Chapter 1

MEET REESE

 

 

Chapter 1.
"No, no, no! You're doing it all wrong! That's not what I told you to do!!!"
The loud voice echoed throughout the tight space as 29 year old Reese Bivens stood still, her slip resistant shoes sticking to the poorly mopped floor. She refused to turn around or acknowledge the voice shouting behind her. She took a deep breath, slowly meditating inside her head. I'm really not with this shit today. I'm not going to do it. Reese tapped her foot impatiently while she looked at the clock which read 12:26. Shit. She had only been here for 1 hour. 
   "Excuse me Reese!" The voice behind her suddenly became closer. She switched her weight from one foot to another becoming flustered with heat as she felt someone's hot breath hitting the back of her neck. She rolled her eyes, not in the mood to be bothered or critiqued. "What?" She mumbled underneath her breath, barely parting her lips to speak. Today was not her day. Her mind drifted away as she reminded herself about the alternator she was going to need for that piece of shit car that wouldn't start this morning. She became frustrated thinking about her negative bank account. Electricity was 2 days away from being disconnected and she had not one red dime to go towards the bill. She shook her head, becoming overwhelmed as she realized just how much she had going on in her life right now. The last thing she needed was someone fucking with her. Today Reese was wearing her aggravation on her sleeve and holding her tongue was going to be damn near impossible. 
"Reese, I’m tired of you messing up on these orders! I got a lady in the front highly upset saying her chicken isn’t cooked all the way!"
Reese continued to stare at the deep fryer in front of her, not turning around to acknowledge her boss who was standing directly behind her. The grease popped everywhere hitting her in the arms and face. She was used to the sting. Reese continued to stand still, ignoring her boss and the popping grease feeling absent minded and completely clocked out from the world . "What do you mean it’s not cooked right?" Reese asked as if she was oblivious to what was going on.  She continued to speak with her back turned knowing it was adding fuel to the fire.

"IT’S NOT COOKED RIGHT! AM I SPEAKING ANOTHER LANGUAGE???!!" Her boss yelled again. Reese scrunched up her face, questioning how a woman’s voice could have that much bass? Dropping the handle on the fryer, Reese turned around to face Ms. Linda. She looked up at the 6'4 figure standing over her. Reese looked her up and down, examining Ms. Linda's salt and pepper grey hear and piercing dark green eyes. She glanced at the off white collar shirt and mismatch blue pants she wore, wondering why Ms. Linda never attempted to do her makeup or iron her clothes before she came to work in the morning. Every day she looked a hot, miserable mess. 
   "Ms. Linda I been frying this chicken just how you taught me how to do it. Now maybe you should have this cooker looked at because it may not be working properly."
  In return, she shot Reese an evil look as if she were disgusted. She stepped forward, invading her space. "That cooker worked just fine until you got here! It's only been 2 weeks since you started working and I’m losing customers already!"
Reese backed up, trying so hard to hold her tongue and not saying something out of line that would cost her this job. Indeed, everything about this place she hated, but truth be told, she desperately needed the money. 
"So exactly what do you want me to do?" She asked, knowing it was not the best response. She was sick of this bitch ragging on her and wanted to know what her problem was. Ms. Linda acted as if she hated Reese and every day she voiced her opinion to the owner that he was irresponsible for hiring her. Little did she know the boss man Mr. Frank gave Reese the job because he was interested in her. She met him about a year ago when she worked for a local catering business that hosted at a few of his events.  He gawked at her for months, desperate to get her out of the serving business and make her his woman. Although he owned several restaurants in Baltimore and had plenty of money to spare, Reese kept it casual and never took him up on his offer. Hell, he was married and damn near old enough to be her father. But soon as he came to her with a part time position that he had available at his Chicken spot, she took the job with no questions asked. Never in a million years did she think she would end up at a chicken place at damn near thirty, but desperate time’s calls for desperate measures. 
"What do I want you to do???" Ms. Linda repeated in a very nasty tone, snapping Reese out of her daze. She stepped forward, using her hip to nudge her out of the way. Reese stumbled over, her mouth dropping in shock as she realized this woman really pushed her off to the side as if she were useless. "I will cook this chicken my damn self if that’s the only way to get it done right!"
Reese crossed her arms across her shoulder as she watched Ms. Linda drop chicken into the fryer as if she were a professional, slamming utensils and plates around as she turned up the heat on the cooker. She enjoyed embarrassing her in front of everyone. All of the workers stood by and watched, staring as Reese stood to the side letting Ms. Linda do her job for her.  She sucked her teeth, watching as this woman's stomach hung over jeans sitting on the counter as she flipped the chicken in the grease. Reese felt that was the main reason why Ms. Linda was so miserable. She had been working here over 10 years. s. Linda committed her life to flipping chicken and to make matters worse she was not flattering or attractive at all. Her attitude only made her even uglier. "So I’m supposed to just sit here and watch you???" Reese asked, annoyed and not in the mood for this. Either she was going to step to the side and let Reese fry this chicken the way she was hired to do, or she was clocking the hell out and going home.
"You want to do something?" Ms. Linda responded with an obvious attitude. She turned around and quickly shoved a stack full of dishes directly into her chest, causing Reese to stumble back as the weight of all the dirty dishes suddenly fell into her arms. "Make yourself useful! Wash these dishes and whatever dishes are in the sink. And after you’re done with that, go clean the men and the women’s bathroom! What kind of black woman doesn’t know how to fry no damn chicken??!" Ms. Linda scolded her as she pointed her finger to the front, practically dismissing her.
Reese stood still for a moment, having an out of body experience. Over the past 15 years, Reese worked numerous jobs but never had she experienced this kind of disrespect. She had a lot going on in her life right now, the last thing she had time to do was kiss someone’s ass for a couple of dollars. As thankful as she was for Mr. Frank offering to help in her time of need, she couldn’t take it anymore and she had reached her breaking point.
 "Listen here bitch." Reese dropped the bucket of dishes back on the counter, stepping forward directly into her space. She watched as Ms. Linda’s mouth dropped in shock. She looked at her coworkers who stood shocked as well as she stepped even closer, sizing her up. 
"You been disrespecting me since day one, and I’m sick of it! I don’t give a damn about you! I don’t give a damn about this job! I don’t give a damn about no chicken! You can stop talking to me like you better than me. Fuck you and fuck this place!" Quickly, Reese whipped the apron over her head, throwing it right into her face.
"You little heifer!" Ms. Linda shouted while tossing the apron back at her. "You are an ungrateful rat! We gave you a job when nobody else would!"

   "So the fuck what?!" Reese got even louder, prepared to let out all her frustration she had built up. Indeed, she had only been working there a little shy of 2 weeks. But in that short span of time, this woman literally drove her up the wall and she had a lot she wanted to get off her chest. "What you need to do Ms. Lindaaaaaaa is stop taking home all that free chicken, tighten up that gut, and stick a dick up your ass before you go to bed at night! Maybe then you won't be so uptight and you'll stop taking your job so damn serious! I don't have to answer to you or nobody else for that matter! I fucking quit!" Reese waved her hand inches away from her face causing her to jump. 

 "I wish you would!" Ms. Linda glared "Your were worthless when you walked in that door! You the same way going out. You think you look so good and you too good to work. That's why your ass is broke and can't pay your bills!"

Reese scolded her, wanting nothing more than to draw her hand back and slap the taste out of her mouth for speaking on something she knew nothing about. She looked around, embarrassed that everyone was staring at them. This place was filled with a bunch of nosey workers, crack heads, and high school students. Reese couldn’t understand how she could have possibly gotten this desperate for cash. Then she reminded herself about that light bill that was due and immediately became frustrated all over again. "Fuck this!" Reese snatched the plastic name tag off her chest and threw it across the room as if the light weight would cause damage. She wanted to fuck shit up, but she decided the best thing to do is walk out of here with her head held high and not let these demons get the best of her. She flipped her long ponytail over her shoulder, shooting Ms. Linda one final nasty look as she stuck up her the middle finger. She turned on her heel and trotted towards the front. Reese knew for a fact she wouldn't miss this place, but she was going to miss that $125 check every week. Chump change. But she needed it.

  Reese cut through the lobby and out towards the front of the restaurant to retrieve her belongings. Ms. Linda did not follow her which was the smartest thing to do. All she wanted was to get the hell out of here. Secretly, she was glad that Mr. Frank was not here to witness her showing out. Although she was not attracted to him in a sexual or emotional way, she appreciated him for going out of his way to help her when no one else would.  Indeed, she had been looking for a side job for months. This was the first to come through for her. Now just like every other job she had in the past year, she walked out and gave up.

Reese grabbed her purse which hung in the closet next to the door. She stuck her head inside, making sure her wallet and all her personal belongings were still intact. She didn’t trust these young girls around here and was made aware from the beginning that they would steal if no one was around. After verifying that everything was in place, Reese smirked and waved goodbye to the cashier that sat at the front. Reese didn’t know her name but she was the only friendly one that worked there and was the only human being that was worth holding conversation with. The young woman waved back after throwing her hands up asking Reese where she was going. Reese shrugged her shoulders signaling that she was giving up. After making it to the door, she waved again, pushed open the door and stepped back into the real world. She took a deep breath, breathing in the fresh air as the hard metal door slammed shut behind her. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, thankful to be done with this place but worried because again she was without a job. Her mind began to wander as she began to walk down the sidewalk, her hair blowing in the wind. She was still dressed in her khakis and a bright red shirt that read "Franks Chicken & Waffles." She contemplating on catching the bus then remembered she only had 9 dollars to stretch until her last paycheck and a bus ride home cost 6. She smacked her lips, immediately becoming pissed off at that bitch Linda all over again. If it wasn’t for her, Reese knew she could have stuck it out for a few more weeks until she stacked up enough money to catch up on bills. Now here she was back at square one. Fishing her phone out her purse, she unlocked the locked screen and scrolled to her contact list searching for the number she was tired of dialing. She held her breath, becoming irritated and sickened by each favor she had to ask for. She placed the phone to her ear, tapping her foot as she waited for an answer.
  "Hello?" The line picked up before the voicemail kicked in. Reese took a deep breath as the deep voice invaded the line, causing her heart to thump out of her chest.
"Hey." She sputtered the words out, feeling anxious and nervous at the same time. Reese always hated asking for help and still had not become accustomed to it after all this time. But she had to do what she had to do. "I'm sorry to keep bothering you. My car broke down this morning. I need a ride. Can you pick me up from work please?"
Silence spread over the phone as she waited for an answer. Reese hated feeling as if she was a burden, but she had no other choice. Her apartment was over 15 miles from here. She couldn’t catch the bus and she damn sure couldn't walk that long distance. She bit the tip of her manicured finger tips as he came back to the line. He took a deep breath, "I'll be there in 10 minutes."........

 

 

 

Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

"Wake up, your home."
Reese felt a hand brush across her shoulder causing her to jolt up, waking her up out a deep sleep that she fell into literally in minutes. She sat up, the leather seats sticking to the warmth of her skin as she fumbled for her purse which had fell to her feet during the ride. She lightly stretched, thankful she had made it home safely without having to come out of pocket. She looked over in the driver’s seat. 
"Thank you for the ride. And for giving me a ride all this week." She reached for the door handle preparing to exit the car. She was tired and really not in the mood for chit chat. "I'm going to give you some gas money when I get my paycheck." Reese looked over at him as he sat in the driver's seat which was slightly laid back. She stared at the man sitting across from her, wondering what he was going to say next. She couldn’t help but think how she ended up in this situation with him. It’s amazing how fast things change and how quick the tables can turn. He smirked while rubbing his finger around the trimmed edges of his mustache. He looked over while licking her lips, which made her stomach twist into knots. "I don't know why you keep playing with me like I'm not a man Clareese." He used her full name which he knew she hated. "When do I ever ask you for gas money? Why you got to play like that?" 
Reese wanted to roll her eyes and tell him to get the fuck over himself, but instead she smiled a half smile while attempting to open the passenger door. "Have a good day Levi." She was not very enthusiastic saying his name, because deep down inside she was sick of calling on him when she needed something. They had been dating on and off for almost 2 years now. In the beginning, she was completely smitten by his 6'5 tall frame and dark full luscious lips. When she first met Levi at an event that she was catering, she mistook him for an athlete. His body build was amazing, his posture firm and solid with skin smooth as cocoa butter. Reese remembered the moment he approached her.  She had been busy cleaning off a table in the back of the ballroom. The night was exquisite. Doctors, lawyers and young entrepreneurs filled the room, you could almost smell the money floating in the air. It was an elegant event. She remembered the moment she scurried across the dance floor, almost bumping into Levi with a tray of half eaten food and dirty dishes.  She couldn’t lie, physically he was every woman’s dream. Reese had never been into tall men with big muscles, but he wore his figure well it looked damned good on him. That night wasn’t a typical night. There were beautiful women everywhere in their long shimmery gowns and glistening jewelry pieces. Reese never thought in a million years he would pay any attention to her, the server. But he did. He showered her with compliments, making her feel self-conscious in her black and white two piece vest and pants. She went home with him that night. Never had Reese slept with a man on the first date, but something about Levi was different back then. She enjoyed every single moment fucking his brains out in his $300,000 beach condo. He made her feel as if she were wealthy even though she never had a lot of money. He made her feel important. But now two years later, it was a different story. Things slowly began to change the more he used money to get what he wanted from her. She poked her lip out, thinking how he gradually converted from treating her like a woman to coaxing her like a prostitute. Levi took advantage because he knew she was desperate for money and she despised him for that.
While sticking her leg outside of the open door, she felt the palm of his hand slide across her inner thigh, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up as he pulled her back into the car. "Where you going?" He asked while placing his hand on the back of her neck, pulling her closer to him so he could kiss on the nape of her neck. She rolled her eyes as she felt his lips touching her skin, wanting nothing more than shrivel up and disappear. Her leg still stuck out the door as she he continued to tongue the side of her neck, his right hand massaging her left breast as she laid there less than enthusiastic. He opened his eyes and looked at her to see if she was enjoying it. Reese didn’t want to boost his head up or make him think she was turned on. She poorly curved her lips into a smile which did not look very convincing. 
"What’s wrong baby?" Levi grabbed her hand while placing it on the center of his lap, his manhood hardening as he used her hand to massage himself. Reese turned her head, feeling disgusted. Every time she asked him to do something for her, he felt he had to have something in return. "I'm really, really tired Levi." She spoke under a whisper, hoping he would catch the hint and back off. She was curious to know how he had not noticed the drastic change in her demeanor every time he touched her. Once upon a time, Reese enjoyed each moment she spent in his manly embrace. The sex was wild and unpredictable. In the beginning, she didn’t mind giving him some pussy every time he helped her out. Then, it was pleasure. Now, it felt more like sympathy sex. She never denied that he helped her out through some hard times and few financial situations. Ironically after two years have passed, Reese couldn’t help but wish she didn’t need him so she could cut all ties.

Thankfully, he took the hint and drew his hand back. Reese sighed a breath of relief, hoping it was not obvious that she in no way shape or form desired to sleep with him. She looked over at Levi. He continued to stroke his mustache as he stared at her biting his lips. "Alright." He spoke in a cool, calm tone. "I hope you not fucking nobody else Reese. That would hurt me real bad." He eyed her.

Reese turned her head to roll her eyes, wishing deep down inside there really was someone else. She was tired of the same old dick and ready for something new in her life. "When do I have time to mess with anybody but you Levi??” She asked nonchalantly. Reaching over, she slid her purse strap onto her shoulder while exiting the car swiftly. She was ready to go inside and she didn't want to have this conversation with him right now. "Goodnight. I will call you later ok?" She stuck her head in the card to examine his expression. He kept his cool demeanor as he nodded his head and threw the peace sign up. Pushing off the curb, Reese shut the door and inched back as she stood there and watched him pull off and head toward the direction they came. She took another deep breath as she watched Levi's white Mercedes disappear around the corner. For a moment she began to reevaluate her life attempting to figure out what the hell she was going to do next. Clutching her purse, Reese began to walk up the steps towards her downstairs apartment that she shared with her roommate. She sighed a breath of relief as she noticed the porch light still on, which indicated the electricity hadn't been shut off yet. They had just paid rent and splitting this $700 in half took her entire paycheck. Reese promised her roommate Jayla she would have her half on the light bill before it was due, and once again, she was coming up short. Approaching the door, she stuck her key in the lock and pushed open the door. The scent of pine sol and cinnamon filled her nostrils. Coming to a clean house never grew tiresome. She looked around, admiring her zebra print furnished apartment. This place was the only thing she had to be proud of. In-between herself and her roommate, they kept the place well maintained and neatly polished. She kicked off her shoes at the door. Reese began to hear music coming from Jayla's bedroom which was just next to hers. It wasn’t ordinary for her roommate to have time home from work so she wasn’t looking forward to interrupting her with bad news. Reese slowly tip toed down the hallway, taking a moment to gather her words together. She took a deep breath as she prepared to break the news to Jayla that the lights will be out for 2 days until she got some money. She approached the outside of the bedroom door, hesitating a moment before she went in. No matter how many times Reese found herself in the midst of these financial hardships, it never became any less embarrassing to deal with. Deciding to get it over with, she balled up her fist and knocked on the door.

She heard Jayla shout as if she were startled Reese was home. The music turned down and the door swung open. She was greeted by Jayla smiling and bopping her head to the music that continued to play in the background. She was dressed in a matching Pink sports bra and sweats with her natural hair pinned up in a messy bun on the top of her head. Jayla was extremely obsessive when it came to working out and eating healthy. Reese wasn’t into it but she couldn’t help but admire Jayla’s abdomen which was nicely toned. Her brown complexion glistened from sweat. "You scared me girl." She held the door open, allowing her to walk in.

Reese laughed as she stepped inside the room. "I don’t know why your ass in here with the door closed when you home alone.” She plopped down on Jayla's queen size bed which was covered in fluffy pink sheets and pillows. Jayla went back to the stereo turning the radio up a few notches. ''It’s a habit. Girl I was in here jamming. I had my music going.” She went back to bopping to the music, dancing to one of her favorite songs on the radio in front of the mirror.

"So I heard." Reese laughed again. She nervously played with her hair. Reese wanted to skip the small talk and get straight to the point. "Soooooooo." She skeptically beat around the bush.

Jayla stopped bopping to the music and eyed her, hearing the hesitance in her voice and knowing automatically something was up. "What’s going on?" She asked. Jayla turned her body towards her preparing to question her.

Reese shrugged her shoulders while picking at a loose string hanging from the thread of her t-shirt, avoiding eye contact. She didn’t respond immediately.

"Oh God." A worried expression spread across Jayla’s face as she went back to the radio turning it down once again. "What is it?" she asked, obviously concerned. ''What’s on your mind? Just say it."

Reese took a deep breath having déjà vu as if she had been here before. She was growing increasingly tired of being a constant disappointment but there was no running from it. The situation had to be addressed no matter how badly she wanted to avoid it. Jayla was her roommate and upon moving into this apartment, they both agreed to split the bills 50/50. Reese was ashamed to admit she wasn’t holding up on her end of the deal. She looked up at her. “I really thought I would have money left over to pay the rent and the lights this week. But that check I got really didn’t cut it Jayla. I get paid in the next couple of days but we past due on our extension and I got a disconnect letter in the mail today." She spilled it out, silence flooding the room after she laid everything on the table. Reese looked up. Jayla didn’t immediately respond. She continued to stare straight forward with her arms propped up on her hips. She wore a blank expression as she marinated everything she just heard. "If the lights do shut out, it will only be for a couple days.” Reese continued. “No more than 3 at the most. I will get the money no matter what it takes" She conducted damage control hoping her poor attempt would work. Jayla sighed while shaking her head. She grabbed a t-shirt from the chair by her night stand and whipped it over her head, obviously not in the mood to exercise anymore. "I can’t go 3 days with no lights Reese." She didn’t mask her frustration as she began to pace the room. Reese sat back, unsure on what to say to make it better. Jayla walked over to her desk that was positioned in the corner. She busied herself rummaging through the desk drawers as she murmured under her breath. "How much is the light bill?" she asked over her shoulder.

"$387.00. It’s a double bill." Reese continued to avoid eye contact even though Jayla was now looking directly at her. She was a failure in life and could not look her in the eye because of it.

"Shit." Jayla tapped her foot, suddenly becoming anxious. She ran her fingers through her hair as she thought about what to do next. I’m sick of this life. Reese secretly chanted to herself inside her head. When are things going to change for me?? When is it going to be my turn??? She looked up at her roommate. "I'm sorry." Reese felt repetitive as she apologized again.

She smacked her lips. "Yeah I get that." Jayla brushed her off while walking back towards her desk as if she could not sit still. She opened the top drawer and retrieved a black and gold checkbook that Reese only seen appear in emergency situations. Apparently this was one of those situations. Jayla pulled out a pen and began jotting numbers down on a blank check. "I'm going to pay the light bill. Just go online and use my check routing number. This shit is coming out of my savings Reese. Dammit."

A sense of guilt rushed through her. Jayla constantly picked up her slack and she knew it was unfair to do her this way, but Reese had no one else to go to. Her mind began to wander as she thought about how tight things were before Jayla got her nursing job working at the hospital. She was doing better now financially then she was last year, but money was still tight at times and Reese not keeping a job longer than 3 months only added extra stress to the already stressful situation.   "I'm really sorry Jayla." Reese pleaded her case again. "As soon as I get paid, I will pay you back every dime. I promise." Reese began to think about her last paycheck, which was extremely short on hours and well below minimum wage. In-between rent and all the money borrowed she was going to have to pay back, her check was spent before she could get her hands on it.

"I know Reese." Again Jayla brushed her off. She heard it all before and refused to beat around the bush. "You just paid me back for the $200 I let you borrow last month. How long are you going to live your life like this girl? I know you got to want better for yourself."

Reese shook her head, wishing Jayla understood that getting a real job out here wasn’t easy. She didn’t go to a fancy college or get a degree the way Jayla had done. There was no red carpet laid out. She defiantly wanted to walk out of the room and avoid a lecture but she knew everything Jayla was saying was right. Reese wanted so much more for herself. She would be 30 years old in a few weeks. Reese was sick and tired of stressing about money, working these dead end jobs that could barely pay bills and keep food in her mouth at the same time. She began to think what life would be like if Jayla became fed up and decided to move out. There’s no way Reese could afford all these bills alone. She would lose everything.

"Listen, you got to have a game plan." Jayla persisted, interrupting her thoughts. "If you have to ask Mr. Frank to let you put in some extra shifts at work, you got to do what you got to do to make sure you are able to take care of yourself."

Reese dropped her head, her existence shrinking even smaller as she began to dread the next subject. She was so concerned breaking the bad news about the electricity, she forgot all about the chicken spot drama..  "About that" Reese fidgeted with her fingernail, afraid to look her in the eye. "I quit my job today."

 Jayla's eyes widened and her jaw dropped open. She stepped closer in disbelief to make sure she heard her correctly. "What did you just say?" She asked, nearly standing over her as Reese continued to avoid eye contact, too ashamed to look her in the eye.

"I told you about Ms. Linda. That lady kept harassing me Jayla. I couldn't do it." That was a typical sorry excuse, but it was the truth.

Jayla huffed, the anger displaying on her face.  She threw her hands up in the air "Your fucking kidding me!” she cursed out loud. Reese wished this was a joke. But it wasn’t. “What the hell? How long were you even there??? 2 weeks???” she asked dramatically. Her reaction indicated she was not happy at all and Reese couldn’t blame her for being upset. She sat quiet as Jayla ridiculed her like she was a child. “I don't understand you Reese.” she continued to vent as her voice grew louder. “You can be really fucking selfish! What about me?! Did you forget you have bills??  Or did you assume I was going to pay your bills for you??? You don’t quit a job before you find another one!"

Reese sighed, taking a deep breath. She was a fuck up and she wasn’t in denial about that. Standing to her feet, she finally made eye contact. Jayla stood in the middle of the room with her arms crossed over her chest, breathing heavily as she grew quiet. Reese dropped her head, deciding to escape the room before Jayla could lash out again. Arguing about it wasn’t going to make a difference. The only way she was going to solve this situation was by getting out here and getting on the grind so she can bring some money into the house. "Don’t worry about it Jayla. Just trust me. I'm going to figure this out. I won’t let you down."

Reese turned on her heel and headed out the door, knowing it was time to make shit happen and she had to figure it out fast. She shut the door behind her, convincing herself inside her mind that it was time to get on the grind. She was tired of being broke… and she was going to do something about it.

Chapter 3

MEET PUMPKIN

 

 

"AHHHH... that feel so good baby" Pumpkin dug her nails into the back of his neck as she pulled his face in even closer, his tongue dancing around her clitoris as she twisted her hips. "Mmmm yessss baby." He slid his tongue around her delicate insides one inch at a time. She moaned as she felt her body began to climax. "Oh my God Mason. I’m about to comeeeee.." She continued to rotate her hips as he French kissed her clit, using his finger to massage her as she felt her body release. "Ahhhhhhhh" She screamed out loud as she jerked. He came up for air, his lips moist from her juices. "You going to get on top baby?" He asked a question he already knew the answer to. Pumpkin moaned as her body recovered from the orgasm. "Mmmm." She hummed. "That was good Mason as usual. But I don’t have a lot of time left.” She smiled at him as his face rested in-between her inner thighs. He looks so cute down there. She chanted ins her mind as she admired his magnificent head game. “Maybe we can reschedule." She winked while rubbing her finger across the trace of his lips admiring how full they were. “Mmmmm.” Pumpkin moaned out loud as she thought about taking his mouth for another ride. She looked over, glancing at the grandfather clock that hung over her 62 inch television. It was getting late.  Swiftly, she whipped one leg over his head sitting up in her brown oak canopy bed. He sat up after her, a disappointed expression spread across his face as he watched Pumpkin hop up to her feet. Her long ginger red hair weave fell down her back brushing against the top of her ass. It was 6 o’clock. She had lost track of time. 
  "Hmphhhh." Mason shook his head as he sat on the edge of the bed, his abs glistening from sweat as he stared at her. His erection poked out of his sweats which secretly made her feel horrible for leaving him hanging. It was not intentional. "I don't know how much more of this I can take Pumpkin." He spoke firmly. 
She knew that was coming next. Pumpkin stood in front of her full length mirror sliding her denim dress over her shoulders. She allowed the fabric to swallow her coke bottle figure as stood back to examine herself. Tonight, she was going for the classy and professional look. She ran her fingers down the side, smoothing out any visible wrinkles. Pumpkin glanced at him out of the corner of her eye while he watched her dress. His facial expression was less than enthusiastic as she sat on the edge of her bed quietly. "What’s wrong with you Mason?" She asked as if she didn’t know the answer. They had this conversation plenty times before and it was a conversation she was not looking forward to revisit. 
He took a deep breath, knowing she was playing the innocent card. "You know exactly what’s wrong." Mason stood to his feet, approaching her from behind. She held her breath as his 6'5 frame towered over her making her feel 2 feet small. Pumpkin turned around to face him. "You never let me make love to you anymore." He spoke in a disappointed tone. "You get whatever you want from me then you toss me to the side. Like I’m not good enough or something."
 Oh God here we go again. She chanted inside her head. Pumpkin bit her lip while looking away, her guilty conscience taking over. "That's not true." She spoke in her defense. She pressed her lips together. There was nothing else to say about it and she didn’t know how to explain. She was out of excuses. He didn’t appear happy with her response as he smacked his lips. Pumpkin crossed her arms across her chest as she momentarily
stared Mason down from head to toe. His forearms were neatly decorated in black tattoo ink. She admired his firm body build, toned muscles and smooth exfoliated caramel skin. She began to wonder what the hell was wrong with her to pass up a black man this fine. She had been dating Mason for about 6 months. Meeting him was accidental. He worked for a delivery company in the area and constantly delivered packages in her neighborhood. Pumpkin remembered watching him drive by every day in his big brown truck. Mason was handsome, friendly, and respectful. Although she had no intentions on dating or getting serious with any man right now, she couldn’t help herself the day he stepped foot on her doorstep to deliver her flat screen television. She remembered licking her lips as she stared her prey up and down, turned on as he unknowingly dropped off her package unaware that he was about to be her next victim. After that day, she had Mason completely wrapped around her finger. He came to visit her every Tuesday and Thursday faithfully. He would cook her dinner and she didn’t mind because he was an excellent cook. After dinner and a movie, he would eat her pussy like a mad man then fall asleep lying next to her after she came up with an excuse to not have sex. She sighed, knowing that using him this way was wrong, but she couldn’t help it. Pumpkin kept her guard up for an extremely valid reason and keeping Mason at a distance was for his own good. Her life was complicated, and there was no room to get involved with anyone. There was too much on the line.
  "Look," She placed the palm of her hands on his broad shoulders, looking him into the eye. Pumpkin began to wander what life would be like if she actually took him serious. Physically, Mason was perfect. Women practically fell to his feet when he walked into a room. But something inside of her could not connect to him emotionally. She knew there was a reason behind it, but she didn’t want to admit what that reason was.

"I need you to understand Mason.” She continued. “I'm not trying to catch feelings for you. We're having fun. I thought you were cool with that?"
Pumpkin questioned. She told him the deal from the beginning. This was the reason she hated to date even if it was only casual. Men could not resist her and always wanted to get serious, which is something she never wanted with anyone in these streets. Mason smacked his lips, clearly not buying her story. "Come on Pumpkin, you’re not being fair. I come over here every week and I do everything you ask me to do. But you don't do anything for me" He protested. Pumpkin cocked her head to the side knowing exactly what he wanted. She could throw him back onto the bed and fuck him real good. That would shut him up at least for a couple days. But she wasn’t feeling it and did not like the pressure he was applying.
Pumpkin sighed while turning on her heel. She walked towards her vanity set that sat in the corner of her bed room. Plopping down on the seat, she began scanning her collection of perfumes. She picked up a blue container, dabbing her wrist with Vera Wang body oil. It was getting late. The sun was beginning to set. Shit. She didn’t have time for the small talk anymore. 
"Listen, Mason." She stood back up and walked over to where he stood. Pumpkin pulled his face down so she could plant a kiss on the side of his cheek. He didn’t intercept as she placed her lips to the side of his face. "I'm going to make everything worth your while, I promise." Pumpkin attempted to coax him.
  He eyed her. She couldn’t tell if he believed her or not. As of right now, she didn’t care. Pumpkin refused to sink on his love boat no matter how hard he tried to pull her down. She would have said anything to bring him back to shore. "Just give me some time to get my head together, Ok?" Pumpkin looked up at him pleading with her eyes. He took a deep breath. Thankfully he was giving in. "Okay." He spoke quietly. He was let down, but Mason knew better than to press the issue. Pumpkin was a tough cookie. 
  "So...” He asked jumping off the subject. “It’s 6 o’clock. You push me out of here every Thursday around the same time. Are you ever going to tell me what you do for a living?" he asked.
Mason hit her with a curve ball as he questioned her. Pumpkins smile faded. The room grew silent as she hesitated before giving a response. "Ummm...” She stammered. He’s going way too fucking deep now. She chanted inside of her head, secretly wanting to run out of the room before he began to interrogate her. He awaited an answer. She didn’t have one to give. Her heart thumped inside her chest causing her anxiety to kick in as they locked gazes. She hated talking about work. She hated making up lies. “Let me guess,” Mason interrupted her thoughts. “You keeping that part of your life away from me too, huh?” he asked.

Yes. Pumpkin answered him inside her head but didn’t dare say it out loud.

 "I told you I’m an entrepreneur." She told the half-truth. “I make my own schedule.” She answered him, satisfied with her response. Technically it was not a lie. He turned his nose up as if he were preparing to probe for more information. She hoped he wouldn’t. Pumpkin knew it was a matter of time before he began asking questions. She dreaded the moment as it approached. “Come on Pumpkin.” Clearly, he was not giving up. “You live in this big ass house. You drive a range rover for heaven’s sake. Did you hit the lotto or what?” he asked sarcastically. She laughed. He didn’t laugh with her. Pumpkins smiled faded as she rolled her eyes. Seldom did she ever invite folks to her home. Her life was private for a reason. She couldn’t open up or discuss that reason with anyone. There was too much at stake. She had to get off this conversation now before he went too deep.

Pumpkin stepped forward invading his space as she cradled him in her arms. She pressed her crotch up against his erection which slightly grew as she straddled him. "I promise things will be different very soon." She whispered into his ear. Pumpkin could hear him lightly moan while she stroked his manhood. She knew his weak spots and how to distract him.

"I wish you would stop teasing me like this." He spoke in between moans while he closed his eyes, embracing her touch as she held him. He was so vulnerable. Again, her guilty conscience took over.  Despite her inability to connect, Mason was a good man and deserved a good woman in his life, even if she was not the one for him. Pumpkin hated the thought of giving him up but knew it was selfish to hold onto this forever.  She began thinking about her life and what it was that made her this way. Growing up on the rough side of Baltimore, Pumpkin never had it easy and had to learn early that hustling was the only way to get what you want in life. With a drug addicted mother and a drug dealer for a father, she was raised bouncing from house to house, sleeping on couches and living in homeless shelters when there was no money left. Pumpkin was 32 years old now. Her past was behind her and she had no plans on looking back. The day she left Baltimore was the day her entire life changed. Instead of moving far, she purchased her very first home on the outskirts of Phoenix, Maryland about 30 minutes away. Her $900,000 mansion was her escape. But for some reason, she could not stay away from the city. All of her money was there in Baltimore. Her savings account was a little shy of $850,000. Pumpkin had a goal. She could not retire until she met that goal. She looked up and met eyes with Mason. At times she wondered what it would be like to confide in someone. She had never done that before. Never opened up to a man. Never fell in love. She suddenly shook that image out of her head knowing she was thinking too far ahead.

"I got to go babe." She backed away, knowing she was running extremely late. If she didn't leave now, her entire plan was going to fail, and she couldn't let that happen. "I hate to leave you, but its money that has to be made."

