“Girl, don’t worry about it,” Gracelyn said. “He owe me a favor and when he hear about what you been through, if he don’t already know, then everything gon’ change. He a real cool dude. That’s why I fuck with him. He prolly got a clean gun that you can use and shit and just want you to bring it back. Don’t worry. Hold up while I call his ass.”
“Coo,” Nikki said, turning around as she dove back into thought. She’d already begun to come up with a plan for what she and Gracelyn could do tonight. And it just might work. However, she knew that the sooner she and her roommate got moving, the better. Little did she know, though, time was truly of the essence.
A few minutes later, Gracelyn got off the phone and immediately reached for her coat. “Girl, come on,” she said, looking at Nikki. “That nigga said he ‘bout to have somebody over in a little bit, so we can either come now or come later on, like after midnight. Shit, with where he live, I would rather go over there now.”
“Girl, y’all betta be careful,” Brandy said as Nikki and Gracelyn headed toward the front door. “I heard that they fuck with females and shit over there too.”
“I wish a nigga would,” Nikki said, turning back around and showing a face that was fiercer than Beyoncé. “I swear to God, I wish some nigga, or some stupid, misguided chick would fuck with me with how I’m feelin’. Not today, girl.” She shook her head. “I swear, right now just ain’t the time.”
Nikki and Gracelyn said goodbye to Brandy then rushed out into the front yard. Still, the wind picked drifts of snow up off of the top layer and blew it down the street. The sound of the city hummed behind their breathing as the block was dead silent. Nikki climbed into the driver’s seat of her car as Gracelyn jumped into the passenger seat. Quickly, Gracelyn described where Steph lived, thinking that Nikki might not be familiar with the area. Nikki did not hesitate to let Gracelyn know that she knew her way around the area. On that note, she pulled out from in front of Brandy’s house and headed up the block. After zigzagging through the neighborhood, she was headed toward the south side.
Gracelyn was a bit excited, but also scared. Sure, she said that she’d help her girl Nikki out if she needed to. However, she really didn’t think that Nikki would be so enraged.
“So, what is it that you thinkin’ about doin’?” Gracelyn asked. “I mean, I know why we goin’ to see my cousin Steph and stuff, but you ain’t told me what we gon’ do.”
Nikki turned and glanced at Gracelyn. She smiled, quickly, before turning back and looking at the road ahead as they passed through the west side of downtown. “You went and fucked that nigga Ray a couple times, right?” Nikki asked.
“Yeah, but I ain’t talked to him or nothin’,” Gracelyn said. “When I hit him up last, he ain’t ever answered or nothin’ like that. He a flaky ass nigga. Prolly got some chick or somethin’ that he fuck around with or somethin’. I don’t know.”
“Good,” Nikki said. “All I need to know is do you remember how to get to where that nigga stay?”
“Hell yeah, girl,” Gracelyn said. “I always remember my way to some good dick.” She then sensed that saying something like that may have been too soon. “I mean, yeah,” she corrected herself. “I remember where it is and stuff. It ain’t far or nothin’.”
“Coo,” Nikki said, nodding. “That’s all we need. Don’t even call him. As far as them niggas know, this side chick, or whatever that nigga Dante was try’na label me as, is still missing and shit. And that is just fine with me. Just fine.”
***
Nikki pulled the car up to Indiana Avenue, which was in the worst area of the south side of Chicago. If the poorly maintained streets were not enough of a sign, the fact that more than half of the properties on any given city block were either dilapidated or burnt from previous fires would have been enough warning to any driver that they needed to roll through any stop sign rather than coming to a complete stop. Nikki, however, paid little to no attention to the clusters of men dressed in dark clothing standing on the corners. Watching the other’s back, Nikki and Gracelyn hurried into the apartment building, which sat between two houses. Inside, Nikki quickly saw that this was the dark underworld of Chicago.
“Girl, he live up in here?” Nikki asked Gracelyn, whispering just as they’d passed by a prostitute begging a man on the stairwell to let her give him oral sex. All Nikki could do was be thankful that her life had never turned to this.
