by Lala Wilder
“Xanny, Addy, 8-ball.”
Marlon, one of my favorite customers waves me off. “I’ll let you know if I need something extra,” he says. “I’m good.”
“Are you really?” I ask him. “I got some shit that’s half off.”
That gets his attention. “What’s up with that jank shit?”
I shrug. “I’m just unloading extra product.”
Marlon beckons for me to get closer. I lean in, he whispers in my ear, then I unzip the fanny pack resting on my thigh.
**
Business is pumping. I get the whisper network going, only telling the one’s I trust. The one’s who won’t run their mouths too tough but will whisper enough to keep my clientele pumping. By my third weekend in business, I’m making more money off Troy’s stash than off my tips.
I peel off a little extra for Vex to keep him smiling. And in a few weeks, he goes out on a limb and says, “You ready to smoke with me, babe?”
I lick my lips, give him my sexiest look and nod slightly. “Of course, baby.” I close his door and turn the lock.
Chapter Six
RAVEN
Who knew I would learn to like these horny little C.O.’s? I mean, I don’t love them, but they sure are bringing in the dough.
And more than money, our relationships are becoming solid. The C.O.’s like fucking my stable of girls, but they’re learning to respect me and Queen.
I have more than enough money for a solid lawyer now and I’m building something pretty solid with C.O. Burns. I’m thinking shit can go on forever like this. And then Queen hits me with a new plan.
“We could take our operation to the streets,” she says. “Get more girls. Build up our clientele.”
I suck my teeth. “And how are we supposed to do all of that from here?”
Queen leans up against the door to our cell and looks out toward the C.O. break room. “We don’t,” she says, “We figure out a way for them to let us out.”
**
These C.O.’s are more corrupt than I thought. Queen barely does much convincing before C.O. Burns and his boys agree to let us out temporarily to set up our operation. “Under my close watch,” he tells us, frowning up his face. “You two will be free to wander around, but you’re still going to be on my leash.”
He rests his hand on the gun in his holster. “And if you fuck up, it’s a bullet in here for both of you.”
**
So, the plan gets set. C.O. Burns and his boys find two homeless bitches a few miles out from the prison. They smuggle them in, put them in our orange jumpers, put us in their rags, and smuggle us out.
Queen and I lay on the floor of the police van, under the seats, while a random C.O. drives us out of the city and drops us on the city line, right before we enter Washington D.C.
He hands us a hundred-dollar bill and says, “Burn’s says this should be enough to get you started. We’re keeping a close eye on the both of you, so don’t try no dumb shit.”
Then he throws up the peace sign and peels off.
**
The hawk is still out and flying around in this early March wind. These raggedy ass clothes ain’t doing shit, so Queen and I walk to the nearest Walmart, lift two pairs of sweatpants, two windbreaks and a pair of skips each.
Then we walk across the street to the nearest gas station and split a doughnut and a coffee, so the attendant behind the counter will pass us the key to the bathroom on the far side of the building.
The clothes are thin as fuck but they’re better than the raggedy clothes Burns sent us home with.
Queen gets dressed first and walks off to a patchy field, near one of the gas station pumps, while I lace up my new white sneakers. She stoops down and starts sifting through the grass.
When I get my shit on, I walk over to see what the fuck she could possibly be looking for out here.
“Rocks, forgotten blades, a dirty needle. Anything to protect us.” She reaches her hand into the dirt and picks up a piece of broken brick. “Niggas are dirty out here. They’re just waiting for a bitch to be lost and without protection.”
“True,” I say. I get down on the ground and start crawling on my knees to look too.
When we have enough shit stashed inside the top of our socks to kill or at least throw a nigga off if he try to grab us, we dip.
We use spare change to get to some dude’s house that Queen knows, but when we get there, no one answers the door. At the next spot, a girl answers, but she tells us she don’t have no room to take both of us.
By the time the sun dips down, we’re cold, hungry again, and sitting on a park bench.
“It’s just one night,” Queen says. But she don’t sound like even she believes that shit.
That night, while the bitch keeps me up with all that snoring she used to do back in our cell, I watch another homeless bitch wandering around. She’s holding a baggy or something in her hand, and she’s tweaking like she’s just looking for a spot to get high.
I take the broken brick stabbing the side of my leg and creep over to her. But of course, the bitch is wide awake and alert like the fucking boogeyman, so as soon as she sees me coming, the bitch gets in fighting stance.
“Get the fuck away from me,” she growls, backing up and tucking her baggy into the waistband of her pants.
I run up on her, cock back and slam my fist into her face. But the bitch is strong. She barely flinches. Instead, she digs her fingers into my throat and throws me to the ground,
We struggle like that for a minute before I’m able to reach my hand down into my sock and pull out the broken brick that’s been stabbing me in the leg.
“What the fuck you think you about to do with that,” she says, pulling on my hair.
I raise the brick up and slam it into her eyes on repeat until she breaks her grip on me. While I have her off guard, I pin her down by the throat with one hand and use the other one to dig in her pants for her drug stash.
“Help,” she screams.
“bitch, this ain’t no fairytale shit. Ain’t nobody coming to save any of us in the middle of the night.” I cock back, throw down my one-two special, and knock that bitch out cold. Well, temporarily at least.
