Authors: De'nesha Diamond

Gangsta Divas (28 page)

BOOK: Gangsta Divas

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Alice

I
love the sound of Maybelline's raspy breathing as she tries to sleep. At any time, I can end her life. There's not an ounce of guilt in my veins for her treacherous ass and I'm going to draw her misery out for as long as possible. I've already spent the last couple of days shoveling two spots for her underneath the oak tree in the yard.

She took my life. Now I'm returning the favor.

Leaning over the bed, I whisper into Maybelline's ear,“You brought this shit onto yourself.”

WHEEZE! WHEEZE!

My smile stretches wider as I brush back strands of hair from her sweat-drenched face. “It's not time yet,” I whisper. “You'll go when I say you can go.”

Maybelline's eyes flutter open, but I don't worry about her attacking because she's too weak to do anything today. “A-Alice.”

“Shhh.” I place a finger against her lips. “I don't want to hear any more of your lies. We've moved past that.”

Tears roll from the corners of her eyes and even that shit doesn't move me. “You know, I've been thinking,” I confess.“It doesn't seem fair that I just get revenge on you.Would you like some company down here? There are few people who have screwed me over the yearsâleft me in that hole to rot and then later to lose my mind in that hospital.You all just forgot about me, didn't you?”

Maybelline doesn't respond.

“DIDN'T YOU?”

More tears drip onto her flat pillow as she musters enough energy to shake her head.

“LIAR!”
SLAP!
Pain explodes in my hand after throwing every ounce of strength into that backhand, but it was all worth it to see my handprint darken her face. It feels so good that I do it again.

SLAP!

Before long my hands ball into a fist and I pound on her until I'm exhausted and her pillow is soaked with blood.When I force myself off, I'm huffing and puffing as if I completed twelve rounds with a heavyweight champion. From the bed, I still hear that thin rasping, but it's interrupted by a gurgle of blood periodically. “Now look at what you made me do.”

I draw in a deep breath and pull myself together. “You know we'd get along a lot better if you didn't always provoke me.” After another deep breath, I push up a smile. “You lay here and think about what I said while I go out and get you a roommate.Would you like that?”This time I don't wait or care whether she responds. I head out of the room and then lock the door behind me.The only question now is who to go after next.

“Eeny, meeny, miny, mo.”

LeShelle

“W
here are you going?” Python asks, after I rush to get dressed and head toward the door.

“Out.” I need to get some-damn-where so I can think. I can't believe that Scarface-looking cockroach pulled some fucked-up shit like this.

“LeShelle,” Python barks. “That ain't a good idea. The streets are too fuckin' hot, baby.”

“I got some business I got to handle,” I tell him and reach for the doorknob.

Python flies across the room and blocks my ass before I can even step a foot out the door. “What fuckin' business you got?”

“Didn't you just bump me out your shit a few minutes ago? How you comin' at me like this?”

“Shelle, I ain't in the mood to be arguing,” he says barely holding on to his temper.

“If you don't want to argue, then close your mouth. I ain't gonna be trapped up in this small muthafucka like some damn prisoner. I can take care of myself.”

Python draws a deep breath and hisses, “Ain't nobody sayin' shit about you not being able to take care of yourself.”

“Then go over there and finish handing your crown to your
cousin.
” I try for the door again, but he slams it shut.

“Pythonâ”

“LeShelle, you stressing me. Now you know I gotta keep my eyes and ears everywhere or all of this shit is gonna crumble on my watch. I gotta get new weapons and a strong connect going or our folks are going to stop eating or start defecting. I
know
that you don't want that shit happening, do you?”

Crossing my arms, I look away. I worked my ass off to get on this throne and here he go handing the muthafucka over to some nigga that I've just laid eyes on for the first time?
Shiiiiiit.

Python grabs my chin and forces me to look at him. “Do you?”

“No.”

“A'ight then. Lose the attitude.” He releases my chin. “I'm gonna do what I gotta do to lock this shit downâwhile tryna deal with this sticky situation with the Vice Lords.”

