Raunchy (The Cartel Publications Presents)

by Styles, T

  Harmony scooped the money off the ground while Jayden ran outside and jumped in his truck.

  “Bitch, you betta never come back either!” Harmony yelled in her driveway. “And your sister is as good as dead, too!”

  Hearing this caused Jayden to jump back out the truck but Shaggy stopped her. “I gotta go! My sister’s in there,” she cried. “She’s gonna hurt my sister!”

  “You can’t go back in there! She’s drunk and trippin’ right now. I’ma work some shit out.” He said walking her back over to the passenger side of the car.

  “No! She’s gonna hurt her!” She screamed.

  “Jayden, STOP IT! AND TRUST ME!” He yelled. “I’M GONNA COME BACK FOR YOUR SISTER, BUT WE HAVE TO LEAVE RIGHT NOW BEFORE THIS BITCH CALLS THE POLICE!”

  Jayden wiped her tears and sat quietly in his truck. He walked around to his side and got in. Once in the truck he turned the heat on to make her feel comfortable.

  “Here, put this on.” He handed her a jacket out of the backseat. He looked at Harmony who was still cussing in the driveway and pulled off. “I don’t know what’s going on with your mother, but I don’t trust her. Give me a day or two though, I’ma work somethin’ out.”

  Jace

  Meeting

  I was in the deli with my bodyguards Kevin and Russian Antony, waiting on Kali to enter. Truthfully, I wasn’t trying to be bothered with this dude but I wanted to hear what he had to tell me. Although Kevin had been with me since I took over DC, I hired Russian Antony because after all these years, Massive had still not been found. And he was going to have to come through both of them, to get at me.

  When Kali finally pulled up to the deli, he walked inside and was patted down by Antony. “Sit down,” Antony told him.

  When he was seated I said, “What can I do for you?”

  “Awe, shit. You all serious and straight to the point these days, huh? Let me find out you gangsta now. I heard about all the work you been puttin’ in.”

  “You said you had some information for me, and since you been lyin’ to me for the longest, I hope you come clean today.” I said drinking the beer on the table. “Otherwise you can get the fuck outta my face. Feel me?”

  “Where you want me to start?” Kali said with a grimace on his face.

  “With Harmony. I’m still not understanding why you would do her like you did, when you caught up with her in Texas. And I wanna know where you get the product from.”

  “I told you, man. I saved up some money and was able to buy a package.”

  “From who?” I investigated. “And if you were going into business yourself, why you ain’t let me know? I had to put Paco on you to find out what was up. And then the next thing I know, you get locked up.”

  “Man, it wasn’t nothin’ but a little bit of money. Shit wasn’t even that deep.”

  “I betta neva find out you were stealin’ from me, nigga.”

  “And what you gonna do?” He threatened. His old attitude was coming back.

  Antony and Kevin cocked their weapons and aimed at him. “Do you really wanna know the answer to that?” I asked.

  “Man, I’m just fuckin’ with you.” He smirked. “But that little bit of weight I was sellin’ them Houston niggas wasn’t nothin’. Trust me.” He paused. “As far as Harmony’s concerned, you act like she was still your girl or somethin’.”

  “That ain’t the point, but at one time she was. Not only that, there’s a possibility she has my kids.”

  Kali looked away and said, “I wish you get over that shit, man. ‘Cause I never lied to you when I said me and Harmony fucked.” I swallowed hard. “But I also know I’m not the only nigga she fucked either. I keep telling you to stop worrying about that pussy cause them babies could be anybody’s.”

  “Don’t tell me ‘bout no Maryland niggas again.”

  “I’m talkin’ niggas in your crew.”

  “Who?”

  “Paco and Kreshon. So you see, truthfully, Jace, any of us could be the father.”

  I could feel Kevin and Antony’s stares at me upon his revelation. “So you tellin’ me, niggas who I broke bed with, fucked my girl?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m sayin’. It wasn’t just me.”

  I looked away from him, clenched my fist and said, “Do you know where she is?”

  “Naw. I ain’t seen her since that shit happened in Houston.”

  “How you get out?”

  “Let’s just say you never saw me.”

  “I’m still lookin’ for her, so I need to know if you know them kids names.”

  “Naw, man. But if you want, I can find out for you. I got you.”

  There goes his favorite phrase again. “Naw, I got some people on that already.”

  “I know you wasn’t feeling the reason I went to jail,” he said skipping the subject, “but I’ve been working on my temper and I’m a little more relaxed now.”

  “You being relaxed ain’t my problem no more.”

  “So what you sayin’?”

  “I’m sayin’ it ain’t my problem. And I know you know what I’m sayin’. Our business together is done.”

  “Why? Couldn’t nobody bust a gun like me before I got put away.” He said. Look, man, you need me. Plus I can deliver somebody to you, you want.”

  “Who?”

  “Massive.”

  Kevin and Antony looked at me and smirked.

  I shook my head and said, “You act like I haven’t been tryin’ to find this nigga already. We’ve searched high and low for this dude and still can’t get at him. And now you think you can come home and find him off the rip?”

