Payback Is a Mutha Read online

  “Hello.” Brianna sounded like she was in the tub.

  “What’s up, girl?”

  “Shit. What’s up on your end? You puttin’ my plan into motion or you decided to bitch up?”

  “I ain’t fuckin’ with you like that; I told you I’ma do me. As a matter of fact we was just in here chillin’ until my big-headed brother called. He is such a blocker.”

  “Girl, you know how overprotective he is. That ain’t gonna never change. Don’t let him stop you from doing you. So what did you find out? He got dough, or what?”

  “Now here you go.”

  “Look, if you ain’t gonna do a check on the brother give me his info and I’ll do it for you.”

  “Girl…Bye Brianna.”

  Forever and Zeke was walking the compound. “I’m in like Flynn, man. We straight. It’s taking longer than I planned but I got this shit on lock!” Forever boasted with a sly grin.

  “So where we at?” Zeke was getting impatient with Forever, but at the same time was confident with the way Forever would make sure that all bases and their assess would be covered. Forever was the only nigga he trusted.

  “You know the computer teacher, McKee?”

  “Who?”

  “She’s my boss, man. That fine little sister with the locks.” Forever looked at Zeke as if he was stupid. “Nigga don’t try to act like you ain’t scoped her out.”

  Zeke couldn’t help but laugh. “She green, man?”

  “Green? That ain’t the half of it. I know who her brother is. And he be movin’ that weight. I got the shit all mapped out.”

  “Well let’s get this shit poppin’ off!” They gave each other a pound and went their separate ways.

  When Forever went to check in for work, Shan was just turning the corner. He could smell her perfume as he watched the sway of her hips. She was wearing a silk burgundy pantsuit and her locks were wrapped with a burgundy scarf. She stopped at her office door and put her briefcase down and pulled out her prison key ring full of keys. As she fumbled with it Forever walked up behind her.

  “You’re late, Officer McKee,” he said as he moved even closer. No one was in the hallway but them.

  “I’m not late, you’re early, Forever Thompson.” She backed up into him a little.

  She was just telling Brianna about him again last night. Before, she had only told her about how fine he was. But last night she spilled the beans about how they had been flirting back and forth with each other shortly after she had started work. Actually, Brianna was shocked because it was unlike Ms. Goody Two-Shoes to break the rules. She told Shan she was surprised that she was putting her job on the line. Shan told her that she was only having a little fun and now she knew where all the men were: locked up. She also told her how common it was for officers, and other staff, to be creepin’ with the inmates.

  When Forever felt her back up onto his dick he knew it was on. He told himself, let the mind games begin. He rubbed up against her and whispered, “Too bad you’re not my type.”

  This caught Shan by surprise. As a matter of fact, she was insulted but fought to remain calm. “I can’t tell.” She unlocked the door and Forever pushed it open. “I need my trash dumped.” She wanted to say “Nigga!” but instead said, “Thompson. And after I unlock the computer room you can clean up in there.” No, this nigga ain’t tryna flip the script! she said to herself.

  Forever tried not to smile because he knew he had her right where he wanted her.

  For the next few weeks he watched carefully as Shan dressed even nicer, outfits got a little tighter, perfume a little louder and was acting a little stand-offish.

  “Nobody likes rejection,” he told Zeke.

  “Man, stop the fuckin’ mind games and make a move,” Zeke yelled at him as he did his last set of chin-ups on the pull-up bar.

  Forever finished his push-ups before responding. “I got this! Chill out. She’s ready to be plucked.”

  “Fuck that! She’s ready to be plucked but I’m ready for the bucks! Put that hoe to work. Go ahead, fuck her and get it over with! We missing out on what? Twenty-five to 30 Gs a week?”

  “Man, it ain’t all about the pussy. I gots to put her back up against the wall. That way I’ll get the pussy handed to me on a silver platter and get her to bring my dope in. Watch how I work this hoe. You gonna crown me the king!”

  Zeke could only say, “You crazy, man.”

  “What’s going on, Thompson? You’ve been mighty quiet lately.” Lieutenant Fargo eyed Forever suspiciously.

