Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Side Chicks

by N'Dia Rae

  But Kinasha was petite with long hair. I loved tossing her little ass around and watching her tiny pussy swallow all ten inches of my dick. Her honey colored skin looked good against my deep chocolate flesh. Whenever I hit it from behind, I got to tangle my fingers in her hair while pounding her little pussy.

  If she could shut up about my wife, we would be fine.

  “I want to see you more, though. You get so busy…” she began to ramble.

  “Fine, I’ll make more time for you. You know you the best, baby. I care for you and love that pussy.” I was careful to never say that I loved her, because I didn’t. I was also careful to never give her money. What I made went back to my household with my wife.

  “Oh, I know you do,” she whispered, while spreading her legs so that I could catch a glimpse of her pink center.

  “Damn, you better put that away. My door ain’t locked.”

  “I don’t give a fuck, let them watch.” She sat across from my desk, rubbing her clit with one hand while sucking on her other finger. She simulated a blow job on her fingers, causing me to get rock hard.

  “Seriously, Kinasha, go back to work. I’ll break you off later.”

  “Fine, boss. I’ll go back to work. But are you coming through tonight?”

  “Nah, I have to go to a family thing.”

  There she went with that sucking her teeth shit. “You missed my birthday yesterday. And now you’re telling me I can’t see you tonight either?”

  “We’ll fuck again soon. And trust me, it will be worth the wait.”

  “Okay, baby,” she said as she walked away.

  Taking a few deep breaths, I waited for my dick to go soft so that I could get back to work. Durden Development was going through a lot of changes and if I wanted to continue to move up in the company I had to be able to rock with those changes.

  I was on a mission to become partner in this company or open my own development firm. With my wife inspiring me, I made it through college and grad school at the top of my classes. And now I was making well over 100k.

  It was as if we had it all: a mini mansion in Bowie, Maryland, three luxury cars between the two of us, a pair of Shih Tzus, and a timeshare in Jamaica. The only thing that was missing was children. Which didn’t bother me much because I didn’t think we had time for them yet.

  Eventually, I want kids after I get this shit out my system. I can’t stop fucking around and having kids would get in the way of that.

  While I scanned the finance report on my computer screen, my office phone beeped. Looking at the caller ID, I could see that it was Kinasha.

  “What’s up,” I greeted after pressing speakerphone.

  “Cole Barnes is here to see you. I know he doesn’t have an appointment, but he said it’s urgent.”

  My temples throbbed at hearing his name.

  “Send him back,” I sighed. I did not feel like dealing with this nigga Cole, who I knew from the hood as Chop.

  In a matter of moments the doorknob to my office turned and in walked the nigga from my sordid past.

  “Wsup Chop.” I stood and extended my hand to him.

  He shook it before sitting down in the chair that Kinasha’s sexy ass once sat in.

  “Mr. Shelton! This is a nice set up you have going on here.”

  “Cut to it, why are you here?” I asked. I used to work the corners back in the day with Chop. We were both on the come up but now he was the kingpin. That could’ve been my life but I preferred to go straight. I’m too fucking pretty to be in prison. I used that drug money to pay for tuition and the rest is history.

  “Damn nigga. I ain’t seen you in a few years. Not since you got this cushy corporate job and that thick ass wife.”

  “Keep my wife out your fuckin’ mouth,” I barked.

  “Whateva, nigga. I ain’t come here for all of that. I came here because I need a favor.”

  “What kind of favor? I don’t owe you shit.”

  “The hell you don’t. It was my connect that helped you pay for grad school. If you didn’t know me you woulda been broke and not able to even afford your degrees

  that got you here.”

  He was right. He used to cop from one particular connect that used to keep us laced. I never got the opportunity to meet the connect but Chop was still doing business with him.

  “Just get to it. What the hell do you want?”

  “You know The Gardens over on the south side?” he asked, referring to some historic projects in the city.

