Payback With Ya Life (24 page)

Forever ducked, and when he turned around he slipped and dropped his gun.

“Nigga, make my day and go after that gun!” Shan spat.

Not convinced, he smiled at her. “You ain’t gonna kill your baby’s daddy.” He stood up slowly with his hands raised. “So you might as well give me the gun.”

“Nigga, I miscarried your bastard. I’m carrying your brother’s baby.”

Forever laughed. “All y’all muthafuckas got jokes tonight. Bitch, no the fuck you ain’t carrying shit for my brother. You know I planted my seed up in there. That’s my seed.”

“Shut up, Forever! You wish it was but trust me, it ain’t. I was just fucking with your mind, just the way you fucked with mine’s. But that ain’t important no more. You are a thing of the past. Look at my brother.” She moved closer to Forever, pointing the gun at his forehead. “You killed my brother knowing that he’s all I had in this world. I’ma make you suffer in hell for that.”

Forever grinned. “Get your thong out the crack of yo’ ass. That was business mixed with a little personal shit. I had to pay that nigga back.” He smirked.

“Nah, nigga, I’ma make you
Payback with Ya Life.
” She fired off, he turned to run and the bullets rained all over his back.

EPILOGUE

B
ig Choppa and Boomer pulled a straight-up Houdini move. Rumors were floating high and low that they were eating dirt. And guess by whom? Shadee’s nephew, Born Mathematics.

However, Dave Carlisimo, the famed gung ho federal prosecutor, refused to believe the rumors. Hell, the bodies had yet to surface so he was on a mission. He even went as far as lying before the grand jury, stating that Big Choppa had recently been seen by a worthy confidential informant.

Janay was sentenced to two hundred and forty months. That is twenty years in federal prison. She would have received a much lesser sentence if she had given up her father, Big Choppa. But that was never an option because she knew without a doubt all she had to do was to sit still. Choppa’s reach was very long. So it didn’t matter whether he was dead or alive. She knew that she would not be spending the rest of her life behind bars. To date her appeal is still pending.

Crystal was given seven and a half years for conspiracy. Jack Brunswick was able to beat the murder charge stemming from Skye, being that he was able to prove that killing Skye was self-defense.

Born Mathematics, as he now called himself, was now that nigga. After he gained props for the rumors of bodying Doc, Big Choppa and Boomer, his respect and status grew overnight. He was now running shit with an iron fist, terrorizing anyone that wasn’t getting money with him, and was bodying niggas left and right.

Zeke had the FCI on lock. He was the person to see. Be it weed, crack, cocaine, meth or heroin, whichever one you wanted he had it. His cousin and Born kept him well supplied.

Lieutenant Scott was found hanging from a rope in his office. His death has yet to be ruled a suicide. The investigation is still pending. His trusty sidekick, Lieutenant Marion, transferred immediately after the death. No one was gonna cut into Zeke’s profits, not family, friend or foe. Not on the streets and definitely not in the joint. Didn’t niggas know that?

Shan swatted at the stubborn bumblebee that refused to leave her alone as she was in deep thought about the past.

Forever was paralyzed from the neck down, confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life while serving a life sentence at the FCI in Milan, Michigan. She was glad that his payback went exactly how she’d wanted it to and she had only one regret. That was that Nyla was sticking by him. Shan wanted him to suffer . . . alone.

She couldn’t help but shed a tear for the loved ones that she missed so much. Some days she felt as if she would cry a river. Other days she would find herself moving forward, being strong and enjoying life like any other successful person. That’s how both Peanut and Brianna would want it. She had to thank the Creator for her businesses: a beauty salon, day care center and hotel. She was grateful for all of her financial gains, especially since she didn’t have to set foot in another prison again.

However, all of this didn’t make her feel complete or as if she had closure on the people she’d lost, and deep down she knew that. Therefore, Forever being paralyzed could not remain on the same earth as her and just like that, the last laugh would be hers. But in every curse, there is a blessing. Forever had almost succeeded at killing her, mentally and physically. In his current state he may as well have been dead, physically and mentally.
Maybe I should let it go
. But she told herself hell no, she swore that he would payback with his life.

She shook her thoughts and broke into a grin as she watched Anthony, aka Lil’ Peanut, as he ran around in circles trying to catch a butterfly. She rubbed her big stomach and was praying that this time she would have a girl, so that she could name her Brianna. She loved her son and unborn more than anything. They were all that she had left . . . well, almost.

