The Double Cross

by Anna J.

  One day, a few weeks after he and Selah went to the DMX concert at the TLA, I saw him arguing with one of the chickens in the building while I was at the coffee cart. I couldn’t really hear what they were saying, but I zoomed that good iPhone camera in all the way to get that nice up-close video that I needed for evidence. It looked like she was mad they couldn’t fuck anymore, but who really knew. This happened consecutively for about two weeks, each time a different girl. Now, what wasn’t about to happen was that knucklehead playing in my girl’s face with those bitches. One day at the cart, that argument got real loud, and the chick threatened to let Selah know what was really going on.

  Pause. There wouldn’t be an ambush on my sister-friend. I kindly slid out of line and made my way to Selah’s office to see if she could step out. The way the building was set up, you could see all the way to the ground floor from the balcony, and sure enough, we could see Kevin’s simply stupid ass still arguing with the girl. Selah looked hurt, but she held it together as she went back to work, letting me know she would deal with him later.

  I made the mistake of sending the video to Vice. Why the fuck did I do that? She went and hunted the damn girl down and tried to kill her.

  That night was when I found out how crazy Selah really was. She had me meet her out at Bartram Village, where the girl, Shanna, lived. I didn’t ask questions. I just showed up. By the time I got there, they already had this fool tied up in a fucking chair in her living room. This was nothing like my best friend, so I knew these chicks from the projects set it up. This entire thing was getting out of control quickly. I just wanted her to see what was going on. I didn’t want her to hurt the damn boy. Break up with him, yes. Kill him? Hell the fuck no! No dick was worth time behind bars.

  Everything was moving entirely too fast for me. Kevin was pleading with her to listen to him, Vice was yelling at her to fuck him up, and the other two girls were rooting her on. I tried to talk some sense into her, but she was too far gone. I didn’t even know where the gun came from, because Selah definitely didn’t own one. I’ll just say this: they never found his body. That shit haunted me for months, and I still slightly regret it.

  I hit Selah up with a text on Sunday afternoon, letting her know that I missed her and we should do lunch on Tuesday. We’d both been kind of missing in action with our new loves being the center of our attention, and last we spoke, Chase had gotten her the cutest puppy I’d ever seen and had taken her shopping to get things for her new room. A few of his friends had come to put the stuff together for her, and she sounded so excited as she put me on Face Time to show me her new space. She made plans to invite us over to see the house once she really got settled.

  She was so happy, but it was all so fake. Unfortunately, I could not let her live a lie. I just wasn’t that type of friend, and I always wanted what was best for her and Vice’s crazy ass—which was why we had to handle this shit delicately. I did not want a repeat of the Kevin confusion. I just couldn’t handle it again. Kevin didn’t deserve to die, and I didn’t think Chase did either. I just felt like Selah was not the one for him.

  I was a fucking mess by the time Tuesday rolled around. I could barely concentrate at work, and all I really did was watch the clock until it was time to meet her outside. Vice was rarely on time, but she was sitting in the courtyard, waiting on me by the time I got down there ready to rock and roll. She’d been acting a little funny lately, too, but that was an issue I’d address at a later date. Nowadays, I really only had the mental capacity to deal with one drama at a time. We had just enough time to discuss and agree that I would present Selah with the evidence, and then we would just play it by ear.

  “Laaaaadiiiiies,” Selah sang out as she approached us. We both stood to embrace her, and I held onto her a little longer because I knew her life was about to change.

  We all took a seat, but neither Vice nor I had an appetite. She was tearing her food up until she noticed we weren’t eating.

  “What’s wrong with y’all bitches?”

  Vice turned her head as I set the earring and the printed pics in front of her—the blurry pic of Chase’s car at the chicken joint, the bathroom pics of the matching bra and earring lying on the floor, the pics of them downtown at the jewelry store, and basically all of the data that Vice had collected. The evidence that she needed to make a decision on how she was going to move forward. Her face said it all. She knew exactly what she was looking at.

  “So, you mean to tell me that shit belonged to my sister?” It was barely a whisper, but we heard it loud and clear. The sound of heartbreak could be heard over any other noise in the world. It was a distinct sound that you would never forget.

  I hurt so deep for my friend at this moment, but I wanted her to remain as calm as possible so that we could maintain rationale in this matter.

  “I didn’t want to believe it either, Selah. I’m sorry you had to find out this way,” Vice offered as tears ran down her face. Mine followed shortly after, but Selah really held it together. That shit scared me the most.

  “Let me text Cici and tell her I have to take an extended lunch break. I need to go home right quick to catch Chase before he leaves for the day.”

  “We’re taking my car,” Vice offered as she dug for her car keys and made her way over to her vehicle. I followed suit by calling my assistant to tell her to clear my calendar for the rest of the day. I couldn’t allow these two firecrackers to go by themselves. The cops would be called for sure. I just hated that I had to do this in heels. We definitely didn’t think this all the way through, and I briefly paused to try to gather us up. Emotions were too high right now.

  “Selah, do you really want to talk to him now? Why don’t we go after work so that you have a minute to simmer down? I don’t want this to end up bad for you.”