Standing on her tippy toes, Pumpkin pecked him on the cheek. He smiled at her, which gave her a peace of mind because he wasn’t angry or upset. One day… she whispered inside of her head. Even if it’s not with Mason… One day….

 

Chapter 4

Chapter 4.

Hmmm. Not her. Not her. Not her either.
Pumpkin sat at her usual VIP table, her feet kicked back on the table as she sipped on her dirty martini. She hummed to herself bopping her head to the music flowing from the large speakers. The dim lights kept her hidden from the crowd who lingered on the first floor beneath her. She closely watched the bar while sipping on her drink, something she did every Thursday night at Guilty Passions Nightclub. Pumpkin tapped her red manicured fingertips on the table. She watched Smooth Dollar Slik sitting on a stool chit chatting with a young lady who sat on the stool next to him. It wasn’t a busy night at Guilty Passions. It usually didn't get popping until after 12 o’clock on Friday nights. She sat back as the two conversed. The woman sitting next to him had a very petite figure with short straggly hair that barely hung past her shoulders. Pumpkin could only see the woman from behind but knew the moment she walked through that door she was not a good fit. So far, Slik was on lady number 12 and had yet to find a good fit in my any of them. She watched as he stood to his feet, shaking hands with the young woman indicating their meeting was over. Pumpkin continued to sip on her drink. She watched the girl stand up from the bar stool, walk across the dance floor and exit through the door which security held open allowing her to leave. Pumpkin glanced at her clock, it was getting late. Shortly after, another young woman trailed in the door after the last one, checking in with security who patted her up and down before directing her where to go. Pumpkin leaned forward to get a better look. This woman’s figure was a lot fuller, her hair a lot longer. She watched as she sashayed across the room in her red dress. The woman approached the bar as Slik stood up from his chair to greet her. They shook hands. He extended his arm allowing her to have a seat on the empty bar stool next to him. Slik looked her up and down from head to toe, admiring her figure as she twisted her body around on the stool to have a seat. The side of her hips hung off the chair as she positioned herself at the bar. Pumpkin sipped on her drink continuing to examine her from a distance. Thursday was the night Slik interviewed for positions at the night club. The club was in high demand. He was short on staff and desperate for bartender servers. But Slik refused to hire anyone who did not have the right look. He was aiming for a sexy and classy atmosphere. So far, his club was doing he well. Guilty’s was one of the hottest night clubs in Baltimore. Everybody who was somebody came here to kick back, have some drinks, and admire the beautiful women.
Her glass was half empty. Pumpkin sat forward, prepared to get straight to business... The woman at the bar carried herself with elegance which was detrimental if she wanted Slik to even take a second look at her. Her brown skin mixed well with the tight strapless red dress she was wearing. Her long jet black hair hung over her shoulders as she sat with her back turned, engaging in a conversation with Slik who looked as if he was ready to eat her alive.

Pumpkin looked over the rail to the dance floor eyeing the men in the club to see if the woman had caught anyone else’s attention. Indeed, all eyes were on her as everyone in the room gawked towards her presence, lingering around the bar waiting for Slik to finish with her so they could pounce on the chance to buy her drink. Most who came to the club knew Slik pretty well. Any woman working at Guilty’s was drop dead gorgeous. Based upon the crowd’s responses, this chick definitely fit the bill. Pumpkin sat her empty glass on the table. No more waiting. The time is now. Standing to her feet, she headed towards the stairs which led to the lower area of the club. Pumpkin had to see her up close. If her gut feeling was correct, she had to get to her before Slik sealed the deal. Her heels clicked on the marble floors as she trotted down the steps. Reaching the dance floor, she twisted her hips walking across the room towards them. The attention immediately reverted to Pumpkin as she made her appearance.  Pumpkin was used to the attention so it didn’t bother her as eyes immediately fell upon her ass as she sashayed past. Approaching the two, she cleared her throat interrupting Slik in mid-sentence. He turned around first to face her. Pumpkin had known Smooth Dolla Slik for a while now. They had been doing business for a few years now, and typically he was easy to work with. Slik ensured his waitresses kept her VIP section cleared and reserved each Thursday night. His old school Jerry Curl hairstyle glistened with olive oil as he smiled at her, flashing one 24k gold tooth. "I know what your here for." He greeted her. Slik knew the deal. She only came down those stairs when she was ready to make her move. Pumpkin smiled as the young woman turned around to face her also. She was very beautiful even up close. Her long hair was neatly pressed and her nails were polished and manicured. Pumpkin observed her melanin brown skin, which was smooth and clean. Another plus. She also examined her perfectly arched eyebrows and full red lips. So far, this woman passed the first test. "Hi." Pumpkin smiled directly at her, hoping she wasn’t stuck up or rude. Luckily, she smiled back. "Hi." she responded. Pumpkin extended her hand. "My name is Patricia. But everyone calls me Pumpkin." Accepting the handshake, she reached forward and placed her palm on the inside of hers, shaking it back. "Hi. My name is Reese." 
Pumpkin nodded her head. "Reese, huh? Like the chocolate?" she asked out of curiosity. 
Reese laughed, obviously hearing that joke before. "No, my real name is Clareese. I just don’t go by that." 
Pumpkin nodded her head while glancing over at Slik. He eyed her, which indicated he wasn’t too keen on passing up Reese. She was beautiful indeed and carried the exact look he wanted. Pumpkin hated to be the bear of bad news but she had something up her sleeve. Her plan was to get Reese alone for 5 minutes. That’s all she needed to convince her she could put more money in her pocket than Slik ever could. "I hope you don’t mind Mr. Smooth Dolla Slik." Pumpkin placed a hand on his greasy shoulder. She wanted to break it to him easy but had no plans on beating around the bush. "Can i steal this young lady away from you for a few moments? I would like to chit chat with her in private." 
Slik smacked his lips while throwing his hands up in surrender. He took one last look at Reese, admiring her from head to toe as if he didn’t want to pass her up. "You always pull the best ones Pumpkin. Sheesh, can’t I have some for myself?" 
Pumpkin laughed. Slik was right and luckily a very good sport about it. Pumpkin discovered some of her best girls here at Guilty’s. As long as Slik was in business, she was going to continue tipping him off a grand each week so he would continue his search for that diamond in the rough. She looked back over at Reese. "I have a table upstairs in VIP. Come have a drink. It’s on me." Pumpkin stepped back to allow her to stand up in the chair. Reese nodded her head, accepting the offer. She looked back over at Slik. "I'm sorry to interrupt our meeting. I'm still interested in working with you. If you're here before I leave, I’m going to stop by and speak with you." Slik appeared slightly disappointed, but he nodded his head allowing her to walk away. 
Reese stood to her feet, falling in step behind Pumpkin as they both trotted towards the stairs toward VIP. "Damn," an older fellow mumbled under his breath as they both walked past. "I don’t think I ever seen a sight so wonderful in my life. Both of you are beautiful." He spoke in a country accent as he basically undressed them both with his eyes. Reese blushed while Pumpkin threw her hand up, accustomed to the attention. "Thanks." She smirked at him while approaching the stairs. She stood back, allowing Reese to walk up first. They both trailed up the steps toward the VIP section which was secluded and private. Pumpkin didn’t mind coming here getting work done because she could isolate herself all night with no interruptions. After reaching the top of the stairs, she walked over to the personal bar that sat in the corner. Pumpkin poured half tequila, half lemonade and a hint of lime juice into a glass filled with ice. After making two for both Reese and herself, she walked over to the table, sitting the drink down in front of her hoping alcohol would loosen her up. "Thank you." Reese responded politely, bringing the drink to her lips and taking a swig. She scrunched up her face after a few sips, being careful not to choke on the swallow she still had in her mouth. Pumpkin laughed. "Too strong for you? Or are you nervous?" she asked while sipping on her own drink which tasted just right. Reese coughed, clearing her chest so she could speak. “No. I’m not nervous." She responded. Her demeanor stated otherwise as Pumpkin noticed her hand lightly shaken while placing the drink back down on the table. Reese hiked her dress down past her knees then crossed her legs, which indicated she had manners. "Soooo." She dragged her words slowly. Reese was curious to know why she was invited up here. "What’s up?" She asked

Pumpkin leaned forward, preparing to talk business. She looked her eye to eye so she could know that this was a serious matter. "Well, I’m going to get straight to the point. I'm not the type to beat around the bush." She took another swig of her drink, sucking her teeth as the smooth tequila ran down her throat as she swallowed. She sat the glass back down on the table so she could continue. "I'm assuming you are here because you need a job right??" Pumpkin asked a question she already knew the answer to.

 Her brown complexion immediately turned a flush pink as Reese became nervous, staring at an object across the room obviously avoiding eye contact. "Uhhh...” she stammered. “Is it that obvious?" she asked

Pumpkin chuckled, her shyness amusing. "It’s obvious if you’re from around here. I've known Slik for a while. I know how he does business."

Reese shook her head, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "I really wanted to keep things private. I told him that."

Pumpkin shrugged her shoulder, wondering who this woman could possibly be hiding from. She had never seen her around these parts before, and if Pumpkin didn’t recognize her no one else here recognized her either. "That doesn’t matter. Nobody is judging you around here. I'm just curious and I want to know. How bad do you really need this job?" She raised an eyebrow, knowing the question was completely irrelevant, but she was curious.

Reese fidgeted with her fingernail still avoiding eye contact, which is something she had been doing since she sat down. That was a habit Pumpkin knew she had to work on breaking her out of. "Well." Reese hesitated, obviously afraid to answer. "I just need a job. I got bills that are past due and a roommate that’s tired of covering for me. I would do the damn dishes if he asked me."

Pumpkin nodded her. She’s desperate for money. She chanted inside her head. That’s a jackpot. "What about a car?" Pumpkin continued to interrogate, "Do you have one?"
Reese nodded her head while still fidgeting with her fingers. "Yeah,” her expression changed as she became frustrated. “That piece of shit breaks down on me every other week. I hate that car!"
"Hmmm." Pumpkin placed her finger on her chin, conducting a master plan inside her head. This was going to be a lot easier then she thought. Reese was beautiful from head to toe so her image didn’t need any altering. Some money in her pocket and a dependable car to drive would bait her in. Pumpkin looked her up and down, hoping she wasn’t moving too fast but she had an idea Reese would be perfect to take up under her wing. She could groom her and mold her into the perfect hustler. But that’s only if she was ready. 
"So." Pumpkin sat forward, prepared to get straight to business. "I want to hire you. I want you to work for me." 
Reese looked taken aback, finally making eye contact as she opened her mouth to speak. "Hire me???" She asked the question as if she were confused. "Hire me to do what? Why me? Am i even qualified?" she asked, 
Reese laughed, knowing the sudden offer took her by shock, but she didn’t have time to wait. Time was winding down and she needed an extra pair of hands. Pumpkin nodded her head, letting her know that she was serious. "If you’re not qualified, I can qualify you myself so that won’t be a problem. I know you need some extra money, and I promise you honey, working at Guilty, you gone forever be living paycheck to paycheck." Pumpkin didn’t hold back straightforwardness because she was telling the truth. This chump change is nothing compared to what she had to offer.
Reese smacked her lips not giving in as easy as she anticipated. "How is that?" She asked, digging for more information. Pumpkin leaned in even closer ready to sell a dream so worth buying there was no way Reese could pass it up. "The proof is in the pudding baby. Ask any other woman who’s ever worked for me. I take care of my employees by all means necessary."

Reese crossed her arms over her chest. She leaned back in her chair. "I heard that. I'm just confused on why you’re offering me a job right now. You don’t know anything about me. I'm a good girl. I don’t do drugs. I’m not a stripper, I don’t sell my body for money and I’m not here to do anything else promiscuous for money." She laid down the law. Pumpkin threw her head back humored by the fact Reese was mistaking her for a pimp. She was flattered, but her line of work was more complex than that. She couldn’t go into details right now. But Reese would find out sooner than later. "I'm not trying to trick you out if that’s what you think." Pumpkin smirked.
"Then what are you trying to do?" Reese asked. 
Pumpkin looked over her shoulder. The area was secluded but she couldn’t take any chances. Pumpkin had to keep very thing on the low until the time was right. "I just need an assistant." She lied, deciding to cross that bridge when she got to it. "To be honest, I think you would be a good fit for the job."
Reese rolled her eyes as she continued to resist. "I don’t know anything about being an assistant."

Pumpkin rolled her eyes. This chick was giving too much lip to be as broke as she claimed to be.

"Look," Pumpkin sat forward, not in the mood to play games. "I'm giving you the opportunity of your life honey. What other options you got? Cleaning up after bitches and busting dirty tables for a living?"
Reese shot her a crazy look as if she were offended. She also leaned forward, challenging her. "Listen, I need money and I want to work!” she hissed across the table. “I'm not trying to be no damn assistant! My patience is non fucking existent. I've lost too many jobs working up under bossy ass women and I'm not with it" She huffed as she caught her breath. Obviously Pumpkin hit a weak spot.
She smirked as she examined Reese who suddenly became hyped up. She didn’t think she had it in her. "So are you declining my offer?" She asked. 
Reese leaned forward, picking up her drink and taking a large gulp as if she had was now overwhelmed. She placed the glass back down on the table before speaking. "I'm sure whatever you paying me is not any different from what Slik is offering me. $500 every 2 weeks to clean tables and listen to some good music sounds like some pretty okay money to me."
Pumpkin threw her head back, laughing at the insult. She covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself as Reese continued to stare her down without cracking a smile. "Girl you are too funny." Pumpkin continued to chuckle. Reese glared while crossing her arms across her chest. "What’s so funny?" She asked, obviously not getting the joke. Without responding, Pumpkin leaned forward and grabbed her pocketbook which was sitting beside the chair. Digging inside, she fished out a manila envelope that she kept tucked away for emergencies such as this. Pumpkin dipped her hand inside. Pulling it back out, she retrieved a stack of neatly pressed $100 dollar bills that she had wrapped tightly with a rubber band around it. Digging her hand deeper inside the envelope, she pulled out 2 additional stacks of cash. Pumpkin looked up and made eye contact with Reese, watching as her jaw unknowingly dropped open. She watched Pumpkin remove the rubber band wrapped around a stack of bills. Licking her thumb, she began to thumb through the bills, counting out each one as she went along. "Like I said," Pumpkin spoke in between counting money. "I take care of ALL of my employees. Slik won’t put money in your pocket like I can." After counting all $1500 dollars, Pumpkin leaned forward, slapping the money down on the table in front of Reese, whose mouth still hung open in shock. For a woman with so much lip, she didn’t have much to say now. 
"Are you joking?" She finally spoke, stammering over her words. "This can’t be for real."
Pumpkin smirked. This was the reaction she was hoping for. "Looks pretty real to me honey. And if you accept my offer, I'm paying you in advance. This money is all yours."
Reese looked down at the cash then back at Pumpkin as if she were hesitant. It was obvious she wasn’t used to being around this kind of money. Reese hadn’t seen nothing yet. There was a lot more in store.

"I hope this is not a joke." She persisted. 
Pumpkin rolled her eyes while leaning forward. She picked up the money and slapped it directly in the middle of her hand. "It’s not a joke girl." she drew back and watched as Reese's eyes stayed in a lock position on the stack of cash she was holding. "I can’t believe it." She spoke under her breath. 
Pumpkin stood to her feet, placing her purse strap on her shoulder. She retrieved a business card from her front pocket and handed it over. Reese accepted it, her hand lightly shaken as she took the card from her. "Call me tomorrow at 6. I'm going to pick you up, we're going to get to know each other and I’m going to explain the job to you." she explained. Reese nodded her head, no longer resisting. Pumpkin smiled and began to trot towards the stairs. "Well enjoy yourself honey." She spoke over her shoulder. "This VIP section is paid for the night so feel free to stay as long as you'd like. And don’t forget on your way out to let Slik know you accepted my job offer so he knows not to harass you when you leave." 
Reese nodded her head, still at a loss for words. She clutched the money to her chest almost as if her life depended on it. 
Pumpkin smiled at her one last time, said her goodbyes before she trotted down the steps. She was relieved that she had finally found a suitable young woman with the perfect image to come along for this ride. She contemplated on calling Mason for some celebration head, and then decided tomorrow the deed will be done. Tonight she needed as much rest as she could get it. Pumpkin took a deep breath, hoping this girl was ready. Tomorrow her newly found friend Reese was going to cross over to the dark side.

 

Chapter 5

Chapter 5.

"I've got to clean up what I messed upppppp. I'm starting my life over again. I've got to clean up what I messed uppppppp."
The Canton Spirituals CD flowed through the house as Reese bumped her head to the music, her hair pinned up in a messy bun as she flipped over the pancake in her frying pan. She stood in the middle of the kitchen dancing over her stainless steel stove. It was 9 o’clock in the morning. The sunshine crept in through the curtains placing a light glow throughout her apartment.  Seldom did Reese ever wake up early enough to cook breakfast. The only time she had done so if she was in a really good mood or had some really good sex. Reese hummed to the music feeling as if she were on cloud 9 and not a single soul could knock her off her high horse. She hadn’t felt this good in a while.  She bopped her head to the lyrics as she switched from one stove to the other, scrambling the eggs frying in the second pan. The air was fresh and the sun was shining. 
She had no worries. Reese could get used to this feeling. She stood over the brewing pot, her mind wandering. How she could she have been so fortunate to cross paths with Pumpkin at the time she did? That woman was an answer to her prayers. Pumpkin had no idea how much she needed the extra money. Last night was a typical night for Reese. She heard about the nightclub Guilty Passions and she knew about the open interviews Smooth Dolla Slik hosted there every Thursday night. Reese always saw the club to be her last resort, but she had become desperate. Never in a million years did she think she would be walking out of there with $1500 in her pocket. The moment she had awakened Reese immediately called the electricity department and cancelled the pending payment scheduled to process from her Jayla's bank account. It felt so good paying the light bill with her own money, she wanted to rejoice in tears while writing down her confirmation number. Reese even had time to stop by the rent office, drop some money on next month’s rent just in case Pumpkins offer was too good to be true. The defiant side of her couldn’t believe that bringing home this kind of money on a regular was even slightly possible. Even after paying whatever was past due she had a few hundred dollars left over to keep for herself. Reese smiled as she reached over to the CD player, restarting track number 6. "I Made Up My Mind I Ain't Lying No Moreeeeeeeeee
Cause A Liar And A Cheater Can't Make It Through The Doorrrrrr. I've got to clean up what I messed upppppp."
Interrupting her in the middle of her song, Reese heard the front door open. Reese smiled and turned the CD player back down, excited to share her good news. Leaning forward, she removed the pancakes and eggs onto a glass plate before wiping her hands on the front of her apron. "I'm in the kitchen Jayla!" she shouted as she placed 3 pancakes on one plate and 3 pancakes on another. Seconds later, Jess walked into the kitchen still wearing her nurse scrubs. Her hair was a mess. She looked exhausted but beautiful at the same time. "Reese." Jayla walked into the kitchen, a surprised look on her face as she realized that Reese made breakfast. She looked around then looked back at Reese. "I just got a call from my bank this morning that my check payment was cancelled. Do you know anything about that?"
Reese smirked. She picked up two plates and she sat them down at the table. Jayla followed her with her eyes, immediately knowing something was up. "When did we have groceries to make breakfast?" Jayla asked as she raised one eyebrow. Reese laughed while placing a bottle of syrup in the middle of the table. "I have great news Jayla." she smiled from ear to ear as she turned to face her roommate. 
"Your good news always has some type of catch to it." Jayla propped her hands up on her waist, eyeing her. "So what’s up?"
Reese whipped the apron over her head, placing it down on the counter before turning back to Jayla. "I paid the light bill today and I put some money down on the rent next month." 
"Really???" Jayla asked as if she were surprised. "And how did you manage to do that and buy groceries???" 
Reese smirked again. "I can show you better than I can tell you." Reaching into her bra, she pulled out a wad of bills that she had rolled up and stuck inside her shirt. Jayla’s mouth dropped wide open as Reese began counting out 20's. "Where did you get all that money Reese??"
"It was so simple!" She turned to her. "I have a job now."
Jayla’s grill spread into a wide smile. "Really?" she asked, becoming excited. "Oh my gosh that’s great! You got a job that fast?? Where???" She inched forward, wanting to hear more. Reese laughed, excited to see that Jayla was happy for her. "Yes I have a job. I’m an assistant."
Jayla nodded her head, impressed. "That’s a cool job. An assistant where?" She probed for more information. Reese thought about telling a lie. She had no idea what Pumpkin wanted from her. "I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to be doing just yet. The woman who gave me the job will train me I guess."
Jayla nodded again, her smile slowly fading as she began to ask more questions. "Okay so give me more details. Who is this woman? What does she do for a living?" she asked. 
Reese shrugged her shoulders, not knowing the answer to any of those questions. "I don’t know what she does. All i know is she needs an assistant and I’m a good fit for the job. She gave me $1500 on the spot."
Jayla cocked her head to the side, her smile completely disappeared. “What makes you a good fit Reese? You never had a real job before.”

 That’s what I thought. Reese whispered inside her head. She didn’t dare agree with her out loud. Jayla was going to find something to nitpick at regardless so Reese should have seen it coming. Jayla continued to question her. "So… this mystery woman gave you $1500 upfront to be her assistant and you have no clue what you are going to be assisting her with? Do you hear how that sounds?" she asked.
Reese nodded her head. Her roommate Jayla had always been a responsible young woman and it was a part of her character to give her the third degree. But Reese was growing increasingly tired of explaining herself. Why couldn’t she just be happy for her? "I know how it sounds, and trust me I was a little hesitant at first. But I needed the money bad Jayla." Reese insisted, which was the truth. Jayla of all people should understand, because she had a front row seat and seen everything that goes on behind closed doors. Reese was broke and there were bills needing to be paid. She had to do what she had to do. 
Jayla shook her head while leaning against the doorway. She looked her up and down as if she were disappointed. "All money ain’t good money, you know that right?" she threw shots.
Reese sighed while turning her back, heading towards the refrigerator. Swinging open the door, she grabbed the orange juice out of the fridge bringing it back to the table. "Are you going to eat?" Reese asked.
Jayla shook her head. "No, I ate at work."
Reese nodded, pouring herself a glass and placing it down on the table next to her plate. She glanced up at Jayla who was staring at her with a blank look on her face. 
Reese sighed, wishing she wasn’t such a Debby downer all the time. "What??' she questioned Jayla who continued to stare at her. 
"Nothing." she shook her head. "Something sounds fishy. Can i at least know who you are working for?"
Reese turned to her, wondering why Jayla treated her as if she were a child. The last time she checked, Reese was 5 years her senior and she didn’t have to answer to anyone. Deciding against turning rebellious, she responded. "Her name is Pumpkin."
Hearing the name, Jayla stood straight up. "Pumpkin who? I hope you’re not talking about the Pumpkin I think you’re talking about."
Reese nervously began to crack her knuckles, hoping she wasn’t telling too much. "I don’t know if we're talking about the same girl." Reese hoped they weren't. 
"Is her real name Patricia? Does she hang out at that club downtown? Guilty Passions?" 
Reese bit her lip, wanting to slap herself upside the head for not giving a fake name. She had never met or heard of Pumpkin before so she assumed that Jayla hadn’t either. But from the looks of things, she was very wrong. "I don’t know Jayla." She lied, hoping she would drop the conversation.
Jayla smacked her lips. "Well I only know one Pumpkin, and the one I know of aint no fucking good, so I hope you’re not getting mixed up with her." 
Reese turned towards her, curious to find out what she knew. "What’s wrong with her? She seems like an OKAY person." 

Jayla rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you don’t know anything about her Reese. I suggest you be really careful running around with that girl’s money. Ain’t no telling how she got it."
Reese stepped forward, "What does that mean? What do you know?"
Jayla propped her hands up on her hip. "I don’t know anything. All I know is, that girl don’t have no real job! She got all that money, a big ass house and an $80,000 car but no paycheck stubs to show for it. No one knows what the hell she does for a living."

Reese continued to stare at her. She didn’t know how to respond. As grateful as she was for the opportunity to finally start bringing decent money home, she couldn’t help but question whether or not it was too good to be true. There was some sort of motive behind Pumpkin’s sworn secrecy, and quite frankly she was a little hesitant to find out. 
"All I'm saying Reese," Jayla continued. "Do what you want, but I don’t want nothing to do with any of her money! Don’t bring it into this house! Keep it away from me! I got my own portion of the bills."
Reese rolled her eyes. She was offended. Didn’t even get so much as a thank you for making breakfast for her ungrateful ass. Reese made a promise that she would make something happen. As soon as she started getting things done, Jayla wanted to be on her back about it. No matter how hard she tried to do better, Jayla looked down at her as if her best wasn’t good enough. She shrugged her shoulders, feeling defeated. I’m done trying to prove shit to her. I’m focused on myself now. No one else.

"Whatever you say Jayla." Reese ended the conversation. She was done talking about it.
While shaking her head, Jayla looked at her one last time before turning on her heel and storming out of the kitchen. Reese continued to stare at her as she trotted down the hallway and slammed the bedroom door. She shook her head, not understanding what the real issue was. This girl Pumpkin couldn’t have possibly been as bad as Jayla made her out to be. After all she was a true drama queen. But Reese couldn’t help but wonder what she was really getting herself into. This amount of money had to come with a catch, and she was honestly terrified to find out what that catch was.

Chapter 6

Chapter 6.

Reese examined herself in the full length mirror as she did a full 360 turn examining her outfit. She wore a pair of boot cut black skinny leg pants and a black turtle neck shirt that clung to her neck. She pulled her hair back in a full ponytail making sure to slick the edges back as she twirled around in the mirror a second time. Reese stopped to stare at her ridiculous outfit wondering why the hell Pumpkin requested she dress in all black tonight.  She glanced at the clock. 5:57 pm. Pumpkin should be pulling up outside at any moment. Reese nervously cracked her knuckles, suddenly becoming nervous as the time got closer. She had been exchanging text messages with Pumpkin for about an hour. One thing Reese was beginning to learn, Pumpkin was extremely discreet and cautious about releasing any information over the phone. Typically, she kept things short and still had not given any insight on the job description. Reese took a deep breath as she attempted to rid herself of this anxiety. Whatever it was Pumpkin had up her sleeve, it couldn’t have been that bad. There was no way that woman would give away $1500.00 dollars if she wasn't running a legit business. Reese made a poor attempt at convincing herself. She hoped Jayla wasn’t right. 
Reese jumped as she felt her cellphone buzz in her back pocket. Darting over, she rushed to the bedroom window and peeked out the blinds. Indeed, she examined a car parallel parked outside her driveway. She took a deep breath as she realized that this was real and Pumpkin actually showed up. Thankfully Jayla wasn’t home to question her. She was working the night shift at the hospital so she wouldn’t be here all night. Fishing her phone out her back pocket, Reese cleared her throat before she answered the line. "Hello?" 
"I'm outside." Pumpkin answered.
Reese's heart thumped out of her chest as she clutched the phone in the palm of her hand. "OK. I'm coming out now."
"Okay." The line disconnected. Reese took another deep breath. Her heart rate quickened. Reese had anxiety issues for as long as she could remember. Right now her stress level was at an all-time high. Shutting off all the lights in her bedroom, Reese headed out the door down the hallway and towards the front. There was no turning back now. She had jumped head first into the deep end without knowing if could swim. Opening the front door, Reese stuck her foot out stepping onto the porch. She locked the door behind her and trotted across the driveway towards the car. Reese hoped her anxiety wasn't obvious as she approached the vehicle. A candy apple red 2015 Infiniti Q50 Hybrid Sport sat in her driveway. She stared in awe for a moment as she stopped in front of the vehicle. The paint job glistened underneath the street light.. Reese couldn’t help but admire the rum of the V6 engine. This is my dream car. She spoke to herself inside her head. One day.

She reached for the handle to get in. Sliding in to the car, she was immediately greeted by a Burberry fragrance floating throughout the enclosed space. Reese dropped down into the passenger seat and shut the door behind her. She looked over at Pumpkin and greeted her with a nervous smile. Her smile faded as her eyes immediately fell down to Pumpkin's outfit. She was fully dressed. Her makeup was perfectly contoured and blended, her lips pressed with a chocolate brown matte lipstick. Her ginger red curls fell over her shoulder, giving her a dramatic super model look to match with her exquisite jewelry. She was stunning. But what was the occasion???

Pumpkin smiled while greeting her. "Hey girl." 
"Hi" Reese responded in a dry tone. She couldn’t help but notice the elegant black dress Pumpkin was wearing which glittered in sequin sparkles. Her diamond bracelet matched her diamond necklace and earrings. Her outfit probably cost a fortune. 
 After allowing her to settle in the passenger seat, Pumpkin pulled off and headed down the street. They drove in silence for a moment. Neither Pumpkin nor Reese spoke as they pulled out of her apartment complex. 
"Nice car." Reese broke the silence as they cruised down the street.

Pumpkin smirked while glancing over at her then looking back at the road. "Thanks. You like it?" She asked.

Reese nodded her head. "Yep. It's alright." 
Pumpkin laughed, hinting the annoyance in her voice. "I saw your Honda civic in the driveway. What is that a 1998?"
Reese rolled her eyes, hoping this girl wasn't being shady. "A 1994." she responded.
Pumpkin threw her head back and laughed, her shoulders bouncing up and down as she chuckled. Reese shot her a crazy look.  "Damn girl, that car is over 20 years old. I know it has about 300,000 miles." Pumpkin continued to rag on her as she laughed.
Reese didnt laugh. She rolled her eyes again. She hated for people to make her feel as if they were better than her. She examined Pumpkin’s outfit a second time, questioning whether or not this girl was making her look foolish on purpose. Pumpkin's outfit was stunning from head to toe while Reese on the other hand looked ridiculous. "I don’t give a shit about that car." She persisted, wanting to get off the subject.
Pumpkin chuckled again while letting down both windows. Air circulated throughout the enclosed space which is exactly what she needed right now. "Looking like that, I wouldn’t give a shit about that car either." Reaching forward, Pumpkin ran her fingertips across the leather dashboard. "A vehicle like this is one that you cherish."
Reese took a moment to think about everything Jayla said earlier. She shook her head, hoping she wasn’t making a huge mistake. "Maybe. Someday." Reese turned her head to gaze out the window, her mind falling into deep thought. The ride grew quiet once again. Pumpkin broke the silence. "You’re thinking too far ahead.” She glanced over at Reese who stared longingly out the window. "I hope you’re enjoying the ride… because this is your car now Reese."
Silence. Reese could feel her body freeze. She paused, her heart beating rapidly. She didn't make any sudden movements. What did she just say???There’s no way. No way. No way. She chanted inside her head. She’s playing a cruel joke. This is a dream. This could not be real life. She slowly looked over at Pumpkin, who continued to drive while staring straight forward. Her expression did not change. "What did you just say??" Reese asked out loud, feeling as if she breathed the wrong way it would wake her up from this dream "Please come again??" she asked for reassurance.
Pumpkin laughed. "You heard me correct Reese. I know it sounds unbelievable, but this is real honey. This is your new car." Pumpkin smiled at her. Reese felt her body tremble in anxiety as her eyes traveled around the inside of the Infinity. If this was a dream, she didn’t want to wake up from it. She jolted forward, her ass on the edge of her seat. "Pumpkin, this is not my car!" Reese was in complete denial. No one ever brought her anything yet alone done anything for her at all. She closed her eyes, hoping Pumpkin wasn’t playing with her emotions.

“You don’t want it?" Pumpkin continued to laugh, clearly amused by her shock.  

"Pumpkin." Reese repeated her name again. Her bottom lip trembled as she felt herself overcome with emotions. "Please don't do this to me. It’s not funny."  Reese felt like a fool as tears brimmed in the corner of her eyes. She used her index finger to catch a teardrop that slid down the side of her cheek... "Please don’t play with my feelings like this. My heart can’t take it." Reese sniffled as she attempted to pull herself together.
Pumpkin stopped laughing, her expression turning serious. They stopped at a red light, giving her enough time to turn and scold her. "Have I still not proven to you how serious I am? Why do you think this is a game?" she asked. 
Reese grew quiet as she mustered up a response. She couldn’t help it. Reese had grown so used to the bottom, she had no idea what it felt like to make a come up. She was in denial. Her mind wandered as she began to think about her Honda Civic which she had been driving faithfully for 9 years. She wanted to get rid of that car so bad, but never had the money to do so. She could not come to terms with a new car. This was not possible.

 "What are you going to drive?" she asked, her hands shaking in the center of her lap.

 Pumpkin shrugged her shoulders. "This car has been sitting in my garage for 6 months collecting dust. I never drive it. I have a range rover. I’m good."
Reese continued to stare with her mouth open. This is real. This is not a dream. "I can’t believe it.” She stammered.
Pumpkin continued.  "I told you I’m going to take care of you. I can’t have you riding behind me in no beat up Honda. From this point on, you’re a representation of me now."
Reese was still in shock, having an out of body experience as she nodded her head. All she could do was nod. She was at a loss for words. Everything was happening so sudden and so fast, it was surreal.
"Now that we have gotten that out the way,” Pumpkin interrupted her thoughts as she continued. “We need to talk about tonight’s job." Pumpkin finally mentioned the job that she had yet to speak anything about. Reese could feel her body stiffen as she turned to her. She was itching to know what it was she really had to do for this car. There was no way it would he handed over that easy. "I’m listening." Reese responded, fully attentive.

Pumpkin waited a few moments before responding. "I don’t need you to do much tonight. That’s why I asked you to dress very simple."
Reese already knew there was a reason behind her plain dress code but had no idea what that reason was.

