Thin Ice 3 - Armageddon (15 page)

“
Why you holding’ on to him then,” Kaitlyn replied sipping the crown she was enjoying. Tariq had returned home earlier heading straight for bed and falling asleep.

“I mean we been together for almost four years, so I guess we’re just used to each other,” Tae replied as both Kaitlyn and Jaleesa gave her a resounding, “Mmhmm, heffa.”

Tae laughed again. “I dunno why I talk to ya’ll two hookers,” she threw out as the ladies all laughed once more.

“
So we’re still on for this weekend,” Kaitlyn asked.

Tae told her she was straight. “Going to make part of the pickup tomorrow,” she added as Kaitlyn hmphed again, swallowing more liquor.

Jaleesa was quiet alerting both women there was an issue.

“
You can’t get away can you,” Kaitlyn asked calmly.

Jaleesa sighed deeply. “Girl, I just haven’t figured how to work it out yet,” she replied as both ladies told her it was cool.

“
If you can’t go Tweety, we’re straight,” Tae told her sincerely.

“
No, I’m goin’,” Jaleesa replied.

Truthfully she wanted to see Mecca again. She knew shouldn’t be flirting with danger the way she was, but Jaleesa was sick and tired of denying what she felt and what she wanted when it came to her life.

“
Lemme get off this phone girl and go in and here and put it on this man right,” Jaleesa teased as both Kaitlyn and Tae burst into laughter.

“
Bye girl, damn,” Tae told her still laughing.

Kaitlyn also bid her goodnight as Jaleesa disconnected.

“
You’re sure you’re okay with Kareem,” Kaitlyn asked having Tae on the phone alone. “Yeah for now,” Tae replied the rest not needing to be spoken between the two friends. “Cool,” Kaitlyn replied evenly as they both bid each other good night and hung up.

*****

Jaleesa crept into the bedroom finding LaRon sleeping peacefully.
Them jokers was smokin’,
she smiled to herself recalling Kaitlyn telling her about Tariq coming home and going straight to sleep. She knew that when LaRon smoked too much weed he got sleepy, so did Tariq.
I bet if I called Kim, Mook ass is unconscious too,
she continued to smile taking a quick shower and making her way back into the bedroom after spritzing herself with LaRon’s favorite fragrance. Jaleesa carefully pulled the comforter back on his side preparing to wake him up his favorite way as she went to her knees. His cell buzzed making her jump from the unexpectedness of it. Reaching over she grabbed the instrument about to send the call to voicemail when she noticed it was a text and not a call.

Her sixth sense kicked in and told Jaleesa she should see what the message contained. Glancing up at LaRon, she saw that he was still in a deep and restful sleep. Running her finger over the button three or four times contemplating if she should look at it or not, her curiosity got the better of her and she pressed the envelope icon, opening the message. ‘Your baby and me miss you so much,’ it began as Jaleesa continued to read and her temperature began to rise. ‘I love you so much, I never meant to hurt you,’ the message was continuing. ‘Please give us another chance. No other man has ever made love to me the way you did,’ the text ended as Jaleesa’s eyes fell on the signature. ‘Yours always, Kysha.’ Standing up quickly, Jaleesa flipped on the light on LaRon’s nightstand. He sat straight up in bed, his sleep rudely interrupted, seeing his wife standing in front of him naked, holding his cell phone, and death in her eyes.

11

Shells casually followed the sleek black BMW as it made its way down the residential streets. He was careful not to bring attention to himself. He and Tariq had talked long about his wife, her habits, and how deadly she herself could be when called for. The car slowed at the stop sign as did Shells in the Hummer he drove, three cars behind her. Kaitlyn continued her journey as the terrain became more and more familiar and Shells curiosity was raised. His cell rang and he answered, carrying on a conversation with one of his boys as he kept the woman in his sights. Kaitlyn finally arrived at her destination and turned into the parking lot of the general merchandise store, pulling into a parking space and turning off the car. Shells pulled in behind her and parked discreetly another four rows away. He still had a bird’s eye view of both her and the car when another vehicle pulled beside her and the driver got out.

