Anya’s eyes drifted down to Horatio’s ankles. As if reading her mind, Brick said, “Nah, the nail won’t go through his ankles. They too thick.”
“Lemme try it,” she said, reaching for the nail gun.
Brick gave it to her.
Panicked, Horatio kicked his legs and squirmed wildly, causing the Christian Louboutin stilettos to fly off his feet.
Anya scooted down to his feet. “If you kick me, I swear to God, I’ma nail your dick and your balls inside your ass.”
Horatio became completely still. He squeezed his eyes closed as Anya widened the space between his legs, bent his knees and then placed the soles of his feet flat against the plastic covering on the floor.
Two nails were fired into each foot, ensuring that Horatio stayed put. The big man howled, but the contractor duct tape was doing an excellent job muffling the sounds.
Anya waved the thick roll at Brick. “Yo, babe, this is some good shit right here. We should cop a couple on the way out.”
“Uh-huh,” Brick responded absently as he got down on one knee and looked Horatio in the eyes. “You’re the one who fucked up Misty. Did you really think you were gon’ get away with it?”
Horatio’s eyes widened.
“You fucked with the wrong one when you came at Misty.” Brick looked the man over sneeringly. “Look at you...wearing high-heels and dressed like a bitch. It’s Judgment Day, nigga!”
Horatio murmured in denial and shook his head violently.
“Take the tape off his mouth,” Anya suggested. “Let him plead his case.” She looked at Horatio. “We spent a lot of bread to get this private session, so don’t be wasting time. Ain’t no rescue team coming back here looking for your ass.”
After hearing that no rescue mission was in progress, Horatio and Redbone both groaned in distress. Horatio writhed in pain. His eyes began to roll into the back of his head.
Brick smacked his face. “Ain’t no time for passing out. Wake up, nigga. You got some explaining to do.” He ripped the tape from around Horatio’s mouth, tearing off pieces of a mustache and other facial hair, along with some skin in the process.
Anya grinned as she mused, “That tape is some real good shit!”
CHAPTER 51
Anya held up the cell phone as a warning to Horatio. “Holler, bitch. Please!”
Wide eyes and trembling lips, Horatio quietly whimpered.
“Misty was a paper maker,” Brick said. “You didn’t like that, did you?”
Unable to disguise his disdain for Misty, Horatio’s mouth curled viciously. “She was shady; always tryna beat somebody out of what they earned.”
“And so you tried to kill her over a coupla dollars?” Brick said with contempt.
“I wasn’t trying to kill her; I wanted to make sure she couldn’t keep using her looks to scheme and connive. She always had an unfair advantage. I just wanted to give her some permanent imperfections. You know, even out the playing field.”
“And you wanted her out of the picture, so you could have Smash Hitz to yourself,” Brick added.
“I wanted my fair share; that’s all.”
“So how does Redbone fit into the picture?” Anya asked.
“Juicy got burnt by Misty, too.”
“I asked about Redbone.” Anya nodded her head toward the shivering stripper.
“Redbone and Juicy had a thing.”
“What kind of thing?” Brick barked.
“You know…they were messing around together. So they cooked up a scheme where Redbone and I would put on a sex show for Smash Hitz. But Misty messed it up by sending this skinny bull named Ashy Cashy to the crib.”
“Cash Money?” Brick asked.
“Misty called him Ashy Cashy.”
Brick had only heard Misty refer to Cash Money as Troy, but being that the bull always looked dusty, he could understand how Misty had come up with that nickname.
“I’m in a lot of pain, man. You gotta take these spikes out my hands and feet.” Beads of sweat dribbled from Horatio’s forehead. He closed his eyes and bit down on his lip, trying to fight the pain.
“Nah, I’ll pull those nails out with a pair of pliers after you finish talking.”
“Please.”
Brick ignored his plea. “So you were supposed to get down with Redbone over here, but Smash didn’t need you because he had Misty’s worker. And you were jealous and full of hatred.”