  “What? You must want me to make some noise. What? You don’t have no other excitement in your life? You need to find you some business man.”

  “No it’s not that; I’m just surprised that you haven’t been into any trouble.”

  Forever laughed. “Man go ’head with that. Like I said, find you some business.” Forever had a gallon of wax and was pulling the buffer. He was feelin’ good because he had just got off the visit with Nyla and Tameerah. “Who’s gonna unlock the computer room so I can buff? You? Don’t have me carrying this buffer way down there and it’s locked. Y’all know how y’all do. Y’all a bunch of lazy muthafuckers!”

  “No Mr. Thompson. We wouldn’t do that to ya. Your boss is already down there,” he said as he hit the button for the metal gate to open.

  This caught Forever off-guard. “You sure man? She’s never here on weekends. Am I in trouble? She said it didn’t matter when I got the floor done as long as they were done by Monday morning.”

  The lieutenant laughed as he hunched his shoulders. “I don’t know about her work schedule. But I knew trouble from you was overdue. You’ve been out the hole for what now, two, three months? I think you’re trying to break your old record.”

  “Whatever man.” Forever said as he dragged the buffer to the Education Department.

  Forever parked the buffer and placed the bottle of wax on top of it. Instead of going to the computer room first he decided to stop at Shan’s office. He tapped lightly on the door before pushing it open.

  “I didn’t say come in.” Shan was getting ready to eat and was listening to her Floetry CD. She glanced up, “Aren’t you off today? You got a pass to be down here?” She fired off at him.

  Forever couldn’t help but smile. He could see that she was high and had the serious munchies. “Don’t yell at me because you have to work on your day off. I’m working, too, remember? Or did you forget that you have a memo posted up that says I’m supposed to buff this weekend? But if you want me to leave I’ll leave.”

  “For your information I didn’t forget. The door is open. I just don’t want you here in my office.”

  “Damn. What did Forever do wrong?”

  She smirked. “Forever. Did your mother name you Forever or is that some five percent Nation thing you got going on for yourself?”

  Forever was still smiling. “I see you’ve been thinking about me.” He sat down in the chair in front of her desk.

  “Don’t flatter yourself at my expense. Just answer the question.”

  “My mother gave me that name and if you act right I might let you find out if I’m living up to it or not.” He was staring at her. But she was cool.

  “Like I said, don’t flatter yourself at my expense.” She took a mouthful of her meal.

  “Can I ask what are we eating?”

  She looked up at him. He had on a sleeveless T-shirt and was flexing those huge muscular arms; khakis, work boots and his work gloves were in his back pocket. “We? I don’t see or hear no one of French descent in this office.”

  “What is it? Smells good.” He leaned over trying to get a better peek.

  She held up a big fat shrimp. “Shrimp covered in garlic and lime juice over rice pilaf, and it is sooo good,” she teased as she swallowed a shrimp.

  “Is it?”

  “Fo’ sho.” She held up another one. Soon as she did he leaned over and started sucking the shrimp and the lime juice off her fingers while not taking his eyes off
of her. “Dayuuum,” she said to herself as her cheeks felt hot. “You know you are out of line,” she said out loud.

  “Who says so? It’s only me and you here in this room.”

  “I said so.”

  “Well, this ain’t the first time, and won’t be the last time that I get out of line.”

  “Oh, really? When was the first time?”

  “You know when it was, so stop playin’ with me. Let me have another one.” He looked at her plate.

  She picked up another one with her fingers and he dutifully ate the shrimp and sucked on her fingers. This time a little longer. She really wanted him to suck on a little more than just her fingers. “Can I finish my dinner now?” She asked as she slowly pulled out her fingers and ran them across his pretty, juicy lips.

  “You want me to leave now?”

  “Yeah.”

  He leaned over and softly kissed her lips before going for her tongue. “Mmmm. You taste better than the garlic and lime juice.” He kissed her some more. “Mmmm. You taste very good.” He kissed her more hungrily this time.

  She pulled away. “Let me finish my meal.”

  “You puttin’ me out?”

  “Yup. You got a floor to do and you’re fuckin’ up my high.”

