by Kiki Swinson
“Oh, I’m fine. Can we hang out and get it on?” I faked a smile.
“Naw, I gotta go again,” Duke said. “But I promise to see you either tomorrow or in a few days.” I
felt a pang of disappointment. “But the good news is I have something for you.”
I perked right up. That always worked. Duke dug in his pocket while I waited with baited breath. I
assumed he would pul out some more cash, which would’ve been fine with me. Imagine my fucking
surprise when Duke pul ed out the keys to a brand new BMW X-6.
“Beautiful, these are yours. You can’t live in this condo driving that piece of shit you got,” he
announced. I started jumping up and down. Duke led me to the balcony in the bedroom, which had a
view of the front of the building and the parking lot. “There she is, the candy apple red one,” Duke
pointed out my new car.
“Oh, thank you baby!” I screamed, hugging him around his neck as tight as I could.
“No problem. Just always be good. I gotta go now.”
I let him go. Hel , I was too excited about the car to be disappointed about him leaving. I guess
living with what I knew about his business dealings with the doctor had just gotten a lot easier.
Cheaper to Keep Her Unique
Chapter 11—Money, Hoes & Clothes
When Duke left I raced downstairs and got into my new whip.
I real y loved everything about it. I took it for a spin around the neighborhood and I tried to use the
new car as a distraction to clear my mind from what I had heard earlier. It absolutely didn’t work. To
think of my sweet man being involved in something that might hurt young girls or their babies left me
feeling kind of sick. I wasn’t that trifling or shal ow that a car or a mil ion pairs of shoes could change
how I felt.
After playing Duke’s conversation with Dr. Gavin repeatedly in my mind, I started doubting myself. I
returned to the condo and tried to watch television. That shit didn’t work either. So I tried to play
fashion show and tried on several of the clothes I had purchased over the past few weeks. Shit like
that usual y made me happy, but once again I struck out. I paced the condo before final y deciding to
check out the den to see if Duke had left any evidence behind. Nothing.
My mind raced with al kinds of thoughts. “Sounded like an il egal baby snatching ring,” I stated
aloud as I stood in the middle of the living room with my hands on my hips. “Arrgghh!” I screamed in
frustration.
I had to stop driving myself crazy. Duke was nothing but a fucking gentleman and a businessman I
told myself. I wanted to believe that I had not heard right. I needed somebody to take my mind off this
shit. You guessed it, I cal ed Diamond. After al , she was stil my BFF.
“Diamond!” I yel ed into the phone. I sounded as if I would just bust out crying. Of course this
alarmed her because we had just had a damn blast shopping. After she asked me what was wrong I
went right into it.
“Diamond, oh my God, you’re not going to believe this!” I said with urgency. She screamed in my
ear tel ing me to get to the damn point. “I think Duke is into an il egal adoption and baby snatching
ring!” I blurted out.
Diamond got kind of quiet.
“Did you hear me?!” I asked her. I was confused as to why she wasn’t asking me for details. So I
just started tel ing her. “I crept in on him having a conversation with a man named Dr. Gavin. That old
bastard was showing Duke pictures of young pregnant chicks and Duke told him if they didn’t want to
give up their babies that the doctor should just take them because he had a lot of money out there
riding on this.” I relayed verbatim what I’d heard. I wanted Diamond to feel the effect of what I had
overheard.
But Diamond was sul en and quiet until she told me she had something to tel me. Then she
indeed dropped the bomb on my ass. She had already heard that Duke was in the il egal adoption
business. Evidently Dr. Gavin was the front man who ran a homeless shelter in Chesapeake for
pregnant women who were abused or raped. If the women didn’t want to give up their babies
wil ingly, then Dr. Gavin would deliver the babies by C-section while the mother was knocked out.
When the women awakened, Dr. Gavin would tel them their babies died at birth.
I gripped my cel to my ear in disbelief at what I was hearing. I had never held a phone so tightly.
“Diamond, why didn’t you tel me this shit before now!” I screamed at her. Tears were running down
my face. I didn’t want to believe my knight in shining armor was real y a fucking grim reaper.
Diamond didn’t tel me because I was too caught up and so in love with Duke. She didn’t want me
to accuse her of trying to break us up or hating on our relationship.
Hel , she was right.
Had I not heard it for myself and if Diamond had tried to tel me anything bad about Duke, I
would’ve accused her of wanting him and being jealous that I had a good man.
“What am I going to do now. If I move out he might be asking questions. I can’t let him know that I
know anything,” I told her.
Diamond told me to sit tight and just enjoy the money and gifts. She told me not to worry about his
business. She also warned me to be very careful because she had also heard that Duke could be a
very violent and dangerous man.
That part didn’t sit right with me. Duke was definitely a businessman and maybe this whole baby
shit was just a misunderstanding, but he was far from dangerous. “I don’t think he would hurt me
Diamond. You have to see how good he treats me when we’re together. He has told me a bil ion
times how much he loves my sex,” I reported to her.
Diamond wasn’t trying to hear it. She wasn’t convinced Duke wouldn’t hurt me. She told me if his
business or money was compromised he might just kil his own mother.
