Dirty Work, Part 1, page 13
It was sound advice, but would she listen? Only time would tell.
Eshon had come out her apartment looking on point. If Kip wasn’t looking her way, there were plenty of niggas around gawking at her and hungry for her attention. The ladies went toward the men and women. Eshon immediately approached Kip and threw her arms around him for a loving hug. He hugged her back, and she said to him, “I missed you.”
He simply smiled.
She didn’t attempt to kiss him in public this time. She had learned her lesson. She didn’t want to look desperate around some thirsty bitches. Besides, Kip couldn’t get enough of what she had between her legs. Good pussy always brought a nigga back.
“You hungry?” he asked her.
“Of course.”
Kip placed a few more meat patties on the grill, and Brandy struck up a conversation with one of his friends.
Kid came rolling over, noticing one girl was missing in action. He looked at Eshon and asked, “Where’s Jessica? I haven’t seen her around lately.”
“Yeah. Where is she? She’s been MIA for a moment now,” Kip said.
Eshon shrugged. “I don’t know. She ain’t been chillin’ with us like that lately. I think she met some nigga and been fuckin’ with him.”
Kid looked saddened by the news. Jessica was his crush. The girl he wanted to marry. He always tried to amuse her and be kind to her with gifts, but most times she didn’t even acknowledge him.
The rest of the afternoon was spent joking around, drinking, and smoking blunts, along with dancing, more eating, dominoes, and spades. Eshon and Brandy were partners against Kip and Devon.
As evening fell, the party moved into the building lobby, where a group of men started a dice game near the stairway entrance. There was still music playing, and Eshon and Brandy continued to stick around.
The one man absent from the festivities was Papa John. He hadn’t been seen all day. Kip had called his cell phone a few times, but it went to his voicemail. Kip wasn’t worried about his dude. Papa John knew how to handle himself. Kip figured he was laid up with one of his baby mamas or some new chick he’d met, and was somewhere in the city putting his dick to good use.
Kip smoked his Black & Mild, loitering near the front entrance of the lobby. Though everything appeared fine on the outside, he felt some trepidation. His cut of the fifty grand was almost gone, and they hadn’t done a job or murder contract in several weeks. They needed to get back out there and make some real cash. But he wanted to wait until some of the heat died down around them.
Devon was feeling the effects too. While others were busy with gambling, the ladies or music in the lobby, he stepped to Kip and said, “Yo, let me holla at you for a sec, my nigga.”
The two men walked out of the lobby and into the street. Devon lit up a Newport. His skin looked ashy, and his clothes were dingy like always. He wore a faded dark hoodie on a beautiful warm day and old Timberland boots that had seen better days. He was sockless with smelly feet and sweaty armpits. And concealed in his waistband was a .9mm. Devon the Devil, as they called him, was ready to raise hell again.
“It’s been a minute, nigga. When we gonna get live again?”
“Soon, Devon. Not until things cool down.”
“If shit get any cooler, I’m gonna have frostbite. Ya feel me? Shit, my pockets is low, Kip. I need to eat again.”
“And we will, D. I’m ’bout to look into something.”
“Like what?”
“Something. You know how this goes—We don’t rush into anything if it doesn’t feel right. We stay cool and alert, and most important, we stay patient. We get antsy, we get stupid and sloppy, then we get caught or worse. And you already know what that worse is.”
“Yo, we already know where there’s enough money and shit around to set us up for a lifetime, my nigga. We just need the balls to go take that shit, yo.” Devon clapped his hands together gleefully to make his point.
Kip already knew who he was implying. He was absolutely against it. Maserati Meek was too powerful for them to try and rob. He had an army behind him with guns that the streets had never seen before. And he was smart, crazy, and eccentric. Trying to rob him was like trying to rob Fort Knox; it was damn near impossible.
“It ain’t happening, D,” Kip said.
Devon frowned. He wanted to make it happen, with or without Kip.
“That’s suicide, nigga. We don’t shit where we eat. We stay smart wit’ our shit.”
Kip knew that Devon was right about one thing—they needed to get back to work. His bills were starting to come in, and the rent needed to be paid, his and Nana’s.