“What stickyâoh, shit. Not that again.” My eyes nearly roll out of the back of my head.

“Look, Shelle. I know what I know and I know what I saw.”

“Whatever.”

He glares and huffs out a long breath.

In the back of my head, I know I should be more supportive. As a child, the loss of his brother bothered him deeply to the point that he never spoke or reached out to his mother while she was locked up. None of this means that I should board the crazy train with him. Besides, what did it matter?

“All right.You want to go out, then go out,” Python says. “But where are you gonna be at?”

Oh. Now he's my damn daddy.
Since I don't feel like arguing all damn night, I go ahead and give him something. “At Kookie'sâmaybe we'll grab drinks at Passions or just hang. I don't know.”

Python gives me a weird look.

“What? Now you don't like Kookie?”

“There's just some shit withânah, you know what? You go on ahead. This conversation is giving me a headache.”

“Cool.” He doesn't have to tell my ass twice. I shove him out of the way.

“Yo. Hold up.”

“What is it now?”

“Take June Bug and Kane with you. They're out there on lookout. I'll feel better if you have more muscle and guns with you.”

“Babysitters?”

“Security.”

Sounds like the same thing to me.
“Fine. Whatever. Can I go now?”

Diesel chuckles.

My gaze slices across the room. This asshole smiles like his ass ain't being rude as hell. I don't like or trust this muthafucka. I'm definitely gonna have to keep my eye on this pretender to the throne.

“Don't stay out too late,” Python says, bringing my attention back to him. “Diesel and I should be done talking soon.”

I nod, remembering that I have to do something about that loose-lipped Qiana. If she hasn't spilled her guts to Diesel about Yolanda yet, it's probably a matter of time before she does.

The second I climb behind the wheel of my Crown Vic, I hit Kookie on the cell. “I'm comin' to get you, girl. Be ready.”

Half an hour later, I cruise onto Shotgun Row.The corner boys bob and toss up deuces when they see me coming. “Home sweet home.” It feels like it's been forever since I've been here. Everything looks the same, but it all feels different.
We can't lose this shit now. I've sacrificed too much.
I look over at Momma Peaches's crib. The place looks so dark and foreboding. It's depressing. Shotgun Row will never be the same without her.

I pull up on Kookie's curb and the bitch hops in like she's escaping a bank robbery.

“What's up, bitch? Don't tell me that the honeymoon is already over.”

“All good things gotta come to an end, I guess.You want to go to Passions?”

“Fuck, yeah. My momma and those damn babies are working my fuckin' nerves. I did a three-minute cheer when you called.”

“Well, all right then. Let's get our party on.” I whip away from the curb and head out.

Two minutes down the road, Kookie leans closer to her side mirror and reaches for her gat. “I don't want you to be alarmed, but I think some muthafuckas are tailing us.”

“Yeah. I know.Those are my new babysitters: June Bug and Kane. Apparently, I can't leave home without them.”

Kookie relaxes. “Huh. Normally niggas buy diamonds.”

“What niggas you been dealing with?”

We laugh as I pull into the club's parking lot. There's a little bit of an apprehension, since the last time I was here, Yolanda's non-aiming ass called herself doing a drive-by.

The nigga at the door sees me and smiles. “Congratulations on the wedding, LeShelle.”

I flash the ring and wink. “You know how I do.”

We stroll in and are shown directly to VIP. Jay-Z and Kanye have me bobbing and rocking my hips. Damn it feels good to be out. I'm treated like the Queen I'm supposed to be in the streets. I can't wait until all this sneaking and hiding shit stops.

“Oh, girl. Thanks for getting me out of the house.You just don't know,” Kookie says. “Ever since McGriff passed, it's been a real struggle dealing with those kids and my damn momma. I was about ready to eat a muthafuckin' bullet it you want to know the truth.” She snaps open her purse and pulls out a fat blunt.

