“Get the fuck out!”
I threw one of August’s two heavy Jordan’s at him before following it with the other. He dodged both before mugging me.
“Mayne, chill. I told yo crazy ass what was up a long time ago. Why you gotta problem all of a sudden?”
It was like this at least once every two weeks. I would question our relationship, he’d give me some nonchalant bullshit of an answer, I’d kick him out, and we’d end up making up all within the same hour. I’d been messing around with him ever since we’d met my freshman year at a nearby club, and here we were, still without a title on our relationship. I knew he messed around with other females, yet I always found myself allowing him to string me along. I never envisioned myself to be in a relationship with a drug lord, and I knew that if my parents were to find out, they would have a heart-attack. My father, being a well-known attorney, had worked hard to create an all too decent reputation for our family.
“I’m so tired of your ass! Get your shit-…” I paused before tossing yet another item at him. “And get out!”
I huffed before climbing off of my bed and pulling my hair into a ponytail, ignoring his presence.
“Aye, Camille.”
I continued to ignore him, making my way into the kitchen of my large studio apartment. My body tensed up as I felt his arms wrap around my waist from behind, pulling me into him. His lips brushed my ear as he spoke.
“I know yo ass hear me talkin’ to you, ma.”
His accent always made me weak in the knees, but I was determined not to let him get to me.
“Get off me, August.”
He pressed himself against me, placing his lips onto my neck. I bit my lip, feeling my eyes slightly flutter.
“So you mad, na?”
His hands began undoing the strings of my sweatpants as he went to work on my neck. As soon as he tugged at the hem of my sweats, my body loosened, and I knew he was gonna have his way with me…again.
I traced the lining of one of August’s many tattoos, snuggling closer to him. My hair was sprawled over his chest, and our bodies heaved up and down in complete sync. My right leg was entangled with his own as I broke the comfortable silence between us.
“August?”
I heard him let out a breath, probably because I’d interrupted his nap.
“What?”
I wrapped my arms around him and let out a small sigh.
“Damn, can I ask a simple question without getting an attitude?”
He gently pushed me off of him, placing his hands behind his head.
“Go to sleep, Cami.”
I huffed and turned over, making sure to take most of the sheets with me. I guess he felt bad, because a couple of minutes later, he sucked his teeth.
“Man, lay down.”
I felt myself smile before returning to my place on his chest.
“I knew your mean ass was gonna miss me.”
He slightly chuckled. “Whatchu want?”
I sighed, already anticipating a smart remark to my suggestion.
“I was thinking…maybe you could let me in.”
I’d been trying to get in on August’s large drug trade for a while. It’s not like I wanted to work for him, and be put on…I just wanted to get a feel of what went down. My parents had always made sure that I wouldn’t be brought up around that life, and I’d always been interested in what went on within the entire set-up. August would, without a hesitation, provide me with anything I needed, but I needed but it was known that I could make do on my own. I’d always escort him to events and such, but he would never let me near any of the dirty work, or into any of his main houses. I was basically only used as a pretty face.
“What the fuck you wanna be down for? That shit ain’t for you, ma.”
I rolled my eyes and sat up.
“How do you know? You won’t even give me a chance-…”
He continued to speak with his eyes shut.
“I said no, Camille.”
I rolled my eyes, and could feel myself slightly pouting. A smile crept across my face as an idea hit me. Lowering my head under the covers, I began to go to work. August groaned, and his eyes shot open.
“Camille…whatchu doin’?”
I said nothing as I continued to lick and tease him. A couple of seconds later, I felt his large hand press itself onto my head, and he began to guide my movements. Before I really even had a chance to further my persuasion, his phone began to vibrate. He gently pushed me off of him, adjusting himself before answering his ringing phone. I rolled my eyes and sat up, pushing the sheets from over my head. It didn’t matter what was happening at the moment, August would drop everything to tend to his business. One thing he didn’t play about was his profit, or his merchandise. I watched as he stood up, still speaking on the phone.
“What the fuck you mean?...Yo ass better handle that shit…”
He glanced at me, still into his conversation.
“Aye, hand me my shirt.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, involuntarily being stubborn. He shook his head at me before disappearing into the bathroom. A couple of seconds later, he returned, no longer on the phone. He looked down at me while gathering his clothing and putting it on.
“Yo stubborn ass be really tryin’ me. Get that lil funky ass attitude in check, aight?”
He bent down and pecked my lips before grabbing his shoes from where I’d thrown them earlier.
“Where are you going?”
He shot me a look of irritation. One thing he’d advised me to do was never question his whereabouts.
“I gotta handle some shit at one of the warehouses.”
I sighed and he sucked his teeth, slipping his shoes on.
“Nah, don’t start this shit, ma. You been knew the deal.”
I couldn’t argue with that. I’d known what I was getting myself into from the get-go. August was always all work and would probably always be work oriented. I figured that it’d benefited him in some way considering that he, and many individuals of his crew, had explained to me how he’d worked his way up from a drug dealer on 7th street to an all-around drug lord.
