TYCE II (8 page)

“Here you go.” Sabrina poured India a glass.

“Why you so quiet Tyce?” India took a sip from her glass.

“I’m jus’ enjoyin’ the view, you have an amazin’ body.” I looked at Sabrina, “Both of you do.”

India twirled her crimped hair with her finger. She had on next to nothing sporting an army print thong and panty set. Light green eye shadow was expertly applied under her arched eyebrow and her lips had a shimmery shine to them. This young beauty looked every bit the sexual fantasy she was supposed to be.

“Let’s get this party started!” Sabrina shouted raising her glass in the air.

“Hold on…you got to pay to play, this aint like downstairs, up here it’s a hundred dollars for a half an hour plus tips.”

Sabrina didn’t flinch, she just unzipped her clutch purse and pulled out three crispy hundred dollar bills.

“One hour plus a tip…I expect you to be fully nude.” Sabrina eyed India flirtatiously.

“It would be my pleasure. Sit back lover boy and enjoy the show, feel free to touch all you want…I know I will.”

Sabrina smacked India’s firm ass, “Save some energy for me…I got next.”

It had been a long time since I was the beneficiary of a woman’s financial generosity; it felt good to be on the receiving end for a change. Despite the sexy situation and tantalizing titties touching my forehead all night…I was cool. Sabrina on the other hand took full advantage of the isolation the VIP room provided. When it was her turn, she didn’t resist as India removed her shirt and bra. She didn’t put up a fight when India unzipped her jeans.

             
There was no reluctance on her part when India pulled off her pants along with her panties. All Sabrina did was turn her bedroom eyes in my direction, staring at me intensely as she let our new friend eat her fre
shly waxed pussy while she sipped
her Champaign.

This was an interesting night with intriguing company.

             
Dallas walked out of the spa after two luxurious hours of pampering and massaging. She was ten steps from her car when she heard her name being called from across the street. Her head turned in the direction of the voice and she saw her cousin Khalil jogging toward her.

“Wasup girl.”

“Hey Khalil how have you been, I aint seen you in like forever.” She gave him a tight hug.

“I know huh, the last time I saw you was at my moms anniversary party two years ago.” He recalled.
“Damn it
has
been two years huh? Time flies by fast.”

He stepped back a little so he could get a better look, “I see you lookin’ fine as ever, if you wasn’t my cousin I might have to holla atcha.”

Khalil was 25 years old but he looked 40. His aged appearance was the result of living life in the fast lane 24 hours a day. He was a well-known hustler in the streets and was respected as a stand up type of dude.

“Boy please, even
if we wasn’t related I wouldn’t
fuck with you.” Dallas
rolled her eyes and chuckled.
“Why not?” He raised his arms in the air.

“Khalil, everybody knows you’re a dog with cute dimples.”

Her cousin had to laugh at that one because he knew she was telling the truth. The females around the way might be fooled by his smooth dark complexion and deep dimples but Dallas knew him when he was still wetting the bed so there was no fooling her.

“Anyway, wasup with you these days?” He quickly changed the subject.

“I’m jus’ doin’ me…I’m in a relationship now and it’s goin’ good…I can’t complain, how ‘bout yourself?”

Khalil sighed heavily, “Shit been rough lately. My man Silk jus’ got popped the other day over some dumb shit!”

“Smooth dressing Silk, get the fuck outta here! Who did it?” Dallas’s mouth opened wide in astonishment.

“It was that punk ass nigga Armado!”

“Armando who?” Dallas questioned.

Khalil looked at her like she was crazy, “Armando Alverez.” He damn near shouted at her.

Dallas pointed at him, “He wouldn’t by any chance be related to Diego Alverez would he?”

“Hell muthafuckin yeah…he’s his brother. As soon as I see that muthafucka I’ma twist his cap back but that’s easier said than done, that nigga is hard to get to.”

Dallas was starting to get more and more interested in the conversation by the second.

“Well how do you know Armando killed Silk?”

“Cuz, me and Silk was all set to do a deal with Diego and him, shit was goin’ perfect until

I had a problem depositing the money. Everybody wanna get all in ya business and shit, nigga this is aint 1945, I can deposit a few hundred grand if I want, but this bitch at the money place was takin’ me through all kinds of changes. Anyway, I had to make the call by five O’clock to let Armando know the money was there so he can tell us where to pick up the work. Dallas, I swear I was only like ten minutes late but by the time I called…Silk was dead.” Khalil’s expression changed to sadness, “Armando killed him over ten measly minutes.”

Dallas digested what she just heard, “Damn, that’s fucked up.”

“Yeah and what makes it even more fucked up is that I couldn’t get the money back or the work. That muthafucka jus’ took my shit and then acted like he didn’t know who I was when he answered the phone!” Khalil’s nostrils flared as he exhaled deeply. “I wanna kill that muthafucka so bad my head hurts every time I think about it!”

Dallas looked down at her diamond tennis bracelet twinkling in the sunlight and then the same twinkle was in her eyes.

             
“I think you should meet my boyfriend.”

             
My worst fears were coming to fruition.

             
I wanted so bad for Tyce to just walk away from this whole stupid situation but I knew he wasn’t the type to run from a fight. If he was he wouldn’t have made it this far in life, he would have checked out a long time ago. I beat myself up over and over again about my decision to turn him over to the state. That had always been the number one regret in my life. I couldn’t change the past; all I could do was move forward into the future and try to be the mother he never had.

