by Kareem
“Ahh, whateva.” She gave his response a dismissive wave of her hand. “There’s nothing wrong with KJ, nothing at all. Bottom—”
“You don’t know that!” he cut her off. “Don’t ever do that again wit’chu crazy ass.”
“Bottom line, if your little lawyer whore wants to talk to you, she’ll have to do it outside this house.”
“Or what, Mika?” He reached for her arm and pulled her to him and squeezed her tight. “Or what, huh?” He pressed his forehead to the side of her face, grinding playfully.
“Yeah, you betta grab me, because you know you ’bout to get slapped.”
“You ain’t gon’ do nothing.”
His phone began to vibrate again.
“You need to get up and go brush your teeth, ’cause your breath stinks,” she told Korey.
“Whateva.” He loosened his grip on her so that he could answer his phone. While he held his phone to his ear, Shamika mugged his forehead, then ran off into her kitchen for coffee, cheesing.
“Yeah, you betta haul ass.”
Keisha was on the other end of the phone. She called Korey to inform him that he needed to pick KJ up from school later today because she was gonna be in court until about four.
While Shamika’s coffee was getting ready, she went to take a shower. Needing to refresh himself as well, Korey went into Shamika’s bedroom closet when he got off the phone to pick out some clothes; then he went into the bathroom where Shamika was bathing, stripped naked, and joined her in the shower.
“I didn’t tell you that I wanted company up in here, so what you think you’re doing?” Shamika said, looking him up and down as he entered the shower uninvited.
“Shut up,” he replied, smacking her on her soapy, wet buttocks.
“And don’t be hitting me on my booty like that.”
“Or what?” He got behind her and pressed his instant hard-on against her soft butt cheek and kissed the back of her neck.
“Or I’ma squeeze these balls.” She took a handful of his testicles.
“Okay, okay, Mika. Damn, I’m sorry, baby,” he began pleading. The last thing he wanted was for her to have his balls in a vise grip.
She loosened up. “That’s what I thought,” she said, showing who really had the power. She got back to soaping her body.
“I just wanna li’l bit before you head off to work.” He reached and cupped both her soft tits and kissed on the back of her neck.
“You always talking ’bout you wanna li’l bit,” she said softly, feeling his hard-on pressing against her booty.
“You know I can’t see all these goodies of yours, Mika, and not wanna taste.”
He caressed one of her tits while, with his other hand, he began exploring her womanhood and massaging it with two fingers. Shamika was wet and feeling hot all over all of a sudden.
“This all you wanna do, Korey, is have sex.” She poked her booty more toward his hard-on and twirled it. “Here,” she said, looking back at him over her shoulder and placing her hands up on the wall.
“There you go,” Korey said, easing his strongly erect pleasure plug into her wet and warm love socket. She tensed as he entered her.
Korey eased in and out of her at a nice, slow pace. She became wetter with each stroke, making it easier for him to gain full access. She threw her body back to meet his forward thrusts.
“You love entering my heavenly gates, don’t you, Korey? You just can’t get enough of it, can you?”
“It got candy in it, it’s so good!” he softly acknowledged, digging deeper and harder, hitting her spot.
“Hit it, baby. Hit it,” she begged. It felt so good she began crying as she always did when Korey was working her insides just the way she liked it. Shamika bit her bottom lip and hung her head down to prevent a scream from escaping her lips as a wave of indescribable pleasure rushed over her.
“Damn, girl, this juicy fruit of yours too damn good to be true,” Korey said, having gotten off with Shamika. “Now you can get ready for work.”
“You make me sick,” Shamika said, playfully pushing him away farther in the tub.
“No, I don’t,” he responded about him making her sick. “I make you well.”
“You ain’t getting no more, either.” She began soaping her body.
“That’s what’chu always say.”
Chapter 36
Korey drove to McArthur Street off Statesville Avenue to an apartment that She’Cute was living in. Korey didn’t know who she lived with; it wasn’t his business, so he never asked. He turned his music down a little and parked with the car running. He tapped his horn a couple times. Korey told She’Cute last night, while listening to the track she and Mad Loot completed, that since he cut her studio session short due to him having to talk with his daughter, they could come this morning and pick up where they left off.