  “A’ight, I’m leaving.” He went to kiss her again.

  “I thought I wasn’t your type.”

  “I was just fuckin’ with you.”

  She leaned up to kiss him but stopped in midair and then said, “Now I’m just fuckin’ with you. Get the fuck outta my office!”

  11

  SHAN

  What started out as a Saturday morning was now afternoon at the Wolfchase Galleria, for Brianna and Shan.

  “Let’s unload some of these bags.” Brianna said to Shan as she eyed the door of Dillard’s.

  “Fuck unload! I’m ready to go!”

  Brianna sucked her teeth. “I hate coming to the mall with you!”

  “I hate coming with you, too! What else are you trying to buy?” Shan asked and looked at her with disbelief. Both of them were bogged down with bags.

  “Girl, come on. I just want to hit a few more stores. Why you always gotta trip!” Brianna began walking towards the exit. “I’ll buy you something. But let’s drop this load.”

  Shan started laughing. “Hoe, you gonna have to buy me a lot to get me to come back in here. It’s damn near 2:00!”

  “I got you! I got you!”

  “You better have me!”

  When they arrived at Brianna’s Lexus it began to drizzle but the sun was still shining. They stuffed all of the bags into the trunk. “I feel weird today.” Shan shrugged. “Something’s going down.”

  “Weird?”

  “Yeah. You know, like something’s going on but you just can’t pinpoint it? And last night I had a dream about snakes, bit fat ones! They were everywhere. I was beating them with sticks but they were coming out of every hole. If I moved a rock, a big one would come slithering out. That shit was weird.” Shan slammed the trunk shut.

  “You don’t have to slam it!”

  “Girl, please! Unlock the damn door.” Shan ordered.

  “A’ight now. You break it. You pay for it!” Brianna said, trying to sound like a Chinese salesperson. “What do you think your dream meant?”

  “I don’t know. But that shit was scary. I hope it wasn’t telling me that you’re a snake,” Shan teased.

  “Whatever, hoe.” Brianna started the car and drove to a corner in the rear of the mall parking lot. Shan got comfortable and pulled out the dro. “So whose paper you spending today?” Shan put fire to the blunt while she fixed her gaze on Brianna.

  “Tssk!” Brianna emphatically sucked her teeth. “Shadee’s. It’s his guilt money. He had the audacity to send for me, while he’s chillin’ in Atlanta with his baby’s mama. Then he had the nerve to have her all up in the Ritz Carlton while dropping me off at some Best Western. I said, ‘nigga, you got me twisted!’ I went the fuck off!” Shan was laughing so hard she was choking. “Bitch, it ain’t that funny!” snapped Brianna. “Pass the haze.” She snatched the blunt out of Shan’s hand before continuing. “I didn’t even check into the hotel. I stuffed the dough in my bag, hailed me a cab back to the airport and was on the first flight back home.”

  Still laughing Shan said, “Now that’s a relationship I’m still trying to figure out.”

  They sat and puffed while listening to K-97.1. Of course Brianna had to pick up her cell phone. She was expecting a call from Peanut. As soon as she hung up she tried to convince Shan to walk back to the mall instead of drive. “Girl, it’s beautiful out and plus we’ll be driving around forever trying to find a spot that’s closer.”

  “Oooooh! Don’t say that name.” Shan put her palms over her ears.

  “What exactly is your problem?” Brianna laughed. “Whose name did I say?”

  “Forever hoe! You know what name.”

  “Bitch please! Forever is nothing but an infatuation. At least he better be.” She stared down at Shan. “You can’t have him, he’s married, he’s locked up, and you ain’t trying to find out if he got any money. So why waste the pussy? Oops! My bad! I forgot. With you it’s not all about the money,” she cracked.

  “You are so funny. Ha! Ha! Girl, just shut up. Let’s go before I change my mind.” Shan opened the car door. She really did not want B to know that they had been kissing. Brianna don’t even give out kisses for free. And Shan knew Forever wanted to fuck her.

  “A’ight Forever! You know I’m telling the truth.” Brianna laughed. “You gonna get enough of giving out charity pussy.”

