Crooked G's (22 page)

“What you know about p.i.n.k. vodka?” Eric asked, surprised.

“I was invited to a p.i.n.k. vodka launch party in Miami a few summers ago.”

“You must have friends in high places to get invited to one of those types of parties.”

“No. I was lucky, that's all.”

“I do have a bottle of p.i.n.k., so I guess I'll be getting that for you, high-roller. I'll be right back,” he said before leaving the room again.

I'm about to get fucked up!
Latrice said to herself.
I should have gotten some Cîroc. But then again the last time I drank that shit, Clarity ended up fucking me. But I'm with Eric now. This time would be way different. I wouldn't mind waking up to his sexy ass in the morning. What am I saying? This is Kita's nigga. I can't fuck him. Damn, that bitch is lucky I'm her friend.

Eric came in the room with her drink and set it down on the glass table in front of her. “Can I get you something else?” Eric asked while he was still standing.

Some dick. Girl, if you don't leave this man alone.
“No, I'm fine for now.”

“Okay.”
Eric sat down and took another sip of his vodka. He had a few things on his mind and thought now was the best time to talk about them.

“So you and Shakita robbed a BERK van? That's pretty brave of you all, don't you think?”

“It was. And it was a one-time thing, too. I'll never do that again.”

“I don't know about that. I've been told that crime is addictive. The rush that you get from not getting caught keeps you going to commit more crimes. Do you still feel that rush?”

“No. I didn't feel anything but scared. I don't know what rush you're talking about. I only felt relief that I got the money I needed.”

“The money you needed? Wait, I'm confused. I thought Shakita needed the money?”

“She did. It's a long story, but the money was really for me. She was helping me get it back.”

“I feel like I'm being duped. Would you mind telling me what's really going on? Since I'm involved now.”

“Honestly, I could tell you my part, but the rest of it is all Shakita's business and I don't know if I should be telling it.”

“I understand your loyalty to her, but what would you be losing if you did tell?”

“Don't you mean is there something I could gain by telling you?” Latrice asked, thinking business-minded.

“That's exactly what I mean.”

“What are you willing to give up for the info?”

“It all depends on how valuable the information is to me. The only way I'll know that is if you tell me everything.”

“How do I know you won't go back and tell her what I said? I don't know you like that to say I really trust you.”

“True, but we all have to take risks at some point. Do you feel like this is that time?”

Latrice thought about what Eric was suggesting. She never was a chatterbox and didn't want to throw her friend under the bus, but then she thought that Shakita's business was also her business, since Shakita got her involved by taking Bay's money in the first place. As long as Latrice's name was a part of it, she could tell anybody whatever she wanted. If it was anything about Shakita, it was probably something he might have already heard.

“Okay. I'm going to tell you everything that I know and whatever Shakita has told me,” Latrice said, ready to tell all, as Eric listened attentively.

“My ex-boyfriend gave me some money to hold before he went to jail, and Shakita took it without my knowledge and blew it all on gamblin'.”

“How much did she take?” Eric asked, cutting her off.

“It was two hundred fifty grand.”

“She took that much from you? How did you find out she took it?”

“I found out when she called me to bail her out of jail for prostitution.”

Eric couldn't believe what he was hearing. “How long ago was this?”

“This was about a week or so ago.”

“So that's why she hasn't been coming to work lately.”

“Work where? Shakita never had a damn job. What are you talking about?”

“Well, since you're telling me stuff I didn't know, I guess I can tell you some things as well. Shakita has worked in my spa off and on for the last two years.”

“What spa are you talking about?”

“The Black Emporium. Have you heard of it?”

“You own The Black Emporium?” Latrice said with her mouth open wide.

“Yes. I guess you have heard of the place?”

“Yeah, but what I heard was that it wasn't just no damn spa. I heard you could get any sexual favor imaginable there as long as you were a man. Is that true?”

“I'm afraid so,” Eric said, watching closely to see how Latrice would react to hearing how her friend was doing everything conceivable at his spa.

“I had no idea that Shakita was even into no shit like that. But what I wanna know is how come you don't have a place like that for women? You know there are a lot of us girls who wouldn't mind going to a place like that. There are a lot of men out here who can't work it right. Everybody can't get their fantasy fulfilled at home.”

“I'm glad you say that. I will be opening up one that only caters to females in L.A.”

“L.A.? Why not here?”

“I do plan on opening one in the District, but the laws are a little bit stricter here about an all-male spa than they are in other parts of the country.”

“Why is that?”

“Because some lobbyists and politicians are gay, and the ones who aren't, tend to be homophobic, wanting to ward any scandals with government officials that could arise. It wouldn't make good press.”

Latrice looked like she understood, so Eric wanted her to continue with her story. Latrice continued to tell Eric about Bay, and how Shakita almost cost them their lives. The more she drank, the more she let Eric in on Shakita's grisly ways and her own plans to get into the music industry. Eric now looked at Shakita in a whole new light, thanks to her best friend, Latrice.

W
hy isn't she answering her phone? Shit!” Shakita hung up her phone after trying to contact Latrice for the third straight time. She wanted to find out how everything went last night with the money exchange. It was only 8:20 a.m., which gave Latrice valid reason to still be asleep. Shakita trusted Latrice and had no reason to worry. Even though Eric was immensely attractive, Latrice only had interest in entertainers. Eric wasn't her man, but the way her and Latrice rolled, they never rode the same dick to avoid any male conflicts between them. Shakita put her mind back on her job and wouldn't try to call Latrice again until lunchtime.

•  •  •

Latrice woke up in a bedroom not knowing where she was. She looked around to find that she was alone. She was completely naked with her clothes scattered across the floor.
What the hell did I do?
She sat up trying to figure out whose bed she was in. She thought back at what she'd done last night and remembered she had gone to see Eric. There was a knock on the door and moments later, Eric appeared in the room with her. She quickly pulled the sheets up under her arms to keep herself from being exposed.

