Pitbulls In a Skirt 5 Read online

  It could be a set up.

  And what if Karen and Oscar were involved?

  All the Trap thoughts went out the window because I had something else to deal with, when I stepped off the balcony Carissa was standing before me, grinning. I closed the door, tossed my fur coat on the back of the chair and looked at her. “Fuck’s so funny, bitch?”

  “A lot.” She crossed her arms tighter over her chest. “For starters I wonder how Lil C will feel when he finds out you fuckin’ his friend. One of his good ones at that.”

  I moved in closer, hoping to scare her into submission. It’s not like it worked in the past but it was at least worth a try. “Don’t fuck with me, Carissa. You don’t know what you’re talking about and I advise you to leave it right here and right now.”

  “You mean how you did when you accused me of using drugs a little while ago?” She paused. “And what do you mean by don’t fuck with you? Huh? I’m not afraid of you, ‘Cedes. I’m not worried that you’ll do something to me. Your muscle is my muscle. Your soldiers my soldiers, so you can’t bully me into being quiet. So step the fuck off.”

  “You see, that’s where you fuck up. You think so small.” I pointed at my head.

  The smile wiped off of her face. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Don’t you realize there are a number of ways I can get at you? And the best part is you’ll never see any of them coming.”

  Her eyes widened before she glared. “Hold up…you threatening my kids? I know you not that crazy!”

  “All I’m saying is this…I am not your enemy, Carissa, unless you make it so by telling my son a bunch of lies.” I moved closer. “Now stay the fuck out of my business, before I change your world in ways you can’t imagine.”

  “Wow…that must be some really good dick to have you turn on me.” She shook her head.

  “You made it this way remember? I did all I could to show you how much I appreciated you choosing Lil C over Persia. But I’m done kissing your ass, Carissa. Like I said, stay out of my fucking business or you won’t have a choice.”

  I stomped away.

  CHAPTER TEN

  CARISSA

  “We talk in code all the time and suddenly you can’t understand me?”

  Something is going on and I don’t know what. It’s that feeling of when the world seems like it’s closing in on you all at once.

  Death is in the air.

  I feel it in my bones.

  I wanted so badly to do a line or two of coke but I didn’t have access to it since I got snowed in and was unable to get to my stash. Not only that but with Mercedes watching me I had to be careful.

  Still, coke was the only thing I could have to help me deal with this shit. I need to get to the Trap house and steal a bump or two but how would that be possible?

  After getting into it with Mercedes I walked up to the huddle at the door, which included Yvette, 88 and Fresh.

  “I don’t know what this is about but ya’ll have the wrong impression about him,” Yvette said. “Heavy would never do anything to hurt me. I know him.”

  “Yvette, I understand that he’s your man but where’s he going?” Fresh said. “Why would he leave the apartment when there ain’t nowhere to be but here? DC is on lock.”

  “Not that I have to answer to you but he’s going to his place.” She shrugged. “Said he had to grab something out of his apartment right quick. It’s not like he doesn’t live here.”

  “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never heard about anything foul about Heavy. He’s been standup as far as I’m concerned.” Fresh pressed on. “It’s just that I saw the look on his face and it didn’t sit right with me. He was frazzled and we need to play things close right now.”

  “I’m not trying to alarm you, ‘Vette but Fresh is right,” 88 interjected. “I heard him talking on the phone and he sounded like whatever was going on had him heated. Maybe I should walk over to his crib to check on him.”

  “No!” Yvette yelled. “Ya’ll not about to turn this situation into something it’s not. Now I said everything’s cool so leave it at that. The only thing on my mind is that pack in #745 and the possible whore situation.”

  “Have you talked to Kliyo again?” I asked, folding my arms over my chest.

  “Yeah…he answers the phone and everything but something is up, Carissa. My mind is so tossed up that I can tell if it’s a set up or the FEDS fucking with us. Trying to lure us to the apartment to pin a major rap on us.” She looked at everyone. “So excuse me if I don’t wanna talk about Heavy right now.” She stormed off and I followed.

