Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

by Ashley Snell

  “Six, what’s going on?” Britain asked in concern as he closed the door behind him. “I have been calling you nonstop. You just rushed out of the restaurant without putting me up on game,” he said as he walked over to her, cradled her cheek, and pecked her on the forehead. “What’s in the bags? You going somewhere?” he asked as his facial expression changed, displaying his puzzlement. He was unsure of what was going on. He took a step back and glanced at the bag and noticed stacks of money through the unzipped portion. “What’s in the bag?” he asked again, but this time with more authority and through clenched teeth as he stared at the money-filled bags suspiciously.

  “Nothing, it’s just a couple pieces,” Six lied as her heart began to thump rapidly and her hands began to sweat. Britain calmly grabbed one of the bags out of her hand and opened it up. When he found out his suspicions were right, it broke his heart. He handed the bag back to Six and took another step back. Then he chuckled, trying to laugh off his broken heart instead of becoming angry.

  “Nothing, huh? That’s a whole lot of nothing in that bag,” he stated as he leaned against the wall and slyly put his hands in his designer slacks.

  “Look, I can explain,” Six said as she dropped the bags and started to walk toward him. “Britain, I—” before Six could begin her next sentence Britain raised his hand to stop her from approaching and calmly responded.

  “That’s for Free, huh?” he asked, already knowing what the deal was. He couldn’t believe that Six would betray him like she had. Six was at a loss for words and didn’t know how to respond. A tear slid down her cheek as she saw the pain in Britain’s eyes.

  “You don’t have to explain. You can have all of what’s in that safe. There’s more where that came from, believe me. But before you leave, do me one favor,” Britain said just before he pulled out his car keys and walked toward the door. “Make sure you leave the house key on the table and take your shit with you.” Britain exited the house, leaving Six standing there alone and dumbfounded.

  “Britain! Wait!” she yelled as she looked at the door in disbelief. “Damn,” she yelled as she fell to her knees. Moments later, she heard the screeching of Britain’s car and she understood that they would never be the same. Their relationship had run its course. Although she truly cared for him, the relationship had been built on a lie, and now that the truth had surfaced, there was no turning back. She knew that she would have to deal with Britain later, but right now, she worried about Free’s safety.

  Six took one last look around her—the magnificent place that had been her temporary safe haven then felt the necklace on her neck. She removed the expensive diamond, feeling as if she no longer deserved to wear it. The picture of her with Britain and his father caught her eye. She kissed her fingers and placed a kiss on the frame. Good-bye Britain, she thought somberly. Then she picked up the bags full of money and headed to the hospital so Big Lou could take her to the man responsible for almost ending Free’s life.

  Lou drove Six to the bar establishment that Claude owned and kept offering to take the money, but Six refused.

  “These mu’fuckas ain’t playing, Big Lou. No telling what they will do to you if you go inside. Obviously they don’t care about getting their money anymore, because they tried to kill Free. You got to let me do this,” she said as Lou parked a couple buildings down from the bar.

  “Okay, I will be right back,” Six said as she took the bags from the backseat. Lou grabbed her hand just before she got out of the car and pulled out a small gun.

  “Here, take this,” he instructed. “I’ll be right out here waiting on you, sis.”

  Six took the gun and concealed it in her Coach boot just before she headed to the establishment.

  When Six walked through the doors, a bartender yelled, “We’re closed, sweetheart,” as he wiped off the bar top. A couple of men were toward the back at a table playing cards, and Six scoped the entire scene before responding.

  “I’m here to see Claude,” she said loudly so everyone in the room could hear her clearly. “I’m here about Free,” Six said smugly as she looked at the bartender square in the eyes.

  “You’re Alfree’s woman, huh? That son a’ bitch sent his woman to do his dirty work,” he said jokingly as he glanced back at the guys in the corner of the room. The bartender looked down at the bags and knew that she was here to pay a debt. He hopped over the counter and stood right in front of Six. Six showed no fear as she looked up at the man and didn’t budge. “Raise your arms.”

