7. A Girl’s Best Friend
A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND
KASH
Ilooked at Dice as she looked at Rebel and Rebel me.
It had been over a year since we last saw each other and months since we spoke.
Our last encounter was a hard pill to swallow.
Now I felt as if they were only showing up as an obligation to Rose.
There was absolutely no reason as to why we couldn’t be in the same room with one another anymore.
We risked our life for each other. You wouldn’t know that from looking at us.
We were seated in Declan’s living room, and none said a word to the other. I missed my bitches, and I was sure they missed me in return. However, we were too stubborn to admit anything. This was gon’ bring on more headaches than one if we ended up fighting and not seeing eye to eye.
“I guess I had to squeeze my tiny ass up in this muthafucka. The tension thicker than me,” Dice said breaking the ice.
Cracking a smile, I shook my head and said, “With all that ass… you wish. The floor plans to the auction house are in front of y’all. Take a look and tell me what we doing.”
I made sure I made copies of everything so the girls wouldn’t have to invade the other’s personal space.
We weren’t exactly in a loving mood. They picked up the folders in front of them and began to go through it.
Every detail they needed to know behind this heist was in those files.
From the auctioneer to the waiters, no one was left out.
“I’m not on the list, why?” Dice inquired.
“Because yo’ ass is too big to be flaunting around, ma’am.
You won’t be able to pass out shit without drawing so much attention.
That juicy thang needs to be put up and out the way.
You gon’ drive the truck. You’ll be in my ear, so you’ll know when the last piece is sold.
I’ll be the substitute ringman. One of us has to be able to touch the pieces.
Rebel, you’ll be a normal waitress. A waitress has more room to move around, get in, and get out.
You’ll be the chess piece that no one notices. ”
“None of us will be noticed. I’ve been working on something new,” Dice stated digging in her tote. She pulled out a box and sat it on the table. “Look at this.”
“What the fuck is this, Dice?” Rebel questioned pointing to it.
I picked up the box and opened it. I didn’t have time to pussyfoot around. There was a face staring back at me that looked so real. Dice carried a smile that went from ear to ear letting me know she was proud of whatever this was.
“No more sheisty’s bitches. This is a realistic silicone mask.
I made one for each of us. We needed something that could get us in and out of places without automatically having people ready.
You get what I’m saying? When a muthafucka see bitches running up in the place with sheisty’s on, they drawing weapons and calling twelve.
This an auction house we ‘bout to jack. We need to be as cool as a cucumber, ya feel me?”
Dice was absolutely right. Them sheisty’s were going to set it off before we could get through any door good. “Who wore this?” I asked.
“I did. As a matter of fact,” she snatched the mask from me, grabbed up her tote, and disappeared in the bathroom.
“This says there’s over fifty pieces. Kash, how the fuck are we supposed to get off fifty pieces?” Rebel questioned.
“I told you that my father had someone that owes him a favor. Tarrie Rodriguez, the lady that owns—”
Rebel cut me off, finishing my sentence for me. “Radiant Relics. I mean, I knew Pops was running shit, but damn. He got so many favors owed to him in these streets it’s crazy.”
“You should see the list he left me. It’s a fuckin’ CVS receipt, I’m telling you. How you want to do this, Rebel? We got two days to get our shit together.”
“I say we stick to what you mapped out. I can handle the waitress. I prefer being on the ground where I can shake and bake. Good looking out, sis’.”
Nodding, I went to respond when Dice finale emerged from the back. The face that stood in front of us was not the face that walked to the back. She’d changed clothes and put the mask on giving her a new identity. As much as I wanted to talk shit when she first presented it, she had me on mute now.
“Dice, this is big,” I said. I got up from the love seat and went to inspect her work from a closer angle. Touching her face, it was warm and coated in makeup. “Sis’, this is fuckin’ brilliant!”
Rebel was right behind me ready to assess the mask as well. The way she absorbed this mask into a product of herself… yeah, she had some shit up her sleeve that was gon’ make jobs easier.
“I want to clown you for this but damn… you did yo’ big one. Respond so I can see how it moves with you,” Rebel instructed.
“It does get a lil’ sweaty but I’m telling y’all now, this the real deal.
I know them sheisty’s were getting old to y’all.
I been working on this for a minute. I did a lil’ stick up at a gas station to test it and sure enough, I pulled that shit off.
