Last Bitch Standing

by Deja King

  "No, that name doesn't sound familiar either."

  "Then I guess you didn't know all the kids Ms. Duncan took care of after all. Now if you'll excuse me... Nico, I'll be waiting for you in the car."

  For some reason, I had a strong urge to rush off and get away from that man from the very first time I met him. And even now he had this way of getting under my skin. I didn't know if it was due to the arrogance he exuded, or because it disgusted me how Mike, who had been at the top of his game at one time before he died, and Nico, who many considered to be a legend in the streets, was dick riding this nigga so hard. Whatever it was, I didn't want any parts of it.

  "Did you have to be so cold to him?" Nico questioned when he got in the car.

  "Cold to who?" I asked, pretending not to have a clue as to what he was talking about.

  "Stop with the games, Precious. Why did you have to be so disrespectful to Quentin? That cat is a straight up Godfather in this game. The respect he garners extends from the East to West Coast, trust me on that."

  "I don't give a damn. Remember I told you that he came to visit Mike when I was being held hostage?"

  Nico was quiet for a minute, as if thinking back to the conversation. "I do remember you mentioning something about that."

  "Yeah, he didn't even acknowledge that shit."

  "That was months ago, and it was only briefly. He probably doesn't remember that shit."

  "You mean the same way Genesis doesn't know who Maya is."

  "There you go on that Genesis shit again. I'm convinced this Maya situation has made you paranoid. Everybody you meet is either lying or trying to manipulate you now. Pretty soon, you gon' be saying I'm the enemy."

  "Just forget it. I'm the crazy paranoid bitch... fine." I shrugged my shoulders, not even wanting to discuss the shit any further.

  "Who the fuck is this?" Nico mumbled before answering his cell. "Hello ... damn... thanks for letting me know"

  "What happened?"

  "Another headache. We need to get back to Philly... now!"

  When I checked into my Chairman Suite at the Rittenhouse Hotel, I walked into the marble bathroom, and wondered whether I should take a long bubble bath in the oversized Jacuzzi, or drench myself in the separate shower with massage head. I chose a hot bath, mainly because I wanted to rest my feet. I had been hammering the downtown Philly boutiques all day in my quest to find the perfect outfit to lure Arnez with. I knew the shit wouldn't be easy. The nigga was clearly a seasoned hustler and probably was apprehensive about what chicks he fucked with, so I had to be careful with my attire and approach.

  After soaking in the tub for what seemed like at least an hour, I slipped on the plush bathrobe and slippers that the hotel provided, then stood in front of the huge window with a city view. It was amazing how hot Philly looked at night with all the lights shining brightly. I continued to take in the scene and thought how relieved I was to have additional time to plan my shit out.

  Originally, Arnez was supposed to have lunch at the Lacroix, but then at the last minute the waiter called Steve to let him know that Arnez's bodyguard had cancelled, and wanted to make sure that his regular table would be available for dinner instead. With that happening, it allowed me preparation time I desperately needed, because I always heard that the first impression was the lasting one.

  That's why I felt I could make no real headway with Supreme, because he didn't see me as a bona fide woman. He remembered me as Precious' little play sister and Clip's girlfriend. No matter how good I sucked and rode his dick, I wasn't grown and sexy; just a little girl trying to play dress-up. But I refused to give up on my quest to have Supreme as my man, and maybe forging a relationship with Arnez could smooth the progress of that.

  I pulled out the Fiesta Red one-shoulder dress I had purchased earlier today. After hours of coming up short, I was ready to give up my search until I hit gold. It was dangling smack in the middle of the high-end Italian boutique's store window. I instantly thought about Precious and the time she said, "If you want to fuck a nigga without giving him no pussy, strut around in his face with a bad ass red dress and he'll do anything to get a taste." I need that shit to work for me tonight.

  As I slipped on the dress and the four-inch heels that further accentuated every curve in my body, I thought about how proud Precious would be of me. It was the exact sort of attire she would approve of. giving you the goods without exploiting the goods. As I turned around in the mirror admiring the excellent choice I made, I heard my cell ringing. "What's up, Steve?"