  “Sure,” Six said as she followed the orders, hoping that he wouldn’t check her boot. The man patted her down but didn’t go near the boot where the gun was hidden.

  “She’s clean!” he yelled as he stepped to the side to let Six go toward the back. Six walked with a model’s precision across the floor, the high heels of her boots clicking the hardwood floor with every step. “Here is your money. Call your goons off,” she said as she dropped the bag on the table, interrupting their card game.

  “Whoa, whoa,” Claude said as he threw both of his hands up and sat back in his seat. “No hello? How ya doing or nothing?” he asked sarcastically as he smiled and looked down at the bags in front of him. He then opened up the bags and saw the stacks of money.

  “Is Free’s debt settled now or what?’ Six asked as she put both of her hands on her hips and tapped the floor with her right foot. Claude smiled and zipped the bag back up.

  “As much as I want to take this money, I can’t, sweetheart,” Claude responded.

  “What? But it’s all there. Maybe even more,” Six pleaded.

  “His debt was taken care of months ago. I don’t have any beef with Alfree,” Claude stated.

  “What?” Six asked as she frowned up in confusion.

  “What, you got wax in ya ears, sweetheart? I don’t have a beef with Free anymore. His debt has been paid,” Claude repeated.

  “So why did you try to kill him?” Six asked, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

  “Kill him? I had nothing to do with that. Some guy came in and dropped three hundred large right in my lap. Boom,” Claude said, emphasizing how the man dropped the money on the table. “And he said that Free’s debt had just been paid. I think he said his name was… Brick.”

  Lou couldn’t understand why Six come back out with the money in her hands. She wouldn’t respond to him, and she looked like she was in deep thought. They cruised the streets en route back to the hospital.

  “Are you going to tell me what’s going on or what, Six? Why didn’t he take the money?” Lou asked as he kept his eyes on the road.

  “Lou, hold on, I have to figure some shit out,” Six said as she put her finger up and thought about the recent events. Britain paid off Free’s debt? Why? Did he know the real reason I initially got at him? Did he try to kill Free? He couldn’t have. Or could he? I’m so fucking confused, Six thought as she buried her face in her hands. So many unanswered questions popped in her head.

  Lou began to check his mirror, noticing a tinted truck that had been following them for a couple of blocks. He reached up and positioned the mirror to get a better angle on the vehicle behind them.

  “What the fuck?” Lou said under his breath after he hit a quick right and the truck did just the same. Six raised her head to see what was going on.

  “What’s up, Lou?” she asked as she noticed him repeatedly look in his rearview and speed up the car.

  “I think someone is following us,” Lou said as he hit another corner, but this time it was with more speed, causing the tires to squeal. “Put on your seat belt, sis,” Lou said as he pushed her chest back to brace her. He then reached under his seat and pulled out chrome 9 mm and set it on his lap, already locked and loaded.

  Six buckled her seat belt, and Lou gunned it. The torque of the Dodge Charger’s hemi engine roared and within five seconds Lou was at sixty-five miles per hour, racing down Woodward Avenue. The tinted truck was right on their tail.

  “Who the f
uck is that?” Six screamed as she turned around and watched the truck edge near them and then crash into their back, rear-ending them. Both of their bodies jerked from the much-larger truck hitting them. Go! Go!” Six yelled as she feared for her life.

  The tinted truck rear-ended them again, but this time with more force, causing Lou’s back window to shatter. His car temporarily spun out of control, and they came to a screeching halt in the middle of the vacant street.

  Lou had enough of the cat-and-mouse game. He looked in the rearview and saw that the truck stopped also. It was just about fifty yards away from them and the driver was revving the engine, making the truck shake. Lou jumped out with his gun in hand and began firing while walking toward the truck. The truck spun around and sped off after a couple of hollow tips began to hit the exterior. Lou emptied the clip until the truck was out of sight. He returned to his truck breathing heavily.

  “Who in the hell was that?” Six said as she rose from the crouching position she was in.