  “It’s already bad, Skye. Now is the perfect time to go,” she said with a slight smile on her face. That’s when I knew the crazy had kicked in.

  I feared for my fucking life at that very moment. Vice went ahead and started the car and waited patiently for us to get in. This was probably our worst idea to date, but I had to ride with my girls and just pray that we all kept our heads this time.

  Selah plugged her home address in the GPS. It was dead silent as we pulled out onto the road. I wondered what she was thinking. She probably didn’t want to believe it, the same way she didn’t want to believe that Kev shit when it first hit the street. This was supposed to be her fairy tale. This was not supposed to be happening right now.

  When we got to her house, we saw Chase’s car sitting in the driveway. A small part of me was hoping he had already left so that we had more time to process this shit, but it was looking like we were going to face this demon right the fuck now. A big part of me was hoping he just got a ride today and didn’t need his car. I was wishing so bad for this man to not be home that I was starting to hyperventilate.

  Selah typed in her code on the keypad, and I swear it sounded like we had sasquatch feet as we stepped inside. That shit was gorgeous. This was both Vice’s and my first time there, and I could see why she was in love. We weren’t in there long before her little puppy rounded the corner and greeted us at the door.

  “Where’s your daddy?” Selah questioned as she scooped the dog from the floor and put her down in a gated area just off the kitchen.

  Everything appeared to be in place until we saw the pair of shoes by the step. I thought they were Selah’s and was going to compliment her on them until I saw the look on her face. They were not hers, and it was possible the bitch was still in the house.

  Selah turned and went into the living room, where she slid a portrait to the side that revealed a safe. She punched in a few numbers, and amongst several stacks of money sat a nice shiny handgun. We were floored.

  Why were we back on this damn road? He didn’t have to die. All we had to do was pack her stuff. I needed her to see that as an option before she did something she would regret later.

  “Selah,
let’s think this through.”

  I tried to talk reason into her head before she did something stupid, but she didn’t miss a beat as she reached in and loaded bullet after bullet into the chamber, afterward attaching a silencer. This bitch was definitely in her right state of mind. She knew if she had to shoot, she wouldn’t want to alert the neighbors. Those county cops were bored and would be there in no time. Why didn’t I just mind my damn business this time around?

  “I’m thinking,” she said with a smile. “I’m just going to check the upstairs.” At that point, she had mentally checked out.

  We followed her up the stairs slowly, and I prayed the entire time that the shoes belonged to a housekeeper or some shit. We were right on the bedroom door, just standing there. You could smell the sex in the hallway as it wrapped around us like a blanket. The sounds that were coming from under and through the door were undeniable. He was fucking Selah’s sister.

  It all happened in slow motion. She leaned in and turned the knob, opening the door slowly. We stood there for at least a minute before they realized we were present. She was enjoying the ride as he held a fistful of her hair. Both of their eyes were shut tight, and there was clearly no condom in sight. I couldn’t un-see it if I wanted to. This shit broke my heart.

  I wasn’t sure what made Sajdah open her eyes, but the look on her face as the sounds coming from her mouth changed from pleasure to horror was unforgettable. She was trying to get off of him, and he gripped her waist to hold her down. He was damn sure about to cum, and once he opened his eyes and saw us standing there, he practically threw her off of him, his ejaculation shooting out on her back and down his legs as he tried to stand up on wobbly legs. This was horrible. I put my head in my hands for a quick second, and that’s when I heard the shot.

  Chase

  Let Me Explain

  It finally looked like I was getting somewhere with Selah. I felt horrible that I was constantly leaving her in the house. Even though I tried to take her with me on a few trips, it was hard to conduct business with wifey on my hip. She wasn’t on board with this shit, and I wasn’t about to drag her in it unwillingly, so, unfortunately, I had to leave her home most times. This chick I used to fuck back in the day, but was still cool with, suggested I get her a puppy.

  “That bitch need something to keep her occupied,” were her exact words. After she suggested the dog, I gave her the money immediately to go get it. I didn’t necessarily like animals, but if this would get her off my top for a while, I was all the way in.

  She brought the puppy back to me with the box and elastic bow, giving me directions on how to package her before going in. I hurried home after letting her suck my dick. She still gave the best head, and I just couldn’t pass up on it. What could I say? It was the dog in me.

  Selah was distraught when I got there, and I was almost certain that she was going to leave me. I was sick just thinking about it. I wasn’t ready to let her go just yet. We somehow pulled it together, and I was somewhat relieved. Even though I knew I had shit to do, I put Demon on the block as I did the right thing and put my time in with my lady over the weekend. I even had Demon (who she knew as Clifford) and another guy that I trusted from the squad slide through and help me put together all the shit that had come and that we got while we were out. My baby was happy, and I knew then that I would do whatever it took to step away from the game and treat her the way she needed to be treated.

  By Monday, I was back trapping, but I wasn’t out as late, and I didn’t attack her with sex as soon as I walked in. I couldn’t help it. Selah was bad as shit, and she made my dick hard. The body on her was absolutely ridiculous, and it was hard to stay off of her. She was half naked ninety percent of the time. What did she expect me to do? The pussy . . . that ish was great—tight, extra juicy, tasted delicious, very accommodating, and amazing. She knew how to give the best head, and her ride game was always on point. I promise my goal was to try to get her pregnant every time we fucked, and I made sure to push extra deep when it came time to crack that nut. I was straight trying to trap her ass.