“Shan, I want you to meet somebody. Come here, baby,” her hubby, Briggen, yelled. “This here is Nick.”

Reading Group Guide

Reading Group Guide

l. Do you think Shan should have accepted another prison job?

2. Was Shan wrong for getting back with Briggen?

3. Was Peanut’s hatred of Brianna and the other women in his life justified?

4. How different do you think Shan’s life would have been if she had not lost Forever’s baby?

5. Should Janay have accepted Doc’s help?

6. What are your thoughts on Woo? Did he appear to be jealous of Briggen?

7. Was the crew wrong for canceling Doc’s authority?

8. Was Tami justified in having an affair with Woo?

9. Since Forever and Zeke are blood relatives, should they have overcome their differences?

10. Should Born have pulled the plug on Shadee?

11. Did Skye get his just due?

12. Did Forever submit to the pressure? Or do you think he just wanted to get some payback?

13. In the end Nick shows up. Why do you think he does?

14. Should Big Choppa have disappeared on his daughters?

15. Who do you think received the ultimate payback?

More

Wahida Clark!

A preview of her next novel,

THUG LOVIN’

Available April 2009

old beginnings

The Cali Move

B
oom! Boom! Boom!
Tasha peeked behind the curtain of her apartment window and saw jackets with huge lettering—FBI, ATF, DEA—and regular squad cars. She placed her hands on her pregnant belly as her knees hit the floor.

“Baby, throw something on.” Trae was rushing to put on some boxers and some sweats. “You see they are coming in. C’mon, baby, get up.” He hopped over to her, one leg in the sweats, one leg out.

“I love you, Trae.” She looked up at him, still in shock.

“I know you do, Ma, but I need you to put something on.”

“Then why are you doing this?” she screamed. “Why do you keep leaving me?”

Trae’s adrenaline pushed through his veins as the sounds of combat boots rushed up the stairs. “C’mon, baby, you gotta put something on.” Concern over Tasha’s frame of mind was evident in his voice. Seeing that she wasn’t going to move, he snatched up his T-shirt, put it on her then hurried to the dresser and grabbed a pair of panties for her. “C’mon, baby, they’re at the door. Get dressed.” He managed to get her to stand up. Just as Tasha pulled up her panties the front door flew off its hinges and they were on their way into the bedroom, screaming.

“On the floor! On the floor, now! Let me see your hands! Get down!” Trae could decipher those orders if nothing else.

“She’s pregnant, man!” he yelled as they threw a distraught Tasha to the floor and were handcuffing her. “Why the fuck are y’all handcuffing her? Y’all came here for me!”

“That’s right,” the agent in charge said. “We don’t need her. Not yet.” He smirked.

“It’ll be okay, baby,” Trae assured Tasha as they led him away with nothing on but some sweatpants.

“Okay? Trae, you promised me. You promised me you wouldn’t leave us, baby.” Tasha was trying to run toward Trae but the female DEA agent was holding on to her.

As they began tearing up the apartment the agent in charge yelled, “Oh, he’s leaving you all right. He’s leaving for a very long, long time. That baby you’re carrying will be raising a family of its own!” The entire room burst out laughing.

“Aaagh!” Tasha sat up, gasping for air as her fingers clenched the bedsheets so tight her knuckles were turning white. Her breathing was rapid; her body was pulsing from the thundering of her heart as it tried to beat through her chest. She tried hard to shake her head clear of that horrible nightmare. As she wiped the sweat from her brows, Trae sat up and turned the lamp on.

“What’s up?” he wondered as Tasha kept shaking her head no. As he reached over to comfort her he realized how badly her body was shaking and saw the tears rolling down her cheeks. He pulled the sheet off her to make sure she wasn’t bleeding or anything. He sighed a sigh of relief as he looked between her legs. “Baby, what’s the matter?”

“That dream. It’s starting again.”

“Its okay, baby. It’s over, I ain’t going nowhere.” He used his thumbs to wipe her tears away. “Are you listening to me?” He grabbed her face.

“It was so real though. Oh God, it was real,” she gasped.

“It’s not real, Tasha. I’m free. Me, you and the babies are far away from New Jersey. Aren’t we?”

She hugged him. “Sorry, baby.”

“Don’t apologize. It’s okay. It was only a dream.” He could still feel her shaking. “I need to be the one apologizing. It was my lifestyle that got you so shook. I’ma make it right, baby. I promise.”

