by Jacob Spears
“This muthafucka just tried to swipe my head off!” China said as she aimed at him and shot him twice more in his face.
* * *
Sue Rabbit called a meeting back at the trap house for all his lieutenants and sergeants to report with their workers under them. It was requested by China. She wanted to see everyone who was arrested on the 2100 block during the sweep and was out on bond. China looked at her G-Shock watch and saw that it was 4:00 a.m. She wanted to get her point across and then go home to rest.
“People, we are here to discuss some shit that needs to be addressed. Today we lost a soldier—an important soldier. And we’re not done retaliating. Until Guru is laid to his final rest, we will give these Mexicans what they’ve earned,” Sue Rabbit said while searching the faces of more than thirty men.
“Everyone that bonded out, step forward,” China ordered her men.
Everyone in the room looked at one another, a little perplexed.
“I didn’t stutter! Now, like I said!”
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Those with bonds step forward,” China demanded, after shooting a worker in his chest and face.
The other men in the room all wished they were never tricked into disarming themselves when coming to the trap house. They all smelled trouble, but the men who were out on bond stepped forward. The count came up to nineteen men in total. They were all workers, except for four of them.
“Smooth was good to all of you muthafuckas, and yet y’all betrayed him!” China said as she walked up to Sue Rabbit, who had opened a black case that concealed an AK-47.
China quickly grabbed the gun, racked it, and then stared at the frightened workers.
“Why? Somebody please tell me why a good man, and you muthafuckas are out trying to bring him down, huh?” China asked as she aimed at the workers and took down ten of them.
Sue Rabbit took down most of the other half and left all the workers slumped. The lieutenants and sergeants were all frightened, but they were solid. Money sat among the ranked men with the same prospect of China running through his head that was running through theirs. China was a coldhearted, serious bitch that no man wanted to be against on the wrong side of the road.
She is nothing like Smooth, Money thought.
“Money! Get this mess cleaned up. I want all of them thrown into the Everglades,” China ordered as she walked out of the soundproof trap house with Sue Rabbit on her heels.
Once outside, China stopped and turned to Sue Rabbit.
“Go home and lay low. The streets are going to be hot. I don’t need you in them to get burned, Sue Rabbit,” China said as she walked off and got into her Benz SUV.
“I got you, boss lady,” Sue said as he departed from the trap house and headed home to his woman and true love.
When China got home, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She had had a long, stressful day. She badly wanted to hear Smooth’s voice and express to him how much she was missing him. She needed him home with her, and out of the game. Seeing Guru get killed was a wake-up call itself, and she was hoping that Smooth saw the same prospect.
China looked up at the $2.3 million mansion and saw that they were living the American dream. Letting the streets take it from them was a waste of hard work.
Smooth, we’ve come so far into this game. It’s time to give it up, baby, she thought as a tear escaped her right eye.
She didn’t want to bury Smooth like she was about to contribute to bury Guru.
Damn it, Smooth! Please don’t let me down!
“Oh shit!” China shouted, frightened by the two raps on her car window.
When she looked, she saw that it was Spencer. He was dressed in all black and wore a black skully on his head. She was pissed as she opened her door and stepped out.
“You must be out of your mind, Spencer! You scared the shit out of me!” China said while walking to her front door.
“Not really! I’ve been worried about you. Are you okay?” he asked.
The way he asked her out of concern put a smile on China’s face. She thought that it was cute of him to be concerned. She knew that he had a thing for her, and to her, it was dangerous.
What does he want? It’s almost five o’clock in the morning! China thought as she put her key in the door.
“I’m okay, Spencer. So tell me, what’s on your mind?” she asked.
“There’s a lot on my mind. I’m going back to Martin on Sunday night.”
“Are you going, or are we going?” China asked, raising an eyebrow.
Spencer smiled impishly, going back to what Smooth had warned him about: not underestimating China.
“Of course we are going, China. I wouldn’t leave you out of the fun for nothing in the world.”