  When they stepped out of the car the sun was beaming and the drizzle had stopped.

  “Ooh! It is beautiful out.” Shan beamed.

  “I don’t know why you’re just noticing, Miss Ready-To-Go-Home. Hmmp! Look who I see. Turn to your left partna, so you can see a nigga with money fo’ real!”

  When Shan turned to look she said, “Got damn! I knew I was feeling tensed up for some reason.” She rolled her eyes at Briggen, who was wearing a Knicks jersey, black jean shorts and some crisp white-on-white Birdman sneakers. He also looked as if he had just come from the barber. Him and his boy was sitting in his truck smokin’ and chillin’ while Brianna and Shan was parked a few spaces down. He was patiently waiting for them to pull off or get out of the car.

  “Shan baby, come here, girl.”

  Shan acted as if she didn’t hear him.

  “Girl, answer him so that I can holla at that nigga he got wit’ him.”

  “I am not in the mood to be fuckin’ with him B. He ain’t shit and you know that. So come on. Let’s roll.” Brianna was stalling, pretending to look for something in the trunk. “Come on, Brianna. Stop playing. He ain’t nothin’ but trouble.”

  “Trouble? He can’t be no more trouble than Mr. Forever. Look at him! All I see is pussy in his eyes! How much trouble is that? You said he got tha bomb dick.” That caused Shan to crack a smile.

  “You are so ignorant. You can’t even see his eyes from here, hoe!” Before she could say another word he was standing behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

  “Woo. This right here is Shan. I told you about her.”

  “The lil’ mama who raped you then put you out?” Woo teased.

  “Yeah. This is her.” Then he looked at Brianna. “Brianna this is my boy, Woo. Woo, this is Brianna.” He nodded to Woo. Brianna was flashing her Ms. America smile. She was immediately in his face asking him where he was from and getting her mack on.

  “How come you told him that?” Shan was embarrassed.

  Briggen was slowly steering Shan toward his truck, which was gleaming like it just came from getting detailed. “I thought that was you.” He ignored her question.

  “I’m on my way to the mall, so let me go. Why are we walking towards your ride? And what? You’re following me now?”

  “You tryna call me a stalker?”

  “What’s up Calvin? What do
you want? I suggest you get back home to your Stepford Wives.”

  “Ha. Ha. Cute. I didn’t forget that cute little stunt you pulled that night. And why are you always ignoring me?”

  “You’re ignoring me. I just asked you a question! And why do you always answer me with a question?” Shan couldn’t even front, she still had some feelings for him.

  “Why do we always have to fight? Instead, why can’t we make love?”

  “Because you don’t got it like that! Bri let’s go!” she yelled and tried to turn them around.

  Briggen wouldn’t let her go and kept steering her towards his truck. “Where do you think you’re trying to go? I want to talk to you.”

  “About what?”

  “You know about what. How you keep standing me up, ignoring me; you know what’s up. You won’t return my calls or nothing. Why you gotta be so hard on a nigga?”

  “And you still can’t take a hint. How many times do I need to spell it out for you?” she said with much sarcasm and attitude.

  “You’re right. Spell it out. You know I don’t take hints.” He opened the back door.

  “I don’t know why you’re opening the door, I’m not gettin’ in.” When Briggen picked her up she started screaming and laughing. “Boy, stop playing!” She placed her feet firmly on the edge of the seat, trying to stop him. She screamed as he lifted her higher and slid her across the seat. He climbed in and shut the door. “What do you want?” He felt for his keys, leaned up, started the engine and turned on the air. “What do you want Briggen?”

  “I want to talk to you!”

  “About what?”

  “Me and you. Making things right.”

  “I told you before. You fucked up the first time. Plus you got a little too much goin’ on for me. Let’s just be friends and leave it at that.”

  “Whatever happened to second chances?”

  “I told you before; with me you only get one chance. I don’t know why you refuse to acknowledge that. Now let me out. I’m ready to go finish gettin’ my shop on, Playboy. How much money you got on you?” Shan joked.

  “A lot and you can have it all if you give me some time.”