Ashley's Story: THE LAST CHAPTER (3 page)

“Yo Rio, I just had a problem,” she stated as she started
walking away but continually looking over her shoulder to check her back.

“What kind of problem?”

 “This crazy looking Haitian nigga just stepped to me on
some disrespectful shit,” she hissed heatedly. “I didn’t call Supreme even
though I really want to. I don’t need him going crazy and catching the next
flight out just to put a nigga down to sleep.

“I’m glad you called me first because that’s exactly what
that nigga would do. Give me a description of him,” Rio said.

“I’ve got something better than a description. I know this
nigga’s name. His name is Profit.”

Ashley’s day had been very productive so far. She had gotten
up early and cleaned up her apartment while talking to Choice on the phone.
When she was finished, she went to the gym in her apartment complex and worked
out for two hours. afterwards, she took a shower gotten dressed then visited
her mom and Mr. Charlie before going to open up a bank account to deposit some
of the money Petey had left her.

Ashley nibbled on her lip when a thought crossed her mind.
She had been at home for a little over a week and not one time had she gone to
visit Petey’s gravesite. She knew it was something she needed to do. Ashley
shook her head and sighed deeply as she turned her car around to go in the
direction of the neighborhood flower shop. She quickly bought two dozen roses,
a dozen for Petey and a dozen for Ky’s gravesite. After she was done with her
gravesite visits, she was sure that she was going to need some therapy. What
better therapy than shopping.

***

Rio cruised down North East 56
^th
street with
Dylan in the passenger seat and Willie in the back. They were looking for
Profit. Rio was having an extremely hard time trying to get any information on
the little nigga and wanted to make sure what Mark found out about him was
correct. When Mark found out where Profit and his brother Finesse  hung out, he
was excited to see if it was true.

“Choice told me the nigga name was Profit so I know it’s
him.”

“You sure it was him? There’s a lot of dark-skinned niggas
with dreads walking around this bitch,” Dylan replied as he looked out of the
window at a couple of dudes with that same description.

“Yeah, you’re right but none of them go by the named Profit.
I’m sure it’s the same dread head ass nigga,” Rio spoke. .

“I hear you and you know I’m riding with you until the
wheels fall off, but I’m telling you, if we come through busting at these
niggas tonight be ready for war once they find out it’s us.”

“Fuck the Haitians, Rio. You should let me ride out with
y’all. If it’s more of us, I’m sure they’ll no longer be breathing. . I’m
always ready for war,” Willie smiled. . He was a hot head and he was always
ready to put in work and Rio appreciated that.

“This can turn out so many different ways,” Dylan stated
being the over thinker.

“It could but I don’t tolerate disrespect and I hope you
don’t either. They bleed just like you and I no man puts fear in my heart.
Tonight we are coming back through this bitch blasting. Willie I got some other
shit that I need you to take care of back at Da Cage. You down for the ride?
Rio asked Dylan. .

“Of course I’m down Dylan replied. You never have to ask me
that.”

“You know, Dy, I’m glad you’re cautious but we don’t have
any room for that shit. Being cautious flew out the window when this nigga
disrespected Choice. If Supreme knew about Profit talking sideways to her, that
nigga wouldn’t be breathing right now and I’m not trying to put Supreme in no
situation like that. If you ask me, I think we’ve been cautious. I told Choice
I would handle it so that’s exactly what I’m going to do,” Rio said as he
licked his lips.

“So boss, you’re not gonna tell Supreme?” Willie wondered. .

Rio looked in the rearview mirror at Willie a couple of
seconds passed before he spoke. “I’ll tell him but not now. He doesn’t need to
be involved in shit like this.”

“Yo, who that?” Rio said as he nodded his head towards his
phone that sat in his cup holder.

Dylan picked up the phone. “It’s Royce.”

Rio met Royce his second day in Miami. He fucked her a week
after meeting her and they had been having sex ever since then. Rio even took
her to dinner and a movie, something he rarely did. Her company and
conversation was cool but he had to pull back. He didn’t want to give the
impression that they were anything but friends with benefits.

“Let it go to voicemail; I’ll call her back later.”

