The Face That Launched A Thousand Bullets (The Cartel Publications Presents)

by Styles, T.

  But for now he would go to sleep.

  Crayland Bailor

  Arundel Mills, MD

  Jillian’s in Arundel Mills mall was crowded but Nyzon wanted to meet with Cray to discuss business. He sat nervously at the bar trying to figure out what to say to convince Cray to cross Melody. After all when Cray stepped to him a month ago about doing business since he had access to the connect, Nyzon denied him.

  One Month Earlier

  Nyzon had been waiting for Cray for thirty minutes when he finally strolled up to their usual location. He was late as rain.

  Mad as shit, Nyzon jumped into Cray’s ride and unleashed.

  “Fuck too you so long?” He threw him the duffle bag with the weight, looking around to be sure no one was watching.

  “I’m here now so calm the fuck down.” Cray said checking the contents of the bag before closing it shut.

  “Next time you waste somebody’s time, make sure it ain’t mine.”

  Nyzon was exiting the car when Cray said, “Give me a few ticks. I want to talk to you bout somethin’.”

  “What?”

  “I’m sorry…how do you DC boys say it…let me rap to you for a sec.” he said in a condescending tone.

  Nyzon smirked, but sat down and closed the door. He was curious. What could a D.C. dude and a Bmore cat possibly have in common? But he have a few minutes to spare so he gave it to him.

  “Make it quick.”

  “How long you been workin’ for Melody?”

  “Long enough.” Nyzon responded wanting him to get to the point. He was sick of looking at his gold hair wearin’, burgundy timbs lacin’, Baltimore bamma ass.

  “Okay…okay…,” Cray responded sensing he’d better speed it up. “I’ma come straight out wit it.”

  “Please do.”

  “Do you have access to Melody’s connect?”

  “Are you serious?” Nyzon said staring his ass down. He sat back in his seat and laughed in his face. “If I did why in the fuck would I tell you?”

  Cray looked out his window and back at Nyzon.

  “Don’t you get tired of being a mule? A fuckin’ flunkie?”

  “Don’t you? As far as I can see you pick up and drop off just like me.”

  “I’m serious! You can’t be gettin’ more than I do and I know I’m not gettin’ enough.”

  “The only thing I’m tired of is listenin’ to this shit. And as long as he’s payin’ me, I’m good.”

  “That’s just it, from what I hear, he ain’t even payin’ you. That niggas tellin’ everybody he pay you when the fuck he feel like it. And how you be beggin’ him for your money like one of his bitches.”

  Silence.

  “So you do wanna make some real money right?” Cray laughed and said, “No scratch that, do you want to make any money.”

  “You already know the answer.” He said irritated that Melody was playing him, and telling everybody about it.

  Cray took a deep breath, grabbed his chin and said, “If a situation presented itself…and we stood to gain way more than we’d lose, would you go for it?”

  “With who? Your bamma ass?”

  “Let’s stop wit the compliments, country ass nigga.” He said talking calmer than he usually would have under the circumstances. “Would you do it or not?”

  “It depends.” Nyzon said looking out the window before unlocking the car door.

  “On what?”

  “If I’m ready to die.” With that he jumped out the car and walked toward his.

  Cray backed up the rental and said, “In that case this conversation never happened right?”

  Nyzon pulled off without answering his question. To this day Cray never knew why Nyzon kept his secret. He just did.

  And now that the tables were turned, it was Nyzon who needed Cray’s help. And without hesitation, Cray agreed to meet him.

  Nyzon had just ordered a vodka and orange juice when Cray walked into Jillian’s, late as usual.

  “What up, nigga?” Cray said giving him some dap.

  “Ain’t shit!” Nyzon said.

  “Aye, yo…give me two of what he just had.” He told the bartender.

  “You can’t handle this shit, youngin’. You betta stay in your league.”

  “Yeah a’ight! I drink this shit in my sleep, partna.” Cray drank both drinks and asked for another.

  “I bet.” Nyzon said sizing him up.

  Can I trust your ass? He thought.

  “Where you rollin’ to tonight?” Nyzon was trying to make small talk because outside of handling business with this mothafucka, for real he didn’t know him.

  “My man’s throwin’ somethin’ at this place in the city but I got to pick up my new ride first.” Cray downed his entire drink and flagged him for another. “You should come through.”

  “Me get down in Bmore? Wit’ all that club music and shit? No thank you.”

  He could tell Cray was a little salty but he was speaking the truth. His truth.

  “Like Go-Go music much betta. Come on now, must ya’ll niggas steal every song that come out?”

  “Steal it? We empower it, man!”

  They both laughed at that bullshit.

  “No seriously…what’s good? I know something’s up.” Cray asked.

  “Yeah…that nigga Melody done me greasy, and I’m ready to take you up on your offer. That is if it’s still available.”

  Cray smiled slyly.

  “What’s funny?”

  “Nothin, that nigga’s reckless wit’ his operation. Plus I ain’t gettin’ enough for the things I want to do.” Cray confirmed. “I been lookin’ for a reason to cut him off.”

  “Well here it is. You still down?”

  “You still got access to the connect?”

