Precious Cargo

Prologue

The smells from the food court made Cashmere’s stomach growl. She glanced over at her seventeen-year-old sister and noticed the pained look on her face. Cashmere knew Ivoree also felt the stomach pains.

With gritted teeth, Cashmere grabbed Ivoree’s hand and pulled her through the crowd of people.

“Don’t worry, Vee. We gonna eat soon,” Cashmere assured as she kept her eyes roaming around, trying to see what lick she could hit.

At her big ass age of twenty-four years old, she never thought she would still be using her sticky fingers to survive, but here she was. Cashmere tilted her head, and her eyes landed on the jewelry store on the level above them. With a heavy sigh, she pulled Ivoree toward the escalator.

This mall was new to them. They always were. Cashmere made it a rule that she never did her dirt in the same place twice, so she took a moment to scope the scene when they got to the second level of the mall.

“Jewelry store?” Ivoree asked.

Cashmere nodded. “We need a good come up, Sis. We pull this off, then we won’t have to do nothin’ for a cool minute.”

They’d only ever hit one other jewelry store before.

It was about a year ago, and they were able to live on the money for a couple of months.

Cashmere had been hesitant to do it again because the stakes were higher than a simple pick pocket or car raid, but she was tired of living day to day not knowing where they would lay their heads or how they would eat.

Ivoree looked around the busy mall hesitantly.

Cashmere felt bad. Ivoree was a good girl.

She got good grades, despite their circumstances, and she stayed out the way.

Here Cashmere was, pulling her into bad decisions that could land them both in prison.

Survival instincts were a mothafucka though.

They overrode everything else, and that was the mode Cashmere had been in for years. Her whole life, really.

Her father was on drugs, and her mother was mentally unstable. Cashmere personally thought the lady had schizophrenia, but the woman never got diagnosed because she never went to the doctor.

When Cashmere was sixteen, she left home.

It was her biggest regret. Poor Ivoree endured seven years alone in that house while Cashmere tried desperately to get on her feet.

It wasn’t easy. Cashmere’s attitude was bad, and she got fired from every odd job she managed to get.

It was a vicious cycle. Even though she still struggled financially, Ivoree needed her.

All it took was one call from her baby sister crying about their daddy trying to sell her to a pimp, and Cashmere came running.

That was a year ago, and though they slept on the streets more nights than in a bed, the sisters knew this was better than going back to their parents.

“I don’t know, Cash—”

“I just need you to distract. Just like every other time,” Cashmere assured as she eyed the jewelry store.

There was only one person working, it seemed. That was good. From her standpoint, she could see two cameras. She was sure there were more.

“In and out, okay?” Ivoree asked.

Cashmere gave her a small smile. They both had the same round faces and heart-shaped lips. Ivoree was a few inches taller than her big sister and had shorter hair that just touched her shoulders. Cashmere’s natural hair reached her bra strap.

Naturally beautiful. That was what Cashmere called it, and thank God for that, because they couldn’t afford lashes, waxing, makeup, or hair appointments. Still, they looked good, even if their clothes were a bit raggedy and baggy.

“In and out. I promise,” Cashmere said.

They scoped out the store for a little while longer before they made their way inside. They had a routine. Ivoree, though she was introverted, pulled out her stellar personality and innocence and reeled people in. That gave Cashmere the opportunity to do what she did best, . . . steal.

“Hi, ma’am. I was wondering if you can help me pick out some earrings for my mother?” Ivoree said with a dazzling smile.

The lady working behind the counter eyed them wearily. Cashmere fought the urge to roll her eyes. The lady was judging them. Rightfully so. Cashmere thwarted the do-gooder voice in her head and focused.

“Please, Miss. She’s in foster care. Her mother is graduating from rehab, and she just wants to do something nice for her.”

“And you are?” the lady asked.

That pissed Cashmere off. The audacity . . .

“I’m her social worker.” Cashmere kept a smile on her face and remained cool on the inside.

Nobody in their right mind would believe Cashmere’s story, because she didn’t look like a damn social worker, but Cashmere and Ivoree were really convincing. It didn’t hurt that they had pretty privilege. It didn’t matter who it was, they were bound to fall under the Taylor sisters’ spell.

“Right over here.” The lady moved behind the counter toward the earrings.

While she got Ivoree set up with options, Cashmere took a moment to look around the store. She had a good eye for expensive things, and she found a necklace that would pawn for thousands.

“Excuse me? Can I take a look at this necklace?” Cashmere asked, gaining the employee’s attention.

When she saw which necklace Cashmere pointed at, her expression turned suspicious.

Cashmere beamed at her. “I’ve been saving for it for a long time. I’ve never gotten to see it up close. I’m so close to the amount I need. I thought holding it might motivate me to actually pull the trigger.”

The lady’s face melted into an understanding smile. The humble act worked every time.

“Girl, I get it. There’s a bracelet over there I’ve been saving for forever.

Here, let me get that out for you real quick.

” Cashmere kept a pleasant smile on her face as she watched the lady unlock the glass and pull the necklace out.

It was beautiful. As soon as she handed it to Cashmere, Ivoree let out a yelp.

“I’m so clumsy!”

Cashmere tried not to smile as Ivoree fumbled around on the counter with the earrings before she dropped several pairs on the floor. The employee rushed over to Ivoree in distress. Cashmere kept an eye on them as she moved to slip the necklace into her pocket.

