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

by Styles, T.

  He smacked her in the face so hard her lips bled.

  “Stay the fuck away from me.”

  “Nyzon, please.” She said rubbing her face. We aren’t family now. There’s no reason why we can’t be together.”

  “If my aunt didn’t have ties to you I’d murder you right now.”

  Suddenly the pain from her face was wiped away and was replaced with rage.

  “You’re gonna wish you didn’t know me.”

  “I already do.” Nyzon said backing up walking away. “I already do.”

  Tiara Knight

  Love His Swag

  Tiara had been kicking it with Shelton strong. Everyday he’d stop by her school and they’d talk for hours at a nearby restaurant. She know longer worried about Cray finding out because he spent so much time in D.C. with his squad, that he didn’t have time for her anymore.

  It was 1:00 in the afternoon and she waited fifteen minutes in the Target parking lot in Maryland for Shelton to pull up. She had a hair appointment at 1:00 but knew they wouldn’t get around to her until 7 because they were so unprofessional. So she hadn’t planned on showing up at the salon until five. This would give her more time with Shelton.

  “Excuse me, can I talk to you for a second?” Nyzon asked pulling up to her.

  “No. Sorry.” She played along. “I’m waiting on this cute dude I’m feeling from D.C. so you might as well keep it moving.”

  She giggled trying to contain herself. She loved the games they played. With all the fun they had with one another, they still had not been intimate.

  “It’s like that? Cause on the real, I know that nigga ain’t finer than me.”

  She looked him over once and said, “You right. I’m rollin’ wit you.”

  Soft laughter filled the car when she hopped inside and kissed him gently on the cheek. She was falling for him, and he was falling for her. The relationship grew strong because they were friends above everything, with nothing to lose.

  “My girl,” he said.

  “I’m so happy to see you. Why you got me thinkin’ about you all day everyday?”

  “You not alone.”

  “I hope not. I don’t want to be a fool.”

  “Trust me.” He said. “Where you goin’ later?” he asked as he whipped out of the parking lot.

  “You know I got my hair appointment later but I got some time to kick it with you. There’s a party I have to get ready for.” She placed her seatbelt on and he looked at the curves of her body. She was the baddest female he’d ever seen in his life.

  “A’ight…there’s been a slight change of plans.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “What I tell you about trustin’ me?”

  “That no matter what, I always can.”

  The Airport

  Tiara sat nervously in the airport waiting on Shelton. He disappeared for a minute to make a call and she wondered where he’d gone. Minutes later he returned and held her hand. She wondered what his plan was because wherever they were going, she had to be back that night.

  “You a’ight?” he asked excited at whatever he had in store.

  “I’m fine.” Her voice low and worried.

  “You trust me right?”

  “Yes. I just don’t trust myself. I feel reckless with you. Why is that?”

  “Let’s not worry about the details. Let’s just be.”

  Once she boarded the plane leading to Vegas, she was suddenly excited. For that day she’d act as if her life with Cray didn’t exist. Shelton filled something in her heart that she longed for and had been missing ever since her father died. And she wanted to hold on to it for as long as possible.

  When they landed they jumped into a beautiful silver stretch Hummer limo leading to the MGM. He’d rented a Sky Loft for one night just to get away. The moment they opened the door she saw beautiful red roses and a large dish of chocolate covered strawberries on the table. The large window was open and the view captivated her. She’d never been out of DC and Bmore in all her life.

  “This is beautiful.” She said looking out the window. Shelton pulled up two chairs for them to sit down to enjoy the view. For a second she stared at him. “Who are you? And where did you come from?”

  “I’m just a man, feelin’ a woman.” She blushed. “Tiara, I don’t want you thinkin’ I’m bringing you out here just to fuck. I mean if you want to, we can get busy but it’s not like that with me.”

  She laughed.

  “I’m really feelin’ you.” He reassured. “And right now, I got a lot of shit going on in my life, and being with you is the only time I’m not trippin’ off of any of it.”

  “I feel the same, Shelton.”

  “So let’s get somethin’ to eat and kick it. No strings attached. You cool wit that?”

  “Of course.”

  They talked for hours about life and their dreams. He asked about her father and when she cried, he held her tight. She wasn’t even allowed to mention her father to Cray so off the break, Shelton made her feel comfortable. Cray said talking about Kavon made her weak, but Shelton embraced the memories. Through it all, she never mentioned, Cray’s name and Nyzon never asked.

  He wanted to know about the man who was responsible in bringing Tiara into the world. And when she talked about her mother, she cried even more. He was disgusted at how she lived in DC, and how her mother turned her back on her. He wanted to talk about his experience with his mother but decided against it. This was her time and he wanted to be there for her.

  When it got later, she remembered her hair wasn’t done. Cray would definitely know she lied if she walked in the house like that. If he noticed nothing about her, he noticed her hair. He could tell when it had been washed because it had a golden sheen to it and smelled fresh.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “If I don’t get my hair done he’ll know I lied.” She was careful not to mention Cray’s name realizing he was well known and she was pretty sure Shelton dealt in drugs too.

  “I thought you trusted me?”

