“My mom is so high most of the time that she wouldn’t even know if I was gone.” Damien said and took a sip of his Coke. Stacy didn’t know how to respond to that. “Yo, I ain’t trying to pressure you at all. I just wanted you to know that I wanna be with you.”
“I wanna be with you too. It’s just that I know my mom would trip if I told her I’m moving in with a guy. Especially, one she’s never even met before.”
“It’s not like you’ve ever offered to introduce me to her.” Damien pointed out.
“You know why I can’t.”
“‘Cause I’m a thug,” Damien retorted ironically with a smile on his face.
“Yes, ‘cause you’re a thug,” Stacy said back to him sarcastically and they both laughed.
After they finished their lunch, Damien dropped Stacy home. Stacy went inside the apartment and saw Eric sitting on the couch, watching TV and drinking a bottle of Colt 45 out of a brown paper bag. He was supposed to be out looking for a job, but spent more time at home while Thelma was at work.
“What’s up baby girl?” Eric asked as she hung her jacket up in the closet.
“Nothing much. I see you’re hard at work.”
“It’s a jungle out there. Did that little thug ass boyfriend of yours drop you off?” Eric asked sarcastically.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Stacy retorted, and walked to her bedroom and lied on her bed. She picked up a Word Up magazine and started to read it. Eric got up off the couch, walked back to her room, and stood in the doorway. He stared at her thick golden brown legs and felt his dick getting hard.
“Is he the reason you been holding out on me?” he asked. “You know you miss this grown man dick in ya.” Eric said, while rubbing his dick in his pants.
What are you talking about? Damien has a bigger dick then you anyway, Stacy thought to herself as she flipped the pages of the magazine. Eric came in further, sat on her bed, and caressed her thigh. She pulled her legs away.
“What’s the matter? Thelma ain’t taking care of you?.” Stacy shot back at him.
He grinned, “She does, but she ain’t got nothing on you.”
“Listen Eric, I only fuck with you occasionally because I’m bored or I feel a little horny. It’s not because I like you. My mother is an idiot to keep you here. You don’t work and you don’t have any money. You’re just a pretty boy trophy for her.” Stacy said to him ironically.
“Really?” Eric went into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. He started to peel off hundred dollar bills. “Baby girl I’m a pimp, and just because you don’t see me working doesn’t mean I don’t get money.”
“How did you get all that cash Eric?”
“Like I said, I’m a pimp baby girl. I bet that little thug you messing with ain’t got it like this.”
“Well good for you Eric, but like I said, I only fuck with you when I’m bored.” Stacy replied, picked up her magazine, laid back down on her bed. Eric started to drop hundred dollar bills on her stomach.
“So are you still bored?” Eric asked with a shit-eating grin on his face.
Stacy picked up the money and smirked back at him.
“So you just gonna leave me?” Darlene asked as Damien packed the last of his bags in his mother’s apartment in the Taft Projects. Darlene stood in his doorway as her eyes watered up. She knew this day would come sooner or later, but she still couldn’t believe it was happening.
“I told you I can’t stay here anymore. I’m sorry ma.”
“I can’t believe your abandoning me like this. After all that I have done for you…”
“All you’ve done for me? What the fuck have you done other then get yourself hooked on dope? Oh Yeah, you moved me into this shit hole project. I get to sleep next to rats in my room and pick roaches out of my cereal. Why wouldn’t I stay here?” Damien asked her, and then picked up his bag, put it over his shoulders, and walked by her.
“Damien,” Darlene cried. He stopped in his tracks. “I’m sorry baby. I’m sorry I wasn’t the mother I should have been. I wish I could take it all back. I should have been a better mother. I…I love you.” Damien turned around and walked back to her.
For everything she had done wrong, Damien couldn’t deny the fact that he still loved his mother, and he hugged her. “I love you too, ma, and I’m gonna still take care of you. I just can’t stay here, ma.”
“I know. I just can’t believe my baby is grown.”
“I promise you ma, when I get enough money I’m gonna move you out of here and into a house.”
