by Jade Jones
A polished 9mm pistol was positioned on top of a stack of important of documents. Cameron didn’t know the first thing about a damn gun. The only protection she had was a four inch automatic switchblade. And even that weapon could be useless during certain circumstances.
Cameron slowly removed the gun and held it in her hands. It was lighter than she imagined. Running her hands over the barrel, she couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to pull the trigger…
***
Stone Sanchez made over ten thousand dollars a month selling drugs in prison. Two years ago he convinced a correctional officer to purchase him a cell phone where he called trusted contacts who smuggled in his product for him to distribute in the prison. The guard was compensated handsomely just to turn his head in other direction, and allow Stone to do his one two, all the while keeping his mouth closed.
Two years later, Stone was running a lucrative drug operation inside the prison. He had several soldiers inside working for him, but those individuals were only the most trusted and loyal. Needless to say, Stone’s eyebrows were raised in skepticism the moment Jude approached him about working for him.
Stone was an intimidating looking man standing at six feet four inches tall and virtually tattooed on damn near every inch of his body. Devil horns were tattooed on his forehead, and he was once a member of the infamous Mexican mafia.
Stone wasn’t feeling the idea of letting Jude join him team. After all, Jude was black and he didn’t know the kid from Adam. He really wasn’t prepared to take a chance on someone who could possibly be the downfall of his empire. However, Stone decided to give Jude an opportunity to prove himself wrong.
***
Cameron was shocked and elated to receive a call from the manager at 216 Lounge the following afternoon telling her to come in that evening to begin her training. It was obvious that he desperately needed employees, and Cameron definitely lucked up on the position.
She still did not plan on telling Jude about the job. After all, what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. She would simply tell him that she got a job bagging groceries at some restaurant. Cameron honestly didn’t want to hear his mouth, because all he would do was disapprove of it, and at that point she desperately needed income.
“Time to make it do what it do,” she told herself.
***
Early in the morning…
When she’s all alone…
I’ma take my time…
Do it how we want…
Just to set the mood girl I brought some Marvin Gaye and Chardonnay…
Marcus went ahead and decided to answer his cell phone since the caller seemed intent on speaking to him.
“Yo, what’s up?” he greeted nonchalantly.
“You,” a familiar voice purred into the receiver.
Marcus turned over onto his back in his Oxford leather king size bed. “What’s good?” he asked staring at the deep tray ceiling.
“I hear you be running with Cameron now,” Pure Seduction said.
“What of it, girl?” he asked in an irritated tone. He knew Pure didn’t call him just to get some shit started.
“You know she’s no good,” Pure said. “She’s a whole lot of drama…”
Marcus chuckled. “And you aren’t?” he asked.
“I may be,” she agreed. “But all my friends haven’t mysteriously died.”
“You don’t know what that girl’s been through,” Marcus said. “So stop it.”
“Can I ask you a question, Marcus?” Pure Seduction began. “How long were you waiting for Silk to get the hell out of the picture for you to make your move?” she taunted. “I mean, shit, nigga, you must’ve been prayin’ for that dude to die, huh?”
Marcus sighed in disappointment. “You done?” he asked.
“I mean seriously Marcus. You and Silk were like best friends, right?” she reminded him. “You don’t think anything’s wrong with the shit you doing?”
Pure Seduction was finally beginning to get under Marcus’s skin. “Me and Silk did a couple shows together, and that was it, aight?” he said. “We were cool, but never no best friends or no shit like that,” he corrected her. “And what’s all this shit about anyway? Huh, Pure? You mad another chick besides you is on my mind?”
“That bitch’ll never be me,” Pure said coolly. “I’m tellin’ you Marcus, you need to leave that chick alone,” she warned him. “You might think you know her…but trust me, you don’t know shit about her…”
8
Now she want a photo…
You already know though…
You only live once, that’s the motto nigga YOLO…
And we ‘bout it every day, every day, every day…
Like we sittin’ on the bench, nigga we don’t really play…
Drake and Lil’ Wayne’s “The Motto” blared through the speakers of the 216 Lounge. It was fairly crowded on a Saturday evening. People were wall to wall, posted up, sipping, and conversing without a care in the world inside the popular bar. Since Cameron had no experience in bartending, she had to be trained to learn to make the drinks as well as proportioning them, and Kiana aka “Ki Ki” Banks was unfortunately stuck with the unenthusiastic task of having to train her.
