Shyt List 3 (The Cartel Publications Presents)

by Reign (T. Styles)

Yvonna was thoroughly embarrassed by her horniness. Her sex drive lasted longer than a flight from there to Africa.

  “So now what?” she asked him when they were alone. “Since you holding me against my will.”

  “Get some sleep and tomorrow we try and find him.”

  “Where you sleeping?”

  “Upstairs. There’s some food in the fridge over there. You can eat if you want, if not, fuck it too. Just don’t try and leave. And I think Bet put some clean sheets in the closet over there.”

  “Who’s Bet?”

  “Nobody you need to worry about.”

  Bricks was about to walk up the steps when she was compelled to ask, “Will your girlfriend be mad that I’m here?”

  His lips turned down and pierced closely together. “That bitch ain’t my girlfriend.” he paused. “I’ma lock the door. The quicker this shit is over wit’ the better for everybody.”

  She couldn’t agree more so the moment she was alone, she drifted into a deep sleep.

  When The Past Comes Back To Haunt

  Jona sat on her bed looking at the bathroom door. She knew the man inside wasn’t the same and she had a feeling she knew why. He was still in love with Yvonna. She walked to the door wondering if she should talk to him or not.

  “Terrell, is everything okay?” Jona asked, as she gripped the strings of her red satin robe with one hand, and placed her hand on the door with the other. “I’m worried about you.” She touched the fibers of the wood wishing she could touch her man instead.

  “I’m fine, Jona!” he yelled causing her to back away. “I told you that when you asked me before.” He bolted out the door visibly irritated. “I just have a lot on my mind.”

  “Do you love me anymore?”

  “I don’t want to talk about this.”

  “But I wanna be here for you. We’ve been together for years and you still treat me like I’m a stranger.” She walked behind him but was sure to maintain her distance. Terrell looked at her, pushed past her again and grabbed his car keys.

  “Look at you,” he spat. “Nothing about you turns me on. You’re dry in the bedroom and your body stinks. I just can’t take this anymore. I want out!”

  “What?” She sobbed holding her stomach. “Why would you talk to me like that? It doesn’t even sound like you anymore.”

  “I’ll be home for dinner.”

  “Terrell, talk to me.” She pleaded. When he didn’t answer she said, “Does this have anything to do with Yvonna being home? Do you want to leave me for someone who’s fuckin’ crazy? Is that what you want?”

  “After everything I said, you still hear what you want.” He spat. “Fuck dinner, I’ll grab something to eat while I’m out.”

  He hurriedly walked out of their room, and out the front door.

  “What’s going on with you?” she said to herself. “Where’s the man I fell in love with?”

  He was gone.

  A Woman Scorned

  Yvonna was awaken by Penny’s call while lying comfortably under a quilt on the couch. She adjusted a little and answered. “Yes.”

  “Yvonna…is everythin’ okay? That Ming girl came by to get ya clothes and your medicine. But where are yous?”

  “I just need to take care of some things. I’ll be home in a few days.”

  “O…Okay. Well how ya feel?”

  “I’m not having hallucinations anymore so stop worrying.”

  “Okay…did you take the Clozaril and Lithium?”

  Yvonna sighed and said, “Not yet.” She paused for a moment when she heard someone walking down the stairs. “Look, I have to go. I’ll call when I can.”

  “Okay, but just so yous know, I don’t allow runnin’ in and out of my house.”

  Yvonna looked at the phone and said, “You know what, I don’t wanna say something wrong so I’ll call you later.” She couldn’t believe she was acting all funky just because she was staying out a few nights.

  Irritated, she threw the covers off her body. Brick’s Bladensburg High School Sweatshirt covered her chest and she had nothing but her white cotton panties on below. The moment she saw Kendal standing before her with a pot full of hot grits, her heart raced. Bricks said he’d lock the door so how did she get downstairs? Yvonna jumped back several feet into a corner, her long hair disheveled and all over her head.

