Dirty Tricks

by Kiki Swinson

  Looking at the Coach watch on my left arm, I realized it was time for me to get getting. Time had flown by talking with them. Motioning for the salesclerk, I informed her that I wanted the Coach and Persol sunglasses. “It’s been fun, ladies, but I have to get going.”

  “Damn, where you in a rush off to? You just got here.” Briana pouted.

  “Bri, it’s been an hour already. I told you I wouldn’t be staying long. Remember?” I reminded her. “I have to get home. Game is cooking dinner for me tonight.” I blushed. Saying his name gave me butterflies in the pit of my stomach.

  “Hmmm, dinner then bang bang time.” Briana smiled with her right eyebrow raised.

  “And in that order.” Sasha cosigned.

  After purchasing the sunglasses, I made a quick stop and purchased the maxi dresses that had caught my eye earlier. With a huge grin spread across my face, I exited the store. I couldn’t wait to get home to see what Game had planned for dinner.

  * * *

  The different aromas from the food Game was preparing filled my nostrils as soon as I entered the house. My stomach immediately started to grumble. I was a true foodie and enjoyed eating, although you couldn’t tell by looking at me. My body was in top-notch shape. You would think I went to the gym every day. Game looked up at me and smiled as I entered the kitchen. Placing my purse and Macy’s bags down on the kitchen counter, I walked straight into his waiting arms. A kiss followed.

  “Did you find the sunglasses your heart desired?”

  “Something like that. I picked up two pair. And a few dresses.”

  “Well, I’m glad you made it back. I missed you.” He wrapped me tight in his arms again.

  “Well, I missed you more,” I cooed. Gazing into each other’s eyes, we kissed again. “Your food sure smells good.”

  “And you know this.” He grinned. “Top chef in the house tonight, I ain’t playing no games.”

  “Top chef, huh? So what’s on the menu, top chef?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?” He slapped my butt and turned back to the stove. Boy, was he serious about his cooking. He even had on a George Foreman apron.

  “I like your apron.”

  “This old thing?” He glanced down at his apron. “I guess you can say it inspires me to do what I do best . . . Everything is ready. Why don’t you wash your hands and meet me in the dining room.”

  “What you tryin’ to get me leave the kitchen so your paid chef can exit?” I joked.

  “Ha ha, you know this.” He laughed.

  Grinning, I grabbed my bags and purse off the counter, walked upstairs, and put my things away. Then I washed my hands and raced back downstairs. I was hungry and couldn’t wait to see what dinner Game had planned.

  The food looked just as delicious spread out on the table as it smelled. Buttermilk biscuits, ribeye steaks with gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet peas with carrots. My mouth watered.

  “Bae, did you really cook all of this? It look so good. Wait a minute. You sure you’re not hiding my ma in that kitchen?” I laughed.

  “Nah, this all me.” He rubbed his chest with pride. “Come on, sit down.” He pulled out a chair for me.

  “Thanks.” I smiled. My eyes roamed my plate. I didn’t know what I wanted to taste first. I could see the smoke sizzling around the biscuits, proof that they had just come out of the oven. And that was exactly the way I liked them.

  “Don’t be shy. Dig in.” He picked up his knife and cut into his steak. I swear it looked so juicy. I followed his lead. The meat and gravy melted on my tongue. I chewed slowly to savor all the taste.

  “Dang, bae. This is good,” I commented after I swallowed.

  “Did you doubt me?” He forked some potatoes into his mouth.

  “Never.” I grinned, then bit into my biscuit. I loved bread, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before I reached for another one. We finished our food, then retired to the den with a bottle of wine.

  “I wanted to talk to you about something important.” Game passed me a glass of wine.

  “Sure, what’s up?” I sat back on the couch facing him.

  “I have a new business venture I’m putting together. I’m going to buy some houses in the middle-class areas of Oakland, fix them up, and sell them at a good price.”

  “Bae, that sounds like a good idea.”

  “Yeah, this could put some value back into the areas where the houses need fixing up, but also put some good capital into my pockets.”

  “And with the houses being in middle-class areas, anyone with a steady job and decent debt ratio should be able to get a reasonable homeowner’s loan,” I added.

