I thought about all I endured in just one night and fresh tears started to flow. He didn’t resist, he stood hugging my small body to him while I cried. I could hear muffled talking from the men through the haze of my tears and sobs. All I could make out was my name, rapist and kill. I guess they all realized it was me. An SUV pulled up and Neeko lifted me effortlessly placing me in the back then getting in behind me and slamming the door shut. One of the guys sat in the front passenger seat, the others stayed back.
“Please don’t kill him,” I whispered to Neeko, pleading with my eyes in pools of tears. He looked at me contemplatively for a few seconds, his face serious, he was angry, I could feel the tension radiating from him. He wasn’t holding me anymore. He wound the glass down and to the men outside he said, “Deal wid him.” He then sat back against he leather seat and said,”go” to the driver who sped away from the scene. He turned his head, looking through the window, he was in deep thought. This was the second time in one night he saved me from the hands of drunken men. I guess he wasn’t amused at having to babysit the stripper. Maybe he was disgusted.
I don’t know where we are going but I’m almost sure it wasn’t to my house. My mother would be worried. My mom…fresh tears started again and I placed my face in my hands and allowed them to flow.
“Come here,” he pulled my disheveled body to him and unto his lap and I didn’t have the strength to resist.
I’m not sure for how long we drove, but it felt like well over an hour before we entered a long driveway of a huge 3 story house. It was dark and I couldn’t make out the details of everything that happened through the haze I was in, but someone flew the car door open and Neeko jumped out first then he scooped me up and brought me inside. Through the large entryway and up a winding staircase into a large master bedroom.
“You can sleep in here,” he said as he set me on my feet. The room was huge. It had a large king sized bed with matching foot chest, dressing table and chest of drawers. There was a brown love seat in one corner. The walls were painted in beige and brown. My tears had stopped and now I felt self-conscious and outright scared.
He must have seen the look on my face because he said, “No one will hurt you here. You’re safe now.” I think he was still angry and he was trying to reign it in. He seemed in a hurry to leave the room.
“Are you angry with me?” I asked softly peeking up at him. I felt like a child that was caught in a lie.
He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. “Why the fuck would I be mad at you Gypsie?!” He all but shouted. I recoiled at his tone. So much for reigning his anger in. I was trying to figure out why he was mad at me. So my real name is not Gypsie, why would that be a surprise? “You gave me a fucking lap dance in a strip club! You dance half naked on a stage for the pleasure of men! You are not my fucking problem!”
“So, why are you shouting and why am I here?” I asked quietly, hurt by his words, though true.
“You are free to use the bathroom to clean up. You should be able to find a robe or a t-shirt or something to wear.” He said as he backed out of the room. He didn’t acknowledge my questions. Why didn’t he just take me home? I was emotionally and physically tired and bruised. I needed to shower and rest my head for a few minutes. Then I will try to make my way home. I also need to text my mom. I made up something about studying with a classmate and texted her and she responded immediately. I asked if she was ok to take care of Lincoln alone and she said I didn’t need to worry.
I stood in the huge bathroom that had an adjoining walk-in closet and stripped off my torn shirt and jeans. Across my rib cage felt bruised where the man slammed me against the wall. I thought about everything that happened that night and the tears threatened to fall again, but I shook myself. ‘Come on Lee you’re stronger than this.’ I’ve never been in such a huge lavish bathroom. It smelled like him. I allowed the warm water to run from my head down my body. I found his body wash and lathered it across my body being extremely gentle against my bruised ribs. I found white v-necks in his closet and I threw one over my naked body.
Neeko did not come back into the room and I felt shunned and ashamed. He thought I was just somebody who paraded before men to have money thrown at me. That stung, but he was one to point fingers. He was notoriously the most cold hearted gang leader in Kingston. I saw that side of him when he held that man by the neck. For all I know that man was dead and his body salted and buried in a shallow grave somewhere in the country. At least I danced to make a honest living to keep my family from starving and I was still going to school and maintaining my 4.0 GPA. I was doing what I had to do. I couldn’t let everybody know about Leah Williams. Leah Williams did not go on that stage at nights, Gypsie did.
