"Not yet."

  "Look, you can ride with me if you want. I'm just going over to the Four Seasons hotel right across the street. One of my clients is having a problem."

  "I'll go with you." Black tossed two fifty dollar bills on the table and they scurried to the valets where they retrieved her Jag. They were riding, while listening to Beyoncé's "7/11" on Pandora when Black said, "So you sell pussy for real?"

  "Well, not my own." She laughed. "But I've sold my own before. There have been times where I had to do what I had to do."

  "You were a ho?" Black sounded surprised and very interested.

  "Every woman is whether she chooses to admit it or not. You know how the game goes… bad guy." She grinned and grabbed his dick.

  "You're right."

  "We're all hoeing ourselves out to one thing or another."

  "True. So tell me what's going on."

  "Well, this one girl that I have has not been satisfying clients and she makes good money. This chick is going to make five thousand dollars for two days and she's making the man feel like he should tip her ass an extra thousand dollars. He's one of my best clients."

  When they arrived at the Four Seasons hotel, TeTe and Black entered the hotel. There was a well-dressed, white businessman sitting in the lobby. TeTe approached the man, Black following closely behind. When she noticed that the man looked very uneasy with Black standing right behind her, she said, "Can I have a moment alone with him, babe?"

  Black took two steps back. He still wanted to be within earshot of the conversation. This whole thing was very fascinating to him. TeTe was really pimping.

  Thomas Stallings was an investment banker. He was a tall, semi-attractive man, around fifty-four years old with dark curly hair and weathered skin. He wore khaki pants and an expensive Armani shirt and driver shoes in great shape. He was one of TeTe's top clients and was not a very hard man to satisfy. Most of the time, he just wanted a hot young Asian or Latina to talk to him, but sometimes he wanted his balls licked. Nothing that TeTe figured a woman couldn't do for five thousand dollars.

  Thomas Stallings was standing with his hands folded, clearly pissed off, when TeTe asked what was the problem.

  "I don't like the girl."

  "What don't you like about her? Her looks?"

  "She's gorgeous."

  "Okay. What's wrong with Nikki? She is a very beautiful girl."

  "Look, I know that this is pay for play, but she's not even remotely interested in what I have to say. She's been on her phone the whole time. Texting her friends. On Facebook and not even listening to what I have to say."

  "What about the sex?"

  "I don't care about the sex. I'm not even in the mood for sex."

  Black, an earshot away, was thinking this man had to be out of his goddamned mind. Paying ten thousand dollars for a weekend and not even thinking about fucking. He and the homies would run a train on her ass for ten stacks.

  "Look, she has a bad attitude. Why can't you send Lorena?"

  "She's in Dubai," TeTe said. "Look, I have the perfect girl for you." With her iPhone she presented him a picture of Tamala Wu—a half-Japanese, half-black girl.

  "Is she nice?"

  "The nicest."

  "Sexy?"

  With her thumb, she flipped to another pic. Tamala was wearing pink boy shorts, hands covering her chest. "She has small boobs," TeTe said.

  "As long as they're real and she's pretty."

  "Would you like to see her?"

  "Yes, and could you please get the other girl to leave? I'm going to go to the bar. I don't want to see her again."

  Stallings was making his way to the bar when TeTe said, "Mr. Stallings?"

  He turned to face her and she passed him a hundred dollar bill. "Drinks are on me."

  He examined the money, stunned that she'd offered to buy his drinks. Finally, he smiled and said, "Thank you."

  "The least I could do."

  Stallings continued to the bar. TeTe scanned her contacts and found Nikki's name before dialing the number. Seconds later, Nikki answered the phone. "Hello?"

  "Bring your ass down here in the lobby right now."

  "I'm naked."

  "Put your goddamn clothes on and get your ass down here right now and bring your things. We have an unhappy client."

  "Tell me what's going on."

  "I'm waiting on you." TeTe terminated the call.

  Black said, "You're on that pimp shit for real."

  "I don't usually come to hotels, but this man has been a client for years and I trust him. Otherwise, I wouldn't be nowhere near this place."

