Chapter 1
Everything had changed in seven years. Some days it felt like those years flew by in a blur.
Other days it felt like the longest years of her life.
This day, Cashmere sat back and marveled at how short those seven years felt as she watched King Ro pace back and forth.
He spoke about the distribution of everything from drugs and weapons down to cars and jewels.
King Ro really was the leader of the council, quiet as it was kept. Nothing moved without him, and he held an air of being a natural leader. He was born for this role. His father bred him to be the best plug the country had ever seen.
The space was a luxury meeting room, different from the one they were in last month.
They moved the council meeting every month for extra security measures, but the space was always luxurious.
It took a while for Cashmere to get used to.
Coming up from the hood, everything in this new world was bright and shiny and exciting.
Cashmere thought about the first time she came to one of these meetings. She wasn’t a bitch that got intimidated often, but she knew she had stepped into a whole lot of power when she entered that room years ago.
“Cash, you got any updates before we wrap this shit up?” King Ro asked, effectively breaking Cashmere out of her thoughts.
Cashmere cleared her throat and stood. “My team has a new shipment coming in on Tuesday. Jewels from Switzerland. Once we get the products, we’ll sort through them and price them out for re-sale.”
“That’s the load that’s two cargo planes, translating to three trucks?” King Ro asked as he looked down at his iPad.
“Yup,” Cashmere confirmed.
“That’s a big hit, Cash. You sure nothin’ is tracked back to us?” King Ro asked.
All eyes were on her as she responded. “Positive. My team is the best.”
King Ro nodded, signaling his trust in Cashmere, which meant a lot to her.
Proving her worth and impressing these people hadn’t been easy. It took a lot of time and the backing of Cassydie and Marcellus for her to finally find her place within the council, an honor that didn’t go over her head.
“Aight. Unless anyone has something else to go over, we can be done for the day. Next meeting date and notes will be sent to you within the next week,” King Ro said.
“Thank fuck,” Pop said as he hopped up and walked straight out of the room.
A few chuckles sounded through the room. Everyone knew Pop wasn’t cut out for these meetings. He was the wildest card there and would rather be in the streets wreaking havoc.
“Excuse my brother,” Peso said as he followed his twin brother.
Cashmere watched Nyx, Karma, King Ro, Tech, and Vauncci walk out of the room before she looked at Cassydie and Marcellus, who grabbed their things and spoke in hushed tones as they prepared to leave.
“What y’all over here talkin’ about?” Cashmere asked as she grabbed her iPad and purse.
Cassydie smiled at Cashmere before she grabbed her hand and led her out of the room. “Nothing, girl. Cell is grumbling about his birthday party.”
Cashmere shrugged. “I don’t blame him. He don’t like people, and you’re insisting on throwing him the party with a bunch of niggas he don’t know.”
“Thank you, sis. Someone who gets me,” Marcellus said as he walked up behind them and threw his arm around Cashmere’s shoulders.
Cashmere did her best to suppress a grin.
That day when she ran into Cassydie at the mall had been the moment that changed her life forever.
Changed her life for good. Their friendship started out with Cassydie giving Cashmere odd jobs and way overpaying her.
Cashmere was super skeptical at first, and she could tell Cassydie was sizing her up too. For what, she wasn’t sure.
Eventually, the two became friends. Cashmere thought it was just as much of a surprise to her as it was to Cassydie that they clicked so well. Later, Cashmere found out that Cassydie never really got along with females. Cashmere understood that sentiment.
After an entire year of them bonding and Cassydie helping Cashmere and Ivoree get on their feet, Cashmere learned who Cassydie and Marcellus really were.
Cassydie had learned how slick Cashmere was with stealing shit, and to Cashmere’s surprise, there was no judgment.
Instead, she seemed intrigued by it. Cashmere soon found out it was because they wanted to get her a seat on the council.
Growing up in the hood, Cashmere had heard whispers about the council. She even heard some names associated to the council, like Pop and Karma, but it was all a myth, or so she thought.
The day she walked into one of the meetings, she realized these people were very real, and Cassydie and Marcellus argued their case for Cashmere.
They believed the council could make even more money if they opened up a stolen goods sector.
It took months of back and forth and voting, but eventually, Cashmere secured a seat in the council, and that changed her life completely.
She went from living on the streets, to living in a modest apartment, to owning her own damn mansion.
There were three cars in her garage, and she had staff running her household.
Ivoree went to a prestigious school, paid for in full, and the days of their stomachs touching their backs from hunger were long gone.
Seven years had changed a whole fucking lot.
“You’re supposed to be on my side, Cash,” Cassydie argued.
Cashmere knew better than to get in the middle of an argument between Marcellus and Cassydie. Two Aries were explosive, and she wanted no parts. To change the subject, Cashmere asked, “Where are my nephew and niece at, anyway?”
“Tato’s watching Cierra,” Cassydie said. Tato was Marcellus’s son. Cassydie treated him as if he was her own. He was seventeen and thought he was grown, but he was the best big brother to Cassydie and Marcellus’s daughter, Cierra. She was seven years old and Cashmere’s goddaughter.
“I miss them,” Cashmere said as they walked outside.
It was getting a bit cold out. Fall in Ellwood was Cashmere’s favorite, now that she could properly enjoy the cooler months without freezing to death.
“Let’s do a family dinner soon. It’s been a while since we’ve done that,” Cassydie suggested as they reached Cashmere’s car.