I crawled into the huge bed and snuggled under the covers, everything smelled like him which I found quite comforting. I fell asleep after what seemed like hours of staring into the darkness and listening for Neeko. I was back in the dim alley, the knife pressing into my side and the man’s hand was clawing and squeezing at my breasts. I started to cry in spite of chants to myself to be brave, if I didn’t react he wouldn’t kill me. The thought of dying and leaving my mother and brother was more than I could bare and the sobs started.
“Hey, you’re having a bad dream” I heard the voice from the fog in my brain. My rib cage hurt so bad. I opened my eyes and saw him sitting beside me, concern etched on his handsome face, which I mistook for anger. He was running the back of his hand up and down the side of my face.
I thought he was still angry so I sat up gingerly and scooted away from him, “I’m sorry I woke you,” I said dashing the tears from my eyes.
“Are you hurt?” He asked gently.
“It’s nothing.” I said quickly looking away from his naked chest. He had a two skull heads on a chain tattoo on his heart. He was wearing only pajama bottoms. I pretended to search for a clock in the lamp light so I could tell the time. It was 3:30 in the morning.
“Come here,” he said gently holding out his hand to me.
I didn’t make an attempt to move, I looked at him. I thought he was angry and I didn’t want him to try to hurt me in any way.
“I’m not going to hurt you. Let me hold you, you are shaking.” He said calmly. I still didn’t make an attempt to move toward him and in one quick move he moved back the covers and climbed into the bed pulling my body toward him. I gasped as the pain lanced through my rib cage. “Where does it hurt? Did that fucker hurt you?!” The rage was back and I stiffened in his arms.
“It’s nothing. I’d like to go home.” I said softly.
“Gypsie, you are not leaving this house! And you are not going back on that stage!”
“You can’t keep me here! I have a mother and a brother who needs me! Yes I fucking parade around half naked for men to throw money at me because I have to keep my family from starving! At least I do what I do honestly!” I was shouting now my pain forgotten. “Yes some pussyhole tried to rape me, so what?! I don’t get to lie down and play dead, I have to get up and start the fight again because I have people who depend on me! You don’t get a say in whether or not I go back to work, that is non fucking negotiable!” His eyes grew wide at my revelation. “Do you think I want people to be groping at me?! Do you think I want people looking at my body?! I have never sold sexual favors for money. I have only ever been with my boyfriend, nobody else!” I remember the way he touched me in the club and I flushed hard.
“Why?” Was all he asked.
“Because life is a fucked up bitch!” The damn tears started again. I threw myself on the pillow giving him my back and wincing at the pain from the sudden movement. He reached across, switched off the side lamp and drew my back to him. He felt so good, I wish he could hold me like this every night for the rest of my life. He held me until my sobs died. How many times will this man see me cry?
“What’s your real name?” He asked quietly in the darkness of the bedroom.
“Leah. Leah Williams.” I answered.
“Leah,” he breathed into my hair. He linked his fingers with mine, his large hands swallowing mine.
Wow lying with him like this was so romantic and erotic at the same time. My body was pressed into him and I could feel every inch of his Thor-like body. His cock was as solid as a rock against my bottom and it made me want to turn around and touch him. I didn’t want to think about anything right now, I wanted to forget the fucked up world and explore this bubble he created. He was very quiet just, holding me. I wiggled my bottom against him trying to lodge myself deeper into the curve of his body. I wanted him.
“Leah, stop moving like that,” He said it softly but his voice was raspy. He was trying not to touch me.
“Why?” I said and pushed my bottom further back into his groin.
“I’m trying really fucking hard not to slam into you hard from behind because I know you’re naked under that t-shirt. So just don’t fucking move!” He growled.
“Why are you stopping yourself?” I said softly, almost innocently.
