The Face That Launched A Thousand Bullets (The Cartel Publications Presents) (48 page)

“I was strung out. It took me a year to come to terms with what I did to you. But I’m willing to work on our relationship if you give me a chance. Will you?”

Tiara looked at Nyzon and he said, “I’ll support whatever you want but only if you do it for yourself.”

He wanted her to know without saying, that whether she accepted or denied her invitation for a relationship, he didn’t care. He just wanted her happy.

“Yes mamma.” She said hugging her. “Yes I will.”

Nyzon remained quiet as the two talked for hours. His mind was on the drama that lay before them. Tara told Tiara stuff about her father she never knew, including the fact that he was a drug dealer and that his best friend raped her while she was pregnant. Tara went on to say how much Nyzon reminded her of Kavon. And because Tiara had been saying that for the longest, he believed her.

“I’m gonna make you guys something to eat.” She said pulling herself away from them after checking her watch. “I’ll be right back.” She walked into the kitchen and disappeared.

“I love you for finding my mom for me.” Tiara said kissing his lips softly. “And I can’t wait to spend eternity with you.”

That reminded Nyzon why it was as important for him to find Tara. He wanted to ask her for her blessings to propose to Tiara. In fact, it was the only reason he was there and not trying to retaliate against Cray for killing his cousin. They had to get out of town. Of course he still had plans to repay him but he realized now was not the time. He had to get Tiara away safe.

“Anything for you, babe.” He placed his hand on her knee. “Just as long as you’re happy. Let me talk to your mother for a minute. Alone. I have to ask her something.”

“Okay.” She smiled.

With the ring tucked in his pocket, he walked toward the kitchen. He was nervous but knew there was no other woman for him.

But the moment he walked into the kitchen he heard, “Yeah…they’re here.”

He stopped in his footsteps.

“I’ll keep them busy, just bring my money.”

Nyzon couldn’t believe his ears. How could a mother be so devious that she’d put her only child in danger? When she turned around and saw him standing there, the phone dropped out of her hands.

“If Tiara wasn’t in there I’d put a bullet in your face right now.”

She smiled.

“Do you really think I care? I died the moment she took Kavon from me.” He knew then she was a selfish ass bitch. “That little whore stole everything from me the moment I pushed her out of my bloody pussy.”

“You think your daughter took your husband away from you? You’re fuckin’ sick!” he said as he grabbed her face and squeezed it in his hands. Her entire face turned red. “Stay the fuck away from her!” he turned around and yelled, “Tiara!”

Tara’s eyes widened wondering if he was going to confront her right there. When Tiara came in the kitchen smiling, he hugged at her waist.

“What’s wrong, baby?”

“We gotta go. Your moms havin’ company and we got to keep movin’.”

“But I’m not ready.”

“Tiara!” Nyzon said firmly. “We gotta go and we gotta go now!”

Nyzon never talked to her so firmly so she knew he was serious. Plus with everything going on, Nyzon was right. It was selfish of her to ask him to stay longer when he’d just lost his cousin.

She grabbed her things and said, “Bye, mama.” She hugged her tightly. “I’ll be in contact.”

Not if I can help it.
Nyzon thought. He called Royala while she talked to her mother and within five minutes she was there.

The moment they left and jumped in Royala’s silver Escalade Nyzon asked, “Where’s Simon?”

“He ain’t comin’.” She said softly opening the door. “He’s messed up about Cooks.”

Nyzon understood as he slid in the backseat and Tiara sat in the front. The door wasn’t all the way closed before bullets rang out crashing into the back window of Royala’s new ride. They ducked inside and the bullets exited out the front window shattering it terribly.

Royala raised her foot and kicked the front window out. Her driving skills couldn’t be fucked with and she managed to pull off before anybody was hurt.

Nyzon’s mind raced. The love of his life and his best friend were in that car and he had to make a decision. He couldn’t risk something happening to them. He had to settle things for once and for all. It was already his fault that Cooks was dead, he would’ve died if Tiara and Royala were hurt too.

“Royal, pull over and let me deal with this shit, man.” He said loudly spotting a closed Honda dealership up the street.

“Naw dog I got you! I’ma bout to shake these niggas off our trail.” She said looking at him from the rearview mirror while dodging the danger that followed.

“Royal! I’m serious!” He said looking back at her. “Let me out.”

Royala was still driving hurriedly when she realized he wasn’t playing. “Stop at the car lot up the street on the left.”

“Ny, now is not the time to play hero.”

“I’m serious! Just take care of Tiara for me.”

“Baby, what are you doing?” Tiara asked turning around to look at him. “He’ll kill you.”

Nyzon was silent. Besides, she was right.

Royala dipped into the car lot far enough ahead of Cray for them to get away.

“Dog, what are you doin?” Royala asked.

“Later for that shit. Right now I’m about to ask the woman I love to marry me.”

Tiara looked at him lovingly but with a frightened face.

“Baby, I didn’t know what love was before I met you.” He said as he grabbed her hand and caressed it softly. Royala kept a look out. “I couldn’t even imagine it. Now I can’t see my life without you in it. You’re fuckin’ everything to me. All the shit I ever did both good and bad was for this moment.”

“Nyzon, please….don’t,” she was interrupted.

“Let me finish. Now I planned on asking you to marry me under better circumstances, but I need the strength of your love right now to get me through this shit. So I’m askin’, will you be my wife?”

