Queen Diamonds

by Noire

  Slick stood up slowly. He looked into the windows of her soul for a few seconds. Then he gently brought her fist forward and pressed his lips tenderly to the back of her hand and kissed her warm skin.

  “I’m sorry baby girl,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry.”

  A young cat with braids who had been sitting at the next table with two older women got up outta his chair and stepped over to them.

  “Yo, sweetheart,” he said, placing his hand gently on Jewelz’s shoulder. “You a’ight, lovely? You too fine to be crying over some chump.”

  He sneered at Slick and smirked. “Any other time I would snuff this bitch-nigga out for you right on the spot, but my moms and my auntie are sitting in that booth right there and they both worried about you. You want me to slide your chair over so you can eat with us?”

  Jewelz shook her head. “No. Thank you, but I’m not hungry no more. I’m just gonna leave.’’

  “A’ight, that’s cool. Then maybe me and my mother can give you a ride someplace?”

  Jewelz looked like she wanted to say something more, but then she snatched her hand from Slick’s grip and bit down on her lip. She rambled through her Birkin bag and pulled out some money and dropped it on the table.

  Then without even looking in Slick’s direction she slid on her Ray-Ban shades and lifted her chin and strutted out the restaurant refusing to say another word.

  “Pussy-ass nigga!” the dude with the cornrows barked at Slick with a look of cold contempt in his eyes.

  Slick igged the young nigga as he sat back down and watched Jewelz leave the restaurant. People nearby were staring at him and throwing him shade like he had just beat her down with his fists or something.

  He picked up a chicken wing but his appetite flew out the window as he pondered on his fucked up situation. Jewelz’s words had been bitter cold, and to Slick’s surprise they had cut him deeper than a knife.

  CHAPTER 13

  Beautiful Deceptions

  The sky was darkening with an approaching late afternoon rainstorm. Shoppers were scurrying up and down Jamaica Avenue in Queens trying to make it home before the clouds split open and dumped a ton of rain down on the urban streets.

  Totally stressed out over the looming deadline that was approaching with those killer investors, Honore had decided to take a quick walk to try to clear her head. She left her apartment and ended up wandering into a brand new high-end spa. She had a deep-tissue massage that lasted over an hour, and she was surprised by how much it relieved her anxiety and mellowed her mood.

  Feeling a whole lot better, Honore swung by her favorite nail salon to get a mani and a pedi. The splatter of hard rain was pelting the shop’s glass windows as she quickly paid for her services and left a generous tip.

  She pushed out the door and was rushing across the wet sidewalk with her head down against the rain when she literally bumped right into him.

  “Yo, my bad,” he said, grabbing her wrist to steady her as she stumbled and fought to stay on her feet. “Damn,” he said, ignoring the falling rain as he stared deeply into her eyes. “Excuse me, pretty lady. For failing to notice the sexiest woman in New York when she was crossing right in front of me.”

  Honore ignored the rain too as she gave him a cold, scornful look. What were the odds of running into him way out here? He was a different type of dude than she was used to, but with his buff body, saggy jeans, and fresh Jordans, it was obvious that he came from the streets. But not from these streets.

  “What are you doing around here?” she asked, shaking his hand off of hers. “Are you following me or something?”

  He grinned and nodded towards a Chinese hole-in-the-wall nearby. “Nah, I’m not following you, sweetheart. I just came outta that joint right there. I do a few solids for the owner sometimes.”

  Honore stared into his slanted eyes to see if he was lying. She found no deception in him and he did smell a little bit like Egg-Fu-Young.

  He grinned even wider as she grilled him, and his handsome face seemed to light up the gray sky.

  “Don’t look at me like that. I’m being for real,” he said laughing. “You studying me like you got a lie detector in your eyes or some shit, shorty. What you doing way out here in Queens? I thought you lived in Brooklyn?”

  “I do live in Brooklyn,” Honore lied with an attitude. “I had to hook up with one of my classmates on a project today. She lives in Queens so I came out here to handle it.”