Devon took one last pull from the cigarette in his mouth and flicked it away. He was displeased with the conversation, but Kip was the boss and knew best. Devon pivoted from his friend and walked off, refusing to rejoin the party happening inside the lobby.
Kip kept his eyes on Devon until he could no longer see him. Lately, he had been worried about his friend. Though Kip wanted Devon to stay in Queens longer with his cousin, Devon couldn’t take the quietness and the boredom of the borough any longer. He had packed his things and returned to Harlem against Kip’s wishes.
Kip stepped into the lobby. The music was loud, louder than before. The dice game near the stairway was in full effect, and the ladies were flirting with the men, drinking alcohol from red cups, and everyone was having a good time all around. Kip looked around for Eshon and spotted her talking with Brandy.
He went toward them, looked at Eshon, and said, “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
She grinned. Of course, he could. She nodded. She stepped away from Brandy and followed Kip down the hallway, where they could chat in private. Any time alone with Kip was a good time for her.
“What’s up? What you wanted to talk about?” she asked, feeling slightly giddy from the alcohol she’d consumed.
“We need to get back to work,” he said.
“Huh?” Now she was confused. She thought he meant he wanted to talk about them—their relationship. Last week was fun. She wanted to repeat it with him.
“Look, money is gettin’ tight, and we need another score,” he said.
“Oh,” she murmured dejectedly.
“Find your girl, Jessica, and y’all start keepin’ ya eyes and ears open for drug dealers. Find out where they keep their stash houses, get close to a nigga. You know the routine, Eshon.”
“I do,” she said.
“I wanna get us paid again.”
“I’m on it, Kip.”
“Good.”
He was ready to leave, but Eshon stopped him. “You wanna go up to your place and chill? I mean, fuck? I missed you.”
No other man would pass up the chance to lie down with Eshon and spread her legs, but Kip had other things on his mind.
“Next time,” he said aloofly and walked away.
Eshon stood there feeling disappointed. She really wanted some dick tonight, but Kip put her and her needs second. It was a crushing feeling. She no longer wanted to stay at the party, so she left suddenly with Brandy following behind her.
“Eshon, you okay?” Brandy asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just needed some air.”
Brandy knew it was much more than her needing some air. She knew Kip had said something that had unsettled Eshon.
Twenty-One
Eshon heard the rumors, but she didn’t want to believe it, nor did Brandy. The two girls sat in Brandy’s bedroom on a warm Sunday smoking a blunt. The tension and drama between them and Jessica had come unexpectedly. They’d heard that Jessica had been talking shit about them. Jessica had become vulgar and disrespectful to her friends out of the blue. What could’ve sparked it? She had separated herself from them and the projects and started acting shadier and shadier. Eshon felt it was because of the stranger she had been seeing for the past month. Neither Eshon nor Brandy knew who Jessica was seeing. Was he getting inside her head? Was he brainwashing her with nonsense, trying to turn Jessica against her friends and family? The one thing both girls did know—Jessica had changed and become a major bitch, and not just with her friends, but her family too.
“She said what?” Brandy hollered through the cell phone, standing suddenly from her bed. “Who that bitch think she is?”
Eshon sat in the background watching Brandy become upset. It was a mutual friend of theirs on the other end, feeding them with the latest Jessica nonsense. Judging from Brandy’s reaction, it was something big.
“Yo, that bitch ’bout to get sent packing back to L.A. Who the fuck she think she is?” Brandy griped loud and clear.
Eshon was itching to know what had happened or what was said. Lately, Jessica had been strutting around the neighborhood like her shit didn’t stink. She was wearing the best clothing, showing off the priciest shoes and pocketbooks, and acting brand-brand new. She moved like she was the one calling the shots. It meant that whoever she was dealing with was a boss nigga and a man with wealth and status. He’d amplified the arrogance and conceit in Jessica.
Brandy hung up.
Eshon asked, “What happened?”
“Yo, we need to fuck that bitch up,” Brandy growled with contempt for their former friend.
“What the fuck she said?”
