The Pleasure of Pain 3

by Shameek Speight

  “What about Iris? We can’t just run off in to the sunset with that damn psycho after our ass,” Bless said.

  “Baby, I have done so many things to the point where I will always have enemies, but the world is so big. We can go just about anywhere to reinvent ourselves,” Tess answered while looking up at him. Bless held his head down and their lips locked while kissing deeply and passionately.

  Layla sat in the hard plastic chair in the waiting room watching Tess and Bless kiss, “One day, I won’t just be watching others in love. I’ll be the one in love,” Layla sighed.

  Vanessa, Tess, and Bless sat outside at a patio table of Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince. They had a clear view of the hospital that was across the street sitting in front of thick grass and beautiful mountains. “I just don’t feel right being away from my daughter,” Tess stated.

  “Baby relax, please. You have to get time for yourself, to clean up, and rest. They will be okay. Layla is there and she won’t let anything happen to them,” Bless stated.

  “Tess, you really want to just leave and let Iris get away with betraying us?” Vanessa asked with a puzzled look on her face from not ever knowing Tess to be the one to back out of a fight.

  “Yes Vanessa, now isn’t the time because we are outgunned and outnumbered. We have no more Asian Mafia members,” Tess responded.

  “That has never stopped us before, Tess. We are always outnumbered, just never outgunned. From the time I met you, it was us against the Kenya bitches. Four of us and ten of them and we still whooped ass. I say we go back now since the girls are okay and kill them all,” Vanessa replied.

  “With what men?” Tess asked sarcastically.

  “We go to the Zoe Pound to Queen Atabei and make a deal with her that she can’t refuse for some soldiers,” Vanessa replied.

  “I said no Vanessa. It’s time that we regroup and completely forget about our past,” Tess responded then continued to cut and eat the steak on her plate.

  “Your damn judgment is cloudy. You want me to forget my past? That’s like me forgetting Ebony and the fact that Iris was the one that set all that shit up in having my sister killed. And you want us to tuck our tails and run when it’s because of Iris that we’re even in this fucking situation? All this trouble and pain she has caused you and your daughter, you’re just gonna let her get away with it? No ma’am, you can leave, but I’m staying and I’m going after the bitch with or without your help,” Vanessa shouted and got up from the table.

  “Wait! Where are you going?” Tess asked.

  “To the hospital to see my nieces if that’s ok with you,” Vanessa said sarcastically.

  Tess shook her head, “I know that she is more hurt than mad, but in the long run she will understand that I made the best decision for us. Oh, there is something else I wanted to say to you,” Tess said.

  “What is it Tess?” Bless asked.

  “Three days ago back at that house, I mistreated you and said that you make me weak. Well, I didn’t mean that. In fact, you make me stronger. I've lived without having to show my emotions for so long that I have to learn how to balance you being back and what was happening to the girls. Being a strong woman isn’t always easy even we need to be loved and held. And I even forgot that. What I’m trying to say is, no matter how strong I become I will always love you,” Tess said looking Bless directly in his eyes.

  “Baby, I completely understand. I've see a lot has changed and all of you have become stronger, smarter, and deadly than I could have imagined. Understand that does not change the way I feel about you at all. Every single one of you ladies are my life and family to me. And at times I feel like I don’t belong like I should have died that day,” Bless responded.

  “Don’t say that shit. It's Gods will that you are still on this earth. You get to raise your children and have a second chance at life like we have always dreamed of. Never talk like that again do you understand me?” Tess said and grabbed his face.

  “Yes baby, I’m sorry,” Bless replied and leaned in to kiss her. Their hearts felt as if they could beat as one. And they truly knew there was no way in this world that they were not meant to be.

