At the low budget Marylander Hotel on Pulaski Highway, Ty and Mimi were picking up where they left off at in the club. All the flirtatious conversations and lustful stares had led them to kissing, touching, moaning and groaning. The sex was erotically sensational and merely a combination of lust and all the liquor they consumed at the club.
“Mmmmm,” Mimi purred as Ty stroked ferociously.
“Who’s ya daddy, bitch?” he asked, driving his manhood deeper and deeper inside her.
“You are,” she whispered in his ear biting down on her bottom lip. “Don’t stop, keep it right there.” She was ready to cum all over him.
Ty was in a sexual trance, humping away using long powerful strokes to pound her vagina.
“Aaah, harder, harder, ooh Ty,” she said, digging her nails into his back.
It felt so good, he couldn’t hold back. Increasing his pace, he wanted to cum with her.
“Cum for daddy, baby,” he said, exploding like a broken damn inside her. Mimi continued to claw his back until she drew blood. This was a wild experience for Ty; he was taken to the extreme, pleasure and pain, simultaneously and he loved it. Drained and weak, he collapsed on top of her. His mouth found hers and their tongues intertwined in a wet passionate kiss.
“Ty, I got to pee,” she said, pushing him off of her, still huffing and puffing.
He rolled up and watched her shapely ass cheeks sway from side to side as she hurried to the bathroom.
Damn, she looks good! Too bad she’s a hoe, Ty thought. In his book, any female who gave it up that fast was a whore, a slut, a freak or whatever you wanted to call it. He just met her tonight, and within a few hours, he was runnin’ up in her. As a matter of fact, on the way over to the hotel, he had her performing oral sex on him as he drove.
“I usually don’t do this, but I really like you. You’re special,” she said kicking game. Ty knew better.
She’s done it before and she’ll do it again. What makes me so special? What separates me from the rest of these niggas she did that shit to on the first night?
She couldn’t fool him because unlike Black, he played the clubs every weekend. He knew all about the Pussy Pound. What Mimi didn’t know was that he’d done business before with her girlfriend Fila, and since birds of a feather flock together, he knew Netta was down too. Ty made a mental note to warn Black about both of these broads. They were nothing but high-priced gold-diggers in his book.
Ty laid on sex-stained sheets listening to Mimi use the bathroom. His mind was a million miles away. He knew that he’d blown a golden opportunity to tell Black he wanted out while they were driving to the party. Then the drinks, the party atmosphere, and later, the women made him lose focus. He just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He didn’t have the heart to, not tonight. It was Black’s birthday and Ty didn’t want Black to find out that he had copped from his connect behind his back.
Let him enjoy his night out. It is his birthday, I’ll tell him later. That’s how Ty had rationalized with himself earlier. But he was kidding himself if he thought Black would take the news of his betrayal lying down. Black wasn’t much on talk, but he was big on action, violence, gunplay and murder. That was Black.
“Ty, you getting in the shower with me, yo?” Mimi yelled from the bathroom.
“I’m coming, yo,” he said, snapping out of it.
He was ready for round two, some wet and wild fun. He got up and walked toward the sound of the running water. He was butt naked, except for the tons of platinum jewelry that still adorned his neck, wrist and fingers. Entering the shower, he wondered whether his Rolex was waterproof. He’d never worn it in the shower before. It would want to be, he thought thinking of how much it cost.
Across town, Netta was playing her part real well. Over breakfast at IHOP, she and Black were involved in a meaningful conversation, huddled close together in a small booth. Completely ignoring the other patrons, they were doing the exact opposite of Mimi and Ty at this very moment. Netta wasn’t about to make the same mistake as Mimi had, giving it up too soon. By far, Black was the biggest fish she’d ever managed to catch, bar none. Yes, he was bigger than Major, and Major was a major figure before the motorcycle accident. Netta had to be careful. She wanted to protect the good girl image of herself. She wanted to play him for everything she could.
“…. So, after Major died, my mother passed away a few months later. I was so depressed for a while. I haven’t had a man since,” Netta said, recalling some of the major events in her life while deleting the rest.
