The Circle: Dayvid

by Ty Marshall

  “It’s just food ma, I ain’t asking for your hand in marriage,” he teased.

  “Ok.” She accepted giving in to those mesmerizing eyes of his.

  “What’s your number?” Saint asked pulling out his phone before Nova ran off the numbers quickly. “Ok that’s me calling you, lock me in,” he said, handing her the bags and stood in front of the hotel until he saw her disappear onto the elevator.

  Entering her room, Nova dropped her bags down. She was happy to see it was clean like the day she first checked in. Room service had come in and made the luxurious room beautiful again, sort of like she had done herself during the day. It seemed fitting. Her mind immediately went to the money in the safe. Racing over to the safe, her heart pounded in her chest but Nova felt relieved when she saw the money hadn’t been touched. Walking into the bathroom she began running the water for her bath then returned to the room, removing her phone from her handbag. Staring at the number from her last missed call, she thought about deleting it but after a few minutes she typed Saint’s name in and pressed save.

  ***

  U.S Marshal Torrence and Palmeri sat in the unmarked car across the street from The DuPont Circle Hotel snapping pictures of the woman they now knew as Renee Preston. They had gotten her name and room number from the desk clerk at the hotel and had been dying to lay their eyes on her. The woman who had been staying in the hotel for almost 2 months paying cash for a room that she never left and was now on their radar. The serial numbers on some of the cash had been red flagged in the system, meaning it had been marked from a bank robbery almost a year and a half ago; a robbery committed by the infamous Porter clan. The two Marshals had been following her all day in hopes she would lead them to one of the remaining Porters still at large. Torrence was obsessed with closing this case and even though Rain and Dayvid were now dead, she wouldn’t rest until she slapped cuffs on Fallon and Autumn. The Porters trail had gone cold after Rain’s death but Torrence felt she had just found her new lead. She didn’t know how the woman was connected but her gut told her she was definitely connected and she wasn’t going to stop until she found out how.

  “Who do you think she is?” Palmeri asked his partner.

  “I don’t know but I just have this feeling she’s connected some kind of way,” Torrence expressed passionately.

  “It’s been almost two years since that robbery. That money could have passed through so many hands by now,” Palmeri explained. “What makes you so sure she’s connected? She has no record whatsoever it’s almost like she doesn’t exist.”

  “Exactly,” she said at him making her point for her.

  The Porters were the biggest case of her career. Hell they were the biggest thing in her life at the moment. She had sacrificed her home life in favor of her job and it had cost her the family she built. Bringing the Porters down would make it all worth it to her.

  “Just a feeling that’s all. What’s she hiding or who is she hiding from, is what I wanna know?” Torrence continued. “She’s been staying at this hotel for over a month and had never left her room not one time until today. That’s not normal.”

  Palmeri nodded his head agreeing. “You have a point. What about the guy with her?”

  “Probably a nobody, but snap a few of him just in case.” Torrence instructed.

  ***

  Flowing from the hotel dressed in a split-neck, red sheath dress with an exposed front zipper and Christian Louboutin zebra stripe platform pumps, every head turned to get a look at Nova as she pranced towards the waiting vehicle. Saint stood holding the door of his pearl white 750 BMW open with a wide smile across his face. Dressed in a black Alexander McQueen zip shoulder sweatshirt, matching jeans and Balenciaga sneakers with a gold Cuban link laying on his chest he was definitely easy on the eyes. Something Nova took notice of as she spoke before getting into the car.

  “You look nice.”

  “So do you, smell good too,” Saint said taking in her intoxicating smell as she passed. He was feeling her fashion sense and admiring her curves at the same time. Damn, her fly match my fly. It’s something about this broad I like, he thought to himself closing the car door behind her.

  Saint escorted Nova into Charlie Palmer’s, a stylish steakhouse located on Constitution Ave. He had reserved a table on the rooftop terrace with a remarkable view of the Capitol Building. Admittedly impressed, Nova took a long look while Saint pulled her chair out and waited for her to be seated.

