When Q hung up the phone, he realized that DeMontre had stolen his money. This would explain why he had been able to buy Brooke that handbag. He called Starr but her phone was going to voicemail.

  * * * *

  Under the moonlight, Starr and Terrell sipped wine on his patio.

  Starr said to Terrell, "I got to get home. My phone is dead."

  "Not now." He smiled.

  "I can't go home?" She laughed playfully as she admired him.

  "I have a charger," he said.

  "You're going to get me in trouble."

  He stood and poured her another Sangria. "Give me that phone." He examined the phone and passed it back to her. "I thought you had an iPhone?"

  "You notice everything."

  "I notice everything about you."

  "I did, but I got the Samsung Galaxy Edge the other day."

  "You like it?"

  "The camera is amazing, but you know how it is when you get used to something."

  "I know what you mean."

  "So, you don't have a charger for the Samsung Galaxy?"

  "I ain't say all that."

  He disappeared into the house, and she watched his sexy-ass walk. Seconds later, he returned with the charger.

  "How do these things work?" she asked.

  "Just set your phone on the charger."

  She sat her phone on the charger.

  He took his seat across from her and said, "I'm so glad you could make it tonight. Actually, when I called you and suggested this to you, I didn't think you would come."

  She smiled politely. She didn't think she would come either, but when Q just straight up admitted that he had slept with this new chick, she didn't see any reason to sit in the house and sulk. She had to be a big girl and get out of the house or else she was going to drive herself crazy thinking about what had happened between Q and this Chanel girl.

  "You know, that was a lame excuse for having to go home, right?"

  "What?" She looked surprised.

  "Your phone was dead."

  "How was that lame? You know I have a son. What if his grandma tries to call me?"

  "Oh, I forgot about your little boy. How is he doing anyway?"

  "Growing too big for his clothes every day."

  "Oh yeah? What size shoe does he wear?"

  "A six in adults."

  "Okay, I got some Nike shoes and gear he can have. Nike still sends me stuff."

  "He would love that. Though I just got him the Curry 1's."

  "Hey, you can never have enough shoes."

  "Especially how he's growing."

  She finished her glass of wine and he poured another one. "Are you trying to get me drunk?" she asked.

  "Maybe, but I'm going to get drunk with you."

  She sat her glass down and before she could respond, he shoved his tongue down her throat. She didn't want to resist. He wanted her and she wanted him. Moments later, they had both peeled out of their clothes, He was butt naked and she stood on the patio wearing only a yellow G-string.

  When he laid eyes on her body, he said, "I've never seen nothing like that in my life."

  Her Chanel No. 5 was intoxicating and he absolutely loved how everything about her was so feminine.

  She smiled, revealing dimples that rarely came out unless she was very happy or excited, or both. She glanced down at his tool that was hung right above his knee.

  "I want you," he said. "I've always wanted you since the first day I saw you. Your ambition turns me on. You're the kind of woman that I can spend the rest of my life with."

  She was smiling and she ran her hands across his deeply etched abs. She could feel the moistness between her legs. He had admitted that he wanted her and as much as she hated to admit it, she had wanted him too.

  She took his manhood in her hand and stroked it. He broke free from her and reached for a blue blanket that was lying on one of the patio chairs. With the blanket in his hand, he covered the table with the blanket and laid her across the table. Her legs were open and he looked down at her. She smiled at him. She could tell that this sexy motherfucker really did want her.

  For a second, she felt guilty as she thought about Q. Then she thought about how he had fucked that girl so fast. Though she had told him that she wanted to take a break, he shouldn't have gone through with it. This is why she is here with Terrell, she justified.

  "I want to please you. I'm here to do anything that you want me to do."

  He kissed her thighs and his goatee tickled her. She could tell he was a slow careful but very skilled love maker. He continued to peck her thighs and she clawed his back with her nails. He was gentle with her and she liked that but she could tell that he would be too gentle and take too long as thoughts of Q entered her mind. Finally, she pulled him up to her and said, "Just fuck me and treat me bad."

  He said, "Huh?"

  "Just fuck me!" She reached for his tool and it was stiff and pulsating. She slid it inside her love-hole and with her nails clenching his back, she told him to go deep inside her.

  Terrell was frustrated. He'd wanted to make love to her, but she didn't want that from him. Though he had her body right now, Q still had her heart and mind, and she couldn't help but feel guilty for fucking Terrell.

  He turned her over and fucked her doggy-style. Spanking her ass as she let out passionate screams and ordered him to fuck her harder.

  The neighbor's porch lit up, but that didn't stop them. He was stroking her until they both came. When she stood up, he was still admiring her body, but he felt used at the same time. There was no passion there. There was plenty of chemistry, but he could tell that she didn't want him in the capacity that he had wanted her.

  He put his pants on and said, "How was it?"

  "It was amazing."

  "You're still in love with him, ain't you?"

  There was a brief silence then she said, "Yeah."

  "I know."

  She gathered her clothes that were still lying on the floor and said, "Where is your shower?"

  "You know where it is. You decorated the house, remember?"

  She giggled and said, "I did, didn't I?"