I run back over to the bench, shake Queen awake and tell her, “Let’s go bitch. We have to get out of here, before that junkie bitch over there wakes up.”
Queen doesn’t ask question. She stands up and runs with me away from the park and down the street.
**
We’re about three blocks away before I slow down enough to check what’s actually in the baggy.
“Fuck,” I yell out. That junkie bitch risked it all for one measly ass crack rock? “I’m still going to try to sell this,” I tell Queen.
She shakes her head. “Was any of that worth that little bit of money you’re about to make off that?”
I shrug. “What other choice did I have?”
**
We sell the junkie woman’s drugs to another bum, who gives us just enough loot to catch the subway.
We ride the Metro all the way to Metro Center, where we get off right near where I used to work at, PlayBar.
“Shit, I wish I could get back in there. That was quick money while it lasted.”
**
“Fuck Burns,” Queen says, shivering in the cold. “That motherfucker ain’t out here freezing his balls off trying to set up the operation.” She rubs her hands together. “Why the fuck should he get a cut of the shit we’re making out here?”
“We need his protection though,” I tell her.
Queen gives me the stuck look. “Do it look like our asses are protected out here? Where the fuck you see some friendly officer willing to help us?” Frost shoots from her mouth. “We don’t even have a place to stay.”
Queen stands up from the bench and looks off into the night. “I say, we ghost them motherfuckers.”
I shake my head immediately. “Nah, that’s the quickest way for us to get killed.”
Q
ueen turns and gives me this real sinister look. “Those motherfuckers will be looking for Raven Watkins and Quinetta Stanton. If I can find one of my boys that makes shit happen, those two bitches won’t exist no more.”
Chapter Seven
NATALEE
Damn, this old dude is really starting to have my nose open. My hearts still broken over Troy, yet, Vex has been there for me these last few weeks, checking up on me via text message, coming over to see and snuggle when I’m feeling lonely, and just talking with me about any and everything.
I never expected this person to be hiding up under Vex’s tough guy persona. When it’s just he and I, his voice is soft, he looks me in the eye, and we just vibe to the point where, we were laying up in my bed last night, me with my head on his chest and he says, “I want to take you to my spot. So, you can understand who I am and why I work so hard.”
So today, we’re pulling up in front Vex’s Brownstone in the ritzy part of Northwest, where the Senators and shit live. Vex gets out, comes around to help me out the car. I step onto the sidewalk, while he chirp-chirps and sets the alarm on the Bentley. He reaches over me to open a black iron gate and we walk up a stone walkway.
He punches a code and opens a heavy Cherry oak wood door. We step into a large open space with Italian rugs, statues, and artwork everywhere. I slip my shoes off, so I don’t scuff his floors. He leads me by the elbow into the sunken living room where he places wood in the fireplace and lights it. He lays me out on the Italian rug right in front of the fireplace and disappears into the kitchen.
He comes back out, carrying a silver tray with two flute glasses of champagne and a bowl of strawberries. He sets the whole thing down in front of me, slips off his shoes and lays down across from me. He picks up a strawberry, peels the green leafy part off, drops the fruit into one of the glasses. A million tiny bubbles shoot up and foam spills from the rim of the glass.
“Cheers,” Vex says softly, handing me the glass. I take it from him and sip it gently. The champagne taste’s dry, which is a good sign that he knows quality.
Vex picks up his own glass. Then he starts explaining how he found several of the paintings hanging on his wall.
“You’re really into art, huh?” I ask him, rubbing my fingers through the little hairs on his arm.
He smiles shyly. “Yeah, something like that.” He gets a serious look on his face. “People are so quick to buy the flashy cars and the other bullshit that loses value almost immediately. That’s nigga shit.” He chuckles quietly. “I’m guilty of that shit. I’m not going to lie. But—I also collect shit that’s worth something—shit that appreciates. That’s the real plug.”
He runs his hand down my thigh. With his other hand, he grabs the back of my neck and pulls me toward him for a gentle kiss on the lips.
“That’s why I like you,” he says softly. “You’re smart. You don’t get yourself involved in a bunch of dumb shit like the rest of them girls at the club. You’re quality.” He kisses me again. “And I’m a fan of all things quality.”
A guilty feeling settles in the pit of my belly. Vex is nothing like what I imagined.
I’m not going to lie. For the first time since Troy, I feel myself falling.
We talk for hours, until Vex starts stroking my face. Softly he peels my clothes off, kissing every part of my body, he makes me feel wanted, loved for the first time since Troy. I sigh, and surrender, letting him pick me up and carry me up the stairs to his bedroom and onto his California King bed where he slowly inserts himself between my legs. Slowly, he makes love to me, so sweet and tender, that I explode several times before we both collapse, dripping with sweat and passion.
**
I watch Vex sleep for a little while, before I get up the courage to shake him awake. Every time I learn something new about Vex, I wonder is it really fair to turn him into a murderer. I mean, why should he get tricked into doing some shit I’m too much of a coward to do myself? The anger I’m holding for Spyce might be fading. If he promises to get rid of her, that may be enough. Plus, it’s not like I can get Troy back. Or Raven. Plus, Raven did fuck my man. She’s not the innocent joint she pretends to be.