“Okay baby, thank you. Before you go, do you have a couple of dollars on you so I can pick up some things from the supermarket? ” Darlene lied.
“Yeah, here you go ma.” Damien said. He went in his pocket and gave her a few dollars. He knew it was a lie but he was going to take care of his mother no matter what she needed, including her addiction.
“Oh shit, this pussy is so good.” Eric exclaimed as Stacy whined her waist round and round on his dick.
Stacy started to bounce her ass up and down making Eric’s toes curl. Stacy didn’t mind giving him a little pussy after his generous donation to her college fund. The only thing Eric was good at was sex, and that was the main reason Stacy’s mother put up with his trifling ways. Even Eric would have a hard time explaining to Thelma why her daughter was riding him in her bed, especially after she’s been standing at the door watching them for the past 30 seconds.
“This is some bullshit!” Thelma yelled, unable to watch them anymore. The sex was so good that they didn’t even hear her come in the apartment.
“Oh my God!” Stacy yelled. She jumped up off of Eric’s dick, grabbed her shorts off the ground, and put them on.
“Thelma listen to me, I can explain,” Eric pleaded.
“Explain what, mutha’fucka? You fuckin’ my daughter! Go head, explain it!”
He pointed at Stacy, “She came on to me and…”
“What!” Stacy yelled at Eric, shocked at his lie. “You lying ass mutha’fucka!”
“Shut up you little whore!” Thelma yelled at her.
Tears fell from her eyes, “Momma, I’m sorry.”
“I knew you’re a nasty little whore out there in these streets, but I didn’t think you would do this to me!”
“Mom, he’s lying! I didn’t…”
“Shut up! Shut up! I don’t wanna hear another Goddamn word out of your nasty mouth! I want you out of my house, bitch!”
She stared at her in shock. “You’re kicking me out and not him? I’m your daughter!”
“You’re nothing but a slut! I want you out of my fuckin’ house!” Stacy was stunned that she would do this to her.
“You’re gonna chose this loser of a nigga over me? Fine. I’m gone.” Stacy said and she ran off to her bedroom. Eric stood in front of Thelma only in his boxers.
“Baby, I swear I can explain everything.”
“Shut the fuck up!” Thelma yelled and slapped him in his face. “Get in the damn shower.”
Stacy packed her bag full of clothes, and she threw some more clothes and shoes in a suitcase. She saw Eric’s jeans on the floor, picked them up and took out the rest of his cash, which was $1,600, and pocketed it. She grabbed her bags and walked out of her room. She saw her mother standing in the living room by the door. Thelma opened the door for her. Without a word, Stacy walked out, and Thelma slammed the door.
Stacy went over to the house of her cousin Larissa, who stayed down the block from her mother’s. Larissa was her cousin on her father’s side of the family, and she was like a sister to her. Stacy sent a page to Damien’s beeper from Larissa’s phone. Within minutes Damien called the phone number in his pager back.
“Who this?” Damien asked over the phone.
“It’s me baby,” Stacy answered.
“What’s going on baby?”
“I had a fight with my mother. It was a really bad one and she kicked me out.”
“Word? That bad? Wha
t happened?”
“I just wouldn’t kiss her ass and be her in-house slave anymore so she kicked me out.” She lied. “Anyway, I just wanted to know if your offer is still good.”
“Yeah baby, just tell me where to pick you up,” Damien said to her and she smiled.
“I love you, Damien,” Stacy said. She gave him directions to Larissa’s place, and then she hung up the phone. Within the hour Damien came and picked up Stacy from Larissa’s house.
7
Can I Talk To You
November 1993
It had been four months since Damien saved Dwayne’s life at the underground party, and they were closer than ever. Damien had stop going on deliveries for Dwayne, and was now spending his days with him, overseeing the drug processing and distribution part of the operation. One of the spots they would sell drugs at was a bodega in Spanish Harlem. A location ran so carefully that the police weren’t even aware of its real purpose yet. Damien was making more money than before while being Dwayne’s right-hand man.
