by Loren, L.
The fact that Dyce and I were besties shocked a lot of people. We looked nothing alike. I was tall to her short. She was curvy to my athletic figure. I was a delicious shade of ebony, while her Cuban heritage made for a lightly tanned skin tone. One of the main differences was, she flunked out of college freshman year and I opened my own internet business during my sophomore year, which I later sold for millions, obtained my degree in Marketing and went on to earn my MBA all before the age of 25. My success caused people to think I was some sort of Alexis Ohanian. Nope, far from it. I was nowhere near as driven as the man who captured Serena’s heart. My business projects were always a way for me to have fun. When I was done with that part of my life, I had no problem selling the business and moving on. I believe I was a gypsy in a former life.
My latest venture was a sneaker shop for rare and unusual kicks. It was thriving due to the location and connections I made through Dyce. She may party her ass off and participate in activities some would consider shady, but the woman was smart when money was concerned. She knew how to grab a coin. Being kicked out of college the second semester of our freshman year taught her some tough life lessons. She knew how to survive.
Dyce was the life of the party, always going and going like there was no tomorrow. I was right there by her side, but I knew better than to flunk my courses. My father would have killed me. She never could find the balance between partying and studying. With all the trips we took, she burned through her trust that her grandparents left her within three years. At that point, Dyce started living off her rich, so-called sponsors she was always talking about. They were nothing more than glorified sugar daddies that she met on the N2U dating site. That site was not for those purposes and she would more than likely be kicked off if they found out, but she gave zero fucks. Leave it up to Dyce to find an older man willing to pay her way. She could sniff them out like a hound dog.
Though I liked to party like any woman in her twenties, I knew my limitations. Instead of falling victim to the same lifestyle and allowing it to take over my life in a negative way, I focused on business. Since I still loved the party scene, I came up with a way to make money at the same time. I started a party promotion business called Quench. I asked Dyce to help me run it. If there was one thing she knew and loved, it was how to throw a party. Dyce was an enormous help with all the contacts she had in the industry. Most of them came from her ventures as a sugar baby, but I didn’t judge her. It wasn’t like she slept with all her dates.
Those men were smart, successful and generous with their time, knowledge and money. Quench soon became one of the most sought-after promotion companies in Miami thanks to their expertise. We called our company that because we sold a high energy atmosphere that attracted the best crowds. People were always so thirsty for status in Miami. Our events were a sure-fire way to gain popularity and status in the 305, thus quenching their thirst.
The loud knocking on my door dragged me out of my ruminations. I couldn’t believe Dyce was able to pull this Caribbean trip for our birthdays. We were going on a luxury yacht that one of her many sugar daddies charted for the weekend. I loved my friend more than anyone who didn’t share my DNA. This boat trip was going to be lit, and her man was paying the bill. I don’t even want to know what she had to do to get him to agree to this.
My only caution was her sugar daddy had friends. I just hope she didn’t give the expectation that I would be giving up the goods to any of her man’s friends that were sure to tag along. Older men were nicer to hang out with on a boat, but they tended to have mean streaks when they felt disrespected or rejected.
I had seen his friends and they were not very pleasing to the eye. His best friend, Fletch had grabby hands and loved to call black women his little chocolate drops. I was a pretty easy-going chick, but that burned my ass every time I heard it. I opened my front door to find Dyce all dolled up and ready for our outing. Was she really wearing four-inch heels and a ton of makeup this early in the morning?
“Hey, you little succubus, it’s about time you got here. Why did you text me so early? You know I need my beauty rest.”
I rolled my eyes pretending to be annoyed. In truth, I wasn’t that bothered by her text. I was always happy to see Dyce, no matter how sleepy I was. I just needed my coffee, which she handed to me and smiled.
“Listen you little wendigo, don’t fuck with me today. I need to go shopping like you need to get laid.”
Well that was rude. True, but rude.
“Touché, hoe and thanks for my bean juice. Now, please tell me that just because your sponsor is paying, he does not expect me to play with any of his friends.”
Dyce stopped laughing and gave me that sad look she always had whenever one of her men was brought into the conversation. I continued sipping on my sweet concoction, while listening to her pitch.
“Harley, I know his friends are big flirts and a bit handsy, but they are Tito’s friends. They are good men. Plus, with the money he is shelling out for this trip, he has a right to tag along and bring a friend or two.”
“You know I am not sleeping with any of them, Dyce. I need you to tell them before we get on that boat. Besides, if you wanted to charter a boat, I could have just asked to borrow my dad’s.”
“And have him spying on us? No way. Besides, your father’s boat isn’t near as nice as this one and we wouldn’t get to be on TV.”
“TV? What scheme have you cooked up now?”
“We are going on the TV show Down Below!”
I side-eyed this girl as if she was mentally insane.
“Dyce, I know you’re lying? Are you serious? You know I live for Captain G! He is my fantasy man. A damn dreamboat. Now him, I will fuck six ways to Sunday.”
“Down Below is one of the most popular shows on KUDOS! Network. We are going to be famous! Yaaaaas! I am going to help you get a piece of your Captain Bae. He is yummy!”
