Marked For Crime Royalty| Book One | ✓

1 - Money, Power & Growth

Forty one year old baby Teresa thought to herself, laughing all the while confusing her mother. She took one of her mother's cookies, kissing her cheek.

"Las cuentas no se pagan a sí mismas mamá"(The bills don't pay themselves mama) Her mother softly popped her cheek, smiling.

"Don't lecture your mother hija" (child) She teased back, standing up and walking into the kitchen with ease.

"Well if you want to continue living here, you have to be flexible with me" She responded Teresa sat down, turning on the Kindle to see what she was watching. And was she surprised? Why do women like shirtless firefighters? She thought. Maybe it was a fetish, at least not hers.

Her mom took the Kindle, that Teresa bought, out of her hands and replaced it with yet another basket of blueberry muffins, for the 7th time this week.

"For your coworkers" She smiled, patting her shoulder. Teresa just responded with a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Teresa did feel guilty that her mother would spend nights baking muffins for coworkers who she thought were business men and women, but were actually strippers instead, but nonetheless she didn't bake for nothing. Teresa glanced at her phone, and got up quickly.

"Adiós mamá, te quiero" (Bye mama, Love you) Teresa kissed her mother's cheek again, walking out the door with the basket in her hand. She made sure to look behind her before she made way down the street and she squealed like everyday, mid way running as fast as possible in 4 inch heels.

She saw her best friend, Nina, white new Honda Civic, that she paid half for because that was her best friend. Her best friend rolled down the window.

"Hey Sista!" She squealed, giggling afterwards until her eyes landed on the muffin basket and she huffed.

Teresa rolled her eyes, getting into the car and shutting the door, placing the basket in the back seat, her best friend giving her the 'are you serious' eyes.

"What?" Teresa asked, buckling her seatbelt.

"She is a nice person" She smiled, pulling the mirror down and taking the bun out.

Her best friend folded her arms. "When are you going to tell her the truth Teresa?" Teresa sighed, closing the mirror back. She looked out the window, "You know how she is" She responded, turning in her seat to look at Nina.

"It's been two years," Nina said, as if she didn't know. "She's not ready. Not now." She concluded, turning and putting her head on the edge of the window.

"Let's go before someone sees me" Nina stared at her a little sad yet not wanting to push Teresa because she didn't understand how it feels to have a mother like her.

Teresa did though. Teresa knew who and how her mother was. She had all these speeches of valuing yourself and being a stripper wouldn't exactly fit her expectations. Teresa came to the United States to help her mother and that's what she was doing. If her mother were to find out, she would kick her out as well. How can she help her when her mother won't allow it? She didn't want to disappoint her, so she never said anything.

* * *

Opening the door to the club, Teresa instantly felt the warmth of the room, and heard the loud rap music filled with a deep voiced man. Rap music was all they played there. From first glance, all she saw was different shapes and sizes of beautiful skinned women walking around either half naked in some expensive or cheap ratchet outfit that was bound to expose plenty of skin. There, you never saw a woman without their nails or hair did, the boss wouldn't allow it. Give it your all, or give it nothing at all right?