"So what do you need from me?" she hesitated as she asked. Moment of truth.
Pumpkin pressed her lips together. Approaching the street, she made a right onto international drive, a very popular street in downtown Baltimore. The inner harbor. Reese didn’t know much about the area. The harbor was an upscale neighborhood. Only the rich and wealthy lingered in areas like the harbor. Reese looked around absorbing her surroundings. Large buildings decorated each corner cascading into the sky. She seldom came to this side of town and always felt out of place when she did. "Where are we going?" Reese asked, becoming curious.
Pumpkin answered calmly. "The four seasons hotel."
Reese was confused. She was a hood chick from the ghetto. She didn’t belong here. "What are we going to do at a hotel??" she asked, becoming anxious all over again. Pumpkin continued to drive towards the four seasons making Reese feel uneasy as she hesitated answering her questions. In seconds, they approached the glass-fronted building that sat right on the edge of the water. Reese had never seen the hotel up close and it was a lot bigger than the pictures. Pumpkin pulled the car into an open parking space on the side of the hotel. Reese continued to stare her down, waiting for an explanation.
"This is what I need you to do." Pumpkin turned towards her, making eye contact. She reached into her duffle bag and pulled out an old school beeper. Reese hadn’t seen a beeper in years and had no idea they still existed. She looked down at the device as Pumpkin handed it over placing it in the palm of her hand. "This is going to be a quick job tonight, so it won’t take very long for this thing to go off. As soon as you hear it beep, I need you to hop out, come upstairs, and get to room 224 as fast as you can." Pumpkin gave directions. Dumbfounded, Reese sat quiet as she ran out responses. Pumpkin continuously caught her off guard with sudden surprises and Reese still had not figured out how to react. "Wait a minute, slow down." Reese held her hands up. She was overwhelmed and needed time to marinate what was going on. "What’s really up Pumpkin? I'm not trying to go into this blind sighted." She probed for more information.
Pumpkin ignored her as usual. She glanced in the rearview mirror examining her makeup. She toyed with her curls using her fingers, letting them spill over her shoulder as she adjusted her cleavage. Reese continued to stare in silence. What am I doing here? What have I gotten myself into???

"I don’t know about this." Reese mumbled under her breath, a bad feeling rushing into the pit of her stomach. She had no idea what type of mess she was involving herself in and Pumpkin gave her no reassurance.

She stopped toying with her hair. Pumpkin turned her body in the seat, no longer laughing or smiling. Her tone became serious as she switched into business mode. "Listen, as long as you rocking with me, I’m going to make sure you have everything you want and need. I can make you rich. But nothing comes easy in life. You got to work for it the same way I did. Are you ready to work? Or should I extend my offer elsewhere?"
They stared at each other for a moment, neither saying a word. All money ain’t good money. Reese could hear Jayla ridiculing her in the back of her head. Something was about to go down. Her heart thumped out of her chest as she contemplated her next move. She began to second guess her existence. Why am I here? Why am I doing this? Do I really need money this bad? She dropped her head knowing the answer to her questions. What other options did she have? Going back to Mr. Franks to flip chicken? She began to second guess herself. Pumpkin continued to stare her down as she awaited an answer. The pressure was on. There was no running from it. Looking back at Pumpkin, Reese took a deep breath, feeling as if she were about to sell her soul to the devil. She looked down at the pager. She was holding her fate in the palm of her hands. "What if I miss the beep?" she asked hesitantly, her hands still shaken.
Pumpkin smirked. The offer was accepted. She slipped on a pair of school girl glasses before pushing the driver’s door open. "Don’t worry, you won’t miss it." She hopped out the car, swiftly shutting the door behind her leaving Reese on her lonesome. She stuck her head inside the window, "Remember. Room 224." With that being said, Pumpkin turned on her heel and trotted towards the entrance, her long trench coat dragging behind her as she approached the door. Reese held her breath, her anxiety kicking in full force. The time was here. There was no turning back. As much as she wanted to run, she couldn’t now. Reese closed her eyes silently praying to herself. Please God. Don’t make me regret this.

 

Chapter 7

 Chapter 7. 

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.
Reese jolted awake out of her sleep as the pager that she was holding beeped in the palm of her hand. Shit. She had dozed off. She glanced at the clock on the dashboard which read 8:02 pm. She sat forward rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Pumpkin told her this wouldn’t take long but she had already been inside for almost 45 minutes. Reese shut off the pager. Looking around, she began to absorb her surroundings while recollecting Pumpkins directions. As soon as you hear it beep, I need you to hop out, come upstairs, and get to room 224 as fast as you can. Reese cracked her knuckles, knowing she wasn’t moving as quickly as she should. She had no idea what the hell she was walking into and was extremely on edge about it. Reese took a deep breath, slowly meditating herself as she reached for the door handle. She had never been a spur of the moment type of woman or a risk taker. She was gambling with her life and had no idea how to feel about it. Reese could feel her body go numb as she pushed open the door handle, stepping out of the car and shutting it behind her. She stuck the pager in the back of her jeans and began walking towards the entrance, the same direction she seen Pumpkin travel. She held her breath with each step she took. Approaching the door, Reese felt out of place and extremely awkward as the valet smiled at her while holding the door allowing to walk in. She nervously said hello while trotting inside the hotel. Reese walked into the foyer. She looked around. The hotel was upscale the way she imagined it. She admired the marble floors and matching chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. She couldn’t help but look around, observing how elegant the lobby was. She had never been here before or stepped foot inside a fancy hotel ever. I don’t belong here. What am I doing? She ignored her gut feeling as headed towards the stairs, too nervous to take the elevator. Reese stopped at the hotel map to check where room 224 was. How did I get here? How did I get here? She continued to chant inside her head. Reese headed towards the stairwell going straight up the stairs heading for the 2nd floor. She became anxious with each step she took. Everything about this scenario was giving her a bad feeling but it didn’t stop her as she proceeded. Approaching the top of the stairs, Reese began thinking about the money. The car. The bills. She had too much to lose... She trotted down the hallway nervously cracking her knuckles as she passed room 221...223....She stopped in front of 224. She took a deep breath. Reese had no idea what stood behind these walls. There could be a room full of perverts prepared to gang rape her, then again Pumpkin could have been the culprit setting her up all along. She raised her fist to knock, hoping if she screamed someone would be able to hear her through these thick walls. She waited as she heard Pumpkins voice behind the door, which gave her no type of relief. In seconds, the door crept open. Pumpkin stuck her head out, looking both ways to make sure the coast was clear. She didn’t speak or say anything. She waved for Reese to come inside. She hesitated before stepping forward inside the dimly lit room. Pumpkin shut the door behind her as she allowed Reese to walk ahead of her. It was dark but lit enough for Reese to look around and absorb her surroundings. The room was standard. Two queen beds, a nightstand, and a flat screen T.V. An eerie silence floated through the room. Nervously she looked around coming to the realization they were not alone. Her eyes fell upon a figure sitting in a chair positioned in a dark corner of the hotel room. What the hell is going on? What am I supposed to do next?  No one spoke, which made her sudden entrance feel even more sinister. Reese inched forward to get a better view, unsure if the figure sitting in the corner was a man, a woman, or even a human at all. No! No! No! The room began to spin. Reese could feel her eyes widen in shock as she inched closer. No! No! No! I’m not seeing what I think I’m seeing! No fucking way! She caught her balance as she lightly stumbled in shock. Reese stared face to face a living nightmare.

Slowly, she turned to Pumpkin. I have to be hallucinating! This is all a bad dream! She wasn’t dreaming. This was real. Pumpkin stood close to the door. Her trench coat and jewelry had been removed. Reese swallowed the lump in her throat as her eyes fell upon the silver 9mm handgun Pumpkin was holding in her hand. She inched towards the figure sitting in the corner of the room with the gun drawn. Reese couldn’t breathe as Pumpkin walked past her, the gun inches away from her face. She began to feel claustrophobic but she didn’t move, frozen in place too afraid to do anything sudden. Reese mustered up the courage to get a better look, finally realizing the figure in the corner was a man. He was heavy set. Approximately 280 pounds with a firm build and dark brown skin. Reese couldn’t see much. His eyes, m outh and hands were tied tightly together. She watched as he squirmed, making subtle sounds as if someone could hear him. Reese couldn’t speak. She was scared shitless, terrified to make the wrong move. "Pumpkin." Reese called out her name, her voice shook as he spoke. Pumpkin didn’t answer. In response, she nudged her head towards a black duffle bag in the corner of the room. "Grab the bag." Her tone was cold. Pumpkin continued to hold the gun, walking up to the man pressing the steel piece against his temple. Reese closed her eyes. She didn’t want to see what was going to happen next and prayed she was not about to witness this man’s murder. “Reese!” Pumpkin snapped at her again. “Get the damn bag!” she spoke forcefully. She snapped out of her daze quickly. Scurrying across the room, she obeyed Pumpkins orders in fear that she may turn the gun on her. Dropping down to her knees, she grabbed the black bag which weighed a ton and whipped it over her shoulder. She stood by the door, hoping this bag was all Pumpkin came for. Reese stood by as Pumpkin removed the duct tape from around his mouth leaving his eyes covered. He yelled out as soon as he was able. Pumpkin raised her hand smacking him directly across the mouth. "Shut the fuck up!" She glared at him, still standing over his body with the gun in her hand. "You make another sound, I swear I will fucking kill you!" She spoke. The man obeyed his orders, pressing his lips together as Pumpkin leaned forward, her face directly facing his. "Now this is how things are going to work tonight. I'm going to untie your hands and your feet. Then I’m going to walk out that door and leave. My gun will be on you the entire time. So don’t make any sudden movements. I will stand outside that door for approximately 10 minutes to make sure the coast is clear. Do not move or make a sound for 10 minutes. If you so much as breathe wrong, I will shoot you. Do you understand?" She asked.
The man nodded his head, not opening his mouth or responding in fear of her retaliation. Pumpkin smirked, grabbing his chin in the palm of her hand and placing a kiss on his lips. "This was fun baby." She laughed and turned back towards Reese, who still stood locked in place, completely shocked by what she was witnessing. "Let’s go." Pumpkin waved her hand, instructing Reese to follow. She clutched the heavy black bag over her shoulder, heading towards the door taking one last glance at the man who still sat half naked dressed only in his boxers. He obeyed Pumpkins order, and didn’t move or budge as they both exited the room. Pumpkin grabbed her jewelry and her coat off the bed and shut the door behind them as they stepped back into the hallway. She leaned forward, pressing her ear against the door to ensure he wasn’t moving or making a sound the way she ordered. Silence. "Okay let’s go." Pumpkin didn’t hesitate as she darted down the hallway towards the opposite end. Reese remained silent as she trailed behind Pumpkin, watching her from behind as she dropped the gun in her purse. Her adrenaline rushed through her veins like a bad shot of cocaine. She glanced over her shoulder hoping they weren’t being followed. The coast was clear. Pumpkin took the back staircase on the opposite end from where they came. They rushed out the door, down the steps and directly out a side door that let out exactly where Pumpkin parked the car. Reese ran to the passenger side, her paranoia causing her to continuously look over her shoulder. They were less than 20 minutes from her apartment she shared with Jayla. She could not risk anyone spotting her or remembering her face. Throwing the duffle bag in the backseat, they both hopped in the vehicle. Pumpkin wasted no time cranking up the ignition, slamming the gear in reverse and backing out of the parking space, once again going the opposite way they originally came. She raced down the street as Reese clutched her chest attempting to catch her breath. This entire thing was planned. This was all a setup! "What the fuckkkkkk?" she cried out, astonished and winded at the same time. Reese struggled to breathe as her chest weaved up and down. Pumpkin continued to speed away. She was calm, a smirk plastered across her face almost as if she had done this plenty times before. "Welcome to the real world honey. You done got your hands dirty now."

Reese spazzed. The veins popped out of her neck as she exploded. "Why the fuck did you set me up like that?!! Who the hell was that guy and why did you pull a gun on him???!!" She couldn’t control her anger. I'm a fucking idiot! She cursed herself inside her head. How did I let her trick me like this??? 
Pumpkin laughed, clearly unbothered. After reaching the main road, she slowed back down to normal speed and merged into traffic. "Listen honey, you’re an accomplice now. You accepted this job offer, I didn’t force you."

Reese stared with her mouth open. She couldn't believe what she was hearing or the fact she had been this gullible. She wanted to hop out of the moving car and run in the opposite direction, but it was too late for that. "This is not right! You tricked me!" Reese didn’t hold back as she shouted at her. "I should have known this was dirty money! How could I be so foolish??" she grabbed a handful of her hair as she hunched over. Terrified was an understatement. Pumpkin rolled her eyes. "Stop being fucking dramatic!" She hissed at her. With one hand on the steering wheel, Pumpkin reached into the backseat and grabbed the duffel bag. She dragged it to the front seat, dropping the huge bag into the center of Reese’s lap. "Open it." she instructed her.

Reese shot her a crazy look. "What???" She didn't want any parts of this. Pumpkins smile faded, her expression turning cold. "Open the damn bag Reese." she demanded her again. Reese hesitated, forgetting that Pumpkin was strapped and had a fully loaded gun inside her purse. Her hands shook as she slowly unzipped the zipper. Her eyes widened as she looked inside. 100's. 50's. 20's. 1'.s. They were all separated, each stack of cash separated by a different president’s face. They were neatly pressed bills all wrapped together.  She dipped her hand inside, chills running up her spine as her finger tips brushed against the smooth edge of paper. Reese had never seen this kind of money in real life. Only on TV and in movies. Again she felt her body freeze as she grew silent again, the money putting her underneath a deep trance. 
"He thought he was going to make it rain on me." Pumpkin laughed at her victim. She showed no remorse. No feelings.
Reese closed her eyes, her fingers still resting on top of the money. She began to think about the man in the hotel room. Her heart weakened as she remembered his hands and feet tied as he sat there helpless. Then again she looked down at the cash thinking about how quick, easy and simple it was to take it from him. She couldn’t help her curiosity and she was growing increasingly tied of this sick game Pumpkin was playing. She was no longer okay with being stringed along. "Tell me what’s going on." Reese spoke in a serious tone. She had already been dragged into this, the least Pumpkin could do was be straight up with her.

Pumpkin didn’t respond immediately. She made a sharp right turn pulling her car into a secluded parking lot located behind an abandoned 2 story building. Pumpkin parked next to a berry red Range Rover, which sat in a parking space as if it were intentionally planted there. Reese shook her head as she pieced together how cold and calculated everything was. Pumpkin had this entire night planned and Reese was the dumb goof ball to fall for the bait.

Pumpkin placed the car in park. She turned her body in her seat to face her. "Okay, you want to know what’s up??" She asked. Reese nodded her head in response unsure if she really wanted to know.

"Okay fine, I'll tell you." Pumpkin made serious deep eye contact. The mood inside the car shifted as her tone changed. "You really want to know what I do for a living? Well, I will tell you. I'm a hustler. A certified thief, honey. I make a lot money doing what I do. I've robbed doctors, lawyers, athletes. You name it. That guy you seen in the hotel room… Nigga is married, got 4 kids and one on the way with his side chick. He ain’t shit, but he's rich." Reese sat quiet as Pumpkin finally spilled the beans. She was not surprised by the confession. She already saw it coming. Reese couldn't help but question Pumpkin's motive. What turned her into a thief? She needed to hear it out loud. "Why?" Reese asked the first question to slip past her lips,
"Why???" Pumpkin repeated as if her question was ridiculous. "Why the fuck not? Because I get paid! This game is all I got. I didn’t have nothing and I came from nothing.” 
Reese didn't know how to respond. She was astonished.  Although con artists were extremely common in Baltimore, she never heard of a female jacker. Pumpkin was the first and the most beautiful thief she had ever seen.

 "I have been in the business for 16 years." Pumpkin continued spilling her secrets. "’I’m not proud of everything I have done to get to where I am today. But I did what I had to do for me. If I hadn’t met King when I was 16 years old, I would have died in these streets. He saved my life. "
This was the first time Pumpkin mentioned any of her family or friends. Reese turned to her as she noticed her demeanor. Reese was curious to know more. "Who is King?" she asked. Pumpkin’s expression had changed. She leaned forward as if the information were classified. "King is my boss. And now, he’s your boss too. I suggest you don’t fuck with him. King is a very powerful man.”
Reese swallowed the lump in her throat as she began to wish she never asked. King. The name itself was intimidating.

"King is the man." Pumpkin continued to boast. "He molded me. Groomed me into the woman I am today. King taught me how to hustle when i was 16 years old. I been rocking with him ever since." Pumpkin spoke while looking away as if she were in a daze reminiscing
"He changed my life. I struggled to survive... I was 16 years old bouncing from house to house sleeping on couches. The first time I robbed a nigga, King put over $100,000 into my checking account. 2 weeks later, I purchased my first home." She held up her finger, pointing it directly in front of Reese’s nose. "Scared money don’t make no money. I work hard to get what I want. I see all the fruits to my labor."
Reese sat still. Pumpkin continued to ramble as she listened. She was still in in disbelief. Out of her peripheral view, Reese could feel her eyes drop down to duffel bag in her lap. She wanted the money but was afraid to find out what would happen next if she took it. She looked back at Pumpkin who continued rambling. Taking this money was sealing the deal.  I can never become a woman like Pumpkin. Reese ranted inside her head. This is not me. This is not me.

“Reese.” Pumpkin called out her name snapping her out of her trance. “How do you feel about all of this? Do you have any questions for me?” she asked.

Reese had no answer. She bit her bottom lip. “Nope.” She gave a brief response.  

Pumpkin nodded her head. “Good.” She reached over, dipping her hand inside the duffel bag that sat cradled in the middle of Reese’s lap. She pulled out 10 stacks of cash, counting out each one. After removing a portion of the money, she zipped up the bag and threw the strap around her shoulder. She turned towards Reese, extending the handful of money in her direction. “Here.” She handed them over.

        Slowly, Reese reached out for her potion. Again, she slipped into a daze as she made contact with the cash.  “Oh my god.” She whispered… This is all mines. I can’t believe it.

 Pumpkin interrupted her thoughts and swung the driver’s seat door open. She stuck her foot out as she exited the car.  Pumpkin left the engine running as she shut the door behind her, holding the duffel bag close to her side. She leaned down to stick her head inside the car. "Tomorrow, you will meet King. So dress nice." Reese did not have time to protest. Pumpkin walked away without waiting for her to respond. She turned on her heel and sashayed across the parking lot towards her truck, leaving Reese sitting in the passenger seat alone watching her walk away. Reese glanced at the ignition.  She really did leave the keys.

Pumpkin clicked the lock to her Rover and threw the duffle bag into the backseat. Reese kept her eyes glued on her as she walked around to the driver’s side door, swung the door open and hopped in the truck. Pumpkin crunk up the ignition and immediately backed out of the parking space while speeding out of the parking lot. Reese followed her with her eyes. She continued to sit in the passenger seat in a daze. This isn’t a dream. This is real life. She couldn’t run from Pumpkin. She had taken her car. Taken her money on both occasions. She was involved. Reese took a deep breath as she looked around absorbing her surroundings. “This is really my car.” She spoke out loud. She was flabbergasted, too in shock to show emotions. She shuddered in her seat as she began thinking about meeting King. Whoever he was, she didn’t want to meet him. But she wanted the money. And everyone knows, money is the root to all evil…

 

 

 

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

 

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Pumpkin balled up her fist, knocking on the hard steel door as she stood outside on the porch steps. It was close to 7 pm and the sun had just begun to set. Pumpkin glanced over her shoulder. The coast was clear. Her eyes traveled up at the outside of the 2 story buff brick house towering over her. She clutched the black duffel while closing up her jacket. It was chilly for a September night. She could feel the goose bumps forming underneath her clothes as she reached forward to knock again. Seconds later, the door swung open greeted by a pair of yellow eyes peeking out of the partially cracked door.

"Is King here?" She asked. Pumpkin knew he was inside. Without a response, the door slammed shut in her face. Seconds later, she heard multiples locks turning. The door swung open again, a gust of wind causing her hair to fly back behind her shoulders. She held her breath as she looked up at the tall figure standing over her. His 6’5 frame towering over her.

"What’s up Murda?" She mumbled under her breath.

He crossed his arms across his chest and nodded his head as he looked down at her. "What’s up Pumpkin? You here for a drop off?"

She nodded her head, holding up the duffel bag. "Yes.”

Murda knew why she was here. Pumpkin showed up at the same time every Saturday.

“I got someone stopping by to meet King." She continued.

He huffed. “Say what??” Murda questioned her. She tilted her head to the side as she contemplated brushing past him without an explanation. Pumpkin was tired of going through Murda every time she came to see King. Although she was used to it, that didn’t make his third degree any less tiring. Murda had been Kings main man for almost 15 years. He was around during her teenage years and although he was not as intimidating as he was in his younger days, he still sent a few shivers up her spine. Word on the streets, Murda was a cold blooded killer. There was no escaping his wrath once he got his hands on you. Murda had several family members in the justice system. He can kill you, bury your body, go to church the next morning and never be convicted for any of his crimes. Make a long story short, don’t fuck with King. Don’t fuck with Murda.

"King didn’t run that by me." Murda persisted

Pumpkin took a deep breath. She clutched the duffel bag next to her as she began to grow impatient. "That don’t matter Murda. King knows about it and I got his money. So what’s the problem? Are you going to let me in or what?"

They stared each other down for a moment. Murda was hesitant but he knew better than to protest. He stepped to the side allowing Pumpkin to proceed into the foyer. She walked inside, stepping ahead of him so he could shut the door behind her. She held the bag tightly next to her relieved she finally made it in safe. Pumpkin hated carrying large amounts of money on her. “Is he in the office?” she asked.

Murda nodded his head towards the double doors by the staircase leading to King’s office. She fell into step across the foyer, trailing across the marble floors as she approached the doorway. Pumpkin was all too familiar with this house. She never understood why Murda insisted on treating her like a stranger. Pumpkin admired the large paintings on the velvet painted walls as she walked past. Hmmm. I did a good job decorating this place. She continued to look around as she applauded her sense of style. I have true talent. I’m going to make something out of this one day.  

She approached the office door. Pumpkin knocked softly.  King knew she was here. He kept his security cameras rolling 24/7. No one stepped foot on his property if he didn’t know about it. She pushed open the door to his office, calling out his name. His desk sat in the center of the room facing the doorway. Pumpkin stuck her head in side as she looked around. As if in slow motion, her eyes fell upon King. A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead as she nervously stepped inside. He sat behind his desk facing his flat screen tv. The game was on and he was visibly engulfed in the television set. Pumpkin took a moment to examine him while he wasn’t looking. His brown caramel skin glowed underneath his desk lamp. He dressed simple. A white t-shirt and a gold chain. Pumpkin licked her lips. She could feel the moist secretion drip in her panties as he finally looked over to acknowledge her. They locked gazes. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she nervously stared down the man of her dreams. The love of her life.

Pumpkin shut the door behind her. "King." His name slipped past her lips. She was in a trance. King had a fresh cut. His edges and mustache we're neatly trimmed. The aroma smelled of expensive cologne. Possibly Clive Christian. She inched closer towards his desk still clutching the duffel bag. For a moment she felt a rush of emotions take over. One day King will realize that I'm not that little girl anymore.  She convinced herself inside her head. I'm a grown woman now. We can take over the city together. I could be his Queen. 

"What’s up Pumpkin?" His deep baritone voice spoke volumes each time he opened his mouth. Pumpkin shuttered again. Today was one of those days.  She couldn’t shake the feeling nor understand how quick things changed between them. Growing up, King was like a father to her. Now, she was head over heels infatuated with his every move. Filthy thoughts invaded her mind as she began daydreaming how it would feel to straddle him like a cow girl. She bit her lip, her guilty conscience taking over as she stood in front of him, an animal in heat. "What you got for me today?" He interrupted her thoughts, jumping straight into business.

Pumpkin snapped herself out of her trance. "Ohhh." she stammered, forgetting for a moment the reason she was here. "$112,500. I gave the girl $25,000. The rest I split right down the middle.”

King nodded his head, impressed with the number. He leaned forward to puff on a cigar he retrieved from the ashtray. "$25,000?" He laughed while blowing smoke out his mouth. Pumpkin shrugged her shoulders. "Come on Pumpkin." he continued. "You could have broken her off better than that."

She rolled her eyes. He was right, but she wasn't going to admit it.

''She ain’t do nothing anyways." Pumpkin defended herself. "All she did was grab a bag and stand there. That was easy money."

"Hmmmm." King continued to puff on his cigar. "And who is she??" he narrowed his eyes as he began his questioning. "You know I don’t trust people here."

Pumpkin nodded her head. She knew that was coming next. King was a private person. He never allowed anyone to get close to him if they were not directly affiliated with his circle. "Don’t worry about that King. I got you." She attempted to distract him. Pumpkin slowly sashayed towards his desk. "She won’t be here for a while so that gives you and me some time to be alone." Pumpkin stood directly in front of him. She knew enticing King would not be easy, but that didn’t stop her from trying.

He clenched his jaw as the room grew silent. ''What I tell you about coming on to me Pumpkin?" he asked. Pumpkin ignored his resistance as she proceeded even closer towards his desk. He chuckled. King was not intimidated by her sudden advances. He wasn't like these other men.

"Now you know I don’t get down like that." He laughed at her again. Pumpkin halted in place. She hated when he laughed at her because she was not a joke. Although she was not surprised by his resistance, she was growing increasingly tired of playing his game. "And why is that King?" Pumpkin asked the question while propping her hands up on her waist. She already knew the answer. King insisted over and over again the only reason he wouldn’t date her was because she hustled. He was looking for a wholesome woman. A woman who would clean up his house, cook his meals, and remain oblivious to what he actually does for a living. In King's words, Pumpkin knew too much about his lifestyle, and that was a fire that he wasn’t ready to play with. She felt deep down inside he were using her hustling as an excuse. King was the one who molded her into the woman she is today so how could he look down upon something he created? 
"So you mean to tell me if I didn’t hustle, you and me would have a chance? What if I gave it up?" She asked. He threw his head back and laughed at her a third time. Pumpkin glared, wanting to go off for him not taking her serious, but she respected him too much and knew not to get out of line. "You not gonna give this shit up Pumpkin. You are in too deep." He continued to ridicule her. Pumpkin rolled her eyes, wishing he understood that her plan wasn’t to rob niggas forever. Deep down inside, Pumpkin wanted nothing more than to give up the game and settle down into a home with a husband, kids, and a little puppy running around. All the money in the world couldn’t change the fact that she was missing a family and always yearned for one. She shook the image out of her head, knowing now was not the time to be thinking about settling down. Pumpkin couldn’t give up hustling until she reached a million, and in her mind, she was nowhere close. She looked back at King. "So i guess you will never see me in that way, huh?" She asked, feeling like an idiot for pressing up on a man that clearly didn’t want her. King ran his fingers down the edge of his mustache while leaning forward. He crossed his hands in front of his face. "Listen, don’t get me wrong. You book smart, street smart and you got a good head on your shoulders. I know you'll treat a nigga real good. But come on Punk, you’re like a daughter to me." King gave her the nickname Punk when she was 16. Only he called her that. He took her in when no one else would.  Pumpkin's memory drifted as she reminisced on the old days. She began thinking about her drug addicted mother and her poor excuse of a father. She hated them. They left her to fend for herself when she was 13 years old. King rescued her. Pumpkin would forever be in debt to him for that. But she hated the way their relationship developed over the years. As her hips spread and her chest grew, King did not look at her as a woman. He still seen that little girl he rescued from the streets. She couldn’t change that image no matter how hard she tried.
"Anyways..." King skipped off the subject as he picked up on her demeanor changing. "So what’s the deal with this woman Pumpkin? You know I’m real paranoid and I don’t trust people coming to my home where i lay my head."
Pumpkins eyes dropped to the floor, secretly disappointed but deciding they would revisit that conversation later. "King, I would never do anything to put you at risk or get you cased up. You know that." she whispered
King took another puff of his cigar, blowing puffs of smoke across the table as he continued to eye her. "I'm not saying I don’t trust you. I know you let your guard down easy." They made eye contact. "Let’s not forget about what happened to Trix."
Pumpkins mood shifted as the entire room stood still. She watched as the name slipped past his lips. Her heart stopped. The blood rushed to her head doing circles around her brain. She hated when he mentioned her name. King knew that very well. Pumpkin attempted to push the rush of memories into the back of her head, but she was failing drastically. Suddenly she could hear Trix's voice. 
"I don’t wanna talk about Trix." Pumpkin's tone grew cold as she stopped herself from reminiscing on the past. Pumpkin was hot headed and too arrogant for her own good. Certain things she hard to learn the hard way. After the night Trix was murdered in cold blood, she promised to never let her guard down again. With anyone. Chills traveled up her spine. Trix was so beautiful and full of life. She stood 5'8 with long natural wavy hair and hazel brown eyes. She was tall and slender with long legs and smooth caramel skin. She had looks that could kill. No one in Baltimore could figure out why someone would want to harm her so savagely. That night Pumpkin got that phone call, her entire life changed. She shut out the entire world and engaged in social conversing only if it involved money.
"Fine... We won’t talk about her." King arrogantly leaned back in his chair. He struck a nerve and he knew it. Pumpkin rolled her eyes. He knew more than anyone else that Trix was a sensitive subject. "Did you do inventory this week?" King asked finally switching the topic. "I know you've been real busy lately." He eyed her. She hated when he asked dumb questions. Regardless to how hectic her schedule was, she made sure to take the time to do King's book keeping each week. He had a financial obsession with keeping each and every receipt and also recording every dollar amount that makes its way into his bank account. She also monitored his stock investments and distributed funds to his monthly charity foundations. And to put the icing on the cake, she never missed a week which is why she hated to be questioned.  "Yep." she provided a bland answer. You will never find another woman to do the things I do for you. She chanted inside her head.
King smiled. Her heart weakened at the sight of his pearly white teeth. Dirty thoughts rushed through her mind a second time, but she shook them away as quickly as they appeared. Proving to King she was the woman for him was like beating a dead horse. It was pointless if he refused to give her a fair shot. She attempted to figure out the reason why this man was so irresistible. His demeanor was calm as he sat laid back behind his desk puffing on his cigar. Pumpkin never seen him worked up. Never seen him break a sweat or get his hands dirty. His plain t-shirt was neatly pressed, his matching gold ring and watch glistening under the dimly lit television. King wasn’t a flashy guy. Although he had millions in the bank, he preferred to dress simple.  He did not want to portray himself as a king pin nor did he want to make himself a target. King led a very private life. He was Baltimore’s main source to the street life and most these niggas who worshipped him never laid physical eyes on him. King was the man and many could not put a face to a name. Over the years, Pumpkin followed in his footsteps. He taught her everything she knew.
Interrupting her thoughts, Pumpkin heard the speaker phone sitting next to King’s desk buzz several times. Murda’s deep voice invaded the silence, spilling out of the speakers. "Ay yo King. Tell Pumpkin her girl is here." He spoke into the speaker.
Pumpkin glanced down at her watch, taking note that Reese showed up way earlier than expected. She reverted her attention back to King who had a dramatic expression plastered across his face. "Don’t look like that." She hissed at him. He raised his hands up in surrender, "I trust you Pumpkin. Just be careful. We don’t need another repeat of Trix." He leaned back in his chair. "I don’t need any more blood on my hands. For real."
Again her heart stopped. He’s doing this on purpose! She chanted inside her head. He’s trying to get a rise out of me! The memories began to flood her thoughts once again as King mentioned her name a second time. She couldn’t stop her mind from slipping into a deep reminisce. As the years went by, Pumpkin lived a very sheltered life. On a day to day basis, she struggled with the harsh reality of pretending things in her past didn’t happen. She wanted to make believe the skeletons in her closet were fictional. But they were not. Trix was a memory now. A memory she couldn’t escape….

Trix was her ride or die. Her Batman to her Robin. Growing up the only child, Pumpkin never got the chance to have a relationship with anyone. She didn’t have any siblings and never had a stable home to make any friends. She remembered the day King brought the pair together. It was a humid summer night the weekend after Pumpkins 18th birthday. They were sitting outside having a traditional bonfire celebrating her transition into womanhood. While sitting around the fire roasting hotdogs and marshmallows, a tall slender woman with long hair and hazel eyes unknowingly interrupted the private party. Uninvited.  Pumpkin remembered her tall frame standing in the doorway as she walked in. She sashayed across the yard walking around the fire to greet King. She wrapped him in a hug. Apparently her invitation was personal. Low and behold, this 5’7 beauty wasn’t the typical 5 star model chick you run into often. She was one of Baltimore’s most notorious jackers. King knew exactly what he was doing bringing the two together. He waited until Pumpkin turned 18 before he fully introduced her to the streets. Trix was her mentor. For a while, Pumpkin was hesitant to open up to her. She didn’t know how to have a relationship with another woman. Her mother was never there for her and never provided her with the social skills she needed to survive in life. Eventually, the pair became inseparable.  Partners in crime. They robbed together. Laughed together. Cried together. Trix was like her security blanket. They came to discover they both had the same interest and went through similar struggles in life. Trix showed her how to be successful in this business as a woman. For so long Pumpkin looked up to her. Her heart sunk into her stomach as she began to think about that night she received that phone call advising her that Trix had been shot and killed while sitting in her car in her driveway. Her entire world came crashing down finding out her best friend had been murdered in cold blood. Trix didn’t deserve to die and Pumpkin became angry each time she thought about the coward that killed her.

