by Jacob Spears
Eating good and having the right man in bed was what Dr. Rosa always told Amanda was the secret to health.
Amanda was impressed with how well Dr. Rosa knew her patients’ appointments in advance. Just last weekend, Amanda had bumped into her inside a Walmart and was reminded by the doctor to report for her appointment on time.
“That lady is like a god. She knows her children—all of them!” Amanda said as she took off her pajamas and looked at herself in the mirror. “Damn!” she said, realizing how much weight she had lost.
But how? When I eat and don’t do shit. Lord! I’m stressing, she thought. I can’t let this man stress me out like this, especially when he’s planning to leave me by myself in the future, Amanda realized as she stepped into the steaming hot shower. Damn it! I love him! And I fucking miss his ass!
* * *
Smooth didn’t know what to expect after hearing Amanda refuse his calls. His mind instantly went to the negative and the prospect of her sleeping with another man.
Is she sleeping with another nigga already? Smooth asked himself as he lay in his top bunk with a Silk White novel resting on his stomach. If she is fucking with another cat, how could I be made?
He was about to be a father and have his own family. Smooth loved China and couldn’t see himself leaving her for anyone, not even Amanda, with whom he had grown closer over the years. Smooth was thinking of him and China and how things would be in life for them as a family.
He was a man of his word and would leave the game alone when he came out of his situation. He was writing down successful business plans to seek when he was a free man again. Miranda would waste no time helping him learn the ropes as a real estate agent. He still had property and would invest in more when he came home. Being incarcerated, Smooth was able to think clearly.
Despite hating his incarceration, he was grateful for a time-out. He wanted to leave there as a devoted family man, and in order to be successful, he had to discard the things that would hinder him from giving his best. The streets, money, power, and infidelity in his relationship with China had to go.
Sleeping with Amanda or any other woman has to stop! Smooth realized as his mind instantly went to moments he had with Jane. The world is grimy, just like her.
She was China’s friend who she had helped get on her feet fresh out of prison. And she had slept with China’s man without any guilty conscience.
That’s a cold bitch with some good-ass pussy! Smooth thought as his cock began to rise when images of him fucking her came to his mind.
In his mind, he went back to the first day he had sex with Jane. She said she had plumbing problems, and I plunged her toilet until all the water was gone, Smooth thought as he caressed his erection.
His cellmate was out to court, so he had the cell to himself for most of the morning. His thoughts of being faithful to China went out the window when he saw the sex face of Jane flash in his mind.
Fuck! Smooth thought in sexual frustration as he jumped down from his top bunk.
He snatched the sheets off his bunk and put up some privacy. He then sat naked on the chrome toilet and stroked his erect cock while thinking of Jane, whose pussy was one-of-a-kind and as much as he hated to admit it, better than China’s.
I gotta reach out to Jane and tell her to send me some bikini pictures of that phat ass and pussy print, Smooth thought as he masturbated while thinking of her sweet, tight yet deadly pussy.
The last thing on his mind was why China hadn’t stopped by the day before.
* * *
When China got wheeled through Jackson Memorial Hospital’s doors, she was happy to see her hero standing there waiting on her with his passenger door open.
“Good morning, Spencer!” China said as the nurse halted the wheelchair in front of him.
“How are you, China?” he asked.
“I’d be better if I had me some breakfast.”
“I picked you up some breakfast at your sister’s restaurant. She fixed your favorite when I told her that it was for you,” Spencer informed China as he helped her stand up from the wheelchair.
Damn! He smells good! China thought, smelling Spencer’s Davidoff Cool Water cologne.
“You make me feel like an old lady, Spencer,” China said, trying to downplay his affectionate affinities.
“Sorry!” he said as he closed her door.
China watched him utter a couple words to the nurse and then walk around and get inside the car. The luxury of Spencer’s Camaro made her feel like she was home, a place she needed to get to so she could take a nice shower.
“So, where to first? Your car or home? I’m guessing home, huh?”
“How did you know?” China replied, with a smile on her face.
“Who wouldn’t want to get home first,” Spencer began as he reached into the backseat and grabbed China’s breakfast
and placed it on her lap, “to get a fresh shower and regroup.”
“Thanks, Spencer.”
“You’re welcome, and you don’t owe me anything.”
“Thanks again then,” China added while still smiling.
Damn! She’s beautiful! Smooth, you lucky son of a bitch! Spencer thought as he pulled out and turned up the volume to his heavy metal by Seven Dust.
What the fuck is wrong with this crazy-ass white boy? China thought as she reached for the radio and turned the volume down to zero.
“Listen, crazy-ass white boy! This devilish-ass music isn’t gonna cut it. How can you listen to that shit?” China asked Spencer, who was cracking up to the point of tears flooding his eyes. “That’s not funny, Spencer!” China said, laughing herself.
Damn! He has a sexy-ass laugh too, she thought, instantly feeling guilty for adoring another man.
To hide her attraction, China bit into her ham and cheese breakfast sandwich.
“Sorry, China. But you’re too damn funny!” Spencer said while drying his eyes.
When he looked in his rearview mirror, his entire demeanor changed from joy to being serious. China immediately sensed something was amiss.