The moment Ki Ki laid eyes on Cameron, she immediately didn’t like her. In her opinion, Cameron looked bougie and stuck up in her black open slit wrap skirt, and black mesh crop top that revealed an ample amount of cleavage. Ki Ki just knew Cameron was trying to show her up, and the last thing she wanted was for Cameron’s ass to tap into her tips for the evening.
Ki Ki was an attractive, thicker woman but her self-esteem had dwindled over the last couple of years due to the verbal abuse from her baby daddy, RJ. With smooth coffee brown skin, and slanted hazel eyes, she was an attractive woman that didn’t see or believe in her own beauty, especially after popping out two kids and having gained seventy plus pounds.
Ki Ki was nowhere near as dressed up as Cameron wearing a pair of black jeggings that hugged her massive thighs and round ass, and a black slit sleeve knit top.
“Here, can you hand this to the ladies sitting at the end of the bar,” Ki Ki asked in her thick southern accent. She was born and raised in Georgia and relocated to Ohio four years ago.
Cameron took the two Long Islands from Ki Ki and strolled down to the end of the bar. Every man sitting at the bar’s eyes were fastened to Cameron’s shapely body, and Ki Ki was hating on the low. She was used to the flirtatious stares and attention on her during her shift, but now Cameron was effortlessly soaking it up without even trying.
Cameron made her way towards two brown skinned women chatting and laughing together at the end of the bar. The moment she got close enough to the females she recognized one of their faces. Cameron immediately froze in place.
Although Cameron was only staring at a side profile, she knew without a doubt that she was looking dead at Silk’s sister, Tamika. Images of Tamika punching her in the face at Silk’s funeral quickly came to mind. She may have been tripping, but she could damn near taste the blood in her mouth. Tamika blamed Cameron for her brother’s unexpected suicide…and up until recently Cameron did as well.
“Why do I keep running into everybody I’m trying to avoid?” Cameron asked herself. Pushing her thoughts and worries to the back of her mind, she continued over towards Tamika and her friend.
Both women focused their attention on Cameron once she walked up carrying their beverages. The smile that was previously on Tamika’s face was wiped clean off the moment she looked into the eyes of the one person she hated with a passion.
“Hell no,” Tamika said in a nasty tone. She frowned at the very sight of Cameron as if she were shit stuck on the bottom of her shoes. “Girl, this the bitch I was tellin’ you about that my brother used to fuck with,” she told her friend.
Her friend looked Cameron up and down with distaste. Cameron remained silent as she stood behind the bar holding their drinks in her hand with a smug expressi
on plastered to her face.
“She the reason my mothafuckin’ brother dead,” Tamika spat.
Cameron stared intensely at Tamika. She looked a lot like her brother Silk, and that fact alone both irritated and intimidated Cameron. However, she was sick and tired of Tamika blaming Silk’s untimely death on her.
“Look, I didn’t put the fucking gun in Silk’s hand!” Cameron defended herself. “And I damn sure didn’t tell him to pull the trigger!”
Tamika’s mouth fell open in shock and disbelief. She couldn’t believe the nerve of this bitch standing in front of her talking as if she played no part in Silk’s self-destruction. She damn sure didn’t appreciate the tone Cameron was using with her.
“BITCH!” Tamika screamed before unexpectedly smacking the shit out of Cameron from behind the bar.
The force of the slap was so powerful that it sent Cameron stumbling backwards. The drinks flew out of her hands, and the sound of the glass shattering immediately got everyone’s attention.
“Hoe, I’ma kill you!” Tamika yelled trying to climb over the bar.
Thankfully Tamika’s friend held her back from literally climbing over the bar and whupping Cameron’s ass.