I shake Vex again.
“Yeah, babe?” he asks, rubbing his eyes and squinting from the light spilling in from the hall.
“I’m catching feelings for you,” I admit.
Vex, and his stale champagne breath, reaches up to kiss me. “Me too, babe.”
I look around, at the custom crown molding, the paintings, the classiness of my entire surroundings. “What if I stayed here—with you?”
Vex stiffens. “What?”
“I mean, it’s not like we’re just meeting each other. You know me.” I stroke his face. “And its lonely in my condo. I’m thinking—”
Vex sits up and slides off the bed. He grabs up his pants and pulls me up. “Nah,” he says. “You got to be careful when you’re in my position. Bitches try you every day.”
I’m immediately offended. “What was all that about me being quality? That was just to fuck?” I snatch up my clothes and step into them angrily.
Vex softens a little. “No, I’m not trying to offend you.” He strokes my hair. “You have to understand my position. “I’m the owner of the club. These girls see me fucking one of my girls and they’ll all try me.” He kisses me on the lips. “You the only one I would ever let come near this dick,” he says.
And I immediately think about watching Spyce suck his dick up like a vacuum for the whole world to see.
This motherfucker is a liar. But, as long as he does what I need him to do at the end of this, then fuck him.
So, I smile up at him, like a good little puppy and go, “Okay, Vex. No worries, baby.”
**
Vex tries to play nice by giving me a ride to the club, but the damage is already done. I’m hurt. I’m more than hurt. And the shit doesn’t go away, even when we get caught getting out of his car together by Spyce.
“Shit,” he says, slamming his car door. “This is the shit I was trying to avoid.” He storms off, leaving me and Spyce staring each other down in the alley way.
She has this look on her face like she’s ready to go heads up if I say one wrong thing. “Oh, so you’re fucking with Vex now?” Spyce steps closer to me.
“Just leave me alone, Spyce.” I try to go around her, but she blocks my path to the side door.
“Bitch, it’s too funny watching you act brand new. Like you better than me or some shit.”
She pokes her finger into my temple like the barrel of a gun. “Don’t forget bitch, I knew you back when you were just another hood bitch with nothing.”
I look her dead in her eyes. “Don’t forget. I knew you too—the real you.”
That throws her off for a second, but she quickly regains her tough girl stance and cocks her finger like a gun. “You can have Vex’s old tired ass. I guess he’s your last pitiful attempt at happiness before—” she pulls her finger back on the imaginary trigger. “—I finally pay you back for that bullshit back in the day.”
She gives me a murderous look, then turns and walks into PlayBar.
**
I’m not that worried about Spyce’s ass. She’s always on her bullshit. But I’m still feeling played by Vex’s rejection when I enter the locker room. Tomi and I check each other out to make sure our hair, make-up and outfits are on point before we hit the VIP section.
“Girl, what’s up with your face tonight?” Tomi asked as we walked up the stairs to the purple velvet ropes. She unhooked the velvet ropes and started prepping her section. “You look like somebody broke your heart or something.”
“That’s because someone did.” I adjust my Xanny pack on my thigh, sliding it so that the pouch is clearly showing on my upper thigh, the code to let everybody know I’m holding. I go behind the thick purple velvet ropes to make sure my tables, couches and floor area are spotless before I let the hostess bring guests up.
“Who is someone?” Tomi
asks me. She slips on her mask as her first clients enter her section. “If you boys aren’t ready to kiss Tomi’s ass tonight, you might as well turn around and get the fuck out of here,” she tells a group of thirsty white dudes.
Tomi’s clients are all the same. They’re either some freaky white boys, looking to get their nuts stomped on by her spiky Giuseppe heels, or they’re some rappers who heard her talking shit on her IG page and are now ready to if her ass can cash all them checks she been spouting off.
Her clients tonight look ready to follow her every command. They scramble to the couches and wait there until she tells them to move. In true, Tomi fashion, she makes them wait. She walks over to me and says, “I’m waiting girl. Who is this someone that has you all fucked up in the head?”
I hesitate for a second. I mean, I trust Tomi. But if anything goes wrong—
Tomi cracks her whip. “Girlla.”
“I’ve been fucking Vex.”
Tomi doesn’t blink an eye.
“How long you been fucking his mean ass?” she asks with her face all screwed up.
“A few months now,” I tell her adjusting my Xanny-pack on my thigh.
“Is that why you been wearing that expensive ass bag around your thigh for months?” Tomi eyes the bag hard. “He buy that for you?”
“Girl no,” I scooch the bag higher up on my thigh. “I’m not about to ask that man for no gifts. He’s already acting like he don’t trust my intentions.”
Tomi nods. “I don’t blame him. Bitches are treacherous.”
Chapter Eight
RAVEN
Queen and I sit on the benches at the bus stop, waiting for the plug to arrive. “This dude has everything. Fake ID’s, passports, credit cards, everything,” Queen tells me, rubbing her hands together. The temperature dips and my fingers start to ache as I rub my hands together to keep warm.