.

  Some of these women go crazy over my boy, Stacks. If a fight breaks out, I’ll have to have Marie or Charlotte break it up.

  The music grew a bit louder. He hadn’t even noticed that someone had turned it down during the melee, as if to increase the tension. A lot of his brothers enjoyed a good cat fight. He imagined some may have even been instigating. All that was petty shit though, inconsequential. He looked past Ashley, and concentrated on the man of the hour. He’d barely had any time to speak to him. He’d bide his time and get with Stacks soon. Right then, Viper wasn’t certain what to make of him.

  Stacks looked almost like a completely different man from when he’d last seen him. He was heavier, more muscular. He used to be rail thin. So much so, jokes were made about how if a gust of wind blew or someone farted too hard close to him, they’d never see him again. He’d looked like a kid when he got locked up the last time. Now, he appeared beyond his earthly years. Though he’d beefed up and now looked like a formidable opponent, prison had beat up any shred of innocence he had left. Time and struggles were etched across his face like book chapters with footnotes and scribbled quotes, and he had a vacant expression, the light was gone from his amber eyes, now adorned with crow’s feet and two teardrop tattoos. The man had just spent nine years in Union Correctional Institution. At one point, they’d been in together, along with several other Latin King brothers.