A Fistful of Love: A Domestic Violence Anthology

by Thomas, Dominique

  Expensive cars lined the street while loud music played. Jess maneuvered around people and even heard a few car horns honk as she jogged down the Mile. In Detroit, West Seven Mile Road was known for being a hot block but she had one destination in mind and as she neared it she started to second-guess herself but it was too late. Jess spotted his car and she held her breath. She knew he would be there because she had often seen him while with her mother. It was his candy store but she felt like he was selling more than candy in it. He didn’t look like he was too much older than her but she knew he was out of high school.

  As she neared the famous candy store that was surrounded by men that looked like the guys in the latest rap video, she started to breathe harder. She wiped the sweat away from her forehead and missed a step. The break in the sidewalk sent her flying to the ground.

  “Oh damn!”

  “Oh shit!” The men laughed as Jess fell to the ground.

  “Nigga did you see that shit?” another man asked laughing so hard tears started to form in his eyes.

  “Yeah I did, y’all could have at least helped her up. Goofy ass niggas,” a voice so smooth yet so deep, Jess knew it was him said in response. She winced as she slowly sat up on the ground. She was so embarrassed. She was also hurt. Her forehead was banging from the hit to the ground it took.

  “Baby girl you okay?” the voice asked causing her to look up.

  There he was bending down and touching her. She couldn’t believe that he was actually touching her with his hands. She stared up at him in awe. He chuckled and lightly brushed his caramel colored fingers across her scratched up forehead. She was young maybe sixteen or seventeen but she was beautiful, a diamond in the rough no doubt. He had seen her a few times with an older woman and had said to himself that once she grew into her looks she would be bad.

  “Are you okay? Can you talk ma?” he asked again and his friends started to laugh.

  He shot them a steely glare and they quickly shut up. Deon helped her stand and wiped off her legs. He noticed that she was thickly built and he liked that. A lot.

  “You fell kind of hard. That sidewalk been fucked up. I keep putting in a request for them to fix it but since you tripped I’ma make sure the shit get done now.”

  Jess could only stare as he talked to her. She couldn’t believe that she had busted her butt in front of him and his friends at that. She knew that he would only see her as a clumsy girl. A sweaty, clumsy girl at that.

  “Uh yeah, thanks. I shouldn’t have been down this way anyway,” Jess said with a small smile.

  Deon took in her freckled light brown skinned face and smiled. She had braces but damn, even that was cute on her to him. He looked her up and down and noticed that her breast were almost busting out of her hoodie. She had a mass of dark hair that she had pulled into a low ponytail. She looked homely and nerdy but he could see what she could be and that further spiked his interest in her.

  “So what’s your name runner? I always see you with your moms and shit. She look mean as hell too,” he said with a laugh.

  Jess laughed with him because at times her mother could be mean. Heck, downright scary to her.

  “It’s Jessenia but I like for people to call me Jess.”

  He nodded looking down into her eyes. Jess was 5’5 but his 6’4 frame towered over her easily. In his black Levi’s with his black short-sleeved Polo shirt on, he looked too good to be true to Jess. His skin was clear and covered in tattoos. He even had writing on his hands. Jess knew her mother would clutch the Bible to her chest if she saw him. His hair was a silky black texture and in waves around his head. He had a beard and a mustache with the most intriguing dark eyes Jess had ever seen. It was obvious he cared about his looks and took good care of himself. Plus the way he was looking at Jess made her feel….special. She shook it off and watched two men walk up on them. Deon’s cool, suave demeanor quickly changed and he stood straight up. He stood completely in front of Jess as if he was protecting her from something.

  “What’s up Deon?” the thinner man asked.

  “Ain’t shit, I heard you was looking for me about that. Go in the store and we will chop it up,” Deon replied in a stern tone. The men tried to look around to Jess and Deon looked at them. “Go in the store and we’ll work out that shit.”

  “She so thick with it,” the bigger man said eyeing Jess’s thickly built legs.