  “Yeah, my company working on putting a bid on that,” I replied.

  “I know, that’s why I’m here. I need y’all to drop that shit.”

  “Nigga, have you lost your mind? You want us to drop our bid on that prime real estate?” I looked at him with confusion. The favor that he wanted me to perform was absurd.

  “Yes, drop the bid. This gentrification shit is sucking the soul out of our city.” He leaned into the chair, eyeing me like a hawk.

  “Since when do you care about social issues? I thought all you were about is your dollas.”

  “That is all I’m about. I get a lot of my dollars from The Gardens. In fact, one of our traps is there. Which is why I need for no one to buy that property and build new fancy condos in its place.”

  Yep, this nigga had lost his mind.

  “Chop, I can’t help you. There’s nothing I can do about The Gardens being sold.” I shook my head as I eyed him.

  He had an unnerving scar that ran down his cheek. To my knowledge, no one knew how he got the scar. But we all knew how he got the nickname.

  When he was about 11, he caught his stepfather molesting his little sister. Later that night while the man was sleeping, Chop snuck into his room with a machete and severed his head.

  He spent the next few years in juvi until he was 18. When he got out we started slinging together. But I went to college and later to grad school. Ain’t no retirement plans for drug dealers. And I’m trying to live my life to its fullest.

  “You can convince your company to drop the bid. So do it. I don’t need any more explanations. I came in here and asked nicely. Don’t let me get ugly,” he barked.

  “Quiet your damn voice. This is a place of business. All that shit might work in the trap but this is a company,” I chastised him. I could see the fury brewing within him.

  “Is no your final answer?” he questioned me as if I were going to change my mind.

  “No is my final answer. That’s not how shit works around here. Besides, I don’t have the power to tell them to drop a bid that will bring the company tens of millions of dollars.”

  He tilted his head back and released an evil chuckle that eventually progressed to him clapping.

  “Did I say something funny?” I thrashed. My patience had run thin and I wanted him out of my fuckin’ office.

  “Yeah, you funny. You one funny nigga,” he said in between laughing.

  “How is that?”

  “You don’t have no power. You moved all that weight back in the day just to become a monkey in a suit.”

  My abs tightened while my palms began to sweat. If I were light enough you would have been able to see my skin burn red. This nigga had the audacity to insult me, while I was out here trying to live a decent life.

  “Well, what does it say about you that you have to come and ask a monkey in a suit for help,” I slickly replied.

  His face went stone cold.

  “I would tread lightly if I were you.”

  “How about you tread your ass up out my office. This monkey in a suit has real work to do. Go back to the trap where your ass belongs.”

  Standing, he brushed his True Religion jeans to release any wrinkling. He let out a snicker that grated my nerves before replying.

  “This won’t be the last time you see me,” he spoke before turning towards the door and heading out of my office.

  Once he left, I let out a sigh of release. I knew not to ignore Chop’s threats, but what could he really
do to me? I knew too many of his secrets for him to try me. And I doubt if he would kill me because my brothers would react and blood would spill in these streets.

  That nigga knows that. And he doesn’t want a war.

  I leaned back into my cushiony leather office chair and caught a glimpse of the photo that sat on my desk. It was a picture of Nova and me on our wedding day. She looked so beautiful that day and I vowed to give her whatever she wanted. Which reminded me, I had to get some more work done so I could go to her mother’s house this evening.

  3

  Aoki

  T he wind whipped through my lengthy tresses as I sped down 495, racing to Tyson’s Corner. Today I was taking my home girl, Skye, shopping. On the way there we bumped that new Usher song “No Limit.”

  Together we sung along to the radio:

  “Make you say uh, no limit

  Got that Master P, no limit baby

  Give you that black card, no limit

  Just know when you roll with a nigga like me

  There's no limit baby.”

  “Bitch, this is my song!” I hollered over the loudness of the wind.

  “I love it too!” she agreed.