Damien moved out of his mom’s place and into a one-bedroom apartment with Stacy. He still took care of his mother and her habit. Even though Darlene was still very much addicted to heroin and kept taking the drugs her son would supply to her, Darlene was sad that Damien had grown up to be just like his father, a drug dealer. The cycle will just continue, she thought to herself.
Even though Damien and Stacy were living together, it wasn’t a real relationship. Damien had no idea what a real relationship with a woman was about. Stacy was too scheming to want one. They both had other ‘friends’ that they would sleep with on the side. It was more of an unspoken understanding that when they’re together they were together, and when they’re not together, they’re not together. Stacy made sure that any dude she crept with knew that Damien was her man. She knew with his temper Damien wouldn’t hesitate to put a bullet in both of their asses. Damien spent most of his time with Dwayne hustling and at the Kandi Club, which allowed Stacy the free time to spend his money and trick around.
Stacy started messing with a guy called Remo who hustled in Brooklyn. He was a very attractive man. Remello ‘Remo’ Stokes was 24 years old, 6-foot-2, and had a smooth, dark skin complexion. He had a low wave cut and was thugged out to the core. Stacy liked messing with thugs, especially those that had money and were willing to spend it on her. Stacy knew how to use her sexiness and allure to drive any man crazy without even giving up some ass.
Remo was much deeper in the game then Damien. Remo and his two brothers Jarrel and Big Mike controlled the Marcy Projects in the Bed-Stuy section of Brooklyn. The family business was thriving with the sale of crack cocaine. Remo met Stacy while he and his brothers were at The Tunnel nightclub in Manhattan. It was severely packed as usual, and beyond its legal capacity as people pushed by each other to get to the bathroom. As crowded as the club was, Remo was able to spot Stacy in a skintight white body suit and freaking on the dance floor. Remo moved across the dance floor, closing in on Stacy. His eyes scanned her body, and she was thick in all the right places.
“Hey ma,” Remo said in a sexy tone that made Stacy’s heart skip.
Stacy had peeped him when she came in the club. They made eye contact, and neither of them made an effort to look away. His swagger was effortless, and he was fine. She knew by the way she was dancing that he would come and get her.
“Hey,” Stacy said, looking at his full lips and handsome face.
“Let me buy you some more of what you’re drinking. You look like you could use another.”
“Do I? So how do you know you can afford what I’m drinking?” Stacy asked him playfully.
“‘Cause if I had to ask you, I wouldn’t be the man I am.” Remo said, flashing his gorgeous smile and Stacy blushed.
After a few drinks, Stacy took his number and promised to call him. Stacy told Remo she had a man, but he was unfazed by the news. After all, she was still there talking to him.
It had been three weeks since they meet at the Tunnel, and Stacy decided to go out with Remo to a bar and grill in Brooklyn. Remo was used to getting women in bed with hardly any effort, and he was attracted to Stacy’s reluctance to give up the pussy quickly. She was going to be a challenge for him, and he liked that. Stacy ordered the grilled chicken and Remo had a steak medium-well. As thugged out as Remo was, he still knew how to treat a lady. He was confident without being cocky, and he was a gentleman without being corny. Remo was a complete contrast from the type of man she was used to dealing with.
“So when are you gonna stop playing with me, girl?” Remo asked her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not playing any games with you.” Stacy coyly said to him.
“I ain’t use to waiting on women to make up their mind. You know I wanna be with you.”
“Trust me I’m worth the wait. Besides, I ain’t like the other hoes you must be sleeping with on the first night.” She said, and then took a bite of her chicken.
Remo chuckled to himself, “Why they gotta be hoes because they got with me?”
“Whatever. You know my situation.”
“Oh Yeah, you’ve got that young boy you’re living with. Baby you need a grown man to treat you how you should be treated.”
“Believe me Remo, I wanna be with you too, but I just need to figure things out with Dame. I promise you I won’t keep you waiting for long.” Stacy seductively said. Remo took a drink of his wine and stared at her full lips.
“You better not, but here’s a taste of what it could be like.”
