I walked around the front of the car and gave him a look that said it all. I wanted him to think that I was upset; maybe then it would be a little easier to break through this shield that he was obviously holding up. I got in the car where he still seemed unfazed by the attitude I was giving off. He was cocky, but I liked it. It was something about a man with so much confidence and a challenge was something that I would never turn down.
“Nine o’clock, huh?” I said as soon as I planted my ass in the seat.
“Had some shit to do first but I’m here now so don’t bitch about it when you can make the best of it.”
Who the hell did he think he was talking to? Obviously me, because I was the only one in the car but I wasn’t about to go out like that. No matter who it was, no one would talk to me like shit and get away with it. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me right. It doesn’t make sense to bitch about it if you are still here with me. If you were that pissed then you should have stayed in the house.”
“Where the hell do you get off talking to me like that? I don’t know what type of chicks you are used to dealing with but I’m not one of them.”
“I know you’re not one of them because if you were you would have never seen me again after I fucked you. So obviously you’re different. Now, let’s just go out and have a good time and forget about it.”
Wow, I was shocked. Even though he made the comment in the rudest possible way that he could, it was cute. I got the point and what that meant was that I was more than a piece of ass. Not that I needed confirmation of that but it sounded good coming out of his mouth. I didn’t respond. I didn’t feel the need to make it bigger than it was. We arrived down on Delaware Avenue at the Chart House. I wasn’t really all that excited about the food I was more excited about finding out more about him. We walked into the restaurant and were seated immediately. Money sat down and was still pretty silent.
“So tell me something about yourself.”
“Tell you what?”
“About you. I don’t know anything about you and we’re practically partners.”
“There ain’t much to tell or much that I want to tell.”
“Why, why is everything so cold and secret with you?”
“Because that’s just the way that I am, it’s not intentional it’s just the way that it is.” He was still cold as he picked the menu off of the table and began flipping through the pages.
“Don’t you think you should change it? Or do you want to be alone all of your life?” I was staring at him so hard you’d think I could see through him.
“Alone is cool, at least when you fuck up you can’t blame nobody but you. I like it that way.”
“You are a strange character, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like you.” It was becoming a joke, and I was really beginning to think he was a comedian.
“What’s so funny?”
“You, you are really cracking me up. I find it hard to believe you could be like this all of the time.”
“So what do you think, I’m being hard for you?”
“Yeah, I think that you probably are trying to avoid falling for me.”
“What?” He burst into laughter at this point. “You have to be kidding me, I don’t have to put on an act for that. This is me and this is the way that I have always been.”
“Well, even the strongest glass can be broken so don’t think that it’s impossible.”
The waiter came over and took our order. That was the first time he smiled besides when he burst into laughter a few minutes earlier. I guess that last statement made him think about what I was saying. After the waiter walked away, I went right back in.
“When’s the last time you’ve been in a relationship?”
“I’m in one now.”
“Oh, really? So why are you here with me?”
“Because I want to be, it doesn’t have anything to do with that. Shit, you have a man, so why are you here with me?”
“Because I want to.” I laughed.
“All right then, that makes us even.”
“I guess you’re right.”
The rest of the night went much better than it began. After dinner we went over to my house where we ended the night with mind-blowing sex and this time a hug good-bye. Maybe I was breaking through that shell and would get some of the information that I needed. I knew that there was something that he was trying to get from me and though at first I gave in to temptation and had sex with him, I was now on the hunt and Money was the prey.
Chapter Fifty
Diamond
What am I Missing?
“I’m on my way, just be ready when I get there. I have something special planned,” Money yelled over the loud music playing on his car radio.
“Okay, I’ll be waiting at the door,” I replied with a huge smile on my face.
“All right.”
Click!
This thing was turning into something much more than I’d expected. I was actually beginning to enjoy his company. I still missed Black and I hated the fact that I couldn’t see him but the letters that he’d send me were comforting. They made me feel like there was still hope for us. I hadn’t accepted the fact that he was in jail waiting on a murder trial for something that I did but I knew that I was going to get him out of there some way, somehow. I was beginning to trust Money and I wanted to see how or if he could help me get Black off. I didn’t know how to approach the subject since we’d been seeing each other so much. He pulled up in front of the house and beeped the horn as usual. I still hadn’t gotten him to break that habit. I hurried out to the car, excited about what he had planned.
“So what is it that you have planned that’s so special?”
“It won’t be a surprise if I tell you. Don’t worry, you deserve it.”
“Okay,” I said smiling. I was a sucker for surprises.
“So I got a letter from Black today and he wanted me to ask you if you’d help me with getting him out of jail.”
“How the hell am I supposed to do that?” He seemed annoyed.
“Well, there’s this chick named Mica who’s pointing the finger at him. She’s the only witness they have. Without her, they’ll have to let him go. She’s in the witness-protection program so we haven’t been able to locate her. He said with your resources, you’d probably be able to.”
