by S. L. Walker
“I’m not gonna ask you again, bitch,” Reggie was at his wits end. Not only did he pay too damn much for her, he wasn’t going let some hoe tell him what to do. “I’m sure you suck enough dicks, it don’t matter!” He grabbed her by the arm and threw her back on the bed. She shrieked.
He then put it in her face.
“Hold it! You got me fucking soft and shit,” he grabbed her hand and put it on his penis. He then opened his last bottle in his hand, finished it, and threw it on the ground. Kaitlin began rubbing it, her heart aching and she found her eyes sliding over to the hotel clock by the bed.
Three whole hours.
Then he forcefully grabbed her head, interrupting her gaze, and pushed his penis in her mouth, causing her to gag. She took a deep breath for air and coughed, pushing him away.
“What the hell?!” She coughed. His penis had hit the back of her throat so hard it hurt her.
“Man, bitch, you ain’t no real hoe! She got you up here fucking these small dick niggas huh?!” He laughed, walking over to the refrigerator again. Kaitlin finally caught her breath and was able to breathe normally again. She looked at Reggie like he was crazy, taking another shot and another.
“Maybe you should chill on the drinking!” She yelled, knowing that his drinking might not be such a good idea. Normally, Kaitlin preferred to even be drunk herself, but she didn’t know Reggie. Lila usually knew her clients and some could drink and others couldn’t with her girls for this exact reason.
“Let’s try this again!” He strolled over to her, laughing and sticking his tongue out. Kaitlin gave in and did her job until his mean words were now becoming oou’s and ah’s. Not even two minutes went by and he finished all over Kaitlin’s pretty dress.
“Oh, fuck woman! Yes! I am sorry! I am sorry I talked shit! Damn!” He fell back into the lounge chair. Kaitlin got up and wiped her mouth and then to the refrigerator, without saying a word. She grabbed a couple shots of vodka and took them both to the head. She looked at the clock again. She knew it’d be a long three hours.
“Listen, if I can get Treach to give me one of them girls and do what you do. Or shit even all of em! Ima be makin’ bank. You young bitches, whooo!” He blabbered. Kaitlin immediately looked at Reggie in confusion. Was he talking about Raven and the girls? Was Treach finally about to do it?
“I’m gonna get my shit togetha and up and runnin’ shit and I’m buying them broads. And then Ima buy you!” Reggie said, drunk. “I’m taking a shower!” He slurred, getting up and heading into the bathroom. “Be naked when I get out!” He shut the bathroom door.
Kaitlin's mind ran in circles. She didn’t want to jump to any conclusions again but if Lila was willing to do this to her and Treach was the one that sold her in the first place, who knows what money thrown at them would buy. She had to warn Raven.
RAVEN
I blew the weed smoke out slowly as I contemplated over the day on the back patio. I was a little bugged that Zara couldn’t stay longer and smoke with me. I needed someone to vent to, especially about Eva and her fucking up with Professor Heart. I didn’t need anything else to worry about and now this motherfucker was sniffing around worried about what the hell she was doing.
I talked shit in my head not realizing how many puffs I was taking of my blunt before Deon walked outside.
“Why you smoking that shit like dad not about to come home?” He scolded, closing the patio door behind him. I rolled my eyes.
“He’s coming home late again, didn’t you see his note on the fridge?” I corrected him, handing him whatever small portion of the blunt was left. He waved it away.
“You good?” He looked at me concerned. He grabbed one of the metal outside chairs and sat backwards in it.
“Yeah, why?” I took my last puff and put it out.
“First, you out here smoking. Second, you’re my baby sis working for my old boss and I need to make sure you good, especially with all of this bullshit,” he frowned. I knew my brother was holding back for me. He would have been made a plan to off Treach by now, but I wasn’t having it. I needed him to not be a suspect for any reason. I had to do it. And I was itching just as much as he was to get it over with.
“Just can’t wait to be done with this shit,” I shook my head.
