Love & Gunplay: A Novelette Read online

  When Diamonds saw Animal approaching, he stood up to embrace him. "Is that the illest nigga to ever fall out of a bitch's twat? Gimmie some love, baby boy." Diamonds hugged Animal. "Sit down, sit down. You're the guest of honor at this lil celebration. Reign, why don’t you pour my man a taste."

  Reign rolled her eyes. "Do I look like a fucking waitress to you? Get one of those bitches to do it."

  The smile faded from Diamonds' face. "You been acting real fucking shitty for the past two days, Reign. I don’t know what the fuck your problem is, but you better shake that shit and get with the program, Ou konprann?" he switched to Creole, as he often did when he was angry.

  "Yeah, I understand." Reign got off and went to sit over by the stage.

  Diamonds watched her walk away and all he could do was throw his hands up. "I don’t know what it is with these broads, man. One minute everything is good, the next they're acting like the got sticks up their assess. You know what you mean, Animal?"

  "Yeah, man." Animal told him. "So, you ready to fulfill your end?"

  "Sure, sure, we gonna get to that. First, I wanna know all the details." Diamonds leaned in; anticipating the juicy story Animal had to tell.

  Instead, Animal reached in his pocket and tossed a folded up piece of cloth on the table. It flipped over on its side and Flames' tongue spilled out. "That enough detail for you?"

  Blue jumped back with a start at the sight of the tongue. "What the fuck? Man, are you crazy or something, kid?"

  "Nah, I ain't crazy. I'm just tired of bullshitting around. I got moves to make." Animal told him.

  "That's the part I like about you most, Animal. You're always about your business first." Diamonds said. "Dig, me and Blue was talking this morning and we think our lil crew would be a lot stronger with a cat like you on the team. We making money hand over fist down here and I'll gladly break bread with you. What's up?"

  "Diamonds, I'm flattered by your offer, but I can't accept it. My business in New York has already been too long neglected and I need to see to it." Animal said.

  "I understand. Can't knock me for trying." Diamonds shook Animal's hand. "Minister will take you to the rental car that you're going to drive to New York. It's clean as a whistle. I rented it for a month using a dead man's credit card so by the time they get hip that the car ain't coming back, I trust you'll have handled your business and disposed of it."

  "Bet. Now the name." Animal was anxious.

  "Not here. The walls got ears." Diamonds stage whispered. "I wrote it on a piece of paper that Minister will give you before you depart." Diamonds saw that Animal was hesitant. "On the blood of my homie Buda, I wouldn’t try to play you after what you done for me. Minister got your info."

  Animal looked at Minister, who nodded. He didn’t know Minister that well, but something about the man said that he was trustworthy. "A'ight, I'm out. Thanks for your help, fam."

  "No problem, mon ami. We ain't come from the same woman, but this here," he placed his hand over his heart, "makes us brothers."

  Animal followed Minister to the door. As he crossed the room he could feel Reign's eyes on him. He started to leave without saying anything, but he couldn’t leave her hanging like that. "Well, I guess this is it." He approached her.

  "I guess so. Have a safe trip." Reign said flatly.

  Animal was silent for a few seconds. "Reign, I know you're still mad at me and I don’t blame you, but I don’t want us to part on bad terms."

  "Ain't no us and ain't no terms. It ain't like we'll ever see each other again so let's just leave it as it is, a mistake. That's how you phrased it, wasn’t it?"

  "Reign…"

  "Have a safe trip, Animal." She gave him her back.

  Animal was going to press it, but that would most likely make it worse. He did feel terrible for the way things had gone down between he and Reign, but there was nothing he could do to change the past. His focus was on the future and his future was Gucci. He caught up with Minister, who was standing outside on the curb waiting for him. They were about to head to the car when Unique came skating out of Purple City.

  Minister saw that the girl had something he wanted to say to Animal so he excused himself. "I'll get the car." He disappeared around the corner.

  "You were just gonna leave without saying goodbye, huh?" Unique faked an attitude.

  "My fault, ma. I'm just so excited to be going home." He told her.

  "I've never been to New York, but I've heard a lot of stories about it. Maybe one day I'll come visit and you can give me the grand tour." Unique said.

  "I'd love to, but honestly, I don’t think I'll be there very long. Once my business is settled, I plan to take my lady and bounce." Animal said.

  "She's lucky to have somebody like you." Unique told him.

  Animal smiled at her. "I wish that were true. Sometimes it seems like I've brought more bad on her than good."

  "I love we take the bad with the good. At least that's what I read somewhere."

  "You're a wise young lady, Unique."

  "Thanks." She said shyly. For a long moment she was quiet, looking down at her roller skates. She eventually looked up at Animal and her face had become serious. "Animal, I heard what my sister said to you. I hope she didn’t hurt your feelings too bad."

  Animal was surprised by the revelation. "Reign is your sister?"

  "Yeah, everybody knows that, silly. You know with asses like ours, it's gotta be genetic." She twirled on her skates, giving Animal a full view of her. "Reign can come across like a cold bitch, but she's really a sweetheart once you get to know her. I think she really liked you and that's why she took it so hard when…you know."

  Animal blushed. "Damn, did she tell you everything?"

  Unique winked "We're sisters. Don't worry, you're secret is safe with me. Anyway, I just wanted to say goodbye and wish you a safe trip." She wrapped her arms around his neck.

  "Thanks, Unique. Take care of yourself." He squeezed her waist.

  Something beyond Unique caught Animal's attention. A cluster of cars was coming through the intersection. It wasn’t unusual at that time of the day, but something wasn’t right. Animal scanned the cars and picked out a green Mercedes. Instead of the driver watching the road, his eyes were fixed on Animal and Unique. His danger alert was ringing like a fire alarm in the back of his head. Suddenly all the pieces fell into place. It was the same Mercedes he'd seen when he was leaving Flames' townhouse. By the time Animal reacted, a gun appeared in back window all hell broke loose.

