Level Up

by Nikki Karma

  We tried to reach Hollywood several times again but nothing happened. Maybe he was on the plane headed back to Atlanta. I decided that we would drive around so nobody would stop us and ask us any questions. So for the next forty minutes I drove in silence, with no special place to go.

  “I’m hungry, bitch, you hear me?” Denise said all of a sudden.

  When I looked at her she was staring in my direction. “What you just say to me?” I scratched my head.

  “You heard me, bitch! I said I’m hungry. Pull over and let me get something to eat. You might as well.”

  “First off if you call me bitch one more time I’ma push you out this car while I’m driving.”

  “And here I thought you were the nice one,” she said to me. “But I knew you would reveal your true personality sooner or later.”

  “I’m warning you to shut the fuck up,” I yelled at her again. Usually the weed calmed me down but for some reason I was agitated.

  “’Bout time you gave it to this bitch,” Crystal said closing her eyes. “She been getting on my nerves all night.”

  “Like I said, either take me to get something to eat or I’m gonna make this ride uncomfortable by screaming my face off,” Denise threatened.

  “And how do you plan on doing that?” Crystal said. “You not in no position to be—”

  She screamed so loud my eardrums rattled. “Aight, aight, calm the fuck down!” I yelled. “I’m gonna let you grab something now.” I quickly turned into some country fried chicken joint, which was the first place I saw. Besides, after smoking I’m kind of hungry too. I pulled up in a secluded area of the parking lot behind the restaurant, near the dumpster.

  “What the fuck you want?” I asked parking. “And don’t be ordering too much because until your husband do what he gotta, funds are limited.” I lied, as if we didn’t have the other money in the trunk.

  “Give me a fried chicken sandwich, Tasha,” Crystal interrupted.

  I shook my head. “You have zero manners.”

  I took Denise’s order, which was some chicken strips and a diet soda. I got out of the car, and I walked around the building and inside where there was a long line. Irritated, I’m in the restaurant for fifteen minutes before my food finally comes out.

  When I come back to the car I see Denise holding a gun to my sister’s face. From the window Denise is grinning at me and my sister looks horrified. Like she knows her life is about to be over. No. No. No. No. No. I said to myself. This can’t be happening.

  As I looked at her I felt helpless.

  I walked up to the window. "What you doing?" I asked her.

  “Get in the car and untie my legs and other arm,” Denise demanded. “Or I’ma blow this bitch’s face off.”

  Instead of doing what she asked I dropped the bag of food on the ground; opened the car door, released the gun from my waist that I stole from Crystal out the backseat and fire into the car window. Shooting Denise in the face.

  Wow, now I had to add murder to the list of things I’d done wrong. Fuck!

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  HOLLYWOOD

  Monique Burton was exhausted and didn’t feel like going to her doctor’s appointment later but still she had to. She was not allowed to drive but neither Tasha nor Crystal had bothered to call and tell her who was taking her.

  Her mind was a living nightmare. Thoughts floated around always and if she wasn’t consumed with ideas that someone was out to get her, she was consumed with thinking about her daughters and how awful a mother she’d been throughout the years. It was a living hell.

  Initially Monique pretended like she didn’t remember her daughter’s crazy childhood whenever Crystal wanted to speak about it, but she recalled everything. During the worst time in Monique’s life she ran with a gang. Although they sold drugs their real hustle was murder for hire and anybody could get it. At first Monique, with her beauty and wild spirit, assisted the gang by luring men to their deaths, with promises of sex. But when word got out that she was scandalous she needed to find another way and that’s where her girls came in.

  Luring strangers by claiming to give sexual acts from full sex to blowjobs, Tasha and Crystal would lead dealers or rich men away from their homes and cars only to be kidnapped and held for ransom. Because of their beauty over twenty men had met their deaths with their assistance. And although Monique tried to put those days out of her mind, Crystal never got over the past and feared one of the victims’ family members would soon find and kill them. This was one of the reasons Monique believed both of her daughters were gay. Believing that seeing how low dirty men would stoop to have sex with young girls disgusted them.

  Monique sat Lil’ Kevin on the sofa and ate her tuna fish sandwich when she heard a knock at the door. Expecting one of her daughters she opened it wearing her red housecoat. “Who you?” She asked the attractive man standing before her. “And what you doing at my house?”

  “What’s up, sexy?” He extended his hand. “My name is Hollywood and this is my driver Doc.” Doc nodded and smiled.

  Monique clutched the collar of her robe to be sure she was not naked. “If you calling me sexy either you blind or stupid. Now do me a favor and tell me which one it is?” She waited.