“I’m sorry you dealin’ with this, Vee,” he said sincerely. The look in my brother’s eyes told me he’d take it all away if he could. But I was becoming a big girl over night. With every run we did, every customer I spoke with, every lesson I learned was molding me into something bigger than myself. Even the girls were slowly changing in their own ways. I ran my fingers through my braids.
“I got this, okay. Just make sure you are there when I need you,” I smiled. My pager buzzed and it was an unknown number. I immediately assumed it was Treach trying to set up something. I excused myself from Deon and called the number back from the house phone.
“Raven, it’s Kaitlin. Can you meet?” Kaitlin whispered over the phone.
“Now, no, my dad will be home in a little bit, whats up?” My heart beat fast. Kaitlin could only be calling me for one thing. To warn me of something.
“What about tomorrow?” She rushed.
“Yeah, me and the girls are meeting up at the shack at noon. Come through,” I told her.
“See you then,” she said and hung up. Deon walked in concerned. Whatever she had to tell me, it better not be bad news.
$$$$
“Hey y’all,” I said, taking off my black beanie and setting my backpack full of goodies on the table at the shack. I looked over at Eva who was scowling at me, fiddling with her blanket. I knew she expected me to hate her right now, but I didn’t have time for her bullshit. I pulled a bottle of Vodka out the bag and some weed.
“Yes!” Victoria clapped her hands covered in white gloves. “It’s so damn nippy today.”
“At least the sun is out,” Angel added, walking over and grabbing a cup for me to pour.
“Ladies this meet is important today. We got a lot to talk about,” I told them, cutting my eyes to Eva and then back to the alcohol. She rolled her eyes.
“I can only stay a minute, my dad has one of his guys tailing me. He thinks I’m at a job interview at the mall, which is the only reason he isn’t following me now,” Zara confessed.
“I was wondering why you were all done up,” Victoria said, taking a shot of her vodka. Zara was wearing some black slacks and a button up top, but you couldn’t really see it all through her thick black peacoat. Either way, it was too formal for her usual clothing.
“Kaitlin, let’s start with you. You had something you wanted to run by me. Or us?” I let her have the floor, pouring multiple shots into different cups.
“All of you should hear this,” she stepped closer to the middle, facing all of us. She was nice and cozy in her red leather coat with a tan fur collar. She had on leggings with black knee length boots and a red turtleneck sweater. Her makeup was done and her hair hung straight down to her shoulders. “I was with one of Treach’s boys yesterday, Reggie,” she started to say.
“The nigga who tricks off those dusty hoes on fifth street?” I asked. “What were you doing with him?” I knew who Reggie was. A client of Treach, but also a close friend. I had seen his face a couple of times around the old warehouse.
“He wanted to add me to his list of girls, but instead, Lila only allowed him to have me for 3 hours. He paid Lila in diamonds for her to mentor him. Lila style,” she pinched her lips together in frustration. “While he was drunk, he said something about buying some new broads from Treach. I assumed you guys. Then he said he was coming for me,” she took a shot of her drink.
“Broads like who?!” That was the first time Eva had said anything.
“Yea,” Angel agreed. The look on my face was questionable enough.
“Treach doesn’t have any other girls that Reggie don’t already know of that are young and new. Only y’all,” she confirmed. She was right. Treach had his hoes on his payrol
l, all over 18. We were the youngest.
“Nah, he was just talking.” Victoria finished her drink and poured her another.
“Treach isn’t going to sell them, they are too good for business,” Zara chimed in, sensing the girls nervousness.
“Look, I’m just the messenger! I would have never thought Lila would pimp me out to his nasty ass for a few hours and she did! For less than what I was worth. All them people see is dollar signs. And I’ll be damn if she ever do that shit again,” Kaitlin grew serious and tears formed in her eyes.
“You okay?” I asked her.
“Yeah, sorry. I just had a horrible time with him, is all,” she took the bottle and poured her own self a shot.
“What did he do to you?” I was concerned. I didn’t know this Reggie, but the way he had Kaitlin shook up, was enough to tell me, he wasn’t a good guy.
