Working Girls (8 page)

The girls walked over to him, and one started licking him between his ass cheeks.
Of course, it is the white bitch licking his asshole
, thought Jewels. Most of the clients she dealt with enjoyed their asses being licked, but that was not Jewels's specialty, so she decided to take notes from the white chick, especially after seeing Kareem's reaction.

Hours went by. Jewels was in sex heaven. Between receiving double head from the white and Latina chicks and riding Kareem's dick while the two girls took turns riding his face, Jewels was exhausted. She got up in the middle of the sexual excursion and left them to do their thing. She went into the bathroom to freshen up. When she came back out and began to dress, Kareem didn't want her to leave. He kept begging her to stay the night with him. She shot him a lie about having to check on Sassy, and he bought it, knowing how close the two were. He climbed off the bed and walked Jewels to the door. The two women smiled seductively and waved good-bye to her. When they reached the door, Kareem revealed his hands from behind his back.

“Happy birthday,” he said. He handed her two stacks and a jewelry box from Tiffany & Co.

Jewels lit up. Not at the present, but at the money. That was exactly what she had needed. She opened up the box, and inside it was a beautiful diamond necklace.

“Thank you.” She kissed him on the cheek.

This will match my bracelet perfectly
, she thought.

“You're welcome.” He planted a kiss on her forehead. “Anything for you, love.”

Jewels smiled as she reached for the handle on the door to the suite.

Moments later, she was laid back in the Maybach, replaying the events of the day, the best birthday she'd ever had.

The sound of rapid fire penetrating the bedroom window caused Rome to roll out of bed and onto the floor. It sounded like the Fourth of July outside, despite the fact it was the middle of winter. Fortunately for him, he slept with his weapon under his pillow. His first reaction was to hit the floor and grab for his burner, all the while thinking to himself
, I know these niggas didn't bring this shit here.

He rose up from off the floor, gun in hand. His vision was distorted by shattered glass flying everywhere. He steadied his breathing and took aim at the first thing he saw moving. He zeroed in on the figure. He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the shooter. He knew it had to be someone close to him, because not many people knew where he laid his head. He had a suspicion the shooter wanted his spot. Rome cocked his hammer back.
Not today, chump,
he thought as he tightened his grip on his pistol. Before he could let off a round from his nine, out of nowhere a bullet tore through his chest.

Rome sprang up in a cold sweat. He wiped the perspiration from his face and brow. He couldn't believe he had just had that nightmare. It had been nearly ten years since he had relived the day he cheated death when a fellow street colleague got the drop on him and shot him in the chest when they were teens. Rome had been left for dead but, miraculously, had survived, only to end his ex-friend's life when he recovered. The last time he had had that dream, something bad in his life had followed. Rome hopped out of the bed and made his way over to his pants. He retrieved the ringing cell phone, which had jolted him out of his sleep. A wet spot in the shape of his silhouette had soiled the sheets.

“Hello?” he answered, but the caller had already hung up.

He called back the number, and someone picked up.

“Wassup, homie? Talk to me.”

The person on the other end of the line said something.

A frown appeared across Rome's face. “Word up, my G?” he asked in disbelief after receiving the unwanted news. “I can't believe this shit,” he cursed. “So when you think that'll be?” he then asked. “Not trying to rush the process or anything. Safety first, ya dig?” he added.

The person said something back.

“Oh, a'ight. Well, just keep trying to walk that down, bruh.” Rome nodded.

He was surprised by what Red had shared with him. According to him, the threat to Rome's freedom and possibly his life was harder to track down and take care of than either of the two had realized. He knew before he could return to the streets as normal, he needed one other thing handled.

“Cool,” Rome replied after listening to Red. He ended the call after being reassured that another week would not go by without all loose ends being tied up.

Jewels was starving, but still, she patiently waited for Sassy to bring her ass to lunch. The only reason she did was that she did not want to hear her homegirl's mouth. The two of them had been playing phone and text tag all morning and it was getting annoying, but Sassy had finally agreed to meet over lunch so that they could catch up. They hadn't seen each other since they burned the money down together nearly a week ago. They normally didn't go three days without catching up on the latest in each other's lives. Jewels caught movement in the direction of the entrance to the restaurant. She let out a deep sigh when she saw that it wasn't Sassy.

Jewels was someone who was always on time and never fed into the CP time mantra. If you told her 1:00 p.m., that was the exact time she would be there, not thirty minutes late, like Sassy currently had her waiting. But it was all good since she was sitting in an upscale downtown eatery, sipping a fruity alcoholic beverage, as she checked her social media sites to pass the time. Her entertainment was interrupted by a text from Sassy, stating she was walking up the block.

