At the end of the agreement, Charles promised to fulfill their wishes and kill Yvonna. The job was in the process when in the midst of taking her life by strangling her; he discovered she was nine months pregnant. Charles may have been a murderer, but he lived by a code and it was specific. Never kill a child. Never kill and elderly person. And never kill a pregnant woman. His motto was the only reason she was alive to that day, but he had intentions on making that change.
YVONNA
When Yvonna sat up in the bed of her hotel, she realized she was bored. The look on her face was mixed with exhaustion and pain. She was lonely, even though she had company.
“What’s wrong with you?” Bilal asked sitting on the edge of her bed. “If you would’ve done what I asked you to do, maybe you wouldn’t be so sad. Help somebody other than yourself. Go see about my son.”
“I’m never that sad. Plus I wouldn’t even know where to start with him. I told you that.”
“Even I can see your wallowing in your own shit.” Gabriella added, as she lay face up on Swoopes and Ming’s bed. “Go out and have some fun. If they can why can’t you?”
As much as she hated to admit it she was right. So, Yvonna decided to take advantage of the hotel pool, even though she was aware of the dangers of leaving the room. Yao was after her. The police were after her and as far as she knew, Rufus Day was after her too. She almost talked herself out of having a good time, until she recalled how her team treated her like an outsider lately. They would hold meetings in the bedroom, or speak outside in the hallway, anything to avoid her. Whenever she asked what was up, suddenly nobody had much to say. With the burner phone in her room, she decided to call Delilah before doing anything. She missed her and hoped she wasn’t still angry with her for God knows what. The phone rang once before Jesse answered.
“Hey, sis.” Yvonna sang. “What’s going on?”
She sighed. “Nothing. Well, nothing unless you consider how Delilah cries nonstop. She seems so sad and I don’t know what to do for her. Did something happen when she was with you, that you want to talk about?”
“I don’t know why she’s down, Jesse and it’s been eating me up. One minute she was happy to be with me, and the next she was asking to be with you. I mean I needed her attention too but I guess nobody cares about that.” Yvonna said selfishly. “I wish somebody thought about me sometimes.”
“I am thinking of you, Yvonna. Always. I was just thinking the other day how much I miss you. One minute we were working on our relationship, and the next it was over.” She sighed. “It makes me sad. By the way, how are you holding up? I mean, are you taking care of yourself?” She heard what she asked but she also understood what was really meant. “I worry about you a lot.”
“Well don’t.” Immediately she regretted her snappy response. Jesse and her daughter were the only family members she had in the world. “Sorry, Jess, it’s been rough lately.”
“I know.” She sounded annoyed. “Well let me get back to Delilah. Don’t worry about her, you know she’s in great hands.”
“What are you about to do?”
“I have class after I take her to the playground. She also just started a new daycare program I enrolled her in.” She laughed to herself. “She taking over it already. Anyway, take care of yourself, Yvonna. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Now she wished she hadn’t bothered to reach out to her because she didn’t get anything out of it. Taking Gabriella up on her advice, she decided to take a dip in the indoor pool. Since she didn’t have a bathing suit, her underwear would have to do. She grabbed somebody’s used towel from the bathroom, along with the key and headed out. A few women observed her with disgust but the men didn’t seem to mind.
“I see you still got it.” Bilal confessed, looking at her sexy curves. “You always knew how to turn heads.”
“She’d be alright if she watched what she eats. If you ask me she should’ve did this a long time ago. Any exercise she can get will do wonders on them thighs.” Gabriella commented.
“Fuck you.”
When she made it to her destination she sat on the edge of the pool, placed the towel on the side and splashed the water with her feet. She loved the way the coolness felt running through her toes. Sprinkles splashed on her brown thigh and into her face and she realized this was just the stress reliever she needed.
“Jump in!” Gabriella encouraged. “You didn’t come out here to sit around. Enjoy yourself.”
