Trust No Bitch

by Nene Capri

  “You mad at me?” Kiam teased, giving her that disarming smile that he could turn on and off in the blink of an eye.

  “Your ass is bipolar.” Lissha looked down. “You gonna move your hand or what?”

  “Stop frontin’, you know you want my hands all over you.”

  Lissha shook her head. She had never met anyone like him; he was the kind of nigga a bitch loved to hate. She grappled his wrist and moved his hand. “You wouldn’t know what to do with me,” she replied tersely.

  Kiam’s eyes settled on her ass as she rose from the seat. “I bet you’re itching to find out,” he said as she walked away.

  Lissha hurried up the walkway; she needed to get as far away from him as possible. The way he made her feel she wanted to invite him in so they could just fuck out all that aggression and get it over with.

  “LiLi?” Kiam called out.

  She kept her stride, ignoring his arrogant butt. When she reached the door she turned around with an exaggerated flourish,

  “What?”

  “Be good.”

  Lissha flipped him the bird. Kiam just laughed and pulled off.

  When Lissha got inside she sparked up her blunt. She took a few deep pulls and sat it down. Kiam always caused her emotions to do summersaults. She was trying to follow Daddy’s orders but every time she got around Kiam it got harder and harder.

  She sat for a few more minutes then headed into the kitchen to start cooking. As she went through the refrigerator gathering everything she needed for the meal, Kiam’s question played in her head: You trust them bitches?

  Hell yeah, without reservation she trusted her girls. When they ran up in someone’s house to take that blood money or had to push somebody’s scalp back, they had never let her down. She placed the food on the counter and thought back to the countless missions they had been on and how each one of them held their own. Damn what Kiam thinks about them.

  Lissha went out in the backyard and put the beef ribs on the grill, marinating them in her homemade sauce. Her taste buds salivated in anticipation as she headed back inside to prepare the potato salad, baked beans and corn on the cob. In a short time she had everything prepped. She placed the beans in the oven and the potato salad in the refrigerator then made a toss salad to go with the meal.

  While the meat simmered she hopped in the shower, threw on some jeggings and a t-shirt and got ready for the girls. Quickly she rolled a few blunts and made sure that the wine and the 1800 was on deck. It was about to go down.

  A few hours later…

  Lissha walked over to her iPod station and programed some music, turning the volume up loud. Just as she headed to the kitchen the doorbell rang. On the way to the door she grabbed a blunt off the glass cocktail table and put some fire to it.

  She checked the peephole, and then opened the door singing, “Alriiight….” Lissha was happy to see her ladies. She smiled and blew cloud smoke in Treebie’s face.

  “That’s what the fuck I’m talking about,” Treebie said, taking the blunt from Lissha’s hand.

  Lissha moved back allowing the girls to pass. Bayonna was wearing a pair of red, tight-fitting skinny Jeans. She snapped her fingers and did a two-step to the music that boomed throughout the house. Donella followed suit doing her signature move, dropping to the floor and bringing it back up.

  “Let’s get this shit going,” she said, throwing her purse on the floor next to the couch and going for the wine bottle and a glass.

  Lissha went into the kitchen and grabbed the 1800 out the freezer along with the shot glasses. Bayonna lit another blunt and started it into rotation. “Damn, LiLi, it smells good as hell up in here,” she complimented.

  “Yeah, you know I put my ass in it this time,” Lissha joked.

  “I hope the fuck not,” coughed Treebie, choking on that good ass loud.

  “You know you love my sexy Apple Bottom,” Lissha said, making her cheeks jump.

  “Bitch you nasty,” Treebie laughed.

  They all sat down and immediately began taking shots to the head and passing blunts. Lissha puff puff passed, then began her tutelage.

  “Alright, we got another hit to do this Friday. Everything is lined up and we stand to make a grip. After we do this one, we get two of our own.” Hearing that, the girl’s ears perked up.

  Lissha took another shot of 1800 before continuing. It went down smoothly. “Also, we got this new deal with our connect,” she sat her glass down and folded her hands. “From now on, y’all will have to pick up in Pennsylvania.”

