Zero Degrees Part 1 (9 page)

I blew smoke in his face and said in a shocked voice, “Dayum, you want to beat the coochie up again? Let it heal.”

We all had a good laugh at that.

Then Buff commented with a straight face, “Y’all was making all that damn noise. I grabbed my gat at first. I thought a bitch was getting slaughtered or some shit.” They all cracked up again. I was so embarrassed.

“Bitch you know you can’t talk,” I chastised Peaches.

She made a face and stuck her tongue out at me as she laughed. “Let’s go get dressed and get to the salon early because I don’t want anybody other than LaWanda doing my hair.” She hopped up from the couch.

That morning Zeus and I made love in the shower standing up. The feeling was exhilarating. My feet never touched the floor as the exhilarating water rained down on our feverish bodies. The steam fogged us in a misty cocoon as he made love to me passionately for nearly an hour. After our session I was even sorer than before. Every time I took a step I couldn’t help but think of him and that big ass dick.

On my way out of the bedroom I took eight bands from the duffle bag as Zeus chilled in bed. He was all sleepy eyed as he asked, “Are you sure that’s gonna be enough?”

I kissed him on his cheek. “It’s more than enough,” I said happily as I stuffed the money into my purse next to the nine milliliter Buff had given me. Zeus dozed off and then woke back up like he’d remembered something

For some reason that morning he and Buff walked us to the car. They seemed to do a visual search of the landscape as they scanned the parking lot like secret service agents.

Zeus played with my curly ringlets and kissed me tenderly. “Don’t cut none of that pretty ass hair off. I like it curly like this too.”

I bent my wrist and pointed an accusing finger at Peaches. “See bitch. Told you ain’t shit wrong with my hair. This bitch told me to dye it red or blonde.”

Zeus pulled me closer to him and kissed the tip of my nose. “Unt huh. You don’t need all that. You’re beautiful just the way you are baby. I love a natural woman. Somebody I can wake up to who look the same way she did before we went to sleep.”

“That’s some real shit,” Buff agreed.

Peaches gave him a sideways look because her hair was dyed honey blonde.

“I love your hair baby. Just ‘cause you dyed your hair don’t mean you ain’t natural. Shit, you know you’re fine.” He offered her his lips for a kiss.

“Call me and shit baby. We gotta go to Raleigh to handle some shit,” Zeus said before opening the car door for me to step inside. That’s when I saw that someone had keyed my new car or took a knife to it. There was a long scratch running from the front bumper all the way back to the tail light. I was livid to say the least.

“What the fuck is this!?” I yelled.

Both Buff and Zeus exchanged wary glances.

“This looks like some shit a jealous bitch would do,” I added as I walked around inspecting my car for any more signs of damage.

Then Peaches chimed in, “Uh huh. One of those hating ass hoes probably.

“Baby, it’s just a scratch. It’s insured. I’ll have it fixed by tomorrow,” Zeus said.

I was mad at his ass. I hoped he was not having hoe problems. I cut my eyes at him, giving him a silent threat that meant, ‘nigga don’t play me.’ I got in the car fuming. He kissed me on the cheek before closing the door. I started the ignition and pulled off without saying another word. Peaches couldn’t wait to start running her big ass mouth.

“That’s the way you do it bitch. Act like you the boss,” she said in a conspiratorial tone. “I like the way you act like you don’t want his money. Watch that nigga start throwing it at you. Most bitches always milking a nigga for his funds. It’s an art to this shit. You can still milk their asses. Just pretend like those ain’t your intentions. When you’re constantly asking for a nigga’s funds he gets suspicious. You played that shit cool though.”

“I wasn’t playing Peaches. I don’t want to use Zeus for his money.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’ve known him longer than me, but I seem to know him better than you. We got a chance to get rich off them niggas. They don’t care about the money Ze. They got enough to share the wealth. They are gonna burn that shit anyway. They have way more money than you think they do.”

“How do you know?”

“Didn’t you go inside that office today?”

“Yeah, so?”

“Did you see that huge bookshelf that looks like it’s built into the wall?”

“Uh huh.”