“She called you and me Kip’s whores, screaming to niggas about how he pimping us for bread crumbs.”
“What?” Eshon shrieked.
“She talkin’ shit, Eshon—out there telling people how she made us look good. If it wasn’t for her, we would still be some bum bitches.”
Eshon was now on her feet with her fists tightened. Jessica had gone too far. All they had done was be friends with her, and now she was trying to ruin their names by spreading lies about them. But why, though? Eshon couldn’t understand it.
Eshon had heard enough. She wanted answers, and then she wanted to beat Jessica’s ass.
Brandy exclaimed, “I knew that bitch was fake.”
Eshon marched out of Brandy’s bedroom and stormed to the front door with Brandy right behind her. Jessica needed to be taught a lesson. So what she was from L.A. and her family was connected with some gang? This was Harlem, and bitches got stomped out like roaches in this city.
Eshon and Brandy stormed into the building, took the elevator to the eighth floor, and walked to Jessica’s apartment door. There was no hesitation or fear of confrontation with her. Eshon balled her fist, raised her arm, and banged intensely on apartment 8E.
“Who is it?” a lady asked from the other side.
“Is Jessica home?” Eshon asked.
They heard the Spanish lady scream out, “Jessica, alguien está a la puerta para ti!”
They didn’t know what the bitch said. But they were waiting eagerly in the hallway to confront her. Soon, the apartment door opened, and Jessica came into their view, dressed like she either was going out or had just come in.
“What y’all want?” Jessica asked them with an attitude.
“Why I keep hearing that you talkin’ shit about us? Huh, bitch?” Eshon shouted. “What’s up with that?”
“Look, bitch, don’t be fuckin’ comin’ to my door wit’ all that drama. I don’t know what you heard, but you fuckin’ heard wrong, puta!”
“Nah, you the one lying, bitch! What? You got some rich dick in your life and now you wanna act like we’re beneath you, bitch?” Brandy chimed angrily. “Don’t get it twisted and get fucked up, bitch!”
“Fuck you, Brandy! You always been jealous of a pretty bitch like me! Don’t hate on me, homes, cuz your ass got flaws.”
“You fake-ass bitch! Keep our names out your fuckin’ mouth!” Brandy warned her.
“What, bitch? Don’t tell me what to do. I’m not worried ’bout y’all at all.”
“Look, you need to shut the fuck up and chill, bitch,” Eshon hollered, raising two fingers into Jessica’s face.
The war of words between Jessica and Eshon and Brandy was on. They started to scream and curse at each other in the hallway. The commotion was loud. Eshon was up in Jessica’s face in a threatening manner, but Jessica wasn’t backing down.
The argument escalated until Jessica swung at Eshon, striking her in the face. Eshon didn’t go down, but she ferociously struck back with several punches and hair pulling, backing Jessica into a corner, and dazing her with several right hooks.
Brandy immediately jumped in, and a full-scale fight ensued. Though she was a tough girl from L.A.’s mean streets, she was no match for Eshon and Brandy.
“Fuck you, bitch!” Eshon screamed out.
The heated commotion in the hallway attracted Jessica’s family. Soon after, all of her family came pouring out of the apartment. Seeing Jessica assaulted by her two close friends, they immediately intervened. There was no way they were going to allow one of their own to get jumped in front of their own home.
The mother and aunt went for Eshon, who suddenly had her long hair being ripped from her head as punches were thrown at her face and body. The cousins and brothers attacked Brandy with force. They threw her against the wall and then kicked her down to the floor, and stomped on her angrily. Jessica’s family was hardcore bangers, and once they got started, it was hard for them to stop.
Though they were swiftly outnumbered, it didn’t mean Eshon and Brandy were about to give up and be beaten to death. It was pound for pound, screaming, hair pulling, and punches thrown wildly.
Eshon held her own, taking out the mother with a punch and then wrestling with the aunt near the stairway. They were like two wolves sinking sharp teeth into each other. Everyone’s hair was in disarray, their clothing ripped and torn.
Neighbors came into the hallway to break up the fighting. It was hard to keep everyone apart. A tenant had already dialed 911. The cops were coming. Nobody wanted to stick around for questioning or a possible arrest.