“Do you want to come in for some coffee? You look like you need it,” China offered.
Spencer looked at his watch and then thought about the good offer. He definitely wanted to come inside, but he had a task to get to as soon as dawn rose.
“Thanks, but I have to handle something. Besides, you’re the one who looks like she needs a strong cup of coffee,” Spencer said, judging the redness in her eyes.
“I don’t think so, Spencer. Don’t do coffee at odd hours. Well, I guess I’ll see you around. You know where to find me,” China said as she opened the front door and met a happy Zorro, who was jumping all over her like an excited kid. “See you later, Spencer.”
When she turned around, he was gone. He had vanished into the night like a ghost.
“Damn it, Spencer! You’re a smooth muthafucka!” China said as she shut the front door and set the house alarm.
She walked into the kitchen and refilled Zorro’s water bowl and then fed him two cans of dog food. When Zorro was settled, China walked to the guest room and found her nanny asleep in bed with the crack baby, who slept peaceful yet with a perpetual shake.
“I hate your mama and daddy,” China said to the baby, who she never gave a name.
Seeing him suffer from his parents’ wrong decisions caused her pain every time she looked at him.
“I’ma call you Lucky. Because you’re a lucky baby boy!” China whispered as she walked out of the room and closed the door, making sure not to wake the nanny or baby.
She walked into her bedroom and stripped out of her clothes. She walked into the bathroom and hopped into a hot shower. She was eager to hang with Spencer come Sunday. His presence comforted her and made her feel safe.
“Shit, how am I supposed to feel about a handsome man saving my life?” China asked herself.
At times she felt that she was being unfaithful to Smooth when she thought of how Spencer was making her feel.
But damn, how am I being unfaithful? Shit! When I was in prison, this nigga was fucking any bitch with a phat pussy! Why can’t I have a friend if I decide to? Shit! I’ma ask Smooth just to see where his head is at. Will it be selfish or give me the green light? But, damn! Even if he does say yeah, I can’t fuck the man’s hit man! China thought with a smile on her face as she showered. That’s being too damn nasty, girl, China thought to herself.
When China got out of the shower and dried off, she walked into the bedroom and found Zorro lying on top of her bed. She pulled back the comfy coverlet and hopped into bed nude.
She was so exhausted that she forgot to put her iPhone on its charger. As soon as her head hit the pillow, China was dozing off. In no time, she was dreaming of her and Smooth walking on the beach and holding hands. Her dream switched from the man she loved to the man for whom she was yearning—Spencer. She was in his strong arms and staring into his adorable loud blue eyes leaning toward her. When his lips touched hers, her body betrayed her, and she came to an orgasm.
“Mmmm!” China awoke moaning. “Spencer!” she called out as she continued to cum. “Oh my gosh!” China exclaimed as she shot up abruptly from her sleep, realizing that she had just had a wet dream.
China felt her throbbing clit and felt her wet pussy. She couldn�
�t believe what she was going through.
“Damn! I need me some dick or a bitch!” China said, then played with her pussy until she came again, moaning out Smooth’s name, wishing that he was giving her the loving her body was lacking.
19
WHEN SMOOTH HAD awoken and fed himself what he considered breakfast, he walked over to the phone. It was early, and only other person he was eager to hear from first thing in the morning was China. He had tried to get to sleep all night, but he couldn’t after hearing Amanda’s voice replay in his head repetitiously: “HIV positive.”
Smooth had excluded China from being infected, but he wasn’t sure about Meka and Jane.
The virus could have come from either of them, Smooth thought.
As he dialed China’s number, her phone rang four times before her voicemail came on, “Hi, this is China. Ya girl’s not available at the moment, so please just hit me back.” Beep!
Smooth hung up the phone and redialed her number.
Maybe she’s in the shower, Smooth thought as he listened to the phone ring persistently until the voicemail came on again.