Gracelyn nodded. “Hmm, hmm,” she answered. “And this nigga be makin’ money over fist, but he can’t get nowhere in his name because of his credit and shit. His baby mamas and stuff ain’t coo with him no more, ‘cause he did live somewhere way better with the place under one of they names, but you know how that shit go.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Nikki said.
Nikki followed Gracelyn up the wooden staircase to the third floor. Three doors down from the landing was Steph’s apartment. They approached the door, Gracelyn knocking. “It’s me, Gracelyn, Steph,” she announced. “Open the door.”
The door swung open into a darkened apartment with Gracelyn pulling Nikki inside. For a split moment, just after the apartment door had closed, Nikki’s heart jumped from being in a dark, unfamiliar place. However, seconds passed and the light came on, exposing an apartment that was just as modern as any upscale condo downtown. To say the least, Nikki was honestly surprised. Her attention was then grabbed by Gracelyn’s cousin Steph, who was tall and brown skinned with muscles and tattoos. Immediately, Nikki compared his face to the rapper The Game’s. The two looked as if they could be brothers.
Gracelyn introduced Nikki to Steph. It was obvious to everyone standing there that Steph definitely liked what he saw when he looked at Nikki. And Nikki felt the same. However, she struggled to enjoy the view, so to speak, because her emotions were so high about Breon and Dante. These emotions, which could easily come across as an attitude, did little to stop Steph from taking a good, long look at Nikki’s body and licking his lips. He then noticed the bruises and the scratches on her face and head, letting him know that what Gracelyn had said about her being kidnapped by two dudes was completely true.
“I got this gun you can use,” Steph said, motioning for Gracelyn and Nikki to follow him. The two did just that, walking across the living/dining room and into the kitchen. Here, Nikki was surprised to find some of the nicest brands of appliances. She immediately wondered how it must be to live so lavishly in a place that could easily be busted on the news for being a crack house.
Nikki watched as Steph pulled a Remington out from a kitchen drawer, next to the stove.
“Gimme the real deal,” Gracelyn said, looking into her cousin’s eyes. “I know you and them niggas you be hangin’ with be doin’ some fucked up shit and stuff, so don’t even try to lie. Where you get this gun and what might be on it?”
Steph chuckled and shook his head. “Got it from this nigga out in Michigan City,” he answered. “What he did with the shit, I really don’t know, but he wasn’t the kinda nigga to be killin’ nobody or nothin’ like that. Is that what y’all gon’ do or what?”
Gracelyn had begun to answer, but she looked at Nikki. It would only be right that Nikki answer such a question since this was her situation. Nikki shook her head and said, “Naw, I’m not a killer. Even though I deserve to kill that nigga, and the other one for that matter, but I ain’t gon’ wind up in prison for no shit like that, not unless I think they about to kill me or somethin’. I just need somethin’ to get my point across.”
Steph gently placed the gun in Nikki’s hand. Nikki felt a little nervous to feel the weight of the metal in her hand. She’d held a gun a couple of times in her life, but it was just to see what it was like to do such a thing. She’d never had any actual intention of using the gun.
“How much?” Nikki asked, looking into Steph’s eyes.
Steph stared at Nikki and cracked a smile. “You can take it,” he said. “I don’t need the shit no way. And see a nigga don’t know where it really came from
, or what it was used for, I suggest you drop that shit in a fuckin’ sewer or somethin’ when you get done usin’ it. Can you shoot?”
Nikki shrugged her shoulder. “I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “But I do know that with the couple niggas I’m lookin’ for, I’mma get so close that I can’t miss.”
“Well,” Steph said, quickly grabbing the gun to show her how to open the chamber, “there’s like five or six bullets in it. I would give you some more, but I think my boy got these kinda bullets. I can hit him up if you want.”
“Naw,” Nikki said, taking the gun back and sliding it into her coat pocket. “That won’t be necessary.”
“Okay, then,” Steph said. “That’s coo. I feel you on that.”
