Pitbulls In a Skirt 2 Read online

  “Carissa ain’t have shit to do with you fuckin’ Cameron. That was all you, Mercedes.”

  “Oh so what? Now ya’ll takin’ each other’s side?”

  “No. I love both ya’ll but the blame needs to be placed in the right place.”

  “And where’s that?”

  “On Cameron, for bringing his big dick swingin’ ass ‘round your house when Derrick was gone and you for being vulnerable.”

  I laugh for the first time since the break-up. “And how do you know it’s big?”

  “Don’t play,” Kenyetta starts. “Have you forgotten when we made a pact to take camera phone pics of Dex, Dyson, Cameron, Lavelle and Thick’s dick? Cameron won!”

  “He do have a fat ass dick,” I agree.

  Carissa laughs and I prevent myself from laughing and roll my eyes instead.

  “Come on, Mercedes,” Kenyetta persists. “Let’s not fall apart now. Not at a time like this. We need each other now and you need us while you going through this shit.”

  The moment I think of forgiveness Derrick walks upstairs.

  “Everything is in order. I’ma check on Unit B and I’ll hit ya’ll back if I find anything outta place,” he looks right over my head and addresses Kenyetta and Carissa.

  “Derrick, can I-,”

  “Is my boss talkin’ or my ex girl?” he asks interrupting my sentence.

  “Your girl.”

  “In that case, fuck you, bitch!” he walks away and I cry uncontrollably.

  “Ugh…,” Carissa says out the blue.

  “Ugh what?” Kenyetta asks rubbing my back.

  “He sounded like a lil girl. Talkin’ ‘bout, ‘In that case, fuck you bitch’. Don’t no man roll they head and eyes like that.”

  I giggle softly and wipe my tears.

  “Carissa, you trippin’!” I tell her and she runs up to me and wraps her arms around my neck wreaking of alcohol.

  “Oh my gawd you talked to me,” she cheers rocking me like a baby.

  “Yes but you have to get yourself together, Car. You’re drinkin’ too much!”

  “I know…I know, but I have a lot of shit on my mind. Ya’ll stronger than me!”

  “No, we just deal with what we have to deal with.” She smiles and sits down.

  “I’m so glad ya’ll made up. Too much shit happenin’ wit’ us lately. We need each other.”

  “You right…,” I say. “So how’s, Yvette? Do we know what’s goin on wit’ her?”

  Kenyetta looks at Carissa with the, should I tell her or not, look.

  “What? Tell me somethin’ to help get my mind off Derrick.

  “She dealin’ wit’ a female.” Kenyetta says.

  I’m so disgusted I almost don’t respond. “Come again?”

  “Yvette’s been datin’ this girl for two years,” she continues.

  “Two years! What the fuck is she thinkin’ ‘bout? Yvette ain’t gay!”

  “She is, Mercedes,” Carissa says softly. “And she didn’t wanna tell you ‘cause she thought you wouldn’t love her the same.”

  “That’s some gross ass shit ya’ll…and I hope ya’ll told her ‘bout herself.” They remain quiet. “What did ya’ll tell her?” I ask looking between them.

  “We told her as long as she happy, we fine wit’ it,” Kenyetta tells me. “and you should be too.”

  “That’s some bullshit, Kenyetta. Yvette ain’t no fuckin’ dyke! She probably needed us to set her straight and ya’ll run and tell her lies. Don’t forget she was wit’ Thick all her life. This girl probably got up in her head because she was lonely.”

  “Mercedes, this ain’t no fly by night bullshit. They serious ‘bout each other,” Carissa musters despite being drunk. “Her feelings are real and she’s in love.”

  “WHAT THE FUCK IS GOIN’ ON AROUND HERE?! I feel like I’m losin’ my mind! Niggas tryin’ to take Emerald, I get shot, Carissa turnin’ into a drunk and you fuckin’ wit’ gawd knows who!” I yell pointing at Kenyetta. “Now I’m hearin’ that Yvette’s a lesbian and Derrick dumps me because I fucked my kid’s father! I NEED TO GET OUTTA HERE BEFORE I GO THE FUCK OFF!!!!” I scream running away.

  Don’t ask me where I’m going because I won’t be able to tell you. I just need to get away and I need to get away now!