Remo gave her a long black gift box, she opened it and saw a diamond tennis bracelet that looked like it cost at least ten thousand dollars. Stacy eyes lit up. She had never gotten a gift this expensive before.
“Oh my God.”
“Just a little something I picked up for you.” Remo said as he put it on her. “Thank you Remo.” Stacy leaned over the table and gave Remo a wet tongue kiss. Remo was exactly what she needed in her life.
Stacy came home a few hours later after she had dinner with Remo. She was tempted to spend the night with him, but decided it was better to stop before she gave into his wet kisses while they were sitting in his Suburban. Besides she knew Damien would be in late, and she didn’t want him to beat her home.
Stacy walked into their one bedroom apartment, and like she thought, Damien wasn’t there. She quickly changed from her little black dress into a pair of pink short shorts and a white wife-beater undershirt. She carefully hid the diamond tennis bracelet that she received from Remo. She laid out on the couch and turned on the TV to watch the Arsenio Hall Show. A few minutes later, Damien came in and saw Stacy looking sexy on the couch and smiled.
“Hey sexy lady.” Damien walked over to her, bent down, and kissed her lips.
“Hey baby. Where have you been all night? I’ve been waiting for you all day.”
“You know I’m out here grinding. You been missing me baby?”
“Of course I have Dame.” She lied.
“How much?” he asked, while rubbing his crotch.
“You know how much.” Stacy said shyly.
“Why don’t you show me?” Damien asked as he unzipped his pants and reached in his underwear.
Stacy rolled her eyes because she was not in the mood to indulge his sexual whims. Especially with him smelling like weed and musk.
“Baby, why don’t you go take a shower, get in bed and I’ll make you feel like a new man.” Stacy suggested.
“A’ight, I be in and out in two minutes, and then I’m gonna take care of you.” Damien said as he walked to the bathroom.
Remo gives me a diamond tennis bracelet and you give me a musty dick to suck? Yeah, you’re really taking care of me all right, Stacy thought as she continued to watch TV.
8
A Moment of Clarity
November 1993
Dwayne could see the growth in Damien and how quickly he had learned the game. He knew that now was the time to introduce Damien
to Bishop. This was something that was not done often, but Dwayne was ready to show off his new protégé.
“So I’m finally gonna meet the man huh?” Damien asked Dwayne as he drove him to a restaurant in Manhattan to meet Bishop.
“Yeah, Bishop is real cautious of who we bring around him, but you’ve proven yourself to me, Dame, so that’s all you need.” He explained.
When they got to the upscale dinner in Harlem, they saw Bishop sitting at the back table with an attractive young lady by his side named Vanessa Wells, his number two man Benjamin ‘Benny’ Carter, Clifford Allen his account, and two other street lieutenants. Bishop was an intimidating man, and resembled Ving Rhames. He wore a gray Boss business suit, gold cuffing, and a 24 karat gold Rolex watch. For a 52 year old man Bishop didn’t look a day over 40. He was an old school hustler for real. Damien felt his heart speed up as they walked to the table.
“Well if it ain’t the future King.” Bishop said to Dwayne in gravelly voice.
“What’s up Bishop? This is my man Dame. The one I told you about.” Dwayne said to him.
“So this is the young gun that saved your life? Have a seat,” Bishop said as he looked at Dame and they sat at the table. There was something kind of familiar about Damien that Bishop couldn’t put his finger on.
“I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about you, young gun.” Bishop mentioned to him.
“I’ve been hearing the same about you, too.” Damien calmly said to him.
“Good. You know your being here means that Dwayne must think you’re ready for this.” Bishop said to him as he took a drink. “I only ask that you do unto us, like you would do unto yourself.”
Bishop words were like an introduction and warning at the same time. After Nicky Barnes snitched on The Council of Seven, Bishop had grown intolerant of disloyalty above all else. He made it clear to his people how all snitches would be dealt with.
“I will.”
“Well, we’ll let you continue your meal Bishop,” Dwayne said to him.
“Alright future King, y’all have a good night. Come by the spot tomorrow and bring Dame with you,” Bishop said to him.
Born Sinners Page 5