“Nigga, step back from my girl!” Hood yelled.
“Well, well, if it ain’t Hood. Nigga, what you doing here? I thought you busy out there killing niggas from my crew. Now you come to get me?”
“Damn right. You had Luscious kill Pig just so you can have this thirsty bitch?” Hood nodded his head in Charlene’s direction.
“Nigga, don’t be call—” Charlene was cut off by Hood.
“Bitch, shut the fuck up. You next,” Hood warned. “Let my girl go. It’s me you want to kill not, Mya. She don’t have shit to do with why y’all going after my crew.”
“Nigga, is that what you think? I’m going after your crew? I didn’t have nothin’ to do with what happened to Pig or Li’l Lo. That was something Luscious was on. Nigga had heat for you and Pig because that little nigga y’all killed about a month back was his half brother. I told that nigga to let that ride because his brother pulled a foul move when he tried to rob y’all, but nah, that nigga overruled me. I was gon’ deal wit’ his ass later for going against what I said, but first I had other business to focus on, like your girl here and my money.”
“Why you kidnap my girl?”
“’Cause she is the one who’s responsible for robbing my crew. Yeah, those robberies you heard about, she did it. You should give a round of applause to your gangster bitch. Robbing dope boys for the stacks and pullin’ that shit off. I have to admit it myself, she a bad bitch.”
Hood’s whole facial expression changed.
“I know you didn’t know about it or have nothing to do with it because it started before you started messing with her. But you know it’s a code to that shit, so she got to die.”
Hood looked at me really hard and the only expression I could read was his love for me. He didn’t give a fuck about what Squeeze was saying. He was telling me to get ready.
“Look, nigga, this my last time tellin’ you untie my girl and let her go,” Hood said, as he lifted his safety on his nine millimeter Glock.
The whole time I had been working my hands free.
“Nigga, be real. You know I can’t do that. Her life belongs to me, now.” Squeeze started to lift his safety.
“Tell him, ba—” Charlene started to say, but before she finished, I was out of my chair. I grabbed the knife off the table she was standing by and stabbed her in the upper chest, but she wasn’t dead.
“Pleaass . . . My. . .” Charlene tried to get out.
“Bitch, it’s too late,” I said, before plunging that knife in her neck. Blood splattered everywhere.
In the middle of me jumping Charlene, Squeeze had lost his concentration for just a minute, and Hood had shot him in the shoulder. Squeeze fired his gun, but the bullet missed Hood. I raced over to Hood who was about to end Squeeze’s pitiful-ass life. I quickly grabbed the gun out of his hand before he could blast because I had made a promise to Squeeze that I planned to keep.
I walked slowly over to him. “Yeah, I robbed your crew, but the next time you want to beat up somebody’s mother, you should think about that shit. As for Li’l Bo, this is from him—a special delivery to you, by me. Die!” I yelled.
“Fuck you, bitch. I’ll see you in hell,” Squeeze said in pain holding his shoulder.
“You first, motherfucker.” I released everything Hood had left in the chamber. I wanted to send Squeeze off in style. His blood splattered all over me. I took my finger and got a sample off my face and licked it. I had to have a taste of this sweet revenge.
Chapter 46
ONE YEAR LATER
It had been a year since all that crazy mayhem had gone down, but life was moving on for the better. We had all found some peace in all the craziness that had transpired. My mother had been clean for over a year. I was so proud of her. She had gotten a full-time job and was in school studying to become an LPN. We had all finally been down to the prison as a family to visit my dad after he was let out of lockdown. We were still dealing with Li’l Bo’s death as a family, even though Dad remained locked up. We made regular trips down to see him. He was really keeping his head up, and he was excited about his new grandbaby.
Monica was doing well. She finally had the baby, and we as a family named the baby Imani. Imani was so precious. She looked just like Monica, and she was being spoiled rotten and loved. Monica had gone back to school and had plans on graduating. She wanted to get a job, but I told her no. I just wanted her to focus on going to school and taking care of Imani. Finances were not a problem for her. I think she secretly still wanted Luscious in her life for Imani’s sake, but she was moving on in a positive direction, and she seemed not to be jaded by her shattered past.
Rochelle was doing great. She had found her own apartment and finally moved out on her own, just her and Tiny. She had a new job and was now going back to school to get her hair license. She was also dating this new guy who was out of the ordinary for her. He wasn’t in the game, to my surprise. He was an English schoolteacher. She and Tiny had been spending a lot of time with him, so I was happy for her.
I had finally met Hood’s mother, and she came down to our wedding and I loved her. We got along great. That’s right. Hood and I got married a couple months ago, and we were doing good. I had moved in with Hood, and Monica, Imani, and Momma stayed in the condo. I paid all the bills so they didn’t have to worry about that. Everything was going great. I had been trying to convince Hood to get out of the game. He had plenty of money, and Pig was no longer around. I thought maybe he could do something different, but he still hadn’t agreed, so we were still talking about that one.