“Yeah, man. If it wasn’t for me, Misty wouldn’t have been all in with Smash Hitz. She used me to get to him, and then she dumped me—like I was trash.”
“I have another question. How’d you know Misty was taking Smash Hitz’ chain to his crib? And by the way, what happened to the chain?”
Horatio looked stunned that Brick knew about the medallion. “Redbone. She was there with him. She overheard Smash on the phone arguing with Misty. She heard him tell her that she had a half-hour to bring his chain back.”
“Where’s the chain?” Brick asked again, more forcibly.
“After I took it out of Misty’s car, I called Juicy and told her I had it. She told me to take it to the crib with me and slip the chain to Redbone. That’s what I did. I swear to God, I thought they gave the chain back to Smash Hitz.”
Anya didn’t waste any time yanking the tape from around Redbone’s mouth. “Start talking, bitch.”
“I…me and Juicy…” she stammered. “We were supposed to split the money after she sold it. But I never got paid.”
“Where’s that bitch, Juicy?”
“I heard that she’s sick. In a hospice program, dying of AIDS.”
“Ew. All y’all nasty, diseased mufuckas is fucking and sucking each other. This Playhouse should be quarantined and condemned.”
Brick’s eyes went vacant for a brief moment.
“Brick?” Anya said with concern in her voice. She patted his hand until Brick blinked a few times. “You zoned out for a minute, babe.”
“Oh, yeah? I’ve heard enough of this lying nigga’s mouth. Now it’s killing time. Shut him the fuck up,” Brick instructed Anya.
Brick had been reliving what Misty must have experienced on that fateful night at the hands of this big, angry faggot. He had brutalized Misty and left her for dead on that lonely road. Left her beyond unrecognizable and only suitable for a closed casket. But Misty was too strong to go out like that. No, this man didn’t kill her. But he had done much worse. He had killed Misty’s spirit and her will to live.
Anya tugged the long, flowing scarf from around Horatio’s thick neck and stuffed it inside his mouth. Wild-eyed and bucking his body, Horatio made a futile attempt to escape his fate.
Brick reached inside his boot and pulled out a dagger. Brick walked briskly toward Redbone.
Surprised, Redbone recoiled. “Any last words, bitch?”
“I didn’t hurt that girl. Horatio did it. He’s the one that’s supposed to die—not me!”
“Whatever, trick,” Brick said, coldly. He grabbed a handful of butterscotch ringlets and yanked her head back.
“No…wait! Please!” Redbone scratched and fought to no avail. A slash across her throat sent blood spurting from the gash, closing her eyes forever.
Horatio had been momentarily captivated by the sight of blood pulsing from Redbone’s gaping neck. So much blood. Gushing like a geyser. Horatio gave a sigh of relief that Redbone had been sacrificed instead of him.
“Now it’s your turn, nigga,” Brick promised as he made strides toward the man that he’d skewered. From his other boot, Brick withdrew his Asian-style knife.
Terror once again filled Horatio’s eyes. He erroneously thought that he’d been given a reprieve. Groaning like a madman, he shook his head wildly from side to side.
Brick shot a dark look at Horatio. “I’ve been waiting a long time to get some justice for Misty. Not only did you ruin her life, you destroyed the only family that I ever had. Now it’s time for retribution.” Brick released a sigh. “This is gon’ be long and pai
nful. I’ma take my time.” Brick closed his eyes blissfully. “Gon’ savor every moment.”
Brick gave Horatio a close look at his two sharp weapons. “You like competing with females, so I’ma help you out. Give you some surgery on your genitals. Turn you into the bitch that you are.” Brick paused and began cutting open the crotch of Horatio’s tight jeans. Horatio bucked upward, ripping flesh from his impaled hands.
“Calm down, Horatio,” Anya joined in, rubbing the perspiration from Horatio’s forehead in a feigned act of tenderness. “We can’t have you bleeding to death while you’re on the operating table. You gotta be still while the doctor works on you.”