  The world moved in slow motion. Animal saw the bullets coming in his direction like thick droplets of water down a car's windshield. He spun, with Unique still in his arms, shielding her. The sound of her screams and shattering glass filled Animal's ears as the chaos erupted around him. Bullets whizzed past his head, riddling the front of Purple City and hitting several people that been unfortunate enough to be coming down that street. Animal shoved Unique to the ground and spun, holding the gun he had used to kill Flames, and returned fire.

  "Die!" Animal screamed, firing at the Mercedes, and backing up for cover.

  The driver's side window shattered and Rob temporarily lost control of the car, almost slamming into a cube truck that was coming from the opposite direction. Rob straightened the car out and floored the gas pedal. He was trying to escape, but too bad he didn’t see Minister's car shoot out of the alley on the side of the club. The Lincoln slammed into the side of the Mercedes, pinning it against a parked car on the other side of the street thwarting Rob's great escape.

  The shooter staggered from the backseat of the car. His face and clothes were bloody and his arm hung at a strange angle. Minister calmly walked up to him and put a bullet in his head. He moved to finish Rob off, but Animal stopped him.

  "That one is for me." He walked up to the driver's side of the car, where Rob was pinned by the air bag. Rob looked up at Animal and there was no fear in his eyes, only disgust that he had missed his target. Animal stuck the gun in Rob's
ear and pulled the trigger twice. The airbag popped and Rob slumped over on his side. For good measure, Animal shot him twice more in the side.

  There was a loud shriek that caused Animal to spin. When he looked to the club and saw the source of the noise, his heart sank. Reign knelt beside her sister, holding her still body in her arms. Unique's lifeless eyes stared vacantly into space but saw nothing.

  Diamonds and Blue came storming out of Purple City, guns in hand and scanning the block. When Diamonds saw Reign kneeling over Unique, he looked like someone had just slapped him. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Unique had been like a little sister to Diamonds and seeing her bleeding out on the sidewalk sent him into shock.

  "No." Animal whispered when he approached the scene. In the middle of Unique's tank top there was a small red spot that seemed to spread by the second. Animal had tried to save her, but once again he had been too little too late. "I am so sorry." He reached out to touch Unique's face and Reign spun on him.

  "Don’t you touch her!" she shouted with tear filled eyes.

  "I tried to save her, Reign. I swear…"

  "Don’t." she stopped him. "They told me you were cursed. They said that whatever you touch dies, but I didn’t listen. I just had to be next to you. Now you've brought death to my doorstep too. My poor, baby sister." She stroked Unique's face.

  Everyone was twisted over what had happened to Unique, but Blue was the voice of reason. "I'm gonna call some of the boys and have them clean this shit up then call in a favor from downtown to see if we can get it swept under the rug to take some of the ehat off us. Minister, get Animal out of here. If the police find him here when they show up, it's likely to mean a free trip the gas chamber for us all."

  Animal didn’t feel right about it. "Nah, I wanna stay and help. I wanna do something…anything. Just tell me what I can do?"

  "I think you've done enough." Diamond said. He tossed Minister the keys to his truck. "Take this nigga to the rental car and then escort him to the highway. See to it that he leaves Miami immediately."

  "I got you." Minister took Animal by the arm and steered him around the corner where Diamonds' truck was parked. He jumped behind the wheel and Animal climbed in on the passenger side. Minister fired the truck up and screeched out into traffic.

  "Minister, I feel fucked up by just leaving her like that." Animal told him once they were away from Purple City.

  "You'll feel worse if you're still around once Reign snaps out of it." Minister said seriously. "Unique is her baby sister and the only family she's got in the world. She blames you for this happening. A lot of niggaz in the hood got love and respect for Reign and will do just about anything for her, including putting your dick in the dirt. Right now Reign is still in shock, but when the shock wears off it's in your best interest to be as far away from Miami as possible."

  The two of them rode the rest of the way in silence. When they reached the airport, Minister pulled into the parking garage where the rental car was waiting. They jumped out of the car and Minister waited while Animal inspected the car and got situated. The Toyota wasn’t much to look at, but it would get him to New York.

  "The gas tank is full and if you look in the trunk you'll find the goodies Diamonds left for you." Minister told him.

  "Thanks, Minister. Not just for the ride, but for everything else." Animal said.

  "It's all good, brother. If we don’t look out for each other, who will? I'll lead you to the highway and it’s a straight shot up I-95 from there." Minister turned to walk away, but Animal stopped him.

  "What about the name Diamonds promised me?"

  "Right, I almost forgot." Minister reached into the pocket of his suit jacket and produced a small, folded piece of paper which he placed in Animal's hand. "Good luck to you, soldier." Minister shook Animal's hand and headed back to the truck.

  Animal looked down at the small piece of paper in his hand. It seemed so small and unassuming, but it held the fate of someone's life and the answer to Animal's question in the folds. With trembling hands, Animal unfolded the small square. His breath caught in his chest when the mystery was finally solved. On it two names were written, with the role of each man scribbled next to it. One said shooter and the other said bag man. Animal couldn’t believe his eyes. Both men knew him and both knew how he would react, but they figured with him being dead there would be no repercussions. They were wrong…dead wrong and he would show them as much.

  Animal jumped behind the wheel of the rental car and the loud roar of the engine matched the roar of the beast deep within him. He shot out of the parking garage like a bat out of hell, leaving Minister in his rearview with a confused look on his face. He didn’t need him to guide him to his destination. The names of those who had wronged him had been revealed and that was all the direction he needed. There was no place on earth where they could hide that would save them from his vengeance.

  To be continued…

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