by King, Deja
“We got our new supply in, we’re demolishing the enemy. This is a beautiful thing,” Nico grinned. “Pretty soon shit will be back running smoothly.”
“Precious, you’re not saying anything. I thought you would be happy to hear the news.”
“I am. I’m just a little preoccupied.”
“Is there something wrong?”
“I’ve been trying to get in touch with Aaliyah and haven’t had any luck. I know her and Amir have been spending a great deal of time together, maybe she’s caught up in him. She’s not really good at calling but normally she’ll send me a text. It’s making me sorta concerned.”
“You should be concerned.” We all turned in the same direction and saw Amir standing in the entryway.
“Son, do you know something you need to share with us?”
“I was hoping I could get some more information before bringing this to you but I’m stuck.”
“What is it . . . did something happen to Aaliyah?” I rose up from my chair anxious for Amir to reply.
“A few days ago, Aaliyah came home from school early . . . ”
“Stop right there. School, Aaliyah isn’t in school.”
“I knew that was a lie!” Amir frowned, while shaking his head. I instantly considered what else Aaliyah had been lying about.
“Continue Amir,” Nico said, rubbing his hand over his mouth before resting it under his bottom lip. That’s what Nico did when he was about to get extremely angry and wanted to calm down.
“When she came home that day she had blood on her neck and she could not explain how it got there.”
“Blood! What did she say?”
“Nothing and then she couldn’t explain why her driver and security guard didn’t bring her home.”
“Aaliyah, has a driver and a security guard. That’s news to me.”
“She said Supreme hired them because she wasn’t living at home anymore and he was concerned for her safety.”
“That could very well be true but to be on the safe side let’s find out for sure.” I couldn’t dial Supreme’s number fast enough. He answered on the second ring and I wasted no time getting to the point.
“Supreme, did you hire a driver and security guard for Aaliyah?” Please say yes Supreme.
“No I didn’t, why would you ask me that?”Because that’s what Aaliyah told Amir. Have you spoken to Aaliyah?”
“Yes, she called me earlier today.”
“How did she sound?”
“She sounded good. I told her that you agreed to let me take Xavier back to LA with me and she said she wanted to make sure she saw us before we left.”
“Did she say anything else?”
“No. What the hell is going on, Precious!”
“I’m not sure. I haven’t spoken to her and I was concerned.” I didn’t want to tell Supreme about the blood over the phone because I knew he would’ve went ballistic. Knowing that he spoke with her today brought me some comfort until I was able to get to the bottom of what was going on with her.
“Like I said she sounded upbeat when I spoke to her but I’ll call her and let her know she needs to get in touch with you.”
“I appreciate that, thanks,” I said hanging up with Supreme. “The good news is that Supreme spoke to Aaliyah today. The bad news is he didn’t hire her a driver or a bodyguard. So the question remains is who did hire them and why.”
“Genesis, did you ever put one of your men on Aaliyah?”
“We did for a few days to check things out but we deemed it unnecessary. The townhouse she was staying in was a gated community with twenty-four hour security and my men didn’t see anybody suspicious following her.”
“I need to find out what the hell that girl has gotten herself into. I’m going to that townhouse right now.”
“I’m coming with you,” Nico said grabbing his car keys.
“I think we should all go,” Genesis suggested. “I’ll call my driver and tell him to bring the car around.
When we got to Aaliyah’s place there was nobody there. There weren’t any cars in the driveway and nobody answered the door. Each of us tried calling her on our drive over but she didn’t pick up. Then as we were all about to get back in the car my phone rang and it was her.
“Aaliyah, where are you?”
“At home.”
“We’re at your place right now and you’re not here.”
“I moved.”
“Moved where?”
“To a condo in Edgewater.”
“Who got you a condo?”
“Daddy did.”
“Oh, the same daddy that got you the driver and bodyguard?”
“If you don’t believe me ask him.”
“Who got you the driver and bodyguard and why?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I have plenty of time.”
“Well I don’t. I only returned your call because daddy said you were worried about me and I wanted you to know that I’m fine.”
“You can’t be fine. Amir told us that you had blood on your neck.”
“I got into a fight with a girl at my job and I didn’t want Amir to know.”
“What job? You told Amir you were in school.”I lied. I didn’t want him to know that I was working at a strip club.”
“What! You’re a stripper!”
“No! I said I worked at a strip club. I’m a cocktail waitress.”
“You’re not even old enough to drink. How did you even get hired?”
“I gave them a fake ID. Now do you understand why I lied to Amir?”
“You still haven’t explained why you have the driver and bodyguard.”
“They work for the owner of the club. I open up the club in the morning and the owner also has me make a lot of the bank deposits, so for my protection and his, he has his driver and bodyguard take me to and from work. Are you satisfied now?”
“I want to see you today.”
“That’s not possible.”
“Why not?”
“I have to go out of town for a couple of days. I’m actually headed to the airport now.”Where are you going?”
“Miami.”