  “I know who he is, but we need distribution. My cousin got a few cats in DC who can move it no problem. But the connect don’t fuck wit nobody without real money for real weight. So the folks I got in Southeast and Southwest ain’t enough to move it.”

  “How much he askin’ for?”

  “A mill.” Nyzon confirmed.

  “I can get the cash no problem. I’ll have to hit a few niggas heads but it’ll be all good.”

  “So what’s up? When can you come up wit your cake?”

  “Give me two months. I have to handle a few things, but I’ma hit you back. Be gettin’ your starting line up together and I’ll be getting mine. If you’re really serious, I’ll know then.”

  “You ain’t said nothin’ but a thing.” Nyzon said eager to stack his chips.

  “Imagine this,” Cray said.

  “What?”

  “Two enemies uniting.”

  “Unlike niggas who smile in your face, at least we’ve always known where the other was coming from.”

  “No doubt.”

  Introducing…Tiara Cartier

  Reisterstown, MD

  Crash

  Kavon sat at the kitchen table with his real estate books and papers spread out. For the second he put his work aside and focused on his daughter’s. Tiara stood over him as he looked at the homework from high school in his hand.

  Six months had passed since they moved in a small two-bedroom home in Baltimore county. He moved from DC hoping to get her away from the lures of the street. What he forgot was that ever city has a corner.

  “Well, daddy? Is it okay?” Tiara asked standing over him, her beautiful golden hair in a long ponytail.

  Silence.

  “Its okay, Tiara, but I still feel you’re rushing. Now I know you wanna roll wit them skanks you got for friends, and that’s all well and good, but I want your focus to remain on school.”

  She sighed.

  Yolanda and Felecia were the only friends she had and he hated them both.

  “I’m serious! You’re going to college so you don’t have to worry about these niggas out here takin’ care of you. And I’ma see to it.”

  “I know, daddy. You tell me that everyday.”

&nb
sp; “Don’t sass me.”

  “I’m not trying to but I’m working hard.”

  Kavon handed her back the assignment and opened his books. “Not hard enough.”

  Tiara remained over him.

  “Now what’s up?” he asked when he noticed she hadn’t gone to her room.

  Tiara was hesitant. He’d just finished expressing how he felt about Yolanda and Felecia so how could she ask him to go out with them?

  “Felecia and Yolanda want me to hang out with them at…”

  “Not tonight. You have an exam tomorrow.” He said cutting her off.

  “But, daddy….”

  “No, Tiara! They’re just using you for your car. Now let me finish my work.”

  Tiara walked away, defeated.

  Two Hours Later

  Tiara sat in her room with Felecia and Yolanda. Her wooden canopy bed sat in the middle of the floor and the white chiffon curtains were drooped along the sides. The dresser matched the light colored wood and had a mirror large enough for her to see her body if she stepped a few feet away.

  “So we goin’ out tonight?” Felecia asked as she strutted in front of the mirror with her tight jean shorts and her red halter top.

  Felecia had a beautiful dark chocolate complexion and a shapely body but her poor taste in clothes made her look cheap. “Cause I ain’t had no dick in days!”

  “Bitch you was just fuckin’ Kenny’s ass last night.” Yolanda reminded her.

  She was more conservative in her blue jeans and her white Armani Exchange t-shirt. Yolanda had a vanilla milk complexion and a body that still expressed her adolescence. She didn’t feel out as well as Felecia and Tiara. She was just a cute girl.

  “I meant good dick!” Felecia looked at her and rolled her eyes. “Everybody not like you Yolanda…some of us need a good man up under us.”

  Her need for a man was probably why her snatch was always funky. It seemed like Felecia had a new man every other day. And with her mother being the church’s jezebel it’s easy to see how the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

  “I can’t mess wit it tonight.” Tiara said walking to the mirror. Although they’d known her for months, every time she moved, they had to look at her. They figured if they stared at her hard enough, they’d could find one flaw on her beautiful body. But from the top of her beautiful golden hair to the bottom of her tiny little feet she was perfect. “I got an exam tomorrow.”

  “What is up wit you and school?” Felecia was the troublemaker out the group but she didn’t see it that way.

  “You know how my father is about school.”

  “Come on, Tiara…Kavon is fine and everything, and he maybe your dad, but tonight Hammerjacks is gonna be jumpin! You gotta roll wit us. You need a man. If your father had it his way you’d be fuckin’ him.”

  “Don’t say that!” Yolanda defended.

  “It’s true! I wonder if you look like your mother because he be obessesing over you hard!”

  “Please don’t say those things about my father.”

  “Please don’t say those things about my father,” she teased.

  “I can’t go. He told me no and I can’t lie to him. Maybe we can go to the movies or somethin’ tomorrow.”

  “Movies?” Felecia laughed in her face. “Bitch you is soooooo green!”

  “Don’t ask her to do nothin’ you wouldn’t do.” Yolanda sat down on the soft bed. “On second thought, don’t ask her to do nothin’ at all.”

  They all laughed because they knew full well Felecia was without limits.