  CHAPTER 17

  Layla sat in Ayoyna and Isis’s room in the hospital watching them sleep. They had woke up a few times, but the drugs in their system hadn’t completely wore off as of yet. They would wake up and ask her for McDonalds, eat, and go back to sleep. Layla checked the watch on her wrist that read 1 p.m., 'Damn, they were supposed to been back. I’m ready to head to the hotel and wash my ass and eat. Those love birds need to hurry up. I wonder how I’m going to break the news to Tess that when we leave here that I’m going my own separate way. Will she look at it as disloyalty or understand I need to follow my heart and see if I can have my love story and make my own family? Tess loves me. I know she will give me her blessings,'

  Layla’s train of thoughts were broken when she heard a noise. She looked up to see a full figured nurse in blue scrubs and a white mask on that covered her mouth and nose. She studied the girl’s vital signs on the heart monitor. "Their nurse just came in here and checked on them no longer than thirty minutes ago,” Layla said then squinted her eyes when she got no response from the nurse. The more she stared at the nurse's body shape the more she had a familiar feeling about her. “Oh shit!” Layla stated as it all became clear. She had been around this woman for most of her life. She could point out this body even if it was surrounded by a crowd of people. Layla pulled out a small 3.80 with a silencer on it and aimed, but moved too slow as the nurse spin kicked it out of her hand.

  “The only way you ever could hit me is with a sniper rifle and that’s only if you were nowhere near me,” the nurse said as she sent two blows to her face.

  Layla stumbled backwards, “Fuck you, Iris!” Layla shouted.

  “No, fuck you! You don’t know how bad I’ve been wanting to kill you all these years. Tess's pet project showing you fucking love. I wish she left you in the foster home where she found you at. I bet you loved selling dope by that pet foster father of yours. You little slut," Iris said sarcastically.

  “I hate you! You crazy, hoe! That’s why Tess never loved you!” Layla shouted then went to touch the small two-way receiver in her ear to activate it and warn Tess.

  Iris's eyes opened up wide realizing what Layla was about to do. She took off running leaping up in the air towards Layla. She wrapped her thick thighs around Layla's neck and twisted in one motion sending them both to the ground. Iris kept her thighs locked on Layla's neck and squeezed tightly flexing her strong muscles in her legs. Layla tried to pry her legs open, but couldn’t. She tried to inhale, but the lack of oxygen caused her to black out. She opened her eyes then felt herself letting go and losing consciousness.

  Iris unwrapped her legs from around Layla’s neck like a snake, slowly releasing its prey after it stopped moving and ready to devour its meal. Iris stood up and could still see Layla breathing slowly, “I’ll come back to finish you off, but first let me handle the real reason I’m here,” Iris said out loud. She walked over to Ayoyna’s head and stared at her beautiful, chocolate skinned complexion then her innocent face. She stared harder and could see the combination of Tess and Bless in the child. Iris removed the pillow from behind Ayoyna’s head causing her eyes to open.

  She looked at Iris and spoke in a very soft and weak voice, “Auntie, why do you want to hurt me?”

  “Because there’s only enough room for your mother to only love one of us,” Iris replied while hiding back her tears.

  “But, Auntie, I love you," Ayoyna replied in her cute, weak voice.

  Tears streamed down Iris's cheek, “I wish that was enough,” Iris said and put the pillow over Ayoyna's face as she pressed down with all her might.

  Tess was about to sip some more tea from her cup when she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. She popped up from the table and took off in a dead run. Bless dropped his fork and followed her leaving the outside hotel eating area, “Tess w
hat’s wrong?” he shouted while trying to keep up with her.

  “Something is wrong with my baby,” she replied while running at full speed.

  “Huh?” Bless responded

  “Something is terribly wrong with my baby!” Tess said while her heart pumped in fear.

  Iris pushed down even harder and was surprised to see the five year old fight for her life. She swung her fists and kicked weakly. Iris pulled a knife out and stabbed Ayoyna repeatedly in the chest and stomach until she no longer saw any life in her. Blood covered Iris’s hand that she smeared on her face when she tried to wipe off the streaming tears. She moved to the next bed and looked at her daughter sound asleep, “Mommy loves you and is sorry for this,” Iris said while kissing Isis on the forehead.

  The touch of her lips caused Isis to open her eyes, “Auntie Tess,” Isis mumbled weakly. Iris facial expression twisted up in rage.

  “You opened your eyes and the first name was you call out is Tess? I’m your mother! I gave birth to you and I’m the only person you should love,” Iris said though shivering teeth.

  “Auntie Tess! Auntie Tess! Mommy is going to hurt me again!” Isis shouted, but her screams were cut short as Iris grabbed the pillow behind Isis's head and covered her face, pressing hard. Isis struggled and swung her little feet. Iris wasted no time to put the blade of her knife into her little chest and her stomach repeatedly until Isis's body stopped twitching.