  "I hope you're not too far away, because Arnez just got to the restaurant."

  "I'm very close. I'm staying at the hotel where the restaurant is at."

  "Aren't you a smart girl!"

  "I like to think so. So, the waiter is expecting me and will make sure I get a seat near Arnez, correct?"

  "Indeed. He is expecting you. He wanted me to ask you what you'll be wearing and how long before you show up."

  "He won't be able to miss me. I'll be in a red dress. Tell him I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

  "Will do...and be careful."

  "Don't worry about me, I'll be perfectly fine. Now, call the waiter and let him know to be looking out for me shortly."

  After touching up my makeup and scrutinizing my entire look a few more times to the point that I knew it couldn't get any better, I grabbed my purse and headed out. I strolled down the hallway towards the elevator and noticed a room door slightly open, but nobody came out so I kept on my way, not thinking too much of it. When I turned the corner, I heard a door slam shut. The sound of keys dangling let me know how much closer the person was getting. I hit the down button on the elevator again, because for some reason I was getting an uneasy feeling.

  When the elevator door opened, I damn near leaped inside. There was a middle aged Asian couple looking at me bizarrely, and they practically jumped to the other side trying to get as far away from me as possible. I couldn't front, my entire vibe was giving off a crazy-chick-up-to-no-good, especially when I diligently kept pushing the button to close the door.

  Right when I moved back to the corner to breathe a sigh of relief because the elevator was almost completely shut, a huge hand with long thick fingers latched on to the steel which caused the doors to open right back up. I swallowed hard, about to break out in a sweat. I didn't understand why I was tripping so hard, but the pouncing in my stomach indicating to me that shit was off wouldn't stop.

  Oh shit! Maybe Devon's )rorthless ass got hp to me being in Philly and `bout to take my ass out right here on this elevator with these Asian motherfuckers watching. Damn, it's gon' be a massacre, 'cause he gon' getya' too. I started feeling inside my purse. Oh shit, I ain't even got no heat on me! I m fucked.! Damn, maybe I can grab one of they asses and use them for a shield. Fuck that! I ain'tgoing out like this. This nigga gon' have to come harder than this.

  All this shit was running around in my head, and I was about to snatch the Asian lady since she was the closest to me, but then I caught his face and the fear vanished. The nigga was clean; I mean I'm talking custom designer shit that I wouldn't even know the brand of. It seemed to be tailored to fit his physique, and .his only. He was in all black, but the richness of the fabric even had the Asian folks sizing him up, like who the fuck is this Negro? Then I caught the blinged out pinky ring. The shit was flashy but classy, and you wouldn't think a ring that big with so many diamonds could be described that way.

  When the elevator door opened, I was strongly considering diverting my original plan to seduce Arnez, to get at dude instead. The nigga was so on point that I started thinking about any celebrities I had seen that he might be, but I couldn't think of any, and his hotness superseded theirs anyway. He exuded confidence, which took his sexiness even higher up on the radar. What also intrigued me was that even in my red dress, dude wasn't paying me no mind. It was like he had an agenda, and sniffing after some pussy wasn't on it. I knew I had business to tend to, but was drawn to this man. It
was as if I had to know what the fuck he was up to. As I tried to stay out of view but watched his movements, there was something dangerous about his aura too. That also had me open.

  I diverted towards the front desk area to make it look as if I was off his trail, and once he went outside to the front, I quickly went to the glass opening to be nosey. There were three black Yukon's parked behind each other. The mystery man first stopped at the last truck, and the passenger window rolled down. A few words were exchanged, and then the window rolled back up. Then he went to the next truck, and the same exact thing occurred. He finally went to the truck parked in front. A big burly dude stepped out and opened the back door for the mystery man. He got in, and then all three trucks drove off.

  I wasn't a psychic, but some shit seemed terribly off to me. That pouncing in the pit of my stomach hadn't left, but I decided there wasn't shit I could do about it, so I continued on to what brought me out to this motherfucker in the first place.

