by Shay Hunter
“So what’s up with, Sprinkles?” He leaned back. “Why you ain’t made her honest?”
“Because I can’t get Cupid out my system.” He sighed. “And I don’t want to take things to the marriage level unless I’m sure I can leave other bitches alone.”
“So you love her? Cupid?”
“It ain’t that but it is different.”
“Sounds to me you in over your head, baby bro. You at the top of your game right now, man. If you see a good woman these days you gotta wife her before she gets away from you. Have I taught you nothing? Marry Sprinkles or she may be more problems than she’s worth.”
Killer nodded knowing he was correct. “It’s hard, man.”
“You always had a soft spot.”
“So you saying I’m weak?”
“You got to answer that question for yourself, bruh.”
“Man, I’m aight.” His voice was flat like he didn’t believe himself.
“I’m serious. All I’m saying is it don’t take a second to get caught up in something you don’t have to. And I’m not just saying that ‘cause I want to fuck shawty.”
“Yeah you are. If I hadn’t came through you would’ve had my buttercup pinned up.”
“You right ‘bout that,” Scholar laughed. “On the real though.” He got serious. “Be careful.” He pointed a finger in his face. “A peaceful home is worth more than fortune.”
Killer laughed but decided to keep his real comments to himself about Cupid and his personal. He felt like his situation was different on all levels. Cupid was quiet as kept and he loved her like that. Wasn’t a thing changing in his picture before he was ready.
A few sparks from the blunt fell on Killer and he put them out with his hand. “Let’s get in this crib before Sprinkles think I’m scheming on some pussy.”
He raised his hands. “You are.”
He laughed. “Yeah, but she don’t have to know it.”
They got out and the moment they walked inside Killer’s house he saw Sprinkles busying herself with his meal. His brother was right. His home was peaceful but when he got around Cupid his dick got hard. And it wasn’t like Sprinkles didn’t fuck him every two ways from Sunday. Still, he loved adventure and that’s where his ‘By Night Bitch’ came in.
As always everything was clean and Killer’s chest stuck out. He felt proud for his little brother to see what a beautiful home Sprinkles and he built together. Prior to Sprinkles moving in he didn’t have a pot to piss in or a cup to shit inside and she changed all of that.
Sprinkles’ removed her stripper wig and let her long natural hair drip down her back in a ponytail. She was wearing a tight one-piece black strapless cat suit. She was sexy but classy too.
When she turned around and saw Killer she ran up to him. “Hey, bae!” She planted a juicy kiss on his lips as he wrapped his arms around her body, squeezing her as hard as she could take it, knowing she loved every minute.
“Damn…can I get a hello?” Scholar asked. “You treating a nigga real bad these days. I know it’s been a minute but fuck!”
The moment she saw him he held his arms open and she ran up to him. “Scholar! I didn’t know you were coming over! You should’ve said something!”
“So let me guess, you didn’t make enough food?” He rubbed his belly.
Sprinkles playfully hit him. “You know with my big ass nigga I always make enough so you’re good.” She kissed Killer again. “Don’t worry. When you’re here you always got a plate, Scholar.”
“Cool…but I wish ya’ll get a room too.” Scholar joked, flopping on the sofa. “Ya’ll love showing out in front of niggas like some Swingers.”
“You jealous?” Killer asked.
“Nah, I’m gonna get me something nice and soft in a few days. Gotta get this money first though.” Scholar fired up the blunt and released smoke into the air. “Everything in time.”
“Well whatever you do don’t pick nothing up at Skeezers,” Sprinkles warned going back into the kitchen. “It’s a mess in there and I know you just like your brother and love some dancers.”
“Yeah, Scholar, you gotta pick accordingly.” Killer winked. “Stay out of Skeezers.”
“When I do go on the hunt I’m gonna get it where I feel it.” He winked. “If it’s Skeezers then so be it.” He shrugged.