She shook her head. “I’m not reliving that shit. I got my own damn plan for Lila. Now, what y’all do with this information is on y’all, but Reggie is on some kind of mission and Lila is helping him. If he wants you guys he will try and get you and I’m not so sure Treach will say no. He may not let all of you go, or you, Angel, since you’re his prize, but you, Tori and Eva…who knows,” she schooled us.
What she was saying wasn’t total bullshit. Treach was about his money and she was right, he didn’t have to prostitute me or Angel out but he could Eva or Victoria.
“But, Treach knows that if he even thought about doing some shit like that to Eva or Tori, Raven wouldn’t be having that. And I’m sure he doesn’t want that drama right now,” Zara tried her best to put out the fire.
“Yeah, Raven’s damn near his right hand for us, he wouldn’t jeopardize that, would he?” Angel looked scared. I could see the thought was slowly driving her crazy.
“Treach will figure it out. All I’m saying is, keep your eyes open, and have a backup plan for his ass,” Kaitlin told us. I instantly opened the weed and started to break it down to hurry and chill my nerves. There was a still silence between us. As if we all were trying to figure out what to believe. Kaitlin didn’t know about me planning to off Treach nor what I had done to Big Willy, so her degree of panic was naturally higher than ours. It was too much to think about but that was why it was important for me to get rid of him. I needed the right moment.
“I gotta go. Raven, keep me posted,” Zara told us and took one big shot of her drink. “Don’t overreact just yet, y’all,” she said before she exited outside.
I finally was able to light my joint and took a drag.
“Let’s keep our eyes and ears open for any bullshit. Kaitlin, keep your eyes open around Lila now that she’s working with his lame ass. If anyone will know if he is coming for us, you will. Treach won’t give off any signs. Not to me. And just because I am working for him, doesn’t mean he gives a fuck about who he hurts. You see how he did Deon,” I reminded all of them.
Assuming that Reggie would be able to talk Treach into selling one of us would be causing unnecessary stress, but totally writing it off, would be stupid on our end. We have to be ready for anything.
“Okay,” Kaitlin nodded. I looked at the girls who all had worried looks on their faces. The sadness and stress in their eyes made me want to go put a cap in Treach right now, but I knew that wouldn’t be the case.
“Eva, what are we gonna do about your lover boy?” I interrupted her thoughts. She gave me a dreaded look, but knew it had to be discussed.
“I went to his house last night and got my gun back. I won’t be fucking with him anymore and he won’t be saying shit to anyone about anything,” she said, daring me to question her.
“You sure?” I looked at her hard. I wanted to ask her how she got her gun back and what did he know, but the way she glared at me, told me she handled it and to please leave it be.
“Yep,” she sipped her drink.
“If I see his ass following us again or sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong, I’ll be the one to handle it next time. Got it?” I added my two cents for clarity. His ass would not be fucking up anything we got going on, not under my watch.
“Fine,” she said with an attitude. Tori and Angel sat in silence. I knew they wanted to know about this fling between her and a teacher, but for some reason they didn’t pry.
“Whatever y’all got going on ain’t my business. I got to get back to Lilas’, I’ll let you know if I hear anything,” Kaitlin said, walking towards the door.
“Thanks, Kaitlin,” I told her as she left.
Kaitlin had gotten stuck in the game somehow and I knew she’d never get out. Not unless whatever plan she said she had cooking was her exit strategy. I wouldn’t dare let us get to where she was. I’d die before I let that happen to us.
VICTORIA
“Tori!” My mom yelled from the kitchen. I had just taken a shower and was rushing to go shopping with Angel. “Come here, quick!”
I rushed into the kitchen with nothing but my white bathrobe on.
“What is it?” I asked her. She stood there with a letter in her hand and a grin as wide as I had ever seen.
“They are settling. Your dad is settling!” She waved the letter in the air.