Not being able to hold back any longer, she stood up, and dove into the middle of the pool. The moment she did she knew it was a big mistake. The first thing she noticed was that the water was unbelievably icy, but that seemed to be the least of her worries considering the stabbing sensation all over her body. Yvonna immediately felt panic and shock as she tried to reach the edge and climb out. Her energy was expended and within seconds; the breath seemed to be pulled from her lungs.
When she tried to gasp for air, she took in water instead. Not knowing what to do, she started thrashing about the water like a fish on land. Every now and again her mouth would open as she tried to call out for help. That’s when she saw several people pointing in her direction with alarmed looks on their faces. Although Yvonna was an excellent swimmer, all of her experience was forgotten because now she was drowning. She looked at Bilal who was smiling. This was how she was going to die. Her life would end like this. She wasn’t prepared. She wanted a little more time to make things right, but she knew in her heart, it was over.
Outside The Hotel
When Bricks parked the car at the hotel, he saw a large crowd surrounding the outside pool. “Why everybody at the pool? It’s cold as a mothafucka out here. They having a party or something?”
“Right, what the fuck is going on?” Swoopes asked. “I could use a little fun if that’s what’s happening. Maybe grab me a bitch and the two of us can have a threesome.” He continued looking at Ming. “What you think?”
“Don’t get fucked up!” Ming said, elbowing him in the side. She focused on the disruption again. “I don’t know, guys, but I have a feeling Yvonna is involved in this shit.”
The moment she said that, they moved hurriedly toward the scene. When they could see through the crowd, Ming’s theory was proven correct. Just as she thought, Yvonna’s naked limp body was being hoisted out of the pool. A white man placed a towel on the ground, and hovered over her like a shadow. His lips quickly found his way over her mouth as he forced his breath into her lungs.
Not knowing he was performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, Bricks went into lunatic mode. “What the fuck that nigga doing on my bitch?”
Not thinking smart, he steam rolled toward the scene with Swoopes and Ming in his shadows. All three were ready for war but Bricks would’ve escalated to murder. It took all of five seconds for Bricks to elevate the rescuer by his coat, and throw him into the dirty pool in Yvonna’s place. The man thrashed around, and a few onlookers switched their rescue efforts from Yvonna to him instead, to save his life. He could care less because with Yvonna in his arms, he knew it was time to bounce. Too many people had seen the four of them together and who knew if the police were already dispatched.
“We gotta go, slim.” Swoopes said as he and Ming hung closely at his side. “I don’t think it’ll take more than five seconds for the cops to get here.”
“I think you right.” Bricks admitted. The foursome hit it to the car and sped away from the scene in search of another hotel. So Bricks could tend to Yvonna in the backseat, Swoopes took the wheel and Ming sat shotgun. Yvonna’s head rested in his lap and her body curled up in the fetal position, as he stroked her hair.
“Is she okay?” Ming asked, with concern on her face. “She looks blue.”
Yvonna’s eyes opened at the sound of Ming’s voice and her eyes rolled around. “What happened?” She placed her hand on her forehead. “I’m confused.”
Bricks couldn’t lie. He was happy that she was alive but angry t
hat she placed herself and the team in such a fucked up predicament. “Squeeze, what the fuck were you doing? Don’t you realize you could’ve killed yourself? You trying to leave me like that?”
Swoopes tried to multi-task by looking back at her and at the road ahead. “Yeah, what you trying to do, get us hemmed up? You know we got people looking for us.”
Yvonna’s eyes circled around the car before resting on Bricks. She was shivering and he massaged her shoulders over the towel to get her warm. It was easy to see why she was cold; she didn’t have on anything but panties and a bra. “I wish somebody tell me what happened.” She stated in a breathy tone. “I feel like somebody kicked me in my head.”
“You jumped in an outside pool in the middle of winter! That’s what the fuck happened!” Bricks yelled, harsher than he intended. “Now answer my fucking question! What were you thinking?”
“What you talking about?” She examined his eyes. “I was in an outdoor pool? I thought it was inside.”
