Shyt List 3 (The Cartel Publications Presents)

by Reign (T. Styles)

  Ming frowned and when Yvonna looked by the stairwell, a fine ass black man favoring the actor Lance Gross appeared holding an empty plate in his hand. His dark chocolate skin caught the golden shine of the chandelier and made Yvonna reconsider her decision of not having a little fun with him.

  “Baby, I’m out,” he said to Ming although he looked at Yvonna. “The food was great.”

  Ming kissed him passionately and groped his penis. Yvonna knew the show was for her but she liked it. “Ming will call you later,” she said looking up at him.

  He squeezed her nipple, looked at Yvonna again and said, “I better hear from ya soon.” Yvonna felt the demand was directed at her and she felt uncomfortable.

  When he left Yvonna said, “You betta watch out for that one. He might get away.”

  “Naw, Ming has him. He works for me sometimes too. We do business and pleasure very well together.”

  Yvonna rolled her eyes and said, “That man works in a nail salon, Ming?”

  “Ming told you she has more than one job. I’ll leave it at that.”

  While Ming picked at her food, Yvonna’s phone rang. It was Bricks.

  “Aye, Yvonna, where you at?” he said in a mellow but serious tone. “I gotta talk to you. And I gotta talk to you now.”

  “Well I’m busy, Bricks.” She looked at Ming who was eavesdropping.

  “Bitch, I don’t give a fuck. Either get at me tonight, or I’m bringin’ this heat to your doorstep. What you wanna do?”

  Not wanting him blowing up the spot in front of Penny’s house she said, “Give me your address and I’ll be on my way.”

  All The Way In It

  15 Minutes Earlier

  After getting the bullet removed at the hospital by some broad he fucked from time to time, he was on his way to his house in Landover Maryland. The moment he turned on 65th avenue, he waved at his seven year old cousin Tracy who lived in the first house on the block. The little girl with two long pigtails, wearing a purple dress, played happily alone with her doll.

  “What you doin’ out here? It’s gettin’ dark.”

  “The ice cream truck ‘bout to come. Can I have five dollars cousin, Bricks?”

  He reached in his pocket, handed her the bill and said, “Where your mother at?” He gripped his arm when he felt a sharp pain shoot through it.

  “She over aunt Shelby’s house.”

  Bricks shook his head in disgust. Her mother had been with his cousin for ten years and she was as worthless of a mother as they came. But his cousin Jace was so sick in love, that he couldn’t see past her green eyes, thick ass and wet pussy.

  “Look…after the truck comes, go in the house. If I see you outside when I roll back up the block, I’ma fuck your lil’ young ass up. Hear me?”

  “Yes, cousin Bricks.” She laughed not disturbed by her cousin’s threats.

  He pulled off and waved at his cousins on the block, most of which were men. Most of his family lived on that street and they were deep. The set-up started for business purposes, they were all involved in the drug business together. But soon it just became the family way.

  They were all doing regular shit like washing their cars, sitting on the steps of their house shooting craps, when he pulled up to his house. Bricks pulled behind his bullet riddled Hummer and shook his head. He loved that truck and he hated that it was all fucked up…but what could he do?

  Bricks jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid from his car seat and was preparing to walk inside the house when someone called his name. “Bricks. Let me rap to you for a second.”

  Before he turned around, he could tell by the sound of the stranger’s voice that something wasn’t right. Slowly he pivoted, with the child in his arm.

  “Open the door,” he yelled at the house. His eyes remained on the driver. “Somebody come get Chomps!”

  “Boy, why you yellin’ and shit?” Kendal asked, swinging the door open before seeing the stranger.

  “What’s up, ma?” the stranger said to her. “You lookin’ mighty sexy today.”

  “Get the fuck in the house, Kendal.”

  Realizing the all black Dodge Magnum with black tinted windows meant trouble; she grabbed Chomps and ran into the house. When he was safe, he slowly walked down his steps, stopping a few feet from the car. He placed his hand on his waist, validating that his heat was in place. The stranger looked like the rapper Fabolous, and his chocolate skin and mellow mannerisms made them even more alike. Bricks took notice that all of the windows were rolled up except the one on the passenger side. Are more niggas in the car? He thought.

