A Little More Sin

by Parish Sherman

  "Fuck her!" he said.

  They dried off and lotioned down. Sin opened the bag and put on the blue silk boxers. He took the clothes out the plastic and hung them on the closet door. He sprayed on some Kenneth Cole then slipped on the cream Armani pants, the chocolate Armani button up, the butter soft chocolate brown Cole Haan shoes, and the Armani frames with the brown tint.

  "I'm going to need you to run the business for me until I figure out what to do about the police. You could go on and shoot your half-ounce and under sales to Davy. Anything between a half-ounce and a key, give it to Terell. You don't sell nothing under a key. The fourth of July is next Wednesday. Thursday I'm flying out to Tucson. That following Monday I want you to fly out there so you can drive back with me," he said.

  "Aight, bet. Look, Sin. I know you mess with a lot of chicks. That's how you get down and I respect that. So don't no feelings get involved, let's just keep it on the ponta tip. We can kick it when it's convenient," Lisa said as she put her sandals on.

  Sin and Lisa cleaned up. When they were done there wasn't a sign that another female had been in the house. He grabbed his dope and the sheets that he and Lisa messed up and they left.

  Sin knew two things were going to change. One, he was about to start backing up out the game, and two, he was going to settle down. Malika was looking like the top candidate. After today when he put the demo down on Shaunté, she would see that Sin was a vicious dude and not to be played with.

  When Lisa pulled up on Sin's block he carefully scanned the street and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. He got out and hurried in. He heard voices in Davy's bedroom. He opened the door and saw Davy and a young chick from the block named Misha, lounging. He was in shorts and she was in panties and a bra. She made no move to cover up when Sin came in.

  "Did she stay the night? That girl mama be on some calling the police type shit, and you know we don't need that right now," Sin said.

  "Nah, bro, she came over about an hour ago," he said. Sin turned to leave.

  "Hi, Sin," Misha said.

  Sin nodded his head at her then went into his room and got his spare keys. He went to the garage and got in the Navigator and left. He went to the beeper shop and bought him and Davy both new phones.

  Sin pulled up at Pier 29 at 12:45. He walked in and the host showed him to Tiara's table. Tiara frowned as he sat down.

  "Sorry I'm late. The time got away from me," he said.

  Tiara was sitting there in a blue pinstriped Donna Karan business skirt suit and a sheer white blouse, which enabled you to see the lace of her bra. Hmm, sexy and still classy, Sin thought.

  "I was just about to leave," Tiara said angrily.

  Man, this bitch better check her attitude, Sin thought. He looked at his watch and that set her off.

  "You in a hurry or something?" she snapped.

  "Did I say I was in hurry?" he snapped back.

  "Hold up. I know you don't have the nerve to have an attitude! You had me sitting here for 15 minutes waiting for your ass," she said, eyes blazing.

  "Look, I called your office and asked that you be notified that I was going to be slightly late. I don't have your cell number," he said angrily.

  The waiter stepped to the table, making Tiara bite her tongue.

  "I'll have the Shrimp Scampi, the pacific trout, rice, and a crab salad. I'll have iced tea for the beverage," Sin said.

  "I'll have the Chicken Caesar salad, house dressing, and a White Zinfandel," Tiara ordered. The waiter walked away.

  Tiara decided to squash the beef. "You look nice," she said as she noticed that the label inside Sin's jacket said Cole Haan.

  "I know," Sin said with an attitude.

  "Look, I apologize for copping an attitude with you. I'm a very punctual person and I expect the same from those I deal with," she said.

  Sin and Tiara sat and talked for a while and he really started feeling her. She was genuinely a good person. She explained that she had serious clout on her job, and was like a daughter to the president of the Western Regional branches.

  "I got a little problem," Sin said.

  "What would that be?"

  "I have a whole lot of money that I never reported to the IRS or banked."

  "How much is a lot?"

  "Something in the neighborhood of $300,000," he said.

  "What!" she said loudly.

  "Shhhh, keep your voice down!"

  "Are you crazy? The first thing the Treasury Department will be talking about when they catch a black man with that type of money is it's from drugs."