  “Riz agreed to that?” interrupted Treebie.

  “Yeah, him and Kiam worked it out. Actually, Kiam just demanded that shit and stood his ground,” Lissha replayed.

  Bayonna and Donella nodded their heads respectfully because they both knew that it took a man with a strong will to get Riz to bend. Treebie didn’t say or do anything; she wasn’t ready to jump on Kiam’s jock.

  “Now, just because the pickup spot and the route have changed, we still need to make sure that shit arrives safely and in a timely fashion,” Lissha strongly emphasized.

  “You know how we do,” Treebie said, pulling her gun from her waist sitting it on the table.

  “You know I hold’s my own,” Donella chimed in.

  “Enough said.” Bay sealed the deal.

  Lissha nodded her head. “That’s what I like to hear. And don’t forget about Fat and Greg, they’re in the way of business.” “We’re on it like yesterday.” Donella assured her.

  “That’s what’s up.” She poured each of them a shot.

  They grabbed their glasses and brought them together. “Let’s get this money.” Lissha toasted. The women clinked glasses then threw back their shots.

  Setting her glass on the table Lissha announced. “Ladies, Kiam will be here in a little while. He wants to bring us up to speed on this next move. Now, I’m warning everyone beforehand that he can be a little forceful, but Daddy put him in charge so it is what it is.”

  Donella didn’t see a problem with it, she just hoped for some of that prime beef Kiam selfishly walked around with. Bayonna had yet to meet him, but from all that was being said she knew that he would be impressive.

  Treebie grabbed a blunt and sat back. She hadn’t seen Kiam since they put Finch and them on their backs.

  “Let’s eat,” suggested Donella. Her munchies had kicked in and the smell of those ribs caused her mouth to water.

  “Bay, come help me fix the plates,” said Lissha, rising to her feet and looking at Treebie puffing away, lost in thought. Lissha silently prayed that her right-hand didn’t bump heads with Kiam.

  Lissha and Bayonna went into the kitchen and fixed the plates, then headed back to the living room. “I’m about to hurt this,” Bayonna said as she sat down and began to dig in.

  Just as Lissha brought her fork to her mouth the bell rang and a sinking feeling rose in her gut. She used the remote to turn the music down on her way to the door. Bayonna and Donella looked over at Treebie whose mood had gotten very serious.

  Lissha pulled the door open and her eyes unconsciously roamed up and down Kiam’s frame; he stood tall with his white t-shirt clinging to his form and giving a slight hint of his well-developed chest. His black Seven jeans fitted just right resting on top of his boots. He looked as scrumptious as the ribs, like his beef would melt in a bitch’s mouth just as fast as the barbeque.

  “Can I come in?” he asked, breaking Lissha’s stare. When he wasn’t fussing and bossing her around he had a nice smooth baritone.

  “You gonna let me in or what?” he repeated, flashing his sexy smile.

  “Whatever,” she replied nervously, like a school girl with a crush.

  Kiam stepped pass her and the trace of his Gucci Guilty Black cologne caressed her nostrils. Lissha closed her eyes for a second and inhaled deep. Damn. She was going to have to control of herself.

  Back in the living room, she made the introductions. “You met Treebie and Donella,” she gestured t
o the two. “This is Bayonna.” She nodded toward Bay.

  Bayonna wiped her hands and stood to shake his. “Nice to meet you,” she extended, looking no more than sixteen to Kiam. “No doubt,” he replied then spoke to the others. “Ladies.” “Good to see you again,” Donella smirked.

  “What’s up?” said Treebie, nodding her head slightly.

  Kiam took Lissha’s seat. Leaning slightly forward, he was ready to jump right in to the business.

  “Um, excuse you, I’m sitting there,” Lissha said, coming over to him.

  He looked up at her. “Well, you can’t sit on my lap so you might wanna sit somewhere else.”

  Lissha frowned. And with a theatrical huff she picked up her plate and sat across from him by Treebie. The girls watched their little back and forth exchange.

  “Ladies, I know this is your girls night, so I’ll make this quick,” began Kiam condescendingly, but his tone still carried command. Everyone stopped eating and sat up.