He turned to look at me with a serious look on his face, “With my resources? What the hell does he mean by that?”
“Hell if I know, but that’s what he said in the letter.”
“Well, I’ll see what I can do but I can’t promise anything.”
“Okay.”
I wasn’t sure where we were going but after that question the air in the car felt different. It had suddenly gone cold again like the first night that we were together. I felt like an ass for even bringing it up.
“So where are we headed?”
“You’ll see,” he quickly responded.
I sat back and kept quiet the rest of the ride. We arrived at a house in the Mount Airy section of the city. It was a pretty large house as all of the houses around it were. I felt special. I was finally going to see where he lived. I was glad that I had my gun with me, though. I remembered that he said he was in a relationship and I wasn’t about to have his girl bust up in there acting a fool and not be able to protect myself. All of the lights were off inside the house but there were two other cars parked in the driveway, a blue Toyota and a black Mazda.
“Whose cars are these?” I asked as soon as I shut the car door behind me.
“Mine.”
We walked up to the large wooden door quietly. I still wanted to know what the hell was going to happen that was so special that he couldn’t tell me but I figured I could wait a little while longer if I waited this long. The house was huge inside but was so dark I stood still for fear that I would walk into something.
“Why are you standing there like a statue?”
“Because it’s dark as . . .”
Just then the light came on. I laughed instead of finishing the sentence that I had started. He walked over to the radio and turned it on. The sounds of Raheem Devaughn, one of my favorite neo-soul singers, filled the room.
“This is a very nice place, you live here alone?”
“Why are you always giving me a survey? Just chill and have a seat. Your surprise will be here very soon.”
I stared at him and his smile. He was so damn sexy it should be a sin. His hair was always perfect and he always smelled like Jean Paul Gautier cologne. His body was nice too. It wasn’t as sculpted as Black’s but it was pretty much running neck and neck. It was almost mouthwatering. I wanted to jump on him and get busy right then and there but I had to play his game. I walked over to the sofa and sat down. Crossing my legs, I began to shake my legs as if I was waiting impatiently.
“You crack me up, I’ll be right back,” he said laughing and heading out of the living room.
I sat there quiet, waiting for him to get back. I’d occasionally pick with my fingernails or run my fingers through my hair. I was bored as hell so the time seemed to be moving in slow motion. I heard his footsteps coming back toward the living room behind me. Out of nowhere I felt a hard hit on the back of my head. I tried to get up but my head was spinning. I fell back down in the chair.
“Hurry up and tie her up.”
“I am hurrying, shit, stop rushing me, she’s here now right where we wanted her.”
I tried to open my eyes; my head was hurting like hell. When I was finally able to open my eyes I couldn’t move my arms, they were tied behind my head. What the hell was going on? I tried to focus. There were two people standing in front of me, Money and Mica. What the fuck?
“What the hell is going on?”
“This is your surprise.”
“What?”
“You really thought you could shoot me and get away with it? I knew you were cocky, but come on. You should have been more careful, now you’re going to die and your boyfriend is going to spend the rest of his life in jail while we run his business.”
“What do you mean we?”
“Oh, you still don’t get it? Money is my man, I’m sure he told you that he had a woman, right? But that never stopped you before.”
“It never stopped you either!” I yelled while trying to get my hands free.
“You’re in no position to talk, remember that? I thought it would be good to watch you squirm like you watched me that day in the warehouse.”
“I was the one that talked him into letting you go, so how can you compare that to this?”
“I’m not comparing it to that, I just thought that it would bring back memories. It’s definitely bringing them back for me.”
“What the hell do you want from me?” I yelled. I was getting angrier by the second. Mica wasn’t the rough type so I knew she wasn’t going to kill me.
“I want to watch you suffer and then I’m going to kill you. It’s a shame your little baby is going to be parentless.”
“Fuck you Mica, don’t even talk about her. You’re not going to kill me and you know it. You can try all that thug shit if you want. It won’t work, because you of all people don’t scare me.”
“I’m cracking up over here. You probably thought my man really wanted you, huh? How does it feel to get played?”
“He did want me.”
“Don’t fool yourself, okay, he just talked a good game to bring you here today.”
“That’s what he told you?”
“That’s what I know.”
“Yeah, well, don’t fool yourself because your man’s been fucking me for weeks.”
“Wow, you are a comedian.” She laughed. I knew that I was getting under her skin.
“I’m dead serious and you’re in denial. He’s lying to you, sweetie, he just fucked me yesterday, as a matter of fact.”
“Bitch, stop lying!” she yelled as she ran over to where I was seated and slapped me across the face. I laughed hysterically, which pissed her off even more. I was getting to her when her plan was to get to me. She’d never watch me squirm. I’d die before I’d give her that satisfaction.
“What are you doing, Mica? Calm down,” Money yelled and grabbed her by the arm.
“What am I doing, what is this I hear about you fucking her? Is that true, Money?”