  “You like it?” he asked already knowing the answer but still wanting to hear her say it.

  “Yeah, this is nice,” she affirmed.

  “I’m glad you like it. I got something special planned for you,” he said with a smirk on his face.

  “Is that right?” she questioned with a suspicious look wondering what he was up to.

  “Yeah, I picked this place for a reason. Not only is the food good but it houses the biggest wine cube in the city; 6,000 bottles over 500 different selections. I noticed your affinity for wine and thought I would set up a wine tasting,” Saint revealed.

  “Affinity,” Nova teased but admiring his choice of words. She knew he was a street nigga by the way he moved but could tell he wasn’t the average run of the mill type. She had been schooled by one of the most thorough niggas the streets had ever seen and knew how to read most men. Dayvid had always been honest with her about the things he did, at least as honest as he could be without putting her in harm’s way. He equipped her with the same ability he had of studying people; reading their true intentions and learning how they think so she could know their moves before they made them.

  “Damn you hard on a nigga ma,” Saint stated jokingly. “What you wanna start with?” he asked passing her the wine menu.

  Nova picked a half of dozen wines to taste off the menu, then the two began getting to know each other better while they waited.

  “So tell me more about yourself?” Saint asked.

  “Not much to tell, I’m not that exciting, just regular ol’ me,” she spoke continuing to play it close to the vest with the handsome stranger.

  “There’s nothing regular about you,” he said in his smooth, husky tone. “At least not from where I’m sitting.”

  Nova blushed, every woman loved compliments and she was no different. She had never been out on a date with no man other than Dayvid and was feeling a little tense. Saint could sense her reservation and was doing his best to make her comfortable. He could tell she was holding back but instead of pressing her, he keep the conversation light and flowing as the waiter began filling their table up with the different wines.

  “So how’s the apartment search going?” he asked.

  “Hmm,” Nova said caught off guard before quickly remembering what she had told him. “It’s going, I should settle on something soon,” she played along in between sips of wine.

  “I can help, if you like. I know a couple real estate agents, I could make few a calls. I could come back out here next weekend and we can go check out a few of my people’s spots.”

  “You’re mighty confident. Let’s see how this date goes first before you start planning another one,” she teased him again.

  “Haha!” he said throwing his head back enjoying the laugh. “You really on some shit, ain’t chu?”

  Nova’s slick mouth and quick wit was right up his alley. She reminded him of the women back in his home state of New York. The more she put up a fight the more he liked her. He appreciated a good challenge; most women fell all over themselves around him, creaming their panties with thoughts of fucking him. Those women tend to end up in the graveyard of his memory, never receiving a callback and easily forgotten. The woman he knew only as Renee intrigued him and definitely had his full attention.

  “So what is it that you do?” she asked assuming he was in the dope game but knowing if he was he wouldn’t tell. At least not if he was a real nigga. Real niggas didn’t flaunt their business; they actually did the opposite, flew under the radar and continued get
ting money on the low.

  “I own a record label with a partner of mine. I’m out here trying to sign an R&B artist. I have to meet with her manager tomorrow before I leave,” he offered the half-truth. Fact was he came to DC twice a month to meet up with his connect and planned on taking a few bricks back to Baltimore with him.

  “Is she any good?” Nova asked.

  “Yeah, she’s dope. Maybe you can check her out sometimes. I’m thinking about putting a little showcase together for her. That’s if I can sign her,” he explained.

  Nova was a big music fan, so that definitely sounded like something she would be down for. She didn’t know if it was the glasses of wine or his charm and sexy smile that had her considering seeing him again, but she was. Now she was just hoping he didn’t do or say anything that would ruin those thoughts.