Killer was hoping he was joking and not talking about Cupid again. “That’s the story of your life, bruh. Always picking the wrong females.” Killer smirked.
“I’m gonna leave that alone,” Scholar responded.
“What’s this, some kind of inside joke?” Sprinkles asked stirring her rice in the pot.
“You know I don’t keep anything from you, Ms. Santana,” Killer winked. “You know everything about me.”
“That’s why I love you.” She paused and her eyes widened as if she had a good idea. “So what’s up with Cupid? If he gonna get with somebody at the club he might as well get with her.”
He frowned. “Stop talking reckless,” Killer said, immediately getting angry. “She’s not his style.”
“Let me speak for myself,” Scholar joked, thinking the situation was hilarious. Who knew his bitch and sidepiece were friends?
“Trust me, she’s not your type,” Killer said more firmly. “I know her from a work standpoint.”
“What do you know that I don’t?” Sprinkles asked.
“So ya’ll don’t keep nothing from each other?” Scholar interjected. “Sure about that?”
“We positive.” Killer said. “I got a real one over here so I tell her everything.” He paused and looked at his lady. “And as far as Cupid you and me both know she can be messy, Sprinkles. My brother just came home and I want him out of trouble.”
“You right.” She kissed him on the lips. “Sometimes you see shit I don’t want to.” She paused. “I love you.”
Scholar nodded. “You, my brother, are really blessed. Because you can’t tell most of these bitches shit.”
A moment of uncomfortable silence hovered over the room.
“You know I’m just fucking with you right?” Scholar laughed. “I would love to have what you both do. But for me blood and death is my passion. So I guess it’s time to start falling back in love and get back on my murder shit.”
CHAPTER FIVE
SPRINKLES
“You gotta do it like this, Pop,” I said to the new girl as I bucked my hips on the bed in my dressing room. “Then you gotta throw your hair back and make contact with the man that got the most money. Stay focused and move that body and you’ll clean up.”
“But I can’t do it like you!” She was standing up looking at me. “It doesn’t feel natural.”
Natural?
Was this bitch insane?
It was true that if a bitch couldn’t dance she couldn’t fuck so it meant she was horrible in the bedroom. It wasn’t rocket science for me to figure that out.
“It ain’t about being natural. It’s about getting money.”
“But people will think I’m stupid.”
“If you keep worrying about everybody else you ain’t gonna never make your paper. I’m trying to hook you up with the moves I use to get the dough. It’s a reason why I’m the highest earning girl here. Pay attention and you’ll never be broke a day in your life.”
“And it don’t got shit to do with modesty,” Cupid said. She was sitting behind me texting on her phone as usual. “You acting like you President Obama. Girl, have several seats. It’s just dancing.”
I looked back at her. “Who needs modesty when you making money? Plus am I telling the girl anything that isn’t true? Let’s keep it one hundred, Cupid. When it comes to making cash I’m the head bitch in Skeezers so stop.”
She shrugged. “If you say so.”
I rolled my eyes and waved her off. “You got it, Pop? Because those are the moves you need to get enough paper to pay your most basic bills. Every girl can’t be pretty like me.” I rubbed my face because there wasn’t a flaw
in sight. “But you can be sexy…or your version of it at least.” I paused. “So do you got the moves we just practiced?”
“I think so…but can I try again?”
The new girl was about to get on my bed until I stopped her cold. I didn’t let other chicks in my dressing room but especially not on my mattress. I used it to sleep in when I needed a quick nap or when Killer got so excited about my set that he wanted some on location pussy. The only reason Orange Pop was in here now was because I felt bad when I learned that Cupid’s half ass advice about the tampon caused her to cut her pussy all up.
We did do that process when on our cycle but she should’ve given the chick more instructions.
“On the floor, Pop. We not that cool,” I directed. “I don’t need all that on my bed.
“I’m sorry…” She got on the floor and started moving her hips and she looked ridiculous. Some girls you couldn’t help. They either had it or they didn’t and in her case she didn’t.