Eshon and Brandy quickly snatched their belongings from off the floor and hurried away from the scene, cursing out Jessica and her family.
Eshon shouted furiously, “You gonna get yours, bitch, all y’all. Best believe that shit.”
Eshon and Brandy made their exit from the eighth floor via stairway. Both girls looked like they had been in a slugfest.
Jessica’s expensive outfit had been ruined, and her hair was sweated out. She had a bloody lip and a blackened eye. Eshon had put a hurting on her, but she still stood tall and proud. She was upset, though. It was embarrassing to her family and her neighbors. The first thing she wanted to do was call Maserati Meek and tell him about the incident. Eshon and Brandy had no idea who they were now fucking with. Her man had serious juice, and Jessica felt that if she wanted to, she could have them bitches killed before the next day came.
***
The hard and loud knocking at his front door caused Kip to jump up and reach for his pistol, which he kept close. It even caused Kid to wheel himself from out his bedroom. Kid looked nervously at Kip, while Kip remained straight-faced. Was it the police again? He cautiously made his way to the door and glanced through the peephole. It was Eshon. He sighed with relief, seeing a friendly face, and opened the door for her.
Once face to face with her, he said, “Damn, bitch! Why you knocking on my door like you the police?”
Eshon pushed past him and stormed into the apartment. She was upset. She was emotional. She was in tears.
Kip noticed her disheveled appearance. “What the fuck happened to you?”
“I need a fuckin gun, Kip,” she said, distress in her voice.
“Eshon, you okay? What happened?” Kid asked with much concern.
“I’m gonna kill that fuckin’ bitch, I swear.”
Kip asked, “Kill who? Who you beefin’ wit’?”
“Jessica! I’m gonna shoot her and her whole fuckin’ family.”
Kid looked at Kip, and Kip looked at his brother.
“Yo, Eshon, just chill and calm down,” Kip said.
Eshon screamed out, “Nah, fuck calming down. That bitch wanna be a goon and talk shit and think she can’t get got. Fuck that bitch! That bitch about to get got!”
“Eshon, relax and talk to me. What happened between y’all?”
Kid moved closer to her. Hearing Jessica’s name made him nervous. He didn’t want anything bad to happen to her.
Kid asked her, “What happened to Jessica?”
“Yo, don’t ask me about that bitch! Fuck her! I’m gonna kill that nasty fuckin’ bitch.”
“Baby, just calm down and talk to me,” Kip said evenly.
Eshon took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. Only Kip could relax her. She took a seat on his couch and started to open up about the incident with Jessica, and then informing the brothers how she’d met a new man. Since she’d met him, she had changed into a bitch.
This was intriguing information for Kip but painful news for Kid. She was the love of his life.
“Hold up, what nigga she dealing wit’?” Kip asked.
“I don’t know. We never saw or met him. But I know he got money because he got Jessica stuntin’ in nice clothes, jewelry, money, and shoes.”
“Wait, wait. Jessica got herself some baller nigga like that, and she ain’t put me on to him to have him robbed? What the fuck, Eshon!” Kip frowned. “Yo, who is this nigga?”
“I don’t know, Kip. We never met him before. She’s keeping him a secret for some reason.”
“Why the fuck she keepin’ this nigga a secret?”
Eshon didn’t have an answer for him. She continued talking; telling them more about the fight and what was said. Eshon wanted to lean on his shoulder and be hugged and consoled. But Kip soon became bored with her story and upset with Jessica for holding out on him. He planned on talking to her. He needed the money.
“I need a gun, Kip . . . please,” Eshon begged.
Kip sucked his teeth. There was no way he was about to give her a gun to shoot Jessica. It wasn’t happening. “Yo, y’all just need to kiss and make up. Y’all friends.”
“What?”
“Eshon, you ain’t gonna kill her. You ain’t no killer. You’re just highly upset right now, emotional and shit. And Jessica’s still cool peoples. It’s just jealousy shit between y’all, and I bet y’all gonna be friends again before the summer starts,” he said with confidence. “I’m not giving you no gun.”