“Just tell me you’ll never leave us.” Tasha felt she could never get enough of his reassurances as she held on tighter.

“I’m never leaving my family. I promise.” He reached down and rubbed her stomach.

Since the day that Tasha picked up Trae and Kaylin from the courthouse they had been at the bungalow in Ochos Rios. They had the same bungalow where he had promised her that after he got out of the game they would come back and chill until they got tired of it. Their first couple of nights there, Tasha began having that same nightmare, but after about a week it stopped. Now, exactly three months later, they were starting again.

Trae broke her thought pattern. “Maybe it’s time for us to raise up outta here. What you think?” He felt her nodding her head yes as she buried her face against his chest.

Two hectic and exhausting days later Trae hopped out of the limo before it had fully stopped, as it pulled up to the entrance of the Wilshire Grand Hotel, one of the best-kept secrets in LA, sitting on the corner of Wilshire and Figueroa. Being that it was downtown it was rarely crowded with tourists. Trae watched carefully as the bellman got their luggage and the driver helped a sleepy Tasha out of the limo. He decided right then and there that this spot would suit their needs perfectly as relocation central.

They were so exhausted that after they settled in they slept until almost noon the next day. They were chillin’ while waiting for Tasha’s cousin Stephon to come over. They had about six houses to look at and he was going to be their tour guide. They were sitting on the couch in front of the big screen, which was on mute while watching ESPN2. Trae was on his cell phone talking with a Realtor. Tasha had her legs thrown across his thighs as she watched and listened to him take care of business.

“My wife is pregnant and I need something that we can occupy immediately. We’re expecting twins so we need to get settled in as soon as possible.” Trae reached over and began doing his favorite, rubbing Tasha’s belly. He was silent as he listened to what excuse the Realtor came up with. Tasha placed her hand over his as she guided it to where the movement was.

“What’s up, twins?” Tasha whispered.

“Call me within the next hour. If I don’t hear from you I’m moving on to the next man.” He pushed the end button then leaned over and began kissing Tasha on the lips. “Man, these clowns out here got so much money they act like they don’t wanna make no more! I have no understanding of this bullshit.”

“Give the poor man a chance, baby.” Tasha laughed. “I mean, what you want the man to do? Throw the people out of their houses today?”

“Hell yeah! Daddy needs a house.”

“And Ma Ma needs for Daddy to chill out.”

“I need to chill?” He tongued Tasha down.

“Mmmmmmmmm-hmmmmm,” she moaned as she came up for air. “Yes you do. That’s my job, to clock out on niggas.”

“Aiight then. You got that.”

“Thank you. Now go answer the door.”

“I love you more than anything, you know that, right?”

“Of course I know that. You show me that every day.”

“Aiight then. Just don’t forget that shit.”

“Open the door, nigga!”

Trae winked at her as he walked across the room to open the door. Tasha watched nervously as Stephon came in. She hadn’t seen him since they were teenagers. He was the one to bring her the bad news about her brother getting shot to death. He was around when both of her parents got hauled off to prison. He was there when Social Services came and took her sister Trina and brother Kevin into custody. When she saw him it was a mirage of her childhood. She felt that seeing him was like reopening the door to her past, something that she felt she wasn’t ready to do. She didn’t like that feeling.

He had spoken with Tasha and Trae over the phone on several occasions. Especially when they had confirmed that they were coming to LA, which he called his playground. He promised them that he would do everything to make their transition as smooth as possible.

“What up, man?” Stephon greeted Trae. They gave each other the dap followed by a brotherly embrace.

“Good to finally meet you in person,” Trae told him.

“Same here, man. My cousin sounds like you’re keeping her very happy.”

“Well, actually, we do that for each other,” Trae said with sincerity. Then yelled out, “Yo, Tasha, your family is here!”

“Damn, look at this room. Y’all rollin’ like this?” Stephon was admiring the plush suite.

“Illlk!” Tasha teased when she got up on her cousin, immediately forgetting those bad feelings she was having. “You look just like Uncle Bill.” She gave him a big hug while Trae stood back and watched his wife.

“And you look just like Aunt Seleta. So I don’t know why you turning up your nose. My dad and your moms is sister and brother remember?” He held her back to get a good look at her. “Even though I look better, you do look good. You look very happy. I’m happy for you.” He hugged her again.

