Cheaper to Keep Her part 3 (More Money More Problems)

by Unique, Kiki Swinson presents

  After I came to my senses, I let out a long sigh and then I stood up. “Ready to go?” I asked him.

  He stood there and looked at me with the weirdest expression. I knew he wondered how I turned off the vexed button so fast and put on the happy face. My zodiac sign was a Gemini and we switch up like the weather. So, sooner than later, he’d get the picture.

  “After you,” he said and then he waited for me to lead the way. So, I walked off first.

  “What’s gonna happen if we walked out of this mall and she’s waiting outside for me?”

  “Don’t worry. She won’t be.”

  “What makes you so sure?” I wondered aloud.

  “Because I made sure she left before I came back into the mall.”

  “If you say so,” I commented and then I headed towards the exit door on the east side of the mall. I hadn’t expressed this to Bishop but I liked the fact that I was the other woman. In my experience of being the side chick, I was always up for the challenge of moving the other chick out the way. Men I had dealt with in the past seemed to be more adventurous when they were hanging out with me. They also spent more money to keep our relationship off the radar. In Bishop’s case, it was clear after the way he handled Keisha, I knew I was only days away from stealing that bitch’s title.

  I’ll take your man!

  Cheaper to Keep Her part 3 Unique

  Cock Blocking – Chapter Two

  After the mall incident, Bishop took me back to the apartment. During the course of the drive, we rode in silence. It was evident that he was extremely angry. The good thing about it was that I knew he wasn’t at all angry with me. I struck up a conversation with him about his plans for later in the day, but when he acted a little apprehensive about answering my question, I left him alone and turned the volume up on the radio.

  Not even five seconds after I turned up the volume Bishop’s iPhone rang. I knew deep down in my gut that it couldn’t be anybody other than Keisha. She went to great lengths back at the mall to let me know that she wasn’t going anywhere and that she would do whatever it took to get me out of the picture. So, I figured I was about to be on the rockiest rollercoaster ride of my life.

  After Bishop answered his phone, I noticed that his mood changed drastically. He literally went from this angry guy to this mild mannered gentleman. I even caught him smiling at one point in the conversation. I watched his every move through my peripheral vision. “When did you get in town?” he asked the caller, and then he fell silent for a brief moment. “Well, listen, after me and Torch make this quick run together, I’m gonna come see you. So be ready,” he continued and then he disconnected his call.

  I was somewhat upset with the fact that he sat there and made arrangements to pay someone else a fucking visit while I was still trying to process what had happened earlier. I’d already made up my mind that I wouldn’t nag him and act as if everything was okay. But I still needed him to stick around and make me feel a little more secure than I was. I knew it had been only a couple of months, but I had fell madly in love with Bishop and I depended on him emotionally, mentally and monetarily. So watching him spread himself thin between me, Keisha and his everyday hustle had taken a toll on me. I had no one on my team but Bishop, and I’d be damned if I’d let someone else come between us.

  After he pulled up in front of my apartment building, I noticed he only put the car in park and left the engine running. I knew this was my queue to take my ass into the house and find something to do while he took care of his business. “Are you coming back over here after you handle your business?” I asked him. I really wanted to know if he had plans to come back to see me tonight before he went home to Keisha’s dumb ass.

  He looked down at his watch and then he said, “Nah, I don’t think I’m going to be able to come back tonight.”

  Disappointed, I sighed heavily and said, “Well, if you decide to change your mind, call me and let me know.”

  “A’ight,” he replied and then he gave me the look like he was waiting patiently for me to exit his car. So, without further hesitation, I opened the passenger side door and stepped down on the sidewalk next to the curb. Under normal circumstances, I’d kiss him before I got out of the car, but tonight, I wasn’t feeling the mood. And the fact that he didn’t mention it, led me to believe that he wasn’t in the mood either. After I shut the door behind me, I said goodbye and then I walked towards my apartment building. I started to turn around and look back, but my pride wouldn’t allow me to. I was that chick from Virginia and back in VA, we don’t let the next person see us sweat. No way! That’s not how we do things.

  My apartment was on the first floor and you could see my front door from the street. So, immediately after I got inside and sat my bags down on the floor, my doorbell rang. I knew it couldn’t be Bishop because he had a key and he would’ve let himself in. So, as curiosity reared its ugly face, I made my way back to the front door and looked through the peephole. Unfortunately for me, I couldn’t see through the damn hole. Someone on the outside literally had the hole covered with his or her finger or something. I was tempted to yell out and ask who was it, but for some crazy reason I couldn’t get my mouth to open. So, I stood there very quietly and said nothing. I even stopped breathing and held my breath to prevent this unknown person from hearing anything on my side of the door.

  The knocking continued, while this person continued to cover the peephole. Sixty long seconds and one anxiety attack later, the person on the other side of the door finally stopped knocking. But he or she insisted on leaving the peephole of my front door covered. I grew impatient and I figured that whoever was playing games wanted to remain anonymous until I opened the door. I became terrified that instant. I knew I needed to get Bishop on the phone immediately.