  After a few hours of talking, eating and plenty of drinking, Nova had definitely begun to feel the effects from all the wine tasting. She was tipsy and knew her limit. Saint felt it too. Not much of a wine consumer he had underestimated the libation.

  “Yo I’m a little nice,” he admitted sliding his chair back and stumbling slightly getting to his feet.

  “Rookie,” Nova mockingly teased enjoying a laugh at his expense. But the joke was quickly on her as she stumbled getting to her feet as well causing them both to burst into laughter.

  Saint reached in his pocket pulling out a knot, peeling off two hundreds. He tossed them on the table figuring that would more than cover the bill and the tip. Putting his arm out, Nova interlocked hers with his and they proceeded to walk out the restaurant arm in arm, using one another for balance in order not to look as drunk they were. Exiting the steakhouse into the cool night air, the draft hit Nova immediately sending a chill through her body. Saint placed his arm around her hoping to warm her up as best as he could while they headed towards his car. The air had seemed to elevate the effects of the wine in their system giving them both rubbery legs.

  “Yo I’ma get a fucking ticket,” Saint slurred as he navigated his car through the streets of DC trying to get Nova back to the hotel without crashing or getting pulled over.

  “You should have let me drive like I said,” she responded.

  “You right. Shit we almost there now.”

  Pulling up to the hotel, Nova was relieved they made it safely, but staring at Saint she could tell he was in no condition to be driving. She had enjoyed her evening and would truly feel guilty if something was to happen to him leaving her hotel in route to his final destination.

  “Don’t take this the wrong way,” she started with a disclaimer. “But you’re in no shape to be driving anywhere. So you’re more than welcome to come upstairs and crash…on the couch…in the living room.”

  Saint appreciated the offer and after initially declining he reconsidered, accepting after some persuading.

  “On the couch…in the living room,” Nova reiterated before they exited the car and headed upstairs.

  They both staggered into the room but Saint was clearly drunker than her. She warned him at dinner about throwing back those glasses of wine like it was juice but he refused to listen and now the room felt like a carousel spinning with him on it.

  “This a nice spot,” he mumbled admiring the luxe hotel room while making his way to the couch and plopping down.

  “Yeah,” she answered still finding humor in his drunkenness. “I’m gonna get you a pillow,” she said disappearing into the bedroom. Returning quickly, she was greeted by the sound of his light snoring and him stretched out. Nova just stared in the doorway looking at him shaking her head. Rookie, she thought to herself then went back in her room and got an extra blanket out the closet. She approached a passed out Saint on the couch and like she had done plenty of times for Dayvid, she removed his sneakers, placed the pillow under his head and covered him with the blanket. He looked comfortable to her and she left him to his sleep. Nova entered the bedroom, closing and locking the door behind her. Kicking off her heels and slipping out of her dress, she climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep.

  The sound of banging on the front door of the room woke her and the sun glaring through the curtains made her squint her eyes as she opened them. Nova rolled out of bed and headed to the closet quickly putting on a pair of workout pants and a t-shirt then unlocked the bedroom door and walked out into the living room area. Conspicuous by his absence, Saint was nowhere to be found. The blanket she had covered him with was neatly folded on the couch with the pillow on top of it. Other than that, there were no traces that he had even been there.

  “Was it too much to say bye or thank you,” Nova said to aloud to herself as she continued to the door. “Who is it,” she called out.

  “It’s me,” a voice from the other side replied. “Saint.”

  Nova opened the door and there he stood with bags of breakfast in his hand. “I just wanted to show my appreciation for letting me crash,” he said smoothly.

  A smile crept across her face as she stepped aside and let him in.

  “I didn’t know what you liked so I got a bunch of different shit. I got coffee & orange juice too,” he said holding out the cup holder with four cups in it. “Which one you like?”

  “Coffee,” she answered gliding across the room joining him on the couch.

