CHAPTER 24
Apple was on cloud nine, with her eighteenth birthday approaching soon, and her newfound relationship with Chico. Word had gotten out quickly about the couple, the new Bonnie and Clyde of the hood, the two of them almost inseparable. Business was good, and her love life was even better. Still, the tension between her and Kola was increasing on the streets. There was conflict wherever she turned, bloodshed right around the corner.
When news of Apple’s relationship with Chico, a well-known rising kingpin, reached Kola and Cross, Cross was furious. Chico was the man responsible for trying to move in on his turf. They were at war for Harlem—with dead bodies on both sides. Cross felt that Apple was disrespecting him by sleeping with the enemy.
Apple’s response back to Kola and her man was, “Fuck you!”
*****
Cross wasn’t the only one unhappy about Apple’s new relationship with Chico. Guy Tony sat in his car with a loaded pistol in the seat next to him. He downed a bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 and mumbled to himself. Slumped in his seat, he gazed at the heavy rain cascading off his windshield. He reflected on his past. His life had never been easy. Still, he felt the ultimate betrayal. His mentor was dead, and the burden he carried made him feel like he was sinking into the concrete.
Guy Tony finished the bottle and tossed it to the floor. He picked up his pistol, looked at it like he was examining it for inspection, and cocked it back. “That fuckin’ bitch!”
The heavy rainfall engulfed his car and fogged up his window. He couldn’t think rationally and felt the walls closing in around him. Placing the gun back on the seat, he took out his cell phone and quickly called Apple, who answered after the second ring.
“What, Guy?”
“You fuckin’ owe me, Apple.”
“What’s wrong wit’ you? What are you talking about?”
“You is what’s wrong wit’ me. You’re a connivin’ bitch. You think I wouldn’t find out the truth about that nigga?”
Apple sighed heavily. “It is what it is, Guy. There’s nothing else I can tell you.”
“You used me, bitch. You fuckin’ used me and hurt me. You got what you wanted, huh? That nigga got your back now, so there ain’t no need for me anymore.”
“You sound drunk, Guy. You need to get the f-uck off the phone and get yourself together.”
“What I need is you. You know I fuckin’ love you.”
“Nigga, move the f-uck on. I don’t love you. Can’t you see that, muthafucka? We about business, not love.”
“So it’s like that? You fuckin’ used me to get what you want, and now ain’t no love for me anymore? You fuckin’ that nigga, huh? You think he’s gonna have your back, Apple, when shit hits the fan?”
“Guy, get yourself right. You’re a f-uck-up right now, always have been. You let Supreme use you, and I just came along and did the same. Face it, nigga—You’re a follower, not a leader.”
“Fuck you, Apple!”
“But look at the bright side, Guy. You got to f-uck me, right? I mean, I’m the best you ever gonna have . . . and you’re almost better than most. It was good while it lasted, but you need to move on. There ain’t gonna never be an us.”
“So you’re feelin’ untouchable now, huh, bitch, since you spreadin’ your legs for that cornball nigga? You feelin’ that you can’t get touched, bitch?” he shouted. “Well, let’s see how untouchable you are when I go to the cops and start runnin’ my mouth. I ain’t scared of jail, bitch. I’ll turn myself in and give you up at the same time. Tell the police everything. Shit, maybe I’ll even tell the feds about it all . . . you and me.”
“Guy, shut your fuckin’ mouth.”
“Yeah, I’ll tell the feds how we killed Supreme while he slept. I go down, you go down.”
Apple barked, “You blackmailin’ me, muthafucka?”
“I want you back, Apple. I want us to be like it was.”
“There was never any us! Get that through your thick fuckin’ skull!”
“Well, if there can’t be an us, then I’ll do it. I’ll march down to the nearest precinct and tell ’em everything. Supreme was like a father to me, and you convinced me to kill him. But I’ll get over this guilt and change my mind if you give me another chance, Apple. I want us to be together, but if we can’t, then I’ll give myself up and you. I’ll do the time. I don’t give a f-uck!”
Apple felt trapped. She couldn’t allow Guy Tony to bring her down because of his jealousy. Her tone suddenly changed with the fear of him really being that stupid and turning himself in. Her mind spinning, she tried to reason with him.
“Guy, look, shit just been a little fucked up these past few weeks. Let’s say we get together and talk about this in person, just you and me.”
“I don’t wanna talk. I want you. I want us to be together, and unless your answer is yes, then there ain’t no fuckin’ talkin’.”