It was this bitch face all over the news, not mine.
If y’all really fuckin’ with it, I can give y’all yo’ shit now.
Oh, and I cooked up some fake fingerprints, too. I been working.”
“Hell yeah. Where mine?” I inquired looking around. Dice really did do her big one this go round.
“In my suitcase. And if you think driving the truck is the best place for me then it is what it is. I’m really not trying to fuss and fight with my sisters. Y’all all a bitch got,” Dice chimed, lowkey choking up.
I caught it and so did Rebel. I knew Rebel’s mean ass wasn’t gon’ acknowledge it, but Dice been my bitch longer than anybody.
I would never make her feel like I wasn’t in her corner.
Throwing my arms around her neck, I gave her a sisterly hug.
Even though she needed one, this was more for me than it was her. I really did miss my bitch.
“Glad to see the gang is back together,” Declan stated catching all of our attention.
“If it ain’t Mr. Saint. I see you locked in with my girl again,” Rebel commented first.
Dice offered a laugh as she removed the mask saying, “He never could stay away from yo’ ass. He such a sucka.”
“Okay, okay. Leave my nigga alone. Y’all knew what I was coming to do. It’s me that can’t stay away from him, not the other way around.” I wasn’t ‘bout to let them gang up on my man. This love wasn’t one sided on either end.
Turning around, D-Row wore a proud smile on his face.
I never hid him and I never denied what he was to me.
When everyone else picked a side or strayed from me, he stayed and loved me regardless.
This was who I wanted forever with., However, that feeling of jinxing our forever weighed on me heavily.
Walking over to him, I placed a kiss on his lips as his arms snaked around my waist. He was in love and vice versa. He really ain’t have shit to worry ‘bout when it came to me. He was all my body knew, and I took his word for me being the only woman he gave intimacy attention to.
“What do you need honey?” I asked sticking my hands into his pants pocket.
“A nigga was only coming home to see my woman… and tell you that the Saints are ready to step in if you need us,” he said offering his assistance.
“No, no, no, no. You know how I am. I’m not risking anyone else’s life or freedom. Them two heffas over there already know what time it is. Stay away from this, D. This is your job on the line,” I advised.
He scrunched his face up before saying, “I don’t give a fuck ‘bout that job. A nigga there for one reason and one reason only.”
“D—”
Waving me off, he stepped around me saying, “I know how this shit go ladies. You need me believe it or not.”
“Just because you’re the host doesn’t mean anything, baby,” I voiced.
“Uhhh, that’s exactly what it means. We talking 1.5 million dollars as comfort money. D-Row ain’t no stranger to this or his job. Sis’, let him work,” Rebel stated stepping up.
I looked at Dice to see if she was with it as well and she gave me no back talk. Rolling my eyes, I said, “Fine, but don’t fuck us over, D.”
“Fucking over my woman is savage work. I’m a gentleman. I thought you knew that,” he said throwing me a wink.
Declan was a grown ass man, and I didn’t need him babysitting us. Nevertheless, his job was hosting this swell event so using him to our advantage wasn’t as bad as it seemed. If things went left, we had him to cover for us.
D-day rolled around and now it was showtime.
Everyone was in position and patiently waiting for this lick to be one and done.
Like always, I had more than one plan mapped out just in case shit went left and we needed to make a break for it.
This specific heist was far from the usual throwing money bags in our backpacks and cutting through the wind on stowaway bikes.
I adjusted the damn near invisible earpiece while moving through the auction house full of people. Thanks to Rebel, every electronic used on this job was top tier. She was a beast with the tech.
“Roses,” I said softly to get the girls’ attention. I needed to know that I was heard and see how the communication was on each end.
“I’m here, but why is it so thick in this bitch? You said small, ain’t shit small ‘bout this, Kash,” Rebel fussed. She threw daggers at me from across the room. It took everything in me to keep from laughing. She hated when I downplayed details.
“It’s an auction house, Rebel. What did you expect? Don’t trip though, we good. Blend in and look alive. We not losing another sister,” I stated confidently.
“Call me a chameleon,” Dice responded, letting me know she was in position.
Rebel gave a small salute from across the room and moved to the table full of champagne. I was always nervous when it came to jobs. However, I couldn’t stay in that phase. I shoot them nerves loose and got my mind right.
Before another move was made, I came through the mic with, “Aight ladies. Pretty as a flower…”