Rio looked around at all the elderly people walking the
streets and sitting on their porches. Kids ran up and down the street. Most of
them were barefoot and shirtless. Laughter echoed in the air while other kids
played in their grassless yards.

“I hope all these kids and elderly people are in the house
at a decent time. If not, they’ll be meeting their maker tonight,” he said with
no remorse in his voice.

Rio sat up in his seat when he noticed Profit walkout of the
Haitian Market with his brother Finesse and a dark-skinned chick with a fat ass
and thick hips. Bingo!

“There that nigga go right there” Rio exclaimed with
excitement.

He slowed his car down to look at the three. Something
looked so familiar about that chick that was with them.

“I can’t put my finger on where I know her from but I know I
do,” Dylan stated. .

Willie stopped breathing momentarily as he and the girl made
eye contact. He hadn’t seen her since the night they were together. That was
years ago but she still looked the same, as if time hadn’t changed her. Willie
had never been regretful for what he’d done back then. He liked her and his
money wasn’t long enough for her to even pay attention to him. When the
opportunity presented itself, he took it. Most niggas would’ve called him a
sucker.

Willie shook his head when he realized he’d been played. His
boss at the time. He’d given Willie orders to handle the problem and he didn’t.
He let what was between her legs cloud his judgment. He’d never been the type
of nigga to be led by pussy so he was surprised when everything went down the
way it had but then again, he liked her.

If anyone knew that she was still here and breathing, he
would be a dead man and that was something he didn’t want to become. He was amongst
a whole crew of killers who breathed loyalty so he was positive that they would
look at what he’d done as a sign of disloyalty, which only meant murder for
him. They would slice his throat and then feed his ass to the crocodiles. That
thought alone had him shaking his head. Willie had to think of a way to talk to
her now that he knew where to find her. His indiscretion was coming back to
bite him in the ass and he wasn’t prepared.

Rio turned around in his seat to get another look at the
girl but she was already gone.

“Mark was right about everything. This shit is going down
tonight,” Rio said. .

***

Ashley browsed through the rack of clothes at Nordstrom with
big shades covering her eyes. She hummed the Future song she’d heard in her
car. This was her therapy after visiting the gravesite. Walking around a store
and browsing through clothes while she got her mind right was always relaxing.

“Ashley?”

Ashley turned around to the male voice who called her name.
A smile appeared on her face.

“Hey Rio! How are you? I see great minds think alike, huh?”
she announced as she pointed to the bag in his hand.

“I take it they do,” he replied while stroking the side of
his beard. “I didn’t recognize you at first with them big ass shades covering
half your damn face.”

“Well I’m glad you said something because I would’ve never
recognized you. Too busy in my zone,” she said while holding up two shopping
bags of her own.

“Yeah, I hear you, ma.”

 “What are you about to get into?” he asked while taking his
ringing cell phone out of his pocket.

Ashley shrugged. “I’m about to go home, take a bath, chill,
and make me something to eat.”

Rio rubbed his stomach. “you gon’ make me something to eat
too?”

Ashley giggled. “Sure. If you want to eat a turkey sandwich
and chips then you’re more than welcome to come eat with me.”

He looked down at her while he licked his lips. “Wanna blaze
one with me afterwards? If not, that’s cool. I’m just trying to keep you
company. I know you gotta be bored and shit since Choice went back home. To tell
the truth, this shit is a little awkward without her even being here,” he
confessed as he pointed his finger to himself and then back at her.

Ashley nodded her head. I agree with you. We don’t know each
other.”

“We can get to know each other. What better way than hanging
out?” he smiled. .

Ashley chuckled. “You trying to replace my best friend?”

“Never. I’m just trying to be your friend, that’s all,” Rio
confirmed truthfully. “I can even get us a bottle to drink on if you want.”

“That’s okay. You don’t have to get a bottle. You can stop
by whenever you want. Bring the smoke and we’ll blaze one together,” Ashley
responded. . “What time do you think you’ll be over?”

“I’m not sure but I’ll make sure it’s not too late.”

Ashley waved him off. “Don’t even worry about it. I’ll be
there. I don’t have anywhere to go”

“Cool. I’ll see you later,” Rio said with a smile.

“I’ll see you then,” Ashley smiled before walking away.