  “My thoughts exactly.” He winked at me, then took a swig from his glass. “But there is just one thing I need.” He focused his eyes on mine. “Your help . . . that’s the only way to make this work.”

  That statement confused me. For one, I had no idea how to fix up a house. The only help I could possibly be would be filling out papers for a home loan. Hopefully that’s what he meant. “What help could I be to your business venture?”

  “Listen, I’ve been honest with you about my life, so you know my position in the game. Bottom line is I can’t risk having all those assets in my name. I have enough of that already. It’s just too much of a liability . . . That’s where you come in. I gotta have someone who I can trust without a doubt.” I waited for him to get to the point. I was becoming anxious. “I need you to purchase all the houses in your name.”

  My eyes bulged. “Put them in my name?” I was shocked. “You sure?” I couldn’t believe he would trust me with something so important.

  “Bae you legit. It only makes sense.” The concerned look on his face told me he was worried I might say no.

  But he had said the one that was true. He could trust me, and this was the best way for me to prove it to him. “You know what, bae, I’m in. I’ll do it.” I smiled. “Besides, I love the idea and I think it’s a huge opportunity for the homebuyers and for you.”

  Game pulled me into him, then kissed me deeply. Damn, his tongue made miracles. Next his tongue found my breast. And as the saying goes, my panties fell off.

  CHAPTER 12

  A couple of months had passed, and as usual I was busy. That seemed to be a common factor in my life. But I couldn’t complain—in fact, I loved it. I was still putting in work at the bank, and the new business with the houses was going great. In fact, it had been a lot easier than I had originally thought. Game basically put in all the work. He made sure it never interfered with my job at the bank. He respected my job. So he picked the houses and scheduled all the contract work. All I had to do was show up and sign the paperwork for the purchase and sale, and for that I was grateful. So far we had bought and sold ten houses in a very fast turnaround, and the money was looking good. And I, of course, put my cut directly into the bank. School was no longer merely a goal, it was within reach. But between work, Game, and the time I was spending with family and friends, I had not made the time to register. I promised myself I would soon.

  Today was another exciting day for me. Game’s sister Keisha was coming into town. So I was home getting ready to meet her. I had called Game’s personal chef over to prepare a few finger dishes just in case Keisha was hungry when she arrived. I hoped she liked them.

  “Babe, hurry up. Keisha just called, she’s pullin’ in,” Game yelled so I could hear him.

  I was a bit nervous. Fidgeting with my hands, I made my way into the hallway where he was cradling a shot glass. “Come on.” He smiled at me. He knew I was nervous. “You don’t have anything to worry about. Keisha gon’ love you.”

  “I know. I’m just being silly.” The doorbell rang. Game made his way down the hallway with me on his trail. “Girl, get in here.” He hugged his sister.

  “Game, I can’t breathe,” she said in a muffled tone.

  “My bad. You shouldn’t wait so long to come visit.”

  “I know. But I got a life too.” She looked at me over Game’
s shoulders. She was about five-eight. I guess tall ran in their family. She was super light skinned like me, with light brown eyes. They didn’t look alike at all. Possibly they had different dads. But I couldn’t ask that. He’d only told me his parents were dead.

  “Hi,” I said.

  Game released her as if he had almost forgotten he was supposed to be introducing me. “Babe, this is my sister, Keisha. Keisha, this is Porsha.”

  “Finally I get to meet you. ’Cause I swear he won’t shut up about you.” Keisha chuckled. I blushed at her mentioning him constantly talking about me.

  “I guess he does like me, huh,” I joked.

  “No doubt.” He pulled me close to him.

  Keisha looked at us and smiled. For a brief second I thought the smile was one of uncertainty, but I chalked that up to my being nervous. “Game, I know that is not a shot glass? Not at one o’clock in the afternoon.”

  “Why not? The best decisions I ever make are over a shot. This right here slappin’, lil sis.” He laughed.

  “Porsha, you better handle that. Nah, for real, though, where can I get one of those? That plane ride was mad. First class was sold out, so I had to fly coach. And you know that ain’t my style. So I end up riding next to a pervert who smelled like fried chicken and roasted peanuts. Ugh.” She twisted up her face. I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Well, let us get you that drink. And I had the chef prepare a few snacks, so I hope you’re hungry.”

