The Face That Launched A Thousand Bullets (The Cartel Publications Presents) (9 page)

“Cause he’s been running around here all week rubbing my ring finger for no reason, that’s why. Come on now, you know men aren’t good with hiding stuff from women.”

“Some men aren’t….but you’d be surprised in the stuff I can hide. I’m good at keeping secrets. You can trust me. Always.” He gave her a look that said she could trust him with anything that went on between them. Tara noticed the difference in the way he looked at her and felt slightly uncomfortable.

“I know, Shy. And I love you for it.”

“But forget all that.” He stood up straight. “Let’s talk about the fact that you let us smoke around you.” He walked toward her and rubbed her shoulders. “You liable to give the baby a contact. You can’t be around that shit, Tara!”

“I’ll be fine. Don’t start acting all funny on me, Shy.” She looked serious. “Keep callin’ me a knucklehead and all that other shit you say out your mouth. Besides, I’m only three months.” She rubbed her slightly plump belly. As thin as she was, her stomach looked more like she was full than that she was pregnant.

“I’ll treat you as if you never said a word to me.” Shy smooched her head a little. “You can count on it.”

“Good.” She kissed him on the cheek. “Did I tell you I’m so grateful for everything you did for me? With bringing Kavon into my life and saving me?”

“Yes, but I keep tellin’ you it’s all good.”

“I know, but I’m serious. If it wasn’t for you, who knows where I might be right now.”

“Somebody woulda scooped you up. If it wasn’t Kavon, it would’ve been me.”

“Yeah. I am. Kavon’s a good dude. He loves you.”

“What ya’ll doin’ in the kitchen?” Kavon questioned opening the front door closing it behind him. “Fixin’ his big ass anotha plate?”

“Naw, man. I’m tryin’ to get her to dump your ass and run away with me.”

“You must be a glutton for punishment.” He laughed. “Naw. For real I’m tryin’ to get her to let you roll with me to Curtbone’s cabaret tonight.”

“Well, what she say?” He smiled, marching into the kitchen.

“You can go,” Tara said, pleased Shy had a lie available although it would mean not spending a night at home with her man. He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Just as long as you come back to me tonight.” She gripped his dick before kissing him passionately. “That’s all I care about.”

“There’s no place I’d rather be, girl. You know that shit.”

“Well, have fun.” Tara released her hold on him. She smiled, good-naturedly at Kavon.

“I guess I’m rollin’ wit’ you then.” Kavon hugged Tara again but studied Shy quizzically. There was something in his eyes that he didn’t like.

“Well get dressed, B!”

Kavon Cartier

Largo, Maryland

Taste Like Candy

T
he Largo Mansion in Mitchellville, Maryland was packed with all the heavy hitters of the industry for the All White Affair. Although it was a cold winter day in January, the air wasn’t as brisk as it had been earlier.

Curtbone’s cabarets always brought out the hottest females and the richest niggas on the scene. And the moment Kavon and Shy hit the doors, their shoulders dropped and they strolled in like players. They were among their element so for real, it was nothing but a thang. L.L. Cool J’s “I’m Bad” roared through the speakers. They took a quick picture together to capture the moment and went on about their business.

“Can I get you gentlemen some champagne?” a beautiful white woman asked who was standing by the door with a bottle of Moet on ice in a gold bucket.

“Yeah,” Shy said as he lifted two champagne glasses with 14k gold on the rim.

He handed one to Kavon who was too busy scoping the scene, that he didn’t see him with the drink. It was so crowded inside the hall that you could barely move. But with all the thick asses rubbing up against them, who cared? But being majors meant that a special VIP section awaited them in the back of the cabaret.

With every pound or handshake he gave Kavon was beginning to wonder if getting out of the game for Tara was a good idea after all. He loved women, fast money and his freedom. But if he married Tara, all of that would change.
What the fuck I’m gonna do besides hustle?
He thought. Sure the real estate business was lucrative but it would mean learning the business from scratch and he didn’t have anything outside of an eighth grade education.

I can’t think about this shit right now.
He thought as he sipped on his champagne and eyed a few women in their skimpy outfits.

He was still thinking about how much different his life would be when he saw Candy, his ex-girl. You see, Candy wasn’t any ordinary girl. She was the one woman who captivated his heart, cracked it, and threw it away. Although she couldn’t touch Tara in the looks department, her
Fuck Game
ran rings around Tara’s.

She strutted toward Shy and Kavon, pushing a few people lightly to pass them. The moment Shy saw her, he almost choked on his champagne. Her hair was hard curled in a mean asymmetric and her gold earrings highlighted her chocolate brown skin.

When she finally came into view, Kavon saw the Le Coq Sportiff one-piece dress she rocked. Even though it was a little sportier than what everyone else was wearing, her large breasts, thick ass and flat stomach suddenly made it acceptable.

“Kavon, Kavon, Kavon,” Candy sang, seductively, grabbing one of his arms and wrapping it around her waist. “I see you still lookin’ good.” She pushed her breasts against his muscular chest. Suddenly it was as if they were alone.