“It's okay. I didn't see anything,” Eric said, trying to make her feel comfortable.

“You probably already did. Did we have sex?” Latrice asked, feeling embarrassed.

“No. If we had sex, I would hope you would remember. Even if your mind didn't, I know your body would,” Eric said, giving her a wink.

Damn, I feel like jumping in this nigga's arms right now and fucking the shit out of him! Big sexy going to say some slick shit to me like that and I can't say nothing back. This man is so lucky.
“If we didn't have sex, then how did my clothes get off?”

“You took them off yourself. You said you can't sleep with them on. When you started to do that, I left the room.”

“Damn. That p.i.n.k. had me smacked last night. Thanks for letting me stay over until I got myself together.”

“Ain't no problem. Are you hungry? I can make some breakfast.”

“Yeah. That would be fine.”

“Okay. I'm going to start everything while you get dressed. Just come out when you're ready.”

“Okay.”

Eric smiled and closed the door. Latrice rubbed the back of her neck as she stretched, She wanted to know the time and how long she'd been sleeping. She opened her purse to get her phone.

Latrice saw the missed calls from Shakita and wondered if she really wanted something or was she being nosy. Whatever the situation, it would have to wait. Latrice didn't feel comfortable calling her back from Eric's house. Even though nothing had happened between them, Latrice still felt guilty for even staying the night. She immediately put on her clothes hoping she wouldn't feel shameful anymore. Then she thought that if it wasn't for Shakita, she would have never gotten mixed up with Eric in the first place. Eric was now her friend also, and whatever the reason
that brought them together, Latrice simply justified it as fate. She was convinced that maybe her and Eric's encounter was meant to happen. For what intention, she still didn't know.

“I can't believe it's almost one o'clock,” Latrice said as she walked into the kitchen where Eric was and sat on a stool at the counter.

“You slept good, huh?” Eric asked, looking at her over his shoulder as he stood in front of the stove with three burners going.

“Yeah. I slept too good.”

“Do you have somewhere you have to be today?”

“No. I don't think so, why?”

“Because your money should be back here by three o'clock. Four thirty at the latest. Do you want to stick around and wait for it?”

“Sure, why not.”

“Okay, cool. Hey, how do you like your eggs?”

“It doesn't matter. I'll eat them any way you make 'em.”

“Do you want cheese in them?”

“Yeah, that's cool,” Latrice said, pouring her some orange juice from a pitcher that was sitting on the counter. “Everything smells so good. Did your mama teach you how to cook?”

“No. Actually, I learned from my cousin while I was in college. My cousin Jay and my father have their own restaurant in Pittsburgh. I had a job being a cook while I was out of school over the summer.”

“What kind of restaurant do they have?”

“It's Italian,” Eric said as he dumped the fried potatoes into a plastic bowl.

“Black people making Italian food, that's so unique. Usually when you find out black people own a restaurant, you assume that they're going to be serving up soul food. I would love to go to that restaurant to see how ya peoples get down.”

“That can be done. Maybe I can take you and Shakita there when I visit my family for Memorial Day weekend,” Eric suggested as he placed cheese eggs in another bowl and some turkey sausage on a plate.

“I'm with it. But I don't know if Shakita's going to be able to go since she's got curfew.”

“Well. Maybe it'll only be you then.” Eric smiled.

“Maybe,” she said, smiling flirtatiously.

Latrice felt some sort of chemistry between them but wasn't sure how genuine it was.

She was clueless if Eric had been overly alluring with her, or if he was a manipulating charmer with subliminal motives. Whatever his intentions were, she would find out in due time. She hoped her feelings weren't involved when she did.

•  •  •

Latrice sat in her car as Eric's men loaded it with bags of money. Eric soon appeared and spoke with the men briefly. He then walked up to the front of her car.

“Okay. The money's in the trunk. This is how much you got back in cash,” Eric said as he handed Latrice a piece of paper through the driver-side window.

“Damn. That was a lot of change,” Latrice said happy with the amount she saw on the paper.

“Yes, it is a big sum when you're talking about a bunch of dimes and nickels.”

“Thank you so much for doing this for us. We really appreciate it.”

“No need to thank me. As long as I don't have to do this again, that's all the thanks I need.”

“You won't. At least I won't ask you. I don't know about Shakita, though.”

“Well, for Shakita's sake, I hope this is her last time doing something like this, and I also pray she gets her life together.”

“Me too,” Latrice said tenderly, knowing it was a lot to ask for.

“Be safe riding around with all that money.”

“I will. I'll call you to let you know that I got home all right.”

“Make sure you do that,” he said as he reached for the garage door opener. The garage door lifted up and Latrice backed the truck out and made her way down the street. Eric watched Latrice leave and shook his head as he stared at her taillights. He couldn't understand how it was possible for two people that seem to be nothing alike end up being the best of friends. He guessed it was true when they say opposites attract. In his eyes Shakita and Latrice were without a doubt like north and south.

Latrice continued to think about Eric as she cruised down Indian Head Highway on her way back to her apartment. Eric was irresistibly mystifying to her, being why she couldn't keep her focus off him. Eric wasn't like the typical rapper or producer Latrice was usually into. He was the most attractive man she'd seen in a long time, and the fact that he was off-limits made him even more desirable. It was either she had to have him or not deal with him at all. There was no in between with her when it came down to someone she simply wanted to fuck. Latrice needed to see how Shakita really felt about Eric, hoping not to put a bug in her ear instead. If Shakita gave her the slightest indication that she didn't care about Eric, Latrice was going to make her move. She was trying to think of the best time to indirectly ask Shakita about Eric when her phone rang. It was Shakita.