MARCO
“Walk on Water” was nearing the end. Eminem was on the last verse when I felt a bump into my back. It was hard, too. Right at the center, which meant they were too fucking close! Pissed off, I prepared to turn around to see who the idiot was. But the weirdest thing happened. When I tried to move I felt restricted. I had to pause to allow my brain to process what was happening. I tried again to turn around, but found that I couldn’t muster the strength to jerk with the intensity that I needed to send the message.
It was when my lids began to feel weighted, that I panicked. Something wasn’t right. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling. But my thoughts went from anger, to confusion, to feeling the weakest I’d ever felt in my life. My equilibrium went into a tailspin and I couldn’t really walk straight.
Oh shit. What happened? I questioned silently.
That bump against my back wasn’t a regular bump. Am I hurt?!
I closed my eyes briefly. I needed to channel. I needed to be my own calming agent in that moment. However, as I closed my eyes, I felt a rush of the night’s warm air settle on my face in a thick layer.
What the fuck?
“Help . . .” I tried to say, as my breath quickened.
Something’s not right.
I felt lightheaded and the city lights around me began to blur. Everything . . . blurred.
“What . . . the . . . fuck?” I whispered, my voice weak. I stood in place, the strength quickly leaving my body.
Something is . . . wro . . .!
My mind was screaming the intended message loudly, but my mouth could barely force out the words. Suddenly, my knees buckled. I reached out with both hands to try catching my fall, but there was nothing to hold on to . . .
-43-
KASSIDI
Before I got in the shower, I had already gotten my space nice and cozy for when I got out. The only thing missing was a glass of wine. For the past two weeks, all I had time to do was go to work, come home, maybe eat and get back on the grind of putting stuff away. I needed to feel, “at home”, in my new place, and that could only happen once everything was in its place.
I was almost there. The only thing I had left to do was my office. I was waiting for a full, free weekend to do that because I wanted it to be really cute and sophisticated! I had big plans for it, and made sure to keep the door closed during the week. Otherwise, I would be tempted to go in there and start messing with stuff.
In my bathroom, I swayed to the beat of Jill Scott’s “Family Reunion”. My eyes closed as I wrapped my purple silk scarf around my head. This song made me smile because it brought ‘love’ to mind. It was the song that Kenya and Brian danced to at the Cotillion, in Something New—one of my favorite movies. After my scarf was cute and in place, I turned off the bathroom light and danced my way into my bedroom. I snapped my fingers over my head, arms flailing and droppin’ it like it was hot, and like I had a man to dance with!
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a man? At least one to dance with, sex with . . .
But hell, moving to a new city, I already knew that was going to be a long time out. I was starting to think I should’ve gotten me some before I left the Bay Area. At least there were a few familiar penises there that I could’ve picked from. But nooo! For a brief second, I thought about pulling out one of my five toys, and giving myself some temporary relief. Thankfully, the song went off, and the desires vanished right along with it!
Thank ya, Jesus! I honestly didn’t feel like playing with my own kitty tonight. Maybe some other time.
By the time the next song began to play, I was already sitting in front of my bay window, settled in the plushness of my cream-colored oversized sofa chair. This sofa chair was everything! By far, my favorite piece of furniture. I had been on the hunt for one since seeing the one Tamar had in her bedroom on The Braxton Family Values, seasons ago! The lights had been dimmed, the blinds open, and the ceiling fan pushing out soft petals of air on top of me.
I grabbed one of the four pillows that came with the chair and hugged it while I listened to “Kemistry”. All the music flowing from the playlist was so soothing, but at the same time, came with thoughts I was in no mood to entertain. Especially, since I didn’t have anybody to act that shit out with! Ugh!
Through the saving grace of God, my phone rang in the middle of Kem’s croon and I was thankful as hell. A distraction would be good. I looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Brianna calling. It had been two weeks since we’d spoken. I quickly answered.
“Hey girl!” I answered gleefully.
