The Pink Palace 2, Page 8

  “Fuck you. You might as well go ’head and kill me now,” he snarled.

  I grinned at him. “Fine. Have it your way.”

  I pulled out of the bag a pair of plastic gloves and put one on my right hand. Then I reached back in the plastic bag and took out a bottle of Courtney’s Dark and Lovely kid perms, and the nigga in the chair looked at me oddly.

  “Malachi, what the fuck you gonna do with that?” Reggie inquired.

  I didn’t answer him. I took my hand with the glove on it and scooped out a handful of the white cream and then slapped it on the nigga’s bald head.

  “What the fuck you doing?” he yelled.

  Bump grabbed him and held him still as I smeared the cream all over his head. Soon his head was covered with the creamy white relaxer.

  “I’ll be back in an hour, and we’ll see if you feel like talking then.”

  “Fuck you, man!”

  I smiled and peeled off the glove and tossed them on the ground. Bump, Reggie, and Ricky followed me back up the stairs.

  “I don’t get it. Why you did that for?” Reggie asked.

  “You’ll see.”

  * * *

  An hour later, I heard an excruciating scream coming from the basement. I marched back down the stairs with Big Bump, Reggie, and Ricky, and saw that nigga on his side, still tied to the chair, trying to rub the relaxer cream off of his head with no success. The chemical burns on his head were literally peeling away the flesh on his scalp as red blisters covered his head. He was yelling and crying like a baby for relief.

  “Get it off!” he shouted.

  “You feel like talking yet?”

  “Yes! Please! Aarrgh,” he squealed.

  “Give me a name.”

  “Don P! Don P!”

  I looked at Ricky and Reggie to see if they had heard of a Don P, and both of them shook their heads. “Never heard of him.”

  “Please! He’s called Don P! Please get it off me,” he begged.

  He wasn’t lying, but the name Don P meant nothing to me. “Where is he from?”

  “What!”

  “Is he local?” I asked him.

  “I don’t know! He . . . argh . . . just calls us and wires money to our accounts!”

  I looked at him in agony and realized he had no information worthwhile for me. He was just a hired gun sent to murder me. I still had no idea who was coming for me. This was a fucking waste of time.

  “All right. I believe you.” I looked at Bump. “Take care of him.”

  Bump pulled out his .45.

  The nigga’s eyes widened. “What! But I told you—”

  Thunder exploded from the end of the barrel. Bump put three slugs in his chest and ended his misery.

  I still had no answers but I did have a name. I turned and faced Ricky. “Find out who the fuck is Don P.”

  “I’m on it, boss.”

  JASMINE

  “Breaking news. Three hours ago, gang violence erupted in Lenox Mall, killing six people. Included in the dead are three gunmen. We’re also told one victim was found in the restroom, stabbed to death. Police have made no arrests in the incident. Witnesses are saying a black man opened fire in the middle of the Lenox food court, killing a man. Three other men dressed in black drew weapons and returned fire. We will bring you more updates on this breaking story as more information comes in,” the news reporter on Channel 2 announced as I put on my jacket.

  What the fuck was wrong with these young niggas these days? You couldn’t even go to the fucking mall without catching a bullet in your ass.

  I turned off the TV and grabbed my keys. I was on my way to make some money at The Pink Palace, and I was running late. My mind was still wondering what the connection between Malachi and Nikki was and if it was going to interfere with my hustle at the club.

  I got to The Pink Palace thirty minutes later, and the fucking place was half empty! Where the hell was everybody? It was Saturday night. The place should have been jumping by then.

  I glanced onstage and saw a couple of chicks poppin’ their shit for a few niggas, but that looked like chump change to me. I looked up to Malachi’s office and nobody was there.

  I headed backstage to see who was there. As I walked in the dressing room, I saw Kandi with three other bitches, sitting at her dressing table, laughing and carrying on like it was happy hour or some shit.

  Hmph, I guess Kandi has finally come out of her shell and made some “friends.”