“That’s fucked up, yo,” Black said, showing his sympathetic side. “I’m sorry to hear about that. My mother is my heart, I don’t know what I’d do if anything ever happened to her, yo.”
“I know what you mean. I don’t wish death on nobody, but death is a part of life,” she continued. “We’re all born to die. Besides, Black, I been catchin’ hell all my life. I grew up in the projects. I never knew my father and my mother was a dope fiend. So, death can’t be much worse or painful than what I already been through.”
Black sat back and pondered what she said. Her openness and honesty blew him away. He could identify with her struggle. They clicked like tap-dancing shoes. Poverty was their common bond; money was their common goal.
“Can you tell me something, yo? Why you ain’t got no man? As good as you look, you should have a man, yo,” Black said. He was always suspicious of beautiful women who were single. In his mind, something had to be wrong with them. They were either dykes, a pain in the ass or fatal attraction types. He didn’t want to be bothered with neither.
“Like I told you, I been stressin’. I ain’t been trying to holla at nobody. Maybe I haven’t met Mr. Right, yet. You might be him for all I know, with ya sexy chocolate self,” she said, as sweet as sweet could get.
Black smirked. He remembered a time when he was ashamed to be dark-skinned. When he was growing up he was called all kinds of mean names like ‘tar baby’ and ‘black bastard.’ He was called out so much, it stuck in his subconscious. That was why he stopped going by his given name, DeShaun, and adopted his moniker, Black.
“Since we playing fifty questions, let me ask you one. Are you that somebody for me?” she asked.
They both smiled. That night was the beginning of a long courtship. Soon, Black and Netta became inseparable. They spent quality time together every day dining out, shopping and going to the movies. They enjoyed each other’s company and Black became infatuated with her. He treated Netta like a queen. He had every intention of making her his wife. He showered her with exquisite gifts, fur coats, jewelry and everything his money could buy. Black had zero experience in the love department and this was why he expressed his love in the form of material possessions. He didn’t know that he couldn’t buy love. For the first time in his young life, Black had fallen in love with someone or something other than the game.
Sexually, he desired Netta more than any female he’d ever known. Thoughts of Netta ran rampant through his mind.
How would it be? How would it feel? Was it wet enough? Was it hot enough? Of course it was, Black thought, as he watched her one day, when she was walking around her house in nothing but her panties and bra. She would prance around him, teasing him with her luscious body. Black just knew it was about to go down. This got to be it, this got to be it. I’m finally gonna hit it, he thought. But, instead, she put on her pajamas and asked him to hold her while they cuddled on the couch and watched a movie. Amazingly, Black respected her wishes without trying to force himself on her.
For months, Netta kept up the same routine while engaging in a whirlwind romance that included trips to Aruba and the Bahamas. Black was so tired of taking pictures. Don’t we have enough memories? We have so many memories captured by Kodak, we never need to take another photo again in life.
Finally, after returning from Mexico, Netta broke down and gave him some. He had truly earned it over the past three months. In Netta’s mind, having sex with her was a privilege an
d she treated it like such. For Black, the sex was instant gratification. Netta was everything he ever dreamed of and more. Their lovemaking was intense and passionate, only magnifying the feelings he already had for her. It was too bad for Black though, as Netta was only pretending and only in it for the money.
Unlike Netta and Black, Mimi and Ty’s relationship was nonexistent. They were strictly sex partners, nothing more. Ty fucked Mimi a few times, gave her a couple hundred and dumped her. Despite Mimi’s constant pursuit of Ty, he didn’t take her personal. She was trying to get in good with him by doing anything and everything for him sexually, but it wasn’t working. Her beeps and her calls went unanswered.
