Zero Degrees Part 1 (15 page)

“I’m fine,” I assured her.

“Is Pops okay?” Her eyes were filling with tears now. If I cried she cried.

“Yes Maya, he’s fine. Don’t worry.”

I couldn’t help but wonder if what my father said would really happen. Was I going to end up in prison or on drugs? Or worse, would I end up dead? Hell no. I was too good. I’d learned the game and I was good at it. Diablo was my security and provider. He had become the man in my life and it wasn’t easy to let him go. I couldn’t let him go and I wouldn’t.

* * *

Later that evening me and Diablo hit the road to pick Mont up. Mont was Diablo’s best friend and his right hand man. His uncle Ronald was shot and killed on his way home from a bar. Ronald gambled a lot and had a lot of enemies. There were no suspects in his murder.

“Baby, there’s something I need you to do for me,” Diablo said.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“I’m getting a package from Hector tomorrow, but I ain’t goin’ be home when he bring it.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“What you need babe?”

“Babe, you know I don’t like asking you to do shit like this…”

“Cut the bullshit Blo. I’ll be home when Hector gets there. Don’t play that sensitive shit wit’ me nigga. You know me, don’t front.”

Diablo smiled at me and I quickly kissed his lips.

“Mmmm, I swear baby. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“You’ll never know ‘cause I ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

* * *

Maya rocked Lexus gently. For some reason she wouldn’t stop crying. Mel had just brought her home from Vernice’s.

“What’s wrong wit’ her?” Maya asked Mel.

“I don’t know. She was a’ight earlier,” he said lighting a cigarette.

“Put that shit out Mel.”

He puffed the cigarette anyway.

“C’mon Mel, put the damn cigarette out. I don’t like for you to smoke around my baby!” She yelled.

“A’ight, but I ain’t doin’ it ‘cause you told me to. I’m doin’ it cause of my shawty,” he said smashing the cigarette in the ash tray.

“I don’t give a fuck Mel, as long as you put that stankin’ shit out.”

“Who the fuck you cussin’ at?”

“What the fuck is your problem?”

“Oh, okay. You smellin’ yourself now. I’m gonna leave before I say some foul shit.” He got up, lit another cigarette and headed toward the door.

“You just goin’ walk out nigga? You ain’t even goin’ admit that you’re wrong?” Maya asked.

He looked at her and shook his head.

“You just wanna be a bitch and I’m leavin’.” He walked out and slammed the door.

The loud bang made Maya jump and caused Lexus to cry even harder. The sound of her cries tore at Maya’s soul.

“It’s okay baby. Mommie’s right here,” she said soothingly. “Are you hungry baby? Is that it?” She rocked Lexus and searched in the diaper bag for a bottle. Maya was starting to really hate Jamel’s ass. He was only good for sex lately, but he was a good father. She wished she could confess the truth to him. He would flip if he knew that Lexus wasn’t his. She’d cheated early in the relationship with Ju. Before Mel she was with Ju for almost three years and it was hard to give up her comfort zone.

After she had found out that she was pregnant she’d already fallen for Jamel. He’d won her heart, but he wasn’t her baby’s father. She had told Mel that Lexus was three weeks early. Mel was in Chicago for a few weeks when she’d slept with Ju Ju. He was also away when she had the baby, so he was easily convinced. The only way she got away with it was because Lexus looked just like her. She had feet like Ju, but how would Mel know that.

“It’s okay. Here’s your bottle,” she said giving Lexus what she wanted. Lexus stopped crying and started sucking immediately.

Maya had a feeling that Ju knew, but hadn’t said anything. He and Mel always had it out for each other, but that was to be expected. Maya just couldn’t conjure up the nerve to come clean, especially after the cold shoulder treatment from Mel. He just wasn’t the same lately. He was bringing his street mentality into the relationship and she hated that. He wasn’t sweet and thoughtful like Diablo and she was starting to resent him.

There was a soft knock at the door. Maya held the bottle under her chin to open it. She knew that it was Mel coming back to apologize.

“Ju Ju? Nigga, are you crazy?” She asked surprised to see him at the door.

“Hell no, I ain’t crazy. Let me in. We need to talk,” he said.

“Uh, damn Ju…you can’t be poppin’ up over here,” she said looking around in paranoia. “I have a boyfriend and a child.”

“Don’t play me Maya. I know that Lexus is mine. I ain’t stupid! I can fuckin’ count.”

“Don’t curse around my child.”

“Our child Maya! I know she’s mine!” He yelled angrily.