I had graduated and received my license, and I couldn’t have been happier. Last week I had my grand opening for my new salon that Hood had purchased for me. Hood had surprised me and purchased Pepper’s old salon 4EVERSTYLZ. I renamed it “Stylz by Design.” That’s where I was headed now. I had to be there when Rochelle arrived, and she was always one of the first to get there. I had hired her to wash heads like Pepper had started me off without a license. Turns out my girl had a few stylz up her sleeve too, so she plans on being one of my stylists as soon as she finishes school.
Normally when I made it to the salon, Rochelle would be just pulling in right before me. This morning she must’ve been running late because I didn’t see her anywhere. I pulled my silver Mercedes Benz CLS550 that Hood purchased for me as a wedding gift into my assigned parking space.
Once inside, I looked around my shop, still admiring the unbelievable fact that it’s mine. All of it and everything in it belonged to me. My husband had purchased this salon just for me. It had been a long and rough road for me, but I had done it. Looking around the shop, tears rolled down my face for the loss of Li’l Bo, my only brother who I loved so much. I know he would be happy for me. Tears also rolled down my face for the excitement of the new direction that my family was going. I had reasons to keep my head up, but right now, I needed to stop being so emotional and start putting up my inventory. I had some hair products that I ordered for the salon that came in yesterday so while no one was in the shop this would be a good time to put them away.
When I made it to the back I heard someone come in, so Rochelle must have finally arrived.
“I’m back here, Rochelle,” I yelled. She was getting close because I could feel her presence. I turned around to playfully scold her for being late.
“What da fu . . .” I said as the products in my hands hit the floor.
When I turned around I found myself staring down the barrel of a gun, and the person holding the gun was supposedly dead. I guess the dead do sometimes come back to life.
“I thought you were dead,” I said with a slight tremble in my voice.
“Well, bitch, you thought wrong,” Luscious said with an evil grin. “You robbed me, then Drake, and you killed Phil. Then yo’ man kills my brother. What you thought? You and your man could just fuck over me, then get rid of me? Bitch, I could never let that happen.”
“Fuck Phil. He’s the one who gave up y’all operat
ion. If you had any balls you would have killed him yourself because in the end, I was just gettin’ it,” I spat.
“Whatever, bitch. Tell yo’ man the next time, before he walks away, to make sure the body cold. Oh, my bad, bitch, you ain’t gon’ ever see him again. That’s right. After I kill you, I’ma go murk that motherfucker. Then I’m going home to Monica and my baby so we can be a family,” he said with a smirk on his face.
“Fuck you, Luscious! I should’ve killed you when I had the chance, motherfucker!” I yelled as I ran toward him.
POP, POP, POP!
THE END
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Also From Delphine Publications
Kisses Don’t Lie
By
Tamika Newhouse
In the beginning . . .
Kyla
It was a little after one in the afternoon, and I swear I was more nervous than I had ever been. I twirled around in my graduation gown and did a double look. Here I stood, all of eighteen and about to graduate from high school. You know how you always say I can’t wait to be grown? Well, here I was saying I wish this wasn’t over. But it was over. I was going to cross that stage and become an adult. This was it.
I looked over my room that I have had since I was ten years old and noticed pictures from homecoming and prom to the senior ski trip to Colorado. I smiled knowing that all that was just memories now.
Reaching down on my bed I grabbed my cap and gripped it in my hand. Taking one last glance into the mirror, I said, “Time to become an adult, Kyla.” I blew out hot air and turned to make my way downstairs.
Before I could even make it down the first step I heard the sounds of Jagged Edge coming from my sister’s room. I walked up to her door and leaned against it as I cleared my throat so she could hear me. “Brittany, I’m about to leave.”
She looked up and smiled. Tossing her iPod to the side, she stood up and ran up to me, slamming her body against mine.
“Dang, little sis, I’m only going downtown to graduate.”
She lay her head on my shoulder and gave me a tight squeeze. “Look at you trying to look all grown. And don’t worry. Mama and I will be there right on time and in the front row. You know I must look cute for the up-and-coming seniors,” she laughed. I shook my head and laughed with my sister, who was now going into her sophomore year.
“Look here, little girl, I may not be here physically after I graduate, but I will know if you messing with some knucklehead.” I pushed her on her shoulder and laughed.
Plopping back down on her bed she said, “Yeah, yeah, you and Sean say the same thing. And look at him. Sean barely even comes back home now.” I recalled the lines my older brother used to tell me before he graduated and left. But the military kept him away. I had plans to return, though.
“Well, I am not Sean. I got to go, little sis. See you in a couple hours. Cool?”
She nodded her head as I walked out her door.