  “I know you’re probably wondering who I am,” he said wiping his chin with his mutilated hand, which was missing two fingers. “I would wonder too if I were you,” he smiled.

  “Only thing I’m wonderin’ is what the fuck you must be on to roll up on my block.” He gritted.

  “I come in peace.”

  “Nigga, I ain’t got time for that shit. What the fuck you want, son? ‘Cause you ain’t said shit.” Bricks said trying to bypass the pain in his shoulder.

  “We have a mutual acquaintance that has a knack for stirrin’ up shit, and gettin’ niggas involved in wars. I suggest you stay the fuck away from her.”

  “You threatin’ me?” He asked taking one step closer to the car. Bricks didn’t handle threats well.

  “I don’t know you to threaten you. I’m sayin’ stay the fuck away from Yvonna. Me and her got unfinished business. Now I’m sorry you had to get caught up in the cross fire today,” he said nodding at Brick’s truck, “but you truly gotta mind the company you keep.”

  Bricks was heated but he wanted to know what else he knew about him before he made his next move. “How you know where I live?” He asked through clenched teeth.

  “I know everything ‘bout you, nigga. And you know nothin’ about me. So like I said, stay the fuck away from that bitch. I got plans for her and I don’t want nobody standing in my way. I’m doin’ you a favor by comin’ here.”

  “Whoever the fuck I keep time wit’ is my business, nigga!”

  “You’ve been warned,” he paused. “And by the way, the name’s Swoopes.”

  “Swoopes, huh?” he nodded biting his bottom lip so hard it almost bled. “Well Swoopes, you got otha shit to worry ‘bout now.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like how you gonna get outta here alive.”

  When Swoopes looked around, every nigga that was doing regular shit on the block had suddenly surrounded his car and had their weapons aimed in his direction. Bricks didn’t have to alert his family, the outsider rolling up on the block was enough to bring them together. That type of thing never happened.

  Swoopes wiped his chin with his hand again, looked at the ten birds aiming at his car and said, “I see it’s time for me to go, but we gonna get up again.”

  “You ain’t hearin’ me, slim.” Bricks pulled out his gun and aimed at him. “Get the fuck out of the car before we light that mothafucka up!”

  “Naw, nigga!” he said raising his voice for the first time. “You ain’t hearin’ me,” he rolled his back window down, revealing another man in the back, with his little cousin Tracy sitting on his lap. Only Bricks could see his cousin because the other windows remained closed. “We’ll get together next time.”

  Bricks couldn’t believe Tracy got in the car when she knew better. And there she was, eating ice cream and sitting on the stranger’s lap like he was Santa Claus.

  “You aight, Tracy?” he asked keeping his eyes on Swoopes.

  “Yeah. The nice man bought me some ice cream.”

  “That’s cool,” he said motioning for his cousins to lower their weapons. But they hesitated, confused at hearing Tracy’s name. “But didn’t I tell you to go in the house earlier?

  “He’s real nice, cousin Bricks.”

  “Fuck that nigga, Tracy,” he said biting his bottom lip again. “So what you gonna do wit' my peoples?” He asked Swoopes when their weapons went d
own.

  “I’ma drop her off up the block, now if you follow me, I’ma put a big ass whole in that lil bitty face of hers. Got me?”

  “I’m scared, cousin Bricks.” She said hearing the threat.

  “Everything gonna be cool, Tracy. Okay?”

  “Yes,” she said wiping her tears. Finally she realized the danger she was in.

  Bricks smiled and eyed Swoopes. “Slim, all that ain’t even necessary.”

  “We’ll see. Just remember what I said…stay the fuck away from them folks. Unless you want this kind of shit on your block all the time.”

  Bricks didn't want to tell him that he was straight tripping if he thought he could make it on or off his block alive ever again.

  Swoopes drove off and his cousins and him all piled into the middle of the street. When the car was further down the block, Bricks waited anxiously. A minute later, Tracy came running up the street and he was able to breathe. “Yo, who the fuck was that?” Forty, Brick’s oldest cousin asked.