The life that Jewels lived was nothing that could be considered normal, but she did what she needed to do to pay her bills and live the type of lifestyle she so loved. She had been raised to be a survivor, and that was exactly what she was. She did not have many friends, because unless you came from it, you simply wouldn't understand what it was that she did for a living. And Jewels was not in the habit or business of lying to people, so her work enabled her to keep her distance from most. Only Sassy knew what the real deal was since she lived an identical lifestyle. The only difference was that where Jewels drew the line, Sassy crossed it. She had an insatiable appetite for dope boys, who were the opposite of Jewels's clients. Let Sassy tell it, and Jewels's life was dull and boring, but in fact, it was just the opposite. Jewels was just about to text her again when she glanced at the time and noticed ten more minutes had passed and still no Sassy.

Just as she scrolled through her phone and found her friend's name, Sassy appeared, looking like the bona fide diva she was. Her hair was “blowing in the wind” fabulous as she walked through the revolving glass doors. She was draped in all black, like she had just attended a funeral. She sported a black leather sports jacket with matching skintight black leather pants. Her black Louboutin heels added to her short height, giving her an extra three inches, as she clicked clacked on the marble tile as she strutted through the small bistro. All Jewels could do was smile at her friend. She could not front. Sassy looked like a million dollars, but she could never give her conceited ass the satisfaction of acknowledging this.

“Did you miss me, bitch?” Sassy asked playfully, pulling one of the extra chairs at the table out for her Gucci bag.

Jewels chuckled.
Two peas in a pod,
she thought. The other extra chair was occupied by Jewels's bag. “Took your ass long enough to get here,” she replied dryly.

“I apologize, but you know my young stallion can't get enough of this,” she cooed with a wink. “He worked my ass overtime. But he paid for it, though,” she added.

“Uh–huh. Whatever.” Jewels rolled her eyes.

“Real talk.” Sassy put an emphasis on her sincerity. “I have been trying to catch up with you but our schedules were not aligning,” she said in her own defense.

“Yeah, you right,” Jewels agreed. “But I am sure it could have been planned sooner if you weren't so caught up with your young thug.”

“Ummm, young stallion, bitch!” Sassy said, correcting her.

The two of them both broke out into laughter as they proceeded to study the menu.

When the waiter returned to the table, Jewels was the first to order. “I'll have the salmon Caesar salad, with a Grey Goose and tonic with two limes please.”

Sassy followed her. “And can I have the chicken teriyaki with brown rice and a refill of this bistro punch? It's so good.”

After jotting down their order, the waiter disappeared into the back, and Jewels and Sassy people watched in between looking at their phones. Sassy clearly was more occupied with everything else and for a moment, Jewels was a bit envious, but at the same time, she watched her friend in admiration, so it was okay. Besides, it wasn't like Jewels didn't have other options. Men had recklessly eyeballed her and tried to get her attention even before Sassy had arrived at the restaurant. Her first two drinks had actually been sent over to her by two different gentlemen at the bar.

Even though Sassy was her girl, looking at her was a reminder of the life Jewels courageously lived, and it was one that was indeed complicated. In her opinion, it took a strong type of person to understand why she lived the life she lived. It took an even stronger person to live with herself while living the life she did. And as far as Jewels was concerned, both she and Sassy were that type of strong bitch.

She had decided a long time ago that life was about choices, and you were going to either talk about making moves or actually make them. Never one to settle, Jewels felt this was the perfect arrangement. She had been raised and taught by the best. Her mother had always told her that a fair exchange was no robbery. Jewels had taken that to heart and had run with it. She specialized in providing a service where both parties were happy. Men got to fuck a bad bitch with no strings attached, and she got paid for letting them. In her and Sassy's mind, this was a true win-win lifestyle for them.

The waiter returned to the table with their drinks.

Once he was gone, Sassy took a large sip from her glass.

“So what has been up?” Jewels asked.

“Nada. I have been maintaining. I have a new client, fine as hell, but a little on the weird side.”

“Why you say that?”

“Well, he likes to hold a teddy bear and suck his thumb when I'm rocking the mic.” Sassy giggled at the thought.

Jewels nearly spit her drink out as she busted out laughing.

“Well, that's nothing compared to the nasty muthafucka who likes for me to pee on his dick and after I do, you know, this weirdo actually cums,” Sassy continued.

“Eeew. Okay. I'ma need you to stop before I can't eat.” Jewels held her stomach and frowned.

“Bitch, please. All them nasty motherfuckas you gotta deal with, it's a miracle you don't be having nightmares and shit every night.” Sassy chuckled.

Had anybody else said that to her, Jewels would've taken offense, but she knew her girl meant no harm or disrespect. Ironically, that was what their conversations consisted of mostly whenever they got together. Besides, what Sassy had said was nothing but the truth. It was a blessing that Jewels was not haunted by some of the things she had been paid to do and, most recently, by the fate of the fat white man. Nope, Jewels slept like a baby and counted her money in her sleep. That was the game she played, and whoever tried to play it was subjected to what came with it. At least that was how she saw things.

“Touché,” Jewels agreed with a smile.

“Yeah, I thought so.” Sassy returned her smile. “Besides, to pee on a nigga for five stacks . . . Shit, he can get TLC's ‘Waterfalls.'” She doubled over at her own joke.

Jewels joined her again in laughter. “Are you serious? No sex? Just straight urine?” she asked.

