Tracy’s eyes met hers. The series of emotions that played on her face was like watching a movie. Her eyebrows crinkled in confusion, her eyes rose in shocked recognition, and then her tiny lips pursed in restrained anger. And it was that anger, that quiet glint of some seething hatred, that had Jayla narrowing her eyes. Tracy had finally recognized who she was. The death threats. Jayla didn’t know how this bitch had found out where she lived to send them, but her own anger outweighed her curiosity to the point where she wanted to slap the shit out of her right there. Even more so when Tracy gave her a slick smile and turned to Marcus.
“Can you meet me outside, Marcus?” she asked.
Marcus seemed grateful for the dismissal, and he hurried to the front of the store.
Jocelyn glanced at each woman, obviously sensing the suffocating awkwardness and increasing tension. “Do you two know each other? This is strange.”
Tracy’s smile widened. “Absolutely,” she answered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “We’re good friends.”
Jayla lifted an eyebrow. “Can you give us a moment, Joce?” She waited until Jocelyn had disappeared to the back of the store before she lowered her voice and growled, “You’re such a grimy bitch, Tracy.”
Tracy chuckled. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I know you’re the one sending me those damn packages. And was it you who tried to run me off the road a few weeks ago? I ought to report your ass to the cops.”
“Bitch, please.” Tracy’s eyes carried a knowing glint. “Do you really think I believe you would go to the cops and risk me exposing all this little bullshit you got going on?”
“So it was you.”
When Tracy rolled her eyes, Jayla stepped forward, her glare menacing. It was taking every ounce of her willpower to keep her from wiping the floor with this chick. “If you come near me again, I swear I’ll kill you.”
“I don’t care about none of that bullshit you barking about, bitch. I do know that you’re not about to stand here in my face and threaten me. I take it you’re mad that I’m with Marcus. Mad your sour pussy couldn’t keep him away from me, right?” She wiggled her fingers to let her wedding rings catch the light. At the same time, she rubbed her protruding belly with a smug smile.
Jayla’s eyes ballooned in shock. “Bitch, are you serious? You’re the idiot who is still with him and is now about to have a baby by him, and you know he’s fucking around. And you gave me eighteen thousand dollars to prove what you already knew. But at least you have a souvenir. Still enjoying the tape recording I put together for you?”
Tracy’s eyes blazed at the comment.
“Yep,” Jayla said, gloating, happy to have gotten under her skin. “He feasted on this delicious pussy like he was on death row. And went back home to kiss you. Tell me, how do I taste?” She could almost feel the wave of heat from Tracy’s simmering anger. Jayla blew her a final kiss before breezing by. “Checkmate, bitch,” she murmured.
Jocelyn had checked out, and Jayla found her waiting outside the store, a questioning expression already fixed on her face.
Jayla let out a breath, not bothering to look at her sister.
Jocelyn dove in as soon as Jayla was beside her. “So what the hell was that about?”
“Just some work mess.”
“Work?” Jocelyn looked back over her shoulder at Tracy, who was watching them walk away. “That seemed a little more personal. Good friends.”
Jayla turned up her lips in disgust. “Please, that bitch is not my friend. She was just being a smart-ass. Don’t worry about it.”
Jocelyn’s next statement was cut short by her phone ringing. She pulled it from her purse and smacked her lips once she saw who the caller was. “Alex.” She spit her baby’s daddy name like it left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Jayla laughed at her sister’s reaction. “What does he want?”
“One sec. Let me see.” She answered the call and put the phone to her ear.
Jayla moved in the opposite direction, allowing her sister a little privacy. Those two had been on again, off again for nearly eight years. Perhaps this was an “on” week for them.
When Jayla heard the familiar ringtone muffled inside her purse, she inched toward a bench near the mall’s indoor fountain to take the call. She didn’t bother glancing at the phone before she swiped the touch screen with her thumb and placed the device to her ear.
“Hello?”
“Jayla?” The masculine voice was so seductive. Renewed excitement had her lips curving.
“How did you get my number?” she said and heard Derrick chuckle.
