by H. Q. Frost
"Really," I tell her and kiss the side of her head while I put my hand on her back. "Don't push me out of your guys' life."
"I won't," she assures and lays her head to my shoulder. "I'm not the right one for you. Don't get me wrong, you're our blessing. When you said I gotta do for my boys, that's what I was trying to do with you. Bring a good man into their lives, but I ain't feelin' it. You're an amazing man… but—"
"You don't have to finish that. I completely get it. It's not right between us but we can still be friends. I care about you and them boys like family, Iesha, and don't want to force something that'll later come between our friendship. Just friends?" I put my fist out until she bumps it then bumps me with her hip.
After putting the boys to bed, I grab my backpack to get out of here. I'm tired, Brie's made every advance she could possibly think of, short of grabbing my dick, and Iesha's had enough of her neighbor.
"You want a ride?" Brie asks as we step off the porch.
My eyes land on the headlights that are parked on the street two houses down.
"Do you mind?" I'd rather get a ride to the bus stop than walk the few blocks in the dark without protection.
"Let me grab the keys." She pops to her toes and kisses me before rushing toward her house.
The unexpected kiss puts anger in me but doesn't stop my dick from stirring. The woman's annoying but that doesn't mean I can't fuck her. That's all she'd be too. Just a fuck because I couldn't stand her longer than it'd take me to get off.
"Fuck." I huff and rub my chin, feeling like a dick so I start to walk.
Those headlights start creeping up behind me and when they stop, I look back in time to see the passenger door open and a figure rush me. I don't even have time to prepare for the blow that lands me on the lawn. My swing connects with flesh but then a knee on my throat disorients me long enough to take two hits to the temple.
"Stay the fuck away from her or I'll take you out!"
The pressure on my throat is lifted and I suck in air, too focused on breathing than blocking what comes next when he flips me to my stomach and takes my wallet before hitting me in the face again. The beating stops before I gather my bearings to defend myself, then the car's tires are squealing away and the taillights whip around a corner a block down. When I stand, I feel the blood start to pour from my face and I curse because I can't get on a bus like this.
"Dom?" a voice calls my name, and knowing it's Brie, I ignore her, pulling out my phone that's smashed and won't light up. "Are you okay?" She rushes me and starts pulling me toward her house but I manage to push her away.
"Stop," I mutter through swollen, numb lips and start walking toward Iesha's.
"Let me get you help." She's fighting me, trying to pull me toward her house.
An uneasy feeling about this girl has me pushing away. "Stop." I fumble to Iesha's porch, knocking too loudly but I need away from Brie.
It all felt like a setup. That wasn't someone who's fucking with Iesha. If it was Rupe's brother, I'd be a dead man right now.
"Who is it?" she calls quietly through the door.
"Dom," gruffly comes out with a mouthful of blood that I try to swallow before it dumps to her porch with a wet slap.
"What the hell!" Grabbing my arm, she pulls me inside and I glance back to see Brie's gone.
Before I stain the carpet red, I stumble to the kitchen and lean over the sink and just stand here. My eye is swollen shut and my face is throbbing. I haven't had my ass kicked this bad since my first year locked up.
"What happened?" Iesha urges as she pulls me to the bathroom.
"I was jumped," garbles from my mouth and I spit another mouthful into the sink.
"Lord. I thought Brie would drive you."
My snicker comes out more like a snort and I spit another mouthful of blood into the sink. Brie's role in all this seems a lot shadier than heroine. Then again, it might have been Rupe's brother, but my gut's telling me that's not the case. I'm confident he would have put a bullet in my head.
Iesha doctors me up and as a pain killer she gives me booze. The only thing in my wallet was a few hundred bucks and my license, but the more I think about it, the angrier I become and heavier I drink.
Quiet arguing makes me crack my eyes open to daylight and glance around realizing I'm on Iesha's couch. I inhale pins and needles and drink a glass of blood. Or it feels like it. And when I slowly lift my lids, only one opens all the way. I can feel the pooling blood under the surface of flesh around my right eye that's bulging in probably a gruesome sight but sporting itself as armor.