“Leah, I’m a monster in many ways, so many ways that may be unimaginable to you, but I will not take advantage of you right now.”
“What if I want you to?”
“I’m not going to touch you Leah,” he said tightly. Somebody was holding real tight to their control, I thought.
“Ok,” I said quietly, a little defeated . “Can you let me up then? I need to use the bathroom.”
He sighed heavily and moved his arms. “It’s dark in here. Can you find it without the light?”
“I’m fine,” I said with a little attitude as I moved the covers back and padded to the nearby door. I flicked the light on and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was a short orange blonde curly mess, my eyes were huge and I looked a little frightened. This wasn’t Gypsie, this was Leah, but we were both the same person. My arousal was way stronger than the pain I felt in my rib cage. I lifted the v neck up and off my body. Wow. Even to me I was sexy. My nipples were beaded tightly on my b cups. They could fill Neeko’s hand nicely. My eyes travelled down my entire body, small waist, well rounded hips, my skin was dark, smooth and blemish free. What’s not to want? I turned off the light opened the door and walked back toward the bed dropping the t-shirt on the bedroom floor,
“You ok?” He asked.
“Yea,” I said smiling to myself when I saw that he was now lying on his back one hand over his face. Moving back the covers, I climbed into the bed and and moved toward his body. Just as he was about to turn toward me I climbed on top of him and said, “You wanted to fuck Gypsie in the club, well here she is.”
His eyes widened and he was about to grab my waist and he stopped himself, “I’m not going to touch you, Leah.”
“That’s ok I’ll just help myself,” I said close to his lips. This man always smelled like ‘Cool water’!
“Le…” I covered his lips with mine as he was about to berate me. I sucked on his lips until he gave me access to his mouth. He was serious. He didn’t lift a finger. My tongue explored his mouth and I think I could feel his growl of pleasure but he tapped it down. I smiled against his lips. Moving to his neck, I sucked at the pulse until the red spot popped up on his bronze skin. I bit the spot and I could clearly hear his indrawn breath in the still of the darkness.
“Are you ok?” I asked with a smile against his skin.
He didn’t respond, so I continued on my quest running my tongue down his body until I got to his nipples. I lapped each one with my tongue and bit the tiny bud. “Fuuuuuck” he breathed softly. I almost didn’t hear the words even in the stillness of the early morning. I stopped at his heart that was beating rapidly. His skulls and chain tattoo was covering a long scar, I kissed it tenderly. His body was toned and oh so sexy.
My lips continued on it’s journey downward learning about the treasure map that was his glorious body. I kissed his protruding abdominal muscles, gosh his scent was like an aphrodisiac that boosted my libido. Was he seriously going to lie here and let me have my way with him? I continued kissing my way down, my sensitive nipples rubbing against his skin. When I reached the rim of his pajama pants. His dick strained against the opening, he obviously wasn’t wearing any boxers. I rubbed my nose against the protrusion drinking in his sweet scent. Then I rubbed my cheek against it and the large bronze tip pushed through the pajama opening.
“Mmm…hello” I moaned smiling at the tip of his dick. My tongue flicked out and licked the dew at the tip. He shifted uncomfortably but didn’t say anything. I looked up at him, his eyes were closed and he was clenching his jaw . Let’s see how long you can hold out mighty Thor, I thought smiling. I took the tip in my mouth lubricating it with my tongue. My fingers moved to the pajama pants opening and freed his cock completely for my pleasure. I took him all in my mouth slowly until he touched the back of my throat and then out. I smacked my lips. I repeated the act even more slowly than the first time and he shifted again this time moaning deep in his throat. I smiled peeping up at him as I grabbed the base of his dick and drew him in to my mouth as deeply as I could drenching him with copious amounts of saliva. My ministrations were slow and deliberate as I sheathed my teeth and sucked him in. His hands gripped the sheets on either side of his body, I guess to stop him from touching me. He was stubborn but I didn’t care, I was going to help myself to as much of him as I wanted. Looking at how helpless he looked made me feel the power of my sexuality. My pussy ached to feel him inside. He was huge but I didn’t care I wanted to ride him.
