Wake & Bake Boys

By Marlo Baltimore

Dane and Tex Blake are brothers who share everything, including their love for weed, and their piety for crime. For money, and fun, they rob the homes of customers who drop their dogs off at the boarding business they work for, knowing they won't be home to report the crime for days. But when Dane is given an unexpected opportunity to escape his bipolar mother, and hot-headed brother, he battles with whether to accept it or not. Upon hearing the news that his big brother may be leaving him, Tex Blows up and immediately blames Asia, the love of Dane's life, for tearing them apart. Out of guilt Dane agrees to do one last heist with Tex, so that he and his mother would be financially secure before he leaves. But when the victim of their heist misses her flight, and is home at the time of the robbery, things heat up, especially when they discover that she's the mother of Mercury, a well known drug kingpin. Before long everything goes haywire. Dane's future is on the line and secrets from the past threaten the brothers' bond.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cartel Publications
• Release date: Aug 9, 2017
• ISBN: 9781945240850

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Wake & Bake Boys

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WAKE & BAKE BOYS

By Marlo Baltimore

Copyright © 2013 by The Cartel Publications. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission

from the author, except by reviewer who may quote passages

to be printed in a newspaper or magazine.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE:

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses,

Organizations, places, events and incidents are the product of the

Author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance of

Actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013938001

ISBN 10: 0984993088

ISBN 13: 978-0984993086

Cover Design: Davida Baldwin www.oddballdsgn.com

Editor: Advanced Editorial Services

Graphics: Davida Baldwin

www.thecartelpublications.com

First Edition

Printed in the United States of America

What’s Poppin’ Fam,

As I draft this letter, I have a heavy heart. At the time this book was published, Boston was rocked by the careless acts of two terrorists. For the life of me I do not understand how people can be so cold and heartless. And in a country who embraces people of all backgrounds, ethnicities and religious beliefs. I am a positive person and I try to remain in good spirits, and I’m certain that Boston, and our country will rise and embrace the foundation that the United States was built on…one Nation…under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I continue to pray for the victims of Boston and their families.

On a brighter note, we bring you to our latest release, Wake & Bake Boys, by Marlo Baltimore. This story is based on love. Love of two brothers who rely on one another for strength. Love of one brother and his overbearing girlfriend. Love of weed and it’s numbing affects on pains from the past. (Laughs) We are certain that Cartel Publications fans will be as proud to add this book to their urban fiction collection, as we are to ours.

Keeping in line with tradition, we want to send love, appreciation and support to the:

Boston Police Department

The Boston Police Department successfully apprehended the second suspect in the Boston Marathon Bombings that took place on April 15, 2013. The Boston Police took the suspect into custody on April 19th alive, and we truly appreciate the tireless efforts they showed in bringing him to justice. They did not rest until they got their man. Well done, Boston PD!

Aight, get to it! I’ll see you in the next novel. ;)

Be Easy!

Charisse C. Wash Washington

Vice President

The Cartel Publications

www.thecartelpublications.com

www.twitter.com/cartelbooks

www.facebook.com/cartelpublications

PROLOGUE

One Christmas morning, in Washington DC, the heavy smell of weed crept under Dane and Tex’s doorway as they slept in their room. When the odor tickled eight-year-old Dane’s nose, he stirred a little and sat up in the bottom bunk bed. His feet slapping against the cold wooden floor, and he raised his arms up high.

"It’s Christmas," he said with a smile on his ashy face.

Wiping the crust surrounding his green eyes, with his tiny fists, he rose and nudged his brother who was still fast asleep on the top bunk bed.

Wake up, Tex, Dane said roughly, as he pushed his brother’s arm. Get up, man!

"Leave me alone. Seven-year-old Tex pulled the Superman sheet up over his head, and closed his eyes tighter. I’m still sleepy."

"But it’s Christmas, and daddy’s here— he continued to poke him— I can smell him. Don’t you?" Dane turned around to leave before waiting for his brother’s response.

Playing back the tapes in his mind, Tex thought about what Dane said. Their father whom they hadn’t seen in a week was home, and he missed him so much. He couldn’t wait to see him, and ask him where he’d been. He threw the sheets off of his body and hopped off of the bed like a grasshopper.

Dane opened the door, and saw their father sitting in the raggedy brown recliner; next to a medium sized half-decorated Christmas tree. Something felt off. Way off. If the blank expression on their father’s face didn’t hint that trouble was on the horizon for the Blake brothers, the bareness under the Christmas tree all but screamed misfortune. One gift, the size of a small book, was wrapped in green and red paper, with no bow. Nothing else was there.