“Yeah, girl. Python told me about what happened. Sorry for your loss.”

“Thanks, girl. The shit has been roughâand now Pit Bull. The streets are changing.”

I shake my head, saddened by the number of bodies that been stackin' since I'd been in the hospital.

“Dem dirty Vice Lords, they're gonna get what's coming to them. One good thing though is that nigga Fat Ace fell off his throne. I keep dreaming of popping a cap in that Lucifer bitch's ass.”

“Who hasn't had that dream?” I chuckle. “Meanwhile, something also needs to be done about those Grape Street niggasâand fast. They're filling in where we've fell off, ya know?”

“Yeah. Who ever thought that Shariffa's ass would be right back on top.”

“What?”

“You didn't know? She married the head nigga in charge over there a while back. Some are saying that she's the brains behind her man, Lynch. Her shit against GD is personalâand I can't say that I blame her. Python did her dirty.”

I'm stunned by the shit flowing from my girl's mouth. “Since when are you a Shariffa fan?”

“Look, don't take it personal. All this shit was before your timeâbut frankly, I never had no problem with the girl. She was cool. She just got caught up and sloppy when she decided to creep with that nigga King Loc.The way she saw it, Python was splashing off on every bitch that would stand stillâso why shouldn't she do the same thing?”

I shift around in my seat. “Whatever.”

“Yeah. It don't matter now. If she's flagging for those Crips that officially makes her the enemy. It's hard out here. We're battling VL on our right and Crips on our left. The streets are sloppy as shit right now. But I hear Python is bringing some reinforcements soon.”

“Oh yeah?” I steal a second toke. “Where did you hear that shit?”

“FabDivas. Where else?”

I roll my eyes. Those bitches at that hair salon never could keep their mouths shut.

“Well?”

“Well what?”

“Is it true?”

I give her a dismissive shrug and then glance around the club.

Kookie laughs as she grabs the blunt back. “Oh, you gonna play me like that? A'ight then.”

“Nah. It's not like thatâit's just . . . I don't like the idea of new niggas rolling through.You feel me?”

Kookie nods.

“Python wants to hand the reins to his cousin, Diesel, âtemporarily,' but I ain't feeling that shit.”

“Diesel? No shit?” Kookie's voice fills with awe.

“Get the stars out of your eyes. I ain't feeling this worth a damn.”

“Yeah. I see what you're saying. Your ass has fought too hard to get on the throne.”

“See? You know what I'm talking about. I didn't make all these power moves just so I can be some figurehead. Fuck that shit. Python needs to get his mind rightâand quickly.”

“Well, he's been through a lot. With that FBI and cop shit, Momma Peaches, the loss of the Pink Monkey and his construction siteâ”

“Damn bitch. I don't need to run a goddamn checklist. I get it.” I snatch the blunt back.

“Fuck. Sorry.”

I roll my eyes. “Whatever. Pour me a drink.”

Kookie grabs the chilled bottled of Dom. “Didn't mean to get you heated.You know you're my bitch.With Pit Bull gone, you know we gotta hold each other down.”

“Yeah.You're right. It's just that, I got my own pile of shit to deal with, too.”

“Ta'Shara?” she asks.

I grind my teeth at the damn mention of her name. “Most definitely that bitch. Believe me, I'm gonna reach out and touch her ass real soon.”

Kookie snickers. “I wouldn't want to be that girl right now. You know that she's out of the mental hospital, right?”

I choke over my toke of weed. “WHAT?”

Kookie nods as she grabs the blunt. “Yep. She's been out for a few days now. That's what I heard at the salon. Her foster parents took her home the same day we busted you out of the hospital.”

“And the same night her man came gunning for me and Python.”

Kookie bobs her head while blowing out a long stream of smoke.

This news bumps Qiana out of the number-one spot on my shit list.

“Well,” I say, grinning. “What would it look like if I didn't welcome my baby sister back home?”

BOOK: Gangsta Divas

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