  “I don’t know, but I’m ‘bout to find out.” He grabbed his phone and reconnected with the person Swoopes warned him to stay away from.

  Lady Strife

  The moment Ming bent the corner and turned onto Brick’s block, for some reason, Yvonna could sense that Swoopes had been there. Strangers she didn’t know grimaced at them as they hugged the corner leading to Brick’s house. It looked like everyone was on guard from something.

  “Where ya’ll goin’?” one of the men asked when they were halfway up the block.

  “We goin’ to see, Bricks,” Yvonna said shocked at being stopped.

  “Hold up,” the man said as he reached in his phone for his cell. Seconds later, having gotten the approval from Bricks, he said, “Go ‘head.”

  “That was crazy,” Yvonna said looking back at the man. “I wonder what that was about.”

  Ming parked her car and said, “I don’t know but I’m goin’ with you.” She grabbed her crocodile hobo purse. “So don’t even try to leave me out here with them.” She said looking around.

  “Ya’ll Chinese always scared of niggas.”

  “Ming not the only one scared. Look at you.”

  “Who is it?” a high pitch female voice asked at the door.

  “Yvonna,” she said looking at Ming with a perplexed glare. She couldn’t believe he invited her over the house with a girl there. She wasn’t considering that their visit was strictly business. “You think that’s his girlfriend?”

  Ming shrugged her shoulders and picked at the non-existent dirt specs under her nails before looking back at the men who were eyeing them.

  Kendal Blake, who was beautiful, opened the door and they were eager to walk inside, because the men’s stares made them uncomfortable. But the moment they moved inward, Kendal pushed them back outside.

  “I ain’t say ya’ll could come in,” she yelled rolling her eyes. Her sepia colored skin turned a shade red. “Wait out there,” Kendal continued, leaving the door partially open.

  “Ming guess that’s how she got that gash on her forehead. She don’t know how to talk to people.”

  The golden lounge dress she wore flopped on the couch and it did nothing to conceal her voluptuous shape. She was a knock out, hands down.

  “Why the fuck you leave her out there?” Bricks asked, approaching the door. He hadn’t bothered to acknowledge Yvonna. “I told you to let her in when she gets here.”

  “I left her out there, ‘cause she the reason all this shit happened!”

  “Bitch, this my house! If I tell you to do something, do it!”

  Kendal, angry, clasped the cordless phone that sat in her lap and threw it at him. The hard plastic handset landed on his forehead and lacerated his skin. He lunged in her direction but she ran into her bedroom slamming the door. Bricks kicked the door with extreme force and followed it up with a closed fist. Still, the wooden door wouldn’t budge.

  “I want you out of my mothafuckin’ house tomorrow, nigga!” He spat pointing at the door as if she stood before him. “I’m sick of this shit!”

  “Fuck you, bitch! I ain’t goin nowhere!”

  “Come in,” Bricks said wiping the blood from his forehead, locking the door behind them. His face wore a mean frown.

  When they walked deeper into the living room, they saw piles of neatly folded clothes against the wall and two gathered cots on the right of the television. With all of the items in the living room, things were still neat.

  “Go downstairs,” he instructed, pointing at a door on the opposite end of the one Kendal ran into. “And who the fuck is this?” He questioned looking at Ming.

  “My ride.”

  “I said I was taking you home.”

  “Well I don’t trust you,” she said walking down the steps leading to another door.

  “Hold up, let me unlock that.”

  He walked in front of them, used his key and turned the knob. When the door opened they couldn’t believe how fly everything was. A large flat screen TV hung on the wall, with the surround system below it. Two beautiful green sofas sat in the middle of the floor and a large table sat in the far right with track lighting above it.

  Bricks locked the door behind them and said, “Sit down.” They sat on the couch and he grabbed a hard metal chair and sat across the table from them. Yvonna could tell he was trying to calm down after the fight upstairs. “Ya’ll smoke?”