“Come on, now. You know better.”
She wanted to ask what had taken him so long to call but thought better of it. “How have you been?”
“Can’t stop thinking about you,” he said, as if he had been waiting on the question. “When can I see you again?”
“Derrick, we talked about this—”
“No, I think I asked, and you shut me down a couple times,” he interrupted. “But you never gave me an explanation.”
“I don’t owe you one.”
“True.”
He paused, and Jayla glanced over to see Jocelyn chatting away on her own call.
“So tell me something,” Derrick went on. “Do you want me to leave you alone? Honestly?”
Jayla remained silent. Of course she didn’t. But still... “I just think that’s best,” she said. It was a weak answer, but she tried to put some conviction in her tone. “I don’t want to get into a relationship.” “Who said I was looking for a relationship?”
Jayla remained silent. Good point.
“Listen, I like you,” he said. “I’m direct. I don’t like bullshit. Can’t we just start off by being friends and let whatever happens happen? That’s not to say it won’t, but that’s not to say it will, either.”
“We’ll talk about it another time,” she said. “We’ll see. Fair enough?”
“Fair enough,” he agreed. “Have a good one, beautiful.”
Jayla waited for the call to disconnect. She didn’t realize she was grinning like an idiot.
Jocelyn waddled over and slid beside Jayla on the bench. “He can be such an asshole,” she murmured about her baby’s daddy.
“What did he want?”
“He just wanted to know where I was and when I was coming back home. I told him he should’ve been the one here with me, and he wants to cut me off, saying he’s not trying to hear my fussing.”
“Home?” Jayla had picked up the subtle hint and lifted an eyebrow.
Jocelyn sighed. “Yeah, I let that nigga move back in. Again. That was stupid, huh?”
“I don’t know why you let him walk all over you,” Jayla said, shaking her head. “That shit is getting old.”
“He promises to do better,” Jocelyn insisted, even as Jayla’s disapproving frown deepened. “He really does. He said he’s going to get a job, we’re going to save up for a wedding, and he’ll be a good daddy. All of that. I need to give him a chance to prove himself.”
“So where is he now, Joce?” Jayla motioned around the crowded mall and watched Jocelyn’s eyes fall to her lap. “Exactly. Like I said, that shit is getting old.” She remained quiet when Jocelyn didn’t respond. Maybe she was too aggressive. On the other hand, her sister could be weak at times, and she damn sure needed to get with the program.
* * *
It wasn’t until after she had sent her sister on her way that Jayla remembered the envelope in the kitchen. Of course, it hadn’t moved from where she’d thrown it earlier. She saw the letter J once more, the simple personalization like a finger pointing at her. This is for you, bitch.
Jayla turned the envelope over, plucked off the solitary piece of tape keeping the flap closed. After lifting up the flap, she pulled out a card. It was some sort of child’s card. Well, it used to be. On the front was a picture of a teddy bear, his arms across his chest. Someone had taken a red marker and crossed out the original me
ssage, Do you know how much I love you? And they had scribbled the question Do you know how much I am going to enjoy killing you? The words seemed to tear a hole in her, so much so that she dropped the card on the floor.
It sprang open, revealing a much larger teddy bear. Someone had taken the liberty to turn the bear’s smile into a sinister snarl, complete with sharp teeth. The front of the card said, Do you know how much I am going to enjoy killing you? And the answer to that question was on a banner in the larger teddy’s hands, outstretched in 3D pop-up fashion: This much. This much. This much.
Her phone rang, startling her, and a scream came from her throat. She ripped her eyes from the evil message and eyed her phone. She took a grateful breath when she saw Jasmine’s number flashing.
“Jasmine,” Jayla gasped when she answered the call. She forced herself to focus on her niece and not the threatening card. “I’ve been looking for you. Where are you?”
“Out,” she snapped.
“What the hell is your problem?”
Jasmine’s attitude was all the way on as she blew out an irritated breath. “I’ve been out here busting my ass, Auntie. I’ve gone on four assignments, and I don’t think I’m getting enough money for the shit I have to put up with.”
