Black said, “Dude, you talked to the police and you come here all shook up, like you’re afraid and shit. I don’t like pussies. You know that.”

  Kyrie said, “I understand and I’m not afraid of shit. I just want to change the name and quit cutting the dope with rat poison. That shit is killing people, man.”

  Shamari said, “Cutting it with what?”

  Black said, “Don’t pay that nigga no mind.”

  Shamari said, “I know goddamned well you’re not cutting the dope with rat poison! Please tell me that’s a lie. Please tell me that you’re not cutting this shit with rat poison?” Shamari glanced at Black.

  Kyrie realizing that he’d said something that he shouldn’t have and said, “No, we’re not cutting it with rat poison. That was just a figure of speech, nigga.”

  Black stared at Shamari and could tell that he wasn’t buying it. “You want to make your million dollars, don’t you?”

  “But I don’t want to kill a bunch of motherfuckers in the process.”

  Black said, “Look, I’m not forcing them to use this shit. I’ve never forced nobody to snort anything. There is a risk in ODing off any drug. Quit worrying about that shit.”

  Kyrie said, “Black, you think I would tell on you? I’ve been knowing you since we were kids, nigga. I would never, ever, tell on you. I love you, man, but I’m with Shamari. I’m not feeling all these motherfuckers dying and we got to change the name of the dope.”

  Black stared at the two kilos of heroin and said, “I understand, but you know what happens when somebody ODs off Obamacare. It makes the news and gives us publicity. And guess what? The junkies hear about it and they want to try it. They know they can die, but they want to try it. I know it’s the craziest shit you’ve ever heard but that’s how it works.”

  “Change the name,” Kyrie said.

  “To what?”

  “I don’t know. Anything but Obamacare.”

  Black said, “Cool.”

  “No more rat poison,” Kyrie said.

  Black said, “Okay, Okay.”

  Chapter 11

  Jada was headed to her mom’s house to pick her up so they could run a few errands when her phone rang. Craig? What the fuck did he want? She didn’t know if she could trust him after she and Shamari made him operate on Shamari’s face. She doubted he’d call the police but she knew that he would probably try to get even with her. She decided not to answer but at the last moment changed her mind.

  “Hello?”

  “Can you talk?” Craig asked.

  “No. Why?”

  “I need a favor.”

  “What?”

  “I need some blow. Just a couple of grams.”

  “For what?”

  “Jada, you know I use.”

  “Quit calling me about goddamned drugs on my cell phone! What the fuck is your problem?”

  “Nobody is trying to get you busted.”

  “Get me busted? I’m no drug dealer. Look, I’m going to hang up on your stupid ass.”

  “Do you really think if I had the police with me, I’d be asking for a couple of grams? Get real.”

  She thought about what he said. There would be no way the police in Atlanta would be worried about a couple of grams. They had the Big Papas and Treys and Blacks of the world to think about, even the Cartel.

  “Look, I don’t wanna talk on the phone about this.”

  “Let’s meet up.”

  “I have to take my mom to a few places. I’ll call you back and we can meet up.”

  “Look, can you get what I asked for or not? I mean if you can’t, just say so. I’ll see if I can get somebody else to do it.”

  “What about Skyy? Why don’t you get Skyy to cop it for you?”

  “I asked her already.”

  “So you’re asking every black girl you’ve slept with to cop coke for you?”

  “Jada, if you can’t do it, just say you can’t do it.”

  “I didn’t say I couldn’t do it. I said let’s meet and talk about it.”

  She could hear him breathing heavy into the phone. Finally, he said, “I need it. Can you get it for me or not?”

  “I’ll see what I can do.” She ended the call and dialed Big Papa.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, baby,” Jada said.

  “You finally call me back?”

  “Been super busy, trying to find a place to live.”

  “You still in that hotel?”

  “No. I’m in another hotel, but I’ve found a place in Buckhead. I’ll be moving in this weekend.”

  “So what’s up, baby? You wanna see me?”

  “Of course.”

  “When?”

  “First, I gotta take my mom a few places then let’s meet at the Atlanta Fish Market at one p.m.”

  “See you then.”

  Big Papa and Jada sat at a booth. Big Papa looked like he’d lost ten more pounds since the last time Jada had seen him. At least, he was able to fit comfortable in the booth. That was a feat in itself. She had to admit he was still big as hell but she admired his discipline and determination.

  “Looking good, babe,” Jada said.

  “Not as good as you.” Big Papa looked at her like he wanted to throw her on the table and eat her pussy right there in the restaurant. As thirsty as he looked, it actually made Jada feel good because it was a jeans and t-shirt kind of day and her hair was in a pony-tail. Nothing special, but she was sure that she looked better than every woman that he’d ever slept with.

  “So what’s going on, baby? Why did you want to see me?”

  “I need a small favor.”

  He took a deep breath indicating that he was possibly tired of her using him.

  “What do you need?”

  “White girl”

  “Huh?” Big Papa’s dumb ass actually looked confused.

  “Blow!” Jada said then she sniffled hoping he would get the hint.