  “I do but…” just before she could say anything else someone knocked at the door.

  When he opened it, a pretty black girl with a golden weave was on the other side. Her name was Tangee. She had a large gold bag in her hands filled with hair supplies. Turns out she was a hairdresser who when she was done whipped Tiara’s hair up so good, she had to get her card. Shelton flew her all the way from Baltimore just to hook Tiara up. That was what he was doing when he left her in the airport. With her hair done and the night approaching an end, they left the hotel to get back on the plane.

  Shelton was sleep until he felt her staring at him. He opened his eyes slowly to take in her beauty.

  “What you lookin’ at girl?” he joked.

  “Nothing. I finally figured out who you remind me of.”

  “Who?” he asked ready to hear her answer.

  “My father. He was the only man that truly loved and cared about me.”

  “Well as long as I’m alive, and as long as you let me, I’ll always care about you too.”

  She sat back in her seat and exhaled.

  For the first time in her life, she’d come within the presence of real love.

  Nyzon Peate

  Same Girl

  Nyzon pulled up fifteen minutes early at Cray’s crib to grab his dough to jet back out the front door to see Tiara. Devon was just released from prison on a drug charge and Cray was throwing a party so big, it cost him half a million dollars.

  The moment Nyzon knocked on the door he laughed after realizing Cray was already drunk.

  “What up nigga?” he had a glass of Hennessy in his hands.

  “Damn! You startin’ already?”

  Cray laughed.

  “You know how we do! It’s nonstop today, man.”

  “I heard that. But look, I can’t stay. You got the cash?”

  “Yo, just dropped it off.”

  Cray opened the door wider and Nyzon walked inside eyei
ng his crib as usual. Everything was neat and in its place and he could tell his girl kept a clean house.

  “My bitch got ya cash downstairs.”

  “You wild, man. You betta not say that shit loud before she hear your ass.”

  “And do what?” Cray said breath smelling like the alcohol bottle. “I run this shit. Watch this. Hey, bitch!” he screamed downstairs. “Bring that duffle up here!”

  Nyzon laughed so hard he couldn’t contain himself.

  “Let me sit over here away from your ass in case she come up here swingin’.”

  Nyzon plopped down on the couch and texted Tiara.

  I can’t wait to see you. I know you’re life is full, but I wanna discuss the next level. For us. I think it’s time.

  He was still waiting on her response when he saw a beautiful woman with golden hair walking upstairs with her phone in one hand and a duffle bag in the other. The phone in her hand chimed and she smiled after receiving a message. His message.

  “Here you go, baby?”

  She was totally oblivious to another man inside their home or him calling her a bitch. She was used to the disrespect and with Nyzon in her life, she no longer cared.

  “Tiara put that shit down. I want you to meet somebody.”

  She smiled handing the bag to Cray until she saw Nyzon sitting on her sofa. Both of them looked at each other as if the devil had presented himself to them both. Nyzon felt a major blow as he looked at Tiara. How could he be so stupid? A female that bad had to belong to a nigga who could afford her. And in Baltimore city, Cray was it. Had he asked more questions, he would’ve figured it out.

  “Nyzon…you a’ight man?” Cray asked sensing the tension between them. He looked at them both trying to figure out what was up.

  “Oh…yeah…uh…when I first saw her, she reminded me of somebody I thought I knew.”

  Silence.

  “So you gonna introduce us or what?” Nyzon said. He stood up and walked over to them.

  He was doing his best to ease the thick vibe in the air. And when he looked at Tiara, he saw a single tear fall from her eye. She thought as he did, their romance although new, was already over.

  “Oh…yeah, this is my shawty Tiara and this is Nyzon.” Cray placed one hand on Tiara’s back and the other on Nyzon’s shoulder. “This my partner from DC I been tellin’ you about.”

  “Nyzon?” she said as if it were a question more than his name.

  But I thought his name was Shelton. She thought.

  “Yeah…Nyzon.” He shook her hand as if it he hadn’t just held it for hours on a plane.

  Cray no longer caring about the connection he saw between them, because he was so drunk, dismissed Tiara.

  “Aight, get lost. I gotta talk to, Ny.”

  She couldn’t move.

  “Bitch, you heard what I said? Get lost.”

  “Hey…you don’t have to talk to her like that, Cray.”

  Cray laughed.

  “Stop trippin’ off of these bitches. You gotta keep ‘em in check.”

  Nyzon was seconds from dropping him on the floor. Luckily for him, Tiara hurriedly walked down the stairs.

  When she left, Cray rattled off the plans for tonight’s events. On and on he talked about the shit he had lined up for his cousin Devon. And how when Devon came home, he’d be set for life.

  While Nyzon and Tiara on the other hand, saw their lives falling apart.

  The Kings Of 295

  Martin’s West, Woodlawn Maryland

  The Release

  Martins West was filled to capacity the evening of Devon’s release. Cray made sure his money was well spent. There were ice sculptures in the shape of dollar signs and free flowing fountains of Kettle One and Hennessey. And he even sent out free IPod’s with video invitations loaded on them a month before the event with all of the latest music.

  The party was hot!

  To top it all off, Cray saw to it that the women outnumbered the men two to one.

