Dope Boys and the Women that Love 'Em (5 page)

Malcolm pulled up to the enormous sized gate and let his window down at the voice box. He
reached out his truck and pressed the speaker button, simply stating, “It’s me,” then sat for a moment. He stared at the huge mansion which sat on the opposite side of the gate. The gate slowly opened and he followed the road straight up to his destination.

He sat in the truck
still trying to figure out why he was there. He only met with his connect once a month and it wasn’t even close to that time yet. He pulled down the visor looking in the mirror quickly while adjusting his Gucci sunglasses on his face. Deciding that he shouldn’t waste anymore precious time, he got out of the truck and walked up to the big red door. He rang the doorbell then walked straight inside the house.

As if this was a monthly routine, he walked straight into the bar area of the house and fixed himself a drink then sat down comfortably on a
posh white leather chair. He sipped twice from his drink then rested his head on the back of the chair. Minutes later, Amara’s sexy voice entered the room.

“I see you’ve made yourself at home.” She
casually smiled. “You usually wait in the Foyer for me to come down.”

“I know, but I needed a drink.” He said
, not at all in the mood for watching Amara make her grand entrance down a flight of stairs barely dressed.

She walked over by the bar as Malcolm admired her beauty.
She barely dressed around the house, normally wearing a silk robe tied in the front to cover her matching light attire underneath it. And to add flavor to her interesting, yet sexy look she wore expensive heels and a hairpiece or wig that always matched her colorful silk robes.

S
he turned to face him while holding a glass of Crown Royal on the rocks in her hand. Her ensemble was a pretty yellow this time and he couldn’t believe how good a yellow wig could look on somebody; on her. It definitely made her tan smooth skin glow as she made her way over in front of him.

She rubbed her hand down his neatly trimmed full beard and smiled at
him. Her seductive stare was starting to make him feel some type of way. For years, their relationship was strictly business and anything outside of that was already settled.

Malcolm cleared his throat. “Why am I here today Amara? I wasn’t supposed to come visit you for another two weeks.” He said swallowing some
more of his drink.

Amara smiled, walking away
from him. Her hips swayed from side to side in the yellow robe which stopped right under her ass. She sat down on a posh white leather chair across from him and crossed her legs.

“How have you been Malcolm?” She asked kindly shaking her glass as the sound of the ice cubes clinked together.

“I’ve been good.” He answered.

“
Are you sure that you’ve been good?”

“Yes Amara.” He said again, but this time more direct.

Amara sipped from her drink and stared at him. She uncrossed her legs then stood up to pace a little. “Please enlighten me on your trip to Miami then.” She stated as her yellow Marc Jacobs open toe platform heels clicked on the porcelain Mosaic floor tile. He was speechless as she gracefully made her way over to him.

“I love your sha
des.” She said as she removed them. She leaned down in his face. Malcolm sat quietly feeling a little intimidated by such a powerful stare. She leaned back up, sipping from her drink. “You’re looking like money and very handsome in your True Religion gear.”

“Thanks,” he finally spoke.

“I’m just wondering how is it that you’re able to dress so fly, ride so bad ass, and walk around with knots of money in your pocket.” She made her way back over to the white leather chair and sat down. “Help me out a little. How is it that you’re living in a big house and able to splurge on vacations and shopping sprees for you and your lady? Come on Malcolm; tell me how all of that is possible?” She asked, this time expecting a response.

“You make it possible.” He whispered looking away.

“Look at me and say that again.” She insisted.

“You make it possib
le Amara.” He said this time facing her.

“That’s right Malcolm. I make it all possible. That’s why I couldn’t understand why you t
ook a trip to Florida to meet with a different connect behind my back.” Her voice was soft, but firm and a bit saddened by his betrayal. “You know how I feel about you. We share a unique bond that no one can come between.”

“I know,” Malcolm said feeling
bad and confused at the same time.

“
How long have we been working together?” She asked as if she was leading up to something.

“We’ve been working
together since I was twenty-two years old.”

“That’s right and
I was twenty then. I’d already been trained very well to do my job precisely as I was told and I picked you on my own because I saw something in you from the moment we met. I’ll never forget the night I walked up to you. You were sitting at the bar inside of Red Lobster waiting for your order.” She said.

Malcolm cut in.
“And you walked up to me wearing a purple strapless Coogi jumper with the matching purple heels.” He grinned, reflecting back. “I must say that I’d never saw any woman who could rock a short purple wig like that. You were stunning”

“
The color was lavender,” she corrected him with a surprising smile.

“H
e grinned. “I thought you were walking up to get my number or let a brother know that he was fly, but instead you come to me with a proposition.”

Amara nodded.
“A proposition that would make you a very rich man if you just followed my lead,” she reminded him.

“And, besides a minor setback in the beginning, I’ve always followed your lead
.” He said.

“
Up until recently,” she disappointedly expressed. “Malcolm, you of all people should know that I have ears and eyes in the streets that report back to me. I know who the rats are, where the low-life’s live, and how to stay a few steps ahead of the stick-up boys. I even tell you when it’s time to lay low. All these years your name has never been in the streets and that’s because my job is to keep you safe and out of trouble, so we can keep our business transactions running smoothly.” She said as she stood up. Malcolm gazed at her sexy 5’5 silhouette as she made her way back to the bar.

