Chapter 15
Proctor
One week later
I took the gas pump from my car after filling up and made my way over to Dianne’s because she’d asked me to come through after I talked to her over the phone about the alibi.
It was technically after hours since they closed at seven, so I knew I’d be able to talk to her uninterrupted without that Saturday rush they always had.
I pulled up in front of the building, and the only car outside was her car ducked off in the same spot she always kept it in.
When I got to the door, I jiggled it a little.
“Hold on just a minute,” I heard from the other side.
When she opened it, she had the same smile she always had when she saw me.
“I’m happy as hell it’s you and not the police again.”
She wiped her hands on her apron and made her way back toward the kitchen.
“Come on in. It’s just you and me here. I sent everybody else home to close by myself so that we could have an uninterrupted conversation about what’s going on.”
‘Yeah, good call. We don’t want people in our business. These conversations that we are having need to stay between you and me.”
She went back into the kitchen, and I followed her.
It was crazy seeing myself behind the scenes, because I’d always come to the front counter to order fish and chicken and shit.
But it was good to see she kept it spotless back here, no matter how raggedy the sign was outside or how the building looked from the outside.
It was good-ass food in here, cooked by a sister who knew exactly what the fuck she was doing with these pots and pans.
“So, the police came back here this morning, and I told them the same thing I've been saying. They keep asking about those cameras in the lobby, but I told them they don’t work. They said they were going to get a warrant to look at them, however.”
“Yeah, but that may take a day, or even a week, but we need to figure out what we are going to do when they come back.”
“Don’t worry about that, Proc. The cameras have already been wiped clean.
My sister’s son is into computers and tech, so I had him come in here and wipe everything out.
I told him I didn’t want the health inspector to find evidence that I didn’t change the grease trap every six weeks like I was supposed to. ”
She and I laughed.
“And he believed that shit? As clean as this kitchen is back here?”
“Yeah, he did. He’s only fifteen, but he’s smart as hell, at the top of his class, and graduating two years early because of it. He wiped those cameras clean in about two seconds.”
“Good. So, when the cops come back, let them look at them because there is no evidence to see.”
“Of course, honey, that’s my plan.”
I leaned back in my seat, feeling even better about this situation.
I wasn't stressing, but the shit was in the back of my mind whenever I tried to relax. Having to get alibis through several people wasn’t how I usually operate.
My past murders have been cleaner than this.
No one in the past could say they saw, or heard, I did shit.
“Now, Dianne, it’s time for you to tell me what I have to pay you?”
“Oh, Proctor, no, honey, you don’t have to.”
“Well, you know I am because I got you. Anything you need, I will provide. Shit, we can have this restaurant looking brand new once I get through showing my love to you for what you’re doing for me.”
She smiled softly. “Proctor, you already know I love you. You’re one of my favorite, most loyal customers, and when you come in here, my staff and I light up.”
“Yeah, I can tell, and I appreciate the love, but name the price, and I'll get whatever you want.”
“Okay.”
She nodded her head.
“Proctor, you don’t have to pay me with money.
We make pretty decent money here, no matter how it looks from the outside.
And I think I like the small-town charm my place has.
The broken-down signs and all, as crazy as that may sound.
We went viral a couple of days ago on TikTok because of a fish plate that some big creator came in and had.
So since then, we’ve been selling out even earlier than before.
People traveled a long way from the Strip to get a plate from me. ”
“That’s the goal. More where that comes from.”
‘Yeah, you are right,” she replied.
“But don’t ever forget where you came from, no matter how big your business is, always remember who your best customer is.”
“Oh, I won’t. At all.”
She reached over and rubbed her hand across the back of mine, where it rested on the table.
“Before we talk about the payment I will accept from my number one customer, I want to show you something.” She pulled her phone out of her apron.
“Now I know I look crazy half the time you come in here, but underneath the grease and flour, I don’t look bad for a fifty-four year old.”
She turned the camera around to face me.
