An Eshu’s Little Helper

Chapter 1

Essen

Aproud smile summoned my cheekbones as I stood in a corner of the room, admiring my work.

The function was coming to an end, but with all the moving I had done for hours, there wasn’t much time to marvel at my creation.

When local rapper Flaco Stone requested I turn a rec center into a Hawaiian paradise, I started to decline.

I didn’t like to accept clients around the holidays.

Plus, he only gave me two weeks to pull it off.

Nevertheless, I sat with myself, called a few service providers on my contact list, and made it happen.

Since the party would be over within the hour, I approached Flaco and mentioned his pending invoice. The durag-wearing rapper pulled on the crotch of his pants instead of pulling out a bankroll or his phone.

“I appreciate the work you did, ma, but doesn’t my contract say something about a discount if the client is unsatisfied?”

Surprise caused my lips to part. There was a difference between being a pushover and a professional, and there had never been any bitch in my blood.

“Hold on. This place is beautiful. You and your guests have been raving over the decorations and personal touches since the party started.”

Flaco inhaled a drag from his blunt and then doused me in a cloud of marijuana smoke. “Don’t get pissy with me. I just repeated what you put on paper.”

“Had you kept reading, you would’ve realized those complaints had to be addressed during the final walkthrough. They were not. Run me my money.”

“Hmph. You’re pretty as hell when you’re mad.” Flaco pushed a flyaway out of my face. “Maybe I can work off the rest of the payment in a different way.”

“No thank you. You’re not my kind of eater.” I smiled sweetly. “I’ve been around you for a few hours, and you’ve already made mistakes. Two of them were touching me and stealing from me. This isn’t over, my love.”

“Pretty and funny,” he said while wearing a one-sided smirk. “Is that supposed to scare me? Get the fuck out of here.”

Flaco walked off, leading me to send a scorched gaze into the back of his head.

Most of my life, I had been treated like a princess, and there were times I despised it.

Still, there were moments I rejoiced at the idea that, with one phone call, I could rally men who would go to war for me.

If this were a different scenario, I would have called my brothers to put Flaco on his back, but considering they told me not to take the job in the first place, Church and Shiloh weren’t an option.

I made the mistake of telling them about the opportunity with the C-List rapper, and they both told me to pass on the gig.

I could have called my favorite cousin Durk, and my best friend, Ishmael, but calling them would be as dangerous as calling my brothers.

After going back and forth on who to call for backup, I pulled out my phone and searched my contacts. My tongue ran over my teeth when my thumb landed on a solid pick. The first time I called, Loso didn’t answer, but the second go around, his deep, raspy voice poured through the line.

“What’s good, Princess?”

“Dang. I’m surprised you answered. I thought you were going to send me to voicemail again.”

“My bad. I was enjoying an early Christmas gift.”

I squared my shoulders. “Ooh. What did you get?”

“A deep throat,” he didn’t hesitate to say. “I thought you called me by accident. I wasn’t slipping out of something wet for a mistake.”

“Eww. You’re disgusting.”

“I’m grown. What do you need? Everything good with the family?”

“Kind of,” I answered quickly. “Hmm. Can you meet me in Slyde City? There’s an idiot refusing to handle his final payment and—”

“What the fuck!” he interjected. “Don’t say nothing else. Send me the address. How many niggas over there?”

“It’s a family event, so there’s quite a few.”

“Bet.” He got quiet then freed a low laugh. “I’m assuming you don’t want me to bring your brothers along?”

“Is it that obvious?” I asked sarcastically. “I don’t need them in my business. Besides, I think he knows you. Before I took the job, I looked him up on social media. I saw your shop was tagged in a photo on his page.”

“What’s his name?”

“Flaco Stone,” I blurted out, bitterness buttering my voice.

“I got you. I’ll see you soon.”

For the next forty minutes, I played it cool as I waited for Loso.

I sang holiday tunes with the family, made sure the Don Julio fountain flowed non-stop, and anyone who greeted me was met with a smile.

I refused to taint my reputation with a bad attitude on the account of a slimy, hitless rapper.

By the time guests were invited to raid the dessert bar, my phone started vibrating against my fingers.

Loso: I’m out front

I abandoned my seat and wandered toward the exit of the center.