I gave his cock one last kiss and slid up his body. He was now watching me under his lids and breathing audibly heavy. I briefly thought about sliding on his dick with my back to him but I want to see this face when my pussy touches the head of his sweet dick. I looked at him with a small smile on my lips, I know he was watching me. I held the base of his shaft like the pole and slipped slowly down on it.
“Ahhhhh fuuuuuuck!!! So fucking big” I moaned loudly not caring as my pussy accommodated his long, thick dick. I closed my eyes. I started moving up and down slowly on him not touching him. I grabbed my breasts in my hands and tweaked the nipples between my fingers. Fuck he feels good. I can’t control my moans as I rock back and forth on him sending his dick further and further up into my belly.
He curled his toes and clutched at the sheets groaning loudly. He licked his lips and his mouth fell open as his eyes rolled back. The power I felt when I saw his reaction was doubly arousing. I started rocking faster, my hands now on his chest, my nails digging into his flesh as his dick located the spot he found with his finger at the club. Oh my god his dick was like a magic wand that I was wielding for my own pleasure.
“Do you know how fucking good you feel?” I asked against his lips as I moved low on his dick. He looked at me and I could see his control slipping. My pussy walls contracted and I gushed pussy juice all over his dick. It ran down the sides and made him even more slippery. My juice kept flowing as I continued to rock low on that one spot. “Neekoooo” his name was on my lips as I slipped into oblivion and my body shook with the most powerful orgasm I have ever felt in my life.
I placed my forehead on his and kissed his lips. “Are you done?” His voice was soft and raspy as he spoke for the first time since I started fucking him. He was still strong and hard inside me. He didn’t wait for my response. He claimed my lips and flipped us so quickly I gasped loudly. Both my feet were on his shoulders and he slammed into me without mercy. “Why you pussy so tight fi somebody weh have a man? You bruise up mi cocky!” He said above my moans.
“You wah me fuck you?! Alright! Tek cocky den!” He moved his waist in a circular motion.
“Neeko Fuuuuucccccccckkkkkkk!!!!” I screamed. He found another spot and he felt like a screw driver tightening a screw. As the screw got tighter I rose higher and higher to that climatic peak. I was whimpering when I hit the peak sinking my nails into his skin. He held me on that peak until I could no longer hear, think or speak. I was lost in my own beautiful world of shooting stars when he met me on his own wave.
Morning light filtered into the room as we lay in a tangle of sheets and limbs. My head was on his chest as I tried to bring my heart rate back to a normal pace.
“Fucking incredible,” he whispered. Those were the words he said to me after the lap dance. “Do YOU know how fucking good you feel?” He threw my own question back at me. I didn’t answer, I was a bit self-conscious, I cant believe I just had sex with thee Neeko and lying naked on top of him.
“I need to go home.” I said rising to make my way to the bathroom but of course he held me back.
“You need to rest. You’ve had a long night.”
“Neeko, you don’t understand…”
“It’s Nicholas or just Nick,’” he cut me off.
“What?” I asked in shock.
“My name is Nicholas,” He said.
“I’m guessing not many people know that?”
“No. And I would thank you to keep it that way,” he said seriously. I couldn’t see his face but I knew he was serious.
“Ok. Well, I don’t have friends anyway so there’s no one to tell,” I said running my fingers up and down his chest. I lightly traced the scar at his heart.
“Why not?” He asked curious.
“I’m not much of a talker plus I really don’t have the time. Between school, taking care of my mom and brother and working there is no time for…”
“Wait you go to school too?!” He was clearly surprised.
“Yes, I’m a second year Med student.”
“Fuck” he sighed.
“What’s wrong?” I asked a little concerned with the change of his mood.