Bricks, Ming and Swoopes looked at each other. Yvonna’s condition was quickly deteriorating and they could no longer deny it. Even if they didn’t have this mission to accomplish, they needed to get her help. Outside of her young daughter, and a sister who had her own life, they were all the family she had. She was their responsibility and she couldn’t take another incident like this, because the next one could mean her life.
Before going to the new hotel, they stopped by a department store to purchase her some clothes. Bricks remained in the car to keep an eye on her, while they went inside. When he saw Swoopes and Ming trekking back to the car, he realized that for the moment anyway, he was grateful for them. After grabbing a few more items, mainly liquor, they checked into a new hotel. Once Yvonna was asleep and nestled under five blankets, the three of them stepped out of the room to talk in private.
“That shit was close,” Swoopes said swirling the Hennessey around in his cup. “I ain’t never see no shit like that. She was actually about to drown to death.”
“Me either.” Bricks leaned against the wall before taking a sip of vodka. He seemed heavier than he already was and his mood didn’t go unnoticed. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if something would have happened to her, man. I appreciate ya’ll for being there too.”
“She’s my friend too.” Ming said, leaning on her man. “I’d do anything for her.”
“How you holding up otherwise?” Swoopes asked. He might not have been his comrade, but he did a good job of checking on his well-being when it came to Melvin’s loss. “You know, wit’ your brother?”
He sighed and held back the tears that wanted to flow. Besides, he spent most nights crying in bed when the three of them were asleep anyway. There was no need to subject them to more of his sorrow. It could certainly wait. “I’m good, thanks though.”
“You need your cup refilled?” Ming asked, pointing at it.
He sipped what was left and handed it to her. “That’ll be nice.”
Ming disappeared into the room and Swoopes moved closer to him, so only he could hear his whispers. “You know what we gotta do right?”
Bricks was confused. “Do about what?”
“Yvonna.”
“Naw. You got any suggestions?”
“Better than that.” He pointed at him. “I got a plan.”
Later That Night
The room was pitch black as Bricks lay next to Yvonna in bed. He couldn’t go to sleep if somebody knocked him out, too much was on his mind. Melvin…Chomps and this thing with Yvonna. He was crawling around in his head when Swoopes and Ming’s sexual murmurs grew louder. Normally when they fucked they’d keep the TV on out of respect, but he reasoned they didn’t care now. Good sex was a stress reliever so they had the best idea. While they got their life, he thought about Swoopes’ plan. If they did things right, it would be exactly what was needed and hopefully he could get his girl back.
He was about to attempt to get some rest, when he heard Ming’s soft moan grow louder. It was obvious that she was doing her best to mute her sound but like a dog in heat, he felt her sexual tension. He tried to go to sleep again until he heard the soft squishy sound of Swoopes going in and out of her wet pussy. It was then that he realized that it had been a while since he had sex.
He took one look at Yvonna’s sleeping face and released his dick from his boxers. He wouldn’t bother her because he wasn’t interested in being with her in that way at the moment. Ming’s moans grew louder and if he didn’t know Swoopes was in the bed with her, he would’ve sworn she was playing with her own pussy. She sounded so sweet and her calls of ecstasy caused him to harden up. Closing his eyes, he thought of her tiny breasts and the thick manufactured ass. He stroked himself to a thickness he could’ve stabbed someone with. For some reason, he remembered how much Ming begged to be fucked on a consistent basis and reasoned she was probably a freak in the bed. Her whorish natured caused him to throb as he worked himself harder.
He was almost about to cum, when Yvonna moved, opened her eyes and stared directly at him. Bricks didn’t know if he wanted to run or slam his eyes shut to fake sleep. He knew she couldn’t see his thoughts but he was sure he still looked guilty. The whites of Yvonna’s eyes shined in the darkness and gave him no meaning. To say he was caught with his dick in his hand was an understatement.
When she disappeared under the covers, he thought she was going back to sleep. That was until the tip of her tongue found it’s way on his chocolate stick. It slithered alongside his pole before she enveloped him inside of her hot mouth. Bricks was panicky and turned on at the same time. He knew she wasn’t well, but the way she was sucking his dick, it was obvious her illness had nothing to do with her head game.