  Jess frowned and found herself hiding her face into the back of Deon’s shirt. His own personal scent mixed with his cologne made her smile. He smelled divine. Deon seemed to relax as he felt her body press against his.

  “Jerome watch your fucking eyes and take y’all ass into the store. Matter of fact, Nitti! Show these niggas into the store before I act a fool on them,” Deon said not liking the way Jerome and his brother stared down Jess.

  She wasn’t his hell he didn’t even know her but he didn’t appreciate two low level hustlers checking her out. She could do way better than them. She needed a boss, someone like him. Deon turned to Jess and grabbed her hand. He led her over to his tricked out black SS Impala and they both stood near the car. This young, clumsy ass girl had him nervous. He found that amusing and couldn’t help but chuckle.

  “Ma, I don’t know why you chose to run by my store today but I’m happy you did. You know I gotta take you out right?” He asked looking at her.

  Jess fidgeted with the bottom of her hoodie. She had never been on a date and knew that her parents would not approve of her dating a grown man.

  “I don’t have time to date,” she replied which wasn’t necessarily a lie.

  She didn’t have time for anything other than school and church. Deon however felt like she was playing with him. He didn’t chase younger women and if he did, he knew that he wouldn’t get turned down by them. It was something about Jess besides her ripe young body that he liked. He felt comfortable with her and he was anxious to see how she blossomed. He wanted to be around for that most definitely.

  “How about you think about it and come back running around here tomorrow to let me know,” Deon suggested.

  Jess nodded looking up at him. He smirked knowing that she wouldn’t and touched her forehead again. She was too beautiful to be bruised up. He wiped it off as best as he could and gave her a once over.

  “When you ready for me come find me. I’ma be here Jess. You should head back home it’s getting late. Do you need a ride?”

  “No I don’t,” Jess quickly said and walked off.

  She found her stride and started back running. Deon watched her disappear back down the street with a smile on his face. He had more women than he needed but what he didn’t have was a Jess. She had virgin written all over her and the thought of being with someone so fresh made him giddy. He could mold her into the woman she needed to be for him so he would wait but if she took too long then he would have to go get her.

  Chapter Two

  “Jess the answer is no. I’m sorry,” Jackie said looking at her daughter.

  Jess stood next to her mother inside of the church fuming mad.

  “But my cramps are so bad. I can barely walk when I come on my period. Please momma,” she begged.

  Jackie ignored her daughter and waited for the pastor and his wife to get to them. Jess had just asked if she could get on birth control to help with her stomach cramps and Jackie almost struck her she’d gotten so mad. Even now Jackie’s hand shook as she stood near her daughter. She had done everything the right way with Jess but Jess just couldn’t do right in her eyes. First she physically fought someone, now this? Jackie knew that the devil was after her baby and she wasn’t going to let him have her.

  “Sister Jackie and Jessenia Nichole. Bless you,” Pastor Robin said and pulled Jackie into a hug. He then hugged Jess and looked between the two women who greatly resembled each other. He could feel the anger radiating off of Jackie. “Is everything okay Sister Jackie?”

  “My daughter is having sex!” Jackie blurted out to the pastor making everyon
e within an earshot of them pause what they were doing and look their way.

  Jess looked at her mother in disbelief. Before the pastor could respond she ran away. She went to the women’s bathroom and rushed in. Jess found the first stall and planted herself in it. Her tears fell in a continuous flow. All she ever wanted from her mother was understanding and love. Jackie gave her what she felt she deserved instead and was always putting the pastor and church people into their business. Jess hadn’t even hugged a boy let alone had sex with him.

  “Jess where you at?” Willow’s soft voice asked.

  She attended the same church and cringed when she heard Jess’s mother blurt her business out. Willow even knew that Jackie was wrong. Her best friend was very much a virgin even though she had been having sex herself for the last year.

  “Please, Willow I just need a minute.”

  Willow sighed and leaned against the white sink.