  "I just feel safer with my own money," he said as he sipped his iced tea. "We charge 200 a car. We average 30 cars a day on regular days, and 50 in the summer months,'' he lied.

  They sat there silent for a minute. Tiara tried to size Sin up. She wondered if he sold drugs. She didn't discriminate if he did. She in fact used to be in an intimate relationship (fuck buddies) with a drug dealer. While they were not together, they did make time for each other one weekend a month, but that was a long time ago. She didn't have time for that now, and she had too much to lose.

  "Sin you're not into illegal gains, are you?" she asked.

  "I was, back in the day, but I caught a case and ended up losing my woman. When I got out of prison I still had money, but I lost the will to hustle. I ended up giving my brother 100 gees. He flipped it a few times.''

  "Is that where you got the 300,000?" she asked.

  "No, the 300,000 is legit. From that I have 526,000."

  They sat and talked about him opening a business and her bank giving him the loan, and him funneling his unaccounted for money through that. The waitress dropped off their food and Sin smiled at Tiara.

  "Tiara, you help me get this thing right and I'll give you 20 gees," he said.

  "Yeah right!" she said. "So that chick at the gym really wasn't your girl?" she asked.

  "Nah, she was a friend. I'm single," he said.

  They talked during their meal then Tiara paid the check.

  ''What're you about to get into?'' Tiara asked.

  "I almost said something. I'm going to go smoke some weed and ride," he said honestly.

  "You don't need to be riding around getting high. You can come over to my house and smoke," she said.

  When they got outside Sin took Tiara's hand. "We can take my car and I'll bring you back for yours," he said.

  "I don't see your Lexus," she said as she looked around.

  "That was a rental car. That's my car over there, hiding," Sin said as he pointed across the street to a hooptie 82 Honda Accord.

  "Sin, I'm not trying to be a bitch, but I'm not riding in that shit. I'll drive my car. You're pushing your luck," she said as she started walking in the direction of her BMW.

  Sin grabbed her arm and started laughing. "Damn, that Navigator is sweet! I wish I had one," he said. When they got to her BMW he pushed the remote for the alarm and the Nav chirped.

  Tiara looked at him and frowned. "You better stop playing!" she said and playfully pushed him.

  "You should have saw the look on your face. That was classic," he said as he opened the door for her. When he walked around she leaned over and opened the door for him. That little move earned Tiara some brownie points.

  "Tiara, what would you like to hear?" he asked.

  "First, I don't call you by your government name of Simian, so don't call me by mine. Call me Tia. To answer your question, I would like to hear either Case, or 112," she said.

  Sin picked up the remote and turned on 112. He boosted the stereo up to 6 and they pulled off.

  "So you got a man?" he asked.

  "Nah, and I'm not looking for one either. The last relationship I was in sucked."

  As they were riding just for the scenery and it being a nice day, Sin drove up the Embarcadero. As they were talking Sin saw a for lease sign in front of what used to be one of the hottest clubs in the town.

  ''That building is owned by my bank,'' Tia said as she pulle
d her phone out and called her office and got the prices. "They want 25,000 down, 2500 a month. The lease has a purchasing option. If you do what I suggested I can have the keys in your hands by tomorrow at 3," she said.

  "I'll be at your office tomorrow at 9." he said. Sin pulled off and made a left on Pleasant Valley Road and drove until it turned into 51st. He turned left on Shattuck. When he got to 46th he turned right and parked around the corner from the weed spot.

  "I'll be right back," he said.

  Tia looked a little nervous. "Sin, is it safe over here?" she asked as she looked around.

  "Baby, you with me. I'm not going to let anything happen to you," he said as he walked away.

  He walked back around the corner and went up the stairs and stopped at the second door and knocked.

  Teesa looked out the window. She opened the door and Sin went in. "What up, Sin?'' she asked.

  Teesa was a bad muthafucka. She had a milk chocolate complexion, a short Halle Berry do, and gray eyes. She was a very pretty girl. Her body though, was off the Richter scale. Wide hips, a small waist, and a big sexy ass. She was stacked for real. Sin wanted to hit it bad, but she messed with his cousin, Shaqui on the low.