Steph saw Nikki and Gracelyn to the door. He played his part well enough to fall back as they walked back across the living room. This gave him ample opportunity, with little obstruction, to have a good look at Nikki’s ass. He loved the way it moved side to side, not to mention how big it was. Just as he wanted so badly to ask about what she’d been through and be that shoulder to cry on, Nikki wanted to ask if he was seeing anybody and why he lived in such a raggedy place with a five-star apartment. However, the two new acquaintances maintained their distance. Nikki simply didn’t have time for the extra stuff. Within a matter of seconds, she and Gracelyn were stepping out into the hallway. Gracelyn hugged her cousin and said goodbye. Nikki then did the same, thanking Steph.
“No problem,” Steph said then smiled. “Just let me know if you need anything else.”
Steph maintained eye contact with Nikki for a few seconds too long before closing the door. Gracelyn giggled as they headed back down the stairs and out into the parking lot.
“Girl, what you laughin’ at?” Nikki asked.
“Nothin’,” Gracelyn said, shaking her head. “Not a damn thing.”
The two of them got back into the car and quickly pulled off. “You know what?” Nikki said as she pulled up to the stop sign at the next intersection. “You should drive.”
Knowing exactly what kind of neighborhood they were driving through, Nikki and Gracelyn made it a point to move as quickly as possible. They jumped out of the car and switched sides, with Gracelyn now behind the wheel. Gracelyn pulled off. Nikki immediately noticed the way she monitored her speed.
“Come on, Grandma,” Nikki said sarcastically. “Can you drive this car or what? We ain’t got all night.”
Gracelyn, knowing that time truly was ticking, sped up. She made her way to the busy street and headed toward Ray’s place. On the way, she and Nikki talked about what they would do if he wasn’t there. And what they would do if he was. Most of the ride was an impatient journey for Nikki, as she was now thankful that Gracelyn had messed around with Breon’s boy Ray after all. If Gracelyn hadn’t done so, catching up to Breon could have been twice as hard, and possibly have taken twice as long.
CHAPTER 9
Breon zoomed over to Charles’ store. Part of him wanted to believe that what Wayne had just told him was all a crazy misunderstanding. Of course, he knew it wasn’t. Not only was Wayne not the kind of dude to do such a thing, but life was getting just a little too serious for anybody to start playing additional games. Breon took the shortest and quickest way over to Halsted Avenue. He then zoomed down the street and whipped around the corner. Against his better judgment, he parked down the block from the store. Quickly, he rushed up the sidewalk, against the wind. He banged on the dark door, hoping that this cold night wouldn’t get any colder.
“Open the door, nigga,” Breon said.
Within seconds, the door opened. Breon quickly stepped in as Wayne pushed the door closed and locked it. Since calling Breon, he and Jayron had searched the entire building to make sure that nobody else was there. Once they’d seen such to be the case, they both were more at ease. Breon looked at Wayne. “Nigga,” he said, “that nigga Dante got Charles?”
Without speaking, Wayne simply pointed toward the counter. Even though it was the middle of the night, and the only light in the store was a result of the street light just outside of the building, Breon could watch his step. He made his way over to the counter where it didn’t take him long to see Charles’ feet sticking out. Breon shook his head.
“This is fucked up,” Breon said, turning away. “This fuckin’ shit is just…man, that nigga Dante gotta be stopped.”
Breon realized that he hadn’t really said what’s up. He quickly did so to Jayron then Wayne. “Y’all sure ain’t nobody see y’all come in here?” he asked.
Wayne and Jayron looked toward the window. “Shit, I don’t know,” Wayne said. “I mean, when me and Jayron came walkin’ up, the buildin’ was already open and stuff. We just locked the door after we made sure that ain’t nobody else in here. So, I don’t know how long the fuckin’ door been open. Shit, for all we know, there coulda been some niggas up in here stealin’.”
“No, this ain’t no fuckin’ robbery,” Breon said, shaking his head.
“Naw, Breon, man,” Wayne said, “That ain’t what I’m sayin’. What I’m sayin’ is that since he was killed and shit, there coulda been some other niggas up here. But, I’m with you, though. I know this was Dante. This just seem like some shit he would do.”
“But how he know?” Breon asked, trying to connect dots. “How would he know that we was even here? It ain’t even like the streets had time to see us and for the word to get around or no shit like that. He had to know we was here somehow today.”
