Cameron 6 (8 page)

14

“What the fu—”

Pure quickly draped an arm around Cameron’s shoulders and steered her away from Paul. Cam would’ve slapped her had it not been for her explaining the reason behind her actions.

“Bitch, everybody and they mama know that nigga spikes drink —
but
you. Look, I’ma need you to act like you’ve done this before,” Pure told her. “Don’t take any drinks from these niggas. Get them straight from the bartender, a'ight?”

Pure Seduction quickly walked off, leaving Cam with her mouth agape. She couldn’t believe Pure had actually come through for her. Despite their rocky past, she still looked out. Cam was tempted to pinch herself. Surely, this must’ve been some twisted dream.

The Pure she remembered would’ve gladly watched her choke on poison.
Why’s she being nice to me now?
Cameron asked herself. She turned to look over her shoulder at Paul. She knew then everything Pure had said was true when he smiled devilishly and winked.

Damn. The game is deep.

***

After dressing and tipping out for the night, Cameron followed Juicy to the
Bingham
apartments on west 9
th
. It was only she, Juicy, and one other girl dancing at the loft. At first Cam was a little weary about that, but she figured two hours wouldn’t hurt. Besides, it wasn’t like she couldn’t have used the extra money.

Once they parked their rides, Cam and Juicy headed up to the unit together. On the elevator she decided to tell her friend what happened at the strip club.

“Back at Sin City some fucking creep tried to hand me a spiked drink.”

“That ain’t the first time I heard that whack shit,” Juicy said, shaking her head.

“Yeah, well I’ll tell you what a first for me was. Witnessing Pure Seduction actually be nice to me. She came out of nowhere and grabbed the drink just in the nick of time. I would’ve drank that shit if it wasn’t for her.”

“Why’s that so weird? You a stripper. She a stripper. She’s supposed to look out.”

“Bitch, you must not recall our history,” Cam laughed.

“Girl, people grow up. Pure done been through a lot over the years. I don’t know if you heard, but she ran off to Miami with some young pimp and got knocked up by him. Word is he used to whup her mothafucking ass too. She came back a lil’ over a year ago, and started doing porn for a hot second—”

“Bitch, get the fuck out of here!” Cameron said in disbelief.

Juicy nodded her head. “Yep. She gotta flick with Pinky’s fat ass. The shit’s disgusting.”

They laughed at Pure’s misfortune together without guilt.

Juicy shrugged. “But aye, I guess a bitch gotta do what a bitch gotta do. You know?”

The elevator doors finally opened at the same time Juicy’s cellphone began ringing.

“Is that them?” Cameron asked.

“Nah. This my nigga. I’ll hit his ass back later though. He knows what time it is. Shit, I don’t be trying to stop his ass from getting
his
paper.”

Cameron followed Juicy to Unit 619 where she lightly tapped on the door with her knuckles. Seconds later, a tall dark-skinned guy with braids opened the door. The scent of loud was so strong that it literally smacked Cam in the face. Everyone in the place was chiefin’.

“Juicy the mothafuckin’ goddess,” he greeted.

“Hey, T. Hey, wassup, ya’ll,” she said to the fellas standing around. Together, she and Cam walked in. “As promised I brought my girl, Hypnotic.”

“Cool. Cool,” T said, practically watering at the mouth. He’d been checking Cam out ever since Sin City. He was looking at her like he wanted to devour her on the spot.

“Where ya’ll bathroom at? And I’m not talking about the public one? I need one me and my girl can use.”

“Down the hall. First room to your right.”

“Thanks boo.”

“And nigga, wipe that drool off ya fucking face. We ain’t even undress yet,” she joked.

“Whatever,” he laughed.

Cam felt more comfortable knowing T and Juicy knew each other from high school. She counted on them being in good hands for the night. She didn’t want any bullshit.

As soon as they reached the bathroom, Juicy pulled Cam inside and locked the door.

“Everybody’s cool right?” Cameron asked cautiously.

