by Styles, T.
“Yeah you really came through. Good lookin’ out.”
She smiled. “So…so you gonna let me go now?”
“Yeah. After you hold something for me.”
He fired inside of her, killing her instantly.
“Damn, man!” Blunt said. “Fuck you do that for?”
“No witnesses. You know the rule.”
Blunt and Jinx thought he was going too far. He was crossing the line between business and vengeance and they didn’t like it one bit.
“Now lets go get this nigga.” Cray said wiping the bloody barrel of the gun on Monesha’s shirt. “I’m tired of fuckin’ wit this dude.”
Nyzon Peate
Tiara’s Mom’s Apartment In DC
Apple Of His Eyes
Tara’s apartment was small and cozy but lonely. She’d been clean for a year but still looked unhappy. Nyzon believed she needed to see Tiara just as much as Tiara needed to see her. It was amazing how much they looked alike and before now, he never thought another woman existed whose beauty could challenge hers. He was wrong.
When Nyzon glanced at the coffee table, he saw a framed picture of a man who looked familiar to him. Where had he seen him before?
“Who is that?” He asked Tara.
She lifted the picture and gazed at it as if it was the first time she’d seen it. She smiled and said, “It’s Kavon, Tiara’s father.”
Tiara looked at the picture also and a single tear fell down her face. Nyzon softly kissed it away and held her closely.
“He still loves you.” Nyzon reassured her. “And trust me he got your back.” Tara looked at their display of affection and knew it was genuine. “I’ve seen him somewhere before.”
Tiara looked up at him slightly confused. Neither she nor he knew he was the man Nyzon encountered when he went to the safety deposit box a while back. And because he’d come in contact with so many in his lifetime, he left the matter alone.
Tiara’s eyes suddenly searched her mother’s apartment. It was as if she was looking for something.
“I’m sorry, Tiara. I don’t have any pictures of you here.”
Tiara’s head dropped.
“It was too painful. After all, I am the reason we don’t have a relationship. I failed you.”
“Is it something I did?” Tiara asked. “Was I bad as a child?”
Hearing her pain caused Nyzon’s heart to ache and he was hoping her mother accepted her failure fully, thereby freeing his girl from years of pain.
“It was me. All me.”
“But Why? I want to understand what I did to you to make you hate me.” Tiara said looking at her mother, with tears in her eyes. “Why would you put me through so much? All I wanted to do was make you happy.”
“I was strung out. It took me a year to come to terms with what I did to you. But I’m willing to work on our relationship if you give me a chance. Will you?”
Tiara looked at Nyzon and he said, “I’ll support whatever you want but only if you do it for yourself.”
He wanted her to know without saying, that whether she accepted or denied her invitation for a relationship, he didn’t care. He just wanted her happy.
“Yes mamma.” She said hugging her. “Yes I will.”
Nyzon remained quiet as the two talked for hours. His mind was on the drama that lay before them. Tara told Tiara stuff about her father she never knew, including the fact that he was a drug dealer and that his best friend raped her while she was pregnant. Tara went on to say how much Nyzon reminded her of Kavon. And because Tiara had been saying that for the longest, he believed her.
“I’m gonna make you guys something to eat.” She said pulling herself away from them after checking her watch. “I’ll be right back.” She walked into the kitchen and disappeared.
“I love you for finding my mom for me.” Tiara said kissing his lips softly. “And I can’t wait to spend eternity with you.”
That reminded Nyzon why it was as important for him to find Tara. He wanted to ask her for her blessings to propose to Tiara. In fact, it was the only reason he was there and not trying to retaliate against Cray for killing his cousin. They had to get out of town. Of course he still had plans to repay him but he realized now was not the time. He had to get Tiara away safe.
“Anything for you, babe.” He placed his hand on her knee. “Just as long as you’re happy. Let me talk to your mother for a minute. Alone. I have to ask her something.”
“Okay.” She smiled.
With the ring tucked in his pocket, he walked toward the kitchen. He was nervous but knew there was no other woman for him.