  “If she ain’t, I am.” Game rubbed his six-pack.

  “You’re always hungry.” Keisha playfully rolled her eyes. “Porsha, lead me to that drink.”

  I could tell I would love Keisha. She reminded me of Briana. It was a must I introduce them while she was in town. We all hung out around the pool for hours. Keisha also announced that she was moving back to Oakland for a while. She had some business that she needed to finalize. Game didn’t ask any questions. He was just glad to hear she would be close for a while. And so was I. Keisha seemed to be cool people. I was also glad that I would be able to introduce her to Ma. I asked her if she would mind meeting her, and she agreed right away. Ma would be happy to finally meet one of Game’s family members.

  Saturday rolled around and it was time to party. I had invited Keisha out to Club Stylz. The plan was to introduce her to Briana and Sasha, and what better way to do that than over drinks and loud music? Game had called in a car for us for the night so we didn’t have to worry about who was going to drive home, because we both were going to be turnt. 2 Chainz “Fuckin’ Problems” was blasting out of the speakers as we made our entrance. Game shook hands with people in the crowd as we made our way through to our reserved VIP section. Everyone seemed to know him—he was like a ghetto superstar. The DJ announced him and he threw up the peace sign with a grin.

  And yes, all thots eyes were on him. But I didn’t sweat it, I was bad and I knew it. And the wandering eyes from the guys confirmed it. Game must have noticed too; he slowed his stride and wrapped his arm around my waist. I looked at him with approval. In VIP Game once again was greeted like royalty. No sooner did we get inside than I felt a tap on the shoulder. I turned to face Sasha.

  “What’s up, chica?”

  “Heyyy,” I sang.

  “I love bad bitches, that’s my fucking problem.” She sang along with 2 Chainz and laughed. “I used to love that damn song.”

  “Me too.” I cosigned while bobbing my head to the beat.

  “What’s up, though? We gon’ turn up tonight.”

  “Hell yes.” I agreed.

  “What’s up, bitches?” We both turned to Briana’s chant.

  “Hey, boo.” I hugged my friend. I wondered why she was alone. She had been dating this new guy, Rico, for the past month. I hadn’t been able to meet him, so she had promised to bring him tonight. Rico was also in the drug game, so I knew he was getting money. And the look at my girl rocking brand-new Louis Vuitton heels confirmed it. “I thought we were supposed to be meeting Rico tonight?” I questioned.

  “I know, right.” Sasha cosigned. “What, did he punk out about meeting your homegirls?”

  “Bitch, don’t be ridiculous, you know I don’t do punks.” Briana playfully rolled her eyes. “Anyhow . . .” She smiled, then turned to face this handsome, tall, dark-skinned guy with long dreads.

  Rico was standing over close to the entrance talking to Paco. Paco was one of the guys who worked for Game. When Briana told me about Rico and that he hustled in the Oakland area, the first thing I did was ask Game about him. He confirmed that he knew him from the streets but they hustled different areas.

  Sasha had a huge grin on her face as she eyed Rico up and down. “So that’s Rico.”

  Briana smiled and nodded. The look on her face told me that she was into him a lot. I chuckled. I loved seeing my friend happy. Rico, who was done talking to Paco, was walking in our direction. Briana walked away from us and met him halfway. Grabbing him by the hand, she led him over to us.

  “What’s up, babe?” Game approached and stood between Sasha and me. “Hey, Sasha,” he said.

  “Hey,” Sasha replied, her eyes still on Briana and Rico.

  “Bae, Briana about to introduce us to Rico,” I announced. “Stay here with us,” I let seep through my clenched lips. Rico was closing in on us, and I didn’t want him to hear me.

  Briana wore a huge smile as she and Rico now stood toe to toe with us. She wasted no time introducing him. “This here is Rico,” she announced proudly. “Rico, I think you may already know Game?”

  “Yeah, we street,” Game clarified. That was slang they sometimes used in the streets to identify hood status.

  “No doubt,” Rico said.