“What in the hell are you going to Miami for?”
“The owner of the club is opening up a new strip club there and he wants me to manage it for him.”
“So now you’re planning on moving to Miami?”
“I haven’t decided but I am considering it. It won’t be ready to open for a few months so I have time to make up my mind.”
“Why are you working at a strip club? You don’t need any money.”
“I want to stop depending on my family and make my own money.”
“I hate to burst your bubble, Aaliyah but working as a cocktail waitress at a strip club or even managing one isn’t going to afford you the lifestyle you’re used to.”
“I’ll cut back. As long as I’m making my own money so I don’t have to rely on you for anything, I’m good.”
“I want you to call me when you get to Miamiand I want to see you as soon as you get back.”
“No problem, but I have to go now. As you know it’s illegal to talk on your cell and drive at the same time. I’ll speak to you later.”
“What all did she say? All I caught was strip club, Miami . . . what’s going on?”
“Nico, I don’t know what is going on with our daughter. She’s working at a strip club as a cocktail waitress. She said she got into a fight with a girl there and that’s where the blood came from. She also said that the driver and the bodyguard belong to the owner who is her boss.”
“So she lied to me because she didn’t want me to know she was working at a strip club.”
“That’s what she said, Amir. It makes sense but something isn’t right but I can’t put my finger on it.”
“I agree with you, Precious.” Genesis spoke up, as we all seemed to be analyzing what was going on with Aaliyah.
“Unless she’s dating the club’s owner. That would make more sens
e,” Amir reasoned. I saw the pain in Amir’s eyes when he thought that might be an option.
“I haven’t been close to Aaliyah in the last few months but I know how much she cares about you and I can’t imagine her seeing someone else while she’s with you,” I said, trying to reassure Amir but not being certain myself.
“Aaliyah and I had been apart for a very long time before we got together. It would be stupid of me to think that she hadn’t met anybody. She could’ve been seeing him and wasn’t ready to break things completely off and didn’t know how to tell me.”
“You know what, we could sit here all day and try to scrutinize what is going on with Aaliyah and still be wrong. What’s important is that we know she’s safe and not in any danger. When she gets back from Miami we’ll go see her and figure all this shit out,” Nico said, getting in the car.
“I think that’s a good idea. The most important thing is that Aaliyah is safe. Now that we know she is we can get back to handling our business.”
I heard what Genesis was saying and even Nico, but for some reason I wasn’t so sure Aaliyah was safe. I couldn’t excuse the knot in my gut that wouldn’t go away. I wasn’t sure if the feeling was me being a paranoid, overprotective mother or if it was something much more alarming. But I grilled Aaliyah and she had a plausible response albeit not what I wanted to hear but still plausible for every question I threw her way. So either she was telling the truth or my daughter had become a professional liar and if so that was the scariest part of all.
Aaliyah
The sun beamed down on my bikini clad body as I relaxed at what many would call an award winning pool and spa that included an entertainment area complete with a kitchen, custom granite gazebo with hand carved onlays, granite columns and a copper dome. This estate was amazing and the perfect escape. I told my mother I was in Miami but there was no need for me to go that far to get a peace of mind. After that day I was almost killed and I told Amir to leave, I called the brothers to tell them what happened and they graciously invited me to come stay with them for as long as I wanted to. I sipped on my third Bellini wanting to block out everything that happened that day but I couldn’t forget. I needed to replay and remember every detail because I was set up and I wanted to know by whom.
“Good afternoon.” I slid down my sunglasses so I could see who it was speaking to me.
“Good afternoon to you, Dale.”
“Do you mind if I sit down and join you?”
“This is your house. You can sit wherever you like.”
“You’re a guest here and I don’t want to intrude on your space.”
“I would love for you to join me, please sit down.”
“Thank you. So are you starting to feel any better?”
“Honestly no. I mean being here is definitely making me feel safe and giving me a peace of mind but it doesn’t change the fact that I almost died and I had to take somebody else’s life so I could live.”
“The first person you murder is always the hardest to deal with. There are times I’m still haunted by the face of the first person I killed and all the rest of them I don’t even remember.”
“How many people have you killed?”
“I’ve lost count. It’s part of the game. I haven’t had to kill anybody in years as I have hired help for that but I wouldn’t hesitate to do it in a heartbeat if necessary.”
“I don’t know if I want to become that person.”
“Then you’re in the wrong business. You never know when you might have to take a motherfucker out.”
“I always heard that but experiencing it is something totally different.”
“It’ll get easier.”
“You think so?”
“I know so, you’re built for this.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you’re a boss. You’re strong you have a lot of heart and you’re about your business. You haven’t even begun to tap into your strength. But if you let me I’ll show you the way.”
“You will?”
“Yes, you’ll be my protégé. What do you think about that?”