Even though it wasn’t working with Ty, Mimi and Netta still kicked it. From time to time, Mimi would drop by Netta’s house and visit. She would privately put her down with the happening of the Pussy Pound and keep her informed of the 411. Who was fucking who, and who came up on what, and what nigga had copped that and for who. However, most of the time when she stopped by, Black was home and Netta’s attention couldn’t be focused on her. Netta would be too busy catering to Black and the both of them would be acting all lovey-dovey. This display of affection made Mimi want to vomit. She was jealous of her girlfriend’s relationship. Never mind that Netta might be happy. Mimi was stuck on her petty childish claim, I saw him first and if Netta hadn’t pushed me out the way, he’d be my man.
Mimi’s love and friendship for Netta was strictly conditional. With Mimi, it was either you’re constantly with me or you’re giving me your undivided attention. She definitely didn’t like the fact that Netta had a man in her life. Nor did she like the fact that they couldn’t spend as much time together like they used to. She was jealous and her jealously caused her to play childish games behind Netta’s back.
Whenever Netta wasn’t around, Mimi would openly hit on Black. Whether she was spreading her legs far apart invitingly or licking her lips at him seductively, Mimi let him know that she wanted him, and he could get it. But Black wanted no part of another scandalous love triangle. He learned his lesson fucking with Nard and Michelle. He knew how fast a female could bring a man down. Courtesy of that ordeal, he passed on Mimi’s advances. And because of the very fact that he had learned his lesson, Mimi’s secret was safe with him. He didn’t tell Netta about her girlfriend. Instead, he filed Mimi’s actions ways in his memory bank for a rainy day.
Sinking deeper into her good girl role, Netta no longer had time for the Pussy Pound. Her world revolved around Black on a full-time basis. Seeking to impress him, she invited Black and his family over to her house one Sunday for dinner. She cooked a traditional soul food meal featuring collard greens, sweet potatoes, rice and black-eyed peas, fried chicken and corn bread. The food was hot and delicious. Everyone enjoyed her cooking and her hospitality except Black’s little brother, Stink.
“Oh, Netta, you sure can burn, child. I got to get you to cook dinner at my house one day, baby,” Black’s mother said, as she finished off her second helping.
“Thank you, Ms. Harris,” Netta said. “I’ll come over anytime you want me to. Would you like some more?”
“Oh, no, I couldn’t eat another bite,” Cynthia said.
Netta spooned some more on Black’s plate and looked at Stink, not bothering to ask.
“Let me give you a hand cleaning up,” Cynthia offered.
“I’m ok. I can handle it by myself Ms. Harris. You relax,” Netta insisted.
“It’s the least I can do after you cooked this big meal.”
As Netta busied herself clearing the table, her and Black eyes met, and he winked his approval. She smiled and took the remaining dishes to the kitchen leaving Stink and Black alone.
“I don’t like that bitch, yo. She’s a snake. I’m telling you, yo. I can feel it,” Stink said as Black sat there expressionless.
Why does he have to go there? Black asked himself, shaking his head in disbelief. Stink was the only person in the world who could get away with talking to him like that and Stink knew it. He was still a juvenile, but he had a foul mouth on him like a drunken sailor.
From the door, Stink had it out for Netta. He just didn’t like her. It seemed like she had everybody else under her spell, but not him. He saw right through her act. She wasn’t a good girl; she was a scandalous, fraudulent natured, hoe! Very outspoken, Stink let his ill feelings for Netta be known, whether Black wanted to hear it or not.
Netta knew she had her work cut out for herself when dealing with Stink. She exercised a lot of patience when talking to him. She withstood all his disrespectful comments and by choosing her words lightly and keeping away from him as much as possible, she continued to hold Black. Having already won over her greatest opposition, Black’s mother, Netta felt she could get around Stink. It would just take some time.
The streets, the clubs and chasing hustlers began to consume all of Mimi’s time. Now, she rarely had time for her own son because she was hardly ever home. With Netta locked down in her relationship with Black, Mimi had nobody to kick it with. Feeling abandoned, she thought she had lost Netta forever. Mimi never learned to live with a loss. She simply substituted one person for another because she couldn’t stand being alone.