“I feel good too. But you wrong about looking better than me. You trippin’ already! So where you taking us? I’m ready to get out and smell some of this Cali air. That Realtor you referred us to is moving too slow for ‘Mr. Make It Happen Right Now’ over there,” she said, referring to Trae.

“Later for that bum. That’s what I wanted to tell Trae. What I got to show y’all you’re gonna love. I should be able to get the keys in a few days if you want it and if you got the paper, which I know you do. My man out here got other moves he tryna make and plus he got the connections to make the deal close very fast. Y’all couldn’t have come at a better time.”

“Now that’s the shit I’m talking about. Somebody that’s tryna get paid!” Trae exclaimed. “How big is it?”

“Trust me. It’s big enough. It has a guesthouse and a pool in the backyard. Master bedroom, about four or five other bedrooms, living room, dining room, family room, den and I don’t know how many bathrooms. I’m telling you, y’all won’t have to ever move again.”

“Sounds too big to me.” Tasha was turning up her nose.

“Cousin, you sayin’ that now, but wait until you see it. Trust me.” Stephon was getting more excited by the minute.

“Aiight then. Can we go check it out?” Trae asked, catching on to Stephon’s enthusiasm.

“Let me call my man right now.”

“Babeee!” Tasha squealed as she entered the master bathroom for the third time. Her eyes glittered as they roamed the his-and-hers commodes, two-person shower, sunk-in Jacuzzi that looked like it could seat four or five and the his-and-hers marble sinks. “Oh my God!” she gasped as she looked around.

“C’mon, let’s see the rest of the house again.” Trae grabbed her hand.

“I don’t have to see it again. I want this; no, I gotta have this house,” she whined.

Stephon was grinning at her excitement. “Damn, girl. What about the man of the house having a say-so in the matter?” Then he turned and whispered to Trae, “Who do she think she is?”

“I heard that, nigga!” Tasha shot at him. Then she said to Trae, “Baby, school this nigga on what time it is.”

“If my baby says she gots to have this house, then it’s my duty to make it happen for her,” he informed Stephon and winked at Tasha.

“Aiight, Cousin.” Stephon raised his arms in surrender. “I didn’t know it was like that. My bad!”

“Well now you know, playboy,” Tasha scolded him.

“Aiight, Tasha. Anyways, where did Tasha come from? You went out and got a name change on me? Roz!”

“No, Cornelius!” she mocked, emphasizing his middle name. “I didn’t get a name change. That’s my middle name.”

“I got your point. But for your info I did change my middle name; it’s now Neal.”

“Oh my gosh. No you didn’t!”

“Yes I did.”

“Whatever tickles your fancy. I see that fake-ass LA done got the best of you! I ain’t mad. Go ahead and let your man know we want the house. C’mon, baby. I do need to see the pool again.” She grabbed Trae’s arm and began pulling him down the stairs.

“Yeah, you do that while I make it happen,” Stephon agreed as he pulled his cell out of his pocket.

One month later . . .

Trae and Tasha had been trying to get situated in their new home. It was so monstrous to the both of them that the challenge of getting it furnished and decorated were almost overwhelming. However, Tasha was so excited about their new Brentwood estate, and Trae was more worried about Tasha overdoing it with her pregnancy. Nevertheless, Tasha was in heaven. And as far as Trae was concerned if Tasha was in heaven, everything else would fall into place.

“Baby, pick up the phone!” Trae was yelling from the family room. He was posted in front of his big flat-screen TV.

“Hello.” Tasha was going to get it anyway because she knew Trae wasn’t going to answer it.

“What’s up, girl? How you doing?”

“Ho, when are y’all coming over? Can I see my peoples for a change?”

Kyra laughed. “I miss you too, smart-ass! I told you we’ll get over there. It’s not like I live right around the corner. I’m taking two classes, Marvin has been doing some things and I know you and Trae are trying to get settled in. And I know your busy ass is overdoing it.”

“No I’m not. I’m just excited and anxious at the same time. Trae just put up the cribs for the twins, so my main concern is their room and our bedroom. I’m dying for you to see it. It was empty the first time you saw it, but now I got some thangs!”

“Trae told Marvin that you are getting big and fast. How are you feeling?”

“Tired. But like I said I am soooooo excited!”

“Look, Tasha, you don’t need to be overdoing it.”

“I’m not. When I feel myself getting a strain I chill out.”

“Umm-hmm.” Kyra doubted her. Plus she knew how Tasha was. “Ho, I think I need to come visit your ass for real now!”