  Jona

  “You wanna make some money?”

  Jona sat on the floor, in the corner of her bedroom, with a cream colored phone in her hand. Everyday since she’d returned home from the hospital, she called Lil’ C except today. She convinced herself she’d leave him alone but she couldn’t. Blocking her number, she decides to call him again to see if he’ll pick up. After two rings, he answers.

  “Who this?” Loud voices play in the background.

  “It’s Jona…you busy?”

  He breathes heavily into the phone and says, “What’s wrong wit’ you, shawty? Up until now I never pegged you for no stalker type bitch.”

  “I’m not a stalker. I just wanna talk,” Still sitting, she pulls her knees toward her chest and rests her head on top of them. “Why can’t we at least be friends?”

  “I told you what it is, Jona. So why you buggin’?”

  “Just come see me one time and I’ll leave you alone. I know you in Emerald. My friends say they saw you.”

  “Jona…don’t call me again, young. It’s not a request no more.”

  He hangs up.

  She cries softly hoping her mother doesn’t hear her. But unlike the other days, now she is mad. Wiping her tears, she decides to call her crazy cousin who is staying with her uncle Hawk in Unit B. It was the same building she knew Lil’ C was in.

  “What’s up, cuzo?” His southern accent was heavy as usual.

  “Nothin’. I’ma stop by tomorrow too, before ya’ll leave.”

  ‘”Cool…'cause you know we goin’ back to Texas in two days right?”

  “Yeah, uncle Hawk told me. Where he at?”

  “Out runnin’ the streets as usual. He said he was gonna bring back some grub.”

  “Look, Beatz, you wanna make some money?”

  “You know I do. Just give me names and info.” Jona got excited. “Your cousins Yuri and Gamal wit’ me and gonna want in on it too. We were just sayin’ we broke as shit. Uncle Hawk gives us what he can but for real it ain’t shit. Is the pie large enough for all of us?”

  “Yeah, but the dude you hittin’ up is major. His father use to run Emerald and his mother still does.”

  “If he human that mean he bleed like me. So tell me where to find him.”

  They spent a few more moments on the phone going over the details. She told them everything she knew about the dude Lil’ C copped his weed from. She told them to move quickly because he probably would be going to Lani’s after he leaves Unit B and it would be harder to catch him and she made it clear that she wanted him dead.

  When Lil’ C rejected her, she decided that if he was going to cut her off, she didn’t want him with Lani either. Without another word, Beatz woke up his brothers and got down to business.

  Lil’ C

  “I’m about this paper and if you ain’t wit’ it, we can just split ways.”

  “Yo, we made out like shit! I told you that last package wasn’t gonna take us no time to move.” Lil’ C holds a blue bag firmly packed with weed.

  “Yeah…but I don’t like him frontin’ us this much weight,” Nick warns as they walk to the elevator. “We got enough money so how come we don’t buy what we can afford?”

  “Cause that ain’t enough for what I’m tryin’ to do. This our last time because I should have enough saved for when my baby is born. I wanted this one to be big.”

  “What’s up Lil’ C,” one of the Emerald City men says as they reach the elevator. Even though they all knew he was sneaking in the city, they never told Mercedes. They just looked out for him when he was there. “You out?”

  “Yeah, I’ma get up wit’ my girl and then I’m gone,” he says entering the elevator. The soldie
r watches him as he waits on the elevator to make sure he get’s in safely.

  “I hear what you sayin’ but I don’t like it,” Nick continues. “It don’t feel smart.”

  “What?” he asks with a grin on his face. “You just started playin’ gangsta since you been rollin’ wit’ me. So what you know about this shit? Everything you learned I taught you.”

  He hesitates and says, “This reckless, man.”

  “You can think what you want,” Lil’ C tells him. “I’m about this paper and if you ain’t wit’ it, we can just split ways.” The elevator knocks around a little.

  “Why it gotta be a problem when I say somethin’ ‘bout business?” he replies putting his hat back on. “I’m watchin’ out for both of our backs.”

  “Don’t worry. I got this. Just worry ‘bout-,” his statement is cut short.