“Good gawd!” Shy gawked, eyeing her body. “Damn, Candy, is it sweet?” he said loud enough to be heard over the music. “’Cause it sho look good.”

“I don’t know why you worried about it,” she informed him, glancing at him only briefly before returning her sights to Kavon’s fine ass. “You never got a lick or taste of this pussy and you ain’t gonna. Go sit your beastly ass down somewhere.”

“And you mean!” Shy laughed, stealing one last look. “On that note, I’ma find me somethin’ I can get into.” He gave Kavon dap, then shook head at how sexy Candy was again.

Kavon felt his heart beat increase slightly. Candy did something to him. And although he tried to hide it, not a lot had changed. He even caught a few niggas checking her as she played him close.

“How you been?” He inhaled her apple-smelling perfume.

“I’m good,” he said as he wrapped both of his arms around her waist and looked into her eyes. He was doing this in an attempt to gain some control over the situation. “I see you still sexy as a mothafucka.”

“Whateva, boy. If I’m so sexy, you wouldn’t be with that Spanish bitch.”

“Brazilian.” He winked.

“Whatever.” Her tone was sharp and he could tell she didn’t like Tara being thrown up in her face. But if she hadn’t fucked up, they would still be together. “You know I was trying to get back with you, K.”

“I know you tryin’ to play games that’s about it.”

“I’m serious, K!” Candy hit him lightly on the arm, never removing her body from his. “I tried how many times? You act like you don’t even know me no more. What, you in love or somethin’? Just tell me and I’ll stop callin’ you.”

Maybe this is a test.
He thought. If he fucked Candy one last time and he still wanted to marry Tara, then he’d know his love for Tara was real.

“Stop fuckin’ wit me, girl.” Kavon pulled away to get the waitress to bring him two more glasses of champagne, one for him and the other for Candy. When he got them he placed his empty glass on her platter. “You like playin’ games.”

“Well, what I got to do to prove to you I’m not?” Candy licked suggestively on the edge of the glass with her pink wet tongue.

“You tell me.” Kavon gazed right into her eyes. He wanted to fuck her on the dance floor. As they stared at each other, money started falling everywhere. A few ballers thought it would be a good idea to waste cash just because they could.

“I’m tryin’ to be with you tonight.” A fifty dollar bill fell on her breasts and he tucked it in her cleavage. “So what you tryin’ to do?”

“You wanna bounce or what?” Kavon suggested no longer able to hold back.

When she caught the glimmer in his eyes, Candy said, “You ain’t said nothin’ but a word. Wait right here. I’ll be back.”

She sashayed away fast enough to get wherever she was going, but slowly enough for him to check her body out as she moved. She made sure her hips swiveled and swirled with each step. When she was completely out of Kavon’s sight, he looked for Shy. He had to tell him he was gonna get up with him later and the way he ogled her juicy ass, he knew he’d understand. He spent five minutes looking for Shy but couldn’t find his ass nowhere.

Where da fuck this nigga go so quick?
He wondered.

He had given up his search when he saw the reason for his exit approaching him.

“You ready?” Candy smiled. She smelled more like apples than she did when she left and her lips were glossier. He figured she went into the bathroom moments earlier to freshen up.

“Yeah. Just let me make a phone call right quick,” Kavon said as he spotted the waitress.

He asked to use the phone and she took him over to it. He paged Shy with the code that meant he got a ride. Although he hadn’t used it in a while, he knew the moment Shy saw it he’d know the deal.

Candy led him out by his hand as all the dudes gave him the certified look of approval after seeing how thick she was. He had to hit that ass properly tonight because no matter what, he wanted her to know that she had a good thing and she lost it.

They were outside in front of her candy apple red Toyota Forerunner when she opened the car door for herself and threw him the keys.

“You drive now.” She winked. “I’ll ride later.”

“No doubt.” He said catching them.

They pulled up at the Holiday Inn off New York Avenue in D.C. With every turn he made, he started thinking about what he was doing to Tara. She loved him and he knew it was hard enough finding a trustworthy female, especially one as beautiful as Tara. And here he was risking it all. For a slut at that.

Kavon parked in front of the hotel, gave Candy the money for the room and she went to get it. His fingers tapped on the steering wheel and his mind raced.

“We’re in room 614,” Candy said, returning to the truck.

“A’ight,” He said, shorter with her than he was earlier.

As he walked through the lobby and onto their floor with Candy still holding his hand, he wondered what Tara was doing. Glancing down at his watch he figured she was probably about to take a shower. If he dumped Candy’s ass he’d be able to catch her in time to jump into the shower with her, something she loved.

“No, shawty…I’m
dead
serious.”

“Yes, that’s mothafuckin’ right! Why you think I dumped you in the first place? I need a man who can handle this, and it’s obvious you can’t do it.” She said in a sassy manner.

Kavon knew she was mad that he was dropping her off without banging her back out, but the comment about his dick did bruise his ego a little.