I groan getting to my feet and it's only seconds before Iesha and Brie are walking into the room.
"They got you good." Brie covers her mouth and I look at Iesha with my good eye.
She's less disturbed by the state I'm in and she walks toward me with a cup of what I'm hoping is coffee.
"I gotta go," grates from my throat. "I have to get to work. What time is it?" I try clearing my throat and the metallic taste of blood makes me cringe.
"It's seven."
"Fuck. I have to go." Looking at the couch, I see there's a bloody pillow and I look at Iesha. "I'll get you a new pillow."
"Don't worry 'bout the damn pillow," she mumbles yanking it up.
When I look at Brie, I want out of here even more but she offers, "I'll drive you," and I don't decline because I'm in too much pain to walk that distance right now.
Iesha cleans my face again before I leave and there isn't an ounce of emotion in her expression.
"You need to stay away from Brie," she quietly warns me without making eye contact.
"She do this?" I ask staring into her face, waiting to see some sort of emotion.
"I'm not saying all that, but don't get involved in her shit." Stepping back, she tosses the washcloth into a hamper and says, "You're all set."
"Thank you."
"Get out of here before the boys wake and see you like this."
In the car, I lean my head back on the headrest and Brie's hand lands on my shoulder. I want to push it off and get the fuck away from this girl, but I do nothing.
"You okay?"
"I got jumped because of you, Brie. Who the fuck were they and what kind of shit are you pulling?"
"What?" The lack of surprise in her tone tells me all I need to know.
"Let me out right here." I grab the door handle and when she doesn't slow down, I'm prepared to throw myself out of the car.
"Stop!" She yanks my arm when I push open the door. "What's your deal, man!"
"Let me the fuck out!"
"Just calm down! I didn't do this!" she insists. "I had nothing to do with you being jumped. Maybe you should question Iesha!"
"Just let me out!" I scream, growing increasingly aggravated which starts the throbbing in my bruised face again.
The car whips to the right and she hits the curb before coming to a stop. Without wasting another minute around the girl, I jump out and briskly start walking to the bus stop.
"I didn't do this to you!" she calls out the window, slowly driving next to me. "Had nothing to do with it. Let me give you a ride home so I know you're safe."
"Don't fucking worry about me." I jump a guardrail and cut between two buildings where she can't follow me.
~~*~~
The amount of shit I've gotten this morning for my state has me on my last damn nerve. The guys are mercilessly making fun of me but I'm in too much pain to see the fun in it.
"I can't work you like this, Dom," Rory says.
"Bullshit!" I slam my hands on the table. "Fuck that. I'm fucking cutting lawns not walking a goddamned runway!"
"You're representing my company looking like you got into a bar fight."
"I was fucking jumped," I growl at him because I know he doesn't believe the eight times I've already said it. "I'm not fucking going home. I need the money, Rory. My fucking wallet was stolen last night." My threatening tone is uncalled for, but I can't go home.
&n
bsp; After losing four hundred bucks, I can't afford not to work a day, even if I have side jobs.
"I got work for you but you're not servicing a customers' house with your face looking like a popped can of biscuits," he says with finality and walks into his office.
Calming down a little, I sit back down while the guys still heckle me until I finally chuckle and shake my head.
"Sestak?" Rory's loud voice barks as he walks out of his office looking more pissed than when he went in. "What the fuck are the rest of you still doing here?" screams from him at the crew that's still standing around. "Get the fuck out! CJ, hang back a minute."
Me and CJ lock glances but I stand and cross the room, wondering what's pissed Rory off suddenly. His face is getting redder by the second as he waits for the crew to clear out, and I've only ever seen him like this one other time since I started here. I don't know what pissed him off then, and don't think I want to know now.
"Tonight CJ's dropping the truck and you're coming with me." His glare locks on me. "Get the fuck out of here," he mutters at CJ who gladly exits and I wish I was going with him. "Get the shop cleaned up until I'm ready to go." The door to his office slams, and though I was prepared for it, my heart jumped.