She pulled him into the apartment and closed the door. She laid Lexus down in the back and then returned to where Ju was.

“Don’t be poppin’ up at my crib talkin’ crazy. You don’t know who’s listenin’.”

What, you don’t want Mel to pop up and over hear some shit? Huh Maya? How long you goin’ keep it a secret? You been keepin’ it a secret long enough, shit. I wanna know my fuckin’ child,” he said.

“She ain’t yours Ju. She’s Mel’s. She was premature,” Maya said quickly.

“You would rather lie to keep a man? You’ll keep a man away from his own fuckin’ seed. Are you really that selfish Maya? What’s so damn good about that mufucka that you gotta lie about who the father of your child is? How you goin’ live wit’ yourself Maya? I wish I had known your ass was triflin’ before I fell for those tears that night. I know I bust inside you. I know I did. Your hot ass was on top and you wouldn’t get up. I did the fuckin’ math Maya. She is mine and I’m gonna tell Mel. You hear me? I’m goin’ tell that nigga, ‘cause you ain’t!” He was angry as hell and Maya could tell.

“Don’t do that Julian, please,” she begged shamelessly.

Ju rested his head in the palm of his hand and paced the floor. He sounded like he wanted to cry. “She is my daughter Maya. She is beautiful and I wanna be there for her. You can’t do this shit to me man! That shit ain’t fair!”

Lexus cried out from the back room. “Chill out nigga. You’re scarin’ my baby,” Maya said heading to the back to check on Maya.

“Our fuckin’ baby.”

Maya stopped in her tracks.

“Maya, why deny Lexus her real daddy? I don’t give a fuck how you feel about Mel and you can beg ‘till you blue in the face. I’m goin let that nigga know I smashed. He goin’ know that I was up in that pussy raw and I nutted all up in it. She my seed Maya and your mufuckin’ so called baby daddy need to know that shit.”

“Don’t you dare Ju. You need to leave now.” The tears that fell down her cheeks didn’t sway Ju one bit.

“I don’t know how long I can hold this shit in. The older she gets the more time I lose and you don’t even give a fuck.” With that said Ju turned and left.

Maya exhaled and the tears started to flow uncontrollably. She knew that Ju was right, but she loved Jamel. She didn’t want to lose him, despite the way he acted at times.

Lexus’s crying spell kept Maya up until four in the morning. When Lex finally fell asleep she woke up thirty minutes later. She didn’t have a fever and she didn’t appear to be sick. At five after six Lexus finally fell asleep. When Maya’s head finally hit the pillow she drifted into a restless sleep. She tossed and turned and had nightmares about Mel killing her for lying to him. She couldn’t tell and she had to do something so that Ju Ju didn’t either.

AVAILABLE NOW ON KINDLE FOR ONLY .99 CENTS

FORBIDDEN FRUIT 2: A NEW SEED IS ALSO AVAILABLE

Black Butterfly

By Nika Michelle

Chapter 1

Seantay Reneah Beauvois

After a very exhilarating shower I stood in front of the mirror and applied moisturizer to my face. My Chihuahua Shea ran into the bathroom, saw the massive cloud of steam and ran out yapping. Pardon my manners; my name is Seantay Reneah Beauvois. I am the youngest daughter of Sean Rene and Tameah Beauvois, the second richest family in the black Beverly Hills of the south, also known as Newmexis, Florida. Newmexis was a gated community of expensive mansions located north of Miami. I had just turned twenty and along with my two sisters was the heiress of my father’s massive fortune. Beauvois Hotels and Suites chain as well as my father’s lucrative Architectural firm had put our family’s net worth at around five hundred million dollars. I believed that I was my father’s absolute favorite daughter, although I knew that he loved my sisters too.

Standing about 5’5, I weighed a shapely 125 lbs. Both my parents were pretty average in height, but despite genetics I wanted to be taller. More than anything in the world I wanted to be a high fashion runway model and a fashion designer. I was considered short and a little too thick to be a high fashion model, but I’d already modeled for some very hot designers. I guess that was because everybody loved my father’s wealth and power, so it didn’t matter. After all, he was the black, southern Donald Trump.

Grabbing another fluffy white towel, I dried my long, dark brown hair with auburn highlights. The thick soft curls that I’d inherited from my father fell past my shoulders to my mid back. My father was Creole and Black and had been born and raised in New Orleans. My high cheekbones and deep, dark, almond shaped eyes were both traits passed down from my Korean and Black mother. My exotic features were all attributed to my mixed racial background. My skin was light complexioned, but living in Miami helped me achieve a golden year round tan. Thanks to my personal trainer Randy, I had the perfect body. He told me that I didn’t even need him, but I knew better.

