A Trillion to One

by Chenell Parker

  “What time?” Amore questioned.

  “It starts at eight and I’ll pick you up,” Stacy replied.

  “Okay, I’ll be ready,” Amore assured her before she hung up. As tired as she was, she still had work to do. After downing a bottle of water, Amore headed back out to the floor to finish making her tips.

  “Hey boo.” Ciara smiled once Viper’s call was connected.

  The timing of his call was perfect because she’d just walked into her apartment after doing a twelve hour shift at work. Ciara worked as a front desk receptionist at a hotel and she made decent money. Since her online consignment shop was fairly new, she wasn’t making much money off of it just yet. Meadow was helping her out with advertisements and social media but it still hadn’t taken off like she wanted it to. She was hoping that it happened soon because she was tired of all the merchandise cluttering up her apartment. She wasn’t living in the spacious condo that she had once before. Once she and Logan broke up for good, Ciara moved into a two bedroom apartment that didn’t cost as much. She missed having security guards out front and the accessible elevator but she was content.

  “What’s up? What’s going on out there in the free world?” Viper asked.

  “Nothing much baby. I just got off from work and I’m tired as hell,” Ciara replied.

  “Did you talk to the lawyer like I asked you to?” Viper questioned.

  “I worked a twelve hour shift, so I didn’t have time. I’m off tomorrow so I plan to go see him then,” Ciara replied.

  “Man, this shit is driving me crazy. I can’t see me doing two more years up in this bitch. He got the sentence reduced before. It shouldn’t be a problem for him to do the shit again. I haven’t gotten into trouble in over a year, so that should count for something,” Viper rambled.

  “All we can do is try boo. I hope he can make something shake too. I’m ready for you to come home,” Ciara replied.

  She couldn’t see the frown on Viper’s face from over the phone, but her feelings would probably be hurt if she did. He appreciated Ciara, but she had the game fucked up if she thought they were going to be together when he got out. There was only one woman that he loved and she was the only one that he wanted to be with.

  “Guess who I ran into baby?” Ciara asked, pulling him away from his thoughts.

  “Who?” Viper inquired.

  “Amore,” Ciara replied, making his heart skip a beat.

  Viper was just thinking about her and now he was curious to know what she was up to. He didn’t even know that she was home but he was happy to hear it. He hated that Amore got caught up in his bullshit but there was nothing that he could do about it. At least the nigga who was responsible was no longer a problem and his connect made sure of it. He didn’t always do right by Amore but she had his heart. Amore’s flip ass mouth always drove him crazy and that’s why they were always fighting. Amore was with him when he had nothing and that’s what made him love her more. She didn’t just sit back and wait for him to take care of her. She got out there and got money with him. She helped him secure the bag and that’s why he gave her whatever she wanted. Amore cooked dope, bagged it and sold it if he needed her to. In his opinion, she earned whatever she got and more.

  “When? Where did you see her at?” Viper questioned.

  He tried to hide his excitement but it was too hard when it came to Amore. Ciara picked up on his change in attitude but she didn’t speak on it. She wasn’t in the mood for one of Viper’s angry rants. Ciara knew about the physical abuse that Amore suffered at his hands, but Viper was verbally abusive as well. He used his words as a weapon and that sometimes hurt worse than a slap. Still, none of that knowledge was enough to deter her from wanting to be with him.

  “She works at a restaurant that my friends and I went to. You remember the girl who I told you I met? You know, the one who’s been trying to help me with my consignment shop,” Ciara said.

  “What about her?” Viper asked.

  “Well, she and Amore are cousins. They don’t look or act anything alike. I would have never known had she not come up to the table,” Ciara noted.

  “What’s the girls’ name?” Viper wanted to know.

  “Her name is Meadow,” Ciara replied.

  Viper had met Dallas and Chanell but he had never met their sister. He remembered Amore saying her name a few times but no one knew where she was at the time.

  “She doesn’t want anything to do with her family though. She said that they’re all crackheads and criminals,” Ciara said, repeating what Meadow had said.