Rory pissed is nothing to fuck with.
I don't see him again for a couple hours and I've gotten every piece of equipment cleaned up and looking brand new.
"What the fuck." He chuckles looking around. "That was pointless. You know that, right?"
"Nothing else to do, boss."
"Go get us some lunch." When he turns around and heads back for his office I call his name. He's still pissed, but it's not as heavy as before.
"You want me to take a truck? I don't have a car."
"Why the fuck not?" he screams. "What the fuck do I pay you for if you can't even take care of yourself, kid? You got some sort of alcohol or drug problem taking your cash?"
"What the fuck, man?" I don't need his shit right now. "I'm saving up for a fucking car, trying to get my shit together, Rory. I'm not making the money you do! What the fuck do you want from me?"
He's either going to blacken my other eye, or fire me. He grabs the collar of my shirt and before I knock out Tony's brother, I think of my mom.
"If there is one thing out of place when you come back, I will remove your eyeball," he threatens before slapping his keys into my chest. When I smirk, he sighs and shakes his head walking away. "Get me a number seven from Surf. There's money in there."
I stare at the Porsche key a minute before quietly chuckling and walk out the dock door so he doesn't see my excitement to drive his car. I slide his sunglasses on to hide my swollen eye and enjoy the ride of the finest car I've ever been close to. It's lunchtime so the drive-thru is to the street and I don't trust parking the car and leaving it, so I wait. It's amazing what money attracts. I hide beyond the tinted windows and observe the women and men that envy the car in a Surf Burger drive-thru line. Any man with enough money and actual class wouldn't take this car to a Surf Burger.
A deep red fingernail is suddenly tapping on the hood. I look past the hand to the tight black skirt, then up the shirt that's second skin to this woman. When I look at her face, she looks familiar and my excited dick is practically unzipping my jeans for me. As she sways her ass toward my window I realize who it is and almost groan. Nyla's friend from the funeral.
"Dom," she says as I lower the window. "What happened to that pretty face?" She can't even see the worst of it, but the bruises are bad enough.
"Hey." I manage a smile and ignore her stupid question.
"Nice car." She bends at the waist, proudly displaying her cleavage for me while she looks in the car. "You work around here?"
"Not far. You?"
"Right across the street." She points to the medical building and it makes me wonder what the hell she does that she dresses like that.
"You gonna bring this hot shot when you come to the celebration?"
"Maybe." I don't really need to tell her it's not my car, and I stupidly hope she tells Nyla she saw me in a Porsche so maybe Nyla will forget the stick figure family.
"You're next in line." Her eyes scan from my chin to my lap before she says, "Take care of that face."
I only glance as she walks away then pull up. I could be thinking about what's under those tight clothes, but the only thing on my mind is the possibility I'll see Nyla again… And the likelihood her husband will be with her.
When I walk through the shop door, Rory's standing there with his arms crossed over his chest. "I fucking called you four times."
"My phone's fucked. Happened when I was jumped," I mumble setting our food down. "What'd you need?"
"I wanted to change my order." He huffs and grabs the bag while I roll my eyes. "You've got to get your shit together, Dom." When he sits, I almost take my food outside but I know he'll be pissed. "Who kicked your ass?"
"I was jumped. I don't know who."
"You know I don't believe that shit."
Shrugging, I sit down. "I was walking home and got jumped."
"What kind of trouble you start? Were you at the bar?"
"No. I was at a friend's. She lives past Prospect. It happened there. Might have something to do with another girl. It was unprovoked though. I'm not stupid. I wasn't armed and just trying to get home, I wouldn't start shit."
"You're stupid if you're unarmed on that side of town."
"Ex-convicts can't exactly get a firearm." I glare at him.
"I'll get you a gun if you're gonna be on that side of town. And what the fuck are you gonna do about your phone?"
"I planned on getting one after tonight's job, but now I'm not on it." I shrug and take a bite. "I guess wait till I'm paid."