  Through all the chatter, Devon’s voice could be heard clearly over the music and the sounds of champagne glasses clinking against one another played in the background. Cray had yet to arrive and when everybody kept calling him on his phone, he kept saying he was on his way. The Kings knew he was trying to make an entrance with Tiara on his arm. It would be the first time he’d introduce his trophy girl to everyone else in his crew. Some saw her before he cleaned her up but most didn’t.

  “So I here ya’ll out here doin’ big things!” Devon said to Jason while a female especially chosen for him sat on his lap and kissed him on his neck. “They tellin’ me ya’ll youngins got so much money, ya’ll can’t even spend it.”

  “You heard right, man. Cray got up wit them DC niggas and we ain’t looked back since.”

  “I heard about that shit.” He sipped his vodka before kissing the chocolate female in his lap then pouring the liquor in her mouth from his. “I don’t know about some of ya’ll decisions though.”

  “Why you say that?”

  “I’ma cut to the chase cause that’s how I do. I’m not down with yall trustin’ DC niggas and shit?”

  “Why?”

  “Cause history shows that they can’t be trusted.”

  “Nyzon cool. He got Cray’s back.”

  Devon laughed.

  “You still a kid.” He said shaking his head.

  Jason was offended but kept his comments to himself. Besides, he respected Devon.

  “Look, I’m back home and a lot of shit gonna change. For real if we runnin’ shit the way they say we do, ain’t no need to deal wit DC blood no more. Let’s keep it in the family. The more money, the more betta.”

  “I feel you.” Jason said nodding in agreement. “The thing is, Nyzon got the connect info so it ain’t that easy.”

  “Cray let that shit ride like that?”

  “He trusts him. We trust him.”

  Just when Devon was getting ready to pick Jason’s bitch ass for some more information, Cray walked through the door with Tiara on his arm. She wore this stunning form fitting red dress by Valentino and all mouths dropped. It would be the first time some people saw her but her beauty would be engraved in their minds forever. There wasn’t a female in the room who could touch her.

  Cray came through the door wearing a pair of Red Monkey jeans, a red shirt and some fresh red Air Force ones. He was also sporting a brand new platinum diamond chain he had made which read, The King of 295.

  Shortly afterwards, Nyzon came through with Angel on his arm looking as luscious and as phat as ever, in a short pink one piece dress. But as bad as she was, the moment Nyzon saw Tiara, the two stared at each other as if they were all alone. For that moment, Angel didn’t exist. It was like falling in love all over again. How could they get through the party without talking to one another?

  Nyzon’s dark blue pen stripe suit made him look edible. And the five carat diamond ring in his left ear shined like the star he was. The Kings were doing it balla style! Nyzon mingled a little allowing Cray the time to kick it with his cousin.

  “Is that my cousin ova that mothafucka?” Cray yelled walking up to Devon.

  They embraced each other in a manly hug as the females flocked hoping to get their attentions. Cray had hired a video team to follow him around like paparazzi so he seemed larger than life. Before Devon could answer his cousin, they posed for a picture.

  “Who else can look as fresh as me?!” Devon responded as they took their seats and Devon eyed Tiara.

  “Baby, this is my favorite cousin.” Cray said. “The one I was telling you about.

  Tiara shook his hand softly. And he shook his head three times in disbelief. Her exotic appeal got his dick hard.

  “Hi, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She said. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

  Devon licked his lips before saying, “My man, I see you’ve done better for yourself than I thought. Where did you find her? They don’t make ‘em like this no more.”

  “Yo
u thought I was play pippin’?” Cray asked. “Only the baddest bitches for the baddest nigga.”

  They both laughed but Tiara felt humiliated.

  “Baby, let me find my friends.”

  When she stood up, he smacked her in the ass. She was so embarrassed her face turned red. And, the moment she stood up, two sexy twins came and sat on his lap. It was like they were waiting in the darkness like most snakes do.

  “Don’t go too far. I might need to show you off to a few more niggas. And we gonna have to get that tattoo on your arm that says, Cray’s bitch, we talked about. ‘Cause I know niggas gonna be gawking’. Remember who you belong to aight?” he said as one of the women kissed him in the mouth.

  “I know who I belong to,” she smiled thinking of Nyzon.

  Knowing Cray was in his element, she walked off to find Felecia and Yolanda who were around the other Kings.

  When she left Cray and Devon got situated and got right down to business.

  “So I’m hearing you puttin’ in work wit DC dudes?” Devon asked downing more liquor. “What…ain’t no loyal Bmore niggas ‘round no more?”

  “It ain’t even like that. Da nigga had access to a connect wit the best shit around. We can step on his product five times and still put out a banger.”

  “Well I’m out now so you betta put it down to main man that I’m gonna be hands on wit the family business. Seein’ as though I put funds in the original package too.”

  Cray didn’t want to tell him that his measly fifty thousand couldn’t even cover one percent of the dough they spent. It was the money he stole from Tiara that Kavon hid in his apartment that helped with his portion of the weight. Tiara had no idea that the key around her neck belonged to a safe deposit box full of cash, and he’d never tell her.