  She and Black sat in the lobby and Black was asking all kinds of questions about her business.

  "So some of these guys don't even want to have sex?"

  "Why is that surprising to you?"

  "I mean I ain't giving nobody shit unless I'm smashing."

  "That's how young boys think,"

  "I'm a man."

  "That thinks like a boy."

  "Whatever, you say. All I know is I ain't giving no money away for nothing and obviously your client ain't either."

  "I think ya'll have two different things that ya'll want to happen."

  "Obviously."

  Nikki Santiago exited wearing a short, backless dress, carrying a Fendi overnight bag. She was Dominican with long flowing hair, intelligent eyes and freckles sprinkled on her cheeks. Her YSL stilettos clacked as she walked toward Black and TeTe. All eyes were on her as she approached them. Black thought this bitch was fucking gorgeous as he examined her pretty, little, rhinestone-speckled toes. In addition, to think, this dude didn't even want sex from her.

  TeTe stood and made eye contact with Nikki who had set her bag on the floor.

  "What did he say?" Nikki asked.

  "He said you weren't interested in what he had to say."

  Nikki huffed and said, "That's a lie. I was listening to everything he had to say. But I will admit, listening to him talk about his son's soccer matches ain't all that important to me."

  "You're getting paid well, bitch, I wouldn't give a damn if he wanted to talk about a goddamned ping-pong match, you are getting paid to listen," TeTe said.

  TeTe's eyebrows raised and she took deep breaths. She had to calm the fuck down before she backhanded this thot.

  "And some bitch is over in Dubai getting paid ten times as much," Nikki said.

  "So, is this what this is about? You're hating on Lorena?"

  "I ain't hating. I just don't see why she get all the international runs."

  "Look, this man sent for her. But I ain't going to argue with your ass in here. As a matter of fact, follow me."

  TeTe and Black walked toward the door. Nikki picked her bag up and followed. When they were outside, TeTe handed the valet her ticket and they all piled into the Jaguar. Nikki was crammed in the backseat, her long legs looking uncomfortable sandwiched between the seats. But TeTe didn't give a fuck about her comfort level. Nikki eyed Black, wondering who he was. She was waiting on an introduction that she wasn't going to get. She didn't need to know who the fuck Black was.

  "So you're trying your best to fuck up my money because you're pissed about not going to Dubai?"

  "No. I just don't want to listen to his ass cry about his kids and how bad his life is when he's a multimillionaire. I got real motherfuckin' problems."

  "You know that you're not supposed to be on social media when you are with a client. I don't understand why ya'll dumb bitches gotta post every damn minute of your life on Facebook."

  "I was looking at Instagram. I wasn't posting shit."

  "Look, you made me loose five thousand dollars with your goddamn antics," TeTe lied. She was going to send another girl to see Thomas but Nikki didn't need to know that.

  "I'm sorry."

  "Sorry is not going to get my money back. But the bigger issue is you're sitting over here hating on the next bitch."

  "I'm sorry."

  "Like I said, sorry is not going to bring my five thousand dollars back," TeTe said then she decided to be nice to her. Play mind games. She caressed Black's legs and said, "Baby, do you mind letting your seat up for Nikki."

  Black slid his seat up a little and Nikki stretched out.

  Nikki said, "I'm sorry. I really am."

  "It's okay. I have another client. I got somebody I want you to see later tonight. He wants a light-skinned, black girl, so you're going to have to say you're black."

  "That's fine. What's it paying?"

  "Same thing."

  "Cool. I'll take less, since we lost money."

  "Thanks," TeTe said. "Don't fuck this one up."

  "I won't."

  TeTe hands were on Black's thigh again and said, "Baby, let her out."

  Black slid the seat up as far as he could go and Nikki exited the car. Black watching her ass swaying and as she stood in front of the valet skimming through her clutch looking for the valet ticket.

  TeTe interrupted Black's thoughts. "You like that, huh?"

  "She sexy but…"

  "But what."

  "A complete airhead."

  "I don't need rocket scientists. I need thots."

  "Boss lady!" Black laughed.

  "You like that?"

  "I love it."