“Leah I don’t want you on that stage any more. That life is not for you.” He said this with such finality that I stiffened and my hand stilled on his chest. I didn’t want to be on the stage any more than he wanted me to be, but he doesn’t get to make that decision. I got up, wincing a bit as my rib cage reminded me that they were bruised. Responding would mean fighting with him and I didn’t want to. I headed to the bathroom without saying a word and slammed the door shut.
I stepped under the cascading warm water. It felt good. My limbs felt achy and my rib cage still hurt. I was stronger than this. Who the fuck did he think he was?! I was so fucking angry! Angry at life, at myself, at him! He didn’t understand that I don’t get a choice in what I do. I have to take care of my family. I grabbed the body wash and squirted some in my hands and started to lather it across my body with such vigor I winced at my stupid rib cage.
“If you rub your beautiful skin any harder, you are going to bruise yourself,” I was so caught in my own thoughts and my anger I didn’t hear him enter the shower. He came up behind me startling me. I continued washing myself pretending he wasn’t there.The shower was big but he filled the space. Each time I lathered the body wash over a part of my body, the spray of the water washed the suds away.
He kissed my neck, gently sucking at my pulse. I closed my eyes, I could feel my anger dissipating like the vapors from the hot water. His hands ran up and down my arms as he continued kissing the other side of my neck. His hands moved around my body to cup my breasts, molding them then pulling on the nipples. He slowly turned me around, I wrapped my arms around his neck and his mouth claimed my in the most tender kiss I’ve ever experienced. I surrendered myself to him so easily because he made me feel so sexy and wanted. I haven’t felt wanted by a man in a long time and it felt really good.
“Are you hurt?” He asked against my lips.
“I want you, please,” I begged on a breath. His lips moved from my lips to my breasts biting at the sensitive nipples then lapping at them. He pulled one tip fully into his mouth and sucked hard sending a bolt of lighting to my pussy. I almost wept at how glorious it felt.
“I told you…chocolate,” He said smiling against my nipple. “You are incredible when you gush that pussy juice pan mi cocky. Wrap your legs around me,” he ordered.
He hoisted me against the wall and I wrapped my legs around his huge body and he immediately slipped into my open already wet pussy. We both didn’t care that water was running down our conjoined bodies.
“Mi wah you wet up mi cocky like how you wet it up dis mawnin, baby” He ordered in my ear and it was enough to send my body spiraling and gushing. This man was my master puppeteer, whatever he commanded my body was more than ready to deliver.
“Fuuuuuuuuuck I’m cumming and I can’t stop!”I screamed and clung to his neck.
“Don’t. Fucking. Stop.” He enunciated ever word tightly with an equally deep thrust. “Every time you close your eyes, every time you breathe, every time you have a moment to think, you should be thinking about what this cocky can mek you do.” His words were like potent fire sticks that shot me in just the right places in tandem with his sweet dick. My orgasm continued until I couldn’t feel my limbs. I had the same out of body experience I felt earlier. His strokes were intermittently long and then short; each one touching a different spot. Fast then slow he went. My throat was parched from groaning incoherently and loudly. His muscles relaxed as he balanced my weight against the wall and his eyes glazed over as he entered the whirlwind portal of total bliss.
Forehead to forehead we clung to each other under the warm water until our heartbeat and breathing regularized.
“Do you need to be anywhere this morning? Do you have classes today?” He asked me after we made love in the bathroom, and in the walk-in closet. He basically accosted me while I tried to find a shirt to put on. It was as if he couldn’t keep his hands to himself. Luckily my body is used to hanging from a pole because the positions he had me in in that walk in closet were erotically acrobatic. He took us to the love seat in the bedroom and ordered a ride, which I did without complaint. My pussy was dripping from my many orgasms coupled with my arousal. Just looking at my puppeteer was enough to have me dripping. He commanded and I obeyed. There was something oh so arousing about the way he commanded.
“No classes today but I do need to go home to check on my mom and brother,” I said.