“I have a good feeling about this trip.”
She pulled out her phone and showed me a few pictures of the most luxurious yacht I had ever laid my eyes on. Simply gorgeous. It really was a high-rise apartment floating on the water. It was easy to get caught up in the hype. I could see why Dyce would say yes and worry about the consequences later. It was just her style.
“As long as this friend keeps his hands and all other body parts away from me, I’ll be good. The only gray hair I want to see on that boat is Captain G’s head between my legs.”
“Harley, we are going to have so much fun. Trust me, I spoke to the booking agent and requested the hottest crew of deck hands they have. We will have eye candy for days.”
I am here for the eye candy.
“Who all’s coming on this thing anyway?”
“Why do you always do that, as if you would stay home if you didn’t like the group?”
“Never that. I just like to know who is coming so I know if there will be any mess. You know how some of your friends can be, spreading lies on that Messy Mandy website. Your friends can’t be trusted to keep their mouths shut and you know it. Knowing them, by the end of the trip I will be pregnant and living with that old bald friend of Tito’s.”
Dyce looked at me sheepishly and then went on to explain how Cinta and Melissa, a couple of her friends would be joining us on the trip because it was her birthday and they wanted to help celebrate. She added that Tito was bringing fellow sugar daddies, Martin and Will along for the ride.
“Did you even consider I may want to bring a friend or two to hang out with me? I mean it is my birthday celebration also.”
“Well, no. I mean Tito is paying for the trip, so I just assumed the invites for extras were for me. Besides, you don’t hang out with anyone other than me.”
“Narcissistic much? Oh, and for the record, I do have other friends. You should have at least offered. Now I am going to be on the party boat where I have to avoid a creepy old man on my birthday.”
“Whatevs Harley. You are going to be so far up your Captain Bae’s ass
you won’t even notice.”
“Yeah, you’re right! If that man gives me even a hint that he is interested, I’m going down. I mean it’s going down.”
I stuck out my tongue and did a little shimmy shake. That caused Dyce to start laughing. We cackled and laughed our way to her car. My coffee was now infused in my veins and I was feeling like myself again.
“Then you should be happy. Once he sees you in the new bikini I am going to pick out for you, he won’t stand a chance.”
“Girl, yes. I need you to hook me up just this once. However, don’t go overboard. I need him to see the real me and fall in love. You think you can find a suit that will make that happen?”
Dyce rolled her eyes at me. She was always getting on me for being too conservative. According to her I wasn’t sexy enough. I did not feel the need to flaunt my sexuality. I was a tomboy for the most part and I was comfortable in my skin. I didn’t need to wear a string bikini and 3-inch heels to pull a man. The right one would come running with me in my sporty swim shorts and tank top.
“Whatevs Harley, you know you are a gorgeous woman. I can’t tell you how many of Tito’s friends ask about you.”
“Yeah, okay, Dyce. All those old men want with me is to live out some brown sugar fantasy they still have on their bucket list. I am not the check box type. You know, on second thought, I have plenty of swimsuits. I don’t need any more.”
“Those rags you call swimwear are for surfing and the like. I’m talking about designer suits that look great poolside, but not made to get wet.”
“What in the actual hell? Who wants a swimsuit you can’t get wet? That’s the whole point. It’s entire reason for existing is to SWIM!”
“The suits I’m talking about will land you one sexy as fuck sea captain. Have you seen the women that go on his boat? You have to compete with supermodels and the like.”
“I am my only competition. I don’t need to compete with other women. That is a contest I couldn’t possibly win.”
Fresh Meat by L. Loren
Summary
Cinta
BEING A SUGAR BABY is not all it is cracked up to be. Especially not when I was forced to leave the only home I had ever know after my mother found out. I was sent to Daytona Beach to get my life together by work in my auntie’s hotel. Hey, it beat being homeless. Little did I know it was Bike Week. A ride on a hot biker was just what I needed to forget my troubles, but could I handle everything he was offering? You know what they say, where there’s Smoke, there’s fire!
Smoke
Spending Bike Week in Daytona Beach was supposed to be research for an upcoming movie role. I had no idea all the perks being an undercover biker would offer. I couldn’t afford to make any mistakes, so I took a vow of celibacy. Fate had other plans. As soon as I arrived, a little spitfire sparked my engine, and I threw those vows right out the window. Baby Bird captured my heart in one day. Now, my mission was to make her mine and claim my own happy ending.
Chapter 1
Cinta
“Cinta, get your ass in here!”
My overzealous mother bellowed throughout the house trying to get my attention. She yelled so much all that noise fell on deaf ears. I would do anything the woman wanted, all she had to do was ask. But she never asked. She always demanded. She was the queen of the castle and I existed only to do her bidding. If it didn’t require me to get a job, I would move out of her house and never look back.
The problem was, I was a recent college graduate with few job prospects. Not that I put a lot of time and effort into looking. Hey, I was a daddy’s girl and I lived at home with my parents. Daddy would never let my mom put me out on the streets like she threatened to do every other week. Hell, I just graduated from college six months ago. What was her problem? A chick needed more time.
