Her Sweetest Revenge (Delphine Publications Presents) (7 page)

But squash all that. I got up and got moving. I had missed the bus that I planned on catching, which meant I had to pay a cab about fifty bucks to take me across town. I didn’t want to pay that money, but forget it. Yesterday I did six heads so I’m straight. Plus, I hit the supermarket on Friday, so we are good on food, but still, I could’ve used that money on something else, but I couldn’t be late to meet Big Nick. If I’m late he ain’t gon’ even deal with me. My dad used to always say, “Big Nick is a timey nigga.” That means be on time or forget it.

When the cab finally pulled up to the penthouse that Big Nick lived in, I couldn’t do anything but stare up at the huge building for a minute. It was really nice. This is definitely some shit I haven’t seen in a long time. Before my dad went into prison, we would ride out of the hood all the time to go shopping and to eat at expensive restaurants, but that’s been a whole lifetime ago, so standing in front of the Pavilion Penthouse, a huge high-rise building on the north side of Detroit, left me impressed. This building looked like something only well-off people lived in for sure. It had those huge Italian windows and a doorman in uniform standing outside waiting to let me in.

After gathering my composure I spoke to the doorman who greeted me. He then directed me to the customer service desk where they would let Big Nick know I was in the lobby. There was security, so unless you were a resident, there was no way you were just going to get on the elevator to go up, and from what Big Nick told me, he lived on the twelfth floor, so the elevator was a must. When I got to the front desk Big Nick had already given them preapproval of my arrival. I handed the password that he gave me to the front-desk attendant, and she quickly alerted him that I had arrived.

At that moment another attendant came over and directed me to the elevator where he took me up to the twelfth floor. When we reached it, he walked me all the way to Big Nick’s apartment where he rang the doorbell. Finally the door swung open, and I was standing face-to-face with Big Nick. I hadn’t seen him since my dad went up to prison, but he still looked the same. Big Nick was about 6 feet 7, weighed at least 250 pounds, and had a look on his face that said, “Don’t fuck with me.” Somewhere along that line he encountered the name Big Nick.

“
Baby girl,” he said, as soon as the door swung open. “Come on in here and give me a hug.”

Hugging Big Nick made me feel like I had my daddy back, because my dad and Big Nick were the same height. They probably weighed about the same except my dad was light-skinned and Big Nick had a milk chocolate skin tone. Needless to say, they both were very handsome men.

“
Hi, Nick,” I said in a casual tone.

“
It’s been way too long. I really miss you kids.”

“
Likewise.” I tried to sound really grown up. “I was glad to find out that your number was still the same,” I said to keep the conversation going.

“
Well, I’m just glad you called. Ain’t nothing been right since your dad went to jail. I just want you to know I never forgot about your mom, Monica, Li’l Bo, or you. The police was trying to hassle everyone who associated with your dad. I mean, your dad’s occupation and mine was totally different, but the feds didn’t give a fuck. They just wanted to get everybody who was associated with him in any way. So I just stayed away. I go up all the time to see him though. He told me about your mom. That situation is killing him while he’s inside. Anyway, I was glad when you called, but I was a little concerned about you needing guns. You OK?” His forehead had a slight frown.

“
Yea . . . Yeah,” I said having to clear my voice. Big Nick talking about my family was making me get emotional. “Just need some protection. You know how it is over in the Brewster. That neighborhood ain’t changing, and I want to feel protected. Tha . . . That’s all.” I had to clear my throat again.

Big Nick gave me a long look like he was trying to see inside me for a minute. “Follow me,” he finally instructed me. I followed him as he led me to the back of his luxurious penthouse. He led me to this room complete with a fully stocked bar and a pool table. It also had two big-screen TVs on opposite walls. On the pool table lay two guns that shined so brightly I could literally see them sparkle.

Picking up the gun and running his hand across the rim I saw a light inside Big Nick that only a killer gets when he puts a gun in his hand.

“
This here is a Ruger GP100 complete with a silencer. With you being a young lady this is all you need for regal protection. You think you can handle this gun?”

I picked up the other Ruger from the table to feel the weight of it. “This is some real heat,” I said with an unbelievable look in my eyes. A true feeling of excitement raced straight to my heart holding the gun in my hand. I was so focused on the gun that I didn’t even hear Big Nick when he asked me the question.

“
Damn right it’s real. Now again, can you handle this gun or do you need something smaller?”

“
No. I can handle this,” I said matter-of-factly.

“
I thought you could, but I had to ask. I’m giving you both of these because you said on the phone you need two. I didn’t load them, but I will show you how. All you have to do is pop this up and the chamber will open. You take these bullets and load it.” He opened up a box with bullets and inserted them in the chamber of the gun. “Pop this clip and it will close back up. I want you to keep it on safety at all times, loaded or not, OK? Both guns are clean, so if you get caught with them, all you have to say is that you found them. That’s it.”

“
Got ya. You don’t even have to worry about that. Lester didn’t raise no damn snitches,” I reminded him. “Thank you so much Big Nick. But I have one more favor to ask you.”

“
What’s that, baby girl?” he asked with sincerity in his voice.

“
My dad can’t know about this. Could you please not tell him?” I begged.

“
Mya, I don’t know if I should keep this from him. I just gave his baby girl two Rugers. How can I not mention it? He’ll be pissed,” he tried to explain.

“
I know I am asking a lot, but this will only worry him if he knows I have guns. He’ll be worried that Li’l Bo is going get them and do some stupid shit. On my last visit I told him about how Li’l Bo is ready to get in the streets and hustle. So if he knows I have these guns he’ll worry about Li’l Bo. Please, Nick, just don’t tell him,” I continued to beg. I let my thick eyelashes flutter up and down. It used to make my dad give in. Maybe it would have some effect on Big Nick.