The manager quickly came from the back of the bar to see what was going on. A few male customers rushed over to hold Tamika back from releasing her rage. She had lost her only sibling, and understandably she was still coping.
Cameron wiped away the small amount of blood on her bottom lip. Once again Tamika had caught her off guard, but she knew that she shouldn’t have even responded period. She had allowed her emotions to get the best of her.
Ki Ki quickly rushed over to Cameron’s aid after the fact. “Oh my God! Are you okay?!” she asked. She actually sounded genuinely concerned.
Cameron looked down in embarrassment. “I’m fine—I’m okay,” she quickly answered.
“Someone get her ass out of my fuckin’ bar!” the manager yelled in irritation.
“Bitch, it ain’t over!” Tamika screamed as the doorman escorted her from the bar against her will. “You gon’ see me bitch! I ain’t gon’ never forget what you did to my fuckin’ brother! Hoe, you better watch your back!” she threatened.
Cameron watched at Tamika was dragged out of the 216 Lounge with her girlfriend in tow. Shaking her head, Cameron quickly made her way towards the women’s restroom. Once inside, she stepped into an empty stall, and plopped down onto the toilet seat. She dropped her head into her hands and silently cried and cursed herself.
Tiffany’s voice echoed in her mind: If it wasn’t for bad luck, you wouldn’t have any at all, Cameron.
Seconds later, Ki Ki entered the women’s restroom. “Cameron?” she called out. “Cameron, you good?” Just minutes ago, she was hating on Cameron on the low, but Ki Ki had to admit that what had just happened to her was indeed some foul shit. She then walked over towards the preoccupied stall, and rapped softly on the door.
Cameron sniffled, wiped her nose, and tried to pull herself together before she said, “I’m fine.”
Ki Ki slowly pushed open the bathroom. “Look, I know ya ass ain’t sitting in here crying and shit,” she said. “You ain’t gon’ get fired or no shit like that, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
Cameron quickly wiped her tears away. Ki Ki didn’t know shit about her. The last thing she was shedding tears about was getting fired. Life just seemed to be taking such a toll on her. And with both of her best friends out of the picture, and her man on lock down she’d never felt so alone in life.
Cameron quickly stood to her feet. “I’m not crying about this job,” she corrected Ki Ki.
“So what you cryin’ for?” Ki Ki asked. “And why the hell did that chick smack you?”
“None of your damn business. That’s why,” Cameron retorted before pushing her way past Ki Ki and exiting the restroom.
***
“Do you think you could give me a ride home?” Ki Ki asked. Last call was over an hour ago, and they were finally preparing to leave for the night.
Cameron pulled on her biker jacket, and retrieved her car keys from the pocket. She grimaced and looked over at Ki Ki standing a few feet away from her with her hands on her hips. Cameron’s eyes then scanned over Ki Ki from her attire to her long sleek ponytail, to the expressionless look on her face. She honestly didn’t want to be bothered with any chicks after everything she had gone through with Pocahontas and Tiffany.
“What would you do if I wasn’t here?” Cameron rolled her eyes. She was normally never that harsh and rude, but she was still feeling some type of way about Tamika slapping the hell out of her earlier.
“Usually my dude will come and pick me up from work,” Ki Ki answered matter-of-factly. “But he ain’t pickin’ up his damn phone…”
Cameron sighed. “Where do you stay?” she asked. She wasn’t trying to play taxi driver tonight. Truthfully, she just wanted to go home, take a hot shower, climb into her bed and wallow in her own sorrows.
“I stay off of 79th and Superior,” Ki Ki answered. “Not too far from here—”
“I know where it’s at,” Cameron cut her off. “You ready?”
Ki Ki nodded her head and followed Cameron outside to her vehicle. Her eyebrows rose in surprise as she eyed Cameron’s clean Audi q7. Why is she driving this, but working in this dump, she asked herself.
“This a nice ride,” she said nonchalantly as she climbed into the passenger seat.
“Thanks,” Cameron responded flatly.
Ki Ki pulled her seat belt across her chest. “You must gotta good nigga at home,” she said in a sly attempt to see if a man had purchased her vehicle.
