Chapter 17
“Handled?” Reign asked, her face twitching with irritation at his intrusiveness. She was thankful far beneath the surface. However, the trauma of men being nice to her always yielded her pain in some fashion.
Markus grunted, unbeknownst to Reign, her comment earlier zapped his system. The habit he was forming, she clocked it. The first time she saw him, she saw it. Markus was dancing with his demons and while he appeared to be nice, she knew what was next. She wasn’t going for it.
“Yeah, Nia and I got a couple spots throughout the city. You’ll stay at one.”
“What’s the cost?”
“Ain’t no cost. It’s on me.”
The comment made her scoff with knowing, her trauma on display for him to see glimpse of her reserve.
“It’s on you now until you feel like it or them demons you’re playing with tell you you’re owed more.
Then pussy is a requirement for payment and when I refuse that then hands and feet are being put back on me.
And then I’m back in this position far from home with nothing. No, I’m not going for it.”
Markus eased to a stoplight and peered at her.
“You work for me and Nia. You see a small glimpse of what we got going on. I protect my business. You know a piece of my business. I don’t want shit from you.
If that were the case, I would’ve led with my charming representative, not the nigga I am at the root.
I don’t have time to be chasing pussy and demanding the shit. I barely got time for this.”
“Yet here you are.”
He flexed his jaw, fighting with his filter. “Because you need me to be. And not on no arrogant nigga bullshit. You need someone to look out for you until your back on your shit. I see that fire in you. Fight me on everything else. Not this, aight?”
Reign peered back at him before turning away. “Okay. Can you take me back to the salon?”
“Yeah, after I get you some hot food and some shit to wear. Nia wants you to run that salon, you can’t run it lookin’ like that.”
Reign said nothing, for a moment she just allowed her body to relax in the seat. She hadn’t had a good night’s rest. She refused medicine for her headache. And her stomach was growling. It’d been growling for days but she made a choice to sacrifice food so she could get by.
With her eyes closed, she replayed the doctor’s visit over again.
She was undressed in a medical gown while this strange woman examined her.
She ran a full panel, rapid STD and HIV/AIDS test, considering Reign’s history, a pregnancy test. All which came back negative.
She was underweight and exhausted. Her immediate treatment was rest and to eat.
Reign wasn’t going to rest today, she had commitments but passing up meals was over.
The ride was otherwise quiet outside of the radio playing.
“It’s your girl, Monee Mills, and we’re back on the air at PULSE 105.
1 where we got our ear to the streets and the beats.
Before break, I was telling y’all about the mayor’s sweep the street initiative.
The order has these gangs turning on each other.
Y’all be safe out there and stay off of Sunset,” the deejay host shared before announcing what she was playing next.
Reign’s eyes opened and looked at Markus’ profile.
“If you don’t want the answer, don’t ask me,” he muttered, pulling into the parking space in front of a small boutique. “Come on, she opened up early for you.”
Reign put their cold burritos back in the bag and turned to open the door. Markus had gotten out and purposely locked it so she wouldn’t open it. Once on the passenger side, he unlocked the door, pulled it open and looked at her.
“I ain’t a nigga of rules for real, but you’re not opening doors. I was raised to be decent.”
“Decent not right, noted,” Reign spoke, sliding out the truck and following him up the cobblestone path to block.
Everything looked fancy like she would need a black card to think about shopping on this side of town.
Walking past him, through the glass door, they were greeted by a middle-aged woman.
Her smile wide and bright enough to illuminate the whole city. Her energy was magnetic.
“Emilliano,” she gushed, opening her arms to him. “How are you?”
“I’m good, Aunt G,” he responded, hugging her and kissing her cheek. He released her and turned his attention to Reign. “This is my friend, Reign. She needs a new wardrobe.”
“I’m not his-” Reign started but Aunt G finished her sentence.
“Emilliano only has one friend I know about so to hold you in that regard, you must be special.” Aunt G studied Reign warmly before smirking with her finger on her chin. “Deante, pull some size fours. Once we get you some real food, we’ll get you back in an eight.”
Reign’s expression was laced in confusion. “How’d you know I was an eight?”
“Your face, it was fuller. Nothing a good meal and more love can’t fix,” Aunt G said, cupping her face warmly. “Hm?” She released Reign’s face and gently patted her shoulders. “Let’s put you back together again.”