  She was sitting in this one chick’s lap called Hester. Hester was a Filipino bitch that looked like a thicker version of that singer Cassie, without the half shaven-off hair. The other two bitches were Jade, a curvy chocolate honey with weave all the way down to her ass, and Safire, a thick-ass redbone with tittes so big that they could give shade to a small child. Kandi had no idea how scandalous these hoes were.

  I cleared my throat, and Kandi turned and saw me.

  “Hey, Jasmine.” She got up off of Hester’s lap.

  Hester rolled her eyes at me but wisely didn’t say shit to me. They knew I didn’t play that shit. I was the queen bitch there.

  Jade and Safire smirked and giggled to themselves.

  “Hey, what’s going on?”

  “Nothing. We’re just here chillin’,” Kandi responded nervously.

  Hester rose up out of her seat. “We’ll holla at you later, Kandi.”

  “Okay.”

  Hester, Jade, and Safire walked away from us, still giggling and shit.

  “What the hell is so funny?” I asked Kandi.

  She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.”

  I knew it shouldn’t bother me, but Kandi was kind of my protégé, and I didn’t like the way those hoes were all up on her like that. I didn’t like the idea of anybody taking advantage of her, other than me. Just looking at Kandi, she seemed a bit off to me for some reason.

  “You better be careful around them hoes.”

  “Them?” She pointed in their direction. “They’re harmless.”

  I walked over to my mirror and took off my jacket. “You think so?”

  “We were just hanging out. What’s so bad about them?”

  “Nothing is wrong with them, until they got your ass buck naked in a Booty Talk DVD, eating them out.”

  “Like you did me,” she retorted.

  I turned and looked at her. Since when did she come slick to me?

  Kandi caught my vibe and looked away. “I mean, we were just kicking it. Ain’t anybody out there in the club anyway.”

  “Hmph, true.”

  She was definitely a little off, and now I could see why by the white dust on her dressing table. “By the way, you got a little powder on your nose.”

  Kandi got a stunned look on her face and wiped her nose.

  “If you gonna do that shit, then I suggest you be a little more discreet about it. Them hoes will get your ass open and hooked on that shit if you ain’t careful.”

  “Oh . . . okay,” she sheepishly replied.

  “When was the last time you talked to your boyfriend?” I asked her.

  Kandi flopped down in the chair next to me. “A few days. Maybe a week. I thought you said I should forget that nigga.”

  “Yeah, but maybe I spoke too soon. Listen, Kandi, I ain’t your mother, but just be careful fucking with these bitches around here.”

  “Okay,” Kandi said halfheartedly.

  Anyway, I didn’t want to waste more time babysitting that girl. It was time to make some money. I got undressed and put on my pink teddy and a pair of red Steve Madden stilettos and reapplied my makeup. Once I was pleased with what I saw in the mirror, I made my way back out to the front of the club, and it was still half dead.

  I walked over to the bar, and Gina the bartender made me my usual Long Island Iced Tea.

  “What the fuck is going on, Gina? Where is everybody?”

  “I’m not sure, Jasmine, but I keep on hearing rumors about somebody in the streets beefing with Malachi.”
r />   “Really? Who would really want it with him?”

  “Don’t know, but I hear there was a big hit on some Mexican drug dealers the other night, and they were supplying Malachi,” she informed me.

  I took a sip of my drink. “Hmmm, that’s not good. Folks are probably scared to come up in here.”

  “Plus there was some shit that went down at Lenox Mall this afternoon that’s got everybody buzzing.”

  “I heard about that on the news before I left,” I told her.

  Just then the club doors opened and Bump was leading the way, with Malachi behind him, followed by Reggie, Ricky, and ten or twelve other niggas marching up toward his office. Malachi had a mean mug on his face like I’d never seen before. Bump scanned the club and posted niggas up around The Pink Palace.

  Malachi headed up to his office, and Bump, Ricky, and Reggie went with him. Damn. I’d never seen Malachi with so much security around him before, and then it dawned on me: That shootout that went down in Lenox. Was Malachi there?