“Yup. Serious as a heart attack,” Sassy confirmed. “I just drink five gallons of water whenever I am planning to see him. His favorite color is red, so I make sure I have on some red lingerie while I do a striptease, and before I remove my thigh-high stockings, he's begging and pleading for me to wet him.”

The waiter returned with their food and placed their respective plates in front of them. They each flashed fake smiles and stopped speaking. Once the waiter was out of earshot, they resumed their conversation.

Jewels broke the silence. “That's crazy.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.”

“Sassy, could you pass the salt, please?”

“Sure. Here you go.”

“And the pepper too, please. Thank you.”

“Damn. Anything else?” Sassy complained jokingly.

“Shut the hell up.”

“I'm serious. But what's up with you, anyway?” Sassy said, changing the subject.

Jewels's whole demeanor changed. She was caught off guard by Sassy's question. “What do you mean?” she asked defensively.

“Damn. What the hell is wrong with you?” Sassy asked. She had noticed the change in Jewels.

Bitch, you're overreacting,
Jewels told herself. “Nothing.” She managed to get the word out without her voice cracking.

“Oh.” Sassy looked at her oddly. “Sound like you was hiding some shit,” she asserted.

Jewels knew she had to keep her cool. Sassy had known her long enough to know if something was wrong. She knew Sassy was studying her.

“Bitch, you know everything there is to know about me,” she said with a light chuckle. “I don't have nearly as much excitement in my life as you do,” she added.

“Yeah, right. I heard different.”

Jewels could have sworn her heart skipped a beat. “What is that supposed to mean?” She wanted to know.

“Look at you.” Sassy laughed. “Thinking somebody got something on your ass. I was just messing with you. Relax,” Sassy told her.

Jewels shook her head. Sassy was right. She needed to relax.
How the hell could she know anything?
Jewels thought, reasoning with herself.

“Girl, I don't know what the hell's wrong with me. I think it's because it's close to my monthly.” Jewels blamed her actions on an imaginary menstrual.

“Sound like you need some dick.” Sassy chuckled. “What's up with Africa?” she then asked.

Jewels rolled her eyes. She knew who Sassy was referring to. It was the name she had given Kareem. “Same ole, same ole. Still head over heels for my ass,” she offered.

She was glad they had moved on to a specific person. She didn't think her nerves could take it anymore. For a minute, it had felt as if Sassy could see right through her. She hated hiding from Sassy the fact that she had a killer staying at her house. Jewels was sure if she told her, Sassy would understand and wouldn't say anything, but she couldn't take that chance.

“You might as well marry that nigga and retire,” Sassy joked.

Jewels found no humor in that and didn't crack so much as a smile.

“I'm playing. I'm playing,” Sassy sang.

“Anyway, what you trying to do from here?” It was Jewels who now changed the subject. “I was thinking about heading over to the mall. Nordstrom has a new shipment of shoes I want to check out,” she informed Sassy.

“Girl, I would love to go, but young stallion will be here in”—Sassy looked at her phone and scrolled through the text she had just received from her expected ride—“ten minutes to pick me up,” she said.

“Well, damn. You didn't plan on us really hanging out too long, huh?” Jewels sounded pissed.

“Girl, you know it's not even like that, but it's just something about that young nigga that I cannot get enough off. He just turns me the fuck on.” Sassy closed her eyes and did a quick reminiscence of her last sex scene with her young street client.

“Whatever, bitch!” Jewels sucked her teeth.

“Don't get mad 'cause you ain't got nobody.”

Jewels flipped her the bird. “You know what? Go ahead. I ain't even mad at you. If the shoe were on the other foot, I'd do the same thing. Handle your business. Make sure you call me,” Jewels said in an understanding tone.

“Thanks, girl. I'll make it up to you.” Sassy stood and gathered her things. She scurried over to the side of the table on which Jewels sat, and threw her arms around her neck. “I'll call you later.” She corrected herself when she continued, “No. Matter of fact, I'll call you tomorrow.” She laughed as she said it.

Again, Jewels shook her head. “Just make sure you call me.”

Just then a milk-white Mercedes CL600 pulled up along the curb outside the restaurant.

There was no doubt in Jewels's mind that this was Sassy's ride.
He must really be getting it,
thought Jewels, realizing that she had never seen Sassy's young stallion pick her up in the same ride twice. She also realized that this was actually the first time she had gotten a good look at him. On a scale of one to ten, she gave him a ten for the car and a six in the looks department. Not that it mattered. Apparently, he was also a ten in the pockets, the way he broke Sassy off on the regular. No matter what the case was, as odd as it sounded, with all that she did for money, Jewels just couldn't see degrading herself by dealing with hustlers.

Sassy waved good-bye as she ran to the door. Once outside, she hopped in the front passenger's seat of the Benz. The young stallion also waved and shot Jewel a flirtatious wink just before he peeled off into the ongoing traffic.

Jewels rolled her eyes. “Not in this lifetime, motherfucka,” she mumbled under her breath before finishing off her drink.