It was only a matter of seconds when I started to smell the enchiladas Mama was cooking. I went down the stairs two at a time as the smell began to make my stomach speak in tongues. Walking in, the coast was clear and Lorraine, my mama, was nowhere in sight. I zoomed on two dishes that were obviously full of my mother’s famous corn tortilla enchiladas.
I quietly opened up one of the kitchen drawers and retrieved a fork. I was already drooling just at the sight of it. I couldn’t wait to return home after graduation for the dinner she had planned. Just as I had lifted the foil to dip my fork in, I heard, “Back away, Miss Thang.”
I jumped at the sound of Mama’s voice and turned to face her. Instantly I put on the I’m innocent face. “Oh, come on, Mama, just one bite?”
She took the fork out of my hand, reached up into the cabinet, and got a saucer placing one enchilada on it. I beamed with excitement. As I took it into my hands I sliced a piece with my fork and dropped a bite in my mouth. The flavors of the sweet and salty spices danced around my taste buds. I closed my eyes and said, “Mmm, Mama, this is sooo good.”
“I’m so proud of you. Look at my baby.” Mama was now walking around me in circles brushing my gown for any wrinkles or lent. I let her have her moment; I know I surely was. We shared many moments like this in the kitchen. Eating and chatting it up.
I felt more obligated to spend more time with her since my older brother Sean left for the military over three years ago. He hasn’t been home to visit yet. He was now in D.C. living it up, while I tried to fill the void in my mama’s heart from a disappearing son and a dead husband.
“Well, Mama, I can hear the horn of Dean’s car outside. I already said bye to Brittany. I’ll see you and the rest of the family in a bit, OK?” I took the last bite of my enchilada and bent down to hug my mama who was all of five foot three.
“OK, baby. I’ll see you in a couple hours.” I blew her a kiss as I walked out the front door and made my way to Dean’s Monte Carlo.
Dean was my high school sweetheart. He’s the perfect guy in the whole world, if you ask me. We had been together for two years now, but friends since sixth grade. He was, without a doubt, the love of my life. I climbed in and dropped my cap in my lap. Then I turned in my seat and looked up at him. “Hey, handsome.”
He smiled back. To my dark-like-the-night skin to his hazel-honey complexion, you would think we would be a complete opposite match based on that and many other differences. But, as they say, he was yin to my yang.
“Look at you, babe. You look beautiful.” He leaned in and gave me a soft kiss on my full lips. I welcomed it. Anytime Dean kissed me it almost felt like the very first time.
Pulling out of the driveway of my childhood home it started to hit me. I would return to this house as an adult. I was graduating high school, Dean and I both.
“I see it all over your face, babe. What’s wrong?” Dean pulled me out of my thoughts as soon as I heard his voice.
“I knew this was coming, and we talked about it for months now. But it just hit me that things are about to change forever.”
Dean’s somber look allowed me to know that he knew exactly what I was talking about. We had applied to many schools, and I was lucky enough to get accepted into Howard where I would go and be reunited with my brother Sean. But Dean was accepted into Grambling State down in Louisiana.
And although we knew that we were the one for each other, we knew that being a world apart would tear us apart. So we agreed to disagree on the nature of our future, and I decided that we would break up after graduation.
I didn’t want to hold us back from enjoying life while trying to carry on a long-distance relationship for four years. Instead, I wanted to leave him with all the love in my heart. I didn’t want that to fade.
“I see you are over there thinking about it, Kyla. I know what we agreed on, and it does make sense. But you know what I want. I want us together.”
I didn’t want him to see me emotional so I turned my head toward the window. He drove by so many memories in my old neighborhood that I opted to close my eyes instead.
“I love you, Dean,” I whispered. I felt the car slow down, and then completely stop. I opened my eyes, and we were pulled over on the side of the road. I turned to look at Dean who was staring deep into my eyes. He was emotional too, but he could actually hold his tears in. I couldn’t.
“I know I promised to go along with us breaking up, Kyla, and I don’t like it, but I understand. But now since I promised you something, you must promise me something.”
I turned to face him completely as the mystery of what he wanted to say grew. “Yes, what is it?”
“After we have both graduated and we are both single, we will be together. I know you are it for me, Kyla, and I understand why you want to break us up. But since I promised you that, promise me this.”
I leaned closer to him, never losing eye contact, and said, “Dean, I’m yours.” I gripped the charm necklace
that was placed around my neck that he had given me last summer.
He matched my distance and placed his lips on mine once again. And with that kiss, we sealed our deal.
Present Day . . .
Keith
If I didn’t know any better I would say that I was a fool. But I wasn’t. At least, that’s what I thought. But I was clearly going down a path that was saying the total opposite. I didn’t care, though. At first sight of Kyla over a year ago I knew what I wanted and what I needed. And I needed her.
I walked into her office and stood in the doorway to see her nose-deep in files that I was sure was her presentation. I loved to see the deep wrinkles in her brow when she was deep in thought. I cleared my throat to make my presence known, but she didn’t flinch.
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