I crossed my arms over my chest and looked down at Orange Pop. “Do you fuck when you at home? At all? Hell, do you fuck yourself? Ever? Because this looks plain bad.”
“Sprinkles!” Cupid yelled from across the room again. “Why you all in that girl’s personal situation?”
“What? I’m trying to help this chile out.” I looked back at Orange Pop. “Are you fucking or not?”
“Yes…sometimes,” Pop said shrugging.
“Okay show me how you look when you getting long dick from behind.”
“I don’t do it that way.” She sat on her ass. “I just do it like this.” She fell back and looked like she was ready to be embalmed for her funeral.
“Wait, so every time you fuck you do it on your back? You never do it in any other position?”
“No…my boyfriend doesn’t like it like that.” She sat up and fingered her long curly brown wig, so that hair dropped down on each shoulder. “So I give him what he wants.”
“So basically you don’t know how to please a man.”
“Yeah…uh…yes. I mean of course I do!”
“You wrong for this shit,” Cupid interrupted again.
“Girl, please leave me alone and tend to that phone you stay playing with.” I focused back on Orange Pop. “If you can fuck show me how you do it.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You said you know how to please a man so I want you to show me how you fuck.”
Reluctantly I sat on my bed and stared down at her. Orange Pop got on the floor and wiggled around but she looked like a fish out of water. Levine should feel like shit for hiring this girl straight out of high school. She obviously knew nothing about sex or dancing for that matter. This type of chick is the reason Skeezers could never be what it was made to be. Outside of me and Cupid there is no real talent.
I heard the last owner, Poe, put a lot of money in this spot to make it nice and all Levine is doing is turning it into shit with mediocre talent. If you ask me I think Killer should take it over completely but I believe he needs Levine for government purposes.
“Pop, maybe you should go to your dressing room and think about what we’ve done so far.” I sighed. There was nothing else I could do but throw the fish back into the sea. “Because I can’t help you.”
“I’ll do better.” She said excitedly, with her hands clasped in front of her like she was about to pray. “I just need to—”
“Pop, bounce!” I yelled. “I don’t have time for this shit right now. Your moves so depressing you making me forget what I do for a living. Just practice at home until you get it right.”
She stood up, dusted her butt off and looked at me. “I’m sorry for wasting your time. But thanks anyway.” She walked out with her head down.
When she was gone Cupid said, “You going to hell for that shit. You knew that girl couldn’t fuck on her first day. The only reason you did all that shit was for amusement.”
I walked to my mirror and brushed my hair. My set was in fifteen minutes and here I was giving tips to a lost cause. “I was looking out for the girl but you saw what it’s hitting for. She was terrible. Besides, don’t act like I didn’t put you on too.”
She walked over to the chair next to me and sat down. We were both looking at our reflections in the mirror. I could never get over how pretty Cupid was because I was told dark chicks were ugly and I’ve seen a lot of them to prove the case.
But Cupid was beautiful. Her skin was the color of melted chocolate and it was just as smooth, without a flaw. She was wearing a long silky black wig that ran down her back but her natural hair was brown with gold highlights. I could look at her for days but sometimes she was draining. Emotionally that is. She felt like somebody owed her something but truthfully nobody did.
I got to where I am in the club because I workout everyday and create new routines weekly. All she does is come to work, cut back on food when she wants to drop a few pounds and expect the same paydays. To hear her tell it, it’s because I’m Latino but she’s wrong and maybe even a little jealous at times.
“Let me make something clear, Sprinkles. You may have told me how to grip a pole with just my thighs but my fuck game is as original as a peacock’s feather.”
“You must’ve heard me say that before because Killer says the same thing to me all the time.” I looked at her and brushed my hair. “So you see? You even talk like me. There you go, stealing my traits again.” I winked.