  “Fuck that bitch! From what I remember, she hasn’t been around for years. How the fuck can she pass judgement on somebody that she don’t even see? Amore ain’t no crackhead or a criminal. She only got caught up because another nigga was snitching,” Viper fumed angrily.

  “You only care because it was Amore who she said it about,” Ciara said, no longer able to keep quiet.

  “Like I just said, fuck that bitch and whoever else got something to say about it,” Viper replied.

  “Fuck Amore. I spoke to the bitch and she looked at me like I was crazy. She’s probably just mad because I got the spot that used to be hers,” Ciara said.

  “Man, I hope you ain’t tell her no stupid shit like that,” Viper snapped angrily.

  “Why not? Everybody already know that we’re together, thanks to Logan’s bitter ass,” Ciara replied.

  “You don’t know that Ciara. Why the fuck would you even bring that shit up to her?” Viper yelled angrily.

  Having Amore find out that he was dealing with Ciara was not something that he ever wanted to happen. Viper was foul for a lot of shit that he did but that was the ultimate low. Ciara was her friend and he knew that would hurt her more than anything.

  “I don’t see what the big deal is. She was gonna find out eventually since we plan to be together when you get out,” Ciara said.

  “Bye Ciara. Handle that business for me and I’ll call you tomorrow,” Viper replied before he hung up.

  He didn’t even wait for the operator to give him the two minute warning. He was tired of talking to her stupid ass. Besides handling business for him while he was locked up, Ciara wasn’t good for nothing else. Viper had a cell phone and he didn’t even want her with the number. That’s why he always called her from the pay phone and made her pay for it. She had the game fucked up if she thought he was coming to stay with her. Maybe for a few weeks until he got back on his feet, but that was about it. He had to get his money right to get his own place. His connect was willing to front him some work until he got himself straight. Once he did, he was going to get Amore and bring her back home where she belonged.

  “Y es cousin. You looking like hood royalty up in this bitch,” Chanell said as she snapped a few pictures of Amore.

  Chanell had gone to Neiman Marcus and snagged her cousin a heather gray Dolce & Gabbana fringed dress. Amore wore some purple, open-toe fringed booties with the matching clutch and she looked great. Her hair was flat ironed straight with a part in the middle. Her makeup was light enough just to enhance her natural beauty. AJ had treated them to the nail salon earlier and Amore was ready for a night out on the town.

  “Keep your phone close by Chanell. I might not be feeling this club shit and I’ll need a ride home,” Amore replied.

  “I got you cousin but you’ll be okay. You might meet your future husband tonight as good as you look,” Chanell said.

  “Bitch please. I can’t even meet my future dick appointment. Maybe it’s just meant for me to be celibate,” Amore replied.

  Meeting men was nothing but they always seemed to turn Amore off for some reason. Gene had been trying to hook up with her again, but Amore wasn’t about to waste her time. Even if it was just sex, he wasn’t getting it. After a month of being home, Amore hadn’t gotten her back broken in once and she was frustrated.

  “That’s your ride. Have fun boo,” Chanell said when someone blew their horn out front.

  A
more walked out of the house and Stacy had to do a double take. She knew that the younger woman was beautiful but that was an understatement for how she looked now. Amore looked like a black China doll as she sashayed to the car and got inside.

  “Amore, you look beautiful. Girl, my nephew is going to fall in love.” Stacy smiled as she pulled away from the house.

  “Thanks Stacy. You look great too,” Amore complimented.

  The two women talked as they made their way to the club. The casino must have really been crowded because they had to park on the highest level of the garage. The rest of the spots were filled but it wasn’t too bad. They took the elevator to the club level and made their way over to Club Masquerade. That was Amore’s first time being there but it wasn’t at all what she expected. The place wasn’t huge but it was nice. Stacy’s nephew had put their names on the VIP list but they didn’t appear to have a VIP section.

  “I guess we’re supposed to sit over here,” Stacy said as she pointed to a roped off section. There were tall back, white leather sofas in the area with only a few people sitting down. A bouncer was standing there, so Stacy gave him their names.