My eyes damn near jumped out of my fucking head seeing Diane sitting on the edge of a bed, legs spread open, butt-ass naked, showing everything in between her thighs.
I didn’t say anything out loud, but my mind was going crazy. As she said, the worn-out appearance that she had at the restaurant didn’t do her any justice. Her titties were still perky, her skin flawless, and without those glasses on, she didn’t look her age at all.”
“What do you think?” she asked.
“Do you think I’m somebody you’d want to pay for loyalty with your body?”
“With my what?”
“Proctor, ever since you’ve been coming in here, I’ve been looking at you.
The way you walk, the way you talk, the color of your skin, and the bass in your voice.
Everything about you drives me crazy and has made me fantasize about the what ifs for years.
So, with that being said, you don’t have to pay me any money to keep my loyalty. I want you bad.”
I rubbed my chin hair.
“Damn. I’m not even going to lie, you do look damn good, and there are plenty of niggas my age, and even younger, that would kill to have a mature woman like you. But I am kind of involved with someone right now. She’s the mother of my child, and I gave her my word that I’d keep it real with her.”
She leaned back in her chair, shaking her head slowly. “Proctor, let me ask you something. Can the mother of your child keep you out of prison?”
“I’m sure if she had the opportunity, she would.”
She smirked. “Yeah, that’s because you gave her some of that dick, I’m sure.”
She leaned forward. “Look, I’m not trying to use you for your body or take advantage of you because you need me.
But just like you need me, I need you, Proctor.
This restaurant exists because five years ago, my husband and I were in a fatal accident with a big truck, leaving Vegas, heading to California to visit my daughter.
The truck hit us from behind and knocked us into a tree.
It killed my husband and left me needing surgery after surgery so much that I lived on pain pills. ”
I stayed quiet as she spoke.
“Then once I got my settlement offer, I decided to do what I loved to make me feel better, which is cook. It wasn’t much, of course. The company had great lawyers and tried to paint the accident as our fault, so my lawyer told me the best thing I could do was settle.”
She exhaled.
“So, we received a measly two-million-dollar check for my husband’s life and all the pain that the accident left me. I purchased a home, bought my daughter a home, and then purchased this place with what I had left. It’s not much, but it means a lot to me under those circumstances.”
She looked at me.
“Proctor, I haven’t had a man in five years. Actually, I haven’t wanted one in five years until I ran into you. That day you walked in here and ordered that fish plate with your usual side of greens was the day something inside of me woke up. I had passion again. I wanted ecstasy.”
I shifted in my seat, still lost for words.
I've been coming here for so long, I looked at this place as a family spot.
Yeah, I noticed the looks I got from the women who worked here, but I never thought they would act on them.
I never felt I would be sitting at the table with Dianne, hearing how she wanted me or knowing how her body looked under her apron.
“If I’m being honest, I’m lost for words right now. I don’t know what to say.”
“Proctor, I promise I will never hold this over your head. I would never betray you. All I’m asking is to feel what I’ve wanted to feel for so long. It’s a favor for a favor.”
“Dianne, how do you know this is something that you really want? I could have a fuckin shrimp dick on me.”
She smirked.
“Please. Anybody with two eyes can tell you got it going on, and if your appearance doesn’t tell them, then that limp in your walk damn sure will.”
I laughed. She wasn’t wrong, but this shit still wasn’t right.
“I didn’t mention this to you earlier, but I do have a lady now, and I’m trying to do right by her.”
“She’ll never know. No one ever will.”
I rubbed my jaw, trying to decide whether this ask was too far or just what I needed to lock Dianne in. At the end of the day, I could be going to jail for a quadruple homicide if I didn’t have the loyalty of Dianne. This was a cost I would have to pay if I wanted everything to work in my favor.
“When are you trying to make this happen?”
I asked, and her face lit up.
“Well, if I were cleaned up right now, I would tell you to bend me over this table right here and drive me up these walls, but instead, I can go home and clean myself up. Then you can come over later tonight. How does that sound?”
