“What about your God-given abilities. You know how many people would kill to be in your position. You’re a starting quarterback in the NFL!”

  “Let me tell you about God-given abilities. Especially when it came to me. I never had any. I was the clumsiest kid on my Pop Warner football team. I couldn’t even throw. The kids in my neighborhood said I threw like a girl, so I was determined to be the best. I practiced my ass off, throwing four hours a day. So do I believe in God? Yes. But I worked for everything that I have.”

  “So what happened this season?”

  “I lost focus. I started believing the hype.”

  “But you can work to get back to the top.”

  He laughed and said, “I don’t know about that.”

  “Why not?”

  “Rumor has it that I’m going to get traded.”

  He lit the blunt, inhaled it, and then passed it to her. He sat back down beside her and she stroked his shoulders. He told her all of his problems from having two kids by two different women. There was a third one on the way by a stripper that he didn’t even remember having sex with. How he had grown up in a single-parent household, and they were so poor, they didn’t have toilet paper. His mother, who worked at McDonald’s, would have to steal napkins, so they could wipe their asses. She felt bad for him when he finished telling her his life story. They were both in tears. He paid her and even gave her a bonus even though there was no sex. He vowed that he would call and a week later, he did. They met at the same place, at the same time. He was dressed the same way. He wore a Nike sweat suit, but this time, he had white Nike Huaraches. This time, he asked her if she could get him coke.

  “Soda?”

  “No.”

  “White stuff?”

  “Yes.”

  “For who?”

  “Me.”

  “You don’t need to do that.”

  “And you don’t need to do what you’re doing.”

  “What am I doing?”

  “Selling ass.”

  “Well, that’s what I thought I was doing.”

  “Can you get it or not?”

  “I don’t know. Let me call around.”She called TeTe who answered the phone on the first ring.

  “Hello?”

  “I’m with the football player and he wants drugs.”

  “Weed?”

  “White girl.”

  “I’m not a drug dealer, but whatever you gotta do to make him happy, you do it.”TeTe hung the phone up and Ava didn’t know who else to call.

  Seconds later, TeTe called and said, “Call Jada. Her man is a trapper. Call her and tell her what you need.”

  She called Jada.

  “Can you help me?”

  “What’s up?”

  “I need some white girl.”

  Jada stared at the phone thinking, I know this country-ass bitch didn’t ask for drugs on my phone. “What are you talking about?”

  “It is for a client.”

  Jada cut her off. “Where are you?”

  “The Four Seasons.”

  “Meet me in the lobby in an hour.”

  An hour later, Jada was snapchatting in the lobby of the Four Season’s hotel. Her snapchat was captioned: Doing boss shit at the Four Season’s hotel. Her followers didn’t need to know that she wasn’t really staying at the Four Seasons and they damn sure didn’t need to know what she was really there for. Ava spotted her and walked over during one of her self-indulgent snaps.

  Jada turned the camera to Ava and said, “Ava, say hi to my followers.”

  Ava smiled for the camera and said hi. After the Snapchat session was over. Jada passed Ava the coke and she handed Jada the money.

  Ava said, “Thanks.”

  “No problem.”

  “It’s not for me.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “But really it’s not.”

  “Okay.”

  “Do me a favor?”

  “What?”

  “Don’t tell anyone.”

  “Who would I tell?”

  Ava smiled and said, “Right.”

  ***

  Later that night, Ava was lying on the bed, wearing a black leotard, as DeSean sat in a tiny, contemporary, plastic yellow desk across the room and snorted lines of coke. He was completely oblivious to her.

  She crawled to the edge of the bed. “I don’t understand. Why are you doing this to yourself?”

  He turned to her and said, “You’ll never understand.”

  “You’re feeling sorry for yourself?”

  He screamed at her and said, “It’s either do this coke or die.”

  “Is life that bad?”

  “I’ve been successful at everything-especially sports. I was a two-sport All American in high school and an All American in college. I won the Heisman trophy. Without football, I am nothing. Nobody cares about me when I’m not performing at a high level. This is not what she signed up for, but she was getting paid and getting paid well. He was so high that she knew that he wasn’t going to want to have sex. It was clear to her, that this man had some serious issues and she felt very sorry for him.

  CHAPTER 7

  Stunna brought Starr to his Grandma Noni’s house. Noni was sixty-eight and she had birthed six boys and three girls. All but two of them, were all hustlers. One of her daughters had gone to medical school and was a doctor. Her youngest son had turned out to be an addict. Every Sunday the family met at Noni’s house for dinner. Today, Stunna brought Starr over. Stunna’s sister Micky was there, looking just like a teenage boy. She had two girls, Goldie and Kelsey, beside her. ‘Her bitches’ as she called them. They looked amazing, like video vixens. Both were five foot seven and curvy. Micky, being only five foot three, appeared very odd with them. She hugged Starr when Starr entered the house. Then Micky stepped back and examined Starr’s body.

  “Fine ass, Starrlito.”

  Starr said, “Don’t start with me, Micky. You know we don’t get down like that.”