“Well, it’s a secret entrance into another room. It’s a button that makes the bookshelf turn around and shit. Only Buff and Zeus can open the door with their fingerprint. That’s where they stash their money. That shit is stacked from wall to wall, ceiling to ceiling. Buff said that they’re going to have to add another money room. I’m telling you that I saw that shit for myself and still couldn’t believe it,” she said.

“Damn, I knew they were getting it, but I don’t know it was like that.”

“Well, it’s like that and I want my cut. I’ve been thinking about some shit for the future.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I hoped she was not plotting on Buff and Zeus. I loved Peaches, but if she was up to some devious shit, I was not down for it and I had no problem putting her ass on blast in from of Buff.

“What do you mean you’ve been thinking ‘bout some shit for the future?” I asked trying to see where her head was at.

She glanced over at me and hesitated like she was considering her words carefully before she spoke. “I’m not trying to hurt or use Buff, but a bitch gotta eat too. My mother used to say, God bless the child that got his own. I’m dealing with Buff because he is good to me and yes, I love that nigga, but I am not
in
love with him. There is a difference”.

She had me a little baffled with that statement. “So what are you sayin?” I asked as I drove.

I cut my eyes at her trying to read her demeanor for any sign that she was not sincere.

Finally she huffed, “Fuck it Ze. You mean well. He was your friend before you met me. Don’t worry. He’ll probably hurt me before I hurt him.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I turned the radio up. We rode to the hair salon in silence.

Chapter 8

“Girl, you goin’ have to get used to walking in heels,” Peaches said in response to me whining about how bad my feet were hurting.

“But I’m saying girl. How in the hell did you learn how to walk in heels so good? You wore sneakers just like me for years.” I’d been walking around the apartment for an hour in three inch stiletto heels trying to get a feel for them. My feet were killing me and we hadn’t even gone out yet. Peaches had already mastered the art of walking in high heels.

“It didn’t take me long because I wore heels before we went to juvie. I told you that I wasn’t the average teenaged girl. I thought I was grown. You’ll get used to it. You might as well, ‘cause no matter what he say Zeus don’t want to see you in sneakers and flats all the time. High heels are sexy,” she said plopping down on the sofa.

I had to admit that I loved the purple and black ankle length boots. I’d bought them to wear with the black hip hugging jeans and sexy, silk purple low cut top that stopped slightly above my belly button. It was what I planned to wear out later that night.

“Zeus is gonna be all over you tonight when you wear that outfit. I’m telling you. Oh, and for future reference, whenever he gives you money make sure to put something aside for a rainy day. You never know when and why the money might get cut off,” she advised.

She never ceased to amaze me. What had happened to the sweet, naïve girl I was locked up with? Well, she was long gone and had been replaced by Miss Sophisticated and a little conniving. I could remember a time when she needed my advice or opinion about everything. I guess she’d grown up. Money could make a person change quick. When I zoned back in I realized that she was still talking.

“What did you say?” I asked.

“I said that we both know that Zeus and Buff own Club Trois. They renovated it and I can’t lie girl. It be some bad bitches in there and some ballin’ ass money getting niggas. Therefore it’s going to be plenty of groupie bitches there who either fucked them or wanna fuck them. You already know how to handle that shit, right?” She was standing up with her hands on her hour glass hips.

“Hell yeah,” I said.

“How?” She asked me with a skeptical look on her face.

“Don’t test me bitch. I know how to handle me. I’m gonna just chill and act nonchalant about the shit. I already know where I stand with Zeus, besides dudes goin’ be dudes. As long as he respects me in my face, I don’t give a fuck about no bitch ice grilling. They will know exactly who the real bitch is tonight.” I had my diva attitude turned up.

Peaches smiled all proud like and nodded in approval. “Okay, you’re feeling me. I’m glad we’re on the same page. For a minute there I thought you were goin’ be on some thugged out wanna fight a bitch bullshit. I ain’t even for none of that tonight. Hell no. I’m goin’ be too damn flyy and too high for that shit. Let a bitch hate. If bitches ain’t hating on you, you ain’t doin’ something right. We are gonna be flossing with some real bosses tonight.”

“Have you been to the club before?”