  “I know what I said and I’m talking about you,” He responded. “I think you are a very appealing woman.”

  Monique looked behind her.

  “May I come in? We come bearing gifts.” Hollywood looked behind him at his driver who raised a grocery bag.

  “Well why didn’t you say so?” With that fake offer. Monique backed up and allowed the killers into her home. Once the door was closed Hollywood walked up to the sofa and looked down at the dog who was tearing into the sandwich.

  “What breed is it?” Hollywood asked.

  “I don’t know,” Monique shrugged. “I just call it a dog.”

  He smiled. “Well what’s its name?”

  “Lil’ Kevin,” she responded, wondering what he wanted. “Now what do you really need from me? You’re acting too strange for my taste.”

  Hollywood turned around and faced her. “Like I said we brought groceries for you and your family. What did we get again, Doc?”

  “Steaks, shrimp, chops. And some dessert too.”

  “That’s right…steak and shrimp,” he repeated nodding slowly. “You do eat steak in this house don’t you?”

  “If it had a heart beat we fries it up around here,” Monique responded as she eyed him closer. Something didn’t feel right.

  “That’s good to hear,” Hollywood chuckled. “Now, are you the lady of the house?” From where he stood he looked around.

  “I am,” she nodded.

  “Great, because I’ve been trying desperately to reach Crystal and Tasha. You see, we go way back and it’s been such a long time since I’ve seen them.” He snapped his finger and pointed at her. “I know Crystal had a birthday a month ago,” he continued, remembering the pictures he saw on her social media page. “And I was unable to go to the party since I was out of town. It was family business and all. So I figured I’d come today and cook for her.”

  “Oh, is that right?” Monique responded as the dog continued to bark crazily. “Well it wasn’t that big of a party. Just a few friends and stuff.”

  He nodded. “Yeah, I still wanted to be there but you know how life gets in the way.”

  “A lot of things get in the way to be honest.” She smiled. “But you have to live as long as me to know that.”

  Hollywood laughed and then suddenly with a straight face he said, “Your daughters…do you know where they are? I need to see them right away.”

  Before she could respond Tiffani rushed inside of the house talking on the phone. She looked like a young man. “Bitch, them Jays Leila be selling fake as fuck and I told her. So she got mad and said she was gonna fight me when she saw me but I’m waiting.” She paused and stood in the middle of the living room looking at Hollywood, Doc and Monique. “I’m at my girl’s ho
use now but maybe we can get together later. Since Crystal being trifling and not answering my calls.” She looked at their serious faces. “But let me hit you back.” She dropped the phone in her pocket and crossed her arms over her chest. “What’s up, Ms. M?” She looked at the men. “I ain’t know you were having company. I remember Crystal saying you needed a ride to the doctors so I’m here.”

  “We got company.” Monique said. “They aren’t here for me. They here for the girls.”

  Tiffani looked Hollywood and Doc over. “Who you?”

  “I’m Hollywood and we trying to find Tasha and Crystal, do you know where they are?”

  “Well I don’t know where Crystal’s cheating ass is but if you looking for Tasha you need to visit her girlfriend. She’s always at her crib.”

  Hollywood looked at Doc slyly and then back at Tiffani. “You can help us with that right?”

  “Shit, for fifty dollars I’ll tell you whatever you need.” She shrugged. “Ya’ll friends right?”

  Hollywood and Doc nodded slyly.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CRYSTAL

  The air was thick and muggy inside Trap Girl’s Strip Club. I was on my way to the back, to get away from the crowd and ease into the VIP. Once there I was sitting on a chair in a private room and Sunshine was on her knees, between my legs eating my pussy. Whenever we stopped here to sell the things we robbed from the houses to the club owner, I would make it my mission to hook up with Sunshine. She didn’t play when it came to her head game and because of it she was my favorite.

  Normally I don’t go this hard. With doing stuff like this out in the open. But whenever I was stressed it helped me get shit off my mind. I really needed this after watching my sister kill that bitch in front of me and it fucked up my head. Before Tasha even pulled the trigger I could tell by looking in her eyes that she was forever changed behind that move and I can’t help but blame myself.

  All she wanted was to run away with her girl and I had different ideas. And now look? We were both walking dead bitches. It was like I knew I could be selfish but there was no way I could stop myself.

  “You tasting real sweet tonight,” Sunshine said looking up at me. “I love when you come see me. You so fucking sexy.” They called her Sunshine because of a skit she does when she dances. While on the pole she’ll open up her legs where a flash bulb is stuck in her coochie and shines out. It was a hit with the niggas but I love her lick game more.