He hit his horn again and checked his watch. It was 8:20 a.m. Some young-looking dude came to the door with his shirt off and holding up his hands up like, “What up? What do you want this early?” Korey stepped partially out of his Vette and looked over the hood. “Tell She’Cute to come to the door.”
“What?” The dude put his hand to his ear. Before Korey could repeat himself, he saw She’Cute coming out wearing a house robe and slippers, with her hair in a ponytail. She attempted to walk toward his Vette, but the dude who answered the door pulled her back to the apartment by grabbing her wrist.
“You’re not going to see that nigga in that short-ass robe, bitch. Are you crazy?” Korey read his lips. He could feel where he was coming from. The robe she had on was so short, Korey could damn near see her panties from the back as she reluctantly went back inside. Seconds later she returned with some black leggings on. She leaned into Korey’s car through the passenger window.
“That’s my boyfriend. He trippin’ on some o’ jealous-ass shit.”
“Yeah, well, you a’ight?” Korey asked with concern. Her boyfriend, who was standing in the doorway, didn’t look too happy to see Korey.
“I’m good.”
“Well, you know, it’s studio time. I know it’s early but, hey, we gotta make up for lost time yesterday when I had that emergency.”
“Yeah, I know. Look, K, I’m glad you came over. If you will give me about twenty minutes, I’ll ride to the studio with you. That way I won’t have to take a taxi.”
“A’ight, bet. Go ahead and handle your business. I’ll be out here waiting.”
“Okay, thank you so much. I’ll hurry up.” She quickly walked back into her apartment.
Korey sat out in his car listening to “If I Ruled the World” by Nas and Lauryn Hill. He was thinking about that chick, Sheila, Fat Rah’s wife, and how in hell she could have survived a 9 mm bullet to her head. If she fully recovered, it could mean disaster for him and Hammer. They didn’t wear masks when they handled their business with her and Fat Rah. And although eight years had passed, Korey knew that Sheila got a good, good look at his and Hammer’s faces. As he was thinking on that situation, he looked and saw She’Cute’s boyfriend walking toward his car.
“Yo, Nickie said she’ll catch a taxi,” he said, referring to She’Cute by her real name and rubbing the knuckles on his right hand like he punched something.
“You sure, yo? She told me to wait right here for her. Now she’s saying for me to go? She’ll take a taxi?” Korey looked at him a little strange. He wasn’t feeling what was said.
“Hey,” he shot back, lifting his hands, “I’m just telling you what she told me to tell you.”
Being ever observant, Korey saw the butt of a gun in his waistline when he lifted his hands. “Why couldn’t she come out and tell me what you’re telling me now?” Korey wanted to know. Something about this cat just wasn’t clicking with him. He seemed to be the controlling type with a chip on his shoulder.
“’Cause she’s in the bathtub and wanted me to do it. Is there a problem with that, yo?” he said, now suddenly mean mugging Korey like he wanted tro
uble.
Korey looked this cat up and down a moment. He had brown skin and was about five foot eleven and sort of muscle bound like he’d just gotten out of the joint. He had his hat turned to the back. From what Korey could discern, from appearance and from this cat’s swag and attitude, he was a thug playing the serious tough role. Korey didn’t like nothing about this cat. He seemed to be the type who would be a bad match for a good girl trying to make something of herself, like his artist. He had his burner under his seat, but he saw no need to use it when he could use his head, ego and pride to the side.
“Just tell her I’ll be at the studio waiting.”
“Yeah,” the cat replied like, “Whatever.” He then walked back into the apartment.
Korey felt an uneasiness in his gut that he only felt when he sensed trouble. He went to the studio and waited for She’Cute to arrive, but she didn’t. Nor did she call. This was the first time this had ever happened, but it was also the first time he had been over to She’Cute’s apartment while her boyfriend was there.