  “Coke? Who said I sold coke?” Big Papa said loudly.

  “Well, why don’t you just get on top of the goddamned table and yell it out and let everybody in this motherfucker know we are talking about drugs.”

  “You think I sell coke?” He lowered his voice.

  “Nobody said you sold coke, and I’m still not saying you sell coke. Do you know where I can get some?”

  “No.”

  Jada realized this clown was thinking that she was trying to set him up. She wanted to laugh. She knew he was no dummy, but she was no dummy either. She knew that his fat ass knew where to find coke.

  “Look, I’m looking for a gram.”

  He laughed and said, “A gram? Who the hell wants a gram? Wait a minute, you snort?”

  When he said that, the couple at the next table looked toward them.

  “Will you shut the fuck up! No, I’m not a coke head.”

  “But, you do lines?”

  “No. This is for a friend.”

  The waitress appeared and Jada ordered a chef salad and a margarita. Big Papa declined to order. When the waitress had gone, Big Papa said. “So you’re looking for coke for your friend?”

  “Yeah.”

  “A gram? Who is the friend?”

  “You don’t know everybody that I know.”

  “Atlanta is small.”

  “You don’t know him.”

  “That dude that was at the hotel that day? That nigga told me to ‘take a hike, Fat-Boy’.I’ve never been so humiliated in my goddamned life.”

  Jada reached over and massaged his hand, trying to repair his fragile little ego.

  “Look, I’m sorry for that.”

  Papa tapped the table. “So you want a gram?”

  “Look, it’s for a friend of mine. A white professional man. Not a police officer. He likes to party and he doesn’t know where to find it.”

  “I ain’t gone lie. I was a little leery at first.” Papa said.

  Jada knew she’d read him right. She knew that his fat ass thought she was trying to set him up. Comical.

  “So can you get it?”

  “I can, but a gram is not going to be enough. Nobody that I know sells grams.”

  Jada stared at him. Now she would have to play his silly-ass game like she didn’t know the coke was coming from him.

  “So what is the least amount your people will sell?”

  “An ounce.”

  “How much?”

  “800 dollars.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “Well if he gets a gram, they are going to tax.”

  “How much?”

  “A hundred dollars.”

  Though Jada slept with her share of drug dealers, she really didn’t know the ins and outs of the actual business, but she could tell that it would make more sense to buy the ounce. She just wasn’t sure Craig wanted to spend 800 dollars for the ounce.

  “I’ll have to ask him.”

  The waitress dropped Jada’s salad and when she was gone, Big Papa said, “I’ll get you a gram for your friend.”

  Jada removed a hundred dollar bill from her purse and was about to pass it to Big Papa when he said, “Just keep it. Tell your friend, it’s on me. Next time he’s going to have to buy an ounce.”

  “I’ll let him know.”

  Jada finished her salad real quick, and then she followed Big Papa to his condo. Thirty minutes later, one of Big Papa’s friends arrived with the coke. He was tall, dark, and well-built with some very neat locks. Jada thought the nigga looked fine and she would definitely fuck him, but out of respect she’d have to pass. Besides, she knew from experience those kind of men didn’t like to pay for shit. Big Papa sensed Jada staring at his friend and he led the man to the kitchen. Moments later, Big Papa let the man out and then he made his way back into the living room where he presented Jada with the coke.

  “Thank you, baby.”

  “This is three grams.”

  “You treat me so well.”

  “I try my best, but I know you really don’t like me.”

  She made a sad face. “Why do you say that?”

  “I just get a sense that you don’t like me.”

  “I love you.”

  “You love me? How can you love me? We’ve never been intimate except that one time.”

  “What time?” Jada was trying to jog her memory. Had she gotten drunk and fucked this disgusting motherfucker?

  “You remember that time I went down on you.”

  “Oh yeah,” Jada said, trying to block that shit out of her memory.

  “But you said you loved me.”

  “I said I loved you, but I’m not in love with you.”

  He looked sad.

  “Don’t look like that, Daddy.”

  He shrugged and said, “What am I supposed to do?”

  “About what?”

  “My needs. You know I got needs too.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “Just hold on a second.” He disappeared into the bedroom and came back with five thousand dollars and tossed it on the table.

  “What is that for?”

  “It’s yours?

  “You giving that to me?”

  “On one condition.”

  “And that condition is?’

  “Let me taste it again.”

  “You think I’m a ho?”

  “No, baby.”

  “I’m insulted, motherfucker! I let you do that to me the last time cause I liked you and I was in need. But I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t really like you.”

  Jada was playing on him. The last time she let him perform oral sex on her was because she needed the money. “No, I’m not saying that you a ho.”

  “I hope not.” Jada started crying fake tears, and Big Papa ran over to her. She laid her head on his shoulders and he was rubbing her head.

  Jada said, “I thought you really cared about me, like I care about you. You know it took me a lot to say that I love you and now you playing me like I’m some kind of two-dollar ho.”

  “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “I had sex with you, I trusted you, and you treat me like a low-class stripper.”

  “No.”

