Checkmate

by Nisa Santiago

  He moved closer. He kept his eyes on her. He didn’t smile, but looked relaxed and non-threatening to Apple.

  “Why did you bring me here? For revenge, huh?”

  Apple stared at his chiseled physique. He was shirtless and wearing relaxed jeans with sneakers. He looked the same, but his body had improved greatly. He had been working out. She locked eyes with him as he approached closer.

  “I didn’t bring you here to hurt you, Apple. I knew you needed help,” he said.

  “I don’t need your help,” she spat.

  “If it wasn’t for me, then you would still be turning tricks at that godforsaken place. You needed rescuing, Apple. And I needed to shut that place down. I knew you were dying in there, and I couldn’t let that happen.”

  “Why?”

  “Why not? We go way back, and I still love you.”

  “After what I did to you?”

  “I forgive you. What happened between us was a long time ago. It’s forgotten. I’m willing to let bygones be bygones and start something fresh. Harlem was a different life for me. But, here, I’ve become a different person; a better person.”

  Apple stared at him. She was wary about getting closer to him. His eyes showed a natural calm, a look she hadn’t seen in a long time—since they were young.

  She stood against the wall, nowhere to run, her heart racing like a thoroughbred’s on a racetrack.

  He lifted his hand to her face and touched her wound gently.

  “Karma’s a bitch, right. I’m ugly to you now, huh?” Apple sadly stated.

  “No, you’re still beautiful, like how I remembered you.”

  He began caressing her wound. They locked eyes. His gaze still showed the love he had for her.

  Apple was confused.

  “I’m the only one that came looking for you, Apple,” Guy Tony said. “Not Chico, not your mother, sister, but me. And I found you because I still care. Despite what happened with us, I still love you.”

  It was a strange situation and outcome for Apple. The one man she’d manipulated and even tried to have killed had saved her from prison and probably death. She didn’t know what Guy Tony’s true motives were, but his actions and eyes said to her that he was sincere. She still didn’t know how he’d found her.

  “Where are we?” she asked.

  “Texas.”

  “Texas?” Apple was befuddled. “How did you get me across the border?”

  “Like I said, I have my ways. But you’re back in the States now.”

  “What about Harlem?”

  “We can let that be a memory for us. There’s nothing for me in Harlem anymore. My life is here now,” Guy Tony told her.

  Apple was indecisive about living in Texas, but she was grateful on so many levels that Guy Tony came to her rescue. He looked at her and pressed his lips against hers. Apple didn’t resist him.

  They kissed for a moment, and Apple gradually began to trust him. Apple all of a sudden pulled herself from Guy Tony’s passionate kiss. She looked at him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Is he dead?” she asked.

  “Who?”

  “That bastard Shaun.”

  “Nah, he wasn’t in the building when we came through, only his thugs,” Guy Tony informed her. “He can’t hurt you anymore. You’re under my protection now. But I got peoples looking for him. He shows his face anywhere, and it will be the last time.”

  Apple was ready to return to Harlem when the opportunity came. She would stay in Texas for a moment to regain her sanity and well being, but she had too much unfinished business back in New York. She wasn’t ready to forgive or forget what had happened to her in Harlem and in Mexico. The horrors she suffered in Mexico were unforgettable, and the pain and anguish she endured lingered in her mind like a growing cancer.

  Kola, Shaun, Chico, and Cross had all betrayed Apple or done her harm. She felt it wasn’t right to let them live on with their lives or completely forget about them. Her objective was to find each and every last one of them and make them pay for their sins against her.

  Guy Tony was her sudden reassurance. He had come up in Texas with his deadly gun-for-hire operation—becoming an assassin—and also shipping guns across the border for certain drug cartels in Mexico. Since they’d last seen each other, he went from being someone’s errand boy and flunky to a major heavyweight in Dallas, and some Mexican towns.

  Apple was impressed with his sudden come-up. She figured being with Guy Tony again would have certain advantages. It was time for her to get back on her feet and regain what she once had. It was time for her to become that bitch again. It was war, and her foes had created a beast inside of her.