“I need time to think, Guy.”
“Bitch, what your answer? I ain’t fuckin’ playin’ games wit’ you!”
Feeling trapped, Apple answered, “Yes, OK. I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry that I hurt you. I don’t know what I was fuckin’ thinking.”
Guy Tony laughed. “That’s my girl.”
“I need to see you.”
“I wanna see you too, baby. We need to make up for lost time,” he said joyfully.
“Yes, we do.”
Guy Tony laughed again, a clear indication to Apple that he was drunk and irrational. Apple felt that Guy Tony was definitely a threat to her freedom and livelihood, and without giving it a second thought, she began plotting his murder. He needed to go, like Supreme. It didn’t matter to her that they’d been friends since grade school. The only thing important to her was survival, so that meant her enemies had to fall.
“Guy, where are you now?”
“In my car, thinking about you. We can make it work, baby. I know we can.”
“I know we can, and believe me, I’m gonna make things right between us very soon.”
After Apple got off the phone with Guy Tony, Chico walked into the bedroom. She stood by the window and gazed outside at the heavy rainfall. Guy Tony had her worried, and it was a situation she needed to deal with immediately.
“Who were you on the phone with, baby?” Chico asked.
“Nobody special, just something I need to get rid of,” Apple said with a genuine smile.
Chico smiled at his woman and went closer to her while she stood by the window seemingly fascinated by the downpour. Apple, wearing a silk chemise that shaped her body very nicely, turned to him, and Chico smoothly pulled her into his arms and embraced her warm, soft body.
“You got a problem, baby?”
“Nothing I can’t handle on my own, Chico. I got this.”
He nodded. “That’s my baby. You know how to hold your own. But if it’s something serious, then let me know. No secrets, right?”
“Of course.”
Chico kissed his woman passionately and then carried her to the bed, positioned her on her backside, and began undressing. While she watched her man undress, Apple thought about how Guy Tony didn’t even come close to her boo. In just a few minutes, she had devised a scheme to have him killed and was ready to implement it.
*****
Several days later, Guy Tony was sitting in his truck by Morningside Park near 123rd Street waiting patiently to see Apple, who soon pulled up in her Benz, parked, and quickly jumped in the truck with him, her .22 and a small blade concealed, just in case he became violent.
Apple put on her perfect smile and charm, hugging Guy Tony when she greeted him. “Baby, you OK? I’ve been worried about you.”
“I’m good. I was fucked up the other night, but I’m good.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Guy Tony looked at her, his eyes staying on her long legs a little too long, with Apple’s skirt riding up her thigh. He licked his lips. “I missed you,” he said. He leaned in close to her, placing his hand on her thigh.
“I know you did. I missed you too.”
Apple didn’t flinch upon feeling his touch, but kept her composure. She knew she needed to play his game and convince him that everything was OK, until the deed was done. So she continued with her fake smiles and positive attitude toward him, becoming that Academy Award-winning actress for the day. Inside, she felt disgusted by him and figured once the threat was gone, she could breathe easily.
As they talked, Guy Tony began to relax, feeling like his old self once more. Still, Apple could no longer trust him. She continued on with her role, and to seal his trust, she took his hand and placed it farther up her skirt.
She didn’t resist the sexual gesture, feeling the warmth between her thighs, and as his reach advanced, he realized she wasn’t wearing any panties, which aroused him. Guy Tony’s eyes danced with excitement.
Apple let his fingers explore for a short moment, but was unmoved by his finger pushing inside of her. She pulled his lips close and locked onto him with a strong kiss. She could feel his heart racing. The taste of his breath made her want to puke, but she went along with the program, maintaining her calm, trying to avoid cutting open his throat. She couldn’t afford to get her hands dirty.
She suddenly pulled away from him, leaving him yearning for her to continue. With the foreplay out the way, she wanted to get back to business. “I got some business for you,” she said. “I need you to do a pickup for me.”
“Where?”
“Tomorrow. That spot over on a Hundred and Forty-Fifth Street. Munchies owe me a payment, five stacks. I trust you with it.”
“A’ight, I’m on it.”
Apple smiled. “It’s good to have you back, Guy.”
“Like old times, right?”
“Of course.” To seal the deal, Apple kissed him once more. She felt his lips lock onto hers so tight that she thought he would pull her tongue from her mouth. She pulled away, smiled at him, and exited his truck.