  “I need a drink,” Amore said as soon as they sat down.

  “Let me text my nephew and tell him that we’re here. I’m sure he got a few bottles floating around here somewhere,” Stacy replied.

  “Where is he?” Amore asked. As if on cue, the music stopped and someone started talking over the mic. Amore looked around, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. She spotted a DJ booth upstairs but it was hard to make out who was in there.

  “He said he’ll send us a bottle in a minute,” Stacy said as she read the message that came through on her phone.

  “Was that him talking just now?” Amore asked.

  “Yeah, that was him,” Stacy replied.

  “He sounds sexy,” Amore said. If Stacy’s nephew looked as good as he sounded, she was going home with his ass, no questions asked.

  Both women bobbed their heads to the beat as they looked around at all the partygoers. A few minutes passed before a man walked up with a filled silver ice bucket in his hand.

  “Stacy?” he asked as he looked back and forth between the two of them.

  “That’s me,” Stacy said while raising her hand. The man smiled as he handed the ice bucket to her and walked away.

  “Trillion Dollar Champagne,” Amore said as she picked up one of the bottles and read the label. There were bottles of Trillion Dollar water in there as well, but she’d never heard of such a thing. Maybe it was the theme of the party because they had Trillion Dollar everything all over the place.

  “Pour yourself a glass. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed,” Stacy assured her.

  “You don’t have to tell me twice,” Amore said as she poured herself a glass and sipped it. Stacy was right and she wasn’t disappointed at all. She hadn’t had Champagne in a while but it was some of the best she’d ever had.

  “Here comes my nephew,” Stacy said as she smiled and waved.

  “Where?” Amore asked as she looked around at all the men who were nearby.

  “Right there. The one with the black Luis Vuitton shirt on,” Stacy replied, as Amore looked on in shock.

  “Wait a minute Stacy. Am I missing something here? How is he your nephew? He’s white,” Amore noted as she looked over at the tall, sexy Channing Tatum look alike. Granted, he was fine as hell with all the colorful tattoos littering his arms, but she wasn’t expecting that.

  “My sister is married to his father,” Stacy replied with a laugh, right as he approached them.

  “What’s up auntie?” He smiled as he leaned down to hug her.

  “Hey baby. Amore, this is my nephew, Trillion,” Stacy said as she introduced the two of them. Now, all the Trillion Dollar décor made sense.

  “Hi,” Amore said with a wave and a smile.

  Trillion had seen his share of beautiful women and Amore definitely fit into that category. Her eyes held a sadness to them, even though she was smiling at the moment. He didn’t know her but, for some reason, he felt compelled to change that.

  “What’s good beautiful?” he asked as he grabbed her hand and kissed it. Amore’s kitty jumped when she felt his lips. She had jungle fever in the worst way and Trillion had her intrigued. Her nostrils were assaulted by the smell of his expensive cologne and a faint hint of weed.

  “Chillin’,” Amore replied with a casual shrug.

  Amore wasn’t shy and, apparently, neither was he. He took a seat right next to her, holding her hand the entire time. He smelled good as fuck and his smile was beautiful. Amore wasn’t interested beyond the bedroom but he was very pleasing to the eyes. She had never been with a white boy before but there was a first time for everything.

  “Why am I just meeting you, Amore? I thought I met all of my auntie’s friends already,” Trillion said as he looked at her.

  “You haven’t met half of my friends,” Stacy noted, hoping that her nephew wouldn’t pry any further as to how they knew each other. If Amore wanted to tell him about her time in jail, that was all on her. Stacy didn’t feel like that was her place though.

  “Where’s your man Amore?” Trillion asked her.

  “You wouldn’t be sitting here if I had one,” Amore assured him.

  She and Trillion flirted and made small talk for a few hours in between him hosting the party. Amore was curious about what he did for a living because everybody seemed to know him. People were asking to take pictures with him all night and he never turned them down. Once the party was coming to an end, Amore and Stacy stood up and prepared to leave.

  “Damn, y’all leaving already?” Trillion asked as he walked back over to them. He was needed in the DJ booth but he wasn’t ready for Amore to go.