Flaco peered in my direction, prompting me to add a little pep in my step.

I reached the front of the building a few minutes after Loso messaged me and found him outside with two men I knew worked in his auto body shop.

The son of Eshu sported a black puffer jacket lined with fur, black Timbs, and diamond chains that made him resemble a rapper more than a mechanic.

His six-foot-four statue towered over his entourage though all three men were built like they frequented the gym.

“I didn’t know you were going to bring the goon squad, but I appreciate you coming,” I said as I advanced toward the pack.

Loso pulled at his beanie. “The nigga’s name is Flaco. What did you expect?”

“I suppose you have a point.” My attention drifted to the bag in Loso’s grasp. “You bought a gift?”

His gold studded smile occupied my sight as he lifted the green tissue paper to reveal two large guns.

“Seriously, Loso?”

“I had to. The burners would’ve fucked up my fit. Lead the way,” he demanded, straightening the hood on his jacket.

Once I released my irritation through my flared nostrils, I guided the men into the venue then canvassed the room. It didn’t take long to find the bony bum in the center of the dancefloor. A few of his guests stared at me and the giant at my side, but no one made a move to warn the party animal.

“Wait over here. I’ll be back with your bread.” Loso spoke confidently then walked off with the folks he brought with him.

From a spot near the exit, I rested my back against a wall and watched the scene unfold.

The people who blocked Loso’s path dispersed and made a lane for him as if he was the second coming.

Loso’s back was to me, so I couldn’t see his face, but judging by those around him, I assumed his mug was sharp.

Flaco seemed oblivious to the mood shift until he spun around and faced the cause of the whispers.

The men exchanged a few words, but when Flaco sidestepped Loso and peeked my way, I flipped him off.

Being the sister and daughter of men who had power in Silk Hills birthed rumors about me that weren’t true, but the tale of me calling my folks to handle my dirty work was a fact.

There were a lot of things I had patience for, but a scheming nigga wasn’t one of them.

Every job I accepted, I presented my best and was flexible with my pricing since I was focused on building my clientele.

That didn’t mean I would allow someone to get over on me, and I would remind people of that anytime they forgot.

“Excuse me. Essen, right?”

My eyes cut to one of the women who had been following Flaco around most of the day. “Can I help you with something?”

“You tell me.” She gestured to the men a few feet away. “You called your peoples up here for my man?”

“I sure the hell did. You should be happy I didn’t call my sisters up here for you.

You’ve forced your way into every aspect of planning this party, but when it’s time to pay you’re on mute.

” I scoffed. “I know you can’t make a man do anything, but you damn sure could have tried to influence him to do the right thing. ”

The big booty broad spat out a comeback, but her ranting morphed into background noise when my phone went off.

The bank notification on my screen carried a smile to my face.

Satisfied and ready to go, I checked my surroundings, searching for Loso.

An older woman looked him up and down as he stepped away from Flaco, but the charmer didn’t seem fazed.

He handed his gift bag to one of his employees, then took ahold of the lady’s hand.

It took a few minutes for our elder to fall into the groove, but a crinkle of a smile graced her lips as she followed Loso’s lead.

The scene left me in an open-mouthed daze that lasted as long as their dance.

“Look at you. Always the charmer,” I commented once Loso was done with his new friend.

The brown, bald, bearded man inherited rosy colored cheeks under my playful stare.

“I aim to please. Did you get your bread?”

I waved my phone from side to side. “I did. How much do I owe you?”

He delivered a chuckle that rocked his throat. “You don’t owe me anything, pretty girl. Let’s go get your stuff. I’ll walk you to your car. Flaco knows better than to try me, but niggas like to get testy. I want to make sure you make it out of here as pretty as you walked in.”

I rolled my eyes at the subtle compliment as I went to grab my belongings.

Most of the props I used for the party were rentals I had arranged to be picked up, and except for a couple of boxes, I didn’t have much to take home.

Loso shadowed me around a dressing room I used as a storage area, and he stayed on my heels until I had everything in my trunk.

“It’s not important, but I have to ask. How did you get Flaco to send the money without having to use your party favor?”

“He claimed he didn’t know you were my folks. As if that makes a difference.” Loso opened my car door. “I’m not into keeping secrets from your brother.”