  When I entered the restaurant, like I knew it would and should be all eyes were on me. Even the old undercover KKK type motherfuckers were drooling at the mouth, causing their knifed up elderly wives to curl up their lips in disgust.

  Right when the hostess was making her way over to greet me, the waiter, who I assumed Steve had put on the payroll, cut in. "Amanda, she'll be dining in my section. I'll seat her," he said, taking the menu from her hand. She gave him a confused stare, but didn't put up a fuss. I gave her a pleasant smile and followed him. "You were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago," he said, in a lecturing whisper."

  "I got a little held up."

  "You're lucky we're not swamped tonight or I wouldn't have been able to hold your table." He had somewhat of a diva attitude with him, but I let it slide since his services were needed.

  "Sorry, but I'll make sure to leave you a good tip. How `bout that?" He gave me a gracious smile, so I guess all was good now.

  "One table over to your left." He winked, then followed with a, "What can I get you to drink?"

  "Bottled water will be fine." I wanted liquor, but I needed to feel the situation out first. It didn't take much to give me a buzz, and I wasn't sure how much work I had to put in to get Arnez's attention.

  I looked over at the table the waiter informed me about, and saw Arnez sitting there, having an intense conversation with another gentleman. I then noticed a man standing behind him who I recognized from the pictures Steve showed me as being his bodyguard. I wasn't quite sure how I was going to pull this shit off. He came across just like the man on the elevator; too much business on his mind to think about sniffing after some pussy. The red dress I was rockin' wasn't going to be a powerful enough tool. I needed to be butt-ass naked to pull this shit off.

  I ordered some food that I knew I wasn't going to be able to eat, not because I wasn't starving, but figuring out how to maneuver this shit was consuming too much of my energy to devour any food. As the time ran away, I was coming up short.

  I went to the bathroom twice, switching my ass slowly hoping to get a glimmer of his attention, but got nothing. The bodyguard was so in tuned to watching over his boss that he didn't even glance in my direction. A bitch was stuck.

  Once my dinner came, I used the fork to play with my food, wishing for a miracle to fall in my lap, but death seemed to land instead. As my mind was wandering about, my eyes fell upon a familiar face. Devon had just entered the restaurant, dressed in all black, and I knew he had come gunning for me. How did this motherfucker know I was here? Maybe the dude on the elevator really was after me, but was playing it cool so I wouldn'tget suspicious. Oh shit, I can't believe it! I have to get the hell out this place, now)! There has to be a back )))ay out!

  I turned my face away, hoping that Devon had not yet noticed where I was sitting. At the same time, I was searching for my waiter so he could tell me how to get the fuck outta here. My hands and legs were shaking so badly that my knees were knocking up against the bottom of the table. I didn't see my waiter anywhere, and I didn't know what the fuck to do. I didn't have a weapon on me, so I grabbed at the knife on the table but quickly dropped it, knowing it wouldn't do shit for my cause. My brain was spinning, determined to come up with a plan, and I decided precisely what my next move would be.

  I grabbed my purse and slid from my chair, and walked directly up to Arnez's table. His bodyguard moved forward, and Arnez put his hand up as if telling him it was okay. "Yes?" Was the only word he spoke in a calm but firm voice. The man sitting across from him looked up at me, and then back at Arnez.

  "Don't make it obvious, but the man standing near the entrance dressed in all black is here to kill you."

  "How do you know?"

  "Because when I went to the bathroom, I overheard a gentleman on the phone giving a description of a man that needed to be taken out. I didn't realize he was talking about you until I sat down and looked over at your table. You've been warned."

  Arnez immediately tapped his bodyguard and nodded his head as if directing him to look forward. From where he was sitting, his view was somewhat obscured, and I guess he needed someone he trusted to legitimize what I said. I slightly turned my head to see if Devon was still standing in the same spot, but to my horror he was coming in my direction, and right beside him was the big burly man who opened the car door for the mystery man I saw on the elevator. Damn! That nigga brought backup so just in case he missed, somebody else would fznish the job. Were the rest of those motherfuckers in them trucks here for me too? Oh shit, I m fucker!