Shells watched the beautiful woman get out of the dark green Infiniti and get into the BMW. “Now what exactly dem two beauties be up too,” Shells murmured continuing to watch and wait. He wouldn’t be kept very long as yet another vehicle joined them. This one he knew without glancing the driver or the passenger. The silver Benz was customized from top to bottom and the vanity plate saying ‘kingpin’ definitely did nothing to conceal the identity of the owner.
Why the hell dey meetin’ this fool,
Shells wondered frowning deeply. Pulling out the digital camera, he began taking pictures. He was almost positive Tariq had no idea of his wife’s activities today. As a matter of fact he was pretty sure the woman kept this part of her life a deeply buried secret from her husband, Shells continued to think as both women got out and walked to the trunk of the Infiniti. He saw the door to the Benz open and confirm his suspicions when Python got out.

Roderick “Python” Gaines was one of the heavy hitters in Atlanta on the supply end. He didn’t get caught up in the street sales. His thing was simply bringing the supply. How everyone partied with it was their business. Shells watched the transaction as the man got way too close to Tariq’s wife, leering openly at her. He smiled watching her quickly check the man and walk away.
She definitely got that fiyah,
Shells thought as Python directed one of his goons to open the trunk. The other woman he didn’t know walked over and examined the contents. Evidently satisfied, they gave him the small duffel bag, which Shells knew contained his payment, and took their goods, placing them in the Infiniti’s trunk. Boldly, Python reached out and grabbed Kaitlyn’s hand, saying something to her as she gave him a look. Shells felt his anger rise as the man put his hands on the woman, disrespecting the bond between her and her husband. He was again pleased however when she snatched her hand from his, glared at him and walked away. Shells saw Python laugh and shake his head as his goon held his door open and he climbed back inside the Benz.
Him gone be trouble,
Shells thought knowing how the man’s mind worked. He was obviously intrigued with the woman and for Kaitlyn that was going to be a headache. For Tariq it was going to be a reason to send yet another man to the cemetery, Shells continued to brood starting his truck and following the BMW once more, curious where they would end up this time.

*****

LaRon walked into the bedroom to find her packing.

“
Where the hell do you think you’re going,” he threw out, terrified of the implications. “You don’t have the right to ask me shit right now,” Jaleesa fired back.

LaRon walked over grabbing her and spinning her around, knocking the suitcase from the bed with his other hand.

“
You are not leaving me,” he yelled at her, looking into her eyes still seeing the seething anger.

They’d argued all night about Kysha. LaRon had produced the test results showing her he wasn’t the baby’s father, but Jaleesa wasn’t hearing anything he had to say.

“
Get the fuck off me, Deuce,” she yelled back eternally grateful Jashon was spending the night at her mother’s house.

“
Why you tryna hold onto me so hard for,” she continued, getting angry all over again. “Go call Kysha,” she threw at him as LaRon slapped her. Jaleesa slapped him back as they began to fight again.

Realizing the blows weren’t helping; LaRon stopped himself, ashamed as he looked at the woman standing before him still ready to defend herself. Her lip was bleeding from the slap and one of her eyes was starting to swell. Her clothes were torn from her body and she was breathing hard as the tears rolled down her cheek. He felt stinging on his neck and ran his hand across the area feeling the deep scratch marks Jaleesa had inflicted.

“
Tweety, baby, please don’t leave,” LaRon tried, calming himself and talking to her.

“
Are you serious?” she screamed. “Deuce, are you damned serious,” she yelled again, temporarily forgetting her own indiscretions. “What if it were my cell and you saw some bullshit like that on my text,” Jaleesa asked as LaRon’s fist immediately clenched. “Hmph, that’s just what the fuck I thought,” she told him giving him a look. “You know what Deuce,” Jaleesa began calming slightly herself. “It’s not so bad that you cheated, I mean, shit, you’re a man and you’re human,” she told him looking into his eyes. “The fucked up part is you slept with this bitch raw,” Jaleesa told him the hurt bursting forth. “You didn’t give a moments consideration for me, our son, hell, your own life,” she went on crying harder now.