  I looked over at Skye, who resembled a high fashion model. The girl had a pair of toned long legs that made everyone gawk at them. Including my ass.

  In fact, that’s how we met. We were on campus at GW when I spotted her across the walkway. I marched right up to her little shy ass and asked what kind of workouts does she do.

  She said she didn’t work out but that she was a dancer and that was her minor while her major was education. I chatted her up about other things, and from there we became close. But that was three years ago. Since then, I’d dropped out of school while she stayed behind.

  “This whip is fly. How in the hell can you afford this?” Skye questioned, while her fingers trailed along the buttery interior of my Mercedes Benz E-Class convertible.

  “I got myself a sponsor. Well, actually several sponsors.” I watched her roll her eyes before erupting into laughter.

  “You’re crazy, bitch!” She shook her head.

  “No, you’re the crazy one. You’re struggling in college to get a degree that don’t even guarantee that you’ll get a job. While I’m sitting pretty in this ride. I live in a cute condo. My nails and hair stay done. And my clothes cost the same amount as your room and board.”

  “That’s because you’re hoeing.” She rolled her eyes as I turned off my exit.

  “And you’re fucking for free. What’s your point?”

  “It’s not right, Aoki. What happens when you’re too old to use your looks to get a man?”

  “Bitch, get real. I have decades before that happens. And eventually, I’ll marry some rich, ugly man who will be grateful to have me. And besides, I save for a rainy day.” I smirked.

  As I drove towards the mall, my phone rang.

  “Skye, tell me who that is.” I don’t text nor talk while driving. My cousin, Mimi, died in a car accident from doing that. I’ve been spooked ever since.

  “It says X. Is that one of your men?” she poked while laughing.

  “Sure is, put that on speaker phone,” I commanded.

  “Hey baby,” I answered while steering my car into the mall’s parking lot.

  “Bitch, this ain’t baby! This is his wife. And you better stay away from my husband, you little slut! If I catch you out in public, I’m going to slice your fucking face.”

  “Whatever, you soggy pussy ass hoe. Slice my face, your husband will be paying for the cosmetic surgery, like he pays my rent, bitch. Go learn to suck dick.”

  “Hang up,” I mouthed to Skye. Doing as I suggested, she ended the call.

  “Oh my god, girl! That’s ridiculous. You’re sleeping with married men?”

  “Yes I am, honey. Those are usually the best ones. They don’t want much of your time, but they are willing to give you whatever you want as long as you stroke their ego.”

  “But his wife. You don’t feel bad about what you’re doing to her?”

  Skye was so damned naïve. How is it possible that no one has schooled her on how life works?

  “First of all, I’m not doing anything to her. Her husband is. Second of all, it’s not my fault she can’t keep her man satisfied. It surely isn’t my fault that no one told her the truth about men and cheating.”

  “And what’s that?” Skye asked while unbuckling her seatbelt once I parked.

  “There are two different kinds of women. The one he cheats on and the one he cheats with. I decided long ago after watching my mother deal with my hoe of a father, that I was going to be the other woman. I watched her stay up night after night waiting for him to come home. And in the end when he died, a bunch of baby mother bitches came for his will.”

  “Why? You’re selling yourself short.” Her big brown doe eyes looked at me as if I were crazy.

  “No, the wife and the girlfriend are selling their selves short. They give their all to these dogs. And yes, all men are dogs. They give their all and these men just take from them. Take their youth, beauty, money, and lives. And all they have to show for it is stretch marks, snotty nosed kids, and a picket fence. While the other woman keeps her youth and beauty and has several of those niggas in rotation. The key is to not fall in love.”

  “I don’t believe in that. I think love and marriage is a beautiful thing. I look forward to it one day.”

  “Well, good luck. In the meantime, you should get you a sponsor. You’re too cute to let that go to waste.”

  “I’d rather work for my things.”

  “Suit yourself.” I shrugged as looked in the visor’s mirror. My reflection was sexy.