  Black leaned over and kissed her before they sped down Peachtree; then she pulled over in the Phipps Plaza parking lot and sucked his dick until he came.

  Chapter 7

  Ten O'clock the next morning, Black showed up at Jada's house without calling and she wasn't too happy when she opened the door. She opened the door wearing a purple doo-rag and a house robe.

  "Black, what the fuck do you want? Why do you keep showing up at my house unannounced like I'm your woman?"

  "It's 'Mari"

  "What about Mari?" Jada said. Had something happened to Shamari? Her heart raced. God don't let him be delivering some bad news about Shamari.

  There was a long pause and Jada demanded, "What the fuck happened to Shamari?"

  "Nothing happened. He called me yesterday. I think he knows you have somebody."

  "First of all, I don't have nobody. So I fucked somebody, big deal."

  "Can I come in?"

  She stepped aside and he entered her home and took a seat on the armchair. She sat on the sofa. She was self-conscious about her morning breath. She opened the Chanel clutch bag that was lying on the coffee table and got a pack of gum out. She offered Black some but he declined. She then popped a piece in her mouth.

  "Look, he made me promise to check on you."

  "Okay, you knew I was fine."

  "And I told him. He said that he's been calling you and you haven't answered."

  "Look, I spoke to him last night."

  "Okay, cool. Look, I'm just doing what he told me to do. Just so you know, Jada. I haven't been running my mouth about you and Fresh."

  "Black, Shamari has life. What the fuck am I supposed to do? Stop living?"

  Black knew that a girl like Jada was not going to stop living. She was going to have fun and see men. Hell, she was doing that even when Shamari was out.

  "You trying to make me feel guilty?" she asked.

  "Not at all."

  "Why are you here and why so early in the fucking morning?"

  "Shamari told me to check. That's all."

  "You know my number."

  "He said he couldn't reach you."

  "I talked to him last night. I told you. Hell, I don't answer my phone every time he calls."

  "You know how dudes in prison are."

  "I'm not the one locked up, he is."

  Black stood and said, "Hey, I did what I told him I was going to do." He was about to make his way to the door when he said, "Jada, I need a favor."

  "I already told you. I ain't making no drug run for you."

  "Not that."

  "What?"

  "Talk to Fresh about me. Tell him I'm good people."

  "What the fuck are you talking about?"

  "Look, I need a plug. A connect."

  Jada stood and said, "I ain't about to get myself involved in that shit."

  "Come on, Jada."

  "I gave you Shamari's plug."

  "I don't want to go to Cali. It's too damn far. Plus, I hate meeting new people and since I met Fresh, I think he's good people."

  Jada was ushering Black toward the door. "Look, Black, I'm going back to sleep."

  Black stopped and said, "Oh, I went out with TeTe last night."

  Jada laughed.

  "Why are you laughing?"

  "What did you think of her?"

  "She's a boss. Cool as hell."

  "You think so?" Jada said thinking about TeTe telling her that she cut Eli's finger off, but Black didn't need to know what.

  "You know something I don't know?"

  "Look, she's cool. I just met her a few weeks ago."

  "Yeah, I had a good time."

  "Good." She pushed Black toward the door.

  Black said, "Jada, will you think about what I said?"

  "Look, I ain't getting myself involved in no drug conspiracy, Black. You need to get somewhere and sit your ass down."

  She wanted to ask him about Avant but she knew, with him, there were some things that she was better off not knowing.

  # # # # # #

  Later that night Fresh called Jada and she asked him to meet her at the Woodfire Grill. They met up a couple of hours later.

  The waiter came up to the table and said, "What would you like to have?"

  "Water with lemon," Jada said.

  Fresh ordered a chef's salad.

  Jada said, "So, what did you want to talk to me about that we couldn't talk about over the phone?"

  "Black."

  "What about him?"

  "Is he cool?"

  "Yeah."

  "I mean is he sheisty?" He dug into his salad, plucking out a pepperoncini. He searched her eyes for the truth.

  Jada thought to herself, why was Fresh staring at her eyes so hard? His eyes were so intense that they penetrated her soul. Those long feminine lashes looking incredibly beautiful to her. She turned from his gaze.