“What’s wrong?” she asked him, as a frown now appeared on his face while he still looked at his rearview mirror.
“We have some company. How about putting on your seatbelt,” Spencer said calmly.
Without any hesitation, China did as she was advised.
“Two cars back is a Mexican who’s been on my trail since I picked up my car. I thought I was tripping and that he was just another random guy, but evidently not,” Spencer said as he slammed on his gas pedal while changing lanes.
The kickback from his powerful Camaro caused China’s neck to jerk back.
“Damn! How about warning me next time, Spencer!” China shouted as he accelerated through traffic like a mad man.
When she looked in her side-view mirror, she saw the black Suburban trying to keep up with them. But the Camaro was too fast for the Suburban, and it was like a dog chasing a cat up a tree.
“What’s your address?” Spencer asked.
“You’re going the wrong way. We need to go east, Spencer.”
“Before she knew it, Spencer artistically U-turned the Camaro and headed east, hopping onto I-95 and heading northeast. The Suburban was completely lost and didn’t have enough horsepower to keep up. Spencer had lost them in less than two minutes.
“Where to now?” Spencer asked an impressed China.
“You’ve been watching too much 2 Fast 2 Furious, Spencer,” China joked before she gave him directions to her and Smooth’s $2.3 million mansion, where no man other than Smooth had been with her.
After seeing how badly the Mexicans wanted her, China was ready to go door-to-door looking for Mario. “I gotta find this Mario!”
“No, we have to find Mario! Let’s remember he just sent someone to kill me too,” Spencer said. “And I don’t know about you, but I don’t take death threats lightly.”
Spencer turned off an exit that would lead him to China’s neighborhood.
“I can agree with you on that,” China said as she took another bite of her sandwich with gusto.
As she was lost in her delicious sandwich, China realized that she didn’t have her iPhone or her purse.
Damn! How the hell did I not notice it? she thought.
“Spencer, have you seen my purse—”
“And phone? They’re in the backseat,” Spencer cut her off.
When Spencer looked over at China, he saw her with another beautiful smile. Despite her swollen face, her beauty still shone through her injuries.
Damn it, Smooth! You’re a lucky son of a bitch! he thought again as he pulled into China’s enormous driveway.
Spencer reached into the backseat and grabbed China’s Prada purse and passed it over to her. When China looked inside, she saw that her Glock .45 was still where she had last seen it. She was only a firm grip away from saving her own life. Then she remembered the Mexican man pulling her down by her hair, and losing her grip on her Glock.
“Don’t worry, China. They’ll never get that lucky again,” Spencer said, after reading her mind from the discontented look on her face.
China looked up at Spencer and stared into his blue eyes.
“Thank you,” China said, bridling her emotion. “Do you mind coming in? You can help yourself to whatever is in the kitchen.”
“Sure,” Spencer said as he exited the Camaro at the same time as China stepped out.
11
MARCO HAD LOST the fast Camaro and was pissed. Mario had suggested that he get back on China’s trail in two weeks. But two weeks for him was just too long, and it would give China enough time to run and hide.
Marco had decided to drive back to the scene. There, he caught the white man who had saved China’s life, and tried to kill him when he hopped into his Camaro. Now he was gone again, and Marco had no clue what direction the Camaro had gone.
“Fuck!” Marco exclaimed, hitting the steering wheel before he headed back to Miami.
* * *
For days now, Ham had not been well rested. Every time he did lie down, it was after he had made love to Tina and put her in an exhausted state. There were plenty of times when Tina could have called Meka to inform her that Ham was home asleep in bed. But she loved him too much to betray him. When she felt Ham easing out of bed, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and asked him where he was going. “Where are you off to now?”
“Go back to sleep. I’ll be back in the morning,” Ham replied with a demanding tone of voice.
What the fuck is wrong with him, always stepping out if he’s no longer hustling? Tina wanted to know as she sat up in bed, leaned against the headboard, and hugged a pillow.
Tina looked at Ham’s silhouette in the darkness. She could see him digging in his pants before putting them on. Tina reached over and turned on the light on the nightstand to illuminate the room. Ham squinted from the bright light.
“Girl, cut that damn light off and go back to sleep!”
“No! Bring yo’ ass back to bed, Ham. It’s three o’clock in the morning. Where the fuck are you going?” Tina shouted.
“Listen, Tina. There’s no need to get all worked up ’bout nothing.”
“Ham, why are you leaving every other night and not coming back with shit?” Tina questioned.
Ham became upset and shot across the bedroom. He had his hands around Tina’s throat in no time, choking her.
“Ham!” Tina squeezed out while clawing at his face and kicking wildly.
“Bitch! Why you questioning me, huh? I pay the muthafuckin’ bills in this muthafucka. You hear me? Huh?” Ham screamed in rage as he continued to choke Tina until she passed out.
When he saw her body jerk and go stiff, he let go of her, afraid that he had killed her. But when he saw her chest rise and fall, he sighed a breath of relief.
“Baby, I’m sorry!” he apologized while backing away from her.
He felt terribly wrong for hurting his soon-to-be baby mother. Ham quickly put on his boots, grabbed his Glock .40 from underneath the mattress, and dashed out the front door.