  “I wish I could tell you. Somebody wants us dead. Let’s hurry up and get to Free. Gotta get the fuck up outta here,” Lou said just before he pulled off. The mystery person behind the wheel was trying to kill them, and Six knew that whoever it was probably was the same person who had killed Sparkle and shot Free. Six was boggled, and the only thing on her mind was getting to Free and leaving the city. She wasn’t turning back.

  Three Weeks Later

  Six nursed Free back to health and stayed with him every day in physical therapy, trying to get his motor skills back in his arm. She decided to tell the nurse to list Free under an alias, just in case the person who tried to kill him came back to finish the job.

  Lou attended Sparkle’s funeral on Free’s behalf. Her memorial service was held a week after she was murdered and come to find out she wasn’t pregnant at the time of her death. She put on a front just to try to get Free as her own. Free was shocked at the news and decided not to ever tell Six about what they had going on. He felt that what she didn’t know would not hurt her.

  Eventually Free was walking out of the hospital and upset that he had been shot, but happy to have Six back again.

  “Thanks, baby,” Free said as she helped him into Lou’s car. Free looked at Six and vowed never to part from his woman again. That girl is my soul mate, he thought as he felt a sharp pain shoot up his arm. He grimaced as he strapped on his seat belt and Six closed the passenger door for him. Lou drove, and Six got in the backseat.

  “I glad you home, boy,” Lou said as he playfully hit Free upside his head. He then started up the car, preparing to leave the hospital parking lot.

  “Yeah, but I got to get to the money now. I want to pay them Russians and be done with it. I could have died that night. We not strong enough to go to war with the mu’fuckas, so I just got to pay them,” Free said as the burdens of life began to weigh down on him. The frustration was written all over his face. Lou smiled as he looked back at Six, who was in the backseat.

  “You didn’t tell him, sis?” Lou asked her.

  “Oh, yeah. That debt is paid. I got a surprise for you too,” Six said excitedly to Free.

  “The debt is paid? What?” Free asked as he tried to maneuver his body to turn around. Before he knew it, Six reached over and put a heavy duffel bag in his lap.

  “What’s this?” Free asked as he looked down at the Gucci bag.

  “Open it and see,” Six said as she rubbed his shoulders to comfort him. Free did as he was told and when he opened the bag, he couldn’t help but to smile. My down-ass bitch, he thought as the eyes of Benjamin Franklin stared up at him. Through all the heartache, Six still came through for him and followed through with the plan to rob Britain.

  “That’s about $200,000 dollars in there. I got another bag back here that has about $75,000,” Six said proudly as she continued to rub her man.

  “I guess the plan worked,” Free said as he felt so relieved.

  “Yeah, baby! You know I never forgot whose side I was on, even though you almost forgot whose side you were on,” Six responded as she thought about Britain. Although she had just told Free that she was sure she was on the right side, at one point she almost forgot and had indeed fallen for Britain. She had suspicions that he was the one who tried to kill Free, but she decided to let it go and start over with Free.

  “Oh, yeah, Lou, I didn’t forget about you,” she said as she grabbed $75,000 dollars that she had already put in a paper bag for him. She tossed that into his lap, and he smiled like a kid in a candy store.

  “That’s what I’m talking about, sis. Hold yo’ bro down,” Lou said as he flipped through the bills.

  “That’s my baby!” Free yelled as he picked up a stack of bills and kissed it. Free wanted to ask about Britain, but he just wanted to move forward and begin his life with Six. “No more worries,” he whispered.

  “No more worries,” Six confirmed as she sat back in her seat as Lou pulled off.

  Six wore a comfortable jogging suit as she directed the movers in and out of her house. She and Free were finally moving out of Detroit to start a life without malice and the treachery that the inner city of Detroit had to offer. They used the money that she had taken from Britain to put a down payment on a home in Auburn Hills, a suburban area away from Detroit.

  “Lou, get yo’ big ass in here and pick up a box!” Six yelled jokingly as Lou had his head in their refrigerator.