I walked out of the bathroom and sprawled across my pillow top, California King sized bed. The air hit my nude body, causing my nipples to harden. I closed my eyes enjoying the peace and quiet. My parents were gone and my older sisters didn’t live at home anymore. I’d let most of the staff go home for the evening, but Jose’, the gardener, was working overtime. He was Puerto-Rican and sexy as hell. I got up and stood at the window to entice him. He looked up at my naked body like he was mesmerized. It wasn’t the first time I’d given Jose’ a sneak peek. I wanted to invite him inside, but decided against it. I was too damn fine to be fucking a gardener. Not only that, but my parents would kill me if they found out.

The sound of the phone tore me away from the window. Looking at the caller ID, I reluctantly answered the phone. It wasn’t the call I was expecting. “Hello darling. How’re you?” My mother asked.

“I’m fine mother. How’s Dubai?” I asked. I hoped she didn’t detect the disappointment in my voice.

“The same way it was the last time your father and I came here. Of course I love the malls. You know that there’re seventy malls here right?” She asked. Without waiting for me to answer she continued. “I wanted to go to Thailand, but your father insisted we come here instead.”

“Where’s daddy?” I asked sweetly. My father was my world.

“Oh, he’s right here honey. Would you like to speak with him?”

“Yes, please.”

I heard some movement and then his deep, rich voice. “Hi honey. How’s daddy’s little girl?” He asked.

“I’m ok. I’m just bored as hell.” I sighed. My father was so cool. I could always be myself around him. My mother was a different story.

“Well, you have to get up and do something honey. Call one of your little puppy dog boyfriends and get him to blow his whole inheritance on you.”

We laughed as he brought up a fond memory of mine. My high school sweetheart Avery Nichols Jr.’s father died when he was sixteen and he got his inheritance when he turned eighteen. When he got his money he went crazy. Next thing I knew I had a Bentley and two houses. It was a good thing his mother was a lawyer because she negotiated and got all of the money back. If I’d married him we would’ve been bankrupt in a year. We broke up shortly after.

“I’ll pass. Can I drive the Denali tonight?”

“Of course you can, but be careful. I can’t afford for you to wreck anymore of my vehicles,” he chuckled light heartedly.

I laughed.“I wreck one BMW and you never let me live it down. Love you. Tell mom I love her too.”

After we hung up the phone I contemplated on what to wear. The sound of my phone ringing again made my heart skip a beat. I checked the caller ID. Finally, the call I’d been waiting for. “Reco, baby. What’s up?” I asked reaching for the freshly rolled joint that was on my nightstand.

“Nothing.” I could hear the smile in his voice. “How’s my favorite little rich girl?”

“I’m fine. So, what’s up for the night?” His voice was laced with infatuation. I knew that whatever he felt for me stopped there, but that was fine with me. Any relationship I had with the opposite sex was purely physical. Emotions were not my territory. Never had been and I seriously doubted if they ever would be.

Okay, I know your mind is boggled right now, so let me explain. Reco was this fine ass man I’d met about eight months ago at a club in Miami. He was tall, bronze complexioned, sexy and clearly one hundred percent thug. You’re probably even more mind boggled about why I would want a thug. Let me shed a little light on the subject. I have a weakness for thugs and it all started when I was seventeen. I’d just broken up with Avery and was so bored with the boys at my school. All they cared about were stocks, bonds and their endless bank accounts. Who cared about that shit other than them? Well, I’m sure some women did, but I didn’t. One night I met this guy named Raheem at a basketball game at my best friend Reba’s high school. She attended public school, so I was in awe.

Raheem was so different from what I was used to. He was exciting and I had a thirst for more. I’d lost my virginity to Avery and hadn’t been with anyone else. Spending time with Raheem made me feel like a regular teenager. I’d smoked weed for the first time with him and later that night experienced “thug love”. After that there was no way I could go back. There was just something about a bad boy that just made my body turn into hot mush. Mmm!

I would date the usual guys to throw my parents off. They had no idea about my secret lifestyle. I became smart about it too. I loved thugs, but only those who could afford me. I didn’t have time for some broke ass guy who could slang good dick for money. I usually went after the “ballas” and “shot callas”. The men who could afford to flaunt a diva like me. I liked to ride around in nice cars, shop and visit exotic places. Shit, I was used to those things. I could live the good life I was used to and get some good dick too. Life was great and I didn’t have to settle for those lifeless, none fucking preps in Newmexis.