He went and picked up KJ from school, took him out to eat, then had Keisha come to get him from the studio. By then it was late in the evening, and everyone who was supposed to come to the studio had come. Korey was seriously troubled at this point. He and Hammer had a lot invested in She’Cute. They knew that at the right time, her soon-to-be-released CD was gonna blow up. There was no way Korey was gonna let some wannabe hard thug cat ruin what P.I.C. Records had worked so hard for, which was to see She’Cute become a star under its label.
He called Hammer to the side as Hammer was in the studio booth with Mad Loot and another artist, talking on one of his songs.
“Yeah, what’s up, K?” Hammer came over to Korey outside to another room where it was quiet.
“It’s She’Cute,” Korey said. “She’s still not here. I’m worried.”
“Yeah, where is she?”
“Don’t know, but she was supposed to have arrived by now. Something’s not right on her end.”
“What makes you feel that way, K?”
“Went to her crib early this morning and some li’l nigga came to the door, supposedly her boyfriend. She was supposed to ride with me over here, but then as I was waiting on her to get herself together out in my car, this li’l boyfriend of hers comes out of her apartment about ten minutes later, talking about she sent him out to tell me that she’s gonna take a taxi.”
“You serious, K?” Hammer cocked his head and caused his eyes to squint. He wasn’t feeling what he was hearing, just like Korey wasn’t feeling She’Cute’s boyfriend.
“She ain’t called or nothing, Ham. I’m about to go over there. Besides, I didn’t like that nigga of hers, and I believe he may have kicked her in her ass a li’l bit out of jealousy.”
“Oh, one of those types?”
“Yeah, a pussy-ass nigga. I’m going back over to her crib to check his ass.”
“Not without me, you’re not.”
“I know that. How much longer you gonna be with Mad?”
Hammer checked his watch. It was a quarter to 9:00 p.m. “We ’bout to wrap it up right now.”
“And I’m telling you now, Ham, if that li’l nigga done put his hands on Cute—”
“Look, K, I already know what time it is. I know you. We’re going to see what’s up. Don’t even trip. Try calling her again, though, while I go tell the boys that’s it for tonight.”
Korey tried She’Cute’s number again. Nothing. Nothing but voice mail.
One hour later, he had Hammer knock on her door. Her boyfriend, having never seen Hammer’s face before, answered the door. That was all the leeway Korey needed.
Chapter 37
“Where’s Nickie, you pussy-ass nigga?” Korey stepped forward and spat with his 9 mm aimed straight at her boyfriend’s now startled face. He lifted his hands as if being robbed and he began stepping back slowly.
“Where is she, muthafucka? I swear I ain’t asking you again! Grab that burner from his waist,” Korey told Hammer. Hammer reached and snatched it.
“She’s in the back bedroom there, yo. Why y’all coming all up in here like this?”
Korey pushed him in front of them with his burner to the back of his head. “Take us to her.”
He led Korey and Hammer to a back room. It was the worst thing he could have ever done. There She’Cute was, lying in bed with a black eye and swollen face.
“Cute,” Korey called her. “Get up. Help her out that bed,” he looked at Hammer and said. Just to look at her swollen purplish-blue eye and face made Hammer want to punch this boyfriend of hers out as he helped her out of bed.
“Cute, look over here at me,” Korey said, his gun aimed directly at her boyfriend’s head. “Who did that to you?”
“He did,” she answered. No hesitation. “He punched me and knocked me completely out earlier when you was over here,” she said, beginning to cry.
“Get on your knees, muthafucka. Get on them right got’damn now!”
“Look, I told her I was sorry. I just lost it, that’s all,” he said, making his way to his knees.
“C’mere, Cute.” She came to Korey. “Go take a look at your face in the mirror and come right back.”
“I saw it earlier.”
“Did you like what you saw?” Korey rhetorically asked, knowing she didn’t. She was an extremely pretty girl, but now her face looked like Tina Turner’s did after Ike Turner beat her: awful!