But the moment he walked into the kitchen he heard, “Yeah…they’re here.”
He stopped in his footsteps.
“I’ll keep them busy, just bring my money.”
Nyzon couldn’t believe his ears. How could a mother be so devious that she’d put her only child in danger? When she turned around and saw him standing there, the phone dropped out of her hands.
“If Tiara wasn’t in there I’d put a bullet in your face right now.”
She smiled.
“Do you really think I care? I died the moment she took Kavon from me.” He knew then she was a selfish ass bitch. “That little whore stole everything from me the moment I pushed her out of my bloody pussy.”
“You think your daughter took your husband away from you? You’re fuckin’ sick!” he said as he grabbed her face and squeezed it in his hands. Her entire face turned red. “Stay the fuck away from her!” he turned around and yelled, “Tiara!”
Tara’s eyes widened wondering if he was going to confront her right there. When Tiara came in the kitchen smiling, he hugged at her waist.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
“We gotta go. Your moms havin’ company and we got to keep movin’.”
“But I’m not ready.”
“Tiara!” Nyzon said firmly. “We gotta go and we gotta go now!”
Nyzon never talked to her so firmly so she knew he was serious. Plus with everything going on, Nyzon was right. It was selfish of her to ask him to stay longer when he’d just lost his cousin.
She grabbed her things and said, “Bye, mama.” She hugged her tightly. “I’ll be in contact.”
Not if I can help it. Nyzon thought. He called Royala while she talked to her mother and within five minutes she was there.
The moment they left and jumped in Royala’s silver Escalade Nyzon asked, “Where’s Simon?”
“He ain’t comin’.” She said softly opening the door. “He’s messed up about Cooks.”
Nyzon understood as he slid in the backseat and Tiara sat in the front. The door wasn’t all the way closed before bullets rang out crashing into the back window of Royala’s new ride. They ducked inside and the bullets exited out the front window shattering it terribly.
Royala raised her foot and kicked the front window out. Her driving skills couldn’t be fucked with and she managed to pull off before anybody was hurt.
Nyzon’s mind raced. The love of his life and his best friend were in that car and he had to make a decision. He couldn’t risk something happening to them. He had to settle things for once and for all. It was already his fault that Cooks was dead, he would’ve died if Tiara and Royala were hurt too.
“Royal, pull over and let me deal with this shit, man.” He said loudly spotting a closed Honda dealership up the street.
“Naw dog I got you! I’ma bout to shake these niggas off our trail.” She said looking at him from the rearview mirror while dodging the danger that followed.
“Royal! I’m serious!” He said looking back at her. “Let me out.”
Royala was still driving hurriedly when she realized he wasn’t playing. “Stop at the car lot up the street on the left.”
“Ny, now is not the time to play hero.”
“I’m serious! Just take care of Tiara for me.”
“Baby, what are you doing?” Tiara asked turning around to look at him. “He’ll
kill you.”
Nyzon was silent. Besides, she was right.
Royala dipped into the car lot far enough ahead of Cray for them to get away.
“Dog, what are you doin?” Royala asked.
“Later for that shit. Right now I’m about to ask the woman I love to marry me.”
Tiara looked at him lovingly but with a frightened face.
“Baby, I didn’t know what love was before I met you.” He said as he grabbed her hand and caressed it softly. Royala kept a look out. “I couldn’t even imagine it. Now I can’t see my life without you in it. You’re fuckin’ everything to me. All the shit I ever did both good and bad was for this moment.”
“Nyzon, please….don’t,” she was interrupted.
“Let me finish. Now I planned on asking you to marry me under better circumstances, but I need the strength of your love right now to get me through this shit. So I’m askin’, will you be my wife?”
He opened the ring box and exposed the six-carat diamond ring.
“Yes! I will! Yes I will!”
She through her arms around his neck and he gripped her as best he could from the back seat.
Royala wiped a single tear from her face too.
“Hold up, I know that ain’t my dog up there cryin’.”