* * *
Spencer and China were enjoying each other’s company while driving back from New York in one of Smooth’s stash cars. China had changed her plans of going to see Smooth on Sunday and instead drove to New York to see Jefe. She left Spencer at a hotel until she handled business with Jefe.
When China returned to the hotel room, she and Spencer laughed each other to sleep. When they got up and left that morning, they knew they’d be in Martin County to visit Smooth around noon. China found it odd that Smooth hadn’t called her since she had been released from the hospital.
“I thought he at least would have called after we didn’t stop by yesterday, Spencer,” China said while driving south on I-95.
“How did you know I was up? You never looked over to see if my eyes were opened or closed,” Spencer asked.
“Boy, we’ve been together twenty-four hours now. I think I know everything about you, except who the special lady in your life is.”
“I don’t have one. Too much stress. Plus, I stay on missions. A lot of missions,” Spencer informed her.
“Poor excuse, Spencer!” China exclaimed.
“Why is that?”
“Because a man like you attracts a beehive of bees.”
“I’m not all that now!”
Shit! You’re a liar! China almost blurted out as she chuckled when she realized how close she was to really speaking her mind.
“What?” he asked curiously. “See, you even agree!”
“That is not why I’m laughing, Spencer. A thought just came to mind,” she explained.
“What is it? Share it!” he said.
“Nope! It’s my thought and your curiosity,” China said, with a sexy pout on her face that made Spencer’s dick jump.
Wow! I gotta get away from this woman, he thought. “I guess you got that one. Wake me up when we get there.”
“What are you doing? Boy, it’s time for you to take the wheel. There’s no need to go to sleep,” China stated.
Spencer looked at his watch and saw that it was his time to drive. They were splitting the eighteen hours of drive time, and China’s nine hours were up in thirty minutes.
“Could we stop for some coffee?” Spencer asked.
“Sure!” China said as she pulled off an exit and shortly pulled into a 7-Eleven gas station in North Carolina.
“I’ma use the restroom while you gas up!” China said.
“Now you’re giving me chores!” Spencer murmured.
“Not actually. I’m only telling you since you’re driving the remainder of the way,” China said as she strutted off inside.
“Damn, Smooth! You’re a lucky son of a bitch!” Spencer said as he watched China sashay into the gas station in her skintight jeans and blouse.
After using the bathroom, China looked at herself in the mirror. The swelling in her face had gone down completely, but some redness could be seen on the bridge of her nose and upper lip. Despite the injuries, China was grateful to be alive. She knew that if it hadn’t been for Spencer, she would have been a dead woman. China looked at her iPhone and double-checked for any missed calls. When she saw none, she became worried.
I hope he’s not in any kind of trouble. Maybe he’s in the damn hole! she thought. “I’ll check with the jail at dawn,” China said as she began to wash her hands.
When she was done in the bathroom, China grabbed some drinks and snacks for the rest of their drive. When she walked out of the gas station, Spencer was blowing off the steam from his cup of Maxwell House coffee that he drank straight black.
* * *
Ham felt bad about what he had done to Tina. She didn’t deserve being hurt, despite what she had been through at such a young age. Ham didn’t think about Tina’s feelings, and like always, when he couldn’t face the responsibilities of life, he ran away.
Ham drove thirty miles outside of Indiantown and Booker Park to Jupit
er Island, which was a wealthy section of Martin County. Although it was a big risk, he had to make the trip or go for broke. Tina didn’t know that the $30,000 was gone. Ham had smoked, gambled, and tricked with other crackheads around town.
On desperate days, Ham would travel around town and look for wealthy homes to burglarize. He had spotted a nice home in a real estate advertisement magazine. For two days and nights, he had watched the luxury home from his badly conditioned Chevy that stuck out like a sore thumb in the neighborhood. Fortunately, he was never seen by any of the residents.
When Ham pulled up to the residence he had be scouting, he pulled into the driveway and killed the engine and lights. He dug into the glove compartment and retrieved a pair of black leather gloves. As he slid them on, he closely watched the house for any signs of movement. When he saw none, he exited the car with a squeaky door and left it cracked for an emergency entrance just in case he had to make a run for it.
Damn, I wish I had a hit right now. I’d prefer to do this shit high as a kite, Ham thought as he crept around to the back of the house.
Ham walked through a wooden gate and entered the beautiful backyard, where a big swimming pool and guesthouse sat stagnant without any signs of life. Ham walked around to a side window to a room and tried to lift it up.
“Shit!” Ham whispered in a shout when the window didn’t lift up.
He moved on to another window and got the same result. Ham became frustrated and very impatient when he realized that all the windows were locked.
Fuck this shit! Ham thought as he took his Glock .40 and smashed the den window to little pieces.
The loud shattering of glass was enough to wake the entire neighborhood. However, Ham was again fortunate not to raise any unwanted attention.
He entered the home through the den window and waited a moment to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. When he saw that he was alone, he moved to check for any occupants. He came to the first room and tried the door, only to find it unlocked. He stuck his head inside and found it empty. He knew that there were only four bedrooms in the home according to the real estate advertisement.