“No, that’s why I didn’t call you. I didn’t want you and any of the guys at the studio to see me like this. I look terrible!” She placed her face in her palms and began crying some more. Korey and Hammer both looked at each other in disgust over her situation and shook their heads.
“Where your brothers at, Cute?” Korey asked.
“I don’t have any brothers,” she said through her tears, wiping her palms over her cheeks as gently as she could. Touching her face hurt.
“Where are your sisters?”
“Don’t have any of them either.”
“Where’s your mother and father?”
“Somewhere in Atlanta, strung out on dope! I don’t have nobody. That’s why I be over at the studio working so hard, because I want something out of life.”
“You can never have something out of life, fuckin’ with a no-good piece of shit of a guy like this! A nigga who would make you look ugly to the public, beating on you and shit! A real tough guy don’t hit women. Now, what do you want to happen to this piece of shit?” Korey bitch-slapped him, but he put on like he wasn’t even fazed by Korey smacking the hell out of him.
She’Cute looked at him and slowly shook her head. He returned the stare with his lips tight and nose flared like he was a real serious hardcore gangsta.
“I want his ass dealt with,” she spat with venom. “Dealt with in the worst way! Because all he does is slap me around and try to control my life. I’m sick and tired of it!”
“Then deal with this nigga.” Hammer handed her the cat’s own gun that Korey had ordered Hammer to take from his waistline. Without hesitation, she took the burner. Korey then moved himself away from being in the line of fire as She’Cute moved closer to her abusive boyfriend with a perfect aim at his chest area.
“This is for all the times you slapped me around and I couldn’t do anything about it, Marco.”
“Bitch, if you’re gonna shoot me, then shoot me. Fuck you and these niggas. I ain’t afraid to die!” he coldly and heartlessly cut in.
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that, you son of a bitch!” she spat before squeezing off three times. Bam! Bam! Bam! She hit him up with hot lead so close and personal in his chest that his body jerked when the bullets touched him. His shirt even began to smoke.
Korey grabbed the gun from her hand, which was shaking tremendously, and he took a good look at the corpse. He was dead as a tooth without nerves after a root canal.
“Get all your personal belongings and wait for us out in the car,” Korey told her.
As she was going to do that, Hammer stopped her and said, “Are there butcher knives and garbage bags in here?”
“In the kitchen, yes.”
“Grab two butcher knives and some garbage bags. Bring ’em in here now. Then get’cha personal shit and wait for us out in the car.”
She did what she was asked to do. Korey grabbed the biggest knife she passed them. The joint looked like a miniature machete. While Hammer used the knife he had to cut fingers and toes, Korey took the one he had and placed it at this cat’s throat. He stood in his Tims on one corner of the very sharp blade and pressed his weight on it. The blade sliced through the victim’s neck, leaving Korey to only have to cut some neck extremities to have his whole head off. He placed the head in the garbage bag that Hammer tossed his fingers and toes in.
They were both a semi bloody mess, which they wiped off after placing the remainder of the body in garbage bags that they tripled to make stronger holding power. They found an empty suitcase and put the remainder of the victim’s body inside it and zipped it up. Doing all this felt like a lifetime, but it was efficiently done all in ten hot minutes. They both carried the suitcase out the back door to a nearby Dumpster and tossed it inside. Then they returned only to set the apartment on fire.
By now, She’Cute was inside the car waiting for them. She was glad that there were no neighbor’s apartments close by. All the apartments were spread out. Korey and Hammer made their exit, hoping by all means that the now blazing fire would destroy any forensic evidence that could later link them to what just went down inside that apartment. In Hammer’s hand was the bag that they placed She’Cute’s ex’s head, toes, and fingers in, along with the towels they wiped the blood off with. By taking those body parts off the victim, they knew that if the remainder of his corpse were ever to be discovered, it would be nearly impossible to ID him.
“I’m taking you to the Fairfield Inn off Sugar Creek,” Korey said to She’Cute, looking back at her through the rearview mirror as they began to mobilize. “Want you to stay there a few days and nights ’til your face heals and things blow over. A’ight?”