  He nodded, and even through the raindrops Honore couldn’t help but notice how fine he was in a different sorta way.

  “Ay,” he ducked his head as fat drops of rain slid down the back of his neck. “It’s starting to really come down, you know? If you need a ride back to Brooklyn I can take you,” he offered.

  She shook her head quickly. “Nah, no thank you,” she declined. “I don’t fuck with strangers.”

  “That’s good,” he said, not pressed in the least. “‘Cause I ain’t a stranger.”

  “You are to me. I don’t know you like that.”

  He nodded, hunching his shoulders against the rain. The wind had suddenly kicked up a few notches too.

  “A’ight, cool. It’s about to be a storm out here sweetheart, but there’s a nice little lounge right up the block. How about you let me buy you a drink so we can get dry and get to know each other a little better?”

  Honore opened her mouth to say hell fuckin no, but then she hesitated as her devious nature kicked into gear.

  “What’s your name again?” she asked him.

  “William Choo,” he said. “But they call me Wild Man.”

  Raindrops brushed her cheeks as she hit him with a sly, but sexy smirk.

  “Oh really? What’s so wild about you?”

  He laughed, then grabbed her hand and pulled her toward his parked ride.

  “Hop in the whip with me and you’ll find out.”

  $$$$$

  It was now or never. Jewelz paused outside the thick wooden door and made sure her shit was thoroughly smooth before she rang the bell.

  It had been a long and painful day for her and she needed to relax and unwind. She especially needed to take her mind off that nigga Slick and all the heartache and confusion that he had caused her in the soul food restaurant earlier that day.

  Jewelz loved that dude with all her heart, but it looked like love just wasn’t in her cards, and it damn sure wasn’t what she needed right now.

  Nah, what she needed right now was a stress reliever. A muscle relaxer. Something quick and hard and hot to take her mind off her turmoil and bring her some inner-peace.

  She’d had to overcome a lot of guilt and shame for her to come here tonight, and a big part of her hated what she was about to do. But the stress she was under had her emotions running all over the damn place. Her heart was hungry and her body was too. No matter how she looked at it, it all came down to the same thing.

  She was lonely as hell and she wanted to lay down with a man.

  And what was wrong with that? Why couldn’t she have the same thing that other grown women had? Why couldn’t some of her dreams ever come true?

  Jewelz was sick and tired of playing the stand-on-your-own-two-feet role. Forget all that shit. Them type of chicks who couldn’t admit they needed a man were just a bunch of unfulfilled bitter bitches.

  Right now Jewelz was standing all in her need and owning that shit. She wanted her a man. But she wasn’t tryna hot-sheet it with just any old random piece of dick. She was way classier than that, and after what she had endured as a teenager, she’d had enough off-brand sex to last her a lifetime.

  Nah, what she needed tonight was a soul connection. Somebody who was gonna hold her in his arms and love her like a natural woman. Jewelz knew her time on this earth was short and she couldn’t afford to wait around for Slick to get his shit together. And that’s why she was here right now.

  Staring at the thick wooden door, she tried to talk herself out of it one last time. She had already told ol�
�� boy she wasn’t coming over, and even when he begged her to change her mind, she had still refused.

  Because the truth was, as much as this dude satisfied her physical thang and treated her like she was the only woman in the world, there was some deep shame up in Jewelz’s game.

  No, she wasn’t cuffed to nobody and she wasn’t the cheating type neither, but Jewelz couldn’t help feeling some kinda way about being with him. She knew plenty of bitches who woulda loved to be in her place because not only was he fine as hell with a tight body, he was a perfect gentlemen and he treated her with the utmost respect. This dude had a special way of looking into the deepest parts of her and seeing all her insecurities, and then making them seem like they were all her greatest assets. And oh yeah, the package he was holding was long and strong and he could fuck his ass off too.

  Jewelz stood there staring at the door. She knew she should resist, but instead of turning around and heading back to her car, her need got the best of her. Taking a deep breath she poked out her finger and rang that bell, knowing damn well what she was gonna get from the man standing on the other side of the door.