“Yeah, yeah,” Juicy said. “But just in case…” she opened her purse, revealing a small can of mace.

She and Cam proceeded to freshen up and dress.

“Ooh, that smells good. Can I have some of that?” Juicy asked after Cam squirted on her Chanel perfume. Jude had brought her the $400 bottle for Valentine’s Day and now she was using the scent to entice other men.

“Um, sure,” Cam said, handing it to Juicy. She was as she dabbed a little near her under arms and crotch area. Juicy was just too much for TV.

“Thanks,” she said, handing Cam back the Chanel perfume. She then pulled out a small clear zip loc from her purse. “You want one?” she asked after popping a molly. “This shit’ll have you rollin’ for hours.”

“Nah. I’m good,” Cameron waved her off. She hadn’t touched that shit in ages and she didn’t want to start now. “Do your man ever be tripping about you stripping?”

“Girl, he be feeling some type of way about it sometimes, but he respects my hustle.” Juicy said. She popped another pill before finally opening up the bathroom. “Alright now. Let’s get this mothafucking money, Hyp.”

She’s about to earn some bragging rights…

I’m ‘bout to give it up like I been holding back all night…

Girl, take pride in what you wanna do…

Even if that means a new man every night inside of you…

The Weeknd and Wiz Khalifa’s collabo played loudly on a Beats Pill. They had a nice little shindig going. Juicy kept the fellas standing around in the kitchen drinking entertained, while Cam worked the hell out of the living room. Every man was feeling her except one posted in the corner, peeping the scenery.

Oh, so he wanna look, but he don’t wanna pay,
she told herself. Cameron, determined to change his perspective, danced over to him. “Hey, sexy. Why you standing over here all by yourself. You don’t like what you see.”

“Of course, I do. You know that,” he said. “It’s just the strippin’ thing ain’t really my scene, ma.”

“Oh,” Cam said disappointed. She was just about to walk off, but he gently grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

“But aye, I respect the hustle all day,” he said, tucking a Franklin in her bra.

“What’s your name?” Cameron asked him.

“Cole.”

Cameron gave him a once over. He was an attractive caramel-colored brother with hazel eyes and thick lips. He looked to be in his mid to late 20s. Cole was dressed casual in an Alexander McQueen sweater, fitted jeans, and black Balmain boots. He had a simple, yet sexy swag about him, and she liked that he was low key. All of the other niggas there were acting like they’d never seen ass and titties before.

“What’s your name?” Cole asked, extending his hand.

Cameron noticed the skull’s mouth tattooed on the back of it. “Hypnotic,” she told him.

“What’s your real name? I don’t do aliases.”

“Cameron.”

He nodded his head in approval. “Cole and Cameron. Gotta nice ring to it.”

Cameron laughed and gave him a hug. “Thanks Cole.”

“No problem, baby girl. Get’cha money.”

As Cameron made her way back to the center of the living room, she noticed Paul and his boys walk in.
You gotta be kidding me.

Cameron thought about leaving, but figured she’d just keep her distance from his creepy ass.

“How you doing?” Juicy asked, walking up. She was sweaty from dancing on two niggas in the kitchen.

“I’m cleaning up. Thanks for putting me on.”

“You got it, boo. You fam.”

Cam pulled Juicy close to her and pointed at Paul while he wasn’t looking. “That’s the nigga I told you tried to spike my drink back at Sin City.”

“Girl, that’s Champagne’s weird ass baby daddy. You remember Champagne? The real cute, flexible bitch from The Shakedown. Kinda look like Kaleena from Dirty Money?”

“Yeah, I remember.” How could Cameron forget? She had once tried to whup on her friend, Tiffany for stealing her cocaine.

“It’s a good thing you ain’t fall for the okie doke. I heard they both got genital herpes. You know that shit’s incurable.”

Juicy’s ass knew all the 411. She was more informative than TMZ. Cameron’s stomach lurched after hearing the news.

“Fuck that nigga though. We getting this money,” Juicy told her. After slapping Cam on the ass, she walked off to dance for the fellas in the living room.