King noticed she was in deep thought. Pumpkin shook the images from her head. Now was not the time to reflect on the past. She knew bringing Reese here tonight was a big deal. Pumpkin hadn’t introduced anyone to king since Trix was murdered. She had grown accustomed to working alone. If there ever came a time where she needed an extra pair of hands, she would pull a random chick from the strip club, use her as a pawn, then toss her to the side after giving her enough hush money to get out of town. Reese was the first woman she considered recruiting. She was scarred from her past. For years, those scars held her back. Now, Pumpkin needed a sidekick again. Even if it wasn’t Trix…

Without saying another word, Pumpkin turned on her heels heading towards the door. She reached for the door handle, swinging the door open. She meditated to herself silently as she trotted down the hallway. I hope I’m making the right decision. Please, please, please let me be right.
She stepped back into the foyer. Reese and Murda standing in the lobby, his tall frame towering over her as she nervously stood beside him with her arms crossed in front of her. Pumpkins eyes immediately fell upon the sequin red dress Reese was wearing which had a split up the thigh, exposing her smooth brown skin and long slender legs. Her mouth dropped open. She wore a pair of 8 inch heels and a diamond choker with matching earrings. Her makeup was flawless giving her a natural bare look. Reese had retired the ponytail, wearing her natural long hair in curls, which were neatly pressed spilling over her shoulders  

"What the hell are you wearing girl?" Pumpkin was caught off guard and gave the first reaction that came to her mind. Reese nervously tucked her hair behind her ear while avoiding eye contact. "I'm sorry. I didn’t know how I was supposed to dress. You just told me to dress nice."
Pumpkin looked her up and down sizing her up. Her eyes then fell down upon her own outfit, examining the grey sneakers and yoga pants she threw on this morning. I know this chick is not trying to show me up.

"Is that a new dress?" She asked. She already knew the answer because had the exact same designer dress.. Reese nervously bit her lip as if her cover was blown, signaling that she was guilty. “Is it obvious??" she asked holding her arms out so she could be examined. Pumpkin shook her head. “I know Zuhair Murad when I see it.” She was no stranger to designer clothing and knew all about the $5000 dress Reese was wearing right now. Clearly, this chick was being stupid with her money already.

“I’m sorry.” Reese apologized. “I may have picked up a few things. I looked a mess the last time.”
Pumpkin smacked her lips, not buying the excuse. "Don’t matter. Ain’t nobody paying attention to how you look." She  snapped louder than she intended. She turned her back and began to trot across the hall back towards the way she came. "Come on follow me."
She heard Reese fall into step behind her, her heels clicking on the marble floors as they walked down the hallway. Pumpkin couldn’t help but roll her eyes as they passed the full length mirror before approaching the door, taking note that Reese stood 2 feet taller than her in heels. She was stunningly beautiful in her red dress but Pumpkin would never give her the benefit of the doubt. An uneasy feeling took over her as they approached his office door. I don’t want to bring her around King looking like that. She thought inside her head. But it was too late now.
She pushed open the door being courteous enough to hold the door open for Reese. She wanted to slam it shut in her face and call everything off. But she couldn’t let her insecurities take over. For years, she had done so, keeping the women away in fear they would attempt to seduce the only man she ever loved. But now this was bigger than her feelings.

King sat in the same spot behind his desk. He had his cigar pressed to his, his eyes still glued to the flat screen TV watching the game. He didn’t speak or turn to acknowledge the young ladies as they walked inside the room. Pumpkin halted in place. This was her chance to coax Reese into not saying anything stupid to get her in trouble. "Listen," She tightly grabbed her by the wrist. "Don’t say anything out of line. Be respectful. And if he asks you about your work history, remember you've done this before."
Reese frowned, her bottom lip poking out like a child. "But I haven’t done this before Pumpkin. I'm not good at lying."
Pumpkin rolled her eyes again. "If you want to get paid, you’re going to lie tonight." Using her shoulder, she nudged for Reese to step forward ahead of her. She cleared her throat to get his attention. He turned around in his chair finally to face the women. Reese looked shaken as she stood in front of his desk. Kings eyes immediately fell upon Reese. The room grew silent for a moment as he looked her up and down examining her outfit. He didn’t speak as he continued to stare at her. After a few moments went past, he finally the broke the silence. "You going to the prom when you leave here baby girl?" He asked while smirking. He took a puff of his cigar watching Reese as she nervously blushed. "Ummm…" she stammered. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to overdress. I feel like an idiot."
He laughed at her, his eyes falling onto Pumpkin who stood back allowing Reese to remain on front street. "What’s your name baby girl?" he asked. 
"Reese." She answered nervously. He nodded his head.

"Hmmm." He pointed towards the chair in front of him. "Come have a seat. Pumpkin, you have a seat too." 
Both women obeyed, walking across the room to sit in to the matching leather chairs that sat in the front of his desk. Reese sat down first slowly as if her dress was too tight. Pumpkin sat down next. She kept a watchful eye on King. He hadn’t taken his eyes off of Reese yet. "So." He leaned forward, still not breaking eye contact. Reese was visibly intimidated. She glanced at Pumpkin then back at King. "So." she repeated him.
He smirked at her. "So tell me... How did you get mixed up with Pumpkin?" He asked, prepared to start his interrogation. He leaned forward propping his elbows up on the desk. Reese looked over again at Pumpkin as if she were looking for approval. She looked back at King. "Ummm... I met her through a friend. We kind of just hit it off I guess." 
He nodded his head, while glancing over at Pumpkin again who smirked in return. "Hmmm." Again, he shifted his attention back to Reese. "Why are you so nervous Reese?" He asked, picking up on her avoidance to make eye contact. 
"I don’t know." She shrugged her shoulders. "I was nervous about meeting you tonight."
He smirked, his eyes still glued on her. "Why nervous? I'm a good guy." He threw his hands up in a joking stance, causing Reese to crack a light smile. 
"I'm sure you are." She answered.
King puffed on his cigar as the smoke flowed over the table. Pumpkin sat on the sideline, watching as King continued to lock gazes with Reese. Pumpkin clenched her jaw. King knew very well that he was intimidating her, which is why he had yet to back down or break eye contact. As usual, Reese was busy looking away, fidgeting with her fingernails in the center of her lap. Her cleavage was visible. She had natural perky breast which were pushed up in the tight corset top she was wearing. For a moment, she began thinking the worst. Then again, she had to remember who she was dealing with. King had will power. He wasn’t fazed by a beautiful woman or big breasts. Reese was a soon to be hustler. He steered clear from those types, so she had nothing to worry about.
"Are you ready??" He bluntly asked. "This is a crazy lifestyle and you have to have a strong backbone if you want to survive in this game. You ready for that??"
Reese visibly swallowed the large lump in her throat. She hesitated to answer. Pumpkin rolled her eyes, wishing for once this girl would at least pretend to have confidence. Her shy persona was growing increasingly annoying. King noticed she hadn’t answered right away, so he leaned in even closer. "Reese, something is telling me that you’re new at this. Am I correct?" He eyed her. Reese bit her lip then looked at Pumpkin, who rolled her eyes and didn’t try to hide it. King was not a foolish man, so their cover was blown. He picked up on vibes, and he could tell right away that Reese was no thief. "You must be a good girl. Pumpkin trying to cross you over to the dark side, I see." He laughed, while looking over at Pumpkin who kept a straight face. Already, Reese was getting off on a bad start by not following her lead. Now, there was no turning back. They were here now, so she had to work with what she had regardless if it may or may have not been a mistake.
"Look, I’m not about to play the radio with either one of you." He made sure to make eye contact with the both of them. "It’s a lot of money in this business, and I don’t need anybody coming through here fucking shit up." He pointed towards Reese to let her know he was serious. "You're gonna have to submit a background check Reese. I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt only because you are being represented by my best girl, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you slip through the cracks. I do background checks on all my employees. Got to make sure you're not a thief on record, because if you are, you can’t work for me."
Reese quickly shook her head, intimidated. "I have never been arrested a day in my life." She threw her hands up to signify that they were clean.
"Hmmmm..." Again, he leaned back in his chair, still puffing on his cigar which was beginning to burn out. "Alright, well you’re free to go."
Reese looked at Pumpkin then back at King, confused on why the meeting was ending so abruptly "That’s it? Did I say something wrong? You didn’t want to ask me any more questions?"
"Nope." He shook his head. "I got everything I need on you. You in the game now, so it ain’t no turning back. Just know that you messing with a killer." He nudged his head towards Pumpkin. Pumpkin nodded her head in return, knowing King was just hyping her up but she didn’t mind going along with it. She wasn’t a killer. Unless you pushed her.
Reese nervously cracked her knuckles while standing to her feet. "Okay I get it." She extended her hand to shake his. “It was nice to meet you Mr. King.” Pumpkin stood still. Rule # 1 Never shake King by the hand.  Pumpkin didn’t get a chance to fill her in on the basics. As crazy as it may sound, this was not a rule she made up on her own. King was very serious about his health and personal sanitization. She had never seen him shake hands. Ever. In his words, he did not shake hands because no one was his equal. He was not going to accept Reese’s advance and Pumpkin felt bad for not filling her in. To her surprise, King reached over. He placed his palm into the center of hers. He lightly shook her hand in return. “Nice to meet you as well, Reese.” Pumpkin stood back in shock, her mouth wide open as she stood unnoticed in the background.  What the fuckkkk? She cussed inside her head. Her eyes narrowed as the pair continued to shake hands. 5 seconds went by which felt more like 5 minutes. It’s just a handshake Pumpkin. Calm down. Calm down. Calm down.

Reese, let’s go." She shouted demands as she quickly bum rushed for the door.
She was ready to get the hell out of here and satisfied this meeting was finally over. Pumpkin glanced over her shoulder. Reese was not behind her. She turned around to see Reese standing in the same position. Her hand still gripped the inside of his. "Reese!" Pumpkin shouted her name again, snapping Reese out of a trance. "Oh!" she jumped. "Sorry about that." Reese scurried away from the desk and headed towards the door. Pumpkin held the door open,. She didn’t budge until Reese walked out first. As soon as her back was turned, Pumpkin shot her a look that could kill. How dare this bitch look at my man like that?? Is she fucking crazy?? Although King was attractive and could put any many in a trance, she was not okay with any woman looking at him the same way she did. Her blood boiled as she realized she may have to keep a closer eye on Reese than she thought. Before walking out of his office, she glanced back at King. He smirked at her before waving goodbye. She stared at him for a moment. He knows exactly what he’s doing to me….

 Reese knew one day King was going to open up his eyes and realize that she was the one. It just was going to take time. Shutting the door, she trailed down the hallway, following behind Reese who was two steps ahead of her. Pumpkin made up her mind she was determined to have everything she wanted in life. Nothing and no one was going to stand in her way. Reese needed to play it safe and stay on her good side if she wanted to make succeed. Because Pumpkin wasn’t playing any games, and she was ready to go to war if she had to…

 

 

Chapter 9

 Chapter 9.

BAM BAM BAM BAM. 
Her eyes jolted open as Reese sat in an upright position, her silk satin sheets falling into the center of her lap as she sat straight up. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, glancing at the clock on the side of her bed. 8:53 a.m. BAM BAM BAM BAM. She heard another loud knock on the outside of her bedroom. She threw the covers back, wondering what the hell Jayla wanted and why she was bamming on her door so early in the morning. She reached the door, swinging it open. "What the fuck??" Her hair sat a scrambled mess on the top of her head as she came face to face with Jayla, who stood at the door with an evil look plastered on her face. She was dressed in her nurse scrubs which meant she had just arrived home from her overnight shift at the hospital. "What’s up??" Reese asked. 
Jayla glared at her. "What the fuck I tell you Reese? What I tell you about bringing that girls money in my house?"
Reese shot her a crazy look, "What the hell are you talking about??" She questioned her.
"What am I talking about??" Jayla repeated her. Digging in to her back pocket, she retrieved a stack of 100 dollar bills. Drawing her hand back, she tossed the wad of cash directly into her face, the paper swiping Reese across the lips as it fell on the floor. Shit. Jayla must have found the money she left hidden in the detergent box in the laundry room. Reese was really crap at hiding things and was not surprised to find out that Jayla had located her stash. 
"Don’t worry, it’s all there. I don’t want not one red dime!" She glared. Reese crossed her arms across her chest. She couldn’t figure out what the hell Jayla’s problem was. She felt extremely disrespected by the fact this girl really threw money in her face, but she decided against acting out and pushed that thought into the back of her mind. "What’s your problem Jayla?" Reese asked calmly, really wanting to know the answer.
"You know what my problem is!" She shouted back. "All you do is think about yourself! I told you I didn’t want that drug money in my fucking house."
Reese rolled her eyes. Jayla walked around this bitch like she owned everything and everyone who stepped foot through that door, which was not the case. "It ain’t no drug money, Jayla. You don’t even know what the fuck you’re talking about."
Jayla stepped even closer, preparing to challenge her. "I don’t give a damn what kind of money it is. Its dirty money Reese! And I told your stupid ass, but you still brought it in here and tried to hide it like I wouldn’t find out!"
Reese took a deep breath. Her patience was wearing extremely thin. For the longest, she held her tongue and kept her mouth shut, allowing Jayla to talk to her any type of way and treat her as if she was a child. At this moment, Reese didn’t need her money anymore nor did she have to suck up or kiss her ass. She wanted nothing more than to snap and tell this chick to remove her head from out of her ass, but she decided against cussing her the fuck out. "Listen why do you care what I do for money???” she questioned. “What does it matter to you???"
Jayla glared, her expression turning cold. "Honey, it matters to me because you are putting me in DANGER! Can’t you fucking see that??? What you think is gonna happen if niggas find out you got all this money???? Do you forget we live in Baltimore?? Niggas will rob you for everything you got!" 
Reese wanted to laugh in her face, but she didn’t knowing it would only escalate the situation. Jayla had no idea what she was talking about and she was sick of her thinking she was a miss know it all... Reese leaned against the door frame. "I'm good Jayla. I don’t need a mother okay? Last time I checked, I never had one so I don’t need you pretending to be her now." Reese glared. At times, she felt people like Jayla took advantage of the fact that she had never had a relationship with her mom. Quite frankly, her mama was a prostitute hoe and she never knew who her real father was. Reese didn’t have that leadership role in her life, which is the reason why she let folks boss her around and talk to her any way they wanted. But not anymore.

 "I'm not your mama???" Jayla repeated, taken back by her response.
"That’s what I said." Reese responded firmly. She was tired of Jayla pretending she was the boss and it was time she put her foot down.
"Okay fine." Jayla backed up. "You don’t want to hear what I got to say?? You can GET THE FUCK OUT THEN!" She shouted the words loudly, the veins popping out of her neck. Reese's jaw dropped open as she made sure she heard that correctly. "Excuse me???" She asked, shocked that Jayla was taking it this far.
"You heard what I said!” Jayla spat at her. “I refuse to let you put me in danger! You need to get all your shit and you need to move the fuck out!"
Reese stepped forward, clenching her fist to her side preventing herself from swinging on this bitch. It was too early for this and Jayla was really pushing her buttons right now.

"You want me to move out???" Reese repeated her. "Jayla you got me fucked up! This is my house too you can’t kick me out!"

Jayla glared, waving her finger inches away from her face. "This isn’t your house Clareese. Your name aint on this lease boo."

Reese cut her with her eyes. "So you gonna kick me out? You’re a fucking joke." Reese dismissed her, using her hand to wave her away. "I'll get all my stuff out by the end of the day. Don’t worry about me."

Jayla stood there in silence for a moment, still glaring with her arms crossed on her chest. "All I ever did was try to help you Reese. I tried to motivate you to do better. Do you know how many times I tried to get you a job at that hospital but you never wanted to get up and go to an interview? And you always claimed you was broke and couldn’t find a job. No, you were lazy as shit and you wanted to have everything handed to you. I guess you got what you wanted right???"

Reese walked over to her closet, listening to Jayla ramble in the background. This girl sounded like a mosquito in her ear and she wanted nothing more than for this bitch to disappear. She was sick and tired of her nagging and low-key grateful she finally got the push to move the hell out and get on with her life. She stood on her tippy toes to grab a tank top from the closet shelf. She whipped it over her head as Jayla’s rambling voice faded in the background. Her mind wandered as she began to think about the fact that she always lived with someone or had a roommate and never got the chance to live on her own. This was her moment. She had to take advantage of it. "Jayla." Reese turned towards her. "I don’t have no bad blood with you. You can turn this into beef if you want to. But I’m not gonna let you make me feel bad for hustling and making sure that I eat. It don’t matter how I get my money. It’s none of your business unless I say it’s your business, so you're going to have to take that or leave that. I really don’t give a shit at this point."

Reese grabbed her bag which sat next to her bad. She started feeling cooped up in this room and she didn’t like the way Jayla was surrounding her, invading her personal space. She only wore sweatpants and a tank top but she decided she would pick up something to wear later. Right now she just had to get out of here. She dropped to her feet and began to scoop up the one hundred dollar bills that were spread across the floor. She only had about $8,000 left which was not a lot considering she had over $25,000 two days ago. She wanted to knock herself upside the head as she remembered that $5000 dress.  No wonder her money was dwindling down.

Digging into her back pocket, Reese retrieved her cellphone. Standing to her feet, she unlocked the screen, scrolling through her contacts and dialing Pumpkins number. The line rang one time before she picked up. Pumpkin usually picked up her phone quickly.

"What’s up?" She answered.

"Hey Pumpkin. I got a code red. Can you help me out?" Reese intentionally made the phone call so Jayla could hear the conversation. She glanced up to see her expression. Jayla appeared bewildered as she stood in the door frame. “That’s just sad!” she hissed at her.  Pumpkin grabbed her car keys off the dresser desperate to make an escape. Jayla blocked the doorframe. "That girl is going to get you in some serious trouble. I promise you that." Reese ignored her threats as she brushed past her. She headed out the door and down the hallway. Jayla followed closely behind to see her out. Reese reached the front door, slipping on a pair of flip flops that sat next to the welcome mat.

"What’s going on Reese? Are you safe?" Pumpkin asked on the other line in a stern but concerned tone.

"Yep. Just need you to make a few connects for me. I know you got them." Reese spoke into the phone then pulled it away from her ear to speak to Jayla. "Oh yeah and this lease may be in your name. But the lights aint so have fun in the dark tonight." Reese smirked. She wasn’t really going to turn the lights off but if this bitch ever tried her again she would make good on her promise. Reese pranced out onto the porch, making sure to take her house key with her so this girl couldn’t lock her out when she came back to get her stuff. Jayla stepped off the porch after her but didn’t dare to follow her down the driveway. Again, Jayla’s mouth dropped open as she watched Reese sashay down the driveway, click the lock to her candy red infinity and walk around the car to the driver’s side door. Although the Infinity was parked directly in front of the apartment, this was Jayla’s first time seeing it. Reese did a good job hiding it and still kept her Honda Civic in the front yard to throw it off. "That’s a fucking sad, Reese." She shouted across the yard. "You better be safe out here girl. I’m real scared for you".

Reese ignored her. She was glad to finally get out of here. This apartment reminded her too much of her struggle. That was her past that now and ready to move on. Opening the door, she threw her bag into the passenger seat and pressed the phone back to her ear. She shut the door to make sure Jayla couldn’t hear the rest of her conversation. "My bad Pumpkin, I didn’t mean to call you like this but this bitch just kicked me out. I need somewhere to go."

Silence spread across the phone as Pumpkin went silent. Reese nervously fidgeted with her fingernails, hoping she wasn’t asking for too much, but she didn’t know what else to do. She heard Pumpkin sigh on the other end before she came back to the phone. "I'm going to call King. I will call you right back."

 

Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10.

　

Reese pulled up to the unknown address. Pumpkin sent her the Key highway address via text message, instructing her on what time she should arrive. She drove her Infinity into a parking lot leading towards a deserted, boarded up hair salon. Why here of all places? She looked around. No one was in the area and the place looked abandoned. Reese nervously cracked her knuckles as she waited. She was here to meet King. After Pumpkin made that drastic call, Pumpkin made a few phone calls of her own after telling her to drive towards Key Highway in 1 hour.  King was going to meet her there to give her something. She had no idea what that something was. Reese sat back in her leather seats as she placed the car in park. She was nervous as hell right now and felt extremely shaken to be meeting up with King alone. Reese felt like an insecure idiot the last time she was around him. She had no idea how to act around a man with so much power, and it clearly showed. She felt like a damn fool to think she could pass up to be a certified thief like Pumpkin. King called it like he seen it. She was a good girl and had always been.

Seconds later, an all-black Porsche truck pulled up next to her. The windows were tinted so dark she could not see who was all inside. The paint job had a shiny exterior. The truck was black on black with large black 24 inch rims. She wasn’t surprised to see how he was riding. Based upon what she was told about King, he had a variety of vehicles to choose from. The Porsche truck was one of many.

He rolled down the window enough for her to see his face. They locked dazes. Damn it. She chanted inside her head. Why does he have to be so goddamn fine???

Reese couldn’t deny the inevitable, he was one of the most handsome males she had ever seen in her entire lifetime. She was completely smitten the first time she laid eyes on him on his office but she would never admit it out loud. For a moment, Reese began to think about Pumpkin and how she ran down the rules the night after their first meeting. No shaking hands with King. No lusting over King. No visits at King’s office if Pumpkin wasn’t present. Anything that involved King was a no go. Pumpkin made that very clear the last time she saw her.

She glanced over. Reese couldn’t see much. He was dressed in a cream polo shirt with a gold chain hanging across his neck. "What’s up Reese?" He smiled at her. Her heart fluttered as soon as he opened his mouth to speak. She pulled herself together, trying not to look stupid again with her mouth hanging open. "Hello King." She spoke as calmly as possible attempting to breathe at a steady pace.

"Heard you got into a little bit of trouble with your roomie." He continued to smile at her as he slightly leaned out of his window. Reese nervously cracked a smile. "Looks like that huh? Pumpkin said you got something for me."

They made eye contact for a second as King played with the neatly trimmed edges of his mustache. Yeah I do." He answered her. "Park your car. Come hop in the truck with me."

Reese grew embarrassed as she remembered the sweats and tank top she still wore from this morning. "Park here? What if my car gets towed?" she came up with an excuse to stay in place.

"Don’t worry about that." He waved his hand. "I own this salon baby girl and I ain’t gonna tow your car."

Reese was surprised. She looked out the corner of her eye, glancing at the salon which was a 2 story glass building decorated in pink and purple drapes. . The salon was boarded up, but she could see the potential. The sign read Queen's Hair Salon. She was impressed and had no idea behind the scheming and plotting, King was a legit business man. "Wow. I had no idea." She nodded her head.

He smirked. ''You're gonna get in or what?"

They both grew silent staring at each other. Why is he staring at me like that??? She thought inside her head. Feels like he’s looking me deep inside my soul. I know I’m not hallucinating.  For a second, Reese felt something but at the same time felt like she was imagining things. This man was practically untouchable. There’s no way he’s checking for someone like me.

 Reese shut the car off and rolled up her windows. She didn’t know what to expect as she opened the car door preparing to get out. King kept his eyes locked on her as she stuck her foot out the car. His eyes examined her outfit falling down to her sweatpants and sneakers. She blushed, feeling insecure as she stood outside the car. 

"Come on." He instructed her again. She nodded her head, walking around the car towards the passenger side door. Her adrenaline rushed as she reached for the handle, swinging the door open so she could hop inside. His truck had a pleasant, manly aroma. His office smelled the exact same way. It enticed her. Drew her in.

 With ease, she lifted her foot up to pull herself into the truck. Sliding in to the passenger seat, she nervously reached over to shut the door, closing them both inside together. She looked over at him. He continued to stare at her, making her feel extremely timid as she bit her lip.
"So this is what you look like when you’re not all dressed up, huh?" He finally broke the silence.

 Reese nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Yeah, it’s been a crazy morning." She spoke while looking down. She heard King lightly chuckle as he reached forward and placed the truck in drive. She was nervous. He slowly pulled off.

Reese couldn’t help but notice his beautiful brown eyes glistening underneath the sunset as she turned to him. "Where are we going?" She asked as he pulled out of the parking lot. 
He smirked at her before answering. "I got you an apartment on Mount Royal Avenue. Fully furnished and my boys are moving all your furniture in there right now as we speak. It won’t be ready till tomorrow though."
He paused to allow her to absorb what she just heard.

Her entire world stood still. Reese paused as she sat frozen in time. She didn’t move as she repeated those words inside her head. Apartment? Fully furnished? Mount Royal Avenue? The rich side of town???  She sat forward as she brought herself back to reality. She still had not become used to these sudden surprises and felt taken aback each time she was hit with something new. "Wh—Wh- What??" Reese stammered over words. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It was no joke. 
"Pumpkin told me what happened.” He continued. “As long as you working for us, you ain’t got anything to worry about. We’re going to take care of you."
Her mouth still hung open. She was speechless. She slowly came to the realization that everything she and dreamed for was unfolding right before her eyes. This was real. She wasn’t dreaming no more. She closed her eyes. Meeting Pumpkin and King was the best thing that could have ever happened to her. She was so grateful. They saved her from a deep, dark depression and she owed everything to these two.

"Wow. I don’t know what to say." She wanted to question whether or not this was real life but she didn’t want to insult him. "Thank you King. Thank you so much." She gazed at him sincerely. Reese never knew people like King and Pumpkin even existed. They made so many things happen for her within an amount of days. There were too many perks associated with this lifestyle. She couldn’t give that up. 
"I told you, you ain’t got anything to worry about. Just make sure you obey and do everything I say, and then you will be good." He gave her a serious look as he pulled the truck onto the road, the smooth ride gliding down the street. Reese eyed him, wondering what he meant when he said obey. She didn’t dare resist, instead she nodded her head. They rode in silence for a few moments. Reese couldn’t help but look over at him, examining him out the corner of her eye. King sat slightly laid back with one hand on the steering wheel. He was so attractive and well put together, there was no way in hell this man was single. She secretly felt like a Queen B just riding in the car next to him. He looked over, catching her staring at him making herself feel awkward. He smirked, noticing her avoidance. "What’s on your mind?" He asked.
She shrugged her shoulders, afraid to say too much. "Nothing. Just wondering where we're going, that’s all."
He continued to drive as he used his free hand to massage his mustache. He glanced at her and then back at the road "We're going to my place. I got a condo in Inner Harbor. You're gonna stay there tonight until your apartment is ready."
She was surprised. Reese had no idea he had another condo but quite frankly it wasn’t a shocker.

"You're okay with me staying there?'' She asked. She began to think about Pumpkin. There’s no way in hell Pumpkin knows about this. Reese was really good at picking up on things, and Pumpkins entire attitude changes the moment she’s around King. Her demeanor gave off an obsessive vibe. The way she behaved after the meeting was more in a threatening manner versus a protective manner. She basically warned her to stay the hell away from King. Or else. She also told her all about how paranoid King was. He lived a very sheltered life and never let anyone get close to him.  Reese was still a stranger to him so she was completely surprised to discover he was willing to open up his doors for her. He smirked at her again. "I don’t do this often." He answered in a stern tone. She was curious now. She wanted to know where he was taking her and what she was about to walk in to. The night Pumpkin took her to the inner harbor was her first time visiting the area, and she was a little hesitant and nervous to return in fear that the man they robbed would notice her. Then again, she took note to the fact that his eyes were tied the entire time so there was no way he seen her.
They drove for 5 minutes in silence. Smooth jazz spilled out the speakers, which was impressive. She figured he was in to rap music or underground hip-hop, but each time the CD player switched, it was a Peter White, Boney James, or Kenny G track. He bobbed his head to the music as if the saxophone smoothed his soul. Reese laid back, enjoying the ride. She didn’t understand how she ended up here sitting next to one of the richest men in Baltimore. She didn’t see this shit coming and she was still trying to make sense of it all. 
After riding in silence, they pulled up in front of a large building. Reese looked up at her surroundings, peeking out the side of the window examining the 21 story condominium. She wasn’t surprised as he turned his vehicle to the right heading towards the building. The home she visited last time was large in square feet and very well landscaped, but the view at this condo was breathtaking. They pulled up directly to the valet, who smiled and waved as if he hadn’t seen King in a long time. He rolled down the window as the valet approached the driver’s side door. "Good afternoon Mr. White." 
King nodded his head towards the young man. "What’s up Brian? You working hard?" Reese leaned over to glance at the valet. He appeared to be young, no older than 17 or 18. He had a smile plastered across his face as if King was a celebrity to him. "Yes sir. Working hard every day."
King nodded his head. "That’s good. And make sure you keeping them grades up in school. You can’t get into UCLA with C's and D's." He shot the boy a stern look, who nodded his head.

"Yes sir, I’m keeping my grades up. I can’t get that football scholarship without it either." He laughed while leaning his head into the car. He appeared shocked and taken aback to see someone sitting in the front seat. "Well hello there mam." He spoke in a respectful tone. Reese smiled and waved back, wondering why he seemed so surprised. "Hi."
He smiled at her again before sticking his head back outside the truck. "You valet parking today Mr. White?"
He shook his head. "Nah, I think I will drive up myself." Using his free hand, he dug into his side pocket and retrieved three one hundred dollar bills. He passed them over, tipping the valet as he eyes lit up. "Aww man thank you Mr. White. I really appreciate this sir."
He nodded his head. "There’s more where that came from. Just stay in school my man."
The boy smiled at him one last time before scurrying back to his original spot. Reese couldn’t help but smile back as she watched him grin from ear to ear, waving goodbye as they drove past.
"That was nice." She spoke as he traveled down the street. He nodded his head while smiling. "Yeah. He’s a good kid. Reminds me a lot of myself when i was younger."
Reese couldn’t help but feel curious. "Mr. White is it?" She asked while raising an eyebrow. He looked over at her then turned again to face straightforward "That’s my father’s name. But don’t ask me about that. I don’t want to talk about it."
Reese pressed her lips together, obeying his orders. He glanced at her, noticing she had stopped talking. "A lot of the kids round here call me Mr. White. They look up to me. But I’m no saint. I want them to be better than me."
Reese listened as he pulled the truck into the parking garage. She looked at him, wondering what his life story was. Behind every tough shell is a soft inner core.

After reaching the top of the parking garage, he finally pulled his truck alongside a row of vehicles, all different makes and models but matching black on black interior, paint jobs, and rims. "Let me guess." She stated while counting the cars as he passed each one. "These are all yours right?"

He chuckled while placing the car in park. "Is it that obvious?"

She shook her head, disgusted by how much money this man had. "This many cars at your second place of residence?" she asked. "And I notice we're on the top floor. Is this the penthouse suite?"

He turned towards her, clenching his jaw as if she had hit a nerve. He smirked. "You're very observant aren’t you?"

She blushed, hoping she wasn’t rambling too much. "I'm sorry. I see that you’re doing very well. I'm impressed."

King licked his lips while staring at her. He didn’t speak for a moment. Reese felt her heart beat out of her chest as she came to the realization that she was not hallucinating. Again, their eyes connected. The same way they had done when they were in the parking lot. He didn’t say anything but she could see his jaw clenching as if he were resisting. She held her breath. I’m not going crazy. I’m not going crazy.

"So." She broke the silence but still keeping eye contact. "There wouldn't by any chance be a Mrs. White that would be upset about another woman staying in her penthouse suite now would there?"

King chuckled again, laughing her off. "Come on now baby girl, don’t act like you haven’t done your research on me. You know I’m not married."

Reese bit her lip, hoping she wasn’t making herself sound stupid. He clicked the unlock button allowing her to step out of the car. She slid out, shutting the door behind her. Reese walked around the truck to follow in step behind him. She didn’t know what to expect and honestly couldn’t believe she was here right now with him all alone. No security cameras, no Pumpkin, no Murda, just the two of them. He approached a side door that he unlocked with a key. Immediately the smell of fresh paint and cinnamon sticks floated through her nostrils. An odd combination but pleasant smell. After shutting the door she stepped to the side allowing him to walk past her and lead the way. Reese nervously followed him down the hallway towards a door which he opened with another key. Pushing the door open, they walked into the foyer which led directly into the kitchen. Upon walking into the living area, she was breath taken. The all-white marble countertops matched with the stainless steel appliances. Her eyes scanned the spacious condo. Her face lit up. This was the most beautiful penthouse suite she had ever seen. She had never seen one in person.

Reese admired the white island, bar stools, love sofa and matching rug. He had a sense of style which was impressive for a man. "Wow." She looked around, finding herself speechless again. Reese wondered why the condo was his second home. It was way flashier than his first and had more of a homey feel. The large bay windows exposed all of the Inner Harbor and downtown Baltimore. The view was breathtaking at the top floor. "This is so nice King." She turned to him as he watched her admire his place with his hands in his pockets.

"Thanks." He answered. "I don’t come here much. Only when I want to get away or need time to think to myself."

She looked around, nodding her head. "Wow, if only I could get away in a place like this."

He smirked as if he had something in store for her. He stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with her as they both gazed outside the window. "You know, this isn’t my second home. It’s actually my fourth."

Reese looked over at him. She laughed while shaking her head, wondering what he was going to pull out of his hat next. "Well I think that’s the icing on the cake. You’re living the American dream Mr. White." She called him the name again while glancing at him. She was catching on to it hoped it wasn’t offending him. He continued to smile at her which indicated he wasn’t bothered.

"It’s different here though." He said, his tone growing serious. ''This place here means something to me. It’s my home away from home. I park all my cars here." He glanced over at her. "And I never brought anyone up here either. No one has been up here but you" They locked eyes for the third time. Again, he was throwing her off guard and she didn’t know how to respond. They stared in silence for a few moments.

"No one?" She asked. "And why me?" Her anxiety resurfaced. Her hands and knees began to shake nervously. He turned his whole body to face her, taking a deep breath before answering her. "You really want to know the answer to that question?"

Nervously, Reese turned around to face him also, feeling her knees buckle as he stepped in closer. If I didn’t believe it before, I believed it now. There was tension in between their bodies. A lock in between their gazes. She wasn’t imagining it. "I want to know." She said below a whisper. "Tell me."

He stepped even closer, now almost two inches away from her face. "Well, I just want to say... from the moment I laid eyes on you...when you came into my office that day... I knew I was going to fuck you. I was going to fuck the shit out of you and and make you fall for me."

Her legs almost gave out. Her body swayed, tipping back and forth as a rush of sensation overcame her. She wanted to tilt back and did everything in her might to keep her posture. "What?" The word’s slipped from her lips. She wanted to slap herself and make sure she wasn’t dreaming. She wasn’t. This was real.