  Feeling good, I looked down at her, while grabbing the back of her long red hair. “Why you talking instead of licking?” I asked, biting my bottom lip. “Get back to work.”

  She looked up at me. “Just wanted you to know,”— she shrugged— “Sometimes when you come in here I get sad because I thought you really liked me. You broke up with your girl yet? I heard she almost got into a fight with Leila earlier in—”

  “Just eat my pussy, Sunshine.” I paused looking at her sternly. “I ain’t come in here for all that other shit.”

  She looked at my shirt. “Hold up, why you got blood on you?” She touched it. “You hurt or something?”

  “Just focus on your job, Sunshine unless you don’t want this money.” I frowned, slapping her hand away. “I could give it to someone else.”

  As she went back to work I could see my sister through a small window on the door. She was in the front of the club, trying to buy some ID’s and passports so we could run away and get out of town. We had enough money to last a little while but I could tell this situation was making her stressed. Besides, she would be running away with ma and me. And not Nikki.

  When Sunshine ran her tongue around my clit I think I thought I was about to cum. Especially when she started flipping it quick. “Don’t forget to lick the tunnel.”

  “But you never could handle it when I did that,” she giggled. “I will though if you come back more.”

  I frowned. She was really trying to blow me. “See this the dumb shit that makes me wonder why I fuck with you anyway.”

  “Damn, Crystal, I’m just playing with you.” She rolled her eyes. “I mean why you getting all stupid and shit?”

  “Stupid?” I pushed her off. “You know what, get the fuck up.”

  “No…no…don’t, don’t go, please.” She paused and I stood up. “I need the money and I know you ain’t cum yet. You know I be talking shit because you set me off and I like you. I ain’t mean nothing really. I just want to make sure that you one hundred percent good.” I was still frowning at her. “Please don’t go. You got me on my knees begging.”

  I glared. “Then do less yapping and more licking.” I coached. “Plus I got somewhere else to be.” I sat back down.

  “For you to be so feminine you so mean.” She grinned. “But for some reason I like that shit.”

  “What did I just say?” This girl was gonna make me slap the fuck out of her.

  She smiled and started lapping again. I was pawning the back of her head when I saw the club owner hand my sister something. When Tasha put it away, she looked toward the back of the club and squinted at the VIP room. I know she was trying to see if I was inside and I think she spotted me.

  Aw shit, this bitch is about to start tripping.

  Tasha rushed up to the VIP room, flung the door open and looked down at Sunshine and back at me. “I know you not dumb enough to be back here getting your pussy ate when we got business in the car.” She was referring to Denise’s body, which for now was stuffed in her trunk. “Sweetheart, get your shit up and get the fuck out of here.” She said to Sunshine. “My sister done for the day.” She threw her a fifty-dollar bill and Sunshine snatched it up and ran out.

  I pulled up my jeans and zipped them up. Then I dusted the back of my fat ass in case I sat on something. “Why you do that? She ain’t even make me bust yet!”

  She pointed in my face. “Crystal, you that fucking gone in the head that you don’t realize what’s popping off right now? What’s wrong with you? I think you bipolar too. Like ma.”

  “Did you get the money from the stuff or not? ‘Cause I’m tired of all this—”

  I’m caught off guard by the blow I just took to the face, courtesy of my sister. As a matter of fact I couldn’t remember the last time she hit me. But if I had to pin point a time it may have been when I snuck her phone away after she broke up with Nikki last year to stop her from going crazy.

  We were drinking at this club and to help her mind off Nikki I took it. Not to be petty but I figured if she didn’t have her phone she couldn’t wait for her to call. But instead of telling her I had it, I convinced her that she lost it at the club and she was too drunk to dispute. The truth was once we got home I pushed it to the bottom of my dog’s bed thinking that would be it for a while.

  Everyday she would call and check the voicemails but would be too late because I erased all Nikki’s messages. After awhile she thought Nikki hadn’t called and moved on which was my plan all along. I even went as far as to delete the message on the house phone too.

  Tasha looked like death walking around the house, not eating or talking to anybody. But after awhile she came to terms that it was over or at least I thought so. We were outside drinking when she said, “I’m gonna ask her to marry me.”

  I begged her not to but she whipped a ring out her pocket to show me she was serious. That’s when I had to come clean, knowing that Nikki would tell her that she’d been calling non-stop.

  When she was in her room later that night I knocked on the door and handed her the cell phone. At first she was relieved to have it back, especially after I told her Nikki called, but a second later she was the angriest I‘d ever seen. She got up from the bed, stepped in front of me and hit me like I was a nigga. My tooth loosened in my mouth and everything.