  “That’s what you paying them for,” Lou said as he walked out with a hoagie sandwich in his hand. “Where is Free?” he asked as he walked toward Six.

  “I think he’s outside,” Six answered as she bent down and began taping up some of the moving boxes.

  Free stood outside eyeing the tinted truck that was parked in the middle of the street. He felt something was odd, and he stared at the vehicle closely. Although Free had a sling on his arm, he raised up his shirt, displaying his gun that was tucked in his waist and threw one hand up as if he was inviting the person to get at him. The car immediately sped off, leaving Free standing there with his hand up. Once the car got out of sight, Free waved his hand in dismissal.

  “Coward-ass nigga,” he whispered as he turned around and returned inside the house.

  “Big Lou, you strapped?” Free asked as he walked in the door, just to make sure they were ready for whatever.

  “You knoooow it,” Lou said in a melodic tone as he patted his waist.

  “Why, what’s up?” Six asked as her heartbeat began to speed up. She stopped wrapping the antiques and looked at Free in concern.

  “Oh, nothing, baby. Just can’t be too careful,” Free said, deciding not to worry her. They were about to move far away and he didn’t feel the need to concern her over something that was probably nothing.

  “Turn that up!” Free said as he glanced at the TV. Six picked up the remote and turned up CNN. There was a red flash across the screen. Michael Jackson had just died.

  “Damn, Mike gone?” Lou asked in disbelief.

  “Damn, I can’t believe it,” Six said as she put her hands on her hips. Free looked on in disbelief as he shook his head disappointedly.

  “He was the best,” Lou added.

  Then another news flash popped up, saying that Britain “Brick” Adams had been exonerated from all charges concerning the big drug-trafficking case. CNN also mentioned the four federal agents who were killed and allegedly hit by the notorious Brick Adams. Free and Lou each looked at each other and smiled, knowing they were behind that massacre. They were the ones laughing in the end, because although Britain refused to pay them after the murders, they still got broke off, thanks to Six. Six smiled inside, knowing that Britain was okay and had beaten the case. She could now close that chapter of her life and move forward with Free.

  Chapter Twenty

  Six looked around the clothing store that she owned and smiled in accomplishment. A year had passed since she had taken the money from Britain, and she and Free were doing well. They weren’t living the life
of the rich and famous. She had been there and done that with Britain. She never expected Free to be able to keep up with Brick’s extraordinary lifestyle, but they were comfortable, and she was satisfied with that.

  They had taken the money from the lick and moved out of Detroit, then opened up a few small businesses to legitimize their paper. Although she still could not bring herself to fully trust Free, they were working on their relationship. Her love for him never wavered, and she was so grateful to have her soul mate in her life. They belonged together, and although it took them being apart to find out that, they were more committed now than ever before.

  Exhausted from a long day of work, she turned off the illuminated business light, letting her customers know that she was closed. Just as she locked the door, the handle jiggled on the other side.

  “Sorry, we’re closed!” she yelled as she walked away from the door.

  “I can’t wait to get to the crib,” she mumbled as she grabbed her car keys and purse. Pulling out her cell phone, Six saw that she had two missed calls from Free. As she left the building, she fumbled with her belongings while she checked her voice mail.

  “Hey, Six, it’s me. Just wanted to check in with you to make sure everything’s good. I’ll be home in a couple days. I love you, ma. I’ve got a surprise for you when I get back.”

  Six pursed her lips as her eyebrows furrowed in suspicion. He better not be out there clowning, she thought as she opened up her text-message application to contact him.

  I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL YOU COME HOME

  I MISS YOU

  DON’T BE WILD’N OUT IN VEGAS, NIGGA

  I DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO FUCK A BITCH UP

  LOVE ALWAYS

  SIX

  She threw her phone in her purse and headed to the parking lot. Six got into her car and pulled out into the Detroit traffic. Popping her Chrisette Michele into her CD player, she simultaneously pulled a prerolled blunt out of her ashtray to enjoy on the way home. She could feel the knock of her subwoofers vibrating through her seat as she nodded her head in unison to the beat and lit the la.