“I’m comin’ back Ny!” Royala promised putting the car back into gear.

“Just go! Get her away and safe! I love you, Tiara!”

Right before Tiara jumped out, Royala pulled off leaving Nyzon standing. When he saw the passenger door closed, he exhaled. They were safe and he was thankful. He hopped on the roof of a new Honda Accord, took his shirt off and waited for Cray.

Crayland Bailor

Face Off

T
hey dipped in and out of traffic until they saw what looked like Nyzon sitting on a car in the parking lot of a Honda dealership.

“Yo am I trippin’ or is that, that nigga right there?” Cray asked spotting him standing on top of the car.

The car whipped into the lot so quickly, they almost bumped the car Nyzon was standing on. He hopped off the car, dusted off the back of his pants and stood up. He waited patiently for the four men to approach him.

“You gotta be on somethin’.” Cray said with crazed eyes. “Or you must be ready to die.”

They surrounded him but Nyzon
wasn’t
scared, he was just
alone
.

“I’m out here ‘cause I’m not a bitch.” Devon stood behind him Cray. “You are.”

“I’m a bitch?” Cray said pointing to himself. “You steal my girl and I’m a bitch?”

“I aint’ steal shit! You can’t steal what doesn’t belong to you.” Nyzon responded as the two men stepped closer to each other.

“You’s a funny nigga, huh? You DC niggas always think you funny. Ya’ll ain’t nothin’ but a bunch of clowns.”

“If you a real man, you’d put the gun down and fight me straight up.” Cray and his boys laughed.

“Yo, Cray why we wastin’ time?” Devon asked. “Put him in the trunk and lets run this fool until he gives us the connect info.” He looked nervously behind him afterward.

“Is that all you want?” Nyzon laughed looking at Devon than Cray. “You ain’t got to take me no where for that shit. If this nigga can whip me straight up, I’ll write the information down and call him for you right now.” Nyzon offered Cray up in front of his boys and if he didn’t take the bait, he would no doubt look like a bitch.

“Let me find out you scared to fight me wit the hands.” Nyzon continued realizing he was scared. Nyzon was crushing his rep big time.

“A’ight…you got that.” Cray took off his shirt. The lot was desolate so nobody was around for miles. It was the perfect place to stage a war.

Nyzon swung the first punch and missed. Cray laughed and the moment he did, Nyzon knocked the smirk off his face and a tooth down his throat. Before he could get himself together, Nyzon him with a left so hard, Cray’s nose instantly spouted blood.

“And you got skin like a bitch.” Nyzon laughed watching Cray wiping his mouth.

“I’ma see how much shit you talkin’ when I put you on yo back Golden Gloves.”

Cray swung two times and missed but the third one landed right on Nyzon’s chin. And before he knew it, Cray gut punched him. The air was violently released from his body. But Nyzon being the trooper that he was nailed a left, and than a right. The fight was good until Nyzon stole him so hard Cray’s knees buckled before he fell to the ground.

“Get up, Cray!” Devon yelled as Jinx and Blunt stood on watching.

Cray’s men had mixed feelings about the whole fight because they hated that business was over because of a woman. Blow after blow was thrown and they could see Cray tiring. He was no match for Nyzon’s fighting skills. Nyzon knowing his life was over anyway because there was no way they’d let him walk away alive, beat him even more. He had nothing to lose. He was fighting to be remembered. He knew that after he punished Cray properly, that he’d always remember him. He wanted his name to live on.

“Sh…shoot em!” Cray cried out while Nyzon straddled him and pounded him over and over again. “Shoot him.”

Devon with all the shit he talked wasn’t ready to put in work since he just got out of jail. Instead he looked to Jinx and Blunt to pull the trigger but they couldn’t. Nyzon use to be their man and they still fucked with him. They had respect for him. Plus they knew Cray was out of control. If he got away, he’d fuck shit up worse than he already did.

“Wh…what are you waitin’ on?” Cray questioned.

Cray with his eyes barely opened looked up at his cousin for help. Nyzon was punishing him unmercifully. The life was being taken from his body.

“Give me yo heat!” Devon told Jinx.

Jinx reluctantly handed him his weapon. Devon was just about to fire when he felt a stinging sensation through his back. Seconds later, he dropped down to the grown and fell on his face. Everybody ducked and hid behind cars. They wondered where the bullet came from until Royala appeared from behind one of the cars. She’d parked her truck a half of mile up and ran to Nyzon on foot. She couldn’t leave him alone. Not on her watch anyway.

“Don’t make me shoot all of yall.” She said calmly. “Keep your hands where I can see em.” She said to Jinx and Blunt. She fucked with them both but wouldn’t hesitate killing them if forced. She walked toward Nyzon still aimed at Jinx and Blunt. “Get up, Ny! Let’s go.”

They were so busy with the chivalries that they didn’t see Cray moving toward the gun that Devon dropped on the ground near him. With the gun in his hands, and still on the ground, he aimed at Royala and Nyzon.

“Don’t move. I’m warning you.” Cray said half out of breath.

They turned around to face him.

He cocked the hammer and was about to pull the trigger until a bullet ripped through his arm. The gun fell and another bullet hit his chest. Cray’s head fell against the concrete. Everyone turned around to see Markise standing there. Royala and Nyzon didn’t know who he was, but they were glad he came through when he did.