“Now listen up while I explain the procedure. My nurse over here is gonna get rid of your dick and your nutt sac.” Brick paused while Horatio went wild again, frantically trying to rip his hands away from the hardwood floor.
“Don’t worry, I’ma free your hands up after I slice off every one of your fingers,” Brick assured him. “After that, I’ma amputate your toes. But it’s your lucky day, mufucka. You’re getting a face peel—no charge. You gonna look refreshed and so damn pretty after I slowly peel all the skin off your fuckin’ face.”
Brick handed Anya a knife. “Do your thing, mama.”
As Anya went to work, Brick whispered in the suffering man’s ear. “I’m getting ready to fillet you like a fish, mufucka. And then gut you like a pig.”
Horatio was dead long before Brick got a chance to cut his belly open. Splattered with the dead man’s blood, Brick and Anya escaped through a window. In the cover of darkness, they jogged to the rental car, satisfied.
CHAPTER 52
“This is where we part, baby.”
“No!” Anya was horrified by the suggestion.
“Have to,” Brick said, firmly. “I gotta turn myself in. Serve whatever time they wanna give me.”
“Why would you do that?”
“For my son. I can’t keep running. I can’t let my flesh and blood grow up thinking that I deserted him. I have to own up to what I did to Misty. I figure, the sooner I get it over with and do the time, the quicker I’ll get to be with my son.
“Even if he hates me…I at least want the opportunity to tell him that I love him. That I’m here for him.”
“I can’t argue with that,” Anya said. “But why do we have part ways? I can help you. Get you a good lawyer—”
“Nah, you don’t understand,” Brick interrupted.
“I understand that I love you. Even if you end up having to do a bid, it won’t be that long. I’ll wait for you, babe. Visit you and keep money on your books. I would never abandon you while you’re down. I got your back. You know I do.”
Brick solemnly nodded. “C’mere, baby,” he said, his arms stretched out.
Crying, Anya stepped into his arms.
“Remember when you told me, ‘no strings attached?’”
Sniffling, Anya nodded.
“Well, I’m holding you to your word. We both got the revenge we were yearning for. Now it’s time to move on.”
“But…I thought—”
Brick interrupted her. “Concentrate on finding your pop. A while back, you mentioned hiring a detective. You have a lot of money now. You can get a top-notch private investigator. Someone experienced with tracking down missing people.”
“You’re right,” she reluctantly agreed.
“As for me…” He paused. “I gotta do everything in my power to reestablish the bond between me and my son. He’s only a toddler. I gotta do this jail time so I can hurry up and get back with my son.”
“Are you sure you’re not trying to impress your wife…you know, a last-ditch effort to save your marriage?”
“No. It’s over between Thomasina and me. I know that for a fact. She’ll never forgive me. And I accept that.”
“Can we be friends—you know, stay in touch?” Anya asked, her voice cracking a little.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. What’s done is done. Why drag it out?”
Anya couldn’t argue with Brick’s reasoning. As badly as it hurt, she had no choice but to let him go.
Realizing that law enforcement had most likely been provided with their descriptions, the pair decided to travel separately.
Brick took a flight out of Las Vegas to Philadelphia.
Disguised in a long wig, Anya drove to Las Vegas. From Vegas, she planned to book a trip to Trinidad. Maybe she’d luck up and connect with family members on her mother’s side. And hopefully, a private investigator could reunite her with her missing father.
Separating from Brick hurt like losing a limb. Tears welled. No more tears! She wiped her eyes. From the very beginning, Anya had realized that she and Brick would eventually part ways.
CHAPTER 53
Before turning himself in, Brick wanted to say goodbye to Misty. Brick walked into the hospital with a heavy heart. He was barred from visiting her, but with nothing to lose, it was worth the chance to attempt to slip in. He was surprised when none of the hospital staff tried to prevent him from entering Misty’s room.
Misty! There she was, lying in the hospital bed, surrounded with all sorts of equipment that facilitated her tenuous hold on life. Looking around the room, he noticed a vase filled with flowers, and knew that they were placed there by her mother. Knowing Thomasina, she probably brought fresh flowers every day, hoping to somehow brighten her daughter’s day.