He walked up on her, suddenly slipping his hand on the back of her neck. He pulled her in face to face. He immediately pressed his long hard erection up against her. Reese was in shock. She couldn’t move. She stood there with her hands by her side as he breathed heavily, clutching her even tighter as his erection grew bigger. He was inches away from her face.

"It’s something about you that turns me on Reese." He ran his finger across her lips. Reese closed her eyes, completely mesmerized by his touch and in complete disbelief that he was embracing her so closely and so suddenly. "You so damn beautiful. But you don’t have any confidence."

She opened her eyes, looking up at him. He was telling the truth and he was calling her out on her insecurities. There were reasons behind her inability to make eye contact. Her mother instilled into her that she was not beautiful and would never be as beautiful as she was. Her mother blamed Reese’s father for getting her pregnant at 14. She resented her own daughter. Reese didn’t have that motherly love. She didn’t get the chance to be a daddy’s girl. She grew up believing her mother’s words. She was not beautiful and she would never be good enough for anyone to love her. Those memories were instilled in her head. "Your right King.'' she shook her head. "I don’t wanna be a good girl no more."

He ran his finger across her lips again, shushing her so she couldn’t speak. "Nah baby girl. I don’t want you to change, I like how you are." He moved in again, his lips lightly brushing hers. "I want you to be a good girl for daddy."

He dropped his fingers down to her pussy, using two fingers to stroke her on the outside of her sweatpants. She closed her eyes, throwing her head back as she moaned. He wrapped his arms around her waist as he straddled her. His hand traveled towards the top of her sweats. Slowly, he inched his hand inside. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Is this really happening right now????

  The room was getting hot. Her panties were moist, she could feel the dampness brush across her skin "King." She moaned his name. He continued further down her pants. She felt his finger slip inside of her. “Ahhhhh.” She moaned out as she shivered. His fingers danced inside her walls. She twirled her hips as he turned her on, her juices dripping onto his fingers as he twirled them around inside of her. “Mmmm.” She sped up the motion in her hips as he continued to finger fuck her. Fuckkkkk. How is he hitting the right spot?? How is he doing this to me right now??? Reese was vulnerable. Weak.

He stopped stroking her. She took a deep breath as he released his hand from underneath her clothing. She was in a daze. If this is a dream, don’t wake me up. Please don’t wake me up.

"Listen Reese, I don’t mean to come on this strong,. I'm gonna contain myself now." He smirked while glancing at her. It was a little too late for that now. She was struggling to regain her composure. He began to back away, leaving her standing there mouth wide opened completely dumbfounded on what just happened. "I'm gonna go now. Make yourself comfortable. I will have Pumpkin call you tomorrow so you can come pick up the keys to your new place. Oh and don’t forget, you have to work tomorrow night so make sure your prepared." He eyed her, hitting her with everything at once as she still attempted to re cooperate. "Uhhh... Okay." She stammered. Reese was dizzy and wanted nothing more than to collapse. Her body was 2 seconds away from climaxing. She nodded her head feeling slightly winded. He smirked than began walking towards the door. "Oh yeah one more thing." He stopped in his tracks again and turned back to her. "Do me a favor." Reese looked at him, wondering what kind of favor he could possibly want now.

"As far as what happens between me and you, I need you to keep it between me and you. And when I say that, I mean make sure you don’t go running around telling Pumpkin anything about us."

Reese flinched as he mentioned her name. She suddenly felt a hint of jealousy taking over as she prepared to ask the question she had been wanting to know since the first night they met. "Why? Do you mess around with her or something?" She was curious to know the answer. The way Pumpkin acted around King, she gave off a vibe that he meant more to her than just her boss.

He chuckled while shaking his head. "Absolutely not." He stated firmly. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Let’s just say Pumpkin is real protective of me. And we don’t need her finding out about this." He eyed her again to make sure she understood. Reese nodded. She would do anything he asked and keep things on the low if that’s what he wanted.

"I'm gonna see you later." He nodded his head towards her. "I promise you that." With that being said, he turned his back and walked away, out towards the door that they came. Reese stood there in silence for a moment, attempting to absorb everything that just happened. King wanted her. Little old Reese from the hood. His sudden advances took her by complete shock.  But she loved it and she wanted more. Reese stood still as she looked around the empty condo, not knowing where to explore first. I can’t believe I’m here right now. In his condo. Alone. She could still feel his touch as her insides tingled. First thing on her agenda, hop in the shower…

 

 

 

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

 

Where the hell is she at? I told her to be here at 5 o’clock. Who does she think she is leaving me here waiting on her?

Pumpkin anxiously tapped her foot as she waited outside the apartment building, constantly checking her watch waiting as the time ticked by. Pumpkin stood on the sidewalk, constantly looking to her left and right waiting to see the red infinity pull up the street. She took a deep breath.  Patience was not her virtue and she couldn’t stand waiting. She pulled out her phone to check and see if she had any missed calls. Swiping her finger across the screen, she located an unread text message and quickly opened it. REESE: Hey I’m up the street. Sorry so late. Got lost. Rolling her eyes, she threw her phone back into her purse. This girl was horrible with time. If she wasn’t late, she was too early. Pumpkin rolled her eyes as she waited wondering whether or not she made the right decision hiring Reese. Secretly, she felt like an idiot for recruiting someone that was so inexperienced. The stunt she pulled yesterday with her roommate indicated that Reese was a bigger, not a chooser. She was only here to collect.

Looking up, she caught sight of the candy red infinity cruising down the street. Pumpkin took a moment to admire her old car as it moved closer.  Why did I give her in the infinity? I should have brought her a new car. Pumpkin couldn’t help but think to herself. Purchasing the Infinity was a huge accomplishment for her and she foolishly gave it away as if it didn’t matter to her at all. She watched as Reese pulled up next her. Pumpkin cut her eyes, not hiding the fact that she was impatient and didn’t like waiting. Normally, Pumpkin would never go out on a limb. Unless there was some sort of profit or if something was in it for her. Reese had one person to thank for her generosity.  Giving her only 24 hours, King advised her to find an apartment for Reese, order furniture and decorate without going over $15,000. Reese is new to the game. She hasn’t even proved herself yet. What makes him think she deserves this type of luxury?? Her mind began to wander, once again thinking the worst. She couldn’t help it or deny the feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something wasn’t right.

 “You’re late." Pumpkin hissed at her. Reese threw her hands up quickly, preparing to apologize. "I'm so sorry. I don’t know my way around the area."

"Whatever." She waved her off, "Just park across the street."

Reese nodded her head, pulling off so she could parallel park directly across the building. Pumpkin stood by, watching as she backed the car in next to a parking meter. Her eyes narrowed as she glanced at the tires, which had been replaced with new rims. She also examined the body work which was neatly waxed and polished.  This girl is nothing like me. Pumpkin thought inside of her head. When Pumpkin received her very first lump sum payment at 18 years old, she put a down payment on a house. Not on designer dressers, jewelry, and flashy rims.

 Reese stepped out. She dressed casual in a pair of faded jeans and knee high boots. Again, her makeup was applied to perfection and her curls were neatly pressed. She trotted across the road to meet Pumpkin, closing up her leather jacket as the wind blew her hair behind her shoulders.

"I really didn’t mean to keep you waiting." Reese apologized as she approached. Pumpkin rolled her eyes in response, turning her back. "Just follow me. I've wasted enough time here already." She began trotting up the steps. Reese slowly followed up the stairs behind her. “I’m not going to tell you again about your timing. “ Pumpkin spoke over her shoulder. “You don’t show up late to anyone else’s job, I expect that same respect.” Pumpkin scolded her.  Reese didn’t protest. “Okay.” She responded lightly underneath her breath. Okay???  Pumpkin quickly became frustrated. Why doesn’t this girl have a back bone?? Why doesn’t she stick up for herself??? Pumpkin frequently tested her and pushed her buttons just to see if she would snap back. She never did.

They both trailed up the stairs and approached the glass door. She swiped with a badge to open. The doors began to circulate. Pumpkin casually stepped inside the revolving doors. Reese jumped inside behind her. Together, they walked into the lobby. The place was very upscale. Pumpkin always wanted to live here herself, pack up her big house and move into an apartment penthouse suite. She decided against it a long time ago. Pumpkin glanced at Reese out of her peripheral view. Her jaw practically touched the floor as she absorbed her new habitat. The floors were a cream marble, the walls filled with elegant paintings and statues. A water fall sat in the middle of the lobby, giving a sensual feel as the water flowed down the well. The male receptionist sat behind a brown oak desk, smiling excitedly as the new residents walked by. Pumpkin led the way, trailing across the foyer towards the elevators.

 "This is too much." She heard Reese speak as she trailed behind her. Pumpkin rolled her eyes. I agree. She chanted inside her head. They stood side by side, waiting for the elevator to open. The doors slowly opened. They both stepped inside. Pumpkin pushed the button for the 15th floor waiting silently as the elevator glided towards the top. She glanced over at Reese again, who was nervously fidgeting with her fingers as usual. Pumpkin took a deep breath, feeling with each step she was digging herself even deeper into a hole.

The elevator buzzed for floor 15, the gold doors opening allowing them to step out. Reese stayed behind her as Pumpkin led the way, trailing down the hallway towards apt #65. She approached the door waiting a moment before she entered. She hesitated. Apart of her felt Reese did not deserve this apartment. She didn’t know how to feel handing over the keys that easily. But there was nothing she could do about it now. This was not her money that paid for this apartment.  It was King’s money. She usually had a say so, but this situation was completely out of her hands.

Pumpkin retrieved the key from her back pocket. Sticking the key into the lock, she turned it to the left allowing the door to crack open. She nudged her head forward to allow Reese to lead the way inside. Reese hesitated as if she were unsure the coast was clear. "Come on, I don’t have all day!" Pumpkin snapped. Reese hurriedly stepped forward and pushed open the door. Her eyes were shut completely. She didn’t open them until she had stepped inside. Her mouth dropped open in shock. “Oh my god.” was her first response. Oh my God is right. Pumpkin thought inside of her head. She only chose the best of the best.  

The apartment was spacious. The walls were freshly painted in her favorite color. Bronze amber. Elegant paintings hung on the wall. Vincent van Gogh, his fine art decorated the sensual apartment.  A large crystal diamond chandelier lit up the dining room area, placing a nice glow around the living room. She looked over at Reese who still had her mouth wide open as she stared in a daze. "Oh my God...” Reese repeated a second time. "This is not mine. There's no way this apartment is mines." She stepped forward running her fingers against the bar which stretched around the kitchen leading from the dining room to the living room area. Pumpkin couldn’t help but to examine her work. She was impressed with what she could accomplish in such little time. She decorated this place as if she were decorating her own home. Outside of the street life, interior decorating had been one of the only talents she ever had. Pumpkin wanted to own her own business someday. Someday...

 "Wow Pumpkin. I'm speechless." Reese interrupted her thoughts. "I don’t know how to thank you."

"Don’t." She wasn’t in the mood to attend any pity party’s. If Pumpkin had a say so in this, she would have never put up money to put Reese into a fully furnished apartment. She would have threw her enough cash to rent a hotel for a few nights and allowed her to work and come up with the money on her own. Nothing was handed down easily. Pumpkin had to work for everything she had in life. She wasn’t cutting no corners and expected the same from Reese. She took a moment to think about King, knowing she was going to have to stop by his office and have a talk with him. It was her choice to hire Reese. She felt she should be included in certain decision making. 

Pumpkin headed for the door, stopping by the bar to drop a set of keys and a key badge onto the countertop. "The badge key is to get in the doors downstairs. The gold key is for your apartment. I will be taking a spare key for bookkeeping purposes but I have no intentions on visiting your apartment whatsoever."

Reese nodded her head, "Okay."

"And don’t forget." Pumpkin continued. "We have to work tonight. So i need to you to be ready by 8 o’clock. No later, no earlier."

Reese hesitantly nodded her head, but she knew better than to resist. Her ass was going to have to work overtime to make up for all the money spent. "I'm serious Reese." Pumpkin narrowed her eyes. "You are never on time, and that’s one of my biggest pet peeves!."

"I know, but I honestly got lost." Reese pleaded her case. "I stayed at the inner harbor last night, and I don’t know my way around there at all."

The inner harbor??? Pumpkin shook her head. Clearly, Reese didn’t know anything about these Baltimore streets. The more cash this chick drops out of her pocket, the more of a trail she was going to leave behind. Reese could have stayed at a best western, but instead she chose to stay in the inner harbor??

"You don't know nothing bout the inner harbor" Pumpkin pointed a finger in her direction." She was disappointed, but she should have known better. Reese was a broke chick from the hood who never had nothing. Pumpkin never should have left her with large amounts of money. She should have gave it out in increments, just to observe how this girl manages her money. So far, she was doing a horrible job.

Reese pleaded with her eyes "I know, I know. I was a little hesitant at first. King has a condo out there by the river. He let me stay there for the night until my place was ready."

Silence.

The room stood still.

Pumpkin's body froze, her knees buckled.

A sucker punch to the heart.

She couldn't move, her toes went numb.

Wha--Wha--Whatttt? What did I just hear???

Reese quickly placed her palm in the center of her mouth as if she had just said something wrong.

"I mean... I mean..."she stammered then bit her lip. There was no taking back what she just said.

Pumpkin had not responded. She continued to stare straight forward, her body still numb.

"I had nowhere to go last night, he was nice enough to let me stay there for one night. I figured maybe you knew." Reese pleaded. "I'm sorry, I should have called you."

Pumpkin continued to stare. She attempted to regain her composure but she could not respond. She was at a loss for words. Speechless.

"Please Pumpkin." Reese continued. "Don’t be upset."

Pumpkin could feel her body shake underneath her clothes. Quickly, she had slipped into a very dark space and didn’t know how to pull herself out of it.

"Did he stay there with you?" Pumpkin could feel her lips move but there was no emotion behind her words. She had mentally checked out.

"No, he didn't. I stayed there alone." she was quick to answer.

Pumpkin slowly looked over at Reese, who had a troubled look on her face.

She was going to hide this from me. Pumpkin chanted inside her head. This sneaky bitch.

"I didn't know anything about a condo in the Inner Harbor." Pumpkin hated to admit it. But it was true "When did he get a place down there and not tell me about it?" her chest pained as she asked the question.

Reese brought her fingernails to her lips, nervously biting at them again. "He's real secretive about it, I guess. He doesn’t want too many people knowing."

Pumpkin closed her eyes again as she begin to meditate. Calm down Pumpkin. Calm down.

Her emotions were at an all-time high right now. If she didn’t get it together now, she was liable to say something she would regret. That eerie feeling returned, invading her body as she stood still. Pumpkin was like King’s personal real estate. In-between his three properties and 4 business locations, she helped him close every single mortgage he ever had on the table. She also decorated his homes. He always told her he was infatuated with her interior decorating and that she would always be the only one he would call. But that was all a lie... She was completely astonished to find out that he had a secret spot, and it was even more shocking finding out this information from Reese.

 "You pushing up on King after everything I told you about him?" Pumpkin clenched her fist as she stepped forward. Reese backed down the closer she got.

"I told you it’s not like that Pumpkin, I swear. I don’t want him, he doesn’t want me."

Pumpkin clenched her jaw. She hesitated for a moment as she contemplated her next move. She could act out, but she was emotionally exhausted and was not ready to provide her true reaction. The best thing to do right now was to walk away. There was no telling what she might do if she stayed any longer.

This is not over. I swear this is not over!!!!

She left Reese standing in the middle of the floor as she walked away. "Be on time tonight. I will send you the address. Meet me there and DO NOT be late." Pumpkin did not wait for her to respond. She reached for the door handle, desperate to escape this apartment.

"Wait!" Reese shouted to stop her. She stepped forward as Pumpkin reluctantly turned around to face her. "Pumpkin, I really do appreciate you for hooking up this place for me. I love it." She repeated.

Pumpkin was on edge. She did not smile or show any emotion.

Haunting images filled her mind…

She imagined Reese lying in King’s bed. She wasn’t thinking clearly and had to get the hell out of here before she had an anxiety attack.

Pumpkin didn’t respond. She stepped out into the hallway, shutting the door behind her. She wanted to scream out loud but she resisted as she silently trailed down the narrow hallway. She was confused. She didn’t know how to feel. Her body was still in a state of shock, attempting to regain composure so she could turn back and give Reese the reaction she deserved.

 She became angry as she thought about King.

What was he thinking? How dare he allow Reese inside his home?

She trusted him. She didn’t trust Reese.

Pumpkin shook her head, in pure disbelief with herself. She never allowed a woman to intimidate her. It was not in her nature.

I brought this bitch around. This is all my fault. I brought this upon myself.

Pumpkin continued to travel down the hallway, thinking about her next move. Pumpkin could not associate herself with anyone that she considered a threat. Approaching the elevator door, she had finally come up with a plan. She was going to get whatever she could get out of Reese for now, and as soon as the time was right, she was gonna drop that bitch on her ass like a pancake. She didn’t trust her, nor did she want to work with someone she couldn’t depend on.

This bitch crossed the line. So she’s done…

Pressing the elevators button to go down, Pumpkin took a deep breath relaxing herself after she finally came up with a resolution.

Reese has to go.

 

Chapter 12

Chapter 12.

 

Click Clack Click Clack.

Her heels tapped on the marble floors as Reese walked down the long narrow hallway. Her long black dress dragged on the floor behind her. She followed the directions jotted down on the poorly written sticky note. 401 W Pratt St, Baltimore. Up the elevators, to the right. Room #487. 

Reese sashayed down the hallway, practicing her walk as she caught a glimpse of herself in the full length mirror. She stopped before walking past, examining her outfit. Hmmmm… She kept the tag tucked safely underneath the armpit in hopes of returning the $2500 Shalaj K. designer dress back to the boutique after tonight was over. She didn’t want to overdress again, but at the same time she wanted to wear a comfortable but fashionable dress with stretchy material so she could maneuver. Reese took a deep breath. This is it…  There’s no turning back.

She continued her journey down the hallway, her mind wandering. She began to think about Pumpkin. That woman had been acting extremely weird lately and it felt as if she was giving off the cold shoulder. Reese began to ponder across what she could have possibly done different. I never should have stayed the night at King’s without telling her. But dammit, he made it soooooooo worth it. She shivered as she began to think about King again but quickly shook that image out of her head.

She hadn’t spoken with Pumpkin since the night she left her apartment. Reese called her at least 20 times prior to driving to the hotel but got no answer. She found the directions stuck on the outside of her car window poorly written down on a balled up sticky note. Room #487 at the Hilton Hotel. Her anxiety rushed as she walked down the hotel lobby towards the elevators. She had arrived on time, just the way she was advised. Clearly, she had gotten off on the wrong foot with Pumpkin and tonight was the night to prove herself. Reese was in debt to her and did not want to get on her bad side so soon in the game.

She slowly approached the elevator which was located at the end of the hallway. The doors slid open. She didn’t hesitate stepping inside. Reese didn’t know what was waiting for her up these stairs, all she knew was she had a 9mm in her purse that she found left underneath her pillow. Good looking out Pumpkin.

 She felt the weight of the gun in her purse as the elevator slowly made its way to the top, taking what felt like forever. Pumpkin was supposed to have arrived before her. Hopefully, she was already here waiting for her upstairs. Reese had no idea what she was about to walk into but she was prepared this go round. Slowly but surely, she was growing accustomed to expecting the unexpected. She knew by now that anything could go down at any time, she had to be ready.

 Reese anxiously tapped her foot as the elevator slowly inched its way to the top floor. She made several poor attempts to make herself believe she had what it takes to be a successful thief like Pumpkin and King. Pumpkin had been robbing niggas since she was 16 years old. She had plenty of experience. Reese on the other hand had never stolen a thing in her life. Her mother scolded her at a very young age, telling her if she ever was to steal or do drugs, she would end up a no good piece of shit just like a father. Reese shook her head. My mother was a cruel witch…

The elevator doors opened. Reese stepped out of the elevator. Once in the hallway, she took one last deep breath. The closer she got the more anxious she became. She walked at a steady pace ready to get this over with and collect her next payment. She wanted to slap herself upside the head for not being smarter with her money. It had only been 1 week. She already spent half of her cash on stupid shit and had absolutely nothing to show for it.

She approached room #487. Reese stood in front of the door contemplating whether or not she really wanted to go in. Anything could go wrong at any time. She was placing herself directly in the crosshairs and it was too late to turn back. She was an accomplice now.

Balling up her first, Reese lightly knocked on the door three times and took a step back. She stood still waiting for the door to open.  Soft, sensual music spilled from behind the thick walls. Marvin Gaye. Hmmmm. That’s weird.

Moments went by, still no answer. Her heart beat quickened. What is taking her so damn long to answer the door???

 She checked her watch. She wasn’t early, she wasn’t late. Reese balled up her fist to knock again. Before her hand could touch the door, it suddenly cracked open no more than 2 inches wide. Her heart stopped as she stood frozen, her hand still raised in midair. She waited for Pumpkin to peep her head outside the door. She did not. "Hello?" Reese spoke through the partially cracked door.

"Come innnnn." She heard a familiar female voice hum behind the door. Reese thought twice before reaching for the door handle. She was tired of walking into strange places not knowing what the hell was going. A heads up would have been nice.

She hesitantly proceeded forward. Things were different now. This time, she had protection that she wasn’t afraid to use if shit went down. Placing her hand on the door knob, Reese pushed open the door and stepped inside the dimly lit hotel room. It was a large, spacious suite. The aroma of scented candles filled the room. Reese was taken aback by the calm atmosphere as her eyes traveled around the living area. Rose pedals sprinkled the floor. A bucket of fresh fruit, chocolate, and whip cream sat beside the door.

 "Mmmmmmmm." She heard a woman’s soft moan creep from around the corner. Reese froze. I have got to be in the wrong room. Oh my God.

 "Hello?" She called out again making her presence known. "Mmmmmmmm." the woman moaned even louder. Reese inched forward, approaching the double doors which led to the hotel bedroom. Peeking her head inside, Reese felt her body completely stiffen. Her mouth dropped open. What the fuck is thisssss???

There laid Pumpkin, her body positioned at the top of the bed. She moaned loudly as she straddled a man underneath her, sitting on his face with her dress hiked up, exposing her bare ass. "Mmmmm." Pumpkin continued to moan as she twirled her hips in circles, rotating on his face as he laid underneath her, eating her pussy as if he she were an entree. What the hell is she doing????

Pumpkin heard her come in. She looked over her shoulder, her face appearing distressed as her body shook. She climaxed. "Ohhhhhhhhh." Pumpkin cried out as she jerked. Her hip grinding came to a stop as she lightly slumped over, leaning over the headboard. “Woooooo.” Pumpkin fanned herself. She looked over her shoulder again, making eye contact with Reese who still stood at the foot of the door with her mouth hung open. “Hey girl.” Pumpkin greeted her casually as if it were an ordinary day in the park. Reese could feel her stomach turn. The man continued to lay underneath Pumpkin, stroking his long hard erection which poked through his zipper hole. "My special friend is here." Pumpkin smirked again while nodding her head for Reese to come over. "Don’t be shy, he doesn’t bite. He just sucks." Pumpkin threw her head back and laughed at her ridiculous joke. Reese continued to stand frozen in the doorway. I don’t get down like this. Oh hell noooooo!

Pumpkin shifted her weight, allowing the man to lift his head up.

Reese met eyes with him as he sat up, smirking while he looked her up and down. "Mmmmm. Baby girl you fine too. I'm seeing a double take right now." He licked his lip, gawking after Reese as if she was a piece of meat on a stick.

Her stomach did flip flips. "Come on over here lil mama. Come sit on my face. Let me taste you.”

Reese wanted so badly to tell him how she really felt.  You disgusting pervert, you will never touch me!!! Pumpkin had slowly inched to a corner in the room out of eyesight. Her expression had turned serious. She was up to something. Reese could see it all over her face. There was no more time to wait. Her next move was completely on he and she would be a fool to sit around and wait for directions. It was time to prove she had what it takes. Her time was now.

 Stepping forward Reese inched towards the foot of the bed, sliding her thigh on the outside of her dress so he could admire her smooth brown skin. Immediately, he took the bait, his mouth drooling the closer she stepped. "What’s your name honey?" she asked as he lay back on the bed, stroking his erection which grew in the center of his palm.

"They call me coach Ross Baby." He smirked while he continued to stroke himself, his eyes locked on her as she stood over him. She raised an eyebrow, curious to know what baller Pumpkin had cased up this time.

"And why do they call you Coach Ross, if you don’t mind me asking?"

He laughed as if she was crazy for not knowing who he was. "I'm a head NFL football couch. I make over 8 figures a year baby." He continued to stare her down waiting for her to climb up beside him. "And what’s your name sexy?" His voice purred in heat.

"Butterfly." Reese answered with the first ridiculous name she could think of. She kept her distance at the foot of the bed because if he touched her, she was reliable to vomit. Reese looked over at Pumpkin again watching her closely out the side of her eye. She was hunched over in the corner, leaned behind the nightstand to retrieve something. Moments later, she emerged, her shiny silver 9mm handgun appearing from behind the stand. Quickly Pumpkin concealed the gun, hiding it behind her back. She placed a finger over her lips, shushing her. Shit was about to go down.

 Reese reverted her attention back to the football coach. Coach Ross, huh? Google is a mother fucker. We will see if you really make 8 figures.

Pumpkin had stepped in closer to the bed, the gun still hidden behind her back. "Hey Butterfly." Pumpkin went along with her fake name. She used her free hand and threw a black tie across the room in Reese’s direction, which she caught with one hand. "Why don’t you tie him up? Let’s show him what we really like to do." Reese looked at the black tie in the center of her hand, then back at the coach, who held out his wrist willingly, waiting to be tied. It was now or never.

She pushed up on the bed and climbed to where he was laying. Her stomach flip flopped as they made contact. Although he wasn’t a bad looking man, she couldn’t help but feel disgusted to see him laying here with his dick hanging out of his pants waiting to be groped. She gathered his hands, using the black tie to securely tie them to the headboard. She made sure to twist multiple knots to ensure he could not escape. She glanced down at him again. Unlike the last man, his eyes were not tied so he could see everything. Suddenly becoming overwhelmed, Reese felt as if this were her moment. It was time to prove herself.

She didn’t say another word. Reese quickly reached into her purse that she strapped across her shoulder. She pulled out the gun, which was fully loaded. Everything from that point felt like a blur. The expression on his face drastically changed. He held his eyes wide open as he fixed his eyesight on the gun Reese pointed in his face. He was visibly in shock. Reese could feel her palms turn sweaty as she inched the gun even closer, pressing it against the tip of his nose. "I think you had enough fun tonight.'" She spoke under her breath in a cold tone. He continued to stare at her, his mouth hung open as he laid there frozen in silence, the gun pressed to his skin. Seconds later, Pumpkin joined her on the side of the bed, her gun also extended as she inched forward.

"Oh, he definitely had enough fun tonight." She smirked as she pointed the gun at his temple.

"What--- what the fuckkkkkk?" He spat out loud as he finally came to the realization that he had two guns on him at once. "Shut the fuck up or I will shoot you." Reese spoke in a firm voice. She was in full character now and was ready to pistol whip this nigga if he made the wrong move. She looked over at Pumpkin. "Where the cash at?" She asked.

Pumpkin nodded her head to a corner in the room. "There should be at least $300,000 in that duffel bag right there. Tear this room apart. I know there’s more money here." Following her directions, Reese hopped up from the bed, still holding the gun in his direction. "Don’t you make a fucking sound." she threatened him. He did not move. Instead, he pressed his lips together as if he were in disbelief he was being robbed by two females. Reese watched as Pumpkin quickly ripped through dresser drawers, pulling out jewelry, designer clothes, and stacks of cash wrapped in rubber bands.  Reese made it her job to grab the duffel bag while Pumpkin grabbed other miscellaneous items from around the room stuffing them in a suitcase. Reese watched Coach Ross as he laid back. He followed directions and didn’t speak. She knew the ties on his wrist were secure so there was no way he could wiggle his way out. He laid there helpless as he watched both Reese and Pumpkin take all of his personal belongings.

After stuffing the suitcase full, Pumpkin stepped forward letting Reese know it was time to go.  Reese nodded her head, keeping her eyes locked on the football couch who lay there helplessly. "I'm sorry we had to do this to you." Reese apologized, secretly meaning every word. "Now I don’t want to hurt you, so when we leave out this room, don’t make a sound for 10 minutes. If you so much as make a peep, I will shoot you. You understand?" She mimicked every word Pumpkin spoke at the last robbery.

He did not answer or respond. Instead he sat in silence, his expression mixed with fear and anger. Pumpkin followed behind her closely as they inched for the exit. Reese kept her eyes locked on him as they opened the door and exited into the hallway. Less than 5 minutes, it was over. Thank God.

She closed the door behind her, making sure it was shut. Reese leaned forward, mimicking every move she seen Pumpkin make the last time. Pressing her ear to the door, she made sure she didn’t hear him move or make a sound the way she had ordered. Silence. Without saying another word, they both took off running. Pumpkin in one direction, Reese in the other. Her adrenaline rushed as she reached the exit, kicking it open and running down the stairs. Never had Reese felt this alive. She could not believe how natural this shit came to her. As if she had been doing it for years. If she didn’t prove to Pumpkin tonight that she had what it takes, then she didn’t know what else there was to do.  Making it to the end of the steps, Reese knew for a fact she wasn’t as timid as she believed she had been all these years. She needed the right moment to wake up that fire inside of her. Tonight was her moment.

 

 

 

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

 

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Reese jolted awake out of her sleep as she sat in an upright position. Her purple silk satin sheets fell into the center of her lap as she awoke. Reese slowly opened her eyes looking around her bedroom as she overcame a deep sleep. She glanced over at the clock. 8:48 am. Who the hell would be knocking at my door this early???

  Reese threw the covers back, swinging her legs over the bed as she sat still for a moment. "Who is it??” Reese shouted out as she fumbled underneath the covers for the 9mm that she had placed back underneath her pillow. No response. Reese held her breath in fear that someone had followed her home last night. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. Something wasn’t right. No one knew where she lived other than Pumpkin or King and there’s no way either one of them would pop up unannounced.

Her knees buckled as she stood up from the bed. Reese walked across the bedroom out into the living room area. She was shaken as she approached the door. She hid the 9MM behind her back. It was fully loaded.

Standing on her tippy toes Reese peeked out the peep hole. She was mentally preparing herself for the worst. Her vision focused in and out as she stared at the figure standing on the other side of the door. What the fuckkkkkkkk??? Her mouth dropped open in shock as she came to the realization who was standing outside her apartment. "You have to be fucking kidding me!" she cussed out loud. Pulling herself back from the door, she removed the latch and lock. She almost lost her balance as she swung it open. "What the hell!" she spat through the door frame. "What the fuck are you doing here??" The veins popped out of her neck as she immediately became livid. This is not possible. No fucking way is this possible. He stood there taunting her with a conniving grin on his face. Her stomach turned.

"Now is that a way to greet your man?" he smirked even wider, stepping forward into the doorway attempting to inch his way in. Reese buried her face inside her hands as she stepped to the side, blocking the entrance. She was disgusted.

"How did you find me Levi?" she asked with her face still buried inside her hands. She didn’t want to look him in the face or have any reminders of her past. Why is he here???? Why can’t I get rid of this nigga? Reese closed her eyes. She felt violated. A million thoughts ran through her mind. Why is he here??? What does he want from me??? How did he find out where I’m staying???

"I don’t know why you would hide from me Reese. After everything I’ve done for you." He narrowed his gaze at her, his expression turning serious as he waited for an explanation. Reese sized him up and down cutting him with her eyes. She didn’t owe this man a thing. There was no need for him to be coming after her now as if she was in debt.

 "What do you want from me Levi??" She was confused. What makes him believe he has something to hold over my head? He was never my man. I never told him I loved him. He knew what it was.

"Reese, I've stuck my neck out for you anytime you needed me. I was there for you. Now, you won’t answer my phone calls. I even went to your apartment a few times. Your roommate told me you moved out." Reese crossed her arms over her chest. She glared as she listened to him rant. She was becoming increasingly irritated by the second. She questioned herself. How did she get in this situation? She should have hit it and quit it and ran the opposite direction when she had the chance. She stuck around just for the money and now her poor decisions were coming back to haunt her.

 "That’s irrelevant Levi." She cut him off in mid-sentence. "How did you find me here and how did you get inside the building? Did you follow me???" Her apartment building was secure. There was no way you could get inside unless you had an electronic badge key. There’s no way Levi could have snuck his way in without fully gaining access.

He chuckled. “I’m a real estate agent, baby. There’s no place in Baltimore that I cannot get into it.” Chills ran down her forearms as he stepped forward. In return, she stepped back still holding the handgun behind her. "You never cared about me did you Clareese?" He asked a ridiculous question.

Reese glared. She was uneasy. Uncomfortable to see him standing there because she had no idea what his real intentions were. She was angry. He invaded her personal space, now her safe house didn’t feel so safe.

"Look, I don’t know how you got in here or who told you I was here, but I don’t appreciate you showing up like this uninvited." Reese placed one hand on the door knob preparing to slam it shut in his face the moment he made the wrong move. He took a deep breath, shoving his hands in his front pockets as his eyes dropped to the floor. "There must be someone else. I knew it"

Reese rolled her eyes. She was sick of the games. Leaning to the side, Reese dropped the gun on the night stand behind the door while he wasn’t looking. "Levi... what are you talking about?? I’m not your woman. I never made a commitment to you."

He glared, his expression turning cold. He stepped forward while buffing his chest. "Oh so this new nigga you fucking must got money, huh???" He questioned her. King’s face quickly surfaced into her mind. She shuddered after shaking the image from her head.

Reese stepped back as Levi suddenly attempted to invade her space. She kept the door slightly cracked so he could not make his way in. She did not trust Levi. He reminded her of some fatal attraction type shit and she didn’t want any parts of his drama filled life story. He couldn’t control her with money anymore. She had her own power. Now that she had broken away, she was never going back to the hood. Ever.