  "Tees, let me get a half-ounce of that sticky," he said.

  She walked out her house and went next door, came back and gave him a bag of buds. He gave her $200.00.

  "Where my cousin at?" he asked.

  ''Probably with his girl. Sin, you gotta be careful. Them suckas could've killed you," she said.

  "Aight, blood. I'll holla at you," Sin said and left.

  When he got around the corner to the Navigator Davy was turning the corner in Terell's green and white 5.0, and Terell was following in his burgundy '87 convertible Iroc. They saw Sin and pulled over. "These my little brothers," he said as they got out their cars.

  "Sin, them hoe-ass niggas Max and company came through Seminary," Terell said.

  "What happened?" Sin asked.

  Terell looked at him crazy. "What you think? I handled my business," Terell said.

  "We'll holla about that shit later," Sin said.

  "Damn, bro who is this?" Davy asked getting into the Navigator.

  "Ask her, she talks," Sin said.

  "What's up, boo? They call me B.G.," he said.

  "I'm Tia. You are so cute," Tia said and smiled.

  "So are you. Man, could you imagine what our kids are going to look like?" he asked.

  "Whoa, baby boy! Pump your brakes! You ain't about to catch me a pedophile case no matter how fine you are!" she said.

  "You have some pretty-ass legs. Get out so I can see all of you," he asked.

  Tia got out and both Davy and Terell whistled. "You guys are off the hook!" she said while blushing.

  "What you about to get into?" Davy asked Sin.

  "I hope something sweet," Sin said as he looked at Tia.

  "You need to pump your brakes too. You're not getting into nothing sweet on me on the first date," she said and blushed.

  "We sideways. Davy, be home by ten," Sin said. He and Tia got in the truck.

  They pulled off and made a left on Shattuck, and rode down to 63rd and made another left. They drove part way down 63rd and pulled over in front of Sin's mom's house. Malik was outside in front playing in the grass.

  "Sin, is that your son?" Tia asked.

  "Yeah, that's his little bad-ass," he said.

  When they got out of the truck Sin saw Quesha coming down the street on her bike. "Daddy!" she screamed and skidded, dropping her bike. She ran to Sin and hugged him.

  "What's up, princess?" he asked.

  "Daddy, I want some new roller blades. Will you buy me some?" she asked. Sin pulled a meatloaf of money out and counted off five $20.00 bills and gave them to her.

  "Oooo, Mama's going to get you! She said you can't have no roller blades because your stupid butt lost your other ones," Malik said.

  Quesha pushed him. ''What Mama tell you about calling me stupid?" she said.

  "What I tell you two about always fighting? Go inside," Sin said.

  Quesha took her bike in the back and Malik followed Sin and Tia in. When they walked in, Sin's mom and his niece, Shamika were sitting at the dining room table. "Why you ain't at school, Lil' Diamond?" Sin asked.

  "Her ass got suspended again for fighting," his mom said.

  Sin looked at his niece and shook his head. "Ma, this is Tia. Tia, this is my mom, Mrs. Michaels, my niece, Shamika, my son, Malik, and my daughter, Marquesha," he said. They all exchanged hellos.

  "Mama, I need to borrow 140 gees," Sin said.

  "Boy, you been smoking that reefer again?" she asked.

  "Daddy, what's reefer?" Malik asked.

  "It's weed, stupid," Marquesha said.

  "Then why granny didn't just say blunts?" he asked.

  Sin looked at Tia who was busting up laughing. "Take your little grown asses back outside!" he yelled.

  When the kids were gone he gave his mom his sales pitch, and Tia reaffirmed what he said.

  "So when will you give me my money back?" his mom asked.

  "Right now. I got that in cash," he said as he went out to the truck and grabbed the gray Nike bag and came back in. He dumped the twenty-nine bundles of money on the table. Every bundle had one hundred $100.00 bills in it.

  "You been riding around with that?" Tia asked amazed.

  "Tell her where the best place for your money is, Lil' Diamond."

  "Where you can see it," Shamika said.

  Sin gave his mom 14 bundles. She went in her room and got her purse and got her banking info out and called her bank. Once that was done, she left and went to pick up the cashiers check.