  “Ain’t this somethin’?” Kendal said, eyeing her up and down. “Some bitches just don’t know when to stay away.”

  “What you doin’ down here?” Yvonna questioned looking around for an escape, the steam from the grits oozing out of the pot.

  “I’m askin’ the fuckin’ questions!” she said walking closer. “What the fuck you doin’ in my house?”

  Before Yvonna could answer, she saw a shadow in her peripheral vision on her left. Her heart pumped rapidly and she hesitated before looking. Could it be Gabriella? Turning her head slowly, she was relieved when she didn’t see her.

  “Look, I’m not trying to cause any problems. I’m just—”

  Yvonna’s statement was cut short when the girl threw the hot grits on her body burning her chin and legs. The pain felt as if a thousand needles were being stuck into her skin. “Awwwwww!” She screamed wiping the grits off, hopping around the basement. “What is wrong with you?!”

  “Fuck that shit! You got me fucked up if you think you gonna be down here shacking up with my man! I’ma kick your fuckin’ ass today!” She dropped the pan and took two steps closer to her.

  “Look,” Yvonna said outstretching her arms, “It’s not even like that between Bricks and me. It’s business and that’s it.”

  “Bitch, you don’t know who you fuckin’ wit’,” Kendal bragged. “If you did, you wouldn’t be here. Nobody fuck’s with me and gets away wit’ it.”

  “Listen, I’m trying not to hurt you. Bricks wants me to help him deal with that situation that happened yesterday and after that, I’ll be gone.” The pain from the burns still stinging her body.

  “You hurt me?” She laughed. “Neva that!”

  Again Yvonna saw the shadow and she knew immediately what was happening. Gabriella was trying to appear and she knew if that happened, Kendal’s life would be in danger. Instead of beating her ass like the old Yvonna would have, she ran to the table and twisted off the tops to her pill bottles, tossed a few in her mouth, swallowing them without water. The bottles dropped out of her hands and her entire body trembled.

  Kendal couldn’t believe her eyes. She was geared up for a fight and didn’t get one. Instead Kendal picked up the pill bottles and made mental notes of the medications. What the fuck is Clozaril and Lithium? She thought to herself.

  “Fuck you doin’ down here?” Bricks asked entering the basement.

  Kendal turned to look at him and then back at Yvonna and dropped the bottles on the floor. The pills spilled everywhere.

  “No! What the fuck is she doin’ here?” She asked pointing at her.

  Bricks looked at the grits all over Yvonna’s clothes and gripped Kendal by the back of her shirt, slamming her into a wall. He had been in pain all night from the gunshot wound to his arm and wasn’t up for her bullshit.

  “Bitch, what the fuck you doin’ down here?”

  “Why is she here, Bricks? Why are you doin’ this to me?”

  “Kendal I swear on everything, if you don’t leave out of my basement, I’ma drop you. By the end of the week, I want all your shit out of my house.” Kendal looked at him with saddened eyes before her face-hardened.

  “I’ma give you some time to cool off. But I’ll be back and she better not be here when I do.”

  “Bitch take your stupid ass up the steps!” He demanded.

  Kendal stormed up the stairs. “You aight?” he asked Yvonna.

  “Yeah…I’m fine. I guess.” She shrugged. “How did she get down here, I thought the door was locked? She got a key?”

  “Naw. I must’ve left the door unlocked by mistake.”

  “Well what’s up with her?” />
  “Kendal just being Kendal. She delusional and there’s more shit goin’ on wit’ her than you know about. My bad for the shit she did to you though.” Yvonna got on her hands and knees and placed her pills back in the bottle. And then she sat on the couch and tugged at his sweatshirt to cover her panties. “What I wanna know is, why you ain’t defend yourself? I remember you use to cuss me out all the time.”

  “Bricks, I’m not like that no more.” She sighed. “And I don’t wanna be. All I wanna do is take care of my daughter.”