             
My love for him was immeasurable. It was as if I’d birthed him myself. It’s funny how the heart can love who it chooses to once it’s been touched in that special place…in that special way. The first night him and I spent together when he was just a newborn was the night our bond was sealed forever. That was a strong lasting bond that could not be broken by anyone or anything, and I would do whatever it took to keep my child above ground. Tyce would bury me; it would not be the other way around…not as long as I was still breathing.

Lying in bed now, staring at the blank pasty ceiling…I asked myself again and again.

“Should I tell him the truth?”

             
Dominoes was the game of choice this evening as all three of us sat at the kitchen table sipping wine. Angelique and Dallas kept talking shit to me because they were beating me badly, little did they know, I was letting them win on purpose.

             
I held my dominoes in my hands while they stood theirs up, angling them so I couldn’t see what they had. I didn’t have the heart to tell them I already knew what they were going to play before they even laid it on the table. I just smiled at them both as they racked up the points and clinked their glasses together in celebration.

“Fifteen on yo ass!!” Angelique slammed her hand on the table. “You sure you know how to play?” She asked sarcastically.

“Ha ha, yeah I know the rules…but the game aint over yet chica.”

“It will be in a minute.” She drank the last of her wine.

“I need 25 to go
and
domino is on me!” Dallas chimed in.

“Yeah yeah yeah…you already told me that about 30 seconds ago.” I nodded in her direction.

“I’m jus’ sayin, you need to get ya mind right, cuz I may be playin’ a game but like
Lil
Wayne
said…
yeah
I said game but I aint playin’ round this muthafucka!”
  She did a little dance in her chair.

Angelique and I both cracked up at Dallas’s attempt to mimic
Lil
Wayne
’s
southern accent.

“I didn’t know you liked
Lil
Wayne
?”
Angelique
laid down a domino and looked across the table

at her.

“Hell yeah I like him, I like the way he raps, I think he’s very talented…but
Drake
, yeah,
Drake
can get it!”

“I heard that!” Angelique cosigned enthusiastically.

“Oh lord.” I rolled my eyes.

“Come on now, don’t act like you aint never fantasized about a famous woman before.” Angelique refilled her glass with wine.

I laid my domino on the table and leaned back in my chair balancing on two legs.

“What about
Meagan
Good
or
Nia
Long
, I know you fantasize about sleeping with them…don’t lie.” Dallas poin
ted her finger at me playfully.

I grinned slyly, “It was
n’t a fantasy…it was a memory.”

Their mouths dropped in shock and they stared at me then each other.

“Stop playin’ Tyce, you know you aint did no shit like that!” Dallas twisted her lips in disbelief.

“I never kiss and tell, you two should know that…by the way, that’s 20 p
oints.” I pointed to the table.

After the game we were all relaxing in my bedroom when I turned the conversation in a more serious direction. I posted up against my headboard with my legs crossed and reached out to grab her hand.

“Angelique, I wanna to tell you wasup.”

She looked at me concerned, “Ok, wasup?”

Before the words could roll past my lips, Dallas interrupted me.

“Diego is tripping! He put a million dollar bounty out for Tyce!”

Angelique looked at Dallas with even more concern in her eyes. She laid down beside me and exhaled deeply.

“What are you gonna do?” She traced the design on my T-shirt with her fingertip.

“I’ma do what I do best…handle shit.”

Angelique’s expression changed to a look of confidence, “Jus’ let me know what to do.”

“Right now, both of you being here with me is helping more than you know.” I confessed as I exchanged glances with them.

“Well I say fuck him!” Dallas stretched out at the bottom of the bed. “Speakin’ of Diego, I ran into my cousin Khalil today and he told me a very interesting story.”

As Dallas filled me in on the latest news about her cousin and Armando, a light bulb began to flicker in my mind. The more I listened the brighter it became, however I couldn’t help but notice how quiet Angelique was. She didn’t say a single word as Dallas spoke, she just laid her head
on my chest and listened.

Something was bothering her, but now wasn’t the time to bring that up.

             
Armando took a deep breath before diving into the blue water. He was swimming laps in his pool; he did this every morning as his daily workout. The cool water helped to clear his head so he could think straight. Armando hadn’t completed his first lap when he saw his older b
rother step out onto his patio.

“
Whut the fuck are yu duin
swimming
!”

Diego stood on the edge of the pool looking down at Armando angrily. His calm peach colored slacks and matching shirt did little to conceal his hot temper.

“What the fuck are you talking about now?”

“
What the fuck am I talking about? Es that what yu ask me? Maybe I am talking
about
the fact that it es fucking Friday and Tyce’s head is not en my possession
!”

Armando swam to the steps and got out the pool. He walked up Diego not bothering to dry off. He smoothed his hands over his jet-black hair and sniffed a little bit. There was short distance between the two men as they stood face to face.

“First of all, remember you are in my fucking house. Second of all, I’m getting sick of you riding me about this black bastard.”

Diego smiled at his younger brother and started clapping his hands together.

“
It’s about time yu grew sum balls, I applaud yu. But understand thes, i
f yu do not kill hem soon
…I will cut yur entire body frum head to toe with a razor blade and yu will take a nice little swim in an alcohol bath.
”