“What?” I grabbed the letter from her and began to read it. The trial had gone quick, but it was terribly intimidating. I hadn’t seen my dad in forever and I hardly had recognized him as he grimaced at me the entire time. I talked about how he wasn’t in my life and we had had proof in the article interview that he didn’t even claim me. The judge said we had to come back for the decision, but I guess my dad decided to settle out of court with our lawyer.
“$100,000!” My mom shouted before I could even read over the amount disclosed in the letter.
“A hundred thousand dollars?” My eyes widened. I looked at her and the amount and then back at her. “Ahhhhhhhh!!!!” I screamed and we both jumped up and down.
“I didn’t even know that bastard had that much money!” She yelled. We laughed and hopped up and down again.
“When do you get the money?” I eagerly asked.
“I have to sign off and agree to the settlement and baby we are rich! God is good!” she held her hands in the air, trying not to cry. We hugged each other hard and I was too thankful that she no longer had to work. That she could finally own her own boutique now.
We had money!
The thought of this made me feel more comfortable in telling Lance about me, now. Surely, he wouldn’t care where I came from now that he got to know me for me. I read back over the letter to make sure I wasn’t dreaming and then my eyes read over something heart wrenching.
As long as prosecutor remains in no contact with defendant.
“What’s wrong baby?” My mom’s smile went away just as fast as mine.
“He doesn’t want nothing to do with me,” I said as if I already didn’t know that. The thought of him actually making it a court order was devastating. How could your own father not want anything to do with you? I had immediately regretted wanting the settlement. I would have gladly taken a relationship with him over money, but knowing where his heart lied crushed my soul. I could barely breathe as I read the sentence over and over in my mind.
“Oh honey,” she wrapped her arms around me. “I didn’t even think anything about that. I was so used to him not being in our lives anyway. I am so sorry. What do you want to do?”
I looked up at her wondering why she thought I had a choice in this. He didn’t want me in his life and he had made that clear in more ways than one.
“Let’s celebrate,” I forced a smile. She smiled back in relief and kissed me on my cheek.
“We got each other! And a 100,000 dollars!” her excitement went back up.
“I promised Angel I was going to go shopping with her for some Christmas party,” I reminded myself as I told her. I needed time to process.
“Of course, yea go do your thing!” she grinned. “And when you come back, we celebrate!” She practically skipped into her bedr
oom.
I looked back at the letter and reread the terms pretending it would change. I wanted to call him. I heard my mom humming and hadn’t seen her this happy in a long time. If not dealing with my dad anymore made her this happy, then I was with it. It is what it is.
It made me more thankful now for Lance. Things were finally okay. We were going to be okay.
CHAPTER 31
Treach had ordered another run to Jack’s house randomly interrupting what each of the girls were doing. He promised Raven they’d get a bigger pay cut on this one. Nine was waiting in a white SUV at the corner. DJ sat eagerly to see Raven in the passenger seat. All the girls rolled up on their bikes at the same time, not happy. He noticed Angel and Victoria had a couple shopping bags, Eva was dressed in old grey sweats, hoody and oversize jacket like she had just got out of bed, and Raven was surprisingly refreshed, alert and ready to get this over with.
DJ hopped out the car like a gentleman and opened the back door for the frustrated girls.
“Well, nice to see y’all too,” Nine teased when he noticed the frowns on the girl’s faces.
“Was it really necessary for all of us to come?” Raven asked him, hopping in the seat behind nine. Angel and Victoria followed in the last back seats and Eva took a seat next to her.
“Yeah, we were shopping. Angel didn’t even get everything she wanted,” Victoria complained. Angel cut her eyes at her knowing that it was actually Victoria who had more splurging to do. Angel had found the perfect dress and shoes to wear to Sam’s Christmas party while Victoria was in the middle of her third outfit.
“The more the merrier,” Nine continued to tease them. DJ shut the door and hopped back in his seat on the passenger side.
“So, we are going back to that white boys mansion?” Eva asked them.
“Yep, turns out he’s having a little party and wants to get high I guess,” Nine put the car in drive.
“How much are we talking?” Raven asked curiously, her mind flashing back to Big Willy’s party.