 "I'm sorry if you felt like I used you.” She truthfully apologized. “But I was tired of depending on you. I had to get it on my own."

He laughed at her, throwing his head back as if she were a joke. Reese did not laugh. Instead she cocked her head to the side, attempting to figure out what was funny and what his purpose was for showing up here. She didn’t love him. She didn’t want him. She couldn’t lie about how she felt. She wished Levi would just accept that and leave her the hell alone.

 "Reese, who do you think you’re talking to?" He continued in between laughs. "You act like I don’t know what type of woman you really are. You won’t even get your ass up and get out here to find a real job. You was just flipping chicken 2 weeks ago, and now this is how you living???" He scanned his eyes across the background of her apartment. Reese closed the door even more, protecting her privacy which had already been violated enough. Her life wasn’t any of his business. She didn’t have to explain to anyone how she got here. She was here now and here to stay. That’s all that mattered.

"So you just going to leave me standing here on the porch like a dog?" he asked, holding out his hands as he questioned her. "I'm not good enough to see the inside of your new place?"

Reese rolled her eyes again. She was not following for the shit today. She was a new woman and no longer vulnerable the way she had been before. She had it all figured out now, and there was no changing how she felt. All she wanted at this point and time in her life was privacy, and as of right now, she felt her privacy had been extremely invaded. "Now is not a good time Levi. As a matter of fact, I don’t think there will ever be a good time."

He smirked at her pressing his chest against the partially cracked door. "Come on now. I know you miss this dick. Let me take you in the bedroom and show you everything you been missing."

Reese wanted to vomit. She dismissed him using a free as she used the other to inch the door closed. "That’s not going to happen." She was done. And that was it. "You have a good day. And please don’t show up here unannounced."

He stepped forward placing his foot in the doorway blocking her from shutting it close. She glared, prepared to pull this 9mm on him if he gave her any problems. "Move your foot Levi." She spoke firmly as she attempted to close it again. He leaned forward so he could speak in between the cracked door. "Whatever you’re doing to get all this money, it’s going to catch back up with you sooner or later. I promise you that." He eyed her as if he knew something. She immediately broke out into a panic but she attempted to cover it up. What the hell is he talking about?? What does he know???

She held her breath.  He was messing with her attempting to get a rise. So far it was working, “So what are you saying Levi? Is that a threat? Do I need to watch my back now???”

He laughed at her again while shaking his head. “I don’t have to threaten you baby girl. But you should watch your back regardless. You never know whose watching."

Her chest tightened. She became hesitant to respond. “You think people not talking?? You honestly think people don’t notice the designer clothes? The new car you driving?" He continued to grill her. This time she didn’t have a response. She stood there quiet as he badgered her. She was upset that she didn’t have a response. What if he is right???

Levi smirked. He had finally gotten under her skin and he knew it. He stepped back, removing his foot from the doorway. "You take care of yourself Miss Clareese." He smiled at her again, turned on his heel then walked in the opposite direction. Reese watched him walk away still in absolute shock. Levi trailed down the narrow hallway heading towards the stairwells making an exit. Reese made sure to watch him closely ensuring that he had left. After watching him disappear around the corner, Reese felt like a popped balloon as she finally let out the long breath she had been holding for over a minute. She hurried to close the door, placing the latch back on to make sure she was safely locked inside. After shutting the door, Reese turned around, pressing her back against the door as she realized what was going on.

What if he is right? What if people are watching me? What if I go to jail or even worse, get robbed and shot??? She tapped her foot nervously. “Shit!” she cussed out loud. How did she allow Levi to show up and ruffle her feathers the way he had. This was out of her character, she never meant for him to get a rise out of her. She couldn’t help but question what would happen if she slipped up? What were the consequences?

Standing back on her feet, Reese retrieved her handgun from the night stand and began walking across the living room towards the bedroom. As intimidating as Levi could be, she was not going to allow him to mess up her focus. He wasn’t crazy enough to snitch on her. He had no proof behind his accusations so there was nothing to snitch about. She looked down at her 9mm. She didn’t need anyone to have her back. She was a grown woman now who had to hustle to make a living. She wasn’t going to let anyone, or anything slow her down in life. Not Levi. Not anyone.

 

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

 

VROOM VROOM.

 Pumpkin revved up the engine as she pulled her Range Rover into an empty parking space. She did 60 in a 40 mile zone the entire ride here, riding with the windows down letting the air’s warm breeze blow through the wind. A relaxing car ride was a great way to calm her nerves. She placed the ignition in park as she slid on her sunglasses. She checked for the time. 5:58 pm. King should be arriving shortly. He never showed up late. He fully understood Pumpkin’s lack of patience and rarely kept her waiting. As she waited, her eyes slowly traveled up the large building towering over her vehicle. Queen’s Hair Salon. The salon sat alone and deserted, chained and locked up. Pumpkin lost herself in her thoughts. She never understood why King put so much money into a salon that he never opened to the public. She became frustrated all over again.

Pumpkin was in a very negative space right now. She kept replaying her last meeting with Reese in her head over and over again.  She was angry. That was not the way she wanted to find out about King’s inner harbor condo, and she couldn’t stop thinking about what could have happened if she never did. King has never invited inside his home. Why Reese? Why her??? She didn’t want to over think it but she couldn’t ignore her gut feeling. She was intimidated. Sickened with panic.

Pumpkin caught a glimpse of King’s Porsche truck pulling into the parking lot. Her heart stopped. She grew weak each time he came around. She shuddered in fear. Pumpkin couldn’t shake this scary feeling on her chest. Witnessing King fall in love with another woman was one of her worst nightmares. She may have been thinking too far ahead, but Pumpkin had to step in and put a stop to it before it happened. She reached over in the passenger seat clutching the large black duffel bag that sat next to her. She got that football coach for almost $500,000 last night. That was one of her biggest hits in her entire career. She didn’t even make that kind of money back in the days when she and Trix used to hustle. Pumpkin was anxious to show King what she was bringing to the table this time, but also hesitant because she didn’t want him to think Reese had anything to do with her success. She would have got this money regardless to if Reese was there or not.

King’s truck pulled up beside her. She took another deep breath as she mentally prepared herself for this conversation because it wasn’t going to be easy. It had been a few days since she spoken with King. He had no idea that she knew about his Inner Harbor Condo and today was the day she planned on confronting him about it. She reached over, grabbing the duffel bag before exiting her truck. Shutting the door behind her, she nervously trailed around the car heading towards the passenger side. Pumpkin locked eyes with King, staring at him through the dark tint as she approached the car door. She had to get her emotions under control before she began this conversation, because she was bound to fuck up and say the wrong thing out of anger right now. She placed her hand on the door handle, swinging open the car door so she could climb inside.

"What’s up Punk?" he greeted her. She smiled a half smile while climbing into the passenger seat. "Hey." she responded quietly. Pumpkin shut the door behind her, sitting the duffel bag on the floor at her feet. She wanted to talk personal before they talked business. She had a lot she needed to get off her chest.

"Soooo King." she looked over at him. He sat laid back in his seat, his wrist glistening in pure gold. She observed him. As usual, he dressed in a casual blue shirt and faded blue jeans. He wore a matching hat which gave him the perfect look. Her insides jumped, her skin grew hot. She could not fight her attraction to him no matter how hard she tried. She hated how irresistible he was. Pumpkin tried to so hard to forget about King. Find her a real man and move the hell on with her life. But she couldn’t. She had an inner connection with him that she never shared with anyone else. Not with Mason. Not anybody.

 He immediately picked up on her vibe knowing something was on her mind. "What’s up, Pumpkin?" He asked curiously. She looked away staring straight forward. Her expression was blank. She was too afraid to show her true emotions. "I'm not really happy right now King." She spoke under her breath.

He nodded his head as if he knew that was coming. King shifted his weight in his seat so he could turn to her. "And why is that?" he asked.

Pumpkin finally looked him in the eye. They locked gazes as silence spread through the truck. She wanted to hop across this seat and pounce on him physically and sexually, but she couldn’t. The distance between them drove her insides crazy. She could not fulfill the gap she was missing in her life. Only King could fill that space. Pumpkin was empty inside and there was no more denying it. "I thought I was your ride or die King."

He took a deep breath, knowing she was about to get deep. "You are Pumpkin. What you talking about?"

She nervously cracked her knuckles, beating around the bush. She didn’t want to use the wrong approach. "You know what I’m talking about." She narrowed her eyes at him. "I know you’re a grown man and you can handle your own. But what the hell were you thinking taking Reese to your condo? Why didn’t you put her in a hotel or something King?" she didn’t hold back. Her heart was racing. She needed answers and prayed his explanation was a good one. He shook his head. He visibly was not happy to hear that she had found out. He hesitated before he asked, “Who told you that?"

She smacked her lips. He knew where she heard it from so there was no reason to play stupid. "Of course Reese told me!" She snapped louder than she intended. Lowering her voice, she continued. "And why would you not tell me about the condo in the Inner Harbor? Why did I have to find out about it through Reese??? I thought we were partners, King."

He pressed his lips holding himself back from saying something they both would regret. King sat forward, placing his elbows on his knees as he faced straight forward. "Pumpkin, why are you questioning me like this? You know I don’t have to answer to anyone." He was telling the truth. King was a boss. A very powerful entrepreneur. A business man who called a lot of shots. No one questioned him. They knew better. But Pumpkin wasn’t just anyone. King always had a soft spot for her and allowed her to get away with a lot of shit that others didn’t. She was his main girl. The only woman he allowed inside his private life. Pumpkin wanted to keep it that way. She was terrified imagining what would happen if someone came along and changed that. She continued to stare at him awaiting an explanation. He looked over catching her as she waited. He chuckled after noticing her serious expression. "Loosen up Pumpkin. You’re so tense all the time."

She shot him a crazy look. This was not a laughing matter and she didn’t see anything funny about the situation. King had come too far in this business to let some bitch distract him from what’s important. For all she knew, Reese could be the world’s biggest con-artist. Her shy, timid persona could have all been a front. Pumpkin turned her body in her seat towards him. She was tired of playing games. She wanted the truth. "King, just be honest with me. What’s really going on with you and Reese?"

The truck grew silent once again. She bounced her knee up and down, her anxiety rushing. He did not answer immediately which made the suspense even more tense. They continued to stare at each other for a moment without saying a word. Mentally, she began to feel desperate for some closure.

"Pumpkin, I’m not fucking Reese if that's what you’re thinking." He broke the silence speaking firmly. "You can’t jump to that conclusion every time a woman gets close to me. The last time you and I met at the office, I told you I did not want another repeat of Trix. I meant that."

Pumpkin froze as King mentioned her ex-best friends name again. She held her breath as a familiar feeling of regret rushed over her body. She turned her body to look out the window. I don’t want another repeat of Trix either. She began to reminisce once again. Pumpkin couldn’t fight the memories once they resurfaced. Damn Trix. Why did you have to go???

Nothing had been the same since the day Trix died. Pumpkin never had family. She never had a real friend. Other than King, Trix was the only human being in this world Pumpkin would have laid down her life and died for. She owed so much to that woman. It had been over 5 years since Trix was murdered and even to this day, the memory of her haunted Pumpkin in her sleep. After all this time, she still hadn’t gotten over it and the pain felt fresh. I should have been there for her. I should have protected her. I should have answered her phone calls that night. Shit!

Pumpkin’s thoughts pondered. She began to think about those weeks leading up to Trix's death. They had a falling out and were not on good terms. Rumors, lies, and deception sadly broke their friendship apart. Pumpkin’s past had a lot to do with her reasoning for staying away from people. She didn’t socialize. She didn’t want to make friends. She didn’t want anyone knowing about her personal life. That way, no one had anything to hold over her head.

Trix on the other hand was persistence on getting her best friend back despite the rumors that were going around about her. She was changing into a different woman. She was growing on the inside. Literally. 3 weeks prior to her death, Trix had discovered she was pregnant with her first child. Pumpkin remembered those voice mails. “Pumpkin! It’s Trix! I’m pregnant girl!!! I know you hate me, but I can’t believe it! Call me please!” She could hear her voice as if she just listened to that voicemail yesterday. Pumpkin never returned that phone call. Or the 20 other phone calls that followed behind that one. February 18th 5:35 p.m. was the last missed call in her call log from Trix. There were no more calls after that.

Trix was murdered February 19th. The worst day of her life.

Pumpkin remembered getting that phone call from Trix’s mother 12 a.m. that night. She was bawling crying on the other line.

“Somebody shot my babyyyyyyyy! They killed Trix!!!”

Her entire world stopped at that moment. She slipped into a very deep, dark space. Her body was numb, she didn’t react, cry or show emotions. Pumpkin’s body didn’t feel it was real. But it was.

Trix may have been a notorious jacker, but underneath it all she was a good woman. She was genuine and she cared about people. Trix wanted to get out the game for her unborn baby, but she never got the chance.

“Ahhhhhh!”

Pumpkin suddenly cried out. She couldn’t hold it in any longer.

She dropped her face inside her hands, sobbing out loud. She was overwhelmed. The memories were too much. Her past haunted her.

"What the hell Punk?" She felt Kings hand brush her shoulder.

She continued to sob with her face buried in her hands, her shoulders bouncing up and down as she cried.

"Punk, I have never seen you cry. What the hell is up with you, man?" He asked her again.

He was right. It takes a very emotionless woman to not shed a tear in over 16 years. She didn’t cry when her mother died. She didn’t cry when her father got 25 to life. She didn’t cry at Pumpkins funeral. Others thought she was incapable. No one knew she really cried herself to sleep almost every night. Almost every time she was alone. She was depressed. She continued to sob, wiping the tears away from her cheeks not knowing for sure the real reason behind her tears. She had been holding it in for a while. Pumpkin had all the money she could want, but no one to talk to. No one to listen to her. No one to love. She glanced up at King who stared at the tears running down her cheeks in disbelief. Pumpkin never cried in front of anyone. She couldn’t help it. Her tough exterior was breaking down.

"I don’t understand why you’re crying." He continued. "Where is this coming from?" He was confused. She shrugged her shoulders while looking away. Her makeup was probably ruined now. She wiped her eyes as she quickly came to her senses. "I don't know." Pumpkin dropped her head in shame, too embarrassed to look him in the eye. "King, you just don't understand, I got a lot on my mind right now. I'm really starting to think it was a mistake hiring Reese."

He crossed his arms across his chest as he listened to her vent. King shook his head. “Really Pumpkin?”  he smacked his lips. “So this is what this is all about??? Come on now punk. What's the real reason behind you saying this right now?" he questioned her digging for more information. She stared at him for a moment. Pumpkin wanted to tell him her true feelings. She wanted to tell him how much her love from him had grown these last few years. She hesitated knowing he would only resist and she was tired of explaining herself over and over again. "I don't know King, I just don't trust her." she partially began to tell the truth. “I moved way too fast. I wasn’t ready for a new partner. I still haven’t recovered from what happened with Trix."

He continued to stare at her absorbing each word allowing her to speak. As soon as she was finished, he sat forward. "Listen Pumpkin, I need you to understand… This is why I never wanted you to catch feelings for me. I always told you this from the beginning it would complicate things when it comes to business. You always acted like you didn't understand that. Reese is a good girl. You have no reason to dislike her. I think you are just letting your feelings get in the way. As usual"

Pumpkin’s heart weakened. She needed him so badly. She needed him to be on her side right now. Her pain deepened even worse as he took up for Reese and not her. She was devastated. He had given her all the answers she needed.

 Silently she bent down to pick up the duffel bag sitting at her feet. She dried her face, cleaning herself up. "I split all the money evenly.” She spoke emotionlessly. She felt like an idiot for crying but she couldn’t take it back. “You, myself and Reese all have our fair share." She tossed the bag into his lap. The weight fell against his chest. Emotionally, Pumpkin was beginning to shut down and now she just wanted to get the hell out of this truck. "Goodbye King." she reached for the door handle, preparing to exit the car.

"I promise you that baby wasn’t mines Punk."

Pumpkins body froze, her arm halfway extended in midair. Silence filled the truck once again. She sat still. Her body wouldn’t move and had not registered what she just heard. Moments before she could exit, he hit her with a huge curve ball. She could see her reflection through his dark tint, her eyes had widened her jaw slightly hung open. 30 seconds went by. Slowly, she turned her body in the seat to face him. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. There’s no way I’m hearing this correctly.

He never gave her any answers. “I’m not telling you shit Pumpkin! I don’t have to answer to anyone!! She remembered hearing his response after confronting him about it. He was angry with her for asking, eventually she had stopped questioning. But she never forgot. 5 years had passed, and it still weighed heavy on her mind.

Pumpkin removed her hand from the door knob. She was shaken, chills running up her spine. She turned to him. "What did you just say?" she asked, her voice shaking.

He continued "Regardless to what you were told or what you heard Pumpkin… I never slept with Trix. Ever. And her baby wasn’t mines."

Her mind wandered a million miles a minute while she sat stuck in time. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  She looked him deep into his eyes searching for a sign of deception. She saw none.  "I know that." she spoke quietly. She always knew.

 "If you knew that, why did you turn your back on her Pumpkin?" he asked a question that she asked beat herself up about almost every day. She rocked back and forth as her mind revisited her past once again.

“Did yawl see Trix come out of King’s office at 3 in the morning last night???”

“They have been messing around for years!”

“King said he was gonna marry her.”

“I heard King has the best sex ever!”

“I heard she got knocked up.”

“I heard King is the baby father!”

Rumors. Lies. Deception.

She reminisced on those nights hanging out at Guilty Passions night club when it first opened. She frequented the club often for business purposes, accompanied by King and Trix on certain nights. King never liked doing business in the open, which is why over the years, he gradually stopped going to the club. The bitches that hung out around there were thirsty for a story and desperate to get their hands on some juicy information. If they couldn’t find any, they would make up shit. Pumpkin was a fool. She believed it.

She remembered walking pasts as though bitches intentionally gossiped. They spoke loud enough so she could hear. Eavesdropping, her heart fell into her stomach as she caught an ear full. The accusations were extreme. They were believable. Indeed, Trix and King did spend a lot of time together when she was alive. Her frequent visits to his office alone were enough to cause speculation. Pumpkin had her own concerns, but having to hear about it from someone else’s mouth was too much to handle. That was the first time her heart broke. She felt betrayed. Sad and angry with the world. Depressed. At that moment, Trix was dead to her. There was no listening to her side of the story. As far as she was concerned, everything was true + there was no denying it.  She loved King. Trix knew how she felt about him. Pumpkin couldn’t believe her best friend betrayed her. If only she would have listened to her… If only…

"I was hurt King. I didn’t know what to think." She knew she had to answer to somebody someday.

He smacked his lips. "That’s my point exactly Pumpkin. You went off assumptions. I would never fuck your best friend and Trix would have never done you like that either." His gaze burned her skin. She shrinked in existence, feeling like a damn fool. So vulnerable and weak to the man she loved.

 "I know I fucked up." she admitted it to both him and herself. "If I could go back and change things, I would."

"But you can’t." He interrupted. He was no longer taking it easier on her.  King knew Trix was a sensitive subject for her but they could not avoid the issue forever.

"I love you Punk. I always told you that. But I need you to understand, it can’t be like that between us.”

He took a dagger sticking it deep into her heart. She was sick to her stomach. So overcome with emotions, she wanted to vomit.  This pain ran so deep, she didn’t want to feel anymore.

"I give up King." she spoke underneath her breath. Reaching for the door handle, she quickly opened the truck and stepped out without giving him time for a response. She shut the door behind her, closing it in his face. Raindrops trickled on her forehead. Clouds filled the sky. The perfect weather for the perfect mood. She shut her eyes and began to silently pray. She prayed that God would someday wash away her feelings for King. Loving him was painful. He didn’t feel for her the way she felt for him and it tore her up inside. She wanted to love him. Protect him. All he wanted to do was push her away. She refused to cry again.

She headed back towards her Rover. He rolled the window down to speak, "You gone always be my ride or die Punk. You hold a spot in my life no other woman can hold. Don’t you forget that?" She stopped and stared at him for a moment. For a moment, she had hope. Maybe he does love me. Maybe it’s killing him as much as it’s killing me.

Quickly she came to her senses. She knew that was not true.

 Yes, he loved her. King found her sleeping behind a dumpster at 16.  He took her in when no one else would. Kept clothes on her back and food on the table.  He promised her she would never be homeless or hungry. 16 years later, he kept his word. But he didn’t love her the way she wanted him to love her. For years, she believed one day he was going to wake up and realize that she was the one for him. But now, she was slowly coming to the realization that it may not ever happen. She had to let him go, or else King was going to be her downfall. She couldn’t let that happen. Without responding, Pumpkin turned on her heel and whipped opened the door to her truck. She hopped in, cranked up the ignition and drove off, leaving King sitting in the parking lot watching her drive away. 

Chapter 15

Chapter 15.

 

Reese pulled her infinity next to the familiar building, her heart jumping out of her chest as she drove up the long narrow driveway leading to valet. She attempted to control her anxiety as she slowly approached a familiar face standing on the side of the curb. Stepping forward, the young man waved to her as she pulled up next to him. Reese rolled down her window feeling goose bumps travel up her shoulder. “Hello.” She spoke politely to the valet. The young man leaned down, returning her gesture with a friendly smile. “Hello mam. I remember you.” He smiled even wider.

She blushed, surprised he actually recognized her.  “I remember you too.” She glanced up at him. “Brian is it??” she asked. Reese remembered him very well. He was a well-respected young man who clearly looked up to King as a remodel. She was so touched by his genuinity and could understand why King had taken a liking to him. “Yes mam that’s me. I never caught your name?’ He extended his hand to shake hers. She accepted his offer, placing her palm in the center of his hand firmly shaking it back. “My name is Clareese.” She rarely introduced herself by her real name but found this situation to be appropriate. He nodded his head. “It is very nice to meet you as well, Miss Clareese. I’m sure Mr. White likes you a lot.” She blushed again allowing this young boy to make her nervous. “And why do you say that?” she asked. She was curious.

 He laughed. “No reason, I just don’t see any women visit Mr. White. You are the first.”

She couldn’t help but smile. For a moment, she felt special.  She pressed her lips together. She couldn’t give any insight on her relationship with King because she still didn’t know exactly what that relationship was. “Thanks Brian. He is up there right?” She asked nervously.

“Oh yes mam.” He answered quickly. “He got here around 10 o’clock this morning. He told me to send you right up.”

Reese took a deep breath, becoming anxious all over again. It had been a few days since the last time she was here alone with King, and even now she was confused on exactly what it was he wanted from her. He didn’t tell her why he invited her here, he only asked her to meet him at his condo 12 o’clock sharp.  “Do you remember the way up?” He asked her. She smiled at him again while nodding her head. “All the way the top.” Reaching into her middle console, Reese retrieved a 100 dollar bill. It wasn’t as much as the tip King gave the last time, but it was enough. She handed it over, watching his eyes light up all over again. “Aww man, thank you so much Miss Clareese.” He clutched the money to his chest, holding on to it as if his life depended on it. “I hope you and Mr. White really understand how much this money helps me out. If I don’t get this scholarship, I’m still saving up money to go to college. Every penny counts.”

She admired his ambition, nodding her head. She supported his hustle and had always wanted to attend college herself. She never had the money or any type of motivation like Brian to go to work for it.  “I can see that you’re a good kid. Just keep it up baby. These Baltimore streets don’t have anything to offer you. Get out of this city and make something of yourself.” He nodded his head, absorbing every word as he stuffed the cash in his pocket. “I will Miss Clareese. Thank you so much.” She smiled at him again while throwing her hand up, waving goodbye. Her infinity smoothly glided up the slope towards the parking garage. She held her breath as she pulled inside, making her way all the way to the top. Reese gripped the steering wheel feeling her palms turn sweaty. She was nervous as hell. She pulled to the top floor heading towards the penthouse suite. After turning the corner, Reese was surprised to see King waiting for her at the top of the building. He casually leaned on an all-black Mercedes which sat parked at the end of his row of vehicles. They made eye contact again as she inched forward. It was something about King that drove her crazy each time he laid eyes on her. She rolled her window down while pulling up. He didn’t appear upset but he didn’t smile either. She parked her car, hoping he did not call her here about Pumpkin. The last time she was here, Reese promised she would not say anything or speak about King to Pumpkin at all.  Unfortunately, things did not turn out that way. She honestly did not mean to let the cat out the bag about the inner harbor condo. She knew how much this place meant to him and she felt like an idiot for fucking that up.  She opened the car door, ready to face him now and get it over with. She nervously bit her lip, dropping her eyes to the floor as she trotted across the parking garage towards him. She gestured up the courage to look him in the eye as she approached him. He clenched his jaw, his eyes falling down to her all black sundress which clung to her waist. He looked her up and down before his bringing his eyes back up to meet hers. “Reese.” He spoke her name in a deep, smooth voice. Immediately she could feel herself drip inside her panties.

“King.” She responded, clutching her bag as if it gave her some type of support.

He clenched his jaw composing himself. Reese nervously fidgeted as she stood in front of him allowing him to stare her down. "What???" she nervously asked. He stood up while pushing his weight off his Mercedes Benz. He stepped forward, standing directly in front of her. “How did Pumpkin find out about the condo Reese?” he asked her jumping straight into it. She swallowed the large lump in her throat. “Ummm.” She stammered. Reese looked away attempting to come up with an excuse. She had none. She hoped he didn’t bring her here to confront her about spilling the beans to Pumpkin, but obviously she was wrong. “I was rambling King. I had no bad intentions, I swear.” She began to plead her case. The last thing she wanted was for King to think she was a snitch. He shook his head clearly unsatisfied with her answer. “I was hoping I could keep this place between you and me. But I guess I was wrong.” He frowned. Reese shivered. She wanted to run away and climb underneath a rock. This man had done so much for. In return, she betrayed his trust.  “I’m sorry.” She spoke underneath her breath, feeling ashamed. He took a deep breath. He had not taken his eyes off her. “And what else did you tell her?” He asked.

She held her hands up in surrender. “Nothing, I promise. She had questions, but I played it off. “

“Played what off?” he caught her off guard. Reese froze as she looked up at him. Again he was putting her on the spot. She hoped he hadn’t forgotten the way he forcefully groped her in the middle of his living room the last time she was here. There was no way he forgotten.

“Ummm.” She stammered again. “I don’t know King. I don’t know what that was.”

He nodded his head. “Alright.” He stepped to the side, allowing Reese to walk towards the doorway. He held his hand out, signaling for her to walk ahead of him. She followed his orders, nervously stepping forward and walking towards the entrance to his condo. They continued in silence, making her nervous.

 “So why did you invite me here?” she asked over her shoulder as she approached the door.

“We’ll talk when we get inside.” He reached around her to twist open the door knob. She held her breath as she stepped into the familiar hallway. She could feel King close behind her as he stepped in and shut the door closed. Together, they walked up the hallway towards the living room entrance. Reese stepped inside first, scanning the apartment which was just as breathtaking as it was the first time. She was still in disbelief that she was fortunate enough to stay here for a night.

“Have a seat. Make yourself comfortable.”

 Reese nodded her head. She walked towards the bar, having a seat at the bar stool. “Can I make you a drink?” he asked.

“A glass of wine would be nice.” She hoped liquor would knock this edge off of her. She rested her chin in the palm of her hands as she watched him retrieve two wine glasses. He opened the refrigerator and grabbed one of her favorite inexpensive wine brands. Alma Dean. She licked her lips as she watched him from behind. He was casually dressed in black pants and a black polo t-shirt. He wasn’t too flashy and she really liked that about him. Little did King know, he was not the first man with money that she dated. There was Levi. Hell, even Mr. Frank’s rich ass couldn’t stay away from her. But it was something about King that made him different from the rest. When she looked in his eyes, she saw more than just the money. She admired his muscles as he placed the wine glass in front of her. He was just right. Not too muscular, not too thin. His skin was smooth, no acne in sight. He always kept his hairline and mustache neatly. He was classy.

He smirked at her, catching Reese in a daze staring at him. “I don’t mean to sound shallow…” she looked up at him, beginning to feel as if she was about to speak out of character. “Whenever I pictured my perfect man, he always looked just like you.”

“Oh really?” he was shocked. He leaned across the counter sipping on his drink. “What’s so special about me??” he asked in between swallows.

She lightly chuckled. “I don’t know.” Reese shrugged her shoulders. “Why don’t you ask Pumpkin?” She laughed sarcastically. He did not laugh with her. His expression was blank as he narrowed his eyes at her ridiculous joke. She bit her lip, her smile faded. Her sense of humor was horrid and she cracked jokes at the wrong times. “Sorry.” She quickly apologized.

  “She has been through a lot. That’s why you don’t understand her.” He stood up from the counter, walking around the bar so he could stand directly in front of her. “Listen,” he planted his feet in-between her legs as she sat frozen in the bar stool. She could feel the tension between their bodies. It drove her insides crazy.

“Pumpkin can see you getting close to me. And she’s not used to that. I need you to give her a break”

Give her a break??? Reese had no response. She didn’t ask for any of this. "I don't know what you want me to do King. I’ve followed her orders. I’ve done everything she’s asked me to do." He stepped in even closer. She stopped talking as she suddenly lost train of thought and forgot what she was going to say next.

"I'm not asking you to do anything. I know Pumpkin has her issues. Only thing I asked was for you to keep your mouth shut."

She grew silent. There was no explanation for her actions.

"I'm sorry." she stuttered. An apology was the first thing she could think of. She wished he understood. Reese’s life was like an open story book. She never knew what it meant to keep a top confidential secret. Still, it was no excuse.

"Listen," he leaned forward invading her space. Her breathing quickened as they stood face to face. "If Pumpkin finds out about you and me, she's going to flip out. And I really don’t want that drama. That’s why I’ve been asking you to keep quiet." He took a deep breath. “Look, I didn’t want to tell you this because I didn’t want to scare you. But I have to be honest. Pumpkin hasn’t recruited anyone to the team in over 5 years. She hasn’t had a sidekick since her best friend was murdered.”

 Her legs went numb. Murdered??? She tried to block out the words, but it was too late. She already heard them. “What???” she asked, immediately breaking out into a panic.

“It’s deeper than you think, Reese. I never wanted to date Pumpkin or get physical with her. But she didn’t understand that. She was intimidated whenever women were around me. She was even intimidated by her own best friend.”

Reese listened with her mouth open. This was all beginning to make sense.

“Her name was Trix. They were partners for over 15 years. As soon as she heard I was sleeping with Trix, she cut her off. Left her to fend for herself in these streets. 2 weeks later, she was murdered.”

Reese could feel herself slipping into a frenzy. She was thinking the worse. Things were becoming way too complicated and dangerous. She couldn’t handle it.

If it can happen to someone she was best friends with for 15 years, then it can happen to me.

She nervously began to bounce her leg up and down. This information was too much for her to handle. "How was she murdered??" she asked. Her life flashed before her eyes as she began to imagine what would happen if Pumpkin cut her off? What would happen if she had no protection? She began to question herself. How did I get here??? She wasn’t day dreaming no more. This was a huge wakeup call.

"No one knows who killed her. She was shot down like a dog while sitting in her car." He shook his head, staring off into space as he recollected the story. "For years, I was upset with Pumpkin. I blamed her. Trix never should have been left alone."

Reese could feel her hands shaken. She was terrified and needed to know the truth.

“Trix??? Did you sleep with her???” she asked.

He was caught off guard. “What??? No.” He immediately became defensive. “Is that what you think about me Reese? You think I’m a liar or something?”

“No” she shook her head. She couldn’t help it. Reese had never witnessed a woman so head over heels for a man she had never slept with. She wanted Pumpkin to back off, but now she could see why she was still holding on.

"So who??? Who have you dated, King? You act like you’re so untouchable!” Her voice grew louder. This was her first time raising her voice at him. She couldn’t help it.

He glared. “Reese, I never said I was untouchable and I never said I didn’t date. I said I never dated a woman who hustled!.”

“So why??!!” she snapped back again. “Why me, King??? Why???”

He grew silent. King hesitated knocking her confidence down to an all-time low. She shook her head. This was too much, she needed to escape before she drove herself crazy. She took a deep breath calming herself down before she spoke. “I don’t know about this King.”

He raised an eyebrow. "You don't know about what? It's too much for you now?"

She stood to her feet. This was too much, she needed space. He placed his hands around her waist. Lightly he pushed her butt back onto the seat. "You’re not going anywhere." he spoke firmly. He clenched his jaw as he stepped forward blocking her from standing up again. His body pressed against hers. Her heart raced.

"I'm going to look out for you Reese. Don’t nobody fuck with me in these streets. As long as you stick with me, I won’t let anyone hurt you." He ran his hand down the side of her cheek. She closed her eyes, suddenly feeling herself falling back into his trance. She couldn’t lie, King had her hypnotized as if he put some type of spell on her.

"What about Pumpkin??" she asked.

He sighed. "Let me deal with Punk, alright? She’s not going anywhere. She been my ride or die for too long."

She hesitated before asking the question a second time. "And what about me, King? I thought you didn’t date a woman who hustles."

Again he grew quiet the silence beat at her eardrums. She hated to call him on his bluff but she needed to know the truth. There was no point in denying the inevitable.

"Reese, it’s something different about you. Something special. I felt like I knew you before I knew you.” He inched even closer. She closed her eyes as she could feel his body next to hers. His touch was warm and comforting. She wanted to bury herself in his arms and escape. “I always knew you were a good girl. From the moment I saw you, I wanted to save you. I didn’t want Pumpkin to turn you into a thief. But it was too late at that point.” The hairs on the back of her neck rose as she felt King place his palm on her inner thigh. The room began to spin. She hoped he wasn’t in the mood to tease her again the way he had done the last time. “But that didn’t stop how I felt about you. I still wanted you. I wanted you to be mines.”