Ashley lit her honeysuckle candles around her apartment
before going into the kitchen to make herself and Rio a turkey sandwich. Her
phone started ringing so she picked up her sandwich, grabbed a small bag of
chips, and then hurried in the living room to answer it.

“Hey boo,” Ashley sang into the phone as she sat Indian
style on the floor in front of her couch.

“Hey boo. What you doing?” Choice asked. .

“Nothing but eating a sandwich and chips. You know my life
is hella boring right now.”

Choice giggled. “Hush. It is not. If it was that boring, you
would’ve been on a plane to come down here.”

“I’m coming when you least expect it. I can’t wait to kiss
my baby Legend’s cheeks. I’m glad you called because I was going to call you.
Guess who’s coming over tonight,” Ashley asked. .

Choice was silent for a few seconds. “I have no idea. Who?”

“Rio! I went to Ky and Petey’s gravesites today to drop off
flowers. I was an emotional wreck afterwards so I decided to do some shopping.
While doing so, I ran right into Rio.” Ashley chuckled. “I’m not going to lie;
the shit was really weird without you being there.

“I’m sure the two of you will get along what y’all gon’ do?”
Choice asked.

 “Smoke some greenery together; that’s it then he's
leaving.”

“I’m glad you ran into him today; you need the company. I’mma
let you go. Call me tomorrow or sooner if you need me.”

Ashley finished her sandwich and watched TV while waiting on
Rio to arrive. She wasn’t sure if he was bringing Mark or if he was coming by
himself. Either way, she was nervous. She hadn’t been in a man’s presence for
so long that she wasn’t sure how to act or what to say. She didn’t know
anything about Rio. The only thing she knew about him was that he was cool with
Supreme, he was Legend’s godfather, and Choice vouched for him.

Ashley saw nothing wrong with him asking if he could chill
with her tonight but now she was second-guessing herself. She wondered if it
would be a good idea to call Choice and get Rio’s number. She contemplated
telling him not to come over but she didn’t have a good reason to give him.
Just when she picked up the phone to call Choice, there was a knock at the
door.

“Damn,” she cursed under her breath. “I’ll be right there!”
she yelled.

 Ashley ran to the bathroom to look in the mirror to make
sure she didn’t have any crumbs on her face while trying to fix her hair best
as she could. She took a deep breath then walked out of the bathroom to answer
the door.

“Hey you,” Ashley greeted him as she opened the door.

Rio stood there in all black with a black skullcap pulled
further back on his head showcasing his waves.

“I’m starting to think that black is your favorite color,”
she asked as she stepped to the side to let him in.

“Nah, the color has just been convenient lately,” Rio said
with his hands inside of his pants pockets. “You were taking a long time to
answer. I see you’re in your PJs. did I wake you?”

Ashley shook her head. “You’re good; you didn’t wake me. I
was just watching TV. I was actually just about to call Choice to get your
phone number. I wasn’t sure if you were still coming or not.”

“Yeah, my bad. I had a couple of things to take care of,”
Rio confessed while giving Ashley a hug. Rio looked around her apartment. “It
smells good in here.”

“Thank you. Make yourself comfortable,” she stated as she
walked over to the candles to blow them out. She went in the kitchen to grab
his sandwich and bag of chips.

“You want something to drink?” she asked. .

“Sure,” Rio confirmed as he sat down on the couch.

He took the bag of weed out and emptied the guts out of a
blunt. Ashley walked into the living room and sat the beers down on the table
along with his food. She tucked her feet underneath her butt and watched him.

“This shit is some fiyah,” he said while licking his lips
and taking a pull from the blunt before passing it to her. Ashley took two
puffs and immediately began coughing.

“You okay” Rio asked as he patted her on the back.

She nodded her head with teary eyes. He opened her beer and
gave it to her. She looked over at him and giggled.

“What’s so funny?”

“You; you’re funny. You should’ve seen your face when I
started coughing.”

Rio shook his head with a smile. “That shit was not funny,
ma.”

“Yes it was. Now drink your beer and eat your food,” Ashley
sassed. “So tell me about yourself.”

“What do you want to know?” Rio said. .

“Something I don’t know or already know,” she said while
prying a little further then she should have.