“That’s what I was thinkin,” Wayne said. “I mean, you know me and Ray wouldn’t let no shit like that out because it could mean a bullet in our heads and shit too. So, nigga, just know that, and I put that on everything that I love. I feel like maybe we was in fact bein’ watched when we was here or some shit. I mean, think about it. There was plenty of niggas in this store, comin’ in and out and shit that somebody, maybe is all I’m sayin’, mighta seen us comin’ outta here. That’s the only fuckin’ thing that I can think of.”
“And what’s this shit you was tellin’ me on the phone about your neighbor saying he saw Nikki knocking on your door?” Breon asked. “How the fuck would the nigga even know who Nikki ass is? I mean, damn, I know she sucked dick and stuff, but I ain’t think that she was gettin’ around like that and shit. Then again, shit I don’t know.”
“Man, he described her to me,” Wayne said. “And he went into detail and shit. Of course, I ain’t see her, but I got this strong feelin’ that it was that chick. And plus, my neighbor said that she looked like she was desperate and stuff. I think he thought she was some chick that was beatin’ my door down or somethin’, but I told that nigga I wouldn’t have no chick runnin’ down the street without no coat on and comin’ up to my door. He ain’t never seen me associate with them type of people.”
“I know what you mean,” Breon said.
“Right,” Wayne said. “So, that’s when I got to thinking. I mean, I was like it’s crazy how we went to Charles’ place just earlier and shit, right? That is some fucked up shit that she would just so happen to come running around from that corner? Nigga, I bet that nigga Dante had her at one place then moved her here.”
“Why you say that?” Breon asked.
Now was the time for Wayne and Jayron to show Breon the trail of blood. They weren’t sure how he would react, but they trusted that his hate toward Dante would only solidify even more. Wayne, leading the way, guided Breon with Jayron at the rear. The three men followed the smears of blood from the checkout lanes at the front of the store, through the aisles, then down into the basement. Breon, no matter what he’d seen in the streets, felt incredibly weary going deeper and deeper into a closed store. On top of that, while the store floor itself was relatively up to date, going into the basement was like going into a dungeon. The place really showed it’s age.
Breon’s face looked all sorts of confused when he looked into the back room of the basement. “What the fuck happened in here?” he said out loud, not
really thinking anyone present would have the answer.
“Shit, I don’t know for real,” Wayne said. “I mean, you see how there wasn’t no smear marks leadin’ to behind the counter. They was leadin’ out the door. I don’t know what the fuck. I think Nikki was kept here, but shit, like I said, I don’t know.”
“You don’t think the nigga Dante stabbed her and shit and sent her runnin’ into the cold or no shit like that, do you?” Breon asked.
“I mean,” Wayne said, “I feel like if this chick’s clothes had been dirty or anything like that, my neighbor would have noticed that shit. I mean, he probably woulda really came out and helped her and shit, but I don’t know. And plus with how snowy and shit it has been, especially this early in the winter, all that red woulda been showin’ if she had been stabbed. Plus, now that I think about it…”
“She wouldn’t have even been able to run and shit like that based on how much blood is on these damn floors,” Breon said.
“Exactly,” Jayron interjected. “That’s what I was thinkin’. She woulda been layin’ out on the sidewalk or some shit like that. I don’t even think she woulda been able to get to the end of the fuckin’ block if she was bleedin’ so damn much that it was smearin' all the way up the steps and across the store.”
“Right,” Wayne said. “You don’t think it was that nigga Dante, do you?”
“What you mean?” Breon asked.
“Maybe Nikki stabbed that nigga or some shit,” Wayne said, pointing at the bloody letter opener. “And she made a run for it. Somebody came along and dragged his ass out.”
Breon chuckled. “Doubt it,” he said. “You know that nigga is too fuckin’ slippery. I doubt he even let her get close to him like that. It ain’t gon’ be that fuckin’ easy.” Breon shook his head, as he simply couldn’t buy that story for what it was worth.
Wrath of a Side Chick 4 (Side Chick's Wrath) Page 11