  Bricks exhaled and said, “It’s your funeral. But look…put some clothes on. We gotta roll. I wanna find this dude like yesterday.”

  “Where we goin’?”

  “We gotta stop by Mom’s place.”

  “Your mother is involved?”

  “Naw…this nigga name Moms.” When she looked at him with a confused stare he said, “It’s a long story. But put your shit on so we can go.”

  There’s No Place Like Mom’s

  The sky was ice blue and the fiery sun was partially hidden behind large feathery clouds. Immense oak trees surrounded Mom’s luxurious mansion, which was located in a quiet suburb in Maryland while Bricks and Yvonna waited patiently at his front door.

  “Who is it?” a female voice called.

  “Bricks. I’m here to see Moms.”

  A beautiful white female with long blonde hair swung the door open and smiled at him. She batted her lashes and looked him up and down flirtatiously.

  “What’s up, Samantha?” He winked.

  “You,” she said opening the door, frowning at Yvonna. “I guess you have a lot going on though.”

  “Not what you think,” he said once inside. “Where Moms?”

  “In the living room. He’s waiting on you.”

  Bricks walked in with Yvonna close on his heels. There wasn’t much furniture throughout the house and when they came to a cherry wood door with brass handles, they pushed them open. Mom’s was inside with two beautiful black women by his side. One was combing his hair and the other was giving him a pedicure. They both wore pink one-piece mini-dresses that read, “Moms little girl” in purple letters.

  His hair was permed and fell down his back. And his extra light skin and girl like features made him look like the singer Prince. They called him Mom’s because if you didn’t pay your debt your mother would be the first person he killed. Mom’s was deep in the drug game and dealt mainly in prescription drugs although he was trying to wiggle his way into coke. He had access to some of the major drug manufacturing companies and supplied half of DC and Maryland with Vicodin, Oxycontin and other major medicines.

  “What brings you here? You know I like Sundays wit’ my girls.”

  “I know and this won’t be long,” Bricks said walking up to him as Mom’s sat in a large chair with two brass lion heads on each side. “I need to find somebody and I know you know everything.”

  Mom’s smiled and said, “Got my money?”

  Bricks dug in his pocket, peeled off five hundred dollars and placed it in a plate next to the door, which set on a pedestal.

  “Okay, son, what’s his name?”

  Bricks looked at Yvonna and she said, “S…Swoopes. His name is Swoopes.”

  “Swoopes?” He repeated and readjusted in the seat. “What’s his government name?”

  “I don’t know. We aren’t friends. We never were.”

  “You gotta give me something more to go off.”

  “Look, tell him what you know,” Bricks said nudging her arm.

  “All I know is…he runs with a crew called the YBM.”

  “Stop!” he said holding his hand out. The women who were pampering him ceased their actions and sat at his feet. “The Young Black Millionaires?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is he missing a left eye?” She nodded yes. “And three fingers from his right hand?”

  “Yes.”

  Moms looked around, stood up and walked over to them. “Why do you want to find him?”

  “A long story.” Bricks told him. “But it’s urgent that I touch him…I mean…get in touch with him.”

  “I’ll tell you where you can find him, but I want you to take care of him too.” He said with an evil glare.

  “What’s in it for you?” Moms grabbed the money Bricks placed in his offering plate and handed it to Yvonna.

  “He got into a fight with my nephew Corn who was in FCI with him doing a bid. They ended up shipping my nephew to another prison where he was later shanked and killed. They tried to say my nephew turned states which was why they shipped him, but I know that’s some bullshit. So I want Swoopes dead,” he said firmly, “had Swoopes never fought my nephew, he’d still be alive.”

  “I’ll take care of him,” Bricks said. “So where can I find this dude?”

  “It ain’t gonna be as easy as you think to get a hold of him. But sit down, I’ma tell you all I know.”