“I’m guessing you’ve been telling your mom that you work at BK at nights.” He said, a small smile lifting his sexy lips.
“Well, I can’t tell her I work on a pole,” I said seriously.
“How do you even get home at nights?”
“My boyfriend meets me..”
His eyebrows shot up at the mention of my boyfriend, grey eyes turning into steel. “Your what?”
“I did say I have a boyfriend, Nick.” I said defensively.
“And does this boyfriend know where you are or with whom?” He asked haughtily. “No scrap that, him know what’s been inside you?”
“Wow, you’re a real mother fucker aren’t you?”
“Weh yu man did deh when di pussyhole hold you up?! Mi neva see him!”
“He told me he couldn’t make it…”
He cut me off, “No, the more important question is, him good wid you a swing pan a pole fi man?!”
“He doesn’t know! Nobody knows!”
“If you think I’m a mother fucker now, go back pan Candy Fantasies bloodclaat stage again!” He was so angry he stormed out of the room slamming the door.
I got dressed in my jeans and his t-shirt and went downstairs. I could smell food, and my stomach reminded me I hadn’t eaten since yesterday. I made my way down the stairs, into the den. It was sparsely furnished with abstract paintings on stone walls, a 50 inch flat screen tv, a five piece leather couch set and a lovely bouquet of flowers on a center table. That made me smile, I wouldn’t see him as a flowers loving kind of guy.
“Good morning Miss, Mr. Nicholas say you must eat him soon come back.” An older lady entered the den startling me.
“Good morning,” I responded quickly. Of course he had a housekeeper. I rolled my eyes inwardly.
“Come this way,” she said kindly.
She brought me to the dining room and two of his men immediately stood up from a long dining table when I entered the room. They were not the guys from last night. They were dressed in all black and the chain and skull tattoo on the back of their right hands. They were young guys, maybe my own age. I didn’t recognize these guys. I wondered if they lived there and more importantly if they could hear my screams
“Mawnin miss” they echoed in unison.
“Good morning,” I responded, my face flushing with embarrassment.
I sat some distance away from them while the lady poured me a cup of coffee. I noticed they sat down only after I had taken my seat. This was all very strange to me. Where the hell was Nick?! I checked my phone for messages and I had about six from Mark asking where I was and 10 missed calls. I didn’t want to think about Mark right now, didn’t even want to talk to him, I just wanted to see my mom and brother.
By the time I finished eating the last piece of omelette on my plate, my master puppeteer walked in and the men stood up, legs apart, arms clasped in front of them showing their tattoos. I swear he walked in in slow motion with his men, two before him, two behind him and one lingering back. He was wearing black too, but more casually dressed in a black v-neck, jeans and hush puppies; the gold chain hanging from his neck. I could see the love mark in a heart shape on his neck where I bit him.
The look on his face said that he was still angry. He nodded and the men sat down. He walked directly to me and said, “You ready?”
“Yes,” I answered.
“Lets go,” he said and held my chair back like a true gentleman. Who was this man?
I stood up and turned into his chest, “Sorry,” I whispered looking up at him.
He bent his head and kissed my lips softly. I was in shock that he actually did that with all the men in the room. He then linked his fingers through mine and lead me out to the driveway. He was such a walking contradiction. He was angry, yet he did the sweetest things. I told him my address as we walked outside to the waiting cars.
“A motorcade Nick?” I asked him looking at the three black 7 series BMWs.
“I want to drive you home and I don’t travel alone. It’s that simple.” He said opening the passenger side of the car in the middle for me. I sighed and went in. “By the way, I’m going to need your school schedule.”
“Why?” I looked at him incredulously as the cars started in unison. “Nick, I cant allow you to disrupt my routine. What will my mother think?”
“That you now have a real man,” he said without hesitation.
“What the fuck?! Man?!”
“Yes.” He slowed the car to almost a stop in the driveway causing the cars at the front and back to stop. He turned to me fully, “So you think after me slip and slide inna da pussy de me ago allow another man access to it?”