  I was almost in her room when she slammed the door in my face. I opened it anyway and shut it once I was inside. I watched her open and close drawers looking for only God knew what.

  “You miss him don’t you? In your mind Heavy is him and you are still in love.”

  “Miss who, Carissa?” She tossed around a few t-shirts. “You always talking in code.”

  I laughed. “You are very smart and intelligent, Yvette. We talk in code all the time and suddenly you can’t understand me? Yeah right.”

  She froze, faced the wall and sighed. “Don’t fuck with me right now, Carissa.” She turned around and looked at me. “I’m not in the mood as you already know.”

  “I notice something about you. You’re attracted to men who remind you of him.” I walked deeper inside even though she wanted me gone. “And although you get warning signs you ignore them all hoping to get one more moment of when you weren’t in charge. You claim to like being the boss, the one we all go to for help, but I think you resent it too. Deep down you want nothing more than to curl up in a man’s lap and have him tell you what to do. Aren’t I right?”

  She giggled. “Says the woman who hasn’t had a man in years.”

  I laughed despite the sting I felt from her harsh words. I didn’t know if it hurt because she was telling the truth or the latter. “I don’t want a man. Besides, I don’t have any good role models around here to inspire me. Because you and Mercedes are all in fucked up situations.”

  “Oh really?” She grinned, grabbed a pair of strawberry socks from the drawer and sat on the edge of the bed. “I wouldn’t need a man either if I favored cocaine.”

  My eyes widened.

  “Oh yes, I know about your little habit too, Carissa. This is why nobody wants you around the product and why we have to keep eyes on you at all times.”

  “So what you saying?”

  “You aren’t trustworthy. The only reason why we still keep you around is because if we took hands off you we’re afraid you’d turn into a full-blown addict. Embarrassing the hell out of the Emerald City legacy.” She paused. “So do us all a favor and stop acting like your high and mightier when you’re crack whore low.”

  For a moment I lost my thought. She was talking to me like I was a Head or something.

  Not trustworthy? Up until this moment I never knew my trust was in question and I felt queasy.

  “Yes, I do favor coke every now and again. And yes I’m not proud of it but it doesn’t make me dumb.”

  “Correction, it makes you an idiot, Carissa. We see what that shit does to people who go too far. Why fuck with it at all?”

  “It’s funny how the supplier downs the customer.” I shook my head.

  “Don’t turn this around on me.”

  “You know what, maybe I need an escape! Ya’ll prefer dick I do a line or two!” I took a deep breath. “And we’ve never been the same. Since Lavelle, Cameron, Thick and Dyson died we’ve been torn apart.” I shook my head. “We don’t even talk about losing Kenyetta no more. She was our sister, sat on the steps with us in Emerald City every day and we disrespect her memory by not talking about her. Why?”

  Yvette put on her socks. “Not everybody wants to wallow in pain but it doesn’t mean we don’t miss her.”

  “That’s a fucking excuse.”

  She jumped up and approached me. “What the fuck you want me to say? That I wonder
if having all the money in the world was worth losing Thick? Despite how he treated me? Or that I wonder if Kenyetta forgives me in Heaven for not doing everything in my power to save her life before she got with Black Water? What you want me to say?”

  “I don’t want you to say anything, Yvette. I just want you to feel something, before it’s too late for all of us. And the next person dies.”

  She walked away and flopped on the edge of the bed. “Stop talking like that. Nobody else is dying. Not unless you and Mercedes kill each other with all the fighting.” She took a deep breath. “Speaking of conversations, if you want to talk about keeping this family together you need to start with mending the relationship with her instead of wasting your time with me.”

  I frowned. “She hates me.”

  “She doesn’t hate you, she’s just hurt. You blame her for the decision you were forced to make to kill Persia.” She paused. “And I know losing your daughter hurts to this day but it wasn’t her fault. She wasn’t responsible, Carissa.”