She fixed another drink as he sat quietly not knowing if he should say
something or not. Never had Amara mentioned anything concerning their history of knowing one another. But then again, he had never tried to underhandedly go behind her back and get work from another connect.

“I’m sure that
over the years you’ve had feelings like I was holding you back by giving you only what I wanted you to have, but all of that was for a reason. I was teaching you responsibility. Now it took you long enough to grasp it with all your mini vacations here and there, your spending sprees on women and let’s not forget about your nice toys,” she said thinking about the dirt bikes and money he’d invested in his race cars. “But nothing made me happier than when you and your homeboy started that lawn care service and started investing in equipment and trailers. Ain’t nothing like having something to show for the money you’re making.”

“You’re right.” H
e agreed with a nod of his head.

“I will never steer you in the wrong direction.
From day one, I’ve always told you that riding with me will take you a long way. Have I let you down yet?”

“No,” he responded.

Amara let out a deep breath then smiled. “And I won’t, but we can’t go on doing business together without me asking you something first.” Malcolm listened carefully. “Do you wanna continue to ride with me? Mind you, you can jump ship right now. Your debts are clear with me and it’s obvious that you’re becoming your own man. So if you want out here’s your chance.”

Malcolm didn’t take
long at all to answer. “You have been good to me and I would be a fool to wanna get off your team. I mean hell, I’m well on my way to becoming a very rich man.” He said feeling good about saving nearly two hundred and sixty thousand dollars already and that didn’t include the money he’d taken with him to Miami. “And, I know I haven’t said that I’m sorry about taking that trip, but I was honestly being greedy and really wished I would’ve spoken with you first.”

Amara smiled
, feeling good about his response, but she wasn’t done with him yet. “Well you definitely should’ve called to tell me about this sweet lick you ran up on, because then I could’ve told you that I was the one setting your homeboy up.” She said turning up the rest of her drink like it was water.

Malcolm
frowned as the words slowly replayed in his head. “Say what now?”

Amara stood her position.
“I said that if you would’ve called to tell me about this sweet little lick then I could’ve saved you a trip.”

Malcolm was shocked. “Are you serious?”

“Of course I’m serious. I don’t even play that much with my kid.” She almost coldly stated. Malcolm was really confused now.

“I’ve left you speechless I see, but don’t be because I always do everything that I’m told and setting Russell up wa
s one of those things.” She confessed.

“Why would you do something
like that? We took our ladies on that trip, Amara!” He angrily stated. “They put a gun up to Diamond’s head! I mean damn, what were you hoping to gain?” He asked scratching his head.

“Another loyal member
on my team,” she nonchalantly stated.

Malcolm shook his head in disbelief.
“Damn Amara, you are one of the cruelest women I know.” He said thinking about the depths Amara would go through to recruit a nigga or to keep a nigga on her team.

“
Look Malcolm, I lost a key worker a few months back and I had orders to find someone that could take his place ASAP. I didn’t wanna go back out and recruit somebody new. I’ve been working with my guys for a number of years now. I don’t have time to school no young wanna-be thug or some washed up has been, let alone keep tabs on their every move to keep them safe and out of trouble so the heat never comes back this way. I just need someone who can step right in and keep this business running smoothly.”

“And what makes you think that Russell is going to be down with this?” Malcolm curiously asked. “We have a pact that
I hardly doubt he’ll break. That’s why he has had his own connect all these years and I’ve had you.”

“
Well, his connect is gone. I’ve made sure of that. Why do you think that Travis wanted him to hold off so bad? He was doing precisely as he was told by his boss. That’s the only way you’re going to get somewhere in this business.” She said while looking Malcolm directly in his eyes. “So what’s it gonna be? You can bow out gracefully and I’ll still recruit your boy or you can talk him into coming aboard and we continue to make this money.”

Malcolm took in a deep breath then let it out.
Amara had given him way too much in so little time that it had his head spinning. He thought about his lifestyle and how quickly that could change if he backed out now. Plus, Amara had too much pull for him to even do it like that. He’d be washed up in no time.

“I’ll talk to him.”
He finally stated.

“I thought you’d see it my way.” She said with a
n unnerving smile.

Malcolm stood up to leave. Amara had really done a number on him and all he wan
ted to do was get the hell out of her house.

“M
ommy, can I take my new IPad with me,” a small voice asked as the child entered the room. Amara turned to face her son.

“
Marco, what I tell you about interrupting me when I’m handling business?” She asked.

“Our business is done.
” Malcolm said brushing by Amara to see the slick headed, small fellow standing there as a big smile came across the little one’s face.

“Daddy,” he called out.
Malcolm immediately picked him up then hugged and kissed him.

“
And why didn’t you tell me that he was here?” he asked.

“Because you didn’t ask,” she quickly stated. “Plus, you were coming here first anyway.
So there was no need to call you.”

Malcolm
stared at his lil mini me. “Hey son,” he said giving his six year old another kiss on the forehead again.

“Hey Dad
dy,” Marco responded, hugging his father around the neck. They shared a very close bond and it showed in the affection that they showed each other.

“How long you been here
, guy?”

“
Not long, Grandma dropped me off.” He lightly responded then Amara took over.

“He just got here about an hour before you did. Mama had some things to do.”
She informed him.

“I see,” Malcolm said. “Well, we’ll be on our way now.” He put Marco down. “Go get your things, son.”

Marco left the room and Amara followed Malcolm out in the foyer. “So we’re good?” She asked knowing that she could be a bit much to deal with at times.