While walking back to her Benz, she felt the urge to wash her mouth out with soap. Guy Tony had never been a good kisser. He was sloppy, too wet, and it always felt like he was trying to swallow her whole.
Looking in her rearview mirror, she watched him pull off and hoped by tomorrow night, he wouldn’t be a problem for her anymore. He was just too stupid to realize he was walking into a trap.
Apple continued to look into her rearview mirror while touching up her lipstick that Guy Tony had smeared. She then stared at her eyes. They had changed into something so cold and calculating. She had transformed into a completely different woman after her little sister’s murder. A year ago, she wouldn’t even have thought to have someone murdered, but now it came easy to her, like child’s play.
*****
Guy Tony stopped in front of Munchies’ spot just as the night was about to cover the city. The streets were still busy with people and traffic, the fall gradually changing the color of the leaves on the trees. He got out his truck, a 9mm hidden underneath his V?lkl jacket, and looked around. The block was slowly losing the day’s traffic of shoppers and residents, who moved up and down the block like they were programmed.
With a determined mindset to get the job done and satisfy Apple, Guy Tony stared at Munchies’ worn-out spot, with its fading green awning and dilapidated front entrance that was slanted on the hill. He yearned to have Apple in his arms again.
After collecting from Munchies, his next big move would be to take out Chico. It was a risk he was willing to take, especially for love.
Guy Tony moved to the front entrance in a confident stride; he was well known in the area. When people saw his face, they didn’t know what to expect from him. Sometimes he was an understanding and reasonable man, other times he was violent and cold. It was his unpredictability that made him feared. He could be lenient, but then again heartless.
After walking into the soul food spot that ran numbers and gambling in a secret back room, he looked around for the owner. The restaurant wasn’t busy, but Guy Tony knew where they got their true money. He could hear dishes and pots moving around in the kitchen. The tables were old, the lighting dimmed, and the flooring tattered. The place was in need of a serious renovation. Despite its raggedy appearance, the food was excellent. Munchies had been around for years, and was famous for its peach and sweet potato pies, fish sandwiches, and crab cakes.
*****
Munchies had hired a nice little staff and management, and soon got rich off his cooking, but greed overcame him. Wanting more, he ran numbers in the back of his place and had late-night gambling downstairs in the stonewall basement. He had his own Atlantic City casino going on, being under the radar of law enforcement for years. Supreme had muscled in on the business two years back, when Munchies was overwhelmed with gambling debts himself and had the IRS investigating him. However, with the help of Supreme, he was able to pull himself out of a slump and get back in business.
Munchies thought, with Supreme gone, he would be able to profit fully from everything, especially with a young girl trying to take over the business. He shunned Apple and taunted her, exclaiming, “I don’t deal wit’ little fuckin’ girls!”
Days later, Apple stepped into Munchies’ spot flanked by three hard-hitting, baseball bat-swinging thugs, and accosted Munchies in front of his patrons. They held the overweight Barry White lookalike to the floor and went to work on him with the bats, hitting him everywhere, except the face.
Munchies wailed out from the pain, hugging the floor. After the beating, Apple placed her heel on his bruised chest, glared down at him with a hardened stare and said to him, “I’m the new bitch in town. Young or old, I’m that bitch that will fuckin’ kill you. Don’t ever doubt me again, you fat f-uck!”
Munchies grasped that she meant business, and Apple never had a problem with him again. He soon became her little bitch, doing anything she told him to do.
*****
Guy Tony asked the young waiter for Munchies, and she quickly went into a back room. A short moment later, Munchies emerged and greeted Guy Tony with a smile.
“Guy, yeah, she said that you were coming. You hungry? Thirsty?” Munchies asked in good spirits.
“Fuck the hospitality! You know what I’m here for, Munchies.”
Munchies nodded. “I got that for you in the back. Follow me.”
Guy Tony walked behind him, and the two moved down a short, narrow hallway and entered one of Munchies’ back rooms. Munchies, clad in a white-and-red Sean John warm-up suit, with diamonds dripping off his wrists, neck, and ears, placed himself behind his desk. He liked to be flashy and loved money more than anything else. He reached into his desk drawer and tossed Guy Tony a small brown lumpy envelope stuffed with cash.
“That should cover me, right?” Munchies asked.
Guy Tony took the package in his hand and opened it to inspect the contents. It was filled with twenties, fifties, and hundreds.
Munchies began smoking a cigar and pouring himself a drink.