  “You don’t respect women.” Jada pulled away from him and made her way over to the door. “I’m leaving and you can just delete my number.”

  Big Papa ran over to the door and blocked the exit. “Please don’t be mad at me. I’m sorry.”

  “I’m just a sex object to you. I’m more than sex, you know?”

  “I know.”

  “I shared my body with you. I don’t do that with everybody. I thought you were one of the good men and you turned out to be just like the rest.”

  “I’m sorry. You know I’m not like that.” He eased over to the table where the money was and scooped it up. He tossed it to her and said, “Go to Phipps and go shoe shopping.”

  She tossed the money into her bag and said, “I forgive you.” She approached him and hugged him and said, “I gave myself to you, and like I said, I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  “Text me later and I might just come over and let you get a taste.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  She gave him a peck on the lips and walked toward the door. Before she opened it to let herself out, she glanced over her shoulder; he was staring at her ass.

  Jada met Craig at Starbucks on Peachtree. They sat at a table near the front window. He didn’t look well at all. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in a few days. His hair was disheveled and he had a three-day growth of stubble on his face. She passed him the coke under the table.

  “Thanks. How much do I owe you?”

  “Well that’s three grams and it’s a hundred dollars a gram.” Though Jada had gotten it free, he didn’t have to know that.

  “I only got two hundred in cash on me. You can follow me to the ATM.”

  “You give me the two hundred. Consider the last gram on me.”

  “Thanks.” He slid the drugs into his pocket.

  “You are turning into a coke head, man.”

  “Hey, I like to party a little bit.”

  “Whatever, man. You were begging like this shit was a matter of life and death.”

  “I got problems. Who doesn’t have problems?”

  “What kind of problems? You can talk to me. I care about you.”

  “You care about me?” He laughed and said, “You care about me, extort me and then practically abduct me and make me perform three procedures pro bono.”

  “Pro bono?”

  “Well not pro bono because that would mean I volunteered.”

  “Tell me what’s going on.”

  “My life is going to hell, that’s what’s going on.”

  “Be specific.”

  “My wife has basically kicked me out.”

  “For what?”

  “Well I guess she suspected me of cheating and she had some goddamned software hooked up to my iPhone. She was somehow able to get all my text messages and pictures.”

  “Pictures of women, I’m assuming.”

  “Yeah, but surprisingly, there wasn’t a picture of you.”

  “But you had my goddamned name in your phone, didn’t you?”

  “No. I simply had J. That could be anybody. She don’t know shit about you.”

  “So she knows about Skyy?”

  “Yes. And this girl was sending pictures every goddamned day.”

  “Wow.”

  “Okay, your wife knows you’ve been sleeping with a black stripper, that’s still no reason to go on a coke binge.”

  “Look, I got more problems than you’ll ever know.”

  “Well, how will I know unless you tell me?” She reached for his hand and held it.

  “Got financial problems.”

  “I don’t believe it. “

  “Well, I gotta pay the mortgage for three homes, and the judge said I have to pay spousal support until we go to court.”

  “Then what?”

  He looked away then made eye contact with her.

  “Talk to me,” she said.

  A tear rolled down his cheek and she squeezed his hand. “You can tell me,” Jada said again.

  “You already know.”

  “You’re an addict?”

  “I have a problem.” He wiped the tears from his face and said, “I know your saying, if I know I have a problem, why don’t I just stop?”

  “No. I’m not judging you. My sister has been battling addiction most of her adult life.”

  “I didn’t know that.”

  “I never talk about her. I never see her. Though I hear she’s been doing better.”

  “Well, that’s good.”

  “Back to you, how can I help you?”

  “Unless you’ve won the lottery and you want to give me a loan, there’s not much you can do.”

  “I still have the money that you gave me. I can give it back to you.”

  “You mean extorted from me?”

  “Whatever.” Jada laughed.

  “No. Keep it.”

  “I don’t understand. Why don’t you want the money?”

  “If I need it, I’ll ask for it back, but right now, I’ve been borrowing money from my business.”

  “How long do you think you can do that for?”

  “I don’t know.”

  She let go of his hand and said, “Well, the money will be here for you if you need it.”

  “Thanks.”

  Chapter 12

  Trey entered Shantelle’s apartment with a key she’d given him. She was startled when he barged into the bathroom. She was standing in front of the mirror, butt naked.

  He kissed her and she said, “Hold on a minute, babe.” She laid the hair curlers down beside her Sonicare toothbrush and applied some lip balm to her upper lip then puckered up.

  He laughed and said, “All of that for a kiss.”

  “I’m a girly-girl.”

  “And you know that’s what I like.”

  “You do, don’t you, Daddy?” She tried to hug him and he moved away.

  She frowned.

  “I have a surprise,” he said.

  She smiled. “I love surprises.”

  Trey held onto something behind his back. She tried to see but he was concealing whatever it was very well.

  “Guess?”

  She thought hard, wondering what he could have behind his back, but she had no idea.

  “I don’t know, but please tell me.” She tried to peek around his back again, but he kept moving.”