LaRon walked over and pulled her to him holding her as she continued to cry. “I’m sorry baby,” he told her softly in her ear.

Truthfully his mind was on overload thinking about his next move once he smoothed things over with Jaleesa. Kysha had messed up with the text and LaRon had every intention of letting her know how badly she’d messed up, in person.

“
Please Tweety, baby don’t break up our family,” LaRon pleaded as she finally stopped crying.

Jaleesa mind’s was racing. True she was pissed about him cheating, but she could also use it to her advantage.

“
I need some time,” she told him quietly.

“
Whatever you want baby,” LaRon quickly replied.

“
I’m going to stay at my mama’s for a couple weeks,” she told him, feeling his body tense. “I just need to be able to think,” Jaleesa added quickly.

LaRon was frowning deeply, but his back was against the wall. He couldn’t let her leave him and she’d only asked for a couple weeks.
What if she decides not to come back,
his mind queried. LaRon pushed the thought aside making up his mind to pull out every stop in letting her know how much he loved her and how sorry he was.

“
OK, baby,” LaRon told her gently.

Jaleesa smiled inwardly, but said nothing. Pulling away she went into the bathroom and washed her face. She was pissed to see her lip. Her eye was easily fixed with an ice bag. She could tell it was only swollen, it wouldn’t blacken.
That wouldn’t be a good look when she saw Mecca this weekend,
Jaleesa thought bringing a small smile to her face. At least now she didn’t have to come up with an excuse or have an argument to be able to go. Returning to the bedroom, she found LaRon sitting on the side of the bed waiting for her. He’d taken off the torn shirt and was sitting only clad in his jeans. Jaleesa couldn’t help the heat that rose in her body taking the man in again. LaRon was fine and her body still craved him, even if her mind told her she was tired of him.

“
I really am sorry baby,” LaRon told her softly as she stood in front of him.

He pulled Jaleesa to him, laying his head on her stomach as she gently stroked his head.

“
I let my ego get me caught up baby,” he continued to contritely explain. “I was stupid and I hurt you,” LaRon told her as she felt the wetness on her hand.

Oh my god,
Jaleesa thought frowning slightly. She had never, in their entire history, ever known LaRon to cry. If she didn’t know before, Jaleesa had no doubt now the depth of love he had for her. The thought terrified her.
He will kill you if he ever finds out you’ve been with someone else,
her mind told her as LaRon stood up and looked into her eyes, allowing her to see the single tear.

“
I love you,” he told her never taking his eyes off her.

Jaleesa smiled and gently wiped the tear away as LaRon leaned in and kissed her deeply, removing her clothing, wanting to show her just how much.

*****

Kim was sifting through the information she’d found at the library trying to talk herself out of doing what she knew she would.
Let it die,
her mind was screaming. Her curiosity however was telling her to make a move and to do it now. Mook was already gone. He had another meeting with Tariq this morning. He’d of course insisted on an instant replay of last night before he left, making Kim smile at the memory. Shaking the thoughts, she returned her attention to the stack in front of her and sighed deeply as she continued to twirl the cell phone in her hands.
What sleeping giant are you about to awaken,
her mind tried once again as Kim dialed a number and waited for the phone to connect, all the while continuing to read and re-read her information again. She was still absolutely incredulous at the discovery.
You’re wrong,
her mind told her as the phone continued to ring and Kim began to get disheartened. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe that’s why no one had answered yet; she thought biting her bottom lip as her nerves began to get the best of her.

“Hello,” the soft female voice finally answered.

Kim was startled and almost stuttered trying to return the greeting.

“
Um, hi,” she returned tentatively. “I’m looking for Hope Cisneros,” Kim told the woman.