  “I’m tryin’ to get her out the house for a change. That’s why people think you a joke cause you never go nowhere!” Felecia was trying her hardest to play on her emotions.

  Although Kavon instilled virtues in Tiara, she didn’t have a backbone. There were plenty of times Felecia threatened not to be her friend if she didn’t do what she wanted. Because after all of the years of having no security, all she wanted was acceptance.

  “I hope yall have fun, because I can’t go.” She was trying to talk calmly to Felecia because she knew she could say things to instantly cause her to cry. “Just tell me how it is.”

  “You know what…you gets the fuck on my nerves! That’s why don’t nobody hang wit you but us ‘cause you slow.” She gathered her things preparing to leave.

  “You comin’ wit me Yolanda?” she asked approaching the door.

  Tiara knew Yolanda knew Felecia longer so by default, always took her side.

  “Call me later Tiara.” She said walking behind her.

  When they left she through herself on the bed and cried.

  Even Later That Night

  After Tiara kissed her father good night, she sat on the edge of her bed looking at her phone. Now what was she going to do? Be bored all night?

  “I’ll just call them and see what they’re doin.” She said as she picked up her phone and called Yolanda.

  She chose her first because even though she followed behind Felecia, she was always easier to talk to.

  “Yolanda…what you doin’?”

  “Gettin’ ready to go out.” The music was blasting in the background.

  “Ya’ll goin’ to the club anyway?”

  “Yeah…we gettin’ dressed now.” Tiara tried to prevent the wave of jealousy from taking over.

  “Who that? Tiara?!” Felecia’s voice came bellowing through the phone line. “Cause tell her we ain’t got time for no green ass females.”

  “Tiara, we ‘bout to roll.” Yolanda’s voice was sympathetic and low. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “Uh…well…how you gettin’ there?” Tiara was doing her best to maintain hold of her friends. “Cause I was gonna meet ya’ll up there.”

  “For real! Don’t play if you not comin!” Yolanda’s voice was heavy with excitement.

  “Yeah…I’m not worried bout my father. He gon be a’ight.”

  “Tiara, said she meetin’ us down there.” Yolanda informed Felecia muffling the receiver so Tiara couldn’t hear if she said something bad.

  There was some slight commotion before Felecia got on the phone. Tiara’s heart sped up as she wondered if Felecia would be okay with it.

  “You finally come to your senses?”

  “I guess…ya’ll need a ride?”

  “No…we good.”

  Tiara felt an instant sense of lost.

  “But….my suga daddy was gonna get on my nerves anyway. So if you want to roll, we’ll be over there in fifteen. We’ll let you take us instead.”

  Tiara quickly got off the phone and rummaged through her closet. She had to look fly if she wanted to be seen with Felecia. Because although Tiara was beautiful, she didn’t have any taste in clothing. Kavon did a good job of buying her things that were cute, but not sexy.

  She settled on the black skirt she wore for church, which covered her knees, and a button down white blouse, which she also wore on Sunday morning. The moment she came outside, Felecia ate her up.

  “Yo…what the fuck do you have on?” she laughed so loud Tiara was sure her neighbors heard her. And sense it was 11:00 at night, she worried her father would too.

  “Come on, Felecia…my neighbors might hear you.” She whispered as she unlocked the car doors of her blue Nissan Sentra and let them in. “This all I got.”

  “Girl…they gonna laugh your ass out the club! Why you ain’t tell me you ain’t have shit? I coulda bought somethin’ out for you to wear.”

  “She can’t fit none of your stuff.” Yolanda reminded her. Tiara turned on the ignition and pulled out the driveway, trying to focus on the road instead of her friends. But being a rookie driver, this was not an easy feat. Kavon knew it that’s why he forbade her to drive alone at night.

  “I was just gonna play the sidelines anyway. I’m not lookin’ for nobody.” Tiara responded.

  “Are you gonna turn out to be a lesbian or somethin’? Cause I never met a bitch who didn’t want a man.” Felecia adjusted her hair in the mir
ror.

  “I didn’t mean it like that. I’ma get a job this summer anyway and buy my own stuff.”

  “I be glad when you do…I can’t stand going nowhere wit no body lookin’ like a bum bitch. And why you drivin’ so slow? We gon miss half the fun.”

  Felecia’s complaints were making Tiara uncomfortable and she was starting to sweat. It was bad enough she was lying to her father, something she never did, but then Felecia’s hoe ass was fucking with her. Her stomach felt queasy and she wished she wasn’t so far away from her house because for real, she would’ve turned around.

  “Can you hurry up please!” Felecia continued to scream and act like a stone cold bitch in the back seat of the car.

  “You okay?” Yolanda’s voice was soothing but not enough to break her nervousness. “I can drive a little if you want me to.”

  “She fine!” Felecia yelled from the back seat of the car. “Let her drive.”

  Tiara did her best to drive until she slammed in the back of a brand new black Lexus with paper tags, tearing the entire back bumper off.

  “Oh shit!” Felecia gripped her mouth after seeing the car.

  “Oh no!!!” Yolanda screamed.

  The driver of the car got out fuming mad! He examined the damage and placed his hands on the side of his head before dropping them.