Duffle Bag Bitches (4 page)

“What’s up boo, what’s the cause for you to awaken me in such a lovely way?”
 
Boy did this man have a way with words I tell you.

“It’s like this, we need to come see you if you feel where I’m coming from.” She talked in code.

“Oh ok ya’ll bringing one to me or ya’ll need one from me.” He asked so he could tell her what her next move was.

“No we need one cause we didn’t plan to have to come back this fast but some shit came up and here we are.” She put him on game.

“Oh if that’s the case tell Shannon to give Zane a call and tell him to give her details on the latest one we laying on. Now he’s kind of a hard cookie to crack so we gonna need something hot to move this one. You might just fit the bill. Thick, chocolate, and fine; shit you would have me open.” This man was causing Jay to blush. A part of her liked it, the other part didn’t.

“That’s what it do then if the role calls for me to be the leading act then I’m willing to ride for my family.
 
Let’s just see what Zane got on this cat first, ya dig.” She flipped game back at him not knowing that he loved that shit. Strong women drove him wild.

“I dig shorty” he hit her with a southern swag.

“Sleep tight daddy, we eatin’ in the morning!” That statement made Dallas’s dick hard and Jay shocked herself when she said it. He had to laugh.

“Will do shorty.” He smiled. He was happy that he added the girls to the crew, things would work just the way he needed them to and if everyone was smart, within three years they would all be able to retire at very young ages.

Shannon had gotten the word from Jay to call Zane. She did as she was asked. When she called, the nigga was acting crazy talking about “How did you get this number?”
 
This nigga acted like she was a stalker or some shit but she didn’t sweat it. Whatever was wrong with him he’d soon get over. This was about business, nothing more. After he gave her the information needed, they didn’t have to speak again as far as she was concerned.

He wasn’t willing to talk over the phone and she was cool with that because she wasn’t feeling that phone shit either. He asked her to meet him at The Melting Pot in Delmar Loop. It was a fondue restaurant in University City better known to the residents that lived there as U City. That was cool because Shannon loved to eat even being a skinny Minnie.

She walked into the place with her black Levi skinny jeans and a grey Levi wife beater. She topped the outfit off with a Pave Bow Wish necklace, bracelet, heart studs & Delight Glitter heel all by Juicy Couture. This bitch was causal but still the shit. You don’t always have to be Gucci, Louie, & Prada to make a statement. Simple bitches lived by labels was Shannon’s view. A real bitch can make herself look good if she shopped at the Goodwill.
 
That’s what real bitches did. Work with what they had instead of buying shit that they couldn’t afford.

Zane was already at the table he reserved for them. He felt like he was on a blind that Dallas set up for him without his permission with an ugly bitch that he told him that he wasn’t feeling. He knew that wasn’t the case, he just didn’t want to be bothered with this bitch because her swag was a million and it was driving him crazy. No matter how hard he tried to stop thinking about this bitch he couldn’t.

“Hey my dude!” Shannon let him know that she was there.

“Ugh, what’s up?” He lifted his head hating to look at her, she was stunning.

“What’s the matter with you boy? If you tired you could have met me in the morning.”
 
Shannon said as she began to pull her seat out to sit down. He watched her body movement like it was singing his favorite love song. He hated the way this woman controlled his mind without even trying very hard.

“I am good boo, I’m just…” He didn’t know what to say, she had him speechless.

“Well anyway you look good tonight.” Shannon smiled at him as if she had known him all her life. She was right though, Zane was already fine and that night he sported a light gray perforated suede racer jacket, sleek black MK shirt, Astor distressed jeans, and white oversized PU chronograph watch all from Michael Kors but the sneakers were Roberto Cavalli.
 
The boy had it going and was most definitely getting money.

Shannon was hungry “What we eating?” She looked at the menu then at him, “I know this ain’t a date but you paying right?” She looked over the menu at him.

He looked at her and shook his head laughing “Yeah I got us.” He said before he knew it. Her experiences taught her that men were afraid of words like us and we because it meant oneness. “I mean I got you.” He corrected himself quickly.

Shannon looked at him weird “Boy you strange!” She went on with her order. She had the shrimp and sirloin succulent white shrimp paired nicely with teriyaki-marinated sirloin with vegetable medley and a white wine spritzer. Zane had the Pacific Rim-all-natural breast of chicken, teriyaki-marinated sirloin, succulent white shrimp, citrus-infused pork tenderloin, breast of duck and chicken and vegetable pot stickers and red wine.

They were making small talk while they ate their food when Zane asked “Why ya’ll need money so fast again?” He wondered what kind of women his crew was dealing with.

“Dang you nosey boy.” Shannon joked

“I am curious and I ain’t no boy girl!” He checked her and she looked at him seriously for the first time.
 
He saw it and liked it. It made him feel as if he had the upper hand now.

“Well if you must know one bitch in our crew fucked most of her money up on stupid shit so we back in the field ready to play this game.” She told him thinking about how she would have loved to chill for a minute.

“That’s some bullshit! We going have to have Dallas talk to her about his plan for this crew.” He was pissed because he hated stupid bitches.

“What plan?” Shannon wasn’t aware that there was any plan.

“Don’t worry boo, it’s all for your good, trust me.” He touched her hand.

“I can’t do that, I have to wait to see what Dallas say before I trust anything.” She was too serious.

“Damn you out to dinner with me but you still don’t trust me.” He was kind of hurt cause even though he didn’t love these hoes he would never hurt one of them.

Shannon saw the hurt on him, “Oh no baby it’s not just you. I don’t trust men period! I had my heart broken too many times.” She told him honestly.