  Each night she made love to Guy Tony she looked into his eyes as he professed his undying love for her and promised he would help her get revenge against all those who hurt and betrayed her, just as he had done with Supreme. He was convincing, and Apple’s trust in him grew, day by day.

  Chapter 24

  Kola was getting to know the city very well. She started to remember places and people. It didn’t take her long to catch on, knowing the hot spots and the city’s elite. Miami was an exotic place to live, and Kola was falling in love with the city.

  Kola sat in her Audi parked on Washington Avenue and watched Sao, a handsome, clean-cut Cuban, step out of his car on the busy avenue and walk into the upscale café. She had been following him for a week, trying to memorize his routine, but it was difficult. Sao was spontaneous and skillful with the way he moved. He switched cars often, and his entourage was always full of pistol-packing Cuban thugs.

  He drove around Miami in a Bentley coupe, a red Ferrari 458, a Benz, and a Porsche Cayenne, always in a pair of shades. His bling was subtle, nothing extensive—a diamond ring and a Rolex. A club-hopper in his early thirties, he frequented three spots in South Beach: News Café on Ocean Drive; South Dreams on Ocean Boulevard; and The Velvet Spot.

  Kola didn’t know why OMG wanted Sao dead, but she was determined to make it happen. OMG didn’t care if the deed was clean or messy; he just wanted it done. He wanted to see how hardcore Kola was and was fanning her out, in case she was an undercover.

  Killing was nothing new to Kola. The bodies piling up in Harlem between her and her crew was starting to look like a war memorial. She was ready to show OMG how gritty a bitch from Harlem could get to secure a Miami connect. She couldn’t go back to New York without one, and OMG was a powerful force that she needed behind her. The streets were buzzing about how potent his supply was.

  Kola sat outside the café watching everything and waiting, while the Miami sun scorched the city like it was giving it a bear hug.

  She thought about home as she waited. She missed Harlem. She missed Candace and her crew. She briefly thought about her relationship with Cross. They were the Bonnie and Clyde in the game. They had everything on lock, until it got fucked up. She had gotten word that Cross was looking at a mandatory twenty-five years if convicted. She didn’t care at all. It was his problem. Now it was her time to reign supreme over everything. With Edge dead, Cross incarcerated, and Apple missing, the only real threats Kola had to worry about came from Eduardo and Chico.

  Kola waited for an hour outside the café before Sao strutted out talking on his cell phone, flanked by an armed thug. She watched him get into his pearl-white Bentley continental GT and pull off. She followed behind him, making sure she wasn’t obvious. Sao drove to the legendary oceanfront Eden Roc Hotel on the Collins Avenue strip.

  Sao pulled up to the valet parking, got out, and handed the valet his keys. Soon after, Kola did the same. She hurried behind him into the hotel and followed him into the hotel’s great room bar, a circular Venetian-style bar surrounded by gorgeous Brazilian rosewood columns. It was nestled just beneath the infinity edge pools, with an incomparable panor
amic view of the Atlantic Ocean through the canopy of a rushing waterfall.

  But Kola didn’t have time to admire the spectacle. She kept a close eye on Sao as he took a seat in one of the chairs in the lounge and ordered a drink from a passing waitress.

  Kola needed to get Sao’s attention, so she strutted by him in her white cowl-neck cocktail dress. Kola moved casually, like she belonged among the elite with her golden smile and stunning beauty.

  Sao looked up from the paper he was reading and gazed at her, his eyes following her to the bar. He smiled and uttered, “Nice.”

  Kola glanced over her shoulder and caught him staring at her near-perfect bubble in the dress. She took a seat at the bar and ordered a drink.

  A short moment later, she heard him say, “Can I buy you a drink, beautiful?” coming from over her shoulder.

  She turned to see Sao smiling, showing his row of pearly-white teeth and smelling nice from the cologne he wore.

  Kola responded with, “I like to pay for my own.”

  “You’re beautiful, you know that?”