Rio sighed deeply before telling her about his upbringing
and how he and Supreme met. Every so often, she stopped him to ask him a
question. When he was finished, he asked her a couple of questions about
herself. When they were both satisfied and felt like they knew each other a
little better, it was well after two in the morning.

“It’s getting late. Your girl ain’t gon’ be tripping on you,
is she? You gon’ walk through the door smelling like honeysuckle and shit,”
Ashley stated as she pointed to the candles she was burning earlier.

“If I had a girl I wouldn’t be here with you right now,” Rio
confessed.

“You probably got a girl at your house waiting for you to
get home. I wouldn’t be surprised many niggas do it,” Ashley said.

“What I’m saying isn’t anything but pure truth; feel me? I’m
definitely truthful with my shit. If I had a girl, which I don’t, I could still
chill with you right, we’re only friends so it shouldn’t matter,

Ashley nodded. “Yeah we’re cool,” she replied in a low
voice. Rio placed her hand in his and held it just as his phone began ringing.
He knew it was Mark by the ringtone so he made sure to address him by his name
so Ashley would know that it was him.

“What up, Mark?” Rio looked over at Ashley. He put the phone
on speaker before running his hand down his face. He was high as hell and he
wanted to finish his food. Mark needed to hurry up and state the reason for his
call.

“Ain’t shit,” Mark responded. “I was calling to see if
you’re ready to make that move. It’s almost about that time.”

“You know I’m ready. Give me about twenty minutes and I’ll
be there.”

“That’s cool where you at?” Mark asked. .

Rio looked over at Ashley. “You’re on speaker, playboy,” Rio
warned. He didn’t want Mark to slip up and say something Rio didn’t want her to
know. “I’m over Ashley’s house. We just smoked some weed.”

“Oh word? What up, little mama?” Mark responded. Ashley
could tell he was smiling by the tone of his voice.

“Hey Mark.”

“Damn, no invitation huh?” Mark asked playfully but he was
dead serious.

“It isn’t even like that. It was a last minute thing. Plus,
I don’t have your number. You know if I had your number, I would’ve called you
Ashley stated. .”

“Whatever. Why don’t you take my number down?”

“Uh oh, my phone about to die nigga,” Rio lied before
hanging up.

Ashley chuckled and so did Rio.

“That was messed up. Why’d you hang up on him?”

“If that man wants to exchange numbers with you it’s gon’ be
on his own time. This is my phone. If he wants you to have his number that bad,
he’ll find a way to get it to you. Or he’ll just have to wait until he sees you
himself. I’ve never seen my boy act like this. He’s feeling you.”

Ashley looked over at him as if he was crazy.

Ashley shook her head. “Mark be joking. I don’t think it’s
that serious. Mark and I are like family.”

Rio chuckled. “You might look at him like that but he
doesn’t look at you like that. You didn’t notice the way he was looking at you
the other night?”

Ashley thought about it and Rio was right.

“Like I told him, it will never happen. He and Petey were
too cool for me to ever do something like that,” Ashley said with a disgusted
look on her face.

“I hear you. When I finish eating, I’mma be out. It’s
getting late and you need your rest. Before I leave, I want you to put my
number in your phone Rio implied.

He handed Ashley his phone so she could store her number.
She entered her number quickly before grabbing his empty plate and beer bottle.
Rio stood up and smirked while trying not to pay attention to the roundness of
her ass or how thick her thighs were. .

“I’ll walk you to the door,” Ashley smiled when she walked
out of the kitchen.

Rio pulled Ashley into his arms and gave her a tight hug.
“Get your beauty rest, beautiful. I’ll talk to you later.”

***

Dylan parked the suburban on the corner of 56
^th
street in Little Haiti while Rio and Mark eyed Profit. It was three o’clock in
the morning and they were waiting for the perfect time to start shooting. Rio
was glad that all the kids and elderly people were safely tucked away in their
houses.

Now that he was a Godfather, he looked at shit completely
differently. It would hurt him if someone were to hurt Legend because of
anything he or Supreme did. When Legend was born, he decided to be more cautious
about his surroundings.