  Because the moment the elevator door opens and they step our, Beatz hits Lil’ C in the face so hard, he’s temporarily blinded and stumbles back. Nick rushes from behind him and does his best to help his friend. He lands a few blows on Beatz’s jaw but his brothers Yuri and Gamal punish him with repeat blows to the gut. Nick’s wreck game is no match for two southern brothers from the deep.

  “Yo, Gamal,” Beatz calls to his younger brother. “Take the package and bounce!”

  Gamal rubs his knuckles and snatches the blue duffel bag. “Do you know what you doin’?” Lil’ C questions standing halfway on his two feet.

  Beatz laughs and says, “I know who you are and that don’t mean shit to me, nigga. But you keep talkin’ and I might let them pretty lips suck my dick.”

  Lil’ C is furious and rushes Beatz with his body weight. Once he has him up against the wall, he steals him multiple times in the face. With his focus on Beatz, he doesn’t see Yuri take out a knife and plunge it into Nick’s gut until he yells out in pain.

  The three of them stop momentarily and look at Nick as he drops to his knees. Touching his stomach, he feels his own silky blood and falls face first onto the grungy floor.

  Lil’ C was just about to go after Yuri until Beatz says, “Don’t move, nigga.” He laughs cocking the 9-millimeter in his hand. “The fun and games are over.”

  “Fuck ya’ll want wit’ me?!” he yells. “You killed my man and took my work!”

  “We want your life, partna. ‘Parently you got somebody real fucked up wit’ you.”

  “Fuck you talkin’ ‘bout nigga?!”

  “Since you gonna die anyway it don’t even matter. What did you do to my cousin Jona, nigga?” Lil’ C’s entire body trembles. Silently he prays he’ll get out of the situation alive because if he does, he’ll pay her a visit. “I hope you had a nice life,” Beatz raises his hand preparing to fire when four men enter the basement doorway. Three of them are carrying guns and they quickly aim at Beatz and Yuri. Lil’ C knows all of them.

  “Lil’ C, bounce. We got it from here,” Paul says with his eyes glued on Beatz. Fear washes over Yuri and Beatz as they realize they are outnumbered.

  “How did you know I was here?”

  “Cameron called me to come get you. Rap to him about all that when you get to the crib. We got work to do and there’s a car waiting to take you home.”

  “What about Nick?” he asks pointing at his body.

  He looked down and says, “We’ll take care of everything. Go.”

  Before leaving, Lil’ C walks up to Beatz and steals him in the face so hard his right thumb jams. He doesn’t acknowledge the pain because the agony he’s in is a small price to pay.

  “You fucked wit’ the wrong nigga,” Lil’ C warns. “I hope it was worth it.”

  With that he dodges out the door.

  “Don’t take too long,” Tony, one of Cameron’s friends says to Lil’ C in the car. Although he works in Emerald, he remains loyal to him. “Cameron wants me to get you out of Emerald as soon as possible. He says a lot of shit been goin’ on lately.”

  “Just give me five minutes. I’ll be right back,” he promises.

  Tony agrees and Lil’ C jogs up the stairs and knocks on Jona’s door. She unlocks and opens the door.

  “What’s up? I thought you couldn’t come,” she says nervously opening the door wider.

  “I changed my mind. You not happy to see me or somethin’?”

  “Yes.” Although she’s frightened, she hopes he doesn’t know about her betrayal.

  “Well are you gonna let me in?”

  “Uh…sure.” She opens the door wider for him to enter. Lil’ C walks in without noticing that Lani sees him enter Jona’s place.

  “You by yourself,” he asks with an evil glare on his face staring around the apartment.

  “Is everything okay, Cameron?”

  “Are…you…by…yourself?” he asks locking the door behind him.

  “Y…yes,” she stutters. “My moms on her way back though.”

  Not wasting time he grips her neck and pushes her against the wall. Her feet are no longer on the floor as she claws at his hands and face. His right thumb is throbbing but he doesn’t release.

  “They…killed my friend,” he squeezes her neck tighter. Spit escapes his mouth and tears run down his face. “They killed my fuckin’ friend!”

  Jona continues to fight until she can’t fight anymore. Small sounds escape her mouth but are not audible and her eyes roll to the back of her head. He squeezes a little tighter, releases her and watches her body fall to the floor.