  Kola smiled. “Thanks.”

  “And what’s your name?”

  “Let me have yours.”

  “Sao.”

  “Nice name,” Kola said.

  “I’m a nice guy, but I’m yet to know your name.”

  “Candace,” she lied.

  “The name fits you well.”

  Kola chuckled.

  The bartender set Kola’s drink in front of her. When she attempted to pay for it, Sao intervened. He handed the bartender a fifty-dollar bill, ordered himself a drink, and told him to keep the change.

  “You’re a baller, huh.”

  “I’m a businessman. A very wealthy businessman,” he replied smugly.

  Kola looked him up and down, taking in his sharp attire—the black slacks, crisp collared shirt, and Ferragamo shoes. Sao had green eyes, smooth olive skin, and a warm smile. He oozed sex appeal, and his demeanor reminded her of Eduardo somewhat. The way he moved and talked, his style, it was like he was cut from the same cloth as Eduardo. Kola was attracted to him, but she had to remind herself that she couldn’t get caught up with his smooth talking.

  She and Sao spent an hour talking by the bar. He was fascinated by her beauty and intelligence. He invited her to a party later that night and promised her VIP status and more of his time. Kola feigned reluctance and accepted the invitation.

  ****

  The Miami nightlife was magical. The streets lit up in a rainbow of colors that extended for blocks. Lavish cars flooded Collins Avenue, Ocean Boulevard, and Washington Avenue, their sound systems blaring. The women were dressed in short skirts, tight dresses, revealing tops, and skintight jeans as they strutted up and down South Beach in groups, the men lusting after them like savages.

  Kola and Nikki cruised through South Beach in the jazzy convertible and drew looks from the men and women on the strip. They were on their way to one of Sao’s nightclubs on the strip, so they’d made sure to look their best. Nikki was in an off-shoulder mini dress, and Kola in a sexy, tight-fitting black dress.

  “You got this, Kola? ’Cuz you can’t fuck it up,” Nikki said. “We need this with OMG.”

  “I got this muthafucka, Nikki. He’s on me hard. You should have seen the way he was lookin’ at me today. I damn near had the nigga’s eyes falling out of his head.”

  Nikki was well aware of Sao’s reputation in Miami. He was charismatic, witty, and fun to be around if he liked you, but his dark side was deadly. He was a recurring headache for OMG, and the two feuded over everything from drugs, to business, to women. For months, the two men had kept a respectable distance from each other and seemed to be at peace. That was, until Sao broke the treaty by having his crew rob one of OMG’s stash houses.

  “This shit can’t connect back to us, Kola. If it does, we’re fucking dead. Sao has influences every gotdamn where. He has power in this city. And he’s not stupid. I guarantee that he’s already had you checked out.”

  “I got this under control.”

  “You better, if you ever wanna see New York again.”

  Kola was calm. She knew how to get close to men like Sao. She’d done it before. A sniff of pussy and beauty always attracted powerful men like Sao, which gave Kola the open window. Candace had taught her the art of killing, showing her some unconventional methods of taking life. Kola learned from her top enforcer that there were effective ways besides using a gun, to bring down a man.

  Nikki pulled up to Club Versus on Ocean Drive, where hordes of people were standing outside the two-story megaclub. There was tons of eye candy outside—male and female. The ladies got out of the convertible and strutted toward the front entrance, where two tall men clad in tight-fitting black shirts stood.

  They were very strict at the door and took no nonsense from anyone. Men and women were begging to get inside, but the stone-faced security ignored them like they were insects underneath their shoes. If you weren’t on the list of VIPs or doing bottle service, which was a minimum of $1,200, then there wasn’t a chance of entry.

  They walked up to the security, and one of the men quickly asked, “Y’all on the list?”

  “Yeah, I’m with Sao’s party. Candace, party of two,” Kola said.

  The man quickly scanned for her name. He was strictly professional. He didn’t attempt to flirt with the ladies or give them a second look. He nodded his approval when he saw the name on his list. “Y’all good to go,” he said, unlatching the velvet rope and stepping to the side to allow the ladies entry into the club.