“Hey! Whatcha doin’? besides listenin’ to Kem? I hear it in the background. Don’t tell me you got a little freaky-freak over there.”
“It’s a struggle life, girl. No freaky-freak here. I wish, shit.”
“Well, you know . . . Vegas is full of—”
“No thanks,” I shot out, in front of a burst of laughter. “I’m cool! Had my share of Vegas penis.”
“Girrrl!” Brianna said, laughing heartily. “Don’t I know it!”
We spent the next minute and a half laughing out loud. It was something that we could both relate to. We’d both been in Vegas and behaved badly, at the same time! On the same night!
“Look . . .” I said, when the laughter subsided. “You won’t believe how damn small this world is.”
“Shiid, yes, I would. But tell me anyway,” she said.
“So, girl. You know the company I work for moved me out here. They paid for relocation. The moving company they used belongs to . . . wait for it . . . The Graffiti Effect!”
“Lies! Hell no! Lies!”
I held up my right hand as though she could see it. “I tell no lies. The man showed up with the movers. The day you called, as a matter of fact. I’d just had all my stuff delivered and was putting shit away.”
“If you don’t backtrack and give me all the goddamn details, minus what the hell you had to put away. Just remove furniture from ya dialogue. Please and thank you. Do I need popcorn for this?!”
“Stop! You got me hollerin’ over here! Just stop!”
“Well, just start then . . . I’m all ears.”
“It wasn’t really shit. He showed up and I showed the fuck out.” I shook my head, playing back my actions.
“What does that mean, Kass? You showed out?”
I threw my palm against my eyes and shook my head some more. “Girl, I pretty much accused the man of stalking me.”
“No, you didn’t. No. You. Did. Not.”
“I did, girl. And turned out that he was just coming by to check on his movers.”
“Like a good boss would, but go on.”
“I felt so bad later. But my pride wouldn’t even allow me to call the man’s place of business and extend an apology.”
“Girl, no. I’m up here with my mouth hanging open.”
“Well flies might fly in that damn thang when I tell you just how much smaller the world gets. He lives in my neighborhood! I don’t know where exactly, but one of his movers told me after he left. Mortified, girl.”
“Unh, unh, unh,” Brianna said. “I can’t wit’ you.”
“Shit, I can’t wit’ me. Trust me, I felt horrible and stupid.”
“So, what now?” she asked. “You gonna get that man’s address, and then show up with a trench and not a damn thang under it, with some stilettos?”
“Hellll no, you nut! So, his ass can call the damn law on my ass?”
“You a punk, that’s why!”
“I’m not falling for that. You got me with that, one time in life! She don’t give in to adult peer pressure!”
“Any more!”
“Whatever. I’ll tell you what. It’s Friday. You catch a flight, show up to that review tomorrow night, in a trench, butt-ass nekkit beneath, with some stilettos and go get ya X-man! Then I’ll—”
“Goodbye!” Brianna said, both of us laughing hysterically as we disconnected from our call.
-44-
ADONIS ANASTA
S
“Dammit!” Adonis Anastas yelled out loudly, as he punched the wall in front of him. “She’s really testing my goddamn patience!”
“What’s goin’ on, boss?”
Adonis looked up at his bodyguard, Vido, who had come running into the room. He shook his hand out from the pain he’d just caused himself.
Walking over to the small kitchenette inside of his office, Adonis turned on the faucet and let the cold water run over the bruise, quickly forming across his knuckles.
“You good?” Vido asked.
“Not really.” Adonis sighed and walked back across the room to where his desk was. “This shit is getting old, Vido. I spend more fuckin’ energy trying to fix this girl, than I do on my own fuckin’ life.”
Vido leaned against the wall, his hands in his pockets. “This about Kaia, I’m guessing.”
“You’re guessing right. If it’s not one goddamn thing with her, it’s another. It’s starting to take a real toll. I love my niece with all my heart, but she’s making shit difficult. Pretty soon, decisions will have to be made where she’s concerned.”
