by K. C. Mills
“People don’t love me.”
“They do. It’s weird the way they look at you, and it’s even weirder how you don’t care.”
“Why should I? It’s not sincere.”
“What do you mean it’s not sincere?”
“What do you want from me?”
Her face balled up again, and her overthinking ass was already assuming. “Nothing,” Shot from her mouth quick as hell.
“Exactly.”
“I don’t get it. They treat you like you’re important.”
“I am. There are levels to this shit. I've been doing it long enough to be in a good place. It’s not like that shit you see on TV. Fake ass Kingpins and shit.” I smirked at her, and she rolled her eyes. “Real shit, though. It’s not pretty. I’ve worked my ass off to build something. I’ve done a lot of fucked up things to get here. I still do fucked up things.” I could see the recollection of what I showed her earlier flash in her eyes. “That’s why they look at me the way they do. They’ve seen the worst parts of me, or they’ve heard stories. It’s the bad shit that makes them admire me, why would I embrace that?”
I lifted up onto my knees and pushed my hands up under the gown she wore. My hands grazed her stomach, my fingers dipping into the panties she wore and glided the short distance to the scar from her c-section. Peyson tensed but relaxed when I leaned down enough to place a kiss in that same spot. I lifted my eyes to find hers on me.
“They’re either afraid of me, or they want something from me. That shit isn’t sincere which is why it doesn’t mean shit to me.”
“Then why did you want me to see that?”
I moved my tongue across her stomach While I slipped my fingers through the side of her panties. I allowed them to glide across her skin and she sucked in a deep breathe shutting her eyes in the process.
“Tonight wasn’t about them. I noticed the way you looked at me when the reality of who I am crossed your mind. I don’t like that shit. I wanted you to see me how my people see me. They know the worst things that I’ve done, but they don’t look at me like I ain’t shit. I figured if you could see that, then you would see me the way that they do.”
“Red...?” Her voice softened with understanding and empathy. I wasn’t trying to make her feel bad. I was just stating facts.
“It’s cool. I get it. I’m not tripping off it.”
Peyson and I were different but the same. We both had dreams of being more than we were and goals set to get us there. The issue was that we were traveling on two different journeys to reach the finish line. She believed I could be more than I am while I believed that I would tarnish her ability to shine. It was a fucked up position, and I knew I was wrong but I wanted her, and I was going to have her. I just had to find a way to keep the bad influences of my life away from hers, or it wouldn’t work. It would break me if I were the reason why she didn’t flourish and reach her full potential.
The thought weighed heavy on me. I didn’t want to talk anymore. At least not with words. She was okay with that too because moments later, we were both fully undressed and I was easing into a space that I was convinced was created just for me. I held my breath at the tightness of her body welcoming my entry. Gliding into her slowly I took notice as her lips parted and her nipples hardened. That shit was sexy. The awareness of the effects from me being inside of her had my thick hardness expanding to accommodate her a little more. But then she spoke.
“You said I see you.” Her voice was strained from the thrust I delivered, which grew faster and more intense from the way she arched her back and opened her legs wider for me.
“Yeah.” I breathed out before my tongue flicked across her nipple.
“I do. I see shades of you.” I hit her deep, and she hissed under her breath before she found her voice again. “I see the darkness, I see the danger…” She enunciated each word at the end of every stroke I hit her with like we were working together to get her point across. “Oh, God.” She growled before she continued. “I see your need for me to accept the good with the bad and I do because I also see the best parts of you.”
I chuckled and teased her lips with my teeth before I spoke against them. “You’re the best part of me. You and Reid.” I confessed that truth with a penetration that reached her depths. Peyson’s hands gripped the sheets and her sex pulsed around me, holding me captive while she gasped and her body erupted into a fit of tremors. So fucking sexy.
One down, ten to go I thought as I waited for her breathing to slow and I slammed into her again.
“Damn her ass is fat. I might have to spend a little extra to get her in the back for a minute.” I glanced at my boy who was focused and grinning at the curvy body that had just taken the stage. I admired her features, thick toned legs, round purchased perky breast and that same ass that currently had Lobo under a spell. My dick twitched a little being that the only material covering any of her assets was the sheer black thong that her ass was holding hostage. It was a nice view, but I wasn’t interested.
“Wait until after we meet with Banks so that I can leave while you’re handling yo shit,” I offered before I glanced at my phone to read a text from Peyson.
Peyson: You should come take me to lunch
I locked my phone but didn’t respond. I fully intended to comply with her request, but I needed to handle this shit first. Peyson was the only female that I knew who wasn’t big on texting. She sent them to get my attention, and after I responded, she would immediately call me to talk. It was loud as fuck in here, and I didn’t want her to know I was in a strip club. It wasn’t that I cared one way or another but she would.
We were still in a weird space, and I had to handle her feelings with care. I knew she had her doubts about us here and there and I tried my best to curb that by keeping certain things away from her that I knew would have her questioning me or us. It was a necessary evil and something I had to constantly think about because it wasn’t natural for me. I was new to worrying about anyone other than myself.
“So you’re not gonna indulge? Look at all this ass in here.”