I laughed and scoffed at Diamond’s paranoia. I kindly dismissed her warning and assured her
again that Duke wouldn’t hurt me. “Girl, I got that man eating out the palm of my hands” I said.
But no matter what I said, Diamond wasn’t convinced at al .
Cheaper to Keep Her Unique
Chapter 12—Is That Yo’ Bitch?
Before Diamond and I ended our conversation I agreed to meet her at the Magic City for a drink and
just to hang out.
I hadn’t been to the club in days and I knew Neeko had probably fired me. I didn’t care. For now,
that wasn’t my life anymore. I had a lot on my mind and I needed a drink and I also needed a hug
from my BFF.
I drove my new whip to the club. When I pul ed into the parking lot, Diamond was standing outside
puffing on a cigarette and talking to the club’s DJ. She turned around for a minute but didn’t realize it
was me driving the car. She took a drag off her cigarette and went back to her conversation. That is,
until she saw me stepping out of the BMW. I saw the DJ motion towards me and Diamond turned
back around. Her eyes grew as wide as dinner plates, she flicked her cigarette to the ground and
started screaming.
“Ahhhh! Oh no he didn’t, bitch! Oh my God! Nini! He bought that ass a fucking X6!
Her excited ass raced over to me and snatched the keys out of my hand. “Bitch, you know I gotta
test drive this shit!” her face lighting up like a kid at Christmas.
I was laughing. She had already taken my mi
nd off the issue with Duke.
“Come the fuck on! I might never get another chance to drive a fucking beamer!” Diamond urged
as she pul ed my arm.
We jumped back in my new car and Diamond peeled out of the club’s parking lot. “Slow down
bitch, I just got it!” I said jokingly.
“Oh my God, this fucking whip is so hot! I am so feeling it, Lynise!” Diamond complimented. I felt
real y good that she approved. We drove around while she continued screaming and acted overly
excited. “Lynise, you better not leave that nigga over no fucking baby snatching bul shit. Look, them
bitches’ babies are probably better off wherever he is sel ing them at.”
I couldn’t believe the shit out of Diamond’s mouth as she whipped my ride down the highway. “Oh
my goodness, Diamond, I cannot believe you’re saying this shit because he bought me a car!” I
yel ed at her. “You was just tel ing me to be careful this and careful that . . . the nigga is dangerous, you
said! Now you changing your damn tune?” I made my point as I smiled at how quickly a luxury whip
had persuaded her that Duke was now a good guy.
“Um . . . bitch! He bought you a car, gave you a condo and fucking enough cash for you to take me
shopping with you!” she stated. “Ok, I’m thinking your ass need to be the fuck quiet and just ride! As
long as you stay quiet and play your position my warnings won’t be needed.”
I shook my head at my girl. I was just amazed at the excitement in her voice. I actual y think she
had forgotten that fast the shit she was tel ing me about Duke.
“I’m not going to say anything to him right now, but I stil want you to remember that you were the
one tel ing me the nigga might kil me or some shit,” I informed her.
“Girl, fuck al that,” Diamond said with a hint of laughter in her voice. “Get what you can and make
sure you stash in the process. Shit, if it was me I would have a nigga so sewn up that he wouldn’t
know what to do and if that muthafucka ever tried to play me, I promise to show his ass that that old
fucking saying, it’s cheaper to keep her . . . is the truth.”
Even with the laughter, I knew her ass was dead serious though.
We pul ed back into the club’s parking lot. After hanging and cruising with Diamond for those few
minutes I was already feeling better. I started having second thoughts about going into the club now. I
mean, I did just up and walk out on my damn job.
“C’mon girl. I’ma make sure I tel Neeko about your new ride. Let that greasy, jheri curl wearing
asshole know you don’t need to be slanging no damn drinks for his grungy ass customers,” Diamond
said.
Although I had plans to return to the condo after our short cruise, hearing her level of excitement
made me want to stick around longer. So I decided to go inside and have a quick drink with Diamond.
Besides, I knew Duke probably wouldn’t be coming back to the condo tonight. He hardly ever stayed
the entire night with me.
Once inside, I noticed the club was already packed. The second thing I noticed was the clientele
had changed. I saw less of the higher paying patrons and more of the losers that came in there to try
to get cheap sex. I noticed some of the broke niggas I knew by name peppered throughout the
smoky club. Both Diamond and I climbed up on barstools. It felt funny being on the other side of the
bar.
Diamond tapped on the bar top and the girl I usual y competed with for tips, Raven, came over to
take our drink orders. She looked surprised to see me and twisted up her lips. I rol ed my eyes and
placed my newly purchased Gucci bag on top of the bar in Raven’s face. She took our orders and
stomped away. I just laughed.
“Girl, you better go get dressed for your set,” I told Diamond.
“Fuck Neeko. When I’m ready I wil get ready. Besides, I’m having a drink with my new rich friend!”
Diamond said jokingly, slapping my thigh.