“Hi, this is China—”
Smooth hung up the phone and immediately called Meka. Her phone range twice before she answered it and went through all the prompts.
“Good morning, baby,” Meka said in a sexy voice.
“Good morning to you too, Meka. What are you doing up so early?”
“I’m getting ready for a job interview. Someone finally wants to hire a CNA.”
“Where at?” Smooth inquired.
“Emerald in Port St. Lucie.”
“Shit! That’s good! So when will I see you?” Smooth asked.
“Damn! You’re reading my mind, huh? I’m coming after my interview, so expect me at noon,” Meka told him.
Damn! She sounds so healthy! Smooth thought.
Smooth’s silence prompted Meka to question his plans. “What? Are you expecting someone else to come see you today?”
“Nah, boo. Come through. Daddy ready to see you!” Smooth said, pouring music into Meka’s ear.
He acts like he don’t know shit about Guru, Meka thought.
“Smooth?”
“What’s up, baby?”
“Have you heard about what happened yesterday?” she asked.
“Nah, yesterday! Where?” he said, coming alert.
He heard Meka sigh, and he immediately thought that she was about to confess to him about having HIV. But instead, she dropped a bombshell on him that he wasn’t prepared to hear.
“Guru was killed yesterday morning in Miami.”
“Say what?” Smooth shouted, not believing his ears.
“Yes, Smooth. It’s everywhere in town,” she informed him.
How? And I just talked to China yesterday morning! Smooth thought.
“Meka, let me go. I gotta check up with Sue Rabbit,” Smooth said with grief in his voice.
Damn, he’s hurt! she thought.
“Okay, baby. I’ll be out there at noon to see you. Don’t do nothing stupid!”
“I won’t!”
“Promise me, Smooth.”
“I promise. See you later,” Smooth said as he hung up the phone.
“This shit can’t be true!” Smooth said as he dialed Sue Rabbit’s number.
He had no clue that he had disturbed a couple inmates who were sleeping when he shouted a moment ago.
Sue Rabbit’s phone rang twice before he answered and went through the prompts to accept Smooth’s call.
“What’s good, bro?” Sue Rabbit said.
Smooth could tell that something was wrong with Sue. He just wished that Meka was somehow incorrect with her news.
“Tell me it’s not so, Sue!” Smooth said.
He heard Sue Rabbit sniffle and could see in his mind the tears he was wiping away.
“He’s gone, Smooth! Too fast and too young.”
“Shit!” Smooth exclaimed in a whispered shout. “Who?”
“You already know who’s aiming at us, bro. Them Mexicans not sleeping until we all in the dirt. We gotta get out while we can.”
“What the fuck are you talking about, Sue? Just because they drop one of us, that don’t mean we tuck our tails and bow down to them!” Smooth exclaimed.
“It’s not ’bout tucking our tails, bro. It’s about being a smart contender.”
“Running from your enemy is smart, huh?” Smooth asked.
“Sue Rabbit runs from no man, Smooth. I’m out here with your lady holding down our turf and letting muthafuckas know that they can’t get away with rolling over on you,” Sue Rabbit exploded, not appreciating Smooth considering him to be running.
Every day he stepped out of the house, he was dodging Smooth’s bullets and his own. He was ready to leave the game to the niggas who lived to play it. Smooth’s mind was all fucked up thinking about what was occurring.
“Man, did we respond?”
“Yeah, we responded, and yo’ lady washed a couple niggas on the team who were working for the DEA, trying to bring the whale down!” Sue Rabbit explained.
“Where did this come from?” Smooth inquired.
“One of your clients from Little Haiti. Shit crazy! Then Guru’s girl pulled a set-it-off last night. She was killed by the police,” Sue Rabbit explained.
“Damn, man! What the fuck is going on, bro?”
“Too much too fast, and too young, bro! We’ve made a killing. When you come out of that shit, let’s just invest in some legitimate businesses. Feel me?” Sue Rabbit said to Smooth.