  Both of them were starving, ravaging the food in no time. After letting her food settle, Nova jumped up and began to gather the trash and walked across the suite to discard it. Saint stared at her nice round ass protruding in the workout pants she wore and felt himself getting slightly aroused. The feeling heightened as she turned to face him and he got a glimpse of her pussy print.

  Fuck a camel toe, that shit fat as an elephant’s foot, he thought to himself. “I gotta get ready to go. I got that meeting,” he said as if he was reminding himself. Truthfully he didn’t have to or want to go just yet but didn’t want to linger around too long. He would rather leave on his own terms instead of being asked to; never the one to over stay his welcome. He stood up and caught her eyes briefly drift down to the bulge that had formed in his pants before looking him in the face again.

  “I really enjoyed myself,” she said following him to the door.

  “Me too, hopefully we can do this again real soon,” he said opening the door.

  “Yeah that would be nice,” she replied leaning in for a hug.

  “I’m gonna call you,” he answered and pulled her into his embrace.

  Nova liked the way he felt hugging her. She could feel his bulge as she pressed against his body, sending a warm tingling sensation through her panties. Instinctively, Nova kissed him and Saint indulged, slipping his tongue into her mouth, allowing the two to dance with each other momentarily before they separated.

  “Yeah, make sure you do that,” she said with a smile. “Bye,” she said before pushing him out the door and closing it.

  Saint just smiled and shook his head.

  CHAPTER NINE

  “Perhaps I am his enemy, but he can never be mine.”

  –King David (The Bible)

  The flashing lights of cop cars had become a normal occurrence at the run down motel, infested with as many drug addicts as roaches. Screaming and yelling quickly escalated into physical altercations when drugs were involved. Tonight a prostitute had robbed a trick and he had returned with the cops. Dayvid peered through the curtains and watched the whole scene play out waiting patiently for the cops to clear out. When the coast was clear, he cracked open the door of the room, looking both ways out onto the balcony, before pulling his hat down and his hood over his head. He had been living off of sodas and snacks out the vending machine but every trip was an adventure trying to remain as low key as possible. Even though most of the residents were probably oblivious to who he was and what was going on with him.

  Dayvid descended the steps moving towards the vending machines with his hand tuck in his jacket, not far from his gun. He pulled a few dollars out his pocket, straightening them and putting them in
the machine to make his choice when he heard a voice.

  “Hey mister,” said the tiny voice coming from his right.

  Dayvid turned seeing a tattered, little, brown skinned girl looking up at him with a baby face and puppy dog eyes. Her hair was a mess and she was in need of several baths; typical of the kids staying at the hotel.

  “Hi,” she said with a cute snaggletooth smile once she had his attention. “Whatchu doing?” she asked rocking back and forth.

  “Getting something to eat,” he replied.

  “I’m hungry too,” she said. “Can you buy me something?”

  Dayvid could tell by looking at the little girl that she wasn’t eating the way she should and wasn’t being looked after properly due to the fact that she was roaming around the unsavory place at night unattended. Her round little face, brown skin and big eyes rang so familiar to him. Even through the raggedy appearance reminded him of Fallon when she was younger and she would burst into his room begging from him to take her to the store. He couldn’t resist Fallon then and he couldn’t resist the little girl standing in front of him now.

  “Of course,” he said. “What you want?” he asked moving aside so she could get a look.

  “Keyara!” a woman’s voice could be heard yelling. “Where your lil’ ass at?” “Keyara!”

  The look on the little girl’s face let Dayvid know those screams were for her.

  “What are you doing?” the woman chastised as she turned the corner seeing her daughter. “I’ma beat your little ass,” she threatened.

  Dayvid looked the woman up and down, her appearance screamed addict. By the tracks on her arms and her constant scratching, it was obvious her drug of choice. Dope made zombies of out of its users. The infected sores it left up and down their arms and legs from dirty needles made them look like the walking dead.

  “Hi, how are you?” she asked looking up at the mysterious, handsome stranger standing in front of her, trying to sound sexy.