“Nigga. fuck you!” she joked. “But you gotta go, Ny. They comin’.”
“I’ll be back, Tiara. Wait for me.”
When he opened the door, Tiara tried to jump out. “Hold her Royal! Don’t let her get out!”
Her legs dangled from the car door as Royala grabbed the back of her shirt and her hair to keep her inside.
“I’m comin’ back Ny!” Royala promised putting the car back into gear.
“Just go! Get her away and safe! I love you, Tiara!”
Right before Tiara jumped out, Royala pulled off leaving Nyzon standing. When he saw the passenger door closed, he exhaled. They were safe and he was thankful. He hopped on the roof of a new Honda Accord, took his shirt off and waited for Cray.
Crayland Bailor
Face Off
They dipped in and out of traffic until they saw what looked like Nyzon sitting on a car in the parking lot of a Honda dealership.
“Yo am I trippin’ or is that, that nigga right there?” Cray asked spotting him standing on top of the car.
The car whipped into the lot so quickly, they almost bumped the car Nyzon was standing on. He hopped off the car, dusted off the back of his pants and stood up. He waited patiently for the four men to approach him.
“You gotta be on somethin’.” Cray said with crazed eyes. “Or you must be ready to die.”
They surrounded him but Nyzon wasn’t scared, he was just alone.
“I’m out here ‘cause I’m not a bitch.” Devon stood behind him Cray. “You are.”
“I’m a bitch?” Cray said pointing to himself. “You steal my girl and I’m a bitch?”
“I aint’ steal shit! You can’t steal what doesn’t belong to you.” Nyzon responded as the two men stepped closer to each other.
“You’s a funny nigga, huh? You DC niggas always think you funny. Ya’ll ain’t nothin’ but a bunch of clowns.”
“If you a real man, you’d put the gun down and fight me straight up.” Cray and his boys laughed.
“Yo, Cray why we wastin’ time?” Devon asked. “Put him in the trunk and lets run this fool until he gives us the connect info.” He looked nervously behind him afterward.
“Is that all you want?” Nyzon laughed looking at Devon than Cray. “You ain’t got to take me no where for that shit. If this nigga can whip me straight up, I’ll write the information down and call him for you right now.” Nyzon offered Cray up in front of his boys and if he didn’t take the bait, he would no doubt look like a bitch.
“Take the offer, Cray. That’s what we need, man,” Devon advised.
“What about Tiara? Where is she?”
“I’d lay down my life before I tell you where she’s at. Take the connect, or take my life.”
Devon was growing irritated with his lovesick cousin.
“Let me find out you scared to fight me wit the hands.” Nyzon continued realizing he was scared. Nyzon was crushing his rep big time.
“A’ight…you got that.” Cray took off his shirt. The lot was desolate so nobody was around for miles. It was the perfect place to stage a war.
Nyzon swung the first punch and missed. Cray laughed and the moment he did, Nyzon knocked the smirk off his face and a tooth down his throat. Before he could get himself together, Nyzon him with a left so hard, Cray’s nose instantly spouted blood.
“And you got skin like a bitch.” Nyzon laughed watching Cray wiping his mouth.
“I’ma see how much shit you talkin’ when I put you on yo back Golden Gloves.”
Cray swung two times and missed but the third one landed right on Nyzon’s chin. And before he knew it, Cray gut punched him. The air was violently released from his body. But Nyzon being the trooper that he was nailed a left, and than a right. The fight was good until Nyzon stole him so hard Cray’s knees buckled before he fell to the ground.
“Get up, Cray!” Devon yelled as Jinx and Blunt stood on watching.
Cray’s men had mixed feelings about the whole fight because they hated that business was over because of a woman. Blow after blow was thrown and they could see Cray tiring. He was no match for Nyzon’s fighting skills. Nyzon knowing his life was over anyway because there was no way they’d let him walk away alive, beat him even more. He had nothing to lose. He was fighting to be remembered. He knew that after he punished Cray properly, that he’d always remember him. He wanted his name to live on.