  “I think whatever relationship Mercedes and I had is officially over. And I’m not gonna lie, I think about the million ways the world would be better off without her sometimes. I know it’s wrong but I’m expressing my soul.”

  She stood up and stomped toward me. “And if you ever express your soul like that to me again we will no longer be friends.” She pointed in my chest. “I’m talking I’d better never hear you call my name on the streets or I will kill you. Now get the fuck out of my room. I wanna be left alone. I got some pertinent shit to think through.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  GRACE

  “If I spelled shit out you still wouldn’t get me. So stop trying.”

  Grace sat on the edge of the bed and stared down at Quinton’s body when Corey walked inside the room with his hands stuffed in his pockets. Although it was once her plan to step into the Trap she soon realized she was not in control anymore.

  Plus the cell phone had been ringing non-stop with Yvette and Kliyo was forced to lie repeatedly that things were okay when they weren’t. It was just a matter of time before things kicked off and the Pitbulls came hunting.

  Corey walked deeper into the room and sat next to her and stared down at the corpse. “Why you kill this nigga?” He pointed at the body. “It’s gonna start stinking up the place in a few hours. You ready for that shit?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Corey, just get the fuck out.” She stood up and walked toward the window, pulling the blinds up to look at the snow like a tomb surrounding the building. “I swear all the niggas my cousin fuck with are stupid.”

  “I’m serious…why you ain’t let me in on your plan?”

  She looked at him and back out the window. “Just leave me alone. The last thing I feel like doing is talking to you. Besides, if I spelled shit out you still wouldn’t get me. So stop trying.”

  He frowned. “You act like I’m the problem.”

  “What the fuck do you want, Corey?” She stomped toward him. “I got a lot on my mind and you not helping matters right now.”

  He took a quick breath. “How many jobs have we done together? How much money have we taken from niggas we robbed? Not one time have I turned my back on you. And now you got a plan and didn’t—”

  “This not about money, Corey! It’s deeper than that. Much deeper.” She walked across the floor and leaned against the wall. “And it’s worth more to me than you can imagine.”

  He stared at her and his head tilted sideways. “So you telling me that you really broke into a trap house, killed a nigga and have it not be about running off on the plug? Are you sick or something?”

  “No, it’s worse. I’m in love, Corey.” She sighed. “And I realize that concept don’t make sense to you but it’s the world to me.”

  He chuckled. “Who you in love with? Heavy’s beefy ass?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Who you think?”

  “But that’s the nigga who sent us here. Told us to drag you out by your hair if we had too.” He paused. “Trust me, when he gave the word it didn’t sound like he gave a fuck about you. It’s time to get over him, Grace. Don’t you think so?”

  She sighed. “I know how he feels about me whether he says the truth or not. He loves me. He really does. What I don’t understand is why he wants to forget us so badly? It’s like he’s so wrapped up in this bitch that he doesn’t see me anymore. We have a child together.”

  “Had a child.”

  “Don’t disrespect me or my daughter.” She frowned. “Let us not forget the body on the floor in this room. Understand that I did that shit right there and won’t have a problem doing it again for greater offenses.” She pointed at him. “My daughter may be dead but she’s still my daughter.”

  “I haven’t forgotten that you murdered a nigga or whatever. I’m just confused on why you care about a dude so much that don’t love you back.”

  “I know why you saying that. You still want me…”

  “So what.” He shrugged. “Since we talking about it lets get it out in the open. I fucks with you, Grace and wanted you to be my woman. But the only thing you see is Heavy.”

  “He understands me.”

  “He don’t fuck with you no more! Why I gotta keep repeating myself?” Corey’s voice rose and he grew ballistic. “And everybody in the city knows it too. You playing yourself like a fool.” He stood up and walked toward her. “Don’t you think it’s time to get that through your fucking head?”