Brick gazed at Misty and winced. She was so frail and helpless. He’d really screwed up. Misty had wanted the peace of death, but here she was after all this time, still alive but comatose.
As broken and tortured as she’d been, her previous condition seemed a lot better than this.
A deep, damning shame came over Brick as he drew closer to Misty. Gloomily, he sank in the chair next to her bed. He looked at Misty’s shrunken face. Her complexion was a sickly shade of gray. She seemed barely alive.
Brick shook his head hopelessly. “Misty. This is not… I’m so sorry,” he uttered, giving a halted, mumbling apology.
He couldn’t blame Thomasina for hating his guts. There was no getting around the truth; he’d screwed up what was left of Misty’s life and had destroyed his marriage.
He’d assumed that getting revenge on Misty’s assailant would bring some relief from his inner turmoil, but he was still a tortured soul. Brick pictured himself being handcuffed and, instead of resisting the idea, he welcomed it. He needed to pay for what he had done and deserved to be arrested. He should be put underneath the jail!
Distraught, Brick covered his face with both hands and silently wept.
A painful moan that was followed by the sound of difficult breathing entered his awareness. Brick hadn’t made a sound; his sobs had been muffled by his hands. Confused, he pulled his hands away and looked around. He glanced at Misty, and noticed her facial muscles forming into a frown.
“Misty?” he whispered with urgency.
Her eyes blinked and then opened. Brick shot up from the chair and hovered over her. “Misty,” he repeated her name again, this time in a hushed, awestruck tone.
Her eyes moved back and forth, taking in the surroundings. Her lips moved.
Brick grabbed the call button and pushed it repeatedly.
“Brick,” Misty mouthed, gazing at his face.
“Misty, baby. You’re back!” Brick lifted her contracted hand to his lips, kissing it prayerfully with tightly closed eyes.
His prayer of gratitude was interrupted by Misty’s raspy and barely audible voice. “Water, please.”
The water that Brick quickly provided quenched Misty’s great thirst and soothed her parched vocal chords.
Finally able to speak, though haltingly, she said, “Didn’t want to come back. Shane said…not my time.”
Overwhelmed with joy and astonishment, Brick hovered over Misty. “Shane was right, baby. It’s not your time. You belong here with your family that loves you.”
“He said…my life partner…waiting…wh
en I return.” She frowned slightly, cleared her throat and swallowed. “He’s supposed to… to guide me through. Through challenging times…ahead.”
Brick smoothed back the hair that had fallen in her face. “Don’t worry, Misty. Everything’s gon’ be all right.”
Perplexed, she crinkled her eyebrows. “Was he talking about you, Brick?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’m here for you. You’re my first love, Misty. You know you always had my heart. Nothing’s changed,” Brick said while tears ran freely from his eyes.
A young nursing assistant entered, responding to the call. “Can I help you with something?” she said to Brick. The nurse stopped cold when she noticed that Misty’s eyes were open. “She’s awake! I have to get the charge nurse, and call her doctor.” She rushed out of the room.
“What about you and my mother?” Misty asked after the nurse left.
“She hates me. Can’t forgive me for giving you the pills. Our marriage is over,” he said solemnly.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s for the best. I cared deeply for your mom, but the whole time we were married, I never stopped loving you. Trying to be a good husband, I tried to bury my feelings for you. But I couldn’t.”
“But I’m paralyzed, Brick. Can’t do anything for you. My face…it’s all messed up. How can you be happy with a disfigured invalid?”
Brick cupped her face, caressed the side that was injured. “Having you back makes me happy. And your face? You’ll always be beautiful to me, don’t you know that, Misty?” Brick said with conviction, assuaging Misty’s insecurity and fear.
He clasped her hand tighter. “Misty, listen…most people don’t get a second chance in life, but for some reason, we get to try it again.”
“I’m gon’ show you that I’ve changed. I learned a lot about love.”
Brick (Double Dippin') Page 25