Return of the Cartier Cartel by Nisa Santiago Read Free Book Online Page B

don’t like secrets.”
    Li’l Momma thought about that statement. Now she was annoyed. “Who does like secrets? What sense does that make?”
    “Yo, Li’l Momma, I don’t got time for this. You began this conversation,” Cartier said, her voice slightly elevated. “Just fucking finish it.”
    “I am trying to finish it, but you saying stupid shit like, you don’t like secrets. All I’m saying is, who the fuck does? And now you screamin’ on me.”
    Cartier remembered she always had to handle Li’l Momma differently. She wasn’t as easily intimidated as the others, nor did she ever allow Cartier to just scream on her. Cartier exhaled. “Just tell me why Bam left. Please.”
    Li’l Momma liked to demand respect from Cartier. Li’l Momma felt that, even as they grew older, Cartier still held on to the notion that she was their leader and that what she said was law. Although it was like that growing up, they were in their twenties now, so there was no way she was taking any flak from Cartier, who Li’l Momma thought was a bully. They should have all bonded together back in the day and put a stop to Cartier’s bullying, but they didn’t. In their own way, Monya and Li’l Momma always challenged Cartier, but not hard enough to get her to change her ways. Cartier was the spitting image of Trina, and Li’l Momma felt like, forty years from now, Cartier would still be just as immature as Trina.
    Li’l Momma inched closer and lowered her voice. “Bam has been seeing Big Mike.” She waited for a reaction. “Did you hear me?”
    Cartier heard precisely, but shock had temporarily paralyzed her. Could this really be true? Could Bam really go against the grain?
    “And how do you feel about that?” Cartier didn’t know why those were the first words she chose; she didn’t give a fuck how Li’l Momma felt.
    “I think it’s cool, but what I feel isn’t cool is her keeping it a secret from you. She should have told you from jump.”
    Again, Cartier couldn’t believe what this moron was saying. She knew she couldn’t exactly explode in the crowded salon, but she wasn’t going to condone the betrayal.
    “Li’l Momma.” Cartier leaned in and lowered her voice. “Bam fucking around with Big Mike is anything but cool. And that’s not just my opinion. I would bet money that if we took a vote, it would be three against two. Me, Shanine, and Monya would all agree that you two have lost y’all minds.”
    Li’l Momma rolled her almond-shaped eyes. “You’re not going to lay any guilt trip on me. First off, I’m not the one fucking Big Mike, and two, you can’t speak for Shanine or Monya.”
    Cartier lost her cool and elevated her voice as she rose to her feet, and Li’l Momma followed suit.
    “Oh, yes I can! If I don’t, who will? Are you forgetting that our best friend is dead and Monya ain’t in the position to give interviews? And for all we know, Big Mike had something to do with it.”
    “I ain’t gonna ever forget what happened to Shanine or Monya, but I’ve kicked it with Big Mike, and he ain’t the one. He’s a good dude, and he’s feeling Bam. So if Bam is happy, then I’m happy for her. Just because Shanine is gone and Monya ain’t awake to enjoy her life doesn’t mean that Bam has to stop her lif—”
    The swift hook to Li’l Momma’s right jaw loosened a tooth. The two-piece combination, both landing accurately, instantly dazed Li’l Momma as she visually lost focus. The barrage of punches were coming so quickly, she never had a chance to defend herself.
    In all their years of friendship, Li’l Momma had always harbored a slight resentment toward Cartier. Thoughts of fighting with her had always circulated in her head, but somehow, getting beat down wasn’t ever what she had envisioned. She thought she could have whipped Cartier’s ass, but now she was getting dragged across the floor of the salon and getting pummeled by her friend. It felt like hours before a few people got