  “You must know that the pastor and my mom told her that she was wrong for doing that. I mean really wrong. I took that opportunity to see if you could spend the night and guess who said yes? Your mean ass momma did,” Willow said and laughed.

  Jess wiped her wet face and smiled. Willow could run a guilt trip on anyone.

  “I can’t wait! It’s this party we need to be at tonight so come on. My mom is going to take you by your house to get some clothes.”

  “And my mom said okay?”

  Jess asked stepping out of the stall. Willow looked at her friend and took in her beauty. Jess had no idea just how pretty she was but Willow planned on giving her a makeover that night. She knew Mauri would be at the party and she couldn’t wait for him to see Jess.

  “Yep, so let’s go. Plus you need to meet my new boo Danilo,” Willow replied pulling Jess away.

  “Jessenia,” Jackie said as soon as Jess exited the bathroom with Willow.

  Willow walked over to the side while Jess stayed back to talk with her mother.

  “Yes.”

  “I…I can only do what I know is best. I can’t condone you having sex. I can get you pain pills all day long but birth control? No, I can’t do that. Please don’t ever ask the impossible from me because I can’t give it. Have fun with your friend but be sure to act accordingly. God is always watching you. I’ll come get you tomorrow when I get off of work, you don’t need to spend a whole weekend there. Goodnight Jess,” Jackie said and gave her a strained smile before walking away.

  Jess watched her mother leave and thought to herself. Her mom hadn’t ever told her she loved her. Not one time but she could think of the countless times Jackie had told the pastor and the church members she loved them. That realization hurt Jess.

  “Come on we got some sneaking out to do,” Willow said tossing her arm over Jess’s neck.

  Jess smiled as they walked off.

  ****

  “Shush!” Willow said to Jess.

  The best friend’s tiptoed down the stairs in Willow’s home trying their best not to make a sound. They moved quietly out of the side door. Willow quickly locked it and grabbed Jess’s hand. She practically dragged her down the long driveway and over to the waiting car. Sneaking out was nothing new to Willow but Jess was on edge as they climbed into Willow’s friend Brittany’s Honda. Brittany chuckled as she pulled away from the house.

  “I swear your momma love her sleeping pills. I wish my momma took them,” Brittany said with a laugh.

  Willow smiled while checking out her makeup in the mirror.

  “I’m just happy that mine do. Once my dad took on the night shift she started taking them. She only does it a few nights out the week but did you see how good my boo Jess look?”

  Brittany glanced into the back of the car at Jess and gave her a big phony smile. Brittany was cool with Jess but she had no idea that Jess was covering up such a beautiful body. She’d only seen her in plain off brand clothes. Jess’s hair was now flat-ironed bone-straight making it hang to the middle of her back. Her breasts were big, way bigger than most girls in high school and they looked huge in Willow’s white halter-top. Then there were Jess’s toned arms, legs and ass. Brittany was beautiful as well with her own brown, flawless skin and curvy frame but she knew that Jess would have more attention on her. On the inside that kind of made her a little jealous.

  “Yeah, you look good Jess! And Mauri is there with his friends but he might be gone when we get there. He doesn’t do the party scene like that,” Brittany said.

  Jess only nodded. She didn’t like Mauri at all. He was cool and really cute with his brown skin and honey colored eyes but Deon was all she could think about. For the last two months he had been on her mind constantly. She had been too shy to go running back by his store but whenever she rode by with her mother he was always out there; almost like he was looking for her.

  “Mauri seems nice but I don’t like him.”

  Brittany frowned at Jess’s response even rolling her eyes while looking ahead. She felt like Jess was acting brand-new because of her makeover. She didn’t appreciate that.

  “Oh excuse me supermodel Jessenia. I didn’t know you had it like that,” Brittany joked letting some of her jealousy poke through.

  Willow gave her friend the side eye. She didn’t appreciate her jealous remark towards Jess. Willow hung with Brittany a lot but Jess was like family. She wouldn’t allow for anyone to talk down to her.