  She was about to take off in the direction of the bathroom when he said, "Why him?"

  "Huh?"

  "What does he have that I don't have? What is it? I have money. I'm single. I don't have a bunch of baby mamas. I'm tall. I'm good looking."

  Starr stopped in her tracks thinking, what the fuck? Why is this nigga getting all emotional? She sat back on the patio table and said, "Nothing is wrong with you. It's not about you."

  "Just answer the question, Starr. Why can't you give me a shot? I mean if it don't work out, at least we will know that we gave it a try."

  "You're right."

  "Why him?"

  "I think I told you. He came along at the right time right after my fiancé was murdered. He was there for me."

  "But he's not there for you now; otherwise, you wouldn't be here."

  "You're right. Things are a little rocky right now. I will admit that."

  "So there's a chance for me and you?"

  "There's always a chance for anything."

  She hopped off the table, took possession of her phone from the charger and entered his home through the patio door. Her clothes were in her hands. He followed in bare feet, walking over the tile floors.

  She took a fifteen minute shower and when she was dressed, he hugged her and walked her to her car. The clock on her dash said it was 1:45 a.m. She powered on her phone, saw that she had a message from Q and dialed his phone number. It went straight to voicemail. He was with that bitch. She could feel it. A tear trickled down her cheek.

  Chapter 25

  Sasha had called Black at two in the morning and said it was urgent that she see him. She had told him, matter-of-factly, not to come to the condo. Instead, she told him to meet her at the Marriott in Lawrenceville. She said it was urgent and that she needed to see him right away. It was three in the morning before Black made his way to room two twenty-eight. She opened the door and ushered him in right away. She peeked through the blind and was nervous as hell, which was making Black nervous.

  Finally he said, "Will you tell me what the fuck is going on?"

  "So much!" She paced the floor.

  Black's eyes were red from some Train wreck that he'd smoked earlier, and he was hungry as hell. There was a box holding a cheese pizza from Papa John's on the edge of the bed, so he grabbed a slice.

  Sasha was still pacing and she said, "There is some Coke that came free with the pizza. It's in the fridge. You can have it if you want."

  Black made his way over to the fridge and grabbed a can of Coke, folded the pizza in half and swallowed it whole. Then he washed it down with the Coke and said, "Will you please tell me what the fuck is going on?"

  "Look, I told you about my dad. Told you I was going to give him up."

  "Yeah, you told me and you also said you would ask for a time cut for my boy."

  "I did, but I don't think they're going to do it."

  Black grabbed another slice of pizza then took a seat. "Now, tell me what happened."

  "He found out."

  "Who found out?"

  "My dad found out that I went to the FBI."

  "Oh yeah? How did he find out?"

  "I don't know."

  Black ate the pizza with one bite, finished the Coke and then let out a loud burp.

  She was still pacing and said again, "I know he found out though."

  "How do you know he found out?"

  "He came over and he was saying all this shit about how I wasn't loyal to him and he was checking for bugs and cameras and shit. Then he just straight up said to me that I didn't think that he was going to find out. But he said he has a way of knowing everything. Then he raped me and he was going to try to kill me."

  "No way!"

  She presented him with the gun with the silencer.

  Black reached for it before deciding not to put his fingerprints on it.

  "I'm not touching it." He paused. "How did you get it?"

  "I knocked him unconscious with a vodka bottle."

  "What?"

  "Yeah, I took the bottle and knocked his ass unconscious and when I checked his pockets, this is what I found."

  "Damn, he was really going to take you out."

  "You think? I know he's still going to get me, I can just feel it. I need you to be here with me."

  "I can't be here with you, I got shit to do. Shit to take care of."

  She looked disappointed and she said, "Of course, you can't stay with me. You never can. I'm just a piece of ass to you."

  "That ain't true."

  "Prove it to me."

  There was a brief silence and then he said, "I can't stay with you."

  "Who's going to protect me, Black? If you don't protect me, who will?"

  "You have the gun. Do you know how to shoot?"

  She aimed the gun at him and said, "I don't know. Let's find out."

  Her hands trembled and Black was trying to read this bitch. Was she for real?

  "Put the gun down, Sasha. Put the fucking gun down. It's going to be alright."

  Tears rolled down her face and she said, 'How the fuck do you know it's going to be alright?"

  "It always is. It just always is."

  "What the fuck? It always is? What kind of answer is that?"

  "Look, Sasha, nobody is going to kill you." He lowered his voice and he was looking at the silencer on the end of the gun and he thought about his family. Especially his children. This is how Trey went out. A crazy bitch. He didn't want to go out like that.

  "Look, if you can give me two days, I'll be back. I'll be back and I'll take care of you."

  "Remember the men that kidnapped you? Those motherfuckers, Black. They're after me. Trained killers."

  Black remembered the white boys that had thrown him into the van. They were some real motherfuckers, that was for sure. He looked Sasha in the eyes and said, "If God is for us, who can be against us?"

  "Huh?"

  "If God is for us, we're going to be okay, even against assassins."

  She lowered the gun and Black embraced her. She cried on his shoulder and he said, "Just remember, if God is for us…."