“Listen, Sue Rabbit. Guru’s dead. Just as if it were you, my nigga, I wouldn’t sleep until that wetback is in his grave,” Smooth said.
“I feel that, bro!”
“You have sixty seconds remaining,” the automated voice interrupted.
“Smooth! We gonna handle this shit. Just think about what I told you, bro.”
“Thank you for using GTL,” the automated voice said.
Damn it! I can’t believe this! Smooth thought as he slammed the phone down loudly on the hook.
When Smooth turned around and walked toward his cell,
an angry Haitian man named Lee stepped in front of him and looked Smooth in his eyes.
“Damn, bro. People do sleep in here in the mornings. You have no respect at all!” Lee said to Smooth.
“Man, you got a problem with it?”
Before Smooth could get the next words out of his mouth, Lee stole on him with a nimble three-piece. The impact knocked Smooth to the ground, extremely dazed. Lee was about to follow up and pound him some more until he saw the blood gushing from Smooth’s nose and mouth. Lee looked at his hand and saw that his knuckles were split open.
“Shit!” Lee exclaimed while holding his hand. “I hope you not sick, muthafucka!”
As Lee strutted off, he thought he had gotten away with the fight until he saw the COs run into the dorm.
“Lee! Come here, boy. We caught that!” a sergeant named Ray said while holding his Taser aimed at Lee’s chest with a red beam.
“Coward muthafucka! You stole me, nigga!” Smooth shouted as the other COs walked him from the dorm to medical to get treated. Lee surrendered and was cuffed, and then he was escorted to isolation.
In medical, Smooth was immediately treated for a broken nose and a badly busted lip, which was stitched up by a nurse for him. He then had to take a mandatory HIV test to make sure Lee wasn’t infected with the virus. Until the test came back, Smooth was being locked down in the medical infirmary.
There is no way I’ma see Meka today, Smooth thought as he lay in the infirmary bed while holding an ice pack to his swollen lips.
All that was on his mind were the results of the HIV test.
* * *
China awoke around noon to dog breath from Zorro licking her face.
“Oh my gosh! Zorro, damn! Can a bitch get some decent rest?” China exclaimed as she threw a pillow at the dog’s face and emerged from bed naked.
As she walked to the bathroom, she grabbed her iPhone and then locked Zorro outside the bathroom so she could take a piss in peace. As she relieved herself, she saw missed calls from Smooth, Sue Rabbit, and Spencer. She couldn’t return Smooth’s call, as much as she wanted to, so she called the next person she would rather hear in her ear.
Spencer’s phone rang once before he answered. “Hello, sunshine!”
“How’d you know I was asleep? Maybe I was just busy, Mr. Know-It-All!” China said to Spencer.
“I know you were asleep because your nanny informed me. By the way, I brought you over some lunch. Thought you’d love to wake up to the best Italian food in Miami,” Spencer said.
China smiled, loving that Spencer was such a gentleman.
“Thanks, Spencer. So what did you want?” China asked.
“I thought you were busy for the morning. Why’d you call at 9:00 a.m.?”
“Shit, China! How long does it take to cut a man’s heart out?”
“Really?” China asked curiously.
“Hell yeah! I’ll text it to you.”
“No, Spencer, I believe you. Now what did you want?” China asked as she stood and flushed the toilet.
When she looked in the mirror, she realized that her nipples were erect.
Damn! What is this man doing to me?
“Did you hear about Guru’s girlfriend?”
“No, what’s wrong with her?” China asked.
“She walked into a bar and killed the bartender. She then ran outside and got herself killed by Metro-Dade police.”
“Damn! That’s terrible!”
“Tell me about it. She went out like a soldier, right?” Spencer asked in his white boy act.
It was amusing and caused China to burst into laughter.
“Boy, you are so crazy! Thanks for the news. I’ll call you later when I get done handling my business today.”
“Be careful, China,” Spencer said.
“I will. Thanks,” China said as she hung up.