  “Fuckin’ slut!”

  With his first kill under his belt, he wipes his face with his good hand and leaves.

  Ed

  “It will work out and if it doesn’t no one will ever know!”

  Between each unit in Emerald City there was a handicap ramp between them. It was built for handicap access and led to the elevator. But most times the dope heads to shoot up in private used it. But tonight the ramp between Unit A and B would be used for a different purpose.

  “There she is,” Ed says as he stoops down within the ramp. “When I say go, we gotta grab her quick before somebody see us.”

  Kit was shaking so hard that his teeth could be heard rattling.

  Kit had abandoned his post earlier to run this caper and had he not, Nick would’ve never gotten killed.

  “I don’t see her.” Kit whispers

  “Just wait.”

  Harold called Ed the moment he saw Mercedes walk away from Unit C. She was making their job easier because they had orders to kidnap her later. Black Water wanted to keep her as collateral in case Cameron reneged on their deal. And to get Harold and Ed to betray Cameron, he paid them five hundred dollars each. A small price to pay for honor.

  “Go!” Ed yells as they run toward her. Mercedes recognizes his voice.

  They grab her when she’s not looking and pull the hood of her coat over her head forcefully. She’s caught off guard because her mind was on Derrick.

  “Ed? What the fuck are you doin’?!”

  “Say my name again and watch what I’ll do!” he promises.

  “Get the fuck off me, Ed!” she screams clawing at Ed’s face.

  “What I tell you bitch?!” He hits her with a closed fist.

  Although his duty is for Black, jealousy is his real motive right now. He hates having to report to women so he strikes her so hard in the face, her tooth falls down her throat.

  “Help me bring her inside,” Ed tells Kit who is so overwhelmed by how he’s treating her, that he doesn’t move. “Did you hear what I said? Help me get her inside!”

  “I don’t know ‘bout this, man,” Kit finally replies grabbing her arm. “This the boss. We gonna get killed if this shit don’t work out.”

  “It will work out and if it doesn’t no one will ever know!”

  “How you know?”

  “Cause I’ll kill this bitch myself first. Now help me get her in the elevator before somebody comes lookin’ for her,” ED opens the basement door and they walk past the small puddle of blood in the hallway from where Nick
’s body was.

  “Fuck happened in here?” Ed talks to himself.

  “Ed please…please don’t do this.” Mercedes whimpers.

  He doesn’t answer and she wishes she had enough strength to fight but she doesn’t. She’s in so much pain that her head throbs uncontrollably. When the elevator opens, they rush her inside. When it moves, Ed grabs his phone and calls the person assisting him on the fourth floor. Like the other units there were two soldiers on each post so they had to get rid of the other one.

  “Yodi, we on our way up,” Ed says as he eyes Mercedes lustfully. He can’t wait to be inside of her. “Get rid of that nigga.”

  “Got it,” he tells him.

  “Yo, Peanut,” Yodi says after placing his phone in his pocket. “Somebody just called and said they need you downstairs. They said Kenyetta wants you.”

  “Why Kenyetta ain’t call me?”

  “’I don’t know ‘bout all that but you betta check it out.”

  “I’m not supposed to leave post.”

  “Let me call him back and tell him you said fuck, Kenyetta.” Yodi pretends to be dialing out.

  “I’m goin’!” he yells stopping him.

  Against his instinct, Peanut leaves his post and heads for the elevator on his side of the floor. It was the opposite end of the direction Ed and Kit were coming in.

  “He gone,” Yodi says calling him back. “But hurry up before he comes back.”

  “We comin’ now.” He lifts Mercedes up who was helplessly lying against the railing. “We got to get this bitch in Harold’s crib quick. And I don’t know ‘bout you, but I’ma hit this shit before I go back on post. I wanna see what boss pussy be like.”

  Mercedes

  “When I was younger I didn’t believe in hell.”

  I can’t believe this is happening to me. I’m actually being kidnapped by Ed and taken into Harold’s apartment. Carissa told me she never trusted them and I wish I would’ve listened. And the way I left saying I just needed to get away, I doubt if they try to find me anytime soon.

  “Is that who I think it is?” someone says when we enter.

  “Yeah…,” Ed boasts closing and locking the door. “This one of them.”