  Micky smiled, revealing diamond-clustered gold teeth. “Hey, can’t a girl dream?”

  Goldie, one of her stupid-ass girlfriends, just stood there, running her fingers through her blond wig as Micky flirted with Starr.

  “You know I’m just kidding.”Micky eyeballed her brother. “And I want you to know that you’re all he’s been talking about lately.”

  Starr smiled.

  “I heard what happened to your ex-boyfriend, Trey. That was some fucked-up shit.”

  “Yeah.”

  Micky turned to the girl that was still grinning, and said, “Bae, this is my home-girl Starr. We used to hang out together back when I was a girl.”

  “You’re still a girl.”Starr said.

  Micky turned to Stunna and said, “Treat Starr right, bruh.”

  “What are you talking about,” Stunna said.

  Micky stood, grabbed Starr’s hand, and spun her around. “Look at this woman. She likes nice shit,” Micky said as she looked at Starr.

  Starr frowned and said, “I do like nice things, but I can buy nice shit for myself. I don’t need a man for that.”

  Micky said, “So you’re the reason bruh been acting all friendly and shit.”

  “He’s always friendly to me.”

  “That’s to you.”

  Stunna grabbed Starr’s hand and led her into the dining room. Twelve other people gathered around the table. Grandma Noni said grace and they ate mac and cheese, potato salad, fried chicken, pot roast, and sweet potato pie. After dinner. Starr thanked Noni for the delicious meal and gave her a hug. Starr stood in the driveway waiting on Stunna who was still in the house.

  Micky came out to join her. “Starr, it was good to see you.”

  “Same here,” Starr said.

  “Hey, you know I always liked you. You were like the sister I never had.”

  “I felt the same way.”

  “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

  “What?”

  “Look, I don’t need nothing to happen to my brother.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  Micky smiled and said, “Nothing. I just heard some foul shit about you. Like as soon as Trey got murdered, I heard that you supposedly had something to do with it.”

  “I don’t care what you heard. I would never have anything to do with murdering a man I loved.”

  “Really now.?”

  There was a long silence and Starr wondered how did Micky hear this and whether this was what was being said about her on the streets.

  “Nothing better happen to my brother.”

  Starr said, “Excuse me? How did we go from you’re being glad to see me to this?”

  “I had a thought.”

  “And you think I’m going to do something to your brother, or better yet, you think I had the love of my life killed? Girl, bye. I don’t have time for this.”

  “Come on, Starr, you can cut all that bourgeois shit out. You know I know you and you can come in here talking all that fancy talk, but at the end of the day, you’re always on the prowl looking for a D-Boy. Somebody with money. You can roll your eyes if you want.”

  “I’m sorry you took it that way.”

  “That’s the way I took it.”She paused then said, “Remember what I said.”

  “I’m not even seeing your brother like that.”

  “You’re leading him on.”

  “He’s a grown man.”

  “Well, we both know how pussy can cloud someone’s judgement, especially a man’s.”

  “Has it clouded yours?”

  “Bitch, please.”

  “Your brother is a grown man.”

  “And to me, family is everything. This is what my family is known for and I’m happy with that.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “You might want to stay away from him.”

  “I’ll let him tell me that.”

  “No, I’m telling you. If you know what’s good for you.”

  “Micky, just like you know me, I know you. And you know damn well you don’t want no part of me. I’ll still beat the brakes off a bitch ass, you know?”

  Stunna appeared and took Starr’s arm.

  Micky said goodbye, hugged her brother, and told him that she would see him later.

  ***

  Despite the overcast afternoon, Jada and Ava sat on the patio, taking shots of peach Ciroc. Ava said to Jada, “I want to tell you something, but I don’t want you to tell anyone.”

  Jada didn’t know anyone she knew. Who would she tell, except TeTe? They had just met. “If you’re afraid that I was going to tell anyone, why would you even bring it up?”

  “I think I can trust you.”

  “You don’t know me.”

  “You’re right, but you and I are the same.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The kind of woman that go gets her own.”

  Jada sipped her Ciroc and said, “Okay.”

  Though Jada thought Ava was a bit obsessed with her, she did like her and she thought her little country ass was harmless.

  “What did you have to tell me?”

  “I’m running.”

  Jada raised her eyebrows. “Running from your ex. Yeah, you told me and TeTe.”

  “Well, that’s not quite right. There are some other dudes after me.”

  “Dudes. Like who?”

  “Well, a few years ago, when I was living in Charlotte. I was fucking with a big-time D-Boy named Mario. I stole a bunch of money from him. I knew that shit was wrong but I was listening to my friends and they convinced me to do it and he’s been after me ever since.”

  “Of course, he would be after your ass. You took money from him.”

  Ava dropped her head and said, “I know that shit was wrong.”

  “How much was it?”

  “Over a million dollars.”

  Jada downed all of her drink and said, “You’re a dead bitch.”

  “I know.”

  “So that’s why you came to Atlanta?”

  “Yeah.”

  “This is the wrong place to run to.”