Cameron rolled her eyes, and turned up the volume to 2 Chainz and Nikki Minaj’s single “Beez in the Trap”. She didn’t have time for Ki Ki trying to interrogate her and her life.
Ki Ki snorted. “Stuck up bitch,” she mumbled under her breath.
Fifteen minutes later, Cameron pulled alongside the curb of Ki Ki’s run down duplex. A tan 1997 Toyota Camry was parked in the driveway, and Cameron had a half a mind to ask Ki Ki if her man was home all along.
“Thanks a lot,” Ki Ki said. “I really appreciate the ride.”
Cameron remained silent as she waited for Ki Ki to get the hell out of her truck.
Ki Ki barely got out the vehicle all the way, before Cameron rudely skirted off. Ki Ki stuck her middle finger up in hopes of Cameron seeing it in the rear view mirror. “Fuckin’ bitch,” she muttered. “That’s why you got smacked in your shit,” she said walking towards her front door.
A stray cat ambled towards her, and she kicked her foot in its direction scaring it off. Ki Ki hated living in the most ‘hoodest part of the hood’, but money was tight and she had to take what she could get. Her nothing ass baby daddy didn’t work and the $674 Social Security check he received every month did little next to nothing to provide for her and her two children.
Ki Ki sighed in frustration, and made her way inside her home. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she watched her four year old daughter and two yea old son playfully chase one other around the messy living room. They were screaming and laughing, and barely even noticed their mother enter the house.
“Hey! Hey! Hey!” Ki Ki yelled. “What the fuck ya’ll asses still doing up?!”
Her children quickly ceased playing and stared at their angered mother.
“And why this mothafuckin’ house look like this?!” she hollered.
Tiana shrugged, and Ki Ki was two seconds away from slapping her harder than Cameron had gotten slapped earlier.
“Where’s ya’ll daddy at?” she asked with much attitude. RJ was biologicallyonly RJ Jr.’s father, but after being with him for nearly three years Tiana looked at him as her own dad.
“Upstairs,” Tiana answered picking the throw pillows up from the dirty carpet and replacing them on the tacky brown sofa.
Tiana was fair-skinned and had inherited Ki Ki’s slanted eyes, but most of her Caucasian father’
s looks. She was a cute little girl with sandy brown curly hair and one dimple in her cheek. RJ looked like a spitting image of his father, and because of that Ki Ki secretly resented him.
“I’m givin’ ya’ll mothafuckas three minutes to clean my damn house or else I’m beatin’ the fuck outta ya’ll,” she threatened.
Tiana and RJ Jr. quickly proceeded to straighten up the living room. They were just babies, but even they knew how crazy their mother could be especially when upset. RJ still had a small knot on his forehead from when he had peed in the bed last week.
Ki Ki quickly made her way upstairs towards her bedroom. She was infuriated that her man didn’t even answer her calls or text messages in regards to picking her up. He was so damn useless to her, but she just couldn’t let his sorry ass go. She loved RJ with every fiber of her being, but strangely she hated him just the same. It was a love that even she barely understood.
“Nothin’ ass nigga,” Ki Ki mumbled under her breath as she stumped up the stairs.
As she neared her bedroom, she heard the unmistakable sounds of a bed creaking. Her heart felt as if it had dropped into the pit of her stomach.
Is that what the hell I think it is, she asked herself. With each step she took towards her closed bedroom door, her heart thumped louder and harder in her chest.
Once she reached her door, she placed her ear against it, and listened to the soft muffled moans coming from the opposite side of the door.
Ki Ki was fuming mad. The nerve of this dirty ass nigga to bring some female into her home!
Without warning, she swung open the bedroom door in a fit of rage! “Nigga, you fucking—” Ki Ki’s eyes bulged in their sockets at the unnerving sight before her.
9
Ki Ki felt as if she was trapped in a nightmare. She couldn’t believe the shit she was seeing. Her man…in their bed…with another man!
“Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!” A bloodcurdling scream reverberated off the bedroom walls. It took Ki Ki a minute to realize that she was the one who had emitted the scream.