“Oh, that’s beautiful. Excuse me, ma’am?

I would like to buy this necklace,” a voice said behind Cashmere just before she could slip it into her pocket.

Turning bright red, Cashmere glanced beside her and noticed a woman who smelled expensive standing there.

She was gorgeous with a few diamonds of her own on her ears and around her neck.

Cashmere noticed she was glowing, and when she looked down and the woman looked ready to pop with a swollen belly, it made sense.

She looked oddly familiar, and when she spoke again, a memory struck Cashmere. “A step up from trying to steal cars.”

The woman’s brows hiked up, and she smiled genuinely, letting Cashmere know she wasn’t a threat.

One year ago

Cold nights were the worst. Cashmere tried to snuggle into the oversized, dirty hoodie for warmth, but it was no use.

She glanced at Ivoree, who sat on the bus stop bench with her knees to her chest. Pain shredded her heart as Cashmere looked at her baby sister with watery eyes.

She never cried, and she wasn’t about to start now.

“Hey, wait right here. I’ll find us some food and shelter, okay?” Cashmere said before she stood.

All Ivoree could muster was a head nod. Cashmere looked at the McDonald’s parking lot across the street. After making a split decision, she crossed the street and scoped the area. There was one car that seemed to be full of items. Her eyes lit up. “Jackpot.”

She had never stolen a car before, but she picked up how to hot wire a car not long ago from some kids she knew that lived on the street. The only other choice she had was to freeze to death.

She crouched down and tried to remember how to open the car door without a key and without breaking a window when someone called out to her.

“Hey!” Cashmere instantly straightened and cursed under her breath. “You looking for something?”

The woman looked like she had been through hell and back too. Her eyes looked puffy, and her light skin looked pale. She had a single bag in her hand of food from McDonald’s, and Cashmere’s stomach growled.

The woman took a step forward. Cashmere stepped back. “This you?”

Cashmere nodded toward the car. She was a thief, but something about stealing from someone who looked to be down bad didn’t sit right with her.

Slowly, the woman nodded. “Yeah.”

Cashmere eyed her for a second before letting out a sigh. “Shit.”

Giving up, Cashmere turned to walk away. She would have to figure something else out. She would have to dumpster dive or something . . .

“You want something to eat from inside?” the woman called out.

Cashmere stopped and her shoulders tensed before she slowly turned to face the woman again. Her eyes flickered to the bag of food in the woman’s hand before she met her eyes again. She was hungry as hell and knew Ivoree was too, but her pride reared its ugly face.

“Thanks, but I don’t do handouts,” she whispered.

Cashmere turned again and walked away with tears in her eyes, knowing she would have to disappoint Ivoree once again.

Cashmere couldn’t believe this woman dripping in labels was the same woman from that cold night where she couldn’t even afford a damn McDonald’s sandwich.

“Why, yes. This item seems to be popular today,” the disgruntled worker said with a smile after she got all the earrings off the ground.

Ivoree looked at Cashmere with worry in her eyes. Cashmere slightly shook her head and shrugged before she handed the necklace over to the woman who looked like money. She turned to leave when the woman said, “Hey, wait up. I want to talk to you.”

Cashmere’s brows pulled in, and she screwed her face up. “About what? I don’t know you.”

“You want to,” the woman said before she held her finger up as if to tell her to hold on.

Cashmere was taken aback. Ivoree reached her and whispered, “What’s going on?”

The apprehension in Ivoree’s tone broke Cashmere’s heart. “I don’t know. Let’s just go.”

They turned and walked out of the store feeling defeated.

She had no words as they walked through the mall.

They ended up back by the food court, and just when Cashmere thought about putting her pride to the side and asking someone to buy them a sandwich to share, she spotted the woman from the store walking briskly toward them.

“I thought I said I wanted to talk to you,” she yelled from across the food court as she made her way toward them.

Cashmere noticed her struggling to waddle quickly through the crowd. She rolled her eyes, wondering what exactly the lady wanted. A year ago, she had some sympathy for the girl because she seemed down bad just like Cashmere, but times either changed or she had Cashmere fooled back then.

“What do you want?” Cashmere asked when the lady was near them.

She breathed hard as she looked at Ivoree and Cashmere.

Finally, she pulled a jewelry box out of one of the dozens of bags and handed it to Cashmere.

“This is for you.” Cashmere’s brows pulled in as she reached her hand out, but the lady pulled it back before she could grab the box. “In exchange for a meeting.”

“A meeting?” Cashmere asked.

“A meeting,” the lady confirmed.

“For what?”

The lady smirked. “Just trust me on this. Let me get your number.”

Cashmere sized her up but then thought about that necklace. She needed it badly. There was a pawnshop not far from here that would give her a really good chunk of change for this necklace.

“Fine.” Cashmere rattled off her number.

“What’s your name?”

“Cashmere.”

“Cash. I like it. I’m Cassydie. Answer when I call. I’ll be able to find you and get that necklace back . . . with interest.”

Cashmere frowned at the threat, but Cassydie had already turned around and walked away. It was then that Cashmere noticed a gang of niggas following Cassydie. They were all inconspicuous, but big as hell, making Cashmere think Cassydie was important.

“Who was that?” Ivoree asked.

“No idea, but I have a feeling we’re going to find out . . .” Cashmere said as she watched the mystery woman disappear from her sight.