  “And this is his girl, my best friend Porsha that—” Before Briana could finish, Rico reached for Sasha’s hand. Sasha looked at me and chuckled.

  Briana smile. “No silly, this is Porsha.” She pointed directly at me. I smiled.

  “My bad. I’m sorry.” Rico immediately apologized.

  “No worries.” I laughed as I reached out my hand. It was an honest mistake. Game had been standing between Sasha and me, a recipe for a mistaken handshake.

  “And I’m Sasha.” Sasha jumped in and introduced herself. We all laughed.

  “Yo, again my bad.” Rico grinned, then rubbed his face as if he was embarrassed.

  “It’s all fam.” Game chuckled, then reached out to shake Rico’s hand. “You know what it is.”

  “No doubt,” Rico agreed.

  “Well, Porsha and Sasha, are y’all happy you finally met my man?” Briana snuggled up close to Rico. He proudly wrapped his arms around her waist.

  “Of course. Rico, honestly, I was beginning to believe you were make believe,” I joked.

  “Me too.” Sasha cosigned.

  “Ha ha, you bitches stay having jokes. My honey is all real. Ain’t that right, boo?”

  “Damn right.” Rico chuckled, then leaned down and kissed Briana full on the lips.

  “A’ight, enough of that. We came out to turn up, not watch you make out,” I said.

  “I know, right?” Briana said. “It’s shot time.”

  “My thoughts exactly.” Sasha agreed.

  “You in the right place. Nothing but the best here in VIP,” Game reminded us.

  “Let’s get fucked up, ladies.” Briana grabbed my arm, and with Sasha in tow, we headed for the bar in VIP.

  From there it went down. Dance floor, back-to-back drinks, and laughs filled the night. By night’s end we all were tore up. Good thing Game had his driver bring us out, because we would have been stranded. I had enjoyed my girls, but I could not wait to get home and crawl into bed. Life was good. I was riding a high that I prayed I would never come down from. I mean, what in the world could ruin it?

  * * *

  “I thought you would never make it,” I complained as soon as I opened the door for Briana. She had come out to the house so that we could hang out by the pool, chat, and have some drinks. We
didn’t invite Sasha. While we were still cool with her, Briana and I were best friends, which meant we needed our alone time. “I thought a Porsche was supposed to deliver you anywhere you want to go in this city fast?” Thanks to Briana’s new boo Rico, she was now pushing hard through the streets of Oakland in a Porsche. My girl was killing the game.

  “While that might be true, a bitch ain’t tryin’ to get pulled over by Oakland’s finest. We all know these fuckin’ rookies in Oakland be tryin’ to prove a point.” She referred to the cops.

  “Shit, I guess you right. Hands up, don’t shoot,” I joked. But these days it really wasn’t a joking matter.

  Briana hunched her shoulders with a huge grin covering her face. “I’m here, though. And ready to drink. Please tell me you got a bottle of Moscato?”

  “You know it. Everything is already set up by the pool. Game made sure the bar was stocked for us with anything we wanted.” That’s why I loved him. He always made sure I was straight and didn’t have to do much when I was off. He wanted me to relax and enjoy myself.

  “Game, my motherfuckin’ nigga.” Briana was hype. The glow on her face didn’t go unnoticed either. Ready to turn up with my girl, I wasted no time heading outside. One glance at the pool and I was relaxed. The blue water sent tingles up my spine. Too bad I had no plans on getting wet. Briana had just slayed my hair the day before, and I knew without a doubt she would kill me if I got it wet.

  Briana paused as she took in the beautiful pool. “I swear I could sit out here all night. Porsha, I know I have said it before, but this pool is on point. Simply beautiful, girl.” The grin on her face was for more than that pool, though.

  “Bri, since you been kickin’ it with Rico you got a permanent smile on that face of yours. What’s up? And please don’t give me no bullshit excuse. ’Cause you know I’m gon’ call you on it,” I teased her.

  “Ahhh.” Briana playfully rolled her eyes. She pretended to be mad as she sat down on the chaise lounge by the pool. “You stay assuming shit.” She gave me a frown. Then she revealed all of her teeth. “Yeah, that nigga is puttin’ a smile on my face.” She was giddy.