“Yeah, plenty of times. That muthafucka is hot as hell. Just wait until you see it. Everybody be dressed to the T and it don’t be nothing but hot, tricked out rides in the parking lot. The last time I was there it was a few NBA players in the VIP section making it rain with the dope boys. Those niggas are always surrounded by groupies though. The trip part is that niggas be on those niggas’ dicks harder than the bitches.” She laughed. “That shit is crazy.”

“You’re clowning right now,” I laughed too.

“I’m dead ass. Believe me. Niggas be kissing their asses that hard. That’s so lame,” she said.

I just shook my head at how shameless niggas were over money.

“How does Buff handle the attention from other women when you’re around?” I asked. I was getting excited.

Peaches retrieved a rolled blunt from a drawer, sat back down on the sofa and lit it. “Come sit down and take those shoes off. We’ll be sitting down in the VIP anyway. All you need to be able to do is walk up in the club without falling on your face.”

I sat down beside her and took the boots off happily. I rubbed my feet in an attempt to get the feeling back.

“Buff is smooth and he relies on his fitness game. I can’t lie. He can charm the panties off a bitch, but I been peeped it. He’s a natural born business man. He flirts on the sly like any nigga, but he respects me. That nigga lets them hoes know when I’m in the club by keeping his focus on me to make sure that I’m happy.” She blew the smoke out of her nose. “Don’t you want to know the same about Zeus?” She watched my reaction to her question.

I kept a straight face. “In a way yes, but in a way no. I would like to see for myself.”

“If you do, I’ll tell you. If you don’t, I won’t.”

“Tell me.”

“Zeus is really not fazed at all by the attention he gets from women. He ignores muthafuckas period. I saw him talk to a few women, but he was just thanking them for coming out to the club. His ass is very, very picky. You’ve got the pick of the litter Ze. Do what you want to do with it, but get that paper.” She smiled as she passed me the blunt.

I grabbed the blunt and inhaled it gratefully. I needed it to calm my nerves. I was kind of afraid that I wouldn’t be able to keep my cool if a bitch disrespected me.

“I hope Teena really comes this weekend,” Peaches said suddenly.

I looked at Peaches. “Yeah, me too. I miss that crazy bitch.”

Peaches laughed. “I remember when you beat her big ass. She didn’t know what had hit her. She told me that she had never lost a fight before or got her ass kicked like that. It made her respect you. I can’t believe you two became so close.”

“I know. I had already told myself that was what I’d do if a bitch came at me wrong. Now that I know how it feels to be with a man I know for sure,” I laughed. “Whatever floats her boat is her business, but I wasn’t trying to float that way. She invaded my personal space and I had to dead that shit before it even started. I’m glad I got to know her though. That’s my bitch.”

“Well, it’s almost ten, so let’s get dressed so we’ll be ready when they get back,” Peaches said.

I put the blunt out and noticed that my phone was vibrating.

“Hello,” I answered.

“Hey babe,” Zeus said.

“Hi baby.” A smile automatically decorated my face.

“What’s my baby up to?” He asked.

“Not much. We were just about to get ready.”

“Okay cool. We’ll meet ya’ll at the club in about an hour. Can’t wait to see you sexy. Tell Peaches Buff wanna talk to her.”

“I can’t wait to see you either. Later baby.” I gave Peaches the phone and went to get dressed.

* * *

We pulled up to Club Trois, in Peaches’s Mercedes. There was a line down the street and around the block. The night was alive and vibrant and there were people galore. It looked like a car show as we drove up. For some reason my breath lodged in my throat as I watched all the people who were in party mode, moving to the rhythm of the beats coming from inside the club.

There were dudes parking lot pimping in nice ass whips hollering at chicks as they strutted by in groups dressed like super models. For some reason I stared bug eyed. I was not prepared for the scene. It made me self-conscious about what I was wearing. I was eighteen years old and it was my first time going inside a club. The pulsating music was beating so hard it felt like I could feel it in my soul. The delicious aroma of fried food wafted in the air with the potent scent of good weed. The concoction was intoxicating.

We had our cars valet parked and strolled all the way to the front of the line. It felt like the longest walk of my life in those damn high heeled shoes. I prayed that I didn’t stumble and fall, because all eyes were on us.

At the entrance there were several chicks dressed provocatively in miniskirts. One of them had blonde hair. She was cinnamon complexioned, dressed in a lacey, yellow outfit with a nice figure and a bad attitude.