Markus found a seat out of the way and went back to what he was supposed to be doing, handling business. In the dressing room, Reign undressed.
“Don’t be embarrassed,” Aunt G spoke, seeing the splotches of discoloration over Reign’s body. “I know nothing else, no one will touch you again.”
“How do you know that?” Reign asked, really wanting to know. She was looking for any sign that her prayers were heard or at least past the ceiling.
“He’s taken to you. As a protector, I see it. No one is going to touch you. In the meantime, let’s start with some undergarments. Thirty-two C and a small in panties.”
Reign nipped her lip, almost uncomfortable if it weren’t for how warm Aunt G was. She watched her gather the clothes she wore in and started out of the private dressing room.
“Actually,” Reign spoke up. “Can I keep the hoodie?”
Aunt G smiled and nodded. “Of course, I’ll be right back.”
For a while, with no idea of the time that passed due to not having her phone with her, Reign was left observing herself.
Full on with nowhere to run. Yes, Javier was a monster but some things she’d allowed.
Her voice to be stolen, she’d allowed. The standard of treatment, she allowed.
She had nothing but time in this moment to face that fact.
The was a time when she’d found herself beautiful and alluring.
Now, she was damaged goods – a charity case.
Aunt G returned with a handful of undergarments in one hand and basics in the other. “These are for you. Panties for every occasion and bras for work, home and outings.”
Reign grimaced. “I don’t plan on going out much, just work and … home.”
Aunt G gave her what Reign was noticing to be her signature expression.
“A young pretty girl like you deserves to have some fun. To be out. To be smiling. To laugh. Don’t worry, it’ll come.
” She placed the undergarments down neatly, everything was a presentation.
“We have some day-to-day basics, lounge wear, running errands, pajamas. All of that is in this garment bag.”
Reign realized that Aunt G wasn’t at all concerned by her nakedness. She kept on talking and pulling pieces off of the rack that her assistant rolled by the door. Reign put her underwear on and watched and listened.
“Work clothes, comfortable, functional, and sassy. Which I get the vibe that you’re a fiery little thing. It’s in those beautiful eyes of yours. Of course, all black for the salon.”
Reign sifted through the rack, landing on a pair of black, high-waisted wide leg jeans and a black turtleneck.
She still had bruises and marks she didn’t want to draw attention to.
Every article of clothing Reign put on, she slowly felt her confidence building.
Aunt G stood to her right, tapping her chin.
“You need accessories and shoes. I’m going to guess a seven?”
Reign gave her a half smile. “Yeah.”
“Dante,” Aunt G called. “Grab five pairs of boots, black, grey, tan, one riding and one platform. Seven. The heels no higher than four inches.”
Although Dante wasn’t seen, Reign could hear him scurry away to grab what was needed.
“This outfit needs a pointed toe boot and a belt. Show off your little waist.”
Reign tugged at her ponytail. “I’d rather not draw too much attention to myself.”
Aunt G grinned. “Baby girl, you are the attention.”
She left Reign alone to smile faintly before she reached up, slightly wincing and pulling her ponytail loose. Nia worked magic on her hair, despite all the stress and lack of protection the last couple of days, it still cascaded over her shoulders like silk.
Aunt G returned, putting the look together before snapping her fingers, “now to enhance that beautiful face of yours. Come.”
Through a set of bright pink double doors, Reign entered the Beauty Bar.
Another member of Aunt G’s team patiently waiting to match Reign’s skin tone cover up her battle wounds while teaching her how to color correct it.
Thirty minutes later Reign was walking back into the boutique where Markus stood, phone pressed to his ear and his brows pinned.
“I don’t give a damn how that nigga feels.
He should be happy he still got life in his body.
Air in his lungs so he can sit in the lounge and fuck on his product,” Markus gritted.
“He don’t need to demand another fucking thing from me.
The funeral is paid in full, the family got a nice pay out.
I don’t want to hear shit else about it.
Let B and Angel sweat it out. As far as Cyn, she can stay where that nigga at.
I don’t care about none of that, we need a new supplier that ain’t fuckin’ Luciano. ”
“I could have sworn I told you no work in my place of business,” Aunt G spoke, grabbing Markus’ attention.