  “I’ve been moving shit around a lot, and quite a few things have changed in a very short time. If you’re wondering where you fit in, and what your new roles are gonna be in this organization, I’m about to break it all down.”

  Kiam rested his arms on the back of the sofa and looked from one face to the other. It was clear to him that he held their attention. “I want y’all to slide further into the background, no more hand-to-hand sales or dealing with the workers.

  “What I do want is for y’all to make the pickups. This first pickup is scheduled for next week. We gonna meet them in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. I need everyone to be on their A game. No slip ups.”

  Kiam detected a slight wrinkle in Treebie’s forehead that hadn’t been there a second ago. He would deal with that. In the meantime he went on. “I don’t know these niggas we’re dealing with, just like I don’t know y’all. But Big Zo said y’all official and Lissha confirmed that, so my trust is in their assessment only. Y’all might not want to make them look bad.”

  “Let me get this shit straight.” Treebie cut in. “You want us to ride out to PA and meet these niggas. Make the transfer and bring you the shit, then what?”

  “What you mean then what?”

  “Just what I said,” Treebie shot back.

  Kiam smiled at her audacity, recalling her get-down from the first encounter. Just like I figured, a pit bull in a skirt, he assessed, and then got serious. “There ain’t no then what. I got it from there,” he declared.

  “Nah. That sounds like you’ll eventually cut us out. We in this shit all the way with you or you can take the fucking ride,” Treebie countered. She sat back, crossed her legs and lit up.

  Kiam looked at her sideways and his coal black eyes turned even darker. Lissha noticed the change and pounced in. “Look, we’re not doing this,” she said, directing her words more to Treebie than to Kiam. “This is the way Daddy wants this shit handled. We need all hands on deck.” She looked over at Treebie who had her eyes fixed on Kiam.

  Treebie took another deep pull on her blunt and blew the smoke out in Kiam’s direction. “You right Li, it’s business. You got my full cooperation.” She looked Kiam up and down and smiled, then picked her gun up off the table and headed to the bathroom. Her intended disrespect rung loud and clear.

  Kiam chuckled.

  Lissha, who had already figured out what that meant, stood up.

  “Kiam, can I please talk to you in the other room?” she asked.

  “Hold up!” He brushed past her and headed to the bathroom.

  When Treebie opened the door she was startled by Kiam standing in the doorway. He pushed her back in the bathroom and closed the door. “Let me explain some shit to you. I don’t have time for petty bullshit. I know you official but don’t test that shit on me. I don’t fold like them other pussy ass niggas. You here because Big Zo and Lissha say you cool. But if you make me feel differently, I know how to make my problems disappear.” His eyes bored into hers.

  “You ain’t talking ‘bout nothin’, I feel the same way,” she said.

  “You can feel however you want to, just respect my position so I don’t have to reinforce it on you,”

  Treebie stared him in the eye and her lashes didn’t blink. “I know what your position is, Kiam. The problem is I don’t know what you did to earn it,”

  Kiam moved dangerously close grabbing her by the jaw applying a little pressure. “Some shit ain’t for you to know, just play ya fucking position. Or did you fuck your way into it?” Kiam slapped her with words.

  Pulling her face back she gritted. “You don’t know shit about me.” Her breathing rapidly increased.

  “I know more than you think I do. But I’ll let you worry about that.” His wry smile unnerved her but Treebie remained cool. “There’s nothing for me to worry about,” she calmly asserted.

  Kiam chuckled as he stepped back out of her space. “Enjoy the rest of your evening,” he stated politely. Like he really did know something.

  When he swung the door open. Lissha was standing in the hall with a look of nervousness all over her face. She looked past him at Treebie. “What happened?”

  “Nothing I can’t handle,” Kiam said moving past her.

  She turned her attention to Treebie who looked like she was ready to kill somebody. “Tree, what the fuck is going on?”

  “Just leave me alone for a minute.” She pushed Lissha back slamming the bathroom door in her face.

  Resting her hands on the counter she stared in the mirror replaying Kiam’s words in her mind and wondering what all Big Zo had told him.

