Diamonds and Pearl (35 page)

Seeing Marisa laid up had done a number on her, but sending Sheila's parents away, still with lingering questions about what had happened to their little girl, fucked her up. Was Marisa right that telling them about Doodle's party would've brought about more problems than closure, or had she just convinced herself that it was the right thing because the lie was easier than the truth?

Pearl continued her run until her lungs began to pulse and the smell of charred wood slipped into her flared nostrils. She was hunkered down so deep in the recesses of her mind that she hadn't even realized where she was going until she saw what remained of Pops's bar looming just ahead of her. The once jumping night spot was now little more than a smoldering husk. A small crowd of people were gathered behind the yellow police tape that roped the place off, speculating about what had happened and mourning the loss of what had been considered a landmark to the locals. Pearl was also mourning a loss, but not for the bar. She couldn't help but wonder what Sheila's last moments must've been like, and prayed that her death came quickly.

“They say that if you love something, you should let it go. If it was meant to be, it'll come back. So I guess this was meant to be.” A voice came from behind Pearl, startling her. She turned to see the jeweled smile of the man she had shared a drink with in that very same bar the night before. “Sorry, didn't mean to scare you.”

“You didn't scare me—just caught me off guard.” Pearl wiped beneath her eyes with the backs of her hands.

Diamonds's smile faded when he noticed she had been crying. “Why the long face? It's just a bar. In six months I'm sure they'll be another wateringhole to take its place. Let's just hope the next one is built sturdier than a tinderbox.” He joked in an attempt to make her laugh, but her face darkened.

“I lost one of my best friends when this place went up, so you'll have to excuse me if I don't find that shit funny,” Pearl snapped.

Diamonds suddenly felt very foolish. “My apologies. I meant no offense with my tasteless joke. Please accept my condolences for the loss of your friend.”

“Thank you, and I'm sorry I bit your head off. This wasn't your fault,” she told him, not realizing the irony in her words.

“It's fine, love. Losses tend to bring out the worst in us, even more so when it's someone close to us,” Diamonds said with a tinge of sadness to his tone.

“Spoken like someone who has gone through it,” Pearl observed.

“More times than I care to count.” Diamonds thought back on John-Boy and Auntie.

“Were you here? I mean, when the fire started?” Pearl asked.

“No, thankfully me and mine left before it happened. I ain't much for late nights,” he lied.

“Me either,” Pearl said while looking out at the remains of Pops's bar.

“I guess we should count ourselves amongst the fortunate.” He moved to stand beside her, wondering if she, too, saw the things that he did dancing in the wisps of smoke still coming off the rubble.

“I guess, but it sure doesn't feel like it.”

“Enough talk about death. It's far too nice of a day to dwell on things we can't change. Let's go somewhere that'll make us both smile?”

“And where would that be? A hotel?” Pearl asked sarcastically. The last thing on her mind was sex, though with a man as fine as Diamonds, it was hard not to think about it.

Diamonds shook his head in disappointment. “Again you misinterpret my intentions. I was thinking more of us grabbing a bite to eat, since I left without having breakfast this morning. No offense, but I can only imagine the types of niggas you attract if the only thing they're focused on getting from you is pussy when you clearly have so much more to offer.”

“And how would you know what I have to offer when you just met me last night?” Pearl challenged.

“I might've only known you a little while, but I've been dreaming of you all my life,” Diamonds said with such sincerity in his voice that she felt it in her chest.

“You claim you ain't trying to get into my pants, but those sweet words are sure trying to woo these panties off,” Pearl joked to try to hide how hot and bothered he was making her.

“To say that every fiber of my being isn't raging to make love to you would be a lie, but that's not how I want to start this. I'd rather take some time getting into your head first before I make my way further south,” Diamonds told her.

Pearl studied his face. “I like you, Diamonds. You're a little on the cocky side, but you're honest.”

Diamonds laughed. “Don't go convincing yourself that I'm no choirboy, Ms. Pearl. I got plenty of sin in me, but I'm hoping you can help me wash it away.”