Vido sighed and released a large puff of air. “Oh shit.”
“Yeah. Oh shit, is right. You know what normally happens to ‘liabilities’ . . .”
“Wait . . . Boss . . .”
Adonis held up his hand. He knew where Vido was going with his thoughts. “I would never, Vido. I’m just sayin’. How much bullshit is she planning to take me through before I have to take drastic measures with her?”
“What happened? I haven’t seen her come around in a few months.”
“Because she’s in fuckin’ Las Vegas. That’s why I . . .” Adonis looked down at his hand, which was beginning to swell and cursed under his breath. “. . . why I was punching the wall when you came in here. She called a while ago.”
“Is she okay?”
Adonis leaned his head toward the ceiling fan spinning above his desk, his stare blank. “She’s out there doing shit that she won’t be able to come back from.”
“So, you know why she’s there, then?”
“Yeah. When she finally told me where she was, it took all of two seconds for me to figure that out. Took a second after that to conclude that we need to get her motherfuckin’ ass back here. And when we do, she’s getting sent the fuck away. I’m tired of her reckless shit. I’m sick of worrying about her irresponsible ass, and I’m for goddamn sure sick of wondering when her stupid actions are gonna bring attention to my organization in a way that could hurt business.”
“Right.”
“Because that happens, I’ll have to . . .” Adonis paused before he said something he couldn’t take back. “She’s got my fuckin’ hands tied because she’s my blood.”
“I get it. I can be on my way there tomorrow on the jet to bring her back. You know where she is? Or you do need me to find out?”
“She turned off her phone. She taunted me with that shit. She knew I could find her. Which means that she’s probably done everything under an alias. She’s right for sure. Her ass is smarter than I gave her credit for.” Adonis looked over at Vido. “So, yeah, we’ll have to get security on it right away. My goal is to have her ass back here within the next twenty-four.”
-45-
KAIA
Kaia’s head was in the clouds. There was nothing and nobody that could shake the mood she was in. Everything was in her favor. She had been waiting to leave Las Vegas, and now five months later, she would finally get the chance. She hated the place that was way too hot, and lacked character. All it had going for it was the stupid-ass strip, and she’d had enough. Her flight was already booked for 8:45 in the morning, it was non-stop, and of course first class. She would have nothing less. The peasants of Vegas could eat her fucking dust. She couldn’t believe that she’d even slummed as a low-life bartender! Serving people! But, she did what she had to do, to get done . . . what needed to be done. Now, she felt victorious. She came, she saw, she conquered. Her enemy was dead and she was more alive than she had ever been.
“I looked for you after our set . . . ahhh, shit. Mmmm, thought you’d . . . ahhh, faked on . . . me.”
“No, cutie, I keep my promises,” Kaia said to Majesty.
“I thought you were never gonna give me this good-good,” he groaned.
“Better late than never, right?”
“Uhh-huhh,” got that shit right.”
Kaia’s palms were pressed firmly in his chest while she surfed across his wood. It wasn’t about her trying to feel him at all. In fact, she couldn’t even really say that it was his dick that had her close to climaxing. It was more the fact that her mind was clear. It was the fact that she had power over a man, that women would probably sell their soul to be with. Yet, she didn’t give a fuck about him. It was the fact that he was panting like a pussy right now. Moaning over and over, clawing at her thighs because she was riding him so damn good.
“Fuck me, Majesty! I wanna come! Move like you do on that stage. Perform for me, baby!”
She looked down at him and smiled. He started putting in more work. He wanted to please her, not look like the failure. He tried to flip her for the better advantage, but Kaia refused to move.
“No,” she insisted. “You should be able to have the same effect from where you are. I’m waiting, Majesty. Make it happen. Make me cum!”
Poor thing, she thought to herself. He wasn’t up to par. All that moving, shaking, and sliding across floors on the stage, but in bed . . . he lacked. She almost laughed at him, but at the last minute, she decided that he didn’t deserve to be humiliated.