  "So who you been fighting?" Sin asked Shamika.

  "One of them eleventh grade niggas grabbed my butt. I slapped him and he went and lied to his girl saying that I was trying to get at him. She ran up on me and caught a beat down," Shamika said.

  "I'll have Davy come up there with Terell. Don't trip," Sin said.

  Moms came back and gave Sin the check. He put the money that was left over in the bag.

  "Lil' Diamond, when Tracy comes tell her I said to put this bread up for me," he said.

  He and Tia left. He drove to her Moraga Hills home and was duly impressed. Homes in this area were starting at a million, easy. They went inside and Sin fell in love with her spot.

  She escorted him to the family room. "Kick back and roll your reefer," she said and laughed as she disappeared upstairs.

  Sin broke down a Dutch Master cigar and threw the tobacco in a paper bag. He then broke down a bud of the sticky kush and put it in the cigar leaf and rolled it. He walked through the house and looked around. He spotted a picture of some white dude kissing Tia. So, that's how she get down, he thought.

  "Sin, will you please fire up the hot tub? It's through the door on the side of the bar," Tia said from the intercom on the wall.

  Sin walked through the door and there was a whirlpool that could comfortably seat five. He turned the water on and sat and waited. Tia came down ten minutes later with her hair pinned up, wearing a robe. She was carrying a bottle of Hennessey and two glasses.

  "You don't have shorts. You could get in in your underwear," she suggested.

  "These drawers cost fifty bucks a pop. I don't think so. I'm not shy though," he said as he took his shirt and pants off.

  Tia stared at Sin's ripped body and felt her juices flowing. She took off the robe and stood there in a sexy yellow bikini. Her titties and ass were begging for an escape. Tia saw the bulge in Sin's boxers growing. With no hesitation he dropped the boxers and got in the tub. Goddamn! she thought. She poured each of them a drink and got in.

  Sin fired up the blunt and hit it a couple of times and passed it to Tia.

  "I haven't smoked pot since my junior year in college," she said as she took the blunt and hit it.

  They sat and got high and the next thing Tia knew, she was naked and she and Sin were fondling each other.
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  "Come on, baby. Just let me put the head in. I promise I'll take it out," he said.

  "Sin, you're not going to want to take it out. I went through this same shit in High School," she said and laughed. She had to admit that she did want to feel that python inside of her.

  He slid in just the tip and Tia stopped him. "That's enough," she whispered. Sin reluctantly pulled out.

  "Come on, let's go work on your business plan," she said.

  Sin looked at the clock and saw it was 4. "I can't right now. I got somewhere to be in the next hour," he said and kissed her.

  They got out of the tub and went to Tia's room. They lotioned each other down and got dressed. Tia put on a gray thong, black Nike leggings, a black Nike sports bra, a white T-shirt and some black Air Max Nikes.

  When they pulled up at Pier 29 Sin walked her to her car. "You're not mad are you?" she asked.

  "Nah, baby it's all good. I'll call and check on you tomorrow," he said. He kissed her on the lips and left.

  Chapter Five

  You Played Yourself

  Sin stopped and got some gas then hit Interstate 80 for the 3-½ hour, 224-mile ride to Reno. He lit a blunt and smoked.

  He thought about Yvette and Simara. Before getting shot, he talked to them on the phone at least once a week and he spoiled his daughter from the moment the blood test came back saying he was 99.9% her father. With them living way out in Reno he didn't see her that often, but once a month he did come stay the night. After I check 'Tay I'll go see my baby, he thought.

  Sin pulled up in front of Shaunté's sister, Destiny’s house and saw the Lexus. He picked up his gun and slipped it under his shirt. He got out and went and knocked on the door.

  Destiny opened it and got wide-eyed. That was all Sin had to see. As he stepped in, his stomach dropped. There was Chris sitting on the sofa. The expression on his face made Shaunté, whom was sitting across from him with her back to the door, turn around. She saw Sin and the color drained from her face.

  It took everything Sin had not put his hands on her. "I knew something wasn't right with you. I'm cool on your scandalous ass, business or otherwise. Let this bitch-ass nigga take care of that kid," he said and turned and left.