  “AHHHHHHH!” Iris lifted up her head and screamed like an insane woman, ”Mommy is sorry baby,” she said and removed the pillow from Isis's face to only see her eyes popping out from her head, even though she was dead. Iris put her hand on Isis's face and closed her eyelids. She gathered her composure and looked at the chrome 3.80 with a silencer on the floor, which she had knocked out of Layla’s hand a few minutes ago. She picked the gun up and walked to Layla’s body. Layla was face down and stretched out on the floor. Iris aimed to the back of her head.

  CHAPTER 18

  Vanessa had met Su-Yu in the lobby and they rode the elevator up together. “So, you going to go after Iris alone? Do you even think you stand a chance against her by yourself?” Su-Yu asked.

  “Not really, but I refuse to leave and act as if she didn’t cause us all so much pain. If you’re willing to help, I know we might be able to take her,” Vanessa replied.

  “So, Tess has gone soft. I expected so much from ya’ll. All the stories of the Teflon Divas and all of the Asian Mafia soldiers that died trying to kill ya’ll. People talk as if you were goddesses and unbreakable. Just for me to find out, the Teflon Divas are nothing more than ordinary, bitching woman,” Su-Yu responded.

  “Hey, watch your fucking mouth! Tess hasn’t gone soft. I completely understand her. She just want to put this life behind her. And any other time I would agree with her, but not this time. Su-Yu, the reason you and everyone else failed when it comes to us is because you underestimate us,” Vanessa said as the elevator stopped on the second floor.

  Su-yu squinted her eyes, “Whatever,” she mumbled while they stepped out of the elevator. They walked down the hall of the hospital that was quiet. “So, when are we going to leave?” Su-Yu asked.

  “After I see the babies and say bye to Layla,” Vanessa said then stopped at room 234. When she opened the door, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing with her own eyes. Ayoyna and Isis's arms were hanging lifeless over the bed and puddles of blood were under each of their beds. Vanessa looked around the room to see Iris dressed in dark blue scrubs looking like a nurse and had a gun pointed at the back of Layla’s head, who was knocked out. “Bitch, I’ll kill you!” Vanessa shouted and pulled out a sub-nose 3.57 revolver and aimed at Iris.

  Iris looked up and smiled, “No you won’t, bitch, because you will only get one shot at it. I have my body armor on under these scrubs. So, that means you got to shoot me in the head and we both know your accuracy isn’t all that. So, once you pull that trigger and miss, I will kill you and that Chinese bitch where ya’ll stand,” Iris said with a wicked, sick smile on her face.

  “Don’t worry, Iris, I won’t miss. I've been waiting for this far too long. I finally get to kill the person that was really responsible for my sister’s death,” Vanessa said while closing her left eye only leaving her right eye open to help her aim better. She gripped the small sub-nose 3.57 revolver with both hands, like a police officer, and slowly began to pull back the trigger. Before she could fully pull the trigger, she felt a sharp pain in her neck. She looked right from the corner of her eyes to see Su-Yu running a small sword across her neck. Vanessa's neck opened up wide and blood squirted out of control spraying everywhere. She dropped her gun and used both hands to grab her neck in hopes of stopping the bleeding.

  Tess was running at top speed. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong with Ayoyna. She ran though the hospital lobby, passed the elevator, and went straight to the stair case with Bless right on her tail. She ran up the stairs brushing passed a doctor making it to the second floor then ran down the hallway. Tess stopped and stood freezing right in her tracks from being confused at what she was looking at. She could see Vanessa standing at the door way of Ayoyna and Isis room with her hands on her neck standing next Su-Yu. Su-Yu had continued to pull the small blade across Vanessa’s neck causing her to fall to her knees.

  “AHAHAHAH!” Tess hollered and pulled her twin 40 palaver hand-gun and ran towards Su-Yu firing. The innocent people in the hospital ducked low while running thinking she had lost her mind.