Jayla rolled her eyes. A little taste of the good life and the bitch had the nerve to get greedy. Money was already changing her. Which was why the ungrateful heifer didn’t need to know Jayla was skimming her cut off the top.
“You should have almost fifty thousand dollars in the bank,” Jayla shot back. “The fuck you mean, you’re not getting enough?”
“I’m saying I got niggas begging for my pussy, and I should be upselling the shit outa these ballers,” Jasmine said. “So that’s why I’ve been setting up my own assignments.”
“What?” Confusion had Jayla squinting at the phone. Had she heard correctly? “Setting up your own assignments? You don’t know what the hell you’re doing.”
“Please. Come see me at the Sheraton off Main Street and tell me I don’t know what I’m doing. Suite twenty-two-oh-four.” And with that, Jasmine hung up.
Jayla stared at the phone for a moment. How quickly Jasmine had turned into her was enough to make her skin crawl. And what the hell was Jasmine trying to show her? She didn’t bother dwelling on it any longer. Whatever it was, she was headed to that Sheraton to knock her niece’s ass off her pedestal.
* * *
Stepping off the elevator on the second floor, Jayla glanced both ways down the empty hall. She eyed the sign with the room numbers and then walked briskly toward suite 2204. Jasmine had gotten out of hand. Got her first taste of dick, and she thought she had gold between her legs.
Jayla stopped in front of the door and lifted her hand to knock. That was when she noticed the door was cracked open. As if on cue, muffled moans drifted out of the suite. Jayla nudged the door open and stepped inside.
She noticed Jasmine first, straddling a man’s lap. Her back was to the door, and Jayla’s mouth dropped open as she watched the scene unfold.
Jasmine was working that dick like a pro, rotating and gyrating until her ass clapped and jiggled with the intense motions. “Oh, fuck yes,” she was moaning, and she lifted her face to the sky, as if in prayer. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she leaned forward for the man to grab her bouncing titties. His thumbs fingered the rings glinting on her erect nipples as he lifted his hips to stab his dick deeper. Each thrust had a wet, sloshing sound echoing in the room.
Jasmine must have sensed Jayla was watching, because it was then that she tossed a smirk over her shoulder and gave her a bold stare. The movement had her shifting to the side, and Jayla’s eyes ballooned when she recognized the man’s face twisted in utter pleasure.
“Jasmine, what the fuck!” Jayla yelled and lunged across the room to snatch her niece’s naked body off the man. At just that moment, he came, and once Jasmine fell from his lap, his cum squirted on his thighs and pooled on the sheets.
Jasmine took her time getting to her feet, then threw her hair behind her shoulder and crossed her arms over her breasts. “What’s the problem, Auntie?” she said. “Surprised I’m a long way from a virgin now?”
“No, bitch. I’m surprised you’re fucking Alex! Jocelyn’s baby daddy!” She gestured wildly toward the man, who was beginning to doze off, his dick now lying limp on his stomach. Jayla’s eyes caught the overturned pill bottle on the dresser. “And you gave him roofies?”
Jasmine shrugged. “What’s the big damn deal? I can’t believe you’re taking up for this nigga. We all know he ain’t shit, and Aunt Joce is better off without his ass. Shit, it’s bad enough she’s having his baby.”
Jayla put her hands to her head; the utter confusion of the situation had brought on a slight headache. “What the hell has gotten into you?” Jayla eyed her niece, and for the first time, she saw a monster. “What the hell were you thinking?”
Jasmine stepped forward, bumping her titties against Jayla’s. “I was thinking I was doing the right thing and saving my aunt from a bullshit relationship.”
“Yeah, so now you fuck for free?” Jayla tossed back. “Since you know every damn thing and got it all figured out, who the fuck is paying you for this? Because it damn sure ain’t me or Jocelyn.”
Jasmine grinned and scooped her clothes up off the floor. “Don’t worry. This one’s on the house.” And with that, she sauntered to the door.