  11

  Obsessed with me

  College Park, GA

  NIKKI

  I’d been calling the police and FBI for hours, and nobody would give me any information about where Dre was. This was crazy! How could they move him and not tell his family where? Well, at least I could assume he was safe, but it still killed me inside that I didn’t know where he was.

  I sat back in my chair in the living room as Tyler watched Marvel Superhero Squad on Cartoon Network. The more I thought about the situation, the more I realized I had no reason to ever return to The Pink Palace. I was supposed to be there that night, but fuck that, and fuck Malachi! He couldn’t hold Dre’s life over my head anymore. The FBI was probably hot on his tail! Good.

  It felt like it had been a long time since I’d spent the night home with Tyler. It was past his bedtime, but he was enjoying his show so much I didn’t want to pull him away. Besides, I enjoyed watching him be a kid.

  Those past few weeks being back at The Pink Palace had brought back so many bad memories. I couldn’t believe how deluded I was into thinking that being a stripper/ho at that club was my calling in life. The stupid shit I did for money and all the lowlife pigs I fucked with to get it . . . I even dragged my poor cousin Janelle into that fucked-up lifestyle. Talk about the blind leading the blind.

  I was so glad Dre had never given up on me. He loved me with my flaws and all, and we helped each other turn our lives around. We had a son. We had a new life. And now because of Malachi, he wasn’t there.

  A few minutes later, Tyler’s show went off, and I went and picked him up. “It’s time for bed, big guy.”

  “Okay. Where’s daddy?” Tyler asked.

  I stared at him, and I honestly didn’t know what to say to him. “He’s . . . working, baby. He’ll be home soon.” I wished that were the truth. “Come on, baby. Do you wanna sleep in Mommy’s bed tonight?”

  He nodded his head and I took him up to my room.

  * * *

  I spent the weekend at home with Tyler, catching up on being a mother. My thoughts were still with Dre, but I had no idea where he was, and the FBI wasn’t confirming or denying putting him in protective custody. I had to figure out what was going on, but I had no idea how.

  The next day, I dropped Tyler off at the babysitter’s and headed to the shop. When I walked in, Penny saw me, and her jaw nearly hit the floor. It had been a while since I’d been in. She’d been running things pretty good. She was sitting behind the counter ringing a customer out.

  “Nikki, I must be dreaming! I wasn’t expecting to see you here today,” Penny said.

  “I know, right?” I walked behind the counter and gave Penny a hug. “I didn’t think I would be here today either.”

  “So what’s going on with you and Malachi?” Penny asked.

  I frowned and sat on the stool next to Penny. “Forget that nigga. I got bigger concerns. Dre has been put in protective custody by the FBI, and they won’t tell me where he is.”

  “What! How can they do that and not tell you?”

  “That’s what I’m trying to figure out. I’ve been calling them since Friday, but they won’t give me any information. I’m so worried about him, Penny. I have no idea what condition he’s in. Even Tyler has been asking for his daddy, and I don’t know what to tell him.”

  Penny put her hand on my shoulder. “We’ll figure this out, Nikki.”

  I spent the day working in the shop with Penny, catching up with some of the bills that had been piling up. I was lucky business was still steady, because our savings were dwindling.

  I made a few more calls to the FBI but was still not getting any more information on Dre. I was at my wit’s ends on what to do. I left the shop at 5:30 to pick Tyler up at the babysitter’s and then pop into Wal-Mart on the way home to pick up a few groceries for the house.

  I pulled into my driveway and got out of the car, and then I saw a limo pull up in front of my house. I knew who it was as soon as I saw it. Bump got out of the driver’s side and opened the door for Malachi.

  He stepped out dressed in a gray two-piece suit and black loafers. He walked over to me by my car and gave me a frown. I returned his frown with one of my own.

  “What the hell do you want?” I asked.