When Cameron looked over at Paul, he was already staring at her. He winked and her heart instantly dropped. He had trouble written all over him. Cam quickly dismissed him and his shenanigans.
It’s still money to be made,
she told herself.

***

After a full hour of lap dances and politicking, Cameron needed to freshen up. She thought about asking Juicy to accompany her to the bathroom. The third girl had left and it now just them.

Juicy was busy sweet-talking some guy by the window, so Cam decided to go alone.
I’ll be quick.
Once she closed the door, she washed her hands and proceeded to freshen up.

When she looked up in the bathroom mirror, tears suddenly filled her eyes. Cam would be lying to herself if she said she didn’t miss Jude. She missed his smile, she missed his touch, and she missed his scent. Sadly, however, it was the old him she truly missed. The new version of Jude had propelled her to return to the one place she said she’d never go back to.

Cameron plopped down on the closed toilet and sighed. Running her fingers through her hair, she tried to think about a future without Jude. A future where she had to raise their son alone because he wouldn’t grow the fuck up. Cameron want to do him the way she had, but he’d really given her no other choice.

“Let me get my shit together and get back out here,” she told herself. Cameron stood and sprayed on a few more squirts of perfume. After teasing her hair a little, and making sure everything was in place, she reached for the knob—

Suddenly, the door opened up on its own. An unsettling feeling took over when she saw Paul appear.

With a sneaky grin, he said, “I was wondering where you dipped off to. I looked around and I ain’t see you out there. For a second, I thought you had left.”

“I—I’ll be back out in a minute,” Cameron nervously stuttered.

“Relax. You seem tense.” Paul quietly closed the door behind himself. That’s when Cameron really began to panic.

“What are you doing?” she asked. Cam looked over at Juicy’s purse sitting on the edge of the tub. It wasn’t until then, she remembered the mace stashed inside. The moment Cameron made a move towards it Paul blocked her path. He must’ve read her mind.

“Chill,” he said. “You ain’t got shit to worry about—”

“That’s bullshit! I know what you di—”

Cameron’s sentence was cut short when Paul grabbed her throat and slammed her against the wall. Her head bounced off the surface, giving her an instant migraine. The wall frame above Cam’s head rattled, but thankfully it didn’t drop.

“What the fuck do you want?” she struggled to say. Cam tried to push him off but Paul was far too strong to fight.

“You know what I want,” he said, tugging at his belt.

“Get the fuck off m—”

Paul clasped a hand over Cam’s mouth. “Don’t act like its ya first time,” he smiled.

Cameron would’ve died before letting him stick his infected dick inside of her. She quickly bit down hard on the hand covering her mouth. Enraged, he slapped the shit out of her.

“Fuckin’ bitch.” Paul held her down aggressively. She would never forget the sinister look in his glassy eyes.

I knew I should’ve never agreed to do this shit.
Hot tears poured down Cameron’s cheeks, as she feared the worse.

Unable to defend herself, she desperately spat a mouthful of saliva in his face. Paul surprised Cam when he hocked a glob of spit back in hers. In horror, she watched as he unzipped his jeans and pulled out his ashy dick.

15

“All I want is a lil’ taste of dat hole,” Paul whispered in her ear. “I can look at you and tell that shit’s tighter than a muf—”

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

Cameron let off a muffled scream before the door finally burst open. Cole looked from Cameron to Paul.

“Aye, what the fuck is you doin’?” Cole grilled. He didn’t give Paul a chance to answer before he grabbed him up and shoved him.

Paul tried his best to put away his poor excuse of a penis. He was more embarrassed that he’d been caught trying to rape a female. Cole fucked up his whole agenda when he stole his ass in the face.

Cameron jumped in shock after the unexpected blow. She didn’t think Cole would haul off and hit him. Though his reaction seemed extreme, Paul’s trifling ass deserved every bit of it.

All of a sudden, Juicy appeared in the doorway wearing a look of confusion. “What the fuck is going on in here?”