  As I saw them getting closer, I turned back around to Arnez, and that's when I caught his bodyguard pulling out his metal. At that moment I hit the floor, because I knew in only a matter of seconds it would be on and poppin'.

  Less than two seconds after I hit the floor, the man that was dining with Arnez followed my lead, but he was one second late. The bullets I was sure were meant for me caught him instead. His hand was grabbing onto the back of my ankle, and I had to kick my leg to get free as I hauled ass, trying to make an escape. The entire restaurant was in an uproar, as they couldn't believe `hood violence had made its way to their elite establishment.

  The chaos persisted as all the patrons and staff were bolting towards the same exit while trying to dodge bullets. I refused to stand up, preferring to crawl fast and try to stay unnoticed, which I knew would be difficult in a bright ass red dress. I observed a bunch of staff rushing towards the kitchen, so I knew there had to be an exit that way, so I crawled as quickly as I could in that direction. When I made it out, I could hear the mayhem continuing, but my life was still intact and that was all that mattered. So what if innocent people had to die so I could live? It was them or me, and I chose them.

  Unsure whether Devon and his people knew what room I was in, I decided not to take a chance and go back inside the hotel. Instead, I ran to the parking garage where my rental car was. I drove slowly around the corner, wanting to see if the cops had made their way to shut shit down, or whether the shootout was still in effect. As I drove closer, I could see that they were already beginning to lock the street down.

  While in the process of making a U-turn, from my rearview mirror I could see what looked to be Arnez running down a back street. I figured that the nigga was dead, but since he was still alive, I decided to use it to my advantage. I sped down the street to catch up with him, and the car screeched loudly as I pressed down on the brakes pulling up beside him. He was visibly shaken until I rolled down the window and showed my face. "Get in!" I said, unlocking the door.

  At first Arnez hesitated, but then looked back and saw all the police going down the street. I figured after weighing his options, he decided to ride with me.

  The entire ride back to Philly, I kept wondering what the fuck could've happened that we had to leave Brooklyn ASAP. All I knew was that CoCo had placed a call to Nico, but because she was so paranoid about saying certain shit on the phone, she wouldn't give him any details. The most he got out of her was that there had been some ma
jor drama, and we needed to come back now.

  Before even going back to our hotel, Nico went to a warehouse CoCo told him to meet her at. When we pulled up, I only saw a white Range Rover, which I assumed belonged to her.

  Once inside, the huge warehouse had millions of dollars worth of weapons and drugs. This chick must really trust Nico to bang him here.

  "I hope you didn't have any trouble finding the spot," CoCo said, when she came walking out from a back room.

  "No, your directions were on point. So, what the fuck is going on?"

  "I know that shit must've been irking the fuck outta you. Driving all the way from New York to here, not knowing what the rush was."

  "Pretty much. So, what is it?"

  "Last night there was a shootout at this restaurant over there in Center City."

  "What!"

  "Yeah, that spot at the Rittenhouse Hotel."

  "Somebody shot up a restaurant at that joint! Yo. I know them crackers was going crazy up in that motherfucker."

  "Damn right!"

  "Who were they gunning for?"

  "This nigga, Arnez Douglass."

  "Why does that name sound so familiar?"

  "That's the dude I used to do business with in Atlanta for a while."

  "Yeah, that's right! Arnez was a major player."

  "Still is, but when shit got hot in ATL, he came to Philly tryna take over."

  "Okay, but why is him getting shot at an emergency to me? I don't know that nigga like that."

  "Here's the thing. The person responsible is Delondo."

  "Delondo! As in the cat Devon works for?"

  "That's the one. Devon and one of Delondo's other workers were the two men that went in the spot busting bullets like they were out there in the Wild Wild West. Arnez's bodyguard got killed, and another nigga he was with and one of Delondo's men got killed. The other one is at the hospital in critical condition. I don't know which one is still alive, but if it's Devon, I figured you'd want to try and speak with him about that girl you're looking for in case he don't make it."