  When Lissha walked back in the living room her wheels were turning. She looked over at Kiam engrossed in a conversation with Donella and Bay and cut in. “I need to speak to you Kiam,” she said in a demanding tone.

  Just as Kiam was about to answer her request his cell rang. He looked at the screen and smiled. “Another time,” he said to Lissha as he stood up and headed for the door.

  “Hello,” Kiam said into the phone.

  “Hey baby.” It was Faydrah. The happiness of her tone let him know that she was smiling. Kiam loved that.

  “Hey you,” he spoke back, using an affectionate greeting from their past.

  “Hey you,” she echoed with sweet familiarity. “What you doin’?”

  “Thinking about my girl,” he answered reaching for the door knob.

  “I have something special for you. Can I see you tonight?” “Of course.”

  “Hit me when you get close,”

  “I can’t wait to hit you.” He turned to look at Lissha coming his way.

  Faydrah giggled as the thoughts of their last time together filled her mind and moistened her panties. “You so bad,” she cooed.

  “I work hard at it,” he boasted jokingly, and then added, “I’ll see you in a minute.” He disconnected the call and returned his attention to Lissha. She was eyeing him with a face of stone.

  “Anything else?” he asked

  “No, I’m good,” she said with a little attitude in her voice.

  Kiam smiled “I’ll catch up with you in a couple days. Make sure the girls are on point.” He opened the door and started down the short walkway.

  “They’re on it, just chill and go layup with Mrs. Fax and Copy,” Lissha hurled, resting one hand on her hip and the other on the door preparing to slam it.

  Kiam didn’t dignify her smart comment with a response, he got in his truck and drove off.

  As soon as she reached the living room the girls went in. “That nigga there. Whew!” Donella shouted out. “Fo’ real, did you tell Big Zo how he is?”

  “Trust me, daddy knows how Kiam is, he schooled him for three or four years. True, he can come off a little too hard but he’s the butt-naked truth.”

  “That nigga ain’t shit just like the rest,” Treebie gritted looking at Lissha with homicide in her eyes.

  “What the fuck did he say to you?” Lissha asked with a deep crease in her forehead.

  “I ju
st don’t like that muthafucka. Call it my in-tui-fuckin’tion.”

  “Sheeeiittt, what’s not to like about him?” Donella disagreed.

  She tossed a shot back and shook her head in regret of a lost opportunity. “I still can’t believe I let that sexy muthafucka leave the room without coming up off some dick?”

  “What can you say, he knows what he wants,” Bayonna surmised.

  “Girrrlll, that nigga ain’t nothing nice. Maybe we can pass that nigga around like this blunt,” laughed Donella as she lit up.

  Treebie turned her lip up. “Fuck that nigga. His ass on borrowed time, and I hope I’m the one that gets to punch his clock,” she intoned bitterly, reaching for the blunt.

  “You need to calm the fuck down,” Lissha said grabbing a couple plates from the table and walking to the kitchen.

  Bay took the blunt from Treebie, inhaled deep then served them up with some jewels. “Kiam is just carrying out Big Zo’s instructions,” she reminded her. “Ain’t no telling how many nights they stayed up planning all of this. We do have to be on point.

  “None of us has ever been on this level. Gator always handled the pickup and we just played our roles once it made it to Cleveland. We in the big league now, ladies. Let’s woman up and do what he needs us to do,” she encouraged the crew. She looked at Treebie to see if she comprehended, then she sat up and poured her and Donella a glass of wine.

  Lissha stood in the kitchen door looking at the girls. Kiam had just shaken everything up, his presence changed the whole dynamic of everything they were doing. She knew that it was only a matter of time before this whole situation would come to a head.

  She was just praying shit didn’t get bloody.

  Chapter 17

  Something Special

  Kiam pulled into Faydrah’s driveway and deaded his engine. He picked up his cell and called inside.

  “Come open the door,” he said, and then hung up.

  He hopped out the car and strode to the door; with each step a little bit of excitement crept into his usually cool demeanor. Faydrah was the peace in the middle of his storm.