Paul held his swollen jaw. He wanted to retaliate but one look at the shiny glock on Cole’s hip made him reconsider.

Cameron quickly grabbed her shit and ran past Juicy. “I think I’m gonna call it an early night,” she said over her shoulder.

On the elevator, Cam quickly slipped into her jeans and t-shirt. She made it all the way out to the parking lot when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

“Aye, hol’ up.” Cole jogged over to Cameron. “Are you straight?” His concern seemed genuine, and she was more than grateful he’d come to her rescue.

Cam forced a smile in spite of still being shaken up. She could feel Paul’s saliva slowly drying up on her skin. She couldn’t wait to hop in a hot shower and scrub thoroughly. Paul’s ass deserved worst.

“Now that I’m out of there, yeah. Thanks,” Cam told him. “I appreciate you showin’ up when you did.”

“Oh, no doubt.”

Cameron’s gaze traveled to the piece tucked in his waistline. “Why do you carry a gun, Cole?” Her first thought was that he was a D-boy. He definitely had the swag of one.

“Shit, you know how it is. You just saw firsthand back in there. Plus, I got my CCL’s, I’m good,” he assured her. “Anyway, I just wanted to make sure you cool, and make sure you got to ya ride safely.”

Cameron opened her door and climbed inside. “Thank you,” she said.

Cole walked over towards her car and knelt down to remain eye-level. “I know I’m reachin’ after everything that happened today, but can I see you again? I promise I’ma lot less violent most times.”

Cameron laughed at the light-hearted comment. “I don’t know, Cole… You sure you ain’t into no shit?” she asked. There was a smile on her face, but she was dead ass. The last thing Cameron wanted was to deal with another criminal or psychopath. She’d already had enough of that type.

Cole chuckled. “Baby girl, I work a nine to five unloading at a warehouse. I make money doin’ an honest living, if that’s what you askin’. Why? You like bad boys?”

Cameron thought about her husband and the fact that she was still married.
I probably shouldn’t even be going there,
she told herself. Then she thought about Essence, the baby, and the possibility that Jude was probably doing him too.
Fuck it,
Cam convinced herself.

“Not really,” she admitted.

Cole smiled and it instantly warmed her heart. “Well, that’s good to hear,” he said. “’Cuz I’m actually a good guy.”

***

After moping around for over a week, Jude decided it was finally time to get off his ass and back to the paper chase. Time waited for no man and neither did money.

Essence had called and left every kind of voicemail she could subsequently following the miscarriage. She’d threatened to burn down his mansion and cars, and even claimed she was going to pay some men to hurt him. Jude didn’t have the energy to entertain her and her tomfoolery, so he left it alone. Besides, he had bigger problems to worry about like shipments, work orders, and the thorn in his side demanding half his percentage.

Stone hadn’t popped back up since his first visit, but Jude knew there was only a matter of time. Problems like him didn’t just go away. Instead, they festered and popped up at just the right moment. Wherever Stone was, he was watching and waiting.

***

Jag was posted in a patio chair with his feet propped up on a table, sipping brew. The weather was beautiful in San Juan. Too bad he’d have to leave it soon. Work was the only reason he was there. It was the only reason he traveled, period. Hell, it was the only reason he got by. Born with a natural killer’s instinct, Jag didn’t know what else he’d do to make a living. He had told himself years ago he’d never go back to standing on a corner. For now this what he had to do until he made a better investment. He didn’t love it, but he refused to complain — especially since he was paid handsomely for his services.

Scrolling through his feed, Jag suddenly noticed a familiar face. He only followed strippers, bad bitches, and twerkers. All he had to do was slide in somebody’s DM and voila; he had a chick for every city.

Jag had to swipe back down to be sure he wasn’t tripping. A slow smile spread across his lips.
Well, I’ll be damned.

***

The familiar tune of her iPhone ringing woke up Cameron up the following morning. Justin was knocked out beside her, his little feet inches from her face. Cam laughed, turned over, and grabbed her phone. It was Juicy — also the only person she’d given her new number too...well, besides Cole.