“Just go, August.”
He shot me one last look before pulling open the door to my apartment and walking out.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
“I don’t know…I’m just tired of his shit. I’m not asking for a fucking marriage proposal…just commitment.”
I took a sip of my wine after speaking. I was out on a lunch date with Gio, who was a part of August’s ensemble. She was also the one who’d introduced August and I almost two and a half years ago. She’d known him since practically birth, and had grown up as a family friend; he looked to her as a sister. Gio was gorgeous; mixed with about any race you could come up with, she had long, curly hair that reached down her back, and chinky eyes to match her Japanese background. She stood at about 5’3, and only weighed about 115 pounds, but was no one to play with. It was known that she’d put a bullet right between the eyes if given a reason. She’d grown up in the same hood as August, and it showed. She sat down her wine, chuckling lightly.
“Girl, Anthony loves you. He just doesn’t know how to show it. Trust me, you’re the only female he’s been even this serious with.”
I raised my eyebrow. “Really?”
She nodded. “Plus, you’ve got a lil feisty mouth on you. Any other female would’ve been laid out a long ass time ago.”
We laughed together at the reality.
“Just give him some time, Cami. You’re really good for him. He needs somebody to help put him in his place. You know nobody else can do anything with that man.”
I took a bite of my salad, wanting to change the subject.
“So what’s up with Trim?”
She waved her hand carelessly. “I don’t know, and I don’t give a rat’s ass. His black ass needs to stay wherever the fuck he’s at.”
I chuckled. “Y’all at it again?”
Giovanna and her boyfriend Trim were always arguing, but they loved each other to no end. Trim talked just as much shit as she did.
“He tryna tell me when I gotta be in the house and shit. Last time I checked, he wasn’t my daddy, or of any relation to the nigga, so he needa chill the fuck out.”
I shook my head and took another swallow of my wine.
“Plus, he knows I’m in charge of inventory, and keepin’ the girls in check.”
Gio was August’s most trusted female worker. I sighed, fingering the rim of my glass.
“August won’t even let me near the set-up.”
Gio frowned slightly.
“Don’t do that, Cami. You know he’s just tryna keep you away from all that shit.”
I rolled my eyes. “I guess.”
Giovanna smirked, eyeing me over her own glass. “Plus, Daddy Warbucks would have an anxiety attack if he knew perfect Camille was even within a 15 mile radius of a drug pin.”
I couldn’t help but to crack a smile. “Shut up.”
Gio spoke again, picking off of the food on my plate.
“Have you even told him about Ant?”
I scoffed, rolling my eyes.
“What’s there to tell? I’m not even sure what’d we’d really call our relationship.”
Before she could respond, my phone began to vibrate. I shuffled through the belongings of my purse before retrieving it. I shushed Gio, noting that it was my father calling.
“Hey, daddy!”
I noticed Gio mimicking me, and quickly turned my head to avoid further distraction, and amusement.
“Class was….cancelled. The professor was late…again.”
I noticed Gio shake her head at me, sitting back and folding her arms over her chest.
“Of course. No…don’t send Benjamin, I can drive myself….alright, love you, too. Tell mommy I said hi.”
I hung up, placing my phone next to my glass.
“What?”
“You still haven’t told your parents that you dropped out?”
I sighed and toyed with the remainder of my salad before mumbling a reply.
“I will eventually. I just don’t need them to tell me what’s best for me. I can take care of myself.”
I’d dropped out of GSU to pursue a career in cosmetology. I knew my parents would never be able to accept the fact that their perfect daughter didn’t want to carry on the legacy of law school. I’d never wanted to sit in a court room all day, defending people that we all knew were probably guilty. It’d always been my ambition to get my license for cosmetology and open up my own salon, with the works. My parents had always spoiled me, being that I was their only child, and I’d never had anything less than the best. From my hair down to my toenails, I was always laid in the finest. We’d always been wealthy. From fancy drivers to receiving a Bentley on my 16th birthday, I was always taken care of.
“You need to tell them. I don’t know how you’ve kept this shit up for this long.”
I shrugged and glanced at the time on my MK watch before flipping my 24 inch over my shoulder.
“I need to go. I’m supposed to be meeting up with Lonzo for a 3:00.”
Alonzo was my hairstylist, and a diva at heart, so I couldn’t risk being late. Giovanna stood, grabbing her purse. No one else would be able to detect it, but I knew she had a gun tucked underneath the waistband of her shorts; she was always strapped.
“Yeah, I need to go pick up T.J.’s lil bad ass.”
I laughed, retrieving my credit card from the waiter. T.J. was Gio’s 5 year old son, my god son, and my pride and joy. I treated him as if he were my own.
“Tell my baby I’m coming by tomorrow, and we’re gonna go shopping.”
She shook her head at me.
“You need to stop spoilin’ him. He doesn’t have anywhere else to put all this shit you keep on buying him.”
I placed my Tom Fords onto my face before standing.
“Shut up.”
We said our goodbyes, agreeing to meet up later on that night, before departing.