“Here,” she said, slowing down her stroke and rolling off of him. “Come here . . .” she said, now on her back. She crossed her legs, locking him out. “Pry me open, and take it, Majesty. Take it and keep taking it until you hear me scream your name. Can you do that?”
He licked his lips and nodded. “I got you.”
When he got her legs open, it was like a new him came to life. Damn shame, she thought. His ass couldn’t even give me what I needed unless he was in control.
He better know what to do now that he’s in the driver seat. He’ll regret it if he doesn’t.
And she meant just that. There was a blade underneath the pillow if the urge arose.
Moments later, Kaia felt the warm river flooding her. She was right there on the verge, with Majesty pounding like a wild beast trying to prove a point. As his sweat poured onto her, she closed her eyes and traveled back to the strip.
The opportunity, the bumping into him. By the time he tried to turn around, she already had the knife inserted. She had already dragged it downward for extra effect. She wondered if it hadn’t been for his music, would he would’ve felt it sooner. It didn’t matter now, though. He was done—with life.
And as images of him lying on the pavement bleeding out came to mind, Kaia’s orgasm struck her like a bolt of lightning. It jolted her entire body, so uncontrollably, that she saw stars floating around behind her eyelids.
“How . . . was . . . that?” he asked, nearly out of breath. “It was good as hell for me,” he confessed.
“It was amazing,” she replied.
No thanks to you, that’s for sure.
She almost said the words aloud, but instead decided to let him keep living in denial, like so many other men did.
-46-
CYN
It was 6:45 AM on Saturday, when Cyn walked into the conference room down the hall from her office. She had gathered all of Cyn City’s staff for an important staff meeting. It was apparent when Cyn walked in that something was heavy on her heart. Her eyes were beet red from crying. She came in fresh-faced with not so much as makeup on. She was bare—in more ways than one. Her hair had been pulled back to the nape of her neck and was covered with the hood of a thin hoodie that she had put on as part of an ensemble of jeans and converse.
Even though it was early in the morning, and some of the staff had probably just gone to bed, they w
ere all wide awake. It was due to curiosity and worry, more than anything. Nobody knew why they were there, so hushed whispers filled the space. However, as soon as Cyn was spotted, the chatter ceased and the room became eerily quiet.
“Thank you all for showing up this morning,” Cyn began before taking her seat at the head of the giant table. She scanned the room slowly before addressing her senior manager, Sasha, who managed the bartending staff. “Where are Kaia and Mink?” she posed.
Unlike most big-business owners, Cyn knew everyone that worked for her. She wasn’t a micromanager by any stretch of the imagination. She didn’t need to be. She had incredibly competent staff that she knew, handled business. Cyn was a smart businesswoman and knew that you only got as good as you gave, and since high turnover wasn’t something that appealed to her, she did what she could to make her staff feel welcomed and a part of the family. That was why she got to know anyone who had her name on their paycheck.
“Kaia left sick last night, and I haven’t heard from her. I’ll talk to you about that when the meeting concludes. And then Mink was scheduled off today to visit her family in San Diego.”
Cyn nodded appreciation in Sasha’s direction. “Thank you, Sasha.”
“No problem.”
Next, she addressed the guys of The Wolf Pack with a light chuckle. “Did I interfere with your morning workout?”
Smiles spread across their faces, almost simultaneously. “You know how it is, boss lady, Cyn,” Gio, one of the Wolf Pack, replied. “I already had an hour in before getting in the shower to come here.” He looked around at his comrades. “So, I’m good. How ‘bout—?”
“I’m sorry, Cyn . . .” a voice said from behind her. Cyn turned around to see her assistant, Renee, approaching, with the Dolby conference phone in her hand. She placed it in the center of the table. “Mink is calling in,” she announced, while accessing the call. “You there, Mink?” she asked.
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