  “Fuck! I guess I’ll finish you later,” Iris said while looking down at the back of Layla’s head. She looked up at the doorway and could see sparks flying passed Su-Yu as bullets crashed in to the hallway walls. Iris swiftly ran out of the room and in one motion she grabbed Su-Yu's arm pulling her while firing behind herself at Tess. Tess's heart skipped a few beats, feeling as it had stopped working all together, from seeing the sight of Ayoyna and Isis's room. She stood there in disbelief. Iris turned around and stared at her. Blood was smeared all over her face and she smiled her wicked grin and continued firing at Tess.

  “Ughhhh!” Tess groaned when two bullets slammed into her chest hitting the bulletproof body armor. The sensation of the new pain snapped Tess out of the trance she was in, but the impact from the bullet knocked her backwards, up in the air, and onto the floor.

  ”Baby, are you okay?” Bless said while bending down and checking for blood to see if any of the bullets made it past her armor.

  ”I’m fine just kill those bitches for me. I have to check on the girls,” Tess responded.

  “No problem, baby, I got you,” Bless said and stood up straight. He pulled out his 45 hand gun and aimed then squeezed the trigger. The bullet traveled down the hallway and slammed into Su-Yu’s back tearing the flesh and ripped out of her stomach.

  “AHHHH!” Su-Yu screamed in pain.

  “Suck it up and keep moving!” Iris shouted while staring at Bless. He charged them like an angry bull that just seen a red flag. Iris pushed open the door to the back staircase and ran down the stairs as fast as she could while pretty much dragging Su-Yu, who was holding her stomach as thick, red blood pumped out of it. Bullets flew past Iris's head as Bless jumped over the rail of the staircase firing. “You bastard!” she shouted when a bullet nipped her in the top of her ear. Iris burst open the exit door and let out a sigh of relief while running down the back ally way of the hospital. She hopped in a parked BMW and Su-Yu laid down in the back seat.

  “I just wanted to be on a tropical island, sitting on a beach with no worries in the world,” Tess said while continue to apply pressure, but it did little to stop the blood from seeping out though her fingers, “HELP! HELP!" Tess screamed as Vanessa's body went into convulsions, twitching and jerking, then she stop moving and breathing. Tears streamed down Tess’s cheeks. She kissed Vanessa on the lips, “I love you, sis. You’re the closest thing I ever had as family.”

  “Uhgaa,” the sound of moaning and groaning caugh
t Tess's attention. She finally looked in the room to see Layla lying face down groaning. Tess heart sunk into her stomach.

  “NOOOOOOOOOO!” Tess let out heart piercing cries, jumped up, and ran in the room to Ayoyna's bed. Her facial expression twisted up in despair and anger. She nervously removed the pillow from Ayoyna’s face and dropped the pillow to the floor. “Baby, baby, mommy’s here. I’ll keep you safe. Get up, please baby. Please, get up baby,” Tess said desperately while shaking Ayoyna. She touched her stomach and looked down at the palm of her hands covered in thick, red blood. She checked Ayoyna's pulse and felt no heartbeat. Her eyes wandered over to see Isis's head turned to the other side and her arm hanging lifeless over the side of the bed in a pool of blood around her chest and stomach area like Ayoyna. Tess's body trembled as she scooped Ayoyna up and in the most heart filled pain. She yelled louder than anyone has ever heard while crying hysterically, “AHAHAHAHAH! WHY! WHY! NOOOOO! NOT MY BABY! NOT MY BABY! AHAHAHAHAHAH!” She felt an excruciating pain that hurt worse than any other physical pain she endured in her life.

  Bless ran back into the doorway next to Vanessa’s body that was leaking a puddle of blood on the floor. The sight of the chaos and mayhem that remained that he saw made his body go limp. He dropped to his knees and began to cry as Tess's hysterical cries echoed though the hospital, “NOO! Lord no not my baby! Not my baby! AHAHAHA!” She screamed louder and louder while holding Ayoyna close to her chest.

  CHAPTER 19

  Iris's heart ached as her mind kept replaying what she did to her daughter and Ayoyna, “I had to do it. She must learn a lesson of not putting no one over me. I should come first. I should be the one and only person she loves, just me. I’m so tired of coming last after Bless then it was Ayoyna and Isis, Ms. Lin, then Layla and Vanessa. I was the only one holding her at night when she broke down. Why couldn’t I get the same love I gave to her? No one should be put over me,” Iris said.