  "What do you know about him?" Fresh asked.

  "I think it's a bad idea."

  "I'm listening."

  "Look, trouble finds Black. He's always in some bullshit. He has money and he plays by the rules as far as the money is concerned."

  Fresh dropped his fork and picked up a packet of Ranch dressing. He squeezed every drop of dressing out of the packet.

  "What don't you like about him, babe?"

  She stared at him with concern on her face "He has enemies."

  "Ok. I have enemies. We all have enemies."

  "People want him dead."

  "Tell me about him."

  "Black had this guy named Chris killed and Chris's brother and his friend are after him."

  "Who else?"

  "Well, this nigga named Shakur is after him because he thinks that Black killed our friend Lani."

  "Did he?"

  "No, but a lot of people believe that she would still be here if it wasn't for Black. And a lot of people think he had something to do with it." She paused and guzzled her water. "But I don't think so."

  "Why?"

  "He loved Lani."

  "Okay a couple of niggas want to kill him, as with most hustlers. What I'm interested in is, does he owe anybody money or is he a rat?"

  "No to both of those questions."

  "Okay."

  "But I don't think you should deal with Black. He's bad news, I'm telling you."

  "I'm a grown man."

  Jada threw her hands up and said, "Okay."

  Chapter 8

  Fresh and Q met up with Diego at the restaurant again. Diego's sister poured each man a glass of water and Q was pissed that he had to be back in Houston. He'd rather be in Atlanta with Starr, cooking her breakfast or dining on the roof overlooking the Atlanta skyline. When Anna poured his glass, Q made sure he stared at her ass because he knew this would piss Diego off. He couldn't care less about pissing Diego off.

  Diego sat across from Q, watching his eyes follow his sister's ass and finally he said, "Aye, motherfucker. I'm over here."

  "I know." He smiled.

  "You need to be concerned about your friend instead of watching my sister. As a matter of fact, get the hell out of here, Anna."

  "Dude, don't flatter yourself. Your sister is average, at best."

  "But you were looking at her."

  "Maybe."

  Diego smiled and said, "I want to make peace with you, and if you want to fuck my sister, I can arrange that. I need you. Well, we need each other."

  "Let Rico go."

  "Rico is fine."

  "I didn't ask you that."

  "But I told you."

  "Where is he?"

  "Mexico."

  "What the fuck is he doing in Mexico?"

  "He's fine. He's getting a big bowl of beans and a glass of water. Trust me, he's okay."

  "Why would I trust you?" Q said.

  Fresh said, "We're going to do whatever you need us to do to let Rico go."

  "You know what you need to do." Diego said.

  Q said, "We're going to do it."

  "Do what?"

  "Get rid of the thousand kilos."

  Diego said, "I'm going to need you to get rid of two thousand kilos."

  "What?"

  "Two thousand or no deal."

  "You're out of your mind."

  "Rico is."

  "Let me see him."

  "He's in Mexico."

  "Take me to Mexico."

  Fresh looked at Q and whispered, "Are you out of your mind?"

  Q pulled Fresh aside and said, "Nothing is going to happen to us. He needs us."

  "I ain't going to Mexico. He needs you, not me. He's said that already."

  "I'm going."

  "I'm not going. You go by yourself."

  "Shut the fuck up then."

  Q and Fresh approached Diego. "We wanna go see him tomorrow."

  "Look, you're going to profit close to four million dollars and you're going to get your friend back. That, my friend, is a win-win for you."

  Q stood up and made his way out of the room. Fresh followed him through some double doors out to the dining room area. When they were outside, Q heard someone call his name. When Q turned, he recognized the man immediately. Gordo was a short man with a round baby face and a crew cut. At first glance, Gordo could be mistaken for a white man, but he was one hundred percent Mexican. Gordo and Diego were first cousins. Two brother's sons. Both of their dads had been murdered during cartel violence when they were younger, and their uncle Ramon was a cartel leader. He was both Gordo and Diego's connection, but unlike Diego, Gordo was fairly rational.