“
All right, I won’t tell him, but if your mom catches you with these guns you can’t tell her you got them from me. Because if you do, the first thing she will do is tell your dad.”

“
I promise,” I said before giving Big Nick a hug. “Thanks, Big Nick. I have to get going before my mom starts worrying. She didn’t see me this morning before I left. Lately she turns into a real bitch if I make her mad, so I don’t feel like pissing her off today,” I said while bending down putting one of the guns in a clip on my right ankle. I had brought it along with me. I put the other gun in my waist.

“
Wow,” Big Nick said with a shocked look on his face as he watched me suit up with my Rugers. “You came prepared, huh? I was going to give you this gun case.” He pointed to a black case on the pool table next to where the guns had been resting.

“
I can’t take that on the bus. It would bring too much attention, especially to those who can’t wait to rob and take advantage of a young girl alone on a bus.”

“
You’re a thinker just like your dad.” Big Nick smiled. “Go on and get back before your mom misses you. Call me if you need me.”

I headed out the door back toward the elevator where the attendant was waiting to take me down to the main floor. I couldn’t help but think,
Damn, it must be nice to live like this
.

Chapter 12

“
Hertz rent a car,” the lady at the sales counter answered the phone with a snide attitude. “Hold for just for a moment. I’ll transfer you to my supervisor.”

“
May I help you?” she said, giving me a look like I was wasting her time as she hung up the phone.

“
Yes.” I stepped up to the counter. “I’m here to rent a car.”

“
Do you have a reservation?”

“
No.”

“
Without a reservation I have to check to see if we have anything available.” She started typing on the computer in front of her. “Yes, looks like we have a Ford Taurus available. How long will you need the vehicle?”

“
Just till tomorrow,” I replied quickly.

“
OK. Well, I will need your driver’s license and a credit card to set this rental up.” She kind of stared me up and down like she was trying to figure me out.

Credit card. I started to get nervous. I had a fake driver’s license that Rochelle had made for me to get in the club, but a credit card I didn’t have nor could I get legally. Thankfully I had called first to find out what all I needed so I gave her this information because this ghetto tramp had a look on her face like she was losing patience.

“
Uh, I called before I came over, and I was told that at this location I could use a money order for the payment.”

“
Well, do you have a money order?” she asked with attitude.

Now I was about to lose my patience ’cause if this bitch catches one more attitude with me I’m gon’ snatch her from behind that counter. With all the strength I could gather without cursing her out I gently laid the money order and my ID on the counter. While investigating my ID she started smacking on some gum she clearly had hidden in her mouth.

“
This you?” she asked me while giving me a once-over glance. “Because this ID says you twenty-four, but you look like you sixteen.”

“
Look, do they pay you for thinkin’ or rentin’ cars? If the ID says I’m twenty-four, then, bitch, I am twenty-four.” I went Brewster projects on her before I could control myself. “Now, are you going to rent me a car or what? Because I don’t have all day for this.” I was starting to get pissed.

“
Rude too, huh? Well, whatever. Anyway, I was just asking.” Without another word she finished up the paperwork and handed me the keys. I gave her a snide grin as I snatched the keys from her hands.

I hate putting up with people like her, but finally I had the car. That bitch and her jacked up weave hates her life so she wants to take it out on the customer. Scratch her. I headed out to the parking lot to find the car. Talk about a piece of junk, Taurus is one of the ugliest cars ever made. But whatever. As long as it gets the job done. I hopped inside, turned the volume up, and hit the interstate to clear my mind before getting on the job because this shit goes down tonight.

Chapter 13

After grabbing something to eat I went back to the one of main exits out of the Brewster to get ready to follow Luscious. Brewster is his first pickup from the young dope boys in the projects. He should pick up sixty thousand easy out of Brewster alone. The hard part is sitting here waiting for him to come out. I was already in place when he arrived about an hour ago. He jumped up out of his ride giving strict instructions for the future wannabe kids to guard his wheels. I just wish he would hurry his ass up. He should be about to come out. I just gotta chill until he does.

While I sat and waited, I went over the plan in my head and all the information that I’ve collected to get to this point. Shit has been hard and easy. The first bit of information I got that I planned on using in this whole setup is a piece that I got from Squeeze himself a long time ago. Well, he didn’t give it to me personally; I was kind of eavesdropping.

One day I had come home from school early, and I was in my room when my mom brought him home for another one of their sex romps. Squeeze was high, and, of course, my mom was too, except she was high on crack. He was in the living room on the phone talking to someone about going to Luscious’s house to pick up a last-minute package. Squeeze thought this conversation would be OK to have because my mom was asleep; he had no idea that I was home. Whoever was on the other end of the phone was worried about running into someone at the pickup house besides Luscious. But Squeeze assured them that no one is allowed at that pickup house but Luscious. According to Squeeze, no one was ever allowed at that house but Luscious, so he would definitely be alone.

So I got all that information as a freebie. I never knew I would need it because I would have never thought I would be robbing Luscious or anyone else from the Boone Squad. I need to thank Squeeze. Because of his big-ass mouth, that bit of information will be useful. Another bit of information that Squeeze gave during that phone call that I can use is the name of the pickup house. The pickup house was on the north side of Detroit, Seville Point Apartments. Earlier today I was able to ride by the spot and familiarize myself with the area so when I make my getaway it will be clean. I just wish he would hurry up so we can get this on the road.