“You’re a monster!”
“Oh baby girl you have no fucking idea how much of a monster I am!”
He ignored me for the rest of the journey. This fucking man! I was furious the entire way home. Whether he liked it or not I was going to Candy Fantasies for my shift tonight.
As the cars drove into the neighborhood people looked on curiously wondering. Thank God the cars were tinted; but that didn’t help much, as by the end of the day the entire community would know that I came home in a motorcade of BMWs. I rolled my eyes in my head. When we pulled up to the gate Mark was there standing. Fuck! The men exited, then Nick exited donning his shades then opening my door. I could see the utter shock on Mark’s face as he perused the men timidly. Nick must have realized who he was and his glare got even steelier.
He bent his head and whispered in my ear, “Yu pussyhole boyfriend look like a informa. If him come near you, I will kill him, so be a good girl and let him down however you see fit, or I will do it for you.” He bit my earlobe right there at my gate! In clear view of everybody who were looking then he kissed my cheek and whispered, “Later, baby”. My damn body was so tuned to his it reacted instantly. My pussy jumping up and and down in my pants.
He then walked to my gate and opened it for me to enter my yard, totally ignoring Mark. When I went through, he closed it and went into his car and the motorcade left.
“Leah, what was that about?” Mark said questioningly still standing in shock at the gate.
“What Mark?” I rolled my eyes.
“You know a who that?!” He asked his eyes widening even further.
“No. Do you?” I answered sarcastically.
“That’s Neeko don!”
“No fucking shit!’ I said even more sarcastically. He just wouldn’t get it.
“You’re using bad words now?!”
Ok this motherfucker was getting annoying, “Mark, I’m tired and I’m going inside now.”
“Lee!” He said. I ignored him and walked inside. I was not in the mood.
My mother opened the door at that moment, I guess she heard the shouting. She wasn’t a great fan of Mark and he knew it. When he saw her, he walked away.
“Lee Lee you reach home. What’s all the shouting?”
“Hi mommy,” I kissed her cheek.
“Mi think me hear a car out here,” she said looking out.
“You did. My friend brought me home.”
“Is the friend a man?” She asked looking at me.
“Yes ma’am” I held my head down.
“So when me ago meet him?” She asked, surprising me.
I looked up and smiled at her. My mom was my only true friend if I was really honest. Now I felt bad about lying to her about what I did. “Do you really want to meet him?”
“Of course! And what’s going on with you and Mr. Mark now?”
“Nothing is going on mommy. That’s just it, not a thing is happening.” I sighed.
“Baby you nu need fi settle enu. You are smart and beautiful and strong. You are allowed to be with a man weh make you happy,” she hugged me to her.
“I know mommy. I love you.”
“I love you, more.”
I kissed Lincoln who was caught up in his own TV world and then went to our shared bedroom and crawled into the bed. My mind was filled with all that happened in the last 24hrs. A message chimed into my phone and I checked it immediately, ‘Since you don’t want me creating a scene in your community, I’m coming to take you shopping for a car, among other things tomorrow’. I had to smile, this man did not know boundaries and it made no sense arguing with him. I didn’t respond to his message. I stretched out in my bed and I quickly fell asleep.
The club had the usual Friday night crowd. I didn’t know if Nick was there, but I was there to work. Monique kept giving me sneering, dirty looks. At first I was wondering why then I remembered that she saw me on Nick’s lap. If only she new how much had changed in that short time.
I strutted unto the stage in my knee length booths, fringy jeans shorts and black bra top. My red wig and perfect make-up completed my outfit. Delta Daps ‘Weak to You’ started.
I clutched the pole closed my eyes and I could see his face, his beautiful eyes and sexy lips. Before the song got to the chorus the music stopped and the club got quiet I could hear a pin drop. When I opened my eyes, I was staring at his large form at the back of the club. The room parted like the Red Sea and he stood in the middle of the dance floor, his hands folded across his massive chest.