Guy Tony looked at him suspiciously. He was soon overcome with a nervous feeling. For as long as he knew Munchies, he never gave up a large sum of money without bitching first, always exclaiming, “Y’all fuckin’ breakin’ my pockets, man. Highway robbery, that’s what it is. Robbery.” But Munchies still paid what was owed.
Guy noticed he seemed a little too cool handing over five thousand dollars without a mumbling complaint. “You OK, Munchies?” he asked.
“I’m good.” Munchies smiled and downed his drink. “Never been better.”
Guy Tony looked around, quickly studying every detail of the cluttered room. He noticed the closet door behind him was ajar, and that suddenly became his point of interest. He had a feeling someone was hiding in the dark, waiting for him to let his guard down.
“Guy, have a seat. Drink?” Munchies offered.
It was another giveaway that something was wrong. Munchies never wanted him to stay longer than he had to.
“Nah, I’m good. I’ma take off.” Guy Tony watched Munchies’ eyes and noticed them focusing on something behind him, looking toward the closet door, possibly signifying they weren’t alone in the room. He placed his hand near his weapon, ready to strike.
“You sure, Guy? I mean, you ain’t gotta rush off too soon,” Munchies said loudly.
Guy Tony’s survival impulse kicked in, and in one rapid motion, he pulled his weapon from his waistband and rushed to the closet and saw a figure trying to emerge from it. He slammed the door shut on the stranger’s arm, which had a .357 attached to it. There was a loud scream. The man was trapped inside the closet with his right arm crushed in the door, as the gun fired wildly in his hand. Guy Tony put more pressure on the door and heard the stranger’s arm snap like a twig, and then another loud scream.
Guy Tony became aware of Munchies reaching into his desk for a weapon, but before Munchies got the draw on him, he fired, striking him in the abdomen and causing him to double over from the sudden shot.
“Ah shit! f-uck!” he cried out, falling back into his chair, holding his wound.
With Munchies out of commission for a moment, Guy Tony focused his attention back to the gunman trapped in the closet. Swiftly, he swung open the closet door, aimed, fired, and the man dropped dead at his feet, a gunshot wound to his head.
“Muthafucka!” Guy Tony looked down at the man sprawled out lifeless at his feet and fired another shot into his head. Breathing hard, he turned his attention back to Munchies with a bitter stare, the smoking gun at his side.
Munchies sat slumped in his chair, looking somewhat disoriented. He looked up at Guy Tony standing over him with the gun trained at his head. He pressed his hand against his bloody wound and coughed, a look of defeat on his chunky face.
“Don’t kill me, man,” he pleaded. “It wasn’t me.”
“Who told you to set me up?” Guy Tony shouted.
“I was just doing what I was told.”
“Who, muthafucka?” Guy screamed, stepping closer, the gun aimed at Munchies’ head.
“It was Apple, man. She’s the one that put the hit out on you. I swear, man. I didn’t wanna do it, but she promised me that if I took you out, my debt with her would be wiped clean.”
Guy Tony couldn’t believe it. For a split moment, he felt like his world didn’t matter anymore. He regretted taking out Supreme to help Apple rise, when Supreme was actually the lesser evil. He felt he had been played one time too many, so now it was war. He vowed to destroy Apple by any means necessary.
“Yo, Guy, please, man, I’m sorry. It wasn’t personal with you. Just business, man. I’m just trying to survive,” Munchies said.
Guy glared at him, the 9mm still trained at his head. His eyes showed no remorse for the victim. He mockingly replied, “You was tryin’ to survive.” He fired point-blank into Munchies’ forehead, killing him instantly.
Munchies’ blood splattered everywhere, even on Guy Tony, who calmly exited the room, leaving Munchies slumped in his chair and his friend lying face down on the ground, a thick pool of blood forming underneath him. Guy Tony needed to leave right away. Since the shots were loud, he knew someone had probably called the police. He swiftly moved past curious employees, some of whom noticed the blood on him and panicked.
“Oh my God!” a man shouted. “Somebody, call nine-one-one!”
Guy Tony pushed past the nosy men and women and rushed outside to his truck. After tucking the gun safely into his waistband, he climbed into his SUV and sped off. Guy Tony was so furious, he almost hit a parked car. He sped toward the Westside Highway and hit the clear stretch of highway going south.
“I swear, I’ma kill that fuckin’ bitch!” he cried out to himself. “Oooh, I’ma f-uck her up!”