She slipped back into a daydream. His body pressed against hers. He rested in-between her open legs as she sat on the stool. "Please." she whispered underneath her breath unsure on her reason for pleading. He did not speak. He pulled her face in. King pressed his lips to hers. His tongue pushed apart her lips, exploring the inside of her mouth. She became flushed with heat. Flushed with anxiety as he massaged his lips with hers. His kiss was so sweet and sensual she almost lost herself in his embrace. "Mmmmm." she moaned, in between his kisses. He pulled away to catch his breath. Her eyes remained closed. She still felt his lips on her skin. His lips were everything she imagined. "King." she silently whispered his name. "I don’t think I have ever felt like this before."

He continued to stroke her thigh with one hand using the other to run his finger across her lips. Her eyes remained closed. She wanted this moment to last forever. "I can make you feel even better." he whispered back to her. She opened her eyes. They locked gazes with him. She felt like an animal in heat. King touched her in a way that no one had ever touched her.

He didn’t say another word. He swooped her up in his strong arms. Wrapping each leg across his waist, he held her in the air holding her in his strong arms. "King..." she whispered into his ear. Again, he did not answer. He continued to carry her across the living room towards a long narrow hallway. She held on to him tightly as he carried her down the walkway up the stairs and into his bedroom. I am dreaming. This cannot be real.

He carried her into his bedroom. He decorated in black and red silk, the King sized back covered in red, silk sheets and matching long red curtains. The sun was beginning to set. The curtains were closed placing a dark sensual glow around the bedroom. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She couldn’t believe she was here being straddled by the man of her dreams.

 He walked her across the room and politely laid her on the bed. She did not resist or protest. She laid her body back as she watched him stand over her, his erection poking out of his pants.  He leaned down lying on top of her fully clothed looking her directly in the eye. "Are you going to tell anyone about me and you?" he asked for reassurance.

She bit her lip while shaking her head. "No."

She meant that. She would take this secret to the grave and back if that’s what he wanted. She was committed to him now.

Reese laid back. She was ready to let him take control. Whatever he wanted, she was all his. He stood up from the bed, admiring her sprawled out body lying across his sheets. Leaning down, his hands traveled back against her thigh, using his finger tips to push her sundress from her ankles to her waist. She held her breath as she felt a light breeze hit her bare skin. He continued to remove her panties, placing his hands on both sides as he slid them down past her waist and over her ankles as they dropped to the floor. He stood up, again admiring her body as he watched her juices drip from her pussy. She twirled her hips in a circular motion, the heat rising causing her body to sweat. He leaned forward while slipping two fingers inside her. "Mmmmm." she moaned out loud. She was so turned on. She didn’t know her pussy could get this wet. She continued to twirl her hips around his fingers which continued to dance inside her. "Oh my god King." she reached down to hold his hand, feeling her body about to climax. As if reading her body language he stood up again, focusing his attention on her dress. Swiftly, he lifted her up so he could whip the sundress over her head. After stripping her down, he pushed her back down on the bed, spreading her arms and legs wide as she laid there naked. "King." she whispered his name, unsure if she was prepared for this.

 He didn’t respond. He pulled his polo t-shirt over his head exposing his bare chest as he stood over her. Her mouth dropped open as she examined his six pack abs. Reese had no idea that his body was that ripped. She licked her lips. This man was perfect from every single angle. Her eyes dropped down to his erection. She wanted nothing more than for him to drop those drawers and come inside of her right now. She bit her lip, her mind wandering 100 miles a minute. What am I doing? What If Pumpkin finds out? Are you willing to give your body to this man?

They stared at each other, their gazes locked as she he unbuckled his pants, letting them drop to the floor. Next he removed his boxers. Her eyes widened as they fell upon his long, hard dick. She imagined him to be well endowed, but this was way more than she bargained for. She arched her back, suddenly imagining the sex to be painful but pleasurable at the same time. Reese continued to stare in disbelief of his size. Clearly, they didn’t call him King for no reason. "Oh my god." she spoke unknowingly. He smirked at her, watching her as she continued to stare at his manhood. King dropped to his knees, pulling her body closer to his. She watched as his face dropped in between her legs. She closed her eyes, enjoying each moment as he felt his tongue slip inside of her. "Ohhhh." she cried out loud as she felt her body shiver. "Mmmmm." he moved his tongue in circular motions. Her legs shook. He applied even more pressure, pressing his lips against her pussy while his tongue continued to dance against her walls. "I'm about to comeeee baby." she screamed out loud as she felt her body about to climax. He pulled away, stopping before she could fully release. "Oh my god." she shouted again, her legs quivering as they sat hiked up in the air. He wasn’t done. He climbed on top of the bed, straddling over her as they both laid there naked. He looked her deep in the eyes, shooting her a stern look. "You mine now. You know that right?" He didn’t allow her to respond. Seconds later, she felt him dip deep inside of her. "Ahhhhhh." she cried out. It hurt, but the pain felt good as he slipped inside. It felt so good. His body matched perfectly with hers. He slowly stroked her, watching her facial expression. "Mmmmm." she moaned as she twirled her hips around his dick, using her hand to pull him inside deeper. He stroked her deep, each stroke making her feel as if her back was caving in. She dug her nails deep into his skin, losing herself in this moment. He felt so good. She slid up and down, making sure she could feel every inch as she held him. She never imagined a man could feel this good. No one had ever turned her on this way. He pounded her body which became weak. "Oh my God, I’m gonna come babyyyyy." She didn’t hold back. She felt her body release. Her muscles tensed and her body to jerk. "Ahhhhhh." she cried out as he continued to stroke her while she came. She felt her body go limp. That was the best orgasm she ever had. She attempted to recuperate as she lay sprawled out on the bed. Best sex ever.

 He pulled out. King stood over her, admiring her body. He smirked. "You mine Reese. And as long as you remain loyal to me, I'm yours.” She mustered up the strength to open her eyes and gaze at him. He was serious. And so was she. He climbed on the bed. Without saying another word, he collapsed next to her. Moments later they fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms.

 

 

 

Chapter 16

Chapter 16.

 

"Would you like a refill on your water Ms. Patricia?"

"No, I'm good. Thank you." Pumpkin politely smiled at the waitress who stood over her table holding a water pitcher. The waitress smiled back at her, stepping back from the dinner table allowing Pumpkin to continue looking over the menu. "No problem mam. Flag me down whenever you’re ready to order." Pumpkin nodded her head and smiled, watching as the young girl walked away towards the entrance of the restaurant. She sat on the outside patio deck at a table looking out over the Middle Branch Patapsco River. It was a nice day out but she wasn’t here for the food or for the view. She glanced at her watch. 5 until 2 pm. She knew Reese would be walking in that door any moment. Her timing may have gotten better, but that was the last thing on Pumpkins mind right now. She fidgeted with her fingernails, wondering what the outcome of this meeting would be. She asked for Reese to meet her here to discuss business, but there were other subjects she needed to touch up on as well, and she wasn’t leaving here until she got answers. Today is the day. Today is the day I’m going to find out. She was uneasy but ignored the feeling.

As if right on que, her eyes fell upon Reese who stood in the doorway of the restaurant. She looked to her left, then her right searching for Pumpkins table. She watched her from a distance. Reese hadn’t worn her hair down since the day Pumpkin met her, but today her long natural wavy hair spilt over her shoulders. She wore a cream tank top and blue denim jeans with a sweater thrown over her shoulders. Something about Reese looked different.

 Pumpkin raised her hand flagging her down. They made eye contact as she finally located their table. Reese sashayed across the deck towards Pumpkin.

"Hello" she spoke briefly as she approached. Pumpkin did not respond verbally. Instead she nodded her head. Reese grabbed the chair, pulling it from underneath the table while sitting down. She nervously cleared her throat as she scooted her in chair closer. Pumpkin slightly sat back, crossing her arms across her chest as they both sat at the table in silence for a few moments.

“Soooo.” Reese asked. “What’s up?”

Pumpkin sucked her teeth, toying with her fingernails. It had been a long time coming and she was ready to get this over with. "Okay Reese. I'm going to get straight to the point. I don’t want to waste anymore of my time the same way I do not want to waste yours. I called you here today because I don’t think this is working out between you and I." she blurted it out. Silence spread across the table. Reese smacked her lips. She didn’t respond immediately. She was taken aback. Pumpkin continued. "I have enough money for you to get out of town if that’s what you want. I will pay for everything. Let's consider this a trial period." 

Reese clenched her jaw. She sat forward. "I don’t understand Pumpkin. I have done everything that you have asked of me. What is it that’s not working out?"

Pumpkin lifted her water glass to her lips taking a sip. She refused to give a reaction. She decided prior to showing up to this meeting that she was going to keep her cool. After placing the glass back down on the table, she crossed her hands neatly in front of her. Reese stared her down waiting for an answer.  Pumpkin smirked. She didn’t owe Reese an explanation. She was in the position to hire and fire whomever she pleased. She had her own personal reasons that she did not have to explain. "I just don’t think you’re a fit for the job. Honey, I’m doing you a favor, okay?”

Reese shook her head. She was upset. "That’s bullshit Pumpkin!” she snapped across the table. “I haven't done anything wrong."

Pumpkin looked over her shoulder, hoping this bitch wasn’t trying to make a scene. She turned back to Reese. "Why are you tripping? I told you I would pay for you to get out of town. I have more than enough money for you to take and run. So what’s the problem?"

"I don’t want your money!" she snapped loudly across the table a second time. Pumpkin narrowed her eyes. If this bitch doesn’t lower her voice, we are really going to have a serious problem.

Reese pointed her finger across the table. "This is about King and I know it."

Pumpkin’s heart race quickened at the mention of his name. She glared, feeling her blood rush to her head. Who does this bitch think she’s talking to??? Has she lost her fucking mind???

“What the fuck are you talking about?” She hissed at her. Reese had some nerve speaking on something she knew nothing about.

"You know what I’m talking about. This is about King and you know it. You’ve had this funky ass attitude ever since you found out about me staying the night at his condo."

Calm down Pumpkin, Calm down.

She bounced her knee up and down under the table as she held back her anger. Reese was beginning to push her buttons. She took a deep breath, attempting to keep her cool. She wasn’t going to allow her to bring her out of character.

“You’re out of your fucking mind.” Pumpkin brushed her off. “I don’t want King. I never wanted him!”

Reese rolled her eyes. She was calling her bluff. “What the hell ever Pumpkin. I know more than you think I know. Trust me.”

The table grew silent again. Pumpkin could feel herself slipping into another anxiety attack but she quickly shook it off. What does she know??? What has King told her??? Pumpkin couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She panicked. What if everything she had imagined was actually true? What if there really was something going on between King and Reese? Sweat trickled down her forehead as she pondered upon the thought. Pumpkin was terrified to see that happen. She would lose it.

 "Listen bitch, you don’t know shit okay!?” Pumpkin pointed her finger across the table. She wanted to believe her own words, but she didn’t.

"Well I’m sorry but that’s what it looks like Pumpkin." Reese continued to badger. Pumpkin’s blood was boiling. Reese was hitting below the belt and she had no comeback. "I put my entire life on the line for you!” Reese continued with her sob story. “You can’t push me to the curb like this. It’s not right!"

Pumpkin rolled her eyes. Reese had never been this combative. Pumpkin wondered what it was toughened this girl up. Maybe she really wanted this job. Or maybe she wanted to stick around for something else… "So what’s your point, Reese? Because I’m not changing my mind. You’re done. And that’s it. "

Reese pressed her lips together, holding herself back from saying something they would both regret. Pumpkin was glad, because she had been prepared to hop across this table the moment she said something wrong. 

They sat quiet once again. Pumpkin was hopeful Reese had finally taken the hint and was ready to stop resisting.  “So…” Reese asked with her arms still across her chest. "Does King know about this???" she asked.

No he doesn’t. Pumpkin answered inside her head. She revisited the last conversation she had with King inside his truck. It did not go the way she expected. But that wasn’t going to stop her from taking control and firing Reese. She would deal with King when it was time.

 "I don't have to run it by him. All I have to do is say the word, and then you’re done." 

“Hmmmmm…” Reese caught her off guard. She tapped her fingers on the table. "I don’t think King is going to agree with you on this one."

Pumpkin glared. Reese was really testing her patience right now. Why is she talking like she knows something that I don’t???

Pumpkin knew King better than she knew anyone else, and there was no way he was going to choose Reese over her. It was impossible. "I don't give a rat's ass what you think Clareeseeeeee." she dramatically dragged her name. "I don’t trust you around King, and I don’t trust you period! THERE, I SAID IT!"

Reese sat back as she shook her head. She had stopped responding. Pumpkin hoped she would give it up already, there was no changing her mind. For the last time, they sat in silence. Pumpkin’s eyes dropped down to the set of car keys that sat in the middle of the table. Immature thoughts ran through her mind. Here was her only chance to get her infinity back. Apart of her wanted to snatch the car keys, run in the opposite direction, and leave Reese stranded here to fend for herself. Pumpkin decided against it. For the first time in her life, she was going to be the bigger person. Reese could keep the car. As long as she stayed the fuck away from King, that’s all that mattered. Reese’s house key was wrapped around the key ring. A third key was wrapped around the key ring also. Wait a minute... Something’s not right… Pumpkin couldn’t ignore the gut feeling that immediately rushed through her body. She sat forward. She was close to a nervous breakdown, it wasn’t going to take much to push her over the edge.

Pumpkin’s memory was very sharp. She didn’t miss a thing and was extremely vivid when it came to detail. She began breaking things down inside her head. She remembered the silver key ring she gave Reese to her apartment. It had a very peculiar shape. She kept a copy of the key for bookkeeping purposes so she knew exactly what it looked like. Her heart began to race once again.  A bronze gold key sat laced next to the silver one. She closed her eyes, giving herself a moment to relax. She may have been overreacting. It was just a house key. But Pumpkin knew better. That gold key was not for Reese's apartment. So if it wasn’t for her, whom was it for?

Reese was oblivious to Pumpkins observation. She sat across the table with her arms crossed across her chest, pouting like a child. Pumpkin took a deep breath. Calm down, calm down. She meditated to herself for the last time.

"That’s not your house key." Pumpkin spoke underneath her breath. She was emotionless, too overcome with feelings she didn’t know how to voice them out loud without making a scene. The mood at the table suddenly shifted. Reese looked down at the key, snatching it up from the table and dropping it into her purse. Pumpkin hoped Reese had a good ass excuse. She examined her expression. Reese was avoiding eye contact. Pumpkin could see the guilt all over her face. 

"That's the key to my roommate’s apartment. I never gave it back to her." Reese bluntly came up with a lie.

Again, Pumpkin’s body shook. She began to feel the room spinning. This feeling was all too familiar. "Reese." she calmly whispered her name with her eyes still closed. She was so angry right now, it was scary. Mentally, she could feel herself drifting over to the dark side, and unless Reese started explaining the extra key on her key ring, there was going to be a serious issue.

"Did you forget I was with you when you went back the next day to move your stuff out her apartment?” Pumpkin called her out on her life. Again, she was very vivid when it came to detail. She didn’t miss a thing. “I watched you give her the key back." Pumpkin’s entire demeanor had gone cold. This meeting had turned left real quick.

"What is your reason for lying?" Pumpkin asked. She was curious to know but terrified to learn the truth. There was a truth behind Reese's deception. She hoped Reese would come up with a believable excuse, not a flat out bold faced lie

"I didn’t give it back to her that day." she lied again. Pumpkin couldn’t take the lies anymore. She was fuming and suddenly could feel herself about to snap. She held it in. There was a place and time for everything, and here was not the place.

 "Why?" Pumpkin asked. She needed better answers because she did not like the ones she was receiving. "Why the fuck are you lying about a house key Reese????" she snapped loudly. The couple sitting at the next table turned around shooting them a funny look. She didn’t care about making a scene anymore.

"Enough!" Reese shouted while grabbing her purse. "This is ridiculous! I'm leaving." Reese scooted her chair back and abruptly stood up from the seat. Pumpkin stood up after her, walking around the table so she could stand directly in front of her. She sized her up. "You’re a real sneaky bitch. Do you know who you dealing with???" she questioned. Clearly, Reese was underestimating her right now,

 "No, obviously you don’t!" she shot back at her. "You bring me here to fire me then you have the audacity to question me about a damn house key??? What is wrong with you???" she asked. Pumpkin clenched her fists by her side. She wanted to punch this bitch in the face so bad right now for playing her. She looked around. There were too many people in the restaurant and she couldn’t afford any witnesses. She focused her attention back on Reese. "That better not be King's house key. I told you what's up. I hope you didn’t deceive me and go back there."

 Reese shot her a crazy look. "Deceive you??" she questioned her. "I don’t have any loyalty to you and clearly you have NONE towards me. So how could I deceive you???" she challenged her. Pumpkin glared at this ungrateful bitch. This was the reason why she kept to herself and stayed away from females. This was the exact reason why.

 "You better not be messing with King.” Pumpkin narrowed her eyes. “You will regret it, I promise.”

 Reese didn’t take kindly to the threat. She huffed up her chest. "Pumpkin, give up!!!”  She shouted in her direction, "King is not going to want you no matter how many women you push away! You need to stop this shit! It’s getting sad." 

Pumpkins mouth dropped open. No one ever disrespected her this way. No one had the guts.  Reese nudged past her heading towards the exit. Pumpkin followed her with her eyes. She watched as Reese walked away. She stood still as she began to reevaluate her life. She loved King. She never denied it. She was in disbelief that some bitch who had only been around for 2 weeks had some nerve to call out a 16 year relationship that she knew nothing about. She replayed Reese's voice inside her head. You need to give up Pumpkin! King is not going to want you no matter how many women you push away!

Pumpkin quickly rummaged through her purse and slapped a 10 dollar bill on the table to pay for her drink. Her hands were shaken. She was numb. Afraid that her gut feeling may have been right all along. She was frustrated. She had been trying to get to the bottom of this for days now. King and Reese were both tight lipped.  Mama may have raised a thief but she didn’t raise no fool.

She stomped across the restaurant, her vision blurred with anger. She made sure to follow close behind Reese's tail. This was not over. She had another trick up her sleeve. She needed answers. Pumpkin was going to get to the bottom of this. 

 

Chapter 17

Chapter 17 

What the hell was that? I should have seen it coming! How could I have been so stupid???

Her mind rushed as she walked up the clear pathway clutching her sweater by her side. The sun had fallen and it grew a little chilly out. Reese threw her car keys over her shoulder, clicking the lock on her shiny red infinity that she recently had polished. She took a deep breath as she pushed the car into the back of her mind, attempting to make sense of everything that happened today. She knew Pumpkin was upset but she had no idea she would take it this far. How dare she? I put my entire life on the line for this bitch and she got some nerve to toss me to the side like im nothing?  Reese began to feel her anxiety rush as she approached the front door. She couldn’t figure out what made Pumpkin so suspicious. She slipped up spilling the beans about the inner harbor condo, but that was it. She was tired of the speculation and disgusted by the way she was treated today. She retrieved the house key, being cautious to separate them while looking for a specific one. After locating the gold bronze key, she slipped it into the key hole and unlocked the doors to her newly found kingdom. She stepped into the long hallway. A pleasant aroma floated from the kitchen area. Steak and homemade potatoes. She closed her eyes as she inhaled. Mmmmm. Reese floated down the hallway, feeling as if she were on cloud 9 and suddenly forgetting all about tonight’s turn of events. She approached the double doors while walking into the living room. She smiled from ear to ear as her eyes fell upon the man of her dreams standing in the kitchen over the stove. He met her gaze, smiling as soon as she walked through the door. She leaned against the door frame as she admired how good he looked standing over that stove. "I'm back." she smiled at him even wider. King seductively licked his lips as she walked through the door. He smiled at her, causing her insides to jump outside of her body. He nodded his head for her to come over. "You said rib eye steak was your favorite right?" She smirked as she walked across the dining room. He really did listen to her during pillow talk and that was so sexy. She approached him, lifting her chin to greet him with a kiss. He leaned down, softly pecking her on the lips. "I missed you." He smirked. 

She laughed. "I only have been gone for 3 hours." Reese admired King as he turned towards her, placing his arms around her waist pulling her in close. She gazed into his eyes. Nothing had ever felt this right in her life. Ever. Suddenly she began to feel everything she went through in her past was for a reason. If she hadn’t met her lowest, she would have never met the man of her dreams.

 "It felt really good to hear you come through that door using your key. I'm not used to this, but I like the feeling." He held her tight as she cradled him in her arms. She soaked up every word as she melted in his embrace. Reese decided she was going to enjoy this moment and not let Pumpkin ruin it the way she had done from the beginning. There was no way in hell she was going to let that chick scare her away from her man. This was destiny. She held him, completely pushing Pumpkin in the back of her mind deciding to get to that subject later. "Is it really my key?" she asked as she reiterated his statement. Reese eyed him, hoping he wasn’t going to shoot her down. 

  "It's yours if you want it to be. But i don't want you to think I'm moving too fast." She stared at him, never giving thought to whether or not she should slow things down. Ever since their first night together, it seemed as if their souls grew closer. She didn’t want to slow it down. 

"So how did your meeting go with Pumpkin?" he asked the question she tried so hard to avoid. Her chest dropped into her stomach as she swallowed the large lump in her throat. She bit her lip while looking way avoiding eye contact.

"Uhhh here you go." he spoke sarcastically as he picked up on her sudden facial expression change. She looked back up at him, ready to get this over with and tell him what's really going on. She knew he was going to ask eventually. "King." she spoke his name slowly. She hated giving him bad news but she knew honesty was very important to him. She had no other choice other than to tell him what was going on.  "I think Pumpkin knows about us." Her eyes nervously traveled up to meet his. 

Suddenly Reese felt Kings hands drop from around her waist. He took a few steps back as he took a deep breath. "What do you mean she knows about us?"

Reese nervously cracked her knuckles, her eyes dropping to the floor. "I didn't tell her anything, I promise. Ever since you dropped all that money on my new apartment, things haven’t been the same between me and her. It’s like she doesn’t want me around at all."

He smacked his lips, almost as if he didn’t believe her. He shook his head, his demeanor becoming offensive. "That’s how she is. Punk is very bossy and extremely overprotective of me. I told you that." Reese shook her head, feeling as if King were indicial. Pumpkin had inner issues that Reese could see right through and he refused to admit it. Pumpkin was in love with King and desperate that she couldn’t have him the way she wanted to have him. Reese was tired of him taking up for her.

"She saw the extra key on my key ring. She flipped out."  Reese took a moment to let him absorb what she just said. He clenched his jaw as he stopped responding. She cracked her knuckles. She hoped King didn’t think she was flaunting because she wasn’t. Reese wanted nothing more than to keep her and Kings romantic life a secret. Pumpkin was very attentive and didn’t miss anything. Reese never thought to hide her key ring because she never thought anyone was paying that close attention.   "She flipped out about a house key?" he asked making sure he heard her correctly.

"Exactly. You hear how crazy that sounds right??" she stepped forward, "And to put the icing on top of the cake, she fired me King." 

He appeared shocked as he cocked his head to the side. "What??" he asked. "She fired you? No fucking way."

She nodded her head. "It's true. She claimed it's not working out. But I called her bluff! I told her she’s doing this because she can’t be with you. And she got really upset about that."

The mood in the room shifted as she felt King cut his eyes at her. She stopped talking, pressing her lips together as if she just said something wrong. She bit her tongue, wanting to slap herself upside the head for talking too fast and not listening to what she was saying. "Why would you tell her that?" he questioned her, suddenly making her feel as if he were backing her into a corner. 

 "Because." she bit her lip, feeling her hands shake as she answered. "Because it’s the truth. Right?" she asked for reassurance. For a moment, she began to think maybe there was another reason behind Pumpkins crazy. Maybe King had been leading her along after all. 

"Even if it was. That's not your place to speak on that." He spoke firmly.

Reese stood still, feeling like an idiot as she stopped responding. King was right. She had stuck her foot in her mouth too many times and had no business speaking upon King and Pumpkins relationship. As mysterious and questionable King was, she trusted him, and she honestly believed there was nothing going on between him and Pumpkin.

He placed his hands on her shoulder, looking her deep in the eye as he pulled her back in. She took a deep breath. Thank God he wasn’t upset. Their bodies touched as he began to cradle her again, softly holding her in his arms. "Maybe Pumpkin is right." He spoke even softer. "Maybe this job is too much for you to handle." Her mouth dropped open, shocked to find out he was agreeing. She placed her hands on his chest as she attempted to wiggle from his embrace, but he held her even tighter. "What??" she asked, shocked because she honestly believed he was going to stand up for her.

 "Look, it's for your own good. I told you I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. I got to do what I got to do to keep you safe."

Her chest weaved up and down as she felt her breathing quicken. Anytime he mentioned keeping her safe, it made her nervous as if she were in actual danger. She felt there was something King was keeping from her and knew it had a lot to do with Pumpkins ex best friend Trix. She wished she had known from the beginning, but there was no turning back now. She was in too deep. 

"I can't go back to being broke King." she pleaded with her eyes. She looked up at him. King more than likely never had to struggle the way Reese had. She remembered those nights having only $2 dollars to her name. That was the most depressing time in her life. She never wanted to go back there or be in that space ever again. 

He ran his hands up the nape of her back, still holding her close as if he never wanted to let go. "You won’t. As long as you are with me, I'm going to treat you like the queen you are." He continued to rub her back. His queen. Those words sounded so powerful as he spoke. She was in disbelief.  "Wow." she let the words creep from her mouth. She still couldn’t believe all these women in the world, she chose her. 

"I want you to manage my hair salon." he stated out of the blue.

Reese felt her eyes widen in disbelief. She clutched her chest as he completely caught her off guard. “What??" she asked, making sure she heard him correctly. Her mind revisited the hair salon which sat secluded and deserted in the abandoned parking lot. The salon was so fancy and upscale, she had no idea why he never talked about it or opened it up. He looked her in the eyes, no signs of deception. He was serious.

"Queens’s hair salon managed by Clareese Bivens. How does that sound?" he asked.

Queens’s hair salon? Clareese Bivens? She didn’t know what to say or how to respond. She hoped it wasn’t pulling her tail right now, but the expression on his face indicated he was serious. She took a deep breath, suddenly becoming overwhelmed. 

"Really King? You want me to manage your salon??? Why me??" she was in shock as she stood in front of him with her mouth still hung open. He smirked at her while running his hand on the side of her cheek. He stroked her. "I don't want my woman hustling. I will give you 60% profit on whatever income the salon makes."
She stood still, his surprise being the biggest. She couldn’t catch her breath as she attempted to recollect what he just said. Never in a million years could she have imagined her life changing so much so fast. Just a few weeks ago, she had nothing. Reese was extremely down bad on her luck not even having two dimes to rub together. Now here she was, dating the richest man in Baltimore. She was about to manage her own businesses. Something she dreamed of for years. "But...but...” she felt herself stammering feeling like an idiot.” I don’t know how to do hair King." she looked up at him, hoping that her lack of experience wasn’t a deal breaker. She never ran a business yet alone touched a strand of hair in her entire lifetime. He smiled at her. "You don’t have to baby. You can hire who you want. Fire who you want. I want you to build your own foundation." 

She stared into his eyes, feeling as if she were falling in love with him at this very moment. She attempted to shake the image out of her head. It had only been 2 weeks, there was no way she could love a man that fast. But something inside her made her feel this was real. She never had a man sweep her off her feet the way he was doing right now. It wasn’t the money or the material things. It was something about King that made her feel so connected. She felt intertwined with his soul, she couldn’t let that go. Running her finger down his chest, she held him closely. She was so appreciative for this man at this very moment. Meeting King was the best thing that ever happened to her. Reese didn’t care how Pumpkin felt or how any other woman felt for that matter. She was here to stay. She was falling in love.

"You want me to be your woman?" she asked as her eyes nervously traveled up to meet his. He stopped responding for a moment. She held her breath, feeling at any moment he was going to wake up and realize what he was doing. Reese wasn’t perfect by a long shot. She couldn’t figure out in her mind what did he see in her? Of all the women in Baltimore practically throwing their selves at him, why did he want Reese? 

"Listen," he spoke sensually as he pressed his body into hers. She felt his erection grow inside her crotch area, which immediately made her weak to the knees as he pressed his manhood against her. "I told you, you are mines. There’s nothing else to discuss about that." He placed his hand underneath her chin, lifting her up to kiss her on the lips. She closed her eyes as his skin touched her lips. He kissed her softly, massaging her lips with hers. He clutched her around the waist, holding her tight. His touch felt so good. So strong and comforting. "Mmmmm." she moaned in between his kisses. She felt his hands drop down to her jeans. He began to unbuckle her jeans slowly. She placed her hand on his chest to pull him back as he continued to devour her in kisses. "Babeeee." she stuttered after breaking apart. "What about dinner?" she asked as she looked over the stove which was lightly brewing. He continued to unfasten her jeans, ignoring her. He unzipped the zipper, pulling her jeans down to her ankles. She stood still, letting him do whatever he pleased. King stood up to face her, looking down at her black and pink laced panties she was wearing. He licked his lips as he quickly removed the sweater from around her shoulders. "Lift your arms up." he ordered her. She obeyed. He quickly whipped her t-shirt over her head, exposing her matching black and pink laced bra. She stood half naked as he helped her step each foot out of her jeans. She loved it when he took control this way.  She didn’t resist or fight it. He could have her any way he wanted to. He dropped to his knees, pulling her panties down past her waist and to the floor around her ankles. He looked up at her as he inched closer. "You’re so beautiful Reese." he leaned over, kissing the outside of her lips making her juices drip down her inner thigh. "Oh my god." her breathing quickened as he flicked his tongue, teasing her as he continued to press his lips around her pussy, kissing the outside. "Kinggg." she placed her hand on the top of his head, guiding him closer. Slowly, she felt his tongue slip inside, breaking her walls apart. "Ahhhhh." she felt chills shoot up her spine as he french kissed her clit, using two fingers to massage her as he licked every inch.  Reese felt her knees began to buckle as she stood in an upright position. He held her by the waist as he continued to apply pressure using his face. He rolled his tongue in circular motion causing her body to rock back and forth. "Ahhhhh babyyyy." she felt herself about to come as she gripped the back of his neck. He pulled away standing to his feet. Swiftly he dropped his sweats and his boxers at the same time. Reese felt her knees buckle as they instantly grew weak. He supported her leaning body, picking her up and placing both legs around his waist. He plunged inside of her showing no mercy as he slid deep inside her walls. "Ohhhhh." she cried out. He stroked her as he held her up in the air, pounding her insides as he gripped her butt cheeks. "You feel so good baby." he moaned in her ear. She held him tight, her nails digging into his skin. Each thrusts felt like heaven as fucked her standing up, the food still cooking on the stove. Moments later she felt his muscles jerk underneath her. "Mmmmm." he moaned as he tossed her off. She staggered back as her feet hit the floor. Reese watched him as he composed himself wiping the sweat off his forehead. "Damn Reese." he looked at her while shaking his head. "We gone have to get you on some birth control baby. I almost just slipped up and got you pregnant." he smirked at her as she leaned back on the couch still slightly winded. She didn’t respond. She attempted to catch her breath as she watched him pull up his clothes and casually walk around the counter back to kitchen to attend to the cooking stove. She continued to stare in silence completely mesmerized. Reese never knew it was possible to feel this way about a man so sudden and so fast. King was perfect in every way, shape and inch. This was it. She was committed for life. Reese was his Queen.

 

Chapter 18

Chapter 18,

"Aint nobody gonna love me like i love meeeeee....nobody nobody nobody." Pumpkin drunkenly sung along to the song lyrics, a cup of tequila mixed with Hennessey on the rocks gripped in the palm of her right hand. She brought the plastic cup to her lips, the taste burning her lips as she swallowed. She reached forward to turn the volume up. The old-school playlist spilled from the speakers loudly throughout her range rover as she sat parked in a secluded parking lot. ''They say they got your backkkkkk but you’re a fool to think thattttttt.'' She continued to sing along as she drowned the last contents of liquor in her empty cup. She glanced over in the passenger seat examining the three empty bottles sitting next to her. Shit. Pumpkin looked at her reflection in the rearview mirror, staring at herself as the song continued to play. Tears stained the sides of her cheeks. Her eyes were swollen as she leaned forward taking note to how awful she looked. She had been sitting in this parking lot for 2 hours. How did I get here? This is all my fault. How could I let this happen? Pumpkin sat in a daze as she focused her vision out the window, watching as the cars whisked by. Why not me? Why was I never good enough? She looked down at the 9mm handgun sitting in the center of her lap. She had lost it. Pumpkin had officially gone insane. Crying nonstop. Drinking herself into a pity. She leaned over as she felt a rush of emotions resurface. Damn, she had just stopped crying and was not in the mood to let out another round. She looked at herself in the rear view mirror a second time. She was ashamed at the reflection. Ashamed that she had finally given someone the power to bring her down this low. There was only one person to blame…

 Pumpkin looked at the 9mm sitting in her lap again, her mind wandering. At this moment, she was suicidal. Then again, she wanted revenge. Pumpkin sat quietly to herself as she reevaluated her entire life. She began to think about that moment she will never forget…

 It was around 8:00 last night. Pumpkin had an out of body experience. She wasn’t really there. Physically she was present, mentally she had checked out. Pumpkin remembered seeing herself hunched over in her range rover, her video camera rolling as she sat parked behind a dumpster. She had only been sitting there for 10 minutes. She knew her target was close because her GPS monitored continuously went off, signaling her tracker was somewhere in the area. Pumpkin never thought she would have to go to these measures to find out the truth. But she needed to know. She looked down at the GPS in her hand. The target was pulling around the corner. She held her breath, hoping the car would continue to drive by and not stop. Hopefully this was all a coincidence. Pumpkin spotted the familiar car turn around the corner. Her entire world stopped. The time is here. She had waited on this moment and now she was about to find out the truth...