  Kola and Nikki marched inside Versus. The music was loud, and it was packed with revelers. The club had a 1,200-person capacity and it was almost there. Versus boasted 40-foot ceilings, Brazilian walnut floors, and a ground-floor smoking lounge with fountains.

  The ladies headed toward the VIP area, where Sao was seated among other men and women.

  When he noticed Kola approaching, he stood up and smiled. “I’m glad you could make it.” Sao greeted Kola with a kiss to her cheek and a hug.

  “This is my cousin Danielle,” Kola lied.

  Sao greeted Nikki, aka Danielle, with the same kiss to the cheek and a hug. The ladies then sat amongst Sao’s VIP guests and sipped champagne and mingled. Sao played Kola closely. He placed his hand against her thigh, and Kola smiled and played along, waiting for the right moment to strike.

  The drinks kept flowing, and Sao and his people joked and acted like they ruled the world. It was his club, so he had the authority to do whatever he wanted. He boasted about his money and power to Kola, but she was far from impressed. She had money and power too.

  Hours later, everyone in Sao’s entourage was either drunk or tipsy. A few of Sao’s goons were watching his every move and that of those around him.

  Kola and Sao hit it off instantly, and he was willing to take her to his home, but Kola didn’t want to prolong the inevitable. The deed had to be done right away and proficiently. Nikki looked at Kola and read her look.

  The area where they were seated was overcrowded. Kola saw her opening. She subtly slipped her hand into her purse and removed a small capsule, which she hid in the palm of her hand, while conversing with Sao and a few other ladies. Just then, she felt Sao’s hand move up her legs.

  Kola was ready to poison his drink with cyanide. It was one of the alternatives to guns that Candace had taught her; how to slip poison into someone’s drink, food, or onto their skin. Candace was a master at it. When they needed someone killed without suspicion, she used a small dose of cyanide. The chemical would essentially kill its victim from asphyxiation. It was quick and also hard to detect in a toxicology test.

  One drop of the odorless poison into Sao’s drink was all Kola needed to do the job. Once the poison took effect, it would appear he was having a str
oke or wasn’t able to breathe.

  Kola felt Sao’s hand sliding between her legs.

  He smiled when he realized she had no panties on. He whispered in her ear, “You feel like butter below.”

  Kola glanced at Nikki and noticed her flirting with one of Sao’s goons. She created a slight distraction by spilling her drink, and when everyone’s eyes were averted, she swiftly slipped the cyanide into Sao’s drink. She couldn’t look desperate for him to take a sip, so she just had to wait for the moment. Which could be soon or never.

  Kola asked for another drink, and the waitress hurried to fill her order. She nervously watched Sao’s drink sit there half-filled and untouched. The waitress arrived with Kola’s new drink, and she took it from her hand and started to take sips.

  Sao took a break from fondling Kola and picked up his Grey Goose. He sat back with his arm around Kola and said, “Life is good.”

  “It is,” Kola replied.

  Sao started to down his drink, and Kola smiled inwardly. She finished her drink along with him and tried to act natural. She just had to wait for the poison to take effect.

  Things seemed normal for a moment, but suddenly Sao pushed himself away from Kola and grasped at his neck. “I don’t feel well,” he muttered.

  Sao stood up in a panic, and his men rushed to his aid. He was struggling to breathe; gasping for air. He collapsed against the table, twitching violently, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

  “What’s wrong with him?” one of his men shouted.

  Sao was having convulsions and vomiting.

  A crowd started to gather around Sao, and the ladies started to panic, moving away from the troubling scene. Nikki and Kola were among the worried ladies and carried the same expression of concern.

  By the time the EMTs rushed into the club fifteen minutes later, Sao was already dead, sprawled out across the floor.

  Sao’s men were furious. They glared around the room with their guns drawn, looking for an enemy, but they were only among the lovely ladies and themselves. They had no idea what to do. Some assumed foul play, while others thought it was a stroke or a heart attack.