Free Cartier Cartel by Nisa Santiago Page A

cuddled throughout
dinner. It was noticeable to Wise. They didn't talk to each other throughout
dinner. When it was time to pay the check, Wise got his revenge. He dropped
fifty dollars for his half of the check and left Monya hanging.
    "Oh, it's like that?" Monya asked in disbelief.
    Wise pulled up, adjusted his sagging jeans, and replied, "You already
know what it is," and walked off. Monya eyes popped open like saucers, with
a look of surprise plastered on her face.
    "What the fuck is going on?" Cartier asked.
    "That motherfucker is bugging," Monya replied, getting hyped.
    Ryan quelled the situation by paying for the check in full. He had his
own bad ways, but he wasn't petty over nickel and dime shit. It was boyish
and childish to disrespect a female, especially in public. He wasn't a chump
like that. Regardless of the situation, he would have manned up and paid the
check. There were other ways to get payback, if payback was truly needed. If
not, he would have just left the bitch alone. Wise was a petty brotha and petty brothas didn't get or deserve respect.

    On the ride home the two women wouldn't stop clowning Wise.
    "I can't wait to get on the horn and tell everybody what the fuck he did."
Monya glared.
    "He's a crab-ass nigga!" Cartier added.
    "He gonna get his. Don't let me see him when I'm with One-Eighty or
those other niggas from the Stuy. They will seriously beat his Queens ass
down!"
    "I know that's right. In fact, we don't need to get no one to beat his ass,
we can do that shit ourselves," Cartier retorted and Monya knew she was
dead serious.
    When Ryan pulled up in front of Monya's building, he wasn't ready for
Cartier to leave. He squeezed her hand and gave her a look. Cartier knew
exactly what that look meant.
    "Monya, I'll see you tomorrow," Cartier said.
    "What? You not coming with me?" Monya asked weakly.
    "I said I'll see you tomorrow. That means don't wait up, bitch."
    Monya smiled and got out of the car, but inside she was steaming. She
knew Cartier was about to get some dick, the dick that was supposed to be
hers. The dick she had dreamed about and wanted for months on end.
    Slutty bitch, was her lasting thought.

     

ver the next couple of days, Cartier and Ryan were inseparable. When
she wasn't overseeing drug deals, or hanging out with the Cartel, she
and Ryan were developing a serious relationship.
    Their relationship didn't sit well with Monya and Jason. As a distraction,
Monya had fucked through the borough. Some joked she was the
neighborhood ho now.
    Jason, on the other hand, was stunned. Cartier was the love of his life and
it hurt him to see Cartier with Ryan.
    "Yo, I should just knock that nigga off," Jason said.
    "You can't kill him," Monya replied, thinking that this wasn't a part of
the plan.
    "And why not? I can post up out here and wait on that silly motherfucker
to pull up for Cartier and push his wig back." Jason was so angry his nose flared
as he spoke about murdering a man he didn't even know.
    "Because that's stupid, that's why. She ain't worth taking a life over."
    "She's worth that to me," Jason replied stubbornly. Jason was in love with
the only girl he ever had eyes for-Cartier. Since grade school, she had been
his future. She was the girl, and now the woman he always wanted. Watching
Cartier with another man hurt. He couldn't take seeing Ryan and his luxurious
ride while he still drove a used Pathfinder, or watching him spoil Cartier with gifts and money while she wouldn't give Jason the time of day. Jason didn't
think of himself as a jealous guy, but he had never dealt with someone having
something or someone he wanted. He was jealous of this mysterious uptown
dude who had stolen the love of his life, the woman who had his heart.

    He and Monya sat in his jeep, sipping on a small bottle of Hennessy,
commiserating. It was a pity party for two. Monya didn't like seeing Cartier
happy, but she couldn't explain why. She wanted Jason to step up