  Suddenly there was a knock at the front door. Hearing the sound Grace and Corey rushed out of the room only to see Heavy in the living room going off on everybody with ears. When he saw Grace he rushed up to her, grabbed her shoulders, and squeezed tightly. “What the fuck you doing here, huh? Are you really trying to sabotage everything I’ve built?”

  Grace wiggled out of is grasp before he snatched her again. “So this is what you do now? Hurt me?”

  “Bitch, you doing this just to get at me and you leaving right now!” He rushed her to the door and she pulled away from him. Slowly he turned to look at her. “You testing my patience.”

  “I’ll leave if you want me to, Heavy. All you have to do is take me back and tell Yvette you chose me.”

  He placed his hands on both sides of his head and squeezed. “What the fuck is wrong with you? We not kids, Grace. You don’t get to act out when you don’t get what you want.”

  “I’m not acting out!” She cried. “All I want is us back together. How things use to be. Say you’ll be with me and I’ll stop all of this.”

  “NO! WHAT I’M GONNA DO IS SNATCH YOU OUTTA HERE!” He lifted her up, tossed her over his shoulder and moved toward the door.

  Wilson, Corey and Spotter quickly closed in before he could exit. “Put her down, man,” Wilson said calmly, although his request sounded more like a threat. “Now I know you got problems with my cousin but she’s still family. And the only person gonna be handling her like that is me.”

  Heavy frowned, placed her down on her feet and glared at all of them. “This is not making any sense.” He looked at Grace. “Do you know what them bitches can do to you? You not being smart...none of you. Right now they’re trying to decide if they should storm this spot or not. Is that what you niggas want? There are much easier ways to kill yourself you know. And less painful ones too.”

  Wilson frowned. “Storming us?” He said to himself.

  Kliyo on the other hand looked as if he was about to throw up. His stomach had been sour ever since Quinton was murdered and he was farting every five minutes, causing the room to smell like blue cheese and boiled eggs. “So…so Yvette don’t believe me that nobody’s in here?”

  “What you think, slim?” Heavy asked.

  Kliyo stood up. “Man, she’s gonna cut off my dick! I…I gotta go to the bathroom.” He rushed away, slamming the door behind himself.

  Wilson shook his head and everyone focused back on Grace and Heavy.

  “This wasn’t about Yvette and them until you made
it about that. This is about you abandoning me,” Grace cried. “All I wanted was your love.”

  Heavy looked down and sighed. He didn’t have room for any emotional games but if lying would get her out of the apartment that was what he was willing to do. He took a deep breath and prepared to lay down the game. “Okay, Grace. You got your way. If you leave with me, and everybody else too, I’ll tell her I want to be back with you.”

  Grace’s eyes lightened up. “For real, Heavy?”

  Corey stepped closer. “This is cute and everything but we not gonna be able to turn around so easily now. Things have gone to the next level.” He was beyond jealous while witnessing Grace’s heartfelt confession. “We gonna have to see this through and Grace gonna ride it out with us, fam.”

  After taking a loose shit Kliyo walked back into the living room. Holding his belly he said, “I don’t mean to be annoying but can somebody tell me what the fuck is going on now? What are you niggas really doing here? One minute I was sleep after getting some pussy and the next more niggas I don’t know are in the Trap. And these bitches stole my gun.” He frowned at Grace and Rambler. “What is happening? I mean what’s happening? Are ya’ll robbing us or not? If so take the bricks and go.”

  “At this point you should do your best to fall back and stay out the way.” Grace frowned at him. “Before you end up like your man in the next room.”

  Rambler sighed. “So what is the plan now?”

  Wilson, who obviously took the lead, stepped closer to everyone. “We make the most of the situation.” He suggested. “All of us.” He looked at Heavy. “If you ask me the new plan should be to find a way to get the Keys out of this building unnoticed.” He paused. “But the back door is locked and even if I walked the product to our building everybody will see me. We have to think clearly before moving.”

  “Is everybody in this bitch fucking crazy? There is no way they letting you leave this building with their coke.” Heavy yelled. “I don’t want no part of this shit.”