  Why the fuck did I let her sister get in my head like that? In the beginning, I didn’t know who the hell was who, to be totally transparent with you. They were identical down to the freckles on their faces. I thought I was going for Selah, but come to find out, Sajdah got caught up in the mix. The dudes in my camp told me that Selah was the one I wanted. She was a tough cookie to crack, but worth it in the end. So, when I snagged her so easily, I was surprised until I realized whom I was dealing with. I wasn’t all the way mad, but sis was boring as fuck. All she talked about was work and these accounts she had, and at the end of it all, I really didn’t give a fuck. I was about to trash her ass like the rest, but when she offered her sister, I knew I had hit the jackpot.

  “She’s not going to agree to both of us dating you at the same time, so I’ll step down only under the condition that I can fuck you whenever I want. It’s no way she gets to keep all that good dick to herself.”

  This conversation was happening while she had my dick throat deep. I had no choice but to agree. That scandalous-ass bitch. I agreed, thinking that I would only have to hit her off every so often, but come to find out, twin sister was greedy as fuck.

  At first, I couldn’t get Selah to take the bait. She was really playing hard to get, but I was determined to catch her ass and eventually push Sajdah all the way out.

  When I finally caught her at the club that night, I knew that I had finally won. She was mine. Unfortunately, so was her sister. I just couldn’t shake her stalking ass. I thought she might just fall back since she saw that her sister and I was going hard, but that seemed to make her go even harder to be a part of our lives low key.

  I’ll admit I used her in the beginning. I needed her to tell me how to get her sister. So, yes, she set up the coffee shit in the morning and was a part of all the big occasions that happened with us. She had to see our relationship developing right before her eyes. Why didn’t she just fall back? This shit had me puzzled and feeling like my back was against the wall, and like any other animal that felt threatened, I had to strike out.

  I tried to break it off with her, I promise. She just would not go away. And I’ll just tell you, she was a fucking freak. Selah could get nasty, too, but Sajdah . . . that one right there would have you turned out if you were not careful. She took it in every hole and loved that shit deep. She could suck a nut clean out of you and have you back up and ready in no time.

  I tried to pass her off to one of my boys, but she wasn’t interested in any of them. She said she felt safer with me and agreed that if things got serious with her sister and I, she would fall back. That was a bold-face-ass lie. Hell, she tried to pick out her fucking ring. All the damn alarms were right in my face. How could I be so stupid?

  I’ll admit that on those nights when Selah couldn’t come through, Sajdah always came to save the day. We had to develop a greeting because I didn’t know who the hell was showing up. That was how I ended up in that shit that night.

  Finally, Selah and I were making moves to move forward. By the time she got home from work on Monday, I had dinner and a hot bath ready for her. I washed her body from head to toe and massaged her with the wax from a soy candle that Sajdah had purchased from this Don’t Paniq line that she swore by. Some chick from Philly named Samirah helped her daughter start the business as she learned to help her get through a childhood anxiety disorder. Apparently, her and Sajdah were cool, and she only ever purchased candles from her. I noticed that Selah liked the Sweet Kisses scent when I burned it, so I always made sure to have some on tap. The candles were all natural soy candles that, once melted, doubled as massage oils.

  It was a struggle not to slide up in her as she lay before me, glistening from the oil. Her plump ass was calling me, and when I cupped her ass cheeks and pulled them apart, it took the strength of Job not to put my thumb in her pussy and test the waters. When I spread her legs to massage her thighs, I could see
how wet she was getting.

  Flipping her over, I started at her toes and worked my way up. Her nipples were like Hershey’s kisses . . . a perfect contrast to her light skin. At the moment, they were hard like pebbles, and the stones on her nipple rings bounced off the sliver of moonlight that crept in around the shades. I wanted her to invite me in, wrap her legs around me, and let me slide in so that I could feel her walls pulsate around me.

  I didn’t force the issue. I let her enjoy the moment as my thumb may or may not have accidently slid across her clit as I moved my hands up to her stomach. She sucked in air quickly, letting me know that I had touched a sensitive spot. I held on to control, rolling her nipples gently between my fingers before going to her shoulders. I was on brick, ya hear me? Like, I could bust a fucking door down with my dick. That’s how hard it was. I felt like at any moment, I was going to just take that shit.

  Just as I was starting to unravel, she took her hand and began to massage me through my sweatpants. I wanted her to pull the shit out and put it in her mouth, but I wanted her to know that she could trust me. She obliged with my wish in my head, leaning up to take me into her mouth. I held onto her hair as I leaned back on my knees, bringing her forward with me. Once she was back comfortable, I let her hair go and found her clit, dipping my thumb in periodically to stir the pot. She was about to make me cum, but I wanted to be inside of her. I had to keep reminding myself that I was trying to build trust by letting her be in control. I had to be patient with this one and let her take the lead.