“Sounds good to me,” Cashmere said. “I’ll get with Ivoree and see what day works for her.”
Marcellus opened her car door for her. “Aye, don’t think I forgot about getting you a new head of security.”
Cashmere groaned. The downside of being in the council was the security. She was used to fending for herself, since she was a damn toddler, so having a gang of niggas following her around or roaming the perimeter of her home at all times felt taxing.
“I hoped you forgot,” she mumbled.
Her last head of security was an older man that Cashmere never got along with. Their bickering got so bad that Marcellus finally pulled the old man from her detail and decided to search for someone new. Someone who wouldn’t bend to her will, let him tell it.
“Well, I didn’t. I found someone for you. I’ll introduce you at the party tonight,” Marcellus said as he leaned down into her car after she got inside.
“I don’t want to meet him,” Cashmere said with a sneer.
Marcellus pinched her cheek, just like an annoying brother would do. “Looks like we both doin’ some shit we don’t want to do tonight.”
Cassydie hit him on the arm with her face screwed up. “We’re celebrating your birthday. End of story.”
Marcellus made a goofy face at Cashmere before he took a step back. “See you tonight.”
Cashmere waved and he closed her door. She watched as they got into their car before she pulled out of the parking lot.
Like clockwork, the black SUVs followed her.
Just because she didn’t have a head of security didn’t mean she didn’t have security, to her dismay.
She knew she was in the big leagues now, but damn.
Sometimes she missed the simplicity of being a normal ass person.
The ride to her house took thirty minutes. A smile spread across her face when she pulled up to her mini mansion. It was her normal reaction anytime she saw her home because she still couldn’t believe it was hers. Talk about rags to riches.
When she pulled into the garage, she left the door open so her security could come in and make sure she was safe.
“You’re good to go,” Levelle, one of her security guards, said as she stepped out of the car.
She simply nodded at him and tried not to show any attitude.
It was ridiculous to her that she couldn’t even step into her house without the okay, even though there was security here already because Ivoree was home.
It was all so dumb to her, but she constantly reminded herself that it came with the territory.
As soon as she was inside her home, she called out for her sister. “Vee! I’m home!”
“In here!”
Just as Cashmere suspected, Ivoree was in the sitting room with books and her laptop spread out on the large sectional around her.
Cashmere chuckled before she plopped down on the dark gray sectional, careful not to disturb Ivoree’s work.
“You been at it for hours,” Cashmere noted.
Ivoree stayed focused on something in a book. After she highlighted a few sentences, she sighed and gave Cashmere her attention.
“I know, but it’s midterms. I need to ace these tests.”
“When don’t you?” Cashmere admired her baby sister, who wasn’t really a baby anymore.
At twenty-four years old, her sister was on the fast track to being the most successful person in their family.
Cashmere never counted herself because what she did was illegal.
Yes, she made more money than she knew how to spend, but she wouldn’t call that successful.
Ivoree, on the other hand, worked hard as hell for what she wanted, and she deserved all the good that came to her.
She was pre-med and working to become a surgeon.
None of this would have even been possible if it wasn’t for Cashmere getting into the council.
Because of that, a world of legal opportunity was open to Ivoree, and she took it and ran with it.
“True,” Ivoree said as she plopped back on the couch.
They sat in silence for a moment, and Cashmere looked around.
Every time she sat in a room in her home, she had to convince herself that it was hers.
This room was meant for maximum comfort.
The couch was one people sank straight into.
There were throw blankets and pillows scattered about, a fireplace, and a large TV mounted to the wall.
Cashmere and Ivoree spent a lot of their time in this room.
“Don’t forget Cell’s party is tonight,” Cashmere reminded as she leaned her head on the back of the couch. She was exhausted, and the last thing she really wanted to do was go to a party on a yacht. She much preferred to work or be in the comfort of her own home.
“Why you think I’m doing all this right now? I have to start getting ready in exactly two hours.” Ivoree checked her Apple watch to confirm the time.
Cashmere shook her head. Ivoree had been excited about the party since it was mentioned months ago.
She had socially come out of her shell since she started college, and Cashmere loved to see it.
She wished she could pull some of her sister’s social meter and fill her own up because she pretty much disliked most people.
“Alright. I’ma leave you to it. I’m going to take a nap.” Cashmere stood and stretched.
“Do you know what you’re wearing tonight?” Before Cashmere could respond, Ivoree held her hand up and spoke. “Never mind. I’ll wake you up when it’s time and get you together.”
Cashmere shrugged and walked out of the room.
Ivoree had become a fashionista since they’d come into money.
She realized that her little sister had really been bogged down by their shitty upbringing, and a sense of pride filled her now that she was able to bring her up out of that.
Ivoree’s wings had spread, but Cashmere couldn’t help but feel like she had pretty much stayed the same.
Years of being hardened by her parents and the streets made it tough for her to change.
Her mind wandered to Cassydie and Marcellus as she pushed the door open to her massive room.
Her friends were so happy together. They had their own family to love on.
Though the two of them bickered like hell, love was always at their core.
Cashmere wondered what that felt like. She sighed as she stripped down to her panties.
She fell into bed and prayed sleep could distract her from feelings she held deep down.
Love and a family weren’t in her immediate future.
It would take a special ass man to sit her down, and she didn’t believe he existed.
Sadness filled her as she slipped into a restless sleep.