"I'll spot you some cash. I need you to have a phone. And a damn car. A reliable one."
"No offense, Rory, but you don't exactly pay me enough to drive a brand-new vehicle. And I'm not CJ so…"
"What's that fuckin' mean?" He glowers at me and I smirk.
"CJ kinda gets handed shit. You bought him a car. His dad got him a house. I'm not CJ." I take another bite and look at him while he stews in me calling him out about enabling CJ. "But thanks for lunch." I lift the burger and take another bite.
Rory's a shady guy. That's obvious. But he's constantly telling me I'm his family. Telling me CJ's a fuck-up and could never make it without his dad. I don't agree with him. It's not really my place to call out my only actual friend, and CJ's a good guy, but Rory's a shit talking asshole and I got no problem calling him out now and then.
When we pull out of the parking lot at dusk he points to a brand new Camaro. "You need a car like that."
I chuckle. "Not all of us make enough for a pussy magnet."
"What're you getting at here again? You want a fucking raise?"
"I wasn't, but that'd be nice. I still can't afford a Camaro."
"One day, kid," he grumbles and I look out the window, trying to avoid his bullshit because we've spent most the day together and I'm tired of his hot and cold attitude today. Something's pissing him off but I'm not taking the blame for it. "You want something, you go fucking get it. Work for it. CJ's a pussy and you don't want to be like that kid. Work hard and you'll reap the benefits."
"I'm the hardest fucking worker you got, Rory. And I'm doing some shady side shit because you can't find anyone else. I work hard for everything and I always have. I can't help it if other people don't notice the shit I do."
"What the fuck does that mean? You think I don't notice the shit you do for me? For my company?" He looks over at me like it was the most offensive shit I could say.
"I don't fucking think you do, Rory," I tell him simply.
"The fuck I don't! So what is it you want? Huh? What the fuck do you think you deserve?"
I open my mouth, but before I get the words out, my neck snaps and bashes the back of my head against the seat. Pillows as hard as walls burst from the dash and my door, slamming my chest, face, and si
de. Thick glass shards rain into my gaping, screaming mouth and it's hard to breath as the car fills with powdery smoke. When the car stops spinning, my door is ripped open but I can't see through the fog.
"Don't move or I'll shoot you," a voice says before a blunt objected slams against my temple.
I can't fucking move, the seatbelt has me strapped to the seat. My eyes bounce around their sockets but I don't turn my head, and I carefully close my agape mouth around the glass sitting on my tongue.
"The shipment is gone, stop looking for it." The voice on Rory's side of the car sounds a lot meaner than the one holding a gun to my temple. It sounds like it's coming from a voice alteration box.
I probably shouldn't think it sounds cool right now, but dammit, I do.
"Alright, alright. It's gone," Rory pants before he starts to cough.
I'd like to do the same to try and clear my lungs of the powdery substance that I think came from the airbags, but I'm afraid to move with this gun pressed against my head.
"Deliver the message."
"Got it," Rory assures.
The gun against my temple is removed, but I remain still and keep my gaze forward, staring into the fog, unable to make anything out yet. The second I hear a revving engine take off I start to spit the glass shards from my mouth.
"A company vehicle." I cough.
"What?" Rory pants.
"You asked what I think I deserve. I want a company truck."
"Are you fucking serious?" he snaps at me and I turn my stiff neck to try and see him through the haze. "Done," he mutters before an automated voice coming from his mangled dash indicates it's calling for medical attention.
~~*~~
The car accident covered me for my fucked up face when my mom saw me. The fact I was with Rory didn't make her suspicious to the cause of the accident. I'm fucking suspicious though, and Rory hasn't said shit about it. When I get in the next morning, he calls me into his office and I see his arm's in a sling. The second I sit down he slides a cellphone toward me.
"You're on my phone plan. Unlimited data," he says.
"Thanks." I hesitantly take the brand-new phone.
"And." He tosses keys at me. "You can take the Silverado. If I'm paying for the fucker, you're leaving the company stickers on it."