  Very quietly I crept away from the door and headed towards the sofa where I left my handbag, so I grabbed my Blackberry. But as fate would have it, my Blackberry started ringing as soon as I took it from my purse. Beyoncé’s song, Countdown, started playing very loud. I fumbled with it, trying to stop the music from playing, because, for one, I wanted to mask the thought that someone was inside of the apartment. And two, I knew it was Bishop calling. He was the only person who had my number.

  So, while I was pressing down on the send button to answer his call, the front door of my apartment was kicked open. The door slammed back against the wall behind it. The force behind the booming sound punched a small opening where the doorknob was. I screamed and my Blackberry fell out of my hand, causing the battery pack from the back of it to fall out. I was standing in my apartment . . . alone . . . staring directly at two masked men. Both of them were at least six feet in height and I could tell that they were black as soon as they opened their mouths. “Get down on the floor before I put a motherfucking slug in your head!” one guy roared.

  I stood there paralyzed as I watched the other guy close the front door. “Bitch, didn’t I tell you to get down on the motherfucking floor?” the same guy ordered as he rushed towards me. The manner in which he walked towards me gave me the impression that he meant business and if I didn’t get down on the floor like he instructed me to, then I would pay the consequences.

  So, without another moment of hesitation, I fell down to my knees and leaned over to bury my face in the floor. My mind raced, trying to collect my thoughts. But the thought that dominated my mind was that my life had run its course. The writing was on the wall. The Carter brothers from Virginia had finally caught up with me to seek revenge for Duke’s murder and in any minute I’ll be taking my last breath.

  With that thought in mind, I immediately went straight into prayer mode. I hadn’t talked to God since I asked him to help me escape from Katrina’s house that night I jumped from the second story window to prevent Duke from killing me. Now here I was right back in another deadly situation. I kept my eyes closed and asked God to forgive me for every possible sin I had committed. I even asked him to forgive me for getting into that rift with Keisha, eve
n though she started all that drama. I mean, I couldn’t afford to let anything keep me from getting into heaven after these guys pull the trigger.

  While I was trying to get back in God’s good graces, my would-be murderers were communicating back and forth with one another and it caught me completely off guard.

  “Where the fuck you going nigga?” I heard one of the guys say in a strong Northeastern accent. It was very clear to me that he wasn’t from the south. “Check the refrigerator and the freezer first and if it isn’t in there then go check the bedroom while I stay in here and watch her.”

  The instructions from one guy to the next immediately explained exactly why they were here. They were here for something other than me and what that was, I couldn’t quite figure out. So, I lay there in wait and prayed that whatever they were there for, they would hurry up and find it so they could leave. But leave me unharmed was what I also wished for.

  I lay there on the floor with my eyes closed shut, making sure I wasn’t deemed as a threat to these guys. Unfortunately, my cooperation wasn’t enough, because within seconds the guy who seemed to be in control gave his partner instructions to get me up. The other thug grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled me to my feet. I stumbled a bit trying to prevent this fucking maniac from pulling any of my hair out.

  “Hey, wait! Ouchhhhh! You’re gonna pull my hair out!” I belted out, on the verge of tears.

  “Shut the fuck up bitch before I kill you right now.”

  It was hard but I managed to calm myself in spite of the grip this asshole had on my hair. I swear I felt a few strands of my hair tearing from my scalp when he pulled me up from the floor. I tried to ease the pain by standing very close to him.

  “Where the motherfucking money?” he asked me, sounding very frustrated.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. There’s no money here,” I told him, staring directly into his eyes since that was the only thing on him visible.

  He wrapped his hand around my hair even tighter and pulled me closer to him. My hair and the weave I had sewn in added more pressure to my scalp after he tugged on it, causing my head to burn with excruciating pain. “Bitch, don’t lie to me! We know Bishop keeps his stash here.”

  “I swear I’m not lying to you. If he got some money in here, then he never told me about it,” I tried to plead with him as tears ran down my face.

  The other guy came back into the living room where we were. “The refrigerator and the bedroom are clean. So, there’s gotta be another spot in here that I’m overlooking.”

  My captor yanked my hair yanked again and redirected my attention to the other guy. “Tell us where the money is, bitch!” he demanded. His tone sounded more terrifying with each word he uttered.

  “I told you I didn’t know,” I began to cry. The fact that I couldn’t help them was a clear indication that they were going to end my life sooner than later. I really wished I knew what they were talking about, because I would’ve given it to them immediately after they entered the apartment. My life meant more to me than Bishop’s stash. If you want to know the fucking truth, all the money in the world wasn’t worth my life. How dare Bishop put me in harm’s way like this? Evidently, he did something to have these guys under the assumption that he hid his money in this apartment.

  “I’m gonna give you one more chance to tell us where the money is. And if you don’t, then your brains are going to be splattered all over the motherfucking floor,” he roared.

  Hearing this man tell me I was about to die if I didn’t point him in the direction of Bishop’s stash paralyzed me even more than before. I honestly wanted to kick myself for coming all the way up north only to end up in a fucked up situation like this. I mean, I would’ve been better off getting killed back in Virginia. At least the few family members I dealt with from time to time would’ve been able to see that I had a proper burial.