  “What’s up Bricks?” Yvonna questioned getting to the point. She moved a little in her seat worried at his response.

  He grabbed a cigar box from under the glass table, removed a blunt, and said, “What the fuck is a Swoopes?”

  Yvonna sunk into the body of the sofa and sighed. She thought about lying but both Ming and Bricks were staring so far in her mouth, she felt they could see her ovaries.

  “You not going to let this go are you?” she asked as Ming accepted the blunt handoff from Bricks. She wished she wasn’t so eager to accept his gesture but saying something to Ming was like talking to her asshole. It’s gonna do what it’s gonna do.

  “Who the fuck is Swoopes?” He asked again releasing smoke into the air.

  “He’s somebody who has a beef with me and he’s trying to kill me. I’m sorry if you all up in this now, but you should know it’s not what I wanted.”

  “Bitch, you hear yourself?” he asked scooting closer to the table, emptying the ashes onto a beautiful cherry-wood ashtray. “You tellin’ me this shit afta the fact?”

  “It all happened so quickly.”

  “Why the fuck you ain’t tell me you had a hit on your head? I had you all up in my car and shit!” He dropped the blunt and Ming picked it up and sucked on it like it was loaded dick. Yvonna looked at her and shook her head.

  “You really should calm the fuck down,” she told Ming under her breath. “You actin’ jive extra.” Ming waved her off. Turning her attention to Bricks she said, “He only shot at you because I was with you, you’ll probably never see him again.”

  “The nigga showed his face on my block…today.” Yvonna felt hate radiate from him and she wished she never came.

  “He…he has it in his mind that I had something to do with him getting locked up. But he did a lot of shit to me and had whatever happened to him coming.”

  “Where he live?” Bricks asked not feeling up for the ceremonies anymore. He wanted both of them bitches out of his crib.

  “I don’t know. He could be anywhere in Maryland or DC. We knew the same people and at one point ran in the same circle but I haven’t seen him in years.”

  “I was hopin’ to deal wit’ this shit tonight,” he said standing up. He removed a beer from the small fridge and gulped it down. They looked at him as if he was going to offer them a drink. “I would ask ya’ll if ya’ll want one, but fuck it.” Ming and Yvonna looked at each other. “Tell me what you do know about him.”

  “Bricks, I’m not doing this. This why I ain’t wanna say nothing because I knew shit would kick off,” she said
softly.

  Bricks looked at Ming, back and Yvonna and said, “Shawty you need to start talkin’ we beyond shit kickin’ off! This man came over here and threatened my life and my family and I don’t take that shit lightly, I ain’t to be fucked wit’!”

  Yvonna stood up and said, “Let me go home and think about it.”

  Bricks walked toward her. “See that won’t work,” he said putting his hand on her shoulder. “Sit the fuck down.” When she didn’t he said, “I’m not gonna ask you again.” Yvonna begrudgingly sat down. “The nigga told me to stay away from you. If I let you out of my sight, and he deads your ass, I might not be able to find him. I can’t have that happen.” He was saying one thing but for some reason, Yvonna felt he was worried about her too.

  Yvonna looked away from him. “I’m tellin’ you it won’t stop that easily.”

  “This nigga SHOT me…showed up at MY HOUSE…and THREATENED my family’s safety!” He growled. The veins in his head and arms bulged from his skin. “So until I get him, you stayin’ right here wit’ me!” He said pointing at the floor.

  Ming thinking the situation was sexy, stood up and said, “You want me to pick up anything from Bitch’s house? It don’t seem like you goin’ anywhere no time soon.”

  Yvonna looked at Bricks and saw the revenge he desired in his sexy grey eyes. She knew she wasn’t leaving anytime soon either.

  “First off, Ming, it’s the bitch’s house. Not bitch’s house. Second of all, bring me some clothes and my medicine.” She said looking at Bricks hoping he wouldn’t ask what the drugs were for. “And tell Penny I’ll call her when I can.”

  Ming grabbed her purse. “Have fun! Lots of fuck…I mean…fun,” she continued trotting up the stairs. “And if you need some help, call me. I’ll see you later. ”