  “Mauri might be the mecca to you bitches but he is not the best that it gets for me or Jess. If Jess likes him then that’s cool but if she doesn’t then that’s cool too. She might want a man not some young ass boy. You know can’t no high school boy do shit for me other than help me with my damn homework,” Willow said and laughed.

  Brittany joined in with her trying to ease the tension while Jess looked out of the window. It was such a beautiful spring night. Jess wondered what Deon was doing. She could care less about Brittany and her sudden attitude with her.

  ****

  “Look, like I was saying I’ma about to slide through to this party.” Danilo said grabbing his money off of the ground.

  Deon looked at him as Torie sat on his lap kissing on his neck. She was making his dick hard as a rock.

  “Okay, I heard you say that for the fourth damn time. What the fuck that gotta do with me Danilo?” Deon asked his cousin who was more like his little brother.

  “‘Cause I want you to roll through with me. Come on nigga I can’t be out here by myself, I’m scooping up my baby and we’re going back to my place. She might even got a friend,” Danilo said and smiled at the last part with his eyes on Deon’s longtime girlfriend Torie.

  Torie giggled not worried about her position in Deon’s life. They had been together for five years. She wasn’t going anywhere and she would pitch a bitch if he tried to leave her alone.

  “Whatever, Danilo. Daddy gotta spend time with me tonight,” she said and kissed Deon’s cheek.

  Deon loved Torie but he wasn’t in love with her. He had never been in love with her. He didn’t mind sliding up in her but the thought of seeing some new pussy had him thinking about leaving her alone for the night. He looked at his cousin and Danilo winked at him. Danilo knew what Deon was thinking. Danilo had good taste in women so Deon knew that he wouldn’t be pulling up on some ugly chicks.

  “Torie, I’ma roll out for a minute. I’ll be through later though ma,” he said standing her up.

  Torie frowned at the thought of him being around some women. She sat her hands on her thick hips and shook her head. She didn’t appreciate how easily he was trying to dismiss her.

  “You promised you would stay in tonight,” she whined.

  Deon stood up and went into his pocket. He pulled out some money and placed it in her small, soft hand. He kissed her on the cheek and pulled her close to him. He grabbed the bottom of her hair and pulled it until she winced out in pain.

  “Stop whining and take your ass home. I said I’ll be through later so I will. Don’t make me say it again,” he whispered to her.
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  Torie got moist at the way he ordered her around. She put the shopping money away and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before leaving. Danilo chuckled as Torie switched to her car. Deon grabbed his cellphones and looked at his cousin.

  “Ain’t shit funny. I’ma have to give her at least a few stacks to get her off my damn back. She trying to get a nigga to knock her up and shit,” Deon told him.

  Danilo only laughed harder. They said goodbye to the other guys still shooting dice and went to Deon’s newest truck, a navy Cayenne. Deon got in while Danilo admired the beautiful truck for a second before climbing in himself.

  “Nigga, this shit is nice. I gotta stop fucking Willow so much and get my ass back on the grind. I been slipping these last few months. I could pull the money out of my savings but I’m trying to hold on to that.”

  Deon nodded thinking that his cousin had probably been spending most of his trust fund up anyway and looked over at him.

  “Damn, so you feeling this young ass girl like that? How old is she?” he asked.

  “She’s sixteen but that body is all grown my nigga. Her little ass is something else but I like her. I know she ain’t no hoe and she’s smart. She cool as hell too. Oh and that party is in Southfield at the hotel off of Northwestern Highway,” Danilo replied.

  “Shit, nigga when we was sixteen we didn’t fuck sixteen year olds, but I feel you. It’s this chick that be running by my candy story on the Westside and she something else. She’s a little plain looking but that can be fixed. I like that she not like these hot ass girls coming in the store with their asses hanging out and shit. For that reason alone I don’t want no damn daughter. These young bitches getting down worse than the old hoes. I guess they’re learning from their momma.”

  “Hell yeah,” Danilo chimed in agreement. “So what’s up with her?”