“Maybe you've got it wrong and I'm the one who needs her sins washed away,” Pearl challenged.

“Then I would gladly bathe you from the soles of your feet to the crown of your head in the waters of salvation.”

Pearl hadn't even realized he'd moved until she found herself wrapped in his arms. Her mind told her to pull away, but her body wouldn't let her. She looked into those same black eyes that had seemed so cold and commanding at the bar and found longing and compassion. It was like she was drifting through a beautiful dream she had no desire to wake up from. “Diamonds, you make it real hard for a girl to say no to you.” She lolled in his arms.

“Then don't,” he countered. “One date … one chance. That's all I ask,” he said, breathing over her parted lips. “Come, have lunch with me and see for yourself what kind of man I am.”

“Jesus, Pearl! I've been trying to catch up with you for blocks!” Knowledge appeared and ruined their perfect moment.

“Sorry, I just needed to clear my head.” Pearl pushed herself away from Diamonds.

“Who the fuck is this?” Knowledge's eyes fell on Diamonds, who was regarding him curiously. Something about Diamonds tugged at Knowledge's brain, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

“A friend of mine. Why are you being all aggressive?” Pearl asked with attitude.

“Because that seems to be the only way to get through to your ass!” he shot back.

“Listen, friend,” Diamonds interjected, “if this is your lady, then you have my apologies. But if you got no legitimate claim to her, then I'd appreciate it if you took some of that bass out of your voice.”

“Do you know who the fuck you're talking to?” Knowledge let his hand drop to where his gun was tucked.

Diamonds spared a glance at the bulge beneath Knowledge's shirt. He recognized the threat but was unmoved by it. “I got no clue who you are, but if your hand moves another inch, you're likely to find out just who
I am
.”

An oppressive tension imposed itself between the two men, and for the briefest of moments the threat of violence hung in the air like the smell of salt water coming off the beach at high tide. It wasn't until Pearl stepped between them that the coming storm finally receded. “Normally I'd be flattered over two men about to go head up over me, but this isn't the time, and my nerves can't take any more drama today. Neither one of you are my man or my daddy, so knock it off!”

“You're right, and you need to be thankful that it's me catching you all up on this nigga instead of your dad, because he'd probably have air-holed this dreadlocked muthafucka by now!” Knowledge spat.

“Boy, you ain't too fond of living, is you?” Diamonds took a step forward, but Pearl placed a hand on his chest.

“Don't.”

Diamonds gave Knowledge one last defiant look before stepping back. “You got it, Ms. Pearl. I ain't looking to upset you further. You've already been through enough.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that. Knowledge”—she turned to her guardian—“could you give us a minute?”

Knowledge looked at her as if she had taken leave of her senses.

“Please,” she added.

Knowledge grumbled something inaudible before giving them their space, but not much. He leaned against a parked car and glared at them the whole time.

“Sorry about that,” Pearl told Diamonds. “Shit is kinda crazy around my house after what happened to Sheila. I'd love to see where this moment would've gone, but right now isn't a good time for me to be chasing romance. I gotta get back to my house and wait until everything settles, but maybe we could hook up later tonight?”

“I think I can find a hole in my schedule later on,” he joked.

“Whatever, nigga. I may give you a play tonight, but if we do go out, I have some conditions,” Pearl informed him.

“This is supposed to be a date, not a negotiation.”

“Everything is a negotiation with me, baby,” Pearl capped. “You wanna hear them or not?”

“Fine, I'll humor you.”

“First, you can't come to my house. We don't know each other well enough for me to trust you with where I live. We can meet somewhere and go from there.”

“Sounds fair enough. Is that all?”

“No, my girl Ruby has to come with us.”

Diamonds frowned. “You wanna bring a third wheel on our first date?”

“I told you, we don't know each other like that. For all I know, you could be some kind of killer. And Ruby won't be a third wheel because you're going to bring somebody for her, too, and they better not be ugly.”