CHAPTER NINE
“I know it’s a large range and a large sum of money,” Jayla recited, watching her potential client shift in the booth. “But this is a large investment of time, patience, and effort. As far as time goes, I can typically have a thorough analysis in two to three months. So now it just comes down to you. How important is it to know what your husband is worth?”
“It’s important.” The woman sighed, fingering the glistening wedding band she wore. “But I just don’t know if I want to know the truth.”
Jayla nodded. “That’s completely up to you. But don’t feel like you have to make a decision today. You have my contact information. You let me know if you want to proceed.”
The woman stood up, toying with the strap of her purse.
Jayla stood and held out her hand. “It was an absolute pleasure, and you have a good day, Ms. Walker,” she said. The woman accepted the hand and hurried off.
Jayla sat back down and lingered there for a moment longer. She doubted the woman would pursue the evaluation, but she really wasn’t surprised. Some women were comforted by the ignorance.
She felt the first few sprinkles of rain on her arm as she stepped out of the restaurant. Jayla glanced up and frowned at the threatening clouds. Even the smell of the impending storm hung thick. That was fine. She wanted nothing more than to go home and climb back under the covers. Maybe she would pick up a bottle of sangria on the way home, order a pizza, and watch some ridiculous movie on TV. Maybe Tara would want to stop by.
That last thought prompted Jayla to pull her phone from her purse, and she glanced at the voicemail indicator on the screen. She had one voicemail. She lifted the phone to her ear to listen to the message. Her lips curved at the sound of the familiar voice. It had been over a year. Way too long.
Hey, Puma. Yes, I know it’s been a minute, but you know I did some traveling when I first retired. Been all over the place, but I’m back now, and I would love to catch up with you. Call me. She rattled off her number, and since the rain was picking up, Jayla ducked under the umbrella of a patio table and punched the digits in her phone.
As it rang, Jayla could almost feel her heart rate pick up speed. Her mentor. She didn’t know why she still felt the need for Patricia Dixon’s approval, but the woman had practically groomed her for success, taken her under her wing. Jayla had always tried to make her proud, and even now, ten years later, she wanted that established rapport to remain intact. She was a mentor to Jasmine and would never leave her side, and Patricia was the same for her, but so much more.
�
�Puma,” Patricia said when she answered the phone. That nickname carried so many memories. And Jayla was just like that big cat, a solitary, adaptable hunter. “It has been entirely too long.”
“Yes, it has. You wanted to see the world,” Jayla reminded her.
“But I would’ve never thought we would go so long without speaking. I’m sorry for that. But I’m sure you’ve had plenty to keep you occupied.” The insinuation was clear.
Jayla grinned. “I have to update you on everything when you get some time.”
“Well, I am back in town.”
“For good?” Jayla asked, hopeful.
“I did buy a house,” Patricia said after a minute. “So, I think I’ll settle down for a while. Come by and see me.”
“Now?”
“Sure. Why not? I can fill you in on my adventures, and you can fill me in on yours. I’m retired from teaching college, but not from teaching my Puma.”
Jayla glanced at the darkened sky. The rain was coming down in sheets now, cascading off the umbrella like a waterfall. There was a slight chill to the air. That bed and movie idea was still appealing, but she couldn’t think of anything she’d rather do more than visit Patricia.
“What’s the address?”
* * *
It suited her perfectly.
Jayla eyed the massive house as she maneuvered her truck up the paved circular driveway and braked at the front door. Knowing Patricia, she had definitely expected to find a mini mansion nestled amidst a manicured lawn and a thicket of trees. She knew it was not so much so the pension of a retired college professor that had made Patricia’s extravagant purchase possible. It was definitely the stockpile of cash Patricia had put away from her days as a Heartbreaker.
By the time Jayla stepped from her truck, the rain had stopped and the sun was trying to peek through. She angled her head to observe the gorgeous stone house, with its oversize windows, jutting rooftops, and large wraparound porch. Just then, Derrick called, but Jayla let it go to voicemail. This was not the time or the place.
The Appraisal Page 9