  My skin was café au lait colored, and I had a pair of slanted eyes, courtesy of my Asian heritage. My mother was Japanese while my father was Jamaican. My high cheekbones complemented my pouty mouth and small nose. Long black, curly hair cascaded down my back.

  It was the type of hair bitches paid hundreds of dollars for, but it grew right from my scalp. My body was built like my father’s family, curvy and thick. My breasts were small, about a handful. But what I lacked in breasts, I made up for in ass. Yep, I had a real big ass.

  Sometimes, I considered getting a boob job; I was sure one of my sponsors would pay for it. But to be honest, surgery scared the shit out of me. And since I’d never had complaints about my tits, I let the thought of getting work on them go.

  We got out of the car and headed towards the mall. Skye and I turned heads wherever we went. Her mocha skin was complemented with reddish undertones. Dark brown wavy hair stretched past her shoulders, while baby hair framed her pretty face. She reminded me of Chilli from TLC, but taller.

  If I were her, I certainly wouldn’t be in college while working as a waitress at Friday’s, struggling to get by. But to each its own.

  As we bounced in and out of boutiques, she got a call.

  “Hey ma,” she answered while we both walked towards Cinnabon.

  “Tonight? No, I don’t have plans. Okay, I’ll see you later.”

  “What was that about?” I questioned just before ordering us both Cinnabons.

  “My mother said that she has a major announcement tonight. She wants me and my sister there.”

  “Uh uh, Ms. Toni! She can’t be cutting into our shopping time.” I had never met her mother or her sister but Skye talked about them all the time.

  “I’m so sorry, we can come back tomorrow.” She smiled, causing me to roll my eyes.

  This bitch is lucky. I had to be back on our side of town anyway for a date with X. Fuck what his wife was talking about. It was time for him to give me my monthly allowance.

  “Fine, let’s roll. But you have to drive.”

  “That works.”

  Together we walked out of the mall while scarfing down our sweet treats.

  4

  Skye

  A fter Aoki’s crazy ass dropped me off at my apartment, I jumped into my hoopty and dash
ed towards my mother’s house.

  I raced to my mother’s house. My mind was riddled with anticipation of what her secret could be.

  On the way there, I prayed that she would announce that she won the lottery because she and I are broke as hell.

  My senior year of college starts in about a month and I still have no clue how I’m going to pay my tuition. The first three years my tuition was covered by an academic scholarship I had, but I lost it when my GPA dipped down to 2.5 last year, for two semesters in a row.

  That was my own fault, though. I had gotten caught up with a d-boy named Chad which had me completely unfocused. After catching him cheating on me a couple of times, I finally decided to call it quits. And of course he did not take it lightly.

  He started to stalk me, showing up at my dorm room and classrooms. Day after day he would blow up my phone, leaving me messages. At first they were sweet but then they devolved into threats, which forced me to get a part-time job so I could get an apartment off campus.

  Finally, I moved to a studio apartment off of Georgia Ave. and he had no clue where I was living. I stopped hanging out at my old spots and had to go to class in a disguise. Eventually, he quit calling and stalking. But at times, I still felt unsafe.

  Needless to say, I will never date a thug or a d-boy ever again. In fact, I don’t even want a young nigga. I want someone older and more mature. And he has to have a legit job, making good money. No less than six figures. Until I find that mythical king, I shall remain single and focused on getting out of school.

  As I cruised down the street in my 1999 Toyota Camry, I considered what Aoki had shared with me earlier today. Was I broke enough to stoop to her antics? Nah, I’ll keep working like I am. Eventually it will pay off. If I can just make it through this last year of school, I’ll be fine.

  When I arrived at my mother’s townhouse in Oxon Hill, MD, I pulled into the parking lot and checked my make-up before getting out the car. My skin still looked on point, and my lip gloss was popping. After toying with my baby hair, I leapt out of the car and headed towards my mother’s door.