  “I know, but I don’t want to be too far away from home. You know my parents are in Charlotte and that’s just right up the road. I can just hit the highway, go up there to see them, and come back home, you know?”

  “Yeah, but what about your parents, aren’t you worried about them hurting them?”

  “Of course, but they don’t want to leave. That’s the only place they’ve ever been.”

  “Why did you tell me?”

  “It’s been eating at me and I had to tell someone.”

  “I’m sure.”

  Ava avoided Jada’s eyes.

  “I won’t tell anyone, but honestly who am I going to tell. I don’t know anyone that you know.”

  “I know you won’t.”

  ***

  Stunna lived in a luxury townhome in Buckhead. His home was very masculine, decorated in lots of earth tones. He had very basic, brown leather furniture with a huge plasma TV and that was it. Not a hint of creativity. Starr wandered around the home and her mind raced. Since she’d opened her studio, whenever she would visit someone’s home, she always wondered how she could make it better. How she could add color. How she could change the energy of the home. How she could “make it pop.”She could make his place come alive if he would be open minded and let her. She admired his twelve-foot ceilings.

  “I love this place. There is just so much I can do with it.”

  Stunna said, “Well, I was going to ask you for your expertise.”

  “I’m here to help.”

  “I want you to decorate the entire place.”

  “I will. What’s your budget?”

  He laughed. “Budget? Stunna don’t have budgets.”

  “Excuse me. Did I offend you?”

  “Actually, you did. You put me in the same category as your other male friends.”

  “Oh my God. Did I hurt your little ego?”

  “Can I get you something to snack on or to drink?”

  “No. I’m good. Just have a seat, I wanted to talk to you about something that happened the other night at Noni’s house.”

  “Is there something wrong?”His face was concerned.

  “You were inside when your sister came outside and pulled me aside. She said to me that she didn’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “What did she mean?”

  “My ex, Trey, got murdered by his baby mother and the man I was recently involved with got charged with his death and she is concerned about you.”

  “I don’t need her concern.”

  “She’s your sister.”

  “I don’t need her concern. Don’t worry. I will check her on this.”

  “It’s okay, really.”

  “No, it’s not okay. She works for me, not the other way around.”

  Stunna removed his phone and he punched in Micky’s number and Starr said, “No, please, don’t say nothing to her. I can handle myself.”Micky’s voicemail came on.

  “I don’t appreciate this shit. The nerve of that bitch try to confront my lady like that!”

  “I’m not your lady and she’s not a bitch, she is your sister.”

  “You’re going to be my lady.”

  “I’m not.”

  “What’s wrong, Starr? I’m not good enough for you?”

  “No, it’s not that at all.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re scared of my sister.”

  “Hell, no.”

  She folded her arms. Starr never expected him to pressure so hard to be with him. She guessed it was naive of her to think that he didn’t want to be with her.

  CHAPTER 8

  Jada’s hand was inside Fresh’s pants, trying to take possession of his member. He extracted her hand and she made a sad face. He stood and fastened his pants.

  “Not now, bae,” he said.

  “What’s wrong? Why can’t I have none?”Jada pouted. It had been two weeks since they’d had intercourse and she assumed that he had to be fucking someone else.

  “Not now,” he said.

  She stood and approached him then draped her arms around his waist. “What’s wrong?”

  When he faced her, his chin quivered and he said, “I murdered two people. Two men that won’t see their children grow up. Won’t see their parents grow old.”

  “Your conscience is bothering you.”

  He sighed and a painful expression covered his face. “It’s bothering the fuck out of me. The scene keeps replaying over and over in my head. No matter what I’m doing, my mind always goes back to that day.”

  “You had to do it. It was either them or you. What about your friend Jabo? You have to think about Jabo. They murdered your friend, Fresh. When you start thinking like that, you have to start thinking about Jabo. His girlfriend. His son. Your son. What if you couldn’t see your son?”

  “You’re right.”

  “I know I’m right.”

  Tears welled in Fresh’s eyes. “I have to be there for him. I have to be his father too. I have big responsibilities I want to move Jabo’s kid’s mother here to take care of them.”

  “What about your own son?”

  “I want him to move here too.”

  “So you don’t want to stay in Houston?”

  “I love Houston, but I know I can’t live there anymore, I gotta get my mind off the murders.”

  Jada narrowed her eyes. “And your son’s mother?”

  He laughed. “There is no way I can be with that woman.”

  “You think she’s going to let your son move with you to another state? With another woman?”

  “I don’t know. But I’m going to try. But I have to be there for my friend’s son. I have to. I feel so fucked up right now.”He leaned into her and kissed her. “You just have a way of making things seem so much better.”

  “That’s what I’m here for. If you want to talk about it, I’m here. I never really got a chance to ask you the details. Never thought you would open up.”

  “You’re my lady, Jada. I’ll tell you anything.”

  She smiled. She was happy to hear him say that.

  He kissed her. “I meant what I said, Jada. I want you to be my wife.”

  She loved that he said that, but she had been around long enough to know that men would say anything. Especially when faced with the possibility of going to prison.