Chapter 7 #2
I can tell he wanted to yell, but he couldn’t because of where he was.
“Hawk, I made her get out before I did anything. She said she wasn’t going to say shit to anyone, so I trust that.
He let out a frustrated breath.
“Look, man, get your shit lined up before they come back with more evidence.”
“I am, and all you need to do is relax, son, you know I'll never do anything that will come back on me. Shit, the only thing that did, I didn't even do, remember?”
“Of course I remember, don’t ask me no rhetorical ass question like that, Proc.” I laughed because it was funny when this nigga was frustrated. He loved to play daddy with me, like I wasn’t changing his ass at one point.
“But keep me updated if they come back and talk to you.”
“Alright, I am.”
“Bet.”
We hung up the phone, and I put out my blunt. I decided at that moment to hop in my car and drive to Hawk’s penthouse. He put Tania on my mind, and I knew another conversation with her wouldn’t hurt to have. If she was going to switch up on me, I would be able to tell by looking in her eyes.
When I got to the door, I knocked a few times before remembering I could push the doorbell.
“Coming!” I heard Cyn’s voice yell through the door before it opened.
“Hey, Proctor, come on in. What’s up with you?”
“Nothing much, just came to check on you, make sure you're straight.”
“Yeah, I’m good. Just trying to walk so I won’t be sore, but come on in. You look nice tonight. Finally going back to work?”
Cyn invited me in with a smile, but she was the only one who seemed to be welcoming a nigga. Ari tried not to look at me, and Tania looked scared, like a lost puppy.
I sat down, spreading my arms across the back of the couch, feeling the tension thick in the room.
“I came to invite y’all out tonight, but it looks like y’all are stuck in the house.”
“Yeah, I am now. My stomach is still hurting. I think it was from that food I ate earlier,” Tania said, her voice clearly broken and upset, but I see she was sticking to the script.
“Really, I eat there all the time, and it never made me sick. You sure it was the food?”
I played with her, and she gave me a look like she couldn’t believe that I wasn’t playing along.
“But you should take some medicine and come to the club. Cyn, you got a medical excuse, but Tania, Ari, y’all don’t. Come out and enjoy your favorite couple’s night club tonight. Cyn, you’ll be straight without them, right?”
“Of course I will. You guys should really go out tonight. I know they’ll take care of y’all, and there’s no need for y’all to sit in the house watching me.
I’m okay. Plus, there’s a chance that Hawk will be released early in the morning, and when he gets here, y’all know I’m going to be up under my man. ”
Cyn replied, and I looked to them for their next excuse.
“I don’t know, you guys. I’m still kind of tired,” Tania said and an alarm started ringing from the kitchen.
“Oh, that’s the alarm for my beef pot pie. Let me get up and get it.”
“No, Cyn, I got it. You just got up and opened the door.”
“It’s okay, Ari. I told you I need to walk so I don’t get too stiff.”
She got up and slowly disappeared around the corner into the kitchen, and I leaned forward with my elbows on my knees,
“So, y’all are really going to act like some lame ass bitches tonight?”
They both scoffed.
“Excuse you?”
“Y’all heard me. You're getting invited out VIP by one of the top club promoters in the city.”
“So, you're a promoter now? Thought you were security.” Ari smacked her lips
“I’m everything, baby. You should know that.”
She broke eye contact with me like it was too much for her ass.
“Look, get dressed. Come out and have a good time. If you don’t like it, you can leave.”
“Shit!” We heard Cyn scream from the kitchen.
“I fucked up, y’all. I might need some help with this, actually.”
Ari jumped up before anybody else could move and ran toward the kitchen.
“I just dropped my food. Sorry y’all,” Cyn yelled, her voice traveling back into the living room.
Once Ari disappeared around the corner, it was just me and Tania sitting on the couch.
“You know your friend told me that you came home feeling kind of sick earlier.”
“Yeah, I did, but I’m okay,” she replied, unable to look me in the eyes.
I could hear cabinets opening and paper towels tearing in the other room, so I took that moment to address the elephant in the room.
I slid closer to her on the couch and gently lifted her chin. “Look at me. You good, you protected, and you always got my respect, which goes a long fuckin way in this world.”
She swallowed.
“I appreciate you for keeping it one hundred and not telling anybody about what happened earlier. You didn’t tell anybody, did you?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“That’s what I’m talking about. And just know, I got you. Not just down here in Vegas, but also when you're at home. Just keep it real with me, and I got you for life.”
She nodded her head slowly.
“If the police come to you and ask you anything, tell them that we were together for hours and you didn’t see anything. You can even tell them that I was dickin yo ass down if you want to.”
“Why would I tell them that lie? Why can’t I say we were eating? I mean, I didn’t get any dick.”
I leaned back slightly, studying her.
“You keep it one hundred with me, and who’s to say you might not one day?”
“That’s if I even want it.”
“Oh, you do. I know that’s a fact.”
She playfully rolled her eyes.
“But y’all should come out tonight, for real.”
“I don’t know if Ari will want to. She’s been acting really stuck up lately.”
“That’s why you, as her friend, need to convince her to put something on and come out. I want y’all to have a good time, and there isn’t a reason to sit in this apartment thinking about what-ifs and worst-case scenarios and shit.”
“You right, I guess. I will see what she says.”
“Alright. Do that. Now, give me your phone.”
“For what?”
“So that I can put my number in it and you can contact me whenever you need.”
“Okay, I guess that will work.”
She handed me her phone, and I put my number in before I stood and walked into the kitchen. Ari was on her hands and knees, wiping up the spilled food from the floor.
“I’m about to head out, Cyn. I have to get back to the club and make sure everything is running smoothly. I hope I get to see your homegirls tonight. Especially someone special to me.”
Ari looked up from the floor, smirking as she shook her head.
“We will see, Proctor.”
“I hope I will see you.”
I gave Cyn a hug, then walked out of the penthouse feeling somewhat accomplished with this visit. Like I told my son, it doesn’t take much to get loyalty from a woman who wants to fuck, even if they never have a chance.
Making them think they do is just enough.