  “Yeah, I’m calling it a night,” Stacy said with a yawn.

  “What about you, beautiful? I know you ain’t trying to go inside this early,” he said while looking over at Amore.

  “She’s my ride, so I guess I am,” Amore replied.

  “I got you, Love. Give me like five minutes and I’ll bring you home,” he said as he walked back over to the bar.

  “I told you girl. You’re his type. I knew he was gonna be interested. Call or text me the minute you get home,” Stacy said as she gave Amore a hug.

  “I will,” Amore assured her as she sat back down and waited for Trillion to return. Five minutes turned into thirty and she was ready to call Chanell to pick her up. Just when she pulled her phone from her purse, he walked back over to her and sat down.

  “You better not be trying to call another man,” Trillion said as he looked over at her with a smirk.

  “I was about to call a ride since you took so long,” Amore replied honestly.

  “My fault sweetheart. It seems like I’m always needed somewhere. So, tell me a little something about yourself,” Trillion requested.

  “There’s really not much to tell. I’m twenty-three, an only child, no man and no kids,” Amore shrugged.

  “I’m twenty-five. I’m am only child too but I have a three year old daughter. I’ve been in and out of a fucked up relationship since forever and I’ve recently decided to stay out. Maybe we can hook up sometimes since we’re both single,” Trillion suggested.

  “Maybe.” Amore shrugged.

  “What’s your Instagram name?” he asked while pulling out his phone.

  “I don’t have one,” Amore replied.

  “What about Facebook or Twitter?” he questioned.

  “I don’t have that either,” Amore noted.

  “C’mon now Amore. You want me to believe that you’re not on social media at all?” Trillion asked as he looked at her skeptically.

  “I had it once before but it’s been years since I’ve been on it. I don’t even remember none of my passwords,” she replied truthfully. Chanell was always more into social media than she or Dallas was. She was barely ever on it when she did have an active account.

&nb
sp; “Damn girl. Where you been at?” Trillion asked.

  “Jail,” Amore replied, making him laugh at what he thought was a joke. When he saw that she wasn’t smiling, he looked over at her in shock.

  “Seriously?” he questioned.

  “Dead ass. For three years. I’ve only been home for about a month,” Amore answered.

  She was bad as fuck and the wheels in Trillion’s head were turning. Amore didn’t look like a killer but he couldn’t be too sure. He was almost turned off by her revelation until she spoke up and explained.

  “I got locked up on a drug charge but that was my first and last time going. I just got caught up with the wrong man and had to learn that the hard way.” Amore replied.

  “I definitely understand that. Well, can I at least get your number since I can’t stalk you on social media? I’m trying to spend some time with you if you’ll let me,” he said.

  “How about now? Let’s get a room,” Amore said as she licked her lips seductively.

  It was crazy but Trillion was turned off and on at the same time if that was even possible. Amore was beautiful and her body was sick. He just hated that she didn’t value herself enough to make him wait or work for the pussy. They didn’t even know each other’s last names and she was trying to fuck him. Trillion was looking to settle down with one good woman, but Amore obviously wasn’t the one.

  “I already got a room in the hotel that’s connected to the casino,” he noted.

  “I’m ready whenever you are,” Amore said as she downed the remaining liquid that was in her glass.

  She didn’t have to tell Trillion twice. He helped her up from the plush leather sofa and led her out of the club. They were quiet as they walked the distance to the elevator and got on. Trillion didn’t know if she was having second thoughts or not and he didn’t want her to feel obligated to do anything.

  “Look, if you don’t want to do this, we don’t have to. We can go grab some food or just chill in the lobby,” Trillion said.

  “I’m good. I just hope you can fit these,” Amore replied as she opened her purse and threw an unopened box of condoms at him. Trillion caught the box with one hand and smirked at her. Amore was well aware of the rumors surrounding white men. She didn’t care if he wasn’t well endowed. She was going to make the best of whatever he was working with. She’d only had one sex partner and she didn’t want somebody who would rip her insides apart.