“I can do that,” I replied, nodding my head in agreement.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you later.” I stood up from my chair, but Dianne grabbed my wrist and stopped me from taking a step.
“Wait, could I possibly get an appetizer of what’s to come later on?”
I grinned.
“I don’t give out appetizers. Either you eat the full meal, or you starve.”
“That’s the thing, though, Proctor, I’m not hungry, just thirsty. So, sit back down. I need a drink.”
She pushed me just enough to make me stumble back into the chair, sliding it back a few inches.
Dianne went to my zipper, rolling it down, and then stuck her hands into my pants and pulled my dick out.
Once she saw it standing at full attention, it was like she was worshipping it for a moment.
I could tell she was, in fact, thirsty, and thirsty bitches are always the best eaters.
Dianne started licking my dick like it was an ice cream cone and would melt away if she didn’t hurry up and finish it.
I watched her take her time with my dick, sucking and licking everything but the head until I was hard as a brick, and that’s when she took my head into her mouth.
I couldn’t fight the shit, it felt good as fuck, and I wasn’t even a nigga that folded for some head, but she was giving a nigga premium top.
The kind only mature women knew how to give.
I quickly ended up finishing in her mouth, and she swallowed my nut in one big gulp with a smile on her face.
“Thank you for quenching my thirst. Now I will see you later for dinner, right?”
“Yeah, I got you.”
“Okay, don't let me down. I'm excited about this.”
“I won't.”
I stood up and placed a single kiss on her forehead. She shook like her needs had already been met before I disappeared out of the front door.
Since I had plans with Diane tonight, I decided to stop by the club and make sure everything was straight so I could dip out for a couple of hours and dick her ass down.
Once I went home, and twisted the locks, I heard noise coming from inside.
It made me slow my steps and pull my pistol from the back of my waistband.
I moved through the apartment carefully until I heard that sweet-ass voice floating in my ear.
The voice I loved hearing more than anything these days. Ari’s.
“Proctor.”
I relaxed instantly.
“What the fuck y’all doing here? I thought y’all weren’t coming till tomorrow.”
“Well, I thought we weren’t either, but I was looking at the flights and found two tickets that got us here a few hours ago. So I figured, why not come surprise you and bring your birthday in with you? It’s the big one this year, old man.”
“Ain’t nothing old but news, baby.” I laughed with her.
“But you do know how dangerous it is to step into my place without me knowing, right?”
She walked up to me and wrapped her arms around my waist.
“Well, you’re the one who said you could smell me from a mile away. I figured you’d know it was me in here.”
“Behind that door, I couldn’t smell shit,” I said, smirking. “But it’s good to see you, baby girl.”
I kissed her on the lips a few times before finally paying attention to my daughter, sitting on the couch.
“Little mama, chocolate drop,” I said as I walked over and sat beside her.
She gave me a look like she wasn’t impressed, but I loved that shit about her. I wanted to have to fight for her affection, because I didn’t want her falling easily for anybody, not even me, and I was her daddy.
“So, what do you want to do tonight? Cyn already said she will watch the baby while we celebrate early, and before you say you have to work, I’m sure the club will run just fine without you.” Ari crossed her arms while standing in front of me.
“I’m not going to work tonight, baby, don’t worry.” She placed both her hands on the side of my face.
“My plans are to play with little mama for a while, and then once you are ready to take her to Cyn’s, I’ll play with you for the rest of the night. How does that sound?”
“It sounds fantastic, daddy.” Ari replied with excitement in her voice.
I spent time playing peek a boo behind a pillow with my daughter, making her laugh even though her mean self didn’t want to.
Ari was in the back getting settled in, and I could sense she was at peace being here, just by her humming in the other room.
When my phone chimed, I picked it up and saw that over two hours had gone by already since I got home, and I didn’t realize it.
Reading the message, however, reminded me of the plans I’d made with Dianne just hours earlier.
You on your way yet?
I started typing her an excuse, but then I decided to just keep it for the time being. She will have to understand my family popping up just pushed those plans back for us because there was no way in hell I was leaving them tonight.