  Cold Case

  The old-style radiator heater rattled in the cheap motel room and the dark brown curtains stirred, drying up the leftover pizza in the box. It was hot, and the staleness of the room was thick. It served as the meeting place for the unofficial task force of cops, ex’s and psychiatrists who had all been burned by Yvonna.

  “So what are we going to do? She’s home now?” Peter asked sitting at the brown wooden table. “It’s just a matter of time before she comes for us.”

  “I don’t think she will,” Terrell’s said, his 6’4 inch frame paced the floor. His biracial background gave his skin a bronze tone and he looked like a model amongst them. “I think we should stay with the plan. If we move off the plan, things can get out of hand.”

  “Stay on the plan for what? To find this Gabriella girl who probably died a long time ago?” Lily asked sipping her ice-cold coffee as she sat across from Peter. “How is finding her significant anyway? To me it feels like a waste of time.”

  He stopped looked down at her and said, “If we must haunt our prey, we should at least know the species. That’s why.” Terrell was irritated.

  “Well have you found anything that will help?” Guy asked. “Cause I’m with Lily, I think we should kill her and get it over with. She’s not pregnant now and the hit man won’t have a problem finishing what he started. Since that was the only reason he didn't finish her off to begin with.”

  “I have a meeting with the preacher at the church where Gabriella first showed up. I should be able to find out something then.”

  “This is so fuckin’ stupid!” Lily yelled. “

  “Either we do it this way or count me out,” Terrell said.

  “Oh…oh…I get it,” Lily said walking up to him. “You’re still in love. You still think you can change her. After all these years you haven’t gotten over the fact that she’s crazy. What’s goin’ on, Jona, you ain’t fuckin’ him hard enough?” She laughed.

  Terrell slapped her and she placed her hand on her face. The heat from the blood rushing to her skin warmed her hand.

  “I don’t’ love her anymore.” He said not bothering to apologize. “But don’t fuck with me on this.” He grabbed his things and was preparing to leave without his fiancé. “I’ll let you all know when I find out something.”

  “We’re not going to wait for her to come after us,” Lily said before he had a chance to leave. “Because she killed my partner and a lot of other people and I haven’t forgotten. Even if you have.”

  He looked at everyone one last time, and stormed out the room.

  A Full Moon

  Bricks walked into his house with Yvonna close on his heels after their visit with Mom’s. Bricks had already sent a few of his boys to the block Mom’s said Swoopes and his men frequented, but he didn’t have his home address. Outside of roughing up a few dudes, they still couldn’t find Swoopes.

  When he walked inside, it was quiet and he saw Bet’s overnight bag on the floor. Michelle “Bet” Blake, was Kendal’s mother and she’d also given birth to Chomps. And the s
tory behind the boy’s birth was strange enough for an entire show on Maury Povich.

  A year ago, Bet’s only son Mitch K. Blake, nicknamed “Deuce” had married his high school sweetheart Karen Dexter. Karen couldn’t have children of her own and both her and Deuce wanted a child. So badly that in the beginning, it was the only reason they argued. Bet, feeling bad for her son, agreed to carry their child to full term.

  Before Bet had a chance to change her mind, Deuce and Karen went to a fertility clinic where Karen’s egg was retrieved from her body and induced with Deuce’s sperm. Against the doctor’s orders, the forty-two year old woman amazingly got pregnant and carried their baby to full term. But a week after their son Theodore “Chomps” Blake was born; Karen discovered Deuce was seeing someone else whom he planned to leave her for. Karen’s entire world was rocked having walked in on them in her bedroom making love.

  Karen not able to accept living without him, called him from her mother’s house, who was out of town on business. Deuce agreed to meet her there and when he walked through the door, she hugged him, cried in his arms, and put a bullet through her head. She died as he held her, while he soaked in her blood.

  It took him minutes to regain his composure long enough to see the blood stained note in her left hand. It read, ‘Everything I do is for you. If there is no you, there is no me. I hope your new relationship makes you happy. But if you still want to be with me, like I do with you, I left one more bullet in the gun. Be with me for eternity.’