****
I just finished doing my set and was out in VIP with Killer and Scholar. It was always funny to me when I danced because Scholar hated to look my way afterwards, despite meeting me at the same time as Killer when I danced at Eldorado’s. Guilt weighed on him for looking at his brother’s bitch.
When Cupid eased on the stage I noticed how Scholar was glued in like he was looking at Beyoncé. “She’s good isn’t she?”
He grinned, sat back in the leather seat and sipped his Hennessy. “Yeah.” He cleared his throat and looked at Killer. “The best. Definitely my speed.”
“I know Killer got a problem with it but you want me to introduce you to her anyway?” I asked. “Because she’s definitely single.”
“Didn’t you hear me the other day?” Killer yelled. “My brother don’t need to be fucking with no whores. He gotta stay focused on—”
When I looked past him I saw five police officers come through the doors all stomping in our direction. The other customers took their eyes off of Cupid and gazed our way. Me, Killer and Scholar stood up as a black officer with moles all over his face flashed his badge, while the other cops stood behind him. “Scholar Floyd?”
“Yeah,” he frowned.
“You are under arrest.” The detective nodded at the other cops who were behind him and two stepped out of the pack, one with handcuffs.
“For what?” he frowned as the silver bracelets were clamped down on his wrist.
“We’ll explain all that in the car.” he paused. “Now get him out of here. This place stinks!”
CHAPTER SIX
CUPID
I was sitting in Levine’s office irritated when all I wanted to do was get out of her funky office and breathe some fresh air. It smelled like garlic between shitty butt cheeks in here.
Kitten was standing against the wall with her arms crossed over her breasts like she was my boss. This entire meeting was ridiculous because I was going to do what I wanted regardless.
“So you telling me you didn’t know?” Levine asked as she scratched her hair with her long red fingernails. “Because I find that impossible.”
“How would I know, Levine if you don’t tell me?” I crossed my legs. “Look…if you wanna say something just say it.”
“I find it funny that you’re clueless when I told you myself that Skeezers girls can not hold court in the parking lot.” She pointed at her desk. “If a customer wants to entertain you it must be done here. How else can we get money off the drinks if every dancer does her work outside?”
“You a
re such a fucking mess!” I laughed. “I saw you take a customer outside last night and if I’m being honest I didn’t see your head for fifteen minutes. So what were you doing? Looked like holding court to me.”
“She is right, you know,” Kitten said under her breath. “A few other girls saw it too. Had to explain to them to do as you say not as you do.”
“Shut the fuck up, Kitten before I tell you how I feel about you.” Levine pointed at her and then focused on me. “Anyway Ms. Nosey, that nigga you saw me with was my boyfriend.”
My eyes widened. “Oh really, because that didn’t look like Todd to me.” I crossed my arms over my chest because this was getting interesting. “Don’t forget I know what he looks like. And anyway, didn’t he cut your ass off months ago because your pussy be dry?”
She leaned in. “Excuse me?”
“Levine, let’s keep it one hundred. You wish you were young again so you can dance on the pole like me. But you can’t because things ain’t holding up no more and don’t nobody want to see that floppy shit. So what do you do?” I leaned in. “You take it out on the girls who making a little money on the side. All the nigga wanted was to talk privately. I didn’t give him no pussy so ease off.”
“You are way out of line right now,” She frowned. “I’m your boss.” She pointed. “Keep being disrespectful and I’m gonna show you what that really means.”
I rolled my eyes. Levine was always threatening somebody’s job. It never bothered me because I knew next to Sprinkles I brought in the crowd. Without me the bar funds would be nooch.
“I don’t care who you are, fair is fair!” I paused. “I mean do you want something else? Because I’m busy right now and this shit is a colossal waste of my time. You gotta know that.”
Her jaw trembled. “You know what you little monkey bitch! You’re fired!”
I stood up. “Monkey bitch? What the fuck are you talking about? Second of all how you gonna fire me? Just because I spoke up for myself? I suggest you cool off and remember who I am. I’m not Orange Pop!”