He looked at her and saw the hurt in her eyes. There was something inside of him yelling save her, and then the other part said fuck her. Hell my own mother or sisters never saved me! He couldn’t think of one bitch in his life that actually loved him. He could remember bitches that said they loved him but once a nigga with more money came along them hoes love level dropped to zero. So no, he wasn’t gonna save this woman.

“Aye you quiet, let’s get down to business.” Shannon was full and missing her baby daughter.

“My bad babe, it’s this lame ass nigga name Cash in South Carolina. He’s a bitch but he holding for real. The nigga brings in a half million every week.” He informed her.

“So why haven’t ya’ll moved on him?” She wanted to know.

“He’s bitch happy, won’t let no outside niggas in his crew. That’s why D started looking for a female crew to add to our family, and baby here you are.” He smiled at her.

She was so glad to be a part of the crew that she just smiled at him. Her smile caused him to look away. “So when do we move?” she asked.

“Well you, Jay, and me; we move tomorrow evening.” He schooled her.

“What, why?” She wasn’t ready to leave her baby.

“Cause we know all we need to know about him. We just need Jay to move in on him. He likes fluffy women and she’s just what the doctor ordered. D asked her who she wanted with her and she named you. The other two will show up when it’s time to move with the rest of the crew.

Shannon slammed her body back in her chair, “Let’s do it.” He could tell she was mad about something, but he knew it wasn’t money just looking at how she was decked out that night.

“What’s the matter boo?” He hated the words as they left his mouth because you could hear that he cared by his tone.

“It’s nothing, just wanted to spend more time with my baby girl but I will make it back to her.” She was talking more to herself than him as she got out of her seat preparing to go.

“Aww you got a baby, how old is she mama?” He loved kids but didn’t have any cause he wanted to be a part of the child’s everyday life and he never loved no woman to stay around that long.

“She’s two years old.” She told him heading for the door.

He found himself following her after throwing a hundred dollar tip on the table. “Why you do this love? Why do you risk your life and you got a beautiful baby girl that needs you?” He wanted to understand her.

“No nine to five will prevent us from starving.” She said as she got in her car and drove away.

He watched her with amazement in his eyes. He had fallen in love at that very moment and there was nothing that he could do to stop it. He just had to figure out a way to handle it.

***

Shannon rode home thinking about that gorgeous man. I bet he a player, got hella women and think he all that!
 
Then again he was acting like he was a really caring and sweet person. Why do I care anyway? He’s not my man and it’s not like he tried to hit on me, he just asked about my baby. Or he could have done that just to see if he could hit. Whatever, I am not about to trip off this man anyway, I told myself that I was gonna just play it cool and be single.

When Shannon got home her baby and roommate were asleep. She tip-toed into her baby’s room and kissed her.

“I’m leaving to go out of town in the morning. I promise I am coming back to you. I love you Jailah.”

“I love you too mommy.” She was still asleep when she said it. Shannon wanted to cry, but this was not the time. She would cry when she made it back.

She took a bath and headed to bed. She had to put her game face on.

Zane snatched the phone off the hook wondering who was calling his house phone. “What?” He yelled, still sleeping.

“You should be getting ready to head to the airport; you know your flight leaves before the girls. I want you to already have things in order when they get there.” D reminded him.

“Good looking out man, I’m getting my ass up now.” He began to move that hard body around. The fine muthafucka even had on Michael Kors boxer briefs.

“So how did your date- I mean meeting with Shannon go?” D had to laugh at himself.
 
He knew damn well what he was doing. After losing Keisha he never wanted anyone to miss out on what he had, sometimes a man can get in his own way just like women tend to do.

“First of all it wasn’t a date! She hella cool, and she got a baby daughter. She wasn’t ready to leave town so soon, but she was built for it so she’ll be alright.” He shook his head even though no one was there to see it but him.

“Good. Sounds like a winner.” D was trying to pick his brain on his feelings.

“Whatever, I got shit to do so I will fuck with you later.” He hung up on his friend that was laughing out loud now.

Zane walked to the shower. He lived in Clayton in the Park Condo’s on Bonhomme Avenue. The place was breath taking. Floor-to-ceiling windows with an amazing view of the city, high vaulted ceilings, luxury
 
plank flooring in the living area, walk-in closets, and a stunning master bathroom.
 
It measured twelve by twenty four feet and was covered with the most expensive porcelain tile money could buy. The kitchen was equipped with stainless steel GE appliances, granite countertops and breakfast bar, maple cabinets, and top of the line washer and dryer duo.

He lived very well and was very smart with his money.
 
He knew what it was like to be poor and he never wanted to live like that again.
  
He could see that D would have to teach Nisha how to make her money work for her just like he had taught him. If he hadn’t, he would be broke as shit right now because he always wanted to stunt hard. He was wasting money on clothes, shoes, and other bullshit. He didn’t even have a place to stay. He just lay up with women, in hotels or in one of his back-stabbing homeboy’s houses.

Now he was paying three thousand dollars a month for his bills, not including his car note. That was another story. He pushed a 2012 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid with a gold mist metallic paint job. The interior was cocoa with full leather seats. He completed the look with twenty-two inch seven spoke chromed aluminum wheels. To ride this good was costing him about a G a month, but now that this money was working for him he didn’t even feel the pain. If there was any pain it was not having anyone he could really share it all with.

As he drove to the airport, his phone began to ring. He had it on drive mode so the call came through his speakers. To answer, all he had to do was speak. “Hello.” He didn’t know who the hell it was because he didn’t save numbers in his phone too often. It was only a few people that he felt were important enough to be locked in and the current caller wasn’t one of them.

“So you ain’t got time for me right?” He knew the voice.

“Tammy I don’t have time for this bullshit today.” This was one of his steady pieces of ass that wanted to believe she was his woman no matter how many times he told her she wasn’t.