She sat still as she watched the red infinity cruised down the street, slowing at speed. Please don’t stop, please don’t stop. Pumpkin remembered chanting inside her head.  She sat back, watching as her worst nightmare unfold right before her eyes. The infinity came to a stop, turning on the right signal to turn into the large condominium that sat at the edge of the inner harbor. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she sat back. Numb. She couldn’t move. She watched as a young valet approached the driver side window smiling happily as if he had seen the driver plenty of times before. They chit chatted for a few moments as Pumpkin watched, her heart slowly breaking into pieces as everything came crashing down on her head. Reese stuck her head out the infinity, tipping the driver a wad of money who leaned down to give her a hug. She waved goodbye to him while speeding off up the slope and disappearing around the corner into a parking garage. She looked down at her GPS which had ironically lost signal. Everything she feared was coming true. This was real life.

At that very moment, her soul left her body. She no longer had one. She did not move. She felt if she did, her move would be the wrong one. Her eyes slowly traveled up the large building, knowing for a fact King was at the top waiting for Reese to arrive. She had been lied to. King promised he would never do this to me. And he did. I could kill her. I could kill her. I could kill her. Pumpkin began to fear her own thoughts. She was capable of anything at that moment.

 Pumpkin shook the image from her head. She had to stop thinking about last night. It was driving her insane and she couldn’t take it.

Pumpkin followed Reese home the evening after their meeting. That ignorant bitch Reese never pays attention to her surroundings and didn’t look in her rearview mirror not once as she was being followed. Pumpkin shook her head at that foolish trick. Reese had no idea Pumpkin wire tapped her purse with a microphone prior to her leaving a restaurant. She made it so easy, all Pumpkin had to do was slip it in her purse as she walked past. Pumpkin already had the infinity installed with a GPS before she gave it away so that part was a piece of cake. By the end of the night, Pumpkin was able to hear each and every encounter she shared with King last night. The conversation. The dinner. The sex. Pumpkin drunkenly played back and listened to each audio tape, listening to every single word. She had never felt pain this deep. Pumpkin had no idea pain even existed. She picked up the gun, placing the barrel against her temple. She cried hysterically as she felt the steel touch her skin. “I can’t live without you King. I'd rather dieeee if I can’t have you!” She cried out loud as her shoulders bobbed up and down. She loved him so much. She loved King to death. How could he betray the woman who has always been there for him? She screamed out loud as she put her finger on the trigger. “I can kill myself now and all this pain will be over with.” She cried, suddenly facing reality. King didn’t love her. He never loved her and he never will. She felt herself falling into a deep dark hole. But Pumpkin could not go out like a coward. Not like her mother or her father. She had too much respect in the streets to let it all end like this. She took the gun from her head, taking a deep breath as she realized how close she had come to shooting herself. She meditated to herself as she reminded herself what was important. The money. The revenge. She narrowed her eyes as she realized this wasn’t over. There was only one person to blame. And that person…

 

Chapter 19

Chapter 19.

 

Ring Ring Ring.
Reese creeped her eyes open slowly, the sunlight spilling into the darkly shaded bedroom. She squirmed in bed, King's grip around her waist tightening as he lay fast asleep beside her. She glanced over at the clock. 11:01 a.m. They were sleeping in this morning which was very well deserved so she didn’t mind. Reese smiled as she sleepily rubbed her eyes, squirming in her man’s embrace before reaching for her cellphone which was still ringing. She glanced at the caller id in complete surprise to see Pumpkins name on the caller id. She sat up, not sure how to feel about this woman calling her right now. The phone continued to ring in the palm of her hand as Reese hesitated before answering. The last time they met, things definitely didn’t go well and there was no telling what else Pumpkin had up her sleeve now.
''Hello?'' Reese placed the phone to her ear being careful not to wake King.
"What's up Reese?" Pumpkin greeted her in a casual tone as if nothing had ever happened. She looked around the room, confused on what the hell was going on. ''Ummm. What’s up???'' She asked.
Pumpkin took a deep breath on the other end before responding. "Look, I thought about it, and maybe I was wrong firing you. I need you back. I really need you for this job I’m trying to seal tonight.''
Reese sat with the phone cradled to her ear. She was confused and didn’t know if this was an apology or a setup. There really was no telling with Pumpkin. This chick was like night and day. Reese looked over at King hoping she hadn’t waked him. She was wrong. He lay beside her, his eyes open as he stared at her while she talked on the phone. He could hear the voice on the other end /and he knew it was Pumpkin.
''Ummm.'' Reese finally responded. "What about all that shit you was talking at the restaurant Pumpkin? What was all that about??" She felt King nudge her to get her attention. She looked over at him watching as he shook his head disapproving of her approach. She bit her lip. As long as her man was sitting next to her she was going to have to pipe it down. For now.
"Look I got a lot going on right now." Pumpkin continued. ''I really don't want to explain it. All I’m focused on right now is money. I need more of it and I know you do to."
Reese looked over at King, seeking approval but he gave no guidance as he remained quiet. Pumpkin would flip if she heard his voice in the background. Reese didn’t know how to respond. King told her the other night he didn't want her hustling anymore. She was planning on starting a new life, opening up this hair salon and finally turning into that stay at home woman King always wanted. Reese was ready to retire from her very short lived career.
"I don't know about that Pumpkin. I'm just waking up. Let me think about it and call you back later.'' She attempted to get her off the phone.
''How bout you meet me later tonight around 7 and we can talk in person?" Pumpkin persisted. Reese looked over at King again as a bad feeling surrounded the pit of her stomach. She was tired of putting her life in danger. she didn’t want to do it any longer. King nodded his head, urging her to accept the meeting as he sat up in bed. Reese shook her head. It was either now or never. She had to end things with Pumpkin for good. Even if it meant meeting her face to face and letting her know what it is. She was done.
"Alright I will meet you." Reese accepted. "But just to talk. I'm not saying I'm accepting any of your offers."
Pumpkin grew silent for a moment before coming back to the line. "Alright. See ya." She casually said goodbye as she disconnected the line. Reese drew the phone back from her face still in shock. This girl was extremely bipolar and crazy and she was not looking forward to meeting up with her once again. She looked over at King, anxious for his input.
"You have to go meet with her baby." He spoke casually as if it weren’t a big deal.
She rolled her eyes. She was annoyed by the situation but there was no escaping it. "And what's that going to solve?'' She asked.
''Alot.'' He turned towards her, placing his hand on her knee as he lightly massaged her. "You got to tell her you done with the game. You’re out. But I also want you to make peace with her. I need you to understand, I love Pumpkin and I never want to lose her." He gave her a serious look. He really did have a deep spot in his heart for Pumpkin, she could see that now. No wonder that woman was so attached to him and could not let go. 
''And what about you and me?'' She asked as she looked over at him. "Is she ever going to know or are we going to always sneak around."
He reached for her hand, grabbing it tightly as it rested on top of the covers. ''Obviously we can’t hide forever. In due time, everything will come into place and work itself out. But for right now, I really want you to make amends with Pumpkin. Ya'll may be around each other for a very long time and I want ya’ll to get along."
  She took a deep breath. King was her weak spot. He had her under his spell and she would do damn near anything he asked her to do at this point. She swallowed the large lump in her throat, hoping this meeting with Pumpkin doesn’t go anything like the last one. And hopefully this meeting will be their last. "Whatever." She brushed it off, hoping it was the end of the conversation.
"I'm serious Reese." he continued. "You and Pumpkin got a lot more in common than you think. Both of you grew up in Baltimore on the streets. Neither one of you had a good relationship with your parents. I think you should try opening up to her on a personal level." Reese smacked her lips. King really had no idea. It wasn't her decision to be at odds with Pumpkin. From day one she stuck her neck out to prove to this chick she had what it takes to be a successful hustler. In the end, she got kicked to the curb. "Alright babe." she leaned over interrupting him in mid-sentence. She was tired of talking about Pumpkin. No matter what she always came up as the topic of discussion. Right now, Reese wanted to indulge in this moment and enjoy relaxing in bed with the man of her dreams. She pressed her lips to his, kissing him sensually as she placed her hands on the back of his neck. ''Mmmmm...” she moaned into his ear. ''I understand exactly why she is in love with you, King." she whispered as she held him tight. She never wanted to let go. He pulled away to look at her in the eyes. The room grew silent. Reese knew her words were deep. She couldn’t deny it. She never felt something so right. This was destiny and it was fate that brought them together. He leaned in and kissed her. Each time his lips touched her she felt as if she were falling into his embrace. He laid her back on the bed and made love to her over and over again.

 

Chapter 20

Chapter 20.

 

Reese walked up the narrow steps, clutching her jacket tightly together as she traveled up the narrow pathway. She looked over her shoulder. No one was in sight. Despite her better judgment, she continued to walk up the stairs. Reese felt shivers travel up her spine as she suddenly began to realize this was a bad idea meeting Pumpkin here. She looked around. The sun had not fully set so the alley way was lightly shaded. But the abandoned and deserted atmosphere made her question why the hell Pumpkin invited her here in the first place. Pumpkin text her phone with an address and Reese foolishly just showed up without fully looking into where she was going. Something about this place gave her a eerie feeling. Graffiti decorated the walls as she approached a metal steel door. Her mind was thinking the worst possible. Something deep down inside made her feel like Pumpkin was setting her up. As if she knew something about her and King and was plotting on her for revenge. She shook that image from her head. Pumpkin was crazy but she was like family to King. No way she was that crazy. Besides, Reese was extremely careful and cautious about her relationship. There was no way Pumpkin found out anything. She still couldn’t understand why of all places, why here? Approaching the door, she bypassed knocking and pushed it right open. She had her 9mm fully loaded in her purse, which gave her a sense of power. No matter what she would be protected even if she had to protect herself. She stuck her head in first. There was electricity on the inside so the abandoned warehouse wasn’t so abandoned after all. ''Pumpkin!" Reese called her name out, her voice echoing throughout the large space. No answer. She didn’t see Pumpkins rover parked outside, so she might have arrived first, which probably was the best thing. She stepped her foot in. The coast was clear. BOOM! POW! BOOM! Reese dropped to her knees as she lost all movement and everything went black. BLOOP! Her body dropped to the floor as she was knocked out cold......

Chapter 21

Chapter 21.

 

"Wake up! Wake up you bitch!" Pumpkin drove her foot into the center of her stomach. Reese jolted awake. She covered her chest, coughing up blood which dripped from her running nose down to her lips. Yeah, I knocked her ass out real good.

Pumpkin clenched the 9mm handgun extending it right in Reese's direction as she laid flat on the floor. Pumpkin's body filled with rage the moment her hand gun barrel came crashing down on the back of Reese's head. She had gone off the deep end and there was no turning back. She looked down at Reese who lay hunched over holding her stomach, coughing in between her cries. "What the fuckkkkk?" she screamed out. Pumpkin lunged forward, driving her foot into the center of her stomach a second time. ''AHHHH!'' Reese screamed in pain as she cooped up in a ball so Pumpkin couldn’t kick her again. "YOU STUPID UNGRATEFUL BITCH! I MADE YOUR ASS RICH AND IN RETURN YOU RUIN MY FUCKING LIFE??? I COULD FUCKING KILL YOU!'' Pumpkin waved the gun in Reese's face as she continued to coward in a ball in pain from the unexpected blow. Pumpkin leaned down, stooping to where she lay on the floor. She grabbed a handful of Reese’s hair, forcing her to look her in the eye.

"I told you to stay away from King. Your HOE ASS didn't listen!" She spat as she shouted in her face. She felt no sympathy for Reese at this moment as she laid there in agony. She deserved this for breaking Pumpkin's heart. "Why???!" She shouted into her face again. "Why did you do this to yourself Reese?'' She wanted to know in all honesty. If only she would have listened, things could have turned out a lot of different. Now Reese had ruined it for everyone. No one was going to be happy now.
Reese cried, her shoulders bobbing up and down. Her face was stained with blood as she opened her mouth to speak. "I didn't do anything with King!" she shouted out as she cried. Pumpkin anger boiled over again. This ungrateful bitch was still making up lies. Her blood turned cold. She already knew everything. Heard everything. She had all the evidence. 
"Reese, you can take a bow sweetheart because the gig is up. Aren’t you the one saying you tired of hiding from me and you ready to tell me what’s up. Didn't you say you were done hustling? Aren’t you the one ready to play fake Miss Betty Crocker and open up King’s hair salon business next month? Oh yeah, are you that much of a hoe that you been fucking him every single night since you been there without a condom and your ass aint even on birth control? How was those steak and potatoes last night???" Pumpkin caught her breath as she watched Reese stare in shock, her body shaken as she still lay sprawled out on the floor. Pathetic. This lying bitch had nothing to say now. Pumpkin just read her entire story word for word. There was no denying now.

 

She continued to watch as Reese lay hunched over holding her stomach. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she continued to cry in pain. "Pathetic bitch." Pumpkin murmured under her breath as she watched her hysterically sob. She hated this woman. Reese came along and completely ruined her life. She took away her happily ever after. Now she was going to pay for it. She was going to regret the day she stepped foot into King’s territory. She was going to regret the pain she caused.

Reese looked up at her, blood staining her lips as her body continued to shake. "Did you...Did you video tape me or something?" she nervously stammered after coming to the conclusion that Pumpkin knew every single detail. She smirked, extending her 9mm in Reese’s direction who cowardly backed down the closer the steel inched towards her face. "Just know that you fucked with the wrong one honey." Pumpkin placed her finger on the trigger, wanting to send 9 rounds into this girls head, making her existence disappear forever. She never felt so much rage. Payback never felt this good. Pumpkin warned Reese to stay away. She warned her there would be consequences. She didn't listen.

Suddenly interrupting the moment, the front door creeped open sending a loud echo throughout the empty warehouse. Pumpkin continued to stand over Reese’s motionless body, her attention jolting to the left as the figure stepped through the door frame. Right on time. They locked gazes as she looked over. Pumpkin could feel her entire world come to a standstill as she watched the man that she loved stare her down with his mouth wide open. She watched as King’s eyes dropped down from her crazed expression to the 9mm handgun she was holding in her hand. His expression immediately turned into fear. She never seen that before. His eyes widened. He was in shock. She could tell. Her heart weakened as she realized how afraid he was. He was never afraid. She loved him so much no matter how hard she tried to fight it. She hated to see him standing here like this. King was the only person in this world who could break her down. She had no control for her love and she hated that. For a moment, Pumpkin began to regret sending that message to King's phone. She told him it was a code red. She was in trouble and if didn’t get here now, he may never see her again. She should have known it would take less than 15 minutes for him to show up to her rescue. Pumpkin set him up, something she vowed she would never do. Now her stomach flip flopped as he walked through the door witnessing everything unfold. "Punk." he whispered her name as he held his hands up in fear she was going to turn the gun on him. He looked down at Reese who lay hunched over. "Oh my god." he took a deep breath, reality hitting him hard as he watched his lover sprawled out on the floor covered in blood. "What did you do to her Punk??" he asked, wanting to rush to her aid but afraid to move. Pumpkin still had her gun extended in Reese's direction, who had stopped squirming but was still conscious.

"I did everything to her that she did to me." Pumpkin glared, wanting to end it all right now. She hated Reese. She hated King. She hated herself. She tried so hard to keep her true feelings buried inside her, and now everything she kept hidden was beginning to resurface and there was nothing she could do about it. King slowly stepped forward. Pumpkin hesitated as she felt him inch closer. "Punk, don’t do this." He pleaded to her, his hands still in the air. She closed her eyes, blocking him out of her heart refusing to let her guard down. She would have done anything for King once upon a time. If he asked her to put the gun down, she would have. But not anymore. Her cup had spilled over, and there was no fixing this damage.

"King, don’t you step any closer! I will kill her I promise!" She shouted at him.  He halted in place, no longer walking towards her as he stood about 10 feet away. His shoulders dropped in defeat. "Why are you doing this Pumpkin?" He asked, searching her expression for answers. She could hear the pain in his voice. Pumpkin bit her lip, feeling her defense against him weaken. She hated she had to drag him into this, but she had to teach him a lesson. She was the women for him. King should have chosen her. Not Reese.

 "You lied to me King!" she shouted at him, feeling tears brim in the corner of her eyes. She hated him for doing this to her. She loved him, and he shitted on her in return. Now everyone was going to pay. Everyone was going to feel the pain she felt the day she watched those video tapes.

 "But what did I do Pumpkin?" He asked. Pumpkin could feel her blood shoot through her veins as he questioned her. She wanted so bad to tell him about the wire taps, but she decided against it. Pumpkin knew for a fact that King would probably never trust her again after this day, but a part of her did not want him to know how she invaded his privacy. If Pumpkin hadn’t done so, she probably would have never found out about King and Reese. She didn’t regret her decision no matter what came of it. "You lied to me King. You told me you would never date a woman who hustled." She looked down at Reese, becoming even more upset as she gripped the handle to her 9mm. "What does this bitch have that I don't? Huh???" She asked again, wanting to know the truth. She searched his expression for answers. He appeared guilty as she stammered for a response. She was heartbroken. She loved him and he did not love her in return. "Pumpkin..I.I..." he tripped over his words not knowing what to say. There was no explanation for his actions. If he wanted to be with Pumpkin, he would have. A long time ago. Clearly, there was a reason behind why he hadn't. She wanted to know the reason, but he refused to tell her the truth no matter how many times she asked.

  "It wasn't you Pumpkin. It was never you. I didn't want to hurt you." He pleaded. She did not respond immediately. Pumpkin stared at him, wanting to believe that was the reason. But it wasn’t. She knew it. "I love you Pumpkin.” He continued. “I have always loved you and protected you. Why is that not enough?" he asked pleading for an answer. Pumpkin could see in his expression it hurt him to see her standing here like this. Pumpkin could feel her heart break. He was right. She owed her entire life to King. He was there when she needed him and always kept her out of harm’s way. She appreciated him for that. But it still didn’t change how she felt now. She kept these feelings buried inside for over 16 years. It was only a matter of time before she exploded.

  "Do you understand how much I love you?" she asked him. Tears silently fell down her cheeks as she felt all her emotions come crashing down at once. He helplessly stood back, watching as she stood over Reese's body sobbing. "I have been rocking with you for 16 years King! I loved you from day fucking one!" she shouted in between her cries. She never got the chance to tell him how she really felt about him. It was a shame that it took all of this for it to happen. Her attention reverted to Reese as she began to cough, regaining movement to her legs. Reese looked up, her eyes falling upon King who appeared devastated to see her laying there on the floor covered in blood. Reese didn’t say anything, she turned her head, closed her eyes and began to sob, knowing for a fact King was the reason everyone was here right now. Pumpkin wiped her face, not wanting to appear weak. These tears were angry tears. She had lost all control, and she had taken things too far to go back now. "This all feels too familiar. We have been here before King. You have hurt me like this before." She closed her eyes as she spoke, feeling the truth surface on the tip of her lips. She had been holding this in for too long. It was time to let it all go. "It was because of you... It was all because of you that I....that I..." she stopped to take a deep breath. She could feel her body tremble as she spoke, the truth so chilling she could no longer hold it in. She was ready to let it out. She was tired of lying about what really happened. "It was because of you King. It was because of you...... that I killed Trix."

Pumpkin felt the entire room stand still as the words slipped from her mouth. Words she will never be able to take back. Kings eyes widened as he unknowingly dropped to his knees, shocked by the devastating blow. She looked down at Reese who also appeared shocked, her mouth hung open as she laid in fear that she would be next. No one said anything as they all exchanged glances. She had finally admitted it and felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders. It was true. She was a cold blood murderer. For a moment, Pumpkin revisited the night she pulled that trigger. She remembered the details so vividly, she couldn’t forget the moment Trix took her very last breath. Pumpkin sat outside her house for almost 3 hours that night waiting for her to return from an assignment. She remembered sitting in the car with her handgun fully loaded. She couldn’t allow Trix to continue with this pregnancy. She could not stomach the thought of her having a child with the man she was so madly in love with. Pumpkin did not wait to her ear out. She felt betrayed. King was her man, and if he was going to start a family, it was going to be with her. Trix finally pulled up in the driveway. Pumpkin dressed herself that night in all black with a ski mask covering her face to disguise herself. Everything happened so fast, it felt like a blur. Pumpkin didn’t give her a chance to do anything before she hopped out of her rental truck, ran up to the driver side door and shot 6 bullets through the window. Trix didn’t have a chance to shoot back even if she wanted to. Pumpkin felt her body tremble as she admitted the truth to both King and to herself. She denied knowing anything about her best friend’s murder, and now here she was admitting to her killing. The guilt tore her apart almost every day. She loved King to death, and to hear that he may have gotten Trix pregnant, it was too much for her to bare. She mentally went crazy at that very moment, and plotted to kill the only person in this world who never lied to her. Trix didn’t deserve that. It was Reese. Reese was the reality. Tears fell down her cheeks, she would never be able to bring her best friend back. She was gone forever. She looked over at King who looked as if he were having a panic attack. He sat hunched over, still in complete shock by her sudden confession.

“You killed Trix!!!” He shouted at her, in complete disbelief as he took multiple deep breaths. Reese kept her gun locked on Reese to ensure she didn’t make a move. She wasn’t off the hook and Pumpkin was going to deal with her next.

“I told you I always loved you King.” Pumpkin continued to cry, realizing just how much he had lost it. She was ready to give up everything for love. She felt so foolish. King buried his face inside his hands. Pumpkin had never seen him this way. He always kept his composure, but right now he appeared so helpless.

“Damn Punk.” He blurted out as he balled up his fist and forcefully punched the ground. He was angry. She could see it in his face.  “Why did you do that to her Pumpkin?” he looked up at her searching for answers. Something inside of her made her feel as if she owed him an explanation. She didn’t have one. “She loved you!” He continued. “She would have never done that to you Pumpkin!! Why did you have to kill her???” he badgered her. Pumpkins bottom lip quivered. She was broken on the inside, and there was no fixing this damage. Her feelings for King turned her into a killer, and there was nothing she could do about it now.

“I’m sorry.” She apologized. She meant that and it felt good to finally say it out loud. But this wasn’t over. She looked over at Reese who still lay on the floor.  The time was now and she was ready to get it over with. She reached forward, cocking back her gun which clicked loudly throughout the warehouse. Reese sat up, holding up her arms to protect herself as Pumpkin took the gun off safety. “Noooo!” Reese screamed, “Please don’t do this!”

“I can’t believe you chose this bitch over me!” Pumpkin spat as she looked down at Reese sprawled out on the floor.  She didn’t see what King seen in her, and she probably never would. She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking about the night she picked up Reese at Guilty’s. If only she had left the club 30 minutes earlier the way she had initially intended, they would have never crossed paths and this would have never happened.  Reese would have still been somewhere still broke, and Pumpkin would have continued to fight for her love and wait patiently for King to realize she was the woman for him. Everything was ruined now, and after tonight, nothing will be the same for anyone.

“AHHHHHHHH!” Pumpkin was caught off guard as she felt herself being forcefully tackled from the side. She lost her balance, her entire body falling over landing with a huge thud as she fell to the ground. “AHHHHHHH!” She cried out again as all her weight landed on her right arm. She was shocked as she looked up to see King on top of her, wrestling to get to the gun that had slid out of her hands and across the floor. She had to think fast. Pumpkin jolted up, removing her right shoe and hurling the heel at the back of his head. She watched as the heel his his skull which immediately broke his skin apart. “Shit!’’ He held his head as blood began to seep through the cut. Pumpkin hopped up and jumped over him, running towards the gun before he got a hold of it. He caught her by the ankle, stopping her before she could get very far. He pulled, making her lose her balance. “Ahhhh!” she screamed out as she landed on the floor a second time. They rolled around the floor for a few moments. “Get off me King!” she shouted as he held her tight, his arms wrapped around her chest to she couldn’t move.  Pumpkin felt her eyes blind with anger as she realized he was fighting her right now. She could not let him get to the gun before she did. There was no telling what might happen if she lost her sense of power.  She leaned over, grabbing his hand which was close to her neck. Pumpkin drove her teeth directly into his skin, biting him in the center of his palm with all her might. “Fuckkkk!” he screamed out as his grip around her chest loosened. He fell back, allowing Pumpkin to escape from his embrace and scurry towards the gun. She fixed her eyesight on the 9mm, the closer she got the more anxious she became. She ran quickly, dropping down to grab the gun before King caught up to her again. “You bitchhhhhhh!” Pumpkin felt herself being caught off guard again as Reese suddenly appeared and lunged forward, grabbing a hand full of her hair catching her off balance.  “Ahhhhh.” Pumpkin felt her neck snatch to the side as Reese caught a really good grip of her hair. They both had their hands on the gun, wrestling for control. “Get off me bitchhhh!” Pumpkin shouted with rage shooting through her body.  Reese continued to wrestle with her. Her strength was surprising. They continued to fight for the gun. They slung each other around the room and Reese clearly was not giving up. Pumpkin could feel her chest weaving as she ran out of breath. POW POW POW!! The gun went off. Everything went still. No more fighting. No more wrestling. It was over now. PLOP! The sound of a motionless body dropped to the floor.

 

 

Chapter 22

Chapter 22.

The sound of the police sirens surrounded the area. Helicopters circled the sky as the ambulance pulled down the narrow alley way. Police and emergency rescuers surrounded the area, flooding the once empty parking lot. They hopped out of their patrol cars and stormed up the stairs, their guns drawn. “Show me your hands! Show me your hands!” They all shouted. “Are you armed?”

She shook her head, visibly shaken while throwing her arms up in the air. “No, I am not armed.” She came down the steps as the police bum rushed past her and headed inside the abandoned warehouse. The ambulance traveled up the stairs behind them carrying a stretcher as they also disappeared inside. Everything felt so surreal. She was in complete shock as she made it to the bottom of the steps, her body bruised and weak from the scuffle. “Mam.” A young woman rushed from the ambulance to her aid. “You are soaked in blood. Have you been shot?”

She dropped her eyes to the floor.  She couldn’t believe this was happening.. “I haven’t been shot.” She spoke underneath her breath. “This is not my blood.” She looked down as she realized her hands and her clothes were completely discolored.

“Who is the woman inside???” The paramedic asked as she pulled out a notepad to jot down information. “Do you know her name?’’

She felt her body shake as she nodded her head. “Yes I do know her name. Her name is Patricia Green.”

The woman jotted her name down, helping Reese to have a seat next to the ambulance truck. She limped over, pain shooting up her right leg as she sat down. Her entire life flashed before her eyes as she came to the realization this was not a dream. This was real life and Pumpkin really did try to kill her. If she didn’t think fast and wrestle that gun out of her hands, there is no doubt she would have been dead. She wanted to cry, but she couldn’t. Her body was still in shock and disbelief. She knew Pumpkin despised her but she never knew her hate was strong enough to want to take her life.  Moments later, Reese looked up as she watched the ambulance rush out the building. This time, Pumpkins body was sprawled out over the stretcher as they wheeled her down the narrow steps. Her heart dropped as she watched King appear from around the corner and walk out of the door behind them. He was okay. He had not been harmed and he was not in cuffs. She breathed a sigh of relief as she watched them all come down the stairs and rush towards the ambulance. It was all over now. He followed behind, a concerned expression on his face as he talked to Pumpkin who lay unconscious on the stretcher. “I’m sorry Punk.” He said it over and over. “I’m so so sorry Pumpkin.. Please forgive me.” Her heart weakened as she watched King helplessly stand by as they wheeled Pumpkins body into the ambulance. They had to rush her to emergency surgery if she was going to have any chance of survival.  King stood back as he watched them push the stretcher inside, slam the door, and speed off leaving him standing there watching them drive away. Time stood still as she watched him. She became hesitant to speak. Reese felt she were the one to blame. She was afraid to embrace him, in fear that he would become angry. She stood up, limping over to where he stood as he continued to stare in the direction that the ambulance drove off.  He was visibly in a daze and in complete shock by what happened the same way she was. She placed a hand on his shoulder. He didn’t move. He continued to stare as if he were at a loss for words. “King…” she whispered his name. She had never been so afraid in her life. Then again, she felt so much relief to know that he was unharmed. “I’m sorry this happened King. This is all my fault.” She was ashamed. If only she had stayed away the way Pumpkin had warned her, this would have never happened. He continued to stare straight ahead without responding. Suddenly, she watched as his face dropped into his hands. He surprisingly began to sob, burying his tears away as he covered his face. He became weak, dropping to the floor as he continued to cry out. Reese was in shock to see him this way. She dropped down next to him, wrapping her arms around him as she cried with him. "I'm so sorry King." tears spilled down her cheeks as she held him. Reese felt his hands slip around her waist, embracing her as he buried his face in her chest, continuing to cry. She closed her eyes, holding him close as they sat in the middle of the street. "I never meant for this to happen to her." he cried as she held him. Reese rubbed the side of his face comforting him, "I know.". She held him, refusing to let him go. They almost lost each other today and that was the scariest moment of her life. She hugged him, closing her eyes. "You saved my life." she whispered into his ear.  "Thank you"... At this very moment, she decided she was never going to let him go. Never.

 

Chapter 23

Chapter 23.

Reese lay back in her hospital bed, her leg hiked up in the air as she thumbed through a women’s health magazine desperate to pass the time. She had been in the hospital almost a full day. The drugs were beginning to kick in so she felt a little less pain. She was more than ready to be discharged so she could get the hell out of this hospital bed. Being cooped up in this room drove her crazy, and she was sick of talking to nurses and detectives. After everything that went down, she wanted to relax and enjoy life. She took a deep breath as she laid her head back, tossing the magazine to the side. Times like this, Reese began to think about what life would have been like if she had an actual family. She had been sitting in this hospital room alone since the moment she was checked in. She was sick of making up excuses as to why she didn’t have any visitors. She looked out the window, wondering what would have happened if Pumpkin completed her mission? Would anyone have shown up to her funeral? Who would have the decency to give her a proper burial? She shook that image out of her head. Reese needed to begin focusing on the bigger things in life, and that was the oxygen in her lungs because she came so close to having that taken away.

The door creeped open. Reese looked up, her heart twisting as she laid eyes on King walking through the door. He stepped inside, a bouquet of colorful flowers in his right hand as he approached. Reese couldn’t do anything but smile as he walked through the door, her entire face lighting up. "Hey babe." she greeted him. Reese had never been so happy to see him. He looked well rested, which warmed her heart because she knew these last few days have been difficult for him. He smirked at her while approaching the foot of her bed. "Hello Reese." He stood over her as she sat up in the hospital bed. Her eyes dropped to the flowers. "Those are for me??" she asked. He nodded his head, walking over to the nightstand placing them next to the bed. "How you feeling?" he asked.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Doctor said it’s a sprain, but I didn’t break any bones." she looked down at her leg which was tightly wrapped in bandages. He sat down in the chair next to her, taking a deep breath as he looked at her injuries as if he were ashamed. "I'm sorry Reese." he apologized. "I never meant to drag you into this." he looked away while shaking his head. Reese sat forward, placing her finger under his chin so he could look at her. "King, you saved my life." She spoke firmly. Reese did not blame him for Pumpkins actions and she needed him to know that. He looked up at her. “We saved each other." She smiled, stroking the side of his cheek. Reese wanted to be there for him. He needed a shoulder to cry on and she wanted to be that person. She hoped everything that happen didn’t push him away from her. She wanted this with him forever. Her eyes nervously traveled up to meet his. "How is Pumpkin?" she asked, afraid to know the answer. He took another deep breath, dropping his head almost as if he became overwhelmed by the mention of her name. He looked back up, staring straight at the wall. "She made it through surgery. She's in stable condition now. But it's not looking too good for her. The cops are ready to lock her up for attempted murder as soon as she gets out the hospital." His expression was blank, but it was hard to disguise the pain inside his voice. Her heart went out to him. He genuinely and truly loved Pumpkin and it hurt him to see what became of her.

 "I'm sorry baby." she rubbed his back, comforting him. King didn’t deserve this. He was a good man with compassion and a lot of heart. He turned to her, holding her hand as she lay back in the bed.

“Do me a favor, please…”

She held his hand tighter. She would do anything he asked. “Please, Reese. When you talk to the police, please don’t say anything about what happened to Trix. If she goes down for that too, she will never see the light of day again.”

Reese didn’t know what to say. After everything, she couldn’t believe he was still protecting her. Clearly, King had a love deeper for Pumpkin then she would ever be able to understand. “I won’t say anything.” She promised. She meant that.

  “I talked to your friend Jayla.”

Reese was shocked. She hadn’t spoken to Jayla in days and she missed her friend. She wanted nothing more than to apologize to her and tell her she was right. “How did you get in contact with Jayla???” she asked.

  “I have my ways.” He answered. “I talked to your nurse and I didn’t like that you didn’t have anyone coming to visit you. I was able to get Jayla on the phone. She had no idea, but she did want me to tell you she’s on the first flight home from Houston to come see you.”

She could feel her heart warm. Her eyes lit up. Now she had the chance to make things right with Jayla. She was so ecstatic at this very moment and appreciative that King cared about her enough to reach out to her friend.

"My name is Kevin White." he spoke firmly. Reese was caught off guard, as she remembered the name Mr. White. She always wanted to know his real name. "I want you to know the real me." he continued. "Because I... I love you Clareese." He called her by her real name also, which sent shivers up her spine. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Tears brimmed in the corner of her eyes. She never felt this before with any man. Reese leaned over, pressing her lips firmly into his kissing him so passionately as she held him tight. This moment felt so right. "I love you too Kevin." It felt so good hearing his name slip from her lips. She loved King. He loved her. In the end, they had each other. And that’s all that matters. He climbed on top of the hospital bed. She scooted over, giving him room to lay next to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and cuddled behind her pulling her in close. Moments later, they fell asleep in the hospital bed holding each other. She was never letting him go.  It’s amazing what can come from a woman who hustles. Now she had her King. And every King needs his Queen. ..

 

 

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 22.03.2017

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