Cameron quietly climbed out the bed and went in her bathroom. She wanted to cherish as much time as she could before Justin woke up. He could be quite the handful.

“Hello?”

“Girl, what the fuck happened last night?”

“Champagne’s perverted ass baby daddy. That’s what happened. Thank God you and Cole got there when ya’ll did. I don’t think I wanna do any more private parties.”

“I don’t blame you. Normally, I don’t either but T is my peoples so I thought shit would be good,” she said. “Anyway bump that gas money, I got something bigger and better planned for us tomorrow night.”

Cam didn’t know how she felt about that. She was still getting over everything that went down at
Bingham
. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“I was booked for this bash up at Noah’s Hall in Mentor, and peep this, it’s gon’ be some big money there. None of that hood shit. Just sweet, generous upper and middle class folks looking to share some of their income and have a good time. There’s going to be both male and female dancers. It’s one of them type of gatherings.”

Cameron thought about it. She still wasn’t quite sold. “I don’t know…”

“Come on. Just do it with me, Cam. The event ends at 11:30. We can go to Sin City afterwards and clean up,” Juicy said. “Plus, I already posted on my page that you and me are both gonna be there.”

Cameron wanted to tell Juicy to shove her page up her ass. But instead, she said, “Alright, alright. What time should I be ready?”

***

Roxie was cooking breakfast when her cellphone rang. Placing down the spatula, she walked over to the kitchen island and looked at the screen.

Tuh!

Roxie frowned when she saw Magyc’s name and number. She’d been ignoring his calls and texts for the last few days. He was dead wrong for bringing his drama in her life.
If he had a girl, his ass should’ve never been in my face,
she reasoned.

Suddenly, Magyc sent a text message. Roxie thought about ignoring it, but her curiosity got the best of her. She picked her phone up and read it:

You staring at the phone right now. I know you are… Pick up, girl…

Magyc called again, and for some reason Roxie decided to answer. “Why you calling me? You girl must not be around.”

“Man, don’t start that,” he said.

“
You
started it. Now what do you want?”

“I wanna apologize for that shit at the restaurant,” Magyc told her. “I’m not an advocate for messiness.”

“I can’t tell,” Roxie sassed. “I can’t even believe that’s your type.”

“I didn’t call to talk about Briana. I called to talk about you, and see how you were.”

“I’m all good,” Roxie stubbornly replied. “We really ain’t got shit else to talk about, M. Thanks for the apology though.” She disconnected the call before he could respond.

***

Turn down for what!

Turn down for what!

Cameron stepped out the dressing room wearing a purple one piece with rhinestones and matching leggings. Lil Jon’s new club banger had the place live and everyone looked like they were having a good time.

Cam took in her surroundings from where she stood. Pure and Juicy were doubt teaming a table full of women fanning bills. In the center of the club were two male dancers. The place was a real freak show, but a come up was a come up no matter how it came.

Cameron found herself eyeballing the tallest of the duo. His body was perfection; his pecks were bulging and his abs well defined. He was a true sight to behold. She then stole a quick glance at his crotch region.

Homeboy was packing.

“Let me stop. I cannot with these niggas,” Cameron mumbled. Thoughts of her and Silk’s crazy relationship came to mind.

“Hey. Why you standing over here looking like you lost in the sauce?”

“Just checking the place out, I guess.”

“Well, survey ya ass over that way,” Juicy said, pointing to the section she’d just left. “They’re tipping good — but watch that light-skinned chick with the blonde hair. She kept trying to suck my titties.”

Cameron looked over Juicy’s shoulder and saw the two dancers from the stage approaching. She noticed their show had ended.

“Don’t act like you don’t like them titties sucked on,” the one Cam was checking out said. He’d caught the tail end of the conversation.

Lawd, don’t tell me I was checking out Juicy’s man,
Cameron thought.

Juicy giggled, and he finally pulled his mask off…

In shock and disbelief, Cameron watched as they kissed passionately right in front of her. She could not believe who Juicy’s boyfriend was…