  “We had an agreement, Nikki. You haven’t been at the club in three nights. You know what the consequences of breaking our arrangement would mean.”

  “Things changed.” My mind was racing, trying to think of what I could say, and then it came to me. “You can’t hold Dre’s life over my head anymore. He’s dead.”

  A surprised expression came over his face. It was a lie, but I didn’t want to warn him of the FBI being involved in his relocation.

  “I’m sorry to hear that, Nikki.”

  “Whatever. You got exactly what you wanted. My baby’s father is dead! Now get the hell out of my life!”

  He stared at me blankly as if what I said meant nothing to him. I turned to get Tyler out of the car, and he grabbed my arm.

  “Get the fuck off me!” I yelled.

  “Quiet,” he said with authority. “I normally would have slapped you down for talking to me like that, but I understand you’re emotional right now, so I’ll excuse it.”

  “You’re outta your damn—”

  “I said be quiet! I don’t give a damn about Dre, but you . . . you interest me. I’ve never met a woman quite like you, Nikki.” He paused and let my arm go. “Regardless of Dre’s untimely death, we still had an agreement. Dre’s debt has been passed on to you, and I will still collect.”

  “Fuck you!”

  He gave me a menacing glare and got in my face. “Oh, you will. You will also be at The Pink Palace this Saturday night, ready to work, or your son will be growing up in foster care. Your fine ass brings a lot of money to the club, and I don’t plan on losing you.”

  I couldn’t believe my ears! “You’re fucking crazy!”

  He grabbed my throat, and it felt like he was choking the shit outta me. Tyler started to cry, seeing his mother attacked.

  “I warned you about your mouth, Nikki. You will respect me. Is that understood?”

  I nodded my head and he let me go. I fell to my knees, trying to catch my breath. This crazy-ass nigga would have killed me right in front of my son.

  “Good. So I’ll see you at the club Saturday night. You’re a gorgeous woman, Nikki, and if you behave yourself, you’ll see what I can do for you. I did you a favor getting rid of that bum-ass nigga Dre. You’ll see what a real man can do for you.”

  I stared up at him with disgust. If I could, I would have put a bullet between his eyes.

  He gave me an evil smirk then turned and went back to his limo. Bump opened his door and then got in and drove off.

  I got up off the ground and opened the car door and consoled Tyler.

  “Its okay, baby. Mommy is okay,” I whispered to him, wishing that were true. I was trapped, and Malachi had no intention of letting me
be free. I protected Dre, but at what cost? Why was he so fucking obsessed with me?

  MALACHI

  I had noticed that Nikki didn’t show up all weekend, so I knew something was up. I hated being so rough with Nikki, but her spirit had to be broken before she became my lady. Dre dying was only a bonus.

  I’d have to send Ricky to the hospital to confirm her story, and if he wasn’t dead, to put a bullet in his head. Either way, I was done dealing with him.

  Nikki was the type of lady I could mold into the perfect lady for me. More than that whore Latoya could be.

  Things were still uneasy with this mystery nigga Don P coming after me. I still had no idea who this nigga was. No word on the street on who this pussyhole was or where he came from, so I had to take extra precautions and have more security around me at all times.

  In the meantime, I needed to find a new supplier since Jorge had been killed. I had made contact with a Cuban named Carlos in Miami, who I know worked with some nigga up in New York called King before he got murdered. I had to move fast and reestablish my grip on the Atlanta scene before these other small-time pushers decided to move in on my turf.

  The next Saturday was the annual Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash Concert, and it was going to be a big night at The Pink Palace. I needed my best dancers in the house because I had a special appearance by Kane, Beata Douglas, and the Flip Set Family scheduled to be in the club. Between Nikki and Jasmine, I was going to make a killing! And if this Don P wanted to come after me, I’d be ready for him too.

  12

  Just like me

  Smyrna, GA

  Jasmine

  Going home was never an easy thing for me. I loved my parents, but because of my choices in life, things were strained, especially with my father. They knew about my lifestyle and were very disappointed with my decision.