“That is not funny girl,” I replied. “I am very far from rich. Let’s get it right. I don’t have shit . . . he has
al the money.”
Raven slammed our drinks down in front of us. I had ordered a Pink Lady and Diamond ordered a
Mojito. “What the fuck is wrong with that ugly bitch?” Diamond asked in response to Raven’s very
apparent attitude.
“I guess she didn’t ever expect me to be buying a drink instead of serving one.”
As we bul shitted at the bar and talked about everybody in the club, a dude approached and
stood between us. That shit was rude to begin with. I looked at him with my face curled into a frown.
He was a very dark skinned, short, big bel ied, trol in my eyes. Diamond lifted her drink and rol ed her
eyes as if she knew who he was. I had never seen him before. I started talking over him. I wasn’t
going to acknowledge his rude ass at al .
“I’m saying can I get with you?” the little, charcoal colored stranger said to me. I turned around to
look behind me to see if he was speaking to someone else and then looked back at him as if he was
crazy. I just knew he couldn’t be talking to me.
“What?” I snapped, disgust very apparent on my upturned face.
“I’l give you a hundred dol ars for a champagne room dick suck,” he said with a nasty, perverted
tone to his voice. Then he licked his ashy lips. I didn’t think I was hearing his ass correctly.
“What did you say?” I retorted.
“You heard me . . . I wanna get my dick sucked and I want you to do it,” the trol said, grabbing a
handful of his own crotch. I could’ve thrown up on him at just the thought.
“Muthfucka, get outta my face! I ain’t no fucking ho’! Ya dick probably ain’t even big enough to be
sucked anyway! Get the fuck on!” I screamed at his ass.
“What bitch? Fuck you! You ain’t al that!” the man barked, getting closer to me as if he was going
to lay hands on me or something. I jumped off the stool and stood toe-to-toe with him. I didn’t want to
be sitting down just in case he tried to get slap happy. I was on my defensive. Diamond jumped up
too. But I didn’t even give her a chance to say anything.
“Get the fuck out of my face you dirty, little dick piece of shit!” I cursed right in the loser’s face.
“Ya friend wasn’t saying that shit when my big dick was down her throat last night!” he spat
cruel y. I shot Diamond a look. “Excuse me for thinking hoes of a feather, flock together!” the man
continued.
Diamond looked as if she wanted to just run away. Before I even thought about it I threw my drink
in his face. Then I threw the glass at him. It bounced off his jel y bel y and crashed to the floor.
“You fucking bitch! I wil fucking kil you!” he screamed and then he lurched towards me.
Before he could put his hands on me I heard a loud crack and al of a sudden the ugly stranger
crumpled to the floor. He was holding his head and screaming. My eyes grew wide. I looked to my left
and Duke was standing there shaking his hand. His knuckles were bleeding from hitting the asshole.
The guy scrambled up off the floor. “Oh, is that yo’ bitch? This ain’t the end of this shit!” he
screamed at Duke.
“No bitch ass nigga, that’s my woman,” Duke said in a scary calm voice. “You know, something
you’l never have. Now nigga, you better go ’head. I’m not one of these average cats up in here.” By
then the club
’s security had their hands on the dude and was carrying his ass towards the door. He
was stil screaming obscenities about what he was going to do the next time he saw me or Duke.
My eyes were wide and I had my hand over my mouth. I don’t know if I was more shocked to see
Duke there or that he had hit the guy to defend me.
“So Beautiful, whatcha doing up in here?” Duke asked me. He seemed a little annoyed with me
being there. I opened my mouth but no words came out. “I told you that you needed to quit this job. I
thought I hit you off with enough dough and shit that you knew you didn’t have to be up in this shithole
trying to work no bar,” Duke chastised.
I couldn’t even explain to him that I was only there to spend time with Diamond. Duke grabbed my
arm kind of forceful y and told me we were leaving. “See you later girl,” I said to Diamond. She didn’t
even respond. Duke and I left the club together.
“You didn’t have to basical y snatch me up outta the club, Duke,” I complained. “I could’ve just
walked out if you would’ve said let’s go home.”
He walked me to my car. When I was about to get in he final y spoke.
“From now on when I tel you something . . . listen. I think I know best right now,” Duke said sternly.
Was he kidding me? He sounded like a father, not like a brand new ass boyfriend.
“I wasn’t there to work! But you never said you were going to provide for my every need either, so
if I was there to work it’s because I’m not even sure about us Duke! I have been at the condo for
days and I only see you for minutes,” I shot back.
“Wel , I’m gonna provide you what you need! No woman of mine needs to be working in a shithole
where niggas gonna be disrespecting you,” he said firmly. “If you wanna see your little girlfriend tel her
to come by the condo or meet you at the mal . But you are not to come back to this place.”
I felt al mushy inside when he said that. I thought it was so cute that he was putting his foot down
to take care of me. He was demanding that I not return to the club . . . how manly was that. I loved that
man and I knew it for sure now. Only real men stepped up and told a chick she didn’t have to work. I
had been waiting al my life for a man like Duke Carrington to come along. Final y! I said in my mind as