  “If I find him, and deliver him to you, will you let me back in the crew?”

  “If you find him and deliver him, I’ll give you half a million dollars. Fuck a crew. I want this nigga dead.”

  “Well let me do that for you,” he smiled as if he knew something I didn’t. “Trust me, you ain’t got to be lookin’ over your shoulders no more.”

  “Seein’ is believin’” I told him. “So where you layin’ your head?”

  “I got a place out Maryland. At this mansion.” He paused.

  “You came up like that?”

  “It ain’t take me no time.” He laughed. “But I’ma get back on my side of town. I gotta go get my hair cut at Rod’s. I’ll let you know when I find him.”

  “Bet that.”

  When he left Kevin said, “Fuck that nigga, boss! I don’t trust him.”

  “Tell me somethin’ I don’t already know.” I said. “Look, have somebody follow him to Rods. And then bag some of his hair.”

  “His hair?” Antony asked.

  “Did I stutter?”

  “No…No sir.”

  “Aight, then. Ya’ll ready?” I asked them.

  “Whenever you are, boss.”

  “I’ma give Paco a few more minutes and then we out.”

  After ten minutes, I stood up and was getting ready to leave, when Antoinette called. She had been acting weird ever since she set up my trip to Mexico.

  “What’s up, Ann? I’m jive busy right now.”

  “I know, but when are you coming home? I thought we were going out tonight?”

  “Maybe later. I gotta get up with Paco soon.” I looked at my black Audemars Piguet watch. “He should’ve been here by now.”

  “Okay…Well I’ll see you when you get home. Let me know if you coming early, I wanna cook you somethin’.”

  “No doubt.”

  After hanging up with her, I decided to call Paco because I hated niggas keeping me waiting. Although our meeting wasn’t paramount, it was important enough to deserve my attention.

  I had asked him at Trip’s to get some information on that girl I saw Shaggy with. If she was who she said she was then so be it, but if she wasn’t I needed to know that, too. Because I swear she looked like Harmony did when we were younger. She had the same eyes, same hair and same smile. It seemed like every time I found her, she got out of
my hands.

  I got in contact with some nigga Harmony was keeping time with in Houston, a nigga named Ramsey. But right before I got there, they were gone. The nigga she was staying with said he didn’t know where she went. But I didn’t believe him, so I had my men murder him and his girl. Some bitch name Marisol.

  When I called Paco his phone rang one time before he answered. “Man, I’m sorry I’m not there. But you gotta get down here to Spring Grove. Your cousin Tony might not make it tonight.”

  “He might not make it?” I said. “Drive me to Spring Grove,” I told Kevin as I kept the phone to my ear.

  Kevin and Antony checked my surroundings outside of the deli, and then we dipped into my limo.

  “Yeah, man.” Paco finished. “They were trying to get a hold of you but said your line was busy. He’s worse than ever, Jace.”

  “What happen?”

  “They said…They said he…He…Took a hammer to himself.”

  “Took a hammer to himself?”

  “He beat himself in the head with his hammer. The gash is so thick, he cracked his skull and punctured his brain. They don’t know if he gonna make it this time, man. I’m sorry.”

  “I’m on my way,” I said hanging up. “Push it, Kevin!”

  Black Hole

  Madjesty

  Madjesty hadn’t eaten any food or drank any water in two days. Her stomach growled often and her mouth was severely dry. What she didn’t know was that Harmony stayed so drunk, that she actually forgot she was under the stairs.

  When Madjesty heard a constant rolling sound approaching the crawlspace she was in, she moved deeper into the hole frightened. But when the door opened, she saw Cherry in the wheelchair with a bowl of soup and green gelatin on a trey.

  “Are you okay?” She asked peeking inside the darkness. The space was not big enough to stand up or to move around. And Madjesty didn’t move to the right, because she had defecated on that side. So the places she could move were limited. “Can you hear me, Madjesty? Are you okay?”

  Madjesty not trusting her slowly said, “Yeah…I…I think so.” She then looked around from the inside, to see if her mother was there.

  “Did you want to come out for a little while? Your mother is gone to the bar with Kali.”

  Madjesty crawled out of the space and the bright lights hurt her eyes. She couldn’t believe that her mother went ahead with life like nothing mattered. After crawling out of the hole, Madjesty sat on the couch and devoured the hot soup and Jello. The smell from her body was sickening as Cherry held onto a cold glass of milk.

  “Eat slowly, Madjesty, I don’t want you to hurt your stomach.” She smiled weakly. “When was the last time you ate?”

  Food hung from the sides of her mouth as she said, “Two days.” Madjesty saw the sadness in her eyes and said, “How do you know my mother? I mean, why is she so mean?”

  “Your mother grew up alone pretty much. She didn’t have a mother to tell her she loved her, or even a grandmother for that matter. When the streets raise you, it is what is is.”

  “It is what it is?” Madjesty said evilly. She knew Cherry was not the one to take her frustrations out on but who else could she do it to at the time? “My mother locks me under her stairs and you tell me it is what it is?”

  “I’m telling you that’s life. You need licenses for everything else in America, but how to be a parent.” She said. “She can’t love you because she don’t know how to love and she don’t love herself.”