Depressed since no member of the Pussy Pound measured up to Netta, she found a new friend. This friend always made her happy and would never leave her side. Her new friend was dope. She started off getting high on the sneak tip, merely experimenting with a small stash she had taken from a hustler she spent the night with. Mimi meant to steal the dope and hand it over to some young hustlers around her way to sell for a couple of dollars. A funny thing happened along the way though. She tried it and she liked it and the package never made it to them. This was the beginning of a cursed union.
Chapter 17
Black was having an anxiety attack. The butterflies were doing back flips in his stomach. He was sitting in Netta’s kitchen, waiting for her to return from the hairdresser. Black was about to do something he never imagined himself doing. In his possession was a seven-carat diamond ring that cost him his arm and his leg. You only live once. What the hell? He wanted to do this thing right. Black was going to ask Netta to marry him. He loved her so much, he just couldn’t imagine life without her. Black had even sought the advice of his mother who gave him her blessing. He also consulted his little brother, Stink.
“Man, don’t marry that hoe, yo! You gonna be one sorry motherfucker if you do.”
As usual, Stink tried to sabotage their relationship any way that he could think of. Black disregarded Stink’s comments. He was going through with it regardless. Stink would just have to deal with it. Now, all there was left to do was pop the question to Netta.
When she finally arrived home, Black greeted her at the door.
“Hi, boo!” she said as she entered the house, hugged him and went on by him about her way.
“Hey, you eat yet?” he asked.
“Yeah, I had a lil’ something, you? ‘Cause I can whip up something real fast if you’re hungry,” she said.
Black shook his head no, with his eyes downcast as he looked away.
“What’s the matter with you daddy? Why you actin’ funny?” she asked as she stopped what she was doing to pay him some special attention.
“Nuttin’,” he said as his eyes averted hers. It was all an act.
“While you was gone something came in the mail for you. It’s in the kitchen,” he said as if it was something really not right about the picture.
Netta, wondering what he could be talking about, rushed off into the kitchen. She noticed a long white box with a large bright ribbon attached. From the looks of things, it was a box of roses. Inside the box laying on top of a dozen long stemmed roses was a card. Picking it up, she quietly read the inscription, ‘I love you and I hope the next time we get together, it will be for the rest of our lives.’ The rest of the card was blank, no signature.
Netta’s mind was racing. The next time we get together, the next t
ime, she thought, trying to put it together as a guilty conscience overwhelmed her. She thought her past had finally caught up to her. Then reason began to overcome her doubt. She knew she had never bought any guys to her house except Black. This had to be some prank, perpetrated by some unknown character.
“I don’t know who the fuck is playing games, but this shit is going straight in the trash, yo,” she said, gathering the box of roses and proceeding to act on her statement. She wanted to get rid of it before Black inspected it.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, yo. Look inside the box. There’s something in it you might like,” he assured her.
At that moment, Netta knew it wasn’t a gift from a former sex partner or some jealous ass broad. She realized Black had something to do with it. Her heart stopped racing and she calmed down. Sitting down at the kitchen table, she carefully examined the contents of the box. Removing all the roses and fallen petals until she came across a small gray velvet box, her eyes grew large with anticipation. She opened the box and almost fainted. The VVS, E in color, seven-carat marquis-cut diamond caught her off guard.
“Aaahhh,” she screamed more out of greed than joy. “Is this mine?”
“Who else could it be for?” Black asked.
He walked over to her, taking the ring from her fingers and bending down on one knee. He grabbed her hand and romantically asked, “Will you marry me?”
It was a scene straight out of a Hollywood movie. This was how every woman dreamed of receiving a marriage proposal. Teary eyed, Netta responded, “Yes, I will.”
Black’s mother was the wedding planner. All three had decided it was going to be a summer wedding. Cynthia was excited about have a daughter-in-law and was happy that it was Netta. They were doing something that she and Black’s father never got around to doing. Little did she know, Netta never had any intention of marrying Black, because she was already married to something else, the game. The only reason she agreed to marry him was so that she could squeeze all that she could out of him before cutting him off. Netta wanted to see just how far Black would go for her. She was about to find out that his love had no limit.
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