“Cinta! Girl, I am not playing with you.”
The door to my room burst open and the beast of the southern wild stood there glaring at me. She got on my last nerves. I plastered on a fake smile and sat up in bed.
“Mommy, I was just about to get up. Did you need something?”
She ignored my words but strolled into my room and went straight for the closet. Now this heifer knows she can’t fit any of my clothes. The last time she borrowed one of my t-shirts, she stretched it out so bad that I ended up just giving it to her. I knew good and well she wasn’t about to squeeze her size twenty ass into my size ten jeans, so I hopped out of bed and headed straight to my sanctuary.
“Mommy is there something you need in my closet? Where are you going?”
She continued to ignore me, heading to the back of my luxurious walk-in domain that Daddy had custom designed just for me. When she snagged one of my LV Knit Horizon suitcases from its home and removed the dust cover, I almost lost it on her. Nobody, I mean nobody touches my LV. She didn’t pay for it, so she had no right.
“Mommy, what are you doing? Put my luggage back on the shelf and get out of my closet.”
I knew it was a mistake to talk to her like that, but she was ignoring me. It was the only way I knew to make her talk to me. Just as I expected, her neck snapped around and she glared at me. If looks could kill, well let’s just say I would have been frozen in a cocoon of ice so she could take a hammer and smash me into a million pieces. A slow, torturous death.
“Little girl, have you lost your damn mind? I will knock you into the middle of next week if you speak to me like that again. Think I’m playing? Try me!”
I don’t know what I was thinking in that moment. Seriously, I live in my head all day and I still can’t tell you what possessed me to talk back to my mother. I stood firm, wearing my pajama shorts and a tight as fuck tank top, placed my hands on my hips and tuned up my face.
“I am a grown woman. You can’t tell me what to do anymore. What is your problem anyway? I wasn’t even bothering you. I was asleep in my own bed, in my own room and here you come messing with me.”
“First of all, take your hands off of your imagination when you are talking to me.”
“My imagination? That’s funny. I have you know...”
“Child don’t go there. You have the audacity to stand up here in my face thinking you are a grown ass woman. I’ll give it to you. Your little body is bangin’, but please don’t mistake a big ass and tits for what makes you grown. You are a little girl. You live in my house, eat my food and pay not one damn bill. Until you can pay your own way, you will never be a woman.”
She made me sick always throwing it up in my face that I lived at home. She had me and it was her responsibility to take care of me. Why did I need to feel guilty?
“This isn’t just your house. I have a right to be here since you birthed me. My daddy will not let you put me out in the streets. He always takes care of me.”
“Well, I have news for you little girl. Your daddy is my husband, He will no longer be paying your bills. From this moment forward you are on your own. Now, I have called your auntie down in Daytona Beach and she has been kind enough to offer you a job in her hotel. Get dressed while I pack your shit. You’re leaving in an hour.”
“What? I don’t even know that lady like that. How you gonna put me out and send me down there to be her slave? I’m not going. DADDY! DADDY!”
My mom started laughing like the hyena on Lion King™. I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Where was my Daddy? I needed him and he was not answering.
“Your Daddy and I had a little talk last night and he agrees with me on this. We saw that little video that was all over the news.”
“What video, Mama?”
“You know what I’m talking about. That video with that girl you went down to Miami with. You think we wouldn’t see that nasty thing? That girl all bent over with that old man’s face in her twat. It was everywhere! Your daddy bout lost his mind thinking it was you.”
“Wait, so you know it wasn’t me, but you’re still punishing me? What’s up with that? It’s just not fair, Mama.”
She lo
oked me up and down like I disgusted her. Her lips turned up before she continued talking.
“You know what they say, you are who your friends are. Do you really expect me to believe you weren’t on that boat doing the same thing or worse? I never did like that girl Paradyce that you hang with. I knew she was bad news, dragging you into that world where those nasty old men pay for young girls to be with them.”
Mama shook her head at me like I was the lowest piece of scum on earth. Dang, I sure wasn’t about to fuss with her about being a Sugar baby now. She would probably hit me. Nope. I like being cute. She always mistook my hanging around with Dyce as me having sex with older men so they would pay my bills. That wasn’t exactly the case. True, I dated older men, but there weren’t any strings attached. If they took me shopping as a treat, I wasn’t going to say no.
“Ma...”
“Just swallow that lie you were about to tell, little girl. If you weren’t a Sugar Baby where do all these expensive clothes, shoes and luggage come from? Shit, your wardrobe is better than mine and I have a job.”
She started pulling at my clothes and just my luck, the cute little shirt dress that Will brought me in Miami as a joke, found its way into her hands. I had absolutely nothing to say as she pulled the dress from the hangar and thrust it at me.
“If you’re not a Sugar Baby, why the hell do you have this dress that says you are?”
There it was, written in sparkly glitter for the entire world to see. SUGAR BABY was spelled out across the front of the dress. There would be no convincing her. All I could do was tuck my head and move out of the closet towards the shower. That was it. I was moving to Daytona Beach to be a slave in my auntie’s hotel.