“Sh…shoot em!” Cray cried out while Nyzon straddled him and pounded him over and over again. “Shoot him.”
Devon with all the shit he talked wasn’t ready to put in work since he just got out of jail. Instead he looked to Jinx and Blunt to pull the trigger but they couldn’t. Nyzon use to be their man and they still fucked with him. They had respect for him. Plus they knew Cray was out of control. If he got away, he’d fuck shit up worse than he already did.
“Wh…what are you waitin’ on?” Cray questioned.
Cray with his eyes barely opened looked up at his cousin for help. Nyzon was punishing him unmercifully. The life was being taken from his body.
“Give me yo heat!” Devon told Jinx.
Jinx reluctantly handed him his weapon. Devon was just about to fire when he felt a stinging sensation through his back. Seconds later, he dropped down to the grown and fell on his face. Everybody ducked and hid behind cars. They wondered where the bullet came from until Royala appeared from behind one of the cars. She’d parked her truck a half of mile up and ran to Nyzon on foot. She couldn’t leave him alone. Not on her watch anyway.
“Don’t make me shoot all of yall.” She said calmly. “Keep your hands where I can see em.” She said to Jinx and Blunt. She fucked with them both but wouldn’t hesitate killing them if forced. She walked toward Nyzon still aimed at Jinx and Blunt. “Get up, Ny! Let’s go.”
Ny rose off of Cray’s half weak body.
“Damn…you really came back!” he said running by her side.
“I told you I would.” She winked, still aimed as they walked backward.
They were so busy with the chivalries that they didn’t see Cray moving toward the gun that Devon dropped on the ground near him. With the gun in his hands, and still on the ground, he aimed at Royala and Nyzon.
“Don’t move. I’m warning you.” Cray said half out of breath.
They turned around to face him.
He cocked the hammer and was about to pull the trigger until a bullet ripped through his arm. The gun fell and another bullet hit his chest. Cray’s head fell against the concrete. Everyone turned around to see Markise standing there. Royala and Nyzon didn’t know who he was, but they were glad he came through when he did.
“That was for Jason.” Markise said as he dipped off, and
back into a car that had been following Cray the entire time. It was the car Cray spotted hours ago. His suspicions were correct.
Everyone looked on in disbelief as Cray, the most dangerous nigga in Baltimore, lie dead on the concrete. And just like that, the Kings of 295 were no more.
Kristina’s Diner
Present Day
Beliza’s mouth was agape after hearing the story. She thought it was one of the most violent, yet romantic things she’d ever heard in her life.
“So let me guess, you’re Nyzon.” She smiled knowing the answer.
“No…I’m not.” He said on his third piece of pie.
“Wait a minute. You can’t be Cray because he’s dead. Right?” she asked as she moved in her seat. Remembering the story of his violence had her frightened.
“No. I told you he was killed.” He winked.
“Than who are you?” she breathed heavily with excitement.
Right before he could answer a beautiful pregnant white woman walked into the restaurant. She smiled when she spotted the stranger Beliza had been talking to for the last hour.
“Sorry, honey!” she said kissing him on the cheek. “I was held up for hours in a traffic jam. The weather is getting worse out there.”
“Wait! You’re…you’re J-Swizz?” Beliza said excitedly.
“Yes. And this is my wife Carolyn.”
Beliza immediately recognized her from TV. She knew her as Carolyn Daye so she didn’t put one and one together when she heard the story. “I know you from TV.”
Carolyn smiled, “That was probably me although TV makes me look five sizes bigger.” She laughed.
After William let Carolyn and J-Swizz go when Todd kidnapped them, J-Swizz never said a word about anything he knew about the drug operation. He wanted to be part of the solution but not that way. Especially after learning from Carolyn the truth about her racist father. J-Swizz hated his life and made some serious changes, and Carolyn loving him, did also. She cleaned her act up and decided to run for councilwoman of DC. She won. She was known around DC as being brutally honest about racism and the real problems plaguing the city. She wanted things changed and she was causing enough ruckus to get things done.