  "I'm scared. I'm scared that they are going to find us."

  "If God is for us," he whispered.

  * * * *

  Starr was in her office invoicing customers when Brooke came running to the back to tell her that Q was out front.

  "Send him back." Starr said.

  Seconds later, Q walked back to the office and Starr looked up, designer glasses draping her face.

  He said, "I didn't know you wore glasses."

  "Just to read."

  "You look cute in them."

  She smiled and said, "So, are you here to meet my nephew again?"

  "Actually not at all. I'm here to tell you that I think your nephew took some money that don't belong to him. I tried calling you last night to tell you, but you didn't answer the phone. You must have been busy."

  "I returned the call."

  "Yeah, at like two in the morning. Was he gone then?"

  "Excuse me?"

  "Did you call after he left? Come on, Starr. You ain't got to lie to me. I just got a feeling that you have been seeing that basketball player. All girls want one."

  "Whatever, Q. I ain't got time for your games."

  He sighed and said, "I didn't come for that anyway. I came to let you know your nephew is a thief. He denied taking it, but I know he did."

  "What makes you so sure?"

  "Because I'm also missing two kilos."

  "What?"

  "He was at the crib the other day hanging out on the patio with some girl."

  "Brooke?"

  "No, another girl."

  "I had to run to the mall and I told him to lock up when he was gone. I had nine kilos in my closet because one of my customers from Tennessee was coming to get it. When I counted today, there were only seven. He stole my shit."

  "So what do you want me to do about it?"

  "Just let him know, I know he got it. I'm not going to do nothing to him because I have too much respect for your family and I love you too much. But I know he's got it."

  "No, this is fucked up." Starr paced. "I hate thieves. I'll get to the bottom of this shit for you."

  "There is nothing to get to the bottom of. He has it. I mean in the long run, it's going to hurt him more than it's going to hurt me. He'll go out and make his li'l bit of money then fuck it all up on electronics and bitches and then he'll be broke again."

  "Look, I'll call you tomorrow to let you know what I found out."

  "Don't worry about. When I say it's nothing, I really mean it's nothing."

  "It must be something or else you wouldn't be here."

  "I just came by to tell you that he must have gotten the money from me. He's stole it."

  * * * *

  After three days of calling Fy-Head, Craig called Miss America to his hotel room. He'd said he had some money to spend. But after the last time when she had difficulty getting her money from him, she had told him to call TeTe and book her through the agency. But he didn't have five thousand to pay for that so he told TeTe that he wanted a fifteen-minute conversation with Miss America. For that, TeTe charged one thousand dollars and she sent Eli with Miss America to collect the money. After Craig passed Eli the money, Eli stood outside the hotel room waiting for Craig's fifteen minutes to be up.

  When the door was closed, Craig said, "Where the hell is your friend?"

  "Who?"

  "Cassandra."

  "I don't know, I haven't heard from her in days."

  Craig began to pace and run his fingers through his hair at the same time. He looked nervous as hell and he was making her nervous.

  "What's wrong, honey? You look worried."

  "You remember the other day when you were over here and I asked about the job I needed?"

  Miss America was in deep thought. "I don't remember."

  "The job concerning my wife."

  "Yeah."

  "I met up with Cassandra and some guy named J-Will. Does that ring a bell?"

  "No."

  Craig stopped pacing and made eye contact and said, "You mean to tell me you've never heard of this person?"

  "Never. I don't run in the same crowd as her. Sure we're both trannies but that don't mean we're both in the same class."

  "What the hell does that mean?"

  "It means we're not besties, bitch." She rolled her eyes thinking this stupid-ass cracker was making her sick.

  "Look. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for bringing this to you. You didn't have anything to do with it but it's just I had given them the money for the job and the next day, Cassandra came over and I gave her fat injections in her ass. She said the job was going to be done. The job is not done and I'm out fifteen thousand dollars."

  "Fifteen grand?"

  "Yeah."

  "What the fuck?"

  "Can you call her for me?" Craig looked sad and she felt sorry for him. She removed her phone from her clutch and dialed Fy-Head's number but the phone when straight to voicemail.

  "I can go to her house and ask some of our mutual friends if they know where she is. That's all I can do."

  Craig extended his hand and they shook hands. "Thanks so much for your help."

  She smiled and went outside where Eli was waiting on her. She dialed her phone and when Fy-head picked up, she said, "Bitch, you owe me one." And they both laughed their asses off.

  * * * *

  Black had received three calls back to back from Sasha but he had been busy and didn't have time to talk. He had spent some time with his children and he had vowed that he would get back with her later. When he checked his voice mail the last time, she had said that she was going to take a nap. She asked him to come over and spend the night like he had promised. It was 9.45 p.m. when he headed to her hotel room and it was about 10:15 p.m. when he got there. When he opened the door, she was gone, but he was certain he had seen her car out front. He called her name out, but didn't get a response. None at all.

  The bathroom door was open and the water was running. As soon as he entered the bathroom, he found her butt naked, hanging, her neck encased with an extension cord, her eyes open, her mouth ajar, her face now a dark purplish color. Black quivered before placing his fingers over her pulse. None.