Five years ago, he could’ve cared less if the young and
elderly were outside when he did a drive-by. If they caught a flying bullet,
Rio looked at it as if it was there time to go. Being out at three o’clock in
the morning to do his dirt was another cautious move. No innocent person
should’ve been out at this hour.

“Shit’s looking good,” Rio stated as he looked around the
area for any signs of the pigs but he saw none. He pulled the facemask over his
face the perfect time had come.

“B, you ready for this shit?” Rio asked Mark who was in the
front passenger seat.

“Come on now! A nigga always ready,” Mark responded as he
pulled down his facemask.

Rio’s hands were covered in black gloves as he held the
thirty-two securely in his hands while sticking them out of the window.

He let the gun whistle off a few shoots just as Dylan sped
off. Once Rio’s eyes landed on Profit, it was a wrap. He and Mark littered the
street with bullets that ripped throw the air trying to find their target. A couple
of dudes fell but Rio still wasn’t satisfied. The one person he was trying to
shoot still had air in his lungs. He kept shooting in Profit’s direction until
he ran behind the Haitian market.

“Stop this muthafucka!” Rio yelled.

Dylan pulled over on the side of the street. Rio and Mark
jumped out. With their guns still in hand, Rio looked around cautiously as they
both ran in Profit’s direction behind the market. Profit turned around and let
off a few shots of his own before hopping over the fence. Rio was out of breath
and out of bullets. He hopped onto the fence to see if Profit was anywhere in
sight. If he was, Rio was going to beat his ass to death with his gun.

“Fuck it; let’s go,” Mark barked in a rush.

Rio jumped back down from the fence. He could hear the
police sirens in the distance and knew the area would soon be swarming with
pigs and he was going to make sure he was nowhere in sight. . Rio held the gun
closely to his leg while he ran back to the awaiting Suburban.

No words needed to be spoken when they both were safely
inside the truck. Dylan sped off until he was a good distance away. When he was
satisfied only then did he drive the speed limit accordingly.

With a thunderous heart and only murder on his mind, Rio
knew that from here on the beef between the two brothers were going to get
worse. And he was ready for it.

When Rio got home, dawn was beginning to peak through the
clouds. He wasn’t used to coming in the house late only to leave back out
early.

He retired those habits years ago when he was in his
twenties. Now that he was thirty-three, he could feel a slight difference in
his body. He was hungry and the nagging need of sleep was well overdue. Rio
took his shoes off at the door then walked into his kitchen to wash his hands
so he could make himself something to eat. While he thought about how different
it was in Miami then it was in New York.

 Yeah it was the same drug game but with different players.
Miami was changing him. He would’ve never shot at a nigga and chased him down
in New York. His goons did that sort of thing for him. Rio was well respected
in the streets of New York. His name reigned over a lot of niggas. All he did
was relax and spend money. In Miami, he had to get his hands dirty. Goons in
Miami didn’t want to break bread together because no one wanted to be Indians,
only chiefs. That was not how the game worked and soon they would realize that.

Getting his hands dirty didn’t bother him because bosses had
to get their hands dirty, especially if they wanted shit done right. That was
something a nigga of his caliber knew already.

Rio and Dylan built a friendship when he was in New York
trying to find Bear for Supreme. Dylan was cool as hell and very trustworthy.
When Dylan needed help with the corners and trap houses because shit was coming
up short and wasn’t looking too good, Rio didn’t think twice. He jumped on a
plane and even got Mark to come. He knew that Dylan was being tested by niggas
because Supreme was out of the game and left Dylan with everything. Niggas were
jealous. They were letting their egos go to their head instead of making money.

Rio wasn’t going to return to New York until everything was
running as smooth as Supreme left it.

He warmed up the plate of shrimp and rice that he’d cooked
the other day then went upstairs to his bedroom. Rio sat the plate on his
nightstand before going into the bathroom to take a quick shower and change
into his pajama bottoms. . He was a loner. He’d always been that way so the
silence was very relaxing. That was one of many things he and Supreme had in
common.

Ashley crossed his mind. A smile tugged at the corners of
his lips at the thought of her. He hadn’t enjoyed female company in a long
time, not the way he enjoyed hers tonight. She was cool as hell. If she weren’t
so beautiful, He would’ve thought he was kicking it with one of his homies.