I chuckled under my breath, and instead of following his request, I focused on him instead, gaining his attention.
“What?”
“You know this isn’t my scene.”
“Since when are fine ass women not your scene, Red? You switching up on me?”
“Hell nah, but you also know that I don’t fuck with anything that has more miles than the vehicles I drive.” I offered him a smug grin while he shook his head laughing to himself.
“So y’all Gucci? You and lil sis?”
“Lil sis?” I repeated, my tone defensive.
“Yeah, nigga. Her cute little ass is off limits, so she’s officially family.”
“You want me to beat yo ass don’t you?” Lobo’s stupid ass grinned but kept his eyes on the stage when he spoke.
“There are a lot of things that you can do but beating my ass is not on the list. Trust fam, I will get with you.”
“Aye, Banks said to come get you. He’s ready.”
I cut my eyes at Lobo who was now looking right at me.
“Chill Red, we make a lot of money here.”
I grit my teeth before lifting my chin to the little shorty that was grinning at me. She pushed her hands up her waist before gripping her bare breast. Unlike the body that was on the stage, I had no reaction to this one because I knew she belonged to Banks and had recently been riding his dick which was the reason why we were likely waiting. She was so damn close to me that I could smell the scent of sex on her mixed with some loud ass perfume that had my stomach twisting. I rose to my feet making sure to put space between her and me before I addressed Lobo.
“That goes two ways. He makes just as much, and if he can’t manage a little more respect, then we have plenty of other options where we can push our shit.” Lobo was now beside me, and we were heading to the back where the offices were.
Stopping at the door of the one that belonged
to Banks, old girl that lead us back here opened the door and walked in first. She moved right to him and slid into his lap.
“My apologies for the delay. I was a little busy when you arrived.” Banks showed off the massive gold caps that covered the front two teeth that protruding from his mouth. Who the fuck still wears gold caps? They were big as fuck and reminded me of a horse. His pale skin made him look like a white dude and had it not been for the freshly done corn rolls that moved across his head and down his back you would have assumed he was.
“Get the fuck out.” I looked right at the woman in his lap, and she sucked her teeth before looking at Banks.
“She’s cool.” He returned causing me to angle my head slightly to the side giving him a hard stare before I spoke.
“Maybe to you but she isn’t shit to me. She can get the fuck out, or if you care more about pussy than money, then I can leave.”
“Shit,” Lobo mumbled from beside me. He wouldn’t intervene because he knew I was already pissed about the fact that we had to wait.
“Goldie, wait for me outside, baby. I’m about to handle a little business.”
Her face balled up and when he tried to kiss her to ease the blow to her ego, she turned her head and pushed off of his lap. I could see her eyes darken a little when she glanced at him, but that shine appeared when her eyes landed on Lobo and me. At that moment it was clear to her that whatever status or pull that Banks assured her he had, it didn’t match what she knew we were holding. Seconds later she swaying across the room attempting to gain our attention which she didn’t get, so she left, closings the door behind her.
“Now, was that necessary?” Banks ego was bruised because we pulled rank on him in front of his girl. It was amusing to me, but that wasn’t what I wanted to discuss.
“Very, now let's talk business.”
Banks waved his hand as he pouted like a little ass kid. I ignored it and continued. “I’m stepping back. You won’t see much of me anymore. Lobo will be your contact. Boyce will make sure you get your cut. Follow the chain of command. If you have an issue with the product or the people we have set up here, you get with Boyce first. He will decide if it’s something he needs to handle or if it needs to be escalated to Lobo. Lobo will decide if you need to see me.”
Banks’ eyes bounced from me to Lobo before he nodded to confirm he understood. It was a small change but still a change, and it meant he wasn’t speaking directly to me anymore. Another blow to his very fragile ego. I couldn’t stand a weak ass man and Banks was the definition of a pussy.
“So you’re out? You’re done?”
“I’m none of your business.” My answer rubbed him the wrong way, but he didn’t respond. The pills our girl pushed here were the best in the city. That meant an advantage for his clubs which he wasn’t about to fuck up behind his need to feel important.
Lobo moved toward Banks desk propping now himself up on the corner and folding his hands in his lap. “So, listen, my nigga. The women we send here aren’t with the shits. From what I hear, you keep pressing them about doing more than they’re commissioned to do. They’re not about to be on your stage or on your payroll.”
We had five bad ass women who worked at the club. The look was an added advantage to them getting these niggas in here to spend their money. Their sole purpose was to push our shit, but lately, Lobo had been getting complaints from them about Banks trying to sweeten the pot by offering them a spot on the stage or working the back rooms. The women we employed were not interested in selling or showing ass, and we promised them it wouldn’t be an issue. Banks was contradicting that.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m fully aware of the terms of our agreement.”
“Are you?” Lobo grinned removing his gun at the same time. Banks weak ass flinched while his eyes doubled in size.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m good on that. It wasn’t a big deal. I might have mentioned—”
“You might have?” Lobo cut him off and propped his gun on his knees. His finger eased onto the trigger, and Banks eyes followed the motion.
“Aight, my bad. It was one fuck up. Won’t happen again.”