“Gypsie mi affi go ask you fi exit the stage please me a beg you” Peter said pleadingly. “If dem man ya mash up mi club a it dat fi me. I don’t know wha you do fi piss off Neeko but him ago mash up mi club if you nu exit the stage now,” he was looking at me pleadingly.
‘Fuck! Why is he even here?’I thought frantically. He cannot be fucking serious!
I searched for Marsha in the crowd, I caught her eyes at the bar and she pleaded with me to exit the stage.
I looked over at the DJ and my eyes widened as one of Nick’s men had a gun to his head. I let go of the pole and walked off the stage completely numb. He was serious. I don’t know if I should be happy that he wanted me or angry that he was a controlling monster. Why couldn’t he understand that I had people who depended on me?! Everybody looked on curiously. Monique had a smirk on her face as if she was rejoicing that I wasn’t allowed to dance.
As soon as I exited the music started again but the whispers and stares continued. I was mortified, I stepped right pass him without acknowledgement and he grabbed my arm and whispered harshly in my ear, “Don’t try to bring out the Frankenstein inna me Leah, or else you and the people in this bloodclaat club ya nah go like it. If you waah dance so bad mi cocky long enuf fi yu swing pan all day every fucking day!” I shook him off and attempted to walk away and he grabbed me back. He was seething.
“If you try that raas again I will burn this bloodclaat to the ground, yu hear mi!” This time when I shook him off he let me go. Defeated I went to change and clean up. Marsha found me when I was almost finished.
“Yu mek top shotta weak till him nu know wah fi do wid himself mi fren!” She said excitedly.
I looked at her seriously, “Marsh, you know why mi affi do this, I have responsibilities.”
“Gyps, I know you do, but maybe him waah take care a you. He doesn’t want you whining pan a stage fi everybody see him property. Di man obviously want you.”
“Why him have to be such a fucking monster though?!”
“Gyps jus roll wid it an nu badda hot up di man head nu more please,” she pleaded.
She left and I quickly dragged off my Gypsie outfit. If this was what being a ‘shotta woman’ was I didn’t want any part of it. Did I have a choice in the matter? My body was screaming noooooo you don’t need a choice, you need him, but my mind was in a state of confusion. My body seemed to be able to sense his presence before he spoke and moved on its own accord to his commands. I felt like screaming but what was the point? I grabbed my tote and made my way through the crowd with my head down to the nearest exit. Nobody recognized my small figure in the crowd especially without my red wig and make-up. When I hit the street I started running but there was no sign of a car or anyone following me. I didn’t expect Mark to be waiting at the Burger King because I didn’t talk to him at all that day and I ignored his messages, so I wasn’t surprised when I didn’t see him. The BK was still open, it was still early enough. As I walked pass the shop somebody grabbed my arm harshly and said in my ear, “Hey gal Gypsie, yu think you can fool everybody, me know who yu be.”
“What?!” I said in shock and tried to drag away from him but he held my hand tighter. I looked into his bleached face covered in several tattoos with frightened eyes. He was wearing an oversized hoodie that hid his features.
“If yu move me shoot yu inna yu bomboclaat! Di boss say mi nuffi kill yu cause him want yu body inna order but mi nu give a fuck mi wi still buss a copper inna yu raas!” I saw the gun lodged in the front of his too tight blue jeans. He didn’t have it in his hand that made adrenalin rush to my head and I stomped hard on his foot and when he howled in pain I started running. This was too much. If I was going to die tonight it was not without fighting.
I ran as fast as my legs could carry me back toward the club. I saw a SUV with bright headlights flashing in the opposite direction but I continued running. I’m not sure if I heard footsteps behind me because my heart was beating so loudly in my ear. I did hear the screeching of tyres as the SUV made a u-turn in middle of the street. It slowed beside me and large hands grabbed me inside. I started screaming loudly, my hands and feet flying wildly as tears streamed down my face, whoever it is would not kill me without a fight tonight…