Dane and Tex’s hearts sank to their little feet. The boys weren’t strangers to poverty and sorrow. Missing meals, not having new school clothes and fighting the bullies away when they cracked on your tennis shoes was common in the projects, and caused them to rebuild their muscles. But birthdays, and Christmas belonged to the kids and parents struggled to make those days special. So what was up now?

Marvin pulled on the white joint resting between his stubby fingers and waved the boys over. Come here, I wanna talk to you. Both of you.

They trudged toward him and Dane planted himself at his feet, while Tex sat on his lap.

"Hi, dad," Dane said, offering a smile.

"Hi, son, he cleared is throat. This is gonna be hard for me, but I figure you’re old enough to know the truth. Get that up in you first, you’re going to need it." Marvin handed Dane the joint, and he pulled on it slowly, until his developing lungs were filled with polluted smoke. When he was done, he released the clouds from his nose, and handed it to Tex who did the same. Always the weed head, Tex maintained his hold onto the joint for a little longer.

Ever since Marvin Gary had been released from prison six months ago for manslaughter, getting high with his sons was one of the highlights of his day. But now things had changed. Everything changed, and he was having a hard time with the moment.

Your mother ain’t the kind of woman I wanna be with any more, Marvin said to them. That’s why I ain’t been around for the past week. And I wanted you to hear it from me, because I need to tell you why.

Tex released the smoke from his lungs, and it brushed against his father’s nose. Marvin inhaled the floating smoke and took the joint back.

"Why, what she do? Tex asked. Was she mean to you?"

Your mother’s a wretched bitch, of the worst kind, huge tears rolled down his face as he smoked up the rest of the joint. To kiss a man, and look him in his eyes when you’re a liar is vile. I got more respect for the man who killed my mother, than I do for her, and I can’t be around here no more.

Daddy, I’m scared, Dane said looking up into his face with his big green eyes. I don’t like when you talk about mamma like that.

Something evil came over Marvin for a minute as he looked at the boys. He hadn’t realized that a seed their mother planted in his heart had grown already, and caused him to hate them both. High and insane, for a second Marvin wished he could pluck the green eyes out of Dane’s head. How could he be so blind to think that he was his child? When he looked over at Tex, he had the desire to do the same thing. Still angry, Marvin stood up and pushed Tex off of his knee. He rolled over on the floor and scooted next to his brother.

With the physical connection gone, he reached under the tree and handed Dane the only wrapped gift there. Dane accepted it, and noticed that it was heavier than he imagined it would be.

You said you were scared, Dane, and I want you to know that being scared ain’t gonna do nothing but make you a bitch in life, Marvin told him. You the oldest, and you gonna have to be a father to your brother, now, because with your mother lost in her mind, you’re all you have left. He wiped the sweat off of his forehead. Don’t worry, I had to be a father to my younger brother too when I was ‘bout your age. Be better than me though, because my brother was murdered by a racist white man, for sleeping with his daughter, while I was at the basketball court playing one on one with my friend, and I never forgave myself for letting him down. Marvin stared into the grimness of the two-bedroom apartment. Never abandon your brother, no matter what.

But I got a daddy already, Tex said. I don’t need another one. I want you to be my father.

Marvin’s forehead creased and his nostrils expanded. I’m not your fucking father! Don’t you see what I’m trying to tell you? Your mother lied, and I’m done with her, and that means I’m done with you too. He hopped off of the recliner, and his body stood over them like the Statue of Liberty. You’ll both get all the answers you need when you open that gift. He grabbed a black leather duffle bag next to the door. Bye.

Marvin opened the door and a blast of cold air, sprinkled with a few particles of freshly fallen snow, slid inside before he exited their lives for good. Dane tore off the Christmas wrapping covering their gift. When the paper gathered at his feet, and he saw what he was holding, he knew immediately what Marvin was trying to say. They were looking into uncle Larry’s eyes, eyes they knew all too well. It wasn’t even a new gift, because the photo was taken off of the wall, next to the rest of the pictures in the home including Marvin’s.

Since Dane’s youngest memory, he recalled Larry being around. On Christmas, New Years, Easter, and every other holiday Larry was always there. Dane observed Larry’s green eyes, which were just as bright as his. Then he took in his vanilla colored skin, which was just as light as his. His thin nose didn’t mirror his, but it did his brother.

Before he could draw his own conclusion, Diane strolled out of the back, wearing a black robe and no shoes. He’s your father. She looked at the photo in his hand. I ain’t never want ya’ll to find out like this, but Marvin felt it was best to tell you now. He caught me stealing a small little kiss, in Larry’s car last week, and we didn’t want to lie no more, so we told him the truth. We were in love.

"But, I don’t understand. Dane stood up and approached her. Larry not my daddy, he my uncle? Dane was stuck and wanted more answers. But how?"

"Don’t be ignorant your whole life. I fucked him and he fucked me. I made a mistake two times, and had