  “Hey, brown sugar,” the handsome dude said as he opened the door. He was naked from the waist up and wearing just a pair of black boxer shorts on the bottom. “I’m glad you changed your mind.”

  Jewelz stood back and eyed him for a moment. He was just a little over average height but his body was solid and muscular. His chest and arms were cut-up like a sculpture and she knew from experience that he was stronger than the average man. On top of all that, dude had a dangerous swagger about him that was hot and sexually exciting, and Jewelz already knew he was thorough as hell in the streets and in the sheets.

  He reached out and tugged Jewelz by her waist and pulled her close. His deep sigh told her he loved the way her curvy body felt against his, and he inhaled her scent as he pressed his nose and warm lips into the crease of her neck.

  Tears gathered in Jewelz’s eyes as she gave in and allowed her greedy hands to roam all over his muscular back. A gigantic spark of fire ignited between her legs that she couldn’t wait for him to put out. She knew she was wrong but she couldn’t help herself. Her pussy was leaking and she needed the comfort of a man. She leaned against him, loving the feeling of his hard body pressed up against hers. He was all over her too. Lips, hands, tongue. Like he had been feening his whole damn life, just for her.

  Why can’t Slick need me this way?

  Jewelz’s knees grew weak as she stepped deeper inside his spacious house in a high-end Staten Island neighborhood. The man picked her up in his strong arms and carried her across his threshold. Her tears fell on his bare shoulder and he looked down at her in surprise.

  “Hey,” he said softly. “It’s okay, beautiful.” He dried her eyes with his tender kisses. Then he nudged the front door shut with his foot and it automatically locked behind him.

  “Ssssh…don’t cry,” he whispered between his kisses. “Please don’t cry.”

  Jewelz’s tears flowed even harder as the reality of what she was about to do sank in and all kinds of guilt washed over her heart.

  “Come on now, what you got to cry about?” her secret lover asked softly as his hungry lips grazed her ear.

  “Whitey’s here, baby. I got you, Jewelz, and I ain’t never gonna let you go.”

  CHAPTER 14

  Art and Murder

  Way on the other side of New York, Wild Man and Honore were sitting at a table at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. The lights were dimmed low and the large animated crowd was starting to settle in for the festivities.

  The Lower East Side cafe hosted some of the dopest up-and-coming spoken-word poets, hip-hop, and performing artists from all around the city. People of all colors and backgrounds came here to be entertained and inspired.

  “Check it out, Wild Man,” Honore said with a snide grin on her face. She was sipping on the Henny he had ordered for her and feeling real relaxed. “I realize we don’t know each other like that, but can I keep it real with you for a minute?”

  “Aww man, here we go,” Wild Man said as he smirked playfully. “When a chick starts out with a statement like that then you know something crazy is coming up next. But a’ight, whassup? What’s on your mind, sweetheart?”

  “Wellll,” Honore said as she looked around the spot. “What made you bring me here? I mean, it’s definitely not ‘right up the block’ like you said, but regardless this just don’t seem like your kind of scene. You look like the street type who takes chicks to gangsta rap concerts instead of bringing them to diverse cultural places like this.”

  “Oh, it’s like that?” Wild Man fronted like he was offended as he took down a double shot of Henny with one swallow. “A’ight, ga’head. Keep underestimating me. A sharp cookie like you should know better than to judge a book by the cover. I’m all about culture and diversity, sweetie, and the raw talent that comes through these doors is legendary. These cats up in here are lyrical geniuses. They express themselves in a way that I can’t.”

  “Well, I like to think of myself as poetry in motion,” Honore clowned as she grinned and batted her eyelashes. “I shop and get my hair done with such style and grace it’s unbelievable. I’m also that bad bitch Beyonce when I sing in the shower too.”

  They both laughed at Honore’s vain statement as they continued to soak up the eclectic ambiance of the crowd.