“Good. Glad to know your ass isn’t as stupid as you look. Who the fuck still does that shit at your age.” Lobo motioned his gone in the air toward Banks' head. You’re ‘bout what, fifty and ain’t you white my nigga?”
“No, I’m black.”
Lobo grinned through a laugh. “Barely. Stay the fuck away from our people. They don’t work for you, and they won’t work for you, ever.”
“No problem. I got you.”
Lobo lifted from the desk, returned his gun to his body and then joined me again.
“Is there anything else?” Banks rushed out. He was anxious to get us out of here. He wasn’t built for confrontation. If I had to guess, he likely pissed himself when Lobo pulled out his gun.
“Yeah, next time one of my people shows up and has to wait, that’s your ass. Next time I show up and have to wait, that’s your life. Make sure it doesn’t happen again. Our time is valuable and not to be wasted.”
“Got it.” He nodded anxiously as Lobo and I left.
When we made it through the club and passed the bar to leave, Goldie stepped out in front of me, placing her hands on my chest. First fucking mistake. She had just been all over that nigga, and I didn’t like people in my personal space.
“You’re Stokes, right?”
Second fucking mistake. She was clout chasing. I didn’t play that shit either.
I looked down at her hands which she immediately moved and then I eased around her without responding. Lobo couldn’t pass up the opportunity because I heard him speaking from behind me.
“That nigga don’t do pussy with miles. I really don’t either, but you can suck my dick.”
She apparently didn’t like his response because I heard Lobo laugh right after before he rattled off his next disrespectful comment. “Well fuck you too then. Your mouth little as fuck so you probably couldn’t handle my shit anyway. All them baby ass teeth you got.”
I chuckled to myself as I pushed through the doors with him not far behind me.
“What she say?”
“Mannnn she gon’ look at me like I wasn’t hitting on shit and walked away.” His cheesing ass shrugged. “I was trying to put a little joy in her life. Where you heading now?”
“Bout to go see what Peys is up to. She wants me to come through for lunch.”
“See you’re really making me what to step my game up. I’m trying to have tuna salad sandwiches and shit with my girl too.”
My face balled up slightly before I shook my head. “When the fuck you think I’m gonna eat some got damn tuna?”
“Oh, that’s right yo non-seafood eating ass. But shit you get the point. Hook me up with her sister so I can have that shit too.”
“How you know she has a sister?” I wonder if Peyson mentioned Pree when she and Lobo talked at the diner.
“Cause your girl is fine as fuck Red. That means her momma is fine too and her daddy be tapping that on the regular. Ain’t no way they just have one kid. Your ass better be careful too before you’re looking at your second and third little rug rat.” He smirked at his dumb ass logic, and I almost punched his dumb ass.
“Yo…”
“Aight, aight Imma chill. Damn yo’ ass is sensitive as fuck about old girl. I get it, though.”
I glared at him, pulling out my phone at the same time. I assumed it was Peyson since I hadn’t responded to her text, but it wasn’t. It was a Cross family member just not her. I frowned at the image on my phone that read, Maybe: Audrey Cross. A feature that I appreciated on my iPhone.
“I need to get this. Stay out of trouble that will cost me bail money and I’ll hit you later.”
I threw up a head nod answering the call at the same time Lobo lifted the doors of his I8 and dispersed inside.
“Yeah?”
“Is this Redmond?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh high, it’s Audrey. Audrey Cross, Peyson’s mother.” I chuckled at how nervous she sounded rattling off her identity to me. “Is this a bad time?”
“No, you’re straight. What’s up?”
“Well, I first wanted to apologize for our first introduction.” Her voice leveled out just before she released a soft sigh and continued. “I may have overreacted a bit, and it may have appeared that for one reason or another I wasn’t welcoming you into our home and our family.”
Not one reason or another, just one. My occupation.
“It’s cool. Your husband apologized for your entire family. I’m also not placing blame.”
I was over it and willing to look past any issues they may or may not have had. As long as they were accepting me as Reid's father and wasn’t giving Peyson shit about being with me, then I was cool. I didn’t need their approval.
“It most certainly is not cool.” She enunciated the word bringing a smile to my face. “We did not show you the proper respect, and I’m ill about it. I just want you to know that you are welcome in our home any time. You’re family. You also don’t have to be concerned about Linus being there. I’m well aware of how that may have appeared, but we were at a disadvantage. It doesn’t, however, negate the fact that we should have handled it better.”
“I’m not tripping, so you shouldn’t be either.” Was all I gave. She had issued her apology which wasn’t necessary in the first place, but I did, however, appreciate the gesture.
“Good, so on to the next reason for my call.” Her voice was now more animated, and I could tell that she was smiling. She and Peyson sounded a lot alike. “You’re coming to the Cross Charity Gala?”
Was that a question or a demand and what the fuck was the Cross Charity Gala?
“I didn’t know I was invited, but if I am and Peyson wants me there, then I’ll be there.”
“She most definitely wants you there.” There was that smile in her voice again, and I didn’t miss the confidence behind her statement. What I didn’t like was the fact that she was the one inviting me, when it should have been Peyson.