  “I’m gonna count to ten,” he continued and then he started counting down.

  “One. Two. Three. Four . . .” I heard him say and then I tuned him out. I know I had to tell these guys something but my mind wouldn’t function. I even tried to think back to all the times Bishop came by with packages in his hands and went into different rooms in the apartment with it. Even with that information, my mind kept coming up blank. I didn’t know what else to do but accept my fate. After I reiterated to him that I didn’t know anything, I closed my eyes and waited for him to pull the trigger. When he got to ten, my tears soaked my face while I asked God to take my soul. Then I exhaled.

  “Leave her alone. I can take it from here,” I heard a familiar voice say.

  I wanted to open my eyes but I was afraid to for fear that my mind was playing tricks on me. Then I heard the voice again, “Y’all go ahead and leave. I’ll catch up with y’all later.”

  When the voice resonated in my mind this time, I opened my eyes and turned in the direction it was coming from. I literally gasped for air when I saw Bishop standing at the front door. I could not wrap my mind around what was going on, especially after hearing him tell these fucking thugs to leave. I mean, why were they listening to him? Were they his friends or something? My mind was running full speed ahead as I watched both men exit the apartment. After Bishop closed the door behind them he looked back at me.

  I didn’t know whether to hug him or curse him the hell out. I mean, what was that bullshit all about? Was that a test or something? I needed some answers and I needed them ASAP.

  Bishop gave me this apologetic look as he walked towards me. But I refused to let him off the hook that easy. I was angry and I really felt like a complete fool. “I know you’re mad right now. So, please let me explain,” he began.

  I tried to block out the throbbing and aching pain I felt in the back of my head but I couldn’t. Bishop saw me massage the back of my head with my right hand so as soon as he got within one feet of me he pulled me into his arms and started massaging my head himself. “I am so sorry, Lynise. But I had to let them take you through that baby girl.”

  I pulled back from his chest and looked into his face. “But why? Whatcha’ don’t trust me? I almost had a fucking nervous breakdown,” I continued to sob.

  “I know. I know,” he said, trying to put my head back on his chest. But I resisted his efforts.

  One part of me wanted him to hold me but the other part of me wanted to curse him out. I felt so violated and I wanted him to know it. “Bishop, I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but I don’t like it. Those fucking monsters you had come in here and pretend that they were looking for some money you hid in here was a low blow to me. I mean, the way that guy handled me was wrong and I am fucking pissed that you’d let him do that to me.”

  “You’re right. But we’re not in Virginia anymore. You’re in my world now. Things are done a lot different here in New Jersey. I have a lot more at stake here so I just needed to know if you were really down for me.”

  “I understand all of that but haven’t I proved who I was to you when we were back in Virginia? I mean, that should’ve counted for something.”

  “Yeah, it did. But I still had to make sure,” he insisted.

  I wanted to sweep this misunderstanding underneath the rug, but my mind wouldn’t let me. So, I backed away from him and went into my bedroom. I needed to collect my thoughts and I knew that I wouldn’t be able to do it while I was in his arms.

  Cheaper to Keep Her part 3 Unique

  What Part of the Game is This? – Chapter Three

  After Bishop allowed those niggas to run me through the mill I walked my ass into my bedroom and laid down so I could clear my head. Bishop came in the room behind me. I really wasn’t in the mood to see his face, but at the same time I needed some comforting. My fucking head was aching and so was my entire body.

  He sat down on the edge of the bed and began massaging my back. My eyes were closed as my mind drifted off into thought. Everything from the events with Duke that happened back in Virginia to the fake robbery
plot came full circle in my mind. The shit with Duke was still fresh on my mind and I was still fuming inside.

  And then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Bishop was beginning to do the same underhanded tactics as Duke. Both men lived for the streets, they had women at home and they made it known that they weren’t answering to anyone. Not even me. To make matters worse, they’d cut you out of their lives at the drop of a dime.

  I could sense that Bishop was still unsure about me. That thought was pretty upsetting to me. I was literally tired of running into niggas who didn’t appreciate me. I had shit going for me. I was very attractive physically and I wasn’t stupid by a long shot. But more importantly, when I decided to be on your team, then you had my loyalty. So, to keep getting the short end of the stick when I should have been given the whole enchilada had made me very resentful.

  “Lynise, look at me,” Bishop instructed me. His tone was very gentle. He was somewhat different than the other assholes I had dealt with. He could be cool and gentle at times.

  Lying in the fetal position, I turned and faced him while my head lay in a comfortable spot on the pillow. I didn’t utter one word. I did however give him my undivided attention.

  He cleared his throat and said, “Baby girl, my life here in New Jersey is very complicated. I’ve got a lot of shit going on and it’s important that I have the right people around me that I can trust.”

  “First of all,” I began saying.

  “Can you let me finish saying what I have to say?” Bishop cut me off in mid-sentence.

  “Sorry. I thought you were done,” I replied nonchalantly.

  “Well, I wasn’t,” he replied. “Like I was saying,” he continued, “I’ve got several business ventures that are very important to me, so they require my full attention. I can’t afford to have any slip-ups. So everyone around me has to go through certain tests or be eliminated.”