“I like it.” One minute I was saying I like it the next minute Dale’s tongue was down my throat and I liked that too. I wasn’t sure if it was the drinks the ambience or both but soon Dale was between my legs and our bodies were intertwined. Our kisses became longer and more passionate. Then he slid my bikini top up and sucked on my hardened nipples one after the other. I spread my legs further apart wanting to feel him inside of me. When he slipped his finger inside my pussy and began playing with my clit I didn’t stop him. Instead I moaned in his ear, waiting for him to replace his finger with his dick.
“We have to stop,” he whispered in my ear.
“No, please don’t stop. I want you inside of me.” And I did. Dale had me overly sexually stimulated and I loved it.
“Are you sure you want this dick?”
“Yessssss,” I purred as my voice pleaded for him to satisfy my request. Right when I thought he was going to fill my insides up he stopped and sat up. “What are you doing?”
“Shh,” he said putting his finger over my lips. “You’re not ready yet.”
“Yes, I am. I want you.”
“I need you to want me more.”
“Huh?”
“Right now you want me sexually but I need you to want me sexually and mentally. In a short period of time you will,” he stated confidently, before kissing me on my forehead and walking away.
Dale left me feeling all sorts of hot and bothered and that wasn’t cool. There was no way I would be able to spend another minute outside by the pool after what almost happened between us. I grabbed my towel and headed inside the house. When I got to my bedroom I sat down on the plush bed and closed my eyes. My mind was swarming with thoughts, good, bad and ugly. In the last six months my life had had gone in a totally different direction. Although I welcomed a lot of the changes there was still a sense of loneliness but I knew exactly what would make me feel better. I got out of bed and went in the bathroom to take a shower. I was anxious to get to my destination.
When i got to my grandfather’s room he was laying there looking so peaceful. He didn’t even seem like he was in a coma, more like in a deep sleep. The mood felt serene and calmness came over me. I pulled up a chair and sat right next to him. I held his hand and then I lifted it against my cheek. The warmth comforted me.
“Grandfather, I miss you more than you’ll ever know. I need you to come back to me. I feel lost without you.” And I did feel lost without him. My grandfather was my heart. He loved me unconditionally. He saw the best in me when there was nothing to be seen. “You’re the only person who has always made me feel loved no matter my shortcomings. So many things have happened since the last time I came to visit you. Amir and I decided to give our relationship a try. Things were going great until I got myself in a situation with the business that I’m in.
“Grandfather, I’m not ready to share that part of my life with him or maybe I should. I do love him but I’m so afraid if I let him all the way in, he’ll hurt me. I can’t take being hurt anymore. But you would always tell me that it was better to have love and lose it then to never experience love at all. I have to give Amir and me a real chance. If you were awake I know that’s what you would tell me to do. I’m going to see him right now. I’m going to take a chance and tell him everything that’s going on with me. If he truly loves me then he’ll accept me for who I am.
“Thank you for listening,” I smiled, kissing my grandfather on his hand and then on the side of his face. “When I come back to see you, I’ll let you know how everything went. Wish me luck. I love you.”
“Isn’t this sweet, my father’s favorite grandchild, pouring her heart out to him.” I didn’t even have to turn around to know who the owner of that sarcastic voice was.
“Don’t bring your negativity into my grandfather’s room. He’s resting, respect that.”
“He’s not resting, he�
�s in a coma. There is a difference. So save the theatrics. My father is completely oblivious to what is being said around him. ”
“Maya, don’t you have a car to get hit by or a bridge to jump off of? This world has enough miserable bitches to deal with so be gone.”
“I think you should be more concerned about yourself, my dear, niece,” Maya smirked, before continuing. “It’s dangerous out here in these streets, especially when you don’t have a grandfather to protect your every move.”
“Excuse me. I have important things to do. I don’t have time to entertain your bullshit today. But for your own good, you better watch what you say because grandfather hears it all,” I winked before leaving to go see Amir.
As I made my way to Amir’s place I kept going over everything I would say to him. I kept switching up my speech but one thing remained the same. My opening words would be I love you. If I told Amir that, everything else would fall into place. Practicing my approach made my car ride go by in record time. By the time I parked my car and got out, I was more than ready to confess my undying love to Amir. I missed not being with him and my encounter with Dale earlier today made that even clearer for me. There was no denying I was super attracted to Dale but what Amir and I shared went beyond that. We were lovers and best friends. It was time for me to knock down all my walls and let Amir see me for who I was in its entirety.
I almost felt like running, while walking down the street headed to Amir’s building. The sun was out and it was such a beautiful day. Nothing could wipe the smile off I thought but I spoke to soon. “Aaliyah, what are you doing here? I thought you were in Miami.”
“So what, you thought Justina could entertain you until I got back?” Here I was rushing to declare my love to Amir and who do I see coming out his building . . . him and Justina. Now what type of bullshit was that?
“It’s not like that.”
“Is that your favorite tagline, because every time I catch you with her that’s what you say,” I said, trying my best not to even acknowledge Justina with face-to-face contact.
“Justina came over to talk to me about something and I was walking her out to her car.”