Diamonds shook his head. “For all the shit you're putting me through, this better be worth it.”

“Trust me, love, my company is well worth the effort.”

“And you called me cocky.” Diamonds laughed.

“Pearl!” Knowledge yelled far louder than he needed to. He was getting tired of waiting.

Diamonds glanced over at Knowledge and gave him an amused smirk. “Pearl, let me let you go before I have to fuck this nigga up. Hopefully I'll see you later on.” He pinched her cheek and spun off. Diamonds made it a point to pass Knowledge on his way back to his car. “Our paths will cross again soon and under far different circumstances,” Diamonds said as he flashed a smile and kept it moving.

When Knowledge got a glimpse of the grills in his mouth, it suddenly occurred to him why he looked familiar. It was the same guy who had mean-mugged him at the traffic light. “‘Teeth that sparkled like glass,'” Knowledge mumbled, recalling the old wine head's account of Pana's killer.

“What did you say?” Pearl asked.

“Nothing,” Knowledge lied. “What's up with you and the dude?”

“Oh, he's just a friend.”

“You've said as much already. I meant, what's his name?”

“Damn, you nosey.” Pearl sucked her teeth. “His name is Diamonds. Why, do you know him?”

Knowledge looked in the direction Diamonds had gone. “I'm not sure yet, but I'm going to find out.”

 

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Diamonds was proud of himself. The whole time Knowledge had been bumping his gums, he had wanted nothing more than to reach out and snatch his lips off, so he could have Vita sauté them over rice later on, but he didn't. Two things stayed his hand: one, it was far too early for Pearl to see that side of him, and two, the identity of her guardian angel.

He'd heard the name Knowledge early in his residency in New York, when he was doing reconnaissance for his invasion. For the most part, he knew who old the old-timer players were, but Diamonds was more focused on who their number-two men were, as they represented the next generation and his eyes were on the future. It would be the young ones who he inspired to break their chains of servitude and stand with him in the coming war. The neglected and underappreciated would help him build his foundation, or it would be their blood he used as mortar to hold the stones together.

Knowledge had been mentioned as being a strong ally or dangerous enemy. Diamonds had expected their paths to cross eventually. That was inevitable. He'd just never expected Pearl to be the thing that brought them together. Even though Pearl had insinuated their relationship wasn't an intimate one, Diamonds suspected different. The way Knowledge had thrust himself between her and unknown danger without a second thought was an act of love. If it hadn't gone down between them yet, it wasn't for a lack of want. Something else that Diamonds had caught was the mention of Pearl's father. Diamonds knew that Knowledge was the right arm of an old-school gangster named Big Stone, but how was Pearl connected? The more he thought about it, a theory began to form in his head that didn't quite make sense to him. For all intents and purposes, Pearl seemed like a square broad from a good family who got her kicks dancing on the wild side, but what if there was more to her than that? Could she, like Diamonds, be wearing a mask to hide what she really was? And if so, what did that mean to his plans for the city?

Before he could ponder it further, his cell phone rang. “What?” he answered a little harsher than he'd meant to. When he heard who was on the other end, his tone immediately softened. “Sorry about that. Been one of those days, ya know? So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call? I ain't due to see you for another two weeks.” He listened intently as the caller on the other end delivered a piece of information that only further darkened his mood. “You've got to be shitting me.” He shook his head. “Thanks for calling. I'll be there to fetch him personally.” After ending the call, Diamonds hit speed dial and placed another one. “Hank, it's me.”

“That's funny, because I was just going to call you. Your boys from Queens been blowing my line up all day. We need to—”

Diamonds cut him off. “Whatever them niggas want can wait, I need you to meet me at the twenty-sixth precinct and bring some cash. This nigga Buda done got himself pinched last night.”

*   *   *

By the time Hank arrived at the precinct, Diamonds was already there. He was outside, pacing, and he looked like he was trying his best not to explode.