When he was positive she was handling business, he continued to focus on Ming’s voice and body in his mind. It was wrong no doubt, but he knew he wasn’t the only nigga on earth who imagined fucking his girl’s best friend, nor would he be the last. Before he knew it, he poured his load into her mouth and she swallowed it all. Yvonna stayed down for a few more seconds, to lap up all of the milk he spilled.
When she came back up, she looked at him, at first without saying a word. When she finally spoke, a chill ran through his body. “Yvonna’s a lucky girl. Her man is so sweet.” With that she closed her eyes and went to sleep.
Bricks stayed up for the rest of the night.
RAMONA
Ramona was in a surplus store, in a mall, stocking up on items she needed to survive no matter where she went into hiding. She threw an item from her shopping cart, a North Face backpack, on the counter. When she heard something drop, she looked around where she stood to be sure she wasn’t being followed or watched. The coast was clear and she took a deep breath. She needed to get as far away from Virginia as humanly possible.
When her phone rang, she answered when she saw it was Abel. Lately she felt she was all alone especially since Rufus shun her, and Abel seemed to be preparing for the final showdown, instead of offering support. In her opinion it was best for her to drain her bank accounts and move to a warmer climate, instead of fighting Yvonna Harris. Fluent in Spanish, she had Mexico in her sights and couldn’t wait to get there.
“Hello,” she added a first aid kit to her purchases, “where have you been, Abel? I’ve been calling you non stop.”
“I met with some people who can help me sort some things out.”
“What do you mean?”
“Where are you?” She asked suspiciously. “Maybe we can meet up and talk about it in person.”
“I can’t right now, Abel. I’m at a surplus store.”
“A Surplus store? Where you going? Camping?”
“I’m going away.” She explained as she placed the last of her items on the counter. “And if you were smart enough, you would too.”
“Cash or credit?” The white male cashier asked.
“Cash.” She thumbed through her money bundle. When a bill dropped out of her hand, she was about to yell at the perso
n who picked it up, until she saw his face. It was the same man who she was firing at, back at Rufus’ compound. It belonged to Bricks.
Suddenly the purchases on the counter seemed unimportant. She dropped everything and ran urgently through the mall to save her life. She didn’t want to die. She wanted to live. But when she turned behind her she saw Bricks and Swoopes were still hot on her trail.
“Help!” She yelled. “I’m being robbed. They’re going to kill me!”
Her cries for help seemed to have a different reaction then she intended. People avoided her like the plague as they ran in the opposite direction. Since it was early, the mall was virtually empty. Ramona was about to dodge into a cosmetic store, when Bricks fired in the doorway, impacting her path. She ducked, fell down and crawled a few feet before getting up to run again.
“Don’t kill me! Please! I don’t know what you want! I didn’t do anything!”
She tried to run out the door leading to the garage but Swoopes fired at that exit too. Instead she dipped into the woman’s bathroom and surprisingly, they didn’t pursue. Out of breath, she looked under the stall to find an empty one. Since they were all vacant, she flung open the stall door closest to her and hopped on a toilet simultaneously releasing the 25-millimeter she had in the holster on her waist. Then she waited. Waited for the violators to come inside, so she could put them out of their misery.
And it seemed like forever. She discovered that in her case, the anticipating was worse than anything else. When someone walked in, she looked through the cream slit to see who it was. She couldn’t see a face as they disappeared into the stall next to hers. She looked down at the black heels the woman wore and deducted that they seemed too stylish to commit a crime. And then she remembered, Yvonna adored fashions too. Maybe the legend herself had come to finish her off. Maybe cornering her in a bathroom was all a part of the plan. When she finally saw the beautiful Chinese woman exit the stall and walk to the sink to wash her hands, she was relieved. She didn’t recognize her. So she tucked the weapon back out of sight, so that the woman wouldn’t be afraid.
Shyt List 5: Smokin' Crazies The Finale' (The Cartel Publications Presents) Page 23