He turned and looked at me and then back at her, “No, she’s lying,” he said.
“I’m lying? So now I’m lying? You didn’t say that shit when your face was buried in my pussy!” I yelled.
“You bitch,” she yelled and tried to get back over to me but Money stopped her in her tracks.
“Look now, calm down, I didn’t fuck her, okay. That bitch is lying. Now we have some shit to handle and Deidra is pulling up outside.”
“I’m done with you, bitch, you better believe that shit,” she yelled as she headed toward the door. Money was still standing there staring at me as if he wanted to tell me how sorry he was. “Let’s go, Money, now!”
He followed behind her and walked out of the door. Soon I heard footsteps walking toward me and then Deidra appeared.
“Oh, my god, Deidra, I’m so glad to see you. Could you get me out of here?”
“I can’t do that, baby girl.”
“Why not, I though we were cool? You always told me that I was your little sister. What happened to that?” I pleaded.
“What happened? You tried to kill my flesh and blood. All of that shit went out the window the moment you shot her.”
“It wasn’t like that, Deidra. I never meant to hurt her, honestly. I was trying to kill Kemp and she just got caught in the crossfire. I didn’t intentionally shoot her.” I lied, hoping that I could get her to let me go.
“I wish that was true, Diamond, I really do.”
“Well, what are you going to do? Be Mica’s little flunky? I thought you were the older one here?”
“I’m not anyone’s flunky and you know that. You can say what you want but pissing me off is not going to get me to let you go.”
I sat there quiet for a few seconds. She was right; it wasn’t going to work, so I had to figure something else out. I had to get her to let me go before Mica and Money returned.
“I’m sorry okay, I’m losing my mind here I need to get back to my baby.”
“Baby? What baby?”
“I have a little baby. Her name is Dior. She was premature so she’s still in the hospital. Remember I saw you that day at the hospital? I was visiting her.”
“I didn’t know that. She never told me you had a baby.”
“I do and I need to be there for her, you have to help me, Deidra. Black’s already in prison for the murder and assault—why isn’t that enough? My daughter is going to suffer for this.”
Deidra sat there as if she was debating what her next move should be. I could see that I was getting to her heart and that was where I needed to be. Though it was the truth I was laying it on thick and it seemed to be working. Deidra had always been a good person and I didn’t see that changing. I could always talk to her and though Mica and me were close, my relationship with Deidra felt more real. I felt like we were family and she treated me as if I were really related to her. She would also do what she had to do to protect her blood so I could see how Mica would use that to her advantage.
“Are you going to help me?”
She looked at me for a minute or two but still remained silent. She got up from the chair and paced back and forth, looking at me every few seconds. I continued to beg her to let me go as she continued to pace the room. I knew that I was most likely running out of time the longer this went on. I had no idea what time they were coming back but I knew it would probably be pretty soon.
“I’m going to help you,” she finally responded.
I smiled and began to work in my head what I was going to do to get out of here. She went to look out of the window before coming back to the chair where I was sitting. She untied me and gave me
the keys to her car.
“You have to tie me up, this can’t look like I willingly let you go.” She grabbed hold of my arm.
I looked in her eyes and saw fear. Though I wanted to get out of there as fast as I could I had to do it. I couldn’t let her take the heat for having the heart to let me go. I agreed and as she sat in the chair I tied her up. I hugged her before grabbing my purse from the table and running toward the door. Just as I was turning the knob I heard a car pulling up—it was them. What the hell was I going to do now? I ran back into the room and looked around like I was trying to find somewhere to hide. There didn’t seem to be a back door that I could run out of either. I noticed a closet under the stairs. I ran over to it and hid inside. I heard them come into the living room where Deidra was sitting tied up in the chair. The door on the closet was wood and had slightly opened panels, sort of like a mini-blind. I could see out but you couldn’t see in. I sat there quietly.
“What the hell?” Mica yelled, running over to Deidra. Deidra had her head down and picked it up just as she got down on her knees and touched her own leg.
“She got away, I’m sorry Mica, she got away.”
“How the fuck did that happen? Did you untie her?” Money yelled. I could hear the anger in his voice as he paced back and forth. “Damn, Mica, I told you we shouldn’t have left her here alone.”
Mica was untying Deidra while Money was looking out the window, probably trying to see if I was outside.
“I’m sorry, Mica, she tricked me into letting her loose, then she overpowered me.”
“Deidra, this is all messed up. What the hell are we going to do now?”
Money continued to pace the floor. He now had retrieved his gun from the small of his back and was waving it around in the air. “I’m going to kill her, I’m going to fucking kill her.”
I thought that was the plan anyway. Maybe they weren’t going to kill me and were only threatening me to see what I’d give up. I still didn’t know how I was going to manage getting out of the house but I stood quietly in the closet, barely breathing. Even if that wasn’t the plan in the beginning it was definitely the plan now.
The Black Diamond Trilogy Page 33