  When the silence was too uncomfortable, Cherry shifted around in her wheel chair a little. She hoped she didn’t make a mistake by bringing her the food. But unlike Kali and Harmony, who had suddenly been fucking nonstop for the past few days, she alone thought about Madjesty being trapped under the stairs.

  “Here, drink this, too,” she said handing her a glass of milk.

  Madjesty held the cup with two hands and downed all of the ice-cold milk. Some of it poured out the sides of her mouth, and damped her shirt. Her stomach rumbled and she figured milk was probably not the best idea after not having anything to drink for days.

  “So now what?” Madjesty asked. She was becoming mean, cold and heartless the more she saw how life went on without her. “What’s your plan now?”

  “My plan?”

  “Yes. You fed me and now what?”

  “Well, I haven’t spoken to your mother since I’ve been here. So I’m going to do it today. Hopefully I can talk some sense into her, but I can’t make any promises.”

  “How do you talk some sense into someone who could care fucking less? Please let me know.”

  “I know, Madjesty, and I understand why you’re upset. All I can say is that I’ll try.”

  “Well that’s not good enough!” She yelled. “And where is my sister?”

  “She left here a few days ago, with her new friend. She hasn’t been back since.”

  “So she gave up on me, too, huh?” Madjesty thought out loud. “I really am in this shit alone.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Yes you are,” Madjesty said more enraged now than ever. “But you never answered my question, how do you know my mother?”

  Cherry was growing increasingly uncomfortable with how Madjesty looked at her and was starting to feel that she made a big mistake by opening the door. “We grew up around each other. I was only four years older than her, but the streets raised both of us. And, when I was high one day, I did something I should not have. I…I took you and your sister out of her womb, when you were just babies.”

  “It was you?” Cherry nodded her head. “I always thought my mother was lying about that story.”

  “She wasn’t.”

  “And they let you out of prison?”

  Although she was released, Cherry didn’t understand how Kali got out so quickly. There wasn’t any articles about him so she didn’t think he escaped.

  “Yes. They let me out.”

  “The way I feel, I wish you would have killed me. It would be a whole lot better than staying here.”

  “Don’t say that, Madjesty. I’m fucked up because of the lifestyle I led. I won’t ever be able to walk again and I have Hepatitis…Which basically means my liver is almost fucked.” A tear fell down her face but Madjesty could give a fuck. “But when I see kids like you and your sister, who have a chance, I wanna tell them if I can. And I wanna say I’m sorry for what I did to you.”

  Madjesty stood up, looked down at her and laughed. “Bitch, please. The only reason you helped me is so that you can rest easier at night.” Cherry moved a few times in her chair not knowing if Madjesty would hurt her or not. “If you allow that bitch to treat me like this, then you no better than she is. How can you be?”

  “That’s not true. I do care about…”

  “No one! You care about no one but your own self, GIMP!” She spat. “All of you are fucking crazy! And the moment I turn eighteen, and can take care of myself, I’m done with this shit. But ya’ll just betta hope I don’t kill a few of ya’ll on my way out the door.”

  “Madjesty,” Cherry said in a soft voice, “please. I want you to understand. If I could do anything to help you I would, but I can’t. This is out of my hands.”

  Madjesty wiped the anger off of her face, smirked and walked back to the crawlspace. “Thank you for the food. But personally, I hope all of ya’ll rot in hell.” Once inside she said, “Do yourself a favor, and forget about me like my mother.”

  Cherry wheeled her chair up to the crawlspace and locked the door. But she thought long and hard about what Madjesty had to say…And she wondered what if there was anything she could do to help her.

  Into Her Own

  Jayden

  Jayden was sleep in the Holiday Inn in Laurel, Maryland until she heard a knock at the door. She jumped up, looked out the window and saw Shaggy outside. Always sleeping naked, she grabbed the sheet off the bed, wrapped her body up and let him inside. When he walked in, she flopped back on the bed.

  “
Please tell me you’ve left out of this room at some point.” He said bringing in a McDonald’s bag filled with two hotcakes and sausage meals. He placed the bag on the dresser next to the bed and sat down. “I gotta know that you didn’t stay in here an entire week, Jayden.” When he saw the money he gave her for shopping still sitting on the dresser, in the exact same place he left it, he had his answer.

  “I’m not hungry, Shaggy. I don’t want to do nothing but sleep and die.”

  “Why would you say some shit like that?”

  “Because it’s true.”

  “Don’t wish nothin’ into your existence you not ready for.” He said seriously. “’Cause that shit most definitely can happen.”

  “And how do you know I’m not ready to die?” She said crying as usual. “My sister is probably still in that hole even though it’s been almost a week. I’m scared to death for her and don’t know what to do. I feel all alone.”

  “You not alone.”

  “How you figure? You come by every two days which leaves me with nothing to do but think.”

  “Look, I’m just tryin’ to help you get on your feet, but I ain’t never say we were together.”

  “I know that,” she said. “You keep telling me the same thing over and over again. I know we not together, trust me. Can’t you have friends without it being anything else?”