you’re fucking with. You ever run up on me again and I’m going to put your ass in a body bag,” I seethe.
This bitch has the nerve to gasp like she’s innocent. “Are you threatening me?” she says in that whiny voice.
“No, bitch. That’s a fucking promise.”
“We have a problem here?”
I stiffen and turn. In all my rage I missed the damn cop that walks up on us. I clench the bags in my hand. I know exactly what this looks like to him. I’m an Afro-Latina woman threatening this fake blonde princess. Her sudden change in demeaner makes total sense.
I give the cop a smile and shrug. “No, officer. I changed my mind about those shoes. I’m going to head home,” I say as sugary sweet as I can.
“Is that right? Ma’am you all right?” he says, looking over my shoulder.
My temper is about to snap when a second officer walks over. “Hey, I remember you,” the female officer says. “You Blacks always bring in the big fish.”
I’m so pissed, I almost forget John has everyone thinking that my last name is Black too. I’m calm enough to recognize the female cop.
Right, you Blacks as in the family I work for.
“Hey,” I say as my lips turn up into real smile. “Yeah, I remember you too. That Reynolds guy, right?”
“Yeah. Real bastard. That was your first official bounty, wasn’t it?”
I nod. “Sure was.”
John has had me and Torque helping him pick up some of the slack for his dad. With all the drama they’ve been through, they’ve been getting the business back in order the last few weeks.
“You know her, Gilmore?”
“Yeah, she works with Johnathan Black. As a matter of fact, I was told to treat her like one of Joe’s kids. Especially after that crap with Detective Louis. Man, that almost got him canned. Why, what’s the problem?”
The male officer scratches his chin. “Nothing, I guess. You ladies have a nice day.”
I can feel Missy’s ass seething behind me. I turn to face her and put my shades back on. “Remember what I said. Stay your ass the fuck away from me.”
I turn and walk off. In my head, I’m patting myself on the back for not beating the shit out of her crazy ass. She has to be crazy, running up on me like that. John better control his little friend.
John
I pull into my courtyard and the first thing I see is Roni, sitting on the hood of the Chevelle I gave her. I know something is off right away. I’m out of my car faster than I can park it.
I walk over and stand between her legs, cupping the side of her face. She looks pissed. I drop a kiss on her frowning lips.
“What’s wrong, baby?” I breathe against her forehead.
“Who is she to you? You said she wasn’t your girlfriend when she said she was, but she was at some point wasn’t she,” she says.
Her voice is so detached, it’s as if a human isn’t talking to me at all. I squint my eyes as I look into her face. I already know who she’s taking about, I’m just not sure why?
In the last two months we’ve been fine with not talking about Missy. Why start now? Then it hits me.
“Did she show up here?”
“No, I came here after running into her,” she says. “Answer my question, John.”
“Come inside.”
She shakes her head. “No.”
“This is a long story. Please, come inside,” I say tiredly.
Everything hits me at once. All my family has been through, the shit I’ve been through with Missy, having my relationship with Roni set back because of Missy. I’m wary to the bone.
Roni nods and starts to lift from the car. I step back and give her room. Relief washes over me when she allows me to place my hand on the small of her back.
I need the contact. I always feel like I’m one step away from losing her before I truly have her. The dance we’re doing will hold up for but so long. Roni and I have too much chemistry not to combust sooner or later. That is if something like this Missy shit doesn’t come along and ignite the wrong fuse.
I get us into the house, but the foyer is as far as Roni gets before, she spins on me and places her hands on her hips. The fire in her eyes says she wants answers and she want them right now. I blow out a breath and start