  “So,” Honore said a few moments later. “If you’re not a poet and you’re not one to spit on the mic, how do you express your inner feelings?” she asked innocently.

  “Oh, I don’t spit, but I consider myself an artist nevertheless,” Wild Man said, as he stared dead into her gorgeous hazel eyes. “Except my paint brush is usually a gun and my canvas is the New York City streets.”

  “So in other words, you’re just a thug, huh?” Honore said deciding to push his buttons a little bit. “A petty thief. Are you also the type to get your rocks off by oppressing and destroying your own neighborhood? Are you one of them dudes who’s motivated strictly by the money?”

  “Please don’t insult me,” Wild Man said as he leaned back in his chair and grilled her. “I’ve been all the way around the world, sweetheart. Trust me, can’t no lil dumb thug-nigga do what I do. I’m the type who takes pride in his work. The satisfaction lies in the quality of how I line shit up and execute my plans. The thrill of the hunt is what fuels me. Money is just the bonus I get for doing what I do best.”

  Honore’s eyes narrowed as she prepared to match wits with him. She could spot a wolf a mile a fuckin way. Although she had to admit the sheep’s clothing this wolf was wearing looked damn good on him.

  She studied him even closer. She had never fucked with an Asian who sounded and acted like a brotha before. Wild Man had a sharp tongue and everything he said seemed to have a double meaning. Honore sensed a darkness in him and she had to admit that it intrigued her. She could tell he was definitely cunning and on his game, yet she also detected a weakness in his armor. A tiny chink in his coat of steel. He seemed to enjoy bragging about his street skills, and that’s where Honore saw her opening.

  “So, since you’re such a sharp hunter how did your plans work out the night you busted up in that jewelry store and stormed into my life?” she asked quietly as she stared at him intently.

  He shrugged. “What makes you ask that?”

  “I ask because I’m not convinced your little band of thieves came shooting shit up at my job just for the love of the sport. There must have been something real valuable in that briefcase y’all stole, huh?”

  Wild Man opened his mouth to answer but he was interrupted by a couple of artists who recognized him as a regular and came over to greet him. They dapped each other out and showed some love before moving on.

  “You’re right, Honore,” Wild Man said coldly after the dudes were gone. “Monetary needs gotta get met in order to stay up on bigger goals, but what I’m saying is that cash isn’t my main motivation. Everything ain’t alw
ays as it seems, ya dig? Yeah, I ain’t gonna lie. We snatched that briefcase, and what was in there will be put to good use when need be. Trust me, its in safe hands. But that’s just one piece of the puzzle.”

  Honore shrugged, faking outward indifference to what he was rapping, but on the inside the wheels of wrath were rapidly turning in her head. Because the way she was reading between the lines, Wild Man was basically saying that his crew still had the briefcase and they hadn’t done anything yet with the contents. And that’s exactly what she had wanted to hear.

  Honore knew this was just a vague little clue, but it was enough to boost her hopes that she might just recover that diamond and save her ass. And judging by the way this cat was staring at the deep slit between her plump titties she was pretty sure that if she pushed and probed the right way she could get him to say even more. She could definitely tell how badly Wild Man wanted to smash her. Now it was her job to figure out how to use his wants to take care of her needs.

  But before Honore could ask another question the Cafe’s host came to the stage and grabbed the mic.

  Whattup, yo! I hope y’all are ready for some of the illest underground poets that this city we call home has to offer! Tonight we ’bout to be doing it big y’all. So give your undivided attention to these artists as they rock the muthafuckin house! It’s time to get shit started!

  One by one, talented young poets and lyricists, both male and female, got up on stage and started doing their thing. They conveyed emotions and deep thoughts through rising and falling rhythms complimented by intriguing word patterns. Some styles were aggressive in delivery and others were subtle cries from the heart. The content touched on subjects of race, love, pain, failure and success with such creativity that it captivated the spirit of the audience. The joint erupted in applause each time a performance was finished, and Honore immediately understood why this was considered one of the dopest forums for spoken word in the whole city.